please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Busy as usual on my last visit, which was a Saturday morning in October. Took a while to get served. But I did eventually find a table. Ales on this visit were Cotleigh Chocca Mocca, JW Lees Weaver's Shuttle, Well's Banana Bread Beer, Marston's Early Doors, Titanic Red IPA, Banks's Arcadia, Caledonian Trojan Horse, Theakston Pink Grapefruit Ale, Wychwood Hobgoblin, Sharp's Doom Bar, Greene King Abbot & Ruddles Best. The cider was Old Rosie.
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Similarly to the 'Fall Well' I hadn't actually tried the ale in this wetherspoons but I still reviewed it about my experience when I have been in, I thought I may as well give it another try to see what the ale quality was like. It was quite busy to say it was a Tuesday night but most people seemed to be in for food rather than having a session of any type. When I went in there was a lot of ale on, from what I remember there was- Ruddles Best, Abbot Ale, Doom Bar, Coach house Brewing Postlethwaites, Coach House Brewing Gunpowder Mild, Titanic Cappucino, Red Star Formby Blonde, Red Star Samba, BlackJack Stout, Strathaven winter glow, Wychwood Hobgoblin. I went for the Cappucino beer at 2.49 and it was okay, not sure if the brewery or how they kept the beer but I have heard the Cappucino beer is meant to be good so I would be more inclined to say the latter is the reason. Not a terrible place and probably not the worst spoons in the city, I would be inclined to say it's in 3rd place (out of 5). Not a place to prioritise when in Liverpool considering there are some good proper pubs and the ale quality seemed iffy.
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Service in here has been devent when I've been in. My experience was ruined though when I went in for some food one time. I was sat in one of the corners of the room and I got the odd wiff off sick, my Girlfriend didn't smell it as much but I knew something was about. When we had finished our food I looked around a bit more as the sick was even more pungent. Turns out there was some dried up sick about 4 feet away from where we were, thank God I didn't see this when I was eating or I'd be put off totally. I may come back to this place but if I did I would check the area I was going to sit in before I drink ir eat.
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The Richard John Blackler is one of 5 Wetherspoons in Liverpool city centre. It's very handy for Lime Street station. Although there is also the 'spoons in the station itself. Its location on the edge of the main shopping area is also a reason why this place always seems to be heaving. Yesterday evening was no different and despite a large number of bar staff, it took nearly 10-15 minutes to get served and was not helped with people getting served out of turn. The ale selection is reasonable. But it rarely inspires me. Yesterday it was Moorhouses Pendle Witches Brew, Coach House Raspberry, Greene King Abbot & Abbot Reserve, Peerless Knee-Buckler IPA, Hanlons Goodwill Festival Ale, Adnams Stone Amber Ale, Lytham Bailey's Blinder, Wychwood Hobgoblin, Sharps Doom Bar & Ruddles Best. Cider was Old Rosie. A decent enough pub. But far too busy for it to be considered as a regular haunt and with so many independent pubs in Liverpool, why go to a Wetherspoons?
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Called in here today (Friday 21st February 2014). Person who served us had to "get a beer turned back on", in spite of pump clip being displayed. Asked for a half of one beer, and then another half of a different beer - person serving had a quick whinge about not ordering halves at same time so she could "get the glasses together at the same time" - she had to walk all of six feet there and back to get another glass. I have been in Wetherspoons in various places but this one in Liverpool is an ignorant shambles, they seem to know nothing about basic customer service - i.e. politeness!! I'll give it a 1 for being open. Sorry, best I can do. I'm sure the Richard John Blackler can do better. Shouldn't be hard...!!
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Called in here for a pint and snack about 6.30pm last Wednesday and the place was heaving with punters, so in spite of the mainly negative BITE reviews, it must be very popular with the locals. We got the last empty table in this huge pub, but were served both food and drinks reasonably quickly. It was Day 1 of the current JDW Beer Festival. I opted for the Butcombe Haka which was excellent … even better at only £1.99 a pint.
When the rush died down a little the tables were cleared fairly quickly.
It is not the best of Wetherspoons outlets, but I have been in much worse. 7/10
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There are a few JDW in Liverpool centre and this is the least intimidating. Unfortunately it continues to serve people well past the point where they are too drunk, doesn't even carry enough of the bottled and canned drinks it advertises and has woefully inadequate bar staff. Food ok tho. Truly Wetherspoons are becoming the McDonald's of the pub world. Family spending and cheap alcoholics catered for.
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Massive place with all the usual Spoons offers and problems (lack of staff). In fact although it was only 10.30 they appeared to be shutting up shop and trying to get us all out! A couple of guest beers available but I think I can survive without having to go back here again.
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Without doubt probably the worst JDW that I've been in on my festival crawls up and down the country. We went in as it appears in the GBG 2013 and how it made it in there is beyond me. Besides the usual fodder ie) Abbots etc... there was half a dozen handpumps dispensing ale. After a seemingly endless wait, we got served by a blonde lady dressed differently to the staff -so I guess management or supervisor- and when we asked for a pint of two different ales, her reply was a curt "Only got that one on!" My mate asked her why she had not turned the pump clips round she just sneered. We had a pint of Abbots instead and swiftly left the place. Full of rough and ready customers and certainly not as friendly as the Crown where we first went after getting of the train. Out of 80 or so JDW I've been in it is definately the worst!
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My first time in Liverpool for over twenty years and found this to be a decent Spoons, had a couple from a brewery called Lymstone. Both pints were excellent and well priced at two quid. Very handy for the 82 bus which goes all the way to John Lennon Airport.
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It makes you wonder if the managers of these establishments actually bother to read reviews of their pubs....they clearly don't in this case.
I was there on Friday (12th October). Plenty of punters sitting down eating etc but hardly anyone at the bar. I waited a clear 5 minutes to get served, despite me standing with money in hand. One barmaid was more interested in changing �150 worth of pound coins which some (lucky!!) punter had just emptied from the fruit machine than serving me.
I can also echo those points others have made about the lack of beers on sale because I had a similar experience. If the beer runs out, turn the pump sign around - it'll save a lot of questions!!!
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I was in here last week for the first time in ages....
...and I waited 10 minutes to get served and then walked out.
It was even that busy, but a group of 4 students all decided to order food seperately and then each paid by debit card!
Other people waiting to get served got agitated and the 2 staff couldn't cope and started to panic and served a several queue jumpers first, even though one barmaid had earlier acknowledged that she could see I was waiting.
Sort your staff out please Wetherspoons. I've been to a couple of your pubs in Chester and York and the service there is excellant.
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Pretty typical 'spoons, although the beer in this one was better kept than many I've been in.
Agree with the beers that have run out still being advertised - 3 different ones that I asked for on this occasion! At least what I did get (Inveralmond Thrappledouser) was well kept and very enjoyable.
Usual complete failure to adequately staff the place (business rules dictate that I guess, shareholder profits come before punters waiting a while to be served!), but the staff that were there I found friendly on this occasion.
Convenient for Lime Street station, and cheap as you would expect - acceptable food for the prices.
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Everton were playing Wolves and this place was crammed full of football fans, atmosphere bordering on ruckus but more interesting than the Welkin or Fall Well. The service was my greatest grievance, I was served politely by a blonde girl behind the bar and was then served by an obnoxious woman who more or less refused to give me 10p change or even for 5 minutes give me my half that she'd hand-pulled, leaving it on a side and refused to acknowledge me. It was only when I told her I wanted to speak to the manager that I got a response and change thrown my back in my hand. Completely disgusted I necked my half of Peerless Crystal Malt and walked out. It seems if you get the right staff, you'll enjoy it here if you like noise.
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Oh dear - that same old "typical" Wetherspoons experience was in abundance this evening!
I went here to see what fine ales they had on for their Great British Beer Festival. I spotted the Wadworth "125" Stout and ordered a pint...
"Sorry, it's gone"
There was another tasty looking stout 2 pumps down (forgotten the name)
"Sorry, that's gone too, so has that, and that, so you can only have that one"
I had "that one" (a light ale with a strange name) which was very nice. But, at least I was reassured by the barman that the ones that had "gone" would be replaced "by something else soon"!
If "it's gone" then don't advertise you have it!!!
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Last few visits here have been okay.
They now permanently sell Thatchers Gold, Westons Marcle Hill and Westons Organic cider.
And they still serve 5/6 ales but as other people have mentioned, you ask for a pint and get told "sorry, we've ran out of that", so you ask for another and you get the same reply!
It's handy for Lime Street station but don't come in here when it's busy or you'll miss your train. Even when it isn't busy you can wait for 5 minutes to get served by the one bar maid who conveniently disappears when it's your turn to get served!
They should have a seperate till for serving people buying food and tea and coffee - in fact all Wetherspoons should!
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Busy 'spoons on the ground floor of a large building on a corner site, with a long bar and and a longer wait for service. 12 handpumps visible, but an annoying number of beers were 'available soon'. My pint of Titanic Mild (�1.99) was fine, but I didn't really like the place (or the piles of uncleared clutter on the few free tables).
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Now �1.99 a pint - they must have put up the prices for the world cup!!! ;)
Yes, I agree with Nothern_Ale_Monkey about the service.
They spend far too long serving people crappy food and teas and coffees.
I actually went in here this evening and had a pint of Frodsham Brewery A***** (sorry - don't know what it was called but began with an A) and it wasn't well kept!
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Service in here is usually dire.
The fact they don't turn badges round drives me to distraction.
There are two quiz machines, one of which appears to have been put in the most awkward position they could possibly find.
Not one of the better Wetherspoons pubs.
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This pub has improved a lot over the past 6 months. Always at least 6 real ales on costing only �1.85 a pint. They have had several beer festivals too.
Beer quality is a lot better than my visit last summer. Service has also improved a lot, although like in most Wetherspoons some of the bar staff seem to be on a different planet i.e. when it starts to get busy, instead of serving customers they carry on mopping up behind the bar, occasionally looking up at the customers and then just disappearing behind the scenes!
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Good Friday must have the Saturday beer menu - choice and quality were good on my visit
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Had a watery pint of something instantly forgettable in here. Not a great place but one of the few places you can get a breakfast and a beer before noon so usually end up here at some point on my travels.
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None of the guest ales were on when I was here last week. (Suggestion to the staff - turn the pump clips around when the beer isn't on!!!)
Had a pint of very watery Pedigree instead and was treated to a mass brawl at the bus stop outside Boots opposite the pub.
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Judging by the past comments we may just have been lucky on Saturday. We had no problem getting served at about 10.30 on Friday night, there was a good range of beers available and we even stayed for two. I had a pint of Oakham White Dwarf and a Hawkshead Brodie�s Prime and both were in good nick. The two staff who served me were both friendly enough so we didn�t have any problems with the place. As for the decor, well it�s a huge featureless JDW. Not bad at all.
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I actually thought that this Wetherspoons (Richard John Blackler) was marginally better than The Welkin in the Cavern Quarter. It is much better located, only seconds from Lime Street station and the interior is a much better layout with plenty of tables and a fairly relaxed environment. The toilets were on the same floor for once. Service was prompt but none too friendly and it was clear that the barmaid serving me was not fully cogniscent with the beer and cider selection. Real ales available were Salopian Darwin's Origin, Cains FA, Thwaites Original and the usual Wetherspoons staples Pedigree, Abbot and Ruddles Best. The only real cider available was Marcle Hill which was obviously left over from the festival and left on the counter where it was deteriorating rapidly. We were treated to a real 'snogfest' on the table next door to us. Who says Wetherspoons don't provide entertainment!
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I'm a local and urge you to avoid this place at all costs. The only thing it's got going for it is.....nothing!
Long, long waits to get served, tables stacked with dirty plates, salt and tomato sauce on the chairs, went with a group of lads a few weeks ago and surprise surprise we all ended up with bad guts the next day! To add insult to injury we were asked by a beggar if we "could spare any change" he them promptly tried to steal the contents of the salt, sauce, vinegar draw until two of my mates (who are bobbies) intervened! Needless to say the staff looked on with blank expressions and no word of thanks/apology. Hand on heart, i've been here a few times and each time its rubbish. Avoid like the plague!
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Avoid!
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Going by the previous comments, I'm not alone in finding this 'Spoons not very welcoming or clean. Ok, it was heaving when I popped in, but as it was Sunday, with Everton v Liverpool as well, I'd have thought extra staff would have been drafted in, but still the dirty tables were strewn with glasses, the staff that were serving all looked stressed out. I didn't have any beer as I was driving, but I was planning on eating here as I quite like Wetherspoons food, and the reasonable prices, but after having a look around the place, I decided to grab a sandwich elsewhere.
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I've never had any real issues with The Richard John Blackler (to give it its correct title), but I can understand many of the comments. I've never had a bad pint or a bad meal. Staff are generally OK & there is always somewhere to sit. As with most Wetherspoons you are never going to get that friendly local feeling, but on the dozen or so occasions I've visited here its been fine. Maybe I've just been lucky!
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The worst 'spoons I have ever used, more understaffed, slower and dirtier. The useless unattentive staff even have conversations with each other while bringing your change. Beer is so-so if you ever get served. Not near the top of my must visit list even if I'm being masochistic.
anonymous - 16 Jan 2009 18:06 |
This must be the most unfriendly pub pub I have ever walked into in my life.
My son and I went in with 2 of my grandchildren and ordered 2 lagers and 2 glasses of coke and sat at a table and before we could take a breath were told that as we had not ordered a meal we were not allowed to drink there. 'One minute' we said as we hadn't had a chance to look at a menu and were fully intending to have a meal. Meals decided and my son went to the bar, ordered them as well as 2 lagers and 2 cokes again to be told that 2 drinks was the limit with meals when there are children in the party, wonderful (not). While waiting for our meals I went to play on the quiz machine while the grandchildren watched to be told by a member of staff that children were not allowed to play the machines to which I stated that they were not playing the machine I was and the member of staff scowled and stated 'Well make sure they don't'. Meanwhile my son was sitting at the table being pestered by a guy openly selling pirated copies CDs and DVDs which was totally ignored by staff.
Well meals arrived, the burger which one of the grandchildren wanted was fine but the other 3 meals which were all breakfasts were stone cold, absolutely disgusting. I mean how can you get a breakfast wrong.
If this is typical of the hospitality of Wetherspoon's pub in Liverpool I will not be frequenting them any more and treat this as a warning to all families, steer clear of this pub.
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I went here last month and got served straight away which came as a shock. But yes - dirty tables and used glasses everyhwere!
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Yuk!
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It's no that bad - try Sunday morning if you want service ! A bit untidy yes, but good beer quality and range.
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The worse service I have ever experianced.
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I would echo most of the previous comments; it could be a decent pub, but the time to get served is terrible and attitude of staff often poor (though they are grossly overworked). Avoid.
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This is the wetherspoons across from lime street station in liverpool city center im posting about. This has to be the worst excuse for a pub ive ever entered in my life. Im glad everybody else that has posted has basically the same things to say so i know its not me being a moaner.Was there last weekend with my partner and child, we were over from Ireland to see the Liverpool game and popped in to have some food and a quick beer before heading to Anfield.The tables were absolutely filthy. Dirty dishes everywhere. We were hunted from one side to the other because we had a seven year old child with us.When i tried to order it took at least 15 minutes at the bar to be told we need your table number. So back i went to my filthy dirty dishes laden table to find the table had no number so i went back to the bar tender and stated this and he said has the bloody table next to you got a number and threw his eyes upwards and grunted. This guy was the pits. Ignorant , slow , belittling.He had it all. And im going to explain him in detail so if anybody in management reads this they will know who i mean. He was about thirty sounded like an Irish accent and moved like an eighty year old.Im Irish so im not being racist. I had a good fifteen minutes while i waited for to get his attention so it was not just his attitude toward me i observed. This guy just did not want to be there. To make a long story short after he asked " was there a bloody number on the table long side" i just had enough of the whole place and returned to my partner and child and left. Fair to say its was the worst establishment on a whole I ever went into and i wont ever darken the door of a wetherspoons again. I cant comment on the food and drink as I didnt manage to get any but if it was like the rest of the place im glad i did not have to suffer it.
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takes 4ever 2 get served will walk past you 2 serve others have stood at bar 4 15 min and give up wait ages 4 food and isnt always as it is supose 2 be
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Its one to avoid this place, SOMETIMES takes a while to get served, especially of a Saturday daytime when full of shoppers.
However, avoid if any big footy matches are on in the city - the visiting fans always congregate in here as its opposite Lime Street!
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The food is fairly decent however, the beer is not the best. Often there is very little beer selection and it can be difficult to order a drink given that there always seems to be a shortage of staff ! Not cheap for a wetherspoons either and it's certainly not a patch on the one in Bootle for example.
I won't be returning !
anonymous - 30 Aug 2006 21:32 |
Typical wetherspoons, not enough staff, when you ask for one of the few hand pulls that was shown as on, Pedigree, haven't got any. Pint of something else was ok but nowt special and not cheap for a "spoons"
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First pub we went to on our weekend on the beers in Liverpool.Virtually every ale was off, so opted 4 cider.
Typical large spoons with slow but friendly service.(Slow due to England playing that day)7/10
**Pub Is Actually Named "The Richard John Blackler"**
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Disgusting, stunk of sick, told by the bar staff that it was the beer pumps! (stayed on soft drinks)
Slow response from door staff when an annoying minesweeper was on the prowl.
Bar Staff not at all switched on.
Recommendation for anyone visiting Liverpool-don't bother with this one.
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Smelt of sick with the noise of screaming kids and saw 2 real live scallys in "shell suits" stealing sunglasses to order. Staff probably talking to the punters so it took me over 10 minutes to get served. Who says Liverpool is stereotyped? Eh eh
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Pretty decent. Went in there before a game against Everton. Had a very nice breakfast as well as the drinks being very cheap
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Fairly predictable Wethers-usually with a fair sized crowd in it.
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staff are so friendly they will stop working to chat to you and thats just the management.
ruairi - 10 Sep 2004 03:12 |
