please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Decent pub with 4 ales on gravity although lacking in choice with all being 'best bitters' in the 3.9-4.2% range. Reasonable prices. Most people were eating and the food looked good.
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Always worth a visit, beers on gravity. Came in here two nights on the trot. Good pub/bar
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Its an ok pub but surely not one of the top 20 in the country.
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Fell into here on our way to the Rusty Bike. Good selection of ales on gravity. As BoehmBawerk says it's a couple of minutes walk of the Central station platforms at the eastern end. Definitely worth dropping in and we shall return next time we're in Exeter.
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A good selection of real ales and all on cask behind the bar while the range of ciders is also top notch - close to the back entrance of Exeter Central station and therefore ideally placed. It also manages to appeal to hipsters and ale heads alike.
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All real ales seemed to on gravity, good selection. Powder Keg - Speakeasy, £3.30.
Then get a Camra 10% discount. Good friendly pub would go again when in town.
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A fantastic selection of Real Ale. They always have beers from the west country and some how get beers we never usually see in Devon like Sunny Republic, Blackhole & Plain Ales.
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We have been to Exeter to the in-laws quite a bit this year and have met up with friends here for a few beers on all those occasions. In those five visits, the stillaged beer quality has gone down and down. On our visit last week, the three beers tried ranged from flat to vinegar. Has there been a change of ownership/cellar staff this year or something, because this really is not good for a pub renowned for it's beers. I gave up on even trying to find a drinkable ale and went on to cider in the end.
Another bugbear has been when visiting on a Friday or Saturday night and being charged for entry to the pub "to see the band". Most people are not there for the music. They are there to meet up with mates and have a drink or several. Admittedly, it's only a quid, but how much of the easily £300-400 that is made like this do the band actually see? Not even a tenth of that I'd imagine. Why not have the band playing on the top floor, then only people who are there for them can be charged?
I think we need to be looking for a new meeting place.
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An interesting and ecclectic place and well worth a visit. Looks like it sells more cider than beer but we had a reasonable choice of local and not so local brews - straight from the barrel. Food is available and they have music nights ( there's a small stage which doubles as seating during the day). This bar is near the main shopping centre and we used it as a stop-off point halfway to the football ground although please don't think about wearing colours in any way - you just won't get in and it's not that kind of place anyway!
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A gem of a place. Rambling rural charm, stuffed with interesting ephemera and a kaleidoscope range of drinks on tap. As good (possibly better) for cider than beer, with helpful attractive staff, eager to assist you in making a choice. Good range of food, with legendary pizza deals.
Not only a smashing boozer, but an intriguing one, too. What more could you ask for?
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My first visit to this pub on Saturday. Quite convenient for Central station (use the exit for the town not Queen St). Seating on several floors and under cover outside. The weekend was a celebration of West Country beers and ciders. About 10 beers on gravity plus a selection of ciders on handpump and gravity. Pretty good looking menu not sampled. Prices for food and drink very reasonable and service excellent.
Well worth visiting.
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Very unique and quirky pub just outside the city centre with a fantastic selection of real ciders on handpump and ales from the cask on gravity. The place has a lovely dark feel and there are a lot of candles to provide the light. Looked like a nice selection of well-priced food which we didn't get to try (on this occasion). Drinks-wise, we had Sam's medium cider and Otter Amber and Yeovil Posh IPA. All were in very good condition. Best pub in Exeter at this current time without a doubt and well worth seeking out.
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This is a great quirky bar that opens real late.
It does have some outside seating too. It does get real busy though,
I popped in with my girlfriend and found it unbearabley busy.
Would be nicer if slightly quieter then again it's not aimed at old folk like me!
7/10
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Beers excellently kept, on gravity, and good prices. Food looked plentiful and cheap, plenty of people eating, not usually our thing when drinking, but decided to have the ploughmans. This was the only disappointment, as it was constructed entirely of el cheapo Happy Shopper or equivalent ingredients. Avoid. Seems to follow quite a trend, 'chefs' fill menu's with plenty of choice, but can rarely be bothered to make an effort with a Ploughman's.'Coleslaw In A Tub Is The Work Of Be-el-ze-bub' !
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Good range of real ale and cider. its really going for the dimly lit, atmospheric feel with large groups of loud students. Went on a Tuesday night and it was very busy.
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Really good pub, I love the way it's decorated, big drinks selection and excellent food, especially the pizzas. It can get very busy at times, but even then the service tends to be quick, you just can't get a seat easily.
th261 - 18 May 2010 15:21 |
A well above average pub close to the city centre - set back from the street through imposing gates from the old fire station. Dark and multi-roomed with a lot of outside drinking too. Went in with quite a large group but service was friendly and quick. The stillage had amongst others Teignworthy "Old Moggie", Cotleigh "Peregrine Porter" and Chesil "Pilsener". As far as I can see, this must be the outstanding pub in the city centre, especially for those also wanting to eat.
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Eventually got in here on Sat after finding it shut, to be fair I should have checked the Good Beer Guide. Beers on stillage were Betty Stogs, Sharps Own, Cornish Knocker and a very delicious Titanic Stout. Very dark inside, lots of nooks and crannies.
Make the effort to find this one.
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Thoroughly recommended. My eldest started at the local Uni this year and took us for lunch there recently. Very reasonably priced food and good quality. My wife's ploughman' came with good sized portions of local ham and cheese, plenty of fresh bread and a good salad. Our cods were good quality fish. The prices came out to under �6 per head and the service very prompt, despite being pretty full and with some large parties upstairs on Xmas events! The menu is pretty extensive as well.
The beers are excellently kept and served on gravity from the cask behind the bar. I enjoyed excellent pints of Yeovil Star Gazer and Cotleigh Golden Sea Hawk - the emphasis is on local ales. The staff were very friendly and helpful and the atmosphere, with candles on tables, very pleasant. While it is popular with the students, it seems to work for older generations as well - I will definitely be returning and don't hesitate to give this 9/10
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in regards to opening times
mon-thurs 12-3pm 5pm-2am
fri 12-3 am
sat 5pm-3am
sun 12-1am
quain - 15 Dec 2008 20:19 |
This place is never open. Called here 3 times (Including twice at Sat Luchtimes) and on every occasion it has been shut. Pick the time of your visit carefully
paulb - 15 Dec 2008 09:41 |
I liked this place. Welcoming feel with an abundance of candles on tables (perhaps too many!). The drinks were good and the atmosphere was vibrant.
blamm - 25 Sep 2008 15:53 |
Nicely done out pub, popular with students, great beers straight from the barrell and friendly staff.
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Recently refitted the downstairs bar, still looks the same to me though! although ale pumps have been disposed of and the beer is now served directly from the barrell. good times!!
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Great pub, good beer and ace staff, bar the manager. he decided to throw me out claiming I was talking too loudly and told the door staff to not let me back in. This took the piss slightly as it was a rammed Friday night. Thanks for ruining my end of the week drinks you unfriendly and unreasonable little man.
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Great pub. One of the best in Exeter for value, home cooked grub and atmosphere. Nicely lit and on 3 levels plus a good outside smoking area. Highly recommended.
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yeah we tried the roast last sunday ! was only a fiver ...... wow nice french bar maid too .... will be back
anonymous - 21 Jun 2007 02:24 |
A very nice pub. When I first went in here I thought that it didn't sell Real Ale as I couldn't see any hand pumps - but they're at the back of the bar rather than the front, for some reason.
On the Sunday when I visited there was unobtrusive live music being played in the background, the food looked good (I'll be back later to try it) and the beer was good.
Well worth seeking out if you're in Exeter.
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very atmospheric old 3 storey candlelit pub . lovely food and local ales. Jazz and folk music events on the weekends are great...... hassle free very cosy and friendly a favourite with arty folk and students though gets very very busy most nights so worth arriving early to grab a table !
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Strange small pub. 4 hand pumps
paulb - 18 Dec 2006 19:46 |
Great pub just off the High Street but does get crowded after 7pm. Great offers available and cheap wine at �5 per bottle. Closes bang on 3pm so you've got to move on
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I haven't been for a couple of years now, but this used to be a superb little pub. Reasonable prices on a good range of beers and very reasonably priced food. The staff were always friendly as were the customers. Sometimes got a little too crowded, but with a pub like this it ought to be expected. Only criticsm would be that it didn't used to open on Sundays.
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Excellent atmosphere, very freindly. Only problem is that it is getting too popular and gets crowded from about 7pm onwards.
reino - 22 Dec 2005 16:09 |
Ace Pub. Reasonable Prices. Subdued interior is conducive to concentrated drinking. Perfect.
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That other guy clearly has no idea where he was if he thought it was dark and dingy. Firehouse is an awesome little pub with a proper friendly astmosphere and smily chatty staff. It was an enormous pleasure to spend an afternoon there and the food was amazing - all home made too! Ignore the bitter comment above, what a wierdo!
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i love this pub! I recently visited and learned that there was a new manager who had taken over and changed the menu. have to say think its the best decision in ages! The food was top quality (and being a student) affordable.
The staff were friendly and helpful and seemed to have things under control in a busy circumstance!
Please if you get the opportunity to go to this pub take it, and if worse comes to the worse wine is only �5 a bottle - BARGAIN!
Thanks Fire house for a brilliant night!
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I found the pub dark and dingy. The staff seemed above their stations but hey lets face it pulling a pint is important work......
anonymous - 15 Jul 2005 13:21 |
This is a superb little pub - friendly. a welcoming atmosphere (think Parisian bar - checked table cloths, candles in bottles, plenty of decoration and a pleasing patina on the walls) - always full of people and chat. Beer is very reasonably priced (although the real ale drinker won't get a wide selection). There's an upstairs too, which is less crowded than downstairs usually. Downstairs can be fairly packed, as the size of the place is pretty small. Upstairs there are large tables and big open sash windows.
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a small cosy pub with friendly staff, and a nice atmosphere, the drinks are really reasonable as is the food, which is excellent.
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