The Dove

Went here with some buddies. Awesome time. Great views of the river. Great atmosphere. Best fish and chips in the city.

This is a place everyone should put on their «10 Must-​Visit Pubs in the UK» checklist. It’s the tiniest pub I have been to and I wanted to be there for hours.
It’s hard to find a table at The Dove, and if you do find one, consider yourself blessed. They take reservations only for indoor seating. The coveted terrace and outdoor are hard to bag.
The indoors and outdoors are great. The indoors make you want to sit there quietly reading a book (ya right!). The outdoors allow a view of the quainter side of the Thames, the elegant Hammersmith Bridge. We were there on a full moon night and the view is spectacular.
Writing about the food or drinks will just take away from the value of this place. Go here to experience the atmosphere — and a pint of lager of course.

2^nd time here. Everything was amazing. The server was so nice and he even cleared the table I was sitting at last time I was here 7 months ago just so I can have the same experience. The roast never fails to impress. I miss this place every time I leave. #lovethedove

Beautiful pub on the banks of river Thames with serene, lazy water views. It’s completely non touristy and off-​the-​grid and we decided to bring in the husband’s birthday here.
Go early if you want to snag a table outdoors and enjoy the calm views of the Thames. They don’t take reservations for outside — we reached around 6.30 pm and were able to snag the only table available. *what luck***
From the summer food menu we only tasted the bread with olive oil & the rustic chips which were yummy. The bread basket had an assortment of focaccia and brown bread to sample and we had enough to nibble on for the evening with our drinks.
#lovethisplace

Made two Americans feel right at home with friendly service, a warm family atmosphere, and a beautiful view of the river. Food was above average for pub fare (I had the fish and chips), and they had plenty of good beer, English and otherwise, on tap. The dark wood paneling and lower light created an intimate setting great for conversation.

Indeciso acerca de la puntuación.
Es mi tercer fondeo en The Dove y las impresiones han sido diversas.
No cabe duda de que la ubicación es privilegiada, su terraza cuelga sobre el Támesis y los atardeceres son deliciosos.
El pub está cargado de historia, es uno de los más antiguos del barrio y cuenta con algo más de dos siglos.
La casa adjunta, que originalmente pertenecía al pub, fue adquirida por el príncipe Augusto Federico, duque de Sussex.
Conocidos novelistas como Graham Greene y Ernest Hemingway han conocido y admirado The Dove Tavern, A. P. Herbert menciona la taberna en una de sus novelas y James Thomson compuso Rule Brittania bajo este techo. A día de hoy sigue siendo punto de encuentro de celebridades, principalmente del mundo del teatro y el deporte.
The Dove es otro ejemplo más de pub que ha tenido que reconvertirse a gastro-​pub para sobrevivir.
En mis dos primeras recaladas la comida fue magnífica. Pero en la tercera ha sido muy mediocre, tirando a pobre.
Precio razonable –para ser Londres-​.
El servicio… en la media, nada a destacar. Al nivel habitual en Inglaterra, es decir, malo tirando a muy malo. En Gran Bretaña no entienden de hostelería y puede uno esperar camareros y barmans sin conocimiento ni preparación, falta de etiqueta, la descortesía habitual en Inglaterra, mesas pegajosas que nadie se molesta en limpiar entre cliente y cliente y tardan en recoger, que no atiendan a la mesa –excepto en la terraza y sala comedor-​, que sean lentos y que te cobren nada más pedir, como si te fueras a escapar corriendo.
En ese aspecto, The Dove está en la media británica.
Por lo demás es un lugar acogedor, cargado de historia, pintoresco, de precio razonable y en el que el 66% de las veces comí muy a gusto.
De mis favoritos en Hammersmith. Recomiendo.

This pub is right along the Thames in Hammersmith, making it a great place for summer patio dining — I think, since we couldn’t get a table out there! It’s a pretty tiny pub (the bar itself is allegedly the smallest in London??) but a very pleasant one. Dark and cozy on the inside (best in winter), but sunny and attractive outside. We were a bit put off as we’d specifically requested a certain table that would be best for conversation (some people were meeting each other for the first time that night and we wanted to make it easy for everyone to talk) but they hadn’t saved it for us and weren’t that sorry when we pointed it out. I’d say that they should’ve taken something off the bill, but that’s the American in me.
Beyond that, service was quite good — very friendly and attentive with refills and bringing fresh cutlery. My dad and I split the chicken liver parfait which I truly didn’t like at all — I’d had chicken liver before elsewhere (at a friend’s house) and adored it, but here I really couldn’t bear to eat much of it. I can’t say whether it’s the liver, or me, but I thought it was awful and can’t recommend.
The salmon was much nicer, served with fresh veggies, roasted shallots, and some mash. Very fresh, flaky fish. A simple dish but nicely prepared. Overpriced at £15.95, but go figure for London! Food isn’t worth going out of the way for in a city full of pubs, but the outdoor atmosphere looks like it’d be well worth a deviation from your usual watering hole.

This is one of London’s most picturesque pubs. It’s one of my favorite — if not my favorite — London pubs in the summertime. You see it is located directly on the River Thames in Hammersmith along the chill Upper Mall.
If you can — sit outside at the Dove in the summer. Of course inside is cozy (save that for the winter months) but sitting on the deck or up on the upper balcony looking out on the river is just cool. I love meeting friends at the Dove … grabbing a pint of London Pride … and wiling away a summer evening.
Tip — this place is way off the tourist trails of London… thumbs up to that! And the Dove is further from Hammersmith Bridge than the other waterfront pubs on the Upper Mall. The entrance is on a little alley away from the river.
History note — Britain’s unofficial national anthem «Rule Britannia: was written in part here by James Thomson. There’s an old copy of it mounted on one of the walls. Find it.

The Dove is a charming little pub near the river with outdoor seating. I had the haddock which was crisp and well made. The food here is good but I’m not sure it’s worth the gastropub prices as the flavour was quite regular and not especially tasty. I really enjoyed the atmosphere here though and I think in good weather, this would be a wonderful place to hang out at.

The loveliest little pub in London! This place is tiny, so the only downside is that it can get quite busy. Set right on the river, this is my favourite spot for an evening beer in the summer. The place also has an excellent dinner menu with a typical gastropub selection. The inside is very cosy, and the patio at the back is as close to the river you will get in any pub this side of London.

Went for a lovely walk along the Thames to Chiswick and stopped into the Dove. Cozy place to linger for a pint or two.

Hammersmith doesn’t have many charms. I’ve worked here for 2 years, trust me I’ve looked. But I can whole-​heartedly endorse this total gem of a pub. If you’re looking for somewhere cool, this isn’t your place, but then what are you doing in Glamoursmith if that is the case?
I once went here with a friend who proclaimed it was an old man pub, in a bad way. But it’s cosy, historical, with an unbeatable river view and outdoor area, and the prices aren’t too terrible given how popular it is. One downside can be getting a table as it’s pretty weeny. But it has bags of charm, in an area that is sadly lacking in loveliness.

I had friends on a quick layover from Heathrow and had to find a middle spot where we could meet up, and I found this gem thanks to the other Unilocalers on here.
It was a surprising warm day so we sat outside over looking the river. I ordered the Vegetarian moussaka, which came with fresh salad, and garlic bread. It was by far the best meal I have had at a pub. I don’t think I could have handled another pie. My friends had soup and Heribivore board which they devoured.
You order at the bar which felt odd for such good food, but I was really happy to have taken them here.

Really nice pub, great location next to the water, good vibe and nice people and tasty beer

This is a lovely looking Fullers pub down by the river. Cosy inside, if it is not warm enough to enjoy the seating out back, overlooking the water. Just Fullers beersbut they can be good. As far as the pubs history goes, the staff are expected to be clued up on that so I suggest you drop in for a drink and ask!

The Dove is a nice little pub along the Hammersmith towpath where you can watch the brown water go by. Small cozy atmosphere, really nice food and service (although it was a bit slow when we were there, but they were kindly apologetic).
–Mushroom in filo with root vegetables: very tasty.
–Burger: handmade with mince and on a lovely bun. Good chips and onion rings too
–Kiev: about a million times nicer than the kind from the grocery store. Tasty.

I tagged along with my coworker and her mate after work (it being a Saturday we definitely needed a drink). I had no idea such a delightful pub is tucked away along the Thames by Hammersmith Bridge. It’s small (thus fills up fast!), but the dark wood interior gives this watering hole a deep welcoming feeling.
I love how there are different ‘spots’ in this pub, such as the round tables with bench seats or well worn sofa chairs, to the iron staircase that holds atop a few tables and has a lovely view of Hammersmith. I adore how underneath the staircase is a large leather sofa, a little outside nook if you please! I (unfortunately) didn’t have the time to try the food, but they had a great selection of ales on tap and the ambiance made it the perfect way to end the work day.
It does need to be noted that this pub is special. It’s old and the charm from the age holds the fact that you must watch your step when hunting for an empty seat. There are steps and tight walkways that sometimes make it not easy to navigate (but I love that).
I’ll definitely be back, and in tow others who have yet to enjoy this lovely little Dove.

Reviews here seem very varied!
From my experience I’ve always had a good time here. It’s a lovely little Fuller’s pub looking out onto the river. The brewery is only a short walk further down the road so it’s great knowing your drinks were made 5 minutes away, and I’m a fan of the Fuller’s range.
The food is great, their Ploughman’s lunch is tasty and served neatly on a chopping board. Their chutneys are fantastic and generally the meals a good bite to eat here.
Unfortunately while there is an open air bit, the view isn’t fantastic, but it’s not their fault the Thames around this end of London isn’t the most beautiful part of it. And there aren’t that many tables out back so you might not always get a seat in the sun. The meals are averagely priced for the riverside and personally I think you get what you pay for here.

I am very surprised by the comments on other websites about the management of this pub. I’ve just been here for lunch on a saturday and they were clearly short staffed, just the manager and one girl to run the bar and about ³⁰⁄₄₀ covers, they were running about like blue arsed flies but still managing to keep everyone happy… just! The manager later said he had had 2 staff call in sick, which had left them struggling, but the two of them were making such an effort you could hardly notice. The manager still had time to chat for a couple of minutes, which is always nice to see.
The experience was really very pleasant, cozy and relaxed, it must be the same guy who was mentioned in the other reviews as the grumpy guy with grey hair, but he was nice as pie today, both to customers and staff. He even suggested a bottle of rioja which was on special for £10 rather then the merlot we had chosen at £13, not many people would do that. The ale seemed well kept, the food was OK, can’t say it was amazing, but it was good enough for standard pub fare in London.
I’ll be back to see if this was a one off, but i’m hoping it was a true reflection of the way this pub is.

This is a bar that might be 400 years old. It is quite large, with a front foyer, as well as a back room with tables and a small patio with tables facing the river. This place also is home to London’s smallest bar room. Attached to the bar and with its own door, there is a tiny room that fits 2 bar stools, and maybe 5 people standing up. There is a plaque that states it is officially the smallest barroom in London. There is a fireplace in the foyer that has a framed note that gives the history of the fireplace; it was once bombed by Hitler. Not even Hitler could destroy this place.
They serve Fuller’s cask ales, and a few others that are distributed by Fuller’s. It’s one of Fuller’s bars, so this makes sense. The bar is out of the way, as far as main streets are concerned. I would recommend visiti ng the Fuller’s Brewery, and they will surely give you the easy directions to this excellent hideaway.

Found this place one night when stuck in traffic trying to get out of London on the A4. It is situated on the River near Hogarth roundabout. One of a handful of pubs on this stretch of river and certainly the smallest, One of the bars is one of the smallest in the U.K.
Steeped in history it is not a large pub and can get uncomfortably busy during the summer although they do have a great balcony overlooking the Thames and if you can get in there you are made. Wooden floors, low ceilings, roaring fires and a warm welcome give this place a wonderfully cosy feeling most of the time. Ideal for a walk on either side of the river and end here for a nice bit of traditional pub grub.
Also a vantage place for watching the boat race but I would imagine you would need to book in advance if you wanted to be on the balcony.

Although I live quite far from this historical little pub, every time I have ventured to West London, I have found myself enjoying this pretty riverside pub called ‘The Dove’. ‘The Dove’ is located along the posh and idyllic riverside of Hammersmith. Typical of 17^th century buildings, it has low ceilings and oak beams in the two front rooms. They have also cleverly attached a conservatory and terrace with ample seating looking out onto the Thames, perfect for sunny days. Meanwhile, a fireplace is always ablaze inside, taking away that winter chill. The menu is very traditional and English; perfect for Sunday roasts and a filling portion of sausage and mash.
After filling up at this pub, I highly recommend a digestive walk down the pretty riverside to admire the views and to cry out in jealousy at the beautiful mansions with private gardens and personal speed boats. Rumour has it that Ernest Hemingway and Graham Greene were regular customers of this pub, so make your way down there for a cozy pub afternoon.

Da es in Hammersmith und damit etwas außerhalb liegt, ist das Dove nicht so von Touristen besetzt wie manches innerstädtische Pub.
Das gemütliche Backstein-​Häuschen aus dem 17. Jahrhundert liegt idyllisch am Themse-​Ufer und besitzt eine große Terrasse mit Blick auf den Fluss und die beeindruckende Hammersmith Bridge.
Am Zapf gibt es die schmackhaften Produkte der Fullers Brauerei.