BITE user comments - Northern_Ale_Monkey
Comments by Northern_Ale_Monkey
I don't think this place is bad. Bar staff are generally (with the odd exception) okay, beer tends to be in reasonable enough condition, I've never seen any trouble in there or anything.
The other Wetherspoons in Banbury is probably a bit better, but this place is fine for a cheap pint.
8 Aug 2012 16:38
There's barely ever anybody in here. Last time we went for what was supposed to be quiz night, IIRC, and we were the only ones there. There wasn't even anyone at the bar!
I can't see it lasting long unless someone sorts it out.
8 Aug 2012 16:32
Not a bad atmosphere in this place and I quite enjoyed the quiz.
Unfortunately, all three cask beers I tried were in poor condition. I won't be venturing back unless they learn how to keep their ale.
8 Aug 2012 16:30
The Craft Beer Co, City of London
Fantastic place, this. Brilliant selection of beer, friendly and attentive bar staff, good atmosphere and - by the standards of the area - not too bad price-wise.
Dark Star Hophead was in excellent condition.
18 Jul 2012 15:18
I like the look of the place. Personally, I'm not mad on Tring beers and they seem to be regular. Bar staff have generally been friendly in my experience. I'll need to go a few more times in order to come to firm conclusion.
13 Mar 2011 15:50
I really like this place. Good beers including some LocAle options (Dunham Massey on my last visit). Re previous comment, I think they've decided to keep the ceiling as it is as a little nod to the pub's history. Could be wrong, but that's how I've interpreted it!
13 Mar 2011 15:33
The Crown Liquor Saloon, Belfast
Phenomenal interior, excellent bar staff and the elusive (in NI) real ale. What more could you want? The Irish stew was good too, just like my Granny makes. Must visit.
2 Mar 2011 20:58
I thought there was a really cool feel to this place. Probably somewhere I'd go in the evening rather than the day. Beer was in good condition and there seems to be live music fairly regularly, if that's your cup of tea.
2 Mar 2011 18:41
I like the place. Not a wide range of beer but those they have are in good nick. Got a few daft pub games you can play if you're sufficiently pissed too.
2 Mar 2011 18:09
I like this place. It's quite odd what with all the murder-related stuff, but there's a great range of beer, a good quiz machine, lots of places to sit and the novelty of telly screens in the urinals is something I quite like!
Steve2905 - Are you serious about a lack of real ale in Norwich!? For such a small city there are loads of places! Get the GBG and work your way through!
2 Mar 2011 18:07
Really good pub, phenomenal range of ale. I agree it can get ridiculously busy, which can be a tad irritating, but I suppose that only demonstrates that the quality of beer and standards of service are really good. Always try to visit when we're in Norwich.
2 Mar 2011 18:03
The Duke of Wellington, Norwich
Been here a few times, most recently for a beer festival. I really enjoy it, seems to be a pretty friendly kind of place with loads of beer from which to choose.
2 Mar 2011 18:01
Despite visiting the area regularly, we never go now. Incredibly expensive for a very average pub, with quite a few scallies knocking about these days too.
2 Mar 2011 17:58
Agree with the previous comment. The food is excellent value, but the beer is not. As someone who isn't mad on Belgian beer, I'd only ever go here when having a bite to eat.
2 Mar 2011 17:57
I found this to nearly be a good pub - if such a thing is possible. Good range of beer, but the barman took an age to serve us. The interior looks impressively, but it's so big and airy that it can feel soulless and empty at times. We also had a bite to eat, which was very average. Meh, I wouldn't mind returning, but certainly won't go out of my way to do so.
2 Mar 2011 17:55
I'm a fan of this place. It's a tad expensive, but the quality of beer and food is very high. It's a well decorated pub and I like the canalside setting too.
2 Mar 2011 17:53
Nice looking place with very cheap beer. Sam Smiths isn't my favourite, but it's okay, certainly value for money anyway. Last time I went in there was a tramp sat nearby who stank of piss, but assuming this is a rarity, I'd recommend this place for a swift cheap pint.
2 Mar 2011 17:50
Absolutely fantastic pub. Lovely interior, very tastefully done. Great range of beers, with Spitting Feathers being one of my favourite breweries. Staff always friendly and obviously very knowledgable too.
One of the best pubs in country.
2 Mar 2011 17:48
Great pub, unlucky to miss out on National Pub of the Year in my opinion. Great range of beer, nice interior and a pleasant little outside section. Well worth a visit in what is a very nice little town.
2 Mar 2011 17:45
I quite like this place, but I must confess, I found the National Pub of the Year award to be a very strange decision.
Been here three times now. On each occasion, the clientele hasn't really been a great mix. Moreover, the interior is fine, but nothing to go wild about. I should think the quality of its beer has got this place the award. I've never had a bad pint and the range is always good, but on our last visit a mate of mine got a glass of vinegar, so it wouldn't appear to be immune from criticism there either.
There are other pubs shortlisted for the award which I thought would have been better bets, not least the runner-up in Lytham St. Annes, but hey ho, this isn't a bad pub at all.
2 Mar 2011 17:43
We saw this was in the Good Beer Guide. After arriving at the site of the pub, the missus made a "not sure I fancy the look of this" face outside. In fairness, I can see where she was coming from, but I decided it was at least worth giving it a chance. I'm glad we did. Far nicer inside than out, good range of British ale and quite a few foreign options too. I must say, the gents toilets left A LOT to be desired. However, overall, not a bad place for a quick pint.
2 Mar 2011 17:22
Visited last week for the first time. I like Robinson's beers so no complaints there, both I had were in good condition. The barmaid was a good laugh, as was another bloke at the bar to whom we had a chat. I see this as a good starting point for a crawl taking in some of the excellent pubs in the north of the city.
2 Mar 2011 17:19
My main gripe with this place is that it's expensive, especially when it comes to food. However, I've always had good beer and food, usually served by good staff. One barman in particular is spot on - really efficient yet friendly with it. Great looking place and definitely worth the occasional visit.
2 Mar 2011 17:15
One of the best pubs anywhere in the country. I love the look of the place, old-fashioned tiling. Marble beers are top notch, with Dobber and/or Lagonda IPA being my personal favourites. Always get chatting to people in here, just a really friendly, buzzing atmosphere.
2 Mar 2011 17:06
I paid my first visit to this place last week. Really good pub. Four light and four dark ales on offer, good barmaid, friendly regular to whom I had a chat. Couldn't ask for much more really.
2 Mar 2011 17:01
I like this place well enough. Really friendly and attentive staff every time I've visited. Decent range of beer usually in good condition. Quiz machine for those that are interested. Okay, a chain pub is never quite going to have the character of some others, but this place isn't a bad place to enjoy a pint.
2 Mar 2011 16:59
Quite liked this place. They had a real Irish stout on handpump which was good to see (if only the Irish would brew more decent stuff). Warm, cosy feel to the pub with interesting artwork and pictures adorning the walls. I wouldn't say it's a must-visit, but definitely a pleasant place to go for the occasional drink.
2 Mar 2011 16:54
Good pub this. Took me ages to pay a visit - we just visited other areas of the city much more. Anyway, good beer and a buzzing atmosphere.
2 Mar 2011 16:52
Really good pub. Generally friendly and attentive staff (one chap can be a tad annoying at times - no names). Excellent range of beer always in good nick. Nice atmosphere with a really good mix of clientele.
My only gripe with this place is the toilets. The gents are cramped and generally smell dreadful.
2 Mar 2011 16:49
Considering it isn't in the most salubrious of areas and Wetherspoons can be a bit hit and miss, I found this place surprisingly decent. Nice interior, beer in good nick, food was perfectly acceptable.
2 Mar 2011 16:44
It all started so well. I was served promptly by a friendly barmaid. Caledonian 80 Shillings - not a beer you see all that regularly. Alas, things went downhill.
The beer was just drinkable, but had a definite vinegar tinge. My partner took both pints back. Apparently it was the end of the barrel, so they agreed to replace it. Cain's Bitter this time. Even worse condition, just a very strange flavour. I asked whether perhaps they'd given me the wrong beer, but no, it was just poorly kept.
I had been looking forward to discovering the fine pubs of Crosby. Unfortunately, the only place I'd ever bother revisiting is the Stamps.
5 Aug 2010 13:58
I think this place is okay. Beer is normally in reasonable condition and it's one of the cheapest pubs you'll find. A few 'rough' people knocking about, but nobody has ever given me or anyone I've been with any bother in there.
5 Aug 2010 13:49
Terrible standard of beer. Not much selection and often in such poor condition. Plus it's bloody expensive.
If around the university go the Augustus John rather than this hell-hole.
5 Aug 2010 13:46
Had been closed, but now up and running again under new management.
Just finding its feet as people get to know it's there, but it has a good selection of ale on four handpumps, as well as a quiz machine and a TV for sports (not in use at the minute).
Worth a visit.
5 Aug 2010 13:44
I like this place. Real mixture of characters seem to go in, from musicians having a swift half, to students, to auld fellas putting the world to rights. Good beer and friendly staff too.
Ideally there'd be a couple more handpumps and a quiz machine, but nevertheless, I'm going to this pub more and more often these days.
2 Aug 2010 15:06
The Old Market Tavern, Altrincham
Very decent pub. Loads of beer, including a number of LocAle offerings. In a town rather thin on real ale boozers, this is a bit of a gem. Visually the place isn't spectacular, but hey, the beer is the most important thing.
2 Aug 2010 14:34
Excellent pub. Fantastic range of beers, particularly at the weekend. Pleasing decor and a nice section outside too. There is also a pool table and dart board, but these are well out of the way of the bar in a separate section.
My only slight gripe upon visiting was the slight frostiness of the barmaid. Still, she wasn't downright rude, and seemed to cheer up as tiem went on.
In response to the previous post about Pub of the Year, some branches are so small that the Chair of the branch simply decides which pub wins. I believe this is the case in St. Helens. Obviously if it was a straight contest between the Ship at Rainhill and this place, only a moron would choose the Ship. However, it may be a case of the Chair trying to give other pubs in St. Helens some encouragement by recognising them. Not an approach I agree with personally, but at least understandable.
22 Jul 2010 13:34
This place is proper weird, both in terms of all the stuff kicking about hung on walls stuffed in corners and the eccentric clientele, but all things considered I quite like it.
Can seem a bit 'locally', but there are ususally people willing to talk to you as well as the "he's not from round here" looks.
Decent range of ales too. I wouldn't go here regularly, but I'd say it's well worth the occasional visit.
2 Jun 2010 20:48
Richard John Blackler, Liverpool
Service in here is usually dire.
The fact they don't turn badges round drives me to distraction.
There are two quiz machines, one of which appears to have been put in the most awkward position they could possibly find.
Not one of the better Wetherspoons pubs.
19 May 2010 11:56
This place is okay. Good beer, decent mix of clientele. Visually it's fine if unspectacular. Last time I was in there were a couple of blokes having a big argument about politics, which was a little annoying, but I'm sure this isn't the norm.
Handy location near the train station, and within walking distance of other good pubs such as the Philharmonic, Doctor Duncans and the Ship and Mitre.
19 May 2010 11:50
Agree with the post below. Friendly staff, good beer, just a bit run-down inside. Also, we've eaten here twice. First time it was very good. Second time it was disappointing.
Still a good place to visit if you happen to be around the docks and you like ale.
19 May 2010 11:27
Looking at the posts below, we may have caught this place on a bad day, but I'll give my honest assessment of what we saw.
We walked in to find all the locals look round at us and stop their conversation. After a few seconds of an awkward silence, they continued talking and we ordered our drinks.
The selection was poor, they only had Marstons and Jennings, neither of which we're particular keen on. Especially given all the great beers on offer elsewhere in the city.
Whilst we chatted over our drinks, a drunk bloke who seemed to be a regular was prattling on about Greeks not paying income tax. This was tiresome.
I shan't ever be returning. If it was the only pub in my town I might visit occasionally, but considering there are literally a dozen better pubs in York I see no reason to bother.
19 May 2010 11:01
Great location, friendly bar staff, good range of beer, nice decor (more modern cafe bar than traditional pub). Prices were a tad high, but considering the location you can't really complain.
If you've just done the Minster stairs, this is a cracking place to get refreshed!
19 May 2010 10:54
Really friendly bar staff, good range of beer and we had some cracking nosh too. The portions are seriously generous!
Slight gripes were a) very small, so of an evening it can be difficult to get a seat, and b) we were told we weren't allow to play cards. I suspect this rule stems from a particular incident, and though a bit odd/inconvenient, is obviously only a minor issue.
19 May 2010 10:49
Brigantes Bar and Brasserie, York
Great range of beer, and in our experience the bar staff were friendly, attentive and knowledgeable. The decor too is pleasing.
The downside was the food. It was just okay, a little overpriced and took ages to come out to us.
Well worth a visit for a pint and a chat, but I wouldn't recommend going for dinner.
19 May 2010 10:33
Really enjoyed this. Went on the tour with the brewer, which was interesting, and the student barman was a sound bloke.
Needless to say, the beer was top notch.
Well worth a visit, and discounts for Camra members!
19 May 2010 10:31
I really like this pub. Good range of ales, reasonable enough prices, and we found everyone in there to be really friendly - locals and first-timers alike had a bit of banter.
Top class location too, right in the heart of the city.
19 May 2010 09:26
Nice outside area in the summer. Very good prices.
The barmaid seemed a bit odd last time I went in - seriously slow. Also, it's nowt special inside.
19 May 2010 09:24
Not one of the better Wetherspoons pubs. Generally the beer is okay, food poor, lack of atmosphere, quite a few scallies knocking about.
19 May 2010 09:22
This pub has improved immeasurably in recent times.
Visually it is and always has been spectacular. However, staff were often slow and/or rude. There were times when despite having 8/10 pumps, there wasn't a single real ale available. Furthermore, beer was often in poor condition. Nevertheless, the staff would on occasion refuse to change a pint, feeling (wrongly) that it tasted fine.
Anyway...These days it's all change. Staff are attentive and friendly. Beer tends to be in good condition, and there are always loads available. Prices, considering the nature of the pub and its location, are reasonable. There is an excellent quiz machine near the bar and a gambling machine, but for those who aren't interested in that there are two little private rooms (Brahms and Lizst!) and a large back room.
An excellent pub.
18 May 2010 16:58
JW Lees pub, so a few ales in addition to the same old crap lager.
Nicely decorated, reasoanble enough prices, good food. There's also a quiz machine, which is good fun for those who enjoy that. All round this pub is pretty good, although one or two members of staff seem to have a permanent cob on, it's generally pretty welcoming.
Prime location for anyone off to watch a match at Altrincham FC. I'd recommend this place first, then a pint in the club bar (away fans welcome).
18 May 2010 16:53
The Cheshire Midland Hotel, Hale
Sam Smith beers. Okay, not my favourite, but really cheap.
Generally this pub is okay. Some proper weird locals on occasion, but a mixture of clientele, and never seen any trouble in there myself.
Quiz machine is crap these days, barely any games, but if you fancy a game at least you have the option.
18 May 2010 16:49
The Fly in the Loaf, Liverpool
This place could be excellent. However, it falls well short in a number of areas.
The policy of not giving tasters is utterly bizarre. It often gets busy at the bar, meaning you really don't want to be buying a half pint in order to try a new ale, only to have to queue for several more minutes if you decide you like it. So, you have to buy a whole pint and hope you like it. That's money down the swanny.
Which brings me to my next point. This place is expensive. Certainly one of the worst value pubs in the city.
Whilst I like my sport, I find it annoying when crap games of football/rugby are on screen when clearly nobody is watching. Just turn the screens off and put a bit of gentle music on.
I tend to think that if managed correctly, this place would be top notch. As it is, it's promise remains unfulfilled.
Oh, and I echo the comments re bouncers.
10 May 2010 16:57
Back to Northern_Ale_Monkey's profile
The Grand Union, Banbury
It's cheap, I'll give it that. Bit of a dump. You'd be better off going to Wetherspoons, in all honesty.
8 Aug 2012 16:39