Photo: Old China Hand
Old China Hand: Darts in Clerkenwell, London
The Old China Hand is a family-run freehouse on Tysoe Street in Clerkenwell, a couple of minutes from Exmouth Market, and the darts are free. The boards sit in the back room, played first come first served, so you grab one when it is going and buy a drink rather than book a slot. It is a quirky, low-key spot: every drink it sells (wine, lager, spirits, soft drinks) is British or Irish, the cask ales rotate, and there is no kitchen, though you can bring your own food or order a pizza in. Note the unusual hours. It only opens Wednesday to Saturday, from around 5pm, so it is an evening place, not a lunchtime one. If you want a casual game with mates and a proper pint, this is your kind of pub.
Contact
- Phone 020 7278 7678
- Website Visit site ↗
- Address 8 Tysoe Street, Clerkenwell, London, EC1R 4RQ
Opening hours
- Mon Closed
- Tue Closed
- Wed 17:00-00:00
- Thu 17:00-00:00
- Fri 17:00-00:00
- Sat 17:00-00:00
- Sun Closed
Good to know
- Darts
- Wine list
- Kitchen
- Beer garden
See the full pub page for Old China Hand →
The darts setup
Darts live in the spacious back room, set up on a first come first served basis, so there is no oche to book and no fee to play. Just turn up, see if a board is free, and bring your own arrows or borrow a set at the bar. CAMRA lists three boards, though availability shifts with how busy the night is, and groups are best off emailing ahead so the staff can make space. It is genuinely casual darts, the kind you play between rounds rather than a slick automatic-scoring booth, which suits a relaxed evening with friends far more than a competitive league night.
The darts scene here
This is a real darts pub, not a venue that bolted on a board for show. Teams from the SKADL (South of England) league are based here, playing on Monday nights, and the pub also features in the Clerkenwell and District winter darts league that runs around the area. It is listed by Capital Arrows, the hub for London darts leagues, which is a solid signal that league players treat it as home turf. That means on quieter nights you can play freely, but you may share the room with regulars who take their checkouts seriously, so it is a good place to learn from people who actually know the game.
Good to know
Watch the hours: the Old China Hand only opens Wednesday to Saturday, from roughly 5pm, with closing time at the staff's discretion, so plan an evening visit rather than an afternoon one. It is a family-owned freehouse that reopened in February 2023, and every drink is sourced from British or Irish producers, with rotating cask ales from breweries like Tiny Rebel and Vale. There is no food served, but you can bring your own (nothing fried or pungent) as long as you are drinking, or order a pizza in. There is also a Wednesday chess club at 7pm, plenty of board games, and a piano.
Common questions
- Is darts free at the Old China Hand?
- Yes. The dart boards are free to play on a first come first served basis. There is no booking system and no hire charge, you just grab a board when one is free and buy a drink at the bar.
- Do you need to book darts at the Old China Hand?
- No, you cannot book a board, it is walk-in only and first come first served. If you are coming as a group it is worth emailing the pub ahead so staff can help make room for you.
- How many dart boards does the Old China Hand have?
- The boards are set up in the spacious back room. CAMRA lists three dart boards, though how many are free depends on how busy the night is.
- What are the Old China Hand's opening hours?
- It opens Wednesday to Saturday from around 5pm and closes at the staff's discretion, typically by midnight. It is closed Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, so it is an evening venue rather than a daytime one.
- Does the Old China Hand serve food?
- No, the pub has no kitchen. You are welcome to bring your own food (nothing fried or pungent) while you are drinking, or order a pizza in to the pub.
- What is the nearest station to the Old China Hand?
- Angel station is about 700m away and Farringdon is roughly 800m, both an easy walk to 8 Tysoe Street in Clerkenwell, EC1R 4RQ.
Other darts bars nearby
- The Horseshoe (Clerkenwell) Clerkenwell / Farringdon (Islington), EC1
- The Horseshoe Clerkenwell (Islington, EC1)
- Brewdog Clerkenwell Clerkenwell
- The Golden Lion, Camden Town Camden Town
- Flight Club Islington Islington
- The Boot King's Cross