The Old Blue Last — Restaurant in London

It's taken me ages to work out how I ended up checking in at this place, and it just struck me - it's that random pub stuck in the middle of Shoreditch! Pubs and Shoreditch don't really go together. I mean, yes, there are a few around but a pub should be warm, cosy, and comfortable - words that are never used to describe the hipsters that inhabit this area of London town.

Still, the Old Blue Last finds a sort of compromise with a pub-styled main level with comfortable seating and has converted the upstairs into a sort of indie rock hall for all those unknown bands to smash out a couple of covers. No idea if any of the bands are any good but I imagine these are the types that just formed in someone's parent's garage and have a small but devout cult following. Who knows, though, you may just hear the next big thing.

The other thing I'd mention is that they serve up Maker's Mark neat for a reasonable price and have no qualms about serving you double after double even when the 10 foot walk across the room to the bar takes you the better part of 15 minutes. Just focus your glassy eyes on the shaggy bartender and slur your order away! I definitely support bars that let you get drunk because, as Danny Bhoy says, "you wouldn't throw someone out of a restaurant because they were...

Everything's big at the Old Blue Last - huge windows, a whopping full height box porch, a substantial Truman Hanbury and Buxton mirror behind the bar, the two enormous TVs and even the wine list (for a pub) is pretty large with 17 choices.

Its position in Great Eastern Street is pretty huge too. You can't miss this dominant curved pub with its again huge sign announcing itself from the top of the building.

The pub's definitely had a history, years ago as a home to gangsters and strippers and now as a live music venue hosting bands which were 'up and coming' and have since found real success.

The pub's website proclaims its independent ownership, which is great to see and indoors, when you get over the huge-ness of its features, it's a good environment to be in. At ground level it's got the solid wood and cast iron furniture, the no-nonsense hefty bar and some attractive wood panelling. Upstairs is where the live music goes on, and the Arctic Monkeys, Amy Winehouse and others had been there.

I'm glad to have finally got into this place after years of walking past it on my way to somewhere else. Its prime time is clearly the evenings, but as a place to lounge in the day, it's a very...

TLDR - poorly organised event, poor communication, rude staff and security who blamed my situation on the third party booking system. I have enjoyed this pub in the past but will now avoid this place at all costs.

We made a booking one month in advance to watch the Euros final. My booking was made at 7:45pm given the 8pm start for the game.

The day before the final, I was told I had to pay £10 per person for my booking. I was given only 90mins notice to make this booking or else have my booking, which was made very far in advance, released. I was happy to pay given the demand for viewings for the final, but didn’t agree with the short notice.

Additionally, at no point was I told that I had to enter the pub by 6:30pm in order to guarantee my seat, despite my booking being at 7:45pm. I found this on the day out via a friend, not even by the venue. When I went to the venue to clarify this, they unhelpfully me, “it is what it is” and to take up my complaints with the third party...