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Disappointment of the week with Gann
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Black Boy, Winchester
Winchester
SO23 9NQ
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 9 of 10) see review guidelines
Real Ale Ray left this review about Black Boy
This was our first pub to visit on our crawl around Winchester and what a good place to start. You could spend hours in here spotting different paraphernalia around the place. We called in here early, which gave good opportunity for a nose round. I came across a Warthog under the table football game in the far right lounge, which seemed to be hiding there. Five handpumps, with four in use serving Hopback Summer Lightning, Hopback Pickled Santa, Flowerpots Bitter and Alfred's Brewery Saxon Bronze. The barman along with the couple of locals were friendly and chatty and gave us good directions to the Queen Inn.
On 11th December 2023
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Black Boy
Remains a beguiling place. Sadly on a hot day my choice of Flack Manor Gold was flabby and lacklustre (NBSS 2). Worth a visit for the interior but not somewhere that truly excels when the going gets tough on the cask. 8.5
February 2017
This eclectic place trundles on much as it ever has done. My visit found Saxon Brewery Alfred (barrel-end), Itchin Valley Russian Winter (good), some old tosh from Cotleigh, Flowerpots Pale and Hop Back Summer Lightning. Always a must-visit in the city. Rated 9
July 2011
An eccentric freehouse with a cosy atmosphere, sporting a good selection of five interesting ales on my last visit (Summer Lightning, Andwell King John, Dark Star Saison, Cheriton Flowerpots and Ringwood Best), with a real cider too if I remember right. All the samples came out well. The teenage female barmaids were, well, teenage in their approach and the piped music rather suited their tastes, unfortunately. As mentioned extensively elsewhere, there are a number of different rooms to explore with more stuffed animals than Ray Mears' shed, more tat than David Dickenson’s attic and more worn rugs than Terry Wogan's dressing room. No fruit machines or TVs to annoy you either. Board games and table football available. The owner also operates a restaurant (Black Rat) and wine bar (Black Bottle). Ten to fifteen minutes’ walk along the river Itchin from the centre of town and well-worth it. One of Winchester’s best places and a well-kept secret from the tourists. Rated 9
On 9th August 2022
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
E TA left this review about Black Boy
Very much as described by others below, this wonderfully eclectic and eccentric throwback to the days of individuality and interest was a fantastic inclusion on a town crawl. Has anyone previously mentioned that the ceiling in the vaulted area in the middle was lined with old doors - very Lewis Carol, which along with the serpentine feel of the layout and the stuffed animals (by which I mean the taxidermy, not my drinking companions) made for a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Ales on were Alfred's Saxon Bronze, Flack Manor's Romsey Gold, Flower Pots's Bitter and Summer Lightning, plus there was one dry pump. The beer was in excellent condition, though a bit overpriced for the area. There was also a cider on draft. I need to come back and wander around again, especially as their beer quality is so good, but also because there's more to see.
On 24th July 2022
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3281 recommendations about 3246 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about Black Boy
BF and GC sum the place up perfectly. I’ve been some quirky pubs in my time, the Hemingford and Churchill spring to mind, but this place takes the biscuit, even having a view across the bar to the kitchen/diner (along with Aga) of the very friendly and engaging couple who’ve run the place since 1995. An old and quirky pub, this is very much a den of taxidermy, everything being original save for the camel’s head and the pachyderm’s entire leg, quite literally the elephant in the room.
Five ales on as I recall, me taking a half of Summer Lightning at £2.60 and on fine form.
This is a must-visit Winchester pub, my favourite on the day.
On 16th July 2022
- rating: 9
[User has posted 1983 recommendations about 1949 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Black Boy
One of the most quirky pub interior I have visited and for that alone it's a must visit,but be aware of the mid afternoon closing.The old interior is on many levels ,with two lounges to the left with a corridor leading back around the central bar to a front bar room with a table football machine.There is a decent beer garden out the back.
Taxidermists will love the dispay,although may blanche at the two squrrels engaging in Ugandan discussions.However the ephemira includes model airplanes,minature bottles ,phone equipment,bus stops ,it really feels like a set of Steptoe and Son.
Around the back bar there is a single pump for Lilly Mango cider,while the ale range in the tap room was Alfreds Saxon Bronze,Flower Pots Bitter,Flack's Romsey Gold and a good Hopback Summer Lightening (NBSS 3.5).
Just go there and enjoy ,I will most certainly return.
On 16th July 2022
- rating: 9
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about Black Boy
Not so much a pub as a walk-in museum with beer! As previously mentioned, it consist of a series of rooms with so much assorted tat that further description is superfluous. Beers on this occasion were Flack Romsey Gold, Flowerpots Bitter, Alfred's Saxon Bronze and Summer Lightning. Well worth visiting.
On 16th July 2022
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Thirsty Chaz left this review about The Black Boy
Amazing place ,a must visit pub beer sound as well
On 31st July 2014
- rating: 10
[User has posted 57 recommendations about 57 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Black Boy
A fantastic pub full of nooks an cranny's with a strange collection of curios scattered throughout the pubs several rambling rooms. Hopback Citra was my choice of beer and was perfectly good. As said before a destination pub in Winchester.
On 22nd March 2014
- rating: 9
[User has posted 1871 recommendations about 1844 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Black Boy
This idiosyncratic free house, taking its name from the coal heavers who worked the Navigation Wharf nearby qualified as the best pub visit during our stay in Winchester.
Many other have well described the main attraction of this pub and it is true to say that it would take several visits to discover all the eclectic collections this pubs four separate room spaces contain.
One that I can add to the list that most reviewers to date have missed (for obvious reasons) is the collection of dolls eyes with eyelashes that stare down at you from the ceiling of the ladies toilets (thanks to Mrs S for that one, before you ask.)
All this and a keen Ale policy with five beers to choose from. Flowerpots Bitter, Ringwood Best Bitter and Summer Lightning are regularly available and Goddards Scrumdiggity was one of the two micro brewery beers available for our visit.
A must do pub when visiting Winchester.
On 9th May 2013
- rating: 9
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Black Boy
A right jumble of rooms, filled with a highly eclectic selection of memorabilia. Pleasant side terrace with table football and views towards the river. Enclosed beer garden to rear. Five of seven handpumps in operation, offering various interesting brews including Flower Pots Bitter (£3.40) plus their own lager. Overall, a splendid place that rewards the relatively short walk from the city centre. (NB - Review dates from August 2012.)
On 10th February 2013
- rating: 9
[User has posted 8092 recommendations about 8092 pubs]