Irish chain pub O’Neills Wimbledon is a watering hole popular among the town’s locals, students and foreign visitors.

The Venue
O’Neills bold blue facade is easy to spot on Wimbledon high street, a short walk from the Polka Theatre or centre of town. The building is glass fronted, styled just like an old traditional Irish-cum-English pub (although as part of a chain there is a corporate air to the place). Inside, there are wooden tables and chairs scattered all over the place with lots of opportunity to sit down. The pub is long and thin and stretches a long way back. The bar follows most of the length of the bar area, and consequently there is a lot of space to stand when waiting to be served. Although there is no stage, there is an area that is kept clear on band nights near the entrance where musicians can perform and be seen from almost everywhere in the room.

The Atmosphere
Through large glass windows passers by are able to see merriment taking place every day – this place is always packed, busy and thoroughly entertaining. At weekends, the pub is often forced to close its doors because it’s just too busy, even if this happens by 9pm. It’s easy to strike up conversations - either with drinkers or bar staff - and you’ll find everyone in good spirits. Plenty of people seem to come here alone because of this, as they know they’ll always be able to find someone to talk to. It’s not a cliquey place and there is no single type of person who frequents the pub. Patrons are usually mid-twenties onwards, but everyone is welcome.

The Food
The menu at O’Neills Wimbledon isn’t brilliant, but the food usually comes fast and prices are reasonable. Burgers, curries, lasagna and stew are all available and lunchtime offers include a drink and food deal for a discounted fee. Although organic hasn’t caught on here quite yet, the meals taste okay, although they aren’t entirely impressive.

The Drink
Guinness is, of course, the order of the day. O’Neills Wimbledon serves Guinness, Guinness extra cold and Guinness light all on tap. Other beers are on tap too, such as Heineken, Carling and Stella, and there is a variety of bottled beers (such as Budvar and Coors) and alcopops. There is also a moderate range of spirits, including Captain Morgans rum and Jack Daniels, all served at pretty reasonable prices. There’s also the standard chain pub wine list.

The Last Word
Wimbledon’s best Irish bar offers drinkers a fun, friendly environment with a great atmosphere for a fun night out.

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