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Detail Pages
The Victoria, Battersea, SW8
SW8
SW8 3QH
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 5 of 10) see review guidelines
Tris C left this review about The Victoria
This is a late Victorian pub in a part of Battersea which has so far escaped the gentrification to the north.
I doubt the place has changed enormously since Rex’s visit, but the colour scheme has, with a pale floor, black wainscoting, bottle green walls and dangling filament thingies for little illumination (near spherical large copper things over the bar), so you that can see the typewriters bolted to the upper walls, further décor taking the form of books on shelves. Furniture is of the country pine variety with a dark brown vinyl banquette and to the rear is the games room with pool, table tennis and an old electronic games machine, the whole ensemble enjoyed by a young crowd – many dancing – giving the feeling of drinking in a student bar with a loud Ibiza ’95 soundtrack but with swanky lavs.
No cask resulted in a half of Neck Oil at £3.50 served by a friendly barman: ‘Enjoy!’.
This isn’t my type of place, the Mason’s Arms being the destination of choice when in the immediate vicinity.
Rated: 3.5.
On 24th August 2023
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Victoria
They had Deuchars IPA and Caledonian Over the Bar (£1.90 a half) on, with another couple of handpumps apparently unused. There were single-sheet menus on the tables, with main courses including pub grub favourites such as sausage and mash (£10.95), accompanied by something called “chefs (sic) homemade jus”, which I guess must be some sort of foreign gravy, and battered fish and chips (£13), with homemade tartare sauce. It’s evident that these aren’t typical “pub grub” prices, but this place doesn’t look anything like a gastropub. They also do burgers (£8 - £9.50) and “dogs” (one assumes that Korean cuisine hasn’t yet found its way to Battersea) for £8.50 - £9.50. A lunch menu is also advertised (Mon – Fri, 10 – 3), with main meals between £5 - £7.
This place has been tarted up somewhat with a black painted ceiling, mainly light grey painted walls, and fairly minimalist decor although a couple of sets of antlers grace one wall and above the bar counter. There was a battalion of wax encrusted bottles sitting on a shelf, presumably awaiting deployment as evening approaches. Furnishings are black plastic upholstered banquettes, solid wooden tables and mismatched chairs. There’s another room at the back reached via an archway, with a few sofas, and where the large wall at the back is painted royal blue with white trees painted on it – and one of the trees has got its own owl. Free wi-fi is advertised, as well as “open mic” night on Saturdays.
I don’t think that this pub is as good as it would like to be. £13 for fish and chips is fairly expensive by pub standards – but I didn’t see it so maybe it is an “awesome” meal. It should be for that money. This pub falls firmly in the OK category. The ale was OK and not overpriced by London standards. This won’t be one of my firm favourites, but it’s a decent enough place and OK for a pint if you’re passing.
On 3rd March 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Jo Travers left this review about The Victoria
I love The Victoria. It has wicked food every day and night, real ales with a weekly guest ale, coffee, sport, papers, sofas, non-smoking section, outside tables, pool...what more could you want? Oh yes,a dog, a Sunday quiz, efficient-as-well-as-hotbar staff, and hopefully soon a late licence (application pending).
On 14th March 2006
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1 recommendations about 1 pubs]