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Disappointment of the week with Real Ale Ray
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Raven, Bermondsey, SE1
SE1
SE1 2UP
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Raven
The Raven is an open plan pub with high tables in the windows and an L-shaped bar on the left wall. In the centre of the room are some tables and banquettes run down the right wall and across the rear. No televisions, but there was some 1970’s music playing during a recent midweek early evening visit. The bar supports four hand pumps, three of which were in operation drawing Sharp’s Doom Bar and Sea Fury alongside Sandford Cider. Premium keg was also available. The service was friendly, but the location dictates that half a Sea Fury was £3. Food is available, the burgers are priced at around £16 and the excellent Pieminister menu is in operation, they’re great pies, although I’ve never had them here. The service was very friendly, but there’s not much to this place to be honest. Think I’ll leave it to the tourists in future.
On 19th March 2023
- rating: 5
[User has posted 5228 recommendations about 5196 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The Raven
Owned by the people behind the Euston Tap. Interior as described by real ale ray below with a “pool hall” upstairs (3 tables & dartboard).
On 28th October 2019
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Raven
Looking at the old picture of this pub, I can see from my visit that the new pub company have taken away the complete frontage of the old pub and have constructed a new front that receeds back from the pavement by about one metre. The interior had an island bar with 13 keg beers dispensed from a central stainless steel column in the middle of the bar. The bar area was finished in oak and the perimeter walls also had oak panelling with grey painted walls. There was green leather banquette seating along high tables running along both sides of the room and the floor was finished in a dark timber.
The staff were all in their early 20's and were all bright and jolly and very welcoming. Six handpumps serving five cask and one cider. We went for the Gorgeous Brewery Goofy Hoof Pale Ale, which was excellent and worthy of a second pint.
On 21st June 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Bridge House
Fortunately there were quite a few in just having a drink on this early evening visit, but I can see the comments that this place comes over a more bar / restaurant than pub.
I noticed two pumps each for Adnams Bitter and Broadside and then also Ghost ship, and my pint of Broadside was fine enough. I will add myself to the list who find it strange that this is the type of place that Adnams would choose as their only outlet in London. As I can take or leave Adnams beers I can’t see myself returning to this one over some of the more true pub experiences close by.
On 31st March 2017
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Bridge House
This is still an Adnam's house, with Southwold Bitter, Fat Sprat, and my favourite Adnam's beer, Ghost Ship on when we visited at lunchtime on Friday. Pints of Southwold Bitter and Ghost Ship came to £8.80, which is at the top end of the price spectrum, even for a pub that's just a stone's throw from Tower Bridge. They clearly do food as saw people eating, but I didn't get to see a menu. There's apparently a restaurant upstairs, but I didn't go exploring up there.
We were greeted by a young lady who would presumably have ushered us to a table for two, but on saying we just wanted a drink we were allowed to proceed to the bar without an escort. I suspect that table service was available, as I saw said young lady bringing a tray of drinks to one table.
This place seemed pleasantly quiet after the mayhem of The Draft House just down the road, even though there was some music playing not too loudly. But this is obviously essentially a tourists' pub due to its proximity to Tower Bridge, being full of visitors as far as I could tell. I didn't spot any obvious regulars. But for all that it's fairly comfortably furnished - just a couple of tall tables/tall stools, with banquette seating along the right hand wall, plus a good number of normal tables and chairs.
I really didn't mind this one at all. I like to see tourists enjoying themselves. It's not a destination pub, but a decent place to stop off for a pint.
On 30th May 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roy Collins left this review about The Bridge House
A small modern decor bar selling a full range of Adnams ales. Good to sit by the front window and watch the hordes of people heading up to Tower Bridge.
On 22nd April 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 124 recommendations about 121 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Bridge House
This funny little bar is apparently Adnams’ only tied house in London and has entrances to the front and rear. A good number of pumps with Adnams’ full range plus some specials in decent nick but quite expensive (so much for economies of scale!) though the halves were served in very nice stemmed goblets. The interior resembles a mash-up between a wine bar and an Antic pub. It works after a fashion but I do wonder quite why Adnams use this as their London showcase venue. The décor is eclectic, with framed Top of the Pops LP covers, a huge metalwork clock behind the bar, red and purple walls and a large RAF amongst other things. A lot of it seemed quite new but perhaps that’s more down to a regime of constant upkeep? Clientele and ambience were a little more upmarket than I…if it wasn’t for the ale list I probably wouldn’t strive to give this one a second visit but seeing as it’s a quick trot from the nearby Dean Swift it makes for a decent stop for a quick half.
On 4th July 2013
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Bridge House
This Adnams pub is located just a few yards down the road from Tower Bridge and has seemingly decided to go for a modern bar/restaurant look, perhaps to lure in a few tourists, rather than any attempt at a traditional pub. The interior is all dark wood floor and white/pastel coloured walls with leather banquettes at the rear of the room set up for diners and only a few pews and tables at the front for those just wanting a drink. The menu is listed on blackboards along the back wall and there were lots of drinks detailed in a similar fashion behind the bar. I turned up quite late in the evening, so a lot of diners had probably left, but even then I didn't feel that comfortable sat there with just a pint and my paper.
There were four handpulls all dispensing Adnams beer with Broadside, Bitter, Explorer (£3.50) and a new Royal Wedding beer available. My pint of Explorer was in decent condition and the bloke who served me was very friendly.
As Adnams' only tied house in the capital, I thought this was a bit of a weird way to showcase the brewery. My overall impression of the place was that it was bland without being off-putting.
On 5th May 2011
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Bridge House
Given that Adnams have only one hostelry in London, it is surprising that they didn't choose somewhere a bit more 'pub-ish' than this bar. Moderately inoffensive modern decor, but at least half of the tables are set aside for diners rather than people just having a drink. Had a pint of East Green which claims to be "the UK's first carbon neutral beer"; not bad, but probably more of a marketing exercise than a necessary addition to the Adnams range of draught beers.
On 25th June 2008
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
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john mcgraw left this review about The Bridge House
Medium sized single bar pub on the southside approach to Tower Bridge. Adnams beers on tap
On 27th February 2007
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]