please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Nice pub with good beer but food is a bit pedestrian.
BobOs - 12 Aug 2008 21:52 |
Beer garden/car park is ok for the summer. Wadworth 6X and Bath Ales Gem on tap. Strange mixture of locals and students and rugby supporters. Also drunk rugby players causing mayhem.
Last time a went was in May the day after Bath won the European Challene Cup. Most of the Bath team were in there and I passed Matt Stevens (what an ape!) on the stairs. They were all plastered and making the pub a very unpleasant environment! Dancing on tables etc. Okay so they had a right to celebrate but trying to pick a fight with me wasn't a good idea! Why are all rugby players (and supporters) idiots after drinking half a shandy!?
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Decent pub. Cosy bar. Good beer. As others have said, rather sterile basement bar, and rather annoyingly they didn't have sound on when I was last there. Great garden for the summer, tho' can get crowded (and large no of steps to negotiate if a bit merry).
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Dose anyone Have a good picture of this pubs garden? x
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Was down in Bath for the weekend and as it was a surprise weekend arranged by the wife and she did not tell me where we were going, was unable to utilise beerintheevening to research decent watering holes before coming down.
So after a Sunday morning of walking around the Royal Crescent and the Assembly rooms and then back across town to the Grand Parade to ogle at Pulteney Bridge I was about ready for a beer and had spotted the Rummer. Unfortunately the wife spotted the Girlie boutique shops on Pulteney Bridge so across we went. However, the great Beer God was smiling and next to one particular boutique was the Boater. Not only that, but on the TV , plainly visible from outside, was the Saracens v Bath game just about to start and the realisation that I could overcome the disappointment us not being back home to watch the game live at Vicarage Road , by being able to watch it on the box at the home of the opposition and surrounded by the opposition.
So after some negotiation with the other half, which involved me funding the purchase of another top to go along with the other 3000 blouses she has already, in we went.
As for the pub itself Mr_Knowsit’s report is fairly spot on. It is on three levels, pool room upstairs which I did not venture into, nice wooden local’s style mid level with traditional bar area with alcoves and lots of Bath Rugby memorabilia ( and on this occasion lots of Bath supporters ) and now since the smoking ban, not smoky at all. And then a downstairs cellar bar , which was quite the opposite décor, being very bright and a bit sterile, more resembling a wine bar rather than a pub bar. I can understand why this is popular with the students.
Being Sunday, the food on offer was traditional Sunday Roast which all looked really good and large. Unfortunately, but the time we had concluded that the Sarries were up for this encounter and we would stay to watch it , they had run out of roasts, probably not accounting for the 1.30PM rugby kick off when they were calculating the number of spuds needed.. .
This meant we just had to drink more bitters, which were Wadsworths 6X, CW Bombardier and a local brew which I have now forgotten the name of. All were good and very drinkable, and the two ladies behind the bar were polite and efficient.
And all this rounded off by a hard fought Saracen’s victory. Have to say we didn’t experience and animosity from the local Bath supporters, even when getting excited when Sarries crossed the try line. But then again this is the Gentleman’s game, and we weren’t from Bristol.
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Great pub for 6X. Can get busy on rubgy days. Excellent beer garden/carpark (!) in the summer which is right next to Pultney Bridge. Nice!
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Typifies the term 'friendly local'.
Based on three floors with extensive beer garden in canteen-style layout, The Boater seemlessly filters its' clientele into the correct demographic by offering something for everyone.
The beer garden is a big hit with drunken rugby supporters and underage drinkers in the summer, so head there for the irresistable blend of lynx aftershave and vomit.
The cellar bar - recently refurbished after a fire - is now a modern and clean sports bar, however it is often given over to theme student nights so be prepared to wrestle pocahontas for space at the bar. Until recently, this was the legendary home of 'special' (aka 'green') which was the name given to the resulting drink obtained from mixing the constituents of the bar's £5 special deal into 2 pint glasses.
A drink sorely missed indeed.
The main bar is styled very much on the traditional working man's watering hole, complete with smokey atmosphere and plenty of big tables in slightly darkened corners. The carpet is also one of those unique to pubs that cannot be dated. The beer available is of a wide and admirable selection, with a variety of ciders, ales, and lagers. Most popular amongst the locals (of which I profess to be one) is Natch. This beautiful cider comes not on draught, but in plastic 2 pint bottles kept behind the bar. You've not been a proper drunk until you've tried Natch.
Rounding off The Boater is the well fitted pool room upstairs, unfortunately there is no bar there - so beware of chavs interrupting your drinking in the main saloon to collect fosters shandy before scuttling back up the steps.
All in all - a pub for a seasons, and all reasons.
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Upstairs for old-man-pub style.
Downstairs for student style.
No idea what their beers like as I always seem to be lured into drinking one/two/ten of those interestingly flavoured shots.
Oh once I was there someone puked blood onto the mens loos infront of me! maybe he was a Bristol rugby fan?....5/10
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Excellent location ruined by the so-so beer and the underage clientelle. Drunk children are not ideal drinking companions.
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nice beer garden in the summer but that really is about it. Unfortunately full of under age drinkers who cant hold their top deck. The inside of the pub is cramped and pokey and the phrase 'a bit of a hole' sums it up nicely
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This pub has so much going for it. Good beer, occasionally good staff and a nice location.
Sadly let down on match days by being the pub of choice for Bath's mose arrogant fans. If, like me, you are from Bristol, stay away from this pub on Saturday's when Bath rugby club are at home. These people will make your life hell despite the fact that Bristol is a better rugby club. Go to this pub during the week instead.
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the pub hasn't changed at all, but with the students away it was blatantly obvious how many illegal drinkers there were in here - and they were all hooray-henrys as well to make it worse.
sort it out guys - get the bouncers to do their jobs..
TheGP - 20 Sep 2005 21:08 |
Despite having doormen there are huge quantities of dubiously aged (u18) teens in the cellar bar and beer garden - Otherwise a good pub.
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Can not believe why they are complaing about service Karl and co always do there best I am not a local but always have a great welcome. Chears
jack3 - 10 Apr 2005 00:14 |
Totally agree with previous comments about under-age (or, at least, those who can't handle their ale) customers during the summer.
It is also expensive for no particular reason and very pokey inside. Beer garden is large and accomodating, unless it is full of screaming adolescents knocking back vodka.
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Have to agree with Tony here, that whilst I like the pub, the staff leave a lot to be desired with their ideas about "Service"
TheGP - 25 Nov 2004 14:39 |
This pub can be very intimidating on match days. I am a Bristol supporter, and although there's the local rivalry and it can get a bit out of hand at times, I was insulted by the bar staff here, which doesn't exactly make me want to come back again.
Tony Bryant - 9 Nov 2004 11:09 |
awesome pub, good atmosphere especially when bath are playing at the rec...
Terry - 22 Sep 2004 19:49 |
Poor pub, great beer garden.(For Bath - Which has so few) Attracts the under-aged in summer and can get very hormonal. The beer isn't superb, it isn't cheap and the plastic glasses aren't ideal.
anonymous - 20 Aug 2004 12:51 |
Excellent pub, big beer garden, great vibes.
TheGP - 10 Aug 2004 15:03 |
I like this pub it's staff are great and the Manager Carl is very helpful. I visit this pub on Rugby days when I come up from Southampton.
Colin - 20 Apr 2004 21:05 |
Good in the summer as it has a huge beer garden. Tends to be a little cramped otherwise.
Mark - 4 Mar 2004 16:02 |
Cheap and cheerful :)
Sophie - 3 Feb 2004 15:20 |
