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Chat about:
Beer of the Week (w/e 15th March 2026) with trainman
on the Pub Forum
Image posted by David Walton
Submitted on Wednesday, 10th December 2025
With picture contributions to 1863 other pubs
View all this pub's pictures (9 more images)
Detail Pages
The Black Lion, Plaistow, E13
E13
E13 0AD
Served areas
Reviews of The Black Lion (Average Rating: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
David Walton left this review about The Black Lion
Visited 09/12/25. Visited previously 04/10/23.
Cask was Captain Bob from Mighty Oak and TT Boltmaker. Keg was Guinness, Cruz, Heineken, Fosters, Moretti, original & dark fruits SB, Neck Oil, K1664, Inch's cider.
Traditional venue with main bar area up a step to the left of the entrance. Before the bar counter area there was a small seating area with a couple of church pew style benches serving a couple of regular tables. Bar counter then along rear wall with tall stools at most points along the counter. Bare boarded with a long leather padded seat banquette on the wall opposite the bar counter serving small round tables with low stools the other side thereof. Mish mash of stuff on the walls and Sky Sports News playing on TV's with sound during my visit. There is a quieter smaller lounge bar to the left most end of the bar counter, with its own small bar counter also served by a few tall stools. Carpeted with a fabric banquette around its perimeter serving regular tables with regular chairs the other side thereof. Enjoyed the signed picture of Jonjo returning to the unsaddling enclosure after his Gold Cup win on Dawn Run. Generally, quite a bit of sporting memorabilia on the walls in here. There is a small beer garden out the back with some covered seating and that led to the Stable Bar and Function Room but closed on my visit.
On 17th February 2026
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1340 recommendations about 1323 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Black Lion
Once a coaching inn, this place dates from 1747 and is on CAMRA’s list of pubs with historic interiors, this being of Special National Historic Interest.
There are decent pictures of the interior on CAMRA’s site, but of note are the ‘30s’ additions and nods to the ‘70s’. Like Ian, I too had problems negotiating the entrance criteria, but once inside I found myself in a time warp pub which wouldn’t look out of place in a village, with a notionally Irish flavour but with a mixed local crowd and quite a few children. A decent soundtrack played, comprising some cheesy Oirish folk, then homespun Country & Western; pre-recorded horseracing played in silence on an inconspicuous TV and games machines flashed; also of note is that there’s a seafood bar out back in the substantial car park.
I also availed myself of the only cask offering that I could see at a crowded bar: a half of Mighty Oak’s Captain Bob (£2.50) in superb shape, served by a friendly old-school landlady; I could have stayed for quite a few if time had permitted.
Like chalk and cheese compared to the neighbouring Victoria Tavern and Lord Stanley, this is a very nice pub which would be improved with a wider – or perhaps more visible – cask choice, ditching the electronics and perhaps the kids too; it makes for a great double with the Boleyn Tavern.
On 29th November 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2307 recommendations about 2251 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The Black Lion
Good Beer Guide (2023) brought me here. What an unexpected find. A C18th coaching house, largely unchanged, in Plaistow.
Getting in without prior knowledge, was a challenge. Every door seemed to have a sign with an arrow saying use next entrance. When you get to the last door, I found myself in a little unmanned bar. To get to the staffed main bar required going through the serving space.
There you find a long thin room, with beamed ceilings, bench seating and a long row of round tables. Drops down to another area with fruit machines. Decor is Irish.
Only two real ales on and they were both marked on a chalk board as "guest". I went for a previously untested Captain Bob by Mighty Oak Brewery and it was perfect. Prize winning in the Camra Bitter Category.
Impossible not to get into conversations with regulars.
A unexpectedly joyful visit.
On 6th March 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1772 recommendations about 1745 pubs]
View more reviews of The Black Lion (11)
Pubs Galore is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
- Randomness Guide to London - Black Lion entry
- Official site of the Black Lion, contains menu - www.blacklionplaistow.co.uk
- Facebook - Black Lion Plaistow
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Black Lion - whatpub.com
- Historic Pub Interiors - pubheritage.camra.org.uk
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Accommodation : No last updated 13 November 2020 by Pub SignMan
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 13 November 2020 by Pub SignMan
- Beer Festivals : No last updated 29 November 2023 by Tris C
- Beer Garden : Yes last updated 13 November 2020 by Pub SignMan
- CAMRA Discount : No last updated 29 November 2023 by Tris C
- Car Park : Yes last updated 29 November 2023 by Tris C
- Child Friendly : Yes last updated 13 November 2020 by Pub SignMan
- Darts : No last updated 29 November 2023 by Tris C
- Dog Friendly : No last updated 29 November 2023 by Tris C
- Function Room : Yes - From review - last updated 07 October 2010 by Dave McNally
- Hot Food : Yes last updated 14 March 2016 by Rex Rattus
- Jukebox : No last updated 13 November 2020 by Pub SignMan
- Karaoke : No last updated 13 November 2020 by Pub SignMan
- Live Music : No last updated 29 November 2023 by Tris C
- Live TV Sports : Yes - BT Sport/TNT. - last updated 29 November 2023 by Tris C
- Micropub : No last updated 13 November 2020 by Pub SignMan
- Pinball : No last updated 13 November 2020 by Pub SignMan
- Pool Table : No last updated 29 November 2023 by Tris C
- Quiz Night : No last updated 29 November 2023 by Tris C
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 14 March 2016 by Rex Rattus
- Real Cider : No last updated 13 November 2020 by Pub SignMan
- Wheelchair Access : No last updated 29 November 2023 by Tris C
- WiFi : Yes last updated 13 November 2020 by Pub SignMan
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