The Bear, Farringdon  rated2 pints - click for an explanation of our ratings

location:

Farringdon

address:

2 St. John's Square, EC1M 4DE

phone:

0871 984 2806*
* calls cost 10p/minute, click here for more about 0871 numbers.

nearest stations:

Farringdon London Underground stationRailway station
(220m) - zone 1

Barbican London Underground stationRailway station
(430m) - zone 1

City Thameslink Railway station
(640m)

Chancery Lane London Underground station
(660m) - zone 1

St Paul's London Underground station
(940m) - zone 1

how to find it:

Farringdon: turn left out of the station and head up Cowcross Street. When you get to a little alleyway on the left, turn left up the alleyway, just as the road bears right (by the Hope), and carry on up through St. John's gate. Admire the view and go through the arch, you'll see the pub on your left. Barbican: turn left out of the station up Aldersgate Street and head for the lights. Turn left at the traffic lights, walk along Clerkenwell Road, cross the junction with St. John Street and next left you'll see the square, with the pub on the right hand side.

click here for a larger map

nearby attraction(s):

Museum of London (680m)

Barbican Centre (720m)

Sadler's Wells Theatre (830m)

picture of The BearPreviously, we were impressed by this place's take on the bar thing, offering glamourous bar-type décor with a singular lack of pretension - making it as relaxed and affable as many a pub. We sometimes feel "bar culture" is often far too up its own fundament for it to be comfortable for the majority of punters - but everything here was cool. Now we feel that the Bear has steadily dropped its bar intentions and is reverting to conventional pub. Don't get us wrong, it hasn't come over all real ale, beards and cardigans - they're not in evidence here - but the pool table upstairs and the pints quaffed by punters in preference to shooters and cocktails indicates to us a change of heart. It's decent enough, the location is handy and you can sit outside without choking on fumes from Clerkenwell Road (although you can get get a whiff from cars parking in the bays next to the pub). But the charisma that the Bear had previously appears to have faded somewhat.

reviewed:
6/4/2006
reviewed by pubdog

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

beer garden or outdoor seating available - click for explanationoutdoor seating
pool table(s) available- click for explanationpool table
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