Good pub - excellent in summer as "secret(ish)" garden and lovely rambling interior. Can't say I have ever eaten here so cannot comment. Beers excellently kept.Overrated, I'm afraid. OK for those who like pastiche, but that's about it. Good selection of real ales but food is often poor e.g margarine and stale white bread for a ham sandwich.One of the greatest city pubs you'll ever visit. An old curiosity shop of a place, featuring a seemingly endless series of rooms, crammed with a variety of furnishings, stuffed animals and entertainments of all kinds. Grub is of the soup and sandwich variety, but fresh and very good, excellent selection of beers, friendly, warm and cosy in winter, fine big garden for the summer. Music on Mondays, 'Black Rat' restaurant across the street (owned by the pub) also looks worthwhile... Pleasingly removed from Winchester's well-beaten tourist trail. Lovely.

Went in here on a recent day out to Winchester and this is by far the best pub i encountered. Friendly landlord which is a rarity these days and a lovely pint of bitter well served. Proper pub with everything going for it.I really like this little pub. Unchanged in the 25yrs I've been visiting Winchester and always sells Ringwood Old Thumper. Along with the Back Boy and Hyde Tavern, a must-visit.Annual counting house for the Christmas Clog tour (in aid of Naomi House) Landlord and Landlady always very supportive. Excellent beer especially the Ringwood Porter. See you on 13th December 2008!

Popped in today for a bite to eat having not been for a while. Food was really good, freshly made and good value. Staff are friendly as well. Could do with a bit of a makeover as looking a bit tired inside. Worth popping into.Decent pub but a mixed crowd mean that the atmosphere can be very variable.Previous reviews were spot on. Excellent food and a great pint. Excellent service despite being busy

Good place to meet, off the train, or to end a crawl, when heading back to the station. Great beer, nice atmosphere.

Having visited before I quite like this pub. However, popped in last night for a quick beer between trains only to find no-one behind the bar.
I waited getting on for 5 minutes and still no sign of life so I took my custom elsewhere. Some other customers had been waiting at the bar before I arrived and were still there when I left. I wonder if they managed to get a drink?

I've downgraded my previous mark due to this recent experience.Stopped off here on Saturday night and was pleasantly surprised. I had been here before (about 10 years ago) and remembered it as a smokey, pokey pub with a couple of old men being the only customers. Have to say that the open-plan bar makes the place unrecognisable and it was very busy, and as someone below said with a wide range of customers. A good pub then, even the non-stop jazz being played didn't bother me too much!

Quirky pub, lots of rooms off a main bar. Got there at about 11.30 am yesterday and from the outside I wasn't sure it was open. Dark and candlelit inside, schooldesks are a little awkward to sit at.

Assume this is ex Gales; HSB, Butser, Pride and Chiswick were on. Pint of Butser was nice enough.

Worth seeking out. I agree pricey - but then what is the value of keeping mobile phone clad chavs out!
Lovely big old pub, great inerior, spotless clean, and pleasent staff too, cosy.
Nice, worth the extra few pence!Pricey but worth visiting - a real Winchester institution.

Beers are pretty good and the food is excellent, though you generally have to book in advance if you want to eat during the busiest times of the week, unless you opt for the bar snack sausages (as mentioned by a previous reviewer).

Yeah nice pub now, had really nice steak here today washed down with good pint or Ruddles best, shame it still has to sell greedy king beers even tho not a tenancy anymore. got nice homely feel to it.
would say its defo on the up THIS PUB IS NOW UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP & NEW MANAGEMENT.GREAT THINGS TO COME.......
NEW ATTITUDE, PROMOTIONS,QUIZ NITES, KARAOKE, GREAT ALE & FOOD ALL DAY
NOW SERVING FRESH COFFEE ALL DAY
ITS NOT JUST OLD MEN SAT AT THE BAR ANYMORE POP IN AND SEE WHATS HAPPENING.....Visited for a recent Friday night drinking session. The staff were friendly and there were plenty of them, meaning that bar service was pretty quick, despite the pub being fairly busy.

Decent selection of real ales, but largely the same as every other Greene King pub in Winchester.

Music was "interesting" and wouldn't suit all tastes (mixture of cheesey '80s stuff and a dance selection).

As i always seem to be on a trip down memory lane with Winchester pubs! is the "First in Last out" or the filo as it was known still a pub? Perhaps the poster who remembers Sharon K disco nights can help me out!!Thanks "anonymous" for remembering Sharon K I thought i was the only one of the old school left!!,never seen her since hopefully she kept hold of her record collection!.I can also remember her boyfriend a really tall bloke with grey hair?,also can you remember a guy called Nigel geeky looking bloke always in there on disco nights!Oh my god I remember the Sharon K Friday Night disco.
Now those were the good old days.
This pub has never been the same since.
What did happen to Sharon K?

Was originally going to visit the pizza express next door but was full and I am so glad it was. The pub serves the best pizzas i have tried out side of london amazing choice of crazy toppings try it out you won't be disappointed drinks a little on the pricy side but worth it for the food. go down on a saturday night for some supprise tunes, great dj will pay almost anything you fancy, beer a little pricey but worth it for the end of a good night, comfy seatind if your lucky lol.
try it out! Nice busy Fun packed pub (if a little pricey)
However they do run student and promo night, which makes the prices more reasonable;
Nice surrowndings, so I guess thats reflected in the price;
Good staff, and very happy door men!
nice, when busy.

I can't help feeling that some people are marking this pub down for not being something it doesn't pretend to be. This isn't somewhere you go for six pints and a game of darts with an optional fight in the car park at chucking out time.

But if you just want a pint or two of decent ale in pleasant surroundings then you'll find it here. The food in the main bar and patio is pretty good and I could eat my way all through the menu in the restaurant. It's always our first choice when we're in Winchester
The beer was ok but the place is yet another pub more interested in food. I realise they have to make a profit but the emphasis is clearly on the food. I dont come from the area so have no idea what it was like before but if i wanted a pint in someones front room then id have stayed indoors. The eclipse over the road er well eclipsed it really...
Stayed here on Saturday night. Excellent location. Distinct character. Restaurant busy. Bar popular with a wide age range. Interesting menu. Comprehensive wine list. Very pleasant room. Breakfast delivered to your room by default. Be prepared for some noise at the front of the building if you want to leave a window open, otherwise wooden shutters and heavy curtains provided.
Would do it again.

Just had the best steak I have had in years at the Westgate hotel, it was cooked perfectly. The staff were all very friendly and only too happy to help. Great atmosphere and it is really nice to see that they have gone back to their roots with good honest pub food. The landlord is a larger than life character which just adds to the welcoming atmosphere. It really is a place to go if you are visiting the City and want to meet friendly people.
Will defiantly be returning.
VERY SMALL -deceptive from the exterior.
Pleasent staff, and resonabel priced drink, if a little dark and snug inside (no outside areas-! smokers note)
Hotel rooms were nice, clean, good value.
Staff made up for its shortfalls, worth a visit.
What a great little pub, perfectly situated at the top of town and just 2 minutes walk to the train station. At least once a year we stay in Winchester at the Westgate Hotel. We always stay in the Keats room which was nice but is now amazing since its re vamp. The landlord and landlady, Guy and Helen, are the perfect hosts ensuring every guest enjoys their stay. Helens breakfasts are always a winner with a great selection and no skimping on the portions. In the pub there is a great selection of real ales, which are well looked after poured to perfection. Guy and the regulars are a great laugh of an evening can’t wait till next year!!

Dreadful. There is one positive is they do usually have one good guest ale on but you have to deal with slow & rude staff who (with exception of the manager) don’t give a poo. Dark, grubby & inhabited with underage drinkers & alcoholics. Filthy dirty ;
cheap nasty beer, in very dirty glasses- even the bar man (after six attempts to find a "clean" glass) was clearly embarrased.
Sore throats a plenty - YUK!

Cheap, and need of a refurb.
Toilets a disgrace.
Avoid.
Wetherspoons. Cheap. What more is there to say? The beer festival here sees a good selection of real ales.

Largely popular with students and those looking for lengthy, cheap drinking sessions.

Green King so Ok if you like their beers. Pub v much in the old school tradition (ie large portions of average food, no children under 10, sl dowdy decor). There are local alternatives now that are at least worth comparing.Stayed in Twyford for a few days last week and found the Phoenix by accident. The landlord Paul greeted us like regulars. Good choice of ales and all served in top condition. Excellent menu, generous portions and very reasonably priced. If you are lookin for a first class pub in the Twyford area look no further than The Phoenix.One of the best!
How many landlords would do what Paul did?
He dropped Moules Mariniere from his menu because there were few takers, but when a group of us wanted them, he got them in specially - excellent they were too - "You would be hard pushed to find their equal in France..." said some of our friends who have a French home.
Real Ale
Real Food
Real People
Real Pub
Just the ticket, and no kids running riot as there are in the Bridge at Shawford. This is a real country pub with a log fire and a welcoming landlord.

I like this pub. Superbly situtated by the station. Music venue if thats your kind of things. Otherwise can watch the music videos that are going on. The Ringwood beer is not really to my taste. However there are other good beers or ciders which can be chosen. 10/10 for my money. Dissapointed;
was told it was THE live music venue in Winchester (possibly the only one left?)
Sadly it was very small, and the 'venue' section even smaller, which is why it was very intimidating and squashed; we saw several fraca's and fights which didnt help.
The music was OK, but the clientelle were looking for trouble...
Beer was ok, food absolute rubbish -fried fat everything ..shame.

This is a pub that is largely aimed at Winchester's students, but is no worse for it. The big draw here is the music room out the back, which has hosted a number of top brands (largely before they were famous).

Pleasantly surprising selection of real ales, some of which you won't find anywhere else in the city.

If you are visiting Winchester I would suggest that you consider adding this to your itinerary. It may be a greedy king pub but there were 3 guests on when I visited so you're not obliged to drink gk.

Recently refurbished in a style that combines modern and old I'd say this pub is worth a visit. A decent addition to any crawl around ye olde capital of England (Wessex!).Much improved since the recent refurbishment. Sofas, newspapers and flowers a nice touch but although the regular chairs could be more comfortable. Nice selection of well kept beers with regular guest ales. Entertaining newsletter too with info on the guest beers. Glad my local is now worthy of stepping into.Well another pub with a much hyped opening!! Advertised as a pub without pretentions it actually looks more like a wine bar. Beers ok but small and doesn't seem to know what it wants to be.

1st visit today and I can understand the previous comment about pine furniture. However, I quite liked the pub. OK it was greedy king but there was a guest on and the cricketing memorabilia was nice to see.

Not sure if it's worth a trip outside of central Winch but if you're prepared to go the distance I'd say it was worth the stroll.Recent refurbishment has diminished the character of this pub considerably, particularly the lounge. The old-time locals from nearby St Cross Hospital must be devastated by loss of their cosy, comfy retreat - replaced by nondescript pine furniture. Smoke still gets in your eyes from the (much improved) garden area. Beer is expensive and largely limited to Greene King standards. I'll go along with Blackcat's comments, the girl who works there has a face like a slapped arse most of the time and the bloke who I assume is the landlord is all over the place. Food's gone way downhill and place is pretty grubby shame it used to be a good Winch pub