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Chat about:
New pub visits 2022 with ROBCamra
on the Pub Forum
Image posted by Moby Duck
Submitted on Sunday, 3rd November 2019
With picture contributions to 872 other pubs
View all this pub's pictures (21 more images)
Detail Pages
The Royal Oak, Borough, SE1
SE1
SE1 4JU
Served areas
Reviews of The Royal Oak (Average Rating: 8½ of 10) see review guidelines
Tris C left this review about The Royal Oak
This pub dates from 1790, but I suspect that it was rebuilt in the 19th century.
A first in here the other night and I suspect that nothing has changed to this Harvey’s pub since the reviews over the last 10-odd years: it’s still a pub with rare (though possibly not original) seated entrance vestibule, modern boarded floor, modern furniture, excellent Regency-style cast iron columns, fine ceiling roses and a great egg and dart cornice, with acorn augmentation; the shades of brown and cream Farrow & Ball gastropub colour scheme is what I would describe as ‘Wild Mushroom Medley’. Décor comprises framed prints, including a trio of lithographs featuring 1930s’ pub life by Edward Ardizzone, one being of my favourite snug at Maida Vale’s Prince Alfred, Ardizzone’s local. However, as Nick Davies points out, the current interior is a modern restoration, undertaken by Harvey’s, possibly dating back little more than a decade but certainly no earlier than Harvey’s acquisition, affording the pub a citation on CAMRA’s list of pubs of Outstanding Conversions and Restorations. Customers were nothing like as old as I had imagined, with some young Americans in, with fairly good business, considering the day of the week.
There were four Harvey’s beers on and all halves tried: Dark Mild (£2.10, nice mellow), Royal Oak IPA (£2.20 a bit bland and really too weak to be an IPA), Sussex Best (£2.35, trademark toffee apple taste) and Old Ale (£2.40, toffee apple, but more so) all in top condition, served by friendly staff.
This is one of the better pubs in SE1, but I don’t think I could handle Harvey’s beers all night; a couple of imaginative guests would get the score up, as would a cosier environment.
On 1st April 2022
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1500 recommendations about 1479 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Royal Oak
My first visit to this pub since I have been writing reviews for this site, and I was glad of the opportunity. Even more pleased to find that it was as good as, if not better than, my incomplete memory of the place. A fine building in London brick, the corner of which is not a right angle, and it looks like there might have been a door there, where now is a large window. We entered by the door on Tabard Street, but I can remember on my previous visit entering from Nebraska Street. Walking through that part of the pub to reach the toilets, it looked to me like this would have once been an off-sales. I was expecting this fine interior to have been rewarded with an appearance on Camra's list of historic pub interiors, but perhaps it has been messed around just a little too much.
On the bar were four hand pumps with a range of Harveys beers from Lewes in East Sussex. I've had a number of poor drinks of their famous Sussex Best Bitter in recent years, so I swerved that and went for the Old Ale, which was in superb condition. My companion had the mild, which he also expressed enthusiasm for, so we stayed for a second drink and went for the Sussex Best, which was as good as the other two beers and worthy of this great traditional bitter's reputation. If there were only some way of arranging for the people who had been responsible for the poorly kept examples of this beer that I have suffered to visit this pub, they would hang their heads in shame.
On 23rd February 2020
- rating: 9
[User has posted 2952 recommendations about 2774 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Royal Oak
Very surprised to find out I hadn't reviewed this pub before, having visited it a good number of times over the last 15 years or so. It remains as described in the previous reviews as a solid traditional pub with extremely well kept beer, the food is decent as well. I had both the Dark Mild and Old Ale from Harveys on yesterdays visit, good value at £4.00 a pint given the location.
On 3rd November 2019
- rating: 9
[User has posted 1524 recommendations about 1505 pubs]
View more reviews of The Royal Oak (28)
Pubs Galore is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
- Official site of The Royal Oak - www.royaloaklondon.co.uk
- Historic Pub Interiors - ocrpubs.camra.org.uk
- Randomness Guide to London - Royal Oak entry
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Royal Oak - whatpub.com
London Bridge, 0.57 miles, 10 min walk (show)
Elephant & Castle, 0.69 miles, 13 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 07 October 2017 by Quinno _
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 07 October 2017 by Quinno _
- Beer Festivals : No last updated 07 October 2017 by Quinno _
- Beer Garden : No last updated 07 October 2017 by Quinno _
- CAMRA Discount : No last updated 07 October 2017 by Quinno _
- Car Park : No last updated 07 October 2017 by Quinno _
- Child Friendly : No last updated 07 October 2017 by Quinno _
- Darts : No last updated 07 October 2017 by Quinno _
- Dog Friendly : No last updated 07 October 2017 by Quinno _
- Function Room : Yes last updated 07 October 2017 by Quinno _
- Hot Food : Yes last updated 07 October 2017 by Quinno _
- Jukebox : No last updated 07 October 2017 by Quinno _
- Karaoke : No last updated 07 October 2017 by Quinno _
- Live Music : No last updated 07 October 2017 by Quinno _
- Live TV Sports : No last updated 07 October 2017 by Quinno _
- Micropub : No last updated 07 October 2017 by Quinno _
- Pinball : No last updated 07 October 2017 by Quinno _
- Pool Table : No last updated 07 October 2017 by Quinno _
- Quiz Night : Yes - Wednesdays 19.30. - last updated 30 March 2022 by Tris C
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 07 October 2017 by Quinno _
- Real Cider : No last updated 30 March 2022 by Tris C
- Wheelchair Access : No last updated 07 October 2017 by Quinno _
- WiFi : No last updated 07 October 2017 by Quinno _
