BITE user comments - JonnyConsumer
Comments by JonnyConsumer
I concur with some of the reviews that refer to poor service, presumably the staff haven’t changed over the last few years.
I can’t rate the beer or food at this pub because it has the inglorious honour of being the first I have ever walked out of in disgust before even taking a seat, the reasons for which I will keep to myself.
But as a veteran of the pub experience I would like to think that staff would have a robust understanding of licencing laws, regardless of how rude and uneducated they choose to be.
This venue is damaging the Fullers name, I suggest it be divested.
22 Jan 2015 15:56
The Kings Arms, Liverpool Street
Nice bar, nothing flash but clean and warm with plenty of tables.
My visit was late Dec 2014.
Service was slow as the pub was busy and there was just a skeleton staff.
Southwold lager was a good pint but at £4.8 it was rather expensive.
Pub has both Sky and BT. 5 ales but not all available.
The 'Beig Ben' Burger was ok but nothing special.
29 Dec 2014 09:15
The Famous 3 Kings (F3K), West Kensington
I had a wonderful day here watching football and rugby.
The venue is large enough to cater for numerous sporting events at any one time and it was great to find a place with Brains Dark on tap.
A great place if you like live sport.
21 Jun 2013 12:21
In a town with its fair share of dodgy pubs, this small boutique venue is a real gem.
It has at least 4 local ales in barrels at each end of the bar, a warm open fire, and a delightfully oversized poodle that looks like an old mop.
It is just down the road from the station so makes for a nice ‘waiting room’.
26 Mar 2013 16:26
You get the impression that a pub which once enjoyed a great reputation has been resting on its laurels resulting in it becoming somewhat shabby.
As has already been noted, the beer quality varies greatly and what really annoys me is that it is simply too warm.
The casks are subject to far too much ambient heat and the beer quality suffers as a result.
I have been there on a number of occasions and it is starting to look and feel a bit run down.
There is an unpleasant smell of stale ale and dirty feet that could be cleared away with the carpet and a damn good clean.
It is always stuffy and can get noisy so is not a place to relax.
If you took away the ale selection you wouldn’t give it any more than 2/10.
26 Feb 2013 13:22
If you like strong specialist beers then this is the place for you.
The range of beers on offer is excellent, albeit but not surprisingly, expensive.
It is worth checking their on line blog to see what beers are on offer. Many of them change daily and more often than not, the beer you enjoyed today will not be there tomorrow.
The venue is cute but only when sparsely populated. Get a crowd and the place becomes a bit of a challenge.
Getting served can also be a challenge. Whilst I have every sympathy for the staff in such a tight space, the professionalism and attitude of a selected few is not what you expect from a boutique bar.
On more than one occasion I have witnessed the Friday evening staff being downright rude and I have seen people walk out and head to the charming Doric Arc ‘Fullers’ pub
If I wasn’t for the great range of beers on offer you would give this place a miss on the basis of the staff alone.
4 Feb 2013 12:53
Loughborough has many pubs, some closed, some open that should be closed.
This is one of them. Loughborough’s oldest pub is one its worst.
Any place that sells you warm Guinness from a can placed on a surger should not be called a pub.
31 Jan 2013 08:23
Wonderful pub; one of my favourites.
The staff are always lovely and the range of tap and bottled beers is excellent.
The railway memorabilia makes for a great atmosphere. Look out for the huge ‘9F’ above the bar.
The food is good, it is always nice and warm in winter, and the football on the TV is never too loud.
A perfect place to wait for your train!
Actually once you get settled, chances are you will miss the train but don’t worry, it was probably cancelled anyway.
25 Jan 2013 13:44
This place is so bad it’s actualy worth a visit. Actually that’s being unfair; after all they do serve beer.
Watch out for the aggressive staff but don’t panic, they are only aggressive to each other.
As for the canal side beer garden….the less aid about that the better. Come and see it for yourself.
25 Jan 2013 13:32
This is possibly the worst Weatherspoons I have ever visited. If JD Weatherspoons had any sense they would sell it now to stop it from using their name. Noisy, dirty, very dodgy clientele, average beer and very average staff. The pub is rather typical of Kidderminster to be honest!
27 Sep 2012 11:50
I have stayed here twice now and it has been a pleasure on both occasions. The pub is basic, to be honest it is not visibly impressive. It is a bit run down but that is made up for by it being warm, inviting and comfortable. There are 3 ales available but the small bar area means there is a lack of bottled options from the fridge. It is very handy for visitors to the Severn Valley railway and the accommodation is clean and functional. .
27 Sep 2012 11:44
Having goner passed on the train for several years I was intrigued to visit this pub. On arrival the exterior looked uninviting, perhaps even closed.
But once inside I was pleasantly surprised to find a warm and friendly venue with a handful of jovial locals.
There were 3 ales available, those being Tim Taylor, Courage, and Young�s Special. I had a pint of each and all were of good quality.
The pub is large with a pool table and several TV�s, two of which were showing GAA games on the RTE network.
There was no sign of any food available which was a shame.
31 Jul 2012 10:56
Caldecotte Arms, Milton Keynes
This is not a pub. Well at least it should not be allowed to call itself a pub. It is a children�s eatery that services a few lagers to adults don�t know better.
If you don�t have children there is no reason to go here, ever!
It was really sad to see the odd childless couple who actually come here out of choice. Some people have really low standards.
In fairness, the location next to the lake is pleasant enough, but the whole venue feels very fake, a bit like the rest of Milton Keynes.
The choice of beer is poor, the quality of service is lower than the average age of those in the place, and the food, well the less said about that the better.
16 Jul 2012 14:04
My visit started with a warm welcome from the lovely but loud land lady.
There were three ales on tap but the wine range was limited.
The pub is old but clean and spacious. There is an outdoor garden that could do with a bit of work but nice on a sunny day.
The quality of the food very much depends on what you would expect from a traditional but basic country pub.
My burger looked very much like what I would cook myself. It was slopped together with plenty of cheese and a good serve of chips.
Poor presentation, taste not bad but certainly served its purpose.
Overall, this pub is just that, a pub. Nothing special, but it has beer and food, its warm and friendly and it open!
10 Jul 2012 10:15
The Twickenham Tup, Twickenham
This large pub is fantastic on match days at Twickenham because for some reason it doesn�t get too full, probably because it isn�t in the centre of town.
It is a grand sized building with a huge bar, fast and efficient staff, good food and a great burger if just want a snack.
However, like most Twickenham pubs on match day it is ridiculously expensive. At �4.50 for a pint you can understand why so many fans congregate outside the off licences, especially if it�s a sunny day. I have been here 4 times now and have always had a good experience, the only blip being a pint of Leffe that was off.
28 May 2012 11:40
This small Tudor style pub nestled in the corner of Whitby has a wonderful view of the harbour and entrance to the ocean.
Not surprisingly it can get very busy but the staff seem to cope well.
It has a good range of ales but the food appears a bit rushed at times.
It is worth noting the beer is very much overpriced. �3.50 for a pint of mild ale is just outrageous.
16 May 2012 08:41
The Grosmont Tavern is a delightful pub adjacent to the terminus of the North York Moors Railway. It is run by a delightfully friendly couple and has a beer garden out the front that offers atmospheric views of the steam trains as they depart Grosmont station.
There is comfortable accommodation but for special event weekends you will need to book well in advance.
The food is reasonable but as has been noted by some other reviewers, it could to do with changing its drink selection from time to time, but well worth a visit all the same.
16 May 2012 08:32
This small little bar is for all intents and purposes the exclusive domain for volunteer of the North York Moors Railway.
It is a private club but non members are always given a warm welcome.
If you don�t have any interest in the NYMR then you might keel over with boredom, but if the opposite applies then whether you are a regular or visitor you will enjoy the railway themed banter.
Although listed in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide, the quality of the beer can be a bit hit and miss which is the only down side of this railway themed �club house�.
16 May 2012 08:30
Ye Olde Red Lion, Hemel Hempstead
This pub has new owners who are determined to improve its image.
It is nice enough inside and has copious beer garden out the back and therefore has plenty of promise but unfortunately my first visit could have been better.
The staff are great, the beer and food not so. All three ale pumps were off leaving just Guinness and a couple of lagers. The range in the fridge was limited as well.
My Ham, Egg & Chips was amateurish. Cold ham, over cooked chips and eggs that looked like Basil Fawlty had laid them.
My wife�s jacket potato was dry but she did say the wine was ok.
Full marks to owners for trying, but they have some work to do.
30 Apr 2012 09:57
The Duke of Edinburgh, Upton Park
No ale and a bit grotty. Not as good as it used to be; oh and mind your pockets. On match day it is popular with 'locals' looking for a phone or wallet!!!!!
11 Apr 2012 12:59
This place is shocking. The fact a central London pub is empty after work on Friday says it all really. No ale, poor lager, expensive wine, poor service, cold, no atmosphere and filthy toilets.
How can rubbish like this survive when good pubs are closing by the minute.
13 Mar 2012 08:30
The Grand Junction Arms, Bulbourne
I like the canal side atmosphere including the run down boat yard. From the outside the pub looks very inviting but it just seems to lack something.
This was my third visit and I continue to find it a bit snobbish. It is contemporary inside and is let down by the bar which looks more like a canteen service counter.
The staff try hard but lack a bit of common sense. I.e. just because you are first in line, don�t expect to be the next to be served. The small bar also means service is painfully slow.
The beer garden is good; the food ok. It is the sort of pub that you walk into with high expectations and come away thinking that with a bit more of a traditional feel, could be so much better.
27 Feb 2012 09:37
My first visit was a happy one, maybe because West Ham had just beaten Millwall 2-1 and I wanted a drink! This is a Youngs pub with two ales 'on tap' and plenty of others in the fridge.
15 Feb 2012 12:52
Really enjoyed my visit! Nothing flash about the place but I did get one of the best burgers I have had since moving to the UK from, err, Melbourne!
The beer was good too.
5 Jan 2012 16:03
The Crystal Palace, Berkhamsted
Of all the pubs in Berkhamsted the Crystal Palace just can not seem to reach its full potential. The front bar is in need of work and by that I am referring to both the walls and the clientele.
The beer is the biggest disappointment with the range limited and quality questionable.
The saving grace is the for the best part of the week the kitchen is sublet and offers some of the finest Asian cuisine in the region. (Dine in and takeaway)
5 Jan 2012 15:50
For some reason �The Boat� has it�s critics, but I rate it one of my favourite pubs. The food is 7/10 although the menu can be a bit limited. The beer range is typical of a Fullers pub and the staff are terrific if not slightly overworked at times. It can get very busy and it is common for people to reserve a table then fail to show.
Over summer they have the occasional Sunday BBQ which is well worth a try.
A note should be made about the sport they show. Berkhamsted has a large community of people who support Rugby and The Boat will give Rugby preference over Football on some occasions.
5 Jan 2012 15:43
This is not a pub. It is a pretentious bar with overpriced larger and customers with more bling than brains.
It is also known for serving Foie Gras occasionally.
Given the affluent nature of Berkhamsted it does serve a purpose by keeping its regulars out of the towns real pubs.
5 Jan 2012 15:29
The Swan With Two Necks, Pendleton
This pub is magnificent. A fabulous selection of ales and a charming atmosphere.
The occasion chicken wandering around the gents the residential cat happy to say hello.
Meals are good, but not great.
5 Jan 2012 15:23
I can�t say I found my visit all that pleasant.
The Adnams Broadside was poor, the toilets diabolical, the staff disinterested, and the floor in need of a clean.
Perhaps I was there on a bad night. I had a better experience next door.
23 Nov 2011 12:03
The windows and doors are covered in posters declaring 'No Football Supporters�.
Some might welcome this but I thought it was a little off putting. But once inside you will find a lively CAMRA approved bar with plenty of ale and bottled beers.
Worth a visit or three!
23 Nov 2011 11:50
A short walk from Watford High Street station, this pub is nice for a quick drink before a game at Vicarage Road. I have never known it to be busy and the beer range is OK.
It is looking a bit tired and the toilets could do with some
14 Nov 2011 15:26
If you are on your way to a game (Football / Rugby) at Vicarage Road this little place can be useful. It is very much a pub for locals and range of drinks is limited but there is plenty of sport on the TV and the bloke who runs the place is very friendly.
14 Nov 2011 15:23
This pub promises so much but you come away feeling that it could have been better. The location next to the canal and Apsley marina is delightful, especially in summer.
The building is large, clean, and well maintained. The beer quality is excellent as you would expect from a Fullers pub. But the drinks are pricey (as with all Fullers pubs) the food is good but not great and it can get very busy because, somewhat annoyingly, the upstairs section is an independently run restaurant.
Service can also be a bit slow and on more than one occasion now I have been confronted by bar staff that don�t hide the fact they really don�t want to be there.
14 Nov 2011 15:17
The only good thing about this place is the choice of beer, which I guess is all that really matters. Or is it!
The fa�ade of the building is awful. The interior isn�t much better. The bar service area is cramped.
In busy times this place is terrible, but if you want to experience the huge selection of bottled beers then I suggest you grab yourself a table when it is quiet like mid afternoon Monday to Wednesday.
And take plenty of cash, it isn�t cheap!
14 Nov 2011 15:10
Having been transformed from a local dive into a lovely canal side pub, M&B must be congratulated.
But as has been noted in previous reviews, with the increase in ambience comes an increase in price.
The emphasis is, perhaps not surprisingly, on food. And although they now charge something close to restaurant prices the food still has a stingy pub feel about it.
Take the Sunday roast for example. It looks great, the veggies are great, but two thin slices of meat leaves you feeling a bit empty.
The beer is good and they do rotate their ales. The venue is clean and has a handy car sized car park, but a downside is that staff tend too focus on food service so at times you can expect to stand at the beer for several minutes before being serviced.
Because M&B have the Harvester just 100 meters away they are have cleverly managed to catch both ends of the market.
1 Nov 2011 15:47
This is very much a pub for the locals and has been pointed out by a previous reviewer; you do feel like you have walked into a stranger�s living room.
It is however very friendly and over the last 12 months has been cleaned up. The beer is good and the caricature drawings in the back room provide some good amusement value.
This pub is warm and cosy, so don�t feel like a stranger, go and have a pint there!
28 Oct 2011 08:50
Some pubs are just so bad that you have to love them.
Located in what many would consider a dodgy part of Stockwell, this pub has an uninviting fa�ade but is relatively innocent on the inside.
It is however just naff. The beer is poor and the quality of the karaoke participants will make you cry.
If you like that dodgy local experience then this is worth a visit, just don�t take the family.
28 Oct 2011 08:46
This is a nice pub in a shocking location. Ignore the traffic and enjoy the large Fullers establishment and all it has to offer.
28 Oct 2011 08:40
A lovely old pub in a delightful part of Essex. Up to 7 ales available, friendly staff, medium to good quality food.
The only complain is that it gets extremely busy.
17 Oct 2011 08:06
As an Aussie on tour I visited this hovel in 2004. The only thing Australian about it was an ash tray in the shape of the land down under. The place was so awful I felt compelled to return.
7 years later this pub has been refurbished and is now the Gestiana. Although a vast improvement, it is now just another pub. The awfulness has gone, but so has the novelty factor.
14 Oct 2011 16:29
The Railwaymans Arms, Bridgnorth
A pub that sells plenty of real ale on a platform of a brilliant heritage railway must be good! And it is, however, as has been noted in previous reviews, the staff are so disinterested it has become amusing.
If you don�t like dealing with the public then don�t run a pub. If you don�t like it when it get�s busy then don�t run a pub. The old bloke who runs the place really is the Basil Fawlty of the pub world.
But don�t let that put you off. The beer is good, and so are the trains!
14 Oct 2011 16:18
The Admirals Table, Bridgwater
I am usually a harsh critic but given the two previous reviews I was surprisingly happy with my visit. On this occasion the Hobgoblin was ok and food ok. Not brilliant, but certainly not bad.
Staff friendly as well! Perhaps I got them on a good day.
5 Sep 2011 09:20
A very welcoming pub that likes to focus on the quality of its food!
3 cask ales available, friendly staff, and clean with plenty of parking.
Well worth a visit for lunch.
30 Aug 2011 08:25
The Kings Arms Hotel, Bicester
Not impressed at all. The publican a needs lesson on how to pour a pint!
When I asked a question he just groaned and walked off. The only ale was off and the cliental looked like something out of a horror film.
30 Aug 2011 08:21
What a wonderfully bizarre this little place is. Just the tonic when spending some time on the NYM railway. I must say, the beer wasn�t great, but this is one pub that you don�t necessary for the beer!
22 Aug 2011 12:31
Take one lovely atmospheric little pub, close it for two years, upset the local villagers and open again as a pompous overpriced restaurant for would be deer hunters and you have the Freemasons Arms. But who am I to judge, it is so popular you must book well in advance which is a shame if you live around the corner and want a quite pint.
22 Aug 2011 12:21
Nice little pub next to the West Somerset railway. A good place to settle for a beer in between trains, but it does feel a bit run down, the dusty model train display testament to a lack of pride the owners seem to have for the place. The Sunday roast is adequate and I haven�t stayed overnight so I can�t review the accommodation.
22 Aug 2011 12:11
The Earl of Wakefield, East Ham
This once grand pub is deteriorating quickly and is unlikely to survive once West Ham move to the Olympic Stadium in 3 years time.
Grimy walls, blocked toilets, and broken windows make this such a dive you are almost obliged to visit it just for the experience.
To its credit however it is a Matchday pub so is well staffed when the hordes of West Ham fans descend on the place before a match down the road at Upton Park.
22 Aug 2011 08:54
Located next to the Great Central Railway, with its outside eating area adjacent to the line, this pub is great for rail fans.
It has a good range of food and beer although the last time I was there the Leffe was terrible so I returned my pint.
The place is clean and spacious but it just lacks that jolly atmosphere you look for in the country.
If you want to book a table then it is best to ring because on two occasions they have not acknowledged my internet reservation.
22 Aug 2011 08:47
It started bad and is getting worse. It is a lovely building on the outside, shame about the interior, poor service and lack of real ale.
Watford is not known for quality pubs, but this is dreadfull.
19 Aug 2011 08:18
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The Misty Moon, Chesham
Please note this pub has been refurbished an is now called the Generals Arms.
Originally called the Misty Moon, this pub has gone through a remarkable transformation. I only rated it as a 4 when it was a run down Chesham dive. But in mid 2016 it reopened as the Generals Arms with a lovely interior, Sky Sports, food, and a great range of beers. The only down side is some of the original clientele still linger.
8 Aug 2016 07:34