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    The Champion

    3.6 (36 reviews)
    InexpensivePubs
    Closed 12:00 pm - 11:00 PM

    The Champion Photos

    THE CHAMPION ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups

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    Stay away from the 1L bottles of wine. They are gone off, but being sold anyway. Don't be one of the suckers like us.
    Tom D.

    The Champion is selling gone off wine, but don't mention it, because the grumpy manager will blame you. Our company is just around the corner, we used to visit The Champion weekly, and would have rated it 5 stars until last night, but now we will never return. We bought a 750ml bottle of wine to share between 4 people and we enjoyed it enough to order a second. There were no more 750ml bottles, so we ordered a 1L bottle of the exact same wine. To be fair, there was one other smaller sized bottle visible, be we were told, "that one's gone off." Then the wine we were given was also rancid and undrinkable. The bottle was replaced, fair enough, but the second bottle was just as bad, stinking of dirty feet. We were sent downstairs to speak to the manager who angrily approached us. At first, she did not even believe us that they sold 1L bottles and had to phone upstairs to confirm this fact (strange). At this point, she was able to confirm a few things: 1. They know their wine is bad (sometimes gone off and undrinkable) and 'jokingly' refer to it as 'cooking wine.' 2. The new bartender upstairs would be getting in trouble for even replacing one bottle. In the manager's words, "He's new and won't be around much longer." 3. She would not even smell or taste the wine because she can't afford to humour everyone (and there are many) who complain about the wine. I have never found a wine I couldn't drink and never complained before; there is a difference between 'bad' wine and gone off wine. We will never return, and thank the manager for making that decision easy for us. Serves us right for ordering wine in a Sam Smiths pub!

    Catherine H.

    So once again, I find myself reviewing a Samuel Smith pub. I do especially like this one and still find myself pleasantly shocked at the amount of change I get back when I buy a drink here. It's great. This particular Sam Smith pub stands out from the others because of its intriguing stained glass windows. From the outside, the windows just can't manage to make their full impression so do walk inside for a feel of the full experience. There is a very old feel to this pub which I like, and the customers often prove that theory! If you make it down here on a weekend, however the crowd is a lot more youthful and all of them are enjoying their cheap drinks.

    exterior at night

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    Solid pub grub, nice decor, solid service. Nothing bad about it, just a little bit muted overall.

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    The Champion Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - The Champion

    A pint in central London for under £2?!

    Mentioned in 4 reviews

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    Devonshire Arms - Exterior building

    Devonshire Arms

    4.0(25 reviews)
    0.4 miSoho
    ££

    Such a cute, old fashioned place. Really really loved this location- only went for pints and little…read moresnacks but area is gorgeous as well pub is very cute. Overall really enjoyable experience. Was rather packed and service is quick but able to snag seat. Recommend

    Flew in on a Sunday and arrived at my hotel around noon. Immediately went to the concierge to see…read moreif he could secure me a spot since I had zero luck trying to get a reservation on line for two weeks prior. Remarkable, he scored and I literally walked around the corner and saw the long line to get into the pub first. I was seated immediately, however, and proceeded to enjoy a traditional Sunday Roast. Room was very pleasant (there are so many I got lost returning to my table from a bio brake. Roast was very good ( but no Lawry's) and the sides excellent. Could not decide if my favorite was the roast potatoes (crispy outside soft inside) or the glazed carrots. Yorkshire pudding was good but again, I am to used to the Lawry's and this is a different style. Peas were, well, peas, but very fresh. The sticky toffee cake was excellent and the Guinness fresh, creamy and a proper pour. Good thing because the selection of winners by the glass and half bottles of wine were both a little thin. Overall wine list was good but I was alone and not up for drinking a full bottle by myself. Overall, very enjoyable and to judge by the crowd and difficulty in getting a reservation, one of the more popular in town.

    Photos
    Devonshire Arms
    Devonshire Arms
    Devonshire Arms - Iberico Pork ribsSome of the nicest things I have put in my mouth.

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    Iberico Pork ribsSome of the nicest things I have put in my mouth.

    Lamb & Flag - Steak and ale pie

    Lamb & Flag

    4.2(194 reviews)
    0.6 miCovent Garden
    ££

    Stopped by The Lamb & Flag while walking around Covent Garden and immediately understood why people…read morelove this place. The history alone makes it worth visiting, and the location is perfect if you're exploring the area. It feels very classic London in the best way. We stopped in for a pint and honestly... the whole after-work beer culture over there is something I really need to bring back with me to the States. The beer was great, the atmosphere was lively without feeling overwhelming, and it just felt like one of those places where people naturally gather and stay awhile. Definitely worth stopping into if you're in the area.

    Historic London pub that I visited for lunch, at opening time. The bar actually opens before food…read moreis served so I grabbed a drink. Reservations recommended. Two story space - the ground floor feature the bar and handles walk in lunch; the upstairs is a dining room for those with reservations. Fun fact, as part of the history, the pub used to be the host of bare knuckle fights and had regulars like Charles Dickens. Wildfarmed sourdough - served with whipped salted butter and Guinness butter. Well toasted bread and the butters with salt were well made. Fuller's London Pride marinated steak and ale pie - served with seasonal veggies and red wine gravy, as well as either mash potatoes or triple cooked chips. If there is one dish London does really well, it's their pies. It was beautifully made and loaded with steak. The red wine gravy was decadent and added a perfect amount of moisture to the pie. Triple cooked chips were perfectly crispy but fluffy on the inside. Corn fed chicken breast - served with garlic and sage butter, mash potato, cavolo nero, and crispy onions. Only took a bite of this as it was my partner's dish but the bite of chicken I had was very juicy and well seasoned.

    Photos
    Lamb & Flag - This is from 2003. Behind the bar with Owner and friends of his.

    This is from 2003. Behind the bar with Owner and friends of his.

    Lamb & Flag
    Lamb & Flag - Front of pub

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    Front of pub

    The Champion - pubs - Updated May 2026

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