BITE user comments - artieleblanc
Comments by artieleblanc
The Edmund Tylney, Leatherhead
Visited late lunchtime on a Saturday. The folk at the tables outside were unprepossessing.
Not busy inside, either. Typical JDW, a bit on the dark side. Ales fine. Tables sticky - (we tried several). A few kids running round, no trace of parents.
Don't bother unless you're just after cheap beer.
12 Aug 2014 18:44
We were caught out by a downpour while walking our dog in Stone, and were pleased to find that, while most of the outside tables here were drenched, there was a bench well-sheltered under an overhanging roof.
It turned out that this was pretty much the preserve of smokers during there temporary exiles from the pub interior: but they informed us that it was OK to take a dog into the lower bar - so we did.
It's a really old-fashioned space, with good beer and friendly locals - and several other dogs. Good to see it surviving quietly in this interesting spot.
29 Jul 2014 17:52
William Jolle, Northwood Hills
Dropped in late on a Monday lunchtime. Place was surprisingly full, almost all men who appeared to have time on their hands. Most special ales were "on". Ate excellent ham egg and chips which was delivered quickly and with condiments in bottles (hooray!) instead of in silly little packets.
18 Mar 2014 17:38
The Hamilton Hall, Liverpool Street
We popped in on a Saturday afternoon and struggled out again. Heaving full (though not with football fans), a beer hall rather than a pub. The Moon Under Water it wasn't! OK if you want to stand and be jostled in an awfully noisy environment, and drinking is your only intention - rubbish if you want to be able to talk/sit/relax.
26 Jan 2014 12:27
The Moon and Cross, Waltham Cross
Visited at 1400h on a Sunday. Unusually for a Wetherspoons, pub NOT full of families with kids wolfing down Sunday roast, but more like a proper pub, with locals. Pint of Santa Paws in good condition. Mulled cider, advertised as a special, was "off" - they offered to put it on to heat, but as this would have taken 20 mins, we declined. Pleasant atmosphere.
31 Dec 2013 10:52
The Sir John Oldcastle, Farringdon
Pub looked a bit garish. Very good mulled cider, but it ran out after a pint and a half - shame, as we wanted two pints. Both meals served with wrong potatoes.
Consequently, it left us with the impression that no-one was very bothered to get it right. Won't be visiting again.
27 Dec 2013 18:16
Heaving full on a Saturday afternoon, but service was remarkably quick. Wide selection of real ales, but beware - the bar at the back doesn't serve all of them - check because if you order food and then find the bar doesn't have"your" ale, things get complicated!
15 Dec 2013 17:14
The Hammersmith Ram, Hammersmith
Returned here after 3 years away, to find it has gone downhill. Staff indifferent, and several ales unavailable. Menu homogenised - the usual fish and chips/burger/pasta range. very much in need of a paint job.
22 Sep 2013 15:36
The Crown and Sceptre, Streatham
A proper old pub - but so are the fixtures and fittings. Cheap even by Wetherspoon standards. Decent food and drink , and good range of ales. Let down by the swathes of uncollected plates and glasses on tables.
22 Sep 2013 15:32
Arrived about 1815h on a wet weekday. The pub was comfortable but not heaving, no bouncers (a plus), poster warning about handbag theft (a minus). We were quickly and pleasantly served. Thatchers' Gold was in good condition, gammon grills ditto - and good chips!
11 Sep 2013 18:16
The Central Bar, Shepherds Bush
We were there at about 5pm on a Saturday. Found it busy and characterless - totally free of any distinguishing feature other than reasonable prices. Several of the real ales were "off". Wouldn't both going again.
18 Aug 2013 15:42
Pleasantly busy but comfortable and welcoming between 7-8pm on a Friday evening. Spotlessly clean. Decent Thatchers Gold, good range of ales including Twickenham Brewery.
Liked it and will visit again.
3 Aug 2013 17:51
Building has no character: but we found staff efficient and welcoming, and service remarkably quick for a Friday lunchtime. Excellent Stowford Press: but Ale Festival not heavily featured. Standard JDW food.
5 Apr 2013 19:32
This place is beginning to look tired. Good range of ales and carries Stowford Press cider in good condition. Woefully slow service from otherwise pleasant staff.
25 Mar 2013 17:23
The Surrey Docks, Surrey Quays
Average JDW pub, clearly used as the local. Meals and drinks served promptly and accurately - and surprisingly quickly for a Saturday lunchtime. Staff friendly, clientele no trouble. Outside "garden" is at edge of busy junction - should be renamed Smoking Area, as that is all that it is.
10 Mar 2013 12:36
On a Saturday evening, this is a beer factory. Heaving with people, tables uncleared. Avoid!
5 Sep 2012 21:34
Uncannily empty on a Saturday evening, when all other Wakefield pubs were heaving. Friendly barman and customers. A genuine pub but very scruffy. No sign of food in the evening, but a good range of beers.
5 Sep 2012 21:32
This is a Wetherspoons makeover of a previous pub of the same name on the site. It is a huge improvement. It has an excellent range of beers on tap, and the usual food offerings. The evening meals are very popular - recently we took the last table (and it's a big pub) at 1845h, on a damp Tuesday evening. There are plenty of staff, and service was generally very good.
22 Aug 2012 12:03
Busy but characterless JDW pub, with a good range of beers. Clientele seemed demotivated and there was no energy to the place. Good prices, but that's about all to recommend it.
16 Aug 2012 22:01
Visited about 1pm one Sunday lunchtime. Cavernous interior almost deserted. Tables outside at rear overlook concrete area. Beers OK but atmosphere non-existent. Started to fill up with young families sometime after 2pm, all in for lunch. Meals looked large but unattractive. This place could be so much nicer ...
16 Aug 2012 21:56
Visited between 5 and 6 on a cool weekday evening. There was a mix of quiet drinkers, and a comfortable atmosphere. As others say, it is a gem.
The visit was marred somewhat by the cool and languid service by the two very young men behind the bar. There was no eye contact and certainly no welcome - I have seen friendlier robots. A shame, because the beers and cider are good.
24 May 2012 22:03
The Prince of Wales, West Brompton
We visited at about 7pm on a weekday evening. The pub and its staff were welcoming, and there was a reasonable crowd, but seats still available. Most appeared to be (like us) visitors to the area rather than regulars.
Drinks were pretty standard, and food looked uninspired ("in a basket" style). The pub itself was attractive.
25 Mar 2012 17:27
The pub gets a reasonable amount of trade from people going to and from the theatre upstairs.
It seemsto be trying to do a distressed Victorian appearance, but comes across as simply distressed. Food and drnk uninspiring and overpriced. Men's toilets simply unspeakable.
25 Mar 2012 17:22
We visited early on aSaturday evening. The pub was clean and orderly, andfar better than many JDWs at a similar hour. We made strikingly good use of the Real ale festival, using the taster selection of three beers for the price of a pint. All were in good condition.
the pub was still orderly and not overcrowded when we passed it again just before 10pm. We would suggest that the place is much better than some of the recent reviewswould indicate.
25 Mar 2012 17:18
The Warren Wood, Buckhurst Hill
Agree pretty much with paddyrussell's comment. We were made welcome. Good range of beers (Sharp's Doom, Marston's Sweet Chariot), and interesting menu. Really coulddo with a lick of paint, though.
28 Feb 2012 15:01
Visited the bar on a Saturday afternoon. It's a proper pub, with old and well-used fittings, but lots of character. Pity that the character does not extend to the bar staff - service is nothing more than functional. Clientele a mixture of locals and visitors. Excellent Young's Winter Warmer, which was perfect on a very cold day.
15 Jan 2012 10:54
The Moon Under Water, Leicester Square
Small but efficient Wetherspoons, with typical range of Wetherspoons food and drinks. Guinness was well-kempt. What makes it stand out is the speed of service and the cleanliness - tables are cleared quickly and the floor was pristine, despite the fact that many kids' meals were served.
Clientele almost all visitors - but it IS Leicester Square!
3 Jan 2012 09:18
The Leicester Arms, Piccadilly Circus
Looks attractive in a touristy way from the outside, but is grimy inside. Clientele almost entirely tourists seeking a "Genuine Pub Experience" - as none of them is likely to return, the service is dire. Uncleared tables covered with crumbs. Avoid!
30 Oct 2011 14:48
The Hammersmith Ram, Hammersmith
Warmly welcoming staff who treat customers as human beings. Enjoyed our drinks. Didn't eat, but will return as the menu looked good. Well done!
25 Sep 2011 19:41
The Pig and Whistle, East Sheen
We visited early on Bank Holiday evening. The pub had a reasonable number of customers, some clustered round the cricket on TV, others drinking sociably - quite what a pub should be. It was clean and comfortable. Slightly let down by a member of staff wearing clothes that she appeared to have slept in.
30 Aug 2011 09:28
Visited on a weekday evening - earlier reviewers might be interested to learn that there were no children about. Good Twickenham Ale, nicely served, and reasonable and reasonably priced meal. Pleasant staff.
5 Aug 2011 09:04
The Old Doctor Butler's Head, Moorgate
Visited on a summer evening. Once again, almost all customers were outside - the (sparsely furnished) interior was almost empty, and lacked character. Well-kept Bishop's Finger and other Shepherd Neame on tap. Men's toilets were smelly, and odour penetrated to staircase to the toilets.
28 Jul 2011 09:51
Dull as Wetherspoons go. Cheap beer, but bored-looking customers, and ladies' loo was basic and smelly.
24 Jul 2011 19:38
Visited for a pre-theatre drink. We were disappointed by the range of real ales available, having found the pub via CAMRA. Only London Pride and Deuchars IPA available on tap. Staff were efficient, but could not be said to be friendly. A convenient enough little pub, but nothing in particular to go back for.
14 Jun 2011 08:29
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The Junction, Clapham Junction
This used to be the Windsor Castle but has recently been done up and renamed.
The building is pleasant and spacious, but doesn't seem to care much about the ales. There was no dark ale on offer, and the bar staff suggested IPA - not! Perhaps it would help if they knew about beer? The Falcon and the JDW (Asparagus) are not far away - those who care what they drink might choose these instead.
It doesn't help that food is expensive - £12.65 for fish and chips in a pub, no matter how good, and even if it DOES have pickled onions with it, seems OTT.
7 Mar 2015 16:12