The Freemasons Arms

Un restaurant typique, voilà comment il nous a été présenté lors d’un voyage de groupe. Donc qui dit voyage de groupe dit plat imposé. Et là on a eu droit à un boeuf bourguignon à l’anglaise…
La photo parle d’elle même et il faut avouer que la cuisine anglaise n’est pas aussi réputé ni bonne que la cuisine française. Disons que pour boucher une dent creuse c’est bien.
Le dessert (un cheesecake à la myrtille) est servi encore congelé c’est dire la qualité.
Sinon l’endroit est joli, le service est aimable et la carte a l’air bien fourni.
Donc pour l’endroit mérite la note et à re-​découvrir sans le groupe.

Well, this place seemed a bit posh.
I think that it’s probably just a bit nicer than the usual dives I end up in. Definitely the place you take your parents for a spot of lunch.
They appear to let dogs in on the front patio as well, so that’s always a good thing.
We only stayed for one drink, but it’s a nice place and staff seem friendly. Not perhaps somewhere where I would go for a ballsy session with my friends, but perhaps a quiet drink of a Sunday evening.

We came to sit in the side garden at lunch. They confirmed it was open. Then when we went to order, they said only drinks. We moved to the front but, alas, by that point it was full. And, despite there being no logical reason, they refused to let us eat on the side patio
So finally a table. Then they forgot one of our drinks. Then only brought one of the two meals
Avoid. Avoid. Avoid. There are much better pubs in the Heath.

Met here for a mums meet up nice spacious bar with lots of outside space which I bet is good in the nice weather. I mostly drank and the prosecco was quite sweet but still good. They don’t reserve tables which is annoying when you have a big group but you the place was reasonable and close to Hampstead Heath so I will visit on a summers day

I was with a friend in Hampstead for a jazz concert without any plan for dinner. When we saw The Freemasons Arms we knew that it was one of those gastropubs that we love. And we were right. Rich menu with plenty of choice of starters, mains and desserts. I enjoyed an amazing plate of gnocchi with spinach, ricotta and pumpkin with a glass of Italian Pinot Grigio. My friend went for the Ale Battered Line-​Caught Cod & Chips, old style and tasty. The atmosphere is perfect, not too noisy and you feel very comfortable. I’ll definitely suggest it to everyone that loves gastropubs. It’s worth a visit even if you only want to drink a beer or a glass of wine before or after dinner.

So, returning from Norfolk with my American rellies today, we wanted somewhere local in NW3, and remembered that the FA was under new management, and from the comfort of my passenger seat and thanks to Steve Jobs I booked a table for 4 online through the booking section of the pub’s website.
Fast forward a few hours and we rock up at the FA, hi there, we have a reservation etc etc.
«We don’t have it. You booked online? Well you shouldn’t have, you should have called.»
«But why do you offer online reservations if you don’t look at them and don’t honour them?» I asked, showing her the confirmation on my phone.
At this point we are given a very «don’t care» shrug and we ask to see the manager. «I’m the manager tonight» she said. Glasses, hair in bun, if that narrows her down
Our luck changed
«I suppose I can fit you in»: the restaurant remained at least ¼ empty for the rest of the time we’re there.
So all in all, how not to greet customers.
From this point on things did improve, I must admit — order was taken swiftly, although much faffing around on an iPhone app that has replaced pen & paper, and burger was very good, although it’s 2014 how about a choice not just «it comes well done». More bonus points were the two servers — one Polish and one (I think?) Spanish both of whom were quite jolly.
But seriously, back to awful first impressions: if you have an online booking system don’t make your customers feel it’s their fault and you absolutely couldn’t care less when you can’t be bothered to check your own reservation system.
FOLLOW UP: Manager called me, took on board what I’d said. We had an in depth chat about the hospitality industry and now I’m a happy customer who’ll come back to the FA. How to successfully resolve a hiccup. Thank you.

Most beautiful pub in Hampstead. Went on a Sunday lunch on a pre-​booked table. We ordered as we chatted and been told by a long serving manager that the book is only there for two hours in the middle of our lunch. We walked away, paid the price and will never return. As local residents will advise against and will not return until there is a change in attitude. We (used to) go there three times a week.
It’s a shame!

Very disappointed as this place has went completely downhill. It’s upsetting to see a much loved pub go the wrong way. Came here with friends and experienced absolutely appalling service. We were sat for 30 minutes before we were acknowledged by a waitress that we had to wave down. She forgot my husband’s drink and did not even offer an apology (it took 45 minutes for his Guinness to arrive). The waitress was terribly rude and dismissive. When they brought our food– the server brought it to 2 other tables before it came to us– which I know because it was the 2 tables adjacent to us. Luckily I did not see the other guests touch the food but instead quickly refuse it and say it was not theirs. It was quite shocking that they could not match the order with the tables. This place is upmarket and should not be the case. This is unfortunate as the food is really lovely… but it does not warrant the price or the upset & embarrassment it will cause to you. I will not be returning.

Get to the Chase:
Pros:
1) Perfect brunch spot
2) Delicious assortments of food, each very well executed and delicious to say the least
3) Courteous staff
4) Clean and cozy
5) Plenty of seating
6) Fish n chips are amazeballs, the garlic pizzette is a perfect savory start to a glorious meal, and don’t get me started on that slow cooked pork belly!
Cons:
1) Service could a be a bit more pleasant, and at times they took their dandy time

This is my favorite pub in London …
although I suppose to be completely fair I would need to eat and drink in the remaining 12,350 I haven’t been to. l
But I have been to quite a few and this is my favorite — by far.
Strangely, it appears in no guides to restaurants, guides to pubs or travel guides — despite the fact that the room and the pub are both superb.
There are MANY London gastropubs with excellent food. Everything we have had out of their kitchen, from roast chicken, to fishcakes, to lamb, to salads to mediterranean plates has been superb.
But if you go to a place that calls itself a gastropub — there is at least a 10% chance (arguably 20 percent rf higher) you will find a kitchen where everything is superb.
London gastropubs are just good.
So if there are 12,500 pubs in London
(a number I obtained scientifically by pulling it out of my …
make that pulling it out of thin air),
if there are 12,500 pubs in London and ten percent have superlative kitchens, then that gives you 1,250 superlative pub kitchens to choose from.
so you might not necessarily choose the freemasons arms as your favorite.
if you are a demanding real ale drinker — that provides less reason to go to freemasons. the selection of beers on draught is small and quite commercial.
i would not have made those choices for draught beers.
(now the cider on the other hand, that is another story. both the sweet and the dry cider on draught are marks you don’t usually see on tap, and they are both exquisite.)
So why pick the Freemasons Arms with the perfect kitchen over the other 1,250 other pubs with perfect kitchens?
****
Picking a pub, to a large extent, is about falling in love with a room.
The room is where you will
eat your wonderful food,
become inebriated to the point of charm (or stupidity),
meet with all your friends,
think your thoughts about how you are going to solve all of your problems and
discuss the meaning of life with your spouse, your promising spouse candidate, or the local hot piece of glandular stimulation for the night.
So the room becomes the background for your life.
So picking a pub is a lot like decorating your living room —
only in a pub you can afford more expensive furnishings than those you can afford to put in your own house.
The Freemason Arms is simply gorgeous.
(and the pictures on its website don’t even remotely begin to do it justice.)
If you are sitting outside the neighborhood is gorgeous,
the terraces and gardens are gorgeous,
the rooms are well lit, gracious and attractive by day,
and they turn even more magical and magnificent by night.
(a lot of rooms in pubs — or anywhere else —
look good by day — or by night but not both.
Freemason Arms rooms look great in either modality.)
Fantastic looks are not that easy to find in pubs.
There are so many other run-​of-​the-​mill pubs —
that feel like the standard place to get a beer in a 1940 British railway station.
(you know the drill — red walls, lots of wood, black chalkboards and accents, ratty but comfortable wood furniture.
In the standard red and black rooms, the miners, the railwaymen or the schoolteachers could be discussing the election prospects of Stanley Baldwin or how England will do in the Test with New Zealand.)
Red and black rooms are pleasant enough and merit a B+.
I give a C or lower to places where the televisions are on just about everywhere.
In these places you might as well be in a sports bar on Racine, Wisconsin.
Freemason Arms avoids both the 1938 railway pub look and the cheap glitzy sports bar lood —
for its own special very British, pseudo-​Georgian-​era, white painted wood and sunlight charm.
You know it the minute you walk into the place.
The Freemasons Arms has that perfect — «I am in pub paradise» ambience —
And it has the other mandatory ingredient, a kitchen with food that makes you want to die and go to heaven.
(Save room for puds. DEFINITELY save room for puds.)
Perfect food? Perfect room?
Sign me up forever.

It’s like stepping into your own, luxurious living room. Feels really homey with comfy sofas and armchairs! The fireplace is like a cherry on top of everything!

This is a fantastic pub and worth the trip up the Northern line to Hampstead. Great, generous and fresh food is paired with a healthy selection of beers. This place leans far more to the gastropub range of the scale so if that’s what you’re looking for this is your place. The Sunday roasts are tasty, the fish and chips are crispy and fresh.
Looking forward to going back!

Posh
looking pub, with a simply awesome garden out back. On a sunny day this would
be a great place to drink. I’ll be trying to come here again on such a day.
Beyond the garden it is a bit upmarket for me (more like a hotel restaurant
than a pub) and just one overpriced Adnams ale meant that there was little of
interest beyond the aforementioned external space.

This is more restaurant than pub but with that said, they have a great beer garden. So for those few sunny summer days, definitely worth a stop by especially after a day in the heath. We’ve eaten here a few times and the food is decent just feel a bit rushed /​pushed around. Beer prices are a bit pricey as well but guess they have a high rent due to size of garden and location.

Just plain awful. The restaurant here used to be so good, but not having been in a while I decided to take a date there one evening midweek.
I called and was able to reserve a table for two really easily. That was the only enjoyable experience I had in my dealings with The Freemasons Arms that evening.
On arrival we were quickly shown to our table by a girl in a grey sweater and faded blue jeans. The sort of jeans my cleaner wears. Not impressive.
The menu was shoved in front of us, it was a dodgy photocopy with black marks smudged all over it.
Two seconds later our waitress returns asking us if we were ready to order.
Er, not really. I asked her what she could recommend. She replied by informing me that her tastes were completely different from mine so it would be of little help. Looking at her jeans I was inclined to agree, but I rephrased my question, now asking what was popular.
She pointed out a number of things, including a plate of chicken livers.
I asked if there were any specials. At this point she rushed off and returned with another menu (also a photocopy) and plonked that in front of us. If I hadn’t asked we never would have known of this menus existence.
After much deliberation I chose the chicken livers and my date ordered some fish cakes.
Our waitress told me that they had long run out of chicken livers. I was confused as earlier she had been recommending them to me as a popular order. They really must have been popular as there was not a chicken liver in sight.
Instead I ordered Steak and Chips, medium rare, the fish cakes and some houmous and bread related starter with a bottle of White wine.
After an eternity the steak arrived, smothered in butter and tougher than the sole of my boots. The chips looked like they’d been cooked from frozen
My dates fish cake had a huge bone in the middle and was smothered in a disgusting mango sauce. The whole thing looked like it had been prepared in a microwave.
We finished our wine and asked for the bill.
This time a more pleasant waitress served us, bringing us our bill. £65 with huge letters spelling SERVICE NOT INCLUDED.
I hope our original waitress had gone home to wash her hair, buy some new jeans and work on her personality disorder because if she had bought me this abomination of a bill I’m sure I would have exploded.
Our new waitress noticed our sullen looks (and the fact I left fuckall tip) and asked if there was a problem with our meal.
Both of us looked sheepishly at our full plates and she said she would go speak to the manager if we had any complaint.
The thing is my date was looking really hot and I was tired of sitting in that room full of obnoxious people who don’t know the first thing about food (or service) so I told her to not worry about it, give me back my card and we left, before they could further embarrass me in front of my date.
I won’t be returning and urge anyone reading this not to eat there, ever.

I have visited this pub/​restaurant twice and each time i have been disappointed and slightly shocked.
The pub itself is very classy, amazing décor, great seating area inside and outside and very clean unlike many North London pubs.
However the food was dismal, On my last visit I had gone for the beef burger considering you can’t really go wrong there. What I ended up with was a burnt burger and a handful of chips. I pointed this out both to our waitress and then the manager but neither would change or apologise. Instead, what ensued was an argument.
I would not recommend this pub for food or drinks as it very overpriced and bad service all rolled into one.

Really very poor indeed. The décor is dated — particularly the dining room — it’s all very 90s and provincial. And no atmosphere to speak of. It was as if all the life and character had been sucked out of the place.
The food was overpriced gastro fodder. My starter of scallops was good but the mains (for all of the group) were terrible. I asked for my rack of lamb to be cooked medium rare but it was well done. I sent it back and it was returned in exactly the same condition. When I pointed this out I was told that lamb had to be cooked well done. So I guess I imagined all the times my lamb had been cooked pink, or perhaps it was some kind of common mistake? And secondly, why ask how I want it cooked if that’s the case — just tell me that’s how it comes when I order?! The service was abrupt and rude. And I complain nicely, so there was really no need for all the attitude. Such a disappointment after all the good reviews here…

This pub has it all. It’s massive, with two if not three separate dining rooms, two bars both with spacious lounge areas for drinkers and two beer gardens, one at the front and a stunning leafy one in the back. Then we can discuss the slightly pricey but phenomenal food. I destroyed my starter of mushrooms in white wine sauce and pizzette. It was so good and filling. My ribeye steak was cooked to perfection, whilst the apple and blackberry crumble was that delicious combination of crunchy and fruity.
I honestly cannot fault anything, but if I had to nit-​pick the service was a little haughty and it wouldn’t of been a crime for at least one of the servers to smile. Other than that, I can do nothing but bestow this place with five stars.

The Freemason’s Arms is a great gastro pub, it actually won the ‘Gastro Pub of the Year Award’ in the Sunday Independent poll. Bang next to Hampstead Health (just cross over the road) it’s a great place to stop off and have a delicious late lunch on the way home.
Inside there’s a friendly ambiance, enhanced with warm neutral décor. It’s very spacious and the nicely set tables glint with polished silver and sparkling wine glasses. The enclosed garden is well landscaped, the different tiers make you feel like you’re sat in a lovely rockery, and in warm weather I think it’s the nicest beer garden around. The crowd is slightly older so it has a well-​to-​do family feel about it, rather than a modern vibrancy, but I think this is one of the things that makes it so relaxingly pleasant.
So, onto the food and drink: Starters, pizza, pasta and sharing platters heaped with various antipasti are all moderately priced under £12 and even the entrees and fish aren’t bad, non are over around £17, which might sound dear for ‘pub-​food’ but for the quality it’s well worth a little splurge. The Rosemary Lamb Shoulder is sure to satisfy even the most ravenous post-​heath appetite, whilst the lighter Crispy Duck Salad is the freshest salad I’ve ever had in a pub.
Their wine selection is great, I only know about the red, but expect to pay £12 to £35, but the lower priced ones are just as good picks for the cost. If we’re not stopping to eat and the weather’s good it’s perfect just to sit on the front patio with a pear cider and watch the afternoon pass by.

This is a definite gastropub. In fact it’s won lots of awards, mostly recently from The Independent, for being such a good gastropub. Whatever you think then of this sort of change to the traditional pub landscape the food and atmosphere here is a step up.
The location for one is brilliant. It’s right on the edge of Hampstead Heath and perfectly placed for a meal or drink after a walk. Plus the road it’s on is so nice. Really feels much more village-​like than it is and somewhere the ‘green’ seems to putting up a much better fight against the ‘urban’ than elsewhere in London. There is a really big outside area at this one, great in the summer.
Inside the food menu is quite extensive, pizza and pastas get quite a lot of attention as does fish, salad and big sharing plates. I had a really nice bottle of wine too, the list is pretty good, lots of new world whites plus French and Italian classics.

This Sunday my friends and I decided to organise a proper Christmas lunch. I make my way rarely to Hampstead Heath, even though it is a beautiful area on the north side of London. Lots of up and downs, not ideal for jogging or biking but you can have long walks in the Hampstead Park!
We hardly found the pub, which is hidden in a small street, where hardly cars can pass by. People where sitting outside, having a cider or cup of tea probably just after their Sunday walk in the park.
We made our way directly inside, where our friends where already waiting with a moulded wine with a slice of orange in it. The atmosphere was reflecting the advent time in winter. People entered the pub with gloves and scarves; the only thing, which was missing, was the snow!
We had a table reserved for 2pm but they made us wait for 30minutes. We had a good time at the bar, catching up while enjoying our moulded wine. We all prepared a present, which we would exchange randomly later, it is a German tradition called «wichteln». The perfect place, as there was a traditional decorated Christmas Tree in the middle of the pub.
My friend has already e-​mailed us the Christmas brunch menu, so we already knew exactly what to order. It turned out the Sunday roast they proudly advertised was only available on a Saturday. After discovering that they run out of other things on the menu as well. I decided on the lamp shanks in lentils and Brussels sprouts, while as two of my friends chose the chicken roast, the only roast left. The fish dishes looked delicious as well, more for a light meal. Personally I would not choose the pizza, as this traditional pub has good British food.
This Sunday we ate ourselves through from 3 shared starters for a table of 8, to generous main courses to the desserts and did not got out of the pub, which was warmly enlighten by a chimney fire, before 6pm. By that time we opened all our presents, I received an interesting bed lecture called Lick My Cheese — a witty book for any flatmate.
My friends ended up continuing to have a drink at another bar, while my boyfriend and I decided to take a walk in that charming neighbourhood.