Pub in London WC2
Bow Street Tavern
37 Bow Street, London, WC2E 7AUClosest station: Covent Garden, about 4 min walk4.3out of 5 on Google, from 1,078 ratings
Details last checked October 2024. Things may have changed since.
About Bow Street Tavern
Elevated comfort eats & house ales served in a 1763 locale with multiple levels & terraces.
After a change in operator, and an extensive refurbishment, the pub has a varied 'menu' of themes harking back to an earlier era with the Inspectors Office and the Fielding Room giving a Victorian police / Bow Street Runners and gas-lit feel; and it is indeed now very close to the new Bow Street Police Museum. Visitors to the museum may claim a discount in this pub on production of their museum ticket.
There's a comfortable 'nook' dedicated to the British monarchy, a Gin terrace, and more. The walls are painted a dark terracotta, and with dark wood panelling, mirrors, and are hung with a range of movie (Hitchcock's Frenzy of course), theatre, opera, police, and beer themes, including at least two photos from CAMRA's Covent Garden Beer Festival in 1975. A collection of Toby jugs line the top of the back bar fitting.
As well as draught beer a wide range of gins is available. There is also a range of adult softs and low alcohol beer options. The food offering includes pub classics, Sunday roasts, and sandwiches; there are also choices for vegetarians and vegans. Note that the food hours given may vary depending on staff availability, check with venue website.
Description from WhatPub, CAMRA’s pub guide, with a summary from Google Maps.
Features
- Outdoor Seating: An upstairs covered outside terrace
- Sports TV: Certain events, see venue website
- Games: Board games, and each table a 1/2 pint jug has a US card game - Genius, a sort of Trivial Pursuits Q and A game
- Serves Food
- Serves Lunch
- Serves Dinner
- Restaurant: Dining rooms on the 1st and 2nd floor
- Real Ale
- Cask Marque
- Serves LocAle
- Function Room: Various rooms can be booked for private functions including the rooftop year-round
- Reservable
- Good for Groups
- Smoking: Outside on the street
- Accepts Credit Cards
- Accepts Debit Cards
- Accepts NFC
Opening times
- Monday
- 12:00 – 11:00 PM
- Tuesday
- 12:00 – 11:00 PM
- Wednesday
- 12:00 – 11:00 PM
- Thursday
- 12:00 – 11:00 PM
- Friday
- 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM
- Saturday
- 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM
- Sunday
- 12:00 – 10:00 PM
As listed in October 2024. Hours change, and bank holidays differ: check with the pub.
Good to know
- Operator
- City Pub Company
- Price
- 2 out of 4 (Google’s price level)
- Phone
- 020 7379 0154
Photos
Photos from Google Maps contributors, stored when the pub was last checked.
Google rating and reviews
4.3out of 5 on Google, from 1,078 ratings
3 out of 5Megan Rimmeron Google, August 2024
Decor and atmosphere of the pub is good. Sports on tv too. The only downside is the size of the food portions. We ordered two sandwiches with chips and they were a children’s size portion! Disappointing when two sandwiches, a beer and a non alcoholic beer costs £40
5 out of 5Elisabeth N.on Google, September 2024
Went here the second time with my dog. They are dog friendly and allow dogs inside too. Very close to Covent Garden. They have a great food menu too. Prices are normal for London standard. Their sunday roast looks delicious so would definitely come back to try again. With our blanket on top of their seat, they allowed us to have our dog sit with us. Really loved that.
5 out of 5Paul Bradyon Google, September 2024
What an amazing find! Stumbled across this place completely by accident but so happy we did. Proper old fashioned pub with history. Staff were helpful without being in your face. Food was really good. We had the burger, Cumberland sausage and a sticky toffee pudding. The burger was really tasty and came with chips and salad. Cumberland sausage was 3 big link sausages with creamy mash, gravy and savoy cabbage. This is definitely worth getting! The pudding was also really good.
5 out of 5Sam Rowleyon Google, October 2024
Great pub with a really lovely atmosphere! Staff were really friendly and made us feel really welcome (Can’t be said for most pubs in such a central location). Would definitely recommend and will be back again soon!
2 out of 5Aly Richardson Google, October 2024
The bar staff were pleasant, beer was ok although not much to choose from at the end of a busy week. The thing that let down our evening was the food. The Sunday roast meals were disappointing and not good value. The Yorkshire pudding was dry and the beef seemed suspiciously like a minute steak seared rather than sliced from a roast. The roast potatoes tasted like they had been left in the oven since lunchtime. The whole plate of food was lukewarm.
Rating and reviews are from Google Maps, as they stood in October 2024. See the latest on Google Maps.