BITE user comments - siddo
Comments by siddo
The Kettleby Cross, Melton Mowbray
Above average Wetherspoons. Very nicely decorated and generally a good atmosphere. Food can be hit and miss but typically for Wetherspoons the ale and spirit selection is excellent.
13 May 2013 13:25
This is a chain-pub with a very 'estate-ish' feel about it. The food is nice and well cooked, beer selection average....but I always get a vibe of intimidation from this place, as if trouble is just around the corner. Not a bad place for a meal, but not the best in terms of ale selection and atmosphere.
13 May 2013 13:21
By far the best pub out of the three in Bottesford. At least two real ales available at any one time, nice olde worlde decor and a relaxed, trouble-free atmosphere. This pub doesn't serve food, but for a simple, relaxing drink it's a superb place to be.
13 May 2013 13:09
Recruiting Sergeant, Great Gonerby, Grantham
Lovely traditional pub with a nice ale selection. Didn't dine but the menu looked very good and not overly expensive. Decor was very pleasant too.
12 Feb 2012 17:25
Vast wetherspoons outlet spread over two floors. OK for a pint and a bite to eat, but wouldn't like to spend a whole evening in here.
12 Feb 2012 17:17
Pleasant and traditional pub split into two areas (lounge and bar). Well-kept beer and friendly staff. No sign of food, but for an old-school pub that was to be expected. I would reccommend it.
12 Feb 2012 17:15
The Manvers Arms, Radcliffe On Trent
Since the last comment was made, this pub has been refurbished and is much, much nicer for it. Not bad prices, good beer selection and luxurious decor. The food looks good but haven't tried it myself as yet.
12 Feb 2012 17:08
The Vat and Fiddle, Nottingham
I can't say anything that hasn't been said before about this place. Fantastic selection of hand-pulled ale, friendly atmosphere (at least whenever I've been in) and a good, basic selection of food. Just what a traditional pub should be. Not surprisingly for such a good place, it does get very busy in the evening.
12 Feb 2012 16:58
A one-room tavern situated on the corner of a busy road.
Mediocre, traditional pub with a mediocre beer selection. That's all that can really be said. Nothing spectacular about this place whatsoever.
20 Aug 2010 19:46
Primarily a gay friendly pub, but anybody is welcome in this place and is generally trouble-free. Average selection of beers, but such a nice environment. Makes a lovely refreshing change from the more crowded, noisy bars of Nottingham. Good, cheap food as well.
20 Aug 2010 19:39
Very good Wetherspoons. Efficient bar service and a very clean, comfortable atmosphere. Only grumble is the food seemed to take a very long time to arrive, but generally it seemed a good, well run place with lots of nice seating.
20 Aug 2010 19:34
The Sir John Borlase Warren, Nottingham
A little gem. One of the last remaining proper pubs in Nottingham city. Several real ales and although I didn't eat there myself, the food menu did look incredibly tempting. I shall try it next time.
14 Jun 2010 18:55
Decent enough during the day but can get more than a little rowdy at night.
25 May 2010 20:51
Hmm. Mediocre is the best thing to be said about this place. Mediocre even by Wetherspoon's standards.
25 May 2010 20:41
The Jolly Potter, Castle Donington
By far the best, most atmospheric pub in Castle Donington.
25 May 2010 20:39
Relitavely new pub just a minute or so away from the city centre. Modern atmosphere but with a good ale selection and frieldnly staff. Haven't tried the food yet but the contents of the menu looked very tempting. I'll be visiting again very soon.
25 May 2010 20:37
Went in there for Sunday Lunch and was fairly impressed. Good ale selection, nice traditional environment (although possibly in need of a lick of paint here and there) and good food. No complaints.
25 May 2010 20:31
Used to be the best boozer in Nottingham. Now, in typical nottingham style they've given it over to the young, trendy crowd with ear-blistering music, pink walls and a late license. No real ale at all. Just the bog-standard selection which they charge the earth for. Rude staff as well. If you like a nice quiet drink in a proper pub, don't bother with this place. Just like it's close neighbour 'The Blue Bell', this pub is a shadow of what it once was.
16 Oct 2009 20:24
A little gem in Newark town. You could quite easily walk past this place and not even notice it due to it's small size and the fact it's not really very well signed, but if it does catch your eye, have a wander inside. The selection of beer is good if a little bit more expensive than the usual Newark prices and the atmosphere is relaxed and trouble-free. They have live music on some nights too. If you find yourself in Newark, don't walk past this place. Give it a try.
13 Sep 2009 15:18
The restaurant area and food is ok but the bar area is quite frankly a dump in need of serious attention. There are normally a couple of real ales on handpull but I've never liked the beer in this place. I wouldn't bother personally.
13 Sep 2009 15:11
The Tap 'n' Tumbler, Nottingham
This is an okay pub of the 'spit and sawdust' variety. It's very popular with long-haired musical types (all-rock jukebox takes care of that) but there is normally a good enough mix of people in to avoid the place becoming cliquey. Decent food menu is served during the day but the place really comes to life at night. It's a vibrant city pub so don't go in during the evening unless you enjoy loud rock music and don't mind lots of old biker dudes propping up the bar. Personally, I like the place a lot.
13 Sep 2009 15:00
Nice place to go to during the day for a bite to eat and a few pints, but it gets too manic in the evening for my liking. 'Standing room only' is a phrase that comes to mind. Overall, it's a very pleasant bar/pub, but don't bother going at night unless you enjoy being stuck under someone else's armpit.
13 Sep 2009 14:49
I've always liked it in here. It mixes a classy, almost trendy atmosphere with old-fashioned pub values and does it really well. There's always a couple of good real-ales on offer too.
8 Sep 2009 00:39
Nice place. Lots of well-kept real ales and comfortable seating. The decor is a little 'wine bar-esque' but the ales and good (if a little expensive) food more than make up for it.
6 Sep 2009 16:07
Good value carvery. No real ales. I go there when I want a meal because it's great, but I wouldn't bother if I just wanted a drink.
6 Sep 2009 16:04
It now doubles up as an Indian restaurant and the owners seemingly have little to no interest in customers who don't want to order food. It's a shame as it used to be such a great little pub. It's basically a shadow of it's former self with expensive drinks. I won't be bothering again any time soon.
6 Sep 2009 16:02
Bog-standard two roomer. I always go in the (usually empty) lounge as the bar area always seems to be packed to the brim with undesirables. No real-ale any more but they have well-kept John Smiths. Overall, it's OK for a couple of pints, but I don't think I'd like to spend a whole evening in here.
6 Sep 2009 15:53
An absolute gem. I've always loved this place. Gets busy when anything's on at the arena due to it's close proximity to it. Good beer and excellent pub grub.
6 Sep 2009 15:35
Tries to be high-class but comes off as rather faceless and snooty. More expensive than your average city pub and in my opinion, not as good. The food is particularly pricey for what it is.
6 Sep 2009 15:33
The Bentinck Hotel, Nottingham
A bit of a dump, but in a way that's part of its charm.
6 Sep 2009 15:29
Not a bad place. Certainly the better wetherspoons bar of the two in Mansfield. Service is usually spot on and the beer is good. The place is also relatively clean which can't always be said of the other wethers 'The Courthouse' around the corner.
6 Sep 2009 15:26
OK place but not one of the better wetherspoon outlets. It always seems very dark inside and the service is usually quite slow. On the one occasion I have eaten in here the food was very near cold. If you like wetherspoons and find yourself in Mansfield, go to 'The Widow Frost' down the road. It's a much better place.
6 Sep 2009 15:21
The Black Lion, Radcliffe on Trent
I went in the lounge as opposed to the more sport based bar area. Not bad but it certainly wouldn't be my first choice. It's a bit run down and caters too heavily for the sports crowd for my liking. I didn't see any real-ale when I went (I've only visited once) but, to be fair I didn't really look. I was in the mood for a pint of smooth so that's what I had. I've also noticed that the place seems to attract crowds of youths who tend to gather outside the front entrance. Doesn't exactly give a strong incentive to enter inside. The food menu looks OK and reasonably priced, but I'm not sure I'd go back to this place any time soon.
6 Sep 2009 15:11
The Trent Inn, Radcliffe on Trent
Very spacious, plush pub which I believe has recently been refurbished. A range of four real-ales were on offer when I went and all seemed to be well-kept. It's a bit pricey and I dare not eat there for fear of breaking the bank, but it's a lovely pub to go to for an occasional treat.
6 Sep 2009 13:19
Went there earlier on this evening and was impressed. Beer and food was excellent. As for the staff, I found them polite, courtious and not in the least bit stuck up. And as for the list of 'do's and don'ts', well I didn't see it anywhere. Maybe they've took it down. All in all, excellent selection of draught ales and well above average food menu. (I had Pork Loin Steaks). I'd reccommend this pub to anybody.
30 Aug 2009 19:14
Great pub with great atmosphere and great beer selection. What more can I say?
27 Aug 2009 21:18
The Trent Bridge Inn, West Bridgford
I'm obviously in the minority here but I don't think the place is as bad as people are making it out to be. Yeah sure it attracts its fair share of rough and ready characters but I don't think this place is the world's worst. The food is good and the beer is well-kept. I sometimes pop in for steak and chips and a pint of bitter and it's always been trouble-free and relatively pleasant both at night and during the daY.
20 Aug 2009 23:01
Spit and sawdust, but a comfortable, home-from-home type pub with relatively cheap prices. No real-ale on offer and no food served, but friendly staff and locals and a good pint of John Smith's. This is how pubs used to be. Reccommended to anybody who likes the typical, traditional 'town pub' experience.
16 Aug 2009 01:30
Horse Chestnut, Radcliffe on Trent
Good place serving an excellent range of beer. It's owned by the same people who own 'The Horse and Plough' at Bingham and keeps a very similar style. Emphasis is on real-ale and serves around 5 rotating guest ales in addition to the three regular ones. Decor is rather upmarket and does kind of feel like an upmarket city bar inside, but the customers are usually friendly and the seating is comfortable. They do sell food but I've never had a meal here. All in all, a must-try for anybody serious about ale.
16 Aug 2009 01:16
The Martins Arms, Colston Bassett
Lovely country pub that serves near restaurant quality food. The interior of this place just oozes class and rural charm. It's almost like stepping back in time.
The only trouble is, the prices are near restaurant quality too. Expect to pay �3 plus for a pint of real-ale. I love the pub and the surroundings, but I couldn't afford to drink/eat here regularly. A venue for an occasional treat methinks.
16 Aug 2009 01:11
Good pub serving above average food and well-kept beer. There's not a lot of choice here for the serious ale drinker and It's a bit corporate and soulless, but who cares over a nice meal and a few pints? Highly reccommended.
16 Aug 2009 01:06
Corporate chain-pub with a definite focus on food. Having said that, I do have a soft-spot for this place. They usually have one real-ale on offer that is of good quality. The food is nothing special but is certainly ok and the portion sizes are more than generous. Atmosphere is nice and the patio area is perfect for a summer night. All in all, a good suburban venue that I'd be happy to reccommend.
16 Aug 2009 01:01
The Moon And Bell, Loughborough
Bog-standard Wetherspoon pub here. When I went in the food was OK, and the beer was well-kept. Sure the place could use a lick of paint and a new carpet, but all the same I'd be happy to reccommend this place. It is a very small pub so be aware of the fact that you may struggle to get a table.
16 Aug 2009 00:52
A bare minimum of 4 real ales, friendly staff, very nicely decorated and in a pleasant, idyllic village green location, I really can't think of anything bad to say about this place. I have never tried a meal, but the food always looks excellent. All in all, one of my favourite pubs in the area and I would reccommend it to anybody who claims to be a supporter of the traditional village public house. Well done to the staff of 'The Royal Oak'. You are obviously doing something right.
16 Aug 2009 00:48
As well as the usual beers/ciders, they normally have 3 real ales on offer here at The Punchbowl. Good, tasty, cheap food too. Can't be bad. They were selling one particular brand of ale for 50p a pint when I last visited although it wasn't very good as you can imagine. It's a bit corporate, but the atmosphere is always good and staff are helpful and friendly. Nice pub all in all.
10 Aug 2009 23:05
Overlooked gem on Carlton Road. This tardis-like pub places emphasis on real-ale and milds and serves an above-average range as well as the usual lagers and bitters. I usually pop in there early evening for a pint of whatever I fancy and a bag of pork scratchings. I believe they serve cooked food at lunchtime, but this is a beer-based pub as opposed to a food one.
10 Aug 2009 17:49
Excellent Lloyd bar in Nottingham situated right next to the canal. It is spread out over two levels and I usually go upstairs away from the hustle/bustle where I can enjoy a mixed grill and a pint of John Smith's in relatively quiet surroundings. The only complaint I have is bar service seems to be pretty slow and (as is often the case) staff forget to turn hand-pump labels around when beer is off, making selection process a real slow affair. All in all, a nice place and a step above most other wetherspoon/lloyd bars.
10 Aug 2009 17:14
The Coach and Horses, Nottingham
Good old boozer that serves a couple of real ales and acceptable food. It's a pub of the old-school type so if you don't like places where 60-something year old guys prop up the bar, drink bitter and swear like troopers, it's maybe best avoided. Personally, I can't help but have a soft spot for the coach and horses.
10 Aug 2009 17:03
Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, Nottingham
This pub's reputation goes before it, and quite rightly so. It's the oldest pub in England and is built into the castle rock. There are several rotating real ales to try and are (as you might expect for such a popular pub) always immaculately kept. Food menu is unadventurous but good, hearty fayre that comes in big portions. The real bugbear with this place is that it's nearly always crammed with tourists and therefore a chore to find a table. However, if you do manage to get one, it's a really great place to spend an evening.
10 Aug 2009 16:48
Bog standard wethers outlet in Nottingham market square. Beer is normally well kept and selection is good. The downstairs bar area is very dark and a little run down in all honesty, but if you manage to get a seat upstairs, the views over the square are fantastic. I've never had a bad meal here. Always served hot and quick service. All in all, my favourite wetherspoons in central Nottingham.
10 Aug 2009 16:39
As far as wetherspoon/lloyd places go, this is really very nice. The atmosphere is always good, the pub itself is airy, fairly well decorated and clean and the service is efficient even when busy. I could be imagining it, but somehow the food always seems to taste better here than other wetherspoons places too. Probably just me. All in all, a good place to go for cheap drinks and food with a friendly and trouble free atmosphere.
8 Aug 2009 19:23
Wasn't impressed when I went in. It wasn't particularly busy yet the service was still slow. ordered some grub which took 45 minutes to get to the table. Not acceptable in my opinion.
8 Aug 2009 19:18
Not a particularly nice place even by wetherspoon standards.Sticky floors, slow service and usually filled with undesirables. The upside of this place is (as with all spoons) the prices are very reasonable, but I certainly wouldn't call it a favourite of mine.
8 Aug 2009 19:16
I concur with the previous poster. It's a passable pub, but there are many other better places to drink within the local area. A bit scruffy and run-down although friendly enough and largely trouble-free.
8 Aug 2009 19:12
Big and cavernous place somewhat lacking soul. Not much of a beer choice as this is a food-based pub with little or no time for the discerning ale-drinker. However, the food is OK (although microwaved of course) with a generous sized 'Mixed Grill' for only �5.99. Wouldn't go there just for a drink though.
8 Aug 2009 19:09
The Nottingham Knight, Ruddington
Had a cracking 'Mixed Grill' meal here. The place itself is a little bereft of atmosphere, but the focus here is the food menu rather than creating a trad pub environment. Because of the 'Two for One' offer you're better off coming here with an even number of people, but failing that you can always order an extra meal. (If you don't feel too self-conscious). As far as beer is concered there's nothing out of the ordinary on offer here, but as I've already said, the focus is on the food menu more than anything else.
7 Aug 2009 17:30
I can't believe this place is still listed as the Toll Bar. It's been called 'The Gatehouse' now for at least Five years. It's a nice place to have a few drinks. The general feel of the pub is modern/chillout, which doesn't usually suit me, but somehow with this place, it really works. I've never eaten here, but I've seen food come out to other customers and it looks very good indeed. As for beer selection, there's all the usual suspects plus one real-ale that changes every so often. I don't actually think I've ever had a bad pint in here in all the years I've been going in. Although I preferred the pub back when it was 'The Toll Bar', I think it's current incarnation is pretty good too. One of Nottingham's better pubs.
7 Aug 2009 17:22
One of Nottingham's last remaining proper pubs. Great atmosphere, great beer and not expensive either. Because of the place's popularity it can be a chore to get a seat, but there's nothing can be done about that. Hope they never change it.
7 Aug 2009 17:13
Not a particularly nice wetherspoons. I don't know what it is about this place, but whenever I go in, I always feel intimidated. In addition to this, the staff never seem to turn beer pump labels around when the beer in question is unavailable. This often makes for a difficult selection process. Cheap beer and food make this a lure for the great unwashed of Newark and it always seems to me that trouble is never far away. All in all, I wouldn't reccommend this place.
7 Aug 2009 17:07
I'm a regular in this place and it never disappoints. As far as wetherspoon places go, this one is good. Beer is always well kept, service is efficient, food is (mostly) served hot and clientelle is not bad. Sure it could do with a fresh few licks of paint, but that aside, this is the best place to drink in Arnold in my opinion, and a positive feather in the wetherspoon cap.
7 Aug 2009 16:59
As a fan of Wetherspoon pubs, when I found myself in Retford, this was a must try for me. I was impressed. The decor is modern, smart and a cut above most 'spoons outlets, the pint of Abbott I had was well kept and the food (Rib-Eye steak) was served quickly and efficiently. Everyone knows not to expect too much with wetherspoon places, but as they go, this is certainly one of the best.
7 Aug 2009 16:53
Went in with a friend during May 2009 and was shocked. They've turned what was one of the few surviving 'real pubs' in Nottingham into another trendy, yuppie-esque bar with prices to suit. They've gotten rid of all the real ale and what we're left with is a pub that is a shadow of it's former self. A real shame and the most recent nail in the coffin of the Nottingham pub scene.
7 Aug 2009 16:46
What you see is what you get with this pub. As far as I'm aware it doesn't serve food and it's not a real-ale venue, but it's a friendly little gem which will take you back to how pubs used to be before the days of 'gastro pubs' and 'pub-restaurants'. It's a one-roomer with dart board and pool table at one end and lots of comfortable seating at the other. Prices are reasonable and atmosphere is generally good. A word of warning though. This pub often doesn't seem to be open during afternoons. Therefore if you're wanting to try it, I'd suggest going in the evening to avoid disappointment.
7 Aug 2009 16:41
Lovely, atmospheric watering hole. Nothing out of the ordinary as far as beers go, but it's the novelty value that makes this place what it is. The food menu is pretty good and reasonably priced. I had scampi, chips and mushy peas which was enjoyable. The price of the drinks is above average for Newark, but it's a nice place to be. I'll be going back there next time I'm in Newark.
7 Aug 2009 16:31
A bit pricey, but the range of beer available makes up for it. As well as the upstairs restaurant which I've never visited, there is a small range of bar food which is, again, a bit pricey but of fabulous quality. All in all, a good pub with good atmosphere. A word of waring though, as this is a one roomer, it does get busy very quickly. Get there early to have a good chance of getting a seat.
7 Aug 2009 15:18
The Woodthorpe Top, Nottingham
I've popped in here for a drink and meal several times since it first opened. I will admit in the early days it was a bit of a hole due to the undesirables it seemed to attract. Also steaks were often served totally cremated....but in recent times it seems to have really improved. The food is much better as is the atmosphere. Beer selection is always top-notch. Well done to whoever's responsible for turning this pub around.
20 Jul 2013 21:55