Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Random news of the day with Real Ale Ray
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
Mr Fogg's Tavern, Covent Garden, WC2
WC2
WC2N 4EA
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about Mr Fogg's Tavern
Grade II-listed and rebuilt in 1845, this was the Angel & Crown, the current name and theme dating from 2015.
I was allowed in at request on a Thursday, when there’s a ‘Cockney Singalong’; the overall effect here is an attempt to recreate a traditional Victorian tavern, as if we don’t have any in the country already; with staff dressed like Victorian showmen and women like wenches, it’s all a bit Barnum & Bailey.
There’s a beer wall with beers listed on a wall, but as I couldn’t get near the bar and The Beatles belting out of a piano playing musician didn’t recall the Victorian era, I decided to leave. This is probably a bit of fun for some, but I don’t think I’ll return.
On 5th November 2021
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about Mr Fogg's Tavern
A prominent street corner pub, it has recently undergone a refurbishment and re-opened under a different name. It is run by the same team behind a few others bars around the capital, most seeming to be a little on the quirky side including one in a disused underground station. The pub is split in to two consisting of a more regular pub downstairs which was very busy on a recent Friday evening visit and a gin bar upstairs.
We opted for the upstairs gin bar, and this is where it starts to get a bit quirky. Access is via a closed door, and on knocking we were asked by a rather odd gentleman if we had an invitation. As we didn’t, we then got asked if we had a pocket watch. Eventually after some further discussion we were admitted and met by another gentleman who was clearly continuing the Alice in Wonderland theme being dressed in a Mad Hatter’s outfit. He then introduced us to the mixologist who explained that they currently had around 270 gins on offer but were looking to expand this. After some discussion as to our likes and preferences, four surprisingly different G&T’s were rustled up, with the ice cubes being hewn by hand from a single large block. Various combinations of botanicals were also added including star anise and peppercorns. To be fair to the guy, he did seem to know what he was talking about, and as I had said that I normally drink cider he used a gin that was made with cider apples and even had a slice of apple in it rather than the more usual lemon, lime or cucumber.
Décor wise it’s suitably quirky with something of an old gentleman’s club feel to it including a stuffed deer’s head and old pictures on the wall. At £48.95 for four G&T’s it’s certainly not the cheapest place, but if you like your gin and fancy something rather different, then give it a go. I'm glad we did.
On 26th January 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1948 recommendations about 1861 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Mr Fogg's Tavern
The former Angel & Crown has recently reopened as a Victorian-style tavern, full of wacky ephemera and costumed bar / table-service staff (in full performance mode in Spanish Mockney accents) but not much room left for tables or customers... The upstairs has apparently now been converted into 'Aunt Gertrude's gin parlour & salon'. Seven beers indicated on 'Fanny's chalk board', dispensed from ten keg taps on the bar-back and two more on fake casks. Opted for Mr Fogg's Pale Ale (£4.50) which annoyingly came in metal tankard. All a bit odd (which I suppose is the point...).
On 21st November 2015
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about Angel & Crown
A comfortable little pub this one and we did stay a bit longer than anticipated. We stayed slightly longer as the beer quality was excellent. There were four handpumps in operation, I enjoyed the Sambrooks Jugged Hare, whilst Mrs A went for Windsor and Eton. The pub was spotlessly clean and the staff were friendly and chatty. So all in all, I would pop in again.
On 20th January 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about Angel & Crown
Small bar and not very busy for a Saturday night but fast efficient bar staff.4 handpumps with beers from Alchemy and Gloucester which were very nice.Will be back as its around the corner from the Harp.
On 31st December 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
BobOs . left this review about Angel & Crown
Looks even less inspiring with its recent dull grey exterior paint job! Ales were OK but to suggest the service was cavalier would be to gloss over the tardiness of the desperately slow barman - even slower service than the nearby Salisbury - more than enough to put me off coming here again.
On 15th March 2012
- rating: 4
[User has posted 370 recommendations about 355 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Angel & Crown
The Angel and Crown is a small, single room pub in the heart of the West End, opposite the Noel Coward Theatre. The interior is fairly traditional and not entirely dissimilar to many other pubs in the area. The dark wood floor and bar counter contrasts with the light coloured walls and the surprising amount of light afforded by windows along two sides of the pub. Seating is constrained by the lack of space, so a few high stools at the front and the odd banquette towards the rear have to make do. The place is quite nicely decorated with lots of bright theatre related pictures and plenty of deer heads and antlers. Perhaps the most striking feature is the low ceiling above the servery which has a fine collection of pewter tankards hanging from it.
If some of the older reviews below are anything to go by, the beer selection has improved greatly in recent times as I was very content with a choice of Dark Star Partridge (£3.50), Adnams Southwold Bitter and Sambrook’s Junction. The Partridge was served to me by a surly and incredibly slow barman in regulation uniform, but it was a fine pint and I suppose worth the wait.
It did seem a bit of a shame to be drinking in here with the Salisbury just over the road and the Harp around the corner, but in isolation, this is a perfectly decent pub and I wouldn’t have a problem if I ended up here again.
On 6th March 2012
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about Angel & Crown
This traditional style Victorian corner pub has recently reopened after a refurbishment. It has never really been a destination pub for me on my numerous meanderings around the West End but it does often have the advantage of being less busy than some of its more illustrious neighbours.
The interior is typically West End, a smallish main bar downstairs with an additional dining room on the first floor. The décor and furnishings are quite plain and simple with bare floors, plain walls and mainly high tables around the window sides. The walls contain a few old maps and pictures and a hefty collection of tankards dangle over the bar area. The far wall contains an eye catching display of mounted stuffed fish including one unlucky specimen dragged out of Loch Ness in 1914.
The ales are less in quantity from memeory but better in selection with 2 house ales, Adnams and Sambrook Junction and a rotating guest, Dark Star Partridge on my recent visit. All the ales were advertised at £3.50 which is reasonable enough for the area and quality was fine. Service is polite, if a little subservient with plenty of Sirs and Madams from the pinafored staff. Food was at the upper end of pubgrub with main courses ranging from £11 to £17.
Despite its refurbishment, it still lacks any real charm appeal and would remain on the periphery of visits to the area although I certainly have no qualms popping in for a quick and relatively peaceful pint if required.
On 9th February 2012
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Angel & Crown
This is a decent little boozer with a restaurant upstairs and very friendly staff. There is a range of premium lagers along with Stella and ale offerings of Thwaites Lancaster Bomber and Wainwright and Adnams Bitter and Broadside. There is also a food menu behind the bar that consists of sandwiches and jacket potatoes.
There was some background music playing during my visit and there is also a TV and small plasma screen which were both off and I spotted no sport advertisements anywhere in the pub.
I'd drink here again if it wasn't for the fact that the superior Salisbury is just across the road.
On 22nd November 2009
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5249 recommendations about 5217 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Angel & Crown
This is a small one-room corner pub in St Martin’s Lane. It’s got a reasonably attractive exterior with some hanging baskets, and windows comprising lots of smallish panes instead of the usual large panes. Inside it’s a typical West End pub; bare-boarded, mainly high stools tables and ledges by the windows and a couple of normal tables with banquette seating at the back. There are also a few potted plants, that brighten the place up a bit.
The two real ales on were Adnam’s Bitter and Broadside. The Bitter was actually in quite good nick, and at a West End price of £3.20 a pint. There’s just one relatively small TV at the back but switched off – and some jazz being played, which makes a pleasant change from the usual banal pop music. It’s OK as far as it goes for a West End pub, but nothing special. I can’t see any particular reason to return unless I fancied a pint as I happened to be passing – but then I might summon up the energy to cross the road for The Salisbury, or walk round the corner to The Harp.
On 16th September 2009
- rating: 4
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]