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    The Bear and Staff

    4.0 (51 reviews)
    ModeratePubs, British
    Closed 10:00 am - 11:00 pm

    The Bear and Staff Photos

    THE BEAR AND STAFF ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

    Recommended Reviews - The Bear and Staff

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    Old Fashioned
    Corinne S.

    Luckily we got seats! It was pretty crowed given it's a Saturday night and it's the holidays. Ordered an Old Fashioned, hubby ordered a beer and people watched.

    M G.

    After wandering through London we were hungry and stumbled upon this place. So glad we did. Sat in the pub part. Ordered a Guiness, double Jameson and we both had the fish and chips. The fish and chips were on point and awesome! Awesome service and fish and chips were perfection!! Glad we stopped in.

    Exterior
    Scott L.

    No food after 8? Damn but fast friendly service and great Al fresco cafe across from Gordon Ramsey's Street Burger

    Steak pie
    Will S.

    Had lunch there with my wife. The place looks and feels like a traditional English pub. I had the steak pie which was great. The service was a little slow but overall I would return.

    Ham and chips
    Kev B.

    Lovely place. Did not have fish and chips do chose something else. It was lovely. Good choice of beers and gins. Nice atmosphere in a traditional pub. Will be coming again

    The Bear & Staff
    Ashley M.

    Famous for being the local watering hole for THE Charlie Chaplin (they even named the upstairs dinning room after him!) The Bear & Staff is #3 on the Theatreland ale trail half a block down from the Leicester Square tube station. It's got a nice section of outdoor seating year round, with some heat lamps, the inside is tight, decorated with dark wood everywhere. The building dates back to 1878 when it was rebuilt, so it's got some charm. They have a slight upper section off from the bar that has some movie star memorabilia and ok lighting during the daytime, in the evening it's pretty dim. As a Nicholson's it's got the same menu and ale/beer/wine/Pimms in summer as all the others. It's wheelchair accessible to the main bar only. When I was there the staff where not on top of their game, meaning I had to stand there for nearly 10 minutes before I even ordered my drink despite it being 1pm on a Friday. If you have a chance to sit by one of the windows it provides great people watching coming up for either Leicester or Traflager Square. The restrooms clearly have been remodeled, they made smart choices, the only downfall is that trying to find them is a little maze like. Due to it's close location to both squares and the West End it gets packed during the after work hours and on weekends. I'd recommend going for meal here midday or grabbing a pint before the rush. It's pleasant, close but lacks a lot of what I consider tradition and atmosphere.

    Quinoa salad with chicken
    Jillian M.

    My friends and I stopped into The Bear and Staff on a Sunday afternoon around 2:30 for lunch. The dining room is upstairs and somewhat small, so I would recommend a reservation no matter what time you plan to go. We only got a table because a reservation did not show up. They had about nine beers on tap, including some of their own. There is a full bar as well. I ordered the quinoa and bean salad with chicken and it was a good lunch item. My friends had the fish and chips, the chicken and leek pie, and the veggie burger. Everyone enjoyed their meals and we would definitely go back. The service was just okay, but then again I'm used to American service and not European service where there aren't tips, etc. Overall, everything was pretty good and enjoyable.

    Chicken Mushroom Pie with creamy mashed potato and greens
    Kimberley F.

    Stopped in on a random Thursday in November while we were visiting London on holiday. It looked very crowded from the outside which is always a good sign. We initially were only going to have a beer on the main level, however we ended up going upstairs for a sit-down. It is rather small, but oh so cozy and we were seated right away. Staff was super friendly and the people in the pub were super friendly; you could tell were regulars. At the server's recommendation, I ordered the Chicken Mushroom Pie and the boyfriend ordered Gloucester Old Spot Sausages. It came out very quickly and was absolutely lovely. I don't think I can put into words how amazing this pie was. I still DREAM of this pie 7 months later. Absolutely delicious! If we ever return to London, this will be our go-to place to grab a pint and grub.

    Traditional fish & chips with mushy peas
    Erica P.

    Had a traditional fish & chips here - very tasty and did not disappoint!!! I took off one star because the service was slow (very slow) and the bathrooms a bit grungy. But the staff was very cool & the place has a neat vibe: think "classic British pub". I would eat here again

    Dessert
    Peter G.

    Good and friendly service with a touch of humour (she is so funny) Real English Food, even tasty!

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    3 months ago

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    5 months ago

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    1 year ago

    Wonderful little place for a drink or dinner. Absolutely loved the Steak and Ale pie.

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    6 months ago

    Good food and friendly staff. We enjoyed the seasonal fare worth the wait. The service was great and food was delicious.

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    2 years ago

    The pub food was super good and the staff were very friendly. Cute aesthetic. I recommend any of the pot pies!!

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    3 years ago

    Excellent pub to stop for a great bite to eat and great service! Very nice drink and food menu.

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    Page 1 of 2

    The Bear and Staff Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - The Bear and Staff

    This was a great stop, good service, good pub food, and great beers with a few extra quirks in the atmosphere!

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    The Centre Page - Modest entrance area.

    The Centre Page

    3.6(25 reviews)
    1.3 miBlackfriars
    £

    After visiting Shakespeare's Globe across the Thames River, I was rushing to the airport and…read morespotted this place near St. Paul's church after crossing Millennium Bridge. Given the location, I knew it was probably a tourist trap and I wish to avoid those usually but had no time so stopped in on a Monday afternoon for lunch. I'm so glad I did! I was in London only briefly and had yet to try proper fish and chips and I was definitely WOW'd. I've only had this in America, and this was definitely better than anything I've ever had. When it arrived on my table, I could feel the heat from the plate -- that's how scalding hot and fresh it was, and I loved that! The cod was absolutely massive, a thick portion of fish deep fried with the skin on within an incredibly crunchy beer batter. There were pieces of bone in it, but no bother, this only made it seem more fresh. The chips (thick cut fries) were perfectly crispy and both the fish and chips were insanely delicious with a bit of salt and malt vinegar (which I had to request by walking up to the bar). The dish came with a tartar sauce and ketchup, but tasted way better with the salt and vin. I absolutely love that the fish and chips also came with mushy peas, whereas most pubs only give you fish and chips alone. The dish was also very well priced at 9.95 GBP, and I was able to use my credit card, rounded up to 10 GBP because they have a 10 GBP minimum for using cards. I appreciate that this restaurant had free wi-fi, which I found out by asking my waiter, who quickly provided the secret code for me to use. In America you would never ask your server for this but I noticed that nearly every hotel and restaurant I visited during my 11-day tour of Europe offered wi-fi. Good on them, because how else would I check in to a restaurant on Yelp and shower them with praise and circulate promotional foodie photos on Instagram? During a weekday, many workers nearby flood this place to grab a pint during lunch....now, why don't I work in London? I would give this place five stars based on the food alone, but I am giving it four because I wished the service had been more attentive, as I had to go up to the bar to get malt vinegar and also to ask to pay my bill. I understand service in Europe is more laissez-faire than in America, but since this is a tourist spot I would have liked to be checked on by the staff at least once during my meal, and certainly to be presented with the bill. Note: They also serve Sunday roast dinner for 9.95 GBP on Sundays

    Great location, great specials and great service. This is a solid pub that seems to attract a good…read morecrowd. Being from the states I am not as familiar with all the UK brands --- but they seem to offer a wide variety of beers (lots on tap) and cocktails. TIP: I recommend hitting this place before 5:30 on the weekdays as the happy hour crowd fills this join up.

    Photos
    The Centre Page
    The Centre Page - Downstairs dinning area

    Downstairs dinning area

    The Centre Page

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    The Banker

    The Banker

    4.3(16 reviews)
    1.6 miThe City
    ££

    We had passed this pub several times, as it is located on a common route to the hotel we were…read morestaying in, and we wanted to have our first London pub experience, so try it, we did. We arrived just after the work day, and the crowd was buzzing just outside. We did the self-seating option indoors, and sat down to a great view of the Thames river, as we pondered our meal choices from the menu. The location is just great. For a leadoff drink, I had to go with the house cask ale, which was the Fuller's ESB, a drink I've been enjoying since the 1990's, and it delivered as expected. I went with an order of Sausages with mashed potatoes and peas...it doesn't get much more classic than that, and I was happy with it, especially with the quantity (3 sausages!). Wifey was on the hunt for a meat pie, and she went with the Steak, Ale & Mushroom Pie, which I can report was wholeheartedly approved. One of the better pies we've had on the overall trip, and the best we had at a pub location. The overall vibe of this pub is exactly as you might picture it, and we weren't disappointed with any aspect. Service, though not overly patient (hey - they were busy), was competent and pleasant. Cheers!

    Great pub in the City of London. Found it while walking near the River front after crossing north…read moreover London Bridge. Casks, drafts, lots of seating - both indoor and outdoor. They had billiards and some other entertainment. Quick service.

    Photos
    The Banker
    The Banker
    The Banker

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    The Bear and Staff - pubs - Updated May 2026

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