The Camel, Bethnal Green, London

I recently moved to Bethnal Green from Bristol and was told about this place beforehand as a place to get Bristol's famous Pieminster pies and a good pint of ale. It does not disappoint on either count! There's a selection of about 10 flavours to suit whichever mood you're in, there's interesting music on in the backgroud and I found the staff friendly and a bit quirky. All in all, this is a blinding little pub, and they even do a pub quiz on a Tuesday!

Really this should be a 5 star pub. It has almost everything: Small and cosy, with big windows, nice eclectic furniture and old wood everywhere; this place just eases you in and everything feels just right. It can get busy so just head away from the doors to ensure you don't get jossled.

And its easy to see why it gets busy: the beer is good (Bitburger on draught being my favourite) the chairs/ tables very condusive to sitting all day. The much mentioned pies a delight (good value at £8.95) - this place satisfies on many levels but there is a but - the service. The staff just don't seem to get the reason why they they are there - customers. And when you do attract their attention, they seem to make very hard work of it. They are not unfriendly, just like its always their first night.

If you prepare yourself for slightly slow service and just relax, there is so much else about this pub that makes it very very good. Well worth a detour.

It's a bold statement (they're sometimes the best though, right?), but this is the best pub in East London.

Sure they've incorporated a bit of polish and a bit of wankiness into the mix, but the pub remains an intimate, hidden treasure that serves great food and drink and plays brilliant music.

If there was an award for an award for the ultimate Sunday afternoon hangover pub, that rosette would be firmly pinned on the backside of The Camel. A favourite for all who know it I'm sure.

I must've put on a couple of stone when I was living near this pub due to having a mild addiction to their excellent pies.

It's small and cosy inside, with dim lighting and posh wallpaper. Nothing spectacular at all but perfect for having a lazy evening with a pint and a massive serving of pie and mash. The staff are friendly enough if a little bit subdued and always happy to make drink suggestions.

Only foible I can think of is occasionally having to wait ages for the food to be served but I'm sure this is exacerbated by my gluttony and impatience to get their super pies down my talk hole.

I had been to the Camel before and I quite like its cozy atmosphere and all. This time everything was generally ok but the staff was maybe a bit lazy or maybe more focused on cricket than on serving. The cider was warm so I had to ask for ice and the usually great pies were overcooked.
Still the Camel was the best available shelter for the monsoon going on out side.

Walk the long way home when you’re strapped and hungry to avoid the Camel else you’ll be in there like a shot ordering up a pie and pint. But you won’t be sorry. I lived just up the road for a while and this was a regular drinking hole and always the scene of an accidental, unintended supper. I’d meet a friend, we’d only intend to stay for one, have two or three by which time our will power would be nil and the smell of the hot buttery pies would’ve gotten too much to bare and we’d be tucking into the finest plate of pie, mash and minty mushey peas. Conversation stopper, all that’d be exchanged were looks of contentment and the occasional 'could you pass the gravy’. Really great little boozer, spill out on the the street in the summer and cozy and intimate in the winter. Perfect.

nice pub. chilled atmosphere, more trendys have invaded over the years but you still have a few dedicated eastenders who come here. they have nice big leather sofas and good music playing too. i like it here in the summer as a little crowd usually gathers around the chairs for a ciggie or two. its just out of the main bethnal green bit, in quite a quiet road so theres never any trouble. favourite pub in bethnal green.

Haven’t had food here but as a pub, can’t fault it on many things (apart from the fact it’s hard to sit at the table near the toilets because of the smell!). I like the board games - good for a rainy winter day when you want to drink in somewhere warm and just relax.

Great pub off the beaten track. The Camel is a nice quietish pub famous for its pies (£~10). The decor is a nice mix of a traditional pub decor with funky wallpaper patterns. The staff are friendly, and there are newspapers and board games to keep you amused. If you are in there take a look at the pictures on the wall which show pub daytrips from decades past. There are picnic benches ouside which are great on summer afternoons and evenings. A few doors down is a sister pub The Florist which is a little more rowdy. Prices for drink are typical for London. Recommended!

Posh Pie and Mash has arrived, without leaving a serious dent in your wallet! £8.95 buys you a super size plate of food comprising of pie, mash, minty mushy peas and a gravy boat to boot. It’s pie only with a great selection from the classic steak and kidney to goat’s cheese and spinach. It’s a small, warm and welcoming pub, with the smell of the buttery pies always leaving me salivating.

There is a simplicity to the brown exterior tiles, an etched Camel mirror and archive shots prompt a mindful retrospective, while dark wallpaper with red roses and bronze spherical lampshades create a modish retro interior thanks to some recent refurbishment. The booze (Adnams and some continentals on draught, premium spirits and a decent chardonnay). A library of bizarre book titles and well fingered games sweetly descend on your Sunday downtime like a cosy knitted jumper.

Pies, pies, pies… This is usually the sound echoing through my brain of a Sunday evening, after a weekend of over-indulgence. But of course, this magical word also conjures up other, less comforting words: ‘restaurant’, ‘choice’, ‘conversation’ or, most terrifying of all, ‘cooking’.

Imagine my joy, then, at being led into the Camel (handily situated round the corner from the slightly more boisterous Florist) on a Sunday when I really was in a bad way. Being a pub, there is somewhat unsurprisingly booze available (one point). The staff are jovial without being over-friendly, so if you look like you might cry at having to choose between ciders they will make the judgement call for you without causing a scene (one point). The place is small without being tiny, thus avoiding the paranoia that Everyone Is Watching You (one point). And best of all, they serve a fairly broad selection (ie more than one veggie option) of wonderful, life-giving pies. With mash. And mushy peas. And gravy. It didn’t take long to get served, the food was solid stuff, and I felt able to take the week on. Altogether now - pies, pies, pies…

I love this pub. It's not too pretentious as some other East London pubs. It's very small but not too crowded. It always has great music playing and a good selection of wine at good price too. Possibly the best House wine I've had since moving to London. Went there for lunch a couple of time and the pies are delicious. I highly recommend having a tradtional English lunch here to any fellow foreigners. All in all a good pub for lunch and a lazy afternoon drink.

The camel had a non-smoking policy before it became law and for that reason it was very popular with the non smoking masses. Since then it has managed to retain a good crowd of loyal regulars, who enjoy selecting from the extensive wine list. The layout is not that exciting, a bar, some tables inside and out, and sparingly decorated. The music is at a level, where you can still talk without having to raise your voice.

The prices dictate you require a spare bit of cash to splash, which the clientele appear to have as that wine keeps coming off the shelves and into the glasses. If it is a good conversation you want after work, with a glass of fine wine and a friendly atmosphere, then the Camel will serve you well.