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Detail Pages
Nelson's, E2
E2
E2 7SB
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 5 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Brainy Pool left this review about Nelson's
a proper pub? seemed like a below average hipsterfied place, just off the flowermarket, although the bar was quite nice. No real ale, and what was on wasn’t great. Most tables reserved Sunday afternoon. Not great.
On 16th February 2020
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1058 recommendations about 1023 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about Nelson's
An early 19th century pub, rebuilt in the brewers' Tudor style in Edwardian times, this was formerly a Gibbs Mew house.
Despite arriving at 9.00pm, I found the pub closed, lights out, with the barman locking up. When I asked him why the place was closing so early, I was told that this was due to slow business.
Nope, I shan't be wasting my time making a return visit and I would dissuade anyone from visiting a pub which treats its potential customers with such disdain.
On 1st October 2019
- rating: 1
[User has posted 1982 recommendations about 1949 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Nelsons Head
This pub has been on my radar ever since I read Moby’s glowing review below and I’d previously made a scuppered journey out here on the day they a closed, so I was pleased to finally make it here and find the place open on a bitterly cold winter’s night. Sadly, my pleasure was quickly soured when I realised that the pub must’ve changed quite a bit since Moby’s review – all the handpulls were gone, and only three keg options were available – two craft beers from Deviant & Dandy and Guinness. It turns out the place had only just reopened after a refurbishment which appears to have wiped cask ale out of the equation. For what it’s worth, the pint of Deviant & Dandy Trust Pale Ale (£5.00) that I ended up with was tasty but far too cold for someone who has just walked in from near freezing conditions outside. The barman indicated that there were one or two bottled beers that I might be interested in, but the range was woefully lacking and I would hope they look to widen this over time.
As for the pub itself, it’s a nice looking traditional back street boozer with a U-shaped layout created by knocking through two former rooms to create a single space which wraps itself around the centrally positioned servery. The room has bare floorboards, neutral painted walls and floral patterned curtains across the small windows. The servery has a nice dark wood counter, mirrored bar back and glazed tile canopy topped with an ivy entwined lattice, an old globe drinks cabinet and numerous potted plants. Low stools serve small tables around the bar area, whilst padded benches and comfier chairs can be found further back, to either side of the bar. The walls have been decorated with a selection of mirrors, maps and a random collection of paintings, many of which are themed around nature, although a small display of Nelson themed porcelain was a more thematically obvious choice of decor. A brick fireplace to one side of the bar is a nice, understated feature, but aside from that, there’s not a whole lot going on in here that might set this place apart from any other. Loud ‘80’s pop hits didn’t exactly warm me to the place either.
It’s a shame that this is clearly a pub that was doing the right thing previously and has a good deal of potential being just a short hop from hotspots like Hoxton and Bethnal Green, but based on this visit, there is a lot of work required to bring this place back up to scratch. It might be interesting to see how this develops over time, but for now, this is one I’ll be leaving aside in the future.
On 4th March 2019
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about Nelsons Head
Popped in again and all is very good,Five Points Brickfield Brown, Siren Ryezing Tide and Hammerton N1, a bit quiet but very much a proper pub.
August 2017
An unintentional discovery ,but a nice one, a single room circumnavigating the central bar, quite small inside but lots of interesting bits and pieces on the walls to look at.It very much has the feel of a traditional London pub, there is a jukebox and the musical theme while I was there was reggae based. Beers on were ELB APA and Kapow along with a token Doombar presumably for any errant tourists from the nearby Columbia Road flower market.
I liked it here.
On 17th December 2017
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1871 recommendations about 1844 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Nelsons Head
This pub is tucked away in a backstreet just of Hackney Rd, and is not somewhere that you are likely to stumble upon by accident. This looks like a classic inter-war "Brewer's Tudor" pub to me, with the exterior covered in wooden beams. Inside it's quite gloomy even during the day - the windows are quite small, obscured by thick curtains, and the navy blue decor everywhere doesn't help. Nonetheless it's quite interesting. There are some strange decorative features, such as a model (at least I think it's a model) of a small dog in a glass case with flashing lights above it, and an offertory box complete with candles. At least I assume the latter is a decorative feature; I didn't see anyone put any money in it! Elsewhere inside there are plenty of unusual prints, many similar in style to the Victorian female depictions of industry, commerce and agriculture found in the Viaduct Tavern, and one of a WWI nurse. There are also miscellaneous busts to be found on shelves around the place, two large Warhol-esque prints of Elizabeth Taylor on the back wall on the left, and china jugs and the like displayed on a beam. It's all quite busy actually, but I don't mind that.
It's carpeted, and furnished with normal tables and chairs, except for a bank of recycled cinema seats by the window. The only real ale was Courage Best (£3.50 a pint), and it was as good a pint of Best as I've had in recent years. I didn't see any sign of food on Friday afternoon, although there were some large jars of snack-like things on the bar, including one containing what looked like mini pretzels. I quite liked this pub, as it seemed to have a nice mix of quirkiness and comfort. Obviously a wider ale selection would be a big plus, but at least they do one real ale which was in good nick on Friday.
On 18th January 2015
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]