The Bull & Last

Food standard good (although I think the Cote De boeuf should have been around £10 cheaper at £60+ it was a tad overpriced). Drinks selection decent. Nice greeting etc although we were sat on a tiny seat for 2 and our extras and stuff when they came had to either go on the bar or the floor (a bad attention to detail of service when paying those prices). Having said that I would return.
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- View all reviews by this user
7 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 5
Thursday, November 10, 2011

This gem is both a pub for people who fancy only a pint or two and a restaurant with seriously innovative and delicious food.

We mostly just go there to enjoy a few drinks and it's great being able to do that without having to feeling you also need to eat something (many gastropubs don't get that mix right, I find). The atmosphere is great even when it's empty (which doesn't happen very often). Most of the staff knows their regulars which is so rare nowadays. They are also child friendly and you see lots of families.

When we eat there, it's (almost) always a great taste sensation. The food is seasonal, they know their sources and they are inventive. Duck hearts on toast, beetroot salad (I hate beetroot but this dish was fantastic), their homemade charcuterie board - simply amazing.

The only thing that can be annoying is that you better book a table in advance.
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Claudia
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Thursday, June 02, 2011

Incredibly over-rated and deluded price-wise. Nice spot, ambient atmosphere (though a little draughty) but seriously, you can't charge these prices for this kind of food - it's no better than good pub grub.
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Ade
4 Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 3
Friday, April 29, 2011

Surly rude bar staff who seemed to think serving was beneath them.
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3 Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 0
Sunday, April 17, 2011

Finally visited this famous north London gastropub last year. On our first visit, we sat downstairs in the busy bar area and had an excellent meal. The short-haired lady who looked after us was wonderful - very friendly and knew the menu inside out. My fish dish was beautifully cooked and my partner declared his steak 'as good as Hawksmoor, and for half the price'. (Praise indeed!)

We returned in the same week and sat upstairs in the slightly more formal dining room, which has a hunting lodge theme complete with antler light-fittings and some taxidermy. The food was, again, excellent with the vension and a starter of intensely flavoured fish soup amongst the highlights. A dish that was sent back was changed quickly and without any fuss.

Be prepared for restaurant, rather than pub grub, prices. This is no cheap thrill. However, we left - on both occasions - feeling that it was worth every penny. Looking forward to trying their famed Sunday lunch, if we can ever squeeze in amongst the locals.
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-K- - View all reviews by this user
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 8
Monday, March 07, 2011

''perhaps the wealthy residents of the area can afford to blow a hundred pounds on an average meal.'' The reviewed below summarises what I feel about this place.

I do live in this area and have always wanted to try this pub as it looks nice from outside and it's always full.

Having visited it finally, I realised this pub is busy because it's got such an impeccable location - right off the heath.

the burger is the smallest I have ever come across in my life. a kids burger size with 5 chips (yes, 5!) for GBP13. I guess people in this country don't eat much and don't mind paying for nothing.

Waitresses are very rushed but not rude. Food is mediocre but not nasty.

But, for this price and the ridiculous portion, I would NOT come again.
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Nicole H
1 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 0
Saturday, March 05, 2011

Having heard such good things about the Bull and Last it felt like the right thing to do when our friends suggested we dine there. What a BIG mistake that turned out to be. We paid about £120 for four of us and emerged thoroughly disappointed. The service was extremely slow (the waitress forgot all about the beer we had ordered and we had to remind her twice after waiting half an hour), the deer was edible at best, the fish was nothing special (although the accompanying chips were very good), and their choice of vegetarian food was pitiful. Why gastropubs think they can get away with what is essentially a main meal of potatoes for vegetarians is beyond me. When I asked if they could conjure up something healthier and more inventive, the somewhat less than worldly waitress referred me to the crab linguine - I pointed out that eating fish was not vegetarian to which she just shrugged. I had to console myself with some very plain garden salad. I did however relish the selection of wine and muscat for dessert. I dont know - perhaps the wealthy residents of the area can afford to blow a hundred pounds on an average meal. But in these financially uncertain times, the rest of us are looking for better food, better value and frankly better service!
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2 Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 2
Sunday, February 28, 2010

Interesting and well-sourced food with some exceptional dishes. The staff are all extremely friendly and helpful and it is a comfortable environment for an excellent local meal. It is better in the evening as Sunday lunch can be a bit hit and miss!
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londongal - View all reviews by this user
8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 6
Sunday, February 14, 2010

Sunday lunch started so promising but...

Our starters of smoked croquettes were great and plentiful but my husbands snails with bacon & croutons starter was nothing more than a plate of lettuce leaves with very little else. Both our mains of roast beef, yorkshire pud and trimmings was not worth the wait of an hour. The beef was so over cooked that it resembled more like a piece of old flavourless overcooked pork. Hence, we could not eat it. Roasties and yorkshire pud were very average but plentiful veg. We asked if we could have some beef that wasn't over cooked but the waitress told us that it was all that was left. However, we did notice that beef was still being served to other customers. Needless to say, I ate my yorkshire and one potato and some veg but my husband left the whole lot. When the waitress cleared our plates away she didn't ask us why we had left it but we told her what we thought and suggested that she should inform the chef. To our total amazement, the waitress returned to us and apologised for the bad food but said "it is the luck of the draw who gets the last piece of beef". When I said that maybe we should have been told how bad the beef was beforehand and given the opportunity to order something else, she just shrugged her shoulders and walked off. However, she did return with the offer of a free dessert! All in all, the two mains at £28 were a total disgrace and completely unprofessional in the way that this was handled.

Not to mention the extremely slow and unprofessional service - would we go again? Maybe for a drink but I can think of much better places in the area for that!
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m
6 Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 7
Monday, September 07, 2009

I have just walked past this pub and i popped in on my own for lunch and a pint having just started working in the area.

I had a pint of BItter Shandy (i was working after all) and Beer Battered Fish and Chips - i even had a pickled Wally!!

The fish was perfect and the batter cooked to perfection. Lovely big roasties rather than chips if truth be known, but crisp and prepared perfectly.

I have to say it was delicious and i even took a menu away with me (although lunchtime and evening menus differ).

My only regret is that today isnt a Sunday as it would have been nice to read the papers.

From what I can gather, the place gets rammed at the weekends - I would opt then for The Bull & Last for lunchtimes and after work shennagigans. Alternatively a good place for a quiet meeting during the day.

I was really impressed. I can only assume that the guy below had a different chef to me as the meal I had was borderline perfection.
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The Real Wally
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Tuesday, September 01, 2009