Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese in City of London, Westminster

Lovely place with tons of charm and attentive staff. Will gladly return when we’re looking for a more chill experience to enjoy a pint and some excellent food.

I love the quirkiness of the different levels. The smell of wood burning fire was just divine having come in from the cold! Had a lovey random conversation with two great people. Really felt like you could’ve been transported back a few hundred years in old London where you’d meet and greet strangers from their far flung travels.

Must see bar in the City of London. Charles Dickens and Mark Twain can't be wrong

The Sunday roast was delicious. Loved the whole pub experience and the cozy atmosphere.

Iconic London pub. Slight shame it is a Sam Smiths, so you are beholden to their own brand of beer. They do have their own version of Guinness which was nice. The place does get hoards of tourists, so can get rammed. They also need to get a chimney sweep in the ground floor right hand bar to check the venting. The room was way too smokey from the real fire. I mean, good it was on, but possible health and safety concern breathing in the smoke

This is a brilliant pub steeped in London history. The reason I have given 1 star is because of the ladies toilets. They were filthy! Out of 2 cubicles, 1 door would not shut, the Sanitary bin was overflowing, no toilet paper and the sinks were filthy. I spoke to the manager who said he couldn't go in so he would send a female member of staff in. This however, would not have sorted the Sanitary bin issue, you need to get your contract sorted. We visited on a Friday lunchtime so I'm sure the situation would not have improved over a busy weekend 10 days before Christmas. The other issue is that staff, will no doubt have to use these facilities and then serve customers. I've done over 700 Google reviews and have only ever given 1, 1 star review. I really hope that when we visit next, this has been sorted as I want to support the pub trade and this should be easily rectified. Come on Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese

The pub is as atmospheric and historic as the food is bad. The food is not mediocre. It is bad. Fried squid £9.50 - six squid rings, frozen. Beef roast £23.95. I don’t doubt the roast was indeed “beef” - but it was surely taken from a part of the cow more normally employed in making shoes. Lovely fires, wonderful nooks and crannies. Go for a drink, by all means. But please, please don’t eat there.

Fabulous old pub with lots of small rooms, corridors and stairs. Just like stepping back in time....a lovely experience

Great place. Like going back in time à few hundred years

The best place ever. Whoever read Commonplace Magic should definitely visit. It's like a dream come true. Warm light from the fireplace , strong smell of burning wood, longlost English atmosphere. Everything is so captivating, and dreamy , I'm lost for words.

They had run out of many dishes at 7:00 pm! The beer was good and the food fine.

We reserved a private room for a Xmas meal, the staff warmly welcomed us firstly to a reserved spot in this wonderfully historic building, one time drinking spot of Charlie Chaplin and may other historic figures. The cellar survived the 1666 great fire of London and the charred beams are on display in the delightfully, creepy (haunted) landmark. Service from the team was attentive, the food was excellent value for a central London location and the choice of drinks would suit most palates. Its a must visit for a nose around over drinks in any one of the 5 bars, or a bite to eat, lots of private dining options too. The landlord was also keen to ensure our party was taken care of and checked in on us make sure everyone felt welcome. Must Visit!

Very old and quaint and interesting place.

Really old city pub. Lots of low ceilinged rooms. Open fires in some Kitchen closes at 9pm.

Turns out they don’t serve cheese here, and it’s not in Cheshire but the beers are very tasty and the atmosphere was superb!!! I like the fact there is no swearing!

Great old pub. 1667. Brew all their own beer and cider. Cider was even on tap. Fish and chips were delicious. Book ahead!

Some of the worst food I've ever paid £40 for, staff did a good job though and were lovely

Lovely old pub with lots of small rooms and nooks and crannies, real fires in several rooms but still a bit chilly inside. Good food but service a bit hit and miss for us.

Classic old London pub, hasn't changed since dickens was here

Easy to miss walking down Fleet St but now I have it appropriately book marked for our trips to and thru London. Highly recommend to anyone who wants to experience old British pubs. The YOCC history makes for a wonderful backdrop for some excellent grub while the draught beer hit the spot. Fish n chips with mushy peas remain my favorite!

Favourite London pub, went on a Wednesday at the start of December and it was nice and lively. Sad that the prices have gone up so much, Sammy Smith's used to be cheap :(

Lots of history in this pub to do with Charles Dickens. The food is wonderful and we sat by a roaring open fire.

Really incredible building with a few different bars within the same premise spread out across a few floors. Not a cheese place! 😅

Historic pub and a must visit. In addition, the Samuel Smith beers are very delicious. Although the last few times we have gone the prices have risen considerably.

Quite spectacular just how bad the service was; easily the worst I’ve ever experienced. When we would request something simple—like vinegar with our salt and vinegar—it was met with a tense reaction, as though we were a massive burden to the staff. They rolled their eyes at us constantly, making us feel unwelcome and as if we were inconveniencing them by even being there. For £30 each for a main and a drink, I deeply regret spending my money here. I wish I could get that money back. The historic charm of the venue is completely overshadowed by how abysmal the service is. Avoid.

What a wonderful place for all us pub lovers! This is where the history of our favorite activity literally starts! Plenty of space inside, which was a surprise given the age of the thing. Great interior - some fascinating stairs between floors and links between rooms - all properly wonky and cramped but you can find your spot anyway. The food is actually great when it comes to pub food! The only downside is the ongoing construction on the opposite side of the road.

Historical traditional pub that has good ale (rather than cheese).

Suppose to be an Office Christmas meal experience...food was late to the table...and was cold...confusion ran amok over our orders...vegetables appeared after we finished our meals...food was (at best) substandard...service staff appeared stressed and this reflected in their attitude...now I wished I'd opted out and got myself a Tesco meal deal!!! Oh, and the cost of £36.50 for a two course meal?...how very dare you....oooff!

So dissapointed as it’s a great pub for drinks. Worst dining experience of my life. Service was with a bemused from and even a laugh and sneer. Sort it out

Was looking forward for a year to visit Ye Old Cheshire Cheese, however after ordering the famous pie, they returned half an hour later to say they had run out. I went for a beef roast dinner instead....over an hour later the food hadn't arrived. We called over a waitress to inform her of our long wait however she just walked away and didn't return. In the end we left extremely disappointed and hungry.

There was no food, but the beer was very good. Of course, don't go with crutches because there was only room in the last cave below. Very good

Good pub for drinking in the week. Below average roast and sadly very understaffed at weekends.

We came here on a busy Saturday. The ambiance was excellent but the service failed to give us our plate after an hour, with no one even coming to check in on us. Waste of an afternoon. Come here for the beer, cheese, enjoy the old ambiance, but skip the meal.

Historic pub with labyrinthine multilevel layout

Great experience in a historic pub. Very authentic with a wood fire and typical pub food on offer. Great beers and great recommendations from the staff.

Still a very interesting place, a relic form Dr. Johnsons time, friendly service and the wooden furniture and cozy fire added to the 18th century vibe, but I would highly recommend af chimney swipe, our clothes were reeking with smoke afterwards. Decent fish and chips, but the 8 squid rings (prefab) and the Welsh rarebit was an insult.

If you can only visit one pub in London, I would suggest this one. It’s a time machine. Some kind of sorcery must be at play.

Really old pub, full of character. Food was nice bit on the expensive side but then this is London.

We were very excited to come there as it is a historic pub but we were met with two waiters who did not seem to want to be there at all. Had to wait 20minutes for someone to take our drinks order and another 15 to take our food order (to which the waiter threw her notepad on the table for me to read if she had written it correctly). After waiting another 15minutes we received two thin slices of slightly warm bread with nearly frozen butter. Eventually we had to ask for our food order to be cancelled as we had been there for nearly an hour. Ended up going to a different pub after to make up for the lack of service received at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese.

I would never go back to this place, the service is terrible. More than half an hour waiting for them to our order, another 40 minutes for them to bring us two slices of bread that you can get in any supermarket and a freeze butter. Being a pub with so much history, they should try to find a staff that really wants to work.

What a shame. I went to this pub for an anniversary. I ordered the crispy white bait and beer battered squid wings. Both were frozen and reheated. The crispy white bait was the look, shape and taste of a bullet. Dark brown (I’ve never had a dark brown whitebait before) Cumin, salt and smoky mayonnaise. Both were replaced with tartare (Not on the menu) I was told that no one liked it so they changed it to tartare Without changing the menu quite recently. The man then went into the kitchen to check If they had any smoky mayonnaise left, they did. When it turned up, it was Thousand Island dressing with salt in it. It had a tingly taste on the tongue which denotes going off.!! The beer squid rings with frozen (brake brothers has a lot to answer for) Hot but solid with the obligatory taste sauce. The cider was lovely. And for this they charge your service charge so beware.

Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, one of London's oldest pubs, is rich in history and mystery. A favorite of literary legends such as Charles Dickens, Mark Twain and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, this pub has been a gathering place for intellectuals, poets and eccentrics for centuries.

This is a MUST, a unique place.

Our dining experience at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese this evening was extremely disappointing. We were served by a group of three waitresses. It took us 30 minutes, asking three times to receive some tap water. Similarly, it took an equal amount of effort for our order to be taken. Shockingly, one of the waitresses interrupted us during our main course by taking away the vinegar jar, saying, "You don’t need this," and immediately walked off. The appalling service continued as it took another 30 minutes of effort to get the waitresses’s attention to serve our pudding, despite them spending much of their time chatting in the kitchen area. We noticed another gentleman at the corner table, who had been seated before us, waiting over an hour for his fish to arrive. At the end of the meal, we had to walk into the reception near the staircase to request the bill. Even then, the waitress handed it off to a waiter, leaving us standing at the reception near the staircase waiting for our request to be addressed. While we must say the atmosphere and the food itself were excellent, the service was appallingly poor and hence a one star review.

Great pub n very spooky...defo be back...log fires but smoke only rises to your knees.....spooky

In strong position as my 3rd favourite pub in London. Excellent character & atmosphere, particularly in winter. Does a good schnitzel and the pub is older than the USA

Amazing atmosphere, especially when you go underground. Super cool pub

Fantastic old pub, coal fires, proper and a very city of London experience. Tourist or city worker you will love it. P.s. check out the history and the cellar!

We visited this place because of its history, as it is a pub that was frequented by Charles Dickens, as well as other literary celebrities. The atmosphere of the place is old London, the beers are good and so is the service. We found the food a little expensive, but my companions enjoyed the traditional kidney pudding and the fish anda chips.

Poor service, tons of items not available for lunch on a Sunday (no beef, limited chicken, no steak and kidney pie). Poor value for money considering the cost and fact that beyond the meats, the food on the plate was poor (tons of pickled cabbage, one potato per person, drowning in gravy, ready made yorkshire puddings, frozen veg etc..). Nice atmosphere but that's it.

Several basic items were unavailable on an already limited menu. Service very slow indeed. Food poor standard. Prices certainly not warranted. The venue could have a great atmosphere if it was run well.

Atrocious service. Run by kids who have only been working here for a matter of weeks and no clue whatsoever. Suggests management don't care.

With the visit! So much charm and the place is full history!

First time having a cask ale…so tasty! Really fun atmosphere too.

One of the must see’s if you’re into old historical pubs! This pub dates back to the 1500’s but rebuilt around 1666 after the great fire of London. The entrance is down an alleyway which I did have to follow Google maps closely as you can easily miss it! Surprisingly very big inside but the ceilings are quite low down which I did bump my head once or twice! Lol. Reminders of the history are displayed with photos around the pub and it’s amazing how Charles Dickens, Mark Twain and Churchill use to stop here for a pint or two. Favourite part was downstairs in the cellar where there are seats and tables along with another bar, I believe the cellar is thought to have belonged to a 13th Century monastery which once occupied the site. Great choice of beers on draft too but (correct me if I’m wrong) you won’t find you’re Carling or Peroni here but Instead unique beers that could be local? Nice to try something different though! Love to come back again one day soon but for some food instead!

I don't know why people want to go to these places. In the name of character this is waste of time money and effort. The owners have not even cared to up keep the antique and vintage furniture and upholstery. Ask for coffee and they didn't have a straightforward answer... It seems some legends of the 17th century used to visit but that alone cannot be used as a selling proposition in 21st century. I will never visit that place again.

The truly spectacular setting! We booked a table at the restaurant, but perhaps it is better to eat at the tables in the pub. Good but not great food. Unfortunately service at the restaurant was terrible. Excellent beer.

Really cool pub. The decor is fantastic!

Great pub. It's full of history and definitely worth visiting in the winter months, especially. I would recommend it to anyone 👍

Def a destination pub to visit when around Fleet street. Very atmospheric and parts unchanged for hundreds of years. A veritable rabbet warren inside due the expansion of the pub over the centuries. Not eaten there but the drinks ok. ( Sam Smith's ales ). Recommended

Unfortunately, it's a Sam Smiths pub, so the drink choices aren't great. The pub is as you'd expect for its age and history, it's an interesting place with different rooms, and the staff were nice. But we wouldn't go back

Quaint pub, very interesting to visit

Genuinely cool place. Go check it out. What ticked me off was the two-faced wait-staff who kept making rude comments to her coworker and muttering to herself while maintaining a pleasant demeanor around customers. Next time try to do it out of earshot. Gross. You know who you are… Food was decent. The drinks are top notch and the vibes are real. Cheers.

Wonderful atmosphere. Takes you back to 18th century London. There are plenty of tables available, so it's not overcast. The bartenders are super friendly.

An English pub from another age. We got a table close to he fire on a cold day outside and was brill.

Ole English pub just off strand. Traditional beer and ales. Quite dark in side but fun to be in.

One of the oldest pubs in town. Rebuild in 1667 does it provide with old fashioned Charme. You can have a table in one of the rooms where you can find old Charles Dickens favourite seat or have a place in the cave like cellars. Drinks are good, food quite enjoyable. Must visit in London

Dropped by during a visit to London, a beautiful, warm pub with an atmosphere that's unique to such an historic location. Didn't have food but it looked amazing and the menu had a good selection. Staff were really friendly and made us feel very welcome, as did other's in the pub, including an American gentleman who suggested trying the bitter on tap, which was smooth and refreshing.

🚇 Blackfriars 🍺 £5.00 Organic Lager ❤️ A unique historic London pub that you must visit at least once in your lifetime. . I often get asked which is my favourite pub? or what’s your top ten? and I can never choose because I have so many favourites for many different reasons. But one pub I would always recommend to visit is Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese as this pub experience is like no other. . As you approach the pub on busy Fleet Street it’s easy to miss it, when I first came here I walked past it a couple of times before I sussed out the entrance is in a small alley at the side. As you enter the pub it is a real attack on the senses, it’s dimly lit, the smell of the open fire and it’s confusing on where to go. The best option is to grab a beer from the first bar on the right as you enter and then go for a wander to discover the many different alcoves, bars, nooks and crannies. As you head further in to the pub and descend the steep staircases and peer in to the many seating areas and cellars it fills you full of wonder and excitement about what lies around the next corner. On this visit I sat in the bottom bar/cellar which was busy and as with all areas of the pub is very atmospheric. This is a Sam Smiths pub which only sells it’s own in house beers, wines and spirits, I had the Organic Lager which was ok but this is not somewhere I come to for the beer, that said there was a good selection on offer. There is also food available serving up British classics. I would recommend visiting during the week as this pub is hot on the tourist trail and you will often hear an American twang here and there and it’s also popular with day trippers. . As mentioned earlier, this is a must visit pub. This is a place to immerse yourself in to a piece of history and soak up the unique atmosphere. It’s easy to imagine what it was like drinking in a London pub two hundred years ago which not many other pubs can offer. . 📊 Information correct on visiting 06/11/21

🤮 unfortunately no atmosphere except if you like cake with cold meat inside or meat with cold egg inside.

Place was very busy, we stopped in for a pint and every table was taken. We found room at a long communal table and went up to order a beer. It is a cool spot with lots of little rooms, it feels like a maze or a cave, but it was too busy for my liking (and therefore very loud). We were not served, you have to go to the bar to order.

Very authentic pub with a wide variety of beers on tap. Traditional British food with several specialties such as fish & chips and meat pie with kidneys, which is excellent. For dessert, the sticky toffee pudding was very good. Local atmosphere. It is worth a visit.

Great atmosphere. One of the oldest pubs in London. But the food is the worst I ever had. Stone cold pork pie and scotch eggs. How hard is to warm them up before serving them? I felt like I was eating stuff out of Tesco bag.

Perfect pub for a cold winter evening, the interior is cosy and vintage, lot of nice rooms with fire places all around. Definitely one of my top pub in London !

Went to this place a few months ago with my friend from abroad (i.e. we were speaking a foreign language to each other). We went to the basement part of the pub, where we had drinks and some food. Out of the sudden the waiter brings food that we didn’t order and disappears very quickly so we put it on the side. Half an hour later the member of staff comes with a card terminal and tries to make us to pay for it. We refuse so the manager is being called. Another 10 years later the manager arrives and still tries to make excuses so that we would need to pay for this food as apparently accepted the food. Finally they just take this plate full of cold food away saying that next time we would need to pay for it. Sorry guys but there won’t be next time as we will never come back here! I have a feeling that they thought we were some ‘tourists’ who would be willing to pay for their mistakes. Don’t charge clients for your own mistakes. Pathetic.

Old pub in London, the dishes are typical English so they might be difficult for some, but overall it's ok. What ruined everything was the service performed by a person who did not choose the right profession. Everything was saved by the very kind owner who understood the situation and reopened the kitchen on purpose and offered us a delicious apple pie. It's a shame that a pub with this history and fame has to have service that isn't up to par.

Had to sit in the dark because we couldn't find a light switch and there were no other tables either downstairs or up

Vary rude Staff, asked us to leve if we wont order anything, not recommeneded

Dark, Dickensian pub (re)built in 1667... Many charming small rooms and nooks... If you like sunny, well lit places, this beautiful venue isn't for you... The classic pub food is delicious, but they always seem understaffed: each of our 3 visits featured one server covering most tables. As a result, expect long wait times. The food, experience, and Samuel Smith's on draft (draught) is well worth it. Reservations for dining are highly recommended.

Amazing old pub, Sam Smith's beers. Labyrinth of tap rooms and cellars, very atmospheric. Built 1650s. Drawback was the fire billowed smoke into the main taproom - probably needed unblocking. Very friendly staff and well kept beer!

Wonderful traditional British pub with a great variety of beers and other drinks.

A pub that you have to visit if you’re in the City.

Food was crazy good. Service was even better. If I lived in London i would be there weekly. Definitely a great stop for any tourists looking for real London food.

Worth a visit to see just how cramped, worn-out and dark a place can be and still attract lots of customers. Historic I guess. Friendly barman. Inside it was winter 1750 and smelt of the open fire. Oitside it was a sunny autumn day.

350 plus year old pub, reasonable prices, old worldly atmosphere

The Classic olde British pub. Go down to the basement for a hand pulled pint. A bit bummed there wasn’t an old Englishman behind the bar. Looks like their food menu had improved side our last visit 7 years ago!

This pub is amazing for historic value and lovely food. Everyone should pop along.

Worth a look being the oldest pub but lacks all atmosphere of a real English pub probably due to it obviously being aimed at tourists, in fact I think I was the only English customer in there, could be so much better if there was actual locals in it to create the atmosphere, beer was average and my opinion would be it would benefit from a more traditional menu in keeping with the old English pub theme rather than trying to be modern-ish, it makes for a confusing vibe at best. Such a shame if what you want is to see the oldest pub by all means pay a visit but if you want to visit a traditional old English pub there is far better ones with a real pub atmosphere all over the city.

Hello this may be the oldest pub in London but the staff seem to be on their first day today. Service was rubbish and all our order was mixed up wrong and the waitress arrived downstairs without cutlery and condiments twice. She seemed surprised we might need cutlery. There were no napkins. The lads behind the bar are polite but listen to your order without writing it down then go to the till. You pay then and they already put a service charge on. The order then arrives all wrong and it took us an hour to be told there was no haloumi fries. The tables are uncleared for a long time. The ladies toilets were disgusting, unclean, litter bins overflowing and no soap. I mentioned no soap at the bar and an hour later there was still no soap. We had to ask for our refund and also for our service charge returned.

Wow! Wow! Wow! I love places like this! Delicious food tastes the best in such an atmosphere! It's worth coming here to eat and drink excellent beer!

Love the pub, but the food is terrible

A dingy hole, in the best possible way!

Seriously the worst sirloin steak I have ever had, it was full of cartilage and so chewy it was barely edible (and I had it cooked medium rare). The steak was served with half a tomato and some watercress with no dressing. And the pepper gravy along with the sauces came out almost 15 minutes after the steak had come out because we weren’t asked what sauce we wanted which meant I had to ensure the most bland meal whilst waiting. The serving bread was also stale and the glass I was given was full of dried white dishwasher fluid. As for the staff, they clearly didn’t want to be there and every time we politely asked for something they said ‘HUH’ and gave us an odd look. It’s a shame because it’s a beautiful old historical pub and I used to drink here back in the day. If you’re gonna go, have a drink but I wouldn’t recommend eating here unless you want to pay for overpriced bland food served by staff who don’t give a shit.

While I found being inside this historic pub to be fascinating, I was left wanting much more of an experience due to the abysmal service. Worth stopping in to say you did it.

You must try these beers 🍻 and the crisps. The service and place is very nice.

Good food, but the service was the worst we’ve ever had, to the point of being comical. First we had to point to the menu to show the server what we wanted to order because the server didn’t know what was on the menu. We had to ask for forks to eat our meal. Then spoons for pudding. Then a manager asked us to leave the dining room before we received the bill.

This place is only worth the visit to explore the building- a maze of rooms and nooks, multiple bars and a dining area. It's a Sam Smith pub so limited in drinks choices. I asked for a Sauvignon Blanc and was told they only had 'bog standard white' which ended up being Chenin Blanc 😂 what a way to sell your product. Service at the bar was perfunctory.

Wow! What great service and amazing food! Absolutely will come back when we’re in the area!

This is a lovely pub but is suffering from it's popularity. When I turned up there were only 2 bar staff and only one bar open and a queue of 10 people for drinks. I got my drinks and flu d a large square table for friends to join us in room across corridor which wasn't set up for food. Next thing I know is that the room was being closed for food so we had to move out and couldn't find suitable space nobody got more drinks and we left. Recommend seeing unit but not so sure about staying unless service improves.

London oldest pub, and full of historic decor. The food is great here, and I recommend this as the number one destination for anyone visiting London and wanting to see a taste of historic London and a real old timey British pub vibe