BITE user comments - red
Comments by red
Excellent little single-room pub with a good choice of ales, mostly local, all in excellent condition. Quirky and characterful decor with more than a hint of the gothic and a good smattering of humour. High tables, banquettes and stools, friendly and efficient service from the tiny bar. Ales on gravity in a little ante-room. This is a proper pub, a pleasure to visit and I shall look forward to doing so next time I'm in town.
4 Jan 2015 17:52
A nice, informal little pub. I visited on a cold winter evening when the fire was roaring and filling the place with the lovely aroma of woodsmoke. I tried only two of the ales from the stillage in the middle of the pub; a Westerham Double Stout and another which I've forgotten, but they were both in tip-top condition. The other punters were mostly 20s-30s and the atmosphere was easy-going and moderately lively. Service was prompt and friendly and I found nothing to mither about. I didn't try the food on this occasion but have had mackerel here on a previous visit and it was fresh and tasty and perfectly cooked. I come here every time I visit Margate and will definitely continue to do so. I wish there was a pub like this near me.
4 Jan 2015 17:43
A marvellous, micro-pub, out on the harbour arm, not far from the lighthouse at the end. A small, single-room pub, not more than about 4x4m, with three ales all on gravity, a Bank Top Sweeney's, an Avocet from Exeter and another I can't remember. My Sweeney was in excellent condition and I would have liked to stay and try the others if I hadn't had a booking in town. A very relaxed and informal atmosphere. Table-sharing is the natural thing to do in such a small space and the landlord and customers were friendly and welcoming. Simple bar snacks, mostly pickled eggs and pickled onions, of which there were several varieties of each. There's also a piano! Fisherman's netting hangs from the ceiling with many and various adornments. This is now firmly on my list of things to do every time I visit Margate.
4 Jan 2015 17:10
Could be so much better. When we visited last week their till was misbehaving and I had to suggest to the staff that they take my credit card and run a tab [they hadn't thought of this and were turning other customers away!] The last three times we've been in they have had two ales on, but both were from Greene King: their IPA and Gangly Ghoul. Why would a pub not owned by GK serve only GK beers when London is stuffed with excellent new breweries? Does anybody like GK beers? Anyway, they had bottle-conditioned ales from Kernel and Beavertown in the fridge. On two consecutive rounds I had to ask them to cool a hot, just-out-of-the-dishwasher glass under the cold tap; both times they did so without mithering, but you shouldn't really have to ask. Who wants hot beer?
Fairly popular with the hipster types that have taken over the area but less pretentious than Paradise, the Parlour and the William but arguably more so than the Island and the Mason's.
The steaks are very good and priced accordingly. I have enjoyed sharing a blue Cote de Boeuf there on many occasions and have never been disappointed, but this is not a cheap option. The restaurant is in the back room and the front room is the pub. Before it became a pub it was a branch of Barclays bank.
16 Nov 2014 19:20
I love this pub. I wish we had pubs like this where I live! I stopped by today (Sunday) about lunchtime on the way back home. It's a proper, no pretensions, down-to-earth pub. There were about 8 ales on, I think. I was on my bike so only had a pair of halves of Oscar Wilde mild and Mighty Oak porter but both were in tip top condition. Other beers included Dark Star's Hophead and Festival, the Pale Ale from Five Points, and some others I can't remember. Food is good, basic, this-is-a-pub-not-a-restaurant food: toasted sandwiches, pork pie with piccalilli, scotch eggs and the like; no overpriced burgers here! There are not enough pubs like this around. Cherish it, use it, keep it going!
16 Nov 2014 18:13
This is a hugely characterful pub, overlooking the harbour, with a very distinctive ship-themed exterior and a splendidly unmodernised interior consisting of one large room, adorned by every kind of object you can think of and then some. From the ceiling beams hang chamber pots, jugs, key rings and lots more. Elsewhere in the room you see an antique globe, a parrot (live and reputedly foul-mouthed, but that may have been an exaggeration), collections of figures from a dixie jazz band. It's quite a magical interior, a world away from the identikit farrow-and-ballsed-up pubs that increasingly infest the land. We visited only once but were charmed by the place despite a very ropey pint of Pheasant Plucker (there were two pumps on, both from Hunters but I wasn't tempted to try the second after the over-aged and vinegary state of the first). Despite the poor beer quality I think if I were a local I wouldn't be able to resist popping in for a whisky whenever I could muster the excuse. It's rumoured to be up for sale: no doubt the irresistible tide of Farrow and Ball will sweep away this oasis of individuality. In the meantime, pop in and marvel at it, but don't stroke the dog. There's no beer garden and no food.
29 Jun 2014 01:48
Lovely pub! We didn't explore the interior as there was a wedding on, but sat outside on the banks of the river Clyst and sampled the excellent ales. An amazing and unexpected bonus was that as we sat gazing wistfully over the river winding through the meadows as the evening light played on its surface, up popped an otter! I'm already planning a return visit to Topsham.
19 Apr 2011 12:33
The Briton's Protection Hotel, Castlefield
Magnificent! The saviour of our evening. Though it was Saturday night we found a table in this beautiful pub and had indisputably the best pint of the evening (the wonderful, smoky Pitch Porter in tip-top condition). With gorgeous tiling, woodwork, moulded ceiling and a labyrinth of rooms, it's deservedly listed in CAMRA's national inventory of heritage pubs. There's also an epic range of malt whisky and bourbon and some rare bottlings of Jack Daniels. If there's a better pub in Manchester, I don't know of it.
23 Jan 2011 16:17
The Peveril Of The Peak, Castlefield
A lovely pub, unpretentious, with some very nice original woodwork and glasswork, but the Deuchars was distinctly ropey last night so we abandoned our unfinished pints and went to the Briton's Protection.
23 Jan 2011 15:45
I visited on a Friday night. There were two ales on: Mad Goose and Hooky Bitter, both in very good condition, �3.50 per pint. Pay attention to the prices on the wine list as the glass price rises steeply. It's a very food oriented pub: most tables downstairs are set for dining and only a couple of tables and some bar stools remain for non-diners. There's another dining room upstairs. Reasonable range of malts and bourbons.
I didn't think the food was particularly over-priced, and it was certainly good stuff! We had three starters: trotter wontons; crispy pigs' ears; duck hearts on toast. All three were very tasty and between �5 and �6.50, which I thought was OK given the quality. For main courses we had wood pigeon and beef bourguignon (�15), both very good. Service was good at bar and table.
It's more restaurant than pub, and not the best choice if you just want to drink, but if you want good grub with a nice pint, it fits the bill.
14 Jan 2011 14:01
The Tavistock Arms, Westbourne Park
The building has been demolished and is currently a pile of rubble with a pair of mechanical diggers on site. I've no idea what it will be if/when rebuilt.
4 Jan 2011 23:48
oftenscore6 has a point: the beer quality seemed pretty variable in the earlier part of 2010 but it seems to have picked up in the last few months. I've had no cause for complaint in the last few visits and the ale has been in good condition on each occasion, though there is usually only one ale on. Still my favourite of the Kensal Green pubs.
4 Jan 2011 00:05
I visited for lunch yesterday as a half-way staging point on the Teddington-to-Putney stretch of the Thames Path. There were three ales on: London Pride; Doom Bar; Fullers Bitter. I tried the Pride and it was in good shape. The staff were friendly, welcoming, efficient and attentive. There's a restaurant upstairs but you can eat downstairs if you want to.
I had the Sunday roast beef, which was very impressive. I could tell that it was cooked to order because I asked for the beef to be cooked rare and that's exactly what I got. The roast potatoes were crisp and freshly-cooked, as was the Yorkshire pud, and the veg were just right; not overcooked. My GF had corned beef hash, which was a dome of saut�ed potatoes mixed with corned beef hash and was very tasty.
There's a garden out back, not facing Kew Green. I'd have liked the ale choice to be a bit more varied than three best bitters, but that's a minor niggle. I don't know what it's like in the evening but it's a very good lunch stop.
3 Jan 2011 23:58
What a marvellous pub! Last night was my first visit and I wish I'd known about it before. There were 11 ales on including a stout and two milds, and of the 7 (halves) that I sampled, every one was in tip top condition. The pub is nicely decorated and the staff were friendly and welcoming. Mixed client�le, good vibe, piped music but unobtrusive. Even the toilets were clean and non-smelly! Can't fault it.
3 Jan 2011 23:46
I popped in for a pint after a mountain bike ride in the local hills on Saturday afternoon and had a thoroughly gorgeous pint of Ridgeway from Tring Brewery in the beer garden. I didn't try the food this time but it's a pretty pub with low, beamed ceilings, stone floors, lots of character and I've never had a bad pint there.
26 Sep 2010 23:32
The Warrington Hotel, Maida Vale
Still gorgeous. Last night I had Adnams May Day and Broadside, both of which were in tip top condition, and London Pride which was a slightly tired and cardboardy, and a shot of Ardbeg malt. Oxcheek pie was quite nice (downstairs) but served with a limp pickled onion and some slightly watery mash and I was unimpressed to see that they now levy a 12.5% service charge on food orders in the pub. If I have to go up to the bar to order, I don't think 12.5% is in order. Still, the good points far outweigh the bad and I'll be back for more.
14 May 2010 19:24
This isn't a pub, it's a restaurant. I visited on a Saturday evening but found that every table was set for food service, other than a sofa in the corner and some stools at the bar, which are presumably intended as places where people can await their table. There were a couple of real ales on but I sampled neither, as I decided not to stop and to go instead to a real pub. It's a good thing to have real ales on in a restaurant, but there's no point pretending this is a pub unless one can go in and grab a table without reserving and without having to eat.
10 Mar 2010 21:30
The Warrington Hotel, Maida Vale
This is still an awesome pub. The visually spectacular interior is well worth a visit. There are usually four or five real ales on, usually in good form and with a couple of interesting guest ales. They also stock bottle conditioned beers such as the marvellous Meantime London Porter and IPA and a fair range of malt whiskies, though drink prices are fairly high. I feared that when Ramsay took it over he would turn the downstairs into an eating area with reserved seating but that hasn't happened and there isn't much risk of it happening while the state of the food downstairs remains as it is. The portions are small, often lukewarm, and quality is unimpressive, so pop into Street Hawker or Thai Rice up the road before you visit. I've been visiting this pub for the last 20 years and I'll certainly be back.
31 Jan 2010 23:39
Redecorations in late 2009 took away much of the pub's character and now it's an advertising manager's dream with its light pastel colours, long, plush sofas and unbearably smug Brazilian lounge music. Both the real ale pumps were off so I had a Bloody Mary, which was reasonable but not outstanding. The menu is no longer posh tapas, but fairly predictable posh English pub fare. We had dropped in for a late lunch of a Sunday roast, which was mostly fairly good apart from the price tag of �16 and the roast potatoes, which seemed to have been hanging around for a long time so that they were dense and chewy instead of crunchy and crisp. The last time I had roast potatoes like that was in the school canteen. The pub reflects the ongoing bourgeoisification of the area and will probably be to the taste of the marketing types that now infest the area, but it doesn't appeal to me.
31 Jan 2010 22:43
Yes, the beer is pricey, but it certainly is the most attractive option in Islington: a real pub, friendly, with character, instead of a bland, corporatised nightmare. Other than the Greene King beers, they had St Austell's Proper Job and Ridley's Witchfinder Porter, both of which were in good form. I'll be back.
11 Oct 2009 14:07
I visited on a Saturday lunchtime whilst walking the Capital Ring from Woolwich to Falconwood. It seems like a good, local, basic boozer. They had Courage Best and Directors, and the Best was in fine fettle. Only bar snacks were available so we had ham and pickle baps, which had thick slices of good ham in them. Outside in the forecourt was a seafood stall, with cockles, whelks, garlic prawns, breaded claws and lots more. Football was on the telly but it wasn't intrusive, and the locals seemed friendly.
11 Oct 2009 14:03
Gorgeous, traditional thatched pub. We stayed for a couple of nights when visiting Lulworth Cove. The interior is low-ceilinged, wood-beamed and comfortable. The rooms likewise. There are several ales on, all in good condition and the food is good quality, good value and unpretentious. The tiered beer garden out back is fantastic, with trees providing the shade and beautiful flowers.
9 Aug 2009 15:25
One of my favourite pubs in Kensal Green. Usually one or two ales on, usually in good condition. Beer garden at the side with barbecues on Fridays in good weather, room to hire upstairs with terrace. Good, unpretentious food, reasonably priced. Occasional comedy gigs and other events upstairs. Beautiful Victorian wood and glass "office" stands alone in the middle of the pub. Dartboard.
9 Aug 2009 15:20
There's a very nice beer garden at the back as well as pavement tables at the front and they serve good quality posh tapas. The beer quality is very variable (two pumps, London Pride and guest from Cottage Brewing), and it seems as often as not to be off, or at least ropey. Half price cocktails on Friday are very tempting. Rooms to hire upstairs.
9 Aug 2009 14:41
I agree with holbornboy: Youngs have not left this pub with much internal character and it has their typical corporate appearance. However, it's still one of the better pubs in Camden and the beer has always been in good condition when I've visited. Last night, a pint of Young's bitter and a pint of Deuchars were both in good form, there's a good wine list, and we had no problem getting a seat.
9 Aug 2009 14:17
This discussion about safety is getting ludicrous. I've visited Brixton many times after dark and it is no more worrying than many other areas of London. Brixton is a relatively safe place and the perception of crime is far greater than the reality. Home Office statistics show that the figures for violence against the person are falling (for Lambeth as a whole) and at a significantly faster rate than the national figures. There are far more important, and real, things to worry about, and to let fear of crime keep you away from the pub after dark is simply ridiculous. The pub is in a residential area, and a fairly expensive one, at that. Just check out the property prices on Trinity Gardens: number 24 sold for �405,000 last summer; even the ex-local authority flats on Trinity Gardens are way out of most people's price range, so that tells you something about how desirable or undesirable the area is. I've never seen any sign of trouble in the pub and it has always had a relaxed and easy-going vibe when I've visited. It'll certainly remain my pub of choice when visiting Brixton.
17 Feb 2007 16:51
The name says it all, really. None of the handpumps had pump clips, so I had no idea if there were any ales until asking the bar staff, who said that one of the pumps had Black Sheep Bitter. I thought it was worth a go, but it was dull and stale tasting. To be fair, they were helpful and happy to exchange it, but with the massive range of well-kept ales in the Didsbury opposite, there's no reason to come in here unless you want to watch football on the telly.
2 Jul 2006 23:45
Brilliant. The beers (the usual Youngs range) are always in top condition. Though Young's bitter is not my favourite, it's always a pleasure in the Trinity. The pub has a good, relaxed feel, and as it's not visible from the high street, it doesn't get too rammed. It's not too loud and I've never been unable to find a seat, so It's the perfect meeting place before heading off to the beer hell that they call the Brixton Academy.
31 Dec 2005 14:21
One of my favourite pubs, and worth making a special journey for. They stock the largest range of German beers in London: usually about 20 of them, including Hefeweizens, Munich Helles Bier (pale lagers) and Dunkels (dark lagers). They're almost all sourced from Bavaria, except for the occasional K�lsch, and the range constantly varies but always includes interesting beers that you won't find anywhere else in London. There's usually something I've never tried before. Added to this, there's an even bigger range of Belgian beers and three cask ales on the pumps (Greene King IPA and a couple of others). It attracts a varied, unpretentious crowd. I've never been unable to find a seat. There's a beer garden at the back for warmer weather, and the pub has a quirky look that somehow makes me think of bars in Brussels. Superb.
31 Dec 2005 14:08
Not hugely impressive, but OK. The beer's not bad. They had Adnam's Bitter and Young's Bitter on the handpumps, plus Bombardier in the cask on gravity dispense behind the bar, which is something you don't see very often. The over-loud music and distracting video screen (showing Sky news) bring the tone down a bit. I didn't try the food, but the menu looks unpretentious, not straying much further than fishcakes, burgers and the like. Lose the music and the video screen and things would be much improved.
31 Dec 2005 13:50
Paradise By Way Of Kensal Green, Kensal Green
I like this place. It has character. It feels quite bohemian, with a hint of shabbiness here and there (the armchairs have a tendency to try to devour the unsuspecting). It can be difficult to get a seat sometimes, especially if they're showing a football match, but it's worth a go. There's a smaller room to the right of the entrance, with a real fire on cold evenings, and rooms to hire upstairs. There's only one cask ale on the handpump: Spitfire, usually well-kept. It used to be one of my least-favourite beers, but I've grown to like it. They also have Old Speckled Hen from the keg. The restaurant in the back room is pretty good: modern British cooking at fairly typical "gastropub" prices, and about the same quality as the Greyhound. The best of the Kensal Green pubs, I think.
30 Dec 2005 19:10
What's missing here is decent beer. There are no cask ales, so you're stuck with the usual bland keg beers or grotty old Guinness. Last time I was there, they had Becks on tap and, I think, Budvar in bottles, but the lack of a decent ale makes Paradise, the William and the Greyhound much more attractive options. Even if they don't have the facilities to keep cask ales properly, it would be easy enough to pop a few bottle-conditioned ales in the fridge. Until then, it'll remain a back-up option, for when there are no seats in the other pubs and my feet are sore.
30 Dec 2005 18:50
I've visited this pub quite regularly since it opened, and it's usually a pretty good choice. The food is good and, I think, priced reasonably, pretty much in line with the usual "gastropub" prices. Last time I ate there was a Sunday lunchtime and we had a pretty good Sunday roast. The garden at the back is a good spot to get a seat outdoors when the William IV is full up. The ambience is a bit less pretentious than at the William. There's only one ale on the handpump, and it's usually Adnam's Explorer, in good condition. It can get a bit smoky in the pub side, but the restaurant is non-smoking.
30 Dec 2005 18:29
I've lived just around the corner from this pub for over ten years but only visited it thrice. The beer was grim. Now that it's under new management, they seem to be making much more of an effort on the ales. In the course of one week, I've tried both Landlord and Deuchars here, both of which were very good. Passing by on another day I noticed they had London Pride on the pump. The partition dividing the two bars has been removed. I can't remember if it looked like it was worth keeping, so I don't know if that's a good thing or not, but it now leaves the amazing, eye-candy office resplendent in the middle of the pub. It's a wood-and-etched-glass construction, about the size of a small garden shed: brilliant. Last time I was in there, there was a notice saying that they plan to introduce a food menu and sounds like they're aiming at keeping it basic and unpretentious. I know people won't like it being taken over (by the same people who run the Metropolitan and the Westbourne, apparently), but the beer's the main criterion for me, and it's improved enormously.
30 Dec 2005 17:59
The Bird in Hand, Broadwell
According to closedpubs.co.uk this pub closed in 2009 and is now used as a salvation army office.
20 Apr 2015 23:46