Really good acoustic nights starting from 8pm on Tuesdays. The pub is deceptively small, as part of it being reserved for live entertainment, including comedy and music. I had the lamb burger which was great, being there on a Tuesday meant any draft beer was on the house with burger purchased. Score! There are other offers on other days of the week. Be sure to check them out on their website menu! The sound is great in the theatre room, clear and crisp. It's difficult to get seating if you're late, so try to get here early if coming for one of the acoustic nights. There's a fair selection of good beers and the place seems friendly overall. In all a nice place to relax and close to the nearby railway/underground station read more

The Bedford - Lamb Burger - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

The Bedford in my opinion, is one of the best venues in London for comedy and music. The general bar has a lovely cosy yet vibrant atmosphere whilst the numerous performance rooms are constantly filled with exciting acts from established artists to up and coming ones. The menu is brilliant and at not too much of a costly price (the chips are definitely recommended), it is brilliant for a group looking for an entertaining evening out. Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturday nights are the best for comedy (the weekends showcase the more renowned comedians with the Banana Cabaret). On some evenings you don't even have to pay to listen to the bands and artists but the staff are pretty strict on keeping talking to the minimum which is absolutely fair enough. In between music, comedy and cabaret they also hold Swing Dance and Tango classes! A great excuse to head to South London. Oh, and ladies - the men always seem to be rather good looking in here! read more

The Bedford - Image courtesy of The Bedford website - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

I've had two great nights out at The Bedford. The first time I ventured to this curious venue in Balham was to see some comedy. I was working for a comedy agent's at the time and had the chance to go see some of our acts play The Bedford (The Banana Cabaret). The Banana Cabaret has showcased comedy acts big and small and has many shows there through the week. We went on a Friday night, there was a bit of a queue to get in but I really liked the size of the venue, it was pretty big upstairs and there was lots of room to roam around, sit and drink and, of course, watch the comedy. The second occasion I was at The Bedford was for a simple night out with friends. We had been drinking at the pub until the club night started. There seemed to be two rooms - a smaller room and a bigger venue. The Bedford is pretty big so it's hard to explain but nevertheless, I had a good time. We danced to a mix of cheesy pop and classic dance numbers - all feel good tunes for a Saturday night. I'd highly recommend going back to The Bedford, it's got it all - a nice pub, a great set of comedy nights and a fun, no frills, club if you fancy a wee dance afterwards. read more

The Bedford - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

My absolutely favourite music venue in the whole country. I have travelled there several times over the years as it is where my heart seems to linger. On first impressions you would think it is just an ordinary pub from the outside. Once inside it is nothing out of the ordinary. Until you walk through the door at the back of the room and enter the Shakespear globe. It is like walking into another world. The Globe is a fantastic intimate venue with a sparkly backdrop behind the stage. The floor is set out with lots of tables and food is available to order while you enjoy the great live music. Or if you require a more distant view of the stage you can go up the stairs to the balcony which goes right around the room. If you walk round the balcony and through the door at the back you will find a rather intimate bar area where you can get up close and personal with the artists and chill out on the comfy sofas. There is also another live room where you will find The comedy nights and more live music. Over the years I have seen many great acts including Alistair Griffin, James Fox, Paolo Nutini, Guy Chambers, The Storys, Foy Vance and a wealth of other great talent. I will be back!!! Don't forget if you can't make the gig you can always watch live on the Webcam (http://www.thebedford.co.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=This_Month&file=preview&id=2) read more

The Bedford - Alistair Griffin and James Fox at the Bedford - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

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Generally this is a really relaxed spot filled with locals and comfortable seating. On a cold day, it's quite cozy to sit in front of the fire on their comfy leather sofas. The food and drink are basic, yet tasty. I had the pate with a green salad the other night--the pate is homemade so it's soft, smooth and fresh. The salad was... well... a salad. Sunday roasts are enormous, so make sure to come without having eaten breakfast or you'll leave half of it on your plate--you don't want to be left out of the clean plate club, do you? On occasion (Sunday's during the day) the pub can be over-run and service is hard to come by. But if you are a patient person without a great thirst or hunger, it might be worth the wait. Although I've never been, they also have comedy shows and other performances in their back room. Through the grapevine I've heard the shows are quite good. Maybe I'll give it a try one of these evenings. read more

- Old looking big pub. Check - Glowing coloured lights on the outside. Check - Random Aussie/Kiwi barstaff. Check - Lots of beer. Check. At first glance, The Bedford appears to be pretty much the same as any other grandiose old London boozer but it has two things that really make it stand out from the crowd: character and variety. Most pubs in London offer the same standards to varying degrees of competence - drinks, food, music, service (cough!) and for want of a better word 'events'. The Bedford feels a bit like your Grandma's house - old, comfortable and with that strange sense of familiarity. It has everything you want from a pub and isn't really much better or worse than other local competitors in those stakes. But it feels great when you walk in - blazing fire in winter, comfy couches, big viking hall style wooden tables for groups, sneaky nooks for couples and they even still let you take your dog in! But what totally floats my boat is the aforementioned 'events' and the scope inside the building - normal pub, old man's lounge bar, screens for terrestrial sporting events, funky DJ on a Sunday, live music, comedy, salsa & ballroom lessons, private function hire, nightclub, retro clothing store....the list goes on. If you want somewhere with a bit of everything (or possibly anything!) then The Bedford is really the only local choice. I have to ask you - where else do you get to see Al Murray the Pub Landlord unbilled as the comedy act on a Friday night? read more

Decent range of beers and whatnot. Nice comedy. Pretty lovely space-- particularly the nightclub. Pretty typical DJ-ing with the same crap you could listen to in any other pub (I.e, the music is crap. Which is a shame. The sound is rather nice). Sticky, beer-sodden floors. Open late. If you're looking for that Oxford-street/soho crap club, you could do much worse than come out here-- it's nicer and the people are more real and whatnot. Though you'll not have any proper real nice music... I'm sort of tempted to push it up another star. If I were 10 years younger, I probably would. Or, maybe if I came on a comedy night instead. read more

The Bedford is an important music venue, and has seen the likes of Ed Sheeran, KT Tunstall & Willy Mason pass through it's doors to play on it's lovely stage. If you're at a loose end, you could do a lot worse than popping in to see what's on. It's usually cheap or free, and as a punter it's a nice experience, and the sound desk does a grand job. The problem with the pub is their bar staff, and their ability to work at the speed of a snail, even when there is no-one else waiting to be served. I've been in many times over the years and it's been consistently irritating - it takes forever to get served, and then when you are, they're unfriendly and make you feel like you're putting them out by ordering a drink. In a bar. So basically, go for the music, but go with someone with big pockets and the patience of a saint. Then send them to the bar. read more

This is one of my favourite places to spend a work night relaxing with a glass of red wine and watching some fantastic live music. Monday to Thursday in the intimate setting of the ballroom new unsigned bands take to the stage to showcase their talent all for free! I have discovered some true talents at The Bedford and have been lucky enough to witness some excellent guest appearances from the likes of Newton Faulkner and Ed Sheeran. There is a real community atmosphere here and the audience are almost always very respectful to the artists by keeping quiet during the slow numbers and showing their appreciation (this can be a rare find in London). The pub also host a range of other events such as comedy nights, dance classes and dj nights. A great find I would recommend a visit, especially if you are a fan of new music. read more

My housemates and I like the Bedford for a night out of drinking, dancing, and general shennanigans. It has the ultimate selling point of being stumbling distance home and overall is a pretty decent venue. We started with drinks at the Regent and wandered over. The downstairs bar was crowded (as to be expected on a Saturday night) but we got drinks in short order. Take note though, they don't serve cocktails downstairs when it gets busy, and by cocktail I mean a whiskey soda which is really a well (1 alcohol plus mixer) drink. But, there is Red Stripe on tap! Cover to get upstairs was £6. Why £6? why not just £5 so I don't have to carry coins which just annoys me. I'm going to blow more than a quid on drinks upstairs anyways so is it really worth it? There are a couple of areas to dance in here. There is a large circular almost gladiatorial ring (perhaps not too far a comparison as guys fight for girls...or vice versa) which leans towards house music. The upstairs seating area has a large dance floor and the music is more jive, r&b and such. Downstairs was crowded and after nearly getting into a fight with a dude who wanted to spin around in the packed space we moved upstairs. I had a great time making a fool of myself and spinning girls around the dance floor so overall a positive experience. Drinks are reasonably priced and there are plenty of places to sit and relax if you need a break too. Overall, a good time and a great place to go near home rather than face the masses of Central London. read more

The Bedford has always been one of the main magnets to drag me to Balham - I live in West London and a trip here involves changing tube lines several times ... I've been to the main theatre downstairs and also for a midweek meal in the main bar and always loved it. It's a truly beautiful building with plenty of hidden corners (walked into a kitchen on the top floor by accident - so many doors!). I was happy to find that a play I was interested in was on at the Bedford, but Friday night does not seem to be the best night to go - unless you like to get drunk fast and be deafened by ridiculously loud music from 10.30 or so. I have never seen so many bar staff behind just one bar. They were all really friendly, just not very knowledgeable. Two gripes: inform your staff about your events to avoid confusing customers - there's nothing worse than being told there's nothing going on when indeed the play you're after takes place in one of the smaller upstairs rooms. Gripe no. 2: don't put drinks on your menu without telling all staff how to serve them. Aperol Spritz seems to be the drink du jour all over London, but only one of the many bar people had even heard of it - and, no, I didn't ask for Appletize ... I left feeling disappointed as I had been so excited about returning to the Bedford, but my love was not requited. Thank goodness, the play was excellent - try and catch "Phone Whore" in a fringe theatre near you - for a very thought-provoking and intimate night out. This is not light comedy but a serious tour de force. Good on the Bedford for booking it - and shame on them for not owning up to it! read more

By day its a gloomy no mans land but by night its the heart of Balham! Ive eaten here a few times now as my local the main reason being you get 50% of with a tastecard! (don't mind me) However like i said its not where you want to be by day as the light through those large windows show you the worst in its ways of needing a bit of a face lift and with no music....well that's no atmosphere in my eyes. Any how, every night they have something going on be it an open mic night, comedy, dance class or small theater show all free or for a very small fee! There a great buzz in the evenings and you wouldn't even believe its the same place! And the food is good! read more

Good comedy out in Balham? Yeah! Always a good sign to start the year off with some good comedy. We had a quick meal in the pub beforehand. I had the veggie burger and it was really good. The twice cooked fries are amazing. Now onto the banana cabaret, It was really unexpected to walk into the theatre which felt like a really old school theatre. There were 4 really solid acts with an interval in between. The compere didn't warm up he audience very much but wasn't really needed. Highly recommended for some good local comedy. read more

The Bedford is an enjoyable little venue in many ways. The main pub downstairs is nice just to hang out in with a pint and watch the football or talk (as music is kept to a low background volume). The atmosphere is vibrant and it becomes a place where you can easily wind down. The main attraction for me is the live music showcase upstairs. It is free which is a bonus and features a host of mainly acoustic based singers and bands. The quality is normally high and a selling point for me is the insistence on silence during the performance. I hate going to gigs and being forced to listen to other people's conversations and so if you're like me in that respect then The Bedford could be the place for you. Upstairs in the music room (known as The Globe Theatre), space can be a tight on busy nights. Getting there early is recommended. You can even get your food served upstairs if you don't have time to eat before the gig starts. Being a small room you can get very close to the action on stage. For those who want to check the place out before you go, you can do so on the web as The Bedford stream their gigs live. Go to the link on their site and see if it is your kind of thing. I also read from the site that it welcome families and even entertains children on a Sunday during lunch with magicians. Any pub which puts this much effort into making sure everyone can enjoy the experience is well worth checking out. read more

If you live in Balham, then you're likely to know of this pub. Within a two minute stagger of the train station, first impressions will probably be that it is a fairly standard traditional pub. You could walk in, have a beer from the ourageously average selection and leave without the place having impacted on you. But, those in the know, know to do a bit of exploring; there are a few different sections off the main saloon lounge. There's a reasonably compact beer garden, a faux theatre for performances, an upstairs section and even a seperate sports bar with widescreen, Sky and Setanta. Inexplicably though, the sports bar can only be accessed from a separate entrance. The different areas to suit your mood are a nice touch, but overall the place lacks for a bit of character. Not that that keeps away the good looking crew read more

The Bedford is a Balham institution. This pub is really all things to all men (and women), but not in a cheesy Cheers style way. A lounge showing sports, a main bar for drinking and chatting, a theatre out the back for comedy, a function room upstairs for Salsa and other events, a beer garden, seating out the front, and I'm sure there is more I haven't found yet! The food is decent, if not amazing, and reasonably priced. Same can be said of the beer, decent selection, but pretty standard pub fare. read more

The food is excellent and really good value for money - I highly recommend the Balham Burger. There's live music and comedy every couple of days, and it's the place to be to see upcoming people. Having only been here once, and spending most of my time in The Globe Theatre, I haven't really explored the rest of the pub, but if the rest of it is as excellent as the Globe, then I'll definitely visit again. read more

The Bedford really is the defining place in Balham for pub culture. With a downstairs which boasts a large bar and kitchen, and an upstairs function room which is a hot-bed of up and coming comedy talent and gigs, it's got something for everyone. The food is really good pub fare at reasonable prices. I've obviously tried the Balham Burger, served on an open bun, and it was as good a burger i've had south of the river. The ales are good as well, with fullers pride, courage best, and young's ordinary. I was here last week for a charity pub quiz upstairs, and it's huge! The space is so flexible, completely transformed from the last time I was here, and provided the perfect setting to an enormously fun night; albeit hosted by a couple of girls who had probably partaken in one too many real ales and were finding themselves considerably more amusing than any of us! If you're round the area and fancy a good traditional pub experience with a huge range of entertainment, then this is the only place to go. Also has a great website so check it out. read more

This pub is huge and has just about everything happeningwithin its confines. A good place to watch sports after work, my only problem with it was a lack of choice when it came to lager. Despite this The Bedford has a pleasant atmosphere which is the key to a good pub experience. I found it to be too big, but some people are never happy. As a pub to visit occasionally to watch sports or meet up with friends this is more than adequate. read more

The Bedford - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

Don't be fooled by the exterior of the Bedford, from the outside it looks like the typical pub close to a London station. Though this is a maze of variety from comedy, live music, club nights, and old blokes with dominoes The Bedford has it all and does it incredibly well. The Banana Cabaret is arguably the best comedy night south of the river. Enjoy. Be warned that The Bedford does attract a number of undesirables preying on the Friday night after work drinkers, I have heard stories of bags and laptops going missing more frequently than other pubs in London. read more

The everyman/woman/person pub! Friendly staff, deceivingly larger venue than it appears to be. Has comedy nights, dancing lessons, quiz nights. Its like a social club and pub all in one. It also has a little garden and seats out the front. Good selection of booze, food is very average, but hangovers will probably prevent you from realising this. More than a good all-rounder. read more

Been here a number of times! The live bands that perform here are great - it's a small, yet vibrant atmosphere. The food is also pretty good and the selection of drinks is also good. This place is never really quiet and there are always people here during large sports events. read more

The Bedford is a great pub for every occasion. During the week it's our local pub and at the weekend it turns into an exciting club with two floors. The staff is very friendly and the prices for drinks are very ok too. Tickets for the famous Banana Cabaret are a tiny bit pricy but the fun you get in return makes up for it. All in all I very much recommend the good old Bedford and maybe I see you there one day :) read more

Fun Salsa Dance Classes & Club every Monday night at the Bedford in Balham, no partner required and no advance booking, can turn up on the day and join the FUN. Fab teachers and lovely atmosphere. Classes are being held upstairs ballroom. Best venue for Salsa dancing in South West London !!!!!! read more

I love the Bedford!!! There's live music, decent priced drinks and it's nice and close to the tube. This visit was on a Thursday and there were plenty of places to sit without it being too empty. I didn't go and watch the band on this occasion but they did sound great :) read more

The Bedford is a good boozer - nothing fancy - just a good boozer. If you live in Balham it's probably one of only 4 proper pubs within easy reach. The comedy club is the main attraction but that is quite expensive - nearly 20 quid now. There is food but I find that the situation of the kitchen (out front at the end of the bar) means that you are going to smell everything being cooked - like it or not. Personally I don't want to smell chip oil and deep fried fish when I am having a pint early evening or (worse still) just after I have eaten. Good staff - friendly and not too Australian. read more

Good bar witha good selection of lagers... always a safe bet for drinks in Balham. Food service can be slow and is ridiculously complicated read more

Have only been here for the Comedy Nights and have always loved them. The comedians are normally really funny with some misses every now and then but that's totally expected. Otherwise, a normal pub. Exit it fast when it turns into a nightclub. read more

I'd heard such great things about this legendary Balham bar, and unfortunately I am disappointed. The first thing that hits you when you walk in is the unfortunate very strong set of old chip fat. Honestly it's vile and so strong! The bar prices are a little more steap then other places in the area and it's totally lacking in choice. I would have expected some interesting ales if craft beers but unfortunately not. I know this place is known for its entertainment and it's small gig room is great for the purpose but the whole thing needs a spruce up. read more

Cool vibe in a great location near the Balham tube and Free wifi. Fish & chips are average. The servicing system is a tad odd. Great music and place to hang out with friends. read more

i came here for one of the free music nights. i like the idea of it, it was well executed, and i even enjoyed peering through the bars of the upstairs area to see the stage. the bar was cheap, and i am definitely a fan of that! some points to work on though - the bar man was really not very customer focused at all - he was more into chatting with what looked ridiculously like his brother across the bar, than serving us our drinks, and he barely even had time to make eye contact with us - he wasn't busy, just preoccupied - rude!! the other thing is that a lot of the tables in the music area were reserved, but not fully utilised. i think it would make more sense to make this a first come first served basis, and then the downstairs area would also become fuller for the musicians on stage - a lot of people were forced to come upstairs because of the reserved signs on tables downstairs where people hadn't turned up, or hadn't turned up with as many people as they said they would. or if they wanted to continue with the reservation policy, perhaps they could have a staff member remove reserved signs after the first performance or something allowing people to move back downstairs. the other thing was that people were eating full on meals whilst watching the bands - i felt it was kinda awkward hearing the chinks of cutlery in quiet moments, from the people who won't be distracted from their food no matter what, and then on the other hand lots of wasted food from people who had ordered but were ultimately distracted by the music. not to mention it's weird smelling pub food whilst watching a band! i wouldn't necessarily come to this bar for a drink, and i'm pretty sure on a friday or saturday night it would be my worst nightmare, but i will definitely return in the future to discover new musical talents. read more

This pub is super spacious, with a separate area for live music nights. As I have only been once, I can only comment on my experiences that night! Overall the bands were fab and there is plenty of seating and soft lighting. The Bedford has a vibrant atmosphere attracting a top mix of people, making for an enjoyable night out. read more

Great place for a drink, its a place you can go and relax and chill out. Great beer and great prices. The food looks good value and they do comedy nights and there always seems to be something on. Katie Tunstall played there recently, unfortunately I could not go, but an excellent venue. read more

The Bedford has been a bedrock in my life for some years now. Its had its heyday I think, but myself and my friends never forget it and return regularly. Its appeal stems from its friendly yet playful atmosphere. A motley crew comprised of locals, visitors from the outer shires and a number of unknown make for an interesting mix who very fail to take advantage of the Bedford's booze and various nights of comedy, bands and on a Saturday, a lively night club and a smaller room upstairs boasting some of the best 70s and 80s classics and Motown tunes to be found in London. Its good fun and equally charming to sit in there on a Sunday evening and enjoy a quick drink, but be warned, a quick drink often if not always turns into a night of cavorting. read more

So much for London's finest music venue.The bloke on the mixing desk was on something. He ruined our (and the bands) night. The girls voices were on full reverb so we couldn't understand anything they said and the guitars only came out of the left hand speaker. The keyboard wasn't audible at all and there was feedback at the end of every song. I'm sure one of the band members was in tears afterwards and I found out it wasn't their regular sound guy. I think he was the Bedford's resident sound bloke, he wasn't a sound bloke. Maybe he should switch with the person who mixes drinks. read more

Great Comedy / nice pub. The Bedford is home to the famous Banana Cabaret, south London's top comedy club - they have a awesome upstairs double height ball room/comedy area/ gig space. Bolt on a few more ales and i'd give this place 5 stars read more

This pub- i dare say- has something for everyone! A back room away from the riff raff where regulars sit silently over their pints of guiness, More than one comedy night every week, dance lessons, pole dance lessons, a beer garden for lazy afternoos, awesome visiting musicians in a beautiful and intimate theatre, a decent selectin of beers, food, a club nightthe list goes on. Well worth checking out the events, like an onion, the bedford, has more layers than you would expect! read more

Greatest pub around! I can spend the whole night here and I won't even notice it the whole atmosphere is engaging and you don't even know how the time passes by in sweet talk with friends and having drinks. I underestimated the pub a little but now I am all-in. The place is awesome. read more

This is most visited pub in Balham. The food is really good and inexpensive compared with the other similar places in the area. There are comedy shows every Friday and Saturday, which are getting popular day by day and the people really like them. read more

The Bedford is a good place to have a drink and watch live sports. The place is pretty large with 2 screens. However, was not impressed with food. Asked for Olives, got 4, asked for pitta bread, got 2.The squid salad had no taste at all, only the chunky chips were delicious. All in all, not a bad place or atmosphere but deffo not to eat. They also have a clubbing area which I've yet to try read more