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Beer of the Week (w/e 14th December 2025) with Wittenden
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Detail Pages
The Beehive, E3
Bromley-By-Bow
Postal town: E3
E3 3LT
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 4½ of 10) see review guidelines
Tris C left this review about The Beehive
A short walk from Bromley-by-Bow tube, this pub dates from at least the mid-19th century, to be rebuilt as an interwar-years pub, probably in the 1930s, 55 metres to the west of the original site; so not an old building then.
This area has undergone a massive amount of gentrification since my photo was taken over 11 years ago and the first two reviews were submitted.
As mentioned, it’s still a very basic pub – no sign of the peeing dog – with a bare boarded or flagstone floor, tatty traditional furniture and a white colour scheme along with flashing red, green and blue lights; the only item of obvious heritage was a decent c. 1930s’ brick fireplace. There’s an abundance of puggies and jukebox, NOW! playing on a large tele, much of the place dominated by a well-used pool table. A door to the rear leads to the live music venue – seemingly the pub’s raison d'être – a band striking up at the time of my Friday 9.00pm visit. Décor takes the form of a multitude of cheap A4 printed drinks’ deal flyers or instructions telling customers to to 'do this’ or ‘don’t do that’ and the like, so be sure to leave your Class-A drugs at home, you naughty boys and girls! Customers seemed to be students, probably from my bête noire, the adjacent University of East London, harmless and making for a decent atmosphere.
There’s no cask here, just megakeg and a few GK pseudo ‘craft’ offerings, a half of Guinness, £2.80, served by an unconvinced barmaid.
It’s good to see that this place appears to be thriving as a live music venue, but as a pub it’s a joyless affair in a postcode where there are some genuinely decent pubs; still, it’s better than the Albert…
On 15th November 2025
- rating: 4
[User has posted 2297 recommendations about 2244 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pete Williams left this review about The Beehive
Nice old building amongst the high rise flats, nice old wooden bar straight in front of you as you enter, single room bar with a mixture slate and wood flooring, looked like a live music venue in other room. Normal selection of larger and ciders etc, no real ale. Very pleasant pub with a nice atmosphere!
On 20th July 2024
- rating: 5
[User has posted 6 recommendations about 6 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Beehive
Basic side-street boozer, featuring a rare Enterprise Inns sign, comprising two rooms partly opened out to form a 'L'-shaped bar. Pool room to the rear. Plain furniture and decor, with some patio tables to the front. Loud music, and a boisterous (but not hostile) atmosphere. No real ale, so opted for the keg Belhaven Best (£2.80) although I subsequently noted some Shepherd Neame bottles in the fridge.
On 21st August 2014
- rating: 4
[User has posted 8958 recommendations about 8958 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Beehive
There's no real ale on offer here, although there was a chalkboard on the bar back advetising some other stuff - Stella at £2.80 a pint; Carlsberg at £2.70 a pint; and keg Belhaven Best at £2.20 a pint. Resisting the temptation of the first two, I had a half of Belhaven which was better than I expected, but at £1.60 for a half. There was no sign of food or menus when I dropped in at Monday lunchtime.
This is a fairly unspectacular pub. Inside it's mainly carpeted but with a flagstone pathway leading from the door to the bar counter and continuing as a splash area around the bar. The large main room is sparsely populated with the usual stuff - a banquette, some normal tables and chairs plus some small round stools. The thing that struck me as I entered was (apart from the lack of a handpump of course!) the mirror-backed stage on the left, bearing a Christmas tree at the moment. There's another more basic room around to the back of the stage, containing a couple of tables and small stools, a pool table and a dartboard.
While I was there two or three locals came in with their dog, and while they started to open their packed lunches the dog took the opportunity of a sneaky pee on the carpet. This is a basic locals' pub - but I doubt whether I'll be back.
On 18th December 2012
- rating: 4
[User has posted 2612 recommendations about 2526 pubs]