BITE user comments - Adam1974
Comments by Adam1974
The Tooting Tram & Social, Tooting
Wow this place has changed since the days of the Tramshed. We could never get in before due to police closures....!
The decor is delightfully tasteful, the bar staff are polite and efficient, the loos are spotless and nicely done out, there's plenty of seating, and the atmosphere on a schoolnight is nice and intimate.
Two things though: Why oh WHY do they not do food? We had to leave and spend our money elsewhere! And they have a nice protected area outside which could be a little bit more smoker-friendly - there are no heaters at all! Brrrrrr.
Anyway - great boozer, and pikey-free. Well worth a visit.
12 Mar 2009 12:46
The Bunch of Grapes, London Bridge
Sussexred will be pleased to note that, even when rammed, service is now very speedy. The bar staff are friendly and very efficient - and a bar lady who's particularly easy on the eye. The food (served til 9) is great although the menu is a little limited. They have a lovely sheltered heated beer garden at the back, which is perfect for a comfortable smoke - even on a chilly winter's night. This pub has come a long way and the improvements are evident. We'll definitely be back, and may well make this our after work regular! Highly recommended.
17 Dec 2008 11:24
The Round Table, Leicester Square
When it was suggested that we visited here on Thursday I was extremely alarmed by the comments below. However Thirstyboy is spot on. What a great boozer!!!
Location: seconds from Leicester Square on a quiet alleyway - and fairly free of tourists
Beers: Plenty of standard and premium beers on tap, and good ales too
Price: VERY reasonable for food and drink - my local in Tooting is far more expensive
Food: Served 'til late (1030 if my memory serves me correctly). Great menu - traditional pub grub but definitely home made (the Chicken Kiev is actually made from real chicken, rather than beak/gristle/ankle).
Service: Amazing! If you're sitting upstairs, they will offer table service. Lack of barmen for your next order? No problem! The blackboard kindly offers their phone number to call for service! The staff are really friendly and professional and genuinely look like they value your custom (rare for a boozer). When I told them that there was no soap in the loos, the landlord was mortified and sorted it immediately. Glasses are collected from the tables very regularly.
Ambience: Very friendly - a pub that's great for talking without being drowned out by crap music
Decor: All the period features remain, and it's in immaculate condition. Very clean too.
Smokers: Well catered for with outside seating. And the ashtrays are cleaned very regularly.
We'll definitely make this a regular haunt. Why isn't every pub like this? Top work, Mr Landlord.
9 Aug 2008 20:15
This could be such a great pub, which is so frustrating. It has a great terrace, which is well heated and comfortable. The bar area is well kept, but that's where it stops. The loos smell so bad that you want to wretch, the staff can't speak English and are rude, and the music is so loud that it's impossible to conduct a conversation unless you want to bellow at your friends all night. Ask them to turn it down a notch and you will get a very frosty response. The food is reasonably priced, but is hit and miss. OK selection of lagers. If you're foolish enough to want to drink in there after 1030, you're in for a shock. At 1029 the music stops, the terrace heaters and games machines are switched off, the lights come up, and the rude service gets distinctly ruder. The pub officially has the traditional opening times, though?! If you fancy a challenge, try staying until 1120 - it's hillarious.
SORT IT OUT, MUDLARK! You're as bad as the Old Thameside round the corner for staff (avoid that pub like the plague). With good bar staff who actually make you feel welcome, and clean bogs this could be a very good boozer. A rating of 4 is generous.
24 Feb 2008 13:54
The Long Room Bar and Hotel, Tooting
What a transformation. The old Mitre bar staff proudly announced that it was the roughest pub in Tooting, and they weren't wrong.
The Long Room is going from strength to strength. It has been quiet ever since they opened last year, but has been getting steadily busier. The decor is tasteful, but it does seem a little bright - they need to turn the lights down to create a bit more of an atmosphere. The staff are polite, the beer is cold and the outside seating area is lovely. I know smoking is bad for your health, but you're likely to die of cold before you get lung cancer - they do have heaters, but they're useless and very often switched off!
Overall, 7 out of 10 - but this bar is definitely on the up, and I am sure it will be 10 out of 10 soon! This area of Tooting has needed a good bar like this for a long time - keep it up, Long Room!!
16 Feb 2008 19:20
The Clarence, Balham
What a great place! The bar staff are friendly, polite, helpful and actually look like they want to work there. They offer table service, the food is good value and very tasty, there is a patio (occasionally heated only) at the back and outdoor seating to the side which are ideal for a comfortable smoke. The only minus point is that the loos seem to be soap-free! I cannot recommend this bar highly enough - it makes such a change to go to a bar that actually seems to value your business. A definite 9/10.
20 Apr 2010 17:19