please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
could be a good place, but the service is dreadful. a big shame, since it is my local
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could be a good place, but the service is dreadful. a big shame, since it is my local
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There weren't many people at the bar but it did seem an age to get served.
There was only one ale on, I wanted a glass of red wine as we were heading to a restaurant a bit later and I did not fancy mixing my drinks, I'm not to sure if I approve of wine on tap instead of from the bottle.
Will wait for a second visit before I make my mind up fully.
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Probably the wrong night, chrissiboy. Yes, still quite slow on the serving front but otherwise a great place to drink and for the most part, friendly punters. Still rate this place.
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Dreadful place...
If you like going to a pub, where 99% of the tables are reserved (yet clearly unoccupied) and want to spend half your evening waiting to be served - this is the pub for you!
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Generally a nice place to hang out - serves decent food and has interesting decor but ruined on busy nights by painfully slow service and rude staff (one in particular). Waiting half an hour at the bar to be greeted by an attitude is not good news! My friends and I keep going back though so it must have something.
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This was a gay bar from at least the mid-70s onwards
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nice to see the place is still going strong, choice of real ales and decent imported brews on draught
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What is it with Mitchells and Butler pubs?
A nice environment, but as per the Washington in NW3, miserable staff who seem to have no idea as to how to work on a bar.
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This had the potential to be a great pub but it was really awful. I had a pint of Green King IPA which didn't taste very nice and then went back to the bar for another round. But, they couldn't serve me as they had run out of gas! All the beers were off and they refused to offer bottled lagers at a cheaper price to compensate. It was raining really heavily outside so we couldn't even go somewhere else. The barman eventually managed to tease a couple of pints of foul-tasting lager out for us (and charged full price). The service was bad - kids who preferred to chat with their friends rather than serve the punters. Shame as the decor was nice and garden looked great (if it hadn't been raining!).
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Is this still a gay bar ? A mate and I stumbled in this pub many moons ago, only to find out a pub full of chaps were checking us out with twinkles in their eyes. Drank fast and split. It was pretty much a dump back in the 80s, but how seems to be cracking. Will have to check out.
Joseph65
USA
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Great range of eclectic beers, good tunes, comfy and atmospheric. Unfortunately, service can be a bit on the s-l-o-w side and the food (whilst delicious) is not cheap.
Best in the Summer in the hidden beer garden.
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Lovely pub with generally good service. Great in the summer when they open all the big windows, really airy. Although the last time I was there, when it came to kicking out time, one of the barmen was extremely rude when asking us to drink up (with the bar half full still!).
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The night I went the bar was pretty busy but I still didn’t have long to wait to get served. The small garden out the back’s nice on hot days, the downstairs area is cool for chilling out with comfy sofa’s and a Bedouin (?) type feel.
3 Ales, large choice of lagers on tap and in bottles. Apparently the food was pretty good as well.
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bit of a mixed bag, the piped music was good mixture of differing sounds and not mind bendlingly loud, the beer and wine list is quite extensive - not a bargain but hey - try the Belgo/Bierodrome's of this world if you want to pay ridiculous prices. It does now sell real ale - 3 on offer, no great shakes but its a start, i watched with rye amusement as the barman proceeded to flush out a pint glass with "freezing" water before pulling me a pint... i kept stum ! Natty decor and and chilled out ambience do make this place worth visit.
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Great pub, perfect for things like birthday drinks on a Friday evening on a cold winter's day in January. Gets rather busy so get there early!
anonymous - 18 Jan 2006 11:07 |
Excellent selection of world beers but no real ales which is a shame. The atmosphere is a mixture of traditional and contemporary that meshes very well together. I've been to many pubs that have tried this and failed. I'm always impressed with the music they have playing. I like the quaint beer garden in the basement.
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I love going into this pub with a good book and chillin on one of the comfy seat with one the superb beers that served here... One of the best range of beers I've seen, with great food.
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I can't work this place out. My mate lives round the corner from the Champion so I've been there a few times. When it's been good, it's been excellent, and when it's been bad, I've wanted to digest my internal organs and collapse in a deceased heap. It is pricey, bourne out of the fact that most pumped lagers are on the imported and only-vaguely-aware-of scale. Expect, too, to pay a fortune for a bowl of those far-flung clime staple, some nuts. Clientele also reflect this Depends-on-Fate integer. One night, I barely talked to Phil as we were too busy meeting chatty new drunk people. On other nights, I've wanted to risk life detention at her majesty's pleasure by murdering the pompous, shouty, latest-phone-waving Nathan Barley idiots who can, if you're really unlucky, congregate there en masse if that day happens to be the 'Jumped up fashionista mediaslut' pub yell-a-thon and no-one had told you. All in all, god, I dont know.
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A very good pub, nice old leather in a newly refurbished pub. Just about the right amount of modern approach with a really comfortable environment. Also the room downstairs is a little gem. The only place were it lacks is the beer selection, their europeen beers are really nice, but wouldn't hurt to compliment them with equal quality UK beers.
Richard - 9 Nov 2004 20:51 |
we came across this pub by chance. I don't usually frequent them during daylight hours as they can be such dark and dreary places and I need all the natural light I can get. But, I had a real fancy for a glass of cool white wine and my plates were crying out for respite so it seemed like a good idea. Inside, we were greeted by a rather appealing, tall fair haired young man with enquiring eyes and a generous degree of warmth. Hmmm, I felt welcome and relaxed all of a sudden. The wine he recommended went down a treat. Before long, we were surrounded by workers whose weekend definitely started there. What a great atmosphere. Then it suddenly struck me why it all worked - good natural light. Not to mention happy drinkers and lovely staff. Shame I live 200 miles away. Oh well, until next time.
Lyn - 15 Jul 2004 22:05 |
Especialy on Sunday evening (6.30 to 10.00) for the magic Jazz & Latino session...!!!
Thierry Ch. - 3 Jun 2004 12:02 |
Great Stuff! The newly re-furbished Champion has thrown open its doors to everyone and is inviting visitors to enjoy the relaxed, friendly atmosphere for which it has deservedly become famous. With Hyde Park just minutes away, The Champion is the perfect summer destination and offers a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of nearby Notting Hill. The pub has been given a modern feel via an eclectic mix of classic pub and contemporary furnishings fused with retro kitsch. The spacious interior – in rich shades of green and brown – boasts traditional wood panelling and floors but it is the small, imaginative touches that are guaranteed to grab pub-goers’ attention.
What’s more, The Champion has its very own ‘secret garden’ – barely noticeable on first entering the pub. A series of steps at the back takes visitors down into an outside seating area, reminiscent of a Greek taverna. Brick walls – complete with climbing ivy, which also hangs overhead – create an intimate space while strings of fairy lights and coloured lamps and candles enhance the magical feel. Apparently, the pub will be firing up the garden barbeque this summer – bring on the sunshine!
rhys - 20 May 2004 15:37 |
Awesome pub which has been taken over by new management and is no longer gay. Funky, fun with a great selection of european beers and food!
Jessica - 8 May 2004 16:42 |
The Champion has been totally refurbished by the brewery which owns it (April 2004) and is no longer a gay pub. The former manager (lovely Russell) and virtually all of the gay regulars have moved to The Leinster in nearby Ossington Street. The new venue is just as friendly as the old Champion was.
Robert - 19 Apr 2004 23:28 |
I hear this has been taken over by new management .. is it still a Gay Pub then??
Jay - 16 Apr 2004 19:15 |
Just a normal pub. For normal gay guys and girls - not the attitude of Soho - really smart
steve - 3 Oct 2003 11:55 |
Just a great, fun gay bar. This is a high point of my frequent visits to London to see my son and his bf. If you go ask it Derek, my son, has been in.
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nothing wrong with gay bars, each to their own, but this would make a lovely family pub and then i might go there!
matt - 15 Jul 2003 16:32 |
Gay bar across the road from the park. Used to frequent it when my best mate was alive. Coincidentally my Dad was once the Head Barman there in the 60's (not that he's that way inclined)!
Briony - 27 Mar 2003 09:39 |
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