please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Nice pub poorly managed by some ignorant twat of a manager; best avoided which is a shame as it could be so much better in the right hands
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I didn't intend on revisiting the Mall last weekend (hadn't been in for many a year and hadn't frequented it since its Firkin days in the '90s), but it kind of had to happen, as it was apparently on a Friday night the best beer pub open after 11PM in Clifton! We'd tried at the Portcullis at just after the hour but were politely turned away.
So we had some beer. And it was pleasant - as it was the close of proceedings I can't remember what the hell it was, but it was in decent order. Selection wasn't outstanding but reasonable enough, and no less of a beer-monster's haven now than in the Firkin era, though arguably has reverted back to the wine-bar style and mature sophistication that it exuded before its conversion to an outlet of said defunct chain.
We did get some odious lads being awfully obnoxious - one actually used the line "you've forgotten where you are: Clifton"! But then again my mate had just randomly called one "a c**t" and told another to "f**k off" without any real provocation other than the amount of ale he'd absorbed, so, in fairness these chaps had a fair complaint, and some would've swung for us. But when riposting to errant fellow-boozers, I can only implore student types to try not to be quite so arrogantly abrasive about it - with people like them about there's little chance of forgetting where one is!
Chalked up as a decent enough pub, which at least realised there's still ale to be drunk even after 11PM. Though given the wider competition, neither the Mall, nor Clifton itself, can really compete in the field of excellent ale houses.
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A good sized pub on a corner plot at the top of The Mall in the heart of Clifton village. The main upper bar has very large windows giving good views of the street outside and the green opposite. At the left hand end it opens out in to a room with a very high, ornate ceiling and this, together with the dual aspect windows (covered in floor to ceiling red velvet drapes) give it a very open, airy feel.
Down at the other end of the long bar is a staircase leading down to a lower bar. This has much lower ceilings and less in the way of notable features, and can appear a little gloomy, although it�s a good size and can get very busy on a weekend. As beatles38 has mentioned, there is also a courtyard garden.
There is a good selection of wines chalked up on a board, and the beers on offer were Lancaster Red, Doom Bar and Tribute. Good choice of ciders with Aspall�s Suffolk, Hogan�s (that�s a new one on me), Addlestones and Weston�s Organic straight from the barrel.
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the 2nd greatest pub in clifton in clifton after the dawkins , cider on the barrel , good pub grub , good downstairs and garden , plus a couple of good real ales . what more do you want
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This is a lovely pub in a great location with very good beer and food. I am surprised by the low overall rating, but suspect that there might be two reasons for that. First, you really want to be sitting near the entrance, in the original part of the pub; 80 per cent of the pub is an extension that is gloomy and soulless. When I pop in, I look for a seat near the window and if there isn't one, I go elsewhere.
Second, the clientele are posh students with loud plummy voices and their collars turned up. I can see how some would find that annoying, but at lunchtime they're not too overbearing, and if, like me, you have a weakness for posh young women, you can easily blot out the insufferable rugger types.
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Horrible "spoilt toffee nosed student" clientele when visited all paying by card for a couple of drinx,but on the other hand its a really lovely pub/bar with loads of places to sit drink n relax, and the caledonian raspberry fool was totally divine when i visited on st pat's day, 8/10
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wAS in there again last night , and really can't see why this pub has such a poor rating , my two pint's of old leg over were spot on .
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Quite like it in here- didnt find any of the problems quoted above but have only been in here twice. Not bad really.
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Poor management at best, the overweight chav really doesn't know what he's doing most of the time. amazing though the women seem to like him.
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Interesting , choice of beers and lagers , lively pub, big , used mainly by what seemed to be students , a gregarious atmosphere downstair , but well behaved.
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Potentially great, lovely size and decor upstairs. Interesting lagers but carelessly kept ales. Downstairs is a descent into youth hell.
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Absolutely atrocious service, both at the bar and for food. This seems pretty much par for the course for all the M+B pubs I've been into recently. My theory is that they spend so much money on the distressed sofas and retro chairs that they can't afford to train their staff. And expensive too. Avoid.
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Packed....expensive....too many "rugby" types !!!
anonymous - 26 Nov 2007 15:40 |
poor
anonymous - 23 Aug 2007 00:53 |
Friendly good fun staff, not always the quickest service but the cask ales are worth the wait! Always good for a roast on sunday, although get in early as they tend to run out by 4 o'clock.
Really like the quiz nights as there is a good mix of questions for all abilities. The recent refurbishment also means that the toilet facilities are much improved.
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This place seems to have gone from being one of the best pubs in Clifton, to being one of the worst, in the space of about 12 months. God only knows how much the manager is getting paid for screwing things up this bad, but if they are going to offer weatherspoon style service, they could at least have the decency to charge weatherspoon prices.
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the management seems to want to attract sophisticated stylish and up market customers, but is an unsophisticated down market chav himself.
IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. Get it right or leace.
anonymous - 29 Dec 2006 14:56 |
Food and service has improved greatly since the change of management earlier in the year. Now a great venue for a lively saturday or a relaxing Sunday.
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Not a bad place. It's not really my sort of pub - I generally increase the average age by about 10 years when I go in there, but I've never felt conspicuous or unwelcome. I've always found the bar staff both competent and friendly, and though it doesn't have the air of a 'real ale 'pub (if there is such a thing) the cask beer has always been in good nick.
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Attrocious service. The bar staff don't seem to have a clue what they are supposed to be doing. Pity, it could be a great pub if only some one knew how to run it.
anonymous - 21 Jul 2006 16:51 |
Excellent atmosphere and a good range of both continental beers and real ales. Excellent venue for lounging on a Sunday afternoon.
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