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Detail Pages
The Seven Stars, WC2
WC2
WC2A 2JB
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about Seven Stars
Why would you not want to go to one of the few buildings to survive the fire of London. Have a pint in a place established in 1602.
Small, interesting interior. Watch the door in case the much loved cat bolts.
Doombar was in fine fettle last night.
Worth Seeking out.
On 10th March 2015
- rating: 10
[User has posted 1337 recommendations about 1323 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Seven Stars
This is an excellent little pub, hidden away slightly but easily reached from Fleet Street and Holborn. Dating back to the 1600’s (1602 if you believe the date on the front of the pub) you can enter through one of two etched front doors which are signposted with the unusual terms ‘General Counter’ and ‘Private Counter’. Both take you into the same shallow but wide bar area with the servery in the centre of the back wall and a narrow strip of room opposite with a drinking ledge and a couple of cramped tables. The whole place is fitted with dark wood including the bar back which features some subtle glasswork and an integral clock. A patterned ceiling with criss-crossing beams makes for an attractive feature, especially as it is lined with hops, and there is a fireplace to the left of the bar with a small stove inside and a collection of books above and an eclectic display cabinet to one side. Several large mirrors can be found throughout the pub, as can some ancient cinema posters for long forgotten movies. The right hand side of the pub has a nice dark panelled seating area with old pictures and photos on the walls and an enormous brewery mirror. A small area to the left, apparently known as the ‘Wig Room’, was in darkness on this visit, but seemingly allows room for a few more tables, although invariably most punters spill out onto the pavement outside. The bar staff seemed very friendly, despite me being the last punter to leave late on a Friday evening.
My late arrival meant that most of the beer had gone when I arrived, with four turned pump clips and only Adnams Broadside still going at £3.90 a pint. I thought the Adnams was in pretty good shape and enjoyed supping it whilst listening to a bunch of sloshed Geordies discuss the existence, or otherwise, of God.
This is a very atmospheric, authentic boozer that remains mercifully unchanged and is all the more worthwhile visiting for it. I was lucky to arrive at a time when the crowds were thinning out, as I can imagine a visit at peak times would present problems, but based on this visit, I’d be happy to return.
On 10th July 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about Seven Stars
This is a great pub, one of my favorites. It may not be to eveyones taste but its quirkyness suits my sense of humour as well as my appretiation of a truely historic traditional pub. the beer range is nowhere near the best in London or even this district but Darkstar is good enough for me anyday. Its a good place to be.
On 18th April 2013
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1871 recommendations about 1844 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about Seven Stars
Nice pub and one i use when in the area.Some night none of the beers i try hit the spot and i think may,be its my tastebuds.Then into this quaint pub and order a pint of Darkstar.Never had a bad pint in here.So its not me it is the beer.Now owned by Fullers but they always seem to have Darkstar and Adnams on.Apparently it survived the Great fire of London so it should its miles away from Pudding Lane.Highly reccomended.
On 16th February 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
picasso 09 left this review about Seven Stars
A fantastic old pub, quirky yet oozing old London charm,a survivor of the Great Fire of London no less.Always good for a couple of pints,beware the stairs to the toilets if you stay for more, they can be challenging.
On 17th April 2012
- rating: 8
[User has posted 14 recommendations about 14 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about Seven Stars
This pub has remained unchanged over the years, except that there is a new pub cat, Tom Paine having passed away last year. It’s a fairly long fronted pub (having acquired the adjoining premises over the years) but is still small as it doesn’t go back very far. The food still isn’t cheap – e.g. bangers and mash is over £10 – but I guess the usual clientele can afford it. It has apparently been acquired by Fuller’s, but when I visited last week there weren’t any Fuller’s ales on offer. I didn’t note all the ales, but I did spot Wandle and Adnam’s Brodside among others. I still like this pub because it’s so old, but I would say that it’s really a place for vertical drinking at lunchtime, as the tables always seem to be occupied by diners. From Mar 2007: This is a really good pub, full of character. The staff were friendly, the cat was reasonably friendly, the American tourists I chatted to were friendly, and the beer (They had Dark Star Spring Equinox and Hopwood on as well as Adnam's) was superb. That'll do it for me, although the food does seem a little on the expensive side. One just has to award it 7 Stars!
On 21st February 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Blue left this review about Seven Stars
This is a great old pub building, with five hand pumps serving on my recent visits Darkstar Hophead, Sambrooks Wandle, Adnams Southwold and Broadside and, on my last visit, Ghost Ship - consistently good quality and as I recall at £3.60 a pint. Lunchtime visit didn't feel particularly comfortable, something of a lawyers' eating venue, with a menu starting at £9.50 for a bruschetta. Evening visits have found it busy inside with customers spilling onto the road - but nevertheless a pleasant place to have outdoor vertical drinks with friends on a summer day. I think this pub is excellent as a venue to visit, and almost a 'must visit' for a local crawl, but not one in which to settle.
On 20th August 2011
- rating: 6
[User has posted 271 recommendations about 270 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about Seven Stars
It was one of a handful of buildings to survive the Great Fire of London of 1666 and in 2002 celebrated its 400th anniversary. Called here quite late in the evening so getting served was no problem. I found the landlady Roxy Beaujolais to be ok. Heard on the grapevine that she can be quite like a female version of Basil Fawlty. Adnams Lighthouse was excellent.
On 6th August 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about Seven Stars
I really want to like this place, but have never really felt comfortable here. That’s probably due to the fact that I tend to visit early evening when the small inside space is packed to the low rafters with members of The Royal Courts, who act as if they own the place (which they are probably entitled to do as they spend a lot more money here than I do), and the resident Landlady and her serving staff always seem to suffer for their profession and let you know about it.
But I will keep popping in because the Seven Stars is a charming ancient, historic pub that's full of character and usually has well-kept ales on the hand pumps, mainly from the Dark Star Sussex brewery and the pint of Dark Star Hop Head I had just before Christmas was top notch.
On 9th January 2011
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about Seven Stars
Very small back street pub full of character, there are small seating areas at each end of the bar. The tables were covered with French Bistro style squared plastic clothes on my visit in afternoon. Quirky and worth a visit, there are 4 real ales & the quality was good.
On 14th October 2010
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]