BITE user comments - joegreen
Comments by joegreen
It's OK. Greene King pub. I was only in briefly, mid-afternoon, and suspect it may get mobbed later.
26 Oct 2014 17:34
Not a bad place. Decent selection of ales, pleasant staff and right next to the south exit of the station.
26 Oct 2014 17:30
The Phoenix Inn / Morgans Bar, Inverness
Having watched this fine old boozer dying a slow and painful death over several years and having posted its obituary in December 2013 I was encouraged by canarly's post in April.
I returned on 15 August (and the next day). Thanks to George Sinclair the Phoenix has done what the Phoenix is supposed to do. It is risen!
It hasn't taken much more than a lick of paint, the installation of ten tall founts and the employment of friendly, knowledgeable and professional staff (as used to be found under the same ownership at the Clachnaharry and still is at the Castle Tavern). I sampled four ales, all in excellent condition.
I didn't eat, apart from the Friday early evening complimentary nibbles, but I did hear tell of a talented young chef.
I am disproportionately happy at this transformation!
27 Aug 2014 19:37
The Clachnaharry Inn, Clachnaharry
Good news. After years in the wilderness the Clachnaharry, on recent evidence, has returned to being a decent pub. It is cosy, dog-friendly and has good staff and decent ale. The menu (not sampled on my visit last month) seems to have returned to the sort of sensible fare that you might expect a pub kitchen to do well.
Which is a great relief, since it is a charming old inn in an excellent location. Here's hoping it lasts.
20 Mar 2014 20:16
Cask and Barrel Southside, Edinburgh
This is the former Junction Bar, and is in the same ownership as the Cask and Barrel in Broughton Street. It has been open less than three years, yet has twice (I think) been CAMRA Edinburgh pub of the year.
Three regular ales and five rotating guests from all over the UK. There is also an impressive collection of malt whiskies, with two on special offer at any time.
There are at least five television sets but they are seldom all switched on, they are positioned so as not to be too intrusive and the sound is hardly ever on - exceptions being evenings when three different Euro football matches are on.
Staff are knowledgeable and professional (expect to be asked for ID if you're anything under 30).
By far the best pub in the area.
3 Feb 2014 20:45
Don't know where the expensive phone number came from.
I have just looked up the number which is 01387 252896 and, except at madly busy times, they answer quickly and professionally.
31 Jan 2014 20:58
The Phoenix Inn / Morgans Bar, Inverness
The Phoenix is, to coin a phrase, 'knackered with a capital F'.
A month ago, Sunday mid-afternoon, there were three customers in. Four or more tall founts: no real ale. And no service because the barman was for some minutes in the cellar where changing the cider was too much for him. Voted with feet.
The place was shabby and down-at-heel. There was a large board outside offering it for sale at o/o £185,000 which is peanuts for a city centre place and no doubt reflects its trading success, or lack of it.
A great shame.
19 Dec 2013 22:09
I've generally found the Blackfriars reasonably congenial. But one Saturday in mid-November I wandered in. No-one behind the bar. An individual seated at a table close by put down his paper, got to his feet and went there. I requested a pint. It was poured, handed over, paid for and change given. And, though I made some attempt to speak to him, he uttered not one sound.
Curmudgeonly in the extreme and, I suspect, the boss.
Really has put me off.
19 Dec 2013 21:51
I've been in several times, but only for breakfast. However there's a clear impression that this is a very good example of the JDW brand. Previous favourable comments about management and staff are well founded.
7 Jun 2013 22:58
Appeared shut at 12:15 today, and festooned with notices saying that the 'premises licence' was being reviewed because of complaints mostly about noise from customers leaving late in the evening and causing disturbance to sleepers in the hotel nearby. What next?
7 May 2013 23:37
This pub was, above all, cosy on three or four horrible, cold days. Good choice of ales, priced according to ABV. Friendly staff. Five minutes (or so) walk from the station. Food is popular, but I'm not sure much of it is home made.
11 Apr 2013 19:44
I can see where the immediately preceding contributor is coming from in terms of the Princess Louise and the Crown - indeed I think he (it must be a man) has bracketed together three of the grandest pubs in the UK.
It's maybe worth noting however, in case scores of previous posts have not made it clear, that the Crown Posada is very much smaller than either of the others mentioned. And you will seek it in vain under any viaduct or bridge.
Above all, don't be put off going in with a female companion - on one fairly recent occasion I abandoned a lady of the female persuasion here for about 25 minutes while I went to check in to our hotel. She felt perfectly safe and was treated in a friendly and courteous fashion by those around her.
Great pub.
11 Jun 2012 22:10
Interesting that there has been no review for more than six months. Saturday afternoon, 9 June. Place rammed and deafening. Not a single real ale on offer: no explanation or apology. The inference was 'if you don't like it, eff off'. I didn't, so I did.
This has been a great pub for decades. I just hope I witnessed an aberration, rather than the beginning of the end....
11 Jun 2012 21:43
The Cask and Barrel, Edinburgh
Smashing space: excellent ale at reasonable prices. But, in terms of staff, a little short on charm. Pity
11 Jun 2012 21:37
Consistently very good indeed. I probably manage in here no more than twice a year but am always warmly welcomed. Best pub in the Highland City, no doubt.
20 May 2012 16:09
You jest, surely?
Is this not the establishment immortalised as follows:
'He left his wife oan her tod,
Now he lies beneath the sod.
He's no' sleeping, he's stony deid.
Blame it on the Sarry Heid'?
20 May 2012 16:04
A pity that so long has passed since the last review.
This is a fine place, and ale prices seemed reasonable to me. Menu was quite impressive, though I did not eat.
Worth a visit.
19 May 2012 19:15
Good pub. Perhaps Brains only? But a pleasant and able barman. Nice space.
19 May 2012 19:12
Visited on a Friday afternoon. Good selection of ales and a somewhat wicked cider. Very competent barman, if not over-friendly. Doing a deservedly good trade. Certainly one to visit.
19 May 2012 19:10
Spaceman, whose proposed remedy for the Junction Bar was, for me, somewhat on the restrained side, may be glad to know that it quite soon died a less pyrotechnic but no less well deserved death and was opened a couple of years ago as the Cask & Barrel, Southside. (Same ownership as the Cask in Broughton Street.)
Now one of the finest ale and whisky shops around. I have suggested it to BITE, so watch that space.
19 May 2012 18:57
Closed at least once again since the most recent post. Now opened under new ownership. No idea what it's like and not much inclination to investigate. But, as of today, open!
19 May 2012 18:50
Great ale pub. Splendid staff. They will sell you two pints in a carry-out container, which is handy if you are aiming for curry in one of the many BYOB places in the Balti Triangle.
16 May 2012 17:49
Nothing wrong with this place (which a dozen years ago was a gem) that would not be cured by industrial-strength cleaning, complete redecoration and refurbishment, removal of the surly thug who was presiding when I visited and the provision of a reasonable selection of ales at Wolverhampton prices. It has been ruined.
16 May 2012 17:41
Not bad at all. Knowledgeable staff, good selection of ales (CAMRA discount). Does get busy.
16 May 2012 17:34
The Great Western, Wolverhampton
To elaborate on the directions from LesP - turn right on leaving station, right into subway, down subway, turn right again: persevere!
The reward will be a cosy, friendly pub with lots of character, friendly staff, excellent ales and honest-to-goodness pub food.
Seems to be open all day, but only sandwiches to eat after lunchtime.
16 May 2012 17:31
Great space, excellent ale choice, good looking menu. Well worth the ascent of the north face of those steps!
16 May 2012 17:23
Perhaps time to bring things up to date (leaving aside any question as to who would be so dim as to turn up at a public house - that's what it is - during the Christmas season, without having enquired about the children policy). It appears to have changed hands and is now Ember Inns' only establishment in Scotland. There is a family area where children are welcome if eating. There is a fair selection of interesting ales in decent condition and at reasonable prices. Food seems pretty good and moderately priced, and the wine list looks fine.
It was also clean when I visited, and staff were competent and friendly.
Overall, a welcome presence in what is otherwise a bit of a desert in terms of decent pubs.
24 Apr 2012 17:37
Nearly six years since I first posted about Stagg's. It remains a splendid ale pub with knowledgeable staff. Buses from central Edinburgh are principally the 26 and the 44. The Lothian Buses day ticket is now �3.50 (exact fare only) against a single fare of �1.40. Stagg's is well worth visiting. Watch out for bus diversions in the city centre because of the alleged tram works - details on the lothianbuses website.
21 Apr 2012 21:28
The prevalence of recent comments about poor service down to short staffing should, but probably won't, serve as a warning to the owner who has taken over from John and Christine Ward. He's rarely there - no bad thing in itself as he would be due a refund on any charm course undertaken.
This is still a very good pub, splendidly convenient for the station; the ale is excellent and ever-changing and the staff are mostly very good or better.
But I originally rated it 8, probably a bit on the mean side. Now, struggling to hit 7.
26 May 2011 19:29
The Clachnaharry Inn, Clachnaharry
So depressing. The man who used to run this as a pub with excellent ale and honest pub food in honest portions now has the Castle Tavern in Inverness. However you prefer to spell Beaulieu (sorry, couldn't resist) you may find the Castle a safer bet.
12 Oct 2010 22:05
Good place. Civilised Sunday afternoon pint of good ale. Surprisingly close to Waterloo Station and well worth a visit.
12 Oct 2010 21:42
Sunday lunch here. Lamb, highest quality, perfectly cooked, trimmings excellent: portion considerable. Ale spot on; welcome friendly, service near faultless. I would recommend it without hesitation.
12 Oct 2010 21:36
Glad I hadn't read some of the recent posts about this impressive, clean, friendly local before visiting. TEA was in very good nick and, though clearly doing no food on Sundays, they produced a generous little platter of nibbles. Excellent pub.
12 Oct 2010 21:25
The Charles Dickens, Southwark
Enjoyed a friendly welcome and a decent pint on Sunday early lunchtime. My one quibble is that the muzak (presumably for benefit of the staff, as we were the only customers) was (a) unnecessary and (b) if necessary, far too loud. But they were obviously gearing up to be deservedly busy with Sunday lunchers and if we hadn't been set on a little crawl we would happily have stayed longer.
12 Oct 2010 21:17
The Crown Liquor Saloon, Belfast
I only live about 90 miles from the Crown, but an inconveniently large body of water intervenes, so I'm only a regular in the sense that I have never visited Belfast without darkening its door. It's a great pub as well as a wonderful physical specimen. The staff are pretty well exemplary. I had no issues with either ale or stout, and the Irish stew, in a life-threatening portion, was top quality and good value.
Incidentally, I am told that there is a story behind the fact that the crown is inlaid in the floor. My source, however, was as unreliable as a newt, so I won't post it. Any offers?
14 Sep 2010 21:52
But it ain't cheap. And the staff, on my visit about three weeks ago, though pleasant enough were a bit Brideshead Revisited. I've cooled off on the Unicorn a bit since my last contribution.
30 Jun 2010 23:06
The Old Bull Ring Tavern, Ludlow
Still in the same hands, and still doing well. Particularly enjoyed lunch here recently.
30 Jun 2010 23:02
The Kremlin was the high spot (well, at 1400' or more above sea level it would be!) of a fortnight in and around Ludlow recently. The cider (Rich's) travels from Devon. The ales are brewed perhaps three miles away by Hobson's at Cleobury Mortimer, though they sometimes have a foreign import in the shape of Ludlow Gold, from six miles away. Try to time your visit to coincide with the monthly pensioners' lunch club on a Wednesday when Sue can spread her wings a bit in the kitchen, just because numbers are guaranteed. Never mind the spectacular location: forget the excellent ale. There's a food hero at work here, with almost everything home-made. It's good value, too. And if you thing �3.95 is a bit much for a slice of cheesecake, try it! It's pudding perfection: in fact I'm coming over all misty-eyed just remembering it!
30 Jun 2010 22:58
There is no doubt that service here can be haphazard. But the ale's generally good, with a special mention for Hobson's TC. They are largely supporting brewers who, if not local, are from within 60 miles or so. They feature a beer of the month (Hobson's Mild in May; Blorenge from the Tudor Brewery at Abergavenny in June) at �2.20, which is good value, especially in over-size glasses. Food portions remain gargantuan and local produce features. For all its 'four-and-a-half star' presentation (dirty joke from the 1960's) if you were to visit only one Ludlow pub it would have to be the Church.
30 Jun 2010 22:37
Still doing very well. One of Ludlow's three best ale pubs (the Church and the Queens, since you ask!). Well worth a visit.
30 Jun 2010 22:27
I agree with other reviews that suggest that this wonderful physical specimen should be doing better than it is. Unlike rpf1955 I found the beer OK, though short of wonderful. But you have to give the place a try.
30 Jun 2010 22:17
My issue is with the mini-Glostovians (is that really the word? 'Glevumites' would sound more suitably pejorative). Small persons allowed to pursue each other shrieking and yelling around the place: the words 'please' and 'thanks' entirely absent from their vocabulary. A shame, because the ale was good and the barman very professional - professional enough not to administer summary justice to the unpleasant little bleeders. Disappointing.
30 Jun 2010 22:13
Visited twice early doors about 4 weeks ago. It did a very brisk lunchtime trade, mostly outside in the sun. Despite a misunderstanding that saw the barman translate 'ham, egg and chips' into 'haddock and chips' (very swiftly remedied by the kitchen) and despite his petulance when asked to refund the price difference, I rate the Fountain pretty high. Excellent ale, and clear signs of a brain in charge of the kitchen. It should do well.
30 Jun 2010 22:06
Dead at 13:50 on a June Wednesday. Only 2 ales on, and neither of them inspiring. Kitchen stank of stale cooking oil and looked a shambles. Unpleasant staircase down to unimpressive loos. Not recommended.
30 Jun 2010 21:43
The Clachnaharry Inn, Clachnaharry
I visited about the time that timplatt was adding his most recent post. Maybe things were still in a state of flux after a recent change at the helm. But on that one Saturday night it was a disaster area. No-one was eating: the 'lounge' (to the right as you face the pub from the street) was in darkness. One customer, still being served, was so helplessly intoxicated that when he fell over he failed - narrowly - to land his ass in the fire. We left just before 19:00, at which point only 7 (seven) customers remained. It was unrecognisable as the place that I originally scored 9 (and I don't award 10's). I'll be in the Highland capital City again soon, and may, or may not, have better news.
4 Feb 2010 21:30
The Old Bull Ring Tavern, Ludlow
Good place, very friendly. Ale generally good, and food also -Sunday roast is well worth trying.
14 Aug 2009 12:43
Serious, and pretty eccentric, beer pub with very complicated opening hours. Phone to check before you go.
14 Aug 2009 12:39
Now in the hands of a pleasant couple who are gradually improving various aspects. Food and ale both excellent, and the location is well worth travelling for. It has great outside space including a play area for children. Accessible by the number 292 bus, as well.
4 Aug 2009 13:34
I think quite a lot depends on who is behind the bar. The Church seems to specialise in employing young women who, though qualifying on ornamental grounds, seem to think the pub's run as their private social club and thus are no use. But the food's better this year than it has been for some time, and it's still a top ale pub - not to be missed.
30 Jul 2009 17:29
Not cheap for food, and no idea what accommodation might cost, but I agree with the previous post - this is a very decent place.
30 Jul 2009 17:26
There may be worse in the town, but there at least 4 far better. I don't rate this place worth a visit, having had a look last month.
30 Jul 2009 17:25
I think this is the place that was called the Wine Glass for many years. It is very certainly not in Duke Street, which is in Leith. Postcode refers to Newington Road, and I think that's right - corner of East Preston Street. Haven't been in it for decades, but would guess that Leslie's and the Old Bell are both better ale pubs.
9 Mar 2009 14:25
The Mad Bishop and Bear, Paddington
The last five posts say all that I feel the need to. This is a station pub that would actually encourage you to postpone the commute home.
14 Jan 2009 16:41
The Hare and Hounds, Manchester
Much improved on how I found it in August '06. Fine honest-to-goodness boozer with an enjoyable pint of Ordinary.
14 Jan 2009 16:37
The Hole In The Wall, Waterloo
This was a pleasant place to stop, though I think 'isn't particularly inspiring' is unduly generous in relation to the front bar which is plain scruffy. But it gets you away from the TV, if that's what you want. Good ale from a selection of 6, and reasonably priced, no-nonsense food. Well worth a visit.
14 Jan 2009 16:31
I've only encountered one better pub within such a short distance of a major rail station, and that's Edinburgh's Halfway House. It has to be assumed that the refurb. stopped short of some of the chairs, and fair enough. Enjoyed it.
14 Jan 2009 16:27
Saturday 10 January: noon. Baltic, biting cold outside: cosy pub, roaring fire, central heating giving it everything, friendly service and a pint of Sam's OBB in very good nick at �1.88. And so wonderfully refurbished. I'm a believer.
14 Jan 2009 16:22
It's a decent enough pub with good ale and within spitting distance of a major rail terminal which, as previously noted, makes it fairly unusual. Not in the class of the Bree Louise, though, I have to agree.
14 Jan 2009 16:18
Pleasant, comfortable, decent ale. The Tavern Ploughmans, including a pork pie and two excellent cheeses, was good value.
14 Jan 2009 16:12
Went in Thirsty_Jonny's suggested condition of mind and drouth, and were a little disappointed. Barmaid looked seriously unhappy in her work, Sunchaser OK but no more - have had much better. The kitchen, however, compensated both in terms of charming service and decent food in substantial portions. Twenty live gigs this month - serious music pub. The Q2 bus from the City Centre stops at the far end of Lime Street, just 3 or 4 minutes walk away.
23 Jun 2008 14:24
Very handy for the station. I wouldn't want to visit in the evening, when I suspect it will be very busy. But they have two or three real ales, staff are friendly and professional and they're really trying in the food department. Sausage and onion baguette was excellent.
23 Jun 2008 14:18
Wouldn't win any pub beauty contests, but indeed a great place for a quiet pint of good ale.
23 Jun 2008 14:14
If you're going to buy drinks for everybody the Nutshell's certainly the place to do it!
19 Jun 2008 14:09
I'm with GrantW. Much improved on the last couple of years. Was selling an ale from the Ludlow Brewing Co just a stone's throw up the road.
17 Jun 2008 13:58
The Coach and Horses, Shrewsbury
As good as it was three years ago. Its proximity to the Admiral Benbow, however, mostly just means that you've got a decent pub to visit when you find that the AB isn't open, which seems to be much of the time.
17 Jun 2008 13:53
This is a splendid place, cosy, friendly, with excellent beer. Food particularly recommended.
17 Jun 2008 13:44
The Railway Tavern, Chelmsford
Excellent pub, much improved by the smoking ban. We found it very friendly: the beer was good and reasonably priced. Food is brilliant value.
17 Jun 2008 13:41
Perfectly OK pub, pretty accurately described in the last three or four posts.
17 Jun 2008 13:37
The Baskerville Arms, Lower Shiplake
We found it pleasant and welcoming. Decent ale at hefty prices. Very good food. Rowing memorabilia also feature.
17 Jun 2008 13:34
Perhaps not surprising that such exercises in pedantry have led to a silence of almost three years. Still, the pub remains a good one: beer fine; generous portions of reasonably priced food.
17 Jun 2008 13:30
Friendly and clean. Excellent ales. Lots of home cooking - the fish brilliantly fresh, and the Sunday roast legendary.
13 Jun 2008 12:46
What a difference two years make. The new 'owner' was a tenant who held out for a year after which the brewer left it in the care of a tenant/manager of one of their other Dumfries pubs. It eventually shut its doors just after Christmas. It has since re-opened in terms of some sort of arrangement between the brewer and a (retired, I think) member of the local licensed trade. Visited on Sunday - moderate (ie not very good) pint; only six customers at 14:20. On that evidence this historic old boozer is Donald D.....
12 Mar 2008 14:09
The Coach and Horses, Dumfries
This is indeed a very fine and friendly pub. The open fire has been a real feature of some enjoyable visits in dreich weather this winter, and I endorse what's been said about the Bass. The stone flagged floor looks to have been a real labour of love, too. Recommended.
12 Mar 2008 13:53
A good place. Leave the S-Bahn station by the lift at the east end of the platform, and it's across the road to your right. Note the Giles Gilbert Scott telephone box, rather unsportingly painted in Air Berlin maroon. Kitchen looks interesting: cakes irresistible.
28 Mar 2007 11:26
The Prestoungrange Gothenburg, Prestonpans
Decades ago this was one of the roughest pubs in East Lothian. Now it has a pleasant bar and a spacious bistro. Own-brewed Fowlers Ales are excellent, the food splendid and the staff friendly. Lothian Buses service 26, every ten minutes from and to the centre of Edinburgh, stops at the door (�2.30 for a ticket valid on all their services all day). Not to be missed, and you could take in Staggs (the Volunteer Arms) in Musselburgh on the way back.
22 Mar 2007 08:58
I should add that they deny closing early on Sunday - though they were closed for a birthday party on one day we were in Berlin, so hours may be a little bit unpredictable. Normally, however, they are open noon - late weekdays and 16:00 - late weekends.
22 Mar 2007 08:43
The Jever Pils here was the only one to come close to equalling Brewbaker's Bellevue Pils for quality. A delightful series of spaces, usually busy in the evenings, it fully repays the ten minute or so walk from Hackescher Markt S-Bahn. Friendly, hard working waitresses spoke good English. In common with every Berlin pub we visited they served food in enormous portions. The meatballs with pepper sauce and the roast beef with 'tatar' sauce are both recommended. The warm onion quiche, at something like 2.30 or 2.50 euros, was a very good snack and the portion of olives with bread (3.20 euros) was another.
21 Mar 2007 14:25
Lemkes Spezialit�tenbrauerei, Berlin
This one, I think, provided the most expensive beer of our stay in Berlin, at 4.20 euros for 500ml. It is, however, one that must be visited, east of the S-Bahn station and within two minutes walk. They have made very pleasant spaces under their two arches, and the loos are cunningly placed in the space in between. Our Croatian waiter spoke apparently fluent German and very good English. The time to visit Lemke is Mon - Fri 12:00 - 15:00 when they do a high quality buffet (eat all you can) at 6.80, which at this moment is under a fiver. See their website for details of their other branch.
21 Mar 2007 14:04
It actually occupies two arches, and is a very good pub indeed. I agree that it would be worth a visit for its beer alone, though I thought the Jever Pils could have done with being one degree colder. One barman in particular spoke flawless English, and there is an English version of the menu. The food is excellent and moderately priced - the seasonal salad with fried chicken breast strips was legendary both in quality and quantity. The Sunday Brunch buffet at 8 euros needs to be seen to be believed - brilliant value - and the live music was in the other arch, so not deafening where we sat. If you emerge from the station into Georgenstrasse, turn left and follow the railway.
21 Mar 2007 13:58
This is very much a local pub in a respectable-looking residential area. Bellevue is only a couple of stops from Zoo Garten and Friedriechstrasse. Cross Bartningallee north of the S-Bahn line and Brewbaker is about the sixth arch along. Very friendly, with an interesting looking (and smelling) open kitchen. The Bellevue Pils was the best brew of the many that we sampled in Berlin. Warmly recommended.
21 Mar 2007 13:48
This is a short walk from Altstadt Spandau U-Bahn. The beer is good, and it's a fine big space, but we weren't much impressed by the staff, and quite a lot of their meats were sweltering under heat lamps. Maybe just not our sort of pub. It has an excellent, though far from central, location and lots of outside seating.
21 Mar 2007 13:37
The food is cooked at home and reheated - hardly surprising when the 'kitchen' is the size of a phone box. It is in the Good Pub Food Guide, or whatever Susan Nowak's recent publication's called, so must be doing something right.
26 Feb 2007 15:52
The weakness of this place, considering previous posts, seems to be inconsistency. We paid two fairly brief visits and were quite favourably impressed - beer in good nick, pleasant staff and no problem customers. However, it seems we may just have been lucky.
26 Feb 2007 15:48
Found this OK, not much more. The theatre, which must have the most uncomfortable seats in the UK, was graced by Sir John Mortimer, which made for a brilliant evening, but I wouldn't travel far for the sake of the pub or some distinctly moderate beer.
26 Feb 2007 15:41
Smithy's Wine Bar, Kings Cross
This is a pleasant space, and I have no doubt that its net curtains, if it has any, are above reproach. Its main failing is in its attempt to pay lip service to real ale. Sharp's Doom Bar had been brought all the way from Cornwall to die a horrible death in Kings Cross. Nothing against the place as a wine bar, but a warning to anyone who read a gushing review of it in the Feb/Mar edition of The Full Pint (North London CAMRA) I warn: not with a bargepole.
26 Feb 2007 15:34
Why would anyone want to 'strip away the real ales'? This is a scruffy dive whose net curtains should probably be incinerated in the interests of public decency, but they are doing exactly what they set out to do, namely putting and keeping a big, silly smile on the face of the ale lover and a nice, warm feeling of content in her/his heart. (To the best of my, admittedly limited, recollection the cider was pretty good, too.) They were friendly and obliging and produced a splendid pasty. I'm sorry about the view formed by nickdavies, but if he wants an establishment to contrast with the Wenlock he could read what I am about to post about Smithy's Wine Bar, Kings Cross.
26 Feb 2007 15:20
The Jerusalem Tavern, Clerkenwell
I enjoyed the Organic Ale, but didn't stay for more than one for two reasons. First, about three of the stillaged ales had only that morning been put in place, and so were not ready (not easy to justify when the pub owns the brewery, or vice versa). Second, the price of the food struck me as extortionate. �9.50 for shepherd's pie and green beans is bad enough, but �4.50 for lentil soup is the sort of stuff that gives showbusiness a bad name! I would have liked to try the pulpit mentioned by Mr Matt, but no luck. Still well worth a visit.
26 Feb 2007 14:59
Caught this one just after 2 o'clock, when the lunchtime rush had eased. Sam's OBB in good nick at �1.75 cannot be complained about, and a big wedge of quiche with salad and chips came in at about �5.50. Thoroughly enjoyable.
26 Feb 2007 14:53
I had Deuchars here last week, served with a 1 centimetre head which I consider perfectly right. It was in as good condition as any pint of that ale I have ever tasted. Orkney Dark Island, the guest ale, was not far short of perfect, either. Grand pub.
26 Feb 2007 14:47
Certainly to be avoided on a Friday lunchtime if you can, but this is a very fine place. Excellent, friendly service, good ale, legendary sausages.
26 Feb 2007 14:33
The Salisbury, Leicester Square
I visited again last week. Slight changes to the menu - the shortcrust tartlets and the like are gone, which is a pity. However, I agree with recent favourable comments. This is a very good pub, and the attitude and diligence of the staff are down to leadership from the front by the manager.
26 Feb 2007 14:27
This really is a very fine pub. We had just sat at the window and were starting to wonder if our pints of Harvey's were going to clear when the barmaid whizzed over, declared them unfit for purpose and replaced them with repeated (and unnecessary) apologies and some excellent Wye Valley ale. Top class service and very friendly. We had to resist the O'Hagan's sausages, which was a pity, but we'll be back. The Harp joins the Salisbury on our must visit list when in WC2.
22 Jan 2007 13:21
As previous posts suggest, this is a proper pub. The beer was excellent and the staff friendly and hard-working. Not to be missed.
11 Dec 2006 13:52
It has very recently changed hands, but still seemed to be doing well enough, particularly when a group of four or five raucous drunks removed themselves after which it became a very civilised pub. Deuchars in fine condition, good food, decent wine.
11 Dec 2006 13:49
The Cavens has gone from strength to strength since I posted the first of these reviews. The kitchen is producing pub food of the highest quality, and in large portions, using top class ingredients. The selection of ales has increased (so has the price, �2.15) and they are invariably in perfect condition. Professional management, strong but quiet, ensures that staff are efficient and enthusiastic, and they are mostly friendly and cheerful, too. And you can suggest ales, and they will be stocked if possible. I originally rated this 7/10. If I were doing so today it would score 9.
21 Nov 2006 13:19
I agree with Quinno. This pub was civilised even on a race day recently. The Deuchars, I think, is no more expensive in Ascot than it is these days in the Edinburgh bar for which it was originally brewed as the house ale.
21 Nov 2006 12:54
I had lunch here last Thursday. Excellent food, decent ale (including Harvey's Sussex Bitter) and exceptionally good staff. Spot on.
21 Nov 2006 12:49
The Salisbury, Leicester Square
I visited again recently, and still rate this as a very good pub. Both Deuchars and XPA were in very good condition. The service was astonishingly good considering how busy they were - the staff never stop - and that is certainly down to leadership from the front by the manager. The food was very good and, given the location, I thought prices moderate.
21 Nov 2006 12:45
It is undoubtedly the worse for its foibles. If, as I do, you travel a considerable distance for excellent food and drink - make no mistake, that's what you get - only to find that it is shut, or that Basil Barmstick is strutting up and down the pavement in an apparent attempt to drive away custom you do tend to lose patience. And I don't understand his problem with racegoers: they get grown-ups at the Albion on race days, so far as I've seen. The yahs seem to go elsewhere. Mad as a mongoose.
14 Nov 2006 13:46
They seem to have trouble putting enough staff on to cope with customer demand, and at least one who was 'working' on Sunday evening was getting his pay by deception. The next table to us had two glasses and two coffee cups on it for 1 hour 45 minutes while this creature repeatedly walked past it before returning empty-handed to the bar. Never more than two real ales on at any time I saw. If this is still better than many JDW's the brand is in trouble.
14 Nov 2006 13:29
The Clachnaharry Inn, Clachnaharry
There is nothing wrong with the Clachnaharry despite the concerns expressed earlier. It remains the finest pub in Inverness, and food and ale were in top form on 11 November. Leffe has gone, replaced by Hoegaarden. Otherwise it was cosy, friendly and busy.
14 Nov 2006 13:19
Just since I'm passing - Betty Ford's warning to avoid the Caley Ale House will become unnecessary in two years or so when it's demolished to make way for a tram line. Ryrie's should not be affected.
10 Oct 2006 13:16
Smashing pub; excellent beer, great value food and matchless staff. Worth travelling a long way to visit - we did.
10 Oct 2006 13:13
Decent place with excellent staff and Young's ales at or near London prices. Thoroughly enjoyed a couple of pints here. Food looked very good, but I don't think I'll be rushing to snap up their Christmas Day menu at �55 (plus 12.5%!)
10 Oct 2006 13:09
The Railway Tavern, Chelmsford
I'm surprised by the (obviously joint approach) criticisms of the ale. The boss looks like a man who likes his ale, and Elgood's Cambridge was fine recently. It's a port in a storm right opposite the station, and, though we didn't eat, the food specials on offer looked interesting and cheap.
10 Oct 2006 13:05
I never thought I would find a JDW so bad that it needs to be shut down in the interests of preserving the brand's reputation. This pub is that pub. It is dirty, the upholstery is ripped and insanitary, chavs smoke where they bloody well like, staff don't give a damn. This requires the Area Manager to sack the lot of them and padlock the place before handing in his/her own resignation. The one exception to this generality was a pleasant and hard-working man in his sixties who should either succeed the Area Manager or be put in charge of training - by God they need it.
10 Oct 2006 12:56
The King William IV, Braintree
Greene King now own Ridley's, don't they? The beer range is limited - the only real ale is GK IPA - and there wasn't much sign of food being offered. Friendly and clean, though, and the pickled eggs looked great. The dog is about the biggest I've ever seen, and a splendid chap. A word of warning for anyone who actually observes the drink/driving laws: this place is a good 25 minutes walk from the centre of Braintree.
10 Oct 2006 12:38
The Flitch Of Bacon, Little Dunmow
Pleasant and friendly old pub. The current licensees have been here two years or so and are working very hard to restore its reputation. Decent ale and food; bedrooms comfortable, though plumbing fittings a bit dated. The service 133 (Stansted Airport - Braintree) bus stops at the door.
10 Oct 2006 12:31
The Railwaymans Arms, Bridgnorth
This struck me as a decent pub, and I had an enjoyable pint of ale without, mercifully, falling prey to the jackboots of the Mild militia.
3 Oct 2006 14:01
The King and Castle, Kidderminster
Pleasant staff, good ale, generous portions of decent food at moderate prices. And it's a nice space.
3 Oct 2006 13:59
It is a revelation in this area. Home cooked food at lunchtime was very good and staff excellent. Prices not bad for London, I thought.
21 Sep 2006 16:27
This has to be seen to be believed. Its layout reminds you of a church. It is in fact a temple to Belgian beer and is not to be missed. Gave its name to the famous Mort Subite brand of beers. Go there. Mature staff; snacks served.
21 Sep 2006 16:25
Near the Bourse. Don't be put off by the unpromising entrance alley. This is a pleasant, wood-panelled space with decent beer at reasonable prices and a limited range of good-looking snacks up to spag bol. Well worth a visit.
21 Sep 2006 16:20
The Magpie and Crown, Brentford
I tried it. I didn't like it. I left. I won't be back.
21 Sep 2006 16:14
They seemed happy, mid-Sunday afternoon, to allow us to sit and drink without ordering food. What put me off was that, at the foot of an unpleasantly steep stair whose handrail did not reach all the way to the top, sat a fat crone taking money off customers for the privilege of using the toilets. The explanation - 'We haff so many customers.' We all know how expensive customers are. So they had two fewer. Encore nul points.
21 Sep 2006 16:12
Still excellent, and there's someone in the kitchen who knows exactly what they're doing. A 15 euro three course lunch was excellent. One word of warning. They bring a little dish of nuts and things with each round of drinks. Last Friday afternoon I saw a member of staff recycling leftovers - putting them back into the big glass they're scooped out of. I hope no-one is reading this over a meal. What it means is the near-certainty that some of the snack presented to you has previously been touched by a gentleman who hasn't washed his hands since visiting the loo. Enjoy the food and drink: avoid the nibbles.
21 Sep 2006 14:02
This really is one to add to the list of hidden gems. Great room (didn't try the space up the scary staircase), pleasant staff, excellent beers. The alley may not be a dead end after all, but it doesn't look as if it leads anywhere.
20 Sep 2006 16:40
The Beer Academy did not disappoint. Excellent staff, great selection of beers. A very good bar indeed. Worth noting its opening hours, which are 16:00 - 01:00, closed Wednesdays.
20 Sep 2006 16:38
Enjoyed both the ale and the food - and a decent bottle of red biddy at a sensible price and the right temperature. Rather spoiled by a 'blond' airhead who turned up the sound on the back room TV to a deafening level, then explained the fact by revealing that she couldn't hear anything because she had her MP3 plugged into both sides of her stupid head. She devalued the whole experience by 30%
20 Sep 2006 16:35
This presented a very poor impression, with an irritatingly dim barmaid explaining that, despite the board outside claiming the contrary, they were not doing food.
20 Sep 2006 16:31
This place was closed on 13 September, presumably in anticipation of the death of the brewery.
20 Sep 2006 16:28
The Alma Tavern, Wandsworth Town
I enjoyed it. The sound of conversation dominated, which is always a good sign. Decent enough pint of ale. Didn't try the food, so can't comment. Nice big space.
20 Sep 2006 16:26
The Clachnaharry Inn, Clachnaharry
On 19 August it was very much business as usual. Yes, there do seem to be more taps offering fizz, including the appalling Belhaven 'Best', but also draught Leffe. And there were eight real ales on offer, from 3.8% to 5%. Mostly the same staff, virtually unchanged menu. This place might actually survive at its previous excellent standard, at least until the rent review. Don't be put off meantime. I'll be back in November to see how things are going.
30 Aug 2006 13:48
The Man and Scythe Inn, Bolton
It was a bit scruffy looking the other day, but the beer was in first class nick. Worth a visit.
28 Aug 2006 16:13
The Peveril Of The Peak, Castlefield
Interesting pub, and seemed to have opened promptly at 12 on Friday. Deuchars IPA was no more than OK - had a much better pint of it in the Man & Scythe in Bolton on Thursday, but if you're in Manchester you must visit.
28 Aug 2006 16:11
The Briton's Protection Hotel, Castlefield
Top class ancient boozer where the ale is looked after well. Not to be missed.
28 Aug 2006 16:07
Pleasant space and friendly staff. Not cheap. The outside seating is a big plus.
28 Aug 2006 16:04
This is a seriously good pub. I thoroughly enjoyed the Ginger Marble and one called Lagonda. They were having a Celtic theme to their ales, with one from Cornwall, one from Wales (I think) and 3 from Scotland including a prize-winning one from Cairngorm. Food first class (portions legendary), staff hard-working and friendly. The high spot of a crawl round Manchester.
28 Aug 2006 16:01
The Smithfield Hotel, Manchester
Rich66 is spot on. Excellent ale and a friendly barmaid made our visit worthwhile.
28 Aug 2006 15:55
The Hare and Hounds, Manchester
It's for sale, and didn't impress greatly, perhaps as a result. Brilliant interior, though.
28 Aug 2006 15:53
Bank Top Volunteer was excellent, and things were improved by a friendly, knowledgeable and charming barmaid. No teenagers in sight on either of two visits, so I'm a supporter of the 'hidden gem' school of thought.
28 Aug 2006 15:50
Impressive for food and ale. Very smoky, though, and the fact that the Magistrates' Court seems to be next door probably accounted for the presence when I was there of one of those large families of scrotes where great granny was about 40 years older than the youngest brat. The smoking ban, when England & Wales get it, will cure one problem at least.
28 Aug 2006 15:46
The Sweet Green Tavern, Bolton
Proximity to the station is probably its biggest plus point. The downside when I was there was a barmaid who looked as though it would have killed her to smile.
28 Aug 2006 15:41
Friendly, clean pub with good beer. Doesn't do food apart from snacks that include ring-pull tins of olives, nuts etc. from a space-age dispenser. Five minutes walk from Foregate St station, and well worth it.
10 Aug 2006 14:27
The Old Rectifying House, Worcester Bridge
More upmarket than many, but they're working hard at making it a very good pub. They make real efforts to source locally, which is a good thing.
10 Aug 2006 14:15
Well kept beer, pleasant staff and good food at reasonable prices. Worth a visit.
10 Aug 2006 14:12
It's certainly not off the beaten track, but it's easy to miss. It's in a dead-end alley (called de Garre) off Breidelstraat, which starts at the south-east corner of Markt.
10 Aug 2006 14:05
The Salisbury, Leicester Square
The Salisbury is maintaining its high standards. Good beer, 4.3%, at �2.29 suggests far better value than jkelly and his Leffe.
9 Aug 2006 13:19
His Lordship is not wrong. Professional and friendly staff, splendid old interior. Deuchars, well kept, �1.95. They now also have Schiehallion (real lager from Harviestoun). Three course lunch - choice of about 10 mains - �3.45, with waitress service. (Or Scotch pie & beans for about 80p.) A legendary pub ninety seconds walk from Central Station, five minutes from Queen Street. Not to be missed.
4 Aug 2006 10:00
Deuchars in top nick at �2.19. Good staff. They seem to do decent looking food (nothing home made, I suspect) at very reasonable prices. But there's something a bit odd about it - perhaps to do with some rather strange 'residents'. Betty Ford is right, though: avoid the one on the other side of the station.
4 Aug 2006 09:49
The Clachnaharry Inn, Clachnaharry
The former owner (who has leased it back from Belhaven) insists "we are going further forward with the real ale market....I can confirm , NO CHANGE"
Watch this space. I will visit on 19 August and report further.
21 Jul 2006 11:02
Lothian Bus Route 44/44A also stops within a few yards of the Volunteer Arms - known to all as Stagg's - but goes nowhere near the Goth. Ask to get off at the Brunton Hall. Frequent service on both routes. The Day Ticket is still �2.30, great value compared with �1 for even the shortest single journey. Stagg's is also within walking distance of the racecourse.
19 Jul 2006 14:03
The Magpie and Crown, Brentford
JohnBonser generally seems to make sense on BITE, so that's good enough for me.
19 Jul 2006 13:48
The Magpie and Crown, Brentford
I was thinking of visiting the M & C, but I must say the strident and defensive tone of the post 14/07 @ 18:46 - apparently from a member of staff - has caused second thoughts. Can customers expect to be addressed in that way if they bring their money across the threshhold?
18 Jul 2006 14:01
The Stable, Talbot Square, Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire
Low-ceilinged and without much natural light, but cosy, friendly and doing interesting-looking food. Real ales and ciders in good condition.
29 May 2006 12:43
The Talbot Hotel, Cleobury Mortimer
The upholsterer still hasn't been, and Sunday lunch this year disappointed. Not the best pub in the village.
29 May 2006 12:39
The Royal Fountain, Cleobury Mortimer
Still doing well. Haven't eaten here, but menu looks promising.
29 May 2006 12:38
Dirty. Barman didn't give a stuff. Terrible waste of a potentially great space. A tip.
29 May 2006 12:36
It's race days only, I'm pretty sure, that they use plastic 'glasses'. I was there last summer and all was normal (apart from the prices) and very civilised. A fine place. If you're worried about the attitude to smoking, come to Scotland - we're not even allowed to smoke in bus shelters, far less pubs! The staff, even those who smoke, love it and the punters are coping.
26 May 2006 13:17
I withdraw my earlier suggestion that you find the opening hours in the GPG - this place appears to open when it bloody well suits. But if you find it open, and if Captain Mustardgas is not in evidence, you will find an exceptional pub.
26 May 2006 13:09
Seemed fine to me for a lunchtime pint at daft price. Smoke-free, too. One of the better JDW's.
26 May 2006 13:05
Better than ever this year. Food, drink and service excellent.
26 May 2006 13:00
By no stretch of the most fevered imagination the best pub in Ludlow. Undistinguished selection of ales. A big mention for the food, though. Never mind that the lemon and coriander salmon goujons managed to conceal any flavour of lemon or coriander, how do you cook salmon so that it turns white? It passeth all understanding, if you see what I mean.
26 May 2006 12:59
This place has been closed - don't know for how long - while another tenant was found. Due to open again on 28 May.
26 May 2006 12:54
I think it dates back about three hundred years more than that, and is the oldest bar in Brugge. Well worth a visit.
11 Apr 2006 12:40
Eight draught beers, 400 bottled. Full details and tasting notes in three languages. Excellent staff. Decent food. Very central. Expensive by GB standards, but competitive in local terms. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. They have a shop a few doors along where you can buy bottles of beer and their individual glasses.
6 Apr 2006 16:17
The Coalheavers Arms, Peterborough
Football connection for anoraks. From here to the Palmerston you walk along Queens Walk & Palmerston Road (answers on a postcard). This is a brilliant place with top-rate ale, friendly and welcomingly warm on a recent bitter afternoon. When's the next CH beer festival? Given enough notice I can get a really good deal from GNER!
20 Mar 2006 13:40
The Palmerston Arms, Peterborough
Great local with friendly staff and excellent gravity-poured beer. Cosy and comfortable. MikeB understates the decrepitude of the furniture, but it's all part of the character of a very good place indeed.
20 Mar 2006 13:27
Fine conversion of a barge, and very good selection of interesting ales. But when it's barely ticking over mid-afternoon and the barman is so engrossed in conversation that he fails to notice a customer at the bar, a place loses marks. He was probably the exception, not the rule, but....
20 Mar 2006 13:24
dead_like_me is only fradtionally unkind - there is, more charitably, a definite Care in the Community feel here. Give them their due, they do seem to look after the beer pretty well. But that's about it.
20 Mar 2006 13:16
Very good beer, as you would expect, and comfortable seating. A cavernous sort of space - bet it gets very noisy late on.
20 Mar 2006 13:13
Staff charming, beer excellent, legendary pea & ham soup and beef/horseradish sandwich. A very good pub indeed. (Food all day till 6 pm).
20 Mar 2006 13:10
The Pilot Inn, North Greenwich
A marvellous survivor in the middle of a horrible area dominated by the D**e and Becks' Academy. Warm and friendly; excellent young staff; wide choice of sandwiches, baguettes and full meals; decent pint. Unfortunately there is a strong suggestion that it's about to be acquired by Fullers....
12 Dec 2005 13:45
Top notch staff coped well with hordes from the bloody Christmas Market. Very good for food and beer. My favourite in Lincoln.
12 Dec 2005 13:40
Seemed fine to me ten days or so ago. Cosy on a stinking winter's day; beer in fair nick and people saying good things about the food.
12 Dec 2005 13:38
Good atmosphere, good ale. The snug through the back looked very, well, snug.
12 Dec 2005 13:29
Definitely back on its feet after being the pits a few years ago, but not the place to take your Gran for a sherry.
12 Dec 2005 13:26
A word of warning. It's said to have changed hands, and I have heard from someone who recently found the food 'disappointing'.
22 Nov 2005 12:49
This is one that everybody must visit. The boss is quite a character, and knows his ale. The pub is ancient and characterful.
15 Nov 2005 13:41
Surely London lawyers can afford a more expensive watering-hole than this? It was police officers who seemed to be filling it when I was there. Numerous of El CID, including one who was the spitting image of Collina, the bug-eyed football ref. Staff worked very hard, and beer was fine. Well werth a visit.
15 Nov 2005 13:34
The Lamb and Flag, Covent Garden
Racecourse prices for poor, low gravity beer and one of the three worst pub meals I've eaten in my life. Not improved by a bunch of Morris Dancers amusing themselves abusing themselves outside. Recent posts seem to confirm a perception it may be on the slide.
15 Nov 2005 13:28
The Union Vaults offers the nearest drinkable real ale to the station, and, a stone's throw from the Mill, underlines that there are other sources of a good pint in Chester. I sometimes feel it has a slight Care-in-the-Community air about it, but it's well worth a visit.
8 Nov 2005 13:37
This is a fine pub. The absence of music probably also means the absence of the sort of louts who make some other places unbearable. I find the most recent post a bit alarming - last time I was there the price of OBB hadn't hit �1.30 a pint, never mind �1.50. Lunch menu looked interesting.
8 Nov 2005 13:32
There's plenty of good beer in Chester, and you don't need to move far from the Mill to find more of it. That said, this place has one of the most impressive selections of real ale in great nick that you'll find anywhere. There's a suspicion you have to be seven feet tall to work here, but staff are very on-the-ball. I was slightly disappointed with the food, but that may have been a one-off.
8 Nov 2005 13:25
I dropped this place from my Chester list years ago after an uninspiring encounter with plainly hungover antipodean staff. It was a pleasure earlier this year to return and find it improved out of all recognition. Beer is excellent, and there are tasting notes on blackboards. Not cheap, but worth it for the quality of the place and the people.
8 Nov 2005 13:19
The Barrels Alehouse, Berwick upon Tweed
Very friendly. Decent ale, and a rather fine atmosphere of faint eccentricity.
8 Nov 2005 12:48
The Talbot Hotel, Cleobury Mortimer
As of a few months ago this was crying out for the attention of an upholsterer, but the beer was in very good nick, and the Sunday roast lamb was legendary and very good value. Well worth a visit.
26 Oct 2005 13:32
The Royal Fountain, Cleobury Mortimer
Interesting old pub with good ale, good food and a pleasant atmosphere.
26 Oct 2005 13:29
It's a couple of years since I was there, but SJC's description is spot on. As I recall, the landlord had a particular interest in local history.
26 Oct 2005 13:13
Have they got rid of the bloody awful vinyl covered chairs that were in the sharp end last time I visited? I've gone there three times. First time it was Baltic cold; second it was grubby; third it was closed at ten minutes after opening time. There's a limit to what I'm prepared to put up with for the sake of a decent pint, and the BF goes beyond it.
26 Oct 2005 13:08
The Masonic Arms, Kirkcudbright
Decent, clean, friendly pub that seems to have two real ales at any time. Seems not to do food at all, though, apart from a good selection of nuts, etc.
25 Oct 2005 13:26
Decent, busy downstairs public bar. Good ale. Seems to attract mostly grown ups.
13 Oct 2005 13:30
The Old Cannon Brewery, Bury St Edmunds
Very fine place, and no complaints from me about quality, quantity or price of the food. The beer is good. There aren't many pubs that I would make a special journey to visit, but this is one.
5 Oct 2005 13:53
Great little place - I would say it's about the size of a snooker table. Good GK IPA. The mummified Tom & Jerry hanging from the ceiling give it a certain.... something. Tip - do not attempt the stair to the loo unless offensively sober!
5 Oct 2005 13:50
Wide range of well-kept ales, hardworking staff and good food at sensible prices. Want more? Well, it's also a very pleasant space, or series of spaces.
5 Oct 2005 13:47
The Salisbury, Leicester Square
I endorse the previous favourable comments on the decor and the staff. Found it surprisingly civilised at 5.30 on a Friday - even managed to get a seat. Good beer, and decent wine at not too severe a mark-up. Also, red wine at a sensible temperature, not cold as a mother-in-law's heart like many pubs.
5 Oct 2005 13:41
A gem is right. This is one of the finest pubs I've been in, anywhere.
28 Sep 2005 13:10
The Cooperage has been ruined with a capital F. Saturday 1:30 pm and not a single customer. No real ale, and no member of staff who appeared remotely concerned. A tragedy.
28 Sep 2005 13:09
This is another that gets very busy on football days. I got a slightly warm pint, but that must have been a one-off. The non-smoking bit at the back's a pleasant place to sit, though the view doesn't exactly bring the Acropolis to mind.
28 Sep 2005 13:06
Interesting pub that seems to have about three separate bars all entering by different routes - a bit of a warren. Decent beer, friendly staff. The menu caters for just about everyone - except the carnivore.
28 Sep 2005 13:02
Good place in just about every way. It gets very busy when the Toon are at home, but they all vanish at exactly 23 minutes to kick-off. Excellent beer.
28 Sep 2005 13:00
Out of date already. This is now the CAMRA pub of the year for Scotland and Northern Ireland. It's the smallest pub in the City, so don't all come at once.
14 Sep 2005 13:45
Now the CAMRA pub of the year for Edinburgh, Lothians & Borders, and deservedly so.
12 Sep 2005 13:41
After many years as purveyor of one of the best pints of McEwan's 80/- in Scotland the Ship was sold last year to Belhaven. Anyone thinking of visiting it for the beer should think twice.
12 Sep 2005 13:22
Car park at the rear is not a public car park, and the back door's only open in summer anyway. There's free parking (display a disc) both on and off George Street, straight across the road. Anyway, abandon the wheels and get in among the six real ales at two quid a pint. There's a non-smoking section, and effective air filtering in the smoking bit. They are doing deservedly good business with the food - but the kitchen is closed Mondays.
12 Sep 2005 13:17
Fine pub. Often very busy, but the staff are usually on top of things. Pie & beans just about legendary, and they have Caley 80/- and Deuchars in pretty good nick.
12 Sep 2005 12:59
I couldn't quite work out what I thought about the Dispensary, but the previous post hits the nail on the head. It's a little bit soul-less. Good staff and beer, though.
30 Aug 2005 12:45
This is a very good little pub indeed. It seems to get very busy, but staff always cope. Well kept beer. And yes, the floor does slope!
30 Aug 2005 12:42
Fine pub with ornate ceiling and other interesting features. Good ale at reasonable prices. Astonishing menu!
24 Aug 2005 13:28
Better still, a replacement pie heater has appeared, from which the excellent products of Findlays of Portobello are available at moderate cost.
18 Jul 2005 12:39
Saturday 4 June, 11.45 a.m. Six real ales 'on offer'. One of them is Old Tom at 8.5%, one is Fraoch (an acquired taste at best), two are from obscure/dubious small breweries and the other two are off, and no-one apparently interested in doing anything about it. Probably only an indictment of management rather than of the pub itself, but I won't be going back.
6 Jun 2005 13:36
'No football colours' kept the Tartan Army and the marauding Moldovans out, so this was the only civilised pub in Central Glasgow on Saturday. Good beer, decent food and very good staff. It has a fair-sized non-smoking area. Three minutes walk from Queen St Station, five from Central.
6 Jun 2005 13:27
Decent and friendly pub. Good beer. We visited just three days after the post of 13 April, on a Saturday morning. It wasn't busy, but as non 'English people' perhaps we should apologise for having had the audacity to venture through the door.
1 Jun 2005 13:12
Makes much of having been the stamping ground of Scots poets of the fifties and sixties. They wouldn't be seen dead in it as it is now. There are many better pubs close by.
31 May 2005 13:08
Brunning & Price conversion of a riverside warehouse. Great selection of real ales; pleasant staff, interesting menu (not cheap). Large no-smoking section but ptenty of room for smokers, too.
16 May 2005 13:56
Very pleasant: excellent beer and squeaky-clean. Pricey, a little.
16 May 2005 13:53
People could be put off by first impressions - the room with the bar counter doesn't look anything special - but this pub is a treasure. Excellent ale and honest-to-goodness food at not much more than half the price of most of the opposition. The highlight of my recent visit to Shrewsbury.
16 May 2005 13:51
The Coach and Horses, Shrewsbury
Seems a shame that over a year has passed since anyone posted about this grand pub. Arizona was in wonderful form a week ago, and the menu looked very promising.
16 May 2005 13:44
Pretty good place with some slightly upmarket ideas about food. But it's excellent stuff. Try the fruit cake ice-cream - but don't drive for an hour or so afterwards! It is seriously boozy.
16 May 2005 13:40
It remains a great pub for the reasons mentioned in the previous posts. Recently, though, there has seemed to be a bit of tension between kitchen and bar, which can't be good. The owner is engaged in a huge project at the Charlton Arms down by the river, and I can't help wondering if his eye is slightly off the ball at the moment. That said, I'll be back next year, when I expect to find the Charlton going great guns as well.
16 May 2005 13:36
The Clachnaharry Inn, Clachnaharry
Very good pub indeed, and there's a fairly decent bus service from the City Centre. Great view over the Firth. Legendary fire in winter. Beer, staff and food exemplary. Very child friendly. A must if you're anywhere near Inverness.
28 Apr 2005 13:29
Its rating may include the views of those who, as I did, tracked it down on a Saturday at lunchtime. Two dour barmaids, whose only sign of animation was when they were conversing between themselves in a language other than English. Lunch apparently being offered (there's a suggestion - surely untrue - that they bang an extra thirty bob onto the prices at weekends) but no sign of life in the kitchen, leading to a perception, right or wrong, that microwave was going to be the method of choice. Adnam's Broadside so bad, whether by keeping or by pouring, that if it was your first pint of the stuff you would never venture a second. An impression of a place resting on its laurels, and I will grant that it did seem to have some to rest on. The mobile ban is a plus, but to what effect if they don't enforce it?
22 Apr 2005 14:11
Visited on 16 April. Our mistake was to find the place. There were three apparent locals and a barman who had no difficulty in concealing his delight at our arrival. They weren't doing food (Saturday lunchtime). Moderate pint of Fullers something forgettable at three quid a shot. Nothing to commend it unless you live in Belgravia, in which case your chauffeur will drive you to a good pub.
22 Apr 2005 14:00
It'll never be anything other than a Wetherspoon, but it's a good use of a dead Methodist chapel. The Family Area is raised up three steps, and works well, but does get busy.
22 Apr 2005 13:51
If you've time to kill waiting for a bus on the Whitesands this, rather than others nearby, is the place to do it. Always three guest ales, and a brilliant coal fire in the side lounge on winter days. No food (though they'll make you a coffee if not too busy), but if you ask nicely they'll let you bring in a roll from the little shop a few doors along.
22 Apr 2005 13:40
This is a kind of child of Wetherspoon, the licensees having worked in the Bruce nearby. Always at least four real ales at about 30p cheaper than anywhere else (except the Bruce). They probably do quite a lot of Brake Bros-type catering, but there are also specials and home-made dishes that lift it into a different league. Legendary fish 'n' chips - at a reduced price on Tuesdays, as I recall. The best food pub in the town.
22 Apr 2005 13:35
John and Margaret Gates have now retired, and the licence has passed to their barman Harry. He does his best to be Europe's rudest bartender, but it's an act. Fine ale, great company. Be warned that the pie heater is now of pie-ous memory, replaced by a memorial photograph. You can still get a decent sandwich.
22 Apr 2005 13:20
It is indeed a gem, and the clock is set fast so you don't miss your train. Seems to specialise in real ale from Scottish and North-east breweries. If you were going to visit only five pubs in Edinburgh this would need to be one of them.
22 Apr 2005 13:13
Its great strength is the absence of anything to distract from the serious business of drinking. The only noise is the buzz of conversation. Seriously good on ale and whisky.
22 Apr 2005 13:05
Still a fine place. Real ales, efficient staff, good food.
22 Apr 2005 13:01
This is a fine pub with good ale and excellent food in generous portions. It gives an impression of doing things very much on its own terms. If you don't like that approach, don't go. Otherwise, find its opening hours - the Good Pub Guide is available online - and enjoy.
21 Apr 2005 13:56
The Gate Inn, Bryants Bottom
More than two years since the most recent post.
The Gate still seems to be doing well in terms of food and drink. It's friendly and well run. London Pride and (excellent) Doom Bar were on offer.
26 Oct 2014 17:40