The Nag’s Head in City of London, Westminster

As numerous reviews mention, it’s a charming place. I was surprised it was not busy on a Saturday evening but now I know why. The staff are more interested in chatting to their friends than attending to a customer, and it’s outrageously expensive. £ 8 for a pint and they wanted me to buy two in advance if I used a card!!!

Utterly unique and untouched Jacobean style tavern. A slice of history that should never be changed.

Go to The Grenadier instead. I’ve been here a couple of times. 1st time was great, sat by the fire downstairs and was served by a lovely lady behind the bar (didn’t look at the price of the round, it was busy) 2nd time, was “greeted” by the owner(?) who’s an old boy with mentality’s harking back to Oswald Mosely’s ideas of England. £9 for two halves of ale…and a snarky comment when I asked how much a pint was. “Maybe it’ll be different tomorrow.” There’s no pricing policy, I think he charges based on whether he likes the look of you (old and white males) or not. I went back after our halves to ask of the price of a Guinness (£8.50) and when I said I was just checking, Mr Scrooge responded with “oh were you…?” I don’t think I’ll ever be going back, which is a massive shame. It’s an amazing building, in a nice quiet street which feels like the Mews pubs of yesteryear.

Expensive drinks but otherwise rather nice. The prawn linguini was tasty and the sausages were almost as good. Lovely spot for a quick stop in if you want a bite to eat but not deserving of five stars. Would I come back here again? Maybe. Would I travel far just to come here? Probably not.

Avoid. Overpriced with an absolutely terrible service. They also ask for cash, and card payments are "over £16". Unless you are liked by the staff then you might get to pay by card for a £8 pint.

The "owner" shouted at my brother, told him he couldn't be served, then RUSHED AROUND the whole bar SQUARE UP TO MY BROTHER PHYSICALLY. Transcript: "DONT SERVE HIM AND GET OUT." "It's MY PUB and you're NOT GONNA BE SERVED ANYTHING. NOW GET OUT. GET OUT." All for... Asking politely for a drink and asking to pay with card. All within 3 minutes of being in the pub. My brother stands up to people and she backed off and went silent and went back behind the bar. She refused to give her name and covered her face when asked to have a picture and refused to have her picture taken. Does this sound like the behaviour of someone who stands by their actions? Do not ever go here and don't give a single penny to their z list pub. They will be reported and she will be reported. This is not the end of the story.

What a delightful pub! The woman behind the bar was incredibly welcoming. It's truly a hidden gem, and I'm so happy I discovered it. I can't wait to return!

Everything is great about this pub - except the price of a pint! No phones allowed which is refreshing :)

Sorry to only give this one 3 stars,but it was mainly down to charging £8.00 for a pint of real ale. Done 6 pubs in Belgravia today,prices were £5.80 to £6.80 for a pint of ale. So £8.00 is well over the top. Hence it was dead,ok it was a mid week afternoon but everywhere else was busy,which speaks volumes.

I live in London and try to come at least every other month, one of those places that feels like a time capsule as you come inside. If what you are looking for ir modern pub vibe, this is for sure not where you should come. Service is efficient, get a beer, maybe a simple sandwich and that’s it… like simpler times <3

Strange experience, I echo much of the other reviewers. If you want to be heckled at come here. £20 for 2 pints of ALE and a packet of nuts. I had already read the reviews so was expecting the service I received. Honestly, I love that this place exists, it’s so beautiful and the atmosphere is brilliant. The service is awful it’s like a caricature of itself, so characterful it draws you in. I only stayed for one as £8 for an ale is absurd and I probably won’t come back again but glad I came and did get heckled at. Will be going to the Grenadier across the road.

2 sandwiches and a long beer €25 What a scam...

2 sandwiches and a long beer €25 What a scam...

Do not Even think about getting a sandwich here! COMPLETE RIP OFF AND DISGUSTING! I was expecting cooked /boiled home made ham from the pics online but it was just processed shop bought ham from a packet with cheese and cheap bread. I hate branston pickle and it was smothered in it. I'll honestly never return as it was such a disappointment. Bar lady was very nice & accommodatjng. Not her fault - SHITE QUALITY for ridiculous prices. Absolutely never again.

Do not Even think about getting a sandwich here! COMPLETE RIP OFF AND DISGUSTING! I was expecting cooked /boiled home made ham from the pics online but it was just processed shop bought ham from a packet with cheese and cheap bread. I hate branston pickle and it was smothered in it. I'll honestly never return as it was such a disappointment. Bar lady was very nice & accommodatjng. Not her fault - SHITE QUALITY for ridiculous prices. Absolutely never again.

Super pricy and me and my friends (half of us POC and we had some Palestine signs with us) came down after a Palestine demo and we were greeted with a "cash only policy" , bit strange a pub in central right? The owner kept giving us long and annoyed stares.

Do not recommend, very aggressive and racist staff.

Ha ha how can you rate this pub ? I doubt the owner cares. His pub his rules. Like it or lump it. He is still in business after donkeys years so who is right ? Beer is good. I wonder if no mobile rule now strictly applied when you pay using phone. It's good people talk to each other.

Amazing, original atmosphere with Kevin himself in place! Brings back old memories and shows that pub atmosphere still depends on the person!

I popped-in for a quick beer at around 10pm. The pub was empty and the barmaid was frankly surprised to see a customer. I tried to order a beer and she shrugged like it was a real pain for her and then gave me some kind of snooty chat about it being a Monday! Then she told me there was a £15 minimum spend. If the objective is sales prevention then they are 10/10. Won't be going back.

This is a gem of a pub. Real drinkers pub. Lots of real ales. Friendly and great atmosphere. Like stepping back in time in a good way. On a quiet back street. Fully recommend. Would have stayed longer if we could.

Pleasant enough pub. But £8 a pint for a pint? When quiered we were told it's Belgravia. But none of the other pubs we went to in Belgravia were near that. Is there a special price for the locals?

Went in around midday and thought - what a gem. Owner a total tosser. One of those ones where you think - he's joking, right? no, he's not joking, he's actually a pr1ck. £8 a pint. would recommend walking in, taking your phone out (as it's against bar 'policy'), taking a few pics and walking back out, just to annoy the owner won't be back

Don’t believe all what you read yes the prices are inflated but look at the location one of the most expensive areas of London. Landlord Kevin is a character as well as the bar maid Noreen they both kept us well entertained. We can’t wait to return next time we are in London.

Empty pub for a reason, very rude owner would not go there again.

Very traditional pub. Don't seem to be able to pay by card for low cost items, even for more expensive items card reader often doesn't work Found staff to be rude and hostile. Don't know if that's because we weren't local and are a bit different/progressive

An old style, local boozer. Definitely an experience, going through a time warp as you enter. Ignore the negative comments, they just can’t handle it!

Very quirky pub. Grumpy proprietor but he serves but good sandwiches, but no other food. An old fashioned English Pub. I loved it.

£8 for a pint of Southwold Bitter. You're having a giraffe. Nice traditional hovel but you won't get over that beer price 🤦🏻‍♂️

Really cute pub but it’s a tourist trap charging a minimum of £18 to use your card (what year are we in?!). Undoubtedly this is just so they can charge you more for drinks when nobody carries cash anymore. So that made two single mixers £9 each…

A nice looking pub ruined by the staff and bad practice of hiding pricing. We went on for a drink and sandwiches. Sadly we didn't ask the price before ordering or told the price until the food was made and placed on our table. We ordered 3 cheese and ham sandwiches, which came with some crisps. I got a pepsi, friend a diet coke and my partner a bud. The food came out on a platter plate (we didn't ask for that), it was standard bread, 2 sliced with a little bit of cheese and ham, and a handful of crisps in the middle. I was asked "who is paying for your table" thinking I will cover the cost and I asked how much. The price I was told changed the atmosphere. For 6 pieces of bread cut into triangles, 3 drinks and stale crisps this was £47.... #£5 per soft drink £7 for the bud £10 per sandwich We definitely complained about the outdated crisps and were given another pack. As we finished our food, the lady asked if we wanted anymore. We quickly declined as I didn't fancy remortgaging my house for another round. I wouldn't go there again, with a bland personality from the staff to the ridiculous pricing for basic food. I would suggest you should avoid and go to another pub.

Awful food, ridiculous prices, super dirty. Watch out 7£ for a half pint. Food stale, and rude service. 50£ for 2 drinks and 2 sandwiches. Makes no sense.

The decoration is nice. The service is absolutely horrible. I'm quite sure they charge different prices depending of the client or something like that... The menu has no prices on it, now I understand why... We paid £50 for 3 (literally 3) super basic and dry ham and cheese sandwiches, which came next to some old and soft doritos... And the super expensive drinks were on top of that of course... Im quite sure that, in case of going again, they would charge us a different amount for the same items (maybe they would charge more maybe less... Who knows? we will remain with the doubt forever of course... The decoration and atmosphere was not bad but is not a place to return)... If you can, avoid coming here.

Beautiful-looking pub with quirky decor, inviting from the outside in beautiful Kensington…. COMPLETELY RUINED by the staff, hidden pricing policy, and lack of hygiene. We went to have a drink and food while playing a board game we were carrying. All was good until after ordering 2 pints of coke, a bottled Budweiser, and 3 ham and cheese sandwiches, we were told to pay £47. But it gets worse. The sandwiches were plain, cheap, thin white bread with barely any dried-up ham or cheese in them, served on a shared platter (unsure why, as they were 3 individual orders at £10 each) with stale tortilla crisps (not Doritos) with no flavour. We had to ask for the crisps to be replaced, and the staff challenged us until they tried the crisps and confirmed they were stale. We didn’t bother mentioning the hardened ham. To be clear, when we entered, we asked if they served food. They said only a basic ham and cheese sandwich and showed us a menu with no prices. We would have never expected the shock of being charged as if in a restaurant. Beyond this, the table was full of dust, the chairs were broken, and the toilet was not flushing. For a pint of tap coke, £5; for a small bottle of beer, £7. Total shame to be treated this way, especially as when we asked for the price, the pub, full of locals until then speaking merrily, went completely silent. We felt robbed, embarrassed, and laughed at. Our recommendation: avoid.

Ludicrously expensive even for London. The place is small and quaint but very dark, I got the feeling the owner has a very high opinion of his little pub,

"A gem of history, this pub offers a warm atmosphere and charming decor. Bartender, the elderly gentleman who is supposed to be retired 40 years ago was a bit angry/ upset that I didn’t have cash since his card machine malfunctioned. He charged £8,50 for a pint of ale. One off an experience.

Best place in London for a drink and chill.

Where refused service, claiming dogs not allowed, but no sign indicating such. Probably more connected to them not willing to accommodate "outsiders".

Unfortunately there is only beer and schnapps, but the atmosphere is what you would imagine a pub to be like...

Nice old original pub but too expensive.....£8 a pint!

Friendly pub in a quiet muse. Very warm, friendly welcome and a good selection of Adnams Ales

Very grumpy service and only one cheap Chardonnay available for anyone drinking wine. Quite expensive too considering…

Like going back in time to war-time Britain,minus the bombs, a little gem,no,a big gem,do visit,if you can find it😀

Well known charismatic pub and we're numerous long time visitors if not quite regulars. Because of current economics and the pubs affluent location, I would be comfortable inexpect a bit of a premium on prices. However £8.00 a pint for a regular beer(£30 for 3 pints and 3 packs of crisps) is just a bit too much. Sadly won't be visiting for a while

great pub, if you want a sanitised drinking experience bereft of human interaction please go to Starbucks and leave drinkers be

In February 2017 I went to this Pub for the first time and I loved it because of how original it was and because it seemed like I had traveled back in time to the 40s. I gave it a 5-star rating. We were very comfortable that time and I returned again in September 2019, to take some friends. We were delighted and were not shocked by the price and the service was correct. Given the pleasant memory, I just went again with another group of friends, who after a good walk through Kensington Gardens and part of Hyde Park, were waiting for their reward. Sitting in a peculiar Pub, with a good pint of beer, eating something and relaxing for a while, and then continuing with more sightseeing. The disappointment was great, when the one whom I had not yet had the pleasure of meeting on the two previous visits, the owner, greeted us with a Stop!!, most unpleasantly, insisting that there was no food and that if we wanted something, we should order. already in the bar above. I wanted to leave through the door, but having the memory of how good it was in the lower part of the place, that illusion was stronger than the guy's totally unpleasant ways. Maybe he doesn't like tourists and if so, he should also put a peculiar sign at the entrance like TURIST ARE NOT WELCOME, like he has that says that cell phones should not be used inside. Aside from that deal, you feel like they are ripping you off when for 5 half pints and a siphon Coke, they charge you about 40 Pounds...... the £7 Coke thing hurt... I upload the screenshot of my previous visits that Google records. The only thing left over in that place is its owner if you like to feel not welcome. But the guy is really authentic... The place is one of the most original I have visited. I put this review for people who consult before entering, know what they are exposing themselves to, since I doubt that the owner is going to be the least interested in the opinions. Just in case he reads the review, which I doubt, and they translate it for him .... . You are really rude, darling!! Take Care.

You couldn't get more of a pub than this, where everyone seems to know each other, there are donkey's years of signed photos on the wall, and it's still a genuine local, despite the well-heeled neighbourhood. Every tourist should be brought here first to experience the real thing.

£8 for a beer/cider. Lovely building, will be great once the landlords retire/expire.

Not quite sure how the landlord can be such a miserable old git when he’s somehow getting away with charging £8 a pint

Great pub tucked away with a warm fireplace

Coffin dodging b@5trd , enjoy cleaning the floor ;)

Please don’t go to this pub. I really like it and I don’t want you cluttering it up. I stole a horse brass off the wall 40 years ago but have since returned it. That’s the sort of person you’ll be rubbing shoulders with.

Small little pub with a lot of character

What a gem! And you know what, old grumpy man is part of it. Love it or leave it!

There’s no doubt this venue can be an experience.

Found it by chance, really particular inside, with an actual fireplace and a lower bar. My friends and I got 3 pints for a stunning £24. The owner said she wouldn't accept card payments below £16, so we had to pay together and then split. We sat at a table by the fire, chatting. The owner collected my glass before I could finish it, literally sticking her fingers into it. She asked if we wanted another round, we said we were fine, and she asked us to free the table and leave. We wouldn't have stayed for hours, probably another 15 minutes at most, but it was the first time I was treated this way. The two stars are for the architecture only. Everything else sucks, and I would not recommend this place if it was the last pub on earth. To the owner, I would say that this industry called "hospitality", not money-milking.

Half a shandy and a pint of ale £12. Nice interior but avoid if you don’t like really high prices.

Easily one of the most uniquely weird pubs I’ve been in London. The good points are the beautiful interior which combines old wood panels, classic furniture, a warm fire and interesting displays. Combine that with a (surprisingly) busy atmosphere and you get all the makings of a great pub. Then there are the very real drawbacks. The old barman, maybe owner is so grouchy that you’d think he doesn’t want customers. He was actually politer to me than to most. He was outright rude to multiple customers. He explains you have to spend £15, sometimes changes to £16 to use card (nonsense but he doesn’t care). When asked what wines they have, he just says red, white and rosé. He’s not joking. He asks people to leave if they haven’t ordered a drink yet. He also forgets orders, forget prices (makes them up as he goes along), and even forgets who he’s just served, asking them again what they want having just taken their order. I’m not being cruel to suggest he may need to retire. It’s seen by some as comical old skool landlord behaviour but really it’s not kitsch or cute just because he’s old, but it’s still rude, obnoxious and unacceptable. He also tries to police a no mobile phone policy as if we’re living in another century. Again it’s not endearing, it’s absurd, obstinate and petty. The price of my pint of lager was £8. That’s also pretty much unacceptable and I only stayed as it was pouring down outside. When it gets new and more contemporary thinking owners, this will be a fantastic London pub. Right now, it’s sadly a write off in terms of serious options to drink in. Very sad how badly this place is run. A contender for worst run pub in London.

Fantastic gem of a place tucked away. Unlike other reviews we found the staff to be very welcoming and the beer was excellent and well kept.

Few of these gems left.Including the eccentric landlord.

Avoid. Extremely disrespectful staff. I interacted with a woman at the bar, old bartender with short hair, she spoke to me rudely and impatiently (note: i was the only one waiting to order, so its not like she was under pressure). She refused to take my order and kicked us out of the bar because ONE of us was not drinking

Either only take card or only cash - can't quite remember which, but very pleasant little pub where l met two priests from the Brompton Oratory sitting outside one nice summer day. I love the very convenient location in the middle of Kinnerton Street SW1

In the juice.everything is old-fashioned even the boss.c edt which is the charm.the pint still costs 7 pounds.

Great location, old school pub. Sadly at 8£ a pint...loses its charm

Cash only, unless willing to pay £16 for an order. First time I've ever seen this in 8+ years living in London. Poor service.

Cute place, outrageous prices. £4 for half a pint of cola. Cash only if spending under £15. Wouldn't recommend.

Owner is a charm and worth chatting to! Pints aren’t the cheapest but it’s independent, prefers cash and feels justiable

Outrageous prices. £8.00 for a pint of Ghost Ship. Pint of Timothy Taylor £2 cheaper in The Grenadier around the corner. Miserable staff too. Shame as it’s a pub full of character.

Gorgeous pub, and well worth visiting... but easily the most expensive pub of 2023, so maybe only worth a quick half pint rather than settling down for the evening. 2 pints of bitter, a bag of crisps, and a bag of peanuts for £22.50 is a bit much! (I questioned the fella when he said it was £20 and he raised it to £22.50)

Should be a great boozer but they try to rip you off if you pay cash, last time I went there the barmaid was more drunk than the customers and wanted silly money for a couple of drinks and would only accept cash!!!?

Thanks to some December London rain, I unexpectedly found this incredible gem of a pub. Old fashioned and excellent service, great drinks and fun with the ladies and owner at the bar. Really cosy and charming with multiple floors, but still a feeling of an intimate local watering hole. One tip - use cash if you have it. Can’t recommend it highly enough. Thanks all!

One of my favorite pubs in London

Love this pub!! Such a great atmosphere, not too crowded and fantastic beer.

As other reviews have already commented, the old barman is unpleasant. Makes you feel uncomfortable and as if you are a burden to him and not a customer. Certainly one that is refusing to go with the change of times and imposes that onto others (for example no phone usage sign by the counter), but yet surprisingly sells Vapes which is a very new technology. I guess its about the money. Save yourself the trouble and go to the pub just a couple doors further down the road to The Wilton Arms, much more polite and friendly, and certainly very welcoming.

The most rude stuff I have ever seen. When we get in the pub a Lady said that we cannot sit and the pub has many empty seats...

Lady in charge is rude. They were full but instead of politely telling us she decided to shout in our faces to get out. DO NOT VISIT

Rough round the edges, bags of charm and completely unpretentious, I loved it! Not sure how it keeps going in this little enclave, rubbing shoulders uneasily with the super-rich. Loses a star for asking for cash then overcharging. #42 #32

Landlady was beyond rude, dictated where we could sit even though seats at other tables were empty for ages. Told me I was lucky to get a seat. To top it off, £15 for two house lagers. Beautiful interior but you couldn't pay me to go back. Avoid like the plague.

Very cute, quaint old fashioned pub, hidden in a London mews. Good selection of drinks. It was very busy when we went, but managed to get a little table. The landlord is a character!

Camminando per le strade di Belgravia ci imbattiamo in questo piccolo ma bellissimo pub inglese. L'interno è pieno di foto e oggetti "storici" che danno l'idea della vita del pub. Buona selezione di birre e altri alcolici. Proprietario dall'aria scorbutica ma molto attento e disponibile

Horrendous. Worst pub I’ve ever been to. Avoid like the plague. £30 for 1.5 pints and 2 small glasses of house plonk. Staff very rude to my friend who ordered. A punter even helped my friend with his drinks because “the barman had been so rude”. Nonsense about card limits, wanted to keep my friend’s phone as collateral. I was carrying a sleeping baby in a carrier and was rudely told to stand outside (if that’s the rules then fair enough but no need to be so unpleasant about it)

Staff made fun of me for having a lisp and told me that I need to leave?! The landlady said that I should go back to my own country if I can’t speak English correctly…. Not that it matters I was born and raised in London. Atrocious service and overpriced drinks.

Уютный паб в тихом переулке, атмосферные бармены, несколько столиков на улице, расчет только наличными (!)

Having visited this pub semi-regularly as a local, I was disappointed to be greeted with exceptional rudeness from the landlady arising from the (clearly minor) transgression of one of our party of 4 not drinking. Fortunately the area is blessed with good alternatives- I suggest trying the grenadier instead.

Rudest pub staff ever. Witnessed them kick two girls out after they had finished their food as they hadn’t ordered another drink. Then they made a couple with a newborn sit outside (even though the baby was in a harness and sound asleep). Horrible staff. Just no need for it. £7.50 for a pint and min £15 card spend. Wouldn’t return which is a shame because the pub itself is very quaint and cosy.

Just don't bother. Run by a Moron by name and nature.

I went in to take one picture of the place (so that I could show my friend that we should go here) and then have a drink, and the most rudest woman working by the drinks snapped at me and said ‘this isn’t a museum!’ ‘Don’t take pictures!’ Giving me such a shock. Not allowing me to take a picture of a public place is one thing (there were no signs that said we aren’t allowed) but the attitude was just completely unnecessary. Very judgemental strange atmosphere.

Rude staff . £15 minimum card payment ? If ya face fits ! Scandalous ! If ya a Londoner a pint on your card is fine ! If they don’t know you £15…. Just cos the pub sits in a multimillionaire estate don’t have to take it out on the tourists . This place needs the inland revenue to investigate …

Absolutely brilliant pub Back to the old days - no mobile usage great slightly eccentric landlord - you’ll just have to have a chat or look at what the butler saw

Only go if you are happy to pay £8 for a pint of bitter. The landlord makes his mark by giving the impression he would rather not have to serve you. He will charge you an extra 50p if you want to pay by card rather than cash. We were there on a Friday afternoon and the only other customers were sitting outside with half pints and were still drinking (sipping?) them after we left. You should go a further 30 metres up the road to The Wilton Arms instead of using this pub.

Called to ask a question and had the phone slammed down on me, going on this much, think it's worth a swerve...

Half filled pints, and even had slop tray emptied into my drink, when complained was given a fresh half pint and was told in a stroppy manner that its the same barrel! Avoid!

Overpriced poorly kept beer. Pints not even filled properly. Saw the barman pour waste beer from the drip tray into a glass and serve it. Avoid.

Incredibly rude staff, uninspired beer. Avoid.

Atmosphere 5 Decorations 5 Price -4 Waitress -5 TOTAL: 1 star

It’s a nice pub, but I feel I’ve been robbed when I’m paying 8 pounds for a Guinness… it’s cheaper to go to Dublin and back. Also, 7 pounds for a Lager it’s quite a lot, even for London.

Lovely pub with plenty of history as well as a great drink selection

Visited here last Friday with large group of friends . Unbelievable attitude of landlord asking us to leave for no apparent reason . Some of the group were served at an extortionate price !! We went next door . Lovely pub friendly staff and great atmosphere . I’ve visited many places a cross the globe but never received this unbelievable attitude . Avoid avoid avoid !!!!

It's been a favourite pub to visit,but this visit yesterday,shocked us.The landlord was ordering people about,don't sit there,this areas booked etc.He came to me ordering that my coat should not be on the seat next to me.I explained that when it was hooked on the peg between me & my wife,I could not see her.5 mins later he arrived with his face in mine and shrieked to me & my wife "Fxxk off out!"I told him he was the most unhospitable host I'd ever met.Beware!! I will never visit again.Ever!!

2 tiny sandwiches, a pint and a small glass of wine: £29.50! The rudeness was free, though. It's a shame that lots of pubs are closing down, but with this kind of experience, I can understand why.