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Brown Bear, Aldgate  rated4 pints - click for an explanation of our ratingsCask Marque pub - click for an explanation of the Cask Marque scheme

location:

Aldgate

address:

139 Leman Street, E1 8EY

phone:

0871 258 7439*
* calls cost 10p/minute, click here for more about 0871 numbers.

nearest stations:

Tower Gateway (closed until spring 2009) DLR station
(380m) - zone 1

Aldgate East London Underground station
(470m) - zone 1

Aldgate London Underground station
(540m) - zone 1

Tower Hill London Underground station
(570m) - zone 1

Fenchurch Street Railway station
(670m)

how to find it:

From Tower Hill: Follow the signs for Tower Gateway, once on Minories turn right down Goodman's Yard, then cross Mansell Street and head straight along Prescot Street and you'll see the pub on Leman Street. From Aldgate: From Aldgate station, turn left on exiting, cross the road and walk down Aldgate High Street passing The Hoop and Grapes before turning right down Mansell Street. Take a left down Alie Street, then a right down Leman Street. Keep walking and the pub will be on your left.

click here for a larger map

nearby attraction(s):

Whitechapel Gallery (480m)

Tower of London (620m)

Petticoat Lane (720m)

picture of Brown Bear
You'll be hard pressed to find much of Aldgate that hasn't been turned over and relaunched, but in amongst the warehouse flat conversions you'll find the Brown Bear - an unpretentious pub seemingly untouched by modern pub trends. Of note on our visit were a good range of real ales (nothing too out of the ordinary, but all decently kept), a dart board, and a very easy going atmosphere. The most modern touch was a MP3 jukebox on random, but even that didn't disrupt things too much (it added to the charm, if anything). This one feel like it hasn't changed much in years - an increasingly rare thing in a part of town where stasis is a rarity.

reviewed:
23/07/2008
reviewed by jack

pub features:(click on an icon to see an explanation)

good beer served - click for explanationreal ales
TVs - click for explanationSky TV (small screens)
traditional pub games - click for explanationdarts
music DJ - click for explanationjukebox
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