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Cambridge PuG Crawl, Friday 5th April 2024 with Gann on the Pub Forum

The French House, Soho, W1

49 Dean Street
W1
W1D 5BG

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Reviews (Current Rating Average: of 10) Add Review see review guidelines


Will Larter left this review about The French House

I had to come here because I was doing Camra heritage pubs on this visit to London, but I didn't fancy a keg beer, and what better place to have a coffee than the French House? It had only just gone 12 noon, and there were a few pubs to do, so it seemed like a wise move. There were three members of staff crammed into the tiny space behind the bar - it looked very inefficient but my coffee took a normal amount of time to prepare and was a normal kind of price too (£3.50). They were friendly though, and didn't seem to mind me chiming in with answers for their general knowledge crossword - though the answer for frozen rain should surely have been hail rather than snow, as the crossing letters suggested. As a heritage pub this one is a bit of an oddity - if I hadn't read about it beforehand I'd probably have thought "scruffy back street local" and walked on by, but its history gives it some interest. I spent the short time it took to drink my coffee looking around at the photos of famous Frenchmen on the walls - the ones that weren't immediately identifiable for their fame were instantly, recognisably French.

Date of visit: 9th January 2024

On 25th February 2024 - rating: 5
[User has posted 3699 recommendations about 3440 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Brainy Pool left this review about The French House

What to say about this place? It’s unique, and I like that. I’m sure some people won’t. Only half pints at £3 a go, no real ale so I tried the NZ Pale and some kind of French lager. Full of Soho’s ‘wonderful’ characters at Friday 3pm, many drinking wine. The place was absolutely buzzing, this is still a thriving and characterful pub despite the awful beer choice. Very cramped so I propped up the bar throughout my visit. Glad I did it and I will probably do it again, it’s fun!

On 16th July 2022 - rating: 8
[User has posted 1051 recommendations about 1016 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Moby Duck left this review about The French House

Quite odd that I am at odds with most reviewers below except Ian Mapp who has certainly changed his tune from his 2016 review. I found a bustling boozer absoloutely oozing atmosphere, character and history, after visiting my three previous faceless pubs in Fitzrovia this was like walking into heaven, the only downside being the lack of cask ale. The walls are adorned with black and white photos , some signed of actors and artists from the 50s,60s and 70s, many of whom undoubtedly frequented the pub. I'm docking a point for no cask but its still worth an 8 for me.

On 30th December 2021 - rating: 8
[User has posted 1868 recommendations about 1841 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Ian Mapp left this review about The French House

So much has been written about this place that you can only add bullet points...

1) 1840s pub - losing its frontage to a doodlebug
2) Charles de Gaulle formed the French Free Government from upstairs
3) Dylan Thomas got pissed here and left the only typescript for Under Milk Wood under a bench
4) One of the unholy trinity of three pre all day opening drinking dens - including the Coach and Horses and the Colony Room

In a break from tradition - you can now order pints at the bar without being laughed at for being a tourits.

In these (semi) post covid lockdown times, they are trying to limit the number of visits to the bar.

A must visit london pub.

On 26th July 2021 - rating: 9
[User has posted 1329 recommendations about 1315 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Tris C left this review about The French House

This is another pub dating back to at least the early 19th century, but I suspect that this is a rebuild from the 1930s. It was the York Minster until the current name was applied in 1984, on account of it being a meeting place for the Free French Forces along with Charles de Gaulle, bravely fighting the Nazi occupation of France from his home in Hampstead.
I came here once before in March 1990 and I seem to recall that my friend was served a drink with a microscopic fish in it!
The pub is notable for serving halves rather than pints as a pint is not a French measure. Well I've got news here, 'cos a half ain't a French measure either, mon ami. As mentioned, you do see some characters in here, trying to look like Bohemian beatniks of old with many drinking wine. Early Monday evening and the place was absolutely packed to the point where it was hard to move; seating is limited at best.
Ales: none, not even on keg so I had to settle for a compulsory half of Camden Pale Ale.
This is a place of curiosity only and really not a relaxing experience, exuding a certain je ne sais porquoi. The lack of real ale, lack of proper glasses and lack of space means I doubt I'll come back - je ne regrette rien.

On 1st May 2019 - rating: 3
[User has posted 1955 recommendations about 1922 pubs]


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Real Ale Ray left this review about The French House

Popped in here on Tuesday Eve as weekends can be hectic. The pub was still moderately busy even at 6.30. Still service was good and vertical drinking over by the front windows was fine as we could still had a good view of the interior and the feature wall of photos of some of the stars of yesteryear. Disappointingly no cask beer, but they did have a couple of choices from Camden Brewery on keg, so we went for a couple of halves. Curiosity of the pub interior satisfied, so it was on to the Lyric for a pint of cask.

On 9th November 2018 - rating: 5
[User has posted 3378 recommendations about 3378 pubs]


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custodian 42 left this review about The French House

Basic small one room place with bar to the middle and a further area to the left rear. No real ale, just four keg fonts on offer.

On 17th August 2018 - rating: 4
[User has posted 1693 recommendations about 1691 pubs]


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Quinno _ left this review about The French House

Been meaning to do this one for years, finally popped in at the worst possible time – Friday evening – and of course the place was rammed. However there’s a fair bit of charm in this L-shaped bar, what with its French resistance connections (see the all-encompassing description of the pub history below) as well as the huge amount of portraits of various back-in-the-day celebs (with an obviously hefty Gallic slant). Some proper artisan/luvvie/eccentric characters in here holding their own amongst the office workers - cravat and beret wearers, who despite looking like they didn’t have two pence to rub together obviously have some deep-seated source of income. No music, machines, television and mobile phones. Another ‘non’ is ale but there are bottles of Leffe (blonde and bruin, a pair of which set me back northwards of £8 but at least they made sure I got the right glasses) plus plenty of wine (the drink of choice here). There’s also some rather bland keg offerings (Kroney, Theakston Bitter and Guinness were noted as well as a no pint glasses stocked – halves only!). Worth mentioning the staff who are well-drilled and got me served quick despite being stuck behind a load of bar-blockers. As mentioned below, this is an interesting curio that’s worth the effort to sample once, possibly twice if you have a few quid on the hip and a gentle afternoon to spare.

On 19th February 2016 - rating: 6
[User has posted 5043 recommendations about 5026 pubs]


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Ian Mapp left this review about The French House

Been reading a lot about this place in recent books on the gentrification of soho. Thought I would check it out. Exactly as expected, down to the half pints of beer and most people drinking wine.

Worth a check out but wouldn't go more than once.

On 22nd January 2016 - rating: 6
[User has posted 1329 recommendations about 1315 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Pub SignMan left this review about The French House

Formerly known as the York Minster, this pub was taken over by a French speaking landlord shortly after the Great War and was casually known as 'The French Pub' until its current name was formalised in the 1980's. Famous for being the UK headquarters of the French resistance movement during WWII, it is reported that Charles De Gaulle wrote his 'A tous les Francais' speech in here. Other famous visitors include just about every notable alcoholic you care to mention, including Dylan Thomas, Francis Bacon, Malcolm Lowry, William Burroughs and Peter O'Toole. Many of these regulars can be spotted in the many portraits that cover just about every inch of wall space in this remarkably compact pub, alongside images of revered French celebrities, many grouped according to profession. The pub has a bare boarded front bar area with the servery on the back wall. The dark wood counter has a lovely retro French coffee machine on the end of it and a smart matching bar back. Bar stools run around the counter and along a drinking ledge under the front windows, making it almost impossible to squeeze through at peak hours (i.e. always). I managed to grab a seat in a small recess to the rear left, where one long bench runs along the back wall serving a couple of tables in a space that is created behind a staircase. Alongside the photos are some collages and various posters and art works, all with a French theme, which rounds the décor off nicely.
The Francophile theme is continued at the bar, with a good wine list seemingly proving popular with most patrons. Beer is limited to a few keg lagers and I was surprised to see Theakston Best available on keg as well. As per any other French bar, the pint is an alien concept, so I had to make do with a half instead, which was no bad thing given the inferior quality of the beer.
This is a real curio and a place I'm glad I got around to visiting, if only for its interesting history and literary connections. In reality, this place is far to small to allow you to settle down for more than a swift half and the obvious restrictions caused by the lack of good beer provides a further setback. Worth a quick look and certainly a good option should you fancy a drop of wine in atmospheric surrounds.

On 2nd August 2015 - rating: 6
[User has posted 3102 recommendations about 3102 pubs]

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