The Huntsman & Hounds Elephant and Castle, darts in Elephant and Castle

Photo: Stephen Craven

The Huntsman & Hounds Elephant and Castle: Darts in London

FreeWalk-in1 boardReal aleLeague pubDog friendly

70 Elsted Street, Walworth, London · SE17 1QG · Tu-Sa 16:00-23:00

The Huntsman & Hounds is a small independent backstreet pub in Walworth, a short walk from Elephant & Castle, with a dartboard that regulars actually use. This is a proper local rather than a booth-and-scoring darts bar, so the darts are free and casual: rock up, grab a pint, and have a few legs. The single ground-floor room is airy and light, dog friendly, and built around cask ale and craft beer, with a piano in the corner and a busy events week (quiz on Wednesdays, bingo every other Thursday). It suits anyone who wants a relaxed game over good beer rather than automatic scoring and timed sessions. Worth knowing: it is closed on Mondays and tends to open from late afternoon.

The darts setup

There is one dartboard here, set up in the open ground-floor bar where most of the action happens. It is a traditional free pub board, so there is no oche booking, no automatic scoring screens and nothing to pay beyond your round. You chalk up, mark your own scores and play at your own pace. Because it shares the room with the bar, piano and seating, it works best for a casual game between a few of you rather than a serious match-night setup. If the board is busy when you arrive, you wait your turn the old-fashioned way. Bring your own arrows if you are fussy, though the house set tends to live behind the bar.

Good to know

The pub is closed on Mondays and opens from late afternoon, so this is an evening spot rather than a daytime one. Drink is the focus: cask ale was reinstated in 2025, alongside craft keg, bottled beers and a good run of London gins, with bar snacks rather than a full kitchen. It is dog friendly and has a relaxed, locals-first feel. The events calendar is worth planning around, with a quiz on Wednesday evenings and bingo every other Thursday, plus live music roughly once a month, so if you want a quiet game pick a night that is clear of those.

Getting there

The Huntsman & Hounds sits on Elsted Street, a quiet backstreet in Walworth tucked between Elephant & Castle and the Old Kent Road. Elephant & Castle is the nearest station, with Northern and Bakerloo line Underground services plus National Rail, and it is roughly a 15 minute walk from there. Plenty of buses run along the Walworth Road and New Kent Road if you would rather not walk the whole way. It is an SE17 address (SE17 1QG), well off the main drag, so it feels more like a neighbourhood local than a town-centre pub, which is part of the appeal for a low-key game of darts.

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Common questions

What is The Huntsman & Hounds?
It is a small independent traditional pub on Elsted Street in Walworth, near Elephant & Castle. It has a single dartboard in the ground-floor bar, a focus on cask ale and craft beer, a piano, and a regular events week including a quiz and bingo.
Is darts free at The Huntsman & Hounds?
Yes. It is a free pub board, so there is no charge to play and nothing to book. You just turn up, buy a drink and use the board when it is free.
Do you need to book to play darts there?
No. There are no bookable oches or timed sessions. It is a walk-in pub board, so you play on a first-come basis when the board is free.
How many dartboards does it have?
There is one dartboard, located in the open ground-floor bar alongside the seating and piano.
What are the opening hours?
It is closed on Mondays and opens from late afternoon, typically around 4pm until 11pm Tuesday to Saturday. Hours can vary, so check ahead before a special evening.
What is the nearest station?
Elephant & Castle is the closest station, served by the Northern and Bakerloo lines plus National Rail, around a 15 minute walk away. Buses also run along the nearby Walworth Road.

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