Randomness Guide to London - Differences between Version 28 and Version 19 of Imperial, WC2H 7BL
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| Tucked just off [[Locale Leicester Square|Leicester Square]], this is a fairly pleasant and not too busy pub, which is a vast improvement on the nearby chain bars. It is badged as [http://www.taylor-walker.co.uk/ Taylor Walker], the slightly upmarket city centre brand of Punch Taverns. |
Tucked just off [[Locale Leicester Square|Leicester Square]], this is a fairly pleasant and not too busy pub, which is a vast improvement on the nearby chain bars. Despite its location, it doesn't get quite as many tourists and revellers as you'd expect; on a Wednesday lunchtime in May 2009 it was practically empty at 1pm. |
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Despite its location, it doesn't get quite as many tourists and revellers as you'd expect. Even after work on weekdays there's usually been at least one table available on our several visits, and turnover is fairly quick. |
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There's banquette seating in a booth area opposite the bar with several large tables, as well as lots of smaller tables towards the rear of the pub. There is a big cafe style awning at the front with halogen heaters for the smokers. On our June 2015 visit there was over-aggressive air conditioning, with several customers commenting on how cold they felt in their summer clothes. |
There's banquette seating in a booth area opposite the bar with several large tables, as well as lots of smaller tables towards the rear of the pub. |
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It has four handpulls, with London Pride (£3.48/pint as of June 2010) appearing to be a regular. They also have Peroni and Staropramen (and the other usual lagers), on tap. On a visit in 2007, the guest ale was Everard's Sundancer which is a very pleasant light coloured summer ale; they've also featured Elgood's Cambridge Bitter (March 2008) and Butcombe Bitter (November 2008, £3.25/pint), among many others. The lineup in September 2013 was London Pride, Black Sheep Bitter, and St Austell Tribute, with the fourth handpump dedicated to Old Rosie cider. A pint of lime and soda was £1.47 in September 2013 and a surprisingly cheaper £1.10 in June 2015 (and in April 2016). |
It has four handpulls, with London Pride (£3.48/pint as of June 2010) and Bombardier appearing to be regulars. They also have Budvar and Leffe (and the other usual lagers), on tap. On a visit in 2007, the guest ale was Everard's Sundancer which is a very pleasant light coloured summer ale; they've also featured Elgood's Cambridge Bitter (March 2008) and Butcombe Bitter (November 2008, £3.25/pint), among many others, though the line-up on our later visits has been more mainstream (Greene King IPA and Abbot Ale in February 2009, Young's London Gold and Doom Bar in June 2010). There's also a rather odd mulled wine dispenser at one end of the bar. A pint of lime and soda was £1.63 in June 2010. |
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As of September 2013, food is served 11am-10pm daily. The pub menu is fairly standard fare, identical to other Punch pubs in this brand (burgers, sausages and mash, nachos, sandwiches, etc.), though they have a small sheet of daily specials as well <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/9854608925/ photo as of September 2013]</small>. Burgers are somewhat unadorned, served with a small numbers of chips, and a little disappointing. The pies, though, were excellently presented and looked to be very tasty. On a November 2009 visit, [[Ewan]] tried the vegetarian 'fish' and chips (£7.50, recently added to the menu) <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/4130566726/ photo]</small>, which was fairly unpleasant, three large chunks of halloumi, battered and deep-fried — the halloumi didn't have much taste and wasn't squeaky, and with the addition of the frying, was just far too much to eat comfortably. The chips and mushy peas on the side weren't much better quality, but offered a little variety. |
The pub menu is fairly standard fare, identical to other Spirit Group pubs (burgers, sausages and mash, nachos, sandwiches, etc.), though they have a print-out of daily specials attached. A falafel burger was somewhat unadorned, but served in a tasty ciabatta bun with chips, so not too disappointing. The pies, though, were excellently presented and looked to be very tasty. On a November 2009 visit, [[Ewan]] tried the vegetarian 'fish' and chips (£7.50, recently added to the menu) <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/4130566726/ photo]</small>, which was fairly horrible, three large chunks of halloumi, battered and deep-fried -- the halloumi didn't have much taste and wasn't squeaky, and with the addition of the frying, was just far too much to eat comfortably. The chips and mushy peas on the side weren't much better quality, but offered a little variety. |
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They have a couple of flatscreens mounted discreetly on the walls, though on all our visits here we've only ever seen these in use once, during the 2010 World Cup. |
There is a big cafe style awning at the front with halogen heaters for the smokers. |
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As of April 2016 they have free wireless via The Cloud. |
Although [[Ewan]] noted on a November 2009 visit that they appeared to have removed all their screens and were no longer showing sport, on [[Kake]]'s June 2010 visit the screens had reappeared and they were showing football matches (this may have only been for the duration of the World Cup, though — in July 2010 the place appeared to be TV-free). |
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[[Kake]]'s verdict: This is my default pub in the area. It's nothing special in a London-wide context, but it has real ale and I know I'm likely to get a seat. |
Accessibility: One step up to get in. Ladies' toilets are upstairs, and gents downstairs, with fairly narrow staircases. |
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Accessibility: One step up to get in. Ladies' toilets are on the first floor, and gents' in the basement, with fairly narrow staircases. |
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* [http://www.yelp.co.uk/biz/the-imperial-london-2 Yelp comments] |
* [http://www.qype.co.uk/place/96949#PlaceReviews Qype comments] |
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<div class="last_verified">Last visited by [[Kake]], April 2016. Opening hours and food times taken from the Imperial website, September 2013.</div> |
<div class="last_verified">Last visited by [[Kake]], [[bob]], and others, July 2010.</div> |
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category='Cloud Wifi,Featured Article,Free Wireless,Pub Food,Pubs,Real Ale,Smoking Area' edit_type='Minor tidying' |
category='Food Served Evenings,Food Served Lunchtimes,Pubs,Real Ale,Smoking Area,Step-Free Access' edit_type='Normal edit' |
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formatted_website_text='taylor-walker.co.uk/Ta...' host='94.119.96.96' hours_text='11am-11:30pm Mon-Sat; noon-11:30pm Sun' |
formatted_website_text='' host='213.165.225.132' hours_text='' |
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locale='Chinatown,Leicester Square,Soho,WC2' |
locale='Leicester Square,Soho,WC2' |
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major_change='0' |
major_change='1' |
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node_image='https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1500/24174853739_bc05aa579b_m_d.jpg' node_image_copyright='Kake' node_image_licence='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/' node_image_url='https://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/24174853739/' opening_hours_text='11am-11:30pm Mon-Sat; noon-11:30pm Sun' |
node_image='https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2160/2353127628_10b6c1232a_m.jpg' node_image_copyright='Ewan-M' node_image_licence='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en_GB' node_image_url='https://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/2353127628/' opening_hours_text='' |
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summary='Decent pub just by Leicester Square.'
summary='Decent pub just by Leicester Square.' website='http://www.taylor-walker.co.uk/TaylorWalker/pub-food/Imperial-Soho/pid-C0205' |
summary='Decent pub just by Leicester Square.' website='http://www.taylor-walker.co.uk/TaylorWalker/pub-food/Imperial-Soho/pid-C0205' |
Tucked just off Leicester Square, this is a fairly pleasant and not too busy pub, which is a vast improvement on the nearby chain bars. Despite its location, it doesn't get quite as many tourists and revellers as you'd expect; on a Wednesday lunchtime in May 2009 it was practically empty at 1pm.
The lighting is often kept quite dim (just on the edge of being able to read a book on Kake's June 2010 evening visit, though it was somewhat brighter on another visit a month later), and they play background music (on both these visits, not quite too loud to allow conversation).
There's banquette seating in a booth area opposite the bar with several large tables, as well as lots of smaller tables towards the rear of the pub.
It has four handpulls, with London Pride (£3.48/pint as of June 2010) and Bombardier appearing to be regulars. They also have Budvar and Leffe (and the other usual lagers), on tap. On a visit in 2007, the guest ale was Everard's Sundancer which is a very pleasant light coloured summer ale; they've also featured Elgood's Cambridge Bitter (March 2008) and Butcombe Bitter (November 2008, £3.25/pint), among many others, though the line-up on our later visits has been more mainstream (Greene King IPA and Abbot Ale in February 2009, Young's London Gold and Doom Bar in June 2010). There's also a rather odd mulled wine dispenser at one end of the bar. A pint of lime and soda was £1.63 in June 2010.
The pub menu is fairly standard fare, identical to other Spirit Group pubs (burgers, sausages and mash, nachos, sandwiches, etc.), though they have a print-out of daily specials attached. A falafel burger was somewhat unadorned, but served in a tasty ciabatta bun with chips, so not too disappointing. The pies, though, were excellently presented and looked to be very tasty. On a November 2009 visit, Ewan tried the vegetarian 'fish' and chips (£7.50, recently added to the menu) photo, which was fairly horrible, three large chunks of halloumi, battered and deep-fried -- the halloumi didn't have much taste and wasn't squeaky, and with the addition of the frying, was just far too much to eat comfortably. The chips and mushy peas on the side weren't much better quality, but offered a little variety.
There is a big cafe style awning at the front with halogen heaters for the smokers.
Although Ewan noted on a November 2009 visit that they appeared to have removed all their screens and were no longer showing sport, on Kake's June 2010 visit the screens had reappeared and they were showing football matches (this may have only been for the duration of the World Cup, though — in July 2010 the place appeared to be TV-free).
Accessibility: One step up to get in. Ladies' toilets are upstairs, and gents downstairs, with fairly narrow staircases.
See also:
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