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Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat
on the Pub Forum
Image posted by David Walton
Submitted on Thursday, 19th September 2024
With picture contributions to 996 other pubs
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Detail Pages
The Watermans Arms, Barnes, SW13
SW13
SW13 9PY
Served areas
Reviews of The Watermans Arms (Average Rating: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Tris C left this review about The Watermans Arms
This is a rather plain pub of 1850 overlooking the Thames, superior views to be had from the first-floor veranda.
The current modus operandi dates from a complete overhaul from September 2023, rendering the previous reviews rather redundant, Big Smoke having disappeared in a puff of the stuff. The interior is hidden from the pavement, the lower windows blanked out with privacy curtains. You enter by pulling aside a full-height velvet curtain to enter a tiny and very dark interior – which stank of garlic – with a bare boarded floor and simple furniture. The basic and tiny bar is to the left-hand side, beyond an open kitchen, for this is now a restaurant, ranked No. 37 on Estrella’s list of gastropubs, 2025.
There were just two cask offerings: Twickenham’s Winter Star and Summer Down Under, none sampled as I was studiously avoided for some minutes before I walked out.
As mentioned, this is not a pub but a restaurant where it’s theoretically possible to buy a drink without eating, though my visit was on a Friday at 9.20pm when they wouldn’t expect any further dining arrivals; as mentioned, the far from perfect Bull’s Head is literally next door, the superior though flawed neighbouring Coach & Horses being the best option in SW13.
On 2nd February 2025
- rating: 1
[User has posted 2207 recommendations about 2164 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The Watermans Arms
Very surprised this is not in the Good Beer Guide. I was very impressed.
Externally stunning - with a lovely balcony to watch the river traffic go by.
Interior - Drinking and dining areas - more dining upstairs.
Service - First class. Friendliest staff you could hope to meet.
Food - good value for the area.
Beer - an impressive selection of Cask (Superb Harveys Sussex Best taken) and craft keg filling the back wall of the bar.
Very close to the station and if you dont like it, the bulls head next door!
On 20th January 2022
- rating: 10
[User has posted 1563 recommendations about 1543 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Watermans Arms
This is one of the more recent additions to the Big Smoke Brewery stable of pubs. Like all their other pubs, the range of ales available is impressive - this one had the standard 10 ales on. I went for the Big Smoke unfined Solaris session ale, which at £4.40 a pint is not particularly cheap for a low 3.8% ABV ale. But of course with the loyalty card, which is usable at any Big Smoke pub, you do get a free pint when you've bought nine. The weekday lunch menu has some reasonably priced pub grub options, such as the full English breakfast, or sausage & mash, both at £6.50. I went for the honey roast ham and mustard sarny at £5, with chips an extra £1.75. Apart from my usual moan about the chips coming ready salted (is this a new fad? - I don't remember it being a thing in the past) my only observation (not a complaint of course) was there was too much ham in the sarny! It must have been half an inch thick! I've had smaller gammon steaks. But the ham was delicious so I had no difficulty in disposing of it. There were what looked like good value daily meal deals advertised for a meal and a drink, in which the drink could be any pint of real ale.
The pub occupies a prominent corner site next to the iconic Bull's Head. But inside it's smaller than it appears from the outside. There's a very nice restaurant area upstairs (all tables laid for diners) with doors that can open onto a balcony. The main downstairs bar has a handful or so tables with a mix of fixed bench seating, small stools and normal chairs, plus a few tall stools at a ledge by the window. Unfortunately the sounds we were subjected to were a bit discordant, with the TV on with sound enabled showing the rugby, competing with some Wings album playing over the sound system.
But I'm prepared to forgive these minor inconveniences for a pub with such an impressive beer range. I've never been in a Big Smoke pub I've not liked, and I would be very happy to visit this one again
On 14th October 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
View more reviews of The Watermans Arms (4)
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- Official site of The Watermans Arms - www.watermansarms.co.uk
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Watermans Arms - whatpub.com
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 01 February 2025 by Tris C
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 01 February 2025 by Tris C
- Beer Festivals : No last updated 01 February 2025 by Tris C
- Beer Garden : No last updated 01 February 2025 by Tris C
- CAMRA Discount : No last updated 01 February 2025 by Tris C
- Car Park : No last updated 01 February 2025 by Tris C
- Child Friendly : Yes - Until 19.00. - last updated 01 February 2025 by Tris C
- Darts : No last updated 01 February 2025 by Tris C
- Dog Friendly : Yes - Downstairs. - last updated 01 February 2025 by Tris C
- Hot Food : Yes last updated 23 January 2025 by Tris C
- Jukebox : No last updated 01 February 2025 by Tris C
- Karaoke : No last updated 01 February 2025 by Tris C
- Live Music : No last updated 01 February 2025 by Tris C
- Live TV Sports : No last updated 01 February 2025 by Tris C
- Micropub : No last updated 01 February 2025 by Tris C
- Pinball : No last updated 01 February 2025 by Tris C
- Pool Table : No last updated 01 February 2025 by Tris C
- Quiz Night : No last updated 01 February 2025 by Tris C
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 01 February 2025 by Tris C
- Real Cider : No last updated 01 February 2025 by Tris C
- Wheelchair Access : Yes - Ground floor only. - last updated 01 February 2025 by Tris C
- WiFi : Yes last updated 01 February 2025 by Tris C
