BITE user comments - SweeneyRegan
Comments by SweeneyRegan
Work colleague and I must have found this place on a bad night. Only one real ale being served in a dingy downstairs bar, and it was without doubt the most vile thing I've ever had the misfortune to drink. That is no exaggeration as it tasted like a pint of vinegar. Saying that, they were happy to swap for a pint of John Smiths.
We then experienced one of the local ladies who 'entertained' us for more than an hour with her conversation. As enthralling as that wasn't, she was a genuinely nice person and bought us southerners a pint (of Carling, sadly). A diamond in the rough, perhaps. A phrase that might well sum up the pub itself too.
On the plus side, and coming from regular outings in Surrey, the prices were a welcome change!
26 Oct 2010 14:28
If there's a better pub than this in Hampshire I'm yet to find it. Probably the only place in the world where you will find a stuffed monkey statue wearing a kilt and hugging a donkey. The choice of beers and ciders is superb, and the atmosphere in the place is great. They've even got the food and menu spot on. The bar staff are friendly and, as mentioned before, quite easy on the eye!
Can't recommend the Black Boy highly enough - definitely my favourite pub.
11 Oct 2010 13:10
The Tweseldown, Church Crookham
Not bad but doesn't quite hit the spot. Came here for dinner with some colleagues and enjoyed the beer and the atmosphere. it has half decent beer, although it won't excite anyone after local brews. The food is good and served by friendly staff. Certainly worth a visit if you like horses - there is plenty of memorabilia scattered around the place.
7 Oct 2010 17:38
The Castle of Comfort, Medstead
A fantastic pub. Spacious inside without losing a sense of 'cosiness'. Good standard of beer with a few regulars and one changing. Nice bar staff - the landlady has been present on each visit and has been very friendly. Some of her own works of art are on display in the pub - as well as a number of different paintings/photographs of the pub throughout the years. Managed to ruin a jumper leaning on some flowers (lillies?) but that's just my own idiocy! Love coming in here to read the local newspaper, and enjoy seeing a complete cross section of the community going through the place. My 'local' is technically the Windmill in Four Marks, but it's worth the trip to Medstead to go to a real pub. Only improvement would be to replace some of the creaky chairs - but that's just part of the charm, right? Highly recommended. CJG says it best with 'Comfortable, hospitable, reliable'.
7 Oct 2010 17:28
You will almost certainly need to reserve a table to get in here. Have been a few times now and have never been too enamoured with the starters. The main courses are generally very good and you will get good value for your money if you choose something hearty. The big selling point of this place is the atmosphere and the beers - a great range well kept. Could be described as a little claustrophobic; try not to tread on any dogs! Falls a little off the mark as it is so busy, but certainly worth a visit.
7 Oct 2010 17:21
My favourite pub in Alton, the Eight Bells is a little off the main street but is very popular. We recently walked in on a beer festival where there were 16 different ales on simultaneously. The home made sandwiches are excellent, and the beer quality is very good. A glass of the wine for the other half nearly bankrupted me, however. Attracts a friendly type of customer and there's some interesting articles about the history of Alton on the walls.
7 Oct 2010 17:17
Very nice atmosphere with a fantastic range of beers. Some unusual local brews as well as some classics. Great place to start before moving up into the town centre, or waiting for a bus/train.
7 Oct 2010 17:14
Starting a pub crawl in Alton, we made the mistake of going to the wrong 'Railway'. This has nothing on its neighbour, with a poor choice of 'beers' and fairly decrepit premises. No wonder it was empty.
7 Oct 2010 17:12
The Globe on the Lake, Alresford
A great location for a pub with a nice looking lake right outside - unfortunately plagued by midges in the evening! Moving inside to continue drinking, there was a great range of reading material and friendly staff who made us feel very welcome. Good range of beer for all tastes - not just ale drinkers. The food looked a little pretentious so not my 'cup of tea', but probably a decent bet for a special evening out. Still retains some charm despite being 'modernised' inside.
7 Oct 2010 17:11
Went here on the recommendation of BITE reviewers below me, but was severely disappointed. Just about managed to order a beer through the unwelcoming locals 'crowded' round the minuscule bar/serving hatch. The quality of the beer wasn't worth nearly having my head taken off as we walked in - be careful of the dart board immediately next to the entrance. Outside, the benches were in state of near collapse. A swift pint and off to somewhere that isn't a hovel.
7 Oct 2010 17:06
Decent beers form the brewery next door but this place gets very busy. Have been unable to order food on a number of occasions because of demand, although what we saw coming from the kitchen did look very nice! Saying that, the staff aren't particularly friendly - the landlord in particular seems to wish there was no-one in his pub at all. Worth a visit just because you won't get the range of Flowerpots beer anywhere else.
7 Oct 2010 17:02
Excellent beer and interesting surroundings. Slightly out of the way from, well, anything - this pub could be a good base for walkers enjoying the Hampshire countryside. I seemed to get lucky with food, the steak pie was generous and one of the best I've ever had. However, others in the party weren't so satisfied with their offerings. if you're undecided, go simply because it has a 300ft well in the middle of the pub.
7 Oct 2010 16:59
What a fantastic pub. There's not much more to add that hasn't been said. Friendly, knowledgable staff with a good sense of humour. There are several well kept local brews and the food is fantastic. Phone ahead for a table, it's very popular and rightly so. Even their website is a good read! A nice atmosphere that makes you feel very welcome. How could it be better? Move to within walking distance of my house please!
7 Oct 2010 16:53
This pub should be so much better. While there's a half decent selection of local beers, the pricing is a little optimistic for the standard. The menu is about as bland as the Ikea furniture in the restaurant area, and the yokels in the other part of the pub don't add to the beauty. Don't expect too much from the food. It is well situated however, almost exactly between Guildford and Winchester on the A31 so good for a quick call should you feel the need. The play area in the garden is good for youngsters, but the constant traffic on the main road isn't exactly conducive to a relaxed atmosphere.
7 Oct 2010 16:49
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The Pumphouse, Liverpool
Not keen on this place. Was in town for business and stopped in here on the way to meeting colleagues in the evening. If you've been to a Greene King pub before then you'll know the setup. Bland and boring, no atmosphere and full of tourists.
Cold beer is never a good sign! Strangely, we were offered a choice of 'clean' or 'dirty' (to paraphrase) Greene King Generic Beer #1. Had one of each, the idea being that one is crisper than the other I suppose. Of course there was absolutely no difference between them.
I'm sure this is great if you have nowhere else to go...
26 Oct 2010 14:37