please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Handy before a match, but inevitably crowded...BBQ is too expensive. Nice riverside stroll down to the ground,FFC.
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Couldn't get a table on Sunday for lunch, was given a BBQ menu which included a bowl of �6 chips!! That's right, I said �6!! �22 for a steak, on the BBQ, I think they may have lost sight of what their customers actually want. The pub was not full and there were a number of tables inside empty, come on Crabtree, sort it out!!
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Will not be returning to this pub again and do not recommend anyone else waste their time and money. Staff unwelcoming, service poor, they will take your money then tell you to leave!
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Am in the Crabtree now - my second visit. Enthusiastic barman remembered me. Decent real ale selection and fish and chips was good if pricey. I won't be back here for another year as I only have to venture to W6 to see my accountant. My main criticism is that for lunchtime and mid-afternoon the music is inappropriate and too intrusive for the clientele. It's a right row and there's no escape as there are speakers everywhere.
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Used to be an OK sort of place, staff were adequate, quality of food reasonable, real ale a bit hit and miss, place to avoid in the summer (too busy). However, since acquired by Greene King, staff now totally inadequate, food inadequate, real ale inadequate, as for the summer, go there because if it stays as it is your have plenty of space to sit alone and contemplate "I really should be somewhere else".
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Rubbish staff, nice location and decor, average food.
Its a nice pub and in the summer months nice to use the extensive beer garden and good beers on pump. However the staff should get a kick up the bum for customer service. They are too preoccupied having their own conversation to actually serve you and god forbid if you ask for something they would have to make an effort for...like get an extra plate! BBQ food is poor, not tried al la carte.
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Best pub in London and I'm proud to call it my local now :)
jpw82 - 16 Jan 2011 21:58 |
Not too sure if the picture is correct, but I believe this is the right place. Some friends and I were there for dinner on Friday 25th June, to celebrate a 30th birthday and I must say that it didn't start off the way we intended, but it had a perfect finish. We had initially called earlier in the week to make a booking and requested a very specific table. We arrived only to be told that another customer had been given the table. We were initially none too pleased but were given a excellent subsitute on the River side, and although there was no a la carte serviced offered, an exception was made, and we were given 1st rate service by a gentleman named Halo, who we found out was the Manager. We were very impressed to see him take charge of the table himself, and not pass it off to one of the staff members. He apologised perfusely for the mix up and told us it was entirely his fault .From the time we sat down to our table to the moment left the building it was absolute bliss. The view across the river was perfect, the food was amazing, and the service was exceptional. We will be returning very soon! Thank you for a great birthday!
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Never been in before, but it looks like it has been recently refurbished in a typical West London style with more than a hint of gastro-pub about the place. However, that said, there are four handpumps - Deuchars IPA (�3.40), Pride, Directors and another one temporarily off - so there is a fair choice of ale in addition to the numerous wines on offer. It is also a large building, so it didn't feel crowded despite being pretty busy. Outside, it has an impressive beer garden (with several big umbrellas and a nice glass-covered verandah) plus a very pleasant terrace overlooking the River Thames.
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Have done a nice job of doing it up. Had a roast there on Sunday - portions small and meat was dry - we were early to eat too so later portions must have been like cardboard. Not cheap either at �13. Good selection of beers. Staff could do with cheering-up. Effecient service but certainly not with a smile! Has a garden for when the sun shines but no river view. Not a pub you need to go out of your way for.
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Hi
I just want to say, the Crabtree is completely changed since the majority of the ratings of this pub (from prior years). It is well worth the visit, has good beers, a good atmosphere, and a great beer garden. The food is decent (for pub food).
I do hope the rating can be weighted towars more recent posts (like, in the last 2 years for example), anyway I'm giving it a 9/10 to compensate.
Visit the Crabtree, make your own minds up.
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Thanks Dragon, it was actually chargrilled swordfish (my mistake) and while I'm no gordon ramsey either, I consider chargrilled to mean, well....chargrilled. The food was good quality, but too small portions and cooked badly.
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Thank you God of Ale for delivering unto us The Crabtree. Everytime i go in there there are four great Ales on tap. Always well kept, always changing and always served in an old school tankard. That means a lot in my book.
Apparently the blokes that own it have got a couple more in the area. If they are anywhere near as good as this i'll have to go and have a look.
They've made great use of the outside space. The garden look s fantastic and there is a lovely terrace overlooking the river, although that is often given over to diners. The missus loves it there. Although if you look down all you'll see is the rubbish the Thames washes up!
It's a bit of a something for evryone pub. The 'proper' food can be a bit pricey but i've eaten there a couple of times and on both times it has been very good.
The BBQ is mobbed on a sunny day so you may need to show a bit of understanding if you have to wait a while. Me and my boys have spent quite a few boozy hours in the garden and tucked into plenty of grub off the barbie and i've yet to be disappointed. I've certainly never waited 2hrs.
And it looks after the Fulham fans on home games too. Outside bar (albeit it only sells two things!) and a cheap and cheerful BBQ menu. And inside there are alwasy plenty of staff on, not like before.
And one more thing. Herbie me old China, i'm no Gordon Ramsey but aint Seared Tuna supposed to be raw in the middle?!
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Went here weds night after walking past a few times and noticing the refurb. I also saw the review in the evening standard so was full of expectation. 4 of us sat in the garden and had food from the BBQ.
Each of us was on the whole very disappointed with the food. We had steak, tuna steak and 2 lamb skewers. The steak was asked for rare but came very well done with chips that were more soggy than crisp. The tuna was luke warm and raw in the middle, it looked like it had been slapped on a radiator for 30 seconds rather than cooked with attention on the BBQ. The lamb was very chewy and fatty.
All in all it was not a good. The portion sizes were all too small, with each dish costing �12-�14.50 it simply was not enough.
Desserts were equally poor:
Lemon tart - very small slice. The table next to us found it very amusing how small it was which made up their mind that they wouldn't be ordring it. The plate was hot, the tart was sweating it was so warm and the blob of creme freche had simply turned into warm liquid and was running off the plate.
Crumble - tasteless but with strange tasting ice cream.
The chocolate tart was good as was the creem brulee, but by this time the experience had left all with a sour taste in our mouths.
The boozer looked good though and the pint of Old Hooky was top notch, I just can't find much good to say about the food which is a shame.
The owner was there taking photos of his busy garden on a hot summer day, but perhaps he should pay more attention to the quality of the food leaving his kitchen as if things don't improve he'll soon be looking at a lot of empty tables.
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The Crabtree has new management and has been totally renovated. We have a wonderful new beer garden, great friendly staff and a new food menu. All food is freshly prepared on the day, along side the restaurant we are also serving a great BBQ in the garden. We have a wide variety of real ales, and a fantastic wine menu selection. Dont just take our word for it, come down and see for yourself!
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Nice atmosphere, quite large comfortable interior and a big well-furnished garden. Good drinks selection and the house vodka is Russian Standard which certainly bodes well. Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area.
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Horrible pub... staff is far more interested in talking to themselves than serving us customers.
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A good pre- and post-football pub, although it's not a pub for quick serviceon on match days (which is to be expected, I suppose).
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Nice location, out of the main drag but not too hard to get to. Good outdoor area, certainly accommodates a decent amount of people and you can sit out there even in the rain as the umbrellas keep you dry and the heat lamps are good. Always had good experiences with the food, staff are great, and although the inside feels a little like it's facing the wrong way or something, it's a comfy pub with a good atmosphere in a great location. I think there was a table tennis table there last time I went, that was a cool twist.
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Very surprised at the average rating of this pub - I rather liked it. Set in quiet residential backstreets off Fulham Palace Road, it's a fairly large and unremarkable interior. Three or four real ales on the pump when I visited, on a Sunday lunchtime. Didn't eat but the food smelt really good.
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I'm going to add a comment to my previous remark because, to be fair the pub have taken the time and effort to address the matter.
1) I understand the pub quiz machine is back in working order and that a gesture has been made to me to compensate me for lost winnings. I am grateful for this, but as the amount I have lost can't be proven either way and the issue wasn't really money anyway I would like it donated to charity.
2) Food - the pub have defended ingredients, quality etc and I am prepared to accept them at their word that perhaps this was an unfortunate "one off"; they have offered me a complimentary meal and tour of the kitchen but I'm no Michael Winner so I'll decline that too.
In summary; it IS a nice pub, whether the issues I refer to are one off or not only time will tell, but I would suggest on balance the pub is worth a visit.
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I LIKE the Crabtree; its local, the beer is ok, the staff friendly but unfortunately I have two causes for complaint:-
1) I like to play the quiz machine; the last couple of times I have won yet the machine hasn't coughed up the coins. The first time the staff shrugged their shoulders, the second time someone reporting to be an assistant manager gave the machine a kick and turned it off. He very uninterestly told me to come back in a few days.... I've been back a few times. Machine is turned off. They seem to have forgotten me.
2) On Easter Sunday I decided to treat myself to lunch; it was snowy and cold and I couldn't be bothered to go home so I ordered the Sirloin steak medium done circa �10.50. After 20 mins it turned up. Imagine a single cherry tomato, cut in half, grilled and allowed to go cold. Imagine a single button mushroom quartered with just two of the quarters on the plate. Imagine 2 rock hard onion rings that were average sized at best but covered an excuse for a steak. There is no way that steak EVER got anywhere near 8oz precooked. The steak was frozen solid in the middle, then there was a raw lawer, then a burnt layer. To the side of this was a pile of minched way past its sell by lettuce and a scoop of chips that were both cold and "exploded" when pierced with a fork. I had also paid extra for a thimble of peppercorn sauce (with no peppercorns in it).
After a few mouthfuls I asked myself what was I doing? Why accept this complete rip off rubbish? So I left and went to Sainsbury's a 5 minute walk away and bought the ingredients for steak, chips etc for a fraction and cooked them at home.
I'll go back to the Crabtree purely as a local for a beer (when the quiz machine returns) but I will never order food from them again.
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Have used this place in the past (first time 1999) before Fulham v West Bromwich Albion fixtures. Always took an age to get served, from my recollection. Never stood out as a special pub, but seemed convenient for the match more than anything else.
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Have used this place in the past (first time 19999 before Fulham v West Bromwich Albion fixtures. Always took an age to get served, from my recollection. Never stood out as a special pub, but seemed convenient for the match more than anything else.
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The Crabtree used to be a great pub. Now it's tired and the management are rarely seen. There are never enough staff and it's really hard to get served. Now decidedly average.
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Went there saturday 20/10/2008 for the fulham v derby game, have to say found the pub friendly and itis good that it was mixed supporters on the day. The london pride was ok and the young lady serving me friendly. I do not under stand some of the adverse comments about this place.Did not try to order food but would not in any pub packed with football supporters asking to much of any place to supply food quickly.
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A nice stop off on a walk along the river. It always looks as if it cannot handle a big crowd for food orders, hence I have never tried ordering there when it is busy. Pick an off-peak time as I do and I have never had any complaints with service or food. Nice outside space that is also covered with large parasols - perfect for those days when the weather can't make it's mind up!
anonymous - 24 Jul 2007 15:35 |
Unfortunately this is my local. Great location and enormous garden, but that's all it has going for it. There are never enough bar staff and it can take an age to get served. As soon as the sun comes out then just forget about going there, you can wait up to 30mins to get served. Food is ok at best.
anonymous - 22 Jun 2007 14:18 |
This is a very poorly run pub. Visited Sunday 3rd June for lunch. Ordered food for 5 after waiting 10 minutes at the bar. Sat and waited. After asking how long the food would be after 35 minutes of waiting, 10 further minutes passed before a waitress came and told us that they had run out of goat cheese. Which as 3 of the orders were goat cheese salads was not ideal. We asked to see the manager (who was not available) and spoke to the assistant manager who informed us that suddenly there was some goat cheese. 10 minutes later our food arrived!
As you pay for the food upfront, the only form of recompense was a free round of drinks, which as we were driving and had been there over an hour, was not a lot of use.
Poor
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What a fantastic experience I had last night at the Crabtree! The owners have done such a brilliant job scrubbing this gem up! Where do i start...
The food was amazing. The staff are highly competent, attentive and friendly! The wine was well priced. It wasn't smokey!
I'm going back there tonight and taking my friends!
FYI, we had the steak and ale pie (massive with lots of gravy and mash). The fish and chips was fresh with the perfect light & crispy batter you search a lifetime for!
anonymous - 16 Mar 2007 15:41 |
Really liked this pub. Even though it's not far from Craven Cottage if wasnt overly busy after the game and my pint of Guinness was nice.
Nice view, imagine it will be a great place for a drink in the summer.
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I first went in the Crabtree as a kid in the eighties, dad took me before Fulham games and its changed so much over the years its incredible. In the old days it was a two bar old style riverside boozer, it was a locals pub and it relied heavily on football matchdays. Now its not a pub but a bar,the sort that are swallowing up old pubs everywhere, some might think the change was for the better but I miss the old Crabtree with its dukebox and pool table and muddy beergarden
anonymous - 1 Nov 2006 20:43 |
I've been using this pub now for 7 years and never has it been so badly run as it is now!
As an older football supporter I use it prior to every home match I see at Fulham.Without fail the London Pride runs out and usually one other of the 3 bitters offered does as well and the "line cleaning" sign goes up on the pump! On a recent trip they had not one draught bitter available with a packed bar!!This can only be incompetance from the management,I cannot believe they clean the lines every time I go there.
I have no problem with foreign bar staff but it is tiresome to the extreme when you have to repeat your order and point to which pump you want your beer from! That's if they haven't run out of course!
Now we get to the food.Although the food is very good getting it can be another matter! Several systems have been used to distribute the food and it always comes down to one of the serving staff walking the entire length of the pub asking all and sundry if they have ordered anything! Invariably when you get it it is cold!
This beautiful pub needs taking by the scruff of the neck and organising.Such a shame.What a waste!
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I recently visited this pub on a Saturday night and went back the following Sunday 4/6/06. I was surprised by the other ratings as although the pub was busy and the sun was shining, the staff were polite, dealt well with the queues and when the food arrived, it was worth the wait. The portions were ample and presentation was good. The pub itself has a very relaxed atmosphere and its position next to the river is perfect for a sunny day. There is ample outdoor seating which would be great when the BBQ is going.
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Not a complete disaster but I will not be rushing back. We went on a sunny day and it was nice to sit out in the beer garden. Getting a drink, howeever, was an absolute nightmare and we had to wait at least 15min at the bar. It seemed like there was quite a few staff on but they were all fairly slow and not much interested in serving.
Food was average and arrived at different times. Go when it's quiet.
anonymous - 5 Jun 2006 14:31 |
This is, disappointingly, my local. Lived in the environs for 11 months and chose to visit there one evening after work recently. Shame, but what a waste. Good location for sure by the River, but the estate it is located near seems to be full of asylum seekers and chavs, the service was in fact very good that night, but lots of rumpus in the garden.
Felt like the place had an "edge" to it. We had one drink outside, tried to ignore the three Russians shouting at each other, and made our exit.
Better to go north to the Rutland Arms, or South to Putney Bridge and the Dukes Head...if you want Riverside drinkage.
Shame. Wasted opportunity.
anonymous - 15 May 2006 14:48 |
A superb location for a very run of the mill bar. The menu,although extensive,is very pricey and not worth the wait. The beer is average. So much more could be done with this pub if the right team were installed.
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A very borderline boozer. A great space, nice sized bar. Good location by the river. Does food, that as some one mentioned ealier is borderline school dinners. But they do do greater platters of grub that soak up plenty of booze. The beer is good. Staff are borderline sometimes smiley and helpful, sometimes having faces like slapped arses and being as useful as a square wheel. (having to point out to staff were to find the drinks you need, when the can eventually be bothered to serve you.)
But as I don't live to near it I don't go that often. So in conclusion a resounding not bad.
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my dad and his mates have drunk there for forty years, he`s a Fulham FC yob?. It was people like him who kept the pub going in the days before the rahs and the office bods turned up when the area suddenly became fashionable. Much preferred the old Crabtree with its traditional Thames side feel, not too keen on pubs with sofas and poxy plants or surly antipodean barstaff
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I was wainting for my food, and could see the chef picking my chips while the burger was not ready... tryed to complain and the manager was no where to be seen, and the staff was too busy playing in the fruit machines... nice!
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Excellent position and the food use to be quite good. However new menu is distinctly below average, my "Spanish" Chicken was of a standard somewhere between a Harvester and a school dinner. On the plus side, its got a big beer garden and some seating bar the river. I have to also say that the majority of the times I've visited the staff have been good. Agree with the point about Fulham playing at home, though as someone once pointed out - chelsea fans are skinheads beacuse they're thugs, Fulham fans are skinheads because they're 40 and bald.
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The Manager is a Chelse supporter and puts up Fulham Flags before and after the game.
Once the footballing crowd leaves, the chelse memorabilia is right back on the wall.
Pretty false, but what do you expect from a chelsas fan,
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Staff is rude and don't have a clue of what's going on, the manager is never there, and if he is it doesn't matter and that Mark should have an apple inside his mouth all the time! We are in HAMMERSMITH not in CHELSEA mate...
anonymous - 6 Jun 2005 10:05 |
Nice pub by the riverside. Must have missed these so called fulham 'yobs' in my ten years as a season ticket holder.
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Don't understand the person who said it was full of "yobs", it's not and Fulham don't have any "yobs" anyway.
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Has gone a lot more upmarket since its recent remodelling which has left the back bar alone but done a lot more with the side and front bars and the garden to the side.
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A great pub to have a few drinks, will let you get rowdy but know where the limit is. Chessy haris music a def plus
gibbo - 10 Jul 2003 15:11 |
Good location by the river - great place to soak up the sun during England's 2 week summer! Often also have BBQs. Great fun to go to when Fulham used to play at Craven Cottage.
Angus (not a cheap gold chain clad football loving yob) - 24 Mar 2003 18:32 |
nice, but avoid it like the plague if Fulham are playing at home. Can become crowded with loads of football loving yobs wearing cheap gold chains from Argos.
anonymous - 12 Sep 2002 15:26 |
Casual local pub, with a great sun terrace and heat lamps for when it gets cold. It's by the river. Comfy couch inside and friendly staff
Amy - 27 Jun 2002 17:20 |
