The Brown Bear, Whitechapel

Not a bad boozer. Island bar still shows a lot of architectural character. Friendly, attentive and very attractive bar-staff. Good range of food, beer well kept - Adnams. It's got to have the smallest gents (loo, that is) I've ever tried to get into... :-)

Can get a little noisy at lunchtime (the only time I've ever been in...)- Friday especially. Wide range of clientelle, city types, IT, builders etc... which is great.

Couple of well positioned tellys for cricket tests. Recommended.

19 Jan 2006 16:41

Old Monk, Whitechapel

Now closed. No great loss, really. Only went in there once, god knows how it paid the rent - my two colleagues and I were the only customers! (err, well it obviously didn't pay the rent, did it?) Didn't know then but the White Swan was only a 30 second walk down Alie Street. A much nicer boozer. R.I.P. Friar Tuck

19 Jan 2006 16:33

The White Swan, Aldgate

Nice pub, good beer if a little pricey (though standard for somewhere that's not a Wetherspoons I suppose). Shep's Spitfire, Masterbrew; Oranjieboum (sp?) and Holsten I think. (not a lager drinker...) Nice bar staff - all female (not that that makes a difference of course... honestly :-), very friendly landlady. Opposite a good Indian - a halal place that's had good reviews from colleagues, with a wide choice. - Sorry, bit off topic but not a bad place to go after the Mucky Duck if you don't like to eat on an empty stomach!

19 Jan 2006 16:28