The Ragged Trousers, Tunbridge Wells - pub details
Address: 44 The Pantiles, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN2 5TN [map] [gmap]
Tel: 0871 951 1000 (ref 31569) - calls cost 10p per minute plus network extras
Tunbridge Wells (0.4 miles), High Brooms (1.9 miles), Frant (2.4 miles)
Pub facilities/features:
- Food served
Pub suggested by Bruce Grant on 10 Nov 2006
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> Current user rating: 7.1/10 (rated by 22 users)
> Hotels nearby: Search
> Local guide: Kent pub guide
other pubs nearby:
Duke of York, Tunbridge Wells (0.0 miles), Swan Hotel, Tunbridge Wells (0.0 miles), Sussex Arms, Tunbridge Wells (0.0 miles), Old West Station, Tunbridge Wells (0.1 miles), Cassidys, Tunbridge Wells (0.2 miles) - see more nearby pubs
user reviews of the Ragged Trousers, Tunbridge Wells
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 23 shown - see all reviews
| Walking through drizzle on the Pantiles. squelch, squelch, squelch. Opposite the jewelers and their beautiful bandstand/balcony squats the exceptionally eccentric Ragged Trousers. Ducking under the eves, brushing past one of the Pantiles many columns, apologizing to the pretty girl with wavy hair as I extract myself from my coat, spraying her and the suited man behind me with a thousand drips accumulated on my downhill trudge through the high street. I push open the door, let the smooth sounds of Charlie Mingus or R.E.M wash over me as I walk up to the bar and fumble my coat onto a hook under the bar. A bald man behind the bar looks at me, grins and tells me how to red sock. a long haired guy next to him, stops frowning at the pint he is pouring and frowns at the bald man. I could have a pint of well cellared European beer, pleasant Cider or bottle of international beverage. but instead I ask for The Middle Pump, their guest ale, between the Larkins (meh) or Golden Ticket (better than meh) This week the guest is 6x, a Wadworths brew from Devises in Wiltshire, and my old local. Would I like a handle? Fantastico I take out a £5 note from my wallet that says bad mo fo on it, past it over to the bald man, who in turn passes it to long haired man who, with a flourish, hands me back my £1.70 and smiles, politely asks me how things are. Arousing grasping my just-below-room-temperature sudds I turn from the bar and poke through the papers stacked up behind me - Times, Guardian, Pigeon Stool, Local Crap - to find my little nugget of gold, the crossword. Perfect. I sit down on the faded leather bar stool and whip out my pen. Hello It's tall big bald man "Hello" I say back in surprise, it's nice to see him again. we chat. "Bin Emptier (7)" Hello The evening shift of staff are arriving, the bar is flooded with more hellos than my aged keyboard can accommodate, hugs and steam from outside billow around the room. "Dustman" says long haired man Thanks long haired man, he turns to serve the 20 Belgian tourists that have just walked in, spilling themselves over the wide heavy wooden tables at the far end of the bar, bickering about table service and how they don't sell espressos. The staff are more than courteous to theses bumbling collage students, and despite their shift being over, all 5 staff are behind the bar pumping out coffee, draughts and wine, from their fabulous selection of old and new world grape juices. Tall big bald man and I look at each other. Cigarette. In the tiny beer garden out the back we sit under the one giant brolly the covers most of the floor space. "small pouch on a belt (6)" Wavy haired girl with glasses comes out to collect my own empty glass - "bumbag" sh says as she swings open to door and we follow her back in. long haired man is sitting at the bar, book in one hand, vintage dumbbell in the other. Using his bellend he pushes a plate of spare lunch time chips towards me. They're excellent. "Nail-banger (6)" Home (pub) made hand cut chips, dip one in some mayonnaise. "Hammer" Wavy haired girl, without glasses, raises her eyebrows at me, holding a glass with a handle. £10 note this time. I take my £6.70 change, stuff the note in my back pocket, it's pointless putting it back in my wallet - I'm going to be here some time. Wave a hello at the curly haired man with an accent who makes food, as I drop my coins in a mug on the bar, funding their weather machine. Weather machine. what will they think of next? hilarious. Excellent food, moules on a thursday night, also burger night on a. nother night. Excellent beer, they all know what they're doing. Excellent wine, gurt selection, something for everyone. Excellent spirits, well. I mean they don't, or didn't have malibu, which is just fantastic. they do have Koko Kanu though, if thats your bag EXCELLENT service. get in there toastboaster - 8 May 2012 17:43 |
| Loved the pub, the atmosphere and the beer. Better-than-average piped music as well. One of my favourite pubs in RTW. E.L.Wisty - 2 Feb 2012 09:36 |
| Hip, friendly staff. Good mix of clientele. Larkins Porter was top notch. Very decent choices for vegetarians, and seems to go the extra mile (tastily dressed salad, home made fries). Fills up quickly though, so best to go early if you want to eat. richythemole - 28 Dec 2011 16:13 |
| Good pub in a great location. Excellent and ever changing range of beers all well kept. Small food menu, but all very good. Sitting outside when the sun is shining watching the world go by. Fantastic. Beermeup - 19 Jun 2011 18:59 |
| Pub under same ownership as the Duke of York. After going here, I'd rather go to the Duke instead as it's far nicer, better choice of beers and has more of a traditional pub feel sussexboy - 20 Mar 2011 21:44 |
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