Coach & Horses, WC2

GBG entry, so I was here to get my tick. A locals pub in the heart of Covent Garden - complete with dog walkers. Amazing. Irish pub with plenty of whiskies, "the best Guinness in London" and a decent pint of Tribute. Only other ale was Adnams. Visit blogged at http://bit.ly/2kkezym

No real ale of any type for my visit. Had to have Guinness instead. This is an Irish type bar which did nothing for me.

A perfectly good boozer and one I would be happy to use on a regular basis apart from the restricted beer choice mentioned in the last couple of reviews.

I used to be a bit of a regular here about 15 years ago, but until yesterday hadn't been in for an age. Perfectly described below, this is something of an oddity as it attracts an appreciable Irish crowd, despite the fact that there's no Irish community around here, perhaps drawn by the pub boasting that it serves the best Guinness in all of Christendom. This is a fairly basic though very pleasant boozer which makes a surprising change from all the other surrounding pubs. Service is friendly and there's a good atmosphere. I'd give the place a higher mark if it weren't for the poor ale selection: St. Austell's Tribute and Courage Best. On balance, worth seeking out.

A compact and traditional looking pub in the heart of Covent Garden with etched glass windows to the front, although it’s not overtly an Irish themed pub it does nonetheless appear to have some Irish influences and a notice outside proclaimed that they had won some award or other for serving the best pint of Guinness. Internally it didn’t quite have the same appeal as many pubs in the vicinity, although there was certainly nothing wrong with it. Seating is fairly limited due to the available space and this was predominantly stools around the perimeter where there was a wooden shelf with a mirrored backdrop to rest your pint, and stools at the bar which made getting there to order somewhat difficult. Carpet covered the floor and there was some interesting carved plasterwork on the ceiling. A number of photographs were on the wall, mostly either old black and white ones or sports teams, and there was a large Guinness mirror. Beers on tap were just Courage Best and Tribute whilst the solitary cider was Strongbow, unfortunately. There were apparently though around 70 different whiskies available if that’s more your thing.

Small old style pub handy for the Royal opera house. 2 real ales.

Tiny pub near theatres & opera house. Small bar & food servery on the left as you enter. Stools around the outside of the room, no room for any other type of chairs. Various perching posts around. Very small and traditional. Spitfire & Courage beers, rather standard, but of high quality. Pub is worth a visit.

Located opposite Covent Garden Market and just a short walk from the Strand, the Coach and Horses is a small, welcoming single room pub. The carpeted room has very little space, so tables and chairs have been replaced by high stools and a few drinking ledges around the perimeter. There are several features worth keeping an eye out for, such as the lovely windows at the front of the pub and the impressive ceiling. Plenty of old photos of the market through the years line the walls and a huge pub mirror takes pride of place near the end of the bar. The far end of the bar has a short food counter, but this was empty on my recent late night visit, although signs suggest that hot and cold sandwiches are normally available. Music was playing quietly in the background, just audible beneath the chatter of the customers, although many had spilled out onto the pavement outside, which thankfully made it easier to get to the bar. Courage Best and Shepherd Neame Spitfire are still the two ale choices (as others have mentioned, Guinness is the big seller here) and my pint of Best was at least in good shape. The barman was a very friendly chap who was happy to have a chat with those at the bar whilst getting through the orders. Sitting in here, it’s sometimes hard to believe that the tourist masses are milling around just a short distance away outside, as there’s something of a local’s feel to this place that nearby pubs struggle to replicate. It’s not the most exciting place for beer choice but it is a welcoming spot that is well worth knowing about.

Quite a nostalgic visit for me. Great to see Jim still there. If your into your Guinness then this is the place for you. Good to see some real ales on and are well kept.