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Lyttelton Arms, NW1

1 Camden High Street
NW1
NW1 7JE
Phone: 02073872749

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Pub Type

Castle (Mitchells & Butlers)
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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 Lyttelton Arms

Opposite Mornington Crescent tube ,this is a street corner pub but heavily knocked about leaving an open plan interior with a raised section to the left side. High tables near the bar,some small semi circular banquettes by a front window and dining type tables elsewhere.The lighting is modern ,and the food menu is extensive but looks like food service corporate fare via a microwave.The columns around the bar being the only feature of note.
Just one real ale Black Sheep Twilighter (rather tired,NBSS 2) ,and the keg selection was mostly mainstream apart from some ubiquitous Beavertown.
Uninspring ,no need to seek out .Could be better with care.

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


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Graham Coombs left this review about Lyttelton Arms

Still very much as described below, a much-modernised pub with a mixture of benches, banquettes, dining tables and easy chairs in various areas. On handpump were Purity Bunny Hop, Proper Job, Doom Bar, Hobgoblin and Thistly Cross cider. Sadly there does not appear to be any acknowledgement of its name or Radio 4 ISIHAC connections, which seems to b missing a trick.

On 29th October 2019 - rating: 6
[User has posted 3322 recommendations about 3259 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Graham Coombs left this review about Lyttelton Arms

Excellently described in previous review. Beer sampled was Jaipur, which was in ok but not great condition.

On 13th June 2018 - rating: 6
[User has posted 3322 recommendations about 3259 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Pub SignMan left this review about Lyttelton Arms

Originally known as the Southampton Arms, this large pub at the southern end of Camden High Street takes its name from jazz musician Humphrey Lyttleton who brought neighbouring Mornington Crescent tube station to the nation's attention as host of Radio 4's 'I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue'. The pub is quite a modern affair, aimed at a predominantly younger audience and popular with gig goers at nearby KOKO. You enter into a spacious bare boarded room with a large L-shaped servery to the right. The bar has a red wood panel counter front and a plain bar back dominated by an enormous centrally positioned plain mirror. High tables and stools fill the area directly opposite with some great comfy sofas and armchairs around the edge of the room and some bench options on a raised area to the rear left. The room runs a long way to the rear, past the end of the bar, and back here you can find loads more tables and chairs, perhaps more suited to those who intend to dine. On the back wall there is a large mural depicting a musician looking out to a large, adoring crowd, which makes sense in a Camden pub with numerous music venues within walking distance. There is a lot of bare brickwork to the rear of the pub which nicely complimented the dark wood fixtures and fittings to be found throughout the rest of the building and muted lighting helped to create a warm, cosy environment on a cold winter's night.
There are five handpulls on the bar but two were unclipped when I arrived with a Doom Bar clip reversed, leaving Adnams/Magic Rock The Herbalist and Thornbridge Wild Holly as the only real ale options. I tried a pint of the Wild Holly which came in at £4.50 and was in pretty good nick. The keg range seems more comprehensive and included brews from the likes of Siren, Camden, Roosters and Stone. The barmaid who served me was one of those remarkable people who manage to conduct the entire transaction without uttering a single word - well done!
Camden is a frustrating area for good pubs and I'm rarely inspired to return to most of those I've visited. This place hardly bucked that trend but a couple of interesting ales and a good keg range means it ranks slightly higher than many others in the area. Definitely a good one to know about if gigging at KOKO but there are a few better options further into Camden or back the other way at Euston.

On 11th January 2018 - rating: 6
[User has posted 3102 recommendations about 3102 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Rex Rattus left this review about Lyttelton Arms

There were three ales on in here - Doom Bar, Purity UBU, and Windsor & Eton's Knight of the Garter (£2 a half), with another couple of pumps apparently unused. The menus claimed it was Ruby Jean's Diner, and I guess it was supposed to USA themed. Burgers are £10 - £11, but other stuff like hot dogs (£7.95 or £8.95), fried chicken (£10.50), and BBQ Ribs (£15.95) are available. Burgers are "2.4.1" on Tuesday.

It's now not very pub-like in here. There's a bit of banquette seating around the edges, but the main room's dominated by two massive (10-seater or so) tall tables with attendant tall stools. An area at the back has more standard-ish seating, a part of which was illuminated by a pink and purple lit sign that would not have been out of place in a Pattaya bar. The enormous mural still has pride of place on the back wall, featuring I know not what.

This place is highly functional and popular, being just over the road from Koko. It was also popular with diners on a Wednesday lunchtime. But it lacks the traditional pub character, although it seems to be exactly what is needed in this part of the world. My Knight of the Garter was in good shape as well.

On 31st August 2015 - rating: 5
[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 Lyttelton Arms

Formerly the Southampton Arms and the Crescent, this refurbished pub now has a large single-room bar with a wide range of different seating areas (one located up three steps) making quite good use of the street corner location. Mixed furniture, including one very wobbly table that the staff had the sense to put a cautionary notice on. Unfortunately, only three of the five handpumps were working on my latest visit, with Doom Bar and two from Purity - Warlord IPA and Pure UBU (£4.15) - available. Very busy prior to gigs at Koko across the road.

On 14th October 2013 - rating: 6
[User has posted 8066 recommendations about 8066 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Quinno _ left this review about Lyttelton Arms

Another Joy Formidable gig at Koko, another trip the Lyttleton. Not quite as good this time, the ale was OK but some of the staff left a bit to be desired, especially the girl who ignored the crush at the bar to show off her new tattoo to her tragic hipster friends.

October 2010
Sitting on the junction opposite Koko, our group dropped in here for an unscheduled stop-off pre Joy Formidable and I was fairly impressed with what we found given the previous negative reviews (presumably from when it was called the Crescent).

Four ales were on (a fifth was off), mostly obvious choices like Pride and OSH but I spotted a Purity UBU and went for that. It wasn’t too bad and came in handled mug, which is always a bonus. More impressive was the range of keg and bottled lagers – Sierra Nevada, Estrella Dam, Brooklyn all noted. Can’t comment on the prices as I wasn’t doing the buying [edit: I'm informed the ale was £3.40]. Food was available.

It was absolutely packed pre-gig, so it’s hard to describe the inside beyond it being mainly brown and having a massive mural covering one of the walls. Upcoming gigs and DJ’s are advertised, so I suspect the hipsters will descend on this place quicker then you can say “Winehouse”.

As for the new name, I guess it’s dedicated to the late host of Radio 4's I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue, to tie in with the proximity to Mornington Crescent tube station.

If you’re going to Koko (where the prices of tins of lager are beyond belief) I’d recommend a stop in here on the basis of my visit. I’d definitely try it again next time.

On 27th May 2011 - rating: 6
[User has posted 5050 recommendations about 5033 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Tris C left this review about Lyttelton Arms

Originally the Southampton Arms (the name is visible atop the gable), this pub was renamed in honour of the late Humphrey Lyttelton in 2010; half its frontage runs along Mornington Crescent which will mean nothing to anyone who isn't a devotee of Radio 4 comedy. Previously this was the Crescent but has been comprehensively made over, so is in no way one song to the tune of another.

No sign of the Lovely Samantha, though there are four real ales on pump as well as Aspall's which is a plus point. This is certainly a step up from the average Camden Strip pub but to be honest it's a little bit too swanee-kazoo for me, though the loos are top notch - one wonders what Humph would have made of this...

On 29th March 2011 - rating: 5
[User has posted 1956 recommendations about 1923 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Steve C left this review about The Crescent

This pub is on a busy corner opposite Mornington Crescent tube station making the limited outside seating very uncomfortable. Granted it's not the manager's fault where the pub is located, but I wouldn't want to sit out there.

Pride and plenty of standard lager are available if you can get served. I had to wait a while and then when I had asked for my pint the barman was distracted and forgot that he was serving me and went onto someone else. There were 2 barmen and only 6 or 7 people at the bar.

The 2 plasma screens showing Sky Sports news all day, loud music, illustrated women and old soaks all added to the disappointing experience.

Until last Friday I'd not been in here since it was an Edwards and I'm in no hurry to return.

On 29th September 2008 - rating: 5
[User has posted 5179 recommendations about 5148 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Philip Carter left this review about The Crescent

No real ale. Does food all day, but watch out for the 'waitress', she was wearing combat trousers and cap. It's either a fashion statment or it gets very rough in there.

On 3rd February 2007 - rating: 6
[User has posted 757 recommendations about 720 pubs]

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