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Horse & Groom, Fitzrovia, W1

128 Great Portland Street
W1
W1W 6PS

Correct details

Served areas

Fitzrovia

Reviews of Horse & Groom (Average Rating: 6 of 10) Add Review see review guidelines

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Tris C left this review about Horse & Groom

A late 18th-century pub which I suspect has been rebuilt in the 19th.
The front has attractive bow windows, but as mentioned in a previous review, it's hard to tell what's original and what's come from Humphrey's workshop. There are Victorian wood flourishes and some etched and cut windows. There's an ornate neo-Georgian bar back and a chequered lino floor. Furniture is conventional and as noticed by the previous reviewer, wallpaper all looks a bit William Morris; décor is equine. There were few customers in here, unlike the Cock and they were all a bit laddish.
The landlord was friendly and any prohibitions on the use of phones or foul language have been lifted; cardless is also accepted here. No real ale here, indeed no Old Brewery on keg either, likewise MIB lager, me having to plump for the Taddy lager at a very pricey (for SS) £2.60 a half.
This place is ok, but the lack of real ale, especially one not from this brewer, means I'm unlikely to return. Humphrey's Cock round the corner is a better pub and has OB on cask.

On 10^th October 2021 - rating: 4
[User has posted 2207 recommendations about 2164 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Quinno _ left this review about Horse & Groom

Wondering in to tick it off as part of the Sam’s Pub Challenge I have to admit I didn’t immediately recognise this one as a revisit, maybe the Imperial Stout at the Grey had done its job. Realisation was swift in coming when my pint of Man in a Box was pretty flat and grotty, so it seems bar and cellar quality here is no better than it was four years back (noted that there is no cask OBB now). Sat in the rear room which, whilst ostensibly pleasant with a fire on the go, was still chilly. Probably the poorest Sam’s in London, unfortunately.

July 2015
Sam Smiths outlet. Usual SS turn of the century stylings; brown and cream chequerboard flooring, curved and dark wood bar, nice etched glasswork on the opposite wall to bar. Beyond this main bar is another room with William Morris style wallpaper, broken up by a wood and glass partition. Mention elsewhere of darts but I didn’t spot it. Lounge and food bar upstairs. Nicely tiled gents of pa(i)ssing interest. Cask OBB available and for once not freezing cold. However there was kerfuffle elsewhere with the Taddy which was agreed by all to taste of line cleaner, though the friendly lass behind the bar was clueless as to what needed to be done. Mind you she barely looked like she’d sat her GCSEs. Based on that I think one visit here is enough for me. Rated 5

On 22^nd January 2020 - rating: 5
[User has posted 5552 recommendations about 5533 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Will Larter left this review about Horse & Groom

I can never tell with Sam Smiths pubs how much is well-preserved and how much is reproduction. I rather liked this one with its understated decor - I can imagine Humphrey getting discounted quantities of the sort of dull paint colours that are always left on the shelf until reaching their best-before dates. There are three rooms here, with the two at the back having high ceilings and a shared skylight, and a real fire. On the bar is a modest selection of keg offerings, with no hand pumps. My half of stout was a pretty decent drink, and the post-work atmosphere on a quiet Monday was friendly, as was the service.

On 15^th January 2020 - rating: 7
[User has posted 4273 recommendations about 3935 pubs]

View more reviews of Horse & Groom (10)

This pub features in the following crawls:
London W1 Crawl, 26/03/16 by Komakino .

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