please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Good old boozer. deserves a higher score.
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The Battle of Trafalgar is just up a hill from the main station in Brighton. So it's handy for a swift one (not necessarily from Bowman's!), before the train. Harvey's Sussex Best Bitter & Fuller's London Pride are the regular beers. Guests were Purity Mad Goose, Black Sheep Rye Mild & Thwaite's Wainwright.
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Had a good pint of Hogs back Tea ,nice pub and a nice garden
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Being about a minute from the station this is a brilliant pub for meeting people if you are arriving by train. I never want to go anywhere else really, no point. Harveys is very good, bar always busy, at 5PM it fills up and there is a real buzz to the place. Lots of friendly people, does not attract the wine bar set.
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First port of call on 24 January with Bill and Rog, and the obligatory last call along with Graeme when well clattered. We were going to eat here but the specials board either hadn't been updated or was genuinely missing lots of options at 12.03pm; the standard options looked ok but were served on bits of wood! What is this fad for serving food on slate or wood, what's wrong with a plate? I digress. Still the Harvey's best was excellent, or at least I thought so, Bill didn't like it but then he likes G***** King Abbot ale. Had 2 pints of best and had a tester of another and was glad I did as it is a style of beer I don't like, which I discussed with the very helpful and friendly woman behind the bar, who remembered us when we staggered in 6 hours later worse for wear. Very good pub, good atmosphere, friendly staff and I'm glad we came in for the first pint here. 7.5/10
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It is a steep walk up the hill to this place - fall and you'll just roll down again.
Fairly loud music playing.
They have 4 hand pulls but my pint of Harveys BB was the worst I have had all day - it went flat after about 2 minutes. (cost £3.60)
Worth a vist though.
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Last call on the crawl with Bill on 29/8 and although I can't remember what we had, the beers were both good, the atmosphere fine and this is a pleasant friendly pub. Well worth including on any crawl. 7/10
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Servicable but unremarkable old fashioned pub. My enjoyment of it was somewhat marred by the presence of a live jazz guitarist, but in terms of service, quality of beer and price it was fine. Beer Garden looks good, sadly it was a little late in the day for drinking outside when I arrived. Not worth making a special journey up the hill for, but not entirely without merit either.
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A decent enough stop off after a steep walk up the hill, beers were ok tending to the usual suspects ,but ok. An ok pub nothing more nothing less.
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Traditional local pub just up the hill from the station, with a deceptively large beer garden at the rear. Good rotating choice of real ales on tap. It has a very mixed clientele of loyal regulars.
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Harveys Sussex Best, Adnams Explorer, Ballards Golden Bine and Pride. Traditional boozer, decent.
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Probably a one off, but during my visit on Wednesday 16th, after I was served, the barmaid started sneezing into her hands and sleeves, then going on to pour pints without washing her hands, I could not understand the other customers not saying anything other than "bless you" or "poor thing, have you got a cold?" I obviously only had the one drink before leaving, and will think twice before using it again.
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Unfortunately doesn't seem to have the very nice landlord and his lovely greyhound dog anymore, but it is still a very nice pub with a nice garden, comfy seats and ace atmosphere. Staff are friendly and a good range of ciders! Food is dependable pub grub, but the Battle is really best for relaxed social drinking. Best pub in Brighton!
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The previous commentator does not do justice to this pub. It is a traditional classic of Brighton, but despite opting for the cosy, old-fashioned interior decor, which some would see as synonymous with older beer-quaffers, it still manages to attract a very healthy number of visitors from a broad pallette of society, including large groups of younger drinkers who one would assume may more instinctively gravitate to "Bar X". They still choose to pour endless gallons of Fosters and Carling down their throats, but then I must try to be charitable as any business for a pub is good business - and if it helps somewhere like this stay in the money then so be it.
Having not been for a few years, I dived in to take cover from the rain at 5PM on a Friday expecting it to be only modestly busy, but not a bit of it - the joint was thronging with lively conversation amongst young and old, male and female - and I suppose straight and gay although the cliched markers of the latter weren't in obvious evidence. I just about negotiated a space at the bar but the various furnished areas (many of them "comfy") were out of bounds with so many bums on seats. Happily, 4 cask ales feature, and whilst not as innovative in choice as the Evening Star (why compete anyway?!), they were sound offerings and not all tediously ubiquitous: Pride, Ordinary, Broadside and TEA - with Cornish Coaster to follow soon. The TEA was splendid - as were the two barmaids serving.
This really shouldn't be ignored just because it's in a part of the city blessed with numerous good outlets. Just pop in for a pint if you don't fancy the crowds and move on - or alternatively book time off and pitch up early for a more set-in session!
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Great old fashioned pub with a very mixed clientelle as you would expect from a town centre pub - a few suits and lots of grubby looking gays. Handy for a pint before catching the train.
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Much more of a pub than the Sussex Yeoman over the road but still seems to be doing it's bit to pander to the eclectic populus of Brighton. Four hand pumps and the Sussex Best was in good nick. Lots of prints of naval ships and battles as you would expect, and a similar number of old cricketers, which you wouldn't.
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An enjoyable stopping off point after getting off at the station. Nice selections of ales and a large drinks selection all together. Plenty of character to this pub.
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Only a short trot up the hill on the right as you leave Brighton Station for a swift half hour change over of trains. Harvey's was okay. However this place need a good make over; looks as though it's run by seedy, sixtie plus Brighton hippies judging by the decor and dustiness. Would visit it again, but would have to pull it's socks up first.
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A really friendly pub, with the barman greeting most people by name (and getting them to sign a birthday card for an 85-year-old regular), but welcoming the casual visitor too. Even though I am no fan of things canine, even the pub dog failed to annoy me by trying to join in with reading my newspaper. Excellent pint of Harveys. All-in-all, thoroughly recommended.
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Oh no, run out of Harveys, fairly loud music playing, half empty by 9:00pm on a Friday night, I hope this is just an aberation as this used to be one of the best.
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Green roomed pub covered in framed prints with Fuller's, Harvey's and Hop Back Summer Lightning beers on offer. Not bad Not bad.
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Fairly unprepossessing from the outside but that changes once through the door. A genuine welcome and quick service even though the place was reassuringly busy in the early afternoon. Wooden floors and tables, green bench type seating and green walls over a timber wainscot give a comfortable relaxed feel. 2/3 "rooms" albeit open to each other but all having the feel of a seperate area. A garden is situated at the rear off the main bar.
Harveys Sussex, Adnams Explorer, London Pride and Tanglefoot on the handpumps.
I'm not sure of the significance of the mini statue of a teddy boy/rocker toting a machine gun or whether it is Elvis or some other? A bookshelf contains some shabby volumes, many with a cricket theme.
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Quite a nice pub only a coupe of minutes walk from the station. Quite a traditional feel to it witha couple of different rooms and a patio garden. Beers well kept(Harveys, Sharps Doombar and Summer Lightning when I was in). We ate lunch and the food was pub grub but quite acceptable and not extortionate. Well worth the visit.
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Great friendly littl pub. Worth walking up the hill for!
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Just a skip from Brighton station and you are at the Battle. Sorry smokers, but the smoking ban has put this back on my list of favourite pubs in Brighton. It's friendly and a proper traditional pub. The food menu looks quite good but I've not tried it. This pub is great for a summer drink as its garden is quite large for such a central pub. Interesting interior - worth the short walk up the hill from the station!
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Good summer pub, nice garden but unheated and not covered. Good Guinness and very friendly staff.
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Nice pub - lovely summer garden, friendly staff and a resident pub dog. Food is great - especially fish fingers, chips and beans and burgers! Only griper is the toilets seem a lot to be desired, as with most boozers in Brighton!
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Up the steep hill from the railway station, you get a bit of excercise before a well deserved pint! Nice little pub with a good selection of well kept, changing ales. Fairly busy with a mix of customers, the staff is friendly and cheerful. One of the better pubs in this area.
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Always a good selection of real ales here, but stopped going regularly for lunch, when, after complaining that my lunch should have come with bread and butter, was told they had run out! Might have said so when they bought it out or offered an alternative.
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like it - wish it wasn't so far up the hill!!! Where did the gorgeous Gordon go?!
anonymous - 16 Oct 2007 18:47 |
Marvellous pub, bigger than you'd expect from the outside, with very large (for central Brighton) garden and a great atmosphere. Great selection of ales too. Harveys, plus currently Black Sheep, London Pride and Tim Taylor's.
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Brill little pub - the staff are friendly, the garden is cute and a real suntrap (thank god for the gazebo!)plus the fish fingers, chips and beans are legendary!! One of the ebst pubs in Brighton!!!
anonymous - 24 Sep 2007 10:08 |
Benn going here, on and off, for years - a great, friendly pub which never seems to change. Good beer and a varied and interesting crowd.
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Lovely friendly pub. I was able to look round and found the large rear garden. Beers enjoyable in good surroundings.
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Cracking little boozer, the hill's not that steep. Tempting to soak up sun and Harvey's in the garden and not bother with the sea.
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Trundled in recently to find the old place the same as it was a decade ago. Which is a good thing. Good Harveys ales and efficient service.
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Steep old walk up from the station - small but friendly and teh garden is a real sun trap in the summer. Another good reason to stay up by the station when drinking in Brighton.
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The layout of the tables can make the place seem a bit cramped, but on the whole a pleasnt experience. Of the four real ales available, I tried the Harvey's Best and Adnam's Broadside and both were very good. As already stated, it's very handy for the station and there's a great little chippy between the pub and station which must have the cheapest prices around.
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Bit grim inside but a great beer garden for the summer. They have a nautical bell that you can ring if you give them money for charity. Great way to empty the pub if you so wish! Very good food so a good lunch time pub.
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Very handy for the station. Good beer, good atmosphere well worth a visit.
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This pub is well worth a visit. A short (downhill) stagger to Brighton station, it is traditional, unpretentious and relaxing. Well kept ale and real cider. It has the qualities that make a traditional place the place to chill out.
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An excellent range of beer and cider, good food, and an all round nice atmosphere. An excellent alternative to the Evening Star if you fancy a break from there.
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Ace pub, very close to Brighton station. I thought it would be full of old men, but no. AU CONTRAIRE!! Soem very fit girls and nice guys, and the drinks were great.
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Paid a visit a couple of nights ago at a friends recomenation. Well worth it, abit crowded but nice feel about the place and good beer. What more could you want.
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Just a really good proper pub, warm friendly atmosphere, unpretentious and unspoiled. Good beer, food and wine
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A pleasant little pub in a pleasant little area. Just very slightly above the normal standard of food. I've eaten here a couple of times - I can vouch for a tasty jacket potato, and a cracking greek salad replete with feta cheese, olives and tomatoes. They also do a nice dose of munt, too, with plenty of pie and chips type options - just the thing when you're feeling a bit 'delicate'.
It looks like an Old Man's Pub from the outside AND the inside, but you'll find a very tolerant atmosphere in here. My cohorts and I have spent many a good hour drinking heavily and swearing loudly without being chucked out.
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Disappointing, badly run and tatty.
anonymous - 9 Jul 2005 16:02 |
Totally consistent, absolutely great pub. People tend to rave about the friendly atmosphere and nautical decorations. But it's also true that the Trafalgar keeps its beers in absolutely tip-top condition; you won't get a 'cloudy' pint here! Good selection of wines too.
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Real pub run by real people. A new experience for me, not used to a real local's pub, but pleasantly surprised. Felt at home.
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Just had a change of ownership & management. Looks like no changes at all. Still a proper traditional site serving real beer in a convivial atmosphere. Cannot recommend it highly enough. Food well priced, and the Harveys is worth the walk on it's own. One of the very few pubs to be able to hold it's head high in a world of mass marketed branded "bars".
anonymous - 10 Feb 2005 14:08 |
Good atmosphere during the day, relaxed, and with friendly regulars. Fairly average food. Polite and friendly bar staff.
Lucy - 20 Oct 2004 13:09 |
the blonde that works behind the bar is the best!best beer best food best pub xxx
blonde that works behind the bar xx - 25 Sep 2004 21:53 |
Slightly scuffed on the outside with a tumble-down beer garden but it's well worth popping in. The bar staff are friendly up to the point of cheeky but that's part of the charm (the barmen wouldn't pollute the Harvey's bitter with lemonade to make a shandy for her and quite right too.)
A good place to go.
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It's sometimes a bit cliquey, but overall this is one of the best pubs in Brighton. The range and quality of drinks is excellent, the food is also very good (while it lasts), and you can have a decent conversation in there. The barstaff are usually very good too. An oasis.
anonymous - 7 Aug 2004 17:14 |
No lads, (deliberately) old music, pretty good bitter, excellent spot for an after-work pint before catching the train. Great, quiet beer garden that just about gets some sun in the summer evenings. Can get busy out the back on a sunny weeknight. Bit smokey inside.
Friendly staff.
Jabs - 13 May 2004 16:45 |
Aparently they've now stopped children coming in, or even being in the beer garden. i can understand this is a difficult call to make, but a few of my friends are quite annoyed that what was a nice faamily boozer for a Sunday afternoon, is now out of bounds to them. Shame.
Ant - 13 Oct 2003 14:38 |
Good food, large beer garden, civilised place.
Ian - 8 Oct 2003 23:15 |
Nice ales, not that far up the hill from the Station. Certainly a better choice than Grand Central (The old Finnegan's Wake pub)
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nice little pub, very friendly, good entertainment.
blue - 27 Sep 2003 18:45 |
Best pub in three minutes walking distance from station. It is uphill though, so if very tired the evening star of albert may be an easier proposition.
Ant - 30 Jul 2003 13:34 |
busy on a friday after work but a great little boozer. good food too.
mark - 7 Jul 2003 23:19 |
Nice!!!
anonymous - 29 May 2003 14:57 |
good crowd with a cheeky little beer garden.
jim - 9 Dec 2002 17:15 |
Very popular traditional English pub, very good food, excellent friendly atmosphere and bar staff
Rip Gill - 23 Aug 2002 11:26 |
