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Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
Old Fountain, Old Street, EC1
EC1
EC1V 9NU
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about Old Fountain
There’s always a changing selection of ales available - they had several decent ales on when I was in there at lunchtime earlier this week – Dark Star Old Chestnut; Meantime Pale Ale; Mauldon Simply the Best; something from Otley (at 4.2%) and Pontypridd (at 5.5%), as well as London Pride. The pub doesn’t look like much from the outside if you approach it from the Peerless St entrance; in fact it doesn’t really look open, but once inside it opens up into a fairly large and welcoming pub. The clientele comprised mainly of office workers, as far as I could tell.
There’s an old-fashioned food counter at the back of the lower bar where you can see the food on offer. They specialise in reasonably priced pub grub. I had an excellent ham sandwich at £2.75, and the most expensive thing on offer was Cumberland Sausages, mash and onion gravy at £5.95. There was a TV, but it was not switched on; a fish tank; and carpeted throughout, with only normal tables and chairs. Luckily this pub remains unchanged every time I visit it – which is a very, very good thing. It quite rightly features as one of the capital’s finest real ale pubs. So, a comfortable and welcoming pub with good beer and good food. That’ll do it for me. Highly recommended.
On 16th November 2010
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Old Fountain
Not too far from Old Street station, this is one of the capital's best ale houses. The split level bar has eight hand pumps and a recent visit saw Dark Star Over the Moon, London Pride, Crouch Vale Amarillo and Sovereign, Otley 01, Mighty Oak Oscar Wilde, Adnams May Day and something from Walton’s available alongside a good bottled selection of Otley beers. I tried a pint of the Amarillo which was absolutely fantastic and indicative of the excellent quality maintained here.
The larger room has plenty of seating and most of the regulars were sat along the bar at this end. The smaller, lower room had a food service area (Mains £5, Pizza menu £6) and a few more tables. The decor was fairly bland except for a colourful fish tank whilst a dartboard was visible, but unplayable due to the table layout.
An outstanding ale destination pub and one that I'm keen to return to next time I'm in town.
On 14th June 2010
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3350 recommendations about 3350 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about Old Fountain
A well regarded and celebrated house with an exceptional choice of traditional ales. There are eight handpumps in two banks of four, shared between the upper and lower bars of this pub, split between two front and rear street entrances. Both sets of pumps are double clipped to show the full range.
The interior is a little dated, and functional, traditional tables in fours, plus banquettes around the external walls. A dart board and fish tank complete the picture. Brewery mirrors,occasional photos but a bit spartan really.
Never mind all that, for the real ale drinker it is heaven, on my visit seven on, Oxfordshire Marshmallow, Weltons Horsham Old, Skinners Cornish Knocker, Pride, fff Altons , Adnams Broadside, and Moorhouse Black Cat.
No one will knock that choice, and the pub is welcoming to real ale drinkers, even if the interior and decor seem from a different age
On 3rd February 2010
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1710 recommendations about 1683 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about Old Fountain
This pub does not look very inviting from the outside, but ignore that because inside for the real ale buffs is a gem to experience.
Decent looking traditional interior and its two distinct areas support enough seating and standing areas to enjoy the ale, and something you don't see in pubs very much now, a tropical fish tank bubbling away on one of the walls.
8 Real Ales on, which included during this visit Test Brew 2 and White Mountain IPA from the Red Squirrel brewery in Hertford, Ascot Ales Posh Pooch and Alligator Ale, Whitstable Brewery East India pale Ale and Adnams Old Ale, all dispensed by three hard working bar keeps who knew what they were doing.
There are four pumps on each bar section, but as they are double clipped, you can see all the beers on irrespective of where you are standing..
Also apparently it does plain simple pub nosh as well from the display counter but have only visited in the evening and never tried this.
On 27th October 2009
- rating: 9
[User has posted 2236 recommendations about 2098 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
paulof horsham left this review about Old Fountain
Looks small from the outside, but don't worry: there's plenty of room inside for discerning drinkers! 6-7 ales in great condition (and reasonably priced too). Paulaner & Bitburger from Germany if you'd prefer something a little cooler.
Serves good pub food & sandwiches at lunchtime, pizza in the evening.
A great pub, and the website can keep you updated on upcoming guest ales, so you've no excuse!
On 8th June 2009
- rating: 10
[User has posted 554 recommendations about 516 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Strongers . left this review about Old Fountain
After sinking a few too many pints I happened upon this place and thanked the beer fairies for the big fat slice of luck that I was dished up.
This place has a good atmosphere and a large selection of very good beer. There's a small glass display area at the front of the pub with a selection of sandwiches and a chalk board advertising jacket potatoes and omelettes at reasonable prices. The governor seems ok and there is a dartboard, although there were a few tables on the oche during my visit.
After an evening visiting some very uninspiring pubs I was glad to find this place and I will make a detour to visit it again.
On 23rd February 2009
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5965 recommendations about 5931 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Old Fountain
Nothing particularly special in terms of decor, but an excellent range of beers on - about 9 in total in the upper and lower bars. Well worth the short walk from Old Street station.
On 16th April 2008
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8679 recommendations about 8678 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
train man left this review about Old Fountain
Red Squirrel Ruby Mild, Archers Bouncing Bunnies, London Porter, Cotleigh Tawny Owl, Pride, plus a golden ale I can't remember. A good line up served by a very congenial host who happily chatted about beer, beer towns, pubs. He also mentioned that one of his ‘tickers' had awarded the Porter 18/20, a dizzy height achieved by only four others in his sampling of 10,000 beers. Yes, it was tasty. If you enter from Baldwin St you first encounter a food servery, then a small bar with handpumps, up a couple of steps to the main bar, same handpumps, plenty of seating here although it was very quiet ystdy 14:00. Friendly, good ale, a worthy visit but, I suspect, closed at weekends?
On 28th March 2008
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 412 recommendations about 411 pubs]