BITE user comments - Marwood
Comments by Marwood
A hidden gem just off the main Shoreditch/Hoxton beaten path this a pub with an intimate atmosphere, great music (everything from 80s electronica to free form jazz), good food and a friendly crowd.
9 Mar 2010 16:07
Everyone knows that if you want to go for a big night out or even a quiet drink, King's Road is not the place to go.
Although there are a few adequate pubs, the clientele is amongst the most uninspiring in London. No longer are the establishments of this once essential artery of London chic simply a hunting ground for coked-up Sloaney Ponies and rugger buggers; The King's Road and its tributeries now attract a more eclectic but ultimately less enjoyable group of people to share bar space with.
At least with The Sloanes you know your enemy and to an extent enjoy their stupidity. Now however, you are more likely to be faced with nouveau pretension, 'smart' suits and shiney shirt/tie combos. No girl is safe from gaggles of pseudo-trendy young men with spikey hair and uncontrollable hormones.
Even more disappointingly, the bar staff of many local establishments has declined in line with this trend.
Nectar Bar exemplifies and indeed epitomises this new wave. The bar has a decent cocktail and wine list and is in a great location but the drawbacks are considerable in number and result in a lack of class in every department.
The doormen beg for a chance to turn you away even if the bar is empty; the cloakroom is poorly managed. However it was the bar staff that were most at fault.
It took over half an hour to be served by a charmless barman who spent a great deal of time answering personal calls on his mobile phone and pinching his colleagues (maybe its the new high-five). It was one of those occasions where the bar staff have that horrible 'Team Crazy' attitude towards one another and seem to think that serving drinks badly and unprofessionaslly is cool and aloof. Just go to bar school. Please.
I was with a group of mates in whose company I rarely have a bad night but Nectar changed that. A combination of an ingenuous clientele and staff that should relocate to Magaluf made my night a huge disappointment.
Avoid.
28 Nov 2006 11:46
Fact. Of all the drinking establishments in the world this is the one I have spent most time in.
This statistic is something I consciously try not to think about for fear of drowning in a lagoon of my own tears and vomit.
There is no need for downplay or subtlety: This is a vile institution. The clientele, the decor and the atmosphere are equally repugnant and that is before you even consider the monstrosities that lurk behind the bar (the drinks as well, not just the staff).
When I search for reasons why I've wasted such a hideously long proportion of my life in this stale orifice I can find only two: My mates lived nearby and its at the confluence of a number of transport routes that I used to use regularly.
For a business the location could not be better; The Railway is like a Venus Fly-trap for lay-abouts, delinquents, juveniles and geriatrics.
You may have noticed that until now I have not yet used the word 'pub' in this review. This is for the simple reason that this is not a pub, its a shameful and embarrassing excuse for one.
13 Oct 2006 16:31
I recently took up residence in the local propinquity and stumbled across this little den of vice on my travels (approximately 15 seconds from the tube). My first impressions were positive and based largely upon the audio visual delights that greeted me as I entered the bar area. Unlike the vast majority of London watering holes the music policy strayed from the familiar and discordant warblings of Blunt, Jones et al and actually delivered a varied and often exhilarating smorgasbord of musical joyances. Even the clientele seemed to shy from the usual gaggle of toothless estate agents that I had anticipated. There was no talk of 'Twickers' or the latest episode of Spooks within earshot. Instead an effervescent buzz of appreciation seemed to resonate from every corner of the room - and with good reason; The guest ale was well kept and punchy, the selection of spirits faultless. My only real complaint came in the form of a bitter and obnoxious Guinness which left me in a similar state for several seconds thereafter. At this point of the evening I probably would have left for pastures new but the bar flies wouldn't let me. The crowd were a mix of youthful exuberance and cask matured charm - a combination which often clash but in this case somehow blended well. The bar staff were nice enough if poorly dressed and thankfully didnt hurry last orders. Can't wait to check out the 'outside bit' on my next visit.
5 Oct 2006 17:02
The Red Lion, Shoreditch
This really is the best pub in Hoxton. It's great in winter for a fire-side Guinness or mulled wine and has a wonderful roof terrace when the sun comes out. Great music, friendly staff and best of all they have just got a real ale in! (Brains SA). Highly recommended!
28 Mar 2012 13:33