please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Nicely appointed town centre boozer that was busy on our Sunday afternoon visit. Kids are welcomed, as long as they sit in a rear room. Sky Sports was on numerous TVs. This is a fairly cosy place that stocks a decent range of ales. Adnams Bitter is a regular. Guests were Adnams Broadside, Canterbury Friar's Ale, Box Steam Tunnel Vision & Young's Bitter. Ciders were Taunton Traditional & Biddenden's Bushels. A good option on the High Street.
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Yes, a pleasant and interesting range of ales were here when we called, and we were greeted by chipper bar staff.
There were a few stragglers from a funeral party, and it's a credit to the pub that they had not ended up in the customary fight, I suppose.
The acceptably lived-in surrounding supported an amiable buzz of conversation, and we felt quite at home.
I think that the seven-to-eight rating for this welcome enclave of sanity in these strange times is about right.
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Great free house, good real ales at a knock down price and always in tip top condition with a big selection of continental beers, nice atmosphere and friendly staff and locals.
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Great pub. Adnams on draught and some fine German beers. Friendly amusing bar service and a comfortable space to sit and drink beer. My new favourite Whitstable pub.
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Was in Whitstable for football yesterday and was recommended this pub. Knew nothing about it but was delighted to walk in to find a quirky, German, Laurel and Hardy themed place.
Real friendly, warm pub and the Mike Baldwin door in the gents made me laugh.
Was so nice to have a choice of quality German Bier.
If I ever find myself in Whitstable again, I will be in this place.
Geht's los Ship Centurion!
Barda - 15 Dec 2013 11:27 |
Live in London but always head hear when visiting, best all-round pub by a mile. Good ales, good German biers and friendly staff and users
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Still a reasonable enough pub - they have a 'Coffin Dodger's Corner' though would be more apt a name for the place as a whole.
anonymous - 9 Sep 2013 18:42 |
A quality pub serving quality drinks - with German pilsner on tap for those that like it and quality local ales for those that don't. The staff were all very welcoming and friendly and the pub was always busy and lively without being overcrowded. I cannot say I felt this place was cliquey as one or two other reviewers found, more a quality pub that is popular with the locals. Never discovered if there is a reason behind the Deutsch link, but not complaining. Well worth a visit!
Deggo - 12 Jun 2013 16:42 |
What do they say,JDW Spoons kills pubs? Well not this one, was extremely busy when I visited the place. Nice pint of "old dairy"with 3 other real ales on.
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Popped into this pub a few times last week. Well kept ale and friendly staff and customers. Dogs welcome too which is nice.
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The beer was very good and very reasonably priced, when I visited on a Thursday afternoon, but this is a local's pub, which is a good thing, as the beer is looked after.....but they did seem to be very cliquey.
But still worth a visit for the beer.........and the food was good value.
Perry - 18 Aug 2012 01:31 |
I see that Sky Sports has returned to the Ship.
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The Ship's reputation brings visitors from outside the area and for good reason. Excellent beers, a fine mild for when only a mild will do. Great service and it's hard not to have a smile on your face. If you're visiting Whitstable, then make the Ship your first choice for a break from all the folksy whimsy of Whitstable in season.
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I refer you to the answer I gave earlier.
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Excellent pub right in the middle of the high street.
Had a great pint of black dog, very friendly locals, good bar stuff, all in all a very good pub.
Definetly worth a visit
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Opps,
I mean Whitstable Times.
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KOTB,
I refer you to this week's Whitstable Gazette.
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Roland, where has the SKY TV gone ???
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good pint of black dog
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Visited for the first time Oct '11. Great pub, friendly, lively. We have lost too many pubs like this. And on a completely personal note; GREAT DARK MILD
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A pub which I've been acquainted with for many years, but alas I haven't always made it to on every visit I make to Whitstable. Happily, this was rectified last Saturday, when we bravely ventured in despite the swarms of locals, all thoroughly enjoying the wares in the spirit of the splendid oyster fest held every July. All characters were in evidence, including the obligatory guardians of most English events - Morris men. Where there's Morris, there's usually good ale and at the Ship it flows freely, at very competitive prices. Elgoods Black Dog is always on and was lovely; Adnams' Gunhill was also in great nick; a lovely woody old ale. The grub looked cheap and cheerful but with a definite Germanic twist. Not sure of the connection to the pub but it was well-received by the ravenous punters. Actually, the busy scene belies the pub's usual character as a friendly, quiet local where one can always find comfort and conversation. I would not be an unhappy chappy if this were my local. Keep up the excellent work folks and I'll be back soon.
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Regular beers are Adnams Bitter and Elgoods Black Dog Mild with Lonfon Pride and Gadds Dogbolter as guests. Seems they normally have a Gadds beer and they hVe a board with the next guest beer. Reasonably priced food, schnitzel was excellent. A great locals style pub.
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Excellent pub with good, well-kept beer - a Black Dog mild was especially tasty. Our visit was only spoiled by Citeh winning the Cup Final, but you can't have everything...
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This is a great pub , which serves excellent beer in top condition , the surroundings are comfortable and clean the staff are friendly and efficient.This is just what a proper pub should be like , no fancy bells and whistles just good old fashioned banter.With a solid food menu including Bratwurst and Schnitzels. A worthy winner of CAMRA's East Kent pub of the year with a breathtaking floral display in the peak of summer.This is a must for pub enthusiasts who enjoy and appreciate well kept cask ale
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If the sheep in the top field seem reluctant to come down and join the party, use gentle persuation.
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An old man's pub on the High Street serving decent ale. Had four on, the Cotleigh Reinbeer being the only unusual offering so I went for that and it was a nice enough pint. Somewhere to drop by for a pint but not a destination for the evening (unless you know folk in the place)
anonymous - 17 Dec 2010 12:33 |
Usually the first, (and sometimes the last) pub I visit whenever I travel to Whitstable. A homely cosy place which had four real ales on when I visited recently. I had a couple of pints of Harvey's which were fine. Though the first one initially had the type of head on it which is just asking for a chocolate flake to be thrust in!
Just about every table was in use and there was a brisk turnover of customers.
The haddock pie was good and very filling.
The TV was showing Sky Sports but as the sound was off it was not too intrusive.
A nice little alehouse!
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Nice friendly boozer, with a good choice of beers and a warm atmosphere. Didn't eat here but will give it a go at some point I'm sure. Taylor Landlord and Brains SA were on fine form indeed.
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Slowly but surely, more often than not in single file, the horses left the top paddock for the lush grass of the fields below.
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Two years ago I said about this place:
"Whilst obviously a �local pub for local people�, our group of four were made to feel very welcome. With four decent ales on, it�s definitely a good pub.
But �Kent Pub of the Year� ? Sorry, no! It�s a good pub, but I can name half a dozen other pubs in Kent that are better."
Two years on, it's still the same. A good pub, but you're intruding.
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On my last visit they had some cracking ale on draught here.
I started with a pint of Monty's Old Scrotum and then moved on to a half of Butlin's Old Red Coat ale, which tasted a bit of Su Pollard.
My friend Lord Wibble of Warmsley, my probation officer this month, had a glass of tap water and a creme cracker.
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Listen very carefully, I vill sey this only once: This is a most excellent boozer.
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This boozer in in this week's Pub Spy in the Whitstable Times. Spot on!
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Foghorn,
you are a man after my heart. I'll have a pint of Black Dog and big plate of eggs and cheese please.
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Eggs and cheese...allow me to explain.
Eggs come from chickens. Cheese is amde from milk (James Joyce called cheese 'the corpse of milk').
Put the two together and you have eggs and cheese.
Simples, eh?
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Egs and cheese, eggs and cheese, eggs and cheese are bound to please!
Know what I mean?
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Very friendly pub, efficient cheerful staff. Four ales on (none local), comfortable environment, though as another reviewer has pointed out, a bit loungey.
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A lovely pub with friendly staff and nice locals. Well kept beer and never any trouble. I use this pub whenever I get the chance. Could do with more of a varied line up in the ales, but what he does have he keeps very well.
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I'm coming to Whitstable for the 'Oyster Festival' on 18/7/09 and will definitely be having a few in the 'Ship', great atmosphere, frindly punters and staff, great beer and pickled eggs, what more could you ask for. One of my favourite pubs anywere.
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Pleasant establishment, comfortably furnished and decorated, albeit a bit 'loungey'. Exclusively male 40/50+ contigent - ranging from workmen to suits - on my visit; but none the worse for that.
Very chirpy and chipper staff. Adnams/ Pride/ Black Dog etc as mentioned below. All well kept; and while I don't mind Shepheard Neame, the Ship's offer provides a respite from Shep's dominence of the town.
Good, friendly place; although I just prefer the nearby Smack for quirkiness.
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Visited on a Monday evening and given teh reputation of the this pub was a bit disappointed in teh beer selection (Admans, Elgoods Black Dog plus one ither). Having said that, the Adnams I had was well kept. The barman was very friendly and there was some good banter between him and the regulars. On the down side we could not escape the TV's which are everywhere and generally I did not like the ambience of the pub. It is a reasonably good pub but no more and definitely not what I woudl expect from a Kent Pub of the Year.
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Went back here on Weds night and pleased to report the ales were all very tempting and tasty- Adnams and Black Dog as usual but also Okell's Porter from The Isle Of Man and Newman's Red Cream Ale from Wales.
A good night all in all, well done Rowland !
Jade may return to fill in, nice one !
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My favourite pub in Whitstable ! The ale is always first class, Rowland knows how to keep ale. Adnams and Black Dog are superb so are the guest ales.
An eclectic group of customers, mostly regulars make the atmosphere good and welcoming. The food's ok too.
Roland needs to get some darker ales in, IMO and the loss of Jade behind the bar was a blow.
Still, good beer is good beer, keep it up !
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I moved down to Whitstable a few years ago and this is undobtably the finest "pub" in Town. Beer is always good, service great and it boasts an eclectic collection of characters that do not stare at you when you walk in the door. The only complaint would be that the TV's are always on even when there isn't a big sporting event happening but I thnk this practice may be changing, which will only improve the place. If you visit Whitstabl for the day and fancy a pint, then make sure you have one here!
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I'm in total agreement with MankyBadger here. Very friendly place with some decent beers on, one I'd definitely think of going back to, but if this is the Kent Pub of the Year either Kent doesn't have many good pubs(unlikely) or the voting pool is overrun by the weirdy/beardy CAMRA stereotypes. The carpet, while clean, is ghastly and the ale selection was good but nothing spectacular. For a pub to be the best it should have something that makes it stand out, and I'm sorry, having Bitburger and Budvar Dark on tap isn't enough of a tipping point.
Oh...but the regulars are apparently a brainly lot. I gave the quiz machine a go and have never seen so many difficult questions appear so early on before. They must clean this machine out regularly.
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tried ths pub out as first time in whitstable and wasn't disappointed. great beers, friendly staff, chatty locals and and a larger than life landlord. they must have known i was coming cos they even put mmy favourite seafood out on the bar at lunchtime! if i lived in whitstable this would definitely be my local. was lucky they didn't do accommodation as i would have stayed there too! can't wait to go back. can you tell i'm a fan?!
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As pub names go, The Ship Centurion Arminius ha to be up there with the most bizarre, yet there is nothing odd about this place, no, like the other pubs visited by this reviewer on his Bank Holiday (5 May) visit to the coast, it was a pleasure. The exterior is inviting as it is, but even more so for the ale aficionado as a �CAMRA Pub Of The Year� banner hangs proudly above the door, Inside this airy and bright establishment, pictures of the town in times gone by adorn the walls along with a couple of TV�s for sport. There is also another room to the rear of the pub with a larger screen to accommodate bigger groups. It was fairly busy on my late-afternoon visit and the regulars within seemed friendly. Several ales were on offer and my pint of Adnam�s was just right. There is sadly no beer garden, but hey, you can�t have everything. This is another good �un in the town of Whitstable.
HTM69 - 14 May 2008 21:29 |
Can't keep away, great pub, great lager (bitburger, erdinger & Black Budvar) and very welcoming staff and locals. I'm thinking off moving to Whitstable!!
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Whilst obviously a �local pub for local people�, our group of four were made to feel very welcome. With four decent ales on, it�s definitely a good pub.
But �Kent Pub of the Year� ? Sorry, no! It�s a good pub, but I can name half a dozen other pubs in Kent that are better.
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Great boozer, go here everytime im in Whitstable. Friendly staff, friendly punters and great german draught lager.
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Superb pub with great character. A bunch of Londoners down for a football match at Whitstable Town FC's nearby Belmont ground were made most welcome by all the staff and regulars and had a great time in here.
York Brewery's Ghost Centurion (ABV 5.4%) was one of the five ales on offer, and several pints of that helped fuel a splendid occasion! Couldn't really have asked for more.
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Well having bumped into an old mate from way back went to "The Ship" 5pm 27 March. The welcome, banter, service and quality of beer was fantasic.
Well worth the visit!
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The Best pub in Whitstable. Good beer and food. Live bands on Thursday. Nice people and very friendly staff.
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Whitstable must have the highest ratio of unique pub names in the country. Known locally as the U-Boat, the owner is German hence the strong German influence in the beers and food. The exterior is bright with flower baskets and traditional etched windows. The interior is not particularly well laid out and can be a bit cramped during busy spells although there is a room to the rear room with decent sized TV where a seat can usually be blagged when busy. The walls are adorned with several informative local pictures, lanterns, certificates and a couple of clocks showing the time in Berlin and New York for those who need to know. Apart from the bottled beers, there are 3 regular Ales and a guest beer. Oh, and Arminius was a Germanic war chief who drove out the Romans 2000 years ago just in case you wondered.
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Stopped off for a pint of mild, as recommended by CAMRA and very nice it was too. Adnams and a guest beer (Robinsons) also available. Quite unusual to find a German/English pub but glad I popped in. Worth visiting if in the area.
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Nice pub in Whitstable. Great German sausages at lunchtime and a must for the Everards Black Dog Mild they sell. Friendly service and good for the sport. Go here everytime i visit the town.
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Stopped off for a swift beer whilst doing the tourist bit. Bitburger lager and some German white beer also, John Smiths bitter if I remember rightly(?)
Armin was on the right side of the ramp and he along with his staff seemed to be quite friendy, I reckon that if I ever move to Whitstable then it would be my local...if you're passing then I'd reccommend that you give it a try.
Saw the jar with the Arse rippers in but it was too early in the day to try them!!!
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An excellent, friendly pub with well looked after ale. And, yes, treat Armin's ringstingers with respect!
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Good beer at good prices. Very friendly. Watch out for the A*** Rippers, Dave's secret sauce and the onions, hottest things I have ever eaten.
DFL - 19 Nov 2004 09:36 |
