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 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
Kings Head, Norwich
Norwich
NR3 1JE
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
John Bonser left this review about Kings Head
Date of visit - April 2013
Close to the City Centre, and in a long street full of independent music and record shops – Magdalen Street – is The Kings Head, a classic, but basic drinkers pub. It’s a well known award winning pub that proclaims itself as keg free.
A front bar features wooden settles, tiled floors and is decorated with a number of old photos of Norwich. Of particular interest is a map above the fireplace showing Norwich city centre pubs in 1883/5 when, incredibly, there appeared to be even more than there are today. An old photo shows Magdalen Street flooded.
A small corridor leads through to a larger rear room which has subdued lighting and features a bar billiards table. There’s no music, TV or food available – just a good range of real ales in a traditional, welcoming, pubby atmosphere.
The friendly barman, Charlie, explained to me that there’s normally 9 real ales on, but that this increases to 11 or 12 at weekends. There’s also a lengthy bottled beer menu, specialising in German and Belgian offerings.
On my April visit, and as appears to be always the case, mainly Norfolk beers were on which included Winters Mild and Woodfordes Nelson. Beers were priced between £ 2.90p and £ 3.40p. Unusually, oversized glasses are used. It’s another CAMRA Good Beer Guide regular.
It’s central location makes this one a good bet, particularly if time is limited.
On 22nd October 2013
- rating: 8
[User has posted 560 recommendations about 560 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about Kings Head
This really is a real ale paradise, 13 ales in total, 11 on handpump and 2 on gravity. The pub was busy on our visit and the sevice was fast and friendly. The staff are both knowledgable and welcoming. I went for the Green Jack Orange Wheat, Brandon Rusty Bucket and Tipples Longshore. Looking forward to a revisit.
On 11th November 2012
- rating: 10
[User has posted 3645 recommendations about 3645 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Gill Smith left this review about Kings Head
Really enjoyed our visit to this friendly 2013 Good Beer Guide pub with a superb choice of ales. The ales are split between bars in a front and back room, but are detailed on a board. Enthusiastic about real ales, there is no keg. We enjoyed Brandon Grumpy Bastard and Fat Cat India Pale Ale.
On 15th September 2012
- rating: 9
[User has posted 1339 recommendations about 1222 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Kings Head
Old-fashioned (in a very good way), with a splendid choice of rare or unusal ales from mostly local breweries (e.g. Green Jack’s Orange Wheat Beer) on the 12+ handpumps divided between the two bars. Both rooms have basic furniture and plain decor - the front one being quite compact and usually with regulars sitting or standing at the bar, but there is much more space at the back. Bar billairds. Closer to the city centre than most of the other top real ale pubs in the Norwich suburbs, so probably the one to go for if on a quick visit. (NB - Review dates from March 2012.)
On 17th June 2012
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8679 recommendations about 8678 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about Kings Head
The Kings Head is a proper unaltered pub that is fairly close to the city centre.
I went in the room at the front of the pub and this was fairly basic i am not sure if there was another room behind the bar.
There was a good choice of micro brewery beers on the bar with six real ales on i had a drink of Buffeys bitter and this was a very nice drink there was also Woodfords Wherry and four more micro beers.
On 7th February 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]