On face value the Grafton Arms doesn't look much but within those big windows it's funky, sassy and, above all, lots of fun.

The Venue
Located on Grafton Way off Tottenham Court Road, the Grafton is a narrow building full of retro wooden appeal. Inside, the bar runs along the left wall and is laden with booze, whilst a chalkboard displays lunchtime specials. The walls are a classy terracotta kind of red and tally well with the dark wooden floorboards. Walls are covered with art nouveau posters and, of course, Rodolphe Salis’s famous black cat picture is present. Its upper level is much smaller than the ground floor bar but it adds more seating and a more intimate environment.

The Atmosphere
It has a buzzing atmosphere from top to bottom and back to front, and while the clientele is rather stuffy during lunch hours, the rest of the day is lively and energetic. Students’ populate the top bar, their sculpted hair and white denim doing their best to overshadow the chirpy bar staff. Evenings are busy and the music's turned up so everyone can feel confident singing along to the Killers despite disparities in ability.

The Food
Food is only served at lunchtimes (12pm-2.30pm) and the menu is unadventurous but filling pub grub. Jacket potatoes, burgers and fish and chips are all priced around £5.00. Have a look at the specials board for more interesting options; you may find they include sweet potato and butternut squash soup, sausage casserole or broccoli quiche.

The Drink
The Grafton Arms serves a selection of shooters to go with the regular beverages. Priced at £2.50 each, they have unapologetic names like Heroin and Blow Job. The lagers on draught are Heineken, Becks Vier, Fosters, Kronenbourg and Amstel, with IPA, Abbots and Speckled Hen amongst the ales. Pints cost £2.90-£3.40. There is also a good selection of wine by the glass (from £3.50) or the bottle (£14 and upwards).

The Last Word
The Grafton Arms is a student bar masquerading as an upstanding member of the public house community but it's much more fun than a lot of the pubs in the area.

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