BITE user comments - steve5312
Comments by steve5312
Lovely little boozer down an alleyway off Cornhill. Friendly staff, decent beer, and set in an olde worlde alleyway with (as the previous review mentioned) a fair bit of history.
Only downside is the sphincter-clenching prices - �4.40 for a pint of San Miguel - so probably not somewhere to go if you're looking for a night out on a budget....
19 Jun 2012 10:08
I was always a bit wary of this pub, stuck as it is in the middle of one of the roughest bits of Croydon. However, it's a nice little boozer with a stonking beer garden and BBQ round the back. Beer is priced above average, but I've never had a duff pint here.
Only downside is the speed of service. The staff here don't multitask or deviate from snail's pace. If you're there at a busy time I strongly suggest to double up on your order so that you don't have to go back to the bar too often.
Other than that, go for it.
17 Jun 2012 09:38
This pub does great food but the service is either very good or very bad.
My friends went on Friday night and they said the waitress was very friendly and quick. Food was awesome.
I went again with them yesterday afternoon and the barmaid was just outright rude. No word of greeting, and when I asked what the guest ale was she looked at me like I was an idiot and said "ale". When I asked if it was a bitter or a pale ale or something else, I got a bored shrug and "bitter" in return. She didn't smile or make us feel welcome the whole time we were there, and we were the only bloody people in the place.
I'm only posting this review in the hope that the manager sees this and does something to sort this kind of service out, because it could so easily be such a great place to drink with a bit of politeness and the occasional smile.
25 Mar 2012 19:31
Anywhere that had an ID scanner on the door is a definite no-go area,
27 Nov 2009 17:15
The Porter and Sorter, Croydon
Still one of my favourite pubs. People actually mix and talk to each other, there's rarely much of a wait at the bar, and the beer is good. Plus there's loads of seating.
I'm not sure about the benefits of attracting the pre-club youth crowd. This pub pulls in a fortune as it is, and has enough sporadic trouble on busy nights without having a bunch of pissed-up kids knocking around as well.
It's an interesting boozer, much maligned as "just another station pub". Well worth a visit.
27 Nov 2009 17:12
The Porter and Sorter, Croydon
Don't be put off by the proximity of this pub to the station. The crowd is very mixed, from the old timers to the youger drinkers, gay and straight. Amazingly everyone seems to gel pretty well, which makes for a convivial atmosphere.
Bar staff can't smile for toffee, and the words "please" and "thank you" seem to have been excluded from their English lessons at school, but I've never had any problems getting served. However, along with a previous reviewer, I've noticed the odd short pint on occasion. However, beer is cheap - Fosters will set you back about �2.70, which is a far cry from the �3 in my native Kilburn.
One of the best redeeming features is the "outdoor" smoking area, which must be bordering on illegal (virtually enclosed as it is), but it has heat lamps to keep you warm and more lamps integrated with the umbrella stands out front as well. In other words, very smoker friendly. The interior reminds me of a Wetherspoons, so the usual dark wood tables, large seating area, etc. They show matches on the big screens as well.
This isn't a pick-up pub. This is a traditional boozer to visit with friends or just to strike up a conversation with a random, and well worth a try if you get tired of the usual fights and stabbings elsewhere in the area.
7 Oct 2008 09:09
Friendly bar staff, but dead most of the week and certainly anytime before 8pm.
Suggest you go to Kings Cross first and maybe try this place around 9ish when it seems to get a bit busier.
23 Jun 2008 17:15
This place is the pits. I've been three times and every time I've waited about 10 minutes to be served before walking out in disgust. I've never known anything like it. And this is before it gets busy!
No idea what the place is like once you've finally got a drink, but I wouldn't advise you stick around to find out. Horrible.
11 Jun 2008 14:25
Cheap beer, nice crowd... great for a couple of skinflint pints but you wouldn't want to have a night out here. It's more of a stop-off place.
11 Jun 2008 14:22
I can't see what difference the refurb has made (although my friends think it's a lot better). Staff are friendly, and the bar has a reasonably good selection of beer.
My only gripe is that the outside area is cordoned off at weekends so you're all cooped up like chickens if you want to nip outside for a fag. And you've got to use the dreaded plastic cups for drinking out in the open.
Still, not a bad boozer. One of the top 3.
11 Jun 2008 14:20
They've turned this place into a sort of beach bar, with a sandpit and bamboo skirting around the bar. Still, the bar staff are a lot cheerier and the prices ain't bad. My only gripe is that the interior still looks too much like a converted industrial unit, but other than that it's probably one of the top two gay bars in Soho at the moment. Even the toilet attendant doesn't harrass you any more.
Just wish they would ditch the bloody go-go dancers.
11 Jun 2008 14:17
Overpriced, unwelcoming, with arrogant bar staff who seem to think that having an idle conversation with a customer/friend is more important than serving the only other person waiting at the bar.
Really, really cannot understand why this place is still open after all these years. I don't know anybody who likes it.
11 Jun 2008 14:12
Been here a couple of times since the new management. The guy has done an excellent job in revamping the place and getting rid of the troublemakers. Excellent beer garden round the back, friendly staff, and even do Thai food as well. Worth a visit
14 May 2008 10:21
Did anyone actually bother to read through that tedious review/essay to the end?
No? Me neither. Anybody who writes that much about a distinctly average pub in Kilburn either owns the place or had a few two many before turning the computer on.
The reality is that this place is fine for a couple of pints of an evening, but it doesn't exactly blow you away. The single redeeming feature is the outdoor heaters, which makes the stream of traffic passing by all night just about bearable.
Not good, not bad. Just ok. The Windmill up the road is far better.
3 Feb 2008 22:36
It's very admirable of you to stand up for him, and I'm sure he does work hard, but if someone is on the receiving end of a bad attitude it doesn't make a jot of difference. Poor customer service is never good.
22 Jan 2008 15:53
"first noone has to say please to a waiter."
Maybe if you had said "please" and treated them with a bit of respect, you might have received good service.
I have always found the staff to be very friendly, so I'm assuming it's just your bad attitude which caused them to be rude.
15 Jan 2008 22:28
sohodrinker, you can't shift the blame away from the staff for the state this place was in (pre-refurb). If the beer is crap then it's usually because the lines haven't been cleaner or the barrels stored correctly. If the toilets are dirty then someone needs to get down there with a mop. The cubicle in the gents hasn't had a lock on the door for as long as I can remember - that's a �50 job including parts and fitting!
And staff friendliness costs nothing. Look at the Salisbury on St Martin's Lane. That is one of the busiest pubs in the area yet the staff are impeccably professional and friendly, the beer is always good, and the place is kept immaculate.
I'll be interested to see how this place looks after the refurb though. Let's hope staff training comes as part of the regeneration.
29 Oct 2007 11:50
Fantastic pub, especially compared to the doss hole that it was before. They've really cleaned this place up. The staff are surprisingly friendly, and there's a good selection of beers.
The inside seating is ver comfortable, with lots of fireplaces and big old sofas, alongside some normal tables for diners.
I've had the food here and it was pretty good, but the prices are way over the top. You're talking in the �10-�15 range for most of the mains. That's too much for a pub meal and too much for what you get on your plate.
The biggest plus of this place, however, is the outdoor terrace area around the back, with decking and plenty of tables warmed by massive heaters. Perfect for the winter and summer alike, with table service as an added sweetener.
Can't understand why the place isn't busier (never more than 25% capacity since I've been going), but one of the better venues in the area for sure.
29 Oct 2007 11:44
The Green Man and French Horn, Covent Garden
Ok pub, but seating arrangement leaves a bit to be desired. It's like sitting in a corridor if you're at a table. Otherwise the service is good, place is kept clean, and it shows sports on the TV which is welcome.
8 Oct 2007 18:01
Great for a weekday drink, but at the weekend you'll be lucky to get from one end of the pub to the other in one piece. Friendly staff, good beer, you can drink/smoke on the pavement outside... got a bit of a reputation as having an "older" crowd, but in reality it's fairly mixed.
8 Oct 2007 17:53
The Crown and Sceptre, Fitzrovia
It's like the Tardis, this place. Walked past it so many times and never walked in, but it's massive inside! However, that's as impressive as it gets.
The minute you walk in you can sense people looking you up and down as if assessing whether or not you're worth talking to, or if indeed you're even good enough to be there. One quick look around the pub confirms earlier comments that this is full of "media types" (for want of a more abrasive description).
Service was good, beer was fine, seating was... bizarre, to say the least. They seem to have lots of live music, and it's always buzzing, but it's buzzing with the kind of people who can't have a conversation about anything of substance. It's as if they're just there to be seen.
Won't be going back.
26 Sep 2007 16:49
Nice little pub tucked away in Fitzrovia. So tucked away in fact that I live the other side of the block of buildings and never realised it was there. What a relief though. �1.99 for a beer and plentiful outside seating. Can get eerily quiet if it's not a Friday or Saturday night, and it's not a pub for a fun night out, but great for cheap beer and a natter. Oh, the staff are very friendly too.
30 Aug 2007 17:14
Doesn't serve pints, so don't be shocked for paying �2 for a half of beer.
Best bet is to go for something like a Leffe Blond and stand outside watching the world go by. Staff are nice enough but the venue is fairly cramped. I smelt some nice foody odours wafting around, so I presume they do food as well.
Fast becoming one of my new hangouts.
13 Aug 2007 09:59
It's alright. Handy for standing outside and people-watching in the summer, but there's just something about this place that puts me off. I agree with the comments about the staff - they're not exactly the most cheerful bunch I've come across. The interior is craply laid out but the beer is ok. Shame, as we could really do with a decent gay "pub" in Soho.
18 Jul 2007 18:02
The Round Table, Leicester Square
Decent pub, quick to get served, friendly bar staff, cheap beer (�2.35 for a Fosters!!)... a bit of a hidden gem. Not the best pub in the world, but definitely a regular haunt. Has outside seating with heaters for the smokers among us.
11 Jul 2007 18:18
The Ivy House, Holborn, London
I can't comment on the beer, but the Thai restaurant upstairs is brilliant. Best green curry I've ever eaten. Priced about �7. Friendly service and a very clean wood-decor gastropub. Will be popping back for a few pints one evening.
16 Jun 2007 13:45
Been here a few times. It is incredibly smokey - to the point where you can see a foot-deep layer of cancerous fumes on the ceiling.
Staff don't seem to be particularly knowledgeable about beer. Last night the waitress put a pint of Pride in front of me that resembled a watery lager, and I had to point out that it was pretty much the polar opposite to the colour it should've been. I think the pipes were being cleaned, but it made me wonder how many ignorant yanks were drinking the stuff!
Still, all in all not a bad pub. There's precious little around Victoria, but this is one of the more tolerable places.
14 Jun 2007 11:39
My favourite pub, although my friends won't let me go any more! They have (quite loud) live music some nights, but the atmosphere is different from other pubs in Hastings. You don't always worry that a fight is going to break out for a start...
29 May 2007 16:03
Nice little pub, but the staff are always trolleyed. You can always somehow get a seat though, no matter how crowded it is.
29 May 2007 15:16
Pleasant interior, friendly bar staff, very "gastropub"...
...but f*ck me is it expensive. A large white wine and a San Miguel came to �8!!! God knows what a small glass of wine looks like, because the large one was tiny.
A BOTTLE of Sol and a San Miguel came to �6! That's 50p+ more than I would pay in most other places. Someone needs to tell the manager that it's a leafy suburban pub, not the Ritz.
29 May 2007 15:10
This has become a regular haunt of mine for a quiet beer in the evening, but when I visited last night I discovered (and it still pains me to think about it) they've gone NON-SMOKING!
What is the problem with waiting till the end of June for god's sake?
Also, the Kronenburg has been off for the last 3 weeks it seems, which is unacceptable.
Won't be coming here again until the smoking ban is in force everywhere unfortunately.
11 May 2007 11:17
Go here quite a bit for lunch with the folks. Nice pub with friendly staff. The food is pretty good too. Unless I'm confusing it with another nearby pub, they do the sizzling steaky/meaty/plattery things which are awesome.
Not a place to come for a banging Friday night on the town though. Difficult to get to unless you've got a car as well.
23 Apr 2007 19:40
The Croham Arms, South Croydon
Nice enough. The outside garden area is good in the summer. Wouldn't be my first choice, but can't really fault it based on a 2-hour visit.
23 Apr 2007 19:35
Got ID'd trying to get in here on Wednesday.
ID'd!! I'm 27!!
The place hasn't gotten any better unfortunately.
23 Apr 2007 19:31
Not a bad little old-school boozer. Nothing special, but it's pleasant enough for a couple of pints after work. They have a restaurant upstairs I think, although I haven't tried it. Can be pretty difficult to find a table, although they do have outside seating for summer.
23 Apr 2007 18:14
Nice looking bar, shame about the service. The prissy eastern european staff seem to be more interested in preening their hair than serving punters. I literally had to shout at one of them after he'd walked past and ignored me the third time as I stood at the bar like a lemon for almost 10 minutes. Then he had the nerve to charge �3.95 for a pint (no, that's not a typo) AND proffer the change on a tip tray. I suppose this place is targeted towards the high-earners in the area, but to be honest you don't even get what you pay for. At least it was clean and the beer/cocktail selection seemed to be fairly decent. Won't be visiting again though.
23 Apr 2007 18:05
Just undergone a refurb. Was a bit scary before (lots of tough-looking regulars) but its now gone a bit gastropub with a decent menu. Pool table. Cannot remember what the beer was like. Friend of mine ate there and said the lamb tasted horrible, but it might have been a one-off.
19 Mar 2007 09:15
Good pub, picking up with lots of things on. Can't believe it's not busier.
14 Feb 2007 13:32
The Polar Bear, Leicester Square
This is reverting back to gay bar. The owner of Ku Bar has taken it over and it should be opening the weekend of 10 Feb.
8 Feb 2007 17:46
The Lord High Admiral, Pimlico
Very "council". Beer and service were fine, but the place is a dump. It's the kind of pub where everyone stops to look at you when you walk in, and I got the impression from looking at the customers that the place wasn't entirely unfamiliar with a good old ruck of a Friday night. Very much a locals' boozer.
31 Jan 2007 15:55
Had a refurb... it's lost the spit-and-sawdust charm with the introduction of decent lighting and (what I think is) new furniture. Oh, and candles. Still worth a visit though. At least you'll be able to see what you're picking up now (not necessarily a good thing)
24 Jan 2007 14:12
Discovered that the UV light is to stop heroin addicts shooting up. Not sure what that says about the bar, but I haven't seen anything like that going on. Just a quick addendum - the beer is on the expensive side... 2.50 euros, which is .50 above the norm. When you add the 50 cent toilet charge, it soon adds up.
5 Dec 2006 16:08
I'm not sure what an Irish pub is supposed to look like, but this was a nice enough bar. They show all the matches on 3 TVs (unobtrusively, I should add), and the service for drinks is pretty good. Haven't eaten here yet, so can't comment on that. Fairly mixed crowd of ex-pats and locals. Lots of seating. Beer is ok. The toilets are absolutely bizarre with a 50c entry fee and glaring blue UV lights everywhere. I usually go here at the weekends to watch the sports because O'Reillys is way too crowded to be enjoyable.
29 Nov 2006 09:24
The wait for a drink gets on my nerves sometimes (even on a weeknight), but this is still one of the best pubs in the area. Clean, well kept, good beer, and well maintained pool tables.
27 Sep 2006 14:13
Leonards / Square Circle, Clerkenwell
Went here to see my friend's band play last night. Nice bar (although a bit of an odd layout for a live music venue). Beer was reasonable at �2.80 a pint, bar staff were chirpy enough.... bit off the beaten track, but would probably come here again if I'm in the area.
21 Sep 2006 15:25
The Montagu Pyke, Charing Cross Road
Ermm.... the only people who'll like this place are your standard "Lloyds No.1" clientele.
If, on the other hand, you're gifted with a sense of taste and decency, you're well catered for at other establishments in the near vicinity.
14 Sep 2006 17:43
Went here for lunch today. From the outside I had a brief flash of terror as I imagined the filthy blood-soaked market pub that would lie within, but in actual fact it was a really nice boozer. Obviously recently refurbished, but not in a poncey way. Nice old scuffed wood floors and wooden furniture. Good balance. Food was pretty tasty too. And they've got a pool table - woohoo!
22 Aug 2006 15:49
Chanced upon this place last night. It was "Club Camp", which is a new gay night every Wednesday. The drag act was absolutely dire, although people seemed to be having a good time. Venue wasn't that bad, staff were attentive... but you didn't come out of there over-awed.
3 Aug 2006 20:43
Had a few cheeky ones in here last night. Quite a nice little pub. Outdoor seating with canopies and patio heaters, which bodes well for winter (and the smoking ban!). Pleasant bar staff. Good beer. No attitude. Will be popping down to check out the pub quiz next Thursday!
26 Jul 2006 10:30
Clientele can be a bit dodgy, but the pub itself is a gorgeous little place. Incredible exterior (don't know if it's the original) and very friendly bar staff.
9 Jul 2006 20:34
Visited this place on the occasions I've stayed with friends in Hastings. Friday and Saturday nights are karaoke, so be prepared for extremely loud music for much of the night! It's full of the usual Hastings clientele - men who can't hold their drink and women who only wear just enough clothes to prevent them being nicked for indecent exposure. Still, everyone's there to have fun, and I haven't failed to go home happy yet.
9 Jul 2006 20:32
The Slug and Lettuce, Clapham Junction
Went here today. Nice enough decor, but my coke was extortionately priced and it was no smoking throughout.
Won't be going back there then.
4 Jul 2006 23:42
This place is a complete dive, but the outside seating area is handy during the summer. I wouldn't exactly make a beeline for the place.
12 Jun 2006 13:05
The Salisbury, Leicester Square
Further to my earlier review, this place has become a nightmare in the evenings. Far too crowded. Definitely pop in during the afternoon, but if you've got any sense you'll stay away after 5pm. Shame, but I guess that's what happens when everyone raves about a pub.
27 May 2006 10:11
The Ship and Shovell, Charing Cross
I presume he's on about the miserable barmaid with the black hair who hasn't smiled since birth. If you read the other reviews you'll notice that quite a few people have commented on the same thing. I think it's "strange" you haven't noticed it yourself.
27 May 2006 10:05
Gothic/rock decor, lots of seating... bit grim though. By the way the barmaid reacted, you'd think she'd never been asked to put a lime in a G&T before. She wasn't happy. Music was too loud, clientele were quite mixed... I wouldn't go back, but then again I'm probably not the target clientele.
21 May 2006 17:11
Not the fault of the pub, but it's always too busy and cramped in here. Beer is ok, service is prompt... definitely only a pub for a quick one after work or if you're a footy fanatic.
9 May 2006 17:36
Visited last night. Slightly bizarre seating arrangements, but can't really fault it. There's a beer garden round the back for the approaching summer evenings! Nothing really jumped out at me as being "great" though.
3 May 2006 17:25
The East Dulwich Tavern (EDT), Dulwich
Visited last night. Interesting decor - a little bit Morroccan with "stylish" dim lighting. Apparently it's great for footy matches with a few big screens. Didn't get much of a look at the beers on tap, but I got the feeling it's more of a lager place. Nice enough - I'd visit again.
3 May 2006 17:23
Frankly, anything that makes an attempt to retain a "pub" character these days deserves some praise. Not a bad place, with lots of tables and a good selection of beer, but the problem is that there's other similar pubs closer to the station that offer the same fare. There's nothing so special about this place that would make me want to walk 5 minutes down the road to get here, but worth dropping into if you happen to be passing by.
19 Apr 2006 18:00
Bizarre place. I think it's supposed to be a gay pub now. Visited last night and it was "chubby chasers" night, but we popped in anyway to have a nose around. It looked like it was set up for a school disco, with an assortment of tired-looking characters sat around. My beer was flat as a pancake, and after 5 minutes we decided to head up the road. Could be a really nice pub, but the place has got no character.
26 Mar 2006 14:38
Not bad at all. Simple, no frills gay pub. Probably not the best place to go to pick up, unless you're into the middle-aged gent, but I've never failed to have a good time in here. Zero attitude, good selection of beer, attentive bar staff, late hours.
9 Mar 2006 20:40
The Tabernacle Bar & Grill, Old Street
Agree with the earlier comment about being sterile. This place has got no soul. You can rarely get a seat, the decor is bland, it takes forever to get served, and you just generally feel like you can't relax. I suppose you'd like it if you were an aspiring city boy from Romford, but there's much nicer places nearby.
5 Mar 2006 12:27
Thank god for this place. The only decent real pub in the area. Friendly staff, good beer, and apparently there's a couple of pool tables upstairs (although I've never got as far as the stairs!). Always manage to somehow get a seat.
Mixed crowd, good atmosphere, defintely recommended.
5 Mar 2006 12:24
The Princess of Wales, Charing Cross
Further to my comment of 30 Dec, I think it's only fair to add that Mitchells and Butler have since phoned and apologised to me for the poor service I received that evening.
20 Jan 2006 17:48
The Ship and Shovell, Charing Cross
Nice little boozer, with a good selection of ales. Girl behind the bar could do with lessons on how to smile, but all in all not bad.
30 Dec 2005 11:05
Gordon's Wine Bar, Charing Cross
Visited this place yesterday afternoon. Absolutely incredible venue.... has to be seen to be believed. It's like drinking in an underground cave, and the tube trains passing underneath every three minutes makes the whole room vibrate!
It does get a bit stuffy and claustrophobic after a while, so be warned. They've got a great choice of wine though, and the staff are pleasant and knowledgable.
Definitely worth a visit, but I suspect it's the sort of place you either love or hate.
30 Dec 2005 10:22
Been here a few times. They do a lot of live music and the decor is very rustic. It can feel like you've walked into a goth convention (lots of men with long hair), but if you can cope with that then this place is a nice little boozer.
27 Dec 2005 16:19
I generally don't like Croydon pubs (more because of the clientele than anything else), but this place is great for a late afternoon beer. Plenty of sofas and chairs, and the place is always well presented.
Haven't been here in the evening for a long time, but I suspect it's much the same as any other Croydon pub.
27 Dec 2005 16:13
"You want what, sir? A SEAT?? In the smoking area?! You're having a laugh aren't you?"
I think that just about sums it up. This place is to be avoided at all costs. The Old Brief across the road is much better.
27 Dec 2005 16:10
Don't go very often, but I've never failed to have a good night here. Karaoke is great fun. A youngish crowd, lots of seating, efficient bar staff... Pretty easy to pick up in too, which can only be a good thing.
Last time I went they had one of those bloody toilet attendants who expect a quid for squeezing soap into your hands and passing you a paper towel, which is a HUGE no-no.
24 Dec 2005 17:02
The barmen were fit last time I was here, but the bar itself isn't very well laid out. Still, it's ok for a couple of cheeky ones before heading off to the Two Brewers down the road.
24 Dec 2005 16:57
The Earl of Eldon, South Croydon
Nice pub, although in need of a bit of a refurb. The staff are very pleasant, and there's a pool table to keep yourself amused. I prefer the Crown and Sceptre opposite just for decor, but there isn't much in it.
24 Dec 2005 16:53
The Bell And Compass, Charing Cross
Waaaaay too busy to be any fun. It looks clean and fresh, but you'll never get a seat and it can take forever to get a beer. There's plenty of better places to go in the area.
24 Dec 2005 16:49
Halfway II Heaven, Charing Cross
Went here last night for the first time in four months. The crowd is broadly middle aged, the beer is ok, but the staff have all changed. Nothing spectacular. Still, nice for a couple of pints on the way home.
A word of warning though... the toilets downstairs are VERY cruisy during the day, and there's usually a lot of men sat around by themselves waiting for a quick fumble.
24 Dec 2005 16:47
Visited this pub last night. Started off with a very tame Amstel, getting more adventurous as the night progressed. Vaguely remember drinking some sweet strawberry beer, but you're not short of choice if you want to experiment. Don't forget that there's an upstairs bar, as the downstairs bit can very crowded. Bar staff are pleasant enough, and the place was clean. Worth a visit.
13 Dec 2005 13:58
Lovely pub. Staff very professional. They do great little food platters if you fancy it. Nice outside area, not too cold, and sufficient seating inside.
Fascinating history as well. All sorts of things to do with being on land belonging to Cambridgeshire because of the bishops that lived here hundreds of years ago, and apparently there's a tree in the pub or on the outside where Elizabeth I used to dance round the maypole.
15 Nov 2005 21:34
Another typical Croydon late night bar. Full of people who think it's a really banging place, but who have obviously never ventured to a proper bar in central London. Fairly poor layout, looooong wait to get served, and usually a queue to get in. What sort of idiot queues to get into a bar? Unbelievable. If you like the sort of place where it takes half the night to get a round in, badly dressed women, drink-fuelled men, ten minute queue, "no trainers" (don't even get me started on that), and a bizarre seating arrangement (benches?!) then this is the place for you.
I could be more scathing but I'm losing the will to live.
30 Oct 2005 15:47
Agree with the comments about the management. We had a problem with our food once and the guy was incredibly apologetic and gave us the meal on the house. Always very cheerful and eager to help. Venue is kept clean and has plenty of seating. It can take a little while to get served on busy nights, but at least they remember the order in which you get to the bar. Good choice of beers. Worth a look-see.
30 Oct 2005 15:22
The Goose on the Market, Croydon
Looks like a high street bank from the outside, and doesn't get much better inside. Go to the Hogshead opposite.
30 Oct 2005 15:18
The Crown and Sceptre, South Croydon
Lovely little pub just off the Brighton Road. Blink and you'll miss it. Good selection of beer, friendly staff, reasonably priced. Seats located outside and at the front during the summer. Worth a visit if you want somewhere peaceful to sit down and have a chat.
28 Oct 2005 17:04
Nice bar, very airy, cold beer, clean bar area and toilets. Much better than a lot of the dross joints further down towards Cricklewood station. Only downside is the god-awful furniture in the front bar. Uncomfortable and not relaxing. Definitely worth a visit though.
28 Oct 2005 16:58
Magnificent building, but *good christ* you'd better be patient if you want a beer. I was there last Friday lunchtime and it took me over 10 minutes to get served.
The barmen are utterly incompetent... the sort of people who know damn well you've been waiting ages for a drink, but if a pretty girl saunters up to the bar then they'll serve them immediately. There was a near riot when this happened on Friday. It doesn't help that there's a supervisor-type constantly walking backwards and forwards aimlessly as customers are getting increasingly impatient.
8/10 for the venue, but 1/10 for service. They desperately need to re-train the existing barmen and/or get extra staff in. I dread to imagine what it's like on a Friday night.
28 Oct 2005 15:33
With a name like "Ryan's Bar" you'd expect something slightly Irish, but you'd be wrong!
They've got three or four big screen TVs for the footy, and a mixture of the usual sofas, chairs and tables. The bar staff are friendly and attentive. Prices are ok, although a pint is about a quid more expensive than the Wetherspoons directly opposite.
However, you can't help but feel that the place is completely devoid of soul. Maybe it's the whitewashed walls combined with the high ceilings, or the exposed steel piping, but it's a really dull bar to drink. You can't relax. At the weekends it can get very busy, so everyone ends up crammed around the bar area because it's the only place you can put your pint down, which means you spend the whole night being pushed and shoved by passing patrons. Most of said patrons tend to be pissed-up Croydon boys as well, which doesn't help matters. The bar area is simply too small to accommodate this arrangement, and it's not helped by having stools at the bar which means you have to fight your way through people sat there in order to get a drink.
And Thai food? My culinary history was never too hot, but I didn't realise Thai green curry was a typical Irish dish. Combined with everything else, you leave the place with the impression that it doesn't really know what it's trying to be.
28 Oct 2005 15:14
Lovely little find. Excellent choice of beers and alcohol in general. Friendly staff, nice seating arrangement (lots of little alcoves), sociable crowd... Can get very busy, but that's a downside to virtually every great pub. Haven't tried the food yet, but I'm told it's very good.
Along with the Flask and Ye Old White Bear just down the road, this is yet another reason to drink in Hampstead.
28 Sep 2005 15:47
Update: It turns out the gin in question was indeed an obscure brand. If you want a G&T then make sure you ask for Gordons. I don't know if it's the same situation with the other spirits.
26 Sep 2005 14:24
I was here yesterday afternoon after walking through London in the blazing heat, and I was rewarded with one of the coldest beers I've ever tasted and a nice little seat outside watching the world go by. The interior is very "traditional pub", staff are pleasant, good range of beers, although there didn't seem to be an abundance of seating inside and I suspect it gets packed in the evening (it was fairly full when I arrived, and that was at 3pm). If you sit outside you can play "spot the politician" as you watch all the anonymous big black Mercs collecting important-looking people from the government buildings thereabouts.
10 Sep 2005 11:35
Further to my earlier review... I was in Molly's the other day and ordered a double G&T. I could barely taste the alcohol in it. My companion had exactly the same problem. We complained at the bar, and the barman topped us up with a shot of Gordons and explained that he'd used a different gin initially (I couldn't see the brand of the bottle he pointed to, but it was probably cheap).
Now, I don't wish to cast aspersions on the working practices of this establishment, but there's something distinctly fishy about serving obscure-brand gin when you've got Gordons right next to it, and more so when a double gin barely registers in the taste department. I'm going to return there next week and give them a second chance. Watch this space.
8 Sep 2005 17:27
Lovely little pub, although none of my friends like it for some reason. Very small, so can get pretty cramped and smokey after 7pm. Toilets are clean, beer is good, staff are pleasant, and a nice view over Charing Cross Road. They also do a range of snacks in the form of hot pasties and things like that. Worth a visit if you like proper intimate pubs.
26 Aug 2005 16:23
Typical Croydon monolithic bar really. Bouncers, vast un-intimate space, lots of drunk people, conspicuous gold-laden thugs at the end of the bar.... Need I go on?
Me and my friend were nodded in by the bouncers as we arrived (bouncers are never a good sign, but we persisted out of curiosity). Walking in you notice how bloody big the place is. I'm not a fan of pubs that are TOO spacious, but this was just one big long room with a fairly dull layout. However, we persisted. We got to the bar and promptly ordered two G&Ts. The barman looked blankly at us, so, assuming he hadn't heard the order over the music, we repeated it 2cm from his ear. No joy. It turned out he'd "never heard that term used for a gin and tonic before".
We weren't sure if he was taking the mick, but we let it lie and waited for the drinks. he promptly presented us with what can only be described as thimbles, with an ice cube and a suspiciously small-looking measure of gin. We asked if we could perhaps have it in slightly larger glasses, which we duly received. It was at this point that we realised why they'd initially come served in thimbles - the tonic water bottles didn't even half-fill the glasses.
Still not completely perturbed, we made our way to a table. Now, I don't know if places like the Rectory/Walkabout/<insert generic Croydon pub name> all buy their tables from a factory staffed entirely by giants, but the table we sat at was comparable in size to an olympic swimming pool. It's a strange experience to have to half-shout at someone sitting opposite you in a pub, but I'm used to it now.
The ash tray must've come from the same factory, because it was larger than your average dinner plate and was so full that me and my friend physically couldn't stub out our own fags without plunging our hands into a sea of ash. It wasn't emptied in the 45 minutes we were there, which was inexcusable seeing as the joint wasn't that busy, and we had a waitress passing by to collect glasses on three ocassions. I can only assume she was so disgusted by the state of the ash tray that she couldn't bring herself to touch it.
If you enjoy bland identical bars/clubs (is there a word for these places?) with 75% of the clientele off their rockers, and the other 25% asking you if you're "eyeing up me bird", then you'll love this place. Personally, I won't be heading back any time soon.
28 Jul 2005 16:11
Excellent pub, but I'd recommend you go on a Sunday evening when you'll have a chance of getting a seat (weekday and Friday nights can be hell). Great interior, great location, friendly bar staff. Could do with being a bit more spacious, but I guess that's part of the charm. Well worth a visit.
28 Jul 2005 15:29
Nice bar staff, shame about the customers. The minute you walk in you get the impression that the six beefy guys sat at the bar have been there since last week, and that they wouldn't hesitate to knock you through the wall if you so much as look in their general direction. Definitely a local's local. Been a few times, and it can be nice during the summer as it seems to be the only place with proper outside seating, but it's not really a redeeming feature.
28 Jul 2005 15:22
This has been a local of mine for a couple of years, and I've spent many a night putting the world to rights on �1.69 pints of Carling! The pub and toilets are generally clean, food is standard Spoons fare, and the staff are friendly enough. If you want music, sports and a party atmosphere then this isn't the place for you, but if you want a few cheap pints and a chat with your mates in a friendly pub, then I'd definitely recommend it.
If you're looking for something a bit more buzzing, then you've got Ryan's Bar across the street (awful furniture, awful layout, fully of pissed mean-looking 20-somethings looking for a fight, redeemed only by great bar staff), the Jolly Farmers (don't even think of looking any other patron in the eye if you value your testicles), or the Rectory (generic monolithic pub with the usual bouncers, ridiculously large tables requiring you to shout to be heard by those sat opposite, and scattered groups of outrageously drunk females trying to get a shag off the local pensionable gangland boss).
28 Jul 2005 15:18
The Ku Bar, Charing Cross Road
Popular gay bar on the Charing Cross Road, just out of the way of the Compton St crowds.
Frequented by a mainly younger crowd (18-30), it's very popular as a pre-club destination and for the cheap jugs of cocktails! I've been going here for 5 of its 10 years, and always found it to be a great place to have a chat with friends. It's also one of the few gay bars in Soho these days where you've got a good chance of being able to sit down, due to the numerous chairs & tables downstairs, plus the large seating area on the upstairs level.
Music tends to be fairly poppy, but they've got a music video system now and it never gets so loud that you can't hear yourself think.
Definitely worth a visit, if only to eye up the attractive barmen.
25 Jul 2005 15:12
At the risk of sounding like an old man, I preferred this pub back in the old days. The 3Gs was one of the few places left in Soho where most of the original wooden furniture was still in use (complete with one inscription dating back 400 years!), and the whole place had a homely worn-in character. I worked there briefly when Chris was manager, and spent many an afternoon chatting to the quirky regulars. It was truly a place where people from every walk of life were happy to chat and mingle, from gay to straight and from local nobility to local drug dealers. Such a pleasant care-free (almost conspiratorial!) atmosphere.
Then I came back from living overseas to discover that the place had been gutted and that it'd be turned into a ghastly generic pub-chain venue. I was devastated! Whilst I've been in a few times since, it's really not the same. The bar staff are very pleasant, and they CAN pour a pint, but frankly the venue itself has lost its charm. I'll still include it in my "route" when I have foreign friends over, because of the long and fascinating history of the building and because it's still a pretty decent bar, but I go elsewhere if I want to visit a proper pub these days. Mind you, even the Coach and Horses is losing its legendary landlord now, so the choices are getting smaller....
25 Jul 2005 14:56
Golden Lion, Soho
It's a nice old boozer but can get extremely crowded at peak hours. Definitely one for an "on the way" pint and not for a night out. Good selection of beers and a heated outdoors covered area, albeit just a partitioned bit of pavement. Staff friendly enough.
16 Jan 2013 16:26