Non-descript pub away from the hustle and bustle of Fitzrovia.

The Venue
The Stags Head sits on the corner of New Cavendish Street and Great Portland Street, bang in the middle of Fitzrovia. With Oxford Street only a stone’s throw away, this area is constantly chock-a-block with traffic, and this pub provides a welcome respite from the noise.

The style of the pub doesn’t look to have changed in about 20 years. Whilst other pubs in the area have gone down the more ‘gastro’ route, The Stags Head has retained its original, if dated charm. The exterior looks like something out of the 80s, and on stepping inside you see that not much has been updated here either. It’s not open on weekends.

The Atmosphere
The Stags Head is a quiet, no frills sort of place. The barmaid is friendly and welcoming, and appears to be on first name terms with many of the punters who come in. It seems like there is a steady flow of regulars from the area, who pop in on their lunch break, to enjoy a no-nonsense couple of pints and maybe a bite to eat.

Although there is nothing exciting about this pub, there’s nothing too derogatory about it either. If you are looking for a venue to bring a date, or to hold a night out with friends, perhaps this isn’t the place. But if you are looking for a traditional yet unremarkable pub for a quick pint in central London, you could do far worse than popping in here.

The Food
Food is served here from 12-3pm on weekdays. It offers a typical traditional English pub menu with meals such as scampi and chips or steak and ale pie costing £7.50. A Ploughman’s lunch with a range of cheeses will set you back £5.75, and for those wanting a smaller snack, there is a good selection of sandwiches and baguettes for £4.50. Portions are big and usually come with chips and salad. The usual crisps and nuts are also available behind the bar.

The Drink
Several draught lagers are on offer here, such as Fosters, Heineken, Stella Artois ad Becks Vier, all of which cost around £3.40 a pint. Unfortunately there is a limited range of real ale, with the only two options being Hog’s Back TEA and London Pride.

There is a satisfactory range of wines on offer; a glass of the white Riesling Silverberg costs £3.55 and a bottle £13.95, while a bottle of Blossom Hill rose is £15. Reds, champagne and cava are also available. You can find the usual range of optics set up behind the bar for drinks with mixers. Again, nothing remarkable about the drinks on offer here, but they should suffice for a ‘quick one’.

The Last Word
A fairly ordinary London boozer that’s not suitable for those looking for something special, but a decent watering-hole nonetheless.

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