please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Great pub. Very friendly owners and bar staff. Excellent well kept beer. Place for convivial conversation or to sit and reflect.
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Have heard good things about this place, so visited for the first time for 22 years. There was a karaoke night, which seemed to make me think I was actually visiting 22 years ago anyway. Odd. beer was excellent. Everyone friendly, but give me professional singers at low volume ...
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I concur with 'drinkingdad' review, only my second visit but feels very comfortable.
Still a good selection of ales, although they did seem to be the same seven as when I was in a year ago.
Food still good and served most of the day.
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Want a warm and cosy pub with well kept Fullers ales and a small but perfectly formed menu with specials on a board?
Come here but you may find it difficult to leave.
Strongly recommended.
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The White Hart Tap was very busy Friday lunchtime so we came in here. There were only one or two customers in - but then I prefer it that way.
Seven hand pumps, four at one end of the bar and three at the far opposite end (feels like you have to walk into another room just to see what the beer is).
Mainly Fuller's ales plus some they make for Gale's (Seafarers and HSD) served by a pleasant young lad behind the bar.
Simple food dishes at reasonable prices, cooked well and the chips were nice and crispy.
Back ground music wasn't too loud or annoying, even though I'm not a great lover of music in pubs.
There is a handy pay and display car park nearby. Would hope to return in the not too distant future.
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Quite a small but cosy pub & we really enjoyed our visit here for Sunday lunch. The food & service was great as was the HSB. Will return without question.
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Top quality Esb in ceremonial glass. Central bar area with everone sat around makes it a tad tricky to finf a gap to get served. Good pub.
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Dropped by on a quiet Sunday afternoon. You're either a regular or H.G.Well's 'Griffin' in this place. A locals pub best left to the locals.
anonymous - 17 Jul 2012 20:33 |
Pub No.12
Good pub
Good beer
Ok service
Expensive.
Recommended(just): 6/10
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went in last week,very clean,staff friendly,hsb very nice,discount for camra members,very quiet at lunchtime so thats a bonus if you need a lunch break meal,has about 4 sections away from the bar so quite cosy.
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This has to be top of my list for warmth and friendliness. There is no other pub to beat it! The bar area rather dominates the main part of the pub so it always seems like there is no where to sit apart from the separate areas where you feel a bit segregated. The ESB is superb and all the beers are kept well.
Worth visiting for the friendly atmosphere alone!
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much improved inside! do not think it needs a karaoke night
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I think this pub needs to be viewed as what it is: a cosy, (very) friendly local boozer that sells cheap filling meals.
The beer range isn't big (which is the biggest issue for me of this place) as it is a fullers pub. Have had no issues with any of my pints though, always been good.
The food is really cheap and thus cheap ingredients and therefore isn't going to win major awards...however it is ok and superb value.
The owners and staff however are all great - very welcoming and friendly.
Overall it has something for me as I keep going back.
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An ok pub. But if you want a good pint of ESB. Go to the Portland arms.
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Busy side street local in St. A. A band was, of which some of the staff were members. Tried a pint of Seafarers - which was poor. There are times I'd take it back and others I wouldn't... I wasn't narked enough about it to cause a stir at a busy bar on a Saturday night so just left it and went round the corner. Worst pint of the night.
anonymous - 14 Nov 2010 11:47 |
Popped around the corner from the White Hart Tap to this small Fullers pub. It was much quieter than the White Hart, which made the cosy interior easier to enjoy. Service was friendly. A small room to the side contained one table along with board games and toys, presumably for family customers. ESB, Pride, HSB and Seafarers were the beers available. Primarily a pub for relaxing and conversation, but the limited beer range let it down.
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Fantastically friendly pub with excellent beers!
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The current 5.4 rating is definitely out of date. The Garibaldi is back as it should be, following a lot of hard work by the current and previous managers. Beer quality is spot-on and the food is fine, and good value. 8 out of 10, easily.
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Now that the new management have settled and put their own mark on the pub it really is worth a visit.
The food is superb, but with the lack of portion control they could go bankrupt in next to no time! The good news is that the huge quantities are not making up for any lack of quality.
Watty - 10 Jul 2010 16:08 |
Popped in here the other day and was pleasantly surprised! There was still a slight smell of paint in the air as the place had been recently decorated (finally). Much improved since the last time I was there about 6 months ago. On previous visits it felt like a slightly rowdy Irish pub. No disrespect to the couple that ran it but they just pulled in the wrong crowd for me.
I enjoyed a couple of pints HSB and Pride, well served and kept.
I couldn't be sure if the gents working the bar were just caretaking the place or were the new tennats!? Either way it was a pleasant and friendly visit and i'll be back soon for another HSB or two.
Cask beers available: Pride, ESB, HSB and Seafarers
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Was being redecorated when I happened past on 15 May, so difficult to get a proper idea of the pub's interior. The exterior is nice: a smart red-brick affair; one of the many backstreet pubs in this bit of St Albans city centre. The atmosphere surprised me by being a bit more "gor blimey" than I expected, but it was very friendly. More down to earth than most St Albans pubs, I think. The pint of Seafarers I had was excellent.
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It is sad that Jimmy and Debbie are gone but at least we are all still friends and the rest of the gang :)
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Starting going here due to the atmosphere the owners created...atmosphere was almost like a lock-in if that makes any sense.
Shame they've had to move on....will pop in at some point but in no rush now.
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Having lived in the area for the past 15 years, its been so nice to see the Garibaldi once again, become so friendly and welcoming during the landlords stay over the past year.
Jimmy & Debbie have they have really worked off their socks to make things work, a family atmosphere, afternoon bingo, quizes, kareoke , theme nights etc - and I for one, really admire them for that, i think that the Brewerys decision to change them is a huge mistake and really wish they hadnt ! Its taken a while, but the pub has now lost its clickiness, and become a really nice place to drink and eat - and is so much busier these days, Such a great shame, and wish them all the best.
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There are very strong rumours that the new managers have already been given their marching orders. Perhaps there's more to this than appears on the surface, but the decision by Fullers seems surprising and they might well come to regret it.
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Not my preferred choice however, ... I popped in here the other day and the new landlords are making a good go of it. Irish twist. Lively and fun. If you haven't visited since the new people took over (last year?) might be worth checking out again.
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It's a pub that's trying hard to be good, but not quite there yet. Beer alright, but it's almost a sports bar the TVs are on so loud. Food OK, but took an age to arrive. Given the excellent competition very close by this one needs to try harder...
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The Garibaldi went through a very lean period a couple of years back, but is now firing on all cylinders. Jimmy and Debbie work incredibly hard and provide food and evening entertainments, and also deck the place out to celebrate annual events such as Halloween. As other people have said, the TV screens are not intrusive. The low score (above) of 5.7 reflects how the pub was, not how it is now. Once again the little "village" of 6 pubs behind the London Road (White Lion, Garibaldi, Goat, White Hart Tap, Hare & Hounds and Beehive) is restored to the rudest of rude health, and long may it continue!
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I see no reason to stay away from the Gari, unless of course one isn't in St Albans, or maybe doesn't get on with Fullers ale (making one "slightly insane" shouldn't be the usual by-product, but the great thing with beer is that even if it doesn't agree with you, you can still enjoy the cut and thrust of the argument!).
A very pleasant little local tucked away in the charming backstreets of town, and well worth seeking out. A very convivial welcome awaited us, and the Seafarers and ESB were both cracking. This really held a solid appeal on a balmy summer's afternoon, although I suspect that on a cold winter's evening one could still find the beer and cheer needed to jolly one's way into a better mood.
TV was on, but it wasn't unduly obtrusive, and there were various alcoves (as well as a generous rear garden) in which to sit if the main bar area isn't your bag. All in all, a very engaging pub that deserves to do well - I shall pop in next time I'm in the area.
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Hello, we started to stay away from the Gari as it seemed a bit run down. We came here all a lot with our kids when we lived here 4 years ago but when we came back it had changed. But now, we seem to go every day!!! Very friendly, kids are fine, food cheap and lovely.... just dont go on your birthday, any excuse for some irish whiskey shots! Deffo a changed pub and we as a family are happy to go and feel relaxed!!! Even if my husband goes slightly insane on ESB!
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The new landlord seem to be trying really hard to get the punters in. Good range of beer. Service is pretty good also.
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I would like to thank everyone who attended the opening party on saturday night which went absolutely FANTASTIC. We had a lovely crowd of people, great music and a roaring atmosphere. I couldn't have hoped for a better night. We want to continue the buzz from saturday night with Live music every friday night, starting with this friday (3.07.09) at 9pm, we have a great duo band in PIPANELLIE, please come and join us for another great evening!!
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Thank you for your comments beermaniac. I'm sorry you thought the drink was barely drinkable on 16.06.09, however if you had appraoched me or my staff and explained what exactly was wrong with the pint we would have taken on your thoughts to improve your next pint, i would also like to point out that we had only been in the pub for a few days on this occasion and we are trying to make evreything in the pub GREAT at the same time, hence the karaoke and pub games etc. Lastly i would just like to say that we have had some extremely good comments about our beers so i would welcome you back again to try another pint. Thank you and we hope to see you soon.
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The Gari is (was) one of my favourite pubs in St Albans. I went in Tuesday night and the beer was barely drinkable. Contrast that with the previous governor who kept a fantastic pint. He would have given a lot of of Fullers publicans a run for their money. The pub needs an enterprising couple to get the pub back on its feet, and it will be an up hill battle, with so many good pubs nearby. Therefore, pay some REAL attention to the drink first. No one goes to the pub to drink poor quality beer and play bingo and karaoke. My advice to the current governor is get the beer right before turning your attention to karaoke and pub games. Best of luck.
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Hello all!!
I will be taking over the Garibaldi pub on 10th June, along with my partner Jimmy. We shall be making some changes to the pub in order to attract 100% trade however we want to keep existing customers happy and if not even happier with the service they receive at their local. We would love to hear any suggestions you may have to changes etc in the pub for the near future...apart from the suggestion of free beer!! We shall be introducing a new menu in July which will mainly consist of home cooked meals, served daily from 12pm - 8pm..yes no more rushing to a pub to have lunch before 2:30pm or having to wait again until the early evening! We will introduce a wide range of entertainment from, karaoke, dj's, quiz nights, bingo, BBQ nights, poker, jazz, take your pick and promotional offers on food and drink..just to mention a few!! We hope we can continue to please the locals and would welcome everyone from the 10th onwards. We will also have an opening night party on 27th June which will include food and music. We look forward to serving you.....
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�3.40 a pint for ESB I fell off the bar stool with and apoplexy......well son thats the college fun gone, got to be the richest pint in town snortle, snortle.
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Have been in here a couple of time recently, they have nice real fires which makes the place very cosy and the beer is well kept. The new landlady is very gobby though, usually telling the whole bar some tale of woe in a load voice which hardly makes for a very jolly atmosphere.
When I first moved to St Albans I started making the Garibaldi a regular stop because the landlord(s) always had all the newspapers available for customers to read. A simple attraction for only the cost of a couple of pints but one that made it stand out from all the others. If the new landlords started doing this again and kept the noise down I might go in there more often.
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Yup, back on track, which is good. They have also started doing basic-but-good 3-course meals for �5. Keep it up!
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My earlier comments were a bit harsh. The new people have settled in rather well after all, and have restored lunchtime food as well as keeping the Fullers beers in good nick. Also some of the old regulars have started to return, which must be a good sign.
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Well I visited this weekend and although it started out quiet it had a really friendly and welcoming atmosphere it seem like a nice family run place and i look forward to our next trip over there. Lets just hope the new team are here for the long haul coz i think they'll do wonders for the place
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Another new team has taken over. The pub itself is still recognisable, but all the old customers have gone and the atmosphere has changed for the worse. A beer-bellied bloke lurks menacingly by the door, and the barlady's customer service skills leave room for improvement (to put it mildly). Shall give this one a wide berth for the foreseeable future.
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Oh dear, my initial enthusiasm has waned. Not because of the beers or food, but due to a serious lack of punters. On my last 2 visits I've been the only customer. Where's everyone gone? I feel sorry for the barstaff.
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Yes, and another reason why the Gari has improved is that the new managers have banned the appalling Radio Verulam, which used to be on all the time and was buttock-clenchingly awful. But now it's gone - does it have any listeners left? Happy days are here again. Bliss it is in this dawn to be alive etc etc.
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I don't know the history of this place, but I popped in yesterday and it was totally fine. Full selection of Fullers ales and good service.
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Four days in, and the new team at the Gari have already proved their worth. We're back to good beer, a friendly welcome and a clean environment. Long may it last.
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Aha, this sounds much more promising! I'll be in the queue on 3rd June! Good luck to the new team.
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This is about to reopen under the management of David, from the White Lion, and Martin, from the White Hart Tap � both of whom know how to run a good pub. At long last, things are looking promising for the Garibaldi�
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This pub will open under new management next Tuesday the 3rd June. It will have been thoroughly cleaned and tidied and the beer will be great. Promise.
Saucy - 29 May 2008 01:10 |
This pub used to tick a lot of boxes for a wide range of clientele. A fine back street boozer which has fallen on really hard times. There is no reason this pub cannot become the hive of activity it used to be in the not too distant past.
Fullers need to get behind this once fine establishment.
St Albans without the Gari is a poorer place indeed!!!
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What has happenend here is really sad. When I moved to St Albans 8 years ago this was my favourite pub anywhere. I still believe it has the potential to be the best boozer in the city without a huge amount of work.
If Fullers do have any intentions of selling to developers then they will have go through the planning process for change of use.
I am sure that there will be loads of people prepared to fight this for as long as it takes and ensure the Garibaldi is restored to its rightful place on the St Albans pub circuit.
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An astonishing and depressing collapse. Has the Gari hit rock bottom, or is there worse to come? The phrase "Pride (geddit?) before a fall" comes to mind. And to think that when I moved to St Albans I thought this would be my favourite "local". How wrong I was. Fullers, what are you playing at???!!!
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I'm going to change my name to ExitBlueblottle. At least, that's what I did last week in this pub: walked in, walked out again. All the comments below are spot on. What is happening here is a tragedy. The Garibaldi has operated since the 19th century, and suddenly Fullers seem intent on wrecking it. They must be crazy.
On a kinder note, I trust that the delightful Katie will be OK; I've already seen her in another pub (not a great one, to be sure) and she fully deserves to find a fresh start away from the rathole that the Garibaldi has become. So does the other nice lady who works here in the afternoons.
But back to ranting .... Can we apply any pressure on Fullers? Could Punch Taverns buy the pub and staff it with one of the good managers that are in this part of town?
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On Friday, 9 May 2008 I probably had the last drinkable pint of Pride served here. The next order was on the way out and the following one opaque. That was it. No other beer on draught, no Guinness, no lager, no cider - in other words f**k all. The place was shut the next day and has remained so ever since.
It has been sad to see this decline through falling standards, disinterest, and an obvious departure of regular clientele to alternative establishments close by.
I have cherished the excellent Pride here over many years. On that last evening there young Katie was embarrassed to find there was nothing to offer. Always a friendly smile and pleased to be of service - I hope she finds some other place to look after her customers in such good style.
This hostelry is likely to be yet another doomed as a pub.
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Hear hear, lordnewt. If Fuller's really intend to keep this pub as a going concern then they are going about it in a totally demented way. More likely that they are out to flog the place to property developers, as they did with the Swan at Park Street. At the very least they owe us an explanation!
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What on earth do Fullers think they are playing at here? Once a fine pub, the Gari has been shut for the last 5 days without a word of explanation. Over the past month it has often run out of beer, and is in an increasingly shocking state of repair. Either Fullers should get a grip or sell the pub on to someone with the talent and ambition to do the job properly.
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Good grief, what's happened to this place? Used to be a good locals' pub, but is now grubby and they had no beer!!! Someone needs a kick up the backside.
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Went here on a pub crawl recently. Was tempted to ring Environmental Health - the place is filthy.
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Unusually for a Fullers House this is a local style laidback backstreet pub not a brash cavernous place on the high street. Nice friendly atmosphere, comfortable seating, unobtrusive TV and a good outside seating area. The ESB was in good condition but ridiculously expensive, I�d had a few by the time we arrived but I�m sure I got charged more than �6 for two pints. Well located to pop in whilst on a crawl around St Albans excellent real ale pubs. Quite handily, right opposite the pub is the back entrance to the beer garden of the White Lion.
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This is the only place I've heard Radio Verulam on 92.6!! Some of the drinkers here listen quite intently, which only adds to the rather strange atmosphere.
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Should really be called the Gayribaldi: I'm sure a lot of the blokes in here are repressed homos. Worse, it's getting grubbier and grubbier: bits of rubbish on the floor sometimes stay there for days. What a shame. Despite everything the beer is still good, but for how long?
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A real ale pub frequented by the beared and jumper brigade...if you like that sort of thing.
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Worse than awful. The sooner it is turned in to a house for some yuppie city worker the better. And I have never seen a more miserable looking bar manager.
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Pub food? Nope not any more. Went to check it out this Saturday lunchtime. Used to be busy, This time, we were the only two in there. AND NO FOOD. So with no smokers now where is the future for this once fine Fuller's pub.
anonymous - 7 Jul 2007 17:24 |
You can't beat the Gary on a St Albans crawl. This is what pubs are all about. Great beer, friendly people, shame about the smoking but I normally sit outside with the dog, although it can smell a bit like piss and poop (Is dudley still with us?) Sounds a bit wrong does it? - well consider no teenage townie chavs or chavettes will be seen dead in a place like this (no offence John if you're reading - that green tracky suits you, honest - fancy some arras some time?)
anonymous - 25 Jun 2007 22:37 |
Rumour has it that the owner is trying to sell the lease, and went ahead without even informing the manager! No wonder this pub is suddenly on the skids. What a shame.
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Oh dear. It's not just the gents that is disgusting, have a look at the carpet. There's a layer of cigarette tar on everything. Ordered a pint, the glass didn't look clean (greasy), bought it back and had to argue the toss about it. I'm not sure what the future hold for it, I think the smoking ban will finish it off because everyone in there chain smokes (including the dog). Sadly, in this state it will be no loss.
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I don't want to get too alarmist here, but this pub is slipping a bit. The beers are as fine as ever, but there seem to be fewer and fewer customers. Twice this week I've trundled in to slurp some Fullers ales and do a bit of exterminating, but I couldn't because there were no other customers. The bargirl was delightfully pleasant, even to a dalek like me, but otherwise the place was like a desert. What's going on?! 6 out of 10 and falling.
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One of my favourite pubs, it has; good beer / crisps / dog / darts / staff / locals / atmosphere / name / garden / location. I love it.
The deer head in the corner always freaks me out a bit as its kind of going mangy. Also it can be quite smoky ( but not for much longer heh heh heh! )
anonymous - 29 May 2007 16:01 |
Laid back pub makes enjoyable evening. An excellent alternative to the Sopwell Lane pubs. The beer is great; ESB at 5.5% will bang your head, or three lighter ales on offer too. Selection of delightful 'hand-made' crisps which includes Parsnip and Parmesan flavours. The decor looks like it was last done in 1982 and so it is a bit like stepping into the past. The best sort of place to drink Harvey's Bristol Cream Sherry! hahaha.
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The beer's really good, the service OK, but the Gents' toilets are absolutely disgusting.
I might venture here again but not yet.
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Tired. Could badly do with a lick of paint (or a bulldozer). Good Guinness.
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Great atmosphere in here yesterday during England's alleged World Cup match. The usual excellent Fullers ales were in the pumps, crisps were crunched, and there was some brilliant commentary about the game being shown on the TV. Why do television stations pay ���� to morons to talk gibberish, when they could just stick a microphone in a pub and broadcast the witty, well-informed and incisive commentary that flows freely?
anonymous - 16 Jun 2006 08:40 |
Shame on me for not noticing this before. But this pub has a FANTASTIC selection of crisps with which to accompany one's drink.
Yes, all right, nobody goes to a pub solely to eat crisps, I certainly don't, but I thought the crisps factor was worth mentioning.
Meanwhile the various Fullers ales are kept in GREAT condition in this pub! There are a few better pubs in St Albans (IMHO) but not many, and the Garibaldi is still really good.
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Good drop of ESB in here...Needs to bring the price of its beer down as other pubs have a bit more in comfort...Still a nice pub.........Mitch
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Reliable, friendly Fullers pub with a fine selection of beers. Doesn't try too hard, but isn't complacent either. I always find myself drifting back here. It's good!
anonymous - 30 Jan 2006 13:38 |
Excellent back-street Fullers local which makes a welcome change from the lager-dispensing glitz-bars of the town centre. Football-free TV, used judiciously, merits an extra couple of points. Smokers not treated as 2nd class. (I have given up myself but dislike the Wetherspoon attitude.)
A proper pub.
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Not as good as the WHTap up the road, but a good pint of ESB. Wine a little limited. Lots of nooks and crannies. Food OK but not sure if there is room for another Thai in St Albans.
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Remains a rock-solid locals' pub, serving Fullers ales and others, and providing a relaxing atmosphere. It's also worth mentioning that the restaurant has reopened as Thai Tom's, and they even provide take-aways. What more could you want? If all there was to life was eating and drinking, I would happily drift between the Garibaldi and White Horse until I drop!
anonymous - 28 Jul 2005 16:22 |
Ace local. Good beer (& music from time to time)
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Over the past year this has become one of my favourite pubs in St Albans. It's very strong on real ales, and there's a new food area out the back. Don't go there if you want a boisterous, noisy evening, but for a pleasant few hours drinking or eating with friends it's ideal. The barstaff are excellent.
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Real ale old men's pub, pretty friendly bar staff but locals non too forthcoming. Ok for a crawl, not one to spend the day in.
Dave - 30 Oct 2004 12:27 |
