St Stephens Tavern, Westminster, SW1

I'm afraid I wasn't as impressed by this pub as I had hoped - the comments about the building are all true, it is a gem and well worth a visit for its architecture. This includes the subterranean toilets which are worth seeing. However, the staff were extremely unhelpful this time, and it took a lot longer to get served than necessary - although that was partly due to the belligerent malignant dwarf who was giving them a hard time about the standard of his coffee. Four beers on, all Badgers - I had Hare which was served too cold and only after a very long wait. There are better pubs nearby, so I'm tempted to leave this one to the tourists in future.

This is a popular bolt hole for me, when I am in town over the weekend, away from the madding crowds of Westminster Embankment. As others have commented, a proper pub interior not fallen foul of ‘Ye Olde tweed’ for the tourists and the beer and food are usually quite reliable, as it was again last weekend. Not the biggest pub and it doesn’t take a lot for it to be standing room only. But the room upstairs is a quieter spot if you can bag one of the comfortable green leather booth seats. Three H&W Beers on and the Badger and Tanglefoot were well kept as usual.

Atmospheric Hall & Woodhouse pub which was the last stop on our saturday afternoon pub crawl. I have developed quite a liking for Badger beers and pints of Bitter and Pickled Patridge did not disappoint. It remains architecturally a fine example of its type and, in terms of pubs near Parliament, I would say rates higher than the Red Lion around the corner. Predictably, it is busy and none too cheap, but certainly ranks as one of, if not the best, in the area.

Randomness Guide to London - St Stephens Tavern entry