please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Went in there today with me little dog for a quiet pint in the afternoon and to read the paper. Got me pint and paid for it and sat down.
Then got told by the barmaid that dogs were not allowed in the pub.
No signs on the door to that effect and unremarkable observation skills on her behalf. Prior to my drinking up and leaving I do recall the complete lack of ambience or atmosphere and only a couple of other customers .
A place for geeks using the free wi-fi whilst nursing a soft drink all afternoon.
Not for gentlemen drinkers with money in their pockets and a dog on a lead.
My money will be going elsewhere as will me and me dog.
Not my loss!
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A modern comfortable pub near the seafront. The bar is on the right of the lounge and there is a large patio area for drinking. There was a reasonable selection of real ales and it seems to be popular with young people.
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Called in here at 3:30 pm on a Wednesday. One other person in there but I stood at the bar for over 10 minutes while the barmaid - a lid who looked about 12 - fiddled with wine bottles and chatted to her mate from the kitchen. I timed it and after 12 minutes she asked what I wanted. Exactly the same performance when I went for a refill so I drank up and went elsewhere. Went into the Olde Trout up the road which was absolutely rammed but had 4 people behind their tiny bar, no wait whatsoever.
Goodbye Alex - I won't be back. Ever wondered why your place is deserted just before Christmas ?
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Best pub in Southend. Friendly, good cheap food, good atmosphere. Usually full of students playing pool.
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Bouncer there got my 55yr old dad in a headlock for no reason best to avoid places where staff are this odd
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Ahh The Alex, probably the greatest pub in Southend (if you're a student that is!) Make sure to visit on a tuesday (legendary pound a pint night) or a wednesday (quiz night, with a gallon of beer as your reward).
Upstairs is also worth a mention as of late the dance floor has been replaced with sofas and a more laid back attitude than it used to be. The music is always great (indie, rock etc) and the toilets are always filthy (still a minor quibble)
Make sure to pick up a yellow card as well as you can then get 25% off :D
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This pub has changed loads in the last couple of years. Don't know what the manager has done but he's got rid of all the sad old punks that used to go there. The place has a really good atmsphere now. The staff are friendly too. The garden used to be a shithole but they've really tidied it up, and what's ahppened upstairs!? It was packed last time I went, and the music was really good. Glad to see they've got rid of that old DJ (the one with long hair that looked like a weasel and wouldn't play requests).
I heard they do a gay night upstairs on Thursdays. Is this true???
There's still a few wobbly bits of furniture and it's definately a students' pub (some of the haircuts you see in there are horrendous), but if you want a quiet drink somewhere where you're not going to get any aggro, then I'd really recommend this place.
And they've sorted the pool tables out too. Much better.
The only bad thing I could say is that on busy nights it often takes a while to get served. The barmaids looked like they knew what they were doing, it just doesn't seem like they've got enough staff sometimes?
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This is one of those places that people might stop going to after a while, but you'll always go back. Not bad deals on pitchers if thats your kind thing, with a "Yellow Card" you can also get a few deals, plus it's pound a pint on tuesdays. Though you'll have to get there for a about 7 to secure a place inside as it gets rather packed on pound a pint night as you'd expect. Few arcade games, outside garden with TV in the summer, 3 pool tables and a cash machine amongst other things.
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It's cheap, it's dirty, it's rock, It's GREAT!! (I'm too old for it but will always still go)
anonymous - 7 Feb 2007 14:03 |
I agree, pool tables are all over the place. The back wall needs to be moved a couple of feet to be able to take a proper shot on the large pool table and you have to sit on the other one to play from the opposite side.
Good overall atmosphere though, cheap and, apart from tuesdays, the crowds normally good.
They've also introduced a no smoking part of the pub, which would be ideal but please remember that not everyone who likes to play pool wants to go home smelling like an ash tray!!
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Have to agree with Micheal on pool tables :0(
Shame all I wanted was a game of pool. Where's the point blank arcade machine gone? That missing pool table was upstairs. I have to say I thought the upstairs was better.
The toilets are cleaner these days, although upstairs someone had stole part of the sink - Southend people tut tut.
Route 66 for pool, and then on to Alex upstairs for drinks nxt time I venture back to southend.
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Visited this place on Friday, and it just didnt seem the same as back in the day.
Fortune security are no more - I miss Mark.
They seem to have had a pool table nicked as I could of sworn there was 3 before. Should of known there was a reason why the biggest table had nobody on it - its crap!! Kind of like crazy golf but with pool tables. Should you have enough room to take a shot without sitting in a goths pint you discover the tables not straight. Decided not to bother after I ended up having to sit on the other pool table to take a shot. Seems pool has made way for a very cheap 'Central perk' effect, yes the sofas are in force.
Service was brilliant though, and the beer hasnt changed much + its cheap.
Avoid cheap drink night!!! Unless you are a real pikey student or chav a cheap drink is not worth the crowds or terrible student indie rock they love to play.
I have fond memorys of the alex, its good for Southend but it's not in the same league as some of the other scream pubs. If they sort them pool tables out when me and elton may return
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This place does have a certain 'outsider' charm to it.
Students in abundence, loud jukebox full of indie tunes, and beer served in dirty glasses. All harmless enough!
When this place was the Fish & Firkin, I loved it. I drink as much Snakebite & Black as I liked, and the upstairs bar was for dancing.
I feel a bit old for it now, but it still gets 8/10 for the memories!
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I do and have always noticed a distinct immature and not v sophisticated atmosphere about this place. Even when i was 13 and it was the fish i avoided it. When i was there some stupid student was walking round the beer garden making herself a dirty pint from the emptys.
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A complete sh*thole full of of the kind of people who could only be students of on the dole.
Beer tastes awaful pool tables and covered in god knows what - the place has an strange odour of dead animal and BO.
Avoid.
anonymous - 25 Aug 2005 13:14 |
I really love this pub, its got great atmosphere and its the perfect hang out for people my age. Big fan of the pound a pint night - definitely one of my favourites. Not to mention the jukebox has some class tunes.
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Has to be a 7 from me. Luv it. Good beer.Good music too. One for the younger generation but the over 20s get a look in too ! I wish I were among them !
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I quite like this place, but mainly due to the fact it's a Scream pub. Full of students which could be a good or bad thing depending on your viewpoint, not a bad size pub with pool tables, couple of fruities, beer garden and decent amount of seating. Apparently there's a club upstairs but I've never been so I couldn't comment. Last time I was in I remember the food being a bit dodgy and it taking a while to get served as the bartenders spent ages talking to their mates but I hope that was a one off. Good value if you've got a Yellow Card. 7/10
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Not bad in the day, but tends to get full of 'younger' drinkers at the weekends. Very grundgy, always worth a quid to put Westlife on the video jukebox. Great deals for students with a Yellow card though!
Ali - 12 Oct 2004 19:09 |
Excellent Pub, great Venues, just a place to have a good drink! Heard The Novasonics are playing November 14 could this place be any better!! Rock on!
Clockworkblue - 28 Sep 2004 20:19 |
Possibly, once, the best pub in the world! I spent a good part of a year in the pub; Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Mark, Fridays DJ always has a stonking set - partial to a bit of Pearl Jam and Grunge Metal as I am. Who can forget Jim the Barman, naked on a Space Hopper last year on his birthday. It has gone down hill though and needs a good refurb (remember the overspilling toilets, all adds to the charm!) - and get rid of the rudies!!! So, if the new manager is reading, close down the place for a month - give it a clean and lets get the best pub back on track! God Bless Carling and Dragonball Z rocks!
Dave - 4 Aug 2004 18:00 |
This has to be the greatest pub in the area. I go there so much all week. The staff are great. The people who go there are top quality and the music is almost always amazin (barrin when sad pop or inapropriate club music comes on...dam those rudies!). Wednesdays can be great if you like to mingle with lots of people, though monday nights is great to chill as hardly anyone goes down. And how can you miss the quiz performed by a CANADIAN!!! As i said. the greatest!
Jonathan - 3 Aug 2004 23:49 |
I�m not overly keen on the Alex, it has a rather grungy rock feel to it as is very much a student pub. It was loads better when it was the Firkin� *remembers the good ol� days*
Dan - 14 Jun 2004 16:39 |
sexy bar staff great atmosphere lots of alcohol Go there now especially if you're a student (and fit)
anonymous - 2 Apr 2004 14:32 |
I'm not local to southend but i consider this my local away from home! I'm down there at least once a week. The music is supplied by a video jukebox and apart from the odd poo pop is always stocked with great music. The drinks are cheap the staff are friendly, even the bouncers, and the upstairs on friday and saturday nights are great! I don't think i've ever seen a fight break out in there as everyone seems to get along in there. 5*
Bongo - 24 Feb 2004 22:02 |
My local! I go all the time so it must be good, if you want to do Wednesday's you gotta be there before 8.30!! Friday nights in the club upstairs play heavier music than Saturday (much better in my opinion). New Years Eve in there was excellent bring on the next one!!
Laura - 8 Jan 2004 13:41 |
It's one of the best pubs in the area. Apart from during the week, we often go for lunch on Sat and a beer to get over the hangover from the night before (great grub and comfy sofa to veg on!) Although the drinks are cheap on a Wed, I'd give it a miss cos it gets really busy with the trendies going there to get pissed and rowdy before going to whatever club is open on Wed.
PETE - 5 Dec 2003 14:30 |
great pub great music ... just go
anonymous - 30 Oct 2003 19:15 |
go wednesdays for cheap drinks, fri and sat nights for the club
coban and potter - 21 Oct 2003 14:24 |
the drinks are well expensive, everything else in brilliant though but the prices of the drink put us off goin.
francesca, tierney and katie - 6 Oct 2003 14:15 |
IT,S BY FAR THE BEST PLACE TO GET PISSED IN SOUTHEND. ITS GOT EVERYTHING A PISS HEAD WILL EVER NEED-MUSIC(LIVE AND JUKE BOX)POOL TABLES AND LOTS OF EM, BEER GARDEN, INTERNET MACHINE, FRUIT MACHINES, COMFY SOFAS,UPSTAIRS CLUB,DOWNSTAIRS PUB,FRIEDLY ATMOSPHERE,LOADS OF GOOD LOOKING PEOPLE AND OF COURSE LOADS AND LOADS OF CHEAP BOOZE!!!
FRANKIE MILLER AND NATALIE CARLIN - 5 Sep 2003 16:35 |
