Punch & Judy

Disgraceful!
Took 15 mins to get served and the staff kept ignoring us and serving people who arrived after us first.
When we finally got served, the staff were very unfriendly and their attitude was APPAULING. The staff really need to fix their attitude because this was disgusting.
Our food took 30 MINS to arrive and all we ordered was chips and it wasn’t even that busy. Food was overpriced and mediocre. Absolute waste of time.

Ugh, terrible experience here.
It’s really dark and dingy inside, though there is some comfy seating in the corners here and there, most seating consists of high, wobbly tables with bar stools.
It took a while to wait at the bar to order, there definitely wasn’t enough staff though it didn’t seem very busy. I finally ordered and somehow the bartender «misheard» diet coke for lager and got grumpy with me when I refused the beer, repeating my order of diet coke. How one can be misheard as the other is absolutely beyond me, they don’t even remotely sound alike. Several of their specialty beverages were also not available.
I finally put in my order, rejoined a friend at our table and started chatting away. After about 15 minutes a server came up to us to inform us that they were out of what we had ordered. Let me repeat that, after putting our order into the computer and taking the money AND waiting 15 minutes, they suddenly realised they were out of the shepherds pie.
We asked for the ploughman’s platter instead, our server went to the kitchen and came back a few minutes later saying they were out of that too. Now, this was early afternoon on a Tuesday, they really shouldn’t run out of half their menu so early in the week.
We decided to just get a refund and go eat somewhere else, the server wasn’t happy with that but eventually refunded us.
Definitely not a place I would recommend to anyone.

Great central location but unfortunately no decent beers, very chavvy crowd, overpriced. Two stars is probably fair…

We sat inside for dinner. You seat yourself but you have to order your food/​drinks at the bar which isn’t obvious. Once you order, they will give you your drink however will bring your food to your table. The service was absent so I give it 1.5 stars. I had the steak and ale pie which was reasonably priced and surprisingly very good. They also ran out of a 2 of 3 beers I wanted to try. The location is good however I think there are much better options in the area.

Great pub to grab a drink if you’re near covent garden. Especially if it’s a nice day out, make sure to go to their upstairs bar and sit out on the patio and watch the crowds stroll by.

I really liked Punch & Judy! The atmosphere is very lively, and located in the very popular Covent Gardens. I didn’t get the chance to eat the food, but the drink were reasonably priced. The wait time for ordering drinks was not to long considering it was a friday night, and you could see the bar staff were working hard.
Overall it was a very nice night out.

Not super touristy, the food is tasty and the portions are good sizes, especially for the price in such a central location. It is however crowded, especially after around 4pm when everyone gets off work.
One of the biggest reasons I love it here is because not only have I been after work, but it used to be my parents local almost 25 years ago! And they confirm it’s a fantastic pub with good food, good people and a great atmosphere.

Bad service with mediocre food. The location is great in the heart of Covent Garden and the interior is nice. We came for lunch and had the fish& chips as well as the «favorites platter» both of which we’ve had better. Never mind the fact that it took nearly 10 minutes to get the bartender to want to take our order at the bar and the subsequent 30 minutes of waiting for the food to arrive. The beer was good so if you come, just drink.

Very famous pub in central London. Know what you are getting yourself into — it will be mobbed, no matter when you go, you’ll wait for a drink and pay more for it. Didn’t try the food, but for drinks, it was appropriate.
Other than that — there is a reason it’s so famous, great location, very cool balcony bar for people watching — and yes, there are always interesting people to watch!
Everyone there is friendly, having a good time, and up for a few good drinks. Not a local pub for a quiet pint for sure, but an enjoyable tourist type pub.

I have to say that everytime I went there was only to have a pint or 2 with friends or family.
The place itself is very nice and sometimes too crowdy but its fine, you can’t pretend to be alone in Covent Garden!
Good selection of beers and nice environment.
Recommended for drinks!

Went there last night Saturday and is a very popular pub/​bar. Great to have a quick drink. Down side DONT use the toilets down stairs in basement as blocked and full of mould.

Don’t think you could find a more
Central pub than this. Right in the heart of Covent Garden.
What I love firstly is the name. No Dog & Bone… Red Lion… Kings Head… Queens Head… Golden Lion… insert other pub names of indistinct normality and cliché. This is THE Punch & Judy pub. Lovely.
Secondly you go in through a side
Entrance in the piazza. Then go up a stairs and into the bar. Now the bar is a bit crowded… it’s does get a bit touristy. Ok not just ‘a bit’ but it is Covent Garden. But it’s the balcony that makes this iconic pub unique. You can sit, stand, levitate do whatever you want on that balcony to perch yourself as long as you can see out into the beautiful square to people watch. The ultimate people watch. Usually there are fun shows in the square with performances too.
Winner winner chicken dinner. Saying all that it’s not a pub I frequent actually. Once in a while. I prefer more discreet quieter pubs in the area. But I will try and go back once in a while. It’s a perfect spot in the summer.

So, 4 stars for the view, location and the scene. As far as drinks and service go, it’s pretty average. I celebrated the advent of my 18^th birthday on the balcony of Punch and Judy, sipping down Pimms, watching the hustle-​bustle of the entertainers in the square below. I also spent a few lovely afternoons near my 30^th birthday doing the same thing. This pub is simply an institution, and is known to locals as a standard scene-​y/​touristy/​people-​watching pub. It’s a great watering hole when you’re taking a break from the shopping of Covent Garden and it’s also a nice place to start out the evening before dinner. The sun can be quite warm and direct on balcony, which, for London, can feel miraculous. It really doesn’t get much better for one’s self-​esteem than to sit perched above the designer shops in sleek sunglasses, wind blowing in one’s hair, imagining a trajectory to fame and fortune. We can all dream. Punch & Judy has been feeding this reverie of mine for decades.

I’d love to give this a 4 but the fact you have to pay up before you receive your food was pretty surprising. The food (fish & chips, steak pie) was really good. Beer was on the expensive side, even for London (a pint of Guinness cost over £5). I’d be willing to go again next time we’re in Covent Garden.

My friend and I came here as our last meal before we left London, after walking around for a while wondering what we fancied, we decided good old pub gub was the way to go.
We went in and found it rather dark however it was very cosy and friendly, while the only issue was that the tables and seats were fairly close but it was easily overlooked by everything else.
My friend went for her usual food (chicken burger) which looked amazing and came with a sauce which was very nice (I did steal some for my chips), she thoroughly enjoyed it and said the chicken was perfectly done.
After much deliberation I went for Gammon, egg and chips. The menu said egg and I asked if the egg would be fried (the waitress) said yes. I asked if I could have it poached (healthier and in my mind much tastier) The waitress was very polite and said she would go an enquire with the chef for me.
She (the waitress) thankfully came back and said that the chef was happy to oblige which made everything perfect as I felt that my request while in my mind small would take time and effort.
Brilliant service, brilliant food. Highly recommend it to anyone in the area!

Average pub…
Well located with a small balcony giving some outside space. Good vibe with friendly staff just not very many… Only bother if you are desperate and the sun is shining as there is many better places…

Got myself intentionally a bit lost on a recent trip to London. Wound up at Covent Gardens and wandered into Punch & Judy hoping for a good pint and «The Best Fish & Chips in the City?» as the sign outside the dining room said – question mark and all. Didn’t really work out for me.
I entered the dining room downstairs as directed by the signs. There was a stool free, so I grabbed that and sat down. Spent 15 minutes or so reading my phone and watching waitresses pass me by. This stool was right where everyone being served food was, so I’d assumed I was at a place I could order drinks and food and not just in a run-​off from the bar area. After 15 minutes of being ignored, I took it I must be in the wrong spot.
Grabbed a table out on the little patio area where people were eating. Spent another 10 minutes with waitresses passing me by. Finally was able to flag one down and ask if I could get a menu. She said they weren’t serving on the patio anymore – which seemed like it could be true as there were now several free tables and all I saw going on was bussing. She said if I could find a table inside they’d give me food.
So I found a stool inside again. After 5 more minutes on that stool being ignored, I left without ever having tasted any food or drink. Not only was this a weird experience because I was never served – I was equally surprised not to be kicked out. Typically if someone loiters in your establishment for a solid half-​hour without buying anything, someone comes round to at the very least say «Buy something or leave!» If they’d done that, I’d have happily bought something. Sadly, they didn’t even care enough about my existence to mind me taking up a stool in the packed establishment without buying anything. Completely wasted half an hour. I was pretty worn out from walking and appreciative of the place to sit and rest my legs for a minute, so that’s why I didn’t take off even more quickly. Next time I’m in London, this will definitely NOT be on the list of places to visit.

VILE. I would give this place zero stars if I could. Where to start?
1. False advertising: We went there because there were signs and pix advertising traditional fish and chips. Sat down to order and guess what is NOT on the menu?
2. Communication — It seems none of the waitresses speak much English. It was hard to order and ask questions.
3. Bathrooms — Moldy and hideous. I had to hold my breath to use it. Really disgusting.
4. Atmosphere — Weird, stale smell. Kind of dark and dungeon-​y.
5. Food — Looked and tasted like cafeteria food.
6. Payment — You have to pay before you eat. Why?

Punch & Judy’s looks to be a memorable spot for nightly outings with friends for some drinks! I happened to come in on the afternoon, where the action was a little less lively. That said, the cider glass that I ordered was HUGE and delicious!
Everything that was ordered (sandwiches, soups, etc.) was served in decent portions and actually good food!
The server here was friendly too, though I remember being puzzled when he brought our bill out after the first round of drinks… as though we were done! Psh.

o9. o6.14
We had our first meal here. A place that can’t get even the fish and chip right. I guess we weren’t so lucky when it comes to our first meal in London. The girl that took our order didn’t really understand English (no offense). I asked for hot water and she thought I said wi-​fi. Eh… ok lady. So I repeated, hot water. And she wasn’t able to understand what that was. Never mind. She said they don’t serve hot water or cold beer. My friend’s beer was room temperature and no, it was not good.
Then she came back with the bill asking us to pay first. Ok… yea. that was kind of weird. So basically, we pay first before we get our food. Interesting. btw, tips are included.
Anyway, this other lady passed by and I asked her for hot water. She immediately brought me water. O… kay…
If you are looking for good food and service, or perhaps a first decent meal in London, go to a difference place because there are a lot of other restaurants that actually deserve your visit.

I had a couple of drinks with friends on a sunny afternoon and we had a brilliant time. We were able, form the balcony, to watch some street artists performing a show just outside the building. Perfect location as it’s surronded by a lot of shops.

Das Pub gehört auch zu einer Kette und hat daher eine bekannte Speisekarte. Bier und Essen ist gut, Service war freundlich und die Räumlichkeiten sind natürlich in Covent Garden sehr schön urig. Preisleich auch normal für London.
Allerdings wünsch ich hier keinem, dass er hier auf die Toilette muss. Diese gleicht nämlich schon sehr einer öffentlichen Toilette, was ich jetzt aber mal der Lage zuschreibe. Ich hoffe nur nicht, dass sich hier auch die Küche wiederspiegelt.

Diese Bar ist toll fuer Touristen, da sie im Herzen London liegt. Dort kann man schnell einen Drink einnehmen bevor man sich zum Beispiel zu den nah gelegenen Theatern begibt oder man kann einen netten abend auf der tollen Terrasse des Pubs verbringen und tolle Leute kennen lernen.
Dieser Pub ist im Covent Garden Market und hat mehrere Etagen. Ich wuerde empfehlen ganz nach oben zu gehen und sich dort entweder in den toll dekorierten Innenraum zu setzen oder bei schoenem Wetter auf die Dachterrasse gehen und den Strassenkuenstlern zusehen.
Am Wochende ist es dort eigentlich immer voll und Spass, sowie nicht nicht ganz so hohe Preise, sind garantiert!!!