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Submitted on Thursday, 18^th August 2011
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Requested be closed with reason - Other: Now a restaurant.

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Cafe Rouge, WC2

11 Villiers Street
WC2
WC2N 6NA

Correct details

Served areas

Charing Cross, Embankment

Reviews of Cafe Rouge (Average Rating: 4½ of 10) Add Review see review guidelines

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

custodian 42 left this review about Cafe Rouge

This is now a restaurant.

On 16^th February 2017 - no rating submitted
[User has posted 1693 recommendations about 1691 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Bell & Compass

Fairly characterless modernised pub with those annoying high tables, but continues to improve (slowly). Nothing wrong with the beer from the Marston's real ale stable - usually EPA and Pedigree plus a couple of seasonal or less usual offerings from Ringwood, Banks's or Jennings. Also has an even less characterful room downstairs that is opened up when things get busy. Overall, OK for a quick one before catching the train from Charing Cross or as a place to meet before swiftly moving on.

On 9^th May 2011 - rating: 6
[User has posted 8679 recommendations about 8678 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Roger Button left this review about The Bell & Compass

This pub will be well known to commuters using the adjacent Charing Cross station. It was previously known as the Griffin and was in those days a fairly basic and not particularly interesting place. A major refurb and name change about 5 years ago didn’t really make much of an improvement with my initial post-refurb visit finding just one ale (Marstons Pedigree) unavailable despite being badged across 4 pump clips, poor service and I vowed never to return but recent reports of some half decent beers has led me make a fresh visit after a lengthy absence

The odd shaped hotchpotch of an interior is still as faceless as ever and lacking any charm or warmth with high brass top tables, ambient background music, modern artwork and arty spotlights. The beers however were indeed a pleasant surprise. 3 ales available (Hobson’s Mild, Brakspear Oxford Gold and Shepherd Neame Top Hat) with 1 pump off. The quality was very good and even the prices seemed slightly better than I was expecting for the area. Food was also reasonably priced with a selection of snacks at £4.95 and main courses around £8/9.

My visit coincided with the World Cup but despite the “Watch the World Cup Here” posters, the badly placed screen in a blind side of the bar wouldn’t have made it quite awkward. On the subject of football, it should be noted that football colours are not allowed although international shirts are OK.

I can’t say that there is a great deal about the place that would make me want to spend a night here but it is certainly a vast improvemenmt on the beer front from my previous experiences and I may make the odd sporadic visit when time is to hand out of curiosity for the beers than anything else.

On 1^st September 2010 - rating: 5
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]

View more reviews of Cafe Rouge (5)

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