The Victoria (Bow), darts in Bow (Tower Hamlets), E3

Photo: The Victoria

The Victoria (Bow): Darts in London

FreeWalk-inLeague pubBeer gardenFood & cocktails

110 Grove Road, Bow, London · E3 5TH · Mo-Th 12:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 12:00-23:30; Su 12:00-22:00

The Victoria is a seafood gastropub on Grove Road in Bow, a short walk from Mile End station and right by Victoria Park. It is best known for the food (sustainable British fish, an on-site fishmonger called Fish Union, three themed dining rooms) and a big walled beer garden with covered huts and a caravan turned cocktail bar. For darts, the useful thing to know is that it runs a board as a City of London Darts Association league venue, so it sits firmly in pub-darts territory rather than the booth-and-app crowd. That means you throw on a real pub oche for free, no session fee, no reservation. Come for a proper East End pub with cask ale, weekend live music and comedy, and a board you can play on between rounds.

The darts setup

This is traditional pub darts, not a high-tech social-darts bar. The Victoria runs a board as a registered City of London Darts Association venue, which is how a lot of East London pubs keep a competitive board alive. Expect a standard wall-mounted board with a chalk or whiteboard for scoring rather than automatic cameras and screens. There is no booking system and no per-game charge, so you can pick up the arrows when the board is free and play a few legs the old-fashioned way. League nights aside, it stays a pub first, so the board shares space with drinkers and diners.

Good to know

The Victoria is a food-led pub, so the darts is a bonus rather than the main event. The kitchen leans hard into seafood, with fish sourced from English ports and Fish Union, an on-site fishmonger, set up in the walled garden. There is cask ale (Cask Marque rated) and a caravan cocktail bar out back, plus a Happy Hour Monday to Friday 4 to 6pm with £2 oysters and £7 cocktails, and a Wednesday Mussel Club deal at £20. It is dog-friendly and welcomes families seated for food. Note: card payments only, no cash.

Getting there

You are in Bow, E3, on Grove Road close to the southern edge of Victoria Park. The nearest tube is Mile End (Central, District and Hammersmith & City lines), roughly a five-minute walk, with Stepney Green also within reach. Grove Road is mainly residential, so it is an easy stroll up from the station and a natural stop if you are heading to or from the park. The big garden makes it a solid warm-weather spot, and the covered huts mean it still works when the London weather does not cooperate.

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Common questions

What is The Victoria in Bow?
It is a seafood gastropub at 110 Grove Road, Bow, E3 5TH, near Mile End and Victoria Park. Alongside the food and a large walled beer garden, it runs a dart board as a City of London Darts Association league venue.
Is it free to play darts at The Victoria?
Yes. It is a traditional pub board, so there is no session fee and no charge to throw, unlike booking-based social-darts bars. You just play when the board is free.
Do you need to book to play darts there?
No booking is needed. It is a walk-in pub board, so you can pick up the arrows when nobody else is using it, subject to league nights and how busy the pub is.
What are The Victoria's opening hours?
Monday to Thursday noon to 11pm, Friday and Saturday noon to 11:30pm, and Sunday noon to 10pm. Food is served from midday, finishing earlier than the bar.
What is the nearest station to The Victoria, Bow?
Mile End is the closest tube, about a five-minute walk and served by the Central, District and Hammersmith & City lines. Stepney Green is also nearby.
Is The Victoria good for groups?
Yes. It has a large garden with covered huts and a caravan cocktail bar, three themed dining rooms, cask ale and weekend live music and comedy, so a group can drink, eat and play a few legs in one spot. Note it is card payments only.

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