Champagne Charlies, WC2

Basement bar with two real ale pumps. Nothing of any strength. Standard other keg offerings.

Official page of Champagne Charlies at the Davys site - www.davy.co.uk

Official page of Champagne Charlies at the Davys site - www.davy.co.uk

I have been in here many times over the years. It's a useful place to meet someone travelling via Charing Cross station, and you can usually get a seat here when it is impossible at Gordon's. Inevitably mainly patronised by office workers, but the place has a decent ambience in my opinion. The Old Wallop can be good, if pretty expensive, but I have had the odd dodgy pint which is only detected with the first gulp, because the use of pewter tankards prevents you from seeing if there might be anything wrong with it. Also, I do not rate the house wine very highly. I would not come here for the quality of the drink on offer. Some trivia - there used to be a pub called The Villiers above it, pretty much where the escalator is now, which was later renamed the Buckingham.

This place is ok for a subdued pint of Old Wallop (which is the only ale offering) whilst talking shop with work colleagues before jumping on the train home, but it is not a bar that I would choose as my destination for the entire evening. Usual Davy's set up, so good if you like that sort of thing.