please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
I was not impressed by the manager who wanted to boss customers into doing things his way and to his time - what price the customer? Also the initial bill (for 7 of us) overcharged by £20. Otherwise the beer was OK (Doom Bar) and the food was good.
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Fascinating place, a bit quite on a Wednesday evening, but it oozes character and the area around the pub is full of that too. Excellant services, great real ale on tap and food much better than one would expect for a low price (�6.50 for steak sandwich with chips). If it was closer to a tube station, would be a regular spot.
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The Castle has been popular for as long as I can remember, and it's always been worth a visit for the social buzz, but I used to steer clear of it because they used to charge take-the-piss prices and it was always extremely cluttered and hippified. You could hardly move for slightly odd furniture.
That's all changed now. These days they charge just under �3 for a pint of real ale, and what's more, the ale is well kept, the clutter has all gone, it's relaxed modern and unpretentious, and the atmosphere is fun and relaxed. As always, it's a young, noisy and cheerful crowd. 10/10
By the way, that picture is well out of date. It's just the Castle now, not the Warwick Castle.
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Another of the grubby Portobello Road tourist traps with disinterested staff, mediocre beer and poor food - avoid.
BobOs - 22 Feb 2009 18:43 |
Ran out of pint glasses for a brief moment on Saturday.
I don't suppose they'd let you drink from the draught taps in Notting Hill now would they?
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Good place this
Gastro pubs in my view are welcome if they mostly retain a good pub feel, and this does well.
Packed with Studenty types, with a retro decor
Would love an extended afternoon here
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Yes used to be the Warwick.... and Chopper Strummer was known to sink one or two here.
No longer the Warwick and gone all gastro red pesto birkenstock but.... somehow this place works on a passing visit.
Still a nice space and decent enough range on tap.... despite the Notting Hillbillies sitting about (and there has to be some place for them to go) it still feels like a pub and merits a re-visit.
7 and a firm handshake.
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My picture is from when it was called The Warwick Castle. It seemed better then.
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sad experience :(
teh staff is just misserable, not like it used to be .
the place has so much potential, but not with this sort of management..
short blondie with the dimples used to rock the place up, it was always nice to be there, despite some dodgy looking locals.........
great pub, but needs a bitter management(and the toilets too)
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My first time at this pub last night. My friends and i usually check out pubs around london on acoustic/open mic nights hoping to see the next James blunt or whoever. Last night at the castle was unusual and unexpected as we were given,among the usual acoustic types, a hip hop outfit and a rock group,complete with drum machine(there was hardly any room for 4 of them let alone a drummer) they were my highlight. It made a nice change from the usual dreary covers. They also have a sexy blonde bass guitar player whom i didnt have the bottle to approach. 2 drinks later and full of courage, he was gone...I hope to see them again somewhere.. as for the pub itself, the bar takes up half the floor space. It was a mission to get to the loo once it filled up with people. But the staff were ok as was the selection of drinks. A bit pricey but it is on portobello rd. A few rough looking sorts in but the atmosphere was quite good.
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For a pub, this place seems strangely reluctant to actually sell beer. Bar staff seem more content to stare into the middle distance, chat on mobile phones or vanish completely than actually do any serving.Bit of a shame really as otherwise this place could be quite reasonable, with it's range of slightly unusual beers. Just be prepared to wave frantically at the bar.
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This place used to great for a nice pint of something unusual - from Broadside to Affligem. But it seems to be on a downward slide... Beware of the toilets too.
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I like this pub, I really do. But always - as in 'always' - it comes undone in the silliest ways. It serves good bitters - Adnams Broadside, London Pride. Timothy Taylor's etc - except when every single one is mysteriously off. The bar staff are unfailingly pleasant but only once you've found them. I say 'them' but the management seems to have a 'hen's teeth' approach to their employment schedule: the rarer the staff, the more the customer will appreciate him/her. The idea doesn't work, does it? Mind you, at lunchtime today neither did the chef. Order taken 1-05pm. Confession of mistake 1-40pm. Promise to bring food in 15 minutes. Confession that this would not happen 1-50pm. (customers' lunch break due to end 2-00pm). To give the sweet guy behind the bar his due the promises then came thick and fast. And he kept them! Hurrah! Money was refunded, a plate of food was free (Not good, mind), a glass of wine appeared gratis. Lovely. But it shouldn't have to be this way. Should it? Please say it isn't so...
simon - 3 Mar 2005 17:00 |
