BITE user comments - Dan65
Comments by Dan65
The Pontefract Castle, Marylebone
Intriguing Nicholson's pub just up from Bond Street tube.
Smallish bar area downstairs with a definite lack of seating but lots of room upstairs on the restaurant floors.
Good range of beers on Thursday, 5 ales including a very good pint of Thornbridge Sequoia.
Food is traditional pub fare but the burgers and pies we ordered were very good with the exception of the dessert cheese platter which was pretty miserly.
Staff pleasant and helpful.
Very decent pub, would definitely go back for seconds.
21 Jun 2013 23:31
The George, Great Portland Street
Nice little pub about 400 yards from Oxford Circus.
Was in here Tuesday night and had a good evening. Busy but still found a table. They had about 5 ales on and I enjoyed the London Glory and Old Golden Hen which were both fresh and tasty. Pretty decent food too.
The bar staff were great but as there were only 2 of them and they were handling all the food delivery as well they ocasionally got overwhelmed when it got busy.
Overall would definitely go back.
21 Feb 2013 11:59
Stopped in here after beating a hasty retreat from the incredibly loud Ice Wharf.
Managed to get a table at 9:30 on Friday but pub still had a good atmosphere. Only ales on were Pride and Brains SA but Pride was in good shape if a bit frothy (maybe had the sparkler turned up a bit high). Staff were friendly and efficient.
Liked it.
23 Jul 2012 21:52
Stopped in here after a good meal in Camden.
Maybe it's just because it was a Friday night, maybe I'm just getting old but the music was ear-acheingly loud and then they turned it up.
Just two ales were on, and the Everards I had was pretty flat.
One for the youngsters or those with their own earplugs.
23 Jul 2012 21:48
If other pubs went to the pub for a drink this is where they'd go.
Proper boozer for talking and drinking.
Met up in here last night prior to curry at Hot Stuff.
Arrived at 6 and loads of space. Great collection of furniture. Had a pint of the Ringwood 49er which was a bit sulfurous for my taste but followed with lovely pint of Doom Bar.
Popped back after meal for nightcap and place was full but still got a table to sit at. Good atmosphere, mix of old and young drinkers, pool table still there and popular. Efficient friendly bar staff made for a top evening.
17 Jun 2011 22:22
The Clarendon, Chandlers Cross
Went with the wife to celebrate our anniversary on a Saturday evening. Ate in the upstairs restaurant which is very plush. Arrived slightly early and it was empty but filled up very quickly from 7pm onwards.
Service was attentive without being fussy. Food was very good, wine also. Prices are pretty hefty, definitely restaurant level rather than pub (total bill was around 120 quid for 3 courses, wine and pre-dinner drink).
Had a drink at the downstairs bar afterwards waiting for taxi, pleased to see they serve Tring Brewery beer on draft so not quite lost contact with pub roots.
In summary pricey but good quality, worth it for a special occasion.
13 Jun 2011 11:40
Popped in here for a pint after a curry across the road having started in the Kings Arms on Roupell St.
Loud venue, loud clientele but does have some decent ales on offer. The high ceilings does make it feel a little like a bus station and lacks the atmosphere of a proper pub. Maybe if I was 20 years younger it would appeal.
4 Sep 2010 18:35
Met up with old friend here on Thursday. Very busy outside and down the side in the alley. More room inside. Proper old pub with separate Lounge Bar and Saloon Bar. Good ales on offer. Sampled the Doom Bar - excelllent and the Ringwood Boondogle, also very good. Efficient bar staff meant never waited more than 2 minutes and managed to get a couple of stools near the bar. Well worth a stroll away from Waterloo to find this gem
4 Sep 2010 18:28
Pleasant Canal Side location just round the corner from Paddington Station. Inside it's styled like I remember an All Bar One (been a while). Nice pint of Deuchars but no other ales. Couple of the lagers also out of service.
Watch out for the shortcut over the wooden ramps from Paddington at the moment, it was closed on the way home and I missed the train.
Being bears of very little brain we also sampled the shooters which varied from ok to harsh (watch out for the Flatliner).
Overall ok, but lacking a bit in character and choice of ales.
26 May 2010 21:47
In here last night during the JDW ale festival. Lot's of ales on tap, most of them good (recommend the Hole Hearted).
Big old pub with impressive architecture but does it's job well. Bar staff were helpful and freely proffered tasters. TV screens show beers on offer but look for tasting notes on the bar for more details. Massive screen for sport if that's what you're after.
Didn't try the food, instead nipped round the corner to the Bangalore Express which deserves a mention as a top quality restaurant with some great food and good discounts in the week if you eat after 5pm.
22 Apr 2010 00:57
Met up with some friends here a couple of weeks ago. Place isn't that big but has a fair few tables and like most places mid-week it cleared out a bit by 7-8pm.
Tried the Landlord, Tribute and Doonbar, all excellent so never made it round to the guest ales.
Fish and Chips were good, hot and crispy (but could have used a few extra chips to soak up the beer).
Bar staff were efficient and courteous, never waited more than a few mins to be served.
Overall top venue. About 20 mins from Euston right opposite the imposing British Museum.
19 Feb 2010 15:59
In here again last Monday and I was even more impressed. Lovely cosy pub.
Fish and Chips was superb, best ever.
Table service was excellent, attentive but not intrusive (we didn't tip every round but left cash at the end as we felt we'd had a cracking night out).
TT Landlord was a lovely pint, the Deuchars IPA was a very close second. The Pride was a bit disappointing by comparison but this is feature of the beer not the pub.
26 Nov 2009 15:41
Only found this place around midnight on a Friday after a night in Cambrinus.
Still packed at midnight. Barman very helpful in recommending beer.
Very friendly, got talking to nice German couple at next table (it's pretty cosy) who were busy being very organised and taking notes on all the beers, we decided this was a brilliant idea (well it was midnight) but promptly forgot all about it the next day.
Smoking still allowed inside so you will reek of smoke.
13 Nov 2009 11:13
My work local, spent another pleasant evening in here last night. Excellent pub/bar (it does pints so in my book it's a pub) for grown ups. Yes it is a bit more pricey than the rest of the franchise theme pubs on the high street but well worth it if you value conversation and good service over loud music and dayglo shots. Small but good range of beers including Leffe on draught, friendly staff, table service if you want it.
1 Oct 2009 20:51
Used to pop in here for a quick pint before company shindigs (when times were more lucrative) in the Royal Institute of British Architects which is just round the corner on Portland Place. Recently spent a whole evening here and what a lovely pub. Friendly barman, good beer (Sam Smith's bitter was very palatable) and 5 pints of beer for �10.02 excellent value. Food is traditional pub grub and again good value but our order of 5 mains plus a couple of side dishes seemed to overwhelm the kitchen as one of our bowls of chips failed to appear and we got garlic bread instead, still it was very nice. Pub decor is traditional old style like a pub ought to be.
14 Jul 2009 19:20
The Bavarian Beerhouse, Shoreditch
Pretty basic bar in the basement decked out with benches. Beer pretty pricey at �4.00 for 0.5Litre < 1 pint but friendly table service all night from the German waitresses in full Heidi dress. A range of 8-10 German beers (and ciders) plus, much to my regret, a variety of schnapps. Didn't rate the food that highly (had sausage platters for 12). Good for a binge-drinking stag-do type night out but not the place for a quiet pint and not reccommended for ale lovers. Gets busy later on. Loses a mark for having a toilet attendant in what is a very small toilet, I hate peeing while some guy rearranges bottles of aftershave behind me.
27 Jun 2009 23:13
Was in here last Thursday with some good friends. Loads of ales on offer. My choices weren't that great (Essex Beast at 6.2% a little too strong for me - the name should've given it away) but the selection was superb. Pie of the day was very hot (prolly nuked) but tasty filling and good value. Chips very generous (chilli + chips nice and spicy).
Nice vibe for the ale drinker, chatting with the odd stranger about beer, will definitely return.
20 Apr 2009 21:13
Cosy pub in less salubrious area (follow the trail of adult bookshops). Table service if you want it. Good food, not cheap but tasty and filling. Ales on were TT Landlord which unfortunately ran out, Green King IPA and Fullers (also ran out). Friendly staff. Nice place.
20 Mar 2009 22:00
The Salisbury, Leicester Square
Lovely proper Pub. Bit difficult to find a seat early on but clears out later, worth hanging on. Had some good bar food in here and the efficient and friendly staff even gave us a spare dish nobody had claimed (we do a good impression of hungry). Good choice of ales, including two of my favourites, Deuchars IPA and Landlord.
20 Mar 2009 21:55
The Crown, Soho
Met up in here for some beers and bite to eat before a cabaret show at Madam Jojo's down the road.
Nice little haven just up from Picadilly.
5 real ale pumps but only 4 on when I got there. Nice pint of Acorn from a brewery I can't remember, a couple of stronger beers from more small breweries, a good selection but started to run out about an hour after arriving.
Food is the standard Nicholson's pub fayre, I had the large fish and chips at around £13, fish was good but a miserly portion of chips for that money.
Would definitely revisit if in the area.
22 Nov 2013 16:55