Nightingale

AlexWoods

Best Young's pub ever! 4th February 2009

2 found this helpful

This is a great boozer. Definitely the best Young's pub I've ever come across and quite probably the best pub in Clapham/Balham/Wandsworth Common area...

It's a bit off the beaten track (and I shan't give you directions!) but it's definitely worth the trek where ever you are coming from.

It's very cosy and traditional, a proper "pubby" pub - eye level glass shelves, shiny brass work, dark stained wooden bar with stools. I'm a bit of an aficionado (read fussy git?) when it comes to the best bars at which to sit. The criteria are quite rigorous and this one scores highly! Comfortable stools, some with back and arms, a foot bar, coat hangers, a good height. Perfect for lounging away a Sunday afternoon.

They serve a fine selection of beer, and I've never had a bad pint - Young’s "Best", Special, and Bombardier plus a guest, which for the last few months has been Winter Warmer - one of the finest winter beers ever! They also have a generous selection bottled beers which they sell for off as well as in house drinking. You can even have a 2pint "takeaway" (I think it's a pretty generic Young's thing now...)

Aside from that there is a standard selection of lagers, cider and Guinness. I'm not aware of any poncy beers here and a good thing too!

The food isn't bad - good honest contemporary pub food, reasonably priced. I mean, I wouldn't take my Mum there for dinner, but if I was peckish and in that neck of the woods then I can think of worse places to go.

The Nightingale boasts a very nice, partially covered beer garden out the back as well as plenty of space (I hesitate to call it a garden...) at the front. It faces the road but it's not that busy and on a hot summer afternoon, who cares?

The atmosphere inside is just lovely. The fire in the middle of the main bar adds to the cosy, comforting atmosphere. (Top tip: if you see the arm chairs by the fire being vacated be quick. And be armed. And prepared to fight for them! But by gad it's worth it!)

There is no "background" music, there is a TV but hardly ever on. (I shall probably be camped out here for most of the Six Nations which they very graciously agreed to screen last year.)

The clientele are a bit of a mix. As well as the regular local crowd there tend to be a smattering of well heeled Wandsworthians, elderly chaps in tweed, young families, and young professionals (or "Fair King Sloanes" as one gentleman was loudly explaining to me in the gentlemen's restroom one Friday afternoon. He'd had a good day. Not quite sure what he meant though...) An eclectic but generally pleasant crowd.

One of the things that I really like about the Nightingale is that it is truly a community pub. They proudly display their charitable credentials. The Nightingale Walk has been running for about 130 years (exaggeration...) and raises thousands of pounds (No exaggeration) each year for various charities. They also donate 10% of the cost of every sausage and mash sold to charity. For the cutsey among you, your bangers will be served on plates decorated by local children. One, two, three: "Awwww!"
I wonder how much money could be raised if every pub in Balham donated 10% from a dish to charity...

I think that I've covered more or less everything. Apart from the little fact sheets in the gents! Very entertaining! I can't speak for the ladies facilities, I wasn't paying much attention.

Sasbo

Great traditional pub 27th January 2009

4 found this helpful

This is my favourite pub in Clapham. Walking in on a cold winter's night is like walking into a pub in the deepest countryside. There is no music and no Sky Sports (Hurrah!) so the atmosphere is filled with the gentle hum of chatter; comfy seating and soft lighting add to the cosy feel of the place. There are board games and darts available to play also. My only gripe would be the bar prices, be careful when buying a round as it can cost you a small fortune! A glass of wine is the best part of £6...now that's just greedy. I haven't tried the food so can't comment on that.