BITE user comments - Killian42
Comments by Killian42
Bit tatty inside but does that really matter? I didn't eat there but the food prices looked very good value. Black Horse's Old Ship ale at 5.5% and �2.90 was good and brewed especially for the pub I was told. I was offered a taster without asking, which I think is a sign of good service.
14 Oct 2012 16:08
Bit of a trek from the station and the town centre but well worth it. I had a pint of some kind of stout that was lovely. Pretty quiet early on a Saturday afternoon but I would return if I ever go back to Brighouse.
14 Oct 2012 16:03
On a Saturday afternoon in September it was pretty quiet, at one stage I was the only customer. I don't tend to mind that, especially as the staff were friendly. At around four o'clock I asked if I was too late for food, luckily the chef was still in the building and I was served a fantastic and inexpensive Steak and Ale Pie with Chips. I could have had mushy peas with it but they're not for me. The food really filled me up and the ale was good too. Not far from the station, worth a visit.
14 Oct 2012 15:57
Recommended by a chap I met in Huddersfield, close to the station and a number of ales available. Worth popping in.
14 Oct 2012 15:49
Gorgeous interior, Art Deco I think, several room that open onto the bar/hallway area. When I got there on a cool September afternoon, it was stupidly warm inside. I sat outside for my first pint then drank the second inside. Salamander's Moon Walk at 3.8% was good.
14 Oct 2012 15:43
Bit of a task to find but it's worth it for a pint. The decor is a tad inappropriate for a pub, as StephenOfBurnley says below. Pretty busy on a Saturday afternoon and I imagine that it gets much busier.
14 Oct 2012 15:39
Very quiet on a Friday mid-afternoon but the Ossett ales were good and the landlady was very friendly.
14 Oct 2012 15:26
A good selection of ales, nice calm atmosphere on an early Thursday evening. Not open all day during the week.
14 Oct 2012 15:22
The better of the two pubs at Huddersfield station, a large selection of ales and friendly staff. Pretty tatty inside but it's a pub so who really cares? Worth a visit.
14 Oct 2012 14:56
The Head of Steam, Huddersfield
A nice place for a pint of ale, I didn't experience any of the problems that others seem to have but I didn't order food - I was going to but the dithering couple in front of me put me off. That wasn't the pub's fault of course! But perhaps an extra person taking orders would be good, that way orders can be taken whilst the other starts making the coffees, etc.
14 Oct 2012 14:54
Despite the vault-like ceilings, this is indeed a lovely cosy pub with a decent selection of ales. Not that far from the station if you have a change of trains.
14 Oct 2012 14:50
The Rat and Ratchet, Huddersfield
Lovely, albeit slightly gloomy, interior and a very good selection of ales, a number of which are from the Rat Brewery, which is on site. Along with the Grove, this pub makes me want to return to Huddersfield.
14 Oct 2012 14:44
Superb pub. A large range of ales and bottles, very friendly staff and I chanced upon a very knowledgeable local who gave me some recommendations for other local pubs. Open all day on the Thursday I popped in, which was a relief because the previous two pubs I'd been looking for weren't. Definitely worth a visit.
14 Oct 2012 14:42
The Great Western, Wolverhampton
Great pub, conveniently near the station in Wolves. Great ales, lots of room, friendly landlord. Food in the conservatory (I think). Only bad thing about it was the neanderthal 'bragging' to his parents about the violence he and his mates used to commit when they went out on daytrips. Idiot.
Despite the caveman, always worth a visit.
8 Oct 2010 20:48
I hadn't been in for around 17 years and as I said to the lady behind the bar, it had definitely changed. More open-plan than I recall. Ringwood by ??? and Bountiful by Wychwood were both good. Friendly staff, nice pub, I will go back when I'm next in Codsall (hopefully not in another 17 years!)
8 Oct 2010 20:32
Big pub, carpeted, looks very 'chainy' with a vinegary Banks' Bitter. That or Pedigree was the choice. Barbloke did offer to top up the pint if I wasn't happy with the head.
I wouldn't rush back, I the Crown and the Codsall Station are much more my type of place.
8 Oct 2010 20:24
I went in on a Thursday lunchtime to meet an old school friend (I went to Codsall High). When I was living nearby (Perton) this place was just a station. Now it is an excellent pub. The ales were great (despite the sparkler ('southerners' preference, sorry!)) and the mixed grill really really was superb.
In the grill I was genuinely impressed by the steak and the sausage - the sausage was better than the pricey ones I get from my local butcher, very impressive. The steak was so much better quality than the usual bit of leather in a mixed grill. The chips, I admit, were ordinary and the landlord was outside having a fag both times I wanted a new pint but apart from that, this is a fantastic pub.
I'm glad it wasn't open when I was in sixth form otherwise my beer belly would have appeared fifteen years earlier!
8 Oct 2010 20:19
Not been back for a couple of years due to no visits to Brum but I had a couple of good pints in here again served by the friendly but not overly-friendly Irish landlord.
18 Sep 2010 00:53
Went back in early September. No grumpy staff, excellent ale so I again re-rate this top pub.
18 Sep 2010 00:50
Six handpumps, two rooms and a bit of a garden/patio. Lovely place proundly showing off its good beer guide awards over the last few years. I'd definitely go back.
We used to drive through Shifnal on the way to the cinema in Telford when I was a six-former and I really wish we'd found this place back then (19 years ago!).
18 Sep 2010 00:43
Nice pub, a 'standard' ale and the 'mystery' ale. Barbloke wouldn't tell us the brewer. Good stuff though.
18 Sep 2010 00:36
I think this is an older building with a new interior but it looked good to me with eight or so ales on. I tried Farmer's Blonde by Bradfield(??) which was very good.
I then had a pint of Wadworth's Bishop's Tipple at 5.0% which was also very good. Sports showing and I heard the locals expecting a very busy night with a quiz night crossing with an England match.
I would go back.
18 Sep 2010 00:24
'Good old-fashioned boozer'? Yes, I'd agree with that. Great pub, pool table, sky sports, a few ales and a pretty barlady (apologies!). Bombardier and Abbott were on and I had a reasonable pint of Bombardier.
I would return.
18 Sep 2010 00:09
I popped in on a weekday afternoon and found it really nice. Amusing/amused locals and a noisy grey parrot which kept whistling (not irritating like human whistling!). I had 'Deb's Special' which was apparently 4.0% and is actually an 'unusual' ale from the brewery which they get to re-name...
Not sure I get that but it did taste excellent. It was a perfect excuse to remain for an extra pint and avoid the downpours of the first week of Setember.
18 Sep 2010 00:03
No Ales. Sign outside offering the tenancy didn't inspire confidence and when I got in - no ales - but the woman behind the bar did recommend another pub with ales. Could be a good pub, shame.
17 Sep 2010 23:52
A bit of a trek (by foot) from the station but worth it I reckon.
Again I found many 'Cambridge-standard' beers as standards as regulars in here - London Pride, Black Sheep, Pedigree, Tribute and Tiger. All good ales but I wanted something more unusual. I had a pint of Dartmoor Best Bitter which was fine. I did want a couple at that place but the 'familiar' nature of the standard ales made me move on sooner than I'd wanted.
17 Sep 2010 23:50
This was the first place I ever saw on bite.com with 9 out of 10 so I thought I should try it. Two years later I finally got there...
I had Oracle by Salopian, Kelham Island's Stars and Bars and Thornbridge's Jaipur. Five or so more were available.
I really liked this place but one local did ask me (probably due to the CAMRA pin badge I was wearing) 'what other pubs I'd been to that day'. The Acorn was the only other at that stage.
He then recommended the Three Crowns and said that the Falcon had 'gone downhill'. Well if it had, I certainly could not tell from the quality of the ale, the friendliness of the lady staff and the charm of the locals (including him!).
I never did make it to the Three Crowns!
17 Sep 2010 23:44
Good pub. Ale choice was okay and the one I had tasted good. I have to admit that I was a tad squiffy when I popped in on my way back to the station but the food looked very very good, as did a couple of the lady staff (apologies!). The food portions also looked very generous.
I'd consider returning just to try the menu.
17 Sep 2010 23:36
Only one ale on Sharp's Doombar which was good but for a CAMRA rated pub I expected more. Friendly bar-bloke though, who was advising another non-local of a decent curry-house nearby. Local knowledge always good and staff able to recommend other establishments without fear if also good.
I would return but I'd hope for more ales available.
17 Sep 2010 23:31
Forgot to say - I would return if / when I'm back in Walsall.
17 Sep 2010 23:25
I arrived at about 3:30pm and it was closed! I returned after six and was very pleased with the interior, the ale and the friendly landlady - we had a good chat about Bob Warman from ITV Central News (legend!).
Only one ale available - bit of a disappointment but the one I did have was very good. Landlady did top it up twice before handing it to me, which probably wouldn't be as necessary without a sparkler...
17 Sep 2010 23:24
Great pub. Very friendly, charming, bright and musically talented landlady with six or so ales. From a Cambridge point of view GK IPA, GK Abbott Ale and Adnams Bitter and TT's Landlord are a bit 'expected'. Many of those ales are easily found in Cambridge so the guest ales at the White Lion were very welcome. (n.b. I am not slating the ales mentioned, just disappointed to seem them so 'far' from home).
I had Rough Justice by Burton Bridge and Ruby Mild by New Inn(?) and both were excellent. Free Wi-Fi was also useful. As was the fact that this place was open all day, unlike somewhere else I also review in Walsall...
17 Sep 2010 23:19
Bit of a trek from the station but worth it. Friendly, attractive landlady with four or so ales (apologies for sexism). I had Bridge Bitter by Burton, Pedigree, Slater's Original and Entire by Pardoe (I think) were the others.
Large, open-plan (ish) pub with new furnishings, and Murdochvision-News (SkySports) showing. Amusing/friendly locals - including one Scot who I suspect was a local but not a local, if you know what I mean!
17 Sep 2010 23:11
Not a pub. Clean, bright, overly loud music (which failed to drown out the annoying old man who whistled 'along' to every track), two thirds of the pub is given over to diners but two ales were available. The one I had was good. For lunch, especially a work/office lunch, yes. For a sesh... nope.
17 Sep 2010 23:03
This pub has been closed now for a couple of months with no sign of change.
4 Jul 2010 18:59
I last reviewed this at 10 out of 10 but my last visit was spoilt by the exceedingly rude landlady. I had forgotten that on the blackboard only those ales with the price next to them were actually available. Of course I ordered one not available, "Well where is it?!" she demanded. Sorry, is not on, is it just the ones with the pumpclips showing? "Where is it?!" Sorry, I saw it on the board and assumed it was on. "If it hasn't got a price next to it, it's not on!" she barked. Then later as she went around the pub closing the curtains, my friend closed the curtains behind us so she didn't have to lean over. He got no thanks.
Shame, otherwise it is a top pub.
2 May 2010 17:15
Lovely little place, another downstairs pub that could easily be passed by. Radio was too loud but the barmaid was abviously bored as it was very quiet when I went in (early January). Six ales available and nice decor. I'd return.
2 May 2010 16:54
I was standing at the corner of a nearby road trying to examine my A-Z in the orange glow of the streetlights. I muttered to myself that no matter which way I walked up or down Valley Road, it was bound to be the wrong way. However at that point a local chap stopped and asked if I needed help (hopefully it wasn't because I was talking to myself!). I told him that I was looking for Valleys and he said there it is and pointed a few doors down the road - oops! I thanked him and headed in.
It does indeed look like the bar of a guesthouse because it's in the basement. However there was a number of ales on and the atmos was quiet (it was early January afterall). Heading towards my second pint the chap from outside appeared behind the bar - the son of the owners apparently! He told me that the emphasis is on the pub rather than the hotel. A success I think - lovely place, I'd definitely return.
2 May 2010 16:48
North Riding Hotel, Scarborough
This place wasn't on my list when I went on a pub tour of Scarborough but I was desperate for the loo on the way back from the Old Scalby Mills so I popped in because I'd noticed the 'real ales' promised on the board outside. I wasn't expecting much and I was wrong - it was great. A number of ales (can't recall how many) and a friendly landlady. I would go back.
2 May 2010 16:38
The Old Scalby Mills, Scarborough
Excellent pub but it is a bit of a trek from the town centre. Five or six ales on, friendly barmaid.
2 May 2010 16:32
Top place, friendly landlady and the ale was good. I'd definitely return.
2 May 2010 16:28
Nice place but only had one ale on when I went in (early January 2010). I would return if I'm ever in Scarborough again.
2 May 2010 16:26
I went in on a quiet afternoon in early January 2010 and enjoyed a couple of pints. Alpine Lager was cheap but as with all Sam Smiths pubs they make up for it with 'normal' priced bottles (Nut Brown Ale). Friendly locals and the nice barman didn't mind me asking him about the England cricket score, which he was occasionally checking on a laptop behind the bar. I suspect it gets horribly busy in high season.
2 May 2010 16:19
The Union Hotel, Knaresborough
Nice place, couple of ales and food available. Sports on the telly in the bar, lounge much quieter. In my opinion it looked like the sort of place the more well-heeled or more mature in the locality may prefer.
2 May 2010 16:11
Lovely place right next to Knaresborough station. Eight or so ales so I could have stayed much longer. I'd definitely return.
2 May 2010 16:06
Marquis of Granby Inn, Knaresborough
Lovely mutli-roomed pub with real fires (in January!). It's Sam Smiths so the prices are low. The decor was gorgeous but the landlady told me that the brewery was cleaning it up. She did try and assure me that it wasn't going to be ruined and I dearly hope that's the case. If I return to Knaresborough I will head here again.
2 May 2010 16:01
Great friendly locals pub with an ale or two. I was lucky enough to be in here in January 2010 when Leeds beat Manchester United, needless to say the atmosphere was great even though I'm not much of a football fan.
2 May 2010 15:56
Excellent pub on three levels. Any ale-drinkers heading to or near Knaresborough should go.
2 May 2010 15:52
Much improved over the last year or so. Now eight or so ales on and well-priced. Food is a bit corporate but it tasted good. It's now back on my radar after a gap of several years when I fancy a pint or two on a weekend afternoon.
2 May 2010 15:39
Lovely central pub with more ale pumps than before (now six I think). The beer is a bit pricey but it is the city centre. Not had one for years but the cocktails were great. Food is good and it's a good place to watch cricket (and other sports). Friendly staff and a lot of outside seating is available.
2 May 2010 15:36
The Live and Let Live, Cambridge
Ever-changing real ales, bottled beers and now a vast selection of rum. A small cosy place with a friendly but sometimes rather grumpy landlord. Occasional beer festivals and St George's Day featured a hog roast, which tasted superb.
2 May 2010 15:29
Excellent pub with nice locals, top landlord, pretty barmaids (sorry but it's true!), six real ales and food. The menu does have restaurant prices for some of the food but it is very very good. A great place to drink away a weekend afternoon. Also lots of rums and whiskies. Closed Mondays, not open all day weekdays.
2 May 2010 15:24
Excellent pub, open all day on weekdays and it gets stupidly busy after work on Fridays. Beware the suits standing at the bar in everyone else's way. Adnams Explorer is always good, staff friendly and the average ale price seems a little lower than some Cambridge places. Also food weekday lunchtimes.
2 May 2010 15:15
Ten ales, relaxed, friendly staff, usually good music placed (not too loud), occasional music and lots of foreign bottled beers.
2 May 2010 15:11
The Devonshire Arms, Cambridge
Now run by the lovely Dom and Jo (formerly at the Elm Tree), this is yet another ale pub in Cambridge's real ale district. Not so great if you're not keen on Milton ales but ever-changing guests are always good. Food just started and I have to admit the menu looks rather ponsey to me. Restaurant food really. I haven't tried it but it is by the kitchen staff from the Free Press so I expect it to taste good. The Devonshire still gets painfully busy, the honeymoon period since the refurb doesn't seem to be waning. Surely a sign of a quality pub.
2 May 2010 15:08
The Champion of the Thames, Cambridge
Okells' Old Skipper was great the other day. A top untouched pub (despite being GK) well run by friendly landlord Laurence and his Mississ. Lovely smiley barmaid too (apologies for sexism).
2 May 2010 15:03
Not open all day, which is a shame because I could easily spend a very very long lunch here. Eight or so changing ales and food is served. Food is good but pricey. Almost a fiver for a lamb burger which was small and came with nothing else. And believe it or not, the landlord was Barry Wom (the drummer) from The Rutles.
2 May 2010 15:00
Popped in for one on the way into town. Vinegary pint of ale underpoured by disinterested young barman. They now serve icecreams from the front of the building when the weather is nice. That's not a pub! More one for the young bar-goers than the pub-lovers.
2 May 2010 14:55
Top pub with a range of changing ales, can get frightfully busy though - maybe removing some of the bar stools from the main bar would help? And in the summer it's a magnet for fair-weather drinkers and often their sprogs. Where are they when it's cold?! And then they seem to think that they have a right to a free table in the garden! Sorry, personal bugbear. Again, a top pub and Jethro and Terri are very friendly.
2 May 2010 14:53
Now run by WellsYoung it has a stupidly big illuminated Bombardier beer pump. However, there are plenty of other ales to try and food is served all day by friendly staff. Never seen the landlord though! And I've never approved of settees in pubs.
2 May 2010 14:47
Now run by Charlie and Caroline (formerly at the Alma), it is still Greed King but despite that it's a lovely place for a couple. Food is very reasonably priced and the guest ales change every now and again (but not enough for my fussy tastes!)
2 May 2010 14:44
Gorgeous interior, exterior looks good too. Around eight real ales on (with sparklers) and friendly staff. Seemed to be a mix of locals who sit in all day, those just finished work and tourists. It's reasonably close to Waverley Station so if you have an hour to kill, you could do a lot worse than pop in for a swift one, or two.
25 Aug 2008 13:31
A beautiful interior, absolutely magnificent in fact. I asked the chap behind the bar if it was listed and he said it is but it has only become so in the last couple of years. That means some mega-chain like GK wouldn't be able to 'standardise' it if they got their corporate paws on it.
Leaving my bugbear to one side... I only popped in for one as it was in the wrong direction from the other Edinburgh pubs I wanted to visit but the beauty of the interior, friendly staff and great ale made me stay for a total of three.
This should be a definite if you like good pubs and are in Edinburgh for a night or two.
25 Aug 2008 13:25
A very nice GK pub with a bar area with sports telly and a pool table. The lounge bar blends into a more formal eating/restaurant area. On a main road it has a large car park with plenty of seats outside. They only had GK IPA on when I went in. I followed a pint of that with a bottle of GK Harvest brown ale, which was much nicer. This place is fine but if I could only drink on one Barton pub, it would be The Hoops.
25 Aug 2008 13:19
Despite being a GK pub, this is a lovely little place in a pretty village which is easy walking or cycling distance from Cambridge (cycling is more realistic). On a Staurday lunchtime in the summer there were a few friendy locals, other vistors like myself and very good Abbot Ale - served straight from the barrel. I meant to only have a couple but the Abbot was so good I had four.
25 Aug 2008 13:15
I was on a wander looking for a pub and the canopies hanging outside made me initially think this was or had become a bar or restaurant. Spying draught ales through the window I went in.
Glad I did, London Pride (in a pint mug) was better than I'd ever had it. Black Sheep and Young's Bitter also on draught.
Mostly people eating in the nicely lit atmosphere.
8 Mar 2008 15:09
I entered the lounge and ordered a Hooky Bitter (3.6%), which was nice enough. Lounge was empty but the Bar side of the pub seemed busy - it was certainly noisy. Local friends I supect.
I felt more relaxed in here than in the Dun Cow, it's a real pub not a food pub. Although I believe they do serve food at times (don't quote me on that though).
Welsh chap behind the bar was friendly and my second pint, Courage Directors was nice too. I had had a skinful by that stage though.
8 Mar 2008 14:59
As one of the previous reviews says, this isn't a drinkers pub. Only Bass and Everard's Tiger on handpull, Old Speckled Hen was on a smoothflow tap (so I avoided that!). After one pint of Bass I had an Erdinger at �3.00 a pint.
Lovely interior, I sat in a huge red leather armchair by the fire (not real I seem to recall). It was busy, mostly there for food. Apart from one group of sixth-formers/student-types, I was probably the only person not having any food.
8 Mar 2008 14:54
The Black Swan (or Dirty Duck), Rugby
Big place broken into different sections. Dead on a Thursday afternoon in early January but the decor was great. Wooden beams, nooks and crannies to sit in, some sort of an old well is in one part of the pub (covered of course).
Not sure I'd want to go in on a Friday or Saturday evening but Purity brewery's Ubu at 4.5% was good.
8 Mar 2008 14:48
Young's Winter Warmer was very good in January 08. Nice place, around 60 seconds from the Alexandra Arms but I suspect caters for a younger clientele.
A few ales on but Winter Warmer was the only one which appealed to me, three times in fact!
8 Mar 2008 14:42
Excellent place, a couple pints of Alex Ale's Petite Blonde as 3.9% was very good as was their lasagne. Five ales were on in early January.
8 Mar 2008 14:38
Lovely interior to this tiny place. I had a reasonable pint of some festive ale (Bateman's I think) which I chose out of the five (I think) on offer.
8 Mar 2008 14:34
After a nightmare on the trains (early Jan 08) getting to Rugby I was desperate for a drink as I should have arrived four hours earlier. After buying an A-Z of Rugby this was the first place I went to seek sanctuary.
Not a bad place, rather large with high ceilings, I suspect it was (reasonably) recently refurbed/repainted, one wall of gig posters/flyers suggested it's popular with the rock/goth youngsters in the area.
Staff were friendly, Pedigree was alright, nothing special but I did stay for a second.
8 Mar 2008 14:29
Top pub - stone floors, wooden beams, brewerania, around seven real ales, over 21s only (apparently), it is one large pub broken into smaller areas and the food was good.
I went in just after New Year when in Rugby for a wedding. I'd found the Merchant's on the internet beforehand and I was so glad I decided to go and find it.
I was in Rugby for four days, I made the effort to visit the Merchants on three of them. All the ingredients were just right. Possibly a perfect pub.
8 Mar 2008 14:17
A great pub with Banks' beers and guest ales. The friendly Landlady didn't object when I changed my mind about the pint I wanted - she'd hardly begun pouring it though, luckily. Nice interior, seemed friendly enough for a posh-sounding stranger to have a decent quiet pint or two.
30 Dec 2007 16:12
Another excellent Digbeth pub. Around eight ales, reasonably quiet in the afternoons when I was there, lovely interior and a friendly Landlord.
30 Dec 2007 16:01
On a stag weekend in Brum I went into The Anchor Inn on the off-chance. It had just won the CAMRA award and I can see why - lovely interior broken up into smaller bars/booths, twelve ales on - the ones I had were great - and friendly staff. The only thing wrong with it was an old chap who kept tapping his beermat on the table (why not put a drink on it instead?!). Not too much of a problem though, I simply moved seats - of which there are plenty. Top pub.
30 Dec 2007 15:56
Richard Oastler, Brighouse
Pretty standard for a Wetherspoons but it's worth a visit to have a look at the magnificent interior.
14 Oct 2012 16:09