BITE user comments - TW1
Comments by TW1
The beer was fine, but that's as good as it got.
Apparently they have in the past won awards for their food, but sadly those days are far behind them from the slop i had. £11 for burger n chips - about 6 burnt chips & a homemade burger that was as poorly shaped as you'd expect from a 5 year old trying to cook for the first time. The tiny football shaped burger was in this hugely oversized bun for its requirements, which itself has been burnt & tasted stale.
The olive nibbles i ordered, had to be requested a futher 2 times, as the delay was getting silly. Surely they just empty them out of a jar into a pot?.. the time they were taking, perhaps they were going to Greece to get them.
One table of slightly older women left as they were fed up of waiting for their food. They made by far the best decision of the night! only their argument with the staff about it did ruffle a few feathers.
30mins after finishing the meal, tables were still not being cleared. Took my own plates back & dumped them on the bar counter.
Bad service had been received by everyone that evening. The place was noticably emptying early & only 2 tables remained by 9:30pm. I felt sorry for the group who had clearly booked and were celebrating some special occasion.
Get more serving staff on, but start by training the 'cook' who clearly cannot cope and is out of his depth.
Wont be back for a while, and will certainly not try eating there.
The first pub i have ever wanted to give a minus rating to.
30 Apr 2013 17:02
The beer - altho adequate, is still a few degrees too warm, and £7 for a glass of wine is pushing acceptability for a pub. (so over £10 for a pint & glass of wine).
But the Sunday roast, at £14, i was expecting near perfection. This is nearly double what other pubs are charging, but WHAT A LET DOWN!
Little meat, weak gravey, and the smallest portion of carrots & peas i've ever seen. Though, this was a blessing in disguise, as they were laced with raw garlic which stayed in the mouth for hours. Disgusting.
Things have not changed since "mpage"'s review of jul 2011 - the food is to be avoided. Sack the "chef". It will ruin your Sunday, and embarass you in front of your guests!
28 Jan 2013 10:03
The Hook, Line and Sinker, Twickenham
Reopening as a craft beer bar in oct. From the 3 week trial in sept, looks like prices will be �4-6 a pop!. Nice enough beer, but clearly wants to be the most expensive bar in town.
If you want beer not bankruptcy, wander ten minutes to the Sussex arms by the green instead. They've got it right for the real ale drinker. This craft place is an unfortunate miss, despite home smoked sausages.
21 Sep 2012 07:33
During the day, the glasshouse appears to be an extension of the local coffee houses, full of kids & yummy-mummies. Avoid if like me, you think childen shouldn't be in pubs... well, certainly not in these noisy, badly behaved numbers! Creche.
15 Feb 2012 09:31
Owned by Fullers, how can the beer deteriorate so much in the short jouney from Chiswick?
Had a quick lick o' paint, but still smells, and unable to pull anything other than a warm, flat bitter.
Ladies toilet seats broken (see my 2007 posting on this one!)
Go to the Wetherspoons down the road - their new policy on restricting numbers makes for a far nicer experience & the beer is so very well kept.
15 Feb 2012 09:27
wonderful beer menu - NOW GONE
heating - NOW GONE
cask marque - WILL SURELY GO IN JULY WHEN DUE FOR RENEWAL.
Other than a freezing cold bar, limited standard beer as already mentined by others, and real ale which is not longer looked after, great place to go, NOT.
Avoid, has declined recently, chasing the fri-sat night teenage binge crowd.
Spend 10mins walking to the Sussex instead.
15 Feb 2012 09:21
i hope ivorbeer introduced himself to the landlord/lady when he returned, and discussed his reviews in an open and honest manner.
or maybe he cowardly went in 'undercover', hoping to write some more anon critical tripe.
if you're not brave enough to face those you criticise, stop posting on the website.
1 Jan 2012 14:41
NOT CLOSED, SIMPLY RENAMED the william webb ellis.
like a wide selection of real ales at good prices, then visit.
wines on choice are also improving.
1 Jan 2012 14:32
BEEN CLOSED FOR MONTHS.
Turned their back on the local real ale few who kept this ticking over when it was owned by Steve(?) a few years back. Sports bar, sizzling Indian chicken bar... they were destined to fail, and have done. Don't mess with the loyal locals, they're more powerful than you think.
1 Jan 2012 14:20
i wish i managed this place, as it must be making huge amounts of money. Why else would i be refused service after getting of the train and popping in for a last drink about 5 mins before closing time. They must be highly profitable if the lazy, work-shy female barstaff is instructed to refuse custom, cos she can't be bothered and is too busy chatting up her tattooed squeeze sat at the end of the bar.
If your getting off a late train, go to the Patch, as the staff may refuse service at their own discretion, just based on idleness.
1 Jan 2012 14:14
The new managers have nearly been here a year now, and there has been a noticable dip in the quality (warm/flat) of the beer served and the selection of beers available has also narrowed.
After another year, these small steps backwards, will have slowly turned this boozer into another high street chain with only fizzy lagers on offer & only 1 handpump for Spitfire.
Where's that NZ guy?? - best cellarman in the business and years of experience. Fools to let him go, as it's effecting their end product.
Wont go back in a hurry - too sad to witness this slow decline.
9 Jun 2011 15:33
to 'ease' pressure on the tills on match days, you now purchase 'tickets' for beers outside the pub & exchange them for beers inside the pub.
sadly, this is a complete CON, as the price becomes �15 for 4 beers.!!!! Yes, that's �3.75 for a london pride or green king IPA!!!!
it's the mentality of the person who came up with this idea i feel sorry for... is this even allowed - i didn't see them changing the price list behind the bar!
I felt like scum, being taken advantage of, and fleeced in this blatant, uncaring manner. the greed mindset of this act sucked bigtime.
hope it was worth it - i wont be back, i wont recommend you, i hope the pub fails.
22 Nov 2010 16:36
clean, smart, a few real ales on pump.
the staff sadly outnumbered the punters.
some of the topics being discussed by the staff n local few were perhaps a bit marginal for polite conversation - so i'm a bit put off going, as it was similar last time i visited. it's still a business not a private living room with the mates round. be professional.
progress being made.
22 Nov 2010 16:13
CLOSED - now a curry house.
Yeah, twickenham needs another one of them - perhaps they could be a coffee shop for yummy mummies during the daytime.
22 Nov 2010 16:08
CLOSED now a Tesco Express.
Expect more of this, as no planning permission is needed to convert a pub to a supermarket.
6 Nov 2010 11:37
Popular, so gets crowded for such a small pub. The food is value, considering the price, and there are loyalty cards out there too for even better offers. (tho it's not obvious how to get one).
Beer is always in good nick. Good place for a social beer n chat with friends.
15 Oct 2010 16:20
Just a "bar ha-ha on thames".
Got a young girl who's a bit more shine than substance? - she'll love it, take her here for the night! you'll get a 2nd date.
And next time, take her to wetherspoon's, and save 50% on your night out.
15 Oct 2010 16:17
sterile, cold, a place for lager-boys on the pull in cheap cologne to gather before heading into windsor. it's all hair-gel, and lynx.
avoid if you want a drink in a pub, or don't avoid if you've had a bad day, and you need to look down on everyone to cheer yourself up!
15 Oct 2010 16:12
�8.50 for 1 disappointing field mushroom! .. Message to all wannabe veggies - delay your lifestyle choice for 30mins and choose the gammon salad instead.
This was the only downpoint to the visit. Staff excellent and friendly, beer well kept, and not too rammed with tourists given the location - tho peak times are always different.
Eerily clean and well kept market square, with crisply painted buildings - i spose it's "all for the greater good".
A good place to sit and ponder why that bloke down the high street thinks it is reasonable to try and charge �10k for a small bronze gorilla? Makes you hare stand on end.
4 Oct 2010 10:33
If you want a perfect example of.....
....bad space management, then get yourself in here - if you can and it's not too crouded!
Good beer, ther's no denying that, but a bar that on a busy weekend night is woefully understaffed and yet the bar area and the space behind the bar dominate the pub and take up about 40% of all available space.
The 3 servers in all that space, struggle to keep punters glasses full, and refuse to even try serving at the back end of the bar, making customer through-traffic and the perception of even more overcrowding amd jossling.
You will be cramped, and yet there's plenty of scope to push back the bar and create more, or heat the garden/patio area overlooking the river and house customers out there. They'd love it in the autumn evening, get some outside heating.
Has so much potential with a little thought for the cattle-crated paying customers, at least let them breath.
30 Oct 2008 21:05
The Shakespeare Tavern, Durham
I can only agree with "johnbonser"'s review.
What an awkwardly arranged pub. No space to sit in the main area if busy, so people are forced to stand at the bar - making crowding appear worse, and getting served almost impossible.
Lots more seating out the back via needless corridors, but no bar?!
Whoever 'designed' the decor hates cloth and fabrics, or has an irrational fear of everything catching fire!. Bare walls, bare ceiling, bare floors, a stark pub alround. Feng Shui has yet to hit the Shakespear in Durham.
If it's crowded, you will feel too cramped to stay for more than 1 pint. Shame, cos i guess you never really get a feel for the pub if you're always thinking of leaving it.
30 Oct 2008 20:57
Dark, mildly-goth, bit of a rock pub - if you're from London, think village-y Intrepid Fox.
A bit of a live music/rock music pub, with Setanta Sports!
If you're a portly, middle-aged, single, long-haired, and wear a black t-shirt with a metal band on it and denim jeans and jacket, then get yourself in there, you'll love it ! Or if you're a lady looking for such a eligible fellow, get yourself to this pub now, and take one (or maybe more!) home for the night!
If it's live music with a mild harmess edge, and no-grannies, go there.
(p.s. if you'r not looking for any of the above, please avoid - go across the street to Ye Ole Elm Tree - also Crossgate)
30 Oct 2008 20:49
A good place to sit with a drink recovering from the greasy slop you'd have just eaten in Newcastle's China Town, just round the corner - if you managed to get this far without vomiting that is!
Good selection of Ale, well kept, hard but fair bar lady serving, and not too crowded. The obligatory Shearer/Keegan (I dont know which! - it wasn't Thierry) poster on the wall.
30 Oct 2008 20:42
Best beer in town.
The bar is compartmentalized into 3 sections. Various paraphernalia re: Queen Vic, adors the walls, Toby jugs and look out for the herd of elephants. It gives the place charater, as do the locals - some playing dominoes, the odd mad ole lady supping halfs quicker than her old man can buy them and a whiskey selection to make Scotland jealous. Old stuff everywhere, but it's clean, tidy and has a real fire gently glowing away.
I feel sorry for the reviewer who described it as the "best breakfast ever", it's good, but they should really travel more.
If you do stay the night, beware, as it's on the main drag from the student union just down the road, to various accomodation halls. At various times throughout the night, yo will be woken by packs of drunk, singing students, staggering their ways back home - if only they put as much effort into studying as they do getting drunk, they could have got themselves into a good university!.
Well worth the high marks, and only a few mins walk out of the centre.
30 Oct 2008 20:37
More of a family pub aimed at the SAGA not the SEGA generation. As such, a less intrusive atmosphere into your evening. With this opportunity arising, you might like to try actually having a converation with the person or persons you have gone to the pub with!
Ate here - sadly all items on the mixed grill were apparently cooked together, so it all tasted of liver and kidney. Shame, but what you get, if you don't employ a chef who cares.
Good beer, but limited real ale selection. Your gran would like it for some pub grub.
30 Oct 2008 20:28
well kept beer, but louder music than was required to fill such a small space - just trying to force an atmosphere too early in the evening. With the quality of their product, why? Aim less at the loud, scruffy, smell, poor, student types, and more at richer professional types WITH jobs.
Slowest and worst trained staff in town - do they have a boss who cares? But worth the wait when you do eventually get served. Location also a bonus, overlooking the market square, in the room at the back (not immediately obvious) overlooks the indoor market.
Put it on the list to visit, and you'll have a better experience if you try to ignore the dark decor.
30 Oct 2008 20:20
Lovely, quieter road, and a building that stands out from the red-brick others on the street.
On entering there's a sliding door into 'the snug' bar - warning!! frequented by locals. There's 50 ole men, crammed into a tiny space, no ladies, so if you're not a canny lad or lass from roond 'ere like, leave immediately and go to the other saloon bar out back.
It's a pub that clearly looks after it's locals, and the off beer (Cumberland) served in the saloon bar is testament to that. What's the betting that the bar staff would be lynched if they tried that trick in the snug!. They were of course, kind enough to change the vinegar i was originally served, but i'm fed up with hearing young girls serving behind the bar using the excuse "..well i don't drink it, so I wouldn't know of it's off.." it ain't rocket science luv, if it smells of vinegar and there's a pickled egg in it, IT'S OFF ! And start to take some pride and interest in your work too - ask the manager to train you on the proper taste for the drinks you serve.
Look out for the cricket picture by A.Chevallier Taylor 1907 looks like one in the White Hart, Canterbury.. someone from kent, please confirm.
Overall nice enough, but as a tourist, you will always play second fiddle to the locals - a sign that perhaps they don't really want you there. The locals were the most unwelcoming of any bar visited in Durham - and yet and article in the Independent Newspaper displayed on the wall suggests otherwise. Maybe it was a bad night to go there.
There was an unusual man at the bar snorting up phlegm all evening - not sure if he's a regular - look out for him as well as the cricket picture.
30 Oct 2008 20:12
Behind the bar you'll find 3 different displays of 6 varieties of crisps, and 2 more varieties hung on the wall - those running the place spend more time and effort displaying 20 packets of crisps than they do on the beer, perhaps a reflection of the hungry student types typical of the place, that don't have a square meal from one day to the next.
Cold, almost freezing real ale attempts to mask the slightly 'off' beer some days past its sell by date (I hope for their sake the crisps aren't out of date, or their business really will be in trouble!).
Free-standing 'once you pop you can'y stop' crisps and peanut vending machines give the atmosphere of a student flat night-in, with cheap nibbles on the living room table.
Rough furniture and no carpets - a place to go at the end of a night to vomit up your kebab indoors without being noticed or ruining the hose-down decor.
Catering for people with the "munchies", not a thirst - tho' why would students get the munchies..?..
Who has given this 7 out of 10? it's a 2 at max.
Avoid if old enough to drink without the need to take passport ID with you.
30 Oct 2008 19:55
At only a 5 min walk further out of town from the Green, I'm surprised I'd never been in before. It's true to say it's had a -ve reputation in the past, which has to some degree put me off, but it looks neat an tidy from the outside, so I gave it a go.
A couple of locals sat by the bar, a few more on the pool table. Spacious bar area, with a few snug hide-aways too and cosy furniture.
They appeared to have only 1 real ale on, but, had a range of bottled real ale beers available to buy. A good idea, I don't know why more pubs don't do it!
If you don't get the turnover of bitter to make it worth buying a barrel, then don't disappoint/aleniate your real ale drinkers, get some bottles in like the Bloomsbury.
Well done for considering ALL your drinkers! I will visit again.
It's too far out of town to benefit from weekend crowds or rugby matches. There's a lot of houses in the cross roads area, and those people need to get over it's old reputation and start supporting this pub more, or lose it.
20 Sep 2008 13:49
The same ole story continues... went in, Pride was unavailable, so was served Deuchars.
Took it back 5 mins later, as tasted of vinegar. The staff said a couple of others had already complained... then WHY STILL KNOWINGLY SERVE EGGY/OFF BEER!?!? They changd it without question, which is to their credit, but at �3 a pint for bitter, at least it should be drinkable.
Several years ago, it was a fav pub in the area, with its various areas/bars/garden/pool/music etc. catering for all comers. Now, I just think the owners have lost interest in running a decent local. It's going the way of many other Twickenham pubs, in just catering for the match day trade, and sod the wannabe regulars who'd like to drink there the other 350 days of the year.
If pubs were successful according to the quality of beer they served, they Patch would sadly have started going out of business several years ago, but, as Kirsty and Phil would say, "location, location, location", so I guess it'll continue to be successful, and so wont change unless the owners/managers get back some passion for the pub trade again. It has to be given a much lower mark than a few years ago.
20 Sep 2008 13:32
An attempt was made to sell it's overpriced foreign lagers using the imaginative marketing tool of "branding" - I believe the rules work thus: Get a bad tasting, vastly overpriced, foreign, hard to pronounce lager, serve it via a 2 foot (preferable 3 foot) monolithic dispensing tap on the bar, into a designer glass with the name of the lager on it for ease of identification, and flog it to image concious Y2K yuppies or wannabe student types for �4 a pint. The punter gets the experience of buying into the brand. I fell for it, nice idea, this kind of thing should be used more often, as i strongly believe it encourages women to drink more lager/beers and not just stick to wine or spirits.
That said, when i ordered my last pint of Staropramen(?) it came not in a lovely branded high-glass, but a standard pint one. Disappointed, I asked why. The reason - because they were marked glasses, and too much wastage. Heaven forbid that at 'only' �4 a pint, the customer should be served 5ml extra beer - that's mostly frothy head anyway! It does spoil the experience. Shame. They had a very individual thing going. If you want this kind of branding - go to the Old Goat, Fulwell.
P.S. the bitter in there is rarely used. Order at your own risk.
24 Dec 2007 13:46
Passing it everyday, I couldn't help but notice that the place has had a 'bit of work' done on it recently outside, so I went in for curiosity sake.
Once inside you'll see it has by far the largest drinking area in the town, and yet there's nobody in it! All empty and wasted and there are just enough locals sat round with elbows wide enough to stop you getting in, or they're in the side room playing pool.
The place could fit hundreds of people in, but there is no effort put in to attracting them, and once in, there's no reason for them to stay. Students or afterwork friday night crowds would spend �000's, but don't go as they'd feel uncomfortable whilst drinking. The few unwelcoming types that frequent the place put a whole load more people off going in... but I spose even those kind of people need a place to drink their strong lagers, smoke outside, talk about tatoos and fighting, and as for the blokes that go there...
24 Dec 2007 13:23
A refurb has left the place looking clean, smart and spacious, but echoey because of it, and devoid of any personality. Sat there having a drink is like drinking a pint in church - high ceilings and no-one else to be seen. The few older locals that are there have yet to wash themselves thoroughly to bring them up to standard of the rest of the bar. A few younger trendy types are starting to populate this pub, i can only hope for the pub this continues, as it's clearly their target market.
If they had to rely on the locals, then the prices would soon put them out of business - nice real ale, served at the right temperature (but where was the Bombardier? maybe i visited on a bad night), but the food was a disappointment... you will get no more than 5 chips with any ordered burger, and they think that serving it on a wooden block makes up for the lack of food. Don't expect the salad to be any better neither - no dressing, just mayo 'dolloped' onto the lettuce leaves. If you are not going to make the effort, or have the 'expertise' in the kitchen to do a decent job of a simple salad, then expect more food to be returned by dissappointed by punters. Are there students in the kitchen only use to heating microwave meals?
18 Dec 2007 14:14
Just that little bit further away from the town centre, so avoids the masses of non-local rugga fans on a match day. It's full of middle-aged grumbly local rugby fans instead.
The beer should be great, but rarely is. Only the Honeydew is consistent - i'm sure there's some "science" reason that's way beyond my comprehension as to why all real ales can't be served in this nitro-pumped manner - right temperature and always good quality.
The drains are creating a vile stemch that fills the room between tha main bar and restaurant. The customers know, the staff know, the manageers know and Fullers know, but no-one can be bothered to do anything about it, dispite people continually voicing concerns.
My advice to customers is simple, go to the Blucher til it's sorted out!
3 Dec 2007 14:16
Have eaten Sunday lunch twice there twice now, and have had an unusually long wait both times - a carvery roast.. what can cause the delay?
Having learned from my first visit, I booked for the second, only for the booking to be 'lost' and be shoved over in the corner - was a bit of a squeeze for 4. Being sat next to a screaming child didn't help, but that's not necessarily the pubs fault. Though I am against children in pubs.
The food itself was okay, nothing special, but why doesn't the roast have Yorkshire pudding? I thought this was standard throughout the World. Don't be too ponsey with the presentation, and give people an option on the horseradish sauce. I like it, but some may not want there dinner smothered in it.
The crackling on the pork was excellent.
Will probably return to try the garden in the summer.
26 Nov 2007 15:24
just had an extensive or did i mean expensive refurb of the old sports side. more tele's in booth-like arrangements and a huge improvement where the pool tables are.
why are the ladies toliet seats broken already? how does this even happen? what kind of women go there and what are they doing to break the seats? Get 'em replaced within 10 years this time please!
Still overpriced, but location is everything...
23 Nov 2007 14:29
The pub no longer sells real ale, as they don't sell enough of it, and it was simply going off and being wasted.
I commend them for doing this, more pubs should do the same rather than sell sub-standard manky pints, but at least buy some bottles for beer drinkers to enjoy, as lager ain't an alternative!
Left, and went to the Clubhouse!
23 Nov 2007 14:25
As mentioned below, the food is expensive - �22 for a single serving of beef wellington! even so, booking is recommended.
Other than that, lovely fire place and decor in an olde worlde kind of way, busy for a tuesday - just a reflection of how successful they are.
Go in the summer and sit outside.
Would give it more than a 7 if the food wasn't soo expensive - they should remember that they are still 'only' a pub.
21 Nov 2007 09:26
well spotted anonymous, I've noticed this too. The most senior people there are doing it and it appears to be only the real ale when it's a bit lively - easy to do as the pumps and trays for the ales are all hidden behind and below the bar level. It's unhygeneic at best, probably against health 'n' safety and makes you wonder what they are doing in the kitchen with your food! I was very disappointed. From my brief observations, the locals get looked after okay, but if you're a new face or in a crowd on a crawl, don't order the real ale - or at least watch then pour it fresh!
19 Nov 2007 20:11
The Sussex Arms, Twickenham
Going downhill.
Number of active handpumps reducing, quality of kept beer falling. Sunny evenings and it is no longer packed, so customers are noticing and voting with their feet. Attracting a different type of customer now, partially encouraged by the equal opportunity employment policy with 6 out of 6 members of staff being young ladies the last time I visited, so slightly more tattooed lager swilling blokes now sitting round the bar.
If you preferred it the way it was, the way it transformed itself and became a success, then walk ten mins to the Rifleman.
19 Aug 2015 13:21