May 28, 2013 3:26 pm
It’s rare that a pub which is painted the same colour as an aubergine on the outside turns out to be extremely tasteful on the inside. I’ve been plodding around Soho and it’s various haunts both respectable and reprehensible for a fair few years and must admit I’ve avoided The Crown and Two Chairmen almost purely based on the paint job. Please am I now though to note that this error has been corrected.
Parked on the corner of Dean Street and Bateman Street (someone really ought to open an American Psycho themed restaurant on there….in fact if you read this and open one I want free drinks) The Crown and Two Chairmen is slap bang in the middle of Soho and incredibly easy to get to from Oxford Street, Leicester Square or indeed China Town if that happens to be where you are at the time. Despite this very central location it isn’t painfully busy or more importantly ruinously expensive and a couple of choice pints came in at under £8. Also great for location was how mixed the crowd was here; girls having ‘brunch’, bloke reading book, lads, weird folliclly challenged chap in corner taking notes (me) and its successfully avoiding the trap that many Soho venues fall into of only catering for one audience.
The real standout thing about the pub for me was how homely and welcoming it felt from start to finish. It’s light, bright and there’s a healthy choice between slack leather sofas, stools in the window, tables or ‘slouchy banquettes’ (as their website claims http://www.thecrownandtwochairmenw1.co.uk/ ) upon which to park your rear. Staff were really welcoming too which is especially worthy of note as if I’d have been stuck working on a sunny Saturday rather than having a nice pint I’d have had a face on me like someone just shit on my floor at Christmas rather than presenting the chirpy smiles I received from both staff I encountered. My personal favourite aspect of the decor was the presence of the worlds most disinterested dog who plodded around the pub at intervals with a severe lack of intent, he looks a little like he may have been pipped at the post by another fella to be the Dulux dog and is potentially depressed. Can dogs be depressed?
Beer offerings are healthy with some more interesting lagers alongside four pumps for real ale. Behind the bar is an eye catching chalk board announcing up coming beers throughout the summer which is definitely a reason for a return trip. Lack of a beer garden is a bit of a minor downside but that option is very rare in the area. Lack of outside space is made up for slightly by having enormous windows across two walls through which you can waste many a happy hour people watching. We spotted a family who like they had a genetic defect rendering them allergic to any fabric other than denim, what abominations will you spot whilst gazing out the window of this pretty perfect purple pub?
Posted by pubraiderjones
Categories: **** Two Pints Plus, Central London
Tags: bar, beer, central london, doom bar, lager beers, london beer, pub
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[…] for pubs to be painted at the moment as this tidy little corner boozer follows the trend set by The Crown and Two Chairmen of looking a little like an aubergine. The name of this place probably already gives away the fact […]
By The Railway SW4 7UR (Tube: Clapham North/Clapham High Street) | Raider of the Lost Pubs on June 10, 2013 at 1:56 pm
[…] for pubs to be painted at the moment as this tidy little corner boozer follows the trend set by The Crown and Two Chairmen of looking a little like an aubergine. The name of this place probably already gives away the fact […]
By The Railway SW4 7UR (Tube: Clapham North/Clapham High Street) | Raider of the Lost Pubs on June 10, 2013 at 1:56 pm
[…] If stuffing your face with meat isn’t the reason you go to pubs then you won’t be disappointed either. There’s a very healthy array of draught ales from exotic lager to local micro brews. The selection isn’t quite up to the mind boggling choice at The Euston Tap but it’s impressive non the less. We were also rather pleased to see a ‘Coming Soon’ craft beer board similar to the one at The Crown and Two Chairmen. […]
By The Old Red Cow EC1A 9EJ (Tube: Barbican) | Raider of the Lost Pubs on June 26, 2013 at 10:01 am
[…] if perhaps a little bit standard for the slightly more high end pub you get around London (see The Crown and Two Chairmen, The Calf or The Crown Tavern) which all seem to offer a selection of food variations involving […]
By The Green Man W1W 7EP (Tube: Goodge Street) | Raiders of the Lost Pubs on July 22, 2013 at 12:59 pm