please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
A good enough pub with a nice selection of ales. A bit busy, but we managed to find a comfortable corner and enjoyed our visit.
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Overwhelmingly large pub rather similar to the White Cross in Richmond in its being a big place fronting the river and getting a lot of the lunch trade. Plenty of space to sit and look the tourist-rich environment.
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Came in here sat afternoon on the 20th june found it too be quite dead. Served by some surly non smiling guy who clearly didn't give a toss whether we were in here or not. Havn,t drank a beer so quick in a long time ,we couldn't wait to leave. Pop in, pay up piss off kind of attitude. Later found out where the custom was going, next door at the yacht. Packed . The trouble with the Trafalgar is that it seems too have been run by a succsession of trainee,s who are here today gone the next , and who don't really care. This place needs a proper landlord/lady .Fast . Used to be a must to vist ,but im sorry not now . Go to the plume of feathers to see how a pub should be
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a tourist trap through and through not inexpensive .i know its meant to look a bit olde worlde but i just think it looks tired and dirty . cant take away the buzz of the place when it gets busy though .you really do get a whole spectrum of folk in here and that has to be a huge plus
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Big pub resembling a fading hotel in a small midlands town.
Pricey booze but then the view is good and it is on the edge of tourist land.
Great views (of course). I just get the impression it has been left to drift for a few years.
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Great post Dolphox, especially the first bit about Sue being INARTICULTE.
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Sue is not too bright and rather inarticulte; this is a fine pub - under all headings. Much more of a chance being mugged in Purley, or having a riot.
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Best thing about this boozer is location of toilets. You can sneak in, have a piss and not waste money on silly prices these arseholes are charging. Far better pubs in the area. Avoid, and let the poor tourists get mugged!!
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Excellent post there indeed TWG and probably what I was really trying to say. Nice One......
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Yes indeed folks, I was stung for a round here last Saturday like so many have been before me, but then again it wasn't as if I didn't know it would be ludicrously over-priced; a pub like this given its heritage and location would always find the temptation to ramp up pricetags for willing tourists irrestistible.
The Trafalgar isn't without merit - it's history is evident in and outside and the building itself is an excellent example of Georgian riverside architecture. It does reflect the once rich history of trade and shipping on the adjacent Thames, and commands worthwhile views across the waterway even today. Though I have to say - to coin an apt phrase - the ship is spoiled for a hap'orth o' tar as the building is plainly in need of a serious uprgade. Given the excessive prices charged and paid here, one would hope some of that would be syphoned into giving the building's fabric a bit of TLC.
As a pub, it doesn't excel; even without the pricing issues it doesn't feel particularly welcoming, though the basic boxes are ticked - bar, beer, seating, toilet etc. Beer was well-kept enough but not outstanding especially for the price. Food was popular but only among a certain type of tourist with more money than sense who has made the classic error of valuing a 'riverside location' and 'richness of heritage' over the quality of the actual venue and its wares. Yes, there is a statue of Nelson. But to more educated and open of eyes that does not excuse or justify the weaknesses about the actual pub!
I did enjoy a pleasant time whilst here, because we sat outside on the nearby bench and watched the world go by, engaging in some witty banter with some tourists along the way, on a sunny Saturday afternoon. But without the clemency of the weather and the locational advantage, there would've been little of interest to keep us there.
Once in a while on the right day the Trafalgar may hold enough for you to justify paying the price and overlooking its faults. But any greater frequency would I think be a frustrating experience seeing how much better it could be, and an exasperating one as the drain on funds to pay what seems to be a kind of riverside seating tax becomes too much to bear.
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Last Pub we visited on our recent trip to Greenwich, and only went there because of the mention of the " historic " maritime value of its contents, and to be honest I wish we hadn't bothered, as its just another " tourist rip off " Pub on the Thames, with extortionate Drink and Food prices. Horrible staff, terrible atmosphere inside the place too, arrogant customers outside being loud and offensive to each other, and making customers feel uneasy. Can't believe this Pub is mentioned in tourists guides. I can't think of a single reason to recommend this place.....
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Visited lunchtime today. Prices terrible: 2 pints of Adnams and a glass of wine was over �13.
Fish and Chips lunch mediocre and not good value at �15. ! Can't think how shand83 can describe the food as "great"
Yes, location appeals to the tourists but there are better places in Greenwich for the serious pubber:
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Passed in here on a stag do and it is an impressive pub, both in size and in location.
Was very packed inside, but the wait at the bar wasn't too painful. We drank outside, and although it was getting a bit blustery it was a pleasant enviroment with a fantastic view outside.
Didn't stay for too long to get a full grasp on drink prices but would image its standard pub prices for food and drink - ie would need a few notes in the pocket for a good night out here
Would happily return though
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A pub that, based on its location and guaranteed stream of wealthy clientele, should by all rights be one of London's best. However, during my numerous visits, it rarely fails to disappoint.
Just two dull as ditchwater brown ales on my last visit on Tuesday evening. On a couple of previous occasions in the summer they have run out of beer altogether. Whilst the ale is always Adnams and Sharps dominated, the lager and Belgian draft range has at least been recently expanded. Bar staff seem to be working quite hard but the wait is always a chore, even when the place is half empty and I'm sure they ignore me on purpose in preference of other punters who arrive after me. This being London, no one corrects their mistake and points out who's genuinely next in line.
The location is just stunning, with unrivaled views overlooking the Thames and the Dome both inside and out and the reason we keep coming back. Never eaten here because I'm not a lottery winner. It's not awful but I'm devastated when I think how good it could be with a little bit of imagination.
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Been a few times, and like this place very much. It's never actually been that busy when I've been here, and I've bagged a window seat relatively easily. Always offers well-kept beers with the option to try. The dining area was the only part of the place laid up for diners, and this was seperate enough so as not to imping on the atmosphere of the pub side. I have ordered food from the bar a few times and it has always been great. If you're into engravings there are loads and loads of wonderful examples on the walls. Spent the evening of Feb 2nd 2001 here, the night the whole of london was snowed in, and it was great to look out onto the river with the blizzard descending.
A winner!
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Beautiful pub and location. Friendly service, decent range of beers. Big on food but in no way made to feel unwelcome as a mere drinker. Only downside was the inappropriately loud modern music.
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Great views across the river and great selection of beers including selection from Sharps and Adnams. Very friendly staff will let you taste any of their products. Good selection of belgium lagers especially Estaminet - love it ! I will definatly be back again!!!
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Can't stand pubs that have over 50% of the ground floor laid out for dining!
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Called in on NYD during a mini crawl of Greenwich. Busy place catering for tourists and the food trade.
Fine selection of well kept beers.
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Tourist restaurant masquerading as a pub. I thought pubs were for drinking in but over half the place was shut yesterday afternoon for non-existant diners, I must be wrong. Could be a good pub if the management buck up their ideas but at the moment, it seems to cater for tourists (i.e. give you rubbish service once in the likelihood that you won't be back). I'm not a tourist but I won't be back.
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After reading the reviews on here, I wasn't expecting too much. But this proved to be my favourite pub in Greenwich. Yes, it's a bit of a tourist trap. But the fine views across the river will inevitably attract many visitors. Sharps Doom Bar & Abbey Christmas, Deuchars IPA, Adnams Bitter & Old Ale and Slaters Arctic were the 6 real ales on offer. Hogans was the rather unusual cider choice and was very pleasant, albeit fizzy. Most of the drinking area has good views from the windows. A separate formal dining area looks as if it also had good views. I sat to the side, where it was a little quieter. But there are many black and white historical pictures to admire. In addition to the formal dining option, bar meals were also available. Prices were not quite as high as I anticipated. Far better than most of the reviews on here indicate.
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Called in on an evening wander, interesting old place, enough in to make it comfortable rather than crowded or like a graveyard!! Great views across the river, beer seemed okay, service was fine but then again was only one at the bar. As with the Cutty Sark, would be worth a visit on a summers day to soak up the sun and watch the world go past on the river.
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Great view - lovely old building - slightly upmarket maybe for your regular drinker - a restaurant area through the main room looked very much "Are you on the list sir?" type of affair. But beer was nice, and as I said - that view!
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Rubbish beer. Great place to go to feed your pitbull vodka & coke. Useful in that it catches most of the dodgy trade that would otherwise ruin the Yacht down the road.
dan88 - 28 Aug 2010 17:07 |
I have just had a birthday party for 15 people. The location is great, but the service and food were unsurpassed. Everything went according to plan and there were no hiccups. I would defintely use this pub again whether for a lunch snack or an event such as ours. I could not fault anything. Well done!!
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In an absolutely prime location, this pub was packed inside and out on Saturday night. The views up the Thames to the O2 are superb and make this a must-visit on any Greenwich crawl.
About 2/3 of the interior is given over to a resturant area which was, annoyingly, nearly empty whilst the rest of the pub was rammed.
There were some interesting wheat and friuts beers that, again annoyingly, all seemed to be off! Still my pint of Hogan's cider was refreshing, if not cheap.
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Not the best pub in Greenwich (that accolade goes to the cutty sark) but still very good. one to add to a crawl through greenwich.. 7.5 / 10
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Was there for Sunday lunch & cant understand all the negative reviews. Very friendly , fast & efficient service , food was fine , & the dining room very pleasant without tables crammed in too tight . Bar looked very cheerful as well & the bar food looked good . Prices not the cheapest , but you pay for the location ..there arent too many riverside locations like this . Would recommend .
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Am afraid I'd have to report just like the last few reviews here.
This pub is badly laid out and has a terrible terrible menu.. probably one of the worst i've ever seen in any pub anywhere. Any bit of TLC would dort this place out in a heartbeat but it jsut doesn't seem to be forthcoming. Absolutely has the best location probably in Greenwich but just doesnt seem to want to do anything over the bare minimum to retain it's customer base and is happy with it's passing tourist trade. abysmal.
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Went to this pub yesterday for sunday lunch with friends and upon entering the signs were good, nice location, well kept exterior, atmosphere - expected the food to mirror this. But it didn't. After ordering 7 Roast dinners (which you'd expect them to be ready for on a Sunday) we waited an hour for our food. The waiter said it was because a private function with a buffet was taking up a lot of their time but I failed to see anything being brought out for them either as they appeared to have already finished eating their plates of sandwiches. The food came out and instantly looked poor, like a dish of components all thrown on a plate together rather than a traditional roast - reminded me of a Wetherspoons lunch, well at least I'd have got a free drink there. The worst bit was the mashed potato. Smash anyone? Thought not. My friend's was not 'mixed' properly and had powdered smash at it's core. We told the waitress who informed us that it wasn't smash (that's a lie, because real potatoes don't have powder in them) and quickly replaced my friend's meal with a fresh one. Quite suprising given that we waited a hour for our meal yet she could bring his second one out in 30 seconds. Needless to say he didn't eat it. �8.50 isn't a lot but if i wanted Aunt Bessie potatoes, curious slices of beef (microwaved per chance?) and Smash I'd have gone to Wetherspoons, got a free drink and put the difference into a few games of pool. Utter crap, theres no reason to not take pride in your cooking especially with something as sacred as the Great British roast dinner.
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The staff here remain extremely pleasant, as is the view, but I'm rapidly going off this pub. Great pubs result from the efforts of someone with a genuine passion for them. Unfortunately, the impression I get, is that here, the owner's only passion is to make a fast buck for the owner.
It's a real shame to see a historic pub, described in a Charles Dickens novel, is being 'prostituted' for all it's worth.
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Living off it's former glories and reputation plus I suppose the location which is undeniable excellent in the summer now, and no more than a 5/10
mps77 - 28 Oct 2009 15:32 |
Sad to report that this once great pub is still awful, un-friendly service when you eventually get served, poorly kept beer (if it's on). Another triumph from Frank Dowling and Greenwich Inc. I live in hope that he will either go bust (sadly unlikely given the number of tourists in Greenwich) or that he will get bored in the Town Centre and sell up to concentrate on his bars and restaurants at the O2. If we were really lucky Alastair Hook of Meantime Brewery might buy it.......
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Was in Greenwich today for work and was taken here for lunch and a pint. Excellent views of the Thames and a great spot - unfortunately that is about it. Ordered Adnams, but it had plenty of sediment so it was changed when asked to Flowers - which was OK but nothing brilliant.The pint was changed without a problem - the look on the bar staff faces said they did not think there was anything wrong with it.
Colleague ordered the �10 burger which arrived quickly enough, but had a burnt roll and was overcooked. Looking at other reviews for pubs in Greenwich, there must be better places to go.
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I visited the pub with friends on an August Sunday afternoon. I had the Swordfish from the bar menu, which was served uncooked, and was completely raw by the bone. I returned my food and asked for a cheese burger which wasn't much better - greasey. The food came out almost immediately, which makes me think that it had been sitting around for a while.
I don't recommend this pub for food.
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This pub is awful, and has been for the past year or so. The beer is appaling, not kept well and you can taste the staleness. It is over priced and crowded, you can wait for ages for a drink and then get poor service and rubbish beer. Avoid like the plauge.
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This is an ideally situated pub, with plenty of room to sit outside and lovely views of the river. There was a good choice of ales - including Adnams and Sharps beers - I had a pint of Nelson bitter which was a mistake as it did not taste that good: a bit flat and watery. My companians did not complain about their pints, so perhaps I was just unlucky (or they were being polite). I would suspect that the beers are not well kept, which is a shame as this could be the perfect pub; but what the hell is a whitebait dinner? Don't sound that much to me.
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Can't really judge the ale as I went for the cider, which was OK. Great location overlooking the Thames and ideal on a hot day but the food was overpriced and bloody awful - avoid the chicken supreme sandwich with the envitable oven ready chips unless you like burnt anyhthing and cardboard chips for �10
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Never fails to disappoint. Could be exceptional, but isn't. I was one of the first customers on Sunday morning and the first three ales I asked for were off (that is to say, there was nothing but dregs in the beer lines, which then had to be cleaned). I settled for a Doombar, which was quite drinkable. But who (if anybody) is supposed to be looking after the cellar? Imagine opening a pub on the busiest, hottest, Bank Holiday of the year with three empty beer lines? Words like "piss-up" and "brewery" spring to mind. Get a grip somebody. Not only that, while we beer-drinkers were struggling for lift-off, two thirds of the pub was empty, cordoned-off for non-existent diners. Was is this place? A pub or a MacDonald's? One point for opening the doors. One point for the Doombar.
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I quite liked this pub. The service was good and its got a fantastic view of the river.
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Horrible, just horrible. The ale is terrible, clearly not kept well and the bar staff looked miserable, and who can blame them? The bar area looked messy as did the pub in general - it looks like it could do with a good clean and there is pain coming off the walls, cables everywhere and so many tables crammed into one place, you are literally sat on top of each other.
I spoke to the bar manger and asked a few standard questions about the ale and he had no idea what I was talking about. This is a piece of history being destroyed and I believe we should not give money to whom ever is making money from this venture.
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I visited here on Tuesday evening, which whilst quite busy, wasn't uncomfortably packed. Maybe I am incredibly lucky, or maybe I have a telepathic, positive influence upon all the staff, but I do not recognise the negative experiences of other writers and I have no complaints with the service or any other aspect of the pub.
Naturally, this establishment is primarily a pub, not a restaurant and does not pretend to be anything other than a traditional pub. In summary, as a pub, this remains one of the most enjoyable and attractive places in London, though it seems you either love it or hate it.
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Im amazed that as yet I havent written a review of this place because I have been going here on and off for the last 8 years or so, it used to be my favorite pub in London, it has amazing views, its a spectacular building, and always had a well stocked bar. Unfortunately over the years it has gone down hill, not because it gets ridiculously busy at the weekends and on warm sunny evenings. Its gone down hill because the service is getting worse, I dont think Im getting older and grumpier but it could be a factor, but it does annoy me when bar staff are lazy, slow and surly.....but it does have a great view
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This was awful. It was a mess, the bar staff were painfully slow and even though the location is amazing, it didnt make us want to stay as it was so terrible. We were so disappointed as we were told that it was an amazing pub to go to and the highlight of our tour but we stayed for 1/2 our drinks and left it was so bad. Didnt try the food so cant comment but people next to us had waited for ages and when it arrived it didnt look great.
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WTF is happening to some of Greenwich's finest pubs? I really used to like this place, but it was just a mess when I went in! Yes it was cold outside, but did they really need cheap looking portable heaters in the main bar area? And even with that it was still cold. One person behind the bar, who was under a lot of pressure as the place seemed to be filled with chinless idiots.
I didn't even get as far as the bar before I walked out. It's unlikely that I will ever come in here again TBH.
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Reviews tend to be at either end of the spectrum, with no happy medium, so I had no real expectation of what to find here. The location must rate as one of the very best in London, with panoramic views of the adjacent Thames and Canary Wharf opposite. The pub itself is an authentic aged one, being described in Charles Dickens� last novel, �Our Mutual Friend� and happily, it retains much of its character.
Adorning the walls, mainly upstairs but also on the ground floor are a huge collection of paintings, prints and etchings, featuring ships, maritime events and famous naval personalities. There looked to be a fair range of beers to suit most tastes, including (for me), the welcome sight of Flowers.
Most importantly, I can only praise the members of staff, who were courteous, hospitable and friendly. We had arrived expecting to make only a brief visit, but felt contented, overlooking the river, so we stayed for a couple of hours or more.
Sure, the prices are not cheap and I usually prefer to go for a cheaper option, given that most pubs are bland, characterless shells. But here is an exceptional location with appealing surroundings and friendly, amiable staff. True, it would have been far less pleasant if it was very busy, but the same would be just as true for any other pub.
I thoroughly enjoyed my visit and rate this pub highly, but mindful that my comments do not sit easily with some of the other reviews here, my response is that I can only speak as I find. After all, that�s the whole idea, isn�t it?
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plainly the Trafalgar divides opinion. We visited in the middle of the afternoon on a cold damp December day. Managed to get some good seats and therefore the view was great (despite it being cold, damp etc). But the pub itself was cold, literally and metaphorically. We enjoyed Sharps Doom Bar but there were too many beers off for my liking and I was shocked to see the food special of steak and kidney pie advertised at �10.95!!
One to visit - but infrequently!
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This is a lovely pub, the staff are polite but not overly friendly, they will serve you well but won't have a chat with you so it depends on what you want from your barman. The food is nice, served quickly and with a smile, yes it is expensive but when you look at the location can you blame them?
Worth a visit.
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I've been in this pub a few times. You need a fold up bike to get there mind you. As it's a bit of a long hike from the surrounding pubs around the Greenwich area. On a nice sunny day it's refreshing to sit outside & admire the splendid scenery.
The staff are very courteous whether you are local or tourist. The food appears to be very expensive though. �3.50 for a bowl of chips? Ouch!
This place is definetely worth a looking in.
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This one really gets you reaching for the razorblades.
Another great venue snatched from Greenwich by the unstoppable Frank Dowling and turned around into a ghastly souless dive aimed squarely at tourists and the Spiky Haired Brigade (estate agents, salemen etc along with their respective orange girlfriends.
Wonderful location, appalling use of space, septic toilets and Frank's unique method of staffing it with bland humourless cretins all add up to an experience best left to the less discerning.
Oh, why couldn't a well-known local brewery take over these places and squeeze out the plebs??
Not barred from this one yet but trying hard.
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A tourist trap, but it did have a good range of Nelson Brewery beers on offer. I was with a couple of chums, and we all had the Loose Cannon, but none of us were very keen on it. Unfortunately we could not stay long enough to try any of the others, which is a shame because I had not come across this brewery�s products before. The pub itself has a superb location with an excellent view over the river. Tall rooms with large windows letting in a lot of light made it seem quite welcoming, but the bare boards didn�t seem to work in a pub like this � carpeting would have been better. Didn�t eat there, but the meals passing by looked good, although expensive (of course). Personally, I prefer less obtrusive pubs � this certainly has a lot of front!
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Visited recently and found it to be well-decorated, and with friendly staff. It was delightful to sit outside in the sunshine by the river.
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God I love this pub. I've eaten in the restaurant several times, the food is very good and tasty. Had a lovely bit of Halibut in there recently. Always get served no problem and am always really happy to just sit in the bar whiling away a few hours staring out of the window having a drink. Could do with some lower strength draft lager for us common lager drinkers.
We love the pub so much we held our wedding reception there. The best wedding venue i could have hoped for. All our guests were amazed by the setting and we could not fault the staff for the service we received. A lovely pub and venue.
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Obviously either males have a better loo than Annetta's experience, or there has been an upgrade in the last few months.
This is somewhere not to be missed: provided it is out-of-season, there are few better places to sit and watch the Thames than the Trafalgar bars (and there seem to be an infinite number). That is a characteristic shared with the Yacht next door.
Far from being "a rather strange pint" (see JonW999 above), the Nelson Brewery of Chatham does at least half-a-dozen very palatable bitters. The Trafalgar runs a decent selection: chose your poison from the posted ABV ratings. If you're man enough, there's Nelson's Blood (at 6%) and Shipwrecked (a Winter Ale at 5%). Saner folk stick to the Trafalgar bitter (at 4.1%). There was also, on this visit, Timothy Taylor's Landlord (at 4.3%, and in cracking condition). As far as I could determine, all eight beer-engines were loaded and ready.
Food is good pub grub: you pay for quantity and a bit of presentation (i.e. the lettuce is fresh). Choice on the bar menu is limited. Service is fine and friendly.
This has all the makings of a well-run drinking hole. Heaven knows they're few and far between. Now, if only Mayor Ken would populate the Thames with wherries and sailing barges, all doing interesting things ...
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The only good thing about this place is it keeps the tourists out of the decent Greenwich pubs. Used to be a great place (despite said tourists) until INC did its worst (when is he going to stop and leave Greenwich alone??). Crap beer, overpriced, no atmosphere, dirty and tatty, rude staff, shall I go on? Take my advice and go to the Yacht next door, in fact take my advice and avoid all the INC pubs/restaurants altogether (Trafalgar, Admiral Hardy, Coach and Horses, W lounge, The Park, Spread Eagle, George... the list (unfortunately) just keeps growing).
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Went for a meal in the restaurant with family a few weeks ago, which was excellent, if not cheap.
As a pub it�s a nice enough place, especially in the summer. Although I find it a better place for an early afternoon drink with the Sunday Papers, before moving off somewhere with a bit more soul. The River views are it�s biggest asset along with the food.
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Much trumpeted and busy but really rather unexciting pub, part of the ubiquitous, and characterless, Greenwich Inc chain. Had a rather strange pint, Nelson brewery's Cat O'Nine Tails and still not somewhere I will rush back to.
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Great location and good range of ales, very much a tourist spot but an pub I almost always visit when in Greenwich.
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We went with a family group for lunch on Saturday 7th July. It is the first time I have visited and we were very impressed with the quality of food, presentation and service. We were seated in the restaurant by the window with excellent river views. My only criticisms are: the price - very expensive! and the loos - which urgently need some refurbishment!
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Lack of Nelsons Blood put a dampner on our eveining pub crawl around Greenwich. Other than that the Trafalger is still a superb pub.
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Third stop on a works pub crawl a couple of days ago. Beer awful, temperature in the pub seemed similar to that outside at about zero. This was the first time I'd been to the Trafalgar for a while and it has definitely gone downhill.
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Took my parents for sunday lunch yesterday and had a really enjoyable meal. The staff were lovely, had a great table by the window and both parents are keen to go back!
Toilets were a little grotty for such a nice pub tho ;-(
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just making comment to follw the last two been in pub on numerous occasions never seen "flower sam"
As for i.d. checks its nice to feel safe not surrounded by kids
never a problem getting getting served not always the "fastest" but you will always be acknowledged .
Pub needs a work over and tidying up
perhaps these last two comments are freinds or enemies of "SAM"
Always enjoy going there with freinds and never yet been hassled
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Another Greenwich INC disaster. Lucky for them Greenwich is full of tourists and visitors from elsewhere in south east London because if they had to rely on locals they would be in administration by now.
Only good for the River views.
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A once terrific pub that has been Greenwich Inc-ed and is now totally devoid of character.
anonymous - 7 Nov 2006 11:37 |
Great mid-week pub (the kind of place that should be enjoyed when it's quieter), but overcrowded on weekends and summer evenings. The views from The Yacht next door are better (more panoramic windows) but the decor's can't be compared. The restaurant section is also excellent, but that can be reviewed somewhere else.
Two problems though. First of all, when I went there on Tuesday night they were playing jazz at foreground volume levels. I'm not as opposed to jazz as a lot of people, but even so, there's something wrong about needing to talk over it at a pub.
Secondly, their house beer - Trafalgar Bitter from the Chatham Brewery - is ghastly. The problem isn't that it's not too my taste, but that I can't imagine it being to anyone's taste. I suspect they just hold the empty bottles out into the Thames to refill them and recap them - such is the murky, brown, unpleasant swill. The Chatham dockyards should get back to building ships of mass destruction, and not beers of ass destruction.
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Nice building, ruined by the fact that the beer tastes like piss and the people who drink there are mid 30's who like to think of themselves as "cool" or "hip" whilst drinking a �4 bottle of wine. Do I like this place? What do you think?
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Absolutely disgusting toilets - not just dirty and flooded floor but in a poor state of repair. The mirror that was meant to be above the sinks was leaning against the wall next to the urinals, one cubicle had no lock and no light and the other was overflowing and due to lack of a dispenser the floor was covered in paper towels that had blown off the ledge. Lovely.
Nice riverside seating and the interior has a certain battered charm, however that look should not extend to the toilets!
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The location and the building are great. Unfortunately, that is the best you can say about the place. The beer is average, the food less than average quality, overpriced and cold when finally served and the bar staff not too enthusiastic. But you have a great view. Now even with tables and chairs at the river.
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The glass fascists always seem to get their way here, with plastic only in the beer garden.
Unfortunately, on a busy hot Friday, this translates to everyone getting beer in plastic!
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I've been this pub a few times and yes, while the view of the Thames from the window is great, the prices are not. I was served a pint of FLAT Stella in a Guinness glass. That sums the place up for me. It's extremely packed most of the time too, but that�s because of the location, not the greatness of the pub.
HTM69 - 29 May 2006 22:20 |
Great location but the pub itself is shamefully bad. The exclusively foreign male bartenders seem only interested in chatting up/serving laydees. Which is fair enough....but not on my time Pedro.
Worst toilets this side of Calcutta.
anonymous - 8 May 2006 12:52 |
Went to this pub last Friday evening so it was very packed but the location of the pub made made up for it. The beer was OK. The gents need a refurb - soon.
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Nice pub but gets too busy which is a shame. Good location. They really need to sort out the ladies toilets there are not enough considering how busy this place can get.
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What was once a terrific pub has been ruined in the last few years. An overlit bar hurts your eyes, the beer is expensive and the outdoor seating has become regimented to get more people in. Still, it manages to draw huge crowds.
anonymous - 18 Nov 2005 14:56 |
Cracking location and a spacious venue marred by the loud public address system calling folk to their tables in the restaurant. I should mention this was a Sunday lunchtime though. The grating annoucements were compounded by NOT particularly pleasant Trafalgar bitter and awful cloudy London Pride. Probably end up here again though cos the location is great.
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Greenwich Inc and Instinct Events are one and the same thing - they own most of Greenwich, including The Traf, Admiral Nelson, Inc Bar, The Cricketers, Bar du Musee and the restaurant opposite the Rose & Crown, so if you want to avoid the rude staff here, I would suggest you avoid them all!
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Anon 2 May: I got married upstairs back in September last year and was perfectly happy with it. The upstairs is run by Instinct Events who used to be based there but have expanded their business and are now near Bar Du Musee. I agree that the bar staff could be more helpful but I believe they are two distinct businesses. The Trafalgar is a Greenwich Inc pub. You probably would have been better off calling Instinct's phone number as they are very helpful.
General comments:
The toilets really should be better maintained, esp. the Ladies (based on my wife's comments!) There is no excuse for the state they are often in.
Overall though I like this pub for an evening drink. There are worse pubs around. It can get a bit too busy to be enjoyable sometimes. When that's the case I simply go elsewhere :-)
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I went to a wedding reception at this pub. On first impression, I thought "nice". However, this pub is UNSAFE! One of the large Victorian Sash windows fell on my head and not one member of staff came over to check I was ok, even though they were informed that the incident had occurred. To make the situation worst I called their headoffice a few days later, spoke to a director who said she would look into it and didn't hear back from her so called again. She was not very helpful so called the council. The guy I spoke to at the council was quite helpful at first. I told him which pub it was then he said "oh, I get on really well with that pub". Well, it's not surprising then that matters were not taken any further seeing as the pub are pally pally with the council! The pub tried to blame the guests at the wedding for opening the windows which were not meant to be open. They admitted that they knew the windows were unsafe and were planning to refurnish next year. But why is it that I was one of the first people to arrive at the pub for the reception and ALL the windows were openand staff were putting the curtains back to let the sun in!! and why is a venue allowed to hold events if there are parts of the building that are unsafe. When I went to the doctor to have my head checked out, just in case, the doctor told me that firstly, I had serve concussion and secondly, if I was a child I would not be alive now as the sash window was about 12 foot high and 6 foot wide, the force of that falling on a child's head coukld very well have killed the child!
anonymous - 23 Sep 2005 17:13 |
Previous comments have a ring of truth about them!
Yes-It is a busy,sometimes overcrowded pub as it is on the tourist trail-so no surprises there!
Yes-The bar-staff do sometimes appear to be slow and unorganised, but I would not say rude. This could be remedied by a decent bar manager!
Yes-The food is overpriced,not in terms of quantity but quality.
Yet-The choice of beers and ales is above average. Lovers of Real Ale-go straight for a drop of the Nelson's Blood! A strong (7.4 per cent)ale with a remarkably smooth and fruity aftertaste!
You can truly marvel at the decor of this showcase pub and the atmosphere it evokes! I am sure on a quiet day (devoid of tourists)one could sup ale until the heart's content as the Thames flows by with all its majestic brilliance and stillness!
Please don't be mean to this pub over its toilets (as in previous comments!) This site should be rating the liquid that passes through our lips, not the virtues of the surroundings in which we pass the liquid through our bowels!My advice to punters-for what it's worth choose the right day, and immerse yourself in a pub with genuine historical reverence and pedigree!
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The bar service here is always bad. I have noticed on a few occasions now, that the bar staff are lazy, and just serve the people who appear directly infront of them and ignore everyone else waiting at the bar.
The pub is nice inside but far too small and crowded to be pleasurable. The toilets are the filthiest I have seen in a pub for ages, with a broken hand dryer and no towels. The tap was constantly running as it was broke, two weeks later, it was still running. Makes you wonder what the kitchens are like...
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Large popular pub on the Thames with great river views. The window in the main bar is quite stunning. Beers are offered by the Chatham brewery, Nelson, which doesn't have a great reputation. The place can be quite oppressive during busy periods, but can be reasonably relaxing, if not exactly homely, during weekdays.
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the unique historic riverside position of this pub and its attractive function rooms is not matched by its products or service, the owners have ruined what used to be a 'great british pub', musak, understaffed, cramped, moderate food and yes it encourages loud pavement drinking blocking public footways in the process. A friend recently tried to enquire about their rooms for a wedding but couldn't get any sense from their flash web-site, a visit to the pub found staff - and manager! - "too busy" to discuss a wedding reception value circa �3,000. They bought a bottle of water, a coffee and what turned out to be two very moderate Trafalgar Burgers and walked along the road and placed the business with a nearby location with friendly helpful staff and a far better proposition!
anonymous - 2 May 2005 03:55 |
I have been going to this pub on and off for years and with regret I have to agree with the previous comments (except I like that they have all the seating outside. Never have I been to a pub where the toilets are consistently in such a disgusting state. Food is overpriced. What happened to the musicians? Why have they stuffed it so full of chairs you can barely move? Overstretched staffing level. A great shame and sadly missed opportunity. If you are reading this - get it together!!!
anonymous - 22 Apr 2005 14:40 |
I hate this tourist pub (just 2 busy) but what really annoys me is the way they have taken over the area outside.
This was a lovely place to walk (on the way to better pubs) but now you have to try and get past the 20 or so b&Q style tables
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hmmmm great place for the tour groups and weddings now shame as this was a cracking place for a pint a few years back, what with cool staff, hipster flipster (?) and a crazy dude on piano (i wonder what happened to him on top of the pops???)
pete - 11 Nov 2004 19:34 |
I have to say I agree with the above comments. Not only is the food overpriced, but it is also misrepresented on the menu. When we brought this up with the management he (Ivan Whitley) was rude and unaccomodating. What ever happened to customer service?
Theresa Avey - 31 Oct 2004 00:23 |
Grossly overpriced both for drinks and food and consequently a very unpopular haunt these days. Used to be a friendly, relaxed atmosphere until taken over. Ladies loo's are disgusting.
Jo - 12 Oct 2004 12:36 |
this wonderful old tavern used to be in the top ten pubs in london year in year out. what has happened to our favorite tavern
charlton bob - 15 Sep 2004 22:15 |
I hate this pub, skanky d�cor, takes an age to get served and is almost impossible to get a seat� I have to say though, some friends absolutely love it so give it a try and if you don�t like it, there are plenty of alternatives�
Dan - 14 Jun 2004 16:13 |
From my visit I can empathise with many of the other comments. If the moment is right it's great. If it's not it's like bad sex.. you 'sort of' regret it. The steak 'sandwich' and chips is expensive as a sandwich but very good as 'steack frites' with a pice of ciabatta instead of baguette. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Mind you we did arrive and got our bar order in just before a coach load of blue rinsies hit the restaurant and slowed the kitchen down. Great view, irritating musak until brain and alcohol filtered it out. Beer fine except for Camra nerds. My lady enjoyed it.
andy - 1 May 2004 20:08 |
pub of the year days are sadly o distant memory, if only the new owners understood what made this historic tavern special. but then the owner is a yank and thinks 1664 is a real ale ha ha.
toby - 24 Feb 2004 20:13 |
Excellent view from the pub, but if the view is the best I can say about the pub then it must be a bit poor. Expensive drinks, unfriendly service, looks a bit of a hole, annoying music and the food was extortionately priced (�6.95 for a quarter of quiche they probably got for 59p from ASDA?). I went there to celebrate my University graduation and am very glad to say I won't be going back. 3/10
Steven - 5 Feb 2004 18:12 |
fantasic view overlooking the river. great place to go. *****
Tara - 9 Jan 2004 13:38 |
wicked sundays! - had a great drink with mates overlooking the river and then a fab band plays from 8pm upstairs till 12 anything from ella fitzgerald to kylie! it was the best sunday Ive had in years!
stefanie - 26 Nov 2003 17:04 |
This is undeniably one of the best pubs in the world. Great food in the restaurant, lovely grand decor. It gets absolutely rammed though but is worth it mostly.
Clarey - 25 Nov 2003 14:57 |
i thought the view made the place!!!beer was worth the wait!
Maria - 17 Oct 2003 16:57 |
Trafalgar is one of my top three pubs in the world. It is beautiful when they pull the tables outside in the summer down by the river and the jazz on a friday night is excellent.
anonymous - 24 Sep 2003 17:21 |
everything was reasonably priced the music was too loud good bar food
Dave - 8 Aug 2003 20:55 |
The food was great the beer was ok a little long to wait though the Irish Manager was cute
Rachel - 8 Aug 2003 20:54 |
Great beer great staff
Ralph - 6 Aug 2003 18:18 |
They serve bad beer without a care.
Very expensive.
Dave - 6 Aug 2003 15:22 |
I went to the Trafalgar Tavern on Saturday it was incredible, they had the table and chairs out on the river, the food was incredible, the music just right and the service was even better. One of the best pubs I have ever been in.
Jennifer from Surrey - 5 Aug 2003 17:51 |
Don't leave Greenwich without visiting this great bar and its friendly staff. It's a great place to have a party! It's known as a "good place to tie one on", the "excellent fish 'n' chips" leads fans to conclude that the grub is "underrated"; It's a "fun" spot to hear live session bands.
Lynn - 4 Aug 2003 20:14 |
Great location, beer OK....... quality live music weekend evenings.
Best times to go are out of tourist season and outside of student term times
at the university.
Toby - 23 Jul 2003 14:27 |
The whitebait dinner I had here was the best whitebait I've ever had...& probably the last. Unfortunately, it was a brilliant afternoon when we walked in, & I immediately found a window seat in an empty room. What was more unfortunate, our cute & attentive young server was able to pay personal attention to us, and as her section began to fill was apologetic due to her becoming so busy. My pints of bitter were decent(but not memorable), and my friend's bangers & mash was decent. Luckily I was able to tune out the canned background music, and as a tourist, I felt I should resist my urge to spray the Yuppies in the main room with a boiling mixture of tar & sulphuric acid. While I would not be a regular here, I was able to slake my thirst on our trek from the Galleon to the Yacht, & stave off Death's grasp for another afternoon. The Trafalgar building, and it's collection of prints took by breath away, even if the food & drink didn't. While not worth a special trip, the Trafalgar is perfect when you know you can't last another 100 feet to the Yacht.
Martineaux - 2 Jun 2003 12:02 |
The pub itself is dirty and unfriendly, but the view of the Thames is pleasant on a sunny afternoon or summer evening. I have some lovely memories of sitting with my boyfriend outside, and then receiving our whole evenings drinks free when the stupid barperson couldn't find our tab on the computer!! Ha ha! Wasn't that expensive that time!!
Claudia - 29 May 2003 19:39 |
Ate there yesterday (26 May 2003). Food was, at best, mediocre - chips were cold and batter on fish not sufficiently cooked. Sausage and mash was very average. Squid inedible. Two of the main courses arrived about 15 minutes after the others. Service woefully inept. Despite all this the place was packed! Kitchen and front of house clearly not able to cope with the volume of customers.
Shame really as it is a lovely venue and could be one of Greenwich's prime eating spots. I will not be back.
Carl - 27 May 2003 13:12 |
It used to be good two years ago now its full of Fashion snobs
ian - 9 May 2003 11:10 |
what the pubs in hell would be like, expensive food and drink, terrible service, horrible jazz music in the background, horrible horrible horrible!
Jason - 2 May 2003 12:01 |
Amazingly over-rated - packed, run like an impersonal chain pub, irritating jazz music.
The upstairs rooms (usually closed to the public) are beautiful, mind.
Darryl - 27 Apr 2003 23:01 |
outwardly impressive but very very pretensious pub. Staff very full of themselves and cleaning and collecting glasses from tables seems to be too good for them. Sarcasm and witty comments always seem to be forcoming when being fleeced at the bar. Must charge highest prices outside of the savoy! Good view of the river but then so have the other pubs along the river bank too.
arturo_morales - 18 Mar 2003 16:01 |
I think this is a great pub, ive only been there on busy Saturday nights in a large group, and on those occassions never found the atmosphere lacking. They have some fantastic live Jazz in the evenings, and the night-time view of the thames is a real feature, also a large variety of clientele.
sarah - 14 Mar 2003 10:44 |
The only characteristic worth mentioning seems to be its size - huge. No atmosphere to speak of. Tables were dirty - yuk - really offputting- and didn't get cleaned during my visit. The owners seem to think that no effort is needed. I went once and won't be going back.
Elena - 4 Mar 2003 16:19 |
I was expecting more from this pub. It was very dark and cold inside, not very welcoming at all. Does have good river views, which would be great on a sunny day. I imagine it gets pretty busy though.
Clare - 16 Feb 2003 18:55 |
Excellent location, managed to keep its oldfashioned charm. Won the Evening Standard Pub of the Year competition about 3 years ago.
Pauly H - 4 Dec 2002 15:24 |
One of the oldest pubs in the south east. Fine food and excellent river views.
Sally Harris |
