The Kings Arms, SE1

This is an interesting traditional pub, tucked away down a quiet backstreet, but surprisingly close to Waterloo East station. The pub retains a two bar interior, with access through the front and side entrances taking you into the saloon bar which has bare floorboards and some standard chairs and low stools around small round tables. The servery curves nicely into the room with an interestingly designed overhead shelf for storing glasses. Both doors have heavy curtains behind them, which can be drawn round to retain the heat in colder months and there are lamps in the window sills and old paintings and drawings of the local area on the walls, which add to the traditional feel. There is a similar, perhaps somewhat narrower, bar on the other side of the servery, with plenty more low stool seating and its own bank of hand pumps. This looked like a cosy and quiet spot to relax over a few pints judging by my Sunday afternoon visit. To the rear of the pub there is a rather large dining room with a brick floor, larger tables, including some high tables down one side of the room, and a skylit roof. The room was nicely decorated and actually had something of a cosy, rural feel to it, I thought. Despite the efforts to maintain a traditional feel, the pub has managed to attract a varied customer base through a more modern approach to its food and drink. The menu for example, offers Thai food six days of the week, with tradition restored on Sunday’s when the good old-fashioned roast is available instead. On the ale front, nine hand pumps offer a range of interesting beers from established and up and coming British breweries. On my visit the saloon bar pumps offered Sharps Ale of Kings, Brains Rev James, Redemption Urban Dusk, Clarence and Frederick Smoked Red and Adnams Southwold Bitter. In the public bar, another Clarence and Frederick beer was available alongside Orkney Skullsplitter, Worthington’s Red Shield and a beer called St George’s, although I failed to note the brewery. I tried the Urban Dusk and it was in great condition. This is one of four pubs run by the Windmill Tavern group, each of which is themed very differently (food, sport, cocktails, traditional). I really like what they have done with this place and would be keen to try their interpretation on other pub styles. In an unusual role reversal, this place was recommended to me by my other half, who enjoyed the Thai food on a night out here. I would happily pass on the recommendation to anyone looking for a good pint in warm, comfortable surroundings.

A better bet than most nearby pubs but in an area virtually devoid of decent pubs you still wouldn't want to make it your local. My grandparents lived in this road so it gets a rose tinted 6/10 from me.

A bustling corner local, featuring four fairly mainstream ales (though Bass is probably not that mainstream these days). Ticks a few heritage boxes as well. Tucked away down a film set-esque Traditional London Street, weekend drinkers (who appeared to all be art and philosophy students in my admittedly inebriated state) regularly spill out onto the street to enjoy their tipple, where a rather lovely view of the not-so-Olde-London Millennium Wheel can be had. The interior has separate public and saloon bars and has retained a decent amount of its original feel. Though not as classy-looking as the Lord Clyde, or as eclectic as the Royal Oak, I'd nonetheless certainly recommend a visit if you're crawling this fine drinking area of London. If it had a decent guest ale, they’d be up there.

Thought this was a decent, perfectly acceptable pub but probably not worthy of the 7.1 average rating. Adnams Bitter, Doombar and Pride on, so not a great deal of choice, but clearly a very popular establishment as the pavement outside was packed even on a chilly October evening. Relatively convenient for Southwark or Waterloo tubes, and better than the pubs on The Cut.

Randomness Guide to London - King's Arms entry