The Ship

This place came highly recommended by a lot of friends so I was really excited when the opportunity finally presented itself to go for a friend's birthday drinks. I'm not in the area much, as I live on the opposite side of town, but this is supposedly a very popular pub for those who live in the Chelsea/Fulham/Putney/Wandsworth area. It is right across the river from Fulham and sits along the water, which is of course quite scenic.

The most striking this is that the vibe is utterly sensational. I was there on a Saturday night and everyone was dressed so well (never seen that in a pub before!) and it is full of attractive 20-somethings in groups of girls and guys, ready to go out. On the night we went, there was one group reservation that spanned 5 tables that had been there since 3 PM and seemed to be still going hard 6 hours later.

The outdoor area is quite large and about half of it is uncovered wooden tables, and the other half is a covered area that has both wooden tables and several booths that fit around 10 people. It started raining halfway through the night and people were able to move under cover quite easily, and some moved inside where there is a proper dance floor and decent music. To be honest, they make it just so that there is no reason to leave... it's got everything you want.

In addition, the outdoor area also features a BBQ grill, and they have a menu offering burgers, sausages, and a few other items. We ordered the beef burger, which came with fries but cost a cool 12 pounds. However, we received a lot of food envy afterward because it was a very solid, well-constructed burger. They also have a very cool texting service, where you type in your mobile number onto a keypad and they text you when you order is ready. Fancy!

I completely understand why friends love this place, and if it was any closer to home, I would be there all the time. But with such an amazing atmosphere, I will certainly have to plan a return trip soon!

This is a down to Earth, spacious pub located on the Thames. I'd love to come check it out in the summer.

We came for Sunday lunch and man, it's a pricey place for a meal! Sunday roast ranged from £16-19. They were pretty big portions but still. A bit pricy for a roast.

I had tiny piece cod and two little langoustines for £17 which came with 1.5 mini potatoes (seriously, they couldn't throw in the other half!?) and a slathering of piperade which was really more like a tomato fondant. Very disappointing and not that tasty.

I would not come here for the food. But drinks-wise, it was fine.

The Ship looks better from the outside than it does when you go in the bar. The bar is small and rather scruffy, like the old public bars which most pubs have scrapped. It has a large restaurant attached and a large outdoor seating area which overlooks the Thames. It probably suits large groups rather than singles or couples wanting an intimate setting. The beers are from the Youngs range (surprise! ).
It's a bit tricky to find but it has off street parking.

I entered the Ship rather apprehensively given some of the other reviews here but left knowing I couldn't give it less than five stars.

The food here is simply excellent. My friend and I came here on a Sunday and opted for two chicken roasts. The chicken was cooked well and accompanied by a huge Yorkshire pudding, gravy, roast potatoes and various sides, such as sweet potato puree. If I had one complaint about the roast it would be that the potatoes could have been slightly warmer, but 'tis a small blemish.

No matter though, because the desserts took the experience up a couple of notches. I went for a fig and maple syrup bakewell tart with prune ice cream and my friend sticky toffee pudding with ice cream. One bite of each was all it took to seal this place's 5 star rating: warm, flavoursome and oozing quality. The sticky toffee pudding was particularly good, up there with the very best I've had.

Elsewhere, there are plenty of other pluses. Though a Young's pub, it had a few other ales on draft, including the ever-dependable Samsbrook Wandle and new beer Pumphouse Pale Ale. The other food on offer looked very good too: tempting scotch eggs that sadly they'd sold out of when we took our seats; burgers in posh baps and string fries. The rest of the dessert menu was extraordinary, containing no less than five dessert wines, something I've never seen before on a pub menu. And perhaps most surprising of all, the food wasn't that expensive: about £13 for the roast chicken, £4 for the Samsbrooks and an admittedly fairly expensive but still worth it £7 for the desserts. Service was good and there's plenty of space inside.

The only slight negative of the experience was that it took about 20 minutes to be seated. Really though, that's not bad compared to how long waits can be. And in this instance, it was easily worth it.

As for the yuppies, it's true that there were a few here, but they were in the minority. I didn't find them particularly irksome - not like the masses of hipsters to be found out east. And indeed, arguably if it weren't for the spending power and preferences of this Fulham set, the food wouldn't be what it is, so heck, it could be said they're a force for good...

BBQ season has arrived - great place by the river to sink some Rose and eat great food!

Their burger & chips was something truly special, don't let the higher prices put you off, this is more than pub food!

Avoid going on Friday and weekend as it can get really crowded.

This was my second times at The Ship and it is not my last.

In the interest of full disclosure, I was here last night for a Qype event where we were given the great privilege of trying out a selection from The Ship's barbecue menu (which will be launched once there seems to be some consistent spring weather).


First off, given The Ship's location - down a side road near Wandsworth Bridge - it isn't the sort of place you'd spot while walking down the street, and decide that you should give it a go. It's had to rely mostly on word of mouth, which means that it has had to be pretty darn good at what it does.


And all signs yesterday indicate that this is indeed the case.


General manager Oisin, head chef David and marketing manager Emma have done a great job with the place, and, more importantly, the menu! They were really attentive and friendly throughout the event, taking the time to talk us through the menu, and - in a sign that they truly cared - asked for our written opinions on each and every one of the dishes they served. I've been to a few foodie events, but no one's asked me such detailed feedback before. And when I made an offhand remark about hwo they should have corn-on-the-cob on the menu, Emma immediately conveyed that feedback to David, who told me that it was on the cards. And that's just one example of their excellent customer service.


Now, on to the food.


The intriguingly-named 'pig in a jar' was fantastic, and definitely something which they should think of selling for people to take home. Much lighter than what I'd expect from a pork dish. A great way to start off the meal, for sure.


The chargrilled handmade beef and lamb burger was incredible. The meat was succulent, the tomato chutney was delicious and the bun was pretty good, though to be honest, I didn't really notice the bun amidst all the delicious meat.


I honestly thought the burger would be the highlight of the meal, but next up was the rack of pork ribs with coca-cola barbecue sauce (David's secret recipe). Tender, fall-off-the-bone meat combined with tasty, tangy, sweet sauce. Yummy. After my first bite, I declared that they were ribs worth getting into a fight for, so it was good that The Ship offered us two full racks!


The wine which was served along with the food - You, Me and the Gatepost, Shiraz, 2008 - went very well. Nice and smooth.


Now, I am a hardcore carnivore. (Like you couldn't tell from my description of the food.) The mere mention of the word 'barbecue' is enough to make me salivate. And yesterday's barbecue was amazing.


I will be back. It's not an easy trek for me as I live in East London, but I will most definitely be back!

The burger is quite good if you like the beef cooked medium well. The atmosphere in the bar is awesome. I've also tried the cod which was alright but nothing extraordinary. Great place to have a beer. Kind of a gastropub I guess. Good little local tavern. Would have given the bar 3 and a half stars if possible!

The location is great! Ideal in the summer as the outdoor area is large and on the river. Really nice vibe. I had a hamburger which was really yummy. The curly fries are AMAZING! Yummy! I definitely recommend this place for pub grub.

According to all the other reviews of The Ship on Qype, it's like the second coming in pub form. Other pubs must bow down to it's amazing barbecue, selection of ales and riverside location. All hail The Ship - saviour of South West London pub goers!


Having lived in Wandsworth for almost a year, and never having visited The Ship, I thought it best to head on down and see what all the fuss was about.


I'm a bit of a cynic, so I was expecting to be hugely disappointed. And expecting to be disappointed probably isn't the best attitude to start a drinking sesh. So, The Ship had to win me over.


The location is kinda weird, tucked in behind a McDonalds, next to a building site. But it is next to the river, which is quite nice and takes advantage of this by having a large outdoor area.


The outdoor-y bit does seem to be put together in a bit of a strange fashion, on several levels and featuring a little bride (which me and my friends named 'The Complex Bridge System' - for some reason hilarious at the time) which can result in some spillage on the journey back from the bar. But it does give the place some character and there were plenty of places to sit, a bonus on one of the first hot days of the year.


There was a good selection of ales, lagers and ciders on offer - perfect for outdoor drinking. The bar staff were quick, nice and easy on the eye, so trips to the bar were never a chore.


So, the legendary barbecue. You can smell it from down the road, and it smells GOOD. Portions are bloody huge, served with epic sized sides and fresh from the fire. They are a bit pricey, mind you.


On the whole The Ship is an excellent pub. Very likely the best in Wandsworth (I'll update this when I've reviewed all of them) not sure it deserves all the praise being lavished upon it, but it does deserve most of it.

Good solid grub from a nice pub. The food is pretty standard fare but is done well and the staff and friendly and helpful. If it's sunny it's busy, which is always a good thing. Very well kept Youngs Ales (you'd hope so given proximity to the brewery), a pint of Kew was particularly refreshing.


All in all a good place to meet, eat and drink.