BITE user comments - rampantwurzel
Comments by rampantwurzel
Utter shit. Never have I set foot in somewhere that has such an unpleasant atmosphere, I'd rather go to the Norbury complex and sink some Dooleys fudge spirit.
Having read Groovehounds comments, I cannot agree more with their attitude and the schtick which reminds me of The Hill Has Eyes with some of them.
There's a Gala bingo down the road that serves better beer.
8 Dec 2008 22:49
This pub is not going to wow you with a massive selection of beer, nor does it give a marvellous and eclectic menu from which to savour.
Let's just face it, the pub is like Marmite - you'll either hate it or love it
1. It plays rock/metal - so if you don't like that you're going to be in trouble.
2. It has a wizard. No other pub I know has a wizard. He also has a cat. No, I was not that far gone when I saw it, and my wife who was with me would testify to this
3. Beer choice is limited to identi-kit lagers and a couple of bitters. However the price is great, considering the pubs in the nearby vicinity
4. The locals are a good friendly bunch who despite the tattoos and Iron Maiden T-Shirts are a very pleasant bunch. Never seen any trouble, unlike some pubs in Croydonia
5. It's not Yates - which in itself is a worthy bonus
So if you like rock music and beer, this is a good place. If not, you'll probably hate the place. I seem to end up here far more frequently than I should do......
8 Dec 2008 22:41
Updating a customers status on Orion
I cannot agree with the other reviewers here on either
a) Beer quality
b) Food quality
c) Staff quality
But before this, let's start with a plus point or two
PLUS POINTS
============
1. It has a rather fetching neon sign of a steak being grilled
2. It serves beer
Errrr....that's it.
Let's start with a). Yes there is a reasonable selection of beer, but quite frankly they haven't cleaned their lines since they moved in and it's not especially pleasant. Moved to lager, which frankly tasted like it was purely cleaning fluid so drank very slowly while awaiting food. The worst part is we'd just been from the Cittie of Yorke which was rammed, to a pub that looked frankly like the 6th circle of hell per. Dante
b) Food
Now this I disagree with entirely. I am not a steak regular, but I do know what a steak should look like. So when I ask for a steak to be 'medium rare' I expect it not to come mooing and bleeding all over my plate. Absolute rubbish. Furthermore, the steak is left open in the firdge in direct violation of every H&S regulation I am aware of.
We asked for bearnaise sauce. What we got was burnt savoury custard. At �17 a pop, I'd expect something that didn't taste like cardboard. We asked for peppercorn sauce to replace our custard. That came back as if it had been spat in. Obviously they couldn't be bothered to make fresh sauce so just zapped in the microwave. Will never eat there again as it's quite honestly the worst steak I've had since foolishly going into an Aberdeen Angus steak house in Leicester Sq. At least I was p1ssed.
c) Staff
I don't know what is wrong with you, but you work in a very quiet, skanky pub in Holborn. It's not the West End, you're not attracting WAGs, Z-Listers, or anyone remotely interesting. So please don't turn your nose up at me when I order, and when I return your food because it tastes like your fat a55 sat on it, don't go to kitchen, come back with new brand of turgid filth, and spend the rest of the evening staring at me and my wife and sniggering. You're lucky your place is run so ineptly that they've mistaken your snooty attitude for 'professional'.
In short - Don't come here, and hopefully it will close soon and be replaced with anything that isn't the Bountiful Cow. Maybe the Hairy Bullock? It would reflect the steaming pile of dung this place is.
28 Nov 2008 13:57
Had a visit to this place and while I appreciate the comments about the large screens, be grateful for the fact that this place has it's own brewery on site! Had a pint of White Dwarf which was highly enjoyable, plus some Thai snacks which weren't unpleasant despite my grievances against pubs doing this.
A huge choice of beers on tap or in bottle, reasonable surroundings (though the reservations of museum are spot on and not sure about the mix of old and new) but we should be grateful that at least it's not a Yates despite a previous review alluding to this. Believe me as a Londoner Yates is a million miles from this unless East Anglain Yates are actually quite sophisticated.
Perish the thought
8 Oct 2008 17:25
I've been here a few times now, and thoroughly recommend it
The first time was on an accidental pub crawl with a work colleague, where we follishly decided to trek to London Bridge to Waterloo (or was it the other way round)? Anyhow, this little beauty came up - ales on draught were splendid and the atmosphere was all about the pub - music in the back ground was kept quiet, great place for a quiet beer
Second time - Sunday roast and beers. Very pleasant then too, beer again very good and food rather tasty too. They don't scrimp either on portions which is never a bad thing
Third time - Even when rammed, rather friendly. Still a happy atmosphere.
It helps when you have an old Victorian boozer as your basis, but so many get it wrong by either 'updating' the decor to make it look Stoke Newingtonesque with candles etc. (never understood it), or like the Shears (near Farringdon) let it run itself to the ground. Modernise, yes. But not too much - there's plenty of people who want traditional pubs as much as wine bars.
1 Oct 2008 16:25
Nice garden, shame about just about everything else.
Poncey, over-priced, pretentious 'zeitgeist' pub (look it up). The kind of place which just doesn't quite belong.
ON a plus note, they do seem to be doing a BBQ, and having sat out in the garden in what this country would call summer, the beer garden is worth a visit, and the staff do at least move the heaters for you....
I just don't like the clientelle. Or the beer. And that's all quite important. But others will, so what's my view?
1 Oct 2008 16:17
The Charles Dickens, Southwark
A very reasonable boozer. Bit of a trek to find, and certainly having been here now twice, the first by accident, would recommend an A-Z. Ales are all reasonable, not sure what nationality the bar staff are or particularly feel it's worth quite the OTT reactions by some.
In any case, would recommend this if you don't fancy the uber-scadenfraude that is Imbibe, and just need a beer in a relaxed environment. Plus the suits haven't cottoned on yet, so be happy!
1 Oct 2008 16:14
I love the description of ferals (sic) being removed from this pub. The funny thing is at least they're not the pretentious individuals who populate this dump of a place. Style over substance, no ales, some 'sophisticated' foreign lagers are on offer, but frankly even the draw of continental lager cannot drive me to attend this place. Why people who go here fancy themselves so much is quite beyond me. Get over yourselves, but please do stay in places like this as you'd invade my space in a decent pub.
Dreadful
13 Apr 2008 17:58
An embarassment of a pub, havign now had two moderated reviews of this place I can confirm two things about this place
1. Poor selection of ale, and none kept in any kind of standard
2. Lots of kids on disco biscuits, 'avin' it, and probably on some kind of mock-er-nee knees up
As mentioned in the other White Hart review this makes a terrible trio of pubs in close proximity and given the (poor) choice so tricky to pick which one I'd drink in. So instead I'd rather drink Super K outside the LHT Bar as at least when I collapse in an alcoholic coma there may be at least one nurse who can help.
This place can be remedied and fixed but it really needs to start with basics (ie. clean up its act, no silly chav disco, better beer, better decor....) and then it may stand a chance. On the other hand, if your clientelle don't want it to change, why bother? Not for me....
Alternatively, I may never come to East London ever again.
7 Apr 2008 15:46
Agreed, this is not the White Hart next to the Beggar which really makes the unholy trinity LHT, White Hart, Beggar quite possibly holding the "worst three pubs I've ever set foot in more than once because I truly didn't believe it could be that bad' award.
Reasonable pub with soem decent ales kept well, and a nice traditional feel, a million miles from said triumvirate. Old fashioned boozers are much appreciated in an environment of never ending Yates/Slug and Lettuce, and this one fits the bill for a quiet pint on any day of the week.
Recommended
7 Apr 2008 15:38
Not so much a pub as a bar, reasonable place to chill out if all you want is a lager and some warmed up pizza. Not recommended if you're like me and prefer something with a bit more atmosphere and/or personality. In fact, forget it if you want personality, but if you're the type of person who spends half an hour every morning making sure their hair looks nice this is a great place to preen.
Not sure I'll be back to Brighton on this evidence
7 Apr 2008 15:33
Went down to Brighton on the weekend and decided to try and grab a beer. Foudn the place just outside the Lanes in Brighton.
This place confuses me. Aesthetically, the place is reasonably pleasing and looks like a nice old boozer. No Harveys (why don't you ever have this, Sussex pubs?) so went for Broadside. Poor move, poor off beer and terible staff who ddin't know or care either way about such things.
The evidence is clear here that this pub could be good. It ahs the feel of a nice pub, and yet insists on filling its lines with Heineken Export. Even the people inside are a confused mix of young and old not sure whether they're too cool for the pub, or whether it's their spiritual home.
All I can say is decide what this pub is about, get some decent staff who not only pay attention but are also in some way knowledgable about beer generally and even cleaning and running a pub, and who knows, you may get a higher grading than what I've given?
A missed opportunity.
7 Apr 2008 15:30
Really very simple why this pub is excellent and commands such a great following
a) Ale. Too long to go into this due tot he vast variety and quantity. The bog standard is a rather refreshing Harveys (in itself a delight) but then has a huge array of regional ales. Once a barrel is out, simply connect a new one. Wonderful stuff, and techncially means you can have a different pint every time you go to the bar. Useful if you're having a bit of a session in there
b) Location. London Bridge is pub mecca in my humble view, and when you have so many decent pubs in the area, in fact within spitting distance, this is still the best of a very good bunch. Now they've opened it up a bit to get more people in, the place is always busy. Yet for some peculiar reason, standing outside with a pint of beer watching the world go by is actually quite nice. No other pub would get away with that. Mind you, the fact a posh sausage shop is next door selling essentially expensive but gorgeous sausage sandwiches does help...
c) Atmosphere. People who come here are after the ale, and therefore while there are some city types and suits, these are the kind who aren't trying to buy Kristal champagne while telling everyone how big their bonus is. Discerning drinkers in an old pub which has had a sensitive extension built with a lovely old pub feel, rather than trying to make things too modern.
Every person who drinks should go there at least once.
27 Feb 2008 15:41
I was going to write a steaming rhetoric of how terrible this place is, why pubs liek this shouldn't exist, and bemoan the lack of decent beer emporiums in the Old Street area.
However since this is not the worst pub in the area, I score it 0.75 - roudned up to 1. Because at least I can get served there on nights other than Friday, Thursday, Wednesday, or Monday.
So there. It's not a load of fegging spit after all
27 Feb 2008 15:01
Quite a pleasant little bar this.
Have been for drinks a few times here and can recommend it. The coller than thou vibe exists to a point, and certainly on a Friday this can get busy. On a week night though, the place is quiet and relaxed. Can have a fairly good selection of drinks, and the vibe within the place is relaxed yet also pleasant enough to take your missus should you be trying to impress her before taking her to a different Old Street dive (better still, go here first then off to the Cay Tre for noodles).
Not brilliant due to the slightly expensive prices and essentially just lager range, but a good place to relax in the week.
27 Feb 2008 14:42
KRS One, you've made my day as this means I didn't even get the right change when I was in here! Fantastic! Stupid staff in a stupid pub where the only redeeming feature is writing about how bad it is above the urinals.
27 Feb 2008 14:27
A great little place. Try to get here before 8pm and you'll enjoy some chilled out blues, some nice guest ales, plus a genuinely inviting atmosphere. Unfortunately quite a lot of people appreciate this atmosphere so it will get busy quickly after 7pm, so try and be in early, and enjoy the music.
A personal favourite. Plenty of character, and much to appreciate from the mainly amateur players here. One day I may join in....but then you'd have to grade this place down two scores :o)
25 Jan 2008 14:20
A reasonable pub.
Busy as hell when we went in there, but had three bar staff (two didn't seem to do much except yawn). Pints on were Directors amd Adnams, chose to have fizzy pop lager as I didn't fancy either of them.
It's an attractive enough place, with some nice low lighting to set the mood. This place does have some potential, but I'd try and get some decent beer in next time. Other than that, OK as pubs go and at least it looked like a proper pub
25 Jan 2008 14:15
Been here the second time last night
It's a lovely little Soho boozer just off of Oxford Street, so convenient from the hustle and bustle of all the shoppers, yet busy enough to have life in it. Good old fashioned lighting create a mood of tranqulity, and reminds you of what boozers should look like.
Reasonable Wadsworth 6X (neither a great lover or hater) while listening to rock. Amazed that the Ship down the road is considered rock comapred to this place - it had Rainbow (oh dear) and Deep Purple playing when we were in there!
Darts board and pool table upstairs, busy all the time we were there but looked inviting.
All in all, another nice pub to choose after some time with the missus burning a hole in your current account on Oxford Street. Will return soon, and recommend to anyone
25 Jan 2008 13:47
This pub creates a conundrum
Yes, they serve ale. 6X is not going to set my world on fire, nor is London Pride (as a now Londoner I'm yet to hear anyone proudly proclaim their love for the stuff). But, and happily for me, they do serve ale and some lager choices.
Bad points? Well it's a pub-club which means it's already scoring low. Always rammed with people getting smashed which while not being aproblem, is when there is always aggro in here. The place used to (not sure now) stay open until 5am - way to go clever folk of the Dorothy and while this is good for getting a beer at a stupid time, actually managed to put me off by going in.
Before anyone starts, Dusk (the one along the road from it) is pretty awful, and if I had to choose the Tickled Hippy/Lazy Lizard (whatever it';s called these days) would be my choice. But the Dorothy could be so much better if it
a) Didn't run kareoke. Seriously, if a pub runs kareoke, it's lost my custom without me walking in the door for life
b) Didn't have such an arcane door policy. I went for a ciggie outside (after getting permission) and was told I couldn't come back in again byt he same bouncer who'd let me out!!!! Reason: "We're too busy". Numptie
On the other hand, why bother fixing what seems to work for the vast majority of customers - shame it won't be me then...
18 Jan 2008 09:58
This used to be the London Tavern. Nothing appears to have changed, alas part of Weymouth's descent into becoming the 'new Ibiza' if you believe the Dorset Evening Echo (yup, I'm an ex-local). It's fair to say I don't have a great deal of time for this place, but then again it's made me think where I would actually go for beer in Weymouth as while this is poor, it's by far not the worst in the area. Of course - and here's a crazy thought - we could actually stop making pub-clubs int he area and just have a decent ale house. Please can no one respoind with the Dozzer as a suggestion for this as it isn't....
18 Jan 2008 09:48
Sam Smiths do it again. Sams have pretty much followed a simple enough concept
i) Buy a pub in a prime area of London
ii) Avoid temptation to turn it into a wine bar and keep beer selection limited, but high in quality
iii) Charge virtually nothing for the beer
It's really easy to please me despite my reviews - keep a pub looking like a pub and serve beer to a reasonable standard!
Anyhow, back to the pub
Good old fashioned decor, with a dart board greeting you as you walk in (for me this is a bonus, for some this is a negative). Downstairs and upsatirs bar means there is usually room to find a seat or get one relatively quickly, and as its a Sams pub the beer is usually good standard.
Decor is nicely kept within the spirit of ye olde pubs from Victorian times, and this helps to create a beautiful serenity away from the madness of Oxford Street.
Overall, worth a visit if you've spent too much iN Oxford Street and need to consider things, and even worth taking a diversion on a night out as the beer is good and you'll get a seat.....
18 Jan 2008 09:42
The LHT (Urban Bar) is among a special category of place in the Whitechapel. Among a generally poor selection of places to drink in the area this has somehow managed to stand out fromt he crowd (probably the tiger stripes) as quite possibly the worst place of a poor bunch. Expensive drinks, poor decor and drinks selection (20 alco-pops is not a selection, it's 'Select your vomit colour in 2 hours time').
The nurses at the London Hospital deserve a better bar to attach their names to. In fact they should sue for defamation of a good hospitals name with this sahmbolic excuse for a pub/bar. As for the place itself - free popcorn does nothing for me, and even though I despise the beggar I'd rather go in there than here.
Or alternative everyone go to the Bull and hopefully this place will close down.
18 Jan 2008 09:25
The Jolly Sailor, South Norwood
Decent enough pub. Beer is alright, though I wouldn't rave about how wonderful things are here it is still better than any other in the area. Nice beer garden to freeze inw hile smoking deathsticks, and the staff are cheer and reciprocal enough.
Norwood has been dealt a really poor hand for pubs in the area, or maybe it's just me. I've come from North London (nr. Tottenham, so my expectations aren't high) but at least this one is not trying too hard to be something it isn't and is just a boozer. Shame it doesn;t have enough real ale, but it's decent enough
11 Jan 2008 13:47
The Cherry Trees, South Norwood
Having read the reviews and generally slated Norwood (I'm a local to the area), I feel compelled to respond
This pub is not brilliant. Far from it - the beer is neither expensive or particularly cheap, and the environment leaves a lot to be desired in terms of clientelle and personnel.
However I do not feel it's worth moaning about and here's why
1. Go to the Jolly Sailor as it's the only good pub for a mile
2. It's a station pub- tell me a good station pub anyone has ever been in?
As for the Polish contingent - I have never had a problem communicating my order nor have I been bullied or barked at. I guess I might have been lucky so far...
It is what it is and I like to come here after work, sink a beer and leave. Given the options around the area, it's on my way home and while it's bad it's not the Wetherspoons which is my idea of personal hell.
11 Jan 2008 13:44
PubSpy
As I am sure you are aware, a person who does not like pubs would
a) Not be on this site in the first place
b) Not write so many reviews
c) Probably go to Slug and Lettuce pubs.
Believe it or not, I don't spend my life finding bad pubs and going to them - I have written a number of positive reviews. I feel though that there are too many places in London which are simply not good enough and that it's important to highlight as such the shortfall of these establishments. If no one did, we'd have All Bar One copies all over London. We do not want that now do we?
The reason there are two reviews is because I missed out a detail I wanted to add about the place. I stand by my opinion on that day, and if I go back in maybe I'll be convinced otherwise.
As for limited number of pubs - I think if you count them I've reviewed more places than you and in fact we seem to share a similar view about the Charlie Chaplin, E&C (I'm sure you spotted that before posting here). You'll also note that of the limited pubs I have reviewed some - gasp - are outside the SE12/SE6 postcode!!!!!!!!
Look, I'm kidding. This is a web based reviewing page and while I could gush about the good pubs I have been in they're all in Dorset and no f00ker wants to go down there.....
11 Jan 2008 13:32
Love the reviews thus far.
Easy to state that this place has 'retro' decor and 'new world' wines, and to be honest if I was my other half I'd be delighted with such decor and delights - particularly the idea of paying 6 quid for house red/white.
However I'm not. I like pubs to be pubs and restaurants/bars to be as such. This place is extortionate and given the option I'd watch this place burn to the ground - then we'll see if the fire house has any purpose.....
It has a flunkie in the toilet. It has ale at over 3 quid. Save the money, lose the tie, go to the Hole In The Wall and look at the chimp eating mash potato. BTW - this also has Paulaner on tap but you can watch sports....
10 Jan 2008 16:33
Charlie Chaplin, Elephant and Castle
When I don't like someone and they've suggested a drink after work to catch up about 'the meeting' or 'the forecast for 2008'), I'd ask them to meet me here first and we'll find somewhere else nearer the centre.
When I really don't like someone I fail to respond to their voice mails left on my phone asking me why I've sent them to this sh1t-tip.
NOw....before the local Peckham brigade come and find me and sort me out, I would add that I have no real issues with the place. It serves beer. The clientelle are local but not intimidating unless - like so many things - you choose to be intimidated. Obviously asking for the wine list wouldn't be a great idea in here, but it's not really the point.
Spit and sawdust says it all....a good old fashioned boozer which serves nice beer, a rough decor, but hey at least it's honest and reasonably cheap. It's not going to score highly with me on the grounds that it's beer selection is still poor and that occasionally I do like to go to a pub where my friends can go too and not feel I've either been possessed by the pikey monster, or have been sectioned, by sending them there.
BTW - It's unlikely you'll see many suits in there, which suits me down to the ground.
10 Jan 2008 15:30
What a dump
Mr Monkfish (love the Fast Show reference) is right in that this is mainly a venue for up and coming bands. As a band that was neither I was quite fortunate to play here but also to identify it's shortcomings beyond being a good live venue, namely:
1. It's expensive and rather sparse in terms of variety. Still, if you like fizzy lager here's a reasonable place to drink it and watch sports.
2. It's souless. It looks like an ident-i-kit magnolia washed refurb pub where any character has been sapped out of it which makes it bitterly ironic that it's called...
3. The Comedy. Jokes aside about 'The funny thing is the prices and lack of fun you have while in there' aside, it's the first pub I know that could be the name of a band. Think about it - The Strokes, The Hives, The Music, The Comedy
I'm ranting now. It's a load of rubbish, and you shoud only go if your mates are playing downstairs in a band.
BTW - Stop advertising yourselves on here you mugs
10 Jan 2008 15:14
The Porterhouse, Covent Garden
Over-hyped, over=expensive, over-packed with people who understandably do not have time to find a decent pub in London and therefore stick to a 'safe bet they got told about'. Beer is over-priced and overrrated - I have no issue with their ales which are quite nice, and similarly an Oyster stout is OK, but look at the price, and ask yourself is this really any better than a whole glut of other pubs in the nearby vicinity (Maple Leaf aside....it's miles better than that)? And does waiting 10 minutes to get served sound reasonable in this day and age?
Love the live music idea, but the quality sucks. Don't bother telling me about 'you wouldn't know good music...' because I've played in a band for years and it's still surprising what rubbish people can get away with. I'm kind of sad I've quit as I'm sure I could have made a few bob playing busker classics like 'Wish You Were Here' to the inebriated masses.
All in all, it's like the Punch and Judy but with better people and less Aussies. Don't ever think that's a bad thing, but don't believe for 5 seconds this means the Porterhouse is anything more than a money making tourist trap....
BTW _ the food is cr8p too, having had burgers there the last three times I've been.
10 Jan 2008 14:55
A really simple review to be honest
Came here about six months ago and being honest, had forgotten the same of the pub which is why the delay in review. Will not do this again as the place is a great find, particularly with fierce competition in the area.
What is nice is that this predominantly a local pub, but yet also allows you to feel part of the furiniture. Beer choice is reasonable and well kept, staff friendly and accomodating, and decor is old fashioned and as a pub should be.
I've ranted a lot in the past about tradition and keeping pubs as pubs, and it always makes me smile when I can actually go in a boozer and feel it is a real old fashioned boozer and not feel it's either some pseudo art-house pub (Hoxton) or a pubclub where the worst of both worlds live. Thankfully this is like a tin of Ronseal - it does what it does exactly what it says on the tin.
10 Jan 2008 14:28
Rampantwurzels Tip on how to build a Hoxton bar (part 2)
===============================================
1. Get rid of 90% of the lighting.
Beautiful people don't look so beautiful in normal light, particularly since skag abuse does nothing for the skin, so strip out all the lights and get a few blacklights in there so tht people can look at their white clothing and go 'Wow, that's so cool' while tripping off some cheap PCP....
2. Get leather couches.
But do not get new ones. No no no, that's not the way. Get really old ones probably from house clearances, batter them up some more, and lay them out higglety pigglety around your pub floor
3. Carpets
Why bother? People don't like carpets, and hey it's easier to clean. If you can be bothered once every six months....
4. Beer
Actually (God I hate myself for this) - this is cheap. Really cheap
5. Art
Oh FFS - stop it. I don't want to see your rubbish on the walls, the toilet, the bar etc. Can people just not just accept the fact they're not Picasso, Freud, or Moore and in fact what they do is rubbish. Perhaps if I lived in a favella I might appreciate the practical use of some of your contraptions and trinkets but since I'm in Inner London I expect something a bit better.
6. Clientelle
Oh sorry, they don't talk to you. If they did you'd notice their bleeding gums from speed abuse, as well as an inability to say anythign interesting.
At least the beer is cheap which means you can wash down some methadone while viewing the trash. Might make you feel better. Probably not.
10 Jan 2008 14:14
Rampantwurzels Tip on how to build a Hoxton bar
===============================================
1. Get rid of 90% of the lighting.
Beautiful people don't look so beautiful in normal light, particularly since skag abuse does nothing for the skin, so strip out all the lights and get a few blacklights in there so tht people can look at their white clothing and go 'Wow, that's so cool' while tripping off some cheap PCP....
2. Get leather couches.
But do not get new ones. No no no, that's not the way. Get really old ones probably from house clearances, batter them up some more, and lay them out higglety pigglety around your pub floor
3. Carpets
Why bother? People don't like carpets, and hey it's easier to clean. If you can be bothered once every six months....
4. Beer
Beer is 25% more expensive because beautiful people like paying more for less. But why stop there? We do food - Thai noodles is a predictable favourite (despite Cay Tre being just up the road), as is some hand-cut chips by Brzailian orphans for 2 pound a bag. Bargain!
5. Toilets
Toilets are supposed to look/smell like that. And don't blame the addicts/vegans for the smell, it's just that we can't afford toilet cleaner coz we don't make enough money off the beer....
6. Clientelle
Oh sorry, they don't talk to you. If they did you'd notice their bleeding gums from speed abuse, as well as an inability to say anythign interesting.
If we all stop going to these places, they will close down and be forced to either be proper art pubs, or better still, real pubs.
10 Jan 2008 14:10
Furthermore to my previous review (because there will no doubt be a comeback) if you like lager drinking pubs then come here, get smashed, watch the football, have a fight.
A pub should not require defending, certainly this place does not deserve two reviewers dedicating their time to praising it to the hilt to the tune of half a dozen times. Where I choose to drink, other people tend to be able to agree with me without forming a posse....
10 Jan 2008 13:56
It's good to get a feel for the place beforehand by going on BiTE. Having read the reviews below I felt a compelling urge to see why this place has polarised opinion between Topdog and MidnightPool etc.
Lagers a plenty in here, ale not available today. in fact it doesn't look like it's ever been available. The problem I have with places liek this (and Brew Wharf - take note) is that I expect a few little things.
1. Service - Good actually, though stranded with a small selection to choose from unless lager is desired
2. Decor - Ikea designed and decorated. Pub decorators/designers - we can see through the fake Hoxton chic, and I hate Hoxton too (see Bar Ria review).
3. Selection - Sh1te.
I live in SE London. Our pubs are either well done or over done. This is the latter - it's a lager drinkers, pre-tank Saturday pub. I'd never invite friends here for a beer, particularly based on the militant support here. We write reviews of places on this site, some you'll agree with others you won't - but I'm sorry unless your scope is as limited as your botched Millwall tattoo you'll think this place is awful.
10 Jan 2008 13:51
For a football pub, and having been in a few, this is far from the worst. For reference the worst football pub to go in is the one by White Hart Lane.....
Reasonable decor, 5 choices of lager is always a bit baffling, and they seemed to have London Pride and IPA on draft. Service was good (not surprising as one of only 6 people in there on a Monday night).
Not a neutral pub by any stretch - if you want one of those stick to Croydon. Not awful, not one I'll rush back to but it's pleasant enough in the pub desert that is SE25....
10 Jan 2008 13:20
This just reminds me of going to the old Czar Bar and, having found out they served cans at 1 pound per can, were told we had to drink them outside (this was I'd add after a weighty session of Stella Artois). More amusingly, the bouncers then asked us to move further down the street with our cans of beer in case the police came round!
They then let us back in again to drink more despite at least on of our party being clearly paralytic!
Happy days......anyway, this place is the same but with Phad Thai instead of Saharas nuts. The bar staff also look less likely to do a deal with you than the old ones which is a touch disappointing. But it's very odd to see a small mandarin fellow talking in broader cock-er-nee than half the locals, and that's a charm I suppose!
14 Dec 2007 13:39
The Salisbury, Leicester Square
An absolute gem. Have been a number of times and despite the place being full of grockles, these are grockles with a modicum of taste so I'll forgive them. If they had none, the Brewmaster is up the road....
Lovely inside, it's clear there is time and effort spent to keep this place looking as it should do and I applaud the bar staff and landlord for spending the time doing it. Beer is well kept, and while alittle steep is still streets ahead of most of the rubbish pubs in the area (Sam Smiths excluded, I know what I get with you....).
It's odd where (as a smoker) I find a place I actually really enjoy sitting outside of, but there is something satisfying about sitting outside of here and feeling quietly smug you're not int he Polar Bear/Brewmaster/Cork and Bottle etc. and have found a decent ale house with similarly appreciative people.
Everyone should go there once and befriend a tourist.
14 Dec 2007 13:34
Well, good to know owners past and present are here to post on this.
For those critics around, I took my date to here for our first proper night out after someones leaving do. Yes before anyone says it: I am that classy, and yes there are no flies on me either.
It's a lovely pub in an otherwise dreadful area of North London. The decor and layout is exceptional, and the high ceilings and brad bar areas make me instantly smile.
Beer selection was limited to Czech/Polish (help?) beers which were all pleasant, if not ale in the strictest sense. I cannot remember or pronounce the names, but they seemed well kept and the surroundings made the beer go down with some aplomb.
The reason people come here is for music. The juke-box is just great. Really, I cannot fault the mix of music on here - we listened to Madness, The Smiths, The Clash etc. all int he space of three hours and left feeling remarkably nostalgic for our efforts. They even appaered to be having a live band setting up which is not a terrible thing: shame I lived in South West London and was getting concerned at the time. Or was it my date being concerned where I felt I'd be sleeping that night???
Only one criticism. Staff. Please please please spend m,ore time negaging with your customers. We like your beer, but we don't know what it is so please spend that little extra time promoting the place and the beer as it's lovely. I know you're very attractive but looking in a mirror four times in an hour will only confirm you look identical to an hour ago!
Apart from that minor grip[e, would recommend it unless you like fights and sports in which case the sports bar is down the road, or the Finsbury is also close by.
14 Dec 2007 13:29
The Cork And Bottle, Leicester Square
Oh dear. No people, it's not a 9. It's pretentious, post shopping/theatre dump. If it wasn't for the Brewmaster propping up the sh1t-o-meter this would be at the top with flies hovering over it and a broken toilet seat sticking out.
Yes, it has wine. Expensive and not very good wine. I'm not a connosieur but there are better places to go for wine. Perhaps Vinopolis? Perhaps the bar down near Charing Cross/Embankment which really is nice rather than this dump?
Anyway, strictly for bankers and their equivalent cockeny slang. Don't bother trying to tell me I'm wrong, because I might well be but reviews like this need balance not just the 'best mate of the bar-staff' writing in.
14 Dec 2007 12:43
Hmmm....those nasty old junkies and their vagabond ways. Still, they've always got a light if you need one, and at least they pick on decent pubs to do their best Fagin impersonations. You never see them outside All Bar One now do you?
Back to the point
Pleasant pub, lovely interior which takes you back to ye olde days when pubs were low-lit, musty, but also enjoyable venues. Beer selection is actually poor but those they do stock are reasonable enough. Not sure I agree about the bar staff - they seemed reasonable enough and while not biting my hand off to give useful tit-bits in life (try going to Dorset, they'll give you a life story in some of those pubs!!!!) were efficient.
I don't go here for the beer really, more for just a nice calm surrounding away from the madness of Covent Garden, and it did exactly as I hoped - chilled out pint with the missus, then on to Covent Garden for the madness therein.
14 Dec 2007 12:32
The Rising Sun, Tottenham Court Road
Popped in here last Sunday as a relief for myself and my fiance who had spent the best part of an hour checking the sights out.
It's unremarkable, but pleasant enough. Beer was well kept, though I'd argue that their guest ale (Scrooged or whatever it is) should be immediately confined to the slops tray as it tasted like it had been filtered through one of my socks after a hard nights football. Apart from that, the decor is nice and it's been kept very much as it should be int eh Victorian way.
Not a highly recommended pub, but certainly better than some in the immediate vicinity
14 Dec 2007 12:26
Some interesting points here - my own to clarify
The pub is decoratively speaking, rather nice. Aesthetically, I cannot fault the idea of keeping a pub in tradition, and it's always good to see hand-pulls rather than identikit pub/clubs with three choices of lager - Fosters, Carling, Stella Artois....
To say it is the best pub in Soho is however taking it too far. Sure it's got ale, but it's a Fullers pub which essentially means (as Topdog has stated) it's the same as about a hundred other Fullers pubs (The Sun near Goodge St is another example but plays god awful 80's cheese). So the draw then is to listen to rock.
This is where I feel the place falls down. I like rock. I like rock a great deal and pine for the day the Interpid Fox returns to Wardour Street; however I also like to choose my rock. So either the place is exceptional in terms of music which you cannot choose (bands, or justa good DJ) or I choose my music. When I went there the staff pretty much stuck on CD's and seemed more interested in choosing a CD than serving people. OK, it's certainly a far distance from the worst service (Brew Wharf) but there's nothing exceptional about it.
Reasonable attempt, but by no means the best pub in Soho. There's many more better ones which I'd allude to but I'm sure you can read reviews.
14 Dec 2007 12:12
The Rake causes me problems.
Don't get me wrong - the beer selection is excellent. Tehre are some weird and wonderful ales here - I went there yesterday and had a Sierra Nevada which while tasting too much like a Mickey Mouse (Lager and Bitter in one glass for those not acquainted with poor drink choices) it was still pleasant. Such a wide range means you're unlikely to ever have drunk all the beer, plus you are among other beer and ale appreciators which is always nice.
The decor too is reasonable - if that's your thing. Neutral, not unpleasant and plenty of space to get a seat either indoors or in heated patio.
When I came to order, I didn't6 know what to have and the barman even gave me a taster of the Sierra Nevada. With hindsight, I should have refused to have more of it but was just surprised with this gesture of generosity in London.
Worth a look. However the cost is high, and the Makret Porter is around the corner. Or the Brew Wharf (where someone who reviewed there thinks I'm a member of staff......I'd read the review and judge for yourself).
7 Dec 2007 17:20
Why was my last review removed?
People, this place is cr8p. Avoid
7 Dec 2007 17:02
Bar Ria.....how times change
This place used to be Bar 150, then Bar 180 and now Bar Ria. One thing that was lways distinctive about Bar 150 was that amazing ability to make all the beer smell stale, to have a bunch of locals always willing for a game of pool (not such a bad thing as I like a game), and in the time it took to drink your Castelmaine XXXX (yup, good standard of beer as you can tell) you could watch football, or go into the toilets and buy p0rn (the only toilets in London I've ever seen this!)
The sad thing is, while 150/180 was a dive, it had a certain charm - rather like your pet Collie dog rolling in manure while following the mucking tractor. You hate the damn mutt for smelling, but deep down you know you'll forgive...
Unfortunately, I can't forgive. Bar Ria does indeed sound like an accident, and has been ruined by its Hoxton makeover. Gone is the spit and saw-dust, in the comfy chairs. Gone is cheap, poor, lager and in comes - well expensive, poor lager. It's identikit Hoxton rubbish with only the Foundry as competition for worst pub in the area. I just don't know whether you need to 'do a Docherty' to enjoy this place, or whether you'd just be better off doing a Docherty and going to the Foundry.
Stop these pubs
7 Dec 2007 16:52
The Brewmaster, Leicester Square
Brewmaster sounds like the kind of superhero I'd hang around with on the off chance he used his 'special powers' and turned my tepid stale beer into a really nice pint of well looked after beer.
Alternatively, Brewmaster is the king of all beer making, and hence he owns this pub 'specifically' to make only the finest beers known to man to sell to the mass of tourists in Leicester Square
Alas, Brewmaster is just a crummy pub in the centre of London with the joke being - no real ale. Sick. Not only that, it's charging 3 pounds for the Brewmasters 'extensive brewing experience' which consists of attaching pumps to fizzy lager and bitter.
An absolute shambles, and an embarassment
7 Sep 2007 17:33
Having read Barras comments, and having considered some of the other reviews, I felt compelled to write a review.
As the landlord of said establishment I feel it is my duty to ensure that all my paying customers have more than just a beer - they also need an experience. Sitting on metal chairs outside with mediocre beer to many people is perfectly acceptable, as long as the tables are modern and the bar looks shiny and new.
Some people have suggested the bar staff need to be - well, bar staff. I disagree. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with letting the beautiful people wander up and down the bar without serving a soul (which is amazing since there are few of these in my establishment thanks to our expediency), and furthermore without any noticeable work being done. But hey, don't they look good and isn't their make-up worth touching up in the shiny bar every five minutes?
We also do food apparently. I haven't tasted it, but why should I worry about that, I'm the manager!
If you guys are disappointed by the place, my advice is go to one of those nasty pubs down the road who know how to serve beer. I'm not interested in Greenwich Meantime, and it's lucky my computer has a spell check or I wouldn't have been able to spell it either!
BTW - To the two people (no not the tramps outside licking my lovely shiny tables for bad beer) who regularly come, you're nearly reaching 'regular' status - though please don't invite any of your friends again as the seven bar staff can't cope with 5 paying customers ordering different bad beers all at once!
Sincerely yours
The management
7 Sep 2007 17:24
You hand your money in
A crap pint back
You have a little whinge and
Say 'that's cack'
You snort some okey cokey
And you dance around
And that's why this place is sh1t.
7 Sep 2007 17:03
Oh dear. Apparently there are a large number of people who were buried under the arches of London Bridge (the old one) during plague times. Was wondering whether any of the resulting zombies worked behind the bar? I only ask because for �3.40 I expect more. I expect a bit of ambience, some lovely bar staff, cool environment, maybe a stripper or two..... basically, this place stinks. And I hope it closes down soon. Why drink here when the Market Porter is round the corner?
Oh, and it's endearing quality is the fact you can get a table and chairs so you can think about getting the plague or having your brain taken away by the zombie bar staff....
1 Aug 2007 16:56
No no no Robvyn Lipnicki, it's not.
It's perfect for stag dos. I was on one there last weekend, and it's good for getting mashed, falling over, drinking shots, and eating greasy tasteless chicken wings. It's also got the local scrags coming in for those times so something to look at. Though this rating you've given is highly deceptive. How is working at Barracuda these days? What real ale do you serve (I know the answer....)
If you like your drinks to be multi-coloured and your food to look like it was regurgitated come here and get p1ssed up. If you like soul with your pubs, go across the road.
1 Aug 2007 16:52
And another pub bites the dust...because we need more pubs with DJ's spinning old house records from the 90's and tapas to go with our �3.50 beer.
1 Aug 2007 16:48
The Famous Cock Tavern, Islington
Awful pub. I'm sorry all you Gooners out there, but this pub stinks. Why? Here's some easy ones.
1. The pints are over 3 quid. Disgustingly high charge, presumably because they have a lovely outside area for smokers and live football> Erm....so does the Garden down the road. Oh, and the equally unimpressive Junction......
2. The staff are a miserable bunch. Try getting back on the prozac and off the morphine, losers!
3. It's not really got much variety. Standard lagers such as dishwater Fosters and dishwater Grolsch (though somehow they've contrived to make it taste even more like dishwater by not cleaning the pipes. Ever.
4. It's a thieves den. My fiance had her hand-bag stolen there, and despite CCTV this is a hot-spot for thieves. And no, I don't mean Gooners you guys are fine, just the pond-life who walk Upper Street.
Never going in again. Atmosphere is cr8p unless it's match day in which case hold on to your bags and enjoy your over-inflated priced beer.
1 Aug 2007 16:46
The Rose and Crown, Stoke Newington
On same night I went to Daniel Defoe, popped in here. Lovely little boozer with some beer. Now why is this better than the Daniel Defoe?
1. Bar Staff who actually serve you rather than twiddling hair and mock giggling at things the dirty letches at the bar say to them
2. It has hand-pulls - 4 to choose from if my drunken memory serves me correctly - and they're nice. And I'd never had bitter from Newton Abbot which is a lovely surprise.
3. A beer garden where
4. A pool table with DJ room upstairs. Like pool? Upstairs. Like music played at ear crunching decibels? Upstairs. It's not that I'm adverse to either, but it does at least mean you can chat and have a beer without having it knocked out of your hand either by sonic force or cue.
Will return no doubt.
24 Jul 2007 14:00
The Coach and Horses, Covent Garden
This is a standard, non-descript, half decent pub. The beer is OK, but at Covent Garden prices. There seems to be a running theme about cleanliness which is lovely to hear about - however since this isn't How Clean Is Your Public House, let's briefly discuss the obvious
1. It doesn't have much of a range of beer
2. It's Oirish. That means it has authentic Dublin prices (ie. very high)
Apart from that, the only place where you might get a seat in the area. And that's its redeeming feature.
24 Jul 2007 13:26
The Hole In The Wall, Waterloo
The thing is - and as most people have expressed - the Hole in the Wall serves good beer and looks like a delapidated reject from the 1950's when pubs had to be as dark as possible and you weren't allowed to look out of, nor into, the bar area.
Paulaner on draft, a multitiude of other beers to enjoy. Sports on the screen, a chimpanzee eating mash on the wall (in what looks to be a promotional advert for potato from 1973). It's just great that we have these institutions in London where not everything is chain-pub, mass market, full of suits who want to smash beer down their chops while bigging up their 6 figure bonus. I don't want to hang out with these people - I want beer in a seedy environment with a train rolling by......Ignore the smells and grottiness and enjoy an old pub.
20 Jun 2007 16:45
Fleapit. Avoid. Unless you like inbred yokels and the faint smell of ganja.
20 Jun 2007 16:35
Oh dear. Too many drunken nights as a returning ex-patriot into Weymouth. Why on earth did I used to feel the need to drink in the White Hart and fall into this shambles of a place?
Because it's fun.
Guys, it's a meat market with lots of grockle girls looking for their summer of love. Girls, there's plenty of men prepared to buy you drinks all night and make you feel like princesses. If you're a tourist and you don't expect a superclub and just want some good old fashioned beer and boogie, go here. For regulars and locals, it's always a laugh coming in here just to see how little has changed.
20 Jun 2007 16:34
This is a simple place to like due to some simple facts
1. Has rock music. Too quietly for my particular taste as a attendee of the Intrepid Fox, but it's still there
2. Beer - cans of Stripe and some bottled lager (not sure if one of them was a Yankee doodle lager - perhaps Topdog_Andy can tell me since he was in there with me at the time.....) and a bourbon menu! Three pages! I prefer scotch, but you can see who they're marketing it for - the neo-Slash wannabees
3. The toilets are cr8p - get over it or go to somewhere where some flunky watches you pee and then charges you two pounds to freshen up! Is this a reason to hate it? No....
4. The people. Why people think that rock/metal clubs are frightening dark/dingy holes is anyones guess. We went there, had drinks, was even weearing a suit while discussing the merits of Page vs Hendrix....don't wear a tie (they look stupid in bars like this) but just enjoy the banter and feel for the place.
One last thing: INTREPID FOX (CONSERVATORY) MANAGEMENT - THIS IS WHAT THE FOX SHOULD BE LIKE!
15 May 2007 16:18
Oh dear. The vietnamese mafia on the pool table, the overwhleming smell of ciggies and weed - welcome to the Dolphin. Most of the locals look emaciated like they've been on skag for the best parts of their lives so they look 46 but are probably in their teens. Beer is lousy, in an area which suggests this could be your last beer before the grim reaper taps you on the shoulder and says 'Come along now - time to play in the estate with the bad kids...'
It'd be easy to say I hate this place. But I don't. And here's why.
The pub itself does not pretend to be anything it isn't. It's a boozer. With beer. And Kareoke. And a pool table that while joking aside is occupied by some of the best vietnamese players you'll see who may be interested in a little hustle here and there.
So if you're intending to meet your maker, the least you can do is play some pool, stay til 2am on most nights, and then go and play in the estate with the bad kids.....
15 May 2007 15:30
Excellent pub - certainly when I'm in the area it's here (when I've just been paid) or the Chandos (when I need to drown my sorrows...)
Just one thing - I just wish it was a little bigger as it's understandably very popular and populated by some good drinkers who know a decent pub when they see one. I WANT A SEAT TOO!!!!!!
27 Apr 2007 13:07
Unfortunately DickStilton, that is Weymouth all over now. Lets enjoy the Boot as it is before Mr Ames and co flatten it to build some more Barrett housing in the local area.
27 Apr 2007 13:04
Non-descript at best. Have been a number of times foolishly thinking I can avoid the hustle and bustle and uber-kitsch Islington set (not everyone in Islington I'd add, just the poseurs).
On OdeCs point, this is becoming alarmingly familiar. Pubs seem to want you to drink beer, yet the cost of actually pouring a pint of coke is half that of a beer. Why charge double for it then?
27 Apr 2007 12:14
Best of a bad bunch round here.
Yes, the beer is poo but that's because no one in the local vicinity wants anything other than some firewater to smash down their faces and take advantage of the late license (and before anyone complains - I have done exactly that). Beer garden is lovely for a summer drink, and service is always with a smile.
It'll never win awards for being an experience but if you enjoy a pub where it's easy to get served, easy to watch football without 6 million people elbowing you or shoving their armpit in your mush, and don't want to feel intimidated by the locals, then here is the place. Just don't expect too much...
...and BTW I preferred the Connaught in it's heyday. Both very similar places....
27 Apr 2007 12:03
I have a Canadian friend who successfully convinced me that Canada had a national day on July 1st (oh yes they do - and I recommend going). A number of first time experiences hit me upon visiting there which made me a convert
1. Sleemans Honey Beer. Lovely stuff. On tap
2. Moosehead
3. Wings
There seems to be a beautiful amount in common with Canada and the UK and not just the fact you bow to our queen like the good commonwealth citizens you are : o ) It's touches like the decor - hockey shirts everywhere depicting an ideal world when Canada were world beaters in the sports, Gretsky played for the Leaves, and it's wonderful hearing about all this history that, like England with Cricket, Football, etc etc. has vanished from the face of the planet. So apart fromt he beer being steep, it has a good feel to the place, the sport is always on, and I even found myself enjoying an ice hockey game. Baseball however...
Unfortunately this was 3 years ago.
Now, alas, the beer is still expensive, though oddly not always available. The place is a dirty tourist trap with a stuffed bear to represent 'Canadian' culture. Seriously, what has happened? I was pround to share banter with fellow sports viewers (even if I didn't totally understand the rules to baseball or hockey) yet nowthis pub doesn't even have half the beers on tap and worse - worse still - it mocks the country that makes it a theme bar.
Avoid. Avoid at all costs. And boycott it on July 1st.
27 Apr 2007 11:57
Anyone who has drunk in any number of Sam Smiths pubs will know the drill - Alpine lager, dark brown wood, lack of natural sunlight, etc. However this place sets itself apart from a number of the other ones in the area for the following simple reason.
Picture the scene (sorry - this is strictly for the guys here). It's Christmas on Oxford Street. You've been trawling the shops for an hour trying to find your dearly beloved the dress/shoes/handbag she asked for but it's not in this shop. Or that shop. Oh look - there's one that looks a bit like it.... and it's 20 quid cheaper.....but it's 'not quite the one'.
Will she notice? 90% probability she will. She'll notice the fact it doesn't have tassles on the handle.
Too much pressure in one go. Do you buy, or not buy? If she notices, you will be branded a failure and be castigated until you either buy her something even more expensive, or you get dumped. If she doesn't notice - you'll always be worrying when she looks in shop windows that she'll see it there and know it wasn't the right one. You need a beer fast.
The Red Lion to me represents an oasis from this situation, a saviour of sanity. Firstly, it is quiet. Deathly quiet on Saturday afternoons. Funeral parlours have more activity. Secondly, and as mentioned before, the poor staff here have a lack of natural light and look worryingly cheerful considering their cavernous surroundings. Perhaps its the lack of customers 'Hey it's a real person like they showed us in Sam Smiths Training'. Anyway, it makes getting a beer a cinch.
With pint, you can take the weight of your decision off your mind, ignore the third call from your partner demanding to know where you are, and generally enjoy Saturday afternoon with a little less stress, while you contemplate what to do with the rest of the day....probably not much shopping though....
And that is why it is the best Sam Smiths in London
27 Apr 2007 11:45
I think it's simple to summarise this place
a) It's very dark, faux wood panelling and general sense of forebodeing upon entry.
b) The place smells of a musty reek, ciggies, and the faint whiff of women.....erm, no that was just the toilets....
c) The bar staff are OK even if they look like they get dragged out of a cave to serve the general public five minutes before opening time. Let them have some natural light, Sam Smiths!!!!!!
Yes - it's a real pub. With real beer. And cheap beer. Please don't ever change
27 Apr 2007 11:28
Quite easily the best place in Weymouth to get a pint. Strolling put it as well as I could - good real ales, even the lager is good - though you have to go for the ale. Cosy little pub which demonstrates that you can have a popular and enjoyable pub with real old fashioned pub decor (Hogshead, take note....) and just good honest staff and beer. One of the best pubs I've been in
21 Dec 2006 12:30
This place is appalling. Goole815 is absolutely spot on - no decent pubs in the area, the cheapest I think in the area is the White Hart across the road. Full of faske 'cock-er-nee' gangster wannabes and tourists. Absoultely nothing redeeming about it except for those who want to see a pub that which just happens to be named the same as a reasonable boozer back in the 60's which is now a sh1t-tip
20 Dec 2006 14:52
A complete dump - beer is lousy and as Topdog mentioned, there is a correlationbetween number of shooters and quality of pub - Walkabout take note. I wouldn't have minded if there was some decent tottie in there to put me off the fact there was no hand-pulls are draft bitter but unfortunately the local area seems to be occupied by crack-whores and tramps. Do not go here. Ever.
20 Dec 2006 14:09
Back to rampantwurzel's profile
JJ Moons, Tooting
Sorry - may I apologise to Jack Beards for being the worst pub I've ever been in. This place smells like a combination of a changing rooms and a morgue. Impressive image I know....
It gets better. I swear the locals wash in Tennants Super and drink anti-freeze, as there is no reason why the great unwashed would turn up to this pit of despair unless they were high on the 'freeze or sniffing glue, petrol, lighter fluid, etc.
......it serves beer. It's a Wetherspoons in Tooting, the reknowned abyss of decent hostelries. Hard to believe I lived here for 3 years with only one decent pub in the entire region....
8 Dec 2008 22:53