Green Park: leave the station and walk down Piccadilly on the right hand side (opposite side to Green Park) towards Hyde Park. Take the third right up Half Moon Street, left up Curzon Street, then right up Queen Street. When you get to the next street (Charles Street) you'll see Chesterfield Hill across the road, more or less in front of you. Walk up Chesterfield Hill to the pub. Bond Street: head down Davies Street to Berkeley Square. Take the first right from the square into Hill Street, walk along Hill Street until you get to Chesterfield Hill. Turn right up Chesterfield Hill and You'll see the pub up the hill in front of you.
Street View - click to see the area around the Punch Bowl
The Punch Bowl was a long-standing favourite of ours, so we were a little perturbed by the celebrity hoo-haa surrounding the pub's ownership and even more worried about the consequences of the refurbishment. We needn't have been so anxious - at least about the refurb. If anything, the pub looks a little darker and a little more distressed than its prior incarnation, which actually suits the place. We felt the earlier version was rather too manufactured looking with its modern old-style furniture and unsympathetic lighting. Although it was probably too much to expect the old wooden partition between the public and saloon bars to be reinstated, however the overall effect of the work is pretty much in keeping with this old building. The beers are much the same as they were, with stalwarts such as Pride and Bombardier on the hand pumps. Prices are somewhat elevated, especially the wines, but it's not as if the locals around here can't afford it. But it is a much more popular place than it previously was. Perhaps due to the closure of the the Red Lion around the corner, or maybe the influx of celeb-spotters hoping for a glimpse of someone to tweet about. Whatever the reason, you can usually expect the Punch Bowl to be pretty crowded inside and out - apparently much to the dismay of the local residents. As a result, if you've worked up a thirst, you may wish to reconsider a quenching it in this venue.
reviewed: 30/01/2010
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posted by baldwinpablo - Wednesday 20th January, 2010, 2:34pm
If a bog-standard London boozer rammed with 12-year-old girls and charging four quid a pint for Spitfire floats your boat then Madge and Ritchie's gaff is for you.
Rubbish.
posted by cheshirecat - Friday 29th August, 2008, 9:49pm
Avoid this place like the plague unless you think £3.90 for indifferent Courage Best is good value. I thoght that the blond behind the bar was joking until she charged the next bloke £4.90 for Speckled Hen and a bagf of crisps!
click for directions to Punch Bowl from wherever you are
outdoor seating
live music
