Night time pub aimed at the student population. Closed during Covid, and hasn't re-opened.
Date: March 2023 Score: N/A
Date: March 2023 Score: N/A
16 Bevois Valley Road
Southampton
SO14 0JP
* WhatPub
Saturday, 25 March 2023
Sunday, 19 March 2023
Jolly Sailor, Burseldon
One of my favourite pubs in the Southampton area. Chrissie and I used to come here when we first 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.
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| 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!
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| Myles - the view from the window is awesome, but doesn't show in this photo |
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| The olde world charm of the interior |
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| The beer I chose |
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| 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.
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| 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)
* FaceBook
* WhatPub
Wednesday, 15 March 2023
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.
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| 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
SO14 7DT
Open Mon-Sat 8am to 5.30pm
Tuesday, 7 March 2023
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.
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.
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| 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.
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| Ambience |
Small place. Two other customers in my daytime visit - old men like me, so we have a chat about the old days.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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
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Buddha Lounge, Bedford Place
All Bar One, Southampton Central
Pub chain which, as is the trend, offers bottomless brunch, tapas, and cocktail classes. Meals all day, with various deals. Children accepted until 7pm.
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| Decent selection of popular keg beers Sadly, on my visit, those with glasses On the top were not available |
There is an attractive deal called Love To Lunch. For £9.50 you get a half pint of Amstel, or other drink, plus a Small Plate ( such as pan fried pawns, normally £8.50) and a Side ( such as garlic flatbread, normally £6.50). You can order and pay via an app at the table, or at the bar where you can chat with the barman.
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| Ambiance |
Relaxed background music blends well with the relaxed chatter from other tables. This is a wet midday afternoon, but there are six other tables occupied. Couples, small groups of women, a small group of men, one person ( other than me) on their own, and what appears to be a grown up family group.
There's a range of seating - stools and high tables by the window, low booths, square tables, and round tables, etc. A leather padded bench runs the length of one wall, and there is a central circular bench going round a mirrored pillar in the centre. Great view of the city wall. (I forgot to take a photo - I'll need to go back to do that!)
A clean, relaxed, comfortable and versatile place. Yes, lacking in charm and character, lacking in cask beer, and not a destination location, but if looking for a relaxed place to drink or eat in the centre of Southampton, this is fine.
Date: March 2023 Score: 5
West Quay
Southampton
SO15 1QE
Open Mon-Sun 10am to 11pm +/-
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