The Builders Arms in Kensington and Chelsea

If you’re unlucky enough to be selected by Cubitt House to bartend at The Builders Arms, here’s what you can expect: The pub is led by a former lawyer (?) turned general manager, whose lack of people skills is only rivalled by his disdain for individuality. Expect rigid rules, relentless micromanagement, and constant pressure to conform to his vision of a robotic, mechanical bartender with no room for personality or autonomy. Don’t be too surprised to find rat doodoo around the cellar. While most would see this as a serious hygiene issue, the GM brushes it off as “normal" and claims it's common in every establishment, which it really isn't. I was then asked if I wanted to "carry on complaining or do something about it" after addressing the matter. Never have I experienced such ignorance and lack of accountability, especially after not even being made aware of such issue in the first place. The nightly closing duties are excessive and unrealistic, primarily because Cubitt House prefers cutting costs over properly staffing the bar. Instead of hiring an extra bartender to help with the workload, they expect you to pick up the slack, only for management to inevitably criticise you the following day for not meeting their impossible standards. There is one redeeming factor however, the food. The roast dinners are exceptionally good, making them probably the only highlight of working here. Hope this helps!

Great Sunday lunch in a old style British pub with buzzing atmosphere. The best Yorkshire pudding ever tasted. Friendly manager.

Lovely place during the week, but avoid on weekends. Too many tables crammed in - and there aren’t enough staff to serve the food efficiently.

Si tienes la mala suerte de ser seleccionado por Cubitt House para ser barman en The Builders Arms, esto es lo que puedes esperar: El pub está dirigido por un ex abogado convertido en gerente general, cuya falta de habilidades de las personas solo es rival por su desdén por la individualidad. Espere reglas rígidas, microgestión implacable y presión constante para ajustarse a su visión de un barman robótico y mecánico sin espacio para la personalidad o la autonomía. No te sorprendas demasiado al encontrar excrementos de roedores esparcidos por la bodega. Si bien la mayoría vería esto como un problema de higiene serio, el GM lo descarta como “normal” y afirma que es común en todos los establecimientos, lo que ciertamente no es así. Luego me preguntaron si quería "seguir quejándome o hacer algo al respecto" después de abordar el asunto. Nunca he experimentado tal ignorancia y falta de rendición de cuentas, especialmente después de ni siquiera haber sido consciente de tal cuestión en primer lugar. Los deberes de cierre nocturno son excesivos e irreales, principalmente porque Cubitt House prefiere reducir los costos a dotar al bar de personal adecuado. En lugar de contratar a un camarero adicional para que te ayude con la carga de trabajo, esperan que te descuides, solo para que la dirección te critique inevitablemente al día siguiente por no cumplir con sus estándares imposibles. Sin embargo, hay un factor redentor, la comida. Las cenas asadas son excepcionalmente buenas, por lo que probablemente sean el único punto culminante de trabajar aquí. Espero que esto ayude!

Good pub with a great menu and service

Went here for the first time and it’s very nice . The food is amazing and the staff very polite and professional .

Excellent English pub. We ordered the fish and chips and the crispy pork belly meals. Both were superb.

Very hospitable and great service. The food is good as well, buy can be better. No Vegan options ! The best thing about here is how spacious it is inside

Very authentic old style pub with lots of character. Food was very good. However, the reason I'm bothering to write the review is to complement two of the staff. Unfortunately I didn't get their names...but they were both young lads in early 20s. The barman and waiter serving us were extraordinarily friendly, courteous and polite. Both were a great asset to the pub, ensuring that our visit was a 5 star experience.

Horrible welcome to this place by the young blond lady. Snapped at me that they were not openl until 12. It was 11.59:45 secs! really very unfriendly. We left and went to a much nicer place in Kensington that goes by the same name.

Nice vibe, good crowd, but very average food. And I don't rate the Hawkstone cider I tried for the first time either.

Great local spot to grab a quick pint. Very friendly staff with fantastic ambiance.

Lovely Chelsea pub, nice Guinness

Lovely meal. The glenarms steak was unbelievable and our waitress couldn’t have done anymore for us. Will definitely look forward to my return again. Rarely do I have a 3 course meal but I couldn’t resist here. Scotch egg, steak and sticky toffee pudding. Unreal all round. Thank you.

Encantador lugar mejor pescado y patatas fritas que he tenido, Stevie era muy agradable y amable realmente nos hizo sentir bienvenidos... Peter y Carl scouse constructores

As a foreigner from Canada, this pub had the best food and the best staff out of most of the pubs we tried in London! Hope to return one days!

Great comfortable place to relax and enjoy a drink

Fantastic place. The best fish and chips and delicious Sunday roast chicken. Plus great service from Charles.

Good but quite expensive for very simple

Excellent food; slow service. We were seated by the manager at the back of the dining room and largely forgotten about. No orders taken for 20+ mins. Once ordered, food took 45 mins to come. Waitresses were polite, but inefficient in service. Expect more for a 15% service charge. Food was great though.

bar was very shiny , staff lovely and beer was very cold

fabulosa experiencia de almuerzo con variada selección de vinos y excelentes opciones de comida, tuvimos el Soufflé de Queso y pescado con papas fritas tanto buenas porciones como muy sabroso. Dom era genial y muy servicial con nosotros y tuvimos un tiempo fabuloso recomendaría y volveremos!

🚇 South Kensington 🍺 £7.90 Stiegl Weisse The Builders Arms is located in a quiet residential street in well-to-do Chelsea. The nearest Tube is South Kensington, it’s a ten minute walk to get here. This pub dates from 1841 built by a local builder called George Todd. It is said he built the pub to service the needs of the masons that built nearby St. Luke’s Church. In 1884 the pub served as the Tap House for Matthews & Cannings Anchor Brewery which stood next door. The brewery was taken over by Whitbread in 1899 with brewing continuing until 1907. Today, this pub is part of the @cubitthouse stable of pubs. This is a traditionally decorated two roomed Gastro with a refined upscale feel. The bar area is located on the right hand side and has a good size servery. Opposite the servery is a panelled wall with a long drinking ledge plus a few stools. As you head further back, the bar area opens out to a cosy space with a welcoming corner fireplace. On the left hand side of the pub is a smart dining area which has ample seating and some wonderful old world signage. The beer selection is premium continental, London craft, Guinness and two cask ales. I decided on a pint of Stiegl Weisse, my pint was excellent, priced point was expensive. The food menu is elevated pub classics and Mediterranean inspired dishes, Fish & Chips costs £21, Roasts are available on a Sunday. I arrived just after 5pm on a rainy Friday afternoon in March. The bar area was busy with a mixture of locals, some were wearing hoodies, some were wearing black ties and orf to a posh do. The atmosphere was laidback and local, there was a lovely ambiance to the place. The service was great, the team were friendly and courteous. Even though this pub has Gastropub credentials, there is plenty of space to come and enjoy a beer. I loved the atmosphere, the beer selection is great, if a little pricey and the surroundings wonderfully traditional. @thebuildersarmschelsea is a great place for a posh pint, one for your list. ℹ️ Info correct on visiting 01.03.24

Excellent bar, ambiance off the charts. Kitchen, culinary revelation — the mash soul hugging creamy as a cloud

We celebrated our wedding reception here after our ceremony at the Chelsea Old Town Hall. We had the back area of the pub, which gave it a semi-private feel. The feasting menu was absolutely delicious. Can't rate the food highly enough. Everything was great, from the staff, the service and the ambience. Thank you!

A delightful pub on a quiet Chelsea street. My family and I enjoyed a tasty dinner. Recommended!

Lovely pub in Chelsea. Food was delicious and staff were so friendly and helpful. Highly recommended !

We just had drinks. A really nice pub.

Excellent food and attentive service, lovely little pub for a weekend lunch

Dom was amazing!!! Great vibe, good drinks, happy days!

I enjoyed Pimentos Padron, fantastic steak with frites, as well as a cider and Pinot Noir. The wine was indeed lovely, but definitely not worth £16—though I chose it, so that’s on me! I dined by the bar near the TV section, where, surprise, there is no table service. Imagine my shock when I was slapped with a 15% service charge! I even double-checked with the barman, thinking I must be in some parallel universe. Just to clarify, you have to order from the bar yourself. It felt wrong and deceiving. Is there a limit to this nonsense?

Ottimo cibo, bella atmosfera, camerieri gentilissimi. Siamo arrivati qui per caso e non ce ne siamo pentiti. Consiglio il fish and chips. Non arrivate tardi perché alle 7pm alcuni pia ti erano già esauriti

Drink prices unreasonable. Ok perhaps I'm not posh enough to drink here. Came to meet friends. Ordered a large glass of wine and a beer. 25.50.....seriously? Meanwhile they have updated the bar seating area. Wooden benches without cushions.....

Tuve una experiencia fantástica en The Builders Arms en Chelsea. El pez monje que pedí estaba absolutamente delicioso y cocinado a la perfección. El ambiente era encantador y acogedor, por lo que es un lugar ideal para una deliciosa comida. El personal fue atento y amable, mejorando la experiencia general. Recomiendo encarecidamente esta joya para cualquiera que busque una gran experiencia gastronómica en Chelsea!

¡Debes venir aquí y traer la Hawkstone Lager! ¡Tenga muchas otras opciones de bebidas brillantes también, increíble Guinness y una cerveza antigua! Zona de pub de estilo encantador, elección de música perfecta y nivel. Gran restaurante abierto y luminoso también. El servicio era encantador y hablador.

The fish and chips here are just amazing as is the service. So accommodating and welcoming for a family with young children

In need of decorating, just looking drab and colourless. Food was delicious and well presented. Staff were very friendly and helpful.

A good local bar, great for going with a young, cheerful group to drink a couple of beers, maybe some wine, mostly just young people, but I wouldn’t expect to have a tasty meal here

Excellent service and food, highly recommend for a quality date night

Great place for lunch with friends

An excellent neighbourhood pub serving first class wines.

Ridiculously overpriced wine list, cheap bad wines marked up to over £60. Bad staff, awful live music. Overall terrible experience

My friends and I went to this pub last weekend and we were delighted!! The staff were so nice - our waitress was called Selin and she was always smiley and happy to help!! We really enjoyed our drinks and our food. I had one of the best cheeseburgers I've ever had in London and the chips were delicious as well. We will come back for sure!!

One of the best Sunday lunches I've had out recently. Excellent roast beef and sides. Good drinks. Dog friendly.

Something has changed - and not for good - since we last came here. My husband and I booked for a relaxed mid-week drink & dinner. Arrived to find it almost empty with terrible over-bright lighting, awful loud (tinny) 80’s music (we left to Back in Black blaring out at 9.30…! Service was awful & so was the food ordered steak which arrived with horse-radish - and apparently they had no mustard. We had a couple of drinks each and one course and were charged just under £100/head. Wouid not go back, unless something seriously changes….

Great little pub, food was good and a great selection of drinks.

A favorite for my friends and I. The Builders Arms Chelsea is a great place for drinks. The beers and cocktails are amazing.

Exceptional place for drinks. The wine, beers and cocktails are really good. The food was amazing too. The Builders Arms is fantastic.

Update 06/03/2024: A shame, because despite promising to sort out the ladies bathrooms, they have not. One star deducted. Folks, it’s not hard to carry out a basic repair, and women shouldn’t be risking falling off/into a toilet. This is such a lovely pub, tucked out of the way, respectable. It’s quiet and busy in equal parts and feels sophisticated. However, they could really up the ante by sorting out the bathrooms. There’s no reason a pub this nice should have ladies toilet seats that are so unfixed and askew. It takes 3 minutes and a wrench! I’d do it myself for a glass of wine.

Average local pub with the bonus of a log fireplace. Not many seats for the drinking area but a deal for an afternoon chat.

Nice pub but the pie was terrible. Very dry and tasteless despite the gravy. The crust was hard. Very dissapointed and would avoid ordering the pie.

Lovely pub and staff, loving the re-decoration. Got 4 stars instead of 5 because of the 15% “optional” service charge. It’s a local joint and not a Mayfair restaurant.

We had the great time here. Such a nice atmosphere and the bartender Jordy was very friendly and helpful :)

Great pub in a quiet corner of Chelsea. Wooden decoration, excellent choice of food and drinks, very kind, attentive, smiling staff. Not to be missed.

great pub in a small street behind King's Road. attentive and courteous service, good food, in the pub tradition but with some variations, excellent choice of wines and beers. only flaw: really very noisy…

Great pub restaurant. Nice spot to grab drinks. The atmosphere is really amazing. The building is so nice.

Unfortunately the staff were rude as soon as we entered and ordered a drink. They refused to serve my friend who had American identification. Fortunately there are lots of local friendly pubs around, I would advise avoiding this one. The Sydney arms is 10 seconds walk away and a much friendlier vibe!

Bonne découverte que ce pub, un super cadre, service est accueil très bien. Nous avons très bien mangé, les frites étaient excellente (pas grasse), c’est une mention particulière !!!

I ordered the pie of the day which was steak and ale for £22. What I received was a small individual pie with 1 tablespoon mashed potato. The pie was quite small, not very full and the sauce was thin. Meat was not very succulent. The pasty was wafer think and had not risen. I left hungry and needed to eat again on the way home. Otherwise good atmosphere and good service.

I ordered the pie of the day which was steak and ale for £22. What I received was a small individual pie with 1 tablespoon mashed potato. The pie was quite small, not very full and the sauce was thin. Meat was not very succulent. The pasty was wafer think and had not risen. I left hungry and needed to eat again on the way home. Otherwise good atmosphere and good service.

Great pub, however the drinks are expensive!!

Great proper central London pub.

Not sure what has happened to this once delightful Gastro pub, but the food was utterly dismal. Had to return our soup. Mussels were not available despite being offered on the menu for starter and main courses, chips were small and soggy and the burgers cooked to within an inch of their lives. Hugely disappointing. The food used to be so good. Sadly, Will not eat here again. Staff nice and friendly and good wines, but food is a no no.

We really liked this pub. After walking around we came across it and were pleased to get a table.. We ordered sme simple food and a bottle of wine. Everything was reasonably priced and tasty. My friend didn't like one of the orders and they quickly charged it. Only comment would be that I was disappointed to see the toilets weren't checked throughout the 2 hours we were there and they needed some attention!

Went to builders arms for a roast yesterday. The service wasn’t great, but even worse than that was the food. It arrived cold, VERY cold. The horseradish and gravy had no flavour and to be honest it was the worst roast I have ever eaten in London. Sorry for the harsh review but it really was a disappoint. When you go to a restaurant to pay for food you expect the food to at least be hot and the service team to be on it.

Lovely pub. Always buzzing and full on a midweek to Friday evening. Looks smart and service is efficient.

Absolutely delicious!! The best dinner I’ve had out in years - the bitter leaf salad was so good I ordered seconds

We had a table at 15.45 Sunday 5th November when the restaurant was half empty yet it took around 45 minutes to get very simple starters (oysters and a sausage roll), the main course then took a similar amount of time to arrive. I had the Roast Beef which consisted of two small pieces of beef, a Yorkshire pudding, and a cremated piece of cabbage - I wish I had taken a picture of it because it made no sense at all and was inedible. I don't think it had been boiled but just stuck on a grill until it was black. To make matters worse potatoes and veg have to be bought separately which aside from being annoying makes the overall meal criminally expensive. We witnessed the look of other customers receiving their meals with puzzled faces. Our friends ordered fish with seasonal greens - greens that didn't arrive until after the fish had been eaten. The service was also non-existent - we had to go to the bar to order a second bottle of wine and there was no check-back to see if the meals were too standard and if we wanted anything else. Again, no mention of desserts or coffees when we finished. Of course there was hefty tip added to the bill which we should have asked to have been removed but by that time we just wanted the experience over and done with.

Visited for a Sunday roast. £25 per person for 2 slices of not great quality beef, a burnt Yorkshire and gravy each! That’s all it comes with so you need to pay for all the sides on top. Cauliflower cheese strangely didn’t taste of cheese but very creamy. Nice waitresses. Please do a roast with all the trimmings as every other pub does!

The pub has always been a reliable Chelsea favourite. No longer. Four of us had the chicken pie. Completely tasteless as well as having two bones and gristle. £40 for two without any side vegetables. FOOD TERRIBLE and extremely disappointing, including tasteless vegetables. Then a ludicrous climate surcharge and a 15% service charge. What a joke. Won’t be going back.

The pub was almost empty, but the struggled to offer us a table saying they were "fully booked" at 3pm for lunch. They offered us a horrible table that we refused to take, and by miracle after insisting we ended getting a table and while we had lunch the rest of the tables were not all of them taken? Service was average. We only ordered a "quite expensive" Sunday roast. Food was ok, nothing special. I had to stand up to take a children's high chair after asking twice. My surprise came when ordering the bill, and we wee charged a 15% of service fee?? This was outrageous, firstly, way higher than service fee in any restaurant. I am starting getting annoyed when some are charging 13.5%, but in a pub??? An 15%?? and with the rubbish service provided? Apparently this is a global strategy for all the pubs that operated in this group. and they pay their staff with that, which is shameful. I claimed to eliminate the service which they did. and just paid a 12.5% only because i felt sorry for the waitress who brought us a single main course to our table, and a bottle of wine, but apparently that is part of her core income. Not great. Not sure if we will come back, and we have been regular customers for a long time.

Great food and ambiance. Superb service despite being quite busy. The pinot noir wine was amazing value. Pulled pork starters are amazing. Tiramisu just ok.

Really nice food and service. The place is beautiful and cozy. We had a great time!

Nice and different menu including steak tartar, pimiento padron & fritti zucchini. Delicious! We were very well looked after by the two Ladies working the pub that day (Aug 31st) Loved it 🤩

Nice wine, and an even better outdoor seating area.

Delicious ales. London Lush and one other

I was expecting more from a pub in Chelsea, expensive food for average/bad quality. Big tartar (18 pounds) was a joke... fish and chips very very average and Sunday roasts...

A fine pub but, perhaps better described as a restaurant, quiet, refined and welcoming. There are a couple of cask ales on offer together with a fine keg offering. An enjoyable pint of Stiegl, cold to the bone. Gentle and serene are my words for this place.

Куски жаркого было не прожевать. Картошка была обжарена по всей видимости несколько раз и ножом даже не разрезалась. Пиво вкусное. Персонал вежливый.

Pretty decent pub, interior a bit excessively designed. Unfortunately they charge 5 pounds, yes 5, for a bag of crisps. Pretty criminal I would suggest.

One of the classic Chelsea pubs. Used to spend a lot of time here many moons ago. Good to see it hasn't changed much (aside from a bit of a "posh up" as seems to be mandatory for all pubs in London... Farrow & Ball green paint etc). Round was predictably pricey but worth it for the people watching Chips looked incredible (but we didn't try - just oggled everyone else)

Cute pub, slightly posh. Food is pretty expensive but not particularly outstanding.

Very good beers and variety of all drinks.Elegant pub.

Good food, good service and overall you feel like the dining and culinary experience has been a good one. Tom is a good guy and deeply cares about the service he provides. Thank you

Friendly staff, I must say very stylish

Gorgeous pub, amazing team behind the bar...

First visit near workplace. 2 bottles of wine to share between 5. Quite busy Friday night. Toilets in basement. Restaurant half of pub.

Great service, delicious food, cozy atmosphere

Unfortunately the reviews were true. We found the staff to be very friendly but the food was not good, especially for the price. The roast lamb was chewy and the pasta was also chewy - felt like it had been pre cooked and sat around for ages. Inside was a strange layout. We would not return.

Very nice food and great service. The burguer was cooked perfectly and the tortellinis were delicious (I was told). The lemon tart was sublime! Would recommend the pub. Maybe a little price but it's not too different to other restaurants in the Chelsea área.

Great food. Top class service. What more could one possibly ask for?

You know you're getting an experience when its only locals and the waitress doesn't even ask what you want...you're getting the fish and chips of course with the lemon round tied in a bow...and they are oh sooooo good!! Giant portions and the tartar sauce was heavenly..

Excellent pub sur une jolie place parallèle à King’s Road. Cuisine sympa autant que le personnel. Très typique British mais excellente ambiance, peut-être un peu bruyante. Bons vins, prix corrects un peu chers … mais c’est Londres !!

Spend a few hours with Mrs M here last Saturday afternoon. It was like being in a ‘country pub’ despite being a few hundred yards from Kings Road. Just the best staff, beer and company. Well done Builders Arms team!

Massively overpriced, scruffy, unprofessional and totally lacking in any atmosphere whatsoever! Dismal and expensive experience.

Waited at the bar while the barman stood in front of me and polished glasses without any acknowledgment that I was waiting. Then went on to serve an order in the restaurant. 5 mins later he took my order for drinks, £18.50 for a medium wine and a average pint. Poor service and astronomical prices

Been in this Pub couple of times with friend and family and always good experience. Atmosphere is lovely, staff is friendly and reasonable prices. ⭐️ This time it was two of us, ordered scotch egg 👌🏼 , two mains 👍🏼 👍🏼 (half chicken and baked aubergine) and a salad on a side which was fresh ✅ + 2 glass of rose. Only one thing we didn’t enjoy for £15 was the artichoke with couscous. For such dish and presentation, it should be no more than £8. All in all we spend £111 which for 2ppl is alright price considering location and quality of ingredients used. Please be aware that now it’s 15% service charge..

Great place to have a proper drink and food. The service is very good and happy and friendly staff.

Very little to recommend this pub. Pricier than last year. Service usually terrible, indifferent sultry staff who all look like they dont want to be there, few smiles, confused, slow, often serving the wrong people first, standing around wiping glasses whilst 15 people wait at the bar, one real ale only, usual high mark ups on wines…shame as new owners since end of last year and this was my local

Popped in for a drink yesterday and to watch the World Cup Final. Knew and expected it to be busy. We just enjoyed drinks at the bar. We were sadly, served by a bar man that didn't even open his mouth and looked us up...