BITE user comments - adamsant
Comments by adamsant
good well run pub - good quality food and great atmosphere - by far the best place in that area
4 Jul 2008 11:02
going after the food lucnh crowd by the looks of it - new menu, knives&forks at the tabel etc - so just just a boozer anymore
i don't dislike the place and it's close to work...
23 Apr 2008 18:28
i quite liked this place - good quality beer and the girl serving us in the upstairs bar last week was brilliant - witty, informed, happy..
really very small and pokey toilets tho....
23 Apr 2008 18:21
Bland is a good word to sum this place up.
Staff seem to be getting a strop complex too. It's as if she was doing me a favour by actually serving me.....
Shame really - it's in a good spot to attract a varied crowd of city suits and luvvies at the Barbican......
31 Aug 2007 10:51
Under new ownership, but the landlord/owner, Andy, has no intention of going pretentious or trying to attract the city boys in their still cheap suits.
They've lost out on alot of summer trade because of the construction site opposite, but the building looks as though it will be completed soon.
Good service as usual and the Guinness tasted grand.
Downstairs bar massively improved (all the stored furniture has gone and there is a dartboard and a pool table)
I'd recommend it if you are in the area and need a break from the lemmings.
9 Aug 2007 09:18
Bar has been refurbished. Cleaner looking inside, they have moved the bar too I think - makes the space look bigger. Wicker has all gone - now some reasonably comfy Habitat-like chairs.
Same clientele as before though.
Staff were quite helpful and polite, I imagine there are bars/pubs a bit better and a bit worse nearby - so targetted to attract the MOR crowd - and seem to be doing quite well on it.
17 Jul 2006 16:27
Good location, but the Guinness was not so hot..... didn't seem to be much choice in the upstairs bar either.
Service was generally attentive..... However barmaid closed the bar upstairs at 10.30 while it was still quite full without telling anyone - I don't mind smaller bars closing early so the staff can start to tidy up, but I would say it's common courtesy to let the people in the bar know and maybe order one more before moving... or am i worng there?
17 Jul 2006 16:15
The Princess of Shoreditch, Old Street
Clean, tidy, quite busy even on a Monday.
Good service, good selection of drinks and looks like a decent menu. Certainly alot better than some of the other Hoxton Goon-palaces nearby. Check it out.
11 Jul 2006 10:07
Agree with the others, great pub, great atmosphere not too busy. If in the area (not that often) the one I'd choose above all others.
10 Jul 2006 16:54
The Fox and Anchor, Smithfield
Not been in here for a while, but not much has changed - as usual good beer but a fair few of post-work suits/office workers that were quite loud. Was good to good in again, but by choice I would go to the Sutton Arms.
10 Jul 2006 16:52
Has always been a bit rough - I remember when it was full of LIFFE traders. If you want a cheap pint, come here - and can be nice(ish) in the summer when you stand outside, but as MrLash says - nondescript.
4 Jul 2006 15:35
Was there on a hot Sunday in June - nothing much to write home about, typical Wetherspoons. Punters all looked very depressed.... Smokey
4 Jul 2006 15:20
stopped off here on a soho stag - was nice and busy with a good mix of punters - bar staff polite and efficient - only fault was that it's a bit tatty around the edges, but that may be what they are looking for....
18 May 2006 15:00
We were in there on 29 April 06 for a drink on a stag tour of Soho. Barman was welcoming, was happy to make 9 Bloody Marys to get us going again..... Would be a shame if it is closed...
18 May 2006 14:52
My first visit for a month or so and something has changed here. Horrible eurotrance-like music on that noone can either dance to or ignore. Really was offputting....
Beer still fine though.
26 Apr 2006 09:31
Nice little local pub, the river view area was closed for refurbishment (new decking) so not much of a draft through the pub, so was a bit smokey.
Liked the history of the place too. Beer was good, as was the menu, and not too expensive. Captain Kidd up the road is bigger if it's rammed.
Not full of suits, which I was afraid of given it's in Wapping.
26 Apr 2006 09:21
Great location, I can see why it's popular. Good place to take people from out of town to show them London is not just a concrete jungle. Wapping High Street is certainly different to most London Streets - alot of history down there.....
The only let down for me is Sam Smiths beers, but that's only my view.... Great place to enjoy a summer evening. Service was attentive too.
26 Apr 2006 09:07
Family orientated pub - reasonably well kept, pleasantly cheap, beer.
Big portions of good value food, chips with everything mind, but so long as you choose carefully from the extensive menu you'll be OK. Pub itself was quite big, looked tidy and bar area was clean.
Good service, food came quickly too.
Nice area outside aswell - I think I'd rather come here than stay in town for lunch to be honest.
Aircon was a bit noisy in the non-smoking section, but not offputting enough to move.
21 Apr 2006 13:04
lovely little pub - open fire, small bar - really very nice old fashioned establishment. well kept beer and welcoming locals - definitely drop in if passing.
2 Mar 2006 11:45
student pub certainly, but there's nothing wrong with that and given cathays is where the students live you'd expect to see 'em
i liked this place, a very decent pint of the black stuff - good food deals....
even tho only the small bar was open was served quickly by the staff and was clear they knew what they were doing....
much better than the "uberpubs" on the high street
16 Feb 2006 14:43
Lots of screens, but def a football bias....
Beer is pricey, always has a large head and is average. Food OK, but nothing special we had no issues with how long it took.
Always feels crowded downstairs even when empty.
Bar staff do try, but are always busy.
When I was there a couple of weeks ago the gents toilets were broken and we all had to share with the ladies.... chaotic scenes at times.
Shame really - great concpet, but just not as good as it could be.
2 Feb 2006 18:33
Yes, not the best beer in the City, but it's reasonably large and air con actually works well... Good place in the summer as you can stand outside - plenty of room. Service is quick and attentive.
2 Feb 2006 14:25
The Artillery Arms, Old Street
Busy pub, but diverse crowd in there - students, mediatypes, suits - all mixed up quite nicely. Plenty of places to sit, but was very full. Good service behind the small bar - done up since I was last there. Guinness was spot on and plenty of beers to choose from too.
16 Jan 2006 16:58
Good Cheap Beer. Good service on a Friday night.
Very busy pub, good atmosphere - a nice place.
Only problem was that staff were very keen to get people to move on once time was called.
16 Jan 2006 16:55
The Hamilton Hall, Liverpool Street
Hellish is the best word for this place.
Feel uncomfortable in here, always have done and I'm a rugby prop!
Shame, could be an excellent pub with high ceilings etc, but it and its clientele are depressing and frightening at the same time.
12 Jan 2006 14:24
The Lord Aberconway, Liverpool Street
Dark and smokey - would hate to go to that mezzanine level. Layout means it's hard not to be in someones way to the bar when stood having a pint.
Having said all that - not at the bottom of the list for the area.
12 Jan 2006 14:19
The Railway Tavern, Liverpool Street
Can never make my mind up about this place - sometimes the beer is fine, other times it's poor. Sometimes it's really smokey then the next time it's not..... good place to go for a quick one as i work nearby, but only ever used as a meeting place before going somewhere a bit better... nice big windows to watch all the mungos running for their train
12 Jan 2006 14:08
This one isn't that bad given it's ABO.
Big non smoking area and good airconditioning help. Pleasant helpful staff when I was in there for lunch last week.
Guinness was very cold - which I happen to like.
12 Jan 2006 13:47
nice place to down a couple of pints without having to deal with the city boys in their cheap suits... small upstairs bar can get smokey... service always very good and the guinness in there is always spot on..
11 Jan 2006 19:20
Yates's Wine Lodge, Wood Green
Total Hell. Avoid at all costs.
Was dragged in to meet some people, but just witnessed everything you see on those Sky documentaries about binge drinking; only worse.
9 Jan 2006 18:43
Lovely place to go to avoid the rabble in their horrible chain bars - only prob is it's too popular on match days
Def worth popping in if you get the chance.
9 Jan 2006 18:32
As of 6 January 2006, when I walked along Gresham Street this pub was closed up.
Shame as it was a nice place.
9 Jan 2006 18:14
The Old Doctor Butler's Head, Moorgate
Nowhere near as good as it used to be. Was very smoky and dare I say a little bit grottier than expected. Bar staff helpful and seemed happy - no issues with them at all.
Used to walk down the alley every day, and drop in for a pint, on my way from work; so we went there for old times sake. Had a crowd of City Idiots that maybe were a bit lost and should have been next door at Corneys, one of them dropped drinks at our feet - no apology came forward. When I said, in jest, he was lucky that he missed us - he took it totally the wrong way and I could see was itching for a fight.
We drank up and moved on - not sure I'll be back in a hurry tho.
9 Jan 2006 18:11
Not a cheap place and similar to All-Bar-Humanity and Slug and Lettuce but better. However has some decent beers and decent wines.
Clientele seemed better than the usual City crowd - not sure they know about it yet....
Staff were attentive and helpful - but only two of them on duty, which meant a bit of a wait at the bar.
Will go again.
9 Jan 2006 18:04
Nice pub - I like the idea of different rooms - all seem to have their own theme too...
Wasn't too busy in the week before Christmas - a few blokes like me in there waiting for the missus to finish shopping... Much better than the endless number of yuppy wine bars that have cropped up.
Nice wholesome food, but kitchen closes at 3 sharp if you are having a late lunch (as I was).
Definitely recommended.
9 Jan 2006 17:59
I like this place, decent beer and decent food. Not too smoky and the high ceiling helps with the air.
The bar area can get crowded with people standing around drinking, but if you sharpen your elbows and ask politely, people will move with no hassle.
Bar staff do well in balancing the Conran corporate rubbish (change put on a small metal plate etc) with the fact they work in a boozer that is usually full of blokes having a quick beer before heading home.
9 Dec 2005 13:36
Service not bad, beer average.
Can get quite busy when there is a football match on, but far too smoky and grubby. They should fix the aircon - they say they have a non smoking area - no idea where that was...
9 Dec 2005 13:31
not a bad pub.. usually attracts older clientele as the young back office boys are in corneys.... not much choice on the beers, but kept reasonably well.... good place to go for a quick decent lunch - as you might guess specialty is bangers and mash..... i go there for lunch a fair bit as i work nearby... staff are friendly
24 Nov 2005 17:27
full of chavs downstairs, but we went for food upstairs... beer not bad, food alright especially as we went at the end of the lunch service... service was warm and friendly
didn't seem to be much of the way of competition in that town centre
19 Aug 2005 18:16
nice pub.. service a bit slow though.. good beer and food.... can imagine it gets busy later in the evening... like the big windows to watch life passing by....
19 Aug 2005 18:12
great view up the river, the beer was not bad, pub was quite busy and def a place to visit if you are in town...
quite a mixture of drinkers... students, leftist trendies, old and young couples
a good option if you want to get away from all the hen night groups who've come up from the south for the weekend and are wreaking havoc in the centre of town
19 Aug 2005 18:07
just the place to take the parents on a visit from out of town.... good beer, not too expensive and a warm welcome from the staff.... quiet street so quite pleasant to sit outside...
16 Jul 2005 19:48
decent pint of the black stuff...polite staff... seating outside was welcomed, and the street wasn't too busy given we were close to oxford and baker streets.... good place to watch some sport while the missus spends all your money
16 Jul 2005 19:46
Ryans Bar, Blackfriars
not been here for a few years, but used to be my local when i worked nearby - was in the area so popped in for a quiet one last week...
the guinness was OK but was quite pricey (even for a city pub)... three screens for sport
there didn't seem to be enough tables for the space available - they were spread out far too thinly and it all looked v weird
can't say i'd be rushing back
26 Aug 2008 03:02