The Duke of York, Marylebone, W1

I wouldn't ordinarily visit an establishment which so blatently promotes itself via narcisistic self reviews, but I was in the area so decided to step in for a reality check. Four customers and two aussie staff were in the carpetted bar at lunchtime, beers on offer were 6X, IPA, Bombardier – had the latter, which was fine. Tables were set up for eating (with ketchup btls) , I didn't notice a food menu but the wine list led with Moet at a v reasonable £28.50 and the reverse showed features such as quiz night, 15min food turnover, summer pints of pimms. A plasma at each end of the bar suggests it is probably big on sport. I was always unlikely to be endeared to the D.O.M. having received a rude e-mail from one of its BITE incarnations following my comment (removed!) about self-aggrandisement, and that is still the case. Ordinary bar, ordinary beer. I moved on to the Masons (Badger beer and characterful pub) and the Carpenters (5 unusual real ales).

A fairly small single room with the bar on the back wall. Boarded floor, opposite the bar are three semi-circular banquettes in a line with a small round table for each. Elsewhere there are more small round tables, chairs and stools. White panelled ceiling, lower walls wainscoted and a mixture of 70s style Indian restaurant flock wallpaper and another with a bookcase pattern. Candle holders along the window cills, obscure leaded windows, on top of the bar back are a row of empty magnum sized Champagne bottles. Three handpumps, Tetley Cask, Adnam's Ghost Ship and Doom Bar turned around. There is also that shiny GK IPA font, I presumed with the real version. What was a little odd I thought was that of three TVs in what is a small area, one had the football on but two were showing a Swedish news channel with subtitles. Then I spotted a notice advertising that Swedish football is shown live. Perhaps there is a local Swedish population who use this pub, I don't know. At least Abba didn't come on the juke box. A fairly routine and inoffensive little pub, worth dropping in but not for a special visit.

Compact corner pub, but with some ornate architectural detailing on both façades. Features refurbished furniture and decor, prominent sports TV and a limited menu. The upper floors operate as a backpacker's hostel under the Emporium Inns name. Just one of the three traditional handpumps was working, offering Wandle at £3.90, but there is a also a modern Greene King IPA dispenser.

Doom Bar and London Pride (£1.80 a half) were available, along with GKIPA dispensed from one of those shiny new fonts that GK seem to like. There's a chalkboard menu on the wall - sandwiches including chips and salad are from £5.25, with some pub grub offerings also available, such as steak and ale pie (£9.95) and fish and chips (£7.95). This is a very small one-room pub, which looks of Victorian vintage. Furnishings are banquettes, and normal tables and chairs crammed into just about all the available space. The bar back is a modern addition and contains illuminated bottles and glasses. There are a couple of black and white rat pack photographs, plus a couple of large TVs on the walls, and that’s about it. Free wi-fi is advertised, there’s just the one fruit machine, and a few benches are outside, for use by smokers this time of year. This is a very unprepossessing pub despite its magnificent exterior. The ale choice is hardly inspiring – although of course any ale is better than nothing – so this is not a pub to which I will be rushing back.