please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Nicholson's with five real ales and Westons Old Rosie. On Friday night they had Pride, Landlord, Tribute, Bitter & Twisted and Highgate Bee Zone. On 4 levels altogether, they keep the top level as a restaurant, seemed determined not to let anyone up there despite there being no one eating. Ludicrously short pints served that they clearly weren't going to do anything about until prompted.
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Interesting looking pub with a few decent ales on, including some excellent Sharp’s Doom Bar. The ground floor bar has only stools to sit on, so is not particularly comfortable for a relaxing drink. A spiral staircase leads to an upstairs bar with some comfortable seating and which seems to be mainly used as a dining area. I wouldn’t rave about this pub, but it’s a decent enough watering hole and I would definitely visit again if I was in the area.
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Excellent Nicholsons pub with the usual range of guest ales. I enjoyed a pint of "Robin's Ransom" which was a new one on me - very good though. Spacious pub in busy Wigmore Street. Plenty of room inside and out. Spiral wrought iron staircase to upstairs dining area; cellar bar with wrought iron gating downstairs.
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This pub is very hit and miss.
The lager is sometimes flat warm and in a dirty glass, other times it's fine and reasonably priced for the location. The food (and I have eaten there many times over the years) can vary from one extreme to other. It has often turned up late, incomplete, cold and bland, occasionaly it's great. Often understaffed so a long wait for your order but staff are nearly always friendly. Thieves love this place and a visit will always involve witnessing the distress of a victim. I think despite the naivety and carelessness of some customers in leaving their belongings at risk, the pub could do more. It must be the same gang again and again and CCTV and more vigilant staff could help (maybe a bouncer on the door would recognize regular thieves). No football on TV anymore :-(, rubbish place to put the quiz machine (by door)as well, to be honest I only drink there because it's near work.
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Really nice pub,great staff,friendly and helpful,the cellar bar is great,it has a fantastic atmosphere. We hired a section of the cellar bar for a private function,and I would reccommend it to anyone.
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Good chance of getting a seat in an area where they tend to be rare (St Christopher's Place). The food is absolutely gorgeous-we had sausage and mash and unlike the previous reviewer-they were hot! The upstaires bar is a great place to enjoy an after work drink or twelve.
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Visited the Ponty on 2 occasions recently, and found it to be one of the best pubs being operated under the old Nicholson's banner, although I should say that none of these have ever disappointed me, and do offer the traditional pub-lover and more discerning beer drinker a more worthy experience than many London outlets.
A range of 4 good cask ales, including the hardly-ubiquitous-in-London Oakham JHB (a personal favourite!), were on and in good nick. Helpful and pleasant service from staff. The food is rather good and well worth sampling - in addition to a menu offering a range of meats, fish and veg dishes, the sausage menu described below is a joy and features a remarkably broad selection of bangers. All the grub is at a reasonable pricetag for this district as well. To complete the picture, the interior combines what appears to be a relatively genuine old character with comfort; in the evenings the upstairs dining room is atmospheric with candles lit on each table.
If one finds oneself tiring of Oxford Street and to be "over-shopped", then slip down the passageway to St Christopher's Place, a charming a well-preserved detour, and go to the pub to get away from it all for a while!
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A multi-floored pub, part of the Nicholsons chain as was the Argyll Arms we had just come from. Reasonable selection of beer and in good form. I had been here many years ago and didn't recognize the ground floor bar. Saw meals being delivered which looked fine but didn't try anything. All in all quite a pleasant establishment.
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I visited the Pontefract Castle last night for some after-work drinks and pub food.
The pub advertises its amazing array of top quality sausages (which come from the same people who supply sausages to Fortnum and Mason apparently), all served with mash and gravy. I went for the cumberland, and each of the four others in our group chose a different sausage from the list of fifteen or so varieties.
Unfortunately when they arrived the gravy and mash were cold (for every one of us) and as a result they had to be sent back. Fifteen minutes later our meals came back a little warmer, but not as hot as they should have been. Very disappointing. The sausages were obviously of a high quality - and the mash and gravy too - but to serve them lukewarm or cold is inexcusable. Therefore I would recommend anyone thinking of eating at the Pontefract to think twice before doing so.
As for the beer, the Pontefract always seems to have several ales on tap, some of which rotate (including London Pride, Green King IPA, Old Speckled Hen, Bombardier, Deuchars IPA, Timothy Taylor’s Landlord, Young’s and a whole host more). I had two excellent pints of Landlord followed by a Leffe and an Erdinger Dunkel (both excellent bottled beers).
So, on the basis of last night, I would give the Pontefract Castle 9/10 for the beer, but only 1/10 for the food (overall a 5).
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Yes, each floor has a different mood. Has the advantage of being to pick and choose. Has the disadvantage of not being terribly exciting.
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Two pubs for the price of one! The upstairs bar, crowded, noisy and hectic-with all forms of life on show. The downstairs non-smoking relaxed and laid-back. Take your pick.
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Can't comment on thieves but thought the place was very good and, most importantly to an impoverished soul like myself, was extremely cheap - two pints (one Fosters and one a decent Green King) came to £5!
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OK, this is London! There are thieves about. Don't blame it on the nice pub though, unwary customers actually have to carry some responsibility here too! If you put it down, or leave it alone, it'll walk!! So don't..! Its one of the golden rules in London. I digress..
Nice pub! A lively place in an evening. If you like to watch live footy, here's a good pub for you.
Unusual spiral iron staircase rises up thru' the middle of this pub. There are 4 floors! Restaurant up top. Ground floor is where all the action is.
I was happily watching a Champions League match here, at the bar, earlier in the year. A gorgeous blonde (girl) came and sat on the bar stool next to me, in between me and the big screen, and started the whole 'grooming' routine, hair brushing, lipstick, make-up, the lot!! I missed the first goal..!!
That's central London for you! At least she didn't pinch my wallet!
(PS - JonBoy may have a point though.. who wants to go home stinking of stale cigarette ash..?!?) TJ
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no pool table. ok place with plenty of seats. full of suits.
anonymous - 10 Jul 2006 16:42 |
nice basement. ok for location. The young's wasn't up to scratch though.
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I went to this pub not expecting much, just killing a little time while waiting for a concert to start--and was mildly surprised. A decent pint, good (if unexceptional) food, but overall not a bad experience in terms of food and drink.
Too crowded when I was there, but lucked into a seat at the counter and got friendly and fairly quick service. If I ignored the endless getting-bumped-into-from-behind, it was a relaxing place...I didn't explore the upper levels of the place, but I wouldn't complain about stopping in again to try them out. The place gains a point for the quality of the staff, but loses it again for the sheer number of annoyingly braying suits crammed into the place--not the pub's fault, but still not my favorite drinking environment.
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Standard procedure bland slightly rubbish pub. Spent a couple of hours in here again. Would rather do so again than be poked in the eye but would prefer to go somewhere else in the area. The Crown & Sceptre on Foley Street isn't too far to walk...
anonymous - 7 Jan 2006 14:29 |
I would just like to question "Jonboy's" remarks posted waaaay back in April.
I work with the fella and I have it on good authority that he was in the Ponty both Friday lunchtime and Friday evening.
I dunno, some people just enjoy moaning. I just guess there's no point in trying to make him happy when he's happy feeling sad.
Keep up the good work Ponty, we'll turn him sooner or later.
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Perhaps it's trying to be all things to all people at once, but it very nearly pulls it off. Play pool downstairs, or sit and chat with mates on the top floor, or watch sport on the giant screens on the ground floor. It's totally up to you!
Whatever you choose to do, you'll always be sure of a friendly welcome and some good hearty food if you eat there.
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This is great pub. As for people having things stolen in there! please it happens in every pub! The Manager has installed plenty of hooks and signage to prevent the low-lifes stealing and are constantly vigilant to such occurances.
The beer is good and cold [as it should be]. There is vast choice of lagers and the Ales are REAL ALES. Any real ale drinkers should go here as due care and attention is given to the ales - you can tell.
The food is great, a good choice. The staff were freindly, and attentive.
Go there on a footy night. the screens can be seen from all over the 4 floors.
The basement bar is great for pool and drinking or private hire. We had a works Xmas party down there and had a great night.
10 out of 10.
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This pub could be good it really could. It is large and spacious with lots of different areas to sit, not too noisy or packed, even on a Friday night. Two things let it down - some of the staff, not all, but a fair few of them are grumpy, slow and unhelpful - you can wait an hour for a simple pub lunch, even if it's not too busy. The other thing is the huge amount of thefts that take place in there. I had my purse stolen from my bag on Friday night - we were a group of 12 and still someone managed to do it. Several of my friends have also had purses/ handbags/ mobile phones and laptops stolen. If you do go in there - WATCH YOUR STUFF AT ALL TIMES!!!
anonymous - 6 Jun 2005 13:20 |
The dreaded "work's local." I really think we only go here because everyone always goes here. Attractive enough place - interesting layout, usually somewhere to sit on one of the three levels (plus basement). However, you come back to work stinking of everyone else's fags (ever heard of AC guys?) and lately, the food service has taken a major dive. Time for a change of allegiance.
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There are loads of pubs near my office but this is the one we usually go to these days. London Pride on tap and a good menu of traditional pub meals. We have to go early ish to get in for lunch as it gets crowded.
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Quite a good atmosphere but a bit dingy for my tastes. Bar staff are slow.
Alex - 18 Jun 2004 17:01 |
A lovely pub that comes highly recommended. Dark and welcoming, it has three floors accessible via a winding staircase and standard fare on tap. Snacks as you'd expect. It's somewhat off the main drag yet busy enough to feel like you're not in the back of beyond. Perfect for chinwagging and catching up, or simply people watching. The music wasn't deafening, even on a Friday night. Great stuff.
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We use this place for our quarterly pub quiz and they always let us use their large basement for free. Great staff - very friendly. Nice to have a big room to ourselves, but a bit of a pain having to go upstairs to order food. The other three floors are also nice, but you have to get in early to get a seat!
Samatha - 25 Mar 2004 12:55 |
WOW....I used to go to this pub in '85 when I was 16 yrs old and attending the American School in London. So happy to see the old pub is alive and well.
Lisa - 15 Jul 2003 05:51 |
Had a wonderful time at the Pontefract Castle on my last trip to London. Its taken me this long to track it down. Played Golden Tee Golf with Stirling (SRI) and would like to contact him to say thanks. Can you help?
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