please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
I would have given this pub more if the barman wasn't so arrogant.
I asked if the pub had a pricelist of the beers it had on sale.
They did not. Automatic loss of 2 points in my book.
Ordinary Youngs bitter = £4.05p for a pint. That's pricey in my estimation. I need a price list in those circumstances.
Barman said they didn't have as they had only just raised their prices. Asked when I was told a week before. In that case they have have had ample to write one out.
I was not given a receipt for my purchase of my beer. That's another point off their score.
Arrogance = the loss of another point.
Cr@p muzak blasting away = another point gone.
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Yet another Young's pub ripped apart to turn it into a Gastro. They have kept the Modern Jazz (after over 50 years they didnt have much choice as a campaign was mounted), however this is now banished to a building out the back. The old jazz room which Youngs only soundproofed about 8 years ago at vast cost is now a restaurant.
Thanks Youngs! another triumph to go with the Richard 1 at Greenwich and Coborn Arms in Mile End.
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Very large & imposing Young's pub opposite the River Thames and just a short stroll from Barnes Bridge station.
Beautiful decorated inside and it appears to have be professionally interior designed....stain glass windows, roaring real fire, books on shelves spelling out the name of the pub. Then there's the full wood floor.
3 ales on tap Young's Bitter, Sharp's Cornish Coaster & Twickenham Grandstand. The Grandstand was good and at 3.8% was a nice beer to start the day with.
Food available, though I didn't notice anyone eating, there's also bar snacks including quails eggs on offer!
Has a Jazz room out the back and a full dining area.
Fairly busy, nice feel to the pub, the design must of cost a fortune as it's got a classy feel to it.
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Nice pint of Youngs Ordinary
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Magnificent frontage and overlooks the river yet somehow it doesn't manage to do itself justice. Regrettably I get the distinct feeling this is a faded glory sort of place living on its past.
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Great Thai food and Sunday roast. Bar staff and management are superb.
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Had a great night out watching Never the Bride, they were awesome! Had some amazing Thai food too. Definately worth checking it out, will be back soon!
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This is known as a Jazz venue and unfortunately the bar is little more than a waiting room for that. Decent Thai food, but basically a bit of a disappointing pub.
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I stopped by the Bull's Head a couple of weeks ago. The first time for a couple of years or more. Nothing much has changed except the prices are higher and the Thai grub wasn't available. Has it gone?. The staff were unbelievable, milsonman and lisalovelyfish were treated well! Surely Young's has some sort of selection process that involves staff being positively service-minded and customer oriented. Maybe not.
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Agree with all the posters imagine how good it could be if properly managed. It is on the river next to Strada which uses its site much better.
The Thai is very good, the owner behaves like a caricature- customers are an inconvenience. The seats in the Jazz venue like they were designed by a torturer. Too short, too straight backed and too narrow- I think it is part of proving you love jazz so much you will sit in the most uncomfortable chairs on the planet without complaining. Must be the landlord again.
The pubs uniqueness is the live Jazz every night of the year and I have just told you about attending that.............
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The landlord in this pub needs a few lessons in hospitality! What a moaner!
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This is a real pub in an area where those are few and far between. It's not a gastro pub and it's definitely not posh, but the beer was well kept and no more expensive that any other pub in Barnes. The wine list is better and cheaper. I went for the supper club and had a great three course meal which was a steal at a tenner. Staff polite and friendly.
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Very quiet on a Sunday evening - even when the band from the jazz room came in for a quick one between warm up and perfromance it still wasn't half full. As someone else has said, it isn't intimate and proably worked better when it was two separate bars rather than one large room.
The thai food is fantastic and we had no problems with plates not being cleared quickly. Beer was fine as well.
All in all, there's nothing wrong with it, but only the Thai food is special, which may not be enough of a USP as there are lots of other pubs nearby.
sjb92 - 16 Feb 2009 16:32 |
Is this place some sort of joke?
I waited for 5 minutes at the bar before anyone appeared behind it to serve me. I�m not a fan of standing around like some mug waiting to be served, especially when I�m surrounded by the smell of half eaten plates of Thai food that haven�t been cleared up. An apology may have been nice, but no such luck.
Youngs Ordinary was available along with various lagers, but the Special and Bombardier were both off.
There was no atmosphere to speak of and at �3.50 a pint you won�t ever catch me in here again.
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Utterly missed opportunity to be a classic locals' but stylish boozer. I pop back every few months to see if anything has improved - sadly it never has. The landlord is undeniably miserable (I don't enjoy hearing someone arguing with his wife when I am out for a beer, especially when its the landlord). And anyone who puts the price of a pint up by 50p every year to celebrate Boat Race Day is plain greedy. The Thai food, the riverside location and the music keep this place going, but unfortunately none of these features is really makes a pub a pub.
anonymous - 1 Nov 2007 16:28 |
I like this place but it's not without its' faults. Firstly, it's got a great Jazz affiliation (being a renowned venue in the back room.) The biggest downside is that it's a bit big, which tends to take away from the intimacy most great pubs have in common. This can be got around by using clever design and lighting, but there is no evidence of that here. The food is decent and honest; you can have either Thai or "traditional" whatever that means these days. Anyone who slates the landlord whould be taken outside and thrashed with the Cat O' Nine tails. He's not grumpy, he's human, which means you don't get the cheap smiles and easy wisecracks you might associate with someone who has been trained in customer service. But what you do get is the feeling that you are dealing with a man whose business this is. And frankly, that's fine by me. Sort out the "feel" and this would be a cracking place. As it is, it's merely very decent!
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Glasses old and dirty, poor service and not friendly. Landlord is misrerable.No atmosphere
anonymous - 23 Sep 2007 15:04 |
Popped in here by chance on Sunday. Really nice pub, although a mite expensive. Food smelt nice although didn't try it. Planning another visit in near future.
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Leave Dan alone! You just don't "get" him if you're complaining - go to the Sun Inn where you don't see a landlord/lady! Long live the Bull's Head!
anonymous - 30 Apr 2007 18:43 |
Quite agree with PhilsPint. An idiosyncratic Landlord, good beer, often good music, the Most venerable barman in the known world (Con). A fairly old-fashioned pub of a sort that is rapidly disappearing. Generally A Good Thing.
bulky - 21 Mar 2007 17:58 |
An interesting selection of reviews here for The Bull�s Head, it�s clearly a love it or hate it pub.
I have to put myself into the former category, although love it might be pushing it a bit far!
Firstly, there�s Dan. You either get it or you don�t but rather than being rude I�ve always thought that he�s dry, sarcastic and rather funny. He certainly knows how to look after his Youngs products and if he charges too much for euro fizz, perhaps that�s a good thing. Dan also maintains an enviable wine and champagne list if you�re ever looking to push the boat out � take a look, any connoisseur of fine wine will be mightily impressed by the cellar on offer.
The thai food on offer is cheap and cheerful and goes well with watching the football on a mid-week evening. The roast available on Sunday is not so great.
The �locals� are indeed a motley bunch but this is another part of the charm of the place. Everyone from dustman to arch duke can fit in at The Bull�s Head, it�s not in my experience a place for judgement but a place to enjoy beer and some live jazz (if that�s your thing)
Overall The Bull�s Head get a good rating from me. It�s unpretentious and honestly delivering what the majority of its customers want.
The fact that Dan the landlord will bellow at river walkers who come in to use the toilet and rattle the charity tin at them if they try to leave without buying a drink is a hilarious feature of the place!
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Was there this week - and again I cannot believe how rude the bar manager is. Sadly, the location is good but the pub is now tired and dreary. I had to return the first pint as it was flat � and whilst doing so, another customer at the bar gestured that he had done the same � so they didn�t even change the barrel immediately! Why?!
Another customer after me returned a glass of wine as the glass was dirty!
The manager was rude in sorting out the issue and seemed not to change his demeanour throughout my time there.
Loos were unacceptable.
Overall poor, in terms of service, attitude, cleanliness and management.
anonymous - 24 Nov 2006 18:14 |
Oh yes, it's an odd place sure enough - the front is a scruffy and smelly old pub that serves average quality Thai food and shows football on the big TV, the back is some kind of Jazz hall (which I've never been to so can't really comment on).
Used to go here purely for the football and wouldn't bother otherwise - too shabby and nothing special enough about it to go for other reasons. Always seems a level smokier than any other pub in the world.
The punters are also an odd bunch, which is not a bad thing for a pub (inc. a near-permanently-p*ssed Geordie old dear who harps on about Newcastle United at you if you're in the vicinity).
Definitely a Chelsea pub, don't come here supporting another team (especially if they're playing Chelsea on the box).
Actually, just don't come here...
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This seemed a very odd pub. The interior decor was peculiar (framed pictures of champagne bottles? Why??), there was a very odd mix of people. There was a funny atmosphere. At 10.00 virtually everyone left the pub.
Very underwhelmed to be honest.
TheGP - 26 Feb 2006 20:48 |
Wow what a liturgy of badness! And I never knew! I have been visiting the pub about once a month on a Thursday for years to see "Bill Posters Will be Band". Ok sometimes the staff are a bit slow, but never rude to me (even though I'm a Jazzer and probaly leave the door open!).
The back room was quite good being scruffy, except for the built in PA and lighting which was past its use by date. Bit too posh now! but still enjoy the old boys!
Poor old Dan seems to get a bit of stick - can't wait to cross walking sticks (or is it handbags at dawn?). Can't say I've noticed the price of a pint of mixed, it is always tip top anyway.
Good that the poor young lady who bought the flat next door has found alternative accomodation, I have decided not to rant on about her - poor dear.
OnOn
Teq
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Used to be my local until a couple of months ago. Revisited last weekend to be greeted by jaw-droppingly stupid and rude barman. If I ask politely for a pint of coke, I expect coke (or equivalent) served up in a pint glass - if you can't get that through your thick skull at the third time of asking, you've got no business being behind the bar.
Obviously this guy had been taking lesons off the landlord, who's miserable presence I only put up with in order to watch the footie on his TV...And while we're on the subject, Dan, why p*ss off your regulars by turning off the footie in order to show the rubgy for a bunch of tossers in All Blacks shirts who've never set foot in your gaff before? Still, I suppose your locals couldn't like you any less, so why give a monkeys about them?
On the plus side, decent beers (though expensive) and generally nice locals. A good bit of banter, excellent Thai food, and of course, live jazz. Just a shame that the landlord and a couple (though not all) of his staff work so hard to make you feel unwelcome.
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Thanks to Dan for preserving the back room jazz for all these years. Front of house is also a fine bar.
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I only visit this pub as it is one of only 2 which show the football in Barnes. I am always made to feel very awkward by the rude and unpleasant staff. The prices are insane as well.
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At last,sense has prevailed and jazz will continue.But why has Youngs had to pay so much.If the idiot next door hadn't bought a flat next to a known jazz venue all this strife could of been avoided.I might also question his solicitor who presumeably charged him a whacking search fee
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A pretty uninteresting pub which seems to living on it's location and reputation from ages gone by in the area. The beer was well kept, but it really should be considering it was the expensive pint of Young's I think I've ever had. Perhaps they're taking a bit too much of an advantage of the area the pub is situated in.
anonymous - 16 Apr 2005 18:46 |
What is this shit? The Bull's Head is one of the greatest pubs in London.
As to any effort to shut down the music, then f**k any idiot who buys their modern flat next to a music pub, only to find ... shock horror - it's a MUSIC PUB. CLOSE IT DOWN! F.F.S.
Not yet eaten here, though the food always smells and looks great. The Youngs is always excellent, wines are good and reasonably priced, and they have magnificent crisps.
To the pillock who wants to kick out the locals - off to the nearest Wetherspoons or Slug And Generic with you.
The landlord (if Dan is he) is a lovely bloke and his bar staff are usually great: attentive, polite and quick.
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Save the jazz club that the new residents who have moved into the apartments next door are trying to close. This would be 45 years of history down the drain. Why did they but an apartment next to a music room in the first place,idiots.It will close in February if we don't kick up a stink
anonymous - 22 Jan 2005 23:24 |
crap during the day but good atmosphere in the evening especially for the football (shame about the strange geordie who wont shut up). Although it seems this pub gets stick, i found the evcenings fun, with tasty youngs special and young intelligant (most of them university students or lawyers i think) bar staff. is the day time so bad? i will havwe to pop in.
the backwards man - 2 Aug 2004 21:27 |
Why O why is this pub allowed to stay open. It's dirty,bad service,bad manager,intimidating locals that have their space at the bar and god help you if you try to take their place or even crowd their corner.crap service,no atmospher. Shame for a pub by the river,they should be raking it in.Get rid of the pensioners
Anon - 24 Jul 2004 14:55 |
Good pub for watching the footy, especially if you're a Gooner. Landlord Dan is OK as long as you don't take the p*ss, which is quite ironic, since he charges over 3 quid for a pint of the fizzy gold stuff. Jazz patrons are annoying since they always leave the door open and crowd the bar during the intervals...but that's how they make a profit! However, if Dan's in a good mood, you're drinking Ordinary, and you've got a good seat you could do much worse.
burnsy - 23 Jul 2004 16:24 |
I can't agree with the negative comments. Decent pub, nice pint of ordinary. Perhaps the landlord calls a spade a spade, but I can't see a problem with that.
Dave - 19 Jul 2004 08:17 |
Why is this pub still allowed to open! Beats me. Really bad service,rubbish staff and they are ignorant.When they have finished distorting their faces at you and you finally get served you get a dirty glass.The Jazz room which was once very good is a mess. Can someone phone Youngs and get Dan out.
James - 20 May 2004 23:40 |
The Jazz club in this place has even gone down. It needs a good clean and a lick of paint. A few new bands would be exciting. Not Miles "Light my bloody fire" again and again,(we have run out of matches Miles!)The pub itself is dreadful, it's boring and miserable. It used to be a good place to go about ten tears ago but I would give this one a miss if I were you. Just like the eurovision you score Nil Poi.For bad service and yes the glasses are dirty!
Bucks Fizz - 20 Apr 2004 20:57 |
Don't bother. There's more fun to be had in a cemetary.Dirty glasses,ignorant staff and c..p customer service.
Jane Woods - 5 Apr 2004 22:21 |
Reading all these comments there seems to be a common theme. No wonder the locals call the landlord Desperate Dan! 25 years ago it was a happening jazz pub run by a retired bookie Albert and was packed everynight. Now the musics great but the people have gone. Let's hope the good times roll again.
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The Jazz part of the pub has gone down in recent years,seems like the landlord has become too complacent as have the bloody boring regulars thatput other people off going in there. Time for a turn around. Could be a great pub if effort was put into it.Bar staff haven't a clue about customer service, lots of training would be useful,I mean "LOTS OF TRAINING."They are so useless. probably pays them �4.00 an hour no wonder!You are lucky to get served even on a quiet night.
Pissed off punter - 3 Nov 2003 01:24 |
I can't comment on the main pub as I've never bothered to drink in it. Howover I do think it is great as a small jazz venue. For those of you who want jazz that is more "cutting edge", fork out your 30 quid and lurk in Ronny Scotts. The old codger who serves behind this bar likes to serve you beer in a glass that hasn't been washed. Maybe his eyesight is screwed - who knows, but I can think of better ways to share saliva with my brethren.
Ray Fearnley - 30 Oct 2003 11:25 |
Will never set foot in this pub again. When I went in to watch Aus vs Eng in Rugby a few months ago with my wife at 10:30am I ordered a pint but was told to "buy more or piss off".
Darrin James - 15 Oct 2003 08:26 |
What a shit pub. No atmosphere. Could be good with new management. Bad service and boring.
anonymous - 13 Oct 2003 00:09 |
Boring,boring,boring.Full of old busy bodies. One to miss on your pub crawl unless you are over fifty and have given up on life!
anon - 11 Oct 2003 02:08 |
Yes, I wholly agree the landlord Dan is extremely rude and should think of retiring. The bar staff when then can speak English are not attentative to customer needs, and one very rude one with curly hair who also works in the pub down the road should be sacked. Mouthy,rude and has a bad habit of smoking while on duty, I thought that had been banned!the tv is far too load and now the little alcove has been made into a non smoking area so you are forced to sit in public view. Drinks are poured into the wrong type of glass and the glasses are looking worst for wear. The same old miserable locals are intimidating and the whole pub could do with a bit of atmosphere.
Not a pub to go if you want a friendly atmosphere
Anon
catherine - 8 Oct 2003 16:55 |
i agree about the other comments regarding the landlord. he was extremely offensive to a girl who came in the other day carrying a bottle of water (it was 90degrees outside...)
however, this place has a great atmosphere in the evening.. football on the tv with live music in the background and the smell of thai food in the air. perfect. shame it takes 20 minutes to get served and they charge �2.90 for a pint of stella.
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A warm friendly pub with great pub food served during the day and a fantastic Thai menu during the evening.What better a way is there to enjoy an evening by having a few pints eating lovely food and enjoying some great music.The staff are likewise warm and friendly especially Gareth.
Mike - 21 Aug 2003 10:03 |
Will the landlord please either learn something about customer service and good manners or get out of the pub business......theres no need to be so rude,if you dont like the job....leave!
Matt - 13 Aug 2003 12:52 |
Ahhh.... I'm not the only one! Went in there a few days ago to be acosted by the burly, arrogrant and obnoxious manager (beardy / nylon shirt type) - and regretted ever going in the door. Incredible that Youngs allow a pub in this location to slip to standards that should not be allowed. The pub was empty except for a few customers whom seem to have known the guy behind the bar - soo all not surprising.
I think it's time for the landlord to be hown the door.
Really bad experience there
Unhappy drinker II - 22 Jul 2003 17:17 |
Great Thai food run by Ronnie(ex of The Sun Inn)No atmosphere.This pub is good for music in the back room but the pub it'self is utterley boring,unfriendly and baron.The landlord is extremely rude as are the bar staff on Friday nights, that's when then can speak English,Staff do too much talking and smoking and not enough serving for my liking. Another point can they be trained to use the right glass for the right drink.
Comments!
An unhappy punter
unhappy - 16 Jul 2003 03:09 |
Great boozer, good atmosphere, nice square bar and great light. Lovely
Mark R ex-SW13 - 9 May 2003 15:20 |
