BITE user comments - Cover_Point
Comments by Cover_Point
Very nice pub, this. Not a huge selection of ales but the Adnams Southwold was very good and the food decent. The landlady was very friendly and chatty and the surroundings are lovely. It's basically in the middle of a wood so I would imagine would be a great place to start and finish a nice walk.
3 Jul 2013 09:33
Wonderful, traditional pub with a really friendly, welcoming atmosphere. Only had St Austell Tribute ( a little lacklustre) and Proper Job (lovely!) when we were there but the food was exceptional. We had the Sunday Roast in there and the portions were absolutely enormous - to the point where I felt really guilty about the amount of vegetables we had to leave. No fewer than 6 different ones in 2 separate dishes between 3 of us. We were back later in the week for the 'normal' lunch menu and that was all beautifully cooked and presented as well. The landlord / landlady were very friendly and welcoming and there is a lovely old pub dog - a Corgi/Rottweiler cross (ouch - that must have hurt !!). A pub that deserves to do well, especially as it's a up against a fair amount of local competition for such a small town.
30 Oct 2012 10:31
The Coach and Horses, Covent Garden
A fantastic little boozer in the heart of Covent Garden - an area notoriously jammed with tourist traps and cr@p service. This place definitely doesn't fit into that category, thank God.
To be fair, it's not really a Real Ale place as others have mentioned, though they do have a couple to choose from. My pint of Guinness took longer to pour than it did for me to drink - and if you know Guinness, that's meant as a compliment, by the way !
Great service as well and the prices were in keeping with the area (so average for london, bloody expensive if you live north of Watford!).
It's no good if you want a massive selection of ales and / or a nice sit-down meal but if you only need some liquid refreshment, you'll struggle to do better than this in Covent Garden.
20 Sep 2012 11:13
Very welcoming and friendly staff. A little disappointing to find only London Pride and Greene King IPA available but the Pride was nicely kept. We sat outside on a lovely sunny day and the setting was very tranquil indeed.
I'd definitely come back to try the food and it was great to see the increasingly rare bar billiards table in the corner
10 Sep 2012 09:46
Stopped on the way back from holiday - it's a convenient diversion off the A303. Can't comment on the beer as I was driving but the food was very good and the service friendly and efficient. I'd certainly come back and it's an ideal (and far superior) alternative to the the Little Chefs and McDonalds. If that sounds like 'damning with faint praise' it's not meant to be. It's a very decent pub.
21 Jun 2012 09:08
Called in here for dinner with wife and daughter. Food seemed a tad overpriced but was otherwise excellent. The pub is right on the quay and so seems to be very popular with yachty types - hence the prices perhaps. One group of women near us seemed to be particularly keen to look down their noses at all around them whilst quaffing their Champagne. To each his (or her) own, I guess ! Beer was also fine, service a little hit and miss. Some staff were very keen to please and the manager (I think) was very pleasant. Others boardered on the surly but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt as it was very busy when we arrived and it quietened down considerably, later in the evening. A decent enough place though and I'd be happy to revisit.
19 Mar 2012 15:39
Visited on a very busy Saturday night. We phoned ahead to book a table and were apparently just in time because the table we were given was right by the door - and hence a bit draughty on what was a chilly evening. No complaints there though, we should have booked earlier. Food was excellent and beer was fine, as was the service. My only complaint, which is obviously not really the fault of the staff, is that the place was incredibly noisy. I'd revisit at a quieter time though because other than that, it was excellent.
19 Mar 2012 15:28
Lovely old pub with beautiful gardens and a good selection of ales - all served direct from the barrels lined up behind the bar.
I found the service a little lacking in warmth and I can't say I felt overly welcome compared to the locals. Shame, as it has all the things I like about a pub. Maybe I caught them on an off day though and it certainly wasn't bad enough to put me off returning.
Beer was lovely, by the way !
26 Sep 2011 10:34
I think the last reviewer must have been extremely unlucky - or else is particularly fussy. I've taken several people to this pub and absolutely everyone has agreed that the food is first class. I was there again last night and the place was completely full with (apparently happy) diners. On a Thursday night, that speaks volumes. Service was also excellent and the beer has always been good in my experience.
26 Aug 2011 10:08
Not sure what's happened here. I can only assume there has been some sort of fallout with the Brewery/Manager. Visited yesterday and there was no draught beer or mixers - bottled stuff only for both. There's obviously some sort of renovation going on but the staff had "no idea" how long until it's completed. What was once a thriving restaurant was also pretty much empty though that's not really surprising given the lack of beer !
Whatever's happened, I hope they sort it out soon. It used to be a decent pub.
20 Jun 2011 14:18
It's changed hands now and (disaster!!), the crab sandwiches are no longer on the menu !
That said, the welcome was even more friendly than usual and the beer and food were fine. The place looked like it had been given a thorough clean as well - not that it was ever dirty in my experience but it definitely had a brighter feel to it, though nothing had been changed in the way of decor.
It seems to be run now by a couple of families and I have rarely been made to feel more welcome in a pub that's not local for me. I really hope that they are as successful as they deserve to be. That said, with the number of tourists flocking to Port Isaac nowadays, the aforementioned levels of service should ensure they have no problems.
The only thing they need to do is get the crab sandwich back on the menu - and I told them so :-)
26 Apr 2011 15:49
This is the place to go if you are visiting Padtsow on a hot day as it's the only pub with outside seating overlooking the harbour. For that reason, it get's pretty busy if it's not raining. Beer (the regionally ubiquitous St Austell) is fine and teh staff friendly. We sat inside as all the outside tables were taken and that was pleasant enough as well.
26 Apr 2011 15:41
The Old Custom House Hotel, Padstow
Probably the largest pub in Padstow and seemingly the only choice if you want to watch the football (as I did on this occasion). It's ok for that as well. Projection screen in one room and a separate large flatscreen in the main bar. Welcome was very friendly and the beer (St Austells) good. Didn't try the food (unless you count a packet of Nobby's Nuts !) but it looked pretty decent. I'd come back.
26 Apr 2011 15:38
A real tradition boozer in a town full of slightly underwhelming pubs in my experience. It's not bad, and the beer (St Austell's) was ok. The welcome was a bit reserved though and I left with the impression that this is a locals place.
26 Apr 2011 15:34
Shaws Booksellers, Blackfriars
As others have said, it's not a bad pub, though I'd agree that it can't seem to make up it's mind whether it actually wants to be a restaurant, a pub or a wine bar. Anyway, It's certainly better than the Cos bar next door. That said, in my opinion, the beer is not actually up to much. I don't have a problem with Fullers pubs (or beers) but the ale here just doesn't seem right to me....more of a keg texture to it, although its' pulled from a hand pump. Certainly, The Blackfriar down the road has a far better range and in much better condition. Still, it's an ok place if you need an "all things to all men" type of pub/bar and for a pub, they do have a decent selection of wines.
20 Aug 2010 12:36
I don't pretend to understand some of the comments below. There's obviously a bit of, shall we say, friendly banter going on but I was under the impression that this site is intended to be a semi-useful review of pubs and beer so I'll restrict myself to just that.
This was my first visit although I've known of the place for some time and it was very pleasant in my experience.
Beer (Gales Seafarer) was very nice - as was the toasted cheese and onion sandwich !. Nothing fancy about either the beer or the food and there doesn't need to be, in my humble opinion.
The building itself is intereresting, if a bit on the small side and the welcome was great.
No doubt I've breached some kind of weird etiquette by commenting on the sort of things that interest me about a pub but , you know what ? - I don't care.
I liked the place.
2 Aug 2010 13:28
The Flying Horse, Boughton Lees
I can only endorse the more recent comment below - a really lovely pub in every way. I do remember coming here several years ago and not being greatly impressed by either the welcome or the beer. Both have obviously been improved tremendously.
London Pride, Greene King IPA and St Austell Tribute on tap (with space for a fourth ale that was obviously off on this visit) .The Tribute was very good indeed. Very welcoming couple running the bar and efficient waiting staff for the food - which was also excellent and very good value for money.
If you are a cricket fan though, you will be hard pushed to find a better located pub anywhere in England. The building sits very nicely at Fine Leg of a smallish village green cricket pitch and we watched a few overs of my own village team taking on the local one (At the risk of sounding pedantic, Boughton & Eastwell not Boughton Aluph as below :-)).
I understand from the locals that 250 is a cpmpetitive score given the size of the ground so my team's 121 was never going to be enough. Time for another beer !
5 Jul 2010 09:04
Nice pub this.
4 ales - St Austell Tribute was very nice.
Service good although they did seeem a bit stressed !
To be fair, it was quiet busy, apparently with people waiting for food.
Didn't try it ourselves but that can only be a good sign.
All in all, this is a place I'd recommend and I'd definitely come back.
6 May 2010 08:36
Another pub revisited after many years off my favorites list - and what a change there has been !
We used to come here fairly regularly many years ago when it was run by Mick and Shirley. It never had a huge range of ales but what it did have was kept well . Also, the food was great and the staff were really welcoming to both regulars and occasional visitors.
And then Mick and Shirley retired and all the atmosphere and sense of welcome went with them. We came back a few times after but we were never really made to feel welcome. Maybe we just caught the new landlords on a bad day but it was no great surprise to me when the pub closed last year.
Now however, a phoenix has risen from the ashes.
Apparently, the locals weren't going to take the loss of their 400 year old pub lying down....so they clubbed together and bought it. Then they set about refurbishing it and you have to say they have done a magnificent job.
The interior has been changed beyond recognition and the service matches it's new surroundings in every way.
Three ales on, Timothy Taylor's Landlord, St Georges Ale and Wadworth Henry..the latter two befitting the time of year (St George's day). Nicely kept and the food was lovely as well.
They are still working on the restoration - the conservatory wasn't open and I understand they have plans for the garden as well. However, if the welcome we received is anything to go by, the 70 odd shareholders deserve to succeed. Great to see a pub that dates back to 1606 thriving again - we will be back.
25 Apr 2010 08:14
It's taken a while for this pub to be added to the list. I recommended it when we visited last October so I hope my comments are still valid.
We found it to be a really lovely pub with extremely friendly staff and a stunning conservatory and garden.
It was very quiet when we visited on a midweek lunchtime and we spent a while chatting to the landlady who turned out to be a really interesting character. I'm pretty sure she had some connections with my neck of the woods (East London) but very well travelled and by her own admission, struggles to put down roots in one place for too long.
I hope she sticks with this place long enough for us to return because I have rarely visited a pub where i have been made to feeel so welcome.
I can't now recall what beer was on offer but it was kept well and as I understand, the pub has a very good reputation for food.
So many pubs around Devon and Cornwall turn out to be either blatent tourist traps or unashamedly reserved for the locals. This one deserves to outsell them all.
31 Mar 2010 09:26
Nicholsons pubs can be a bit hit and miss in my experience but this turns out to be one of the better ones.
Looks nothing from the outside and I actually worked next door for at least 6 months before I ventured inside.
The interior is something else though and it's well worth the visit for that alone. The front part of the bar is actually quite light which comes as a surprise as from the outside it looks decidedly grubby. You have to visit the room at the back for the full experience though. Architecture that wouldn't look out of place in a church and certainly the most original i've seen in a pub. It's amazing to think that this gem was nearly demolished in the sixties. Not sure if it's listed now but it certainly should be!
Thankfully, the beer is good as well.
London Pride, St Austell Tribute, Timothy Taylors Landlord and Sharp's Doom Bar on this visit, all with tasting notes on the pumps and offers to taste before you buy. Not much to complain about there especially as the prices are low for central London.
All in all, you can do a lot worse in this part of the world.
31 Mar 2010 08:49
Well, this was a pleasant surprise.
I thought I'd visited most of the village pubs around Ashford over the years but I don't recall ever seeing this one until I spotted one of those brown signs on the A20.
And as it turns out, this is a real rarity......a Shepherd Neame pub that not only sells something other than Spitfire but also has a guest ale.
A choice of 3 on this visit. The ubiquitous Masterbrew (yawn), SN Kent's Best (which I don't recall seeing before) and Caledonian Over the Bar. I only tried the latter and very nice it was too.
And that wasn't the only good thing about this pub.
Service was excellent, decor was very nice, candlelit all round and the food was great as well. Beef and Pork baguettes were the size of a medium sized log and nice to see the apple and horseradish sauces served properly in their own bowls. So much better than those tacky little sachets you get in other places. Not sure if it's family run but it had that sort of feeling - a real focus on customer service !
Very popular with walkers when we were there and it's not difficult to see why. It's certainly a place that I would take a detour to visit again.
This place needs some more reviews as the current rating doesn't do it justice.
Excellent !
28 Mar 2010 14:37
Really odd pub this. It was recommended to us as a good place for food and it was actually very good for that. Beer too was ok without being exceptional. However, the landlord is something else! A dead ringer for Al Murray's Pub Landlord, he was friendly enough in a comically loud kind of way but couldn't seem to decide if he wanted families in the pub or not. Now there are some pubs where you want to maintain an adults only type of atmosphere, of course and I have no problem with that....just make up your mind if that's what you want. It' all a bit odd as they have a huge skittle alley at one end (where anyone with kids was shunted) and overall, I came away with the impression that this is a pub with a bit of an identity crisis.
25 Mar 2010 17:02
Still a very nice pub.
They've opened out the main bar a bit by knocking down part of the wall next to the fireplace. The effect is to give the pub a much more light and airy feel.
Beer was excellent although a little disappointing in terms of the ales on offer. London Pride, Harvey's Sussex best, Fullers Chiswick. Nothing wrong with any of those but I'd have preferred to try something a little more "off the wall". That's not a complaint though, just a question of timing as they had a list of the forthcoming ales that seemed to fitthe bill a bit better!
Pleasant service and friendly locals make this a very welcoming place indeed.
15 Mar 2010 17:02
"Horses for courses" immediately springs to mind and Strongers has pretty much summed it up below.
If you are looking for a cozy little pub that serves a huge variety of beautifully kept real ales .....Ummmmm........this ain't it !
On the other hand, if you fancy a game of darts - a great social game in my opinion - then there's quite simply nowhere better in the City.
Many years ago (more than I care to think about) I played in the City Bank's Darts League and there used to be a load of darts pubs in the Square Mile. Sadly, they have all been converted to poncey establishments serving imported lager and wine. The Porter's Lodge appears to be a throwback to that more innocent, customer focussed era.
Sadly, the beer, quite frankly, is disappointing to say the least.
There are a few hand pumps but only one was in use and the London Pride had that odd, creamy smoothflow taste despite the fact that it was apparently pulled in the proper manner. I've never quite worked out how they do that !
Nevertheless, as someone else said, you don't go to the Porter's Lodge to sit at the bar and sup ale.
I too rememeber the City Darts which was also a bit of a dive and this place is the closest I have seen to it - and long may it continue.
So 4 out of 10 for the beer - 10 for the arrers !
19 Feb 2010 13:58
Leyton Orient Supporter's Club, Leyton
OK - I should declare an interest before I start. For my sins, I am a lifelong Leyton Orient supporter. Having said that, there are enough independent reviews below to back me up so, here goes. If this were a pub, it would be up there in the top 10 rated hostelries on this site. The fact that it is actually part of a football club - and a league one at that, with all the rip-off opportunities that implies - is truly extrodinary.
If your matchday experience is limited to being charged �5for a lukewarm bottle of indeterminate brown liquid, then this bar will be a real revelation to you. IF "little" Leyton Orient can do it with a relatively small customer (fan) base, then why not at other grounds?
The fact that the place is heaving before and after any game is testament to it's popularity. The fact is that the average football fan cries out for a bar where you can get great beer at sensible prices and not be ankle deep in stale beer (or worse). And here it is in all it;s glory !
Only 3 ales on midweek when I was there but all highly ususual (to me at least) and in really top condition. And at �2.40 a time, you'd be hard pushed to find anything to complain about. Service is always excellent and is obviously a labour of love for Mike, Dave and his fantastic team.
The place itself is spotlessly clean as others have noted - Sky TV all round the room and enough interesting memorablilia on the walls to keep any football fan (of whatever allegience) happy for hours.
The club has been named as CAMRA club of the year for Greater London on at least 4 of the last 5 years and it's not difficult to see why. In fact , it's harder to imagine what could beat it !
Exceptional.
19 Feb 2010 09:05
This is a pleasant, old fashioned boozer tucked round the back of Fleet Street, away from all the tourist traps. Quiet when I was there but I got the definite impression that it enjoys a loyal following from the obvious regulars dotted around the single bar. Beer was very nice - St Austell Tribute, Bombardier and IPA and the staff friendly. Would definitely come back. If only all the other chain pubs round here were like this one !
5 Feb 2010 13:00
Not the greatest of Shepherd Neame pubs. Comfortable enough and attracts a variety of customers but the beer is disappointing. Spitfire and Masterbrew on tap which you would expect but these are not the only beers produced by SN. Late Red for example is a particularly nice ale but I've never seen anything other than the above, although they do have some bottled stuff. The food used to be ok but I haven't eaten here for a while so not sure if that's still the case. There were certainly loads of empty tables in the upstairs bit which may indicate things are not as they used to be.
There's also a pool table and a dart board but thanks to some pretty dumb positioning, it appears to be impossible to have people playing both at the same time !
This is very much my local but I'm afraid I rarely visit - basically, it's ok but you can do a lot better within a couple of miles.
18 Jan 2010 13:54
The Punch And Judy, Covent Garden
The Punch & Judy was always a dire tourist trap. It's one redeeming feature is the balcony overlooking the Piazza but even that has the tendancy to resemble a particularly violent rugby scrum when the weather is anything other than artic.
I haven't been here for years and having been persuaded to finish a pleasant company dinner (elsewhere !!) with "one for the road", I have to report that very little has changed. The chilly weather did at least make the balcony a reasonable place to stand this time but the rest.....oh dear !
Basically, if you drink lager you're probably ok (but I wouldn't care the bet on it !). If your preferred tipple is a decent pint of bitter, forget it. I guess from other reviews that they do food but I certainly have no intention of trying it.
If you've ever been to Covent Garden, you will know where the Punch and Judy is and it's therefore an ideal meeting place. The landlord clearly knows this and therefore it will never change. It doesn't need to because there will always be enough "punters" to pay for his overpriced drinks.
15 Jan 2010 09:20
The Hoodener's Horse, Great Chart
I have to say I do still love this pub and following my earlier comments, I can say that it is definitely getting back up to it's previous, glorious standards !
Now 5 real ales on. Not quite up to the peak of 8 back in the day - I still have the HIC (Hoodies Imbibing Champion) certificate to prove that I once drank my way along the bar in 1 session !
Nevertheless, 5 ain't bad and they are all well kept in my experience. They even had Doom Bar in there on my last visit....priceless !
Food is great and very plentiful.
Service is always extremely friendly.
Still no fruit machines etc...great ! (not that there's actually room to put one )
The only odd thing is the big screen on the wall which I've never actually seen working but seems completely out of place - especially given the low ceilings. Not really sure what they were thinking of when that went up.
Anyway, good to see the Hoodie making a return to greatness. Long may it continue.
10 Dec 2009 13:38
Hadn't been here for years before last night. It was a fairly regular haunt when I worked round the corner. The outside hasn't changed at all from what I remember but the inside appears to have been radically redesigned. Now 1 big open bar where there used to be lots of little nooks and crannies. Not bad and it certainly made it far easier to get served than I remember it. It's a Youngs pub which is not necessarily a bad thing as far as I'm concerned and the Gold was very nice. Expensive though! 2 pints of that and one of Becks came to well over a tenner which is a bit lumpy even for this neck of the woods. It'd come back if in the area and it's certainly miles better than a lot of the local competition (The Horniman immediately springs to mind !). Having said that, there is also a lot better in Southwark if you know where to look. That and the prices means that I can't rate it higher than 5/10 I'm afraid
10 Dec 2009 13:22
Some good reviews below and I have to say, I wholeheartedly agree with them.
This is a really lovely pub in just about every way you could possibly want.
The building itself is full of character. Lots of little nooks and crannies and unexpected rooms.
A roaring fire next to the bar and if that's not required, a nice garden with views of the stunning Cornish countryside.
The welcome was extremely friendly (not always the case with non-locals in Cornwall!) and the beer beautifully kept.
We enjoyed it so much on our first visit that we went back later in the week for lunch and the food was fantastic as well. Burgers in particular are obviously homemade and with damn good quality beef as well.
The fact that this place is 3 miles down a country lane in the middle of nowhere but appears to attract a roaring trade says it all in my opinion.
One of the best pubs I've ever been to (and that's a lot of pubs, I can tell you !!).
Can't wait for another opportunity.
26 Oct 2009 14:09
Update from last year.....but nothing really to update !
It's still the same and thank God for that !
Crab sandwiches still the best I have ever tasted. Beer well kept and as ever, a friendly welcome.
The village itself, and by extension the pub, are a bit touristy now and the place was rammed with Doc Martin fans - and this was a Monday lunchtime, out of season.
I suppose if I'm honest, I'm one of those tourists but as I was coming here long before all the sightseers, I have to say I'm a bit resentful.
Nevertheless, this wonderful pub never disappoints and long may it continue.
25 Oct 2009 22:02
Nice enough place. 4 or 5 real ales although one was off and another other ran out when the barman started pulling it. I settled for the Long Hop which seemed appropriate as we'd just bowled an inordinate number of them to the local cricket team who duly thrased the pants off us! Very nice it was, too (the beer that is, not the thrashing !).
It's a pleasant sort of place, very clean with tables inside and out. Drinks are on the expensive side of pricey - though this is Tenterden I suppose. Any place where the local electrical store can justify selling Bang and Olufsen is always going to be a bit like that I guess.
Food looked ok and they had a 2 for a tenner deal on which probably offsets the prices of the drinks somewhat if you want to eat there. Would come back if in the area but probably not for a special visit.
1 Sep 2009 09:19
Another place that I have been to in the past but not for a number of years. I can't say that it sticks in the memory as an outstanding pub so I was encouraged by the recent comments on here -particulary MankyBadger's which I usually find to be pretty reliable :-).
Vistited on Bank holiday monday and I find myself agreeing with pretty much everything the last couple of reviewers have said. The landlord is a very pleasant Geordie chap and made us feel extremely welcome. Beer was excellent - Doom Bar being on of my favourite ales. The others were London Pride and something called Tit for Tat. I stuck with the Doom Bar on this visit. Food from the bar snacks part of the menu was excellent although as others have noticed, was a little slow in arriving. That's a very minor grumble though as I'm more than happy to wait for food of this quality. Everything was excellent and very well presented. Again a minor gripe but why do pubs that take such obvious pride in their food insist on serving sauces in those awful little sachets? I guess it's just one of those things that bugs me - perhaps I'm just getting old :-)
The main meals on other tables looked awesome and the service was polite throughout. On the way out, the landlady (I guess) was keen to know if everything was ok - we assured her we would be back !
A great pub - highly recommended.
1 Sep 2009 08:58
This was the briefest of visits I'm afraid as having paid for a pint, I realised that I was in the wrong pub - the rest of the team being in The Queen's Head which is almost literally next door ....DOH!!
Timothy Taylors Landlord was acceptable even if it was rather smashed down the back of the neck in the circumstances.
As for the place itself, I've certainly been in worse places. Tidy enough decor - big screen on the wall which is fine if you like that sort of thing. Not always a good sign but horses for courses I guess.
The carpet felt like had just been laid and was probably the plushest I've ever come across in a pub. I guess that's the sort of thing you notice if your visit consists only of walking across it to the bar and almost immediately retracing your steps :-)
3 Aug 2009 09:15
Queens Head Inn, Sutton Valence
Not sure what to make of this place really. Beer was ok - Greene King IPA. There was another ale but I can't recall now what it was - I was only in for one. However, this was about 8.00pm on a Saturday evening and the place was empty apart from us. Can't be a good sign especially as there is another pub next door (although that wasn't exactly heaving either). The staff were friendly enough and there seemed to be no shortage of them when we left so perhaps all the locals were at a party or something. If this is the norm, then I can't see this place lasting long but I have to say there was nothing really to make me think I should rush back.
3 Aug 2009 09:06
Having not been here for years, I ended up visting on two consecutive days, one semi-planned and the other not at all. Funny how that happens sometimes !
It was quite busy on the Saturday evening. They had a promotion on with set price dinner and a Jazz band ( shoehorned into a corner of the main bar, much to the disgust of one of my companions who hates Jazz!).
All tables were taken in the main bar and I assume, the restaurant part which I guess is because the food is excellent by all accounts - new chef, apparently.
It's a Freehouse but the ubiquitous SN Masterbrew was one of the 4 ales on offer. I avoided that on the grounds that I can get it any day of the week at just about every pub in Kent. Sadly, the rest of the selection was unimaginative to say the least for a Freehouse. Harveys best, Youngs and something else that I can't recall but was not unusual. I plumped for the Youngs which I have to say was pretty decent and a couple of pints slipped down all too quickly.
Back in Sunday for a light lunch. Youngs again was good and the food (from the bar snacks menu) was very nice indeed.
I'd like to come back for the main menu which I'm told is very good value for money.
Incidentally, no sign of any lager louts on either of my visits - maybe they don't like Jazz either :-)
24 Jun 2009 09:08
Only a brief, post-cricket visit but on the face of it,my kind of pub.
I think there were 3 real ales but I wasn't buying on this occasion so I wasn't paying much attention to be homest (I know, I know !). What came back was a decent drop of beer - I think named after the pub. Sorry if this is unusually vague but I was chatting to other team members while the designated Bar Steward (who I noticed consulted the locals for a recommendation) got them in !
The pub consists of a small public bar at the front with a more restaurant feel round the back and I have to say that the food looked fantastic.
As it was a very pleasant evening, we sat at one of the numerous tables outside as we talked through the details of a "losing" draw :-)
I'd definitely return if in the area but it's not really local for me, unfortunately.
17 Jun 2009 08:52
This site is all about opinions of course and it's good to hear the other side of the argument. Having said that, I stand by my previous comments that I wouldn't expose my daughter to a bar full of blokes shouting "f"s and "c"s at one another which is how I found the pub on my own, admittedly brief, visit . If you have a different set of values, that's fine of course and I would agree that the fund raising, which I'm sure is true, is highly commendable.
Having said that, I can't help noticing that the 3 users who have commended this pub so highly in the last week are all first (and only) time reviewers who have exactly the same style of writing and almost identical arguments about the pub's strengths . I will draw my own conclusions from that.
Nothing to do with not wanting to mix with a variety of people (I pride myself in being able to share a beer with anyone)....but I still won't rush back if I have my family in tow.
6 May 2009 16:48
Finally made it back for a second visit, this time with the family in tow !
Firstly, this defintely isn't a "local".
By that I mean it wouldn't be the sort of place you'd come to for a night out with the lads. There was nobody standing at the bar just drinking but all the tables were taken. Nothing wrong with that but it's worth bearing in mind.
It sells itself as a family pub that is very heavily leaning towards food and as long as that's what you're expecting, it does it very good job indeed.
Having said that, the beer is also excellent.
3 real ales were on for this visit, London Pride, Hobgoblin and Harvey's Sussex Best which was excellent.
We were made to feel very welcome and despite the fact that it was packed, they went out of their way to find us a table when we decided that it would be good to eat (we turned up with the intention of just having a quick drink).
This was a nice touch as so often in those circumstances, you get the "have you booked ?......no ?.....sorry!" , kind of response.
Food was also very good although the service was painfully slow.
I think we may have just been a bit unlucky though as others seemed to be fine and to be fair, they did keep coing back to see if we were ok.
All in all,, avery pleasant experience and I would definitely come again.
19 Jan 2009 11:41
Surfers pub (loads of surfboards in various states of repair tied to the ceiling) so I would imagine would be crammed with people considerably younger than me in the summer months !
We visited out of season, though and it was very quiet. Roaring fire against one wall - not a real one but very nice nontheless and somewhat out of place amongst all the surfing gear. A couple of big screens on the wall showing some fit types on planks of fibreglass playing with some monstrous waves.
We were served by a loud and ridiculously friendly Aussie for whom everything was a stereotypical "no problem, mate" and indeed, the beer (Sharps) was no problem at all.
I liked the place - I even took a couple of quid out of the fruit machine which is unusual for me !
Not sure it would really be my cup of tea in the summer months but if friendly service and decent beer are all you are looking for, you can't go far wrong here.
19 Oct 2008 15:03
I've been visiting Cornwall in general and Port Isaac in particular for in excess of 30 years and inevitably, things have changed, not always for the better. Port Isaac, of course, has been "discovered" in recent years, firstly by that irritating gothic bloke off the telly and the city types who followed him and latterly by the Martin Clunes fans looking for the sights and scenes of Doc Martin. As a result, the village has been somewhat gentrified and, in my opinion, more than a little spoilt.
Somehow however, amongst all the Range Rovers and green wellies is the oasis that is the Golden Lion. It really hasn't changed in any way whatsover in all these years. Still the same uneven floor, same pictures of shipwrecks on the walls, same range of beers etc etc.
Beer was ok (Sharp's Doom Bar being my first choice when visiting) and the welcome was as always, friendly.
At first glance, the food looked a tad expensive and I thought �8.00 for a crab sandwich may be pandering to the city types a little too much. I was wrong though ! What arrived was the biggest sandwich I've ever seen, full of local crab and with chips and salad on the side. Fantastic !
My advice is come out of season on a sunny day,order the aforementioned crab sandwich and a pint of Sharps and park yourself on the balcony overlooking the harbour. From here you can amuse yourself by watching the green welly brigade scrambling to get the Range Rover off the beach car park before it's enveloped by the incoming tide.
Priceless !
19 Oct 2008 14:42
The change in this pub is amazing and really rather depressing. Once upon a time, it was a decent family pub that boasted good (if limited) real ale and an impressive menu.
I must admit, I hadn't been here for a while, preferring the Hoodener's Horse which is literally next door. We fancied a change though so popped in for a spot of lunch recently.
I have to say that The Swan now holds the record for my shortest visit to a pub ever. I thought some of the people in the beer garden looked unusually rough for the area but that was nothing compared to the foul mouthed mob at the bar.
Now, I'm no prude and I can certainly hold my own in terms of industrial language when the situation dictates but I wasn't going to subject my family to it so, as they were still a few yards behind me, I turned round before I'd even reached the bar and retired to the more familar surroundings of the "Hoodie".
Sadly, therefore, I can make no comment on the standard of the beer but if it's anything like the clientele, I wouldn't bother anyway !
This appears to have been no fluke either as every time I've been past since, a similar group of chavs could be seen slouched (and I mean "slouched") across the benches outside.
No idea where they come from as , having lived in the area of 10+ years, they don't appear to be locals but (as a fellow reviewer siuggests) one theory is that it is the fallout from the demise of The Nelson in Stanhope.
If so, the sooner they build a replacement the better !
6 Oct 2008 09:08
First impressions were that this is a very nice pub indeed, albeit one that appears to be of the "restaurant serving beer" type. Visited on a Saturday evening with the local cricket team and all tables were taken with families/couples enjoying the very appetising food. Attractively decorated with plenty of candles around although again, this adds to the restaurant (as opposed to pub) feel of the place. Beer however was good - Hopback Summer Lightning being one of my favourites and this one was well kept. There were 2 or 3 other real ales as well. We were also served some very good sandwiches and chips by our opponents and as the restaurant/bar was so packed, we enjoyed these in the garden (nothing wrong with that either). I would definitely come back to check out the rest of the menu and it's the sort of place you could happily take the family to.
26 Aug 2008 12:47
What a fantastic pub !
A local's pub that isn't a local's pub....if you see what I mean :-)
The Landlord (Ron, from earlier reviews?) is a gentle giant with a wonderfully droll sense of humour and treated us all like he had known us for years despite this being our first visit. Beer was very good and sandwiches looked lovely although we had already eaten, unfortunately. There is a pleasant garden as well with a pet owl although as the weather was miserable, we chose to stay in the warm.
When it was time to leave, everybody in the pub (and there were quite a few of them) made a point of saying goodbye.
A pub I would be proud to have as my local (which sadly, it isn't really). In fact, I am almost loathe to write about it in case too many people find it !
We will certainly be back.
2 Aug 2008 15:19
Typical village pub and none the worse for that really. Visited as after match drinks with the local cricket team and the car was parked outside and I live miles away so no chance of a decent session ! However, a friendly welcome and seemed like the type of place you would like as your local. Original building dates from 17-something or other according to the blurb on the wall!
11 Jun 2008 13:28
The Hoodener's Horse, Great Chart
The Hoodener's Horse (formerly The Hooden Horse) is a testament to what can happen when a brewery doesn't understand it's clientele. Some years ago it was part of a small privately owned local chain (The Hooden on the Water & The Hooden on the Hill) and was always busy to the point of being overcrowded at times, especially at weekends. The reason for this was simple. 7 or 8 real ales which were constantly rotated, no draught lager, fantastic food and decent music (mostly Jazz and Blues) supplemented by the occasional live act. In other words, a real local success story. Then the owners sold out to a brewery and naturally, the first thing they did was to rip out all of the above. The result was predictable to everyone (except a brewery manager, I guess !)
Now, after a number of changes of manager/owner (back in private hands, I think), it appears to be back to something approaching it's former self.
Lager and Guinness are still on tap but so, thankfully, is proper beer - all well kept too !
Food is consistently good from a mexican based menu (another nod to the old regime) and service is always friendly.
Maybe this is the start of another local success story. This writer certainly hopes so !
11 Jun 2008 09:19
the place was closed for about a month over the Christmas period for what looked like an extensive refubishment (Why do that at the busiest time of the year ?)
It has now reopened ut I can't help noticing it looks exactly like it did before. Weird !
4 Feb 2008 16:18
This is one of those places that I've driven past many times and never thought to pop in, mainly because of reports that it pupports to be a restaurant rather than a pub. Actually, whilst this is true to an extent, it does the place a bit of an injustice.
We finally made the effort to visit a few weeks ago and enjoyed the experience so much that we have been back on two successive weekends since, the last time with my parents who declared it to be their (new) favourite pub when visiting !!
There are two bars, both on the small side but comfortable nonetheless. Adjoining these is a spacious "family" room with a piano that is apparently available for use by the paying public.
Beer was well kept and there is a tasteful lack of distractions such as music or fruit machines but what really makes this place is the attention to detail in the food. We only ate from the bar menu but everything we have had on our 3 visits has been excellent. Provencale Fish Soup was worthy of very good restaurant fare and the Ploughmans was excellent value with a selection of cheeses rather than the usual (lazy) lump of Cheddar. Portions of chips came sprinkled with sea salt which may not seem like much but to my mind, shows that the chef/proprieter is someone who really cares about food presentation. All this was by no means expensive. Five of us, with two full rounds of drinks (including VERY large glasses of wine !) and food, got change from �50 which strikes me as great value especially given the quality.
The only slight criticism is that it always seems to be a little short-staffed although the service still manages to be extremely polite.
We will be back soon for the full restaurant experience and I have no doubt it will be every bit as good as the pub itself.
An absolute gem !
10 Sep 2007 21:15
I was passing this place at lunchtime and popped in to watch a bit of the cricket. Good for sport as there is one big screen and lots of smaller ones dotted around the bar. Apart from that, it has to be said that this place hasn't got a lot going for it. Beer was average but nothing more. Pride and Bombardier on tap with the usual array of lagers and Guinness. Didn't try the overpriced food which was probably a good thing as what I saw looked distinctly unappetising and was served up by staff who clearly wished they could be somewhere else. It could do with a lick of paint and a few new pictures on the wall as well.
All in all, not the most pleasent experience but at least England were doing ok for once !
18 May 2007 14:21
Sunday was a perfect day to visit the Trout. A bright sunny afternoon and the garden was packed. I think there has been a change of management and the service was friendly enough. Food looked good (didn't try it) ane the beer was ok without being outstanding. However, this pub's best feature by far is the garden and although it scores ok on the rest, I still can't say I really warm to it.
16 Apr 2007 10:02
This place has really come on in recent years - I think due to a couple of changes of management.
Split into a proper bar with a huge open fire (very nice in winter) and a restaurant that serves generous portions of very good food.
Also has a nice garden for the summer months and serves a nice pint if you like Shephard Neame (which I do, generally).
Recommended.
10 Apr 2007 16:35
Ok, first the good points. It's cheap, it's close to the DLR, the beer's ok and errrrr....did I say it's cheap?
Apart from that, there's not really a lot to write home about. Some very dodgy characters floating around and it struck me as the sort of place where you definitely wouldn't want to leave your coat over the back of a chair !
Still, had a great evening catching up with a few ex workmates. Roger did a sterling job with the whip and we even had some free entertainment in the shape of a bit of road rage outside.
Wouldn't rush back but it was convenient for the purpose and I've certainly been in far worse places !
The bouncer on the way out was a nice touch, though !
3 Apr 2007 16:25
The Horniman at Hays, Southwark
Interesting to see that people are still suffering from slow service here. I used to go there fairly regularly about 10 years ago and the appalling service is one of the reasons I haven't been back since. It boasts one of the longest bars you could wish to see.Sadly, it is almost impossible to get served at it.
It's a shame because as others have said, the location means this pub should have a lot going for it.
21 Mar 2007 10:59
Returned on Sunday. A lovely open fire was burning away and once again we received a very friendly welcome from staff and locals alike. Beer was extremely well kept and this time we sampled the food. The menu is limited to sandwiches/burgers etc although they do steak nights and curry nights during the week so it may just have been a lunchtime menu. Whatever, it was very good value for money and we will be back at the earliest opportunity ! I can't recommend this pub highly enough.
5 Feb 2007 17:06
Quite the most surreal experience I've had in a long, long time. We often go for a drive or walk around the countryside at weekends and end up in one of the many pleasant village pubs within a 10 mile radius of Ashford. Having read the reviews on here, this was a pub that I've been meaning to visit for ages so as the weather was too miserable for walking on Saturday, it seemed like a good opportunity to make the trip. However, nothing could have prepared for this extraordinary museum-like place. As others have said, this is a remarkable pub and I could easily have spent a good few hours just "reading the walls". I particularly loved the sign warning that the room was equipped with Edison Electric Light and not to try lighting it with a match !! The "bar" is actually more like a shop counter and is none the worse for that. Only proper beer is sold (no lager) and it's all obviously well kept. The only downsides were that a) we were the only ones in there on Saturday lunchtime so there wasn't much of an atmosphere and b) it's not really the sort of place that our 10 year old daughter appreciates ! She was interested in the ration books etc. that adorn the walls as she has been learning about the war at school but she was a bit put off by the friendly but rather noisy dog. Next time, we will leave her at Gran's so we can explore this fascinating place a bit better.
15 Jan 2007 13:25
The Livingstone Arms, Gillingham
Visited on Boxing Day when the mighty Orient were in town. I'd heard that this was a good place for away supporters and it certainly is. As others have said, it looks like it could do with a lick of paint, both inside and out but hey, it's a football pub, what do you want ?
The place was absolutely rammed when I got there but I had no trouble being served by the friendly and efficient staff. Beer was good, apart from being served in football friendly plastic "glasses" and they had no less than 3 lunchtime Premiership games on the numerous screens around the bar.
left about 10 minutes before kick off and was in the ground 2 minutes later.
The only downside was that the not-so-mighty O's lost to a dodgy last minute penalty. hey -ho !
Recommended !
12 Jan 2007 13:41
returned for a lunchtime meal and as expected from our previous visit, it was excellent value for money.
Generous portions of obviously homemade food. The restaurant was full and it's not hard to see why. Will definitely return
11 Dec 2006 11:50
Visited on a Sunday lunchtime. The main bar was busy with locals and was a little smokey so we went next door into the smaller bar adjacent to the resataurant. Service was friendly, beer (Wadworth's 6X) was well kept and it gave us a chance to look at the menu. Although we didn't try the food, the menu looked extremely good value and we will definitely be back to check it out.
17 Nov 2006 13:01
Great place to visit on a sunny day if only for the extremely picturesque garden leading down to the river. Plenty of chairs and tables at which to sit and watch the local wildlife whilst you are supping your ale.
Inside is nice enough. Good selection of beers with frequent guest beers. Food can be a bit hit and miss and I've always found it a bit overpriced for what it is. Overall, a nice pub.
18 Sep 2006 17:29
Beautiful country pub with massive open fireplace in one bar. Visited as after-match drinks when my cricket team played the local side and the bar snacks that were layed on were very good..apart from the raw Jalopenos in the nachos that nearly succeeded in taking the top of my head off ! A couple of nice pints of Timmy Taylor's Landlord rounded off a very pleasant visit.
18 Sep 2006 13:36
Just to add to the previous comments, this really is a lovely pub. Extremely friendly staff, I was made to feel like a local on my first visit this week. Didn't sample the food but if it comes up to the standard of the beer (which was obviously well kept) then there should be no problems. It even boasts an unusual (to me anyway) circular pool table. Highly recommended.
18 Sep 2006 13:27
The White Lion, Selling
....and now reopened:-)
Lovely pub in every aspect as far as I can see. It's obviously geared up for the food and if our experience is anything to go by, it will do extremely well. Bar snacks were all outstanding quality and reasonably priced. The main menu, as you'd expect, is a bit more pricy but what was served on other tables looked great. It's a Shepperd Neame pub so you get the usual offerings - which gets a bit boring if you've live in Kent for a while - but there were a couple of other choices when we were there and the Goldings was lovely. A bit out of the way for me but I'd definitely make a special trip for the food alone.
7 Jul 2014 12:13