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The Old Ship
Bars

The Old Ship

Traditional style pub in the East End of London

London, UK
3.9
757 reviews

Neighbourhood

London

Category

Bars

Vibe

Cocktails, Drag Show +3

Official website

About The Old Ship

If you're cruising the East End for a pub with more sass than a drag queen on karaoke night, The Old Ship in Limehouse is your new boozy BFF. This Grade II listed stunner oozes nautical charm with exposed beams, creaky floorboards, and enough porthole windows to make you feel like you're sailing the Thames on gin fumes. But don't be fooled by the historic digs; this ain't your grandpa's dusty alehouse. The Ship's crew is as diverse and welcoming as a Soho Pride parade. Bar staff sling glitter-infused cocktails with knowing winks, and the clientele is a glorious mishmash of East End locals, arty types, and fabulous LGBTQ+ peeps from all corners of London. Think leather chaps clinking with vintage teacups, and Bowie singalongs blending with conversations in a dozen different languages. It's the kind of place where everyone feels like they belong, even if you just stumbled in for a solo Sunday roast (which, FYI, is legendary, with Yorkshire puds the size of your head). Speaking of food, The Ship's menu is a gastropub dream come true. Think elevated pub classics with a modern twist – think chorizo scotch eggs with sriracha mayo, or fish and chips with tempura batter and mushy peas spiked with mint. And let's not forget the bottomless brunches that fuel Limehouse gossip sessions every Saturday. Think bottomless Bloody Marys, avocado toast piled high enough to block the Shard, and enough bacon to make even the most devout vegan reconsider their life choices. But ultimately, The Old Ship is more than just a great pub (although, let's be real, that's reason enough to visit). It's a vibe, a sanctuary, a place where you can be whoever you damn well please and raise a glass to the glorious technicolor tapestry of life. So next time you're in the East End, skip the overpriced rooftop bars and dive into the boozy embrace of The Old Ship. You might just find your new favorite port in this LGBTQ+ storm. Just remember, darlings, it's always happy hour at The Ship, so let your freak flag fly and prepare to be swept away by the tide of good times. Cheers!

Vibes

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Location

The Old Ship

The Old Ship, Barnes Street, London, UK

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WhereIs.Gay rating

4.4

757 reviews

Overall rating across WhereIs.Gay and Google Maps.

Rating by source

  • WhereIs.Gay
    3.9
  • Google Maps
    4.4

Featured Google Maps reviews

Selected by Google Maps. Read more reviews on Google Maps.

Dai Tree
Dai Tree

3 months ago

The Old Ship in Limehouse is excellent. Great service and loads of banter. An amazingly friendly place. Loads of keg beers + 2 cask ales on offer. Super place, super people, a great place to visit.

Review from Google Maps

Alex Conkleton
Alex Conkleton

4 months ago

London worker district, neighbourhood corner pub with a long, narrow room on an L bar. A good selection of tap regular lagers from a well worn bar top. This pub is ready to party 🥳 under fairground bright balloons & crystal chandelier. The colour tassled entry & rainbow 🌈 decorative art & dedicated ready to play DJ booth. A well loved, well lived in vibe from friendly crowd to glass to low chair & soft pub classic stools. Strong door signs, flag stamps & firm but polite service is a landlord statement in a tougher location for a bar that knows how to party hard & hold its own.

Review from Google Maps

London Pub Map
London Pub Map

a year ago

🚇Limehouse 🍺 £5.70 Pravha ❤️ A welcoming East End local that knows how to put on a show. . The Old Ship is located on the corner of a picturesque Georgian square in Limehouse. The nearest Tube is Limehouse DLR. . This pub was built in 1851 and has a beautiful stock brick and green tiled exterior. If you look above the pubs hanging sign you will see the original Watney Combe Reid roundel. Above the pubs entrance is a rainbow flag as this pub is popular with the LGBTQ community. . This pub is divided in to three sections. At the front is the main bar, then a smaller secondary room offers a more intimate setting. Finally, at the back, there's a games room complete with a pool table. The decor here is modern and functional. The walls are papered in a deep red patterned wallpaper with T&G cashmere coloured panels below. Around the walls are lots of pictures of loyal locals and previous events put on by the pub. The servery is a good size and is clad in varnished brickwork. To the right is a DJ booth and small stage for hosting entertainment. . The beer selection was straightforward and included two cask ales. We decided on pints of Pravha, an excellent pint which cost just south of six quid. The food offering here is filled rolls, check behind the counter to see the variety of choices available. . The atmosphere and ambiance around this place is great, there is a warm and friendly feel here which made settling in easy. We got talking to a couple of lovely local ladies who were sisters and have lived in the area all their lives. They were telling us about the area and how this pocket of the East End has changed. This pub offers loads of entertainment, there are regular DJ and Drag Cabaret nights put on throughout the month. If you fancy testing your general knowledge, then come on down to the Quiz Night on a Wednesday. The service here was efficient and gracious. . The @oldshipe14 was a pleasant visit and we loved listening to the local ladies about times gone by. This pub welcomes one and all and is a great place to spend time in. This is another one of Limehouse’s hidden gems. . ℹ️ Info correct on visiting 28.05.23

Review from Google Maps

Kurtly Andrews
Kurtly Andrews

4 months ago

Great classic pub atmosphere and welcoming staff. Bright and lively time here.

Review from Google Maps

Dolls Dolls
Dolls Dolls

a week ago

Openly racist conversations was not really on my 2026 local lgbtq pub bingo card. The east end of london deserves better attitudes

Review from Google Maps

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Listing details

Last updated
28 January 2024
Listed in
London › United Kingdom
Data from
WhereIs.Gay community, the venue and Google