BITE user comments - mark555
Comments by mark555
They've got a board outside saying, No Quiz's, No Live Music, No... you get the picture. So we almost knocked the bouncer off his feet in our eagerness to try such a admirable pub.
Sure enough they didn't have /live/ music, but they did have reasonably loud recorded music. They did have cask ales, but only 3 and not very exciting (or local).
Nothing wrong with the place, but not what we were looking for so we went next door to the Ribs of Beef.
3 Aug 2017 17:00
As good as ever. The Best Bitter straight from the barrel is as good as it gets. Lovely stuff.
18 Jun 2017 11:55
I don't think this is a Wetherspoons. The nearby Globe clearly is, but not the slightest indication of this being a JDW.
Came here out of interest as our hotel room (Duke's Head) overlooked the garden. A real find and a honest traditional pub. Good selection of real ales and real(ish - Westons) ciders.
Finding a decent pub for in KL is not easy. The Lattice House was head-and-shoulders the best we found.
28 May 2017 23:47
The largest pub I've ever seen. No local beers seen so I had a Doom Bar, which was ok.
They actually have a non-smoking garden, as well as a smoking garden. Never seen that before. Only 2 people were smoking in the non-smoking garden (why???).
28 May 2017 23:36
Excellent, excellent pub. Loved their Porter and Causeway. SPA and OneHop were good too.
Great atmosphere. Strong barwomen.
If I lived in Penzance, this would be my regular.
15 Jun 2016 17:00
Pleased to report the pub is alive and well. Drank a decent pint of Exmore Ale this weekend. That was the only choice available.
For the record, the landlord said he generally opens at 4pm, but as it was nice weather and Easter weekend, he had opened for lunchtime.
No food available and hasn't been for 7-8 years (according to the landlord).
Struck me as a locals pub (but not unfriendly to passers by).
27 Mar 2016 22:14
Visited twice over the Easter Weekend. A large and rambling pub. Rooms here, there, and everywhere.
Excellent selection of local beers and cider (Butcombes bitter and Cheddar Ales Potholer were both superbly kept and served - best I've tasted from those breweries. Sandford Cornish Scrumpy too).
Food was also first rate. Fishermans pie excellent. Four-cheese cauliflour and leek crumble unusual and excellent. Even the jacket potatoe was declared best ever.
Plenty of parking. What's not to like about this place. Find it on the A38, a few miles north of the M5/A38 junction in the village of Lower Weare.
27 Mar 2016 22:06
The Fox and Goose Inn, Brent Knoll
Three of us ate there on Boxing Day. Excellent pint of Potholer.
Pretty busy but the staff coped well and our lunch was served 15 minutes after we ordered. I had the fish pie - highly reccomended. The steak pie was also very tasty; packed with lean meat.
Seems we had quite a different experience to earlier reports - perhaps it's changed hands. Whatever, they've definitely upped their game.
28 Dec 2015 11:29
8 ales available, many with the inevitable Christmas theme. But also 9 real ciders, result! Several were Westons but the star for me was the Orchard Pig Hog Father.
I like this pub. It's huge and you can find a lively buzzing area or a quiet one, depending on what you're after.
28 Dec 2015 11:21
The Devonshire Arms, Cambridge
Drank 4 different Milton beers. Interesting pub in that it's in a less posh area of Cambridge (didn't realise there was such a thing) but really friendly. Will go back there every time.
20 Dec 2015 17:58
Greatly enjoyed the Kings Arms Ale (bitter) as well as the Drovers Arms Ale (dark).
A friendly pub and an extensive rambling building.
Food soulded gret but we didn't.
Will return.
31 Aug 2015 20:42
Best pub for miles. Had a magnificent sunday lunch washed down by Cheddar Ales Potholer last weekend.
Head and shoulders better than any pub in Burnham.
I'm not a local, but have visited this pub a couple of times a year for many years. Always good ale and good food.
7 Jul 2015 23:35
The Flying Horse, Boughton Lees
One-off visit last weekend. A great village pub overlooking the cricket ground. Spoke with the landlord who took over only a week or so ago and he was very friendly and optimistic.
4 or 5 real ales including Flying Horse/Pegasus, which is a delicious ruby bitter, apparently brewed for them by Mad Cat Brewery of Faversham. Lovely stuff.
Wish this was my local.
23 Jun 2015 17:30
Made a return trip this week. Adnams was accompanied by Everards Blue Boar, an unusual ale flavoured with honey/mead.
Lunched on steak pie, which was knock-out. Solid lean meat served with a medley of 7 different vegetables plus a generous gravy boat.
Good beer, great food and a warm welcome.
29 Mar 2015 18:56
Good solid country pub. Lunch and a few drinks there last week - very pleasant.
I'd say the previous comment, despite being years old, is still perfectly valid and accurate.
On the food front, I'd advise taking a look at the specials board.
The other had oggies (sort of mini casserole with a pastry lid, not a pasty) which were fine but a tad plain with their chips accompaniment.
My 'special' chicken in bacon with saute spuds was knock-out.
3 Jan 2015 21:55
CLOSED
Believe the building and land has been sold for redevelopment. Not sure if that will result in a new pub, but as of now it's definitely closed.
3 Jan 2015 21:47
Golden Cross Hotel, Shrewsbury
Just to wrap this up, this is now a (VERY good) hotel/restaurant but not a pub.
No point in going there and being unhappy because it isn't a pub.
18 Jul 2014 23:07
Very welcoming landlord.
As well as the standard Adnams they have Adnams Topaz Gold, a great summer ale, which washed down a couple of tasty sandwiches. I did envy those on the next table who has a delicious-looking pie followed by crumble and custard.
Good garden and a car park with plenty of shade (hugely welcome in this roasting summer). What's not to like - great pub.
2 Aug 2013 19:23
The Salehurst Halt, Robertsbridge
Visited twice at lunchtime this week. Excellent pint of Biddenden Bushells cider which took preference over the Dark Star options.
We sat outside with our cider and a cheese and tomato sandwich and were entertained by watching the traffic trying to pass (it's a narrow lane and only on-street parking for pub customers).
Bar staff were extremely friendly even though we were obviously tourists. Went away with a carry-out container of cider.
20 Jul 2013 23:55
I've been using this pub very occasionally for 10+ years (it's near work), but not had been there for ages. It has changed!
The food counter has gone and the menu is now very much a 'spoons look-alike both in appearance, content and price. I had cod and chips and my friend had mixed grill, both of which were perfectly good. 3 real ales on. And a pinball machine, well-maintained in full working order (CSI, so not the best of games, but a low replay score).
There are TV's everywhere. Don't go on a football night unless you want to watch the match.
10 Apr 2013 11:35
The Grape and Grain, Crystal Palace
This is a real beer drinkers pub. We go there a few times every month even though it is a bit of a journey - it is worth it.
Always 6-8 real ales and 4-6 real ciders. Yesterday they had (Roger) Wilkins sweet cider - didn't taste that sweet to me and was brilliant.
Venue is a mixture of tables with stools, and sofas. Caught the start of some smoky laid-back jazz. They also have a book club. Very good pub.
31 Dec 2012 17:18
The Duchess of Cambridge, Stamford Brook
Discovered this place a few weeks ago. Stamford Brook tube. Turn left and walk for 5 minutes.
6 ales on draught and 6 on gravity today. Stout/porter festival this month so lots of darkness.
I love cider but shun gimmicky fruit ciders (strawberry, coconut, you’ve seen them). Millwhites Backberry was on offer in addition to a few slightly safe/less interesting Westons and the ubiquitous and, to my taste, vile Two Trees Perry. Fortunately the bar man persuaded me to try the Blackberry and it was a revelation. Real cider with a hint of blackberry, which is a natural partner to apple.
Also tried the Moncado Brewery Notting Hill Ruby Rye purely because it was a local brew and it was excellent. Rich and full-flavoured without being OTT.
Bar staff and landlady are brilliant. They know their stuff and are enthusiastic about it.
Not eaten there but the pies look great. Never seen this in any other venue, they offer a bar snack of toast and dripping.
Closest to a perfect pub I’ve ever found.
31 Dec 2012 16:53
The Magpie and Crown, Brentford
Beer, cider and perry still great... but the place suffers from a LOT of flies. Within 30 seconds you will find a suicidal fly in your pint. And then another one, and anther one. Not good.
20 Sep 2012 23:22
This will be hard to rate. The Harvey's Best was really excellent. We had lunch and the food was also very good.
But somehow it feels too gimmicky and trying too hard. And the woman on the next table for lunch had perfume so strong we were literally gagging.
Staff were great, but ... trying too hard?
They didn't really do anything wrong, but I have to say I wouldn't go back. Pissing into a trumpet (not a clarinet; that would be a challenge) did not enhance my visit.
20 Sep 2012 23:07
It's on the sea-front in a touristy location so you can forgive every square inch being covered with fishing gear and pirates.
It is the only pub I've ever come across that has a Meat Raffle every Sunday.
It was friendly, welcoming and served beer in excellent condition. Greatly enjoyed the Harvey's Best and the seasonal South Downs Harvest (which ran out on my second night there, to my great distress).
This counts as a Real Pub.
20 Sep 2012 22:56
The Magpie and Crown, Brentford
Best pub for miles around. 2 busses or a 40 minute walk to get there but well worth it.
Almost no point in listing what's on because it changes so often (which is both good and bad). 6 ales + 1 cider + 1 perry plus some draft Belgian.
If I lived locally I'd be there every evening!
17 Jun 2012 23:32
Been using this pub occasionally for several years. Selection of beer, and cider, is brilliant. Better than almost any other JDW I know of.
15 Jan 2012 23:16
Not one of the better Wetherspoons. Limited selection of beers/ciders compared to others. It's my local JDW so gone there many times after finding great beers in other branches only to find they're not available here.
Visited this pub in December with a group of ~ 6-8 and the bar service was very slow (even when it wasn't that busy).
15 Jan 2012 23:05
Beer still good. Menu still reads impressively (never eaten there though) but the pinball machine has gone. Will still go there, but not so often.
8 Jan 2012 14:00
Visited yesterday at the inbetween time of 4-5pm.
A more traditional old country pub you could not find. Rambling, ancient buildings, but no problem finding the bar from the car park (or the toiles from the bar)
Two real ciders on
Chiddingstone (sp?) 7.5% which is light-coloured, crisp and medium-dry.
Biddenden Bushels (6%) which is medium. Lovely stuff, one of my favourite Kent ciders. We got 4 pints in a take-away container. Pity Biddenden only direct-sell the Bushells in 5 gallon drums.
Such a nice pub. I am deeply envious of locals.
13 Nov 2011 13:55
If you are using your satnav to get there, beware. TomTom directed us to a point on the Langton Road miles to the east of where the pub actually is. Asking satnav for Town Centre/Langton Green would be the answer.
Arrived around 2pm on a Saturday and there was no parking to be had for love nor money. It's a large and popular pub with restricted parking. But after doing an errand, we returned a little later and found a space.
Lunch was excellent.Grilled chicken breast with stilton topped bubble-and-squeak anf mushroom gravy for me, steak and venison suet pudding for my partner. And the apple and berry crumble with custard was 10/10.
Had house red as nothing appealed from the beer taps. They did have Biddenden cider, but the 8% job, which didn't seem like a lunchtime tipple.
Staff and service were truely superb.
We would go back to eat there in a heartbeat, but I'd not say it was a beer drinkers pub, given the satiff comptetition.
13 Nov 2011 13:42
Visited yesterday. Several Meantine ales on tap (Pale ale and a larger?) Also a couple of excellent IPA's on draft.
Best feature by a mile was the pinball machine. [YEAH!!!!}
Jack*Bot. In very nice condition. Also table tenis and classic video games.
Great pub; will return soon and return often.
18 Sep 2011 21:48
Had a very pleasant lunchtime there. Good choice of ciders and the sandwiches were unbelievable! Huge and came on a plate of salad and crisps as well.
Good buzz at the bar of locals having a good time.
From local in-laws, I understand this place was once great, then went a bit rubbish. Now seems to be firing on all cylinders once again. Nice one!
14 May 2011 23:44
@Cliftonclive
Agree, dry cider is very much an acquired taste. I'm not an expert but I know my ciders.
The day after drinking the poor Rich's Farmhouse here, I drank it again at Bristol Cider Shop and it was chalk and cheese. Brilliant - had to buy 4 pint take-away.
So I stand by my comments that, despite everything else being v.good, The Orchard were serving some out-of-condition ciders. It was February so throughput may have been slow.
6 May 2011 22:40
The Ealing Park Tavern, South Ealing
Sad to say this place is heading in the wrong direction. Have been eating and drinking there for many years but of late it's been ever more dissapointing.
Food is currently just-competent, but not exactly exciting or remotely VFM.
Wine - they used to do loads and loads of wines by the glass. Not any more.
They used to do a great range of ales. Not any more.
I passed by this very evening. There were less than a dozen people in the huge bar. A year ago there would have been 100+++.
There are so many other places that are better in every respect, I can't see we'll be going back any time soon. It's not a disaster, just nothing much to draw you there.
6 May 2011 22:23
Found ourselves passing through Shoreham on a walk last weekend. Had intended to go elsewhere but the lure of Beer & Cider festival lured us into the 2Brewers, us being big cider fans.
4 local ciders but 3 rather bizarre, being flavoured with odd non-apple flavours (raspberry, peach, coconut and something... no thanks). But the apple-flavoured one was good.
Friendly bar staff and excellent food. My co-walker had sausage and mash and was bowled over by the oceans of superb onion gravy offerred. I had fish cakes which were great and looked identical to those on offer at the nearby The Hop Shop (which is a good thing),
6 May 2011 22:15
How to comment on this landmark without generating hate-mail...
It does look naff from the outside, but is most certainly clean, warm and friendly on the inside.
It is Cider Heaven. And the pasty's are brilliant.
The booze was as follows...
Gwatkins Perry. Bloody marvelous. Amongst the best I've ever drunk.
Rich's Farmhouse. This was difficult. The polypin on today was tart and sour. Not undrinkable by any means, but on the sour side.
Wilkins. Sadly, the same as above. A bit sour.
Tricky (medium). Stunning! Really lovely cider, server in perfect condition.
This is not a pub you will ever just happen to walk past. But it is a pub you should make a point of visiting.
5 Feb 2011 19:29
Welcoming to us 'down from London' tourists and great range of beer and cider. The Janet's Jungle Juice was in perfect condition - as good as I've ever tasted. Will go back each time we revisit Bristol.
5 Feb 2011 19:18
Forget beer heaven, this is cider heaven. Always a good half-dozen ciders available in an unconventional way - poured from 4 pint plastic containers, just like you get when visiting a retail cider farm/outlet. I love it!
Sadly it is completely mobbed most of the time. The bar staff are brilliant at getting you served asap, but it is a scrum.
24 Oct 2010 22:22
Had Sunday lunch there today. The young, enthusiastic staff were really great, but the roast was not so great. Both Yorkshire and gravy were not up to much. Yorhshire was all air and gravy lacked flavour. Veg were ok but also not flavoursome. Meat was ok. Interesting that 'specials' were not available. Perhaps the chef gets Sundays off.
There were few lunchers, around 4-5 tables out of around 12 occupied at peak time on Suunday.
Nice pints of Kent Best and Masterbrew. Certainly a friendly place, but maybe not ideal for Sunday lunch.
24 Oct 2010 22:13
The Ribs of Beef, Norwich
Lively pub with an excellent and wide selection of ales. Enjoyed the Wolf Gold Jackal.
The crib players mentioned in the 2013 review were still there!
3 Aug 2017 17:03