please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Probably the worst pub I have ever been in and I have been in thousands. There is no food offering at all and both staff and customers use the F word about twice in every sentance. The woman that served us was off hand and unhelpful. When asked what ales were available she just said that they were on the door. They were not.
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The North Star is tucked away from Steventon's main drag. But it's well worth the effort of finding. I couldn't find the entrance at first, with only sign of a server to the garden. But the owner/landlord soon provided directions from the garden. The interior is a fabulously well-preserved country-style pub with low beams and multiple rooms. The only drawback was that it was a little dark. Ales are all dispensed by gravity and they had Loddon Ferryman's Gold & Hullabaloo, Loose Cannon Minion & Greene King Barmy Army on. The landlord certainly seems keen to make this a going concern. He was a friendly guy and I wish him the best of luck. Best pub of the day for me in Oxfordshire.
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An outstanding find on the weekend of the 2013 Truck Festival, this is handily placed en route from the public transport options and indeed, we decided to escape the site periodically to quaff some most excellent pintery - Loddon's Ferryman's Gold, beautifully kept and served from a hatch included. The interior features some historic 'settles' and although no food is served beyond snacks and picked eggs, this is everything a village pub should be.
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Certainly the beer aint shabby anymore (re: previous poster). Lots of people outside on the picnic tables @ 06:30 Saturday getting served through the window of the small room with 5 barrels, that also serves through a door into settle room and a hatch into a lounge at the back. 4 or 5 locals in the settle room which we settled in just to get the feel of the place.
Luddon Russet and Morland Original Bitter and Sharps Doom Bar were all great, served by a pleasant bar maid. Left to sample the other pubs in Steventon but came back to enjoy the better offering of beer and atmosphere.
On our return, were greeted by a local saying "You were here before weren't you? There's only the Morland and Red Ale left, we've been drinking too much, get in there".
Seems friendly enough to me. The big difference was that 4 or 5 that were in the bar earlier was now packed with at least 25 all either sat round in the settles or standing leaning over the settles looking over all chattering away with quite a bit of ribald banter, what a timeless scene.
The Red Ale and Morlands were great. Excellent timewarp of a pub with great beer and great friendly atmosphere, you can see why it is in the Camra Inventory of Historic Pubs and long may it stay so.
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Having visited again to find the lovely couple have left for pastures new no food offering, poor selection of drinks and my husband descbribed the beer as "shabby at best" so all in all not the best visit
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Went back for a further pilgrimage nine months later, to find them somewhat surly and "no we don't serve food and we never did" - well you did last time I came "ah that was the last landlord who did a runner" and "all we ever served in the past was ploughmans" (so you did serve food after all).
A disappointing start, as I'd arranged to meet sisters, husbands, kids etc from the West Mids, so they had to go to the Cherry Tree to eat.
But still a remarkable interior and three beers from the barrel. Just shame it wasn't a tad more welcoming.
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The second time I have been to this pub in the last 6 months. There is no doubt that the building is wonderful, the setting is perfect and the outside loo's take me back to my early drinking days, but, the beer range has dropped massively, just 1 beer on yesterday and that was not in great nick. If this wonderful pub could sort this out I'm sure it would be very popular.
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After my last posting just had to pay a pilgrimage on Sunday. To my relief it was still as good as I remember, actually better now that it is a true free house and doesn't have to serve that GK rubbish.
Surely the best pub in the UK. Even retained its outside toilets.
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Nice old pub featured in the CAMRA infantry of "unspoilt pub interiors". Watch out for the JCB driving owner who knocks the pub over (with the customers inside) if he's refused a drink after time.
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Was here last weekend and it is a proper locals pub where the locals are very friendly. The food arrived in good time. If you're tall like me then watch your head when entering the place.
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Fantastic pub!! Very unique, it's a no frills place and that is great as far as I'm concerned. Watch out if you are tall, very low ceiling. Lovely pub with a very warm and friendly atmosphere. Highly recommened
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Small, good local pub, good guest beers, Morlands Original on hand pump a good bet. Friendly people, food improving as time goes by
anonymous - 8 Apr 2005 14:09 |
Good selection of real ales. Also one of the few places to get a pint of Perry. Friendly locals and a 3-legged neighbourhood cat. Instead of a normal "bar" with hand pumps, the beer is served from a room directly from the barrels. It is like stepping back in time a century or two. Quite low ceilings, so not good for tall people!
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A real old fashioned gem. Beer straight from the cask. Seating is old high backed settles around a real log fire. No TV, no juke box. Heaven!
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