King William IV, Hampstead, NW3

A large looking pub on the high street with two interconnected bars, no draught beer is dispensed in the right bar one entering from the side door. The left hand bar also has a front door and continues through to the back and connects with the other bar. Traditionally furnished the main distinguishing feature is the large number of photographs of famous people mostly in the arts, each one has a potted biography for those you don't instantly recognise. Beers on offer were a fairly lacklustre selection of London Pride, Directors and St Austell Tribute which was in decent nick, it also sells Ireland’s favourite crisps - Tayto. Not sure what the Irish connection is but there’s a shamrock embellished tricolour hanging over a skylight. It has a more pub like feel than some other pubs in the area.

This pub is a mixed bag.My heart sank when I saw a tricolour hanging from a first floor window but this isn't an Irish pub.The interior is quite interesting,the front door opens into the tap room,the side door into a rear lounge with it's own servery and connected to the front by a wide corridor space with candle lit tables creating some atmosphere. The front tap room is square with the terrestrial TV screening the 6 Nations and two operational handpumps drawing "Courage" Directors and Fuller's London Pride (cheap for the area at £2.80 the half,NBSS 3) The rear lounge has framed photos of many famous actors,has a door to the beer garden and is a calm area with mismatched furniture.Slightly worn but in a good way,there is also a tiny alcove and some bar stools.The eclectic food menu showed a median main around £16,much cheaper than elsewhere .In fact the vibe is more like a proper boozer and much less middle class than most of the other pubs in Hampstead. If only the ale line up was more adventurous,I would have scored this pub higher and with some thought this could be a destination pub for the honest drinker.Sadly it come up a bit short ,but it has charm and some original features so worth popping in .

Official site of King William IV - thekingwillie.com

Official site of King William IV - thekingwillie.com

Hampstead pub that has retained a fair bit of internal character, with interconnected rooms surrounding an island bar which has two serving points. The road facing area is for boozing, the rear area is more for dining. Front area has original dark wood floorboards and bar, lincrusta ceiling, chandelier lighting, flock wallpaper, an attractive dark wood fireplace and a general vibe akin to a gentleman's club, almost. Read elsewhere that this a well-known gay pub but judging by what I saw, the only obvious signs were a few Hampstead ‘types’ of a similar sort to those you’d find at the French House in Soho. Three pumps but just one on, Courage Directors. What I was anticipating to be a fairly good visit was soured when, after being relieved of £2.40 for a half, the barman attempted to finish off the liquid with some leftovers from a glass underneath the bar. Cue me stating that if I've just paid a fair slab of good money I expect a fresh pint. After a half arsed attempt to justify it 'I poured it for someone else and they didn't want it' I was grudgingly poured a fresh one which was at least in good. Without that farrago I'd have probably dropped a 7 but unfortunately dubious bar practices are a massive no-no with this reviewer so 2 points off. Shame.