please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Excellent pint from the local brewery, well worth a visit.
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I used to live nearby so was intrigued to try this place out - I'm also something of a Dickens fan. It's Ok - beers were in good condition and some of the nooks and crannies are enjoyable - but it's a bit themey.
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Impressive building with a large multi-room bar. The staff seemed surprised to see us at shortly after 11am in the morning, but were open for business, despite still mopping the floors. The place soon started to fill up. TVs were a bit of a distraction, but otherwise this was a pleasant, if a little dark, drinking environment with sofas providing a touch of comfort. 3 ales were on - Andwell Sovereign, White Horse Wayland Smithy and Butcombe Bitter. Not a bad start to our day in Reading.
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Mid to lower end of the market as fender100 notes, yet prices do not correspond accordingly. Overpriced, even by Reading standards. Nevertheless, my pint was in good condition. Food is mediocre, won't be having again. Staff skip the queue in favour of regulars. That's fine, just don't expect to gain new regulars that way.
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And the award for the worst pub food tasted in the last 10 years goes to....drum roll....Great Expectations! Utterly awful. Ordered a steak baguette. Think supermarket thin sliced beef, placed on a grill until it can been torn like card and then place in a nuked baguette. First time I have sent food back before even touching it in over 10 years.
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I tend to go in here late afternoon/early evening. Never had a duff pint yet - but then again never wanted to order a 2nd (or 3rd) one from the same pump.
Bit dear but not outrageous.
As other people have pointed out the Victorian theme just about works! Normally I'd avoid this sort of thing like the plague but here it is almost convincing.
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Had a couple of decent guest beers recently (including one from Rudgate Brewery). It's just off the town centre (cut off by the ring road) but probably worth a visit now and again to see what's available. Dickensian theme to the bar areas and accommodation available.
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Great great interior, worth a visit just for that! 7/10
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Service can be very slow.
Drink prices tend to be pretty stiff for a pub at this, mid to lower end of the market.
Could do much better.
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good reasonably priced food and great atmosphere
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Beer quality varies, but never had a bad one - just a few mediocraties. Often the problem seems to be that they run out at busy times. Selection tends to be varied.
Seems a lot busier now, gets heaving with the 25-40 brigade on an evening when the After Dark has got a night on, it's a great warm-up venue.
I like it and I think it's worth stopping off to check out the inside at the very least.
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Beer ranges from mediocre to undrinkable. Once made it into the Good Beer Guide but no idea how - the judges must have been on crack. Bizarre interior. Could be nice but....
anonymous - 12 Jun 2007 13:51 |
We always eat whenever we come in here, and there has never been a problem. This place is a welcoming change to all the silly chain pubs in reading and the staff are among the friendliest in the area. top pub
sichr - 22 Jan 2007 20:46 |
Excellent bar staff, friendly clieontel. Original interior a little bit on the smokey side. Very spacious.
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Enoyable piece of silly mock-Victoriana interior, selling a couple of decent ales (guest beer Davenports was very good).
Big, dark and empty though, need to bring a few mates with you otherwise it feels like a Sunday. Well worth a stop on a Reading crawl though.
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One of the better pubs in Reading. Usually pretty quiet-even with football on-and only really fills up for the Quiz. Which is ludicriously simple (easy pickings for all you quiz geeks out there!) Beer is tolerable yet expensive but don't touch the food unless you want to be poisoned for a week. One of my mates had a baguette here that laid him up for 4 days.
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Great building but the beer is awful, you can tell they don't clean the pipes that often, even the guiness had an odd aftertaste.
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this pub is great on christmas eve, had the best xmas eve ever there last year. its got exactly the right atmosphere and cosiness :) i suggest getting a crew of your mates down there on xmas eve and getting really drunk and singing xmas carols together!
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I've popped in here a few times over the years - it never seesm to be particularly busy.
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Good enough, gets by on it's victorian theme by the skin of its teeth.
Stuart - 5 Sep 2004 16:36 |
The food leaves a lot to be desired. Mainly microwaved and reheated. One the two occasions I ate there the Beef and Ale pie had soggy pastry and was not very hot, and the sausage baguette (which had been microwaved) made me ill for 2 days.
Nice enough atmosphere - just keep clear of the menu !
Skyclad - 23 Mar 2004 15:42 |
Bloody good .. especially if you get the Geordie landard having a conversation with you about how much he can drink..
Was very worried when I noticed he was wearing a drees on New Years eve tho...!
The Waster - 16 Jan 2004 14:23 |
Not quite sure if this is a pub or a museum.
Platypuss - 30 Nov 2003 12:20 |
A "pseudo" Victorian pub, but works quite well.
Vindaloo - 13 Aug 2003 15:12 |
