Just a quick walk from Latimer Road tube station in Notting Hill, Garden Bar is a popular pub mostly for its huge beer garden (one would hope so since it’s called Garden Bar). They’ve claimed that it’s the largest beer garden in Central London so on a sunny summer evening I was intrigued to see if it really was the place to be.
The Venue
The pub itself has a nice, neighborhood feel, but it doesn’t really stick out as something special, until you get to the garden that is. The interior is simply done with wooden tables and booths and plenty of room to stand at the bar. When you walk out the back door however you end up in the oasis that is the garden. The area is filled with fairy lights, plants and a nice mix of tables and booths. The wooden bar and stone floors complete the look and it is all set up really well. With music playing in the background and TVs placed in some of the covered booths, there is a buzzy feeling throughout, especially when the weather is nice.
Just a section of the massive garden at Garden Bar.
The Atmosphere and Clientele
The atmosphere was just right for the location, both inside and outside the pub. The busy crowd on a Thursday evening was lively and kept the place feeling upbeat and exciting. It was the perfect level of busy as you could still find a place to sit or stand, but there was a substantial crowd, especially later in the evening.
The pub definitely attracted a slightly older, after-work crowd. Later in the evening it seemed like more locals from around the Notting Hill area came in for a drink or two. The outdoor area is made to accommodate bigger groups, but when it shut at 10.45pm and people moved inside those bigger groups tended to disperse, leaving smaller pockets of evening drinkers.
The inside is filled with comfy booths and plenty of places to sit.
The Food and Drinks
The outdoor BBQ served during the summer in the garden is everything you would want from a good BBQ. The huge portions were a massive plus as well. I plumped for the meat option (they have veggie too) that came with a burger, a sausage, a piece of chicken, potato salad, pasta and salad. All the food was really well done as expected from a good London gastro pub. The drinks selection were simple but exactly what you would expect from a good pub and were reasonably priced to boot.
During the summer the garden is the perfect space for a big party.
Summary
Overall Garden Bar is a very nice, chilled place to go for drinks and a nice meal with friends. The beer garden is definitely the place to be, but don’t be hesitant if it’s raining as there’s loads of cover and there is a good space inside as well. I’d recommend it for some alfresco after work drinks or an afternoon BBQ in the summer.
