The Lyceum

The Lion King is currently being performed here in this wonderful theater! If you’re in London, definitely come here to enjoy the show, m tickets are being sold all over or online, but the theater is gorgeous inside, the seating is comfortable, and the plush red tones all over really give a great ambience to the experience.
The Lion King was an amazing performance, I hope you will enjoy the same experience as I have!

The kitchen was closed by the time we got here but that wasn’t the main reason we visited. We came for their Samuel Smith selection and it did not disappoint. Priced between 3£ to 4£ per ale, this place was not expensive in any way. Having Sam Smith on tap is 10x better than the bottles we get in the States.
4 stars.

Not bad, not amazing, just a pub.

My mom and I wandered down The Strand into at least 5 different pubs that were open and not serving food at 5:30pm (something I still don’t understand). By the 4^th pub I was getting really hangry (hungry + angry), then appears the Lyceum! We walked in and then upstairs to find a large dining space and bar. The kind bartender told us to pick a table, take a look at the menu, then place our order with him. I ordered the ham and chicken pie and my mom had the mushroom, cranberry, and brie wellington pie. Both pies were accompanied by mash and carrots and cabbage. We also ordered sticky toffee pudding for dessert. Being that we had just been through such hardship looking for food we also indulged in some libations. It was here that I discovered the greatness that is Sam’l Smith organic fruit beers. I opted for apricot, but there were strawberry, cherry, and raspberry beers on the menu as well. I hope I can find this stuff in the states because it was tasty! Overall a great meal with a nice bartender!

This is a great little pub just a short distance away from EVERYTHING. I met a few local friends here one night on their recommendation. It has a very old timey (well, old timey for someone from America) feel to it; enclosed booths on the ground floor, vintage photos, portraits, and news articles on the walls throughout and a beautiful bar. It wasn’t too crowded for a Tuesday night.
The best thing about this pub is the value. Pints were only about £3−4, which is a remarkable price for such a centrally-​located place. Needless to say, we put down a few to take advantage of the price.

Worst — Burger — Ever! Obviously cheap supermarket frozen meat with stencilled grill pattern. Rest of the food also. meh.
Nice to have a drink, not too crammed for the location when we were there. In total, could give the place three stars, or even four, if we wouldn’t have done the mistake of ordering food, which kind of ruined it… Next time, if there’ll be a next time, just drinks, nothing wrong with the drinks (except for wine.)

This pub is a classic, in a great location with very reasonable prices for central London. Have been here countless times: the upstairs is often packed with students, the downstairs booths are perfect for smaller parties. It’s usually quite busy, which gives it a great, happy vibe.
The food selection here is limited (think: chips, a few sandwich options), but tasty enough. That’s probably my only possible complaint. Great spot to gather with friends!

Quite a nice little Olde Worldly real ale pub on the Strand on two floors. The place is wood pannelled and has an old coach house feel with some very cosy booths downstairs. There is plenty of seating on both floors, with an upstairs bar to boot. The bar staff were very polite and very efficient. I also liked the try before you buy policy that they had, which you don’t always find in this type of pub. The choice of ales was certainly not the norm and were pleasantly very very palatable, especially the scrumpy cider that they had on tap and a very nice lager which the wife enjoyed; all very reasonably priced. The pub is also located reasonably close to a number of theatres.

I came here yesterday for a Sunday beer with my boyfriend and a couple of his friends. The little seating alcoves are just adorable. I like that it’s cheap, the lady behind the bar was super friendly (& super apologetic about ID’ing me!), and that it’s just round the corner from my work.
I will definitely return!

There’s not much to dislike about the Lyceum. The prices are excellent, it’s in a nice part of town and I go to school nearby so no complaints there. It can get very busy as the inside, but isn’t that just about everywhere?
I haven’t been here when it’s not busy, but the insanity gives it a nice atmosphere. I can imagine it’s a bit lonely when not teeming with students from KCL or LSE.
I’m not an ale drinker so I can’t comment on that, but I’ve heard good things and it generally misses the tourists, so give it a try.

I love Sam Smiths pubs, but this one is not my favorite. When it’s lively, it’s great. Same price and same pints so you know what to expect. It’s often filled with students as it’s near several universities.
What makes me give this three stars, though, is that when it’s not filled with students or rogue tourists, it’s really strange. It feels kind of gross, and not in a dive bar kind of way. All of a sudden, it’s mid-​afternoon (don’t judge me) and you’re thinking about the how gross the carpets are and wondering the last time they cleaned, well, anything.
But it’s a Sam Smiths and I make very little money, so I’ll undoubtedly go back.

It’s a Sam Smith’s pub. Great décor, cheap beer and when we went, seemed to be the only pub in the theatre district that was not stuffed to the gills with people — we even managed to snag an awesome seat outside. I will return!

Decent Sam Smiths pub, this. Two floors, standard décor and the trusty self-​brewed, cheap (but still tasty) beers on tap.
Unless you’re a tourist, and there were a lot in here given the theatres close-​by, you know what you’re getting into with a Sam Smiths. No music, but a chatty atmosphere and lighting that will have you straining your eyes as you leave.
Not the best one in their chain, but central and spacious enough to make this a favoured meeting spot for post-​work bevs.
Thanks Samuel.

Another great Samuel Smith pub in a convenient location serving good and inexpensive beer in an English-​y setting.
I love Sam Smith pubs (The Rising Sun and the Princess Louise are probably my faves but it’s a tough call). Maybe it has to do with being an American, but something about these pubs just seem right. The dark tone wood, the nooks and cozy spaces …
The lyceum is well situated on The Strand with a lovely upstairs space that’s usually more quiet and a bit comfier than below.

The Lyceum Tavern is a great pub, popular with King’s College Students.
Its food is very very good value — they specialise in excellent pies but have other pub food options which are very tasty as well.
My beer-​drinking friends always compliment the choice of ales available.

As a non ale/​drinker, I think I lost out on the appeal most people have to this place. However, having been here more than any other London pub, in the last few months, I have grown quite accustomed to it.
No, not to ale. To the pub. Thanks. I may be a smoker, but I have taste.
Their wines are pretty good, and not the usual options you’d find in pubs, which was actually a somewhat refreshing change (oddly! I want my Pinot!). They have a little smoking area downstairs at the back (and to the side), which is nice as it saves having to push through the crowds of people.
Oh dear lord, the crowds of people! Every time I’ve been in here, there has been literally *ONE* table available, at most. The place is popular and gets very crowded, even starting just after lunch time when I’m sure those guys in suits are still meant to be at work.
As mentioned by someone else, the bar staff seem both friendly and efficient, which is nice.
If you’re lucky in getting a seat, or don’t mind waiting, it’s a nice enough bar to hit up when in the area — especially for something a little different from any of the 1001 other bars within a minute walking distance of this one.

Start with 3 stars.
Gain 1 for the location.
Gain 1 for it being a Sam Smith’s and thus well-​priced.
Lose 1 for the food being «ok» but not great.
Gain 1 for it having a nice atmosphere, and there being a couple of seats available at any one time.
Lose 1 for the (awesome) snugs not being quite awesome enough in terms of size or being able to have two separate conversations happening.
All told, good pub/

A very serviceable Sam Smith’s right on the Strand. Its function yesterday was as a pre-​theatre meeting place, and for that it worked well — although it was rather busy I did manage to grab the last couple of seats in the lounge bar upstairs.
Friendly and competent bar staff (even on a busy early Saturday evening), good beer, friendly people, acceptable food (well, standard «pub grub» — nothing awesome, but reasonable)… there are far worse places to drink or grab a quick bite to eat on the Strand.

Another Samuel Smiths hangout in another well-​frequented part of town. They know how to do pubs, these people. The prices are a massive plus, obviously, and you know what you’re getting every time you set foot in one. And that’s a good thing — none of the, ‘Oh, I hope they have Star,’ or, ‘They better have Grolsh,’ that you get at other places. Good olé’ Alpine and Taddy. They’re like your oldest, most reliable friends.
Not to sound too alcoholic, I’ll move on to the décor. I like that each Samuel Smiths place manages not to make you feel like you’re in a chain, even though you really are. In the Lyceum, there are the booths that I’ve mentioned in The Chandos, just around the corner, but these are better acoustically, and the whole place has a nice relaxed atmosphere.
Upstairs they serve hearty pub grub for good prices. This is definitely a place for a long evening session, even if those craving a quality Sunday roast might be best advised to go elsewhere.

This is the first and only Samuel Smith pub I visited on a recent trip and was blown away by their Wheat Ale. I’m giving it 4 stars for that beer alone.
As for the place, it appears to be a very nice traditional pub with a dart board and booths to lounge. If I had to go back, I would be more than OK with it.