Last night we tried to go to a pub that’s close to our place, but we never noticed it before. It’s hidden. Unfortunately you need to make a reservation so we’ll have to go back a different time. However I wanted to have a beer to celebrate the 4th of July so we hopped into one of our local pubs that we frequent.
O’Neill’s in Earl’s Court is part of a chain. Seriously, I see them all over. Normally this would turn me off. Yet every time we go to this one the service is excellent, the food is decent, and usually we can find a table. The other day I was meeting The Better Half and while I was at the bar ordering the bartender said, “I think you’re partner is looking for you.” So we may go there more than occasionally. But it’s nice to have a place where the staff knows you. And they are used to our annoying American ways: we open a tab and pay by credit card. Pub etiquette says you should pay after each time you order and most people pay with cash. I can’t carry cash. I spend it too easily.
I never intended to review O’Neill’s, but last night I had a surprise. Yesterday was the 4th of July and I wanted to celebrate even though I was in London. We don’t have a house with a yard so we couldn’t grill, which is what we normally did in the US. While looking at the menu I noticed something that wouldn’t have caught my attention on a different day: a hot dog. Okay, it was a pork and leek sausage, but they called it a hot dog with onions, ketchup and mustard. How perfect! We also ordered a plate of chicken wings. I felt like I found a little bit of home yesterday. I even ordered a half pint of Coors on tap.
I won’t say you need to rush out and find an O’Neill’s, but if you wandered into one, you may be surprised. I give this pub 4 out of 5 stars.
50 Year Project 
see nothing but pubs, O’Neils aren’t bad though I used to frequent the ones in Shepherds Bush and Wimbledon when I lived in those parts of London. They’re a tad generic but not too kitsch.
I’ve only been to this one, I think. I didn’t know you lived in Shepherd’s Bush. got a good pub tip for there?
many moons ago when I was much younger and happy to drink in dumps like the walkabout. I couldn’t name anywhere in SHepherds Bush central now, but the Brook Green on the road between Shepherds Bush and Hammersmith was always good (near Tesco)
I do like all the tvs in the walkabout. Will have to look into Brook Green. Thanks Mr. Bunny!
The TV’s are great for sport
Especially when more than one game is on. It’s tough work multitasking, but I do my best.
How surprising! I’ve always avoided them… there’s one in Muswell Hill, very close to where I used to live, but I’ve never been in. The building was formerly a church, so it’s a very pretty setting.
When I first moved here, I didn’t know any better. that’s how I ended up in one. And many of the pubs around the area are always packed and I can’t sit down. During the summer, that isn’t too bad since I don’t mind standing outside. But in the winter, I like to sit down and be cozy. Now if I want a traditional pub that makes me think of Charles Dickens this would not be the place.
A pub in a former church–not sure what I think of that yet. How does one buy a church?
Lots of churches around the UK have been converted for other purposes, and Catholic churches do serve alcohol during mass 😉
Do you church hop on Sundays?
The priests do, as there’s now so few of them 😉
A tough gig.
Just a word of warning, this O’Neill’s might be fine, but they vary. The one in Soho is cavernous and nasty.
is the bathroom gross? This one is clean, but always really hot.
was its foundation made out of rough sawn logs and cement?
Only Cindy knows that answer.
You did mention you’d been in a pub last night… this one looks good as do the chicken wings
Odds are pretty good I’m at some pub. Where else does one get tea 🙂
Interesting…I usually try to give pubs from chains a bit of a wide berth. Unfortunately there was something of an explosion of ‘Irish’ pubs in England as all things Celtic became extremely popular in the 1990s. Sadly it became a bit of a bandwagon with pubs falling over themselves to present their Irish credentials and spawned the rather unsentimental phrase ‘plastic paddy’. I think for an authentic Irish pub you really do have to cross the Irish Sea!
I can’t wait to visit a real Irish pub. I was just thinking that last night before I left the flat. I love the phrase plastic paddy. Will have to remember that.
Just be careful who you say it to!
I will!
Reservations for a pub…who knew? You were really brave to eat a pork and leek sausage. 🙂
It was pretty tasty. Not like a hot dog though. More like a brat. I’m curious about the other pub. Hopefully will know more soon.
Hot dogs/brat and wings! Fun!!! I am going to have to start asking you for the names of the beer. The Husband, CH, keeps asking when I read or tell him about your posts.. 🙂
I’ll try to be better and tell you.
Wow, such great photos, and they look yummy! So glad to know you felt like you found a little bit of home yesterday.
We did grill yesterday for the 4th – ribeye steaks, baby bok choy (grilled with olive oil), roasted garlic…and some rice and good belgian beer. May seem like an odd combination to most, especially with the bok choy, but it sure was yummy.
It all sounds great and I’m jealous! Sounds like you had a great 4th.
Nice to know about O’Neill’s, TBM. Hope you had a wonderful July 4. I didn’t know that pub etiquette demanded that we pay in cash everytime we order. I have done it both ways – pay cash everytime I order or run up a tab and pay by cash / card later. I always thought that this depended on the crowd – if the place was normally crowded, the practice was to pay by cash for every order and if it was not normally crowded, we can run a tab. Atleast this is how it used to be at the places I visited. Thanks to you, I learnt a new thing today. I totally love Coors Light!
Some pubs that I’ve been to only accept cash and expect payment right away. However, many pubs don’t have these restrictions. I like your theory about a place being crowded. I know this pub wouldn’t let us open a tab during a Chelsea match. The stadium is around the corner and gets really busy so maybe I’ll start applying your crowd theory to other pubs I visit. We both lived in Colorado for many years. Coors reminds us of home.
Did you really just say you need a reservation for a pub? I’ve never heard of that before. In fact isn’t that a bit strange?
Lynn 😀
Yes and according to their website you have to reserve a table. No standing. Very odd. I need to find out more and share with all of you. I’m betting they won’t allow photos so I might have to get tricky.
Yeah, you’ll have to become all 007 with an earring that’s really a camera/microphone!! I don’t know if I like the idea of a pub where you have to make a reservation. Feels like it would suppress the atmosphere somewhat – no spontaneity!
Lynn 😀
I think they do that for a reason, it’s supposed to be like a speakeasy in the 1920s. We’ll see if they allow us to find out. I wonder if I should dress up.
A touch of home for the holiday .. but you have used up your allotment quota of Coors for the year.
I think I can find other beers at the pubs so no worries.
Looks like a great club for drinks and wings.
It is. Not to fancy but not disgusting either. Just a good middle of the road place.
Pubbing can lead to such contrasting experiences and your post indicates that well. Clearly, you found the pub food at this place way above your expectations. But could that be because your expectation had been low?
Cheers
Shakti
LOL, sometimes low expectations pay off 🙂 I love how most pubs are different and I never really know what to expect.
NICE! Glad you were able to get a hot dog on the 4th of July and those wings look pretty jamming too. So glad that the pub turned out better than expected. That’s always nice when it happens 🙂
Most of the pubs near us are for tourists so they are all the same, including same menu with bland food. This one is a little better, even though it’s a chain. The hot dog was a nice touch.
Yes. Most definitely 🙂
🙂
i still think you need to do a pub book. i think it would be a best seller…lots of people want to avoid the touristy pubs and your pictures and “reviews” are stellar.
I wonder what my take should be. funny, but informative?
Sounds like a winner to me.
Would be interesting. We should tag team it 🙂