The Shaston Arms

Was so looking forward to trying out this place and all I can say was that it was quite hit and miss. Some dishes such as the John Dory fish was spectacular but the piri piri pork tasted like a packet sauce. But the dessert was amazing. So I don’t know what to say.

We had memories of The Shaston of old, a classic old London boozer. I was slightly fearful the reboot in foodie hands might have stripped the soul from its bones... so was delighted to find the interior had received no more than a polish. We were seated at a corner table, a "cosy" fit for three which did slightly create the risk of clearing the table next to it every time you attempted to manoeuvre into it. The packed room definitely creates atmosphere... but it's not for those looking to stretch out in any direction. The food, however, is far more elevated than the surroundings. And it's the incongruity between these two things that makes this reincarnation of The Shaston so special. The atmosphere tells you to relax like you're in your local pub, the food tells you the chef has trained somewhere with a star. The menu frequently rotates, but if the orichiette appears then it should be the first thing you order. Followed closely by the leeks, while the pork collar melted like butter and was liberally doused with a sauce spicy enough to cause a glistening forehead. Sadly for us, the popularity of this new version of The Shaston meant we were turfed from our table after 90 minutes. After finding our way to a nearby outpost in the bar area, we were offered the dessert menus that time had not allowed us to peruse originally. Sadly said menus never arrived, and so we were deprived of the treacle tart... there are clearly still front of house kinks to be worked out, but the service was warm if not faultless. A recent national newspaper reviewer failed to see the charm of this boozer with elevated cuisine. I couldn't disagree more.

Absolutely fab meal! Been looking for a proper pub with great cask ale but with interesting food - small, seasonal changing menu. And nice natural wine list. Everything we ordered was brilliant - and great value considering the quality of the food and the location. Contrary to Grace Dent’s Guardian review, the service was incredibly good, among best I’ve had in London. From the moment we arrived to the end, it was perfect. I have a really annoying food intolerance and the waiting staff and kitchen went above and beyond to accommodate - never felt so looked after in that regard. We sat in the dining area, which unlike other food pub places, still felt like a cosy, atmospheric pub rather than a stale back room restaurant. Wood panels and candle lit. One of the best meals I’ve had in London I can remember. Can’t wait to be go back! Thank you the Shaston team

Really delicious food, friendly service and good atmosphere! The onion rings, piri piri pork, cavolo nero with black olive, and chips were highlights.

A soho gem. A real pub but with knockout food. Have you been yet???

We had a wonderful experience at the Shaston Arms last night. The dining area was cozy and intimate. The food was excellent and the service was great. The waiting staff were some of the best I’ve encountered. They made us feel so welcome and served us with a smile. We will be back!

So glad I decided to visit last Sunday. The pub has been enhanced in the best possible way and the lunch we had was out of this world; I would say the best lunch I have had in London all year. Terrific front of house team too! You can come here for just a drink too so the balance is perfect. Oozing with character, a perfect pub under the best guardianship!

Some of the best food I’ve had in a very, very long time! Each dish was perfectly balanced and absolutely delicious. Personal highlights were the scallops, merguez baguette, and the baked custard. The service was amazing and the atmosphere was lively in a cost setting. Would recommend!

Cute, cosy and central, this little pub is a definite winner. Because of the location it attracts the usual suspects; media types and trendy boutique workers but they're not all bad and the pub has a friendly atmosphere, enhanced by the little seating booths lining one side of the pub giving it the feel of a Victorian tavern in modern times. I do like this area, especially on the first Friday of the month when everyone has just been payed and all the pubs around Carnaby Street are heaving with happy people with the means to buy dinner, beer and travel cards again.

The Shaston Arms is a handsome pub by Carnaby Street. It is incredibly popular when the crowd stretches across to the building across the street with that giant pretend plug socket. I was a little surprised by the décor inside which is very traditional, and rather than being airy the pub is slightly pokey and subterranean. The bar is to the right and is fully stocked with a good range of draught beers. If you are able to get a seat inside it is a good place to spend an evening. Alternatively, if it's sunny it is nice standing outside with the crowd. Either way, this pub has a good atmosphere.

The Shaston Arms is one of the two pubs frequented for work drinks, the thing I like most about this pub and many others in the Carnaby Street areas is that people are allowed to literally spill out unto the cobbled streets and there's something quite charming about that little detail to me. It's pretty snug and cosy inside, there isn't much space which is why everyone is generally out on Ganton Street sipping out of plastic cups. It's pretty much just women behind the bar as well and one of them is so sweet and a bit batty. You can only take what she says with a pinch of salt and a smile. She's very quirky to say the least. The ale in there is good and cheap too. And there's a bit in the back where you've got a skylight so it's quite nice if you can get a patch of light shining through whilst you have a drink. It is always busy, cold weather or not, I think its genuine charm appeals to a lot of people, and if you look in the windows, they have wine bottles with candles stuck of top and they must have burned about a hundred candles on them, because they have that molten dripping effect. Again, I think it just adds to the charm.

I really really like this pub. It serves a handful of real ales, but doesn't look like your typical real ale pub. I can't think of another pub to compare it too really. The layout is very strange, but it makes it very cosy if you have a seat. If you don't have a seat there aren't too many places to stand, without getting in people's way. I didn't have a seat, got in peoples way but still enjoyed my visit a lot.so the pub must be good! The colour scheme is predominantly red.

Cute little pub to have a drink in the afternoon sunshine. Good service, 'hip' crowd.

Busy, busy, busy. This place really gets crazy on a Thursdays or Friday at 6pm. Most likely you will find media types that work around the area. It is a good pub. Though one time we where there and a friend got robbed, they stole a suitcase that had thousands of pounds worth in jewelry. My poor mate was in shock, so now every time we go to that pub we make sure to hang on to our bags. Other than that its cool to be able to be out and have some fresh air after a day at work, have a pint or two and unwind with mates.

"Wow, this is a proper little pubby-pub, innit?" one of my colleagues muttered as we crossed the threshold into the dark, snug little watering hole in the Newburgh Quarter of Carnaby St area. In the land of sexy champagne bars and cookie-cutter chain pubs, this antique-y little boozer is a nice change of pace from the typical Central London drinking establishments. The dark wood bar, low lighting, wainscoting, and floorplan composed of several small connecting rooms are all quite refreshing in über-trendy Soho, and being located on a quiet little side-street means that there is plenty of room to spill outwards onto the pavements without the threat of passing foot-traffic. The outside of the pub is painted a surprising colour of red with gaudy ol' gold-painted lettering, but the inside is unexpectedly quite subtle and classily austere. The staff are polite and efficient, but the bar is unfortunately located in a place that disrupts the flow of people trying to make their way in to find a table or pop out for a quick cigarette. The iPod-provided music is occasionally turned up too loud when a staff member's favourite song comes on, but at least they seem to have respectable taste (Etta James and her cohort were the more memorable too-loud selections of the night). Basically, this is a great place to meet for a few pints after work. It's not the sort of place you'd bring a date or a client you're trying to impress, but it's got a decent amount of subtle, distinguished charm that is quietly impressive on its own. Nothing flashy or exciting, but appealing for that very reason.

The Tanglefoot does what it says on the tin - be warned! But if applied with caution you can have yourself a great night at this cosy little boozer. Friendly bar staff - which makes a pleasant change in the West End, decent prices and good music, what's not to love?

German bartender suggested British Ale. Management Coercion?

The Shaston Arms gets really busy from Fridays and even busier during the summer when people enjoy their drinks on the pavement. It reminds me a lot of drinking in a little cosy pub in Hampstead because it's easy to forget that you're minutes away from hectic Regents Street. The outside seating (if you're lucky enough to get one!) is a bonus because it is the ideal place to watch the cool and crazy characters wandering through Carnaby Street. Many times I have been walked past and been called over by a friend drinking outside and my 'one quick drink' has turned into a late night drinking session ending with a curry at Masala Zone. Sometimes the best nights are really the unplanned ones and some of mine have started at The Shaston Arms.

Drinks at OK prices, shuts earlier than what you'd like for central London

Your typical after work London pub. Pretty quiet during the day but then heaving from around 17:00 - 21:00. Few spaces to sit so the majority of the bar spill onto the streets. The bar itself is tiny although the selection of beers and ales is good for a pub so central in London. Staff are friendly as are most of the people! If you're peckish you've also got Masala Zone next door, although I'd recommend walking to Wong Kei!

Nice beer spoilt by poor service. If the lady I am with has been served warm white wine should I really have to pay again to get her a decent drink when the first will be thrown the drain?