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Submitted on Saturday, 14^th March 2009
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Ye Olde Black Bull, Stratford, E15

13 Broadway
E15
E15 4BQ

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Served areas

Stratford

Reviews of Ye Olde Black Bull (Average Rating: 7½ of 10) Add Review see review guidelines

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Blue Scrumpy left this review about Ye Olde Black Bull

I'd spotted that this place had made it into the latest Good Beer Guide and decided to give it a try before a recent game at West Ham's London Stadium. Trying to contact them to find their opening time in the week leading up to the game proved fairly fruitless, as nobody ever answered the phone. So, I had assumed normal midday opening for a Sunday.

I eventually arrived just before midday. I'd been killing time by going to the awful Hackney Bridge bar and ended up getting soaked again walking across Stratford to Ye Olde Black Bull. A friend of mine had arrived well before me just after 11am and had found it to already be packed. So, I suspect it may open as early as 10am on a matchday. The owner sits on a stool at the door controlling the crowds and vetting who comes in.

Inside, the pub has a nice, traditional feel. A matchday was probably not the best time to appreciate it. Nor was a matchday the best time to come to see why the pub has made the Good Beer Guide. I quite enjoyed my Wherry, but it was the only real ale on. Although, they'd apparently run out of a couple of other beers earlier (I think one was Tribute and the other was a Ringwood beer).

The atmosphere was quite boisterous, as you would expect. Live World Cup cricket was being shown on TV screens. I've yet to find a decent pub in Stratford. Despite its nice, traditional interior, I'm struggling to rate this a decent either. If only the Hammers were still at Upton Park and the excellent nearby Boleyn Tavern.

On 13^th November 2023 - rating: 5
[User has posted 3040 recommendations about 3038 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Ye Olde Black Bull

I don't know what this place was like before the rather obvious and clumsy refurbishment, but I imagine it had rather more character than the fairly bare interior has now. Having said that, there is nothing really wrong with the place and there are certainly many far worse establishments nearby. The Bombardier clip was turned around, leaving a somewhat uninspring choice between the Deuchars and Greene King IPAs (but the latter was at least in decent shape).

On 12^th June 2009 - rating: 7
[User has posted 8679 recommendations about 8678 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.