please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Decided to pop along on Friday lunchtime to see if it was as bad as thee reviews said. Nice enough inside for a lunchtime drink. Service reasonable enough and with beers like Adnams Broadside and Bombadier a good option.
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So-so pub between Westminster and St James's Park. To give you an idea about this place, on my last visit I asked for a pint of Bombardier and the bar person topped up a glass that had obviously been standing there for some unknown period of time before I arrived. When queried whether they actually sold fresh beer, the staff member looked rather surprised that a) I had noticed, and b) that I had bothered to query this practice. Eventually got a promise that she would give me a new pint if I didn't like it, but chose to drink the stuff and write a grumpy review instead...
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I'm a little surprised by the negative comments on this place given that its one of the better Westminster pubs (god how this country could use some decent pubs around its parliament) and i quite like the dark limited space.
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Having read previous reviews I was interested to find out if this pub really lived up to its poor reputation, so I visited with friends on Friday 28 April. I was not to be disappointed! I managed to get served fairly swiftly and the staff seemed OK if not very knowledgable. I asked for a pint of Spitfire on a hand pump, but it failed and the barmaid said the 'gas' had gone. Interesting comment as this was gravity drawn. Still, I had 2 decent pints of Bishop's Finger before that ran out. By 18:30 all of the beer had gone and there was no pumped lager to be had either. No bottled cider in the place and the cider tap was the next to go. The staff resorted to running up and down from the cellar with boxes of bottled lager at £3.07 a time. I have never been in a pub anywhere that has run out of beer by half-six on a busy Friday night. Needless to say we and most everyone else had left by 20:00. Off to the Sanctuary House for decent food and beer, but that's another story.
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i agree the service and attitude to customers here is very poor.
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Went here on a Friday night and was greeted by possibly the worse service I have ever seen. Beer was ok after I waited 15 mins plus for my pint. Sort out the service and it will be OK.
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Had an office lunch at the pub on friday and were incredibly disappointed.
The food took a long time (We were warned 40-50 minutes - in fact it took an hour and a quarter.
When it eventually turned up one of the meals was cold. The manager stuck a thumb in the pie to confirm it was cold and sent back for a new one. This took another 20 minutes.
The staff were incredibly unfriendly and unhelpful, often blaming us for not ordering certain things (when the receipt said otherwise)
Whatever happened to the customer is always right.
I will not go back to this pub again.
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Such a shame. This pub is potentially a great little work local in an area of pubs devoid of character. It's always been expensive, but some of these reviews show a pub with no steady hand at the helm. I'll keep popping in though, just like to give the place a chance!
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The ale is average and overpriced. The food is mediocre, but the portions are fair.
Only been there during the day so not much atmosphere.
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Pretty mediocre. Beers just about tolerable when they're available, but service is slow (too few bar staff) and food looks to be in the dubious tradition of good old British pub grub. A good number of Westminster pubs are nondescript if not actively offensive and this lives down to that level.
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Well interesting reading RogerB, perhaps you drank all the beer. I am absolutely gobsmacked. This too is a work local, and better than the closer Westminster Arms. Prices are good and it has greatly improved since the obnoxious drunk previous manager went.
But tonight, a Friday night, and they have six handpumps but not one ale on. Are they bothered? Like hell. I couldn't engage any of the staff on this. Dunno who the manager was. Something about problems with ordering. I've been to lots of pubs with a couple of handpumps on for show but don't actually use them by design, but out of incompetence??
So I buy a couple of bottle beers. Both warm. Take one of them back and ask for a cold one. They don't have a cold one. You are offering a service and a product, please please show some professionalism. I am not into name and shame, but if I can't take up my gripes with you what else is left, and by all means take up your argument with me on this site, but it was pathetic! And when I told you that I would resort to this you showed not the slightest interest.
Some additonal comments - the upstairs has a charm like an old fashioned mens club. The fire is clearly very artificial. And the food is pretty dire, along the lines of most pubs in the country.
I really really wanted to go to the most excellent Speaker tonight, particularly as it has a beer festival on but colleagues had already decided to go to the Chairmen. Perhaps my posting will do some good.....
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This being one of the closest pubs to my office, I have tried hard to get to like this place. It has all the ingredients of a decent pub but somehow it just lacks anything to make it stand out. Dating from 1756, it stands in a grand street where every other building seems to have a blue plaque. The alley that runs down the side, now called Lewisham Street, was once a major thoroughfare linking St James to the Houses of Parliament and was a base for operators of sedan chairs and the pub name is derived from this trade. The interior of the pub is quite cosy but rather dimly lit and with little natural light to lift the gloom. The décor is fairly dated with old fashioned wallpaper, dark paneling and a dark patterned papered ceiling. The central area is divided by 2 low angled wooden screens with pew seating and a tiled fireplace in a wood panel surround. At the back is more pew seating and 3 fading murals depicting 18th century scenes but these are badly lit and best observed from distance. They do a decent range of Real Ales, usually 6 at any one time although the guest beers generally tend to be rather unadventurous. Quality is usually OK and they have Cask Marque accreditation. Food is reasonably priced and looks fine but the choice is standard pub fare. There is an upstairs “Sedan” bar into which I have yet to venture. It can also be very smoky although this will thankfully be a thing of the past come July. I can’t help feel that this pub is a bit of an underachiever given its location and targeted customer base and whilst the cornerstones are in place to make this place become one of the best in the vicinity, it really needs a bit of brightening up.
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Liked this one. The Deuchars was extremely good, friendly welcome, and a good atmosphere inside. Pubs this size suit me fine.
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Well, this is allright then, isn't it? Nothing wrong with this one, or perhaps we're overwhelmed with cosy little pubs in this area. The decor is ok and the fireplace is interesting, as are the five ales on tap and not one of them under par.
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A small pub out of the way which can get busy. Nothing to rate it highly on and nothing to rate it lowly on. Average.
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Was and allways will be a Great "Watering Hole" Fond memories
Dallas
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The paintings on the far wall were interesting and contributed most of the character to the inside of the pub. Small and comfortable. Beer was fine. I would pop in here if I was in the area again. Perhaps not just after 5pm.
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one of my favourite pubs in the area - bar staff are friendly and well laid-out inside. v v smoky at times although that will presumably change.
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There is a certain 'je ne sais quoi' missing from the Two Chairman....
Maybe it's the layout of the pub - there just isn't quite enough standing space, which means many of the punters (if it's full) have to sit down and be reserved...
Good beer though. A Deuchars IPA in Westminster is no bad thing.
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Its ok I guess - bit dark and small for my liking - but have no probs with the lagers they sell.
Can't put my finger on why I'm not a big fan - I just wouldn't go there by choice.
Everyone to their own though of course.
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Agree a bit dark but a nice boozer in the traditional style. Bar staff was okay. Enjoyed a couple of pints in a comfortable and relaxing setting. Will go back!
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Beer OK, but it needs a damn good clean. Will benefit very much from smoking being banned.
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A bit dark and dingy but serves a good pint and reasonable food - and doesn't get too crowded compared to other pubs in the area.
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I loved this pub--very friendly barman, good range of beers on tap, good food and cool interior.
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Yes I must say that the plastic glasses are rather poor.
But as a former employee of the establishment I can assure you that they are only used as the police for us too following complaints from the neighbouring apartments.
Then they had the nerve to drop a whole load of bottles from a party they had on our doorstep and expect us to get rid of them for them.
Toby - 14 Nov 2004 17:20 |
Old-style pub with dark carpets, dark furnishings. Good location opposite Cockpit Steps, brings you away from tourists around Parliament Square.
Outside drinks only in plastic glasses (boo!)
Wullie - 17 Aug 2004 15:40 |
Pokey pub with charrac ter and bombadier on tap. Quite nice but can be smokey. Easy access to St James Park through Cockpit Steps.
anon - 5 Jun 2003 16:59 |
