The Star of Kings, 9th February

If I was being generous, I would say, maybe Thursday just isn't the night to go to Star of King's. But this is quite damning really, because isn't Thursday the new Friday? So if a place isn't heaving on a Thursday, it's a little worrying. But it did also snow quite a bit so maybe that's what was putting people off...

I slightly inebriatedly asked the girl we'd befriended behind the bar if it gets busy at weekends. Her response was lukewarm so I suspect it doesn't really. It seems a shame. The Star of Kings is the sister pub of the Star of Bethnal Green, so I was expecting a fairly buzzy place go for my friend 'blind date'. Somewhere we could chat, but with a bit of an atmosphere. 

We could definitely chat, but the atmosphere was a little lacking. I liked the set up. The 'front room' was a big rectangle which had a hodge podge of different comfy chairs, including even a chaise longue, and the bar. Then there was a larger room at the back with normal tables and chairs, and even a downstairs where any dancing happens. Unfortunately only half the chairs in the front room were full, and none in the back. They played some good music - reminding me of their sister Star by playing retro 60s stuff but it wasn't enough.

The staff are also very friendly. They have happy hour from 5 - 9 in which they offer two for one cocktails. My friend turned up a little later than me, so we weren't in sync when it came to our rounds for a couple of drinks. She ordered a cocktail, but didn't really want them both at the same time. They let her order her one cocktail with other 'in the bank' as it were, so she could still capitalise on the deal. Not only that, but when she had finished her first cocktail, the guy came over and asked her if she was ready for her second one now. I could be mean and say with a dearth of customers they could afford to be so attentive, but let's pretend I didn't say that. They were fairly chatty - the bar girl even getting in on my drinkmate's attempts to coax me out longer, suggesting we go to Camden up the road where things were open longer. I was not drawn in though. 

So yeah, it was a nice pub, just not very lively. It's not exactly in the hub of things - it's all the way up York Road, past even King's place so people probably just don't really know it's there. Having said that, it is right next to the Guardian's offices, so there should be throngs of journos in there, not just the three I couldn't help but overheard when I first went in there. Disappointing.