Star & Garter, Soho, W1

Having stayed in London overnight after a Luton Town midweek game, I was at a bit of a loose end until the pubs opened. This one was promising, with 11am opening mentioned on WhatPub, but when I arrived there was no sign of life so I went and bought something at the nearby Pret. A young man with keys eventually let himself in at about 11:15 and at 11:23 he invited me in too, though he was still setting up for the day's business. So I guess the 11am is more of a guide than a promise. This is a lovely mid-terrace pub with dark brown wood panelling and loads of pictures and paraphernalia on the walls, and an impressive Star & Garter mirror on the back wall (see photos). The small bar counter has Timothy Taylor Landlord and Harveys Sussex Best. The latter was probably NBSS 3.25, except that quarter marks are not allowed, so I gave it a slightly generous 3.5. I would be happy to return, but I'd try to find something else to do before 11:30 next time. Date of visit: 15th September 2022

Long, Long time since I was last in this one and as I was taking friends to a restaurant relatively round the corner, I searched this one out hoping it has remained a real old school Soho Boozer. Well, very happy to concur with Tris below that it has. Virtually unchanged from PubSignMan’s 2017 review its all wood panelling, black and white period photo’s and the Star and Garter mirror really is a thing of beauty. Yes there is one flat screen, squeezed in high up opposite the bar, but when it is not on you don’t notice it, and it wasn’t for our visit and we didn’t. And when there is nothing to get in the way of the sound of general conversation from the assembled punters this pub wraps round you like a well-worn pair of slippers. Three ale pumps on the bar with TT Landlord, Marstons Pedigree and Harveys Sussex Best, but for our visit the Sussex Best clip was reversed. We went for the TT Landlord and apart from being served a tad too cold it was perfectly fine. Some days it’s not all about interesting beer choice, or worrying about token flat screens, it’s about being comfortable, and this was one of those.