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Detail Pages
Cittie of Yorke, WC1
WC1
WC1V 6BN
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about Cittie Of Yorke
Definitely worth a visit for the spectacular interior if not for the Sam Smiths OBB, although at least you get the handpulled version in here. The stone flagged corridor entrance has a decorative ceiling featuring the white rose of Yorkshire, the side door leading into a carpeted wood panelled front room with a few Chesterfield type sofas, feels a bit like a drawing room really. On the walls are a series of portraits of eminent erstwhile Holborn residents such as Sir Thomas More, Francis Bacon, Charles Dickens et al. The pub's main room though is to the rear, a long bar runs along the side wall opposite which are a series of small booths seating fours. More booths run along the opposite wall once the bar stops, the last one housing a dartboard. If you look up you see a huge open beamed vaulted roof, some stained glass and the series of huge vats and casks above the bar top. The floor is boarded, décor includes several legal related cartoons and caricatures. One unusual feature is the triangular flat topped fireplace/heater which stands on the pub floor, how this operates I'm not sure as there is no flue. The carved bar back centrepiece features a clock and has several pewter tankards hanging on hooks. Huge globe lights gently illuminate the space and provide some atmosphere.
As said, not one to aim for to sample the ales but a must visit to see the fine interior.
On 15th September 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1707 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Cittie Of Yorke
Some time since my last visit, but - apart from the steep increase in prices - nothing seems to have changed (which is just as it should be for a Sam Smith's pub). The main bar can seem a bit cavernous when it's not crowded (however this is not usually a problem in the early evening!), but it's worth a visit at any time just to look at the interior.
On 8th April 2012
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
andrew parr left this review about Cittie Of Yorke
Lovely historic pub in the middle of Holborn,good food and beer.
On 18th August 2011
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 105 recommendations about 100 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Cittie Of Yorke
The exterior of this pub belies the splendour of one of the capital's finest pub interiors. In fact, were you to pop in for a quick drink in the modest front bar, you may well miss out on the impressive drinking hall at the rear, with its high, vaulted ceiling and numerous intimate booths. This part of the pub is well described below, with highlights including the enormous wine vats perched high behind the very long bar counter, the odd, triangular heater/stove (which served well as a drinking ledge on my recent visit) and what appeared to be a high viewing gallery at the very back of the room.
This is a Sam Smith's pub, so drink choices are no surprise although the OBB was on handpull for a change. There is quite a bit of Sam Smith's branding dotted around, but I thought it was quite tasteful and fitted in well. The long bar counter means that staff sometimes lose track of who's next, but even on a busy Friday night, I didn't have too many problems getting served quickly.
I'd certainly recommend this pub as being well worthy of investigation and if you were looking to do a crawl of some of the city's finest heritage pubs, this would be as good a starting point as any.
On 22nd December 2010
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Michael Boyes left this review about Cittie Of Yorke
A three roomed Sam Smiths pub with loads of history. The largest is at the rear which has bare wooden floors, high beamed ceilling and small drinking booths opposite the very large bar. Good food and real ale. The pub is closed on Sunday.
On 1st September 2010
- rating: 8
[User has posted 55 recommendations about 55 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Richard Sharman left this review about Cittie Of Yorke
Excellent pub with a unique interior. Large back bar with seperate drinking booths, bare wood floors and old spirit vats behind the bar. Good food and Sam Smiths beers at bargin prices for top notch ales and lagers.
On 23rd September 2009
- rating: 7
[User has posted 43 recommendations about 43 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about Cittie Of Yorke
This pub is a total one off. I'm not a great fan of Sam Smiths beer but I'm a big fan of the way they look after their pubs. The back bar is a massive baronial drinking hall, with vast barrels above the bar. I believe these were in use until the 2nd World War blitz made it too dangerous to have huge quantities of flammable liquid above the staff & customers. Also has a strange triangular heater in the middle of the room and churchlike alcoves down one side. It's a very impressive place. Go in the afternoon 2 - 5 or after 7 to see it though, as it's very popular at lunchtime and after the offices close.
On 2nd February 2009
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3223 recommendations about 3134 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about Cittie Of Yorke
I visited this pub recently for the first time in about 35 years. Last time I was in there it was a Henekey's Wine Bar (as was The Shades in Whitehall then) and as far as I can recall it looked pretty much unchanged. I seem to recall that at the time they claimed it had the longest straight bar counter in London. I don't know if they still make that claim with so many new (and fairly unremarkable) bars blotting the London landscape. I got in there before noon and felt somewhat as if I had arrived at a party a half hour too early. Politely served with my pint, then the staff continued to get the pub ready for customers. This is an inter-war pub, despite it's almost Henrian baronial appearance, but nevertheless it has been imbued with a lot of individual character and I think the baronial hall layout is fairly unique (perhaps the Coal Hole comes closest). The fact that a pub can retain its unique character for circa 80 years is something of a result in this day and age, bearing in mind the wanton vandalism we have seen inflicted on numerous other pubs. Have a look at the old stove in the middle of the floor - it has an underfloor chimney (if that is not a contradiction in terms). Definitely worth the experience of a visit if you are in the area. Being a Sam Smith's pub you know what beers are going to be on offer, although it does have the handpump version of OBB on.
On 29th July 2008
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about Cittie Of Yorke
This place is very interesting and conjures up all sorts of thoughts from the past (be they warranted or not) and I loved the vats above the back bar and the many booths down the side. I didn't go into the front bar, but it looked to be laid out in a typical London pub fashion.
The barmaid was slow and needed help serving three customers, but she was friendly and maybe she was new. £1.98 for half a bitter and a coke (sorry cola) can't be sniffed at, but being a Sam Smiths pub there was only Sam Smiths drinks available. Some would say that this is a great thing, but alas I disagree.
As we popped in at lunchtime we decided to have a steak and ale pie from the strange choice of food on the menu. It was defrosted quite well and the chips were good, but the salad was out of place and should have remained with the quiche. It was cheap, but then so is hospital canteen food.
This place is worth a look, but now I've been I don't plan on revisiting.
On 24th June 2008
- rating: 5
[User has posted 5228 recommendations about 5196 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Philip Carter left this review about Cittie Of Yorke
Very nice pub, sells Samuel Smith ale. High ceiling at the back, old beam rafters. Has a fire in the middle of the floor but no chimney. Lots of booths for privacy. Sells food all day.
On 3rd April 2008
- rating: 8
[User has posted 757 recommendations about 720 pubs]