• Added: 29th of August 2008
• Area: Derby
• Category: Bars and Pubs

Derby DE1 3NF
01332 348106

Gerby said
One of the best in Derby!
The Blue Dog pub is, in my opinion, one of the best pubs in Derby. The drinks are offered very cheaply, including some very original cocktails and a wide selection of more popular beverages. The staff are always very friendly, and usually enquire about owning a ‘Blue card’, which entitles you to even cheaper drinks! There is a wide open skate park at the back of the pub, which is slightly bemusing but still original none-the-less. Generally the people in the pub are very friendly and the music selection is good and varied, usually leaning towards alternative rock/metal. Though a fairly studenty place, it still has a lot to offer to non-students, and is a nice place to go before a night out!

• Added: 29th of August 2008
• Area: Derby
• Category: Bars and Pubs

Derby DE1 1FG
01332 253711

Gerby said
Very studenty!
The Friary is very popular with students all year round, partially due to the extension of the ‘Scream’ nightclub, and also due to the exceptionally cheap drinks, which are on almost every drink imaginable from shots to pitchers. However, there are two obvious downfalls to this. One is that it takes a very long time to get served, which is not a major problem but can be irritating, especially on football nights. The other is that if you are looking for a quiet drink, then the last thing you want is a hundred intoxicated students yelling and singing, meaning a quiet conversation with your friend is out of the question. To give it its due however, the Friary is a big place, with an ‘itbox’, multiple pool tables and even an arcade game. It does make for some good nights out, but only if you’re in the mood!

• Added: 29th of August 2008
• Area: Derby
• Category: Take Aways

Derby DE1 1QH
01332 203664

Gerby said
Awful
I am in agreement with the above reviewers. This KFC is one of the worst I’ve ever been to, although the one in the Westfield centre somehow surpasses it as even worse! The food is shoddy, to be honest. I’ve never known chips to taste exactly like you would imagine cardboard to taste, and the place seems very unhygienic. The staff are unfriendly, but I can understand this due to the poor working environment the management are obviously oblivious to. It is very unprofessionally run, and I even saw an argument between one of the shift managers and a colleague right in front of a lot of customers, which would not win many brownie points with a potential mystery shopper! I would never go back out of choice!

• Added: 29th of August 2008
• Area: Derby
• Category: Bars and Pubs

Derby DE22 3AG

Gerby said
Quiet, but nice.
The Swan and Salmon is a friendly pub, which, although quiet, appears as if a lot of patrons have passed through its doors over the years. The drinks are always fairly cheap, and they have some good deals on shots (such as 3 tequila shots for £5). In my experience, there are hardly more than five or six people at any one time in the pub, but that says nothing about the place itself as I have no complaints whatsoever. The ‘Itbox’ is good, and actually possible to win on! They also have a well maintained Pool table which is always a good accompaniment to a few quiet drinks with friends.

• Added: 29th of August 2008
• Area: Derby
• Category: Take Aways

Derby DE1 1DU
01332 344133

Gerby said
As good as Sarry's?
Benny’s takeaway is, in comparison to places such as Sarry’s and the Derby grill, substandard. However, if you are looking for cheap, quick food then it is a good spot due to its location (just outside of the town centre). Be warned however, that just over a year ago Benny’s was blacklisted, receiving no stars on the BBC Derby page, due to poor hygiene. However, from a personal point of view I find it appears adequately well maintained and the food is not too bad! The staff are usually fairly friendly and welcoming, although they have days off, and no real complaints about the prices as they are competitively low.

• Added: 28th of August 2008
• Area: Derby
• Category: Nightlife

Derby DE1 2PA

Gerby said
Varies dramatically!
Zanzibar is the biggest and most popular club in Derby. However, many people complain that its standard is not fantastic. I would second this opinion, as on weekends the place is ridiculous to go to, with drinks being far overpriced (a round can cost around £15 for three drinks!). However, to give it its due, Wednesday's student nights are usually enjoyable, with a few reasonable offers on drinks and a questionable variety of music. There are often a few C-list celebrities advertised there, which all end in disappointment if you pay to see them, as predicted. Chances are, if you live in Derby, you will go to Zanzibar a few times on nights out, and about a third of those will be really enjoyable!

• Added: 28th of August 2008
• Area: Derby
• Category: Bars and Pubs

Derby DE1 1ES
01332 298218

Gerby said
Coyote Wild - Bar or Restaurant?!
Coyote Wild, while appearing to be a bar, actually harbours a little-known secret! The food is the best in Derby! The place is highly affordable during the day, although prices sky-rocket in the evening like most places, the amazing food being offered at a bargain price of two main meals for approximately £6 (pending on which meals are chosen)! At night it is still a nice place, although highly overcrowded, especially on weekends/holidays. There is also a conveniently placed television screen above the bar, which is perfect for watching football on! If for nothing else, I’d recommend anyone in the area to go and try the Fish, Scampi or chips, as all are a class above anything else I’ve had in Derby!

• Added: 28th of August 2008
• Area: Derby
• Category: Bars and Pubs

Derby DE1 1EX
01332 613664

Gerby said
Feeling out of place?
Limes, whilst a highly classy establishment, does not appear to actually care for it's customers at all! For a start it offers incredibly overpriced food and drink, which is probably the most annoying thing about the bar, but also the fact that the staff are unfriendly and unwelcoming (especially to students!). For the kind of prices you are paying to simply breath in the place, a bit of common courtesy would not go amiss. The place itself is a very nice place to be, if a little upper class. Even the toilets feel like they should belong in a mansion of some sort, with actual artwork on the walls which is not graffiti like in most places in Derby!

• Added: 28th of August 2008
• Area: Derby
• Category: Restaurants

Derby DE1 3AW
01332 371459

Gerby said
Chickeny goodness!
If you can deal with the extortionate prices, Nando’s is a good place to eat. The food is always well-cooked and brought to you by friendly staff, who are all too willing to check that everything is okay with the meal. You can purchase free refills on any soft drinks for a very low price, which is the only real saving grace expenses-wise. I have to admit that I had a number of enjoyable experiences in Nando’s, and it is rare that I leave feeling empty-stomached. I have never had any complaints about the food, and the seating arrangements are secluded enough for you to have a private conversation with your party without anyone else interrupting. The music is a real plus!

• Added: 28th of August 2008
• Area: Derby
• Category: Take Aways

Derby DE1 1BR
01332 360101

Gerby said

I think that Sarry’s must have got its act together since the above reviews, as every time I have been I have been pleasantly surprised at how nice the food is. Sarry himself is more than friendly, especially to his regulars, and often offers free food and other incentives to come again. It appears to be a clean place which lives up to its job description of fast food. The variety of food is good, and you can generally get anything you want within a few minutes. The prices are also very good in comparison to a number of fast food shops in the locale.