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The Harcourt, Marylebone, W1

32 Harcourt Street
W1
W1H 4HX
Phone: 02077236634

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


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Bucking Fastard left this review about The Harcourt

This mid terrace pub has a fine exterior with authentic doors and windows picked out with fine woodworking.It's much the same inside,the right hand entrance is generously wood panelled and opens into the tap room with a semi circular bar.To the right is an rear alcove ,enough for a large table while to the left there is a rear snug with bench seating and an original fireplace.Parquet flooring throughout it all feels very authentic.The flatscreen was thankfully off.
There is a Wednesday quiz,happy hour cocktail deals and the greeting was friendly.However food is a major draw and the tables in the tap room below the substantial windows were all set for diners.I retreated to the rear snug.On the way down to the loos there is a mid level rear room with bar,perhaps used for functions.
Sadly only keg beer is served and the shiny fonts seemed out of place in the traditional interior.Beavertown Gamma Ray seemed the best option yet very fizzy,Neck Oil was unavialable while other keg options were mainstream.
Such a shame,the presence of decent real ale would have added marks,and despite diners drinkers are welcome.

On 10th April 2022 - rating: 6
[User has posted 2709 recommendations about 2709 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Tris C left this review about The Harcourt

Dating from the early 19th century, I paid my first visit here on a recent Sunday, 90 minutes prior to the advertised closing time, only to find it shut; not a great way to treat customers. It’s quite a nice smart pub with herringbone floor, panelled walls with white paint above and white Anaglypta ceiling. Furniture is conventional, with some studded banquettes and what looks like more formal dining to the rear; there seems to be a rather smart restaurant upstairs. The bar is wood fronted with a marble top, which looks to be of some age; above are some clear hanging glass shaded lamps, Victorian-style sconces to the walls. Given that this is a Swedish pub, I had thought that décor would be a smörgåsbord of Scandi knickknacks; perhaps an autographed photo of Björn Borg, some plastic elves to the bar top or life-size effigy of Pippi Longstocking, but no, just a multitude of seemingly ordinary framed prints. Customers were few in number, but perhaps a couple across the bar from me could have been Swedish, given that I couldn’t fathom their mellifluous accents.
Ales: three pumps hidden by snack jars with one dispensing Sambrook's Session Ale, not brought up from the basement (aren’t ales typically kept in the basement, or cellar as it’s known in the trade?). If I'd known, I'd not have had to go for more Neck Oil at £3.25 a half.
This isn’t a bad place, in fact with a good selection of real ales, it could be a minor destination, certainly a world away from the serried ranks of identikit Greene King pubs in W1. However, it loses a point each for the lack of real ale and for being closed, long before the advertised time.

On 29th October 2021 - rating: 4
[User has posted 1956 recommendations about 1923 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


custodian 42 left this review about The Harcourt

Strange place with most of the ales kept in the basement. I had a 5.4% ABV Pale Ale which was OK, but I wasn't taken with this pub.

On 28th February 2018 - rating: 4
[User has posted 1693 recommendations about 1691 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


hondo . left this review about The Harcourt

Tucked away in a side street a Swedish pub serving real ale,"craft keg" and continental keg. Food served. Interior as described below.

On 2nd November 2014 - no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Rex Rattus left this review about The Harcourt Arms

This is still a Swedish themed pub, housed in a Grade II listed building dating back to the early 19th Century. The Swedish Embassy, and a Swedish church, are nearby thus explaining the Swedish connection. At the back on the right is a lounge signed as “Svenska Salongen” (Swedish lounge), bunting style flags encouraging us to support “Swengland” are strung across the room, and a faux chalkboard informs us that “Swedish sports here”.

But they did have a couple of ales on that have no connection with Sweden – Doom Bar and Adnam’s Ghost Ship (£2 a half). Laminated menus were on all the tables, offering light bites (wraps and sandwiches) for £4.50, and four basic main meals – e.g. homemade beefburger and chips for £9.75.
I quite liked the pub itself. Despite the Swedish stuff, it still felt like a traditional pub. The room is dominated by the central horseshoe bar, which would once have served two separate rooms. The bar counter itself looks to me to be a pretty ancient, if not original, feature, as does the wood panelling on the walls. As well as the Swedish stuff, there are a couple of very nice brewery and drinks manufacturers’ mirrors on the walls, and a couple of original looking fireplaces grace each side of the room. The main bar is nicely carpeted throughout, and apart from one tall table with its attendant tall stools filling a bit of space in the middle of the floor, furnishings are banquettes and normal tables and chairs. The only negative point for me was the music radio station being played, although admittedly not to loudly.

I thought this was a very comfortable and welcoming little pub, and I would be very happy to drop in here for another pint sometime.

On 21st October 2013 - rating: 6
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


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

Attractive traditional 'U'-shaped bar, with dark furniture. Swedish decor and football on TV, with the small yellow-painted back room almost a shrine to all things Sweden. Upstairs lounge (not visited). Low patio beer garden under umbrellas to the rear. Two tables out front. Three handpumps, with Pride, Doom Bar and Adnams Ghost Ship (£3.90) available. (NB - Review dates to July 2012.)

On 16th February 2013 - rating: 6
[User has posted 8066 recommendations about 8066 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Steve C left this review about The Harcourt Arms

This seems to be the place to go for the Scandinavian contingent in the capital and especially the Swedes who can enjoy there nations sporting excellence on the couple of plasma screens. The two barmen seemed nice enough and there was a lot of chat with the few locals that were present on my quiet weeknight visit, but I couldn’t understand a word of it as I’m not from Halland or its environs.

There was a standard draught selection from which I enjoyed a nice pint of Guinness and there were also two ale offerings of Pride and Brakspear.

This is a well kept pub and I enjoyed my pint and I would pop in again if passing during the day.

On 11th February 2010 - rating: 6
[User has posted 5179 recommendations about 5148 pubs]