BITE user comments - EFC1878
Comments by EFC1878
Ye Olde No 3 Inn, Little Bollington
Sorry to see the unfortunate experience of Tilly123 below. I've always found the staff very friendly and efficient. Nice cosy pub with a real fire. Decent beers available but it's move of a food based establishment. Great lunchtime experience.
5 Jan 2012 19:03
Superb. Never less than excellent beers and a great relaxed atmosphere.
28 Jan 2010 14:30
Excellent no-frills pub opposite the retail park. Former outlet for David Porter's excellent beers, now brewed by Rossendale. 10-12 handpumps with a great range of Rossendale beers complemented by imaginative guests. Beers are kept in excellent condition, the staff are friendly and knowledgeable and there's a nice relaxed atmosphere. Top range of continental beers, too.
4 Oct 2009 23:12
I see that miserable get Boltonbloke has added more of his whingeing to yet another excellent venue.
Top notch range of beers in what is nominally a Hyde's pub. Friendly bar staff and a good atmosphere.
25 Mar 2009 19:14
Well, contrary to other reviewers' experiences, I have nothing but positives to take away from a very enjoyable afternoon. Yes, a bit pricey, but you're getting what you pay for. Nice relaxed atmosphere, very friendly and knowledgeable owner, served by a very pretty and charming young lady who knew exactly what was and wasn't available on the menu. Top notch and I look forward to a repeat visit.
22 Feb 2009 12:46
Friendly multi-roomed comfortable pub. Excellent service and friendly atmosphere. Impressive number of handpumps and the beer I sampled, Goose Eye Chinook, was beautifully kept and very reasonably priced.
Top notch.
18 Jan 2009 18:58
Swan With Two Necks, Stockport
This is a really decent town centre boozer. Well run, pleasant staff, excellent feel to the place and the beer is very well kept.
Unfortunately, this is Stockport town centre so you're likely to encounter the occasional chav/pikey scum for which Stockport is notorious. Not threatening, mind, just ill-educated and, occasionally, loud.
Great place, nevertheless.
11 Jan 2009 19:12
Trof The Deaf Institute, Manchester
Excellent staff - very friendly and, given I have mobility problems, they went out of their way to help out.
Nicely laid out interior, relaxed atmosphere and the food looks excellent, if a little pricey. My only quibble is they could be a little more adventurous with the beer range. Here and the Sandbar are the best in the area by a mile.
6 Dec 2008 16:33
First of all, the staff are pretty good here and they need to be. The clientele are some of the dregs from the nearby sink estate. Nothing to get excited about in terms of beer and its only merit is that it's open on Saturday afternoons when the Sandbar's closed. One of those places where your feet seem to stick to the floor.
6 Dec 2008 16:29
The staff are polite. That aside, this is a ghastly theme pub. What the point of these 'Scream' bars are simply escapes me. Cheap and cheerless. More fun scraping up piss-head puke outside the kebab shops.
8 Nov 2008 18:04
For f'ks sake, it's a JDW! Don't expect silver service, just decent beer at a decent price.
Busy at Friday lunchtimes, as mentioned below, but still get served reasonably quickly. Nearly always a gathering of fogies at lunch and you have to battle past the cancer convention at the door to get in.
For all the bustle it has a decent atmosphere.
1 Nov 2008 11:42
Decent local's boozer but can have a slightly intimidating atmosphere at times. Shame they don't do the Hydes seasonal beers. Staff very friendly.
23 Aug 2008 17:55
The New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel, Langdale
Superb basic boozer. The range can be somewhat limited but there's usually Old Peculier to rely upon. Can get very packed at weekends over the summer. Excellent staff, in my experience.
20 Aug 2008 00:20
For what used to be a very hit-and-miss affair it's improved vastly. The environment has always been its selling point and, weekends apart, it's always been a comfortable experience but you could be playing Russian roulette with the beers. Not anymore. There's nearly always something adventurous in the real ale line and, if nothing there's to your taste, there are plenty of alternatives. Good selection of whisky, too.
24 Jul 2008 01:48
I was there the first week it opened way back when and the Tim Taylor's was astonishingly good. It didn't take many weeks before you had to switch to lager. Not enough demand for real ales to make them consistent.
Full of knob heads at the weekend during term time but, as mentioned below, it's very relaxed at lunch times and is an excellent place to watch the cricket over the summer.
The main gripe is, why must it be so dark in there? What are they hiding?
24 Jul 2008 01:44
Now shut down. Will undoubtedly resurface as yet another curry house.
No great loss, to be honest.
24 Jul 2008 01:35
Pricey is being somewhat kind.
Multi-roomed bar (not really a pub) mainly used by blanket-sucking students to watch football. If your idea of a pleasant afternoon watching overseas students, mainly Oriental, nursing a single soft drink all afternoon while bellowing support for whichever 'Big Four' club is in the ascendancy then this is the place for you. If they're not overseas, they'll be Southerners cheering on a 'big' Northern club. Oh, and there's no real ale, either.
Strangely, the staff are usually very pleasant and the surroundings aren't bad.
24 Jul 2008 01:25
Tiny city centre pub. The very limited space is matched only by its limited beer range. It doesn't matter, though, as the feel of the place is top notch. Opening hours can be erratic but it's worth going out of your way to pay a visit.
24 Jul 2008 01:19
Excellent boozer; always a good range of real ales and a friendly atmosphere and pleasant decor.
The pub itself is on the small side and it doesn't take many patrons to make it crowded. Still, highly recommended.
29 Jun 2008 14:03
This is an excellent bar. I've never had anything but an excellent pint and the surroundings, to me, are just fine. There are occasional theme days at the station which would suit families and the place is child-friendly up til 7 (I think). One of my very favourite pubs.
10 Dec 2007 11:13
A recent addition is the Phoenix Pilsner, an excellent genuine Berlin-style lager that seems to be exclusive to The Sandbar. If you're in the area give it a go as at �2.50 it's a bargain. The staff quality's improved, too, except for the sad loss of Manchester's prettiest barmaid.
4 Dec 2007 14:42
I much preferred the Marble before it became a micro brewery. As a genuine free house its choice of guest was always inspired. Still a great experience to visit one of the finest pubs you'll ever visit but it's a shame their own produce will never be able to match what they used to bring in.
23 Oct 2007 18:41
Great refuge when doing the market on a Saturday. I'm not a Thwaites fan, to be honest, but they do have a genuine German larger in Warsteiner. The food looks excellent and the staff are very friendly. Excellent multi-roomed boozer.
23 Oct 2007 18:31
My original comment seems to have been removed, no idea why. Some people...
Never noticed any Nazi/BNP presence in there, never had a bad night, VERY rarely had an indifferent pint and it was home to the best pint of Timmy Taylor's Landlord I've ever had. It's always been adventurous with respect to its guest beers and was always a friend to Oak/Phoenix.
Yes, it's loud and some of the music's not to my taste but sod that, it's one hell of a boozer.
RIP to You Know Who. If you don't, then you don't know The Swan.
5 Oct 2007 16:32
Well, my previous comment seems to have been removed. No idea why.
The place has completely lost its character from the old days and, given that it's a tied house of the ghastly Burtonwood brewery, there's nothing drinkable on the bitter front. The old client�le has sadly disappeared to be replaced by the unspeakable AQA crowd.
What a comedown.
5 Oct 2007 16:14
I posted an update to my comment of December '06 which seems to have been removed.
I stated something along the lines of the pub still had a lovely, comfortable feel, the staff were still friendly and the outside views outstanding. However, it's now a Cains tied house and the imaginative range of guests (often from the excellent Phoenix) is no more; the locals I talked to were deeply unhappy with the change and I can't blame them.
It's still a wonderful pub (can't comment on the food, sorry) but not a patch on what it was.
5 Oct 2007 15:59
The Queen of Hearts, Fallowfield
Avoid like the plague, full stop. Very poor standard of beer and they frequently run the place down to an exceptionally poor standard before perfunctory renovations.
5 Oct 2007 15:52
Great if you want a pub full of out-of-town United or Liverpoo fans. Nothing wrong with being a fan of either side, but residents of Torquay? Beer is truly woeful and the client�le would make an adult drinker choke.
5 Oct 2007 15:48
Awful. The sort of theme bar frequented by Sci Fi bores. If that's your thing then fine. I hadn't been in ages but was persuaded that the place had improved. Wrong. Beer in poor condition and a house full of nerds.
5 Oct 2007 15:44
The Sweet Green Tavern, Bolton
Must've been a bad day when wobblybob went. Lovely pint of Bank Top last night and the place was very friendly.
25 Jul 2007 12:21
World class time-warp bar. The beer is never less than excellent and holds adventurous beer festivals of its own. No idea what planet the guy who suggested it's grubby lives on.
Beware of drunken ASFC computer bods.
14 Dec 2006 15:27
Good range of real ales reasonably kept. The food's ok but nothing special. Far worse places than this, believe me.
11 Dec 2006 21:42
The Old Market Tavern, Altrincham
I've only paid a midweek visit but it was an excellent experience. 7 out of 10 ales were on and the Bank Top was in excellent condition. Very friendly, too.
11 Dec 2006 21:30
Very nice environment - visiting a few days ago they had a fire going which is always a winner. Nicely laid out, the only drawback was that Tetley's was the only real ale available. Would still gladly return and include a visit to the Shere Khan mentioned below.
11 Dec 2006 21:28
I'm glad to see it's still listed (albeit now demolished) as I'd like to pay tribute to one of the finest boozers I've had the pleasure to visit. Friendly doesn't do it justice.
The Holt's was always on form and in the latter days they had guests not on the usual list of suspects - I had the finest pint of Rooster's Hooligan I've had here and that's saying something. Sadly missed.
11 Dec 2006 21:23
Don't let the mention of the barman being a filthy Red put you off. I've had so many great times here and can actually remember some of them. It can be a bit hit-and-miss wrt the opening times.
11 Dec 2006 21:18
Not the usual Wetherspoon's cavern. The d�cor's tolerable (if you can stomach purple) and there's usually something drinkable in the real ales. It can get heaving with City centre workers especially Friday evening. The food's nothing special but reasonably edible for a chain. Worth a visit if the City Arms is full or you need a slash when visiting the Christmas Markets.
11 Dec 2006 21:11
The Guinness is reliable but that's about the best you can say. Too busy with the Curry Crowd and it can take ages to get served. Can have a bit of an unfriendly atmosphere, too. Better off with the Prince Albert down the opposite Walmer Street.
11 Dec 2006 20:44
This used to be the dogs. It was always heaving and the jukebox was an essential. Sank like The Kursk when Heidi left for the Crescent and never picked up again. 10/10 in its glory days, sod all since.
11 Dec 2006 20:36
Always worth a visit. It can be a bit self-consciously 'bohemian' (whatever that means) sometimes but the beer's rarely less than superb, the jukebox is splendid and, by and large, the Kopite scum keep themselves pretty anonymous.
11 Dec 2006 20:32
The post below (anonymous - 3 Dec 2006 09:50) is mine. Don't know how it came to be anonymous, sorry.
4 Dec 2006 21:42
The Grey Horse Inn, Manchester
The beer's excellent, decor ropey, cheerful staff and the pub's so miniscule that you've got no option but to put a smile on your face and forgive the f'king imbecile who's just crushed your foot. There's a great mix of regulars (where the hell do they live?) and passers-by.
Just don't go for a slash when it's icy out.
4 Dec 2006 21:16
The Sun in September, Manchester
Friendly locals pub in South Manchester. The beer is very cheap (under �1.30!), the food isn't bad at all and when it's winter there's a fire inside, when it's summer there's a pleasant outside beer garden. The only drawback is that it's like an anti-Tardis - the pub is smaller than it looks from the outside.
3 Dec 2006 12:02
One of the best pubs in the country. The beer range is astonishing and is always in great condition.
3 Dec 2006 11:50
I love this pub. It's impossibly small and cosy but it's a very friendly town centre beauty. Very cheap beer and very friendly bar staff.
3 Dec 2006 11:48
Lovely pub. It's always packed which tells you a couple of things - a) the beer's great and b) it's f'king tiny. It's standing room only with a dozen people present. Probably.
3 Dec 2006 11:42
Disappointed to read of btb's bad experience below. I suppose that can happen anywhere. However, I've always loved this place and it's an absolute pearler. The walk up Redbank(?) is a bit steep but that only adds to the enjoyment once you get there. The beer rarely less than excellent and they've done wonders in the beer garden. I miss the sight of the trams going by but can't complain, really. Nice to find a child-friendly pub in the area, too.
3 Dec 2006 11:34
I appreciate that not everyone has the same tastes but if you have a problem with this place then you're an imbecile. Excellent beer, excellent (albeit pricey) food, splendidly laid out interior, beautiful surroundings, friendly staff and you can flag down a train to get you back to Manchester. How can you resist?
3 Dec 2006 11:15
The best/worse you can say is that it's mediocre. The bitter is usually uninspired so I'm stuck with drinking Wife Beater. Having said that, the food, for a pub chain, is pretty good, the staff are excellent (if understaffed - always one less than they need), it's very reasonably priced and it's not the Kro Bar.
As a bonus, you occasionally get the odd alkie hopped up on hospital soap who's somehow got his internal pub satnav to guide him in there. Bets can be placed with colleagues about which direction he will inevitably crash to the floor. North, south, east, west? Round and round he goes...
3 Dec 2006 11:00
As a student I used to live just around the corner and given the not unreasonable hostility to blanket-sucking student scum I was very pleasantly surprised how welcome we were made. The beer was superb, too That was many years ago and, although the place has had a major refurb, the friendliness and quality of the place has endured.
I hope it survives the loss of the Man City trade. It well merits a visit.
3 Dec 2006 10:43
The Friendship Inn, Fallowfield
An aptly named pub. The only place in the area where you get a good mix of locals and students. The beer is excellent and they serve the Hydes seasonals.
Hydes did a very sympathetic renovation of the place and it's also a great place to sit outside in the summer and watch the world (and especially the totty) walk by.
3 Dec 2006 10:37
The Dog and Partridge, Didsbury
Outside of the Friday night/Saturday night mayhem it's superb. Friendly staff and good beer. You get the odd tosser but doesn't everywhere?
3 Dec 2006 10:33
Possibly my favourite pub in Manchester. The beer is excellent, the layout/decor is superb and the staff are wonderful. Wish I still lived in the area as it's a pain in the arse to get to now and I miss the place.
3 Dec 2006 10:30
The Smithfield Hotel, Manchester
Very friendly and a great range of beers. Yes, the decor may not be in the top drawer but that adds to it's charm. Helps to be a short-arse when going to the bogs. Around the corner (ish) is the excellent Yadgar curry caf�. What more could you want?
3 Dec 2006 10:27
This is an object lesson in how to renovate a pub. I only went once before the fire all those years ago but this is such an improvement I'm astonished. Whenever I've visited the beer has always been in top nick with an adventurous choice of guests.
Gets rammed when City are at home and they post security on the door on match days. Amazingly, they are always polite and professional.
This is a great addition to the already strong Ancoats area.
3 Dec 2006 10:23
Nice relaxed atmosphere, great interior, superb jukebox, love the outside area (nick a bit of rosemary for cooking!), great bar staff. Everything. Apart from the beer, that is. They have something for most tastes but not mine, usually. Wish they'd put on a fall-back option such as Budvar/Krombacher for when I don't fancy the other options. Other than that it's great...
3 Dec 2006 10:14
I fully expected this to be one of those places that's so far up its own arse it could talk out of its navel. I was very, very wrong. This is a friendly, quirky gem of a bar - I've always had an excellent evening here and have yet to have a bad pint.
On a summer's evening standing on the balcony upstairs, pint in hand watching the world go by is a delight.
3 Dec 2006 10:09
My favourite pub in the area. Like just about everywhere around the Uni it's not cheap but it's a nice, relaxed environment with a mixed clientele. They usually have an interesting choice of guest beer and the jukebox is damn fine, too.
3 Dec 2006 09:59
The Crown Inn, Stockport
Excellent pub. Great atmosphere even when it's heaving at the weekend. Wide range of beers available all in top-notch condition. Had a few beers that weren't to my taste but I prefer that they try different styles over the same 'usual suspects'.
3 Mar 2012 10:38