please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
A cosy traditional pub in the lanes. It is often busy and can be a struggle to get served and find a decent place to sit due to it's popular location. It also has Sky tv and a decent food menu, all be it standard fair. I would recommend a visit to this pub only in off-peak hours such as mid-week at lunchtimes.
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A traditional pub overlooking the small square in the centre of The Laines, this is a popular spot and was pretty much full to capacity on a recent Saturday evening visit. A freestanding staircase is right in the middle of the room, although we didn't investigate the upstairs area.
It's a long and narrow pub with old flagstones on the floor and some black beams on the ceiling, although these are quite thin and clearly more decorative than structural. The bar counter is on the right and this is unusual in having both a copper top and some red leather cushioning on the front. There is some exposed stone walling on the left and a plasma was mounted up here showing Sky Sports, although the volume was not on. Seating is a mixture of table and chairs at the back, brown leather pouffes at the front and a few armchairs. The toilet doors were unusual in that they were cunningly disguised as bookcases.
I didn't study the food menu, but noticed some starters chalked up on a board that had a decidedly retro feel - prawn cocktail and breaded mushrooms, for example. There were also several burger choices chalked up on another board. Beers on tap were Doom Bar and Greene King Yardbird. Ciders were Strongbow and Magner's Golden Draught.
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A nice pub - the food was outstanding, but only one ale on, and the quality of that let the place down rather - made the one pint last until we'd finished eating, and then moved on!
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Got in the door - no cask beer available - walked out. End of report.
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We went to the Druids for a Sunday roast today and I must say.....absolutely fabulous!! Good service, good food, good value for money & lovely toasty warm christmassy feel to the place. We will definitely be going back :) Top Marks guys :)
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Tried this pub again on Friday and I must admit, the Addlestones Cider was much better than my last visit.
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I'm no expert, but my Addlestone's Cider is this pub seemed much more watery than normal.
Is it common for pubs to water down the drinks?
Lovely spot to sit and watch the world go by all the same.
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I took an immediate dislike to this pub when I discovered that Harvey's bitter - one of only three hand pump ales on offer - was not available. The London Pride I was forced to turn to as an alternative was perfectly ok but I had fancied something local, not the over-common Pride. My frustration was added to when the Chicken & Mushroom pie with mashed potato I ordered came scaldingly hot, and not especially delicious (in fact the mashed potato was stodgy and slightly sickly). I was also annoyed by the tedious piped music, which bizarrely alternated between nu soul and Michael Buble style vocal jazz (when I say 'alternated', I mean literally back and forth between those two genres, track after track). I don't mind a spot of nu soul now and then, but here it seemed chosen only for its suitability as a bland soundtrack, and, as such, it fitted this middle-of-the-road, rather annoying pub.
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Busy weekend pub. Not hugely interesting. Could do with being a bit cleaner and tidier. Reasonable selection of drinks but nothing special. Gets very crowded and loud.
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Got caught out in a big snow shower in Brighton over the weekend, had our Jack Russell with us and no pubs would let us in out of the wet and cold because of the dog, even though we had our elderly parents with us and they were absolutely freezing cold!!! Tried this pub as a last resort and even though dogs arent specifically allowed in here, the staff let us come in and dry off. Very friendly staff, excellent service, and we even stayed for a bite to eat as they were in no rush to move us and the dog out once the weather had improved.
Very relaxed atmosphere, good prices, staff make you feel really welcome, nothing too much hassle for them.
Will definitely go there again (without the dog this time!)
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Went into this pub on Saturday as part of a weekend away. Having no knowledge of how the pub previously looked I was quiet pleased with what I saw. We sat on a large table towards the back, underneath a unobtrusive TV screen with Soccer Saturday on, which was a bonus.
They has a Harvey's on pump which was well kept and delicious as always. The real star in my opinion though was the food, we were accompanied by two vegetarians who were impressed by both the food and the variety of choice. My wife say her burger was delicious and I opted for the special of chicken and bacon pie. I must say it was one of the most delicious pies I have had in a long time and was reasonably priced too. Thumbs up from me.
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Now geared more towards serving food, the Druid's Head has had a bit of a re-fit which works better towards the rear of the pub. Mind your head sunbeam, there's a low beam in the middle of the pub.
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This pub used to do the cheapest and best bean burgers in town. Don't anymore I don't think. Still nice though.
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Pop in on an alldayer - nothing remarkable but like the stone floor.
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Did not go the pub before they done it up but it was OK for us. There were 3 beers on in the afternoon but only 1 when we went back later in the evening.
Good service and managed to get a table outside.
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What have they gone and done?
A slight re-fit to this pub seems to have altered things beyond the physical change.
No music playing... little atmosphere... functional for tourists but the charm seems to have vanished... Only one beer out of three advertised on...
A one-off slip I hope...?
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Best Fish n Chips in town. Friendly people. Hope to visit England again and will make a point to visit the Druids Head.
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This pub was pretty cool, nice and airey, music was playing but not so loud that you couldn't talk. Nice little pub and would go back there again.
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After a re-visit, have to concur - it is a good boozer.
Friendly staff, well kept beer (particularly the Harveys) and a good location.
Music was decent - Massive Attack this time - Jack Johnson CD hopefully thrown onto a skip....
I think it does most things you would require a decent pub to do.
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What a great little boozer. It has nice back ground music, newspapers,� 2.74 for 1664 and friendly staff. Also nice central location. The food also loked and smelt pretty good.
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They were playing Jack Johnson when were in too - on loop.
Genuin flagstoned little boozer right in the middle of tourist territory - so very busy. Food was OK but took an age to come (and we only ordered sandwiches and chips). Average service. Excellent pint of Harveys Best Bitter (other ales were Young's Special and Bombardier, I think).
anonymous - 29 May 2006 10:34 |
Great location for day-trippers from London like my good self.
Good set of ales on tap. Friendly bar staff although they did take off Finlay Quaye and put on Jack Johnson.
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Amusing to add to the last review, as was a 'day tripper' to this place..
Was aiming to soak up the atmosphere of Brighton and a good few pints along the way. This was the 1st place i visited, and was worthy of a return trip.
As Brighton pubs go, its quite tradional. Can imagine it getting quite packed during peak hours (if loads flock to it).
Friendly staff, nice seating, fair range on tap. Nothing outstanding but would visit again. If a local maybe wouldn't visit regularly unless it touched you with those 'golden moments'!
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Ok for day trippers, but if you are a local I doubt if you would use it more than once or twice a year just to see if it has improved - it hasn't.
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Anyone remember when this place used to be full of rockers on their way to The Hungry Years...not any more!!!
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Ate there at lunchtime today, Easter Monday.
We had visited here on our last visit to Brighton, a couple of years ago, and found the food then good - hence our return.
Today, again, the food was good - ham and eggs, and sausage and mash.
I had to hunt through the basket of cutlery to find knives and forks that were not only clean, but without smears. I am probably a bit pernickety in that way ...
Beer very ordinary, and plastic beakers are not conducive to enjoyment.
Didn't seem very welcoming. Two years ago, I'd have rated this a six or seven. Today, no more than a five.
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Used to be a good watering hole in the late seventies, and has been going down hill ever since, its just about reached rock bottom. So so Beer in plastic beakers are they joking.
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Not a fan. Average beer, average atmosphere and rough and ready on fri-sat nights. Lots better about - keep on walking.
Henri - 22 Oct 2004 15:16 |
Cosy and friendly atmosphere. As an alternative type I've always been made welcome and never felt threatened in here. Warm feelings towards this traditional style pub in the heart of Brighton's old lanes.
Lucy - 20 Oct 2004 13:20 |
love the open mike nights, the regular and new singers that sing
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brilliant, staff were lovely and friendly, and the food was great! would recommend to anyone new to brighton and wanting to experience the culture.
sarah - 4 Jan 2004 21:22 |
Brighton's oldest pub, so they claim, but looking at it, they're probably not wrong. Lovely ales, have met visitors to Brighton here many a time as it's too easy to find and if you don't know where it is, everyone else does, so ask for directions.
As with all good pubs, there is a down side... It has been known to close at 11pm.
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A Lanes Pub. Flintstone exterior, wood, stone, and copper effect inside. Ouside seating in Summer.
Nothing special about the beers.
Dennis - 5 Jul 2003 23:12 |
