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Dog & Bull, Croydon
Croydon
CR0 1RG
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Graham Coombs left this review about Dog & Bull
Definitely not the old Dog & Bull I remembered, which was a very basic market boozer, but cleaned up and trying to go upmarket, or certainly aiming at a higher clientele at least. The island bar is still there but is surrounded by polished floorboards with a couple of butcher's block tables at the front. The side room is very tidy. while a sung area behind the bar is a bit more comfortable and seems to be where the regulars congregate. There is a surprisingly large outdoor area at the back. Cask ales on were Youngs Original, TT Landlord and Dorking Pilcrow Pale.
On 8th September 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Dog & Bull
A very traditional Young's house in the middle of Surrey Street market and the previous hangout for market porters.
The inside is noteworthy with an island bar,a small back snug with a selection of comfy chairs while to the right is a seperate side room with some high tables in the windows and dining type tables elsewhere apart from a rear red leather bound bench.There is good wood panelling,the front windows in obsured glass has some find mosaic animal pictures and internal corridors have been retained rather than opened out as is the case in many town centre pubs.The hanging picture give a good idea of Croydon past and the historic building that still survive.
There are three handpumps drawing on my visit Youngs Ordinary and Special with guest Laines Darkling Stout (NBSS 3.5) .There is quite a craft keg selection from 8 taps,many from Laines but other brewers too.The BBC 24 hours news flatscreen was on mute and the wonderful polished wooden floor gave a classy feel to what is a most traditional boozer with a friendly welcome.I really like it,pop in if in the area..
On 27th February 2022
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about Dog & Bull
Situated next to Croydon's market, this Young's pub has a main room with the central bar and a couple of side rooms. It was quiet on our Tuesday lunchtime visit, with no other customers apart from ourselves.
As with the previous review, the beers were Young's Bitter & Special. Although, on our visit, they did also have a guest beer, which was Dorking Surrey XPA. Craft beers come by way of Camden Pale Ale & Laine's Fader IPA, Mangolicious, Ripper Session IPA & Source Pale Ale.
On 24th February 2022
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2452 recommendations about 2451 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about Dog & Bull
I really liked this traditional little market pub, great looking inside and out and in particular the leaded dimple glassed windows and central Island bar gave a great feel to the place. There were a few regulars in giving proceedings a nice buzz. There are two banks of three pumps one set each end of the ovate bar, there was only the choice of two beers , Youngs Bitter and Special, I had the Bitter and it was probably the best example of this beer I had tried in a number of years. I haven't done all of Croydons pubs but I would guess that this is one of the very best.
On 5th February 2022
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1871 recommendations about 1844 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Dog & Bull
For far too many years, I had avoided this market pub as I guessed that it was a rough market-stallholders local where visitors were probably not welcome. However, once I ventured, in I found it to be a very pleasant, traditional boozer. The interior has been thoroughly refurbished and partially opened out to leave an island bar with a further room to one side. Interesting features include the dark wood panelling and decorative glazing panels in the front windows. There is also a substantial patio beer garden out back. It has now been rebranded by Youngs as a Ram Pub Co outlet, but on my last visit I found the regular Ordinary and Special supplemented by Doom Bar replicated from the two banks of three handpumps. Overall, I now really like this pub.
On 3rd June 2018
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Dog and Bull
A long standing Croydon market pub probably going back centuries, inside is rather more recent, there is an island bar with the room extending back to the rear and side. There is some clearly old wood panelling, the leaded glass front windows have interesting inserts featuring horse and ram's heads, a likely link to the local market. There are framed pictures depicting various stages of a butcher's business. Still on the market theme a wall mounted sign refers to "Pearce's Bacon and Cheese".
Despite the internal modifications you can still avoid the few high tables and stools, plenty of regular issue remain in usefully different sizes to suit groups small and large.
The inevitable music played but this time a decent 60s soul/Motown background, TV muted.
Youngs here if that's what they still are, Bitter, Special plus Hook Norton Old Hooky at £4. Liked it.
On 11th November 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1707 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The Dog and Bull
Young's pub located on the market. A bare boarded interior with an island bar. 6 real ale taps serving 3 ales doubled up on my visit.
On 27th October 2017
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Dog and Bull
This is a Young's pub, with Special, Bitter (£1.80 a half) and London Gold on. This pub has gone fairly foody, with the solid scrubbed tables, metal buckets with cutlery and condiments in them on all the tables that we often see in food led places. The fake flowers on the tables detract a bit from the upmarket feel they are clearly trying to create. But the food isn't overly expensive. The "stone-baked" pizza menu offers a range of 9" pizze for £6.45 - £9.25, or the 12" versions for £7 - £12.50. The other side of the single-sheet menu offers a "Bar-B-Q" menu" - the burger with fries is £8.95.
The pub itself is still quite impressive. The windows are atractively lattice glazed, with stained glass centrepieces featuring the eponymous dog and bull, and for some reason also a horse. A good amount of the wood paneling remains on the walls, but of course the pub has largely been opened up, although with some distinct separate dining and drinking areas. For example, there's a largish room at the back on the left with an attractive tiled fireplace, and which looks a bit like a dining room although I saw no indication that it wasn't available to drinkers. There's also a garden at the back.
There is the inevitable brace of tall tables/tall stools by the window, but this uncomfortable furniture is definitely in the minority here. The fruit machine seems a bit out of place here, as does the large TV (muted showing the news), but I guess that's what the customers want. This is still a pretty good pub.
On 8th May 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Dog and Bull
My visit to the Dog and Bull was early on a recent Wednesday evening so there were no signs of the adjacent stalls and traders on Surrey Street Market. However, the pub was quite busy with a local crowd who were standing around the island bar and using the seating to the right and rear of the pub. This is a Youngs establishment so it wasn’t surprising to see Ordinary and Special available at the bar, but I think that two different beers tripled up on six hand pumps is a poor show. Standard and premium draught products were also available and the pub mains from the food menu were priced around the £10 mark.
I spotted a plasma screen which was switched off and there was some very low background music playing off a jukebox. There is a weekly quiz advertised for every Wednesday night from 20:00.
I found the service to be very friendly and I would have no problem returning for another well-kept pint of Ordinary if in the area.
On 1st March 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5228 recommendations about 5196 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Dog and Bull
An excellent traditional pub situated on Croydon's busy Surrey Street market. The wooden interior is dominated by the island style bar,with a couple of cosy seating areas to the side and rear. Nice frosted windows with picture insets give you a sense of the bustling market outside.
They have Youngs Ordinary and Special plus a seasonal beer on most of the time and they're, more often than not, in excellent shape. The bar staff have, in my experience, always been friendly, attentive and knowledgeable. The food looked good as well and a quick look at the menu suggestes that they have gone for quality food rather than the cheap and cheerful stuff served up in most of Croydon's other town centre pubs and bars.
The pub also benefits from having the best beer garden in Central Croydon, which boasts an outdoor bar and barbeque for the summer months, although it can get pretty busy in there as a result.
The only real downside was the refurb that took place a couple of years ago. Out went the old, lived in looking furniture and decor and in came some plush chairs and sofas that don't really belong in a Surrey Street Market traders pub.
On 21st January 2012
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]