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Detail Pages
The Green Man, Bank, EC2
EC2
EC2R 8EJ
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Green Man
This is an unusual split level Wetherspoons pub in the heart of the City, just down the road from Bank station. Entering from street level, you’ll be surprised to find yourself in a remarkably small bar by Wetherspoons’ standards, with the servery down the right hand wall. The room is carpeted with a tile walkway from the entrance to the bar, fringed with border tiles bearing the pub’s name. The bar counter is curved and has a nice frontage and a typical marble top whilst the bar back remains decidedly unremarkable. The room has been fitted out with smart wall panels, large windows and some restrained art deco features, including some rather groovy light shades. High table and stool seating predominates, mainly down the left hand side of the room, where a slightly isolated, screened off area can be found to the rear, with a bookcase to one side. A huge screen near the entrance was showing muted news coverage and to one side there is a grand staircase with what I took to be a Green Man image above, descending to a far larger basement bar. This large rambling space was much bigger and busier and far more in keeping with what you’d imagine a city centre Wetherspoons to look like. At the bottom of the stairs there is a fairly narrow space with banquettes in a couple of nooks and a good deal of standard chair seating. This soon gives way to a spacious area with a marble drinking ledge down one side and a mix of standard and high tables under fairy lights and wood panelled walls. The bar appears to your left and also has a lovely curved counter plus a modern bar back with plenty of vertical drinking space opposite. At the far end of the room there is a raised bare boarded area with some extremely comfy looking banquettes and chairs under some nice decorative glasswork and another TV screen. Beyond the bar there are a few more tables plus an exit into what looked like some sort of shopping arcade or office building. A large map of London on one wall picked out the locations of all the London based breweries that supply the pub, which is the sort of feature you don’t really associate with Wetherspoons.
The top bar had three guest ales, four ‘Spoons regulars and one unclipped pump and my ignorance of a ground floor bar meant that I ended up picking Wimbledon Tower from this selection, which meant that I missed out on another four guest ales and two real ciders downstairs. My pint was priced at £3.60 on the pump clip, £3.29 on a price list to the side of the bar but £3.45 in reality – let’s hope the Bank of England up the road are better with figures than this lot. The pint was in pretty good shape, if perhaps a little warm.
This is quite an unusual Wetherspoons that had a very different feel to many in the chain, perhaps as the result of a self-selected customer base. I thought the place looked smart and clean with a pretty good ale range at prices that can’t really be topped in the City and therefore makes a decent option when visiting this part of town. (Visited 9th May 2017, prior to pub's reported closure).
On 20th June 2017
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Green Man (JD Wetherspoon)
Run-of-the-mill 'spoons, rather gloomy downstairs, and not surprisingly - given the location - charging at the upper end of this chain's prices (although still relatively cheap for the City, though). However, with 12 handpumps in the main bar and another eight more at ground-floor level, you can rely on getting a decent selection of real ales - some 13 in total on my latest visit.
On 5th November 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Green Man (JD Wetherspoon)
I failed to locate the pavement level entrance to this place (I must have walked right past it!) and had to resort to going into the basement of the hideous shopping arcade that this is part of. The basement bar is the main one and is a wholly uninspiring low ceilinged barn. On the twelve pumps there were 2 GK IPAs and Abbot, three ciders, the inevitable London Pride and Doombar, Thwaites Lancaster Bomber and three from the recent festival. I went for the Strathaven Claverhouse Red (£3.05) which was in very good nick.
The service was not that great despite it being only midday. I wouldn't return as it's such a horrible building and it's easier to dive into the Central Line and head East to find better and cheaper Spoons.
On 10th November 2013
- rating: 4
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
E TA left this review about The Green Man (JD Wetherspoon)
Well described below, The Green Man is essentially a cellar bar which complements the other shops and cafes in the Poultry sgopping area. Six ales on, I had a pint of Clarence and Frederick's Golden Ale which was pretty much OK, the usual JDW standard. Staff were inefficient, and not as polite as in most other JDWs, w while the food was definitely below standard. Worth dropping in for breakfast or lunch, but without the CAMRA vouchers I wouldn't bother in the evening.
On 10th September 2013
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3285 recommendations about 3250 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Green Man (JD Wetherspoon)
It's all a bit subterranean,with the usual modern 'spoons furniture and little else of note.However there are 12 handpumps,with three devoted to real cider,a couple unused,London Pride doubled up,GK IPA and Abbott,so the real guest options on my trip were Jennings Snecklifter,Adnams Broadside and a very decent Lymestone Ein Stein.
I was sufficiently impressed with the condition of my beer to suggest this may be an option if you want a pint while visiting The City,but there are far more interesting pubs but a short stroll away.
On 23rd June 2012
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Dave B left this review about The Green Man (JD Wetherspoon)
Probably one of my favour pubs in the city. As a 'spoons' pub the interior is far better then the Cross Keys which is just around the corner. Service is usually quick at the downstairs bar (don't use the upstairs bar) even on a Friday evening. A friendly atmosphere for a quiet drink after work describes at a decent price is how I see The Green Man. As a lager drinker I am really not bothered by the range of ales but some seem to think this is all 'spoon' pub are about.
On 11th September 2010
- rating: 10
[User has posted 1 recommendations about 1 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Green Man (JD Wetherspoon)
Yes it's a large spoons on two levels, a large and sprawling underground bar area and then a smaller bar at ground level.
It's housed in the small shopping area underneath the James Stirling designed eyesore at 1 Poultry, a building which was voted the fifth ugliest building in the City by Time Out readers. A stunning fact, when you consider that Time Out readers think there are four uglier buildings than this one.
And as for The Green Man, a typical Spoons décor and a bar with 12 handpumps dispensing the usual house ales and a fair choice of Christmas specials.
A fair mixture of city suits, students and Bob the Builders when I visited and the couple of pints I tried were generally OK.
I've been it a lot better Spoons than this , but then I've also been in a lot worse.
On 20th December 2009
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about The Green Man (JD Wetherspoon)
A rather soulless and characterless Wetherspoons set in an obscure underground shopping mall. The windowless interior and low ceilings make it feel rather dingy and claustrophobic despite the open plan layout. All the usual Wetherspoons features are present in the beer and food department but not a lot else. Tim Martin has publicly defended his chain against those who describe his pubs merely as “cheap places to get pissed” but to be frank, the Green Man is little else, although the higher than normal 'Spoon prices mean that it only just qualifies for that particular accolade.
On 8th October 2008
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john mcgraw left this review about The Green Man
Large Wetherspoons on two levels.Downstairs in a shopping arcade.Usual range of real ales but not as many as The Crosse Keys.Outside (under cover)seating area.Next to Bank station.Closed Sat & Sun.
On 5th February 2007
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]