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Beer of the Week (w/e 15th March 2026) with Wittenden
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Hole in the Wall, Waterloo, SE1
SE1
SE1 8SQ
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
David Walton left this review about The Hole in the Wall
Visited 02/02/26. Visited previously 11/06/18.
Cask here was Lilley's Wild Berry and Fire Dancer cider with another one of theirs unclipped. Then Sambrook's Blindside, Adnams Broadside, Bread & Butter Modern Ale from Vocation and LPA (London Pale Ale) from host London Beer Factory. The reversed clips were for Iron Pier Bitter and Five Points Best Bitter. Keg comprised a variety of LBF quaffs, the Day Dreamer NZ session IPA, Bounce the GF pale ale, Half Dome the WCIPA, Jungle Trip the NEIPA, Street Life a Pale Ale, Parasol a dry hopped lager, Bright Side a lager and Voodoo a nitro stout, then Staro, Stella, Pravha, Erdinger Weissbier, Adnams Wild Wave cider, Gravity Theory Berry Cherry cider, Benediktiner Hell, Estrella Galicia, Estrella, and Guinness.
This place is now in London Beer Factory ownership. The front bar looking through the front large arched window onto the small bus terminus has a banquette around the perimeter serving regular tables with small stools the other side thereof. There is a bar counter along the rear wall with a few tall stools. The rear bar which is the main drinking space here is bare boarded with the bar counter down the left-hand side. Floor is occupied by benches around the perimeter, and the tables are regular and otherwise served by regular chairs. There are a couple of tall tables at the far end before the exit to the rather small rear beer garden. There are a few screens showing sports, absent sound, and a regular pop soundtrack playing. The walls house a reasonable number of mirrors generally of an alcohol advertising bias. Great this iconic venue is largely unchanged the other side of sale from private to BrewCo ownership and long may it stay that way. Saying that the small amount of sprucing-up has removed a little of the rough around the edges magic of the previous ownership. A very good rather than a stellar venue, nevertheless.
On 7th February 2026
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1340 recommendations about 1323 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Hole in the Wall
A return visit the other night and although studiously avoiding the scruffy prison visitors’-style room to the rear, I had a table in the lovely vibrating time warp front bar (see photo), with a fine pint of Allsopp’s IPA at a very reasonable £5.30; also available were Vocation Bread & Butter, Southwark London Pale Ale, Five Points Best, Forest Road Ride and By the Horns Hopadelic.
On 27th September 2024
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2307 recommendations about 2251 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Hole in the Wall
ORIGINAL REVIEW March 2010.
A boozing institution,essentially this pub has not changed over my 35 year drinking career.Always a good place to catch televised sport,especially rugby in the large back bar, the ale quality is now consistently high to justify the GBG entry.Hogs Back TEA and Sharp's Doom Bar were the pick but Ringwood Best Bitter,Pedigree,Youngs Bitter and a real cider were also available on handpump when I was in.Lively and basic with a good courtyard with patio heaters and a further TV screen plus efficient bar service.The rear bar has one of the more pungent gents in London but,hey, this is a boozer not a wine bar.
UPDATE
Having read on these pages of an improved real ale line up ,we sought refuge here after a disappointing visit to the Kings Arms .The front bar is so much better than the hectic rear bar although the loos here have been tidied up and the beer garden is much neater .The ale range was decent Vocation Life & Death did run out but was later replaced,Brew York X Panda (NBSS 3.5,a little cold),Southwark LPA,By the Horns Classic,Moor Illumination (tired NBSS 2),RIDE Pale Ale ,Howling Hops Tropical Deluxe,Portobello Stiff Lip and Anspach & Hobday London Black. Most ales sampled by the crew were fine,there was a range of styles and strengths and there is still a proper boozer atmosphere here.Well worth a visit now.
On 25th February 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3126 recommendations about 3126 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Hole in the Wall
A return visit here in what must be more than ten years,the layout remains the same but is certainly less tatty than before. Tales of an improving beer range appear to be true if not groundbreaking, with beers represented by By The Horns, Siren and Southwark, as well Adnams Old Ale and my pick of Sambrooks Candlemaker. It certainly won't be top of my list of pubs to miss a train in with The Kings Arms , Waterloo Tap and now BrewDog to pick from but it has improved on it's old Courage Best days.
On 3rd November 2022
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2291 recommendations about 2255 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Hole in the Wall
This pub has existed in some form since at least 1869, but was incorporated into this railway arch some time before 1934. Rightly described by BF as ‘A boozing institution…’ and Graham as a ‘Legendary pub…’, it’s definitely something of an iconic boozer, which I’d completely forgotten about since I first heard mention of it in the late ‘80s, it appearing periodically in the GBG since 1975 and at least as late as 2019.
As mentioned, it’s not something you stumble across by accident, despite its location opposite Waterloo’s main entrance, the door here being somewhat concealed. You’ll go through to the large main room, devoid of natural light, scruffy (but not nearly as bad as I was expecting), sport orientated, with a large inflatable Gilbert rugby ball to the ceiling. You’ll not want to linger here (unless you want to watch TV and/or are scruffy), as eight out of the 10 real ales are to be found at the bar and don’t expect to find the likes of Pride, Doom or GK here. After making your selection, head back through to the small front bar with its windows and interior which looks like it dates from the ‘60s, but in a very good way. It’s cosy, with traditional vinyl banquette seating to the perimeter, then simple traditional furniture. Décor comprises a large collection of breweriana, all to the rumble and vibration of overhead trains.
I went for a half of the Siren Memento, in excellent shape at a very reasonable £2.60, served by a slightly goofy but friendly barman.
If I'd had a table and wasn't on a mini crawl, I'd have stayed longer as this is a must-visit destination, offering one of the largest ale selections in London, in a memorable location, making for a great double with the Kings Arms; an icon indeed.
On 9th October 2022
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2307 recommendations about 2251 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The Hole in the Wall
Fair to say that I wouldn't have ventured into this place if it hadn't been in the Good Beer Guide 2019.
But never judge a book by its cover.
Two rooms - with a larger main room exactly what you would expect for a Railway Arch. Setup for sport, with large screen showing Rugby on my visit. Majority of tables occupied, so a perch along the lengthy bar.
Plenty of real ale choices - the Hogsback TEA was perfect condition and served in the branded glass.
Would go back, if in the area.
On 8th November 2018
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1772 recommendations about 1745 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Hole in the Wall
A bit of a dive in a distinctly unglamourous location under the railway arches which rather detract from the grand façade of Waterloo main line station. The small front lounge does have some windows but the main bar has no natural light unless somebody leaves the back door - which leads to a scruffy patio - open. Also, the gents toilets always leave a lot to be desired. On the plus side, there usually a decent selection of real ales and one or more draught ciders on the nine handpumps in the main bar (including Triple fff Comfortably Numb, £4.10, on this visit), with four more handpumps at the front. The quality is generally very good too. Overall, the place naturally has a distinctly transient feel - with many customers just reading newspapers or watching sport on the TV as they wait to catch their trains - but still rather better than the nearby station bars.
On 7th January 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 9063 recommendations about 9063 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
custodian 42 left this review about The Hole in the Wall
Fine pub with character and an good selection of real ales. Yes, it's a bit scruffy and rough round the edges but it's a pub I've been in a number of times and it's one I would return to if back in the area.
On 7th December 2016
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1693 recommendations about 1691 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about The Hole in the Wall
Yep a bit scruffy but has character.(maybe the wrong sort of character for me.) very busy.Seven beers on cask.Southwark -bankside blonde was decent enough
On 11th February 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
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hondo . left this review about The Hole In The Wall
Interior as described below. Real ale and food served. A bit rough and ready bit did the job.
On 22nd November 2013
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3035 recommendations about 2965 pubs]