Photo: CAMRA / WhatPub
The Artful Dodger: Darts in Tower Hamlets, London
The Artful Dodger is a proper East End free house on Royal Mint Street, a short walk from the Tower of London and St Katharine Docks. It is a locals' pub, Grade II listed and run as an independent, and darts is taken seriously here. The boards are CoLDA approved (the City of London Darts Association) and the pub fields league teams, so on the right night you will find regulars playing competitive arrows rather than just having a casual throw. There is no charge to play and nothing to book. Beyond the oche you get a pool table, a beer garden and a traditional rough-around-the-edges feel a world away from the polished City bars nearby. If you want a real London darts boozer rather than a slick booth-and-cocktails set-up, this is the spot.
Contact
- Phone 020 7481 3493
- Address 47 Royal Mint Street, London, E1 8LG
Opening hours
- Mon 12:00-23:00
- Tue 12:00-23:00
- Wed 12:00-23:00
- Thu 12:00-23:00
- Fri 12:00-00:00
- Sat 12:00-00:00
- Sun 12:00-23:00
Good to know
- Darts
- Wine list
- Dog friendly
- Beer garden
- Sports screened
The darts setup
This is a pub board operation, not a bookable arena. The Artful Dodger is CoLDA approved (the City of London Darts Association) and has multiple boards, so two or more matches can run at once on a league night. The pub fields league teams, which tells you the standard can be decent and the boards see regular use rather than gathering dust. You throw off the wall, chalk it yourself or keep score on paper, and there is no automatic scoring or oche booking. Turn up, get a drink, and ask at the bar if a board is free. On league evenings it is worth checking the teams are not mid-match before you grab one.
Good to know
Entry and play are free, and there is nothing to reserve. The Dodger is an independent free house, so expect cask ale (Sharp's Doom Bar is a regular) and Guinness rather than a long cocktail list. There is no full kitchen, so come for the drinks and the games rather than a sit-down meal. Alongside darts you get a pool table and a beer garden, plus TNT Sports for the football. It runs noon to 11pm Sunday to Thursday and noon to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. The building is Grade II listed and there is a step at the entrance, with no accessible toilet.
Getting there
Royal Mint Street sits in a quiet pocket of E1 between Tower Hill and Whitechapel, close to the Tower of London and St Katharine Docks. The nearest station is Tower Gateway DLR, roughly a five-minute walk, and Tower Hill (District and Circle lines) is a short stroll beyond that. London Fenchurch Street is about ten minutes on foot, and Aldgate and Aldgate East are within reach for the Hammersmith and City, Circle and Metropolitan lines. Several bus routes pass within a couple of hundred metres. It is central but tucked away, so it stays more local than the City pubs around the corner.
Common questions
- What is The Artful Dodger?
- It is a traditional East End free house at 47 Royal Mint Street, E1, near the Tower of London. It is a CoLDA-approved darts pub with multiple boards and league teams, plus a pool table and a beer garden.
- Is it free to play darts at The Artful Dodger?
- Yes. It is a pub with free-to-play boards, so there is no charge to throw and nothing to book. You just turn up and ask at the bar if a board is free.
- Do you need to book darts at The Artful Dodger?
- No. There is no booking system. It is a walk-in pub board set-up, so on a quiet day you can play whenever a board is open. On league nights, teams may be using the boards for matches.
- How many dart boards does The Artful Dodger have?
- It has multiple boards. The pub is CoLDA approved and fields league teams, so more than one match can run at the same time.
- What are The Artful Dodger's opening hours?
- It is open noon to 11pm Sunday to Thursday, and noon to midnight on Friday and Saturday.
- What is the nearest station to The Artful Dodger?
- Tower Gateway DLR is the closest, about a five-minute walk. Tower Hill (District and Circle lines) and London Fenchurch Street are also nearby.
Other darts bars nearby
- Sir Sydney Smith Tower Hill (Tower Hamlets), E1
- The Brown Bear Aldgate (Tower Hamlets), E1
- The Dog & Truck Tower Hamlets, E1
- Moretown Belle East London East London
- The Moretown Belle Wapping (Tower Hamlets), E1W
- Duke of Somerset Aldgate (Tower Hamlets), E1