BITE user comments - nrj746
Comments by nrj746
This place has improved but still isn't quite perfect. Called in for a meal the other day and I had the fish and chips whilst my friend had the pie of the day. My fish was excellent (large portion, nice quality, no bones at all) but the chips were very poor. I didn't bother complaining as they looked to be the oven variety and I couldn't see them being able to improve them too much other than getting them a little warmer. Apart from that it was all fine, lager was cold and the views as always are great so hopefully they'll rectify the minor problem with the chips soon and the rating will then be "Excellent" !
19 Mar 2010 12:24
Had a meal here last week and was disappointed. The sausage and mash featured some very ordinary sausages which tasted just like a cheap supermarket offering and were overcooked. The pie was slightly better but low on meat content seeming to consist mainly of a watery gravy. Drinks wise things were better with a large range of well chilled continental lagers and ciders available. Didn't look so good for the real ale buffs though as most of the hand pumps I saw were turned around and only London Pride seemed to be available. Service was OK but it wasn't busy and from the other reviews I've read this is where it could fall down. I'm hoping things will improve as I really like the location and ambience of this pub but had a poor food experience on this occasion.
1 Feb 2010 09:12
One of the smaller Wetherspoons I have been in but I was positively impressed by the quality of the breakfast I had and the friendliness of the staff. The only time in JDW's I have ever had someone come and ask "is everything OK with the food ?", normally it is just thrown on your table and they disappear post haste. So all in all a good experience but I haven't been there in the afternoon or evening so cannot comment on that.
14 Dec 2009 09:07
Have visited this pub a few times now, always early weekday afternoons and tend to stay until approximately 4 PM. At this time the pub is quiet and you can appreciate the spaciousness and nice decor. Have tried a London Pride which was OK but nothing special and a friend has had the Portugese lager (Sagres) and a Staropramen and preferred the latter. For nibbles we had cheesy garlic bread and spicy wedges, these were great and the bowl of wedges was huge. All in all a nice quiet pub at the time of day I have visited and a relief after being in the centre of Ealing Broadway and the shopping centre. Hard to believe that Starbucks is about two or three hundred yards away as this is hidden and seems a world away.
30 Sep 2009 12:34
Very very good. Relaxing and calm. Nice nibbles. Very friendly service. Hard to fault anything really.
25 Aug 2009 11:09
Very strange pub. Seems to be an unpleasant atmosphere and most of this seems to come from the staff. Always seems very quiet when I have been so I have no idea how it keeps going. My mate reckons it is a cover up for some sort of dodgy operation.
12 Aug 2009 14:25
For some reason this JDW is more expensive than the nearby Lewisham branch and I don't know why. A bottle of Lech in here is �2.40 whereas a mile (or therabouts) up the road it is �2.20. Also in here the beer was almost warm, how hard can it be to serve properly chilled bottles from a fridge ? Not a good score I'm afraid.
25 Jul 2009 12:48
The Porterhouse, Covent Garden
Large, quite expensive, gets really busy on weekend evenings. Typical of many pubs in the area but given the layout, decor and drink selection this place it is totally different to the norm. Oyster Stout is lovely whilst I haven't heard a good word said about any of the draught lagers and the one I had (can't remember the name but I think it had an image of a polar bear or something like that on the tap) was poor. Very difficult to come to a conclusion on this place but that's not necessarily a bad thing, a bit like one of those rare films that makes you think for days after you leave the cinema. I'll be visiting again, probably on a weekend lunchtime or afternoon when it is relatively quiet,and may then come to a verdict.
1 Jul 2009 09:45
Very relaxed atmosphere for the reent midweek Lions game. Rugby on the big screen but people who wanted to watch Andy Murray at Wimbledon were able to do so in the conservatory. The garden was also open and looked very pleasant in the sunshine. Only had a couple of lagers myself and these were fine, saw some food going out to other tables and that looked very good.
25 Jun 2009 09:01
I've heard recently that this place has been bought by Shepherd Neame and that an extensive re-fit is planned for the autumn. I hope this is true as Blackheath really could do with another quality pub right now and I think Shepherd neame have the money and ability to do it. Given the location and the outside seating it could turn out to be a fantastic boozer, so cross everything !
23 Jun 2009 16:22
The Beer Cart Arms, Canterbury
I was in here the first day of the World Snooker Championship final which from other comments I've seen must have been the first Sunday of the month and was it transpired a day reserved for rock / goth music and fans of that genre. It was fairly mad in here with a dance floor filled with people going fairly crazy but in a reasonable behaved manner. Even as a visitor who clearly didn't fit this profile I didn't get any funny looks or feel uncomfortable, I just retreated to the end of the bar where some chaps were playing pool and watching the snooker on TV. Eventually the rock music took it's toll and got the better of me but from what I saw this pub was perfectly OK. If if you're not into rock just avoid the special nights where this is the focus and I'm sure you'll have a good time, if you are into rock then this looked like a really great night out.
3 Jun 2009 08:36
Nice pub but even early in the week (on a Monday evening) was quite crowded and had a lot of tables reserved. Weather wasn't quite up to sitting outside despite the fact that it had been lovely earlier in the day and I think this may have caught out the manager. We managed to get a table and order food at 19:00 but this was on the proviso that we were out by 20:00 (as the table was reserved from then) or moved to a different table at that time. There seemed to be a lot of this going on, we were sat right next to the serving point so overheard several conversations between the waitresses and manager, the latter seemed to be planning his strategy like a military campaign, plotting who he could move where in order to maximise use of the tables. For people like us, who had sat down with the warning about the 20:00 deadline I don't see this as a problem but I could tell that some people who had no idea they were going to be asked to move were being asked to do so and if I was in their shoes I wouldn't have been happy. Anyway the guest ale was good - sorry ale buffs but I cannot remember what it was - and the food was OK but pricey. I preferred the food in The Old Buttermarket which was more homely and cheaper but of course this is probably just my preference for content over presentation. So all in all good and if you can catch it when it is not too busy it will probably be a better experience.
3 Jun 2009 08:25
The Old Buttermarket, Canterbury
Went in here a couple of times on a recent visit to Canterbury, both times with the main intention being eating. Getting a couple of basics out of the way first - the drinks were quite pricey, unremarkable, and the toilets are miles from the front bar. The food was good though. I had a different pie each time I went and both were good. The better of the two was the steak and pepper which was excellent and on both visits I was very impressed with the veg that accompanied the pies, nice mash, cabbage, carrots and gravy all of which seemed freshly prepared rather than frozen and was much nicer than having the usual oven chips and token 'salad'. So a good place to eat but in my opinion there are better places to drink. I would also be a little concerned about how it may be when Canterbury is much busier as it was very quiet when I visited.
3 Jun 2009 08:15
I used this pub a couple of times a few weeks ago. In in unusual circumstance as I was in Canterbury to work but was not required to start until 11:30 AM each day. I therefore ended up popping in for a pint at 10:30ish with my newspaper. It was predictably quiet at this time of day but that meant I could get a table close to the window which was good as there isn't much natural light inside, the pub goes back a long way and looked dark in the far recesses. Saw plenty of people going for the breakfasts which looked good and overall there was a very relaxed atmosphere (I guess there should be at 10:30AM but I've been in other JDWs and they can be 'warming up' by then) and the place seemed well run. Recommended for a breakfast, coffee, or early morning tipple for the more relaxed amongst us !
3 Jun 2009 08:07
I visited early in the week and liked this pub. It wasn't too busy and most of the clientele were young and not problematic at all. I guess given the music selection it must be a student venue but as someone no longer of student age I certainly felt welcome. Nice Dutch barmaid too !
3 Jun 2009 08:02
Called in on an early Friday evening for a post work drink but didn't stay as there was loud music (at 4:30PM ?) and a fairly rowdy crowd and we really wanted to sit in relative calm and chat. I did notice there only appeared to be one person behind the bar and given the number of people there this could have been a problem had we wanted to be served quickly.
18 Apr 2009 13:06
Visited yesterday, early evening. Plenty of seats available as the pub is large and it was still relatively early. A pint of Adnams Explorer and a Heineken came to �6.30 so not too expensive. S Africa - Australia one day cricket on the big screens but pub was not rowdy and the atmsophere seemed relaxed. Didn't see anyone eating so can't comment on that. Was getting busier as we left but everything still seemed calm. So all in all pretty good I think.
18 Apr 2009 13:01
Very much a locals pub. Nobody said anything but there seemed to be a great deal of interest in my presence, a couple of the guys must have averted their eyes from the Racing Post for at least 20 seconds. When I was there 'At the races' or whatever it is called was on the TVs which is always a real turn off for me.
17 Mar 2009 10:35
I liked this pub as even though it was full and there seemed to be plenty of dubious characters / drunks it was not threatening in any way as these high street pubs in a built up area sometimes can be.
17 Mar 2009 10:30
This was OK but not remarkable. I didn't feel much character but it was pretty early so I may have caught it at a bad time.
17 Mar 2009 10:26
Good pub for ducking out of the main shopping drag and having a beer. I always feel given the alleyway location that I'm sneaking in unseen and there's a bit of a 'forbidden pleasure' element to it. Can get a bit awkward when there is a big football match on as I think the layout is a bit cluttered and isn't ideal for a lot of people watching sports, as long as it doesn't get too busy it's perfectly comfortable though. Also the ESB I had was great.
17 Mar 2009 10:10
I like this bar because it is different to the norm and also (possibly unfortunately for the people running it) it tends to be fairly quiet. As ever for me in Richmond this is mainly based on daytime rather than evening visits though so it may be totally different later on. High(ish) proces but I guess that is normal for the location.
17 Mar 2009 09:59
Nice quality feel to the pub and looking at the prices for both food and drink they are going for the better heeled pub goers in Richmond. Decent for one or two on a Saturday lunchtime and I can't comment on the evenings as I have never been there.
17 Mar 2009 09:56
Great "cat fight" between two of the female staff yesterday and apparently involving several of the locals. Loads of shouted "why don't you just f**k off and get a proper job" etc. whilst one of the co-owners (I'm told) sat by and let it kick off big style. There was absolutely no need for the piano player as she simply detracted from the real entertainment. Come on, lets have it, I'll take you all on !
9 Mar 2009 10:55
The Plume of Feathers, Greenwich
Have tried this place several times over the last few years and still can't get past the feeling that I'm walking into the front room of someones house and am not particularly welcome. Don't have any definite issues to back this up with. Nobody has ever said anything untoward or anything like that, it's just the overall feel of the place. A similar backstreet boozer is the Star And Garter which is not too far away. Again in terms of decor and regulars it's like entering someones house, but I don't get the same feeling there which makes me think there must be something genuinely odd about The Plume Of Feathers.
9 Mar 2009 10:50
The Jolly Farmers (ex jordan), Lewisham
I like the fact that the pub facilities / features listed here on BITE says "Outside seating" as the sign inside the pub stating "Beer Garden" is stretching it a bit for what amounts to concrete and picnic benches. Still if you only need to smoke it's perfectly adequate. All in all a nice pub with a relaxed atmosphere.
9 Mar 2009 10:44
Grim, threatening, unwelcoming. Attracts a lot of 'custom' from the nearby high rise and council properties.
9 Feb 2009 10:06
In there today and positively surprised. A lick of paint as the previous poster said but a few months on now and it still all seems to be in good condition and not getting wrecked. Also there are some good drinks promotions on (buy 4 Stella get the next free, recorded on a card so you don't have to but 4 at the same time or on the same day, and at �2.95 a pint that means after you get the 5th free it is cheaper than Wetherspoons) and the food looked OK and was very reasonably priced. So all in all a very pleasant surpise, I'l be back and hoping I didn't just get very lucky on this one visit !
20 Jan 2009 14:59
Not good. Half an hour wait for poor food and no horseradish or mustard (sachets) despite the fact that the Sunday roast was beef.
12 Jan 2009 10:10
The Greenwich Union, Greenwich
Saturday and Sunday afternoons this place resembles a middle class kindergarten with little Tarquins and Guineveres screaming their (darling) heads off amongst a fleet of the latest designer buggies whilst mummy and daddy discuss the price of organic veg. Other than that it's OK.
12 Jan 2009 09:48
The Spanish Galleon, Greenwich
Remains one of the better pubs in Greenwich and unlike some others always has enough staff on to ensure that you don't wait an eternity for a drink. I cannot comment on the quality of the ale as I normally have lager or cider in here. The food is good too.
22 Jan 2008 07:23
It is a shame that you cannot retract comments from BITE because if you could I would certainly do so for my earlier entry on this pub. I visited The George again recently for the first time in quite a long while. I was sad to see just how much the place has declined and felt uncomfortable in the presence of the small band of dubious customers and to some extent the owners and staff. The pub didn't look as if it had been cleaned since my prior visit, now has no food (the chef left for a one month holiday in the summer apparently, didn't come back, and they didn't think to replace him !) and the only drink I had tasted like it had come out of a dirty line. Well worth avoiding.
22 Jan 2008 07:21
In the past I posted an extremely poor review of this pub but must say after a few recent visits that it has really improved. There is still an insistence to only serve from one tiny section of the bar for some reason but the current staff don't seem to have the pretentious and cliquey attitude of some of their forerunners and the service is now generally friendly, quick and efficient.
24 Dec 2007 11:31
The Spanish Galleon, Greenwich
Since my last comment there has been no sign of the miserable deputy landlord. I think he must be gone. No other changes of note though.
27 Dec 2006 14:31
Not bad. Nice barmaids, all football shown, decent seelction of drinks including strong Jamaican Guiness and Dragon Stout. There was a bit of a fight a couple of weeks ago but overall I get the impression that the regulars are friendly.
27 Dec 2006 14:28
Michelin star ? The closest thing to Michelin about this place is probably the steaks.
22 Dec 2006 12:14
Third stop on a works pub crawl a couple of days ago. Beer awful, temperature in the pub seemed similar to that outside at about zero. This was the first time I'd been to the Trafalgar for a while and it has definitely gone downhill.
22 Dec 2006 11:57
Called in mid afternoon on a works pub crawl a couple of days ago. Really good Christmas ales on and a friendly welcome from the chap behind the bar.
22 Dec 2006 11:54
The Cutty Sark Tavern, Greenwich
Starting point for a works pub crawl a couple of days ago. London Pride was very good and the atmosphere was relaxing as the pub was quiet. We didn't have food but some tables around us did and it looked excellent.
22 Dec 2006 11:52
OK pub with real ales. I don't think it warrants the 9.5 average mark it currently has but I suppose in terms of Neath it is the only pub that really does real ale on a rotation basis.
22 Oct 2006 18:59
Superb pub. Great selection of ales and always a real cider for those who fancy one.
22 Oct 2006 18:54
Could be a nice pub but the staff and most of the customers are totally up themselves. Go here if you like to be served by morons who tend to serve people who look and behave like them rather than whoever should be next. I've given this place a number of visits as I thought that given it's position and decor etc. I must have just been unlucky on the other occasions I had been. Generally within 10 minutes though I really feel like hitting someone so rarely have more than one pint.
22 Oct 2006 18:49
The Jolly Farmers (ex jordan), Lewisham
I thought suicide rates amongst farmers were the highest of any profession in the UK. Still I suppose 'The Suicidal Farmers' may sound a bit off putting. Decent enough pub and the only real pub (i.e. not Wetherspoons) in Lewisham that has regular guest ales.
22 Oct 2006 18:43
Not a bad pub, and regularly a couple of nice barmaids to serve you. Juke box is decent though a bit hard to find exactly what you want, other people seem to feed it on a regular basis though so if you can't master it sit back and let someone else choose the tracks.
22 Oct 2006 18:34
I think the current landlord is trying to make this place even worse. On a recent visit I noticed that they had a raffle - the top prize was a �100 tattoo, sort of says it all really. Also the most recent addition is a pool table thst takes up a quarter of the downstairs space, and of course most worryingly the market traders are now armed with cues.
22 Oct 2006 18:30
The Spanish Galleon, Greenwich
You probably mean the deputy to the landlord, I think his name is Lee, he truly is a right miserable b**tard. Shame really as most of the other staff are friendly. There was also a French guy there for a while who didn't have a clue what he was doing, he told one tourist (who admittedly originally asked for a pint of snakebite) that it would be illegal for him to serve a cider and black. Then he got into an argument with me when I pointed out to him that he was being ridiculous.
22 Oct 2006 18:25
Nice pub, called here after the cricket on a hot day and enjoyed a few cold lagers.
6 May 2006 20:38
The Marquis of Granby, Cambridge Circus
Not a bad pub at all. Good for watching soccer on a Sat/ Sun but get there early as seating is limited.
10 Oct 2005 16:34
Crap expensive pub, only redeeming feature is that one of the Polish barmaids is stunning !
10 Oct 2005 16:17
The Market Tavern, Lewisham
Closed. Windows whitewashed.
15 Mar 2011 15:30