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Image posted by paulof horsham
Submitted on Sunday, 30th April 2023
With picture contributions to 4602 other pubs
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Detail Pages
The Hole in the Wall, Waterloo, SE1
SE1
SE1 8SQ
Served areas
Reviews of The Hole in the Wall (Average Rating: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Hole in the Wall
ORIGINAL REVIEW March 2010.
A boozing institution,essentially this pub has not changed over my 35 year drinking career.Always a good place to catch televised sport,especially rugby in the large back bar, the ale quality is now consistently high to justify the GBG entry.Hogs Back TEA and Sharp's Doom Bar were the pick but Ringwood Best Bitter,Pedigree,Youngs Bitter and a real cider were also available on handpump when I was in.Lively and basic with a good courtyard with patio heaters and a further TV screen plus efficient bar service.The rear bar has one of the more pungent gents in London but,hey, this is a boozer not a wine bar.
UPDATE
Having read on these pages of an improved real ale line up ,we sought refuge here after a disappointing visit to the Kings Arms .The front bar is so much better than the hectic rear bar although the loos here have been tidied up and the beer garden is much neater .The ale range was decent Vocation Life & Death did run out but was later replaced,Brew York X Panda (NBSS 3.5,a little cold),Southwark LPA,By the Horns Classic,Moor Illumination (tired NBSS 2),RIDE Pale Ale ,Howling Hops Tropical Deluxe,Portobello Stiff Lip and Anspach & Hobday London Black. Most ales sampled by the crew were fine,there was a range of styles and strengths and there is still a proper boozer atmosphere here.Well worth a visit now.
On 25th February 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Hole in the Wall
A return visit here in what must be more than ten years,the layout remains the same but is certainly less tatty than before. Tales of an improving beer range appear to be true if not groundbreaking, with beers represented by By The Horns, Siren and Southwark, as well Adnams Old Ale and my pick of Sambrooks Candlemaker. It certainly won't be top of my list of pubs to miss a train in with The Kings Arms , Waterloo Tap and now BrewDog to pick from but it has improved on it's old Courage Best days.
On 3rd November 2022
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Hole in the Wall
This pub has existed in some form since at least 1869, but was incorporated into this railway arch some time before 1934. Rightly described by BF as ‘A boozing institution…’ and Graham as a ‘Legendary pub…’, it’s definitely something of an iconic boozer, which I’d completely forgotten about since I first heard mention of it in the late ‘80s, it appearing periodically in the GBG since 1975 and at least as late as 2019.
As mentioned, it’s not something you stumble across by accident, despite its location opposite Waterloo’s main entrance, the door here being somewhat concealed. You’ll go through to the large main room, devoid of natural light, scruffy (but not nearly as bad as I was expecting), sport orientated, with a large inflatable Gilbert rugby ball to the ceiling. You’ll not want to linger here (unless you want to watch TV and/or are scruffy), as eight out of the 10 real ales are to be found at the bar and don’t expect to find the likes of Pride, Doom or GK here. After making your selection, head back through to the small front bar with its windows and interior which looks like it dates from the ‘60s, but in a very good way. It’s cosy, with traditional vinyl banquette seating to the perimeter, then simple traditional furniture. Décor comprises a large collection of breweriana, all to the rumble and vibration of overhead trains.
I went for a half of the Siren Memento, in excellent shape at a very reasonable £2.60, served by a slightly goofy but friendly barman.
If I'd had a table and wasn't on a mini crawl, I'd have stayed longer as this is a must-visit destination, offering one of the largest ale selections in London, in a memorable location, making for a great double with the Kings Arms; an icon indeed.
On 9th October 2022
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
View more reviews of The Hole in the Wall (21)
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- Randomness Guide to London - Hole In The Wall entry
- Facebook - The Hole in the wall
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Hole in the Wall - whatpub.com
London Charing Cross, 0.58 miles, 11 min walk (show)
London Blackfriars, 1.8 miles, 34 min walk (show)
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 18 August 2022 by paulof horsham
- Beer Garden : Yes last updated 30 April 2023 by paulof horsham
- Car Park : No last updated 30 April 2023 by paulof horsham
- Hot Food : Yes last updated 22 November 2013 by hondo .
- Live Music : Yes last updated 22 November 2013 by hondo .
- Live TV Sports : Yes last updated 27 July 2013 by Dave McNally
- Micropub : No last updated 18 August 2022 by paulof horsham
- Pinball : Yes last updated 12 February 2013 by David McNally
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 08 December 2010 by hondo .
- WiFi : Yes last updated 22 November 2013 by hondo .
