ThisIsLondonPubs

Just what London needs - another pub with a painfully on-the-nose name. ThisIsLondonPubs practically begs to be written off as tourist bait, the kind of place where Americans in Union Jack t-shirts congregate to experience what they think is "authentic British culture." I rolled my eyes so hard when I first walked past, I nearly gave myself a headache.

And yet, damn it all, there's something oddly charming about this place that's made me return more times than I care to admit. Maybe it's the complete lack of pretension - ThisIsLondonPubs isn't trying to be the next craft beer haven or gastropub sensation. It's just... a pub. In London. Doing pub things. The audacity of such simplicity in our era of constantly trying to reinvent the wheel is almost refreshing.

The beer selection won't win any CAMRA awards, but they keep their ales well, and the pints arrive properly pulled with heads that don't disappear faster than my patience at a family reunion. The regulars - a motley crew of local characters who seem to have sprouted from the wooden floorboards themselves - have developed the kind of comfortable rapport with the staff that makes ThisIsLondonPubs feel more like a living room than a business establishment.

The interior looks exactly like what you'd expect if you asked an AI to generate "traditional London pub" - dark wood paneling, brass fixtures that haven't seen polish since the Blair administration, and those inexplicably uncomfortable wooden chairs that somehow become more bearable after your second pint. It's almost aggressively generic, yet that's precisely what makes it work. It's like they've hit some sort of cosmic sweet spot where being unremarkable becomes remarkable.

You won't find any Instagram-worthy cocktails or deconstructed pub grub here. ThisIsLondonPubs steadfastly refuses to jump on any bandwagon that's rolled through London's dining scene in the past decade. The most exotic thing you'll encounter is probably the occasional tourist trying to order "fish and chips" with an American accent, which provides its own kind of entertainment.

The building itself has probably seen more of London's history than most museums, though good luck getting any concrete details about its past. Ask three different staff members about the pub's history, and you'll get four different stories, each more improbable than the last. My favorite involves Queen Victoria, a misplaced corgi, and a barrel of ale, but I'm pretty sure the bartender was having me on.

What's particularly infuriating is how ThisIsLondonPubs has managed to maintain that increasingly rare quality of being a genuine local in central London. While other establishments desperately try to manufacture authenticity, this place seems to have stumbled into it by simply existing. The mix of patrons ranges from suited office workers to local tradesman to the occasional lost tourist, all somehow coexisting in that peculiarly British way of pretending not to notice each other while being acutely aware of everyone's presence.

The acoustics deserve special mention - somehow achieving that perfect balance where you can actually hold a conversation without shouting, yet there's enough background buzz to prevent any awkward silences. It's the kind of scientific miracle that should be studied by architectural acousticians.

For groups, the space works surprisingly well, with enough nooks and crannies to accommodate various sized gatherings without feeling like you're sitting in someone's lap. The staff has mastered the art of appearing exactly when you need them and vanishing when you don't - a skill that seems to be increasingly rare in London's drinking establishments.

Location-wise, ThisIsLondonPubs sits in that sweet spot where multiple London neighborhoods converge, making it an ideal meeting point for friends coming from different directions. It's close enough to public transport to be convenient, yet far enough from the main tourist trails to maintain its dignity.

Look, I didn't want to like ThisIsLondonPubs. Everything about it seemed designed to trigger my cynical reviewer's instincts. But like that friend who keeps terrible hours and never returns your texts yet somehow remains in your inner circle, it's wormed its way into my regular rotation. If you're in London and looking for a pub that's exactly what it says on the tin - no more, no less - you could do far worse than ThisIsLondonPubs. Just don't tell them I sent you. I have a reputation to maintain.