Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Random news of the day with Tris39
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Bull, Bishopsgate, EC2
EC2
EC2M 4RH
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 5 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Delboy 20 left this review about The Bull
Tucked away down a side street close to Liverpool Street The Bull is an early opener on a Sunday morning. It was quiet when I called. No handpulls in operation so had to make do with Jakes IPA from the 5 "crafty" offerings. Not a bad drink but it wouldn't tempt me back.
On 6th October 2021
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1656 recommendations about 1556 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Bull
Operated by Hush Heath Hospitality ,I missed the dining and hotel part of the operation and went for a beer in the small ground floor room.It's very near Liverpool Street station and will always have a transient customer base,the interior is unremarkable apart from an exposed brick wall to the left side,a copper faced bar and a central chandelier.The flatscreen was showing Strictly while muzak was blaring out.Bar blockers abounded and the choice from the 4 handpumps was Doom Bar,London Pride,St Austell Tribute and Pin-Up Brewery Gold Rush (Mosaic Golden Ale),dull NBSS 2.Wine is supplied by Balfour Wines which is in someways connected to the pub owners but it looked very expensive and punters were swilling lager or the dull real ale.
No reason to revisit,there are far better option close by.
On 21st November 2019
- rating: 4
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Bull
Much as described below with a fairly modern décor-free 'steam punk' interior using limestone and bare brick with a bar fronted with shiny copper sheeting held on by multiple hex bolts; lager founts are matching shiny copper - the interior says more 'restaurant' rather than pub, though the restaurant 'The Hide' is upstairs. The crowd - such is it was - in here was younger than in the neighbouring Magpie and was certainly better mannered.
A friendly barman was serving up Tyne Banks' Bull Pale Ale, Shepherd Neame's Master Brew, Yorkshire Brewery's Mr. Chubb's Lunchtime Bitter and Good Old Boy at £2.20 a half and OK.
I'd come here again if I had to and certainly out of preference to the Magpie, but realistically I would in general go out of my way not to drink in this immediate area as I think it's one of London's worst drinking destinations.
On 19th August 2016
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Bull
Down one of the narrow lanes opposite Liverpool Street station, this is a smart, modernised single room pub doing a brisk post-work trade on my mid-week visit. A door with an etched glass pane bearing the pub's name above it, leads you into a rectangular bare boarded room with the servery along the rear wall. The bar has a dark wood counter with metal frontage and there is a smart, part mirrored, contemporary bar back. Banquette seating runs around most of the walls, supplemented by standard chairs and some low padded stools. Walls are a mix of bare brick, low wood panelling and marble effect with minimal effort put into the décor, although the overall effect is not as bland as you might expect given the distinct lack of visual stimulation. In fact, the only items of note in the entire room were the large decorative chandelier hanging from the centre of the ceiling and a large neon sign to the rear indicating the direction of 'The Hide Dining Rooms'. Music played quietly throughout my visit and there was a separate stretch of bar counter to the left which had a very tempting display of sausage rolls, scotch eggs and other such classic bar snacks for those not wanting to make use of the formal dining room.
There were four ales on the bar when I arrived - Twickenham Naked Ladies and Sundancer, Vale Red Kite and Tynebank The Bull, which I presumed was a house beer. I tried a pint of the latter, which came in at a pretty hefty £4.40, but it was in decent enough condition and served by a very smartly dressed, polite barman.
This is a compact little bar and I can imagine there are times when it becomes unbearably overcrowded, but I found it quite easy to settle down here and enjoy a good pint of beer. There isn't really all that much here to grab your attention and I do feel that there are a number of better pubs nearby, but this is a good place to know about and I'm sure I'll pop in again to see what they've got on the bar.
On 23rd May 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
. Wittenden left this review about The Bull
Having twenty minutes to spare before a train from Liverpool Street, I randomly slipped in here,having seen some interesting handpumps through the window. I found a light and airy room, with the bar facing one as one entered. A bit of heavy looking woodwork, an eclectic mix of furniture. Heading towards Saturday noon, a mix of late breakfasters and groups enjoying a pint.
A friendly welcome from behind the bar, some interesting beers: I had a quick pint of Rooster's Blind Jack, one of those legendary Yorkshire breweries that I have hithertofor not managed to try.Mid brown, creamy head,unctuous hops.Good.Also available were Naked Ladies from Twickenham, and Black Jack's Honey Trap.Shurely shome mishtake.
For the trendier drinker I noticed a number of craft keg offerings, together with some interesting looking bottles.Reading earlier comments, I would suppose that the pub is under new ownership, and I understand that it belongs to Kent's own Hush Heath Vineyards, who are establishing a chain of similar pubs. Under the same management is the Hide restaurant, and a number of letting rooms.
Given that I'm only in this area on Saturdays once or twice a year, I'll certainly return. Doubtless when city boy comes out to play, it would be a hellhole, but I leave that option to other more sociable souls.
On 21st April 2016
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 283 recommendations about 282 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about The Bull
Old fashioned looking pub from outside but quite upmarket interior.Lovely large chandelier. Smartly dressed bar staff.House beer from Tynebank,and others from Sambrookes,Twickenham and Purity.Comfortable pub.Quiet compared with others nearby.
On 20th April 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Bull
I popped into the Bull on Wednesday (23rd) at office kicking out time so it was quite busy. I managed to get served very quickly, but for some reason I was given half a lager (£2.50) rather than the requested stout. I’m not sure what one of the premium draught products it was, but it went down quite well. The interior and facilities are much the same as I reported four years ago, although the four hand pumps that line the bar were all unused.
Located next door are the Hide Dining Rooms which I did not visit. The only food I saw advertised in the bar area were pork pies and sausage rolls.
My view from my last visit has not changed because I still feel that there are better pubs in the area, especially as this place now lacks any cask ale.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
28th July 2010
This place has a contemporary design so it is not going to appeal to the traditionalists out there, but on my recent weeknight visit I enjoyed a decent pint of Guinness which was served by a very friendly barman. The lager selection was limited with only Peroni, Heineken and Amstel being available, but Pride was available alongside Robinsons which was the guest beer. I didn’t see any sign of a television, but there was some chilled dance music playing in the background at a decent level as to not interfere with conversation.
There is a function room upstairs that is available for hire.
Although I felt very welcome here I still think that there are better pubs in the area.
On 27th December 2014
- rating: 5
[User has posted 5251 recommendations about 5219 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about The Bull
The Bull is down a narrow street and fairly close to Liverpool Street station.
The pub decent enough from the outside but that was the best thing about this place,once inside the pub had a modern look to it which seemed out of place for a pub like this.
There was only one real ale on here this was London Pride which was ok but nothing special.
On 28th May 2011
- rating: 5
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
andrew parr left this review about The Bull
Very expensive pub at £3.30 a pint beer horrible,seen less clouds at headingley on a rainy day.
On 8th July 2010
- rating: 2
[User has posted 105 recommendations about 100 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Bull
Many City pubs make an effort with real ale, but unfortunately this isn't one of them... It did sell an OK pint of Pride, but that's it apart from numerous fancy dispensers of no doubt hyper-expensive imported lagers.
On 28th February 2008
- rating: 5
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]