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The Dartmouth Castle, Hammersmith, W6
W6
W6 0LS
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Tris C left this review about The Dartmouth Castle
The pub’s status has been upgraded to that of a pub interior of Special National Historic Interest.
On 25th May 2023
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Dartmouth Castle
Dating from 1867, this features on CAMRA’s inventory of pubs with historic interiors, rated as being of Some Regional Importance.
I had chosen this place as the finale of my five-hole mini-crawl; I chose very wisely indeed. The floor is boarded and furniture is conventional, with some fluted banquettes to the front. The colour scheme is chocolate brown Anaglypta to the dado, then grey/green walls to a white ornate cornice, especially so above the bar, with a slate grey Anaglypta ceiling with modern downlighters; further lighting came from frosted Art Deco-style sconces and similar hanging lamps above the bar, with tealights to tables. Décor comprises eclectic framed prints and pot plants to windowsills; a selection of bored games is available. Customers were mainly young, professional types and a small number of office workers, probably estate agents, judging by their attire, all having a high old time, making for a good atmosphere. However, the real star of the show here is the superb Victorian bar back, which can be seen on CAMRA’s site, with its gorgeous carved pediments and two-tone reliefs above the etched mirrors; the strapwork around the bar counter is impressive too; also of note is the rare original dumb waiter’s wooden casing, the internals being modern of course.
Ales amounted to one unused pump, then Tribute (clip reversed) and Landlord at £2.80 a half and in fine shape, served by a fungible barman.
This is easily the best pub in this Hammersmith enclave and a short walk from the tube; a wider and more adventurous ale selection would get the score up.
On 9th February 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Dartmouth Castle
Doesn't seem to have changed much since my previous visit over four years ago, with a semi-traditional interior, gastro-pub furniture and the screened patio umbrellas at the front. However, it always seems to have a very subdued atmosphere, so given how close it is to the centre of Hammersmith, it is certainly somewhere to consider if everywhere else is rammed. Disappointingly, just Landlord (£4.90) from one of three handpumps this time.
On 22nd April 2019
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
BobOs . left this review about The Dartmouth Castle
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.
On 27th February 2013
- rating: 5
[User has posted 370 recommendations about 355 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Dartmouth Castle
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.
On 6th February 2013
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Dartmouth Castle
There were just the two real ales on during my visit – the ubiquitous London Pride, and Black Sheep Bitter, with a third handpump unused. I had the BSB, which wasn’t brilliant, but drinkable, and not particularly good value at £3.30 a pint. This is clearly an old pub that has now been stripped out to make it more of a modern bar than a pub. There are some dark brown upholstered banquettes, scrubbed pine and metal framed tables, and plain wooden chairs. Comfort seems to take second place to appearance here. There are the usual sort of modernist prints of nothing in particular that you usually see adorning the walls in these sort of places. The bar back is worth a mention though – it had the appearance of a piece of original Victoriana, apparently mahogany, with some gilt figures (I couldn’t make out what they represented) along the top. Unfortunately the staff seemed to be too pre-occupied for me to be able to ask any of them about it. The beer’s expensive and not particularly good (based on only one visit admittedly), it’s not particularly comfortable, so I doubt whether I’ll be visiting again. But for anyone who likes these sort of made-over pseudo pub bars, then it’s a good example of its type and there’s no reason why they should not enjoy their visit.
On 16th May 2010
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Dartmouth Castle
I've always liked this pub and enjoyed my recent stay after a decade away. The barman was extremely friendly and would be up for the friendliest bar worker in Hammersmith if there was such an award. He served me a nice pint of Pride and Skinners Betty Stoggs and I would have stayed for more if time wasn't against me. There is also a selection of premium lagers alongside Fosters.
It is not the biggest pub, but it is very well laid out and there is some seating out the front which has small walls around it that have window boxes with small shrubs in to block out the busy road. There are also some stairs leading upstairs, but I was quite happy where I was so didn't venture anywhere near them and I think that it is only a restaurant up there anyway.
I would make a detour to visit again.
On 5th March 2009
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5247 recommendations about 5215 pubs]