This was the first pub we checked out after a long flight to London (we ended up in over a dozen by the end of our trip). The bartender let us know that while the sign read food was served upstairs only, they were under construction so food would be served downstairs in the main pub area instead--but not until 5 (it was around 4:30 pm). We thanked him and decided to grab a drink and wait for food service. The menu of house ales, lagers, bitters, etc. + spirits was one I later saw at 1-2 other pubs who must share the same brewery. I tried a couple of beers and both were great. My wife had a cocktail which she enjoyed. The most noticeable thing at first was how quiet this pub is-- you could hear a pin drop. This likely changes later in the evening, but without music playing and the scattered patrons softly chatting at their tables, it was very quiet. Which really worked for us as we fought jet lag. We ordered food at the bar, my wife had fish and chips and I had the sausage and mash platter topped with onion rings. Both were delicious and fairly priced. This was all in all a great first pub to visit in London. read more

Anchor Tap - Fish and chips - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

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The Anchor Tab was my first pub when visiting London. Next to the Tower of London, finding this pub was a wonderful adventure to find. Not only were the drinks delicious, but the bartender was very kind and helped us make our decision. I love the decor and the location, it's a 10/10 must-visit next time you're in London. read more

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My wife and I had the best time meeting Mark and his friends. The bar is exactly hat i thought an old English bar was like. Small, dark and a fire place going. I love the atmosphere and beer selection was good. We felt so welcomed that we went back the next night to hang out with our new friends!!!! read more

We happened to stumble into this pub during dinner time and met the friendliest bartender. It's a location that doesn't allow you to be on your cellphone so make sure you go ready to make friends! The drinks were pretty standard as far as any pub would go but the food was really tasty. Dinner doesn't start until 6pm and it's only served upstairs in the dinning room. It's one of those old time bars that were around since prohibition times so you can tell there's lots of history in the walls. I had the meat pie which was great! read more

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We came upon this place by accident....just walking around. There wasn't many people inside, but we were so glad we found this place! Service was topnotch! Food was excellent! Loved the place for its quaint-ness. Would definitely recommend! read more

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We wanted a quaint pub with British beer and fish and chips. We found it here. The staff were friendly and inviting. We had incredible fish and chips upstairs and then had a fun time downstairs in the bar with locals who were happy we were there. A great spot we will return to. read more

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Very good food. Micro brew beers. We sat in the restaurant which was very quiet. Our server was very nice and made it more enjoyable

What an amazing experience. In a little alley near the Tower Bridge sits this beautiful historical pub, complete with welcoming staff & a live open fire in the fireplace, burning coal and wood. Historically it has been said that a pub has been here for the last 800 years, and general sentiment is that the current structure was built circa 1671, yet was spared in the great fire of London in 1666. In any case I'd love to travel back in time to listen to the thousands of conversations that happened here. Just about a 5 minute walk from the London Bridge tube stop, it's well worth a visit. This ended up being my favorite pub in all of London. read more

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We ducked in here after hitting the Tower of London all afternoon based on a recommendation from a flight attendant. The atmosphere was good - mostly locals, which is even better. The place is very old (I don't remember the year it was from) and has that distinct authentic English pub feel. The bar area is small, but there are plenty of side rooms to sit in if you want some privacy, and even romance. I can't speak to the food here, but the beer was good and cold - the customer service was great. I definitely recommend this place if you are ever wandering about the Tower Bridge area. read more

Really good pub experience. Good selection of beers from Samuel Smith Beewery. Warm and inviting interior with a Billiards room and Beer Garden in the back. Bartender - Becky, was Really nice. Recommend your visiting! read more

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Like walking into your great grand mothers old home only with a bar downstairs. Dinning is up stairs. Charming and a bit like time travel. Theyvmake everything here. From the food to the brew all made by the owners. Very homey and full of history. read more

We were glad to find this place during summer stroll around Tower Bridge area. They do offer dining upstair but we didn't, we just wanted a beer break from the hot sun. I ordered a pint of cider, it is light and fruity. They have a outdoor seating at the back, it is a good place to catch up with friends. read more

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Darrin did well making us at home. We came in right when the dining room was closing, but he accommodated us and had the best fish and chips. We've had in London this trip. Lovely ambience, great service. Highly recommend! read more

So I don't know of any kitchen in any restaurant that closes before or on 20:00...we tried to go here for food sustenance a nice welcoming hello would have been so kind to us weary travelers but the curmudgeonly man with white hair said " kitchens closed" TWICE . One day at 4 which makes sense okay I get it. But the next day in the evening? You must be allergic to Money! Who know for sure since we were unwelcome as tourists . I get it -- y'all are a locals ' bar with a poor selection . Whatever it is that keeps people coming back maybe the price ??? It's confounding. If y'all ever want a true kind hospitable and fun place to go in the US come to any bar in any metropolitan city and you will be welcome . Anchor Tap -- get some real estate in a non touristy part of town and your prejudice will be less obvious . read more

Had this place on our itinerary to eat at all day, walked in & they said "we're not serving food today." Stay away!

After spending £10+ on two (bad) pints at another Shad Thames drinking establishment, the Anchor Tap welcomed me with its cheap, cheap Sam Smith's arms, poured me two Alpine Lagers, gave me a packet of salt and vinegar crisps and let me sit in its dark, cavernous drinking rooms to my liver's (dis)content. With some characteristically steep, winding staircases and low overheads, I felt as if I were in the Cheshire Cheese on Fleet Street, but I was actually a bit more comfortable out of the comforts of the City. Plus, this place has a beer garden. And a pool table. And a dart board. And old men drinking beer quietly by themselves in a corner. read more

Anchor Tap - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

This is another really good Sam Smith's pub, not far from Tower Bridge. A really good find. All the usual Sam Smith's drinks are available of course. Came here on a lovely sunny day and while I appreciated all the different nooks and crannies this place can boast, I only took them in on my way to the lovely garden. I say 'garden', but there is little in the way of plantlife there. Still, that is picky, it is a very nice outside area and not even a grumpy barmaid could spoil our time in the sun. read more

For those of you that are acquainted with Royston Vasey and that somewhat off the wall TV series the League of Gentlemen........ _____________________________________________________ SCENE 7. League of Gentlemen (London Branch). We see Jason has arrived fresh from work, wearing a Crombie suit, a double cuff shirt with Prince of Wales collar, tie and capped Oxford shoes. The pub appears to be empty and Jason peruses the menu on the wall, a barmaid Tubbs Tattsyrup, peers at Jason through the door which separates the bar from a private area. She creeps cautiously to the service side of the bar. Tubbs: Yes? Jason: Oh, I'm sorry. Are you...open? Tubbs: Yes! Can I help you at all? Jason: Yes please, do you have any real ales? Jason begins strolling around the bar looking at the beer pumps. Tubbs eyes follow him every step of the way. Tubbs: I haven't seen you before. Are you local? Jason: No, I live about half a mile from here. Jason looks awkward, trying to make an excuse to leave Cheerio! Jason goes to leave. Tubbs: Can I...help you at all? Jason: Well yes, now that you mention it, I'll have a pint of the Sam Smiths Pure Brewed Lager. Jason approaches the bar and points at the beer pump. Tubbs shouts in shock as he does so. Tubbs: What are you doing? Jason: Sorry! Tubbs crouches defensively clutching the beer pump to her chest. Tubbs: Don't touch the beers! This is a local pub for local people, there's nothing for you here! Jason: I can pay. Jason reaches for his wallet. Tubbs: Keep your hands where I can see them! I have a husband you know. He's up the stairs - he's sure to hear everything. Tubbs begins seductively rubbing a packet of pork scratchings. If you were to come back here and...touch them, I... Jason: No, no... Tubbs: Edward! Edward! Edward Tattsyrup, Tubbs husband, enters the bar from the private area. Edward: Hello, hello? What's going on? What's all this shouting, we'll have no trouble here! Tubbs: I caught him smelling the crisps. Jason's mouth hangs open in shock. Edward: Who is he? Is his identity known? Tubbs: He's not local. Edward: Look here. We're very proud of our town, this is a decent town and a local pub! We'll have no trouble here. Tubbs: He asked me to touch his cork screw. Jason: No! Tubbs: He has a plan - he covets the precious beers of the pub. Edward: Ah...ale fan, eh? You people are all alike. Edward walks to face Jason. You march in here - young, try and...touch the local beers. I suppose next you'll be sprinkling me with one of those packets of dry roasted peanuts? Spraying poor Tubbs here with Sam Smiths cola... Tubbs looks as though she would enjoy this. I've got your number, fella. You won't get far! Tubbs: He tried to see under my clothes! Jason shrugs disbelievingly, amazed at this accusation. Edward: Pervert, eh? Got...sex...on the brain! Wet the bed I'll bet as a boy... (To Tubbs) No sisters! Tubbs shakes her head in agreement. I used to be in a war, and I put paid to quite a few like you. This is a decent town and a local pub - there's nothing for you here! Tubbs: Tell him I can't have babies anyway! Tell him my insides are all wrong! Edward: Devil! Go on then, drink the precious beers of the pub, burn down our business! Rape our dead mouths! So long as I don't have to listen to any more of your disgusting babble! Jason: I'm sorry if I've done anything to upset or offend either of you! I just wanted to come in here and have a pint of real ale! Tubbs covers her mouth in shock at hearing this outburst. Jason: If you don't mind I'll just...leave quietly. Jason goes to leave the pub. Edward blocks his way. Edward: You...heard the man, Tubbs. Get undressed! Tubbs begins taking off her cardigan. _____________________________________________________ This is a strange place, walking in, you feel like you are intruding on a private old Bermondsey working men's club, most of the clientele seem to hail from before the Shad Thames regeneration and you feel a little out of place. This used to be the brewery pub of the old, long passed, Anchor brewery that occupied the whole block. Architecturally, it is wonderful, still a lot of small bars with open fires in the way that all pubs used to be. Unfortunately, it is a Sam Smith's house and so there is nothing of interest on tap, although what there is, is priced very cheaply, which means that predominantly it is frequented by people that want very cheap beer. Seriously, it's not so bad, the staff are nice, the lager is fine, but it would be so much better as a free house, selling a few real ales. read more

After visiting the Tower and the Tower bridge, we discovered this pub tucked away on a side street. Initially, we popped in for a couple of pints, which were VERY reasonably priced. We got 2 beers for the same price that we paid for one at other places. And it's good beer. The Alpine Lager is delicious. We opted to go upstairs and have lunch and were not disappointed. I had the steak and ale pie, which the barkeep indicated was his favorite. My companion had the bangers and mash. The food was all super fresh. The portions were generous and the quality was high. The food was very reasonably priced. I figured any place that we went would be terribly overpriced because of proximity to tourist attractions. I highly recommend this place. read more

Couldn't quite give this place the 4th star- great location and atmosphere, but the beers on tap were standard American fare and the pizza was so-so. If they simply had one or two decent British ales on tap, I'd up my rating in a heartbeat. read more

What a lovely lovely Sam's Smith pub! Friendly bar staff and such good prices on the drinks. You can get a round for 2 people for £8 which is rare these days! The decor and inside of the pub is old fashioned and classic pub style, it's great. It's a bit of a labyrinth if you walk all the way around the place, it's great fun. The highlight for me is their darts board! It's a lot of fun to be able to have a few games with a drink! Definitely recommend going here for a drink and a game of darts :) read more

As first-timers in London, we were looking for nice pub recommendations and we came across The Anchor Tap and it was indeed the best thing we've done! The atmosphere and the people deliver 100% what you imagine a london pub to be like. Loved it and will come as many times I come to visit this beautiful city! read more

Our favorite little pub to visit while we are in London. Coming from Michigan, we like to duck in to some local pubs that are not completely touristy. This is a great spot with awesome staff who treat you like family. Took this picture of all my new friends. Can't wait to come back again on our next visit. read more

Anchor Tap - Friends from England, Germany, Greece and the US. - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

The first tavern I sat down at in London. What a great place, I couldn't get enough of it and not only is it a warm and inviting place, the bartenders, Becky and the owners daughter, sorry I forgot your name :( made it incredible along with several others I met there. I already miss it. read more

What a lovely little find this pub was. Great beer garden, delicious and very reasonably priced pints and a pool table! If you haven't tried it yet, give the Sam Smiths Organic Raspberry Beer a go - whoa it's a fruity explosion. And organic.. so very good for you... Right?? read more

Really great location near the Tower Bridge, staff was very kind and welcoming even to a bunch of bumbling American kids. Food was delicious, between three of us we tried the chicken and ham pie, the macaroni and cheese, and the steak and kidney pudding. The pie was rich and tasty, likewise for the macaroni. I got the suet pudding and it was REALLY GOOD. The filling was flavorful and the pudding had a fantastic texture, definitely something to try when you're in England. Huge portions for a great price, check it out if you're in the area! read more

Anchor Tap - steak and kidney pudding with chips - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

The beer garden is a bonus. Sun, sharger Landy and near the towe bridge. decent prices too read more

What a pub! Lots of friendly neighborhood regulars, a great barman (James is one hell of a host), and the Samuel Smith beers were all fantastic. We'll definitely go back for the last night of our trip. read more

A quiet evening on a warm sunny day in this Samuel Smiths pub. It's moments off Tower Bridge Road, yet it feels miles away in the suburbs; you have to know about this place in order to find it. But once you do, I liked it. Dark, cosy and comfortable inside, and very quiet. Maybe 20 or so people in the pub mid-evening. There appeared to be several small rooms, I'm not sure if there is more than 1 bar as I sat next to the main bar in the entrance area. The customers looked like local office workers. The beer is the usual Samuel Smith range, I had a cold draught cider. The bitter seemed popular. There seemed to be just the single barman, who was welcoming to well known customers and new customers such as myself. I can imagine on a Thursday or Friday evening this could be quite a busy place. I'd happily go back here again. I can't comment on the food, I just had a drink. read more

I'm a fan of Samuel Smith's pubs, and I especially like this place for a couple of reasons. First, there is an outdoor section with chairs and tables, so you can sit and sip while enjoying either the sunshine or a smoke, or best yet, both. Second, there are stools at the bar, usually filled with characters. This is one of the few pubs I've found in London with stools at the bar where people strangers actually chat to each other. I rather dig that. read more

I so enjoyed getting out of the freezing cold during my trip to London to have a nice cold cider at this pub. The servers were friendly and the atmosphere was wonderful, whatever could you ask for in a pub! read more

Since the "manager" of this place decided to call me a liar on my TripAdvisor review, and I have no way to rebut him/her (and my 180+ reviews on TripAdvisor are all honest... I've never "gouged" any business unfairly or just for pure meanness!), here's my review of the Anchor Tap. It did TRULY go dead-quiet when we walked in. We were clearly not welcome, either by the bartender OR the other patrons. And unfortunately, one of our party left behind a package when we left and we had to go BACK inside to retrieve it from the back room/lounge. THAT was even MORE uncomfortable because every.single.person in that bar stopped their conversations mid-word when we walked in, said not one word as we walked to the lounge to retrieve the package, and stared in dead silence as we walked back through the bar to leave. 1. The bartender refused to give myself or my husband a second beer. We were not rowdy, we were not drunk, and we were sitting ALONE in the lounge area, drinking our beverages waiting for the restaurant to open. 2. The "more sanitary" air hand dryer in the ladies' room did not work. I did see it. I'm clearly not blind, as I was able to navigate the stairs to the toilets without injuring myself. 3. None of my statements in my TripAdvisor review were incorrect. Your bartender was rude. Your bartender refused a second beer, when I asked nicely if I could have a pint of beer. Your bartender did not point out the menu board, and as I was already inside on a cold evening, I didn't expect to have to walk outside to read a menu that I would not have even dreamed of walking off with. 4. Since you weren't on-site and didn't witness his behavior, I'm sure your bartender isn't going to say anything about his own poor attitude and service for fear of losing his job. read more

Best pub I've been to in London. Just happened to land on it on a bank holiday and the bartender and patrons were extremely nice and hilarious. Super kind to foreigners and even insisted we take a photo behind the bar. Cheesy, yes, but great all around. Thank you! read more

Lovely pub. Auditioning for the part of my Local. well, i was before i moved back to the States.

Very cosey atmosphere. Food served piping hot. Had steak and kidney pie with chips, great flavor and filling. Just around the corner is heavily touristed London bridge, but inside the Anchor Tap felt like we were not tourists at all! read more

This is a great pub tucked away down towards the river just south over Tower Bridge. It used to belong to the The Anchor Brewhouse which is the amazing brewery building that can be seen on the riverside. It has a nice outdoor seating area, multiple different rooms inside, including a pool room and a games room with draughts/chess boards and dart board. It has a nice lounge area upstairs and a couple of seating areas on the ground floor too. The bar staff seemed very friendly and it had a nice atmosphere in general. Being a Sam Smith's pub the beers a pretty reasonably priced as well. Worth a detour for a couple of pints. I'll definitely be going back next time I'm over that neck of the woods. read more

A Sam Smiths pub near Tower Bridge. It has a nice garden and you can get two drinks for a fiver, which is amazing these days

Apparently this place is owned by sam smith brewery so the beers are super cheap (2.30). i like that you dont have to tip in the UK. the alpine lager easily cracked my top 5 beer list. its that good. on wednesday they have a great pub quiz. we got second place and earned a bottle of wine. i had a great time here and i think this was a great local drinking joint. i also like that pubs in the UK sell crisps at the bar. a little off the beaten path, but that added to its attractiveness i think. read more

This is a great little Sam Smith's pub just yards from Tower Bridge. It should promote the fact that you can have a pint for less than £2 more....all the other drinking holes in the touristy Shad Thames area will happily relieve you with substantially more of your hard-earned cash. There are lots of little nooks and crannies in this pub to explore, including secluded little 'private' rooms and a nice beer garden. read more

Had a couple of drinks here when on a visit from Manchester. Had the feel of nice old fashioned boozer. There was what seemed to be a local crowd enjoying themselves which made for a good atmos. Beer/wine was fine and resonably priced. Given the outside seating area I would imagine it's a nice place for al fresco tipples. I'll come back in the summer and check. read more