please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Lovely location by the heath, welcoming atmosphere, with different groups of people, couples, families, girls out for a "catch up", mates out for a drink. Decor is "shabby-chic" for want of a better description,. a lovely wooden floor throughout. There`s a dining area at the back of the pub. Toilets are upstairs and along, past the kitchen ??
My wife has to have gluten/dairy free meals, and although the waitress explained what was suitable, there was n`t much , so she wound up with a plate of chips. (This is n`t unusual sadly) My self and my son had the double burgers, which were really tasty.
But enough of the preamble, to the beer.
A huge range of pumps , and I would have spent all night there, by my wife needed feeding . The dark eyed and wild haired Jessica, who was no stranger to the ink, was charming and welcoming . I went for the Dark Star Pale Ale. I`d not sampled it before, and wow, my taste buds sang. It slipped down a treat, and I interrupted my meal to go and get another pint. Glorious. Definite return when next in Blackheath.
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Meet a friend here on Tuesday night for a catch up and a few beers. The Hare was my pub of choice in Blackheath as it has a nice feel to it and a good range of ales.
On this visit the 10 hand pumps had 7 cask ales & 2 ciders with the remaining pumps being empty. In addition there was 1 lager and 2 “craft” ales on keg served from the 3 taps at the back of the bar. There’s also a decent range of bottles and good quality lagers on keg.
We stayed for 3 hours and worked our way around the selection, beers sampled were Joe's Norfolk Ale “Knot Just Another IPA” @ 5.0%, Partizan Brewing “Porter” @ 5.1%, Portobello’s “Star” @ 4.3% & “London Pilsner” @ 4.6% and finally Signature Brew’s Bullhorn @ 7.3%...the last one was a whopping £7.00 a pint! Pricey but worth every penny.
Pretty busy for a Tuesday night, nice atmosphere, good attentive service and cracking beer.
Best pub in Blackheath for me.
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Popped in on Sunday (3-4pm) very good beer but I've never seen so many toddlers in a pub before it was like the bloody Wacky Races with all those buggies, still it gave us a bit of a laugh.
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The last pub of 3 in Blackheath on a Thursday evening and the one that we settled in.
Its been almost a year since I've been here and can easily say this is the best ale selection in Blackheath and also the best pub.
10 cask hand pumps serving 8 ales and 2 real ciders. My choices were Caveman Shopper Gold @ 4.0%; Siren Dinner for Four @ 4.3% & Wiper And True Small Beer No 8 @ 3.3%.
Aswell as the cask pumps there are 4 keg ales on, most offered in halves at around £4.00 a half.
Now onto the bottle selection which has a varied array of European and UK bottles. The last time i was here I had a good go at the bottles and this visit was no different. All priced upwards of £4.20 a bottle my choices (which were carefully picked) were Hardknot Infra Red @ 6.2%; Omnipollo (Sweden) Mazarin @ 5.6%, Tiny Rebel Hadouken @ 7.4% and To Ol (Denmark) F**k Art The Heathens Are Coming @ 5.4%
As the evening went on the pub filled up with eaters and drinkers. The food looked and smelt very good but I didn't sample any, I was only here for the beer!
Good and attentive service from the 2 barmaids.
Cracking pub , good ale, friendly and quick service, perfect location with a small pond to the front....the Hare and Billet is a must visit.
9/10 for me.
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I have to agree with the last couple of posters. This is most likely the best pub in Blackheath and it was my favourite of 10 I visited in South-East London yesterday. The interior has lots of white tiling. Food is reasonably expensive. But if the beers are anything to go by, it's probably worth it. Yesterday's range was Wild Beer Co Bibble, Brockley Porter, Hare Ale Best Bitter, Truman's Runner, Portobello APA, East London Jamboree, Greene King IPA & King's Evoluton Black Symphony. The cider was Biddenden's Bushells, something I've rarely seen outside Kent. The toilets are a bit of a trek. But this is a really good pub and has a fairly prominent location overlooking the heath. Seems to be popular with families, as I'd previously noted in my review of the Princess of Wales.
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Wow the choice of ales in this pub is amazing. 7 different ales on hand pump with another 7 on keg followed by a large quantity of bottled beers.
All 14 beers on the taps were very different beers. However it’s not cheap for keg beer…most of the keg beers sold as halves.
A decent pub that sits in a great position with the heath right outside the door.
It was very busy throughout the night as this was the 3rd and final pub of my Blackheath night out.
Lovely decor through out with a very interesting diagram of a cow on the wall with meat cuts highlighted, makes a good talking point.
Decent bar staff, friendly and knowledgeable, good bar food...cheap and very tasty…cracking pub with a good atmosphere and superb beer selection.
Number 1 choice in the village for real ale.
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You'll have to go a long way to get a better pint than here. A great selection of mostly local, fresh, ales that have been carefully chosen and are always well kept. It has become expensive, but, seriously, the beer on offer is so much better than most pubs, it is impossible to consider saving 30p on a pint if that pint is so inferior. The food is also pricey, but very good.
Recent highlights have been Late Knights Frosty Morning, Portobello VPA, Brockley Brewery Red Ale and some nice offerings from Hop Stuff and Kent Brewery. And some exceptional keg beer from The Kernel and, I think, Beavertown.
I've no idea what the previous poster is taking about with his barb about "braying hipsters". This is Blackheath. It's doesn't have any hipsters. At the weekends it is full of families. I only hope their philosophy of excellent local fare proves to be succesful enough to continue, as it is head and shoulders above any pub in the area, as far as beer is concerned, anyway.
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What was once a fine local pub that welcomed a wide variety of people has now been turned into a dismal hangout for wealthy hipsters. The prices are the highest I've encountered in any pub anywhere. Where there used to be a great menu of superior pub food there is now a menu that is pretentious and expensive. A new restaurant area sits empty most of the time and the rest of the pub is unwelcoming and stuffed with only large tables filled with parties of braying hipsters. Definitely not the place for a quiet cosy comfortable drink. The long list of real ales will satisfy some but it's not worth the loss of a fine pub in a great position on the Heath.
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I’ve always liked this pub mainly as it is slightly off the beaten track from those along the main Blackheath drag. On previous visit the beer and service has always been a bit hit and miss. However, this this my first visit since it has been refurbished, it had 8 real ales on hand pull with the option of a straight glass or a jug, plus 2 ciders on hand pull. In addition there were 4 nitro beers plus a selection of local (Meantime and Camden) lagers and a couple of European beers plus Guinness. The food was excellent and there is now a dedicated dining area to the rear of the pub with table service in the evening. The one downside was it is on the expensive side at around £4 a pint but in my opinion it is worth it. The added bonus was when a barrel run out a different beer replaced it. Such a pleasant change from Doombar and London Pride which other pubs regularly serve up.
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Felt compelled to write - it's rare to think your idea of the perfect pub appears in your home town. Excellent (yes quite pricey - you get what you pay for) food of restaurant quality and a vast array of beers. 8 pumps, 12 further taps of beer tht changes very regularly. I'm gobsmacked. Talk is that the beer prices are higher than the rest of Blackheath pub I couldn't give a damn if there's the choice here on show. A welcome and amazing addition to the village post-refurb: and it was the best pub before then, it's just infinitely better now.
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Went in here last Friday. To my surprise and great pleaseure there was a good selection os ales (7) including a very noce Porter. Restuarnt was quiet but it was early in the evening. It was busy but the service was good. Staff were helpful and let us have "tasters" to check the beer quality. Hope to do Sunday lunch one day in here.
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Very nice place. Food is really decent especially the Sunday roast.
Friendly staff and customers.
Only negative is that is so popular therefore difficult to get a seat!
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We went to The Hare and Billet for the first time last week. The atmosphere was good, the staff were quick and professional. The menu was very varied and we both enjoyed our selections. The house white was a pino grigio which was much better than the average house white. This pub is a great alternative to The Crown which is where we have been going in the past. Tracey & Andy
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Very poor pub now, and has gone massively downhill recently. Until late 2010, early 2011, it felt rather middle class, with good beer and plenty of friendly locals, along with nice food.
Unfortunately it now feels like an utterly soulless plastic chain pub, with no special beers on tap, a very small menu of utterly standard pub grub, and poor beer. The music is loud 'muzak' and the clientele have now become the rather noisy, chavtastic elements which appear to have migrated up from the village.
Add to this the refusal by the landlady to accept payments by card for under �10 (although some staff do take this if she's not around), and if you protest, you're directed to the cash machine which charges �1.85 per withdrawal. This has the stink of a scam about it, and is very customer unfriendly.
Such a shame as this was a lovely country pub, and it is now completely ruined. Avoid at all costs!
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Busy pub a short walk from the centre of Blackheath.
Well kept real ale at reasonable, for London, prices.
If you don't mind drinking from plastic glasses you can take your beer and sit on the common which is nice on a sunny day.
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This is a nice, cosy pub in a great location but it is let down by poor service. The beer is generally kept fairly well and the food is ok, but not really any more than ok. A good pub for a session if the Princess of Wales down the road is too full but I wouldn't exactly go out of my way for it.
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Like this place, decent pints of Morlands Original, nice atmosphere.
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The 'Hare and Billet' is a lovely pub. It has been under new management for a while now, and the food in particular has improved. The steak and speckled hen pie is my favourite, which comes with a selection of fresh veg. Also, the sunday roast is a favourite. The cook's cheese burger is great too, and also the Tapas. There are about 12 different dishes in the Tapas range. My favourite is the skins and chilli dip.
This pub is very popular, so you may have to book a table. Lots of local families eat here, especially on the weekend. The pub is keen to attract families, and this is why the dart board has long since disappeared. There is a quiz night, and there are live acts. I'm looking forward to this month's band, playing for the first time. I know the drummer is a regular in the pub.
The Hare and Billet does have a lot of history, and the 'White Lady' is a story you can google easily enough. Jean-Michelle, the assistant manager, may be able to tell you more. He makes a great soup when he's not too busy. Enjoy - Blackheath at its best.
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Don't like dogs (well the smell anyway), still an OK pub for Blackheath standards anyway. I to prefered it with the old owner, a real miserable git but I liked him and he wouldn't have loads of kids in the place like most other Blackheath pubs.
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Disappointed since the old owners left. Feels like the soul has gone. Ale is not as good as it used to be, neither is the Guinness. Its a shame as it was in my top 5 pubs!
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Looks nice inside, nice atmosphere but the food is terrible.
� We ordered vegetable soup. It was beyond tasteless. It had one (yes 1, ONE , UNO) potato in it. THey refunded the money for it so they must have known it was crap. 0/10 terrible.
� We ordered steak and ale pie and chips. It arrived with mash, gray and peas. It didn't taste of ale, the gravy was tasteless. On the plus side it was actually a pie rather than a bowl of stew with a flaky pastry lid that explodes when you put your knife near it. 5/10
� We also had some bread and olive oil with balsamic vinegar. The oil was horrible and filled a small bowl so you got a bit of bread soaked in oil and no balsamic. 2/10
� Ham egg and chips though was good (aside from the fact that they put the egg on the cold ham so we had a cold egg. Good chips and tender, thick cut ham. 7/10
� The lasagne was think and insipid with bright yellow cheese on the top. 5/10
To sum up:
Nice for a pint, nice atmosphere, reasonable staff.
Terrible for food. If you are hungry, DON NOT GO THERE.
We wont go back.
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Much improved place since the new landlady took over just over a year ago. Staff are very friendly and helpful. Its a lovely place to sit on a summers evening. Oh and dont you just love a pub dog. Bolly (short for Bollinger) is a labrador regular, always in the way slumped at the bar, or any table with food on it. Oh and they open on Christmas Day.
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Popped in Sunday afternnon after visiting the Climate Camp - I half suspected it to be shut or have someone on the door but all were welcome.
It's very neat and tidy inside, unfortunatly they have replaced the quiz machine with an enourmous sideboard (which is going to earn more revenue?)
Just GK IPA and Hen on and the Hen soon ran out but both in nice enough condition. Food looked and smelt good but we didn't indulge.
Was doing good trade both inside and with drinkers out on the heath.
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buzzard 1 ..... you tosser
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xxxxxx its a lovely pub... its the arse holes that live beside it that give it a bad name
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I've been here a couple of times recently having just moved back into the area. Its a decent enough pub inside in terms of style and decoration - not pretentious, and not run-down either. The beer is ok, when they've got any! Talking purely about ale here, but they have three pumps and very seldom have three beers on. Often the only chioce is the ubiquitous GK IPA which didn't exactly taste fresh. On my last visit, to their credit, they did put another couple of beers on which tasted much better, but this seems to be the exception rather than the rule.
Food wise - don't bother! The fish was tasteless, too few chips, and the mushy peas were more like lumpy pea soup.
If you're just going for a quiet drink and want to get away from some of Blackheath's busier pubs, then its a pretty safe bet. If you're after an evening of drinking and want to eat, maybe reconsider.
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Glasses smell like they have been washed in the pond across the road (but that is common to all pubs in Blackheath). Standard food fayre. I had ham, egg and chips and while I was the only person in the pub, the eggs were overcooked, and the chips burnt so I wouldn't write home about the food. Beer was nice enough if you don't smell when you drink. They have sky tv, but don't seem to show it unless you ask. I was there for the 1st day of the 1st test at lords, and the staff had no idea it was on. So, a nice pub setting, but missing a few tricks.
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Dear Points of View - why oh why oh why did you lose the dart board? I only popped in for a swift pint, but I hope this isn't the start of a sanitised, characterless pub which *was* the best going in Blackheath.
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Had Sunday lunch there today - awful food : ( Had the roast lamb and the roast potatoes were deep fried, the vegetables were not fresh and everything was soaked in gravy. Service was slow (but there were 15 of us on our table). However, when I told the manager I wasn't going to pay for my food, she was perfectly polite about this and apologised. I left there feeling hungry and unfortunately I won't return.
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I agree (partially) with the last comment. The pub and toilets are clean and spacious BUT it's lost the atmosphere it's always had with Dan there! ALSO the music is far too loud and out of place in a village local. Turn it off!
Guiness was fine but the Youngs was not very good!
Shame.........I've been going to this pub since the 1970s and it's not the same now...change is only good when it improves the place; this pub is ok but not as good as previously.
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Went there for the first time since Dan and Terry left recently. It's had a refurbishment which has made it lots some of it's character but it's looking clean, and spacious.
Lost the darts board which is a great shame.
Music could be toned down.
Still the nicest place to go for a pint in Blackheath if you want a chat or cards.
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Went into the Hare and Billet after the refurb for Sunday roast. It looks superb. The food was fresh and there are a lot of options available for veggies.... I would recommend this highly... Get there early it tends to be busy on Sundays but it all adds to a great atmosphere.
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Looking good since the refurb. Had Sunday lunch there at the weekend, bit disappointed as it was a microwave job. Other food is very good though. Guinness and Abbot is well kept and delivered.
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Lovely place. However there is one barperson their who is without a doubt the worst I have ever met. When she is on on her own I simply turn round and go to another place in the area. The locals know who I mean.!!
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Agree with all the good points below and it is open late on Friday and Sat to midnight. Woohoo! It also has a very hurriedly built smoking den out the side that had the startings of a roof but is instead just the joists followed by sky!
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Nice pub with a good view of the heath and the pond just opposite. The staff are friendly apart from one who gave my girlfriend a strange look when ordered tea for herself. If you don't want to make tea do not advertise that you sell it!!!
This is my second visit and I am sure there will be more to follow.
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A GK house, so IPA, Abbot and, I think, OSH on my visit. Nice originality and good community feel to the pub and, if you can bag a window seat, somewhere to gaze out on the heath and reflect on life over a pint. If you are in the area to also take in the Dacre Arms then you can turn left from here up Eliot Place then left down Heath La to avoid retracing your steps from Blackheath stn.
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I really, really like this pub - it's managed to stand firm and not become something that it isn't (O'Neils take note). Good lager and one of those pubs that is absolutley perfect for a Saturday afternoon. Or any day for that fact.
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Great pub. Definitely worth the stroll away from the centre of Blackheath for the calm and fine pint.
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Totally agree with cooperrob. No chav's or Pikeys in this place. It seems whilst the whole of Bexleyheath empties and travels to O Neil's, Blackheath retreats and drinks in the Hare. Great atmosphere, Great Pub, Food by all accounts is great too. Really recommend this place, One of my favourites.
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Great pub with no Pikeys or Chavs. Thankfully they stay in O'neils with their alco pops. Good food (can be a bit pricy), good beer (some great ales that are kept well). Well worth a visit, again and again
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Decent beer, service and surroundings. No loud music and the TV only on for major sporting events. Possibly the only real pub left in Blackheath.
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Formerly a Hogshead, this corner pub is now one of the better Greene King outlets. The interior is quite plain with lots of bare wood, a couple of brick fireplaces but nothing over the top. To the rear are a few bookcases but overall the pub has a refreshingly unpretentious approach with the emphasis on being a good solid traditional no thrills night out. Sadly there is no outside drinking so the views over the Heath are a bit diminished. The Staple Green King IPA & Abbot is supplemented by a decent pint of Flowers and the prices are very good for the area. As already mentioned, the customer base is derived from the sensible and more civil end of the Blackheath spectrum and you should have a relatively peaceful and hassle free time. On the downside, the Sunday quiz night is a bit dull but overall the pub is worth walking the extra few minutes to find.
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great pub best in Blackheath
Other is the Dacre Arms for me in Kingswood Place
its true a lot of people cant be bothered to walk up the hill to this little gem.
Thats all the better as u get served almost straight away.
Nice clean friendly pub
Better than the bloomin crown waiting 15 odd mins to get served.
Great pub do yourselves a favour and walk up the hill, you wont be disappointed..
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Best pub in Blackheath by a country mile.
It's the last man standing in the Chav War of Blackheath. Gobby 20-something plumbers seem to find the walk across the grass a walk too far.
Enjoy it while it lasts.
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Blackheath's premier pub. And thankfully not a chav trap. Maybe beacuse it's pretty much away from the main drag of Blackheath (princess of Wales to the Railway). Maybe because it doesn't enourage the herd mentality. Or because it isn't pretentious. Either way, it's rare thing round these parts.
enjoy.
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Nice place - one of the few pubs in Blackheath that don't plonk a couple of heavies at the front door at the weekends so wins points for that. Applaud the lack of blaring music too.
Big up the Hairy Billet!
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Been twice recently - lovely pub, nice atmosphere
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Went to this place for my boyfriend's birthday drinks. Lovely place. Now a Greene King Pub and it shows. Great service and really friendly staff!! didn't try the food although the menu looked good and I will probably go back up there with the boyfriend at some point for something to eat. Great views across the heath and parking outside. Would recommend to anyone who is looking to have a nice quiet drink with mates where you haven't got to shout!
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I called into this place on a busy Saturday night with a group of friends, and I just have to say that it realy wasn't the 'local's pub' that we feared it was going to be. There was a good choice of beers and the barman was very knowledgeable and helpful.Will definitely go back as it seems like a nice place to have a Sunday lunch on a cold winter's day.
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Lovely Pub, would visit more often if the Grim Reaper didn't stand getting plastered atthe end of the bar watching you like a hawk. A dull, intrusive bore of a landlord. Pity- waste of a great pub in a great spot. Mike, Charlton
anonymous - 29 Dec 2005 13:08 |
I'm with Darryl on that one - good to see the rugger buggers gone from this lovely pub !
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Good selection of bitter, however had to request the barman to top up after he'd poured them. Food was terrible, small portions, got the order wrong, flaccid burger looked like something out of a 1980s school dinner, not cheap either. Real shame, used to be a good pub, no wonder it was empty on a saturday afternoon.
anonymous - 16 Oct 2005 10:24 |
In relation to your comment sir (Darryl - 4 Sep 2004 17:59) we do still come in,
And as a prop forward would welcome your comment in relation to your comment.
Where by we can form a little huddle with some of my chums and discuss any further complaint or grievance you may have.
See you Saturday Darryl.
Nice pub enjoy your real ale selection keep up the good work.
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I believe this is part of the same chain that owns/manages the Railway Tavern and The Princess of Wales in Blackheath-the difference between this pub and them being the fact that overbearingly loud music is not played here! At last, a landlord who understands what the punters want! Good-all round choice of beer!
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Much improved over the past year or so - and the rugger buggers seem to have drifted off. Hooray!
Darryl - 4 Sep 2004 17:59 |
Can't go wrong here. Consistent quality, really nice place for a pie, a pint, and a read of the papers on a rainy Sunday afternoon.
Mark - 23 Jul 2004 14:05 |
Brilliant pub, brilliant staff, brilliant landlady and a cracking pub quiz on Sunday evenings
Great views of the heath
Una - 9 Jul 2004 13:54 |
Nice little pub (and I mean little), went there after a Uni exam and it seemed like a locals' pub but we were made very welcome. Nice beer, not too expensive, decent food and daily papers. A nice place for a lazy afternoon if you're passing. 6/10
Steven - 1 Mar 2004 19:22 |
Made a huge mistake last Sunday and decided that - cos it was pelting down with rain - we would avoid walking over the heath to the H&B and so we had Sunday Roast in the Princess of Wales instead. I will never make that mistake again - the H&B has the best sunday roast in Blackheath (the POW has the worst in Europe).
Great pub - you only need to go elsewhere to realise it!
Gus Tavo - 23 Feb 2004 13:22 |
been going ever since I was "legal" and it's only a crawl from home. Yes it's the "old man's pub" but it remains a place to introduce to people you like. Keep it that way for all the other people who think the same. Proves that u dont need loud music & poncy pretentious pric*s to have a good night. It's my fave ub to get absolutely trollied in.
owski - 11 Feb 2004 15:39 |
sunday roasts very highly recommended!
lindsay - 29 Dec 2003 16:43 |
I was there one night last year and there were 5/6 guest ales. What a great night it was as they were all truly unique. If you can reinstate this tradition, you'll have at least one more very satisfied customer.It's what will put the pub a cut above the other, more staid watering holes!
john mas - 21 Nov 2003 13:58 |
Great pub, lovely 'Heath location - known it since the late 80's - good beer, glad to see those horrid pastel-coloured upholstered chairs thrown out and traditional, world-worn wooden tables n chairs re-instituted - shame you can't use outside on the heath, tho' this feature does keep it less heaving, more intimate as a traditional watering hole.
Mal - 8 Nov 2003 11:13 |
Great pub - The Hairy Bill! Excellent beer, great atmosphere. Shame about the 'outside rule'.
Andy - 7 Nov 2003 10:25 |
Needs to re-instate the drinking outside rule again. Top pub, but let down by having no outside space in the summer. Good selection of well kept beers and very friendly bar staff. My favourite in Blackheath by a mile.
Marc - 28 Oct 2003 12:09 |
Nice pub affectionately known to us as The Hairy. Big fat landlord always propping up the end of the bar. Seems to be full of teachers! One thing - far too bright in the evenings. Swap those 100 watt bulbs for 60's and you're laughing.
Tim - 5 Sep 2003 18:36 |
Always was a great pub (except the no beer outside rule) But a great pint of Olde Speckled Hen in the winter, and that makes it for me !!!!! By the way I did get totally wazooed with Mickey Skinner in there one night !!!
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THE ONLY PUB IN BLACKHEATH THAT IS STILL RUN BY THE AME PERSON AS 15 YEARS AGO. DANNY LLOYD HAS CREATED A GREAT PUB!!!!
AYEUP - 6 Jun 2003 21:07 |
The Kent trevors that invade blackheath on the weekend never seem to go here which is a bonus. Also the Stella on tap is damn good.
Nelson - 3 Jun 2003 15:04 |
A lovely pub. Excellent selection of beer, weel kept, no music or TV, nice surroundings, by a pond on the heath. Stormin'.
Vince - 21 May 2003 13:21 |
it's my local, it's gr8
anonymous - 31 Jan 2003 14:42 |
