BITE user comments - FreeBornJack
Comments by FreeBornJack
The New Cross Inn / Bar Alchemy, New Cross
As someone who walks past the New Cross Inn fairly frequently I've always been a bit wary of it. However, I plucked up the courage to visit to see a puerile musical comedy act of which I am a great fan. The experience was fine: both the staff and fellow punters were friendly and the pub rock band opening the night were most enjoyable. Not sure I'll ever be a regular here but will definitely pop in to see what's happening in future.
26 May 2012 17:54
Went again recently and had another good time! Fun music. Good use of outside space. My G&T tasted a bit funny though.
26 May 2012 17:48
The Mucky Pup, Angel, Islington
Had a nice time here the other night. Good beers, friendly crowd.
My only complaint would be that the famous juke box was not loud enough. Plus, some of the buttons are missing so if you're trying to select your favourite Led Zep, AC/DC or Iggy & The Stooges song you're in danger of hurting your fingers on the machinery.
26 May 2012 17:42
This is a very fine pub. Great selection of beers, friendly staff and nice surroundings. I haven't tried the food but I've heard good things about it. I went in with some companions the other day to participate in the pub quiz for the first time. We won the �50 prize! A good time was had by all. Determined to return.
26 Apr 2011 21:06
The Mucky Pup, Angel, Islington
Visited again at the weekend. Still no 'Up the Junction' on the juke box.
26 Apr 2011 21:04
To the reviewer below: life's too short to hate! Plus it's weird to get so freaked out by a pub. Anyway, I popped into the IQ at the weekend and loved my shandy followed by cider. Top notch. The IQ was looking fab and my buddies and I had fun in the sun outside.
26 Apr 2011 21:03
It was very lively when I visited on a Friday night. Needed to queue and get frisked by a bouncer before getting in and there were stalls outside selling food and drink. Combine this with the pub's spaciousness and the live music and it felt like being at a festival. Definitely worth a visit.
5 Feb 2011 18:38
Has too many ambitions to be a trendy club for my liking - I'm not a fan of establishments where someone hangs around in the toilet with soap and smellies for the customers. However, I did enjoy the table football.
5 Feb 2011 18:34
Tried to watch some comedy here but it was too popular and I got turned away! Nevermind, had some drinkies at the bar instead. Nice cocktails. I plan to try the food at some point. Trendy clientele due to proximity to Goldsmiths a drawback.
23 Jan 2011 09:48
Never been here on a Friday or Saturday night, but it's good for a cheap lunch. Friendly staff. Only problem would be the considerable distance to the gents and the flies buzzing around our table.
23 Jan 2011 09:45
The Mucky Pup, Angel, Islington
I like this place, especially the free juke box. Imagine my disappointment when I went in there last night and the juke box was out-of-action because some fella with a laptop wanted to play his favourite tunes. An unpleasant surprise. He didn't even have Squeeze's 'Up the Junction' on his laptop!
23 Jan 2011 09:40
Despite my fear of high ceilings I have great affection for the Island Queen. There is a magnificent range of wine and beers and I am slightly addicted to the spinach and lentil burger. The staff have spunk and are nice to look at.
23 Jan 2011 09:36
The Duke of Cambridge, Islington
I have been to the Duke of Cambridge quite a few times now - sometimes for a drink, sometimes to eat. Although pricey I have enjoyed all my meals. Good and, well...organic! Staff have never been rude to me, though I will say they mostly seem too busy to be especially friendly. It is fun trying all the organic ales and ciders but it gets quite painful on the wallet so I never stay here for multiple drinks if I'm paying! To be honest I'm surprised by the overwhelmingly negative reviews being posted here.
1 Dec 2008 23:53
Simple lay-out, reasonably friendly staff, the main attraction is, of course, those Sam Smith prices! Got to love them. I would return for a cheeky pint if I was walking by.
1 Dec 2008 23:46
Have been a couple of times now - once at lunchtime, once after midnight. It was much more lively the second time! It's ok. Have not quite made up my mind about this place yet, but have no qualms about returning!
1 Dec 2008 23:44
The Charles Dickens, Southwark
Is the quizmaster ok? He was a no-show last time I turned up on quiz night!
1 Dec 2008 23:41
The Elephant and Castle, Elephant and Castle
An unattractive pub in an unattractive location. However, curiosity took me in here one night recently and it was not too bad. Friendly atmosphere inside, although I can imagine we got lucky with the crowd. Poor selection of drinks, and my pint of Boddington's tasted so bad I decided the evening had to end there! The place had character, granted, and I'm glad I ventured in but I can't imagine ever having any need to visit again.
24 Sep 2008 21:12
Had some excellent real ales and some very tasty chips here. Nice atmosphere in the pub - I liked the propaganda posters in the gents! (The pub is virtually next to the Imperial War Museum). Not cheap but I felt like I got my money's worth. There was, however, one problem. The staff kept approaching us to ask if we wanted more drinks - very continental. We said to one of the girls that we would but none ever appeared. A colleague of hers soon approached us and we ordered more with him. But when we were ready to leave it took a while to get the bill sorted. Not a major issue but was mildly irritating.
I haven't eaten here properly but am determined to do so one day.
24 Sep 2008 21:05
Found the drinks very expensive, plus the fella behind the bar got my order wrong, leading to minor embarassment all round. The place was full of suits and 'rahs' when I went. Completely characterless. Didn't stay long.
16 Sep 2008 19:06
Visited this pub for the first time a week or so ago and had lunch there. I heard that it had fairly recently been taken over by a new owners and had been refurbished. The interior was nice: smart without being poncey. The staff seemed friendly enough as well. Food was fine but to be honest quite a bit overpriced for what it was.
16 Sep 2008 18:49
The Charles Dickens, Southwark
Myself and some mates went along for the quiz night. Had a great time - an interesting selection of real ales on tap and an eccentric quiz master made for a stimulating evening. Be warned the questions are tricky.
16 Sep 2008 15:34
Agree with all the other positive reviews of this place. Nice atmosphere, good collection of ales, and friendly staff. Certainly sticks out from a lot of the other pubs in that part of Islington. Was perhaps a bit too blokey: there was only one female customer in there on the night I went!
16 Sep 2008 15:30
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The Island Queen, Islington
I visited the Island Queen for the first time in a while last night. Returning to this old favourite brought out mixed feelings in me - excitement mixed with trepidation. What if they've decided to stop bothering with ales? What if there's a new hipster-based dress code and my trousers aren't tight enough? Ooo er.
Upon arriving I was reassured to see that everything seemed pretty much the same. After having a few drams of Glenfiddich's finest at an art'n'whisky event taking place upstairs, I thought it would be advisable to have some dinner.
Imagine my horror when I saw that my favourite vegetarian option - the lentil burger (see previous reviews) - was no longer featured on the revamped menu. Most irritating. However, rather than leaving in protest I decided to take a risk and go for something else: the asparagus, mushroom, pea & creme fraiche tart with beetroot and new potato salad.
The gamble paid off, for the meal was superb. Stupendous, in fact. I was very pleased with my choice. Reflecting upon it now makes me mouth water. 'If food be the music of love then turn up the volume and get me another aspragus, mushroom, pea and creme fraiche tart', as the bard might have said.
Good selection of ales. Toilets in reasonable condition.
26 May 2012 18:14