Prospect Of Whitby in Tower Hamlets

A great old pub! Loved everything about. I only had pints so I can't comment on the food. Staff was friendly and the pub was great!

It was all ok but the red-haired girl at the bar was very rude.

The New manager is brilliant 👏 the atmosphere change 👌

Very disappointing. The food is tasteless & unappetising. Yes the place is historic but unclean. Was really looking forward to our visit, shame we were so disappointed.

Such a great pub in many ways! Super friendly staff, tasty food & awesome old building with cosy atmosphere.

We love coming here for a drink, it has a lovely atmosphere downstairs, always busy and bustling. On this occasion we decided to book a table for food before heading to the Poppy fields at the Tower. We ended up in the top room, which had lovely views across the River, but it was a little chilly so I had to keep my coat on. We ordered Turkey but they had run out the day before so my partner had the beef and I went for the steak pie. Unfortunately the meat inside the steak pie was quite fatty, one thing I can't eat. So I left mine, ate the crust. The mash potato was kind of flat and a bit hard on top like it had been left under a heat source. I chose the turkey to avoid the hispi cabbage, but with the pie that's the choice and I don't get a burned bit of cabbage that you can't cut with a knife, so my dinner was a bit of a disaster. My other half enjoyed his roast, not the best he'd ever had but ok. Service was quite slow but ok. We won't be eating here again, at least we've tried it, but love it as a drinkers pub.

If you’re after a drink and a nice setting, come here for one, if you must. It’s a good view. If you’re after a good meal? Don’t come here. Having been on several occasions, the issues are far ranging, but consistent in the sense that something will cause frustration. Below is a summary of a few things (but not exhaustive): - ordering a side of chips and being told the wait time would be 75 minutes as they’ve ’run out’ - needing to reselect what main to order as 3/4 of the menu was unavailable - 20 minute wait time to get served (ie, inexperienced bar staff). - sub par roast with no greens (presumably as they had run out). A pub with potential, but not worth attending unless they get the basics right. Relies on tourists coming here for the historical factor, and doesn’t bank on much else.

Nice spot with cold beer. Definitely can recommend. Joe is also a kind guy!

Wonderful place, that I have wanted to visit for a while! It did not disappoint! Will have to return during the warmer months to enjoy the outdoor space.

Another visit and Another great spend time! Joel was just amazing, it's always a good time at the Prospect of Whitby!

I really enjoyed my mulled wine while sitting near the fireplace, food was delicious and staff was very friendly. Will defo be coming back again very soon!

A fantastic pub, so much history and a great pint of beer. Laura was an absolute diamond and a credit to the pub and Green King with her fab customer focus. Will be back.

Well worth visiting this renowned and historic pub, just a shame I only had time for a quick pint pre-gig. Hopefully I'll get a chance to spend more time when I'm in the area again.

In my humble opinion this is the best pub in central London, the food is delicious, staff is super friendly and helpful, location is to die for. What a view ! Wow 🤩 thank you so much for making our night out super special. We will be back very soon ❤️

Best Sunday Roast by the Thames River in Wapping

Very nice with you... we felt very comfortable....

Passed through yesterday for a quiet pint and was welcomed straight away by Laura who was very smiley and helpful, she mentioned the specials on the menu ,and the different beers on offer, nice atmosphere wonderful little pub and will most definitely be returning very soon, thank you

Lovely old pub. Oldest riverside pub in London (over 500 years). Always worth a visit.

Cool old school pub. The beer was good. We didn't have any food. Is absolutely worth a visit.

Amazing pub. Definitely a must for proper pub fans

Nice big place, there are 2 stories so there was no problem finding a table. We only had some pints but their menu looked really good too. It was a nice cozy spot, with some views of the Thames

Had friends visiting us from Birmingham on a Saturday last month, we looked around and decided to treat them here because of its history and local importance. I must say apart from the history, everything was disappointing, many dishes weren't available, the food and drink we ordered were extremely average and service was slow and a little chaotic, but the view from balcony is good thou.

Wonderful atmosphere, staff and location.

I love coming here. On my last visit, I brought relatives from overseas who enjoyed all the history. We had an early dinner, and actually I think they could have given us a table upstairs when I called up, because when we went up, it was pretty empty, booked for people coming later. Instead, we managed to come early enough for a table downstairs. I definitely prefer upstairs, but don't mind being downstairs too. It does feel like pubs are getting busier. They are a cheaper option for going out and I do think they are an important part of our community, so like to support them. If it's your first time, check out the signs on the staircase and upstairs. Also, it's lovely to go to the outdoor area both upstairs and downstairs. The history and views are wonderful.

The service was amazing but so disappointed with a few other things, everything we seemed to chose was not available even the mash! I mean, what restaurant runs out of mash and at 12:45? The salt pot was broken, picked it up and it fell apart, salt everywhere including in my drink. Oh yes and the pub was freezing!

An amazing pub overlooking the Thames. Two balcony areas overlook the river to the rear. The bottom of which is closed at high tide due to flooding. This is a Green King pub, but maintains its own historical interior. The pub is large and serves food. It has many visitors, making it feel a little like a tourist attraction.

Great place with great food considering the price and the pub Chain. Impressed.

Came here for my friend’s 30th on 1st November. Booking was really poorly managed - they closed the room he’d booked, and then put us on a bunch of tables of 2 that we had to put together ourselves. We were kicked off our table at 10 and asked to go downstairs - he wasn’t informed about this ahead of time. On top of that they forgot to ring the last orders bell. One bell rang at 10.45, when we went to the bar to get a final drink we were told they were closed. About 6 other people were all at the bar saying they hadn’t heard a last orders bell, because it definitely didn’t ring. I understand if they forgot, but instead of just being polite/apologetic staff were rude and continued to claim they rang a bell when they hadn’t (we were sat right by the bar). Shame because it’s a lovely pub, but wouldn’t go back.

not to great. wierd goings on in the toilets by customers

Beautiful old pub... excellent setting, such rich history!!!

My new favourite pub on the river. We had the duck hash and steak and ale pie. Very good so we decided to book Christmas lunch here. Oh the beer is quite nice too.

We arrived on a Monday lunchtime. The place was reasonably busy but not exceptionally so. I sat in the downstairs section near the window but there was a strange unwashed sort of smell so we moved. The table still had an empty crisp packet and glass and was sticky to the touch. Our meal when it arrived was pretty appalling. They had told me there was no steak so I had the chicken and bacon sandwich. The bacon, I kid you not, had been microwaved - I'm sure of it. Flaccid white fat and a lot of it. It was inedible so I removed it from the sandwich. The bread looked as if it might have been yesterday's. The salad was old too. Thrice cooked chips were pleasant if tepid. There was no coffee available because all the cups were in the dishwasher! No one came to clear the tables so we piled our used dishes on to the vacant table next door. I was really disappointed by the quality of what this pub thinks it appropriate to serve. The whole experience was pretty poor. Upstairs there are photographs of well known people they have served there in the past - well in the past - including Princess Margaret. Not food of this quality they didn't. I honestly think that if you can't maintain a reasonable standard, you should probably give Mondays a miss. No repeat business from us I'm afraid.

Really good views over the Thames

Very nice bar on the water, with a small beach!

We had an excellent Sunday lunch here. The roast beef, vegetables, and gravy were excellent and tasty. Ther service was good and the guy behind the bar insisted om giving me a range of beers to try and making sure the one I got was good. Many thanks.

Thank you, Tanya, for your professionalism and great care in delivering a fantastic service - all with a big smile on your face. The drinks and food were great. I will definitely be returning!!!

Really cool place. Saw on YouTube before our trip and was so happy to be able to go. Loved the dog treat bags they had. I did donate and brought on home as a souvenir for my pooch lol.

Busy but great atmosphere and ales

Well the positives was the reasonable quality of the food and the views of the Thames. However the pub was clearly short staffed and the service was extremely slow. Finding any member of staff to get our reserved table took 15mins and it took just under an hour to get the main courses (thankfully we didn’t order starters). With our expectations low, the 20+ mins to get the bill at the end wasn’t a surprise and the inability to split the bill was almost amusing. The venue is pretty and I’m sure the bar is fairly efficient, but unless you have a lot of time to waste, I would avoid eating here.

Old English pub with character and a great view right by the Thames River.

The pub has an interesting history, but unfortunately the experience of having a Sunday roast was disappointing. Poor and very slow service, the Sunday roast didn’t come with the sides described on the menu because they ran out of it but we were not informed when ordering. I won’t go back and I definitely would not recommend it.

Historical pub. Popped in for food. Limited menu. Only one Vegetarian main and it wasn't available. Food was average at best. Shame as it is in a great spot on the Thames. Needs a bit of TLC.

The history and atmosphere was amazing ,totally fell in love when i visited in July so returned yesterday 18th October with friends ,we stayed for 3 plus hours ,the views over the Thames are fantastic and our wonderful waiter Justin if I remember correctly from USA ,was so informative telling us all the history also saying where Princess Margaret’s plaque was by her favourite table and so patient just the nicest person a real asset ,food I would give 3/4 star,everything else including Justin 5+ ,we will definitely return as loved it.

Charming boozer, picturespe location and river views, always seems busy.

Great location wit has views of the river and canary wharf

Excellent food and our server, Meg, was terrific.

Magnificent place, authentic decor! Generous menu. The downside, during our visit, once seated we had to order our meal on the ground floor even though a waitress was in the room. A second glass was also ordered, it never arrived! I don't know if it's customary or if she really didn't want to work.

Very atmospheric old pub right next to the Thames

Chicken Kiev very dry. But good to visit this well known pub. Shame food not great.

Very good historic pub in the city hidden in a quiet area, the atmosphere and the beers are great.

It’s a Green King house. The menu is exceedingly poor. The service is so bad, we ran out of time for Sunday Roast. Not that we were able to get a roast. They ran out. We wasted an hour of our time. Didn’t eat or drink. Left for our local. I cannot recommend this house. One star because I cannot give zero.

Lovely atmosphere. Beautifully cooked food. Lovely drinks.

Extremely rude staff behind the bar who were unhelpful and hostile towards students wanting to use student discount - didn't eat (although my friend's meals did look excellent) and wouldn't come back on principle.

It's a nice, old pub with a view over the Thames. The roast dinner was fine, if not a bit cold, nothing to write home about but nothing to complain about either I'm not sure if the staff had a lack of training or maybe they were short a few people. Whilst everyone was polite, it seemed as though maybe this was the entire teams first day, everything was slow, things were forgotten and it was just generally a poor experience Come, have a beer, eat somewhere else.

Great pub on the river. Outdoor seating in nice weather. Good food menu, and a varied drink menu... found a craft bear that we enjoy. After living in London for 1.5 years... still our favorite riverside pub. ❤️

Truly terrible food at rip off prices

Friendly and casual. Fish and chips were spot on, sitting by the water perfection.

What a shame. Pub dirty and run down. Beer garden especially. Food very below average. A landmark pub steeped in history, sadly very poorly managed.. I doubt I'll return

Very friendly bar with an eclectic clientele!

I visited the pub last Sunday. Got in to the diner room. Although there were plenty of free tables, I was told “no reservation, no table”. I said ok, moved to the bar. Checked the Greene King app, booked a table :)) Walked back to the diner room and told her I got a booking now, but the waitress seemed unhappy and showed me one of the free tables. I asked for the window side table which was free. She said NO! That table was booked. I said, the app did not ask me about the table’s location how could I choose? She got annoyed again and said there was another person booked online and it is their right. I did not refuse and sit where she pointed. We ordered 1 sunday roast and 1 burger, she said the burger was finished (this is my 3rd time in this pub and food is always a problem, it is either finished or kitchen is busy and there is 1h waiting time, i could not eat in this pub yet :))) ) i said ok 2 sunday roast then and 2 glasses of red wine. she brought us wines and my wifes glass was dirty with lipstick marks on it. i asked the waitress kindly to change it, and she changed with making a face. and brought us a glass of wine with a clear glass. we waited like 10 minutes and the waitress came back and said that roast is also finished. i for quite annoyed then, and asked her if we can cancel our wines since we ordered them to drink with the roast. she disappeared another 15 minutes to ask her manager and got back and luckily said yes and we got out. This pub looks amazing and location is also great but unfortunately the management is awful. I ll never go back.

My husband and I visited the pub last Sunday, and the experience was far from ideal. When we arrived, I noticed several free tables in the dining area, yet we were told, “No reservation, no table.” So, we moved to the bar, quickly booked a table through their website, and returned to the dining room. When I mentioned we had made a reservation, the waitress didn’t seem pleased and said she would ask her colleague. Another staff member eventually showed us to a free table, but it wasn’t the window seat I had hoped for. I asked if we could sit by the window, which was still empty, but she said it was reserved for guests who had booked through the same system. I pointed out that the website didn’t allow us to choose specific tables, so how could they assign one to someone else? She grew more frustrated and insisted the table was for another reservation, so we sat where we were told without making a fuss. We decided to order one Sunday roast and one burger, but once again, we were informed the burger wasn’t available. This was the third time we’d been to this pub, and food availability is always an issue—either they’re out of something, or the wait is far too long. We’ve yet to actually have a full meal here! Resigned, we ordered two Sunday roasts and two glasses of red wine. When the wine arrived, I noticed my glass had lipstick stains on it. I politely asked the waitress to replace it, and while she did, it was clear she wasn’t happy about it. After another ten minutes, she came back to tell us that the roast was also finished. At that point, I was frustrated, and my husband asked if we could cancel the wine, as we had ordered it specifically to accompany our meal. She disappeared for another 15 minutes to consult her manager, and when she finally returned, she confirmed we could cancel the order. The pub has a lovely atmosphere and a fantastic location, but the management and service are seriously lacking. Unfortunately, we won’t be returning. P.S. While we were there, none of the empty tables ever got filled, yet they still insisted on reservations, even though they didn’t have enough food in the kitchen to serve their guests.

A very nice pub on the Thames, with a long history, boasting not only indoor rooms furnished traditionally, but also a nice river terrace. Decent food, service can be quite slow in the evenings.

Historically, this pub is great. The food was mediocre but the atmosphere was great.

Really slow and disorganised service at the bar. Decent range of, mostly Greene King, beers. Grubby toilets.

A great pub. Although it can get busy due to its popularity, I found a table fine, served a good pint quickly at a decent price for such a location.

The atmosphere is nice and the beer was excellent. The food si very average though, I would pay 10£ for that quality, not 18£. We both had fish and chips and it was very dry and tasteless.

Got moved from table as it was 'reserved' for a booking in 15 minutes even though there was no reserved sign on two of the tables in the room. We asked if we could wait until they arrive and were told no. Arrived for a Sunday roast and chewy and fatty, when asked the server brought some further chewy and fatty beef.

Pub with good food, good atmosphere and good beers, in a very nice neighborhood of London with a lot of history and not frequented by tourists

Amazing historic pub. Good for tourists as well.

Simply a superb olde English public house. ³One of, if not the oldest on the river. The Prospect of Whitby One of London's most famous pubs, and supposedly our city's oldest riverside inn. With a pedigree stretching back to 1520, it was already getting on a bit when Shakespeare first came to town. You'll fall in love with the pewter-topped bar and creaky wooden interior, all rebuilt following a fire in Victorian times and a further refit in the 1950s, though some of the flagstones are reckoned to be 500 years old. Previously answering to the name of The Pelican and later The Devil's Tavern, the current name comes from a collier vessel that was once moored round the back. Previous satisfied drinkers include Princess Margaret, JMW Turner, Samuel Pepys and, inevitably, Charles Dickens. The pub plays into the area's history of piracy, with a much-photographed noose dangling round the back. The traditional punishment of hanging over the Thames for three tides. The history EST: 1520.Monarch: Henry Vlll . The Prospect of Whitby was once a hotbed of cut-throats, pirates and felons. In fact, so dastardly was its clientele that it became known to the locals as The Devil’s Tavern. The publican shrewdly left this name off the signage, however, forcing anyone arranging to meet there to describe it as “the pub near the Prospect of Whitby” – the name of a ship moored nearby. And the name The Prospect of Whitby claims to be close to the site of Execution Dock where many a pirate was hanged. There is even a replica scaffold outside The Prospect also claims to have been a favourite with the notorious Hanging Judge Jeffreys, just like the Town of Ramsgate. The 17th century judge executed hundreds of people. Over the next few centuries the Prospect served ale to a miture of celebrities including Judy Garland, Paul Newman, Princess Margaret, Richard Burton, Prince Rainier of Monaco, Frank Sinatra and Charles Dickens. It held cock-fights and bear-knuckle fights. Having re visited this establishment, at low tide the experience of being able to wander down Pelican Steps and onto the for Shaw of the river Thames mud larking or even just sitting or laying in the Sun. Mind the tide !. I found a massive iron rudder sticking out of the sand !. On entering the Prospect of Whitby you cannot miss the history as you are taken back to the 1500 s. The choice drinks have changed, with a lovely I.P.A. from Green King. The look at low tide, gives a different aspect on the Outlook from the decking area. I was very happy to have had the chance to visit this classic public house once again. The menu has been enlarged, offering some more exotic dishes. Small plates are available and to purchase. A few small plates to either share or just keep make sense. Again it is impossible to forget the history and age of this fantastic Olde Public house. A visit is a must !.

One of the best pubs in London. The views are unmatched. Atmosphere and food are fantastic. Seek this out if you're a local or tourist and everyone in between!

The staff are so miserable / unhelpful. Have been for years, I don’t know how they manage it

Great atmospheric pub with its history but only go for a drink. The pie we had for lunch was awful and what they did to the mashed potato which was rock hard and saved only by the gravy. So disappointed in the food in such a wonderful historic pub

Love the pub - shame about the food. So disappointing. The beef (Sunday roast) was overcooked and gravy lumpy. Would visit again for the nice staff, drink and view but would avoid eating.

Historic pub with fantastic views 🍻 and a good beer selection

NOT GOOD! Popped in the other day, couldn't get any ale ( something about cleaning the pipes? ) Was told would be about half an hour until they were ready so had half a lager and waited, was then told 'would be another 2 minutes' .... but nothing came of it, so just left and went somewhere else. Staff seemed friendly enough, but a bit clueless ? wont be popping in again.

An old school pub that's steeped in history, pours a wonderful Guinness.

Lovely place. Draught Peroni was awful.

Good pub with interesting history. Expensive though

Waited 20 minutes to get a drink and gave up as staff were so slow at serving. Terrible.

Charming place with good food, good view and great staff!

Great pub! Bigger than it looks with a nice outdoor area too. The food was delicious 😋 #foodie #greatatmosphere

They had no food. Kept coming back saying they don't have this and that either. Waste of my time and my one night in London. Very disappointed.

Amazing little historic pub, food was good and the service was top tier

Back in the days it was one of my favourite spots, unfortunately it seems like noone cares as much anymore. Tables, menus, chairs, stuff on the table, deco.. all dirty, outside terrace also not tidy or clean. It's a shame with such a lovely spot. We have came for dinner and left after one beer. For the price you can find better spots.

Truly gorgeous pub, absolutely oozing with history (and there’s lots written around the place to learn from, on the walls etc). Ladies toilets could do with be sorted out - the radiator has half melted (?) from being under the hand dryer and accumulated lots of dirt. Staff were nice but not efficient, but one can’t really hold that against them.

Only dropping a star because the bathrooms are... Quite sad? Could do with a bit of love. Lovely pub with loads of history and character.

They say it is the first pub in London, a very particular environment with an ancient soul, everything kept to perfection and managed in an excellent way. The food is also good, which is not to be taken for granted being in a suburb of London... HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

Most gorgeous building on the street, lovely server Meg was very helpful and the food was absolutely stunning no complaints - would very much recommend sitting out on the second floor balcony and try the mushroom chilli (give it a go!)

What a great pub. We had Mac and cheese and a couple of drinks. The staff were lovely and it was a bit quieter with less tourists. A nice local pub with a great view over the water.

Oldest pub in London doesn't disappoint. Worth the trip over.

A very interesting place to visit, as it is so old ! A nice selection of beers and great view on the Thames river. The beers are totally fine. We did not eat because we came here in the middle of the afternoon so I can't comment on the food.

I really wanted to love this place. Fantastic history, great views of the Thames, and on the face of it, a great pub menu. I ordered the steak pie with mash but the pie was so overcooked, I couldn’t even get my knife into the pastry. It was just about at the send it back to the kitchen stage, but I was really hungry and short of time so ate it anyway, pouring gravy over it to soften the pastry. Would definitely return for a beer but not to eat.

Sunday lunch, looked after by Justin and his team in upstairs dining room. Missed out on potted crab due to 2.30pm booking, pork belly roast dinner was superb, £22 bottle of house wine more than adequate. Top marks for mainline pub.

Can't fault the place. Proper boozer

if these walls could talk.... ....they would say this is a great place. obviously there's a lot of history because this has been around for over 500 years, however, the inside has been updated and looks modern. The restaurant has two floors as well as outdoor seating. The ambiance is nice with just the right amount of noise to add to the atmosphere. Tables are a good distance apart and comfortable. The food is exceptional and the serving sizes are more than generous. everything is well cooked, seasoned, and the sauces were plentiful. ait's not a large menu, which is good, generally it means the food is freshly prepared. there are fish, chicken, beef, and some veggie options as well. The service was helpful, patient, and attentive. it is a unique place and definitely worth trying.

Really nice traditional pub. Haven't been here in years, but shouldn't leave it so long next time. Wonderful Historic atmosphere, well kept ale and always nice to have a glass with a handle. Decent food at not over the top prices. Starters were excellent; vegetarian burger was very pleasant. Crab burger looked fantastic if perhaps not as flavoursome as I was anticipating, but nice.

What a great pub with great history. Friendly staff, great food, good selection of beers on tap, and of course The Thames. A little out of the way but worth it.

Stopped in for a quick drink and ended up staying for a couple of hours. Really nice old fashioned pub, on the edge of the river.

Disappointing visit to Whitby a couple of weeks ago. We booked a table and when we arrived the waiters downstairs were unable to help and left us standing in the middle of a busy pub rather than guiding/directing us to our reserved table upstairs. Then the food was disappointing, the portions were tiny, the fish and chips meal came with around 7 chips and a few french fries sprinkled into the mix. Then my partner was given a burning hot plate. The portions and quality of food did not amount to nearly the cost of £18 per main dish. I would not recommend and was hard to have a £14 service charge on top considering this was meant to a lovely birthday meal instead it turned into daylight robbery.