Latest reviews for Bars & Pubs in St Giles, London, United Kingdom

Bleeding Heart Tavern - Bleeding awful more like...! by oogywawa

oogywawa — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 01:01:31 +0000

Review by oogywawa

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7404 0333

Tags: food, english, air conditioning

Adnams should hang their heads in shame. This place does everything wrong with the superb beer that they brew in deepest Suffolk in that wonderful upmarket seaside town of theirs.

I should have spotted the warning signs - most people were on wine, but alas not. Both pints that we ordered were flatter than a witches t#t, warmer than bearable and to add insult to injury served in steaming glasses straight from the dishwasher from an inept and disinterested employee.

Picture the scene - empty table, 2 half drunk pints, door swinging in the breezeAdnams should hang their heads in shame. This place does everything wrong with the superb beer that they brew in deepest Suffolk in that wonderful upmarket seaside town of theirs.

I should have spotted the warning signs - most people were on wine, but alas not. Both pints that we ordered were flatter than a witches t#t, warmer than bearable and to add insult to injury served in steaming glasses straight from the dishwasher from an inept and disinterested employee.

Picture the scene - empty table, 2 half drunk pints, door swinging in the breeze

Sosho - good night by anna98

anna98 — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 21:51:18 +0000

Review by anna98

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7920 0701

Website: http://www.matchbar.com

Tags: cool, late license, food

Went there with few friends last week and have to say I had really good time! The cocktails are absolutely stunning! the staff friendly and cool, and the crowd really friendly. Will defo be back for moreWent there with few friends last week and have to say I had really good time! The cocktails are absolutely stunning! the staff friendly and cool, and the crowd really friendly. Will defo be back for more

26 Smithfield - Review by pbelly

pbelly — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 10:29:53 +0000

Review by pbelly

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 72482464

Tags: entertainment, toptable

From what could actually make the perfect music Venue (I was in there over a year ago where music was played on all three floors - with bands on the roof! - can't remember who those promoters were, but they were amazing) 26 Smithfield fails to deliver on the basis that the food and drinks are just too expensive, especially now in a time of the credit crunch. Generally the ambience is geared around drawing in high paying customers so unless you're a city slicker rolling in dosh, go find yourself a pub for the locals and the nightly Smithfield butchers.From what could actually make the perfect music Venue (I was in there over a year ago where music was played on all three floors - with bands on the roof! - can't remember who those promoters were, but they were amazing) 26 Smithfield fails to deliver on the basis that the food and drinks are just too expensive, especially now in a time of the credit crunch. Generally the ambience is geared around drawing in high paying customers so unless you're a city slicker rolling in dosh, go find yourself a pub for the locals and the nightly Smithfield butchers.

Cargo - by Hectorboece

Hectorboece — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 13:05:35 +0000

Review by Hectorboece

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7739 3440

Website: http://www.cargo-london.com

Tags: live music, cool, underground

Yeah, this is one of the coolest venues in London, from location to staff to the acts they bring in. Best to check what's on before you go if you're a little fussy about your music because it can be quite specific (usually without loss of quality!). The sound system in there is awesome, and the beer garden makes it easy to nip out for a cigarette or a cooldown when the dance floor gets too hot!Yeah, this is one of the coolest venues in London, from location to staff to the acts they bring in. Best to check what's on before you go if you're a little fussy about your music because it can be quite specific (usually without loss of quality!). The sound system in there is awesome, and the beer garden makes it easy to nip out for a cigarette or a cooldown when the dance floor gets too hot!

The Wall - by slim_cop

slim_cop — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 18:57:05 +0000

Review by slim_cop

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7588 4845

Website: http://www.thewallbar.co.uk

Tags: quiet, food, outdoor

This is possibly the worst place I have ever been in: we arrived around 2.30pm for a late lunch, the surly staff ushered us over to the far end next to the fire exit, they then proceeded to shift furniture around, opening the fire exit to carry things in and out thus letting in a howling wind. We had to ask them to take our order. The place was infested with barflys. The portions were pitifully small. The salmon was overdone. There was no soap in the toilets, and the pushdown tap stayed on full blast for the best part of two minutes. There was a general air of shambolic decay about the place. If it lasts another week I'll be shocked.This is possibly the worst place I have ever been in: we arrived around 2.30pm for a late lunch, the surly staff ushered us over to the far end next to the fire exit, they then proceeded to shift furniture around, opening the fire exit to carry things in and out thus letting in a howling wind. We had to ask them to take our order. The place was infested with barflys. The portions were pitifully small. The salmon was overdone. There was no soap in the toilets, and the pushdown tap stayed on full blast for the best part of two minutes. There was a general air of shambolic decay about the place. If it lasts another week I'll be shocked.

The Bedroom Bar - Good DJ, bad bouncers! by Mattip

Mattip — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 12:56:17 +0000

Review by Mattip

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7739 5706

Tags: relaxed, food, trendy

The club itself is pretty awesome and the music is great. The only reason I'm rating it so low is because of the staff - vulgar, rude, and so discourteous to their customers. Who do they think they are? The barman was so obnoxious, and the doormen were actually physically aggressive (I saw a man get pushed by them when he was trying to sort out a reservation which the club had screwed up - it made everyone queuing noticeably uncomfortable). Avoid the place if you don't want to be treated like dirt.
The club itself is pretty awesome and the music is great. The only reason I'm rating it so low is because of the staff - vulgar, rude, and so discourteous to their customers. Who do they think they are? The barman was so obnoxious, and the doormen were actually physically aggressive (I saw a man get pushed by them when he was trying to sort out a reservation which the club had screwed up - it made everyone queuing noticeably uncomfortable). Avoid the place if you don't want to be treated like dirt.

Punch Tavern - Punchy by chrisp

chrisp — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:59:10 +0000

Review by chrisp

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7353 6658

Website: http://www.punchtavern.com/

Tags: relaxed, friendly, independent pub

Reading this blog, and others like it (For We Are Legion), you may be forgiven for being under the impression that London is stuffed full of buzzy gastropubs, exciting ethnic grills and gleaming temples of gastronomy, and finding somewhere good to eat requires little to no effort at all. Sadly, although things have certainly improved in the last 10-15 years, crap restaurants are still very much a feature. I've ranted about Angus Steakhouses at length before, but there's still no excuse for them, or Bella Pasta, or All Bar One, or any of the other chain pubs and restaurants that blight our city. Once you've been to your local Slug & Lettuce and paid Â£8 for a horrible "vegetarian dipping platter" it becomes all too obvious why it's so difficult to get a table at the Anchor & Hope.

That said, there's a part of me that realises that many gastropubs, with their fancy Mediterranean ingredients and hawing clientele, aren't for everyone. Some are more elitist than others, certainly - I've always found the Eagle on Farringdon Road to be very accessible, whereas the Swan on Fetter Lane is basically a restaurant in a pub - but surely there's room for just a normal, cosy little boozer which serves decent food for people who quite rightly consider paying Â£15 for bangers and mash a bit too much? Step forward, the Punch Tavern, on Fleet Street.

Newly refurbished and relaunched, with a chef of refreshingly humble origins and a menu of heart-warmingly familiar British dishes, the Punch Tavern is a beautiful old building that very much deserved the attention. I was invited to lunch with a couple of other bloggers to try out their new menu, and got stuck in right away to a pint of Summer Lightning bitter and a plate of devilled chicken livers on toast.

For your Â£4.50 you get an impressively generous mound of what is admittedly a budget cut of offal, with a marvellously rich sauce. Not very "devilled" perhaps - could have done with a bit more of the hot stuff - but no major complaints.

My main course of duck roast was similarly generous for the measly Â£8.50 price point. A nice moist duck quarter, with creamed leeks and a good selection of roasted vegetables, my only complaint was with the soggy, greasy Yorkshire pud. I've said it before, and I'll say it again - if you can't do a proper Yorkshire pudding (and as far as I know, nobody in London can), then don't even try. There's a whole generation of people who have grown up believing a Yorkshire pud is a tiny cupcake-sized pillow of pastry, instead of the 15" square behemoths filled with gravy my gran used to serve as a starter. And it makes me sad.

Anyway, that aside, I can really recommend the Punch, and not just because I wasn't paying on this occasion. It's a friendly and accessible little boozer trying to serve fresh, hearty food without any pretensions towards trendy fads or eye-watering central-London tourist prices. It deserves to do very well.Reading this blog, and others like it (For We Are Legion), you may be forgiven for being under the impression that London is stuffed full of buzzy gastropubs, exciting ethnic grills and gleaming temples of gastronomy, and finding somewhere good to eat requires little to no effort at all. Sadly, although things have certainly improved in the last 10-15 years, crap restaurants are still very much a feature. I've ranted about Angus Steakhouses at length before, but there's still no excuse for them, or Bella Pasta, or All Bar One, or any of the other chain pubs and restaurants that blight our city. Once you've been to your local Slug & Lettuce and paid Â£8 for a horrible "vegetarian dipping platter" it becomes all too obvious why it's so difficult to get a table at the Anchor & Hope.

That said, there's a part of me that realises that many gastropubs, with their fancy Mediterranean ingredients and hawing clientele, aren't for everyone. Some are more elitist than others, certainly - I've always found the Eagle on Farringdon Road to be very accessible, whereas the Swan on Fetter Lane is basically a restaurant in a pub - but surely there's room for just a normal, cosy little boozer which serves decent food for people who quite rightly consider paying Â£15 for bangers and mash a bit too much? Step forward, the Punch Tavern, on Fleet Street.

Newly refurbished and relaunched, with a chef of refreshingly humble origins and a menu of heart-warmingly familiar British dishes, the Punch Tavern is a beautiful old building that very much deserved the attention. I was invited to lunch with a couple of other bloggers to try out their new menu, and got stuck in right away to a pint of Summer Lightning bitter and a plate of devilled chicken livers on toast.

For your Â£4.50 you get an impressively generous mound of what is admittedly a budget cut of offal, with a marvellously rich sauce. Not very "devilled" perhaps - could have done with a bit more of the hot stuff - but no major complaints.

My main course of duck roast was similarly generous for the measly Â£8.50 price point. A nice moist duck quarter, with creamed leeks and a good selection of roasted vegetables, my only complaint was with the soggy, greasy Yorkshire pud. I've said it before, and I'll say it again - if you can't do a proper Yorkshire pudding (and as far as I know, nobody in London can), then don't even try. There's a whole generation of people who have grown up believing a Yorkshire pud is a tiny cupcake-sized pillow of pastry, instead of the 15" square behemoths filled with gravy my gran used to serve as a starter. And it makes me sad.

Anyway, that aside, I can really recommend the Punch, and not just because I wasn't paying on this occasion. It's a friendly and accessible little boozer trying to serve fresh, hearty food without any pretensions towards trendy fads or eye-watering central-London tourist prices. It deserves to do very well.

Kings Stores - Venue Hire by michou

michou — Mon, 18 May 2009 15:12:02 +0000

Review by michou

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7247 4089

Website: http://www.laurelpubco.com

Tags: relaxed, food, friendly

We hired this pub for a 50th birthday party and I cannot praise it enough. Very accommodating owner and staff, great venue so central, just the right size for 60-100 people. Space to dance, or talk ; food was excellent, late licence, could go in early to decorate, reasonable priced wine - made for a perfect evening. Will definetly use again if the occasion ariseWe hired this pub for a 50th birthday party and I cannot praise it enough. Very accommodating owner and staff, great venue so central, just the right size for 60-100 people. Space to dance, or talk ; food was excellent, late licence, could go in early to decorate, reasonable priced wine - made for a perfect evening. Will definetly use again if the occasion arise

Giovanni's Wine Bar - A really memorable restaurant by Adrianintheuk

Adrianintheuk — Sun, 17 May 2009 11:22:15 +0000

Review by Adrianintheuk

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7638 1324

Tags: relaxed, friendly

I was in London on business and staying nearby and discovered Giovanni's by chance.

This is a proper Italian restaurant with friendly service and a delightful ambience. I really enjoyed my Tricolore starter, pasta with smoked chicken with garlic for a main course, and the awesome chocolate mousse. The house wine was very drinkable.

This is an unpretentious and welcoming restaurant, and if we lived nearby my wife and I would probably be in there all the time! As it was, I was made to feel very at home eating on my own, and will without doubt be returning in the future.

It is as good - if not slightly better - than my other favourite Italian which is Casalingo in Brighton.

A real treasure.I was in London on business and staying nearby and discovered Giovanni's by chance.

This is a proper Italian restaurant with friendly service and a delightful ambience. I really enjoyed my Tricolore starter, pasta with smoked chicken with garlic for a main course, and the awesome chocolate mousse. The house wine was very drinkable.

This is an unpretentious and welcoming restaurant, and if we lived nearby my wife and I would probably be in there all the time! As it was, I was made to feel very at home eating on my own, and will without doubt be returning in the future.

It is as good - if not slightly better - than my other favourite Italian which is Casalingo in Brighton.

A real treasure.

Charterhouse Bar - A great night out... by jobegg

jobegg — Tue, 12 May 2009 10:09:33 +0000

Review by jobegg

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7608 0858

Website: http://www.charterhouse-bar.co.uk

Tags: bar, friendly, electronica

The building is really cool and inside its surprisingly bigger than I thought it would be, its set over two floors with the DJ playing upstairs later in the night. I was there on a Friday night and they had a happy hour running till 7pm, which pleased my wallet, drinks after were reasonably priced, the bar staff were really friendly and laid back and generally it was a nice crowd and pretty busy with a good atmosphere. Will definitely go and check this place out again.The building is really cool and inside its surprisingly bigger than I thought it would be, its set over two floors with the DJ playing upstairs later in the night. I was there on a Friday night and they had a happy hour running till 7pm, which pleased my wallet, drinks after were reasonably priced, the bar staff were really friendly and laid back and generally it was a nice crowd and pretty busy with a good atmosphere. Will definitely go and check this place out again.

The Marie Lloyd - by owenplanchart

owenplanchart — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 13:14:44 +0000

Review by owenplanchart

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7251 0178

Tags: food, dj, english

The Marie Lloyd offers the perfect blend of the classic and the new that is being spearheaded in the uber trendy Shoreditch scene. With an outstanding selection of drafts, bottled beers and spirits, the friendly and knowledgeable staff will guarantee a fun night whether you are looking for a low key business meeting on a weeknight or a full tilt pre club soiree to warm up your dancing soles on the weekend.

The unique formula of soft leather couches around a fireplace and a great sound system fueled by state of the art dj equipment create a truly relaxed and fun environment for the gentle pub goer and the off-centered trend setter alike.

They are the pioneers of the ultimate drinking game Beer Pong not only in the area but in the UK and challenge you to try a shot from their list of delicious liquid concoctions that cater to every level of drinker.

Their commitment to low-priced, high-quality food made with fresh ingredients is unrivaled in the area.The Marie Lloyd offers the perfect blend of the classic and the new that is being spearheaded in the uber trendy Shoreditch scene. With an outstanding selection of drafts, bottled beers and spirits, the friendly and knowledgeable staff will guarantee a fun night whether you are looking for a low key business meeting on a weeknight or a full tilt pre club soiree to warm up your dancing soles on the weekend.

The unique formula of soft leather couches around a fireplace and a great sound system fueled by state of the art dj equipment create a truly relaxed and fun environment for the gentle pub goer and the off-centered trend setter alike.

They are the pioneers of the ultimate drinking game Beer Pong not only in the area but in the UK and challenge you to try a shot from their list of delicious liquid concoctions that cater to every level of drinker.

Their commitment to low-priced, high-quality food made with fresh ingredients is unrivaled in the area.

Foundry - Random and shabby. In the best way possible. by kellytron

kellytron — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:13:15 +0000

Review by kellytron

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7739 6900

Tags: relaxed, underground, cool

Last time I was here one of the shabby bookshelfs nearly fell on the girl sitting opposite me. The time before a (apparently homeless) lady got up for some impromptu phallic themed poetry while accomanied by a piano player. While around 20 old tv screens looped images ready to turn me back to vegetarianism.

This place is awesome.

They also have a great selection of organic and local beers and cider. So local in fact, that they used to roll their kegs from the micro-brewer only 100metres away in Pitfield street. Sadly the brewery moved but they still sell bottles of 'Pitfield'.

Last time I was here one of the shabby bookshelfs nearly fell on the girl sitting opposite me. The time before a (apparently homeless) lady got up for some impromptu phallic themed poetry while accomanied by a piano player. While around 20 old tv screens looped images ready to turn me back to vegetarianism.

This place is awesome.

They also have a great selection of organic and local beers and cider. So local in fact, that they used to roll their kegs from the micro-brewer only 100metres away in Pitfield street. Sadly the brewery moved but they still sell bottles of 'Pitfield'.

8a - Great little bar by Eliot84

Eliot84 — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 11:27:57 +0000

Review by Eliot84

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7247 5056

Tags: cool, relaxed, food

Difficult to find but worth it once you're there.

Nice surroundings, nice people, excellent service and good beer at very reasonable prices.

I will deffinitly being going back.Difficult to find but worth it once you're there.

Nice surroundings, nice people, excellent service and good beer at very reasonable prices.

I will deffinitly being going back.

Vertigo 42 - Bubbly Overview by intoxicating

intoxicating — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 13:17:20 +0000

Review by intoxicating

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7877 7842

Website: http://www.vertigo42.co.uk

Tags: posh, young professionals, friendly

I HAVE attempted some silly things in an effort to triumph a fear of heights. There was the charity skywire from my university library (the only time I entered it, and witness how fast I fled). During my gap year, I leapt out of a manky little contraption which looked like a prop from â¬ÜWacky Racesâ¬". A video somewhere records swearing suitable for 12,000 feet. And when I was still making television programmes, I straddled a microlight / moped with wings to research a location, as did my presenter who accidentally unfastened his seatbelt whilst leaning to look at the speck of his house... I must have developed a relaxed attitude to altitude since, because I was utterly undaunted by a drink at 600ft. Maybe thatâ¬"s dipsomania?

Since living in London, I have been awestruck by Tower 42. A 1970â¬"s stalwart which resembles a razor blade from the ground and the NatWest insignia from the air. It was their H.Q. until the Bishopsgate Bombing of 1993. I have a friend who took in the aftermath from his campus bar. He told me that reams of paper filed through smashed windows like hellish ticker-tape. The chunky stainless steel frames force the eye to travel to the top and simultaneously tone down the windows. We live in a gradually more glassy London. I believe that in two decades we will harbour as much affection for this over-used material as we do today towards 1960â¬"s concrete.

We were booked into â¬ÜVertigo 42â¬" for an hour and a quarter of Champagne and backdrop. The lobby looked like the bridge of the Enterprise and gently hummed. Once through airport style security, we were ushered to the barâ¬"s very own lift, in Silk Cut purple. After an ascent taking half a second per floor, we pinged into a night club lobby with chaise longue, then the mirrored corridor bar.

Our tight ledge looked over Liverpool Street. We went just before sunset and saw a city threatened by night fight back with filaments. Long trails of brake lights looked like a lava flow.

The house fizz is minimally marked-up delivering petite, pleasant lemon-lime bubbles. You could spend £100s, although for less than £50 it was revitalising rather than distracting from the landscape. Earthy ceps which smelt of truffle were loaded on warm brioche with a slightly over-poached egg. A board of charcuterie unpeeled - I imagine - from a packet. was garishly garnished with slippery pickled onions. These clashed with the Champagne â¬ how thoughtless. I expected a menu afloat with sturgeonsâ¬" eggs rather than hearty peasant planks.

Music was vigorous, urging â¬Üvoulez vous coucher avec moi?â¬" I suppose the spike is a great aphrodisiac to escort a date to gaze, giddily at the glazing. There were plenty of city boys too exercising their Coutts cards. Easy to deride them, but if they stop spending, those providing our eating opportunities will be wounded.

I heard someone say that London looked beautiful, but didnâ¬"t agree. -An impressive, vital expanse. But never beautiful.

Soon the tower will be in the shadow of Richard Rogersâ¬" Leadenhall Tower, set to soar 737ft. Then the Heron Tower will extend over 800ft, including a five storey aquarium. The Pinnacle will eclipse them both at nearly 950ft. And providing they resolve the economics, the London Bridge shard, at over 1000ft, will truly scrape the sky.

As my ears popped during the plunge of the little lift, which alleges to fit 13, I realised that the building interests me far more than the bar. If I experienced Vertigo on the ground, I would have found it a little less than ordinaryâ¬¦I HAVE attempted some silly things in an effort to triumph a fear of heights. There was the charity skywire from my university library (the only time I entered it, and witness how fast I fled). During my gap year, I leapt out of a manky little contraption which looked like a prop from â¬ÜWacky Racesâ¬". A video somewhere records swearing suitable for 12,000 feet. And when I was still making television programmes, I straddled a microlight / moped with wings to research a location, as did my presenter who accidentally unfastened his seatbelt whilst leaning to look at the speck of his house... I must have developed a relaxed attitude to altitude since, because I was utterly undaunted by a drink at 600ft. Maybe thatâ¬"s dipsomania?

Since living in London, I have been awestruck by Tower 42. A 1970â¬"s stalwart which resembles a razor blade from the ground and the NatWest insignia from the air. It was their H.Q. until the Bishopsgate Bombing of 1993. I have a friend who took in the aftermath from his campus bar. He told me that reams of paper filed through smashed windows like hellish ticker-tape. The chunky stainless steel frames force the eye to travel to the top and simultaneously tone down the windows. We live in a gradually more glassy London. I believe that in two decades we will harbour as much affection for this over-used material as we do today towards 1960â¬"s concrete.

We were booked into â¬ÜVertigo 42â¬" for an hour and a quarter of Champagne and backdrop. The lobby looked like the bridge of the Enterprise and gently hummed. Once through airport style security, we were ushered to the barâ¬"s very own lift, in Silk Cut purple. After an ascent taking half a second per floor, we pinged into a night club lobby with chaise longue, then the mirrored corridor bar.

Our tight ledge looked over Liverpool Street. We went just before sunset and saw a city threatened by night fight back with filaments. Long trails of brake lights looked like a lava flow.

The house fizz is minimally marked-up delivering petite, pleasant lemon-lime bubbles. You could spend £100s, although for less than £50 it was revitalising rather than distracting from the landscape. Earthy ceps which smelt of truffle were loaded on warm brioche with a slightly over-poached egg. A board of charcuterie unpeeled - I imagine - from a packet. was garishly garnished with slippery pickled onions. These clashed with the Champagne â¬ how thoughtless. I expected a menu afloat with sturgeonsâ¬" eggs rather than hearty peasant planks.

Music was vigorous, urging â¬Üvoulez vous coucher avec moi?â¬" I suppose the spike is a great aphrodisiac to escort a date to gaze, giddily at the glazing. There were plenty of city boys too exercising their Coutts cards. Easy to deride them, but if they stop spending, those providing our eating opportunities will be wounded.

I heard someone say that London looked beautiful, but didnâ¬"t agree. -An impressive, vital expanse. But never beautiful.

Soon the tower will be in the shadow of Richard Rogersâ¬" Leadenhall Tower, set to soar 737ft. Then the Heron Tower will extend over 800ft, including a five storey aquarium. The Pinnacle will eclipse them both at nearly 950ft. And providing they resolve the economics, the London Bridge shard, at over 1000ft, will truly scrape the sky.

As my ears popped during the plunge of the little lift, which alleges to fit 13, I realised that the building interests me far more than the bar. If I experienced Vertigo on the ground, I would have found it a little less than ordinaryâ¬¦

The Crown Tavern - Clerkenwell charm by gilka

gilka — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 21:12:26 +0000

Review by gilka

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7253 4973

Tags: cosy, food, sofas

I don't know what is it with Clerkenwell, but many of the pubs there have a special atmosphere like The Crown Tavern.
It is a very busy bar and we struggled to find a place.

We ordered some olives and wedges. The olive portion is huge... It is a wide glass full with them and it is addictive so watch out... The wedges were alright.

It took quite a while for the food to arrive but somehow it was understandable. I would definitely go again sometime.

gilka.co.ukI don't know what is it with Clerkenwell, but many of the pubs there have a special atmosphere like The Crown Tavern.
It is a very busy bar and we struggled to find a place.

We ordered some olives and wedges. The olive portion is huge... It is a wide glass full with them and it is addictive so watch out... The wedges were alright.

It took quite a while for the food to arrive but somehow it was understandable. I would definitely go again sometime.

gilka.co.uk

The Masque Haunt - wetherspoons by alfie0207

alfie0207 — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 13:47:28 +0000

Review by alfie0207

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7251 4195

Website: http://www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk

Tags: food, friendly, standard pub food

Its not to often I visit pubs in this chain,as I find that they are boring,But I can say that this one is among the best I have entered,The staff are friendly,polite,well mannered,and the service I found on two visits was great,The pub didnt have the usual all day drinker ,more the ones who wanted a few beers on the way home,and the food was fairly good,Its not to often I visit pubs in this chain,as I find that they are boring,But I can say that this one is among the best I have entered,The staff are friendly,polite,well mannered,and the service I found on two visits was great,The pub didnt have the usual all day drinker ,more the ones who wanted a few beers on the way home,and the food was fairly good,

The Bishops Finger - Not a bad boozer... by AlexWoods

AlexWoods — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 09:40:06 +0000

Review by AlexWoods

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7248 2341

Website: http://www.shepherd-neame.co.uk

Tags: relaxed, food, friendly

I like Shepherd Neame beer and Shepherd Neame pubs, as a rule. And this is no exception but there is nothing that has made it stand out of the crowd. It is a good, dependable go-to pub: one that you can keep in your back pocket if things don't work out!

The beer is usually good (Spitfire, Bishop's Finger, and Autumn Red, though I think this changes. Would be nice to see Master Brew... it is the True King of Beers...) and food is your standard brewery pub fayre.

It's a nice cosy pub, gets quite busy in the evenings and on the whole it's a nice crowd. There's an upstairs bar as well, often closed for private functions, which is a pleasant addition.

The staff seem pretty... average, which is not meant to be disparaging. They serve a good pint courteously and correctly, there's nothing to complain about.

Look, it's a nice pub, great to go for a couple of pints after work, and it's the only Shep.Neame pub I know in this neck of the woods, so I'm a returning customer. But there is nothing to make it stand out - no "Wow factor" what ever that's supposed to mean. I really feel as though I ought to like this place more but...mehI like Shepherd Neame beer and Shepherd Neame pubs, as a rule. And this is no exception but there is nothing that has made it stand out of the crowd. It is a good, dependable go-to pub: one that you can keep in your back pocket if things don't work out!

The beer is usually good (Spitfire, Bishop's Finger, and Autumn Red, though I think this changes. Would be nice to see Master Brew... it is the True King of Beers...) and food is your standard brewery pub fayre.

It's a nice cosy pub, gets quite busy in the evenings and on the whole it's a nice crowd. There's an upstairs bar as well, often closed for private functions, which is a pleasant addition.

The staff seem pretty... average, which is not meant to be disparaging. They serve a good pint courteously and correctly, there's nothing to complain about.

Look, it's a nice pub, great to go for a couple of pints after work, and it's the only Shep.Neame pub I know in this neck of the woods, so I'm a returning customer. But there is nothing to make it stand out - no "Wow factor" what ever that's supposed to mean. I really feel as though I ought to like this place more but...meh

Pitcher & Piano - Good place for a post-work pint by LPM

LPM — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 17:00:24 +0000

Review by LPM

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7929 5914

Website: http://www.pitcherandpiano.com

Tags: food, dj, modern british

Barley Mow - no-fail choice by JuliaDel

JuliaDel — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 16:25:44 +0000

Review by JuliaDel

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7729 3910

Tags: cool, relaxed, friendly

Very cool place, totally relaxed. If you get them on a quieter night, they've been known to plug your ipod into the sound system for all to hear. Real authentic boozer with a swirl of hip. They have wireless now too. And, it deserves a mention, the staff are fit! :)Very cool place, totally relaxed. If you get them on a quieter night, they've been known to plug your ipod into the sound system for all to hear. Real authentic boozer with a swirl of hip. They have wireless now too. And, it deserves a mention, the staff are fit! :)

The Jerusalem Tavern - Wonderful pub oozing charisma and charm by oogywawa

oogywawa — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 19:38:47 +0000

Review by oogywawa

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7490 4281

Tags: traditional pub, friendly, independent pub

Pubs don't get much better than this. The Jerusalem Taverns delivers more or less the perfect formula for a great pub night. It's bustling and very often heaving, it's cozy with the right ambience and it serves exceptional hand crafted beers from a small independent Brewery.

It's been knocking around since 1720 and all those years you feel have been condensed into every inch of a pub that evokes other times - only the clientele remind you that you are in the present day. There are 8 St Peter's Brewery beers on draught at any time - not from handpumps but direct from taps at the back of the oak clad bar. The only bar font is serving the excellent Taddington Lager (aka Moravka)and there is a considerable choice of bottled beers as well as the usual premium spirits and selected wines.

The guy behind the bar let slip that the Jerusalem was struggling to cope and that the Brewery were considering maybe doubling their "estate" to include another hostelry. Good for them although this bijout gem will be hard to replicate.Pubs don't get much better than this. The Jerusalem Taverns delivers more or less the perfect formula for a great pub night. It's bustling and very often heaving, it's cozy with the right ambience and it serves exceptional hand crafted beers from a small independent Brewery.

It's been knocking around since 1720 and all those years you feel have been condensed into every inch of a pub that evokes other times - only the clientele remind you that you are in the present day. There are 8 St Peter's Brewery beers on draught at any time - not from handpumps but direct from taps at the back of the oak clad bar. The only bar font is serving the excellent Taddington Lager (aka Moravka)and there is a considerable choice of bottled beers as well as the usual premium spirits and selected wines.

The guy behind the bar let slip that the Jerusalem was struggling to cope and that the Brewery were considering maybe doubling their "estate" to include another hostelry. Good for them although this bijout gem will be hard to replicate.