please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
I saw on 'The hotel inspector' on the TV today that its going Tobermory made into a hotel!
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Curiouser and curiouser......
It seems that the pub premises has now been sold to a senior backroom guy at one of the leading F1 teams!
Here's hoping there is an intention to reopen, rather than de-license.
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HI, I live im Pimlico and just to update this Pub is currently closed and has been for several months now. There are no signes or information up as to when it will be open again.
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Still closed and boarded up with no indication as to future use. When I lived in Pimlico in the 1990's this pub (in its previous incarnation as Grosvenors) was the best in the area. Sad to see.
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This once-great pub has now closed, possibly forever.
It just goes to show what a copy of 'An Idiots Guide To Refurbishing A Pub' can accomplish. This was, without a doubt, one of the best twenty pubs in London during it's pre-wine bar makeover 'Country Pub' days. Packed every night from teatime onwards.
A great shame.
RIP, Country Pub.
Good riddance, Clarendon.
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Went back after years away.
Apparently, the super make-over from the old, loved, 'Country Pub' cost 100k and took 2k a week off the takings.
Go figure.......
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JimmyJames is spot on - this is a great pub and certainly one of the best in the area. There's a mix of seating with tables and chairs in the front part of the pub and couches mainly at the back, making it a comfortable and welcoming environment, even if you're on your own. There's an eclectic crowd usually, including local office workers, Pimlico/Belgravia/Chelsea residents and tourists from the nearby hotels.
The beers include decent pints of IPA, Deuchars & Youngs, as well as the usual Kronenborg/Guinness fare, plus a decent selection of wines with options for small or large glasses. Prices for food and drink are what you'd expect for a more up-market area, but the food usually justifies it, with an excellent salmon fillet and succulent lamb burger among the regular menu items, plus changing specials.
Considering it's a bit off the beaten track (although only a short stroll from Victoria) it can get busy early evening, particularly on Monday, when they have a quiz night. There's no loud music or fruit machines and the staff are invariably pleasant and helpful. The way a pub should be.
roxyj - 12 Aug 2010 15:46 |
A spell binding experience! The previous entry just doesn't do this establishment justice! I quaffed my premium lager with a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye...
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Possibly the best pub in London!
Set back five minutes stroll from Victoria station in the relative calm of Pimlico is this fine, sumptuous, warm and welcoming pub. A veritable gem of a watering hole.
This Pimlico pub is all things to all drinkers � firstly there�s the clean, open, bright space inside that gives a crafty mixture of boozer, eatery and meeting place.
Secondly (and the reason why we all go into pubs) is the choice of drinks and food: a great selection of fine wines and spirits, Fosters, Kronenberg 1664, low fermented, fine Italian Birra Moretti Deuchars IPA, and three other clips with two new guest ales.
Then there�s the food: apart from complimentary bar snacks of sausages and chips regularly on offer, the hungry or peckish frequenter can scoff some great pub fayre that fits in well with the times.
Thirdly (and probably the clincher) is the friendliness, professionalism and sheer delight of the bar staff, headed by arguably the best, bubbliest, brightest landlady this side of old father Thames.
Busy at times, quiet at others � this is a bit of a hidden secret delight to all who encounter it. The mix of punters truly represents all of London life.
But once you discover it, don�t tell everyone. Let it be our secret!!
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Needs to improve its ale selection and dispense, Its a busy place mostly and i think they are fairly relaxed, selling there wine and pretty average food.
They are lucky there areny any decent pubs nearby, as i think if one of the surrounding streets had a good pub on it, they would be in serious trouble.
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The pub is lovely and bright with large windows. The staff are very friendly and couldn't do enough for me. They have a good selection of wines and beers, and the food was fantastic. The music wasn't too loud and it wasn't too packed but had a really good atmosphere. I would definitely go there again for a lazy sunday lunch or dinner.
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All the tables in the main bar area were set for diners. The lady who served me was very friendly and welcoming, but the fact that this pub is very food orientated was reinforced when she asked if I would be eating with them today. Well I did eat there, having the Clarendon Burger which was very good (served up with some salad and a portion of chips) but not particularly cheap at �8.
There are four handpumps in place � two had no clips; one had a clip turned round; and the fourth was dispensing Deuchars IPA which was pretty good (�3.10 per pint). This seems more like a bar/restaurant than a pub, though there a couple of tables and chairs plus sofa in a lower level room at the back of the pub that were not set for diners. The music being played was some rather relaxed jazz/soul that made a pleasant change from the puerile pop music one often hears. It�s OK if you like these sort of clinically sterile places, but not really my cup of tea.
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We recently had our wedding reception at The Clarendon and the new manager and her staff managed to pull off a
spectacular wedding party for 100 people. They even decorated the pub with our decorations whilst we were at the church!
My northern mates were happy as can be with the selection of real ales on tap. The Southern one's happy at the great larger and spirits selection. Even a good friend who is a top chef mentioned how fantastic the food was that they laid on for 80 people.
All in all a top place, well worth a visit.
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I hired this pub on Saturday for a private birthday party and it was great! The new manager and her staff are friendly and helpful. It has a relaxed yet stylish feel and the food is simple/ tasty pub grub. I would really recommend it!
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Visited The Clarendon last weekend, appears to have improved by some distance since the last batch of reviews. Friendly staff, good atmosphere. Recommended
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I don't know what this place was like in the past, but last weekend I went and found it to be a great pub.
Didn't try the food, but they have Moretti on tap which will always get a good vote with me, and the staff were very pleasant.
It's a pub I'd definitely make an effort to go back to, and one I'll recommend to people in the area.
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I could almost weep, when I remember what a fabulous atmosphere this place used to have.
What the hell have they done!!!!
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No character, very pretentious staff and customers, management and staff who are increadibly rude and unfriendly. A very dull and boring place.
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The 'new' Clarendon seems very much a food-oriented pub despite the four ales on tap; it is a pub but on first sight I wasn't sure that it was, rather than a restaurant.
It doesn't have a lot of character in the fittings but the staff are friendly, and the food was good, the vegetables flavoursome - none of your frozen afterthought here. The second bar is a curious thing: I suspect it may once have been part of the building next door but was annexed by the Clarendon at some point.
In all a fairly resto-pub experience but one which seemed to please the recently-arrived Americans at the next table to mine.
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In reply to the comment posted on the 7th April 05' I've lived in the area all my life and its always been called The Clarendon.(look up at the top of the building). 'The Counry Pub' came about a few years ago along with the lowering of the ceiling and the brass on the walls! Those of us that know the pub lost our old Victoria 'Local' for quite a few years so i'm really pleased to see the old pub back with its original name - staff are friendly and beer is good. It has a nice unpretentious feel about it and bridges the pub/wine bar 'thing' really well.
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Agree with the last comment but will say that at last someone has had the style and business sense to create a decent trendy place in Pimlico. The area is bustling and wealthy and yet has nothing but old mans pubs. Good effort and a decent pint!
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Went last night, reminded me of the Natwest ad where they change your branch into a trendy wine bar. Gone is the character and in are polished wooden flooring and a new name - The Clarendon.
Having said that the Youngs was a good pint and the smoke has somewhere to go now they've doubled the ceiling height.
If you knew it as the country pub, worth a visit just to see the transformation!
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One of the better pubs in the Victoria area; having said that that is akin to calling Burger King one of the better eateries at a motorway service station.
Fairly good beer, fairly good food, nice fire, amusing decor (I agree Seb), far enough from BPR/Victoria Street that the hordes coming through won't find it by accident. Not a place to go with a large crowd though.
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Warm, welcoming, great staff. Indeed a country pub, so dont bother crowding it if your not from the country and dont appreciate beams and 'local' atmosphere.
Gives a great alternative to the Ebury
Sparks - 20 Sep 2004 15:48 |
This pub looks like a Texan's idea of an English pub...this isn't necessarily a criticism. Went here recently after seeing the reviews below, and the place is absolutely barmy. An old Victorian gin palace, but one which has had all the windows blocked up, and the high cellings lowered, to create a kind of olde englishe cave. Looks like the kind of place a brummie heavy metal axe god would build to live in. Not bad, if you can stop p***ing yourself at the decor long enough to keep your beer in.
Seb - 11 Jun 2004 13:46 |
Thanks Paul and Ruta for a memoriable night for my wife's Birthday. We will never forget it or you. Actually every night we were ther was great.
Rich - 29 May 2004 21:36 |
I am from Texas and this place is what I'd always imagined and English pub to be like. Paul is a charechter not to be foggotton.
Rett Gray Houston Texas - 11 Nov 2003 20:09 |
I like this pub, one of the best in the area I think.
Clare - 24 Oct 2003 13:41 |
I've only just been in, it is still very good. The Victoria will see less of our money.
Tim C - 16 Oct 2003 18:04 |
What a top place!(But keep it quiet!)
mark - 21 Aug 2003 17:30 |
WOW !
What an absolute GEM of a place !
Homely atmosphere, great pints, respectable but noisy crowd.
As a previous poster said "stay away" or the secret will get out !
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Very nice place for a drink .
Andre - 6 Jul 2003 06:55 |
Used to be great when you could tell why it was called The Country Pub. In fact, possibly the best pub I have ever been in. However, it has got rid of a lot of its great props to fit more punters in. Shame really. One of the reasons I left Pimlico. Well, that and I couldn't afford it anymore.
robin - 24 Mar 2003 13:46 |
Nice place, good atmosphere
Katja - 22 Mar 2003 23:54 |
The best little pub in Pimlico and maybe even the whole of SW London. So don't go there, you might spoil it.
Rick - 20 May 2002 11:44 |
