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Ordnance Arms, St John's Wood, NW8
NW8
NW8 6PS
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 5 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Ordnance Arms
A Sam’s pub 15 minutes trot from the Swiss Cottage. Pretty-looking from the outside with a decent front garden. Upon entering it’s truly bizarre, given the ownership, a very modern refurb with a lot of early 21st century tick boxes – open-plan, metro tiled bar back, exposed brick wall, hipster floorboard flooring, faint cricket theme, rear conservatory, light and bright; the only real giveaway that Beadle’s ghost isn’t having you on are the row of 1970’s lit keg fonts advertising the usual Sam’s wares (no OBB here). I note JAQPTIO’s description from 2011 ‘decor is dark, with few features of interest’. Is this the precursor to the start of a modernising of some of the Sam’s estate? The refurb has certainly altered the customer base compared to the usual Sam’s, with a higher quotient of middle class thirtysomethings replete with a squawking baby. Plumped for a bottle of the Apricot, the most palatable of the ‘fruit’ beers. Got chatting to the antipodean barman who relayed some of his experiences with Humph Junior, who sounds like a chip off the old block. Not sure what to make of this one, even now… 5.5
On 12th February 2020
- rating: 5
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about Ordnance
The Ordnance is a corner pub situated next to a road junction in a leafy area of St Johns Wood.
Once inside there was a single L shaped room with the bar facing,there was comfy bench seating either side of the entrance which faced the bar,there were normal tables and chairs eleswhere.
There was a raised area to the rear left,i did'nt go up to explore what else was up there.
The pub is a Samuel Smiths tied house,sadly no real ales on,but i dont mind their keg beers,i had a drink of keg Samuel Smiths OBB which was a decent drink.
I found this to be a decent enough pub to have few drinks in.
Pub visited 1/5/2014
On 1st May 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about Ordnance
I popped in here the other night for the first time in some years and it's still as unremarkable as ever.
Fancying a pint of Sam Smith's cider, pulled out of sight, I returned to my table only to find that I'd been given a cider/lager shandy. The barmaid had obviously started filling from the lager tap and on realising her mistake, continued filling from the cider tap rather than waste what she'd poured; the resulting concoction was disgusting and it was five deep at the bar. I left and won't return to a pub that rips off its customers.
On 29th October 2013
- rating: 1
[User has posted 1982 recommendations about 1949 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Ordnance Arms
One of those annoying Sam Smith's that refuses to have OBB on handpump, but I suppose that there are worse things than a pint of Extra Stout at £2.46. Anyway, the main bar appears to have been created from two rooms, and there is an additional seating area up a few steps at the back. The decor is dark, with few features of interest. The benches in the patio garden area at the front (and down one side) are quite a pleasant place to sit in good weather.
On 26th March 2011
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about Ordnance Arms
This place isn't the most exciting pub that I have ever been in, but I wouldn't expect much in the way of entertainment from a Sam Smith's pub anyway. Sam Smiths business plan seems to be to provide cheap booze in interesting, well maintained pubs. I wouldn't say that this place is very interesting, but the booze is cheap and the pub is looked after.
The main part of the pub is open plan with some tables and chairs dotted about. There is some more intimate seating up a couple of steps towards the rear of the pub that lead to the conservatory. There is also ample outside seating at the front of the pub leading up the side to the rear.
The main courses on the food menu cost a maximum of £5.95. I didn't see anyone eating so I don't know if it is any good, but you'd be hard pressed to buy a dog turd in St John's Wood for £5.95.
I found the staff to be very pleasant and although I would stay in here all night I would pop in for a couple of cheekies if passing.
On 26th February 2009
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5228 recommendations about 5196 pubs]