Fra_Diavolo

Something suitable as a regular for a college kid. Should have some real ale on tap. No lager louts.

And maybe a similar one near the British Museum?

Thanks.

Cholmondley_Warner

Ah...My specialist subject....

I used to work in kings cross on and off for the last 15 years so know most pubs - professionally and personally..So here's CW's guide to the pubs of Kings Cross:

Good 'uns:

The Skinners Arms. A "house pub" for the council workers nearby. A good "local". It's a Greene King pub so good beer.

The Dolphin (just by the Skinners): A mix of locals and workers from the T&GWU. Serves quite good thai food.

McGlynns: Irish pub (ie full of Irish people - not some faux paddy pub)

Lord John Russel: My personal favourite - popular with students from the nearby UCH. Plenty of proper people too.

The Boot: Mentioned in Dickens - he'd still recognise the place!

Mabels Tavern: CAMRA pub of the year a couple of years ago. So excellent beer and good if predictable pub food.

Others:

Water Rats: This is a live music venue and puts on bands most nights.

Flying Scotsman: Very possibly the roughest pub on the planet. It is a strip bar - the girls come round with glasses that yuo put a pound coin into then they get their kit off. I'd pay them to put the clothes back on. Also really really avoid this pub on match days as it's often where hooligans meet up.

Smithys: Nice wine bar - buit be careful what night you go on as it's a swingers and fetish club on some nights.

Cholmondley_Warner

Oh, and for the Museum I like the Crown - and so do the staff of the museum.

It's a Sam Smiths pub so dirt cheap beer.

alan64

Now I've got several reasons to go to the King's Cross area! Thanks for the pub list!

PalenQ

CW - Is there any pub in greater London you have NOT been in?

Fra_Diavolo

CW --

Thanks very much. That should certainly get him started.

Cholmondley_Warner

CW - Is there any pub in greater London you have NOT been in?>>>>

Loads. Mainly in Penge.

It's what the taxpayer pays me to do.

willit

"for a college kid. ......No lager louts."

Arn't these two mutually exclusive?

Cholmondley_Warner

He says he drinks proper beer so no lager loutery.

willit

I understood his point, but unless students have dramatically changed, the purpose of the pub is to get drunk as quickly as possible while not being ridiculed for drinking real beer.

Cholmondley_Warner

Well if he wants to go and get plastered with his student mates then UCH is just down the road - and is surrounded by pubs.

If he is a student himself he might want to look into getting an International Student ID Card (or whatever they're called). That would get him into University of London Union (ULU) which has something going on every night and often even bands/acts that you've actually heard of. Ditto the Bloomsbury Theatre.

Also a lot of pubs in the Goodge St/Gower St area offer student discounts if you have the card.

Fra_Diavolo

Yes, he's a real student and will be a member of the ULU. As far as his drinking habits go, he'll find his own level. I just wanted to point him in a good direction.

Cholmondley_Warner

The area around UCH in Gower St is full of places aimed at students. There's ULU, Birkbeck Union, The Bloomsbury Theatre (part of UCH) plus a bazillion pubs.

There aren't really any "student type" pubs in the immediate environs of Kings Cross that i know of. Others may know better (Flannneur knows the area well too, not that he's likely to be seeking out pubs full of 21 year olds either).

Fra_Diavolo

Thanks CW. I'm sure he will want to take a break from time to time from the student atmosphere. At least, his mother and I will have a place or two to imbibe in his neighborhood when we visit.