Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Disappointment of the week with Tris39
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Star Tavern, Belgravia, SW1
SW1
SW1X 8HT
Pub Type
Fuller'sReviews (Current Rating Average: 8½ of 10) see review guidelines
Ian Mapp left this review about The Star Tavern
Rich in history - which may be legend only, but good fun. Pick your favourite story from the place where the Great Train Robbery was planned to the 1960s landlord Paddy Kennedy telling Elizabeth Taylor to move her fat ar*e so a regular could sit down.
Great stuff.
Today, its a tidy mews pub, hidden away from those who are not looking for it. I stayed on the ground floor, tucked in along the bar to soak in the atmosphere.
Fullers pub and a mentioned by OB - a GBG regular, including 2024.
My sort of tourist pub.
On 20th February 2024
- rating: 9
[User has posted 1337 recommendations about 1323 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about The Star Tavern
Splendid mews pub behind the German embassy, the front bar is cosy and friendly with more rooms upstairs one called “The Library”, and there’s a dining room to the left. A Fullers pub with the beer in excellent condition. It has a Yank landlord but he seems a good sort. One of the famous five pubs continuously in the Good Beer Guide since 1974 and you can see why.
On 25th July 2022
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3230 recommendations about 2939 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Star Tavern
I had been looking forward to visiting the Star Tavern for the first time, as it is a Camra Heritage Pub; as soon as I walked in the door I realised I had been here before, with one of my Luton Town mates who was into ticking these pubs with historic interiors in the years prior to his death in 2013. Our visit had been in the days before I started writing down details of my pub outings, never mind writing reviews, so my memory was hazy - but I recognised the set up of the bar counter, against the right wall on entering. There are two sets of hand pumps, with Gales HSB on one of two near the door, the other three further on with London Pride and ESB, plus a guest from Twickenham brewery. There is a lounge to the left, through an arch in front of the bar, and a further arch leads through from that to a smaller lounge to the rear. - both rooms have fireplaces. There was no background music, but there was a friendly, convivial atmosphere and it was a pleasure to enjoy the surroundings and remember my friend. The beer was in good condition, too.
On 2nd February 2022
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3733 recommendations about 3470 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Star Tavern
On approach, I too thought I was about to enter the German embassy in an area of huge houses with prices too high to contemplate; I think this place might be Michael Bloomberg’s local when he’s in town, but it has certainly seen its fair share of film stars and criminals, such as the Great Train Robbers, though having recently been relieved of £6.50 for a pint at the Alfred Tennyson round the corner, the criminals have obviously relocated.
A first in here the other night, lured in as it’s a grade II-listed pub, on CAMRA’s inventory of pubs with historic interiors, this being of Some Regional Importance and what a treat; pictures can be seen on both CAMRA’s and the pub’s website. There’s a great spray of hanging basket flowers outside, the interior having a bar area that near smacks you in the face on entry, then one room split into two to the left, both delineated by wooden archways and no longer carpeted but now with attractive kilims to a lacquered floor; there are two fireplaces, which hopefully will be used come colder months. The walls are painted burgundy to the dado then magnolia with a white Anaglypta ceiling. There are swag curtains and lighting from brass chandeliers with brass and glass sconces, designed to look like they were converted from gas use; candles burned on the mantelpieces. Furniture is fairly conventional with some banquettes to the front and rear with sunflowers in little bottles on tables, along with menus. Décor comes by way of framed Victorian prints to the walls, along with some gilded mirrors. In all, it’s like drinking in a gentlemen’s club, but with board games if desired; customers seemed normal. There appears to be a very smart dining/function room upstairs and lavs are swanky.
The kindly and friendly bar staff presided over Fuller’s ales, but Dark Star’s Hophead was on at the bargain price of £5.00, easily the ‘cheapest’ pint of my seven-stop Belgravia survey.
This is a great pub, making for a fine triple with the Nag’s Head and Grenadier.
On 29th September 2021
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1983 recommendations about 1949 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Star Tavern
Not obvious as you wander around,tucked away but this Fuller's tied house is well worth a visit and a great example of a mews pub.
You enter into a short corridor with the three sided bar to the right serving a front section with a large collection of GBG's,and a rear snug with Members Only inscribed in the glass partition.This small snug is full of bar stools and regulars.To the left is a lounge area with a decent fireplace and dining type tables extending back into the building.Up a flight of stairs is the Library,a dining area that can be hired but I didn't investigate.
The food is from a short Fuller's menu with small plates £6,Sandwiches with chips £8,a median Main at £13 and some daily specials which all sounded good.
Thankfully Fullers have not gone corporate with the interior,there is a lot of wood panelling,no flatscreens nor muzak and chatter rules the waves.Wonderfully authentic with Thomas Crapper wash hand basins in the gents.
The Great Train robbers were meant to have planned their heist in here and it does feel like toffs and crims could easily have rubbed shoulders in here in the past.Thankfully being hidden away keeps any tourist throng to a minimum and it does have a boozer atmosphere.
The bar supports 5 handpumps with on my trip Fullers London Pride,ESB,Seafarers,Dark Star Sunburst (NBSS 3.5) and a guest in Windsor & Eton Knight of the Garter.The long standing GBG entry is fully justified and I would very happily return to this fine pub.
On 4th November 2019
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about The Star Tavern
Tucked away down a private mews, this isn’t somewhere you’re likely to stumble across by accident, and even though I was actively looking for it, first impressions were that you were entering the German embassy rather than finding a pub. Once there though, you’ll find an attractive looking pub with plenty of hanging baskets outside and etched glass in the windows.
Internally it consists of a small bar to the right and a larger room to the left that is perhaps more intended for dining. Seating in the smaller bar was limited with a few high stools around the bar counter where a few locals were congregating. An extensive pile of Good Beer Guides were stacked up on the window sill. Décor wise it’s quite traditional with old boards on the floor that have been worn smooth over the years, covered in some places with large rugs, dark wood panelling on the lower part of the walls and cream painted wallpaper up above. A couple of old fireplaces were off to the left, although at least one of them was clearly no longer used being stacked up with a pile of board games. A few black and white pencil drawings were dotted around the walls.
Beers on tap were predominantly from Fuller’s with their ESB, London Pride and Oliver’s Island, and these were joined by Wild Beer Bibble and Tiny Rebel Cwtch. The solitary cider was Cornish Orchards. All in all, a pretty decent little pub that’s worth making the effort to track down.
On 17th September 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1947 recommendations about 1860 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about The Star Tavern
Historic pub just off Belgravia Square. noted for past associations with the great train robbers and the Profumo affair. Nowadays it has a pleasant dining room feel, with tasteful furnishings. There is a small corner for the regulars by the bar, with a tiny snug for landlord's friends behind, but most people end up in the one large room which is mainly tabled. There is also an upstairs room available for hire, and a couple of tables on the pavement. Beers are from the wider Fullers range, with a very nice pint of Hophead supplied on this occasion.
On 25th May 2019
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
custodian 42 left this review about The Star Tavern
Decent Fuller's pub although quite small - what you'd expect from a mews. ESB on hand pump so I'd definitely return if in the area.
On 17th May 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1693 recommendations about 1691 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The Star Tavern
Given its location in a rather swish area of London(handy for numerous embassies) I found the pub remarkably "normal ". Fuller's beers plus 1 sambrook's and food served.
On 26th October 2015
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Star Tavern
Apparently the Star Tavern used to be a popular haunt of celebrities who liked to mingle with the villains of the day back in the 50s/60s. This is also reportedly the location where the finer points of the Great Train Robbery concocted. There were no such shenanigans going on during my recent Friday afternoon visit when the pub was busy with dining tourists and local office workers. To the right of a central walkway that leads to toilets at the rear is a small U shaped bar that was busy with the aforementioned office crowd. Alongside a limited premium draught selection were five hand pumps that were drawing a Fuller’s range of London Pride, Seafarers, ESB and Oliver’s Island (x2). The left hand side of the pub houses standard tables and chairs which were being used by the diners. A lunch menu was in operation during my visit and to give an idea of price I noted that cod and chips were priced at £12. There was no background music playing and I didn’t spot any televisions, but the Rugby World Cup being shown on terrestrial television was advertised. By the front entrance is a small smoking area, but drinks are not permitted outside.
I found the service to be friendly enough and being a big fan of Fuller’s pubs I would have no problem visiting here again.
On 12th October 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5233 recommendations about 5201 pubs]