BITE user comments - race_faster
Comments by race_faster
The Lamb and Flag, Covent Garden
Certainly a historic pub, with many testimonies to its long existence displayed with pride, including Californian bumper stickers during the proposed redevelopment of the area some decades ago, which was a surprise.
When visited on a sunny Sunday afternoon it was pleasant place to stop for a pint looking out over the alley from the large open windows. Hophead from Dark Star was sampled, which had perhaps seen better days (it's a better pint down the way at the Harp), however it would seem the beers are usually very good in here from the reviews over a number of years, so shouldn't judge on this one experience.
Would also seem to be in the Lonely Planet, given the sheer number of copies on display around the pub (can't complain, it's usually me lugging it about when abroad).
Would certainly add to a crawl of the area.
20 Jul 2010 12:50
Chosen as an overflow/second choice after De Hems down the lane on the World Cup final evening (as the queue was 1 in 1 out at 3.30pm, perhaps to be expected). The Golden Lion was decked out in all the brewery paraphanelia you can imagine. Too many large screens for a rather small room added to the attractiveness for watching sport. Soon enough, it was a see of orange (including myself).
First pint sampled was the Brains SA Gold, which was off. However, I only realised this half way in (wasn't paying attention) so didn't take it back (thought that slightly unfair), so can't comment on what kind of a reception it would have elicited. Young's London Gold was in good form, however, which I stuck to for the rest of evening. I was told that the lager was nice and gassy, if you like that sort of thing.
Overall, seems like the beer quality can vary (considering the reviews below).
Can't really say much for the pub itself, given it was packed and covered in "Bud" branding, large flags and TVs. Looked like it could be quite a nice pub underneath. Good for watching sport none-the-less.
16 Jul 2010 17:45
A single bar pub that is really quite odd on first inspections, red lightbulbs and very little light give it a fairly seedy atmosphere, however the outside area under the trees next the forest of folliage that adorns the front of the pub makes up for this.
Beers on offer when visited were all from Brodies with Best and Amirilla sampled. Both were very good.
Well worth a pint if you are in the area if it is a nice day.
8 Jul 2010 15:12
Went in on a quiet Sunday early evening. Looks as if a couple of the rooms are being redecorated at the moment. Overall, it is larger than expected given the reviews. Has a smart feel to the place, complimented by the usual Sammy Smith lounge chairs etc. complimenting the fairly grand Victorian atmosphere.
Although no Sovereign is offerred, they do have Old Brewery on handpull, which tasted noticeably better than the keg variety I usually avoid.
Special mention has to go to the beer garden which is usefull closed from 5.15pm each night and all day on Sunday, so I very much doubt I will ever get to use it.
8 Jul 2010 15:05
Just as an addition, was there last night and had three poor pints in a row, all tasted somewhat flat and dead (Doombar, Landlord and a gingery one from Daleside). First time I've had poor pints here.
25 Jun 2010 12:30
A really fantastic pub. Really quirky place with all sorts of random paraphernalia everywhere, from expressions written on the walls, to old photos and newspaper clippings and even a "on this day board" conspiring to really set this place off.
Tried the Guardsman brew from the Windsor and Eton Brewery which was on along with Pride (slightly small selection) which was very good. Really is a tiny place, so I would imagine their cellar is limited (perhaps due to the space afforded to the 7-8 premium lagers they have on).
Very good atmosphere in a tiny historic pub, top notch.
22 Jun 2010 19:59
Interesting Nicholson's pub with a reputed tunnel entrance to the Castle. Also is in the Good Beer Guide and seems to be a regular local branch winner from the certificates proudly displayed behind the bar.
A good selection of beer at reasonable prices (around �3 a pint) was available from what seemed to be the national Nicholson's guest selection. Beers sampled were well kept. Pub itself was cosy and atmospheric.
Overall a charming historic pub in the centre of Windsor with reasonable prices. Seemed good to me.
22 Jun 2010 19:52
Popped in as was in the Good Beer Guide. We did go in Saturday afternoon though, which is probably why it felt a little 'Brewer's Fayre' with kids running all over the place and chessy 90s ballads a little to loud on the stereo.
Had a the guest ale from the York Brewery which was acceptable if a little flat, but did notice that the beer was a touch on the expensive side at nearly �7 for two pints.
Seemed like a good place to take your kids on a Saturday afternoon whilst enjoying a pint or two - there was even a kids party going on (which may account for the Brewer's Fayre' atmosphere). Not really a drinkers pub though.
22 Jun 2010 19:47
The Duke of Connaught, Windsor
Popped in as it's in the Good Beer Guide on a Saturday afternoon on an amble round Windsor. The guest ales were very good (obviously the slightly boring Greene King standard selection is available with it being a Greene King house) and seemed reasonably priced for the area. Band was on but we didn't stay for the start - looked like a good country and blues band, though.
Landlords seem to care very much for the pub as it was a really nice place to be and didn't feel knocked about at all. The other half also commented that complimentary ladies products were available in the loo, which apparently is a 'nice touch'.
Overall seems to be a really decent local, can't really fault the place.
22 Jun 2010 19:42
A great back to basics boozer (it really is very basic, wooden floorboard, very little in the way of pub paraphernalia, which really does give it a bare charm) hidden away off Wardour Street.
Landlord was acceptable and the Hobgoblin was very good when we were in recently on a late Sunday afternoon. What really made the place was that they had a great Rhythm and Blues band on squashed into the corner of the tiny main bar area.
A really enjoyable pint and I shall be calling again
22 Jun 2010 19:34
The Shipwrights Arms, London Bridge
Popped in as it had always intrigued me when riding the bus past. looks smart and well kept from the outside, but tatty and worn on the inside, with lots of sea fayre up on the walls (Loos, however, were very good for a basic pub).
Landlord was tried and was good, the missus' Deuchars was also good. Very mixed crowd and an even more mixed up selection of music on the jukebox (50s music, followed by Drum n' Bass whilst I was in).
Given its placing next door to the More London development, you would expect that this place would have been 'gentrified', but it's managed to keep its back-street charm, which is encouraging.
Worth a visit if you're popping by, but nothing to go out of your way for.
18 Jun 2010 12:00
The Horseshoe Inn, London Bridge
Popped in off the back of the new entry into the GBG. Not sure that the place warrants an entry on that front. Beer was ok, nothing special. Had a pint of the Cumberland and the missus a Bungaloo (spelling?) from Ringwood. Both were ok, just not up to the usual GBG entry standard.
Pub itself is clearly big on sport (selling tickets to the England World Cup matches by the look of it) and looks well used (read tatty). Also very dimly lit giving it quite an unusual feel.
Didn't try the food, but Mongolian on the menu sounds interesting and given the landlord is Mongolian, it could be good.
Overall worth popping in for one if you're in the vicinity, but nothing too special.
18 Jun 2010 11:52
Popped in especially to see the place, well worth the visit. Lovely to see a wider range of Harvey's ales available. Armarda was in fine order.
Pub itself is an attractive high victoiran style pub.
This is all already been said though, judging by the below...
18 Jun 2010 11:45
Have been here numerous times over the past couple of years and have always had a good pint. Jaipur was on offer during the latest visit (three other Nicholson's pubs in the vicinity had it on though, leading to a good, if slightly repetitive beer range). Staff can get a bit surly during busy times, but overall a nice basic snug pub that I've always found dependable. Better than the Cambridge round the corner.
7 Jun 2010 15:21
The Porcupine, Leicester Square
Nice interior (is a little basic given Nicholson's usual Central London offering) is complimented by a good range of beers (although I noted that it was almost identical to the three other Nicholson's pubs we'd been in that day....) Dutch Wink was sampled and it was in good nick. Prefer the Three Greyhounds round the corner though....
7 Jun 2010 15:17
As below, fantastic interior that really sets the place off. Visited at 3pm on a Sunday, very quiet and no problem getting served. Fantastic pint of Jaipur was on offer.
7 Jun 2010 15:13
Really good quality beer when I went in a while back, looking forward to another trip. Makes a change from the George which has lifeless GK ale.
4 Jun 2010 10:55
The Southampton Arms, Gospel Oak
Simply a great pub. Welcome touches include the beer nominations list and the welcomed requests from the record collection. Great range of real ale (including some unusual ones - seaweed beer was available last time) from cross the spectrum (read milds, porters and stouts included in addition to standard types). In addition, the back to basics interior, friendly and knowledgable staff and good pork baps and pies (slightly limited food range if you don't eat pork...) really top it off.
Absolute gem, I've travelled across central London now a couple of times just to go for a drink here.
25 May 2010 15:46
It's been my local for a couple of years now and it's simply great. Everything you could want in a local (except for real ale, but you do get Sammy Smith's prices instead).
Great in the summer for an outdoor beer or two.
25 May 2010 13:25
On a recent visit the Spitfire they had on was very good. The Seafarers was off, but one can only assume that is also well kept. Nice local with a friendly landlord.
Definitely recommended for a pint or two.
25 May 2010 13:22
Tucked away off the beaten path of Upper Street, a slightly gentrified pub with a great interior, it all sounds good. Throw in surly staff who seemed keen to find other things to do other than serve and beer that wasn't up to much and things start going really rather bad.
After two unspectacular pints of bitter I tried the Adnams stout they had on. Unfamiliar with this stout I enquired as to whether it was supposed to taste like cider yet look like a stout, where the bar maid kindly shouted at me and asked what I was accusing her of. Alas, it was a query. Bit rude I thought.
Don't think I'll bother again.
Oh and our friends food took well over an hour to arrive, however, in there favour they did say it would be a while.
25 May 2010 13:18
Yes the pub does have a selection of expensive real ales (3 when I last visited) but they always seem to taste dead and flat (3 visits now (total of 6 or 7 pints) - others seem to like the place). In fact this is the only pub where I have ever had a poor pint of Doombar. Can one assume that the rip-off lager is better kept.
They had a cider festival on last time I visited and I was shocked to see most pints costing nearly a fiver (topped out at �14 odd (I'm assuming/hope that was for a wine bottle of rare cider....)).
Feels like they have, successfully, gone for the All Bar One market, which is a shame. It seems a little as if its success comes from a lack of decent options in the locality (although I do like Zero Degrees for the concept and food).
Always been too busy when I've been in to notice the cleanliness. Suspect it isn't.
I have quite a few friends down this way and it is almost getting to the point where I don't want to go for a drink in Cutty Sark Greenwich or Blackheath because I'll just pay over the odds for a poor pint.
Overall (and I'm trying to think about their market, rather than what I want) it probably quite an attractive place to go an posture with an ipad.
7 May 2010 16:29
The Snakecatcher, Brockenhurst
ventured in on a recent camping trip. have to say that it is a rather odd place, some slightly odd people frequenting it, can't say whether this was a typical saturday night thing as i didn't go in again. however on walking past it, it always seemd empty. the foresters round the corner was a much better bet.
12 Sep 2006 14:42
The Foresters Arms, Brockenhurst
Spend a week in brockenhurst camping recently and this was by far the best pub on offer. Friendly staff and always busy with a good atmosphere. The food was good as well. As for prices it seemed to be typical southern prices - struggle to get 2 pints out of a fiver.
12 Sep 2006 14:40
I have spent many hours in this place as the starter pub for a good night out - usually the cornerhouse on a thursday. It has been the case over a number of years that about 1 in 4 pints of real ale would have to go back for being off (in that it would smell a little like sewage). Very poorly kept ale (whether this be keeping ale too long or complete lack of line cleaning), but darn cheap.
16 Aug 2006 00:55
Libertys in Town, Middlesbrough
Downstairs is done out mederterrian style whilst upstairs plays host to mosh/rock bands and is a bit of a shithole.
16 Aug 2006 00:51
ASC, there is a new nightclub called 'the basement' under walkabout where blaises used to be. Although I havent been in there to check out where it uses all of the old blaises.
Would agree that the bouncers are strict. Wouldn't let me in a couple of years ago because he said my shoes looked like trainers. ID on a regular basis. Cheap pint of tetleys though at �1.65 (at least on a thursday)
16 Aug 2006 00:49
Don;t order anything that is not on the promotions list unless you don't mind paying way over the odds. Very expensive and very townie on a friday night.
16 Aug 2006 00:44
The Zetland Hotel, Middlesbrough
Myself and two friends went into this place as the first port of call out of the railway station. There were about half a dozen blokes at the bar all drinking and chatting to the bar maid. It was about 8:30pm. We were told it was closed. Basically they didn't want non-locals (to the pub, not the area) in there. Not friendly.
16 Aug 2006 00:43
Good pub with a good selection of beer, and has good live music on a friday as well.
16 Aug 2006 00:40
Just too busy for me. no point going in on a tuesday, friday or saturday if you want to be served within 30 minutes. Massively crowded at the bar because of the capacity of the beer garden.
The now have Timmy Taylor Landlord as well as the 'best pint of bass in the country' as was claimed.
14 Aug 2006 17:46
Very crowded, very overpriced (�2.50 Ale, �3.10 Stella, �4.15 Hoegaarten) poorly kept beer and full of rahs.
I don't know why I kept going back during my three year stay in the town, but I did. Maybe it was because it was nearest pub that wasn't the college bar. Would recommend the white horse and the turf in preference and both of them are within a minutes walk.
14 Aug 2006 17:42
The Thomas Sheraton, Stockton On Tees
Very standard old-man wetherspoons. Beer isn't quite as badly kept as the middlesbrough branch, but in this case as in most wetherspoons quality is made up for in quantity with a good selection.
Just a very average wetherspoons pub. But thats not a bad thing. As someone said, it has more potential.
14 Aug 2006 17:24
No wonder the Oz Bar is quoted as being 0.0miles away from City Tavern seen as they are indeed the same place.
Rumour had it when Oz Bar changed into City Tavern two years ago it was because it had a bad reputation. City Tavern now has a bad reputation.
Beer is the standard chain affair. I seem to remember they had a poorly kept hand pull: pride?
Always packed for a cheap meal and a pint or three during the football/rugby/cricket.
Viewed as a pub to go and watch sport by students and somewhere to sit and drink all day by the indigenous population of oxford over 50.
14 Aug 2006 17:19
No wonder the City Tavern is quoted as being 0.0miles away from Oz Bar seen as they are indeed the same place.
Rumour had it when Oz Bar changed into City Tavern two years ago it was because it had a bad reputation. City Tavern now has a bad reputation.
Beer is the standard chain affair. I seem to remember they had a poorly kept hand pull: pride?
Always packed for a cheap meal and a pint or three during the football/rugby/cricket.
Viewed as a pub to go and watch sport by students and somewhere to sit and drink all day by the indigenous population of oxford over 50.
14 Aug 2006 17:19
Great pub for a quiet pint. Cheap for Oxford (�1.68 a pint (Old Brewery)) Sadly this isn't hand-pull like at more nothern Sammy Smiths places.
Hope they have got rid of that awful large scottish/italian woman who worked there - a real pain.
In my three years at uni this was one of my favoured pubs. Worth a visit if only for the architecture.
14 Aug 2006 17:14
The Green Dragon, Stockton On Tees
I'll stick up for the place. I like it. Its cheap (was �1.16 a pint a few years ago now �1.34), it has good beer (Sammy Smiths), it isn't pretentious and doesn't pretend to be anything its not. Its a good cheap drinking hole.
I don't know about the Jukebox but presumably thats on its way out under the new Sammy Smiths policy. The Ayingerbraus should be getting replaced by Pure Brew Lager as well.
14 Aug 2006 17:11
The Georgian Theatre, Stockton On Tees
I used to go in on a friday night when i was younger (16) and it was always packed and a good laugh. Been down recently whilst the Riverside Festival was on and to my dismay it was virtually empty on the three nights i went in. Evidentally not as popular as it once was. Or maybe the little goths don't turn up on festival nights?
Very average beer (only John Smiths smooth), but then again this is not what the place is about.
14 Aug 2006 17:06
The Courtyard Hotel, Stockton On Tees
A real gem in the otherwise salt of the earth Stockton. Visited three times in the past couple of weeks. The two women who run the bar are friendly but well equiped to deal with the occasional rowdy local (A fight did break out whilst I was there on a Saturday night.
Nice interior with events such as a DJ on the weekend.
The ebeer was the standard pump affair with Worthies Smooth and Ale (brewed especially for Teesside - or so it says on the pump) is complimented with Newcastle Exhibition - a rare find in Teesside.
Overall a nice pump with mostly nice talkative locals. Certainly not a sleepy pub.
14 Aug 2006 17:02
The Dog and Bell, Deptford
Excellent pub. Popped in last Sunday afternoon for a pint and found to the beer to be on good form with a decent selection at reasonable prices. One thing that struck in particular with the relaxing nature of the place, a real 'weight off your shoulders' kind of place. Might even pop back in for the Sunday night quiz, reputedly run by a bunch of volunteers.
22 Jul 2011 11:27