Tucked away in Holborn on the outskirts of the West End, The Old Crown is a gastro pub serving up hearty fare, tasty cocktails and a lively ambience over multiple floors. Knowing this to be an after-work favourite, after my own ‘hard day’ at the DMN offices, I scooted on over to central to trial out this Victorian-styled hub for myself.

Venue

Even from outside the pub you can tell the Old Crown has oodles of character. Big windows laden with fairy lights are the first thing you’ll notice, which for a compact venue definitely help to give the feel of a little more space than there is. Cosy but not crowded, we perched ourselves at one of the food tables by the window, and looking around, there were plenty of places to sit or stand for groups of pretty much any size. The other two floors are available for private hire and dining, with their own bar facilities available too. Handy.

One of the Old Crown's private rooms, upstairs.

Ambience

We arrived at around 8:30pm on a Thursday and the pub was buzzing. Plenty of people outside, and lots of groups happily chatting inside enjoying the food and sinking a few drinks. Friendly and lively, the Old Crown is an after-work haven with the added bonus of tasty chow, delicious cocktails and super-helpful bar staff. Mixed groups, dinner-darlings and boozy catch-ups aplenty, the pub is a fun and unpretentious place to drink in the face of some stuffy local competition. 

The pub enjoys a buzzing and varied crowd, any night of the week.

Food and Drink

With a sign outside proudly boasting an award for the 'The Best Burgers in the City', my ordering was only ever going to go one way. Yep, you guessed it! I enjoyed one of the Old Crown's now-infamous burgers. I opted for one of their specials; venison with pickled beetroot and...chocolate sauce - which was, to put it quite simply, amazing. Solid pub grub with a notable flair, the food doesn't disappoint. Drinks-wise we had a few beers pre-dinner and then had a crack at the cocktails. I had a gin/cucumber concoction which really hit the spot, and the bar boasts a varied range of their own bespoke cocktails, expertly mixed by the Crown's chipper barmen.

Yep; chocolate sauce and a TOWER of onion rings. Take me back to the paradise city.

Summary

With such a high grade of food, not to mention the tasty cocktails, it pays to remember that whilst the Old Crown might hold some similarities to a traditional boozer; a traditional boozer it is most definitely not. An awesome choice for dinner or a few drinks whilst in central, the pub is infinitely better value for money than most of the 'trendy' burger joints that have popped up over the last 12 months, with much heartier portions too. With that in mind, I definitely recommend you trying it out for yourself.