BITE user comments - Loki
Comments by Loki
A very attractive pub hidden down a side road. From the outside it looks like a postacrd and inside it's very friendly and inviting.
As a passing tourist watching the 6 Nations rugby I was made to feel very welcome by the landlord and the locals.
18 Mar 2013 14:57
Closed some time early 2012.
Re-opened as The Old Frizzle which doesn't have a listing yet.
29 Aug 2012 14:32
The Salisbury, Leicester Square
A truly great pub. One of, if not the best in the West End. As other posters say, it is worth a visit just to enjoy the Victorian gin palace decor.
Every time I have been - quite a few times - the service has been fast and efficient, and the atmosphere busy but pleasant. They also have excellent doormen on in the evenings who understand that they are there to help and be nice to ligitimate customers as well as keep out the numerous beggers and other problems that their location causes.
There is an outside area that is heated by radiaters for smokers, or just for overflow (but be warned - no matter how good the doormen are you will be bothered by people asking for money, cigarettes etc).
A decent selection of lagers and beers from the main brewers is available. Not groundbreaking, but I would be very suprised if anybody couldn't find something they enjoyed there.
Overall it is an excellent pub.
10 Feb 2012 16:47
As a pub 4/10, as a music venue 8/10.
I would never go here just to drink, when there are so many other decent pubs nearby, but often go to see the bands.
For the audience size it is one of the best band rooms in London, with great sight lines and (usually) great sound. Their booking policy/quality is above average as well.
8 Feb 2012 15:31
Popped in here before going to see a band down the road. The band were running late so came back to kill an hour.
Lot's of room out the back and very comfortable. They were starting a quiz when we left and had posters up advertising all sorts of other events. It seems more interesting than most pubs around here and caters for a variety of customers, not just the Camden set every other pub aim for.
Will definitely go back when in the area.
8 Feb 2012 15:23
Not bad at all for a Wetherspoons. A good selection of drinks at the usual very cheap WS prices.
Of the 2 in Sutton this is the better 'Spoons in my opinion. Might have a different opinion if I was younger or on the pull, but this one suits me.
I've been in here quite a few times in the last couple of months and always managed to get served quickly and find a table although it can get pretty full.
The front part tends to be dominated by shouty older blokes, but it gets quieter the further in you go. Overall, one of the better pubs in Sutton.
25 Jan 2012 14:56
Recently moved to Sutton and this seems the nicest pub on the High St. Big arm chairs and lots of space. Nice atmosphere and the food looks good although I haven't eaten here yet. Friendly, efficient staff each time I've visited.
Is it really necessary that the manger be in the bar and speak to each customer? Isn't it their job to make sure the place can run well with or without them being there? As the recent comments seem to rate this above the overall feel of the pub I thought I'd air my view.
7 Nov 2011 16:54
The lady behind the bar was friendly and the parrot in the cage was a nice touch. I can't say anything else nice about the place though. It wasn't unpleasant just not worth a second visit when their are nicer pubs within a few minutes walk.
7 Nov 2011 16:13
The pub seemed OK and the staff were nice enough, but the regulars didn't seem happy to see an 'outsider' in their pub. Smallish room with a few nooks and crannies. The only people in the place surrounded the bar and nobody wanted to make a little space to allow anybody else to be served. The volume on the juke box for the small space inside was very loud and it was impossible to speak to the missus without shouting. Maybe we came at the wrong time - the football was just finishing. So might be worth a visit at another time.
7 Nov 2011 16:10
Popped in on sunday evening. Band was playing and the place was full. Didn't stay long but it seemed a nice friendly pub. Good M/F mix and everybody was having a good time. Will definitely go back.
7 Nov 2011 16:01
The William Morris, Merton Abbey Mills
Went back for the first time in over a year and it's hugely improved. Friendly staff, wider range of drinks, no shouty blokes swearing at the bar. Felt like a proper local pub.
We ordered some snack food and that wasn't good, but I'll try a proper meal next time and see how that goes. There were loads of people eating there and everything apart from what we ordered looked good.
Think I'll be using this place a lot more in the future - certainly for the summer anyway.
21 May 2010 15:05
Seemed to be nice enough studenty bar...but after 20 mins a stag night came in shouting and being cocks. Then another one came in after that. So I left.
On a positive note, it seemed lively if that's what you are after.
4 May 2010 20:20
Pretty basic pub.
When I was there it was very quiet, and smelled strongly of deep fat fryers. Had one drink and left....my cloths smelled of fat for an hour after I left.
4 May 2010 20:16
Spent an hour here on the cold, wet Bank Holiday Sunday afternoon.
As Wetherspoon's go this seems to be one of the better ones. Everything was clean and working, and the staff were efficient and quick. You wouldn't want to spend the whole night there, but it's perfectly OK for a stop over on the way somewhere else.
4 May 2010 19:26
Great pub. Warm and friendly on a cold night. Good selection of drinks and although we didn't eat here the food looked good.
Staff were quick and took the time to have a joke with people even on a busy Saturday night when the place was very busy.
My second favorite pub in Canterbury.
4 May 2010 19:22
Nice enough decor, but I felt I wasn't welcome.
Ignored by the older guy behind the bar (manager? owner? I guess) who only wanted to serve and chat to his cliche. Eventually served by a bar maid.
With a ring of what I assume were regulars sitting on stools by the bar it was almost impossible to get close enough to be served anyway.
Maybe it was a bad time or a bad day, but one of my least favorite pubs in Canterbury.
4 May 2010 19:19
Great pub. We were in Canterbury for two nights and did two pub crawls. Both times we finished here - mostly because we didn't want to leave it.
Good beer and cider selection, and the quiz on Sunday night was loads of fun and the teams were not too competitive.
Friendly and fast staff as well. I wish this pub was closer to where I live.
4 May 2010 19:14
The Hand and Racquet, Covent Garden
Hang on - this pub closed more than 2 years ago - not a victim of the smoking ban or recession - the manager did a runner and it never reopened.
The whole block is now going to be redeveloped into a hotel/casino/cinema complex. Pizza Hut closed late last year and the bulldozers will be in sometime soon.
17 Jan 2009 14:20
Yes, it's better than when it was The Victory, but the Tup has gone downhill in the last few months. It is dirty, tables arern't cleared, and the bar staff do ignore you to chat.
If you can't accept any criticism there's not much point in you replying. I like the pub, but I liked it more six months or a year ago when it seemed looked after, now it seems neglected.
2 Jan 2009 16:11
WheelieBin is right - it probably is the best pub near Wimbledon station. The roof terrace is good if the weather permits, and the pub has got a decent selection of drinks.
Service, however, is very sketchy. When busy the barstaff serve randomly and out of order, when quiet it's hard to rouse them from the group huddle in the corner.
Apart from that it's an enjoyable pub.
2 Aug 2007 16:16
Went here for the first time last weekend. Seemed like a nice place. Had a pleasant pint and the thai food being served at other tables looked and smelled very good. Everybody seemed very dressed up for a local pub - maybe I stumbled into private party by mistake? The only drawback was that there seemed to be only 1 girl behind the bar, who was good but struggling to serve all the customers.
Will definately return to try the food soon.
2 Aug 2007 16:09
Went in for the first time in ages a couple of weekends ago. What has happened to this place? I haven't seen such an empty place in Colliers Wood before - and for good reason. Apart from the garden I can't think of anything positive to say about the pub. Dirty, dark, smelly, drinks not cold, terrible. Left after 1 drink.
2 Aug 2007 16:01
The Royal Standard, Colliers Wood
Seems mostly Polish now. This is a great improvemnet on what it was. Still a grotty pub, but the clientele aren't nearly as bad as before.
2 Aug 2007 15:56
The Royal Standard, Colliers Wood
I've been in once or twice, and don't see the need to ever go back in again. Not unless every other pub in Colliers Wood closed, and all the off-licences as well.
9 Mar 2007 17:06
The William Morris, Merton Abbey Mills
I've been here many times over the past 5 years, and despite the negative comments below, I've never had a bad experience here.
The beer selection is pretty good, but it's the location that makes this place. In the summer it's great up on the roof terrace, and in winter you can get a good Sunday roast in a warm conservatory.
I even took my Mum & Dad here to show them a good local pub.
9 Mar 2007 17:03
Trafalgar Freehouse, South Wimbledon
Had an enjoyable evening there one Thursday. Good quiz, nice little bar, nice beer. Most of the regulars seemed decent and were enjoying the quiz, apart from one family that resembled Shameless - but then everybody was ignoring them, and eventually they went away.
Would definitely return.
9 Mar 2007 16:44
Decent pub that seems to be heading down the Wimbledon/South African path. Nice armchairs and sofas for a quite afternoon. Good beer garden.
The only problem I have with the place is that even if I'm the only person waiting for a drink it still seems to take ages to get the bar staff's attention.
21 Sep 2005 16:38
It's not as bad as it looks from the outside. Food, beer, and service are always pretty good. The quiz is fun and getting quite popular.
There are better places to drink in Colliers Wood, but this place is good if you have kids or want a decent cheapish meal.
21 Sep 2005 16:33
The best pub in Colliers Wood (even after the Tup opened). Good beers, good cocktails, good food, nice atmosphere. The only drawback is that the beer garden is a bit smallish and on the main road.
The staff are especially nice and really make a difference. I would recommend this place to anybody heading out this way.
21 Sep 2005 16:29
Much better now than before. Clean and simple inside. Nice beer garden. Big screens, good lager. I drop in regularly but used to avoid The Victory.
Seems a pity it still has the old photos and definately unfair that it carries over it's old rating. After all, The Baobab got a fresh start on this site when it opened. It's more like a 7 or 8 now than a 5.
7 Sep 2005 15:00
I was manager there up to 1998, and it was definately S&N not Youngs. We did home cooked food but the brewery kept insisting that we use the pre-packaged stuff from Bookers because then they could control our profits exactly down to a single portion. From recent comments it seems to have hurt the food quality.
Nice friendly pub, I loved the tourists and the constant new faces every day. Lovely warm atmosphere in winter.
21 Feb 2005 10:44
The North Pole Inn, Ramsgate
CLOSED
18 Mar 2013 14:58