BITE user comments - Mike_McCabe
Comments by Mike_McCabe
These days more a restaurant that a pub, but the beer is usually pretty good, in particular the Hoppit always seems to be in good order. However, the bar staff have a bad habit of topping up pints from a pint of something sitting beside the drip tray - no doubt under instruction from the landlady. The beer might be lively and difficult to top up, but I would like a fresh pint from the pump please! The new extention seems to be a bit of an abortion as are the new glowing toilets. What's the point of putting on a damned great extension to get more people in (presumably) and cutting down on the number of people who can go for a pee at anyone time? The food is good if a tad expensive.
22 Jun 2011 13:30
Nice old fashioned pub with two bars that sells good beer. Everything a good local should be - a proper pub. Worth a visit, but not if you want to eat. Although the Scampi Fries are okay.
22 Jun 2011 13:18
Popped in a few weeks back to view the refurb and sample a beer. Refurb okay, beer (London Pride) very average (being kind) and very expensive at �3.40 a pint. The Pride in the Five Bells in Weston Turville, at �2.95, is better as is the Pride in the Bull at Stoke Mandeville, �3.10. Didn't have any food, but looking at the menu it was expensive. Won't be going back.
22 Jun 2011 13:06
The Argyll Arms, Oxford Circus
I hadn�t been to this pub for years, but in the past eighteen months I�ve been half-a-dozen times. Being next to Oxford Circus tube it�s very handy for meeting up with friends who live out of town as most of London�s main line railway stations are only two or three underground stops away. The first couple of occasions the beer, London Pride, Landlord, Hardy�s, etc. was very good. Unfortunately, since then it has deteriorated. The past two occasions (a few weeks ago and last night) it has been flat, undrinkable, crap. Last night was made worse by a young lady behind the bar from Eastern Europe telling me that English beer is supposed to be flat. Lady, I�ve been drinking this stuff longer than you�ve been alive on the planet, I know how it is supposed to taste! I shan�t be going back. The tragedy is it�s a lovely �olde worlde� pub, but unfortunately the beer and the staff (who seem to change every few months) are dreadful. If you are looking for a decent pint in the area there are quite a few within two or three minutes walk, particularly the The Shaston Arms round the back of Carnaby Street where you can get a very good pint of Badger or Tanglefoot.
6 Jun 2009 12:17
The Bank of Friendship, Highbury
This is still a nice old fashioned boozer with a nice patio garden out the back, BUT the price of a pint has risen dramatically in the past year. It's now �3.20 for a pint of London Pride or Greene King IPA. Still worth a visit, but not much change from a tenner if you buy three pints!
26 Mar 2009 13:33
What a great pub, serving great beer. They have about ten hand-pumped beers including Wot's Occurring and Harpers from the Great Oakley brewery, which were really excellent when I was there. If you're in Northampton and looking for a (very) decent pint this is the place to go. Superb.
10 Mar 2009 22:15
The Horse and Jockey, Aylesbury
Popped in for a pint on Saturday evening, having not been there for a few years and was very pleasantly surprised. Cask Marqued London Pride at �2.45 and Tribute (from Cornwall) at �2.25. And very good they were. It has been renovated in the past few years and has nice restaurant and bar areas. Didn't sample the food, but it has the same menu as the Bucks Yeoman, where you can get two meals for �8 approx. In the H&J the same is �12. Well worth a visit if you want a decent pint.
10 Mar 2009 22:07
This is a dreadful hole and has been so for the past 15-years. When is somebody going to take it over who cares about the beer, the food and the service provided? Currently, they have three hand-pumped beers. What comes out of them is supposed to Landlord, London Pride and Greene King IPA. At ten on a Saturday night what actually comes out is another matter; watery, weak, lifeless crap! The Landlord and the Pride are �2.15, which is a good price if the beer was any good, but it isn't. Personally, I'd rather pay more in The Bell in Bierton for Pride or in The Chandos Arms in Weston Turville for IPA. At least in those pubs you get a decent consistent pint albeit you'll pay �2.90 and �2.70 respectively. As for the staff... useless!
10 Mar 2009 13:48
The George And Dragon, Fitzrovia
Had a few beers in here on Friday night. A nice pub with leather armchairs and nice atmosphere. The Greene King bitter wasn't very good early in the evening, but improved later on when they changed the barrel.
26 Sep 2005 14:08
Had a couple of pints in there Saturday lunchtime and they were really good. Top quality beer. Couldn't believe it when the barman said �4.57 for two pints of bitter and a pint of Guinness! The bitter was �1.39 and the Guinness �1.79. The baked spud with tuna was pretty good as well at �2.99. A cavernous boozer, too big really, but the beer was good and what a price!
26 Sep 2005 13:58
Rockwoods, Aylesbury
Popped in a couple of times in the past month and on both occassions the beer was excellent, well kept London Pride and Brakspear Ordinary. The second time was for food and it was excellent. Home cooked using fresh ingredients, well presented and a great price at �21 for three main courses. There are pubs nearby charging more for mass produced stuff from a microwave. Two minus points: there aren't very many tables to sit at to eat and the music was a tad loud, but nevertheless highly recommended.
22 Jun 2011 13:41