The Star Tavern

This was a pilgrimage visit to a pub that has featured in every CAMRA Good Beer Guide.

In a Grosvenor estate mews behind the German embassy and just off Belgrave Square, this delightful watering hole was deserted when we arrived late on Sunday lunchtime. There’s evidently a dining room on the first floor but this is, to all intents and purposes, a one-bar one-room pub. it was clearly once at least three rooms but it has been tastefully converted (and, I understand, recently refurbished) and both the coal fire and the bar maid were most welcoming. A pint of Fullers bitter and a half of Discovery slipped down too easily and a good light lunch was provided.

Our presence was clearly magnetic because the place started filling up as we settled down at our table.

Definitely one to be revisited when more time is available.

PS – Even the gents was top-drawer – spotless and very ornate mirrors.

As the previous reviewer indicated, this pub has quite an interesting history. This is what made me want to check the place out. The first impression is how can such a nice looking pub, found in quite luxurious surroundings, have been a hangout for crime figures? You normally expect a real spit and sawdust place.

I was in the bar almost 5 minutes, before someone even appeared at the bar to serve me, which was a bit disappointing. I might have left if I wasn’t quite so thirsty
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The pub made me think of a gentleman’s club. Looks very nice inside and out. Inside there is a lot of wood paneling and old picture. Outside the mews surrounding is lovely.

Enjoyed a nice cold pint of discovery ale…and I was glad I had shown patience that is unusual for me, in waiting to get served. Worth a visit. I think they do food. I saw no TVs for sport but they did have the days newspapers littered around, which is something I always like, but am more accustomed to seeing in expat bars abroad

The Star Tavern in Belgravia is surrounded by mews cottages, which were originally stables. It is thought that The Great Train Robbery was planned here.
Synonymous with London’s gangland in the 50s and 60s, the Star Tavern was built when the buildings in Belgrave Mews West were the stables of the nearby houses, whose staff and servants the pub served.
One of the main players of the 1950s underworld was Billy Hill, who regularly drank in the Star Tavern before fleeing to Australia after the attempted murder of his rival Jack ’Spot’ Comer.

The Star is now a Grade II listed building at the north end of the mews that is enclosed by a southern and northern archway. The German Embassy surrounds the southern archway of the mews, which is also home to the Austrian Embassy.

At the end of a quiet cobbled mews off Belgrave Square, the Star stands head and shoulders above its neighbours. It was built in the early 19th century to cater for the domestic staff of the many great houses of Belgravia. The mews cottages were used for stabling horses and to accommodate the grooms and coachmen. Today they are more likely to house a millionaire than a servant.

From the outside the Star probably hasn’t changed that much, but inside the new social order has left its mark. The open bar would have been divided into many rooms, each one used according to ones status 'below stairs’. Now it is open and bright.
There are two fireplaces (coal in winter) in the largest room, with comfortable benches and scrubbed pine tables.
The Fuller’s beers are very well kept, proven by its inclusion in the CamRA Good Beer Guide for the last 30 years.

The popularity of the pub with the elite socialites of London in the 1960s was confirmed when it was featured in a 1964 episode of British TV’s spy series Danger Man, Don’t Nail Him Yet, starring Patrick McGoohan as John Drake. It is often suggested that Danger Man was the precursor to The Prisoner, Patrick McGoohan’s most famous role, and Number Six was actually John Drake!

The exterior of the pub, with its stained glass ’Star’ windows, is very picturesque,and the entrance is a single, central door, through which customers practically collide with the bar when entering.

The Star Tavern is situated in a quaint part of Belgravia and I think you will be surprised to know that it used to be used a stable before. It has the most delightful upstairs where it thought that the great train robbery was planned.

We were mighty pleased to stumble across this lovely pub, hidden away just off a deserted street (at least on a late Sunday afternoon) in Kensington. They have a fine range of ales on tap here, all Fuller’s - ESB, Discovery, London Pride, and the delightful Mr Harry. They have many more bottled beers in the fridge, I could at least spot Honey Dew and Golden Pride. They also stock an unusual selection of whiskeys, most of which I didn’t recognise, but I was very pleased to see they have the relatively rare Red Breast (a very delicious Irish whisky). What a shame we couldn’t stay all evening! It was really quiet when we came here, but I’d imagine it’d be very busy most days. Very pleasant surroundings, and friendly staff. Definitely coming back here.

Reliable and popular pub, with well-kept Fuller's ales. Tucked away behind the German embassy, the clientele is much more varied than you'd expect for the heart of Belgravia (which I think is a good thing..).

They do food, which I've not tried, although I went to a function there and the buffet was OK, if unexciting. Staff were friendly and helpful. Function Room for hire.