Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Poll for date of Halifax crawl. with ROBCamra
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
Duke of York, SW1
SW1
SW1E 5LA
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Duke of York
Was a fairly ordinary central London pub, with typical Taylor Walker furniture, menus, etc. before the surrounding area was comprehensively redeveloped. Only the two facades survived, but Sam Smiths (as the new owners) have done a good job of recreating a 'J'-shaped bar interior with the expected very traditional appearance. Just OBB on handpump (£4.90). Almost all bottled beers, plus the cider and perry, now in 355 ml containers but still priced at £6.20 or more - caveat emptor!
On 8th October 2022
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
E TA left this review about Duke of York
This pub came as a pleasant surprise given its proximity to Victoria Station and its high profile. The staff were young,mostly quite amateurish, though the young bar manager was on the ball and made sure things ran smoothly. Six handpumps, all dispensing Old Brewery Bitter, which was in decent condition. It wasn’t crowded, the atmosphere was pleasant and it was remarkably cheap for London. A good place to meet up or start a crawl.
On 31st July 2022
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3284 recommendations about 3249 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
BRUMMIE STEVE left this review about Duke of York
It was my first visit to a London Sam Smiths pub, and my visit at 5.30pm on a Friday afternoon was not the best time, as expected the place was very busy. Did'nt know what to drink so opted for a bottle of there special beers on the barmans recommendation, what he did'nt tell me it would cost me £6.50. For me this pubs layout was ok but nothing different from alot of these london pubs, as for the Sam Smith product I proberly would try it again as it's very convenient for London Victoria.
On 5th March 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 12 recommendations about 12 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about Duke of York
This is not the first Sam Smiths pub I have been in that has been recreated from scratch. I understand that only the facade of this building was retained, or perhaps that was recreated too, giving the designers free rein to fashion the interior in any style they chose. There is perhaps not so much pleasure to be derived from a quiet and contemplative drink in a re-imagined pub like this than in one that has been unchanged for a century or more, but I am inclined to give this one, and others like it (the Hogarth chain does something similar) a small round of applause. In fact my notes written at the time read "It's superb!". The Old Brewery Best Bitter was in good condition, so I have good memories of my visit to this pub.
On 2nd February 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3740 recommendations about 3477 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about Duke of York
I can’t really add much to the previous reviews relating to this externally unbranded Sam Smith’s pub’s phoenix-like rising from the ashes. It’s very hard to work out what’s brand new here in this fake gin palace, perhaps all of it. Certainly, the etched windows are spectacular, but as mentioned, the stained (rather than lacquered) wood panels do indeed look more like a posh estate pub from the 1950s; the wheelchair lift to the basement lavs certainly isn’t Victorian; if it were, it would have had concertina doors and a liftman.
At least OB was on pump (for once in Westminster), at £2.35 a half, but as usual it was too cold and as I was on a mission, didn’t have time to let it thaw, so had a few sips and left; God Victoria is a terrible place to drink.
On 12th November 2021
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Duke of York
A brand new(!) Sam’s, risen from the ashes of a closed pub in a large site that spent years being redeveloped. As mentioned below, the interior is late Victorian/Edwardian in its style with the usual Sam’s themes of etched glass windows, old style fittings, dark wood panelling etc (though my companion commented that a bit of the bar panelling looked a little on the cheaper side – “like a 1950’s estate pub!”). Noticeable that there’s an assumption of mainly vertical drinking in here with not too much in the way of seating and plenty of empty space on the pretty flooring which surrounds an island bar, though the rear area is a bit more intimate with more seating. Apparently there’s also an upstairs bar though we saw no indication of it. Cask OBB available here (NBSS 3.5) and a decent lunchtime crowd. It’s a solid addition to Humph’s estate although it won’t get the pulse racing compared to some of the other Sam’s London outlets.
On 11th February 2020
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5081 recommendations about 5064 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about Duke of York
Finally reopened after years of closure due to major local redevelopment, this pub has been fully restored to an Edwardian style, with lots of dark woodwork and old-fashioned fittings including lamps and some splendid etched glass work. There can't be many pubs in central London boasting 'Public Bar' on the door and more or less meaning it. The front bar is definitely drinking territory, while the area round behind is tabled. An upstairs bar and dining room is also signed (not visited). Quite significantly, it is now a Sam Smith's house, heavily promoting their bottled range and with Stingo joining OBB on handpump, albeit at an eye-watering £3.70 a half. Note also that the ban on mobile devices is waived for those paying with them! A welcome return of a proper pub to the area, which will no doubt appeal to the tourists.
On 5th December 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about Duke Of York
Pubs around major railway termini are generally little more than places to cater for a transient customer base and therefore tend not to go to any great lengths to offer anythinmg beyond the basic necessities. The Duke of York, a couple of carriage lengths from Victoria station, falls largely into this territory, a typically bland pub with a standard pub by numbers L-shaped interior and dull beer selections. As ales go, Greene King IPA, Abbot, Speckled Hen and Youngs Ordinary don’t, for me at least, fully justify the “Purveyers of Celebrated Beers, Wines and Spirits” sign emblazoned across the front of the pub. Everything is quite ordinary and bog standard.
The pub actually looks better from the outside with its traditional facade, foral displays, ornate wooden corbels and curved vindows, especially near the entrance to the upstairs restaurant. It can get heavingly busy during rush hour and pre-theatre (The Palace and Apollo Theatres are close to hand) and it should be noted that there are no TV's. Music is played at a barely audible level so you generally just get a rabble of tourist and office group voices shouting over each other which can be a bit of a din to say the least.
Overall there is nothing to put one off having a quick pint although the dot matrix behind the bar warning of the theft of vauables should be taken seriously - the proximity of the station means that they probably do get more than their fair share of chancers able to make a quick getaway among the commuter crowds. It is very much a does as it says on the tin kind of place and doesn’t really fulfil its potential. It’s certainly not really somewhere worth the effort of going out of the way for.
On 23rd December 2010
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about Duke Of York
I found the barman in here to be very friendly and I had a decent pint of Pride. Old Speckled Hen, Greene King IPA and Bombardier were also available alongside a premium and standard draught range. My visit was late on a Thursday night so most of the crowd were pretty plastered, but there was still a relaxed atmosphere. A German speaking woman tried to give me her purse to go up to the bar to buy a drink as she couldn’t stand up, but I politely declined the offer and disappeared to the other side of the pub. I think that the transient nature of this pub due to its location allow people to let their hair down as they’re unlikely to bump into any they meet here again.
I would pop back in here again if in the area.
On 25th March 2009
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5249 recommendations about 5217 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Philip Carter left this review about Duke Of York
Very comfortable pub. Sells real ale. Has a non smoking seating area upstairs. Sells food all day. Very handy for the theatre next door.
On 1st April 2007
- rating: 8
[User has posted 757 recommendations about 720 pubs]