BITE user comments - Planner_21
Comments by Planner_21
"There is no way they are getting through them with any speed. 2 or 4 would be ample and the quality would sky rocket.2
Had no issues with the quality. Went two nights in a row and just under half the beers had changed. Two were also changed on the second night while I was there, inducing a cider. So they *are* getting through them.
Loads of middling pubs have 3 or 4 ales now, but if its anything like the Southampton it is the sheer quantity and quality that will bring people in. Plus the microbrew.
As beerman intimates, with regard to nice, half full pubs, the Southampton is far too busy now to be fully enjoyable. I give the Cock Tavern a few moths before the same thing happens, as its the best pub in the area by a good distance.
17 Sep 2012 16:23
The Shakespeare's Head, Islington
If an ale is too bad, I take it back, but the Courage Best passes the grade here (just).
I'm surprised at the lack of comment about this one, having just seen a comment from me dating back two years.
31 Aug 2012 16:46
The Old China Hand, Clerkenwell
No reviews for two years! Not much has changed. No O�Hanlons beer anymore, but two unusual and well kept ales. Nice service. Looks like the Dim Sum has stopped as you can bring your own food in.
Was busy last night as I think the novelty of the ping pong table(!) at the back is a popular draw for office workers to let off a bit of steam.
I like it here, would've also liked to have seen it when it was a proper pubby pub called O�Hanlons.
31 Aug 2012 16:43
The Exmouth Arms, Exmouth Market
Really liked it when it first opened, but now its caught on with the meeja types you can't move in there any more; 3 deep at the bar last night.
The lack of soft furnishing in now obvious and the noise inside was cacophonous, not helped by a group of advertising exec types screaming at each other.
I'll stick to Saturdays and Mondays, I think.
31 Aug 2012 16:38
The Pakenham Arms, Clerkenwell
In last night, for the first time ever, which is unusual for me.
Decent, well decorated pub, with a genuinely surprising choice of ale - there was more than one from the new Botanist Brewery in Kew. Everything I tried was well kept.
The clientele consisted of posties from Mount Pleasant and tourists from the nearby Holiday Inn. I can't imagine this is enough of the right type of customer to keep up 12 ale pumps in good condition for long. Hopefully word will spread to drive up custom.
Service was a bit poker faced, but efficient enough.
31 Aug 2012 16:35
Fantastic pub.
I went the month the new owners opened and it was very quiet. I hoped their efforts wouldn't go unrecognised and on subsequent visits it has just got busier and busier. During this time the choice of beer has got better and turnover has improved.
So now, there is a great choice of beer, exceptionally well kept (the Black IPA was superb). Friendly, attentive staff who are well trained to help you choose between the numerous bottles and pumps on offer. Was in last night and there is a mini IPA festival on. I tried a 7.2% killer that was amazing; unfortunately I don't have the constitution to drink too much of it. Wonderful tiling, live music and great pork pies add to the whole experience.
I believe they also own Simon the Tanner down in Borough and now the Wenlock Arms. I can't think of better people to run the Wenlock.
31 Aug 2012 16:28
The King Charles I, Kings Cross
My last review from June 2009 was a positive one and I've used it regularly since then. However my last two visits have shown a serious decline.
There were three ales on, all from Green King, so average at best. But the pint of IPA poured for me must've been 20 degrees+. It was so warm it had gone rancid. I got a replacement cider instead, which was equally terrible. Moved onto a lager, which tasted of line cleaner...bitter and chemically.
The two female staff are also not really up to the job. Pally with their mates, others don't get the same attention. The younger one seemed grumpy at something or other and took it out on various punters during the evening. The owner is a nice chap, but he needs to get a grip on his staffing choices.
My old '8' rating goes down to a 3. The Queens Head, on the other side of KK is significantly better, both in terms of service and beer, which is where we ended up after no-one could handle the poor drink quality here anymore.
Shame.
31 Aug 2012 16:18
Very good pub - decent service, excellent beers, nice atmosphere. Always seem to find the days/times when its packed out, but won't complain.
24 Apr 2012 14:01
Worst service I've had in many a year was meted out to me on a recent Sunday. Sarcastic and aggressive landlord, dipsy clueless staff.
There are enough decent pubs in the area, so I'll only come back when I see an "under new management" sign.
Oh and the food was overpriced for the averageness of the portions/flavour.
24 Apr 2012 14:00
The Nobody Inn, Newington Green
Clarence_Beeks has it sussed. It wasn't exactly charismatic before, but it's even blander now. Looks like someone with no idea of the pub trade has had an input here.
Ales are decent, but if I want ales in a dull lifeless room, I'd go to Wetherspoons.
24 Apr 2012 13:56
The Edinburgh Cellars, Newington Green
Entirely agree with Clarence_Beeks on all four points.
But to update, Saturday night a couple of weeks ago, the music is still terrible. I expect to hear that kind of banging chart stuff at the Slug and Lettuce on Croydon High Street.
24 Apr 2012 13:53
Arguably, one could describe anything a pub does as a gimmick. Pool table? gimmick. Food? gimmick. Quiz night? gimmick.
Had a thoroughly good time here on the weekend, plenty of ales which I sat and supped in the sunny garden. Landlord was friendly and chatty. Moved on to the William IV afterwards. Couldn't ask for anything more from a two pub crawl.
4 May 2011 11:58
The Duke of Hamilton, Hampstead
"The new landlord's hype said that �170,000 had been spent on the refurb. After paying a visit it is hard to see where a tenth of that has gone but that's not such a bad thing."
My guess is the basement and improving the kitchen?
God am I grateful they haven't turned this into another disgraceful restaurant masquerading as a pub (see old white bear, wells etc etc). In the last couple of years pre refurb, it has become very tired in here, but things are back on track. Good beer and good food, but as before one or two of the regulars would do well to remember this is a public house.
21 Mar 2011 15:41
Jolly Butchers, Stoke Newington
Rammed to capacity on my recent visits. They've hit upon the right format in the right place it seems. I think I'll stick to the quieter end of the week from now on.
12 Jan 2011 13:12
The Southampton Arms, Gospel Oak
Bazzerboozer: richardhammondisatwat is correct.
I'll also repeat what I said a while ago. The beers are turning over every two days or so. Demand is so high they introduced another 3 pumps to allow beers time to settle in better.
22 Nov 2010 14:30
It seems Bourne End is the BITE equivalent of Royston Vasey. 29 ratings and no comments? Yeah....
7 Oct 2010 01:13
The Shakespeare's Head, Islington
Always like it here - good crowd, good service, great trad decor, fat pub cat.
Two Courage ales on, which suffice in lieu of lager but to be fair you dont come here for the beer.
2 Sep 2010 17:41
Went in last week not realising they has a refurb, as it looks pretty much the same to me. Could do with a more efficient organisation of the furniture actually.
Two ales on: Wadworth 6x (you used to see that everywhere) and Rev James. Both perfectly drinkable. Food now of the British grub variety and music at a tolerable level. I like it here and dont know why I dont come here more often.
2 Sep 2010 17:39
The Southampton Arms, Gospel Oak
moclips2002: the beers are turning over every two days or so. Demand is so high they intorduced another 3 pumps to allow beers time to settle in better.
May have been another cause of/issue with flatness? That said, can't say I have a problem here with the ale quality myself though.
2 Sep 2010 17:33
Anything to say about the pub, foghorn?
Personally, my favourite pub in the Sloane Square area.
Plenty of character, good beer and decent service.
26 Jul 2010 12:13
It has indeed re-opened. Didn't count the ales properly, but think 4 were on and two were off. The Butcombe was in good condition. The interior seems pretty much like it used to be - just a simple boozer, rather than a gastropub. Good service too, but I did visit on a quiet Saturday.
26 Jul 2010 12:04
Jolly Butchers, Stoke Newington
JohnBonser has pretty much hit the nail on the head.
The positives:
The beer choice here is fantastic and certainly worth coming to if you're in N16. Never seen smoked beer on tap in the UK.
There are some good original features
The staff are friendly and knowledgeable.
The negatives:
The open kitchen is unnecessary and I don't really want the smell of fish when I'm drinking my beer.
Once ordering my pint I looked where to sit, but struggled. Nowhere seemed comfortable. As John says, nothing to break up the eyeline, from one side to the other. No soft furnishings, plants or anything else. There are many pubs which have taken this wooden stripped out approach, but they usually end up soulless.
The Southampton Arms in Kentish Town is also stripped out, but the small size works to its advantage. It becomes simple, rather than bare and stark. I reference the SA, as clearly the owner here has 'borrowed' a fair few ideas. The typography of the outside sign is virtually identical, for example.
Despite this, I did like it here and will probably be happier to return than johnbonser.
24 Jun 2010 12:01
The Southampton Arms, Gospel Oak
Fair dos, dimple_mug. You'll be happy to hear it is still cash only. Just remeber to get out your money at the tube or you'll be stuffed.
Funnily enough Brodies and Redemption were back on tonight. Good to see a Kelham Island brew though. Actually tonight there were 9 ciders on. I guess this makes it more of a real cider pub?
6 May 2010 22:48
The Southampton Arms, Gospel Oak
Dimple_mug: Goodness, I thought I was cynical. While its refreshing to find that attribute in someone so young, some of your critique is, I think, unwarranted.
Firstly, vinyl. Some people - mainly those in the 30s or above - have a great affection for the stuff. Some, like me, grew up with it. MP3 can't compete. The owner and manager fit into this category. There is nothing ironic about it. Irony for 'old things', is usually the preserve of the under 25s.
Secondly, the reason for the suggestion board is I suspect two fold. Imagine starting a pub from scratch with only the idea for only selling beer from small brewers. There are hundreds of them. Where do you go? The web. Camra. But you can also ask the punters. Contrary to being 'bourgeois', I think its the first example I've ever seen of egalitarianism in a pub. Suggestions are used, too - it's not a Wetherspoon's suggestion box.
As for 'trendy' London brewers (there's that word again!), imagine, if you will, you have a limited pot of cash for your new pub. One saving you can employ is to order from local brewers. Brodies produce some excellent beers at very good prices. Redemption are an impossibly small brewer and it is very nice to see them occasionally offered. The Urban Dusk is fantastic.
As for the clientele, (I'm surprised the word trendy wasn't used), the location is smack bang between the Gospel Oak council estates, the old money of Highgate and the flatshare land of Kentish Town. People come from all those areas, plus a fair few Camra members. If you found them all 'homogeneous and uninteresting', that a lot of different people you�re dismissing.
Overall I suggest you should maybe chance a return visit (so long as that's not what the trendy people do) and not massively over-analyse the owner's decisions.
5 May 2010 12:58
The new look White Bear has now re-opened. If you liked the charm and traditional quaility of the old place, don't go here. Remember the palce as it used to be. Totally and utterly ruined.
Hampstead has changed so much in 15 years, I don't enjoy going there anymore.
9 Mar 2010 11:12
The Southampton Arms, Gospel Oak
I agree with all the other comments, especially mojo_moschops. Arriving on a Sunday night it was bustling with people of all ages. The transformation couldn't have been more astonishing. My first words to the barman were "bloody hell" - and he knew what I was referring to.
The atmosphere, the amazing beer, the brilliant service, the music coming from the 45s, hot pork sandwiches at the bar. It feels as if it's been like this for years.
Well done to those involved. Ingenious in it's simplicity, others would have stripped it and called it a 'bar and kitchen'.
This place should give the Wenlock Arms something to think about, which is rather resting on its laurels these days, what with it's gaggle of aggressive regulars and abysmal service.
1 Feb 2010 11:34
I came here in the summer of 2008 and left a pretty negative review on 14 Jul 2008. Despite the rabid MikeAllenPugh seeing the red mist (come on, it's not rendition flights or the MP expenses scandal), I stand by those comments.
Nonetheless, I made a return visit this weekend and can breathe a sigh of relief, as I experienced the pub in the same light everyone else sees it. The mild was in top form and the regulars seemed a nice enough bunch. The interior was homely and the service cheerful. Its the kind of country pub I hope to find on my travels but rarely do. Didn't try the food but it was reasonably priced and will give it a go next time.
I had a feeling my bad experiences could have been a once off, hence choosing to return. Rating upped accordingly.
25 Jan 2010 11:29
I personally like the new look - being personalised with all that Cricket stuff makes it more distinctive. Before the refurb it was in decorated in that bland, standard McMullen's chain pub style which infected a lot of their pubs in the early/mid 2000s.
It might be contrived, but at least you go away remembering the place. There are a number of different areas, all decorated in different ways and an area around the corner to watch sport.
The Cask Ale I had was in good nick and the staff were quick to clear up any empties around. I think it's a vast improvement and would now actively come here if in Enfield.
25 Nov 2009 12:01
'Round midnight Jazz & Blues Bar, Islington
I used to really like the agricultural. I like blues, too but its shame it had to be this pub which closed for it. I can think of plenty of other rubbish pubs in Angel that I would have liked to see close instead of this one.
2 Nov 2009 12:56
Ye Olde Punch Bowl Inn, Marton-cum-Grafton
Morrissey & fox have handed back the keys now. Future uncertain.
A quote from the pair on the closure:
"...we did regenerate what was a very tired establishment facing imminent closure and manage to give it one hell of a make-over and breathe another year and a half of life into it. It�s a shame our other work commitments didn�t allow us to give it the extra attention we should have given it to help battle through such difficult circumstances.�
If Zaphod's apt comment is anything to go by, it wasn't broke but they tried to fix it - a mistake which has sounded the death knell for many once excellent pubs.
22 Oct 2009 13:32
The Sebright Arms, Bethnal Green
Closed at the moment. The bar is still in place and the lights are on but its been stripped of all bottles and most furniture.
Anyone know whats happening to the place?
8 Oct 2009 16:40
The Princess of Wales, Primrose Hill
Er...it seems you indeed struggle to read. Or recall your own words, even though they're on this very page. You definitely wrote "...all your reviews on this site are negative". Hey, its even in quotes.
Note the three dots, indicating a truncated quotation. Whether it "seems" as if all my reviews are negative or not, the numbers indicate they're not. Proven incorrect you then get into pointless (and incorrect) semantics.
In conclusion to this, note what it says above: "reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously." And as I said before, this is not a tit-for-tat chat room.
And, lets be clear here. I like this pub. I've given it a 7/10. But like you, I am allowed my opinions.
17 Sep 2009 12:01
The Princess of Wales, Primrose Hill
A quick tally of my reviews shows thus:
33 Negative
49 Postitive
Plus a small bunch of other non-review comments
Yet you say: "...all your reviews on this site are negative"
I think what it shows, festy, is you struggle to count or read very well.
14 Sep 2009 11:52
I see its up for rent (as of September 09).
Seems to be a bit of a money pit - still at least the properties owners are getting rich off the back off all those successive unsuccessful landlords.
11 Sep 2009 13:03
An objective view from someone who only visited the old Andover Arms two or three times.
The last time I visited pre refurb, it was looking rather tired in here. The back room was underutilised and it was pretty gloomy. There were only four people in although it seemed to be picking up by the time I left. Service friendly and beer in good nick.
now...the change doesn't seem to be as dramatic as I was led to believe. The gantried bar is still in place and it still has a homely, back-street atmosphere. They were playing blues on the hi-fi when I arrived but soon a trio of jazz players came out. Not a M.O.R jazz fan myself, but this is 'Brackenbury Village' after all. Plenty of older regulars in place, plus some younger couples. Beer still good, servcie still friendly. Tried a burger which was excellent. (i'd hope so for �9).
I liked the old look and like the new look too. Just one thing I can't remember....did it used to have wood panelling? If so, it's a shame to have removed it.
11 Sep 2009 12:59
Visited on a Sunday for a quick pint a couple of months back. Very quiet, but comfortable enough. Pool table to amuse, too.
Back street pubs are having a hard time of it at the moment, so I wish them luck.
11 Sep 2009 12:51
Can't quite work out why its so popular here? Weekdays are generally OK, but the beer standard isn't up to others in the chain (its Geronimo Inns, not Youngs, BTW) and due to the shape of the place and the type of clintele, weekends are best avoided becomes. A better bet is the Queens No1 up the road.
9 Sep 2009 13:38
Pubs are, in my mind, supposed to be relaxing places. This is not a relaxing place. Don't bother with the garden unles you've reserved and are eating.
With such irritating criteria attached to a vist, you're better off elsewhere.
9 Sep 2009 13:34
I guess I'm in the 'like' category for this one.
There's a relaxed feeling to the place. I'd like it even more if (a) the beer selection was better and (b) the lighting was less harsh.
Saying that, I've never eaten in here - it was always above what I'd happily pay in a pub, even if prices have remained roughtly same while othes have caught up in the last three or four years.
9 Sep 2009 13:30
The Princess of Wales, Primrose Hill
Now now festy, take a deep breath. There are no chips on shoulders here, just - as you say - opinions. Your original review did rather sound like you were in the pay of the new owners, to be honest. It was in a similar style of those which have been, you see. When you've been on BITE a bit more, you'll see what I mean.
And it's somewhat ironic to accuse me of being defensive. Ce la vie in the world of internet opinions, I suppose.
In summary, BITE is not the place for tit-for-tat conversations so I suggest to the admins that this comment (and festy's below) are removed.
9 Sep 2009 13:26
The Princess of Wales, Primrose Hill
Let�s put it this way - the old landlords were equally keeping the family run business thing alive too. It's disingenuous to be grateful that its' not a chain, as it's leased pub.
Not that I want to get bogged down in food issues Festy (this is beerintheevening after all) but If you disagree that prices have gone up and food portions down that I forward the idea you didn't eat here (or visit) before the refurb. The Sunday Roast was the best in London (trust me, I've eaten in many, many places). The price has gone up (not ridiculously, granted) and the portion down (it used to come with 8 vegetables, for example). It might not serve frozen food now, but it didn't before.
And that mirrored wall in the garden. What were they thinking? I guess attempting to appeal to one-review commentators like festy.
3 Sep 2009 10:19
The Dartmouth Arms, Dartmouth Park
Went in today. It's had a refurbishment - no more wood panelling and some lurid wallpaper. Back room going to be a restaurant for half the week. Looks a bit of mess now, like it doesn't know what it wants to be. Don't think I'll bother making the effort to come here so much now.
31 Aug 2009 01:14
The Princess of Wales, Primrose Hill
It has indeed changed hands. Food prices up, portion sizes down. The garden has been transformed, (it needed work, to be honest) but if they carry on the same theme inside (there are rumours of a refub) then its gonna end up looking like a ladies hairdresser.
Long standing staff seem less happy, too. I'm currently fearing for the place; hopefully the hardcore regulars will kick up a massive stink if the new owners try to do a "Lansdowne" on the place.
27 Aug 2009 11:39
The Canonbury, Canonbury Place
Didn't quite pick up from the last food review whether this is a pub, or essentially a restaurant. Anyone know?
12 Aug 2009 09:51
If you're gonna devote so much of a pub's space to food, it should at least be nice. Sure, the portions were massive, but "Roast Turkey" should never, ever be processed turkey roll. Portions were good, but this tasted like was mass produced, catering standard mediocrity.
My guest ale was also pretty much undrinkable. Can't vouch for the other Everard's fare, as I went elsewhere.
Good views from the beer garden though.
5 Jul 2009 13:01
They only lasted 6 months? Oh dear. I wonder what's next for the William IV?
19 Jun 2009 17:14
Or, in contrast, good looking pub, very nice food, well kept beer and a really excellent jukebox.
Brought to you by the same people as the Rosemary Branch, Salisbury Hotel and the Royal Inn on the Park.
9 Jun 2009 00:21
The King Charles I, Kings Cross
I love this place. Brodies ales are pretty good (brewed over in Leyton) and homemade picked eggs. Small, dark and cosy interior. Tiny loos.
Kings Cross has more good pubs than you'd imagine.
3 Jun 2009 01:41
This is what happens when Greene King jump on the trendy train. Dull and uninspired.
3 Jun 2009 01:35
The Railway Tavern, Crouch End
Traditional enough to be classed at a proper pub in terms of decor (wood panelled Charringtons interior) and not as irritating as a lot of the gastropubs in the area. Despite this, the food is very good indeed. Useful back garden and two (maybe three?) ales.
They've struck the right balance and become one of the better pubs in Crouch end as a consequence.
3 Jun 2009 01:26
I'll just add my voice to the chorus of disapproval at the bloody atrocious service. Rude, surly, unhelpful.
Shame....
3 Jun 2009 01:22
The Princess Alexandra, Crouch End
Pointlessly aspirational.
If Heat magazine did pubs in Zone 3 of London, they would look like this.
3 Jun 2009 01:20
The Harringay Arms, Crouch End
Great, traditional pub. Older folks and younger ones, (kind of) mixing together. worth a visit as, if nothing else, it is the only old style pub left in Crouch End, as all the rest have tarted themselves up, one by one.
Shame that the Bombardier I had in here last week was in head thumpingly poor condition.
3 Jun 2009 01:12
"An OFM award is the sign of quality". An entry into pseuds corner awaits you, Tom.
Seems the opinions are more or less spilt into two camps for this one:
a: Those who treat it like a restaurant and thus enjoy the food.
b: everybody else.
Question is, why are the 'a' group commenting on beerintheevening? My last visit was pretty brief: I walked in, saw nowhere to sit and pretty much nowhere to stand. I was asked, unprompted, if i'd booked a table by some front of house staff as I walked through to the garden.
I left again. If this is people's idea of a country pub, I suggest they get out into the country a bit more.
14 May 2009 16:01
I'd imagine that Frank and Darren - being professionals running a pub in lovely N9 - have thicker skins than you give them credit for, london-drinker.
Being "deeply hurt" by things like my tame opinions regarding the atmosphere wouldn't stand them in good stead now, would it?
14 May 2009 15:45
Went recently � ostensibly to eat � and had no issues with the volume of the music. It was only once inside I realised what a superb range of beers they have. Prices were pretty reasonable too.
Plenty of dark beers (Sam Smith Imperial Stout, for example) and some lovely German and Belgian selections. As mentioned before, the smoked beer is really quite superb (and happily available from Leicester�s best off-licence, close to Queen�s Road � if you like beer, you�ll know where I mean).
One of the top places for beer in Leicester...and you wouldn�t even realise, unless you went in to eat.
5 May 2009 11:46
The Duke Of Wellington, Hackney
smoj77 and his shoulders laden with chips is a little bit too late in his lament, considering the Wellington was like this for years. Good choice of drink, relaxed atmosphere and excellent service. They have also retained what original features were left and reinstated the full, correct name. Ostensibly, it doesn't look or feel dramatically different to how it did before.
The problem is, smoj77, is that the demographics of going to the pub is changing. On the whole, in London, it is no longer the working classes who sustain pubs anymore. A walk around some of the working class local's pub of Hackney will tell you a sad story: the Monarch, the Duke of Wellington (Nile Street), Stags Head, the (former) Marie Lloyd, the (former) London Fields and the numerous closed pubs. I've been to them all, and they were/are struggling to make ends meet. Don't blame the middle classes for drinking in pubs, blame the working classes for abandoning pubs for the comfort of a six pack of lager and Sky TV at home.
23 Apr 2009 01:50
The Duke of Wellington, Hoxton
Older style pub, OK for a few quiet pints with harmless regulars. Not one for an exciting Friday night out.
17 Apr 2009 18:22
Funny..one one comment on this prime postion pub. Its a run down place, with scant on tap to tempt. Totally empty on Thursday night, but I'd imagine it gets more busy after work. Service was OK, as far as it went. There are three pool tables downstairs...quite rare for this part of the world. Not terrible, but there are better nearby, unless you want to play pool.
17 Apr 2009 18:20
Woo! The first to rate this place!
Old man boozer gone vaguely trendy. Nice paint job, reasonable interior. Adnams on tap and friendly service. Bit quiet - with a location like this, you need to know it's there.
17 Apr 2009 18:11
Yeah, its not a great as it thinks it is, to be honest. A little too cool for it's own good. The layout is unsual, but not relaxing. Slim Jims on Upper Street - or even Big Red on Holloway Road - are better approximations of an American style bar.
On a side note, the petulant argumentative attitude of michaelbuffalo is rather off putting, I must say. There are ways to get your point across, inform and educate about your venue, rather than sounding off and telling people to go to Wetherspoons. If you're like that on the internet, what are you like serving behind the bar? Manners, man.
I also find the phrase "boutique beers" irksome. Overall, a middling 6/10, alas.
15 Apr 2009 17:57
How long can it last with no customers on a Saturday night?
Not long, methinks. Shame.
14 Apr 2009 01:41
Traditional style freehouse with a couple of ales and real open fire. Friendly service and chatty regulars. Homemade pickles and chutneys are sold behinds the bar.
I really like it here.
13 Apr 2009 22:02
The Queen Adelaide, Shepherds Bush
Gastro pub in a stripped out but vaguely traditional style that is two-a-penny these days. Yeah, it suits the demographic they're aiming for (young, urban B & C1) but it's hardly revolutionary.
Beer is good, but food was expensive. Well, I think �13 to eat in a pub on the Uxbridge Road is expensive anyway.
25 Feb 2009 23:32
Still standing, but looking ragged now. I guess the demand for flats has somewhat diminished since the property developers bought it. Poor them(!)
I recall this place in the mid 90s - 'twas a lot of fun back then, but a return visit in 2003 indicated it was pretty much on it's last legs when it closed.
6 Jan 2009 04:14
Awful. The worst pub in Edmonton, it seems. An unfortunate award indeed. Bare, harsh place with an atmosphere you could cut with a knife.
6 Jan 2009 04:10
...and in contrast to the below praise, all I can say this is pub has taken an unfortunate turn for the worse.
For a start, there is no more pool, or food or ale. The friendly atmosphere has simply gone.
The "old landlady" managed to get rid of the ne'er-do-wells (or they simply didn't go there while she was in charge) but they seem to be slowly creeping back now.
You can still have a pint there in relative peace, but frankly it's not worth the effort. What a pity.
6 Jan 2009 03:31
The Conduit of Tybourne, Bond Street
According to the sign in the window this place has now ceased trading.
I bet if they'd kept it as a O'Connor Don, it would still be around now.
4 Dec 2008 04:02
Is child friendly the same a baby friendly? I think not. Here's a tip for those thinking of bringing babies into a pub: don't. Either accept that having a baby means a few sacrifices, or get a babysitter.
As for a the pub itself, it's pretty good. Comfortable, quick service, a chilled out atmosphere (assuming there�s no crying babies to annoy you) and the food is very nice (although too expensive, I feel). The nearby Red Lion is a better pub, but the Grange isn't too bad at all, in an upmarket kind of way.
1 Sep 2008 12:41
sdavies was expecting "gastro pub style" food, (whatever that means) and was thus disappointed by the standard pub fare. Sadly, that�s what this is: a standard pub.
A walk around Central London would've given the game away: this pub is part a massive chain of virtually identical pubs - same signage, same menu, same everything.
26 Aug 2008 11:32
The Clissold Arms, East Finchley
The Clissold has been nominated for Time Out's gastropub of the year award!
Is this dull place really the best Time Out could dredge up?
13 Aug 2008 12:01
The Pig and Whistle, Walthamstow
The BITE admins need to re-instate this pub. Went there about a month ago and chilled out in the back garden while the sun shined.
Service was very friendly and I had a pie chips and salad which was genuinely fantastic - and I don't say that lightly.
Perhaps it's got new owners?
8 Aug 2008 00:30
The Prince Regent Bar and Kitchen, Islington
I don't agree that it's more "restaurant than a boozer". They do serve food (pizzas last time I looked) but it still feels like a pub and so far I've only drunk in there.
The decor was more pub-like before but after it closed, it became some sort of cafe and got stripped out. I'd like it to be a little warmer (in a decor sense) but overall still quite like it here.
6 Aug 2008 12:29
The Charles Lamb, Angel, Islington
I concur with the tales of rudeness and have friends who now refuse to come here. It does however serve the useful purpose of keeping the more annoying elements of N1 away from other good pubs nearby.
Shame no-one commenting here who finds the service rude ever managed to come here when it used to be called the Prince Albert. It had the same great beers, superb food and really welcoming service.
What was different? Well, there were couches and armchairs where all those crampt tables are. Thoroughly charming and relaxing, it but didn't get enough custom. No accounting for taste, eh?
28 Jul 2008 15:39
The Thatchers Arms, Mount Bures
Did I go to a different pub? It looks identical from the outside and it's also in Mount Bures, but there the comparisons with other commentators� experiences stop.
The Roast Lamb was a cheap cut of meat and pretty average, complimented by bland, overcooked vegetables.
Decor is equally bland � there�s no personality to the place.
The ales were superbly kept, though, and service cheerful enough but I can't say I'll be rushing back - the 9.6/10 rating is completely astonishing and gives a false impression, considering the number of wonderful pubs out there.
If you're passing, skip the food, grab a beer and sit in the garden with the lovely views.
18 Jul 2008 13:33
A therein lies lesson for any budding entrepreneur hoping to put their �mark� on a place; if it ain't broke don't fix it. Sure, in the latter days the front has become the refuge of people who you'd expect to see drinking out of cans on the street, but that was down to the management.
How much money was spent changing it - and then changing it again - only for it to be less good than it was before? Incredible.
16 Jul 2008 17:12
Not wanting to denigrate Quinno's merry review, but saying it looked like it was last decorated circa 1974 might give people the idea that they're going to a fantastic retro time-warp, like the Pride of Spitalfields.
But no, it certainly has a gantry, but the leather couches, red carpet (pattern circa 1999) and yellow wallpaper (circa 2002) are all in the traditional mould, but in no way 1970s.
The last 70s looking vestige - an odd slidey coin game - went when the new owners took over.
16 Jul 2008 17:04
Great beers & ciders, good mix of people, 'interesting' decor, lovely back garden. Quite unique, really.
16 Jul 2008 16:45
If you're looking for a traditional English pub, it's very clear, very quickly, just by standing outside that this is about as far from "traditional English pub" as it�s physically possible to get.
16 Jul 2008 16:36
Well priced food, lovely interior, well kept garden and a superb selection of ale make this a place worth visiting.
Add to this attentive service and a good mix of locals, tourists, cyclists gives you an 8/10 or even a 9/10 pub.
14 Jul 2008 11:58
Went here based on the entirely positive comments made by the people here and was looking forward to it immensely. I pray it was an off day because 3.4/10 is closer to the mark.
The good:
Very pretty building, pretty much unmolested, good comfy bench seating and jazz wafting through the pub. Service good, too.
The bad:
Oscar Wilde Mild (one of my faves at the Nags Head, Walthamstow and the Viper, Mill Green to name two random examples) was virtually undrinkable. I spied an abandoned half pint of it elsewhere. One can only afford to condemn the 'Cask Marque' if you serve beer correctly. Perhaps an off barrel, I would've tried something else, if not for the below.
The ugly:
How hard is it to mow the lawn, or get rid of the weeds, or clear away pint glasses, or empty ashtrays? A birthday party taking place also filled the pub with around half a dozen exhausting, pub-ruining, shouting, farting, drunk chavs. The fat exhausted, bright pink, Playboy bunny sporting chavmobile parked out front should�ve been a giveaway clue.
In summary:
I honestly couldn�t wait to get away, and actually drove over to the Odd One Out in Colchester just to remind myself what its like to sit in a pub with nice people and drink nice beer.
I really wanted to like this place and I�m clearly in a minority of one here. I�m expecting a flak for my opinions but, of course, if they include ad hominem personal insults, it'll just reinforce my initial impression of the place.
14 Jul 2008 11:50
Proper back-street pub with a good mix of locals. Very good beer selection and the best pub garden in Hackney. Not one for a lively Saturday night, more of a relaxed afternoon kind of place.
17 Jun 2008 15:51
The Duke of Wellington, Hackney
I'm surprised there's only one comment for this pub. Very good pub, fantastic service and a lovely garden with a well-kept lawn. Generic lagers on tap, but there is a good selection of bottled beers. They had put cheese and biscuits out on the bar in the afternoon for people to snack on, which was a nice touch.
17 Jun 2008 15:49
Well, its nice enough, I suppose, but hardly groundbreaking. BBC News 24 was the entertainment there on a Friday night and the eating only section was deserted. The homemade black pudding looked interesting though.
17 Jun 2008 15:45
oops: The below comment from me should be for the Old Ship, just down the road.
The Cock, on the other hand, looks rather uninviting from the outside, but other posters are correct - it's a friendly, proper pub.
17 Jun 2008 15:44
Well, its nice enough, I suppose, but hardly groundbreaking. BBC News 24 was the entertainment there on a Friday night and the eating only section was deserted. The homemade black pudding looked interesting though.
17 Jun 2008 15:42
Broadly terrible, specifically depressing. The decor has less imagination than the punters. I remember watching them ripping out the rather nice old interior a few years back only to replace it with, well, some ugly wooden tables....and nothing else.
17 Jun 2008 14:17
The British Grenadier, Colchester
So Adnams want to focus on food and wine now? What a surprise. I've seen some of Adnam's refurbished pubs around Essex and they are a depressing sight to behold - clinical, formulaic wannabe All Bar Ones.
It is a shame, as 'normal' Adnams pubs are some of the best around. I wish the Grenadier all the best.
1 Jun 2008 14:34
lucy: I agree with the landlord, I'm afraid. It would have indeed been courteous and polite if you'd asked permission. It does costs money, but its more about the politeness aspect. I wouldn't do it, just like I wouldn't charge up my mobile phone, irrespective of how much I'd spent.
"Thinking nothing" of doing such a thing shows a certain lack of grace. Good manners cost nothing.
12 Mar 2008 01:29
The Duke of Devonshire, Balham
ianfreeman - calling people "CAMRA-style anoraks" for being upset with the developments at this pub is not only logically flawed and insults those who held the old pub in their affections, it also displays a lack of understanding of those interested in preserving pub heritage.
"Smartened up" is all fine - it was looking tired - but it can be done sympathetically and with taste. Being accosted and interrogated as you enter is both out of kilter with the ethos of being a 'pub' and also tarnishes that "good time" that apparently alluded you apparently during the 20 years you were a regular at the D.O.D.
Young�s (Wells) are rapidly gaining a reputation for distain towards anyone who doesn�t want to eat dramatically overpriced Brakes Bros style food, a disregard for the clientele who have thus so far kept them is business, and a penchant for pointlessly �funky furniture�.
6 Mar 2008 13:00
The Grouse and Claret, Belgravia
I mean no-one would shed a tear in the rubbish Talbot next door shut, but this is truly awful. It can't have been unprofitable, as it was always packed. I guess it wasn't profitable 'enough'. An offer they couldn't refuse, etc etc.
Tragic is the only word.
31 Jan 2008 21:31
Generic McMullens faux olde worlde pub which caters predominantly for the children of Essex on Sundays. Understaffed and cheap food. Horrible.
20 Jan 2008 14:10
Lovely Sam Smiths pub, wide range of SS beers, great location. A few too many meeja types, but its still good here.
Zagreb is right though - landlord has a face like a smacked arse: really awful, swearing and muttering under his breath when someone (customer and/or staff) doesn't meet his apparently very high standards.
14 Jan 2008 17:56
The Devonshire Arms, Marylebone
Expensive, but it really like it here. Wood panelling all complete, good service. Would be better if they served food in the evening.
14 Jan 2008 17:52
This place has been shut for a couple of years. Used to like it here for a quiet drink when everywhere else was rammed.
14 Jan 2008 17:50
The Angel in the Fields, Bond Street
Never sure about this place, but its growing on me.
The lack of music can make it really quiet off peak, but its not an problem when busy. Lots of American Expats come here, it seems. Great interior, although I can't fathom why they re-located the bar from the corner to the middle of the room.
14 Jan 2008 17:48
The Angel in the Fields, Bond Street
Never sure about this place, but its growing on me.
The lack of music can make it really quiet off peak, but its not an problem when busy. Lots of American Expats come here, it seems. Great interior, although I can't fathom why they re-located the bar from the corner to the middle of the room.
14 Jan 2008 17:48
Great little pub, in an old fashioned way. Good beer and service.
14 Jan 2008 17:46
This is certainly a divisive pub. Love it or hate it, it seems.
Based on the vitriol thrown at the clientele on this board one has to be grateful they don�t come here, as I can�t imagine them being at all pleasant people. If I understand correctly, middle class people aren�t allowed to drink in pubs. BITE isn�t the right place for scarcely disguised inverse snobbery, even if its caused by an inferiority complex. There�s a few bad pubs in Walthamstow where the problems go far beyond the tablecloth choice and who are far more worthy of criticism.
I don�t live near enough for this to be a regular haunt but have been around 10 times. On each visit I�ve personally never had a problem. Judging objectively, staff have been fine, beer very good and clientele pleasant � even had a chat with the landlord and had no problems there either. Then again, I like the Village, Plough, Queen�s Arms Coppermill and the Victoria � something to do with live and let live, I suppose.
14 Jan 2008 17:39
The Duke Of Wellington, Marylebone
I wish restaurateurs would open up restaurants in empty shops rather than ruining traditional pubs. In it's old guise this place had real character and was a place for everyone - now its virtually identical in look an execution to numerous other gastropubs. The march of predictable, safe uniformity continues unabated and not even Marylebone is safe.
This is virtually a restaurant now - so much so that if you want to find a review of it in the papers, you need to look under the restaurant section.
18 Dec 2007 21:45
The Freemasons Arms, Hampstead
Successive refurbishments have seen this poor old pub denigrate from its former already pretty woeful position to an unashamed nomination as the worst pub in Hampstead.
I recall this place in the early 2000s as a faux rustic place with abysmal service and awful food. An unsympathetic refurbishment (hotel lobby neutral colours ahoy!) just made things worse and its never endearing if a cruddy restaurant/gastro-pub has an unwarranted high self opinion. Terrible service and mediocre food still as standard.
Now, having shifted emphasis very slightly, it's still terrible here. It's obviously a cash cow being situated where it is, with the garden it has. Too many weekend walkers from the Heath jostle with locals who apparently left their taste (and tastebuds) at home. Surely the tourists who come here via the recommendation in their London guide book can�t be enjoying themselves?
The best thing about this place is it keeps some of the hoards away from the (relatively few) good pubs left in Hampstead.
19 Nov 2007 17:00
It might be by the water, but spending time here is pretty depressing, catering to a mixture of residents from the above dystopian nightmare more commonly known as 'luxury flats' and nearby office workers seemingly with more money than taste.
It looks rather like mid-range hotel bar - with the atmosphere to match. Anyone after a better pub experience in the area would be advised to look on BITE at some of the other pubs in Vauxhall - there are three or four better places nearby.
8 Nov 2007 17:45
Nice pub - comfortable place sympathetically updated, but still sufficiently pub-like. Aiming at people in their late 20s - early 30s. Pool table surrounded by music posters and articles, good jukebox and plus pub quiz. Friendly service, too.
If only every place in Vauxhall were this nice...
8 Nov 2007 17:13
The Horse and Groom, Belgravia
One man's 'tatty' is another man's 'well worn'. Proper little pub with good beers and friendly service. Can get pretty busy immediately after work, though.
28 Sep 2007 00:25
The Pantechnicon Rooms, Knightsbridge
Boarded up and looking gutted. More flats? A nice estate agency? Lets hope not...
28 Sep 2007 00:16
Proper pub: Nice old exterior, good atmosphere, good beers.
24 Sep 2007 01:33
Whatever the manager tries to convince us (10 Sep 2007) �6+ for a bog standard glass of wine is simply too much. Its certainly more pricey than other places in the area, coupled with a pretty average atmosphere.
BITE is a legitimate forum for complaint and compared to the majority of other places in London, the Fire station is too expensive.
Also although I've only had to use the toilets here once a long time ago (in the restaurant section)there was one of those irritating toilet attendants in there. I wonder if they still employ them?
24 Sep 2007 01:30
After my awful Sunday Roast which I wrote about in January, I can report its much better now. New Menu, slightly more expensive (surprise, surprise) but actually worth eating now.
Incidentally, I never got the feeling this pub thought it was "slick" or "cool". Saying its a place for "urban slumming", is an accusation better thrown and the nearby Prince, rather than the Defoe, which has more or less been the same since before Church Street became "cool".
6 Aug 2007 02:15
Currently being converted into flats, so the building will remain, not its intended use. Still, if you so desire you can live there from upwards of a mere �350,000, so thats nice, then.
30 Jul 2007 17:55
The Princess Alexandra, Crouch End
'lookmother' is right. Its a great pub, but too many times I've encountered a surfeit of kids here. One visit saw a toddler escape and attempt to become a DJ, while one afternoon I found more children than adults in residence.
22 Jul 2007 21:00
I can report the Pure UBU ale is now in perfectly fine form. There are normally 3 or 4 ales on at any one time and I have never had any problems with them, quality wise. Hopefully the previous poster's experience was a one-off.
17 Jul 2007 10:41
I concur with Ladnewton. Never had any problems here, with either beer or service. Didn't think it could get any better until I visited during the May's beer festival - absolutely brilliant. An almost perfect pub.
4 Jul 2007 14:54
Strictly imposed rules on children? (re: comment 23rd May) Its things like this which make me like this place. A pubs for grown-ups.
4 Jul 2007 14:50
Good one! Nice pub dog, good decoration and a bunch of friendly locals.
3 Jul 2007 12:29
Well done to all those who campaigned. You should be proud. It proves people power CAN still work.
16 May 2007 00:39
Has whoever is in charge now stopped the policy of opening all the doors at closing time to let in an icy blast? God, that was annoying - and unbecoming of such a pub..
16 May 2007 00:37
The Three Horseshoes, Whetstone
Sometimes things don't need a makeover - if it ain't broke don't fix it. Its now like innumerable other 'smartened up' pubs. I liked the divided rooms and the snug, olde worlde feeling, all of which has gone.
Oh and its called the "Three Horseshoes at Whetstone", for some unknown reason
16 May 2007 00:31
The Old Queens Head, Islington
Queues literally 20 feet long to get into a pub at 9pm mean its become a victim of its own success. The only winners in this situation are the owners. There better, less crowded places nearby.
15 May 2007 01:34
Didn't know whether to be scared or amused by the locals here - probably a bit of both. One suspects the people who came here before the refurb are exactly the same as those who come here now. Two pools tables and a chatty barlady weren't enough to keep me here longer than a pint.
15 May 2007 00:32
I'll leave the food comments to those clearly writing on the wrong website and focus on what the 'pub' bit is like - pretty darn good, actually. Couple of ales, friendly staff and decor a little beyond your usual stripped out gastropub. Perhaps the sports room could be a little nicer, perhaps. Get here before it appears in the Sunday supplements and ends up with clientele like those who make the Talbot terrible.
PS: Does anyone know what it was like when it was called the Sussex? I always meant to go in but never quite made it.
15 May 2007 00:28
The Duke Of Wellington, Hackney
Haven't witnessed bad staff here compared to the other recent poster, and I quite liked it here. Three ales on tap and a relaxed vibe. Not one for a Friday night, perhaps a cheeky midweek pint instead. Good pub cat, too. Better than the Talbot (easy), not as good as the Scolt Head.
15 May 2007 00:22
Surprisingly quiet high street pub. Pool table, darts and friendly staff. Not one to go out of your way for but OK if you're passing.
15 May 2007 00:19
Good pub, this.
In contrast to Strongers I find the service here very good. He's right about the dogs and their habits though, even if I don't find it annoying.
Slightly off the beaten track compared to the others around Pond Street, and as such seems to escape being filled with annoying people (ie: the Garden Gate).
16 Apr 2007 02:11
This place is great. Go there. The food was fantastic - good pies, and the locals were relaxed and friendly.
18 Mar 2007 21:37
The Three Horseshoes, Whetstone
Borrowed_ales is correct. It was once a very cute & cosy pub but has now been "opened up" as they say, which has made it rather souless. Wood panelling still in place, but a bit crap now. Too many TVs for a small pub. Shame.
11 Mar 2007 15:01
Was in there yesterday. Its pretty big when you include the massive garden and the old coaching side entrance which has been converted into an extra room.
Two ales pumps but only one in action (Bombardier I think).
11 Mar 2007 14:58
One or two locals with a far away look in their eye notwithstanding, this is a fine pub which is making an effort to attract people, despite its backstreet location. To hell in the Lock Tavern and its bouncers and crowds - this is a much better bet and right on the canal, too.
5 Feb 2007 22:12
Not generally a fan of dress codes for bars but (at the risk sound sounding a hypocrite) its necessary here to preserve the atmosphere.
Good place and practically unique now. The spirit of Camden is terminally ill, but the Dev still lives on.
5 Feb 2007 21:42
Not a place for your elderly aunt or for the scared tourists who sometimes can be seen in the corner. Good atmopshere, poor beer.
5 Feb 2007 21:37
Has been discovered by a few 'celebs' and their Heat magazine reading fans. Can still get a good night in there, though.
5 Feb 2007 21:34
Proof than in a crap place a good time can be had.
I remember when they had a 'big beat' night here (who remembers big beat, eh?) but the electro/rock nights aren't too bad either.
5 Feb 2007 21:29
If you're after a quiet pint in a cute olde worlde pub, look elsewhere. If you go here, know what you're getting yourself into first - busy, noisy but on occasion pretty good fun too.
5 Feb 2007 21:25
Very good pub slightly off the beaten track. Enough of a buzzing atmosphere, but also good if you're not after the full-on Camden experience.
5 Feb 2007 21:23
Quinn's has been rated by 110 users and has a rating of 7.3.
Says it all, really. Very good pub.
5 Feb 2007 21:21
Looks like I discovered this place two years too late, dammit. 'Now residential housing', as they say.
5 Feb 2007 21:18
The Londesborough, Stoke Newington
Q: Whats the difference between the Londesborough on a Sunday and a creche?
A: The children in a creche are kept under control.
3 Feb 2007 01:13
New management in 2006 have made this the best pub in the area (which isn't saying a lot I guess). Mixed crowd, friendly service, good food, no hassle.
Its so easy to do, so how come other pubs seem to find it so difficult?
17 Jan 2007 16:16
I like it before the refurb - real character and great service.
Now its a rather predictable semi-stripped out pub. If it aoint broke dont fix it, but this is a small taste of what will happen to small local 'real' pubs with the introduction of the smoking ban.
17 Jan 2007 16:01
I can totally understand why she said it, but the previous poster (Yvette) is wrong - this place is the opposite of scary.
Yep its full of older regulars, but everyone is friendly (really!) and the landlord a quality bloke. People do know each other there, but not to the detriment of others. Cosy and relaxing place but perhaps not the place for a Saturday night (or for 18 year old girls - some of the older gents probably had a heart attack).
17 Jan 2007 15:47
Can't be too harsh on the place, as its certainly better than ther terrible Bagabon.
However, perhaps due to the properties L-shape, its not very well designed - odd entraceway, harsh and uncomfortable 'eating only' section. Back section better - but lots of couches and armchairs means it doesn't take a lot to get rammed solid - and it does.
Saw no fewer than six mums with prams leaving the place last week - perhaps its where Stokie Mummys host their 'Mothers and Babies' afternoons thesedays - y'know a large white wine probably helps numb the pain of having to abandon their media career.
17 Jan 2007 15:33
I used to like it here, but the recent Sunday Roast I had was truly horiffic. And for God sake can someone stop putting on the worst piped music I've ever heard in a pub - unironic 80s power ballads, usually.
17 Jan 2007 15:10
Expensive and overrated. Has the potential to be great but falls short. Depressing back garden and dramatically overpriced food.
17 Jan 2007 15:07
Ladnewton is correct in his original review. Proper pub which happens to sell gastro-pub quality food. No 'reserved' signs to warn away drinkers and friendly staff. Good ales and a great real open fire.
Miles better than the Lord Palmerston down the road - lets hope it doesnt suffer the same pretentious fate.
17 Jan 2007 14:07
Interesting - the Pembury has made it into the top BITE pubs! I'm guessing people are rating it predominantly on the beer, rather than the ambience.
Some of you will find this hard to believe, but going to the pub is *more* than just about beer.
Perhaps people are giving the pub the benefit of the doubt as the beer is naturally excellent and the people behind the bar equally so. However I also see many comments saying more or less the same thing: unwelcoming doors, harsh lighting, not warm enough - like a school hall. Its better than when it opened, but more need to be done. And whether or not you like music in pub, going to the Pembury off-peak is like going to Church - you feel like you should whisper because of the deafening silence.
I know the manager looks at the comments here sometimes but not much seems to happen to remedy the problems. 'Chick' is right - if it were a nice pub to drink in I'd be there every week, but currently once a month is all I want.
22 Dec 2006 02:13
The Ebury Brasserie and Dining Room, Belgravia
This isn't a pub; its a restaurant with a bar in an old pub. Its inclusion on BITE is dubious
12 Dec 2006 21:11
The Princess of Wales, Primrose Hill
ameliegells: you fool no-one and are clearly a member of the management. I claim my £10!
18 Jan 2013 13:37