User name:

Password:

Login


Sign in with Facebook


Not already a member?
Join our community and - Rate & review pubs - Upload pictures - Add events JOIN for free NOW


Chat about:
New pub visits 2024 with Brainypool on the Pub Forum

Picture of The Steam Packet
Image posted by Moby Duck
Submitted on Saturday, 14th August 2021
With picture contributions to 1043 other pubs
View all this pub's pictures (11 more images)
Only members may add pictures, click to receive free membership

The Steam Packet, Kew Bridge, W4

85 Strand On The Green
W4
W4 3PH
Correct details

Served areas

Reviews of The Steam Packet (Average Rating: of 10) Add Review see review guidelines

Tris C left this review about The Steam Packet

This pub dates from the mid-19th century but spent many years from the 1980s until recently as part of the Dôme/Café Rouge chain, the original name reinstated in 2019, taken from mail ships (delivering packets), powered – unsurprisingly – by steam.
It’s well described below, with a very blue colour scheme and an abundance of rather vulgar near lapis lazuli tilework, which would probably have given even Tutankhamun a headache. The floor is dark bare boarded, traditional furniture some tall, framed prints so beloved of Chiswick pubs and white opaque hanging lanterns. Customers were few in number, a more traditional local bunch being quite earthy and at variance with the locals in the other riverside pubs.
A cask selection amounted to Pride, Brunning & Price Traditional Bitter, then Ghost Ship at an utterly jaw dropping £3.30 a half and fine.
This is the least desirable of this riverside’s quartet, but the considerably higher-than-central-London pricing hits the score even further; I certainly wouldn’t have stayed to pay these prices and consider this: the legendary Express Tavern is about 150 yards to the north-west of here, where there are 10 pumps, a half of Titanic Plum Porter costing £2.50.

On 21st May 2023 - rating: 3
[User has posted 1956 recommendations about 1923 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Pub SignMan left this review about The Steam Packet

Just down the road from Kew Bridge station, this is a smart Brunning & Price pub with a prime riverside location, albeit, the pub is on the opposite side of the road to the river. You enter into a smart ground floor room with a good mix of seating throughout the roughly square space. The room is bare boarded and has a mix of painted and tiled walls with some etched glass panes in an attractive corner door. Most of the seating looked comfy, including plush banquettes along the back wall, with a few functional tables and chairs here and there as well. The servery is along the left-hand wall and has a traditional counter and bar back, with an unusual brass handrail along the counter, with naked ladies in the style of ship’s mastheads along its length. To the rear is a wood panelled room with booth-like seating, set up more for diners than drinkers, and stairs lead up to a first floor dining room, which has access to a colonial style balcony with great river views. The pub was packed when I visited ahead of a match at the nearby Brentford Community Stadium, so I took my pint across the road, where a number of customers were enjoying drinks leant against the riverbank wall. There’s also a small pavement-side decked area out the front of the pub, but the riverbank wall means the view of the river is obscured from here.
Upon entering the pub, I was faced with a long queue, snaking almost to the far corner of the room, and with no space to push through to the bar, I reluctantly had to join it. However, as I neared the front of the queue, some bloke barged past and started having a go at me for queuing, pointing out that we’re supposed to queue along the length of the bar. I’m not sure if he worked here or not, but he got a mouthful from me, as I’m not taking the blame for this stupid queuing phenomenon that seems to be common in pubs post-lockdown. Anyway, I eventually reached the bar and found three cask ales on the go - Brunning & Price Bitter, Fullers London Pride and Adnams Mosaic (£5.40). I’m not a huge fan of the latter, but gave it a go anyway and was surprised with how much I enjoyed it.
This is a lot smaller than other Brunning and Price pubs I’ve been to, which made it feel cramped and chaotic when visited at a peak time. It seems quite nicely madeover and had plenty of spots that looked like they’d be nice to settle down in, but I preferred the more drink-led Bell and Crown just down the road and would probably head there for pre-match pints next time.

On 6th November 2022 - rating: 6
[User has posted 3102 recommendations about 3102 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Steve C left this review about The Steam Packet

I must have walked past here hundreds of times over the years on my way to the Bell and Crown for lunchtime beers. I never felt the urge to go in because it was a Café Rouge. A transformation into the Steam Packet put this pub on my radar, and I managed to have my first visit on a recent Saturday afternoon an hour or so before kick-off at the New Lionel Road Stadium.
Out the front is a small veranda and a small hatch to the left was serving beer in plastic glasses to a small queue of Bees fans. Inside there is a bar on the left wall that faces a mix of high and standard tables on wooden flooring. I was surprised to find myself a free table, in fact I was surprised that it wasn’t a lot busier in here due to the stadium being less than 3 minutes away. Some stairs lead to upstairs seating and there is more seating tucked away at the back where the toilets are also located.
The bar supports three handpumps that were drawing Fuller’s London Pride, Adnam’s Mosaic and St Austell Brunning & Price Traditional Bitter. A premium keg selection is also available, as is food but I didn’t spot any menus. I went for a pint of Camden Helles that cost £6.20 and was served in a proper glass. I was very comfortable in here and will probably return next time I’m in Brentford to watch the mighty Bees.

On 17th September 2022 - rating: 7
[User has posted 5179 recommendations about 5148 pubs]


View more reviews of The Steam Packet (7)
External web links for The Steam Packet

Pubs Galore is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Pub location see interactive map of local area
Map location corrected by Rex Rattus
Kew Bridge, 0.28 miles, 5 min walk (show)
Gunnersbury, 0.72 miles, 13 min walk (show)
Kew Gardens, 1.16 miles, 22 min walk (show)
Latest updates View all updates for The Steam Packet, W4
21st May 2023, 19:41
Review submitted by Tris C
 
6th Nov 2022, 15:33
Review submitted by Pub SignMan

Pub Details

Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.

  • Accommodation : No last updated 07 October 2019 by Tris C
  • Bar Billiards : No last updated 06 November 2022 by Pub SignMan
  • Beer Garden : No last updated 06 November 2022 by Pub SignMan
  • Car Park : No last updated 05 October 2019 by Rex Rattus
  • Child Friendly : Yes last updated 06 November 2022 by Pub SignMan
  • Darts : No last updated 06 November 2022 by Pub SignMan
  • Dog Friendly : Yes last updated 05 October 2019 by Rex Rattus
  • Function Room : Yes last updated 06 November 2022 by Pub SignMan
  • Hot Food : Yes last updated 05 October 2019 by Rex Rattus
  • Jukebox : No last updated 06 November 2022 by Pub SignMan
  • Karaoke : No last updated 06 November 2022 by Pub SignMan
  • Live Music : Yes last updated 06 November 2022 by Pub SignMan
  • Micropub : No last updated 07 October 2019 by Tris C
  • Pinball : No last updated 05 October 2019 by Rex Rattus
  • Pool Table : No last updated 05 October 2019 by Rex Rattus
  • Real Ale : Yes last updated 05 October 2019 by Rex Rattus
  • Real Cider : No last updated 06 November 2022 by Pub SignMan
  • Wheelchair Access : Yes - Disabled WC. - last updated 20 May 2023 by Tris C
  • WiFi : Yes last updated 07 October 2019 by Tris C
Local pubs

Icon Key: Picture Recommendation Rating Closed