But after one reader got particularly upset that his late entrant of a curry house wasn't allowed to participate in the poll, let's make the poll this time a bit more democratic. There are probably about 50 boozers in this area, and we can't poll them all - so which ones are the top 10? Use the comments section below simply to suggest a name - and if you agree with a name that someone else has already suggested, then suggest it too.
But to make this a positive exercise for all of those suggested - try and add a few words of why you think they should be included. Is it the beer? The cocktails? The atmosphere? Or just because it's down the road? Doesn't need to be war and peace but it might make someone else give somewhere a go, and that can only be a good thing.
Those with the most mentions will be included in the top 10 - and then the polls will open between them. A champions league of Bush Boozers. I've kicked it off already - and will give people until Thursday to use the comments to suggest the names. Polls will open on the Friday - and can I suggest that those of us who have met up in the past pledge to do so again in the winner?!
FRIDAY UPDATE - Polls have now opened! You can see the vote on the top right of the screen and the ballot closes on the 17th - good luck to all the pubs that made it onto the Bush Top 10!!
FRIDAY 18TH UPDATE: ......and the winner after 287 votes is .... the Defector's Weld!! Many congrats to the Best Bush Pub of 2012
FRIDAY UPDATE - Polls have now opened! You can see the vote on the top right of the screen and the ballot closes on the 17th - good luck to all the pubs that made it onto the Bush Top 10!!
FRIDAY 18TH UPDATE: ......and the winner after 287 votes is .... the Defector's Weld!! Many congrats to the Best Bush Pub of 2012
The Greyhound - beer selection isn't great but it's quiet and you always get a seat. And because it's a hostel upstairs there are always some, er, interesting characters around
ReplyDeletei would put the jameson in blythe road right up there, very good food, very nice place
Deletewith great landlord, and good pint!
Actually a few of the pubs down Blythe Road look really nice. Worth investigating...
DeleteCrown & Spectre. Great selection of Fullers ale, good thai food, lovely beer garden, friendly local atmosphere and shows the football!
ReplyDeleteSteven
Crown and Sceptre and definitely not the Defectors-terrible pub and terrible staff, that is the main thing and the staff are awful-more interested in posing than doing the job they are paid for.
ReplyDeletei drink in the defectors a lot, and its always busy in there, don't think the staff has time to pose..
DeleteAhahahahaha.
DeletePosing?!!! Are you serious?!!!
Heh, does the above comment get The Defectors a minus vote? :-P
ReplyDeleteI've not been to too many Bush pubs (more in Hammersmith - Rutland Arms, Salutation, Blue Anchor and Old Fire Station all have great character).
I have, however, been to THE GOLDHAWK and think it's lovely. It's got a fun atmosphere, it's comfy, the selection of beers is ok (they even had Old Rosie on once) and the food is excellent (although sometimes a little slow). Can be quiet on a Sunday, but their Sunday lunches are pretty darned good.
I've never been to the Grand Union at Ravenscourt Park (straying onto Hammersmith territory here!), but hear that the Grand Union chain is great. Anyone tried it?
Can we have a posthumous nomination for the Sun BUP? ;-)
It's a bit isolated, the Grand Union, but definitely in Shepherds Bush! If you want to try it out there is the bonus of excellent musicians on Tuesday 22 May, playing in the back so not deafening and a grown up audience... they do food, I've only tried the chips so far. I had a couple of good glasses of wine there.
DeleteI never got the chance to visit The Sun but "This bup is close" cheers me up every time I walk past!
ReplyDeleteSteven
Have you seen www.thisbupisclose.com then?
DeleteI have now! Amazing!
DeleteAny one know why the old Slug and Lettuce on the Green closed down? Irrelevant I know. The Goldhawk would be my nomination. Welcoming, and good food and not overpriced.
ReplyDeleteGoldhawk!! Good drinks and good choons without being too posey.
ReplyDeleteThe Eagle - comfortable with a great garden.
ReplyDeleteI'll go along with that one Carl; plus their pork pies are fantastic.
DeleteCan we have a poll on which pub is most like the bar on the original Star Wars film? Has to be the Walkabout!
ReplyDeleteWhat if we can't narrow down to just one fave? I like the eagle but as it's already featured here I'm going to cast my vote here for the Princess Victoria. The food is wicked, and they make their own ginger beer, so it's a good place to go if you want some good bar snacks with your beer.
ReplyDeletefear ye not! this is just about getting names on the ballot paper - the narrowing down happens afterwards, people can only vote for one!
ReplyDeletePrincess Victoria. Great food, friendly staff and really nice vibe. A bit too child-friendly though
ReplyDeleteThe Princess Vic - sadly The Anglesea has taken a massive nose dive in recent months...
ReplyDeleteThe PV is great with hard working and friendly staff and good choice of beers which they will happily let you sample.
DeleteThe Eagle and The Princess Victoria are my two favourites.
ReplyDeletedefectors for beer, anglesea for food, adelaide for a chill.
ReplyDeletePrincess Victoria, Eagle and the Duchess of Cambridge
ReplyDeleteI've popped in the Stewart Arms a few times and always found it friendly, although there's an amusingly uptight review on Google.
ReplyDeleteIf it's counted, the Grand Union is nice on a week night when it's empty (friendly staff, good music) but somehow fills up with twats on a Saturday night.
tell it like it is!
DeleteI'm well aware that my own increasingly anti-social tendencies could be colouring my view. :D
ReplyDeleteSadly I've reached the age when all I want is a quiet drink and somewhere to chat to me mates in peace without listening to braying idiots. In other words, I'm just getting old...
Queen Adelaide - cool music, friendly staff, always a couple of guest ales and solid food and bar snacks. The scotch eggs are superb.
ReplyDeleteConingham Arms - great live Irish music every other Sunday. Bit dilapidated, but a real glimpse into years gone by. Guinness is good and bar staff friendly. Has a twin sister over the road in the British Queen. Both pubs are mobbed on QPR match days. The White Horse is also good fun - great Guinness and a nice little back yard for al fresco drinking.
ReplyDeleteCherish these pubs - they are the last vestiges of the old Shepherds Bush Irish community, and nod to the times when almost all the pubs in the Bush were Irish pubs. I know it's hopelessly nostalgic, but I'm an old timer who loves the old pubs with dodgy carpets, smoke stained ceilings (still) and bar staff who use the term 'love'. If anyone seconds any of the 3 aforementioned pubs, they can go forward as a nomination? Nik
Perhaps not quite in Bush, but the Andover Arms is a great, small, neighbourhood pub.
ReplyDeleteI second the Conningham Arms for the reasons Nik gives - a real traditional Bush Boozer that should be on the ballot paper!
ReplyDeleteQueen Adelaide for the food, selection of drinks and bring an all round nice local. The Goldhawk for the Sunday quiz, and its general charm despite being a bit scuzzy and having disgusting toilets!
ReplyDeleteAlso another minus one for the defectors.
ReplyDeleteIf you want good tunes, good food, good beer and a great atmosphere you can't beat Defector's on a Sunday afternoon. It looks like it's not to everyone's liking, but a top 10 pubs in W12 with out Defector's is like a top 10 biscuits without a Rich Tea.
ReplyDeleteAs far as boozers go Defectors Weld is the best in the area. A fantastic range of beer that can not be matched by any other pub from Hammersmith to White city and the Uxbridge road. They know their music too and have great Djs on weekends.
ReplyDeletePrincess Victoria for me personally. The food on offer is of excellent quality and the drinks are not half bad either. It's well set out and obviously gives a toss about the wine due to the people behind the outfit and the awards it got.
ReplyDeleteCan't say I am a massive fan of the Defectors. Has less range of beer than the Walkabout and always seems rammed.
Tony Fernandes was in the Defectors the orher day, I think that says it all.
ReplyDeleteThe Adelaide does good food but for me its still got to be the Defectors overall. Fun staff, good pub grub and great tunes, also a perfect Sunday pub. I agree with the above, to have top ten bush pubs without them just wouldn't be right! They get my vote.
ReplyDeleteDefectors Weld! no competition! Great food, great booze, awesome staff and even better music!
ReplyDeleteDEFECTORS WELD!!!
The Defectors obviously.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I think the Defectors' Weld has gone down hugely and just pretends to be a cool pub these days.
ReplyDeleteThe Goldhawk - it's not what it used to be. Can't explain why, it just doesn't feel right.
Anglesea Arms - as good as it ever was. And convivally busy on a Thursday night, which is saying something...
Defectors used to be my best spot but the massive increase of price (£16.50 for a bottle of house red, seriously????) made me leave it. So will go for the Anglesea, expensive but food is soooooo yummy and they have a good selection of wines which I like :-) or the Dartmouth (but it might be considered as too far!) for food, staff and wine.
ReplyDeletePrincess Vic. Gorgeous building, friendly staff and great drinks selection.Haven't tried the food yet but menu always looks amazing...
ReplyDeleteCome on, I'd rather have a drink in O'Neill's than the Defectors!
ReplyDelete(That's unfair to the O'Neill's actually, as I've had some decent nights in there. Some god-awful ones too, but that's par for the course really...)
The Queen Adelaide for the Eggs Royale and the Princess Victoria for the mammouth wine list and the pork board (or pig platter!). Defectors for when it is late and you can't be bothered to go any further.
ReplyDeleteThe Defectors Weld. Best burger in Bush, friendly staff & amazing DJs. Best place to dance on a saturday night or spend a hungover Sunday drinking bloody marys & playing scrabble.
ReplyDeleteThe defectors weld, hands down! Are you lot crazy!?! It's got amazing beers (better than the crap everyone else sells) great pub grub that's actually not cooked in a microwave, decent djs and now live music (and i think quizzes?)cocktails, real ales...the original tarted up boozer on shepherds bush green, the rest are just copy cats!
ReplyDeleteDEFECTORS WELD obvs!!! Awesome tunes, good food, live music once a month, djs every weekend, pub quizzes, board games, beer garden, open until late, great selection of beers.. Definitely my favourite!!
ReplyDeleteTough one but got to be the Defector's Weld. It's got lazy sunday's down, and no fear of australians in bad fancy dress to ruin it! And the snug bar is its best kept secret - bliss!
ReplyDeleteDefectors all day long...great tunes and beers. Beats any pub in bush hands down.
ReplyDeleteDefectors Weld. Nowhere else in Shepherds Bush can rival that tasty beer selection!
ReplyDeleteer..OK guys I get the message - your place on the ballot paper is secure!
DeleteGood defectors turnout. Might be a poster up in the pub about your poll! Hehe. Nice to see such enthusiasm.
DeleteDefectors Weld.. no question. Proper selection of beers and ales, wicked cocktail deals and brilliant vibes in the place.
ReplyDeleteHas to be the British Queen.
ReplyDeleteThe Defectors for sure, always friendly faces, great food, and the sundays are the best, i mean cocktails cheap all night!
ReplyDeletethe thatched house?
ReplyDeleteo'donohughes
Defectors Weld is overpriced and the staff are not friendly-when its quiets can take ten minutes to get any service as the staff are too busy admiring themselves. May have a good selection of beer but the prices are way over the top for Shepherds Bush. I used to like it a few years ago but now not as good.
ReplyDeleteadmiring themselves?! People c'mon are you serious?!
DeleteThe Princess Victoria has to be on the ballot. True gourmet food, real ale, friendly staff, genuine gin palace architecture, and no bleeping fruit machines or massive TVs blaring football. It's a rare haven in a mad world.
ReplyDeletei met my husband at the defectors. we are now breeding.
ReplyDeleteLooks like the Defectors Weld has got its PR machine whirring! No one seems to be nominating the Green opposite Defectors. Or indeed the Bull inside Westfield.
ReplyDeletedefectors weld is the best for beer range and also beard range!!! there is one guy who works there who has RAW SEXUAL POWER..... plus there is a guy who works and djs there and is super amazing at both! unreeeeeeeal...
ReplyDeleteI liked the way they had water pouring in through the ceiling over plugged-in speakers the weekend before last
DeleteNot a nomination - so please ignore this from the vote, but... I do like The Bull but the bar staff drive me insane. They have often up to five behind the bar, only two seem to be serving and even then they're so blinkered that they only serve the person directly in front of them regardless of the amount of time people (you) have been waiting.
ReplyDeleteFair play to the Green, it's not too bad. A few tasty young ladies behind the bar as I recall, which pushes a place up in one's estimation.
ReplyDeleteWetherspoons :)
ReplyDeleteDefinitely the Queen Adelaide - fab food, good selection of beer/wine and really friendly staff.
ReplyDeleteclearly the defectors weld staff/hipsters are being encouraged to pimp their pub.
ReplyDeleteIf i wanted to sit a dark, dingy room full of wanks, with a poor selection of beer, I could stay at home.
Ridiculous Comment!
Deletecan i come round your house then? sounds amazing...
Delete"can i come round your house then? sounds amazing..." AAHAHAHAHAHAHHA awesome!
DeleteThat's enough of that - vote for your favourite by all means but don't just slate the others.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, not sure you really thought that comment through. You're saying your home is "dark & dingy" and "full of wanks"?
No wonder you wanted to be anonymous.
DEFECTORS WORLD!
ReplyDeleteDefectors World, obviously...Princess Victoria a close second
ReplyDeleteStinging Nettle was good on a sunny day to watch the market go by....shut now.
ReplyDeletethanks all - bear in mind this debate was to establish who was on the ballot paper - that's now done and the voting is underway in the top right of your screen...
ReplyDeleteStumbling across this poll I seriously think the Defectors is getting a bit of harsh stick on here. The pub has a better beer selection than most pubs in london. The place aways has something different on when you walk in. Looks like whoever runs the place puts a fair amount of time trying to source thigns to keep their punters happy. On that base it def gets a vote from me. I can't think of anything worse than walking into a place and seeing Becks stella and Heiniken staring at you.
ReplyDeletePrincess Vic, Anglesea and the Eagle are prety good too!
Does the Queen's Head on nearby Brook Green count? Great place that, especially the beer garden...http://www.pub-explorer.com/gtlondon/pub/queensheadbrookgreen.htm
ReplyDeleteThe Anglesea Arms is hands down the best pub out of this lot - amazing food (though pricy) and very snug. Almost like a country pub. However, it's firmly W6, so not sure it can be counted.
ReplyDeleteOtherwise, Eagle comes a close second for me - amazing garden.
Defector's Weld for beer range and food and atmosphere
ReplyDeleteDefecters Weld for me. Food is amazing and the atmosphere is too. Great tunes too!
ReplyDelete