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Disappointment of the week with Mobyduck
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Detail Pages
Still & Star, Aldgate, E1
E1
E1 8AH
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about Still & Star
A nice little traditional boozer, now one long room when once it would have been two.There are six handpumps and the beers on were Harveys Sussex IPA,Youngs Bitter,London Pride,Adnams Lighthouse and Sambrooks Wandle, the remaining handle bare. Food was old style toasties, baguettes, baps and burgers ,all mostly under a fiver. I liked it here and despite generally pedestrian beer options,I, differing from Tris below, would rather have a pint here than the nearby formulated Hoop and Grapes. I hope it survives.
On 10th August 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1871 recommendations about 1844 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about Still & Star
In essence, we popped in here because given the slew of local developments, we wondered if this pub may fall prey to the developers' wrecking ball. This is a rather traditional pub with its Charrington's banded windows and old Bass/Charrington signboard to a side wall. The location is less than desirable being in a somewhat unprepossessing location overlooking a bus depot, part of which in effect doubles as a beer garden.
Clients are a mix of locals and suits and it's true that it could do with some TLC. There are a couple of TVs showing football and muted music played. The barmaid was friendly and my half of Fuller's London Pride was surprisingly decent and good value too at £2.00 a half.
I suppose I'd pop back in here if passing, but this isn't a great area and if you are unfortunate enough to find yourself hereabouts, the Hoop & Grapes around the corner is far better.
Note: closed at weekends.
On 9th July 2016
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1983 recommendations about 1949 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Still & Star
I’d heard lots of good things about this traditional pub, set down an alleyway close to Aldgate station, and was further encouraged when, on approaching the pub, I passed a large group of CAMRA types who had seen fit to include the pub on their Friday night crawl. The pub certainly boasts a classic traditional London interior, comprising a single, narrow room, bare boarded throughout and with a dark wood panelled bar counter down the left hand side under a canopy covered with promotional material and with a rather unimpressive mirrored bar back. There are leaded windows with Charringtons style green bands and to one side there is a modern fireplace with an exposed brick chimney breast. Plenty of old brewery mirrors have been put on display throughout and there are lots of darts trophies on show, with dartboards located at either end of the room, which you don’t see all that often nowadays in Central London. A signed, framed Michael van Gerwen shirt hangs near the entrance, further enhancing the pub’s darting reputation whilst other photos of a sporting nature, mainly rugby based, can be seen in the front part of the pub. Seating is mainly in the form of high stools either around the occasional high table or along the bar, although there were a few chairs and low stools as well. Music played quietly and there were a couple of TV screens showing muted international football.
I had been led to believe that the pub had a reputation for good ale, so was a little disappointed to see just three mainstream beers on the six handpulls. These were Adnams Lighthouse, Fullers London Pride and Youngs Ordinary. The Lighthouse was in fairly good shape but I found the selection very run of the mill and wondered whether I had timed my visit badly, as an interesting guest ale might have made all the difference.
I found this pub looked a little run down but still had a fair bit of charm about it. The ale options were a bit of a let down, and with the nearby Hoop and Grapes doing a roaring trade, you wonder if they are missing a trick here. Worth adding to a crawl of the area, but not one I’ll be racing to return to.
On 22nd December 2015
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about Still & Star
Being across the road from Aldgate LU Station the Still and Star was the first pub that I visited on a crawl of the area two days (Wednesday) before Christmas. It is located behind another building that shields it from the main drag, but a well-placed sign informed me of its location which was easily pinpointed.
The interior of the pub is long and thin with the bar up one end and seating the other. At both ends of the pub are a dartboard and a plasma screen. Both of the plasma screens were showing rolling news that was muted in favour of some Christmas classics that were playing in the background. The décor is traditional London boozer so I felt right at home as soon as I entered.
Alongside some usual keg suspects the bar supports four hand pumps that were drawing Fullers London Pride, Adnams Lighthouse, Youngs Ordinary and Harvey’s IPA. Food is available from 11:00 until 15:00, but because my visit was just after 16:00 I didn’t see any menus.
This is a solid boozer that I would gladly visit again.
On 1st January 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5228 recommendations about 5196 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Still & Star
Unpretentious, old-fashioned boozer handily located for Aldgate tube and bus stations. Narrow bar with a small lounge area at the back near the dartboard. Silent racing on the TV. Basic, traditional decor. Also has some wooden picnic benches out front, with a few small metal tables along the side of the building. Four of the six handpumps in operation on this visit, offering the regular Pride, Youngs Ordinary, Adnams Lighthouse and Harveys IPA (£3.70). Overall, worth a visit if in the area.
On 21st December 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about Still & Star
Quite a basic long narrow pub that has installed its own brewery in the basement.No OWN BREWED BEER ON.Six hand pumps with 3 regular beers on and Harveys ipa (not to my taste).Friendly old style boozer.
On 20th December 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
train man left this review about Still & Star
John advises, below, that the pub opens Saturdays, but was closed yesterday at 14:00.
A bit odd that that should be the case when large banners were declaring 'Live Rugby Shown Here'.
On 24th February 2013
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 412 recommendations about 411 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
John Bonser left this review about Still & Star
Down a narrow alleyway off Aldgate High Street, close to the bus station, is The Still and Star, a long narrow traditional pub.
In contrast to most establishments in the immediate vicinity, there’s a rather unpretentious locals pub feel to the place with a wider customer mix than the usual City pub. The interior features wooden floors, wood panelling and a fake beamed ceiling.
The narrowness of the pub, particularly in front of the bar counter, means that seating is limited, although a wider area down the far end has several sofas lining the far wall. Here, high up on the wall a mute TV was showing Sky News. At the opposite end of the room, and close to the bar, is a darts area and, with a match in progress during my recent Thursday evening visit, there was quite a lively, but warm and welcoming atmosphere. The pub has an old style London guv’nor and, notably, his wife was participating enthusiastically in the darts match.
There’s a large outside concreted seating area at the front where, if you feel so inclined, you can watch the buses coming and going from the bus station to your heart’s content.
The trademark green stripped leaded windows remind us that this was a former Charringtons house. Previously at risk of demolition due to redevelopment in the area, this threat is now removed and it’s now thriving as a free house. 6 beers were on – Fullers Front Row, London Pride, Doom Bar, Adnams Lighthouse, Youngs Bitter and the monthly Hop Ale from Marstons. The rarely seen Adnams Lighthouse was in good form. The pub is listed in the 2012 CAMRA Good Beer Guide and, with only 4 beers listed in the entry, the fact that there’s now 6 operating pumps clearly indicates that the real ale trade is going well. Notably the pub opens Saturdays ( but not Sundays according to its website )
This pub is going down for an early revisit. Well worth looking out when in the area
On 27th February 2012
- rating: 8
[User has posted 560 recommendations about 560 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about Still & Star
Small long pub opposite Aldgate tube. Not much room to sit down but this is a fine traditional ale house, beams, wood floor.
All very nice and a good choice of well kept ales despite the Fullers signage.
Basic menu includes sandwiches and burgers from £3.80.
On 13th November 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about Still & Star
I’ve visited this pub a few times over the years, and in that time it’s remained pretty much unchanged. I’ve little to add to the previous reviewer’s description. The Charington signage is still present on one of the outside walls, and even if it wasn’t, the trademark green banded leaded windows would have left no doubt as to its brewery provenance. It claims to be a traditional pub in the City, and I reckon it just about lives up to that claim. It’s possibly the most traditional pub in the City, although to be honest there aren’t many other candidates. I was in there at around 2.45 PM on a weekday, and there were quite a lot of City types still in there apparently enjoying a late lunch.
All four handpumps on the counter were in use, dispensing London Pride, Young’s Bitter, Adnam’s Lighthouse, and Stones Nice Try. A chalkboard behind the bar advertised some basic pub grub – pasties at £1.65, and sarnies around the £3 mark. I quite like this pub, even though it could do with a bit more comfortable seating, although to be fair there’s not a lot a room inside for them do very much with the available space. I’ve visited this pub several times before, and will probably visit again.
On 5th March 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]