BITE user comments - swcooper
Comments by swcooper
The Fox at Connaught, Silvertown
Bit of a drive-to only pub, unless you'r staying in the adjoining Travelodge. Beer choice very minimal, 1 pump of Deuchars, but 3.80 a pint to boot, it was OK for Deuchars. Free Wifi, decent terrace area, no soul. Won't willingly return, but if you're in ExCel and need to get lunch, it's probably better than Convention Centre options.
11 Aug 2011 23:18
The Royal Standard, North Woolwich
Interesting paradox this place. Decorated with St George's crosses everywhere (you can have a guess what that may mean in this part of the world), staffed by Brazilian immigrant dancers, and no English beer.
Feels a bit run down. Front room you enter into is like a small public bar, with mixed clientele when I popped in mid afternoon, through a union jack curtain is a bigger "lounge bar" with the ladies. Not bad looking, but daytime without punters they weren' using the stage at all.
11 Aug 2011 23:13
One of the top pubs in the country, to be sure. Quite bright and airy, fabulous beer selection, big mix of clientele, always lively and buzzing despite the absence of music.
11 Aug 2011 23:07
Excellent place, friendly barstaff, excellent White Horse Brewing beers (plus a few guests and the obligatory Everards). Pork Scratchings come from the covered market and are great too.
9 Sep 2010 14:59
2 of 6 pumps in use, Bombadier was very enjoyable, didn't try Rev James. Lots of historic Welsh rugby memorabilia on the walls - didn't notice any Ushers stuff. OK place, proper beer is rare in Newport beyond the 2 Wetherspoons.
19 Aug 2010 15:09
Is definitely open, as the last remaining pub in Eye. Adnams and Summer Lightning when we dropped in. Nice building, indifferent otherwise. Never seen so many other closed pubs in one town though. Apparently there used to be 28.
11 Jul 2010 00:25
An awe inspiring selection of beer, and a very friendly place all in all. Everything a proper pub should be, and 2 superb Salamander brewery beers on (plus another 10 or so). Drank with the Chef who was pushing my definitions of sane.
13 Aug 2009 11:10
The Riverside Cafe Bar, Sheffield
Superb pint we had in here on the way to the Harlequin. Nice river view, friendly staff, will look it up again. Says that in the crunch they've scaled back the number of beers (3) on during the week, but fill up the 7 handpumps for the weekend.
13 Aug 2009 11:07
The Kelham Island Tavern, Sheffield
Beer is great. A lot of work's been put in since winning the award, the garden is beautifully planted, and the toilets aren't much like proper pub toilets any longer. Unfortunately not open late on a Wednesday so we had to return to the Harlequin.
13 Aug 2009 11:05
Frankly fantastic. Best food in Sheffield, and the only pub custard that I like. Discovered the very nice beer garden on this visit.
Beer was wide ranging as always, but really just not the greatest - merely an 8/10 or so.
13 Aug 2009 11:02
The Hillsborough Hotel, Sheffield
Pretty pricy at 60quid a night for a twin room, but breakfast and Crown Ales (brewed in the cellar) are good. Very nice place otherwise.
13 Aug 2009 10:58
Sadly, arranged to meet there yesterday for lunch, only to find it seems to have become a credit crunch casualty.
Have enjoyed visits here a few times when visiting the university previously. Shame.
13 Aug 2009 10:55
Stayed a few years bakc - nice place to do so with good breakfast.
Beer is fine. They used to do amazing Nachos of a Saturday evening.
8 Apr 2008 06:19
Used to have decent beer from Black Sheep and others, now has staff with attitude and John Smith's best dishwater. The Maltings is pretty close by...
16 Oct 2007 05:33
Best bar staff of the York brewery pubs, this pub used to be really smoky so has probably improved no end in light of the ban. Nice selection of guests to back up York brewery's own quality products.
16 Oct 2007 05:30
Oh, and I've heard (obviously I don't go often, as far as I remember) there are hardly ever fights any more.
16 Oct 2007 05:27
Wednesday night Karaoke is often quite enjoyable. Music less shite than BPM across the road.
16 Oct 2007 05:24
Really nice pub, midnight licence most nights, always good beer, and a changing selection unlike the Golden Ball. Has real cider, and usually a small number of students who get dragged in by a friend to try it...
Generally quiet and amicable, a bit of a haven from Micklegate's nightly chaos.
16 Oct 2007 05:19
Thursday topless barmaids rotate, I've never found any other reason to visit this place other than to find out what former lapdancers do for retirement income. John Smiths is as OK as it ever gets, the guest beer is always basically vinegar.
16 Oct 2007 05:12
Without any food, this is a proper drinkers pub. And the best one in York at that. First rate bar staff made my year living in York just so much better. Apparently one of Salamander Brewery's biggest outlets, anything of theirs usually sells out in an evening.
Pete and Rachel are gone, but it's passed into very good hands.
16 Oct 2007 05:10
I have been back, eaten, and stayed in their accommodation (curiously, bed only, you have to walk across the road to Wetherspoons for their 4.18 breakfast - 2.49 the sign says, but once you add a 1.69 pint...) I guess it's fine so long as you are a paying customer. Even has some parking.
16 Oct 2007 05:05
Doesn't consistenetly run out of beer unlike the Punchbowl, does generally do food pretty quickly, not much to complain about. I quite like the place.
16 Oct 2007 05:01
Wenesday folk music night appealed to a guy I was drinking with, so we went the once. Beer OK, but uninspiring, otherwise pretty unremarkable. Owned by Local Heroes pub group (Golden Lion, Ackhorne, Tap and Spile) and doesn't really match up to the other 3.
16 Oct 2007 04:59
This truly is a York institution, always open and inviting when you didn't quite get your fill somewhere else, and while mainly packed with students, you could meet basically anybody in here. Does at least sell one real beer too (John Smith's Magnet, thankfully not their regular dishwater). Nice sofas too.
16 Oct 2007 04:56
Having Aussie themed things in here seems appropriate, it seems amongst the last hold outs of the all Aussie staffed pubs in these new Polish times...
We eat here often as the Wednesday night live music is usually worth staying for afterwards, and the beer is very good.
16 Oct 2007 04:50
Probably the best food in a York pub. Nearly always some good drinkable beer (Landlord always on if there's n'owt else), but I usually come mostly to eat.
B+B interesting, and well priced. Does test the size of your equipment when you wake up in the night owing to strange lights in the room...
16 Oct 2007 04:47
Stunning place, in the middle of a wasteland under redevelopment by York's old marshes. B+B is a bit expensive at 80quid a night, so we gave it a miss. The beer's usually fine, decent selection but hardly outstanding by Yorkshire standards. Food lunchtimes only is good, but you pay for it.
16 Oct 2007 04:44
Nice local pub, tried a pretty good pint of Cameron's over the unfortunately ubiquitous but awful Yorkshire national brews. Advertising on blackboard said "Thursday - Topless Barmaid - ROXY". I was busy and couldn't check this out though.
3 Nov 2006 16:01
Food is good and proper home made, beer is good and barmaids are nice, if only they'd make the lounge bar non-smoking instead of the curious little room off the other side. Decent pudding menu too.
28 Sep 2006 18:43
I'd been advised the food was good here so wandered up to have a look. After the lady in front of me at the bar was told they wouldn't serve her tap water, she had to buy bottled, I left and haven't been back.
28 Sep 2006 18:40
Should have mentioned the food is now in the evenings until 8pm too.
28 Sep 2006 18:37
Excellent, very home made food and always good beers. Really the best pub not in York, since it right across the road outside Walmgate Bar (the gate through the walls)...
28 Sep 2006 18:36
One of my favourites in York for an after work pint or two. Quiet, modern and clean, with York Brewery's great beers, and guests.
25 Aug 2006 20:51
Nice little place, owned by York Brewery hence with their very good beer. Stops serving food at 4pm, a little curious, but there probably isn't enough space for later custom...
25 Aug 2006 20:50
The brewery has a nice upstairs bar, heavily labelled "members and tour guests only". That's OK, you're just on an after hours tour, it's just a licensing requirement. York's beer is pretty good, and if you've brought some heathens with you, they do have a tap or two of nasty cold fizzy stuff too.
25 Aug 2006 20:48
The Churchill Arms, Kensington
Eaten here numerous times and can't imagine what rlm had. It's always been first class, and deserves it's Evening Standard awards. Love being able to get a decent meal with a decent pint. Normally need to book a table in the evenings.
18 Jan 2006 05:23
The Theodore Bullfrog, Charing Cross
Excellent lunchtime pub, decent reasonable lunch menu, beer is reliably good. Cute barmaids. Can't beat the location.
Evenings are pretty quiet in here. Went in on a Saturday to find we weren't quite the only ones there, but I think our group of 4 was the majority...
18 Jan 2006 03:34
The Lord Moon Of The Mall, Whitehall
Best beer I've ever had in a 'Spoons on my early New Year's visit. Can't really rate it otherwise - all their pubs are basically the same, you know what you're getting before you go in.
18 Jan 2006 03:17
The Pride of Spitalfields, Shoreditch
This is about as authentic as it comes, without being on the set of Eastenders. The landlady is a Gem, about as close a match to Babs Windsor as you'll find, the beer's good, the atmosphere's good and the night out is good.
18 Jan 2006 02:56
Haven't been here other than on a Sunday in the last 2 years, but the new owner does his job well enough, he's kept the formula basically the same so there's not much to complain about.
Sunday lunch is still superb, the Harvey's the best pint you'll find in the country, but he could do with some better Sunday lunchtime staff. This lot seems bumbling and ineffectual.
18 Jan 2006 02:51
The Kelham Island Tavern, Sheffield
Curiously sited in sight of the Fat Cat at the Kelham Island brewery, but with none of their beer and seemingly little regard for each other. Very nice beers from Salamander when I went.
18 Jan 2006 02:32
Palmer's beer was fantastic, the place in general is fascinating, it just keeps on going backwards. Actually owned by St John's college that it's contained within.
18 Jan 2006 02:07
Nice enough pub, last one left in the village. RAF base just up the road doesn't spoil it. Green King IPA, Ruddles bitter, one other. Food, darts, jukebox.
18 Jan 2006 02:04
Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, Fleet Street
All about the building, the staff are so consistently rude across all of Sam Smith's London outlets, I assume it must be a company policy, to give them more of a Yorkshire feel, or something. But at least the beer was drinkable on recent trip, and you can't beat it on price.
18 Jan 2006 01:59
The Marquess of Anglesey, Covent Garden
This is consistently one of my favourite central London pubs, even through the recent(ish) refurb. Not had bad beer there, and the atmosphere is fine and cosy when you go relax on the lovely leather sofas at the back by the fire. Can't usually get a seat anywhere else in there, to be honest.
18 Jan 2006 01:56
Sheffield Tap, Sheffield
Very pleasant lounge atmosphere, with nice leather upholstery. Decent selection on the bar, priced fairly high (3 quid for Jaipur) for Sheffield, but still not close to Reading.
Should even get me to the station ahead of my train a few times, whether it'll help with actually catching them remains to be seen.
18 Aug 2011 09:18