Bull & Last

Saturday night at the Bull and Last is busy and noisy, with a mix of people going in for dinner or just a pint. It's definitely a pub, the wood floors, tables, walls and ceiling being well worn and shabby, in a good way.

The brief menu of gastro pub standards includes battered fish and chips, with some other stuff we thought more interesting. There's a strong emphasis on seasonal produce, and we had asparagus with crispy egg, and pea salad with pea fritters to start, followed by confit of duck, with lots more peas! Didn't spot that on the menu when we were ordering so it's good we like them. Casual style, loads of flavour, really enjoyable food.

We got seduced by the sound of the ice creams and had ferrero rocher and millionaires shortbread flavours – they were OK, wouldn't bother with them again. The chocolate in them didn't seem to be good quality, more like cheaper cooking chocolate.

Service was friendly and prompt, we didn't have to wait long for either starters or main courses. Wine list is fine, you can find something to go with your food, with plenty of wines by the glass.

This isn't a smart gastropub with tablecloths that's really a restaurant, it's a pub with great food.

Service was exceptional – friendly, knowledgeable, efficient. Food was really tasty & of a high quality. Unfortunately the upstairs restaurant wasnt full on the Bank Hol Saturday but stiill had enough buzzy atmosphere; the pub downstairs was very busy. Will definitely go back & so glad that had finally managed to try it out!

We chose this restaurant because you listed it as best in North West London! Really surprised when we tried the food. So so disappointing. The starter – a pumpkin ravioli – was lovely and got our hopes up. But the mains – 2 steaks but not called steaks because that would have been too simple – were ordinary. Really ordinary. Salad out of a bag and chips that were supposed to be ‘thrice cooked’ but were horrible. They had a taste of something other than pure potato – dripping maybe? Or a thrice-cooked oil perhaps! The bill was also a shock – £75+ for one starter, 2 steaks and a bottle of water! Really, this is just bog-standard pub grub. We visited Trullo last week – also on your recommendation and the first time we used ‘squaremeal.co.uk’ and it was fabulous. So different from this week's experience. After Trullo, I thought I could really trust your choices. After the Bull and Last, I'm not so sure.

Stunning food – my chicken liver pate was melt in the mouth, my roast was delicious (though bathed in too much gravy) and my ferrero rocher ice cream was utter bliss. Place was packed out plus a party upstairs so expect to book. Food was beautfiul though despite the slow service (almost 45min for my main to arrive!). I still prefer the Junction up the road for mains but for everything else, the Bull & Last hits the mark!

Well if Giles Coren, who lives down the road by the way, says it’s good you'd be a mug to not check it out. The ‘famous crab toast’ is indeed gobsmackingly good, totally reliant on the quality of ingredients which are first class. The menu is small and sometimes doesn't cater for those wanting something other than a meat pie, offal or a cut of meat that you have to look up. The service is not only very efficient, staff are accommodating, warm, friendly and knowledgeable, very few restaurants have staff that tick two of those boxes let alone all five. The wine list is small, as you would expect from a gastropub, but offers good value and is interesting. Atmosphere is lively as you would expect and informal with great views of Hampstead Heath if you are sat at one of the tables by the large front window. All in all very good.

June 22

Been back a few times most recently last weekend. The menu now offers more variety, still got some St John style cuts/dishes – caramalised pigs head, very good-plus more tradtional fare. The charcuterie is outstanding, and I hadnt noticed Chatueau Fillot on the wine list before which at £7 a glass is almost a bargain!
They have also opened a dining room upstairs and are proposing to offer hampers for those who want to eat over the road on the heath. An enterprising bunch.

20/10/09

Love this place, their scotch egg particularly when its warm is a thing of rare beauty. Don't though eat up stairs if you can help it, did recently for dinner with friends, and it took an eternity! if the bloke who owns half the decent restaurants and clubs in London, Richard what's his name? hadnt been sitting opposite we would have complained far more loudly. Another recently discovered gem on the menu, Ferrero Roche flavoured ice cream…unbelievable.

Went there on Easter Monday for dinner, which started at 6.30pm. Very friendly, efficient staff. Nice, relaxed atmosphere. Food was excellent – I had the crab toast, and the pappardelle with wild mushrooms. Unfortunately I was too full for dessert, so can't comment on them. Should imagine they would have been superb. My husband had the oysters, and the skate wing. He said they were delicious. The three times fried chips are excellent. More like lovely crispy roast potatoes than chips. I'd recommend this place to anyone. Good value for money too.

My wife and I took our two sons (28 and 25) plus respective girlfriends there for a casual dinner on a recent Sunday evening. Looks like a pub, feels like a pub… actually feels a bit grubby. Initially, our waitress had an attitude problem, but it seemed to go away as she decided that I wasn't going to be one of “those” difficult customers that waiters/managers love to hate. From that point, things changed. The atmosphere was cheerful in a pubby way, with the odd strange looking person, but generally not too loud and raucus. The wine list was acceptable, though I really don't think that there's a lot of imagination in it. The main saving grace is the food which is “always” (in the twice I've dined there) been well executed and subtle yet unabashed. I ate venison and enjoyed it very much. My sons + other halves loved the place – felt very much at home, at ease, able to be vocal and laugh, to eat, drink and enjoy. The value was really not bad for the overall experience too. What more can you ask for on a Sunday evening ?

This is my local and how lucky am I! The food has a definite french influence but with an individual twist. The three times I have been (yes, it's become a Sunday regular), I've tried to taste something different each time. I will admit, it gets difficult to choose when you're a vegetarian or vegan because the options are limited but nonetheless, what it does offer is well worth tasting. Everything I've eaten has been extremely tasty. The desserts are to die for. Three courses plus a bottle of wine will set you back around £35 each (an guestimate of course) and it's worth every penny. The only reservation I have is I miss the comfy sofa that was there in the pub's previous life but the fire has made a comeback and that's a real winter treat.