The Hare Bethnal Green, pool in Bethnal Green

Photo: WhatPub / CAMRA

The Hare Bethnal Green: Pool & Snooker in London

Pool tableFree houseDartsLive jazzCask ale

505 Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green, London · E2 9BU · Mo-Th 16:00-00:00; Fr-Sa 12:00-00:00; Su 12:00-22:30

The Hare is an old-school East End free house on Cambridge Heath Road, the sort of unpretentious local where the pool table sits at the back and nobody minds if you are a regular or just dropping in. It suits you if you want a proper pub game over a pint rather than a slick gaming bar, with a single pool table and a dartboard to keep you busy.

It is an independent ex-Truman boozer that has stood on this site in some form since the late eighteenth century, with two regular cask ales and a rotating guest beer. There is a small heated courtyard out back. The most useful thing to know: it opens late afternoon on weekdays and from noon at weekends, so an evening frame of pool is the safe bet.

The pool setup

There is one pool table tucked at the rear of the bar, which had its layout opened up in a 2008 refit to make better use of the single-room space. It is the casual local-pub kind of table, so expect to play winner-stays-on style on a busy night rather than book ahead. A dartboard sits alongside it if the table is taken. This is a games corner inside a working pub, not a dedicated pool hall, so come for a relaxed frame with a pint rather than a serious tournament setup.

Good to know

The Hare keeps proper pub hours: from 4pm Monday to Thursday, from noon Friday and Saturday, and noon to 10:30pm on Sunday. It pours two regular cask ales plus a changing guest, so beer drinkers are well looked after. There is a small heated courtyard at the back if you want air or a smoke. It is known for weekend live jazz sessions, so time your visit if you want music with your game, or avoid those slots if you want a quieter table.

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Common questions

What is The Hare Bethnal Green?
It is a traditional independent free house pub at 505 Cambridge Heath Road, E2 9BU, with a pool table and darts at the rear. It is an ex-Truman boozer that has been on the site in some form since the late 1700s.
Does The Hare have a pool table?
Yes. There is one pool table at the back of the bar, plus a dartboard. It is a casual pub table rather than a booked one.
Do you need to book to play pool at The Hare?
No, it is walk-in. As a small locals pub there is a single table, so on a busy evening you may wait your turn rather than reserve a slot.
What are The Hare's opening hours?
Monday to Thursday from 4pm to midnight, Friday and Saturday from noon to midnight, and Sunday from noon to 10:30pm.
What is the nearest station to The Hare?
It sits on Cambridge Heath Road in Bethnal Green, close to Cambridge Heath and Bethnal Green stations in the E2 area.
Does The Hare serve good beer?
Yes, it is a cask ale pub serving two regular ales plus a rotating guest beer, and it has a small heated courtyard out back.

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