The Plough Inn, Ealing — Restaurant in London

Dreadful and so rude. 30 minutes from starters to a cold steak. Last time I complained in a pub was probably some 5 years ago.

A sweaty, uptight and in your face manager that doesn't like accountability a tiny bit. Literally and not metaphorically on all epithets as explained below.

The family sat next to us wanted their toddler to play with our dog. Without knowing he was the manager I first noticed him when during that time he was looking at our dog like it was responsible for his last break up or something equally traumatic.

We have our starters that were good and then wait for half an hour for 2 steaks to come. The steaks were the smallest, thinnest and coldest ribeye steaks I have even tasted. The chips were hot as they just came out as they were the important part of the dish and the rest needed to wait for.

I call the person closest to us to inform them of the cold steaks.

Though he is wearing his mask, covid times, he came so close that I felt him against my arm. Then he also placed his hand on the table. Don't see what his hand at the table had to offer but maybe he had his reasons. I had to put my mask on to continue conversing with him as he was literally in my face.

His first suggestion is to take the steak and REHEAT it. I repeat, reheat the steak like it was a pukka or a shepherd's pie. That's the pride he takes of the most expensive food on their menu. Are there adults out there that reheat their steaks? I don't know any establishment that does that unless you want it cooked further. I can't blame their cook as it wasn't the kitchen staff that suggested that but the manager himself.

I explain that this is about the feedback and not for wanting to make my steak rubbery or wait another half an hour to receive another one. And his answer is.. "The important thing for you to know is that I offer to make this right"

Not a sorry for the time taken to bring it cold, no apology what so ever. Just tempered words of a sweaty and probably constipated man that was unable to take any accountability for that matter.

I said that is fine hoping that this would stop him from being this close to me and go away.

Before we left I went on the side of the bar to speak to him and asked if he really said "the important thing for me to know is.." and if he thinks he values the time of the pubs customers that are there to eat on a weekday and they just sit idle waiting. He didn't care a tiny bit. He expressed repeatedly that had no time for that on an equally rude manner and continue dripping sweat on the Guinness pints he was pouring.

Forgetting to serve a plate, be it the kitchen or be it the serving staff is something that happens at busy times and it's understandable. (Though this want a busy night and we're we're there very early.) Being so dramatically lame in managing both staff and customers is not acceptable in my book.

I wish I had taken a photo of that steak to show to your potential future clients how small and thin it was but there wasn't any reason to take a...

🚇 Northfields 🍺 £7.10 Cruzcampo

The Plough Inn is located at the southern end of Northfields in West London. The nearest Tube station is Northfields on the Piccadilly Line.

The Plough Inn, which marks the junction of Little Ealing Lane and Northfield Avenue, was in existence by 1722. The current building was significantly remodelled around 1905. In 2005, the pub was refreshed, moving from a somewhat run-down condition to one designed to appeal to a wider audience.

This is a deceptively large, one-bar, two-room pub with a comfortable, contemporary feel. The main bar area is laid out in an L-shape, with the traditional servery following the line of the bar. The decor features a bare-board floor, colourful furniture, historical prints and modern lighting. At the back of the main bar is a dining area with a vaulted ceiling. At the rear of the pub, there’s a good-sized beer garden with a covered area and a children’s play area.

This Fuller’s pub has a solid line-up of beers, including four cask ales and some craft options. I kept it simple and opted for a Cruzcampo. My pint was great, price point felt a bit punchy. The food menu offers pub classics, with roasts available on Sundays.

I arrived around 12:30pm on an overcast but warm Saturday lunchtime in August. There were a few local punters in the main bar and some young families in the garden. There was a lovely local feel to the pub, and everything felt chilled and relaxed. The service was top notch—the team on duty were welcoming, friendly and courteous.

A solid selection of beers, stylish surroundings, a family-friendly environment and personable service make this a popular spot for local patrons. This is a very comfortable local pub and a very enjoyable place to spend time.

Follow @ploughinnealing for updates.

📅 16th August 2025

If you want to see all my pub reviews in one place, head to @londonpubmap on Instagram or...

This review is for the food / restaurant part only - I'm sure the pub part is fine for a drink but I haven't used it so can't comment on that.

I've visited The Plough about 5 times in the past 2 years as I have a good friend with children and it's very child friendly. There is a nice outdoor area at the back with a good child play area, plus menus for kids etc.

I like to support local businesses as much as possible but I'm sorry to say that I find the food here overpriced and consistently mediocre. I have no objection to paying a bit more for food but the quality needs to match and in my opinion it does not at all. Scrolling through the reviews here I can see I'm not alone in this view. The last meal I had there was a roast chicken lunch last month that was decidedly 1980s-school-dinner-ish. This was the last straw for me as an increasingly reluctant customer and having given them several chances (largely on the basis of the facilities for children) I will not be returning. There are so many other options in Northfields where the food is cheaper and nicer that it's difficult to recommend this pub (for...