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Beer of the Week (w/e 23rd March 2025) with Mobyduck
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Dog & Duck, Soho, W1
Soho
W1
W1D 3AJ
Pub Type
Nicholsons (Mitchells & Butlers)Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Blackthorn _ left this review about The Dog & Duck
A well regarded, street corner pub in the heart of Soho, it looks very traditional from the outside with it’s attractive gold signage and dark stonework, although it’s considerably smaller internally than might be expected, being quite long and narrow.
It’s divided in to two areas internally with the bar counter at the front which is devoid of any seating other than a couple of high stools alongside a ledge. Seating at the rear is also very restricted with only three or four tables, so the chances of actually finding anywhere to sit are fairly slim. Fortunately we were eating and had booked a table in the upstairs dining room. Décor wise it’s quite impressive with red painted embossed wallpaper on the ceiling, elaborate gold tiling on much of the walls and large branded mirrors elsewhere. All the timberwork was dark wood and gold candelabra style light fittings hung from the ceiling.
Beers on tap were London Pride, Doom Bar, Nicholson’s Pale Ale and Northern Monk Eternal, whilst Hogsback TEA was apparently coming soon. Cider’s meanwhile were Rosie’s Pig and Sandford Orchard’s Devon Mist. All in all, a lovely little pub and well worth popping in.
On 10th February 2025
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2046 recommendations about 1948 pubs]
Danny O'Revey left this review about The Dog & Duck
Revisit 30/08/2024 - Nicholsons pub, which I find can go either way, here the beer choice was much depleted and standard. Not helped by the fact it was early Friday evening, pub still remains a nice London boozer
15/06/2010 Absolutely fantastic pub! Its not big downstairs but the decor is amazing, lots of tiles, perch seating mirrors and wood.
8 different real ales of good quality, there is a try before you buy policy. Food is also available.
A must visit pub.
On 31st August 2024
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1520 recommendations about 1497 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Dog & Duck
This was part of my planned tour of heritage pubs in London, so I really wanted to like this pub. It's a Nicholson's pub with some very nice tiles, mirrors and woodwork (see link to Camra's heritage site below). It also has what my notes made at the timne described as "impossible to avoid pop music - loudspeakers in every corner". There were four beers on the bar (see photo) and I went for Black Sheep Fresh Start, which was only just up to scratch (a fairly generous NBSS 3).
Date of visit: 17th January 2023
On 15th January 2024
- rating: 4
[User has posted 4216 recommendations about 3884 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Dog & Duck
Visited by Rossetti, Constable and Orwell, though possibly a first for me, as my recollections of the area when I worked here over thirty years ago are hazy, primarily as a result of using the hostelries extensively.
This is a stunning pub, best appreciated on CAMRA’s site, with wonderful polychromatic glazed tiles and some of the most ornate mirrors I’ve ever seen, oddly advertising neither the pub, brewery nor alcoholic beverages: Archer’s cigarettes, Hooper & Struve’s mineral waters (prior to making gasmasks) and Nicholson’s gin, but although this is a Nicholson’s pub, at the time the company was wholly concerned in the business of distilling. It’s rumoured that there’s a working fireplace here, but given the size, the occupants would probably get barbecued. There’s an upstairs room, but getting to it through the crowds was an ordeal.
It’s absolutely tiny in here and very full; the jostling wasn’t appealing from the customers who are probably office workers or tourists; music was quite loud, but this is Soho.
Ales: three unused pumps, then Pride, Doom, Nicholson’s Pale Ale and Landlord at a very pricey £2.90 a half.
This is a cracking little pub which gets an '8' for the interior, but probably warrants a '6' for the experience. I’d come here again, but I was starting to suffer from a heritage overdose, this being my third National Inventory pub in 70 minutes.
On 9th October 2021
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2195 recommendations about 2152 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about The Dog & Duck
A small corner Nicholson's pub with a superb historic interior, noted as a haunt of George Orwell. The tiny bar has a little room behind with excellent ceramics, while there is more space upstairs in the dining room. A splendid range of beers was on offer but I didn't get past the Siren Broken Dream Breakfast Stout, which was in fine condition. Certainly my favourite pub in the area.
On 17th March 2019
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3613 recommendations about 3548 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Dog & Duck
Tiny Nicholson's with plenty of interesting features including the fine gantry above the compact counter, old decorative tilework and several large mirrors. 'Classic Dining Room' upstairs. Much better beer choice than on my last visit some nine years ago, with NPA, Black Sheep, Ghost Ship and two Siren beers - Yu Lu and Liquid Mistress - available from five of six handpumps, so rating upped accordingly.
On 4th November 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8588 recommendations about 8588 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The Dog & Duck
Quite a small(didn't visit upstairs) but ornate Nicholson's interior with mirrors and tiling. 7 real ales.
On 25th October 2016
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2933 recommendations about 2867 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The Dog & Duck
Once again, I am up and away in the Orwell room for decent pub food and a chance to gaze down on the mentality of soho, like some sort of judgmental god.
All the good beers are downstairs - so check first before going up - otherwise you will be faced with nicholson pale ales and euro fizz.
Photos at my blog - http://bit.ly/2dAN8k3
On 30th September 2016
- rating: 10
[User has posted 277 recommendations about 276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Peter Rydings left this review about The Dog & Duck
Called in here many time and will always call back well worth a visit
On 6th August 2014
- rating: 10
[User has posted 948 recommendations about 917 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about The Dog & Duck
A street corner pub in the heart of Soho, this has a traditional interior that has probably remained largely unchanged for decades. It consists of a fairly small, single bar downstairs, whilst an ornate sign advertised a “Classic Dining Room” upstairs, although we did not investigate this.
The most interesting feature of the pub is probably the tiled back wall which consists of ornate coloured tiles arranged in to a number of large panels. To the right are a number of large branded mirrors, many advertising old tobacco products. The curved bar counter in one corner has two rows of suspended shelving above for glassware whilst the flooring is dark wood boards and the ceiling a deep red. Seating is minimal due to the size of the pub, with a few tables and chairs at one end and a few high stools around the bar counter. Many people were spilling out on to the street on a recent Saturday evening visit. The gents loo was unusual in that it looked like a small wardrobe in the corner. I didn’t investigate but it was down a couple of steps so presumably went elsewhere!
Beers on tap were London Pride, Liberation Ale, Oatmeal Stout, Balmy Mild, Nicholson’s Real Ale (brewed by St. Austell apparently), Stonehenge Sign of Spring and The Solution from Brains Craft Brewery. The solitary cider was Aspall’s Suffolk.
On 2nd April 2014
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2046 recommendations about 1948 pubs]