please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
What The Talbot lacks in charm it makes up for in the quality of its beer. This landlord knows exactly what he's doing in the cellar. Harvey's Sussex Best is always in immaculate condition and there are two or three guest ales, usually from the local area, in equally tip-top form. My advice is to ignore the decor, avoid the food and proceed directly to the consumption of one of The Talbot's fine ales. If only cellaring standards were this high across the pub industry.
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I popped in on a Friday night with the wife for a couple of pints a few weeks back. 5 hand pumps with 5 different ales on, 3 of these were locales. I had 2 pints of Brockley Brewery Summer Ale, each pint well kept and poured.
Pretty busy when we arrived at 6pm with a few people eating.
Modern decor, off set with a mixture of wooden tables & chairs, a note to the couple of really good painted murals on plain white walls of dogs.
The Talbot is a decent pub with well kept ales, a small garden and a seating area to the front….I really should visit her more.
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Don't leave your pint on the bar
The front of the bar has a very slight incline facing customers. It's not usually enough for drinks to slide off, until the whole thing starts to move when bar staff are energetically pulling pints on the hand pumps.
The first time my pint slid off the bar this evening they said I could have a replacement one for half price (is that because they know it happens now and again?). Nothing was mentioned about the cleaning bill for my friend's smart jacket that was now covered in beer.
The second time it happened this evening the barman said I was holding my pint and dropped it. Rubbish. I was standing well away from the bar and saw it just take off. He effectively called me a liar and there was no offer of a replacement. I felt really offended and was obviously out of pocket.
It's a real shame because although I don't go there often it's a great pub with good beer and a good atmosphere. Except that the bar counter can wobble and now and again behave like the ejector seat in the James Bond car. And the bar staff duck out of taking any responsibility by saying it's the customer's fault.
Will I go there again when there are plenty of other pubs for me to choose from, who knows? But I certainly won't leave my pint standing on the bar.
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I remember this place as an old local boozer before it got the Shorditchification treatment....However, that said, Harveys is usually on and always well kept. The staff are friendly, the food is pretty good and priced about right. This pub probably wont dazzle you, but its definatly a nice place to sink a few on a summers evening.
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Good beer, excellent food. However, this is the second time I have been recently, having just moved to the area, and the service is not only dismal but also dishonest and has been either one or the other or both on each occasion.
I won't be going back very quickly.
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I don't remember ever visiting the Talbot before it was rescued from the brink and brought back to its former glory.
The Talbot sits in a prime position just at the end of the Hilly Fields conservation area and a stones throw from Lewisham Way and St Johns station.
A large outside patio area with benches greets you as you approach the pub, once inside the interior has been stripped back with wooden flooring and neutral colours on the walls. One wall is adorned with mismatched pictures in frames but it works!
The bar area is slightly small but without knocking walls down the shape cannot change. A good mix of European lagers, Guinness and Cider is dispensed from the large aluminium dispensers. The are 4 hand pumps and during my visit 3 of these were serving 3 different beers.
Everards, Amber Mild; Harvey's, Best and Caledonian's Golden XPA. I had 2 of the above beers with the XPA being the best but both beers were well kept.
Food was starting to be served as I was leaving and it looked high quality pub food....maybe next time I'll eat here.
The clientele was mixed but the pub has a good vibe about it....will definitely return as it's only 20 mins walk from my house....why have I left it so long to visit!
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Pleasant pub located not far from St John's railway station. We enjoyed a few rays of sun outside the front of the pub, along with many others. Beers on were Harveys Sussex Best, Cotleigh Buzzard & St Austell Proper Job. The Buzzard was quite nice. Clientele were mostly from the young middle classes. A good choice.
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Decent enough Harveys but an unremarkable local with gastro ambitions (untested).
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A very good pub. There are 3 or 4 different ales on at any time, Fullers pride and Harvey's bitter being ever present. These are well kept. Well refurbished and a patio out front for warm days. The clientale are fine, looks like plenty of staff from the college go there for a pint after work. Haven't tried the food but it does look interesting on the menu board.
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A major refurbishment for this pub. Nice decor, real ales, seating area outside. I didn't try the food but menu looked good. Clean and friendly.
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This pub is duplicated on this site as "The Talbot, Lewisham" - see my review under that pub.
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