The Engineer, Primrose Hill

"Do you have a reservation?"; this from a snappy French / Belgian female. This must also be the mission statement of this establishment as it was the standard response to everyone who walked through the door. I could have understood this if the place was busy. It wasn't.
It's an eating establishment passing itself off as a pub so beware.
The service is snappy [meaning that the staff snap] but it's quick too. Our waitress would have had the plate away from me had I not wrest it from her!
Little food - lot of money!

20 Sep 2008 18:45

The King William IV, Hampstead

YIPPEE! finaly, the re-furb has happened. Unlike anonymous I was not horrified by the way the Willy turned out and I would suggest to her that if she doesn't like it, remember these few things. 1. It is a gay pub and some of us may not like the placwe filled with females. 2. Maybe it was dirty and smelly befor because it was littered with fameles and their husbands....

19 Sep 2006 15:37

The King William IV, Hampstead

By all accounts the pub will be closing for a refurbishment some time in August. Not before time either! From what I hear it will still be a gay pub but without the dust & dirt but with working lights!

26 Jul 2006 16:48

Henry's Cafe Bar, Covent Garden

Went in just after opening time and interupted a vital conversation between two members of staff [we were the first customers] enquired as to wheather they were open [then tried in Italian & Spanish] were told that they were and were shown to a table.....and prompltly left alone [never asked if we wanted drinks].
There were no menus on the tables and we wanted to eat.
Both the staff had now gone missing [we should have robbed the till].
Saw a member of staff in kitchen [off] whites coming up the stairs and asked him for a menu and waiter / waitress. One arrived without the other.
"Hi, how can I help you?"
Not at all is the answer to that one.
Sadly, Henry's Cafe Bars seem to be like shit in a field; everywhere! [another one on St Martins Lane, just as bad].
Another Spirit brand I won't be giving my money to again.

3 Jun 2005 01:46

The Green Man, Great Portland Street

Oh dear...This was, until recently, such a good pub. It is nolonger a pub but a large room filled with people clutching money & waiting to be served [ergo, it could pass for Tesco except the colour scheme is different].
As is typical of all pubs in the Spirit Group, the business has been screwed so completly that they now have no money to spend on the essentials, such as staff [either in sufficient numbers to be able to deal with the customers or of a quality to be able to deal with them in a manner which at the prices charged they deserve].
What was once my local is now the place I avoid like the plague.
The food is the "standard" pub pap ie. "Bookers / Brake Bros. / Wincanton" processesed fodder. The beers / "Ales"... if the ale includes in its name a part of the anatomy or a bodily function then you know that it contravines the trade descriptions act only in as much as it is being passed off as "Ale".
25 different wines? if its country of origin reads like a line on the eye test chart, give it a miss.
Karen Jones? Vinny Jones has more idea or running pubs.

30 Mar 2005 10:17