A traditional English pub mainly for the tourists… fish and chips ahoy!

The Venue
Earls Court Tavern certainly cuts an impressive figure with its vibrant, in-your-face external colour scheme of dark reds and greens. In many ways it acts as a Venus Tourist Trap, practically screaming ‘come, I am an English pub!’

Inside, it’s exactly the same with green and red walls and ceilings and swathes of dark woods covering everything from the floor and seating to the bar. Plush bar stools, granny lamps and wooden floors intersected by borderline-ugly patterned carpets finishes the look off and get the tourists excited about being in a ‘proper’ traditional pub. You can’t help but feel it’s all for show but at least they’ve made an obvious effort.

The Atmosphere
Although Earls Court Tavern does get very busy at peak times and quickly fills with excited tourists and local office workers/commuters, it’s a large enough venue that you won’t feel as sardined into place as you might in some of the neighbouring pubs. The staff are friendly enough but the transient nature of the bulk of the clientele means they don’t have the same rapport with punters that you get in pubs where regulars and locals dominate. Still, for a pub in this area it does a decent job of creating a welcoming atmosphere for all.

The Food
Fish and chips. Bangers and mash. Pie and mash. Burgers. British favourites, then – oh and don’t forget lasagne and curry. No wonder visitors to Britain often leave thinking we’re culinary neanderthals. Still, the British flags are dotted all over the menu to keep the tourists happy and it’s fairly cheap with few dishes edging over the £10 mark. Bonus.

The Drink
The wine list at Earls Court Tavern is rather uninspiring but does cover a number of countries and grape varieties. It’s also inexpensive with bottles not tipping the £22.25 mark. However, they do earn Brownie points with a good choice of Young’s real ale, including options like London Pride, Greene King Abbot Ale and Charles Wells Bombardier and their lager choice isn’t bad, either with Kronenbourg and Erdinger making an appearance.

The Last Word
For tourists this place may seem like the bee’s knees but savvy Londoners will know better. Still, if you’re in the area and desperate for a pint it’s a decent enough option for a quick stop-off.

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