please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Fantastic beer, great food, friendly bar staff. Top Notch.
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I started using this pub as an alternative to the Doric Arch and was very pleased to see the selection of real ales on offer. Now that the Doric Arch is little more than a Fullers pub, I will be here much more often.
Will not be taking advantage of the 50p discount for CAMRA members as I value my credibility higher than that.
Keep up the good work.
ajsqs - 29 Jun 2008 19:38 |
A further visit earlier today yielded good results - had the Doom Bar which was on top form. Oh, and er without going into too much detail the girl behind the bar was "aesthetically pleasing" as well! Top place which has now become a regular haunt. Keep up the good work!
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I have recently visited this pub on a recommendation from a friend and I was very suprised at the fantastic selection of ales on offer!
I know of very few pubs in London who have 10 ales and none that keep five ales on the back bar serving the ale straight from the barrel!
I'm a carmra member so I was offered a discount of 50p off a pint and a few quid off their pies as well.
It may not be the most traditional looking pub but dont let that put you off, Staff are Friendly and seemed like they would remeber you if you came back.
I was also lucky enough to chat to the landlord who was very well infomed on his ales and spoke of the importance of how the beer is stored and served(the temperature, how long to leave in the barrel before tapping etc..)
A very pleasent evening and I highly recommend you check this pub out.
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Paid my second visit here yeaterday afternoon - took the safe option and had a pint of Bombardier (despite the fact there were several other ales on) but I can honestly say it was the best pint of the stuff I've had in a long time. Judging by my limited experiences of the place and the positive reviews by other people I think it might well become a regular haunt.
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Welcome addition to an area short on decent pubs. Wide range of real ales, friendly service. Worth visiting if having to brave Euston or even Kings Cross.
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What a gem. Went there last night on these recommendations and it's an ale drinkers paradise. 4 beers in the barrel (all keep at a nice cool temperature somehow) including a dark mild (Black Pearl) and 4 or 5 on handpull. Excellent pie and mash (with a choice of 5 or 6 meat and one veggy) and, as I must look like a CAMRA man (I'm not, I have no beard nor do I wear sandles or argyll sweaters) I WAS offered the discount. I was honest and declined. But given that the pies & mash was £8 for plebs and £5 for CAMRA members I'm joining before I go back! Friendly bar staff, too (if a bit too young and East European to be especially knowledgeable about the beer)
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Four real ales on handpump and another four dispensed by gravity when I was there the other day. The Royal Albert and Fox’s Nob that I had were both superb. Not cheap at £3 a pint, but good value at £2.50 a pint for CAMRA members. Unlike dpv and rpadam I was not paid the ultimate compliment of being recognised instantly as a CAMRA member, but was given the discount when I asked. No CAMRA discount on the food though, but I suppose that is fair enough. The food was pretty average – as I recall the ploughmans I had cost about £7 and was OK without being anything special. As others have intimated, the pub is fairly plain with no real “character” - but in my view is definitely worth seeking out for the ales alone.
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this is a great pub allways amazing ales every time i go in there i find a new favorite ale and the landlord is totaly sound aswell unlike all other landlords who dont give a shit about the beer an its customers this guy is so passionate he really cares what drnikks he gets in and its nice to see .
highly recomen this pub even if you have to travel miles to get ther as i do it will be wrth it to get the best pint in london
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I've been going here on a regularly basis for nearly a year and it has improved a lot in that time.
Just the fact that they have 4 or 5 ales on gravity should be enough to convince you to visit.
Unlike many pubs the landlord here takes great pride in the way the beer is kept and served.
If you like real ale this pub is not to be missed!
Highly reccomended
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probably the best ale pub in this area, well worth dropping by .
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The plus points - 50p off for CAMRA members (voluntered by the bar staff without asking), and five decent ales including Oyster Stout on gravity in addition to the handpumps - clearly outweigh the minuses (slightly antiseptic feel to the decor, but this does not extend to the toilets...).
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Visited this for the first time last night. An unremarkable one-room interior, and the poster who said the tables could be laid out a bit better was, I think, right. I also thought the part of the pub near the gents' was a bit whiffy. Moving on to the important aspects, the pub impressed on the beer front - three ales on handpump and five on gravity: I had Doom Bar on gravity, which was excellent, and Atlantic IPA (also Sharps) on handpump, which was almost as good. A basic range of food was available: I had a fairly average burger, and my friend a pie which he thought was good. I'd definitely return: it's good to find serious ale pubs in slightly unexpected locales like this.
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A very tasty pint of Landlord on gravity yesterday, and the usual assortment of other interesting real ales. But sadly I didn't have the time to drink more of them this time around.
Apparently they offer a CAMRA discount on food as well. When we were ordering drinks, staff asked if perchance we were CAMRA members, in order to offer us a discount if so. I chose to take this as a compliment....
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Usually it's best to avoid pubs close to train stations but this place breaks that rule. good ales and a friendly landlord make this worth a visit, the pies were also excellent.
If I was being super-critical I'd say that the tables could be arranged better and i personally would get rid of the fruit machines.. and maybe paint the walls a little darker. but this is nit-picking, it's a very good pub.
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Watched the Grand National in here last Saturday. Sat right next to a deafeningly loud telly, resulting in some mild banter with some friendly locals.
I also enjoyed the Oyster Stout, as recommended by the landlord, who seemed friendly.
My co-drinker said it had had a paint job and had consequently lost some of its 'old man' charm, but overall a good place.
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Very nice pub. Good selection of ales - Adnams Oyster Stout on gravity was stand out for me last night. Seems to be well run, food looks interesting. 50p off a pint for CAMRA members is a nice touch. Will be back.
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Great to see several gravity ales to complement the handpumped beer, all serving up an impressive choice, including stouts. The pies looked very good on the menu, though I didn't try any. Hard to spot a healthier option amongst them as each, apparently, comes 'with double cream buttered mash potato', and that's just the accompaniment.
The ambiance and service are fine, though the interior suffers from that dazzling, recently painted post-smoking ban, curse. I know the insides certainly smelt worse pre-ban, but I think they often looked better with fag stained walls and ceilings.
Go here, rather than anywhere else nearby (with the possible exception of the little bar at the end of the new Eurostar platforms at St Pancras, which did a mean pint of gravity Doom Bar - there, that'll unsettle our French friends as they arrive in the UK), if you are traveling through Euston and fancy a very good pint.
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A very pleasant surprise.
After reading all the reviews I gave this pub a try last night around 1930. I found staff to be attentive and friendly. The physical atmosphere contained rather a lot of moisture but I got used to that before the end of my session.
Harvey's Best Bitter, served on gravity, was on absolute top quality, so I am confident all the other ales would have been well-kept too. Be sure to show your CAMRA membership card for your 40p-a-pint discount.
I enjoyed the chicken penne pasta with broccoli and green pesto. A good-sized portion well balanced in flavour and texture. The food menu contains a fair range of down-to-earth pub grub including a choice of eight different pies served with creamed mash and veg, all at £7.99. Special food-and-beer offers apply at weekends and live sports events.
A fine alehouse, worthy of regular visits.
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Over the last 10 years I’ve usually called into this pub every three months or so and never been tempted to make it any more frequent. However my experiences over the past year have been getting better and better and I’m now preferring it to the Doric Arch. There are 5 hand pumps and 5 on gravity as others have mentioned and there always seems to be something interesting on. After a couple of chats with the landlord it’s clear how passionate he is about is trade, his beer and providing a great customer experience. The beer is pricey at £2.90 but show a CAMRA card and you’ll get 40p off. Although the last redesign made a bit more room, it’s increasing popularity means it can get packed, especially on a Thursday/Friday night, but there’s plenty of outdoor seating for those balmy summer evenings that we all hope will be arriving soon. I've heard they will be getting some dark beers and stouts in for St Paddy's Day.
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Top drawer pub, there were 9 or so on tap and gravity last time I went in (can't entirely remember as all were well kept and had rather too much!).
Much improved in the last year or two, and very good indeed for a pub so close to a station.
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sadly all 5 ales on gravity went within the 1st hour we were there.( Doom Bar, Timmy T's Landlord, Harveys,Thwaites and Adnams Explorer!) That only left Danish Dinamite from Stonehenge Ales, Deuchars IPA, Elgoods Thin Ice, Adnams Bitter and KIng Alfreds on the handle, shame!! I had never known 3 of these!! We were a party of 8, and tried the lot, all were fantastic, but the gravity were the best until all sold out in this busy rugby pub. 40 p off of all ales for us Camra members too, shame, hic!!
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OK - So the lighting is now firmly under control. Smaller bulbs and dimmers have worked their magic.
The ales on gravity are replaced rapidly but with consummate care. (I'm sure the same is true on the handles but I just haven't made it that far yet.)
If you can read the name then you can drink the ale. Take your camra card and save enough on the evening for an eighth round. Valhalla but with 25W bulbs.
Gotterdimmerung !!!
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There is now more light in the Bree Louise than is comfortably imaginable. It even has windows. Plenty of seating but far more importantly lots and lots of standing room. The Gravity Bar is a little piece of Valhalla come down to roost on Euston. Everything I tried was as expected in excellent shape, with the Doombar and Yuletide pouring pure pellucid perfection. Has the potential to replace the original Weatherspoon's in its Colney Hatch heyday as my all time number one. All it needs is an attentive Aussie with attitude and eyes like porter.
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The Bree looks fantastic and smells great! 10 ales available today 5 each of handle and gravity and some really differnt options, Adnams Old Ale and Yuletide, Cottage Goldrush, Sheps Tinsale, Batemans, Hydes and 4 I cant remember but they were great(I think hic!)
Apparently they have a mini scottish ale festival from friday for Burns night,
See you there
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This great pub has recently been given a makeover and is now larger with more seating and a new carpet. I am reliably informed that north london branch of campaign for real ale have voted it pub of the season. There are at least 8 ales on tap with more to come .
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The Bree Louise is a bit tucked away down a back street near Euston Station and from the amount of exterior foliage it is hard to believe there is actually a pub behind the forest of greenery. Once you have negotiated the office groups that tend to clog up the doorway, you will find a rather mundane and unremarkable interior. Plain walls with a few old black and white photos, plain ceilings, quite open with a couple of divides but there is a small cosy room at the front if you can bag a table there. The furnishings are a mix of pews and stools and it all feels a bit tatty and shabby. The bar is relatively small but they generally pack in 8 Ales which is the real magnet. Actually there were only 7 on my visit (Doom Bar / Harveys / Deuchars / Adnams Broadside / Adnams Regatta / White Star Dark Destroyer / White Star Crafty Shag) but that is plenty to keep me occupied over the course of an evening. It’s definitely worth a visit for the beers alone although the pub itself lacks any real character.
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I keep trying this place but find it's not somewhere I'd like to spend too long - I think it has something to do with an underlying odour to the place.
They make a big thing of the pies but they look a bit of a rip-off to me - basically a stew with a pastry lid on. Why can't pubs sell proper pies - pastry on bottom, top and the sides?
The beers have been OK - prefer the HoS despite the grumpy barman - although he's been a bit friendlier lately - must be love...
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Went here on Saturday 10th November. Would usually have gone to the Head of Steam in Euston station but had a look in GBG and came here instead. Great beer, friendly landlord and nice pies. All just a 2 minute walk from the station. Will certainly visit it again.
anonymous - 18 Nov 2007 12:16 |
Fantastic range of ales, several on gravity. It's very easy to pop in for a quick pint and forget to move on.
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Had a meal courtesy of the Independent £10 meal & Rioja offer
Great food(we both had pies) and the White and Red Rioja
were both fantastic. We will be back regularly now, thank you The Independent as we would not have found Euston's best kept secret otherwise!
anonymous - 1 Nov 2007 16:20 |
Had a beer at The Bree last night, Normans Conquest and Harveys absolutely fantastic. By the time I went for a 3rd refill both had gone, But Adnams Broadside had come on and was so good from the cask on the back bar I stayed to closing time! Very busy and ale flying out, I suggest you come early, particularly if you want a seat!
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Had a Camra evening at The Bree Louise on Tuesday, absolutely fantastic. 4 ales on gravity including Doom Bar, Adnams Old and Sharps Eden, and 5 belters on the handle, Cottage Normans Conquest, Old Mill Halloween, Wyre Piddle in the Cold, The Halloween special Hobgoblin and Adnams Explorer. Westons Old Rosie as well as a perry and 6 other ciders also available. Had a pie too, as part of an ongoing Pie & Ale Octoberfest, great food.
The Bree Louise truly desrves its new inclusion in the 2008 Good Beer Guide.
Bravo
ps Camra members get 30p off a pint always!
anonymous - 1 Nov 2007 16:10 |
Cracking pub with great beers looked after well and served to perfection, the food is good and the staff I have met have been really nice especially the landlord Craig, his wife Karen and his son Craig Jnr its nice to see friendly faces behind a bar in London for a change! And as for the cockroaches I have never seen any and I have visited this pub frequently over the past few years unless of course you are referring to some of the so called city slickers who drink their ocassionally.
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Cracking pub with great beers looked after well and served to perfection, the food is good and the staff I have met have been really nice especially the landlord Craig, his wife Karen and his son Craig Jnr its nice to see friendly faces behind a bar in London for a change! And as for the cockroaches I have never seen any and I have visited this pub frequently over the past few years unless of course you are referring to some of the so called city slickers who drink their ocassionally.
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Re Cockroach Friendly poster...
The suggestion that the name of the pub was changed from the Jollys to the current name is simply incorrect. The current owners changed the name when they bought it from the previous landlord - the new name in memorial to their daughter. Not exactly the same!
As a regular in this establishment since 1996 I have seen a lot change in the last 4 or so years since the ownership change:
(i) the real ale is looked after properly and the pub has received appropriate recognition by being included in the 2008 Good Beer Guide.
(ii) the food is significantly better.
(iii) the customers are listened to (hence extra televisions for sport screenings).
etc, etc but I have never seen a cockroach! A cat yes (and some random bar staff occassionally).
Long live the Jollys (Bree Louise if you must...)
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What???!!
Can someone enlighten me as to how or why changing the name of the establishment solves anything, what a very odd comment.
anonymous - 18 Oct 2007 11:33 |
COCKROACH FRIENDLY PUB
Just been for a swifty at lunch and saw a cockroach twice. Apparently this pub used to be called a different name and changed because of cockroach problems as environmental health were called in. Would not recommend going there as bar staff were completely indifferent to the suggestion of a cockroach in the pub. Other colleagues have previously reported the same problem. Have just reported the pub to environmental health.
Bon appetit
anonymous - 16 Oct 2007 14:41 |
Have been here a few times now, latest was 27 September. Usually at least five beers on the go, often Adnams and Sharp's. Normally find something I haven't had before. Food good too. Recommended.
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Didn't see the beers from the cask (pub was heaving) which was a shame as range was very much the usual, apart from the Bass which was OK but a bit warm. Plesant corner pub otherwise.
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Shocking service. I was served by a mute 'i need the cash but don't really want to work' muppet, more interested in his mobile phone. Now it doesn't take much to offer a hello and thank you etc does it.
Anyway the beer, decent pint of Doom bar. The usual suspects were also lined up , Deuchars, Abbott, nothing out of the ordinary, 5 on display plus 2 from the cask (couldn't see where they were).
The pies £7 inc mash and veg, didn't try em' but they looked good. Nice looking pub from the outside, o.k inside, bit scruffy around and behind one of the bar areas.
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Nice pub, friendly atmosphere, good beer (had a few pints of Doom Bar the other week, lovely stuff) and fantastic selection of pies.
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Popped in on the way home. Had a nice pint of Doom Bar or something from Cornwall Rock(?). The only downside was the food. Looks good, smells great and makes you REAL hungry ;-) Gonna have to go back and have a pie!
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This pub used to be run by a couple called Tony and Avrill. Nobody will ever come close to them. They were eventually thrown out as they would leave staff on all day and go down the road to the tip called the Exmouth Arms. We would drink until the very early hours with them and whatever anyone says about them they were very nice welcoming people. Hopefully, the mouse problem has now been resolved. Another regular who used to come in for meetings there was Jimmy Knapp the railway union man.
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now a NO SMOKING PUB, sinc 1st June, what a difference, cant wait until 1st July when they all are.
Great real ale, all 5 handles changed during monday night!! and only Timmy's Landlord was duplicated. Great pint of Dark Destroyer and landlady tells us they will have cooling probes in their gravity ales within 2 weeks- cant wait for that either.
Much improved from last visit, worth another look to anyone with reservations.
anonymous - 26 Jun 2007 17:08 |
Have been here a few times lately, after an absence of many years. Happy to find a really good beer selection. The quality can be variable ranging from perfect to badly out of condition. But generally it is a good pint - consistency is the key. The beers on gravity look like they could be a bit of a nightmare in warm weather. Overall however, if the beer quality can be consistently good, and it is evident that there is a lot of effort going in to this objective, this place is a realistic alternative to the Doric Arch and a contender for the GBG. Keep up the good work.
mally - 23 Jun 2007 13:03 |
adnams broadside was on yesterday, a great beer. next week the st georges beer festival begins on monday, on tuesday the mighty camra will be visiting in the evening.
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i'm sure this was a crappy courage place about 15 years ago ? 3 ales on draught, 3 more on gravity, little tatty but friendly & pleasant. Biltong on sale (if thats your thing) an alternative to the Doric Arch
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Went here tonight, great beer selection, adnams and harveys bitters,archers golden,caledonian great scot and the wonderful adnams tally ho. service was good, atmosphere was too, all in all a good night.
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Great selection of real beers. Also one of the few pubs that serves a selection of biltong
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Great little pub between Euston and Euston Square with a good range of beers for the festival and pies also.
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Was here last night with some friends.It's having a mini beer festival this week and has some good stuff on and all at £2.50 a pint.I had Landlord,Explorer,Hobgoblin,Harvey's Best-there were others and will be more on too.Well worth a visit,friendly barman too.
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Oops! It was the Adnam's Explorer. Thanks for flagging it.
I'll give this place another try if you say the ale's usually on. If it's a nice day I'd prefer an airy place like this to The Head of Steam (Doric Arch...whatever it's calling itself this week). Hopefully there's another nice day left in 2006 for a second chance!?
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Not sure about the last comment by topdog but I drink here fairly regularly and have never had a bad pint of ale yet despite the landlord keeping a great choice all year round... one other thing topdog, do you mean Adnams Explorer or Fullers Discovery?! By the way, the homemade pies are the dogs danglers.
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Went here for the first time in about 8 years last Friday. Disappointed to find my pint was slightly sour (Adnams Discovery), so the previous reviews appear to be more than isolated incidents.
Was impressed with the barman though. Ordered a bottle of Hoegaarden, which turned out to be a couple of weeks out of date. I mentioned it to him, and he looked like he was about to go into an Incredible Hulk like rage. "I go away on holiday, and this is what happens...." he growls. "Don't worry about it..." I start, to which he replies "No, I DO worry about it", and proceeds to check every bottle of beer in the fridge. Nice to see.
Anyway - the pub. Fairly stale refurbishment, whenever it was it happened. White walls, neutral/uncomfortable furniture, etc. Yes, it was a pit when it was the Jolly Gardners, but at least it had its own character. Now it's pretty faceless. Dub music was also off-puting. The only redeeming feature of the place would be the beer selection, but if it's off, what's the point?
I think it's back to The Head of Steam next time I'm around Euston.
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S'alright I suppose. Murky and dingy. Seemed happy enough. Most the lager was off last time I was there though - shame, as it does a nice Heineken...
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Just as a leopard cannot change its spots, and you cannot teach an old dog new tricks, the Jolly Gardeners (warning: it's not jolly and there are no gardeners) will always be the Jolly Gardeners, whatever new name they give it.
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Beer was served way too warm.
Nice enough place to sit outside but inside is dingy and stuffy.
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The outside flowers and seating are even better than last time!
Now 5 real ales and very cold lagers, great bar staff and table service outside! What a breath of fresh air
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An absolute delight. Georgous flowers outside, friendly staff and a buzzing atmospere. The highlight of my London visit :))
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Not a bad place to go between lectures - not particularly busy during the day and 3 or 4 real ales served. Priced arn't bad, service good, place looks fairly average. Nice.
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Dull, with no atmosphere.
Spencer - 11 Nov 2004 16:23 |
i think the pub is beautiful outside and very outstanding food from the cooker sean,
the staff are also really nice especially mei
alan and simon - 17 Oct 2004 18:42 |
great pub, great staff, great fun. Loads of seating outside and the flowers make it feel like you are in a beer garden! also handy to fall onto the tube!
mike - 12 Jun 2004 12:43 |
its now been 'done up' (painted) and is called the Bree Louise, apparently named after the landlords young daughter who sadly passed away. Great after work pub, ok beers, good atmosphere
chewy - 17 May 2004 13:56 |
visiting from Canada, I had a reunion with some old friends here, as I was staying nearby. The drinks were run of the mill, but the atmosphere was congenial and we had a great night.
jonathan - 5 May 2004 03:39 |
I was born in the Jolly Gardeners (upstairs) in 1933. I was told that soon afterwards, we all moved out until the pub was rebuilt as it is now. My father ran the pub for Watneys, but when war was imminent, my parents decided to leave the pub and move to the suburbs. I can remember it very well. I used to ride my tricycle round the huge kitchen, and sometimes "round the block". My parents have been deceased a long time, and I live in Herts.
D. C. Gravett - 6 Jan 2004 17:16 |
great ale
peter - 9 Nov 2003 19:03 |
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