please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Finishing off the Wandle Trail and the Camra guide to london pubs suggested this was the place in Wandsworth.
Nothing wrong with it - three Youngs Real Ales on and the Special was fine - but nothing that would demand a revisit.
Photos at my walking blog - http://mappiman.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/120316-wandering-wandle.html
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A smashing local boozer. Go on a Monday night if only to check out the football team that drinks in there (sponsored by the pub too - nice touch that, don't you think?). Some of the legs on show will really get the juices flowing ladies!
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Nikki behind the bar is an absolute Goddess. She can pull my pint all evening any evening.
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Voted Community Pub of the Year by Publican/Morning Advertiser.
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the new management has done a great job!
its a lot cleaner, friendlier and looks so much better..
A great pub indeed without the pretentious , arrogant punters you see everywhere nowadays.
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What a find! At first glance it is what I (coming from the sticks) would call a real London pub.Nice fire going - fooled me - I thought it was real at first. Excellent, friendly and attentive staff. Then a glance at the menu and you realise this is something special with every taste catered for from traditional British to authentic South African. The bobotie was spot on and my llama pie was delicious accompanied by tasty real mashed potato. Looking forward to returning here on our next visit to the area.
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Brilliant!, Best rump Steak I have EVER had in London!! booze was all good to, company was exquisite!!
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Lovely place in an indifferent area.
Friendly bartenders, nice locals and while I didn't eat, the food that was coming out looked good :)
Great boozer imo
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The new management seem to be doing something right. Had a meal there and it tasted great and the service was spot on too. Hope they make a success of it at the Sarge.
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lee and keris (ex-Nightingale Balham) take over the tenancy 16 May
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Reasonable enough Youngs pub but doesn't do anything particularly remarkable. Nowt wrong with it though.
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Decent Wandsworth boozer that had a busling atmosphere on a late Sat afternoon, where barstaff are friendly and can have a laugh also
Would return
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I've been to most pubs and bars in and around Wandsworth and it's obvious why so many people come from outside the area and past the other pubs on Garratt Lane to go to the old sergeant and become regulars. Drink prices these days are never cheap unless you don't mind socialising with the chavs of Wetherspoons. But the Sarg has somehow managed to keep their prices as low as possible despite a lot of new local competition. This is never a more valid point when you consider how good the food is. The menu is full and comprehensive and all the food is home cooked from the hand cut chips to the lamb shank and delicious Sunday roast. A certain other pub claims to have the best roast on Garratt Lane but it's clear by the amount of Sunday diners in the Sarg that this is not true.
The atmosphere is relaxed and the bar staff are both very friendly and mostly easy on the eye. It's not a family run pub but it feels like it is, whether you are a local or just passing through. All are made very welcome and greeted with a smile. They seem to play most sporting events on the multiple big screens and occasionally have live music or a dj during weekend events. Highly recommended for a relaxed and friendly evening any day of the week.
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I wasn't expecting much of this pub, hidden away off the main drag in Wandsworth. But I was pleasantly surprised. This is an old coaching inn, retaining many of its traditional features. Under Youngs tenancy, it had Youngs Ordinary plus Wadworth 6X and Hogsback Tea. The barman and staff seemed friendly and the food looked good. The gaudy wallpaper above the two fireplaces at either end of the bar seemed a little out of place. But this is a place I could return to.
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decent pub...very very chav on weekends though.....
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Decent local pub, Youngs beers, decent decor, would go back though not in a massive hurry.
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Watched the rugby here at the weekend, its an ok kind of place, the beers i had were not too bad but not tip top either... I didnt rate the food much. I would return but not in a hurry
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As it's my local I'm in there quite a lot.
Decent enough place, friendly and helpful staff and it has a good atmosphere when there's sport on. Nice range of lagers and a good wine list too.
The food went downhill for a bit a while ago but it seems to have picked itself up again now, and the roast is as good as it ever was - I think maybe there is a new chef or new management?
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We had a good look around and found the Ol Sarge to be the best on offer.
GREAT atmosphere,a good sampling of beers and a well chosen wine list.
The sunday roast was better than home cooking.We'll certainly be back
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Have been here a few times since moving to London in August, while it is not my local, the Sunday Roast is well woth the trip for.
Staff are alway efficient and Friendly.
Great pub for all sport and the live music goes off.
Looks and feels even better now after the refurb!!!!
Keep up the good work Guys
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It's the nearest pub to where I live, and before the revamp it was going downhill - the Youngs was often really bad - bad enough to make you ill.
Beer seems much better now, but the burger that I had was very poor - almost like water in consistency.
The staff were pretty good and helpful though, and the people in there seemed a friendly enough crowd.
DamoC - 29 Feb 2008 17:58 |
Hey Matt43 below....I think your fears are realised :(
I see the halfway house has been got at too - Not sure Youngs have it quite right. They are working though the chain it seems, 'revamping' !
My recent lunchtime visit had surfing on 2 TVs and house music (pretty loud) on the go. Wasnt really very well judged for the afternoon and seemed more like 'in waiting' for student crowd. Pleasant enough staff. What do you locals make of it?
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The Old Sergeant is back in business from Friday 15th February, 5pm.
See the above flyer for our opening offers:
Spend �20 or more on FOOD (between 2) and get a bottle of wine free for month of February.
We are looking forward to seeing our customers back!
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The place has just been closed for a month for a refurb,lets hope that the idiots who ruined the Halfway House aren't going to be allowed to wreck the Sarge! We shall see
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Under new (and enthusiastic) Management, this is a superb local which does things properly - decent beer at sensible prices and good portions of tasty, reasonably priced food. Add efficient service, friendly bar staff, TV screens and a jovial atmosphere...and you have a winner. Visited on a warm Sunday afternoon, post smoking ban: plenty of room in the spacious beer garden. Rugby in the afternoon, cracking live music in the evening. The place is everything a pub should be - traditional, welcoming, polite speedy service, with a good selection of well kept beers.
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A good pub with an beer garden, big screens and a good menu. The staff are friendly and its now my new local.
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I'm utterly biased towards the Old Serg, it was my local for 18 months, and I'm also utterly lazy so it would have to be a total dive for me not to force myself to like it.
As a local it's great though, it honestly is. The staff make a genuine effort to get to know their regulars, and treat them well, if you leave your wallet / bank card / shoes behind they'll still be there the next day, and the food's fine if you just feel like going out for a lazy bite (if I'd travelled across London to eat there though I'd probably complain).
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WIN WIN
dembo - 20 Jun 2006 17:15 |
Good place to watch sport-decent pub all round.
anonymous - 15 Jun 2006 13:57 |
Urgh. Another bland, boring, refurbished, overpriced Young's pub. I've not noticed the comment about the football shirts, but it sounds like something Basil Fawlty might come up with. "No riff-raff".
anonymous - 26 Mar 2006 22:07 |
The Old Sergeant may have been an unfashionable place to be seen in, but it was all the better for it. Nowadays this revamped joint welcomes a new kind of local with it's almost antipodean staff. I too, like some other reviewers, found them to be more interested in chatting to friends rather than serving the customer. Outside I see theres a notice on the doors saying 'No Football Shirts etc..' why don't the management be honest and say 'No Working Class Please!'
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Full of wandworth types - great if you like them, not if you dont
anonymous - 12 May 2005 23:54 |
I was In there this evening and was, by mistake served a bad pint.In a lot of pubs I have come across throught the country,this would have been un noticed.The bar staff at once rectified this and was served a good pint.This was done without asking,which shows that they are on the ball when it comes to serving real ale, and all done with a smile,Which makes a change in London.
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Not sure about this one. It did need the make over and is now looking great and the mixed crown can make it a lively place. However the food is a tad over priced for what it is and its a shame that they insist on showing sport every day....cant seem to escape that in Wandsworth now. The army of Aussy bar staff have also chosen the bar area as the place to entertain their friends rather then serving.
Also gets very smokey...you have been warned.
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This place is the saving grace for pub food on Garratt Lane. Meals are excellent while all the time being served by very pleasant staff. Specials are particulary worth checking out.
anonymous - 2 Mar 2005 13:27 |
The Old Serge has evolved into a tremendous place to be! The staff are all so friendly and the pub its self is looking spectacular! I'd love to see a confortable lounge area to just "chill out in" but this place has got my vote already!!!
Abbey - 26 Feb 2005 16:31 |
The current staff are very friendly and efficent.On a Friday or Saturday night and the place is full you never have to wait more than a couple of minutes to get served.
One downside(for me at least) is that they have regular football matches on the large screen TV,which leads to the usual noise and crowding.
The best pub on Garratt Lane especially the Wandsworth end.
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The Old Sergeant is under new management again and all the staff must be new too because they certainly aren't 'cranky' and 'unfriendly'. The seem to enjoy their jobs and go out of their way to please their customers.
The food is great and there are good deals on drinks - 2-4-1 cocktails between 6 & 7pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and 2-4-1 Bloody Marys on Sundays (which can accompany an all-day breakfast or a roast dinner).
Also, for sports-lovers, this is a good place to go to watch a game. I recommend booking the upstairs function room.
A really great night out.
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This pub is great, my local and I love it.
Mixed crowd, great place for a relaxed drink, food is great. I used to go to the Falcon At CJ until it lost its soul with another makeover.
The makeover at the old sergeant was a definite change for the better, highly recommended but I would its my local innit
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For those who remember the old Old Serjeant, this is a dreadful refurbishment. No character or soul now. The pub has been gutted - which I how I feel having seen it as it is now
John - 5 Nov 2004 13:25 |
Agree with the previous comment. Great place to visit if you want to see the bar staff spend more time entertaining friends rather than paying patrons. At least the old pub had character rather than cranky staff.Clearly poor management.
Pete - 12 Oct 2004 17:43 |
Could the staff be more consistently unfriendly? I you want to offend a long faced Aussie by daring to ask for a drink, then this is the place for you.
Dave - 4 Sep 2004 16:50 |
Used to me a men only pub, not very clean and un welcoming to the girls. With new management the place has changed for the better. A good wine list, excellent bar staff and a comprehensive menu makes the sergeant a great local.
Beate Lampe - 2 Feb 2004 13:03 |
Yes the inevitable has happened. The pub has been gutted, the two rooms knocked into one and all character removed. The new decor is the ususal modern bold colours, stripped floors All Bar One type of look. Beer was still Youngs and still drinkable. The "kitchen is now open" but the menu seems to consist of either "gormet" burgers or various sausage and mash options. Didn't try but looked quite respectable. A little way to go before it gets to the Earl od Spencer standard if, but looks fine for a meal and the Rugby World Cup
Sam - 2 Oct 2003 15:15 |
I think it is in the process of being done up as I speak. I have a feeling the landlord has changed recently as it has started advertising SKY sports etc, which it never used to do.
Sam - 27 Aug 2003 12:49 |
Classic Youngs pub - old man's brown boozer complete with worn red velvet upholstery, brass trays on the wall, sexy tart-with-a-heart barmaids and ham rolls under a perspex cloche on the bar. I love it.
Even has a lino floored public bar that has a seperate outside door, ie you can't get in this bit from the saloon bar without going outside.
Patronised largely by posties and Irish blue collar types, hence the excellent Guiness available here. However, not a scary Slaughtered Lamb type pub for women or recent 'gentrified' locals like me. Yes, people with nice suits or modern haircuts can go in and not get stared at.
Has its beer delivered by horse drawn dray, not much of a chore since the brewery is about 200 yards away.
Irish live music on a Sunday. Last week, the single entry on the food specials cahlk board was 'toasted sandwich'.
They have the radio on in the evenings, piped around the pub, which the barmaids dance and sing along to. Its always a 'gold' type station, mate.
What more could you ask for? Long may it prosper and not get done up.
BillyBoy - 18 Jul 2003 15:40 |
