The Crown and Two Chairmen is one of many traditional boozers located in trendy Soho, retaining its olde worlde features to amuse today’s knowing media crowd.

The Venue
The Crown and Two Chairmen has a good-sized room downstairs, which has been opened out and brightened up with plants and specially commissioned Botticelli-style wallpaper. Upstairs is the Chairmen Bar with a big screen TV and weekly comedy acts. Furniture, as you’d expect, is an eclectic mix of old pub tables and leather banquettes. It’s not much to write home about, but it doesn’t offend, either.

The Atmosphere
As well as the usual lively post-work crowd the big screen draws sports fans to the upstairs bar. Unfortunately, the service is poor – veering between brusque and painfully slow. It may be a traditional pub, but don’t expect a warm welcome.

The Food
Heavy on the potato wedges, a disappointing menu focuses on sharing platters and bar snacks, with burgers and steaks thrown in. The quality isn’t great and is comparable to poor Wetherspoons fare.

The Drink
Right now, the Crown and Two Chairmen isn’t known for its food and with 22 different beers on offer, perhaps the menu is a little beside the point. There is a large selection of wines – both red and white – that you might not expect from such a pub and all the usual spirits and soft drinks. Prices are OK for the area – and far below some of the trendy nearby bars.

The Last Word
Lacking the style and character of some of its nearby rivals, the Crown and Two Chairmen feels a little like a pub that’s lost its way. If it wants to make itself a Soho institution it will need to distinguish itself better than this.

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