please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Had a crap pint of Truman's Pale here yesterday - £5 and tasted like whatever they use to clean the taps with :(
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Worst type of gastropub.... Neither gastro or pub.
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A chain disguised as a 'quirky pub' .. 1.20 for a packet of crisps ? �10 for a tiny pizza .. nice decor though ..
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All change in the PoW. Total refurb, new food, new beers, new staff(!) etc. The surliness of the old place never really bothered me, but its got to be an improvement, even though I expect there will be some local criticism of gentrification/price increases etc. I would agree if the old place had been a proper community local (like the Anchor) but it wasn't, it was just a wasted opportunity which thankfully Youngs have sought to put right. Location hopefully now will come into its own a bit more. Pub feels about twice the size of the old place which reflects more on the slightly gloomy atmosphere which always used to pervade in its former life. Nice Cornish beer. A decent roast. Service which doesn't make you fearful of approaching the bar.
klong - 16 Jul 2012 13:12 |
I used to live on Lea Bridge road for 5 years - I left in 1984. This was my local and by the time I left it cost 74p a pint.
In those days it was always busy on a Friday and Saturday night - often with a local eccentric playing popular old style cockney songs on the piano.
But, I gather from reading the reviews that it hasn't really changed one little bit (though no food in my days) - the same London style utter rudeness and misery which passes for service.
I left to work abroad for ten years but when I came back I stayed clear of London. These days I'm down in Hampshire - but a couple of days ago I drove past - I'm glad I left the area.
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We recently moved to the area and thought we would try this pub out for the first time. The beer as all Youngs pubs was the quality that you would expect. The problem was with the staff and the food. The lady (I think the landlady) that served us was miserable and did not smile from the moment we walked in. When at the bar she asked what I wanted, I said 2 dinners and she started to pour a guiness. This could have been laughed off but when she said we would have to wait, I asked what for and she said that the barrel needed changing. I said we only wanted food and instead of laughing about the fact she misheard she gave me a look that made me feel an idiot. No small talk or pleasantries. She also asked me whether Sauvignon Blanc was red or white wine. Strange as the sign outside boasts quality wine available! The food did arrive quickly which we were impressed with but we were very disappointed with it. We ordered sunday lunch. 1 pork, 1 beef. The meat was fine apart from the fact that the pork was ham, not roast pork. However the vegetables were very wet, some over cooked, some under cooked but both inedible. The older guy that brought the food to the table could really do with a wash too! We're not going back.
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what kind of place is this.
well...
running my usual route last weekend I got caught dehydrated. Went in here with my running gear on clearly dehydrated. Asked politely if could get some water.
Fat middle-aged barman: "I can't give you water".
nice one. Needless to say, the Anchor and Hope further north on the canal let me have some tap water no bother. That's because that's a community pub. This is not.
By the way, the 6 Dec 2006 10:14 post by "hackneybornandbred" is clearly a plant, so add manipulation to the list.
Discerning pubgoers and citizens, you know what to do!
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I've just been to this pub with my 3 yr old daughter because I understood it to be a friendly family pub. However, after less than a minute of entering a man who told me he was a staff member, despite the fact that he was standing at the bar drinking, told me my daughter should not have been near the bar. He was very aggressive and my young one was quite upset. I certainly won't be returning.
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Expensive pub in good spot by the river lea, moody staff and bad food.
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Expensive pub by the river lea
Close to hackney but trouble free
The beers from youngs are very fine
and every sunday diners dine
The locals at the bar are full of wit
Other than that its pretty bad
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i like going here in the summer - food is so so, but beer is fine, and it's lovely sitting outside
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Went with the kids for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. If I ever return, it'll only be for the beers, the food was grim. Doesn't appear to make much of an effort given the location, a chance missed.
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Lucky to have a great location on the canal (which I suppose is why it appears in all the pub guides), but it's a pub that doesn't care. The Ship Aground, next door, is better, but without the waterside location.
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The pub has greatly improved since the last review was made on this website. There's now a weekly pub quiz that pulls in afew more regulars and there's live bands / singers appear every weekend. The new manager is making a great effort to increase the amount of regular drinkers. Food isn't Gordon Ramsay's but its fair. Yes, the drinks are slightly more pricey but people attend that pub purely for the guest ales / certain beers that they cannot get anywhere else. The atmosphere in any pub always depend on the company you're with and whats facilities are available - my family and I always have a pleasant evening or two at this pub on a regular basis.
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Nice location on the River but the beer is some of the most expensive I've encountered outside the city. The Bar staff were very surly on the occasions we visited and wouldn't be bothered to venture back here in a hurry.
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Enjoyed the excellent pints of Youngs (bitter and st George) but that was all that was noteworthy. The ploughmans and chips were ok and we were surrounded by smokers whose cigarettes seemed particularly smokey that day. Not much of an atmosphere either so disappointing overall
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This is my local. Expensive for lager drinkers (�3.05 for Carling but luckily I drink mixed) and is not a locals pub with trade of the canal or Hackney Marshes providing most custom.
The staff change on a regular basis and the pub spent a tidy sum on turning the public bar into a football/sky sports area only for the landlord to say he couldn't afford it any more which lost them a lot of custom, plenty of it local, to the nearby Ship Aground.
It's a great pub to sit outside in the warmer weather but on Saturdays Evenings and winter nights it's dead hence their aim to get the Sunday Lunchers in which conflicts with their recently introduced draconian policy on children.
As for the Youngs beer it's hit and miss. Do't have Waggledance on draft as it is rank but the mixed is generally okay. They donb't serve the full Youngs bottled range either meaning dedicated Youngs drinkers miss out on a few treats.
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Lovely pub with friendly staff but VERY expensive!
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Hi
I would never enter this pub again, pint of Stella 3.10 which is OTT.
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Excellent beer, especially the orinary, staff cheerful, nice day out, may go back again
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A nice pub down by the river Lee. Quite crowded in the summer, and popular with passing boaters. A Youngs pub, offering Ordinary, Special and a seasonal beer. Good food. A great idea for a crawl is to start here, and move on later to the Anchor and Hope nearby along the river (Fuller).
Dave Harley - 9 Jul 2003 18:43 |
