The Junction in Lambeth

I didn't want to leave a review, but feel I want to leave my thoughts for The Junction. I've been going to TJ since about 2016. Many times I went 2-4 a week as it's not far from home. The Junction was like my second living room and I sometimes even spent money going into overdraft, just to listen to the music and come to terms with my grief. But I only give it 2 stars even though they have world-class Jazz & music program, unbelievably for free 6 nights a week. I loved the concept "from musicians for musicians" run by Paul & Luke. I loved what Sung put on with open mic nights on Mondays. In the first few years I went, most if not all bar staff were musicians jumping in to play music and then back to the bar to serve drinks. That really was a great thing and the staff were all amazing naturally. They are jelled with each other like a big family and the "for musicians from musicians" concept was really evident. But these last 3-4 years the staffing has changed a great deal. Apart from having a high staff turn-over now, and of course the pandemic coming inbetween, some staff have really turned me off The Junction. One particular staff member who at the beginning seemed quite "lazy", letting his colleague do all the work while he sat around drinking free gin & tonic. Quiet shocking to see this attitude as I worked most of my life in hospitality and know this kind of work like the back of my hand. But as I have personal issues, having lost my family, I gave him the benefit of the doubt, thinking he might be going through stuff which leads to him not being professional. After getting to know him a bit as he's also regularly there as a customer and as he mingles with regular customers, I was really put off by the way he gossips and talked bad about other customers and even some people who played on stage. I'm sure Paul & Luke are aware of this as I witnessed him being taken aside once by another staff member being upset with him. Most bar staff aren't musicians anymore, which is not an issue, but I missed the old guard of staff, at least their attitude. I also was not keen on the food. On my birthday a friend and I had steak. I ordered a well done, and my friend a medium rare. But I received a medium rare and my friend an almost rare steak. I didn't complain and left it as a one-off. But I stopped ordering food. NEVER compromise on food-quality and cleanliness. Rather have a simpler menu, less on the menu, but then make it top quality if your chef can't handle the pressure. I'd rather have a simpler menu with high quality. I had a meltdown recently (my trauma of losing my family etc) while drunk, and apologised to some of the staff and emailed The Junction directly to apologise, but also to explain my concern about this one staff member. Upon apologizing to one staff, I was told that my meltdown was out of character. I appreciate this being acknowledged and would like to apologise again to all involved. I emailed TJ never received a response, which is ok. I just feel I have to leave this review. To me, you can have THE BEST music, and even the best food, but if your staff aren't professional and spread a toxic atmosphere, even to other customers, a musician and staff, it's a total downturn. Your customers are your bread and butter. Customers pay your wages and bill. Rather charge tickets or more for food and drink when you play world-class Jazz, then have it for free with poor staffing. I wish The Junction all the best in their new location and I hope they take a good look at how and who to hire. Everything stands and falls with staffing, with people.. Paul & Luke seem detached now from staff. But Paul was very strong and visible during the pandemic. He handled the new rules after lockdown very very well in an unprecedented situation. He took that very serious and was very visible and hands on during the initial openings after lockdown. Keep your music alive, but take a good look at whom you hire. They represent you. 2-3 years ago I would have written a 5 star review. Sadly, it's 2, 1 more star for the music. But I'd rather have crappy music and respectful staff than the other way around. I felt uncomfortable many times. Best wishes for the future.

Really enjoyed my time at the junction food was fabulous, Plus live music was awesome to listen to. Service was amazing as I was always attended to as it’s table service. I recommend anyone to give this place a try you won’t be disappointed on drinks and selection on the menu. Also had a lamb roast on 2’d visit and clearly everything is freshly made very very tender lamb.

The place is good, it's friendly and the staff are OK. The problem is the kitchen. We went for a work do last night and the food was just laughably awful. Had I been paying, I would have refused and asked to question the chef on his/her credentials. The tapas(!) Microwaved not even chorizo, supermarket prawns? Over cooked, rubber squid? Embarrassing. Oh, you forgot our order for spicy aubergine? Still charged us for it. Ok, then brought it later (too late, unprofessional). Don't put hot (frozen from Iceland) prawns on a salad. Then the mains turned up. Jesus Tuesday. Is your chef blind? Presentation was just appalling. The steaks tasted of NOTHING because they were unseasoned and the fish was an overcooked joke. Yes, I did taste them. I was a chef for 20 years and my colleagues kept asking me 'Is this right?' Also, when you receive your salt and pepper in little paper bags and you're not in Wetherspoons, that's a worry. Awful. I do not recommend this place to anyone for the food. Whoever is in the kitchen should have some sort of section on them because my dog could do better. And I don't have a dog.

Decided to listen to excellent jazz instead of eat but a bunch screeching couples (lovers or not) made it impossible to hear even the drummer. The patron should take charge if he wants his music to be an attraction. Won't come again till he does.

As I work evenings during the week I mainly just visit on a weekend once or twice a month. I tried the Sunday roast which cost £14 but the meat seemed heated up in the microwave and the "roast" potatoes where rock hard. It seemed to be cooked a day or two in advance and then just heated and re-heated a couple of times. I don't know the general food menu during the week, but the Sunday roast was not what a Sunday roast should be. We are still in the pandemic and even though food and supply chains are a challenge, but rather then offer a roast and then not having it freshly cooked, better to wait until the supply chain is up and running again and offer a lighter menu that can be served FRESH! Don't ever compromise on quality and safety of food! Especially still in the pandemic! It's a no from me. Stick with the music and drinks, but not with food until you are willing to invest in a proper chef and ditch the microwave!

Lovely music, jazz, drinks, beers, wine, but avoid the food. It's stale, expensive, toilets are dirty, tiles falling off the walls. If you want a beer with Jazz, it's the place for you. But do not eat there.

The Junction is only offering take-away at the moment because of covid restrictions so we ordered ahead and picked up roast dinners to eat at home for 2 meat eaters and a vegetarian. The food was ready on time, there was plenty of it and it was all very high quality plus the staff were friendly and welcoming. A real lock down treat.

We decided treated ourselves to a takeaway (much needed after such a long time in lockdown!). The Junction were open for takeaways and Burgers were on the menu. We had the chicken burger and the beef burger, both of which were delicious! They traveled well on our journey home too. Will definitely be back again soon for more!

I love this place, service is good and The foods just fine. I love the decorations and the staff are very friendly and helpful 👍

Settled here to do a bit of work on Saturday afternoon. The bar man was friendly and didn’t flinch when I asked him what the cheapest ale was (that’s unusual in London). The place is truly homely and relaxed and later I ordered nachos. It’s the only place I’ve ever eaten Nachos with an equal ratio of crisps, cheese, guacamole AND sour cream. Food and drinks are also the most reasonable you’ll get in this area. Good work!

The venue is nice and music is good but the bar staff well- Connor was excellent but the lady behind the bar and the guy in the baseball cap were appalling- surly unhelpful and actually downright rude- if I wasn't with friends I would have made my feelings known

this place is cozy. great jazz nights and the food is relatively decent. atmosphere brings up the rating for me

The Junction used to be a really nice, relaxed place to drink in. The bar staff were always very friendly and efficient and would often take to the stage to play throughout the evening. I'm not sure what happened re staff turnover but the staff at the moment are not only dreadfully inept but also very, very rude. I've worked in bars myself and would consider niceties like 'please, thank you, what can I get you' to be quite basic. Not according to the gent in the backward cap. It was difficult to ascertain whether our drinks order was even 'accepted' by him so bereft was he of any communication what-so-ever. A common interaction would involve trying to get said barman's attention, him staring blankly at us, him pouring beer (ineptly), him returning with beer. Him plonking beer on counter. Him wagging credit card machine about, presumably his way of asking if we would like to pay by card - there are other ways of asking this but perhaps he doesn't know them...and the grand finale him walking off without so much of a 'thank you'. Perhaps he's being...cool. I didn't get it. There was a woman 'working' behind the bar, too. But, it's draining just thinking about how rude she was. Their displays at...I dunno, was it flirting? Anyway, the whole thing. Dreadful. Never again. Which is a shame coz it's one of the only decent pubs around there.

The barman is dead inside the card machine had more charisma . Overall music is good but staff ruined it by setting a tone ....... a flat tone ! Toilets have enough fungus to supply a mushroom farm ... horrible and they sofa smelt of pee and biscuits..... will I go back ? Only if I’m barred from the hero of Switzerland pub which is down the road and has a soul and a clean bog and bar staff who are really and truly alive .

The Junction reminds me of Chicago neighborhood jazz bars where locals drop in to see friends and listen to great music. Atmosphere is low key and welcoming. Staff are friendly and decor is fun and unapologetically quirky. Will definitely be back soon.