please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
I ate & drank here (when it was an O'Neills's) a couple of years ago & so decided to revisit it in its new guise as the Victoria Comet. First attempt on a late Saturday afternoon was a flop. More than rammed, it was impossible to get in the door let alone reach the bar. Tried again Sunday, much less crowded & I quite enjoyed the place. A nice pint of Black Sheep (3.00) and friendly service, next door to my hotel & across the road from the train station.
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Now re-opened as the Victoria Comet a Nicholsons Pub. Ususally has around 6 real ales on. Some unusual beers have been on when I've visited.
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Went it on a Wednesday night when it was completely dead, so maybe not the best time to give a full appraisal. Usually these O’Neills incarnations all attempt uniformity in what they attempt to offer, except it seems the times of when they serve food.
Got in just after 2100 and when I asked if they were still serving food, the polite guy behind the bar regrettably said no. I’m not entirely sure but I think this particular O’Neills advertise they stop serving at 2200, so that was slightly annoying. He did tell me of another pub round the corner where I could get food, so I guess that’s something, but any place that is happy to shave off an hour of service is most likely going to be happy taking short cuts elsewhere too.
So, all in all, just another O’Neills, albeit one that doesn’t do what they say they will.
(Although having just read the last review – praise The Lord)
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There was a pube on my food. 0/10.
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Note that the previous comments refer to this place being 'dirty' and going to 'rack and ruin' - I'm not a local, and can only comment on one visit, but for the brief time I was there, the pub appeared clean and pleasant enough - Yes its a chain pub, and the choice at the bar is very limited, but the Smethwicks bitter was its usual bland but reasonable standard (Not the pub's fault).
Decent place for a 'safe bet', but nothing amazing.
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A welcome refuge from the World Cup. Nice pint of Guiness (as you would expect) and the food is not bad and very reasonably priced. Watch your change though - they slipped me an Irish fiver which has been a devil of a job to get rid of. Apart from that no complaints about the service.
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Worst O'Neill's I've been in. Very dirty and disorganised.
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Go there 4 times a week. Used to be 7 soon to be 3. Since Damian and most of his staff left, the place is going to rack and ruin. If they cant get him back at least get his staff back or staff like them. Then again thats down to manager and he allows it.
Whatever happened to dress code, these days the staff wear the shirt and apart from that it seems like come as you please, and attitude follows.
Place is becoming a joke. Im sure today it will be busy, but I bet you wont see the Manager or Staff breaking their neck, should something go wrong to fix it!!
2006 sticks in my mind, something happened and the band couldnt get any sound. Damian and one of his staff clambered over people, balanced on ledges, stood on ladders with just people holding them, but in the end after standing on a few heads, and the odd drunk lass nearly bringing everything to the floor. They got the wires stuck to the walls and stuck to the roof and eventually ran through the bar lol that made it for me.
Bet the new boss would have just said we cant get sound !
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O'Neills is so-so. Dont mind the odd pint in there. Normally 1st port of call for hen and stag dos off the train. So can be full of dickheads on a weekend. Not that keen on the staff, as always feels like their doing you a favour by serving you drink. Ok for a couple but plenty better bars round central.
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Does anyone know if Oneils serves soda or other non-alcoholic drinks? Thanks.
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Great bar!i went in last friday night to be greeted by a young Irish handsome barman, danced to the Irish band that was playing, and soaked up the atmosphere!!
anonymous - 11 Oct 2007 00:54 |
Should maybe have clarified that Sinead worked there many years ago, when it was still Durty Nelly's. And before the accurately described decline set in. Oh well....
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For a brief, shining moment when the place first opened as an Irish bar (following a long period as a Yates, complete with meat raffle and freak show clientele), this used to have Irish bar staff (including a swell Colleen or two) and real ale on top of the other stuff. And then it all went downhill. What a waste.
anonymous - 18 Apr 2006 20:16 |
no-one called Sinead works in this bar...
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What is it with O Neills pubs and the ever-present whiff of disinfectant? Do they hose them down nightly with the stuff? Anyway, this is exactly what you'd expect from an o'Neills, so you'll be neither disappointed nor pleasantly surprised. Its merits lie in its location - walk in a straight line out of the railway station and you'll find yourself at the bar in seconds - and its atmosphere when there's big sport on the big screen. My mate Mark went out with the barmaid Sinead for a while. He was subsequently barred from the place.
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Cracking dolly birds behind the bar, pity about the clientele
anonymous - 20 Dec 2005 00:57 |
Gorgeous bar staff, as I recall
anonymous - 21 Sep 2005 16:31 |
I loved the sevice, the good Guiness beer and was surprised whan i asked to buy 2 Guiness glasses to take home to Sweden, i got them for free!!
Surely i will visit this pub again next time i visit Newcastle upon Tyne, the only problem for me is that the time i have to use is to short because the ship just waits for me 3 hours before it leaves for Norway and Sweden again!!
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Considering I went in here for a quiet drink after a long train journey, and went home with the barmaid, can't fault the place. Decent beer. Live football. A good place to stop off if waiting for a train. Attracts away fans on match days.
anonymous - 25 Dec 2004 18:11 |
