The Shakespeare Reviews

Loved the cozy pub vibe and had a really nice dinner. Was a great place to catch up with friends. Would definitely recommend.

We’re we’re looking for a bar showing the Spain vs Scotland football game from Thursday, Austin the bar manager tried his best to find the right channel, but unfortunately we couldn’t find it. Never mind we had a beer and got chatting with Austin. When we mentioned that our son had just turned 18 Austin insisted on giving us some cake and fries. What a lovely surprise. Great atmosphere, great chat and great Austin was a great host. Hopefully we will manage another visit before we leave NYC. X

Was here with my family and wnt to this basement level pub/restaurant. My wife got Jack's cider to start, I had a Jones Wood IPA and kids got soft drinks. For the meal, we started off with Scotch eggs, and the mains were fish and chips and I had the bangers and mash. The fish portions were barely there for the fish and chips (had more at other places in town) but the fries were decent. My meal was a disappointment. The mash potatoes had the consistency and taste of rehydrated mash potato mix, and the bangers were soft and mushy, was washing for the snappy sausage I all to well know from my experiences in the UK and good establishments. 1 scotch egg was $10 (wow and we got two), and the fish was $25/plate while the bangers were $22. I finally got a nice high check of over $130 for a family of 4. Nathan our server was a bit pushy and I guess he was wishing we would order more food, apps, and desserts from the way he was asking us. The place was not that busy. Oh well...

The food did not taste good. We got the fish & chips. The batter was not cooked long enough. It was mushy. The atmosphere felt dingy. The staff did more complaining to each other than interacting with guests. At least they had a Pimms cup! A waste of $70! Overpriced, awful food.

Did some online research to find an authentic English Breakfast experience in NYC - didn't want to go to Tea & Sympathy since their reviews sounded like service was problematic. Decided to go with The Shakespeare inside of The William Hotel. Their Saturday brunch was supposed to begin at 11am. We waited with one other customer at the locked front door for ten minutes past 11am (and one inquiry inside of the hotel), until they opened their doors. They turned on the lights and the tv's above the full bar area and two small tables nearby, but never bothered opening up the separate dining area across the hall. The wait service was just okay and unremarkable. We ordered two English Breakfasts and some bubble and squeak. The English Breakfast was sadly not great. The poached egg, blood sausage and baked beans were decent enough, the sourdough bread a little on the stale side, the portobello mushroom a little mealy, the (stripy) bacon was fatty and the tomato a little sad. Not satisfying at $19 each! I will say the side of bubble and squeak at $5 was very good - diced vegetables (carrots, potatoes, etc.) sautéed and seasoned - I would definitely have that again. But I wouldn't go out of my way to return just for that one dish after this first visit. During the 90 minutes or so that we were there, the two of us and the other customer that opened the place were the only diners. One other person staying at the hotel came in, but only for a drink at the bar.

A little pricey, but worth it. We were headed to the speakeasy "The Law Rooms" but there was a 45-minute wait. We were told we could put our names down on the waiting list, and go to The Shakespeare - we decided to just grab a drink and stay there, and I'm very pleased we did. The cocktails were good and strong and were served by professional and polite waiting staff. It's very atmospheric with low lighting, oversized armchairs and sofas, in what seemed like an English gentleman's living room - which is the point I guess! But with very few other people in there - a young couple on a date, and three friends discussing their daily work dramas, it really felt like we had the place to ourselves. Soft music was playing, which was lovely. I'd thoroughly recommend checking it out.

I was surprised I managed to spend $100+ on one main course and a bottle of house wine and a pint of cider. But the food was excellent - I had the chicken with some triple cooked fries. It was quiz night when I went on a Sunday evening which was enjoyable and well attended. Happy hour, which I missed, runs from 4pm-6pm everyday has some great beers available.

Went for Lunch on a Saturday afternoon and we were one of only a couple of tables there. Everyone was very friendly and professional and the room was warmly decorated in the traditional British Pub mode but our dishes were only average. There are literally dozens (or hundreds) of British/Irish Pubs in Manhattan, many with better versions of the traditional "pub-grub" that we ordered. The chips or thick French fries were crispy but had unpleasantly powdery centers, although the fried cod was good. My bangers and mash was swimming in gravy, turning the mash into more like a beefy potato soup. Good beer selections though, so maybe they just need to iron out some kinks since they are pretty new

Ok, it's been a while since a place gave me so good vibes. Date night everything was ready for this. Food only English but the best of England, choice of beer excellent. Service fine, last hit lot least the deco, the atmosphere were phenomenal.

The hostess, Savannah, was great.. friendly, attentive and sweet. I also liked the décor and the old style British Pub feel with low ceilings and burgundy wallpaper, rustic wood tables and heavy cutlery. Food however was only so-so... fine if we WERE in Shakespeare's time, but hey we are in NYC, and the Fish and Chips ain't 3 pence. For the money it costs, they need to get on the kitchen staff. Bangers and mash were lukewarm and too much gravy on the mash. Fish and Chips were better, but still not a $18.00 dish. Service was friendly, but rushed and chaotic...however all food came out fine. The kitchen needs the help.

Met a friend here last night. Wonderful atmosphere, and the vibe downstairs really reminded me of my younger drinking days in the City (of London). Awesome beer selection (London Pride, Abbot Ale for the Brits) and a happy hour, great dinner at the bar (perfectly cooked scotch eggs, fish/steak and chips), and 2 x bartenders at the top of their game despite the crowds. Frankly, that was the only downside..had to leave just after 7pm because the heat became unbearable. Never mind, will definitely go back.

Had lunch at the Shakespeare today with my wife. She had a soup and salad and it must have been good because she never offered me a bite. But it was not large and cost was $20 combined. I had the rosemary lamb pie and it was good but to be honest it was all potatoes and dough very little lamb and honestly I didn't taste the rosemary at all. The pie crust was the best part of the pie but with all that potato it was overkill. Though I didn't try them, burgers are about $18 at lunch and fish and chips were like $22. That's high even in NYC. So food fine, check. Cost high, right, check. The reason I won't be back was the chairs believe it or not. I had to sit on a backless stool which every table has in addition to a built in booth style bench (with a back) but my wife gets that and yours probably does too. So I had to sit uncomfortably through lunch choking down way too much starch and then paying $40 for lunch where we only drank water. So as they say in pubs across the pond - no thank you, this is not my cup of tea.

Nice little pub which seems to be the club for Williams College. The food at lunch was good-- the special was well priced; the bar well stocked with speciality beers.

Shakespeare is a hidden British Pub under the Williams Hotel. Access it from UNDER the staircase. I ended up walking past it twice before I found it. They have a great selection of traditional cocktails- (love Pimm's Cup and Dark and Stormy). I didn't try the wine or beer, but dd see the beverage list and saw that there was a wide array as well. Food wise- I had the Brussels' sprouts (well caramelized and served with bacon and apricot), Scotch egg and calamari rings. Calamari ring were fresh and tender and came in a decent portion. Overall a great little place to go after work for pub grub and drinks.

I have been before and had the sausages. Superb. This time had the lunch which was the beat scotch egg I have ever had and a small but succulent chicken and mushroom pie. Love coming here.

Well, no but he would have felt at home here. I was here for lunch. We stuck with the burgers, MMMMM - specials included a pint, meat pie and something else but I cannot recall. Server was pleasant. This place definitely has British vibe. For lunch, it was a bit pricey - about $25 per person including an entree and a non alcoholic drink. Oh, there is an Upstairs but we were in the Pub. Oh, the fries were superb

Called in for a light snack and drinks. Really great designed restaurant within The William hotel on E39th St. Great interior and love belt friendly staff. I had the crab salad which was delicious. Nice terrace out back for a sunny day which is covered with a pergola and bright coloured cushions

After a tour of the Morgan Library we stopped at Shakespeare restaurant for dinner. Without reservations on a Friday night we were fortunate to be led into a small room to the side of the bar. The snug is a private small room with a sliding door that a diner or the bartender can operate. Cozy and richly decorated with paneling, this is a wonderful way to visit with friends. My bangers and mash following a Scotch egg were excellent. The others enjoyed their meals but the atmosphere of this unique space was the reason this dinner was special.

Get a seat at the Raines Law room, press the bell, order a drink and done light fare, sit back in solitude or engage in a conversation and relax, forgetting you are in the middle of the city that never sleeps!

Lovely little English pub, simple and quaint - traditional, but posh food, in an unassuming place however you should expect posh prices (you are just off 5th ave. after all). Good simple food done well. Wonderful English and American beers on tap (especially Old Speckled Hen!), and well made cocktails. Don't know about the poor service reviews I've seen here as I had lunch at the bar and the service was excellent, but unhurried - which suited me well.

Enjoyed the food here, a good selection on the menu and the service was really good. Food is an American / British twist which is a bit strange but when it arrives, the taste is good. Probably better places to find but if you're in the area and on business then I wouldn't say no.

Well, they DO have something like that here. Very nice menu, quite diverse, as Shakespeare's plays are. Ate onside because it was a bit cool outside, but they have a very nice outside eating area. Servers were great, knowledgable about their dishes, and reasonably priced.

I came here for lunch back in April and my friends and I were overall pleased with our meal. It was a fairly slow day and the service was fine. We caught the tail end of brunch and I had pancakes with blueberries; they were fairly average-tasting overall and a wee bit expensive for 3 small pancakes, but you expect that out of most places in Manhattan. My beer was much better than my meal and I definitely recommend Innis & Gunn to anyone who likes darker beers. My friends thought their meals were decent overall and that about sums up our opinion of this place. It definitely seems like a better place to have a pint or two, so I'd have to return at night to get a better feel for The Shakespeare overall.

My daughter and I dined at The Shakespeare for my birthday. I enjoy Scotch Eggs and Bangers & Mash, and have eaten them in New York, Savannah, Los Angeles and of course London. I was very disappointed with both at The Shakespeare. For starters, the egg tasted undercooked. I do realize there are various methods and recipes for preparing a Scotch egg. Perhaps I misunderstood their method for doing so. They served the egg with tartar sauce, which I found interesting, as I’ve not had it in such a fashion. I did not find it enjoyable and requested they bring me Branston Pickles. They had none and didn’t seem to even know what they were. I settled for mustard. I asked for Coleman’s but am certain it was not. I also found it odd that an English Pub had no Branston pickles. The service was a completely different matter. It was, in a word, terrible. We were seated for what seemed quite a long time before anyone even approached our table. The server was polite but seemed a bit overwhelmed. It did appear as if they may have been understaffed, and if that was the case it would have been prudent to have informed us. I had to ask for salt and pepper, and the beer I ordered took far too much time to get to the table, as did our main course. Sadly, it was not a pleasant experience at all. I will not go back, and regrettably I would advise others not to eat there.

Great upscale pub food for a reasonable cost. Had a stripped sea bass special with risotto. Really well done. Apple crumb cake for dessert, good for diabetics. Really good experience. Total bill $50 for one.

Yes...I'm coming down on the side of 'excellent'. That's not to give the impression that it's an utterly excellent restaurant, but rather because it has enough attributes to give you an excellent meal. My wife met cousins at the Shakespeare for a lunch. The location is a good one...just about a 6-minute walk from Grand Central Station so it's an easy place to meet if people are coming from different locations, as we were. The Shakespeare is located in an old NYC-style residence. Don't be too surprised by the darkness inside...at first it is a bit, well...dark...but you'd get used to it quickly. It has an old fashioned interior, very tastefully decorated with a cozy "pubby" atmosphere...very comfortable, indeed. And, the menu makes it clear that there are a good number of traditional English/Irish pub dishes available: Shepherd's Pie, Bangers and Mash, Fish and Chips, but a good deal of other dishes are available. All of the dishes served to the four of us were fine. The choice of beer and wine was good, too. Our waitress was very friendly and accommodating, so all in all, we all felt we had made an excellent choice of restaurant for our lunch.

We got to the pub as Saturday brunch was ending so we rushed to order because there was going to be some lag time before the dinner menu was served. We are glad we got to try brunch. We shared a Golden Beet soup that was delicious . There was a bit of nutmeg but the flavors changed with each slurp ( sorry sip?). Great changes , that is. The burger was excellent ( house burger with everything) . The Lima Bean truffle omelette was cooked perfectly. It was not over done but rather delicate & tasty. Great experience .

Yelp reviews got me here. We were in the area looking for food and drinks and this popped up. It was a gem. I get how people would come here in the winter and let their days go by while the snow falls while talking with friends and enjoying sweet traditions of a pub. We had brunch which was delicious. Egg dishes and some other english bites like sausage. The service was great. Selina helped us out at the bar and she was lovely. The bathrooms were nice and there were little nooks you can chose to sit in and be private which I thought was great. Again I can see how a group of friends would like to hang here and throw back some yummy beer and food. I'd say drop in. It's a great spot. Enjoy!

Our hotel was on the same street so we walked past this restaurant every day. One night we decided we'd give it a go so walked into The William (upstairs entrance). They were full at that point but invited us to go downstairs for a drink at The Shakespeare, have a look over the menu and then go back when a table becomes free. The atmosphere downstairs though was much more our cup of tea - a really inviting, warm, cosy pub with lovely staff. We had a drink and looked over their menu too (two different menus - upstairs being more fine dining and downstairs more pub grub) and decided to stay downstairs for food. We went through to the opposite side to the bar to eat, where there was candlelit tables and a lit open fire. The waitress serving us all night was really friendly and helpful when deciding on dishes and wine. I enjoyed an amazing pork belly with creamy mash and a lentil slaw and my husband had "the best steak he's every tasted" with peppercorn sauce. Both meals just melted in our mouths the meat was so tender. We shared a chocolate and sea salt tart for pudding which was yumm!! We went back on our last day in NYC for dinner (lunch in your speak) and had some dinner specials - fish pie and a burger and both were gorgeous again. We even introduced our New Yorker friend to the place and she loved it too :)

We decided to try this upstairs dinning room over the pub in the William Hotel because of the name and the presence of rhubarb fool and lemon syllabub in the dessert menu. It was a rainy day so the outdoor patio was not available. The dining room decor was quirky but fun. There is a choice of a 2-course or 3-course prix fixe pricing with choices for each course or and a la carte menu with some more traditional pub-style offerings, like a burger, fish and chips, Scotch egg or bangers and mash. We went with the 3-course menu and had a spring salad with peas, fava beans, charred endive, and a blood orange vinaigrette. For the main course, we had the fisherman's pie made with local John Dory, Scottish salmon, PEI mussels and a saffron sauce. It was very tasty. For dessert we had the rhubarb fool, which had poached rhubarb, chantilly cream, crystalized fennel pollen, toasted almond; and a sauterne poached pear with chocolate sauce, pieces of candied hazelnut, and vanilla ice cream. There were 12 wines by the glass and 14 beers on tap.

Coming from the UK I didn't expect to be going to a British restaurant in New York. But on the app GLP it was closest to our hotel, and I was not disappointed. Very unique and interesting restaurant, fairly priced considering New York prices. Both me and parents enjoyed it (so covering a fair few generations). We went on a Wednesday night and it was busy. I think booking in advance would be a good idea. But great meal, lovely staff and fair prices. If I'm ever back in NYC again, I'll be going.

Came here for the first time for dinner with a friend. The place is a little hard to find - just look for the big staircase. We had a reservation but when I walked in they led me downstairs and backup as if they didn't know where the reservations were for. Finally I was seated and waited about five minutes for my friend. Once she arrived we were promptly given menus and waters - which was nice. However that was the end of the promptness. We had to ask someone to take our drink order after about ten - fifteen minutes. Once they brought the drinks we were ready to order but they walked away. So we waited another long while to have our food order taken. The staff was great at explaining options on the menu and specials they had. I order d the french onion soup and the sea trout, my friend the butternut squash soup and the burger. We were very happy with the food - prepared nicely and tasted fantastic. It was a while before someone came over to take our empty plates and bring a dessert menu. Once we decided on dessert it was another waiting game to place our order. We ended up asking for the check at the same time we ordered dessert to avoid waiting forever. The atmosphere here is very cool, the food amazing and a decent drink list. That ends the good things. The service here is the worst. I wouldn't come back here because it was so bad.

Look for a ramp that leads to a basement under another building. You enter a pub that feels very much like one that might have existed in the 14th century. The ceiling is wide planks with wooden beams. The service is friendly and it attracts a sophisticated Murray Hill clientele. It is 'pub grub', but good. Nice selection of beers. Cheers.

I went to dinner here with a friend and we had such a good time. The food was delicious! The wonderful woman who served us made us feel very welcome and was extremely attentive to us. She made great recommendations and was very patient with us as we were the last to leave the restaurant. The food was delicious but I have to say the woman serving us was truly amazing. Unfortunately I did not get her name but she has an Irish accent. I highly recommend!

Very attentive staff (with reservations) though a bit crowded in the main dining room upstairs. Prices are a bit high, but the food is excellent.

Popped in to get some cold cider and some food one evening - really enjoyed it! Food was delicious. Would recommend this place t anyone wishing to have some decent British style food.

Nice British bar. All the favorite beers including boddingtons. Good fish and chips. Small alcove areas. Pool room and a few tvs showing all the football

This place is great! Great service and British style food in the middle of Manhattan! Lovely quaint decor too! I will definitely visit again!

Stopped by for brunch on a rainy day and spent a wonderful, relaxing two hours here. The English Breakfast was authentic and delicious. Excellent service in a unique, classy pub

We'll definitely be returning. Great food and atmosphere. The chicken tikka marsala, a classic English pub dish, was fantastic. The bangers in the bangers and mash were the best we'd had in a long time--even better than in a lot of pubs in England. Usually in a pub you get mass-produced, uninteresting bangers, but these were just right. They had a nice texture. The cask beer was also very good. It was also rather expensive, but we found most beer in NYC to be expensive. Maybe a local wouldn't be as surprised by the prices as we were. (There was yeast in the cask beer, which didn't bother me, but a real stickler might wonder if more attention could be paid to cellarmanship.) We also really enjoyed the atmosphere. It wasn't too loud (although, I'd read reviews stating otherwise) and there were all sorts of fun pictures and ornaments on the walls. All in all, there was a real attention to detail and it felt like a pub not some restaurant pretending to be a pub. The toilet in the men's room even came complete with an old-fashioned pull-chain, which, until not too long ago, was still easy to find in England. They know what they're doing at The Shakespeare.

Nice old nostalgic pub in the hotel that was busy. The drinks were reasonably priced and good service.

I cannot fault the interior: candle-lit, cosy and adorned with pictures, photos and antiques that makes you feel that you're almost home in England. Food was good as well! Service was attentive. I loved the fact that Samuel Smiths beer was also available. The reason for the four stars is for two reasons... 1) The Cask Marque plague outside expired in 2016. 2) The cask ale. As a lover of this beautiful stuff, the cask ale served here wasn't that great. Almost had to force myself to finish it. I love the fact that this place seems to be one of the only establishments that serves cask beer but fresh, well-kept cask ale is heavenly and, unfortunately, this one I had didn't cut it!

My husband and I visited this pub as it was close to our hotel during a recent trip over Superbowl weekend. We will be back. The decor is attractive and beer selection very good. They even had two options on cask. We had the Wells Bombardier on cask and it was like having a pint in London. It was very good quality. The place was pretty full when we arrived at approximately 7pm on a Saturday. When we left 90 minutes later all the tables were full. We did not eat; however, many people around us were dining. The food looked excellent. If we did not have dinner reservations elsewhere we would have eaten here. There is also a sister restaurant upstairs that seems to be very popular. The staff here are very friendly and know a lot about English beer. The head bartender enjoyed talking with us and explained that it opened only 6 weeks earlier. If you like English pubs then you will love this place. The enrance can be a bit hard to see. It is in the basement of The William Hotel.

This place is fun but beware the post-work bar crowd. They tend to be loud talkers in suits. That aside...it is a great place. Sit in the dining area. I would suggest the scotch egg, followed by the bream, and then grilled cheese (stilton and cheddar). You will notice that the eyes of the dashing young man in the painting above the fireplace will always follow you. After a few rounds we decided that he was once of the illuminati and all the secrets in the world are stored in a safe behind that painting. Silliness aside, just go, drink, and laugh.

Had a business meeting at the Shakespeare. Loved the beer selection although I did not try the cask beer as NYC was scorching. Love the feel of the place. On 39th street but you are apt to walk buy it as it is in lower level of the Williams Club building. All the employees were terrific although not sure they were all beer experts. Fish were very good, crispy outside, nice and flaky inside ..chips were really really good wish there were more. This place is perfect if you can't quite get to London.

Being typical Brits, we ended up at this dimly-lit English-themed bar/restaurant in East Midtown. It's underneath The William boutique hotel on E 39th Street, accessed via a ramp that could be easy to miss. Probably the cosiest place we visited during our stay - it does have the olde English pub vibe that we're used to at home and makes a change from the abundance of Irish bars in the area. We drank whisky at a small private table with a great view of the bar through a little windowless hole in the wall which was adorned with candles (nice touch) - and the prices were reasonable for Manhattan. Being situated near the United Nations - and during the time of the General Assembly - the bar was teeming with men in suits wearing earpieces and lapel badges and drinking soda - with a lot of black cars with discreet sirens parked outside and around the corner. Who knows who else was in there? It was certainly a great place for people-watching anyway. Recommended.

Any place that has Fuller's London Pride on draft in perfect form gets 4 stars from me. Excellent bartenders and great British Pub atmosphere- great crowd. Boisterous but not overwhelmingly loud. Scotch Egg was perfectly cooked although the lamb special was tough and chewy. they had futbol on the screens so that was enjoyable too - felt like i was in London. Will be back again!!

Middle of Manhattan, basement level, cozy, friendly, great food and real cask conditioned ale in fine condition. Barmaid knows how to properly pull a proper 20oz pint too!! A real find and highly recommended!

Traditional English food like bangers & mash, fish & chips, hangar steak, etc. The place is clean, and comfortable. Great cask beers, beers on tap, and really good bottles beer. A great place to relax after work, a comfy food place, and a great place for lunch. It's downstairs from the Peacock. I missed it first time I went there. Look for the stairs leading down from the street.

I actually got turned around then saw the sign and decided to take a chance. I got a Shakespeare burger which was very, very good. The fries are amazing. I had dinner in a lovely outdoor space, quiet and cool.

We liked it too much !! We stayed until close and it was still busy. I had a good English banger !!! WHERE DO YOU FIND THAT ??

Fabulous food, amazing drinks and incredible service. Lovely ambiance, beautiful decor. So glad I discovered this little gem! I will definitely return on my next trip to the city.

Had a meal with an old friend and really enjoyed a good burger and a few beers. It is usually very busy so always a good idea to book a table.

The hostess was nice. That’s about it. Four friends enter the bar, look for a table. Okay, there’s an empty private table at the end of the bar in a curtained-off space. We sit and can see the bartender through the service window above the table. After ten minutes the bartender slaps menus on the window sill without a word. We look over the menus and wait. Eventually she comes back and flings the sliding window shut. WTF? We look at each other in puzzlement. We get up and leave, the hostess cheery as ever on the way out, the only words spoken by the staff in the fifteen minutes we were there. Hard to believe that whoever owns this place wants their customers treated like this. But really not our problem.

Service was good by London standards but average for New York. The food was good and they serve London Pride and a well-kept drop of Guinness. We got hassled (in an apologetic manner) to leave our table, this need for our table was not mentioned at the outset. We were offered a table in the cocktail bar to compensate, not cocktails just a table!

My husband and I stayed at The William, so we ate here one night for dinner. We also used to live in England for awhile, so we were curious about the food! My husband got the bangers & mash and he was very pleased. I liked my fish & chips. We were both so excited for the sticky toffee pudding - it comes kind of muffin-like, which is not traditional, but it was still good. I also got the non-English-style avocado toast for an appetizer and loved it. Very pleasant dinner!

LOVED this bar....like walking into an old English pub. Small, but lovely interior. Service was lacking, unfortunately. Wait staff seemed overwhelmed,even though there were only a few people there. Waited a very long time for drinks and even longer for food, but once the food arrived, it was worth the wait. Burger was really, really good. Overheard that they had just opened recently, so hope that the service issues are soon cleared up. Will definitely give it a second chance.

We went to the Rains Law room for some drinks and get down for sone food. Nothing outstanding reasonable beer selection and few choices for food in the menu. We have burger and fish & chips 5 beers, $110 with tip.

Staying at William hotel and looking for a good place to watch NCAA tournament lucky for us we found the Shakespeare. Good beer selection, attentive service that treated us like old friends. Eclectic crowd with amazing live music made for wonderful night. We will be back.

We walked out of our hotel and headed down the street for something to eat and the aroma from their door brought us in. The restaurant feel is very old English pub lots of dark wood, warm colors and cosy. the beer selection is great, service was nice recommended the special fish pie which was awesome.

Nothing like it in the neighborhood. Basement bar, wood beams, great spot to meet a few friends for beers. Well worth a stop if you are looking for a place within a few blocks of grand central.

We decided to come here after going to the Morgan Museum a couple blocks away. We were so happy we did. We got here around 5:30 on a Saturday night, which was perfect. There were only two other people in the small dining area.By 6:00 the room was full. The room is cozy though. We had a very nice waitress who knew the menu well. We started off with the scottish egg. It was really good! I kept seeing good reviews for the bangers and mash so I went with that and was not disappointed. The sausage was tasty, the onions were sweet and the mashed potatoes were golden and buttery. No lumps and they were not bland. My girlfriend tried the steak special with watercress salad and the fries. The steak was delicious, but she said the watercress salad was underwhelming and then fries were really thick so they weren't as crispy and light as we were hoping. That's really the only reason for a 4 instead of 5 star review. For dessert we got the chocolate and sea salt tart. Delicious. It was beyond creamy and warm. One of the best desserts. The other plus was the ladies room is nice and big, unlike many NYC restrooms where you feel like you are in a small box. Get there early or go off peak!

We made a reservation, and we're glad we did! We went there on a Tuesday evening, and it was a nearly full dining room. The dining room is somewhat small, but the waiter came quickly to take our drink order and soon after our dinner order. It was delivered in perfect time, was carefully prepared all at the proper temperature. Lovely dining experience, but would recommend making a reservation for most nights. The atmosphere is of an English pub with a low ceiling and lots of wood paneling and old prints and lighting about the room. The noise level can be fairly high and the patrons are convivial so if you are looking for a quiet dinner atmosphere, another choice might be more suitable.

The atmosphere would've been perfect, except for the loud music by the bar. We came thinking it would be a nice quiet place to grab some drinks and hold a conversation. My girlfriend wanted the seasonal sangria - and they were out. So she picked a glass of wine... And they were out of that too. So we had one round and went elsewhere. Drinks were alright as were the prices. Our experience easily could've gone in the other direction, but we left disappointed.

The Shakespeare was recommended to me by some local folks, definitely was a good choice. The bar underneath was a great place to warm up for the dinner, though very crowded even on week nights. I had the salmon one night and the sea trout another night, both were excellent. I also had a beet salad and a scotish egg (yummy!). I would eat here again for sure.

I was only there because I knew the manager, but it was actually a really nice place. It was very popular when I was there, but the bartenders were very attentive and did a good job.

Really nice pub and restaurant in ny city center. Good menu and fairly good beer list. The restaurant is well furnished and the athmosphere is cosy

We attended the Tartan Day Parade and decided to have lunch prior. This small quaint restaurant and bar was perfect. The fish and chips was as good as we had in Scotland. Wonderful selection of draft beers.

Good beer, comfortable bar, average food and convenient central location. I don't particularly like large screen TV's in bars as here (being English I'm used to it to be honest though but at least they had European soccer on.)

This was a place well worth visiting. We had a great meal and great craft beer. The service was excellent and we had a wonderful evening.

We enjoyed an afternoon snack with good tea and sandwiches. Service was a bit slow, but folks were very friendly. The place has an Elizabethean atmosphere, that is for sure.

Our party of 9 was anticipating our Shakespeare dinner after reading TripAdvisor reviews. Unfortunately our experience fell short of the 4 star rating. In short, our server seemed to be too busy to handle our drink orders in a timely fashion. After another 10 minute wait were told that 2 of the beers we requested were out of stock and would need to order different beers. It took 20 minutes from the time we were seated to receive our drinks. The food was remarkably average and again were not impressed with the service. In summary would not revisit this restaurant

This old townhouse on East 39th St. used to be the Williams (College) Club but has been converted to a series of dining rooms featuring English food in a British themed setting. We had a large group and were offered a limited prix fixe menu that was all good. The place was crowded on a Tuesday night--a mix of business dinners and couples. The waitstaff treated us royally and kept the wine flowing at what was a celebratory dinner.

Walking down the ramp to the basement level of Shakespeare, we knew we were in for a treat. The subterranean dark wood atmosphere set the scene for a great dining experience. Appropriate for families, couples or groups of friends, it was acoustically perfect for conversation. The skate sandwich was so fresh and delicious, it was just right with locally brewed beer. Served with chips, the casual atmosphere was perfect for the evening, but we longed to be here for their black tie masquerade dinner on December 19th.

We arrived @ 6:30pm on a recent Sunday evening (a Meetup dinner group of 6 people). The entire point of attending was to have their $19 "Sunday Roast" dinner - classic British comfort food. They claimed to have "run out" of the Yorkshire pudding - perhaps the key component of the meal - and desserts were completely gone at that point. Why this happened when we made the reservation a full month in advance is beyond me. It might be OK if you go early in the day, but overall, the food was rather bland and I was totally disappointed. Moreover, they didn't offer us any compensation such as free drinks, etc., for having run out of food, except for a miniscule treacle tart to be shared among the entire table. Ludicrous and sloppy on their part. In a restaurant climate as competitive as New York, this is unacceptable, to say the least.

Great and unexpected experience. We stayed there over lunch time. Especially the service and the quality of the food was refreshing. Also some new ideas like grilled watermelon and handmade ice cream.

Of all the places I could have picked out for my sip and see, I picked this place. The ambience, the staff, the beauty of this place is everything you want and more.

This is quite a find. An imaginative menu and really tasty food even including vegan options. Staff were really helpful and very engaging, especially Al who smiled all the way through our teasing! Only complaint? The English mustard was way too gentle! Needs to blow your head off Al! Thanks for a great evening and see you next time

Part of the William hotel building, this pub is kinda hidden from the street but it is worth the effort to find. We chose to eat outside on the deck in back of the main floor reception area of the hotel. We ordered fish and chips which included thrice cooked chips and both the fish and chips were among the best we've had in this town. Service was attentive and polite. Ambiance was pub-ish indoors and sanctuary-like outside. Nothing smells like an old pub and outdoors on a Friday night with temps in the 60s was refreshing.

Stopped by with a friend for an afterwork drink or two. The place is pretty cool, definitely not the typical atmosphere. Good crowd and energy. I dropped the rating a couple of points due to one issue: the bar staff. Even going out of my way to be very polite and very patient, every request to the bar staff (from ordering to paying my bill) seemed just to be a bother to them. I really don't care to patronize a place where the staff makes customers feel their every request is an undue burden.

We liked this laid back suburban pub. The food was fine, the service was efficient and cheerful, and the setting was warm and welcoming. Many if the staff were Irish or Scottish, which was fun, too.

We had a party of 8 and found a booth in the corner. It was a quiet place to talk in the busy city. Enjoyed the decor and the quaint space. Great location close to the office and an easy walk from broadway.

Went for drinks and food after long day in the office, orders couple of lagers which were ok but the wine (pino nouir) was terrible and had to replace it with cheap merloet. The hosts attitude was below reasonable and we left without ordering food. Not impressed.

I have been to England and this place was very similar to a pub we enjoyed near Hyde Park. The food was absolutely delicious and beautiful. It was an expensive breakfast but just like a perfect haircut, you cant put a price on it! For three people, we had 2 plates each and coffee, and the bill was about $70.00. I would visit here again as a treat next time I come to NYC

Friends from England recommended this restaurant so we thought we would try it out Pure pub vibe. Wonderful service and atmosphere and amazing food.. If we start off by sharing the scotch eggs , tasted others dinners from the Shepard's pie, bangers & mash to F&Chips .. Dont miss out !

I hosted a 60 person private event for clients at The William. Afterward, we were told we could head down into the pub to continue our evening. I cannot begin to express how rude the staff at this space were. The one bartender viscously verbally attacked a coworker of mine for asking her for WATER and proceeded to make a scene in front of my clients about it. Moments later, another client of mine had a drink accidentally spilled, and when she approached the bar for napkins this same bartender threw napkins at her. Unbelievable mistreatment of guests and a total embarrassment, especially considering we spent over $7,000 for a two hour private event. Upon e mailing the event planner we worked with to organize the event, they certainly had enough time to charge my credit card the remaining $4,500 balance for the event, but have yet to address the issue. Do yourself a favor and never host clients at this place, or go there in general, unless you enjoy being berated by their insanely unprofessional staff.

Stopped by here on a Thursday night after an event for a pint and snacked on their avocado toast appetizer. Since it was an off night,it was relaxing place to unwind. Bartenders were friendly. I have been here on for an event once before and this place can get crowded quickly

Went with friends and have a good time the staff was great and friendly. The food is very average: shepherds pie was 90% mash potatoes, but heard fish and chips was good. Would go again but try something different or only have some fine liquids.

Met friends in from London at Grand Central station and took them here for lunch. Was very quaint as we talked the afternoon away as the snow fell outside. Got there at 11:30am and left at 4:30pm. Had a wonderful server who we got to know well. Good food, good beer, good friends, it was a wonderful day and the Shakespeare more than helped make it that way. And btw, the Brits said the pub food was pretty authentic and were impressed by the beer list.

When you go to a pub named Shakespeare, decorated in an olde English style, you have a set of expectations. They were fulfilled until the management cranked up the disco music to an unbearable level for conversation. Three table groups complained -- repeatedly. No action. A group of 5 women went together to the manager. They turned it down slightly. Don't go unless you're in your John Travolta white suite.

The pints are no longer Imperial - the barman explained that a 20 oz. pint would increase the beer price to $10 - they sell more 16 oz pints at $8, The beer on tap was awesome - I recommend the Young's London Ale. The fish and chips were great - if a bit pricey, but it's NYC. Good service, Chicken Tika Marsala also was good. A nice find (you have to look rather hard) near Grand Central Station and also nice to have an English Pub in the City.

Shakespeare's, The Peacock... where to start. An amazing venue and the food is nothing short of spectacular. Complemented by fantastic staff and a great location, one of the finest dining experiences I have had in NYC!

This is part of a triage of British infused rest-bars in Mid-Manhattan. The Shakespeare is a lower level bar, with great beverage atmosphere and service. the have a great selection of food - make sure you try the sticky toffee pudding! I ordered the Allagash White Ale which was amazing! (fruity and sweet).

Very interesting place. Hard to know how authentic the exposed beams might be, but the old fireplace suggests that this might really be an old basement apartment. Anyway, as to lunch: no bitter was on offer, made do with a serviceable IPA. Unexpectedly, a country pâté with cornichons and good English mustard made for a sort of Chunnel combination with the IPA. Not a bad result.

We made a last minute booking at the Shakespeare for Thanksgiving dinner, after coming across it on Open Table. Firstly, the restaurant was a bit more formal than I expected, and I kind of preferred the look of the cosier pub area downstairs, but it was still a nice atmosphere and the service was very attentive. It was a set menu, and a little pricey (to be expected on this day), but every course was excellent. In particular, the turkey in the main course was probably the best turkey I’ve ever had, and the sweet potato mash was delicious. The only thing we didn’t understand was the corn bread, and how you’re supposed to eat a heavy sponge cake with a roast, but obviously this is only because we haven’t come across this particular American staple before!! Overall, this was the best meal we had in New York, and I would highly recommend it.

I was told by friends who live in the area to check out the Shakespeare for Saturday brunch or Sunday roast. Further feedback was that weekends are quiet but on weekdays after work the place is packed. Overall my weekend visit was a good experience, I stopped for a pint and an English breakfast. The Barman Nathan greeted me as I entered, offered suggestions as to various beers based on the styles I like and my dining decision. Sadly they were out of beans which is a staple of an English breakfast, overall it was good, water glass always filled. Price reasonable for the city and quality good. I enjoyed the atmosphere and service. I'd stop again and try somethings else.

My friends and I were very excited to try their signature Sunday Roast since none of us have ever had a traditional English roast meal. While the food was good, it was not nearly enough food. For a meal for 4, we got about 4 small slices of meat. We were pretty disappointed since we've eaten at this pub before and the food is always excellent and well portioned. For example, their dinner pork chop is enormous. What we got charged (it's pre-fixed) was actually more than what their website had said. I threw away the receipt but I think it was $25 per person, which everyone thought was way too much for the small portions.

The food and service are top notch. We especially like The Shakespeare upstairs. They do have outdoor seating too. The homemade ricotta with sour dough bread is a favorite. Menu is a little different than you’d expect and everything is very good. Club atmosphere. You will like it here.

I met an old friend here for brunch on a Sunday and it was everything I (a writer) could hope for: dark wood, carved furniture, stained glass doors and windows, pub atmosphere. The eggs Benedict (sans bacon) were wonderful and the chips were wonderful. The decor and ambience are perfectly suited for the style and theme and, at least on Sunday in July, we were the only ones in there, so conversation was easy and comfortable. Service was excellent--there but not intrusive--and the only possible complaint is that they kept it almost too cold...but in July in NYC, that's hard to complain about. Steps away from Grand Central Station and the Grand Hyatt. I highly recommend it!

Had drink in bar and then came back for dinner. Ate outside and had a fantastic dinner and great service. Highly recommend

Looking for something different than usual American bar this would be it. A bit hidden from the street but worth the visit. Great cask beers and definite British pub menu. Shepherd's pie done right- it was superb.

Great place and popular in the evenings as a bar/diner. Eat there twice and the food was really well cooked and tasty, if not a little expensive. Staff are excellent and attentive without being overbearing. I would recommend this place to anyone visiting NYC or living there.

Found this lovely English pub near the New York Public Library. It was decorated for Christmas and the atmosphere was charming! Service was very good and the food was delicious! It is difficult to know where to eat in such a big city so finding an intimate little spot with good food is serendipitous!

This was referred to us by the staff at 70 Park. We had lunch and what a great little find. Cute courtyard dining area out back too.

At the base of a hotel one can find the Shakespeare bar, a cozy English style place. Waiting for our table, they provided drinks, and then we had wonderful fish and chips and shepherd's pie; all in a crowded but lively ambiance. The food and ales were excellent.

My husband and I stopped in here on the way to dinner for a drink. (We didn't eat anything, so I can't comment on the food, but the menu looked pretty good). We recently went to London, and really enjoyed being in the pubs there. The Shakespeare definitely has a London pub feel to it, and has many British beer options, including cask ales. Didn't try the fish and chips, but reviews of the place say they are very good.

As a past, 9-year resident of England, this to me is the nicest, most-authentic rendition of a pub I have ever found in America. Stepping in the door one readily senses the right look and feel, plus the friendliness of staff and patrons alike. Ah, fish and chips and shepherd's pie done up to perfection1 The relatively limited number of draught beer selections is made up by availability of genuine cask ale. Tough to believe you're in New, not old, York! But where in Britain can you find a pub in the basement?

Stopped in for 1 drink on a Friday happy hour. Great, busy vibe. Very cool place downstairs from a hotel.

Nice cozy proper pub with proper cask ale. Their burger and fries is AWSOME! Did I mention they have scotch eggs???!!! If you are in the mood for an English breakfast-a proper "fry-up" they have that too (for brunch) We'll be back!