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Disappointment of the week with Real Ale Ray
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Detail Pages
The Rugby Tavern, Bloomsbury, WC1
WC1
WC1N 3ES
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 5½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Rugby Tavern
A very good looking Shepherd Neame tied house on a street corner in an upmarket part of Bloomsbury.Although there's lots of space outside,signs warn you that drinks must not be consumed outside at weekends,I guess because of noise later in the evening.The exterior has some fine tiling and three doors while the carpeted interior is very traditional and winds around a central servery.Lots of wood panelling,bench seating with circular tables and stools ,bar stools and a very fine Shep's mirror above a gas fire.There are two flatscreens for terrestrial sport but with volume down while at one end around a banquette there is an interesting glass topped table with old Sheps bottles shown off,such a shame the range of ales here are no longer produced by this family brewer.Thai food is served,there is a juke box and background muzak together with seating upstairs.
There are 6 handpumps but the same ale selection of Sheps Spitfire and Whitstable Bay Pale with a guest in Lacons Affinity (decent nick) on my Saturday afternoon trip.
Better than I was expecting ,a very comfortable boozer and worth a squint if passing.
On 21st October 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
custodian 42 left this review about The Rugby Tavern
Standard London corner bar. Shepherd Neame outlet so Spitfire was the order of the day. Average pub.
On 25th January 2017
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1693 recommendations about 1691 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Rugby Tavern
An unremarkable traditional backstreet pub with locals and a few studenty types. The barman wasn't overly enthusiastic to serve my but was otherwise OK. A TV was switched on showing the news with the sound down and muted music played.
A pint of Spitfire cost £4.20 which is about the going rate for this kind of pub in this area. Overall this is a bit humdrum and there are many better pubs in the area.
On 14th April 2016
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1983 recommendations about 1949 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Rugby Tavern
Attractive Shepherd Neame pub, in a relatively quiet position on the eastern edge of Bloomsbury. 'J'-shaped bar with leasingly traditional furniture and decor. Further room upstairs (not visited). Patio area out front. Two banks of three handpumps, so it was a bit disappointing to find only master Brew and Spitfire (£3.85) available. Would definitely have a higher ratio had the beer choice been better.
On 26th September 2013
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Rugby Tavern
This is a nice enough Shepherd Neame boozer with Late Red, Master Brew and Spitfire being the ale choices alongside their usual draught selection. There is another bar upstairs, but it was closed during my week night visit due to the pub being very quiet.
The back ground music was decent and at a good volume and I spotted a plasma screen that was showing muted Sky News, but I didn’t spot any signs for Sky Sports which I found odd in a pub with Rugby memorabilia on the walls which is called the Rugby Tavern.
The barman was friendly enough and the pub is spacious with some character and I would return here again even though I’m not a big fan of Shep pubs.
On 11th February 2010
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5228 recommendations about 5196 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Rugby Tavern
This is a Shepherd Neame house, with Master Brew, Spitfire and Canterbury Jack on when I was in there. It’s now a single-room pub, but the central island bar plus unused doors indicate the original multi-room nature of the pub. There are a couple of sofas tucked away in a corner not annoying anyone, but otherwise seating was pretty comfortable. The Canterbury Jack tasted fine; the food was the usual non gastro-pub fare at typical prices.
It was fairly quiet on a Wednesday lunchtime, with one group of a around a dozen workers enjoying some sort of team-building exercise, plus me and another couple of punters. This is another of those slightly above average, decent if unremarkable off-the-beaten-track pubs that are not really worth going out of your way to find, but OK for a pint if you happen to passing nearby.
On 8th October 2008
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]