please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
One of the better pubs in the area. Can get very busy. Nothing to rave about but nothing to really complain about.
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Found this place to be quite nice on a Tuesday evening. Seemed to be just busy enough without feeling packed and the service was attentive and decent. Been to better Shepherd Neame pubs, but I have to say i like the fact that they try and stay traditional.
I'd certainly pop in again if I was in the area. Nothing not to like and probably a better choice than the Barley Mow a few doors down.
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Visited late on a Friday night. Only one real ale on which was an "adequate" pint of Late Red. When I enquired why only one beer on I was informed that the pub is closed at weekends and they weren't going to put another barrel on.
I kind of understand but worth knowing if you plan to visit this pub. I was on a 9 pub crawl of the area and this was probably the lease friendly of all the pubs.
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Absolutely bog-standard boozer. Bit old fashioned with the carpets and all but an OK place for a pint I suppose. There are probably better options within 200 metres though.
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A big thumbs up to the White Horse and Bower. It certainly offers a lot in contrast to the competing establishments in the local area, not least the fantastically friendly service. There's always a good mixed crowd, it doesn't smell (Barley Mow a couple of roads down urgently needs to rescind the smoking ban!). Also much more reasonably priced than the extortionate loose box across the road.
They've also started to introduce quiz nights and live music nights which are quite popular! As is the darts board.
Always a decent selection of Ales, lagers and wines. Food is also good.
Dal_U - 26 Apr 2011 16:14 |
New music venue on Horseferry Road.
The land of Westminster and Civil Servants has now been transformed with the sound of music. The White House and Bower has now started live music performances courtesy of the manager Anthea. This is a change of direction for the old man of Horseferry Road. Staff are friendly and polite. The opening band to play at the venue was the Bob Villains, a Bob Dylan tribute band. Not a bad start for the venue and a good choice. I have never been much of a Dylan Fan myself however they did the back catalogue justice. The band used a young female singer for the folk numbers and a backing band for Dylan�s rock numbers . However, I did find this very enjoyable and a good direction for the White House and Bower. This is a promising venue for Houseferry Road and one which I will be watching with interest in the coming months. I certainly will be visiting again.
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Single bar street corner Sheps pub on Horseferry Road.
As previous posters have infeered, it's a pleasant, but unremarkable pub with nothing much really of note. It's carpeted - always a plus point in my book - and the seating is the usual mix of sofas, bar stools, chairs and those awful longish high tables that seem to be de rigeur nowadays. There's several large Sheps related photographs down the far end of the pub.
On my recent Thursday evening visit, the pub was quite busy, mainly, so it would appear, with local office workers. The Xmas Drinkies season now seems to be upon us and there were the usual mixed groups of squiffy and giggly girls and men - many of whom were old enough to know better - leching and leering and trying to look down their blouses in anone too subtle manner.
Background music was loud enough to make sensible conversation difficult and there's a strictly limited number of times that I want to hear the perennial favourites from Wizzard, Slade etc.
However, staff seemed efficient and on the ball and I got served impressively quickly. Both the Spitfire and the Bishops Finger at � 3.25p and � 3.30p respectively were in excellent form. The Master Brew was the only other Sheps beer on. The pub is clearly CAMRA friendly and I was able to pick up a copy of the latest London Drinker.
The WHB is one of those typical pubs that London seems to specialise in - nothing specifically to like or dislike at all. I might pop in again if passing by - particularly at a quieter time - but then again, I might just carry on past the pub. It's that sort of pub really
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I went to this pub with three fellow interns to celebrate the end of our internship. When we got there, the pub was quite busy but we were able to order our food almost straight away. But this was the only positive point. Everyone's food came at different times with one person finishing before anyone else's food had arrived and two others waiting 40mins for a salad and ham and chips. My food was absolutely awful. The salad did not have cos lettuce like stated on the menu, the bacon was thoroughly burnt and there was about 3 chunks of chicken. Overall the result was very disappointing and the food was below standard. Rubbish experience and would not recommend friends to go there!
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An attractive fa�ade aside, The White Horse and Bower is a plain and rather non-descript Shepherd Neame house, though here at least offers its patrons somewhere to settle for a couple of well-conditioned pints, if not a lot else. The carpeted interior is one large knocked through room, with very little to catch ones attention: a few black-and-white prints, jugs, urns and a large, well-positioned plasma television � showing Sky News during my recent stay. The toilets are situated in the basement and basic, no-thrills pub fare is available for those wishing for a bite. Clientele present on the occasion of my visit seemingly consisted of local office-types and in fact, being situated slightly away from the main Westminster and Whitehall attractions, few tourists. Choice at the bar was a reasonable as could be expected, with a decent array of the brewer�s ales on offer: Masterbrew, Spitfire, the autumn seasonal, Late Red and a further fourth pump, with its clip sadly reversed � usually Canterbury Jack, by the looks of things. The bar personnel were attentive and hardworking and seemingly have a good relationship with their thirsty regulars. To conclude: whilst here is evidently a pub which pleases its core custom, it is too lacking within to warrant much more than an average rating. Top-marks for the well conditioned ales, but a thumbs-down for the lack of interesting features within.
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As can be seen from the photo this is a long narrowish pub (it extends back to the right hand side of the photo). Shepherd Neame and fairly comfortable although I agree with rpadam that there is not much furniture giving it a spartan look. One flatscreen TV against the backwall which doesn't dominate the pub and has virtually no effect at all on the front half. Happy to have a pint in here but given the alternatives in the area I'm unlikely to return.
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A rather spartan looking Shepherd Neame house, particularly inside where large expanses of plain painted walls give a somewhat institutional feel. Three real ales on (plus another handpump with the clip turned round), including an excellent pint of Late Red. Friendly barmaid, who also made an effort to give useful advice to a couple of tourists seeking directions.
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Sheps pub that has been refurbished and generally brightened up fairly recently. I've been served a couple of very average pints in here, one of Masterbrew and one of Kents Best on different evenings. So I'm not convinced about the beer quality generally. I only go in if some of my work colleagues want to call in. It can get very busy early evening when the offices empty out. To be honest I'd rather go to the Speaker (along Monck Street and turn left) or the Royal Oak (100 yards along Horseferry Road and then left into Regency Street). Both sell much better beer.
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A neat and tidy but rather faceless Shepherd Neame corner pub a few doors down from the Barley Mow and sufficiently far enough away from the general touristy area of Westminster to retain a local�s ambience. The interior is 2 rooms knocked through and the d�cor rather plain and unfussy with plenty of pictures and murals that ultimately fail to diguise the feeling of bare space that seems to eminate from within. 4 Ales from the Shep Neame range � Spitfire, Kents Best, Master Brew and my first sighting of the brewery�s new Canterbury Jack ale. Customer base is generally fairly civilised and the piped music rather bland and just about audible. A well positioned plasma screen is situated on the rear wall and there is a paper rack if you have struggled to find the elusive Lite / London Paper distributer. Not unlike its near neighbour, there is nothing special to draw you to the place but it is fine for a relatively peaceful, quick, couple of pints.
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cracking pub if you a decent pint and friendly staff. Foods pretty standard during the day but thats no loss I'm at work! Guiness isn't even bitter! There's also a few football games on a plasma but only if its on digital tv.
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You what? No fosters - how glad am I..? If you're after pub that isn't full of dross, this is worth a visit.
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NEW MANAGER IS VERY GOOD. NICE BEER. WELL WORTH A VISIT
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average pub with not a lot of atmosphere have found the food expensive and disapointing
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Yep not too bad, beer is quite good. A bit too quiet maybe. Perhaps everyone has gone to the Barley Mow up the road...
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Excellent real ale pub. Efficient, friendly staff. And the ginger barmaid can do whatever she likes to me.
anonymous - 12 Jul 2006 14:46 |
we went in for a quick lite ale, but turned out to be the longest, the ginger barmaid seemed more interested in play the quiz machine than serving us. closing half a tiny pub off for a private function is not a great idea!!
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6pm and a warm sunny day, S&N Kent Best went down well. Mix of locals and those on way home, not much seating outside.
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Just got back from here. Very nice and helpful staff, good beer and a friendly atmosphere.
Bit pricey but nothing unusual for the area (2 spitfires and a Kentish Ale = �7.90)
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Extremely friendly barman/manager, wonderful range of nicely kept Shepherd Neame beers. Highly recommended.
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Vast improvement on previous incarnation. Best place in the area by miles.
gumpy - 30 Oct 2005 17:40 |
This pub is vintage stilton to the chalk of its previous incarnation. The new (since Nov 2004) Shepherd Neame staff care about their ale and work hard to keep an excellent Spitfire and other Shep offerings as well as great seasonal fare (Late Red in the Autumn is a personal favourite). Lagers are not big names but good quality alternatives. Bar staff very friendly. Quality food served lunch and evening but a bit pricey. No screens for sport but the management have made a deliberate choice to promote a "real" family pub atmosphere instead, making the best of the new interior, and it works. Highly recommended.
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The best pub in this postcode by a mile.
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A fantastic real ale pub. The staff are friendly and competent, and the Spitfire is spot on. Food's pretty good as well. Pay it a visit.
anonymous - 24 Aug 2005 15:02 |
Great refurbishment since reopening in late 2004. Didn't change the 'look' of the place, but really cleaned it up. No sport is shown here anymore, but if you want a nice pint, in nice surroundings and friendly staff and punters, you'll not go too wrong here.
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Pub reopened 8th November 2004 as a Shepherd Neame pub after a �170,000 refurbishment.
Keith Johnson - 8 Nov 2004 10:07 |
It is going to change to a Shepherd Neame Pub very soon!
toddles - 5 Sep 2004 14:10 |
TIME FOR A SW1 UPDATE
THIS PUB HAS BEEN CLOSED SINCE DECEMBER 2003
spotter - 12 Aug 2004 12:08 |
Good for watching football but very little else. No atmosphere and both ales (Bass & London Pride) off when I visited with no effort to put them back on. All this and Celtic lost! Avoid unless you're watching sport.
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Very good reasonably priced food. Can often get booze deals. Friendly atmosphere, but shame about the building work opposite as can get very loud and ground shakes.
2tin - 12 Sep 2003 14:38 |
