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Disappointment of the week with Tris39
on the Pub Forum
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about King Charles II
I'd called in advance to check opening times for this pub. I was expecting it to be one of only 2 pubs I was visiting that would open before midday. Whilst they were supposed to open at 11am, shortly after 11:30, the door was still closed and the telephone was not being answered.
Eventually, the guy inside opened up for us and revealed that the issue was a broken till. But no problem, we gathered together the exact change to pay!
The 6 real ales were all from Craddock's - Crazy Sheep, Saxon Gold, Troll, King's Escape, River Steam & Monarch's Way. My Crazy Sheep was enjoyable. There was no real cider.
The interior is very olde worlde, with low beams and plenty of character. A short, but enjoyable visit.
On 6th September 2020
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2452 recommendations about 2451 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about King Charles II
A Good Beer Guide 2020 Entry.
10/10 for the building - a 1577 Merchants House, good enough for a King. Charles II made his escape from here after the 2nd Battle of Worcester. Amazing that you can now come in on a Tuesday in August 2020 and get half price pies :-)
Its suitably authentic inside - all wooden paneling, low ceilings, wood carvings. A lengthy bar, tables, fireplace and stairs leading to more seating upstairs. Wonderfully atmospheric.
Beerwise, its a Craddocks House - who are a Brewery in Stourbridge. We had around 8 hand pulls - 80% their beers and a couple of guests (Hobsons Twisted Spire was one). Unfortunately, I am not completely au-fait with their range and there is little clue as to beer types from a name and a percentage ABV. I played its safe with a Saxon Gold. On review, Troll was possibly more my sort of thing. Beers well kept but not as exciting as a well kept Bathams or Holdens.
If you do go - ask about the Skeleton and Dungeon :-)
On 26th August 2020
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1337 recommendations about 1323 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about King Charles II
Despite the very enchanting interior, I still struggle to truly embrace to this one. Now run by Craddocks and listed as participating the Worcester Real Ale Pub Festival, they’d made no effort to source any beers that differed from their usual stuff - lazy. Anyways I decided to have a Stout (NBSS 4.5 – a crackingly kept beer) and Honey (3.5). There were also a couple of ciders on the go. Quasi-authenticity was provided by a bunch of medieval re-enactors who had pitched-up for some liquid refreshment. I did enjoy my stop here more than previous, the beer quality saw to that. 7.5
April 2014
The big new noise on the Worcester beer scene, this lovely (Tudor?) building was formerly a restaurant and has been converted recently. Set up with a traditional pub interior, much full-length dark wood panelling, beams, ornate fireplaces, wood carvings, low ceilings, pewter tankards hanging from hooks, copper kettles etc etc. Additionally there appeared to be no screens or machines. There’s an upstairs room which was unexplored by me. Eight ales, an impressive line-up with some Sadlers, Craddocks and Bridgenorth breweries represented amongst the pumps. My Pacific IPA was a bit-under par and the glacial service didn’t help my mood. On a day of many high quality pubs I felt this one was a little underwhelming in context given the hype. No doubt I will try again in the near future, given the effusive praise elsewhere. It has the basics in place and perhaps I just hit it at a bad time. Rated 7
On 15th April 2019
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Black Country Mike from Chesterfield left this review about King Charles II
What a wonderful little pub!
Historic, authentic, and a fine selection of local real ales longside ones from further afield (the Jaipur was excellent!)
I can't end this review without mentioning the pies. My daughter and I popped in for a drink and something to eat and the one item on the menu was pie and mash, but what a selection of pies and mashes! My Matador pie was the best pie I've had in many a year and the cheesy mash was exquisite. My daughter really enjoyed her Troll pie and horseradish mash too.
On 26th January 2017
- rating: 9
[User has posted 5 recommendations about 5 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Thuck Phat left this review about King Charles II
A wonderful, historic, traditional pub with a warm welcome and a mixed clientele.
The dark wood surroundings - floors, beautifully panelled walls, furniture - and two wood burning stoves make it very easy to feel comfortable here and many clearly do. If Wetherspoons is your bag then this is one to avoid.
The welcome from the two youthful barmen was friendly enough, knowledgable on beer and efficient.
There were one or two finishing off food on our Thursday evening visit but many more were drinking and it felt much more pubby than restaurant like.
All the beers were from Craddocks and its associated breweries: Craddocks Troll, Saxons Gold and Crazy Sheep, Two Thirsty Brewers Matilda's Mild and Bridgnorth Kings Escape, River Steam and Monarch's Way. Two local ciders were also on and the last of the ten handpumps was unused. I've come across Craddocks before at their Duke William in Stourbridge where their beers were excellent. I wasn't disappointed here and the Crazy Sheep was in good shape and flew down.
A really inviting pub with great beer.
On 24th May 2016
- rating: 9
[User has posted 679 recommendations about 678 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about King Charles II
This is such an Olde Worlde pub it almost becomes a cliche. Inside it's all you would expect, low ceilings, beams, wooden floors and wood panelling. I was surprised to learn that this was a restaurant as it looks like an original pub and to host ten hand pumps must have some sort of cellar.
The sign outside suggests that Sadler's Ales might be here but all the beers that were on were from Cradock's and their two subsidiary brewers.
I went for the Cradock's Crazy Sheep (£3.20) which was an excellent pint. This is a decent enough pub where the beer choice is the appeal for me rather than all this historical guff, most of which was probably made up by an owner from the distant past. However, on a visit to Worcester I can't see how it can be ignored.
On 15th June 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about King Charles II
Yet another blinding Worcester pub and no inkling that it has only recently been converted, a classic genuinely old building with a beamed ceiling and old timbers holding the old girl up, dark wood panelling, an amazing feature fireplace with civil war scenes depicted, the upstairs room has bench seating and feature clocks, all stopped showing different times, back downstairs, part boarded. part carpeted, bar on a side wall with hops entwined over. Pewter tankards hang from hooks, copper kettles, wooden owls and swans form the décor, a map from 1611 shows the escape route of the eponymous King's retreat in the civil war.
A tremendous selection on here, Sadler's Mud City Stout, Thornbridge Jaipur, Pope's Festival Pale Ale, Tiny Rebel Welsh Red Ale, Bridgnorth River Stream, Craddock's Crazy Sheep and Saxon Gold, Thirsty Brewers Pacific Pale ale plus ciders and a perry from Barbourne and Abrahall's. Something went while we were in but so good to see another put straight on and properly pulled through. Bar snacks in the guise of pork pies, scotch eggs, scratchings, what a pub!
On 2nd September 2014
- rating: 9
[User has posted 1707 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about King Charles II
Splendid real ale house, with a half-timbered façade and a very traditional interior. Dark wood panelling, with some fine carving above the fireplace. Didn't have time to visit the upstairs room, but the people there were obviously having a fine time since good-natured laughter could clearly be heard from below. Excellent range of real ales and ciders from the ten handpumps, including several each from Sadler's and Craddock's, and my pint of Bridgnorth Monarch's Way (£3.10) was in fine form. First class.
On 29th March 2014
- rating: 9
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about King Charles
Another must visit pub when in Worcester,this former restaurant has been lovingly converted to a pub .The building exudes charm and age,low ceilings ,beams ,a beautiful carved real fire surround and ,on the first floor a wonderful irregular sloping floor to the area which is most used by diners.A wood burner exists in the back of the ground floor,the furniture is authentic while upstairs long benches make up a lot of seating capacity.
Sadlers Brewery will showcase some of their ales(Mud City Stout on my visit),and so will Craddocks (Crazy Sheep and Troll among others on my visit)while output from Bridgenorth was also available,although this marque may be owned by Sadlers.There will also be some guests among the 10 handpumps.My Craddocks Crazy Sheep was in very fine nick.Pork pies at £2.50 and scotch eggs at £2.60 along with other bar snacks complement the more extensive food offering.
Make sure you dont miss this pub when in Worcester,it's a terrific place and rightly popular with all ages.
On 23rd March 2014
- rating: 9
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Stuart Harley left this review about King Charles
This is a cracking pub for a real ale drinker like me, a minimum of 8 real ales to choose from at any one time, local ciders and continental beers as well. Add to that a vast selection of bar snacks and a vast range of pie & mash options to choose from and you are set fair for a good day.
The King Charles has maintained its historical features and has avoided the installation of fruit machines & TV's and, for me, this is an added bonus
On 22nd March 2014
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1 recommendations about 1 pubs]