When we stopped in, it was a bank holiday so it was empty. It was a very cool, old school vibe that we loved. The woman behind the bar was very kind and friendly. We got a few pints, the halloumi fries ( delish) and the steak and ale pie. It was fantastic .. our only regret was that it was too much food and they didn't have a take away box! read more

The Windsor Castle - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

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We love this pub. One of our central London favorites. The Old Brewery Bitter was a fantastic dry beer; almost creamy and very easy to drink. We had a steak and ale pie as well and I'd have given an extra star for that if I could. Beautiful classic pub vibe and a very friendly staff. Add that to great food and spectacular beer and you're set. read more

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This was a must visit location on our trip to England and it did not disappoint! The history and beauty of Windsor Castle was well appreciated. A visit to St George's Church should not be missed. read more

It looks nice on the inside but it took forever to get our food and it was not busy at all. In fact people who came in after us were served before we were. The food was mediocre at best. Don't let the decor fool you as this place is not worth the time or trouble. read more

We found this per Yelp on our first night in London. We used the Get Directions and walked 5 minutes to this 1896 English pub. You seat yourself, order at the bar, and food is delivered to your table. The entire pub is a mobile free zone so be prepared to talk during your visit. We ordered hamburgers, liver and onion, and steak and ale pie. We ordered Sam Smith IPA, Smith wheat beer, and wine. The food came out quickly and was delicious. The wait staff was very friendly and helpful when ordering. It was not busy so we enjoyed the quiet atmosphere with dinner. read more

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Went in after touring Buckingham Palace. It's a tucked away pub with a local feel. They make their own beer and spirits that are very nice. I recommend the beef pie and ale if you are looking for a traditional English meal. read more

The Windsor Castle - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

My husband and I came here on our honeymoon 2 years ago. (2017) we had a great time, loved the energy of the back area and for whatever reason the patrons here are friendlier than anywhere else in London. Also super good looking!! Then, after probably too many beers, I forgot where we had gone and we've spent the last two years trying to find this place! We stumbled upon it only because it has the highest reviews of all the pubs in the area. We walked in and immediately announced "its The Ghost Pub!!" It is forever in our hearts as The Ghost Pub. I love that they make their own beer and they do a stiff pour. Steak and ale pie comes with a tiny pitcher of gravy, seriously fresh crisp peas and a meaty serving of pie with pearl onions. read more

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We wanted a real English pub experience and got it at the Windsor Castle. Away from the crowds is this picturesque pub which delivered on the experience. You do order at the bar which was something we don't do back at home. The brown ale was incredibly good. We had the fish and chips which my wife said was amazing. The hamburger was simple and delicious. Talking to the owner added to the experience. The food is brought up from down below (somewhere) by a lift! Would go back there next time in London for sure! read more

The Windsor Castle - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

I unfortunately am beyond biased in the fact that I love Sam Smiths and i don't have the option for draft back at home. I wish they had my favorite Fruit Ales on tap, but the cider reserve is still a good contender. The pub is quaint and the building is almost 200 years old. Kudos for the Americans looking for a fun old pub. The decor is cool/old fashioned and they have couches and armchairs. Helps the auora of making you feel you are back in the past (which I'll never truly know how that felt though). If you are near Victoria and want to stop of for a Sam Smith and want to have an old English pub experience, this place is great! No, this isn't a gastro pub or some fancy Indy scene. I'll definitely stop by again if I ever make it back to London! read more

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Stepped in while looking for a quick drink and found a real gem. Another traditional classy pub, order at the bar ( difficult for us Americans) but the bartender was so friendly and welcoming. Lovely architecture, must be a story there! They have Sam Smith's on tap which I hear is unusual, and he gave a taste of the chenin blanc before I committed. All in all a lovely experience and will be back. read more

Thankfully the service has greatly improved in the Windsor Castle since I wrote my last review. This improvement is definitely welcome and would ordinarily prompt me to upgrade the score to three stars, but unfortunately for the Windsor Castle/Sam Smiths in general, the removal of this aspect of their offerings only exposes other shortcomings at the Windsor Castle, in particular the quality of the beer. Five to ten years ago, Sam Smiths beer doubtless seemed good value and reasonable quality. These days however, with an ever-growing amount of craft beer available from an ever-expanding number of breweries, to me Sam Smiths beer seems bland in comparison and even of questionable value. Their standard bitter is a case in point. To me, it tastes of very little. It's cheap, sure, at around £3 a pint. But far more interesting pints of locally-brewed efforts can be found elsewhere - in fact, just 5 minutes walk away at the excellent Cask Pub and Kitchen - for not much more. There are a few Sam Smiths beers that I like - the Organic chocolate stout certainly, their apricot beer and to a lesser degree, their wheat beer and oatmeal stout, but these come with a higher price and hence find themselves with much more competition than their standard bitter. The food also seems of poorer quality and quantity than it once did, again undermining the value that used to be Sam Smith's chief selling point. So while it may now be possible to get a drink at the Windsor Castle quickly, I still can't recommend this place on the basis of the beer it sells. While the rest of the pub world has moved - in the case of arch-rival Wetherspoons, driven rather than moved - with the times, Sam Smiths seems stuck in the past. Until it radically improves its offerings I'll be heading to the Cask Pub and Kitchen every time I'm after a drink in Victoria, rather than the Windsor Castle. read more

Fantastic pub not far from Victoria Station, but cushioned by the surrounding neighborhood so it's not part of the station-generated chaos. Beautiful interior and exterior, plenty of seating inside, a little fireplace in the back, good food, and Sam Smith's products. read more

Cracking beer. Would love to call myself a regular, but can't say that I go often enough. I do, however, thoroughly enjoy the selection and the atmosphere; worth every penny. read more

The Windsor Castle used to be called The Cardinal but has since undergone a full refurb and a name change. It's still a Samuel Smith pub though so serves reasonably priced beers which is a refreshing change in this part of town. The bar staff were friendly too! The bar is over 2 levels. On the ground floor it has a central bar area, with panel divided drinking sections around it and a large relaxing lounge area at the back with a very attractive stained glass ceiling. It has dark wood and ornate etched glass throughout and has a very traditional and cosy feel to it. Upstairs there is a large dining lounge that has been done up in a similar style. They really have done a great job restoring this pub to how it once probably looked a hundred years ago and is certainly worth a little detour to visit. The only down side is that you can't take your drinks outside and there is no outdoor seating area. read more

I love Sam Smiths beer and pubs. This one is probably the most beautiful of the dozen or so I have been to. The seating in the back is really nice, couches to hang out on and relax with friends and beer. Location is wonderful. Prices are good as well. I would come back no doubt. read more

Excellent beer and great vibe with lots of places to sit and enjoy a drink with friends.

It's a Sam Smiths pub! In the heart of central London, esp in Victoria, I will say their prices are decent. Fairly old English after you are inside, with sofas and fireplace. Will go again! read more

Good Sam Smith's pub tucked away behind the hustle and bustle of Victoria. Traditional interior with sofas! (Other seating is a available!) And areas for a chat over that pint. Reasonably priced food menu with good variety of choices. read more

This is a true account. My friends and I were enjoying a drink in this pub. A member of the bar staff then abruptly told us to move away from a particular section of the bar because he wanted to place used glasses there. In doing so, he poked me in the back in an attempt to move me. I said, "you don't need to poke me in the back". He then aggressively sized up to me, saying "Did you call me a wanker?". I said "no, I said there was no need to poke me in the back". He then became even more aggressive, at which point we became scared and decided to leave. As I left my glass on the bar, he said, "if you don't like it, you can piss off!". We left immediately. I am sorry to report such bad language, but this is in fact what happened. And it ruined a pleasant evening out with friends. You would think going to a pub should be a pleasant evening out. But this particular pub has a huge problem with its staff. I don't normally even post reviews, but on this occasion, I felt compelled to warn people about this pub. read more

Bigoted landlord who clearly has a problem with service dogs!Came here as part of a work party, was pleased to see the price of a decent ale and thought it had a nice atmosphere. Then a member of staff approached myself and my colleague to say that we had to take the dog downstairs as they do not allow any dogs upstairs. We explained that Buster is a service dog and that, by law, they could not refuse him. The staff member got very defensive and went off to talk to their supervisor. About 3 minutes later the landlord appears and immediately accuses us of kicking of to a member of his staff. We explained that there had been a misunderstanding and that Buster was a service dog, I expected this to be the end of the matter but instead he tried to order us downstairs. Said that because he didn't have disabled toilets or facilities upstairs that my colleague, is partially deaf but in no other way disabled, couldn't be upstairs. He then went on to say we should have more respect for him, that we were in his house and should have sort his permission for a deaf man to come upstairs and insisted that he had a right to know where we were. I was honestly stunned, i had no idea people still had such bigoted and unpleasant attitudes to disability. Will not be returning. read more