The Kings Arms, Oxford

I was going to say vastly over-rated but I see the reviews already.

Best bit: interesting set of interlocking rooms (which usefully fill up with people who would otherwise fill up the surrounding good pubs).

Worst bit: always rammed.

Food unimpressive. Drink is Young's standard offering with their standard guests. Both too costly by Oxford standards.

Beware the treacherously long stairs to the toilets.

A student pub (most in the centre are - try The Crown or The Wheatsheaf if you want to avoid these) with well-dressed interlopers in for weekend lunches.

Nigh impossible to get a bench out the front - if you do then it's great for people watching. Front bar is just a room now, they've closed off a room (you can rent it out for functions); back bar is a series of 3 interconnected rooms, of which 2 are good to sit in (not the middle one).

But with The Turf and The White Horse within 2 minutes walk - go to one of those infinitely better pubs.

23 Jun 2013 12:14

The Cat's Back, Wandsworth

Changed hands back in early-ish 2012.

Best bit: well-presented Harveys-serving pub.

Worst-bit: replaced one of the best pubs in London (I won't go into details).

A 'luncher's' pub more than a 'drinker's pub' - the landlord is trying to capture the eating trade and the pub reflects this. Very prim decorations - lots of old photos of Lewes, fancy tables and chairs, snazzy wallpaper. Clientele of well-dressed lunchers from the neighbouring luxury flats (leave your 'Slayer' T-shirt at home - or go in it to annoy the lunchers!).

This is somewhere to take people for a meal (the landlord is really trying hard and I reckon the food's good), and it's one of the few Harveys' owned pubs in London if you really like their ales.

Some, rather overlooked ('em flats) seating out the back.

Worth a visit, for lunch.

23 Jun 2013 11:59

Tir Na Nog, Wandsworth

Mmmm.

Best bit. Bizarre place which I find quite entertaining (my friends didn't).

Worst bit. I've been in 3 times in the last year and everytime the place was stunk out by their toilets (didn't try the food).

Last visit - music night advertised and I was in the mood to see a good bit of fiddlin'. Went in and 'Stand by your Man' was coming out of the speakers - my English friends thought this hilarious. So don't go if you're expecting traditional (live or Irish) music. All the punters were English.

Great lady running the place, with fine Guinness. Someone had usurped the pool table and she threw them off saying 'ah! be decent! That's an hour now they've been waiting'.

Nice dog still zooming about.

It's better than that GJ's just beside it but I'd probably head for The Old Sergeant before here (unless I was feeling a bit odd). Will watch a GAA match here and see how it goes.

23 Jun 2013 11:50