All Bar One

Great for after work relief!
All bar one Richmond has a very well thought out interior with tasteful décor and plenty of seating.
My friends and I frequent here after work quite often as it is one of the only places in Richmond that stays open to a reasonable time.
The drinks menu is diverse although a little pricey and the staff are very knowledgeable in their drinks. A special shoutout goes to AJ the lovely barman who took most of our drinks orders that night. Very polite, well informed and friendly.

Sitting here now with my chocolate cookies, ice cream and green tea, I’m going to go ahead and give All Bar One four stars. This is a super comfy place to come and work so I know that I’ll be here often. The wifi is SCREAMING fast and the service is attentive. The prices also seem good and honestly, the chocolate cookie (which was actually two cookies with ice cream) was really, really good. I couldn’t even touch the second cookie, but next time I’ll bring a friend and share.
The location of this place is likely what makes it a bit of a hotspot in Richmond — right in the center of town, not far from the river. It has a slightly upscale feel, but is still quite comfortable with every type of seating option (bar, large tables, little tables, but no outdoor) I like it, will be back and recommend it to all of you lovely Unilocalers. :)

Took a date there on Thursday night. All Bar tables were filthy, pistachio shells everywhere, and up to seven empty glasses on the few tables available. When she went to get the first round, I spent the whole time cleaning one of the tables up.
There was a massive group of people next to us which meant they had a massive mess, and knocked my date’s chair every time one of them went past us.
I work in a restaurant and I always clear tables up when I am not serving, as my second priority. I appreciate it may not have been the bar staff’s fault, it did seem quite busy. It’s just a shame there is not enough available seating to accommodate those who want to take a girl out for a drink in what’s meant to be a classy place. Big groups of men dragging most of the tables together and being loud didn’t create a great atmosphere.
I think I just had a bad experience, I would give it another chance because with a better crowd it would be a nice place to go to. The beer and wine selection is a bit pricey but good.

there are a few of these bars scattered around England… loved it the first time… now i think its so so… good drinks menu though… i like the elderflower fizz… i cant find elderflower drinks in america… so i love having them all over england… all bar one is clean and airy… food is better then average but not amazing… just ok…

Well. I’m not sure what I think about All Bar One. If I hadn’t been to any before, I would have thought that the premise was great. Design big, airy rooms with refectory tables for groups of sophisticated young types to spend an evening. Throw in a huge wine and beer list, a bountiful food menu, and hey presto! You have a designated venue that ticks all the boxes.
Except… I don’t feel like it lives up to this lofty dream. I have never had a meal here that I have enjoyed. I can’t understand why, there is always something that feels like it is missing in the food.
The All Bar One venue in Richmond is a beautiful building. It is a vast red brick cube, with high ceilings and huge windows. Potentially an ideal venue, but I have shied away from here on a Friday or Saturday night because it is often rammed with loud groups of people who spill out onto the road. There are a few pubs in Richmond that are like this. Generally they are best avoided when it is a rowdy group night, or the lads are out hunting in packs. If I were to come here, it would be on a week night — that is my tip.

Well, it’s true that there are plenty of other pubs — a plethora, indeed — to choose from, in Richmond. However, All Bar One isn’t exactly a pub without being pretentious, at least in my book, it’s more of a wine bar, and talking from a female perspective, it’s one I feel comfortable in.
Whatever time of day I’ve visited, whether on my own or with friends, I’ve always had a pleasant experience. True it’s a chain so there’s no earth-​shattering individuality but that’s part of the chain’s success; the whole idea of the floor to ceiling windows was so that women could feel at ease.
I appreciate that sometimes I can just chill and read the paper in relative peace here (in the daytime) and in the evening there’s a livelier vibe, even if sometimes I’ve been chatted-​up mercilessly while waiting for a friend. I like the choice of wines, too and the snack options from the nut selection to the sharing platters. Three and a half stars

With high ceilings and wooden furnishings, this bar is very open and sociable. A business lunch would be ideal here and the tapas style food represents this. This is a lively place to be before clubbing.

They say if you want a job done give it to a busy man (or woman).
So it is that if you want to wait hours to get served then go to an empty pub.
«Is it table service?» I asked the bar girl and then, after various internationally recognised hand signals, she said yes. We then sat at an empty table in a near empty pub and witnessed, well, nothing at all.
When the tuna steak eventually arrived (I think it was tuna) I was staggered by the miserly slither. If this was a crime scene (and I think it probably was) then there would not have been enough tuna DNA to convict even the dead fish.
And why, oh why, do we get asked, just as conversation gets going «Is every thing ok?». I don’t know the international hand signal for «This place sucks» so i didn’t even bother.

The problem with the All Bar One chain is that you always know what you are going to get. And what exactly is that?
— Over priced lagers
— Neat but bland décor
— Big tall stalls that are uncomfortable to sit at
— Sterile atmosphere
I’ve never like this chain and can feel my soul being sucked away as I sit in them on the rare occasions that there is anything else to choose from. If in Richmond I’d highly recommend you hunt out any of the other more individual pubs in the area.