BITE user comments - ajsqs
Comments by ajsqs
Closed. The building it is in will be demolished soon for a new development of unaffordable flats.
17 Nov 2016 00:08
The George And Dragon, Fitzrovia
It has just reopened as a craft beer bar.
I didn't like the choice of beers available at my local on Monday night so decided to try it out. I arrived just after 22.40 and was told by the owner? that it was closed "it has been quiet and we have to keep the staff costs down". If that is a concern, maybe he should just have one staff member working or even run it himself for the last hour or so.
He was apologetic and even offered a free pint on my next visit. But there won't be a next visit. I go out for a drink at 22.30 and don't want to walk all the way there to find he has closed early.
Final comment, if you say you will be open until 23.00, make sure that you are. There isn't a lot of trade around early in the week so you have to make the effort to attract it.
16 Nov 2016 23:51
Surprised to see that there are no reviews on this pub.
I called in after a family visit a couple of months ago and was very pleased with what I saw.
They had the expected excellent range of cask beers and the couple that I had the time to drink were both very good.
The bar is located in the old station buffet so is set back a bit from Station Parade.
7 May 2014 13:50
I passed the bar recently and it is closed.
According to staff at another pub nearby, the building owner put the rent up to unaffordable levels
7 May 2014 13:46
I have been a regular at the Tap since it opened and don't think I have ever had a bad pint there.
I called in on Tuesday night to meet some friends and enjoyed the sublime Moor Confidence as well as a few other beers.
A welcome bonus is the ability to order burgers from the Shed by the Cider Tap by sending a text with your order and name on it. The burger was delivered in about twenty minutes. They aren't cheap but they are very good.
30 Jan 2014 13:42
The Smugglers Tavern, Warren Street
I pass this place on a regular basis and it is usually virtually empty. On some nights it is completely closed and locked up by the time I am passing (20.30 to 21.00)
It gives a good impression of a dying or even dead pub, which is a shame as it used to be one of the best pubs in the area.
30 Jan 2014 13:36
As a regular of the Tower Tavern, I really don't know what NeverMind is on about. I remember the place four years ago. It was run by somebody who hadn't a clue about running a pub and ended up bankrupting himself. The beer was bad, even the Guinness, which he had to change to the chilled version to make it even barely drinkable
The toilets and furniture were in much worse condition four years ago.
The layout hasn't changed apart from the small wall off the raised area, which was taken down a couple of years ago.
It make me wonder if NeverMind is talking about the same pub.
The Tower Tavern is a far better place than it was four years ago. Four real ales, all in good condition and good food.
4 Jul 2013 13:21
Well, I finely took the plunge and went to Jetlag to meet some friends. I wasn't sure what to drink, but noticed that they had Fordham's Copperhead Ale on draught. Not cheap at £5 per pint but an enjoyable beer all the same. They also have an extensive range of bottled beers, which is well worth exploring.
I also had the pleasure of meeting Scott, the owner, who is very sociable and has put a lot of effort, and money, in to the place.
It may not be to everyone's taste, but well worth calling in if you are in the area and want to try something different.
20 Mar 2013 18:36
The pub is small but there is nothing they can do about that. It can get crowded especially in bad weather, but there are plenty of times when it is quiet. All you need to do is avoid the evening rush, especially on a Friday.
Some of the keg beers are expensive, but that is down to rarity value and the cost of importing them in to the UK. The draught beers start at £3.20 a pint, which is very cheap for London, especially when you take the quality of the beer in to account.
Part of the reason for the slow service is down to people not knowing what they want when it is their turn to be served. No wonder the staff get frustrated at times.
20 Mar 2013 18:28
I saw the pub from my train on Saturday and there was a big sign saying Freehold for sale. Not sure if it is still trading.
This was my local when I lived in the area and it is sad to see its decline
11 Feb 2013 13:50
I passed the site of the pub on saturday and it has been demolished. Work on a new hotel has commenced
R.I.P. One of my favourite pubs when I lived in Harrogate.
11 Feb 2013 13:48
Great pub. No need for a CAMRA discount with prices starting at �3.00 per pint.
Consistently good quality beers so no need to worry about whether or not the beer is off., it won't be!
10 Sep 2012 13:37
I made a rare visit here on Sunday night to meet up with some friends.
The beer selection was far better than your typical Fullers pub and included a couple of Gales ales. Unfortunately, for me, they were all as flat as a witches *** and totally lifeless.
My major complaint though was about the food that I was unfortunate enough to buy. I ordered the roast pork and apple sauce sandwich and expected to be served with a sandwich full of roast pork with plenty of apple sauce. What I was served with was two slices of white bread with a few scraps of pork and pork crackling and a flavouring of apple sauce. No attempt had been made to spread the filling to the edges of the sandwich. If they had done that, there would have been a gap in the middle of the sandwich. There was probably just enough roast pork and apple sauce in the sandwich to satisfy the Trades Descriptions Act, but this (now ex) customer was far from satisfied.
15 May 2012 12:49
Hodge 1 - Good beer, shame about the sky high prices and the one overused toilet on the first floor!
The beer must have been better than you thought as there is a toilet and a urinal upstairs.
I was in on Saturday night when they had three draught beers on for under �3 a pint, with no gimmick discounts for CAMRA members.
The best thing about this place is the variety of beers that don't rely on the vastly overrated Fuggles and Goldings hops. Obviously doesn't please the Luddites of this world, but they can stick with the likes of Greene Kind IPA
19 Oct 2011 13:36
Good old fashioned back street boozer with a decent selection of real ales, lagers etc. There is also an impressive whisky selection.
Can get very busy on a Friday night, but perfect as a good quiet weekend retreat
11 Sep 2011 18:26
I have been a regular in this pub for many years and have seen many changes, not all for the better. However, the current Landlord knows how to run a good pub.
He takes full advantage of Greene King's guest beer policy, so you always have the chance to avoid drinking Greene King. I walked in on Friday night and they had Castle Rock Harvest Pale on as a guest, one of my favourite beers.
If you haven't visited before, or recently, make the effort as you will be pleasantly surprised
11 Sep 2011 18:24
I have been a weekend regular, plus as many midweek visits as possible, since it opened in November 2010.
The cask ale is always in good condition and most nights there is a full selection of eight beers. Some breweries feature on a regular basis, but they are generally the better ones anyway.
The selection of 19 keg beers covers Germany, Czech Republic, USA etc but als includes a few UK beers including the excellent Camden Hells Lager.
There is a wide selection of bottled and canned beers, so you should find something that suits your taste.
The place is small downstairs and not much bigger upstairs, which isn't a problem unless it is raining. There is a beer garden to one side, covered by an umbrella and plenty of space to stand on the footpath outside.
The clientele varies, but many know a lot about and appreciate good beer, which is what this bar is all about.
The staff are knowledgeable and friendly and more than happy for you to have a sample to taste.
Definitely not for the Fosters drinkers (thankfully)
11 Sep 2011 18:20
I called in here on Monday night and enjoyed a few very good pints of Harvey's Sussex Best.
I will be back for more soon.
27 Jul 2011 19:28
I called in recently and made the mistake of ordering food. I ordered the Tex Mex burger, which cost �7.50. The bun was tiny, the burger was acceptable, the bacon had been frazzled to within a millimetre of its life and there was a small dollop of salsa. I'd rather have had a BigMac and I don't say that very often. The other food that I saww being served looked equally poor value.
I agree with recent comments about not using the hand pumps, so why do they have a cider on hand pump? The beer varied from good to insipid. The good being from the hand pumps and the insipid being the gravity beers.
The place has gone down hill and will have real competition in a couple of weeks time.
22 Oct 2010 19:18
I called in recently and sampled several of the beers, The beers from the hand pumps were consistently good. The ones from the racks were all too warm and getting to the end of their shelf life. Probably a case of too many beers on for the custom that was available.
I have always found the staff to be freindly and usualy knowledgeable about the beers on offer, so was surprised by some of the comments.
21 Feb 2010 21:30
Good friendly pub with a warm welcome from the staff.
Food very good.
Beers still from the Greene King range, but the landlord takes advantage of the Guest Beers that he can now sell. York Breweey Yorkshire Terrier being a recent example.
Mixed crowd of local workers and residents.
But, you can't please everyone, especially somebody whose terms of reference is Trainspotting. Probably the type of punter the landlord isn't tyring to attract.
21 Feb 2010 21:23
Landlord really making an effort with this place.
He has the Greene King special offers available. Carlsberg and Greene King IPA at �1.99 a pint. He is offering �0.99 meals as well, which must be the best value in the area.
For music lovers he has Karaoke every Thursday and live bands most Fridays and Saturdays.
Plenty of outside seating for those who want to relax outside.
12 Jul 2009 11:42
The Slug and Lettuce, Fitzrovia
Passed this place on my way home recently and it has reopened as Chutney & Lager, an Indian Tapas bar.
Looks as if there is a large eating area and a reasonably sized bar area.
12 Jul 2009 11:38
Now reopened as Jetlag Bar.
Seems to be intended for the more pretentious members of our society.
No draught real ale.
Definitely not what I am looking for in a pub, so won't be visiting to do a review.
12 Jul 2009 11:34
I made a rare visit to the Doric Arch recently and was pleasantly surprised.
The furniture changes are minor but have made a difference. It was nice to see that the selection of ketchup bottles etc. at the top of the stairs had gone.
The beer selection was much better than I have previously seen and I gather this is a policy that the management will continue. No Hophead but Kelham Island Pale Rider was a more than adequate substitute.
Due to the number of Fulllers beers it stock, it will never be able to offer the wide selection that the Bree Louise can. But it had one thing that the Bree Louise often lacks - Atmosphere.
6 Apr 2009 09:50
Rather than offering all customers the CAMRA discount up to 25th January, why not get rid of it completely and reduce the prices across the board to reflect this.
The CAMRA discount treats all non-CAMRA members as 2nd class customers.
If you want to offer a discount, try a loyalty card which rewards people who actually use the pub. rather than those who just happen to be a member of what some people consider to be a disfunctional organisation.
I used to use this place on a regular basis, but stopped going because of the dual pricing policy. I was charged the full price when a total stranger was given a discounted price for the same product just because he was carrying his CAMRA membership card.
13 Jan 2009 23:42
The Porter and Sorter, Croydon
Called in for the first time in over a year last week.
Delighted to see Ringwood Porter on offer and in good condition and a full glass as well.
The pub was very busy, but the service was good. Sounds like it must have been an off day.
22 Dec 2008 22:37
The Crown and Sceptre, Fitzrovia
The manager needs to control the drinkers drinking outside this pub. One of the worst in the area for inconsiderate suits blocking the public footpath and forcing people to walk on the road.
21 Nov 2008 00:17
When the Doric Arch was a decent pub, they always has at least one light hoppy beer on draught, often two. The usual suspects were Dark Star Hophead, Phoenix Arizona and Castle Rock Harvest Pale. An excellent selection of a style of beer that is not readily available in the London area. These beers were so popular that the staff used to say they could not keep up with the demand. There were many Satuday nights when these were not available as the pub had run out of them.
It would be reasonable to assume that these beers were being sold at a profit, so it was a major surprise when the then new landlady decided to stop selling them. The effect was noticeable in that many of the regulars, such as myself, decided to stop using the pub. It has few other attractions, and the poorly maintained toilets are a disincentive to use the place.
There is a gap in the market for these light hoppy beers, that the Bree Louise has not filled. All it taked is somebody with a bit of business acumen to realise that.
The recent postings have been promising, but many of the offerings are available at better pubs than this.
21 Nov 2008 00:13
Turning in to a bit of a music venue. Live music on 13th and 15th November, Karaoke on 14th November. Bloodless Coup back on 5th December. Good to see the landlord trying something different.
On the beer side, he is changing the beers on a regular basis albeit within the Greene King range due to the tie. Good selection of lagers as well.
Food as good as ever.
Big canopies outside that give some protection for smokers. I will not use a pub in wet weather if it has no protection for smokers, so this place is top of my list on a wet winter evening.
12 Nov 2008 20:22
The Betjeman Arms, St Pancras International Station
I called in here on Saturday night to see what was left of the beer festival but ended up sticking with the enjoyable Betjeman Ale.
The pub was relatively quiet, but will probably be very busy with home going commuters, especially on a Friday night.
The seats in the "Smoking Area" were cordoned off due to the foul weather, but the area is a good size.
There is also a seating area outside the pub underneath the overall roof with one of the better views in London i.e. the Barlow roof and, for those who apprecaite such things, Eurostars.
The only downside to my visit was the smell of cooking in the pub, something which puts me off.
Overall, a welcome addition to the area and one that I will return to.
12 Nov 2008 20:01
I had the misfortune to have to use this pub last night when it was very busy. They had three bar staff working. Most of the time it was one collecting glasses (it does happen), one washing glasses and one serving. Needless to say the service was terrible, despite the efforts of the one decent barman. I imagine the management were having a rest upstairs as they were not visible in the pub. I used to be a regular here a few years ago, when it was a reasonably well run pub. I was surprised by how far the standards had dropped.
14 Oct 2008 13:30
Summer Lightning appears to be the onky guest that they actually sell consistently.
There has always been a mentality that people will drink Fullers if the guest beers are unavailable. This is true for some customers, often just passing trade, but for many of use, we can get better kept Fullers beers in more attractive locations than this.
The attraction of the old Head of Steam and the early days of the Doric Arch was the opportunity to drink small brewery beers in the Euston area. Luckily for the former regulars, the Bree Louise has taken over this role leaving the Doric Arch superfluous.
Hopefully the staff were using their computers to research the vast variety of real ales that are available in the real world.
9 Oct 2008 14:20
The pub has had a minor refit. Sticky old carpet has been replaced and the curtains in the windows removed. Has lightened the old place up. The smell has gone with the carpet.
6 Oct 2008 22:32
My first poor experience of the pub was last Saturday night. The barman was clearly intent on an early finish and said he would be closing the pub at 11pm. This turned out to be the case as he emptied the pub just before 11pm, rather than serving to 11pm then allowing drinking up time. Admittedly the pub was quiet, but it would have been busier if he hadn't turned customers away at 10.45pm. Made the Doric Arch feel welcoming
10 Sep 2008 20:08
cute-donkey
Le pub va en descendant, le choix de bi�re a disparu, mon �ne ne fr�quentera pas ce pub pendant quelque temps
25 Aug 2008 18:50
The rating for this pub is too high as it is based on the efforts of the previous regimes, especially when it was known as The Head of Steam.
All of the postings since the new management team have taken over have been negative, especially about their policy of sticking to Fullers beers with a few non-descript guest beers. This pub does not warrant its current rating of 7.1 out of 10
It is about time beerintheevening started a policy of showing the most recent ratings to give a true recent reflection of the pub rather than historic ones that do not apply, such as here. Good pubs should not be concerned about this as their ratings should be consistent.
30 Jul 2008 13:52
I started using this pub as an alternative to the Doric Arch and was very pleased to see the selection of real ales on offer. Now that the Doric Arch is little more than a Fullers pub, I will be here much more often.
Will not be taking advantage of the 50p discount for CAMRA members as I value my credibility higher than that.
Keep up the good work.
29 Jun 2008 19:38
Rapidly turning in to a normal Fullers pub and not the semi Free House it was after it was bought. The list of guest beers now appears to be fixed (please correct me if I am wrong) and their availability is reducing again.
One of my reasons for still using this pub is the availability of light hoppy beers. The usual selection being one or two of:
Dark Star Hophead, Phoenix Arizona or Castle Rock Harvest Pale.
I have visited the pub on the last two weekends and found none of the above to be available. The nearest they could offer was Summer Lightning, which is definitaly not on the light side. Not sure if they are keeping the "good stuff" for the weekday trade or just reducing the amount that they stock. Either way, if you are visiting on a weekend, don't expect a full range of beers.
16 Jun 2008 13:57
Mintyboom was lucky to be able to sample the Harvest Pale. On both of my recent visits, the choice has been Fullers or nothing.
The guest beers sell quickly and nobody thinks about replacing them. Not sure if this is deliberate or just lack of experience. The end result is the same. The keypad is to keep the dregs out of the toilet and is therefore for the customer's benefit. It is also a great source of amusement to the staff who watch people struggling via the CCTV
10 Apr 2008 13:40
The Tower Tavern is under new management and the difference is noticeable.Polite and friendly tenant with motivated bar staff. The atmosphere is relaxed and trade is picking up nicely. Good food at sensible prices.
Still work to be done after the damage caused by the last tenant, but the improvement in just a few weeks is impressive.
Don't just take my word for it, visit the pub and judge for yourself. Hopefully, you will be pleasantly surprised.
10 Apr 2008 13:33
Rapidly becoming a good place if you want to be on your own. Pub getting quieter by the week. Partly due to the smoking ban and credit crunch, but mainly because the current tenant does not have a clue. Thankfully, he has handed in his notice and should be gone some time in March. The new tenants, assuming Greene King can actually find someone who relishes a challenge, will have their work cut out trying to turn this place back in to the profit making pub it was six months ago.
12 Feb 2008 13:36
The pub has reopened after being closed for a fortnight for refurbishment. The work is not yet finished, but the difference is noticeable. The lighting is more subdued and the pub has a different feel to it.
Good to have the old local back open again.
11 Nov 2007 16:11
The pub is indeed under new management. Dave the landlord has finally gone and will not be missed. James is in charge on a temporary basis at the moment. The regulars hope that Fullers will see sense and give him the job full time.
I was in last night and there was an excellent atmosphere. A lot of people in drinking good beer and enjoying themselves. For the first time in months, they had a full range of nine real ales on, including the excellent Fullers London Porter and the equally palatable Castle Rock Harvest Pale.
I will be using the place more now that I don't have to risk seeing the ex landlord in his usual foul mood drinking Lager at the end of the bar.
11 Nov 2007 16:08
The Henry Peacock, Harrogate
Demolished
17 Nov 2016 00:09