Bridge House Tavern

Went for first time yesterday. A little gastro-​try-​hard without quite achieving gastro levels of quality, but the best of a — well — non existent bunch in the area.
Massive beer garden, inside is fine but they haven’t quite got the aesthetic right, staff were friendly enough.
Beer was a bit flat to be honest. Tried the tribute which lacked its normal creaminess and then the Peroni which at 5.10 a pint was nearly flat. Didn’t try food.
Bags of potential, by no means bad but plenty of room for improvement. Best so far we’ve seen in the area.

A great local pub. Nice selection of ales, can be slightly busy at times though.

Hmmm.
Not my cup of tea.
The Bridge House Tavern is just a 10 second wander from the bottom, Penge end of Crystal Palace Park makes it a good rest-​bite for families and friends after a day of picnicking and running around in the park.
There’s a big beer garden, with tatty wooden tables dressed up with colorful paint. The inside is small and bitty and attempts to be a bit trendy.
There use to be a Theatre above the pub with regular events like cabaret, but that seems to have vanished and is no longer advertised.
The menu bored me to tears, not even tempting me to buy some chips. There wasn’t much choice behind the bar and it was not the cheapest of places.
I guess with all the mundane-​ness of the place, the slow, rude service didn’t help my experience.
Meh.

I visited this pub a few times and have no clear memory about the food, although it shouldn’t have been too bad as I went back today my my wife and in-​laws. We ordered 3 roast lambs and a roast pork belly. The lamb was tough and fat (although this could happen if you have an odd cut), almost rare and lukewarm. Vegetables were almost raw including the roast potatoes, which are the ones I really look forward to when I order a Sunday Roast. Pork belly was well cooked, but ditto for the temperature, veg and roast potatoes. When asked if food was fine, we explained what the problems were and the waiter said that it would be reported to the chef. He then disappeared. My wife had then to go to the bar to order the desserts as nobody was in sight for ages. We ordered three desserts, which were supposed to be very warm, but only one was warm; the other two were lukewarm like the lamb. We were given no apology, no discount, and of course had to pay service charge. I think that these days and age, if pubs and restaurants should be a bit more careful in retaining customers as Crystal Palace is just round the corner and there are plenty of gastro pubs these days. Quality of food and service makes the difference. Big thumb down and definitely not going back.

Sunday lunch:
Food grade D: potatoes burned and not crispy, root veg al dente, beef a touch gristly. Cabbage tasted as though wine had been added and the yorkshire puds were shop-​bought. Not great.
The service was poor: we went in for a relaxing sunday lunch and the staff could not have been more irritating. First they asked us to share our table with another couple plus small child. Er, no. The couple weren’t impressed either. Incorrect drinks were delivered before waiting 30 mins for food.
The saddest thing about it was that it appeared that they had all learned a script, complete with the word Guys at every juncture. As we left, they made a spectacle out of the fact that we didn’t respond flamboyantly to their loud goooodbyyyyeee. It was frankly embarrassing.
The prices are higher than central London, which makes the whole experience rather unfortunate.

Very glad to have a decent pub near to where I live. The staff are very friendly, babies are welcome and the food is good.
I’m not a big fan of the décor — it’s a bit like the bedroom of a 20-​something female with an Ikea addiction (though the old tables and chairs in the back get my vote) — and the music is a bit James Blunt, but I’m grateful that this pub exists in the world or I’d be crying in the corner of the Pawleyne Arms.

Great to have a pub like this as my local! It is a great improvement on the sticky carpets and pool tables of its previous incarnation, and has a large beer garden which is nice in the summer (although on a sunday there are definitely a lot of kids, which shatters the peace a little). The food is good, and I don’t think it is overpriced, and there is a great wine list, again not too expensive. Tried to go with the in-​laws on a thursday the week before christmas and we were unable to get a table as it was fully booked due to the jazz night, so is probably worth booking for a thursday (unless it has quietened down after christmas). Decoration is excellent, and it has a really cosy, inviting feel to it.

Suprisingly nice pub for the location. This pub used to be a tatty old Victorian boozer and has been gentryfied and is clearly trying to attract Crystal Palace young trendy types. You have to go up some steps to the bar which is unusual and there is a nice large open space out the back which has a large lot of tables to choose from. There is a large selection of continental beers and the menu looks appetising but a bit expensive.

Recently refurbished by the people behind The Rye in Peckham, the Bridge House has now got a Gastropub feel, with flock wallpaper, big squashy sofas and vintage chairs. The décor is a bit mix ‘n’ match, but I get the feeling that’s entirely deliberate, and it’s definitely aimed squarely at the young, professional types who’re moving into the area (moi? Never).
Despite the fact it’s gorgeous inside, the pub also benefits hugely from a massive beer garden and terrace out the back. It’s particularly packed on sunny Sunday afternoons (beware the kids) with people enjoying the roast lunch. Saturday’s seem pretty busy too but evenings are slightly quieter.
It’s not cheap here (Two ciders and a wine came to £12) but you pay for the atmosphere as much as the booze. Food wise, the regular menu is pretty standard pub fare with some gastro trimmings (most are about a tenner). Sundays are popular for a reason; a veggie friend dubbed the veggie roast (about £11) the best she’s ever had, and the thai green curry is surprisingly good too.