Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Random news of the day with Real Ale Ray
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Tabard, W4
W4
W4 1LW
Pub Type
Taylor Walker (Spirit Pubs)Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Tabard
The third and furthest west of the pubs on my London's Beautiful Pubs route. It's quite a long journey on the District line, but the station is only just around the corner. A hearse was driving away from the church opposite as I left the station, and the deceased's friends and relations were making their way into the pub as I was taking my photos from across the road. My heart sank at the inevitable delay in getting served, but thankfully the bar was adequately staffed and I had a glass of Greene King Abbot Ale in my hand within a couple of minutes. (Other options were Tribute, GK IPA and a "golden ale" from Windsor & Eton brewery.)
The funeral party were almost all in the room to the left of the entrance, so I went right - though I did pop back in after catching a glimpse of a rather photogenic chimney breast (see photos). In fact there's lots to like about a number of features - especially the tiling which I had guessed was William Morris, but Camra's heritage pub website tells me was by his lifelong friend William De Morgan. I was glad I made the trip out west for this one, but I would have liked to have a better quality beer than Abbot as my reward - a favourite of mine in the 1970s, but now a pale shadow of my memories of what it used to be.
On 11th October 2021
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3745 recommendations about 3482 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Tabard
A first in here the other day and the westernmost pub in London that I’ve ever visited. This is much as described as below except that it’s now owned by Greene King – out of the frying pan, into the fire.
As mentioned, the pub was designed in 1880 by esteemed Hampstead architect Richard Norman Shaw with interior polychromatic glazed tilework by William de Morgan; a fireplace surround is apparently by artist and illustrator Walter Crane. The bar is generally central with a couple of rooms running off and a recessed snug to the rear. The floor is bare boarded and there is some quite ornately carved wood panelling. Out back there’s an AstroTurf garden and steps leading up to the Tabard Theatre. There’s food too, but this isn’t a gastropub. Being a GK outlet, there’s the obligatory games machine; de Morgan and Crane must be spinning in their graves.
It was a Saturday and the pub wasn’t that full but despite this, the service was glacially slow. Once again, staff devote themselves to mixing cocktails and trudging about opening bottles of wine for the ladies who won’t drink beer – this is a pub for God’s sake!
Despite the Greene King stewardship, the beer choice was about the best I’ve experienced from this stable. Six ales: GK IPA and Abbot of course, but also Titanic Plums’ Porter, Plain Ales Sheep Dip and Intrigue as well as Landlord at £4.10, later £4.45 a pint and good.
On balance, this is a good pub and certainly worth visiting. However, the ugly games machine and especially the slow service must result in a lower mark.
On 16th September 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about The Tabard
Another nice Chiswick pub with at times 6 -8 beers on. Although its grade two listed I am not overly impressed by its style. Was impressed by my Clarence and Fredricks -apa
On 9th November 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
John Bonser left this review about The Tabard
Update – December 2012
Now branded as a Taylor Walker pub, although the branding is more discreet than at The Packhorse and Talbot, several recent visits to this pub have found an interesting variety of beers served in good condition – Harviestoun Bitter and Twisted, East London Foundation Bitter, Bingham Doodle Stout amongst them.
Friendly and knowledgeable staff contribute to what I consider to be a much improved all round pub, which has now gained a listing in CAMRA’s 2013 Good Beer Guide – well deserved in my view.
The pub is just round the corner from Turnham Green Tube ( District Line ), which I pass through most days of the week. I feel that more stop offs en route here are definitely on the cards.
Original review – January 2010
The pub was built in 1880 as the pub for the commuter garden suburb of Bedford Park and the building is Grade 2 listed. An unusual notable external frontage gives way to 2 interconnecting bars, with some fine original wall-tiles in the room on the right being of particular note. The pub features in CAMRA's Regional London Inventory.
The bar on the left has an adjoining food orientated dining area and an unusual sunken wood pannelled snug type area. There's some memorabilia from the pub cricket team - The Tabard Pilgrims - who are evidently very active. Next door there's a 60 seater theatre attached to the pub.
On the pavement outside, a sandwich board tells us "Best real ale choice or your money back" and, on my recent Saturday afternoon visit, 4 real ales were on - Butcombe, Batemans XB, Rev James plus one other which I've forgotten ( Spitfire?). A 5th pump had been serving Tribute, but it had run out. The Batemans XB - � 2.83p - was in good nick.
I find it difficult to assess on a single visit where this pub is trying to position itself. On the one hand, the beer choice is welcomed in a Fullers dominated area and there's an active pub cricket team, but, on the other hand, there's no TV's for televised sport and no real pubby atmosphere or feel, which is discouraging. Food obviously plays a big part, but, unusually for the area, its of the pub grub variety and not gastro. The pub was virtually deserted on my visit and those few customers present were evidently not regulars.
The jury's out on this one as far as I'm concerned but, given its convenient location by the station, plus beer range, I'm inclined to give it another go sometime.
On 7th January 2013
- rating: 8
[User has posted 560 recommendations about 560 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Tabard
This is an elegant looking pub designed by Norman Shaw, and no doubt named after the famous (but now sadly demolished) Southwark coaching inn of the same name immortalised by Chaucer. In fact this pub dates from around the time the original was demolished. You enter the pub via a pillared and tiled entranceway; a door to the right takes you into an area with a tiny bar counter to the left which was probably a jug and bottle bar, and on into a room with a continuation of the bar counter on the left. I spent my visit in this room, which was simply furnished with wooden settles and normal tables and chairs. The walls in here are half-panelled, and with some rather nice original tiling on the higher parts. To the left of the entranceway is another room, and although I didn’t venture in here it appeared to be a nice enough room to spend some time in.
There were five ales on handpump – Marston’s fast drop EPA; Sambrook’s Junction; Harviestoun Bitter & Twisted; Red Squirrel RSX; and a St Austell blond beer. This is now a Taylor Walker branded pub, and although I saw menus on some of the tables I didn’t bother to examine them. I’ve no doubt that they feature the usual pubco pub grub.
I rather liked this pub. The guv’nor was enthusiastic about the rotating ale policy, and I have to say that the selection on my visit was very encouraging. I would be happy to pay a return visit.
On 31st August 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Tabard
I gingerly edged my way into here last week as I couldn't remember leaving the last time I was in. Thankfully the barman was polite and I breathed a sigh of relief.
Landlord, Deuchars, Tetley's, Bombardier, Stella, Fosters, Strongbow, John Smiths Staropramen and Leffe were all available although the Bombardier was off. There are lots of tucked away drinking areas and I think that I stumble across a couple having an affair as they jumped out of their skin when I came bowling around the corner with my pint. There was some easy listening music playing, but it could not be heard from the small public bar. There is some covered and uncovered outside seating to the side of the pub next to the entrance to the Tabard Theatre, but it is next to a busy road.
I quite like this pub and I would recommend popping in if passing.
On 14th June 2008
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5251 recommendations about 5219 pubs]