please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
As we abseiled down from the summit of Herne Hill last summer, our ropes happened to twang on the Phoenix.
It was giving out a relaxed, pleasant vibe, and so we decided to give it a look round. There was Doom Bar on, something with the American flag, and another which didn't ring any bells. As we were headed to the Hermit's Cave anyway, we gave the beer a miss.
Nonetheless, it is pleasantly, spaciously, and interestingly done out, with its bare brick walls and so on. The ceiling is very high. (I don't know if there'd ever been a fire, and hence the name, but that's what you could get if so I suppose).
I'd gladly call for a longer stay another day.
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On an incredibly warm Tuesday evening I drank here as the Fox on the Hill so was packed I couldn't even get to the bar!
Not normally my pub of choice but it does always have a decent choice of ales, though it's pricey, even for this area.
On this visit the 4 hand pumps had 2 new ales for me, I had a couple of pints of
Portobello's Bronze Star @ 4.3%, a very nice pint but the £4.40 price tag did sit in my throat a little bit!
Fairly busy inside , this is the busiest I have seen this pub for ages though I'm sure the warm evening had a lot to do with this.
A nice pub, still not the quickest or best service but the ales good and it does have outside seating so you're not cooped up on a warm evening.
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£11.80 for a pint of 'artisan' lager and a double vodka and Diet Coke...
£28 for two steak dinners - ultra-chewy steaks with very basic, almost flavour-free oven chips and three stalks of watercress...
The steak was one of the worst I and my friend have ever had, too full of overly chewy fat, really quite a dental risk for anyone out of their 20s. For fourteen quid are a mushroom, a tomato and a small pile of peas or salad too much too ask? I wouldn't want to endorse Wetherspoons but they don't seem to think so, and neither does my local friendly and unpretentious cafe, for half the money.
This place is for people with more money than sense - an extensive and growing category as we know - your basic Londoner yuppies and those who would be yuppies if they were still young. If you go to places like this, people, Blade Runner will come true before your kids are your age. You've been warned.
I would add in fairness that if the waitresses seem a bit sniffy it's more that the 21st century sociopath-magnet vibe of the place confers this air on them. I bet if someone walked by and saw me in the place they'd have developed a hatred of me on the spot, and I couldn't blame them. We were in the place to recover from/ celebrate an emotional visit to King's revolving around a leukemia checkup, so we weren't, I hope, the usual clientele.
On the way back home, at the station, a man overheard me surmise that I'd just drunk a six quid pint, looked up and said, "You been in the Pheonix? Yeah it's just been painted that's why it was six quid, gotta make it back 'aven't they. They take the p*ss." We took some comfort and amusement from this blip of absurdist camaraderie, but only when the place has gone bust will we feel properly satisfied. Fingers crossed.
Would have loved to have been able to steal glasses, cutlery or furniture to get a partial rebate but the staff seem prepared for this entirely rational and fair endeavour, and even my attempts to cadge a few CDs' worth of music using their wifi failed. I can only hope my review loses the pub sufficient money that the day will then feel ironed out into neatness in our minds. I daresay I'll be over the shock of this visit soon enough although I'm still haunted by a £17 bill for two subs and two Cokes in Subway five years ago in Charing Cross Road that mystifyingly didn't end in my brother and I abandoning our food at the counter for due to tiredness and embarrassment in a long queue, an over-tolerance which I hope I've now outgrown. That London eh...
I could say lastly that the food 'filled a hole'. Alas, it did, just about, but its having underscored another far greater one cancels out the brief respite in mere hunger. If you tolerate this... your children will be next...
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Came in just after 10.15pm on a Tuesday evening on my way home from football.
Only a handful of punters in.
Sierra Nevada - Festival Bier £5.55 a pint !!!!
Staff putting chairs on the tables at 10.30, very unwelcoming. This place could be so good. It's on the station so has access to lots of punters but the staff just don't seem to care.
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By default this pub has had to be judged along with the greatest of railway station bars and pubs and it has come out pretty well. Good beer range and decent food all served in lofty surroundings. Arrive by train and depart by train - don't drink and drive!
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Popped in on Easter Sunday visit for a quick pint with the family while we waited for a train.
Good choice of ales on both cask and keg. I went for a pint of Wild Beer Co’s Bibble @ 4.2%. A thoroughly decent pint that was well kept and poured.
Pretty busy inside and out with a mix of couples and families with a lot of them having finished lunch.
Much better than my last visit but it was a Sunday and the sun was shining.
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After several pints in various local pubs it was time to head home but not without grabbing a cheeky half while I had 10 minutes for my train.
It’s been a while since I have been here, the beers are always decent and normally are quite varied however the pub is nearly always soulless, whether this is the fault of the staff or the punters I never know.
On this visit I just had enough time to neck my choice of Red Squirrel’s London Porter @ 5.0%, a very decent beer.
Again the pub was almost empty.
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I visited this pub on Saturday evening and have to say that I was really impressed by the selection of ales and also its decor; it sits inside the old ticket office of the station and the clock is in there and it's furnished in a way that does respect to its history. Beer seemed reasonably priced too.
Now for the downside. I was appalled by how I got treated by the staff. I went to the bar to order another round of drinks and, after a couple of minutes of waiting where I was the only customer at the bar, tracked down one of the staff. I got told, in a really rude manner, that I hadn't spoken coherently and, when I thought I had relayed details of the drinks, she started pouring from the wrong tap - I politely pointed out the mistake where upon she refused to serve me and told me to ask a another member of staff for the drinks. Shocking attitude.
Will probably give this place a return visit but hope I do not get spoken to like a did in here on Saturday night because it was uncalled for!
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Got to agree with last comment, why did they stop the groovy Friday nights? I assumed it was a temporary thing but this week I realised it is a permanent change.
The pub is lovely though, love the decor and the location by the station is fab.
Bad points are that the food is not very nice and staff struggles easily when slightly busy.
So it still is a decent old pub but now, it's more for a quick beer than a good night out
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No more dj??!?! Now just a boring old pub... :-(
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Good reincarnation of a fire-razed site. Fabulous, huge old station clock, but shame it is not working. Many guests in evidence from pumpclips displayed, only Dull Bar and Pride on this visit though on the four pumps; this was the Monday after Easter so it might have been a busy weekend. Hope so, they deserve it.
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Visited a mate in Denmark Hill recently and he uses this as his local. I was a bit sceptical as although it looked nice from the outside I haven't had that many great experiences with station pubs. However, I had a great night in there; the layout and design is top notch, the drinkers there were very friendly and it was generally a nice vibe. My only quip would be that the barman served 2 attractive women first even though I'd been at the bar 5 minutes. I'm no Brad pitt, but come on, play the game!
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I must admit I'm surprised how low a rating The Phoenix at Denmark Hill has. I've never had any problems with any of the staff and think the food is good quality. Architecturally I think it's stunning. Love the wooden floor and it's so convenient to the train station. All in all, a very good pub. I work at Kings Hospital and hope to use it for a long time to come.
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I went here when it was run by the last very rude owners and didn't visit again until today. When I went in, the bar man was very friendly which was a good start. Unfortunately we went there for lunch. If you've missed your weekly Iceland shop, I can thoroughly recommend this pub. Reheated frozen roasties, bisto gravy, reheated from frozen yorkshires and mingy sides. The pork was such bad quality it was white and smelt of body odour. Everything else ordered by others was such bad quality it wasn't worth eating, overcooked and bad quality. Whatever you do don't eat the food here.
Szofi - 16 Oct 2011 15:54 |
sorry zoe dont believe you....axe to grind???????
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Went in on Friday after work. One of the bartenders was sooo rude to one of the customers (a young woman), who dared to make a joke for how long we waited for a drink-more than 30 minutes- was absolutely appalled with the behaviour. The other people at the pub just watched as he continued to shout at her loud and aggressively. The same bartender has caused problems in the past and I believed he would be fired sooner or later. But... Never going back...
If you want some abuse then go to Phoenix, I am sure the bartender will be more than happy to provide it...
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Really nice, cosy pub. I work at Kings College Hospital and regularly frequent this pub. The staff are very friendly and the food is good too. Not bad prices for a bottle of red wine. Will be going again!
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Nice pub, not always got many ales on, but at least one on every occasion i visit. Very freindly and attentive staff, so no complaints for a nice pub right on top of Dulwich Hill station.
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I have popped in a couple of times en route between hospital visiting at King's College down the road and catching a train at the station. I have to say that I have found it a very comfortable and welcoming boozer. Main complaint is that it is gloomy at the best of times and yesterday they put the lighting down even more. This is not a night club! Prices not too bad, at least compared to Bromley. But super food. I had a chicken, camembert and bacon sandwich that was the goods. Again, not too expensive and this one was vast.
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3.35 a pint of Landlord? Are they barking mad in here, especially as The george canning does it for 3.10 a pint?
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went in monday evening at 9pm to meet my partner. Pleasant enough service, but a bit disturbing when they start putting chairs on tables at 10pm. Doesn't encourage you to stay
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went in monday evening at 9pm to meet my partner. Pleasant enough service, but a bit disturbing when they start putting chairs on tables at 10pm. Doesn't encourage you to stay
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There used to be a strange little bald bloke who would come in here and randomly finish off people's drinks. I think he was an outpatient at the local mental hospital. This would have been about 20 years ago. The management couldn't get him out quick enough before someone thumped him.
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Pleasant enough pub, though the couple of times I have been in it has been fairly quiet. Pretty sure when busy it would have a decent atmosphere.
well kept tim taylors landlord kept my partner happy and I went of the sierra nevada, a bit on the cold side but pleasant enough.
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My first time here since the eighties when it was the Phoenix & Firkin. A quick half before catching a train. Not a bad atmosphere, "studenty" but okay. I found someone's CV left on the bar and when I mentioned it to the barman the inference was that I shouldn't have been reading it.Beer was fine,
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Not bad - but could be so much better. The service can be appalling, there is often no-one behind the bar so you might be the only person waiting but it will still take literally minutes to get served...
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I've experienced the "customer is always wrong" mantra recently here too - criticism is not taken too well so think twice before complaining.
Used to be a nice stop-off on the way home, so much I so I would purposely walk slowly to the station to miss a train, but things have gone steadily downhill. It has the feel that it's being run by teenagers with appropriate egos.
If you make a mistake, own up and put it right. Don't make things up to put the blame on the customer and get personally offended when the customer challenges this so you feel you have to make a scene and ask customer to leave.
Shame as selection of beer is not bad with the odd surprise, like cider on draught as mentioned below. Sort the staff out (young chap worst, other staff gormless but passable at a push) and the Phoenix may rise again (sorry).
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Surpringly worse after renaming itself (changing hands lprob) years ago. Staff indifferent, beer cold, but poss nnot too fresh. Something wrong with the place. But maybe thats the challenge of every railway pub in a city.
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Awful. If the bar staff make a mistake then that's your fault no matter what. You'll be barred before you know it and expected to pay full price for drink that was clearly discounted.
No chance to put your case forward before the fruity bar staff *try* and eject you. Expensive - if you want to pay what is advertised because it is not a badly priced pub then fair enough - if you want to pay what is advertised as a special offer - good luck - there will be some label hidden away to spoil your Friday night.
Pretentious, not bad beer, over zealous staff who are a bit up themselves. Food portions a bit miserly.
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Lovely and laid back, absolutely superb music and a good collection of games available. Has Westons Organic Cider on tap which is gorgeously dangerous . Only one ale but they change it regularly. Only ate there one and it was good but not stunning.
Mulled wine was pretty ropey mind, but won't need to worry about that for another 10 months or so.
MrHew - 27 Jan 2009 13:25 |
Sterile bar frequented by staff from big hospitals nearby. Expensive. Fullers on pump. Ok for swift half while waiting for train from Denmark Hill.
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Nice place. Nice environment. Staff attentive but not over the top. Nice selection of beers and wines to go with the lagers. Food pretty good too.
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Very winebar-esque but comfortable none-the-less.
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Absolutely shambolic pub quiz on Sundays - not worth the bother: questions irrelevant (mostly rubbish from Heat/ East Enders/ the tabloids not real knowledge), delivery and accoustics poor, only four rounds and it stretches on for far too long.
Music in the pub also very poor - it seemed to be the bar person's ipod and far too loud to allow conversation. Worst was the song selection - nirvana and other heavy rock which is fine for a late night club night or rock bar but not so good on a Sunday afternoon at 5.
In fact this Sunday it seemed like it was more of a teenagers' youth club being run for the benefit of the bar staff than actually a pub that seeks to welcome all people. I dont think I will be going back in a hurry
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Since it's rebirth the Phoenix has been growing in popularity with the local crowd (institute of psychiatry and hospital staff) and commuters. It's got pretty quick service, decent food, lots of seats, nice range of beer, and the upstairs bit is good. A bit smokey but the lovely smoking ban will come and sort that out =)
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What a pub, not what you expect when you step off the train. Loved the food had an amazing Sunday Lunch. Just wanted to sit in the "secret Attic" all day!
anonymous - 30 Jan 2007 14:31 |
This pub seems to be actually part of the railway station, so very convenient if you are waiting for - or have just got off - a train. Rather trendy, lots of sofas etc. Beer was nice, but took ages to get served.
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Quality of real gone down lately. Used to be the best pub in the area for the quality of ale, but alas no more. Will have to travel to Herne Hill or Dulwich Village for a qulaity ale.
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What has happened to this bar? The new manageress has moved the sofas from the non-smoking area onto the mezzanine floor.... why? The non-smoking area is so stark now and cold.....please put the heating on!
Staff today were rude and unhelpful! They need to realise that the Dark Horse is on the door step!!
From a disgruntled non smoking ex-regular!
anonymous - 11 Nov 2006 17:08 |
In there again last night... and i gotta say... i think they've turned a corner. Was in on my jacks "researching venues for an upcoming xmas lunch" and had a pleasant solitary pint. Good mixture of peeps in there: couples, loners, trendies and villans, and the service is no longer "a la fawlty towers". The decor, while smug, does at least live up to the magnificence of the building (it's listed).. something that no manager/brewery has managed since it was the original Phoenix.
I woulda stayed for another but come on be honest... could you drag out reading one of them new free evening london rags over 2 pints?
the xmas lunch is Dec9 BTW - we'll be the despicable mess on the long table nr the bogs
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i agree with most of you, got told to go look at the pub by the BIG company that owns it as the manager was leaving...
Best way to describe it was 'car crash'... Dumb and slow staff and the women, I presume manager' was the slowest person i've ever seen behind a bar...
Love the no vinegar for the chips comment cos god it's so true..
can we presume you get discount if you bring your own glass back to the bar cos everyone was..!!
Could be a great pub if only they employed some staff or just trained the one's they have.!
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dunno where tanderson7's coming from.. but then who does? this is the sort of gaff that makes you want to close all the doors and windows and feed somebody's exhaust fumes into... trouble is the tip is so big you could be there a week or two before the CO kicks in... and would have murdered the bar staff. (they are to a man staggeringly sh1t)
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Rude staff - poorly managed - but serves a decent bottled beer.
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Had the burger no complaints.
anonymous - 10 Sep 2006 11:28 |
Dreadful service from a female member of staff. She's not fit to be employed in London.
For a pub with supposedly big no smoking area, I found it very smoky, and came home stinking of fags.
One to avoid.
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tanderson7, the no smoking bit is going to get even bigger this time next year, when they ban smoking in pubs, just something to get used to I am afraid. Nice pint of waggledance the other day.
anonymous - 17 Jun 2006 12:07 |
not bad this one. perfect location. the non-smoking section takes up far too much room though. tomario -how many times are you gonna review this one, pal?
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This is a great pub. For all us non-smokers, this has the biggest non-smoking section of any pub I know!
By the way, talk to the staff (and manager) when ordering drinks/food and appreciate them too - they are really friendly.
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As said below nice pub good beer but the staff really let this potenial gem of a pub down
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How moody is the manageress? If you don't like dealing with the public get another job. Its a shame asthis could be a cracking pup
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Good beer, good surroundings, poor quality of staff
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Nice pub good range of quality of ale as well. Had a pint of schaellion last night, which was gorgeous.
A quick question, how acome the assistant manager is always friendly and chatting to the customers, while the manergeress is always in a mood, and not that friendly?
anonymous - 23 Feb 2006 13:53 |
a really great pub, great building, good food, great atmosphere. excellent beers. never change!
anonymous - 31 Jan 2006 11:43 |
As the only pub open on boxing day it wins my vote as pub of the area now, unlike George Canning.
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Cracking pub with a good range of beers. They have a good quiz on sunday nights as well, though we struggle with it most weeks.
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Increasingly tempting alternative to the Canning...
anonymous - 18 Nov 2005 13:55 |
Absolutely gorgeous pub! A real hidden gem. Food looks mouth watering and the decor is really tasteful. Huge selection of wine...maybe too huge. A really good addition to the already booming pubs of East Dulwich. Long may it last!
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Yes, the most sour barmaid in South London works here. If you don't spot her within the first five minutes, you're officially blind. In fact, the critical eye unit at King's uses this place as a testing ground. Jesus, people, some prozac already? I mean the Maudsley's only next door...
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I agree with anonymous - 10 May 2005 16:04 and don't usually post on sites about pubs, cos you gotta take the rough with the smooth, but.... I have been living and working around the Denmark Hill area for over 7 years now so have seen this pub in all it incarnations and this has to be the worst. On the plus side it does have a great range of beers and wines a bit pricey but hey. On the -ve side, the food is tasteless, overpriced and overrated a bit like the overall feel of the place.
The service is a disgrace with the staff putting more thought and energy into the clothing they are wearing than actually providing good service. I won't go into details but on various occasions when i have had issues with the staff and tried to talk to them i have been sneered at, told they were "too busy to listen to me" (when there was only one other customer waiting)and on one occasion when i asked to speak to a manager about staff behaviour the manager defended the staff straight away. In the past i managed a 1,000 capacity bar/venue and i had 17 year old working for me who would rings around this lot. Okay for a quick one if you miss your train, but it takes more than some "clever" lighting and some couchs to make a good pub.DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE!
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Thats fcking funny that review below,..."sucked up all the vinegar",......nice,....i preferred this gaff when it was a deserted O'Neills,...licka paint,..licka paint.....ikea it up a bit and low and behold....kicking now by all accounts,...fickle world
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Come and behold the wonder that is �The most miserable bar woman in the World� that lurks in here (in the 18-25 category). Gasp at her inability to use her face muscles, be astonished by the reluctance to look at you at anytime, marvel at her tendency to make bitchy comments about people in the pub to her collegues whilst you wait for your pint (which you are damn fortunate to be receiving, make no mistake about it). Truly a real South London gem that has to be seen to be believed. If you are really lucky she might offer you a fight.
The menu is the usual gastro-pub slightly overpriced nonsense and EVERYTHING has �may contain nuts� slapped on it as a disclaimer, which is a ridiculous situation, a sure way to unnecessarily lose custom and smacks of plain lazy management. Carnivores and squirrels will be happy, vegetarians get next to no choice, but they can always eat the pervasive nuts if they are allowed. There was no vinegar for my chips the last time I was in, presumably the barmaid had sucked it all.
That said, this is the best version of the Phoenix since it burnt down. The rubbish O�Neills feel is long gone; it�s comfortable, there are decent tables, chairs, lighting, decoration and importantly � beer, and when you leave you don�t stink of chip fat like at the George Canning.
anonymous - 10 May 2005 16:04 |
Hurrah for the refurbishment! Seems to have improved no end from the ONeills and Firkin of old.
anonymous - 7 Apr 2005 17:47 |
The refit has done wonders for this place; it now serves an amazing range of beers (Belgian and German a speciality) and the decor and general feel of the place has changed immeasurably - although still keeping the elements that used to make this nice years ago, it's now comfortable and well lit.
I've eaten here twice and was less impressed with that side of it, but for having a leisurely drink and whiling away some hours it's unbeatable.
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now my favorite pub in the area.. after being MAJORLY refurbished (thank god), and called the pheonix again. very chilled with lots of comfy sofas, big fires, good food and super friendly staff. (especially the manager tom.. used to be at the crown and greyhound) wide range of wines and beers/ales as it used to be. especially recomend the upstairs section which overlooks the rest of the bar. a good reason to come to denmark hill. a fantastic pub for those in the know... definatley 10/10.
anonymous - 29 Dec 2004 13:24 |
To be honest this place is the pits. NO ATMOSPHERE, rude staff, poor food (normally burnt and takes ages). I'd suggest you only visit if your train is very very late.
jon - 22 Jun 2004 22:58 |
was waiting for a train and went searching for some much needed sugar (energy levels running low) found this place instead and thought a quick half will do me fine... waited near 10minutes for the lad ybehind the bar to know i was there "on the phone" four other people in the bar... got chatting to one of the locals he was well prepared with two pints he knew the waiting time other than the wait the service was fine and friendly ... changed to a pint after the wait though
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After a bad start and bad vibes from all and sundry for taking over former Firkin pub, this O'neills is being run well by attentive staff AND a 'almost as cheap as Wetherspoons' booze list!
the old railway memorabilia diverts ones gaze away from the absurd ursatz 'paddy' decor.
Melanie Davies - 1 Jun 2004 18:56 |
As the phoenix it was a great pub, always busy and a cracking atmosphere. Now a plastic shithole.
thomas - 29 Jan 2004 14:33 |
Yuk. The tables are sticky, the bar is sticky, the floor is sticky. Sticky with crapness.
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Yet another mail order imported manager with the instructions
"just Add water"
Please, next time the crate turns up. RETURN TO SENDER
A non return customer - 8 Dec 2003 04:04 |
Went in and could'nt believe it! I should have known one franchise or another would get it's hands on the place.
Plastic rubbish. I remember one of the Mental patients from the institution down the road coming in one Sunday lunchtime, years ago, downing another stunned customers pint in one and was just about to take someone elses when his minders came into claim him. Funny how they knew where to find him!
At least he knew a good pub and a pint when he saw one. He showed better judgement than the creators of this place.
Bob V - 11 Nov 2003 19:44 |
I worked in Camberwell and looked forward to a Dogbolter in The Phoenix & Firkin (BR & David Bruces Firkin Pubs) built the pub after a major fire in the Ticket Office. It used to have a friendly staff and a good range of beers and lagers.
Congratulations O'neils, Bass, M&B or whoever the pub is actually run down by, you wrecked our pub! Go to the Wetherspoons instead it has more atmosphere.
Too many cracks and a thousand sorrows, may the devil know youve died 10 minutes early (normally reversed as a blessing).
0 is too much
Tim c - 16 Oct 2003 18:12 |
This was the pride of Camberwell pubs, it once has very good food and celebrated the local history of steam at Denmark Hill, I hate to think that that collection of old pictures ended up in a builders skip, but now spoilt beyond recognition by the fake plastic Irish strategy of the 0�Neills clan the McDonalds of pub chains. Looking at the drop in punters over the last two years since the change I am not alone in my sentiments!
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Yes the manager has some sort of hang up regarding puttting on the big screen for sports on Easter Monday so I got my hang over elsewhere.
Donald Shannon - 22 Apr 2003 08:04 |
The Phoenix literally arose from the ashes of fire-gutted Denmark Hill station. Still retains many railway touches including an enormous railway clock.
art - 14 Mar 2003 16:06 |
