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The Half Moon, Putney, SW15
SW15
SW15 1EU
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Tris C left this review about The Half Moon
Announcing itself with pleasingly retro neon signs to the corner splay and whiff of plectrum, this has since 1963 been a very serious seven-day music venue which could turn any competitor in Camden Town green with envy; the history and impressive band list can be seen on Wikipedia.
The interior is large and a bit stripped out, with a pale floor, black wood panelling beneath white walls, large leaded windows and masses of music memorabilia, me seated beneath an autographed photo of Wilco Johnson. Ambient music was quite loud as to be expected and customers were mixed, a large crowd of aging rockers emerging from the stage area at 10.30 on my Saturday visit, perhaps to enjoy the 1.00am licence. The pub boasts that you can watch the Boat Race on their TVs. Or you could just pop over the road and watch it live.
Cask offerings were London Original, Sambrook’s Wandle and Pumphouse and Proper Job (£3.15 a half), in great form and served by an angelic barmaid.
This makes for an interesting triple with the Bricklayer’s and Duke’s Head.
On 13th February 2024
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Half Moon
Famous live music venue, and thankfully this facility was retained following the pub's conversion to a gastro-pub format in 2011. The large 'L-shaped bar has gastro-pub furniture and decor, with a total of seven handpumps usually featuring the regular Youngs Ordinary plus a seasonal (Drop Gold on this visit) and a couple of guests (e.g. Proper Job and Ghost Ship). The compact rear music venue has a small bar. Overall, this place now serves two very different markets, but does both pretty well.
On 30th September 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Half Moon
This is a big, formerly multiroomed pub with a concert room. The very long bar has Youngs Special, which proved to be of decent quality. My notes made at the time don't mention any other beers, so it looks like choice is not on the menu as far as real ales are concerned; to be fair, this was a quiet midweek afternoon, so maybe there are more on at the weekend. I might have enjoyed this type of place years ago, before tinnitus ruled out loud music and busy pubs for me. Luckily it was pretty quiet at the time of my visit.
Date of visit: 3rd November 2021
On 24th March 2022
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3746 recommendations about 3483 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Half Moon
The ales on here were Doom Bar, Purity Mad Goose, Young's Bitter, Young's Autumn Gold, Sambrook's Battersea Rye, Truman's Hoptoberfest, and By The Horns Stiff Upper Lip (£4.30 a pint). There are two banks of pumps, with three handpumps facing you on the front of the bar counter, with a further four around to the right of the counter. There were no repeats, so seven ales available is pretty good going. But £4.30 a pint for a relatively low ABV beer like Stiff Upper Lip is not cheap. There were no menus on the tables when I was in there early afternoon on Wednesday, but I saw another couple munching away so they obviously do food.
Everything that can be painted grey has been painted grey. It's obviously bare-boarded. Furnishings are fairly traditional though - no tall tables/tall stools here, and no sofas although the banquettes here are a bit more sumptuous than is usuall the case. Tables are of the solid scrubbed wooden variety, and all had on them a little flowerpot containing a small flower. The walls are pretty much covered with framed photographs of music artists; possibly ones that had performed here. This is a serious music venue, with live music on just about every night. The music area is effectively separate from the bar area, in a large room at the back.
I quite liked this pub. It's a massive structure with the inside very large even without the music room. What I like is that the tables are spread out and not crammed in a la 'spoons, although I might think differently if I had to stand because of the lack of tables. Even with all the grey, it still looks quite nice in here, and seven ales is good going even if prices are approaching the top of the range.
On 21st October 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Half Moon
Opened out and modernised nowadays but on the plus side there is a much improved ale range,beers on my recent visit were Youngs Bitter, Doombar,Sambrooks Battersea Rye,Trumans Runner,Purity UBU and By The Horns Diamond Geezer, plus one Cider on the seventh handpull I fail to remember.Still a music venue but as a pub itself not particularly remarkable.
On 6th October 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Half Moon
This is a legendary music venue but a decent enough pub as well. The pub section has had a bit of the designer treatment with lots of grey and greenish paint, sadly covering the wood panelling, boarded flooring, all kinds of mixed seating. Very nice leaded windows included one which is arched, wall mounted shields and antlers, loads of music memorabilia on the walls as you'd expect in here, a large display case contains odds and sods. Large urns and vases on the window cills, cacti and succulents on the tables. A double doorway leads through to the auditorium with a cinema style name board above so it seems pub and music venue remain separated. An outdoor garden to the side has its own bar and barbeque.
It is quite a large room with the bar being central, wrapping around each end, not quite forming an island, the handpumps are in two sets, the middle ones are rather dull containing Young's Bitter x2 and Doom Bar, down the end the choice improved, Redemption Pale Ale (£4.05), Sharp's Atlantic, Mad Goose Purity and Hammerton Pentonville Stout.
A TV was showing women's football on silent while a very decent and eclectic soundtrack played. The young foreign barman was friendly and seemingly enthused about the ales, entering into discussion unprompted, especially on the virtues of the Pentonville Stout versus Draught Guinness!
I liked it in here, I can't actually see why this was my virgin visit after 29 years living in London but there you go.
On 7th June 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Half Moon
I liked it in here as the barmaid was friendly and my pint of Bombardier was good. Youngs Ordinary and Special were also available alongside some standard lagers.
There is a pool table and small TV at one end of the pub and a large plasma screen at the other. I didn't see any sport advertised, but there is a lot of advertising for upcoming live bands. There is also a beer garden with covered and uncovered seating.
I'd have no problem going back in here if I was passing in the day time, but I'm not really into live bands so I'd give it a miss in the evening as I'm pretty sure that I spotted a sign advertising live music 7 days a week.
On 18th November 2008
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5251 recommendations about 5219 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john mcgraw left this review about The Half Moon
Large rambling single bar Youngs pub selling their full range of beers.Looks like it has just been re-furbed.
On 17th January 2008
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]