Daniel's reviews
Review of Paradise By Way Of Kensal Green
23 Dec 07, 15:18
Paradise, why not. 
What an incredible place.
At first glance this is a fairly normal 'gastro' pub in a fairly out-of-the-way location, but somehow the threadbare furniture and quirky Dickensian library feel of the place goes so much more than most.
The place is very charming, and feels much more exciting than typical pubs of this ilk. At weekends the upstairs 'club' area is heaving with people from all over London - not just Kensal Green - dancing to superb retro music.
Though not a smoker, it seems that it is important to think about the smoking area, since if you're like me then you'll end up having to spend as much time there as you will inside. So I'm pleased to say that this place has a great outdoor space which is filled with rusty vintage furniture.
So in sum, while it's fairly unlikely you'll ever happen to be in Kensal Green, Paradise is more than worth a trip to spend an entire evening.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of The Porterhouse
13 Nov 07, 19:51
Huge. 
This is possibly the largest 'pub' I have ever been to! At first glance it's fairly impressive - interesting style and always hugely busy. But there's something missing...
Maybe because of its size, or because the bar staff are not particularly personable, I feel it lacks personality. And I feel that there are plenty more characterful places to go to in Covent Garden.
However if you're stuck for a place to take a large gang of people, you could do worse.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Turf Tavern
06 Nov 07, 14:07
Infamous Oxford pub
I think the Turf Tavern is famous for two things: firstly it's where Inspector Morse went to drink, and secondly, it is where Bill Clinton'did not inhale' during his time in Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. It is a tiny, history pub, which is frequented by students and tourists alike. The main body of the pub is absolutely tiny, and has expanded over the years to accommodate more people. As such it has lost its character somewhat, and is just another olde Oxford pub, which is why it gets 3 stars from me. It does have a decent range of beers, and a good outdoor area for the summer, but so do plenty of other pubs in the area. Please note that it is very difficult to find, so please check the website before you attempt to look for it!
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Review of Six Bells
15 Oct 07, 17:17
Great pub in a lovely Oxfordshire town 
This is actually my parents' local (genuinely local: we're practically next door) so I have to review it here. It is a genuinely pleasant place, with a warm, cozy atmosphere (featuring a real fire) and filled with squidgy leather sofas as is the norm with these sorts of places. The restaurant area is contemporary and serve excellent food, especially good Sunday roasts. It is a Fuller's pub so it doesn't serve many local ales which is a shame, but has a decent enough range to keep you interested. The outside area leaves something to be desired, so it really is a place for Winter.
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Review of Trout Inn
15 Oct 07, 17:11
Perfect riverside Oxfordshire pub
The Trout is a quintessential Oxfordshire pub in Lower Wolvercote (middle of nowhere, but worth the drive). While the interior is perhaps nothing mindblowing (though very pleasant, having been very well restored), the selling point of this place is the outdoor seating area with views over the Thames. On a sunny day, it's absolutely perfect. The pub is not independent: it is part of a chain (I forget its name) that specialise in rennovating pubs tastefully and offering a standard menu across its venues. Thankfully though the food is actually very good compared with that of many pubs, and prices are very reasonable. More information can be found on its website: http://www.thetroutoxford.co.uk/
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of The Clapham North
25 Jun 07, 10:53
The bar can't cope on Saturday eves 
I have been here twice and on both occasions it has been furiously busy, since it is a very pleasant place.
However, they never seem to be able to get the balance between crowd and bar staff, and waited on various occasions for 15 to 20 minutes to get a drink... this was experienced by everyone else in my party and is pretty unacceptable for a small-ish venue.
I have heard from a reliable source that the food is very good during the day, so use it as a day venue or a place to start early eve, and then move on up the High Street (avoiding Infernos, of course).
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of The Bedford
15 Jun 07, 16:33
Comedy.
As a pub, I can't imagine The Bedford will ever win any awards. However it has made its name for the very good Banana Cabaret comedy club every Saturday, which is held in a theatre at the top of the building (difficult to describe - think what The Globe would look like if it were in a pub!).
You need to get to the place very early to grab tables, and getting tickets in advance is advised since the queues can be huge.
They also serve food just prior to the performance which is usually very good.
As most comedy clubs do, the place turns into a nightclub afterwards. On my last visit, we were expecting to go elsewhere after the comedy had finished. However the music turned out to be really great, and the crowd were cool too, merried by the comedy, no doubt.
3 stars because the pub is just a pub, and honestly the comedy is better at The Comedy Store or Lee Hursts, but given how cheap it is the package is very good for a fun Saturday night out.
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Review of Hollywood Arms
15 Jun 07, 16:19
Very nice local pub
This is probably my favourite Chelsea pub out of the usual suspects - Anglesea, Clarence, etc. - but while a bit more interesting than the others it's still not outstanding.
Try and get a table outside: it's a great place to people-watch.
The pizza restaurant over the road is fantastic for when the drinking gets a bit too much... I have forgotten its name though... can anyone help?
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of The Anglesea Arms
15 Jun 07, 16:11
Nice pub, but as expected
This is a very nice pub indeed and feels homely and local, but there's nothing that makes it truly stand out from the majority of Chelsea venues (for example I'd say the Hollywood Arms is more interesting).
It really does get rammed when the weather's nice so bear this in mind if you want to sit down or get a pint in a reasonable time.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Builders Arms
15 Jun 07, 14:42
My old local
This place used to be my local and it is still one of my favourites; not because there's anything particularly special about it but just a nice, bright, airy bar with a little bit of outside space.
It's also off the beaten track, so it is definitely a locals' bar (a good or bad thing, depending on your view of Kensington residents).
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Pickled Pelican
15 Jun 07, 14:33
Nice pub in an tricky to find location
I have reviewed this place since you're unlikely to find it if you were hanging around Fulham Broadway, but it's worth visiting if you're in the area to get away from the throngs of people in bars nearby.
Fairly typical 'gastro'-esque style, so nothing much further to say. Big sofas; nice atmosphere.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of The Legless Tup
08 Jun 07, 23:57
A nice surprise
In this summer this is a perfect place to go: it's very generic inside but has a nice private courtyard which is very spacious. Since its just off the main road it doesn't attract a massive amount of attention, so is a good place to go for a quiet drink.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of The Morrison Bar and Lounge
08 Jun 07, 23:55
Looks better than it is
This place looks pretty cool from the outside but actually it's fairly generic inside, so perhaps one to be avoided given that there are so many pleasant places in the area.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of The White Horse
08 Jun 07, 22:39
Ale, fish and chips, signet rings.
I really struggle with the Sloaney Pony moniker: it's horrendous, and does live up to its name - as Lucy says - with the Clientelle.
However, I started eating there recently and the food is absolutely brilliant, including the best fish and chips you can get in SW6. It's just that you have to go on a Sunday to avoid the crowds and Hackett shirts.
Amazing array of ales, and a great place to take your dad, especially if he has a beard since it's the home to many CAMRA meetings. He'll feel right at home.
Summer is best for The White Horse given its great outdoor space. Otherwise it'll be better after the smoking ban since it always had a bit of a dark smokey lustre for me which was a bit of a put-off.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Duke On The Green
08 Jun 07, 22:35
My lovely local.
This is my local pub and it's an absolute gem. It transformed - butterfly like - from a shabby, smokey old man's pub into a magnificent pub serving great ales and brilliant food (part of it is a restaurant, and they serve bar food).
Everyone will compare it to The White Horse: I think it's better, since fewer people know about it (despite it being just over the green).
Only downside I'd say is the slightly budget A-level artwork that seems to be dotted about the place (e.g. some of the glass tables). This is more than compensated by original Victorian tiling which has been restored very well.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.