BITE user comments - discerningdan
Comments by discerningdan
Dreadful place! - another example of an genuine old pub that's been gutted and replaced with fake 'old' decor, so that it looks like every other fake-old pub in every other town. For the first time I can remember I felt underdressed in a pub! - or should I say "pub", because this is really just an over-priced restaurant for the local monied classes and tourists. They should stop the pretence and take the pub sign down outside and rip the bar out to put more tables in. Shame because it has a great riverside location.
18 Mar 2010 21:43
A fairly down-at-heel boozer that's been tarted up into a gastro-pub. Unfortunately it's not been done with any great taste or imagination - basically the bar's been painted white, there's awful white flock wallpaper, and a ghastly seventies-style plastic lampshade in the middle of the ceiling. Food was reasonable, although limited choice - the steak and chips were good (but no veg!), but the chocolate mousse was much too thin in consistency and a very small portion. Beer was reasonable but can't imagine anyone going here in the evenings if they just want a drink.
26 Feb 2009 22:54
A return visit to this pub after a year or so - nothing's changed, it remains a dire excuse for a pub. We only went to sit outside by the river - the only reason for going there - but the rain meant we had to sit inside and appreciate the non-atmoshpere of this non-pub. Re-decorated to ensure absolutely no character or points of interest, and virtually no customers! The only decent beer - Landlord - was inexplicably 'off' when we were there, and the bar stopped serving at 10.00pm!!! It was a Sunday, and we were allowed to stay there until 11.00pm - but even so, what sort of place is this?
6 Sep 2008 12:27
Fantastic riverside pub - certainly the best location in the Oxford area. It really feels like you're in the middle of the countryside rather than in a suburb of Oxford. There is a terrace overlooking the river with lots of seats and a gazebo, then there's a large area of grass before the river itself. There are some seats on this and it's a great area for children to play. In the summer punts frequently pass and sometimes tie up, all adding to the atmosphere. Beer is good and there's a large car park.
10 Jun 2008 20:37
Classy, traditional pub - very well maintained dark-wood interior, largely given over to serving food, but with a cosy bar area on one side. The food and beer is good and the service excellent, but get there early as it's very popular. There is a seated outdoor area but it's literally by the side of the road - not very picturesque, but it is a very quiet road!
3 Jun 2008 23:21
Characterful pub, but you'll be disappointed if you believe this site's description of it as having a 'riverside location' - it hasn't! It's a small pub down a side-street in the middle of an area of old industrial buildings. The pub is small with wooden walls and floor, with a limited amount of seating outside overlooking the grim buildings and road. Staff and locals seem friendly.
When we were there, on a Sunday evening, there was a four-piece band playing - mostly bland favourites from the seventies - they weren't bad (for free!) but in such a small bar area they were far too loud, making it difficult to talk. We weren't the only ones who moved on after just one pint becasue of this.
15 May 2008 20:28
This is a nice big old-fashioned pub - so old fashioned that on the Sunday we went the clientele, of which there were a fair number, were all male! - the only women were behind the bar, one very short and one very fat! Just like in the thirties (I imagine!), but giving a slightly weird atmosphere. Another feature was three obvious alcoholics sitting seperately at the bar - all in their sixties and all quietly talking to themselves - unusual (and sad) to see so openly the results of alcohol-induced dementia. The pub has sports channel TV, a pool table, and a quiz machine, and of course Fullers beer. A curiosity but not one to go out of your way for.
13 May 2008 22:19
Great pub - drop everything and go there now! It has the feel of a quiet country pub - bare wooden floors and roof, friendly staff, pub skittles game etc. - but in the middle of a town, in a big city! There are people here walking round in beards and cricket jumpers - and it's not even the cricket season! It's that sort of place. Very good selection of real ales including two different types of mild on draft - when did you last see that south of Birmingham? It's nicely tucked away down a side-street so I imagine it avoids a lot of the passing trade - you've got to know about it to go there. Not many punters on the Sunday night we went but enough to give it a reasonable atmosphere.
27 Apr 2008 14:57
Terrific pub in a characterful part of town (Jericho). Recently refurbished I understand, but have never been there before. Large main bar area with an open atrium to the second-floor ceiling,from which is suspended a large model of a Hawker Hart biplane. And I mean large - if it fell on you it would probably kill you! Above this is a lovingly- crafted version of the Sistine Chapel ceiling (honestly!). There are other rooms upstairs and a smaller bar at the front. Went there on a Sunday evening and rather than the usual dead atmosphere most pubs have on Sundays this was lively, with plenty of punters by closing time. The beer was from the Lake District brewery 'Jennings' - nice pint of Cumberland, but not sure what the connection is? Also Cider and German lager on draught
31 Mar 2008 18:48
The Swan Tavern, West Wimbledon
Reasonable pub that seems to be trying to please everyone - a large screen for sports at one end, a restaurant at the other, and an area for sitting and chatting in the middle. On the Saturday night we visited it was half full with plenty of seats, but a reasonable atmosphere. Young bar staff seemed fine. Bombadier was good, but the guest beer was hardly exotic or imaginative - Youngs! - the nearest Youngs pub being less than a mile away! But it's another genuine old pub that's had it's innards ripped out and replaced by dark wood panelling and Victorian lamps to make it look...er...old!
24 Mar 2008 21:21
The Lass O'Richmond Hill, Richmond
As has been mentioned this has been re-furbished as a gastro-pub, however the front part still has a pub feel and it has been rather tastefully done. Very comfortable armchairs and lots of them. The current 5/10 rating is way off - should be higher. Nice for a quiet drink on a Sunday night - didn't sample the food so can't comment.
3 Mar 2008 18:57
A funny thing has happened to The Railway - over the last five years or so it's gone from being one of the least good pubs in Cheam, to the best! Simply because all the others have had all character, atmosphere,and distictiveness (and even the locals) ripped out of them in the name of 'refurbishment'. Meanwhile The Railway has remained as it always was - an unassumming, fairly uninteresting standard local pub. The only change has been the awful red walls and ceiling have been painted white, giving a more airy feel, and there are year-round fairy lights round the top of the bar area(why?). There's a group of locals, which is comforting - any half-decent pub should have them - harmless old lags who've been going here for twenty plus years, and the bar staff seem friendly.
21 Feb 2008 19:01
The Harrow was never much of a pub - wooden panelling and dull atmosphere - now thanks to re-furbishment it's even worse! It now has no pub 'feel' to it at all - everything's been ripped out and knocked through to make one big bar that looks like...a hotel lobby? an airport lounge from the 70's? - certainly nothing like a pub! Completely characterless and not a place to go drinking - although the food may be OK -didn't try. By the way I wouldn't travel miles to come to the Sunday pub quiz - it's a 'Family Fortunes' type quiz where you have to guess the public's answers to various questions i.e. it's not a general knowledge quiz at all. And there are only ten questions read out over the PA by a bimbo barmaid - don't bother - wish they hadn't!
17 Feb 2008 13:07
The Claret Wine Bar, Cheam Village
Bland, bland, bland - if you had to think of a colour to describe this place it would be beige. A completely unmemorable place - shame as it used to be always packed and atmospheric. It's been 'modernised' and now loooks like any bar anywhere - consequently it was virtually empty when visited, just a few old lags watching golf on the TV!
14 Feb 2008 18:33
First visit to this pub for around twenty years. It's been ruined! It was a genuine old pub with wooden beams and nooks and crannies - that's all been ripped out and replaced with fake 'olde' furnishings. It's all wood-panelled like some sort of Boardroom, and if you don't like brown I wouldn't go here - everything's brown! Fairly empty, no atmosphere, a poor excuse for a pun!
12 Feb 2008 23:57
Excellent pub - beautifully kept Edwardian decor with real fire. Authentic feel - everything's brown - but that's how it was in the old days! Good beer and friendly bar staff as well.
21 Jan 2008 21:52
The Churchill Arms, Kensington
Very lively pub that's always busy. Recommended for unusual interior - full of interesting bric-a-brac, currently featuring dozens of rugby balls suspended by string from the ceilng! Sport on the TV, a Thai resaurant attached, and good beer - but it's not one for a quiet drink!
22 Sep 2007 11:18
Nice 'old fashioned' pub inside, effectively ruined by some large TV screens continually showing the sports channel with sound turned down! Would be OK for the occasional big event - but they were showing a darts competition on the Sunday night we visited! Few people there, but friendly East-European bar staff.Outside there is a seating area next to the pub building but as it's directly onto a main road it's not picturesque or quiet - one to miss, unless you like the smell of petrol fumes!
30 Jul 2007 20:44
The Bunch Of Grapes, Knightsbridge
Interesting Victorian pub - like a film set, and very well maintained inside. Went on a Sunday evening - good atmosphere, about half full. No sign of the RAT mentioned previously - expect he's been promoted to an executive position in the brewery!
11 Jul 2007 23:42
Very quiet on the Sunday evening when visited. Nice garden area at the back totally surrounded by trees and hedges - very secluded feel.
13 Jun 2007 23:28
Very nice little pub - small and cosy with interesting things on the wall
16 May 2007 23:10
Visited on a Sunday evening - virtually nobody there, except for a knucklehead with an England t-shirt! Also no sign at all of the Pub Quiz, advertised on a quiz website and on a large board outside the pub!
16 May 2007 23:07
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The Blue Posts, Piccadilly
Nice old-fashioned Victorian pub, but very small - up until about 7.30pm in the week it's standing room only. Then the theatre crowd leave and there's room for all to sit. Bar staff when we were there were a young Chinese couple - the male of whom had a bright red mohican haircut - totally out of keeping with the decor, but fun - what would Mr Dickens have thought though!
18 Mar 2010 21:49