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Chat about:
Tutbury & Hatton on Tuesday, 14th April 2026 with rpadam
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Detail Pages
The Lady Ottoline, Bloomsbury, WC1
WC1
WC1N 2JF
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Old Boots left this review about The Lady Ottoline
Corner pub advertising itself as “pub and dining rooms”, the dining rooms are upstairs. Traditional fittings; a mix of furniture, high sticky out tables with stools competing with banquette and chairs/low stools. Funny, as in odd, collection of pictures at one end. Other than the clear windows it has a decent old pub hiding inside. GBG 2026 listed but on my visit only Doombar and a weird slightly alcoholic orange juice from Gosnells brewery were on, two more pulls were empty, the keg choices were on three trio founts. BRAPA Simon visited last year and didn’t think much of it and I think I agree with him.
On 12th January 2026
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3929 recommendations about 3593 pubs]
Moby Duck left this review about The Lady Ottoline
A splendid looking former Charrington pub, a single downstairs room and another upstairs space. The interior has a slightly modern feel but still maintains a traditional aura. Beers were Landlord and Pride, Brew York Monks Bar and a Gosnells Juicy Rhubarb Nectar Cider.
Very pleasant.
On 15th June 2025
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2291 recommendations about 2255 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Lady Ottoline
Another Bloomsbury corner pub which has changed its name since my last visit in May 2010. There is a main bar at ground level with dining space upstairs. Toilets are in the basement.
On the bar, there were just a couple of cask ales - By The Horns London Surrey Classic & Redemption Kazbek. On keg, were Beavertown Neck Oil & Hidden New England IPA. Service became a little confused when bar staff started to serve us randomly when were in different rounds. I couldn't really find much to recommend this pub.
On 15th November 2024
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3409 recommendations about 3407 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about The Lady Ottoline
A nice little pub with some good historical features, including the tiling and glasswork mentioned below. It is all a bit bijou, not least with little tealights twinkling all over the place, and clearly quite heavily focussed on food. A warm welcome though. On handpump were two from Brew York, Siren Memento and a Crafty Apple cider.
On 5th December 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3890 recommendations about 3822 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Lady Ottoline
A street corner pub with an interesting exterior still with Charrington's insignia and the former name of Kings Arms picked out both in mosaic tiling by a side entrance and on the window frieze.Shame that the name hasn't been retained.There is a small interior ,quite minimalist but retaining a good fireplace with wood burner and a high moulded ceiling.The wooden floor means chatter will bounce around the interior but background jazz seemed very appropiate.The tables are mainly square wooden extendable dining types,but there are some high tables and bench seating and only drinking is just fine,the upstairs restaurant draws most of the diners although meals will be served anywhere.There is some art on the walls and the overall affect is smart gastro but dont let that put you off.
There are 4 handpumps drawing on my Saturday afternoon visit Doom Bar,Southward Potters Field Porter,Bloomsbury London IPA and Tiny Rebel Cwtch (£4.45,decent nick but a very short pint was pulled into the dimple glass)
Overall I thought the ale range was decent,it's tucked away and the food smelt good.Worth popping in if crawling the area.
On 21st October 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3126 recommendations about 3126 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Lady Ottoline
This former Charrington pub (as can be seen from some of the older glazing) has gone partially down the 'gastro' route, but everyone seemed to be drinking rather than eating on my early evening visit. The place benefits from a fair amount of window space on two sides and a generally uncluttered rectangular bar arrangement (although this does mean that seating is at a premium, although there may be more space up the unexplored stairs). Solid, traditional furniture and not much decoration, but the overall effect is not unappealing. Two of four handpumps in operation, offering Doom Bar and the local Bloomsbury IPA (a bit cloudy, but tasted OK, £4.70).
On 25th August 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 9063 recommendations about 9063 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Lady Ottoline
A first time in here and it's not anything like the gastropub I was fearing - I think all the dining guff seems to go on upstairs. Downstairs it's a fairly straightforward pub once called The King's Arms, as evidenced by the presence of some nice original Charrington's windows and recently renamed in honour of society hostess Lady Ottoline Violet Anne Morrell.
Furniture is old school stuff and there's a tiled bar apron and log burning stove. Muted music played, and the few drinkers in here were probably office workers. Ales: a blank clip, something not logged, Adnam's Broadside and Ghost Ship, well served and at £4.30 a pint, quite good value for the area.
This is a perfectly decent backstreet pub and I'd be happy to return, but I don't understand why they ditched the historic name.
On 14th April 2016
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2307 recommendations about 2251 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Lady Ottoline
A gastropub (table service upstairs) with a fairly simple knocked-through L shaped room quite nicely done out with burgundy button back banquettes. Dimmed lighting and candles on tables for an attempt at upmarket sophistication, as well as framed modern art at the far end of the room. Unused wood burning stove (why not light it?). A working dumb waiter behind the bar. Nice moulded ceiling cornices and chequerboard flooring by the bar. Unusual but attractive bar back with built-in glass-fronted cupboards, quite 2002 but I liked it. Four ales on and a decent selection - Adams Broadside, Sambrooks Wandle, GK Abbot and Sheps Whitstable Bay. Adnams and Meantime on keg. I tried the Sheps and got a decent half in return, supped in quite a nice, communal atmosphere. As to be expected the food prices were outrageous, a burger and chips weighing in at 14 quid. For that price I’d expect the finest burger and chips in Britain. Drinking-wise, it’s a solid pub for these environs.
On 1st December 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5992 recommendations about 5971 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about The Lady Ottoline
Small narrow pub with upstairs room.Most tables set for dining and only a small area for drinkers.Gastro-pubby but no longer thai food.Very warm inside.Good beer selection.Four cask ales inc Beer Engine -piston bitter and silver bullet and Portobello-VPA.
On 25th September 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Strongers . left this review about The Kings Arms
I thought that the barmaid in here was friendly and the ale selection of Greene King IPA, Pride, SA Gold and Landlord covers most people’s tastes. I opted for the Guinness which was on good form and there was also a selection of standard and premium products. I visited on a Monday night so nobody was tucking into the Thai menu, but there were some people upstairs utilising the two pool tables and two dartboards. There is some more seating in the front room upstairs and back down in the bar there is a plasma screen for the sports.
I liked it in here but the toilet is tiny and there is no lock on the makeshift wooden board that is hinged to the cubicle. Maybe this has been sorted in the few weeks that have passed since my visit.
This pub is a bit out of my way, but if I lived or worked closer I would revisit.
On 11th February 2010
- rating: 7
[User has posted 6559 recommendations about 6521 pubs]