The Dublin Castle, Camden

Don't really understand the negative comments on here, but I haven't been in the evening and I gather the door staff spoil things somewhat. This always seems to be the case with London pubs - shame.

Anyway, we found this a perfectly decent pub - well priced before 6pm, efficient and friendly staff and a nice atmosphere. Don't know about the ales, but the Guinness was fine. Also largely free of the pretentious a*ses that haunt many other Camden drinkeries these days. Shedloads of cheap, multi-band gigs too.

20 Jun 2008 13:01

The Horn in Hand, Nottingham

This is a Yellow Card pub and that's all you really need to know. Busy, lively and cheap(ish), with an ok selection of drinks and shit, microwaved food. Sport on big screens, loud chart music, comfortable but souless... actually the more I think about it, the less this place has going for it...

24 Mar 2008 19:41

The Rescue Rooms, Nottingham

This place started well when it opened and has gone steadily downhill since. It basically only survives because it gets good bands and club nights in the venue and plays quality music at a decent volume (i.e. you can actually talk to your mates).

Good music, though, is where it ends, because the bar itself is rubbish. Pretty poor selection of overpriced drinks, incompetent, inattentive and often outwardly rude staff who are clearly only employed for having the right 'look' (ok, this is generalising, but it's the case 90% of the time) and inadequate seating. Oh, and the quality of the draught varies from passable to utterly foul.

Food used to be good, but is now just ok and is getting poorer and poorer value for money. There's just nothing going for this place overall, except maybe the large (but scummy) outside area. Even the good Happy Hour deals of years past are gone. Shame.

24 Mar 2008 19:38