All Bar One, Bermondsey, SE1

I was a little sceptical before I walked into here due to my aversion to ABOs, but this place is certainly the best one I have been in. The view of Tower Bridge and the financial district from the decking that stretches the length of this long bar are very impressive. One of my major gripes with ABO's is the incompetence of the staff, but fortunately there was a large group of us when I visited so we got table service from a very nice chap who knew what he was doing. This avoided being given change on a silver tray and I don't mind giving a small tip when 15 pints are delivered to the table with no queuing. Another gripe is that these pubs are usually full of braying nobheads drinking pints of wine, but again fortunately I was sitting outside away from the bar and the general populace. Maybe my above average regard for this place is down to circumstance, but I will give credit where credit is due and say that I had a very good evening in this bar. The only ale offering of Pride had run out before I arrived, but the Guinness was good and standard lagers were also available alongside Carlsberg. The toilets need sorting out as one cubicle was locked and the other had a broken door. I ended up having to ask for the key to the disabled toilet, which was given with no hassle. I then had to go back into the gent's toilet as the disabled one had no hand drying facility. Even though this place is a soulless chain bar and the lack of attention to detail is criminal I still liked it for the location and I would go back again if in the area.

Official page of All Bar One in Butlers Wharf - www.allbarone.co.uk/allbaronebutlerswharf/

Official page of All Bar One in Butlers Wharf - www.allbarone.co.uk/allbaronebutlerswharf/

Large modern bar on the banks of the Thames. Sit outside on those long summer days and watch the boats go by. Unfortunately no real ale but at least you have a great view of Tower Bridge.