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Disappointment of the week with Bucking Fastard
on the Pub Forum
Image posted by adam bell
Submitted on Thursday, 22nd October 2015
With picture contributions to 2375 other pubs
View all this pub's pictures (16 more images)
Detail Pages
The Wonder, Enfield
Enfield
EN2 0JG
Served areas
Reviews of The Wonder (Average Rating: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Wonder
Blessed with a fine sunny Easter Sunday what better way to spend it than a walk along the New River Navigation, taking in some fine hostelries with outside drinking areas. Starting at our home base of N21 the plan was to follow the river course north with a first stop at the Little Green Dragon and it’s pavement benches ( still Enfield and Barnets only micropub), then on, circumventing Enfield Town Park to the Old Wheatsheaf ( to see what Big Smoke are up to ), and then carry on north, swerving the Crown and Horseshoes ( no point giving Green King the opportunity to ruin your day, irrespective of what a great beer garden this pub may have), to finish for our first post Covid Pandemic visit to The Wonder.
A couple of changes at the Wonder. Firstly externally the former concrete car park at the back of the pub is now a pleasant fenced outside drinking area which was originally done I guess as a result of the outside only Covid drinking rules. Plenty of multicoloured bench seating and one third of the space is covered with a large white marquee to provide undercover seating. And then internally, although still the two bar public and saloon bar set up connected by the internal corridor via the toilets, the whole place has had a makeover and it is now much smarter inside. And without wanting to incur anyones wrath, with the subtle light blue and grey tones used in the pub and the more shocking pink and mauve colours for the outside benches, I think there’s a woman’s touch at work here. But it’s obviously working because there were customers who clearly had not reached retirement age.
On the ale front two of the ale pumps were in operation with McMullens AK and Country in the smaller saloon bar section and then it was IPA and AK again in the larger former Public bar.
So it may not be the time warp pub it was pre covid, but at least it has avoided the footballers wives makeover that the McMullens interior design team has inflicted on others of their estate in Enfield. And as mentioned, given the evidence that there were customers, both inside and out, that clearly had not yet reached pensionable status, it seems to be appealing to a wider demographic. And why not, this is very much still a well run back street community local pub.
On 13th April 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Wonder
This McMullens tied house in a charming local with quite seperate public and lounge bars and a good,street corner exterior.The public bar is very traditional,red lino,an upright piano ,brick fireplace and table tops with draught and backgammon designs.There is some McMullens memorbilia dotted about as well as an advert for Honky Tonk Dave appearing on Saturday evenings.
The locals are a friendly bunch and there was lots of banter over the background muzak,and their focus on real ale means a good rate of turnover over the 4 pumps.The choice on my visit was Macs Country,AK,Cask and seasonal Rivertown Brewing Hades in good nick.
Although Macs beer can be traditional and dull,this pub will showcase it as well as anyway ,it's a very solid boozer and well worth a visit if you are in the area.
On 19th October 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Wonder
This is a charming pub that doesn't seem to have changed at all since the previous reviewer's visit over four years ago. The public bar on the left still has lino on the floor, the old joanna, the dartboard, as well as the photographs of people enjoying themselves - could be the 50th anniversary of VE mentioned below, but I didn't realise that. The smaller saloon bar on the right, which is connected to the public bar via a corrider by the gents, is still carpeted and seems more cosy than the other bar. It's in the 2016 Good Beer Guide, although not now on CAMRA's Regional of pubs with historic interiors. It doesn't look as if they've done anything to the place that would result in its removal; a re-assessment perhaps? Smooth Radio was being played during our midweek late afternoon visit, but not too loudly I'm pleased to say.
There were four McMullen's ales on - Country, AK, IPA, and something called Cask Ale (£3.45 a pint). We had the latter ale, which tasted fine, even if it had a somewhat unimaginative name. There was no sign of food. A top up was given to one of our pints without request, even if the barman (guv'nor I think) had to walk back to the pump in the saloon bar to effect the top up. That's good service I say.
This is a charming, largely unspoilt, and apparently well managed pub. I would be delighted to visit again if I find myself in this part of Enfield again.
On 31st October 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
View more reviews of The Wonder (5)
Pubs Galore is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
- The Wonder pages at the McMullens site - www.mcmullens.co.uk
- Randomness Guide to London - Wonder entry
- Facebook - The Wonder - Enfield
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Wonder - whatpub.com
- Historic Pub Interiors - pubheritage.camra.org.uk
Enfield Chase, 0.94 miles, 18 min walk (show)
Enfield Town, 1.04 miles, 20 min walk (show)
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Darts : Yes last updated 31 October 2015 by Rex Rattus
- Jukebox : No last updated 04 April 2010 by Moby Duck
- Karaoke : Yes last updated 14 December 2012 by Dave McNally
- Live Music : Yes - Saturday evenings - last updated 19 October 2018 by Bucking Fastard
- Live TV Sports : No last updated 04 April 2010 by Moby Duck
- Micropub : No last updated 07 February 2021 by Tris C
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 31 October 2015 by Rex Rattus
