The Bricklayers Arms
Quick info
About The Bricklayers Arms
On Charlotte Rd, The Bricklayers Arms is a pub where shove ha'penny and skittles are played alongside the usual bar business. The room's walls, bar and woodwork are painted red, and a jukebox runs in the corner while the toilets carry graffiti. Three cask ales are typically on, among them London Pride, Tribute and Hophead, with Estrella also on the taps. No food menu is served, so drinks are the focus. Walk-ins are taken rather than bookings, and the pub opens daily. The outdoor seating area draws a crowd for after-work drinks and gets tight for seats and space at the bar around 5pm. Dogs are welcome inside, and the entrance is step-free for those with mobility needs. Takeaway is also available for drinking off site.
Good to know
- AccessibilityHas wheelchair-accessible entrance
Menu & Prices
9 dishes- Cider
- Roast Beef
- Guinness Delishious
- Estrella
- Red Wine
- Juice
Reviews
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention graffiti-covered gents toilets, cask ales, red painted interior and London Pride.
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention graffiti-covered gents toilets, cask ales, red painted interior and London Pride.
Customer Review Summary
Reviewers most often return to the cask and draught beer, with London Pride, Tribute, Hophead and Estrella named, plus a pint of Guinness one calls good. Several describe a proper, traditional East End boozer with red woodwork and a friendly crowd, busy for after-work drinks, and a few praise the staff and the jukebox. Prices split opinion: some call them reasonable for the area, while one reviewer cites £13 for a round of two. Service is the sharpest divide. One reviewer calls it dreadfully rude and another says the staff did not smile, while others call the same bar staff friendly and welcoming. Cleanliness draws complaints too. One reviewer describes dried fruit left behind the bar and food left on a table, and another says it is not too clean. The graffiti-covered toilets come up repeatedly, with one finding charm in them and another mixing up which was which. One reviewer's Tribute was off, and the barman apologised before pouring a London Pride.
Customer Review Summary
Reviewers most often return to the cask and draught beer, with London Pride, Tribute, Hophead and Estrella named, plus a pint of Guinness one calls good. Several describe a proper, traditional East End boozer with red woodwork and a friendly crowd, busy for after-work drinks, and a few praise the staff and the jukebox. Prices split opinion: some call them reasonable for the area, while one reviewer cites £13 for a round of two. Service is the sharpest divide. One reviewer calls it dreadfully rude and another says the staff did not smile, while others call the same bar staff friendly and welcoming. Cleanliness draws complaints too. One reviewer describes dried fruit left behind the bar and food left on a table, and another says it is not too clean. The graffiti-covered toilets come up repeatedly, with one finding charm in them and another mixing up which was which. One reviewer's Tribute was off, and the barman apologised before pouring a London Pride.
Featured reviews
- Kinder987
“Dirty pub. Floors are filthy and the toilets are filthy with the seats half hanging off. Not sure why this is so highly rated - must be from everyone that stands outside”
- London Pub Map
“🚇Old Street 🍺 £6.20 Estrella ❤️ A Shoreditch Mainstay. The Bricklayers Arms is located in a characterful backstreet at the northern end of Shoreditch. The nearest Tube station is Old Street, Shoreditch High Street Overground is a little further away. There has been a pub on this site since around 1825. The Bricklayers Arms was at the epicentre during the first wave of Shoreditch’s hipster culture in the late 90s. This is a good size pub that is traditionally decorated with a no frills feel. The walls are painted white, all the woodwork is painted pillar box red which adds more than a punch of colour. The seating is made up of traditional low level stools around tables, upholstered pews and a few stools next to drinking ledges. The servery stretches down the majority of the bar and has a solid wood counter. There are some traditional and unique elements to this pub, I loved the fireplace with the old radio, the gents toilet is a real eye opener. At the time of visiting there was a blow up doll sat at the bar with a Christmas jumper on which did make me chuckle. The beer selection was solid and included three cask ales. I decided on a pint of Estrella, my pint was agreeable, price point was average. There is no food menu here so you may have to get a kebab on the way home. I visited around 6pm on the Friday before Christmas last year. There was a good mix of punters in from all ages. The atmosphere was Christmassy, the pub was playing Christmas songs and the mood was upbeat. There was one fella who looked like he was plucking up some courage to do something, within a few minutes he knocked back short after short then disappeared. The service was good, I didn’t have to wait too long to served, the blow up doll seemed happy. The Bricklayers has witnessed and has been part of the transformation of Shoreditch for good or bad. It was good to see this traditional pub still going toe to toe with the many bars and clubs of the area. ℹ️ Info correct on visiting 23.12.23”
- Alexander Dunn
“proper pub friendly good selection of ales”
- Heiko Becker
“Typisch Englischer Pub.Ein muss für jeden Bierliebhaber.Preise im Vergleich zu anderen Pub's günstig.”
- Ellie Deer
“Great little old school boozer in a sun trap”
Hours
- Monday
- Tuesday
- Wednesday
- Thursday
- Friday
- Saturday
- Sunday
Highlights
“Traditional local boozer with ale and cider hand pumps, shove ha'penny, skittles and a beer garden.”
- Has great beer selection
Amenities
- Has wheelchair-accessible entrance
- Dogs allowed
- Offers takeaway
- Serves dine-in
- Serves alcohol
- Casual
Show more amenities
- Serves beer
- Serves food
- Serves spirits
- Has toilet
- Trendy
- Offerings· 2
- Serves cocktails
- Serves wine
- Highlights· 1
- Has great beer selection
- Crowd· 1
- Good for groups
Location
Bars near The Bricklayers Arms
- Old Street Records4.32,8160 mi
pizza, live music, espresso martini
- Shoreditch Balls4.33440.1 mi£10–20ReservationsGood for kids
free pool, cocktails, mini-golf
- Honi Poké Shoreditch4.78890.1 mi£10–20Good for kidsTakeout
customizable poke bowls, generous portions, tuna honi poke signature
| Place | Rating | Distance | Price | Mentioned in reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Bricklayers Arms | 4.1817 | — | £1–10 | graffiti-covered gents toilets, cask ales, red painted interior |
| Old Street Records | 4.32,816 | 0 mi | — | pizza, live music, espresso martini |
| Shoreditch BallsReservations · Good for kids | 4.3344 | 0.1 mi | £10–20 | free pool, cocktails, mini-golf |
| Honi Poké ShoreditchGood for kids · Takeout | 4.7889 | 0.1 mi | £10–20 | customizable poke bowls, generous portions, tuna honi poke signature |
The 3 nearest bars by distance. Ratings, hours and review terms come from public business profiles.
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