Like the Red Lion, Crown Passage, this pub is a grade II listed building but it is not on the London Regional Inventory. It was built by Eedle & Meyers who put up many pubs in London. The listing description is as follows: “Built as public house. 1897-98. Stone faced, slate roof. Ornate and mannerist late Victorian public house design. 5 storeys and dormered mansard. Single bay front. Ground floor has original 3 light segmental bowed bar window with doorway recessed to right, framed by granite columns and entablature topped by heavy stucco balustrade. Banded segmental arched 1st floor window with mullioned lights. Canted bay window through 2nd and 3rd floors with centre light on 3rd floor semi-circular arched. Pilasters flank elevation. Prominent cornice over 3rd floor with lions flanking scrolls below egg and dart frieze. Open pedimental stone dormer with obelisks in front on balustraded parapet.”

The Golden Lion featured on the Four Lions, a Badger and the Garden of Eden: Evening Crawl of Westminster and St James's in August 2008.