BITE user comments - beerandpaperman
Comments by beerandpaperman
Harveys has always been excellent and still is, but something's changed for the worst here, the recent sterile makeover certainly hasn't helped, and maybe the Queens Head being on the up hasn't helped either - I do go in at quiet times 7pm-8:30 weekdays but its never been this dead - still giving it a 6 because good beer is sadly a rarity these days (mind you with low numbers that's bound to suffer soon) ...
18 Oct 2014 04:28
Had served poor ale for years, not sure when the ownership changed, but ale (in my case always Harveys) now excellent, also has daily newspapers and a nice atmosphere – currently scoring at a solid 8
18 Oct 2014 04:07
Best pub I’ve been to in Deal, and when the sun streams into the back room it just looks terrific, but got to say bitter wasn't in top notch condition when I last went 2 weeks ago.. so will be keeping an eye on that...
10 Jun 2014 00:55
Been here 3 times over the past year, most recently 2 weeks ago, an excellent example of a micro pub
10 Jun 2014 00:48
Welcoming place, had a very nice pint of Gadds No 5 in excellent condition.
10 Jun 2014 00:28
The Hovelling Boat Inn, Ramsgate
This looks and feels as good as most of these micro pubs, however you can get lulled into a false sense of security, 1) I ordered a pint - normally only get a half until I trust a place. 2) thinking they would know what they were talking about, I ordered a “traditional bitter” (as chalked up on the wall) and got a horrible smoky porter, I question this with the battleaxe in charge and she argued with me whilst admitting “a lot of people have said that”, she then says “you should have had a taste”. I didn't want to make a fuss in a small cosy room so left the pint and got out quickly, a very unpleasant experience, 9/10 for micro pubs looks, 0/10 for service, 0/10 ale - I'm not a fan this type of bitter, but it was poor, maybe she saw the opportunity to get rid of stale stock on a stranger.
10 Jun 2014 00:21
Complete and utter vandalism, I wait four years this pub to reopen only to find it gutted, IDIOTS, whoever is in charge at Youngs has no love of pubs, just easy money.
17 Dec 2012 10:40
Great beer, light and sunny (south-facing), stacks of papers on the fire place, great value simple none-smelly bar food if required, low key live football if required. My Central Bromley drinking knowledge goes back some 20 years � in which time this has always been the best pub.
26 Mar 2012 10:31
The Boot and Flogger, Southwark
Its been under new management since 1st Feb, apart from fancy electronic tills, nothings changed too much (so far... thankfully), although selfishly one change I would like is longer opening hours - For example I would love to spend a Sunday afternoon here.
The whole old gentleman's club/ time warp feel about this place is superb.
It's more expensive than Gordon's and doesn't have a Port from the wood sadly, but it provides a much more relaxed and equally unique experience.
A MUST visit, lets hope the new owners don't change the staff or mess with it, this bar needs to be set in amber and admired for generations to come.
1 Apr 2011 02:20
The Cork And Bottle, Leicester Square
Lovely little place, good selection of today's papers, nice bar to sit at, wine and cheese - yum, well worth a visit.
22 Feb 2011 02:13
The Lamb and Flag, Covent Garden
Totally agree that this is a must see if your in the area, but the smell of urinal cake put me off my dark star yesterday � why do pubs use this stuff??, with reference to mikeyr1234 I think the smell of the sewers might be preferable.
22 Feb 2011 01:17
I'm in it - Free Internet @ the bar - Brill - Greene King sadly, but this Abbot's tasting pretty good, bit heavy on the detergent but hopefully that will wear off throughout the day, nice looking place and most importantly this pub is OPEN - PLEASE NOTE CROWN AND MITRE!
12 Feb 2011 13:23
The Crown and Mitre, Kings Lynn
Closed from 8th to 27th Feb - Possibly because the fair is in town - pathetic, we've got enough closures without voluntary ones.
12 Feb 2011 13:08
Been here a number of times over the years (great sunsets from the front window in spring and autumn) but the fact that I've never bothered to rate it sums up my general apathy towards this place in the past.
However, having followed the Halstead soap opera here on Bite, yesterday it was time to see how the now legendary Bob is doing.
In the reverse to the �Cheers� mantra, I like pubs where nobody knows my name, Bob doesn't know mine, but we nod in recognition of each other.
Harveys full measure at �2.80 (Rose & Crown are doing lower taxed 3.4 Larkin's at �3), today's papers, spot light at bar to illuminate my paper, nice atmosphere, it's a 9.
7 Feb 2011 12:55
My 3rd time back since last summer's bloodshed, the first �New Guy� was very friendly, but clearly (and I think unfairly) on a hiding to nothing.
It's also probably unfair of me the judge yesterday's �New New Guy� after such a brief visit, but I will anyway�. My Larkin's was a borderline short measure, but he didn't look like the kind of young man I'd like to argue with, I also would have had a second Whitstable, but he was outside having a cigarette and a prolonged chat.
The front bar was fully occupied by an extended family, nothing wrong with that I guess, but I did feel like I'd gate crashed a private house party, the side bar was dead and even in the pubs heyday it never had a particularly good feel about it.
On the plus side the Larkin's was excellent and they had todays papers, and this pub needs to be supported through this current (hopefully short-term) blip.
7 Feb 2011 12:54
The Ramblers Rest, Chislehurst
I go to this pub around 4 times a year, I've always found the staff very friendly and the beer excellently kept, however, in a follow up to BR59's comments, I too have been aware of a particularly unpleasant group of middle aged locals which has in turn put me off visiting this pub more often.
29 Nov 2010 13:46
More of a restaurant than a pub, seems to be lively and very enthusiastically run at the moment, very helpful staff, sadly for me, no longer sells Timothy Taylors Best (it was the only pub I'd found in the south east that did it). Current �own brand� offering from the Westerham brewery wasn't to my likening and far too cold - however on the big plus side it was served in an oversize glass.
20 Aug 2010 16:09
Excellent Country pub � my favourite Harveys direct from the barrel and a second Harveys to taste if I get adventurous. Last night - Pint of Best and a pickled egg �3.50, lovely.
20 Aug 2010 15:44
The Horseshoe Inn, London Bridge
Good looking, bright pub, well worth a visit, had a well kept brakspears, will be back.
17 Aug 2010 02:12
Seems to be going for the rough end of the market, but at least its still open and serving real ale.
17 Aug 2010 01:43
Never thought I'd say this but �The Star is by far the Best Pub in Rainford�, well kept beer, Black Sheep & Bass seem to be generally on plus one maybe two others, there's also an interesting range of Belgium beers and their specialist glasses. The bar is sited away from the restaurant area which still gives the place a traditional pub feel. If I was still living in Rainford this would be my local.
17 Aug 2010 01:39
Each time I come back it seems to be worst both in atmosphere and ale, last time I went in (3 weeks ago) the current landlord decided to open at 2pm on a Saturday and didn't seem to grasp why me and my mates where messed around by this, errr cos people plan stuff around pub opening hours.... last week it was closed because of a �flood�. Next time I'm guessing it will be shut for good which will be very sad for a pub which has played such an important part in Rainford village life
17 Aug 2010 01:20
7/10 � your having a laugh the stench of both detergent and some other just bad smell stopped me from even ordering, and apart from that it looks like a total dump.
17 Aug 2010 01:01
Worth a visit, good looking pub inside and out, nice big bright windows facing west, I had the Flowers IPA which was fine, but next time will head straight for a Whisky.
17 Aug 2010 00:55
A near perfect pub with the only negs (high end pricing and cooked food smells) being understandable in order to keep this definitive city center pub in tip top condition.
15 Aug 2010 01:29
I got one of the construction workers to let me in about two months ago and found that all was still in tacked on the ground floor, so hopefully a grand reopening will happen one day. I've never been happy about the sheer audacity of the whole new wheatsheaf/bierkeller thing, yes staff are very important (and the staff at the wheatsheaf were great to the very end), but you can never replace the bricks, mortar and decor of a classic British city centre pub like this.
10 Jul 2010 01:11
The Change of Horses, Farnborough
Decided about a year ago to stop complaining about short measures, it never seemed worth the agro. But after last Mondays visit here I'm back on the warpath, the hard faced manager stood and looked at me ignorantly as he delivered what was at most 500ml of Harvey's to me, I can't believe I chose to keep my gob shut its been eating away at me all week. His 68ml head cost me 37p at �3.10 a pint, will be going back there soon for a confrontation. Apart from that, the beers good the pubs very shabby.
10 Jul 2010 00:50
5.8 is unfairly low for this pub � I�m going for 9 (6 for the pub, 10 for the beer, plus 1 to even up the score!). Yes its not your classic English pub, it�s a bit of a barn, but its comfortable and spotless and doesn�t have the unfortunate smell and Russian Roulette of beer that the wetherspoons has. Beer wise you get a regular excellent �1.99 pint of pale ale (E.S.P I think) plus well kept, well known branded guest ales such as Harveys, Doom and Black Sheep at �2.49 per Full Pint. Staff very friendly � Keep up the good work guys
9 Jul 2010 10:17
I�m with jazz_hands on external looks, but well worth a visit just to see the inside, I had a Hooky which was good.
26 Jan 2009 18:11
The Charles Dickens, Southwark
Quite nice looking inside but when I went on a Sunday afternoon it was very food orientated with a strong restaurant smell in the air. Large selection of real ales I had Slaters Queen Bee which was excellent and a Bath Ale which was OK. The landlady (I assume) was a bit grumpy.
26 Jan 2009 17:50
Had a good multicultural feel about the place - bet there were a few tears in here last Tuesday. Nice place, especially to watch sport and also had a good selection of Sunday papers. I moved on to keg because there was only Fullers Discovery left and it wasn�t great, but then I�m not sure it ever is, that aside I would definitely recommend this pub.
26 Jan 2009 17:39
The Ramblers Rest, Chislehurst
Excellent little place worth going out of your way to get to especially when the trees out side are blossoming. The Brakspear Bitter is tasting brilliant here at the moment and the bar staff just add to the nice feel about the place.
22 Jan 2009 02:48
Part of some pub chain, lacks character, but pleasant staff, beer good value although the one I had wasn't great, very smart and clean inside feels like a hotel bar, not my sort of place but I guess some people would like it.
22 Jan 2009 02:34
Ye Olde Whyte Lion, Locksbottom
Ye Locksbottom pub although I never quite got over the refit years ago, but this is a very good pub with nice bar staff and Spitfire tasting as good as it can, its just a pity Shepherd Neame pubs charge so much for it.
22 Jan 2009 02:34
The British Queen, Locksbottom
I come in here from time to time, sadly it seems to be getting worse & worse, we've lost 3 pubs within � mile of this place in the past 10 or so years - this could be next. I went there on Tuesday and it stank (that could have due to a guy at the bar, but I suspect it was more than just him). The Harveys (served at just the right temperature and pleasantly) tasted good considering you wouldn't expected that they get enough people drinking it here. Needs a good spring clean guys.
22 Jan 2009 02:33
The Hole In The Wall, Waterloo
Got here at last orders only had chance to have TEA which was fine, I will come back to try some of the other ales, but they will have to be pretty damn could to make up for the smell and absolute grottyness of this place.
19 Jan 2009 17:29
I don�t come in here that often, maybe 5 times over the past three months including last night. I haven�t had a problem with the staff, but I�ve tended to come at quite times, nor did I notice it being dirty (I left here and went to the �Hole in the Wall� - now that is dirty and smelly). Not sure about the ale, I tend to have draft Leffe or cider here. On the whole I would say it�s a better than average pub.
19 Jan 2009 17:11
Been a couple of times to the open mic Sunday music night, nice feel about the place, Beer (Landlord) was ok, will visit again.
19 Jan 2009 16:38
Now called the �The Libertine� (don�t like pub name changes), had Deuchars which was OK, an interesting interior, good contemporary music at just the right volume and a big comfortable chair with a lamp next to it which was perfect for Sunday Paper reading.
19 Jan 2009 14:01
Yep, Bohemian is the word, excellent little pub. My Black Sheep wasn�t perfect, maybe it was just a bit too chilled, but was it was drinkable and I am a fussy old bugger.
19 Jan 2009 13:44
Looks and feels perfect both inside and outside, an absolute must for a visit, but agree with aaroncp on ale choice
19 Jan 2009 01:50
The Sovereign of the Seas, Petts Wood
My local (by geography not choice), but temping enough to ensure that I often pop in for a quickie.
The beer isn't always top notch (that could be psychosomatic in the wetherspoons environment), but you do get the occasional beauty, and I feel I should support his real ale efforts, and its consistently drinkable, and if you want a change there's great value Leffe, spirits, wine, bottled ciders etc
You do get noisy foul-mouthed teenagers, drunks & old hard men who look ready for a punch up (however I haven�t seen one yet), but this is a community pub with a mix of men and women of all ages united by a common goal. Many pubs used to have this cosmopolitan feel and I for one miss those halcyon days.
The current crop of staff are friendly and very efficient behind the bar, I've not had food here, but the curries smell great. This pub stands on a site where in the past there wasn�t a pub and in an area which is underserved by pubs, it�s worth supporting.
15 Jan 2009 12:32
Always been my favorite pub in the market, I only found out about it�s impending doom via a notice in their toilets last Friday, had a last session in there yesterday, the Tribute is tasting brilliant at the moment.
I�ve found out more about the viaduct plan, they will be taking off the top floor of the building and giving it a bigger beer garden, so at least it shouldn�t be gone for good, however 4 years is a long time so it must be a priority for railtrack to mothball this pubs wonderful interior and reopen it looking identical to the day it closed.
5 Jan 2009 14:06
This is my favorite pub in this area, unfortunately its 7 miles from my house in Petts Wood, so I cycle, walk, train or pop in on my way back from the M25. Larkins (unbelievable taste for a 3.4). & Whitstable IPA are always on tap and its hard to leave them alone, but there�s also well kept brilliant guest ales and most importantly for me the front bar is separate and food free, occasionally there�s the odd local with a B.O. problem (tell him about Lifebuoy guys), but apart from that, this pub is just about as good as it gets.
4 Jun 2008 19:36
Only had time for a quick �Shepherd Neame Light Ale� here, (which by the way is just about as good as bottled ale gets) The staff were very friendly, nice front bar, I will be back.
3 Jun 2008 12:02
The Fox and Hounds, Romney Street
Worth the Hike, I walked to it via very quite lanes from Kemsing, and back from it on good footpaths to The North Downs Way, friendly, good beer, excellent location and happy beer drinking locals - which is always a good sign.
3 Jun 2008 11:49
This felt like a proper community oriented Pub, good for old farts like me, but also catered for the young at the back, I was very impressed and loved the internet in the bar and the fact it was open on a Saturday afternoon.
3 Jun 2008 02:16
I got to Wrotham at 3:30pm last Saturday, two pubs were closed, The Bull was not the drinkers pub I was looking for, but they were very friendly and served me a well kept pint of Dark Star, A charming local lent me his paper and I had a very pleasant � hour in the food free (at that time) front bar.
3 Jun 2008 02:07
Staff friendly, a bit too foodie for me, had a decent pint of IPA, worth a visit to see it and the Wheatsheaf across the road, they make a pretty beer drinkers picture.
2 Jun 2008 18:46
I only had time for a quick visit, 2 weeks ago, but from what I saw, it had a good real pub feel about it, I had a half of real ale (I think Harveys) and it tasted the way it should. I will be going back.
2 Jun 2008 18:37
The situation at this pub is an absolute disgrace, beautiful location, just off the North Downs Way, great looking pub, which is being deliberately run down, probably in order to get it de-licensed and made into a private home. I entered the pub via a footpath going through Six Acre/ Fab�s Wood, where there�s an outstanding bench carved out of solid wood with a plaque to �Our Fred� who �Loved to walk through these woods on the way to the pub for �A glass of Lunch�� - soon there won't be a pub for us to raise a glass to him in.
2 Jun 2008 18:07
Back to beerandpaperman's profile
The Crown and Trumpet Inn, Broadway
Beer ok, just seen the owner being unpleasant about letting a couple of friendly Americans try a taste of bitter ordering the barmaid to "describe" the taste instead... no need - especially at £2 half £3.95 a pint.. I walked out...
12 May 2016 13:42