please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
This was a nice pub but sadly it closed on Sunday 25th October 2015. Nearest pub to Hitchin railway station is now The Albert.
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My mate and I visited Hitchin for a Christmas pub crawl, This was suppoed to be our first port of call but it was closed at 1pm on a Friday lunchtime. On our way back to the station, we revisited and this was to be our 9th pub before getting the train home, so the memory's a bit hazy. However, I do recall a nice, slightly down-at-heel local with four real ales. Sadly, it was bit quiet for a Friday evening with perhaps half a dozen other drinkers which may explain why the landlord was a bit morose. If I commuted from Hitchin, I'd be happy to pop in here on the way home from work for a quick pint. It's much better than the dreary Molly Malone's just down the road.
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If I commuted by train I would pop into this pub for a pint every night. But I don't, and I don't. There is nothing wrong with the pub at all, it is a good honest pub with decent beer, and little bit spit and sawdust but don't let that put you off. Landlord and lady are realy pleasant and will take time to stop for a chat. Never seems too busy.
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I've been meaning to visit the Nightingale for a while, and have finally made it. The beer was good (good choice of real ales; the landlord seems to take the beer seriously) and the atmosphere seemed friendly enough. I wasn't that keen on the music and fruit machines inside, but they may appeal to some. Outside there is a quiet patio and, not being too busy, it was quite peaceful sitting next to a small pond with a fountain. I imagine it would get quite smoky outside if busy, and there didn't appear to be much cover if it rained. As superseagulls said, a good option if you want a drink while waiting for a train. Also decent if you want to play some pool or watch some sport. I'd be happy to include it on a pub crawl especially if the plan was to visit a sequence of pubs between the station and the town centre.
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"Chavs" in the Nightingale? Pretty rare event that ... sorry, you came at a bad time :(
(I'm in the 'gale 2 or 3 times a week... we don't generally have many "chavs" about.)
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Good beer choices but theres something about this pub which doesnt quite feel right, the music was far too loud and there was a load of chavs playing pool and swearing which let the pub down. worth a visit if your stuck at Hitchin station but wouldnt go out of my way to visit.
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I've been in a few times to meet friends coming into town by train. Always local ale on and the patio out back is worth a look. Its friendly and relaxing but a bit quiet but then I usually go early evening.
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Further to my previous comment about their real ales, today they had five ales from the Tring Brewery on handpumps. What a dilemma !!!
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Another visit and again great range of local real ales. This place seems to be overlooked and its a mistake as its very welcoming and great beer. Im very much warming to this place. Solid 8/10
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First stop on my mini crawl through Hitchin. This pub is situated in what looks to be a slightly run down area of town, right near the train station. 5 ales were on, 2 from Nethergate and 3 from Tring. My pint was in very good condition. Seems to have a good community feel to the place, a proper old fashioned locals boozer. A solid 7/10.
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Landlord is trying hard here, with a good range of beers and the locals seem to like it. 2 pool tables and dart board to attract the punters, but get in the way for me. The beers are well kept and is a nice enough place if you are on the way to town from the train station for a couple of pints.
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Made my first visit last month and its not somewhere i would take the wife but for a cheeky couple with a pal it made for a good couple of hours. Landlady was very welcoming and seemed to know her ales. Good range of local ales. Hard to rate this pub, for the ales its great but something about the place that just didnt do it for me.
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Fairly basic pub, but you cannot knock it for its ales. Went in on the way to the footie today and they had six real ales on plus a decent cider. fair enough.
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Popped in here the other night for a couple. Ok place with obvious die-hard regulars in attendance. My friend tried out the real ale and states they were fine and my amber nectar was good.
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Since moving to Hitchin a little over a week ago The Nightingale is taking the role of our preferred local.
We've been in about every second night over 10 days and can say that the usual crowd is a small bunch of locals, some seem to be permanent fixtures, and none appear to be anywhere near 16! (I have no idea what the previous reviewer was on about.) The regulars and landlords are friendly, and the pub has a relaxing and accepting atmosphere.
The big pluses for this pub are:
* 5 hand pumps with real ales. Apparently they change regularly, but at the moment from Tring: Colley's Dog, Side Pocket for a Toad, Wild Boy Pete (May monthly); and from Nethergate: Umbel Ale (Corriander Porter, mmm), and Greedy Pike. They also have a Westons scrumpy.
* Superb patio area out the back with a BBQ and a pond. (The area is large enough that us non-smokers can usually find a corner upwind of the smokers.)
Other notes:
* There's also a dart board, a pool table, and plenty of seating inside, including some sofas.
* As reported previously, the mens' toilets are a little rough (but I've seen far worse throughout London.)
* The Nightingale tends to be rather quiet. Clearly a lot of effort has been put in with the new outdoor area and excellent beers. I really hope to see the place getting busier!
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For ounce I agree with the pieeater, this pub is so stuck in the 70's, Its not nice, Very much a locals pub, locals that are 16. Could be a gold mine! More welcomming across the road in McDonalds, and thats saying something!
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Not been here for awhile, what a tranformation. Good real ale, friendly people, nice atmosphere. No sky unfortunatley but able to watch the rugby on a big screen, with other tv's around the pub. Fantastic new patio, covers the whole of the back of the pub, with covered area to stop those ciggies getting wet, water feature with real fish and a BBQ for those hot summer days (Global warming! bring it on). Spoke to the landlady about the toilets and she informed me they are due to be refurbed over the next few months.
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In need of a reburb big time.
Frequented by down to earth locals.
Missing a trick big time as it's right next to the train station but usually pretty empty. It advertises sky outside, but when you go in there is none, which was annoying!
Some decent beers and pretty friendly.
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A pub with something of an identity issue? Lounge area with sofas to the left of the bar contrasting with dartboard area out the back. Four handpumps incl Nethergate Old Growler (5% porter) & N'gate Azzarat were a positive aspect but I was unfortunate enough to visit the loo while I was there and the filthy condition did not reflect an attitude of care toward the pub or its customers.
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No Sky now, but extraordinary transformation into real ale giant - 4 Nethergate beers (Mild excellent). Not sure there's a lot apart from beer to keep you here tho'
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Used to go up here every Saturday as when it had 3 pool tables you could always be sure of getting a game. Only 2 pool tables now but still a great pub to start off an afternoon before heading into town.
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First visit in many years, still a good locals pub and a great place to watch Sky, but amazingly now with
4 real ales (Nethergate especially good) - a real find in Hitchin
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A great locals type pub, with a big TV, darts, and pool. There is usually 4 real ales on including strong ones (Wychwood Hobgoblin, Nethergates Old Bob), and on Wednesday night they were all great.
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Used to struggle a bit with the type of crowd it was trying to attract but from what people have told me and what I have seen the landlord has put blood, sweat and tears in to turning this place around. A good pint of ale at attractive prices compaired to the rest of town but a bit off the main drag.
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