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Detail Pages
The Queens Head, WC1
WC1
WC1X 9NB
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Gill Smith left this review about The Queens Head
Called in yesterday to try the beer from Queens Head brewery or QHB as it is sometimes known as and it went down a treat. Also had a Redemption beer on, and appeared to be a popular local pub.
On 3rd December 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1339 recommendations about 1222 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about The Queens Head
Fine London boozer & food outlet, not large there is a front bar and a smaller almost corridor shape at the rear. The bar runs along side the front area.
Wood seating & some lower bench seats its a nice atmospheric relaxing place, perhaps slightly cosmopolitan. Real fires, 3 very well kept real ales, including 2 from Redemption.
Now a Good Beer Guide 2014 pub
On 1st February 2014
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Queens Head
A cosy pub despite the interior being a little open-plan, three handpumps all in operation and serving a reasonable mix of ales from Windsor and Eton, Fyne Ales and Darkstar,I had Darkstar Hophead as I'd already tried the other offerings elsewhere that day,the condition of the beer was fair but have had better.I Didn't spot the Camera discount whilst there but this was an unplanned pub on the day so I did no homework beforehand.The "A" board outside claims the Queens Head is the best pub in London and challenges you to come inside and argue the point. The fact that it was empty, aside from a solitary barman when we arrived at
around 2.30 on a Friday afternoon puts forward the case that this is not the best pub in London, and in my view nowhere near it. It is however a nice pub with decent beer and worth calling in for a pint if passing.
On 21st September 2013
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Queens Head
Just a five minute or so walk from the bustle of Kings Cross/St Pancras, the Queen’s Head is a pleasant Victorian pub promoting carefully sourced food and drink. It has a fairly simple single room layout with the servery running down the left hand wall. You enter to a tiled floor area with some button backed sofas and low stools under the front windows before passing an upright piano into the main bar space with bare floorboards and plenty of standard table and chair seating. I’m not sure there’s much in the way of original fixtures and fittings remaining, but I spotted some nice tiling on the right hand wall underneath some decorative mirrors and there’s a decent fireplace on the back wall, which could’ve done with being lit during my visit on a bitterly cold winter’s evening. The servery has some nice integral lamps on the bar counter and a hop lined bar back with a pump clip collection. The room extends further to the rear in the back left corner and there are some more tables squeezed in here which seemed to be favoured by diners during my stay. I noticed a small book swap and a collection of board games to keep the punters entertained.
There were just the two ales on hand pull – Dark Star Hophead and Jack of Clubs from the new (to me at least) Wild Card Brewery from East London – with a turned clip on a third pump. The Jack of Clubs seemed like a decent pint and the barman who served me was a very personable chap. I noticed one real cider available and several more racked up behind the bar, whilst a popular keg range provided some rarities from the likes of Kernel, Camden, Harviestoun and Black Isle. Food seemed to be going down well and the table next to me ordered some sort of sharing platter which looked very nice, even if the sharing didn’t extend to offering any to me!
Reading Roger’s review from 2007, it sounds like this is a good example of a below average, run of the mill pub being given a new lease of life by taking a bit of care in what they do and stocking good quality products. I’d most certainly consider a re-visit the next time I’m passing through Kings Cross.
On 22nd February 2013
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about The Queens Head
Well worth checking out if you are in the area.Three cask ales,a few craft kegs and a good bottled range.Getting busier each time i visit.
On 12th February 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Queens Head
Narrow rectangular bar with a further seating area beyond. Several small roof lights. Beer and bar snack menus on the tables. Fairly basic furniture and decor, enlivened by a few flourishes including some floor and wall tiling. A couple of wooden benches out front. Small rear patio. Three of the four handpumps were on, with Dark Star Hophead, Windsor & Eton Black IPA and Gadds No 3 (£3.40). Overall, worth seeking out if in the area.
On 3rd October 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Queens Head
This is a small Victorian side-street pub. There is some original tiling on the right, and the mirrors above it could also be original although they are not such good quality as some others I have seen. The pool table mentioned by other reviewers has now gone, and the emphasis now is clearly on a combination of comfort (sofas on the left as you enter) and the modern gastro look. There area some normal tables and chairs at the back, behind a good bit of open floor space with parquet flooring, presumably occupied by vertical drinkers when the place gets busy. Some bushels of dried hops above the bar back and draped across the ceiling midway down the length of the pub add something of a rural look.
Now onto the ales – Cottage Brewing Hawker Fury, Darkstar Hophead and Windsor & Eton Guardsman were available on handpump, along with Hedge-Layer cider. The Hawker Fury was in good nick. I did see some clipboard menus on the tables, but didn’t scrutinise them.
The music was being played at background levels, and wasn’t the dross we usually have to listen to – I recognised a live version of The Stones’ Sympathy For The Devil. I reckon this placed has improved somewhat since previous reviewers’ visits, and I would be happy to drop in here again for another pint of something decent to drink.
On 8th April 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Philip Carter left this review about The Queens Head
Not a bad pub, has a pool table and a new type of, what seems like, interactive game consol on each table, with a big screen on the far wall. Has two real ale pumps, forgot what was on. Sells food all day.
On 7th May 2008
- rating: 6
[User has posted 757 recommendations about 720 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about The Queens Head
From the outside, the Queens Head looks like the classic Victorian shop front style pub with its recess doorways. I particularly like the Victorian postage stamp pub sign and the etched windows, even if they are modern recreations. Much of the interior has been knocked through to create one larger room with a small recess at the rear where the dart board is situated. Fortunately, some of the fine old tiling remains, especially on the floor although much of the wall tiles are now obscured the high backed padded pew seating. There are several ornate mirrors and a few remnants of its original interior but not really enough for traditionalists like me to get too exited about. Unfortunately, the first thing you notice in the QH is not the décor or the surroundings but the pool table – prominently placed at the front of the pub. I can't help thinking it would be far better positioned to the rear under the skylight. The general décor is slightly cheapened by promotional posters and cardboard cut out Guiness glasses although I am pleased to say that since my previous visit, they have for the most part been taken down the posters from the lovely mirrors that align the walls. One of the ceiling fans is snapped off and on the 2 occasions I have been here in recent months, the only Ale (Adnams – 2 other hand pumps appear to be redundant) has been unavailable. It is simple things like this that generally let the pub down. There are 2 TVs and a big screen, a Quiz Machine, cash machine and jukebox and for the night owls, they don't shut until stupid o'clock during the week and even more stupid o'clock at weekends, even though it is in a residential street. The locals and staff are friendly enough and there is nothing in particular wrong to not recommend a visit but it strikes me as a pub that doesn't really make the most of its attributes and could be a lot better without using up too much effort.
On 27th March 2007
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]