The French House in City of London, Westminster

Legendary bohemian boozer in Soho, you never know who you might bump into, super little pub so you'll likely bump into everyone, only serve halves! Love it.

Always amazing, Terry looked after us so well in the restaurant - lovely warm hospitality across the board.

Lovely lady behind the bar with amazing green eyeliner! Very friendly and lovely atmosphere.

Brilliant staff in the restaurant. Warm, knowledgeable and definitely do not take themselves too seriously. A peaceful nook in the heart of the whirling dervish Soho. The downstairs bar is also my favourite pub in London, where there is always a random chat to be had. Even the guy keeping the drinkers outside to within the pub boundary (mostly, one girl lent a bit too hard on the barrier and did an Oscar Wilde into the gutter, but somehow managed to not spill her drink) was a gem of a man.

Lovely little bar with great vibes. Recommend the Breton cider

A great place to eat and drink good beers.

Old school, grab a half pint and stand outside. A bit of everything, locals, regulars, and tourists.

The brill (xmas lunch, vibe) was especially good. Very friendly and helpful service, in a great space.

The French House is a historic pub and restaurant in Soho, London, known for its bohemian atmosphere and rich history. Originally opened in 1891 under the name "York Minster", but was informally called "the French pub" by its regulars. The name was officially changed to "The French House" after a fire in York Minster in 1984.

Visited for lunch with my wife today. Food was absolutely fantastic (highly recommend the pork chop and crumble!), service excellent, and lovely atmosphere in a small restaurant area. Can’t wait to come back!

Excellent proper old pub where people go to have a drink, chat, debate and put the world to rights, no phones, TV, jukebox, restaurant, var food, (next time ☺) etc.. iconic and historic with Meteor French lager on draught (first visit for this reason) and only 1/2 pints served...Marvellous ♥

Cosy environment, delicious food, kind staff. Party of 5, we had appetisers, mains and desserts. A great evening

Service first - perfect. The guys were so friendly and helpful, whilst being obviously expert in their field. The dining room was the perfect size for two people to look after, so it wasn’t chaotic, but equally not overly fussy. Food next - just as perfect. Nice simple menu, done brilliantly. Confit garlic was yummy and reasonably priced (must try to replicate at home!) Med-rare steak cooked perfectly and was delicious. Madeleine were the best I have ever had, anywhere!! I could go on but you get the message. Go!

Wonderful. Really great menu, went with the confit garlic starter after seeing great reviews and did not regret it. Lovely hearty mains and the Madeleines were incredible. Fab service to top it off.

The staff were abhorrently rude, and incredibly miserable. I have never experienced such foul service, every singe person was horrible, would avoid like the plague, they need an attitude check

Impossible to get a response via phone or email!

Ooohhh this place is da spot when ya wanna stand out in da street and be cool, obviously

Unbelievable. Chef Paul is a wizard. I am French myself and the food was incredible. I recommend for a dinner date or friend catchup. 10/10

Very busy pub any time of day, especially on weekends. It’s a popular spot in Soho, and I love that everything is served by the half pint. The bar itself is quite small, so finding a seat can be tough, but standing outside is an option if it's packed.

Fantastic as always. Oysters on point and Ribeye perfectly cooked.

The buttery calves brains mopped up with a slice of baguette was sublime; each bite a custardy cloud of heaven. Gorgeous food and an experience I’ll remember for years to come.

A bit reluctant before booking as I was afraid it would be mostly hype over substance. But no! Very cosy, warm and friendly atmosphere. Short and dense menu with several specials all made with very good ingredients and a lot of care. Relaxed atmosphere and never felt that someone was rushing us out. Service friendly and was not pushing too much to upsell. Had to book 2 weeks in advance for lunch so keep that in mind please

Only do half pints, wouldn’t recommend

Love this pub, really buzzing atmosphere with friendly staff. A must visit if you’re in the area

Lovely setting and intimate upstairs given the amount of covers. Regrettably….. overpriced and pretentious. When you are spending £160 for a (below average) T bone steak for two, it’s your God given right to ask for a bernaise sauce. Abrupt response (typically French)…. No. I had a thin pepper sauce and a bit of loose leaf lettuce. Step up French House

Proper pub with a twist, not only in the food and the drinks but in the atmosphere and staff and customers. A hidden(in plain sight) gem.

Always great atmosphere and wine

An institution. Excellent wines. Good vibes.

Favourite pub in London. Love the history behind it, it's very relaxed and genuinely is a public house. 2 rules to follow: 1 Half pints only 2 no phones, be social aha

always a great atmosphere and lovely staff and this time everything was hunky dory..the ribeye great for sharing and the rest wondrous

Went with friends down memory lane. It's a small pub. This was a nice establishment in the past, with lots of history. The pub still retains its restriction of not allowing the usage of mobile phones which is good. A limited selection of drinks can feel rather claustrophobic and noisy.

Guinness in a glass is a cardinal sin, the company was exquisite, I survived

Love The French. Our first and last stop on our trips to London. Been going for fifteen plus years and it never changes.......nor should it.

Had the most amazing meal last night, celebrating my daughters masters. So well looked after and head chef Neil signed a copy of the menu congratulating my daughter. Very special place. Will be back again soon. 10/10

I went in the afternoon with a friend for a couple of drinks, nice place but no music at all, I wish they had a background ( French?) music so would make a better experience.

Have to be honest and say this was okay, but no more than that. I like the idea of sticking to French traditions and serving only demis, but would have been better to have had this in a demi glass rather than a half pint glass. Very busy, touristy with an okay range of beers.

There's few places like this left. So small you are forced into conversation with the whole crazy world from gay actors to fashion students and the homeless. Manager nice guy, easy going. The night before rather woke landlady of the Coach and Horses told me I was too "exuberant". Go it's a great boozer.

Definitely a gem in central London! Love that they have seasonal specials everyday. And the madeleines were the highlight!

This is such an iconic venue I've been coming here for about 40 years. It's become a bit more commercialised over the years. Some of the staff today looked a bit jaded. Still love it though. Great cider: )

A busy place with an eclectic clientele- great service and worth a visit.

The French House is an absolute must every time I come to London. I love that they write out their menus daily and offer amazing specials. The staff is lovely, and really connects with their guests to make sure the whole experience is great. This is a place where you can truly indulge and go all out.

My absolute favourite pub in London. Hands down the best - especially in Soho. It’s a classic and has added some great beers recently!!!

Worth the hype. The goats cheese & garlic on sourdough was incredible. Don’t miss out on the made to order Madeline’s. Service, food and atmosphere was spot on.

Love this place and it's history and only place to get cidre Breton... Nice authentic place to go for a drink

My wife and I went for dinner having read great reviews. It turned out to be the day of the gay pride parade in London and SOHO was mayhem. I ascended the stairs to the restaurant which was blocked by a long queue of women’s waiting for the loo. Upon reaching the top, chef Neil was standing there looking a bit discombobulated. I put my hand on his should, said hello, and headed into the restaurant. It was surprisingly quiet, given the chaos outside. I suspect some people just couldn’t get there amongst the reverie outside. It did fill up eventually. Neil came over to the table to say hello, and I suspect the shoulder pat on the way in made him think we had met before, which we had not, Had a good chat, lovely bloke, Taking his recommendations, we had the food gras terrine, the calves’s brain, and the John Dory for 2. I can say without reservation it was all excellent. It’s quite rustic provenceal food, but delish. My only negative is I’m not a liquorish fan, so the Pernod in the fish was not to my taste, but that does not detract from the flawless cooking. The calves brain was a Neil recommendation, and was really good. Huge portion too.. The table service was good - familiar not formal, friendly and professional.. We had another visit from Neil to check in on us at the end. Superb. A free desert to boot as they were closed Sunday and Monday and had some love to share. Highly recomended, a gem.

very busy tight wee gaff , no waiting for drinks and people very friendly nice few drinks here

Its been a few years since I last ate here and it was a relief to see not much has changed 'upstairs' during my absence. The decor is still reassuringly old school, there are still the dozen or so small vintage tables, the narrow bar at the back of the dining room was still present and the walls are still adorned with black and white photos of local Soho legends and patrons from the past and present. The atmosphere is cozy and carefree and front of house staff make you feel like you are friends dining in their own kitchen. Unlike like many other eateries in Soho that have got a bit drunk on their own self importance The French House is the perfect anecdote for a relaxed no rush meal. The cooking was suitably earthy and no nonsense with a menu boasting both classics and offbeat fare ably backed up with thoughtful wine list. A perfect afternoon lunch away from the chaos of street outside.

Delicious and great service from the lady and the gentleman. Must visit spot in London

Just everything you need for a perfect lunch. Wonderful attentive service. Fabulous food. Lovely relaxed atmosphere. Highly recommend

Robbing tourist trap. Only halves yeah loool

I do love this pub but it seems so does everyone else lol. I've never seen it anything but overflowing with customers. Still I do think it is worth it. I'm sure I'll be back.

Small intimate french restaurant above a quirky soho pub. Menu changes each day. Have eaten there twice and both times the food was excellent. Save room for dessert. Only criticism is that wine is a bit pricey, even for London . Cheapest red £50 ( very nice but not really worth the money)

Nice pub, not cheap and gets very busy.

The French House 📍49 Dean St, London W1D 5BG 🚇 Leicester Square 🍺 £3.50 French House Lager (1/2) A Soho Institution. The French House is located on Dean Street in Soho just off Shaftesbury Avenue. The nearest Tube is Leicester Square, it’s a five minute walk to get here. This Historic pub was built in 1891 and was originally called The York Minster. The pub was run between 1914-1989 by the same family who originated from Belgium. This pub is famous for being the unofficial headquarters of the Free French in World War II. The name was changed to the French House in 1984 following a fire. One thing you need to know before visiting, is that the beer is served in half-pints only. This rule is relaxed every year on 1st April when pints are made available. In recent years it has become custom that @suggsofficial serves the first pint of the day. The footprint of this pub is compact and bijou. The bar area wraps around the servery with a cosy snug located on the left. Around the ox blood red and wood panelled walls are a number of interesting prints, artworks and photos by Soho based creatives. There are stools around the bar, drinking ledges and traditional furniture in the snug. The beer selection is minimal and diverse. I decided on a French House Lager, my beer was decent, price point was West End. I mentioned that the beer was served by the half but you can buy a half a gallon for £28, but I wasn’t that thirsty. Upstairs is the pub’s well renowned restaurant. This intimate venue serves traditional cuisine from a menu that changes daily. Every Thursday, The French House serves the ever popular steak frites. Every time I visit here it’s always absolutely packed with a wonderful convivial atmosphere. The clientele is a mix of punters from all walks of life and backgrounds. I have often found myself talking to interesting people that I’ve never met before. The best time to visit is between 2pm and 4pm when local characters pop in for a chat and a beverage. I can’t speak highly enough about this special Soho institution. The @frenchhousesoho , an absolute must visit London Pub. ℹ️ Info correct on visiting 21.02.24

Great, quirky pub. Especially the great staff who had the decency to post back the gift I’d left on the bar - you are life-savers!! Thank you!

one of my friends said the French resistance worked out of here so we mainly come here now and then if we are ever in central london for the vibes hehe. I must warn you, this place is SO PACKED all the time you're either squeezed in between people or standing outside. So keep that in mind!

The French House is one of my favourite bars. I have the best conversations with random strangers every time I go here. It is a Soho Institution!

Weird waiter who fawned and extenuated last syllable of every sentence, fortunately we did not engage with him. Wines ridicuously expensive markup, expensive steak, quite ordinary, one scallop for a dish, what a joke, turbot cooked perfectly but also mega expensive. We could see how it could have been lovely before price hikes and with more normal service. Think the staff are having a laugh at expense, literally, of customers! Such a pity, especially as it was our 38th wedding anniversary! No point going again!

Lovely food, intimate setting, highly recommended. And the madeleines...omg!

The French House. 110% Soho. Weekday late afternoon. Good ambience as always.

Very quirky little bar that only serves half pints and upstairs restaurant was phenomenal the food was just fantastic must try the Madeline’s for pudding. Such a gem in the middle of soho

We only went for a few drinks, a lovely friendly atmosphere and very quick service. The quirky thing is they only serve all their beer in half-pint measures.

Came for drinks. Love this place. Staff are fabulous and the place is full of characters. Yes, it’s busy and you might have to wait to get served, but it’s worth it. Barman with the beard made our evening. True gem.

This review is well overdue! Two friends and I came here for a birthday lunch. We tried to have an enjoyable time, but it was made extremely difficult because, first, we were repeatedly told by the waiter that dishes on the very limited menu were finished. We had a reservation for 1.30pm! Oh, sorry the lamb is finished, oh sorry the apple crumble is finished. Suspiciously, they had plenty of the duck at 95 pounds for two! Secondly, the food was awful, and the presentation was even worse. The pork rillette looked like cat food, plonked next to a few sad pickles and a piece of sourdough. Who serves one scallop? The unappetising confit garlic and goat's curd was spread boringly on sourdough. The John Dory was average, at best. The minimal serving of dessert cheeses presented on a sad old cracked breadboard was unacceptable. The French House will probably defend themselves by claiming it is all very bohemian. Eating from basic tableware, at an undressed, wooden kitchen table, sitting on uncomfortable, old wooden benches, yes, all very bohemian. Everything was bohemian except for the bill! Over 250 pounds for three! What a joke! Never again. I did not leave a tip. Why would you?

Terrible service!! Never again!! London deserves better than this!

Simply stupendous. You have to get the Madelines

Superb, one of the best meals I’ve had in London. Leo was exceptional

This pub is steeped in history been coming here since the early 80's

Amazing food and amazing service. I highly recommend this place

Quaint little place Tiny inside

A small restaurant above the pub. Excellent food, in a pleasant, quiet atmosphere and friendly staff. Menu changes daily, with some interesting dishes.

great bar where you can have great conversations about Culture... good staff..

Legendary pub, always busy and bustling but let's be honest that's what you're coming for.

Had a lovely meal here during a recent visit to London. The restaurant itself is small but really atmospheric. The menu choices were mostly classical French and we both chose to have fish for our mains following some delicious dressed oysters for starters. My red mullet was excellent - thick and meaty with beautiful crisp skin. We ended our meal by sharing a Paris Brest dessert. Not the cheapest meal in the world but the quality of food and service made it worth it.

I'm often in London and there are multitudes of fantastic pubs in this great city. The French House is a bit unique amongst them for many reasons. A storied and very quirky place in Soho that is well worth a visit. It was the haunt of some legendary characters in past times and still draws in an eclectic crowd. A slight let down on this visit was the supercilious attitude of one of the bartenders.

A bit of a gem. Away from the chaos of the busy pub downstairs is an oasis of calm and fine food. Try and get the window table!

Lovely team, legendary location, exquisite food.

My best place to eat in London. The waiting staff are as lovely as the food. I travel from Yorkshire to eat here each year and love it.

Fantastic food and service. The madeleines were epic; worth the 15 minutes wait.

Pompous, stuffy and outdated. It’s a desperate attempt to recreate the old French attitude towards drink but undercut by a disinterested English bar staff. Retain your ancient charm but move with the ages. Get pint glasses for one.

Love this place always amazing people, little jewel in the heart of soho ❤️ I never went for food only the bar .

Very poor service and over priced pints

Great, friendly atmosphere in the heart of Soho, don't expect lots of seats if thats you're thing, attentive and friendly bar staff. Pints by the half though!

I always love it in here, a delightful pub with real character. If anyone ever changes this they deserve to burn in hell. Very busy as usual but somehow they had crammed 5 people behind the bar so there was no real wait. Hands off the Benedictine, that's mine!

All the wonderful things about fine dining and none of the stuffiness. A beautiful, cozy space tucked upstairs. Despite being in the middle of busy Soho, nothing felt rushed. Friendly and witty service. Great wine. And the food was perfection. Don’t skip the made-to-order madeleines! Will definitely be returning!

A regular stop off for me while in soho in the 80s & 90s for a quick half. It hasn't changed a bit, still full of soho characters

Great beer in a cosy old small pub with great friendly bar staff!

Delicious food in an intimate and cosy setting. The menu changes frequently, and you can tell it is made with passion and care. Most definitely recommend the melt in your mouth madeleines, cooked to order. The whole evening is a treat!

Only serve half pints. I asked why. They said “cos I said so”. Morons.

Being a bit of a fan of Dylan Thomas, I seek out his haunts . This was one of his favourites in London. The history of this bar is a really worthwhile read on Google.

I had the dover sole which was superb. A bottle or two of light red (my lunch guest was having steak) and the world felt alright again. A lovely intimate place. I’ll be coming back. Highly recommended.

Small, cramped, crowded. Pleasant enough atmosphere, but there aren't enough stools.

Can't rate the food as we didn't have any! Busy (there around 5pm), nice atmosphere be prepared to stand, excellent service from the bar!

Where Sylvia Plath signed her poetry collection contract ♡

Good pub in Soho. Saturday night it was so busy and buzzy. Lively to say the least. Outside in the streets you can smoke and enjoy watching people. Seats inside and loos downstairs (clean).

I love the french house and always has a good atmosphere but its way busier now with lots of tourists and £6 for a half a guinness? What happened. I always enjoy a pernod in there.

A charming place steeped in history. It's been extremely busy each time I've visited which means I haven't been able to soak up the atmosphere as much as I'd like. Would love to come back and try the restaurant upstairs!

Classic bistro cooking. Sensibly priced wines. Great waiting staff and laid back atmosphere in a bright airy dining room above Soho.

Place is packed, which signifies the great ambience, food and vibe.. Recommended!

A truly wonderful spot in the heart of London. Classic food and great wine! Reserve early as a very intimate space.