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Detail Pages
White Horse, Welwyn
Burnham Green
Postal town: Welwyn
AL6 0HA
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 5½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about White Horse
This old pub is an unbranded Mc Mullens tied house which has had a rustic olde worlde refurb,but retains elements of a village boozer,so just drinking is fine.The front door opens onto a tap room ,with a seperate double section to the right with fox hunting wallpaper and a flatscreen off during my trip but probably used for major terrestrial sports coverage.The interior here has lots of exposed beams and a good brick fireplace.The island bar has bar stools at the far side and this was populated by local drinkers on my Monday evening visit.There is a lower restaurant area with mezzanine ,which produces a good demarcation of function ,although I was surprised to be asked on entry did I want a table for two.However after inspecting the short menu,the decision was taken to try the food which was more upmarket than pub grub and reflected in the pricing.
There are 4 handpumps offering on my trip Macs IPA and Country Bitter (fine) while their Rivertown Brewing sub brand clip was reversed and another pump was "coming soon" although what was coming soon was not disclosed.
I may well return for the food,the ale options are more limited and there is a vibe here of a managed pub rather than the care an owner occupier may lavish on this kind of foodie establishment.
On 5th September 2018
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2745 recommendations about 2745 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Komakino . left this review about White Horse
Eloquently described by Steve below, this offered just McMullen's Country Bitter and IPA on four pumps, two of which were out of action from its square-shaped bar. Woody, with dining on a lower level out back and a semi-large beer garden, with kids playground off to the left (and tree-lined deep pond almost centre-stage) it's an 'eyes-in-the-back-of-the-head' job for any parent. Aimed at the well-heeled and predominantly populated by them on my visit, the ambience (complete with nice, barely-discernable muzak) was a little ruined by the apathy and bad language of the young serving staff. Loud, colourful language is no mainstay of customer service and the word 'ask' is not pronounced 'arks'. Pay peanuts I guess, etc.
On 13th August 2018
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1075 recommendations about 1075 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about White Horse
The Mcmullens website describes the White Horse as such. "After a careful and considerate refurbishment, this restaurant and pub offers a special dining experience – great food, fabulous wine and our own locally brewed beer, all served in a comfortable and stylish setting."
What this translates to is - Take a country pub, send in the interior design team, and turn it into a restaurant that closer resembles an Islington Gastro pub.
But who am I to complain if that's what it takes to keep these village pubs open and trading.
Initially we took the opportunity to utilise this place for a mid way stop when doing a circular walk in the area and have since been back to try the "special dining experience".
The interior is now one of McMullens modern clean light wood makeovers, but workw well for the type of place it now is.
The multi split level restaurant section at the back (one dining area sunk below the bar and then a mezanine section above reached by a wooden staircase ) works well and fits in with the two spacious drinking areas either side of the central bar, which are pleasant enough with all the light wood beams and comfy seating.
Couple of McMullen Cask Ales on (Cask and IPA) and both were kept well. No AK though as the barman confirmed they don't have the trade for it and it kept going off.
The beer and food are pricey for a Hertfordshire Village (£20 to £25 a head for 2 courses) and was more in keeping with an establishment in N1 but couldn't fault it for quality and they had a lunchtime soup and sandwich deal for a fiver which was very good.
So in conclusion, a smart , food orientated pub which we found perfectly fine. Not sure I'd choose to use it as a local if I lived in the village, but a good one for a drive out from North London.
On 31st January 2010
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2147 recommendations about 2019 pubs]