The Red Lion, Barnes, SW13

Pub SignMan left this review about The Red Lion

This is a nice, smartly presented Fullers pub, about a fifteen minute walk from Barnes station and handy for the nearby rugby club and Wetlands Centre. The front entrance is appropriately flanked by two bright red lion statues and leads you into the main bar area, with the servery down the left hand wall. It's a pretty smart affair with a pleasant panelled counter front and tidy mirrored bar back, but the whole servery appears to be a relatively new addition. A few comfy seats can be found to the front, where a TV screen was showing live rugby union with the sound on. Further back, some cool high tables opposite the bar have pump clip displays set beneath glass panes on their tops. Beyond the bar, the room becomes more of a restaurant space, with lots of tables and chairs formally arranged, pre-set and mostly reserved. The whole pub is blessed with amazing leaded, stained-glass windows and to the rear is a large stained glass inverted cupola. A door to the rear leads out to a nice beer garden with a patio area which is mostly given over to al fresco dining tables. Another red lion statue can be found here plus some retro gig posters which dont apear to have any link to the pub. Beyond is a grassy space with plenty more picnic benches.
Fullers ales unsurprisingly dominate the handpulls, with options on this visit comprising Fullers London Pride, ESB and Red Fox (£5.90) plus Dark Star Hophead. A decent craft keg selection, mainly from established London brewers, enhances the selection nicely and the usual Fullers bottled beer range can be found in the fridges. My pint of Red Fox was in good shape, underlining the pub's regular appearance in the Good Beer Guide.
I like this pub, which I think has plenty of interesting features, a cracking beer garden and some well-kept Fullers beer. My main reservation is that with so much of the pub and garden given over to diners, drinkers can feel a little marginalised. It's still well worth a visit though, in order to explore the interior or take advantage of one of London's better beer gardens.

Date of visit - 23rd September 2023

On 1^st January 2024 - rating: 7
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