please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Went in there today for the first time in a while. 4 real ale pumps on the bar. They were ALL 'off''. I walked out in disgust. How on earth has this place got a CAMRA approved rating on it's CaskFinder app?
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Now under new ownership as The Cock Inn, although the new/old name only hints at the past. The Thai food is gone and the kitchen staff that provided it can now be found providing same one stop away on the Piccadilly at the Oakwood Tavern. There is still a restaurant on the premises, but now providing more traditional British fare.
A recent refurb has swept away all the old Eastern character of the place (which I rather liked) and replaced it with a very bland generic and characterless modern look not unlike the Prince Of Wales in East Barnet and the Monken Holt in High Barnet - are ALL pubs refurbished by the same decorators these days? That said, there is plenty of space and lots of comfy chairs which makes it a pleasant enough place to spend some time - even if you don't feel much like you are in a pub. If their new website is anything to go by this place is heading down the horribly common 'Gastro-pub' route - it's all about overpriced food, and beer hardly warrant's a mention. A shame as it's only beer which would ever tempt me in there. However, there is a selection of real ales on offer and I was pleasantly surprised to Adnams Broadside on tap at a very reasonable price - a bit of a shock as ales had been very pricey in the pub's days as the Cock & Dragon.
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This place has been re-opened as the Cock Inn. Cockfosters appears to be a real ale desert, apart from this place. We found it extremely disappointing. The interior is upmarket and it obviously fancies itself more as a restaurant than a pub/bar. Most staff were intent on waiting tables, washing glasses or stocking shelves and seemed too busy to serve us. Ales were Exmoor Silver Stallion, Caledonian Autumn Red & Adnams Broadside. When we finally did get served, the Silver Stallion turned out to be a truly dreadful beer, or rather it was way past its best. The barman didn't appear to understand at first when we passed comment. In fairness, he did eventually offer to exchange it. But we needed to get to the tube station fairly quickly. So we declined the offer. Notably he did not take the beer off. So somebody else would have been served a pint of vinegar. Worst pub of the day and a poor way to finish on.
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Coming to the end of an 11 mile leg of the London loop - a pub is just what is needed. This is a very impressive building and looks just the ticket. Enter and there is a cacophony of noise.... Little kids screaming at the football. All a bit off putting. It is peeing the harassed bar staff off their work, as they loose track of who is next to be served. Took pint outside to escape the ambiance. Food looked nice.
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This is a huge pub just off Cockfosters Rd...but is this a restaurant..that’s the question?
3 ale's on tap which included 1 guest from the Flack Manor Brewery...not the best pint I've over had but it was alright and was poured fine.
Busy with most people enjoying the Thai food on offer, it was certainly popular with the food being dispatched at a rate of knots.
The restaurant part of the Pub dominates most of the area but the pub part is large enough though it does feel like a restaurant.
A good number of bar staff on and getting served was not a problem.
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Re comment below by 'Number11' "we should be grateful that there is a pub in Cockfosters selling real ale"
We are lucky there is still a pub in Cockfosters at all - I still miss the Trent Tavern - used to have a nice pint of Directors in there. Last year we lost The Jester too, although they didn't stock real ales and so didn't get my custom.
I think I'd go to the Cock & Dragon more if it wasn't so much for a pint of not that great ale.
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Very busy last night (Saturday) with all tables taken by 8.30. The majority of the clientele were tucking into some fairly tasty looking Thai food. So perhaps more of a restaurant than a pub. However, there were three real ales available - Greene King IPA, Wainwright from Thwaites, and one other. I had the Wainwrights which was OK but a bit warm. There are very few alternatives to the Cock & Dragon locally, so I supose we should be grateful that there is a pub in Cockfosters selling real ale.
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More of an eating pub than a drinking pub, especially at the back which is very restaurant-like. Having said that it's interestingly decked out and a nice place for a pint. The Thai food theme seems to have extended to some of the fixtures and fittings. They had GK and Doom Bar on but also a fantastic guest beer which I forget the name of now....
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We went there because the Thai bar food is excellent and tasty and reasonably priced. The drinks are defintiely another matter. A pint of Ale and a large glass of white wine - 20p change from a tenner ! Queried it at the bar and they said the wine was �6 something for a glass. Oh come on................extortionate !!
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I go in here occasionally for a few Pints after work if I'm working in the cockfosters area as this is now One of the best Pubs around the Oakwood & Cockfosters area. I find it Has that nice old fashion country Pub feel to it. As you go in the front door the left hand side is more the Food side but the Right hand side is more traditional Old Pub style. Although it sells good food It has not been turned into one of those horrible Gastro type Pubs and keeping it slightly separate means it is still a traditional Pub where you can go just for a few pints of excellent Quality Real Ales on tap. Which just Proves If Its done Properly a Pub can still sell food and not be ruined. I would say its well worth a visit during the weekday early evenings.
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An established Thai/Pub. Food is good value for money and the service means its a good location for a quick business lunch.
Real ale choices can be variable, sometimes its poor usually leading with a Greene King beer and not much else, other times it can be quite exceptional with Woodforde's Wherry available on draft.
The question though with many of these types of establishments is would you go there for a beer in the evening?
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Yes has become a bit pricey here. But friendly bar staff
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Much improved from how it was in the 1980's - plastic/spit & sawdust city! It has an interesting Egyption/Eastern (can't make it's mind up) them these days. Been in there several times this year, but the quality of the beer (esp Bombardier) has been disappointing. It's also bloody expensive! I don't expect to pay West End prices in a quiet North London boozer - especially if the beer isn't very good.
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Not as good as it used to be. The resturant used to do some of the best Thai food in North London but now it's no better than any other Thai/pub which is a shame as this used to be a great little local secret. I visited it last week and had the green chicken curry which was more oil than curry, a pint of Coke cost me �3.60 (Pint of Carlsberg cost �3.00!!!! since when did coke become more expensive than larger) and the bar man was more interested in eating his salad than serving customers. A few years ago i would have given this a much higher rating.
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After going on friday night and ordering two meals for my boyfreind and I. We recieved one wrong meal. Not wanting to cause a fuss, my boyfriend ate it. After eating I went to the bar and was charged �4.70 for a lemonade and Lime! I was astonished, asked the bar maid who then gave me another pound...so �3.70! Still expensive in my opinion.
Leaving at this I said nothing until the land lord came to clear our table. I queried again with him. He then went off on a rant! He was so rude. I mentioned the wrong food, and he said not to come here if i wanted a cheap night out. And also said 'I'll appologise about the weather as well' Cocky and Rude. I will not be coming there again.
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Very comfortable and well run pub. Interesting interior, pleasant garden, friendly attentive staff. A rare example of how to run a restaurant in the same building without sodding up the pub side.
Bombardier in excellent nick. Also GK IPA and a guest ale (something sweet from Davenports that night). A more interesting beer choice would merit a very high score. Nevertheless, best in the area.
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This is now One of the best Pubs around the Oakwood & Cockfosters area. It Has that nice old fashion country Pub feel to it. Although it sells good food It has not been turned into a horrible Gastro Pub it is still a traditional Pub with excellent Quality Real Ales on tap. Which just Proves If Its done Properly it can be done. Well worth a visit during the weekday evenings as It can get full at weekends.
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If I'm thinking of the right place I was in there the other day when I got fed up of waiting for a drink in Maze in Oakwood. Should have come here first. Lady manager was the perfect host. Staff were friendly if a bit chain pubish. Good beer but could be that bit colder. Good garden. Food smells nice. Used books for sale. Or am I thinking of somewhere else ?
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Went here with a mate on a Monday. Pint and Thai Green Curry. One word.. 'QUALITY' Love this place!!
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Good family pub on a Sunday afternoon after a walk in Trent Park. Staff are great - really attentive and genuinely amused by the kids (we try and make sure our kids are well behaved, but the crisps in the slot machine are probably down to us!). Beers are good and well kept. Barnetblackdog may well have a point about Saturday nights, but this place was as rough as a badger's bum back in the 80s. It's a really nice now.
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Not much local competition but nonetheless a good pub all the same. Deceptively big with a vast number of nooks and crannies in which to disappear. Can be a tad smoky in winter but a real treat in summer with a great beer garden. Staff are friendly and attentive and the bar food is competitively priced with large portions. Never eaten in the restauarnt but it looks pretty good too.
Only downside is moron content can be high on a Saturday night due to lack of suitable alternatives - I have been there on more than one occasion when loud profanity laden conversations have taken place alongside a pleasant dinner.
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Not a bad place for a relaxing drink. A well known page 3 model used to be a regular.
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Live in walking distance to the Cock & Dragon and frequently eat in the Thai restaurant which is in a separate part of the pub. The decor and the atmosphere is really nice and welcoming and the food is lovely and reasonably priced. Even if you just want a lighter bite it is nice to be in a pub that offers slightly different bar snacks than the usuals.
In the winter the comfy chairs and warm tones are really appealing on a cold night - in the summer - fab garden!
anonymous - 23 Feb 2006 16:11 |
Very nice suburban pub, nice if inconsistent Thai restaurant (food can be absolutely brilliant, but can also be very average), nice plush atmosphere, good drinks, excellent service. Terrible tragedy a couple of years ago when landlord was stabbed to death by a staffmember (somebody told me he was a Kosovan bloke who reckoned he was owed money, whether this is true or not I don't know).
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Very pleasant pub, nice large beer garden, nice restaurant, do lovely bar snacks, fairly priced drinks - would thoroughly recommend. Though the landlord was murdered by a member of staff a couple of years ago in the bar.
anonymous - 27 Aug 2005 18:36 |
Nice pub - good beers, very good bar snacks, decent Thai restaurant out the back and a very relaxing beer garden for those hazy summer evenings.
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