The Porcupine is a traditional English pub conveniently located within a few minutes walk of the Leicester Square tube station. According to a brief historical synopsis in their menu, The Porcupine used to be frequented by highwaymen and robbers. These days, its location attracts the tourist crowd flooding out from Leicester Square and the theatre crowd on their way up to Cambridge Circus, as well as those out for a beer after work.

Very no frills pub, but it serves it purpose- beer and lots of it. The ground floor is unique in that it has more seats outside than in. What few seats there are well positioned by the large windows, ideal for people watching. The chances of finding a seat indoors are better if you venture upstairs, where there's a selection of benches and stools. The best location on a summer evening is a position by one of the open upstairs windows, looking out across Charing Cross Road.

The porcupine serves traditional pub fare such as fish and chips, bangers and mash, and steak pies for reasonable prices. The service is very slow, though, so one is better off sticking to a liquid diet.

The Castle is a no-frills 24 hour pub located near the Aldgate East tube station. What it lacks in décor it makes up for with a laid-back vibe and unbeatable drink prices. Happy hour, which starts at 9 PM features £1 bottles of Carlsberg lager! If lager isn’t your drink of choice try their house wine for only £6.00 a bottle.

The staff members were friendly and attentive. I never had to wait more than a couple of minutes for a beer, an impressive feat given the fact that there were only four bartenders attending to a heaving crowd.

The clientele is an interesting mix of students and neighbourhood residents, which creates a casual and pleasing environment to kick back and enjoy good conversation with your mates. Jeans, trainers, and funky tee shirts were the uniform of almost every punter, so you don’t have to fret before leaving the house that you will be dressed appropriately. After a few pints, wander upstairs with your friends and amuse yourself with a game of billiards while enjoying the indie tunes.

Situated on the corner of Radnor Walk and the Kings Road, the Chelsea Potter is the perfect place to sip a pint and grab a quick bite to eat after a long day of shopping. Its corner location makes it an excellent spot to catch a glimpse of the beautiful people passing by on the Kings Road.

The multitude of windows, combined with the high ceiling, the shiny wood throughout and the large mirrors give the place a very light and spacious feel. A few scattered high round tables with high stools; allows for more drinkers to be crammed in during the busy times. When the weather is good enough for outdoor drinking you’ll find nearly as many seats on the pavement outside as there are inside.

If you are feeling a bit peckish tuck into traditional pub favourites such as pie & chips, sausage & mash or fish & chips. I was also pleased to discover non-traditional pub fare such as nachos and chicken tenders with ranch dressing!

The clientele here varies from trendy shoppers, well-heeled locals, students and tourists. The casual atmosphere and no frills décor ensure that everyone will feel at ease in this popular neighbourhood bar.