BITE user comments - iheartcupcakes
Comments by iheartcupcakes
Have always found the barstaff in here pleasant - the grey-haired guy is always chatting to us about heavy metal and punk and even played us a load of Saxon/Motorhead before we went to a gig in Kentish Town a few weeks back!
Good selection of Belgian/German beers. Toilets are a bit grim but at least they have loo roll and soap (Something a lot of places dont seem to bother about.) Good place to meet mates and have a drink/chat as can usually get a seat as its so big!
14 Aug 2009 20:05
The New Cross Inn / Bar Alchemy, New Cross
re creatures comments to me - customers who think they've come to dabble in an amazing "scene" they once read about in the NME a few years ago and are SO VERY DISAPPOINTED when it's actually a run-down old Irish boozer with crap promoters and shitty bands and psychopaths who try and assault you from across the bar. So when they come in, their faces downcast, noses wrinkling slightly, and look at you like you're not fit to lick their boots, you can understand a little bit of hostility
I hate to disappoint you but I've been going to the New Cross Inn since I first moved to London about 18 years ago and have no pretentions of an amazing new cross "scene". I also know how crappy bar work can be - however I dont expect a drama when I enter a pub because you're reading the paper and I've had the audacity to want a drink, in a bar!! As for your assumption that we came in looking down our noses at you - thats quite a joke- we've lived in New Cross for 15 years so we dont really have that kind attitude so again your assumption was way off mark.
11 Aug 2009 18:22
Went a few Saturday's ago when my other half's band were playing there. No real ale on (as has been the case the last 3 times we went to gigs there.) Staff seemed not to have much clue about anything but were pleasant enough. Ladies toilets some of the worst I've been too - how the upstairs reaches health and safety standards is beyond me.
Went and sat in the garden to avoid the heat and was overjoyed to witness a group of vomiting under 18s off their faces on jagermeister.
A place to avoid unless theres a band on you really cannot miss!
11 Aug 2009 17:57
Have been popping into the Royal Albert since it first opened and still enjoy its good range of real ales (for the hubby) and bottled beers/wheat beers (for me).
Last Sunday we popped in for an afternoon pint, with no intention of eating, however after seeing and smelling the food I could resist no longer and opted for their roast beef dinner! Was great - the only thing I could do better myself was the yorkshires (and I've yet to find one better than my own!). Deffo recommended for food - will be going back on a week night to try out their great sounding menu
I agree with the poster below that some of the furniture could maybe do with being put on the dump - theres one sofa that is basically like sitting on the floor (I imagine, I wouldnt try it as it looked like I'd never get out again!) Apart from that its a really comfy bar.
The staff are really friendly, and you get served quickly. The toilets are always clean with loo roll and soap (it amazes me how many pubs dont have this!!!) and its definitely my fave pub in my local area.
Oh and they make fresh popcorn behind the bar if you ask - we didn't have any after our lunch but the smell of it popping was totally inviting!
11 Aug 2009 17:11
I made my 3rd and last visit to the Dev under its latest manager and I wont be going again until she's out of there and its had a good clean. I wont go into a massive amount of detail, but running out of beer at 9.30 on a Saturday really isn't a way to run a pub. Last time I went they'd run out of glasses and the girl behind the bar (Who used to be a security guard and now seems to spend most of her time doing her long hair behind the bar) was busy adjusting her ill fitting clothing rather than serving. When she did finally decide to do some work, I got a hoegaarden that smelt like rotten egg and my husbands ale was 3/4 full -when I asked POLITELY could she perhaps top it up she basically pulled the pump so hard I thought it was going to fall off the bar and then slammed the glass down so viciously i'm amazed it didn't break. So that was service with a smile Dev style.
Also the toilets - my husband said the same urinal has been broken in the mens for weeks wit the same festering bucket of god only knows what gathering underneath the leak. He has been in a zillion portaloos at festivals and said nothing compared to the stench in the Dev. I can believe this as I saw more used ladies sanitary products in the toilet than I ever need to see again. Would it kill them to clean?
As for the manageress - she's a joke. When I asked her on my husbands 40th (my first visit under her "management") were they going to be serving any more beer as they'd run out her answer was along the lines of "i've made my money for the night (at 9.30) and couldnt give a s**t)
Finally - another poster mentioned the punks- when the punks run the Dev it was cleaner and a lot more welcoming than it is now. We went on NYE and it was mainly punk bar staff, yeah they were drunk and maybe a little whiffy but they served you quickly and without attitude. And the music was better when they were in charge too. And it was cleaner. I dont know how it survives now- I'd have assumed the state of the place breaks about a zillion health violations!
11 Aug 2009 17:04
Have to disagree that its a "charmless pub, in a charmless area, with charmless people". We went recently for a friends 40th and it was a great night - the staff were really friendly and helpful with suggestions for some friends who weren't sure what they wanted. The bar itself, although quite modern was inviting and comfortable. As for the area being charmless - seriously do you only visit pubs in "well to do" areas or something.
I recommend this pub to anyone who likes some non fizzy pop good lager from Germany - and wants to try something different than your usual Lloyds/Yates experience. The selection of beers is really good, they have german good and a warm welcome. The area really isn't that bad - and you can get a bus from Vauxhall or the Elephant and Castle that stops about 2seconds walk away if you're really scared of walking round South London!
11 Aug 2009 16:56
Back to iheartcupcakes's profile
Utobeer, Borough Market
<em>This isn't a pub, it's an offy. Ginger geezer is no more ruder than Norman. Fine selection of beers, he knows his stuff, what more do you want? Give the guy a break or go back to whatever sad boozer you hang out in.
</em>
I am the person you referred to in the post above with my old user name - I don't think that anyone said it was a pub so I'm not sure what your point is? I've been buying beers at Utobeer for years and spent a fortune thanks so I don't really need you telling me to "go back to whatever sad boozer you hang out in" - who made you king of the boards? I was just making a point about the guys rudeness - I seriously don't think that when you are spending �60+ on a few bottles of beer (which I do frequently), while everyone else around you is taking pics of the shelves a bit of pleasant customer service is too much to ask.
27 Oct 2009 23:16