The Royal Oak, Bethnal Green

An oddly conflicted place, on the one hand trying to be a slick gastro pub while also attempting a more jaded, Shoreditch chic.

Bad stuff:
- Hand pull frequently runs out reducing the options to lager or lager.
- It's not cheap, food & drink is standard price for "nice" pubs in the area.
- Can be very busy on Sunday mornings & weekend evenings
- Staff are a bit hit & miss; the mainly female bar staff can be familiar & efficient one day and "difficult" the next.

Good stuff:
- The beer is good if you can get it, though the pumps don't vary what's on offer very often.
- The food is good, the menu changes month to month & the variety of charcuterie & novelty bar snacks (giant scotch eggs etc) is a nice touch
- It's a really nice pub i.e. an attractive well laid out bar, small, leafy back yard, clean, has decent furniture, panelled walls etc...
- Selection of wines & spirits is up to the pub's gastro aspirations.
- Good atmosphere. Weeknights are busy enough for atmosphere but eating in the bar is still comfortable & most seats will be full by 10pm. Weekend evenings can be hectic, but the atmosphere is still first rate; this place attracts a mixed group, but is far enough from central Shoreditch to avoid the "up to town" crowd.

9 Aug 2010 17:27

The Royal Oak, Bethnal Green

An oddly conflicted place, on the one hand trying to be a slick gastro pub while also attempting a more jaded, Shoreditch chic.

Bad stuff:
- Hand pull frequently runs out reducing the options to lager or lager.
- It's not cheap, food & drink is standard price for "nice" pubs in the area.
- Can be very busy on Sunday mornings & weekend evenings
- Staff are a bit hit & miss; the mainly female bar staff can be familiar & efficient one day and "difficult" the next.

Good stuff:
- The beer is good if you can get it, though the pumps don't vary what's on offer very often.
- The food is good, the menu changes month to month & the variety of charcuterie & novelty bar snacks (giant scotch eggs etc) is a nice touch
- It's a really nice pub i.e. an attractive well laid out bar, small, leafy back yard, clean, has decent furniture, panelled walls etc...
- Selection of wines & spirits is up to the pub's gastro aspirations.
- Good atmosphere. Weeknights are busy enough for atmosphere but eating in the bar is still comfortable & most seats will be full by 10pm. Weekend evenings can be hectic, but the atmosphere is still first rate; this place attracts a mixed group, but is far enough from central Shoreditch to avoid the "up to town" crowd.

9 Aug 2010 17:26

The Bull, Burrough Green

Used to live a stone's throw from this place & I was glad it was there.

The beer is always of a good standard & the bar staff suitably familiar. While it can be quiet on week nights this pub tends to be busy with locals on the weekend & has a good, sometimes lively, atmosphere. The decore, especially in the public end, is a bit out of place but not offensive.

The Thursday night fish & chips is good & the locally aquired steaks are consistently excellent, but otherwise I wouldn't go for the food which it standard pub fare of average quality.

9 Aug 2010 17:07