please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Now as said called the Sir John Balcombe.
Perfectly reasonable; staff fine, prices not too bad for the area and has an outside area plus a seperate area (with it's own bar) downstairs which can be reserved.
Possibly better sticking to lager/cider etc. though if you are a bitter drinker; the ale is not in my view very well kept and I doubt they turn over that much of it.
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the pub is now open again and called The Sir John Balcome, the staff are friendly, however the beer prices have steadly gone up and now 66p dearer than the V&A bar at the station
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This pub is now CLOSED.
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Now known as Wood.
Avoid: poor selection of beers, two barmaids more interested in bickering (loudly) than serving customers. Better pubs nearby.
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The concept of customer service simply does not exist in Wood. When you ask for wine glasses to drink your wine in rather than the champagne glasses the bar staff have given you, you do not recieve an apology, you are spoken to as somehow you have made an unreasonable request, after all it's those annoying customers that used all up all the wine glasses! And try talking to the landlord about it, you are told that his job is to provide drink in a glass, not the right glass! Nice.
Add to that a general arrogance from all the staff, and the refusal to provide you with tap water,it really makes for a poor experience. Last night my friends and I had had enough, so told the landlord we weren't happy, and his response was "the best way for to complain is not to come back in here". Don't worry, we won't. Perhaps it's that lousy attitude that explains why the pub is half empty at 10pm on a Friday night.
Shame really, as the Thai there is really nice. Please don't visit this pub, bad customer service shouldn't be rewarded,
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Sadly all the reviews below about the crazy bar lady are correct but i know Andy very well and he is a super landlord so will mention the tapwater and ignorant staff to him as its a shame as the food is superb and good value for the area,decent pub alround so dont be put off,full off bankers on a friday night.
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Without doubt the rudest reception I have ever received in a pub. I can only assume that the good ratings that this pub received were posted when it was the Hobgoblin and was, indeed a half decent pub.
We arrived looking forward to a couple of drinks and some Thai food. We asked the girl behind the bar for two soft drinks and a pint of water to start with as we'd come from the gym and my wife is 7 months pregnant.
The conversation went something like this: Her "We don't serve tap water. You can buy sparkling water if you'd like." Me "I'd really like some tap water please." Her "We don't sell tap water." Me "But...." Her "I can give you a glass and you can get water from our toilet." Me "Goodbye."
Honestly, do you really expect my wife to drink water from your toilet? These people are a disgrace to the service industry. Do yourself a favour and find somewhere vaguely civilised to spend your time and money..... unless you enjoy drinking toilet water, of course.
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The surliest, rudest, least helpful staff in London. I bought a whiskey there one day, and asked for some water with it. "We don't give free water" she said. And stuck too it, too. They quite often run out of clean glasses. Ask for a pint and be told: "no - we have no pint glasses".
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I hate to say this but the barmaid is so rude. Looks like she hates you and likely to punch you if you dare ask for anything like, well, A DRINK. The Thai food is excellent but the barmaid is so rude, I wouldn't bother going. I have no idea how she is still employed; she slams your drink down, snatches your money and if you dare ask for anything like change in a different format; you might as well just leave now.
customer service training wouldn't go a miss. Or a personality transplant.
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I used to go there regularly a few years back when it was the Hobgoblin - it was a great pub, run by a friendly landlady called Sonia who was either Australian or Kiwi. Since then have been back a few times but really not impressed - absolutely NO atmosphere or feeling of a friendly welcome; you might as well be standing in the middle of Marylebone station! Have to admit that the real ales are still ok though they didn't serve Hobgoblin bitter which is surprising.
On the negative side again, I was there today for a couple of pints in the afternoon; asked for a glass of tap-water and was flatly refused - thought that was illegal so will be complaining to Wychwood brewery and Trading Standards...
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Firstly - this pub has been renamed as WOOD .... understandable given the decor which is decidedly woody
I felt that the atmosphere was quite sterile, but maybe that was me.
The ale (WANDLE) was good and the Thai food very good, and if I was in the area and wanted somewhere I'd go back but overall I don't think I would go out of my way to return ....
dGriz - 24 Nov 2010 11:54 |
Nice Guinness and we certainly didn`t have any problems with the young ladies who served us (Saturday/Sunday 28/29 August). There was a wedding reception or something similar on the Saturday evening so it was a bit packed. Found it strange that outside on one side of the pub you aren`t allowed to drink your beer, but two paces around to the other side you can! ; - )
Didn`t try the food as too packed, but a nice pub with friendly locals to chat with outside. 7/10
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This pub is in a nice spot for a few drinks in the sun after work, it also has a good sized downstairs area for the winter months so its a good all year round place. The Thai food is great and very good value. Unfortunately the one thing which lets it down is the bar staff. The manager is a really nice chap, good to chat to etc, but the barmaids are mostly rude, surly and pay no attention to who is next in line. when I was last there I got a lager shandy with soda water instead of lemonade and when I returned it to the bar it was taken away, replaced and then slammed back on the bar in front of me without a word being said. They could certainly do with some customer services skills training. Aside from that, don't let it put you off too much as its a well placed pub with a good selection of ales and lagers.
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I am currently sat in this pub, which I have been in on a few occasions previously. The last two times I have been greeted by a barmaid whose face would crack if she smiled. This is not a personal attack but she put my drink in front of me without any eye contact or friendly manner & I've since been watching her serve other people with an expression of absolute contempt. I thought my visit would be third time lucky with her but I've yet to see her raise the smallest of grins to anyone. I will not return here, which is a shame because the pub itself is nice.
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Great thai food here and the waiters/ waitresses serving food are always very polite and helpful. It's a no frills pub that has consistently served good food over the 6 years we have been going there. The barmaids are indeed attractive however the blonde barmaid is exceptionally rude and up her own ar$e. After serving me my 2 alcoholic drinks she told me NOT that I had to pay a nominal fee for tapwater, I do appreciate it must be annoying being asked for it all the time, however that they in fact do not have tap water in the pub to serve! She then proceeded to relay the fact that I had asked for it to her 2 fellow barmaids who all then laughed in my face for questioning why they couldn't serve it. I then sat down to a delicious meal so in summary great food, rubbish bar service and yes they do often run out of wine/ ales and dont seem to think they should apologise for it.
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I didn't try the ale, but I rather liked the pub aside from that. It's in a backstreet round the back of Marylebone station and, like the nearby Feathers on Linhope Street, you wouldn't know about it unless someone told you. A roomy interior and the landlord was welcoming and chatty. A rather lovely dog was sound asleep on one of the seats - not what you expect from a central London boozer. I'd return here, if only to see what the ale is like.
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the hob is still a good place to drink, gents toilets do need refurbishing asap
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Reasonable place with some comely barmaids. Only two real ales on though - London Pride and Whychewood (sp?). The former was well kept and tasty but ran out after an hour so switched to a pint of the latter - horrible. Not necessarily badly kept but just tasted like tar. Main objection to the place was the gents lavatory where the floor was swimming with water and someone had messily thrown up in the cubicled karzi. OK not their fault that someone does that but they should check the toilets regularly.
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Had to try the Hobgoblin, I suppose, but there weasn't much choice. Pleaseant enough place to spend a little time if waiting for a train at Marylebone, but nothing special.
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Went here yesterday lunchtime looking forward to a decent pint of ale (isn't that what Hobgoblin pubs are meant to be about?). Three of the four pumps had their badges turned around, the only one not turned around was the Hobgoblin, so I asked for a pint. The barman started to fill a glass, looked doubtful and then said 'Hobgoblin's off'. I asked why they didn't have any beer on and the response was a shrug of the shoulders and 'it happens sometimes'. This would be a poor show in most pubs but in an alleged REAL ALE PUB this simply ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH.
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alright; but (and i know other people who take the same view) whilst the beer is still alright, it (especially the hobgoblin) is by no means as well kept as it used to be.
was once a very good pub, now only reasonable
mps77 - 13 Aug 2007 13:35 |
Came back a couple of weeks ago and tried the Thai food. Was gorgeous.
All beers were available, and the staff were still friendly. People were sitting outside in the sun - what better way to spend an afternoon eh!
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The strange arrangement for Thai food is, well, strange. An almost utopic fusion of real ale and takeaway - all in a pub. Brave, and it almost works too! Well worth a plate of noodles and a few beers, give - give ti a try!
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Spacious bar but still felt cosy - cool tables too! Good range of beers, friendly staff and the Thai food was good value and tasty.
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Good beer, good staff, and really great-value food if you like Thai. Gets a bit crowded upstairs but there's more space in the basement.
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Wonderful little pub - found by accident last Saturday. Friendly bar staff, food looked excellent and very well priced, couldn't fault at all. AND they serve hoegarrden (all be it at �4 a pint, but worth it). Ladies toilet looked like it had been refurbed recently.
Will definatly be using next time I am in the area.
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A very good pub, friendly and near the station, food good. Only fault toilets in need of refurb.
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Kaleidoscope Club meet here once a month. Nice friendly pub, and street-side sitting for summer evenings. Good, reasonably priced food.
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Quite a nice pub. The service has been pretty good and the staff friendly when I've been there. It's not the biggest pub which adds to a somewhat 'cosy' atmosphere inside. Not a bad place to head to if you're in the area.
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Associating one's brewery (Wychwood) to this pub would seem to be a business liability. 4/10.
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Nice little pub which has a bit of charm, not bad at all for a quick few.
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A friend of mine used to work in here. Apparently Noel Gallagher is in here from time to time. Always seemed quite pleasant.
anonymous - 3 Jan 2006 12:49 |
Had half a pint of "Brakspear" special bitter last night. Pub not too bad but absolutely heaving with customers. Also note that there were no Wychwood beers on tap despite the signage outside the pub stating there was.
5/10.
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Not bad for thai food, the beer wasn't much to write home about and the place needs shutting and cleaning. Very relaxed though.
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Despite having dirty glasses, dusty beertaps and a carpet that Steptoe and Son would wince at, this is a great local even if the landlord looks like an overgrown student. Highly recommended.
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This once fantastic pub has declined steadily over a five year period. The food is not a patch on how it used to be at the turn of the century, the beer is lousy and often tastes like it has gone off and the bar is often shabby. Still a friendly spot however.
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Coming from Ireland I was reluctant to taste the black stuff but I was nicely suprised with all the beers in good order, great atmosphere, excellent service and lovely Thai food. Definitely one to recommend when you are in the Baker St, Maylebone area
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Another pub I frequent for a swifty after work, 3 handpumps with Wychwood and guest ales available, when it is on I always go for the Hobgoblin ale as it is marvellous, the pub is usually busy and does Thai food and sometimes has Jazz downstairs. Its only downfall is that it is not big enough!!
Ginja - 17 May 2005 18:16 |
Some of best Thai food I've tasted. Downstairs seems to have plenty of seats
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One of the very best pubs in London. Great beers, excellent staff, lovely landlady, fun atmosphere. Can get really busy on a Friday night, but in a good way.
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Thanks to all at the Hobgoblin for their hospitality last weekend. We held a private function in the cellar bar, which proved an excellent venue for our purpose. The service was great and the Thai food was excellent. Thanks again.
Kate Baines - 6 Sep 2004 17:19 |
Nice neighborhood pub, off the beaten path from Baker St. Has good Thai food. Has 3 Cask ales on at all times. One is always Hobgoblin from the Wychwood Brewery. You can have pint and a conversation here. Has outside seating as well
Andrew - 30 Jul 2004 04:09 |
