please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
There has been a lot of activity in the bar by workmen of late. also they have started taking down the 'new' front to reveal the original. it looks like it's opening back up again in the not too distant future.....
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Still closed and boarded up in February 2014.
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Still closed and boarded up in February 2014.
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Now closed - possibly temporarily
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A great little east end boozer with a lovely atmosphere and friendly staff. It’s definitely a cozy pub, sometimes feel like you’re in the way a bit if you’re not sat at a table, but great when you are at a table as they often offer to get your next drinks without even having to go to the bar.
The only things really that could be improved are the cosmetic things it’s looking a bit tired in comparison to the other pubs in the same league along Bethnal Green Road (Well and Bucket is a good alternative), the exterior of the pub doesn’t represent the cozy feel inside, and the toilets are a bit dated and have quite a ‘humm’ about them, so you wouldn’t want to sit on the tables near them!
Well worth a visit if you’re in the area.
As for the 'Hipster' comment a) I don't think it is over £4 a pint in there, and b) I don't think anyone thinks it's 'cool' to pay that much, its just they'd pay a premium rather than drink in the other less welcoming pubs at that end of Bethnal Green Road
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Very pretentious bar, fully of young Hipster types happy to pay £4+ a pint because "it's cool man".
It's also very small and can get too crowded to move from one end of the pub to the other, it also attracts many from the gay/friendly scene so certainly not for the homophobes.
Bar staff can be quite rude and take ages to serve you as they tend to be standing around talking to each other.
Personally I don't like the place, and prefer the other pubs in the area, suppose it depends if you like hipsters, expensive beer, Jazz, Jazz and more Jazz and less personal space than a mexican prison.
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full of pretentious types-even the eastern europeans in there are stuck up and thats saying something!
give me a working class boozer any time-i prefer genuine people
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First ever visit to this pub yesterday. Had hopeful expectations having read previous reviews. We were disappointed to find only one pump in order dispensing the nowdays very ordinary Doombar. The explanation was they are in the process of changing beer suppliers and have run their stocks down prior to change over, in the future they will be supplied by Coors, not sure if this is a good idea we will have to see. Dispite the beer shortage the pub itself did look promising basically laid out but rather charming for it ,we were the only customers in there ,12.30 lunchtime but I would imagine when full it would have a good atmosphere. Will try again.
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Still maintaining its high standards, and the demand for cask ale remains high. Also they're expanding their whisky presence, and now have three Japanese malts. Nick and Ben have opened a second venue in Berks: these lads just keep going! Long may they thrive.
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Went in last night while waiting for a friend. Really nice atmosphere with mainly youngish Guardian-reading types. Well-kept ale especially one barrel which I emptied :) Jazz playing in the background at a nice low volume. Not often in the area but would certainly go in again if I was! And was asked if I wanted a pint jug, which I haven't seen for years either.
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Very chilled atmosphere. Ask for a half of any real ale, and you get a mini jug. Not seen one of these for years !!
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Went in here for the first time last week, seems like a decent little boozer to me.
Four real ales behind the bar, tried two and nicely kept. Staff were helpful and let my try a sample before I bought, other punters were nice folks, think I was probably the biggest alchie in sight.
I wish there were more pubs like this.
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Won't be going back because of an unfortunate experience with one member of staff? Did you complain? The people who run the place are very keen to maintain service levels. Do mention any problems you have: you'll find they're not the customer's enemy, they want people to come back. Please try again.
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Went here for the first time last night. While the ambience and client�le were very pleasant, the night was completely ruined by an aggressive glass collector who threatened to "cut my legs off" when he asked me to move my chair to one side, which I did immediately. Feeling intimidated, I left. Won't be going back.
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What is going on here with all this 'Rat' nonsense? This is a clean, friendly pub serving now four pumps' worth of well-kept cask ale in an area which is largely a desert for those of us who drink the cask product. What's wrong with that? Or does it transform itself when I cross the threshold, morphing back to reality when I leave? Please can the rodent-spotters declare their agenda? Or is it all one of those tedious scams perpetrated by on-line auto-eroticists? PLEASE can we limit posts to accurate reflections on the pubs in question rather than indulging ourselves on speculations about what one or other reviewer is about? As to there being only two of the four ales on, occasionally one or more pumps may be dry, but this is more a question of demand than policy. I was in the Sun on Monday: Nick the guv'nor mentioned that he was nearly out of ale, as the demand the previous week had been so high, and consequently he had a glut of Beck's Vier. The Sharp's was off, but the other three were on, and the next delivery was scheduled for the following day.
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MY UNCLE FREDRICK SAMUEL DRANK IN HERE DURING THE WAR IT WAS A DUMP THEN AND IT STILL IS. I PREFER THE PLEASURE UNIT BEFORE A TRIP TO THE SAUNA.
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I smell a big fat RAT!
Essexgril has only ever made 3 negative posts before this one and none of them refer to actually going to a pub thats is open. Do you actually drink? <whistle>
The Hayfield, Stepney Green
This venue is now trading as the Hayfield Massala - not a pub at all any more!
12 Sep 2010 22:07
The Black Horse, Stepney
This bar, which changed it's name to eOne in 2007, is now closed and is unlikely to reopen.
12 Sep 2010 18:48
Habana, Bethnal Green
This venue has been closed for more than 2 years
12 Sep 2010 18:42
The Sun Inn, Bethnal Green
I'm not sure what issues SLL has. This pub offers 4 real ales, a first class wine list and an imaginative menu. There is always a friendly relaxed atmosphere and it is a very popular venue locally. His review is so wide of the mark I wonder if he has ever visited.
11 Sep 2010 18:29
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Yep I smell a Roland here too.
Don`t get me wrong not a bad little bozzer bar person friendly enough only 2 real ales on when I went in suspect a rating fix going on tho.
Don`t worry be appy !!!
My Kingdom for a rat !!!!!
anonymous - 13 Sep 2010 13:59 |
I'm not sure what issues SLL has. This pub offers 4 real ales, a first class wine list and an imaginative menu. There is always a friendly relaxed atmosphere and it is a very popular venue locally. His review is so wide of the mark I wonder if he has ever visited.
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This is a lovely little pub, and as a born-and-bred local I can confirm that its transformation from the dive it was once is little short of a miracle. We're not overblessed with cask-ale pubs in the east end, and this place has friendly, attentive staff who look after their beer beautifully. Unlike some of the pubs round here which have been comprehensively tarted up, this place was done up tastefully. Also they've now added a fourth pump: for a pub of its size, this is quite an undertaking.
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i gave it an 8, before it hit the top 20, purely because i think it's worth an 8, no rodents with me
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Called in this afternoon, intrigued by comments here. I suspect this is the best pub in Bethnal Green Road (like Leyton Orient is best football club in E10). Doom Bar (highly overrated) (�3.30) and Waggle Dance only draught beers. Barman was friendly, pub was plain and comfy, but couldn't see any obvious reason to return in a hurry.
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don't think it is a rat, it's a cracking little boozer, very good at what it does, gets an 8 from me
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A Rat! A Rat
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Really nice pub with well kept real ales. Good service too.
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Great pub for all the reasons mentioned by the other reviewers! Really glad that this pub has been turned around from where it was a couple of years ago.
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This pub now has an 8.8 rating by 25 users. You need at least 25 ratings to enter the charts.
Hence, it should be straight in at number one on the BITE charts. But it's not there. I've noticed this problem with a few other pubs.
I contacted BITE with this query, but received no reply. Come on now BITE, get it sorted.
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Time out once reviewed this pub as "Serves a wide range of alchaholics" It used to be a place I would not set foot in. The transformation has been incredible. A good selection of beers with guest ales changing regularly , good mix of customers and the only pub in the UK that I know of where there is Table Service!
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I used to live in the neighbourhood and this pub was a bit rough a few years ago, visited a couple of weeks ago and was amazed by the change! Real on tap, buzzing crowd on a Friday night. On the downside they don't have a kitchen but they do have snacks and a light menu available. Returned on a Sunday afternoon and free wifi makes for a pleasant pub to while away a few hours after the chaos of Columbia flower market up the road. Will return without hesitation.
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Excellent little pub, small, cosy, friendly and with a personal standard of service that's lacking in many London pubs. The mix of people is just right, without the less desirable elements which trouble many of the pubs in this area.
There are always at least three real ales on hand pump, which change regularly. There is also a fantastic cocktail list and a full selection of coffee's hot chocolate etc.
My favorite pub in the East End.
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There were three ales on during my visit � Hyde�s High and Dry; Adnam�s Old Ale; and Brakspear�s Oxford Gold. I went for the High & Dry, which was served far too cold, but otherwise tasted fine. However, I noticed sparklers on all three handpumps, but the barman was happy to remove the sparkler before serving my pint of Hyde�s. I�m sure it�s easier to pull a full pint without one of these things on the end of the tap. Perhaps I should not have asked for it to be removed as Hyde�s is a Manchester brew and might well be brewed specifically to be dispensed in this way, but I just prefer my beer not artificially frothed up.
This is a decent little pub. As others have mentioned, they have these candles on the tables in bottles with the wax running down them, a bit like what you see in Italian restaurants. Nothing particularly wrong with that, but it just looks a bit odd in a pub. Furnishings consist of normal tables and chairs with a couple of settles at the front. I didn�t notice a TV, but they were playing some authentic blues, which made a nice change from the usual stuff you hear in pubs. They also had a small bookcase near the bar, on which was a good supply of the latest London Drinker. I�ve yet to find a really bad pub with London Drinker available, although I�m sure there must be one out there somewhere! I would be happy to drop in here for another pint if I was in the area.
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Firstly, ZOLTAN, where's my e-mail? It's me, Jim from the Waverley
I'm hurt man, I'm hurt. Here's my address again:
[email protected]
Now for the review:
Really liked this pub. Cosy, great selection of beers and a friendly laidback mixed clientele.
The other pubs we walked past in the area looked really rough, so this HAS to be the place to go.
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This place just keeps getting better. Don't let the outside put you off. Inside it's really warm and friendly with all the right touches. (Love the candles on the tables btw!) For a pub this size, the choice is amazing - I can't remember the last time I saw an Albarino on a wine list if ever and one of my friends said the Hobgoblin was the best pint of real ale he'd had in months. There's no loud music, no annoying gaming machines, no TV - just refreshingly different from anything else on offer on Bethnal Green Road. Great place to go with a bunch of friends and chill.
anonymous - 30 May 2009 11:08 |
The last time I came into this pub was just over 2 years ago.... and boy has it changed! I have to admit I have avoided entering, to be fair it doesn't look like much from the outside, and i am haunted by the images of the dive it used to be. But yet i have heard such great things about the pub.... new owners, new decor, great atmosphere, friendly bar staff... the list goes on!
So I finally decided to take the plunge, and I have to say I really regret not coming here before. I was greeted with a friendly smile and even asked how I was today, which was a nice touch. They have a selection of beers, wines, and a couple of ciders and plenty of soft drinks to choose from. The polite Australian guy behind the bar let me have a taste of the two real ales they had on and sounded like he knew what he was talking about.
I sat down to my pint, and read one of the newspapers that they keep at the end of the bar, and the music was just at the right level for me to be able to enjoy it, and hear myself think at the same time. They even do table service, something rarely seen around these parts. All adding to the great atmosphere that will keep me coming back again and again, and certainly telling my friends about.
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LOVELY little pub!
Lots of hard work gone into getting rid of the East end scum that used to go in there!
Got a small cocktail menu, wine list, champagnes, draft beers and ales and loads of soft drinks! So lot to pick from! Fab mixture of people....professionals, students, oldies - everyone really!!! Just introduced a small food menu which is really tasty! A lovely place to go if you fancy a cheap-ish beer in a nice pub (with table service) in the east end!
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This pub is one of the little golden gems! Nothing from the outside, but inside be treated to a great host, a comfy sofa or two, no loud music - just a place to sit with your mates and have a good chat and drink.
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Friendly East end local. Good beer - he cleans the lines weekly, well priced and far better than anything else in the area. Try the place on a Wednesday night - entertaining quiz.
anonymous - 2 Aug 2007 17:05 |
THERE IS ALSO LIVE MUSIC EVERY SUNDAY WITH A BUFFET AND A PRIZE DRAW.
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The Sun has just been taken over last month by new owners. Its been cleaned up and the smell of unclean toilets has now gone!!! All draught is only �2 a pint before 4pm every day.
anonymous - 8 Apr 2007 18:24 |
Great if you love the smell of unwashed toilets
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great selection of alcoholics
tombs - 16 Mar 2005 13:48 |
