The Pembroke

I am living close by and this could turn to be my regular pub.
It is not crazzzy but it is A) huge B) kind of nice C) never too packed D) sitting in a corner of Old Brompton and a quiet nice street E) has a restaurant space F) an upstairs room G) a big outdoor terrasse accessible through the stairs. This bar is therefore very big if you count the big space downstairs, the one upstairs, the outdoor sidewalk tables and the terrasse. BIG. So far I came for lunch and for watching a rugby game. They have nice fish and chips, decently priced beers, nice staff, a lot of options on the menu which look appealing, and a huge massive screen upstairs you can watch sitting in comfy couches. The set up is very nice honestly. Only thing is so far, I haven’t find something special about this place besides its size/​convenience. Maybe it is what you call a local pub, hey? Will def go back to watch games and grab a bite/​beer once in a while. If you are a regular and this is your place, happy to meet. This will make it more fun to me. Cheers.

There is no downstairs bar. I read a review of a downstairs seating area. The beers were good.
Bartender never heard of a black and tan.

Nice quiet dining room in the rear and good modern gastro-​pub fare.

I like this pub for a number of different reasons, to start with downstairs it has a decent selection of UK and American beer served on hand pumps and in bottles from a large bar which helps the staff interact with customers and gives plenty of space to sit at the bar without feeling squashed. The bar staff seemed knowledgeable about the beer on offer.
This pub also has lots of comfortable seating both downstairs and upstairs so it’s good place to visit if you want somewhere to go for a drink and a catch up with mates.
In the upstairs part of the pub you’ll see a huge screen which shows a lot of sport including American football games. There is also a small bar upstairs and a gents toilet hidden away in the corner. The pub also has an extensive food menu but with the Troubadour restaurant a few doors away it has some stiff competition.

This pub can be hit or miss. Sometimes (mainly when its quieter) it is really lovely and some nice cocktails are made. In the summer its nice to sit outside on their outside terrace. When this place is packed, it is miserable. The pub itself has great ambiance, and two large chandeliers which is always fun. Bathrooms are decently clean and not too tiny. My one pet peeve about this place is they serve awful gin and tonics. They only serve tap tonic (I call this the tap of terror). I don’t understand why someone would ruin a good g&t with awful tonic, I mean the Schwepps stuff is pretty grim too, but its miles ahead of the tap stuff. But if you want a pint or a rum and coke its not the worst place to go.

After evening out rum tasting you may think the last place to visit is a pub but we found this pub as we walked past West Brompton station in search for a tipple and snack!
As you walk in, there is a center bar with high tables and stools along the walls. There is further seating areas upstairs and behind the bar there is a restaurant. The huge plus about the Pembroke is you are able to order food until 10! The staff were friendly and service was pretty quick considering the bar was busy downstairs!

The Pembroke is a good friend of mine’s local, and since he has a broken foot right now, I’ve been to here a fair amount recently! When it comes to pubs, The Pembroke is pretty big. You’ll find a fancy restaurant area in the back that fitting for the area it’s in, and in the front are a number of tables, a couple of TVs and a big 270 degree bar with the usual beers and a few specials on tap or cask.
Upstairs there’s a nice big area with an extra bar and a projector/​big screen they pull down for big sporting events and such. You can rent out the entire upper area if you want to, but I don’t know what they charge for it. It’s definitely best to book a table up there if you want to come watch sport, as it will get busy for popular events.

OK, it’s a huge place and service totally depends on how busy it is. The upstairs is huge and with only one person working the tiny bar, waiting for service feels like waiting for an ice age. It’s quite Bohemian, bare brick in places, mixed crowd as you would expect from the area, and really this place could be very good or very bad depending on the service situation. The first time I went here I had to shave three times while waiting at the bar. Later on the same evening it was more or less empty, so a bit hit and miss in my experience.

We’ve eaten here over 100 times from the day it opened as a gastropub (it’s very near us), and we almost always have a good meal. There was a time a while back when the food was going downhill (but it was still OK), but that’s been addressed.
The dining area is nicely set out, although it can get a bit noisy if the pub half is packed. Tables spaced fine so enough room, menu offers typically 6 – 8 starters, ditto mains and desserts, and the ingredients are well sourced. Service is good, although if it’s really busy and there’s only one waiting person then it can get a tad slow — but service is friendly and efficient.
Wine list is good, tap water is free, and of the 9 eating choices within 100 yards it’s in the top third in our experience.
There’s a bar menu offering a few things not on the regular menu, and I saw last night a notice that Monday’s = you can bring your own wine with (I think) no corkage.
It’s reasonable value (£19.50 rib eye is the most expensive main, there are others for £13 or so), and in the summer we’ve had lovely meals upstairs on the outside deck.

Ok nice inside. Chandeliers are a bit much. Friendly staff. Loud Friday at 7pm. Fish & chips was kind of soggy. Wine was very nice :-)

Popped in out of the rain and it looked like this pub had a nice menu, including charcuterie, some tapas, and more traditional pub fare. Ordered a Guiness and started to order food, but the bar woman said «we are too busy. I can’t take your food order.» I looked around and saw maybe 20 people, but there was a futbol game on and some shouts from upstairs. Still, as the Brits might say, I was «gob smacked» and asked if it was normal. She didn’t really answer and told me to ask again after the beer. Since it was rainy and stormy outside, I relaxed, enjoyed the beer and asked if the backlog had subsided. Without checking, she said «no, we are not serving food now.» ok, ta ta Pembroke.

The Pembroke works nicely as both a pub and a restaurant — restaurant at the back, drinks at the front. There’s a definite separation between the two areas, but the pub atmosphere carries through to the restaurant in a pleasant way.
The staff were pleasant — slightly vague and not completely attentive, but not to the point of annoyance. You might have to ask twice for another drink, or another serviette, but they were really nice.
Two of us had the fish and chips, and one had the Hog Board. The fish and chips were 5 star fantastic. The fish was fresh and very fleshy, with a thin, crisp batter. The chips were lovely, hot and crispy. Mushy peas are… mushy. The hog board is faintly embarrassing to order — everyone stares as they bring it out of the kitchen, and you feel an utter pig. But it’s not as big as it looks. It’s a really nice medley of different cuts of pork, prepared different ways, and is definitely worth a try.
The bar has a nice selection of beers, ciders and spirits, but they DO NOT do cocktails, which is a bit of a letdown.
This is my new favourite place for fish and chips — will definitely be going back.

hmmm, this pub is sending out rather mixed messages. I arrived early for a quick drink after work, and my friend was running late. My first impression was that this was a popular place for exhibition staff and tourists with lots of suits and a couple of families dotted around the main bar.
Within the blink of an eye The Pembroke morphed into a bit of a seedy dive. As soon as I sat down with my glass of wine and a newspaper, I was accosted by an Irish self-​confessed transvestite who would not stop talking until I gave him money for a pint
Eventually my friend arrived, but we didn’t stay to find out what the restaurant at the back would have offered. Next time I’m in the area I will return to my old favourite The Troubadour next door.

Good london pub. Fridays are the best days to go in there for the london buzz. Small but cool smoking area which is great after a hard day at work.
Really cool old fashion décor and furniture given a glam spice up.

Cadre sympa bonne musique et large choix de bières. Je conseille vivement

Go here for dinner — when you want something great but not overly pricey or fussy. This is a local pub for people who love to eat — gastropub for sure. Every time I go here, the food is excellent. I think I’ve been there about 6 times now, and the consistency is impressive.
It’s got that London décor of the moment, with big chandeliers, patterned wallpaper, and the right combination of fancy and traditional.
Some of the favorite dishes I’ve had here:
— chili with baby pumpkin
— salmon terrine
— chocolate espresso mousse
— duck (multiple ways)
It’s all great, the service is friendly and attentive, and the wine list is pretty good.
Gluten-​free notes: Many of the dishes on the menu are naturally gluten-​free.

I was staying in Knightsbridge on business and my colleagues and I decided to meet for a first night meal at the Pembroke. It’s mostly a pub, upstairs and down, and a restaurant secondarily. The food was pretty good, nothing to write home about. Alcohol was plenty. If it’s convenient to where we’re staying, I’d go back. As it was, I had a long walk and taxi ride to get here. I’d probably prefer something a little more UK unique or exotic.

I’m not really a pub girl, but this is certainly one of the nicer pubs. Décor, ambiance, seating, patrons — all comfortable and pleasant. Plus, it’s convenient and a short walk for me.
Can’t recall what I’ve eaten here but it’s always been quite good. Love their Winter Pimm’s! And last time I was there, someone had brought in their adorable, sweet pugs… and I ADORE pugs! Winter Pimms and pugs at a pub! How could I NOT give it five stars?!

The atmosphere is quite charming and feels like a standard slightly upscale gastro pub. I particularly like the oversized booths – I could imagine 8 people sliding in to each booth… 6 if they’re burly rugby players. The impressive chandelier seems to be made of glassware… and give off happy and relaxing light.
They have a nice selection of wine with options from both the «old» and new world. I quite liked the new world options… But then again I’m originally from this taboo place called the new world.
The food is tasty and a step above normal pub food, but it’s represented in the price so don’t expect a deal. I had the sweet potato gnocchi which hit the spot perfectly. And we shared a sticky toffee pudding which was just how you want a sticky toffee pudding to be… hearty, warm and really really bad for you.
The service leaves something to be desired. Although they are all lovely people, it’s apparent they don’t work as a team and there’s clearly a lack of basic organisation. You’ll often be asked the same question my two waitresses and there was some serious confusion over our reservation.

The Pembroke was for years the legendary gay destination pub The Coleherne. A couple of years ago it was bought, refurbed and generally… errr… straightened out, and we now have the gleaming Pembroke.
A lot of money has been spent here — and I mean a LOT. And it’s a shame the results aren’t a little bit more compelling. The Pembroke is good at what it does, but it’s unforgivably generic. Eccentric wallpaper? Check? Cool tunes? Check. Attractive female staff? Check. Sofa zone? Check. Sorry, am I boring you…
On the positive side, it’s great to see this beautiful Victorian pub restored to something approaching its former glory. The staff are efficient and polite and there’s decent food, beer and wine — although the availability of ale is a bit patchy. What the new owners seem to have forgotten is a bit of soul. Sadly, money can’t buy that. Maybe, with time, The Pembroke will wear in and generate its own «feel» but until then it will struggle in an area over-​supplied with quality boozers.

The Pembroke, formerly known as The Coleherne, was for many years one of the most famous gay pubs in the country. It was purchased by Realpubs towards the end of 2008, since when it has undergone a major refurbishment and been re-​branded as a ‘gastro pub’.
The interior has been redecorated in a mixture of dark browns, golds and creams, with loud ‘feature wallpaper’, old leather sofas and wooden chairs and tables, with a dining area at the rear and less formal seating at the front and on the mezzanine. It’s taken it about as far away from its previous incarnation as it’s possible to get, if at the expense of its character — with this sort of décor you could be in just about city centre in the UK.
The one positive is that it now serves real ale in the form of Adnams, with the possibility of a guest ale. I’ve not eaten here yet, but the menu is familiar gastro-​pub fare: modern British/​European cooking, with prices to match: starters from £4.50-£7.50, mains from £8.50-£17, desserts £5-£7. The old dingy toilets have also been replaced by swanky new ones in the basement, which seem to be kept spotlessly clean.
Bar service isn’t bad, but it’s still early days and it’s pretty quiet, so we’ll have to see how it goes.
Update 27-​01-​2009
Well, what an experience. No Adnams, but they had Deuchars IPA on instead, which is a very nice pint. Clearly, their beer supply is still settling down. One downer: they served the beer in old-​fashioned handled/​dimpled glasses, so say if you want a straight glass. We also had to ask for every pint to be topped up. (At over £3 a pint, I don’t want to pay for an inch of froth).
But, more oddly, some of the old Coleherne crowd seem to have returned, alongside the more generally more mixed clientele. I got my bum groped by some punter as I walked out at the end of the evening — something that hasn’t happened in years — even though I was clearly with my other half. Clearly, for some, old habits die very hard