please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Well a year has passed since this pub closed. Come on BITE pull your socks up!
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I urge people to seek out The Country House in Earlsfield, where the landlord has moved on to. It's right next to the railway line (you can see it just as the train pulls in to earlsfield, going towards Waterloo). It's completely tucked away in a corner, surrounded by nothing, but it's a lovely unspoilt pub and they pull a gorgeous pint of Harveys Sussex.
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Well it's cafe Nero coming up.
Homogenised milk in our homogenised high St
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Anyone who wants to know the devious and underhand dealings that led to the closure of our great pub is directed to John Sweeneys great article in the November edition of the Oldie entitled "Death of an institution". Shame on Enterprise Inns!
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Sad to hear that this is being changed. This was one of the few real pubs left in the Village that didn't involve a walk across the common.
Won't it be great when everything is all the same.
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Looks like the battle mentioned by the last reviewer has been lost. I was in the Village yesterday and the place was closed, boarded-up and the 'for sale' signs were outside.
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After a walk across the Common I fancied a drink and so looked for a pub in Wimbledon Village. I was tempted by the array of about five hand-pumps (London Pride, Deuchars, plus three lesser known ales) on the bar here and so decided to give it a try. The beers (Newman's Summerberry Steam and one other I've forgotten) tasted ok but were both on the lukewarm side for my taste.
Pub interior pleasant but unexceptional, and few customers on the night I was there. I'm not sure exactly why but the Brewery Tap appears to be fighting a losing battle against the Dog & Fox (Young's) across the road.
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Correction - it was Theakston Old Peculier and not Downton Dark Delight on the last pump. The latter was on in the Sultan, South Wimbledon!
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This place is a small single bar pub that resembles a cafe more than a bar, with windows that open to the street during clement weather. Music was playing fairly loud, but not so loud as to detract from conversation. The size of the pub means that tables are fairly cramped and venturing to the toilets is similar to an assault course. However the real reason to visit here is for the ales. Unlike seemingly everywhere else in Wimbledon village, this is not a Youngs pub and offers guest beers with a much better value for money. 4 real ales were on last night including Deuchars IPA, Slaters Why Knot, Downton Dark Delight and (I think) Fullers London Pride. Aspalls was the cider. I later read in the London Drinker that Enterprise, the owners of the pub, are looking to convert it to a gastropub. This would be a real shame if it happens.
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Always a choice of Ales, normally good. Smallish pub, but gets busy & generally has a good atmosphere. Bar staff chosen for their looks though, rather than their ability behind yhe bar.
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Beer was ok, German Sky Sports too loud. Pub felt rather cramped.
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I was trepidacious about this one but noticed the Cask Marque sign so thought it was worth a punt. Several hours later I left having had several pints and a long rambling conversation (well, only some of it was about rambling). Five real ales on including two 'specials', one being Adnams Extra which I felt duty bound to sample a reasonable amount of. At least an 8/10.
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This is a great, little pub, it's my local and I live no more than 30 seconds from it. There are 5 hand pull real ales to choose from and a Pint of London Pride here is fantastic, its like silk. Over time your chances increase of have a pint that is at the end of the barrel and sure enough the Landlord was more than happy to replace it. On the Landlord, you could not find a nice chap. The pub seems to have an eclectic mix of customers, they range from students (posh ones) to professionals and couples and all seem to get along nicely. The Juke box is great and the music is varied. Not tried the food in some time but I understand its of a decent quality. Prices are what you would expect from an area of London where you don't have to fear for your life but they are not excessive.
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Expensive cafe-bar type place in the posh confines of Wimbledon Village - a pint of Slater's Original (a Staffordshire brewery according to the pump clip) and a packet of crisps cost me the jaw-dropping sum of �4.05 and the state of the beer did little to improve my mood, although the staff were very friendly. Touts itself as a place to watch live sport (and has an Italian Sky package, for some reason - perhaps so it can broadcast premiership 3PM kick offs) yet turned away two groups of people who asked if the international rugby union was being shown which struck me as rather odd. I'd probably not return as the comparably priced Youngs pubs in the area are a decent bet for serving a better quality of pint.
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Good pub, has changed a bit over the years but good selection of lager and beers and staff are always very friendly. Met friends for the cup final and it was busy but with a nice mixed crowd. They had just stopped serving food but said it was ok to grab something from Bayley & Sage and bring it in as long as you gave the packaging in to them. Nice touch. Will definitely be back.
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Smallish single bar establishment situated in the heart of Wimbledon Village, virtually opposite the much larger better-known Dog & Fox.
The pub's name apparently relates to the long lost Wimbledon Brewery that used to be next door.
Yes, the previous poster is right - it's an odd sort of place, is it a pub, is it a cafe bar, or is it positioning itself somewhere in the middle ?. I'm not sure if it knows.
There's the seemingly compulsory ( for the area ) carpet-less wooden floor and seating and a rather charmless and characterless feel to the place.
The pub's management clearly take real ale seriously - as evidenced by the Cask Marque symbol and the frequent advertisements taken out in London Drinker. It's also had recent GBG listings.
On my visit, there were 5 ales on - Adnams, London Pride, HN Old Hookey, a beer from Slaters and Twickenham Gothic Dark. The latter was a dark ( believe it or not!) malty pint and quite moreish, but at a price ( � 3.25p) that perhaps reflects the affluence of the area.
Despite the decent beer range, I didn't take to this place particularly and I'm far from convinced that it's worth the trek uphill from the town centre, even if you take the bus.
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Funny place this one. It's an old fashioned style boozer that's been done up to give it the appearance of a fancy bar and thus fit in with the Wimbledon Village aesthetic. It didn't really work for me, but I can see why they've done it.
Good selection of ales, including a decent pint of Bateman's Hooker, which I sampled. Large, open windows at the front of the pub give you a chance to watch the preening locals flounce by, which can be quite entertaining. The governor seemed to be a friendly and enthusiastic chap, and I'd be happy to pop back here again, even though the prices are somewhat off putting.
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Around �3.20 a pint, but they do have a good range. We popped in for a quick pint, went out for a meal, then back again. In that time, they'd turned around about three beers. I wish I could remember them - they did have Matthews from Bath (I'd never heard of it - so asked about it).
It has a nice fire and a good jukebox. No complaints, apart from a tad pricey - but it's probably what you have to pay in Wimbledon Village.
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It's ok but I am not sure that it merits the walk from Wimbledon station as its heavy advertising in CAMRA's London Drinker might suggest.
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Ive always had a nice pint in this pub, landlord always seems chatty and friendly as well.
Totally recomend the real ales-perfect!!!
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I have been an occasional user of this pub for some time and although they always have a changing rota of guest ales they have not always been that well kept compared to say the Trafalgar in South Wimbledon or the Bricklayers in Putney.
However on my last two visits I have had a couple of really well conditioned pints one of which was Harveys Best.It was nearly as good as the Harveys they serve at the Royal Oak in Borough which in the benchmark in London.
I can't recall the other pint as it was a long session but it was so good even my lager drinking companion was impressed when he had a taste !
So well done on the quality of the beer and keep up the good work !
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Oh dear sky high prices upwards of �3 for an ale pint to Bulmers at �3.95, what a cheap cider at champagne prices, give it a miss.
Barra - 29 Aug 2008 15:31 |
A very good place to congregate and get intoxicated on a fine range of brews. Decent staff and facilities despite it becoming a bit sterile interior-wise. My wallet got pinched when I was last there, so beware.
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Modern style interior with cream walls and exposed brickwork although a fire was burning in the grate. Mix of seating types. Plasma TV on the wall not on at the time, jukebox playing. Original plans of the building on one wall, a nice detail.
Deuchars IPA, Theakston Mild, Adnams Bitter, London Pride, and Rebellion Roasted Nuts, 4.6%, seasonal brew, in good nick it must be said. Not a bad range, most local pubs here serve just Youngs.
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The Tap is a pleasant enough pub - particularly for ale drinkers because there is always a good selection available (including some unusual brands). The quality is normally pretty good and the barmaids are normally easy on the eye. It also has a pretty good jukebox which is always a bonus. what more could a man ask for?
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A little clinical in appearance and not a style I would ordinarily look for, but this place does seem keen on serving a decent selection of ales. As I was passing yesterday I peered through the open window at the four hand-pumps and the barmaid cheerily popped out to ask whether I could be tempted by anything. Nice to get a friendly greeting, and the choice included a 5%-er from Joseph Holt as well as a Mild and Adnams & Pride. I'll be back to sample another time
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The recent refurbishment isn't nearly as bad as some would make out. Anyone wishing to observe the truly horrifying consequences of some modernisations need look no further than over the road to the Dog and Fox. The Tap is still by far the best pub in the Village. It has the best beers and other drinks, all well kept and always something out of the ordinary on offer. Wine list is decent and very well priced - after the house wines, all the prices are uniform, so you actually get to choose your wine based on what style you like to drink, a very novel ideal indeed! Crowd is refreshingly mixed and unpretentious which is more than can be said for other pubs in the area. Staff are great - the girls are all very pretty (as others have noted!) and the landlord and lady clearly have a passion for their pub and their product. They, if anything, are the reason this has remained such a star pub despite initial grumblings about the smarted up interior. Definitely NOT a winebar!
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Nothing like the pub it used to be. They have succeeded totally in removing the character from what was once a real pub. Now looks more like a hotel bar. But when I was in there the other day the beer was good (I had the Eccleshall's Slaters) and have seen other less frequently seen beers there in the past. So not a total disaster then, but I would prefer it the way it was.
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Probably the best pub in the village. That's a difficult achievement. The cheapest pints around, but still requiring a mortgage. If you can afford it and don't mind being surrounded by public school kids all Friday and Saturday nights then it's alright.
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Rather bland, winebar style pub. London Pride was ok.
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Had 2 interesting ales on from 4, which is a plus. The place just feels very nothingy though. I wouldn't want to spend time here just because of the beer. Is it a cafe or shop, someone's backroom or a pub? It doesn't know and nor do I!!!
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I totally agree with the last posting. The Adnams is still very good, but the pub has lost is charm. My wife misses the Leffe Blonde too. This was once the best on the village; this is no longer the case.
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Although they have done their best to surgically remove all atmosphere from this once great little local, I have to say that the beer is still great. Bring back the old style pub, it isn't meant to be a wine bar wannabe!!!
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I've been in here for lunch twice recently - pre and post-decorating - and I think it is a decent little place.
On both occasions they have had a couple of ales that I've never heard of before (always a better idea than the rather dull and common Pride, Greene King IPA, etc) and the beer was spot on, at a reasonable price.
The food, although nothing special was good enough and well-priced.
It was a bit dingy on the first visit, but has been brightened up with the redecoration.
Also the patrons were a mixed bunch, some young people, some old people, some families, which gave it an unthreatening and unpretenious vibe. Obviously it was in the afternoon, so I can't really speak about the other reviewers problems with the loud music.
It is a great little find, at least for lunch and an early afternoon pint, in the otherwise sterile and shallow Wimbledon Village.
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Walked past last Thursday and it looks as if the Tap is being redecorated again. Men in overalls everywhere
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good range of real ales, really enjoyed the cornish ones!!!!!!!!!!
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Good selection of ales, I had a couple of pints of Hook Norton Old Hooky which went down nicely. Not surprisingly it was busy on a Saturday night, but also seemed incredibly noisy (the customers, not music or anything like that!). Clientele a bit brash and trendy for my taste and beers a bit on the pricy side (�5.10 for two pints of bitter), although certainly worth another visit if I'm passing.
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Popped in recently for a pint with the wife. It was so loud in there that although she was sitting across the table, I couldn't hear a word she was saying. Hence, a fantastic place to take your wife for a pint.
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I really want to love this pub, and to proclaim it to be one of the best in the whole of South-West London.
It really should be for so many reasons. Firstly it has a great range of ales, all well kept. It's also a nice small pub, that seems to retain much of it atmosphere, but for some reason I never seem to enjoy this place as much as I should. I personally find it too smokey for my liking, and the clientele don't strike me as being particularly friendly and welcoming (Perhaps I'm expecting to much from people who live in Wimbledon Village?).
Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad pub by any means, and it's certainly worthy of a visit if your in the area. Mabey it just me, as I've never seen this pub get anything but the highest praise. However I just feel it could be so much more in my mind. Sigh.
anonymous - 21 Mar 2005 14:53 |
I liked this pub far more than I expected to. The Adnams was great - Gales less so but it seemed well kept 9and the pub has a cask marque)so I'll put that down to taste. Landlord was friendly and seemed to enjoy the product which has to be a good sign. The food looked very good but they were turning people who wanted to eat away at about 3pm having run out, so maybe this could be addressed. Another good pub for the village - nice one.
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This is a superb pub. I visited last night with a group of friends and enjoyed Slaters' Monkey Magic mild amongst other great beers. There are five ales available on handpump alongside an interesting range of bar snacks. All types of games available from the bar, and normally the music allows conversation without having to shout too loud.
The landlord and his staff are warm, friendly and approachable, and I left with the desire to visit again soon.
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Wow! what a great pub. Fantastic staff- especially that handsome new blond chap -lovely beers with a broad selection, ditto with the wines. Boardgames to borrow for free, great jukebox, tasty food, especially the tapas. A must for any trip to the village.
Joshua - 5 Oct 2004 00:51 |
Sorry about the warm beer! Hope to improve this shortly with new beer engines& lagging. Sadly this means we drop down to four ales
The Landlady - 2 Sep 2004 21:43 |
Couldn't spot the landlord - only girls behind the bar (sounds like an improvement any how). Good selection of beers (no Youngs!!), recognised 4 of the 5 ales on offer so asked for a taster of the fifth option. Got given about 1/3 pint as a taster but didn't care for it much so chose the Cally. This came up rather heady so was left to settle while the second pint was poured, then the barrel ran out! My mate had to settle for Adnams while my pint less about an inch was charged as a half. (I've seen bigger heads than this in other theiving pubs) so great service in a freindly atmosphere. Only minus was that we felt the beer was a touch too warm.
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good fun to be had here. just across the road and nice fresh beer. lots of youngsters that can't get into finch's. nice management and friendly staff
Joel - 24 Jun 2004 05:09 |
We go to the "Tap" quite often for one or two before or after a meal at a nearby restaurant. The attraction is the regularly changing selection of guest bitters and ales. The landlord is very keen on his bitters and ales (just check the red nose). I would recommend to anyone who enjoys variety in their beer and who is not afraid of flavour.
Guy - 25 Mar 2004 16:03 |
The BT is a perfect 1 or 2 pint stop of before crossing the road to the finch, excellent beer and very few poor people (there's a kind of means watershed at the roundabout at the top of the hill, hooray)
dookstain - 4 Mar 2004 19:51 |
That picture is AWFUL. In reality this is actually quite a cool little place. Its gets seriously crwoded in there during busier periods, so if you manage to work your way to the back don't expect to leave for a good few hours. The setup's good in summer with the open front....and the pimms is classic.
mace debater - 16 Feb 2004 13:26 |
great place to have a pint. the juke box rocks and the staff are great. Great food too. must visit if in the area
ayse - 4 Feb 2004 13:56 |
avoid . ordered 2 meals half hour later 1 turns up another 15 mins no sign of mine no apologies nothing, asked for money back they grunted and gave it back still without a single word of explanation or apology. maybe it was new staff but i wont be spending another minute or penny in there. avoid.
yan - 29 Jan 2004 13:51 |
Great little pub in the middle of the village.Friendly staff & good selection of beers.Awesome juke box and mine host seemed friendly enough!
Paul - 6 Jan 2004 11:31 |
The best pub in the village, never had bad service its run by a really friendly bunch, allways guest beers in, well kept too. Good juke box love to go there with friends or family.
oh and by the way, stuart sounds so boring he should be barred from any decent pub anyway.
miss this pub at youre peril!
Tom - 5 Sep 2003 16:43 |
Top staff? Hmmm... I visited this pub with a friend for the England vs. Australia friendly last year. Quite liked the place when I arrived although when my mate and I finished our drinks and had the temerity to stay on for the last 10 minutes of the football (we have jobs to go to so can't get too drunk on a school night!) we got an earful from the landlord's wife about how if we want to stay in her pub we've got to buy more drinks! Can't say I've ever experienced this before...
Stuart - 27 Aug 2003 14:50 |
what can i say? probably the best looking girls in london and they all work iin the brewery tap!fantastic.
james - 16 Aug 2003 12:07 |
Wicked Atmosphere, love the juke box, lovely pub meals and top people running the place. John & Heather, you rock!
My favoutie pub in the village for a sneakey pint in between shifts! Kate @ The Dog
kate - 8 Jun 2003 09:44 |
Top publich hoose, run by none other than Fat Eric Clapton!
Interesting tapas nights on wednesdays too
Dangerous Clive - 16 May 2003 16:00 |
The landlord here is a legend, the other staff are generally nice looking. The beer is cool and so is the jukebox. Best pub in the village, but can get crowded.
Andy - 4 May 2003 01:43 |
Top pub, top staff, top beer, top of the hill.
Sunderland fans be warned!
Fred - 7 Apr 2003 18:06 |
What a great pub - sat by the fire, drank excellent beer and played crib. Bliss. Even the misses enjoyed it.
anonymous - 19 Mar 2003 13:59 |
best pub sunday lunch I've ever eaten - proper home cooked food. have the chicken though because you get much more meat than the beef
Richie - 31 Dec 2002 13:33 |
Attracts the local private schools' under age drinkers and lots of horsey types.
james - 13 Jun 2002 17:11 |
