The all-important pints
What exactly is this Guinness pop-up?
For three months, what's being described as an "immersive" Guinness pop-up has opened at what is still (probably) the City's most popular food and drink destination, The Ned. They've teamed up with Guinness to change their Long Bar into The Guinness Bar for the duration, where they'll be serving up what they hope is excellent Guinness, backed up by Guinness food and cocktails (with a little bit of Guinness in them).
Where is it?
For simplicity, we'll assume that you know how to get to The Ned. That said, if you do get lost in the warren that is Bank station, note that you'll need to take exit 3 via the Central Line platform. As we always seemed to take the wrong exit but have finally worked out which way to go, we're just passing that hopefully useful information on.
When you're in The Ned itself, the Guinness Bar is on the lower ground floor. So head to the big stairs on the west side of the building and when you go downstairs, you'll find the bar in front of you. There are a few signs on the way but, perplexingly, not on the actual entrance to the bar itself. Still, if you do get lost, there are plenty of staff to show you the way.
Just how "immersive" is it?
The word immersive is perhaps taking it a little too far. The bar has certainly been given a makeover with a few touches like the very expensive-looking signage on top of the bar itself making it look like it's around for more of a long-haul than the current three-month plan:
An impressive bit of signage for a temporary pop-up.
But while there are classic/vintage Guinness posters hung throughout the whole bar (all in the "Guinness is good for you" vein), that's really the extent of the redesign that's taken place. That's not necessarily a bad thing, though, as it's a lovely-looking bar and the vintage posters really do look at home. Think of it as a comfortable old-school lounge bar getting a light Guinness makeover.
It was also noticeable that while the upstairs bars and restaurants were busy and bustling as ever, the Guinness bar was a slightly more peaceful haven. It is walk-in only, so if you do fancy a drink in The Ned but maybe want something a little more laid back, this is worth trying. One thing to note, though - we did go on a Tuesday. Saturdays are likely to be very, very different and much busier.
It's a very cosy bar.
Is it safe to assume the pints are good?
Given that it is an official, and fairly high-profile, Guinness bar, it's fair to expect the pints to be good. A decent pint, something arguably popularised in London by The Devonshire most recently, is the very least of what you should expect here. They say they have the shortest Guinness lines in the City (that's from the kegs to the taps) and a lot of attention has gone into pouring the perfect pint. And yes, it really is a very good pint of Guinness, at least on a similar level to the pints at The Devonshire. We don't claim to be the ultimate authority on the black stuff, but to our mind these were up there with the best and if you're searching for that in the City, you need to come down and at least put the bar to the test.
The only slightly odd note for us was that there was no Guinness 0% on offer, even by the can. That felt like a bit of a missed opportunity.
It's not just about the pints, though?
There's a special menu for the duration of the pop-up, with all the food and drink featuring varying amounts of Guinness. You will, of course, find the most famous Guinness cocktail, a black velvet (albeit a Royal Velvet here, with English sparkling wine, Guinness and cassis). We worked our way through a fair bit of that menu - so here's a taste of it:
Mini beef and onion pie with Guinness gravy (£16). It's actually a pretty decently sized pie, frankly. Put some chips on the side and this is a perfectly good main.
Guinness cheddar croquettes with garlic mayonnaise and Parmesan (£14)
Aquitaine caviar and sour cream with Guinness crisps (£38) - deeply Guinnessy (and thick) crisps
Guinness sausage rolls with red & brown sauce (£14)
In the front, the St James Sour (Johnnie Walker Black Label, Guinness, citrus, egg white, £16) and at the back the only non-Guinness drinks - the non-alcoholic Lucky St Clem (Seedlip Grove, clementine, lime, egg white, soda, £8).
In addition to the above, you'll also find Guinness bread on the menu, which you can get with smoked salmon.
Overall thoughts
If you like a pint of the black stuff and you find yourself in and around the City, this is an easy recommendation, particularly mid-week when it'll be easier to grab a table. Importantly, the Guinness is great and the snacks are pretty decent too.
More about The Guinness Bar at The Ned
Where is it? 27 Poultry, City of London, London EC2R 8AJ
How to book: Walk-ins only
Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @thenedlondon
Hot Dinners ate as guests of The Ned. Prices are correct at the time of writing.
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