please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
The modern exterior hides a sensitive restoration of the old station building/hotel inside. Usual range of Fullers beers, Pride in reasonable condition. First pub of the day visiting where we lived in the 80''s.
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Probably the best station pub in London at the moment. Good range of Fullers beers with a few guests. Probably not the place to spend an evening, but a nice place to call into for a pint en route to elsewhere.
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Fancying a drink after the train back to London, I initially tried the Cider Tap (soon to close) at Euston only to find they had stopped serving by 9pm (very strange for a weekend). So I grabbed the opportunity to have a swift half at the Mad Bishop & Bear. This is a Fullers pub, generally with a guest ale or two. It is situated in the retail development up a couple of escalators. But it is still fairly busy. Departure screens ensure you don't miss your train or you can at least check what time the next one is, if you do happen to stay for one too many. On my visit, they had Fullers London Pride, ESB & Olivers Island, Gales Seafarers & Redwood, St Austell Tribute & Tomos Watkins The Last Inch. I went for the Redwood, which I wasn't too keen on. Still a handy place to know about and certainly the best of the 2 pubs at Paddington station. I've just noticed that they offer a CAMRA discount too.
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Fullers pub co outlet in Paddington station. Not somewhere I'd venture to again in the future unless there are no other options. Chain pub feel, medicore beer, indifferent service, through other feel to the place.
anonymous - 9 Aug 2015 11:34 |
Spacious and adquate bar high up in Paddington station. A fair range of ales, including several guests, and a place that seems less frenetic than its Fullers counterpart at Kings Cross.
Couldn't understand why the sign to the Gents is in LMS maroon, here at the very fundament of all things Great Western, but with a decent pint to hand, I didn't lose too much sleep over it.
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I've been staying in B&Bs in Paddington every summer since 2009 & never visited this pub till now. Don't know why, maybe an aversion to escalators. Anyway, a good pint of Pride (3.99), WiFi that worked, plenty of seats and an almost tranquil atmosphere compared to the pandemonium below. What's not to like?
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Visited this station pub after an absence of 4 years late on Tuesday evening. I regularly travel through Paddington, but rarely get round to visiting. It was very much as I remember it. The Fullers range is supplemented by a guest or two. The selection during our visit was Fullers Disocvery, Red Fox, London Pride, ESB & Chiswick, Hektors Pure & Hydes Original. Lacks atmosphere. But it is a quiet retreat from the main station concourse.
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Fuller's station pub at the top of the escalators in Paddington station.
Since this place opened I have used it on almost every visit through the station, always had a very range of Fullers beers includes their seasonal specials on draught.
On my last visit I had Fuller's new Frontier lager @ 4.5%, very good quality even if the price was a bit steep.
Good that they have the train departure boards available for you to keep tabs on your train.
Well worth a visit if the price doesn't bother you.
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Well maidavale, you seem to like this pub so much, you keep coming back even when the beer is bad, you are allegedly shortchanged etc. There must be something that keeps you coming back.
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The Fullers ESB was again totally flat and when I checked my change I was �1 short. This pub never seems to learn and its time to move on from its hit and miss service.
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They now have the Fullers master cellarman certificate - the ESB now in excellent order - well done.
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They keep messing around with the ESB - it was awful before and then it got better. Tonight it was flat and dire and served in the wrong glass with no apology. Some one has to get a grip here.
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Called in here for the first time recently, after our Train was delayed for an Hour or so, and was pleasantly suprised how nice it was all round. Great idea to have the Train Timetables on display as you go in, made our stay a lot more interesting in fact. Reasonable prices, friendly staff, and a nice atmosphere all round. Next time we are in Paddington Station, we will probably call in here again, whilst waiting for a train departure.......
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Worth missing a train or two for!!
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A reasonable pub among the poor bars common in most termini/terminuses.
Well kept and served Fullers.
Excellent given where it is *
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excellent pub but keep it a secret from the maddening crowd - and the fullers esb is very good now.
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Open and serving an excellent pint of Chiswick on my visit.
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Closed at the moment for a much needed refurb.....
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One of the better station pubs I can think of. Feels like a proper pub inside, decent beer, plenty of seating & the bonus of train departure boards.
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generally a good pub but can be let down badly by the condition of the fullers esb - it can be atrocious!
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Most of the Fullers beers on tap, and the Discovery was not as chilled as in many bars, making it a whole lot nicer. The staff are pretty good, and whilst it's not exactly full of character, you can't really moan about a decent real ale bar on a station, with the departure screens on display. One small gripe, if the guest beer (Tribute) is off, is it really that difficult to turn the pump clip around?
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A bit like an Americanised theme park version of an English pub, such as you might expect to find at Disneyland or Universal Studios. Complete with wacky name and wooden interior.
It's not a bad place though in fairness. I feel at least I can relax here whilst gulping down my second waiting-for-the-train pint. The pubs in the Paddington area are generally poor and the whole area has a slightly creepy edge and I find myself checking for wallet and mobile every 2 minutes, whilst I clutch my bag firmly between my knees.
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Still serving ESB in that flower vase - come Fullers what is all that about?!
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Soo many ignorant comments !
Gave this a 9 purely on criterea of "station pub" ... maybe it deserved a 10 for being a "London station pub" ?
This is the best haven I know within a London station, staff are really nice, beer (Pride & ESB) perfectly kept and good choice of basic wines, house Sauvignon is way better than "supermarket plonk" !
Prices are standard central London Fullers.
Since the days when it was the only place other than "The Reef" that you could smoke within the station its got bit less crowded and way way more pleasant ... their food is OK and bargain priced given the location.
You can always find a seat and with not much patience a table.
You can forget where you are and see this as any other Fullers conversion, and its nicer / cleaner (toilets including) than most Wetherspoons I know ...
Laura -
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After a day on the beer in the capital. I wanted a decent gin and tonic.
The only tonic available was low calorie crap, which I will not drink, as it's poisonous garbage.
The child behind the bar said "It's better for you." Piss off laddie, you know not of what you speak.
(I had previously called in here at 1100 on arrival in London, had a very expensive pint of very cold ESB and left for pastures new.)
Still, the evening wasn't a total washout, as, although the Sainsbury outlet downstairs stops selling alcofrolicals at 2300, the 2330 to Bristol had a bar, where my craving for G & T was satisfied sixfold.
Travelling is so expensive, isn't it?
This place never seems to have many customers, and although the beer is too pricey, it's usually in good nick.
The toilets, both gents and ladies were badly maintained, and even early in the day, stunk to high heaven, which for those not in the know, is Cumbria.)
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Fuller's Real Ales with a good range and in good condition, as usual for most Fuller's pubs very pricey. Large pub, plenty of tables and chairs, upstairs in Paddington rail station, so ideal for a last/first pint on a rail journey.
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Still a great place to have a beer, but �3.40 for a pint of ESB? Come on your having a turkish! And served in that poncy glass too........
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Good enough for a quich (ish) pint before your train. Fullers Chiswick, Pride, ESB and Discovery plus a guest which is usually St Austell Tinners.
Why though is the service so bad? In my view, it's because of the way they've got the bar sorted out - the staff spend half their time walking from one end to the other. With 2 banks of handpumps, one at each end of the long bar, why are the high turnover beers such as Pride only on one? Why are the "correct" glasses always at the other end? Why are different snacks only at one place on the bar? I can only assume it's to force the staff to get exercise from all the walking! A time and motion study would do wonders here.
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Fairly typical Fuller's pub, apart from its location above the station, and the stupid name. That's to say, generally reliable beer, staff mostly appear to have been properly trained, rarely have to ask for a short pint to be topped up. The beer range is a bit wider than usual in a Fuller's place, they typically have St Austell Tribute in addition to Gales/Fullers beers. Having said this, it lacks character and isn't somewhere I'd go unless waiting for a train - but for a quick pint, it's fine.
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Went in there yesterday after the mighty Saints won 4-1 at Wembley. I liked it. St Austell Tribute was a real treat whilst waiting for the train back to Cornwall.....and Sky Sport News showed the goals almost continually!
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This is a good enough pub to start or end a day out in London. The beer's generally ok though the food can be a bit hit and miss.
There are televisions in the pub but they always seem to be tuned to either Sky News or Sky Sports News; I've never seen them showing any live sport.
The worst thing about this pub would be the toilets; smelly and grotty...
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Staff were friendly and the Fuller's Bengal Lancer was far better than the other IPA they brew - comparisons with the exemplary Jaipur by my mate. Certainly would rather they served that brew than the usual ESB, Discovery and Chiswick.
Best railway station pub I've drunk in. Good stopping off point albeit only had Fuller's on but if it's good that matters less.
Probably not a place for an evening out but convenient and good beer.
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Great Fullers beers but rancid run down bogs.
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Went in on a freezing Wednesday night and it was quiet, but I really rated it. Pleasant staff and beers in excellent form, especially the ESB. Prices very fair.
Small portable heaters all over to warm us up, which i thought was a nice touch.
Will certainly use it again.
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Better than most train station pubs. Full range of fullers beers & plenty staff make this a decent place to kill time when waiting for a train.
anonymous - 16 Dec 2009 13:52 |
As station pubs go, this one is quite good. Despite having travelled through Paddington countless times, I visited this for the first time last weekend. It's detached from the busy concourse and eating areas below and has plenty of tables and seating. Beers are from the Fuller's range plus one guest. The pump clips displayed Discovery, Chiswick, London Pride, ESB, Jack Frost and St Austell Tribute. Although our first two choices were unavailable! As part of our round, we ordered a soft drink. Without being asked whether we wanted a small or a large, the barmaid returned with a pint and copious amounts of ice - not too easy to drink if you were in a rush for a train. Needless to say, we asked for a small one instead. Nevertheless, this place is extremely handy and next time I have a wait at Paddington, I'm likely to pay it a visit. The train arrival/departure boards and the toilets are handy.
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Fullers pubs so you get the full range plus Tribute. The latter was in good nick although the pub itself lacks character - and what is it with this place and bloody fruit machines - loads of em scattered around the place. Good if you're waiting for a train back to Brissle as I indeed was, otherwise go somewhere with a bit more atmosphere I would say.
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Decent place for a station boozer, good pint of Fuller's Discovery.
I'm going to go off tangent a bit here - does anyone else remember about 15-20 years ago before Paddington station was a plush as it is now, there was a ropey little boozer called - I think - The Kings & Queens, but I could be wrong. It was like walking into an episode of Minder or The Sweeney, it was wide but shallow (i.e when you walked in you were practically at the bar), dark, smoky and full of blokes who looked like down at heel Faces-era Rod Stewarts dressed in shabby suits with shiny arses and grubby collars, and they sold Younger's Tartan on tap (classy....) and dubious looking sausage rolls and Scotch eggs from a not-very-hygenic looking pyrex box on the bar. Great days, modern kids don't know they're born.......
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Can't think of a superior station pub and would not be disappointed if this were my local. Excellent choice of Fullers beers at reasonable prices and good service. Clean, tidy and quite relaxed considering its location. Only the departures screen inside hints that you're within a train station.
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A handy pub and far better than most chain-operated bars found at mainline stations!
Decent enough food menu and a good choice of Fullers and other cask ales.
alexw - 28 May 2009 21:08 |
Open at 8am so why not have a full english and a pint of Tribute before you travel. Good breakfast and good pint
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One of the best station bars which is presumably why it is in the GBG. It is strange to have to take escalators up to a pub. Due to the rail replacement service on Saturday we had more time to waste than we planned. We ended up here about 09:00'ish and to get the weekend started we ordered beers. We were told that as it was before 10:00am we would have to order food in order to drink alcohol. I guess this is part of their licensing agreement but must help the takings. It was not too much of a problem for most of our group getting an English breakfast with a beer. On hand pump were Fullers Discovery, London Pride, Chiswick and St Austell Tribute. It is a new one on me seeing a genuine guest in a Fullers pub. The Discovery was lovely and a perfect way to start the day. The breakfasts came pretty quick and were still hot. The service was good and the place was clean and tidy.
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Good range of well kept Fullers ales and a very handily placed pub whilst waiting for the train. Can't say any more.
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Even though I was feeling rough after a long post gig party (i'd just been to see AC/DC at the O2 the previous night) me and some mates found this little gem and were immediately transported from the mayhem and chaos into a cool little zone of tranquility. Excellent service complimented the vast range of drinks available and if it hadn't been for the fact that I knew where we were I would never have known we were at a major station. Excellent pub and one I will visit next time I'm in London.
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Often used, but starting to look a little tatty around the edges now. A great place to remind myself of how fortunate I am not to live in London and pay �3+ a pint on a regular basis. That said its comfortable and the beer is well kept and the service prompt even when busy.
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Popped in here on Friday night as I had a quick half hour to kill whilst I was waiting for a train to go away for the weekend. The guy selling the evening standard recommended it to me over the other one by platform 10 . First time in here and the best station pub I have ever been into by a country mile. Friendly Service, Clean and decent pint of Tribute. This pub would stand up on its own merit in any town or high street. Worth a visit.
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The last five posts say all that I feel the need to. This is a station pub that would actually encourage you to postpone the commute home.
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As at Dec 2008 doing Fullers London Porter, a historic London ale in excellent condition.
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Not a bad pub at all. Used to pass through Paddington on my way home from work, if my train was delayed I would call in here or the Isambard on Platform 10, although this one was always much better. Fullers beers always kept nicely, staff usually pleasant and efficent.
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Probably the best station pub I have been to in a long while. Fullers range plus Tribute and Seafarers. �2.95 a pint but lots of clocks and a departure board inside the pub. Pint was excellent too.
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A rare thing here, a half decent railway station pub in central London.
Plenty of room, clean, quick bar staff and a good selection of Fullers beers. Had decent pint of both Pride and Discovery on my visit.
The others should take note.
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Fullers have done well here - most station pubs are usually situated between 'tolerable' and 'appalling' - this one actually manages to crawl over to the sparsely inhabited side of 'good'.
Usual Fullers ale range (Pride, Discovery, ESB, Chiswick) plus two(!) guests. As mentioned by GDS below, the fridges are stocked with almost every Fuller's bottle imaginable. So you won't be spoilt for choice.
Food is basic, stick to the onion rings. Place is pretty clean, also unusual in the train pub stakes. Toilets are free, and also pretty clean.
All in all, very good for what it is and well worth a visit when using the station.
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Surprisingly not shit for a station pub (like the Head of Steam before it, over Euston way). Decent selection of beers, but the food is generally pretty rough. Zero atmosphere, but worth a visit if you've 20 minutes before departure.
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Actually not bad. You would not make a trip just to go there but for a quick pint with somebody before they get the train or meeting somebody off the train, it is quite good. Much better than most station bars.
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This is not bad at all for a pub in a major rail tation. Good atmosphere, good staff and an ever changing clientel. Congrats to Fullers!
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Good place to finish up after a night out in town - warmer than the station. Nice selection of red wines. Don't know who chooses the music - weird 80's selection. Strangely endearing.
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OK this has the air of a Wetherspoonns and the draft beer I had (Swing Low and Chiswick) wasn't served particularly well. Full range of draft Fullers but what sets this apart is the bottled range. Just about every Fullers I've heard of including Golden Pride, Old Winter Ale, 1845, London Porter and as a special treat 2005 Vintage Ale and Anniversary Ale. Surprised this is in GBG but worth making the effort to go up the escalators. Lucky to find it if you don't know it's there.
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You�ve got to admire Fullers for the effort, it can�t be easy trying to retain the principles of their brand in a station pub. They do it reasonable well in my opinion, the beer is fairly well-kept but you can never get away from the depressing fact that you�re in a dark rather shabby bar in a train station.
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Great pub with great beer and the atmosphere is top class. I like the staff and customers and it has a very good ambience. A bit dodgy when the football supporters take over with their raucous chants. One complaint - the furniture is either wobly or falling to bits, needs to be tidied up.
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Good pub due to the well kept Fullers range of beers. Busy in evenings and steady stream of people at weekends. Not a locals pub though, used mainly by people using rail services or on their way to sports events.
Good pub food, though make sure you check your food order once its been placed as from experience some of the foreign staff have misheard my order.
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A good modern pub, Great selection of Fullers Ales, That�s why I like it here!!! A chilling out pub is how I describe it
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A reasonable pub. Far from being the worst in the world. Serves decent beers and the food is (usually) decent, standard Fullers fair.
It is a bit dark in there though.
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Decent pint of Fullers Discovery 2 be had, 8/10
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For a station pub, this place is great. Beer is good and varied. Service good. Have never eaten there , but food looks good as well. Light, airy and not overloaded with ciggy smoke
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Possibly better than one could ever hope from a station pub and a quantum leap from the simply terrible Isambard's. Serves ale, isn't a chain (as far as I am aware) and has toilets one can patronise without stumping up 20p - but, on balance, still a place one would frequent only if one had no alternative.
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If you were planning on initiating a pub crawl around the pubs located within Paddington station then this place would be the most anticipated.
Given that one of the golden rules of pubs is that all pubs in (or closest to) a train station are terrible, this one is better than the average in this dubious category. Admirably, you can use the toilet in this place without asking for a security code (an affliction from which both nearby Reef bar and Isambard's both suffer).
If you really need a drink and you really can't bear to be away from the station then this is your best bet (though if there were more seats on the concourse of the station then getting a can of something from Simply Food would run it close). If you can tear yourself away then do that and head off toward the nearby Victoria - a lovely pub.
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A good place to wait for your train. The Fullers beers have always been on fine condition when I have visited.
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very good ale and fish and chips.
Professionally run despite being very busy.
Only complaint was the removal of all the trash from the bar areas was transported through the dining area whilst eating
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Ales are top notch, staff are helpful, apart from one, and the food is good.
Great pub
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Excellent Fuller's ales. Probably one of the best 'big station' pubs in the country. Shame about the loud volume of TV sport. Can't people just watch the game - without the 'experts' drivelling on? But, at least there's a patio drinking area - if you can say that when it's still within the trainshed?!
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Visited on a weekday lunchtime..pretty quiet...good to have the train indicator boards...beer on good form including a guest. I reckon they could do with lowering food prices a tad!
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A good effort from Fullers to provide a 'watering hole' slightly removed from the hustle and bustle of Paddington's platforms.
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One of the better station pubs - infinitely better than Waterloo's, for instance. Perhaps it's the lovely ESB that does it!
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Popped in here to kill some time before my train to the west country. Wish I hadn't bothered! Why do pub chains spend so much money on building station bars and then so little on staff training and staff levels. Appeared to be two members of staff on duty, One was busy making about six coffees while the other was engaged with a food order. Stood there for about ten minutes with my fiver in my hand and a smile on my face but to no avail. Decided to leave it and walked out.
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One of the better 'train station pubs' I've seen (which isn't saying much), but the best place for a quick drink before getting your train or whilst waiting for someone.
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This suffers from some of the disadvantages of being a new station pub (all passing trade, no atmosphere). However, I always have a good pint of Fullers here, and there is usually a guest beer. Staff are fine, food is OK, and it is a comfortable venue with a non-smoking area.
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Real ale selection is OK but staff are only passing through, beer not in particularly good condition, and atmosphere is certainly not a pub but a tarted up waiting room.
Try Sussex or for a real treat - the Mitre
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Not bad, plenty of room and perhaps doesn't attract the casual drinkers like the platform-side pubs such as the Duke of York @ Kings Cross, so never seems overcrowded.
Oh and the beer's OK too. Fullers range is worth a sip.
jcraf - 14 Jun 2005 18:33 |
This pub was recommended to me by a friend in the private security business. I suppose its an ideal place for covert photos of illicit affairs. I like the busyness of the place with all sorts coming and going. The Fullers beer is top notch and the staff reasonably pleasant and on the ball. You can look purposeful here even if your not going to Penzeance or posssibly Reading. Its up near the roof of Paddington Station and you can wonder what the Mad Bishop really did say to the Bear.
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If you have nothing better to do than sit in train station pubs all day (which sometimes I haven't!) then this is ideal! A place where you can sit on a window bar stool and watch all the commuters and travellers busy rushing for trains and desperately searching the large destination board.
A good pint (full range of Fullers), peaceful and relaxed atmosphere, you could lose hours of your life in this place - Not such a bad thing! 7/10
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A station pub is usually depressing and dodgy beyond belief (see Bonapartes in Waterloo for example) but as it goes this place is not too bad.
No other reason to drink here apart from waiting for a train mind you.
TheGP - 14 Sep 2004 14:21 |
A decent London pub for sure. Recommended and not too pricey for station location. Get yer beer for the train from the Sainsburys underneath.
Ollie Reed - 30 Aug 2004 16:28 |
While the missus and I looked around the station a bit to satisfy her Paddington Bear fetish, we popped in for a pint or two and found the service more than adequate, the decor agreeable and the setting fairly nice--pleasant surprise considering it was basically a train station pub.
Not the best place for a long haul, but to these Americans it was a welcome respite. Recommended.
Andy - 20 Jan 2004 19:27 |
Food's a bit lame, but service is good, and much the best of the London station pubs. A nice place to sit and read the paper on a Sunday afternoon.
grecian - 24 Dec 2003 11:25 |
Normally serves a good range of beers including Fullers
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A large, spacious, better than average station concourse pub. Gets very crowded with commuters in the early evening but the staff cope well. Not the best pub in the area and not the place for a long session but more than adequate for a swift pint or two while waiting for your train.
Stevo - 19 Aug 2003 12:33 |
