The Dartmouth Arms, Dartmouth Park, NW5

Official site of The Dartmouth Arms - www.disappearingdiningclub.co.uk

Official site of The Dartmouth Arms - www.disappearingdiningclub.co.uk

This is a large, modernised pub with a bit of a gastro feel to it – a look that is not entirely uncommon in this part of town. The spacious open plan room forms a vague C-shape and has bare floorboards to the front and rear, half panelled walls and uppers painted in various shades of cream, grey and green to create a remarkably boring colour palette. The front part of the pub offers numerous banquettes and chairs under large front windows, which make it a nice, bright daytime spot to retreat to, although this front space arguably possesses less character than the rest of the room. The servery appear midway into the room, along the right hand wall and occupies a terrific amount of space. The bar has a dark wood counter with nice brass foot rail and a check tile floor surround under some nice ‘globe’ lamps. The bar back appears to be miles away from the counter, so deep is the serving area, and is a fairly plain effort, livened up by a few pump clips. High tables and stools fill the space opposite the bar under some plain mirrors and a few old black and white photos. The rear part of the room looked initially like it was a dining room style area, but I ended up sitting there and found it quite a nice spot for a drink. A long, comfy banquette is fixed to the back wall, with tables and chairs filling the rest of the space. One wall has been studded with more pump clips and some random paintings, whilst the rear wall has a bookshelf with numerous potted plants draped across it. A TV screen could be found back here, switched off on this occasion, whilst to the other side, a fireplace had a stack of board games on top of it and an unusual Jacob’s Cream crackers mirror above. Next to the fireplace, an upright piano stood, with a collection of decanters on top, although it didn’t give the impression that any of these things got much use – the soundtrack instead supplied by some chilled out tracks piped quietly through the room. There are six handpulls on the bar, four of which were in action on this visit, giving me a choice of Three Sods Session IPA, 360 Degrees Stout, Burning Sky Plateau and Hammerton N7. The pleasant, welcoming barman poured me a pint of the Session IPA, which I very much enjoyed and found to be in as good shape as the beers I’d been drinking in the nearby Southampton Arms earlier that evening. I thought this was a pretty good pub that probably has tried to appeal to too wide a range of customers and ended up losing a bit of its sense of purpose as a result. I liked the comfy rear part of the room and though the beer and service were both more than sufficient. Not really a destination pub, but a good option to dip into now and again when in this part of town.

I came here once before around seven years ago and didn't care much for the place. With a shiny copper bar top, shiny copper lager founts and black and white floral print wallpaper with a barman in a waistcoat, it looked a bit naff. Saved from the developers and this pub is no longer recognisable. The interior seems to have been opened up and appears much larger, so I assume that the former incarnation must have had a restaurant area to the rear; the bar is now on the right side rather than at the rear. The décor is much more traditional and if you hadn't seen the pub in its former guise, you'd think the place hadn't had much done to it in decades. The walls are a burgundy and blue colour, the same shade of burgundy applied to the walls of The Chesham Arms, E9. Like The Chesham, there's also a Branston Pickle mirror on the wall - I wonder why? I know! It's because The Chesham crew have taken over this pub too. Furniture is very conventional: ordinary chairs, padded stools and tables with t 'n' g-backed settles to the perimeter walls. There's a fireplace which I hope will be used and there are also some potted palms. The floor is rough bare boarded with some attractive rugs to soak up the sound (and spilt beer). A few return visits and on the minus side, music is really a bit too loud and the incessantly barking dog is an irritant, noted as such by drinkers at other tables. Ales: several, served by very friendly staff. A pint of Cloud 99 came in at a fairly reasonable £4.10 and was in decent nick. I'd come here again, though there's not much in the immediate area and this would make a decent double with the Southampton Arms just down the road. I'd give the pub higher marks if the music were a little quieter and the barking were to cease.

An open plan modernised pub and as such found it lacking a bit in the atmosphere stakes,just three of the six pumps were in action but the choice was good, Redemption Hopspur, Dark Star Hylder Blonde and Thornbridge Brother Rabbit which was in top form. A nice pub but nowhere near in the same league as the nearby Southampton Arms.

A street corner pub with a food menu on one external wall,but dont let that put you off,this isn't gastro.The interior is open plan with two wings either side of the front door,the bar in the middle to the right and a large rear section under a roof light.There is a lot of bench seating around the periphery,and traditional furniture elsewhere a little worn at the edges.Wooden floor throughout with a rug by the bar,a small fireplace to one side ,lots of wood panelling but not much else of real note. The bar has 6 handpumps,not all used on my trip meaning a choice from First Chop AVA ,Windsor & Eton Guardsman and a very decent Dark Star Not into Yoga (£3.50).There was also a real cider.The 12 keg taps again not all working but including some craft keg from the likes of Kernal,Beavertown and Hammerton. Although the area has gentrified,a lot of customers would hark back to a more earthy past ,but they were harmless if well oiled.However the bar stools are popular with the locals ,so you may get some annoying barblocking.However the barman was chatty and helpful .This is a perfectly decent place for a quiet pint or two,although the real ale options maybe limited.