BITE user comments - AlistairVonLion
Comments by AlistairVonLion
Went here on Wednesday and although there were customers the place had no buzz and felt very cold. I've been twice before and really enjoyed it but there seemed to be no soul on this visit.
The two blokes working the bar were both incredibly surly and I haven't received service that poor in a long time. It appeared that punters were an inconvenience to them and they'd rather be chatting to their mates.
It's a lovely area and there are quite a few nice pubs here but I wouldn't return after this last experience.
17 Mar 2017 08:46
Nicely isolated but well worth a visit. I found the pub and garden a little grubby but the welcome was warm and there was a decent mix of football playing lads, family's, old boys and couples. It was incredibly busy on the Saturday lunchtime I visited and we found it hard to get a seat but will definitely return. Probably in the week.
5 Mar 2017 13:52
I really liked it in here. Very pleasant lady serving and a couple of old boys propping up the bar chatting about football. Excellent pint of the black stuff and we enjoyed sitting out the front watching the world go by with a great view of the flats. There is a huge garden out the back which I'm guessing is popular with families. With the continued gentrification of the area it could be a gold mine if they looked to gastro it.
5 Mar 2017 12:50
Basic locals pub but a warm welcome and plenty of seating out the front and the back. Decent prices. Unspectacular but reliable and I would return if passing.
5 Mar 2017 12:45
The Owl and the Pussycat, Shoreditch
I used to love this Pub and always found it particularly cosy when the fire was roaring as it had a Dickensian feel to it. However, I was in there on Saturday and can’t believe how bad the bar staff were. It was just after lunch and not that busy yet the two fellas behind the bar were absolutely clueless. Firstly, they were a bit too cool for school and were very surly (yet when a young attractive blonde lady came to the bar they perked up – funny that!). Secondly, they couldn’t manage the queue to serve people in the correct order and finally, they hadn’t heard of the term House Wine before which is a first for me after countless years of frequenting pubs. The Gents were also absolutely disgusting. I won’t describe what I encountered but it highlights a lack of standards of the cleaning staff and/or the calibre of people that patronise the pub so I won’t be returning which is a shame as I have many fond memories of this pub.
22 Nov 2016 13:12
Tired and unwelcoming. We went in on a Sunday night and the barmaid was particularly blunt and unapologetic that they only had p*ss water Fosters and bottles of Bud for my friend who wanted Lager. The bar was surrounded by the sort of little chavvies/wannabe "Gangsters" you see on Jeremy Kyle and although they were polite when engaging us in conversation painted a picture of what the Pub is like. We went in many others Pubs in the area over the course of the evening and this was the only one that was dead. I wouldn't return.
14 Nov 2016 22:38
The smell of disinfectant from the Gents was horrific. Didn't stay long.
3 Oct 2016 21:56
Went back in again last week before a game at the Taxpayers Stadium and still absolutely love this pub. In 20 years time places like this won't exist in this corner of London and its such a pleasure to get a warm welcome in a very traditional boozer. Really enjoy the low roof which makes the one long room feel really snug and they've just spent a bit of time tidying the garden up which is now a very pleasant place to sit.
3 Oct 2016 21:55
A new miserable experience. Went in for a drink on Sunday afternoon. Not one other person in there. Disneyfilms on the tele and the whole place was dark and gloomy even though it had just been renovated. No real ales. I'm guessing it only survives as it has the hostel guests next door drinking in there.
3 Oct 2016 21:48
The refurb is impressive and the reconfiguration of the bar makes it easier to mange the queue and the new Management are a) much friendlier and b) know how to roster on enough staff (who actually know what they're doing) to meet demand at this popular pub. I'd encourage going back if you've had a bad experience in the past as you will be pleasantly surprised.
3 Oct 2016 20:45
The Royal Standard, Blackheath
Really enjoyed this place when popping in for a quick bite and a pint on a Wednesday lunchtime. As per a few other reviews the bar staff weren't particularly welcoming but otherwise this is a great pub. Handsomely overlooks the road, two decent outside areas to sit in and the food and beer were of a high quality. Not an area I know well or visit often but I would definitely return and recommend it to others.
3 Oct 2016 20:39
Part of the Star chain and a decent addition to the burgeoning Leyton pub scene. The interior has been kept traditional with a large bar with a central island. Decent pint of IPA and a few local beers on draft and in the fridge. Bar staff can be hit and miss. Mostly friendly but a few are a bit too for school and you fear their faces would crack if they smiled. The garden was a war zone when it was the King Harold and the new layout with heated huts has been well finished though I can't help but think they haven't totally maximised the space. Decent, affordable, burgers too. Well worth a visit if it the area.
3 Oct 2016 20:33
The Star of the East, Limehouse
Dingy and quite tired but a decent friendly welcome. There was a 21st birthday on and it looked like all the old faces of the manor had turned out. Decent buzz but I've no doubt it's very different at other times. Not sure I'd return.
3 Oct 2016 20:25
The Greenwich Pensioner, Poplar
Went in for a pint in early March waiting for a mate who lived nearby to get home from work. Bit of a mistake and the delightful frontage is false advertising to what awaits you when you get inside. Grim one room drinker, not very welcoming, full of local chavs f'ing and blinding and, to top it all off, one of the punters dogs took a sh*t on the sofa. I drank my pint quickly and left. Avoid.
29 Jun 2016 21:44
Bit hit and miss this place. Tend to be in there once a week and it's certainly pleasant and inviting however very cavernous at the back and not what you'd call intimate. Decent pint of Ghost Ship but the bar staff can be absolutely shocking - No idea about what they're serving, very very slow and no queue management.
The garden is the most pleasant in the area and worth a trip to enjoy the rays. However, it can be a bit of a kids playground as children fuelled with sugary drinks are allowed to run wild whilst their parents look on, do nothing, and laugh at how cute their little cherubs are.
6 Jan 2016 21:06
Really liked this place after popping in on NYE. Very warm and cosy and had a real community feel with a diverse mix of people. Didn't have any Ale but would definitely return. The kind of place where it's nice to sit on a really awful day and watch the rain hammer the windows whilst you're all warm and dry inside.
6 Jan 2016 20:59
Went in at about 6 on a Saturday night three weeks ago and I have to say I was quietly impressed as my expectations were very low. It's had a recent enough refurb, although perhaps done a bit cheaply, but the welcome was warm enough. The staff were getting ready for an engagement party and there was a nice buzz about the place. The Beer Garden is massive and has so much potential but I'm not sure they have the catchment area to fill it and there is serious competition down in the Tredegar Square area however this is a real Pub for real East End people and I did enjoy the place.
12 Jul 2015 10:49
A really slick operation. Bar really well staffed, friendly quick service, excellent choice of ales and a quality massive beer garden. The building looks a bit moody as you approach but once inside you'll be pleasantly surprised. Nothing to fault here and if I was in the area I would return.
12 Apr 2015 14:54
The refurb is absolutely awful!
The inside now looks like a little old ladies' Team Rooms in the Cotswolds. I'm not a dinosaur and understand that pubs have to adapt with the times and that pubs rarely survive in residential areas just on wet trade. However what was once a pleasant proper East End boozer with bags of character has now become a ladies that lunch / crèche play area.
East London pub culture really is being slowly eroded away. There is almost no middle ground boozers anymore - it's either sanitised £12.50 for a Burger places or ghetto dives where, unless you're a local face, you wouldn't be comfortable in. The Coborn was a decent middle ground but, alas, no more.
Avoid and go to The Tredegar around the corner which has been tastefully and subtly refurbished, unlike this horror show.
9 Apr 2015 16:00
The Approach Tavern, Bethnal Green
Decent backstreet pub with a gastro focus. Staff weren't the most cheery I've ever encountered but pleasant enough. A generous front terrace with lots of seating means it will get busy on the summer.
8 Apr 2015 09:55
The Prospect of Whitby, Wapping
Gorgeous pub tucked into the bend on the road with two pleasant outside sitting areas. The building oozes character and also had a nice selection of ales on when I was in there. Very efficient and friendly fella behind the bar (on his own) managing the queue. An excellent place to while away an afternoon or evening whatever the season due to the cosy nooks and different rooms. They also had a wood burner pumping when I was there earlier in the year too.
8 Apr 2015 09:42
Very friendly traditional boozer. We walked in when there was a Wake on but everyone was very accommodating and the Landlady was very chatty. A nice break from the food driven Prospect & Captain Kidd and has a proper locals feel to it with some interesting (but non-threatening) old school East End characters. Well worth a visit if in the area.
8 Apr 2015 09:37
Second time I've had a bad experience here in the last 3 months. The staff clearly don't know what they're doing and a couple had a seriously bad attitude. A pleasant pub but has a desperate air of misery once you walk in. The terrace is pleasant but I wouldn't return until the shambles behind the bar get their act together.
8 Apr 2015 09:32
Went in on Sunday and had an awful experience. The bar staff were really off and didn't quite comprehend the concept of customer service. They were also ignorant of the drinks that they served. Had a Sunday Roast which was really poor (and cold) and the general feeling was of a place that wasn't doing well where staff morale was low. The only redeeming feature is the Beer Garden which is a little sun trap but I wouldn't rush back just for that.
3 Mar 2015 09:55
Recently under new Management and the change is massive. A really friendly welcome both times I've been in recently, which wasn't the case before. Chatty barmaid and the atmosphere was good. They're really making an effort to make it a community boozer with events on most nights. Popped in for one early Sunday evening and it was absolutely packed (admittedly the Rugby had been on a few hours earlier) so they're clearly doing something right.
3 Mar 2015 08:56
Reopened! Went in there on Sunday on its second day and was impressed. Although food wasn't on (due to a technical fault) the welcome was warm and the pub inviting. It's a huge boozer with 4 separate parts to it. The mix of punters was pleasingly varied from a young couple playing cards, to seasoned locals and a large local Eastern European family - all seemed to be enjoying themselves.
The jewel in the crown is the garden which will be a real local treasure when summer arrives. Clearly they've got a bit more to do but it's early days in its new life but well worth using if you're a local or in the area.
3 Mar 2015 08:50
First visit the other Saturday. A most pleasant boozer tucked down a side street. Everyone seemed very friendly. Excellent pint of Guinness and a cosy beer garden out the back. Will return.
1 Nov 2014 13:22
A little bit Ra-Ra-Ra for me. Very pretentious and always difficult to get a seat. Most of the bar staff also give off a 'Too cool for school vibe". Good selection of ales though.
5 May 2014 20:43
I really liked this pub. As advised below we drank bottles only so can't comment on the beer. Very warm and cosy. The Guvnor and locals seemed welcoming enough and we felt relaxed. Has a late 80s feel to the place but it works in that it's just a standard no frills boozer. Very pleasant garden - the Guvnor came to turn the lights on for us when he realised we'd gone out there.
When in the area again I'd return for a quiet pint or two.
5 May 2014 20:39
Walked into what felt like a private party. It was a patrons birthday and it was clearly a family affair where everyone knew everyone else. However nobody paid us much attention although we were advised only bottles were available which was odd as others had pints. I read this as 'you're here for one quick drink and then you'll be on your way'. Not intimidating but I wouldn't walk in on my own. Strange Ikea wood effort inside which is sad as it's what you'd think would be a traditional pub from looking outside. Wouldn't return.
5 May 2014 20:34
Rundown and initially uninviting however once the Barmaid (Landlady) and the band of locals around the bar realised we weren’t going to trash the place it was quite relaxed. The pub has certainly seen better days but in a way you’d expect nothing less in a boozer in this part of town. A collection of interesting characters were enjoying their Saturday night and the mood was good with lots of laughter although we didn’t engage anyone to “make new friends”.
Drank the draught lager which was fine. A trip to the gents was interesting to say the least. The stench of p was overpowering – I half expected men in yellow suits with biohazard stickers on them to come rushing out.
Not a drinker you’d seek out and if I was in the area I might / might not return. Good if you like to enjoy places of yesteryear that are just about clinging on.
20 Feb 2014 17:10
A pretty grim experience. Granted it was a Monday lunchtime but the place stunk of misery and desperation. Sadly these sort of back street boozers are closing but this was not one that I would mourn or return to. There was one lonely drinker and the Guvnor was barely able to grunt let alone welcome me to his house. Lights were all turned off and the place was just miserable. Not a bad pint of Guinness but one was enough before time to move on.
12 Feb 2014 19:41
A typical East London boozer in every sense of the word. Quite an imposing building due to it standing alone within an estate but a handsome exterior nonetheless. On walking in four old boys were propping up the bar and all turned to clock the stranger who had walked in. After a quick once over they paid me no further attention and I took a seat in the other section of the bar. The super friendly landlady apologised for the mess as they were decorating – it looked like they’d been pulling cork tiles off the wall – so the place was a work in progress but it still had a certain charm. Classic old school deep bar was beaten only by what looked like an original Space Invaders game, quality! An excellent pint of Guinness to boot.
A little bit off the beaten track but I’m keen to see how the place looks after a lick of paint so will endeavour to return.
12 Feb 2014 19:04
Went in again just before Christmas and still a superb little boozer. The pub is simply timeless and you feel as if the rest of the world has stopped as you walk in. A very friendly welcome from the Guvnor, great pint of Guinness, a bit of banter with some locals at the bar and perfect ambiance as I took a seat in the left hand side of the bar - Icould ask for no more.
I encourage all lovers of proper pubs to visit this gem of an old school establishment.
8 Jan 2014 20:04
Toilets stank of piss. Completely overpowering. However there was a nice feel to the pub and it is a lot more real than the Morgan Arms. Would return.
26 Oct 2013 17:05
Shabby but in a warm and inviting way. It hasa real charm about it and the central bar really works. A friendly and chatty welcome on my last visit.
26 Oct 2013 16:59
The Salmon and Ball, Bethnal Green
Popped in after an Orient game to catch the late game on Sky. Excellent pint of Guinness and a fairly laid back atmosphere. Nothing spectacular but does the job.
29 Sep 2013 17:52
The Dundee Arms, Bethnal Green
Rough and ready but the landlady was very welcoming and chatty. Cheap prices and would return if in the area.
29 Sep 2013 17:49
The Norfolk Arms, Russell Square
Clearly a gastropub but a very warm welcome on arrival and all the staff were very attentive. However I can't understand pubs that sell wine in the type of orange juice glasses you get at breakfast in hotels. Weird and trying too hard to be different and trendy yet looking a little pretentious in my book. Pleasant seating to watch the world go by but the comedy glasses had already left a bad taste in my mouth.
26 Aug 2013 17:27
Marquis of Cornwallis, Bloomsbury
Good looking trad building but far too clinical and sanitised for my liking? The wooden floors look like they were sanded that morning. Extra mark for doing Blue Moon.
26 Aug 2013 17:23
Pleasant if unremarkable pub. Has a shabby feel to it but a decent pint of Adnams and reasonably priced. Small quiet patio at the back.
26 Aug 2013 17:14
Popped in last night before a gig at Koko. Immediately recognised the Guvnor as he used to run The Oxford Arms up on Camden High Street. Nice friendly welcome, a bit of craic at the bar and a really good pint of Pride.
Good mix of people watching a european team on the box, locals proping up the bar and people drinking at the tables. I was surprised how full it was for a Tuesday night and there wasa real buzz.
Pleasant atmosphere and a beer garden with ample seating. Will return.
21 Aug 2013 14:52
A classic backstreet boozer with, I feel, the most striking frontage of any pub in London. (and I’m not into gardening / flowers so to say that really is remarkable)
We stopped in for a lunchtime pint and the interior is really cosy with small table lamps and you get a warm homely feeling as you walk in. It's quite dark inside and that adds to the ambience. However I'm a pretty laid back and friendly bloke but as we walked in the lady behind the bar had a look of "Oh no, strangers, what are they doing in here" plastered all over her face which wasn't the most friendly welcome and if she had smiled I think her face might have cracked. That said the two locals at the bar paid us no interest and otherwise it seemed a friendly enough sort of place.
We sat outside and it was nice to watch the world go by. Different types of clientele came and went from the table next to us so good to see that it attracts different cross sections of the community.
I didn't have an ale (it was hot so ice cold lager was the order of the day) but I’ll definitely return, especially in the winter to cosy up in such a warm haven.
21 Aug 2013 14:47
Friendly staff and nice sitting outside but there were some seriously obnoxious kids who had been filled with sugar and were running around like speed freaks. The parents didn't care and looked like the sort of people that wouldn't have reacted well to a polite request to calm them down or actually realise that their offspring were ruining everyone elses evening.
Otherwise a handsome building and standard Sam Smiths drinks. Excellent pork scratchings!
15 Aug 2013 14:54
The Hand and Marigold, Bermondsey
As has been said before, a really good mix of old school Bermondsey characters and professionals in their thirties in suits Good atmosphere, mood lighting cheap prices and a cracking pint of Guinness. Will return.
15 Aug 2013 14:41
A strange sort of atmosphere when we walked in. Clearly not faces and quickly dismissed as no threat we melted into the background although it took a while to get served even though it wasn’t that busy. Has been recently refurbished and felt a little too clinical for an East London boozer for my liking but nothing wrong with that. (I usually expect wooden floorboards or dirty carpets not changed since the war).
The racing was on and the whole pub were packed round the box and there was a good atmosphere for a Saturday lunchtime. Will return as a good pit-stop before West Ham away.
15 Aug 2013 13:15
Scruffy but had a certain charm to it. Wallpaper falling of the wall and looked like its not been decorated in about thirty years. However friendly enough and served its purpose. Would return for a pre- match pint.
11 Aug 2013 21:35
Has its own sweet shop and Gorilla toilet seats, need I say anymore?
28 Jul 2013 20:08
Been done up a treat. Traditional bar with shinny pumps. Nothing to dislike about this place. Crisp and fresh inside and the patrons were a mix of thirties and forties professionals having Sunday lunch. Staff on the money too. Will return.
28 Jul 2013 19:57
Clean and friendly locals pub. A warm welcome on my two visits. I was clearly not from the area but chatted easily to the staff and regulars. Smart location hidden just off Commercial Road.
28 Jul 2013 19:52
Sadly now closed. Was a dirty and ragged sh*thole but it had a certain charm about it.
24 Apr 2013 14:55
Everything a quality back street boozer should be - traditional handsome building, blackout curtain, good variety of ale, warm and cosy, friendly staff and a beer garden. Only live down the road so will be returning regularly.
1 Apr 2013 21:09
An absolute gem of a boozer. I’d be very sorry to see this place close.
We went in for the first time last week and the punters and staff were very friendly and the pubs interior and exterior oozes character and old world charm. The exterior is looking a little tired but it’s still an imposing building and surprisingly once you enter it’s really well preserved with the typical North London high ceiling and long bar. The minute I walked in here I felt immediately at home - a regular started up a conversation as soon as we sat at the bar and by the end of the night we were chin-wagging away with other drinkers and staff. A proper community boozer and one I’ll return to as long as it’s doors are opened.
Only minus is that the bogs stink strongly of piss and were absolutely freezing but that aside this is a quality boozer (and sadly so many of them have or are closing all over town)
31 Jan 2013 13:52
Having been in there off and on for the last 10 months I feel I’m now able to put forward a subjective and honest review not based on the bias of one or two bad experiences.
In my opinion the place is pretty much a social club for the bar staff and their mates and they’ll do absolutely anything in their power to avoid serving you and actually do what they’re paid to do. On countless occasions now there have been multiple staff behind the bar who simply ignore you so they can continue chatting to their mates. On a couple of occasions they’ve come through the door behind the bar, made eye contact then totally ignored me to go off to chinwag to their colleagues (I must also add that I was the only person at the bar and there was absolutely no doubt we’d made eye contact and that the individual just couldn’t be bothered, lowered his gaze and walked off to his pals –the other 3 staff chatting who chose to ignore me too) It seems that all customers are inconveniencing the staff by making them work and that serving punters is clearly beneath them. (For a lesson in how to serve and chat to punters they should walk down the road to The Pembroke or The Albert)
Throw in the two geezers wedged in the same toilet cubicle repeatedly sniffing loudly (A sheltered lad like me could have no idea what they could possibly have been doing in there) and the nasty 80s cheese that was playing on my latest visit I think it’s fair to say I won’t ever be going back. The 6 others drinkers in the area are far far superior.
Avoid at all costs as customer service are words the staff simply don’t understand and when they do finally have the time in their busy personal schedule to serve you they, in my experience, are surely and very blunt with no expression or friendliness. The only reason I think this place survives is it’s close proximity to the Hill.
31 Jan 2013 13:42
The Sir Richard Steele, Belsize Park
Proper boozer and one I personally feel has benefitted from the refurb. Bar staff always friendly and the front of the building looks really smart now. Extra marks for decent pricing and the new garden.
22 Dec 2012 23:32
The Princess of Wales, Primrose Hill
All the character has been sucked out of it after the refurb. The wallpaper is bordering on pure comedy and the once cosy bar area is now a hollow cavern with too much space.
After being a fairly regular visitor for the last three years I'll not be returning.
22 Dec 2012 23:27
I've never had a 12.5% service charge added to the cost of a pint when ordering at the bar so i think it's correct and proper to say this isn't a pub.
6 Dec 2012 14:23
All the comments about the Edinboro are pretty accurate.
Great in the summer although it takes an age to get served as there are never enough bar staff on and the length of the bar makes it hard to get into a decent spot (as well as practically every punter paying by card which slows the process down even further) Granted there is a bar outside for the summer but it's not that well stocked and there are no draught lager or ales on there)
The punters are sadly an eclectic mix of loud mouthed Daddy bought it for me types and moaning old young media hags.
However I'll keep returning as the garden really is the best in Camden and they've really hit the nail on the head with the winter tent and the heaters.
6 Dec 2012 14:17
Was in there last month and there was an ale fest on. Two rather nice pints served by very welcoming staff and my mate equally enjoyed his special ales. It was a Friday night and had a nicemix of after work people and locals. Will visit again.
6 Dec 2012 12:52
Nice boozer. Very welcoming and friendly and a great spot to sit outside(front or back) in the summer. Very well presented and looked after(with realy attractive hanging baskets) Dukebox is excellent too. Gets very busy on a Friday due to the Crescent cigarette factory office staff but go any other time and it's a proper back street friendly locals NW1 pub.
6 Dec 2012 11:49
I visited this summer and stumbled upon it by pure chance. I had a butchers over the back wall and felt complelled to go in.
It's a trad Charrington frontage and looks like a classicly maintained East End boozer and going inside doesn't disappoint either. The decor is old in a shabby-chic intentional way but looks really tidy and the two bars give two pleasant environments. The staff were super friendly as were the two punters I spent ages chatting to at the bar. I only drank lager and wine so can't comment on the ales but the prices were very cheap and the lager a tasty pint.
The garden is worth seeing and I can easily say the best London pub beer garden I've ever been in. It's the kind of set up I'd expect in the gardens at Buckingham Palace.
It also looks like a well used community venue with posters advertising a weekley quiz and what appeared to be live music most nights of the week. I would imagine it also gets very busy when Orient are at home.
I read from other reviews that the pub has been sold. It would be a crying shame if it's closed and turned into flats as so many traditional staples of the community are closing and this is certainly one worth keeping.
It's well out of my way but I would travel to visit this hidden gem.
Keep Right On!
19 Oct 2012 11:43
This is a first class back street London boozer full of history and charm. A little bit basic and stripped down inside but a very handsome bar and spotlessly clean. A real oasis in the desert of Bermondsey pubs. I've drank there on a few occasions after work and the landlord and locals have all been very friendly and accommodating. I also had an early morning / afternoon session in here before my team played at The Den and again the welcome was just as friendly on a non work evening when it was very clear I wasn't a local. I'll continue to go back to this classic old school London pub!
19 Oct 2012 10:54
Back to AlistairVonLion's profile
The Hare, Bethnal Green
Absolutely love this pub. While all the other pubs in the area have become trendy and are full of hipsters this retains a sprinkle of the old traditional Bethnal Green and is a pleasure to visit.
Full of old school local people who don't mind new faces, fellas playing pool and friendly staff makes this a must visit if in the area. Very decent pint of Guinness too.
17 Mar 2017 08:50