The Sydney Arms — Restaurant in London

🚇South Kensington 🍺 £7.85 Asahi

This pub is located in a quiet backstreet in Chelsea, West London. Local landmarks include, St Luke's & Christ Church and the Royal Brompton Hospital.

The Sydney Arms, originally known as The Wellesley Arms, has a rich history dating back to 1851. The original name honored Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington. Since 2015, The Sydney Arms has become an independent Freehouse with links to Horse Racing.

This is a traditionally decorated one bar pub with a centrally located servery. The bar wraps around the servery in a ‘U’ shape with a snug area at the back left. The decor consists of a boarded floor, leather banquettes, pale blue walls, mirrors and a 1930’s fireplace. The snug area at the back is called the Peter O'Sullevan room, named in honour of the legendary horse racing commentator. Around the walls are jockey silks and a collection of steward passes from each of the 59 UK racecourses.

The beer line up is a selection of familiar favourites including two cask ales. I decided on an Asahi, my pint was excellent, price point was expensive. I was feeling hungry so I ordered some Fish & Chips, my food hit the spot, the batter on the fish was nice and crispy, price point was £16 with included a 12.5% service charge.

I arrived at 5pm on a drizzly Wednesday afternoon in March. There were about half a dozen local punters in attendance plus a couple of fellas who were working in the area. The atmosphere was chilled and relaxed with a laidback local pub feel. The backdrop was an Indie, pop and rock classics with Horse Racing on mute on the five screens dotted around the bar.

Visiting @the_sydney_arms was an enjoyable experience. I loved the fact that this is a proper pub rather than a gastro as many of the nearby pubs are. The beer could do with being cheaper and I also don’t agree with service charges in pubs, but I won’t let that take the gloss off my visit. Nice grub, traditional surroundings, worth a look if you’re in the area.

📅 26th March 2024

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Fantastic staff.

Went there on Tuesday after a hospital appointment across the road. When I got to the bar, it suddenly dawned on my I had no way to pay, as my phone broke the previous evening and I have lost all my bank cards.

I stood there gormlessly and explained to the barman I just realised I had no way to pay, and he offered me one on the house! Incredibly generous and unexpected.

I actually did discover some cash I forgot I had, so was able to recompense him thankfully and get a second pint (yes the cash went in the till, although they do have a sign saying Card Only at the moment).

Just a genuinely nice thing to do, and a sign of good management that he felt he was able (apologies if he was the manager/landlord but he seemed too young to my aged eyes...

Ideal pub to watch footbal matches and ideal to ve in the sun (whem possible) as they have a small terrace. Lovely environment and service is just excellent. They showcast all footbal matches and rugby during the week. If you fancy about food, my recommendation is the chocolate cookie (directly baked in the oven) which is such a culinary wonder and the good always reliable fish and chips. It is a small pub, so might be very crowded in sunny days but is ideal for family and friends. Also, it is in the quiet area of Chelsea, close from Kings Road for it exclude all the noise and busy are, so perfect for relaxation and truly...