BITE user comments - Misk.
Comments by Misk.
Have visited on a number of occasions now, and am not impressed. Bar staff are generally slow and arrogant, despite clearly knowing very little about the pub trade.
The unsurprisingly named Pig's Ear from the Uley Brewery in Gloucestershire, is sadly nothing more than a rather bland strong bitter that in no way justifies it's hefty price tag. The only other cask option being the uninspiring Deuchars IPA.
My advice is to take a stroll over Battersea Bridge and head directly for the Westbridge instead.
14 Feb 2011 17:48
A couple of years ago The Crown was one of the best pubs in the area. High praise, considering the abundance of great boozers in Clerkenwell. On recent visits, however, it seems that standards of excellence have slipped ever so slightly. The eclectic range of bottled beers behind the bar has significantly diminished, whilst the cask offerings are also fairly prosaic. The bar staff have never been the most accommodating bunch, but this has been the case for as long as I�ve frequented the joint.
Don't get me wrong. I still like the pub, and it has a lot of things in its favour. It is at the heart of Clerkenwell Green, one the most historic areas of London. A young Stalin and Lenin were first rumoured to have meet here back in 1903. I don't buy into that, but it's nice to imagine them tucking into pints of Pilsner Urquell.
14 Feb 2011 16:59
Sorry, but I won't miss this place. Yes, it was a good outlet for Cornish beers such as St Austell and Skinners, but the praise stops there. It was ultimately a cramped tourist trap, selling expensive booze in the middle of Covent Garden. The West Cornall Pasty shop is no great loss either. The franchise is ubiquitous in London now.
12 Feb 2011 17:56
Solid, albeit uninspiring pub. Beer is well kept and in good condition, but despite offering 6 real ales all are simply standard bitters. What is the point in that?
An OK alternative for when the Dog & Duck is rammed to capacity.
6/10
1 Feb 2011 17:47
Firminafirm - The toilets have been in that state since 2003 when I first drank in here.
Probably my favorite of Sam Smith's Soho pubs, despite the lack of cask Old Brewery Bitter. I've had some excellent nights in here, although I haven't been in for a while. That is something I should try and remedy.
1 Feb 2011 17:23
London's original Pub Theatre. I've had some great nights in the King's Head, it rarely fails to disappoint. Average beer selection, but TT Landlord is always a positive.
One of the few genuinely enjoyable venues on Upper Street.
24 Jan 2011 18:28
Yes, I was a fool to go in here. And yes, the beer was rank.
My companion (an unrepenting premium lager drinker) opted for Carling. For once I wish I had joined him. At least it was better than the cloudy, flat pint of Young's I was served up. Lesson learnt.
23 Jan 2011 22:22
The Angel and Crown, Leicester Square
This is a tired pub. Ropey beer and bored staff, serving equally boring suited office types. With a bit more TLC this could be a nice pub, but until that happens I won't be returning. A shame, as it is a missed opportunity.
18 Jan 2011 00:47
Strangely, it looks like every review and rating before October 31st last year has been deleted, leaving the pub with a disproportionately low rating. It's also frustrating to still see a picture of the Pimlico Tram, despite it being almost two years since its conversion into Cask.
Anyway, this is a great place. One of my favourites. I've been coming to Cask since it first opened, and it has gone from strength to strength. Since last summer it has come into its own as one of the most outstanding pubs in London. Originally the single large room felt bare and cold, but since the word has spread, and the crowds have got bigger the pub has become more welcoming.
The staff are knowledgeable and friendly, while beers from such revered breweries as Dark Star, Thornbridge, Brew Dog and Mikkeller adorn the taps. On recent visits they have been serving a draught version of Mikkeller's Beer Geek Brunch Weasel, made with the infamous the Vietnamese ca phe chon coffee. A velvety, chocolaty beauty, and one of the best beers I have ever tasted.
My advice is to get yourself down to Cask, and dive into beer that you've never heard of. You won't be disappointed.
17 Jan 2011 19:17
One of the better pubs in the area. Flanked on both sides by Wandsworth Common it is in a fantastic area, particularly in summer when the outside seating overlooks the common.
The beer front is fairly refreshing for a pub situated in the (ex) heartland of Young�s, where the brewery's tied houses still dominate. Over Christmas a number of beers from microbreweries around the country were on offer, the pick of the bunch being Saltaire Brewery�s moreish Triple Chocoholic. Meantime Pale Ale and Pilsner Urquell are also pleasing to see as regular keg fixtures.
The Hope has gone through a number of changes throughout its history but it appears to have hit a winning formula, serving up good beer at sensible prices. I think it should be applauded for that.
14 Jan 2011 22:13
The County Arms, Wandsworth Common
Despite it being the busy Christmas season the place was almost deserted. The staff looked like they didn't want to be there. I don't blame them, working in a large, soulless pub such as this would be bad enough at the best of times, let alone when its empty.
Superlative pints of Winter Warmer did little to raise my enjoyment of the place. A shame, because there is little else in the vicinity of Wandsworth Common.
29 Dec 2010 17:33
The Jerusalem Tavern, Clerkenwell
Martinsh - This place is certainly not an "obvious tourist trap". Yes, the faux Dickensian interior only dates back to the mid 90's, but the majority of the clientele here are certainly not tourists - the few that do venture in are normally beer savvy. If you visit on one of the quieter nights early in the week and talk to patrons surrounding the bar, you will find this pub has a thriving local clientele.
As for the pub itself, it remains the sole outlet for St. Peter's tied house in London (the world?). For a brewery that often divides opinion you can view this as either a positive or a negative thing. Fortunately, St. Peter's beers have always been a favourite of mine, especially their fantastic porter and stout. Coupled with the excellent atmosphere and charm, the Jerusalem Tavern one of my favourite watering holes in the capital.
28 Dec 2010 19:17
The Salisbury, Leicester Square
USP hear is the stunning Victorian interior - currently done over with garish Christmas decoration. The clientele is unsurprisingly dominated by a mixture of office workers and tourists, and is often extremely busy most weeknights.
The beer on offer is of fairly good quality, and one expects the turn around is fairly quick. The best of the picks on recent visits has been Purity's excellent Mad Goose, interestingly served through a sparkler, which will no doubt spark debate amongst the beer geeks that frequent this site.
Worth a look if you�re in the area.
2 Dec 2010 15:37
Called into the Bricklayers the other day for a couple of pints whilst over in Putney. No Timothy Taylor's on (see ed.spbw's post for an explanation), but no complaints from me as we were able to tuck into a number of pints of Dark Star's 'Green Hopped IPA'. True to the style it clocked in at 6.5% with a massive hop bite and after taste, a fantastic beer from one of the UK's best breweries.
The pub, as always, was warm and welcoming, with a good mix of clientele. I really don�t think it could get much better than this. The Brick remains one of London�s �must visits�.
27 Nov 2010 17:28
Waxy's Little Sister, Piccadilly Circus
Stopped in here with the girlfriend on Friday night. This is the kind of establishment that reminds me why I always bolt for the Harp or Dog And Duck when I'm in the area. As mentioned below, downright aggressive bouncers, plus bar staff who clearly don't want to be there. Miserable. Avoid.
22 Nov 2010 15:11
A standard Nicholson�s establishment, you probably know what to expect by now. The walls are blanketed by a number of large screen TVs, dominated by football. Kicking out time involved being plunged into darkness at 11:20. Subtle.
Not a bad pub, but I doubt I�ll be back given the abundance of superior choices in the area.
4 Nov 2010 16:42
Quite old theatre pub a million limes away from the majority of drinking establishments that encompass Angel station. Although the beer choice is fairly prosaic for this area of London, I�ve had some of the best kept pints of Landlord I�ve tasted in London in here. Impressive, as it is a beer London pubs often get wrong.
Perhaps not quite as hip or artsy as its fore bearer the King�s Head � situated a few minuets walk up Upper Street � but not necessarily any the worse for it. The Old Red Lion is its own beast, and an important part of London�s pub history.
4 Nov 2010 16:24
Old men reeking of pipe tobacco, local builders, students. All life dwells here. Eschewing the high end nature of the other establishments in the area, the Prince Of Wales stands still in its own personal realm. A soapy pint of London Pride remains your reward if you stray from the premium lagers that the majority of the patrons imbibe here, but that is not what this place is about. I have a soft spot for places like the Prince Of Wales, and I quite liked it here. Recommended for people watching.
5 Jun 2009 02:19
The Jeremy Bentham, Bloomsbury
Named after the founder of University College London, who�s embalmed body still dwells in the university�s main building just around the corner. The pub offers welcomed relief from the student dives and designer bars that litter the north end of Tottenham Court Road. Four to five real ales on draft often include an unusual offering � A fantastic pint from the Titanic brewery on my last visit. Worth the effort if in the area.
5 Jun 2009 01:52
The pubs current placing in the top 40 surprises me somewhat. I wouldn't even place it in the top 40 pubs of London. People must be scoring the establishment on location alone. Don't get me wrong, this is a nice pub, but no better or worse than many of the other Young's pubs in Wandsworth. Yesterday was one of the hottest day of the year in London, and a couple of pints of the bottle conditioned Special London Ale over looking the Thames were most enjoyable. The large outside seating area filled up quickly after 5PM, and the pub seems keen to use any space available, including lining tables down what seems to be the most of Jews Row - Sitting by the river is one thing, but why you'd want to enjoy your drink and food by Bemco Wholesalers is beyond me!
Unfortunately, the majority of the staff behind the bar appeared to be struggling, while other appeared down right terrified! Now I appreciate it is the start of the bust summer season and many will be new, but the pub was not exceptionally busy at the time, and there simply seemed to be a lack of anyone behind the bar taking control.
Overall, a solid pub with a fine location, but it is clearly overhyped by many BITE users.
7/10
22 Apr 2009 16:58
On a quite Tuesday night the bar staff seemed to be having trouble holding everything together - I can't imagine what it is like when busy. The beer selection was unforgettable, with the most interesting choices being the keg Pilsner Urquell and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. As you can probably tell I was not overly impressed. A shame, because it is a nice pub in an area that is lacking in good beer.
3 Jan 2009 19:33
Was in the area and feeling for a couple of pints of the fantastic London Porter. It was promptly served up in excellent condition, as you would expect from any Fuller's tied house. We left an hour or so latter with our spirits raised, the place having served its precise purpose.
The Whistle And Flute is hardly the greatest pub in London (or even Putney for that matter), but for a few relaxed pints you could do a lot worse.
20 Dec 2008 17:16
Stopped in here the other week to find both pump clips on their hand pumps turned around, and the atmosphere, like the beer selection, also lacking. For prime time on a Thursday evening the pub was fairly quite, suggesting I'm not the only drinker in the area unimpressed by the establishment. The pub is obviously aimed at students, but I often see more drinking on the other side of Tottenham Court Road in the excellent Samuel Smith tied houses there. Needless to say I won't be back of my own free choice. There are numerous better places to drink in the area.
13 Dec 2008 21:21
We stopped in here because we were hankering a few rounds on the pub's quizer.
Completely agree with bedfont's comment from earlier this year that ' if you have 6 ales and keep them to a standard why have a boring selection of 6 mass produced middling brown ales that can be bought anywhere? It makes no sense.' This is indeed the scourge of many pubs in central London. Last night though among the usual suspects was the seasonal Rosey Nosey, and a pale offering from Jennings, so the beer front is slightly improved. To be fair, the pub has under gone a sympathetic refurbishment since the photo above was taken, but the place is still lacking any real sole. This is presumably due to the migrational nature of the clientele resulting from the pubs proximity to Euston station. The beer was on form and the staff friendly, but I doubt I will return anytime soon. Not unless I again find myself with a desperate desire for a game of 'Trivial Pursuit' while at Euston that is.
13 Dec 2008 16:48
I was last in the Nightingale a few Saturdays ago. It was great to see the place packed, and secondly that most of the punters where enjoying pints of Young�s Winter Warmer, instead of being drawn to the usual and over priced largers you normally see being drunk in Young�s pubs in this area of London. My dad used to drink here in the early 80�s, and like it was then the Nightingale remains at the centre of the community today, despite the fact that Balham is now totally unrecognizable from 25 years ago.
Combine your visit with a trip to The Eagle Ale House, and you'll have visited two of the best pubs in the Borough of Wandsworth.
12 Dec 2008 06:11
The Jack Horner, Tottenham Court Road
An average Fuller's pub made worse by the fact that while most of the brewery's pubs across the capital and beyond have been pumping out the sublime seasonal London Porter for weeks, the Jack Horner seems still to be proudly advertising the fact that they are wasting their fourth hand pump on the prosaic Discovery.
22 Nov 2008 00:08
I had my first couple of pints of this year's Winter Warmer in The Lamb last week. The beer was excellent, and with a far fuller flavour than the last couple of years. The pub itself, while packed with punters spilling out onto the quite Bloomsbury street, was a joy to drink in. Our group managed to grab a small table near the back of the bar and enjoyed our pints balancing precariously on the small stools that are dotted around the pub, while surrounded on all sides by others enjoying their own pints of Young's dark seasonal beer. It remains for me one of the pubs that defines drinking in London.
21 Nov 2008 23:53
The Antelope, Belgravia
Wonderful little Fuller's tied house just North of Sloane Square. This is one of those pubs which is a joy just to kick back and drink in. Full Fuller's range in excellent condition.
Like the majority of Fuller's pubs the Antelope isn't trying to be anything special. It is just a charming and much loved establishment with good beer, and this is the reason it works so well.
14 Feb 2011 18:13