Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Beer of the Week (w/e 28th April 2024) with rpadam
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Kings Arms, W1
W1
W1J 7QF
Pub Type
Greene KingReviews (Current Rating Average: 5½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Kings Arms
Dating from 1742 as the Three Jolly Butchers, the current name dating from 1785, but apparently rebuilt in 1967. Hmmm…
The downstairs interior is small, with a modern boarded floor and certainly the wooden bar array looks newish, with an interesting curved staircase to the left side. Dark grey paint makes it as far as the dado, thereon up it’s pale mushroom to the white Anaglypta ceiling. It’s the chunky, gnarled wooden beams that intrigue; do they really date from ’67 or were they incorporated into a remodelled pub? Furniture is tall and conventional, the whole lit by Victorian-style lighting.
Four ales on: GK IPA, Abbot, London Glory and Portobello Westway Pale at a very pricey £2.75; dull but drinkable.
This isn’t a bad pub, certainly better than the Chesterfield and Market Tavern, but it’s less of a boozer than the Grapes.
On 17th October 2021
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1989 recommendations about 1955 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Kings Arms
Another of the Shepherds Market former Taylor Walker pubs that is now owned and run by Greene King, this one was heaving both outside and inside on my arrival early Thursday evening in the last working week before Christmas. However they seemed to be coping better than the nearby Shepherds Tavern and three of the four ale pumps were in operation. These were dispensing GK IPA and Abbot with the same guest as in the review below , Portobello West Way Pale Ale, on the third. The West way was OK but it wasn’t too long before I made the short journey to Ye Grapes
On 8th January 2020
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2116 recommendations about 1995 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Kings Arms
A Greene King tied house with a very old fashioned whiff on entering,but the low ceiling,exposed beams and traditional vibe mark this out as a decent boozer.Two Sky Sports screens were showing T20 on mute,while the pub clearly has a few regulars .To the front there are some high tables off the curved frontage ,while there are a few more traditional tables dotted about.
There is a corporate GK food menu while the 4 handpumps were drawing GK IPA and Abbott with guests Exeter Avocet and Portobello WestWay Pale (ok).
If you are looking for a boozer in Shepherds Market with some authenticity then this maybe worth a pint.
On 8th March 2019
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2730 recommendations about 2730 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Kings Arms
The pub was very quiet on our 5.30 Sunday visit. The bar was situated on the back right hand side. The pub had a choice of four nationals on handpump, Doombar, Robinson's Trooper etc. The pub interior consisted of lots of timber, floors included. Lots of candles around tables on our visit to create atmosphere. Wouldn't get too excited to visit this one.
On 12th February 2015
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Kings Arms
Unremarkable Taylor Walker pub on the edge of Shepherd Market. The smallish wedge-shaped bar probably appears sufficiently 'olde worlde' to satisfy the tourists, but it doesn't leave much room for seating (and hence about half the customers are usually to be found outside on the pavement). Having said that, there is also a dining room upstairs where I have never ventured. Now has five real ales on handpump, with Pride, 1730, Southwark Bermondsey Best, Twickenham Naked Ladies and Red Squirrel Winters Tail (£4.45) available on this visit - a better selection than I've found here previously.
On 24th January 2015
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Kings Arms
This is a small one-room pub downstairs, although there is another room upstairs, to which I didn’t venture. As previously reported, there is a mass of dark painted wood all over the place, including some bulbous wooden pillars on the bar counter stretching up to the ceiling. I can’t see what structural purpose they would serve, so I suppose they must be part of the decor. Seating in this room is exclusively tall tables and tall stools, although I recall that once upon a time they did have some normal tables and chairs. But the place was heaving, both inside and on the pavement outside, when I dropped in on Wednesday evening so the formula seems to be working. But there again all the pubs around the Market were heaving, so I suspect that any pub here would be busy straight after work. There was a TV on the wall, muted and showing a rolling news channel.
I didn’t get to see a menu, but as this is a Taylor Walker branded pub I would be very surprised if it didn’t do the usual pub grub. Some large jars of nuts and the like were on display behind the bar, and a sign there exhorted drinkers to have a “dish of olives with your beer today”. Sorry, not today or any day as far as I’m concerned. There were four ales on – London Pride, Doom Bar (£3.40 a pint), Bombardier and Young’s London Gold. All a bit predictable and uninspiring, but at least it does offer some drinkable ales. But I don’t think it’s the sort of place to which I’d rush back.
On 21st April 2012
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Chris 87 left this review about The Kings Arms
Underwhelming pubco outlet, featuring Pride, GK IPA and Doombar at expensive prices, although this is Mayfair we're talking about. Sky sports on the TV and more seating upstairs from what is a fairly small room at ground level. Nothing special about this place at all, I'm sure the area has better.
On 17th January 2010
- rating: 5
[User has posted 179 recommendations about 179 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Kings Arms
This place had Pride, Doom Bar, Greene King IPA and Spitfire alongside a standard draught selection, all of which were overpriced – probably to pay for the steward outside who took it upon himself to order people about that weren't even drinking in the pub!
I knew that I wasn't going to like this place when I spotted the tip trays on the bar for the unsuspecting tourists to fork out even more money. There is another bar upstairs which has more seating for people who choose to dine and both bars have a TV which were both off during my visit and I also noticed that the pub does not have Sky Sports.
I wouldn't drink here again as there are better pubs in the area.
On 1st September 2009
- rating: 5
[User has posted 5267 recommendations about 5235 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Philip Carter left this review about The Kings Arms
Cosy pub. Sells real ale, 4 taps, Old Perculiar on the day I was there. Subdued lighting. Upstairs seating area was very crowded, get there early.
On 13th January 2007
- rating: 8
[User has posted 757 recommendations about 720 pubs]