Well Road,
Hampstead,
London,
NW3 1LJ
0872 148 1868
The ViewLondon Review
Located away from the main high street, if you don’t mind a ten minute walk Ye Olde White Bear is a lovely venue for a good drink.The VenueYe Olde White Bear makes its presence known by sitting firmly at the bottom of Mansfield Place. The first thing to strike you are the tables outside – a great area for a summer pint, or for smokers to cower in misery around during the cold, wet winter months.
Inside, there is plenty of space with the seating area snaking its way around the sturdy wooden bar. As with most pubs, you can either choose to sit on one of the benches that line the walls or you can grab one of the many chairs or stools that litter the floor and pull it up to a table.
If you fancy playing a board game with a friend then you’ve come to the right place. The boxes lie battered in a pile at the end of the bar, but with titles like Cluedo, dominoes and Scrabble their condition only represents their classic heritage. The dim lighting will be sure to intensify whichever game you choose, and comes courtesy of the old low hanging lights with glass shades dotted around the bar.
The AtmosphereDuring the week, Ye Olde White Bear makes for the perfect venue for a nice quiet drink on your way home from work. To lift the mood on a quiet afternoon, the contents of a tasteful easy-listening CD fills the air, just enough to relax your mind after a stressful day. Be wary on Thursdays, however, because Thursday night is Quiz Night and a very popular night indeed, costing £1 per person. On the window sill, a pile of Q Magazines gives the impression that young music enthusiasts venture into the pub on a regular basis. That said, Liam Gallagher has been spotted on the end of a pint here.
The DrinkAn interesting selection of ales may have you trying something new and the range of beers is more than satisfactory – expect the likes of Adnams Bitter, Youngs Bitter and guest ales. For those going cold turkey, a fruit juice, of which they have loads to offer, will cost you £1.40.
Last WordYe Olde White Bear is another friendly pub, hidden away in the back streets of Hampstead, and proves very popular with the locals – and Liam Gallagher, apparently!