please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
This pub is closed - it's now a Byron Burger restaurant
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Fullers have taken this place over. It was fine when I was there last month. Usual Fullers beers, quite busy after-work crowd predominating, efficient staff.
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I booked this venue for a work team night out before reading the kniting sit-in gang reviews and so went wondering whether I'd made the right decision. In the end the service was great: really smiley and chatty and a notably impressive trick of being able to remember our whole group's orders without writing them down. The food was a good and arrived in a timely way. The atmosphere was very lively.
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I found the staff here to be very friendly and I have a feeling that the seven reviews remarking on the terrible customer service that were posted within three days of each other in August are by the same person, or group of people, as none of these user names have commented on any other pubs. In fact I wasn�t that keen on this place and the main redeeming feature was the polite and friendly staff, so maybe there has been a change in management or service policy.
This place is directed at a younger crowd so unfortunately the powers that be have stocked up on standard and premium lagers and decided that there is no need for any real ale. I opted for a pint of Guinness which was decidedly iffy, which may be down to the barman changing the barrel half way through my pint or maybe just bad cellarmanship.
The pub wasn�t that busy, but it was still difficult to get comfortable and we ended up plotting on the edge of one of the two large reserved tables by the door. The party that booked them were very friendly and thankfully had no problems with us being perched there for half an hour. There are a couple of old TVs up on the walls, but I�m not sure what they are for as I didn�t spot any signs advertising any upcoming sporting events. The background music wasn�t too loud and obtrusive, although I would have opted for a different selection of songs.
The toilets are downstairs where a function room is also located, which was hosting a stand-up comedy night later in the evening, but we left before it had begun.
I didn't find this pub to be offensive, but I wouldn�t go out of my way to drink here again.
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We ate in this pub last night and the food was pretty good. Then latter on in the evening when stood at the bar we noticed a mouse running about on the hot plate in the kitchen. When we told the staff they just laughed and told us we didn't see it.
DO NOT go to this pub it is a risk to your health
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A pub for eating in, not drinking. The food is good (the burgers and roasts are great), the staff are crap and the toilets are a disgrace
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I too have found the attitude of staff and management of this pub to be dreadful. Whichever company owns this place should pay serious attention to these reviews.
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Went to this pub last night and was appalled by the attitude of the staff. The manager was incredibly and unacceptably rude to members of our group. I'm not going back and I'll make sure my friends don't go either.
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now i know a covent garden pub might not care about the locals as they have passing tourist trade but i work in covent garden and someone had said this pub was good which is why i decided to look on here to check it out prior to going with a group of friends. however, on reading the comments below i dont think i will bother if that is the attitude of not just the staff but, even worse, the manager as well.
don't think i will bother
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The attitude of the staff, and the manager in particular, is insufferably bad if not offensive. I will be contacting the brewery.
There are hundreds of pubs nearby. Pick one of them instead.
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The staff at this pub should be utterly ashamed of themselves.
I went there last night with a group of 40 people (we had booked an area and arranged it with the pub beforehand). The group consisted of a range of ages from 20 to 60+. All of us bought drinks (as you do in pubs) and many of us bought food.
After we had been at the pub for a short while one of our group walked out having been very rudely spoken to by the manager. She was an older lady who had opted for a cup of tea, and been told that food must be bought and that this wasn't a place for people like her (the manager actually banged her fist on the table while imparting this information).
A few of us, who had arranged to drink at this pub, approached the manager to find out what was wrong. We were told that our group did not "fit in the with image of the pub" that she was trying to create. She told us "people are standing up at the bar and laughing at you."
She insisted we should buy more food, though there were plenty of groups in there who were just drinking.
She also said that if we wanted to come back she would find us a space downstairs out of the way.
Her staff were very rude, and at times mean (failing to clean up after accidentally spilling a drink on one of our group and then returning to the bar to laugh about it with the rest of the staff).
We all spent money in her pub. We were all polite to the staff and well behaved.
It amazes me how a pub like this, in the heart of a city that is famed for its diversity, can be so prejudiced. I think the manager and her staff should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves, and hope this review helps them to see changes need to be made in their attitude.
Needless to say we will not be returning.
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Sorry to say that I just had the worst experience of customer service at this pub. A large group of my friends and I (about 45 of us) went to this pub tonight and were quite happily chatting and enjoying a few drinks, occupying a few tables. One table of our group were approached by a member of staff and told that if we didn't order food that we couldn't stay in the pub!
Needless to say, we were shocked, as there were many other tables that were occupied by people 'only' drinking and not ordering food. In fact, it seemed that we were being singled out because we happened to be knitting - shock horror! Not only that, but the table of our group that was approached was mainly occupied by the more elderly members of our group. We were told that we weren't in keeping with 'the image that the manager wants for the pub' and that if we didn't order some food we would have to leave. If this person had bothered to look at the group as a whole, she would have found that at least half of us had ordered food, and also bought plenty of drinks.
We have never had this sort of treatment before. You would think that any business owner would be happy to have 45 extra paying customers in their establishment of an evening, but apparently not!
Never going back.
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Very shocked at the outrageous rudeness of the manager in here. Had absolutely no idea about customer service and how to treat people. A pity because the food looked OK and they had some nice wines. She treated a customer who was an elderly lady with the most disrespect and utter rudeness I have ever witnessed. Would never set foot in here again.
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was fine for a Sunday afternoon reading the papers with a friend, although music swapped between sublime Cafe Del Mar esque CD to a classical vibe...not really what I expect to hear in a bar!The staff were friendly and the wine was pleasant and cold. Terrible toilets - blocked, messy and smelt like damp dog. Member of staff seemed genuinely embarassed when I told him this and said he would get it sorted...
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It was alright. Nothing special - although in that part of town, that makes it reasonably different. The beer was alright, the atmosphere was fairly chilled and it wasn't heavingly busy so we could all hear ourselves think. Not that cheap, but it's Covent Garden, so that's not unexpected.
I'm not a regular in the area, so I won't be rushing back, but I'd definitely consider this again as a convenient central meeting place.
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a 'vertical drinking establishment' rather than a pub. zero atmosphere, altho staff are friendly enough.
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Great vibe for a west end bar. They have very good looking staff there and me and my friends received table service all night. The music was lively, the food delicious and I'm sure the blond girl ( didn't get her name) kept looking at me ! Would definitely recommend.
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What a great bar ! Had the unusal experience of the barmaid offering me to taste the wines before i bought it. Chose a gorgeous rioja reserve. Atmosphere was lively and friendly and the bar had a very mixed crowd. Saw lots of people eating but had just had dinner elsewhere which was a shame. I'll definately be back when next in the area.
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Truly a terrible experience.
Avoid.
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And I disagree with you. The music and atmosphere were great and it certainly was not techno! Me and my partner had dinner there on new years day and we recieved excellent service and attention from the staff despite the fact they were probably as hung over as the rest of us. A great place to chill and recover from the previous night out and they do delicious roast dinners !
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I completely disagree with the comment about the helpful staff. I went there on New Years Day only to be ignored by half of the staff behind the bar. When we asked for some pina coladas, rather than being told that they didn't know how to make them or asked how to make them, we were simply told "no". The most annoying part came when they decided to play crap euro techno at definiting volume half from about 5pm. Baring in mind this was New Years day, I asked one of the staff to play something a little less frantic, only to be told again "no". This kind of attitude is a disgusting way to treat customers and I certainly won't be going back.
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Slightly off the beaten track but you can't fault this bar. It moves with the times and is never afraid to try someting new. Staff are professional and friendly. Hats off to the Manager who always greats me by name and whose name I always forget. (Sorry). Entertainment on Fri/Sat nights + the muzic (Managers playlist) is brilliant.
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I really like this place! I often suggest this place to meet up if the people I'm meeting up with are all dotted around London - it's good and central. They have a really nice menu, great steak, fab Sunday roasts and a good "picky" bit on the back if you fancy sharing. You can book the couches in the middle and you get table service if it's quiet - great place - would highly recommend!
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Best comedy club I've been to in London here (and I've been to quite a few!) really friendly nice atmos - I went on a Sunday but I believe its on every Wednesday and every Sunday now...
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Was here on a Tuesday evening for a bottle or two. Was OK.
Jazz band downstairs was a bit weak and deflated.
Nothing special really.
B@1 next door more fun.
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My friend got her bag stolen here last night. Is there a trend? Besides that found the food to be very good and tasty, and we had a very attentive waitress who always made sure that we did not have an empty bottle! I did think that their wine prices were a bit high - over �14 for a drinkable Sauv Blanc.
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I dissagree with those bad comments. The staff there are the friendliest i've ever come across and the food just delicious ! A great place to chill, relax AND party. I'll definately be back
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I had my purse stolen out of my bag.....enough said!!!!!
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Sterile, souless and boring, a typically pretentious attempt at creating 'atmosphere'. If your looking for a bit of character and lively surroundings look elsewhere.
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Good location but thats it. Service was appalling. Food was alright (cheap olives and humous that tasted bad and had the consistency of tuna fish). Bar staff were incredibly rude and arrogant when I politely informed them that my beer was flat. Instead of helping, the manager worsened the situation with his sexist attitude (only replacing the drink when a male customer made a similar complaint). I would not go back.
anonymous - 24 Nov 2004 15:34 |
A fantastic meeting place - accessible from a number of tube stations and waterloo. Cool, funky, great food, great staff, great cocktails ... a great bar!
Helen Moon - 18 Mar 2004 14:50 |
Light and airy pub. Kind of a hybrid between traditional pubs and trendy bars. Does lack a bit of atmosphere though...
Peter - 22 Nov 2003 13:38 |
