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Chat about:
Disappointment of the week with Real Ale Ray
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Vine, Norwich
Norwich
NR2 1DE
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Steve C left this review about The Vine
The Vine has the feel of a shop conversion with a bar counter along the rear wall that faces a mix of seating. Oakham’s JHB, Moon Gazer Skidaddler Milk Stout, Fat Cat’s Tom Cat and Gk Abbot Ale were available on cask alongside a premium keg range. A large list of beers and ciders on chalk boards above the back bar suggested the presence of a large fridge somewhere. I was a bit perturbed when the barman pulled my half of JHB before preceding to pull the barrel through into a bucket, this was a first for me, however there was nothing wrong with my drink. This place is also a Thai restaurant, but I’m not sure how they make much money with only four or five tables in a small room upstairs. Also, there are only two toilets, one male and one female. I found the service to be polite, but I don’t plan on returning.
On 23rd April 2023
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5228 recommendations about 5196 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Vine
A small mid terrace pub ,it describes itself as a thai restaurant but on the ground floor is most definately a pub run by a friendly thai lady who knows her beers.There are a few tables outside but I've been in larger micropubs so space is limited with a bench seating along a side wall with small tables .Upstairs is even smaller with just room for around 4 dining tables and a single trap gents.
It's in the 2023 GBG with on my visit GK Abbot,Fat Cat Tom Cat,Boudica Spiral Stout and Oakham JHB (NBSS 4).There are some real ciders too.
Worth including on any city centre crawl,I didn't try the food but suspect it would be very good if her ale conditioning is anything to go by.
On 16th April 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Vine
A small Thai restaurant/pub that seems to be a local CAMRA fave and given the signage spotted on the way “CAMRA night every Monday, 10% discount on food and drinks!” it isn’t hard to see why. The inside is little more than a small room with simple décor – stools, wood perch seating and aquamarine walls. The smell of Thai cooking pervaded, which is fair enough. Four pumps with three cask on; Oakham JHB, Genetic Code Mr Winters, and Fat Cat Tom Cat (NBSS 2.5). The excellent fridge range of Euro bottles caught my eye. Hardly a destination outlet, but brandish your CAMRA card on a Monday and eat and drink yourself merry I suppose. I probably will next time I’m in town and probably give it a higher mark as a consequence.
Visited early August.
On 12th September 2021
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Thuck Phat left this review about The Vine
Norwich's smallest pub it is claimed on a sign above the door (if I remember correctly).
It's very centrally located and is indeed tiny with the downstairs bar having room for only a handful of tables.
As has been noted, much of the focus here is on Thai food bu there were a few diehards supping pints with the landlady on our visit while diners were whisked upstairs.
Upstairs is equally compact, if not more so and Mrs TP felt it was like being asked into someone's front room for supper. For all that the Thai food was superb and very good value and the service was as polite, pleasant and friendly as you could wish for.
Beers on were Nethergate Black Shadow, which went down very well on a chilly evening, Oakham JHB and Lacons Encore.
I'm not entirely convinced about the GBG 2016 listing with that range, given the city's wealth of ale choice. Nonetheless, it is a charming spot for a pint and a tremendous Thai meal.
On 24th November 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 679 recommendations about 678 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Vine
This former Adnams pub, reputed to be the smallest in Norwich, is now a free house and operates partly as a pub and partly as a Thai restaurant. The ground floor level is very compact, with the servery on the rear wall, some high table and stool seating to the left and three tables with standard chairs filling the rest of the room. The bar has a simple counter and bar back and was installed around the time of the handover from Adnams. The walls have been decorated with floral wallpaper, some plain mirrors, blackboards and clippings from the local press extoling the pub's virtues. There were lots of CAMRA bits in the windows alongside various local listings magazines and flyers. Music played quietly throughout my visit and there was a decent number of people in on a Saturday evening, making for a good atmosphere, but not so many as to make it cramped and uncomfortable. Stairs to the rear lead up to the Thai restaurant which I failed to explore, but it is also possible to eat down in the main bar area, which had the unfortunate effect of making the whole place smell of food, which I found a little off-putting, especially in such a small space where it is impossible to escape.
There are four handpulls on the bar and these were dispensing an interesting selection of ales - Fullers English Pale Ale, Oakham JHB, Elmtree 80 Shilling and Hales Atomic Tan. I decided to try a pint of the latter but sadly it wasn't in particularly good condition. It was notable that, aside from those opting for wine with their food, just about every customer ordered a pint of ale, despite the presence of several well known keg lagers.
I quite liked the feel of this intimate little bar, but I couldn't help but feel that it was more of a restaurant than a pub, despite the traditional pub layout of the ground floor. The poor beer also didn't help matters and whilst I would happily return here for a bite to eat, I would probably drop it from future crawls.
On 15th November 2015
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Vine
Really enjoyed our lunchtime visit here, as the Thai food was excellent. There were four ales on handpump, we went for Woodfordes Nog and Oakham 3 Witches. There is also no problem to pop in just for a drink, as it is a small pub.
On 6th November 2012
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Gill Smith left this review about The Vine
Really liked this little pub in the heart of the city that is in the 2013 Good Beer Guide. Very enthusiastic staff serving top quality ales, and it is very clean and tidy downstairs. Outside seating at the front. Enjoyed Fulstow Village Life and Oakham Carioca here. So good we came back later in the day for a Thai meal. Superb.
On 15th September 2012
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1339 recommendations about 1222 pubs]