BITE user comments - SomersetChris
Comments by SomersetChris
The Elephant and Castle, Kensington
If there is anything such as a Nicholsons chain pub, this is it
24 Jan 2011 16:31
Not too bad a pub, but due to the area is full of tourists and office workers. It also does not take many people to make it full. I would recommend if you just want a quick pint of which the four ales are good. But if you want to sit and relax it is not the place to be, unless the weather is fine and most people are outside
4 Sep 2010 18:56
The Norfolk Arms, Russell Square
This is more a restaurant than a pub. The tapas is good, but the beer is not. If you are on a date it is superb, if not, avoid.
4 Sep 2010 18:52
As another great move the Ship not only does not have a TV, but football colours are not welcome. Can you think of a better place to be during the World Cup?
18 Jun 2010 22:40
What a superb little pub. Four excellent ales and reasonably priced as well. No music or TV makes this a place to chat. The food looked good and it has its own little restaurant upstairs. A lovely little outside area overlooking the river as well. Well worth the 10 minute walk from Limehouse station
4 Jun 2010 00:22
A pub that has a few locals and a lot of tourists. Unfortunately on my visit the locals had been to a football match and had brought back the fooball supporter mentality with them which is a shame. I assume they were locals as the bar staff knew them by name. Apart from that the beer was looked after well, but I will agree with the last post that the choice was not very inspiring. The barstaff were the saving grace though and were absolutely excellent and knew exactly whose turn it was to be served next. The major thing I thought this pub was missing was a soul.
4 May 2010 14:11
The Coach and Horses, Clerkenwell
I went for Sunday lunch on a date. The food was above average with nicely kept beer. Service was good and the whole place had a relaxed atmosphere. There are better places, but there are a lit more worse. I would be happy to go again
4 May 2010 14:03
As an addition to last post, can I recommend this as one of the best pubs to be in during the World Cup because it has no TV
24 Apr 2010 21:42
The best pub in Soho, Maybe in the whole West End. Beers are top notch, the staff attentive and it probably has the best music for miles around. If you want a large pub with plenty of seating go elsewhere. Also if your musical tastes are not rock or punk I suggest you give this a miss. On the other hand if you like good beer, rock music and a friendly atmosphere, visit!
24 Apr 2010 20:18
The Skinners Arms, Kings Cross
Had a few pints of Wandle last night. Very pleasant pub with excellent staff who were good at serving and cleaning tables. Probably one of the best pubs next to Kings Cross station
27 Mar 2010 12:06
Very friendly staff and well kept beers. The problem is that it seems like you are drinking in a Starbucks.
24 Mar 2010 17:46
Does this pub know what it wants to be? It is not a local nor is it a gastropub. A real mixed bag. Good food and beer at Gastroprices, but with plasma screens and loud music. Either lose the music and tvs or do pub food. Both together do not mix. A shame as this could be either a great gastro or a great pub, the mix nearly works, but does not.
26 Jan 2010 17:59
Excellent little pub. Nice atmosphere and as stated below, the barmaid is absolutely brilliant. The type of barmaid that many drinkers could fall in lust with because of her looks, charm, wit and wisdom. I fell in love!
22 Dec 2009 17:19
Quite a surprise to find this pub with so many ales. The guest ales are not the standard ales you will find in most local ale pubs either. The food was very reasonably priced, although I did not try any. The pub is small and I can guess get extremely busy at certain times. The staff were keen and helpful (Edgar, all were also British). Well worth making a special trip for if you are an ale fan. Also worth going to see the gorgeous eyes of the barmaid with black hair!
13 May 2009 10:11
Small ancient boozer frequented by tourists, pensioners and Hatton Garden jewellers. Worth a visit to see it the once, but I will not be rushing back. I hope that it does not change, but it is not my type of boozer being to cramped.
13 May 2009 10:06
Smithy's Wine Bar, Kings Cross
I went in there for the first time for a couple of beers last night. Although there were two of the three ales off, the one which was on (Timothy Taylors Landlord) was good. Service was friendly and the whole place was busy which is good to see for a Tuesday evening in the middle of May. I found that the overall atmosphere was excellent and would certainly go back there again, especially if there is football on the TV because they do not have one.
13 May 2009 10:03
A strange pub as it has lots of partitions to make different areas. Think of a snug, bar, lounge, etc. But these are not original and, I would guess, fitted during the 70s. Overall the beer was fine and the service ok. I cannot really think of anything good or bad to say about this pub, so I won't.
13 May 2009 09:59
The Bald Faced Stag, East Finchley
The food and beer place can be summed up in two words.
RIP OFF
13 Apr 2009 13:18
The Old White Lion, East Finchley
A very nice and comfortable pub with a good selection of beers. Unfortunately though they are very expensive and served by some of the most uninterested bar staff you will ever meet.
13 Apr 2009 13:15
The Uxbridge Arms, Notting Hill
Nice ales, comfortable and welcoming pub. Unfortunately it smelt a bit musty in the left hand seating area. A good place to have a chat and avoid the tourists.
26 Mar 2009 20:33
The Prince Albert, Notting Hill
Totally done for the tourist who wants to eat. Only one ale which tasted ok. The furniture is fake Queen Anne chairs and wooden tables. It seems like a pub which could be a gastropub if it tried harder, but the food is reasonably priced (I only looked at the menu, did not try any) and the tables are too closely packed together.
26 Mar 2009 20:31
The Cock and Bottle, Notting Hill
A local pub which is very friendly and welcoming. Nice beer and well worth a visit. The interior is old and beautiful with what I would think are plenty of original features, but unfortunately now very tired as well.
26 Mar 2009 20:22
Good staff and comfortable. Not the place to spend an evening, but worth a visit for a pint or two before the tube/train.
26 Mar 2009 20:18
Beer was very good with 2 ales on tap. Nice atmosphere and comfortable. But why are they charging gastropub prices for pub snacks? If they charged realistic prices for the food this would be a very highly rated pub.
If you want a pint, recommended, if you want food, look elsewhere.
26 Mar 2009 20:15
Absolutely lovely pub with fantastic, attentative service. Well worth a visit to see the interior alone. Very popular on a Sunday due to their excellent roast dinners.
1 Mar 2009 17:54
Please ignore what Simon63 said. Does anyone honestly think Fullers will get taken over by McDonalds?
11 Feb 2009 20:08
The Duke Of Wellington, Marylebone
I went there for lunch today. Black Sheep on draught which was in superb condition. The food was absolutely fantastic and very reasonably priced. The staff were extremely good and there was never any pressure to vacate the table when we had finished lunch.
Everyone who came in was eating so I never could see if people would come in just for a beer. I cannot see why not as they make up the table for food after you order. Also there are a couple of stools at the bar.
I would recommend this pub to anyone visiting the area for lunch, dinner or even just a quiet pint.
31 Jan 2009 21:20
The Lamb and Flag, Covent Garden
Ales are good, very attentive staff, but was extremely busy when I was in there on a Friday evening. Do not go there for an intimate evening
31 Jan 2009 11:23
The Porcupine, Leicester Square
A nice pub to use as a meeting point. The ales are kept well and the staff are ok. The place is kept clean as well but the smell of fried food can be a little overpowering at times. But after you have met your friends here, go somewhere else!
31 Jan 2009 11:21
I was in there this week. Friendly staff and the tables kept clean. But all the beers seemed to be at the end of the barrel, causing them to be flat and losing their taste. Also all beers were 3.8% and below or 4.8% or above! I think there needs to be a bit more thought into the beers and remember quality is better than quantity. All the beers were what you can find in any other pub with real ales within a two or three mile radius.
Although it was busy, I also thought that the pub was lacking that last piece of the jigsaw, atmosphere.
I am also going to down rate this pub for its dual pricing policy. I am not going to join CAMRA to get cheaper beer in the Bree Louise, I will go to the Doric Arch where the beer is same price for everyone and the quality is better.
31 Jan 2009 11:18
Small pub with good ales and friendly staff. Arrive early if you want a seat. Table service is a very nice touch as well.
29 Jan 2009 05:51
The Seven Stars, Chancery Lane
Was in there in the afternoon and the service was fine and friendly, but it was quiet at the time. Four ales on the pumps but all were freezing cold.
29 Jan 2009 05:48
The Clissold Arms, East Finchley
If a Gastropub chain started and they made them all the same, this would be the model. It seems to take every bland part of a gastropub and and place it here. The food is good and the ales are kept well, if a little expensive. It does not inspire or feel homely. A shame really as the potential is there.
17 Jan 2009 12:55
Depends what you want in a pub. A typical estate pub full of working class people. Nothing special, no real ales, but a quiet spot to relax.
17 Jan 2009 12:46
It is still an ok boozer. The non-Fullers ales are now priced above the Fullers and not in the centre of the bar. Perhaps a way of trying to get rid of them? All are in very good condition.
The doorway smell is awful though and can sometimes drift upstairs.
17 Jan 2009 12:44
The Elephant Inn, North Finchley
Easily the best pub in North Finchley. Excellent beers, good and quick service. Tables and bartops kept clean. A proper pub in an area of awful chav boozers
17 Jan 2009 10:47
The Finchley Tavern, North Finchley
Worth visiting after the Elephant closes and you want to carry on drinking.
17 Jan 2009 10:46
Why does this place have so many ales that they cannot look after? Quality before quantity please. How many pubs will you find that has a sign saying no tracksuit bottoms as well as hooded sweatshirts? Sums it up perfectly.
17 Jan 2009 10:44
Back to SomersetChris's profile
Cowper Arms, Letty Green
A very nice pub in a beautiful location with absolutely great food (Foodlover67, they must have read your remarks as everything was just the opposite).
It is just the place to spend a few hours. If you are in a hurry avoid this place. We arrived at 1.30 for Sunday lunch. The barstaff did not have a clue what coke was and after two attempts at telling him, he still gave us lemonade. He tried to make us sit outside to eat even though there were empty tables inside! We had to ask other staff if the inside tables were reserved, which they were not. The service was absolutely slow and appalling with only one barmaid who knew anything (she had black hair and wore the pub t-shirt, not to be confused with the woman I guess was the Manageress). It took four hours to get served starters, main and pudding and we left at 5.30. I would have been extremely unhappy apart from the fact that my friend and I were planning on a lazy Sunday afternoon lunch and the food was fantastic.
When we arrived there were two ales on (Adnams Bitter and London Pride), but by the time we left there was none.
To sum this pub up is easy, if you want good food in pleasant surroundings and have time to kill, this is the place for you. If you want competent, attentive waiting and barstaff, beers to be changed, empty glasses and plates taken when full ones are brought, do not go here. This could be a fantastic pub with the right staff, unfortunately it is not
8 May 2011 20:48