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The Kings Head, Leicester
Leicester
LE1 6RL
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Kings Head
One of two Black Country Ales pubs in Leicester, the Kings Head is the one I have visited most, as it's fairly close to the railway station. It is located on King Street, but you can also enter from a passageway to the rear off the pedestrianised New Walk, which is a much more pleasant tree-lined approach to the pub. A rooftop patio can also be accessed from steps at the rear of the building.
The interior is a split-level single room that is carpeted and similar to most other BCA pubs, it is fairly plain. The long bar has a good selection of real ales, which are also listed on an electronic screen at one end of the bar. However, as we found out, the screen is not always up-to-date, especially when new beers have just come on.
4 Black Country Ales are regularly on - BFG, Fireside, Chain Ale & Pig on the Wall. Guest beers on our visit were Sharp's Atlantic, Milestone Honey Porter, AJ's Duke's Delight & Bewdley Sunshine & Worcestershire Sway. The real cider was Gwynt y Ddraig Black Dragon.
Pub snacks are also available in a heated cabinet at the end of the bar. It contained samosas that were very good value. I think there were also various pies on offer.
Still one of Leicester's best and most consistent pubs.
On 4th May 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2454 recommendations about 2453 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Kings Head
The Kings Head is a thin L-shaped pub with a banquette seating in the front windows either side of the entrance and a bar counter that runs up the right facing seating either side of a fireplace on the left wall. Steps towards the rear lead up to a raised seating area and the rear entrance. Football was on the television, half of the student age customers were watching this and the other half were practising quiz questions. On the bar the keg range is limited to just Carling, Staropramen, Madri and Guinness. Not a problem though as I think most come for the ale selection. Available during a recent midweek evening visit were Lenton Lane Brewery’s Cloudburst, Sharp’s Atlantic, Fixed Wheel Brewery’s Through and Off, Gwynt y Ddraig’s Black Dragon, Four offerings from Black Country Ales and a very nice Beowolf FHP Porter. The presence of hot and cold food containers on the bar mean that this will be my preferred lunchtime stop next time I’m in Leicester.
On 6th March 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5254 recommendations about 5222 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Kings Head
Pretty much the same as always and that’s no bad thing. 12 ales on with 4 from BCA. I tried the Little Eaton Gangway Gold (NBSS 3.5), Mad Dog Stout (3) and Green Duck Blonde (3). Amusement value from the CAMRA magazine stand, upon which some wag had written, next to ‘Join CAMRA today’, ‘It’s less shit than it sounds!’ Maybe that’s why it didn’t make the latest GBG?!
January 2014
Very brief revisit before scarpering for my train over Xmas. Barmaid slightly flummoxed by my request for a winter warmer but recovered and pointed to an Orkney stout that went down rather well. The piped music was distinctly non-Xmassy (perhaps a good thing?!). Personally, I'd do this one over The Pub any day. Rated 8
April 2013
The rear courtyard entrance is conveniently located just over from The Pub on New Walk so is part of a simple double-header, especially so since it was taken over by Black Country Ales a few years back. The Kings Head is the opposite of The Pub inside, with a cosy homely feel over a long, narrow split-level room. The traditional interior has a proper wood fire, some exposed brick walls, banquettes and is carpeted throughout. Eight ales and two ciders at the bar. My first, Black Country Fireside was in fair shape and the follow-up, Black Country BFG, was a good drop. Opposite the bar is a chalk board listing all the available ales and ciders, with a short note on colour and price - a nice touch. Cobs also available behind the bar which is always good to see. Service behind the bar was efficient. I enjoyed this one and would be happy to return. Rated 8
On 27th September 2019
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Kings Head
This is a narrow split level pub that is carpeted throughout. There is a patio at the rear of the upper level. The bar has stools along it but as it wasn't too busy on my early Thursday evening visit so the bar wasn't getting blocked.
Ten beers were available with the usual three from Black Country, Broughs Springfield, Downton Gauls Of Fire, Severn Vale Nibley, Great Central Peak, Corvedale Norman's Pride, RCH PG Steam and Moorhouse Pride Of Pendle. All 7 of the guests were listed on the board as being Golden or Blonde bitters at around the 4% ABV mark, hardly an inspired selection and certainly not what I've seen in other Black Country pubs. I went for their own Fireside which was in good enough nick.
This has been voted the local CAMRA pub of the year for two consecutive years but to be honest I found it pretty ordinary.
On 29th June 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Thuck Phat left this review about The Kings Head
This was probably my favourite pub visited in Leicester but by no means the best for beer.
The pub has been well reviewed already and I'll only add that it's location on New Walk is convenient and on our Friday evening visit the large log fire was lit making it a very comfortable and atmospheric place for a beer.
The service was efficient and friendly although when asked for an ale recommendation, the young barmaid suggested one which didn't go down well.
As a Black Country boozer there's clearly a slant towards their beers: Fireside, BFG and Pig on the Wall were available on our visit alongside 4T's Master, Lincoln Green Tuck and Thomas Guest Cobblers along with two kegs - Beaver Town Gamma Ray and Shiny Craft Bank Vault. Our experience was mixed with the Tuck and Master going down well but the Cobblers, as recommended, not being appreciated. It later transpired that Black Country also brew under the Thomas Guest name. Unlike some of their other establishments, perhaps BC are not stocking sufficient well selected guests here.
Were The Kings Head to have some of the ale selections available elsewhere in Leicester, it would be the go to pub in the city. As it is, it's a very nice pub to visit but care needs to be taken when selecting your beer of choice.
On 11th November 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 679 recommendations about 678 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about The Kings Head
I didn't know Black Country Ales had spread this far with their pubs but they continue to impress with taking pubs in untrendy areas or slightly out of the way and turning them into something very good!
Ok, its not mega trndy, posh or arty venue for the city centre but its been given a big hug and tlc to make this a comfortable but with quality product.
There is a roof terrace (albeit overlooking the adjoining car park).
Good product, good service, fine place
On 28th July 2014
- rating: 9
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
I L left this review about The Kings Head
A very different type of pub to the Pub just behind it across New Walk. However another great range of ales (although no where near as many as The Pub) mainly from The Black Country Brewery including there Winter ale.
A proper traditional pub feel inside with mainly locals keeping the pub busy but not crowded late on a Saturday night, so enough room for us to find somewhere to sit.
On 10th December 2013
- rating: 8
[User has posted 287 recommendations about 284 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about The Kings Head
Neat, traditional small pub that struggled to fit the 15 or so PuG crawlers in comfortably alongside a few regulars due to its size. The service was quick and efficient and the beer range was very good. My pint of Coastal Hop Monster was as good as it was when my local, The Baum, had it on. Praise indeed from me as The Baum is CAMRA's National Pub Of The Year 2012. We were made very welcome by all and some froendly banter was exchanged. I really liked this pub and I will definitely visit again next time I'm in Leicester.
On 6th June 2013
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3224 recommendations about 3135 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Kings Head
I’ve visited several pubs run by Black County Ales and although each has been very different in style, they all had something about them that made leaving feel like a chore. This small, single room pub left me with similar feelings. The interior is split level, with the lower half at the front, where there is a decent sized carpeted main bar area, with a brick fireplace and old fashioned wallpaper giving the place the look of a traditional boozer. Seating is a bit limited, with a few standard tables and chairs, but towards the rear of the room, steps lead up to a narrow seating area with some banquettes running down the left hand wall. The décor is perhaps a bit limited – just a few beer related posters on show and one solitary pump clip stuck to a beam – although there is a helpful blackboard opposite the servery which lists the ale selection. Out the back there is a small garden of sorts which has a useful passageway leading practically to the front door of the nearby ‘The Pub’.
On the bar, the usual Black Country Ales standards of BFG, Fireside and Pig on the Wall were supplemented by Morton Essington Gold, Slater’s Retro Red and Reserve Milk Stout plus Coastal Monster’s Blonde and Merry Maiden’s Mild, whilst a couple of real ciders filled the remaining hand pumps. A very appealing line up and difficult to pick just one to sample, but I eventually plumped for the Merry Maiden’s Mild, which was in great shape and maybe the best drop of mild I’ve had this year.
My first impressions were of a very simple, no frills boozer with a decent beer range, but I think that description fails to do justice to the pub. It has a homely feel to it that many places strive to capture and I could imagine settling down here for a good session.
On 24th April 2013
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Kings Head
The last time I visited the Kings Head in July last year I had a bit of a dodgy pint and I hoped at the time that it was a bit of an aberration.
So good to report no such findings on the subsequent visit a couple of weeks ago and the two Black Country beers I tried were in fine fettle.
Comfortable one room pub that should be included in any visit to Leicester for the Black Country beers.
On 10th April 2013
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2111 recommendations about 1992 pubs]