please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
have so much different beer
i tried two and very good
we go back some time soon
sorry my englishes i do learn more-((Mówię po polsku))
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The last pub of 4 I visited on my recent trip to Dartford.
My visit was slightly rushed due to the time of the last train but it's a comfortable, homely Young's pub with plenty of charm
4 pumps dispensing Young's fair, the London Gold myself and my 2 companions had was excellent.
I cam in at around 10.45pm and the pub was busy, I will return for a proper visit in the not too distant future.
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Not in long enough to get a full flavour of the place but long enough to spot the idiot smoking a cig inside disgused as a electronic cig. Lazy blighter was 6 ft away from the door!
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Best Pub in Dartford. Beer always in excellent condition. Great atmosphere, good food & Neil is a very good Landlord. Will be going to Fish night towards the end of the Month, can't wait. Keep up the good work Neil & Anne.
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Lovely litte proper pub.
Youngs is top dog! Tribute is well up to standard too.
Food is very tasty and servered to perfection!
Neil and Anne are doing a great job!
Well worth a visit!!
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VISITED RECENTLY AND WAS VERY IMPRESSED, BEST DESCRIBED AS A PROPER REAL ALE DRINKERS PUB, NOT TO NOISY OR MODERN JUST RIGHT. THE BARMAN WAS A VERY HELPFUL YOUNG MAN WHO HAPPILY ANSWERED MY QUESTIONS ON WHICH PINT TO HAVE AND I WAS NOT DISSAPOINTED! SHALL VISIT AGAIN SOON! WELL DONE MALT SHOVEL AT LAST DARTFORD HAS A DECENT PUB!
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Wonderful, well-run Young's pub just far enough away from the centre of Dartford. We go for the quiz on Mondays and there's an excellent outside area and a super conservatory making it comfortable and spacious. Young's bitter, Special and Winter warmer (superb) as well St Austell Tribute all lovely. Never had the meals but I can vouch for the peanuts. Simplicity itself.
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went to the fish night a couple of Fridays ago and was most impressed by the freshness and quality of the food, three hand pumps on the bar youngs special, st austell tribute and another i cant recall, I tried all three and all were in top notch condition, the land lord was very friendly and even remembered my name from when I'd booked earlier my phone, the restaurant part was very busy, an indication at the quality of the food, and there was a pleasant Friday night local type atmosphere, and I will certainly recomend this place to friends and family
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A good historical and well-kept pub which stands out like a beacon of hope against the other poorer pubs in the area.
The staff and landlord have always been very personable and friendly; you get the impression that they enjoy running a pub and part of that rubs off on you. The inside is very traditional and in keeping with the history of the building with pictures and ornaments everywhere.
The food has a good reputation and the beer is of a good quality. The atmosphere is very good and people really seem to genuinely enjoy themselves there - very much a pub where you can take a group of friends and have a conversation.
Overall, if you're looking for plasma screen sky sports football and a loud jukebox, this pub isn't for you but it's of a very high quality and somewhere where you could quite happily spend a whole evening out .
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Having moved to the area a few months ago, I would say that The Malt Shovel is one of the better pubs in Dartford. My wife and I had a Sunday Roast there last weekend and I couldn't fault the food at all. The meat was perfectly cooked and the rest of the food had a home cooked quality that you rarely find these days. With a decent selection of beers to wash it down with, it's definitely somewhere we will be returning to. My only (very minor) gripe is the lack of variety. If you don't fancy a Roast, then there's nothing else to choose from.
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I've been going to the Malt for 20 years. Since Bill and Val left they have been through tenants who brought the standard of food and beer down. The last bloke was the worst. I really hope the latest tenants can make it work. The Malt is a great traditional pub. They need to make sure they know how to pull a decent pint of 'ordinary' and they need to keep it well, something previous owners did not. I have had one lunch time meal which was fine and good value pub grub. A really hope Youngs have got it right this time.
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I'm becoming a bit of a regular here now. Its an excellent liitle pub (see my review below) Just make sure you watch out for the barmaids who can't pour Guinness!
HTM69 - 15 Aug 2007 13:39 |
The Malt Shovel Pub was one of the pubs that is close to where I live, so I was a regular drinker/eater there until Steve left, after which the pub deteriorated and lots of the locals left.
Jamie who is the landlord there now took over in 2006, and I am glad to report that the Stella is now drinkable. The food is excellent, always fresh and plentiful. The staff are welcoming and the whole place is inviting, well worth a visit on a Sunday the roast is really good although they don�t take bookings. Also they do a fish night on Fridays with Sea Bass, Skate and Cod amongst the usual menu.
Well done Jamie and staff, we need these local pubs, they are part of the community.
anonymous - 27 Jul 2007 12:19 |
An excellent pub, the new landlord has done a great job restoring the pubs reputation and excellent food.
Regular music sessions and quiz nights . Beer allways good typical prices for the area (ie not Cheap)but good atmosphere and very friendly (even if he is Scottish)
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It seems that some posters on this site are obsessed by the allegedly high prices charged in Young's pubs. Like Pigpen, I am a great fan of Young's (yes, even since the move to Bedford) and drink in many of their establishments. I can't say I've ever found their prices markedly different from the norm in London and the Southeast. I was charged �2.90 for (very ordinary) Harvey's in Sussex the other week; I can drink excellent Goacher's for �2.00 if I go to the right place. Young's are normally somewhere between the two.
I like The Malt Shovel very much, especially the little front public bar - but I haven't been there for some time, so my information may be out of date.
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Another Youngs pub, set way off the main Dartford drag. Which works both to it's advantage and disadvantage. If spoons pubs set the lowest of expectations for the pub going populace, then Youngs are near the very top; Well kept beers, clean, good atmosphere and largely no tossers. The only downside i have with youngs pubs is the price. BUt than again, if we all wanted cheap beer and food, the world woulf be full of spoon's pubs. So it's probably for the best.
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Tucked away along a secluded side street up East Hill, It�s a surprise I even noticed this pub. The bar area is very small, but cosy and this leads through to a conservatory which acts as a dining area. There�s quite a splendid beer garden at the back, which makes this pub ideal for a drink in those warm summer evenings. The overall atmosphere and feel of the pub was pleasant and the staff seemed friendly enough. The only real gripe I have with this watering hole is with the prices, �2.80 is a little steep for a pint of Fosters I think. Overall though, recommended.
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The Malt Shovel is certainly one of the best of Dartfords numerous pubs. Situated half way up East Hill overlooking the park, the core building is probably about 250 years old but has been extended and modernised without detracting from its old farmhouse style appearance. The small front bar is probably the quaintest drinking spot in Dartford with its low ceiling, old pictures and basic furnishings. The newish plasma screen is the only real concession to the modern age but is so small that it is hardly noticeable. The totally separate main bar is larger and more spacious but is just as comfortable and civilized with various prints and nick-nacks on the walls. Beyond this, situated in a modern glass conservatory, is a dining room / restaurant and this in turn leads to an attractive 3 tiered beer patio, a real sun trap when circumstances allow. The building of a new bus route road just behind the pub will hopefully not detract from this tranquil spot. I have never had any problem with the beers � usual range of Young�s on offer. The pub is aimed at the mature sensible drinker / diner and is generally off limits to the moronic element that can be found patronizing the newer pubs in the town centre, a short walk down the hill. Well worth a visit if in the area.
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Nice pub the best in Dartford...
If you want a quiet drink with youre mate girlfriend / wife etc this is the place to come.
I must admit Steve was a good landlord shame he has gone. Pub still good though food is good and they have a nice 3 teir beer garden in back. small car park so u might not get parked be warned.
No chavs and even andy Fordham has been seen in their he now runs the Rose in dartford.
All in all, Great Pub for a quiet Beer.
Cheers enjoy
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The old guv'nor, Steve, has moved on to the Papermakers in Hawley.
Within days the beer was shite (mid-Jan 2005).
I called the Youngs brewery rep for the pub who was surprised, to say the least.
Went back a few weeks ago - the beer was just as bad and the clientele has gone down with it.
Approach with caution.
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One of the few pubs that still has a public bar. Excellent Youngs beers, enormous portions of rib-sticking grub, no music, machines etc in the public.
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A tiny old Victorian hostelry, with petite wooden benches and a collection of weird and wonderful props hanging from the ceiling, this pub is outside the town centre of Dartford and tends not to attract any dodgy 15 year-olds. Its clientele tends to be quite older, and the conservatory/dining area, with reasonable food, appeals also to families.
Simon Harries - 20 Feb 2004 12:02 |
