please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Been going in this pub for the last ten years! I preferred the old timber-look but the landlord is much better than the last lot and they've kept the good selection of real ales. The only problem is the toilets but this seems to be a general problem in Pimlico pubs. Since the smoking ban the toilet whiff is present down the end of the bar so the front of the pub is preferable these days. Can I suggest an air-brick or even an open window in the Gents would solve the problem overnight...
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Nice traditional pub,with good wine selection and freindly bar staff.
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I have to agree with the last post great place and the food is always hot just like the gorgeous bar manager. He makes me want to come back again and again. It can get busy but they handle the bar wonderfully. Theme nights would be great I'd love to put my leg warmers on and dance on the bar.
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I have to disagree....
A great pub and always busy. The food always comes out piping hot and the fish and chips is fantastic!.My white wine is always served cold just the way I like it. The staff are always hot on their feet and the manager we all think (is rather cute). It can get a little stressful in there when busy and it's hard not to buckle especially with the high demand of service required..Personally I would love to see some theme nights 80's,Quiz, DISCOOOOO and perhaps a microphone, but perhaps this might not be easy with the restricted 'rules' of Westminster Council. The office would be down there like a shot on a Friday night!!! we wait to hear more from this really nice atmospheric establishment.
anonymous - 27 Jul 2007 14:47 |
One pub that has benefitted from a refurb removing all signs of its T & J Barnard days. Comfortable and reasonable atmosphere. Beer as you would expect from a chain but acceptable.
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Who is Dano123???????
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Appears to be in the same chain as the Colonies, so the food should be above average (not tried it yet!)
Beer is always good, although service could be sped up a bit. Otherwise, it's an enjoyable pub. Just a shame that there's nowhere to sit outside (although sitting on Vauxhall bridge Road wouldn't count as a highlight!)
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Fosters, Kronenbourg, Stella, Staropramen, Erdinger, Kronenbourg Blanc, Guiness, John Smiths, Strongbow, London Pride, IPA, Bombardier, Youngs, Old Speckled Hen and a Guest Ale. All these on draught I wouldn't call that a mediocre selection of beers.
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I found this place a bit uninspiring, mediocre selection of beer, and it felt like it's really designed for lunchtime eaters rather than evening time drinkers. It's a bit harsh of me to say so but this place reminded me a bit of a Little Chef.
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A very busy pub especially since the refurbishment and is always a lot of fun. I have been there with friends on Friday night and some weeknights, and we always have a really good night out. You always get served, the food is really good and hot!!!!. I have also been there a couple of times at the weekends where it is more of an 'eatery' which is nice for the locals and the tourists.Concidering the area is very local I would not call this is a 'community' pub, but it has very much its own feel about it.I would give this pub the thumbs up for ambiance,food and good service.The white swan is what you would expect of a good well run pub in Central London.
anonymous - 13 Mar 2007 16:20 |
Very busy when we were there. Found it to be a fairly average pub. Much better pubs just round the corner.
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I notice this place is being refurbished but from peering though the window, rest assured it will maintain TJ Bernard's tacky low standards ...
anonymous - 5 Dec 2006 14:41 |
While the selection might be good, the quality of the ales here is in my experience invariably poor. Overpriced. Nasty, smoky interior, made even dimmer by faux stained glass, and peculiarly heavy furniture apparently made out of the off cuts of Travis Perkins lumber yard. 1/10, and that's being generous
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Went in the other day and had an overall good experience. It's a very busy pub so wasn't expecting the staff to hold idle chit chat.
They were all friendly and served me my drink to a high quality. Tall glass, lots of ice and lime for the wifes G&T and a lovely pint of ale for me. Food arrived hot and within 10mins. Had a bit of banter with the staff but as they were busy they got on with their jobs.
I can't understand what some people see wrong with this pub. It does what it's meant to do and does it well.
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Although many of the reviews here talk about bad staff in the White Swan, I gave them the benefit of the doubt and wrote a positive review. Unfortunately after a very bad experience I now see where those bad reviews are coming from. I spent a saturday lunchtime in here recently. I ordered a 'Big Ben' burger, allegedly a delux burger containing everything except a kitchen sink. It cost £8.45 on the menu, but as the pub didn't have a working fryer, they couldn't give me the chips which were on the menu. The pub manager kindly knocked 50p off the price, even though chips were on the menu at £1.45! When the burger turned up, also missing were the fried egg, onions, tomato relish and mayonnaise mentioned on the menu. I complained but no joy. Actually I thought they should have given me about 4 quid back, as all I really got was a standard cheapo burger.
I am fast developing a dislike of pubs in The Spirit Group. They seem to be taking London over, and although they usually have a fairly good selection of beers which are kept quite well, I don't think I have had a single pint which I would describe as absolutely spot on.
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Not bad with a wide range of beers but it tends to smell of fried food and as others have said there isn't much interaction with the staff - but they do get quite busy sometimes so you can't always expect them to pass the time of day with you, they have a job to do.
Not sure what people's problem is with civil servants. If they were private sector workers would that make it alright?
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Certainly the best pub on the walk from the river up Vauxhall Bridge Road towards Victoria. Above average selection of real ales, kept in good order. Food reliable if unspectacular, much as you would expect from a chain pub. Has a vaguely Wetherspoony feel to it, but the prices not being Wetherspoon-like means the assorted solo-drinkers, dregs and 15 year-olds stay away.
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I cann't agree with the previous comment that the WS is disgusting - but I couldn't say anything very nice about it either. Used to be a half decent boozer a few years back - Shame.
Best avoided !!
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One word... disgusting!
anonymous - 20 Dec 2005 15:45 |
Nipped in here for a spot of lunch whilst visiting the Tate and I can't see what people are complaining about. Beer was good and the staff couldn't have been more accomodating to the needs of my hard to please old dear. It is a chain so the decoration aint up to much but other than that it was good.
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This pub is local to where I work and is an acceptable place to drink. Everything is as you would like despite it being a chain pub with the associated menu types on offer.
My main concern is the staff. They are not quite rude but they never smile or offer any form of interaction. I have only been going there for a couple of months so maybe the staff are new? Not sure. All my colleagues agree with this comment - so its not just me being grumpy!
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This is my local. Not because it's my closest pub but because it's the closest pub to me that feels like a local.
Andrews comments certainly no longer apply. The Beer is well kept and the staff are very friendly. Never had cause to use the loos so can't comment there.
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Good food and excellent service. Well worth a visit.
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This is one of the direst pubs in London. The list of failings is almost too long and too broing to outline: beer poorly kept, dingy interior, dirty bogs, nasty food, very smoky despite large size. Avoid if you possibly can. reading the other comments in this review makes me wonder where those who give it a thumbs up usually go for a drink!
andrew - 3 Nov 2004 16:22 |
A good but not great boozer. Lager usually of good quality and they stock lots of continental bottled beers. The food I've not really tried. The staff are mostly very friendly.
Brian - 25 Oct 2004 18:10 |
Nice pub, very friendly staff. A bit 'fake country kitchen' looking inside for my tastes but forgivable on the basis they served the coldest lager imaginable on the hotest day of the year!
yam - 3 Sep 2004 00:53 |
This is my favourite pub. I drink there evry lunchtime and all Friday night - look out for me, I'm the one with the glasses, who hangs out with the Kiwi, the Lovebirds, The BlondeOone and the Cheeky One. Barstaff are great - especially Charlie and Jeff.
Matthew - 13 May 2004 17:29 |
Great pub, found it going to Tate Britain. Good beer, helpful staff, not bad food and weird yellow windows that makes it look summery all the time
Mike - 16 Apr 2004 10:35 |
Old Victorian pub that has been given a country inn redo.Handy place for lunch if you are visiting the nearby Tate. Morpeth Arms, closer to the Tate, is also a good choice
Bob F. - 4 Jun 2003 17:54 |
One of the most comfortable and homely pubs i have ever visited. ALWAYS quiet except between 5.30 and 8.00 on friday evenings..Nice range of beverages, and an old fashioned "snug" in one corner. Apparently the food is good but as yet i have not had the pleasure.
Brendan - 29 May 2003 17:32 |
The bar staff are great, it is recently under new managent,huge improvemnt.... The food is good, relaxed is atmospehre, and a real community feel with charity quiz nights..... perfect for a pint after during/during work!
Susi Satsuma - 13 May 2003 14:21 |
Bar staff usually pretty freindly & the food is pretty good value (though some things are a bit small for a man with an appetite the same as mine!). Not heard about the car policy, but it might change my view of it! The beer is often watered down more than a usual London pint - what would I give for a nice creamy hand pulled northern pint!
Overall good and a million times better than the OLD MONK or Puzzle as it is now called under its rude new management!
Bobby Banana - 25 Apr 2003 16:30 |
This is without doubt the best pub I've ever been to. It's quiet and the food is great.
Tony Mott - 23 Jan 2003 15:39 |
toilets are minging!
Liz - 15 Jan 2003 10:23 |
Expensive and stinks of vomit and piss albeit the food isn't bad. If you like civil servants and sterility then this is a must.
Ed - 5 Dec 2002 09:46 |
On holiday from Australia, went to this pub I thought it was the best pub in London.
Luke - 4 Oct 2002 07:15 |
Full of ONS employees. This is a bad thing!
Clare - 7 Apr 2002 19:20 |
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