please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
I liked this pub. It offered many real ales including: Ruddles Best Bitter, Fullers London Pride and By the Horns Brewery’s Diamond Geezer. They all were enjoyable and at a reasonable price, especially important for this high-priced area called Horselydown. (By the bye, pop down the road to see the statue of Jacob the dray horse.) At the time we visited, service was pleasant enough but a bit slow: they could probably do with another servant better to meet demand from drinkers and eaters. The interior layout has some six or eight person tables partially screened away from the mêlée of other customers, which slight separation assists a good natter. Do allow sufficient time to reach the (well-kept) loos as it is quite a trek downstairs (if you are not disabled). I should complain about a rather unpleasant klaxon that sounds from time to time – a win on the fruit machines or a fire alarm? All in all, well worth a visit.
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Popped in here one Saturday lunchtime. Didn't stay as there weren't many real ales on and few staff and it was fairly crowded (usual Spoons criticism).
But it seemed OK, better than average JDW and I would go again.
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Headed here from the Liberty Bounds, at Tower Hill. Totally contrasting 'Spoons with one packed and feels pretty opulent inside, this one more down to earth, less busy and a bit cheaper.
Friendly, efficient staff, decent selection of ale (top beer I had from By The Horns) and cheap food to soak up the post-football ale.
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Solid Spoon in a handy location. It's the location that makes this place. Otherwise it's fairly standard. I quite like it.
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I'm no fan of McSpoons, but really; cheapskates complaining of ale at �2.50 a pint? No wonder proper community pubs are closing. In a tied house the landlord would be making pittance per pint at these prices, nowhere near enough to cover his overheads.
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Beers were good, bacardi was expensive and pub a bit noisy. well it was a Saturday night and late, I must be getting a bit old I think
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In these times of tightening one's belt, it's a bit rich to find that the basic beers have increased to �2.50 per pint.......obviously the recession hasn't hit this part of London. But this is a very good Wetherspoons, and the beers were excellent and the staff very friendly.
I did try a few of the other pubs in the area, based on recommendations from the Good Pub Guide, and the average price for a pint of mid-range ale was around �3.80, which is a joke. Obviously the people who work in this area are overpaid compared to the rest of us.
So, based on the prices in other pubs in the area, this Wetherspoons is quite reasonable. I did have 3 pints here, as I couldn't afford to carry on following the Good Beer Guide recommendations....and all 3 were damn fine ales.
Perry - 15 Nov 2011 22:35 |
Compared to the prices in some pubs, was happy to pay �2.20 for a few pints of decent ale yesterday. And even happier to then find that a couple of the ales were included in the manager's special deal at �1.50 each.
Extra marks for making ale available in the beer and burger deal, rather than the usual restrictive selection.
Staff good, tables clean, food okay, can't ask for too much more.
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Agree about the pricey pints but the quality of beer and food is usually good. Looses points on the rating for prices though.
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It's a Wetherspoons so you get what you expect. However, this was a rather better Wetherspoon experience with a friendly and helpful barman, a perfectly acceptable and edible cheap meal and the best pint out of the five I drank on the day (the rest were in relatively well-known pubs where rather more could have been expected).
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Good selection (Esp. the Sambrookes) of ales, have been told that the Pub Manager really wants to push the ales. Which might expalin why he doesn't have that much on. Better to sell a few that are good quality than lots that a really nasty. Hopefully his ale sales will pick up so he can put more on.
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Whilst still cheap, compared to the local pubs, I am sorry to say that the recent price rises seem to be suggesting that this pub is in the City and not south of the Thames. If you were to visit either The Rockingham (Elephant and Castle. 15mins by bus) or The Surrey Docks (also 15mins by bus), you could enjoy the same guest ales for �1.89 a pint, rather than the �2.20 charged here.
That said, it is still a clean and friendly pub, with friendly bar staff. Unfortunately you sometimes have a very long wait for service even when the pub is less than 1/4 full.
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Went here on a cold night in January, pub was FREEZING, with no discernable heating on. Only three real ales available, (one with no pump clip). Not impressed, the Liberty Bounds on the other side of the bridge is a much better 'spoons in my view.
D_J_C - 30 Jan 2010 09:47 |
Good Spoons which has a good mix of beers available especially when a beer festival is on. Doesn't seem to get as busy or noisy as some others in the chain. One of the better pubs within the companies portfolio and one that looks as though was one of their earliest but unlike some other early Spoons this one is very clean and tidy.
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It wasn�t that busy on my recent visit here, but I still had to wait a while for service as I happened to walk in during a shift change. That aside this is a reasonable Wetherspoons� pub with 12 hand pumps (6 ales) and a selection of standard draught. Unsurprisingly the pub is big for the area, but the crowd was a lot more affluent and there was a much broader spectrum of ages than found in the average JDW.
I think that there are better pubs in the area, but I would go back here without a fuss.
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A pleasent enough place without being too spectacular.
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I concur, it's an above average JDW. Friendly service and the food was promptly delivered and well prepared.
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Slightly above average Spoons, recommended.
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not bad for a spoons, one of the first no smoking pubs in London before the ban
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A former hotel, The Pommelers Rest is a Wetherspoon situated just beyond Tower Bridge. Being away from the city somewhat, it seemingly attracts a mixture of locals and tourists as opposed to the suited variety you encounter at the other end of the bridge. The colour scheme within is green a red and is rather dark, perhaps even, gloomy. However, it was tidy enough and despite being stuck in conversation with the pub bore, I found it to be a decent enough place to settle for a sup on my visit, last Wednesday evening, (July 2). There were a couple of guest ales to supplement the regulars on offer and my pint of the �local� �Tower Bridge� ale washed down a treat. This pub was also, pleasingly cheaper than other �Spoons nearby. The toilets are down a staircase. Overall, here is a decent pub, nothing more, nothing less.
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Standard-issue Wetherspoons. Usual mix of a few interesting ales and a selection of dubious-looking customers.
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Great Pub had a real laugh with the 2 managers behind the bar Jamie & Mark both knew a great deal about real ale but nothing about football : ) I have been back several times with the family for meals & every time I have never had any complaints. Good Beer, Good Food, Good Service, Good Pub
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I really thank these guys of Pommeler's Rest, because after 3 days I've found a really "family-friendly" pub: me, my wife and my little boy had a great time here, with some good ale. Also the food was OK.
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really a pub in decline. In the age of non smoking and given its location the staff shouls make more of an effort to get the food to the table in less than an hour! many of my colleagues have wasted more than one lunch break, returning to work hungry!!!
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Basically a bog standard Wetherspoons so you know what to expect (microwaved food, at least one beer off at any time). However, today the food surpassed itself in awfulness. The burger tasted like cement and the bun was about as hard. It's convenient for the office so I'll probably be back but will think twice about the burgers in future.
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This is a follow up visit to my one in June this year. Unfortunately this pub is still in decline with a very poor selection of real ales and as before one was sold that was going off. This was a weak one named Davenports. When I mentioned this to the bar maid she showed total disinterest and made no attempt to remove the pump label. The next one I sampled was Itchen Valley's Tower Bridge and this ran out as my pint was pulled. Of the 20 or so Christmas ales listed in the recent in-house magazine, only ONE was available. In all a very poorshow by this pub which in the past I always recommended. Definitely not now!
Being the run-up to Christmas it was fairly busy but even so it took 45 minutes for the ordered food to arrive.
Reluctantly I will not visit this Wetherspoons pub again until there is a noticeable improvement.
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I visited this pub to-day. It's become a lot better since it went non-smoking. 4 guest beers on of which one, Itchen Valley's Greenjacket was off - very sour. The staff who all appear to be eastern European did not seem to care and continued to leave the pump handle badge to the front.
This pub caters for tourists as the main coach dropping off point is on the other side of the road and Tower Bridge is the attraction. It was not particularly busy but the food service was quite slow. The food when it arrived was standard JDW's but there were no complaints.
The toilets, as usual are down stairs and then you have to pass through 4 different doors to access the facilities.
This used to be my regular Wetherspoons when I lived across the bridge in Wapping and it appeared to be much better then than it is now. However it is still a good way ahead of many of this chain's other outlets.
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Seems to have gone down hill a bit lately. Guest beers usually uninspired or unavailable. Still an above average Spoons though. Not that that's difficult to achieve. Smoke free too.
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Unusual establishment with an extensive range of Cheap beverages.Clientele seems to consist primarily of shabby local office workers.On the evening I visited,I was surprised to note some form of impromptu pub quiz in session,presided over by an increasingly loud and inebriated Welshman.
Bar staff overwhelmingly friendly.In fact,they appear to be on a first name basis with most of the punters.
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The only place outside of Somerset that I have found the excellent Pitchfork on tap. Scores a seven for that alone.
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An excellent pub full of engaging characters who I presume work in the locality. On the down side there is often a drunken Welsh chap who stands by the pillar - answers to the name of Trolley
Cheap - 27 Sep 2006 15:25 |
I'm not a big fan of Wetherspoons, but I have to admit that this place isn't bad at all. Actually, for the area it's pretty good.
anonymous - 30 Jun 2006 19:54 |
Being a "spoons" fan, well in London anyway have to say nice pub shame about the breakfast. In there yesterday and instead of a Lincolnshire banger we got half frankfurter each, and charge for 2 Orange Juices each instead of a pint but at these prices in a smoke free environment nearly happy days
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This non-smoking pub is a pleasant place for afternoon dining. It has got lots of space and the atmosphere is quiet and relaxing.
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one of the nicest wetherspoons around - no smoking, good choice of well kept beers and slightly off the beaten track.
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Popped in for a quick beer. This is the first no smoking pub I have been to and found it nice that when I came out I didn't smell like an astray. Had 4 real ales on accompanied by 4 lagers. Pub was clean and the staff attentive. Worth seeking out if you have a family as children are allowed in.
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All change at the Poms. It's one of Wetherspoons experimentally non-smoking pubs, as of a couple of weeks ago. Makes a huge difference... it's much emptier, and much nicer even if you are a smoker. There's a bit of a hotel lobby feel to it, which is unsurprising as that's what it used to be, but that's emphasised now the fug has lifted.
The food and staff have recently changed - same menu, different results - as have many other details. Seem to be fewer guest ales, but the lamb burgers are tastier. And the beer's still under �1.70 a pint for the good stuff.
Either Wetherspoon - no JD now on the smart lower-case logos in the pub - is relaunching, or they're trying out some new branding here alongside the tobacco ban. (They were also trying out some new Kronenbourg 1664 White beer, which must be an attempt to get the Hoe drinkers. Shame it tasted like a peach alcopop).
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I have been back to this pub 3 times when in london, and everyone I took to it loved it. The food for lunch is very good. I think they have a diverse menu and the cury chicken is great. As the other posted put that the drinks are cheep and good. I dont remember it smelling like bleach and piss, sooooo. If your in the are, check it out, never had a bad meal, drink or time at Pommelers Rest.
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Dire pub, smells of bleach and piss and not a great crowd. Beer is ok and cheap but has little else to offer.
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This pub is a JD weatherspoons. It has a sports hall feel and not alot of atmosphere, but other than that, it is fantastic for drinking. I couldn't believe the drinks menu and the cheap prices! Got sloshed because I had to try them all! The staff are friendly and they do good food specials too.
Bob - 15 Jul 2004 15:39 |
