please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Large rather characterless McMullens in the city centre. Two bitters on offer. Friendly bar staff. Not unpleasant but fairly unmemorable. I expect it gets busier in the evening with a younger crowd.
|
High prices, dubious decor, focus is on food and cold lagers and not real ale (ok, I appreciate not everyone is into real ale!). Plenty of better establishments within the City. Toilets regularly flooded (both ladies and gents). Waiting staff appear to become forgetful when there's more than a handful of people in there, require constant prompting for things like cutlery, salt etc. Handy central location though.
|
Popped in here with my family whilst waitng for my daughter and partner and enjoyed two pints of McMullens. Didn't eat much myself but I shared a bowl of nachos with the others.From what I saw being delivered to other tables the food looked and smelt very nice. The service was attentive and we didn't have to wait long for the nachos. Overall I liked the place and as it was a nice day we sat outside but inside was nice and welcoming. Will visit this place when I am next in the area (end of Sept visiting the St Albans beer festival)..
|
�8.80 for two pints! I honestly don't care what the quality of the beer, service, decor or anything else is - I find the prices totally unjustifiable! Luckily I don't live in the area.
Oh, and as well as the prices, the Gent's toilets were out of order!
|
More restaurant than pub despite being clearly owned by McMullens. Ale is on steel so too cold but still one of the few places I can get McMullens regularly in SW Herts. Food is excellent but generally a pricey place. Decor makes it look like an old wine bar. I like it but certainly not 1st place I go to St Albans.
|
This place is close to where i live but not my thing. The place is clean, great toilets and plenty of staff serving but it has no soul. The food is very average and the drinks prices are painfully high! The garden is good on a summer's day - worth a 5 on it's own.
|
A carnival of grotesque punters, chippy food and staff, not much of an ale choice either, could be good and could be better...Avoid!
|
Pub no 20
Ok pub
Poor beer
Poor service
3/10 (not recommended)
Getting tired of trying new substandard pub in St Albans so will now stick with the lower Red, Blacksmiths & Six Bells.
|
St albans, with the highest number of pubs per capita, votes this as pub of the year 2011. Interesting choice. Worlds slowest jazz band on when i went on a weds night, but at least there was live music.
|
I recently ate at this place oh my the food is awfull i was told by the former head chef none of the food is fresh and is all made 3 days in advance so they can just reheat in the microwave i believe all the baroosh pubs do this the old fighting cocks seems to be the only place that cooks from fresh id go there much better value for money and all food is fresh. Also the chefs in the peahen are not even qualified avoid this place
|
Okay, spacious and clean, soul-free with floor and decor like an MFI show kitchen. Nothing particularly decent or unusual drink. When I went, it was a beautiful sunny day and the paved yard was busy and pleasant. I'm not sure I would be so well disposed towards this place with a wet sou'wester wedged against the bar by trendies.
|
Vile city centre 'pub', popular with moneyed professionals who are keen to eliminate any possibility of rubbing shoulders with the poor. Ideal venue for discussing cosmetic dentistry, house prices, private healthcare, organic sushi, George Osbourne's dress sense, boutique camping at Glasto, capital punishment, sterilisation of the unemployed, etc. Spotlessly clean.
|
Really enjoy this pub. Food is great, really good service, polite and helpful. They were quick even when busy and when I was served something that had an ingredient in I was allergic to they didn't charge me for it. Nice decor, clean, good choices of both food and drink.
|
Nice atmossphere here last night....bar service could be a bit fairer though.
|
Is it me or do they consistently give short beer measures in this pub. I have mentioned it to the staff a few times as I still like the place but every time my pint seems to be significantly short. The staff have been give the training on how a pint should be 95% liquid an 5% head but in the glasses they use if your are getting a few drinks by the time the last drink is pored, the first looks like someone has been supping it already.
I do like the pub and I have been going there many years but this just looks a bit pathetic and tight.
|
A man here last night, 30ish, dark hair, on crutches..phoar!
|
I was here on sat night. Quite like this place.
|
nice pub. food pretty good. Busy on weekends and can take a while to get served.
|
Large Corner pub with a commanding position on the London Road traffic light junction in the middle of St Albans. It�s a McMullens house which has undergone one of the modern wood d�cor makeovers which many McMullen pubs have fallen foul of. But this one works better than most with plenty of seating areas either end of a large standing area in front of the main bar. Quite lively on the early Friday evening of my visit, two McMullen ales on which were perfectly fine, and no problems encountered with service as there several uniformed bar staff in action. There was also door staff in operation checking ages, I think for over 21, but as it is a long time since that sort of thing affected me cannot confirm exactly.
Found it a decent enough place to meet up and have a few beers before moving on, but not enough character or soul to motivate me to spend an entire evening here.
|
Distinctly average, getting served is hard, beer isn't the best, there's a lot better nearby
|
On the positive side
- Good location
-Nice comfy chairs and beer garden too
-No riff raff (mainly)
On the negative side
- Staff who ALWAYS ask if you'd like to look at the menu. NO! What's wrong with just having a few pints with your mates?
-Some of the bar staff ie the new guy in his 30s and the bloke with glasses
- waitresses who talk/whisper in Polish (or whatever)
|
I had a lager here the other day. Sat by the window and watched and endulged in people-watching.
|
The bar staff are not exactly rocket scientists, so if you're in a group and there's one of you that you're not sure will "fit in", then your best advice is to keep on walking. There are plenty of better pubs nearby.
|
The bar staff are not exactly rocket scientists, so if you're in a group and there's one of you that you're not sure will "fit in", then your best advice is to keep on walking. There are plenty of nicer pubs nearby.
|
Really comes into it's own in the summer as the garden is a well appointed sun trap. It's heaving on Friday and Saturday nights which I would give a wide berth but the rest of the time the food and drink are good and the service is excellent.
|
snooty and overpriced without a good choice of ales, indifferent.
|
ive been at the peahen many times, its a great place although alot of major faults
1-all the polish girls will talk polish to each other on the floor infront of customers
2-the manager stands at the end of the bar drinking himself silly and throwing abuse at the the staff(this is whn he is not in uniform so why has he got the right to tell them off if he is not working)
3-they train thier staff too much to ask us would we like more of this more of that more more more, we just want to relax not have the waitress/waiters annoy us!!!
from all this it is a nice pub but this makes it not the favorite of the bunch in st albans
|
Came here to meet friends on Thursday night, quite quiet inside but then the courtyard out the back was busy. Nice big tables, outdoor heating lamps & a good vibe!
(Watch out for chairs falling apart though - one leg of my seat gave way from the frame & I realised just in time!!)
Staff quick & efficient.
|
Nice bar, very trendy if a bit on the expensive side. No smoking throughout which is great, excellent beer garden, decent food. Busy place in the evening, no riff raff!
|
Had a good meal with wine in here the other week, but there was a bit of "hard selling" by the barstaff which I could have done without: "Anything else? Coffee? More wine? Another dessert? More coffee?" etc etc etc. Oh well. This is one of the posher places in St Albans, and an amusing contrast to the dreaded Vintry over the road.
|
My partner and I were in here on Saturday (14th Oct) night for one drink and all I can say is, wow, what an improvement. The greatest thing about this place is that this bar is a non smoking one, what a treat!
|
Went there with some friends for Sunday lunch. Lovely beer garden, and some of the food is good. HOWEVER- unless our complaints were listened to then don't fork out over 8 quid for one of their sunday roasts. Small portions, poor quality veg, and generally not worth the (extortionate) price. The veggie roast option consisted of a sunday roast without the roast and extra soggy carrots. Their cheese platter should also be avoided, unless a lump of processed cheddar and some celery seems a good use of a fiver to you...
|
Very much improved since it's refurb - we've been a couple of times on Tuesdays when they have a jazz and tapas night - it is in serious danger of becoming a bit of a fixture in diaries!!
They serve a good selection of interesting beers - focusing more on european types rather than real ale - which is fair enough as there are plenty of real ale pubs in town! The wine selection is varied and good value. The staff are friendly and helpful
|
This used to be a towny bingers pub but since the refurb is a much classier place. Food is v good and they're clearly trying to distance themselves from their former reputation. Think of it less as expensive pub grub and more as a good value restaurant - �7.95 for a main course doesn't sound so bad does it?
....next for a change, The Vintry?
|
Wow, this place has changed a bit since my last visit. Still a McMullens house but they have gone big time for the gastro pub experience. Structurally it is still the same but there is now more wood in the furnishings than you�d find in a small rain forest. With it all being fairly new it has the feel of an Ikea showroom about it. Two cask beer pumps remain one with McMullens County and the other possibly a guest. Whilst you can get a beer at the bar the intention is quite clearly that you avail yourself of the �full table service�, something I find unnecessary in a pub. Non smoking throughout. Prices don�t look cheap with the Sunday roast at �7.95 but it is a decent place and I suspect they will get plenty of custom.
|
Advice. If you are over 21 years of age - avoid this pub. Nothing against school leavers, but their criteria for a night out differs very much to the rest of us. Don't get me wrong, if was 18 I'd be as happy as a pig in poo in this pub.
God, I'm getting old!
|
recently this place had a complete change in its staff, a much younger crowd than it used to be but not too young (about 21-25) nice bouncers and staff, never had any problems in there, the drinks selection is slowly increasing aswell, but it does seem to be getting busier everytime i visit
|
This placed is wicked!! Went on a Saturday night and it's the best pub/bar in st.albans. Great atmosphere and good selection of drinks (on champers at one point!!)The DJ knows how to get the party started (cute guy) and keeps the place jumping til midnight. SHOULD BE OPEN LATER! Quality night
Vicky, Becky & Sam - 6 Oct 2004 12:42 |
Like it, can get busy but music on, bouncers always very friendly as are staff
Dave - 11 Mar 2004 20:17 |
Pricey but classy over 21's pub with good selection of drinks, and friendly ambience. Age limits mean it doesn't get rammed with teenage peanuts suffering from identity crisies. DJ's certainly know how to fill a dance floor on a Thursday or Saturday night.
Cornelius - 24 Jan 2004 19:56 |
