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Bloomsbury is so much a residential village yet it has a good blend of business that you can live your entire life here without ever having to leave. Across from the Museum Tavern is the British Museum and just north of that is London University. Charles Dickens House museum can be found on Doughty Street near Grays Inn Road. The northern corner of Bloomsbury is St. Pancras where you can find some good collection of pubs. I usually end an evening at the Lamb.

If you are looking for some afternoon reading in a pub try Literary Villages of London by Luree Miller. Published by Starrhill Pres, Washington D.C.

The coordinates [123 A1] locates the area in the Geographer's AZ London Street Atlas, the small book. That is page 123 and grid A1.

Bear & Staff Soho due to the side of the road [140 B9]

37 Charing Cross Rd (West Side) WC1 at Bear St

Leicester Square station

Bloomsbury Tavern (Nicholson's) Soho [140 C7]

236 Shaftesbury Ave WC2

Phone 020 7836-5065

Leicester Square station

Boot (Charington) Bloomsbury/St. Pancras [140 C2]

Speedy Pl. WC1 off Cromer St

37 Cranbourn St WC1

Leicester Square station

Bull And Mouth (T J Bernard since 1998) ()

(Formerly the Falkland Arms under Scottish-Courage)

Bloomsbury [140 C6]

31 Bloomsbury Way WC1 at Bury Place

Phone 020 7405-2342

Holborn station

Calthorpe Arms (Young’s) Bloomsbury [140]

252 Gray’s Inn Road WC1 at Calthorpe Street

Phone 020 7278-4732

Russell Square station

Citie of Yorke (Samuel Smith) Bloomsbury/Holborn [140 141]

22 High Holborn St WC1 between Gray's Inn Rd and Chancery Lane

Phone 020 7242-7670

Holborn station

Old Brewery Bitter is served from an oak cast which adds to the ambiance to the pub. A triangular fireplace is in middle of floor and has no chimney. Can you guess how it works? This place looks medieval with its high wood ceiling. As in all Samuel Smith pubs you will feel comfortable with some of England’s finest ales. This is a must see London pub. Closed Sunday.

Crown (Samuel Smith) Bloomsbury [140]

51 New Oxford St WC1

Tottenham Court Road station

It may have closed as of 1995. I walk past it all the time and I can't tell if it is open or closed. Somebody help me on this.

Dicken's Inn Bloomsbury [140 F4]

16 Northington St WC1

Chancery Lane station

The Charles Dickens museum is just up Doughty St.

Dolphin Tavern Bloomsbury Holborn [140 E6]

44 Red Lion St WC1 off Theobald’s Rd

Holborn station

Duke's Head Bloomsbury [140 B6]

Great Russell St WC1 at Bloomsbury St

Holborn station

Only one hand pump. But do not let that be a deterrent. This pub is in a Hotel. It was undergoing a refurbishment in January 2000. I am not sure when it is to reopen.

Duke of York (Inn Business) Clerkenwell [140 4]

7 Roger St WC1 at John' s Mews

Roger Street comes off Gray's Inn Road

Chancery Lane station

Very much a local.

Enterprise Holborn [140 F6]

38 Red Lion St WC1 off Enterprise

Phone 020 7242-8040

Holborn station

Falkland Arms (Since 1982) (Scottish-Courage) (Now the Bull & Mouth)

Bloomsbury [140 C6]

31 Bloomsbury Way WC1 at Bury Place

Phone 020 7405-2342

Holborn station

Finnegans Wake (Scottish-Courage) (Formerly the Sun Inn) Bloomsbury [140 E4]

63 Lamb’s Conduit St WC1 at Great Ormond St

Phone 020 7405-8278

Russell Square station

This was The Sun until 1995 when S&C striped it of its ales and honor. My visit in January 1996 was disappointing. Once known for the best selection of real ales it now has few and the decor is no longer in the classic English style. In the Mid 90's a trend was started to convert find English pubs into fake Irish bars. Many of the taps were removed and the only draft beers were Guinness and Murphy's. The chalkboard was covered over with fake newsprint and the lovely wood was painted over. This was done to cater to the younger crowd. Maybe when the lads grow up the pub will be given back its splendor.

Friend at Hand (Scottish-Courage) Bloomsbury [140 C4]

4 Herbrand St WC1 at Colonade (between Guildford & Bernard)

Phone 020 7837-5524

Russell Square station

This is a well-worn, everyday pub, which means that it is quite active day and night. It can get lively at night since there are many hotels near but the crowd is well behaved.

Goose & Granite (Just So Pub Co. Bass) Formerly the Marque of Cornwall.

Bloomsbury [140 C3]

31 Marchmont St WC1 at Corham St

Phone 020 7837-6072, Fax 020 7278-2783

Russell Square station

This pub reopened in Dec. 1996. They have a good selection of ales on tap. With respect to pub history in London this on is still considered brand new as it opened in December of 1966. It has a touch of art deco and neo-classic looks. It also has a young and vibrant crowd that is always well behaved. There are several good and interesting pubs on and off Marchmont Street and this should one of your first stops.

Jeremy Bentham (Scottish-Courage) Bloomsbury [139 M4]

31 University St WC1

Phone 020 7387-3033

Warren Street or Euston station

Kings Arms Bloomsbury [140 F4]

11 Northington St WC1

Chancery Lane station

Lamb (Young's) Bloomsbury [140 E4]

94 Lamb’s Conduit St WC1 at Guilford St

Phone 020 7405-01713

Russell Square station

The old snob screens are still in place but you won't find old snobs in the Lamb. I could say more but see this Victorian Pub for your self. Named after Mr. Lamb who built a drain under the street in 1577, thus Lamb’s Conduit. The Lamb has a sunken drinking area that leads to an outside courtyard. You can even buy Lamb flavored potato chips here. This pub is listed in everyone's pub guide but what they never say is how nice and quite it is here even at peak drinking time.

Lord John Russell Bloomsbury

Marchmont St WC1 near Leigh St

Russell Square station

It seems that the typical crowd of drinker is of college age. The appearance of the place looks run down but it is clean. This is really a fun pub.

Lucas Arms (Free House) [140 C2]

Cromer St WC1

King's Cross-St. Pancras station

This looks like a lovely pub. As I walked by I took a snapshot but did not take many notes. Look for me to be back.

Mabel’s Bloomsbury/St. Pancras [140 B2]

9 Mabledon Place WC1 at Flaxman

Phone 020 7387-7739

King's Cross station

Mabel’s is a nice little place with a good selection of ales. Not being too close to any landmarks makes this a local for the residents of St. Pancras, but you will not feel out of place.

Marlborough Arms Bloomsbury [140 A5]

Torrington Place WC1

Phone 020 7636-0120

Goodge Street station

Monk Clerkenwell [140 F4]

Grey's Inn Rd WC1 off Theobald's Rd

Farringdon station

Closed on Sunday. The front may not look like this is a big pub but it goes deep inside. This is in a chain of Monk pubs about London. I have not listed all of them yet.

Moon (No longer by this name) Bloomsbury [140 E5]

18 New North Street WC1 off Theobalds Rd

Russell Square or Chancery Lane stations

Just like its sister pub the Sun, now Finnigan's Wake, it is under a new name, I just don't know it.

Museum Tavern (Scottish-Courage) Bloomsbury [140 C6]

49 Great Russell St WC1 at Museum St

Phone 020 7242-8987

Tottenham Court or Holborn station

A good selection of ales on tap and they vary often so you never know what’s on until you get there. It's across the street from the British Museum. You can’t say you couldn’t fine it. I spent more time here than in the museum. Every other pub guide will tell you that Karl Marx drank there but only this one will tell you that I did too.

Most pubs have a resident dog. The Museum has a cat named Crush. (Jan. 1997 trip) They try to keep him out of the bar area but they often fail. On occasion he will escape to the outside world but this does not worry the bartenders. Crush will visit the nearby shops where he is well liked and well fed to be sure. After his crawl he always comes home.

New Merlin's Cave (Now Closed) Clerkenwell

34 Margery St WC1 near Amwell St

Phone 020 7837-2097

King's Cross station

The pub was torn down for a new building. Jan. 99 trip.

Oarsman Holborn [140 D7]

2 New Oxford St WC1 at Burry Place

Phone 020 7404-5009

Holborn station

Old Red Lion (Green King) Holborn [140 F6]

72 High Holborn St WC1 at Red Lion St

Phone 020 7405-1748

Holborn or Chancery Lane stations

I enjoy an evening pint in this small and cozy pub. It is not very large but even with a good crowd it remains civilized. Look for the name GREEN KING in green at the top of the building.

Pakenham Arms (Young's) Bloomsbury [140]

252 Gray’s Inn Rd WC1

Phone 020 7278-4732

Russell Square station

Plough (Taylor-Walker) Bloomsbury [140 C6]

27 Museum St WC1 at Little Russell St

Phone 020 7636-7964

Holborn station

Porcupine Covent Garden [140]

Great Newport St WC1

Princess Louise (Samuel Smith) Holborn [140 D6]

208 High Holborn St WC1 across from Southampton Place

Phone 020 7405-8816

Holborn station

This is a big place with a comfortable look to it. The decor is truly "English Pub" with its ornate plaster ceiling and papered walls. The food bar looks inviting also. The urinals in the men’s room are large enough to shower in. In fact you stand on grating. Many men talk more about them than the beer.

The Princess Louise was the Evening Standard pub of the year in 1986, which is prominently displayed outside. Then they were owned b Regent Inns, which did many cask ales and had a wide range of beers. Sam Smith took over in 1997.

Queen Charlottes Bloomsbury [140 D5]

Cosmo Place WC1 at Old Gloucester St. Near the Swan

Russell Square station

Cosmos Place can be entered from the East Side of Southampton Row.

Rugby Tavern (Shepards Neam) Bloomsbury [140 E4]

This was a Fuller's pub but changed to SN per my January 1998 trip.

19 Great James St WC1 at Millman and Rugby St

Phone 020 7405-1384

Holborn station

This is one of the few pubs open in this part of Bloomsbury on a Sunday night. I usually walk here from the Russell Square station as it is not far.

WC1

I know this pub is here someplace. Somebody help me on this please.

Sun Inn (Renamed in 1995 now called Finnigin’s Wake) [140 E4]

63 Lamb’s Conduit St WC1 at Great Ormond St

Bloomsbury WC1

Finnigin's Wake is listed above but I feel something needs to be said hear. Many people around the world know the Sun as one of the premier pubs of London. It built a reputation by serving good food, great beer and having atmosphere. Today it lacks all of this. It is a cheap looking Irish theme pub with few beers. The cask ales are gone and so am I. When I drink on Lamb's Conduit Street I bounce between the Sun and the Lamb just up the street. I bounce no more.

Swan (T J Bernard) Bloomsbury [140 D5]

7 Cosmo Place WC1 near Queen Charlottes

Phone 020 7837-6223

Cosmo Place is a narrow alley coming off of Southampton Row and not well marked. The pub is tucked back from the face of the other buildings. It's a beauty of a pub.

Three Crowns St. James [146 A1]

Babmaes St WC1 off Jermyn St

Piccadilly Circus station

Three Cups (Young's) Holborn [140 F6]

21 Sandland St WC1

Phone 020 7831-4302

Holborn station

Closed weekends

Union Tavern Finsbury [141 G2]

King's Cross Road WC1 at Lloyd Baker St

King's Cross station

King Cross/St. Pancras [140]

328 Grays Inn Rd WC1

Phone 020 7837-7269

King's Cross station

Yorkshire Grey (Scottish-Courage Brew Pub) Bloomsbury/Clerkenwell [140 F5]

2 Theobald’s Road WC1 at Gray’s Inn Road

Phone 020 7405-2519

Chancery Lane station

Real Ales are brewed on the premises and they should have poly-pins for draft take away. A short walk from the Lamb, this pub should be on everyone’s pub craw.

This was one of London's early brew pubs and is more in tune with what a brew pub should be. Unlike the new high tech drinking places, this is a regular style pub. They just happen to brew their own ale in the basement. One of the delights in drinking here is that you will find ales that don't blend in with the more common ales that all the other pubs carry. The area surrounding the pub is more business than tourist trade so you will find Real Londoners downing a pint of Real Ale.

Not to be confused with the Yorkshire Grey 46 Langham St W1

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