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Camel & Artichoke, SE1
SE1
SE1 7AE
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 5½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about Camel & Artichoke
Dating from the late 18th century as the Artichoke, though no doubt rebuilt in the 19th, the Camel prefix arriving pre-2007 and something of a mystery.
The interior has no remnants of the original pub, being rather modern and industrial. There’s a scaffolding bar back, the floor’s modern with a step down, walls are a mix of dark and pale grey paint, trendy printed wallpaper, with one wall clad with planks. Furniture is mixed, ranging from a leatherette sofa, to high scaffold tables. Lighting was exclusively of the filament variety and tedious rap music played over the stereo. Football was being shown on at least three TVs, one over enthusiastic customer hurling expletives at the TV, some ‘misogynistic’; the landlady and two female customers must have been delighted.
An unused pump clip was flanked by two with reversed clips, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they are reversed permanently; a half of Camden Pale rocked in at £2.90, served by a very friendly landlady, calling everyone ‘honey’.
With the industrial interior and industrial language, I have no plans to return to this sports bar; Vaulty Towers over the road offers a better experience and a little light research will reveal a multitude of superior pubs in the area.
On 16th December 2021
- rating: 3
[User has posted 1983 recommendations about 1949 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
E TA left this review about Camel & Artichoke
Previously The Elusive Camel, it’s now been found and is a drinking bar only, now the upstairs dining and function rooms have closed. The main bar is formed from knocking through the two groundfloor rooms, and there is an enclosed sunken garden at the back reached by descending a small flight of steps. The TV screens were showing a music video, though the HiFi was playing 1960s music which made it all a bit disjointed. There are 2 gaming machines as well. The barman was rather surly and unwelcoming, while the majority of the younger customers were mainly fairly laid back, many of them bringing in food from the street market outside. The 3 handpumps were dispensing Hobgoblin and Jennings’s Cumberland, both very much over-gassed and in poor condition, plus Old Rosie. On pressure were Punk IPA, two from ABK, Shipyard IPA and the usual range of megakeg. There were also some cheap (and nasty) cocktails being sold. OK for a quick one if you won’t get the hump about the ale quality but there are better pubs around this area.
On 7th June 2018
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3281 recommendations about 3246 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about Camel & Artichoke
The Camel and Artichoke is long and thin with a bar midway down the left hand wall. There is seating at the front and also at the rear where there is also access to a surprisingly large enclosed beer garden. Further seating can be found upstairs. Plasma screens are located throughout and during my visit one evening before Christmas muted Sky Sports was being shown. Available from the bar was a premium draught selection and I counted four hand pumps. One of these was off leaving St Austell’s Trelawny, St Edmunds Golden Beer and Greene King’s IPA as the cask ale options. I found the service to be very friendly and would pop in again if passing.
On 16th January 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5233 recommendations about 5201 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about Camel & Artichoke
The Camel & Artichoke is situated in the trendy looking lower marsh.
Once inside there was a small single oblong shaped room which ran to the rear,the serving bar was on the left side,the seating was a mix of bench seating and normal tables and chairs,there were 3 TVs showing sky sports,there was also some decent background music playing.
There were four real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Bombardier Gold which went down very well,the other beers were GK IPA / GK St Edmunds and St Austell Tribute.
I thought this was a decent pub to have a drink in.
Pub visited 2/8/2014
On 2nd August 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about Camel & Artichoke
Fairly unassuming pub tucked away between the quirky character shops, bars and restaurants of Lower Marsh behind Waterloo station.
The pub is on two floors. The the ground floor rectangular shaped bar has patterned flock wallpaper, dim lighting and is littered with dark wood tables and chairs. Some large gold framed mirrors try to give the decor some character , but otherwise its pretty uninspiring.
The upstairs room is a bit cosier with ruby red walls, enormous leather sofas, s, tables and chairs of various heights and sizes and a bookshelf.
Apparently there is also a heated patio garden which is popular during the summer months but I didn’t venture out here.
It’s a Green King pub and had two of their standard beer range on when I visited. It seemed quite popular with the after work crowd, but I don’t see any reason to go out of your way for this one, unless you work close by.
On 17th March 2012
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Chris 87 left this review about Camel & Artichoke
A fairly unremarkable boozer on bohemian Lower Marsh, this place had GK IPA and Abbot on cask as well as a guest ale that I didn't recognise. A friend and I chose here to try and avoid the office Christmas party stragglers, although there was a private function going on which made the upstairs bar off limits. It was fine really, though with its limited selection of ales I can't see it becoming a regular spot.
On 16th December 2009
- rating: 5
[User has posted 179 recommendations about 179 pubs]