BITE user comments - Moose82
Comments by Moose82
It feels as if this place is damns if it does, damns if it doesn't. The fact is that the type of pub that is most likely to close down is one that does not serve food. Lament all you like about how this is no longer a traditional Fulham boozer, but the fact is that a young, British chef has stuck his neck on the line (and his wallet) to turn this pub from one that was dying on its arse to one that serves some of the best food in South West London. You can go in there and have a drink at the bar no problem, just that space is limited. Tuesday's are the best days to go: Michelin-starred food and a challenging pub quiz.
4 Nov 2010 15:51
Great little place - interior holds true to the 18th Century Inns of London. Needs to be full to really have any atmosphere, beers are ok but the staff are a little soulless.
21 Apr 2010 17:26
Slightly above average pub - always busy with after work suits, but serves a decent pint, has a good-humoured crowd & atmosphere. Like a Rover - reliable, if a little dull and in need of an overhaul
21 Apr 2010 17:13
I fricking love this place. Yesh, I do. Being a regular visitor to brown cafes in Amsterdam, this is the closest that London gets. It is 'gezellig'(convivial), relaxed, serves a decent pint and is a great place to just meet people in the least get-out-of-my-face way that London tends to have.
You will always find Lowlanders here - be it behind the bar where you can hear them chatter in their funny language to each other or visitors who go there to meet other Beneluxians. They have a good, if the usual, range of beers & serve Dutch delicacies for a good price. The location is fantastic and is a good staple for any night out in the Soho area. Best days to go are the Dutch Queens Day (around 30th April) or Sinterklaas (5th December) - then it comes into its own
21 Apr 2010 17:08
The Black Swan, Martyr's Green
Right, it seems that the schizophrenia of this place will never be resolved - is it a pub? Is it a gastropub? Is it a restaurant? Ultimately anyone's review of this place will be subjective & will be centred around what they think a drinking establishment's purpose should be.
A number of people seem to be hankering for the days when the 'Mucky Duck'/Black Swan served a good 49er, but if local whisperings about former landlords are anything to go by then it is probably for the better. The fact is that country pubs based purely on drinking are declining so Geronimo have saved it by buying it up & doing it up. Hence, the pricing will be like Geronimo pubs (largely London-esque) and also to 'suit' the stockbroker-belt visitors that live in the area.
That said, Geronimo do good city pubs well, NOT country pubs. Its refurbishment of this place is out of sorts with what a countryside eating establishment should be and is the worse for it - the beer is good, the food is OK but the atmosphere is bland. It will always be busy as it's inoffensive and the area is sparse with good pubs. So while I'm glad the Black Swan was saved I am sad that it has been ruined in the process
21 Apr 2010 17:01
What I never get about alot of the reviews of this place are the quips around the "guffawing", "braying" people in this pub. These types of people that live around here so it is to be expected that they would visit the pubs around here. If you don't like that sort of thing either deal with it or go somewhere else. Now that is off my chest...if you can look beyond this, you have a gem of a pub. Yes, it might have shoddy management, but the atmosphere counters that as does the great French cidre that they have...expensive, but good. It's Chelsea, so it's expensive, but the food is good, it's off the main road & provides a good evening's entertainment if you have a good bunch with you.
19 Nov 2009 12:06
Am a regular there, be it on weekends or weekdays. Was there last on a Tuesday this past month & was surprised at how busy it was for a cold autumnal evening.
Although this might be a bit hypocritical, but it can appear quite w*nky with the Sloanes, braying Hoorays & French that are the staple clientele. That said, they are locals so it is not that surprising. All that aside the atmosphere is always buzzy & good humoured, be it on a weekday or weekend.
Weekends in the Summer this place really comes into its own with all sorts visiting there, being really busy, far enough off the busy Fulham road. Great for a bit of a session or just a single ale.
As has been highlighted, the food is good and the beers selection is extensive. Like other (expensive) pubs in the area it is increasingly serving more European lagers, most notably (to my taste) Bitburger. Well worth a visit.
19 Nov 2009 11:54
Great little place & a good find (if you can find it). No nonsense, quirky, odd & wonderfully charming at the same time. It is like Worzel Gummage wearing a Savile Row suit. It has a small selection of ales & cider, which are both fine, but the atmosphere and honest bartending make up for it - despite the area nether are that pretentious.
19 Nov 2009 11:28
The Duke Of Wellington, East Horsley
As a local I would love to have a local pub that was cosy, had some good ales on tap & was pleasant to be at. Sadly, I cannot say that about the Duke of Wellington. Its location does mean that it is very easy to get to & it can benefit greatly from when it's good weather; yet it is right on quite a busy road - not so great. The atmosphere inside has never (to me) quite appeared to be welcoming, more slightly, nervously on edge; at weekends this place can appear to be a city-centre O'Neills (not welcome in my book). The ales tend to be of fairly average quality, evne if the staff try their best to be attentive & kind; too often though they are talking to their friends.
19 Nov 2009 11:11
Was here a few weeks ago for a few ales with some friends. Generally a good boozer, charming unlike some others in the area, ales are good if a little overpriced (this is the King's Road however). You pay for the location not really the quality. uniqueness or friendliness of the service. Lagers are (as ever) generic and bottles are nightclub prices.
Food is nothing out of the ordinary, if a little weak and bland. At risk of becoming not so much a pub, but a wine-bar-cum-pub. All that said, a solid little boozer
4 Feb 2009 11:06
Went there last Sunday before the SuperBowl XLIII showing at the Hard Rock Cafe. Surprisingly packed for those that were not attending the padded girls chasing pig-skin (sorry to all those offended). That said, whether an international crowd is one that you are looking for is open to each person's preference, but being in the nexus of Piccadilly, Park Lane, Hyde Park Corner & HR Cafe, means that this is somewhat inenvitable.
The staff were pleasant enough and - indeed - the American gentleman that runs it is quite comical, if it is not evident that he does anything of use (might have been his night off). The rest of the staff are enthusiastic enough it a little sloppy, overun and clearing up seems to be something forgotten about at times.
Unlike other pubs that I have reviewed, this place is souless. It does not have the charm and character of others (e.g. Churhchill Arms, even if I didn't like it or the Red Lion off Jermyn Street), which for me means that it could be any other pub in any area of London. That said, it is easy to miss and if small in size , which makes it a little better than others. There's just nothing extraordinary about it!
Beers-wise it is not too bad, but far too generic. Go to if you're in the area and can't be bothered to walk anywhere else
4 Feb 2009 10:55
Great little boozer a stone's through from Barrister-ville of Fleet Street and The Strand. Close enough to be easy to get to it is far enough not to be overly frequented by painfully trendy, pretentious LSE students and the pinstripe, tassel-loafered brigade. OK, no real ales or beers of note on tap, but compared to the wine bars and average pubs (Southerner and Old Bank of England especially) it is a godsend
19 Sep 2008 03:27
Spiffingly good boozer, with a decent London on tap and Bitburger and Warsteiner adding to a niche angle to the place. Well known for decent food and enough out the way from the King's Road not to have a mass of people, just enough to give it an atmosphere. Recommend coming here on Sundays lunches or Saturday afternoons, especially the latter in summer. Do not have the Bloody Mary - awful
18 Feb 2008 16:35
A dull, bland pub. Likes to think of itself as quirky and that it appeals to all, but it would be more at home alongside a B-Road somewhere in darkest Glasgow. Far from being welcoming to all it caters for the braying few from one university college, who seem frosty at best (the clientele that is) to outsiders. Saving graces are capable bar staff, good location and decent ales.
24 Apr 2007 13:11
Fantastic pub. Yes, it has been gentrified so it does not have a was-built-in-the-18th-century-and-has-never-been-touched-feel, and yes it does have Belgravia prices (what do you expect it being in Belgravia). All that said though, it does serve some quality beers (the underrated Bitburger, great for summer) and the staff are attentive and efficient. Further, the food is good and it has been rated highly as a restaurant and not just a boozer.
Can be difficult to get a seat and the smoke can be choking, but overall it is a great place. Highly recommended for hangover brunches on Sundays.
20 Mar 2007 09:39
The Horseshoe inn, Ebbesbourne Wake
Have visited the pub on an annual pilgrimage to this part of the world for the past three years, and cannot fault it for its charm and the good humour of both the staff and the clientele. The beers are good and the cider is even better - a definite cut above the rest of the strongbow and magners shite that you get in most chain pubs. Cannot comment on the food, even though it does look fantastic, even if the prices have been creeping up in recent times (local's view). Am keen to come back in summer as imagine that it would be an ideal place to wind away a Sunday. It's tucked in a pretty little village in the middle of nowhere and is a real find it you can stumble across it.
3 Jan 2007 15:53
The Churchill Arms, Kensington
Went there to watch a game last Saturday - distinctly average place. It is cluttered and far too smokey. Beers are far too generic as well. Also am confused that the Churchill Arms appears to be an Irish pub...
14 Dec 2006 10:22
The Windsor Castle, Kensington
Parked here last Saturday with a few friends and had a great time. Good selection of continental beers and British ales, but all at London (and at that Notting Hill) prices.
This does not, however, diminish from the decent food and odd, but friendly bar staff (think Kerrang readers). Well known for its sausages this is a good place in both summer and winter. Good place to park off for a few hours if you need to catch up with someone in a good pub. Diverse crowd as well.
14 Dec 2006 10:18
The new Cape of Good Hope is a nice place. While it is a little generic in its interior (new bar cum pub cum wine bar) it is a nice refit and the bar staff are nice, attentive and attractive (not that it really matters). A great selection of world beers, especially good seing some more Belgian and Bavarian beers on show than the usuals (try the Paulaner Pils). Especially good on a Friday when the crowd is of all ages, friendly and usually up for a good night both in and out.
10 Oct 2006 17:15
Indeed a great place to start a night out, and/or watch major sporting tournaments. Has all the standard ales and lagers, staff are ok, a good amount of seating space. Further in you go however, the crapper it gets. Good outside area.
15 Sep 2006 13:32
Avoid as if there was an Ebola outbreak inside. Bland, deserted and thoroughly dull.
15 Sep 2006 13:30
Despite the incredulously negative and mistaken comments by some people about the White Horse, it is indeed a fantastic little pub (the operative word being 'little'). Yes, it is a little bit of an old man's pub and it hasn't taken advantage of the late licensing, but it is a great place for a quiet drink in cosy surroundings with a good selection of ales and bitters that changes regularly. A welcome difference from the blandness of the Goose, Copa, Three Grapes and Turl.
15 Sep 2006 13:29
Distinctly average pub. The food is not bad, but is distinctly standard pub food with nothing special to rant and rave about. Runs out of Sunday roast quickly and the rest of the menu is limited. Is a family friendly pub, if that is your thing, and there is plenty of room inside. The location is nothing special. Equally, there is not much of an outside area to speak of - unless you enjoy looking at cars (i.e. the car park). Range of beers and lagers is good, if a little uninspired.
15 Sep 2006 13:26
Great pub, friendly atmosphere, good garden; only downside is that it is a vegetarian pub (but the the food is nonetheless quite good). Also stock Weston's Organic Cider.
1 Aug 2006 18:44
Great creaking wood pub, even if the food is a little weak. Unlike all the below posts, this pub is good any time of the year, even if around term time it tends to be more packed as many of the colleges are nearby. Poor selection of lagers, but good on the ales and cider (beware of Old Rosie). Staff turnover is high, but they are always friendly.
31 Jul 2006 15:37
Great little pub. Querky with good beers, nice landlord, but beware of outdoor cricket in summer.
31 Jul 2006 15:34
Merchant, Battersea
Overall not a bad place: better than most of the offerings in Clapham Junction, but nothing that really stands it out as a to go destination. More a bar than a pub; tries a little too hard to be all things to all men (date place as well as somewhere to watch the rugby)
Beer selection is good, if a little predictable; the usual selection of 'premium' continental lagers with a smattering of other ones that are becoming ever more evident (Erdinger, Sierra Nevada, etc.). Food offering is good - priced at yuppie London pricing, but the quality is worth it.
Good, relatively spacious layout with a welcome addition of bar billiards and a big screen towards the back. In this sense it's well proportioned: the front for talking, the back for watching sports.
11 Mar 2011 12:23