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The Odd One Out, Colchester
Colchester
CO2 7ET
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Quinno _ left this review about The Odd One Out
Three rooms, off right is a comfy red and cream interior with an early 80s refurb feel; red carpet, curtains and log fire set out over a skew horseshoe-shaped interior. The main bar is a fairly spartan affair with wood flooring and padded bench seating; a garish child-like full wall painting about the Romans was off to the left. There’s also a room behind which I forgot to look at. Eyebrows raised to see it’s a ** CAMRA heritage listed place, they must have a good magnifying glass. Of more value was the amusing bog art (see pic). A sketchy hippy barman presiding over four cask and some boxed ciders, my first choice spluttered and died but the replacement of Colchester Metropolis was in good shape (NBSS 3.5) which makes its GBG listing easily justified. Like a number of Colch pubs, this one doesn’t open until late afternoon on weekdays. 7.5
On 1st February 2024
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5089 recommendations about 5072 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Odd One Out
Rightly listed by CAMRA for it's regionally important interior,this brick built pub has a pleasing exterior by a busy main road.It's on a steep decline so the interior rooms are on different levels and there is a major trip hazard on entering from the road,although I was long of 4 pints already !
The first section has a wood burner,a display cabinet and unchanged 30's decor and finishes.Through an arch and another step to an L shaped section with fitted green covered benches which eventually leads to the beer garden which has an awning.Finally past the loos on the internal corridor is a surprise back snug with it's own bar access but used these days as a book library ,which seemed a shame.
There was a friendly welcome with an ale choice of Colchester No.1,Metropole,London Porter (NBSS 4) and Hadham Oddly with two pumps unused. Not bad for a quiet Wednesday.Lots of boxed ciders too.
There is an excellent mural of Boudicca in a modern Victorian setting showing off Colchesters wares ,and the red window drapes gave a lot of character.The soundtrack was outstanding 70's rock standards and I could easily have settled here for an extended session.
Don't miss this one,worth the walk from the town centre for a real 30's interior.
On 29th September 2022
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Odd One Out
Interesting old pub in three parts: firstly the plainly decorated and furnished lounge as you enter, then the rustic bar with a mural at the end and another small seating area (but with a large fireplace) round the corner. With six of seven handpumps in operation, three Colchester beers were available - Number One, Metropolis and London Porter (£3.50) - plus the same number of guests from Cotleigh and a couple breweries new to me (Magpie and Parkway). Eight boxed ciders also available. Well worth the short walk from the Town station, but note the 16:30 opening on Mondays to Thursdays.
On 2nd January 2020
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about The Odd One Out
A traditional, brick built pub in a slightly uninspiring location on the periphery of the town centre, it was recently highlighted in a Camra publication as having a historically significant interior and so despite the outward appearance, I was keen to check it out.
Internally it’s essentially all one open-plan L-shaped room which is perhaps unusual for an old, unaltered pub, although it is divided in to different areas with two larger bars running along the front of the pub and a smaller one to the rear. What might be described as the lounge area was to the right and this had carpet on the floor, dark wood panelling on the lower part of the walls and wallpaper above this which had been painted a pale yellow colour. The ceiling was a deep red colour and there were similar colour curtains at window, whilst the timberwork was a contrasting pale green colour. An old brick fireplace was to one side with a pile of logs. A glass display cabinet on the wall housed a collection of old beer bottles, jugs and so on. Overall I felt that this all felt rather tired and dated, and whilst it might be historically genuine, I have come across far more interesting and attractive pub interiors than this rather plain one. The bar to the left had old wooden boards on the floor with green vinyl bench seating around much of the perimeter, and another brick fireplace although this one contained a gas fire and beyond this was a snug with a few bookshelves on the wall. The atmosphere was very quiet, and I thought it could have done with either some background music or just more of a buzz of conversation.
Beers on tap were Bishop Nick’s Ridleys Rite, Singing Windmill Steampunk Ale, Leighton Buzzard Black Buzzard, Saffron Brewery IPA, Adnams Fat Sprat, Colchester Metropolis and Magic Rock’s Bearded Lady. As for the ciders, Aspall’s Suffolk was on tap with several more being dispensed from boxes stacked up on the end of the bar, and these included Black Rat, Broadoak and Skull’s Dark Cider among others. Overall, I was a bit disappointed with this. There was certainly a good range of beers and the barmaid was friendly, but it didn’t really inspire me to return.
On 20th July 2018
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1948 recommendations about 1861 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Thirsty Chaz left this review about The Odd One Out
A step back in time , fantastic feeling, . plenty of ales to have bash at.Seek this one out if in the town
On 24th August 2014
- rating: 9
[User has posted 57 recommendations about 57 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham McCarthy left this review about The Odd One Out
Beautiful town boozer, every time I've been there, 5 real ales, always a dark beer (which is my style), 3 ciders and 1 perry.
I can see from the majority of the reviews that nearly every visit has been a positive one. Highly recommended.
On 29th July 2012
- rating: 10
[User has posted 3 recommendations about 3 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Odd One Out
This is a very pleasing, old-fashioned pub, just a short stroll South of Colchester Town station. The interior comprises of three dimly lit rooms, connected by arched doorways. The carpeted front room has a very cosy feel, with comfy seats, newspapers on the bar counter, some old paintings on the walls and a few interesting display cabinets. The other two rooms have bare floorboards and a somewhat shabbier feel to them. The middle room, where the ales can be found, has tattered and torn banquette seating, a trophy cabinet (mostly cricket trophies on display), a collection of foreign beer glasses in a cabinet and an unlit gas fire. A third room to the rear gives access to the beer garden and had a coal fire going when I popped in on a Friday lunchtime. There is also a cricket bat listing centurions from the pub's own team, a fairly impressive collection of beer trays and numerous certificates from local CAMRA groups.
There was a good selection of beer available, with Mighty Oak Oscar Wilde (£2.56) and IPA (£2.54), Mauldon 1065 Christmas Reserve (£3.00), Cotleigh Honey Buzzard (£2.76) and Harwich Town Pilgrim (£2.60) on the hand pumps, plus Highwood Essex IPA in a polypin on the bar counter. There were also three ciders set up on the counter including something from Thatchers. Oranjeboom and Hurlimann made up the unusual lager selection on tap. Lists dominated the middle room, including lists of upcoming ales, spirits for sale (seemingly by the bottle), tobacco prices and sweets, crisps and medicines available in a small cabinet on the bar counter. The pub appears to be dog friendly as dog chews were also for sale, with proceeds going to a dog charity.
I thought this was a very nice, warm pub with a good beer selection and a lot of character. It was the highlight of my time in Colchester and I only wish I could have seen it when they were a bit busier.
On 25th January 2011
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
John Bonser left this review about The Odd One Out
Also to the south of Colchester town centre, and only a shortish walk away from The British Grenadier, is the unusually named Odd One Out, a rather quirky old fashioned pub that offers a good selection of real ales and has won numerous CAMRA awards over the years.
It's a narrowish L shaped bar with additional space in a lounge room on the right. It's traditionally furnished, part carpeted, part bare boards and decorated with a fine collection of old brewery mirrors. The landlord, John Parrick, completed 25 years here in February 2010 and a framed memento of this, presented by the regulars, has pride of place above the furniture in the lounge. The room on the left has a framed cricket scorecard recording the time in June 1992 when the pub cricket team - The Real Oddies - were all out for 19, on a pitch which the scorer has recorded as being "treacherous". 9 batsmen - including one John Parrick - failed to trouble the scorers.
This is a fine welcoming traditional pub, but I have to say that, in parts, the pub looks somewhat worn and neglected. Note in particular, the badly torn and worn padded seats in the left hand room. Also, many of the seats in the rather scruffy garden look a bit rusty and have clearly seen better days.
Do note the rules concerning mobile phones, dogs and "feet and legs". Infringe them at your peril.
On my recent Saturday lunchtime visit, there were 5 real ales on, including Milestone Black Pearl and Humpty Dumpty EAPA at 4.3% and 4.5% respectively. Both these beers were priced at a very reasonable £ 2.74p - it's very pleasing to come to a pub like this and feel you're not being taken for a ride - and were in excellent condition.
3 ciders were offered from barrels on the bar counter. A good range of whiskies is also available.
I think this pub is well worth seeking out - but do note the late opening times between Monday to Friday
On 7th October 2010
- rating: 8
[User has posted 560 recommendations about 560 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Thomas Sturgess left this review about The Odd One Out
Used to be my local and I still miss the place. Current East Anglian Cider Pub of the Year and a previous finalist for the National Cider Pub of the Year. The real ale is great and so are the punters! Very old fashioned indeed but that's part of the charm. It's a great pub for unwinding in front of the open fire on a winters night!
On 24th August 2010
- rating: 10
[User has posted 11 recommendations about 11 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Nigel Sheppard left this review about The Odd One Out
Dirty, shabby, smelly, no customers, warm bad tasting beer, worn out furniture, miserable staff and when we complained about the beer the barmaid drank some herself and told us it was fine and was not going to change it....so we left...my advise is steer well clear, go to the Fat Cat!
On 18th July 2010
- rating: 1
[User has posted 192 recommendations about 192 pubs]