Lord John Russell, Bloomsbury, WC1

This pub could be better. Several ales on – Bombardier, Deuchars IPA, Directors, Wadworth 6X, and John Smith’s Cask (didn’t know there was such a thing, but didn’t venture to try it). There was a very attractively curved bar at the back of the pub, but that was about it as far as the décor is concerned. The Deuchars I had was OK, and the food I saw other people eating looked fine, but what really put me off this place was the hard wooden seats and the fact that they had a radio playing too loud. Playing some music can be OK, but with a radio programme the music to chatter ratio is in favour of the latter. But maybe it would be different on another occasion, and I'll give it another go when I'm next in the area.

I had a couple of very nice Hare Raisers in here on Saturday. Deuchars, Bombardier, 6X, St George and John Smiths Cask were also available along with some standard lagers. The pub is basically a stripped out room with a wooden floor, bar and furniture causing any noise to reverberate through the air. Every table has a wine bottle with a candle jammed in the top of it, which I find rather tacky. The barmaid was nice enough, but the locals sitting all along the bar wouldn't have moved to let me in if I had started pissing on them. There are a couple of plasma screens, but I saw no sport advertised. There is also a picture of the pub site when it was the Marchmont Street Distillery Company. There are some benches on the pavement outside and there is also limited covered seating under the arch at the side of the pub. This place could do better, but even with all its faults there is something I like about it and I would still return if passing.

Seemingly named after a twice serving Victorian Prime Minister, the pub is just far enough away from the mainline stations on the Euston Rd to avoid that just passing through feel. A single room with a slightly curvaceous (can you describe an inanimate object such?) bar on the end wall. A number of blue cast iron columns support the hefty floor beams over. Wooden floors with a small yet attractive black and red tiled fringe/splash area in front of the bar. Standard wooden tables, with little vases of flowers, chairs and settles, all without cushions. Decor includes an old print of the pub plus a montage of a few of its architectural highlights. A fair old range of beer mats above the bar suggests the two guests change regularly. Regulars seem to be Deuchers IPA, 6X, Bombardier, John Smith's Stonemason's Reward (what's this?) with two guests, Caledonian Fringe Benefit and Davenports Heatwave. The food menu, not tried, looked to be honest pub fare at reasonable prices. I thought it to be ok, the feel of a proper pub, and seemingly with a smattering of regulars early evening.

Good real ale pub with 6 handpumps and I've rarely had a bad pint. The location means that the ale side is often overshadowed by the designer lager and white wine set. Like many places in this area it's a good pub during the quieter times but a bit of a nightmare when it's busy.