BITE user comments - chipawayboy
Comments by chipawayboy
i love this place. last visited in november after the scotland/pacific islanders rugby match. excellent real ales and the front room has some real nice nooks and seating to watch the crowd mingle or warm up by the fireplace. combine the blue blazer w/the bow bar up the street and you've got a great mini edinburgh pub crawl (stay away from nearby grassmarket unless u want a fizzy whizzy and lots of meat). i rate the blue blazer an 8.5.
31 Dec 2006 05:01
visited in november w/several friends before the scotland/pacific islanders rugby match. place was real nice: had a superb deuchers along w/decent toasted sandwiches. i think i saw the same woman (now 89 i suppose) playing the fruit machine as mentioned in the previous post. she and her husband hung out at the table across from us in the side room...just reading the paper, sipping real ale, and playing the machine. place was recommended to me by a local who is now a bartender at a rib/beer joint located in Boston/USA. I give it a 9 and will return next time i'm in EDI.
31 Dec 2006 04:49
had a wonderful sunday evening at the wenlock in mid-november w/three friends. we started at the market porter and had to hoof-it to the wenlock as the northern line was down for repair. i have visited the wenlock a few times before and thought i knew the way...but we got lost roaming the side streets adjacent to wenlock rd (is there also a wenlock street as well?...that may have been the problem). anyway, met up w/several locals who guided us to the real ale mecca. place was quiet w/just the local guvner and his crew. played a few hands of cribbage and sipped an adnams broadside...then a harvey's brew. at one point, one of the locals fell asleep leaning back in his barstool...and subsequently crashed to the floor...luckily he was ok. ended up speaking w/a few of the locals and closed the place: real friendly and very interested in talking about the wenlock, its history, and plight to remain viable. while i love the character of the place, one can't help but hope they can repair the rug (duct tape holding it together right in the middle of the place), and make other desperatly needed basic repairs. the place is a gem. btw: i love MOGs previous post describing the place as the "student union bar at the university of life". that is classic. have upgraded my rating to a 10. just wish it was my local.
31 Dec 2006 04:40
The Churchill Arms, Kensington
last visited mid november. love this place. go for good fuller's ales, great pad thai, and a wonderful collection of churchill memorabilia and brich-a-brack. don't go if you are looking to watch sports, don't like crowds, or are looking for an irish bar (??). i give this a 9+. stones throw from the knotting hill tube stop...suggest a sunday stroll down portobello rd. ending w/a pint of pride at the churchill arms....
31 Dec 2006 04:24
I'm w/caz. I've visited the Nag's Head 5-6 times over the past ten years. On the last couple of visits, have spent some time speaking w/the landlord Kevin. He absolutely runs a tight ship: no cell phones, loves to needle unwitting patrons ordering "fizzy wizzies", takes pride in his cask management skills. Most recently visited in mid-Nov; had a couple of pints of Broadside and a lovely bangers and mash meal in the timeless little back room behind the bar. This place is a gem and Kevin is a throwback to be cherished. It blows my mind some of the comments I see on this review board regarding the man; I don't doubt that Kevin can be insulting, but I respectfully suggest that there is alterior motive here. I've said it before and I'll say it again: the Nag's Head is top 10 all time, all world.
30 Dec 2006 14:08
Love this pub and have visited several times....but...had the odd experience last Sunday of walking in the place w/a friend around 7PM....and the place was completely empty, including bar staff! We walked around and surveyed the place a bit..thought about pulling one for ourself, then thought better (gotta be a CCTV in the Lamb) of it and went next door to an Italian Rest for dinner (so so: good food, terrible service). Tried going back after dinner but the door was locked. Headed down the street to the Calthrope Arms (another good Youngs pub) and had a nice experience: check it out if you are in the area.
21 Jan 2006 01:26
Place has a great vibe. Visited last Friday night; place was packed...and serving great ales...and w/a lovely 3 piece band (the trumpet player saved the poor panjo player all night...but is sounded nice). Some scary folks in the place to make it interesting: one tall geeky kid looked alot like spud from Trainspotting....he had a little toy tiger that he sat on the bar in front of him...strange indeed. Along w/Market Porter: best real ale selection in London.
21 Jan 2006 01:20
visited twice last week; fantastic range of ales with one or two constants (Harvey's Best). the refurb fits the theme of the pub in my opinion as they seem to want to be something different. I gotta say, it is nice to see a bunch of normal looking 20 somethings drinking real ale; perhaps there is still hope. Noticed a real odd bloke (looked like Bowie circa 1971) sitting at the bar both nights I visited; one of the bartenders said he was the owner....if true; ziggy is still god.
20 Jan 2006 04:26
Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, Fleet Street
Visited last Saturday; a few tourists in the front bar and a couple of folks snapping pictures here and there....but it is no suprise that they come...a truly antique and authentic feel to the place. I'm not sure if there is another pub in London that can take you back (way back) in time the way the cheese can. Seemed to be alot of folks eating from a pretty extensive menu. Visit the place and have a bitter; but think of the visit as more of an educational experience than a night out.
20 Jan 2006 04:20
The Jerusalem Tavern, Clerkenwell
a cool place. very good beer and friendly wait/barstaff. the one table loft up the stairs and across from the bar is probably one of the coolest interior pub spots in all of London (a primitive book-end to the Blackfriar's marble/alibaster room). wonderful selection of St. Peters brews...also for sale in bottle at the bar for take home.
20 Jan 2006 04:11
forget top 10 in London; this is 10 ten all time, all world. Amazing pub and amazing barstaff. Visited Monday w/a friend and as we sipped our Broadsides, a group of 20 something office workers came in looking for lagers.....bartender immediately and sarcastically gave them a run-down of the "fizzy whizzies" he had on tap...actually shamed a couple of them into ordering the real thing.....and oh is the Adnams well kept. Learned that the management orders the smallest casks possible from Adnams....each is fully consumed within a day or so. Visit the Star Tavern if in the area...a little harder to find...but provides a good Fullers book end to a mini Belgravia crawl.
20 Jan 2006 04:04
The Seven Stars, Chancery Lane
I agree w/Roger B: visited last Saturday and did not get a good feeling from the female barstaff...either they were in a bad mood or they have no intention of encouraging new patrons to their pub. Adnams was well kept and tasty.
20 Jan 2006 03:56
Kay's Bar, Edinburgh
love this place. recently sat in the cool snug across from the front door in the main room w/a few friends. did not want to leave when our next stop called. great real ale and very pleasing atmosphere. cute and friendly 20 something bartender the night i visited. combine w/nearby oxford bar and cumberland bar for a nice little new town real ale crawl.
31 Dec 2006 05:11