The Duke of York, St John's Wood, NW8

The Duke of York is situated in St John's Woods small shopping area. I was expecting to get a real ale in this pub,my last of the day,but was very dissapointed once inside. The pub has a single L shaped room with the bar facing,there was bench seating around the edge of the room,this room was very busy with drinkers on my late Thursday afternoon visit. I think the pub maybe a GK tied house,there were no real ales on the bar,i had a drink of GK IPA keg crap which was cold and tasteless. This was a very dissapointing pub to end my crawl in. Pub visited 1/5/2014

Duke of York official site with menu and event details - www.thedukeofyork.com

Duke of York official site with menu and event details - www.thedukeofyork.com

The sign on the front saying "celebrated ales and stouts" is presumably for decorative purposes only, as the only thing even remotely resembling an ale was GKIPA chilled smoothflow, vastly overpriced at £2 for a half. Maybe somebody celebrates this drink but not I nor anybody I know. This is undoubtedly a food led establishment, but as I didn't sit in the dining room at the rear I didn't get to see a menu. But if the GKIPA is anything to go by, it won't be cheap. The main bar area as you enter is used by those just wanting a drink. This is furnished with black plastic covered banquettes, brown plastic upholstered chairs, and some simple wooden tables. The room contains some gastropub favourites - ice bucket containing bottles on the bar counter; chalkboard containing "nibbles" menu (most at around £4.95); and further chalkboards giving Champagne and wine lists. There's minimalist decor, and has none of the warmth that I have encountered in other gastropubs. I reckon beer drinkers are third class citizens here. A foreigner drinking some kind of lager asked for a beermat - some chance! This is not really my sort of place, and not really worth visiting if all you want is a drink. But possibly worth visiting if you've got more money than sense and want some Champagne.

One of the curious buildings you see in certain parts of London, with the main facade set back some distance behind the road with a single-storey section projecting forwards. Once inside, you find a distinctly upmarket pub with table service - which obviously appeals to the well-heeled customer base, if not me - unless on can grab a seat at the counter. 'L'-shaped bar with little decor apart from menu and wine list chalk-boards on the walls. Mind you, it is difficult to see much as the place in very dimly lit (mostly by candles). Small, slightly raised, traditional, dining room to the rear. You can usually get a real ale or two at places like this, but not here, so had to make to with a quick pint of keg Greene King IPA (£3.80) before finding somewhere else for a proper pint.