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Cambridge PuG Crawl, Friday 5th April 2024 with Gann on the Pub Forum

The Duke, E17

Pub added by elizabeth mcgraw
112 Wood Street
E17
E17 3HX
Phone: 02085219347

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Reviews (Current Rating Average: 4 of 10) Add Review see review guidelines


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Komakino . left this review about The Duke

Little has changed from Aqua's review two years ago. (I had no idea I was setting foot in his manor!) Internally it's very much style over substance and the darkened decor asks the eye to take a moment or two to comprehend its surrounds: limited lighting is providing by dimmed electric bulbs built into the overhead fans. Lots of in-pub advertising via posters, boards at the bar and laminated signs on the tables peddling their burger menu, quiz night, range of Bloody Marys and 2-4-1 cocktails. A poor show on the beer front, with just Signature Session Brew available (description handwritten in white gel-pen on a black slate), accompanied by Lilley's Strawberry Cider on a second pump (a third was unclipped; a fourth reversed). The Signature was palatable, but as Aqua mentions below, the £4.50 I was charged for a pint seems steep for this area of London. A musical of Motown standards were enough to keep the curmudgeon in me at bay, and a young barmaid was pleasant, but it's a definite 'could do better' from me.

On 19th November 2017 - rating: 5
[User has posted 1074 recommendations about 1074 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Aqualung . left this review about The Duke

This place re-opened a week or so ago and now seems to be just called the Duke although the old Dukes Head gold lettering currently remains on the outside. The large single room now has bare boards and a small rug with benches around the walls, some tables and chairs and sofas. The dart board remains and there is now an old pinball table. There is still a small stage area at the front. Whoever came up with the colour scheme has been playing too many Rolling Stones records as the exterior is completely black as is the ceiling inside.
The new bar retains four hand pumps but only three were in use on my visit. These had Signature Brew Backstage IPA, Hogs Back TEA and Wild Card Jack of Clubs. I tried the Backstage (£4.10) which was cloudy but tasted reasonable and the Jack of Clubs (£4.30) which was clear but pretty rank, it had obviously been in the cellar too long. I thought the prices were ridiculously high.
It's worth a couple of points for the refurbishment but other than that I thought it was a complete joke. If they are going to charge Central London prices for real ale then the least they can do is look after it. I've lived in East London for over 40 years now and this was my first ever visit to this pub, it will almost certainly be my last despite being my second nearest pub.

On 21st August 2015 - rating: 3
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Bucking Fastard left this review about The Dukes Head

A large open plan interior devoid of much furniture and just waiting for the disco/live music to start.It's a souless place,there is a darts board but thats probably just decoration.At least it has real ale with TT Landlord (decent),Hobgoblin and GK IPA

Not on my list for a revisit.

On 23rd March 2015 - rating: 4
[User has posted 2709 recommendations about 2709 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Alan Winfield left this review about The Dukes Head

The Dukes Head is just up from the Flower Pot.
Once inside there is a very large L shaped room with the bar facing,the seating is bench type and a few normal tables and chairs making the room seem very bare,there was also a stage to the front,the TV was showing rugby.
There were three real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Landlord which was a decent enough drink,the other beers were GK IPA and Hobgoblin.
This is a pretty poor pub.

Pub visited 21/3/2015

On 21st March 2015 - rating: 5
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Rex Rattus left this review about The Dukes Head

The Duke in this case is the Iron Duke himself - Wellington. There were three ales on here - Hobgoblin, GKIPA from one of those those shiny bright pumps they've seen fit to introduce for some reason, and Doom Bar. The latter was £1.85 a half, but unfortunately came up in very poor condition. Maybe this was an nomaly, as they do advertise Cask Marque accreditation, and they are having a small beer festival this weekend. I asked about food - they don't do any.

The pub itself is OK. It's a large one-room affair; mainly bare boarded but with a carpeted area on the right; some reasonable wood panelling and what looks like some original moulded coving. A pool table dominates the area at the back and to the right of the bar counter, where there is also a door that leads to the small beer garden. The main feature of this pub is the stage at the front near the windows, surrounded by banks of lights to shine on the various acts. These were advertised on the back wall; most of them I had not heard of, but there was one called “Elvis” whose name sounded somewhat familiar.

I’m hoping that I was just unlucky with the beer quality on my visit. If so, then this pub is OK for a pint or two if you’re in the area, but it’s not a destination pub.

On 13th September 2013 - rating: 5
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Roger Button left this review about The Dukes Head

I was hardly in here long enough to write a realistic review but unfortunatley the stench from something resembling toilet cleaner was so overwhelming we didn't stay long enough even to get a pint in. It doesn't look like we missed much. A rather bland, soulless and featureless interior. No ales. Nothing particularly inviting at all. On the plus side they have occasional live music and a few screens to watch footy but there are far better pubs in the locality should we ever find ourselves with time to kill.

On 30th December 2007 - rating: 2
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]