Kings Arms London in City of London, Westminster

Been coming here for 20 years, came for a drink reccently and experienced very poor service behind the bar. I appreciate that it's a place well known to regulars with the staff but was appalled to have a staff member take my order then not pour the drink but say hi to a friend and walk out behind the bar to go talk to them. It was early eve and not particularly busy so I got served straight after however very poor service. The next bar member then took my order, didn't ask if I wanted a single or double and ended up with a £10+ double spirit and mixer. Was on a date so didn't want to make a big deal out of it but yeah! Very surprising as I've never experienxed this in the 20 years I've been coming here.

Great space and very friendly staff.

My husband and I recently hired the upstairs bar at the Kings Arms for a joint birthday drinks bash. We wanted something simple, hassle free and gay / straight friendly, the Kings Arms being the perfect venue. We paid a minimum deposit bar take to secure a member of staff for the upstairs dedicated bar, which worked brilliantly, providing the food & decs ourselves. Gareth (Deputy Manager) that we dealt with most was just superb - helpful from the moment we made our initial enquiry to the end of the event, no query was too much trouble. The Kings Arms knows the meaning of the word "community", one of the main reasons we love the pub - and this personal approach very much extended itself to the hosting of our party; including staff asking after a friend who had been feeling unwell at one point. A big thank-you to Gareth and all at the Kings Arms for a hugely successful birthday bash!

Dane and Kai were top notch. Food was incredible

Lovely food, atmosphere and service. Dane was great!

Great staff, friendly crowd and even better karaoke on Sunday. Just a good pub overall and I’m so glad we found it.

Ground floor and upstairs seats are available as well as bars on each floor.

It's a gay bar and the only pub on a Tuesday night that we could actually get in everywhere else was horribly packed and we went in the upstairs bar which was lovely and quiet staff were very friendly and welcoming

Fantastic and friendly service.

Beautiful bear bar very English in style and very gay in everything else

Our favourite pub in Soho for catching up with friends in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. My partner and I also recently held a birthday event in their upstairs lounge and were absolutely delighted by the experience. Managers Shane and Gareth and all the staff went above and beyond to ensure we enjoyed a wonderful event, even during a busy bank holiday weekend. Highly recommended!

One of the friendliest bars in London - period. Fantastic entertainment is put on nightly; Quiz nights, themed DJ nights - and definitely the best Karaoke in London on a Sunday evening - with our very own Jivin-Julie 🎶 🎤 Special shout out to Shane and Gary. All of the friendly bar staff are irreproachable in their customer service, and their efforts in making an evening in here a great night to remember ✨🔥

A lovely pub, met some super guys there and the staff are polite and great too. Definitely going back…

One of the great pubs. Dane was an amazing server and looked after us. Highly recommend

Went there two nights in a row. Don’t miss their karaoke Sunday.

Always a good Sunday night in The Kings Arms.

Great place . Newly renovated . Good staff , great food and good vibes

Great for a social meet (obviously lol) a good mix of people and great music from one of the resident djs Phil Marriot

Very good friendly bar, used to call for a few passing though, it was also the end point of a pub crawl which started at Halfway 2 Heaven - Welly - Comptons - Admiral and finsh here for a few. Now I love a pint of Carling which all of the mentioned above on the pub crawl sold, sadly for reasons unknown to me ALL of the metioned bars got rid of the Carling at the same time and replaced it with Polari pale ale so that was the end of that. However chosen beer aside the KIngs is always a friendly place.

Love this place on a Sunday night with the karaoke. Always a lovely vibe, feels more like a family event than a pub. Julie works hard on the karaoke to keep everyone happy and make sure everyone gets their turn, and the bar staff don't stop. The upstairs area is always a nice spot for when you want a quieter, more mellow moment, ideal for conversation. Or meditation. Need to get myself down for a Friday/Saturday night for a dance.

Stopped by at 11pm and they were already closed.

A wondeful pub with even more wonderful bears. Was worried I'd stick out as a foreigner but I had a lovely proper chat at the bar with a cute local otter while the kind and handsome bartender kept our cups full. I'll be stopping here again next time I'm in town.

Very busy for a Sunday evening, karaoke on so not the place to meet for a chat. Nice group of guys there though, sorta Bear-ish.

Everything was great, the food is fresh and local, the portions are big, the service is outstanding, and I must especially praise the waiters Shane and Dane, who gave great recommendations, were very kind and I would definitely come back again.

It's a great gay bar, a little away from the other gay bars. It is spacious and full of tables and chairs. It wasn't too crowded for me, but it had excellent energy. For a beer and a chat after work or even a few drinks after a long week's work. I would highly recommend a visit if you are looking for your local gay bar in Soho. This should be it.

First visit the venue due to attending a performance at London Palladium the same day. Visited afterwards and the staff, and atmosphere was the best I have experienced in any LGBT+ friendly bar when visiting London (from the North). Will be visiting again soon, I only wish I lived closer - this bar was so welcoming to the more 'mature' blokes (et. al.) THAT made a huge difference in acceptance, friendliness and enjoyment! If only a slightly later opening could be gained, 1 AM or 2 AM? Stay Friendly guys! XXX

great service, staff is amazing especially Dane, super great atmosphere and great food! 100% recommend !

I always feel very welcome here, and it's very easily my favourite queer venue in town. The staff are all wonderful, and this weekend Gareth in particular went out of his way to make my husband's birthday drinks very special for him and all of our pals.

Met a friendly bear, had a couple of pints, kissed. The place is a good spot to cruise - the man I met was also looking for some no-strings fun. We had a very pleasant afternoon. Will definitely return next time I'm in London.

Traditional pub with a nice atmosphere and a young crowd.

Ignore all negative reviews! This pub really does have it all...great music the staff are so polite and friendly..you got a quiet area upstairs to chat to friends..I can't fault the place at all. A real special place that's close to my heart Highly recommend 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈

Absolutely amazing pints, and Tom is one of the most genuine and friendly barmen I’ve met in my life!

Favourite gay bar in London 👍🏻 great atmosphere, and grateful to have been looked after by the lovely Tom behind the bar ❤️

Stopped off at The Kings Arms with some friends to relax and have a couple of drinks. Nice friendly LGBTQIA+ bar and deals throughout the week on drinks and mixers are good too! Shoutout to Tom for being so nice as to take pictures with and for us and have a friendly conversation with.

Been a regular for years and keep coming back. The friendliest gay pub in London. It you like the big boys pop in. Tom behind the bar is always a sight for sore eyes, but all the bar staff are super friendly. The same with the quiz and karaoke hosts!

Has to be one of my favourite pubs in all of London! Every time we go there with friends we have a great time, the atmosphere is amazing and there's a good choice of beers, which is always nice. The whole staff is always super friendly and nice, but a special shout-out needs to go to Tom, who was really lovely and helped us on various occasions to pick drinks, a great addition to an already amazing pub!

I hope after this pride, they renew the bit of carpet in the bar. My shoes were still sticky when I got home.

Easily my favourite LGBTQ+ pub in Soho. Friendly staff, laid back atmosphere, great mid week drink deals with pints and doubles and mixers for £3.50 (bargain!). I was here last night for the pub quiz hosted by Alex, who was highly entertaining. The staff working last night Tom, Alex and Nick were really gorgeous, efficient and lovely. I can’t fault the place! Thanks for a great night guys!

I guess it's a gay bar, but since I really couldn't care less about nonsense like that I've to say I love that place. Nice people, reasonable prices, relaxed atmosphere, would do you want more. Will come back.

Paid another visit to the King's Arms tonight so dissapointed. Used to love this bar on Friday and Saturday nights. Again tonight music was really loud so much you couldn't chat. The DJ was playing disco vibe music all obscure songs and wasn't even trying to read the room if you were lucky one recognisable song in 10. It was as though he had prepared a playlist in advance and just played it through. Total lack of Atmosphere. Any foreign visitors that visited the bar in the past expect to be dissapointed.

Nice staff and people, but some times too loud... 🔊 🙄 Place to talk or dance?

Fantastic little pub, great LGBTQ+ community venue and oozing with charm. The team are friendly and welcoming and the upstairs bar is a haven of calm just a stone's throw from the hustle and bustle of Oxford Street. Pop in midweek for a low key games night or the crowd-pleasing quiz, at the weekend for a beer and a boogie with the bears, or on Sunday for the iconic Bearaoke with the legendary Jivin' Julie. Perfect for locals and tourists alike if you want a classic old boozer with a big dose of queer fabulousity.

Had a fantastic night, quiz was amazing really enjoyed it and will bring friends garf was amazing so friendly and accommodating

Had such a good night. Love that this lgbt venue gives back to the rainbow fund with every pint of polari, I’ll be back for sure - Garf was amazing :) xxxx

It’s calm and quite on sunday afternoon

Awesome, no-attitude, inclusive pub. Esspecially great on karaoke nights, on Thursdays EDIT: we have been shushed by a person in a very rude way, only because we were talking in a group, trying to understand what to order. A simple "could you folks keep it down please" would have sufficed. The karaoke is under new management since my previous review, it starts at 730 pm, I was there at 745 to submit a song, only to be told that there was a queue of 1.5 hours, so I left the place. In other karaokes I've been to in London (for example at the Brunel's in Rotherhite, really recommended) they make a point of giving a chance to everyone to sing at least a song (new singers get priority). Very disappointed, the King's arms doesn't seem the welcoming and inclusive place it used to be and that it prides itself to be. I won't go there again 🐻😢

I went during the Burns night and didn't stay long unfortunately. But it was a really nice place to wait for my friends.

Really nice pub, friendly staff and great manager. Good prices and regular happy hours. Would recommend to anyone

There's always a lovely crowd and great service here.

It’s a gay bar, very interesting and with good weather. Beer is not the cheapest, but it is important to come here to drink, talk and visit. It is in a very important region for the city and for the gay scene.

Walking past the pub, chatty doorman said " it's a great pub " so we gave it a try. Good priced drinks and a bit of karaoke 10/10.

Nice pub, good beer, lively atmosphere, but also a quiet firsy floot lounge... They like bears and if you are one it's one of the best places to be...

Londons trevligaste björnpub. Absolut bäst på söndagar när Jivin' Julie är karaokevärdinna. Straight friendly. Trots att det ligger mitt i Soho i centrala London så känns det som en kvarterspub eftersom att stället har sin stampublik som återkommer kväll efter kväll. Höll ögonen öppna för Quiz night och andra aktiviteter.

Went on Sunday and there's no karaoke, so I'm not sure what those reviews were about. Fantastic food, service, and prices though.

Went on a Sunday night for karaoke. It was fun. Small place though.

We always try to pop in for a drink when we're in London. It's a relatively unspoiled traditional gay pub, which has seating! Seemingly quite rare for gay pubs in London. It is though often very crowded and the music can be a bit too loud for us old fogies.

Friendly, fun, inclusive, safe and very reasonably priced.

Great bar, service and atmosphere’

I hired the lounge for my birthday. Had a great time, the place was very convenient and the staff helpful to set the mood.

Very busy on a Friday but always have a good time there

Fantastic place 2nd time being there love it friendly staff and customers

Great central london traditional pub, great staff.

Un ambiente buenísimo, muy agradable, divertido y tranquilo

Great pub with a nice crowd and friendly and efficient staff. Always a good place for a night out.

Excellent pub - mostly gay men/bears, with the occasional straying tourist. Fine beer - even better spicy tomato juice! When full, very noisy. The jukebox inhabits the foreground much of the time. Perhaps I am getting used to the noise levels. This was a full Saturday evening.

The last time I was here must have been over 25 years. It's good to see that nothing has changed!

Staff is so friendly and nice pub to spend time

Il miglior bar bear di Londra. Ambiente amichevole e informale. La sala al primo piano è accogliente.

Lively gay bar. Mainly "bears" when I've visited. Easy going crowd in my experience.

Es un bar gay de mucha popularidad donde la gente se lo pasa pipa,es para Bear's, cualquier persona puede ir a divertirse.

Didn't try any food but there were some tasty snacks around the bar, mmmmm bears. Just a lovely atmosphere and beautiful bears. What more do I need.

Loved the Tuesday quiz with Alex and Nick!

Kareoke gay bar lots of fun on Sundays

Didn't try the food. Made to feel very welcome by staff.

Love this pub even better now the new manger is there

Friendly atmosphere, very nice music and nice crowd.

Nice staff and location. So many people smoke or stand outside but good atmosphere

My favourite pub in London! Shane and Andrea were very professional and friendly!

Absolutely love this pub, the manager Shania always goes above and beyond to make a great atmosphere, the drinks are great value and the weekend DJs are always great fun

What a lovely queer pub! Also a great find so close to Oxford Street. Top tip there’s a quiet room upstairs with more tables.

Amazing tucked away gay bar that not many people know about. A gem of a find!

Proper gem of a bar, defo recommend!!

Amazing staff and great prices 👍

One of the best pubs in soho when we are in London we always head to the Kings Arms Sunday nights karaoke just amazing 👏 very highly recommended 👌

Definitely beginning to get back to its roots recently. Well worth a visit

Lovely pub, friendly atmosphere, various choice of ales and lagers. Highly recommended.

Grubby old bear pub. Fine if you like bears. Beers not very interesting and cask ales not well kept.

Great place and atmosphere if you feel a lil crowded downstairs or a little overwhelmed then upstairs in the chilled lounge is for you

My 2nd favourite cruisy pub in London. Always a good crowd

Love this place! Always friendly and welcoming, no attitude, great beers

Ongoing institutional May it remain many more years

Great place. Good atmosphere. Quite bar upstairs.

Shane (Manager) was very helpful and informative when organising my recent birthday there. Was great that you could reserve the space upstairs for a private event, but still enjoy the atmosphere in the pub when you wanted. Also the staff are always friendly.

Nice enough pub but seems to have lost some of the atmosphere of the past. I'll try again another time.

Love the Kings Arms Always a great vibe. The Bears Thrive

Relaxing gay pub after shopping. Friendly service and wonderful atmosphere 👌 ❤️

Great little pub but one thing i didnt get. Happy hour is between 3pm - 7pm but the pub opens at 4pm

Bardzo fajny pub w stylu angielskim. Miła uśmiechnięta obsługa doradzi. Duży wybór alkoholi szeroki asortyment piw z nalewaka. Duży wybór smakowego cydru. Wieczorem imprezka gra muzyka ludzie się bawią w środku i na zewnątrz pubu jest tez miejsce na pietrze. Bardzo fajne miejsce bardzo miło spędziliśmy czas przy piwkach. Gorąco polecam to miejsce :)

Nice local pub and crowd in Soho

This place was hopping! Friendly, fun, and excellent service provided by Joanna and Kuba.