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The Great Exhibition, East Dulwich, SE22

Pub added by elizabeth mcgraw

193 Crystal Palace Road
SE22
SE22 9EP

Phone: 02086934968

Correct details

Served areas

East Dulwich

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Reviews of The Great Exhibition (Average Rating: 6 of 10) Add Review see review guidelines

David Walton left this review about The Great Exhibition

This is still a Laine Brew Co pub with little changed from previous review almost 7 years ago. There is a wrap around terrace with I am sure on nice evenings an attractive outside seating option. The beer garden out the back has astroturf and is so covered you would not even realise you were outside. It was pleasant to be in a space that had retained at least what looked like some of its original features! Was here a bit before 7pm and the venue was quiet but most of the tables had reservations for a science and nature quiz later on this evening.

Temperatures would definitely be no excuse for cask beer quality this evening. Indeed there were three hand pumps dispensing TT Landlord, Doom Bar and L Pride. Thought it was quite spooky that the Doom Bar I had wished onto the pumps in the Plough as a basic variant to TTL and the LP that Rex hankered after as a single cask choice in the Castle after there was a turned round clip and so no cask there both made appearances here! I opted for the TTL and it was well kept. Loads of keg offerings. The Laine offerings were Fader, Source and Sonar. Other non-lager choices were Signature Brew Roadie, Beavertown Gamma Ray, Brixton Reliance Pale Ale, Brixton Low Voltage Session IPA. There was an interesting Vocation Death by Cherries cherry sour. Lagers were less in desolate here but the offerings were Moretti, Cruzcampo, Amstel and a Pilsner from Redchurch. Final choices if you hadn’t hit your tipple by this point we’re Guinness, Orchard Thieves cider and lucky Saint.

I liked this pub without there being anything especially lovely about it or its beer offering. Definitely makes for a worthwhile addition to an extended crawl in East Dulwich without being a destination in its own right. Think it carves out a good existence by appealing to the subsets that look for something in a local pub, meeting point, food, activities such as quizzes, coverage of big live sport events etc.

On 28^th May 2024 - rating: 6
[User has posted 631 recommendations about 631 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Pub SignMan left this review about The Great Exhibition

Originally known as the Crystal Palace Tavern, this large side street pub, a short distance from Lordship Lane, adopted its current name in 2012 when it was taken over by the Laine’s Brewery of Brighton. Anyone who has visited a Laine’s pub before should know exactly what to expect – a traditional boozer converted into an open plan, gentrified pub with Antic-style shabby-chic decor. Accordingly, we have an entrance porch with separate etched glass ‘Public’ and ‘Lounge’ panes leading into a large, high ceilinged room with exposed floorboards throughout. Large tables and sturdy chairs run under the front and side windows with banquettes to the right and some benches to the left. The servery is on the back wall and has a nice curved counter and mosaic topped bar back, adding some much needed character. Some grim floral wallpaper adorns part of one wall, but in general the colour scheme can be summed up as ‘green’, including the exterior of the pub, which is worth paying a bit of attention to thanks to some fantastic old lamps and a carved deer head among other decorative features. There is a stack of board games to one side of the bar next to a shelf full of listings magazines and flyers and an upright piano can also be found here near the door for the toilets. Music played quietly throughout our stay and I noticed there is a rear beer garden which was unfortunately out of action on our bright sunny evening visit, so we made do with one of the picnic benches in the L-shaped front patio area to the front and side of the pub.
There are five handpulls on the bar but two were out of action leaving a choice of Animal Brewing Orca, Dark Star Hophead and Black Jack Mo Mild Mo Problems. I was a little surprised to find no Laine’s beers on, so opted for a pint of the Orca which was notably struggling in the heat and a little past its best. Later on I opted for the Hophead instead, but this was in even worse condition. We stopped here for a bite to eat and I have to say the food was very nice, as were both barmaids, one of whom tripped as she was bringing our food out, dropping a burger onto the floor. She dealt with what must have been quite an awkward and embarrassing situation for her in a very sensible and professional fashion whilst her colleague behind the bar was the very definition of a bubbly barmaid.
I thought this was a fairly decent place – the sort of gentrified pub offering good food and two or three ales that seem to be springing up all across South London. The beer quality was a real shame and I might perhaps be generous in attributing this solely to the extreme temperatures outside. For me, the pub’s best asset is its staff who ensured a warm welcome and top quality service – improve their care of the cellar and this place could be onto a real winner.

On 18^th July 2017 - rating: 6
[User has posted 3350 recommendations about 3350 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Moby Duck left this review about The Great Exhibition

Big lump of a place,and a bit dark and dingey inside.The pub was extremely busy inside and out, there was a DJ with a turntable on the go inside playing at an insanely loud level although it didn't seem to be bothering any other pub goers. There were 5 pumps on the bar with a choice of Laines "Bestest Bitter", Sambrooks Pumphouse Pale, Vibrant Forest Simcoe and one I failed to note along with Orchard Pig Explorer.I made a bee line for the Simcoe but unfortunately it was in poor condition. I didn't particularly enjoy my visit here.

On 9^th April 2017 - rating: 5
[User has posted 2151 recommendations about 2118 pubs]

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