BITE user comments - jojo85
Comments by jojo85
Went a few weeks ago for a meal, very nice if slightly overpriced, and quite a limited menu, didn't bother with dessert as these were very overpriced at nearly �5 a go, no thanks! Didn't notice if the short pint phenomenon was still in practice. However, what I eventually chose from the non-diet friendly menu was very, very nice with very fresh vegetables so top marks there. Not top marks for shouty students but oops it is in Wivenhoe.
4 Feb 2009 10:29
Still a good pub and a cheap eater, tho service is slow even when it is quiet, rather understaffed. Loos could do with an update. Has outside playing area for children in the summer. The local drinkers keep to their bit and the food eaters keep to their bit and that's that. Good quiz on a Tuesday tho not so good if you didn't know about it and were expecting a nice quiet meal. I swear one time I visited there was a man who looked exactly like Michael Douglas in his Romancing the Stone days, almost identical! Is pretty good if you don't have much money but agree with the below comment on the chips!
4 Feb 2009 10:25
Good food, ok drinks, good prices if you get the early bird, does what it says on the tin, good if you've got children.
4 Feb 2009 10:22
Still a good pub but menu needs to be more varied, this is evidenced by the fact that I used to go twice a year, once in May and once in September and both times and any other times the menus have been almost identical, sometimes offering very small choice to the dieter, poor of pocket or vegeterian, still at least you know what you're going to get I suppose. Toilets clean, staff pleasant, some times a long wait but is all freshly cooked, worth the journey and price, just be sure to book, also don't book a table in the conservatory if there's only two of you, as its either very noisy and no-one can hear a thing or quite quiet and you daren't speak.
4 Feb 2009 10:21
The Donkey and Buskins, Layer de la Haye
Lovely pub with really nice food, only objection is that it is slightly noisy if there's only two of you eating, but the landlord is a really nice man, if slightly OTT at times, all in all a nice evening out.
4 Feb 2009 10:17
Yet another reincarnation has recently taken place, but I can't be bothered to find out what it is like. Does it still have a little 'shop' just inside the door?
4 Feb 2009 10:15
Fantastic toilets! Other than that don't go unless some other fool is paying for you to stand there and be 'seen'. Also they charge at least a �2 entry fee on friday and saturday nights which I completely disagree with, and play farty saxophone yah-yah music all night. Very pretentious and yuppyish expect will be closed within the year owing to the fact that most of the clientele are estate agents.
4 Feb 2009 10:10
Agreed with the 'yawn' comment below, the latest 'it' place to be, yet another old pub ruined by a chain company, yet another trend pub for people with more money than sense, the office people pretending they don't hate the people they're with, yah-yah cord wearing students trying to out talk each other on mummy or daddys job/car/house, skinny gel-haired boys wearing their grandad's jumpers not seeming to be bothered by the expensive prices just paying it so they can stand there and be seen in 'the dog', wow look at you, then at night time its full of the above plus pub crawlers on their way to the high street. All very boring.
4 Feb 2009 10:06
North Countymens Club, Colchester
Don't quite know how you are supposed to actually get a review on here about this place seeing as most people will never get to see the inside of it, know one member, you are not allowed to say you are a member (I saw him going in lol) nor are you allowed to say who else is a member, don't know if you have to stand on one leg or do a secret handshake but possibly. Seems a bit of a pointless entry on here really!
4 Feb 2009 10:01
Another overhaul is needed, a lot more staff are needed BUT still the cheapest drinks in town & the best starting point, also good to come back to after ten when most have moved on and there's a chance of better service. Food still good though but they need to be a lot clearer on whether children are allowed during the day and how long for, if this one-drink policy is in place on children when you have a meal then there needs to be a lot more signage/something on the menu to avoid embarrassment.
4 Feb 2009 09:57
The latest 'it' pub with 20-somethings for this area and I am stumped as to why - if the Hungry Horse food is your thing, go up to the Swan at Copford as its a far nicer pub with nicer staff and clientele. Visited the D&P for a family birthday meal once, was so horrible, no atmosphere at all, terrible service, cold food (again hungry horse food isn't actually that bad and good value so just go elsewhere), indifferent staff and then halfway through the very late meal a karaoke duet thing turned up along with lots of strange people, blasted our ears off, terrible, it reminded me of an out-of-season Great Yarmouth. So we abandoned the idea of dessert and ran for the hills.
4 Feb 2009 09:49
Very mixed clientele, on one visit a rather strange man was having a conversation (about the magic roundabout - unsure whether cartoon or one of Colchester's) and then a full blown argument with the grandfather clock, most odd, the drinks are the usual overblown Colchester prices, have heard mixed reviews on the food, usually that it is overpriced, not enough of it and not that nice for what you pay and the surroundings of what is supposed to be a very good hotel. The only good thing I will say is that you can sit on the comfy sofas for ages and people watch on the High Street and not feel pushed on no matter who or what you are, and sometimes the waiters bring round free bread and butter.
4 Feb 2009 09:42
Fat Cat, Flat Cat, Cat Flap is what you'll be saying after a night in here, not a real aler myself but usually find myself in the company of at least one and they seem to love this place, nice and clean and friendly, good toilets, not that much of an atmosphere but you can't have everything
4 Feb 2009 09:35
They seriously need to sort out quite a few things in this place: the amount of time it takes to serve food at lunchtimes to people who have to have eaten and be back at work within the hour, the repulsive state of the toilets on any Thursday, Friday or Saturday evening, the �2 charge on the door, the dreadful attitude of the bouncers if you try to get in at one second past whatever time they've decided to stop letting people in even tho the licence is usually for another whole hour, leaving your night sharply chopped off at 1am, thanks a lot! Complete rubbish I'd rather stay at home than spend a single second in here.
4 Feb 2009 09:33
Lovely pub especially in summer, devoid of all the usual town snobbiness on a Friday/Saturday evening, very nice change, food in daytime is lovely especially the baguettes, all reasonably priced and cooked well, drink prices are reasonable, lots of students though which is sadly unavoidable in these style pubs nowadays, no main complaint on students as such other than most of them talk SO loudly! Oh and just remembered that the mirror on the way into the ladies toilets is like the ones from the fairgrounds, makes you look a very weird shape!
4 Feb 2009 09:23
An update of my previous rather scathing review is clearly needed due to a nice refit - The Bull is really nice now with a good outside smoking area, nice food, especially the nacho's, (other meals tend to be a little on the pricey side though IMO), the bands are good on the occassions that I have visited on a Friday night although never seem to start on time but that's just me being picky! All in all a great turn-around, well done.
4 Feb 2009 09:19
The Ancient Briton, Colchester
Horrid, avoid at all costs, a real in-through-the-door-and-out-through-the-window kind of place, if you find yourself lost in Shrub End and wanting a drink you'll be better off at the Co-Op round the corner rather than taking your life into your own hands in this place!
4 Feb 2009 09:15
Don't go in here accompanied by anyone male, tall, slim with short hair who is not a squaddie, as the conversation will go something like this:
"Where are u based then mate?"
"Er nowhere"
"So you're not a hat then?"
"No"
"Well get the f**k out then!"
is the general script for anyone daring to look as if they might be a member of thier gang, in my experience.
If you go in here minus the above described person, and you are female under 25 (or 35 on a dark friday night) then look forward to lots of free drinks!
25 Jul 2006 14:15
Is 'The Silk Road'now.... lots of candles, brown and cream decor, leather sofas and cocktails at �6 a go - min - elevator jazz music...awful, but really mixed clientele though. If wine bars are not your thing, or you dont earn �30,000 a year, dont bother!
7 Jul 2006 14:15
Heard that this has been temporarily closed down by licensing officers??? Don't really go in here anymore, but at least it smells like a real pub should do!
7 Jul 2006 13:55
I like this - before the new licensing laws came in it was practically the only place this end of the town that would let you in after half twelve. Very nice, music is pretty good. Like it, its got a bit of a holiday atmosphere i think
3 May 2006 12:33
I like Yates, is good on a Friday or Saturday night, the food is good, good range of drinks, bouncers are friendly, agreed that pre-refurb it was starting to get a bit ming, sticky floors and nasty loo's etc, but is looking really nice now.
3 May 2006 12:28
Is ok on a thursday night, but the toilets are appalling - the door to the mens is always wide open! Good if you dont expect too much of it. Only giving it a five though because of the awful loos.
3 May 2006 12:21
I like this pub, I have never had a problem with it, it is certianly better than an awful lot of the pubs in colchester. Havent tried the new menu since moving out of that part of colchester but previously have always found it really nice.
3 May 2006 12:17
Food is excellent and really good value here, toilets are nice, people are really friendly despite it being a 'local' pub. Nice atmosphere.
3 May 2006 12:14
Blimey! Was in there last friday at about 1am, was not a good place to be!! Not atmosphere at all, some very odd dancing doing on from people who weren't quite the ticket, some seriously worrying behaviour from a girl of about 12 who was laying on the floor. Toilets are positively revolting!! Not nice, that said the bouncers will let you in at any time of the morning if you're really desperate and dont want the night to end. Much preferred it when it first opened
2 May 2006 14:20
Food is good, I'm sure its the cheapest booze in town, is ok to find a seat if you dont smoke, pretty good atmosphere, bouncers are very on the ball, toilets a bit manky but not too bad, only complaint would be that there never seems to be enough bar staff on a friday night. Fantastic location to start your friday night pub crawl, and being 'a lady' :-), excellent for free drink from drunk squaddies!!
2 May 2006 14:17
Is a good pub but omg please sort the gas thing out, was afraid to smoke unless the whole place blew up!! Was a year or so ago though so apologies if it has been sorted John. Lovely barmaid too.
2 May 2006 14:14
Excellent on a Friday night - not in agreement about the manager but hey....great atmosphere, good food, cheap drink, very cheap wine. Like it!
2 May 2006 14:12
The Hole in the Wall, Colchester
Ahh the good old days of being 15 and drinking in the hole in the wall!! Music is excellent, food in the daytime is actually pretty good, drink cheap, seem to be reasonably strict on ID. Is a bit dirty and manky but is a cheapo studenty goth punky type pub so it does what it says on the tin really. Good atmosphere, at least there's no fights!! Is nice to sit outside on a summer evening.
2 May 2006 14:09
Ha Ha Bar & Canteen, Colchester
I like this but not for evening time drinking - is far too expensive and agreed with the comment below about not being very welcoming.
2 May 2006 14:06
The Fox and Fiddler, Colchester
I love this pub, is so nice and Jeff is great. Music is good. Real ale is excellent although I'm not a lover myself. A lot of CAMRA hang about in here. Is a brilliant pub, riff raff free.
2 May 2006 14:05
I love Fashions, is so good for a late night game of pool, I like the fact that its quiet as at least you can get to the tables, also is quite safe as has CCTV upstairs. Music is good at night, toilets are clean and drinks cheapish. Was thrown out by a very over enthusiastic bouncer a few years ago when there was a massive 'are you looking at my bird' fight, with which I had no involvemnet at all, but because we were sitting nearby we got thrown off of our chairs and out the door. Other than that is good as an alternative to the silk road (shudder)....
2 May 2006 14:02
Is quite good but do agree about the music - was in there last friday and was pretty dire. Was crammed though so pretty difficult to dance anyway. At least the loos are clean-ish!!
2 May 2006 13:58
Quite nice during the week nights, food is nice, no general complaints other than how silly it is that you can't take your drinks on the dancefloor, and that the DJ's and bouncers practically throttle you if you dare to do so - understand about the risk of glass being broken and floors being sticky etc, but surely its just as dangerous seeing as the place where you have to leave them is where loads of blokes are looking at the girls on the dancefloor - I would never leave my drink on the side, and you cant even go up to the side and have a quick sip if you are standing on the dancefloor - its just so stupid. Other than that no other grumbles! Is nice to sit outside in the evenings. Clean loo's etc
2 May 2006 13:55
The Welshwood, Ardleigh
The Welshwood will be re-opening as La Cascada Restaurant, an authentic Spanish Restaurant with genuine Spanish food and chefs on Wednesday 15th July 2009.
11 Jul 2009 19:23