BITE user comments - sw19andrew
Comments by sw19andrew
The Leather Bottle, Wimbledon Chase
OK place. Apparently, the identified that Emma Hamilton locals and made sure they didn't come here when the EH closed last year - good initiative!
5 Feb 2011 00:08
One of the best pubs in Putney, although perhaps a bit overpriced on the food side. Attracts nice looking people, which is a good plus, but does mean that a table outside on a summer evening can be difficult to find!
ASR
4 Feb 2011 23:56
Not the most welcoming sight on the ground floor, but a bit better upstairs - as long as someone is staffing the bar!
The usual good value and choice that Wetherspoons provides.
Food service (at least tonight) was incredibly fast!
ASR
4 Feb 2011 23:51
Avoid the mens toilets - the worst for miles around and not changed in at least the last 3 years.
And on that basis, I would avoid the food - it's unlikely to have one good department with another so bad.
Bar staff OKish. Seating areas poor. Outside area at the back (especially around BBQ) even worse than the toilets.
Stick to one quick glass then a quick exit.
Very much the bottom end of Putney offerings.
4 Feb 2011 23:43
Pleasant enough place, although it does ge a bit busy and congested in the early evenings when I tend to frequent.
The bar is rather small, and usually understaffed, with a chap trying to show off his bottle spinning skills. And, probably because of the rather high prices, so many people seem to pay by card which slows things down even more.
The restaurant quality food is very good (we had my department Christmas meal here - 25 of us), and better than much in Putney.
ASR
4 Feb 2011 23:31
Visited here for the first time last week with a Meetup language group - excellent evening when we ate, drank and managed to speak well with each other.
But, apparently, it is now no longer possible to book tables together downstairs for this sort of group.
So, even though we are a guaranteed group of 30 or so people and growing (which sounds like about �500+ of revenue), we will now have to go elsewhere where we can be sure of some tables and space together.
Such a pity, as I do like the steak nights!
ASR
4 Feb 2011 23:23
I have been reasonably regular here over the last 23 years and have seen many changes in name, staff, decor etc - some of which ought to have been quicker!
In the last few years, the group that I joined here on a Monday evening has declined, so I have probably visited 4 times in the last 6 months rather than the usual weekly.
My last two (with particular emphasis on LAST) were last week and the week before.
On the first of these , we were greeted in the car park by a dog barking from the roof at us - rather oppressive to the more jumpy in our group, and definately not welcoming. When we mentioned this to the bar chap, he told us it wasn't a problem, and that the dog would come down when it felt like it - we suspected that he didn't get the point that we weren't overtly concerned with the animal's welfare, rather our own wellbeing! And, true to promise, the hound came around all the tables later on and inspected all of us - yuck!
Last week, the welcome was initially less oppressive, but the beast had multiplied. As well as the dog, we had a pet PIG wandering around the public bar - I jest you not! When you want a pleasant evening with friends, you don't really need something looking for truffles in every bag or around every foot, or racing the length of the bar floor. Apparently the bar people think this is fine - not sure about animal welfare concerns, but I do know that up to 10 Monday night regulars of many years are now going elsewhere for good.
Rather ironically, the lunchtime food board was suggesting roast pork!
ASR
4 Feb 2011 23:10
The Emma Hamilton, Wimbledon Chase
I'm amazed that the rating for this place was ever above 3!
There have been many negative things written about this place and its former clientele, and not one word appears to be an exageration.
5 Feb 2011 00:15