The Ship — Restaurant in London

Dined here with a friend yesterday (30Sep2025)...a comically bad experience and a little sad, as we both remembered how good The Ship was 10-15 years ago (last time we'd been). 19:00, bar area sparsely filled, restaurant totally empty, a couple of tables drinking outdoors. Plenty of staff, no pressure on them. We'd booked a table in the restaurant. We sat ourselves in full view of the kitchen and bar, and waited for service but, after some time, it was clear that waiting would be in vain...I called for some menus. Again, I had to grab a server to place our order. After ten minutes, our wine arrived. Shortly after, the one starter I'd ordered was deposited...it was a bad joke. Sold as 'Torched Ogleshield on Potato loaf' (£8) both I, and my friend, mentally pictured a more refined version of a Borough Market style Raclette i.e. a dauphinoise layered 'loaf' drowned in thick melted cheese (Ogleshield is the closest British analogue to Raclette cheese). What we got was 4-5 skin-on new potatoes that'd been roasted, tossed in oil, with a light sprinkle of chives. No cheese. No loaf-like preparation of the potato. I refused it point blank, with explanation, and the server very readily returned it to the kitchen. A few minutes later he brought it back with some melted cheddar on it (they had no Ogleshield) and said we wouldn't be charged. Some time later our battered fish and 'triple-cooked chips' arrived. The chips were not 'triple-cooked', the fish was fine by me but my friend (much more discerning than me) was not wrong when she observed it was on the dry/overcooked side. There was no courtesy visit by staff to check the mains. At some point a door must've been left open as cold air started to blow through...Mains abandoned, and against the lessons of experience, I got myself the dessert menus (pointless waiting for these to be offered) and was foolish enough to order the Apple Strudel and a glass of Tokaj. After a short while, I was informed that there was no Tokaj. Sometime later we noticed the Strudel waiting under the heat-lamps of the kitchen service counter. It eventually found its way to our table. It was warm on the outside, cold in the middle and not worth finishing anyway. In short, the food and service were a disaster. The latter was particularly hard to fathom as there was a surplus of staff and my friend was bemused by their activity, which seemed amazingly disproportionate to the results. The prime riverside location is clearly all that's keeping The Ship afloat, as on all other measures this old barque...

🌤️ Atmosphere Buzzing beer garden: Regularly voted one of the UK’s most beautiful beer gardens, set alongside the Thames with river views and scenic seating areas.

Varied indoor vibe: The front room has old-school pub charm with wood and leather seating; a bright conservatory and restaurant-style spaces add a breezy, modern feel Londonist.

Events & social calendar: Live music sessions (often Sundays and Tuesdays), quiz nights on Wednesdays, and disco nights on Saturdays or Ship Sundays.

Crowds, especially in summer are bustling, vibrant and energetic which makes the overall overview of the pub, feel like home.

🍽️ Food Quality British classics: Menus include fish & chips, bangers & mash, scotch eggs, toad-in-the-hole, seafood, and seasonal British dishes.

Sunday roast & burger shack: Generous roasts with yorkshire puds and crispy roast potatoes; Ship Shack burgers, loaded fries, wings and bar snacks are also popular.

Pub-restaurant standard: Mains typically range from £15–£25; with items like game stew or seafood. General consensus: amazing value for ingredients and portions.

🧑‍💼 Staff & Service Friendly, knowledgeable team: Guests highlight helpful staff, quick drink refills, and personal touches (e.g. recommending beers or remembering names)

Efficient under pressure: Even at busy times, staff generally manage large crowds while keeping service polite.

🍻 Drinks & Beverages Local ales & craft beers: Young’s London Original, London Special, and other local brews are staples; they also offer beers like Deya’s Steady Rolling Man

Cocktails and wine: Cocktails range between £12–£16.

Seasonal and casual options: Pimms, spritzes, and lighter summer-friendly drinks are featured, especially when the sun’s out on the terrace

Final Verdict

The Ship is best-suited to those who enjoy a lively, riverside London pub experience—especially on sunny afternoons. It’s got charm, atmosphere, and solid cuisine with a...

We had our wedding reception at The Ship - 35 people for the afternoon & sit-down dinner, and the same again for drinks in the evening. It's really difficult to know where to start with the compliments...

No lie, we chose The Ship for the food. We'd had Sunday lunch there before, and Sunday lunch is one of those meals that really let you get the measure of a restaurant. Sunday lunch at The Ship blew us away, and so did the food we and our guests had on the wedding day. It's kinda hard to believe that such a young chef has that much skill. Everything is fresh, perfectly cooked, delicately prepared, and full of balanced flavour. There were more than a few people with no room for wedding cake after the three-course sit down meal.

The people there are also what made it so special. We had a fairly relaxed wedding, but even so, there are things to organise. The team at The Ship was more helpful than we could have hoped for, both before and on the day, and really took the time to make sure everything was running smoothly for us. We had an area out the back reserved for us, and because the pub gets very busy, they had security making sure no one snuck into our area! Simply fantastic - and that's just one example of the ways in which they went above and beyond.

We will most definitely be returning to The Ship - we are just hoping the chef and others stick around for...