BITE user comments - feedthedude
Comments by feedthedude
very pleasant ambleside pub, off the main road. Interesting mix of locals and visitors and very friendly and helpful barstaff.
Added bonus which isn't mentioned in the pub facilities is that it has free wifi, and a number of powerpoints you can use to charge laptops, phones etc.
No food except crisps and the odd pork pie, but great selection of ales. And a roaring fire. recommended.
21 Apr 2012 10:42
this is a bit of an odd pub. The selection or real ales is really random - they change 'em up and have some really good ones on tap, but i frequently find they don't have anything i'd call a session beer - it must be my age, but i just cannot stomach drinking beers that are over 4.3% alcohol over a few hours. The flip side is, if you're a cider drinker you should be a pig in mud. 6 ciders on tap last time i was in there!
Don't seem to serve any food, and it can be hard to grab a chair sometimes - get a mix of older chaps, and students? from the art college. Not a bad little pub. Quite enjoy a mini crawl of a starting one or two here, then heading onto the tiger round the corner for the rest of the evening.
24 Feb 2012 17:04
i really like this pub, it was my local when i spent a few months living nearby late 2011/early2012. The beer selection (ale that is) is always changing, the barstaff are pleasant - particularly the dark haired one, and i adore the bar snacks.
They make their own pork scratchings which are sublime if teeth shattering, and their mini sausage rolls at 1 quid a pop are excellent.
They also have wifi (via the cloud), show the football in an alcove, so you can avoid it, or partake as you so choose, and it's just generally a very pleasant boozer. Only titchy first world complaint - no power points to juice up your flagging phone or ipad.
24 Feb 2012 16:56
Visited this pub when staying with friends, found the staff really friendly, with a good number of locals drinking in there. Didn't eat, but the menu looked tasty. As others have noted, it is quite a cold pub they could maybe get the fires going a bit earlier in the day, but it is a very old historic (listed?) pub so there might be limits to how toasty they can make the pub.
Free wifi works really well - and there are a few power points about to charge up your tech toys - always a plus!
16 Feb 2012 18:54
nicely renovated pub, decent beers on tap - usuals, plus hoegarden, leffe and guest ales - some pretty obscure ones that i haven't heard of. Ale is �3.30 a pint.
Had the monday night dinner special - 2 courses for ten quid, not bad. Had the burger which was tasty (bun a bit rubbish, but nice patty and bacon and cheese inc.). They do 6 pound lunch speciails which i think is good value as well. They seem to have managed to keep their old codger locals whilst attracting a new more middle class/upmarket crowd which is a difficult thing to achieve.
They play 6music whenever i'm in there during the day which i like - not too loud, just background.
In fact my only complaint is that their wifi connection is really slow.
16 Feb 2012 18:48
Hawkshead Brewery Beer Hall, Staveley
as stated by other reviewers, a slightly odd setup of a beerhall/pub attached to a brewery in an industrial estate!
However, the cafe downstairs does some nice enough caf grub (and was humming with customers) and will bring food into the bar. The beers were delicious, the sofas comfy, and the staff knowledgeable and helpful. Friendly locals too. Very enjoyable way to spend an hour or two. Would love to head there when they've got a festival/band playing, seems like it manages to balance the divide between providing for locals and tourists nicely.
would recomend without reservation.
Ps. loved the pervading smell of the hops/brew from the brewery as well. mmmmm!
26 Oct 2010 15:57
this might be a great pub - i wouldn't know. walked in on saturday to ask if they were doing food. was told no as there'd been an emergency. that's fine, but when i asked if there was anywhere else nearby they'd recommend i was bluntly and rather unhelpfully told - i never make recommendations. Wow. thanks.
Also was made to feel rather self-concious the way every head swivelled to stare at you as you walked through the doors. First impressions count. Kendal has plenty of pubs. Will not bother going back to this one.
26 Oct 2010 15:52
decor may be considered faded by other reviewers, but i found it comfortable, with a friendly bar maid, and a nice selection of guest ales - i had the autumn red. nice drop.
The food was also tasty and reasonably priced - amazing how pub grub has improved in the past 7 years i've lived in the uk!
And as a final observation - there wasn't a single complaint when a number of tourists traipsed in to use the toilets without having a drink or anything like that. Much friendlier than the wheatsheaf down the road.
26 Oct 2010 15:49
Bridge Hotel, Kendal
wish i'd seen fat beer badger's review before i went there. I also ordered the marstons pedigree, had a single sip and gagged. unfortunately i swallowed enough to make me incredibly ill for a couple of days.
Unfortunate, as the locals and staff seemed very friendly and i had a great chat with them, but i have to give it a low rating due to the fact i spent the next vomiting!
27 Apr 2012 19:20