please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Only one draught lager here which is Peroni. Good pint. Fairly cheap for a round (for Blackheath). The best feature here is the split-level garden to the rear of the bar which is sometimes covered so you can even sit out when its pouring.
Staff are friendly.
Best to go mid-week as come Friday and Saturday night it turns into a club and is rammed out and loud.
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I came here with an empty stomach and left with a full belly and scintillating taste buds.
Not only was the tuna mayonaise jacket potato i had wonderfully delicate and rich but my partners roasted vegetable panini equally exuberant.
I can only imagine that the food was prepared by staff that had passed the health and food standards regulation test with aplomb.
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I popped in recently in the morning and was met by one girl trying to find a bag of coffee for the espresso machine and the others trying to serve a massive queue of two people; I waited 10 minuets then walked out. This place thinks it�s a trendy hangout but you need trendy people for that; instead they get all manner of low life from the surrounding area. If it�s a nice day it got a nice garden out back, other than that� don�t bother
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Awful. Full of idiots and very pricey, would be better off going into central london to a decent cocktail, it would cost less
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NICE GARDEN!! NOT BAD!
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Friendly staff, decent wine, nice little garden out the back, perfect for a drunk Saturday afternoon, never been at night so can't comment but have heard Woolwich lowlifes frequent it which if true is a shame as it's got potential.
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Been here twice. Both times was full of wanabees...Gangster's, Trader's and Wag's. Never have I been surrounded by so many plastic people. Even the barman says and I quote "It's full of plastic gangsters" thats got to tell you something. AVOID
anonymous - 4 Nov 2007 10:41 |
I went to Cave Austin for the first time last Saturday evening - we had a great time, it's small (but not tiny), the music was current and mixed, we also found it quite friendly too. I think you have to be realistic that this club/bar is set in tiny Blackheath Village - do not expect the big lights of Pacha or similar - take it for what it is - it is actually quite different and we could do with more places like this on this side of the river.
There were more guys in the bar/club than girls which is great for us girls, but not so good for the guys, the bouncers were doing their job well from what I saw and they were very polite to us as we went in and left.
I think it is a great club for 20s through to 30 somethings+ as due to it being smaller it does make it easier to strike up conversations with others. It's not bad at all considering it is in South East London, but then Blackheath is a little different! We will be going back very soon.
anonymous - 1 Jun 2007 14:46 |
I must say it was my first visit a few weeks back on a Friday night and me and my friends probably had the best night in Blackheath for a long time !
Great staff and door men, great bar service, great music by a special event on the evening called "lavish".
I think the guy's name was Dean, who ran the night. A nice bloke who put on a brilliant party.
What also made the night was the fantastic crowd that was downstairs in the basement club. The vibe was top notch ! My girlfriend certainly danced the night away and I will definitely be heading back when "Lavish" return to this venue !
The garden is classy along with the rest of the venue.
Don't be fooled by other reviews, this place is a great venue if you want to get away. I can take my girlfriend there with no bother at all and the prices for dirnk are very reasonable.
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From the outside it looks quite hip. Step through the door though and your illusions are shattered. It really is truly awful. Bouncers on the door is one thing, but bouncers every few yards inside? I wouldn't be surprised to find posts specially designed to tie pit bull terriers to.
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I started coming here on weekdays for lunch and i have found that it is possibly the best place in Blackheath for sophisticated, well priced lunches. I have been here with many people, (family, friends, colleagues) and each have commented on the relaxing atmosphere and great food. The garden, in particular, is superb and well maintained and adds to the charm of the place.
Weekday evenings, too, are great. It's a nice lounge atmosphere to just sit and relax.
Friday and Saturday evenings attract quite a different cliental, and a very lively over 25s crowd. With a cocktail bar upstairs for special treats, and a club downstairs i have spent all night in there.
The only slight fault i could find is the entrance fee for the club, which is �7, but it is one of the only late night places in Blackheath.
All in all, a great place to visit.
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Good atmosphere, with comfy sofas if you get there early, lively place, and although it gets busy on weekends you do get served. Downstairs is small so yes, if you have a girlfriend bring her and get close and personal. If not, well, whose fault is that??
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Rubbish. �7 to go downstairs to the 'lively' basement area which is no bigger than my grandparents back garden in New Cross is an absolute joke. Blackheath Village - unless entertaining a partner - is vapid generally. It is a great couples place. So therefore, working all week to spend either a Friday or Saturday night in somewhere like this is a depressing thought. EVEN if I had my girlfriend with me I would not come here. I imagine the garden is pleasant on a sunny day, but with the heath (the excellent Princess of Wales of course) and Greenwich Park a stone throw away, there is no point coming here.
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This place is very nice, one of the best place to visit in blackheath. Garden is beautiful and staff are well organised they always look after customer and listen to them. Besement downstairs is quite small compare to the number of people they let them in anyway music is great. Personally I think, young manager there i don't know his name (asian looking) really looks after all the people there.
anonymous - 9 May 2006 21:40 |
Yes, this place has certainly taken a turn for the worst! Miserable, rude, bad mannered doorman that only smile at the PRETTY girls. Bar staff that only serve customers who parade around like their George Clooney waving �50 notes at the bar staff! Customers are mainly aged 19 to 25 & are so drunk that they fall all over you & are too obnoxious to say sorry, you just get a dirty look, & there are too many fat fake blondes looking for a soulmate!! �7 to go down into the CRAMPED smoke infested basement just to get josseled about & shoved around by overweight 'Bouncers', no thanks! Rather go too the Cactus Pit around the corner or slit my wrists!
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Known by our little band of drinkers as "Dillingers" If you like a shiny suit worn by an Eltham Nazi, this is the place for you. What a hole
anonymous - 29 Dec 2005 13:12 |
Cave Austin has definately changed for the better. Did have a quiet period but they have now introduced over 20 wines by the glass which has definately made a difference, not only to the place being busier but also the quality of the crowd is noticably better. Garden is best around and the staff seem a lot better and seem to be working as a team. Also a bar i feel safe in, never seem to have any trouble well done to the doorstaff. Cave Austin i think can now finally get away with calling itself a wine bar. Keep up the good work
anonymous - 12 Jul 2005 15:30 |
Use to be a lot of fun, good parties and good times, but after the last manager left in January 05, the place has really gone down hill... always empty after work, and so crowded on Friday and Saturday... wouldn't waste my money or my time in this place! Don't even get me started on the food service. Maybe they should spend money on the staff and not so much on the decor. P.S. If your female don't even look at the owner if his wife is around... looks can kill!
anonymous - 30 Mar 2005 22:39 |
Oh my god lord! I can't help but think that the people who have written the other reviews have been going to a different bar!! I mean please!! "Blackheath's answer to the West End"???? Have you actually ever been to London?
Put simply, the place is terrible. The doorman have no manners, the regulars are so coked out of their brains that they actually believe that they really are gangsters and the assistant manager is about as much use as a wet tissue.
My advice to anyone that hasn't been there is not to bother. There are some great places to drink in the village and you are better off going there. My advice to the people who have been there, go to the real West End and see what you are missing.
anonymous - 1 Mar 2005 12:23 |
Well by the time we got there we were a tad intoxicated (nothing new) - but from what we can remember the new transilvanian barman upstairs was quite fit unlike the geeks that were insisting on buying us drinks - although the cocktails were delicious - especially with the stawberries on the side - made me feel quite fruity.
Shame you have to pay 7.00 to go downstairs for 45 mins......which of course we didn't.....the geeks did....arrrrrh what mugs...yes we went home alone!!.......well maybe we went on to the venue and picked up some tasty squeeze.
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rumour has it DJ Deke the excellent friday DJ has been withdrawn ! shame and ridiculous ,as he is by far the best DJ down there and has got Fridays better than saturdays...we'll find him at his next Bar... goodbye cave as you have lost our custom
love
Ellie
Ellie - 27 Oct 2004 13:18 |
one word to describe would be cheese
carl - 24 Sep 2004 11:25 |
Cave Austin was an excellent night out, good atmosphere and brilliant music. People are really nice and assistant manger is gorgeous!!
check him out next time you go.
anon - 20 Sep 2004 13:25 |
Cave Austin is a brilliant night out with a warm atmosphere and good tunes played by Kevin. The Assistant manager is absolutely stunning so get down there ladies and check out the tall dark and handsome northern one!! The decor is a bit pants dont look too closely although a makeover is on the way so watch this space!!
Anon - 20 Sep 2004 13:01 |
absolutely crap place with badly dressed and badly mannered patrons
kitty - 14 Sep 2004 14:19 |
An unbelievably naff place full of perma-tanned st tropez would be footballers wives whose command of estuary english borders on the remedial accompanied by either their moronic meathead erotrach partners or thier cloned mate who they are out on the pull with.
One too avoid unless you fancy a night of expletives and braying tones
Mary - 9 Jul 2004 13:47 |
where do i start ! Its trying very hard to be something you would expect to find in trendy central london but sadly, entertains plastic gangsters prancing around in 3/4 lenght PVC jackets looking like extra's out of Grease
abby - 3 Jun 2004 20:39 |
nice bar,great atmosphere at friday night - club too busy but cocktail bar perfect with lovely cocktails.Thanks
cool place,i can only recommend it!!!
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very disappointing coctails that didn't taste of alcohol and left a synthetic aftertaste for about an hour after drinking. London prices charged but visually uninspiring and tasted of chemicals.
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Cave Austin just gets better & better, DJ Kev is kicking out some great sounds on the dancefloor, Sue & Nick keep a close eye on things while Aston, Tony & Andy keep out the riff-raff! Get down there this summer, its gonna be a knock out! 10 out of 10.
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It was really cool. Surrounded by lots of hot totty.
The bar staff are the greatest. They really know what they are doing!!!
I can't think of anywhere better to go at the weekends.
kel - 30 Apr 2004 19:02 |
Ive been going every saturday nite for the past year, the place rocks! good selection of music, nice friendly people (plus regulars) friendly helpfull staff, i love it! excellent for a nite out dancing with the ladys
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Great on Fridays, but too packed on Saturdays! Nice decor, but this place is surburban to its core, and is always full of fake-tanned ladeez and sleazy-looking provisional blokes. But we love that!
DJ spectacularly manages to keep the crowds entertained with what appears to be a CD collection of just 3 albums. Truly a "loaves and fishes" effort.
I always enjoy going to The Cave, but don't expect too much or you'll be disappointed!
Andy Warrick - 28 Jan 2004 19:47 |
Great during the week. Nice and relaxed atmosphere, comfy seats. Much less pretentious than it used to be
Clare - 24 Jan 2004 12:13 |
I always find it a great place to go for a drink and the option of three floors means you can have a change of scene. Does get crowded, but isn't that a sign of a good bar? Friendly chatty people. Definitely a place for a good night out!
Jacqueline - 2 Dec 2003 11:16 |
How many people is this place licenced for - you literally cannot move in there on a Saturday night!!! Female clientele mostly permatanned singles, males sporting ted bakers finest. Food OK in the restaurant but bar impossible to get served at and dangerously overcrowded.
anonymous - 7 Nov 2003 15:48 |
Tried to arrange a night out here for a large(ish) group and was told they might be able to accomodate us along with bar snacks, and they would call back. Heard nothing from them after 2 weeks. When I called back, no-one knew of my request. It goes without saying we'll be taking our money elsewhere.
Marc - 28 Oct 2003 12:07 |
Upmarket bar/resteraunt based in the centre of Blackheath Village
Nick - 26 Oct 2003 01:10 |
