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Disappointment of the week with Real Ale Ray
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Detail Pages
Tap East, Stratford City, E20
Olympic Park
E20
E20 1EE
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Tap East
Highly unusual bar in the Westfield shopping centre,very close to the entrance furthest away from the Stratford rail and tube station.It's completely open at the front,with a series of high tables,upturned tuns and a few sofas,with the L shaped bar running around a rear wall.Pump clip decorate the walls,and although popular on Friday afterwork ,it was by no means rammed and had a relaxed vibe.There are lots of keg options,and 6 handpumps offering three Tap East brews in Boleyn Bitter,East End Mild and Coffee in the Morning (decent) with guests Burning Sky Plateau,Five Points Hook Island Red and Wishbone Ahtanum which I thought was a decent range of styles and strengths.
A lot better than I was expecting and a blessed relief from the crowds of people hanging out in the mall,a good bet for real ale in this newly developed area.
On 18th February 2017
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about Tap East
I liked this bar a lot.Nice clean modern.My drinking companion was a little disturbed by the cold wind blowing in on a mild night so what will it be like in winter.Had a great beer fest so even more enjoyable and reasonable prices.Bar staff mentioned the price before pouring the more expensive beers which is a nice touch.I had to battle through a very busy shopping centre to find it but would walk through fire if I thought I could get good beer.You can walk around the outside of the centre which is an easier approach.
On 25th August 2014
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about Tap East
Located at one end of the Westfield Stratford City shopping centre (opposite Stratford International station & the Dlr station or walk through the shopping centre from Stratford underground station). Real ale/craft beer bar with an onsite brewery visible through glass walls. The open plan nature of the bar may make it light and airy in the summer but can turn it into a cold wind tunnel in winter. The bar certainly makes shopping a more tolerable experience knowing a good pint is on hand or this is your local if staying at the premier inn next door.
On 17th November 2013
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about Tap East
I'm not keen on Shopping centre bars, I would hesitate to use the term pub here, but as this is the home of one of the new wave of East London brewers, I felt compelled to pay a visit.
It's well described below and was not overly busy, but not dead at around 20:00 on a Saturday. I was disappointed that the coffee porter which was top of my list to try was not there, but the East End Mild (a genuine dark mild) was on so I had pint (£3.30) of that and found it outstanding. The other two Tap East beers were the Jim Wilson cooking bitter and the low ABV Tonic Ale so I looked to one of the two guests an Orkney Stout and Oakham Citra. The Oakham Citra, despite having a haze on it tasted very good but was more expensive than the Tap East offerings.
I would give it a 9 if it wasn't for the shopping centre aspect of it and probably will return just to try their stronger brews. When that happens I will get a bus down from Leyton Station rather than fight through the masses of shoppers from the main Stratford station.
On 15th September 2013
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about Tap East
An unusual place this is, being open fronted to the huge Westfield shopping mall and with the same tiled floor running through. As well as the sign, the pub's presence is advertised courtesy of a barrel on a covered wheeled cart at the entrance. The bar is to the rear, L-shaped and the counter front, bar back and adjoining unisex WC door are faced up with distressed reclaimed timbers. Scores of pump clips are already displayed around the bar area. Next to the bar the brewery operation can be viewed via a glass screen with three coppers being visible from the drinking area. Three Tap East beers were on at the time, East End Mild, Jim Wilson Bitter and Coffee in the Morning. Separated by a bank of keg fonts are three more handpumps which offered By the Horns Black and White IPA plus two from Orkney brewery The Highland Brewing Co, Island Hopping and Pale Ale. Two large fridges contain an eclectic selection of continental beers. What looked to me like an old ice cream fridge contained a number of Tap East pump clips. Seating is mostly at high tables, some butchers block style, others of a flimsy, rickety design. There are a few armchairs in the corner around a low table. Food is served, basic fare such as burgers, pizze and german sausages plus snacks like chips and sausage rolls.
Branded Tap East shirts are on sale if that is your thing. An interesting spot, certainly worth a look in for something a bit different or of course to escape from the shopping. I didn't enjoy battling my way through the shopping hordes to find it though.
On 9th September 2013
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1707 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Gill Smith left this review about Tap East
Enjoyed our first visit to this bar, and found the beers in good condition. Tried all three of their own brewery beers as they were new for us. 3 Shades of Black at 6.4% was a good one to start the day. It is being brewed in 3 versions, original, sour and whisky barrel. Kellerman Schwartz Style and C.C.C.P were the other two on offer. Varied styles and all went down well. Also enjoyed Buxton Wild Boar IPA. Plenty of foreign bottled beers available too.
On 24th November 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1339 recommendations about 1222 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Nigel Rowe left this review about Tap East
The highlight of a trip to Westfield Stratford. Leaving my wife and niece shopping - there's a limit to the amount of underwear I can look at - I discovered this gem. Where you'd expect to see only chemical fizz, I had eight real ales to sample. Sadly, I couldn't manage them all this time.
On 27th October 2012
- rating: 10
[User has posted 65 recommendations about 57 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Tap East
A ‘craft’ beer bar and brewpub in the capitalist utopia that is the Westfield Shopping centre, set up by the same mob who run Uttobeer in Borough Market and the Rake next to, er, Borough Market. It’s situated at the far end of the centre from Stratford tube and is a lot closer to International, so be prepared for a long walk if you’re alighting from the Central Line. It’s tucked away round a corner from the food concessions. Fairly small in size with limited seating. As mentioned below, one whole side is poorly-fitted plate glass; we discovered just how bad on our visit when the cold was blowing through, making the bar almost as cold as the sub-zero outside. So much so that even the bar staff had thick coats and woollies – ridiculous. We remained wrapped and gloved for the duration. The décor isn’t too far removed from the general shopping centre vibe, though the wood panelled bar is interesting as are the mirror-tiled pillars. Less sure about the silly lampshades though. Beer-wise there were plenty of craft kegs and overseas brews, with six interesting cask ales, served well enough. Also some cider as well. There’s already a collection of old pump clips festooning the walls and the ‘in the cellar’ section threw up some interesting choices. They also brew here, and the equipment is visible through a glass door. I didn’t spot any of their homebrew on the pumps though.
I really disliked my visit due to the intense cold (I’ll give them leeway given they only lease the space) but I’d give this a go in the summer as the beers were certainly appealing.
On 24th March 2012
- rating: 5
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Tap East
Just a flying visit to this smart new brewpub, unfortunately, as I didn't realise how long the walk through the huge Westfield shopping centre from Stratford station was going to be. The small bar only has limited seating, supplemented by a couple of tables outside in the mall. The brewing vessels are visible through a glass door at the far end of the room. A good choice of real ales and craft beers was available from the six handpumps and ten keg taps, including two from Oakham, a Dark Star, Brentwood's 2.5% BBC2 and a couple of their own - Brown and John Edwin Bitter (£3.30). Overall, first impressions were pretty good and I look forward to returning when I have a bit more time...
On 4th February 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john mcgraw left this review about Tap East
A bar that is inside the Westfield Centre.Serves a wide selection of keg beers and had two cask beers on that were brewed in the microbrewery which is next to the bar and I must say that the IPA was in great form.I will return again to try some more of the cask ales and like previous comments I am unsure of the so called craft keg beers but I have to admit the few that I have tried have been very good especially the American type IPA'S.The times they are a changin' but sometimes it is not always for the worse.Next to Stratford International railway station.
On 9th January 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]