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Founders Arms - review by musician

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 15:02:28 +0000

Founders Arms - review by musician

Rating: 3.0

Location: 52 Hopton Street, SE1 9JH, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7928 1899

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

I have been going to the Founders Arms for Sunday Lunch for some time. Today was the last. I ordered the roast and the meat came out cold, so I sent it back and it was served again but the meat was still cold. For over ten pounds I was hoping for something a little better.

Duke of Cambridge - review by chrisp

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 10:55:55 +0000

Duke of Cambridge - review by chrisp

Rating: 3.4

Location: 30 St Peters Street, N1 8JT, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7359 3066

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

Tags: posh, gastro pub, mature, standard pub food

If there can be any such thing as a "pariah gastropub", then it's the Duke of Cambridge in Islington. Opened as the UK's first 100% organic gastropub in 1998 it remains a solid, dependable place for a bite to eat but for some reason has in recent years attracted the kind of vitriolic backlash from foodies normally reserved for Â£95 burgers or when Delia "goes cheat". Part of the reason could be that while other food pubs in the capital have matured into rustic French restaurants or gone all "St. John" and started serving spleen and chitterlings, the menu at the Duke has remained steadfastly gastropub-traditional and is aimed squarely at wealthy Islington locals - think Feta Salad, mushroom risotto, Italian sausages - safe, comfortable and familiar. Not that there's anything wrong with that in itself, but the problem with limiting yourself to all organic ingredients is that you suddenly find you have to charge Â£15 for rabbit stew to make the numbers work.

It was a perfectly good rabbit stew - good deep flavours and a nice variety of herbs and veg, if very slightly overcooked rabbit meat and a bit tricky to dissect from the many tiny bones - but all the while there's that nagging knowledge that rabbit is vermin, and a very very cheap meat, and charging Â£15 for a stew that basically involves chucking the carcass in a big pot with some bay leaves and veg and boiling it for an hour is, well, a bit cheeky.

The Anchor Bankside Bar & Restaurant - review by Jamesarama001

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 14:51:43 +0000

The Anchor Bankside Bar & Restaurant - review by Jamesarama001

Rating: 2.9

Location: 34 Park Street, SE1 9EF, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7407 1577

Tags: relaxed, pub chain

Another riverside pub with great views of the river thames. If your walking along the southbank then pop along for a drink, and if its sunny sit outside on the terrace.

The pub is as normal as any other pub. It can get busy at times, although there is plenty of bar and bar staff to keep things moving. The food was not great, however the last time I went they'd installed a fish and chip shop which seemed to be popular but expensive.

Generally the Anchor is a tourist trap, but if its not busy, then it makes a good place to have a drink after work. I'd go for a drink and the riverside terrace and views but i'd pass on the food.

The Porterhouse - review by Polkadot

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 14:26:43 +0000

The Porterhouse - review by Polkadot

Rating: 4.0

Location: 21-22 Maiden Lane, WC2E 7NA, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7379 7917

Website: http://www.porterhousebrewco.com

Tags: relaxed, modern pub, mature, young professionals, standard pub food, friendly

The Porterhouse is a haven amongst the busy, touristy streets of Covent Garden. The pub itself is huge and sprawling with many floors and an abundance of nooks and crannies with makes it perfect for a get together with friends or a quiet date tucked away in the corner somewhere - just arrange where to meet first or you'll never find one another! Huge range of continental beers and good pub food at reasonable prices. Music is loud enough to be heard but not overbearing and it attracts a fairly smart but relaxed, slightly older crowd. Outdoor area is a bonus in the summer!

The Anchor Bankside Bar & Restaurant - review by damo1977

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 15:13:32 +0000

The Anchor Bankside Bar & Restaurant - review by damo1977

Rating: 2.9

Location: 34 Park Street, SE1 9EF, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7407 1577

Tags: pretentious, beer garden, traditional pub

This pub gets trade by being old.

The pub has been on the site for a long time, and as such panders to the foreign tourist trade.

There is a large outdoor seating area where you can eat if you can get a seat, however I am yet to manage that. The service at the bar is poor and there is a very poor choice of drinks available.

The pub is linked to the Premier Inn hotel behind, which would be useful if you are staying there. However, there are many other pubs in the area which deserve your custom a lot more.

Avoid.

Founders Arms - review by damo1977

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 15:08:38 +0000

Founders Arms - review by damo1977

Rating: 3.0

Location: 52 Hopton Street, SE1 9JH, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7928 1899

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

Tags: posh, pub chain, cool & smart, beer garden, different pub food, trendy

A good London pub for the tourist. With probably the best views across the Thames to the City of London of any pub in London.

The pub looks quite ugly from the pedestrian area that you approach it from, but don't let that put you off. The whole front (riverside) of the pub is glazed, allowing an uniterrupted view of the city. The menus have a skyline printed along the bottom with details of the buildings you can see, giving information such as height and use of the building.

The prices are expensive, but no more so than any other Youngs Pub. I guess you're paying for the view!

The food is what I would class as poncy, not really British pub food, which is what I'm after.

If the winter the patio are along the river has patio heaters and blankets for you to borrow and snuggle up in. With a glass of Mulled Wine!

Waxy O'Connor's - review by ocean0201

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:09:00 +0000

Waxy O'Connor's - review by ocean0201

Rating: 3.9

Location: 14-16 Rupert Street, W1D 6DD, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7287 0255

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

Tags: friendly, traditional pub, young and fun, students

The first thing you notice about Waxy O Connors is that its huge. There is even a tree inside it. Its quite popular amongst the tourists and the young Soho crowd, and as a result its very very crowded. There are few bars with plenty of drink options (Irish and otherwise). They do show rugby games sometimes, but last time i went it was not on. The staff are friendly but the bouncers at front are strange ( you will asked to open your bag)
Overall, if you want peace of mind, stay away. if you like to get in the mood with the crowd, Waxy may be your type. For tourists coming to london, i would definitely recommend it.

Duke of Cambridge - review by Niamheen

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:39:34 +0000

Duke of Cambridge - review by Niamheen

Rating: 3.4

Location: 30 St Peters Street, N1 8JT, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7359 3066

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

Tags: trendy, gastro pub, excellent pub food, different pub food, independent pub

The Duke of Cambridge has been local to my workplace, for, oh, 5 years now. It's a bit far for lunch, however, and after work and at weekends I like to go somewhere different to the area I've been prowling 9-5 Monday to Friday!

I was hearing good things though and really wanted to try it so I called on a Friday evening to book a table for lunchtime the next day. They said that only one table was booked, so we shouldnâ¬"t worry, but as I was on the phone I thought that I might as well just book a table. Iâ¬"m glad I did as when we got there for lunch on Saturday it was packed.

Situated on St Peter St, just off Essex Rd in Islington, the Duke of Cambridge is set on a street corner, with lots of windows looking into quite a nice looking refurbished pub. Our table was towards the back by the open kitchen, in a conservatory.

For those of you that donâ¬"t know of it, the Duke of Cambridge was Britainâ¬"s first organic gastropub. It has been brought to my attention a number of times, most recently in the Oberver Food Monthly Eco Awards, with Geetie Singh reaching number 16 on their top 40 list. It has also been listed on the Best Sunday Lunch OFM lists twice. Itâ¬"s had positive reviews in far too many places for me to list here and maintain your interest!

They use seasonal, fresh, local and organic ingredients, and most foods, from bread to ice cream are made on the premises. The menu changes twice daily and is determined by what the supplier delivers. They have an ethical fish policy, farmed salmon and trout is organic, wild fish is caught off the coast of Britain - on the South and South East coasts where possible to minimise food miles and they only purchase fish caught using sustainable fishing methods. In addition to this fish is purchased seasonally and outside of breeding seasons. Their policy is approved by the Marine Conservation Society.

Once seated, we were given some menus and some water. Service was prompt and polite, we ordered from the menu on the blackboard on the wall. I chose the yellow split pea and coconut curry and my dining companions chose the chickpea and spinach cake with roast butternut squash, greens and mushroom sauce, and the pan fried sardines with puy lentils. Two of us had wine by the glass, it was only lunchtime after all!

I couldnâ¬"t criticise the food, it's good gastropub fare, and I tried all the dishes. It was all cooked with great care and clearly with the best of ingredients. The presentation was rustic and inviting, I couldnâ¬"t wait to tuck in. The curry was delicate and light, and contrasted with some sour onions and yoghurt with delicious leaves, really lovely. The chickpea and spinach cake sounded like it might be heavy, but not atall, it was rich and flavoursome, and very moreish, which can be a problem if itâ¬"s not your dish! The sardines, I am told were delicious. We finished our meal with coffee served in a moka with some hot milk and chocolate cake for my friends 2 year old daughter. She allowed me a taste, well, she wasnâ¬"t looking if I am honest! It was rich and dark, and she really enjoyed it, as the couple at the table next to us commented!

The main courses are priced on average between Â£11 - Â£15, starters and desserts at about Â£6. Itâ¬"s worth every penny.

Waxy O'Connor's - review by izolda

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:56:26 +0000

Waxy O'Connor's - review by izolda

Rating: 3.9

Location: 14-16 Rupert Street, W1D 6DD, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7287 0255

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

Tags: cool, modern pub, mature, cool & smart, different pub food, young and fun, students, trendy, friendly, relaxed

I have been here with friends on a Friday evening - the pub is huge and resembles more a club than a pub (barring the absence of a dancefloor). The place is so vast it's easy to get lost in, so if you've arranged to meet with friends try and meet them outside, as the mobile phone reception is not good in the lower decks of the pub). I had a fun time here and it's a great place to rub shoulders - literally - with other young student types, although the popularity of the place can mean it gets uncomfortably crowded at times. The food is also good, nachos were delicious and a very generous portion. Recommended.

The Porterhouse - review by sparklepants

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 17:28:13 +0000

The Porterhouse - review by sparklepants

Rating: 4.0

Location: 21-22 Maiden Lane, WC2E 7NA, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7379 7917

Website: http://www.porterhousebrewco.com

Tags: live music, indie, friendly

I love the Porterhouse, but it just seems to be getting busier and busier?!! Especially during footy season as they have large screens downstairs. Itâ¬"s very big and takes a while to get used to where you are going! I have no sense of direction but I would still advise you to meet your friends before you go in! Oh, and go to the toilets in pairs! They have live music which is quite a good laugh and other than that they play your usual kind of indie rock n roll. Still a great pub, get there early if you want a seat and to be served!!

The Anchor Bankside Bar & Restaurant - review by emily051

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:36:18 +0000

The Anchor Bankside Bar & Restaurant - review by emily051

Rating: 2.9

Location: 34 Park Street, SE1 9EF, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7407 1577

I went in for a nice evening with friends and it was totally ruined by disgusting service. Some members of staff there are a disgrace.
We ordered a Â£3.75 Fougasse garlic bread with sauces, But a tiny piece of normal garlic bread toast arrived instead, which we thought was a side to our other main meal. When we told the staff our Fougasse didn't arrive after waiting for it for a while, they came back saying it'd ran out. so we wanted to return the garlic bread toast (which was outrageous for Â£1.99 and it didn't look like they should even charge for it) and we wanted a refund saying that's not what we ordered. Then the whole drama started. The staff who took the order finally came to our table only to say there's nothing they can do and they can't refund because we touched the toast already. Then he went on to lie that he told us that the Fougasse ran out when we ordered. Then he went on arguing that this was also a garlic bread so we should eat what they gave us. He was absolutely determined not to take any notice of whatever we said and left us almost smirking, giving us his final word 'there's nothing we can do about it'
Finally we called the manager, who only repeated the three different arguments the staff went through with us - and only to show his determination not to refund this Â£1.99 for this pathetic toast we didn't order.
After a long argument, he finally said he will refund it and walked off red faced. Then he never came back with the money...! We never got that Â£1.99 back!
We expected simple apologies and refund for this small money as a matter of principle, instead we had to argue with the staff and manager over our dinner and feel disgusted and stressed.
I don't know if they treat everybody in this pub as a tourist and have some sort of strict no refund policy because they think these people will never come back anyway so it's better to take the money ... well that's the impression we got.
The main meal we ordered was horrible anyway, so we'll certainly never go back.

The Porterhouse - review by lolfin

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 18:19:03 +0000

The Porterhouse - review by lolfin

Rating: 4.0

Location: 21-22 Maiden Lane, WC2E 7NA, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7379 7917

Website: http://www.porterhousebrewco.com

Tags: relaxed, cool & smart, beer garden, independent pub, students

Me and a few friends found this bar after wandering around covent garden one evening and stumbled across what i believe to be a fantastic find
I found the Porterhouse to have a lot of chrisma and charactor. The only problem we had was finding somewhere to sit.The outside area was not being used and inside all the small booths were taken. he porterhouse is split on lots of different levels and has a great oldey-worldey feel.
i found the porterhouse to have a very different and charming feel and the staff were very polite.
a good place if you are looking for something with that little bit extra.

The Porterhouse - review by DanniLou85

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 10:58:59 +0000

The Porterhouse - review by DanniLou85

Rating: 4.0

Location: 21-22 Maiden Lane, WC2E 7NA, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7379 7917

Website: http://www.porterhousebrewco.com

Tags: friendly, cool & smart, traditional pub

I stumbled into here after a meal at La Tasca with friends as we just wanted somewhere to go for a quick drink before going home... What we found was the largest selection of beers I've seen in the UK, a lively atmosphere and friendly bar staff. We ended up spending a few hours in there chatting to another group who said it was their favourite place at Covent Garden! While I wouldn't necessarily agree, I had a great night and found it wasn't just your typical pub - I would definitely go back.

The area outside is also worth a mention as when it stopped raining (!) lots of people piled out of the doors to enjoy the Covent Garden atmosphere :)

Waxy O'Connor's - review by nispero

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 20:48:37 +0000

Waxy O'Connor's - review by nispero

Rating: 3.9

Location: 14-16 Rupert Street, W1D 6DD, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7287 0255

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

Tags: live music, sport pub, different pub food, traditional pub, friendly

The Waxy OÂ´ConnorÂ´s is a pub that is located very near to Piccadilly Circus. The decoration of the pub is amazing: it has several rooms with different ambiences, I really like the forest one.
They have a good selection of beers and food and sometimes (like San Patricks, 4th of July) they have special theme food.
Usually is very crowded and the doormen are a bit rude asking to see your bag and to take out your cap, OMG itÂ´s a pub not a club!
But in general the pub is really nice but should be avoided on weekends because is very busy.

The Porterhouse - review by chrisp

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 17:03:44 +0000

The Porterhouse - review by chrisp

Rating: 4.0

Location: 21-22 Maiden Lane, WC2E 7NA, London, United Kingdom

Phone: 020 7379 7917

Website: http://www.porterhousebrewco.com

Tags: live music, late license, live, young and fun, students, friendly, relaxed

It's HUGE! It's NOISY! It's RAMMED!

Everything about the Porterhouse is over the top, but it's all the more fun for it. The rooms and bars are laid out like a verticle labyrinth, with odd little alcoves and snugs seemingly bolted on randomly in the most unlikely places. But there's a great selection of beer, there's usually live music, and you can certainly do much worse in this part of town, which probably accounts for its rampant popularity. Oh, and next time you're there when there's a band on, see if you can find them. It's the smallest stage in London.