The Grenadier

I’ve called pubs ‘hidden gems’ before. This one is just plain hidden! Following the directions I had led me to a locked and padlocked gate so I had to just try and approach the pub from a different angle. It is worth finding though as the secluded location in a cobbled mews is both unique and pleasant. I would recommend a fair weather visit so that you can stand outside and enjoy your surroundings. The inside is quite small.

This pub has a military history (hence the name) and is even supposed to be haunted by a soldier who was flogged to death for cheating at cards.

I wonder if they have a poker night.

Digging beyond its history and location I found the pub isn’t too bad either. I was pleased to see 3 real ales but they were pricey (like much in this part of town). The food looked a bit expensive too. The inside can be a bit cramped (I don’t like the foody area for this reason), but looked like it could be quite nice on a quiet day.

This is an excellent example of a traditional old pub I have come across, the staff are warm and friendly and the crowd are nice and varied. I love the old style charm and the decor and the location is perfect, you wouldnt find it unless you were looking for it, hidden away in the heart of London. The pub also has a facinating history and is supposedly haunted! They have newspaper cuttings of all the articles about it, which make facinating reading. I think this place is a real hidden Gem!

My 'local' when working in Halkin St from 1967-1984 it is so good to read that the Grenadier appears to have lost nothing over all that time. Popular at lunch and evening, we also lunched very nicely in the back section once a week or so.
John Weinthal, Australian noe retired in Kuala Lumpur

This is the sort of English pub that should be placed under some sort of cultural protection order. It's quirky, traditional, hidden away down a quiet mews in Knightsbridge, and has thankfully retained much of its olde worlde charm. It has been pretty much the same as it is today for at least 40 years, according to my parents, who used to visit this pub in the sixties. It's lovely in summer, when people take advantage of the cobbled space outside for al fresco drinking, but possibly more atmospheric in wintertime, when patrons thaw in the warm interior, filled with nooks, crannies and unusual decoration, such as the ceiling which is wallpapered with foreign banknotes. Highly recommended for a genuine taste of what an English pub should be. And the ale selection is good, or so I'm reliably informed by ale-drinking friends, and I can't say the white wine selection is bad at all.

The Grenadier is the hidden gem of Belgravia... the best pub in the area, with the best mix of people!

The wines are reasonably priced and also well chosen - food is traditional english pub grub!

Amazing in the summer time to lean into a late afternoon session....

To me, this pub is the best that I have yet found in London. The bar staff is always friendly, the type of people attracted are amiable, and the Atmosphere is exactly what a London pub should be.

The beer is good; a fine selection of cask ales from taps that are obviously well cleaned. The food is better than most pubs priding themselves on their fare. I'm not one for cocktails but I hear they do a Bloody Mary second to none.

More than that, this pub has genuine class and history. The bank notes on the ceiling include a few from countries no longer in existence. The solid pewter bar top is a true beautiful survivor from ages past. On the mews, it is quiet outside and intimate inside.

Come here with friends or by yourself to meet new ones!

Great location with lots of charm. The beer is good and the clientèle are often interesting to have a chat with.

It closes to new arrivals rather early because of the locals so don’t be surprised if you go and get refused entry.

Off the beaten track this is my favourite type of London boozer. A hidden gem, quality ales and a sense of history. Watch out for the American tourists though, some make their way there.

To say this pub is 'tucked away’ is a bit of an understatement, which is certainly part of its charm. It’s located on a tiny, quiet, cobblestoned street that is deceptively close to the mayhem that is Hyde Park. Really cute, great service (we were there before it got crowded later), and decent value (we had a £15 bottle of wine and some sausages for £1). Good place to spend a Sunday evening, but don’t use it as a central meeting place unless everyone in your party knows how to get there - because it is not easy to find.

Hidden down a backstreet it’s an ideal meet-up pre any of the Hyde Park gigs (which is why I went).

Small, nay dinky, it seemed to attract a mix of posh types from Belgravia offices, some American toursits, and one or two people from local consulates and embassies.

Service was slow, but I’m guessing it was a busier night than normal. The burger was expensive but good.

I’ll pop in again next time I’m around, but won’t seek it out in a rush.

One of the very best pubs in London, a great place to go to have an idea of what pubs around the UK really are about (before they all turn into “gastropubs”). Great in the summer with its location in a mews, and in summary a well-hidden gem with lots of history and heritage.

Tucked away down exclusive Wilton Mews, on the corner of Old Barrack Yard, the patriotic Grenadier is painted red, white and blue. A bright red sentry box tells you, if you hadn’t guessed, this is a pub with a military history. The Duke of Wellington’s Grenadier Guards used it as their mess.
Inside it is small, dark and cosy; the ceiling coffee black, the walls dark panelled. The bar counter has an original pewter top, maybe the oldest of its kind.
The walls are cluttered with military memorabilia; bayonet’s and sabres, a breast-plate and bear-skin. If you’re lucky you may even see the ghost, said to be that of an officer who was flogged to death for cheating at cards. The Duke is said to have played cards here too, but no question of any cheating. This is a gentlemen’s pub, and customers dress to match.
At the rear of the pub is a small two roomed restaurant, which seats about 20. The food is good but pricey

One of the most famous haunted pubs in the world. The main attraction is the ghost of a young guards officer who was killed in a scuffle (or by flogging - there are two tales) following the discovery that he was cheating at cards.
He tends to turn up in September (round about the anniversary of his death) whereupon there’s plenty of poltergeist activity.
A solemn, silent spectre has been seen moving slowly across the low-ceilinged rooms. Objects either disappear or else are mysteriously moved overnight. Unseen hands rattle tables and chairs, and a strange, icy chill has been known to hang in the air, sometimes for days on end. Footsteps have been heard pacing anxiously around empty rooms, whilst every so often a low sighing moan has been heard emanating from the depths of the cellar. On one occasion a Chief Superintendent from New Scotland Yard was enjoying a drink in the pub, when wisps of smoke began to waft around him. His curiosity aroused, he reached towards the apparent source of the smoke, and with a cry of pain, pulled his hand quickly back as an invisible cigarette burnt it.

The Inn was originally the Duke of Wellington’s officers mess, and directly outside in the old Barrack Yard is the remaining stone of the Duke’s mounting block, whilst an archway nearby forms part of his stables.

For military aficionados the Grenadier is well worth a visit, if you can find the place. “Tucked away in a quiet residential area” is one way to describe it, “virtually hidden in an obscure location” would be a better way.Before going inside it’s worth taking a look at the sentry box that stands outside, just remember that’s all it is, a sentry box; it’s never a toilet no matter how drunk you are.
As it is, this was the unofficial pub of Sir Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington’s regiment and as such has become something of a pilgrimage for men of today’s British army.

The Grenadier is a tiny pub which has long enjoyed a reputation as one of the most haunted pubs in London. On one of its walls yellowed newspapers tell of the pubs haunted history, and a small crucifix hangs on a wall of the cellar to ward of harmful spirits or energies.

Nice pub down a beautiful cobbled residential street, just a stone's throw from the hustle and bustle of Hyde Park Corner.

On a warm day you'll need to get through the crowd of pint-drinkers who've overflowed into the street, go up the stairs, and through the bright-red first floor door to see an authentic, old-style pub. The bar's right in front and tables extend around either side. Don't be surprised if it's busy here, too. Despite the pub being hidden it's mentioned in some tourist guides, so it can get a bit too busy for comfort sometimes.

They have a nice selection of ales. I've only eaten snacks here, but have heard mixed things about the food (especially lately).

This pub is supposed to be haunted, and there are some newspaper clippings on the walls that give the background: the spirit of one of the Duke of Wellington's guards is reported to have been seen shifting through walls, etc.

A good pub in a good location with occasionally off-putting crowds. Along with the nearby Nag's Head it's one of my favourites in the area.

A pub which should be discovered by those searching for the extraordinary in English character and history. Wonderful artifacts, off the beaten path. Near to Belgrave Square, Hyde Park Corner.