The Black Dog Freehouse in Lambeth

I dine at this pub often. I usually have to wait for a table without a reservation during the busy hours but I went later at 21:00 and got a table easily. The food is always good here. The burgers and fish&chips are great options for me. And, I like the beer selection.

great steak and the vibes. thank you for serving us before our initial booking

We had so much fun, and the burgers were delicious!!!

Fusili with chicken, bacon and mushroom tasted nice, the rare beef salad tasted a bit spicy and seems overpriced for what it is, the cider was bad. Atmosphere was ok! Sunday roast from the photos seems not bad maybe we would come back to give it another try!

The overall atmosphere was great, a lovely pub. I bought the double cheese nachos and my only issue was that the cheese was kind of weird. Other than that, I would 100% go again.

Was excited to go to The Black Dog while in town but had a horrible experience. After ordering a drink and food, the server asked if we had any allergies. I let her know I have a nut allergy. Typically restaurants make note of the allergy and sometimes let me know they will do their best but cannot guarantee and cross contamination. At that point it’s my call to make on my own comfort level. After ordering the manager came to the table and said the policy is if you disclose an allergy they will refuse to serve you any of the food. I was in shock, this has never happened in the many decades of having an allergy. The manager was extremely cold and rude and would not provide any information other than repeating “its policy”. I asked if I should have lied and potentially had a safety issue and she said yes, then I could have been served. For a restaurant that is profiting and marketing as a place of friendship, inclusion and community, it’s disgusting.

Great place for food, beer and Taylor energy

I booked dinner here because I’m a swiftie but I was so happy to find that it was a great spot to dine as well. They had Sunday Roast on the menu and I got the pork belly, it was so delicious and my only complaint is that my stomach wasn’t big enough to eat it all!

Fab, food, fab staff, great night

Great spot! Amazing value and the staff knows what they’re doing! Love it!

I came here walking. Partly because of the famous Taylor song, partly because I was very hungry. The waitress only tapped on her iPad and told me at 9:33pm that kitchen closes exactly 9:30pm. Thanks.

This used to be one of my absolute favourite spots. I lived nearby and was there all the time—the food was great, and the whole place had such a lovely vibe. I hadn’t been in a while since moving away, so I was excited to go back, but sadly, it just didn’t feel the same. The atmosphere felt completely different—much brighter, and not in that cosy pub way, more like a café that forgot to dim the lights. The menu’s changed too, and while I get that places evolve, it now feels a bit rushed and soulless. The goat’s cheese brûlée was the best of the lot, but it came with bread that tasted like it had been sat out for days. The chicken starter was alright, but definitely felt like it came from a freezer bag—not the fresh, in-house stuff they used to do. The cauliflower dish was confusing—very sweet, like a dessert with a random bit of hummus underneath. And the burger… well, I didn’t finish it. The patty was rubbery and greasy, and no one asked why it came back barely touched. It’s a real shame. This place used to have something special, and I really hope it finds its feet again.

Fantastic place! Their Sunday Roast is excellent, and the staff are wonderful - would absolutely recommend!

Very good food and service. It was kind of loud because of the people and it felt a little cramped up but overall really really good. Portions were great size wise and the staff were amazing. Definitely recommend!

Really great pub/gastro pub food. Had the Chorizo in an amazing sauce, chicken, padron peppers and a nice salad. Probably best food I’ve eaten in a pub

Nice pub, highly recommended. Cool.

Admittedly came because of the Taylor Swift effect. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food and drink. Despite the fame brought on by TS, they have maintained a unique identity.

Brilliant service, delicious local beers and a perfect location. As a Swiftie, this was my #1 London must-visit – 100% worth it for fans! (Taylor’s Version, obviously 😉)

I loved the atmosphere and the food had a good cost-benefit balance. Very good and pleasant attention

Fabulous Sunday lunch and absolutely lovely staff. Great experience.

Nice chilled pub. Just had a drink, went with my daughter for the Taylor Swift vibe, but the food smelled good.

You should go, but not without a reservation

It sucked. As soon as we arrived at the pub we saw a girl coming out of the pub vomiting. We didn't give up and went in. Luckily we're not dead yet but I'm very sick... R.I.P.

Had the chicken schnitzel, wife got the pasta penne. The cheese was a choice on the schnitzel, probably would have still been good without it. Wife's pasta was great. They have Taylor Swift written on the board outside. Merch was available, too.

Classic London pub dining experience with great indoor and outdoor seating. Well priced, generous portions, excellently cooked. Friendly staff - will be back again!

Very nice place with good food.

I had a terrible experience at the place, we were excited to get to know this pub and we dedicated the time of one night to get to know it, arriving at the place we waited a long time to get a table, after that we waited more than 30 minutes without anyone coming to take our orders, in short we waited, we were not served, we simply got up and left, on the other hand there is a very good pub nearby, I highly recommend it.

Great little find! Loved this pub, away from the hustle and bustle of Vauxhall. We shared a few plates between us, the food was tasty, good portions and very reasonably priced. Would definitely return.

Great little pub that's conveniently located next to the park - perfect for a pint after an afternoon in the sun. I will admit that the Taylor Swift song "The Black Dog" made me curious about checking this place out and it's really leaned into the possible connection. They sell friendship bracelets at the bar and one of the bartenders told us the owner had looked at the CCTV footage as well to see if he could spot her! This review was made in connection with a Toast promotion.

Coming from a very small city in Greece, I was super excited that I would go to this bar. Taylor is my favorite singer and “The Black Dog” is literally one of her best songs. However, the service was quite disappointing and the portions were very small. It’s a pity because we walked 2 hours to find this pub and we were very disappointed by the whole situation. However, the blond waitress was very kind and eager to help us.

Staff was super friendly, food was great, and the atmosphere was incredible. We had the best time!

Every time I’ve been here the food has been amazing!

Food was good and pleasant wnvironment

Great local place. The drink prices were quite reasonable. I had the chicken & mushroom pie with mashed potatoes & baby carrots- Delicious! The staff was very attentive. As people got off work the place filled up quickly.

I've never eaten at a pub before. I was very surprised to find that pub food is not the same as USA bar food. The food was fantastic our server was cheerful, helpful and had great recommendations. The service was surprisingly fast and attentive. A local at the pub was also very helpful with local tipping customs. Neighborhood recommendations as for what to pay attention to and her ideas account what to see. We like it so much we plan to eat there again tonight.

i hope you miss me in the black dog when someone plays the starting line and you jump up but she’s too young to know this song that was intertwined in the magic fabric of our dreaming cause old habits die screaming!!!!!

Hurts to write this as a massive Swiftie. We made it a point to come to the Black Dog on our short work trip to London. Unfortunately, the staff seemed annoyed we even existed and service overall was exponentially worse than any other restaurants we ate at during our trip. All of our food was “okay” but overall disappointing. My husband described his Chicken fried breading because it was so thin. My burger was edible but rather bland and my friends vegetarian meal wasn’t what was described on the menu. Overall, if you’re a Taylor Swift fan I recommend coming in for a drink at the bar or even just taking a picture outside and continuing with your trip- honestly wasn’t worth it

Food and drinks were perfect! Beautiful in a quiet park

Great place! Inspired to go there because of Taylor swift of course! Definitely going back!

Twas once a pub. Now a restaurant with some tables to squeeze into near a door. It's a Thursday and there's a private event. It's literally called a public house. What is this madness.

Good value for money. Very good pub food and very generous plates. I need to go back.

Didn't eat...just popped if 4 a pint as was in the area...more restaurant than pub...but beer good...staff excellent...food looked good...👍👍

We brought our daughter here to celebrate her 22 birthday. The food was fabulous! One of the best meals I have had in a long time! Taylor Swift may have out them on the map but the food will definitely keep people coming back!

This is a lovely surprise. Found by accident of on a walk with my husband. They were obviously busy and I could see that reservation was probably needed. However, the lovely man at front squeezed us in for an hour and a half. The Sunday roast was incredible and the service also lovely. I’ll return. And with a booking ✨

Great little pub of TS fame. Wonderful neighbourhood. Worth the walk.

Excelente comida y personal que recomendaríamos encarecidamente, la comida era fresca y deliciosa. Gran presentación. Gran ambiente

Was it Joe or Matty? Guess we’ll never know

Llegamos temprano y estábamos sentados enseguida. Las opciones de comida eran deliciosas y los servidores eran amables y serviciales.

food was amazing, service was great too! definitely recommend coming here

Ok food and ok service, but charging over £5 for lukewarm tap water is not ok

Delicious pub food, somewhat similar to the other Black Dog on Martha’s Vineyard. From what we can tell, while the logos are similar, the dogs are slightly different (and facing opposite directions). Really great stout and cider as well!

The food was really good and they serve big portions! Definitely worth visiting!

Came because the Taylor Swift song, stayed for the fish and chips!

We didn’t eat here but had a little drink outside which was fun and nice. My girlfriend had been here before with a friend because of the Taylor Swift fame and I like that the pub has leant into this narrative with cute signs and quotes on the walls. But even without Taylor Swift’s mention / seal of approval, it’s a great little pub and it’s nearby to us too!

From start to finish we had incredibly great service from staff and probably the fastest I’ve ever had food placed in front of me. The food itself was pretty delicious I recommend the black dog burger but definitely add the chorizo! Would definitely come back.

Conocimos a la familia en The Black Dog para una cena de celebración de cumpleaños. El personal era muy amable, atento y muy servicial. El chef adaptó la comida para un comensal, lo que fue muy apreciado. La comida fue excepcional en su presentación y sabor. Solo un ambiente encantador, agradable y relajado para disfrutar de buena comida y compañía. Muy recomendable 😊

Joe Alwyn went here after he broke up with Tay and she wrote a really sad song, so if you're a Swiftie I would recommend making a review and DMing it to Tay. Anyways, this is probably the saddest place ever. old habits sure do die screaming. :( idk if this is considered vandalizing but im sure its a great place...

The food was perfect, service was quick! The friendliness of the staff could be better. I don’t expect them to stay and have a chat, but everything is better with a smile, isn’t it? We went at opening time so it’s also not like they were already overwhelmed. In any case, other than that everything was perfect. Totally worth a visit to Vauxhall!

Teníamos muchas ganas de ir aquí para la cena, nos habíamos tomado una copa rápida en la rosa antes y desearíamos habernos alojado allí después de nuestra experiencia, mucho mejor ambiente y personal más amable. A la llegada nos encontramos con unos caballeros calvos altos que abruptamente nos dijeron que llegábamos demasiado temprano (solo 10 minutos) tendríamos que esperar en el bar. Esto estaba bien, un poco sorprendido por su actitud. Finalmente nos sentamos y pedimos nuestra comida que era mediocre en el mejor de los casos, el servicio no era genial y estábamos prácticamente sentados en el regazo de la gente en la mesa de al lado tan hacinados. Solo reservamos Black Dog ya que estábamos alojados en Staybridge Suites y este era el lugar más cercano para la comida, tal vez los pillamos en un día libre, pero sin duda no volveremos ni recomendaríamos.

Great pub with delicious food and drinks. It can get quite busy, but there’s still plenty of space to feel comfortable. The staff are efficient and serve food quickly without any delays.

Before I looked at the latest comments about this place, I thought it was just a neighborhood pub where only locals would come. Now I was very surprised to hear that it was mentioned in a Taylor Swift song and that it was famous. If I had known this before, I probably wouldn't have gone. When I saw that some fans were making bad comments about this place, I realized how right I was. Even though it was such a popular place and I was alone, they took very good care of me. Also, it was Valentine's Day :) I had chicken wings and grilled salmon, it was delicious.

Great atmosphere! Super good and super professional

enjoyed this pub! was worried it would be very touristy after inspiring Taylor Swifts music, but I found it charming! the cider was great

Me he alojado en Vauxhall T Lodge tantas veces, pero nunca descubrí aquí hasta hace poco y solo caminando por los jardines para un paseo por la tarde! Gran pub, la comida se veía muy bien y precios muy agudos. Comeremos aquí la próxima vez. Muy buen servicio amable - nunca sabrías que estás en Londres! Calentadores exteriores en las paredes. ¡El hallazgo de mi fin de semana fuera!

Very nice pleasant experience. The food was good solid pub food and a really nice relaxed place. Food wasn’t much to write home about but was very quick especially considering how busy it was

Although the food was delicious, the crowding hampered my experience.

Writing this as I’ve been here for an hour and yet to have been waited by anybody while all 5 tables that came in after have received drinks and/or food before we have even been able to order.

The place could be lovely, because of the location and setting. Unfortunately, the customer service is terrible. We ordered drinks and we were sitting in 8 people in a small table. Once a big table was available, we asked for it, they agreed to give us the space. When we approached it the waiter run towards it saying that we had to wait for it to be cleaned, that they he would tell us when and were we could be assigned a table. We waited, more people arrived and they let them sit in the free table then when we asked about it they said they didn't have enough space for us. I regret I had suggested the place. I think we were treated very badly by staff and we had already consumed the first drink. Our intention was to stay more and even have some food. Pity about it. The place was good but their service terrible and unfair. Sad for London

Amazing food and very friendly customer service, the swiftie vibe is given

They weren’t able to arrange our group of eight people, we waited a long time for a sufficiently large table to be freed and when it was free they first made us wait and then they said we couldn’t sit there

Great pub around the corner from Vauxhall station, fantastic food, lovely service and great vibe

"And so I watch as you walk into some bar called The Black Dog..." It was a great little pub. Not too crowded on a Monday afternoon. The service was awesome and fast. Everyone was super nice, and I got some cute merch. The sticky toffee pudding was so good!

The staff is incredibly helpful

This is an absolute gem of a place - fantastic food and a really welcoming atmosphere, so much so we returned the following night!

Quite a nice pub with a relaxed atmosphere! The food was good and reasonably priced. The ribeye was delicious! I’ll definitely return next time I’m in London.

Niente di che.. burger mediocre, birre mediocri, servizio mediocre. Io piatto vegetariano (curry) molto buono, unica pecca e non aver avvisato che era molto piccante.

Amazing service, food is good but the sunday roast servings could be better for the price!

Popped in after visiting the imperial war museum, fantastic food, far exceeding expectations, lovely friendly staff. Close to transport, lovely interior. Would love for this to be my local.

All positive would recommend this as a decent gastro pub. Food was good quality and well worth heading out there for a bite

A warm welcome on a cold day .. we were shown to a cosy corner table.. fab friendly service, delicious food and good cocktails !!

cute little pub, only came for a drink and at the end of my time there i asked about merchandise and the guy behind the bar rolled his eyes, scoffed and walked away, i was then served by a nicer lady.

Haven’t been there but I definitely need to go there 🐾

Amazing experience if you love Taylor Swift

Friendly staff, delicious burger and good beer. I came here for the music but ended up being very pleasantly surprised!

The food is delicious. I had a waiting time of approximately 15 minutes, I don't know if it is always like that or if someone has to wait longer. But you can have something where you wait for a table. The place is very nice.

Even before T.S. name dropped it, it was just an ‘okay’ pub; a nice enough haunt to go to after work for a few drinks. Problem is, now it’s almost impossible to get in because you need a reservation, unless you fancy sitting outside, but those tables are almost always full up anyway. I do think the management are playing it smart and maximising their moment in the spotlight, though. Good for them. Food is hit or miss, really. I once had some gorgeous fish and chips, and once had a steak with no char or sear on it, so I guess it’s luck of the draw. The in-house lager and stout are okay, not really superior to any existing brand. Drink selection is okay too. Honestly I much preferred it when it was a quieter place you could just drop into, but still worth a visit, I guess. Especially if you’re a Swiftie.

and it hits me…HOW YOU DONT MISS ME IN THE BLACK DOG🪩

Nice pub with interesting draft beers. We saw the daily specials too late. The burgers were great and the small Caesar salad is also recommended. Very friendly service and a good atmosphere. Clear recommendation.

Lovely food, good selection of drinks. Packed on a Tuesday night, loud and crowded. Service very slow and inattentive. Looked like our server left at 9 and didn’t hand us off to another so we sat unattended waiting to order another drink or just pay for 20min.

Great location, good choice of beer/cider. A bit expensive. Booking recommended.

Fastastic service , staff are extremely helpful and attentive . Food was delicious but portion could be more , very tasty coffee and beer . Would definitely recommend people to come here .

We have tried almost everything from the menu, and everything is prepared fresh. This has become our go-to because of great service, great selections, and yummy food. Highly recommend!

Of course famous because of the song, but a nice place with a good variety of drinks and friendly service... definitely will come again

The food, service and the beer so good. This place is 100% recommendable. The fish and chip is phenomenal….

Came here yesterday as part of my list of Taylor Swift related places I wanted to visit on my London trip. My parents and I were able to get a table for lunch without a booking, and the food was so good. I had the shepherds pie. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this pub, or come back again on a future trip! Thank you for having us.

Absolutely perfect! The service was incredible, and the food was amazing. Such a cozy and cool place, totally recommend!!!

We organised a private hire of the entire venue for our corporate Christmas party. The entire event was easy to plan and organise, as the communication was very clear and our booking agent Eva was very helpful. The venue manager and the entire team were very friendly and attentive, they showed a lot of care when looking after our party of 50 guests. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was lovely with lots of fairy lights on the windows. The entire team was very happy, and it was a truly memorable experience. Thank you team for such a wonderful evening!

Drinks were great and the service was fast. It’s a good place to go to, it really does add excitement to the experience if you’re a swiftie LOL, but still fine and worth a stop by even if you’re not. (:

La qualità del cibo è ottima! Cheeseburger e patatine deliziosi, merluzzo fritto con vari sides anch’essi buonissimi. Location molto bella e accogliente così come lo staff. Un po’ caro secondo me, contando però che siamo a Londra e in un locale ormai turistico per via di Taylor Swift e per la qualità del cibo..ci sta farci un salto!

Bellissima atmosfera in un locale in perfetto stile londinese. Cibo buono, personale accogliente e prezzi moderati, super consigliato!