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Beer of the Week (w/e 10th November 2024) with Tris39 on the Pub Forum

Picture of St James Tavern
Image posted by Will Larter
Submitted on Thursday, 25th January 2024
With picture contributions to 11941 other pubs
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St James Tavern, Soho, W1

45 Great Windmill Street
W1
W1D 7NE
Phone: 02074375009
Correct details

Served areas

Reviews of St James Tavern (Average Rating: 5 of 10) Add Review see review guidelines

Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about St James Tavern

Unexciting, if typical, central London pub; with the most interesting feature being some decorative tilework on the back wall. Doom Bar and London Pride available from two of the three handpumps on this visit, with a reversed Adnams Southwold clip on the other.

On 13th February 2022 - rating: 6
[User has posted 8414 recommendations about 8414 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Tris C left this review about St James Tavern

Dating from the late 18th century as the Catherine Wheel, this replacement dates from 1896. Much of the interior here seems new, the occasional oddment about the place. The real reason for visiting though, are the fantastic tiled tableaux, depicting scenes from Shakespeare’s plays and courtesy of Royal Doulton. It’s mainly tourists in here, domestic and foreign, making for a rather glum experience, not improved by vague staff.
Ales: Doom, Pride and Adnam's Southwold at £2.50 a half, cheap for the area but then you didn’t have to drink it – yuck.
Along with the ugly illuminated advertising board to the left wall, this is a bit of a dispiriting experience, so I’ll not be returning.

On 11th October 2021 - rating: 3
[User has posted 2138 recommendations about 2103 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Pub SignMan left this review about The St. James Tavern

This rather grand looking Soho pub is just round the corner from Piccadilly tube station and seems to always be doing a roaring trade whenever I've passed. Finding myself in the area, I decided to pop in for a quick pint so I could have a look at the pub's famous tile paintings. The pub is much as you would expect for a tourist-trap type venue, doing its best to convince customers of its history whilst simultaneously succumbing to the pubco's corporate identity (Stonegate in this instance). There is a straightforward single room set-up, with dark wood floorboards and window frames, walls painted in various dark shades or else adorned with decorative wallpaper. High banquette and stool seating options can be found down the right hand side of the room, with three rows of basic tables and chairs through the centre and to the left. An L-shaped servery can be found to the rear of the room with its dark wood counter and mirrored bar back which was somewhat marred by vast amounts of England rugby bunting and placards. Two mirrored pillars through the centre of the room, including one embedded into the bar counter, help break up the sightlines a little in what is otherwise quite an open plan space. Large arched windows with some embellished floral patterns run down two sides of the pub, letting in plenty of light during the day and there are also some nice, seemingly original, curved etched glass panes flanking a side entrance. Various old pictures have been hung from the walls but the main attraction has to be the aforementioned tile paintings of various sizes along the left and rear walls. These depict scenes from Shakespearean plays including a great depiction of Falstaff wearing a set of deer antlers from The Merry Wives of Windsor. There is also a painting of some grape vines and another of some hops with the inscription
"And let me the canakin clink
A soldier's a man;
A life's but a span
Why then let a soldier drink"
which I believe is a quote from Othello. Music played quietly in the background throughout my stay and there was a muted TV screen showing some rolling news.
There were just two beers on the bar - Sharps Doom Bar and Brains Rev James, with a Purity Mad Goose clip turned round. The Rev James was priced as you might expect for Central London at a wallet busting £4.45 and was in reasonable condition, although I can't say I saw anyone else drinking it. Unusually for this part of town, the barmaid who served me was very friendly and welcoming.
This is very much a typical Central London pub well set up to take money off the ample passing trade but not really somewhere you're likely to settle down for a long session. The rare sight of some old tile paintings made the visit worthwhile and the friendly service was an unexpected bonus, but it's all rather run of the mill and better boozers are a short walk away.

On 12th April 2017 - rating: 6
[User has posted 3252 recommendations about 3252 pubs]


View more reviews of St James Tavern (7)
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Pub location see interactive map of local area
Map location corrected by hondo .
London Charing Cross, 0.59 miles, 11 min walk (show)
London Waterloo, 1.38 miles, 26 min walk (show)
London Victoria, 1.47 miles, 28 min walk (show)
Latest updates View all updates for St James Tavern, W1
25th Jan 2024, 15:58
Picture submitted by Will Larter approved
 
25th Jan 2024, 15:58
Picture submitted by Will Larter approved

Pub Details

Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.

  • Accommodation : No last updated 12 April 2017 by Pub SignMan
  • Bar Billiards : No last updated 12 April 2017 by Pub SignMan
  • Beer Festivals : No last updated 11 October 2021 by Tris C
  • Beer Garden : No last updated 12 April 2017 by Pub SignMan
  • CAMRA Discount : No - Discount expired Nov 2014 - last updated 09 February 2015 by ROB Camra
  • Car Park : No last updated 12 April 2017 by Pub SignMan
  • Child Friendly : Yes last updated 12 April 2017 by Pub SignMan
  • Darts : No last updated 12 April 2017 by Pub SignMan
  • Hot Food : Yes last updated 09 February 2015 by ROB Camra
  • Jukebox : No last updated 12 April 2017 by Pub SignMan
  • Karaoke : No last updated 12 April 2017 by Pub SignMan
  • Live Music : No last updated 11 October 2021 by Tris C
  • Micropub : No last updated 12 April 2017 by Pub SignMan
  • Pinball : No last updated 12 April 2017 by Pub SignMan
  • Pool Table : No last updated 12 April 2017 by Pub SignMan
  • Quiz Night : No last updated 11 October 2021 by Tris C
  • Real Ale : Yes last updated 09 February 2015 by ROB Camra
  • Real Cider : No last updated 09 February 2015 by ROB Camra
  • WiFi : Yes last updated 12 April 2017 by Pub SignMan
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