Photo: Peter Thwaite
The Queen's Head: Darts in Limehouse, London
The Queen's Head is a Grade II listed corner pub on Flamborough Street in Limehouse, run as a free house by a group of locals who reopened it in December 2023. For darts, the useful thing to know is simple: there are two boards in the saloon bar, they are free to play, and you just turn up. No booking, no automatic scoring, no per-session fee.
It suits anyone who wants proper East End pub darts rather than a polished social-darts bar. You get cask ale (often Doom Bar and Timothy Taylor Landlord), a beer garden, sport on the TV, and a dog-friendly room. There is a pool table too, plus a Thursday quiz. The building itself is a survivor, with inter-war fittings and a genuine public-bar feel.
Contact
- Phone 07542 028219
- Address 8 Flamborough Street, Limehouse, London, E14 7LS
Opening hours
- Mon 12:00-23:30
- Tue 12:00-23:30
- Wed 12:00-23:30
- Thu 12:00-23:30
- Fri 12:00-00:00
- Sat 12:00-00:00
- Sun 12:00-22:00
Good to know
- Darts
The darts setup
There are two dart boards, both in the saloon bar, which is the room that keeps the older public-bar character of the pub. These are standard free pub boards: you bring or borrow arrows, chalk up your own scores, and play for nothing. There is no automatic scoring, no oche-booking system, and no time limit on a board beyond the usual courtesy of letting waiting players have a go. With two boards going you can run a few rounds without too long a wait, and the pub has a darts team, so weeknights can get competitive when regulars are in.
Good to know
This is a free house, so the beer rotates, with cask ale a fixture and changing guests like Sharp's Doom Bar and Timothy Taylor Landlord alongside premium lagers, wines and spirits. There is a beer garden, sport on the TV, and the pub is dog friendly with step-free access at the entrance (no accessible toilet). Beyond darts you will find a pool table and a Thursday quiz, so it works as an all-rounder for a group. Food is served. Hours run noon to 23:30 Monday to Thursday, to midnight Friday and Saturday, and to 22:00 on Sunday.
Getting there
The Queen's Head sits on a quiet residential corner of Flamborough Street, tucked between Limehouse and Stepney in the E14 part of Tower Hamlets. Limehouse station is the closest, served by the DLR and c2c, and it is a short walk south. Stepney Green on the District and Hammersmith and City lines is also within reach to the north. The pub is Grade II listed and locally famous as a possible inspiration for the Queen Vic in EastEnders, and it is where the Queen Mother was photographed pulling a pint in 1987, so it is easy enough to find once you are on the street.
Common questions
- What is The Queen's Head in Limehouse?
- It is a Grade II listed free house at 8 Flamborough Street, Limehouse, E14, reopened by local owners in December 2023. It has two dart boards in the saloon bar, a pool table, a beer garden and a Thursday quiz, with cask ale and a traditional East End public-bar feel.
- Is darts free at The Queen's Head?
- Yes. The two dart boards are standard free pub boards in the saloon bar. You can walk in and play for nothing, with no booking and no session fee.
- Do you need to book to play darts?
- No. There is no booking system. Just turn up, chalk up your own scores, and wait your turn on one of the two boards if they are busy.
- How many dart boards does The Queen's Head have?
- Two. Both are in the saloon bar, the room that keeps the pub's older public-bar character.
- What are the opening hours?
- Noon to 23:30 Monday to Thursday, noon to midnight on Friday and Saturday, and noon to 22:00 on Sunday.
- What is the nearest station to The Queen's Head?
- Limehouse station (DLR and c2c) is closest, a short walk away. Stepney Green (District and Hammersmith and City lines) is also within walking distance.
Other darts bars nearby
- The Queen's Head (Limehouse) Limehouse (Tower Hamlets), E14
- The Coborn Bow / Mile End
- Palm Tree Mile End (Tower Hamlets), E3
- Turner's Old Star Wapping (Tower Hamlets), E1W
- Leadbelly's Bar Southwark Southwark
- Leadbelly's Bar Borough Borough