Harper's Steakhouse & Bar Swanwick Marina

 

We've often driven past, but had never been inside, so Lads Who Lunch popped in for lunch. Formerly called The Navigator, and based on what appears to be a solid Victorian brick built house, there has been extensive work done to add a long conservatory style addition to one side, and a refurbishment of the interior to create a clean and modern looking pub, restaurant and hotel. At some point recently The Navigator became Harper's Steakhouse & Bar - part of a local chain of three Harper's Steakhouses. 

 

It is smooth, tidy, and commercially appealing. Service is friendly, professional, and polite. There is a general upmarket feel about the place. Not top posh, but decent. You wouldn't expect bow ties and caviar, but nor would you expect cockles and loud farting. We felt it was respectable, though a little lacking in authenticity, charm, character, and warmth. It is distinctly food orientated, with a sense that people come here, eat, and leave. It didn't help that we sat in what is clearly the dining area extension, though the pub area around the bar also feels more functional than comfortable. It also didn't help that though we arrived on a Friday lunchtime there weren't many other customers. Only a few people in a large space does  create a hollow, empty feeling. We both felt that the place would no doubt be warmer and livelier in the evening or whenever it was busy. 

There is an attractive brunch deal, and the food was nicely made, though presentation was perhaps a little lacking - large plates made the food offered look small and lonely. A little bit of salad or some kind of dressing on the plate - a sprinkling of herbs or sauce - would make it pop. As it was it looked a little sad.  But that's a minor quibble. The food did look good. 

On the whole it's a nice place, but perhaps a little too corporate, bland, and lacking in charm for my personal taste. Each to their own. 


Nov 2023    Score: 5 


226 Bridge Road
Lower Swanwick
SO31 7EB

Open 7am to 11pm every day
Food all day

Kids welcomed 

* TripAdvisor 

* Pub website 
* WhatPub 

* FaceBook 

Tap and Tandoor, Southampton

 

Modern Anglo-Indian restaurant chain. Tasty veggie lunches for around £7 or £8. The "craft" beer list will vary, though includes standards such as Guinness and the suddenly hugely popular Madri. 

 Prices are not shown on the beer list. 

Mostly empty on my mid-afternoon mid-week visit, though a mix of young men and Indian families. Modern popular music plays not too loud. Service is polite and attentive.  Several TV screens showing news and sport. Outdoor seating, though tables have ashtrays, so I didn't go there. The front bar room looked favourite, but it is all stools, so I went into the back room with proper tables and chairs. Some natural light does filter through the room divider screen, and the ambience is actually quite cool. Decor is a blend of watered down industrial chic with IKEA Asian naff. 

A likeable place that I'd be happy to return to.

Date: Aug 2023.  Score: 6

Pre-Bar, Bevois Valley (Closed)

 

Night time pub aimed at the student population. Closed during Covid, and hasn't re-opened. 


Date: March 2023   Score: N/A 

16 Bevois Valley Road
Southampton
SO14 0JP

* WhatPub 

Bevois Valley

Jolly Sailor, Burseldon

 

One of my favourite pubs in the Southampton area. Chrissie and I used to come here when we moved to Southampton, but I hadn't been for a while, and was pleased to visit with Lads Who Lunch and find that nothing had changed. The pub is still bursting with charm and character; the fresh beer selection (Badger beers) is solid; the location is sublime, the food is awesome and great value for money, the service excellent, and the whole place is well run with an assured confidence.

Steps down from the road entrance

There are three ways to get to the pub.  The first is by boat - there is a covered jetty which was much used in the TV series Howards Way which was set in the boating/yachting community on the Hamble; though back then the jetty was uncovered.  The second and third ways are by car. You can drive directly to the road above the pub, though this is a twisty route, and parking is limited, so on busy days this is not advised. The other car route is to drive to the free car park at Burseldon Station which has 16 spaces, and then walk the rest of the way. The two land routes both require negotiating a lot of steep steps!  

The Hamble river washes against the pub

One of the main assets of the pub is its location on the Hamble. There are great views from the main rooms and from the covered jetty and the terrace. The seating in the bar and under the trees by the "back" entrance doesn't have river views, but is still charming. 

The front entrance

A sympathetic extension has been built along the river terrace in order to accommodate the extra customers  since the pub's popularity after the Howards Way TV drama series. 

Myles - the view from the window is
awesome, but doesn't show in this photo

The olde world charm of the interior

The beer I chose

Cauliflower and hummus cobb

The food is delicious, good value, and quite adventurous. Myles had a Fish Finger Cobb (a regular lunch item for our Lads Who Lunch outings), while I had a Roast Cauliflower and Hummus Cobb. I was a little concerned that the cauliflower might be hard and crunchy, but it was delightfully soft. £6.50 for my cobb, £8.74 for Myles' cobb.  Good value for the size and quality.  

Selection of cask beers

This pub is definitely one to seek out - it's a destination location. 



Date: March 2023    Score: 9 


Hall & Woodhouse (Badger) 

Lands End Road
Bursledon
SO31 8DN

Open: Mon-Sun 10am to 10pm (8pm Sun)
Meals: Mon-Sun Noon to 9pm (7pm Sun)

* Jolly Sailor 

* FaceBook 

* TripAdvisor 

* WhatPub 

Brunch & Barista, Southampton Central

  

Useful café, a blend of British and American, in Southampton's main street. And it also serves beer. It opened in May 2018. 

Clean and well lit interior

The staff welcome you as you come in, letting you know that you can sit anywhere. They are friendly and  attentive all the time without ever being obtrusive. The café goes a long way back, so there's plenty of seating. And all the cooking is done in a visible area behind the counter. You have a choice of a booth or a table or a bench near the counter. It's well lit, very clean, and comfortable.  

It's sort of a blend of a British greasy spoon and an American diner. Smooth, clean, efficient place with decent food, and a small selection of bottled lagers. Good value for money. All day breakfast and sandwiches. Veggie options. And you can come in just for drinks. 

Date: March 2023 Score: 5

102 Above Bar St

Southampton
SO14 7DT

Open Mon-Sat 8am to 5.30pm 

         Sun 9.30am to 4pm 



* FaceBook 

* TripAdvisor 

Sony's Sports Bar & Lounge, Shirley

  

Opened in Shirley in November 2022. 

Lads Who Lunch popped along, but the loud music, cigarette smoke, and general ambience of the place didn't seem conducive to a relaxed lunch, so we went to Santo Lounge instead. The impression created was that this is a place for working men to drink, smoke, and play pool while loud music is being played. If that's your thing, then this is the place for you. 

I'll return just for a drink to check the place out in more detail. 

Date:  April 2023    Score:  N/A

 

Cool ambience

Returned.  Very quiet today. Hardly anyone here. They do coffee, soft drinks, and keg lager. No food. Not even breakfast. The kitchen is not ready, apparently. Smoke drifts in from outside. No atmosphere. No decent beers. No food. Cigarette smoke.  

 

Keg lagers

Quiet now, with a cool ambience, but the other day it was noisy when the pool players were in. There are three pool tables. There are also two noisy aggressive dogs as I just found out when a woman came in and was challenged by them. There's not much here to commend the place to be honest.  

Date:  April 2023    Score:  3

303-305 Shirley Road
Southampton
SO15 3HU

Open Mon-Sun 9am to 11am 

* Facebook 

* WhatPub 

Charlie's Cabana, Portswood

  

Keg beer bar in Portswood area. No food. Though crisps are available. 

  

Ambience

Small place. Two other customers in my daytime visit - old men like me, so we have a chat about the old days. 

Range of keg taps

There's about 12 kegs with a mix of cider, lager, some Belgium, and two British ales. Seating is benches, stools, and a couple of chairs. The benches are a bit uncomfortable. 

   

My beer - photo taken by bar staff

It was hard to select a beer as the keg taps are a distance away so I couldn't see the keg clips clearly. I asked the woman serving if there was any cask beer, but she wasn't familiar with the term, and got a little confused, so I assumed that there wasn't. I asked her to tell me what the beers were, and she - bless her - read out each name, but it was difficult to get important information such as if it was a cider or a beer, and what the strength was. I took a photo of all the taps, but when I zoomed it I still couldn't make out the details, so I asked the woman to take a photo of the clip that looked most likely. 

The beer was pleasant enough. Served a little too cold for my taste, though one of the regulars appreciated that his Guinness was chilled. 

Not a destination pub, but certainly a casual, laid back, and useful place for locals. 

Date: April 2023    Score: 5

117 Portswood Road
Southampton
SO17 2FX

Open Mon-Sun 10am to Midnight 

* Facebook 

* WhatPub