678-680 Fulham Road,
Fulham,
London,
SW6 5SA
0871 971 4909
Note: Calls cost 10p per min plus network extras.
The ViewLondon Review
Munich unites with London at this unique, fun, Oktoberfest-themed bar.
The Venue
Along Fulham Road lies a little taste (and big sip) of Germany. It’s not the prettiest bar on the street, but what it lacks in decor it makes up for in beer and spirit. Wooden benches are scattered throughout and a giant HD projector screen adorns the back wall, offering sports fans their fix of big matches. The venue also has a pool table and hosts pool competitions along with weekly poker nights and monthly jelly wrestling.
Live bands often play here and DJs spin music when bands aren’t booked. Keeping with the German theme, there is even a live oompah band that plays The Fest once a month. And if that’s not enough, fans of fancy dress can join in on the festivities and dress up in German costume to win prizes.
The Atmosphere
The Fest brings in varied mix of Fulhamites, students and travellers. There is absolutely no attitude here and both the dress and the vibe are very casual. The bar staff are very friendly and quick to serve both drink and food. Adding to the German kitschy atmosphere, the women staff are dressed in dirndl - traditional German clothing.
The Food
If you’ve got the munchies, The Fest offers tasty snacks that include a bowl of pommes (chips) with an assortment of German mustard (£2.35), a big fluffy pretzel with mustard (£1.95), and a Beer Ring, which is a bull ring of wurst complete with rope and ties, straight from the German butcher (£2.00). For those who want to dig into a proper meal, an order of bratwurst mixes two herb and pork sausages and serves them up with sauerkraut, chips and German mustard (£6.95). The Half Hendel is a traditional seasoned half piece of roast chicken served with sauerkraut, chips and gravy or sweet mustard (£7.25), and is claimed to be just like at the stalls of Oktoberfest.
If you have a seriously big appetite, or are just up for a foodie challenge, be sure to try The Fest’s Double Knuckle Challenge (£19.95). This meal of two slow roasted pork knuckles is made for diners who have the appetite of a Bavarian Lumberjack. These knuckles are served on chips with sauerkraut and are accompanied by a full stein of Premium Octoberfest Lager to wash it down. If you can finish everything off your plate, you’ll win an Octoberfest Pub Double Knuckle T-shirt and go on their Wall of Fame.
To satisfy your sweet tooth, The Fest serves up apple strudel and vanilla ice cream (£2.45) for dessert.
The Drink
With a name like The Fest it’s no surprise that there is a vast selection of beer on the menu. International beer by the bottle include Poland’s Zywiec (£2.75), Belgium’s Hoegaarden (£2.85), Russia’s Baltika (£3.05) and even Australia’s Vienna Bitter (£2.45). On tap, the variety is just as exciting. For those looking for something fruity, try Belgium’s sweet and tasty Fruli strawberry beer (£3.95). Or perhaps you want to go the authentic German beer route and try a one litre stein of the house, Munich’s Paulaner (£6.55). Jagermeister, a German herbal liqueur, is also readily served up by the shot and is made even more enticing by a jager-dispensing machine.
The Last Word
Sure it’s not quite as glamorous as the nearby bars but sometimes it’s the quirky dive bar that takes the cake - or in this case, strudel.
The Fest has been reviewed by 12 users