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Ratings and reviews

#2,504 of 4,301 British in London
#6,458 of 15,771 Restaurants in London
RATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere

Details

CUISINES
Bar, British, Pub
Meals
Lunch, Dinner
FEATURES
Reservations, Seating, Serves Alcohol, Table Service
Reviews (68)
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68 results
Traveller rating
28
20
9
3
8
Traveller type
Time of year
LanguageEnglish
Traveller rating
28
20
9
3
8
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Reviewed 3 weeks ago

Great old pub with a good menu of reasonably priced food. Served in good time and delicious. Helpful staff Full of character built in 1666. Just round the corner from the Guilhall...don't forget to visit the excellent free art gallery and London Roman Amphitheatre whilst...you are there both are freeMore

Date of visit: November 2023
Helpful?
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 14 August 2023

This is a traditional pub with a good choice of good quality food. There is a smart upstairs dining room, tables in a traditional pub setting downstairs and a couple of high tables outside. Service is friendly and prices are reasonable.

Date of visit: July 2023
Helpful?
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 10 December 2022

We finished off an evening with drinks at this pub in the City. It's an old place surrounded by mostly newer buildings and retains much old character. We didn't have food here but only ale. It's a Shepherd Neame pub so has their beers plus...others. I wanted cask Bishop's Finger and they had it, in excellent condition. Service seemed fine and friendly. This is definitely a good place to visit for those seeking out old pubs with character and good cask ales.More

Date of visit: July 2022
Helpful?
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 24 September 2021

The Beef burger was amazing, very haste , fresh ingredients and greatest cold beer, the bartender is always friendly with all and the manager awesome .I recommend to all and I will be back soon .

Date of visit: September 2021
Helpful?
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 30 July 2021

I went there for a occasional drink , pub well kept, clean, spotless, staff friendly and professional, pub was busy and atmosphere was great

Date of visit: July 2021
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 2 June 2021

Been going to this pub since the 80's so it was great to see it open when I went past with my son the other evening. Nothing has changed much inside and it was great to reminisce and bore my son. Shame about the grumpy...bloke behind the bar with the nail through his ear. Ho Ho things move on.More

Date of visit: June 2021
Helpful?2  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 22 May 2021 via mobile

This pub is situated in the heart of the City Of London and has a superb traditional atmosphere worthy of excellence. The staff are extremely friendly, excellent service amazing service and absolutely top glass food. It is one of the most best known pubs in...the city and is definitely worth a visit. When visiting I found the place relaxed, chilled and easy going which is exactly what you want to make it a comfortable place to be. I cannot fault this place. Great for family, friends tourist's and work colleagues and not far from Moorgate or Bank and all the sites of the City.More

Date of visit: May 2021
Helpful?2  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 22 May 2021

Great little boozer located on an alley not far from Moorgate. Table service is very quick. food is better quality than the average pub grub with generous portions. Reasonable range of beers and ideal for a quickpint or three after work.

Date of visit: May 2021
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 1 October 2020

Great pub in the a great location in the City. Lovely area inside with lots of room and more room upstairs! The staff and manager were very friendly and served us promptly (especially given it was table service at the moment!). Great ambience, perfect for...all occasions, work or social.More

Date of visit: September 2020
Helpful?
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Reviewed 10 February 2020 via mobile

A perfect venue for a traditional business lunch. The key was to arrive early at noon before the rush and noise. We had lunch in the bar area -a couple of fresh good sized British sarneys served with perfectly cooked fat chips. The bar service...was friendly. I will be back.More

Date of visit: October 2019
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 21 November 2019

It's a bit of a hidden gem, in a little alleyway, between Guidhall and Coleman Street. As a "Man of Kent", I obviousyly love all the Shepherd Neame brews and they had them all including a Spitfire limited batch. Service was very good and the...Pub was just awesome. The building dates to the 17th Century. Next time I'll try the food. A great "City" pub.More

Date of visit: November 2019
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 19 November 2019

We went for a drink 18/11/19. Arrived just after 17.00 to find the only real beer on was Whitstable Bay IPA, staggeringly the management of this pub had allowed it to run out of Spitfire/Bishops Finger/etc. A friend had a pint of Guinness, that was...his one and only, it was disgusting. They then managed to also run out of Whitstable Bay IPA, leaving only Bear Island on. Truly badly managed. The manager/owners (Shepherd Neame?) should be totally ashamed.More

Date of visit: November 2019
Helpful?
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Reviewed 16 November 2019

We arrived at the pub and was instantly welcomed by the lady with the purple hair (I forgot her full name) but was shortened to dani I believe. We travelled from Vancouver for a friends met up and decided to try a traditional English pub...with a great history. And we wasn’t disappointed the steak and ale pie was incredible not something we’re accustomed to in Vancouver but really enjoyed it. I order drinks at the bar assuming that it’s the same set up in Canada with full table service in the bar, but it’s not but dani instantly told us to remain at our seats and she would come over in a couple of minutes and take the food order, and bring the drinks she did and we all had a chat and I was taken aback how easy to talk to and friendly she was it’s very rare in London to find bartenders that will take the extra time to recommend, food ,drinks and places to visit in the city and also not be rushed to remain on the bar because they’re busy, we will definitely come again in two months to visit dani she was exactly what we needed thanks dani see you in a few monthsMore

Date of visit: October 2019
Helpful?
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Reviewed 6 November 2019 via mobile

Just left this place - I was served by Danielle (if what she did can be called serving) who was extremely rude and aggressive towards me. I left immediately after. Not a place to visit and Danielle should not be in the hospitality industry.

Date of visit: November 2019
Helpful?2  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 16 October 2019

We had a pre-booked table for eight people and arrived on time. Alarm bells should have rung when it took at least fifteen minutes for our drinks order to be taken and the same again to take our food order. The waiter then re-visited the...table on numerous occasions to double check he hadn't missed an order (he had), tell us that they had run out of steak, and then that they had run out of pork chops. Despite all this, we couldn't order from the bar menu. Due to the delays, a couple of our party had to return to the office for meetings. We didn't make a big deal out of this and just said we would take the food with us when we left. Most of the meals came out; however, despite the time between our order being taken and the meals coming out, I could still hear them discussing my meal in the kitchen. I asked what the delay was, and the waiter said they only had two chefs on and it was busy downstairs. The food was okay. When it came to paying the bill, we asked to speak to the manager in order to air our concerns. That was our second mistake (our first had been deciding to eat here). We would have been better off drafting in Basil Fawlty (on a bad day) for a chat. He didn't even let my colleague finish, before he started raising his voice and getting shouty. Instead of going on the defensive immediately, maybe he could have actually listened to our feedback and spoke to us as if we were, let me think, customers, and not a group of kids that hadn't just spent £130 in his pub ("his pub" are his words, even though it is a managed house, and not actually his pub). This guy shouldn't be in a customer facing role. I dread to think how he treats his staff. The waiter had been apologetic; the chef was apologetic as we left, saying that he had done his best and it was just extremely busy. Average food, poor (if apologetic) service, and a rude, aggressive manager who seems to think people should treat eating here as some kind of privilege.More

Date of visit: October 2019
Helpful?
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OLD DOCTOR BUTLER'S HEAD, London - City of London - Updated 2023 Restaurant Reviews, Menu & Prices - Tripadvisor

Frequently Asked Questions about Old Doctor Butler's Head

Old Doctor Butler's Head is rated accordingly in the following categories by Tripadvisor travellers:
  • Food: 4
  • Service: 4
  • Value: 4
  • Atmosphere: 4.5