I went in there recently and tried 4 diffferent bitters. Whilst all were drinkable, I'd describe them all as "tired" - none was good enough to temp me to buy a second pint of the same. Perhaps I was just unlucky but personally I'd rather have fewer beers of better quality than lots of tired beer that, I guess, weren't turning over too fast.This is a fantactic place. It is a special place. 12 well selected beers. Its special! 9/10Fantastic friendly pub with amazing beer including milds'stouts,porters etc.Absolute must-visit.

Good beers, great character, nice ambience - I liked this pub but really wanted to love it - "hygiene factors" let it down; just needs someone to clean it better and more!Slightly pricey beer, but in this place I guess you get what you pay for as the Real Ales are top notch. The pub has characters and a few characters too!Excellent range of ales and a very nice collection of snugs, ideal in a slow period (we were there on a sunday afternoon) but it must get incredibly crowded in normal circumstances. Not quite sure of the prog/metal soundtrack but to each his own (my own personal choices would be equally undesirable to most punters, I'm sure).

"Sure the beer's in good condition"

Think you'll find that's the main reason why it wins. Quality is consistent and there's always a dark ale of some description available.

Beer quality scores for this area are taken by the local CAMRA branch (as well as nationally through the NBSS website) 365 days a year - the league table doesn't lie!This place keeps winning CAMRA awards, though I'm not sure why. I think it's OK but it's not worth making a special journey for. Sure the beer's in good condition but other than that it's really nothing special in that it completely lacks atmosphere.Reading CAMRA Pub of the Year 2008 - second year running. Well done!

To combine two of the comments below, the front bar has been recently re-painted and I think the back bar is to follow soon. With regards to the "junk" comment,I know what you mean as one end of the front bar is strewn with "stuff" which, if cleared, could provide a larger serving area or, at the very least, a good glass collection point. Minor details, though, which should not detract from the fine experience that is The Retreat.A cracking little pub that would be greatly improved if the licencees would not use it as a store for their junk.Went there last Sunday and LOVED EVERY MINUTE! Tried all the selections and they were all top notch, but the best was Chalk Stream by the Ramsbury Brewery.

This place was built on a pie and a pint for a fiver. Those days are gone now but if I had to choose somewhere to go for a bite to eat this is the place to go. I have never had a bad pint here and the pies are top drawer.This place, along with the university film theatre and the plucky football team elevates Reading to decent large town status when it could have ended up like Luton or Swindon. A marvellous array of pies and lovely beers on tap: a throwback to a different era and knocks the likes of the Square Pier company into a cocked hat.Fabulous. An absolute gem.
Good range of ales. My one complaint might be that they had a huge number of different kinds of pies but AFAIK there was only one vegetarian one. They do things like ratatouille and salad, however.

Very friendly landlady who's happy to talk to anyone. Slightly older clientele than the more mixed crowd in the ale pubs in Reading but welcoming.

There is often only Pride on which is a shame but their beer festivals complete with pig-in-a-bun are excellent.An unusual pub, seems like someones house. Two small cosy rooms and a small bar. Only two beers on tap, although one was a guest beer. An interesting experience.Excellent beer and friendly atmosphere. The Magpie and Parrot has a quirkiness that may seem odd at first, but quickly grows on you.

The best pub anywhere near Reading. A true free house with commercial beers totally missing. Excellent real ale and cider.Very attractive building. Unusual, well kept beers. It was a bit cold inside on the winter's day that we visited, perhaps the fires could be lit a little earlier. Food seems a bit expensive, especially deserts.I now go here regularly. They do the world's best BLT - have one with their skinny chips, a couple of pints of whatever's on, and sit and read the newspaper in front of the fire. What more could you ask for?

What a shame. I took some beer loving relatives visiting from the USA last week. The beer was flat and possibly the worst London Pride I've tasted. The pub seemed rather dead too. I have fond memories of great beer here. Other recent reviews seem OK so maybe a bad night?Seems to permanently have London Porter on tap, super.

Refurb hasn't really acheived much, except taking out the top part of the bar and painting the back of it white. Eurgh.

Still, good for beer.I liked this pub and must say i will use it again but now the Queen Elizabeth has re-opened down George St I think i will be in there more oftern as the new landlord Rob has changed the palce around. All the old faces are coming back and it is a great place for a few pints!

The pub is a gem in the Town Centre.Like most pubs, there will be an ocassion when an undesirable is in the bar, but, the staff will quickly remove said person and the atmosphere will be welcoming.Regulars and visitors are welcome and if you are in need of a chat then most people are very friendly.3 real ales and a selection of fizz are served. The quality is back to normal after a spell of indifference, with the new manager, the Landlord`s son, taking over.Fortnightly wednesday quiz, with cash prizes, are great fun and not too serious and help to make a great evening.A scary looking large guy with a beard can often be found sat at the corner of the bar but he is actually a very nice fella.
Wonderful garden is ideal for those warm evenings, but if it is chilly then the heaters will keep you cosy.
Try the pub and you will be pleasantly surprised.Two local ales in good condition.Quiet on our visit ,well worth calling in. Small town centre pub, but still has two seperate bar areas, both approached through the side door - the front door is permanently shut. Usually two good real ales on, occasionally a third and infrequent beer festivals (seem to recall the last one was about a year ago, so perhaps another is due?). Usually a good chatty atmosphere, decent old-school jukebox, but the odd occasion when it can feel a little unwelcoming - you seem to pick up the odd evil eye from time to time from punters who probably feel you are invading their personal front room drinking den. Nothing wrong with it, in general, though.

Only had time for a quick drink in here ,selection fine ,mine a bit cold/average.Plastic glasses prob due to football on. would give it another go.When in Reading for the rugby at the majeski this pub is a must. It has a fantastic selection of ales and on match days (Rugby that is) is full to the brim of both home and away supporters. I'm not a huge fan of Irish bands but in here, it feels right and moreover after a few beers,actually good. The atmophere after the match is great, plenty of good humoured banter between supporters but never a hint of trouble. I suspect it may be different when its soccer, but if only for its beer this pub is worth a visit.Decent enough place for a station pub.

I had to drink my pint out of a plastic cup on Saturday afternoon, but I’d imagine this was due to the football. There are a few tables and chairs out the front and a BBQ was starting up just as I left.

I agree with Gristy that it is OK for a couple, but I wouldn’t stay too long.

Absolutely great pub. Found it through the CAMRA GBG but I suspect that the entry in the 2008 edition was based on the pre refurb business. Well whatever that was like the pub now is really great. Super food - quality and price - and an excellent range of micro brewery real ales. Pub is full of character too. Not to be missed. Good walking country too apparently.A pub as god intended: unimproved, bags of character, charming staff, West Berkshire brewery beer and excellent, modestly priced food (delicious braised beef, home-made pork pie to make Melton Mowbray weep). To all gastropubs: Go thou and do thou likewise.The Bull reopens this weekend with five cask ales all from local brewers. More details will follow on the web site www.thebullcountryinn.co.uk

Finally managed to get there yesterday as part of the local Ale Trail...well worth the wait. Old-fashioned look from outside, but a surprisingly tidy, clean and modern feel to the front bar. Decent beer on from Harvey's, small unobtrusive flat-screen with all football shown. Didn't go through to the back bar, but seemed lively with pool table and further screens.
Lots of Reading FC paraphanalia from the days whenthe old stadium was close by...very much a decent back-street boozer sandwiched down a one-way street between two main roads.Visited a couple of weekends in a row and the beer quality has been fab. I love a bit of Sussex...Marvellous. My preference is for the Harveys Sussex Bitter. It has a great atmosphere both for televised football and quieter times.

Pleasant airy pub with a couple of real ales, however at 3.4% ABV the Brakspear's bitter was unreasonably priced at £2.90 pint - there are cheaper beers in Mayfair! Nice pub but avoid buying a round at all costs.A rather average and slightly expensive Brakspears Bitter was served. Pub is pleasant and the staff friendly.Friendly atmosphere. Very 'middle of the road' pub. The best in Wargrave by far ...............

Naff location right next to the IDR, loudish music but the ale was fine and very cheap.

On balance, nothing particularly special but nice to see a pub with cheap ale.

In the old days before the big influx of town centre Wetherspoon's and Yate's this was the best pub in Reading. Its a little bit out of the way but this is a real pub. I will keep popping back here to support the place hoping for a revival of the good ole days.sadly a very dire pub we went there for there last beer festival twice the first time was ok but when we went there the 2nd time but this was a total diseaster four of us had one particular ale it was off so we took all four glasses back to the bar and told the 2 cowboys behind the bar that this particular beer was off.So with no response from them(they didnt even change it) we left the pub and will never be going back there

Brilliant pub, great beer, friendly atmosphere, what more is there to say?Superb, unchanging. Good beer and I can vouch from previous visits the food (mostly generously filled rolls) is good. Undoubtedly one of the top twenty best pubs in the UK.A bit of a hike away from our Goring starting point, but once I read in GPG that it was 14c, run by same family for 200yrs, and served NO draught lager it just had to be done. Original & authentic, displays an award for ‘most unchanged pub’. Bar is a servery with one window to a narrow L-shaped room the long side of which was filled with drinkers seated in recesses which looked rather like fireplaces, the other ‘hatch’ is to a corridor across which is a slightly larger room with seating, a dartboard, & displaying old pumpclips, many from West Berkshire brewery whose beer featured at the bar on Sat. Leaping Lord & Maggs Mild, Arkells BBB, plus another whose name I forget but which was delicious. Outside gents, large beer garden and fields beyond, one of which will be the cricket pitch when mown in summer. Well worth the detour, and thanks to Murdocks taxi for the timely service from Goring & back.