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Hoop & Grapes, Aldgate, EC3

47 Aldgate High Street
EC3
EC3N 1AL
Phone: 02074814583

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Pub Type

Nicholsons (Mitchells & Butlers)
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Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) Add Review see review guidelines


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Will Larter left this review about Hoop & Grapes

A genuinely old building with a modern extension to the rear that has used old beams from other buildings to maintain some sort of architectural consistency. There are some nice old chairs (or reproduction - I'm no expert) and slightly rougher tables. There were seven beers on the bar at the time of my visit - possibly the most I'd seen in a Nicholsons pub this year - and my half of Hophead was in good condition. I liked it here - apart from the background music.

Date of visit: 17th March 2022

On 29th August 2022 - rating: 6
[User has posted 3699 recommendations about 3440 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Quinno _ left this review about Hoop & Grapes

Historic and wonky wooden framed exterior which (just) survived the Great Fire of London. This gives way to a long and narrow interior which retains a bit of (injected) character with mid-range decor, nothing too offensive. There are a number of discrete drinking areas including a large glassed paned quasi-booth, which are welcome. Split in two most of the way by a supporting wall, the bar is to the rear left and sported a good number of ales (8?) with a selection which befitted the pub’s current status as a Nicholsons. My Fyne Ales Jarl was decent (NBSS 3). A quick mention of the impressive subterranean toilets, which were like something out of an episode of Knightmare. It's a fair bet for the area and I’d have no problem returning.

On 1st April 2019 - rating: 7
[User has posted 5043 recommendations about 5026 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Bucking Fastard left this review about The Hoop & Grapes

The best place to appreciate the age of this pub is from the front entrance where the very well worn steps and distorted ,sloping front window attest to many centuries of use.Inside it's all rather Nicholson's chain pub,but the front section with a bench seat below said window is by far the calmest spot.The interior is long and thin,with a side opening for a long bar,while opposite a glazed dividing panel creates a mini snug below a sloping glazed roof light.At the rear is a wait to be seated dining area,with Fish House wall sign indicating the menu bias.However bar snacks can be consumed anywhere else in the interior,at what looked like reasonable prices.
Sadly the chain vibe is never far away and the muzak was much too loud and the bar was staffed with an inexperienced crew who took no notice of how long someone may have been waiting for service.
However the ale selection was decent on my trip with Nicholsons Pale,Hogs Back TEA,Doom Bar,London Pride ,Sharps Atlantic,Purity Bunny Hop,Siren Broken Dream (on top form) and a real cider from the 8 pumps.
It's worth a squint ,plus real ale outlets close to Aldgate are limited but not quiet enough to justify a long session here despite some historic interest.

On 2nd March 2019 - rating: 7
[User has posted 2709 recommendations about 2709 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Moby Duck left this review about The Hoop & Grapes

A nice looking pub with lots of dark wood but it is a Nicholsons and cant escape having a slight formula feel about it. Being a Nicholsons though you can expect a decent range of beer to choose from, today it was,the usual house beer in Nicholsons Pale (St Austell) along with Trumans Runner,Hop Back Summer Lightening and Citra,Inveralmond Frisco Steam,Hadrian Island Farne Island and a couple of usual suspects in Doom Bar and Black Sheep Bitter. The Hop back Citra was good. Handy for Aldgate Tube but I wouldnt go out of my way.

On 10th August 2016 - rating: 6
[User has posted 1868 recommendations about 1841 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Tris C left this review about The Hoop & Grapes

A first in here the other day and this is a pub well described below. It's in Aldgate, a City fringe area which is a bit depressing and where you wouldn't want to linger long. In general though, this pub make up for it, dating back to 1593 and having leant to the by 18 inches over the years, or so we are told. The pub appears to have been much altered over the years with a mix of old - seemingly very old - and quite new, notable in the rather ugly electrical cables that festoon the ceiling.
The pub was surprisingly and pleasantly quiet on our early evening visit, ales on offer being Nicholson's Pale Ale, Truman's Runner, Jennings' Cocker Hoop, Rooster's California Common, Portobello's Very Pale Ale, a blank pump and Harviestoun's Summer Legend at a very reasonable £1.95 a half.
I would have given this pub at least another mark but for the presence of a games machine and TV sport, albeit tennis with the sound off.
This place is definitely worth a trip and even a detour - I'd certainly come again if in the area. That said I try to avoid this area.

On 10th July 2016 - rating: 6
[User has posted 1956 recommendations about 1923 pubs]


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Ian Mapp left this review about The Hoop & Grapes

Great piece of architecture - one of the few surviving wooden framed buildings from the 17th Century that survived the fire of London.

A Nicholson House - so you kind of know what to expect. Had both TT Landlord and Black Sheep on - so it was like choosing between your favourite children.

Been on the wish list for a long time and I will be going back.

On 19th February 2016 - rating: 9
[User has posted 1329 recommendations about 1315 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Pub SignMan left this review about The Hoop & Grapes

Located just a short walk from Aldgate tube station, this is a large, sprawling Nicholsons pub. You enter the pub through a long, windowed corridor which allows you to check out whether there are any free seats in the rather bland open plan seating space to the front right. The corridor delivers you right into the heart of the pub, with the servery located in an alcove to the left. The plain bar has a brown and white tiled back with an etched glass Nicholsons mirror as its centrepiece. Exposed floorboards run throughout the pub and there are a series of large structural pillars and wooden screens which help partition the bar area from the long narrow seating space that runs down the right hand side towards the rear of the room. The front half of this seating area has dark wood panelled walls with various black and white photos on display and a TV screen showing rolling news. The rear part has bare brick walls and flooring with some rather grand paintings on show. Seating throughout is a mixed affair, with high stools and button backed banquettes predominating, as well as a few unusual wing-back chairs. I spotted at least one fireplace, but it appeared to be partially hidden and unlikely to get much use. Music played at a fairly loud volume continuously on my Friday evening visit and the clientele were mainly young professionals.
On the bar, there was a pretty good ale range comprising Nicholsons Pale Ale, Sunny Republic Red Bus, Black Sheep Velo, Brains Bread of Heaven, Sharps Doom Bar, Trumans Runner, West Berkshire Blindside Flanker and Taylor Landlord. One Orchard Pig cider occupied a final handpull. I tried the Blindside Flanker – not this particular brewery’s finest output, but kept in good shape nonetheless.
I thought this pub had a bit of a confused layout which felt impersonal and lacking some of the cosy and comfortable qualities that Nicholsons pubs generally deliver. Having said that, I enjoyed a well kept pint from a decent range of ales and thought the place had a lively atmosphere that contrasted markedly with several other pubs in the immediate area. A solid, if unspectacular, Nicholsons option, which is never a bad thing.

On 22nd December 2015 - rating: 7
[User has posted 3102 recommendations about 3102 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


john gray left this review about The Hoop & Grapes

Typical Nicolsons pub with a warm exterior with plenty of wood and partitions.Usual array of standard beers and I tried Tynebank-blonde.They say blondes have more fun but this blond wasn,t much fun.

On 21st November 2015 - rating: 6
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


hondo . left this review about The Hoop & Grapes

Nicholson's pub that is larger than the exterior suggests. 8 real ales and food served.

On 30th October 2015 - no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Hoop & Grapes

Historic inn, much remodelled over the centuries but retaining many interesting features. Glazed partitions replace some of the original walls both inside (beside the entrance corridor) and out (towards the back, where part of the rear yard has been enclosed and covered over to form a table-service dining area). One also gets the impression that the separate offices on the eastern corner once formed another bar behind what looks like a former tap room or bottle store. Then there is the trip down through the brick cellars en route to the toilets. The traditional-style decor and mostly wooden furniture is similar to that used many other Nicholson's pubs. The number of handpumps has doubled to eight since my last visit four years ago, the regular Pale Ale, Pride and Doom Bar plus some more interesting guests (e.g. Itchen Valley Russian Winter and something at 7.3% with a hand written clip). Worth seeking out if in the area.

On 8th February 2015 - rating: 7
[User has posted 8066 recommendations about 8066 pubs]

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