Riverside Studios

What a wonderful way to spend an evening!

Two films (usually with a theme running between them) for £7.50. SEVEN FIFTY!! Last night's was a Joaquin Phoenix double bill, showing Walk The Line followed by Two Lovers. While we ended up skipping the first film and just having dinner, the price is still very reasonable.

We shared a lovely bottle of wine outside on the terrace (had to sit on the wall though as all the tables were full) with amazing views of the river and Hammersmith Bridge. Back inside for dinner, which we shared: a large mezze platter and some mushroom bruschetta, both of which were delicious and just enough.

The cinema itself is what every cinema should be: small and dark, with the seats on an incline so everyone can see. They showed the previews and ads WAY before the start time (PERFECT!!), even drew the curtains in between the previews and the film itself (DRAMATIC!!).

Riverside has much more to offer than just a restaurant and a cinema... it also shows stand-up comedy, has a fully functioning tv studio where they film live shows, a theatre for live music, and art exhibitions. A wonderful space with quality at every turn.

Riverside Studios is a very cool arts space in Hammersmith without a Macbook or Nathan Barley wannabe in sight. It has a theatre, exhibition space, an award-winning restaurant, television studios (where programmes such as The Apprentice: You're Fired are filmed and for which studio audience tickets can be obtained), free wifi and a riverside terrace. I've always come here for the repertory cinema though, which through its relatively rickety seats and large screen exudes a quirky cool welcome next to the slick and comparatively soulless mainstream cinemas. As a repertory cinema it also offers film fans a great last-chance to catch films before they leave the big screen for good. And for £8.50 for a double bill, it's one of the cheapest cinemas in London.

No review of the Riverside Studios is complete however without due reverence being paid to the excellent range of Meantime beer served on tap at the stylish yet unpretentious bar, any pint of which can be carted up to the cinema to be enjoyed with the film. Cinema goers can't enjoy their beer in a glass as Vincent Vega would have liked (instead, a plastic cup), but the sheer quality of the beer and simply having this option in the first place should be sufficient compensation for any purist.

Definitely worth checking out.

This place is pretty magic. Put it this way, tonight they are showing the film 'Double Indemnity'. That alone is a reason to give it five stars, or maybe six stars.

Dear Yelp,
Please create a sixth star, due to Riverside Studios screening Double Indemnity,
Love Daniel

I have been to the cinema here, I have seen stand up comedy here, I have had drinks here. All of these were magnificent; probably even worth trawling through Hammersmith for.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE any cinema that shows classic movies. Why? Because it's becoming so rare. Rather than getting genius like 'Double Indemnity' and 'It's A Wonderful Life' we are treated to junk like Big Momma's House 9 and Saw 28. Enough already!. Give us something original, and if you can't give us something original; give us something black and white and magical. Riverside seem to appreciate this.

It's also a lovely venue. A kind of upper class feel to it yet they let the riff-raff like me in, which is good to know. I also have the vague memory of coming here once to watch a really bad play where a bunch of guys danced around with sticks and chanted for like two hours. It wasn't good, but I can't really blame the venue.

I give this five stars, and also realise I never ever come here; which is going to change now; because they deserve my money. As a side note, if you ever see anywhere screening 'Double Indemnity' - go see it, it's the kind of film that reminds you why you love films so much; and it's nowhere near as good on DVD.

You probably don't know this place is here unless you live in the area. It's hidden down a back street near Hammersmith tube. Trivia fact - this is where they filmed TFI Fridays in the 90s, and more recently The Apprentice after shows. Was here to see a show being filmed, but was impressed with the bar and food offerings. It's not the soul-less hanger that you'd expect of a recording studio - it even has live music and comedy shows and a double bill showing in their cinema every night.

I need to come back here more often!

It's popular on the weekend nights in the bar - a lot of fun too.

Maybe it's because this is where the Mrs and I had our very first date that means I hold warm and fuzzy feelings towards this venue?

Maybe it's the array of films, old and new at affordable prices?

Maybe it's the great productions, both plays and musicals?

Maybe it's the sleek and intimate atmosphere?

Maybe it's its collaboration with the Irish film festival and several others?

Maybe it's that you can take your vino into everything with you?

Riverside studios is a good part of why I want to move to Hammersmith (not to mention a friends adorable flat that I want to steal from him).

This is a great place for a first date, for a catch up evening with a good friend or for a cultural and chilled night out.

Love. Love. Love.

During our first year in Hammersmith, we made use of every opportunity it had to offer. The Apollo... Farmers markets... And, most importantly, the boat race.

But as newbies to the race, we prepared months in advance and searched the best place to watch the boats. A little Googling later and the Riverside Cafe seemed to be a good mix of close to our flat, no tickets needed and equipped with a bar.

We turned up two hours early to bagsie a good spot. In hindsight, a little unnecessary. But we sent our time happily drinking Pimms and tucking into the BBQ they put on. Two minutes before race time the balcony got flooded with fans screaming for their team to win. Two hours wait for 10 seconds of action. But all in all, a happy day was had by all.

A small but happy bar on the riverside. Enjoyed best on the balcony in summer.

Tasty food, cold drinks, polite service. However, 3 of my friends had burgers that seemed to be cooked from frozen. And were rather frozen in the inside. Not cool.

On a very sunny afternoon some umbrellas would have been useful. I got quite sunburned (unexpected afternoon out + unexpected sunshine!).

The Riverside is so much more than just a really cool cafe/bar. I wish I had the time to go to the cinema more often - they have a great selection of independent and more mainstream films; I particularly like the double bills.
Went to an excellent live performance at one of the studios yesterday. Kick-off is a play about gay footballers - extremely funny despite the serious undertones. All the staff lined up to follow the show, too. Excellent atmosphere, and the party continued in the bar afterwards.
The studios are also host to quite a few TV productions, so definitely worth keeping an eye on.

I went on the riverside terrace the other night, which is really lovely too. It was a bit nippy but the atmosphere made up for it.

A great venue that is underexposed in London.


They have a theatre studio space as well as recording studios (I think they used to film CD:UK here) and a cinema.


The programme is always really interesting - they often have obscure film festivals or show films that you'd never see anywhere else. The theatre (although I'm not sure the theatre space is being used so much there days) has international imported shows and occasionally homegrown new work. The BBC has also recorded radio shows here - I saw a few episodes of a radio4 comedy series a while ago.


The bar is quite trendy and attracts the cool dudes. Prices average for London, but definitely a hip place to grab a glass of vino in Hammersmooth.