Rugby Tavern

Absolutely loved The Rugby Tavern in Holborn – what a gem of a pub! From the moment we walked in, the friendly service made us feel genuinely welcome. The staff were warm, attentive, and full of great recommendations. Now let’s talk about the food – absolutely amazing! Every dish was cooked to perfection, beautifully presented, and packed with flavour. Whether you're in for a hearty classic or something a bit more refined, the kitchen knocks it out of the park. And the cocktails? Mind-blowing. Seriously – they’re on par with any top cocktail bar in London. Creative, delicious, and dangerously moreish – we couldn’t stop raving about them. A perfect spot for after-work drinks, weekend meetups, or just a treat-yourself evening. The Rugby Tavern is an absolute must-visit. Big up to barman Josh for making it all happen x ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

We just popped in on our way past and we're glad we did. Classic old pub with loads of wood and pictures on the walls. Really friendly staff too. Not busy. I reckon everyone floods to the next road over (Lambs Conduit St) because they've heard of it. Which I admit we were doing. However we've now changed our favourite pub in this end of town. We accidentally ended up staying for more drinks than we intended so ordered some small plates of food to share, just expecting standard fare. But the food blew us away. Absolutely amazing. Not what we expected at all. So we'll see you again tomorrow as the suns out. Cheers.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Hidden Gem with Exceptional Service! I recently visited The Rugby Tavern and had an absolutely fantastic experience that I can’t wait to share! From the moment we arrived, the atmosphere was warm and inviting with a great vibe throughout the evening. What truly made our night special, though, was the exceptional service from Kai, who went above and beyond in every way possible. Kai, who previously worked at The Alchemist, showcased his incredible bartending talents by creating custom cocktails just for us. We simply told him our preferences—what we liked and disliked—and he crafted absolutely stunning drinks that weren’t even on the menu. The Rugby Tavern has everything you could want in a pub: great atmosphere, delicious food, and with Kai behind the bar, some of the best cocktails in town. It’s the kind of place where they treat you like a valued guest rather than just another customer. If you’re looking for a place where the staff truly care about giving you a memorable experience, I can’t recommend The Rugby Tavern enough. Ask for Kai if you want something special—his homemade cocktails alone are worth the visit!

Unfulfilled potential. We went in for a Sunday afternoon lunch. It was fairly quiet but the vibes of the place are great. Nice and quiet, one tv screen away from the seating so you aren’t mixed in with people watching the sport. The chaps behind the bar were very friendly and speedy in service. We ordered a black pudding scotch egg (£6.50) and prawn tempura (£6.50) to start with fish and chips (£14) and a beef roast with stuffing (£21.50) for mains. I had a Hawkstone lager (£7.50) and my partner had a lager shandy (£4). Unfortunately it really started to go downhill when the food started arriving. The prawns were fine but the scotch egg had clearly been under the heat lamp for a long time, yolk was solid and the exposed parts of the sausage meat were hard and dry. I asked for a fresh one and the waiter returned with the same one saying the chef had “run out of eggs”. I was offered a free pint seeing as I had already paid for everything which I didn’t want but appreciated the gesture. The mains arrived and the roast was okay, nothing special but good. Beef cooked nicely and trimming a bit lacking. The stuffing was hard and dry and cold. We didn’t bother asking for a replacement assuming the chef had run out of stuffing too. The fish and chips were a mixed bag, the peas were nice but cold. The chips were great, proper chunky chips with good crisp. The fish was a let down as it had been slightly under cooked meaning the batter was pretty damp and very thin. Overall not a fantastic experience but almost entirely let down by a seemingly lazy kitchen. There were only four tables so it cannot have been overwork that caused the slip. The price did not reflect the quality but with some effort from the kitchen this could be a fantastic value for money pub.

What a fantastic looking place with loads of outside seating. The interior is amazing so classy with beautiful art on the walls. I saw this place being renovated and it’s now under new ownership. The standards are very high here. I can’t comment about the food as the opening was on the 19/7/2023 so food was not being served as yet. The staff are lovely and polite which is always a positive. Lots of smiles and polite upselling which is always appreciated. I will return to add to this review when the food is being served. The area is very upmarket which great but expensive shopping nearby. If you get off a bus or walking Gt James street is in between cafe Nero and the noble gentleman and you will find this beautiful pub on the corner surrounded by trees in an idilic location. Drinks only on this visit and good news is they serve real Coca Cola.