An easy find, welcoming atmosphere, and a great recommendation. Merely a block or so away from the Shepherds Bush tube station Defectors Weld is a laid back hangout for friends, dates, or common debauchery. The staff was unpretentious and eager to pour you a pint. One of the waitresses did make fun of me for wearing a baseball hat as according to her only kids and hip-hop artist do so. Also, it is very reasonably price for such an expensive city. read more

I hate this place. The decor is actually really nice. The selection booze is tops. Never had any problems with the service. Okay, sure, I know I'm getting old but this place is set up to sit, chat and get trolleyed. You come to sit with friends or chat up strangers. But if you expect to hold an actual conversation: good luck. The shitty music played at 130dB is completely anathema to the whole "talking" thing. Better to go across the street to The Green or into the Westfield strip to The Bull if you want to hear what the hell the other person is saying. read more

Nice, good, slightly posh pub that tends to be frequented by media-savvy people. Good range of food and drink - but slightly too dark inside for my liking. read more

Definitely the best pub/bar in Shepherds Bush

A nice place to go and feel slightly posh, while thumbing your nose at Westfield eateries. The decor is a bit schizophrenic (classic pub fixtures with pop art), but the people and food are quality. read more

It is my opinion that this is the best boozer in Shepherds Bush. Good vibe, beautiful people and a decent selection of drinks on offer. This is the place to meet ahead of any gig or a trip to the new Westfield shopping behemoth. read more

Best pub in Shepherds Bush by far. Food is very good and great drinks selection. A bit cooler than most other offerings in the area. Great place to spend the evening or a Sunday afternoon. Grabbing a seat can be a bit of a trial when busy! read more

I had family down from Scotland this weekend and We had lunch at the Defectors Weld. Not been there before but it look reather posh! Staff were lovely. When the meal came to the table I nearly sent the food backa s the chip looked horrible!!!!! However they turned out to be the BEST CHIPS I think I may have ever tasted! Top nosh guys. My mothers min stake sandwich was lovely and the fish was great as well. It was a flying visit but I will def go back. read more

The Defectors Weld is pretty much the prettiest pub in Shepherds Bush. Huge space, lovely leather couches, lots of oak and dim lighting immediately set the scene for an up-market booze-based experience similar to The Amersham Arms in New Cross or The Lock Tavern in Camden. Indeed, the prices here are of the 'pretty' variety, too. Starting at £6.50 for a cocktail, and £3.20 for a pint. But, it's got a lot of room and the crowd are always nice and polite. Definitely one for going to with your significant other, it might be a little to civilised for a crazy night, though read more

It's ok for an after work drink but that's about it. Best not to get seats next to the toilets or near the smoking area (basically most out the back). It also takes ages to get served in here as the bar staff are quite slow. read more

Not really sure how I feel about this pub. Beer and spirits selection is okay but it tends to break the bank a bit. Don't buy a round - you may well end up crying! The atmosphere is of "somewhere to see and be seen" and can be a bit pretentious. Attitude of the bar staff leaves a bit to be desired, service is never quick. Bouncers are pretty unfriendly, and a friend of mine got told she couldn't go in due to her visual impairment. Maybe go for a pint. Or on a Sunday. If you earn the megabucks and walk the walk then it's probably your kind of place! read more

wicked for a sunday piss-up. they have a thing called "sunday roast & records" where you can enjoy an amazing roast whilst listening to a dj spinning great records. cool interior and good crowd. look out for the painting/photograph of the bear on the tree trunk over the open fire. blows your mind even if you're not wasted. read more

My boss took me here for a lunch- I had bangers, mash and peas with water, and a pint bottle of cider later. Everything was really wonderful and I enjoyed the atmosphere of the pub- some very quirky pictures around and some very modern music playing, but a very old fashioned atmosphere. They didn't seem to care that we hung out after finishing eating for several hours. Great fun. : ) read more

I go here occasionally to meet friends after work and for me its a good local for us although the drinks are a bit pricey. If you're lucky and upstairs is open its nice and spacious and well decorated and they have a nice garden for smokers so they are not all hovering outside. Also when pregnant i went for a leaving do and they had lots of options for non alcoholic cocktails which made a nice change from just drinking orange or cranberry juice! read more

This pub/bar is a great little place on sheherds bush green, gets a good crown of people with just the right atmosphere and has some good cocktails aswell. They have lounge chairs and long wood tables you need to get in quite early for a seat on a friday though. I must say i wouldn't bother eating there as i have been disspointed the last two times though if you do decide to it is basic burgers and pasta menu ranging from £7 read more

This is one of the only free entry late-night boozers in Shepherd's Bush meaning it is often the only choice after midnight. Unfortunately this monopoly on the area seems to give the staff a certain arrogant nonchalance that can cause upset. I've been here many times for week day drinks, birthday parties and dates and have usually had a great time; no thanks to the staff. The bouncers have a tendency to judge you on entry, often coming across as abrupt and intimidating, frequently adopting an 'if the face don't fit' attitude to the bar's door policy. If you make it beyond the grilling at the door you'll find a dimly lit, trendy bar with a buzz and a clientele ranging from media professionals to Empire gig-goers. Music tends to be at weekend volume but innocuous enough to enjoy a conversation, drinks are a little overpriced but there's a good selection and the cocktails are better than average. The bar's downfall, however, is its staff. I was there on a busy Saturday night after a lovely evening at the Albertine wine bar across the road (highly recommend this place). As usual, the bouncers were cocky and bolshy and acted as though it were a privilege to be let in. We ordered our drinks but wanted to share a tonic for our spirits. My friend had to repeat her simple request due to the noise and pointed to the tonic bottle to make her order clear. This was met with a snide and arrogant look from the barman, as if we'd just asked for the moon on a stick, followed by a retort accusing us of treating him 'like a retard'. We responded with a joke about inferiority complexes before the whole thing descended into a ridiculous 'who's better than who' charade culminating in us being refused another drink and essentially being kicked out. The staff need to be aware that working at a trendy establishment does not make them superior beings, and they need reminding of the mantra: the customer is always right. I recommend they learn some customer service and hire less sensitive and self-righteous staff, to avoid alienating the punters. Until then, I'll be in the Albertine. read more

This is the pub we go to for after work drinks. It's a really nice pub that does cocktail specials. The cocktails are definitely worth it and didn't take too long to make. It has a really nice feel as its decorated nicely with its dark wood and antique looking candles and lights. It's a large place so not overcrowded. There are generally places to sit for a group. It's a really comfortable pub and perfect for a large group of friends/colleagues to catch up. read more

Really great choice of beers. Open till late so you never have to rush those last drinks or if you want to go for a quiet drink and it's after midnight. Cosy atmosphere. The only problem is that at busy times it's hard to find seats as the tables are so big. read more

My local - great place to be: food is good *winning Sunday Roast*, decent prices. They do good cocktails. Friday and Saturday DW opens till 3 am. However the door closes at midnight. Very cozy pub. I would say the audience is very mixed. I love the signs they always bring up. read more

London is a city of contrasts. You get the elegant houses of Little Venice next to the filthy Edgware Road . . . besuited businessmen departing for France from the centre of a red light district . . . East London being simultaneously cheap as chips and overpriced hipster chic. And that's why we love it. Perhaps nowhere sums up this paradox more succinctly than Shepherds Bush. If I leave my block of flats and turn left then I find myself strolling through the super-posh stuccoed mansions of Holland Park, haunted by the ghost of Filipino au-pairs past. If I turn right then I am a mere stone's throw from Shepherd's Bush Green; a haven of pissed Ozzies, grocers who don't speak English selling nameless exotic veg, and cheap shops bursting at the seams with plastic flowers, threadbare tinsel and household items which are guaranteed to break before you get them home. So perhaps it's hardly surprising that nestled on a corner of the sick-splattered Uxbridge Road, there is - by all accounts - really rather a nice pub. The Defectors Weld self-deprecatingly (yet accurately) describes itself as "a tarted-up boozer on Shepherd's Bush Green" and is a mini-mecca for post-gig Empire revellers and 6pm drinks for the BBC's White City workers. It's not particularly groundbreaking; contemporary flocked wallpaper, big windows, long sofas; but it's a tried-and-tested formula, and it works. Plus it's so very much classier than everything else in the immediate area that it has a massive advantage before it even begins. Add to this the pleasingly wide range of draught and bottled beers (plus several cocktails) and you're on to a winner. If the Defectors Weld were on Islington's Upper Street or in the nice bit of Clapham then it would be easily overlooked; but that's the whole point. It's not really what, so much as where. Kirstie and Phil would be so proud. I've not yet experienced the food (good-quality British pub grub, I'm told), nor the weekend DJ (behind whom a cupboard opens to reveal a neon sign proclaiming "Small Disco") but this is all the more reason for me to return. I'd be intrigued to see how well the pub survives with the BBC's imminent departure but hopefully the local yuppie crowd will display their allegiance and save the Weld from slipping away. We only have a very few memorable drinking establishments in this neck of the woods. Let's not lose the flagship! read more

drink couplets. nuff said buy one get the second for £1 from 5-7pm. caution: they love to put in a ton of crushed ice in their mojitos. it gets pack at 7 on a friday, which was when i was there. lots of BBC folks and concert goers for the empire. read more

Quite possibly the worst Sunday lunch I've ever eaten in a pub. The afternoon started badly from the off as we ended up sharing a table with a bipolar suffering alcoholic who was intent on sharing his entire medical history with us. Ordering the food was painfully slow. Once we'd done a switcheroo on the table t avoid the madman, the food arrived. All of it. At the same time. Starters and mains together. Oh well, I thought, at least the plates are hot, so if I snarf my Merguez sausages quickly, my roast will still be warm. Well, the plates were warm, but the food on the plates - not warm. My friend had to wait for the staff to find and then wash a spoon before she could have her - freshly microwaved and scalding hot - soup. The one star for the review is actually for the pork crackling. The small piece of pork crackling. All the other flavours on the plate were pretty mediocre. As to the buzz and the beautiful people, I have one thing to say. Nathan Barley. read more

This place is quite cute and cosy with their fireplaces and living style arm chairs. I was apprehensive at first because the vibe was young and cool and I am neither of those ;) but the staff were very friendly and made us feel right at home. We ordered food which was served fresh and hot. I had the spicy chicken burger with slaw and chips. Although I felt the chicken could have better flavour, the chips were nice and overall I was happy with my meal. My partner had the fish and chips which was quite good. We would definitely head here again if in the area. read more

Great music, great cocktails (slightly expensive although buy one get one for a pound at the evening, weekends), and great atmosphere. Always busy at weekends. read more

I'm a Sunday regular at the Defector's Weld. Their roast are GOOD! I find it hard to get a good veggie roast but the Defector's gets it spot on (including yorkshire pud!). I've never had a problem with staff being rude - always friendly and they know how to make a mighty fine bloody mary. Toilets aren't great but clean at least. read more

Consistently good food, friendly staff. They serve posh pub grub and speciality beer and cider (my friend was delighted they served Rekorderlig cider). Must absolutely try their veggie roast (complete with lovely spuds and homemade yorkshires), mushroom wellington, mushroom burger, and wild rice salad with halloumi. Had two birthday parties here, have not yet been disappointed (even gave me a complimentary bowl of chips on my birthday!). The elusive last star is down to the fact that they haven't got a beer garden (just a tiny smoking area), and they can be insanely crowded on Friday evenings (I HATE HATE HATE crowds, but it's not their fault they are so popular :P). read more

My wife and I were staying at a nearby hotel in Shepherd's Bush and this was within easy walking distance. We just wanted a beer and maybe a bite to eat. Comfortable ambiance (lighting, furniture, artwork, music). There's a lot of open space or standing room, but as I said, we were hoping to eat and all the seats were taken, at least on the ground floor. Service was prompt and courteous but not one of the three bartenders had a single word with us in the way of conversation. We weren't even offered a menu. We stood at the bar and grabbed a pint of Adnams, which the bartender had let us sample before ordering (standard), and left unnoticed. (No "Care for another?" or "Did you enjoy the Adnams?" but then again, it's a pub and you order what you want at the bar and you bring your own conversation partners.) Prices were average (about £4.00 to 4.50 a pint). I rated it higher because on another night I think I would have loved the place. read more