The Idle Hour

ABSOLUTLY TERRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Worst service, worst food, worst cosomopolitan!!!

EVER!! Will never go there again! Please avoid if you can!! terrible terrible terrible!!!
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Taryn
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 0
Sunday, August 17, 2008

I moved into the block of flats opposite the Idle Hour a year and half ago, and ever since I have been a regular and have been taking my friends there. I am shocked by the reviews I read here - I have never once been disappointed by either the food or the service the place has to offer.

My flatmate runs a gastro pub in Victoria and one of the reasons he decided to rent a place here WAS because of the excellent food and service of this small and special pub. Having tried all other pubs in Barnes now he and his girlfriend even got a bonus collector card, they became such fans of the Idle Hour.

This Saturday evening when me and my boyfriend walked in for a dinner, most tables inside were already booked - and I wasn't surprised, as it is a very popular place, and for all the good reasons. We settled at a table outside, ordered their delicious award winning burger and dessert - the best quality Belgian choclate brownie I've ever tried.

Before you believe anybody else, even me if you like, why don't you give it a try yourself and see what you think. And let us know!
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Kay
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Please ignore the negative reviews of this tremendous pub and appreciate what it is trying to achieve. Unlike other places in Barnes it fully understands what people want from a pub. The staff are ever friendly, the drinks are great (wine in particular) and the food real pub grub at a great price. You will go a very long way to find a better burger!

If you want rude staff in a pretentious atmosphere then this isn't the place for you. If you want to sit back and relax then there is nowhere better.
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Stuart Wilson
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Saturday, February 09, 2008

We thought that we would take two friends to the Idle Hour in Barnes having seen your promotion in the Evening Standard. I have been for a drink quite a few times and liked the atmosphere.

But it was embarrassing, I had to ask what had happened to both the starters and main courses as they took so long to come but worse when they they did arrive they were terribly overcooked. I offer this feedback as I hate to see such a good concept spoilt by poor execution. If the promotion was an opportunity to get locals to come back I am afraid that it missed the mark by a long way.
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Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 0
Saturday, November 10, 2007

Decided to have a local mealat The Idle Hour Resteraunt in Barnes looked okay from the outside.

Bad decision food was cold in the middle, unfortunately sent back to be replaced with same dish of (shepards pie). again this time extremly hot on the ouside but in the middle tepid. Overrated mince dish contaminated with carrots.

Decided against having an issue with the staff, paid the bill in full.

Not value for money at all. Definately would not recommend or would return.
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james
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 0
Wednesday, August 08, 2007

I couldn't disagree more with the last couple of reviewers. The Idle Hour is certainly my favourite pub in Barnes. Yes, you have to book food on a Sunday and yes the service can be slow but the tiny kitchen and solo chef make this understandable.

Whilst not exactly cheap, The Idle Hour is more reasonable than many Barnes pubs and doesn't fall into the trap of thinking that anyone wanting to go and eat at their local wants a three course meal at West End prices. In my opinion, The Idle Hour's burgers can't be beaten and the sharing platters of meats and cheeses are a great idea for something to snack on with a pint or glass of wine. My own personal favourite is the cheese fondue and the occasional specials such as lobster.

Most of all, I love the quiet location of this pub and the fact that you can pretty much always get a table. The staff are polite and helpful too and Red Stripe on tap and an array of organic wines are a great addition.
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Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Friday, August 03, 2007

Frankly, I don't know where to start in saying what a terrible experience dining here was for me and the people I was with. My sister-in-law lives locally to the pub and recommended we eat lunch there. Big mistake. We arrived at 1.15PM. The 'party' consisted of me, my husband, my son and my mother-in-law. I was very impressed with the ambience - initially. That was to change pretty quickly.

We were told that we couldn't have Sunday lunch as we hadn't pre-ordered it. In short, we accepted that with no complaint. We understood that the restaurant doesn't want to be stuck with too much fresh food etc., so we ordered from the menu, as advised by the waitress. I have to say that we found the prices VERY high, but we were happy to pay that for 'organic'.

The Eastern European girl behind the bar said she would bring our drinks to us in the outside area where we were sitting. She didn't - so after 15 minutes my sister-in-law went to collect them. The barmaid complained that she was unable to do everything as she was alone. Fair enough.....but not if your lunch bill was going to be in excess of £90 inc. drinks, as ours was.

So far so good...until over an hour later I went to ask where out food was. It was 2.30PM now and we were hungry and cross. Plus I had my 18month year old with me (outside) and he was most upset. My salmon turned up within 10 minutes and I was shocked at its tiny size, and also the fact that I had only 4 TINY new potatoes and three of the thinnest slithers of carrot I have ever seen. I had been expecting something more substantial to be honest. I was most offended on tasting the potatoes to see that without doubt they had been microwaved (I even heard the microwave 'pinging' shortly before the food arrived). The salmon was overcooked and bland. Even though I was starving I took it back. I was furious in any case that my three family members' food wasn't there. It came 10 minutes later! Was I expected to eat alone while my even hungrier companions looked on?????

The whole thing was a fiasco.

The Hungarian barmaid was apologetic, but it was only she and the cook that were there. Evidently their English wasn't great which didn't help. They offered me a kanagaroo stew as compensation; normally I would not eat something like that but I was so hungry I was close to fainting and agreed. It was average and I didn't eat much of it.

Yes, the whole experience was totally farcical. It was quite siply the WORST service and food I have EVER had.

AVOID!
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Lizzie
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 0
Saturday, December 23, 2006

Ate here with a friend last night - truly awful! We both had dim sum (delicious) then monkfish. Terrible presentation, no seasoning, just fish and rice, no sauce as stated. Both of us sent our fish back as it was raw in the middle. I then ordered pate and got risotto, and my friend tried again with the monkfish. Her second plate was also raw. Were given food on the house, the staff were very apologetic and helpful. Ordered prawn plate, everything had been fried to a crisp, and the potato wedges were raw in the middle too. In the end we paid for our wine and left. Never again!
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jacks
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 1
Friday, August 04, 2006

As a visitor to the area I found this establishment to be a real find, definitely one I will recommend and one that I will hopefully be going back to. The staff are friendly and happy to accommodate my own personal food requirements (alergies) and that of my guests. The bar was great and the food itself very tasty. I love the relaxed atmosphere and calm decor - worth a visit.
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Friday, February 17, 2006

Three of us chose this pub because it was part of a promotion in a national newspaper and we had always fancied going there. It was the biggest mistake. The service was awful, we ordered at 8 but the staff served everyone that entered after us, first. At 9.15pm we had had enough, after complaining numerous times that we hadn't even got our starter, they brought us over the wrong ones! Considering there were only three starters and two main courses, as they had run out of the salmon, we were very disappointed! On our exit we noticed a table that had been empty when we arrived, they had eaten their starters and main courses...all of which were salmon!
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Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Friday, February 03, 2006