please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Much improved Greene King pub, with even the gents now presentable. Ever reliable Ron remains behind the bar daytimes.
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Again, to echo the others, not very impressed. One chap behind the bar intent on chatting to customers at the other end about seemingly sod all. A pint of the house beer was actually pretty OK once I got it, then I went to sit outside in the alleyway. Knuckle draggers at the far end couldn't hold a civilised conversation without screeching and shouting. My mate turned up five minutes later and faced the same problem. Asked for a taster, given it, then the barman buzzed off to serve some food and failed to return. I doubt that either of us would return.
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Pub serves off beer and will.not allow you to change it!
Not impressed...
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I had a terrible experience at this pub. I was in a band playing there and after our first set the land lady told us to pack up and leave and we didn't get paid. We didn't get a reason from her just a load of lies shouted at us. Any bands reading this considering booking a gig at the druids arms please make sure you get your agreement in writing.
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This is our favourite pub when we visit maidstone. Its warm and inviting and the staff have always been very friendly. no complaints about the food we had the sharing platter on our last visit and it was lovely,loads for 2 of us. it was really nice over christmas to have a different range of drinks like mulled wine. we settled in a little nook here one saturday afternoon and found it very hard to leave.
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I used to love this pub the beer was excellent and the bar clean with polite helpful staff. I have used it for six years. Last visited 2/12/11 summary: Toilets leaking, bar dripping with beer,drip trays full,bar flies plenty,beer substandard,service poor.
Last time I ever use it.
Its no joke to tread urine soaked shoes onto the wife's carpet.
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Awful, dreadful place with very poor service and food that I would not feed to my dog. Ordered food was over cooked to the point of being burnt and waitress just shrugged when we complained. Was refused any kind of refunds and the Manager was nowhere to be seen, refusing to discuss our complaint.
Be warmed - do not visit this establishment. We have reported them to Trading Standards. DECEMBER 2010
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Food has improved somewhat but there is still a lack of chips with every meal. The new member of staff was polite, chatty and very helpful. Toilets still smell. I wish they would fill the glass when ordering a Coke.
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Quite an interesting building, both inside and out, although some of the rustic 'old' wood may only date back to the days when this was (one of) the first Hogshead brand of pubs. However, features such as the main fireplace certainly add to the historic feel of the place. It did get rather rough at one stage, but the atmosphere has certainly improved again in recent years. Six handpumps offering four beers from the Greene King range plus a couple of guest ales. Reasonably priced food and beer (e.g. a decent pint of IPA at �2.55). Outside seating available in the courtyard side entrance.
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Visited this week. The pub seemed to be busy with a turnover of customers of varied ages and gender. The choice of ales was not bad Thwaites Wainwrights, Brains' Rev James (which was good), Abbot, Greene King IPA and Speckled Hen.
I didn't notice any smell but we were a distance from the toilets. The place was clean. The food was ok but there was a mix up over the order which the barmaid apologised for.
Would definately return.
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Relaxing place for a drink but the food is pretty bad, especially if you are vegetarian. Everything is over cooked. Toilets usually stink and the smell seeps into the pub. Games machine is very addictive. Only one good member of staff (Dave), the rest aren't very personable.
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An enjoyable evening watching the Punkaholix. The toilets have improved recently (well the ladies) so there was no major smell. However the beer quality was poor and beers and lagers were served with giant heads, very short measures. The next day, the Sunday lunch for Mothers day was lovely. I decided to stick to coke!
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Good pub. Friendly bar staff and good beer. High class clientele
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Stopped off for a bit of dutch courage before setting about my Christmas shopping, and found it a very pleasant place at that time of day for quick pint or two. Plenty of lunch trade (though i wasn't eating), but quick and efficient service and very drinkable G.K. beers, including a souped up version of Abbot at 6.5% (I can't remember what it was called - Abbot Reserve, I think). Relaxed, comfortable atmosphere - all in all, a pleasant surprise.
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this is a good relaxed pub with plenty of choice ales..you get a good mix of people in here from young student types to shoppers and local characters..food very good and has proper pub feel and chave free which is good...yeah toilets need sorting but over all a good boozer.some times has bands as does pub nxt door earls
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The pub is OK, busy with a firly good atmosphere but i wont go in again becuase the mens toilet stinks, it is awful and apparently according to regulars is always like that.
Why doesn't the landlord do something about it.
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The surly bar staff were only overshadowed by the stench emanating from the gents - truely awful
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not a massive fan of this pub, possibly due to loyalties to the "Earls" next door as a long time regular and former chef there. i find the druids too typical of a brewery affiliated pub, and often find too many hippie/grunger types with long unwashed hair in their for my liking. my advice, go next door to earls for a good pint in a proper drinkers boozer. if you stay in the druids, mind the leaky ceiling, itl get you sooner or later!!
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One of the only town center pubs that serve drinkable cask ale. Last time I went in there was a selection of 3 available (the names escape me, all unusual though). They were very drinkable as well. Gets very busy on Saturday nights (they have a band on).
Sharp - 11 Jul 2007 21:52 |
In a good location for people watching and lacking in pretence. A few to many mass produced lagers for my tastes, nevertheless a good atmos, and you could do a lot worse in Maidstone town centre. A tweak in the quanity and quality of ales on offer and this could be an excellent little boozer...
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This pub is a known quantity to me as one of the better pubs in Maidstone, which I have been very glad to use in the past - I was therefore disappointed to discover only two handpumps of 6 on this Sunday afternoon, and of those, one obviously at the bottom of the barrel and not in drinkable condition. When confronted with this and the apparent indifference of the bar staff, I left. I'll put this experience down as a one off and possibly awaiting a delivery...but room for improvement, I'm afraid.
anonymous - 20 May 2007 22:17 |
Today I walked in at about 1.10pm. Quite busy, but found myself a table easily and asked the barman what he recommends for some food. He said the Burger with Bacon and Cheese was very good, so I took his advice. Found a newspaper so all seems to be going well.
1.35pm Asked another staff member how long the food would take and he said it wouldn't be long.
1.50pm. I have been overlooked and totally forgot by them. The order had not reached upstairs. I enquire how long the food will be, and he states another 5 mins. I can't be late back for work so I politely ask for a refund and an address to complain to. His exact words were "It's not our fault - can't you see it's busy?" Short of creating a scene and dragging that fool over the bar at his complete incompetence, he reluctantly gave me back my money and I walked out. He refused to give me an address to complain to, he refused to say sorry. He made ME feel bad for being forgotten.
Nice pub, although don't bother with the food if you want it within your lunch break, and don't believe others users comments about the nice staff. There's at least one bad apple that works there, who needs a crash course in customer service.
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One of the better pubs in the town. One of the few placed where Heineken is available and for the more discerning customer the range of drinks availble is quite large. The beer garden is quite unique in that it looks more like a converted courtyard but the overhead heaters are a right touch! Excellent range of fruitys which pay out quite frequently.
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One of the better pubs in Maidstone but quite expensive. A menu of ales but they are never on when I go in there. Lovely pint of Heineken is available. Busy at the weekend - very friendly customers and bar staff. Great atmosphere in the courtyard beer garden, with a heater for the winter.
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The only place worth bothering with in Maidstone town centre. It has a decent range of beer and a pleasant lay out.
I'd also recommend the weekly quiz night which was a good laugh, only slightly marred by the blatant cheating of the eventual winners. Or runners-up, I can't quite remember. Teenage cheaters take heed: If you're going to call your parents on your mobile for every other question then you should at least have the decency to go to the toilets and do it subtly. The injustice of it all is still gnawing away at me...
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Pleasant woody sort of pub with the feel of an old Hogshead. Casual, slightly edgy atmosphere. Popular with students. Beer in decent condition.
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superb place, a great stop for a pint or 4 on the walk home from the station after work (and the best place to completely waste a saturday afternoon). excellent beer, some of the best stored and served real ale around, and as Alan says it's a good rotation. Friendly staff who actually take an interest in their customers! definitely recommended.
Duncan - 14 Jul 2004 09:01 |
The landlord definitely knows his trade, the beer is kept in fine condition, and he continually rotates stock to keep regulars very happy!! He even stocks real cider!!!
Though the beer is more expensive than the local Wetherspoons there is music, good alternative, not Pop,good curries, and there are lots of little cubbyholes where groups can get together..there is also a small outdoor beergarden, definitely the place for those wanting to dodge the alcopop crowd!!
Alan - 2 Dec 2003 22:07 |
Apart from a few years as the Uk's first Hog's Head, the Druid's has been on this site for a loooong time. About the only place in Maidstone's increasingly pitiful town centre that one can get a decent pint (of real ale).
Ian Owers - 24 Oct 2003 12:46 |
