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Queens Larder, Bloomsbury, WC1
WC1
WC1N 3AR
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Steve of N21 left this review about Queens Larder
This small corner pub is now independently run and not part of the GK empire and would have been at the time of Tris’s visit below.
So, no GK ales now but a fairly mainstream and stable line up of Fullers London Pride and Darkstar Hop Head alongside Timothy Taylors Landlord on three of the pumps and a Rosies cider on the fourth. It was quite quiet for my late afternoon visit and was able to have a chat with the barman, who explained that they got a fairly regular clientele, primarily workers from the nearby hospital and local residents who know what they like and liked what they know, thus resulting in a decent throughput of those three beers, especially the Landlord, which has enabled the pub to be a member of the Timothy Taylor's Champion Club, something I had not heard of before. They do put another ale on the fourth pump, instead of the cider, in the summer months, when they get more tourist trade, and this is likely to be something from Adnams or St Austell.
As it was fairly quiet, I had the time and space to have a good look round this time. The main small bar room with its wood panelled bar and walls and red ceiling, which incredibly originally had two bars, is unchanged from my remembrances and is a comfortable area to sit and enjoy a pint. However, although there are a couple of bar stools and some bench seating tables by the windows with bar stools in front, it’s true to say there is more seating on the black benches on the two sides outside the pub and in the lounge room upstairs, which I did have the opportunity to visit this time. Accessed by some stairs on the Queen Square side of the pub this is a pleasant cream and red décor room with about a dozen wooden tables, with the red ceiling and the theatre theme from the main bar being continued in the colour scheme of this room and the many posters adorning the walls.
Great to find it a well-functioning pub post pandemic and still the best pub in this part of town IMHO.
On 13th October 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2111 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about Queens Larder
BF may be right about the Local Hero tie, as there are no GK beers here and the sign is one of those new ones which omit the GK name, but have signage which seems suspiciously similar.
This is a surprisingly traditional tiny pub with bare boards, a red panelled ceiling (see photo), Art Deco lights, pot shelf, dark wood panelling and cloth upholstered banquettes; furniture is traditional. Walls are covered with theatre posters and there's an upstairs lounge too. The pub still has optics which speeds up service no end as staff don't spend hours measuring spirits into metal measures and from there to the glass. There's a friendly vibe in here with a mixture of locals, studenty types and tourists.
Ales amounted to Gloom and Pride, but the good news is that there was Landlord and Hophead in great nick, served by a friendly barman; the bad news is that it set me back £3.15 a half, which is tantamount to usuary.
This is a great pub, one of the best in Bloomsbury and miles better than the awful Swan next door, but it loses a point for the sky high prices.
On 26th September 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Queens Larder
A small,charming looking Greene King street corner pub ,opening out onto the pedestrianised Queen Square,it's very much a locals boozer.The interior is traditional with much wood panelling,narrow bench seating around the edge and lots of exterior seating.Theatre and musical posters decorate the walls ,and the three sided bar allows for quick service.There is an upstairs lounge,unvisited by me while the pub grub menu is a simple laminated sheet rather than the grotesquely large GK corporate menu normally seen.
My guess is that this is a GK Local Hero's tie ,with lots of discretion for the lessee and the only requirement to stocks as many GK boring beers (GK IPA and Yardbird Pale on my trip) as there are guests ( Redemption Hotspur and Oakham Bishops Farewell (clear but badly conditioned tasted nothing like Bishops and rip off £2.50 half))
Calm muzak and lots of banter from the regulars,I noticed the cougaresque barmaid slipping a cheeky half down when it was momentarily quiet.
A far better pub than the nearby Swan,shame about the ale quality which knocked off a couple of points from what otherwise would have been a good visit.
On 21st October 2018
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2728 recommendations about 2728 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about Queens Larder
Very small corner pub which actually has considerably more seating provided by the bench seating outside under the canopys than is available inside the pub. Lively mixed crowd both inside and outside on this last Friday evening before Christmas and there were actually twice as many bar keeps working the small serving space than there was along the entire long bar of the Swan next door , so there was absolutely no queuing at the bar.
There are four ales usually available, but for our visit on entering one was reverse clipped, but fortunately it was the dreaded GK IPA (how we cheered ). This left Abbott Reserve from the GK stable, a bit too loopy at 6.5% for an extended session, and Redemption Hopspur and Woodforde's Wherry, the latter two being in excellent condition.
Small but lively pub with well-kept choice of ales and good service levels. You have to go a long way to find a better pub than this in Bloomsbury.
On 23rd December 2014
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2111 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Queens Larder
Very compact corner pub, owned by Greene King, with little room for seating and thus there are often more customers outside than in if the weather is half decent. Even less room for the barmen almost tripping over each other trying to serve and work the till. Quite a traditional dark wood interior, with an upstairs room (never visited) and some wooden benches to front and side. Four handpumps, serving IPA and the seasonal Buck Greene Governor (£4.20) plus Cornish Knocker and Redemption Hopspur as guests on my latest visit. Overall, whatever you think about the brewery, this is a really good spot for a quick pint.
On 31st October 2014
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about Queens Larder
This tiny GK pub is warm and cosy.Theatre posters on the wall and large puppets above the bar.Shame about the beer choice.Ipa,speckled hen,abbot ale and the second time for me tonight was London Glory.Better pint than previous but its no award winner.Outside seating at the front is a plus.
On 25th January 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about Queens Larder
This GK pub was busy with diners on our lunch time visit. The service at the bar was fast and friendly, in spite of it being busy. We went for the London Glory and had a bit of vertical drinking. Overall a small and cosy historical pub.
On 19th January 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about Queens Larder
The Queen in this case is the unfortunate Queen Charlotte, the consort of King George III, and this pub is named after the food store she maintained when he was “accommodated” nearby during the less lucid period of his life. Anyway, this is a tiny little pub tucked away down an alleyway just off Southampton Row. The bar counter is immediately in front of you as you enter from Cosmo Place, with a bit of banquette seating by the windows with a handful of small round metal framed tables and small stools completing the furnishings. The walls are mainly dark wood panelled, with the upper parts and the latticed ceiling painted a dark red. The upper parts of the walls are decorated with numerous theatre posters, and on the top of the bar gantry are a handful of colourfully garbed model clowns. Outside there are a few picnic benches; in fact there is more seating outside than inside.
This is now a Greene King pub, which had no guest ale available during my visit. The half of IPA that I ordered cost £1.90, which is overly expensive even by London standards for what is really a very ordinary beer. There was a faux chalkboard food menu on one of the wall, but without showing prices.
The pub itself is a bit twee with flowers on all of the tables, but even so it retains its essential pub character, and I reckon is worth poking your nose into if you’re in the area. However, a better, and more reasonably priced, ale selection would improve the pub immeasurably.
On 10th November 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Nick Davies left this review about Queens Larder
Tiny old pub tucked away behind Southampton row in a little known corner of Bloomsbury. Most people only pass this way if they've business at the National Hospital across Queen Square.
Wood panelled, decorated with theatrical memorabilia with a central bar and somehow feels at it cosy best on dark winter's nights. If there's a couple of dozen people inside it would be very intimate indeed, but there is heated terrace outside for those wishing to brave the elements.
The only real downside is Greene King's mediocre beers, but no-one's perfect.
On 11th February 2010
- rating: 7
[User has posted 567 recommendations about 559 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about Queens Larder
This is a fantastic haven from the cold frosty London streets during the winter months. The pub is small (cosy) and the staff are very friendly. Greene King IPA, Old Speckled Hen and Fireside were available along with a selection of standard and Premium lagers.
I'll definitely revisit here again.
On 24th November 2008
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5254 recommendations about 5222 pubs]