The Farriers Arms, St Albans

When you go in tumbleweed will drift across the plain and you'll hear the sound of the door creak shut and nothing else - because everyone will have stopped talking and be looking at you, locals and staff alike.

All jokes aside this is an odd pub. Really nice venue, tucked away in a side street and kept very traditional... but with an older set of locals who stare at you intently and wait silently to eavesdrop on the first line of coversation from your mouth before apprasing you.

You will fail.

22 Aug 2008 13:48

The Fighting Cocks, St Albans

Ok but fairly small bar in the front, good vibe on a Sat afternoon as always packed with shoppers nipping in for a quick pint and therefore you can hide your boozehound tendancies and get hammered at 2pm without feeling like the only drunk in the village.

The resturant in the back does great quality food. And I mean gerat, esp the roasts, burgers and steak sandwiches. However take a book or even a blanket with you as they take on average 45 mins to an hour to serve you. It pains me to say this but I've been at least once a month for the last six months, always hoping for improvement and being sorely disappointed.

The staff are always helpfull but frankily there's some poor management going on as I regulary see people complain, to which the permanently red faced manager always tries to fob them off with excuses about it being 'freshly cooked' blah blah like this was a novelty and not the norm these days...

Great potential if they sacked him!

22 Aug 2008 13:41

Mokoko, St Albans

Can't believe the flak Mokoko's is taking!

Basically it's a quite stlylish bar (not traditional pub). It has wide selection of spirits inc lots of rum and rare whiskeys. The staff are helpfull and knowledgable and don't look down on you for explaining the difference between them all... They knock out great cocktails at mid price range. Good selection of larger and very limited selection of bitter. Stylish furniture and good DJ's at the weekend.

However, it's definately more of an evening place, a 'going out' venue rather than mid week comfy boozer. When it's empty it can feel pretty souless and there's never any locals...

To summarise - 'Horses for courses' venue: much needed as St Albans was crying out for a place to have a stylish pre-dinner drink with your other half, or somewhere to go with your mates to make the night feel a bit better than sitting in your local doing the same old thing every Friday... lets face it there are no other bars in St Albans (apart from the bland Slug n Lettuce) so why the moaning???

22 Aug 2008 13:34