The Royal Oak, Dartford

Quite possibly the best pub, not only in Dirtford, but in the surrounding area as well. An absolute gem of a pub that's a haven from the usual chav majority that inhabit The Tollgate, Paper Moon, Bull 'n' Vic et al.

The presence of 'Boom is an instant winner, as is the wide array of bottled beers in their fridges (Samuel Adams...what a find!). Their dartboard is a nice feature lacking in the majority of Dirtford pubs(dartboard = darts = stabbings), but BYO darts as theirs are a bit battered. The two plasma tvs are stunningly well placed so that, even when packed, both the upper and lower areas of the pub make great places to watch sports. The bar-staff are friendly and relaxed and the place is treated like a proper local.

All round a really nice pub to drink in.

2 May 2007 16:12

Paper Moon, Dartford

I'd love to trash this pub, really I would. In many ways I should trash this pub. It's dirty, the majority of the clientele are idiots and it's generally impossible to get served on a Friday night.

But I love The Moon. I started going when I was 16 (which tells you something about this place) and it was my local from then until I left Dirtford. I still stop by every now and then for a drink. In the many years I've been drinking there various friends of mine have been behind the bar (one recently started!), I've struck up a good joking relationship with at leaast 3 of the managers (who change once every year-and-a-half) andd, to be perfectly honest, it is one of the least offensive drinking venues in Dirtford, again not saying too much.

Is it a dive? Certainly. But its also damn near a religion for those of us damned enough to go there for our Friday nights out.

2 May 2007 16:01