Just down the road from Hammersmith Tube station, this sprawling pub is spread across three floors and is usually jam-packed full of punters. A few nice touches and a considered layout make it more than your average pub.

The Venue
Hop Poles is found on King Street just beyond Hammersmith station and has a prime position on this busy stretch. From the outside it has an unusual appearance, combining a moss green and aubergine colour scheme that’s most certainly an acquired taste. Inside, the Hop Poles is vast, with a large bar dominating the room as you enter. It is quite grandiose with large flower vases and pretty wallpaper in some parts, although the sticky red carpet and standard pub tables put a stop to any highfalutin ideas it may have. There are fruit machines, TV screens, one of those ridiculous screens that has an image of a fire burning on it, and an upstairs lounge, but Hop Poles’ star attraction is its beautiful rooftop terrace. It has patio heaters, plenty of seating, and even a foosball table. And it’s quite a suntrap in the summer.

The Atmosphere
The pub is heaving, yet despite its size it fills up easily of an evening, attracting all sorts for a quick drink or a bite to eat. As a result Hop Poles is a lively spot. Nonetheless, welcoming bar staff offer speedy service.

The Food
Standard pub fare is on the Hop Poles menu, with light snacks, burgers and three-course options catering for every appetite. For a quick bite, jacket potatoes with several different fillings are available, ranging in price from £4.45 up to £5.25. There’s a good choice of sandwiches, all around the £5 mark, too. For more traditional pub grub, a classic British beef burger is £7.75 while a melted mature cheddar cheese and bacon burger costs £9.45. Main course options include sausage and mash (£7.45), fish and chips (£8.75) and steak and ale pie (£8.75), making the menu at Hop Poles nothing out of the ordinary, but a definite crowd-pleaser. The quality is nothing to write home about, though.

The Drink
There is a great deal to choose from behind the bar at Hop Poles, with fridges stocked full of bottled beers, along with spirits and wines aplenty. The pub is Cask Marque accredited and on tap are the types of tasty ales that you’d expect. For around the £3.60 mark you can choose from IPA, Brains SA Gold and The Rev. James. Beers on tap include Becks Vier, Heineken, Peroni and Carlsberg, a pint of which costs £3.40. Most interesting on draught is Kirin Ichiban, a lesser-found Japanese beer, and this is joined by bottled Modelo (£3.60), a decent Mexican lager. Other bottled drinks include Red Stripe, San Miguel, Sagres and Kopparberg, confirming that the selection at the Hop Poles is above average.

The Last Word
For a pub spread across three floors, Hop Poles does a decent job of not becoming too much like chain pubs that offer a similar sort of affair. A few thoughtful touches in décor, features and customer service mean that Hop Poles remains a very popular choice for locals and passers-by.

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