The Freemasons

I have been going to the Freemasons for years, as it is my local, and I am so disappointed with the way it has gone to the dogs!

It used to be the best pub in London, there was a New Zealand guy managing it and he was fantastic. But sadly since he left there has been a string of utterly useless people managing it.

The latest two guys have to be the worst bar staff I have ever come across. They seem to think that greeting customers while lying stretched out on the sofa is acceptable behavior for staff. They cross the line on friendliness, for example leaning on my table while taking my order isn't cool! The toilets are a disgrace. The whole place could really do with a good scrub, actually it could do with a revamp.

However the food is still very good, hats off to the chefs for putting up with the service staff! I have read the other reviews about the kitchen not coping and while this is true I think its a direct result of the service staff as the don't seem to know what they are doing.

Having worked for many years in the catering industry I really don't understand how the owners of this once great pub can sit back and let it turn into the dingy hole it has become.
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Katie
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 4
Monday, July 28, 2008

Had a school reunion there on the 5th Jan. Food was amazing. Pork belly lived up to it's reputation! Cheese burger was one of the best I have ever had.

Haddock Bisque I was told was delightful.

Atmos was fantastic, I will be returning very soon!
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Ian Greene
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Monday, January 07, 2008

Pork belly is very good but beware the seared tuna - three 10p coin size pieces of (very fresh) tuna, laid on a dinner plate. Looked ridiculous when the waitress brought out and a bit of a joke for £7! Take this off the menu as it detracted from what was otherwise an enjoyable meal!
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Mark L
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Sunday, November 25, 2007

This one of our locals, chosen either for a last minute dinner treat or for sunday lunch with the parents. Drinks-wise, there's a good selection of lagers but not a huge number of ales. Wine list is good for a pub, but slightly expensive considering you've got railways sleepers for tables and paper menus.

Service can be a bit variable, especially if they're busy. It's often better to be seated in the bar area rather than the restaurant as you can grab the waitress on her way around the place. Although it's generally pretty good, I have had occasions where they've brought the wrong bottle of wine out , and the house white is pretty poor.

So far, so mediocre, right? There are two things that really elevate this place up into a higher position. First, the food. Burgers are great, hummus and flatbread is yummy, bangers & mash tasty, pork belly filling, sunday roast excellent. The second thing is the atmosphere; it's almost never dead in there, and they have a very lively and popular pub quiz on a Monday night (which is the only time I'd recommend against trying to have a nice quiet dinner). Seating outside in the summer is pretty popular, although it's only overlooking the main road and a beer garden would be a significant improvement.

All in all then a nice local place to hang out with good food. A touch on the pricey side, but hey. This is Wandsworth. Get used to it!
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 4
Friday, October 19, 2007

Went for a sunday roast, extremely poor service. No Vegetarian food on menu. Kitchen cant handle the orders even though most people are ordering the roast which is already prepared. 30 minutes before we could order. 45 minutes to be served. No beef on menu and they also ran out of lamb. Risotto was orderd without seafood, but waiter came out with the dish with meat and upon realising this he took it back and had it removed and the same dish served. This was sent back and next risotto came 15 minutes later uncooked. Again sent back and then cancelled, the whole time no apologies given. Another waiter brought the bill and when told we would not like to pay the tip she was rude and unapologetic.
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Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 5
Sunday, September 30, 2007

Absolutely the most appalling service I have ever received in any restaurant anywhere in the world. I wuld sooner go back to the dodgy Viatnamese place in Paris that gave me food poisoning for a week than go back here.

Two of our party of four arrived bang on time for a pre-booked table to be told that it had been given away because they were busy. It then took 45 minutes for us to be seated with not so much as a complimentary drink in sight. Ordering and starters went reasonably smoothly (and in fairness all agreed that the starters were excellent), but then the time passed, no mains appeared, and it became apparent that the kitchen was simply not coping with the number of covers. We complained on two occasions, prompting them to give us a free bottle of wine, but by now other tables had come in after us and were being served. The whole fiasco ended with them closing the kitchen (we could see them scrubbing down as it's an open kitchen, but nobody bothered to tell us this) without serving us. We couldn't even find anyone to complain to at this point so we got up and simply left. So effectively we'd had several pints, three bottles of decent Cotes du Rhone and some starters for free. I suppose I shouldn't argue with that really but this place is a joke.
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Marcus Cotswell
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 0
Monday, October 30, 2006

The Freemasons without a doubt has to be one of the best pubs in London. I've been there for a casual dinner or something more special, and the food and service is always supurb.

Also one of the largest, most carefully thought out winelists - would give any restaurant a run for their money!!
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Jane - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Friday, July 14, 2006

Love it here. Bar staff are incredibly friendly and make an effort to show they recognise you.

Food is great and wine list is pretty good. Please bring back the lamb burger, we miss it!

Minor point is that if it isn't very busy it is a bit cold in the main bar...
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Thursday, January 12, 2006

Nine friends and I had a most enjoyable Christmas evening meal at the Freemasons last week. The food was suberb and the service excellent. We had a fantastic night.
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Colin Hicks
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, December 20, 2005

The food and service in this pub are really top notch. Its the sort of place you can take friends and be confident of having a great meal with very friendly table and bar staff.
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Frank
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Monday, December 19, 2005