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The Crutched Friar, Fenchurch Street, EC3

39-41 Crutched Friars
EC3
EC3N 2AE
Phone: 02074883243

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Reviews (Current Rating Average: of 10) Add Review see review guidelines


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Tris C left this review about The Crutched Friar

This place seems to date from only 2002, but its name is taken from a posse of monks who settled here in 1249.
A sprawling place, it’s a bit like drinking in a large vaulted cellar, with multiple areas and a low ceiling, the right-hand room seemingly geared towards dining. Then it’s mainly a grey colour scheme, with a part tile, part boarded floor with much tall furniture. There were multiple TVs broadcasting nothing in particular, with the predictive text on, whilst bland Europop played over the hi-fi. Décor seemed to amount to little more than framed black and white prints of the area and unusually for the City, there’s a decent sized patio to the rear. Customers were overwhelmingly loud Rolex-wearing City types.
Ale here was a sort of mashup between Sharps, Young’s, Fullers and Shepherd Neame: Seafarers, Pride, Proper Job, Atlantic, Doom, Purity, Whitstable Bay and Ghost Ship (£2.60 a half and good); there were also two large steel brew tanks to the rear, with a Meantime logo on them.
This place is ok for a beer and there’s a choice of ales, of sorts, but the Ship across the road is far better, the Cheshire Cheese worse.

On 28th April 2022 - rating: 4
[User has posted 1956 recommendations about 1923 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


E TA left this review about The Crutched Friar

As described by others, below, this former Nicholson’s has gone downhill a bit in recent years, Covid notwithstanding. On the plus side it’s open until midnight, although some of the young staff can’t tell the time and start getting pushy much earlier than that – serve you a drink at twenty to, then a minute later start hassling you do drink up. Ales on were Ghost Ship, Mad Goose, Tribute, Otter ale and Doombar, all in reasonable condition. It’s OK if you don’t mind the hassle and the noise.

On 14th January 2022 - rating: 6
[User has posted 3272 recommendations about 3237 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Crutched Friar

Formerly a Nicholson's house, now owned by Stonegate. It is formed from the ground floors of two adjoining buildings, so the main rooms either side of the wide cent corridor leading to the bar across the end are on slightly different levels. Extra seating area in the far corner, with a compact patio beer garden beyond. Generally well lit, with semi-modern furniture and decor. Eight handpumps, offering Pride, Greene King IPA, Old Speckled Hen, Black Sheep, Pedigree New World, Boon Doggle, Tribute and Oxfordshire Triple 'B' (£4.15) on my recent visit.

On 11th January 2015 - rating: 6
[User has posted 8066 recommendations about 8066 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Alan Winfield left this review about The Crutched Friar

The Crutched Friar is a large modern pub that is almost underneath Fenchurch street station and i think it is a replacement for an older pub with the same name that was demolished in the name of progress.
Once inside there was one very large room that went back quite a way,there was a long bar and there were four real ales on it i had a drink of Snaith Summer Ale and this was a very nice drink the other beers were London Pride, Taylor Landlord and Thwaites Lancaster Bomber.
The pub was very quiet as it was before the dinner time rush,the beer was nice enough but i would'nt stay for more than one here.

On 19th May 2011 - rating: 7
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]


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Bucking Fastard left this review about The Crutched Friar

Having searched the Nicholsons website,it now appears that this pub is an ex-Nicholsons house.It certainly doesn't fit the mold of their other City outlets and the real ale range only included nationally available brands and no beer festival ales.
The interior is a little odd,you enter into what looks like a covered sloping courtyard with brick paving while to the left is a lounge area with standard tables and chairs.There are other drinking area scattered around the large interior.The bar is towards the rear of the building and my Brakspear's Oxford Gold was fine,but the beer range was a little dull.There is a modern extension leading to an external courtyard,both fairly characterless.There are better real ale venues in the immediate area.

On 28th January 2011 - rating: 5
[User has posted 2709 recommendations about 2709 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


john mcgraw left this review about The Crutched Friar

A pub that is a lot bigger than what it looks from the outside.The entrance seems to be in a driveway with a couple of drinking areas each side.At the end there is a small extention that leads out to a small outside drinking area that is below the platforms of Fenchurch St.Railway station.It all feels very claustrophobic.The Taylor Landlord was well below par and was served up by a barmaid who gave the impression that she was a robot and didn't really want to be there.First and last visit.

On 26th August 2010 - rating: 3
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]


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Steve of N21 left this review about The Crutched Friar

This is a Nicholson's pub. It has a bright, light wood modern decor which is a bit sterile and gives it the aura of a chain pub. Although obstensively one room there are enough separate areas and divided places to be comfortable enough.
And then the bar serving area is spacious enough supporting 5 real ale handpumps, which to memory included GK IPA, Brakespears Bitter, TT Landlord and Jennings Cumberland Ale, and the Brakespears I tried was perfectly passable.
Was fairly quiet on the early evening of my visit and got served easy enough. But I can imagine it gets rammed with local workers during the lunchtime period.
It does have an outside drinking area in the shape of a concrete courtyard at the back of the pub, which is quite a rarity in these parts and does mean that you don't have to stand on the pavement for an alfresco pint.

On 17th February 2010 - rating: 6
[User has posted 2094 recommendations about 1985 pubs]