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Detail Pages
The Bear & Staff, Leicester Square, WC2
WC2
WC2H 7AX
Pub Type
Nicholsons (Mitchells & Butlers)Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Bear & Staff
My final pub before heading to Kings Cross for my train, but this is not the high note I was hoping to end on. Another quite small Nicholsons pub (see White Swan, Covent Garden for the other), but this one not only afflicted by the delivery snafu (only London Pride and Titanic Plum Porter on, out of six hand pumps) but also a smell, which I ascribed to mould. My notes made at the time mention "pretty dreadful background music" too, but fortunately both that and the smell have slipped from my memory, along with the London Pride, which was apparently "fine". My second foray into the Leicester Square area (see also the Salisbury), and I think the only good thing I've got to say for it is that there's a rapid tube connection via the Piccadilly line to Kings Cross and the North.
On 2nd February 2022
- rating: 4
[User has posted 3740 recommendations about 3477 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Bear & Staff
Dating from 1714 but rebuilt in 1878, the name is taken from the Neville family’s crest; Charlie Chaplin supposedly came here.
I came here once before around 1985, probably after taking in a film in neighbouring Leicester Square. This is a Nicholson’s pub with Nicholson’s nods; pseudo-Victorian, but with a fine bar back, tall furniture, smoky blue or white walls with a glossy chocolate brown Anaglypta ceiling and Victorian-style lamps and sconces, mainly tall furniture, all geared towards tourists and theatregoers.
Ales: Pride ‘coming soon’, Doom, Ghost Ship ‘coming soon’ and Nicholson’s Pale Ale at £2.55 a half and pleasant.
This isn’t a bad pub, but given the location, it’s not worth making a special effort to reach it, but it was interesting to be back after 36 years.
On 4th November 2021
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Bear & Staff
Usually busy, as one would expect from a well-placed Theatreland pub, with a small bar at street level supplemented by a side room and the Chaplin Bar (dining area) upstairs. As a Nicholson's, I found the 'house' Pale Ale on one of the six handpumps on this visit, together with Doom Bar, London Pride, Brick Field Brown from Five Points, St Austell Mandarina Bavaria and Wild Beer's Pogo. In my experience you get prompt and efficient service by the bar staff, and with the beers kept in good condition this is definitely one of the better pubs in the area.
On 8th November 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The Bear & Staff
Quite a small Nicholson’s pub across from the tube station.
On 10th October 2019
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about The Bear & Staff
A fairly small and busy pub with a tidy and rather understated interior, supplemented by an upstairs bar/dining room. Regular ales are Doom Bar, London Pride, Nicholson's house beer and up to 3 guests.
On 2nd October 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
custodian 42 left this review about The Bear & Staff
Smallish Nicholson's outlet with upstairs diner and six hand pumps of which I sampled Hopback Winter Lightning @ 5.5% ABV. Also standard keg stuff including Punk IPA and Hop House 13. This place was built in 1714 and took its present name in 1878 taken from the crest of the Neville family (Earls of Warwick).
On 15th February 2017
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1693 recommendations about 1691 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Bear & Staff
A corner street Nicholson's pub with one main room and bar area along the facing wall. There was also a small room to the side, which was wallpapered, also there was a dining room upstairs. Quite a few people were having a bite to eat on our visit. This is very much a tourist pub, hence its location. Six ales on hand pump, I went for the Fullers Steel Blonde Ale, which is brewed in collaboration with Steel City Brewing, according to the pump clip. Mrs A went for the Triple FFF, Pressed Rat and Warthog.
On 14th January 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about The Bear & Staff
Another Nicolsons pub with about 5 beer on.My pint of Great western -Edwins ruby porter was superb. Young foreign barmaid seemed confused with the till ,handpump then change but the friendly manager sorted it out.Sat outside for about 10 minutes but got accosted by 2 tramps but its the West-end so it adds to the colour.
On 29th November 2013
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Bear & Staff
Slap-bang in the midst of theatreland, this little pub is part of the Nicholsons chain so you know what you’re getting. Five of the six ales on during my visit (Pride, Moorhouse Black Cat, two Jubilee themed beers and St Austell Pale Ale 'brewed exclusively for Nicholsons'; Doom Bar was reversed clipped). The St Austell was pretty poor, flat and lifeless. Service was OK, though the single girl behind the bar could have easily been overwhelmed at any minute. The interior consists of two small rooms on the ground floor, the right hand of which was the tobacconist Inderwicks which the pub acquired and knocked through into in the early 90’s – a plaque on the wall of that room acknowledges its former life. Upstairs is a table service dining area. Décor is standard Nicholsons, with an additional smattering of movie and theatre posters/actors prints. Fairly dark inside, it’s at an angle which doesn’t really catch much sun. Its location means you get all sorts pitching up for a swift pint, described nicely elsewhere as “an unholy mix of tourists, people up to London for their big day out and the sort of baboons who think Leicester Square is ideal for a big night out.”
Given the area this place could be a lot worse and is certainly a notch above some of the competition. But it isn’t really a destination pub, more one of convenience.
On 5th September 2013
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5081 recommendations about 5064 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve Segar left this review about The Bear & Staff
Wednesday 23/01/13 - Party of two. For a Wednesday night this establishment was very busy. We only just got the table by the door and had a short drink before popping up to the restaurant on the first floor. Here we stayed for a pre-show meal and were attentively served by the staff upstairs. The menu was well populated with pub familiars as well as some 'specials' listed on a board. I have to say that the food was extremely well presented, the portions were plentiful and very tasty. We had Salmon and a Cottage Pie followed by Apple Crumble and a Sundae. By the end we were rather stuffed.
To be fair the prices (when compared to other places around the country) were a couple of pounds more expensive per meal but for London (and particularly the area it is) they were extremely reasonable. I would recommend eating here. The service, location, ambiance and food were extremely good - so why not a 10 out of 10?
All to do with the drinks - I bought a pint of Lemonade and a normal coke downstairs in the pub at £4.80 (which I though was steep) but then had a normal glass of Lemonade upstairs at a whopping £3.16. Who are they kidding - I could have gone over the road to the tobacconist and bought a 2 liter bottle for £1.10. Would have been cheaper to buy beer (pity I don't like it) or the brewery!
On 27th January 2013
- rating: 8
[User has posted 77 recommendations about 74 pubs]