please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Last week I’d just walked up from the RM museum on the seafront, a good 15 minutes’ walk in 80⁰ sunshine, and I popped in here for a nice cool cider before the bus back to the City centre. When I walked in there was nobody behind the bar. No problem, I’ll wait. Presently a bloke walked behind the bar carrying some bottles for the shelves and looked at me waiting. “Hello mate. A pint of cider please” I asked the man now standing behind the bar. He seemed to take some offence to this and very bluntly replied “Yeah? I’m not serving.” With this he turned around and walked back out from behind the bar, sharing something I couldn’t hear (he had his back to me) with a couple of regulars, who looked at me and were a bit sheepish.
A few of the other regulars also thought this was quite amusing too, so I can only guess that this type of behaviour is par for the course in this place. On my way out of the door one bloke obviously saw I was rather embarrassed and said to me that “He’ll be up from the cellar in a minute mate”. I don’t suppose he heard me reply that when he was he should use one of his cellar bottles as a suppository.
I go to pubs all over the country, all the time, and have done for many years, so I know what I’m talking about when I say: Landlord: you are a rude, cretinous oaf that has no business running a pub in the 21st Century, and I predict your garishly painted little toilet of a boozer won’t survive until Xmas. I would also advise you to practice the phrase “Would you like fries with that?” for your next job, but on reflection you wouldn’t even get a McJob with your attitude.
If you find yourself in the neighbourhood I can recommend the 3 Marines just up the road. The outside is a bit run down but the people were very friendly and the cider was spot on. Avoid Sir Lion of Khazie like the plague.
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One proper pub in eastney. Serves good ales and has a wine bar next door.
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Another brilliant visit. Amongst others on were a golden. stout and a porter; just as it should be. Just noticed they have a bar billiards table as well so next time...
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If you've walked from Farlington Marshes to Portsmouth, avoid the Harvester and Fayre and Square en route and work up a proper thirst and head to this place, about 15 minutes walk from the latter pub and 5 minutes north of the seafront at Eastney. From the outside, it looks like a Benidorm bar, a theme which continues inside with brewer's umbrellas affixed to the ceiling and a yellow painted interior - it's great, quite frankly. The beer we had was perfect - Titanic Plum Porter and Crop Circle, spot on. It's not in an area I'd rush back to, but if you've walked from one end of Portsmouth to the east end of the seafront, it's worth checking out the beer here, then walking back towards Albert Road and trying the Leopold and Hole in the Wall further west...
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What a strange road this is: only a few yards away from the aggro-crazy loudmouths in the 3 Marines (a real bunch of hard men when it's 5 against 1), and the EDL-friendly Alma there is this gem of a pub. Loads of quality beer, great staff and a relaxed atmos. PLEASE keep it up otherwise there is just no point in coming to this part of town...
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A superb place, reminded me of the Guide dog in Southampton only larger. Friendly staff and a pleasant airy atmosphere with plenty of seating without being cramped.
8 decent ales on tap, the Titanic Plum Porter getting another mention here being on top form.
I only wish I'd visited before, usually being at the other end of the Albert Road where the pubs are more plentiful.
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Another superb ale house in Southsea/Eastney. 8 ales on including the Titanic Plum Porter, and beers from Hammerpot, plain and other micros. Great atmosphere
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The photo is very old as the exterior has been re-painted as has the inside and much of the garish decor has gone (though it is still quite "bright") They did retain some of the cartoon door signs etc. however. . A reasonable range of beers (we tried Oakleaf/Flowerpots and Plain Ales). No food as far as we could see - perhaps a few rolls would have brought a sale from us? Just the one pint each and then onwards but still worth a visit (there is a good bus service from the stop outside).
I have never been into this pub in the evening so the atmosphere may well change but if you want to sit quietly and chat or read the paper then this is as good as anywhere.
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Another excellent night in this pub.
8 Ales available and Jack Ratt Scrumpy. - I'm not normally a lover of Porters but the Titanic Brewery Plum Porter was outstanding.
I promise not to leave it so long before my next visit
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Well, had it not been for the trusty beer guide, I wouldn't have guessed that this rather garish Victorian corner local with a badly-punned name would've heralded any sort of revelation for the beer drinker. But really, dismissing this pub as just another dubious old boozer full of salty seadogs with closure beckoning would be a disaster - for here you will be assured of a superb range of 8 cask ales (I think at least 1 cider also featured), and a fascinatingly broad range of local bottled offerings too, for the off-trade. Actually the place seemed to function as much as an offie as a pub, and I trust that brings an extra string to their bow in a difficult, cold climate for pubs.
The service was convivial and efficient; reminiscent of that one used to find in local post offices once upon a long ago before they all closed. There was also a smart edge to the place, although plainly it was in a working class locale and was populated by ordinary folk with no pretentions whatsoever. Music was playing intermittently in the rear - presumably a games room. The Sir Loin is deceptively spacious and I really hope it is packed to the rafters of a Fri/Sat eve - we fetched up at lunchtime on the latter so missed the throngs. I notied the barmaid was frying a tasty titbit up on a kind of portable barbecue/grill, which one normally finds on campsites but seemed to do just the job here too.
Parking - if unlucky enough to be arriving by car - can be tricky, but drive down t he bizarrely-named "Kassassin Road" and hopefully there'll be a free bay. Hell even if you have to park in Portsmouth and walk over, it should be worth your trouble!
Really good work folks; keep it up.
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Right up there with the best pubs in portsmouth. Always a local ale on and some quirky beers from diffrent brewers.
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Excellent Free House with a superb choice of local ales. Interesting, quirky interior and the art work in the gents is well worth a look. A contender for the best pub in Portsmouth.
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Went in on a busy Sunday lunchtime, listened to a very accomplished Jazz trio with a great female singer, am told this happens once a month in here. Had a couple of decent pints of Suthwick Skew bitter. Good choice of ales as befits a free house, and unusually, no Guinness. Recommended if you're having a beer-spotter kind of day and want to try lots of different ales.
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Good pub, good selection of beers.keep up the good work,
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This was one of the best pubs to visit in Portsmouth when I was a student in the long distant past. It went into slow decline and the last time I walked in here in the early nineties, there was no ales and some rather unsavoury customers. What a contrast now - a very amiable atmosphere and an interesting choice of eight beers in good condition. Some quirky art work is worth a second glance, particularly on the back of the loo doors. Very pleasant on a match day because it is just off the radar for the football hordes and yet only twenty minutes walk to Fratton Park. A pub most definitely back on form.
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Agree that this pub looks after its beer and its customers - lively and friendly local that welcomes passing trade too.
odbod - 18 Dec 2009 11:50 |
Lovely local pub. Amiable landlord and knowledgeable too. Was in here prior to Tottenham Hotspur beating portsmouth yesterday so all in all a nice day ! Pub was once called the Cambridge and half of it was a post office at one time.
Worth a visit when going to fratton park.
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Excellent selection of well kept beers - its a great example of a local community pub.
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I've visited this pub many a time and my feeling is that he buys from breweries that offer him the best deal, rather than the ales that dedicated real ale drinkers might prefer, so it can be a bit hit and miss in that regard. What he does offer is well-kept, however, so that may be just my personal palate talking.
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There's a good choice of real ales at this Portsmouth local. On my second visit yesterday, they had 8 all from the South of England - King Horsham Best, Hammerpot Bottle Wreck Porter, Hepworth Prospect Organic, Blaike's Heaven, Arundel ASB, Flowerpots Goodens Gold, Hepworth Iron Horse and Hopback Summer Lightning. Unfortunately there was no sign of the Mr Whiteheads cider advertised. Thatchers Dry was the best cider. Although the Gales fruit wines also went down well. There's a good mix of customers in here and the bar staff are friendly. Worth visiting if you're in the area or visiting Fratton Park.
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A wonderful local boozer with a great range of ales. If you are staying in Southsea I would suggest a cab or bus to get there as it is quite a hike otherwise.
Barmaid was knowledgeable about the beers she was serving, which is in my opinion a rarity, and this alone gives this proper pub an advantage!!
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Heard this venue had fallen out with Camra, for some reason, but is undoubtedly a real ale pub. 8 handpumps, Sat pm had one unclipped, otherwise Flowerpot Goodens Gold, Hopback Summer Lightning, WJ King New Beer�s Resolution, fff Moondance, Irving Frigate, Palmers Best, Whippet Gone with the Whippet. Light and airy in the bar with large windows to street, the rear area has had a pool table removed but sadly the dartboard has also gone � �It�s just a drinkers pub now� we were told by the friendly guys at the bar, but must be popular as they had 19(!) teams for the quiz last week. Friendly staff too, I really liked this place � they just need to invest in some half pint pots; serving that measure in carling glasses is somewhat off-putting to old grumpies like me, haha! Ps. not at all crowded pre-match, but if you are heading to the ground there is a choice of buses from the stop almost opposite which will get you there in 5mins.
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Excellent pub. Does not try to be anything other than a good local pub. Beer on good form, loads of choice.
Well recommended.
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Superb pub, have just spent the weekend in Southsea and this was the best of the pubs i tried. Good selection of real ales served in good condition, friendly service, a gem.
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Next time I'm in Portsmouth I will make a point of making time for a visit to this superb gem of a pub. The one time I went in when visiting family I found the beer, service and pub atmosphere nothing short of perfect. Certainly spoilt for choice if you're a real ale fan. Get down and see it.
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Great Local Pub;
exactly as it should be, clean,tidy, nice selection of beer, and pleasent staff.
Use it or loose it says the sign outside, and I agree,
It deserves using, Nice Pub. try it.
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Great pub, another I visit regularly on my way home. Even got a cycle rack outside! Really good real ale, always got a good selection of guest ales too. Interior decor is a bit idiosyncratic, but I like all the submarine memorabilia. Alas the jukebox is definitely too loud, and no wifi, but otherwise one of the best pubs in Southsea.
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An excellent pub. Good variety of beers at reasonable prices. Always at least 2 "session" beers. Never had a bad pint. They usually spot it and warn you first. A couple of regular beers but there's always something different to try. Good range of Belgian bottled beers if you like them. Seems to be starting monthly beer festivals featuring a specific brewery.
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I love this pub. Great choice of ales especially focusing on the smaller and local breweries.
Have always enjoyed my pint and if there has ever been a problem they have changed it immediatly no questions asked
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great free house nit dark and dinghy likr so many other pubs. a range of 8 beers and good belguim beers as well a must when you visit portsmouth
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