The Forest Tavern, Forest Gate, E7

Official site of The Forest Tavern - foresttavern.com

Official site of The Forest Tavern - foresttavern.com

I thought that this pub was a bit grim and it felt as though it has been in decline for some time. The service was polite enough, but there was only a limited standard draught selection available and the Guinness I was served was short measured and undrinkable. The bar is located at the front of the pub and the larger rear can best be described as a dance floor with DJ booth and glitter ball. Maybe there are functions here at the weekend, but during my recent Thursday afternoon visit this area was dimly lit and there was a pool table in the centre of it. There used to be a projector, but this has been removed leaving a single screen in the front bar and the only sign I saw of Sky Sports was a sticker in the window for the 2007/2008 season. There are a couple of picnic tables in the concreted back yard and I also found a dead plant in a pot that I poured my Guinness into. I’m sure this pub has seen better days since it was rebuilt in 1925, but at the moment it is not worth seeking out in my opinion.