Sunday Roast was on my to do list and after traveling from the country side via train and tube from Oxfordshire with suitcase and delays, I was delighted to find this cute pub next to my hotel. The service was friendly and I met the owner Sharon and we had a lovely chat. My roast arrived and it was just the meal I needed. Roast beef smothered in brown gravy, veggies cooked to perfection, and Yorkshire pudding (a light delicate bread) and I washed it down with a Diet Coke. Truly such savory meal that didn't feel heavy at all. With that fuel I hoped on thr tube and explored London. Priced fairly and a space with a rich musical history, I'd gladly be a water rat again! read more

The Water Rats - Sunday Roast - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - London, XGL

We had some time to spare before catching our train from King's Cross, so we stopped by this spot for a quick breakfast. We kept it simple--just scrambled eggs with bread. The place had a nice, spacious vibe, and since it was really early, we pretty much had it all to ourselves. But what really made it special was what we found out afterward-- Here's the cool part: there's been a public house on this site for over 500 years! The current building was put up in 1878. It was a regular hangout for none other than Karl Marx and Lenin--how wild is that? The walls are covered with photos of famous performers who've been there, along with images from the Grand Order of Water Rats. The whole place just feels rich with history--both old and more recent. The pub was bought in 1986 by the Grand Order of Water Rats, a showbiz charity whose members have included legends like Charlie Chaplin, and currently, Rick Wakeman. Even cooler--it's where Bob Dylan played his first-ever UK gig back in the 1960s. Since then, it's hosted the London debuts of bands like The Pogues and Oasis. And in this tiny back room, they've had live performances by major international stars, including Katy Perry. read more

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A tourist-friendly local bar that also hosts a music hall. Close to Kings Cross and a lot of hotels. Decent beer selection and food options make for decent meals. Our only issue with the place was how the servers would smoke next to the door or open windows and all of the smoke swept inside. Smoke is something to expect all over London, unfortunately. Still, something to keep in mind if you are sensitive to it like we are. read more

The Water Rats - So much cheese! Grapes are on a separate plate. - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - London, XGL

Revisited for breakfast- our third here while in London. Very nice, unhurried- great staff! Packed eggs are done PROPERLY! Whoever is the chef knows what they are doing! Thank you for a great experience, Water Rats! read more

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I spent about 1 week in london. And I was around the kings cross area. So I just walked around one night looking for a pub, and this place was packed. They had a love band outside, and a good crowd inside. Atmosphere was nice, it wasn't a dive bar, but it wasn't douchie either...and fyi...we pay wayyyyy too much for beers here in America!! Anyway, the guy next to me was enjoying some fish and chips, I didn't taste then cause that would've been, potentially awkward, but they looked good, and they had enough beers on tap to keep me happy. I wish I had more time to try their food and expand my review, but I did enjoy the place. read more

Great meal in a historic place! We started with delicious tomato soup with warm, crusty bread. The fish and chips are a must-get; freshly fried and perfectly seasoned. The bangers and mash were also good, although the fish and chips were much better. Cocktails are 2-for-1 from 4 to 6:30, so we had Pimm's Cups. Service was friendly as well. read more

Had one of the most amazing nights of a recent trip to London at The Water Rats! Saw the incredibly talented Peter Bruntnell perform in the most intimate (and historic) venue I've ever experienced. Not only did I meet Peter and his bandmates, but I made friendships with my fellow concert goers that I hope will last a lifetime. Later, when I read about the history of the venue (e.g. Dylan, the Pogues, Oasis, Katy Perry) I was even more impressed, and not at all surprised to see it mentioned in the NYTimes travel section article about St. Pancras area. If you can see a show at The Water Rats, do it! read more

The Water Rats - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - London, XGL

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This place appears to have been given a massive revamp since I saw it last. I had always meant to venture in as I thought it looked pretty cool, and spotted a sign above the door saying Bob Dylan had once performed there. Alas I never visited during its original incarnation, but over the weekend called in to a venue that looks completely brand new. The front area is filled with sensible seating, everything is very clean and slick, while still seeming friendly and inviting. The cocktail menu looks really interesting, as does their new food menu. We just stopped in for a quick drink but when I saw the menu we had to get the veggie sharing board - it was really, really good. Seriously top class for pub food. Worth checking out! read more

The Water Rats - Veggie sharing board - wow. It was incredible - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - London, XGL

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I freakin enjoyed the full English breakfast. It was simple with no fuss, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Sometimes less is more. All I wanted was toast with beans, and my wish was granted. read more

The Water Rats - Full English breakfast - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - London, XGL

For two full years I lived in the vicinity of King's Cross and this famous music venue and pub, but only did I ever venture here last night for a friend's gig. I now regret not having ventured here before. The Water Rats in divided into a pub and music venue in the back, slightly resembling the format of the Dublin Castle in Camden. The pub and the stage are the perfect size to come a see a small gig. I was also pleasantly surprised that the sound in the back was very good. My only criticism would be perhaps to have a bit more seating available in the pub area and to lower the music. I would also say that for what it is, the Water Rats is not the cheapest pub. It does however have that clear King's Cross grungy feel to it and if you ever get the chance to see a band that you like here, I am sure you will enjoy it. read more

The Water Rats - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - London, XGL

Looked a lovely spot for breakfast. Then the kind and welcoming sever we started with was ushered into the back and then it went down hill from there the other sever was rude and dismissive ordered a breakfast asked for no tomato's i wasn't then asked about my eggs my wife specified she wanted pouched egg mine then came with the same. I then asked please can you swap the eggs for fried she got very rude about it but swapped them. The rest of the staff were lovely. It was a real shame about the only sever. read more

Struggling over rating, In the end I really enjoyed myself, was a fun night, but not cos of the bar. Pricey, small and well dressed for King's Cross. The place looks like Frankenstein's Penthouse, but the bar staff were nice and relaxed after a while. Sometimes you get a bad vibe from staff, as I got here, but when they realised I wasn't there to mug anyone. great bands and a great vibe, not a big fan of the two room thing like at Nambucca and other places, where you have a bar and a stage in separate rooms, can see how that works. The Toilets were actually in King's Cross train station as it was a ten minute walk through the catacombs before you could find it, and thats after trying 20 different doors. Not fun when your abut to break the seal. other than that not much to say really. it was too dark. read more

Neighborhood bar. Cut-and-dry. Not a tremendous recommendation for food. But if you want to enjoy a drink and relax ... maybe get off your feet for a few minutes, this is a great place for that. read more

Small music venue, but totally amazing. For seven pounds we got to see FIVE bands play and they all put on great sets. They always have the live music going, and drinks are fairly priced, too! The bar in the front is pretty big, and it shows the stage on tv screens, so you never miss a part of the show. It was awesome, and I would definitely, definitely, DEFINITALY go back! read more

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The worst experiences I've ever had in a pub in my life. It really can't decide if it's a pub, cafe, restaurant or bar. We came in as a group of 9 friends wanting lunch. We all wanted to pay separately, and the woman was so confused and, for some reason, couldn't take that down on her order notebook and had to disappear to grab nine separate bits of paper to take our names and order. The drinks took half an hour to arrive, despite the fact that we were one of three tables in and the bar was only three feet away. The food was very iffy. The calamari was made by someone who obviously only has a tenuous idea of what calamari is meant to look like (hint: it's not a handful of calamari rings battered into the middle of one enormous batter ball). The salad was 95% lettuce and 5% dressing. The burger was served upside down. The grilled halloumi salad, hummus and pitta bread came with no hummus or pitta bread. The cheese board (ordered at the same time as the rest of the food) came out so much later that the rest of us had eaten despite the fact that no prep was needed other than cutting slices of cheese. It was meant to come with chutney, crackers and french baguette and instead came with two slices of slightly toasted white bread that looked like Tesco basic white bread. It was all so warm that my friend spread the cheese across the bread like butter. One friend didn't get any food at all, and was told that the chef had left before making it, so she was just not getting food. read more

The Water Rats have live music regularly - well done for that. Everything else is just a bit pants though. The beer is a bit on the flat side and expensive - about £4.00 for what's likely to be a crap pint. And as I mentioned, lot's of bands play here but that doesn't mean they're any good. Some have been good, many haven't - it's all just a preference really. The live music happens in a back room, as opposed to the small bar area out front where they have a flat-screen TV playing some music channel or other. What is quite grating is when a band is playing and they leave the TV music on too, pretty loudly. You end up hearing a tuneless amalgamation of which no rhythmic sense can be followed and just disorientates while you're trying to maintain a conversation. Not helpful or enjoyable. Not to mention the staff pressing us to pay entry to see the bands playing last time despite making it clear we were only there for a drink. Four staff members and not a smile between them. I've been in a few times and never enjoyed the pub. I've liked the people I've been here with and I've liked a couple of the bands I've come to see but I'll always be happier going some place else. TTFN, Ian read more

I went and saw a friend perform here. It's a dive bar meets a dive venue. The sound was really good for the performance, but there wasn't a lot of seating for us the just relax. You had to go outside to smoke, no patio, but everyone kind of just huddled outside together and had our own smokers area. It would probably be interesting to see a more packed show here. read more

Water Rats is a small live music venue which puts on gigs every night of the week. It's a really popular venue, mainly featuring 'up and coming' bands and emerging musical talent. I went to see a friends band there and paid £5 with my name on the guest list (the doorman informed me that it's £7 - £8 off the guest list). The bar area is quite small and could be hard to get a seat, but people seem generally happy standing as it's only for temporary breaks in between bands. The music room has red walls and old simple gold chandeliers whilst red curtains are draped at the back of the stage. It has a fantastically intimate feel when the bands come on, and you can really take in the music with all your senses. It did get unbearably hot during the set and I had to leave the room to take a breather at one point. The air conditioning was finally turned on, but not until the last hour, so I suggest you prepare yourself with removable layers. The toilets were also rather stinky... I had to hold my breath going in. But if you can cope with these two minor negatives in order to have a good musical experience this place certainly puts on some good gigs. read more

Water Rats is an amazing place to see live music, and is a staple on the London tour scene. With a decent sized pub area at the front of the venue, it's in the back that the sweet music is made and played. A large stage that dominates the room is facing you as you walk into this area, with very little seating a lot of room for dancing. You can usually pick up tickets on the door (depending of course on the popularity of the band) at the cost of around £5, beer is cheap and the place certainly has that seedy Kings Cross feel. I saw an amazing band her once years ago who starting chanting "Toast the toaster"; it was one of the most entertaining gigs of my life! A good spit and sawdust venue to see up and coming (or down and going) bands. read more

The Water Rats is a decent music venue down the road from Kings Cross Station. Entering through the front you might be mistaken for thinking that this is a regular pub but at the back is a small theatrel in which the live music events take place. The theatre is tiny and makes for very intimate gigs. The stage is not raised much and so if you are in the middle of the crowd you might struggle to see the action which can be a little frustrating. The pub at the front is quite handy if you are seeing a showcase event and fancy taking a break from the gig. I quite like having the option of a change of surroundings, especially if one of the artists isn't very good in which case you have a place to escape to. The standard of performer is usually quite good. It is the kind of place where artists on the verge of breaking through appear. read more

Let's start this out. I never, or rarely, give five stars. Lay out the facts. I spent £10 to see the bands and then another 3.60 for a pint of Strongbow. Water Rats is not cheap. I'm sitting here, typing a full day later, with my ears still ringing. My head hurts from the sound and I'm flipping tired - BUT I LOVE THIS PLACE. I hardly like all the bands late play, but this was one night where every single musician/band was incredibly talented and obviously going to get big. Let me list them out for your watchful eye: Tom Morley, The JONS (utterly wicked), Joanna and the Wolf, and Wilder. Not a single one disappointed, and each band stayed after to talk to the crowd. I love settings that don't create some "I'm talented" hierarchy. The setting itself can range for an intimate groups or "free-range" individuals. There's a nice separation between the music venue and the rest of the pub, so naturally it's less likely to have people spilling drinks everywhere and if you don't feel like listening to one band, you can retreat to a quieter place. As for the music venue itself, there's a good amount of space, spare seating and a raised platform for people in the back. IT's a considerate venue. On the plus side, the bathrooms are clean and ready to get tagged (I saw a few 2010 markings on the walls for The JONS). This is perhaps easily the most fun I've had at a gig (and I've been to so many since I've been here) and I didn't get drunk - I remember the night so well, and I will remember it forever. read more

A great small venue about 3 minutes walk from Kings Cross. A two room space, Water Rats often plays host to 4 - 5 bands a night, with totally different audiences going in and out of the gig room as each act finishes. One price gets you in for the whole night though. The front room is spacious and often really busy after work as you can go in that part without paying. Crowds spill out onto the pavement and a DJ plays good pop / indie. read more

I've never played here myself but I saw a friend's band play there last night. They'd booked EIGHT bands to play, presumably to get as many people through the door as possible to watch their mates, but to squeeze in that many sets the first band had to start at 7.15pm (and not all bands got time for a soundcheck). I personally reckon this is a little bit too early for a Saturday night, especially when it's still bright and sunny outside. Speaking of which, the room in which the bands perform was swelteringly hot. The drinks weren't too pricey, but after struggling to open a bottle of red wine, the (friendly) barman ended up pouring the wine from a rather conspicuous-looking open bottle from the top shelf. To be fair he did warn me that the wine wasn't exactly the best, but it did look distinctly dodgy. So, a cool place to check out new music if you're that way inclined, but don't expect to be blown away by much else. read more

A really genuine, intimate venue with character and history. The layout and acoustics are great for gigs. read more

One of the worst pub in London. Food is completely absent from the menu (except two cheeses) and they usually provide you packs of crisps if want something. They don't have a lot of beers and you can't use cards if you order something in the part of the pub where people play music Prices are exaggerated for the service and for the musicians that they host Don't go read more

If you want to sweat all night long while you get bad customer service this is the spot for you! The poor musicians were dying on stage from the heat along with all the people there to see them ...and it wasn't even a packed room. Also, don't buy more than 1 drink because if you happen to misstep on THEIR stairs and drop one of the 6 drinks you bought while trying to get up the steps, they don't come and help you....or offer to help you to begin with... and then CHARGE YOU AGAIN to replace the drink. The UK is notorious for horrible customer service and this is a place that will prove just how bad it can be. The manager even made it worse than the "bartender" by threatening me when I complained about the situation. read more

It's a good venue for music performance as it can accommodate medium size crowds and its well-equipped sound system does help the music much more pleasurable. The bar at the front bit is quite small and quite expensive. It also has outdoor space on the pavement if you really don't want to join the crowd inside. read more

I recently went here for the first time and I thought it was a really good venue. Very atmospheric and intimate, and a great chance to see bands before they escalate into other venues like 93 Ft East and The Scala. The front bar is a great place to hang out prior to the show and they have a good variety of drinks being served. read more

The Water Rats suffered from being appallingly hot when I saw Shelleyan Orphan there in, er, December 2008. Despite being pretty cold outside, the room was sweltering, to the extent that I almost passed out during the support and had to go out into the bar to sit down. The staff allowed me to take a chair in, and then it occurred to them that they might want to turn the air conditioning onwhich they did for about ten minutes, and then turned it off again. We had to nag them to turn it on permanently, after which it was much more comfortable. Another problem is that the stage lighting features some rather cheesy moving coloured lights which frequently shine directly into the eyes of the audience and make it rather difficult to look at the stage. It's probably better if you are nearer the back (the room has a step up to a higher level at the back of the room so there should still be a decent view from there), but I was standing just a few feet from the stage and was blinded by the intermittent yellow glare for about half of the numbers. On the plus side, the sound system is pretty good and the bar area is quite pleasant. I would just recommend not going in the middle of summer or you may risk heatstroke read more

A gig venue, not really a place you can go after work we found out, as it was £4 entry to have a drink and carry our laptop bags, maybe we went on a particular busy day. There didn't seem to be many workers in suits in there. If you are in the area and want to see a band, I'm sure this place would be great, if you are wanting a quiet drink, probably best to go to The Queens Head. read more

Good food, great service. I got 2 mojitos for the price of 1 and a great BBQ chicken sandwich

Well it's a pub, Is it famous? Maybe years ago Good food? Not really Live music? Yes I was there for a gathering of a group of eclectic friends for a 60th birthday. Before the music started my partner and I sat for a quick meal. We wanted to order the deep fried calamari to share. Plus a couple of salmon and toasts with cream cheese. We were lucky, as before ordering, the table next to us got served fish and chips and by looking at the dark color of the greasy batter we desisted in ordering calamari after all, as the oil they would have been deep fried in, judging by the look of the F&Chips would have been old and dirty. We changed our mind fast to the vegetarian platter. The description on the menu was lovely but when it arrived apart for the piece of Stilton it was bland to say the least. It consisted of 3 sauces 1 piece of Stilton some mozzarella balls, 2 slices of pitta. The salmon was also of very poor quality and the cream cheese as bland as it gets. Now go there for the music or for the drinks but please eat before you go . The food Is not worth trying for a place like this read more

Quite nice pub with hearty meals. I enjoyed their fish & chips. Very noisy during the show nights. Very nice staff!

Came in because it was close to our hotel, enjoyed the atmosphere, the service was amazing and the food was awesome!! They even made my food exactly how I asked for it even though it was not on the menu! read more

Historic music venue thats also an excellent small pub. Friendly staff, good food (especially the Sunday roast) and free wifi.

Great gig venue - you go through the pub to get to the medium sized, dark room. I remember going here many years ago to see my friend's (now defunkt) band 68 Special and the place hasn't changed at all! Apparently it's always busy here which is good and the crowd are really welcoming to all the bands - even if they're not that great! Chatty bar staff, loud music, normal pub prices. Only downer is that the entry charge seems a little high. read more

An intimate gig venue with pub in front and music venue behind. Mainly features lower league indie groups - but great if your fave band is in this catchment, as you get to see them in a room of no more that 100-200 people. Don't dress up, prepare to get sweaty & welcome the odd splash of beer on you. Watching music has never been so enjoyable. read more

A nice venue with a prestigious history (Bob Dylan played his first gig here, apparently), this place is awash with breaking talent. The place is intimate and a great place to see up'n'coming bands. The pub in the front is lively and friendly. Drinks are not too extortionate. read more

The best time to go to Water Rats is, I would imagine, when your friend's band is playing or when its one of your favourite up-and-coming groups. The intimate atmosphere breeds intimacy and if you're not entirely into the music you may feel out of place. That being said, if you're digging what is going on on stage, then this is a great venue to hear great tunes. The drinks are on par with the rest of the area. read more

One of the best small music venues you can find in London. A nice pub with great atmosphere and a back room with an amazing and loud sound system. Either young unsigned bands and very good established indie acts play here almost every day. read more