The Harp, WC2

Its all been said before by other reviewers, so just make it a "must visit" when in central London

Best ale,best service,best pub in the land.

One of the best real ale pubs in Central London and very convenient if you are visiting Theatreland.This was my first visit since the landlady Binnie bought out the Punch Tavern tie,and the ale selection from the eight handpumps has greatly improved.Sambrook's ale is always available,Wandle and Junction on my trip and there is also a good selection from The Dark Star Brewery with Hophead,Paradise Weiss,American Pale ale and Over the Moon all available.The other two handpumps had White Horse Village Idiot(later replaced by Sharp's Proper Job) and Boggart's Dark Mild,so there was an excellent range of beer styles,something for everybody.All beers sampled were in excellent condition and around the £3.10-£3.20 mark very reasonable for the location.The decision to feature a lot of brews from Dark Star was spot on IMHO ,as this is a small brewery which produces excellent ales across a wide variety of styles with many seasonal offerings.The barmaids were,as always, uber efficient and no long wait at the bar even at 6pm on a hot Friday evening and there is room to spill out of the front door and at the rear where a passage leads between Chandos Place and St Martins Lane,a good place for vertical exterior drinking free from traffic fumes.As mentioned below the interior is small with bar stools and drinking shelves and three breakfast bar type tables but up the steep stairs past the loos there is a quiet upstairs room with small leather chairs and some tables overlooking the front.Sometimes reserved for private function but worth checking out if your legs are giving out.This is a pub worthy of an extended session and has a friendly and homely atmosphere.A good selection of real cider and perry this is drinking heaven.An absolute gem and a must visit in Central London.

Randomness Guide to London - Harp entry

Randomness Guide to London - Harp entry

I had an excellent pint of Sambrook’s Wandle here earlier this week, which was one of eight ales that they had on. This is a smallish pub with seating consisting mainly of stools round the bar and shelves, plus a few high tables. As it was a warm-ish sunny day the entire front of the window area was open, giving the place a welcoming feel. This is something that you don't see too often (the Lamb and Flag is one other that has the facility) and is in contrast to most pubs which turn their back on, or provide an escape from, the outside world. Anyway, there are lots of original paintings and the like adorning the walls that add to the atmosphere. I remember this place from the 60s when it was the Welsh Harp and it does not appear to have changed very much since then. It's a decent, welcoming pub with good beer and definitely worth a visit.