The Harp, Covent Garden

The perfect spot to hide from the cold and rain. Welcoming staff, fast service, where everyone seems to be having a relaxing break. My cider was tasty, and I got lucky finding a seat near the beautiful windows that dress-up the pub with some old splendor. I will need to find more time for a second visit before I leave London.

Amazing pub! Great selection of beers and ciders. This place is always packed, so be prepared to stand most of the time—but it’s totally worth it. The staff are super knowledgeable and friendly. They kept offering different samples and took the time to explain each one, which made the experience even better. If you’re into hard ciders, they’ve got some really good ones! Overall, it was an amazing experience—the crowd was friendly and welcoming. It didn’t take long before we were chatting and hanging out with different groups. And best of all? The drinks are extremely affordable. Definitely one of the best happy hour experience I’ve had!

Excellent traditional pub close to Charing X and Covent Garden. Good selection of traditional draught ales, as well as the usual lagers and stouts. Efficient, friendly bar staff - even when really busy they can cope well. Small pavement strips out front and round back in the alley to drink outside if its a bit too claustrophobic for you; but don't stray too far with your drink otherwise you might be reprimanded! Reasonably priced for central London with a pint typically costing £5.50 to £6.

Looking for a real pint of beer in central London? This is THE place to go! A fantastic, huge selection of beers to suit every taste and served by knowledgeable staff. Can't recommend it enough. A real pub - not a tourist trap. Edit... May 2023.... Still the best pub for REAL ALE in London Edit... March 2025... Still the best pub in London.

Great little pub to take in a couple of very well kept drinks after an exploration of the local area. Ales were very well kept and a great range was available.

2 double gin & tonic come with 1 tiny bottle of tonic. One extra bottle is charged £3.2. £36 total for 2 simple cocktails, Une fois mais pas deux

Great little pub. Traditional feel, small and compact yet can fit plenty people inside. Definitely a pub directed for those attending the theatre but that didn't stop me. Fantastic beer and cider selection from various breweries. Fast friendly service. Great character and charm about the place.

This is a very popular pub with real ale drinkers, evidenced by the 10 cask beers and the hundreds of beer mats above the bar. It is a narrow pub with additional seating upstairs. Being near to both Covent Garden and Soho it is ideally located. I was here at 4pm on a Monday afternoon and it was quite busy. There is a designated standing area out back but many drinkers preferred to drink in the street out front. The toilets are upstairs and accessed by a steep, narrow staircase that could prove problematic for the less mobile.

Great pub in the heart of London with a fantastic ale assortment, as well as cider and liquor. It has a traditional, local charm and when we visited on a Sunday night was packed by locals and visitors. Luckily we found some stool seating by the front and were able to enjoy some beers and take in the ambiance. There's an upstairs that is accessible by a very very narrow staircase which even has handles for support, all part of the fun lol!! Beer: We tried out the Guinness (great pouring process!), peroni, and a local ale which the bartender allowed me to sample. He was very helpful and walked me through the different ciders they had in stock and even how you could add fruit syrups to sweeten the flavor. What makes this place even more memorable was the helpfulness of the young guy bartending. He helped us plan how to get to Gatwick airport extremely early the next morning and we owe him a big one!

Outstanding! Friendly bar staff. Guinness poured to perfection. Great bar banter. Colorful characters. Love the decor. Love the location. Convenient to the Tube. Might be my new favorite bar in London. Next time .. food is on my menu. This time .. just Guinness. Bravo! Cheers!

It's a shame that me and my wife were met with racism on our first attempt at visiting a classic pub in London. There were two bartenders the night we went in around 6:00 p.m., a young white man and a young black man. I was served my first round by the white man with no problem but my second attempt at getting a drink from him he kept passing me over until another patron told him it was my turn. Both my wife and I tried to get drinks from the side where the young black man was serving people and were completely ignored for at least 5 to 10 minutes before just giving up. He served everyone else around me out of turn and then when it was clearly my turn next since I was the only person left, he started washing dishes and then walked away. He refused to serve my wife multiple times until she just came back and told me I should go try. I am a brown man who could be mistaken for either black, Hispanic or Middle Eastern. My wife is Asian. I don't know if these bartenders had something against Americans in general or if it was a racial issue to be honest. But since no one had heard us speak I don't know how they would know we were American. I really just feel sad for the young black man who clearly has some self disdain as A person of color and who would choose to project the same racism that he's probably felt in his life onto other people of color. A really unfortunate start to an otherwise great trip

Perfectly fine example of a good English Public House. We grabbed a few pints and planted ourselves up on the second floor for a while. I'm sure I'm not seeing anything that anybody else hasn't already said.

The Harp is a traditional British public house that opened in London, England in 1805. It was founded by James Barton and was originally called "The Whelsh Harp". The pub is located in Covent Garden (not far from Trafalgar Square) and is known for their excellent craft beer selection. Specifically, they are an excellent place to go for Cask Ales (called 'Real Ales' in the UK). For those unfamiliar with the term, Cask Ales are beer brewed from traditional ingredients, matured by secondary fermentation in the container from which it is dispensed, and served without the use of extraneous carbon dioxide. The beer is unpasteurized and unfiltered with live, active yeast in the cask. Fans of cask ales believe that this is the way that beer was meant to be consumed. Aside from beer, they also offer sausages. The pub's name was shortened to simply "The Harp" in 1995 when it was purchased by an Irish woman named Binnie Walsh. Since 2014, it has been owned and operated by Fuller's: a British brewery and chain of pubs. My wife and I visited The Harp in April 2019. We were on a week-long trip to London. One evening, we were looking to stop at a pub before our dinner reservations. I looked up a list of London pubs that had great cask ale selections, and The Harp was on the list. We were right near Covent Garden, so we walked over. I had never seen so many beers available on cask at the same time. They had at least a dozen beers available on cask and an additional eight on draught. This sort of sight is unheard of in the United States. The first beer I tried was 'The Enigma Code': an IPA from Anspach & Hobday. It tasted awesome! Later, I tried 'Cascade': an Amber Red Ale from Gloucester Brewery. It was a little on the bitter side (but not in a bad way) and had a nice finish. My wife ordered a Gold Cider from Cornish Orchards (served on draught). It had a crisp, refreshing taste. The Harp definitely set a high standard for pubs with craft beer and cask ales. I never wanted to leave the place! I'll definitely be back the next time I take a trip to London!

The Harp is one of the amazing pub, great beer selection and clean pipes. Lots of locals hang out here. It's a bit small but interesting pub in Chandos Place, at the top of Adelaide Street, which is opposite Charing Cross Station. It looks small from the outside but the bar goes a long way back from the road. There is a good selection of beer to choose from and I liked the local grapefruit IPA. Above the bar is a large and interesting selection of beer mats, although there are a few duplicates. Friendly helpful efficient staff. Tiny little bar, crammed with punters, but squeeze in and you won't regret it. It gets pretty crowded but is an absolute gem in a part of town full of identikit venues. Definitely one of the best pubs to check out in London.

This is as traditional as you can get when it comes to English pubs! It gets so crowded that people have to stand across the street to be able to enjoy their pints! Fun place for sure!

The real London pub experience. Excellent beer selection, good service, felt right at home.

Amazing pub! Great selection of beer and ciders. This place is always packed so be prepared to be standing up the whole time. Employees're very knowledgeable and friendly; They constantly gave me different samples while explaining each one. If you're into hard ciders, they have really good ones! All in all, it's an amazing experience - the people there're friendly & welcoming. It didn't take long before we were hanging out with different crowds in there. On top of all these, our total bill for 6 alcohol was only around 20£. Definitely the best happy hour experience for me!

My wife and I spent a lovely Friday afternoon here. We stood outside and enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere. The service at the bar was kind and swift.

The Harp, a tiny hole in the wall pub in Covent Garden behind Trafalgar Square, just happens to have a world-class beer selection, in particular their cask selection. We stopped in randomly on a mid-afternoon walk and were blown away. I would highly recommend to any beer lover.

The perfect local pub for a true London experience. We were made to feel very welcome and at home. Love the crowded loud happy atmosphere!! We had a group of 6 regulars join us at our table, and it was simply wonderful!! Delicious beer and lovely Brits!! Simply the best!!

After a full morning of sightseeing from Westminster to Trafalgar Square (in sub-freezing temperatures), my fiancée and I were ready for a place to warm up, rest our feet, and fill our tummies for lunchtime. A quick look at my London Yelp bookmarks showed that The Harp was right around the corner and seemed like the perfect pub for our midday needs. One step into the narrow yet inviting pub and I quickly fell in love with the historic looking portraits lining the walls and the plethora of old beer tap placards hanging above the bar. To my delight, one of the beers on tap was from The Kernel Brewery, a well known UK beer company that I was eager to try. Their India Pale Ale (Nelson Sauvin Motueka variety) was a beautiful hazy version with well-balanced juicy hop flavor. In honor of it being Saint David's Day (March 1, 2018), there were guest taps from Welsh brewery Tiny Rebel Brewing Co. We honored the patron saint of Wales by getting a pint of their Juicy golden ale and it was pretty solid. The bartender serving us was friendly when fulfilling our beer orders and took things to another level of kindness when he gave us complimentary sausage sandwiches to enjoy with our pints. It was exactly the lunchtime treat that my fiancée and I needed and we smiled big with each sip and bite. The excellent service, fantastic environment, and incredible brews made this my favorite London pub by far!

Awesome local pub. I wish they had this place in my neck of the woods. Loved the decor of all the coasters from breweries all over. I'm not the biggest fan of cask beer but they had so many good options, I didn't even mind it!

After a long walking tour, this is a perfect place to rest especially on the 2nd floor. Many local ppl stand outside the pub talking with frds drinking beer. The beers here is really nice! Very light and refreshing flavor!

Every time I go to The Harp, the bartenders make me - a stranger - feel at home. That's the real difference between a good pub and a great one.

As I was navigating through the streets of London trying to swipe my London Pass as many times as possible, I needed to stop for a drink and The Harp was a great place to obtain that desire. The Harp is a great bar that has lots of taps, lots of places to sit, and reliable wifi (for us tourists who constantly need it). A lot of people say it's the best pub in London and it's not hard to see why because it's a great open environment downstairs with nice places to sit upstairs, not to mention power outlets to charge your electronics. This is the ideal to meet up and talk over good-priced London brew if you're local or a tourist. Cheers!

A bit on the small size, but we got to try a pub in London! Beers were good, and the staff were super friendly! Loved how they decorated the place with the various beer coasters. They also have a standing outdoor area for those that get a bit claustrophobic or want some fresh air rather than being in a stale beer area inside.

The Harp is really really cool. Don't just read about it on Yelp - you have to experience its full glory firsthand. The pub is one of those tiny places that is almost impossible to find a seat. You're going to complain about it but love it at the same time. The cask selection is also endless - you will be more than satisfied with some nice cold beer and a good conversation here right off of Trafalgar Square.

We went to the Harp last night for dinner, but were turned away at the door by the security guard saying that you don't serve food. He told us to go to the Marquis for food, so we did. Very odd since we picked the Harp from Yelp reviews. If you've quit serving food, you should update on Yelp. Sorry- we went by a review by George H from a year ago stating that the fish and chips were amazing. In re-reading more recent reviews, someone does say that no food is served.

Yeah, I like this place. It is not the good old pub that I want - it is different. But very cozy. Super nice upstairs! Like a living room. We were here on a Tuesday night around 10 and it was C-R-O-W-D-E-D. A bit unusual draughts. Under £4 for a pint. Definitely worth a stop on your pub crawl!

Stopped in with two friends on a Saturday evening at around 6, when our first option of Gordon's Wine Bar was already overcrowded for no reason. Lucky for us, we were able to nab three seats by the bar at the Harp. They dont do cocktails but with all the beer they have on tap, you won't run our of options. They do have a full bar though. Overall, drinks were very reasonably priced and it had a cool atmosphere. Would def recommend if you're looking for a break during/after your day.

80 degrees and sunny out in Covent Garden = swarms of tourists everywhere. I wanted to go to a pub with a relaxing atmosphere, without having to elbow my way up to the bar. My friend led the way, walking through a small alleyway and arriving at this lovely pub. You have the option to sample a beer before ordering a pint, which I thought was a perfect way to sample new beers. I didn't try the food, but loved catching up with friends at this quaint pub!

Worst pub in the known world. One staff member on bar duty at 9pm on a Thursday night. Complete joke. Go anywhere else.

I like that the top of the bar is covered with stickers (?) from all sorts of different ales, and for a tourist like me, that was kind of cool. It seemed like more of a local place and I like that service was efficient and friendly.

Very cool pub. It is filled with locals for some after work drinks. Great spot to hang out and enjoy some beers with lots of fun people! The best pub i've been in london!

Formerly the Welsh Harp, this is a small but very popular pub, with a long and narrow single bar, just a stone's throw from Trafalgar Square. In fact, the decor seems to be competing with the National Portrait Gallery, because the pub walls are covered with old portraits (some of them look quite valuable, but what do I know?). The pub does well-regarded food, but the real reason for a trip here is the outstanding choice of real-ales for a central London venue - regulars include Timothy Taylor Landlord, Harvey's Best Bitter and Black Sheep, with at least two others guests, which last night included Bateman's 'England Expects', Titanic's 'White Star' and Skipton's 'Copper Dragon'. Fabulous. There are always plenty of staff behind the bar, and service is friendly and efficient (though it can get packed, especially after work, in which case you'll have to fight your way to the bar). Customers spill out onto the pavement in the summer. Recommended.

The Harp isn't exactly a secret. Due to its cramped quarters, drinkers often spill out into the street in waves on a regular weekday evening. To say it's popular is a bit of an understatement, but there's a reason that a multitude of demographics congregate here: ten of the best maintained cask lines in the city are found here to appease cask fans, speedily rotating kegs of local breweries alongside macros draw in the hopheads; and a remarkably hospitable landlord is on hand to keep service ticking over, despite how many punters are lined up on the bar. The cask selection and pint quality are unparalleled- if you're not terribly familiar with cask ales, the quality of the beer dispensed relies on its proper storage and cleaning almost as much as it does on its recipe and brewing. The beers are keg tick over very quickly and will usually have a London brewery, such as Kernel, represented. The crowds that frequent the Harp range from young craft aficionados to suited businessmen and CAMRA types, all unified by a love of good beer. The atmosphere is cosy and you'll likely be pressed against a ledge or wall and always in the way of someone passing by, but there's no shoving or temperaments here. There are some tables hidden amongst the surges of people and a small sitting area/event space upstairs. As the evening goes on, the crowds do thin out. The bar is decorated with a mural of pump clips from former sessions. Situated just off of Trafalgar Square, this is simply the best spot for a beer around these parts of London. The Harp oozes charm and will leave you enamoured. And if you're looking for a reason to drink cask, it's an absolute must.

Good little place for a drink! Love al the pictures on the wall and the pub has won awards through the years.

Lovely quaint small pub along a backstreet which is known by office workers to go to. I love it because it's one of the oldest in the area and it's compactness means the atmosphere is buzzing, yet somehow still relaxed. It's a proper English Boozer with an excellent selection of ales on tap and I love the beer mats that are plastered on walls. I go here everytime I'm nearby by for one or two and will continue too.

Almost no tourists (except me ) and also very friendly stuff and customers. I did like it very much. When you're coming from the back it's kind of hard to find. You have to go through a very tiny street to get to the place. In there it is crowded but not to stuffed. Friendly staff. No underage people allowed. I got asked to show my ID

One of the best pubs in London definitely deserves five stars. It sells a large range of really good craft cask beer (real ale) just a stone's throw from Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden and The Strand. Visiting London and want to experience a real pub, rather than a fake 'real ''English'' pub'? Come here. It's not even that expensive for central London, especially for the quality of the beers on offer. It is very difficult to get a seat between around 4-7PM weekdays, so it's not perfect for everyone, but surely its business just goes to show how popular this place is, for a very good reason.

One of my favorite pubs in London. It was a good crowd and atmosphere. There was one drunk asshole that was trying to pick a fight with everybody, but he was harmless and added to the experience!

When you think of the classic British pub scene, this is what you picture. Cozy, filled with character, and good bear and cider. There's two levels. Bottom level has (in order from entrance) main standing area, the bar, and high top tables in the back. Upper level is the bathrooms and a smaller (quieter) lounge area with plush couches and chairs, plus some barstools along the wall. Crowd seemed a bit older than other places we checked out but the atmosphere was lively nevertheless.

I was looking for an afternoon pub stop, and found this gem. The Harp is a classic pub. A very narrow bar on the first floor leads to some precarious stairs in the back that take you to a quieter upstairs. The staff is friendly, the beer choices are excellent, and the view upstairs is pleasant. I am hoping to make it here again.

I can't believe I forgot to review The Harp from my latest London visit! Here's my advice if you're a lone traveler in London. Especially a lone female traveler. Walking into a crowded pub at dinner time when you're all alone is a bit scary. The Harp is packed for dinner but it's wide open right before lunch is served. I popped in around 11am (yay! jetlag!) and the lovely lady at the bar not only offered me beer suggestions and tutoring but she gave me a few samples and she even went as far as to suggest a few lunch options in the area if I was hungry. They do serve sausage on a roll but she told me to try another local place while it was still quiet for food! I can't remember what I had - it was a lager and it was the traditional almost warm type lager. It was absolutely delicious. If you sit in front of the stained glass windows and ask her she will open them up and you have a prime people watching spot while you indulge. Oh, an American tip - you have to order at the bar even if you sit at a table!

Hanging out while my niece was in class means we had time to kill. We hit the wine bar for my husband, but now it was my turn to pick a place to find a beer. The Harp was not far from where we were so we decided to give it a shot. The bar area was a beautiful dark wood and was exactly what I picture when I think of a corner bar that I want to hang out in. I made my way upstairs and found a cozy seating area that reminds me of a grandmother's living room. In a good way though. Club chairs circled around different tables to allow small groups to gather and talk and share a pint. if I lived in the neighborhood, I would easily find myself here a couple times a week to grab a beer with the husband after a day in the office.

What I would call a proper boozer! Looking for somewhere to meet up with my older brother, we needed somewhere close to tubes and fairly noticeable. After The Harp was suggested (and a quick look on City Mapper), we had a wander through Embankment Memorial and then took the short walk across to the pub. It's small inside, and I can see why it would attract tourists - it reminded me very much of the pub we frequented in Sydney, which advertised itself as the oldest pub in the city. Dark wood, lots of people, and a good selection of beers. We didn't think we'd be able to get a seat at first, but a visit to the loos up the stairs proved a success all round as we discovered the additional seating area. It was empty bar one other group, so we quickly settled down in the middle of the room and started our afternoon's drinking. Family folk, it's worth noting that a group with a young child did get asked to leave, so perhaps not the most family oriented pub in London... A morris dancing group even started outside, so entertainment sometimes included!

Fantastic neighborhood joint where the locals are friendly and the beer warm, as it's served in London. We jotted up to this pub after dinner one night and were thankful they were still open and hopping. We found two seats at the bar, thanks to some local folks who gave up their stools for us, and proceeded to down a pint or two of the multitude the have to offer. Wonderful little spot if you're looking for a true British pub experience. Happy to have found it thanks to you Yelpers!

Two very potent words for you... WHISKEY CIDER This place serves it and it will knock you for six! Two pints of this murky nectar and you are well on your way. Besides lethal combinations of this kind, The Harp also has a more traditional selection of real ales from around London and the UK. The bar itself is small and long and there's an alleyway you can hang out in round the back and smoke and imagine a time when London would have been even more filthy and dangerous! Inside they have a vast collection of beer mats covering the bar like some kind of booze-inspired camouflage. As with most reviewers, I have not eaten here. I almost think it would be a crime to have anything more than a bag of peanuts because this is a proper pub and proper pubs are for boozing!

This is an incredible real ale pub just out of the tourist's way from Trafalgar Square (shhhh - don't tell the Americans! :D) We'd just had a drink over at the Sherlock Holmes, but this pub was more indicative of the type of drinking establishments we were interested in - historic interiors and a few real cask ales on tap. So, let's talk about cask ale. For those concerned about the English stereotype of serving 'warm beer', you really need to get over that urban legend. These ales are hand pumped up from pub cellar casks, and although they are not ice cold like your typical Bud Light might be, they are by no means warm. Ales like this are not meant to be served ice cold, but if you think you'll be drinking something akin to the temperature of slightly cooled tea, you're simply incorrect. The truth is, cask ale is properly served between 11 - 13°C (most residential fridges are set to between 0 and 4°C with most bottled beers served in pubs between 4 - 6°C) So although it's slightly warmer than a drink out of a fridge at home, it's still served cooler than a glass of red wine (16 - 21°C) and slightly cooler than the proper serving temperature of a white wine (12 - 15°C). The Harp regularly serves 10 cask ales and ciders, which makes it worth finding. They also do a great handmade sausage, but unfortunately they do not serve them on Sundays. I had a half pint of Cornish Gold Cider from Cornish Orchards in Cornwall, and my husband had a half of Sussex Best Bitter from Harvey's Brewery in Lewes. We also shared a half of Belgian Honey Porter from Black Jack Beers in good old Manchestah. Visiting a good cask ale pub in England is like going to Napa Valley - there are so many varieties and flavours to try from all over Great Britain. Most of the pubs we visited were recommended by CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale), a respected British consumer organization known for promoting real ale and cider and is at the forefront of protecting the traditional British Pub. Real ale is a type of beer defined as "beer brewed from traditional ingredients, matured by secondary fermentation in the container from which it is dispensed, and served without the use of extraneous carbon dioxide". Adding extra carbon diioxide makes a beer 'fizzy', so you'll find very little 'fizz' or 'bubbles' in a real ale. Real ale has a much shorter shelf life than mass-produced commercial beers such as Carling or Newcastle Brown Ale, so it is served in smaller quantities and is worth seeking out as a real treat that you'll only find in England. If you want to find a 'proper' British pub, check out CAMRA's Good Beer Guide - where the Harp comes highly recommended!

My favorite place to kick back and relax in London. Quaint, homey, but sophisticated place. The feel and style of the place was really impressive. The best spots are upstairs and it's nice to go on a quiet afternoon and read a book or do work there. The bartenders were very friendly and willing to help you out if you don't know your way around drinks. By far my favorite cider was at the Harp. Be warned, if you go Thursday-Sunday night it will be standing room only - it's where the locals go to chat after work on Th-Fri. The locals will give you a bit of a stare if you're a foreigner/tourist/not a regular but I visited this place 3 times out of my 1 week in London - highly recommend!

(Pub #2 in our Top 20 cyber-Yelp pub crawl in London.) "Yes, yes, ya'll. Who got the vibe? It's the Tribe ya'll. Tribe ya'll. Real live ya'll. Live ya'll" Tribe of beer nerds, that is. What colour is my beer ya'll? "BROWWWWWWWWN." (I give you one guess as to what I was just listening to...) This place is beer geek heaven. Easily, one of the best pubs you will ever go to in your measly little life, and my 5+ star rating just aint good enough. The only negatives I can spill are that everyone now knows about this place, and it is a serious sausage fest. I can't tell you how many male groins and asses I've had to push past to get to the bar or the bathroom. Hey, maybe you like that kind of thing. Enjoy. And ladies, if you are looking for a beer nerd man, I found your spot. He might not be very attractive with a well developed beer gut, and he will be able to bore you to death about what type of hops was used for his pint. But he's a keeper! When this place is mobbed (every minute they are open), my advice is to take your pint outside if the weather is nice and enjoy. Pints are well pulled, and the beer list is staggering. The staff rocks. Just tell them what you like, and they will steer you towards something fantastic. The Harp's beer list includes a who's who of every niche British brewery you've never heard of. Seriously, it's out of control, and the staff know their proverbial shit. If your bird doesn't do English ales, don't you dare order her a mass produced lager. I will fly over there, nick a pint, and smack you, and your bird. Get her a cider or a perry. Never heard of perry, or had a true English cider.? Just order it. She'll like it. And if she doesn't, kick that slag to the curb. I've never had food here, and really have no desire to at all. That would only take up room for the delicious ale. You probably don't need to eat here, but I have heard the food is decent. Now grab your fanny pack, you know what fanny means in the UK don't you, you seppo, and meet me up at The Lamb and Flag. Its up the street a few blocks in Covent Garden. It's time for pub #3 in our 20 pubs of London crawl. Ohhhhh, you don't think you can handle 20 pints tonight? Wanker.

A great pub in a great location but not too expensive! A paradise for anyone who enjoys real ale beer: the bar has about 9-10 different a cask ales on tap...

Decent place to stop in for a beer. The place is very small, and often crowded due to its location. They have a good selection of various local beers. They pour a very solid Guinness as well.

If you like cask beer, you would be hard to beat this pub. It is always packed and is a pleasure to drink in. The staff are sharp, fast and very efficient. Big turnover in cask beets means there is plenty of variety. Often voted a CAMRA pub if the year!

London has loads of new bars opening up that serve craft beer mostly which I like, but for when I want to go have a more traditional pint or lager/ale or cider The Harp is one of the best choices in Central London. Their beer selection comes from various breweries around London and the UK and they rotate regularly, so be sure to check back often. Even though the Harp has been bought by Fullers Brewery, they have largely left this pub to it's previous state which is a refreshing decision. This pub is narrow which means during their busier hours it can be crowded, so be prepared if coming here on a Friday/Saturday night. The upstairs is a nice place to sit when it's quieter and has nice comfy chairs to rest when sipping your pint of choice. CAMRA had rewarded The Harp National Pub of the Year 2010/2011 and is frequently in many beer blog's best pub lists. So in short: Good pub for ale/lager/cider but best for off-peak times.

This is an excellent pub, especially for its very central location. It's very near to The Chandos, and a decidedly better choice. The atmosphere is the best part. I came here twice on my most recent trip to London, and found two other foreigners on the first visit and none of the second. Conversations here were fun to eavesdrop on. Obviously popular with London suits, as well as with retirees and a few younger working people. A cozy, comfortable dark wood interior with a large open front window that encourages sitting at the window-ledge stools or standing on the sidewalk if the weather permits. There is an upstairs room, but it looks like a pink, frilly tearoom and was deserted on both of my visits. I would guess that it seats people on crowded evenings. I found a nice selection of cask beers, most of which I don't think I encountered in any other pubs I visited. Two originals that I wrote down were an Elderflower Blonde Ale and Boggart Ray of Sunshine. Everything was poured nicely, and prices were average. I didn't try any of the food here, but there are daily specials and the locals seemed to order the daily special sausage plates very consistently. The service, in my experience, was average. Barkeeps talked amongst themselves, and while I did see the owner briefly, she didn't spend any time behind the bar. No complaints. Highly recommended "boozer," as TimeOut London would call it (they seem to favor bars over pubs). I spent several very pleasant hours here with my dad; it was his first time in London, and this happened to be the first pub we visited as we met in Trafalgar Square.

This is what I imagine a block party is like! My friends and I met up here at 7 p.m. on a Friday night. I saw people everywhere drinking on sidewalks and couldn't actually see a pub! Eventually we found the pub, but you could barely get inside to get a drink. It was a particularly warm day in London so the window was open so you could see right into the pub. I'm not quite sure what the price of the drinks were since we only had two rounds, but apparently they had a good choice of ales. I did opt for a cold lager because of the temperature. We stood outside, but the staff kept coming around and ushering us into specific areas as well as picking up stray glasses that had been left on the side of the road. Eventually we made our way upstairs where there is some seating. It was much quieter and different from the pub downstairs. The seats were nice and cushy, inviting you to stay and drink all night! Overall, love this place and would definitely go back and stand on the sidewalk with my pint!