BITE user comments - loz
Comments by loz
I can't believe that this pub has low rating. I go there regularly at lunchtime, and the food is the best pub grub I have ever had. Normally the specials board in a pub is filled with stuff that has been bought in cheap, frozen stuff that really shouldn't be kept any longer, or experiments to be tried out on paying punters. Not in this case - the food in the White Bear is always absolutly fantastic.
Sure, it's a bit basic inside, a little tatty in places and in need of a bit of a makeover, but I bring my wife and 5 month old baby here, and it's certainly clean enough for us all to eat in.
I'm not sure what it's like in the evening. It's probably a bit 'working class' judging by the character of the pub, but we're not loaded residents who live in gated communities (a la Moor Park) and neither should we all aspire to be. Let's look after local pubs with character, or in a few years' we'll only have one choice: Wetherspoons and its clones.
Well worth a visit, especially for food.
23 Oct 2006 16:44
The Sportsman 'Time Well Spent', Mogador
The only good thing about working for an abysmal corporate in Lower Kingswood was its proximity to the Sportsman. My regular lunchtime escapes here quite probably saved my sanity. Having quit from Satan's employ, I now miss this pub terribly. The food was expensive but always fantastic, the ales and wines were exquisite, and all the staff (but particularly the landlord) were incredibly warm and welcoming.
A real gem of a boozer.
25 Jul 2006 19:12
Anon, kids are welcome until 6pm in the conservatory area.
Real ale hasn't changed since spacedz's visit in March, still just Bombardier and IPA.
20 Jul 2006 12:34
It is indeed still shut.
I find it hard to believe that they would have gone bust, they did a cracking trade most lunchtimes. If it's true I'll be shedding some tears. This is/was a fabulous pub.
25 Nov 2005 12:58
The White Hart Hotel, Hampton Wick
It's clear that Fullers think of these premises more as a hotel than as a pub, and as such this pub deserves to fail. It is very rare to find an example of a town pub that can have it both ways. There are better times to be had nearby, why spend an evening in a hotel foyer?
The beer is great, serving the fabulous Organic Honey Dew beer on tap. However this was served very short in a wide brimfill glass on the occasion I visited. Not the greatest of sins, but the bar staff refused to top it up on request which is unforgivable.
It is depressing to recall that this mediocre establishment once hosted a classic "Rock Raiders" club night each week in the early 1990s.
18 Aug 2005 12:24
The Alma looks like crap from the outside, but boasts a great atmosphere on the inside, albeit somewhat cramped. Strictly a rock pub, but welcoming to all ages.
31 Jul 2005 17:50
On the outside, this is a truly beautiful pub in a wonderful location.
On the inside, it is yet another dreary Out & Out pub-by-numbers. With its interior painted in a pastel cream, I was sorely tempted to smear my excrement on the walls just to give the pub some degree of organic atmosphere and humanity.
26 Jul 2005 15:37
I visited here on my wedding anniversary (how romantic!) and loved it. There's a new manager who seems intent on getting a bit more music and life into the place. Let's hope the brewery / owners give him their backing, and this pub could be firmly back on the map.
Great beer and a fabulous alternative atmosphere make this pub a real treasure.
10 Jul 2005 17:46
A hotel-chain pub, ok for a quick bite to eat and a fizzy lager at lunchtime but very little else. Like a Little Chef with booze.
18 Mar 2005 13:40
Old-fashioned boozer in the heart of Reigate, with decent beer and basic pub food. Apparently "Uncle Alan" has a regular spot on Friday nights spinning his vinyl hits from the 60s 70s and 80s. Alas I've not yet had the pleasure of witnessing this event.
8 Mar 2005 13:17
This is quite unlike any pub I have ever been to. It appears that only effect the years since 1970 have had on this pub is the addition of a TV set and a credit card machine. Other than that, you're still there. Beware of falling asleep: when you wake up the last 35 years will have been just a dream.
Withybed Corner is one of the rare examples of a road in Surrey that actually warrants the use of a 4x4; unless you're in a company car, park near the pond and walk the rest of the way. You can't see The Bell from the main road, but the track is marked by the pub's sign atop a tall post - it has a yellow bell on a green background.
I brought my new work colleagues here for lunch and got quite a shock when their food was served on polystyrene plates! Definitely an experience worth seeking out. Good job Gordon and Linda!
4 Mar 2005 13:47
One of Brighton's best live venues, truly a great night out.
2 Mar 2005 19:35
Wonderful eco-themed bar with real ale, organic wine and a varied, healthy menu. Definitely worth hunting this place down.
2 Mar 2005 19:31
If your idea of fun is to binge as much cheap, fizzy lager as you can while howling at a screen showing the football, you'd probably be right at home.
However this is not my bag at all. I think it's a loud, obnoxious bar with a horrendous atmosphere.
2 Mar 2005 19:28
Billed as "the oldest pub in Brighton". Once you get over the flock wallpaper and gaudy decor, you begin to realise that this is a splendid, well staffed, character pub.
2 Mar 2005 19:18
The Fox and Hounds, Walton On The Hill
An absolute gem. This is a proper village pub with great staff and an atmosphere which fake pubs cannot simulate. Watch out the cheese and pickle sandwiches - all others will pale to mediocrity after you've had one here.
18 Feb 2005 14:08
The Fox on the Hill, Lower Kingswood
Whilst the name and exterior appearance may suggest that The Fox is a pub, it's really just a restaurant with a bar. Therefore expect no atmosphere, particularly at lunch time and in the afternoon, and be prepared for expensive drinks (e.g. �3.20 for a pint of Guinness).
At the time of writing there seems to be a policy of afternoon closing. And why not... I don't think anybody would notice.
10 Feb 2005 13:18
Christ this place is expensive. Lovely food and wine, but worth the price? I think not...
20 Jan 2005 23:40
Cheap as chips - even cheaper than Wetherspoons and without the Wethertramps! At the time of writing the prices are �2 for a double, proper spirit & mixer, �5+ for a decent bottle of wine and �2.50 for a pint. I enjoyed a very nice Rioja in here for �6.
Fantastic, and "no nonsense" just as krylon76 (below) suggests.
20 Jan 2005 23:38
This is a pub worth hunting down if you're at this end of the city. It is split nicely across three floors, the larger first floor being the main bar and food area, accessible in a wheelchair. The second floor consists of riverside seating set within the arches of the Cannon Street railway bridge, overhanging a couple of feet over the water's edge. The third is a smoky vice den of pool players overlooking the main bar area below.
The food is no-nonsense and home-cooked, a rarity these days, served from large dishes kept very warm under heat lamps. I heartily recommend it; and the beer, as you would expect from a Cask Marque accredited Fullers pub, is just what the doctor ordered.
Great for a hearty pint & grub at lunchtime.
22 Oct 2004 13:28
The Southwark Rooms, Southwark
Used to be "The William Shakespeare", now completely refurbished and renamed to "The Southwark Rooms", a bar/restaurant. If you're looking for an old fashioned boozer, try the Rose and Crown a very short walk away (also listed on this site) or one of the other traditional Southwark establishments.
6 Sep 2004 14:15
Brilliant pub, the large beer garden to its right is perfect for children: Enclosed, with lots of trees to climb! Also dog friendly.
If you go there for Sunday lunch, be aware that the "large" option is the same as the cheaper small option, except you get one extra potato. Forgoing this expensive extraneous spud will save you three quid.
29 Aug 2004 17:51
Been there, done it, bought the T-shirt - literally! My favourite pub in Galway, and certainly the best jukebox in town.
Worth going just to check out the artwork inside.
27 Aug 2004 20:27
Worplesdon Place Hotel, Worplesdon
A corporate pub, part of the Out & Out chain so not everyone's cup of tea. Quiet and relaxing on the inside, with a huge beer garden with dozens of tables at the rear (see image 2 above) alongside a large pond.
27 Aug 2004 19:44
The Black Swan, Martyr's Green
Smashing pub, boasting a huge variety of well kept beer. The large garden is family friendly with a play area for children, and great for bringing your dog after a long walk in the countryside. I must concur with the comment about the food though, it is institutional (sometimes inedible), but the food shouldn�t detract from the overall excellence of this pub.
16 Aug 2004 14:47
Good: Deliberately rustic, historical d�cor; brilliant location actually part of London Bridge. Bad: Very expensive food and wine, only two real ales on draught (and nothing else).
If this pub is trying to be a "proper pub" it�s going the wrong way about it.
16 Aug 2004 14:38
Basic but accommodating pub, with meals from around �3 per head.
16 Aug 2004 14:33
Indeed one of the only remaining "real pubs" in Woking. Can't say I like it though, it rates as one of the least welcoming pubs I have ever visited. Perhaps it's better for regulars? Horses for courses, thanks for the suggestion Sly.
16 Jun 2004 17:01
The Willoughby Arms, Kingston Upon Thames
The striking difference between the Willoughby Arms and similar pubs in the area is its respectful and friendly atmosphere. Late on a Saturday night I saw no drunks, no bloated chanting football fans, no sinister old men, no hags with lice issues, and newcomers are not greeted with a territorial silence as they come through the door. This is a local pub with a difference.
I've lived fairly close-by for many years, and as a member of the BITE review team I thought I had seen most of what pubs in my home town have to offer, but you really wouldn't know the Willoughby existed unless you were lost in the back streets, or had heard about it by word of mouth. I won't be bothering with central Kingston so often now I have found this gem. If only I had discovered it ten years ago.
25 May 2004 17:13
As far as bars in railway stations go, this is not bad at all. If you've got to hang around for any more than a pint or two, there are some real boozers just on the other side of the Liffey.
18 May 2004 19:52
Ahh, the Pensioners Arms... A great landlord and well chosen staff make this an ideal place to spend those long lunchtime sessions. Clean, with well kept value beer. The local Wethertramps can't get enough of it - if they can get past the Telewest employees that is.
2 May 2004 19:45
The Norbiton and Dragon, Norbiton
A member of the BeerInTheEvening.Com review team (me!) is having their Wedding Breakfast in this pub in July, so it can't be that bad ;-)
2 May 2004 15:07
I would imagine that this place would be a brilliant place for blokes who love lager and love CFC.
These are great passions I'm sure, but they're not for me. On my visit I found the atmosphere to be a bit threatening, and finished my drink as quickly as possible, continuing on my way up towards Surbiton proper.
Tolworth has never been a good place for pubs, and the Royal Oak is no exception.
2 May 2004 12:52
I used to adore this pub, but the stench from the bar area is getting too much to bear. Imagine what it's going to be like in the summer?!
The staff are very apologetic, who through no fault of their own get a great deal of verbal abuse about this. Apparently there is an area behind the bar that they cannot clean without taking the bar out. For God's sake, will the manager please close the pub and refurbish the bar? Rather lose custom for a week or two than forgo an entire summer of trade.
It is basic human psychology: people don't like consuming food and drink in an area that stinks of vomit, death and disease.
2 May 2004 12:26
There is a fledgling acoustic music night at Woodies every other Saturday. If you're a musician and fancy playing to a small but keen crowd do come down and have a go (call the pub for more info). The regular players are all pretty good, indeed some of them are ex-pro. However it would be refreshing to hear some newcomers - or even some of the oldcomers playing some different stuff once in a while?
I'm glad to see this pub hasn't changed a bit since it left the safe hands of Pikey Pete. I'm looking forward to creating some memorable hangovers here this summer.
Arguably a coterie pub on occasions, but on balance a brilliant boozer for all ages.
2 May 2004 12:13
The Blacksmiths Arms, Adversane
Probably more of a lager and ale pub than anything else - the missus suffered two different glasses of dreadful wine on our visit, and my Guinness was decidedly ropey.
The inside of this pub smells a bit (smoke and stale lager), but shows some substantial history. The structure of the building imposes some very low beams in the front bar, thoughtfully cushioned for the imprudent. Mind yer bonce sir!
1 May 2004 20:09
Situated in the basement of the "1 Poultry" shopping centre, this is a standard Wetherspoons fare, but with a Central London premium on the beer and food prices.
26 Apr 2004 14:01
Very spacious, friendly pub, firmly on the tourist trail.
In 1666 Samuel Pepys is supposed to have been sat in The Anchor observing the progress of the Great Fire as it spread along the north bank.
31 Mar 2004 22:37
The Bunch of Grapes, London Bridge
Thanks Anja for suggesting this quirky boozer, it certainly is a cosy place with friendly (albeit eccentric) staff. I heartily recommend the Bunch of Grapes for lunches, with prices from �4 for decent home-cooked fare, and beer in a condition you would expect from a Youngs pub.
18 Mar 2004 14:18
The Banana Store, London Bridge
Thanks to Dave for suggesting this bar / diner / restaurant, which is surprisingly understated and unpretentious.
As the name suggests, it was apparently where bananas used to be stored prior to sale at the adjacent Borough Market.
The deco is great, you're greeted by lurid, vibrant colours on the way in, and there's a laid back jazz/salsa feel once you reach the basement - a good atmosphere, even when empty. Food is on the expensive side (�6+ lunch, �12+ mains).
Dave's dead right though, you don't want to go back to work once your arse is parked firmly on a leather sofa and the stunning bar staff are running pints of Guinness over to you.
A fine eurobar.
16 Mar 2004 14:31
While all else in the vicinity is succumbing to the Hogshead paradigm, the pubs along Brighton Road haven't changed in decades and this pub is no exception. Of course, this means that the Saucy Kettle is sticky, smoky, trashy, noisy and pikey... but dammit, at least it's real and I love it.
12 Mar 2004 15:40
Occupying three floors of a bizarrely shaped triangular building, this is a pub overflowing with character. With its regular events such as live music and party nights, it appeals to pretty much anyone with a pulse and a sense of fun, although particularly your alternative-set Bath students and beardy travellers. Expect a wooden floor, a warm atmosphere, odd-looking barmaids, and imps on the walls. This is my favourite UK boozer outside of London.
23 Dec 2002 21:42
Perfectly situated on the A4 Bath Road, this is a cross between a local and traveller pub. The wide range of food is very nice indeed, and good value. I'd recommend a stop by here if you're passing.
23 Dec 2002 21:27
This is very much a small-time country pub, thankfully devoid of evil stares as you enter. It hasn't the size or turnover to lay on thrilling entertainment, fake antiquity or lavish foodstuffs, but at least you can bring your dog and have a decent pint.
23 Dec 2002 21:20
The Jovial Sailor, Ripley
I've not left a comment about a pub for years, but I felt compelled to having visited here. The pub looks lovely, and the staff are good. The manager however seemed to be very unwelcoming. He moaned about me using a card, despite spending a fortune on the overpriced food, and I overheard a customer complaint about portion sizes being dealt with brusquely and with little regard for what constitutes goodwill and good customer service. There are so many rules about what you can order at weekends - go for something enormous and expensive, whether you're hungry or not, seems to be the rule. Retrain the manager, and this pub could be a corker.
30 May 2011 13:49