The Cleveland Arms in London

I stopped in for a quick bite before catching a train at Paddington and regretted it. The food was well cooked and the server was polite and professional, so no complaints there. What let the experience down was the atmosphere and the attitude of who I assume was the owner. The dining room at the back was quiet almost empty with just one other table occupied by a family who were finishing up and getting ready to leave, with the rest of the tables free, I chose a sheltered corner seat as the table with kids was noisy, which is exactly what you would expect from kids but if I could avoid it as literally every other table was free then I would have preferred to sit in a quieter corner seat. I say preferred as no sooner had I sat down on the corner table the owner (at least I assume they were the owner from their attitude, and yes I do mean attitude) came over and told me to move. Not asked, or said hey would you be okay to keep the three seaters free for larger parties if they come, no he told me, move - now. A polite request I could have understood, especially if the room was busy or larger parties were waiting or even expected to come in, but it wasn’t. The room was practically empty and it stayed that way for almost the entire time I was there. The family left about the time I was ordering but rather than being able to relax the owner swept through the back room several times while I was eating. To be fair to him, he may simply have been checking the space or keeping an eye out for new arrivals, but combined with his brusque manner and the sheer number he times he did it in the short hour I was there it created a mood that felt more managerial and distinctly unwelcoming. A shame really — the kitchen and waiting staff did their jobs well, but the overall tone wasn’t what you’d hope for in a gastropub, where a warmer, more relaxed approach makes all the difference - owner take note your are letting your staff down. As it stands I wouldn’t recommend this place and would actively recommend all solo travellers to avoid. Pity given it’s proximity to Paddington

We visited The Cleveland Arms on a Sunday at the end of our week-long trip to London, just before catching the Heathrow Express from Paddington. I was with my wife and three-year-old daughter, and we were all a bit travel-weary and laden with luggage. The staff couldn’t have been kinder—they let us in before opening, and from that moment on, it was just a wonderful experience. The space itself is charming, the Sunday roasts were absolutely top notch, and the service was attentive, knowledgeable, and genuinely welcoming (it was truly refreshing to see people take such pride in their work.) I even got to try a few tasty beers and ales I hadn’t heard of before. We’ve found our new favourite pub in London—we’ll definitely be back. Be sure to book the Sunday roast in advance since it's clearly popular.

Having lived in London many years ago I was craving a proper Sunday Roast. This pub was around the corner from where we were staying and I booked a table from the reviews. It did not disappoint one of the best roasts I’ve had in London. The staff were soo friendly we came a few times for a drink during our stay and it just has such a great cosy atmosphere. If you’re in the area would definitely recommend!