The Castle

Location wise, this serves as a perfect spot for Friday night drinks and nibbles. A stone’s throw away from Farringdon station, this pub is best for those who aim to have a great night out without the worries on how to get to the nearest station home.
Although abit pricey for a pub, the food is actually restaurant-​like quality and is freshly cooked and promptly delivered. On the menu, you have a cluster of deals to opt for such as £12 for two courses or around £13 for three sets of starters (5 for £18 ish) (this is the one to go for esp the calamari).
On a Friday night it can get rather busy but the pub is spacious enough to hold a bunch of people.

The Castle is the perfect example of a three star just OK spot.
I came here for a private event on a Thursday evening, which does twist my review in a different direction, because it wasn’t the normal-​normal experience. And the private room is nice. They have a space upstairs that they reserve just for you, complete with your own bar and bathroom so you don’t have to go anywhere. Nice.
it’s classically pub-​like decorated, with the soft colours, wooden tables and bars and even some very comfortable big leather seats.
And it is very convenient to get to, right outside of Farringdon Station. That was nice.
However, downstairs was a monster. It was packed with people and hard to get through. I could see this place being nice on another day/​night, but on a weekend (or faux-​weekend in this case), it was crazy.
The staff were also as lethargic as could be. Not a smile or bit or energy from any one. They took your order, they poured your drink, they glared, you left. Joy.
And here’s where they really lose points: I ordered poutine and got back the saddest poutine in existence. Soggy fries, poor gravy and some feta sprinkled on top. I get it, Poutine isn’t a dish that everyone does well, but if you’re going to do it, do it. Don’t half-​ass it like this.
Overall, I wouldn’t rush back to hit this spot anytime soon.

Absolutely loved this pub. We had our team Christmas party which started in the snug here with mulled wine and really delicious sharing platters. They weren’t just standard garlic bread, chips and popcorn chicken but we had calamari, sweet potato fries, flatbreads, merguez sausages with goats cheese, pumpkin and spinach croquettes and more!
We then went upstairs to a dining room where there were two other Christmas parties but we hardly noticed them and had plenty of space. The food was really good. Most of us went for the christmas dinner which had all the trimmings including pigs in blankets and the biggest Yorkshire pudding I’ve ever seen. The portions were generous and it was all cooked really well apart from the parsnips which were still a bit raw.
For dessert I had a hazelnut chocolate pudding with raspberry coulis. The pudding was devine! Not too heavy after such a big meal but big enough to satisfy my sweet tooth. I didn’t think the coulis really went with it, although it had a nice tartness to it, but I just ate it separately.
We played games, some of which we needed a bit more room for, but the staff were happy for us to move our tables and they even judged one of our games for us!
It’s a really great pub with good food, really decent wine for a reasonable price and helpful and friendly staff.

Ah, The Castle. You wonderful slice of Britishness! This has to be one of my favourite pubs in The City.
The atmosphere is always buzzing, the staff are friendly (especially the manager, Andy, and his colleague, Eric), and the food is great.
I opted for the fish Finger bap this evening as I was on a budget (£7.50). The fish fingers were actually more like fish goujons — really meaty cod and crispy batter on a fresh bap with lettuce and sauce. It was delicious, not overly fancy just good British food. Also served with chips — I love a good french fries and these did not disappoint!
The upstairs room is perfect for large groups and the team will reserve the area for you if available with ease.
There’s also a lovely raised area at the back of the bar, perfect for a relaxed beverage after a busy week.

Came in here before and after a tour of the area and was pleased with everything. The drinks were plentiful, and the food was nice and hot when it arrived. I’m so happy that they were serving late night (at least for us) food that day since we had had a looong night with the tour and the tube strike earlier in the day. And also that English people stand outside. Makes getting a table much easier :)

They have completely updated their menu since I was here last, in a great way. They usually have a fine selection of drafts, including taps from local/​semi-​local brewhouses too! I’ve never had bad service here, even when they’re absolutely swamped. A fine place to meet up with your mates, or even have a date. Highly recommend!

Really busy with post work, pre commute crowd when I visited. Although it was very busy, it was not too cramped. The staff were very attentive too.
It had the feel of an old boozer (in a good way).
The upstairs room looked really nice if you had a big crowd and wanted a space of your own.

Good beers on tap (London Pride, Gathering Storm, Hobgoblin etc) and very good fish’n’chips. Enough room to sit down and enjoy the meal. What else would you want from a pub.
Only issue is that music was a little bit too loud for my taste, but that’s just a personal preference.
Overall a pub that I could certainly return to, extremely convenient for Farrington rail/​tube station

I enjoyed this pub a lot more than I thought I would!
Whenever I’ve passed The Castle at the end of the working day it’s been buzzing and the crowds have spilled out onto the pavement outside. Luckily I missed this mad rush as I popped over on an early Monday evening for a quick drink before dinner with some friends.
The house white is a Chardonnay — meh! — but the Chenin Blanc is only a few pennies more and was a nice, cold, crisp (and cheap!) pre-​dinner bevvy.
We grabbed a table and stayed for a couple. The pub isn’t huge but large enough with good amount of seating.
We were tantalised by the smells of the food coming out the kitchen and were tempted to stay and try out their delicious-​sounding menu, however we had a voucher deal going on at Pizza Express so had to split. It was such a terrible meal we wish we had stayed at The Castle, but then that’s another review altogether…
A solid 3 star pub and I’ll be back to try out their menu. If the food tastes as good as it smells I’ll be bumping up my star rating soon!

Stop #5 — Farringdon
The name «The Castle» always conjures up images of Robert Redford taking over a prision, what a great movie. But now I can claim to have been to one of the many pubs bearing this illustrious and slightly intimidating name.
As you would expect, the Castle is big with plenty of space for large tables and hopefully one day the occasionally suit of clanky armour. Although I reckon if there were suits of armour lying around some slightly intoxicated idiot (ie. me) would try to don said armour and joust with the barman for a pint. Either that or use the gauntlet to challenge some bloke to a duel. Wouldn’t that be a much more entertaining way to introduce yourself to a girl? Fair maiden, I will fight this cretin for your favour! Compared to the modern «‘sup girl, wanna drink?»
Gotta also appreciate any pub with an expansive bar and two barstaff ready to serve even at 2pm on a Saturday afternoon. And a high toilet capacity because a quarter way through this crawl and the first bathroom break was a much needed necessity. Prices are pretty good (on the lower end of the pub scale) and the beer and wine selection fairly extensive for a pub.
Overall, it’s a nice pub, the embodiment of the British boozer, and from the times I’ve been in on a evening it gets pretty busy so there is something (or rather sometime) for everybody.
Drink of choice: Kozel. It’s something different.

Friendly staff, tasty hot cider, good beer selection, and average food. Impressed that they have cider and pear cider on draught, as well as a yummy strawberry beer. Being a non-​beer drinker, this was exciting as there were multiple adult beverage options for me to enjoy.
Mad props to The Castle for their bartenders… they were helpful and friendly.

Great grub, beer selection, atmosphere, and mulled wine. mmm! Close to Farringdon station. Good spot to hang out with friends for a couple hours and enjoy dinner and some drinks (including tea). The warm brownie is amazing.

Owned by the same folks who own the Bull on Upper Street, I found the Castle to be an idyllic place to pop in to watch the England v. Algeria match on Friday.
Why you ask?
Becuase the cheap glass of white wine in my hand made watching England fans writhe in misery even that much more enjoyable. (You can believe there were some true devotees here, as the grit of post-​work Farringdon seems to flock here in droves!) Can’t blame ‘em, it is only about 20 steps away from the tube. And have I mentioned the cheap wine?

I really really like this pub. It’s modern but classic and the décor is great, particularly the art on the walls upstairs. It’s got a warm friendly feel to it and it’s great for meeting friends, especially if you want a large group at a large table (upstairs caters to this). It has a big selection of ales and other drinks, and some great food too, especially the burgers! The chips are delicious (you know, the kind that stand out from other chips as exactly the right level of crispy) and good value. (However the desserts aren’t really worth their price in the same way as the main courses.) There are also board games I have spotted! :-)
Very much recommend this place, particularly for a Sunday afternoon get-​together.

I’m not sure why so many people flock to the Castle other than its proximity to the tube. The smell of old man pee hits you in the face as soon as you walk in the door… with quite a bit of force. I’ve been ground floor, upstairs, the bathrooms in the basement (eep), and this just isn’t a bar that I can get into. I like a bar with character, yes; the couches. .yes; cheapish drinks, yes; but it’s a bizarre circus of unpleasantry for the senses. If I’m correct, they also own another bar I’ve reviewed where we had a similarly unpleasant cringe-​worthy experience. If you flip through my Clerkenwell list I’m sure you can figure out which one it is. I’m not sure why I’m giving it two stars, I think I’m in a good mood.

Interesting pub by Farringdon station, particularly convenient for meeting people in as it is pretty much impossible to miss it if arriving at Farringdon.
The bar does a couple of ales, the 2 most obvious ones, Pride and IPA, but does have an interesting selection of lagers, including Sierra Nevada (overpriced at £3.90 though).
The pub has a bit of a gothic feel to it, which is unusual as on the weekends it tends to cater to folks going clubbing nearbyat trendy clubs
I’ll probably use it again as a meeting place but it’s too expensive and not quite interesting enough for a longer session.

I am absolutely in love with the Castle. While studying abroad, this served as our favorite pub to drink at prior to going out more, though we often just ended up staying here as the crowd, drinks, and atmosphere was often perfect.
At five, the crowd is mostly business types enjoying a pint and a cigarette prior to hopping on the tube (which is about 50 steps away), but as the night goes on, the diverse crowd transforms into something to behold :) On friday night, DJ’s spin and the crowd is mostly those who will be heading over to nearby Fabric.
There are plush cushiony couches and chairs as well as expansive tables which make it easy for big groups to converse and enjoy each other’s company. The deep, jewel tones as well as dimly light chandeliers create the coolest vibe.
Not to be ignored, the food and drinks are awesome too. The bartenders are fun and friendly and eager to make friends. As a regular, my favorite bartender would often buy me shots/​drinks and take time to chat.
It gets very busy/​crowded, but the people truly make it a great place to be. I want to go back NOW.

This is a nice little pub. Pulls a good crowd if there’s something going on in Farringdon. If you’re in the area for drinking there’s other places, but it’s one of the few pubs open at the weekend so it’s worth popping in for that reason alone — otheriwse you’ll find yourself on a wild goosechase trying to find an open bar.
Worth popping in on your way home as well as they shut pretty late too. Never had the food here although it alwasy looks nice. I like the giant chairs and pretty mirrors as well.

yes, its dark, and whats with those red lights… but, i quite like it, i hide away here on a sunday sometimes. the staff are pleasant, the london pride is always good, i see they have cask marque.
But i can understand its too dark to be everyones taste, but like i said, i quite like it.

The Castle is one of the more lively and charismatic bars close to farringdon tube station.
From the posters on the walls, it seems they are desperate to attract local punters– one poster advertised an appearance from the comedian Stewart Lee, whilst another tried to entice people in with special offers of cheap wine on certain days.
Tonight, Monday, was ‘open-​mic night’ and it was probably one of the strangest nights of my life in London so far. Upstairs in the pub, local entertainers had gathered to perform a showcase to the four customers that were seated upstairs. We had gone upstairs searching for solace from the frantic bar downstairs, and hadn’t bargained for the night of entertainment that lay ahead. The door was closed behind us and the karaōke machine started to play. We were trapped for over an hour, unable to escape because the comedian’s husband was sat next to the door and we didn’t want to upset him by leaving during her set. It was a very funny night, but more due to nervous laughter than the comedy/​talent contest we witnessed.