please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Had an excellent couple of pints of Budvar in here the other night, only complaint is that the food (although tasty) is 4 or 5 pounds too expensive for the area.
Best pub in Balham i reckon though.
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Thomas,
I am very sorry about your bad experiences.
Do you think you could elaborate so I can try and find the person/persons responsible ?
Kind regards,
Scott
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every time i've been in this bar the staff have been rude. i wont lose sleep as i'm sure they wont. i'll continue to drink elsewhere :O)
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I've been in a couple of times since my last posting and just wanted to say that each visit raises my opinion of the place. OK I still stand by my comments that this is much more focused towards food but what really helps to impress me is the staff. They are without doubt some of the friendliest bar staff I've come across. They always seeem to serve with a smile and are a credit to the place. The last time I went in my friends an I sat in the back section and pretended not to notice the reserved sign on the table (very bad I know but there were no other free tables and no one was sitting there) the girl that saw this politely and correctly told us that we would have to move which we did with no complaints. Later on she searched for us and found us as soon as another table was free. OK it's just a small point but when I've done this before in similar circumstances in differant pubs I've had a very surley and aggresive response and so thought this was really nice.
A piece of advice to the manager DO NOT lose these staff they are part of what makes this place good
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I've got mixed views on this place to be honest. The front section is definately not a pub but is a restaurant. The back part however is definately a pub and is really nice does feel a little like it's been tagged on as an after thought after someone said 'hey isn't this supposed to be a pub?'. The restaurant style front part and close confines of the back (which one group can easily fill) means that you should expect to meet anyone new when you go there and the atmosphere suffers for it.
On the plus side the food is really good (as you'd hope from a restaurant), the staff are excellent and the selection of beers is also really good. I actually really liked the Budvar black but I guess thats personal taste for you. As such I really don't know how to score it as a fairly nice restaurant 8/10 as a straight pub 4/10. I'd say go there to get something to eat and then head on somewhere else for the rest of your evening.
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Best pub in Balham.
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lovely grub. one of the best things about Balham is this place.
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Only been once but that is no reflection on quality and keep meaning to go back. I like to think of myself as a bit of a beer conissuer and did not like the fizzy stout that is dark Budvar. But fairplay for experimenting and getting it in. the decor is just the right side of wanky - as are the clientelle.
While all the individual elements of the Clarence are good it just has more of a trendy bar feel than a decent local.
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Best pub in Balham.
Good selection of beer, great food and nice atmosphere.
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Brilliant pub- the bar staff are very friendly and good at suggesting different beers to try.
Food is lovely- especially the roast dinners!
EllyE - 29 Nov 2007 16:27 |
fine
–adjective
1. of superior or best quality; of high or highest grade
2. choice, excellent, or admirable
Not cheap, not rustic... slick, sophisticated and quality. The food is the best gastro fare you will find in Balham, worth every penny. Some excellent beers on tap too. Wine list is superb.
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dear asnootyfox
A Loof (–adjective):
reserved or reticent; indifferent; disinterested: 'Because of his shyness, he had the reputation of being aloof'.
I would be inclined to agree with everything except 'disinterested'
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Dear pejpm,
still a tough customer eh?
You should be pleased to know that 'the duke of devonshore' will close in october for £500k refurb....
scott
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Budvar served properly and good staff. Fun menu. Dog Clarence is a sweety - owner aloof! OK middle-of-the-road pub with some interesting lighting...
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It's OK here, but like the Bishop it's pretty soulless. I dont mind it as a meeting point, but I much prefer the Devonshire across the road. I've never found it particularly comfortable here. It's like the coldplay of pubs, nothing particularly offensive but nothing to get excited about either.
pejpm - 23 Aug 2007 16:31 |
Included in my full English was the sum total of two mushrooms!
It seemed very stingey.
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TEST
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Bettyboo, our full english includes....sausages, bacon, beans, toast, scrambled or fried eggs & mushrooms. How is that fussy ? What would you like to see it include ?
best wishes
scott
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Great food(especially the hot dogs), tasty cider and lovely staff. One of my favourites in Balham, although i can't wait until 1st July as it does get too smokey. My only issue is the brunch menu - the breakfast is trying too be too fussy, whatever happened to a good old Full English?
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Sorry you feel like that Alex.
I doubt you will find the same high quality products we stock, in a comparable environment, any cheaper. We have also had a budget since 'the clarence' has opened 16 months ago...
scott
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Good pub, but since its opened all the beers have gone up in price. Both bottles and pints are well over priced.
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Went in last night for a couple. Very good bar staff! Having ordered my two drinks I was approched by other members of staff three times to check i was being served!
Good selection of drinks.
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Really good place- shame it gets so smoky, but July 1st should change all that. Really friendly and attentive bar staff, good choice and selection, food is slightly over-priced for what it is, but it is good.
Highly recommended in the Balham area
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Returned recently and even more impressed.
It seems to have really carved out a strong identity and invested in staff and products. Service is very good and the staff are chatty, friendly and considerate – it makes such a difference.
Although still only two Adnams on (Oyster was lovely though) I did give the other stuff a go and the selection of keg and bottle beers was refreshingly varied and interesting. The beer is on the pricey side (£3 for a pint of Oyster is one of the most expensive ale I have ever bought), although compared to the rest of Balham, the few pence extra is worth it. I haven’t eaten in there but the menu looks wide-ranging and interesting (i.e. venison lasagne) and acceptably priced.
Head and shoulders above everywhere else in Balham and definitely one of my top 10 pubs; quite a statement from an ale enthusiast but that is the mark of quality.
PS. Found Budvar Dark a bit lightweight for such a dark beer, lacking the body and wholesomeness of porters or stouts.
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This is a great pub. The Adnams Oyster beer that they serve is fabulous, and the service is always with a cheery smile.
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we are in the process of putting a beer list together.....
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This isn't a bad place at all. There is a fairly decent beer selection in here although only one real ale on my visit. However, shall return.
How about a beer menu? I didn't see one. It would help when it's busy and for people intimidated by the unusual!!
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Popped in for lunch a few days ago - quiet for a lunchtime but the food was very good
Budvar was tremendous!
The eclectic decor works well - many different light shades and chairs. Don't know what the pub is like in an evening but would definitely return for lunch
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Glad to hear that the selection of beers has been thought out. Maybe it's just that I personally am not a massive fan of budvar.
I've been here again though and did especially enjoy a reasonably priced vegetarian hot dog.
Make no mistake about it, this is a good place. It is busy on a Sunday lunchtime, but not so far to the point where it's too difficult to get a table or service becomes unacceptably slow.
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I have been popping in for a few months now and I have to say this a top pub. Beers are good, service is friendly and there is always a good buzz on. Sunday roasts are rather jolly and some of the fillys that frequent the place are just lovely.
anonymous - 17 Dec 2006 19:36 |
scorchio75 , thankyou for your kind words
TFP, glad to here you were 'reasonably impressed'. Any pointers you can let us have for impressing you a little more would be gratefully received. We value any feedback we receive.
The premium lager we do stock is 'Budvar'. We chose this because it has won more gold medals than you can shake a stick at , and is so devoid of chemicals and additives that is suitable for vegans. I can assure you of one thing, after years of exhaustive beer tasting ...none of the beers we stock are novelty lines. They all sell well, which is indicative of consumer's ever broadening tastes.
cheers
scott
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When The Clarence opened, myself and my friends were worried that it would turn into another 'Exhibit' or, worse still, slide even further into the depths of it's predecessors on the same site.
Luckily, we've been proved totally wrong -the food on our half-a-dozen visits (over the last few weeks) had been excellent, and the lack of 'standard' premium lagers is a blessing in itself. Having a bar stocked with the relative oddities that it has forces you to be a bit more adventurous than, "Just another pint of Stella."
The staff have been really friendly -and we've even managed to book a table for 20 on the Saturday before Xmas, without any restrictions on menu choices. Bravo!
(And the eponymous Clarence is a darling!)
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I went there this Sunday and was reasonably impressed.
Pretty good, reasonably priced, food, good service, and decent atmosphere.
The selection of draft beers seemed to be leaning a little bit too far towards "novelty" lines [e.g. the white/blonde/raspberry beers] at the expense of perhaps a couple of good solid premium lagers, but good overall I'd say.
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Just like a modern pub should be. A great selection of beers, really friendly staff and a nice atmosphere. The food is excellent and drinks prices are reasonable for London. The best in Balham.
anonymous - 25 Nov 2006 15:38 |
I love the Clarence. A great selection of beers, questions about them answered by really friendly staff, and tastey food to boot. Plus a nice little courtyard area for when the sun is shining. I love to visit during the day, as evenings (especially weekends) is standing room only.
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I love this pub! the decor is brilliant, friendly staff and they make the best white wine spritzers! in a wine glass, with soda water and a slice of lemon!! keep it up...
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The Clarence is my local, and since it opened, my flatmates and I just cannot get enough of it. You have fantastic beer/cider and mix of spirits the dress code is very relaxed and very cool, the staff are always very friendly and service is very quick. There is also some very attractive women working in there as well as drinking there.
What I love though is the fact that no body in there appears to fit the mould of the people in the Exhibit where every body seems a bit up there own arse, the service is good, the poeple are great and the drinks are fantastic! As for the food, I have eaten there a number of times and it has been fantastic, I even took the olds there on a Sunday proving it can cater for everyones needs.
See you this Friday for some more of that awesome Cider
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dear rairch,
my apologies for not responding to your comments earlier. Would you be able to tell me which sunday you had your terrible experience at the Clarence ? It would help me work out who was working and ensure that these problems do not reoccur.
regards
scott
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I've been to this pub a couple of times & always been very impressed the food was excellent & the budvar Dark decidedly moreish. However after my most recent visit on Sunday my opinion has distinctly changed. Our food when it appeared after a 45 min wait (nothing wrong with this it was half two on a Sunday) was entirely unimpressive. The slow roast pork was fatty, greasy & somewhat undercooked which is not generally my opinion of 'slow-roast', One of our parties main meals did not turn up & it wasn't until we managed to flag down one of the staff (a feat in itself) that anyone went off to look for it (remarkable as it was the same staff member who had brought the other three peoples food) & a missing side order. At the same time we also ordered another glass of wine. Well eventually the missing meal turned up but we had to flag down another member of staff 15 minutes later to re-order the glass of wine (the staff member we had ordered from was stood behind the bar polishing glasses). A sad disappointment from a put which until now I would have rated as the best in Balham, it's as if now they've won their award they just don't care anymore.
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I came back here the other week (hadn't been since the Balham Arms days) and I liked what they had done with it.
The decor is a bid off - with some pubby kind of aspects with more traditional bar stuff - but it works.
Although there was only a couple of Adnams on ale-wise, there was an attractive selection of continental beers (I can’t vouch on the brewing standards as I stuck to the ale) that were new to me - such as the Budvar Dark. I’ll give them a go on my return though.
Speaking to the bar folk and apparently it is an independent pub, so no ties to big nasty breweries that tarnish watering holes with the likes of Fosters and Carling, meaning they are free to buy some interesting and rare beers.
It gets my seal of approval and I would urge people to ditch the dreary drudgery of The Bedford, The Exhibit or The Balham Tup, go here instead and try some of those beers.
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this pub gets my vote - welcome addition to Balham in my eyes. Great selection of beers and like most before enjoyed the Budvar Dark. Tasty food along with attentive service and ambience make this a pub hard to fault...oh and they also sell aspalls cider - love it! keep it up fellas - I will be back.
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The Clarence deserves to win the pub of the year for many a reason. Foremost, I believe that the Clarence has shown that London pubs (and not just bars) can be dynamic, breaking from the traditional and somewhat boring mould. And it does this while still just ‘being a pub’ and not trying to be more than what it should.
Secondly, the pub has made a very conscious decision to sell a huge range of premium beers, the majority of which would be unfamiliar to the average consumer. Starting a pub in this fashion is a risk which most pubs, unfortunately, believe will alienate potential customers. I applaud the Clarence for taking such risk, which thankfully has proved to be a great success. If only we had a similar unique beer selection in every pub…
As for everything else, food is great and exactly what is needed in between a few Kolsch beers!
jmati - 16 Jun 2006 18:00 |
The Clarence is a nice bar/pub and has many good qualities; attentive staff, nice beer range, eclectic decor, an uncomplicated menu and an understated confidence in what it provides. This is worthy of many brownie points. I do feel, though, that there is something missing there and I can't quite put my finger on it. Myself & two friends went there on a gorgeous summers evening, expecting to be amazed but were left feeling hollow & cold. Will try again soon.
I should imagine it's location helped win it pub of the year award from the Evening Standard. Blimey, even Waitrose wants to be in Balham now. Rather!
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wondefully thoughtful;
a pleasure to be in.
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I like the Clarence; in terms of beer, service, food, music, ambience and attitude it is hard to fault, so I take issue with Robertstone’s comments. Personally, I like the originality of the décor; they have made an effort to create a fresh, inviting look. The Clarence is not ostentatious, exclusive nor trying to be anything that is not, quite the contrary. As for mocking the itinerant unfortunates on the street, that is rather scraping the barrel; indeed it is commendable that this pub thrives and brings a bit of class to the area. You come across like a bitter, suspicious malcontent sir; perhaps you need more Budvar dark to give this dog the bone.
mooky - 11 May 2006 18:54 |
Dear Robert, am deeply saddened by your obvious dislike of everything about the Clarence (excluding the bud dark).
For your information the standard's criteria for the finallists is available from their www.thisislondon.com, I can assure you there was neither a payoff or a free meal involved.
Which part of the decor did you find pretentious and bad ?
I ask these questions out of genuine concern..
Scott
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pretentious, bad decor, how they won 'Pub of the Year' when they have only been open two minutes baffles me. Surely such an accolade requires more of a history of exellence rather than a pay off and a fancy meal for the standard reviewers. The garden does however features beautiful views of the post office and the tramps and loonies usually sat outside it. Like the Budvar dark though. They need to keep 'Charlie' and his 'Bolivian marching powder' out of the loos.
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Congratulations to Scott, Hayden, Paul and the team for the well deserved accolade:
The Evening Standard Pub of the Year 2006. (and in record time!)
All the best of luck for your continued success.
anonymous - 4 May 2006 17:44 |
great first impression matched with good service & music. The beer is a bonus with a wide range and a few you will struggle to find elsewhere. Top notch but I hear things can busy so the word must have already got out.
I think they have taken a lot of business off Exihibt.
I'll be going back to try the food.
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Original looking new bar/pub. Looks like they have made a little more effort than the usuall 'make-overs', and they have a great choice of continental lagers and ales.
I would be happy having a pint here at any time of the day and any day of the week.
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Well its named after the lovely dog so its bound to be great.
anonymous - 30 Mar 2006 21:56 |
Great new place, good ambience and music, really friendly staff, table service, great food and varied wine and beer list. Would definitely recommend.....
anonymous - 29 Mar 2006 09:24 |
This an excellent pub with a wide selection of interesting beers, I think there are ten on tap. The Beamish was lovely and dark Budvar truly was a revelation. The decor is contemporary, inviting and full of beans. I was warmly greeted by knowledgeable staff who continued to be charming and fit. I have been in several times and cursed myself for not eating here sooner; the food is a lot better than it needs to be. The wine list also impressed me, as did the VFM. The good people of Balham should be proud of this puppy, it should be noted that the team here have put a lot of effort into setting up and running every aspect of this bar. Full marks and I hope you nail the Evening Standard Pub of the Year award.
mooky - 28 Mar 2006 14:06 |
s'ok i guess.... but not much competition locally, that must be what all the fuss is about
anonymous - 28 Mar 2006 11:40 |
i'll chime in with mattoneill20 - this is a great pub, best in the area by some way...only pub where you can go at any time in the day and get some value
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This place is really great, just been open 5 weeks or so but the drinks are brilliant, food even better and decor also superb
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I've been here several times now, I just can't help myself. Food is fantastic, some of the best fish, chips and mushy peas I have EVER had. Venison chilli con carne is awesome. My wife LOVES the mussels and our friends who we took the other night thought the oysters were lovely. I can't recommend this place highly enough and definitely have some food when you visit, even if its just the houmous, as they give you a little spicy thing on the side which is yummy.
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Pub Gold! Great food, fab variety of drinks, lovely people and service that makes you feel like everything's going to be alright... Love the quirky dali-esque wall of different sized mirrors and clocks, though not so sure about the mini lampshades and the staghorns?!?. Definitely pop into this place if you're in Balham
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Fabulously friendly and helpful bar staff. Love the bar seats at the front overlooking the high st & the chunky chips are truely delicious! Definately will be back to sample more of the food & drink menu! A great addition to the Balham bar scene!
anonymous - 3 Mar 2006 11:37 |
Nice bar with lots of interesting drinks. Friendly too. Nice seats. I like this place.
anonymous - 2 Mar 2006 23:27 |
Having been impressed by the Bishop was relieved to hear of the arrival of Clarence having been a recent victim of a number of shocking meals at Balham's only real other Gastro type pub the execrable Grove. Popped in for a quick drink and a bite and i can echo the sentiments below. Without any doubt this is the best pub in Balham, drinks, food and ambience were all top notch and the table service great....waitresses extremely easy on the eye.
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SN14, glad you enjoyed the clarence. I also own the castle in camberwell which I believe you also visited and enjoyed.
Cheers
scott
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My new favourite pub! Spent a very pleasant Sunday night enjoying the great selection of beer and tucking in to a delicious dinner (good menu for both meat eaters and veggies). The atmosphere is relaxed and the friendly table service is fantastic. Will be going back again and again.
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Funky pub with good selection of beers, very friendly staff, good quality food and an eclectic music selection.
Well worth a visit !!
anonymous - 22 Feb 2006 13:15 |
The Clarence, named after their in-house dog. I've been to The Bishop (one of their other pubs), so I've been keeping an eye on this dastardly duo. I love what they're doing. I was there with my family, 3 children, one dog and a wife, it was great. Food was fantastic, all the correct temperature, lovely choice of menu, reasonably priced, etc. Staff were very friendly and as its a new place they weren't too sure about everything but they went out of their way to help. Try the Budvar Dark, I was very pleasantly surprised. I could easily go here with a bunch of blokes and have a great time as well
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