please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Good atmosphere, food is excellent. usually 6 lagers on tap and two or three real ales which are usually in good nick. Two independent TVs, at the front and back so can show two sporting events at the same time. Nice staff and it's nice to see a child and dog friendly pub. Has heated covered area out back and in summer there's a barbecue facility.
Anyway, enough typing, I need to go there for a pint.
|
Visited this pub at the weekend, they had two real ales on London Pride and UBU Purity, decent condition, £3.80 a pint. The food is good in here, the portions are huge. Worth a visit.
|
A bit lacking in atmos but did have a nice vibe. Not a massive selection of either lagers or ales but the bar staff were very friendly. The food was also excellent and the portions were massive. Lots of theme nights going on during the week. Well worht a visit.
|
Where has this pub been hiding ? Went there last friday and had an excellent steak dinner followed by a proper "Creme Brulee". Admittedely there was only Vier and Redstripe on tap, so must try harder for all the NHS real ale drinkers on that one... but NHS 10% discount , can't whack it
And hey, it far outshines the dreary Long Room and Tramshed, almost on a par with The Antelope. And Vanilla Vodka for the laydees .
As big Arnie would say "I'll be back " !
|
its funny on occasions iv used this pub since 1975.the patrons have often bin local nurses,teachers,and a small minority who are not.no way is this pub a rough house.this pub has seen spectacular days and nights music has bin state of the art.it has often bin a cold stand offish place that seem to specialise in nieve arrogant staff, variable but hope it survives.
|
not too keen on this place the food is good but otherwise this place has no atmosphere at all
|
need to update the photographs to reflect the new name ;-P
|
Well now - I sort-of like this place and think Phil is working really hard to make a go of things. The furniture's a bit uncomfortable and the pool table area can be noisy, but the food is good. It has potential so let's keep fingers crossed that the locals and their dogs don't put-off too many punters.
|
Still absolutely rubbish and empty. I'm surprised this place is still trading
|
The chef does THE best steaks. And good value too, particularly on a Tuesday eve (as of Jan 10). The exterior might seem a bit unwelcoming but once you're inside the staff are nice and the food is really good. The menus suggest it's a chain pub which initially put me off eating there but I am happy to say my snobbery was put to rest.
I've given it a 6 rating. The lack of tangible atmosphere lets it down slightly but with mates having a good meal, you can make up for it. From what I understand the clientele is building so I'm happy to give this place a chance.
|
Just moved to the area and visited the manor on sunday for a roast with friends. The food was excellent, highly recommend the roast beef.
|
why has this profile got the previuos incarnations photos up ? I was in last weekend and it was extremeley quiet with nobody eating - even if it is "fantastic value" for the food
There was zero atmosphere when i watched the cricket, so i would gues that the footy will be the same.
Arrogant management with no personality. Avoid
|
Great atmosphere for the Ashes win last weekend, will be heading back for the footy.
I recommend trying the food, fantastic value for money!
|
interesting that you were able to sit in the sunshine in the beer garden ... it's got high walls around it letting in little light let alone sunshine and an enormous tree from the property next door blocking even more light
|
I am not entirely sure what "bumwackit" was implying with those comments ( what a terrible front / name for a blatant insider ) but i am guessing he / she means PEN!$. Well its actually my surname's first initial for the record !
And I bet they didnt reckon on that being retorted ..foolish
I popped in here on friday last week for another try and it was really very quiet for a friday evening. At around 7pm when normally the hospital staff were formally there in their droves - it has become something of a ghost town but as per others review perhaps it is something to do with its location. Or management or lack of. Or size.. or all 3
the ale was quite sour this time and rather cloudy , phil the manger was still the same twit and felt the beer was 'fine' tho i had to remind him age provides wisdom ! nobody was eating so i did not want to bother trying again after my last disaapoinment.
i will be back mid summer to see if its still open at this rate like so many other boarded up pubs ! They must be haemoraging an awful lot of ( daddys ? ) money
|
I went back to the garen house for another meal and i am happy to say they they have reduced the prices of the food and you can get 2 meals for �10 and food is very good, if you like good pub grub this is a winner...what made it even nicer was that i could eat my meal in the back garden in the sunshine.
|
The review below sadly sounds like another insider . I live locally to this pub and am not amazed that it has always struggled - its simply due to its size and location. I have tried the food since it became yet another new concept last year. It is extremely pricey for what it is ( mediocre at best pub grub ), regardless of the points made below - city chefs wages would explain that. The sundays are deatly quiet and you'd be advised to go to the selkirk for atmosphere !
Re other points about the manager, he is a plum with no manners ! the tram by the tube is great as well for some atmosphere
I recently made the decision to try the food at the manor bar and grill after the pub was taken over by new management. I never write on these kind of forums though I have to say that I feel completely compelled to do so becasue of both the quality and value of the food and the ambience of the venue. My girlfriend and I went for traditional pub food - I ordered fish and chips with her ordering the burger. Both were exceptional. The batter on my fish was light and crispy and her burger was homemade and cooked to perfection. The new chef is from a city restaurant producing city food at Tooting prices. They have recently reduced the cost of the food further which is an added incentive to give it a try. I am amazed that the pub is not consistently busier as I do not believe that there is a better pub in the area for food in terms of value and quality. I think I will be trying the roast dinner this Sunday!!
|
I recently made the decision to try the food at the manor bar and grill after the pub was taken over by new management. I never write on these kind of forums though I have to say that I feel completely compelled to do so becasue of both the quality and value of the food and the ambience of the venue. My girlfriend and I went for traditional pub food - I ordered fish and chips with her ordering the burger. Both were exceptional. The batter on my fish was light and crispy and her burger was homemade and cooked to perfection. The new chef is from a city restaurant producing city food at Tooting prices. They have recently reduced the cost of the food further which is an added incentive to give it a try. I am amazed that the pub is not consistently busier as I do not believe that there is a better pub in the area for food in terms of value and quality. I think I will be trying the roast dinner this Sunday!!
|
all style and very little substance certainly does apply to this pub ; its wel located with the hospital behind it yet seems inept at being run profressionally
they do what appear to be great food offers yet unable to accomodate the pr booking system , appera to have no ordering system ( we waitied 50 mins just to order a bloody burger ) and when they food did eventually arrive it was yet another 40 mins. Ridiculous !
we met phil as well , he seems to struggle with comprehending customer service as per someone else's remarks. Daddy's money?
a real shame but the trafalgar next door have got the food sorted and much much cheaper. For a great vibe check the tram by the tube and dont boher with this joke of a pub
|
I thought the food at this pub was excellent - a great improvement on the Garden House. The steak was one of the best I've had in ages. I think they could get rid of the pool table and have more real ales on tap, but otherwise I was very impressed.
|
no bumwhackit, i think you must be or are one of the owners mates trying to boost a pub profile which doesnt have one. strange how you have only reviewed one pub and yet come back to check on it 3 days later .....Pathetic
went back in again on sunday and it felt like a morgue. Need i say more
|
Whoops i spelt review wrong. I must be one of the chavs!
|
Judging by Petey Ps reveiw, I think we know what the P stands for!
|
Having not been back here for quite some time, i was very dissapointed at how this place has changed - for the worse.
It now has sky tv for the local chavs , friendly or not i'd rather not have them swearing at the top of their voices. my mrs hated it that aspect, so we left fast.
we met 'phil' the rude, arrogant, cocksure & 'i'm a bit of a geezer' manager and got some food which turned out to be as lacking as his character
avoid at all costs
|
I visit this pub on a regular basis and it's great. The manager Phil and his staff are really friendly. Great food and a great atmosphere. The natives are friendly too.
|
anitas - i just prefer real reviewers not faux ones by pub owners friends. No problem with tooting - if you had read my tram review !
tried this place again and it was deathly quite and dull
|
i went to this pub on tuesday night and had the burger on the 2 for �12 offer the food was great
|
mikeh seems to have an issue with Tooting .. stick to the Tram if that's your bag no need for slating Tooting!
|
yawn.....etiquettereviewpub is clearly a mate of the owner. Boho my arse ! Tooting aint never ever gonna be camden or maida vale. Maybe in 10 years time..
still ,its free advertising for this place on here i guess !
|
I visited this pub over Xmas and also last Saturday to my surprise I am now taking this pub serious. According to the manager Phil, their is a plan in place that is coming together, that will make this pub into a slick and intimate outfit! The boho and warm approach could usually be found in the like of Camden or Maida Vale, so with the amount of young professionals who see Tooting as a step to get on the ladder, then this is a cert for the place to be!
|
I came here last friday for a night out with a few friends and it was the worst night out iv had for a very long time. When we arrived we tried to order some drinks. Everything we tried to order they didnt have but finally we got some drinks and sat down. The music was shocking so I went to the bar to ask when does the DJ start tonight?. To be told that the DJ does not work fridays any more and that we would have to listen to this crap all night. Dont get me wrong this music is good if you want to come to the pub and GO TO SLEEP!!!!!!! This pub is by far one of the worst iv been to. Take my word for it dont bother wasting your time to come here because you will regret it! Its CRAP!!!!!
|
when i last visited this place in the summer it had charm, laid back staff, flowers aplenty and some wall art
on my recent visit however whilst chatting to one of the 'owners' who had the charm of a lampshade, the venue now appears to have personality defect, has become a doomed site and the food is really very naff. What a shame. The sky TV doesnt add any value either especially with the clientele it attracts
|
Really great pub, the new owners have improved the atmosphere - we've been in the area for 5 years and this is by far the best incarnation of this place. I agree with the other post, it is just what the area needs, a slightly more grown up place with good music and a chilled out atmosphere. This feels a lot more like Clapham or Battersea. Haven't tried the food but the beer was well kept and well served. I'll be back for sure.
|
I popped in here for a drink last night not realising it had changed hands. It looks brilliant, the service was fantastic and I had a really good night. The music was great too. The dj was playing nice funky stuff and it wasn't too loud or in your face. I'll definitely be back again soon for some grub I think this is just what the area needs. Somewhere a bit grown up, playing good music, with good food. Congrats lads!
|
We have just taken over this pub. We will be changing the name to The Manor Bar & Gril please come down and see how things have changed.
|
Decent place. Has always been fairly quiet when I've been in. The Guinness is ok, usually places like that have bad Guinness. one time a woman threw up outside and one of the staff poured boiling water on it. the steam mixed with the puke smell and activated it, so we sat inside. The staff I found to be friendly and not afraid to tell people to eff off out of it if they'd had too much. One of the better pubs in the area.
|
finally checked this out last night and found the place nicely busy with its gardens, no sign of dodgy beer or grumpy staff re. the coment below
It had good music and well kept ale. Its decor is tasteful but the pool table was 'booked' all night which was annoying !
|
not very happy with the service or beer here. It stank of beer line cleaner and tasted disgusting and flat. when i asked for my money back i was greeted with a nasty grunt and a very surly face. avoid
|
i agree with 'anonymous' apr 23 , this pub is certainly going from strength to strength. Its my local and i love it.
it has a friendly relaxed feel to it. A few 'local' types were making alot of noise when i was in last thursday , the manager told them to tone it down. Nice touch
Music is great too. They have launched a new menu which is italian based and delicious as well as very reasonably priced.
alice brookes
|
Nicest manager seen around these parts in ages.Top fella!
|
Have been coming in here for a fair while now and it's definitely got better. Regrettably though it has got pretty expensive compared to other pubs in the area. Male staff are pleasant and very efficient the so-called easy on the eye girls are often surly and one in particular is more keen on chatting up the male customers than serving any waiting female. Food is good but is a bit pricey for what it is. The music is great though.
anonymous - 23 Apr 2007 13:12 |
A laid back enormous bar, they got the lighting and music spot on, very cool easy beats. Easy going staff ( some of the girls are very easy going on the eye ! ) I pop in here 2 -3 times a week and usually end up staying longer than planned. Its kind of like an extension of your lounge but with someone else serving the drinks !
havent tried the food yet but seen plenty of others tucking in. I think this will become a firm favourite for me regardless of others postings , it has a good feel spacially and the owner's clearly trying hard to make all the boxes ticked. Good luck to it
|
Had dinner here recently and i must say the pub is moving on. good service once again and we had an exceptional bottle of red wine. by far the best pub in tooting for me and by a country mile.
|
the garden house is quickly winning me over. Have had a consistently good time since going there. The best thing to have happened in tooting (as far as pubs/bars are concerned)for years
|
This pub seems to get better day by day. It has a very relaxed atmosphere and the bar staff are friendly. It is not the old fashioned boozer it used to be but more of a modern bar. All the usual drinks are available and my request to start stocking a low-carb beer was taken seriously. The menu is varied and the food appetising. Sometimes the music can be a bit loud, but that is probably me getting old! A good pub that must be approaching the 'best bar in Tooting' award.
|
went here for NYE and have to say was overwhelmed by the freindliness of the staff and punters.
We will certainly be heading back for more. Its a really cosy pub for these long winter nights and has a lovely crackling fire to stare at too !
its certainly a sign of the times that tooting broadway finally has a 'cool' bar and great for property prices too ! ;-)
anonymous - 17 Jan 2007 17:31 |
Six months since my last review and I�ve popped in a few times; I have to say it is certainly growing on me (although the beer garden in the summer was not the best as the bins were too close, so caused a bit of a pong).
It is still spacious but without being barren as a few plants, flowers, pictures, furniture, etc have brightened the place up and filled the vastness. It has a more relaxed atmosphere than The Trafalgar, which I am starting to go off big time, and the guvnor is a friendly chap who seems to care about what he is doing. Can�t comment on the food (and �22 for a bottle of Barbera is quite a lot) but the ale side of things is slowly moving forwards. Although three ales are usually on � Pride, Bombardier and the relatively rare Speckled Hen � I think there are quite �samey� beers, so it would be nice to see some ales in there with a bit more character but I guess it takes time to build up the market.
The place is certainly developing well and carving out a bit of an identity for itself. Good luck to it.
|
who's idea was it to drastically shorten the wine list, and only offer is in the vulgarly sized 250ml glasses?
what ever happened to giving the customer choice?
|
Nice new spot in tooting. Nice interior and laid back clientele.A selection of ales and good tap lagers supplement the tasty and affordable menu and very affordable wine menu. lovely open fire place as you walk in suggests that this rather stylish bar could benefit from the seasons drawing in. Will be coming back for more...
|
I went here with my wife last Saturday. The interior was nice, the music was okay (if a tad loud), and the beer selection was very good. The bar staff were very slow serving us (they seemed more intent on dancing and drinking shots), but we had a nice evening nonetheless. It was good to be able to find a pub without the rough element.
The owner needs to whip his staff into shape. From their post, it seems that they are in danger of ignoring criticism of the staff, and losing custom. We will give it another chance, but we won't continually come back unless the staff become a tad more pleasant.
anonymous - 17 Oct 2006 18:58 |
After 2 attropcious visits here in the past months I walked past on Sunday and heard the live music and popped im. It has certainly changed (for the better I might add) The music was great - some old geezers playing blues/jazz etc great atmosphere so I thought I'd stay for a pint. Now the place has a good few people in (looked larget large groups/parties) and only a few people standing at the bar to be served. Shouldn't take long to get a pint then.....ah...one bar staff seemed more interested in constantly adjusting his hat in a mirror, another decided to take a call on a mobile, and a third kept reappearing/disappearing to/from somewhere. Took a while to get a pint - multitasking or basically delivering an order of drinks is obvioulsy very taxing, i was one of 3 people waiting for more than 10 minutes!!! The blackboard claims guest ales, except none were on, so had to settle for a poorly pulled pint of their regular ale (Speckled Hen I think - I may be mistaken)(nice 2 inch head). I really appreciate the owners efforts in trying to stamp their own identity on this place and in some ways I am warming to it. But in 3 visits I have always experienced poor service, but the place is getting better
|
great space , good service. Its still very early days for this bar but i feel its going to get busier and busier. Surprised by how many postings are here ! Considering its only been open since May, they have turned this place around enormousley. Used to be such a dive. The manager knows what he's doing too. Staffing seems to always be a problem for pubs , with ref to others remarks. With ref to the prev comment - cant imagine having 2 building sites around you particularly helps.. Its great to have a bar with style at last in the area. Keep the good work up !
anonymous - 24 Sep 2006 12:35 |
I often wonder how genuine some of the comments on this website are or if the only peple posting are members of the Campaign For Real Ale because I had a great time here having only recently decided to try it out. Have been here twice in the past week, Monday and Friday. Both times it was reasonably busy but the place is big enough that we were able to get a table for 4 on both nights. Food was great and served real quickly, music was great if you prefer a more chilled out vibe, looks really good inside, and got 20% off because my partner works at St George's hospital, which made it realtively cheap. Good crowd too. Don't have any idea what people are saying about the bar staff, I found the service - both times by the same guy who wears a white top and combats - to be absolutely brilliant (maybe they've read the comments below and taken notice?!). Didn't take much notice of what they had on tap as I'm no CAMRA expert put they have bottled Peroni which I love and a nice Pinot in a fancy looking bottle. I hope this place does well because they've obviously put some effort in to make it a nice environment. If going out locally I normally go to the Tup in Colliers Wood or the Trafalgar in Tooting (both of which I like but only really go to the Traf because its near st George's) but will def be encouraging friends to come here more often. However, I could see that if it got really busy then they might need a couple more bar staff, there was only one last night (a Friday) and it took a bit of time to get served. As a Colliers Wood resident, I would advise the new owners of Boabob to take a look inside and get some ideas on how to run a pub!
|
Popped in here on Saturday. Sat outside and had a good night, it was pretty busy and a good friendly atmosphere, caused mostly by laughing at the bar staff. Completely agree about their incompetence. with 4 staff working and only about 6 people in front of me it still took 20 minutes to get two drinks. Sort the bar staff out and this could be a good place for a chilled local night with friends.
|
why is it that the staff act like they have never served a round of drinks before?
|
My personal opinion is that this pub is all style and no substance. I have been in a couple times in the last few weeks and neither experience was great. Soft drinks are expensive for the area, �1.50 for a half pint of diet coke from the post mix (when it's working which is wasn't on Friday night) is just taking the mick when it cost them a matter of pence. Also the service is still quite poor, the staff are slow, can't multi task and therefore it takes ages to get a drink. Employing some staff with experience might be better than employing ladies for size of their ....cough... "assets" if you know what I mean, and putting more people behind the bar on a busy night would help. The erratic music policy is also odd and only having odd bursts of music on a Friday night lost atmosphere.
|
Nice place, done pretty well inside and far better than any other place in the area, even taking into consideration the negative points made below. The worst thing about it is the lack of custom which is a real shame. Hopefully they'll be able to stick it out long enough for the pub to become profitable, and drum up a loyal following.
Just hope the soon to be opened hostel / half-way house next door doesn't spoil things.......
anonymous - 1 Sep 2006 16:47 |
We had a nice meal in here on bank holiday Monday night. The place was a little quiet but we ergo had a good table and were served nice drinks and food. I had a well cooked steak and the wife had nice fishcakes. Nice grub, decent pub.
|
I can remember this pub long before it was a Firkin... to be honest the owners have made some strides into making it a nice place to drink but it still has the air of trying too hard. The staff are friendly but a little clueless (i had to stop the barmaid hunting for the red wine in the fridge!) and the prices are pretty much as high as you'd expect from a bar trying to attract a certain 'clientele'. My friend ate and said the food was good. It's a bit frustrating that they seem to want the hospital crowd at the detriment to others... I work hard, I pay my taxes, so why can't I get a discount? I will go again but I'll always feel that the pub is missing a litle something... maybe it's just more people?!
|
Great to have a venue in tooting that trys to do something different! (live music) As an aging hippy it was great to hear some live music to accompany a decent roast. The problems they encountred on sunday night(13.08.06)with the downpour was most unfortunate. Will come back again for more. Keep it going.Dare to be different
anonymous - 14 Aug 2006 22:24 |
dear aleking & flawed
thanks for your generous remarks ; we were a little bit concerned after your remarks .. ale is �2.70 and lager �3. This is on par with local establishments. You can try Weatherspoons by the tube for something cheaper tho - i'm sure you'll get quality prices if nothing else. Flawed - if you were really charged �10.95 for a burger you must have been drunk or / and have a poor memory. The website is live (gardenhousetooting.com) with a menu and prices.They have remained the same since we opened... I would never dream of paying over a tenner for a burger, however nice it was !
Your distressing experiences with staff have also been noted and naughty nattering staff have been fired root and branch ! ( tommy1798 )
we will not comment on the neighbouring business but judging by the majority of recent postings for the pub you mentioned, and having frequented this establishment many many times, we can only believe you have self or 3rd party interest !
the menu has had a drastic overhaul and a new operation is now in place with positive feedback ; the bar now has weekend djs and live music. See the website for more info. If you really have a gripe about what we are doing ( or not doing ), e mail : [email protected] or tell us !!
thanks
garden house management
|
having recently moved to tooting i decided to find a decent local that me and the missus could call our local. The garden house is all we could have expected. beautiful decor,cask ales,and a wine list that is really very good for the price! the beer garden in the rear is a lovely little secret and has made the summer evenings even more pleasant. the food was totally yummy and very well priced. good service from friendly (and fit barstaff.don't let on to the missus) fets the nod all the time
|
Never went here before the refit, but I�ve heard it was rubbish and full of tooting �old locals��. Now a very nice trendy airy pub , staff are very friendly & laid back . Its only been reopened again recently I think, but I'm really surprised by other remarks . We had food and were impressed with it - as well as the reasonable prices ( burger �7.50.. ) & well thought out menu.
The manager said there was a late license coming soon with djs, live music etc. Nothing else like this in the area so it certainly gets my thumbs up ! will be back when I return from holiday. Oh , and theres a lovely garden at the rear too . Check it out�
|
Nice looking pub, inside and out, but I can say with all honesty that the bar staff are the worst I have ever encountered. A couple are just incompetent, but the others are down right rude! They seem to forget that the purpose of a pub and its staff is to serve drinks! Their reaction to being disturbed from their private nest of chit-chat and reading the paper at the far end of the bar is surly, scowling and short! Truely dreadful! This pub could work, but the landlord needs to fire root and branch and get staff that will bring in punters! Look at the Trafalgar 100 yards up the road!!
|
Wife and myself had food here the other night. We love the decor, music etc The ambience is just what Tooting craves - some style! What Tooting does not need is another pub serving bad food. My burger was the single worst thing I have ever had the misfortune to be served in any food establishment. Including McDonalds or a late night burger van. My wife's tagliettle was so bad she could only eat 2 mouthfuls. We pray for the manager's sake and for the public's sake too that the "chef" is fired asap. Oh, and we waited 1 1/2 hours for this inedible debacle of a meal. The bar staff were happy to lay on excuses for everything but it really is not acceptable for this kind of food to be served. Ever. Anywhere. Pub as a whole 7.5/10 - minus points for food and service = 1/10.
|
Considering what a shambles "The George" was before I thought anything would be an improvemnet. I have now visited this establishment twice in 2 weeks being a Colliers Wood local resident(giving it a chance to grow on me). The decor is vast improvement HOWEVER:
1. The service was terrible on both occassions - not even busy with 3 staff on, seemed too involved in having a natter. Asking politely for a pint was returned with a sneer. 2. Total ineptitude to pull a pint of the guest beer (a welcome surprise I thought)but no.... 3. Any chance of having any beer that isn't cloudy? ever heard of cleaning your pipes? 4. The prices!!! Jeez, for a pint? 5. Expensive food when you consider the plethora iof food establishments in the area - �10.95 for a burger?
It appears that this pub seems to think it is located in Shoreditch or Clerkenwell, where I am sure the demand for wifi access and hip music is all the rage.
At this rate it'll be closed by christmas and be reincarnated into something else in February next year.
I hope to be proved wrong...my advice head down the road to the Colliers Tub which is growing on me every visit.
|
Having never frequented the previous incartnation of this pub "The George" I cannot comment on how it used to be.... "Garden House" as it is now known seems to be a nice looking pub on the inside with plenty of dark wood (floors, furniture, bar) and leather. It has now got an okay outside area in the back which might be nice if a little bit of TLC was applied to it. There are plenty of alcoves and snugs to coop up with pals or a loved one and potentially has the makings of a nice boozer. It was a quiet Monday night when I popped in, so like most pubs in the area it was a bit vacuous, I'll try again on a weekend to review proper. I agree with the previous comment though the manager,Tate is a really nice bloke and has the right attitude to make the place work. Ta muchly.
|
The revamp is a bit hit and miss. There tends to be too many cast empty spaces around and the bar itself is also quite sparce.
Not an inspired selection of beers (although there are some stock ales on, occasionaly) and expensive too.
It's still early days though and it will be interesting to see how it develops.
|
Just had a refit (now called the Garden)and looks good. I'm sure locals will lament disgarding of the pool table and the hike in prices but the bar manager is nice and seems to have some good ideas up his sleave. Watch this space.
|