please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
We were there this afternoon. The pub was very busy but they let us sit on one of the sofas in the dining room - even though we were just having a drink. They had one craft beer that I hadnt heard of before, which I had and liked (sorry I cant remember the name). The food looked good and we decided to return another Sunday and try it. Dogs are welcome. We had our puppy with us.
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Really nice pub with friendly and helpful staff. I used their function room for a party this weekend and they couldn't have been more welcoming, even bringing meals upstairs for the guests. There was a good selection of drinks at reasonable prices - including fresh-tasting ales - and the two downstairs bars complement each other well - one airy one which feels more suited to dining and one cozier saloon. A great place for a party or for a pint and a good-value meal after a walk on Hampstead Heath.
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Recently reopened after a refurb, which has tidied up the main bar without changing it noticeably, and given a bit more priority to the regulars' public bar. The public bar is warm and welcoming on a cold day, but the chairs are a bit odd - everything else is traditional, these look like something out of the Roebuck in its disco days. Otherwise, it looks promising.
The main bar is buzzy, and the staff are polite and welcoming. But, FFS, if I sit down at a table and have a pint, I don't want to be chased out by a 'waiter' informing me that a party of six are coming, and could they have my table?
No mate, it's a pub. Do try and remember that
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Went last Sunday and enjoyed myself immensely. The public bar is reassuringly old fashioned and was very busy. Staff were nice. Guest Ale was Celtic Teap which was excellent, apart from that Pride and Greene King IPA were the Ale's on tap. Ended up staying several hours and chatted to an assortment of the interesting and varied locals.
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This place is definitely on the slide. It's staggering around like a drunk with a head wound, not quite sure why it's bleeding.
The food used to be a bit special - now it's smaller portions, less tasty, same quite high prices. The place is increasingly overrun with kids and the old regulars are crammed, rather forlornly, into the smaller public bar.
As for the staff� they seem to "forget" they're working in a pub and insist on table service, meaning the attendant service charge for a round of drinks is added to your food bill.
Real shame this.
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The Magdala is a friendly, pleasant local, and despite being a short stone's throw from South End Green it's less often as crowded as the pubs there, and all the better for it, and even when it is a bit busier it's always relaxed and easy going. One bar is very traditional, one rather more modern, the older could do with a tidy up and a new carpet, but it's still much preferable to the modern one which is very loud if there's more than a half dozen or so people in it, as it's all hard surfaces. I've eaten there a couple of times but I'd have to be pretty hungry to do so again - it's not that the food is poor, quite the reverse it�s great, but the prices are steep, and on one occasion I questioned whether nine, (yes � nine), chips was really adequate considering the money being charged, (according to the Magdala, it is).
It�s too dear to eat in and one bar is noisy, (the contrast between the two bars is quite striking), those details aside this is a good, friendly pub, and whilst there�s not a great variety of beer, (Pride, Greene King IPA and usually a guest), it�s well kept and pleasantly served.
Definitely still the best pub in the South End Green area though � and by some degree too.
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With regard to the Ruth Ellis connection: When I was last in that neck of the woods the bullet holes from shooting her lover were still visible in the external wall tiles....Uh Uh I suppose neck of the woods is an unfortunate euphonism in view of her fate!!!
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This seemed to me to very much a pub of two halves. It still retains its original two-bar format, hence its inclusion in CAMRA�s inventory of London�s heritage pubs. The bar on the left has been stripped out and appears to be the sort of minimalist bar that you might find in a Young�s pub; the much smaller bar on the right, however, retains its inter-war feel, with dark wood panelling, carpeted floor, and the original bar counter � thus giving it a more traditional pub feel. All the windows seem to still have the original leaded lights round the edges. No prizes for guessing which bar I preferred, and where I spent my visit. The clientele seemed to be polite, well-spoken, probably well-heeled, locals.
The real ales on were GKIPA; London Pride; and Leeds Brewery�s Samba, the latter advertised as a fruity summer blonde. I went for the Samba of course, which I found to be pretty lifeless for a blonde, but maybe it usually performs better. Blondes usually do. Anyway, this is a reasonable pub. Not great, and certainly not as good as some other Hampstead pubs, but OK for a swift sojourn.
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Kudos to the staff, who are very charming. But on my last visit last Sunday, the main bar looked dead on its arse. Meanwhile, The Garden Gate, not 100 yards away, was packed to the rafters.
Problem with the Magdala is it doesn't seem to know what kind of pub it wants to be these days. Sort it out, please: this could be a cracking local.
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Hooray for The Magdala. Popped in here a couple of Sundays ago after walking in and straight out of the hideous Garden Gate around the corner. We were a crowd of 6 very tipsy people and probably a tad loud but the staff and the clientele (even the ones with young kids) didn't bat an eyelid. Ace food, fine range of ales and alcohol in general and smashing staff. Genuinely friendly, very laid back and charming. It looks a bit rubbish from the outside, like it may be a coffee shop or something but it truly is a treasure, my congratulations to the people who make it what it is.
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Very nice, visited last Sunday made a mistake of turning left as I walked in but beat a hasty retreat from what looked like a cafeteria to the proper side of the pub. 3 pumps on but only Batemans (can't remember which now) available which was nice.
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I know. MREILLY is a bitch! I heard her, too, that night.
The only gripe I have about this place is the kids. Please take your kids somewhere else. No one likes the irritating little buggers and kids should not be in a drinking establishment anyway. If you can afford to have kids, you should be able to afford a sitter for them.
Other than that, this is a great pub. It has an interesting history also. The infamous Ruth Ellis murdered her philandering lover, David Blakely, right out front as he was coming out of the Magdala. She was the last woman to be hanged in England.
The food is great and so is the service.
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Well worth a visit, but not on Sundays, when it is over-run by Tarquins and Cressidas with their whining kids. Staff very good though, and does 3 real ales. Weekday visit advised.
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Previous post says it all really. This is a nice pub, it is welcoming, and the food is consistently very good. But the main bar is "full of young families".
I wish all those people who take their kids to a pub would respect the fact that pubs are one of the few places left where adults can enjoy some adult company and conversation, and not be prevailed upon to either casually look out for or otherwise indulge other people's kids. there are plenty of restaurants in NW3 where you can feed your kids while you grab a drink. Give us a break and go there. Your children are not that interesting to other people.
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Well what a little gem this place is. My wife and I, after visiting the Heath for an early afternoon stroll, popped in for some food on sunday lunch last weekend. The place had been recommended by a friend of ours. We were greeted, with a smile by the very pleasant lady at the bar and offered a seat. Unfortunately, the main restaurant area was full and very lively I must say with young families. But we were more than happy to take a seat in the bar. We were very promptly met by the waitress, who proceeded to take our drinks order, which also arrived rather quickly. I thouroughly enjoyed my Roast Lamb and yorkshire pudding, which they allowed me to add to my order, while my wife tucked into her sausages and champ mash! The crumble offered on the desert menu was truly to die for and for a pub/restaurant they really have a wonderful winter dinner menu. We were checked on throughout our dining experieince, which is not very common in places today! And as if this isnt enough the place has a historical secret too. Why not pop in and ask the staff yourslef, they are more than willing to share it with you. 9/10 the only minor set back of this pub was the fact that it wasnt situated in an ideal place to be seen by the public. I wish it every success in the future and certainly intend to revisit "The Magdala pub" next time I am in the area. Keep up the good work guys!
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Having gone to for walk on Hampstead Heath I stumbled across The magdala pub. I found it to be a cosy environment where the staff were very friendly and the food was delightful.With the fire going I sat in what would be best to decribe as the locals part of the pub and listened to the banter between locals and the staff. I would throughly suggest to visit this pub if you are in the area!!
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I had the misfortune of visiting the Magdala on Sunday. I ordered the 'tempura prawns with chilli julienne vegetables'. Not only were the julienne vegetables missing when it arrived, the prawns had also been battered and fried whole rendering the whole tempura batter completely pointless.
When I complained the staff admitted that the prawns should not have been cooked that way but when challenged about the vegetables the manager proceeded to tell me smugly that the grated salad that I received was in fact the julienne vegetables. Hmm, not like any I've had before!
If you like places that don't serve what you ordered, have incompetent chefs and patronising smug managers then this is the place for you!
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nice relaxed place with good food, friendly staff and not too pricey for the area. though if you're just out for a beer the bar at the side is a bit small and dingy compared to the bright spacious area dominated by the diners. not a bad place to while away a few hours...
gorky - 19 Jul 2008 22:41 |
Attractive pub, nice staff, great food. But they seem to think that lager should be served at room temperature and bitter should be chilled. C'mon guys!
Also, get those bloody parents with their kids out of the pub. The main bar often feels more like a creche.
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Pleasant pub with a nice atmosphere. Beer a bit pricey, �3 for a pint of London Pride. Sunday roast also over priced, but complementary bread and oil almost made up for it.
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Nice pub, a laid-back Hampstead local, attracts all sorts (yes, there are all sorts in Hampstead) unlike the pubs further up the hill in Hampstead Village proper. Beer's slightly too expensive with a European focus, but the "restaurant side" is a great sunny place to enjoy a refreshing afternoon pint of Grolsch.
The food's fine, but never lives up to the promise of its rather pretentious gastropub menu. Still, it's good value and miles better than many other pub/resaturants. Has a nice "mixed" atmosphere (diners at some tables, drinkers at others) for a low-key dinner out.
It's not a wildly exciting place, but not as stuffy as others make out.
anonymous - 14 Apr 2007 15:28 |
This is not my favourite pub. The bar area on the right as you enter never has any seats free when I go and I end up sitting around the other side in what feels like a restaurant with its large open wall to the kitchen.
The lager is well kept but I do agree that I have felt like I have had to whisper as to not disturb anyone from their dinners.
It would be OK, but there are so many pubs within a stones throw that I choose not to drink here.
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A very decent gastropub - the food is excellent; the atmosphere is nice; the layout is good (bar is divided into two - one the dining area and one a drinking area); and always a few decent ales including IPA.
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I remember this pub when i worked there in the early 70s as full of the local thespians and the like.
Jason mentioned in passing Ruth Ellis. I was working at the "Mag" at the same time as the Landlord who was there when Ruth Ellis murdered her bloke but made a point of avoiding the subject.
anonymous - 10 Jan 2006 18:48 |
I like this place but charging 90pence for a packet of crisps is just taking the piss.
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Sounded like a good pub from previous reviews; looked like a good pub when I got there; beer was fresh and reasonably priced...but apparently you're only welcome at this pub if you're there to read the newspaper in silence or something dull like that. We were a group of two guys and four girls, having a good time mid-afternoon for a birthday celebration. Yes, we were making a bit of noise, but the loudest thing we did was laugh a lot. That's what I do in pubs - I sit and drink and enjoy the company of my nearest and dearest. We were there for less than three hours before we were asked to leave as we were apparently upsetting the locals. So nice pub - but don't bother going if you're after anything more than a solitary ale. Boring!
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It does have an atmosphere which seems to send you back a few years-when Britain had a (black & white) film industry perhaps......something to do with the pub layout(Not because Jack Hawkins is sitting at the bar with a G & T)....
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We sometimes take a wander from West Hampstead up to Hampstead and have a final pint in the Magdala before getting the train home. The previous posters describe it well. I like this place. It's low key and mellow without being pretentious. It's a relaxing pleasant atmosphere which I find missing in so many pubs in London now. It's great to leave without feeling as though you've just done a cycle in a tumble dryer. The lager is ALWAYS cold. Watch out for the crisps though - pricey!
anonymous - 7 Aug 2004 10:21 |
friendly staff, great food and good atmosphere although the garden is small!
sharon - 2 Aug 2004 11:59 |
Very good gastropub. Three rooms - on the right as you go in is a cleaned up old man drinking room which always seems to be 3/4 full and has a chatty atmosphere. On the left is the main drinking/informal dining room - food is truly excellent and plentiful (mains about �10), beer always good, service friendly and moderately characterful in a "didn't-try-too-hard" way. This room also gives on to a very small beer garden, pleasant but very cramped. Upstairs is a formal dining room - very elegant but a bit faded (though this seems to be intentional) - prices are the same as downstairs for food.
This pub is famous, incidentally, as the place where Ruth Ellis shot her husband in the 1960s.
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