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Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat
on the Pub Forum

Image posted by Tris C
Submitted on Sunday, 7th August 2011
With picture contributions to 2351 other pubs
View all this pub's pictures (14 more images)
Detail Pages
The Brown Bear, Whitechapel, E1
E1
E1 8EY
Reviews of The Brown Bear (Average Rating: 5½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Brown Bear
Described accurately below, this is a traditional East End boozer - for now at least. Out front can be seen some remaining Taylor Walker regalia, probably dating from the early '70s along with some hanging baskets containing flowers. Inside, there's an attractive central bar with pot shelf and a lino-topped bar. The walls are part wood panelled to waist height and show some old brewery mirrors. To the rear are some pews with tables; the floor is bare boarded and there are some beer glass shelves below the windows with some high stools. Spirits are dispensed via old-fashioned optics rather than the metal cylindrical measures which take staff an age to fill.
Music played at a level which was a little uncomfortable but perhaps to add more ambience to a pub which was virtually empty on our Thursday mid-evening visit. There's still a dartboard with the entry to the lavs just beyond the oche - an accident waiting to happen. The barmaid was indeed out front with her friends and slapped my change down on the bar top once we'd been served.
Ales: Sharp's Doom Bar and Timothy Taylor's Landlord at £4.00 a pint and not great either.
This is an ok pub and long may it continue, but it's not really my thing and the mediocre beer paired with similar service isn't an incentive to return, especially with The Princess of Prussia around the corner.
On 4th September 2017
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2208 recommendations about 2165 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Brown Bear
A basic U shaped room that was pretty much as Alan found it a year ago. Just the two standard beers on,Pride and Doom Bar, the Pride was quite well kept.Its nice enough as a pub but given the lacklustre beer selection I cant see a revisit in the near future.
On 9th August 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2151 recommendations about 2118 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about The Brown Bear
The Brown Bear is a proper looking pub that is situated close to the railway bridge.
Once inside there is a single U shaped room with the bar facing,the left side is shorter and has normal tables and chairs,there is a darts board to the rear,the right side extends further to the rear,there are a few copper topped tables to the front right,the rear area is carpeted and has pew seating and chairs.
There were two real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Doom Bar which went down well,the other beer was Bombardier Gold.
Decent background music was playing.
I quite liked this pub.
Pub visited 1/7/2015
On 1st July 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]
View more reviews of The Brown Bear (6)
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- Official site of The Brown Bear - www.thebrownbear.net
- Facebook - The Brown Bear
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Brown Bear - whatpub.com
Shadwell, 0.62 miles, 12 min walk (show)
Whitechapel, 0.84 miles, 16 min walk (show)
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Accommodation : No last updated 04 September 2017 by Tris C
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 04 September 2017 by Tris C
- Beer Festivals : No last updated 04 September 2017 by Tris C
- Beer Garden : No last updated 04 September 2017 by Tris C
- Car Park : No last updated 04 September 2017 by Tris C
- Darts : Yes last updated 04 September 2017 by Tris C
- Hot Food : Yes - Thai and traditional. - last updated 21 April 2022 by Tris C
- Jukebox : Yes last updated 04 September 2017 by Tris C
- Live Music : No last updated 21 April 2022 by Tris C
- Live TV Sports : Yes last updated 04 September 2017 by Tris C
- Micropub : No last updated 04 September 2017 by Tris C
- Pinball : No last updated 04 September 2017 by Tris C
- Pool Table : No last updated 04 September 2017 by Tris C
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 04 September 2017 by Tris C
- Wheelchair Access : No last updated 04 September 2017 by Tris C