BITE user comments - defrakev
Comments by defrakev
Great pub right next to station. Good range of ales from both local and not so local breweries. All I tried were in excellent conditon. Made very welcome by the guvnor, staff and punters. Wish my local station had a pub like this on its doorstep!
13 Feb 2011 09:48
Town centre pub offering a decent range of ale. Camerons, Exmoor, Bath and Wharfedale available on this visit. All beers tried were in top form. Very friendly staff and customers made us feel welcome.
10 Jan 2011 12:18
The Quaker Coffee House, Darlington
Visited with a group of AFC Wimbledon fans on a very cold January Saturday. What a great place. Good range of ten local ales from the likes of Mithril and Toad. All ales tried were in top form. Very friendly and welcoming staff and regulars. So good we went back after the game!. Only downside is that its very small and gets packed quickly.
10 Jan 2011 12:12
Visited on BH Monday. Not much has changed since last visited in 2008!Very nice welcoming pub. Beer choice OK with Vale of Glamorgan and Wickwar available alongside Wells Bombardier. Excellent range of ciders of perry's (around 20 in total). Didn't try food but others said it was good, if a bit pricey, but then it is a gastropub so not surprising. Would visit again if in area.
6 Jan 2011 16:32
Like Hoppy Al I also spent a very pleasant two hours in here on my first visit. Excellent range of about 9 ales, a mixture of local brewed, Plain Ales, Ramsbury and Hop Back, and some not so local, Dark Star, Sharps. Friendly and welcoming its a must if you're in the area. Will definitely be back.
5 Jan 2011 17:23
Continues to sell two guest ales from a wide portfolio and has recently installed Pilsner Urquell in place of John Smiths Smooth @ �3.60 a pint
25 Oct 2010 16:25
Paid a visit here last Sunday afternoon. Very freindly pub with a good selection of Christmas ales from Thwaites, Tring, plus one other I can't remember) all in top condition (they are featuring 39 in total this month). Good reasonably priced menu consisting of snacks to mains including a full sunday roast (beef on this occassion). My ham, egg and chips and my friend's corned beef hash were both excellent. Staff very apologetic when they messed up the food order but was offered a drink as compensation (which I politely refused). Would visit again if in the area.
8 Dec 2009 16:13
Following on from the previous post, the choice of ales in the pub is excellent. Yes some people have particular likes and dislikes but the diversity of beer styles that come through the two guest pumps gives the customers something different to try. If you're not sure about a particular beer ask for a taster. Dennis looks to get unusual beers in for his festivals and in most cases tries not to have them twice. In between the festivals it is true to say he has a number of regular breweries he features. That is why since he did his first festival in January 2007 he's had around 700 different beers.
Picking up on fartingghosts comments, I'm dissappointed that BITE allows comments that demonstrate prejudice and are also offensive to individuals. First and foremost BITE should be used to post reviews of pubs and bars, good and bad, and it needs to be recognised that they are comments from individuals expressing personal taste and experience. I'm guessing Fartingghost isn't a CAMRA member. Perhaps he should join if he loves his beer and pubs so much. After all it was CAMRA who fought against the tide of bland keg beer so successfully in the 1970�s that he can now enjoy the range and diversity of British beers he does in the Speaker.
30 Jul 2009 13:12
Just a heads up that Dennis is aiming to put 60 milds through the two guest pumps during May which everyone knows is mild month in the beer calendar. A list of the first 37 will be available at the bar from noon on Wednesday 29/04 when the first milds may start to appear. And a quick reminder in view of Lovesong's previous comment - the pub does not open anytime at weekends.
27 Apr 2009 17:28
Friendly welcoming pub in the suburbs of Maidenhead. Good choice of 5 well kept ales from local breweries and from further afield. Good wholsome food. A very pleasant Saturday lunchtime spent here. Would visit again when in area. Best pub around in what is a bit of a beer desert.
19 Jan 2009 12:31
Paid my first visit last night since hearing Wetherspoons had taken it over. Usual selection of standard JDW ales on plus two guests - Tom Woods Lincolnshire Legend and Mauldon's Blackadder - both tried and both in top condition. Two further guests, Cotleigh Snowy Ale and Spinning Dog Border Ale "available sson". Very quiet pub which makes a change from the other establishments at the top end of the High Street. Maybe just far enough away from there not to attract the usual Friday and Satuirday night crowd. Worth a visit if in the area.
9 Jan 2009 13:42
This place goes from strength to strength. Caters for all tastes. For the ale drinkers there is Spitfire and Youngs Bitter permanently available supplemented buy two ever changing guest beers from a portfolio of over 200. During its themed weeks they typically have around 15 different beers over the week. Over 500 different beers have been through the pub in the he last 24 months or so. Lagers come in the shape of Carling, Kronenborg and Grolsch on tap with Becks, Budvar, Budweiser, Corona and Tiger in bottles. Draught cider is Stowford Press with Magners in bottles. Guiness and John Smiths Smooth also available. Food is good quality home made sandwiches and hot dishes, all reasonably priced. Rumoured to be adding two additional ale handpumps in the coming months. No telly, fruit or games machines make this a very friendly place. A truly remarkable transformation from what was once a very unfriendly pub (as the Elephant and Castle). A must visit if in the area.
25 Nov 2008 16:40
The Westminster Arms, Westminster
Apparently the pub has now been acquired by Shepherd Neame.
10 Sep 2008 09:47
Pub is currently closed and undergoping a refurb. Notice outside says it re-opens on 3 October.
2 Sep 2008 12:58
Still reamins one of the best pubs in SW1 for range and quality of real ales. Prices are not that expensive for central London. The themed weeks (or longer) are a great success and long may Dennis and his bar staff continue to provide excellent service and banter to boot. A must to visit if your in the area.
3 Jul 2008 01:28
The Princess of Wales, Charing Cross
Have visited a few times at lunchtime in last 3 months since returning to the area after anumber of years away. I remeber it being a rally dingy, fifthy, unwelcoming pub but now under the Nicholsons banner the range of beers has been interesting and those I've tried from Batemans, Jennings, Hydes to name but three have been in in good nick and at �2.65 a pint or there abouts its good value for central London. Bar staff friendly and know about their beer. Food looks good and reasonably priced but not tried it myself.
3 Jul 2008 01:21
first ever visit here on a Saturday evening on a CAMRA minibus trip. Fine range of ales in good nick and the very welcoming Guvnor even put his deep fat fryer to work producing sausage and chips to help us soak up the beer. Would go back if in the area even if it is off the beaten track a little.
18 Jun 2008 13:12
Visited this friendly pub with a 21 person coach party. Beer range consisted of two ales from the local Brentwood brewery, one from Milestone, one from Adnams and Fullers London Pride, all in good nick. Food good, reasonably proced and with generous portions and some interesting dishes such as Pheasant curry!.
Only dissappointment was the time it took to change beers when they went off but otherwise a very pleasent lunchtime spent here.
27 Apr 2008 21:19
Paid first visit here today for lunch. Beer choice of Fullers London Pride and Flowers IPA (neither tried due to medication!),two or three unused handpumps and the usual suspects on the lager fonts. Excellent food, reasonably priced, friendly and attentive staff, quick service. Mixture of clientele from dear old ladies out for a spot of lunch to businessmen. Got very busy very quickly in the restaurant. Will visit again to try the beers and sit outside in the Summer
19 Mar 2008 15:23
The Coastguard Inn, St Margarets Bay
Paid a visit here in a minibus of 15 football fans on our way to Folkestone and the pub was more than happy to accomodate us after we contacted them. Excellent location at foot of cliffs, but inaccessible in anything bigger than a minibus. Good range of local beers in good condition and the food was some of the best pub grub some members of the party had tasted and believe me we've eaten a lot of pub grub. Only downside was the weather tha prevented us from sitting outside and take in the sea air. Would retrun if down that way again and it was better weather!
27 Jan 2008 19:27
This pub still remains the best in the area for range and quality of its real ales. As part of Dennis' continuing commitment to real ale he is holding a 2 week beer festival from 13 Jan featuring 20+ beers from around the country, a 1 week festival from Sunday 17 Feb featuring beers from Somerset. A festival is also planned for March, something will be planned for April and in May he hopes to top the 43 Milds he had in May 2007. If you haven't been here before then your missing out.
10 Jan 2008 15:42
Have been frequenting this little gem of a pub for a few years now since the Paviours Arms closed. No telly, no fruit machines, no music. A proper pub. Regulars and strangers alike are made welcome by Dennis and his staff, Christine, David, Bob, Jackie and Justin. Dennis has built the pubs guest beer portfolio to around 200 beers with two usually available to complement the Youngs and Spitfire and a Mild is regularly available. The venturing out into the world of beer festivals/themed weeks this year has been a true success, particular the 40 odd Milds in May. Food is also good, particularly the hot salt beef sandwiches, and reasonably priced. Shame I've moved offices so my visits are less frequent now.
21 Sep 2007 11:21
The Speaker, Westminster
Understand from Dennis the guvnor that the 5th handpump will be dedicated to dispensing a LocAle.
6 Mar 2012 13:50