The Sutton Arms on the crossroad between quiet Berry Street and its namesake Great Sutton Street isn’t easily stumbled upon, and that may be a good thing.

The Venue
After turning down Berry Street, approaching from Clerkenwell Road, you have to pass three different doors before you finally find the entrance to the Sutton Arms and, upon entering, you may wonder why you’ve bothered.

It's safe to say that this is one of the most blandly decorated pubs in London. The walls, wooden rails, ceiling, chairs, tables and bar are all a different shade of boring. There is so much beige, light wood and sickly caramel that the people seem to melt into the background. The bar is located at the end of the pub and there are tables and chairs dotted around in no particular pattern, although there are plenty of places to sit down. There is not much hanging from the walls - menus with specials are pretty much all you'll see in terms of decoration. In fact, the only colour in the whole place is the carpet and the dark drinks.

The Atmosphere
It's a loud and unforgiving environment at the Sutton Arms, so not a great choice if you're simply looking to go out for a drink. The pub opens until 1am on weeknights and it seems people come straight from work and stay to the death. There are many men here, again the after-work crowd, with faces that blend into the same man - the type whose escape from the trials of life is this watering hole. The younger men seem to come here by accident and test each other by seeing how long they can stay. The women here have almost certainly been dragged in by colleagues. In short, the atmosphere is drunken, noisy and seedy.

The Food
The menu at The Sutton Arms doesn't make up for the atmosphere but it does seem to acknowledge it with low prices. Roast beef on crusty bread with chips is a fair £3.90 and Cornish pasty, chips and beans is just £4.50. There is a specials board (that doubles as the decoration) and the dishes are at least more interesting than sausage and mash. Chicken, ham and leek pie with garlic mash and fresh vegetables stands out.

The Drink
The wine list houses five of each colour. The raffine white and raffine red are the house option and each start at £10.40 for a bottle. Most people are probably here for the beer, not that it's anything out of the ordinary. Stella, Grolsch, Staropramen and Becks Vier are all on draught. Timothy Taylor Landlord, Greene King IPA and London Pride ales are all served.

The Last Word
The Sutton Arms is a real pub for smokers, with a genuine excuse for standing outside to escape the pub’s clutches for five minutes.

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