please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Compared to the competition within a half mile radius either still in business or shut any pub would seem like a palace but this pub is clearly on a par with the Highgate pubs further up the road.A bit too pretentious for me but if your not a drunken unemployed waster and you either live or are in the area then this is the place to go.
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A non-handler's lair.
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Hadn't been here for a couple of years, but now I've moved back to the area thought i'd pop in to see how it was doing. the fact 'The Pirate' appears to have now left is certainly a bonus, but he appears to have been replaced by someone even more annoying (the manager, apparently) whose braying, plummy voice did nothing to aid our digestion after we went outside to the beer garden following our (very nice) meal and were told to keep our voices down as "there are neighbours" - at 9.30 on a Saturday night! Beautiful pub, fine selection of drinks. Terrible bar snacks (never eaten anything as greasy as the 'home made crisps' - but a nice idea, none-the-less) and all the other staff couldn't have been nicer but hope the manager moves on soon.
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Hadn't been here for a couple of years, but now I've moved back to the area thought i'd pop in to see how it was doing. the fact 'The Pirate' appears to have now left is certainly a bonus, but he appears to have been replaced by someone even more annoying (the manager, apparently) whose braying, plummy voice did nothing to aid our digestion after we went outside to the beer garden following our (very nice) meal and were told to keep our voices down as "there are neighbours" - at 9.30 on a Saturday night! Beautiful pub, fine selection of drinks. Terrible bar snacks (never eaten anything as greasy as the 'home made crisps' - but a nice idea, none-the-less) and all the other staff couldn't have been nicer but hope the manager moves on soon.
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Keep coming back here every few months, as a friend not far away. Mid week always easy enought to grab a table. Then to work through the 3 beers they have on (plus range of others if you so desire). Not the cheapest, around �3.80 a pint, but the staff DO always rewash the glasses to ensure cold when beer goes in. Nice touch.
As others say, food is good, but pricey. �1.85 for a croquette makes a change from packet of crisps.
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just curious if a barmaid still works here... her name is Dominika
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@ mydeaddad
I'm not asking anyone to kiss ass just not to look down their noses at me when they're serving me.
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It's brilliant. What more do you want from a pub? It's got great beer, fantastic restaurant and god knows - if some of the reviewers had ever earned crappy wages serving the increasingly drunk and nasty FANTASTIC STAFF. So drinkydrinks earn �200 a week for a year serving the general public and see if you want to kiss ass.... The only downside I can see is that Toby Young drinks there.
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Been going to the St John for a number of years myself and must say I tend to agree with some of the more recent comments.
Some members of staff CAN be a bit up themselves (yes, in particular The Pirate!) as can some of the clientele the place has been attracting lately but I suppose that just goes part & parcel with a place becoming a focal point for the more aspirational types in the area.
I have had some fantastic meals in there. In fact have had birthday dinners there with groups of friends over the past few years and have never had any problems with the food tho perhaps the menu COULD do with a make-over.
The 'bar snacks' are quite absurdly over-priced tho. have never understood why places do this when they would sell infinitely more were thir prices more reasonable. I for one, would not pay pounds for a small handful of olives when I know I can but a pound or two of the very same for a fraction of the price just down the road in Kentish Town!
But all said and done, it is still my regular hostelry and certainly the best 'gastro pub' in the area so my grumbles are only minor and certainly won't put me off drinking and eating there.
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No that I advocate violence but the 'Thin chap' referred to by drinkydrinks is dying for a punch. He even managed to put a downer on an evening I spent in the Hideaway across the road by reserving a massive area for his birthday then getting the hump when only one of his party turned up and other people started to use the tables.
Anyway, the St John again, yes the lad Chris and the Italian lad are top notch, had a great pint of -/80 in there recently as well as a selection of the best starters. Still warrants an 8.5 in my book.
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i visit st johns on a regular basis for the buzz and great atmosphere. When it comes to food however i'm of mixed opinion. On recent visits i have found the menu (especially the main couses) to be un inspiring & bland. The starters however are more consitent & i often find myself missing the main course all together & sharing a selection of starters with a friend. The recent refurb in the bar has left it feeling a little souless but i still love the bohemian dining room & continue to visit for great service & vibe.
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Nicely decked out place. Agree with comments that the food is good, but perhaps slightly overpriced. Pretty reasonable selection of beers too. It was quiet on Saturday afternoon and the service was very good and 'the Pirate' more Will Turner than Jack Sparrow.
Crowd is surprisingly pretentious, not Sloaney/Hoxton pretentious for perhaps relative to "up and coming" Archway...
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I have lived in the area for some years now and St. John's has been my local for about 3 years. This is a review of the pub only, not the restaurant, but I can honestly say that I have never had a bad pint or bad plate of food in this establishment.
The Guinness is consistently very good and there is always a decent selection of real ale (usually at least 3 choices) . I don't drink it that much but the last time few times I've been in they had Summer Lightning & Old Hooky and both were in good nick. The lagers are always cold and very lively (as they should be) and unless you're very unlucky drinks are served in their correct glasses.
The food, although not cheap is worth it for the quality and in my opinion better than any of the other gastro pubs in Tufnell Park / Highgate (and I've been to them all.) The wine list is very good also. Sadly they changed their house red a few months ago, the previous was better than some of the more expensive wines above it on the menu.
Now for the bad bits:
It can get pretty busy on Fridays and at weekends and although the pub is not particularly child-friendly, lots of young families have started using it on the weekend. Which , depending on the behaviour of the kids can be a bit of a ball-ache at times, not to mention noisy.
The bar snacks are nice but they are overpriced. I find this typical of Gastro pubs where things are made freshly on the premises. (St. John's bakes its own bread.)
Finally, the staff definitely vary in their friendliness. There are a couple of gems: Chris (one of the managers) and a relatively new French recruit with mad curly hair. Most of the female staff are fine but there are a couple of bar-tenders who have a strange / poncy / pretentious attitude. For anyone who frequents the place I'm talking about the small thin chap with a beard and the guy known on this site as "The Pirate". But even he has now taken to greeting me in a friendly way because I use the place so much. (However having read owen_b2 & shand83's reviews I won't be ordering food from him any time soon.)
People have commented that it's not a particularly warm atmosphere but I disagree with this and think it can give this impression because of the large and open nature of the pub, high ceilings and the lack of soft furnishings / booths etc. On the plus side it's very light and airy during the day and not at all dingy. I guess it all depends what you prefer...
So there you go my 1st review on this site and I thought it best to start with my local. I hope people find it useful.
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Having taken owen_b2's pork scratching comment with a pinch of salt, I am now eating humble pie (not scratchings) as I saw this with my own eyes the other day. The culprit was a chap I have always called 'the Pirate', think he might be french, gold hoop earring, stubbly beard. Plain wrong.
That said, the Abbott was great and the pheasant's egg top notch with a bit of celery salt.
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Good atmosphere, good food, good drinks selection (particularly strong wine list).
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Awful place. Watched one barman behind the bar grab a handful of pork scratchings, stuff them in his mouth, wipe his nose then go back for more. This was an open pile of bar snacks, for sale to the public.
Send the staff on a food hygiene course, please.
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Great pub back in the late 80's, saw loads of great bands in the back room, including the Barracudas!, but now sadly just another formulaic gastropub, shame!
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The last couple of times I have been I have noticed several new members of staff, all of whom have been most friendly and welcoming. There is also now a soundtrack of northern soul, Stax and Atlantic being played over the stereo. A vast improvement.
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I used to drink in here in the 80's when it was a dive with a bad Elvis impersonator, but at least it was friendly?
Current opinion: food good, prices so-so, beer not the worst, staff rude, ignorant, ill mannered, surly, and downright unpleasant.
Ryanair are a joy to deal with in comparision?
Landlord take note!
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Good gastro pub, couple of doors down from my flat and I'm glad to have such a good pub so close by. Great if you're going in for a drink, a variety of well kept beers and a lot of light from the big windows. Good amount and spacing of seats, although if there are only two of us I prefer to sit at the bar. Very good scotch eggs and scratchings on the snack menu, and food ordered on the pub side arrives promptly and without hassle, to a very good standard (even my favourite, the jellied pigs head, is from outdoor-reared pork).
The problems start when you want to eat in the restaurant. It does get very busy and the staff, although older than average which is quite reassuring, are at worst surly and at best plain weird. I've eaten in the restaurant four times and wouldn't opt to again. If I want food there I avoid busy times and order in the bar.
Summary: Well kept ales, excellent food, but beware the restaurant at busy times.
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Dear oh dear. Not been in for a while. What is it about the pubs around here that they can't be consistent for more than a couple of months.
Loud, crowded & nigh on impossible to get a pint if your not in the know.
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Not the best place to go for the beer compared to many other places nearby but certainly above average I'd say. The occasionally have an interesting guest on and the beer usually nicely kept. They also do a mean homemade Scotch egg; it's �3.50 but quite large and well worth trying!
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It was very busy in here on Friday night and they must have been raking it in charging �3.40 a pint.
Adnams, Landlord and brakspear were all on offer along with Premium lagers. The barmaid was nice enough, but she had trouble hearing me as I had to stand behind people sitting at the bar that had no intention of moving for anybody.
Gastro hell!
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I had the misfortune of going to this place last night (a Monday night). we had rung in advance to see if we could get a table for 5 and were told that it was fine as they were not busy. we got there(2 of us) at 7.15 to be greeted by a surly guard of a woman who asked us since the others had not arrived to go to the bar. we peered into the restaurant and noticed that it was crowded out by at least on couple and all the other tables were empty. Two bored staff were chatting away to one side. It took several attempts to get passed this pubescent but finally she agreed that they were not busy and we could sit down and wait for our friends. We brushed passed the tumbleweed into our cramped booth. Within a blink of an eye she was there asking us what drinks we would like, we asked her to give us a minute and well trained as she was: dead on 60 seconds she was back. Our friends arrived, we choose our drinks and meal and started to relax. The wine was ceremoniously plonked onto the table and an order for coke took a good half an hour. Throughout our time here we were regarded as an imposition and irritation by the staff. If surly became an Olympic event than these staff would be in with a big shout for gold in 2012. The food was okay and I think the kitchen did a good job but the front staff were obsessed with their attitude problems. Obviously this place is perfectly placed amongst the kebab shops, the pound shops and the homeless of archway and that is why the staff are so snooty. Are they trying to make something here? The locality is fine without this pretentious restaurant/pub. ... At the end of our meal we were presented with a bill. The service charge was included on the bill. We refused to include this when we paid. The staff member was bemused by this and the discretionary part of the bill had to be pointed out to him (you see, the female guard has already decided she was bored with us). This apparently had never happened before..hmm. The service charge is for service not for us to be made to feel uncomfortable and resentful. This place is terrible and I urge everyone to ignore this pseudo gastro pub restaurant until the management understands that it will run out of customers very soon if it does not improve. Maybe they can't be bothered, it certainly seems that way.
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Good looking pub with wonderful dining room - spoiled by truly awful, surly service and average food. This place used to be an excellent gastro-pub but has gone completely down hill. We were pretty much ignored by our waitress. The last time I had to raise my arm to attract someone�s attention was 24 years ago when I was at school. We felt like we was interrupting her every time we asked for something. Our avocado salad was dressed with olive oil � no vinegar. When I asked for some balsamic I was told that they had run out of it, but the waitress would speak to the kitchen to see what they could do. That was nice of her! When it came to paying I removed some of the discretionary service charge and left. We were chased down the road by the waitress. The waitress didn�t understand the word discretionary and thought we�d under-paid. I explained that I wasn�t paying for the surly service and I would have told her that in the pub if I could have attracted her attention. This place is ok for a drink, but eat there at your own peril!
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What have they done to this place?!
I use to love coming to gigs here years ago.
I've lost count of the bands i have seen here
Now its a gastro type effort
What is it when "middle class ex students" move to an area they forget what attracted them there in the first place and convert the pubs to one of the bland efforts they left behind?!
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Really disappointing meal. I went for sunday lunch with 3 friends; my roast was overpriced and undercooked. Going by other reviews it looks like standards here have slipped over time; the service was really poor, our waiter seemed so aloof we thought he'd forgotten us. But the worst bit came last, when we were told to leave our table and move into the bar area (where there was hardly any room) even though there was nobody waiting for our table - infact there were 12 empty tables in the restaurant! I regret giving this place the benefit of the doubt and definitely advise you eat elsewhere.
kate_ - 29 Oct 2007 21:50 |
Don't know about the food, but why are the bar staff all so miserable?
Potentially the best boozer around. Chose this place after I failed to get served at the Palmerston around the corner.
At least I got served, but a smile & a thank you wouldn't hurt too much.
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Heard alot of good things about this pub. Unfortunately it wasn't just the atmosphere that lacked warmth. Service was lukewarm, verging on reluctant, as was the food. Our decision not to pay the 'discretionary' 12% service charge was the subject of much debate amongst the staff without any concern for our experience or an apology. At these prices, if food is what you're after, spend your money somewhere else.
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use to go to this place all the time, alas i think the chef has lost both the plot and his taste buds. the food was the worst i have tasted and so was the atmosphere - who could come up with dishes like rabbit and squid - yes together
what about duck with black pudding
please bring back the old standards as i loved this place
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Eaten on both a Saturday afternoon and a Friday night and never had to deal with booking issues and the like; just turned up and had a 10 minute wait in the bar with a beer. All very nice. Staff friendly as is normally the way when you are in the first place. Menu is always different, fresh, interesting, simple and good value. The restaurant can seem like a full-on dining room experience but it has lots of character - I agree that a big weakness of this place is everyone always seems to chain smoke the moment they arrive, but that's soon to change anyway.
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Booking is in sessions and an early table is only until 9, although we didn't get out until half past because the service was so slow. Our first waitress was fine and the starter arrived quickly but the mackerel was tasteless. The main was battered smoked haddock which just didn't work with tartare sauce.... and green peppers in mushy peas? Pudding and rib-eye steak were fine. The service got slower and slower, 25 minutes for pudding and about the same again for the bill. The table next door were chain smokers which made things worse. A discretionary 12.5% service was added which we did not pay. St John's may have been the first Gastropub in this area but The Junction Tavern, Devonshire Arms and The Palmerston are all much better and within walking distance.
anonymous - 1 May 2007 12:01 |
Excellent food but I agree it lacks warmth. Worth going for a meal rather than justa drink.
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Interesting one this. One of the early Gastro Pubs - but doesn't exactly exude warmth - it doesn't hook you - it never feels like a proper local. That said I can't fault the food - its top notch - right across the board. So if you don't mind missing out on that cosy feeling I can completely recommend it. Outside really needs a lick of paint now too - looking very shabby these days.
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The Wadworth 6X tasting notes on the brewery website describe a "delightful copper-coloured beer" with a "malty, fruity nose"
At no point does it mention that "6X is supposed to smell like old socks.", which is apparently what the bar staff in this pub have been told.
If someone tells you that their beer is off, at least have the decency to smell or taste it yourself. Half-wits...
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I used to be a fan of this place but was very disappointed with the attitude of the staff yesterday evening, possibly this is the disdainful approach other reviewers have noted. The 6X was clearly off, but the bar staff rather sniffily declined to replace it. There are other gastropubs in the area which make more of an effort - try the Junction Tavern or the Lord Palmerston
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A very pleasant pub in an area not famed for them. Sat at the bar, along with various people reading newspapers, and chatted to the friendly bar staff. The pub has a good range of ales on tap, including some lesser known ones. Excellent pub.
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Quiet and relaxed, with newspapers to read and a nice choice of beers, including something brewed by the Grand Union brewery somehwere in West London - not something I'd had before but was good.
Staff seemed friendly on our visit. After spilling the remaining inch of my friend's ale on someone else, the barmaid replaced it with a glass of Leffe. I'd be pretty chuffed if I lived in Archway to have this as a local.
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Restuarant is great - the dining room is wonderful; the front bar is standard gastro-pub, and really nothing special.
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Ok this pub doesn't have a great deal of competition in Holloway/Archway if trendyish bars are your thing but it ain't too bad.
Always a goodish atmsophere and food is popular. I saw Venessa Feltz with her personal trainer boyfriend having row in the restaurant bit which kind of made my evening complete
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This is the only place in Archway serving a decent price of bitter (3 types changing regularly), but its not cheap and asking for a top up was met with disdain bordering on contempt.
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Probably the worst service I've ever received. Having booked our table for 10 for our Christmas meal for 3.30pm on Saturday we were tersely told on arrival that our order had to be submitted before 4 as the kitchen was closing. This wasn't mentioned when booking. Some of our party were a bit late due to public transport and were rushed to choose starters and mains, many of which had run out. We'd hardly pulled the crackers we'd brought before they were rudely cleared from the table, they took away our wine glasses while some were still eating/drinking and to top it all after only an hour and a half we were asked to leave the dining room and move into the bar so they could set up for the evening. There was no eye contact from the staff, they just stared at the table to see what else they could clear away. It was a real shame because the food was really good but there are much better places to spend my hard earned cash and I urge others to do likewise.
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I had the best meal I think I've ever had in this pub last night. Wine was great too. Highly recommended.
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The pub at the front is OK but nothing special. However, the dining room at the back is one of my favourite places to eat in London. Great food and the staff seem a lot friendlier than the bar staff. It can get very busy and a bit noisy, but I've never had a bad meal or a bad night here. It's best to go in winter when you can really appreciate how cosy it is.
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i love it in here, a really good wine selection, and the food is great, and they let us take in our own trivial pursuit
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this pub is quite good but drinks r expensive
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Nicest (i.e. least scary) pub around the area, but a bit overpriced with a scattering of poseurs... great food though (and the service was fine when I went, they even chatted up my girlfriend).
anonymous - 3 Mar 2005 17:00 |
On the last two occasions I've eaten here the food has been a bit bland which is a shame as i've had good meals there before. The service has never been a problem in my experience, can get noisy in the front bar at weekends because the designers decided bare walls looks good, but makes all the sound richochet around the room leaving you feeling like your in a noisy club with no music playing! Best boozer in Archway though
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The food may be of a good standard but the rest of the pub is rubbish, overpriced, not v. pleasant bar staff, full of Blairights and wanabees.
gerry - 8 Nov 2004 13:48 |
Fantastic Food - if you can get a table (book in advance). Overall great up market pub with an excellent kitchen, though some of the staff are rude.
Booze Lover - 5 Nov 2004 15:34 |
Great bar, great looking restaurant. The food and ambience was excellent, but the night was ruined by the service. We were served by the rudest waiter. Possible one of the worst nights out in London we've had.
simon french - 14 Jun 2004 13:18 |
Best pub in Archway by a mile!
anonymous - 10 Jun 2004 11:26 |
Great food,nice dining room and there's a small garden used in the summer.Overall v good.
Claire - 2 Apr 2004 15:55 |
Although I live in Manchester I do pop into St Johns at least once a month and must agree with the last comment (billy) Also has an excellent restaurant through the back. Great atmosphere, Mid-priced and Highly recommended!
mark - 29 Jan 2004 18:18 |
definatly the best pub in the archway area and one of the best pints of guinness around
Billy - 29 Jan 2004 17:58 |
I'd give it 8 out of 10 for the food and the staff, both of which are great. I've only been there about three times, but the menu is very impressive. not so keen on the clientel (I'm a bit of a snob when it comes to the posh media/art student types that seem to hang out there!). to my mind its not really a pub though- more of a really nice place to eat before settling into the Drum and Monkey across the road for the rest of the evening.
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Good beer & wines with great food & friendly staff.
Tom - 13 Jan 2004 10:27 |
This is one of the best pubs in London - supurb food, excellent service and great atmosphere.
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great food - can't keep beer very well though. the ales tend to always be on the turn.
william - 13 Aug 2003 16:09 |
I just had an excellent half-pint of Deuchars IPA this afternoon. This is easily the best pub in the Archway area. It's a spacious gastro pub with three ales on handpump, and an extensive wine selection. I have not yet tried the food but the menu looked very exciting. Soft latin style background music on minidisc during my visit, but large number of discs near the deck suggested a broad range of musical styles played. Definitely worth a visit!
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nice posh-ish pub serving Leffe beer amongst others. Great restaurant area.
stuart wilson - 26 Jun 2003 09:56 |
excellent food especially the steak!
anonymous - 15 Jun 2003 10:07 |
Fantastic pub. Comfortable sofas, great beer and a top menu for bar snacks as well as the restaurant. You can easily spend a whole afternoon/evening here.
Neil Roberts - 27 May 2003 14:40 |
Fantastic large pub with an unrivalled menu and restaurant section. Wide range of beers, spirits and people.
Matt - 14 Apr 2003 15:08 |
