Good pubs in Reading?

Berserker

Berserker

Berserker

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While I may be a local (live only 10 miles away), Reading social life is most definitely not my forte. Therefore, I don't claim to know the slightest about such.

So, can anyone recommend good pub(s) close to Reading town centre that have got decent beer and decent food, and won't be full of chavs or other miscreants looking for a fight on a Saturday afternoon/evening.

TIA :)
 
There's a pub I usually frequent in Reading when I'm going to the London Irish matches. It's just out of the main train station and on the immediate right. I can't remember the name as I'm usually rather airlocked by the time I reach it but it does a good pint and good food.

There's another one beside that shopping centre with the river going through it. Forgive me for the lack of names, it's just that every time I've been out in Reading I've been beyond my senses.
 
The one by the train station is the Three Guineas I think. I tend to go to one of the Wetherspoons places or the Purple Turtle. But I don't suppose they are the sort of place you are looking for.
 
I frequent Reading as I work there and you will be hard pushed to find anywhere decent, but I recommend Bar38 and The Slug and Lettuce. Both are on the riverside in the Oracle shopping centre. The Slug has live music a few nights a week and the food is quite good, and Bar38 attracts a crowd more mature than the fake ID crew. Old Orleans is okay too.

Apart from those 2 they are all the same. Theres the generic O'Neills, Yates, Revolution etc.

If you want food then you should go to the Bengal Reef in Kings Walk (I think) beforehand. Excellent food.
 
Yeah, I do know both the pub by the station and the ones in the Oracle - just never been inside either so don't know what the clientele is like. Must admit, the Oracle is a nice area. Oh, and Wetherspoons/Yates are fine for what they are. :)
 
I made the Back of Beyond my "local" when I was there.

Food is good, place is nice, and it's great to hang out and socialise (the chavs stay near the front so you can avoid them easily).
 
Berserker said:
Where's that? :)

Oh, and is the Slug still open? Thought they went out of business (ours did).
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It's one of the three Wetherspoons in Reading, I find it the best as it's far more relaxed than the others, and it's the closest to university.

Spent a LOT of money in there during my first year, challenge was to eat 2 meals from the "2 for £6.29" range and eat them both in one sitting :o

[Edit] It's down the street where Barclays is (the main branch). Hard to describe :confused:
 
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Who said the Purple Turtle :eek: lol. That was an old student haunt of mine. There is a really nice one but it's not in reading. It's called The George and it's on the way to the Showcase cinema.
 
SpeedFreak said:
Who said the Purple Turtle :eek: lol. That was an old student haunt of mine. There is a really nice one but it's not in reading. It's called The George and it's on the way to the Showcase cinema.
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I mentioned the Turtle. I'm not a student at Reading but yes it is mostly people of the student age group even when not in term time.

I think I've been to The George. Seemed like quite a nice place. If you want pubs you could come to Wokingham. It has more pubs per square mile than anywhere else in the country*.



*may be made up, but there are a lot of pubs
 
I quite like to go to Revolutions Vodka Bar along Station Road for an after work drink or night out... Then maybe the Purple Turtle.

If it's during the day, I'll goto Bar38 at the Oracle.

Also, take a look at the Iguana Bar. It's a hippy haven but quite cool :)
 
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Psyk said:
I mentioned the Turtle. I'm not a student at Reading but yes it is mostly people of the student age group even when not in term time.
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After 1am on a Weekend, the Purple Turtle is a very good cross section of people from Reading... Suits, emos, students, oldies, hippies... everyone.
 
I used to love the Turtle in the early 90's, not been there for years so no idea what it's like now.

When I started my current job around seven years ago, I had to go to a meeting in Reading (I'm based in Basingstoke) to spec out the design for an internal customer's website. Work gave me a spanking new laptop, and me and a colleague jumped on a train and went to the morning meeting.

Cue an early finish (11am) so said colleague and I decided to go for "a quick lunchtime pint" in the Pavlov Dogs, which quickly turned into a seven hour shots'n'cocktails bender. I finally stumbled/crawled to the train station at 7pm, jumped on the wrong train and ended up in Kintbury.. managed to dial the g/f's number and explain I was standing on a dark platform with NO idea where the hell Kintbury was. She bawled at me for being late for dinner (:p) so I hung up, walked along the track to the signal box (yes, seriously) and banged on their door for directions on trains back to Basingstoke! Finally got home, woke up in the morning with a cracking headache and minus one brand new laptop :eek: No idea where the hell it ended up, work were not impressed but I told them I'd left it on the train but didn't mention how/why.

Great days :D:D
 
I've always found the Slug's food pretty crap tbh. I've been in there for food about 3 times now and each time I've been disapointed. The only thing I do enjoy from there are the nachos.

For a good sit me down have a chat pub , I'd say the Hob Goblin next to the pasty place opposite the Oracle entrance off of Broad Street. It's a propper pub.

The Three B's by the Town Hall is also a good place to go for a sit down and a chat of an afternoon and livens up quite nicely as the evening unwinds.

The Rising Sun down by the roundabout near the main station is also a winner, and definitley a propper pub.

Most of your Slug & Lettuce type places crash and burn compared to a real pub, especially when they get busy. The Hope Tap is probably the only real exception to the rule, but thats just personal opinion. Atmosphere can vary I suppose, and company plays a big part.

Agree with the Turtle. Old Orleans is comparable to TGI's.
 
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The Purple Turtle used to be good, but its now a hang out of grown up scene kids rather that the truly scary goths and punks of a few years ago. Also I'd avoid Revolutions and Bar Risa. They get very busy and I can't stand queuing for half an hour outside just to queue half an hour inside for an overpriced shot of Vodka :D The Back of Beyond (a Weatherspoons) is nice. Or try the Hobgoblin. Only been in there once but its a unique experience!

Depends what type of pub floats your boat. There are old school types, chains and odd ones. I do like Bar 38 and similars as they don't let in the scruffy types [/snob]. There are too many charvers at weekends however. Hard to avoid.
 
I'm in Reading, can see the 3 guineas from my desk right now. Bit of advice, avoid it like the plague :).

Quiet beer no chavs go to The Blagrave Arms (nr station) or Coopers Arms (nr market Square). Both kinda old fashoned, never get too busy - good for decent beer and a chat.

Lively, go to Purple Tutrle (Gun St). Young, loud, alternative. Open late.

Different, go to Afrobar, nr the station (the upstairs portion of a very good sandwich shop called Chan Chams) - the owners\girls working there are really really nice.

Good food go to Corn Stores (aka I'll Gusto) (nr Station), Sweeney and Todd (awesome pie shop\bar) or The Bell and Dragon nr forbury shops and on the Kennet - excellent food ($$), great location but a little walk from town - highly recommended, excellent in summer.

Avoid at all cost;
- HoneyPot (dodgy strip club\bar), think it's closed no tho
- Nags Head (oxford road), always full of crazy old irish men and other undesirables- likely to get mugged\bummed in toilets.
- Wynford Arms (gay bar...apparenetly...)
- Usual rubbish chains - Monk's Retreat, Cafe Du Sport....list goes on...
- personally I don't like the Oracle - it's a little too 'clinical', no soul.

Or see,
http://www.readingpubs.co.uk/

Edit: Another vote for Hob Goblin and Rising Sunn.

EDIT AGAIN: Reading Pub Crawl!!!!

Skidd.
 
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SiD the Turtle said:
Also I'd avoid Revolutions and Bar Risa. They get very busy and I can't stand queuing for half an hour outside just to queue half an hour inside for an overpriced shot of Vodka :D
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Revoultions do good food at a reasonable price, and the only time it's really packed is Thurs(seldom)/Fri/Sat after 9.30/10pm or so. It never takes more than 5 mins to get served though.

I've never had to queue outside Revolutions before, but I tend to start my weekend straight after work on a Friday...
 
I went in on friday night for a few cheeky ones, 4 bar staff, two where training and totally useless, bird that did serve me must have had the painters in as she had a face like a smacked arse. Took aaages to get served every time.
 
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