The Holly Bush

This is a gorgeous cosy old pub with a great atmosphere. The dining room is informal and the service we had was charming.

The menu has a great range of rustic food which is perfect for a winter evening. Sadly however, the food is very poor. Pints of king prawns looked amazing but were chalky and tasted unpleasant. "Beer battered diver caught scallops" arrived as 3 over cooked breadcrumbed nuggets.

Main courses were better but half of them were presented cold and needed re heating.

Our bill for 7 people came to £240 including drinks and after the duty manager refused to take the prawns off the bill, we left feeling disgruntled and upset.
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A. Grace
5 Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 2
Saturday, January 07, 2012

As pub-grub goes, this is an excellent choice.

The menu is always under review, with older and less popular options being replaced by newer ones. This makes it easy to return regularly without becoming bored. I've tried most things on their menu now and not had one bad experience. The building is as I have always known it - lots of winding passages and bare wood. The prices reflect the upkeep. This is a listed building after all, so a premium is to be expected.

My only problem was with the service. I can't get over how surly it is. All conversations with the staff are very matter-of-fact with no hint of any good mood. Everyone seems to be just "doing their job", but they don't engage with the customer. I found this quite unsettling.

But I like the building and I like the food. The selection of beer is quite good. So it will remain a favourite with me.
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Alan Ingham - View all reviews by this user
7 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Friday, November 11, 2011

Much improved. Food far better than it once was though desserts were a bit of a weak point. Service a little slow but friendly and the atmosphere was lovely, very relaxed and welcoming. Possibly not the place for a special dinner but for those nights when you can't face cooking, this is a reliable local.
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Hailey
7 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Friday, July 02, 2010

The worst mashed potato I have ever had. It looked and felt like wallpaper paste and tasted horribly sour. Go for a drink but don't bother with the food.
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3 Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 3
Thursday, September 17, 2009

The beer is very, very good and the pub itself a fantastically interesting place. The food is well-presented and it's okay although maybe a little bit salty and a little over-priced. I'd go back for drinks but I think I'd eat somewhere else. Saying that pub food in Hampstead isn't great - this place is certainly better some of the others. Maybe I'm just getting too choosy in my old age.
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Rex - View all reviews by this user
6 Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 5
Thursday, June 25, 2009