Old Doctor Butler’s Head

The Old Doctor Butler’s Head is one of the oldest pubs in the City of London, originally opened in 1610 it was rebuilt after the Great Fire. The odd name is explained by it being named after Doctor Butler the court physician to James I who specialised in bizarre cures for ailments, such as dropping plague victims into cold water. Stepping inside is like going back to the past except for the modern beers on tap and the Sky Sports.
I can’t really make up my mind about the place. It is a great place to grab a drink in the city but I prefer to stand outside when drinking there. The top two floors are more dedicated to serving food. The food is served in generous portions but the whole service is a bit Keystone Cops with a table full of food liable to arrive at different time.
I would recommend it to any tourist who wants to experience an old London pub that isn’t Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese.

Ahh, Doctor Butler, one of those doctors with most unusual cures to ailments, including throwing someone in the river! Still managed to become physician to the king somehow (probably wouldn’t dare throw him in the river, mind) and he made some medicinal ale to serve in the pubs he acquired, of which this is the last remaining.
Originally established in 1610 (via the fiery unpleasantness in 1666 when it had to be rebuilt), this pub is a godsend in the city, which is full of pubs with no history and no soul, there only to allow the masses to get inebriated and forget for a few hours their unpleasant and pointless jobs.
The only thing this pub has in common with those places is the price, but that’s hardly a surprise. Still 5 good real ales on tap deserve a definite thumbs up.
They have a TV for the sportmore upstairs apparently (although they only opened this all up when someone who must be a regular arrived).
I heard some amazing things about this pub. Its location down an alleyway is certainly quaint but although I enjoyed my visit, I think it may be a little overrated, benefitting from the lack of local competition

Excellent long standing City pub in Alley opposite the Guildhall. Decent beer but often only standing room, although plenty of room in atmospheric alley.

Good range of well-​kept Shepherd Neame bitters and a homage to Spitfire advertsiing on the way down to the basement gents’.
Proper City boozer. No idea what the food is like. Benefits greatly from the smoking ban (for me as a non-​smoker).
Can be hard to find, but worth the effort.

Don’t know what the doc’s favourite tipple was, but he would have definitely approved of the fine range of beers in this characterful little pub. Tucked in an alleyway behind Guildhall, this pub is popular with the more discerning after work suited types. Standing room only at anything but the quietest hours, but the alleyway makes for a convenient impropmtu beer garden whilst you sip on your Asahi.