The Barking Dog — Restaurant in London

The Barking Dog is the best Pub in Barking

Myself and two friends recently stayed in Barking for a few nights, and found the Barking Dog pub to be the best place for us to drink and eat at a reasonable price.

My friends hadn't been to England before and were given a three night package of their flights and hotel from their wives. The weekend coincided with their favourite English Premier League football team playing at home too.

I knew the prices of beer in London would be unnecessarily excessively expensive, so looked for a Wetherspoons pub before coming to Barking. The Barking Dog is Ideally situated being next to the railway station.

We made the Barking Dog our home pub. With English beer priced from as little as £1.69 for Ruddles Best Bitter, and several other real ales all priced £2.10, we were able to drink very well every evening.

The best thing was the beer with a meal offer, especially the selection of beers available, including Brew Dog Punk IPA and wide choice of other lagers such as Hop House 13, Stella Artois, etc., and all the real ales. I know from where I live, other pub groups, such as Greene King, only offer basic beers with meals and never the more premium range.

The first evening we stayed in Barking and visited the Wetherspoons Barking Dog was a Friday evening, and we all had the Fish and Chips meal offer with a beer for £7.70 each.

After our meal, my friends especially enjoyed trying the range of real ales, even though they only drink Pilsner lager in their home country, and are fortunate to have the best in my opinion, Klášter, as their local beer.

As we sat planning our weekend ahead, I saw the group of men next to us were sharing a big plate of fried chicken wings with two different dips. One was a hot spicy tomato based dip, while the other was creamy Blue cheese. When I enquired to buy this on the Saturday evening for us three to share, I was told if I ordered two portions @ £4.90 each (10 Spicy Chicken wings per portion), a third portion was only £1 more. So, we had 30 pieces for £11. These hot spicy chicken wings with beer and the two dips were absolutely delicious and so filling that we didn't order any other food that night.

On the Sunday evening, my friends wanted to try the All Day Brunch because the budget hotel we were staying in only offered a cold Continental style breakfast. When my friends received their meals, with their favourite choice of beers, all for only £7.70, they ate without speaking at all, as they savioured every mouthful.

My friends did try several other pubs in Barking during their three night stay but they told me they didn't like any of them anywhere near as much as the Wetherspoons Barking Dog.

Having been to several Wetherspoons pubs, around the UK over the past 20 years, including Edinburgh, Sheffield, Manchester, Luton and London, I must say I found the Barking Dog a much better experience than most of their pubs. For one thing, the toilets are on the same floor as the bar and not a short expedition hike or climb away, as is usually the case. I also liked the fact the prices, even for a London suburb, were very low, even cheaper than pubs in my home town, with such a wide selection to accompany meals. The food was delicious too.

If the Barking Dog is a typical example of a Wetherspoons pub these days, then everything has vastly improved over the last couple of years, and I shall have to try the one in my home town, the Gary Cooper, which I haven't stepped inside...

I wouldn't even rate this place a one star. What a disappointment. I come here for a family meal with my mum and sister and after waiting for food for 30 minutes they decided not to serve us because a situation between two gentleman that said hello to us as they walked by. We laughed about it as it seemed funny at time and the manger, Ashley said he refuses to serve us due to us laughing at the two gentlemen. He was very rude to my mum and another bar staff member walked past several times and laughed at our table and dealt with the situation unprofessional and was very rude to my elderly mother. I will never walk back into this pub and hope the staff get the training they need to be able to deliver good customer service as it was very poor. Never been to a spoons like this one. Very disappointed and disgusting in the service and the staff. I've honestly never seen anything like it and I'm a bar maid myself. Every glass I got served had lipstick on it from the previous person. After complaining about it I actually got the same glass 2 times during my stay here. It's disgusting. When talking to the manger about the other staff member his reply was i "I don't care '....

Went here once before for lunch many years ago and it was fine. Came here again with a friend and was taken a back about how rude one of the members of staff speaking to me was! Used to friendly bar staff where I usually go so this was unusual. Long story short I was waiting at the bar (twice very long time considering it wasn't busy) and when the lady got to me she asked me what I wanted. I gestured towards the guys next to me to say I think they were before me. He gestured that I could go first. So I started to make my order, and the look the bar lady gave me! She shouted at me practically that I should make sure I was next even though we had gone through the above! I re checked with the other guy it was Ok and as I tried to speak and convince her it was and yelled at me to ask him not her! For no reason whatsoever she was being rude and really soured the night. I can't remember her name, know it began with Fla. I do not know what her problem was and why she has selected me to be so rude too, but unacceptable. In fairness, Megan was a great barlady so the pub needs more like...