The Bridge House Tavern, Penge

Lovely pub with great service, if a little under-populated when we were there. We had burgers and they were the best chips I've had in months but yes, they are pricey for SE20. Tribute was on the pumps, I forget what else. The pub is on two levels which seems to work well with the upstairs (where the bar is) being livelier with louder music and the downstairs a bit quieter. Moving to the area shortly and will be very pleased to call this my local. There were leaflets on the tables for a regular farmer's market.

13 Feb 2013 12:34

Chetwode Arms, Lower Whitley

Previous reviewers must have had the bad luck not to go on a Sunday - extensive three-course menu for �9.95! You can't go wrong. We've just got back from there today - my tomato and basil soup starter was rich and flavourful, roast pheasant actually tasted gamey, a rarity in this part of the world I've found, and proper sticky toffee pudding with custard was wonderful. Mr Porcupine equally impressed with his potted shrimp, roast beef and apple pie. A gorgeous little country pub with good English food. Best to book on Sundays though.

22 Nov 2009 19:19

The Knott Bar, Deansgate

I second bloomfieldjpm on the Chicken and Chorizo stew. It's also the best place for real ale in Manchester I've discovered so far, and the staff are always handy with a recommendation. I mostly come in here afternoons to do a bit of work over a pint, and it's fantastic, friendly and quiet except for a few students and the other freelancer tapping away on their laptop. Gets pretty rammed and noisy in the evenings though.

5 Aug 2009 18:36

The Maid of Muswell, Muswell Hill

I used to drink in here all the time (left the Hill last year) and it was grand. Unless it's dramatically gone downhill I don't know where some of the other comments are coming from. Only a couple of ales, but lots of interesting ciders, bottled beers and at one point last year Morgan the barman was trying to make an ale of his own in a corner of the pub (not sure whether that ever got served!)

Standard pub grub, a good Sunday roast when they used to have a guy in playing the piano, nice decor (maybe majors on the wobbly chairs a bit too much), Tuesday quiz that was always packed out, and a really nice outside bit. Sit in front to watch the world go by or out the back for peace and quiet. Lovely, lovely pub which I miss.

5 Aug 2009 18:26

The Lord Nelson, Urmston

Maybe I've been unlucky, but I've been in here twice and the Mild was off both times, and we had to wait for the bar staff to finish chatting to the regulars to order it, so I've stopped going in now. Outside area is ok, inside it's pretty tired and there's a definite tang of dead dog & old men's wee (or maybe it's the clientele...) Ok for a pint if you're sticking to lager and know the staff, if you want a decent ale and a nice place to drink in try the Steamhouse by the station.

5 Aug 2009 18:11

Steamhouse, Urmston

What a top pub this is since the refurb! Urmston is chockful of old-men's-wee smelling dives where the nearest thing to "ale" is a Holts Mild that tastes like a dead dog's been embalmed in it, and this place is just a breath of fresh air.

They've got a changing selection of four ales on tap, have included Dunham Massey and Copper Dragon recently, and they've all been in good nick. I've only eaten there once, and it was decent pub grub with few pretensions (as in, you can get your chicken curry with rice, chips or half-and-half).

All that and pleasant to sit in, not a hint of old-man's-wee in the place. A bit sterile still in the decor, like they've ordered "The Gastropub Look" from a catalogue, but I'm sure they'll get there. A couple of random sprees on eBay is all it needs. Fun to sit out on the platform too, but don't do it if you're recovering from a hangover or the half-hourly fast train to Liverpool will pummel your brain.

I gave them a nine - if they want to earn the extra point, they could put some low lighting in the side rooms and make the front tables nice to sit out at, cos at the moment they are basically in a car park. Really hope Urmston supports this pub because it deserves to do well.

5 Aug 2009 17:58