please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
After we started at The Richmond up the road, we popped in here too before hitting the main drag of King Street. Like The Richmond, the mood, tone & ambience was excellent: comfy sofas, good beer & fine service! It also made a good change from (1) passing these two pubs by, & (2) just sticking to my routine of William Morris > Hammersmith Ram > Plough & Harrow > Salutation! We did all these too, & then hit Ealing for The Wheatsheaf > Clay Oven curry > Sir Michael Balcon: bliss, indeed! :-)
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Just visited here for a quick work lunch and was pleasantly surprised at how friendly and laid back the staff and place is. Winter Warmer was lovely, as was my BLT sandwich. The Irish barmaid was efficient, friendly and lovely. She even lent me her newspaper from her bag as I had forgotten mine! Will be back
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Nothing out of the ordinary. Bar staff were very pleasant and the atmosphere was quite friendly. However, have been there twice in the last few weeks and on both occasions they had no cider on draught. For that it only gets 7/10
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Reasonably large single bar pub on the Shepherd's Bush Road. It's a Youngs pub, but is quite elaborately decorated. Seating is sofas and armchairs. The floor was still dirty on my Saturday morning visit, with the previous day's food still sitting where it was dropped. The 2 ales were Youngs Ordinary & Special. Was a convenient enough pub for me to kill 45 minutes, whilst I waited for better ones to open. But it's not one I'd rush back to. Agree with the previous reviewer. If you're in this area, the Swan is a much better bet.
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Gave this one another shot, but must sadly agree with many recent despondent comments about the demise of a good pub aiming to be a wine bar. The Youngs ale was OK but expensive. Nearby Nicholson poured a ton of money into creating The Swan on Hammersmith Broadway which is always busy. But Youngs have different ideas. The Brook Green Hotel once had a following of the most local loyal customers.
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I quite like The Brook Green Hotel and it benefits from its location on the west side of Brook Green. Service is good and it's well run at the moment. They also have a basement bar which hosts various events and can also be hired out. However with so many pubs to choose from nearby there are better ones within easy walking distance to spend time in, but it's nice for a drink or two.
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This pub could be good as the building and interior is lovely with wooden floors and chunky comfortable furniture however the poor food qaulity and high prices means we won't be back in a hurry! We went here on Saturday and had possibly the worst pub food in a long time. I ordered a salad which came out with some iceberg lettuce, 2 pieces of half burnt and half barely cooked bacon stuck on top, 3 slices of avocado (one still with the skin on) and a small slice of 'roasted' butternut pumpkin which was still raw. The salad also advertised mixed seeds of which there were none. My boyfriend had a steak sandwhich which was also very average. We found the drinks to also be very overpriced �7.50 for a decidedly average glass of Merlot (?).
Suggest reviewing the kitchen staff, brining the drinks prices to a more reasonable level and I am sure this pub would attract a bigger crowd.
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Once beautiful pub, strangely quiet on a Saturday night. I echo other comments that the bland sub-Gastro Youngs corporate makeover have robbed atmosphere.
As for Gastro, overheard the barman tell another "that chicken nuke is for the lady in the corner". That'll be the chicken and ham special, right?
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Smart interior if a bit too open (see previous review). It would indeed be a lovely pub in this rather tasteless area but �4.40 for a pint of Guinness??? The Ritz, it ain't and I won't go back...
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This place has had its ups and downs over the years in terms of management, but seems pretty well run again at the moment. The building itself looks reasonably imposing from the street, with quite a few interesting architectural details. Inside, there are still traces of what was presumably a rather grand Victorian establishment (but all opened out into one large 'staple'-shaped room now). Obviously aimed upmarket, the relatively smart, semi-modern decor and furniture certainly won't be to everybody's taste. The high ceilings create an airy atmosphere, but this can also result in a cool feel to the place when it isn't that full. The small patio beer garden at the back is often distinctly chilly unless you catch it at just the right moment when sunlight shines through the gap between the buildings. Standard range of well-kept, but pricy, Young's beers.
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Large Victorian Youngs pub/hotel close by Brook Green on the main Shepherds Bush Road.
Despite retaining some evidence of its former Victorian grandeur - most notably in the form of a splendid bar back with some original glasswork - this is now very much a typical Youngs made - over pub with the usual mix of sofas, perches etc.
On my recent Sunday afternoon visit, the pub was virtually deserted. The typically high ceilings that grand pubs of that era had, gave the pub a rather cold, atmosphereless feel. There's no feeling at all that this is a pub trying to serve the local community and you wonder why Youngs seem to have got it so wrong here. Perhaps excessively high prices are part of the answer - � 3.30p for a pint of Ordinary is way over the top. Despite the absence of customers, the barman still saw fit to give me that "what are you doing coming in here?" look.
The Brook Green Hotel is now one of the Youngs pubs that offer accommodation and you may share my view that a nightly rate of � 105 for a double / twin with breakfast is rather steep for what is basically a pub in a not particularly salubrious area of town.
Unless Youngs choose to rebrand this pub as a good honest community local - and you can form your own view as to the likelihood of that - I won't be calling in again
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This is a Young�s pub with the usual range on, including Deuchars IPA. I just had a half of Young�s Bitter, costing �1.68, so something in the region of �3.30 a pint, which really is a top of the range price for an ordinary bitter. The pub itself has that unmistakable late Victorian look about it � the very high ceiling gives the game away. Now knocked into a one-room pub of course, but evidence of its original multi-room format remains. There�s what looks like the original cornices in place, plus I spotted what is almost certainly a small original leaded light window above (and partly obscured by) the flat screen TV monitor. All the other tall, plain glass windows are more modern replacements of course.
Furniture consists of those chunky high tables and stools that I don�t much care for, lots of sofas, plus some normal tables and chairs mainly in the dining area to the right of the bar. It had one of those racks you see in hotel lobbies containing London attraction flyers. I didn�t eat there, nor see a menu, so can�t comment on the food. The very high ceilings make it (unavoidably) pretty barn like. It�s not really my kind of place. There�s nothing really bad to say about it, but I doubt whether I shall pay a return visit.
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It's a lovely airy pub but not quite living up to its potential or its past...it seems much quieter on a Friday lunchtime than it used to be...two beers managed to become unavailable whilst we were there and the customer service is rather casual. That said, the beers we did have (Ordinary and Bombardier) were perfectly acceptable albeit �3.15 for a pint of Ordinary is incredibly steep!!
Could do much better guys and I fear for its future if it carries on like this...
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I have to concur with the comments below. When I first moved to Hammersmith this use to be a pub that I really liked and I would have described it as 'my local'. It also use to be one of the few pubs that still had a dart board in it. But then it had a refurb and the drinks prices shot up and even by London standards the price of a pint in there is way way too much.
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This place is awful. To say the drinks are overpriced does not convey how much of a rip of this place is. �3.70 for a pint of Fosters!!!!! That is just the tip of the iceberg. Don't go near the food - likelt to be small, luke warm and tasteless.
Awful.
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Bloody hell - what has happened to this once quality boozer. In order to deter the regular legion of meths-supping tramps that frequent Brook Green (an area that thinks it's nice and upmarket but, hey, it's Hammersmith so it's not - fact, Young's have cranked the prices up and stopped doing the Special. They do sell the Double Chocolate Stout - at stupid pounds a bottle but at least it's chilled. I don't know - all Youngs had to do was clean the toilets - it was never a bad pub. It isn't now but just too poncey - stop it. Bring back the Special and sell proper beers.
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I've always really liked the Brook Green Hotel, mainly because it looks so much like a traditional English pub. However, each time I visit it seems to be getting less like a pub and more like a restaurant. I was staggered when I asked for a pint of Youngs Special to be told they don't sell it. I couldn't believe it, what's going on? Oddly though there were two enormous Peroni pumps.
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Trequites and Mr.Cole should note that the staff aren't as over-zealous as before. I noticed that on our first visit soon after the "upgrade", there were about half a dozen staff clamouring for our attention and over eager to serve!
These teething problems have since abated and the atmosphere (and service!!!) is less intimidating.
True, it's gone upmarket but as that kind of pub goes it's not the worst.
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Young's pub that does not sell Special. Discuss.
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Nice refurb but what did they finish the walls with? Gold leaf? I can't think of any other reason why the prices have gone up so much and (as per the previous two comments) they've got such a push on the dry take. Nothing terrible about the place and worth a pint if passing through but not worth detouring for.
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I can confirm the experiences of stevecole. When we went in and were scanning the handpumps for (nonexistent) Young's Special, we were approached by a waiter offering to find us a table for two. When we asked if we could get our own beer at the bar, he replied that 'we come and serve you at your table'. We made our excuses and left.
I don't know what Youngs are trying to do with their pubs, but our experiences of them since they stopped brewing and became just a pub owning company have been almost totally bad.
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I visited on the re-opening night after a refurb. It's trying to move upmarket. Over intrusive waiter service forced us to move on after just 1 drink. Another 'ok' pub ruined. I won't rush back
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Nothing spectacular but a good reliable pub. Friendly staff and decent enough (Youngs) beer. A regular haunt after (and sometimes during) work.
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Plesant enough Youngs open-plan pub - fairly typical of this part of London.
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New manager ,very keen and friendly. The Pub is now back on my regular visit list.
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What great place! Fantastic to see a traditional London pub AND to see a proper friendly landlord behind the bar (not a sight often seen)
Well done will be back!
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A real shame that this pub has gone from being a great place to spend an evening to a shell of a place. They have, for reasons that I cannot understand, pulled out the dartboard. They have cancelled the blues and jazz nights and seem to be aiming the pub at an ill defined target audience which is already probably gobbled up by nearby pubs anyhow.
I noted that the place seems considerably quiter post refurb. Yet another flawed pub refurbishment backfiring. I know that I will not be returning any time soon.
anonymous - 22 Sep 2006 17:42 |
Nothing like as good as it used to be - prices up, atmosphere down...
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I didn't know the pub before my visit, it was merely the convenience. However, it was fairly quiet for a Saturday evening - perhaps suffering from losing all it's regulars.
That said, I think the pub still shows plenty of potential (as long as it doesn't introduce Karaoke) - the food was good and the Youngs excellent.
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How can you cancel popular nights like Blues, jazz, comedy and dj nights and replace this with Karaoke! and there's even talk of speed dating! What is going on????
anonymous - 12 Aug 2006 09:15 |
You will perhaps have noticed that all the good reviews for this pub were posted a while ago: before the recent change of management. There have not been any good notices since then. This new regime has demonstrated the disastrous effects of Youngs new policy of corporate managerialism. Apparantly now, all you need to run a Youngs pub is a lot of bullshit, backed up by an MBA. Intelligence, sensitivity, local experience, or even common sense are considered entirely dispensible. They have sabotaged a very popular, thriving live music venue, unique in the whole of London, and driven away at least a hundred loyal regulars: and for what? "Corporate Policy?" Does anybody know what they are doing? Rumour has it that the new Brucksfuhrer wants to put in a disco... Oh swipe me, what a managerial masterstroke! If there's one thing that Hammersmith is really in need of, it's more discos. Why, I only passed about seven or eight of them on my Friday night walk up Shepherd's bush Road from the tube station... Well, I won't be passing that way any more on a Friday night: I'll be going to wherever the Blues Club has moved on to, like all the rest of us regulars... So Long Suckers!
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Gone down hill fast.
anonymous - 8 Aug 2006 11:27 |
The Friday night blues club here was my favourite London Blues venue and I have played there and attended as a 'punter'. It was built up slowly by the talented couple who run it to the point where a previously under used space became something very special. For the last few months it has slowly been pressurised out by new local management. Now I have just heard that the club has to move (watch out for the new venue tba).
What do Youngs think they're playing at? This is just the kind of club which publicans give their eye teeth for. Well behaved drinking punters brought in at no cost to the pub. Apparently, the new management, fresh from Blackpool, think that they can do better. I think they are mistaken.
Well done, Youngs! An own goal if ever I saw one!
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This used to be a great pub. Now sadly, it's about to lose its weekly Friday night blues club. This was one of the best music venues in London: small, intimate and friendly. Apparently, it's all the result of a change of management. It seems that Youngs Brewery have found a new type of theme pub: the rudeness and stuff-the-customers pub.
Gone are the fine meals served under previous managers. Gone is the blues club. (A new venue is being sought, I'm told). And gone are me and my mates.
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Big pub, pretty full in the evenings. Thats always a good sign is you ask me
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The standard in this pub is very good. The bar staff are efficient and well polished, the beer is very well kept and the food is pretty good. The reworking of the Victorian features scores well too � the decoration refreshingly done. At times it can lack a bit of atmosphere, particularly at the southern end of the pub, but otherwise deserves a lot of praise.
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This is an excellent pub on SheBu rd. Came here on a Wed night and it was not too packed. Food was delicious, wait staff were great in all senses of the word. A nice place to enjoy good beer and food!
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Like any place this has it's bad points, but they are pretty well over once you've paid for your drink!!!! The beer is kept as well as any I've had at The Brewer's Tap (attatched to Young's Brewery) The Winter Warmer is currently at it's best & I defy anyone to find fault with the Bitter! I've not heard of anyone paying for a bad pint in this place. Also, pay attention to the Specials Board... Some strange soup de jours, but some good value meals & not always straight out of the "traditional pub food" category. Has a wonderful venue downstairs that calls itself a wine bar and a still-functioning hotel upstairs. I've never seen the Wine Bar open as a wine bar, but many great nights have been had at the Brooks Blues Bar on Friday night, the Comedy nights are amateur but good and every now and then a banging party can be heard on Saturdays. Staff seem to have been there ages, so there is a familiarity with most regulars that leave some regular-wannabes a little green! Keep it up guys & girls!
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Probably the best pub in the area, as previously mentioned. Friendly staff, good beer selection including the full range of Young's bottled beers. Good food as well, and remember to check the specials board.
anonymous - 25 Feb 2005 11:53 |
This pub is, as Ali G would say, "Massive". What a pleasant find. A warm, Victorian, wooden pub, with huge windows, lots of natural light and a great bar. The accomodation here is excellent value: super ensuite rooms. 50 sovs a night plus a good breakfast is hard to beat in the Big Smoke. Staff are friendly and seem to enjoy working there. Given that the area between the awful Hammersmith and Shepherds's Bush is bland and disappointing (witness the sad strip of Brook Green) across the road, it comes as a pleasant surprise to find this pub in fighting fit shape. The only downside would be the tendency for lots of hobbos to hang around the area bad-mouthing folks, but surely they would not be allowed in?
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A splendid example of how a pub can be updated without being spoilt. Very impressively ornate bar back with glasswork. High ceilings. Reasonably warm and welcoming atmosphere. Youngs beer was on reasonable form. They are doing a BBQ for Australia Day - January 26th
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A perfect London pub. Gorgeous Victorian architecture, attractive fresh decor, comfortable furniture, lovely high ceilings, lots of space. Well-chosen soul music played at low volume. Welcoming, relaxed atmosphere. And a full range of Youngs beer, well kept.
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We enjoyed a superb stay at the Brook green hotel,The Room was of high quality,superb breakfast and the service from all staff was excellent.I have already recommended this venue to friends who Im sure will agree.
joanne ward - 4 Oct 2004 15:26 |
a really great pub with a good atmosphere and surroundings and a good set of regulars.I discovered this pub when I was looking for a decent pub when attending fulham's games at loftus road. I went there before and after every home game and never had a bad pint - or a bad experience. it is very much a rugby pub but that shouldn't stop other sports lovers going there. unfortunately, fulham has moved back to craven cottage so I have not been back since the end of last season. if I am in the area, I will be sure to drop in for a pint.
gearbox - 4 Oct 2004 12:38 |
During the time it took to ingest the brief half I had time for on my recent visit here, I concluded that this was a pub to which I would like to return. The high celings are marvelous as is the the decor in general. Service was polite, music palyed at a decent volume. Wouldn't want to see anything gimmicky introduced mind. It's larger then life presence on Shepherds Bush Road resists informality and instead beckons the serious drinker.
Good for: Winter afternoon sessions.
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Awesome Chips. Good Food. Avoid during Rugby or Big Footy games.
Did I mention the chips? Santa is a regular - dont sit in his seat!
Great pub.
TimXOCognac - 7 Feb 2004 11:23 |
This is a very well run pub. The landlord has raised the standard of the food since he took over; keeps his beer well; and appears to be always looking for new ways to enterain and involve his customers. (On Christmas Eve, he organised what he thought was going to be small carol singing event with beer but which became an enjoyable highlight for everyone in the pub.)
For major sporting events, such as the Six Nations rugby tournament, a large screen is erected for people to enjoy a few beers and the game.
The basement, Brooks Blues Bar, is home to a comedy club on Thursday and a jazz and blues club on Fridays.
Brendan Martin - 15 Jan 2004 15:14 |
nice pub but the food is expensive, as are the soft drinks. In fact, probably the most expensive soft drinks in london.
ian - 1 Jan 2004 19:23 |
Converted a couple of years ago, the interior is a refreshing reworking of its Victorian heritage. The pub has a lot of room, high ceilings and outside space for the summer. Beer is predominently Youngs derived and well kept , though I'd welcome more variety. Food was good, if not spectacular; staff are well trained and smart. FYI, it still runs as a hotel too. Worth a visit.
Ali - 27 Aug 2003 18:10 |
