Despite The Sun Tavern having been around for years and attracting a loyal following it’s a pretty boring pub lacking in atmosphere and character - it's just a good location for a quick drink.

The Venue
The picturesque exterior of The Sun Tavern conjures up images of a good, old fashioned pub where the hours fly by as you sip your delicious beer on a lazy afternoon. However, inside the darkness of the decor brings the mood down, and with nothing quaint about any of the furniture you’ll soon realise you’re in another generic old man’s pub. The placement of the bar with tables haphazardly dotted around means there’s no sense of cohesion or comfort, and the glum absence of colour reinforces this feeling.

The Atmosphere
At busy times, there are enough people enjoying a drink to lift the atmosphere, but they mostly sit around with vacant looks on their faces, and even the bar staff seem bored and unimpressed. The first floor has a much more airy environment and is a good place for private functions, but the main bar area is too small and lifeless to encourage any warmth from the customers that inhabit it. It’s not a depressing place to drown your sorrows but it's not all singing and all dancing either, instead The Sun Tavern has a neutral, vapid ambience that almost numbs you into a bored trance-like state.

The Food
Food is also served, with a menu consisting of pub mainstays like chilli con carne and doorstop sandwiches, with some more unusual choices thrown in, such as a Jamaican selection of specials. Although this doesn’t fit in with the venue at all, it’s quite an interesting discovery.

The Drink
The pub has a respectable choice of beers and real ales on tap, giving customers a good taste of traditional pubs - the only details that The Sun Tavern does well. The prices are cheap for the location, with a double spirit and shooters costing just £2.25. The sparse selection of wines are sold around £12 a bottle, but beers are the main thing worth drinking here.

The Last Word
Not bad for a swift pint of real ale and a break from the buzz of Covent Garden but, unfortunately, The Sun Tavern isn’t worth a lingering visit.

venue information venue map view london review user reviews (3)