Favourite Pub in Brighton & Hove?

[Notters]

I have thouight about this long and hard and there is nothing worse than when you want say a couple of pints and a JD and coke and some **** has ordered a round of cocktails.

There should, in any bar, have a slow lane (for cocktails) and a fast lane for normal drinks.

Agreed. Had this experience in audio (admitedly not a pub) on many occasions.

 

[User removed 4]

The Sea House.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Agreed. Had this experience in audio (admitedly not a pub) on many occasions.

That was where I was thinking of old chap but of course the same could be said for anywhere that does cocktails.

 

[Buzzer]

The worst ambience I have found is that Rikitiks in Bond Street and the pub I admire the most is William IV. It's the last throwback to a town pub half full of grumpy old men. You remember the Lamb and Flag in Churchill Square or the Greyhound or Victory or even the Waggon and Horses where you used to get regulars that you gave nicknames to? They've all but gone. The William IV is in the best location in the whole of Brighton and it still refuses to become a trendy pub and fair play to them for that. On the rare occasions I go in they inevitably have Chris Rea or Reo Speedwagon playing, they don't ponce about with rare Albanian stouts and they don't offer Vietnamese street food on the pub menu.

 

[Wilko]

i am not a particular fan of the seafield its the cardinal newman old boys club. its just very brighton (you know what i mean please god dont anyone pull me up on that) as much so as a grays or geese, just in a different way. this is my argument brighton has a character that runs deeper than southover pubs, and there far more sides to the town than the lion and lobster. TLO is a brighton officianado and I respect him for that - he cant see further than my username though on this ocassion.

as for go to portsmouth its a city down the road with a fantastc history and some real quirky pubs that you wont find i n brighton as brighton doesnt share its history. i fail to see your point. if you said f*** off to crawley i could take that. but even crawley has some nice old boozers! oh its a minefield! its ok though just as long as you dont step on the one that says the lion and lobster is full of wallies.

I lived in Pompey for over 15 years so know it well, to be fair Old Portsmouth dies have some crackin boozers. This thread is actually making me salivate for a pint #alcoholic

 

[The Large One]

The worst ambience I have found is that Rikitiks in Bond Street and the pub I admire the most is William IV. It's the last throwback to a town pub half full of grumpy old men. You remember the Lamb and Flag in Churchill Square or the Greyhound or Victory or even the Waggon and Horses where you used to get regulars that you gave nicknames to? They've all but gone. The William IV is in the best location in the whole of Brighton and it still refuses to become a trendy pub and fair play to them for that. On the rare occasions I go in they inevitably have Chris Rea or Reo Speedwagon playing, they don't ponce about with rare Albanian stouts and they don't offer Vietnamese street food on the pub menu.

I'll see your William IV and raise you The Jolly Brewer.

 

[Man of Harveys]

I do miss some old Brighton institutions. The Iron Duke lock-ins were stuff of legend. There was a 'members' club in a basement on Regency Square with Cuba in the name. It was run by a lunatic, and very erratic, twitching manager who was off his face on various pharmaceuticals most of the time. He'd randomly throw people out, realise he had got it wrong and let them back in again and apologise profusely. He had an Elvis impersonator up against the wall once for pretending to break-dance on the floor. Chukced him out, then went outside and dragged him back in again.

He ran the place with a jackll and hyde mix of fear and ostentatious friendliness but always wide eyed and twitching.

This has to be the legendary Bar Havana - on the west side of the square, backing on to Preston Street?

A mutual friend of this parish once asked for directions to the toilet in there and - via some weird old underground smugglers tunnel around the back somewhere - ended walking into a smoky room packed full of Chinese men all gambling. And who STARED at him. If they'd had a piano player, he'd have stopped playing when he walked in.

Sensible though the liberalising of licensing laws was, it's completely killed off the ever-entertaining Brightonian game of finding a dive in which to have a drink after 11pm that isn't a club. I can't imagine too many of places like Vats in Hove or Bar Havana are still going strong but I'd love to be wrong. Much better than those shit-awful loud pubs on Western Road that are open until 6am or whatever.

 

[Brovion]

Oooh, I forgot, shout outs to the Bugle.

The Bugle is my favourite Brighton pub closely followed by The Cleveland. Used to be the PPT in the days before it became a poncy wine bar.

Outside of Brighton centre I still really love The Swan at Falmer, although it's less of a secret now The Amex is open

 

[Buzzer]

I'll see your William IV and raise you The Jolly Brewer.

Ah but the Jolly Brewer is miles from town. Are there any other old bloke pubs left in Brighton town centre that haven't been gentrified in the last 15 years?

 

[pishhead]

Ah but the Jolly Brewer is miles from town. Are there any other old bloke pubs left in Brighton town centre that haven't been gentrified in the last 15 years?

Bow Street runner? Mitre Tavern?

 

[Wilko]

The worst ambience I have found is that Rikitiks in Bond Street and the pub I admire the most is William IV. It's the last throwback to a town pub half full of grumpy old men. You remember the Lamb and Flag in Churchill Square or the Greyhound or Victory or even the Waggon and Horses where you used to get regulars that you gave nicknames to? They've all but gone. The William IV is in the best location in the whole of Brighton and it still refuses to become a trendy pub and fair play to them for that. On the rare occasions I go in they inevitably have Chris Rea or Reo Speedwagon playing, they don't ponce about with rare Albanian stouts and they don't offer Vietnamese street food on the pub menu.

The last time Marcus and I went to Rikitiks there was a load of Croydon wannabes singing Palace songs, says it all really. Actually there are lots of pubs in Brighton that I used to like but am now losing/lost interest in: Rikitiks, Pitcher&Piano (shithole now) and even Black Lion has lost its edge.

Need to find some new boozers, Lee- teach me the way !!!!!

 

[Buzzer]

Bow Street runner? Mitre Tavern?

They're outskirts though, wouldn't you say? I'm referring to the main town centre area really.

 

[The Large One]

Ah but the Jolly Brewer is miles from town. Are there any other old bloke pubs left in Brighton town centre that haven't been gentrified in the last 15 years?

The Albion in Albion Street is pretty un-reconstructed. I wouldn't say The Royal Standard in Queens Road nor the Railway Belle particularly attract the gentry.

But if it's the city centre you're on about, I fold.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Need to find some new boozers, Lee- teach me the way !!!!!

Seems HOVE is the consensus.

even Black Lion has lost its edge.

And NO it hasnt unless its gangster rap nite

 

[pishhead]

They're outskirts though, wouldn't you say? I'm referring to the main town centre area really.

What about the Prince of Wales or the Queensbury arms?

 

[Mendoza]

Seems HOVE is the consensus.

And NO it hasnt unless its gangster rap nite

Hove is good, not full of teenagers. Still loving the Black Lion, best pub tunage going, although Cricketers was impressive the last two times I've been

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Oh and Im with Lee. NEVER had a good nite in Rikitiks really.

 

[CHAPPERS]

Shame about Riki Tiks as they are putting in some good nights.

 

[Buzzer]

The Albion in Albion Street is pretty un-reconstructed. I wouldn't say The Royal Standard in Queens Road nor the Railway Belle particularly attract the gentry.

But if it's the city centre you're on about, I fold.

Good calls on those. I'd say the Queen's Road ones are town centre. (still can't get my head round 'city centre')

 

[Wilko]

And NO it hasnt unless its gangster rap nite

Sadly, that has been what it has been like the last few times I have been in there. It also seems to be attracting a slightly more chavvy crowd IMHO than 2 years ago.