Awww I think the last review of the Wells is unfair. Yes the Wells has completely changed from what it was a few years ago but there are loads of old boozers in Hampstead and very few places to get a decent meal. Which is why the Wells is such a godsend to people who live in the area.
I interpret gastropub as an old pub building which serves restaurant quality food and I think if this is the criteria the Wells deserves top points. The food here is very good.
I’ve been here countless times and although the place is not perfect, it has a certain charm and the characters who frequent it during the week make the place what it is. I always enjoy the experience and I think as long as you time it right you can avoid the really busy periods (it’s a really small building and gets rammed) you can take it for what it is and do the same.

Years ago, (and you’d better sit down, this is a boring story) I lived in Hampstead. Our local was a superb pub called “The Wells Tavern” which had, amongst other things, a golden retriever called Samuel Flowers O.B. (Original Bitter) and a dart board.

It was kid-friendly, had a restaurant area, but was to all intents and purposes, a pub of the grandest kind. Situated 400 yards or so from Hampstead Heath, it made a perfect rest stop on the way home after a long walk, and the food was gratefully received. However, none of this is actually useful information - but it gives you a bit of background at least.

My rating is biased heavily on what the pub used to be - so that isn’t necessarily fair. They changed the name to “The Wells”, and it became a gastropub. The food isn’t bad. The ambiance is pleasant but characterless. For me, the reason that I’ll avoid this pub is simple, and is found on the “Bar Snacks” menu. One of the offerings is “Crab Bisque”.

“Crab Bisque” as a bar snack? You decide.