The Grapes Reviews Summary

Atmosphere & Ambience

Pros:

• "The atmosphere here was convivial and calm even though the pub was busy."
• "We especially loved that there’s no music being played which gives you better ambience cause you do actually talk and listen- perfect location:) cheers team!"
• "Great place... lots of atmosphere... a great neighborhood pub."
• "This is a magical place, not only because it's owned by Gandalf himself, but also to the atmosphere."
• "The atmosphere of this place is the main reason why you will like it from the very first moment."
• "For me the pub definitely has a very authentic british pub atmosphere."
• "Lovely experience in this very authentic English pub."

Cons:

• "Historic pub with a very weird atmosphere and filled with very odd people."
• "The food, as I experienced it on Saturday, was old-fashioned greasy."
• "Very classic and old pub. LotR is probably the main draw, but other than that it is quite average and un-spectacular."

Service & Staff

Pros:

• "The lady behind the bar was very funny and kept us entertained!"
• "Staff are very friendly and the place is clean and welcoming."
• "The staff was extremely friendly, chatty and hilarious, making us stay for a few more pints than intended."
• "The bartender was very lovely."
• "The staff are always friendly and welcoming."
• "Staff were very friendly and efficient."
• "The staff were friendly, knowledgeable and efficient."

Cons:

• "The young lad on the bar was rude as heck."
• "Drunk abusive manager behind the bar, shocking language and drinking tequila neat in a tea cup."
• "Charged me twice for a round, saying the first payment hadn’t gone through."
• "Words cannot convey my disappointment in this pub, or rather the staff and management of the pub. They are taking co-vid measures to the extreme!"
• "Staff weren't particularly bad, but a tiny bit aggressive with the covid restrictions."
• "Staff made it clear we were a bother."
• "Unfortunately we were really put off by the unfriendly service."

Food & Drink

Pros:

• "They do one of the best Sunday roast."
• "The Desserts were great though, if a little rich."
• "The chef deserves an award - I expect she has many!"
• "Had the tapas, absolutely delicious 😋 & very reasonably-priced too."
• "We had the seafood platter for two, all fresh and tasty with crunchy fries."
• "The food was really good (in particular the cheeseburger and the fish and chips) and the service was excellent."
• "The food is amazing."

Cons:

• "The fish and chips was probably the worst I have ever had, the fish tasted off, and the calamari was cold."
• "I was crestfallen when what I was brought was a soggy, microwaved frozen pie."
• "When it came it wasn't homemade it was dry, hard pastry with no gravy."
• "I ordered a fish and chips and it was honestly the worst I ate in London."
• "The food was average, and despite the price point being lower than expected for the area, the value was also probably worse."
• "The massive let down though, is their food. You can make out they use great quality ingredients but the taste is just off."
• "The quality of the food is not good."

Location & Views

Pros:

• "Really lovely old pub on the Thames with views of Bermondsey, the Shard and Canary Wharf."
• "Nice quiet pub in limehouse with lots of history on the banks of the Thames."
• "A really old London boozer by the Thames, friendly and efficient staff, it's got a small balcony on the ground floor and smaller balcony on the 1st floor with nice views of the Thames."
• "It has an outside deck overlooking the Thames and an Anthony Gormley."
• "The views from the deck made the journey by boat worthwhile."
• "The view from the balcony is an unobstructed outlook over the Thames."
• "A beautiful little pub on the river."

Cons:

• "Place is tiny and hard to get to."
• "Unfortunately it had rained earlier and the seating was wet. No effort had been made to dry seats or provide water resistant cushions which could easily have been done."
• "The restaurant and the loo were up very steep steps so not very accessible."
• "Restaurant inaccessible for wheelchair users due to steep steps and lack of a lift."
• "However, quite narrow and limited seating."
• "The pub is tiny so allow for waiting times if you want to sit down for food."
• "Mind that this is a small pub and it might be difficult to find a seat."

Payment & Pricing

Pros:

• "Reasonably priced."
• "It's surprisingly cheap for the quality of it."
• "Our pints were enjoyable and not overly expensive."

Cons:

• "Also an extra star removed because I was told I could not pay with cash, which I find extraordinary in a supposedly traditional pub."
• "£10.80 for a glass of mediocre rosé."
• "Been here before and have already been bitten by the extraordinary prices."
• "Given the quality, the drinks were overpriced. This, on top of the final insult of not accepting cash, put us off ordering any food or any more drinks. Why not accept cash? Massive disappointment!"
• "We found that we could not pay for our drinks in cash, it had to be credit card."
• "A bit pricey on the beers (around 5£/pint), ok for the menu: definitely it's worth a visit!"
• "Poor value too as £11.95 for a small bowl containing 2 scoops of rice and 1.5 of beef curry, about a starter portion, is not anything like reasonable."

Unique Features & History

Pros:

• "As the pub is owned by Sir Ian McKellen, there are a few nods to him in the furnishings 😉."
• "Even cooler is the association with Sir Ian McKellen. His staff from Lord of the Rings sits behind the bar, and the art on the walls is great."
• "That's before you see Gandalfs staff erected behind the bar and you realise it is owned by Ian McKellen!"
• "Co-owned by Sir Ian McKellen, with Gandalf’s staff secured behind the bar, this place exudes character and charm."
• "You can’t beat the Gandalf staff hanging up against the back wall (a tribute to the pub’s owner Sir Ian McKellen)."
• "For me, it's a special place just because Gandalf's staff is hanging on the walls of the pub."
• "This pub is part owned by Sir Ian Mckellen (Gandalf in Lord of the Rings) and has a rich history of connections with Pepys, Dickens and Oscar Wilde."

Cons:

• "Chalk board outside says proper East End pub. East end pub ✔️…. Proper ✖️."
• "The history of this building is incredible with two entrances, one for women to order being via an alleyway to then drink back on the streets."
• "If you're considering coming to see Gandalf's staff, don't bother."