User name:

Password:

Login


Sign in with Facebook


Not already a member?
Join our community and - Rate & review pubs - Upload pictures - Add events JOIN for free NOW


Chat about:
Approving photos with rpadam on the Pub Forum

The George, Fitzrovia, W1

55 Great Portland Street
Soho
W1
W1W 7LR
Phone: 02076360863

Return to pub summary

Page: 1 2

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


Will Larter left this review about The George

Dark and gloomy, with similar music playing. I tried to make out whether my half of Sambrooks Wandle - the alternative was Boltmaker - was clear, but what was evident was that it was not drinkable. The barman tried a sip himself and disappeared to the cellar without a word - communication was as difficult as communication - and came back to pull the new barrel through. The replacement beer was no better than NBSS 3, but what was I expecting at £6.50 a pint?

On 8th January 2024 - rating: 5
[User has posted 3699 recommendations about 3440 pubs]


Steve of N21 left this review about The George

Cannot improve on the reviews of the interior given below of this fine corner pub, so I won’t try. But will correct Mr BF below that the pub is wet led. It’s actually a modern gastro pub, but fortunately that mainly takes place in the ornate dining rooms on the first floor, leaving the downstairs bar area mainly focussed on drinks only.
The pub was closed by Green King in July 2016 and remained so for a fair while until it was purchased by a private investor syndicate which took it over for a gastro-pub concept. According to WhatPub a licence was granted in 2021 to The George London Limited and the venue reopened in late November 2021.
It wasn’t so busy on this Wednesday lunch and easy for us to get a seat. Of the three ale pumps two were on the go with Sambrook’s Wandle and Bolt Maker, and the Wandle was in good nick.
A much better pub than it was in Green King days and one of the best in the area.

On 24th August 2023 - rating: 7
[User has posted 2094 recommendations about 1985 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Bucking Fastard left this review about The George

A very good looking street corner pub with some very fine interior features as described by Tris below.I particularly liked the mirrored bar back ,the etching and the side snug with space for just a single large table.
It's popular and most of the bench seating was hugger mugger with punters,so the high drinking shelf opposite the bar was a good place to prop oneself up while waiting for a space.There are also drinking shelves outside.
The pub appears wet led and there is a lot of craft keg from 9 discrete tap to the short side of the bar.Real ale options on my trip were Sambrooks Sidekick,TT Landlord and a decent St Austell Tribute (NBSS 3.5).The muzak was hip , upbeat and not too loud and I enjoyed the lively atmosphere.I would certainly return for a decent pint among a generally young crowd.

On 25th September 2022 - rating: 7
[User has posted 2709 recommendations about 2709 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Tris C left this review about The George

A pub has existed here since 1677, the current incarnation dating from 1878. It’s grade II-listed and on CAMRA’s inventory of pubs with historic interiors, this ranking as being of Regional Importance.
The history is best read on CAMRA’s sites, though as usual, the photos don’t do it justice, dating from before the pub’s restoration; the furniture is no longer cheap, the ceiling now white and awful bunting banished. Otherwise, there’s exceptional woodwork, Chinese-style dark wood panelling, etched, cut and gilded mirrors, inset into the panelling, along with polychromatic panels in either glass or enamel, depicting hunting scenes; the bar back is especially breath-taking. The floor is modern bare boarded, with a carpeted snug. A mood music soundtrack played, which was also pumped into the rather swanky downstairs lavs; no TVs were spotted. Furniture comprises Britannia tables, ordinary stools and new avocado green studded banquettes. Lighting is at a premium, décor comprises some old soda siphons on high and framed prints, some with brass picture lamps; upstairs, there’s a new swanky restaurant.
Happily, this is no longer a Greene King house, so beers are less likely to offend, with Mad Goose, Tribute and Jaipur at a very costly £6.00 per pint, though in excellent shape, served by friendly and attentive bar staff.
This is a rather beautiful pub, in an area dominated by hostelries that are typically part of the ale drinkers’ Axis of Evil, so along with the nearby Jakalope, this is very much the Rebel Alliance. Closed on Sunday and Monday.

Rated 7.5.

On 12th January 2022 - rating: 7
[User has posted 1956 recommendations about 1923 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


hondo . left this review about The George

Greene King pub as described below. 5 real ales(4 gk beers and 1 guest tt landlord on this visit).

On 1st October 2015 - no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The George

Quite an interesting interior, and a friendly atmosphere. Attractive staple-shaped bar with comfortable seating and decorative glazing in the mirrors and windows. Always well decorated for events such as Christmas, which I might normally find a bit cheesy but somehow I don't mind it here. As a Greene King house, IPA, Abbot, Churchill IPA (£4.15) and Sadler's Worcester Sorcerer as a guest were available from four of five handpumps on this visit.

On 7th June 2015 - rating: 7
[User has posted 8066 recommendations about 8066 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Quinno _ left this review about The George

I was lucky enough to get tickets for the live recording of Just a Minute the other day, so I made my way to Broadcasting House in search of a nearby pub for a couple of pre-show refreshments and I took this one on a recommendation. The single room interior presented a number of Victoriana touches, including a suitably impressive bar back along with traditional wood palling and some attractive etched mirrors/glasswork, though nothing quite inspiring enough to obviously rival other great central London interiors like the Salisbury. There are suggestions elsewhere that there was a major fire here in 2006, so perhaps other fittings were lost then?

I noted five handpulls, two of which weren’t in use (one with a beer setting and another looking like it had run dry earlier). All the beers available were Greene King or Greene King derivatives (IPA, Royal London, Abbot) though there are assurances that there are a number of interesting ‘proper’ guests usually available, I guess I must have been unlucky on the timing. The quality of what came out was pretty good, though I recall that the prices were at the steeper end of the London mark-up. We stayed for longer than expected, so that’s to the pubs credit.

Whilst not necessarily a ‘must’ you could do worse than pop in here if nearby, especially if you are on your way to Broadcasting House - if my JAM number comes up again, I’d repeat the experience.

On 31st January 2011 - rating: 6
[User has posted 5050 recommendations about 5033 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


John Bonser left this review about The George

Situated slightly to the north of Oxford Circus tube station, The George is an attractive looking Greene King pub occupying a prominent street corner position.

Well maintained hanging flower baskets outside create an initially positive impression. A blackboard on the pavement entices us in with the words " It's a beer festival here 365 days a year. 3 guest ales at any one time. 15-20 different ales per month. Why go anywhere else ?". We also learn that the pub was established in 1677.

It's a pleasant, welcoming pub, despite the bare boarded floor, with a fine elegant bar back, some attractive etched mirrors and a cosy dark wood panelled seating area to one side of and behind the bar at one end. It's got the high ceiling and style of an old Victorian pub.

Separate entrances on each street would appear to indicate that this was formerly a multi-roomed pub, although no other evidence to support this is visible. Standard pub menus on the tables and black shirted staff, unfortunately do contribute towards creating something of a chain pub feel, but this is partly counteracted by staff who, on my recent Saturday lunchtime visit, seemed particularly welcoming and enthusiastic.

BBC House is quite close by and an information board in the pub doorway tells us that the pub was nicknamed "The Gluepot" by Sir Henry Wood, the former conductor, and that older BBC staff still refer to the pub by that name. Coincidentally, the seating area on the left was marked as "reserved" and, shortly after my arrival, in walked Clive Anderson ( TV programme - have I got news for you ?) , followed shortly afterwards by a load of people who I didn't recognise, but were presumably BBC staff. In times gone by, Dylan Thomas and George Orwell apparently used to frequent this pub.

A booklet by the bar gives details of a Greene King Ale Trail and a map showing the location of all participating 23 pubs in the capital.

Beers on were Greene King IPA, Royal London ( odd, thought they were an insurance company !?) , Speckled Hen, Hardy and Hansons Kimberley plus O'Hanlon's Yellowhammer. By my reckoning that's one guest beer, not three ( as advertised ). Notably, on what was probably the hottest day of the year to date, both the Kimberley and the Royal London were in excellent condition.

The "background" music was a bit loud for my liking at times, but, taking the visit as a whole, I was quite impressed with this one and I'd happily call in again when next in the vicinity.

On 7th October 2010 - rating: 7
[User has posted 560 recommendations about 560 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Steve of N21 left this review about The George

This Green King pub stands on the corner of Mortimer and Great Portland Street a short trek north of Oxford Street. It’s a pleasant enough pub with what looks like some interesting original decorative features.
Externally, the stone facade is typically Victorian, with the addition of granite columns next to the large arched windows. Inside there is what looks like some interesting original glasswork, especially behind the bar area, which has some carved columns and panels, inset with some very nice etched mirrors. And then additional mirrors between the dark wood panels around the walls
One good thing is that this is one GK house that seems to take the guest ale policy seriously and has 5 Hand Pumps on the bar which as well as the usual GK offerings, has a frequently changing list of guest ales (if the chalk board was anything to go by). On my visit one of these was a seasonal summer brew from Brains called ‘On the Head’ which was a decent pint, any why shouldn’t a Welsh brewer try and make a few bob out the world cup as well.
All in all, a decent pub with some nice internal features, but nothing exceptional in an area where there is quite a few pubs with decent traditional decors.

On 10th July 2010 - rating: 6
[User has posted 2094 recommendations about 1985 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Malden man left this review about The George

A large L-shaped space, the bar on the back wall of the main area has an attractive tiled floor splash area, mostly wooden floors elsewhere but carpeted in the rather elegant area to the side which has dark wood panelling, etched mirrors and a few framed prints. The bar back has more etched glass. Comfortable seating with upholstered banquettes, a couple of leather covered benches plus a mix of traditional chairs and stools.
TVs at each end, both muted, showing a choice of Sky News or Sky Sports News. Some sort of latino sounds playing.
Its a GK pub company place so has IPA and Abbot, OSH was off but also on were Everards Tiger and Brewsters Decadence (4.4%) a pleasant light hoppy beer.
I'm not a fan of GK but it is rather pleasing to see an increase in the availability of choice in their pubs recently, and I quite liked it in here.

On 16th August 2009 - rating: 6
[User has posted 1707 recommendations about 1681 pubs]

Page: 1 2