BITE user comments - Uncle_Dunkel
Comments by Uncle_Dunkel
A Tale of Piracy on Dry Land
~~~Or~~
The Sting(o)
Wandering alsong the Thames Path one fine spring day, having already called at my old haunt, the Prospect of Whitby (on excellent form, BTW), I notice a new kid on the block...the Captain Kidd to be precise.
It's a Sam Smith pub.
I cut my drinking teeth in Sam Smiths..although a southerner. I went to Uni in Yorkshire and their brewery best was on sale for 49p a pint, back in the day, I consider them a good value brewery, or used to...
Nostalgic rambling over. I went in and stated peering at the bottled beer selectoion. (Britains most mystifying real ale brewer seem to have lost interest in actual hand pulled real ale some time ago). They had a new one called Yorkshire Stingo.
I only had about 7 quid cash on me, utility I optimisitcally assume that would cover just about any bottled beer. I was wrong. I was wrong. The barman removed the top and asked for 12.45. Feeling stung, I demurred, and ambled towards the exit, only to find him physical blocking my path
He stated that the price, which he had nor seen fit to pre-warn me about, was on the price list, which if course was written in minuscule type and hung in the darkest corner in accordance with the standard scam perpetrated by most pubs. He ...Australian and at least 20 years younger than me ...also informed me that I was a "rookie".
After I delivered him a number 3 Paddington Bear (rhyming slang for stare), I was allowed to leave without injury.
Two words: "trap" and "tourist".
3 May 2014 20:05
Clips facing forward, but no ale. Tragic this used to be a Firkin.
26 Mar 2014 14:00
Much more boisterous than a typical real ale pub, but still a very good bet for the town centre.
26 Mar 2014 13:54
Squarely aimed at ale and cider drinkers, does everything it should.
26 Mar 2014 13:50
Advertise Irving outside, no real ale within. Nice space, but they need to make up their mind what they are doing with it.
26 Mar 2014 13:27
Seemed very above average when I went in, admittedly when they were gearing up to a festival
26 Mar 2014 13:21
Boisterous but basically friendly bikers pub with decent selection of ales. Not sure it is worth 8.4 though.
26 Mar 2014 13:17
Boisterous but basically friendly bikers pub with decent selection of ales. Not sure it is worth 8.4 though.
26 Mar 2014 13:15
Oyster festival? What oyster festival? No sign of the little buggers.
31 Oct 2013 11:13
What's all the grumbling about? This is a great little boozer, with
sever well-picked ales at a mere £3.00 a pop (on Monday).
True, the interior is little spartan, but maybe they are waiting for
character to develop naturally instead of buying it in from a warehouse.
Not a gastropub--very drinker friendly; the menu aims a littel
above the bog standard, but only a little,
23 Jul 2013 19:19
Now called the Sergison. Old, rambling building with food orientated operation.
23 Jul 2013 19:14
Decent beer at good prices -- Hophead is on, and nothing seems to be over £r3.50. The interior is neither cramped not barn like, neither fussily olde-world nor starkly modern. I have always considered this one of the better bets in a not particularly great town for pubs.
23 Jul 2013 16:39
A cliquey trad boozer, very orientated to the armed forces. it has recently started doing real ale -- the bottled Fuller's Bengal lancer in bottles is good too.
1 Jul 2013 19:59
One of the best ale houses in a town that is not too long on them. This is a regulars' pub, although not unfriendly, located well off the main vertical circuit, but only a few minutes walk from the town centre. The pub is homely rather than smart, with a divided front room and a back room that hosts poker tournaments and other activities. There is also regular live music and a fearsome quiz. There are usually two guest ales from the GK list.
1 Jul 2013 19:54
The good: refurbished and nice choice of ales, late opening.
The bad: Chris, the Australian con artist. Ban him imediately, please.
10 Jun 2013 01:11
Now opens to midnight on fridays, which resolves my main complaint. Often one of the best selections of beer for miles around.
12 May 2013 19:33
Music pub with jam sessions on Mondays and band performances other nights. There is often no cask ale, but decent bottled ales are available.
21 Oct 2012 19:26
The Rose Hill Tavern, Brighton
I'm not a regular, but when I popped in a while back they had no draught beer due to a "dispute with the brewery"! However, the bottled ale was fine and reasonably priced. I don't know why bottles are regarded as second rate.
18 Oct 2012 15:42
This pub is all about beer -- even the decor is pictures of breweries.
There are nine handpumps serving a range of ales with an emphasis on well-hopped pale ales, although there are usually a couple of dark ales. Apart from the house beer (brewed by Kent, I believe) the range varies but often includes the likes of Thornbridge, Leeds, Magic Rock, Fyne and Dark Star.
Ale prices are strongly raked by ABV, starting at a very reasonable �2.90 and rising to over a fiver for the strong stuff.
American-style, born-again keg beer is all the rage nowadays, and the Craft doens't dissapoint on that front.
There a no less than 30 taps on their fonts, dispensing a mixture of US and European craft beers. Denmarks Mikeller
and Evil Twin (the breweries are run by two brothers) are a particular favourite. As these beers are specially imported, rather than chosen from a list, prices are high at about �3-�5 for half.
Bottled beer is not overlooked either. The extensive list
includes both favourites (Belgian trappist, London's Kernel brewery) and rarities, some of which are *very* expensive.
The staff are knowledgable and always ready to offer advice and samples. Simple bar snacks are available. Late opening on Fridays and Saturdays.
18 Oct 2012 15:25
I'm from Brighton and felt like I was back there in this arty and bohemian pub, appropriately situated in Brighton road
25 Apr 2012 15:09
I remember going in some years ago to encounter a party sitting round a table who suddenly started ringing hand bells.
20 Apr 2012 14:01
I've seen some good music gigs here, but the range and quality of the beer could do with improvement.
2 Apr 2012 12:02
It's over the road from me an offers Jazz Manouche and Duvel. Not much to complain about there, then.
19 Mar 2012 01:25
The dragon was larger than I expected with a classic "London pub" feel to the interior. There was a good range of beers as expected, and music session upstairs was a pleasant surprise. I am looking forward to my next visit.
7 Mar 2012 14:44
Oakham JHB AND Thornbridge Jaipur AND Darkstar Revelation...Ambassador...you are spoiling us!
6 Mar 2012 21:41
Well, they've extended the early closing to their beer festival
Maybe M C Escher could make sense of it...
8 Feb 2012 23:47
Pleasant pub with interesting ales ranging from 2.80 to 3.15 ish. Maybe *this* is the best pub in Woking.
25 Jan 2012 03:58
The Falcon has developed a rather strange attitude to closing time: the back bar closes at 10:30, while service at the front
bar gets slower and slower, the staff wandering about polishing things, in the exact opposite of a last minute rush.
Like a lot of customers, I use the pub while waiting for trains. Since the last trains to Brighton are well after 11, the early
closing is a bit of a disappointment.
19 Jan 2012 14:20
Definitely an above-average spoons, with a pleasant
interior and some decent guest ales. But is this really the best
pub in Woking?
18 Jan 2012 21:18
Strenuously eccentric pub (the landlord sports a fez!) with cheap beer (Harvey's and DS) and Thai food.
10 Dec 2011 04:21
Smart, well-run, not hugely characterful pub in a nice loation
29 Nov 2011 17:51
Large spoons with a modern loft/warehouse feel to the interior. handy for the station. Service seemed OK but I was in a t a quietish time. Reasonable selection of ales, but could no joy from the wifi.
29 Nov 2011 17:47
A definite pub of character and one of the better bets in the area.
It is located a fair way from the town centre, which might be no bad thing. I found the condition of the fff ales a bit below what I would expect from a brewery tap (on a quiet tuesday lunchtime , admittedly)
29 Nov 2011 17:33
As others have noted, this pub offers a polite welcome, bargain grub and well-kept Pride. Definitely Aldershot, not Aldershit.
29 Nov 2011 17:27
Not the slightest sign of ale, despite the signage, aggressive dog. Well worth a miss.
29 Nov 2011 17:25
I don't think anyone would want to go here when there is nothing on. As noted, the drink situation is completely haphazard.
I'm not kidding about the lighting either. I was once smacked in the occipital lobe by a pedalboard being carried through the gloom.
11 Oct 2011 14:03
Sixty Million Postcards, Bournemouth
This is a painfully hip and arty bar/bistro/club/live venue, in a building that looks like a huge, graffiti'd garage on the way to West Cliff from the Square.
The selection of beers and ciders is one of the wider in town, if rather pricey. The food menu is quite reasonably priced.
Seating runs to comfy sofas and chintzy lampshades. The twee theme is continued with jumble sales, cake sales and the like (really).
The live acts aren't always completely weird, and can sometimes
be quite good.
Definitely not for everybody (the toilets are downright disturbing).
11 Oct 2011 13:56
Much more of a bar than a pub. It describes itself as a "jazz dive" and does indeed have live jazz. The selection of world beers is among the best in town, but far from cheap. I found the dark, incense-laden ambience to be reminiscent of certain establishments in Amsterdam (ahem!). Painfully hip and trendy, if you hadn't got that already.
5 Oct 2011 13:00
Shows signs of promise on the beer front...but �2 for a half!
5 Oct 2011 12:56
Basically a cafe/restaurant rather than a pub , with a pleasant outside seating area. Hammerpot ales are sold in bottle, with Adur to possibly become available when the brewery is restarted.
11 Sep 2011 16:46
Very arty even by B'ton standards, featuring an extensive but pricey selection of beers
16 Jul 2011 15:13
The Craft Beer Co, City of London
A very welcome addition to London beer scene, located to restore the Holborn/Fleet St area to its former glories as a top crawl.
15 ales, all interesting, 21 draught beers, ditto, over 100 bottled beers, ditto. Prices are based on strength, and rake up steeply for stronger ales.The bar staff are knowledgable and easily able to make a recommendation.
The Interior is modern, but not brashly so, with dark colours and mirrors.As others have noted, there is a lack of seating that is not fairly high or low down,which could be offputting to some.
Thanks to the C&K people for the pub, and to BITE to alerting me about its existence days after it opened.
8 Jul 2011 01:08
Pleasant but bland decor. OK range of ales from Daniel Thwaites. On tho whole, a pleasant surprise to find in a nothingy area.
20 Apr 2011 21:37
Had excellent beers on during festival. Further reports to follow.
27 Mar 2011 18:13
Excellent pub, a good compromise between the priciness of the Eagle, and the scruffiness of the Wenlock.
27 Mar 2011 18:02
I believe the Wenlock is due for a change in ownership. The GBG is always cautious about such matters.
The Eagle is one of those new-fangled old-fangled pubs. The menu is Traditional British art very untraditional prices (such as �7 for a sandwich!). There is a fairly interesting selection of about 5 ales, which are served in "dimple" glasses in a typically
self conscious touch of retro. Can get extremely crowded.
27 Mar 2011 17:57
Spit and sawdust? They probably send their furniture out to get distressed.
Good ales though.
17 Mar 2011 11:42
Going from strength to strength..I counted 17 ales! All sampled were in good condition too.
11 Mar 2011 23:50
The White Horse, Parsons Green
This plush and rather grand victorian pub is something of an institution, featuring a good selection of cask ales, and an outstanding selection of bottled and draught ales. Is it overpriced? Session ales
a priced a little above average, with prices raking up sharply
with increased ABV. The same policy applied to continental
draught beers, which can easily reach over 7% ABV ,leads to prices
of �6 a pint! If your pockets are not as deep as the average Putneyite's, exercise caution!
11 Mar 2011 23:35
A great selection of well-kept ales is the main attraction here -- rather better than the White Horse over the river, although they
don't have the Horse's continental and bottled beer range.
The interior features a lot of bare wood with rustic touches. It could do with more customers though, I was the only one for half an hour on a thursday lunchtime!
11 Mar 2011 23:20
Serves Dark Star!!!!
Small, hard-to-notice place with a kind of opened-out mock-tudor interior.
Clientelle did not seem noticeably weird to me...but I am from Brighton.
3 Mar 2011 19:09
Decent range of beer. Seems promising, but hard to tell on a freezing monday in february
1 Mar 2011 19:06
A modern style gastropub in central Hapstead.
Cask ales from the associated Camden Brewery (actually in Camden, not on site) are reasonably priced for London. There
are a few quality bottled beers and an interesting selection of key beers including Brew Dog. The wine list is fairly
extensive as might be expected of a quality eatery. I didn't try the food but it looked and smelt good
25 Feb 2011 13:43
Not having been able to gt up all the way to Leyton, I welcomed the opportunity to sample some Brodies here.
2 Feb 2011 19:21
Sports a stuffed baboon in a kilt. Every pub should have one!
26 Dec 2010 00:42
So laid back the regulars help themselves when the landlady's away. Not a right angle in the place and all the better for it.
26 Dec 2010 00:35
Finally made it to this pub. As others have noted, it packs a huge range of beer into a very tiny space. It was packed
with a festive crowd at the time, and the outside areas were much in use despite the cold weather,
10 Dec 2010 18:29
Modern style bistro-bar that rather unexpectedly serves real ale--Dark Star when I was there
2 Nov 2010 12:36
Converted auction house which mainly exists to serve up live music and the less mainstream DJ's. Beer situation intermittent.
Occasionally have ales, but not well kept. Good bottled beers have also been spotted -- bring back Brew Dog! Stygianly dark!
21 Oct 2010 17:41
Above average Spoons, although the one in the town centre is even better. Cheaper prices although it is in a fairly decent area
21 Oct 2010 17:26
The Standing Order, Southampton
One of the best ale ranges I've seen in a spoons. Otherwise the usual
21 Oct 2010 17:20
The Soul Cellar 78, Southampton
good selection of Pukka lagers and so on, on top of the music.
Opens late so handy when staggering back to the station
21 Oct 2010 17:16
The Platform Tavern, Southampton
Good food and music at a pub with vaguely ethnic decor. Guest beer policy could be a bit more adenturous
21 Oct 2010 17:14
Quirky, scruffy place. The interior is tudor/mediaeval style and there is a pub parrot (always a plus point). Food is very hearty and reasonably priced, often including mussels (another plus point)
21 Oct 2010 16:55
Guest beers often in poor condition. A lot of people seem to use it for the wifi
21 Oct 2010 16:45
The Moon in the Square, Bournemouth
Huge department store conversion with distinct areas -- stag parties in the main bar, families in the side bar, oldies at the back and students upstairs.
The real ale side of things seem to be steadily improving and it can be a rival to the Goat and Tricycle on a good day. However it is inevitably and invariably full of idiots on Friday and Saturday nights, door staff notwithstanding. For service and sanity. go in when its quiet
21 Oct 2010 16:43
Goat and Tricycle, Bournemouth
Best real ale pub in Bournemouth, with about 10 available--the stronginthearm is particularly yummy. Food is a tad dearer and much better than the average--try the huge fish and chips.
21 Oct 2010 16:38
Classy establishment with a somewhat pricey food operation and decent beer. I mostly go for the jazz (and, BTW their piped music system is one of the best I have heard)
21 Oct 2010 16:27
Ye Olde George Inn, Christchurch
Best ale pub in Christchurch (although I am not an unreserved fan of Piddle). Food is excellent but not cheap. Tends to
over play its history (even the menus are "scrolls"). The occasional beer festivals are great. more please!
21 Oct 2010 16:24
The Thomas Tripp, Christchurch
Offers good value food , decent beers and music nights (is Johnny Lovell related to Sonny James Lovell?). Observes "time" very promptly
21 Oct 2010 16:21
Hip establishment for the trustafarian crowd. Quite food orientated, but there is a Purbeck beer pump shyly peeping out behind the bar, and some interesting bottled beers.
Has a guitar hanging on the wall, that;s a definite plus point
21 Oct 2010 16:13
The Sir Percy Florence Shelley, Boscombe
Spoons with hit-and-miss beers and "interesting customers". A good counterpart to the Timothy Shelley in Worthing
21 Oct 2010 16:11
The upstairs is a continental-style bar (with a food operation recently adr ded) with some decent beers running to Leffe and Duvel, a rarity in the area.
The downstairs is a deliberately scruffy music bar with some
sort of entertainment almost every night. Two or three ales are on stillage and usually decent quality. There has been some hoo-hah about the cllientelle from other reviewers: I would say they are just the type you would expect to find in somewhere that serves up loud music (eg the Prince Albert, Brighton). If you are a music fan you will know the type, if not it might be a culture shock. There's worse Bos-scum staggering about outside anyway.
21 Oct 2010 16:05
Late opening pub handy if you have missed as bus.
Trustafarian crowd, some pukka lagers.
21 Oct 2010 15:41
The Bermuda Triangle, Parkstone
Four well picked and quickly rotating ales and quirky interior. Handy for Mr Kyps
21 Oct 2010 15:37
The Branksome Railway, Branksome
Somewhat down at heel but friendly and the Otter is good. One of the better along the Poole Rd drag, but it is a funny area that is a bit devoid of locals and passing trade.
21 Oct 2010 15:31
Lively but not rough on music nights.
However, the current 9.5 rating is obviously the result of malfeasance, so I will be marking it down to restore some sanity
21 Oct 2010 15:25
The building is a pleasant wharehouse conversion with large upstairs and small outside area. I have found the ale selection here to be a bit
poorer than that at the Wimborne. Could be so much better
21 Oct 2010 15:21
Classy establishment with a good selection of beers form Hall and Woodhouse (note the bottled beers) and somewhat pricey high-concept food. Compare and contrast with the more homely
Poole Tavern next door
21 Oct 2010 15:17
Nautical pub with great tiled exterior. My seafood casserole was great and a huge portion, just how I like it. The Ringwoods is OK by itself, but not the best accompaniment for fish IMO. I was surprised there was no wine list, but the standard stuff was OK and pretty cheap. The food being so good, they could do with improving their game on the drink front.
21 Oct 2010 15:15
Converted library just off the high street with pleasant outside area. Clean and smart inside, which cannot be taken for granted with a spoons.
Have had some great beers in here on occasion, although it is hit and miss. A bit above the average.
21 Oct 2010 14:56
Modern-style establishment with a bit more of a cosmopolitan clientelel than others in the area. Can't remember anything about the beer so I will assume is was neither particularly bad nor good
21 Oct 2010 14:34
Decent pub, but the Bermuda Triangle is much more special
21 Oct 2010 14:31
The pub is conveniently situated on the main shopping street. It is narrow and deep in shape with snooker tables at the back. I am not a fan of Milk Street beers, although they are often supplemented by interesting guests. (Some interesting bottled beers wouldn't hurt, hint hint). Staff are very friendly.The crowd around the bar often have fishing interests (Where else can you hear an insult like: "Go catch yerself a kiperrrr!")
21 Oct 2010 14:29
Nice old fashioned pub with Fuller's, which is slightly unusual
for the area. I particularly appreciate the jazz nights on the cellar
21 Oct 2010 14:21
A fairly typical spoons apart from clientelle all having their own
teeth and in some cases yachts
21 Oct 2010 14:12
Basic, take-us-as-you find us establishment with a mixed clientelle. The beers I tried were excellent, and miraculously cheap. Makes quite a contrast with the King's Arms, and the Blue Raddle is a happy medium
21 Oct 2010 14:07
The Kings Arms Hotel, Dorchester
As noted, unrecognisable from the GBG description. It is clearly
food-orientated, although I managed to find one table that wasn't set for dining. Two interesting ales were on offer. Can't complain about the service, although I was almost the only customer at that point. Elderly diners then began to filter in. Although this is the very opposite of a "rough pub", the atmosphere was stll offputtingly sepulchral. If the dark panelling
and "waiting for God" clientelle weren't enough, the piped
music included a rendition "Ave Maria".
21 Oct 2010 13:48
Fairly typical real ale pub with mature clientelle and good range of beer
21 Oct 2010 13:33
The Moon in the Square, Bournemouth
Cavernous spoons with 3 guests usually available. Very centrally located. Wifi doesn't work.
20 Jan 2010 21:12
Large pub with ..what?..12 or 15 handpumps. Always intersting beers on, but quality is variable. The try-before-you-buy option is welcome. Not much community spirit, most pople who use it seem to be travellers stoppign off, but then so am I
21 Oct 2009 19:23
Went here to see the Fish Brothers once.
it's ad ecent community pub, covers all the bases -- food, beer and games. And no, I'm not the Landlord.
5 Oct 2009 11:31
The Crown Hotel, Littlehampton
Visited on a sunday afternoon. Pleasant nautically-themed interior.
A good selection of real ales (4 on at a time, going through about 20 a month) priced at �1.75-�2.40. Service was fine, some of the clientelle on the raucous side of boisterous (cheap beer?). Didn't try the food.
5 Oct 2009 10:53
Great selection of ales, putting it in the top 5 for London. Handy location too.
8 Sep 2009 17:44
I have visited twice on music days--music was great both times, the beer is well kept with interesting guests. Clean and comfortable. Deserves a much higher rating than 4.
25 Aug 2009 11:18
As everyone says, a good traditional pub which I visit a least once a week. It no longer does food. There are 4 real ales--Harvey's, Summer Lightning, Banks's Original (a midlands Mild) and a guest--invariable in good condition. Activities include quizzes, darts, and Sunday jazz. Before it sounds like I'm in cahoots with the owners, I could point out that the bar staff are sometimes in a world of their own.
9 Apr 2009 11:15
The Duke Of Wellington, Shoreham by Sea
Regarding the comment below,the Wellie has always much busier when there is music on (most Friday Eve's, some Sat Eve's, some Sun afternoons) and quite when it is not.
9 Apr 2009 10:51
Recently heard a US tourist moaning about happy hour beer at 1.80!
22 Jan 2008 13:45
A pub of two havles -- food and drink. Cannot speak for the Thai
restaurant operation, but the bar area is nicely pub with a decc=ent pint.
22 Jan 2008 13:42
Rambling pub, not spic and span but with some character. Showing considerable improvement under new management.
22 Jan 2008 13:41
Classy and friendly, reasonable selection of beer. Students were enjoying Django tunes penned in their great-grandparent's day when I was there.
21 Jan 2008 11:20
Only Harveys on when I was in there. This pub resembles what people expect Irish pubs to be, shambolic and full of characters (including an unnerving Ozzy Osbourne lookalike). The folk music session reinforced the impression.
21 Jan 2008 11:15
The Four Chestnuts, Chichester
Micro brewery owner did not seem idiot to me...good beer and food, possible searching for right clientelle
24 Jun 2007 23:48
Old fashioned pub with wood-panelled interior and good beer.
24 Jun 2007 23:45
Pleased to see pump clips for 6 guest beers. Not so pleased that three of them were coming next week...stil, an above-average Spoons, very large but not too cavernous.
24 Jun 2007 23:43
One of the best pubs in the area. Some competition
for the Stanley!
29 Jul 2006 21:21
Very old-fashoioned pub with interesting decor. Currently
seving Fuller's.
20 Apr 2006 14:38
Rambling community pub with food selection of ales.
The path by the railway track was not too traumatic.
20 Apr 2006 14:37
Excellent beer-orientated pub in the middle of the countryside (walkable from Barnham station,
but it's a bit of a hike)
20 Apr 2006 14:31
If you are after real ale, not that the wonderful Wenlock
is just up the road!
10 Mar 2006 14:08
An accurate rendition of a Dutch or Belgian grand cafe including
both the long benches and the long waits and the horror at
anyone daring to approach the bar (I was told off for
this the firt time I visited Belgium). Don't go expecting a standard pub experience.
27 Feb 2006 02:13
The Porterhouse, Covent Garden
Like it's Dublin original, it is decorated with copper pipes etc
to resemble the inside of a brewery. There is a choice
of stouts and a long list of bottled beers. If you want
to sip your beer in quiet contemplation, go during the afternoon,
it *is* quiet then!
27 Feb 2006 02:10
The Cask and Barrel, Edinburgh
Eschews the character of some Embra pubs for the standard alehouse approach of bare boards etc, but has about the best choice of beer.
27 Feb 2006 02:05
The pub is located in a street of reconstructed mediaeval buildings, Currently popular with the "black T-shirt and pony-tail" crowd. Attitude to beer has varied over the years,
it was apparently a brew-pub at one time.
27 Feb 2006 01:44
A large pub in bare-bricked american style. Very good
selection of beers but faces stiff competition from
the Mill Hotel. Lucky Chesterites!
27 Feb 2006 01:29
One of the best pubs in the city, a classy act in every way.
27 Feb 2006 00:42
One of the best selections of Belgian beers in the country. A
bit of a walk from the station, but what better way to break a long train journey ?
27 Feb 2006 00:32
I was once thrown out of this pub with the words "we sell
beer not space"! I still like it.
26 Feb 2006 21:25
Full of nautical atmosphere and the best beer in the city
centre.
26 Feb 2006 21:23
The West Riding Refreshment Rooms, Dewsbury
Absolutely wonderful pub -- a fine partner to the Stalybridge
buffet.
26 Feb 2006 21:17
Looked pretty good on a brief visit. If the music is as
good as the beer, this it the place to be!
26 Feb 2006 21:12
The Rat and Ratchet, Huddersfield
The silly name is the only problem with this exemplary
ale-house.
26 Feb 2006 21:07
I personally found this to be an improvement on the
much-vaunted Crown Posada.
26 Feb 2006 20:48
It was standing-room only when I visited this well-reputed
pub. Pobably best not go to Newcastle on a match day.
26 Feb 2006 20:44
A listed building with tiled
interior and exterior, and a good selection of ales. The name is Spanish
for "inn" -- there is a "Crown Posada" in Newcastle.
26 Feb 2006 20:41
The Great Western, Wolverhampton
This railway-themed pub is located
down the obscure back streets behind
Wolvehampton station. A former
CAMRA National Pub Of The Year it
stocks the fine products of two celebrated Black Country brewers,
Holden's and Batham's. In recent years there has been an emphasis on food (lunchtime only), but not to the detriment
of traditional pub values.
26 Feb 2006 20:21
A black country pub in the city with gargantuan portions
of highly carnivorous food and Batham's sweet, yeasty bitter.
26 Feb 2006 20:08
The Newhampton Inn, Whitmore Reans
A pub with something for everybody, and a real draw despite being in the middle of nowhere. I whiled away many a happy hour here when I was supposed to be studying.
26 Feb 2006 20:02
Friendly biker's pub with huge range of beers. Easilly
accessible by public transport -- a must for any Black country crawl.
26 Feb 2006 19:58
hard-to-find pub with good beers and a very laid-back Bristolian atmosphere
24 Feb 2006 23:24
Under new managenebt, this pub now does interesting guest ales and is generally well appointed. Could do with being nearer
ther station!
24 Feb 2006 21:23
Partly a scoopers pub with many a guest ale, partly alocal's
pub geared to the Irish communit, with a multi-room layout
accomodating non-smokers (the front bar can get boisterous).
Note that the full roster of guests is only available at weekends.
24 Feb 2006 20:25
Like everyone else, i didn't catch the Port Mahon, but still a good pub.
24 Feb 2006 18:59
Used to be the best beer cafe in Brussels, now threatenned by the
delirium. Speicalises in seeking out obscure Wallonian beers,
which makes it particularly worht checking out as most
vists to Belgium tend to focus on the Flemish region.
24 Feb 2006 17:52
In the old days, the best thing about this pub (apart from the 1am license) was when the posh people who had come to see the play upstairs collided with the rough people from the doss-house
round the corner. It's been done up now, I hear, but at least Pat's still there.
24 Feb 2006 17:43
A very Camdenny pub. I think the word "pissmire" was invented to describe the Gents'.
24 Feb 2006 17:39
Not the easiest place to sit down, but otherwise one of the best
pubs in central london.1
24 Feb 2006 17:36
Probably the best pub in ork, which is saying something.
I made the mistake of not eating there!
24 Feb 2006 17:23
a very pubby pub which brews it own beers in distinctive styles.
A 'must' for any trip to the area.
24 Feb 2006 17:21
The Briton's Protection Hotel, Castlefield
Yet another superb Manchester pub. How do they do it ?
24 Feb 2006 17:18
A deep, narrow pub decorated in sort-of Victorian style (oil paintings on the wall and bare boards?). Two rapidly-changing
guest ales. A most welcome addition to (very) central London.
It can be astonshingly difficult to find good beer in the
Great Wen. The Porterhouse lies a short way to the east, as do a
numner of other good pubs.
24 Feb 2006 17:15
Hard to find but worth it..great beer, and a very 'London' atmosphere. Can get smoky.
24 Feb 2006 17:09
It has had its ups and downs over the years, but it has now been about the best pub for beer in London for some time. Well worth
combining a visit with a 'graze' round the market, which sells
the best of British produce.
24 Feb 2006 17:06
Easily Worthing's best real ale pub. Strong links with
Dark Star/Evening Star hence bootled Belgian beers as well
as cask ales. To find it, aim for the gasometer!
24 Feb 2006 17:00
Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, Nottingham
The claims of antiquity need to be taken with a pinch
of salt -- some say the Bell Inn is older. But is
a truly one of the most remarkable pubs in the country.
24 Feb 2006 16:53
The Vat and Fiddle, Nottingham
Somebody sat down and said "Right. I'm going to make this the perfect pub". And then they did.
24 Feb 2006 16:50
Fellows Morton & Clayton Ltd, Nottingham
Brew pub with reaosnalbe prices and realxing atmosphere
24 Feb 2006 16:46
One of the best in Nottingham, although it suffers somewhat from its location.
24 Feb 2006 16:44
Wonderful brew-pub, which is back on fine form after a checkered
history. it has even recreated the sadly missed Holt Plant and Deakin Entire. Out of the way but well worth a 'pilgrimage'.
24 Feb 2006 16:38
Excellent pub, a long walk or short train ride from the City centre.
24 Feb 2006 16:30
The Peveril Of The Peak, Castlefield
Classic pub -- if you can catch it when it's open!
24 Feb 2006 16:23
The Smithfield Hotel, Manchester
A ticker's pub with a wide slection of guet ales. The atmosphere
is scruffy/homely. Has a very Mancunian feel, or so it seems to this southerner. Near the Bar Fringe, Beer House, etc.
24 Feb 2006 16:20
A favourite pub. A huge chocie of ales, rivalling the Smithfield and beating the Beer House, and agood choice of reasonably priced
home cooked food. Down-to-earth and friendly.
Can be included in a Norther Quarter crawl at the expense of
a 10 or 15 minute walk through a rather industrial area.
24 Feb 2006 16:17
Used to be good but seems to have been harmed by its re-branding as a stoodent pub.
24 Feb 2006 16:10
How come it only has 4.9 out of 10 ? This must be a testament
to the narrow-mindedness of some real ale types, who overlook
the superb range of Belgian beers. A unique establishment in my
top 10 out of the country!
24 Feb 2006 16:00
The "cafe culture" in Manchester is unique -- they have mastered the art of combining good tradional
beer with a hip ambience. This is prime example.
24 Feb 2006 15:56
Magnificent interior, excelent beer from one of my favourite
breweries and good, reasonably pruced thai food.
Seems to be struggling, perhaps because of its location, It can be accessed by freequent buses leaving from right outside the Square Peg in the city centre.
24 Feb 2006 15:54
Frequented by the teenage JRR Tolkien and little changed since then. Sadly no more Burton Ale, but still a fair selection.
24 Feb 2006 15:49
Fairly civilised 'spoons. Mobile 'phones don't work inside!
24 Feb 2006 15:45
Odd collision between a trad. pub serving real ale
and a late-late club. Would be less out of place in Manchester.
24 Feb 2006 15:40
Very large pub, with a very rough clientelle even by
'spoons (and Brum) standards. Packed on shopping days.
The saving grace is the array of handpumps which can
be put to good use during beer festivals.
24 Feb 2006 15:38
Bohemian muso's pub in working-class Digbeth, popular with
an "in crowd" who mostly treck up from Moseley on the number 50.
Alright if you like that sort of thing. I am giving it a low
rating to restore some sanity.
24 Feb 2006 15:34
The Old Joint Stock, Birmingham
Looks forbiddingly smart from the outside, but don't
worry, they let anybody in! The full range of Fullers'
(IIRC it is their northenmost outpost). Prices above
average for brum, but look at the palatial interior!
Left out of the GBG one year over a silly storm-in-a-teacup.
24 Feb 2006 15:31
Theatrical pub on the outskirts of both Chinatown and the gay district. Varied clientelle with crowds of theatregoers descending occasionally. Usually a good guest ale on -- one
of few real ale outlets in the immediate area.
24 Feb 2006 15:28
There is a narrow front bar, which can get very smokey,
and large back room used for live music and private functions.
Two guest beers change regularly. Busiest early eves with
local workers. It is not clear from the GBG, but this pub
is very near the Anchor in Digbeth, making a good mini-crawl.
24 Feb 2006 15:23
The Figure of Eight, Birmingham
Tends to get suits early in the evening followed by students
tanking up cheaply before moving on to somewhere trendier.
The usual plusses and minuses of a 'spoons. Can be an opportunity to drink decent beer cheaply in the Broad Street area, which is
nothing to complain about.
24 Feb 2006 15:18
Refurbished in traditional style after a series of disasters.
The Highgate beer is good and very good value. Handy
for the cinema. Clientelle are a mixture of suits, builders and students. Studenty music nites take place upstairs.
Proof that there are some good pubs in the Broad Street circuit-drinking area if you look.
24 Feb 2006 15:14
One of JDW's flashier efforts, with "30's colonial" decor
and fancy bogs -- of course they can't do anything about the
customers. Popular with shoppers. Usually a couple of reasonable
guest beers.
24 Feb 2006 15:10
The Bridge Inn, Shoreham by Sea
Genteel and food-orientated during the day, boisterous and youth-orientated during eves. The only pub in town to offer
a choice of Gale's ales.
24 Feb 2006 15:05
The Swiss Cottage, Shoreham by Sea
Food and familly orientated establishment with a small
menagerie. If you are into beer, carry on to the Red Lion.
24 Feb 2006 15:01
The Waterside Inn, Shoreham by Sea
A fairly ordinary pub in a good location. The only point of interest is that one of the regulars owns a dalek.
24 Feb 2006 14:59
The New Burrells Inn, Shoreham by Sea
Friday and Saturday are "18 or over nights" so the rest presumably aren't. As bad as the pub directly opposite is good.
24 Feb 2006 14:56
Antique, low-ceilinged pub in the High Street with an ambitious restaurant.
24 Feb 2006 14:54
The Lazy Toad, Shoreham by Sea
Deep, narrow one-room pub with 5 or 6 ales on gravity and saucy pictures of amphibians. Gets smokey.
24 Feb 2006 14:52
The Ferry Inn, Shoreham by Sea
Cramped, multi-room layout, OK beer, folk music in the cellar.
24 Feb 2006 14:50
The Buckingham Arms, Shoreham by Sea
An amazing 11 ales and two ciders, occasional live music and beer
festivals. Shoreham is well provided with pubs for a small town and this surely one of the very best.
24 Feb 2006 14:47
The clientelle aren't any advertisment for Brighton: it is
directly on the route from the station to the seafront and therefore traps whatever grockles have piled off the train. But is there any other pub near the seafront you can take children into ? (I'd like to know!)
24 Feb 2006 14:42
As well as being a boho/muso establishment, this pub
is also a rpetty decent real ale house, serving two guests
(one usually from Dark Star) at low prices. Most real-ale types seem to give it a wide berth.
Makes a strong contrast with the distinctly boourgeois Nelson
just down the road!
24 Feb 2006 14:34
A tiny pub which nonentheless manages to host live music
and provide excellent cuisine. The landlord prides himself his rudenss and his Egon Ronay listing. I well recall his reaction when someone dared to ask for a bowl of chips...
24 Feb 2006 14:24
An example of how a traditional pub can also be trendy. AFAIK
it is family-run and I have neverhad any problem with the staff.
24 Feb 2006 14:21
I've made several visits over the years (I used to live just down the road in the early 90's) and have found the beer quality
to be rather variable, although I would say it is always worth a try.
24 Feb 2006 14:17
Back to Uncle_Dunkel's profile
Grand Central, Brighton
Has been subject to a rather nice retro makeover, stretching to snob screens. But, as others have noted, you can do better for choice and price nearby.
24 Sep 2015 11:26