BITE user comments - Oolybel
Comments by Oolybel
Visited on 30th July after it re-opened on 28th July. They've done a great job of the refurb and it also has a large garden which I didn't know before. Great selection of beers including local favourite 'Naked Ladies' from Twickenham fine ales. The Pale Rider was also very nice. What a refreshing change to find a pub with lots of decent beers/ciders and only two lagers! I hope this pub is a great success, Twickenham can certainly handle a place like this!
4 Aug 2011 16:48
Lovely pub, liked the food and the beer. Full of poncy city types.
2 Jul 2010 10:23
The Alma Tavern, Wandsworth Town
Not a bad pub and a good location. Quite pricey, bitter was a bit stale, but no one really drinking it! What is that smell in the toilets?
2 Jul 2010 10:20
Nicest pub in the Victoria area by a long way! Decent bitters, but only Shepherd Neame. Worth the short walk from Victoria station.
16 Dec 2009 13:10
The beautiful exterior of this pub is completely at odds with the very modern interior, but at least it has managed to remain a pub rather than going too much down the 'wine bar' route. Beer was fine and there were plenty of people on a Tuesday evening so they must be doing something right. Nice secluded garden - until they started ripping up the road right outside! Would definitely return.
12 Aug 2009 08:57
Refurb not too bad, essentially the same but with a lick of paint, higher prices and a poncy new menu. The roof terrace has reopened and is a lovely spot on a sunny day - not sure about the weird bird cage table thing, but some people seemed to be enjoying it! The Doom Bar was not very nice - warm and tasted stale, but an electrician turned up half way through the afternoon to look at the cellar cooling so maybe it will be fixed next time.
I've always been fond of the Brit and I still am!
1 Jun 2009 15:09
Lovely and underrated pub! Sunday Roast is very good and there's a pretty nice garden out back too.
13 May 2009 09:12
Under new management and closed for two days (re-opening weds 29th April). Went in on Friday and the entertainment was provided free of charge in the form of the new bar manager attempting to stop a constant stream of teenage girls (drinking with their mates on the green) from using the toilets. Felt sorry for the Bar Manager (who didn't realise there's a notice on the back of the toilet door saying non-customers can use the toilets as long as they pop a coin in the charity box) and the girls (who mostly had to leave with their legs crossed)!
27 Apr 2009 13:55
This place is getting worse and worse, please vote with your feet and drive out the criminally obnoxious idiot who is currently running the place!
27 Apr 2009 13:51
Unbelievably Guiness is now �3.75 a pint. Having happily drunk in the Patch for over 10 years, I will now stay away. The prices are outgrageous in this average pub.
16 Feb 2009 13:05
This is such a nice pub and the pride was in great form yesterday. For me the experience was slightly spoit by the fact that early in the evening a 'reserved' sign was suddenly plonked onto our table and we were effectively ejected. Is it a pub or a restaurant? I think it would work better if the conservatory was marked as a dining area so people would expect to be asked to move if they're just drinking. Sadly this is happening increasingly as pubs have to focus on food to survive. I'll forgive them because of the great London Pride!
11 Jan 2009 14:40
This is really a restaurant/bar as it is only open evenings during the week. We had Sunday lunch and the food really was amazing. Two courses for �11.95 so not the cheapest, but I thought it was well worth it. The beer is very well kept and they stock Twickenham ales which is a bonus. The wine is quite expensive, but they had some interesting stuff. This is definitely an occasion pub, but the owner is a terrific guy so I hope it does well.
24 Sep 2008 15:17
very nice pub, if a bit pricey. Beer well kept, staff friendly and plenty of comfy seating.
24 Sep 2008 15:14
The Royal Albert, South Lambeth
Agree with the friendly staff review, but the place was deserted on Friday. Interior is pleasant, but a bit tatty and dirty - could be easily rectified. No food at all on offer at the moment. The Bombardier was horrible, barman replaced without complaint, but the replacement was off too - probably not shifting quickly enough. All in all it is not a bad little place.
6 Aug 2008 14:16
Good quiz on a Tuesday evening. Our food was nice, fairly standard gastro pub fare. The bar staff were very friendly and the bar manager in particular stood out for attentiveness and customer focus. They have several guest ales and I tried the Tribute - very good if a tad warm. All in all not bad and I would say it has improved from my last visit. Some of the comments about children are definitely right though - on a summers day the place is heaving with families so avoid if this is not your thing.
18 Jun 2008 12:30
Not a bad place, IPA was nice but the Abbot was not so good - don't think many were drinking it. Pleasant atmosphere and friendly staff.
2 Jun 2008 10:30
The Crown And Two Chairmen, Soho
Visited for the quiz last night... Nice quiz, good fun and it started at 7.30pm and didn't go on too long which was great. Sadly they only seemed to have one beer - Deuchers, which was warm. Big selection of lagers although it goes over my head a bit - they all taste gassy and sour to me! The food looked good, so we ordered, but it wasn't good at all. Burgers were OK, but my club sandwich was horrible and a friend ordered nachos which were really unpleasant. Such a nice pub - the interior is lovely - they could really make this place something with a little effort.
29 Apr 2008 12:11
Really nice pub with very good bar food and a good selection of well kept beers. I like the way this place has a different feel to the different seating areas and now they have a few tables outside too. Definitely worth a visit.
28 Apr 2008 16:25
Excellent selection for the beer festival. Last nights St George's hot pot was amazing! Try the Haka and Tinners. Black Sheep amazing as ever!
24 Apr 2008 14:32
I think this place does have potential, but it seems to be one of those pubs where the locals are firmly determined to put off any new customers who might give it a try. Beer was nasty and no red wine other than a horrible merlot in a mini bottle. Won't be back.
17 Apr 2008 13:49
This pub is great - really friendly, beer always ok (not fab, but not bad) and the food is good value and well presented. Give it a shot. The upstairs room is lovely on a sunny day with the window open overlooking the green...
15 Apr 2008 14:30
Lovely pub with friendly staff and locals, highly recommended. Don't be tempted to opt for the Railway Hotel - it might be a bit nearer the station, but it's not a patch on the Bell.
29 Feb 2008 10:05
The Marlborough Head, Marble Arch
Not bad if you stick to the lager! Interesting interior and music ok and not too loud. Not quite sure why there is piped sound of screaming and baying wolves in the toilets, but at least it's original! Better than many a trendy, overpriced hell-hole in Central London!
21 Jan 2008 16:47
I used to live up the road from this pub and it was a nice place. Visited on a whim last night after getting off the bus early because of the traffic and what a difference. Smells really bad, the bar staff are hopeless and it's full of aggressive lads with no manners and nothing better to do than scare of the few accidental tourists who do make it through the doors. My pint of Pride was surprisingly OK though! I'll give it 4 for the Pride, would have been a 2 otherwise.
21 Dec 2007 11:53
Speckled Hen was lovely last night. Toilets looked ok to me, but didn't look as if they'd been made over either.... Maybe someone's given them a good scrub. The food looked nice, but we didn't have any.
19 Dec 2007 09:40
I agree with AbeC, not bad at all. When I visited the beer was really, really good. The food is a bit pricey for what it is - expectations are raised by nearly �10 for a main course!
18 Dec 2007 17:46
Best pint of Black Sheep in a long time and wonderful TT Landlord as well. A really lovely style of pub with great food and a nice atmosphere. Not too pricey either considering the high standard of food and beer.
18 Dec 2007 17:43
This pub has just changed management and we visited on Saturday. Doesn't look as if it's changed much and the interior is a little bit tatty. However, the manager was very friendly and clearly attempting to change the image and ambience of this pub. They have all the equipment for an excellent sports bar so hopefully he'll turn it round.
19 Nov 2007 17:40
I like this pub despite the pricey but average beer! Had sunday dinner yesterday and it was really quite good. Not fantastic, but not bad either. I know this place is not everyone's cup of tea, but it isn't terrible either. I especially like that they always have a selection of newspapers and there are board games you can borrow - makes it a good place to meet up to start a night out.
5 Nov 2007 15:40
Ate here last night for the first time. Food was excellent. All the staff were very friendly - and I mean conversational as opposed to simply polite. Excellent selection of beers! We tried the 'champagne' beer and it was a real treat. Will definitely be visiting again and would highly recommend.
4 Oct 2007 12:03
Stumbled upon this place on Saturday whilst trying to find somewhere peaceful to have a beer with some friends we haven't seen for a while. What a gem! Very friendly staff and an excellent selection of beers. Staff were very knowledgeable as well - when my first choice was not available they immediately offered something similar instead. The garden is lovely too and as we were enjoying the first sunny day in a while it was a real bonus. Will definitely be back.
28 Aug 2007 11:30
Visited on Saturday after the rugby and discovered they have a large, secluded, beautiful beer garden out the back that I've never noticed before! Lovely pub - friendly staff and the beer is good.
6 Aug 2007 18:01
Have to agree with lots of other comments about this place. I visited on Saturday and even though there was hardly anyone in the bar it took about five minutes to get served despite three barstaff. All were wandering around, ignoring waiting customers, polishing glasses, emptying the glass washer. Not good enough. When I did get served, the girl seemed totally disinterested, sullen and completely clueless about the drinks she was serving.
16 Jul 2007 09:37
The Windsor Castle, Clapham Junction
Nice pub for a few beers and there's a small outside area at the back too for those rare evenings when it doesn't chuck it down with rain. Few kids in early evening, but mostly seemed well behaved. Bombadier not bad. Could do with a lick of paint or a good scrub now that the smoking ban is in.
3 Jul 2007 08:47
Visited last night for 'The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas'. Excellent show. The pub is friendly and efficient and we had pre-show food which was very tasty. Beer was a bit warm, but well kept other than that. Thoroughly recommend this place as a pub and for the theatre.
28 Jun 2007 10:32
Visited yesterday for lunch with a colleague. Lovely food and very reasonably priced. This is a beautiful old building with huge potential, but the inside is a bit dirty. Would definitely recommend for lunch, but didn't get a chance to sample the beer as I was working :(
19 Jun 2007 12:59
Lovely pint of doombar last night and a pleasant garden to sit in early evening...
13 Jun 2007 11:53
Further to my previous comment I have to add my discovery of a bizarre and very dishonest policy in this pub. The price list states that a 'dash' of mixer is 34p and a large dash 68p. I visited on friday and was charged �1.63 for a dash of coke. When I queried this I was told by the (very obviously inexperienced and therefore not to blame) girl behind the bar that there is no place on the till for them to enter the 34p or 68p dash, so they are instructed to charge for a 9oz glass!!! Note, a 9oz glass, not a half pint even! That made my bacardi and coke (I know, shame on me, but it was for my husband who was too full for another beer) �3.97!! Will not be back.
4 Jun 2007 17:05
Visited yesterday for sunday lunch and it was really very good. This is a really decent pub since the change of ownership - the food was very reasonably priced and tasty, the garden lovely and the beer was exceptionally well kept. I will definitely be back!
4 Jun 2007 16:58
The Duke of Devonshire, Balham
Pleasantly surprised by this pub where we spent a very enjoyable sunday afternoon. Nice atmosphere, but a bit pricey.
14 May 2007 11:10
This is a beautiful old pub which has a great atmosphere. Good selection of well kept beers and the staff are nice. The food is good, but way too pricey.
14 May 2007 11:07
Great location, they could do so much with this pub. Instead it's really quite dirty inside, a bit of a mess outside and they always seem to have run out of key stuff. The Eel Pie and White Swan are much nicer.
8 May 2007 11:34
Have always liked this pub, but ate here today for the first time since the refit and it was very ordinary. Had a steak sandwich which was nice, but the fries were meagre and the salad was gritty. �8.95!!! Definitely will not be eating here again. The outside area is now out the front and completely covered, no doubt in preparation for the smoking ban, but who wants to have a beer in a tent when the weather's nice?
4 May 2007 15:27
The Prince Blucher, Twickenham
Agree about the smokiness, but the beer is good. Very busy when any kind of football is on. Bar staff are friendly and generally a pretty decent place.
2 May 2007 12:26
Agree with KatrinaD, although the garden is lovely if it's a sunny day. Buy some carpets and it would be lovely.
1 May 2007 08:57
Love this pub and have never experienced rude barstaff, although they are often understaffed. Only negative was last summer when I asked for a Kew Brew (lovely, but sadly rare) and the barman asked me if I wanted ice. I mean, I know I'm a girl, but ice in beer? What is the world coming too.
25 Apr 2007 20:23
Visited this pub on a Friday evening. Good music and lively atmosphere, but very crowded. Bar staff were all so drunk that they completely forgot to charge us for two rounds, so average price of a beer was greatly reduced!
17 Apr 2007 09:42
Went to this pub last night for the first time since the refurb. The pub looks very nice and has plenty of seating. There is a huge selection of beers and a beer menu for the belgian stuff - always a good sign. I had a pint of Twickenham Ales' Naked Ladies and it was absolutely stunning, by far the best pint I've had in ages!! It was clear, cool and light and really wonderful - I had to hold back from downing it in a couple of gulps! My other half broke with tradition and had a guiness so can't comment on any of the other beers.
A small downer was how smokey it was, maybe Wednesday is smokers night? Every table seemed to be filled with middle-ages ladies puffing away! The bar menu, although it looked nice, was rather pricey for pub grub!!
I've given this pub a 7 because the pint I had was sensational, if you're not a beer drinker you can probably find somewhere cheaper and less smokey!
22 Feb 2007 15:26
Lovely pub, pleeeeeease don't turn it into anything like the slug & lettuce or the many other bland pubs in Richmond... Beer looking up too lately.
29 Jan 2007 13:58
Quality bar with quality beers. Toilets are like something out of a horror movie, but who cares - good for your immune system!
7 Dec 2006 11:24
Went last night for dinner. We were the only people in the whole place and the food and wine were distinctly ordinary considering the fairly high prices. I would not be surpised (or sad) to see this place shut down, there are so many good restaurants in Twickenham that a mediocre and overpriced one just will not survive for long.
2 Nov 2006 11:00
The refurbish is tasteful, but like many they've removed all soft furnishings so when crowded the noise is really oppressive. The (thai) food is excellent, much better than most pubs who have gone down this route. The staff are very friendly and the drinks well looked after, if pricey. Would have given 9/10 if not for the incredibly loud TV and then music - I know this is a live music venue, but when there's no band and hardly any customers is it really necessary to be that loud?
29 Sep 2006 14:18
This is a lovely pub with good beer and a (surprisingly) nice selection of wine. The staff are extremely friendly and attentive and there is plenty of local colour to amuse... The food was quite expensive, but well presented and very tasty. Not a gastro pub, a traditional pub grub sort of place with enormous portions (loose fitting clothing recommended).
18 Sep 2006 17:09
Not a bad little bar, although disappointing after the 9/10 review. Beer was pretty ordinary and the atmosphere was distinctly absent. Nicely done out though and friendly enough staff. Didn't try the food.
18 Sep 2006 17:06
Visited this pub based on the 9/10 rating it has received on this site. It really is a nice pub, very spacious, clean interior, but fairly old fashioned furnishings and decor. VERY friendly staff and we were made to feel extremely welcome - they even called a cab for us to get back into town when it started to chuck it down with rain. The local Harvey's bitter was well kept and the best we had in our stay in Eastbourne. No food available weekday evenings so can't comment on that, but menu looked reasonably varied.
18 Sep 2006 17:04
Looks promising at first with plenty of space downstairs and friendly bar staff. Beer was pretty awful, soft drinks outrageously expensive and on closer inspection the place is absolutely filthy. Upstairs in particular is very dirty. Also a very strange smell throughout the whole place - artificial perfumed tinge - I assume this is an attempt to cover up the whiff that lurks underneath from years of ingrained dirt?
8 Jun 2006 17:43
The Old City Arms, Hammersmith
Visited this pub on Good Friday after searching 'BeerInTheEvening' for a pub in Hammersmith with a pool table! Nice old fashioned pub in need of a bit of a scrub, but with two very well kept pool tables. Staff and locals very friendly and pleasant. No nice beers though, even though the decor and ambience would lend themselves very nicely to a few decent real ales.
22 Apr 2006 10:39
Visited this pub yesterday based on previous reviews. The location is great and the pub itself, although small and crowded, is surprisingly comfortable. Good selection of beers and the added bonus of being able to order a pasty to go with them!
22 Apr 2006 10:36
Visited on Sunday 9th April 2006. What a gem this place is! Excellent selection of beers plus warm friendly staff and a relaxed, if slightly scruffy, ambience. Ladies take note of the free 'items' in the toilet - it's a thoughtful touch. Decor is dated, but clean. Only slight downer was the hoards of children in the bar. They were quite well behaved, unlike their parents who were more intent on getting drunk than keeping an eye on their offspring!
11 Apr 2006 16:57
The London Apprentice, Old Isleworth
Visited on Sunday 9th April 2006. I was shocked to find that the London Apprentice has dispensed with their bar billiards table, a real shame that more and more pubs are going for that one extra tiny table they can squeeze in rather than sticking with and promoting this fun, traditional game. Sunday lunch was absolutely awful and shockingly overpriced at �8.95. Roast lamb was overcooked and covered in mint sauce and the veg were overcooked and greasy. The selection of beers was as good as ever, but sadly someone isn't looking after their cellar as the TT Landlord was quite disgusting. And as a final finishing touch to a disappointing outing, there were two sources of music contrasting and competing with each other which did nothing for my hangover! This is a beautiful pub in an amazing setting - surely they can do better than this!!!?
11 Apr 2006 16:52
The White Hart, Bishopsgate
Popped into this pub for a bite to eat after a meeting in Bishopsgate and was surprised at how nice it was. Very friendly staff and a great selection of beers. I had the Adnams Southwold and it was really good. We both ordered lunch and the food was really nice. There was an old boy swearing like a trouper behind us, but it didn't spoil it for me! I will definitely return to this place, surprisingly nice traditional pub compared to some of the other chain pub rubbish in this area.
29 Nov 2011 17:21