The Royal Oak, Clapham, London

The Royal Oak has become the kind of pub you very rarely see anymore. Starting from worst to best – the diner style food is fun and relatively cheap, don’t expect gourmet cuisine. The staff are an absolute pleasure, always smiley and happy to help. Manager Max is the star of the show – his ability to greet regulars by name and make you feel at home is second to none. On top of that he is excellent at organising crazy events (wrestling on New Years Eve, a full mock Royal wedding including tranny Kate Middleton…) which people seem to love. The decor is also quirky and interesting, the music eclectic.
Considering how spectacularly boring the rest of the identikit pubs are in Clapham the Oak’s really doing something different.
Congrats to Max and his crew on a great job.

This place has definitely changed for the worse.

We used to come here quite a lot with my partner, as they had a tasty gastro-pub like food menu, with good quality ingredients.

We went there last week and were really really disappointed. They have a new Italian chef, who obviously does not know how to cook Italian food (I am Italian myself so I know a thing or two about food). My bf ordered the lasagne and I got the steak sandwich with fries. The pub was practically empty, it was only us and another couple having drinks. They took forever to bring us the food, to the point that we had to ask the waitress (who was chatting away with the chef in a corner) what happened to the food, as we were sitting down waiting for 40+ minutes. When it finally arrived, we wished we had never asked. The lasagne didn't look that good, and were indeed really bland, the sauce was just a gooey mix, with no much flavour in it. The steak sandwich was even worse, the bread (focaccia) was clearly a couple of days old (very stale almost inedible), and had just been reheated to make it look "fresh". The fries were soggy and covered in salt, and although I was starving I could not eat more than one or two.

Such a shame it changed so much, as it used to be a really lovely place! We will never go back. Fortunately there is plenty of other nice pubs around Clapham!!!

I lived in Clapham for a-g-e-s, so the fact that I only went through the doors of the Royal Oak three years after I moved away is a bit on the embarrassing side. Then again, the north end of Clapham High Street used to be decrepit and awful, whereas now it has natty-looking vintage shops and smart saucepan outlets.

I had an hour to kill before meeting my friend and a book that I urgently needed to carry on reading. I didn’t really care where I sat to do so, but the twinkly fairy-lit windows of The Royal Oak looked a lot more welcoming than I remembered so I hopped in.

Wow. Wow, wow and thrice wow. And other adjectives once I drew my breath and remembered what words are.

The Royal Oak is just magical. People so obviously care about this place and it shows throughout.There was a proper fire crackling away merrily, candles everywhere, and just enough light for my eyes to cope without killing the atmosphere. I settled into a cosy leather armchair by the window, and put my new guitar case on one of the chairs (I know, I know, but it wasn’t full.) I drank wine. A standard glass of Pinot Greezh was £4.70 which was a bit teeth-sucking.

Remnants of a New Year’s Big Lebowski-themed party were still writ large, with the Dude’s Commandments literally written large on one of the walls. There was a Cliff Richard calendar behind the bar which someone had politely defaced. The loo doors folded back on themselves like origami and someone had left a really sweet note about taps in the ladies which made me chuckle.

The bar menus and wine lists were notched up in chalk on walls by the bar, and there was a lovely desk with a mirror on it by the front door. The staff were relaxed but clearly keen to be there, a few regulars came in whilst I was there (good sign) and the bargirl gave me a lovely compliment on my hummingbird brooch, which I approved of immensely as I also think that brooch is probably the loveliest thing in the world.

The whole place had a wonderfully relaxed, safe, friendly air about it. You can’t make that happen. You have to really want to make somewhere feel that good. I’ll definitely be going back next time I’m in Clapham.

Haven't tried the food, but came in here for a meeting on Friday and was pleasantly surprised. I like pubs with a central bar, and they're keeping 3 ales behind this one reasonably well. Staff are really friendly. My gripes would be that it's a bit too cold, even next to a radiator, and it would be great if there was some free wifi, as there are some decent high tables for working. I shall return for an update.

very expensive, not so high quality

Thumbs up guys! Completely new place! Charming staff, check. Interesting menu, check. My favorite pub in Clapham again, check!!! New beers on tap and Aspalls! Interesting wine... This is what a pub should be. Get down there and rediscover the Oak in all its glory once more! Word is that there are some positive changes around the corner - stay tuned!

The Royal Oak is now under new management and you can start to see the improvements trickling through. I haven't tried the food yet, but the bar staff were friendly and they have a few new ales on which is nice. The crowd in here seemed younger, hipper and better looking on Friday night. Perhaps it was a one off, but i'm going to go out on a limb here and say the Royal Oak in Clapham will become a trendy spot again in 2010.

I had been here once before a while back but i Went in last Sunday and could see clearly that it is under new management! they now provide Full table service and everyone working was great. i asked about which wine would go best with my food and the bar staff were able to give me a few different choices and my friend was really happy with the large range of great beer. the pies are amazing and helped me get over my hangover as well!

indubudley a pleasant little pub on clapham high street. the barmen serving me dan and john were delightful although I was a little worried that johns beard was unruly and offensive, on the other hand dan was completely inoffensive.

UPDATE
This place has definitely gone downhill! They didn’t have half the options on the menu, and the meal I settled for arrived cold and limp. Portions are pretty paltry too.
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Aaargh the reviews here are scary - the service some other Qypers have experienced is unbelievable! Although I’m happy to say my experience doesn’t mirror theirs. I went with a bunch of friends for their much hyped Sunday roast, and it didn’t disappoint. The staff were friendly, and willing to accomodate additions and subtractions to the menu. The only problem we encountered was with the card machine (it wasn’t working), but all in all our visit to the Royal Oak was pleasant.

Update 3 07/04/09

The nail is in the coffin. This is now a 1 star pub. what a spectacular fall from grace. This used tobe such a great pub with SUPERB food, but my experience on Sunday evening was laughable. The Sunday roast was (in my opinion, but also my housemates opinion) utterly revolting. A tiny, old thing of chicken, a stone cold yorkshire pudding and vegetables that had been wacked in the microwave for about 30 seconds just about sums it up. Oh, i was also given 1 roast potato (which was frozen in the middle). To add insult to injury, most of the good beers were off. The staff seem completely oblivious to the fact that the quality on the eyes of the customer has dropped so significantly.

I just hope they read this review (and most of the reviews below) and take on some of the feedback. Unfortunately i think the Royal Oak is beyond saving…..

Update 2 22/11/08

After reading Macaroon’s review i had to chip in. The tides have definitely shifted. What was once my favourite pub in Clapham, is now definitely in the middle of the pack. I definitely didn’t have as bad an experience as Macaroon, but i did encounter some pretty awful service and below par food. What happened? It used to be so good…..

Update 11/06/08

I’m changing my review slightly now that i am a regular! Roast dinner is still excellent and great value. This is also a fantastic place to come for a drink and a bite to eat in the evening. Broadside and Adnams on tap and lots of good snack meals (My friend a lamb wrap last night which looked delicious). Friendly staff and table service! Thank the Lord.

This place has just graduated to 5 stars.

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I only just discovered this place at the weekend. It’s a real gem and i’m really surprised i’ve never popped in before.

They do one of the best roast dinners on Clapham high st. I struggled to finish my delicious roast chicken with all the trimmings. The portions are huge and it’s all really quite tasty. A bit pricey though - I think it was 10 quid for all roasts.

A good selection of lagers on tap (i couldn’t see any bitter) and really helpful, friendly staff. They also have a big screen TV showing football, rugby and more. This could become a regular sunday pub for me!

Decent pub. Brilliant location (even though I walked right by it at first!). A lot better than some of the other drinking establishments I’ve had the misfortune of visiting on Clapham High Street.

No complaints. Although there were a few off-kilter punters who gave off the impression that they frequent this pub often.

Oh yeah, The Royal Oak has Staropramen on tap. That’s a good thing.

Keep it in mind for a good spot for meeting up near Clapham North Station.

Popped in here for a few drinks before a meal at the pizza place across the way, and was a bit disappointed.

At first glance it’s a pretty dingy place but I can handle 'dark and moody’ as long as it’s a good pub. Unfortunately service at the bar was a bit slow and…unpredictable, a situation that was worsened by the rat-arsed bloke at the end of the bar and his equally unpredictable dog who seemed intent on tripping up anyone who came within his vicinity.

I don’t mind dealing with trainee bar staff, but if I’m handed a pint of lager meant for someone else, don’t realise, take it back to my table, get confused becasue I have one drink too many, and then have to deal with an irate barman storming over and whisking the pint away without a word then I get a bit narked.

They may do an exceptional sunday roast but I don’t think I’ll be heading back to find out.

One of the best roasts ever…!

I’m with Ms Urbanite on this one. It is so unmemorable that I have….err…umm… actually just completely forgotten what I am even meant to be writing about…...damn!

The Royal Oak did not hold my attention for very long - and I was surprised, given it’s bustle on a midday week night. The place is relaxed-bordering shabby, and it’s in a convenient location right near Clapham tube station. That’s a good thing for them actually, given that it’s not really the type of pub you’d go out of your way for.
There’s some seating outside which is great for the summer. The toilets are dingy but on the whole it would make do for a meeting place, but I couldn’t really imagine it being a favourite.

For a pub located a hair’s breadth from the tube station, this one was surprisingly tame for a weeknight. Still crowded, still a bit loud, but also nice and cozy and inviting. It was pleasantly lacking in the atmosphere of desperation I usually associate with pubs where people need to down a few drinks quickly before they can endure their commute home.
I haven’t been for food yet, so I can’t really comment about quality there or service, but just to meet with some friends for a drink after work was quite pleasant. Though based on some of the comments others have left about their dining experiences, I’m not sure I’ll give it a try any time soon.

After only one visit to this pub i’d have to put myself firmly on the fence, nothing about it really jumped out and made me want to relocate to clapham just so I could call it my new local (which is the yardstick for any great pub) but I wouldn’t be averse to going there again. Seemed reasonably busy for midweek but not overcrowded. Positives= It serves Staropramen and is just a short crawl from the tube. Negative= Once you go through the first door to the toilets your left in a pitch black corridor trying to feel your way round (though I imagine this was a freak occurrence due to a dead light bulb.

I’m so mixed about this place. On the one hand, it has great food, I’ve got a mate that works there, it’s small and cute and intimate.

But on the other hand, I was there with a mate for her birthday once, and the staff (one member in particular) were so UNBELIEVABLY rude to her, she left the place in tears. All this was because they insisted that for this group of 30 all food was ordered on one tab which had to be secured with her card - they weren’t willing to just let individuals buy their own food at the bar. Inevitably this resulted in confusion at the end of the night, and the resulting argument (in which the staff member told my friend to f**k off) was quite unpleasant.

This bad experience left a horrible memory for us. Which is a shame because the roast dinners are fabulous, and the breakfasts are well cute (everything comes in its own separate rammikin). So give it a try, but I think it might depend who is working that day as to whether you get good service or not.

Clapham, oh Clapham, what are we going to do without this beautiful place??? What happened to the jewel in the crown of our neighbourhood? I’m horrifed by my experience here tonight. I don’t even want to give it 1 star and this time last year I would have given it 5.

I was about to order the anti-pasti dish with hummous, when the guy behind the bar said they had run out, and then said “hang on my mate’s just coming in with some”.. when I looked around I saw a guy walking in with one tiny tub of cheap hummous from the corner shop down the road (I recognised the tub from seeing it and never buying it before).

So we ordered 2 burgers (without mayo) and fish cakes with “stir fried veg and chilly sauce”. After a long wait, the food arrived. The burgers arrived with lashings of mayo and the fish cake - a massive 4 inches tall monstrosoty that looked like it had been moulded at the local pottery class and coated in a tough 5 year old breadcrumb mix - on a miniscule bed of something resembling spinach with a grey thin as water sauce. Hmmm, that doesn’t look like stir fried veg? And yuck yuck to all that fatty mayo on the burgers.

So we had to complain. They took the burgers away and the fishcakes (actually cake - just one massive odd horrible thing), but then brought the fishcake back mumbling something about it being a different chef and not knowing the menu, so threw it back in front of me. Instead of re-doing it, the guy said they were going to bring the stir-fried veg on the side. I was starving so ate the food and the veg arrived 20 mins later.

Appalling experience, they really need to sort this place out ASAP. Definitely some of the worst pub food I’ve eaten. This pub needs saving - Qypers we can do it!!! Let’s bring back the Royal Oak we know and love.