please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Nastic speaks the truth. Its not what it was, used to be the business for a booze up, burger and the football. I haven't been served off the same person twice, it used to be a local in the town. Its just another average pub with average everything. Damn shame.
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Not the same since the Catalan manager left...
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I've been watching rugby in here for the last year or so since I was looking for somewhere to watch Wasps v Leinster in the Heineken Cup. The regular staff are friendly and often come round the tables topping up our round & any pub which puts rugby on the big screen and football on the smaller TV in the back is good in my book.
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If Yates and Spoons are the Beirut and Satan’s arsehole of publand, then O’Neils is undoubtedly Wolverhampton. Not particularly offensive and well, I suppose an area where everyone wears the same tracksuit and owns an Astra has as much right to exist as anywhere else, but well, it all feels like a bit of a waste doesn’t it?
Certainly visiting the Euston or the other Covenant Garden O’Neils encourages the feeling that these bland outlets, fitted with the same deep brown furnishings and twee Orish music of the “did-da-lee-luck-of-de-Leprechaun” variety, are taking up space where a decent pub could exist. And while I like Guinness and big comedy hats as much as the next man, I don’t really need them forced down my throat by staff who are generally hired for their cheapness rather than their glowing personalities.
However, this particular outlet does show that despite the disadvantage of a brand, a decent manager and building can just about make a good drinking experience from unpromising material. It does contain the same bland features as described above, but these usual trappings are toned down significantly, with the standard garish promotional adds and reproduced Orish tat generally missing. They even play the odd tune that sounds like it was composed after the nineteenth century and not recorded on a Waterford potato farm. This all allows the usual worn and dark brown furnishings to come through and create a fairly cosy atmosphere, especially as this is a very snug O’Neils, with a couple of small areas weaving together around the main bar. It does as a consequence suffer from a bit of overcrowding at the weekends, but generally it is fairly easy to get a seat (during the week and latish at the weekend) while the clientele tends to lack the usual chaved up wank bandits that sometimes afflict this chain.
Of course though, underneath it`s still an O’Neils and while mostly cosy and enjoyable, it has only marginally more character than your average ironing board. Equally the taps, while fairly varied (a brownie point the chain has over most other brands) is on the expensive side comparatively and served by staff that are only just about able to speak English and move marginally faster than the recently deceased.
Still this is one of the better O’Neils and deserves a solid 6/10.
pgazz - 24 Dec 2006 00:29 |
Yeah, lovely staff aren't commmon - if your idea of a pub is a chain bar owned by a massive which pubco with all the things that entails. Get yourself to a proper pub and you will see that a smile and good service are not so rare after all in London!
anonymous - 5 Jun 2006 10:08 |
Maybe it's not the best one(too smoky), but definetely great lovely staff(this in London is not very common), and great atmosphere. My mates and me had an extraordinary evening, with table service, good music and always with a smile, even when it's busy.
anonymous - 5 Jun 2006 10:03 |
Please tell me the last reviewer was being sarcastic??? No way is this anything other than one of the worst pubs in Covent Garden.
If this is the best pub in Covent Garden-Holborn presumably it is better than Ye Olde Mitre? The Harp?
It ain't even better than the Punch & Judy and that is saying something.
anonymous - 5 Jun 2006 09:33 |
The best pub in Covent Garden-Holborn area to go for a pint. Excellent staff,great pints, modest price, nice food...what else can we say??just go there and enjoy, better at night time!!!
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Awful food. The barmaid told me the soup was vegetarian but there was pieces of bacon floating in it. Bad experience.
anonymous - 18 Mar 2006 21:03 |
This place is great for a very late drink. Quick, friendly service and well kept beers. Don't know what it's like in the day but all good at night!
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This place is great to go late on a friday or saturday night, the drinks are cheap compared to other central london prices and the atmosphere is fantastic. Although the same CD is played every weekend so u can near enough predict the next song, it is a damn good cd with all good tunes. I definatly recommend this place for a late night drink - and their tequilla shots. Had many of a drunken night in this place and always went back for more! and still do.
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Despite being an O'Neills, it's a good place to drink, with attentive staff and decent beer. Food is passable too.
A nice place to while away a few hours with friends or with a good book. And that's some recommendation from a miserable bastard like me.
jcraf - 11 Jun 2005 22:47 |
The bar manager knows how to keep me going back. Yep it's an oneils but the beer is always good. And the staff are great, have had some great late nights in there.
Food has gone well down hill thou!
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Being St. Patrick's Day, I popped in with some work mates for a lunchtime pint of Guinness. We had a laugh, the pub and staff were decked out for the occassion, and I shall be going back there as soon as I finish work!
anonymous - 17 Mar 2005 14:25 |
o'neills great queen st is a great pub to drink in, friendly staff and table servie to name few. the owner kieran is also often around and friendly and ready to deal with any requests and queries
zuzia - 18 Oct 2004 17:04 |
Very low ceiling and inadequate ventilation mean a visit involves beinmg enveloped in a thick smog of tobacco smoke. The atmosphere is good if somewhat contrived (remember this is a plastic paddy joint), and the bar staff serve you at your table, which is nice.
Adrian - 18 Feb 2004 20:55 |
i had a fabulous time here ...dancing on the bar upstairs in the music room, and meeting the cutest australian guy...defiinatly fun
sara knies - 17 Jun 2003 22:08 |
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