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Kings Head, Norwich
Norwich
NR3 1JE
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Steve C left this review about Kings Head
The entrance to the King’s head leads to a small front bar area with seating in the windows either side of the entrance and up the right wall. The bar counter on the rear wall to the left has some chalk boards on the walls around that listed the cask options as Green Jack Brewery’s Golden Best and Trawlerboys, Hop Monster’s Banshee Porter, Newby Wyke Brewery’s Benvoilio, Humpty Dumpty’s Swallowtail and Brewer’s Reserve and Derby Brewing’s Quintessential alongside two real ciders. There’s also an extensive list of Belgian beers, and some craft avialable in bottles. In the rear of the pub is another bar counter and more seating that runs across to the right where a bar billiards table can be found. There was much more room in here, but I didn’t like the Perspex screens that reminded me of darker times so I preferred the front bar, where I thankfully managed to grab a seat. The service was very friendly and this is another pub that I’d be happy to revisit.
On 1st May 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5228 recommendations about 5196 pubs]
Steve of N21 left this review about Kings Head
The Kings Head was the local Norwich CAMRA branch Pub of the Year for 2022 which is some achievement when you consider the competition it is up against in this fine Ale city.
A nice two room city centre pub which has very much the feeling of a traditional ale house, especially in that it does not offer many, if any keg products. The available real ales are spread across the pumps in both the front and back bars but fortunately there is a chalk board in the plainer front bar as you enter that details all that are on in both bars. I went for the Humpty Dumpty Swallow tail in my continuing quest to drink local on this crawl and it was a very pleasant drop.
I will echo the sentiment below that it’s very easy to strike up conversations with fellow drinkers in this pub and I have to confess that I didn’t personally explore it as much as it deserved as I was in full waif and strays collection mode by this point of the tour and spent the full time here in the front bar chatting to a couple originally from the Emerald Isle but now resident in Stoke Newington about the gentrification of certain parts of North London.
On 1st May 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2109 recommendations about 1991 pubs]
Tris C left this review about Kings Head
Of interest, is the pargetted Crown and the word ‘BREWERY’ to the parapet, a nod to Norwich’s former Crown Brewery, home to former brewers Youngs, Crawshay and Youngs.
An avowedly traditional pub with a history in excess of 300 years and proudly boasting that it’s ‘A Keg-Free Zone’, with 14 ales and ciders on pump.
A half of Derby’s Quintessential was very good, with a mini round coming in at £7.70.
An excellent little pub, the refusal to surrender to keg being the icing on the cake.
On 23rd April 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1982 recommendations about 1949 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Kings Head
A really charming small boozer,it's important to visit both sides of the central bar to see the full ale range.The front room has the bar to the left and a large banquette to the right but is mainly a vertical drinking area with some bar stools.All very traditional,as it the back room with more seating and pleasing features such as a bar billiards table.The ale range on my trip was Green Jack Golden Best and Trawler Boys Best,Humpty Dumpty Swallow Tail (NBSS 3.5),Derby QuintEssential,Hop Monster Banshee and Newby Wyke Benvolio.
A very solid boozer,easy to get chatting to other drinkers and a friendly sort of place.I enjoyed it and would return for a longer stay next time.
On 16th April 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about Kings Head
With the Ribs of Beef unable to accommodate our party of 5, we made our way a little out of the city centre to the Kings Head, where we found a little more space.
The ale range has been upped to 7 since my last review, with a second real cider also added. The ale selection on this visit was Newby Wyke Kingston Topaz, Mr Winter's Double Helix, Moon Gazer Hiberno, Humpty Dumpty Swallowtail, Shortt's Darkside Porter, Mighty Oak King's Citra & Elgood's Black Dog. Ciders were Village Green Classical Dry & Medium Soul.
The barman this timewas as miserable as sin. Hopefully he was just having an off day.
Original Review 18/9/20:
Similar to the last reviewer, my only previous visit to the Kings Head was in 2010, at the end of a crawl. I remember it fondly. Unlike some of the other places I visited on that day, this one was not quite as good as I remember it.
It's still a decent pub and is quite central. But there are better options in the city. Entrance during these strange times is from the side courtyard. This takes you into the larger rear room, where all customers were sat. For once, we decided to be anti-social and sit in the smaller front bar, which was the room I remembered from last time. Service is to the table. But there are blackboards and a paper beer list is also provided. The barman was friendly.
6 real ales were Humpty Dumpty Broadland Sunrise, Beeston The Dry Road, Shortts Hunky Dory & Darkside, Tydd Steam Cashmere Pale Ale & Green Jack Trawler Boys. The cider was Village Green Classical Dry.
On 18th January 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2452 recommendations about 2451 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about Kings Head
A two room traditional pub, very basically furnished with wooden tables, chairs and benches. My notes say "proper alehouse" and on reflection it's very much that with seven beers on, I had three beers over two visits here, Humpty Dumpty Little Sharpie, S&P First Light and a rather impressive Starwing Stain Glass Blue Porter. This was one of several highlights of my stay in Norwich.
On 10th July 2021
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1871 recommendations about 1844 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about Kings Head
One of Norwich's highlight pubs, but with the atmosphere of a friendly backstreet local rather than a tourist honeypot. With 11 beers on at the time of our visit, plus a real cider, there's plenty to encourage a beer tourist, with most of the beers being from local microbreweries. Not my first visit here - my previous was at the end of a long crawl, so my memory was understandably hazy - and hopefully not my last either.
Date of visit: 21st February 2018
On 1st November 2018
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3724 recommendations about 3461 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Thuck Phat left this review about Kings Head
A traditional city boozer just to the north of the city centre.
The pub consists of two bars, front and back. The front bar is basically furnished with a large are for upright drinking and beers listed on a blackboard behind the bar. To the back feels more comfortable with more furniture, better light and most of the handpumps.
The barman was a friendly fellow but somehow the place felt cold and lacked atmosphere. It was a chilly lunchtime and there weren't many in but perhaps a lit fire may have helped.
Beers on were: Winters KHB and Stormforce, Newby Wyke Orsino, Hop Monster Rakau and Banshee Porter, Buffy's Hopleaf, Humpty Dumpty Little Sharpie, Shorts Farm Two Tone Mild and Woodforde's Nelson's Revenge. A wide selection and the Banshee Porter was in fine condition.
There are plenty of pubs worth visiting in Norwich and this is one of them.
On 22nd November 2016
- rating: 8
[User has posted 679 recommendations about 678 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
John Bonser left this review about Kings Head
Date of visit - April 2013
Close to the City Centre, and in a long street full of independent music and record shops – Magdalen Street – is The Kings Head, a classic, but basic drinkers pub. It’s a well known award winning pub that proclaims itself as keg free.
A front bar features wooden settles, tiled floors and is decorated with a number of old photos of Norwich. Of particular interest is a map above the fireplace showing Norwich city centre pubs in 1883/5 when, incredibly, there appeared to be even more than there are today. An old photo shows Magdalen Street flooded.
A small corridor leads through to a larger rear room which has subdued lighting and features a bar billiards table. There’s no music, TV or food available – just a good range of real ales in a traditional, welcoming, pubby atmosphere.
The friendly barman, Charlie, explained to me that there’s normally 9 real ales on, but that this increases to 11 or 12 at weekends. There’s also a lengthy bottled beer menu, specialising in German and Belgian offerings.
On my April visit, and as appears to be always the case, mainly Norfolk beers were on which included Winters Mild and Woodfordes Nelson. Beers were priced between £ 2.90p and £ 3.40p. Unusually, oversized glasses are used. It’s another CAMRA Good Beer Guide regular.
It’s central location makes this one a good bet, particularly if time is limited.
On 22nd October 2013
- rating: 8
[User has posted 560 recommendations about 560 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about Kings Head
This really is a real ale paradise, 13 ales in total, 11 on handpump and 2 on gravity. The pub was busy on our visit and the sevice was fast and friendly. The staff are both knowledgable and welcoming. I went for the Green Jack Orange Wheat, Brandon Rusty Bucket and Tipples Longshore. Looking forward to a revisit.
On 11th November 2012
- rating: 10
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]