BITE user comments - Scarey_biscuits
Comments by Scarey_biscuits
The Clarendon Arms, Kenilworth
gjs34 - think you've got this place confused withthe Clarendon House Hotel, which is a hotel bar - this place is definitely just a pub. Harringtons next door, terrible pub the other side, castle across the road.
2 Nov 2005 14:18
Fear not those who will be individual and wont follow a crowd, for they do frequent the Dungeon, and what nice people they are.
Honeslty, its people with nothing to prove, and who wont fall for fasion, and I raise my hat to those good people.
But the place itself, well, frankly its disgusting, rather filthy and the door staff have issues which they take out on people having a right old dance. In my experience anyway, but I was better off for a few pints of cider, which were excellent and served with a black lip-lined smile.
19 Oct 2005 14:02
What a nice place. Yes its going for that trendy edge, so you'll be paying premium prices for the draft european lagers or speciality ciders, and there are people in there sporting haircuts like they lost afight with some clippers and a bucket of fat, but the staff are nice, and the live music is quite cutting edge in range.
Biggest complaint would be that its a really really tiny place.
19 Sep 2005 12:56
Nice place, there just aren't many drinking dens around like this any more. Drink is good, at average price. Was unfortunate that when we were there the blokes toilets were flooded, with a biro-scrawn note on a page from someones rough-book masking taped onto the wall saying 'out of order' and 'dont put fag-buts in the urinal please'....and that really detracted a bit - you dont expect to have to bring your wellies to a pub just to use the facilities.
Good juke box as well.
19 Sep 2005 12:52
Hurrah! Great beer and live music! Geoff behind the bars a friendly chap and knows how to pour the excellent hand-pulls the beer engine has.
Needs to be higher in the top 40 so more people know about it, so its a good rating from me!
16 Sep 2005 11:56
The Cape of Good Hope, Warwick
If you can find it, a great place, and just gorgeous in the summer. Mainly full of people from IBM at lunchtimes, but thats easy to get over.
Good handpulled beers and friendly staff. Parking an issue
13 Sep 2005 13:54
Didn't fancy the look of the food at all, and to be honest, the lass behind the bar was not exactly selling it...
This place could be all out amazing given its location, but somethings clearly not right. If you have to eat, go to the other place nearby. The drink is...well its ok as it goes, but something tells you it could be alot better....and surely you shouldn't have to wait that long to get it.
13 Sep 2005 13:40
Good place, good drink at a good price....jsut a shame the place quite literally STINKS!!!
Something of a combination of wet dog and month-old laundry basket. And it wasn't just us picking up on it! Think if that had not been present, I'd have drank more of their excellent beers and ciders. Good vibe tho, and friendly people serving the drinks.
13 Sep 2005 13:27
Yeah, its ok. Typical modern pub/eatery combination (soul removed a few years ago probably), so forget hand-pulled real ales, and yes, its a bit chav-central, but if you needed a bite in the evening before moving on, you could do far worse.
13 Sep 2005 13:24
Visited during the weekly pool tournament!
Have no doubts, this place is not in a hurry to secombe to the lure of theme pubs and modern, trendy bars; this place is a bit of a time warp. However, with that stepping back in time comes some things you dont often find like friendly staff (who'll know what you want by your 2nd round) and locals who are welcoming.
Also token bloke with a mullet there to see!
If possible, avoid the toilets, they really are from another age. 'Functional' is the best description!
13 Sep 2005 13:22
Riverside Inn and Restaurant, Cheddar
Food a bit over prices, or you'd expect to have it presented alot better for the price paid.
The Thatchers cider is quite sensational from this place however, and will bite back with its deceptively watery taste. Bit rough and in need of touching up, so if you can stick to the garden, which is nice.
13 Sep 2005 13:18
One of those pubs that when you walk in on a sunny summers day, its virtually pitch black inside! After your eyes adapt, its really rather a nice place.
Exceptionally friendly landlord and waiting staff, beer is excellent - you can see the barrels behind the bar, and the food is fantastic if you've spent the morning clambering around stone circles crop circles (opt for this place over the pub nearer the circles!).
All in all, great pub.
13 Sep 2005 13:15
The Longs Arms, Steeple Ashton
Keeping an open ear indicates that its not local locals frequenting this bar, more rich commuter belt types, but all the same its quite nice and clearly caters for those with more �$�$�$�.
Booze good, food really a bit too pricey for what it is, friendly staff, but no alternative if you are in the village!
13 Sep 2005 13:08
Excellent bottled beer all the way, just a shame the place is sooooo tiny!
26 Aug 2005 15:31
Campbell forever!!!
Its ok, not going to win any Camra awards though. Lack of space, distinct smell of disinfectant in the air (rather than then puke though), and chances are you are older than the staff and your hairs not as....interesting.
26 Aug 2005 15:30
Wainwrights Inn, Great Langdale
This pub is great. Service is fanstastic, as it should be given the investment behind it, good beerm great atmosphere, staggering views, open fires, low ceilings....just everthing.
Would be a great pub to get snowed in at.
22 Aug 2005 16:53
Used to be good, then they did a soul-removal operation, put lots of coloured lights in, painted everything in pastels, then needlessly put the prices up.
Go across the road instead.
22 Aug 2005 13:32
Great place. I lift my hat in particular to the angry Scots mans working behind the bar who pulled an excellent pint in good time.
22 Aug 2005 13:22
I'm sure this place is trying to be some of the nice bars in London that I've been to around Soho, but somehow just not pulling it off, instead just having really arrogant bar staff who are spread too thinly (you'll be waiting a while when it gets busy), and ear splitting crap being played (sack the DJ man...).
Nice looking place though. I used to go to school with one of the door staff, so I cannot take them seriously, as I know its all front with those guys. If you're there to pull, great, else move on...
22 Aug 2005 13:14
Good beer, kept well, and served without prejudice, but with a smile.
Ensure you have a few drinks before going to the WCs - last time I was there the sir freshner was on overdrive and completely devastated your olofactory senses!
They dont sell cider in pints sadly, just the real ale, but that can be a good thing
22 Aug 2005 12:51
Clarendon House Hotel, Kenilworth
Given the competition (Vs across the road, Old Bakery next door but one) its not abad place for a hotel bar. Going with the tradition of good English hotels and bars, non of the staff are English, but the hand-pulled ales are nicely kept. Think old Percy who used to run the cellar has now gone to the beer-cellar in the sky.
22 Aug 2005 12:48
The Clarendon Arms, Kenilworth
Nice place and the food used to be fantastic. Just a bit small - seating can be an issie but the beer is well served.
22 Aug 2005 12:46
The Famous Virgins and Castle, Kenilworth
Hurrah for the Vs. Ignoring the removal of its soul 5-6 years ago, its now got something of its old feel back.
Fantastic place, possible downer being lack of space in the top bar, but thats just silly sods who dont move away when they've got their pints in.
22 Aug 2005 12:40
Filthy, poorly maintained, full of children, fasion victims, doors manned by power-hungry rude-boys and to top it off, the drinks are really over priced.
Go anywhere else.
22 Aug 2005 09:25
Alright but the staff need to get their priorities right. I've been stood 3 people deep at the bar, and you've got staff spinning bottles around trying to make basic cocktails look impressive. JUST SERVE THE PEOPLE MATE, THATS HOW YOU MAKE MONEY! So, if you manage to get served instead of having to watch a would-be-Tom Cruise throwing cordial around the place, the beers quite good, and its got a nice drinking den feel to i.
22 Aug 2005 09:14
The Old Bar, Leeds University Union
Great great great, and the best service I've ever experienced, mainly becuase there always apperas to be 3 bar staff to 1 customer....
19 Aug 2005 11:33
Great place despite the drinks price. I have to mark it down though, as bar staff have attempted on more than one occasion to pass on foreign coins they've mistakenly accepted onto me.
19 Aug 2005 11:31
Nice place. Only complaint would be the insistance on plying music at deafening level, obliterating the chance of chatting to friends or potential suitors.
Dont expect hand-pulled cask ales....
19 Aug 2005 10:46
Alright pub, but as is a feature of pubs in the area, suspect door staff. My girlfriend was refused entry on account of wearing a hat. This in the middle of december, and most people remove outer garments when entering a building.
Bizarre.
But when we have been allowed in, hatless of course, the beers pretty good, but not as good as at Whitefriars.
18 Aug 2005 17:03
Very dark, full of skater types. Only visit if wearing oversized trousers slung at knee height, and have large chain attaching said trousers to...something else
18 Aug 2005 17:01
The lady with the big hair is very nice and friendly, and she's been there since the days of being in the precinct. The door staff however have got some major issues going on, and refuse entry for....well..I guess they have to asert themselves and their authority somehow.
Drink is a bit pricey, but ok, best of sticking to the vino. Food is excellent, and at <�6 for a plated meal with more veg than you can shake a bizarre door policy at, its worth a visit.
Just dont look at the chap on the door wrong.
18 Aug 2005 17:00
Seems to change landlord on average every 6 months. Given up on the place as they've got a distinct chair shortage.
Also favours regulars, most of whom probably worked behind the bar at some point, so forget it if you're after a 'quick pint'.
18 Aug 2005 16:57
Terrible. Once had to send back 4 pints of Wadsworths 6X before they realised they should change the barrell. Go next door instead.
18 Aug 2005 16:54
The Black Bull Hotel, Coniston
While the beer is excellent, the same cannot be said for the food. 3 meals requested: (1) Soup of the day - was out of a tin, with a 200% mark-up, (2)Cheddar Ploughmans - Nearly �7 for a rustic peasants dish made with bulk catering cheese (local produce? What?), also served with rotting lettuce leaves. (3)Jacket Potatoe - Microwaved and served dripping in grease (see previous note on cheese).
Over all - overpriced crap. Just drink the beer.
17 Aug 2005 17:02
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Five Monkeys Bar and Restaurant, Coventry
Its open again, definitley. Cider was ok, but the woman serving it looked as if she took issue with me just being there in the first place. Balls to that.
11 Apr 2006 12:45