The Abeville is the best pub I may ever have been to…read more It has the perfect mix between gastro pub and lovely country old mans pub. As you walk in there's a standard local pub bar and TV to watch the game on. Then go through and you've got yourself a wonderfully cosy fire place and restaurant. I've only eaten a few times at the pub but can say extremely confidently that they have a great chef back there. The steak is just amazing and the Sunday roast is to die for! One of the best darned Sunday roasts I've ever had. Their truffle chips are inspired! The service is both friendly and so speedy! Customer service is top and the prices are reasonable. Long live the Abeville and may all pubs aim for their quality!

In a nation who's experienced and still experiencing a rapid death of its notable pub culture on a…read moredaily basis, The Abbeville stands one of those local places that has managed to successfully transform itself from lager-lout hangout to a fine gentrified gastro-eatery with decor and menu to match. My fav place in Clapham. Never disapoints, only gets better with time. They've definitely found their groove. Bravo Chef!

Picked the wrong day to come here, definitely. Major sporting event craziness meant saying excuse…read moreme twice to people I was trying to get past before having to nearly knock their drinks out of their hands anyway as they didn't move. The only respite from the sport would have been the far too posh restaurant area at the back. In the end being cold was the lesser of the two evils and so the seats outside got an early season occupation (despite the heaters not being on). The beer was quite decent mind you. I did enjoy my pint of Otter bitter. I just wish I could have enjoyed it somewhere else. Very different to the pub I remember being here 7/8 years back.

I'm in two minds about this place…read more.. The good... The cocktails are unbelievably delicious! We tried a few different cocktails and each one was either totally unique and interesting or one of the best classic cocktails I've ever tasted. The bartenders are super friendly and clearly love their jobs. They have fun chatting to patrons recommending cocktails and just generally monkey-ing around behind the bar. The music, although quite loud, is really good. The DJ played a mix of 80's, pop and general party tunes the night we were there. The bad... The bar seems to be controlled by Gestapo. There are so many rules of what you can and can't do, where they want you to sit and what you can do when you sit there. For instance, you aren't allowed to sit at the outdoor tables with a drink. So why have outdoor tables. And we were not allowed to sit in the back room even though it was almost completely empty and they weren't serving food--not because they were closing the area, but because we weren't ordering food. Just seems a like the place is run like a club by a bunch of fun killers. The patrons are also less than desirable--the number of drunk freaks is unbelievable.

We spent four days in London and our dinner at The Antelope proved to be most of our party of…read moreseven's favorite experience! The Sunday evening dinner, which happily extend to 9:00pm rather than the 6:00pm listed on the website, was outstanding! Particular standouts included the baked chicken dinner, cheesy cauliflower, sticky toffee pudding, and outstanding selections of ciders. This pub is large with an outdoor beer garden and a couple dining rooms (one with live music the night we were there) as well as the bar. The bartender and waitstaff were friendly and very helpful. I can't recommend this place highly enough!

My hockey club held its annual dinner at the function room at The Antelope…read more Accessed by a separate entrance from the side road, the function room is upstairs with its own bar and toilets (unisex but thankfully with separate cublcles!) The management were very helpful in setting things up with our hockey committee and the food buffet was good value at £15 per head, giving an international variety of lamb curry, fishcakes and garlic bread amongst others. It was also appreciated that a member of management was visibly present throughout the evening to help iron out any problems that could arise. The bar staff were also friendly and efficient The room was the prefect size for our guest list of 50 and a good evening was had by all The club were suitably impressed enough to want to book up for next year's dinner already

We were a party of 10 and every single dish was extremely delish! Best fish and chips we had…read more through out our trip . The Sunday roasted chicken and pot roast terrific. Their service top notch. But don't leave without desert. Sticky pudding yes!!!

I must have walked past The Roundhouse a thousand times, but had previously never thought to go in,…read moreassuming it was merely a neighborhood watering hole; I have done the establishment a disservice- it is in fact a very serviceable pub with a gastro-pubby bit attached. Food is better than average ( underpowered starters, e.g. squid and chorizo lost in a pile of chickpeas, but bavette steak served nicely marinated and reasonably rare). While the menu may feature the occasional swing-and-miss, the staff are friendly and attentive, and one of the things that those in the know get very excited about is the beer; specifically the Lagunitas IPA, although the 1936 lager is no mean pint, as cool and precise as one would hope a Swiss beer would be. I will find reasons to return.

Went for a walk in Balham with friends and looked for nice and cosy place to eat. The Grove was…read moreactually a surprise!! Tucked away on a side off Balham high street, it felt warm and welcoming, with locals eating and chatting, couple of dogs sleeping in the floor and some amazing and heart warming pub food (venison sausage and mash was really tasty). Honest prices, clean and cosy ambience and vast selection of beer made our evening.

It's a shame that a pub which is so nice inside, is so expensive and lacks any kind of personal…read moreservice. Good choice of beers but £3.50+ a pint. It's changed ownership a number of times, which hasn't helped but it could be so much better with a bit of attention. Food is awful as well.

This is one of my favourite London pubs. It has so much character it's almost selfish. The owner…read morehas collected all sorts of bits and bobs over the years - from a life-size Sinatra cut-out to a surfboard and stuffed ferret - and crammed them into the pub - on the walls, hanging from the ceiling, in every available space. You may even find yourself sitting at a table that doubles up as an old-school sewing machine! You'll be entertained merely from gazing at the mesmerising array of curiosities - I notice something new on every visit. Added to that it's a wonderfully cosy, comfortable place with a real local feel despite its prime location. It's a wonder to me that it doesn't get over-run with the Clapham crowd - perhaps it's too "out-there" for that. Either way I'm not complaining, I love the POW POW POW (as it's neon sign proclaims) exactly as it is, although I must say Christmastime is best there - even more decorations! And I must mention the pizza: this is a new addition to the pub and used to be the menu at the Rose and Crown across the road. Oregano, a local pizza delivery now serves pizza on request at the POW and the quality is amazing - real wood-fired style with interesting toppings. My fav is the Funghi.

This is a lovely looking pub, with a couple of beers. It is a shame that their choice tends to be…read moreSambrooks as I feel their beers have gone downhill over time. Thus went for a bottle of Wyld Wood cider, which was pretty nice. Was slightly shaken by the sight in the mirror of a man approaching me from behind in the urinals while undoing his zipper. He claimed short sightedness but I think a large measure of drunkeness may also have been involved. You can order in pizza from a local takeaway. If anyone saw the excellent recent documentary about 80s comedy, presented by Ben Elton, this is where Ben and Rik Mayall chatted over tea. POW POW POW!

Seriously wonderful pub - which has a HUGE selection of beers from all over the world. Some of them…read morecan be a bit of a rip-off (being charged a fiver for a pint of Sierra Nevada is extremely irritating when I used to pay $8 for a six pack while living in California), but it's all really good stuff, with a massive British and continental selection. They fix an awesome Bloody Mary too. Only eaten here once and the food was pretty decent. The weekend brunch menu looks fantastic, but i've never actually made it in time to sample it. It can get very busy, but if you can get there early enough they have some seats outdoors. Very friendly service - they remembered me the second time I went in and that was over a fortnight after the first visit, at which time I only had a beer.

Loved all the ideas about this place and although the range of beers can be matched elsewhere in…read moreLondon, it cannot be completely beaten in my opinion. The food looked and smelled amazing, and the beers were varied and well kept. The barman was unfailingly knowledgeable and patient as I eventually settled for 3 third-pints of different but wonderful ales. However, there are a few things which can't be helped that mean this Draft House isn't quite everyone's pint of tea. Given the very structure of the building, it feels a bit cramped inside and when we were there we could only get stools, unless we wanted to eat. It also becomes rather an assault course if people are pushing baby buggies towards the pram park. The long-legged Arnie, that is me, says: "I'll be back." The short-arsed Danny DeVito, that is my Glaswegian girlfriend (providing she doesn't read this), says: "Nae wi' those high stools an' prams, aam nae."

Since my last review of this place, I've come to enjoy the quaint and cozy nature of it. As a…read moretourist, you do often expect more excitement and novelty from your visits. But, as a local, you usually just want a clean and warm place within walking distance that serves decent drinks, (hopefully) decent food, and has a few TV's set up throughout the space to watch whatever games are in season at the moment. I'm happy to say, this place ticks all those boxes. The seating is comfortable, the staff is friendly, the vibe is definitely suburban-local, and given that it's in the 'burbs, it doesn't get too rowdy or crazy, making it both pet and family-friendly. The drinks are modest, but plentiful. You won't have the best cocktail you've ever tried in your life, but it'll do in a pinch. The beers they have on tap are a healthy combination of local brewery and big name booze like Guinness or Estella. I will also say, given the size of the burgers and Sunday Roast on the menu, you won't be leaving hungry if you come here for dinner.

Large pub just off the main road through Streatham. Small garden at the…read more back. Real ale on sale, though can't remember which ones. looked closed when viewed from the main road, but entrance is round the other side. Bar area is divided in two, on the right, the bar and on the left, food preparation area.

The Jolly Gardeners is a great little gastro pub tucked neatly away in the heart of SW London. The…read morepub is a great little place for a casual drink, a cosy dinner or a celebratory drink. There is nothing pretentious about this pub at all. The interior is warm and hearty with the restaurant and beer garden wrapped in fairy lights, giving the pub a really genuine aura. The staff are friendly and helpful and I've found over the last few months that this is definitely *the* place to organise the odd birthday knees-up and casual get together. The food is absolutely faultless. The servings are as big as the pub's hearty warmth - and that's big. The specials menu is on constant rotation during the week and you can expect anything from a good old steak 'n' chips to Pollack served on a bed of curried rice. I don't have enough good words to say about The Jolly Gardeners. The casual atmosphere, food, friendly staff and big old vintage leather sofas culminate in its down-to-earth appeal and I highly recommend this pub if you ever happen to be passing along SW18's Garratt Lane.

The Jolly Gardeners is the local's local in Earlsfield. The tables appear to tip over slightly,…read moreleaning either to the left or the right, probably because of the combined weight of hundreds and thousands of pints over the years. Comfortable leather couches adorn the front section, and on occasion you'll find the service quite brisk. If you're from another country and you want to impress a local, The Jolly Gardener would be a good choice. They offer a range of British pub dishes and the usual selection of beers and spirits one gets accustomed to in London, in a small, intimate setting in an area that's really quite quiet given its Zone 3 location.

28 degrees in London is enough to activate the 'it's Thai food time' trigger in me…read more Their red curry is really perfect (very spicy, original ingredients), haven't had better Thai curry in London. The salad (Yum Talay) was ok, but not as good as the curry (not spicy at all). Both dishes are parts of my smoke test that I apply each time I visit a new Thai restaurant. This place passed my test and I'll be coming back.

What's the difference between a bar and a pub ? I am not…read moresure what the distinguishing features of the two are here in England ... but in whichever category one classifies firefly, i am confident it will come out on top. I went there twice during the last two weekends to watch world cup matches, and the experience was great. Its located on the south side of Clapham Common between the Clapham South and Clapham Common stations. There's a glass door and a small courtyard in front of that. Beyond the courtyard is the road across which there is the clapham common. So when you are sitting inside watching the game, you can get a very good view of the park ... it almost feels like being outdoors. The interiors are air conditioned and so it was comfortable even during this very hot period. The place was never very crowded when i went ... we could even hear the commentary on the tv. The stuffy atmosphere that i associate with pubs in London was completely absent. The experience was delightful. They sell a wide variety of drinks and makes some very good cocktails. I tried one called "Screaming Orgasm". It was definitely not as exciting as the name suggests, but it sure was one of the better Baileys cocktails that i have tried. The food was nice ... at least the fish and chips and the sweet potato wedges that i had ... and so was the long island iced tea. I didn't really find anything negative to report about the place while i was there except for the fact that they didn't have a tv screen in the open yard. But later my friend (who paid the bill) mentioned that it was quite expensive ... £12 for fish and chips is not on. Maybe they are taking advantage of the football fever and i was ok with the amount being spent because i was watching a world cup match. I might go back once after the world cup to check on their regular day prices.