The Dove at Hammersmith
The Dove at Hammersmith
4
11:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Monday
11:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Tuesday
11:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Wednesday
11:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Thursday
11:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Friday
11:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Saturday
11:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Sunday
12:00 PM - 10:30 PM
About
A charming, much-loved pub with incredible history, The Dove has been a fixture of London life for centuries. Set right on the River Thames, it's the best pub in Hammersmith for great atmosphere, wonderful fresh food and, of course, a quenching pint of ale.
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Chiswick
How to get there
- Ravenscourt Park • 6 min walk
- Hammersmith • 10 min walk
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4.0
400 reviews
Excellent
208
Very good
111
Average
29
Poor
26
Terrible
26
GZZPO
London, UK77 contributions
June 2022
We visit The Dove once in a while for Sunday lunch. Usually, it's best to book well in advance, as it can get busy. This time we managed to get a table by booking only a few days in advance. Perhaps after this visit, we knew why.
The pub itself is old world, right on the Thames. The food itself was fine. No problems with that, but standards seem to have fallen elsewhere. For example, we noticed that the shelf areas near our table looked like they hadn't been dusted for ages.
The really disappointing and irritating aspect was the standard of service. Many of the staff seem either badly trained or to have scant training. Apple sauce was requested for the pork dish. Horseradish sauce was delivered. No apology when this was pointed out - just a grunt.
On asking for a wine list, we were told there wasn't one as they were changing their wine supplies [!]. Even a list run off on Word and printed on a sheet would have done. So, off the waitress went to find out what red wines they had. There were four. And their price? Off she went again to find the prices.
The wine was chosen and opened. Very obvious that no training had been given on how to pour wine (not exactly rocket science if you are aware). She managed to spill some on the table. No apology or attempt to mop it up - it was left for us to clear it with a serviette.
A quick negotiation was done about substituting a bit of green salad for potatoes on one of the dishes. This was agreed to as fine, only for us to be charged with £4 extra on the bill. The extra charge was not made clear at the time of the request: our impression was the opposite, ie that the substitution was OK.
So, food OK, but the service was badly lacking. If the place persists in ignoring the need to train its staff and simply can't be bothered to get the basics right (cleaning, wine list etc) then we suspect it will affect its business. With the cost of living being what it is, people (including us) will go elsewhere.
The pub itself is old world, right on the Thames. The food itself was fine. No problems with that, but standards seem to have fallen elsewhere. For example, we noticed that the shelf areas near our table looked like they hadn't been dusted for ages.
The really disappointing and irritating aspect was the standard of service. Many of the staff seem either badly trained or to have scant training. Apple sauce was requested for the pork dish. Horseradish sauce was delivered. No apology when this was pointed out - just a grunt.
On asking for a wine list, we were told there wasn't one as they were changing their wine supplies [!]. Even a list run off on Word and printed on a sheet would have done. So, off the waitress went to find out what red wines they had. There were four. And their price? Off she went again to find the prices.
The wine was chosen and opened. Very obvious that no training had been given on how to pour wine (not exactly rocket science if you are aware). She managed to spill some on the table. No apology or attempt to mop it up - it was left for us to clear it with a serviette.
A quick negotiation was done about substituting a bit of green salad for potatoes on one of the dishes. This was agreed to as fine, only for us to be charged with £4 extra on the bill. The extra charge was not made clear at the time of the request: our impression was the opposite, ie that the substitution was OK.
So, food OK, but the service was badly lacking. If the place persists in ignoring the need to train its staff and simply can't be bothered to get the basics right (cleaning, wine list etc) then we suspect it will affect its business. With the cost of living being what it is, people (including us) will go elsewhere.
Written 15 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RobinS1564
London, UK7 contributions
Aug 2022
So far I have enjoyed my visits to the Dove, but not today.
We got off to a great start when I asked where the beer came from. The barmaid said 'England'. I asked where in England (I like Cornish beer), but she didn't know and made it clear that she didn't care.
Next we sat at our table. The waitress wasn't remotely embarrassed when I tilted the chair and brushed off some decayed bits of food with the palm of my hand.
Then the £20 charcuterie, which had been a feature of previous visits. The bread was rock solid, the butter was forgotten and there was too much chorizo at the expense of other meats.
Finally, the hamburger. The staff agreed that we had ordered a hamburger without cheese or anything else, but here was a hamburger covered by something yellow. The staff couldn't understand why the kitchen had supplied the wrong thing. At least it was replaced by something more edible without too much delay.
The manager's apology is best described as 'lacklustre'. He knocked off the price of the drinks, but I didn't follow his logic. The drinks were fine, but the charcuterie wasn't. Don't you knock off the price of the thing that was wrong? Apparently not.
If the staff want to run a pub, then they should learn that customers are a necessary evil.
By the way, I looked up the beer, which came from Hampshire.
We got off to a great start when I asked where the beer came from. The barmaid said 'England'. I asked where in England (I like Cornish beer), but she didn't know and made it clear that she didn't care.
Next we sat at our table. The waitress wasn't remotely embarrassed when I tilted the chair and brushed off some decayed bits of food with the palm of my hand.
Then the £20 charcuterie, which had been a feature of previous visits. The bread was rock solid, the butter was forgotten and there was too much chorizo at the expense of other meats.
Finally, the hamburger. The staff agreed that we had ordered a hamburger without cheese or anything else, but here was a hamburger covered by something yellow. The staff couldn't understand why the kitchen had supplied the wrong thing. At least it was replaced by something more edible without too much delay.
The manager's apology is best described as 'lacklustre'. He knocked off the price of the drinks, but I didn't follow his logic. The drinks were fine, but the charcuterie wasn't. Don't you knock off the price of the thing that was wrong? Apparently not.
If the staff want to run a pub, then they should learn that customers are a necessary evil.
By the way, I looked up the beer, which came from Hampshire.
Written 16 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
VPO_BurySE
London, UK30 contributions
June 2021
Fish and chips is not a difficult dish to serve but to do it to this standard is unusual. Absolutely perfect from wonderful light and crispy batter to perfectly cooked fish and triple cooked chips. Even the peas were in the extras. I’ve never had better - superb. Great atmosphere and service too.
Written 22 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for your lovely review! I am so glad you enjoyed our fish and chips. Our chef has worked very hard to make it as best we can and it's lovely to see that it shows!
I hope to see you again very soon!
Kind regards
Written 7 July 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Miles G
7 contributions
Sept 2021 • Couples
A really great pub/restaurant that we will definitely attend again! From our table service by ‘H’ the waiter to the quality of food and location right on the river was perfect from start to finish. We had the buratta as a starter and Olives which was followed by a fantastic fish and chips and ravioli. A hidden gem that we only discovered recently - and one that we’ll be telling our friends and family about !
Thanks again, Miles + Anna.
Thanks again, Miles + Anna.
Written 6 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you very much for the lovely review Miles and Anna!
I am glad to hear H looked after you so well and that you enjoyed your visit!
We will be looking forward to seeing you again soon!
Written 13 September 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
markgs8
Leeds, UK65 contributions
Feb 2023 • Friends
We booked an early Sunday lunch at the Dove. Our table was booked for 12 noon the time that it opens. We arrived and were shown to our table. We ordered drinks and had to wait about 10mins before they arrived.
We ordered starters and mains…. As we got to the end of our main course we asked for the dessert menu which we were given. Then the manageress came over and said we couldn’t order dessert because our table was booked to the next group of customers at 13:00 …… We we’re told we had to surrender the table and we couldn’t order coffee or dessert unless we had it outside….. it’s February. We questioned why we were not told when we made the booking that we only had the table for 1 hour… “it’s the way it is here” she replied.
If you just want a rapid meal I suppose this is the place to go but don’t think about having a pre drink or a dessert because you’ll have to go!! Oh and they don’t take cash….. so perhaps the owners don’t trust their staff. They clearly don’t like customers spending more than 60 mins in the place soo they don’t want you to feel welcome. What a shame because it’s an atmospheric little bar but unfortunately it’s a money grabbing tourist trap to be avoided.
We ordered starters and mains…. As we got to the end of our main course we asked for the dessert menu which we were given. Then the manageress came over and said we couldn’t order dessert because our table was booked to the next group of customers at 13:00 …… We we’re told we had to surrender the table and we couldn’t order coffee or dessert unless we had it outside….. it’s February. We questioned why we were not told when we made the booking that we only had the table for 1 hour… “it’s the way it is here” she replied.
If you just want a rapid meal I suppose this is the place to go but don’t think about having a pre drink or a dessert because you’ll have to go!! Oh and they don’t take cash….. so perhaps the owners don’t trust their staff. They clearly don’t like customers spending more than 60 mins in the place soo they don’t want you to feel welcome. What a shame because it’s an atmospheric little bar but unfortunately it’s a money grabbing tourist trap to be avoided.
Written 26 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
GAG
London, UK1 contribution
Sept 2020 • Friends
Fantastic location, beautiful old pub. Amiable but ineffective service. Crab roll turned out to be a lettuce roll with a sprinkle of crab...Guts now churning, thanks for that. Go for a beer, eat somewhere else.
Written 14 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. I am sorry the crab roll was not to your taste but I can assure you that we only use fresh products delivered daily and we follow the company recipe for which we haven't had any complaints until now.
I hope you visit us on another occasion and try our other delicious dishes!
Kind regards
Written 17 September 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
foodiescrumptious51
London, UK212 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
This little pub is a real find. We visited on recommendation and were very pleased we did. We arrived to see the sunset on a crisp, cold evening and the open fire was a welcome sight. The drinks were great and we both enjoyed the roast lamb served with perfectly cooked vegetables with the exception of the roast potatoes, which could have been crispier and a large batter pudding.
They ran out of vanilla ice cream which should have accompanied the brownie and replaced it with a different ice cream - it would have been good had they told my husband of this change before serving it, as he only eats vanilla.
That said, this is a homely little pub and definitely worth a visit.
They ran out of vanilla ice cream which should have accompanied the brownie and replaced it with a different ice cream - it would have been good had they told my husband of this change before serving it, as he only eats vanilla.
That said, this is a homely little pub and definitely worth a visit.
Written 2 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for your review!
We are very glad you enjoyed your visit with us.
I deeply apologise in regards to the miscommunication. I will have a chat with my team that this should be communicated to customers before ordering to avoid any confusion or disappointment. I will also feed back to the kitchen about the potatoes as they are always trying new techniques of cooking them to ensure they are the best!
We hope you visit us again soon so we can give you the 5 star experience we stand to offer!
Many thanks again,
Jo Murphy
Deputy Manager
Written 17 January 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
LYNWJ
Copenhagen, Denmark1 contribution
Oct 2022
I'm rating this pub as average because the meal (Sunday lunch) was fine, the service was below average, but the worst thing was that our table was right next to the gents' lavatory and every time the door opened, the stench was appalling. We asked for another table, but was told that none were available. We were 4 guests and could see that there were other tables available. We were not given an explanation as to why we could not be moved. Go there for the ambiance, but if you book a table, specify that you will not accept being seated at the table next to the gents lavatory. I would recommend that this table be removed permanently.
Written 5 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SFM1959
Colchester, UK844 contributions
Aug 2021
Popped into here whilst on a Thames path walk, as we'd heard about the small bar and the Rule Britannia story. Nice pub situated on the river front, with a few inside rooms and a small terrace overlooking the river (if you manage to get a space!) We had a quick drink one day and noticed they did food as well, so popped back later in the week to sample the fare. Food is nice - from either menu or the chalkboard, with good choices, well prepared and presented and quite reasonably priced. All washed down with a pint of cider and a shared sticky toffee pudding - yum!
Written 29 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you very much for the lovely review! I am glad you enjoyed both of your visit and I hope to see you again soon!
Kindest regards
Written 1 September 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Mary123
9 contributions
Sept 2023 • Couples
Great position on the river but it’s a tiny pub and you may not get a seat/table. We had a 3 course meal and most is it was awful. I had the crab ravioli first course which was basically hard pasta with a mayonnaise filling -no sign of crab. My partner had 3 small scallops in a weak sauce a costly£11! Main courses ok, nothing special, but puddings bland and all food overpriced. I complained to waitress and asked to see the manager but s/he didn’t come over so basically they don’t care about customer satisfaction. It’s a Youngs pub and emailed my complaint but again had no reply. They just don’t care. Go for the drink but DON’T eat at The Dove.
Written 8 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Are children (one 11 yr old) admitted to the pub / dining area?
Written 28 August 2018
I walked there, over the Hammersmith Bridge. So, I have no idea about parking.
Written 7 August 2016
Hola, el dia 19 de mayo, a traves de un crucero llegaremos al puerto de Dover y quisiera saber los medios de transporte para llegar al centro de Londres.
Written 26 April 2015
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