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Disappointment of the week with Mobyduck
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Detail Pages
Black Horse, Fitzrovia, W1
W1
W1T 1HH
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 4½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about Black Horse
Dating from 1746 though rebuilt in 1865, this was formerly a Charrington’s pub as evinced by the green banded stained-glass windows. It closed in 2010 to become a succession of failed restaurants and bars, reopening in late 2021.
Accessed up Evelyn’s Passage, this was an office local of mine in the late ‘80s, when it was carpeted, dark and very smoky; so dark and smoky that I failed to notice the inset mirrors, with bevelled edges and rather fine carved wooden details to the walls and ceiling, which sadly now has ugly exposed aircon ductwork. The floor is modern herringbone, walls painted smoky blue with a white ceiling. Furniture comprises tall, modern furniture to the front, a fawn studded banquette to the rear. The bar back is modern mirrored with steel shelving; a similar gantry is above the modern bar, lit from above by fluted glass shaded lamps. Upstairs there’s a smart first floor bar/function room and unisex kazis. Décor is sparse, amounting to just a few framed prints to the rear; mood music played at a reasonable level.
There’s a heavy emphasis on cocktails here, so unsurprisingly there’s no real ale, just a selection of Eurofizz and so-called ‘craft’ beers, dispensed from two chrome founts, with a half of Neck Oil cantering in at £3.20, served by a friendly barman.
I suppose this isn’t a bad place for what it is, but the lack of real ale and long-lost pub atmosphere, means I’m unlikely to return.
On 29th December 2021
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1983 recommendations about 1949 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john mcgraw left this review about The Black Horse
This is a very depressing pub that should be a lot better seeing that it is in the heart of the west end.The Tim Taylor Landlord, which was served up by a barman who seemed to have great difficulty in speaking or understanding English was well below standard. I remember that around about 1980 I was told to leave this pub by a very rude landlord because it was past "drinking up time" and I vowed never to return. I did. It is still the same crap hole as it was then. I should have learned my lesson.MacArthur and Arnie were wrong, do not return!
On 23rd July 2010
- rating: 1
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Black Horse
A long and deep narrow room, the bar in the front area has a couple of black horses on the top and an etched mirror on the bar back with the pub name, however this does not look original to me. The front area near the bar has wooden floors, a couple of those high tables plus some stools at a ledge facing the street. I liked the ornate ceiling, pink with white cornices and mouldings, and some gilded detail. The middle ceiling looks like an infilled rooflight to me, but I'm supposing. The front window has the pub name inscribed and has some green stained glass.
The rear area of the pub has more traditional seating, and is carpeted. There is a fireplace but it is now closed in.
Overall, not as much dark wood as in other Nicholson's I've visited and smaller too.
Beers were Timothy Taylor's Landlord plus Golden Best, Sharps Doom Bar, and Pride. One other pump had the clip reversed. There is another room upstairs but I didn't bother to take a look.
On 28th March 2010
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1707 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Black Horse
I liked it in here and found the barman/landlord to be very friendly.
Santa's Tipple, Landlord and Wadworth Henry's were all available along with Staropramen, Amstel and some standard lagers. The decent background music and good atmosphere will see me returning here when next in the area.
On 15th December 2008
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5233 recommendations about 5201 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
train man left this review about The Black Horse
Looked good on approach with original old wood windows, BUT, 4 pumps, just one in action - Pride. Lazy, lazy, lazy! We didn't stop.
On 26th October 2008
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 412 recommendations about 411 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Black Horse
A Nicholson's pub. Nothing special, although I rather liked the gilded ceiling. Two pumps had clips turned round – only Pride on, but pretty good value at £2.60 a pint. Rather too many high stools and high tables for my liking. Another “OK” pub, that is good enough for a pint if you happen to be passing, but a better real ale selection would be a big plus.
On 25th October 2008
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]