please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Came up from Souwf London to what I consider to be one of the few true Gastro with a small G, pubs. Great relaxed atmosphere, yes the clientele can be a reflection of the area but no ethnic cleansing was visible to me, all seemed cool. Pub across the road was empty in comparison. Swallow and Swift from Trumans was a decent pint. The staff were all friendly, the service great. Happy to pay service charge on the food despite not being a Yank, cos someone had to prepare it, carry it, and probably gets minimum wage not London minimum. Not paying SC in the States equals the Electric Chair doesn't it? Surely you don't pay only if it's sh@t?
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This needs a recent review - ale always very well kept, superb food, particularly the seafood platter (take the usual precautions with the oysters) and great interior. Beware a stealth service charge if you sit beyond the till in the bar area.
Love it.
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Bit perplexed by all the negative comments below to be honest.. Think this place has a great ambiance and the Guinness and oysters are a lovely touch
There are always going to be 'rotters at any pub in West London but I think the pretentious tag is a touch harsh... Beauty of democracy is you can just vote with your feet!
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Friendly bar staff with a reasonable pint of Guinness and London Pride.
Despite being opposite the Westbourne this attracts a slightly older more discerning customer. Dog friendly ( so long as you don't own an ASBO dog).
For me not a venue to go to for food, had some bad oysters here once back in the day. The menu on the whole is rather interesting and popular having said that. It won't fill you up but will present an interesting diversion from the normal Burger/Steak/Pie you seem to get in most gastros.
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I actually don't mind the Cow... normally. It's not exactly my crowd but can be interesting people watching. But they lost some business from me over the weekend. I went for one of their famous half dozen oyster deals to tide us over while we were waiting for a dinner table to open up. They were �9 on the menu. I went to pay and the chap said "that'll be �10.13 please." I asked why the extra, and he said, "Service charge." There was no mention of this on the menu. We cancelled our dinner reservation and left. Charging service charges at the bar, on declared bar food prices is outrageous and must be punished. Possibly sacrificing a firstborn, but that might not be sufficiently harsh.
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previous posts slag of the clientele here and whilst that is understandable at least this place feels like a real honest pub. the beer is on the whole kept well , the food most of the time is reliable and sometimes quite superb. i nearly always come away feeling satisfied and often quite over served.
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As the clientele of a pub usually define its atmosphere, if you wish to surround yourself with 'notting hill toffs and foreign bankers' then this is indeed the place for you.
No jealouy required; normally all the nice people go to the Cock and Bottle instead. Proof if proof be needed that money does not afford class.
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Agreed, its full of notting hill toffs and foreign bankers, so what. It attarcts the famous and the beautiful too. Yes, it does get crowded on many nights and so can be cramped but thats because its popular (and small). The beer choice is good, there's really excellent food every night of the week (rabbit, game, fish, crab, oysters), and friendly bar staff to boot. People who slate this place based on the characters who drink here and serve here are just small minded... or jealous.. or 'all bar one' lager drinkers. Don't let them put you off!
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this is a very trendy pub with really nice food. it used to be a dump many, many years ago. nice for a pub lunch rather than a beer up
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Am considering leaving a ladder outside on my next visit - in case the people inside ever needed to climb out of their own arses.
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What on Gods green earth is going on with this place�? Once you get past the throng of psuedo Bohemians that block the entrance you�re confronted by a dense fog of cigarette smoke that prevents you seeing a bloody thing. Forced to use our ESP we eventually found the bar and conversing with a voice hidden in the mist I ordered two pints of Guinness. Twenty minutes later still no Guinness and the voice seemed further away, So After shouting several times without luck I gave up and left� no idea what happened to my mate could have fallen down a chasm for all I know.
So if any of you decide to visit this place! Please shout �Andy� a few times, if you get a reply.. Tell him I left�Cheers.
anonymous - 5 Sep 2006 15:37 |
Does anyone remember the ad when someone (maybe Johnny Vaughan) is jogging through Hyde Park and then stands outside a pub where people are wearing trendy trainsers and makes a funny comment to them? Well this is the pub.
I've lived in the area 5 years and never managed to get a seat inside. The food is all fish and is meant to be really good but not if you're veggie.
It's really nice to sit outside during the summer though and people-watch on the old-fashioned wooden pew-like seats.
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Meal for two with champagne ~�150. Just finished our food with plently of champagne left, one of the waiters asks if we will give up our table and stand as they are a bit busy. The staff seem pretty miserable and a bit stupid. Food seemed ok at the time but I had the runs the next day.
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do you like boozing with pretentious c0cks? well, this is your lucky day...
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the reputation of this place as somewhere worth going to, beggars belief,..I wouldn't cross the road to go in there let alone cross tube zones,...don't!,..its a tiny, irrelevant and instantly forgettable....
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The Dining rooms, above the pub have Atrocious service. Fairly expensive, as expected, but the food wasn't something to write home about. However, you're left with a bad taste in your mouth because of the rude and inattentive servers. It's purely because of their behaviour that I won't recommend this place, nor would I be going back.
anonymous - 28 Jan 2005 18:25 |
The Cow is an inspiration to us all, it's put the pub back in to gastropub. The prices for both food and drink are excellent given the quality of both in a place which remains true to the origins of the pub, something which cannot be said for many gastropubs.
Michael - 6 Oct 2004 17:29 |
This tiny pub specialises in seafood (oysters are a speciality) sadly the staff are rude and arrogant and the service is crap. The restaurant upstairs however is EXCELLENT! a small intimate space serving good simple food. Both are part of the 'Tom Conran ( son of Sir Terence) Empire' which includes Lucky Seven just down the road.
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The best pub in London.
Chris - 13 Jul 2004 15:41 |
Small, very busy pub- faces the brasher, sloaney Westbourne Tavern. Great Seafood and good beer.
James - 16 Apr 2004 17:00 |
