please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Excellent and manages to be unpretentious and top quality by turns. The burgers we consumed were all superb and a pint of the classic local beer Dark Star American Pale Ale went down a treat. Dim lighting makes for a cosy winter den and it's also one of the nearer goo pubs to the sea front.
|
Our dog loves this pub as it has a carpet to lie on and not floorboards. Good beer and great food and good bar staff. They also have a great sun deck up top. Easy to lose a day here.
|
A rare find in Brighton: a pub that isn't too image conscious. It's happy with the old carpets, furniture and assorted knick knacks that adorn the walls and shelves. It's resisted the temptation to go for the bare floorboard and wanky art wall look, and it's much the better for it.
The beer is good. Always a nice range, always well kept, and not too pricey. The food looks good too, but having never eaten it I can't say any more than that. In fact the only problem with this pub, is it's location: its in Brighton, so you get a few media glasses wearing cocks in there from time to time, but there's worse people to share a pint with, so overall I'm happy to sup a few in here.
|
The name sounds like one of those artificial, self-consciously quirky names that corporate chains give their plastic and unloveable pubs. . The raspberry red paintjob seems to signal a hideously brash wine bar.
It's neither. If it is a corporate chain pub, it's a corporate chain that actually understands pubs. It's all dark wood, brass rails, framed prints and proper beer. There were a couple of Dark Stars and Harvey's Sussex on the night we went in. To be brutally honest I have had better Harvey's, but not by much. And it was poured by a cheery young barmaid who actually knew how to pull a pint--and to give it a top up once it settled.
The bar food was decent and reasonably priced. And there's apparently a restaurant upstairs which we didn't see.
We liked this pub a lot. We'll be going back next time we're in Brighton
Royed - 26 Sep 2012 18:02 |
What a fantastic pub.
Great Ales, great food & great location.
We had a starter, main & glass of wine each & total bill was �45.
+ Portions were huge!
Yes it is a loud pub, but there are quiet areas.
1st floor is bar with a few Tv screens.
2nd floor is Restaurant & Bar
3rd Floor is bar with Tv screens
Roof is smoking area
|
We stumbled on this pub completely by accident, being unfamiliar with Brighton. It was a Saturday night and England were playing. The place therefore was packed in the downstairs bar. The place turned into a maze!! We headed upstairs and found ourselves at another bar. A friendly young lady showed us to a table and even fetched us a drink which was unexpected. (I don't mind saying I fancied the young lady - give her a pay rise).
The decor was to my taste: Dark reds wall with wood panelling I seem to recall. The ale was good and varied. So good and varied we had to return the next evening to make sure.
Leaving the place on the Saturday night was an experience. We seemingly exited the same way we went in only to find ourselves coming out of an entirely different door. Either we'd knocked back one too many Dark Star ales or this place is a gateway between two dimensions. I look forward to returning in 2012 to put this theory to the test and under strict, laboratory conditions, too. A nice find and fully recommended from me.
|
excellent back street pub, open very late on the weekend and therefore is good for a late night drink. I enjoy drinking the Dark Star, cosy pub, friendly locals, in my opinion one of the better pubs in Brighton.
|
Very geezerish pub, full of loud blokes watching football, but nooks and crannies away from the pretty ubiquitous screens.
Absoultely excellent Sunday lunch. The ale selection is a bit `meh' but I have to say the pint of Harveys was lovely and very well kept.
|
An attractive pub on three floors including roof terrace. Sports screens throughout the ground floor, happy-looking blokey clientele and wide range of beers, but seem to have a high turnover of nervous looking bar staff. Badly let down by the pub food - miniscule portions, sloppily prepared and laughably overpriced. Separate restaurant on the second floor is much better but again not cheap.
|
Good pub. Beers Dark star Harveys & Sharps. Food very good nice menu, and not over priced. Pub has three floors with two terraces. Would have got a 10 but for the music, Which will not be everyone's cup of tea.
|
I've drunk many times in this pub and it always has a good pint of Hophead and Festival on. On our first attempt to eat here we were disappointed to be incorrectly told the time we had available to order off the daytime menu but we did stay for the evening menu which was very satisfying. Often get a little live music which always adds to the atmosphere of this pub. The only downside of this otherwise terrific pub is the presence of TV screens but somehow they don't cause the irritation in the background that I find in other pubs.
|
Great couple of pints of hophead. Lovely relaxed atmosphere and pleasant locals.
Will be back.
|
Ive been drinking at the lion & lob for about 2 years now and every time i go there it seems to get better and better.
its well managed, well looked after, great atmosphere and a lot of thought goes into making it a fantastic drinking experience. the bar staff generally are pretty good but service can be a bit slow, but for a pub that i have never seen quiet thats no surprise. The outside/roof terrace is one of the best you are likely to come across, we were outside the other night and you'd have thought it was a summers evening, it was in fact a rainy february night, but such it the quality of the pub that this doesn't put you off (and we're not even smokers).
if there is a better pub in brighton i'd like to know but until then im more than happy at the lob.
|
Hophead was poor - probably turned sour by the man hating dykes who populated the pub on my visit.
|
Lovely pint of Hophead in a well run and busy pub.
Highly reccommended
|
I'm amazed that this beauty of a pub doesn't have a higher average rating. All the comments I've read seem very positive and I echo them all. This pub is ace. The layout, the atmosphere, the staff....all great. Definitely one of the best in Brighton by far. We popped in by chance one Sunday eveing as we were passing and witnessed an 80-yr-old lady singing with a live jazz band.....unforgettable!
|
Best pub in Brighton by far. Great staff, great food, amazing atmosphere no matter what time of day you go. Well worth travelling to.
|
a classic boozer. managed extremely well. great atmosphere, friendly staff. well worth a visit on a weekend night.
|
Visited a couple if Saturdays ago. Dark Star Hophead and Festival, Doom Bar, Harveys Sussex Best, GK Abbot. Many pump clips above the bar. Hophead was decent. Pub bigger than it looks from the outside going back some way. Sky Sports showing. Pretty good.
|
Cannot but echo the other comments: friendly, efficient staff, great buzz, variety of places to eat and drink. Was too drunk to remember if the food was good or not. And....... I know Brighton has a large gay community but am I the only old lecher to notice that the barmaids are all gorgeous?
|
visited this pub on trip down from scotland. polite friendly staff, good beer , pleasant atmosphere. ill be back!
|
Nice pub on several levels and with a roof terrace. Good choice of beer, but served a little too warm. Food looked good, but didn't try.
|
Fantastic afternoon in this pub enjoying the "Festival" ale, followed by live Jazz music in the evening. Good atmosphere for a large pub.
|
Quality pub, very friendly, and good atmosphere, decent selection of draught, and nice reasonable food too, only downside is it does get mobbed in there, and isn't too cosy.
|
Always very busy, somtimes thats good, sometimes i want a slightly less busy place. The ales are always pretty good, the Doombar in particular.........only eaten here a couple of times and its always been pretty prompt and tasty. Must try the new upstairs out soon. Love the fact you get all the sports shown on several tv's.......downstairs toilets are a bit smelly but hey, you cant have everything. Generally very good pub......
|
Disappointing. This pub has a lot of potential and it has a cosy, relaxed feel - you could linger here alone or with a friend. But it needs a clean up and the staff need to look after the beer. My pint of Harveys was decidedly dull and in poor condition.
|
Great beer, food, people, barmaids, roof terrace... Open very late... Only downside is it gets very overcrowded despite being huge. 9/10
|
My Brighton local, it never dissapoints.
|
Best pub in Brighton by far!! Friendly bar staff and and good food. Far superior to all other bars in the area. Definitely a favourite.
|
Oh yes, a truly great selection of tasty local beers and a jolly convivial atmosphere and only a minute or two from the glitz and trash of the seaside. A good range of food (well the chips were good - I can't comment on anything else) and a roaring fire to dry out in front of if you've just been dragged from the sea by a rescue helicopter. My only gripe would be that on the Saturday I visited the volume on the TVs was way too high. Sitting in the back room with the big restaurant tables ready to stuff my face witth the aforementioned chips I literally couldn't hear myself speak in an otherwise empty room. Odd quirks are the gents' loo which has around 200 mirrors angled around the mirrors for a truly narcissistic experience and the strange radio anomaly that engulfs the pub. meaning it is impossible to achieve a mobile phone signal. Handy if you don't like idiots shouting down their phone at other idiots in other pubs to let all the other idiots in other pubs know which pub they are in, but not so handy if you have an urgent call to make. There is a three foot space with a signal to the right of the front door if you are desperate and need to check to see if your house is on fire, it's right by where the smokers congregate so don't breathe in.
|
This is a real find of a pub... but don't order food here. I ordered "Irish stew" which consisted of 4 pieces of carrot, 2 pieces of potato and about 5 pieces of meat! Needless to say I asked for a refund.
|
A great pub - I play in a band here regularly, so perhaps I'm biased - with a good atmosphere. Having said that - get the Gents' toilets cleaned up and sorted out, for heavens' sake! I don't relish standing in a pool of piss every time I go. Apart from that, a good boozer!
|
If you want a pub with real character the lion & lobster is for you. The food is good, the beer is good and the staff are always friendly too. Its a quirky little venue and the regulars are a great mix of people. The addition of guest rooms is brilliant (nice and really cheap too)
I always go to the L&L when in Brighton - which sadly isnt too often nowadays
|
Just been there on Sunday, 7/Oct/07. Good range of beer & real ale, good atmophere but the quality control of was quite bad. I was after a nice roast meal coz a friend of mine recommanded their roast meal, but I was very disappointed. They had the best gravy I've ever tasted but at the same time the driest beef I've ever eaten, lamb also a bit on the dry side, overcooked vegetables (carrots were burnt and black on one side), and only beef roast comes with yorkshire pudding. All in all, a very characteristic deco and good place for drinking. but if you're having a meal there, good luck to you.
|
Sorry Sastrugi, this is one of Brighton's last Free Houses. There's no brewery to complain to.
|
I am a single parent with little money and rarely can afford to pay a babysitter. Last night myself and another single parent went to the lion and lobster. We walked in and whilst waiting to be served were splashed from head to toe on the other side of the bar by a barmaid who laughed, passed a disgusting towel soaked with beer and went off to serve another customer (already waiting before us). The other staff member (male) who was laughing about it served us and I said I think free drinks for myself and friend were the least they could do. He continued to ignore us racking it up on the till and asking us to pay up. i said no, that free drinks would be a nice gesture in the light of this. He ignored us. we went to the original barmaid to ask her to give him the nod that this was a good plan and she avoided eye contact and said it was not her decision. The 'manager' came over in a very unfriendly way and said "I dont like people who come into a pub asking for free drinks", continued to humiliate and berate us in front of all the other customers until we had no choice but to withdraw without a drink.
I was wearing a new dress, I had beer in my hair and felt ridiculous. Surely common sense, manners and some knowledge of how PR works come into play in these circumstances.
I am appalled and feel that other people would perhaps have been treated differently ie regulars, elderly people, people dressed in sharp suits etc etc
I am furious - who knows what brewery this pub is linked to??
|
Smoke on a rope. Really good pub which I am looking forward to visiting again after 1st July when the smoking ban starts.
|
One of my favs in Brighton. Good selection of high quality beer, attractive barmaids, local feel. Busy in a good way early evening but very relaxed this lunchtime. Darkstar Hophead & Festival, Wessex Bitter from Cottage Brewing, Harvey's Sussex, and Abbot from boycotted GK. Wood bar and panelling, 2 TVs (no sound today), 1 plasma out back. Best pub near seafront for beer & atmosphere. Food selection didn't look great, in fact I can't recall seeing anyone eat there on my half dozen visits, but Bankers chippy is just up on Western Rd where I tend to eat in, as the gulls round here attack in squadron formation - I'm sure they must be in radio contact.
|
Bit of a classic tale.....great atmosphere, good food, a bit cramped....and APALLING toilets.
Beer is good, but pub gets very smokey when busy. Roll on the ban!
|
A pretty decent pub, usually has a few darkstar beers on tap..
|
Im afraid this pub is steadily going down hill. It used to be good. Now the food is poor and the upkeep of the place is terrible.
anonymous - 5 Jan 2007 12:12 |
like any ups and Down's syndrome our pubs seem to go through I predict the worse great pub thu??
|
Great pub - monster sized portions for the (reasonably priced) food and a great selection of beers (again, cheaper than average). The roasts are especially good - its the perfect venue for a Sunday session as they show the football too.
Only black mark is the gents toilet - they have regular leaks in there, so there's often puddles on the floor! They seem to combat the potential smell of this by piling the urinal full of urinal blocks... If you sit at the big table by the gents, you get a rancid waft of chemicals whenever someone opens the door!
This pub must make a fortune, so come on Whelan, sort it out!
|
Lovely unpretentious dark gin soaked den with roaring fire and decent range of booze and food. Toilets are quite small. Jazz musician on the flute warms the cockles too.
anonymous - 13 Jan 2006 11:50 |
A proper pub with a good range of beers, a cozy atmosphere and great jazz on a Sunday night - good late licensing hours too
teens - 13 Dec 2005 17:58 |
Recently had a bot of an extension round the back so now got a few more tables. Jazz on a Thursday is outstanding and other live music through the week.
Badly Drawn Boy has played here. Fairly recently too (within the last couple of years).
|
Chilled, good place for a pint and some footie.
anonymous - 21 Sep 2005 15:21 |
Good cosmopolitan serious drinkers pub, could just do with being a fraction bigger as it is always a squeeze getting round the bar
anonymous - 1 Aug 2005 11:19 |
Lovely traditional pub tucked down a side street. Good choice of real ales, perhaps not as well kept as those in the Evening Star. Great food, reasonably priced, great atmopsphere and late licence as they do food!!! Very friendly, plenty of seating. Enjoyed my Hophead almost as much as that in the Evening Star (where I went the same night :-) ) and I came back for lunch the next day :-)
anonymous - 24 May 2005 13:24 |
It IS officially the best pub in Brighton.......
Because of Katrina, she kicks arrrrrse!
anonymous - 13 Jan 2005 14:59 |
Like the mirrors in the toilet
|
really chilled out, can get rather busy, but its the norm for peeps to spill out on to the street- pretty cool
|
Wicked layout, cozy and cool, probaby my favourite too.
Gareth - 3 Dec 2003 15:56 |
Charming, atmosphere, setting and staff...just lovely.
sally mathias - 21 Nov 2003 12:23 |
Great atmosphere on Sunday evenings (the Irish music night).
Ian - 8 Oct 2003 23:50 |
Great Pub, with good Music on Sundays
Peter - 2 Oct 2003 13:24 |
My local. Great atmosphere, mix of locals and discerning fellow travellers, good range of beers, regular excellent live music, shabby decor, superb straightforward food, rooms available at reasonable (for Brighton) rates, friendly staff, and a really scary looking landlord/owner (wasn't he off the bill??).
Ant - 30 Jul 2003 13:29 |
My favourite pub in Brighton... friendly and nice
Denis - 29 May 2003 14:52 |
