please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
**** CLOSED ****
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Closed - a few weeks before the lockdown.
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Pleasant, old pub near the Abbey catering mainly for the lunchtime and early evening tourist trade. A bit quiet when I went in on a Saturday night. Three real ales were on including Deuchars IPA and Doom Bar. My Deuchars was OK but not exceptional - probably need to sell more of it. Chatty young barman.
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After decades of painstaking research I can honestly say this is my favourite pub in St Albans. The pub sits comfortably as a thoroughly good and sociable boozer, avoiding the embourgeoisement that has destroyed so many St Albans pubs over recent years, while never straying anywhere near the territory of the typical drunken Saturday Night madness displayed by so many of St Albans pubs. Never had a bad pint, never had anything else but decent service.
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I went there recently for a frankly unimpressive Sunday lunch: the food was 'formulaic', bland and served in an uninspired way. Our part of the pub was shared with a family with bratty young kids and a dog that repeatedly sniffed round me in a quite offputting way as I was eating. There was hardly anyone in, either. What a shame as the building and location is fabulous. If you want a Sunday lunch, go to one of St Albans' many other superb pubs. Cheers.
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Popped in the other lunch time close to the advertised closing time. Didn't expect any food (you know how literal pubs can be) but the barman was most accommodating and welcoming despite the late hour. The Adnams was superb and the sandwiches fresh. Agree with the comments about children in the bar. There really shouldn't be but full marks to the barman
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Only came in here because the Lower Red Lion's kitchen was closed Saturday lunchtime.
I thought I had walked in on a mothers convention.
Single mothers and their offspring seemed to be the pub's local clientele.
I have nothing against children in pubs - I took mine in when they were young. The difference was my two were very well behaved and did not annoy other customers.
These brats were running amok, standing on bar-stools or going in and out of the door leading to the smoking area (I felt like bolting the door).
The toilets are the other side of the pushchair car park.
The furniture looks old and tired, the chairs uncomfortable.
Beer choice of Black Sheep, Rev James, an Adnams and the awful Doom Bar.
Food was okay - albeit microwaved.
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A truly awful experience last night as the barmaid appeared to serve who she wanted so we left after 10 minutes. Beer selection seemed limited for a real ale pub (not that I got to taste any of the bland offerings!). Seemed complacent and looks to be the poor relation to the nearby pubs. I will try it again, just to see if I experienced the pub on an off day, but I'm sure this has happened before; we'll see!
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Great traditional English pub!! Not many like this one around any more!
Fantastic selection of beer, larger and cider, plus lots of drinks for the ladies!
Great menu, recommend the royalty sandwiches!
Seriously recommend you go!
P.S. staff are very friendly and helpful too!!
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Had a pint of Black Sheep which wasn't the best in the world, it was tasteless and a bit watery.
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Decent beer. Fast, efficient and very friendly service. Beer price a bit on the higher but well worth stopping for a couple of pints.
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Nice pub. Nice pint of Purity something-or-other. Not up to the standards of the Six Bells or L.R.Lion, but worth a look.
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Pub no.2
Good pub
Good beer
Ok service.
Recommended: 7/10
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Took family in for a swift pint and some food. A change in manager.. upbeat and very friendly.. Garden has been seriously worked on.. Had some great pints of Mad Goose and Doombar with my Bro-in-law and the wives and kids were all catered for superbly. The food was excellent albeit a tad on the expensive side. But this still is a great pub. More friendly and accessible for families than it's neighbours. A proper pub!
Will be popping back next Friday to catch the live music!
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I have visited this pub on several occasions with friends/collegues and have found it to be a friendly establishment with a very good choice of well kept beers Adnams being my particular favourite. The young bar manager who can be very personable but has the manner of a slightly over-bearing school teacher! A good day to visit is Sunday where there is an excellent atmosphere and an open�fire to�warm your hands by.
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Considerably more friendly than The Six Bells. Beer interesting and well kept
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A great pub. pretty busy for a sunday and a good crowd of welcoming regualrs. The barman was funny and kept the atmosphere alive and he served some good quality beer. Award winning mad Goose was a winner for us and was copiously drunk. ( the beer that is) Shame they only do food till 5pm on a sunday but that was still later than anywhere else in the area. Apparently it's 9pm the rest of the week. We did get some bowls of chips though. Prices seemed good for food but beer on the heavy side. Typical of punch taverns. A nice garden, sheltered from the rain but fix the smokers heater!
Old pub with old original decor, good location. We'll be back. Thanks
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Called in for a "swift half", one evening after taking the dog for a walk around the park. We sat in the garden(?) The tables are very sheltered and, hence, coated in dry lichen, and the ground is covered with gravel and fag ends. Not very inviting. The inside is a vast improvement over the garden. Shame about the big screen TV though.
Although we did not eat here, the food appeared to be the standard pub fare, at fairly standard prices. Personally, I prefer the Six Bells. However, having said all that, the place seemed quite popular and my pint of Spitfire was superb.
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Suffers from being so close to the six bells, but still a good pub, worth a visit.
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The R & C is a very worthy establishment on several fronts, from the obvious allure of its unspoilt and traditional exterior (and interior), to the convivial buzz of drinkers and eaters enjoying their fill (not all tedious lager and family types - a mixed bag was found on a Saturday lunchtime), to the quality and range of the cask ales. Landlord and Harviestoun Bitter & Twisted were excellent and can be recommended - a little lively but given the policy of using lined pint glasses (a brave choice even today) at least this can't be said to be a device for short-changing less-observant punters!
The food certainly appeared to come in generous portions, although alas it was not time to think of solids on my last recent visit, where the pub took pride of place as the first in a long line of illustrious boozers to be visited in a crawl compiled by a local friend with paramilitary precision. A hearty time was had at what clearly is a hearty sort of a pub. Good work folks; keep it up.
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Dogs and pubs go together. Don't like 'em? Go drink in a wine bar. I get more annoyed by the endless brats that infest this place on weekend lunchtimes as the "half-a-lager and a glass-of-tapwater" brigade drop in for 20 minutes after their family perambulation round the park.
It's always been a bit pricey thought.
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Came here after a dismal experience in the Six Bells, and was cheered up by good service, a roaring fire and well-kept Adnams.
jandl - 24 Feb 2009 20:37 |
I have a soft spot for this pub, despite the dogs running around. It's a lovely building with a beer garden and choice of 2 bars, and although a bit expensive the beer is fine. Good service too. The Six Bells next door is technically better at the moment, but it can get a bit smug, so a few pints in the more earthy R&C can be good fun!
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Went in here saturday 3rd January with my family the pub was very quite for a saturday lunchtime, but the beer was good, and the food though a limited menu was very good value for money and piping hot, service was also great would recommend this pub for a visit
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Fairly decent beer and venue. Service is OK. Went on monday night, they had a quite good singer from New Zealand and a Jazz/Blues musician.
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New bar manager ? More like a head less chicken. I have ring in my ears for the ping sound for the kitchen
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Could be alot better, agree about the Dog thing,,,,,should be banished from bar areas,I like the choice of ales, the moussaka was like lava and too overheated in a microwave, had been pulled out of a freezer ala blue peter and whacked on nuetron factor ten for five mins before being served up with a retro chicken in a basket garnish and costco oven chips, avoid said mousaka and just drink and have crisps or even cook at home and then drink, the choice is yours.
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New bar manager, still one of the best pubs in the village, as for the dog keeps the place old school which in days of health and safety mad people bring a great relief, now try it with new manager and enjoy and relax.
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Dogs do and go wherever they want in this pub. The Bar staff are moody and the locals are unpleasant.
AVOID.
It's gone sooo downhill since the new management took over.
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The larger low ceilinged left hand bar is almost entirely given over to diners where a large black dog wanders between the tables delighting the children and no doubt prompting health & safety concerns in some. There is a more traditional pub atmosphere in the smaller right hand bar. There are four real ales available and I found the service to be friendly and efficient.
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The comment about the dogs running wild is true! My Sunday Roast was violated by a dirty looking mongrel. That will teach me to eat in a bar which allows animals to wander around. Local marginally better.
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The locals at this pub are horrendous - really unwelcoming. We were accused of being 'friday night drinkers' by a very aggressive drunk local, who clearly felt the pub was for locals only. The bar staff gave us no support when we were verbally attacked by this man. I will never drink here again. I can see why the Six Bells next door is so much busier and more popular - they are much more welcoming.
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Great pub really nice atmosphere, friendly bar staff and always feel very welcome.
The comment about the dogs is a load of B...s..t. Yes there are dogs but they are very friendly.
Give it a try im sure your love it.
anonymous - 5 Feb 2007 17:18 |
Dogs run wild in this place.
anonymous - 27 Oct 2006 21:57 |
One of the best beer gardens in St Albans, perfect for all day drinking in the summer and the food is not bad. I prefer the Six Bells next door for indoor atmosphere, get a bit spooked by the folk music crowd sometimes.
anonymous - 18 Oct 2006 00:05 |
Perhaps a little on the pricey side with pride and most other beers @ �2.70... Otherwise ok! Seemed busy with people enjoying Sunday lunch.
anonymous - 15 Oct 2006 21:35 |
Took the whole family here on Sunday for lunch it was fantastic! a cosy little pub in a really nice village. Staff are really friendly and the real ale was good!!!!!!!!!! will be back without fail
anonymous - 29 Aug 2006 14:42 |
I love this place. Good varied clientelle, a good range of beers and everyone who works there is so friendly. Not sure about dog comment.. only seen one and it was dead friendly. New chef apparently and menu is really good now. Recommended drinking hole. Oh watch out for 'folky' music on a thursday but some good other live music at weekends on occasions. None of your 'new bar' pretentiousness here. A good old fashioned English pub. Try it and see!
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This is an excellent village pub, great food, great beer garden and great atmosphere. Get a mix of younger and older people here. Bar staffs are extremely friendly and know their stuff. Really recommend a visit.
anonymous - 23 Aug 2006 11:41 |
God, what a rubbish pub. It looked nice but me and my mates were snapped at so many times by the bar ladies. Were we supposed to drink lemonade or something?????
went back to The Boot which was great!! Lovely girls, really funny young & friendly barman, so much better.
Gr8 place!! I'll be back!! (the Boot I mean, not the Rose&C)
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A nice place. Usually a good choice of beer.
The large back area is popular as a venue for folk music (Thursdays and Sundays) but it seems to be drifting away from English to Irish, which is a shame.
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Have had a couple of good lunches in this pub, but it can be a bit dull during the evening. Perhaps everyone's been put off by the 2 huge dogs that live here? - they certainly put the mockers on my drink yesterday.
anonymous - 1 Dec 2005 08:50 |
Good mix of People drink here from farmers to city boys, great selections of beers, ales, spirits & lite meals,won pub of the year for the last few years, I recomend giving it a try if your in the area.
Ps. the bar maid is stunning!
brendan sharpe - 9 Jun 2004 14:42 |
VERY uncomfortable furniture, dirty toilets, ( been dirty for years) fair beer, good English/Irish folky music on Thursdays & Sundays
anonymous - 12 Mar 2004 13:20 |
Great pub with some really good guest ales.
Alternative music (mostly folk etc) on Saturday nights and can get quite busy.
However, it is fairly pricey
ben - 23 Jul 2003 11:27 |
