BITE user comments - Mayfairlights
Comments by Mayfairlights
The Crown and Sceptre, Fitzrovia
Signs of improvement here, it does have potential. I've been impressed by their ale selections recently and the fact that the badges now seem to always be the right way round!
6 Jan 2011 14:09
Whilst I can't dispute the majority of the previous posters comments about the KA, it's very unfair to accuse the staff in this pub of having poor customer service and no loyalty. They're really quite an affable bunch.
Anyhoo, to accuse all pubs in Fitzrovia of providing no service to the local community is hogwash, the poster clearly does not live locally. The George, The Green Man, The Yorkshire Grey, The Crown & Sceptre, The King & Queen, The Mason Arms, The Tower Tavern and that's just the immediate locality are all open at weekends. That's not to mention this particular pub which is open on Saturdays.
6 Jan 2011 12:52
Very good service speedwise, a bit trendy for my tastes, however i had an enjoyable afternoon in here. Excellent outside area, although obviously very popular. Lovely to see a hog roast in central London too!
Can't recall what beers they had on, they obviously did their job! Be careful on the stairs on the way down to the toilets - they're quite scary...
Good pub.
10 Aug 2010 14:44
I must say I've only been here a few times on a Sunday, however I've always been impressed.
It's still very much a pub at the front, with the back area laid out for eating. It has a very relaxed atmosphere, gentle background music and TV's have always been off when I've been there.
I've found the beer to be absolutely fine, definitely a Cornish theme. The food is excellent and for the quality the prices are fair.
I look forward to finding another excuse for a visit!
10 Aug 2010 14:37
The Tower has overgone a real change over the last few months. Used to avoid the place only popping in every now and then to watch Sky and was always put off by the overly loud and sweary locals. However been in a few times recently and the new Landlord seems to have got rid of them all (achieved by taking Sky out, it's back now but not advertised - top idea), the result is a really rather nice pub inside. It's still hideous outside but you can't knock down the building!
The service is excellent, automatic table service when it's quiet (which does seem to be everyday I go in which really doesn't recognise how good it is now). The beers are good with regular Guest Ales in addition to various rotating GK beers - it's a GK tenancy. The food is very tasty and very reasonably priced.
I really would recommend this pub it's an undiscovered little place, nothing to look at but really does deserve to be doing better than it appears to.
Good range of whiskys too!
4 Jun 2010 18:42
Not the most comfortable pub in the world, and unless rammed lacks any real atmosphere. Again it's another M&B pub trying to be quirky and cool, here it comes across as forced with lots of random things stuck and written on the walls.
If you like your cider, I suppose it's a must visit - at least 9 on draught. If you're not keen steer clear, staff can be very rude and audibly complain about being there. Again alewise badges are usually turned round although this has improved on my last couple of visits.
It gets rammed on a Friday when they have a DJ playing songs for the cool kids that you've never heard of!
26 Feb 2010 13:09
The Crown and Sceptre, Fitzrovia
I get forced in here every now and then for work drinks as it's a large pub. It is ghastly every time. Pretentious, too cool for school, ridiculous furniture, never enough staff and when you do eventually get served it is slow. The staff clearly couldn't give a toss, as it seems that you are unbelievably rude to have interrupted their conversation to - heaven forfend - order a drink in a pub.
It has no redeeming features, it could be a great pub but M&B have ruined it. They can't be bothered to look after the beer. Alewise the badges are more often than not turned around. If you're lucky one out of the three will be on but is generally warm. Lagerwise again a lot of lagers are regularly off and when they are on they can't even pull a lager properly, then again seeing as half the taps appear to have no nozzles on them this is not surprising.
In summary, I could get over the decor it's not the most important thing in the world, however I cannot forgive incompetent, slow and surly staff. Waiting 15 minutes for a drink when it's not busy is not on. This place needs a manager change urgently. Sort the staff, sort the beer.
Avoid avoid avoid.
26 Feb 2010 10:44
The Kings Arms is not a special pub in fact it's not even a particularly nice pub, the bar looks like its about to fall down and the room hasn't had a refurb since the 70s. The toilets have to be seen to be believed and the smell that emanates from them, it's like bodies have been buried down there.
HOWEVER it's a fine pub. The ale is always on (Black Sheep, Youngs, Deuchars) and is always well cared for. The service is good and quick, which is rare for this parts (Crown & Sceptre & Green Man...). It's an honest place, which is ideal for a nice pint in comfort and head and shoulders above the two previous pubs mentioned.
26 Feb 2010 10:26
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The George, Great Portland Street
Hello,
March Guest Ales are;
Brains' Bitter - 3.7%
Brewdog's Punk IPA - 5.4%
Greene King's The Sorcerer - 4.5%
Brewdog's Alpha Dog - 3.8%
Everards' Tiger - 4.2%
Hardy & Hanson's Olde Trip - 4.3%
Everard's Beacon - 3.8%
Wooden Hand's Cornish Gribben - 4.1%
Morland's Old Speckled Hen - 4.5%
York's First Light - 3.8%
Hydes' Amazing Grace - 4.1%
Greene King's XX Mild - 3%
Everard's Sunchaser - 4%
Brewdog's Trashy Blonde - 4.1%
Greene King's St Edmunds - 4.2%
Springhead's Drop O' The Black Stuff - 4%
Rudgate's Spring Elixir - 4.1%
Thwaites' Wainwright - 4.1%
Okell's Olde Skipper - 4.5%
6 Mar 2011 13:09