please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
currently has microbrewery Meantime equipment in bar area. Very much aimed at the middle-class trade. As of most of the Young's pubs the food is expensive. Used to do Coronation Chicken sandwiches - sorely missed as were delicious and I'm not the only one who went there just for them and the Crayfish and prawn. Now it tries too hard to be 'international' with a bagel, a wrap, a BLT, a flatbread etc
No dogs seen inside but Saturdays it can be like a kindergarten.
Service is efficient but impersonal - more bar than a pub - the modern distance - but the interior and exterior is pleasant enough.
Not brilliant for parking as it is metered and its Lambeth which is pretty much 4 pounds an hour.
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If this place wasn't on the only pub directly on the Common it would have closed down years ago. Badly served terrible food, just about average beer, nasty decor and seemingly constantly soaring prices make this place one to avoid.
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I visited The Windmill to eat twice last year and I thought it was fine for somewhere to eat. I'm surprised to see every recent comment about the food below is negative - the roast dinner I had the first time was nice - admittedly �14 is top-whack for a pub roast. No-one I was with on either occasion had any complaints about the 2/3 courses they had anyway. On a Sunday afternoon without a booking they did say they needed us done by a certain time (90 minutes or so away) so they could reserve it for someone else - this was fine for us at the time but I this could have been inconvenient in some situations.
The beer was certainly expensive and on both visits was constantly being sent back to be topped up (whether at the bar or in the restaurant) - I wondered whether this was a deliberate ploy to squeeze a few extra pennies out of people who they guess don't notice or care?
It's certainly not aiming to catering for the traditional ale drinker - but luckily there are other Young's pubs in the area that still do (The Nightingale, The Grove).
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No dogs allowed ???????????????
Right next to the common ?
ITS FULL OF DOGS INSIDE ANYWAY ! AVOID !
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Friday night it was pretty empty, totally overpriced drinks, �20 8oz steak was as tough as the sole of my shoe, terrible waiting staff, our server nipped out for a fag between serving our courses, I had to go outside to find her to complain! AVOID at all costs - and judging by the amount of people there on a friday night you already have!
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If only the photo at the top of this page was correct. It shows a nice quiet looking pub. I arrived yesterday evening to what seemed like a rave, with a DJ and his decks at the front, a merry throng and a guy selling sausages. I decided to enter into the comparative tranquility of the inside. After finally getting to the bar, I had the choice of Youngs Ordinary, Special, London Gold or Sambrooks Wandle for beers or Addlestones for cider. Low and behold, my cider came in a plastic glass. What is it with Clapham pubs that means they have to use plastic glasses? The interior is fairly cavernous with several large drinking areas. I sat in a rather pleasant one with wood panelling, a piano and a TV showing World Cup Football. This pub has a wonderful location and an attractive interior. I'm sure they're making lots of money. But unfortunately it's not for me. On exiting, I had a little accident with my plastic glass. It seems plastic can't take too strong a grip - oh dear!
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This was one of the first pubs I ever drank when it used to be a Victorian pub with great character. It has now been gutted and is absolutely awful totally lacking in atmosphere. Poor service and overpriced beer in plastic glasses.
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Possibly the worst pub in Clapham (and that's saying something, there are a lot of stinkers masquerading as gastro-pubs in the SW London area). Situated right on Clapham Common itself, it's got the ideal location, especially for the spring and summer. Having got the perfect location sorted, whoever runs the pub have decided they don't have to actually make any sort of effort because whatever happens, there won't be a shortage of punters willing to pay obscene amounts of money for beer and wine. Kind of like an asthetically attractive girl/guy who dines out on their looks and thinks they don't actually need to have a personality.
And don't get me started on the food. Overpriced, and of a quality that wouldn't make the grade at your average Wetherspoon pub. The service was a shambles, the staff seem to have lots of time to stand around chatting, which is generally more important than minor things like taking your order. When that time finally came the waiter walked off halfway through taking our orders! And the food itself - absolutely no sense of value of money here. �10 for a Wetherspoon-standard burger in a stale bun? They really are having a giant belly laugh at our expense.
In case this needed to be added, avoid this pub like the swine flu!
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SO EXPENSIVE!!
They think just because of its location that its OK Just to Rip You Off!! Its disgusting!!
I Purchased 2 Pints for my Mate & I, when I got back to join my friends I noticed that inside one of my Pints of Beer there was a Chewed up Piece of Gum that someone has put in there - I took it back to the Bar & showed the Barmaid who looked at it & asked me if I put it in there!! SO RUDE!! After asking her if she was serious.... I asked for a Replacement Beer & asked to see the Manager - the Barmaid gave me another Beer & walked Off - She then came back & said that the Manager was busy & could'nt be bothered to come & see me - SHE COULD'NT EVEN LIE TO SWEETEN UP THE FACT THAT THE MANAGER DID NOT CARE!!
I CERTAINLY WILL NEVER GO BACK!! MY ADVISE TO ANYONE THAT CONTEMPLATES USING THIS DUMP (Especially when the Weather is Nice & you want a Cold beer whilst Chilling on the Common) IS - GET A COOLER BAG & BRING YOUR OWN BEERS - YOU'LL SAVE YOURSELF A FORTUNE!!
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Why should any one employed at the Windmill or the brewary management care about the customers, all there interested in is profit. Due to its location it will always be packed in the summer, it would be interesting to see how it would survive elswhere. If you have a complaint about any aspect of the pub, nobody is really interested in listning to you or for that matter do they really care. If you tell them that you will never use the pub again, they just shrug their shoulders knowing that there will be hundreds more coming through the door, totally ignorant of its attitude to customers. My advise if you must drink there, have one pint and move on and under no circumstances order food.
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What a great location but so overpriced!
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What a shame.
Last year, this was the place to be in Summer; the location is great, the atmosphere good and nice food.
I don't know if the management has changed, but this year; it's really gone down hill.
The food is terrible and very overpriced. There's just no thought put into it, flavours that don't go together at all which just end up tasting of nothing.
In fact, two of our party were actually ill the day after.
The service is some of the worst I've ever experienced and that's saying a lot. It would be better if they didn't have any and just had an "order at the bar" setup...
In all, if you want a place to drink a cold one with some mates during the summer, then this is still a good place to hang out; but whatever you do, don't eat there!
I really hope they turn this around soon as it really is a sad loss of what was a great all-rounder.
Until then, they should stop trying to pretend to be a serious high quality restaurant and just concentrate on being a good pub.
Very disappointed.
cmdr5 - 28 Aug 2009 12:44 |
Nice location in the summer but that is about it....Living on goodwill of years gone by.
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This pub used to be great, however over the last few years it's acquired more tasteless decor, become increasingly expensive and the standard of food (in particular) and beer has slipped. Many of the staff are rude and unable to serve a full bar quickly and efficiently.
Celebrating a friends 30th recently and the bar maid waited until 10 mins before last orders to come over to our table and ID some of us. One person happened to have no proof (we were all well over age) so she confiscated her drink. No qualms with being ID at the bar at the start of the night and would have taken it as a compliment. So, having asked why the person in question had been allowed to buy drinks at the bar 3 times and nothing had been said when our table had been cleared countless times by this particular barmaid through the night one of her many poor reasons was "you're not wearing make up". Ignorant and rude.
Icing on the cake - we're never going back.
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This pub used to be great, however over the last few years it's acquired more tasteless decor, become increasingly expensive and the standard of food (in particular) and beer has slipped. Many of the staff are rude and unable to serve a full bar quickly and efficiently.
Celebrating a friends 30th recently and the bar maid waited until 10 mins before last orders to come over to our table and ID some of us. One person happened to have no proof (we were all well over age) so she confiscated her drink. Having asked why the person in question had been allowed to buy drinks at the bar 3 times and nothing had been said when our table had been cleared countless times through the night on of her reasons was "you're not wearing make up". Ignorant and rude.
Icing on the cake - we're never going back.
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Not good. Was in her on Thurs night and I was quite shocked. The service was good so no complaints there but it is SO expensive here. I don't mind paying for good food but 20 quid for an 8oz steak, which was nowhere near 8oz, is taking the mick. It did come with 12 chips, yes 12 I counted them!! If this pub wasn't so busy ripping people off then it may stand a chance but sadly someone must be making lots of cash so I can't see it changing any tme soon as it was pretty busy.
I cannot recommend this pub to anybody.
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Not enough staff on and those that were generally didn't look like they enjoyed working there.
Way over priced, �4.15 for a Peroni is not acceptable. Drinking out of plastic cups is not acceptable if I'm paying �4.15 for the pleasure. I also noticed the plastic cups are washed and reused!
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Had an incredibly bad experience here last night.
The sausage sandwich we ordered was appalling. The sausage was stone cold with the stringy and tough skin hanging off it. The onions weren't cooked and it was absolutely lathered in dijon mustard.
My chicken 'burger' - and I use the term burger loosely - was generally ok except for the dry bread roll that Tesco would be ashamed to sell.
One pint of Kronenbourg and one small glass of Pinot Grigio came to the extortionate price of nearly �8.
The icing on the cake was being laughed at when, instead of requesting another sausage sandwich, we asked for something vegetarian like a cheese and pickle... apparently they couldn't fathom why we wouldn't want a repeat of the sausage sandwich.
Ugh... I would never reccomend this pub. Overpriced, tacky decor, completely and utterly atmosphereless, un-caring staff, generally naff.
I'm in the industry, I know good food, I know a good pub when I see one - head to the POW in Clapham Old Town if you want atmosphere and great food.
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This place is rapidly sliding downhill while ripping off customers at the same time.A 20p rise in the price of a pint is accompanied by a bar often soaked in old beer,a beer garden full of litter & frequently a lack of staff to provide a service that is prompt.While boasting excellent cuisine the kitchen frequently turns out chips which are black on the outside & raw in the middle.Save yourself money & time & avoid.
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This pub epitomises all that is wrong with Youngs new gentrified house style. It has obviously been subjected to an expensive makeover which features low level and very uncomfortable seating but the lighting is inadequate and the decoration characterless. The beer was in perfectly acceptable condition but overpriced. The menu was also advertising very ordinary food at inflated prices. having waited an hour for my sandwich, I then had to argue to get my money back when there was still no sign of food materialising and even then the member of staff tried to give me short change! My friends were finally served some very ordinary food one hour and twenty minutes after placing their order.
Avoid this pub like the plague: there are plenty better in the area, and even a few Youngs houses that haven't yet suffered the imposition of their ghastly new house style.
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Outstanding location, excellent for sitting outside and observing the world go by during the summer months and a Young�s public house as well. Been many times over the years but this was my first trip back since the beer moved to Bedfordshire (Charles Wells) and after reading a recommendation on a CAMERA (and cricket) publication.
The environment inside is now more Hotel foyer/brew-pub than bar with rather unusual lighting for the main service area�The service is polite, when you get served, in fact the pub is run almost exclusively by antipodeans�. The beer is average, the food is average (the brekkies was especially greasy!!)�.nothing of note to recommend this boozer over any other, with its history and location it could do better.
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Frankly the worst pub I've ever been to in terms of extremely shoddy service. The glassy eyed staff serve whoever is in front of them when they finish with the previous customer, instead of attempting to keep any kind of mental note of who's been waiting a while.
I stood, money in hand, for 20 minutes in the FRONT ROW of waiting customers at this bar and was made to feel even more like a faceless cattle when, having eventually been served, the guy handed my change to another customer! Not sure if they're blind or just stupid but a trip to this bar for your round is exasperating - putting it mildly. I'm local and I will NEVER return!
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The real problem with this place - hard to call it a Pub anymore - is it has a poor manager.When there is a sudden rush the manager will blithely walk past without attempting to lend a hand - which is rude for his staff & insulting to the customers waiting to be served.Due to his poor grasp of his role - which he thinks is to smile inanely - you may even see him smile as he walks past - which could be construed as even MORE insulting.A low on quality high on prices pub which frequently runs out of ales & - were it not for it's location - would probably run out of customers too.You have a wonderfully located place but instead of using that you have abused it & if there is any justice you will suffer accordingly in the winter.
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About the most snoooooty pub in all of Clapham. Even going to the loo makes you feel you're in someone's house and shouldn't really be doing it.
It's a hotel as well, so is better suited to business execs and their secretaries who are "away for the weekend on business".
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At �3.45 for a pint of fizzy Stella someone please tell me of any pub out there that charges more,i doubt it.Coupled with that some pretty awful reviews i will leave you to make your own mind up of this place. Youngs R.I.P
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As the only pub on clapham common it is a real shame that the food is awful, dry, overcooked and plain. Please hire a real chef!
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Was dragged in here over the weekend with a few so called friends and what a waste of space this place still remains It took me three attempts for the bar operative to understand what i was trying to order, how else can one order a pint of Ram and special?.
I managed to get my order eventually through pointing and gesticulating at the operative and eventually my friends began to understand why we should of punted on past this once great pub.
Do yourselves a favor and do as we didn't do and truck on through. with prices up again and now at �26.40 a gallon for wife beater,one can only wonder what this place can surprise us with in the future.
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I've noticed that, in Young's pubs, where you would expect to see Winter Warmer from late October, that god awful piss Bombardier (complete with St George's cross pump clip, to appeal to the brain dead "patriot") has appeared.
One less reason to bother with Young's. Sad really.
anonymous - 3 Nov 2006 15:33 |
Had a couple in here last night and it has changed a bit inside. I wouldn't really say changed for the better. While it's not all bad, the new decorations don't really fit in with the style of the pub, sitting as it does in the middle of the common. The bar area and colours are just like every other 'new' Young's pub, which isn't a compliment.
I remember being in here around this time last year and enjoying a winter warmer. This year there was only Ordinary and Special (and Bombadier unfortunately). They used to have a full range of bottles to choose from and the take out offer, this seems to be no more. One of the things that has always brought me to Young's pubs has been the bottled beer selection and the seasonal brews. The only bottled beers I was shown were the same as the hand pumped ones and old nick,the three ales on are available in every other pub anyway.
One of the staff members, with her nose pierced, appeared to be giving out the right friendly, impression, others weren't.
Overall, it's convenient for the common and not a place to make an effort to go to.
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Seems to be more of a restaurant than a pub nowadays if last Sunday's lunchtime visit was typical. Quite pleasant sitting outside in the autumn sunshine, but it was desperately difficult to get served and we reluctantly moved on after only the one pint. The usual shortcomings I'm afraid - lack of staff and when we finally got served, staff's command of English and knowledge of the various drinks on offer left a lot to be desired.
Disappointing visit, but so typical of the "new Youngs", I'm sorry to say
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Visited the windmill last night to find the Christmas tree was already up - what next Easter Eggs for Haloween
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Came here for the first time in about 6 months on tuesday for a few beers and something to eat.
My previous visits I would have described the Windmill as a okay pub not the best but by no means the worst in clapham.
Roll on 6 months personally I dont like the refurb but each to their own.
However the staff are AWFUL the food way below average Im not a fan.
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Great decor, but rubbish food & over-priced drinks.
I ordered a "home-made Aberdeen Angus steak burger" for �8 and was presented with a Findus Frozen special with limp lettuce.
Barman complained when I ordered a Peroni (on tap) because it was "hard to pour"?!
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New decor, new menu, new people but sadly no improvement in service, quality or ambience.
I pity anyone booking to stay in the hotel expecting a nice stay in a traditional pub/hotel. The nights we have been there recently have been so noisy (due to music) that we have had to leave in order to enjoy a pleasant drink and conversation. Clearly trying to appeal to the younger lager/magners swilling chavs and yahs.
Food was mediocre at best and the constant whiff of fried (well cremated) fishcakes wafting past do not make for an enjoyable evening out.
Anyone wanting a decent pint of real ale, will be bitterly (excuse the pun) disappointed as it is unreliable, but occasionally just about drinkable. Is it really YOUNGS ???
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The Windmill seems to be trying to become an extension of the high street and we all know how wonderful that is (NOT).
The beer quality is a bit hit and miss, but I'm sure they'll remedy this by taking out the hand pumps to make room for an ever increasing show of gleaming chrome ones. I tried the food, but was not impressed. The new large table thing near the front bar means queuing on busy days is a nightmare. The shortage of bar staff seems to be being addressed as I keep seeing ever changing faces behind the bar.
Finally I wonder what the hotel residents make of the new refurbed pub when they wander down for a quiet chat and drink, which, whenever I visit, seems impossible with the advent of loud music everywhere .
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dear anonymous, at least i have the cojones to attach my moniker to my comments.
I am great follower of 'the glass houses and throwing stones' school of belief......... that is why i have answered (and attempted to rectify) any negative comments about any of my pubs on this invaluable website.
I do not just pop my head from beneath my rock and shout 'well yeah and you smell too !'
It's a jungle out there anon, not a playground
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I�m no sleuth but judging by the speed of your response your anonymity must be in doubt, I strongly suspect you are part of the management here. I think that petulantly mocking your competitors (undeservedly) does nothing to improve your lot. I came in last week and was amazed by the cosmetic transformation the pub has gone through, however beauty in your case is only skin deep. I was soon astounded at the dead-eyed rudeness of your overworked staff. �IN OR OUT ?� barked your barman before I could even complete my order, let alone decide where I might be sitting. After a prolonged wait at the bar, while staff meandered noisily around, it was disappointing to have such discourteous and then inept service. Sort it out.
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Dearest Bishop- you should take a look at the service in your place before casting stones. I have seen more manners at a chimps tea party than at your place in Dulwich......
anonymous - 2 Aug 2006 12:07 |
dearest young's
i visited the windmill for the first time in 3 months. Walking through the front door knocked me completely off kilter.
The refurb you have carried out is quite spectacular , top marks.
However your staff let the place down spectacularly.
There aren't enough of them (use the bbc weather website to predict sunny weather), they are as a whole inept and breathtakingly rude and unfortunately the new menu fails to deliver anything that is as remotely good as it sounds on paper.
Having spent so much money on a refurb would it not pay to throw a little at staff training ?
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Pros: Location (sit on rug on common drinking from plastic skiffs watching BMF-ers and the sun go down); Decor inside; Furnishings; Ambience; Location.
Cons: Anal barstaff shouting at each other and their "mates" outside. Very arrogant in one case. Seem to serve breasts first. Shame, but sadly a growing trend in London.
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Very pleasant pub; let me have Youngs in a glass rather than the plastic that comes out at the first sign of summer - better than expected
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good pub for a hot evening - lay on the common supping your pint in a plastic glass. reccommend you buy them two at a time on account of the 3 deep queue at the bar.
anonymous - 12 Jun 2006 12:06 |
A decent pint of Youngs Bitter - hald the place is shut off being refurbished. It was fine, but just didn't seem to have any real atmosphere any more.
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The Windmill on the Common is a fantastic place to go for a beer on a spring evening. I usually drink in the Two Brewers but its great to find such a gay-friendly pub so near the common. Had a really nice bite to eat and the managers were so friendly and made me feel so nice aswell. How exciting!
anonymous - 11 May 2006 01:05 |
This is going back some twenty years but it's still a good story. I had ordered a round of drinks and was busy carrying them to where my mates were standing (some distance from the bar). Eventually, I came back for my own pint of Special. Putting it to my mouth I immediately noticed that it smelled of piss. I'm not being colloquial here, it really did smell of urine.
So I handed it back to the barman. He took one sniff and said "George has been up to his old tricks again." Basically, there used to be a local nutter who wore this kind of one-piece boiler suit with a tube sewn into it. One end was clamped to his old man, and the other came out at his sleeve. He'd get off on quietly adding his piss to strangers' pints. How weird is that?
The funny thing was the reaction of the bar staff. Surely they would have barred George the very first time they'd caught him performing his 'old trick', not let him back in to do it again and again.
Anyway, the Windmill will always have (mostly) happy memories for me as I met my future wife there. Ahh...
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Yes it's expensive and I got given a bottle that had been radiated by some kind of medi light. It almost melted the plastic glass they gave me to drink it in. It'd have been enough to give me blisters if I hadn't already got them. and I thought I liked my beer a bit on the warm side. Food was standard, too pricey. It's alright 6/10
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Nice pub, staff are friendly if you're friendly to them. Never tried the food, but might avoid it in the future!
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Large quiet and spacious pub not overrun by the usual noisy Claphamites you encounter in Bar Alley, sorry the High Street. Beer is good and reasonably priced.
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Interior was okay, staff was okay as well. My beer was the best thing about the experience - a good pint of waggledance. The pub is not one of my favorites but it did not seem as bad as described in some of these reviews.
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Agreed with the note below, this pub should be getting 9/10 for where it's situated and its clientele. For a youngs pub the beer is not that good, the food generally is sub-standard and the people employed behind the bar don't have a clue about serving, or being any kind of bar staff. However, it is right on he common, but if I was you take you own beer and sit outside on the common during the summer
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You would believe that this pub, being one of youngs flagships would be at the pinical of how one should run a ale house, and i did say should.
Where can you begin with an establishment that scores a meger 1 on just about every level of its operation,Bar staff,I use the term loosly,standing around in there droves full of conversation with other staff, but when you attempt to get some response with regards to some sort of service, you get the impression by the look on there faces that they have just been poked in the eye with a pencil,thats got a gas bill attached to it!.
The price of the fluid in the pub i believe is directly attached to the barrel price of O.P.E.C, hence the price remains high, and still rising!.
Food,just a quick example, ordered a simple stilton ploughmans, easy one would think, actually no,the cheese was dry,and when one dared to question the Latvian with the shirt two sizes to big in the collar,and four sizes to big on the arms,his reply was,the cheese is gooooood sirs, just your opinions
sirs,and that leads me nicely on to my opinion, go forth into this website and find a pub that will enjoy your patronage,make you feel welcome,and ultimately make you want to return again, and as for myself visiting here again,in the words of Black Adder,I would rather French kiss a scunk.
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There was a time when this was a good pub, with good food, and a nice family-friendly vibe. That was about fifteen years ago. Happy days. Now the beer and food is insanely expensive, the management couldn't give a toss because they're guaranteed business thanks to the location, and the staff are jaw-droppingly rude come throwing-out time. Don't be fooled by the hoardes of punters hanging out of the place on a sunny Sunday lunchtime, or the comfy traditional pub interior. Unlike most restaurants, just because it's busy doesn't mean it's good. They don't deserve your trade. Avoid.
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Very pleasant but is overpriced, very nice for the summer, but I would rather buy a few cans in the offi across the road and chill out on the common in the summer.
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once worked here. What a dump. Overpriced, bored staff and wierd managers. Save your money and go somewhere else.
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The Windmill was the pub in Graham Greene's "The End of the Affair" For some reason I dreamt of it last night, all nostalgia and yearning
Patsy Fitou - 15 Oct 2004 21:59 |
If you enjoy surley service, and perhaps the most expensive pint south of the river this is a bar for you. Quite nice inside though Enjoy.
John - 28 Jul 2004 15:56 |
good youngs beer, okay food, interesting acoustics in the curved room, lovely location - well worth a visit.
steve - 26 May 2004 11:46 |
A pleasant pub to spend an afternoon watching the FA cup. Unfortunately, when the sun is out the big screen in the conservatory fades away somewhat. Also, despite everybody crowding in to watch the match the sound was hardly turned on. On the positive side the beer was good. Food average.
Johnny P - 24 May 2004 21:32 |
Great place - although I had one of the most disgusting beers I have ever tasted here once (Chocolate flaoured lager) blech !
Aaron - 14 May 2004 03:44 |
i live in clapham and have been to the windmill many, many happy times over the last 12 years. i cant believe there is a discussion of anti-straight or not. i am unaware of any such thing. to me it is a family pub (no-smoking conservatory) and a pub for sundowners on the common during long summer evenings. enjoy
malcolm - 12 Feb 2004 20:43 |
just been for Lunch there...wonderful
Would like details of accomadtion as I often have to stayin London the night.
B Raybould - 12 Feb 2004 13:25 |
re: comment made by 'anon' on 13.9.03... comment on anti-straight is incorrect. have been many times and is frequented by a 'mixed' crowd (gay and straights alike)who get on very well together, if 'anon' wishes a 'straight' venue there are about 99.999% of the other public venues who are 'anti-GAY' and will gladly pander to homophobic clientelle and staff alike.
mark - 29 Dec 2003 14:10 |
o.k. pub, just a pity its anti-straight, its gone to far with the 'gay icon' pub status it so desperatly craves
anonymous - 13 Sep 2003 20:41 |
Refreshing visitors to the Common for nearly 300 years, this pub is always busy, offers a wide variety of drink and good food.
Oliver - 14 Apr 2003 11:21 |
