BITE user comments - drewsy_uk
Comments by drewsy_uk
Splendid little place, tucked away in the back alleys of Hampstead, one where you can almost feel away from the hustle and bustle of London.
Numerous rooms and antechambers which add to a rather Dickensian character. Good range of ales are on offer, the guest at the time was Brakspears which certainly indicates the landlord has good taste. Noted also that cigars are on offer - although, alas, these will go the way of the Empire once the ban kicks in on July 1st.
26 May 2007 18:39
Spaniards Inn, Hampstead Heath
Quite a hike on foot as I walked from Hampstead station - about twenty minutes in all. Nevertheless well worth it in the end: a large and convivial beer garden with outside heaters and the interior of the pub was splendid in its preservation of its period character. Apparently frequented by Dick Turpin it did feel a bit like highway robbery when the IPA alone was �3 but, otherwise, an enjoyable range of ales.
17 Apr 2007 09:25
Good little pub and, for one with a distinctly "indie" feel, not unwelcoming for a real ale loving, chino-wearing yuppie wannabe such as myself. Excellent range of beer - from real ale to more fanciful fruit beers - and probably the best roast in the area on a Sunday.
14 Apr 2007 21:40
Never quite been the same since it was refurbished (removing its little booths and the Bavarian-clad little man on top of the Ayingerbrau) but still, like all Samuel Smiths pubs, a treat.
14 Apr 2007 21:27
A pleasant pub, conveniently located with a good selection of beers. The front part of the pub - notably the two front alcoves that flank the door - has much more character than the modern conservatory at the back. It also has a quiz which is impossibly hard, designed more for the dons than mere mortals.
14 Apr 2007 21:12
As a student I was dismayed to only find this pub in my third and final year. Nevertheless I made the most of it and every time I am back in Oxford I always make an issue of returning to this old haunt of mine.
Superbly furnished, excellent food (it certainly caters well for those of a vegetarian disposition) and a splendid range of beers. A little out of the centre, its position gives it the unique character - in my mind - of being neither too "studenty" nor too "towny". Well worth a visit.
14 Apr 2007 21:05
Cramped indoors but an enjoyable beer garden round the back (when the weather is good that is). The staff have never been unfriendly to me (yet) but the beer is certainly overpriced. �4 for Erdinger Weissbier or an organic cider - a little steep in my books.
14 Apr 2007 20:49
Often overcrowded with surly bar staff, the atmosphere is hardly convivial and its beer selection is mediocre at best. Nevertheless a splendid restaurant upstairs and its pizzas are reasonably priced given the area. A little too trendy for my tastes (the "Princess of Wales" round the corner has a much more relaxed feel) but still worth a pint if you can get the time - or manage to snatch one of the four outside tables in the summer.
14 Apr 2007 20:42
Perfect for history buffs as the entire pub is lined with First World War memorabilia (a particular favourite is an advert imploring us "to put the Hun on iron rations"). The staff are perfectly friendly - even to young non-regulars such as myself. Excellent and affordable food, certainly the best food I've had in Chester's pubs - the haggis tortilla is especially tasty.
14 Apr 2007 20:36
The Good Mixer, Camden
This was recommended to me and I, to this day, am perplexed as to the reason why. Hordes of the alternatively-clad, affecting the style I believe to be "grunge", hang around and sip upon its rather lacklustre range of beers. The aesthetics are also most disappointing, having the feel of a council estate community centre rather than a supposedly enjoyable pub. Then again - compared to some of the other places that pass for pubs in Camden - this is probably one of the more salubrious taverns.
26 May 2007 18:50