Defying you not to put a smile on your face, the Falcon with its out there paint job and simple entertainment is a winner if you’re a local.

The Venue
Like a daffodil in a car park, The Falcon pub pokes its sunny head out of the grey Clapham North gloom. It’s a vibrant faced favourite among locals in a tatty part of town, away from the gloss and gleaming glass frontages of Clapham High Street’s style bars.

Apart from its bold yellowness, the Falcon is best described as understated shabby chic. None too comfy school chairs and simple wooden tables are laid out – or perhaps strewn around – in no particular order. Plain windows, plain walls, the odd chalk board and settee give no indication of warmth in a big bar room. Just as crude and unkempt, the garden is about space not comfort.

The Atmosphere
Bolshy, loud lads and big beery afternoons of rugby are common, with casual weekday outings also getting out of hand. It’s not that The Falcon lacks personality; it’s just so carefree, it’s comatose. The cheery enough staff turn a blind eye, not only to rowdiness, but often to too much work, asking that you chip in with clearing plates. Those craving details and frills will be disappointed, as The Falcon has no more than the basics, albeit with a smile.

While a little imagination goes a long way, The Falcon really does have the minimum, but coughs up the obligatory board games and barbecues along with a pretty typical quiz. It provides all the ingredients for a right laugh, and lets you get on with it.

The Food
Brilliant burgers buck the lack of imagination trend, though. Starting at £6.50 for an 8oz classic and moving up to £9.50 for a quite awesome chorizo, salsa and guacamole burger, it’s pretty difficult to choose between toppings, but demonstrably cheap enough to give them all a go at some point. Other snacks are available through the week at around £4 for calamari or kofte, but The Falcon’s food gets busy on a Sunday with their man size roasts. The rump of beef is brilliant value at £8.95 and has slabs of tender 21 day matured meat, a crisp Yorkshire that’s as big as your head, gravy so thick you could slice it and four really selected veg. It’s quite enormous.

The Drink
No bar basing its business predominantly on the beer garden would be worth a visit without decent beer. That goes for the cider too. The Falcon packs in Weston’s Vintage, Aspall, Addlestones and Bulmers, and that’s just on draught. There are also thirteen beers, including Japanese Kirin for a lighter, tangy lager, through to Budvar Dark which tastes of coffee and caramel. The pub reminds punters of its sunny, light hearted nature by proclaiming about its Tribute ale, ‘Some say it's like sunshine in a glass’. Which will have to do, because it’s the only ale they have on.

For wines, they have a good Bottega Vinaia Pinot Grigio, which is not simply your usual ‘dry white’, being much more floral. The Mad Fish Pinot Noir is light, with cherry sour notes and it's good if drunk on its own. Accompanying a roast though, a bolder Norfolk Rise Cabernet Sauvignon goes down better. It’s wallet-friendly too: it costs £3.45 a glass compared to others that approach £4.

The Last Word
While it isn’t the most upmarket of places and it’s far from a gastropub, The Falcon sets you at ease immediately, knowing customers are in for a long stay. Letting people put their feet up does the pub many a favour, as the mellow yellow outlook is a big hit with locals.

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