The Black Lion, Brighton - pub details
Address: 14 Black Lion Street, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 1ND [map] [gmap]
Tel: 0871 951 1000 (ref 140) - calls cost 10p per minute plus network extras
Brighton (0.6 miles), London Road - Brighton (1.2 miles), Hove (1.7 miles)
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> Current user rating: 5.0/10 (rated by 30 users)
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other pubs nearby:
Cricketers, Brighton (0.0 miles), Druids Head, Brighton (0.1 miles), Market Inn, Brighton (0.1 miles), Pump House, Brighton (0.1 miles), Bar 14, Brighton (0.1 miles) - see more nearby pubs
user reviews of the Black Lion, Brighton
please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
5 most recent reviews of 24 shown - see all reviews
| Our son lives in Brighton, so after visiting him yesterday, we popped in here for a drinkie before setting off home. Hubby said that there was excrement smeared over the wall in the gents and a large richard on the floor in one of the cubicles. The ladies was actually spotless but did smell a bit of potted fish. We didn't stay! PissFlap - 24 Mar 2012 15:05 |
| So, went here on the Bank holiday Saturday night with a couple of friends and it was ok, music playing, reasonable bar service - a generally ok evening. Saw the food blackboard and decided to return the following day.....big mistake. I'm a comedian and had to be at a fringe event around the corner at 3pm. We ordered our food at 2.15pm, I went for Moroccan Lamb, and my partner decided on a jacket potato with chilli. We ordered a drink each too. And then we waited, and waited, and waited. At 2.45pm my partner asked a waitress what was going on with our food, and was told that it would be with us in a second. At 3pm we had to leave so that I could be at my gig. We asked the waitress to get the manager. The duty manager Geoff? Jack?, said "This isn't the waitresses fault." We agreed, we hadn't blamed the waitress. He then said, "It's not my fault." Well Geoff/Jack, actually if you're the manager then you should be taking responsibility - or should we go down into your kitchens to complain? Geoff/Jack said that the pub was busy, as if that would excuse such a long wait, the fact that at least four other tables that had ordered after us had been served before us was never explained. He then told us that he was going to refund us for the meals - wow - a full refund for two meals that we hadn't been given - you're sooooo generous. My partner then said that she thought he should refund our whole bill, including the drinks (a glass of orange, and a pint of shandy). He told her that he couldn't do that and that she shouldn't be so aggressive! Geoff/Jack, being upset about terrible service isn't being aggressive; being upset about a manager who frankly couldn't give a toss about what his customers' think isn't being aggressive; asking for a gesture to appease people whom you have let down isn't aggressive - it's called customer relations. So I can't tell you what the food's like, as they didn't bother serving us with it. I can tell you that the management is rubbish and couldn't care two hoots about how crap their service is. I'd suggest that there are a lot of places in Brighton which will take more care of their customers, go to those places instead. themaninthebowlerhat - 30 May 2011 18:06 |
| Eaten here a few times now and always found the food tasty and of good value and quality. It's a comfotable pub in a more modern open way and the beer is generally pretty good although not exciting. On theis occasion the Arundel Gold was quite welcome. uriahheep - 15 Jun 2010 16:38 |
| A bit of an impersonal, atmosphere-lacking pub. The Cricketers next door is a better bet. mcheather - 2 Jun 2010 20:10 |
| It's a real shame that, on a site that comes up at the top of the listings on Google, such a friendly and lively pub has such mixed reviews over the last few years and no comments for almost 12 months. Having had a recent new floor and fresh lick of paint (the toilets we re-furbished before Christmas as well - which were not great beforehand), the Black Lion is now looking fantastic - clean, good lighting, nicely laid out and carefully selected music to set the tone. The food is the equal of any pub in town (far better than most) and is served by enthusiastic and attentive staff who are as happy for you to order from the bar as they are to do table service, which is no mean feat considering how busy this pub can be at lunch time and weekends. By day, customers are a mix of about 80% locals, 20% tourists and range from students and young professionals, through local business people to retired couples. This creates a busy, friendly buzz and a great atmosphere for lunch or an early evening meal. By night, the pub transforms into a cosy, dimly-lit space, with a cavern-like feel. Early in the week, you can expect to find live music and staff with great taste in what to play and when. From Thursday onwards, some of the best DJs in Brighton play rare vinyl spanning from '60s Motown and Northern Soul, Funk, Ska, Mod Revival, '80s Anthems, Hip Hop, Breaks, Electronica, Punk, Rock and classic and modern Indie. The Black Lion is a fine example of a pub that manages to constantly and seemingly effortlessly transform itself from busy day to busy night, almost without you noticing. There is also a front terrace for seating (it doesn't look much like the above pic any more) and a good sized beer garden, which can be covered and heated in the colder months. Well worth a visit if you haven't been for a while. Chris_BlackLion - 12 May 2010 16:11 |
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