Salisbury Pub, Covent Garden, London

One of the most beautiful – & popular – pubs in London.In the heart of theatreland it is frequented by actors,dancers & choreographers & of
course hundreds of tourists. If you go for only one drink, do go to see the
exquisite etched glass & mirrors from the turn of the century. It was
originally a gin palace in the 1800’s being so close to some of the poorest
parts of London at that time.

very very nice. i am regular and i am very satisfied with the service

We were walking around Convent Garden early noon and being a bit hungry and thirsty we stopped at the Salisbury Pub. The interieur alone is worth a visit! Mirrors everywhere and it doesn't matter where you look, you see something new and interesting. We felt very comfortable there. There was a good dozen of Londoners and we the only foreigners there. Asking the barman, which ales he can recommend, he took his time and told us a lot about the different ales they offer. Thank you so much!! We really appreciated this! The ales we've chosen then were good and also the food. The next time we're in London again, we do stop there once again!

Well this pub is just beautiful, isn't it? Despite winding up on this street a few times recently, I've walked past this pub and not even noticed it. Depressingly, I've ended up in the very boring pub over the road instead. How have I missed it? It's so pretty. Not to sound like a little old woman, but I've probably walked by because it's just so darn busy. Yep, am like a little old lady who doesn't like noisy and busy and fun.

The decor of this place is worth the trip, all Victorian and impressive. A higgildy-piggildy pub, full of people all happy. And they should be happy. The staff are friendly, the drinks are reasonably priced and they whole bar just has a happy vibe about it. Pubs in the area aren't great (unless you're in the Harp) so this is an impressive stop gap on your way into Soho or Covent Garden.

I didn't spend much time here, (and we were outside because there was no standing space at all), so my four stars isn't very objective. They're deserving of them, and those stars are cemented by the fact they do small, medium and large glasses of wine. Finally! A bar that doesn't think 175ml of wine is small. They can have all the stars they want for that. More pubs should follow in their pretty, happy little footsteps.

good vibrations

I think this is a good pub for tourists but Londoners will probably feel like they're visiting a tourist attraction.

Beautiful, friendly, authentic, memorable and busy! Whenever I have friends visiting from out of London I like to take them here and they usually love it.

Lovely pub on Saint Martin’s Lane. I must have walked past it dozens of times before reading a review on Qype. Staff are friendly and welcoming. Gets very very busy in the evening at weekends.

Very convenient as a pre/post-theatre drinking venue in the heart of west end theatre land. It is also on the sunny side of the street in the summer months but unfortunately no official outdoor area which would give it an extra star. But you can sit in the window and catch some rays over a pint or two. Nice.

An absolutely fantastic pub in Covent Garden that couldn’t get any more authentic if it tried. Amazing decor, stained glass windows, brass fittings etc, real ales and a good crowd of locals.

It’s a great place for an after work drink and to take vistors from out of town.

Must be the most authentic pub in London. Absolutely beutiful inside and out. The staff are all friendly and very attentitive. The menu is great with traditional pub/English grub. Great pies, bangers and fish. A must if your in the area. If not MAKE A DETOUR! We do 4 or 5 times a year - from Scotland.

I somehow always end up here but it is a great pub. Its nice to relax for a drink or have some lunch/dinner.

It is situated right next to Avenue Q theatre and can be walked to from Covent Garden and Leicester Sq.
The staff are really friendly and the pub is decorated very London and clean.

I have eaten here and the food is good value for the price. I had pie and chips which cost about £7. They have a deal at the minute for January £5 meals.

We had a pint of cider and larger which cost about £6.50

I threw a Jack the Ripper themed party here in their back room, which seemed like a good idea as it is a proper old Victorian gin palace! It was a good venue but not really all that private as people were able to wander in and out. Still, the alternative music was good if a bit loud and the staff were really nice and helpful even if they managed to lose our cakes for a bit! Panic!

I have been in during the day as well for a quiet drink and it was really nice. They serve a decent Pimms here, which is a bonus and it seemed like a good place to come for a quiet chat or a lunchtime break.

The decor is stunning though and really quite fabulous. The loos are downstairs and papered with an interesting selection of theatrical posters.

There is no better pub round here than The Harp. I mean why would you ever go anywhere else? They’ve got a breville out back and will do you a sausage… wait a minute… what’s this?! The Salisbury?! My word. There is a pub which is (almost) on a par with The Harp around the Leicester Square/Covent Garden areas, and it is this one. And as an added bonus, there’s plenty of seating, so you might even persuade the girls from the office to come with you.

Recommended ale: Morrisey Fox.

How did i miss this place!? I’ve been working in this area for some time now and i’ve always favoured The Harp over any other pub in Central London. I can’t believe i’m saying this, but i think i’ve found my new “work local”.

The Salisbury is blissfully Victorian. Dark wooden furniture, ornate candlestick holders, a bustling, jolly crowd and wafts of mulled wine floating through the bar. Oh, and the sign outside the pub has a picture of a man with a beard. (The Duke of Salisbury?) Always a winner in my book. Plenty of real ale here - Deuchars, IPA, Young’s, Morrisey Fox and many, many more. I didn’t try the food, but the menu looked fantastic. Lots of traditional british food - Bangers, Pies and Roast. Perfect.

This pub is so good. I might go back again this week.

I love this place - frankly I don’t go often enough. It was opened in the late 1800s as a Gin Palace, and it has some fantastic features. It’s got Art Nouveau style and has etched glasswork in the windows, a fabulous central bar complete with original (i think) mirrors.

Service is speedy and friendly. A very good range of drinks choices - putting me in mind of an American diner at one point as every drink I asked for had a choice to be made. Prices are pretty good as well.

It’s high ceilinged and has a lovely interior that is worth having a good look at. It’s a decent sized pub with plenty of room. Good thing too as it’s popular. It also serves some decent food as well.

Great atmosphere in there as well - very friendly crowd and a real mix of people, from locals, to regular Londoners to tourists.

All in - an authentic old pub with lovely design and detail and very well looked after to make sure its still offering today what it did all those years ago when it opened…though people probably nowadays are less likely to fall unconscious through gin and sleep it off on the floor.

The Salisbury in Covent Garden, not to be confused with the Salisbury in Haringey that I frequent, as many of my friends have done. Covent Garden’s Salisbury is quite a lavish affair for a pub, very traditional, usually bustling and a proper English pub. Should any tourist strike up the courage to open the doors then this is exactly what they’d be looking for from a famous British public house, but will someone please start telling them at the airports that children are not allowed.

With a large central bar and dark seating areas for both drinking and a more 'restaurant style’ dining vibe, the pub is suitable for food and drink. Plenty of staff serve quickly and the food looks adequete inn grub. The Salisbury is always busy and there’s always a nice atmosphere, a perfect, and rather pretty pub to take one’s parents should they be visiting the big smoke and you’re being dragged around the tourist trail, they’d certainly approve.

There’s real ale on pumps and I had an exceptional pint of Timothy Taylor’s Landlord, rather a favourite of mine and so a bonus star is awarded.

I find this to be one of the most authentic Victorian pubs in central London, and always take visitors here. The etched glasswork and mirrors are ornate, and the wood richly stained. It’s almost always very busy in here and the atmosphere is that of a real public meeting-place.

There will always be plenty of real ales on, though not anything rare and unusual. Food is okay and prices are average. There will be a few tables outside when the weather is good.

If you’ve got visitors to whom you want to show a great example of a traditional city pub, this is the spot to share a few pints.