BITE user comments - Flasheart
Comments by Flasheart
The Warrington Hotel, Maida Vale
Went there last night.
Of the beers we had a London Pride and an IPA both were far from the best i have tasted. I had to ask the somewhat surly bar girl if it wasn't too much trouble for her to use a clean fresh glass for my pint. The one she got initially she assured me had water stains only...... maybe but the water had attracted dust and the glass looked like it had been at the back of a cupboard for months. Filthy and disgusting.
On the celeb front David Mitchell was there.
True enough the interior casts ones mind back to pubs of character and style of a bygone day. An area to sit outside was standard wooden bbq style tables. No real attempt to make the outside anymore than what it was.
BUT..... the interior did not justify the woeful beer, dirty glasses and surly attention of the staff.
An avoid for me
20 Jul 2010 13:34
Took the hound there today for Sunday lunch with The Blonde.
Down side first - service was a little too brisk for my liking. All be it very polite and welcoming.
Up side - Obviously very dog friendly - i think i counted 5 including mine there. Everyone kept them under control and there were no problems. Small children seem to be the noisiest there . Had the Roast Beef which was an excellent cut of sirloin and nice and rare. Had a pint of Twickenham with it which was pleasant without being memorably good/bad.
Convivial place to go for Sunday lunch after a good long walk in Richmond Park - not sure i would go any other time though.
24 Jan 2010 16:37
In summary then:-
Mayfair - check
Expensive - Check, in fact 'kin expensive
Chance to see celebs - Check, Maadonna's ex owns it. Last time there saw Freddy Flintoff, Piers Morgan and Mr ex-Madonna.
Reasons to visit - probably the last one for most people. In an 'out of interest only' way yes worth a visit, a short one unless you are packing the wallet of a Mayfairite you will need to push on.
12 Aug 2009 17:21
The Westbourne, Westbourne Green
2.5 years on since i last reviewed this pub and little has changed.
Bar staff still woeful, clientele by and large up their own back passage, outside seating area still fabulous but very crowded the moment the sun comes out.
It remains a place where Eurotrash and mod-dells go to see and be seen. If that is your bag then fill your boots, if you prefer something with a little more soul and respect then walk on by.
3 Jun 2009 16:45
The Grand Union, Westbourne Park
A pub that tries hard. The manager has changed in the last month or so and they do seem to be trying, although at times chaotic. A nice venue on an early summers evening with the sun shining down the canal and onto the outside seating area. it is worth trying to reserve a table there as it can get crowded.
The one Sunday roast i have had there recently was not awful but not something i would recomend people hunted down.
The crowd i have found to be an eclectic mix that you tend to find in any pub in this area that isn't a spit and sawdust vomitarium.
A little pricier than the average pub but clean and attractive and the beer seems well kept.
3 Jun 2009 16:35
Sadly have to concur with the last 2 reviewers. The original staff have moved on. Most evenings now there is loud music played by a 'dj' that means if you actually want to talk to someone you have to go outside. Staff seem to vanish at a whim. That said the Landlord is a ok and always personable - his staff less so. 12 months on from a decent opening and good intentions it has reverted to a formula that gets a certain crowd in and puts money in the tills.
No longer a thumbs up from me.
3 Jun 2009 16:29
Friendly bar staff with a reasonable pint of Guinness and London Pride.
Despite being opposite the Westbourne this attracts a slightly older more discerning customer. Dog friendly ( so long as you don't own an ASBO dog).
For me not a venue to go to for food, had some bad oysters here once back in the day. The menu on the whole is rather interesting and popular having said that. It won't fill you up but will present an interesting diversion from the normal Burger/Steak/Pie you seem to get in most gastros.
11 May 2008 09:10
The Cock and Bottle, Notting Hill
The Guiness is still fabulous, Richard the Landlord runs a friendly pub with an eclectic clientele. This is not a bad thing, and the mix is very happy and convivial.
11 May 2008 09:05
Now re-opened. Serving food and the same beers as the previous landlord. Gone are the DJ's and live music and they are trying to keep it as a pub that serves good food. There was a lot of building work and a refurb although to be honest you would be hard pushed to tell where that has gone on, it is as if they have taken out the last bar and then put it back.
I wish them well but always get the feeling this is a troubled location for many reasons.
If you are looking for somewhere a bit more chilled than the usual suspects to escape the masses you can't go wrong
11 May 2008 09:03
The Cock and Bottle, Notting Hill
Proper boozer. Landlord always has a slightly befuddled expression as befits landlords of old, before they became obsessed with marketing and left it to having a decent pint in front of a real fire. Decent pint of Pride. Two bars one of which has plasma tv's for the football, second much quieter. Pork scratchings and peanuts the limit of the food, thankfully a pub that has refraned from becoming a gastro. Bar staff friendly and helpful.
14 Feb 2008 12:43
Excellent pub with food, or is it food with pub. Go there for a good feed with some beers. The food has a mediteranean vibe to it and is first class, not cheap as others have mentioned but first class.
Seating is on a first come first served basis and on a Sunday you have to be alert and start hovering to grab a table.
Winelist is not vast but is good for a pub with some excellent choices on there - all reasonable prices. Food really is the outstnading thing about this pub. Staff are polite helpful and work hard behind the bar. A pub to visit, but be warned the secret if there ever was one is out so expect it to be busy.
20 Nov 2006 05:54
The Grand Union, Westbourne Park
Been back t this pub a few times in teh last 6 months.
In the summer the seating outside by the canal is always rammed, the BBQ's ok.
The pub has two bars and an area for eating. The upstairs has the main bar and also the food eating area. A few comfortable sofas mixed in with tables and chairs. Downstairs is the bar for those sitting outside. Two bogs for blokes, one upstairs and one downstairs, atlhough girls who cna't hold their bladder and make it upstairs have been seen using the toilet downstairs as well.
Food, bit of a mixed bag, when the kitchen is open then the pie and a pint option is not bad. Went there recently on a Sunday evening and at 9:05pm got told the kitchen was shut and that i couldn't even have a bowl of chips. Pub was very quiet and they may have sent the chef home early, but that night the bar staff weren't over friendly, not overly unfriendly just mildly distinerested.
Beer, lots of imported lagers and two bitters on draft, Pride and Bombardier, both well kept.
20 Nov 2006 05:39
The Admiral Codrington, Brompton
This pub has changed over the 20 plus years since i first went drinking there. Gone is the conservatory/vomitorium out the back in its place is an excellent restaraunt. First class food, wine list and service. Reallt can't fault it, not cheap but not expensive either. Never been rushed out of here when eating a meal and always felt wanted even at the end of the evening when finishing off that final bottle of wine.
Ref comments about the 'toilet activity' i think people should be up front about what they have to say here but then thats what you get for anonymous postings - however on the occasions have been there i have seen nothing untoward.
Crowd who go to this pub have not really changed over the years. Lots of Chelsea-ites there. For that read City types and the like. Atmoshpere is welcoming for all that and the bar staff speedy and helpful. Small garden area outside with heaters for the winter, but not a huge area and if you are looking for a pub for summer drinking outside - probably not the ideal one.
20 Nov 2006 05:30
I can imagine this place heaving come a nice summer evening. But sitting outside on a cold evening with the heaters giving it full tilt is not that bad.
Inside the pub the comment about it being full of Aussies whilst not true there were quite a few there. Bar staff usual east europeans, some ok some below average, although they do do table service with a 12.5% mark up on any drinks you order.
Comfy seating and nicely arranged, however there is a restaraunt area probably of equal size to the bar area. The food there is of average standard and above average pricing. Unless this improves then do avoid the restaraunt and go elsewhere to eat, although when i was there the chips were decent chunky ones and a nice bar snack.
Despite the criticism of this place the acid test is always would i return, and for now the answer is yes.
20 Nov 2006 05:17
The Prince Albert, Notting Hill
Its difficult to add to the comments about this pub already made. Not even a place to say to your mates 'lets meet at the pub by the tube station for a quick one and then push on.' Do yourselves a favour and stand in the wind and rain and not go into this place.
3 Oct 2006 15:05
This is a great pub. Good food, good beer, good landlord. Does all the basics very well. Only ever had lunch there and it was rather quiet - but the food bangers and mash was done very well. Service was with a smile and that does go a long way to making you feel at home in a boozer.
Def worth a visit
3 Oct 2006 13:10
Went in on Saturday night. Was strangely quiet for a Saturday night - not sure what this said about the place. Only sold one bitter - Green King IPA.
Bar staff weren't bad and service was speedy... ok it was quiet but they did seem to get a crack on when people were waiting which is always nice.
Food for a gastro was quite interesting - i had a fish finger sandwich in Ciabatta with rocket and mayo, it was actually not bad.
It was hard to tell from those there who the target client is, but in the end of the day would i go back? Then the answer would be yes.
2 Oct 2006 11:31
The pub is positioned on the cross roads of Kensignton Court Place and St Albans Grove, very easy to find. It is a smart and tidy pub, with a small fenced off area with seats for outside drinking. Postitioned next to Prue Leiths cookery school and oppostie Wodka.
Only one bitter on sale the last two times i have been there, it was ok - but can't for the life of me remember what it was called. Bar snakcs are quite pricey - but the prices are in fact what you pay around any pub selling them, the chilli rice puffs proving to be very addictive.
The ambience is friendly and the furniture and eclectic mix from comfortable sofas to wooden chairs. Mix of students, media types and also the Kensington crowd. Bar staff can be a bit hit and mix between the fabulous to the rather ordinary.
If you are looking for a pub to go and get a decent pint have a chat and enjoy yourself - this is not a bad place to go. If you are looking to go and pull, watch football, rage about social injustice then this may not be the place for you.
Can't comment on the food but it did look ok when being served to others.
2 Oct 2006 11:27
Forgot to add the transitions over the last 7 years have seen it go from old mans earthy pub, to Organic pub which was seriously bright and blidning with light (over priced food and odd beers and wine no one had heard of) to Gastro Pub that started off well as a decent place to either eat or drink but fell away, to current incarnation.
1 Oct 2006 10:42
The Westbourne, Westbourne Green
Its neither gastro/straight boozer. Having said that the food is good here if you can get a table. The pub is popular and more so in the summer when the outisde seating area is always packed as well as inside. In winter gas overhead heaters are provided to keep people warm.
The predominant clientele are young, it has a bit of a media feel to it with 'fabulous' people going there.
The actual bar serving area is not huge and this ealds to a slow down in service. There is no getting around it when the pub is busy the service is slow, due to the small bar and that they just can't get enough people behind it. Although the bar staff could do with a rocket up the back side to get them cracking on a bit this pub has always been like that.
The eye candy for both sexes is always worth a trip, and if it gets too busy for you - just head over the road to The Cow.
1 Oct 2006 10:39
The Red Lemon, Notting Hill
Still closed no sign of re-opening
15 Jan 2011 19:01