The Three Hammers, Mill Hill, NW7

A few yards on from the Adam & Eve and here’s the Three Hammers, a coaching inn dating from 1754, a large building no doubt rebuilt and in brewers’ Tudor style, with much nogging. The interior is totally made over, furnished with ‘zoned’ areas, the whole looking like a posh Harvester and every bit the Ember Inns country-style joint, the games machines adding an otherwise downmarket slant to proceedings. Customers at the time of my Friday 9.15pm visit were affluent locals, apart from the two hoodies, making a beeline for the games’ machines, their natural habitat. Aside from three unused pumps, there was London Pride and Hophead at a very agreeable £2.50 a half, served by a friendly barmaid. I preferred the Adam & Eve to this rather soulless place, but the presence of one decent cask ale gives it the edge.

Official site of The Three Hammers - www.emberinns.co.uk

Official site of The Three Hammers - www.emberinns.co.uk

There are three banks of handpumps – three on the left of the counter, five in the centre, and another three around to the right. But ales are all repeated, and represented a fairly unexciting selection. On closer examination, at least four of the pumpclips were revealed to be advertisements – Ale Monday at £2.49 a pint, and try before you buy. So, there were just three ales on; London Pride, Ember Ale (brewed by Black Sheep) and Adnam’s Ghost Ship (£2 a half). Being an Ember Inn glossy illustrated menus are on the tables. The type of food on offer is quite predictable (which is not necessarily a bad thing). They do set menus weekday lunchtime and early evening with one course (e.g. fish & chips, Steak & Ale Pie, etc) at £5.49, two courses at £7.49, and three at £9.49. This is clearly an old traditional pub that has been given the standard Ember Inns hotel lounge style makeover. It’s obviously completely opened up, with the usual Ember Inns bling – burnished copper etc around the place. There is also the usual mix of tall tables/tall stools, bucket armchairs, and normal tables and chairs. TVs and fruit machines are present of course. It’s carpeted throughout, of which I approve as it reduces the level of ambient noise. As others have said, this is a food led establishment, but at least it allows an old pub to survive.

Airport lounge meets chain hotel. Typical Ember Inn selling two bitters neither of which was well kept. Didn't try the food as it is standard Ember micro stuff. Difficult getting served.Like visiting a hushed doctors waiting room! Beautiful area. Not worth the visit.

I think that a large majority of people that plan an evening in here have gone to eat rather than drink as it is a soulless Ember Inns pub intent on flogging cheap food to the masses. London Pride, Landlord and Courage Best were all available alongside a standard draught selection. The Landlord was past its best and the guy next to me at the bar was served three pints of lager with the biggest heads I have ever seen. You could see he was disappointed, but he never asked for them to be topped up! Maybe he was just glad that one of the members off staff had stopped cleaning/stocking up and taken the time to serve him. I'll give this place a miss if I'm ever up in Mill Hill again.

Although this is an Ember Inns Pub and the emphasis is on food, it is a very large and comfortable place selling up to 4 real ales with the Timothy Taylor "Landlord" in tip top condition. this pub is situated in a very nice part of Mill Hill and is a 5 minute bus ride from Mill Hill East tube station.