Pullens

Pullens is clearly a popular restaurant. Food was well presented, very tasty and if I lived in the area i would be a regular.

The service was prompt and friendly.
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Arnold
8 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 9
Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Pullens is a gem of a local restaurant, great food and great value. The staff are always freindly and helpful.

As regulars we can always find something interesting on the menu, with the specials changing often.

If you are looking for great value the credit munch is £10 for 2 courses, £5 lunch specials.
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Michael
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Sunday, September 19, 2010

I had lunch at Pullens today (despite seeing the reviews below and wondering what had gone wrong as it has always been fine in the past). The service was friendly and prompt (we had drinks in front of us within about 3 mins of sitting down), and the food was good. My friend had lentil soup, I had a mushroom and goats cheese burger. We are not vegetarians but I was deciding between about 4 vege options on the menu. The salads which went past us looked good as well.

As to reviews below, I guess you have to remember this isn't a michelin starred eatery - it is a local cafe/restaurant. The food was nice without being amazing, the service was young and friendly but not silver. It is exactly what I would expect from a local cafe, and part of its charm is that it is local and not posh. Great place for a coffee, brunch or to meet a friend for a relaxed lunch.

Best of all, lunch today, with a glass of wine each, was £20. A tenner each for a nice lunch and a vino is pretty good value in my books!
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7 Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 8
Saturday, August 21, 2010

Not sure what Feb 5th is talking about - was it a little busy for you? Too much character? Perhaps you prefer a starchy, over serviced meal. Can I suggest the The Criterion In Piccadilly Circus.

I have been popping to Pullens over the last 4 years and I have never had a bad meal, in fact it's some of the best cooking in the area. Yes, the service can be a little relaxed but it's a bistro restaurant not a Wimpy. We love it, in fact we are going tonight.....
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8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Saturday, May 22, 2010

I'm not sure what part of Paris the previous review refers to, perhaps the part that had the riots a couple of years ago. I just wish I had read the reviews here before parting with my hard earned on what I think will be my worst meal of 2010. Quite an achievement in January.
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0 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Friday, February 05, 2010

I love this place, the service is friendly and efficient and the food is great. I always feel like I have stepped out of London and and into a little bit of Paris. Definitely try it - its great.
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9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Wednesday, January 13, 2010

We had a very painful brunch with rude, poor service throughout, cold food and a twenty minute wait (no exaggeration) for one cup of tea - even though it was requested three times. We had to go up to the bar to chase on the tea and on the bill after waiting about twenty to thirty minutes for table service. Very rubbish indeed. DO NOT GO HERE. The food is poor, expensive and the service stinks. Steve's around the corner is much better for a greasy spoon affair, and if you want a bit of a more gourmet breakfast you really can't go wrong with the Prince Regent (although go early or book as it gets busy).
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Ed Purkis
3 Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 3
Sunday, December 20, 2009

Having spotted this cosy looking bar on a cold winter's night, I thought i would pop in for a glass of wine and something to eat. BIG mistake! I was ignored at the door whilst the person behind the bar chatted to the 'regulars' and when i asked for a table had to wait whilst one was slowly cleared. Considering the dining room was 3/4 empty and there were plenty of staff on, this wasn't a good start. I should have taken this as my notice to leave, but foolishly stayed.

To the food. I ordered some oysters to start. Usually oysters are presented so that the precious juices are kept in the shells. Here they were dumped on a plate and covered with parsley. Anyone would know that parsley ruins the delicate taste of the seafood, does the chef not understand that? Also, where was the shallot vinegar? To follow, I ordered steak and chips...9 chips; I know, i counted them. The meat itself was tough and sinewy and my requested medium rare was well done. The whole thing was covered in a slick of gloopy sauce that was highly unpleasant. After all this ineptitude I couldn't face dessert and just wanted to pay and leave as quick as possible. However, paying took another 20 minutes and eventually I had to get up and go to the till to pay, as the waitress was outside having a cigarette!!!

All in all, an over-priced and very unpleasant experience.

Use it or lose it? I'll take the latter.
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2 Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 1
Saturday, December 12, 2009

I really love Pullens. It is a great place for a crafty beer on an evening, and there are very few places like it on this side of the Channel Tunnel. I hope it remains as the unique and characterful establishment that it is, and that Herne Hill is never ruined by dreaded gastro-chains. However, the quality of the food in Pullens is wildly inconsistent, and (with all due respect) I think the owners should have a shakedown in the kitchen!

I have had good dinners in this place, but breakfast at Pullens is simply awful. I have tried everything on the breakfast menu, and it has not changed in 3 years. I recently visited on a Sunday morning, and opted for Eggs Benedict. 'PING !' ...my plate arrived very quickly indeed, and about ten minutes before the coffee. On the plate sat a pair of stone cold and very stodgy muffins, swimming in an inch-deep pool of luke-warm Hollandaise sauce that had the consistency of wallpaper paste. I had to check that the muffins were not afloat before stabbing my fork into one of them (lest I cause a tidal wave). I cannot remember the ham, but the eggs were rubbery, with a hardened crumbly yolk that plopped into the sauce when cut open.

While searching for submerged yolk rocks, my latte arrived. This was presented in a giant soup bowl with a handle suitable for a child's finger. The pint of coffee was weak and tasteless. I tried an espresso afterwards which was also terrible and 4 times the required size. I really hope this place improves for the sake of the character of Herne Hill. I therefore humbly suggest that the owners visit the Wolseley in Piccadilly to see what Eggs Benedict can look like, and then go to Monmouth Coffee shop or Providores in Marylebone High Street to sample the coffee. Long live Pullens.
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Klaus von Strudelheimer
5 Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 4
Wednesday, December 09, 2009

I think in the age where gastro pubs and restaurants are sprouting up everywhere, with their perfect menus and their perfect farrow and ball decor, Pullens is a breath of fresh air. The food is fresh, sometimes the service is a bit weird, yes the lighting is a bit dreary and the overall atmosphere slighlty tumbledown and weary.. but it is the heart of Herne Hill. It is the quirky reason why you all moved here in the first place. Use it or lose it. Do you REALLY want another dreary gastro cafe there? Without Pullens, Herne Hill is nothing. Wait and see.
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8 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 10
Monday, December 07, 2009