please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Very sorry to be told they are no longer stocking real cider here - end of at least eight years as a customer.
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Not sure what is going on with this pub but it seems a bit worrying that the new owners don't even wish to advertise their own bands , fail to keep up the website and give the general impression that the music side of things is going to be allowed to generally go downhill. Some previously regular bands seem to have stopped playing there and speaking to others who are there they themselves seem concerned the music may not continue. Nothing concrete as I'm not in the know but I don't have good vibes about the way things are heading.
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The Red Lion has recently changed hands and it was noticeably quieter than on previous visits. But there was a still a range of ales and ciders. Although the range appears to have reduced slightly. Yesterday they had Sharps Cornish Coaster, Twickenham Naked Ladies & Redhead, Ascot Winter Reserve, Belleville Commodore Pale Ale & Elgoods CXXX. Ciders were Snails Tumbledown Medium & Orchard Dry. Apparently the ciders will soon move to handpull. The pub itself is virtually unchanged. Although the seating in the one bar did seem to have changed since my last visit. Only one bartender made service a little slow, despite it being quiet. But he was friendly enough and doing a good job.
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https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/list-isleworth-s-red-lion-as-a-community-asset?source=facebook-share-button
The majority of my BITE reviews are light hearted and just for fun however, recent goings on at The Red Lion (TRL) have urged me onto these hallowed pages as this is something I feel very strongly about.
Recently TRL was given ACV status by Hounslow council however, this has now been revoked after a protest from the owners who are said to be The Wellington Pubco. One would assume this is so they can keep their options open with regards to selling the pub for re-development or even a change of use.
It would be criminal if this was to go the same way as so many other pubs. The pub really is a gem with a fantastic real ale/cider range. This place does not just appeal to Camra members though as it also puts on live music for free and has a pool table/dart board and shows televised sport so really has universal appeal.
The best pub in the area (in my humble opinion) so please follow the link to the petition and if you are local/ish then please try to get down there for a beer or two sometime.
Ps - I do not work at this pub or am in anyway related to or friends with anyone who works there. I simply really like this pub and do not want to see it under threat!
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Local pub with friendly customers and unfriendly bar staff who give the impression they are doing you a favour when they eventually stop chatting to their friends to serve you.
London Pride went off after one pint but the Doombar was in good nick.
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The Red Lion, Isleworth: Since the demise of the Royal Oak, the Red Lion is undoubtedly the best pub in the whole of Isleworth. Ale drinkers will need no convincing, but that will only take a pub so far. It’s the physical geography of the place that really appeals: two sides to it, each with its own ambience, both equally pleasing in their own separate ways. Sport will be shown, but never over-awes. There is a pool table for those feeling a little more interactive, and a jukebox too. The garden is a delight, despite a ramshackle quality to it, and the Red Lion attracts a pleasant crowd. Only the dirty pint glasses sometimes let this place down – hence I give it 9.
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Visited the Red Lion for their rugby-themed beer and cider festival yesterday evening. It wasn't as busy as we anticipated and we soon found a table in the bar. Children are allowed until 7pm and there were plenty of dogs. The pool table and darts board were getting good use. There is a stage in the lounge, where we have previously seen the local amateur dramatics society performing. Toilets in both the bar and lounge were fine and I've certainly been in smaller ones! The festival ales and ciders were being served inside and also from an outbuilding. The range was Sunny Republic Bay Amber, Beach Blonde & Cherry Chocolate Porter, Belhaven 80/- & Grand Slam, Portobello Best Bitter, Twickenham Black Eel, Grandstand Honey Dark, Neck Sack & Gothick Dark, Trumans Blindside, Runner, Swift & Emperor, Binghams Bricks and Mortar & Brickworks Bitter, Caledonian Deuchars IPA, Greene King Double Hop Monster, Cotleigh Harrier & Tawny, Greytrees JPR Pale Ale, Marstons Pedigree & Sweet Chariot, Sambrooks Pumphouse Pale Ale, The Celtic Experience Scrumpox, Hogsback Snout, Kite Thunderbird & Try Time, Dark Star Winter Meltdown, Vale Gravitas & Morland Original & Old Golden Hen. Cider and perries were Millwhites Barrel No. 7, Starwberry Cider, WInter Spice & Apples and Pears, CJ's Cider Wench, Green Valley Devon Farm Dry & Swallowfield Cider & Perry. This pub is always worth a visit.
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nice pub but mad dogs most of the time it would be nicer if they ware kept on a lead
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This is a great proper pub. It is therefore such a pity that the attitude to lager drinkers is similar to run of the mill pubs. Please can we too have craft beers/lager for example Bitburger or Meantime (london) or Camden (London).
Other than that this is a brilliant pub with a good attitude to dogs and eccentricity. Hurrah
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Good ales, good bands but possibly the smelliest Gents toilets in the universe the smell from which pervades the whole of the bar.
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Great selection of beer, very friendly too.
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If I had not been directed to this pub by a friend, I would never have known it was there. Within walking distance of Isleworth station but down a side road, this is a nice CAMRA friendly pub for the discerning ale drinker. Live music seems to be a regular thing and on both occasions, it has been pretty good. A nice atmosphere and welcoming patrons. Well worth a visit.
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They currently have the dry version of Somerset Glory cider - rare and welcome, as it tends to be only the medium version which goes beyond the Somerset border.
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in on sat 16th june, first time for a while.Ace pint of Gadds no.5, friendly lot of non-farting punters.mind you, with no betting shop nearby, i suspect ixion encountered non-punting farters. still a very good boozer.
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Excellent pub, nice interesting, proper pub decor, chilled out crowd, not the most exciting range of ales, but quality good and good range of rare ciders on offer. Clean toilets. Funny little pub dog. Plenty of scope for outdoor drinking. Excellent "Open mic" night on Wednesdays, Beatles, Stones, bit of country and western etc, all done well, but not too seriously.
All told an excellent pub.
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a definite freehouse with a great selection of ales & cider....only criticism is that the Sunday music sessions start too early (3pm) and are too loud - so it's not a place for a recuperative Sunday afternoon ....but the gigs are very popular, so it's probably just me getting old)
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Beer good but staff wouldn't accept a card when we ordered food and our second round. We were pointed in the direction of the cash machine in the other bar which charged �2 for a withdrawal. Cash only business? Continual farting by patrons eventually drove us away.
ixion - 20 Nov 2011 17:44 |
Still a great pub. All ales and ciders were �2.50 a pint last night and apparently this is a permanent offer every Tuesday. A drama society was occupying one room, whilst the 2 main bar areas were also rather busy. The 9 ales on were Darkstar Hophead, American Pale Ale & Partridge Best, Downton Honey Blonde & Elderquad, Wychwood Hobgoblin, Brains Bitter, Weltons Odd Shaped Balls & Oakham White Dwarf. Sharps Own replaced the American Pale Ale during the evening. 6 ciders were on - Millwhites Blackberry Blush, Apples & Pears and Rum Cask, Tutts Clump Farmhouse, Summerset Glory Cider and Cobbledicks Rum Matured. I recommend combining a visit with the Dhaba Tandoori near the station!
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Can see what the fuss is about. Clearly a lively and loved local with a good vibe, good beer - 9 brews plus cider! - at 2.50 for a (my) pint. Great original door -glass. Cool cat sleeps on the fishtank. Peanuts overpriced and smells like a deep-clean wouldn't hurt. But the fundamentals are good; high marks.
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This still remains Isleworth's best and only pub for real ales - the Squirrel brew was rather tasty today. I just don't understand why people post aimless and gormless comments like "this pub has gone downhill". In what way? If you inform the owners, they might do something about it (presuming there IS an issue).
The food is decent enough and I would suggest the reason the prices are steep is to keep the local growlers out (who seem to drink in the Woodlands).
It's not in the Beer Guide for nothing but they do need to keep up the beer standards to survive.
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this pub has gone down hill
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A good place for real cider, if not quite as xonsistent as the Magpie down the road in Brentford, sometimes has gems such as Biddendens, other times goes in for less good (but aggressively marketed) cider such as Orchard Pig or Millwhites, still, much better than Wrongbow.
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Best choice of real ales you are likely to see anywhere. Some unusual stuff too. The coupled with the traditional decor and the pool table makes this almost the perfect pub.
I tend to drink in pubs as opposed to eating so food is no biggy for me. However, my mate who loves his grub (a bit too much) ordered a sandwich as it as a Friday lunchtime.......it cost �7.50! ! !......it didnt even come with chips!!!!
Come on, that is a bit steep isnt it.
9/10
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Their Halloween beer fest was another exercise in superior beer service with convivial clientele and a decent soul/blues band......
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I had a similar experience to the chap below. We were already 2 pints in (Surrey Hills Ranmore Ale and Saltaire IPA were in beautiful condition on the pumps) when we saw a sign suggesting some other evil was at work. Following our hop gland, we journeyed outside and came across the magical outhouse and the resht was hishtory... There were only a few on. but they were all rather good.
I've been going to this pub regularly for 20 years and it is one of the very very best in London. I'm sure its virtues have been well documented on this forum!
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Went in hear for the first time last night of the beer festival (as a free alternative to the �20 entrance required for the Hampton Court Beer & Jazz Festival!). Even at the dregs of the weekend, there was a reasonable selection although we only realised that the main selection was in the outhouse when it was time to go! Clearly a great find in terms of beer and I'll be back. But given it was a beer festival designed to attract outsiders, I thought the bar staff - one in particular - were pretty offhand and unwelcoming to strangers. A mention of the outhouse selection when I asked what was left might have been helpful (rather than a curt 'just what you can see')
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This is probably the best real ale pub in London. There's always a decent selection on offer along with a selection of European beers. Lovely staff and landlord, who've turned this from a good, to a fantastic pub in the few years they've been involved. My northern relatives always insist on a visit when they're in town.
poptv - 26 Jun 2010 15:08 |
Very nice loos indeed. Spotless and well decorated. Fully stocked with loo roll and hand soap. Choice of hand drier or paper towels. Perfect pub privy.
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This is one of my favourite pubs for real ales. My mate comes all the way from Bognor Regis to see what they've got on tap...Well he does get free train travel. We have never been disappointed yet.
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Probably the best pub in London: 8 beers always well chosen & very well kept. Good live music policy & a real community local.
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Returned on Saturday for the Celtic Festival, one year on from my previous visits. Little has changed. The pub was busy but not too busy, despite the rugby showing on a big screen and the festival itself. Around 40 ales were available for the festival from Cornwall, Scotland and Wales. Breweries represented included Skinners, Brains, Rhymney, Swansea, Purple Moose, Williams, Atlas, Cairngorm, Harviestoun, Inveralmond & Orkney. In addition, there were 5 real ciders, a pyder and a perry from Gwynt y Ddraig. I keep meaning to visit when there isn't a festival on to see how it compares. However for now, my opinion is unchanged. It's certainly one to recommend.
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Outstanding! One of my favourite pubs of all time. Friendly staff and locals, unrivalled selection of real ales at respectful prices and the best quiz in the area on Thursday nights- they even gve out free sandwiches. What more could anyone want?
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This place has gone and done it again - another cracking beer festival for Bank Holiday. Friendly lady in the ale house smiled her way through every request, the beer was good, the overhead planes instantly forgotten as another pint of Wobbly Bob slipped down my throat like honey. Cheers, Red Lion - Bank Holiday Sunday certainly became pleasantly blurry.......
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A very pleasant pub and place to head for. Highly recommended.
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Just fantastic. Friendly staff, perfectly kept and served ales and a lovely comfy interior. Can't recommend highly enough.
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They have another Beer Fest coming up - to be honest, I thought there was one running when I met a pal there last week. So many great beers - The Wandle beer was top as were the others. Good to see chilled Chimay in bottles......another friendly visit.
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No less than nine real ales on (Young�s Bitter; Gale�s Seafarer; Hyde�s Original; Hyde�s Special; GK St Edmund�s; Downton Apple Blossom; Hereford Original; Derventio Brewery Vesuvius; and Celtic Gold) plus three kegs of ciders on the bar dispensed by gravity. Obviously the ales will change regularly, but the above gives a flavour of the range of ales to expect. The pub itself is set in a quiet, essentially terrace housed backstreet. It is still a two-roomed pub; on the left the door proclaims it to be the saloon and billiards bar � although no billiards to be played now alas � and on the right it is advertised as the bottle and jug, leading to a largish room that has probably subsumed both the public bar as well as the off sales area. The dartboard and pool table are in the right hand bar. Not much else to add to what Maldenman has already said, except to stress that this pub retains its original pub atmosphere, and for this reason, as well as the superb range of ales, is definitely worth seeking out.
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A very large pub with a traditional lounge and saloon bar set up, divided by the bar. The lounge is split into two distinct areas, the front is bright and airy with large windows facing the street. Seating is mainly red leather sofas, there are bookcases, flowers etc; the rear section has wood panelled walls, stained glass windows and a small stage to one end, bands and comedy are advertised. Sky Sports on showing the cricket with the volume down. A door leads to the rear garden.
The exterior has some fine green tiles, and a few benches to the frontage.
I didn't look in the saloon bar but it sounded fairly lively.
Friday nights are advertised as curry night, and being a Friday I could just smell the preperations in progress, good it smelled too.
There are four hand pumps in each bar, double clipped so the full range can be seen. Archers One Eyed Snake and Golden,Sambrooks Brewery Wandle, Downton Honey Blonde,Hogs Back Utopia, Pride, GK IPA and St Edmunds Ale. Various pump clips decorate the top of the bar.
Very impressive, I'll have to return for one of The Red Lion's beer festivals.
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Fine award-winning traditional community local in an Isleworth side street close to the station
There are 2 interconnecting bars, a fairly basic public bar with a snooker table and the main bar, traditional and comfortable, which includes a stage where regular jazz nights are held, plus Sunday afternoons.
There's a good range of real ales always on and regular beer festivals are held. Both the Sharps IPA and the Ascot Ales Anastasias ( a tasty stout ) were sampled and found to be very tasy and moreish last Sunday lunchtime.
There are some interesting old pictures of the area, including one of regulars outside the pub celebrating Queen Victoria's jubilee in 1887. ( the pub dates back to 1846 )
There is also a large metal plaque at the end of the bar indicating that this pub weas formerly owned by Royal Brewery of Brentford
Home made food is available during normal meal times - including a renowned curry night on Fridays.
This is probably my 2nd favourite pub in this part of West London now , after the Magpie and Crown in Brentford.
In conclusion, this pub is definitely worth seeking out
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The Red Lion is currently holding a Celtic beer and cider festival. Went here last night to try the cider selection. The place was fairly busy, but there was still plenty of seating. There were several dogs, but all were well-behaved and caused no offence. Beers on offer for the festival were Purple Moose Dark Side of the Moose, Kelburn Ca'Canny, Coastal Merry Maidens Mild, Breconshire WPA, Atlas Three Sisters, Cairngorm Sheepshaggers, Skinners Betty Stoggs & Cornish Knocker, Salopian Hop Twister, Conway Welsh Pride, Broughton Old Jock, Williams Red & Harviestoun Ptarmigan. The Hop Twister seemed to be going down best. For cider and perry lovers, there was Gwynt y Ddraig Black Dragon, Haymaker and Two Trees Perry plus Montgomery Old Monty's. All in all, we had a very pleasant evening in the Red Lion, and I would not hesitate to recommend this pub.
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This place had been recommended so I popped in before going to Brentford. 8 ales being Derventio Venus, Jack Frost, Ordinary, TEA, Triple ff Pressed Rat and Warthog, Sharp's Cornish Coaster, Sambrook Wandleand Naylor's On Target. Last one was a wonderful hoppy beer. Also have Erdinger and three ciders were listed on the board. A large pub with separate lounge and public bars and a room with a stage at the back of the lounge.
No hesitation in recommending this one.
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Went to their panto the other night. What a fantastic night. Great fun. How many other pubs organize and put on their own panto? And the beer is still fabulous (and only �2 a pint on Monday evenings). Have one of Erin's curries - you won't regret it.
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WOW new on Monday Nights all Real Ales (9 on at any one time) are being sold at �2 per pint, I know where I will be on a Monday evening from now on. Also visited on Weds Jam Night and they are now including Stand-up comedy on occasional weeks it was great fun. Looking around there seems to be a lot going on here. A pantomime in January and great stuff over the Christmas period. What a great place.
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Good pub, friendly staff & locals, and a good range of ales which readily change once the barrel runs out. I believe they keep Youngs ordinary and London pride as regularss and after that who knows, but there are 6 ales more to choose from ... yes 6! Can't remember last nights full range but after we drank the T.E.A dry it was promptly replaced with Crop Circle.
Looking forward to the next visit.
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There is a chalk board above the bar that says �REAL LOCAL PUB WITH REAL ALE�, I couldn�t have said it better myself.
I found the barman to be very friendly and the couple of locals that I met were very nice. My Youngs was the first of the day so the barman pulled last nights beer through making my pint spot on (it�s amazing how many bar staff will not do this). Along with the Youngs I spotted 3 other real ales and various lagers and maybe a couple of ciders.
There�s plenty of outside seating and a pool table with plenty of elbow room. The drinking area is still separated into 2 bars so you can escape the live music and go to the other side of the pub.
You can tell as soon as you enter that this place is being looked after and has a great team. I wish I could pick up this pub and move it to N11 where I live!
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Nice one Salty - got my copy yesterday and good to see this pub returning to that very page! Might well pop down for some cider later on before the winter closes in.....
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Sorry, forgot to comment about Johnwarkstache's statement of the ammount of 4 legged clientelle who freqent this establishment. Has he met "Eddie" the crossdressing dog!
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Paulio 1966, Try looking on page 323 of 2009 Good Beer Guide! As for the pub excellent as usual. Recent offerings Waylands "Blonde Belle, Nelsons "Mister Mate" and "Spanker", Cottage "E Type" and Sharpes "Eden" Thats just a few of the ever changing range.
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Two real perries on when I called on Thursday!
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A wonderful, wonderful pub. A fantastic range of well-kept real ale and cider served by friendly helpful people. Drop in on Friday evening for a delicious home-made curry.
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Real cider seems to have returned as a permanent feature, currently Burrow Hill and some barrels left over from the beer festival. Well worth a visit.
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Not seen the 2009 Good Beer Guide but this should be in it!
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One of the better pubs in Greater London. Have visited many many times and have yet to be disappointed. Highly recommended.
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I had a cracking pint of Declaration and Nelson's Delight on Sunday evening (i think the beer fest had died off by then) but this was their standard roster. They do like their Hogs Back brewery which is fine. What a splendid garden they have and what an agreeable clientele they attract. As I have banged on before - Isleworth is alright if you know where to go - and this pub needs support. I could quite happily chill in their garden even with the flightpath to one side - so what? Planes, shmanes. Get some lovely beer down you. Oh and fair play to Trainman for glugging a pint of St Austell's Proper Job - a gorgeous pint. I would love this pub to have a try with more St Austell and Skinner's. my only disappointment was the bar-lady's lack of Belgian beer knowledge when asked.
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A most enjoyable visit on Saturday to take advantage of their weekend beer festival. They had 30+ on stills in the garden shed (sorry 'Olde Ale House') and 8/9 on handpump in the bar. Also a fair number of ciders & perries. I got to sample, for the first time, Jarrow Rivet Catcher, St Austell Proper Job, RCH Pitchfork, the choice also included Alton Pride and many other fine beers. I was pleased with the efficient cask cooling system on a warm day and presumed the very slight haze to the beers was temperature related, they all tasted tip-top. Exception being the 9% AoverT, I had to try it one day, but gave away my half of this awfully sweet beer after one sip. Sat in the beer garden - half grassed, half paved & covered, plenty of picnic sets, most agreeable, even entertainment in the shape of the pub kitten who periodically dived from the shrubbery to ambush either pub dog as they wandered past, haha!
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Bar does tend to get a bit crowded with regulars but I generally find them very amicable. Have noticed some bar staff seem slow to serve or ignore the part of bar without pool table, unless you are a local who can call out thier name. Can't get over how many dogs there always seems to be in here. Like to see a dog in a pub but bit like Battersea sometimes having to step over them. Good garden. Not a massive real ale drinker, but can see this is very much a pub for the real ale. Does seem to be live music on every night but can always go in other bar if not agreeable to you. Once saw a man play a banjo in here with a saucepan on his head which had a chipolata dangling from the handle. All in all, I like it
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This is not my local (That would be the shady Milford) but I did like the beer (DaisyCutter was exceptionally fresh and tasty) plus they do try to be a bit wider than your standard "Largar" drinks with Leffe and Fruilli plus several ales. I have found the "local cronies" rather agreeable - if you ask nicely they will let you see the pumps, it's not difficult. I used English - it works sometimes. Isleworth has it's salty characters but they tend to drink in the Bridge, The Milford or the Coach & Horses near Hounslow end of London Road. Live music adds to the atmosphere although rather too many accoustic blues acts for my liking...
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You know the scene. You fancy a beer and you want to see what's on offer. But you can't because a load of local cronies (there's more descriptive words i could use) have monopolised the the bar. Do they shift to let you have a peep? Do they b*ll*cks!
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Sought this pub put after it came out in the top 50 pubs in London in Time Out a few years back. Glad I did as it has become our not so local local. Aside from the wide and changing selection of real ales always on offer it is a real community pub with a local amateur theatre group.
Had been in need of a bit of TLC in recent years. Mercifully the reburb has been symathetic (aside formthe suspect baby boy blue ceiling in the lounge bar).
Attactive beer garden except when Heathrow inbound flight are directly overhead - they're so load you have to pause your conversations whilst they fly over.
The two annual beer festivals are worth attending.
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Good back street boozer that has been tastefully done up without losing its atmosphere. Wide range of beer. Deservedly popular with locals.
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Salty, sadly it is the same red lion. Honestly, my first visit was a bit grim but what a vast improvement since then! I found a totally buffed up boozer with top notch ale. I think the service could still improve but that's just me being picky. It was a lot better than other pubs i've visited recently. Keep the faith.
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Attended a mini Beer Festival here last weekend with the emphasis on dark winter beers and porters. An intelligent selection all in good condition - although those from the Ale House at the back were a tad too cold. The pub has kept many of the older fixtures and fittings and this adds to the general ambience. The staff are friendly and helpful. The journey to find this place was well worth the effort, it is less than ten minutes walk from Isleworth station.
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Made my first visit here last Friday - great choice of real ales, all in great condition. Shame I live on the opposite side of town.....
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I visited the Red Lion yesterday for the first time in months.The beer was as good as ever but the decor is now very good.The refurbishment has worked well.
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Zapu, I think you must have visited the wrong Red Lion! Paul the new owner has worked realy hard since taking the pub over refurbishing inside and out. The quality of the beer is always good and if you are served a bum pint by accident it will always be changed no questions asked. The only down side of this establishment is the public bar can be noisey at weekends.
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Sorry bootsy, it must have been a different Red Lion that i went too. Inside it stunk of sweat, stale beer (and worse!). The pub was strongly recommended by a friend so I really tried to enjoy it, but i couldn't because, apart from the the stink, the beer was awful. From a selection of 6 beers, you would have thought one of them was ok! The poor girl behind the bar tried hard but she was clueless, and as for the other surly git... I'll give it 2 for effort.
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A great pub for ale lovers, and perhaps the best pub for miles; friendly staff and a �unique� interior. I�ve spent many nights sampling guest ales here. The snug bar side (having a refit when last there a few weeks ago) is usually nicer, as screaming females and younger locals seem to loiter in the sports bar! Can�t blame the pub for that though! The garden is also a lovely spot on any sunny afternoon. The feeling of community is inescapable!
Overall a great little place!
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Went there on BH Monday. Beers in the festival were okay but the ones at the bar were in excellnt condition.
Good pub all round, no frills, just avenue for people to enjoy themselves.
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The wonderful institution is under "new" management - the same chap who owned it about ten years ago. The place is undergoing a major overhaul so the smell of paint is overpowering. The beers are still first class and there are so many to choose from. The garden which was excellent is now beautiful. This is one to watch and the best time will be the next beer festival. The festival is over the August Bank Holiday and hosts some great local bands. This beautiful old boozer needs more customers. If you try it you will be very pleased with yourself that you did.
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Must have gone downhill since winning Pub of Year awards. On my last visit the beer was mediocre, the service off-hand and the whole pub looked pretty scruffy. An overrated pub.
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What can one sayabout a pub which, having won the CAMRA Pub of the Year title two years running was excluded the next year to give the others a chance!!
Chopperbomb should also keep his eyes open as they have several beer fests each year when the normal eight real ales are supplemented by dozens more.
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Cosy pub. Fantastic Ales.
Bit of wear and tear, but that's the way I likes it.
Used the pub as a meeting place for my mates before we headed off to a party. Late friends are truly a blessing in disguise, great excuse to spend a few more hours tasting the Red Lion's varied and tasty wares.
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The best pub in Isleworth without a doubt! It's a bit shabby inside (although not overly so) but the great beer garden, the ever changing guest ales, the quiz nights, the live bands on Fridays and Saturdays and especially the recent Beer Festival make this pub a must visit. The staff are friendly, there are 2 seperate bars and although no food is served I cannot recommend it enough. Darts, pool table, locking full length tolet doors. What else can I say. Everyone should make next year's August bank holiday the time when they spend the whole weekend here at the Beer Festival. Mine's a pint of Stinger!
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I made my second visit on Saturday and enjoyed a good selection of ales having found a comfortable spot near the left hand entrance. However I'm not surprosed by Hans's post as my first visit a couple of years ago was spoiled by inconsiderate families and their hyperactive offspring. On that occasion a heavy shower sent everyone scurrying indoors from the beer garden with people shunting furniture around and children running everywhere; it became intolerable and we left as a result and hadn't been back since until just now. I certainly wouldn't go back on a Sunday afternoon.
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We visited this pub today for a beer festival that was held this weekend. The beers were well kept and there was an excellent selection. We were having quite a good time, until we were unfortunately accosted by a woman and her six children in the beer garden. Normally, I am fine with children in pubs, as long as they are well behaved, but this woman came over to our small table and asked if she could sit with us. We said we were leaving soon, and would rather not have six children on our laps. She proceeded to stand directly beside us, with her children screaming and running around our table, and then after 10 minutes they sat down and told us 'our time was up'. Oh, well. She ruined a great first impression for a decent real ale pub.
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Currently up for sale for � 185k according to the website ukbusinessesforsale.com. It would be a crying shame if a splendid pub like this was sold to new owners and changed for the worst
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Visited on Saturday. Lives up to the hype it gets in beer circles. Friendly place in a residential street (luckly locals), very close to Isleworth train station (trains to / from Waterloo). A few very unusual real ales including a cask conditioned "real" lager from Harviestoun (not much like a lager to be honest but a nice splash) and the increasingly familiar Belgian bottles (Maredsous on tap was a bit more interesting - far better alternative to Leffe). Tables on the street and in the largish garden. Small stage for live music. Divided interior. Liked it.
anonymous - 10 Jul 2006 12:04 |
Visited on Sunday 9th April 2006. What a gem this place is! Excellent selection of beers plus warm friendly staff and a relaxed, if slightly scruffy, ambience. Ladies take note of the free 'items' in the toilet - it's a thoughtful touch. Decor is dated, but clean. Only slight downer was the hoards of children in the bar. They were quite well behaved, unlike their parents who were more intent on getting drunk than keeping an eye on their offspring!
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Faultless.
Excellent beer. Friendly staff. Most locals represent the better class of drunk.
The past quizzes were fiendishly hard, but it would be mean to deduct marks just because I'm not that knowledgable.
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In my humble opinion this is the quintessential local pub. It's warm, and comfortable, and slightly shabby from good use over many years. The people who run it are great. They not only know their stock, they serve it right, they're happy to oblige your requests, and they know their customers.
They offer a really good selection of Real Ales, Belgian beers, cidars and perry. They make me happy by giving me lots of ice in my G&T without the grumbles and evil looks I sometimes get at other places.
And the community of people who come here to comfortably chat is friendly and laid back in just the right way. Women can confidently come here for a quiet drink on their own.
I don't know about the food they have here since my partner and I just come here for a drink and a cosy chat in the evenings. But they do frequenly wander around offering gorgeous chips now and th
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This One of The All Time Great Pubs and well worth a VISIT.
Good Live Music At Weekends Only But Still Worth A Visits for the Fine Selection Of Real Ales.
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Rough n ready back street boozer. Hoards of children running riot and parents didn't seem to notice or care. They were very cute tho so for once I didn't actually mind, despite them playing under the pool table we were having a game on, oblivious to our presence. They were having fun tho, bless 'em. Only problem was the kiddies' room, where the pool table was, smelled a bit of sick... Oh and hats off for the Hallowe'en decorations, good effort! Can't imagine I'll be going back tho, not really my cup of tea.
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Finally got myself over here a few weeks ago - what a lovely boozer! Excellent beer range, wide range of events, gigs etc, and pleasant garden out back. Only slight irritation: the regulars tend to occupy a line of stools along the bar so you have to order your ale from behind or between them. But I can live with that.
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Went here last night for a few - very welcoming, great atmosphere - without doubt the best pub in the area.
anonymous - 15 Sep 2005 11:09 |
Quite like the pub - interior could do with a bit of a spruce up but nice garden. (same carpet for the last 50 years I think).
Definitely an interesting selection of beers but whoever is n charge of selecting them has a definite and unwelcome bias for light coloured summer ales - in fact nearly every beer they sell is of this type.
A few more traditional best bitters with at least a quarter inch of head on them and a nice brown colour wouldnt go amiss. (and I'm not even from oop' north)
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Third pub in a recent crawl - outstanding for the variety and condition of the real ales. Keen to promote BBQ and Music festivals too. Pleasant garden out back. Back street location - why is this pub not in North Wembley instead???!!
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I will be holding another cider making demonstration at this most excellent of pubs on the Saurday and Sunday 29th and 30th of October. Possibly even a perry this year.
Last year's production was a great success with all concerned attending the tasting session on the 10th of June trading in thier share certificates for as much or as little of the cider as they wanted. The remainder was sold at a very modest �2 a pint with the proceedds going to charity. I'm not sure of the arrangements this year but I am requesting that anyone with excess apples and/or pears please bring them along.
Another very successful Solstice beer festival as well.
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I've lived within 3 miles of this pub for 50 years - it took my fellow cycling instructor Aussie Mike to show me where it was just last year! Great beers compensate for the need of a good lick of paint. Deserves its reputation. Wish I lived in Linkfield Road, but perhaps not right next door eh?
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Fantastic pub for real ale fans. It's a bit scruffy (decor) but the choice of beers and the fact that it's a real pub more than makes up for this.
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when are you going to book the Muttz Knuttz to play here again, last beer festival i went to in August i think they stole the show on the sunday or that could have been the Delirium??
anonymous - 10 Mar 2005 13:44 |
Yes, this is still a welcoming local pub.
Come out of the exit to Isleworth BR,
turn left then left again at the Bridge Pub.
Then it is 5 minutes walk.
anonymous - 1 Feb 2005 19:56 |
I cant beleive this pub isn't at number 1! Fabulous fabulous place. Go there!
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Hi Sapphron!
The place is missing YOU!
Be swift, Miles.
anonymous - 2 Dec 2004 01:10 |
I love the fact that if I'm meeting my friends I feel perfectly welcome and comfortable (as a single female)walking into The Red Lion. This is partly down to the staff who are always welcoming but also the locals, a really friendly crowd. I also love the range of fruit flavoured Belgian beers on offer and the fun events, there is always something going on.
anonymous - 24 Nov 2004 13:28 |
I visited the Red Lion on Saturday and was impressed with the warm welcome I received and also with the quality of the beer and entertainment. I particularly enjoyed a pint of Village Elder. I also enjoyed reading the bloopers made by the regulars and staff stuck to the side of the bar.
I was pleased to see that the pub has not been ruined by over decoration and modernisation. It still feels like a local pub "where everyone knows your name". although I don't leve near I will definately make the effort to visit again.
anonymous - 23 Nov 2004 18:21 |
How many real ale pubs do you know where you can still have a choice of 8 draught ales in good condition at 11:30am. This is a great pub. DON'T MISS THE PANTO.
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I have been travelling around the world for nearly two years now. When people ask me what I miss most about home, I tell them "The Red Lion, Isleworth". Great Staff, great atmosphere, allways something crazy in the pipeline. Cant wait to get back home at Christmas/New year for fancy dress parties and Pantomime. Go Red Lion!
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this is truly an amazing pub, so rare to find a traditional pub with such a fantastic atmosphere, and plenty of real ale in tip top condition. the staff are extremely friendly and helpful, and there is always something interesting going on. its just won the CAMRA pub of the year for the area, second year running. live music is on weekends, and they've just started doing real sunday roasts, which you can never finish as the portions are huge!
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Remarkable rare example of a real pub and well deserving it's status as one of the 12 best CAMRA rated pubs in Greater London. Amazing selection of perfectly kept real ales with 9 guest ales changing daily. Seperate public bar for the sports watchers, the pool players and juke box listeners. Live blues music on Saturdays and Sundays. Traditional Sunday lunches. Two great beer festivals every year with over 50 real ales! Wish I lived nearer except it is only 2 mins from the railway station.
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This is a fine establishment & I consider it one of the the few remaining "proper" pubs. I do have one samll gripe though. As mentioned on a previous comment, there are 2 dartboards. One of them is very poor though & you have to play over the table football. The other one is fantastic, on a stage complete with backlights. However, I have been in there at least 3 times on an early afternoon for a long stint at the oche with my friend, only to find the decent board not in use because of a screen hanging down for a forthcoming theatre production. The friendlier barstaff are happy to roll this screen up (or say they don't mind if we do) so we can play darts for hours on end & spend lots of money. The other barstaff though say we can't play & we are forced to go to a nearby less nice pub to play our darts (we last went in at 3pm on a Wednesday & couldn't play because the screen was down for a play on the following Saturday evening! Why don't you just roll it down on the Saturdy afternoon?)Still a lovely pub though & one of a dying breed
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Utterly, unassumingly brilliant. How many pubs do you get these times that offer a Christmas Panto? In January? If this pub was in a TV soap, no one would believe it could actually be real... The last of the great British community pubs.
Miles - 8 Nov 2004 17:32 |
Great pub fantastic staff great atmosphere,i've been drinking there for 37 years.But it gets better and better and they have won the best pub award again.
chilly - 22 Oct 2004 11:38 |
This is not a half bad pub - Good ales, beer garden and music.
TheGP - 11 Aug 2004 14:46 |
Yet another amazing champions beer festival at this excellent backstreet pub. The extensive and diverse range of beers out in the old stable sold out again. but there was still plenty available from the nine handpumps in the pub. As usual a good range of Belgium bottled beers available. However the real coup for this years May day festival was the presence of other cider than the usual festival Old Rosie.A five gallon tub Rich's sweet cider had sold out, and I was doing my best on the Orchards Perry. Wow! It was a single variety perry, Cannock, these pears are extremely rare coming from only six trees which only exist in the one orchard belonging to Keith Orchard (yes that is his real name, a treat for even cider officionados. One drawback of bank holiday Mondays visit was the Punch and Judy man, he was scarey but the kids loved it.
simon - 4 May 2004 11:56 |
A great London boozer, welcomes all, pool table, quiz machines, 2 darts boards, 2 fruit machines, live music, front and rear beer gardens, friendly staff......the biz.
mikey - 21 Jan 2004 16:54 |
I have recently bought into the myth surrounding the Red Lion. It recently won Cameras regional annual ale award. I don't drink ale but I still find myself strangely entranced by this pub. Good character, great beer garden, the saloons a little rough maybe but that's okay.
Good for: A quiet pint (or two)
James - 27 Nov 2003 14:50 |
get those flipping dogs out of the pub!!!
steve - 8 Jun 2003 15:36 |
Dependant on which side you got into depends on what sort of night you want. To the left you get good music and company, to the right you get a bit of attitude but the chance to buy some good cocaine.
Mark - 27 Nov 2002 20:08 |
Good atmosphere; lots of guest ales; Guinness not bad ;) - free saanies on pub quiz evenings.
Fergus - 9 Aug 2002 20:04 |
Live bands every saturday night, with great Tapas menu. Nice garden. Real Ales.
Linda - 13 Jun 2002 11:31 |
