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 Mobyduck
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Harrow, Fleet Street, EC4
EC4
EC4Y 8JJ
Pub Type
Fuller'sReviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Harrow
This is a Fuller's pub so expect the usual suspects to be on - London Pride, Oliver's Island, plus they had on the seasonal Jack Frost (£4.35 a pint). A top-up was given before I had chance to request it - I know that's what should happen, but it's nice to see when it does happen. As I was taking my first slurp of the Jack Frost the barmaid, or landlady perhaps, starting pulling through something on the fourth pump, adding a pump clip proclaiming it to be a Fuller's beer called Wise Men. She said it was the new Fuller's "charity" beer; I would certainly have gone for it had been on when I ordered. Presumably because of my interest, after I had sat down the barmaid brought a taster over to my table. That's what I call service! Being a Fuller's pub they obviously do food, but I thought it a tad expensive, even for Central London. The steak sarny is £9.50 and the club sarny £8.50, plus an extra £1.50 for chips. The cheapest main course is £10, for either ham/egg/chips; sausage & mash; or rigatoni. But that's Central London for you.
This is a strangely shaped pub. The bar counter is tucked away on the right, next to the stairs (assuming you enter via the Whitefriars St entrance) that lead up to the Primrose Hill entrance on a different level. There's another room to the right of the short corridor leading to the Primrose Hill entrance that was being used by diners when I was in - maybe it's the dining room? In the main bar area there's a few tall tables/tall stools near the entrance, two or three normal tables/chairs; plus there's a sofa and a few small stools on a raised area at the back on the left.
I quite liked this pub, but that's possibly because of the positive beer experience that I encountered. It seemd a bit more traditional as a pub than the simplistic Hack & Hop along the road. I have to say that the beer at the H&H was a bit more interesting than at the Harrow, but of course that is probably as a result of living in London where Fuller's beers are everywhere. I'd visit this one again.
On 11th December 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Harrow
This pub has a history dating back over 300 years and was supposedly rebuilt in the 1820s. As described below, with muted music and little seating.
Ales: a meagre choice of just London Pride and Oliver's Island. A third pump was unused.
This is only really worth a visit to tick it off your list, otherwise it doesn't really warrant a special detour.
On 30th September 2016
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1983 recommendations about 1949 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Harrow
Tidy Fullers pub slightly off the beaten track. Nicely done inside - a mini L shape, gold and burgundy wallpaper, jumbo Charrington mirror, old picked glass leaded wood door, dark varnish bar. However there isn’t much seating, it’s really designed for late afternoon vertical drinking. Entrances on either side of the building. Discovered an upstairs bar more with a more sedate lounge-like character. Four pumps, three on; Pride, Oliver's and Spring Sprinter which was in decent nick even if the beer itself is a tasteless, insipid brew. Efficient but friendly barmaid who appreciated a thank you, perhaps some of the patrons in here lack manners? It’s worth a look. 6.5
On 2nd April 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Harrow
This is a small Fuller's pub down a side street off Fleet St, accessible from the front or the rear (Primrose Hill). The main room has the bar towards the front on an offset side, the room is like a chopped off "L". To the side of the bar a few steps lead to a short corridor which takes you to a small snug named in honour of the late Daily Mail journalist Vincent Mulchrone. The room contains quotations from the man, there are also framed front pages from old editions of he Daily Mirror. According to the blurb I read, this was once a separate tailor's shop. Amongst the décor in the main room is a commemorative set of coins and stamps celebrating the life of the Queen Mother.
There is limited seating in the main room, a few high tables and a drinking shelf to the front and a handful of small tables towards the rear. It was reasonably quiet during my mid-afternoon visit but I expect this pub is easily filled post work.
Fuller's London Pride, Summer Ale and Seafarers on plus guest Butcombe Rare Breed. Food served, the daily special was creamy penne with chicken, bacon and mushrooms at £9. There is another formal dining room upstairs which remains unseen by me.
Not a bad little place when not busy, a bit hidden away and therefore off the tourists beat, worth a double up with the craft bar, Hack and Hop up the street.
On 11th July 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1707 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Harrow
Compact Fullers house, with very traditional furniture and decor (including a grand Charrington's Toby Stout mirror above the fireplace). Small raised area at the back, plus the Snug Bar and Dining Rooms upstairs (not visited). Three small wooden patio tables out front. Three of four handpumps in operation, with Seafarers, Pride and Bengal lancer (£3.95) available. Some may find it over-refurbished, but it is certainly worth a visit.
On 15th March 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
John Bonser left this review about The Harrow
In a side street off the lower end of Fleet Street, is The Harrow, a Fullers pub with that typical black painted fascia frontage that Fullers seem to like nowadays.
It’s a split level pub with the main entrance on Whitefriars Street. There’s evidently been a refurbishment since my previous visit with the bar counter moved around 90 degrees which does create a bit more room and makes it easier to get served than previously.
Although the fine Charringtons Toby Mirror is still in situ, the main bar area is somewhat featureless, with bare boards, pastel coloured walls and some circular high tables and stools, and ledges by the tall front windows.
A booklet on each table tells us that there has been a pub on the site since 1769, but that the present building was erected in 1826. Reference is made to some original features in the upstairs dining room, but the main downstairs area has that rather sanitized feel and it certainly doesn’t have anything like the character of some other pubs nearby.
Up a few steps from the downstairs bar is a fine snug bar, The Vincent Mulchrome Room, named in honour of a former Daily Mail journalist, which is cosy and comfortable. And, which we’re told, “must be one of the smallest in the City” It’s infinitely preferable to the main downstairs bar area, but this room is only small and I imagine that space is at a premium at busy times. The booklet tells us that this snug bar was originally part of a barbers shop, but was later incorporated into the pub as trade grew. This bar can be accessed directly from the higher level street entrance on Primrose Hill.
The full range of Fullers beers are served and my pint of Jack Frost - £ 3.90p – was pretty good, but it feels and looks very much like a typical corporate Fullers managed house nowadays and, as a consequence, this isn’t one of my favourite pubs in this area of the City
On 28th February 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 560 recommendations about 560 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Blue left this review about The Harrow
Well presented Fullers pub on quietish side street slightly off the main drag, with three hand pumps service Chiswick, Pride, and, on my last visit, Front Row, plus the usual other stuff. Sandwiches start at £4.75 and main courses at £7, though I haven't eaten here. Lots of wood, with brown walls around bar and green/gold wallpaper round the rest of the pub. The mix of high table/stools, low tables/chairs, some bar height surfaces round the edge that you can prop up if you wish, a smaller upstairs area, and some tables and chairs outside, provide well for different conditions and drinking styles. Barmaids very good looking, courteous and efficient although looking a tad bored most of the time, given irregular levels of custom. But they serve a good pint and I think this is a decent, comfortable place to come for one or two.
On 17th September 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 271 recommendations about 270 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Harrow
Only London Pride was available on my recent visit, but there is a standard draught selection and Staropramen is also available. The barmaid that served me was pleasant enough as were the few other customers.
There is a plasma screen and a couple of portable TVs that were all showing Sky Sports News which was muted as there was some background music playing.
I thought that this place was very basic for a Fullers pub and it was one of the quieter pubs in the area, but I still would have no problem in returning.
On 8th October 2009
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5233 recommendations about 5201 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john mcgraw left this review about The Harrow
Old pub on two levels with two entrances from two streets.Full range of Fuller's beers in good condition.10 minutes from Blackfriars station.
On 6th February 2007
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]