The Avalon

Don't have sunday lunch here.

I live around the corner and been there a couple of times. Its more of a pub and the food is insanely overpriced for what you get. The sunday roast is tasteless and disappointing.. Its a great pub but very average dining experience and steep too.
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K dogg
4 Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 1
Friday, August 26, 2011

We went to The Avalon for dinner, hoping to have the set menu which they advertise on their website (we were there on a Wednesday at 7pm). After we’d sat and ordered wine, the waitress said that the set menu wasn’t on, but wouldn’t give us a reason why.

We had a bowl of bread to keep hunger at bay. Had some nice wine, and tasty food. Two of our group didn’t finish their pies, due to them being too salty. The fish and chips was very good, and steaks were a hit.

The bill came with the ‘optional’ service charge and a £3 charge for bread! It was good bread, but seeing as most pubs and restaurants give it to diners as standard, I thought it was a cheek. I probably won’t go back, especially when The Devonshire down the road, or The Antelope in Tooting offer better food (with free bread).
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James Creedy - View all reviews by this user
6 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 4
Thursday, March 03, 2011

Been here a couple of times now....the food is not very good, given the price. A basic test of a gastropub is the burger, I think....and the second time I went I tried it...seriously poor. The roast dinner was better.

I think this place does not know what it wants to be. On the one hand, it has a restaurant-like seating area in the back, but then it has plenty of TVs showing sport...it is a bit like the Duke of Devonshire on Balham high street....doesn't know what it wants to be.

I suggest for a better pub/gastropub in Balham, stick to the Clarence. It knows what it is and doesn't try to be something it isn't.

I am not affiliated in any way with the Clarence - it is just my experience of the area.
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6 Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 4
Monday, May 31, 2010

Not worth going for the food, the service and the price.

Nice bar though.
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Marc
1 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 0
Thursday, January 28, 2010

Four of us recently went for Sunday lunch and we were lucky to get a table as it was PACKED!! We didn't sit in the restaurant section but were told you need to book three days in advance... wowser, the food must be good!

The short answer is no. It's incredibly overpriced - I ordered a vegetarian mezze with turkish flatbread - £9.50 for a tbsp of hummus and a tbsp of some spicy dip plus a carrot salad. Hmmm... I wasn't impressed - it was ok but certainly wasn't worth £10 (include service charge and it cost £11....). My boyfriend ordered the roast chicken sunday lunch and he said it was good but not enough of it! IT was supposed to come with 'all the trimmings' yet only came with one carrot, a parsnip and some potatoes...I wouldn't eat here again.

However, I really like the bar, we stayed for quite a few drinks and it had a good atmosphere and the cocktails were good. I would definitely come for drinks again.

The service was also not good - they were supposed to operate a table service and we were seated for at least 30 mins before they took our order and then the waitress didn't come back with our change so my friend had to go find her to get it! Only one out of three toilets (women) were working so there were constant queues....
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D - View all reviews by this user
7 Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 6
Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Went to try and have Sunday lunch from the garden grill, which looked quite appetising. Unfortunately, after 70-odd minutes of waiting, only a desultory bowl of fries appeared, while the burger and a chicken sandwich presumably remained grazing the free ranges of Clarm Sarf somewhere. This disappointment was garnished by a catatonic waiter managing to feed his off-duty-mate-with-date on the end of our table in about 10 mins flat. I'm sure their food is probably very nice if you're allowed any – or have the mobile number of the bar manager, but I'm afraid I'll be driving out of London with a clear conscience next time, if only to avoid some of our co-diners who seemed to be publicly auditioning for Big Brother – the Parenting Edition. We voted with our feet, unimpressed at how a sunny Sunday lunchtime had could been turned into a slightly bad Saturday night in the space of half an hour. We hope you have more luck.
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TM
3 Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 5
Monday, August 24, 2009

Went in for Sunday lunch in the garden, ordered a simple burger and pork in a roll with chips to share (at around £8 for the burger and £3.50 for chips, not that cheap). An hour later we'd had our chips and finished them - still no sign of the buns... Mentioned this to the waiter who wasn't too bothered about any apology or explanation, when we finally got up to leave and offered to pay for the chips, he took our money and didn't even raise a rueful eyebrow... Asked to see the manager inside who apologised for being shortstaffed and gave us back the price of our chips. Got home hungry. Not too bothered about returning to see if they can do better.

Any thoughts we'd had about using their function room for forthcoming nuptials also gone up in smoke. Sorry Avalon, you've had your chips!
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SH
1 Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 0
Sunday, August 23, 2009

I suggested The Avalon for my sister's summer drinks party, because it has such a large drinking/dining area which I thought would lend itself well to parties. I'm rather relieved that my assumptions proved correct.

The bar has been done up really well and has a lovely garden (two in fact) out the back. The barmen were really attentive and very efficient, with little queueing involved. Also, the music was pitched at exactly the right sound level which made catching up with people much easier. Lovely atmosphere too.

The only negative points worth mentioning is that there didn't appear to be any air conditioning, which means that unless you're lucky enough to secure a spot outside, you will swelter inside in the hot weather. This meant that a number of people left earlier than they might have done, because they were really struggling with the heat. Also, by the end, the atmosphere turned into more of a clubbing one, and the clientele went downhill a bit, with one guy flashing his underwear at every opportunity!! (Hopefully this is not the norm!) And the music really cranks up too.... I guess this is fine if you're in the mood, but not so good if you only went for a few quiet drinks.

All in all though, I think it's a really slick operation and definitely worth a visit.
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8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 7
Monday, June 29, 2009

The food here is good - one of those menus where everything is simple but tempting and you feel spoilt for choice. The dining area is splendid with comfy and luxurious seating, and it is just about far enough from the buzz of the bar area without losing the atmosphere (that said we went on the sunday evening of a bank holiday weekend and with the rowdiness of the bar, I was pleased to be not seated on the tables nearest to the bar). The service is polite and knowledgable, but don't be expected to be waited on hand and foot - in fact it felt as they were short staffed. An example - despite 3 of us ordering a meal with fries, we weren't offered ketchup, the waitress then disappeared and with no other waiting staff in the dining room for the next few minutes, we decided to go and help ourselves. All in all, a pleasant dining experience... but please hire some more staff!
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Michael
7 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Saturday, May 09, 2009

Having read the mixed reviews lately we felt we ought to go and find out for ourselves about Avalon but went with some trepidation. It turned out we had nothing to worry about! Went for Sunday lunch with my wife and a friend and everything was first class.

First we had a drink at the bar where the staff were all very friendly, before going through to the restaurant, which is a lovely light and airy room, nice decor and tables reasonably spaced. As there was 3 of us we were somewhat worried that we would be squeezed on to a table usually meant for 2 but no worries there - we were given a large corner table with plenty of room.

So on to the food, for starters two of us had salads which were both very good - perfectly dressed with tasty ingredients which weren't skimped on. The third had the asparagus which was also excellent, a simple dish but made with good quality ingredients.

For main course we all had the roast beef, which was plentiful and perfectly cooked for us, beautifully pink - so if you like your beef well done (shame on you!) you probably should mention that. Only slight caveat about the mains was the fact they came on too small plates / shallow bowls - a big white 12" plate should be used for a roast!

All 3 of us had desserts which maintained the standard set by the rest of the meal.

Drinks wise, we were pleased to see that a large number of the wines came in 50cl carafes - always handy if some are drinking white and some red.

Efficient, friendly staff completed a very enjoyable dining experience for us - bill for 3 people each having 3 courses, 2 bottles plus a 0.5l carafe of wine, glasses of stickies was a perfectly acceptable £150

We'll definitely be returning.
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Richard H
8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 8
Monday, May 04, 2009