Lamb & Flag

Whilst on a walking tour this weekend, Jen introduced us to the Lamb and Flag — a beautiful little pub tucked away down a side alleyway off the hustle and bustling Covent Garden streets.
She informed us of its grand history and how Charles I used to frequently frequent this establishment. It is now owned by Fullers (a London brewery institute) and although it is now part of a chain, it hasn’t lost its charm.
Post tour, Alex and I took my brother back to the Lamb and Flag for dinner. It was packed downstairs so we headed up stairs and managed to grab a table with ease.
The service was a tad slow but we weren’t in any particular rush so it didn’t really bother. The food, traditional British, was good but nothing spectacular. Typical to Fullers, they pride themselves on their pies but if you have anything other than that, the food kind of falls flat.
I opted for the fish and chips. The fish was nice but soggy on the bottom and the chips were typical bag chips shoved in a deep fat fryer.
But for me, this pub is perfect for an afternoon pint in a truly traditional British pub. Sure it’s crammed with tourists but if you find a little knuck in the corner you’ll easily be able to sit and enjoy the atmosphere for hours and who knows you may even be sat where Charles sat himself :)

Another pub that locals frequent… I was fascinated how it was in a little alleyway and that it was, as locals call it, a proper pub.
Fish and chips were meh, and SO and tour guide really enjoyed their pints here. I like how you can bring dogs in the pub and met two very friendly and sweet bulldogs a couple brought in,

Typical boozer with space upstairs got good, although no food was being served during the rugby match. Small screen in the bar and a larger to upstairs. Atmosphere quite subdued considering it was a semifinal but think that’s cause there were a lot of tourists. Usual ales and beers on tap and amazing architecture inside and out. Loved that it was tucked down a little ally way.

Been here a few times, the location and the outdoor space make this place VERY popular with the after work crowds in Covent Garden and Leicester Square. They have plenty of beer and cider on draft and a good selection of bottles, despite how busy it always is, the staff are really on the ball and I’m always served pretty quickly. If you are lucky and get there earlier enough, or perhaps stay late enough on a week day, there is a lot more space upstairs. Overall good little pub, perfect for that quick one* after work.
*one hahahaha

Was hoping for a bit more from this old London tradition, but it was just your average pub with sticky floors, poor service, and an entrance that smelled like piss. Hmm maybe I’ve grown up!

My girl friend once live in the area and raved about coming here for the live bands. We came in to check out the band which was a classic old jazz band. It was great, the place was packed… good vibes. Definitely a fan.

This is a proper pub, looks like a proper pub, sounds like a proper pub, has good fish and chips and treacle; what more could one want. It’s historic and full of Britishness in a city that is losing it’s Britishness fast. I cannot imagine the owners selling the Lamb, but the government doesn’t seem to mind putting a price tag on buildings of historical value and allowing a chain hotel sign giving it a certain, shall we say cheapness, originated in the US. The Houses of Parliament would make a dandy Hilton and the bureaucrats could just stay at home as far as I’m concerned JUST AS LONG AS THEY DO NOT ADORN THEM WITH THEIR UGGGGLIE LOGO.
The Lamb will never change; let the others go to foreign hotel magnets.
And Fuller’s is wonderful.
One tip, however, go early.

Had a good fish & chips. My lunch-​mates, club wasn’t below par. The pints were great. The pub is legendary and worthy of it’s reputation. Make sure to take a peak upstairs.

Very cool ambiance that totally feels out of a Dickens’ novel. Fish and chips were great, as was the steak and ale pie — but the tartare sauce… To die for.

The ultimate after work local for what seems every worker in Covent garden and especially me being just next door in Carluccio’s Head office.
Grab a tray of drinks and stand on the cobbles outside for a reasonable price! You always getting chatting to some interesting stranger there for the same reasons you are. Its just laid back and puts the cherry on top of a Friday.
But hay don’t expect anything too special inside, Its a true London Brewery! Just how us corporate bods like em!

I’ve been coming to the Fuller’s pub, on and off for years. After having lunch in Soho with fellow Unilocaler Steve B. we decided to have some cask ales to finish off the afternoon. After have a pint in the crowded Harp, off the Strand. Steve suggested a pint here.
The pub is set off the main drag between Charing Cross Road and Covent Garden. The last time I came here was in the summer, when the courtyard to the front of the pub was heaving with early evening drinkers. It has retained a great character and charm. The custom seemed to be made up of regulars, passing trade and tourists. It must be part of a London pub walking tour, as a group of French tourists that were in the Harp also popped up here. I don’t know how old the pub is, but it seemed to have a real atmosphere that anyone would expect if looking for a real London pub.
I decided on a beer that was new to me; Father Brown’s brown ale. I enjoyed it very much. The fact that the bar was not too busy, and we were able to get a table helped.
If you are in London and looking for a pub that sells a good selection of beers, and has a real drinking pub’s atmosphere, you can’t go far wrong with this place. Highly recommend.

Crowded on a Tuesday, but a nice little pub. Everyone seemed to find a beer they liked, and I was happy with Rekorderlig. it wasn’t terribly loud, which is always a bonus in a pub. After 8 it calmed down quite a bit (probably due to theatre-​y things) and was even nicer. Decent service and a nice atmosphere at this lovely old spot.
The ladies toilet could do with a revamp, but it’s certainly not the worst I’ve seen!

I have a friend who works for Fullers, so we often go here — once we managed to get the entire top bar to ourselves.
I really like this pub. It’s a proper pub, the hidden away setting is ‘very London’ I don’t know. glean from that what you will. cobbled stone side streets, windy alleyways, dark wood panelling, narrow stairs. I love it. You can almost tell what it would have been like, 100+ years ago. Much more appealing than too much glass, chrome and neon lights.
Good selection of beers and friendly bar staff. I have never eaten here, so I can’t comment on the food.
Oh and of course, most importantly. dog friendly. :)

Whats not to love about a pub that’s got the history that Lamb & Flag does?! Go early (it was packed by 5pm once everyone got off work) and try a pint of the Cornish Orchards Cider if they have it on tap, its tart, but refreshing.

This was my favorite pub of the trip. It’s pretty small/​cozy, but I really liked the setting. For whatever reason, seemed to be more locals/​less touristy than some of the other places that I’d visited.
The streets closeby have lots of good photo opportunities too.

I arrived in London, somewhat bleary-​eyed after an all night Transatlantic journey where sleeplessness, Sir Richard Branson on my seatback screen, airplane food, and mewling, screaming infants combined to produce a powerful disorenting effect. I went through UK Border Patrol somewhat zombie like, but my mouth moved and must have said the right words and/​or produced the right documents, because the representative of HM the Queen who was assigned to me permitted me entry with a smile. The main purpose of my trip was to see world-​famous genius/​musician/​singer/​recluse Kate Bush perform live for the first time since 1979.
I checked into my hotel, and promptly took a two hour nap. Upon waking around 5:30 pm London time, I was ravenous. Still jet-​lagged and with a mind that had all the dexterity of a duck that had been hit on the head with a mallet, I got on the Piccadilly Line and exited at Leister Square. I walked about randomly, looking for a pub that had the right look. After 15 minutes or so, I found myself in a strange, atmospheric pre-​automobile age alleyway of some kind, and there my eyes cast upon the Lamb and Flag.
Immediately, something told me this was the right place to clear my jet-​lagged mind. I entered, and the atmosphere was perfect. Just the right level of darkness and eccentricity. I decided to go to the upstairs dining room, and while using the stairs, noticed a bathroom wedged on the landing MC Escher style. That provided even more confirmation that I was in the right spot. The dining room was quiet, with its own bar, some kind of elevator that brought food from the kitchen up to us, and walls that spoke of long ago violence, Charles Dickens, and royalty…
The table service was friendly and prompt. There was a small error with my order that was promptly and cheerfully fixed. The ales were fabulous, and the chicken and ham pie I ordered was quite delicious and filling. My server was kind enough to walk me through the puddings menu and explain to me that an «Eton Mess» was nothing to be afraid of, but rather, to be enjoyed. I opted for the warm Treacle cake with vanilla ice cream. Delicious.
The Lamb and Flag did me well on that first, difficult, jet lagged day in London. I highly recommend it to anyone beginning their adventures in London, to achieve some comfort, orientation, and gustatory comfort and excellence…

The benefits of family vacations are overrated. Taking children along for the ride is a thankless task that can lessen your enjoyment of both the trip and your children. And that’s why I say thank God for beer.
When I suggested a holiday trip to London neither one of my adult-​in-​training sons seemed very engaged by the idea. One asked whether we couldn’t go somewhere more exotic and possibly go to more than one country. The other lamented the time not being spent with his friends. In the end, both went but that was all they did. Not long into our trip I had the distinct impression that neither son had a single thought on what they might want to see or do during their time in London.
How wrong I was.
It took several days for me to realize, but my 21-​year old actually did have a vision for the trip. It wasn’t my vision but still, a vision nonetheless. It looked something like this:
* Sleep in until around 11:30 a.m.
* Go out for breakfast around 12:30 p.m.
* Walk around for a couple of hours.
* Hit the pubs. Repeat until closing time.
You can’t say that’s not a vision.
So that’s why I’m reviewing the Lamb & Flag, the pub which he proclaimed his favorite of the many we graced. Why this one, I don’t really know but the fact that it’s been here since the 1600’s is a start; you can’t find that in the United States.
As well as being the oldest pub you’re likely to find, Lamb & Flag was also a favorite watering hole of Charles Dickens. Its down a narrow alleyway in Covent Garden and you’re unlikely to come across it unless you specifically seek it out. They serve about 8 different beers/​ales on tap, cocktails too (Brit style, meaning not so great), have a couple of different rooms to drink in, maybe some seating for you (or maybe not), and food is served upstairs.
This is actually a cool, historic pub which doesn’t shout that fact. Go here, throw back some pints, imagine Dickens doing the same, and be on your way.
This pub has the seal of approval not only from me but also from my 21-​year old and 18-​year old sons. Yes, they can drink at 18 over here, and boy does that ever improve the family vacation.

It’s very rare I get to meet colleagues on my team as we’re spread out across the United States. When I knew I was going to be in London for a few days, I e-​mailed one of my business partners to see if we would be able to meet up for a pint or two. We met him in Leicester Square and made our way over to the Lamb & Flag.
I was playing the part of the American tourist and went for the Fish & Chips. There’s no more proper order than Fish & Chips when in spending my last day in London. The fish was a nice golden brown. The mushy peas blended well with the cream & chips. Another great Fuller’s pub with a friendly staff.
Finding this pub is a little interesting as you do feel like your walking through the back allies of London, but nothing to be scared about.

Another historical pub that you cannot miss while in London. We were looking for Lamb and Flag and saw a sign pointing along a narrow alley uhhhh that’s about the only time you’d get this NYC girl to walk through an alley. Originally buily in 1638 the first mention of the Pub dates back to 1772 when it was formerly called Coopers Arms and changed to Lamb and Flag in 1833. It’s 19^th century reputation as «bucket of blood» due to the prize fights, not to mention much earlier orchestrated attack on poet John Dryden by 2^nd Earl of Rochester John Wilmot in the late 1600s. Notable was that Lamb and Flag was a favorite of Charles Dickens and inspiration to his Oliver Twist. Nowadays the pub is alot more friendlier, friendly bar staff, patrons and locally sourved english beer. Do not miss, please sir I want some mo’!
Bathrooms are old and the walk up the narrow flight of stairs after a few beers can get treacherous and frightening.

Great selection of Fullers on draught.
Genuine British pub.
Inexpensive! Pint and half pint ales at £ 5.60
Calmer not as crowded.

En medio de Picadilly Circus, entre el soho y covent garden, todo está rodeado de bares, locales y pubs pre fabricados y pre concebidos para guiris… un momento, aquí los guiris somos nosotros. Bueno, sabeis a que tipo de bares me refiero. Los madrileños bares de huertas y orange club… Nada auténtico, todos los bares clones del anterior, con música disco, dando un tufillo a prefabricado, recocinado y sacado de un molde mil veces usado. Pues en medio, justo en medio, en un callejón que piensas que te puede llevar al ministerio de Magia (como un episodio nuevo de Harry potter) se encuentra este estupendo y auténtico pub ingles.
Su diseño es tradicional, como si fuera una recreación del mitico bar de cheers, con su barra centrica rodeada por el resto del local, con dos plantas, con mesas y asientos separados, lleno de lugareños dicese de ingleses, con pintas acumulandose en las mesas entre gritos, risas y brindis y con una decoración plagada de fotos, recuerdos, firmas al más puro estilo Asador Donostiarra pero con protagonistas anglosajones. Un intimo recuerdo para Ballet Bob que nos diseccionaba con su mirada inquisidora desde un retrato bajo un galardón de quesos.
Además, en este bar, con no podía ser de otra manera, se podía disfrutar de la deliciosa cerveza London Pride. Para no andar en largas explicaciones, parecida a la Murphys. Cerveza roja, de cuerpo denso y pesado, sabor ligeramente afrutado y con un regusto entre amargo y vegetal. Algo delicioso. Una experiencia única. Si estais en la city no dudeis acercaros a este bar auténtico… Quizas os cueste encontrarlo, pero en el descubriréis la magia del auténtico y puro Londres en vuestras carnes.
Cheers Ballet Bob!

Allein der Weg von der Floral Street zum Lamb & Flag ist bereits urig! Er führt durch eine enge Passage, es passt jeweils nur einer durch, außerdem ist Kopf einziehen angesagt. Rechts in der Passage ist der Seiteneingang zum Pub und wenn man an dem vorbei weitergeht landet man beim Haupteingang auf einem Platz, der praktisch komplett zum Lamb und Flag gehört. Besonders bei Sonnenschein und Freitags after work stehen die Leute hier bis zur Garrick Street runter. Ganz klar, bei diesem Pub macht es vor allem die Location!
Das Pub ist eine echte Institution, wird sowohl von Touristen als auch Leuten, die in Covent Garden arbeiten, gut besucht. Es hat das übliche Bier (Kronenburg, Heineken, Strongbow, Staropramen) und einige Ales on tap, außerdem noch verschiedene Flaschenbiere und –cider.
Pub food wird auch serviert, habe ich aber noch nicht ausprobiert.
Preise sind Covent Garden-​typisch — also leider nicht ganz billig.

Schon im 16. Jahrhundert stand hier ein Gasthaus. Die heute ständig überfüllten Räume sind größtenteils nur wenig renoviert. Fast alle englischehn Biersorten sind zu haben. Da man sein Bier selber von der Theke holen muß (und sofort bezahlen), wird es oft etwas eng und man muß damit rechnen ein drittel der bis obenhin vollgefüllten Gläser zu verschütten. Interessant aber nichts für einen Abend aus.