The Dartmouth Castle, Hammersmith, W6

Official site of The Dartmouth Castle - www.thedartmouthcastle.co.uk

A Victorian street-corner pub that has seen better days although one or two nice features survive such as the carved bar back with etched mirrors. Three pumps - offering Landlord, Doom Bar and Otter Bitter which was in good form. Overall impression = average and I'd only return as part of another Hammersmith crawl.

This is a longish single room at ground floor with a tiled floor, large clear glass windows and regular seating at scrubbed tables. Leather benches and mismatched chairs, candles on window cills. It is clearly an old Victorian street corner pub but nowadays has that feel of trying to be something vaguely trendy and upmarket, yet not quite getting there. A few original features of note such as the decorative cornice and the carved bar back with mirrors. Stairs rise up to another (unvisited) room. The place looks foody however no one eating during my mid-afternoon visit and there were no menus out that I could see; a chalkboard listed today's special as Braised Beef and Slow Roasted Tomato Risotto with Parmesan (£8.50/11.50). I assume this depends on whether you want a bit or a lot. Decor is mainly food related pictures and posters. A shelf held a selection of board games and playing cards and there were a few newspapers laid out at the end of the bar. The TV was off, jazz played quietly. Some outdoor seating with planted boxes and patio heaters. Three handpumps, one not in use, Timothy Taylors Landlord which turned out to be off and Doom Bar (£1.90 a half). Not really my sort of place however I expect it will appeal to an affluent mid thirties type of which there are many in the Hammersmith side streets.