Drury Street Bar & Kitchen

Was in the place tonight it was dead!
Thought we would order a few drinks only for me to somehow get the wrong drink (was only me and my boyfriend) when returning it my boyfriend was merely grunted at.
Their idea of asking what can I get you? Is a very unenthusiastic what do you want?
When they ask if you want cutlery and are too busy on the phone to bring you it just to dismiss you with a hand in the direct of it? Pathetic.
We decided to buy food two pizzas that were an embarrassment! Over sauced and under cooked! The cheese just pathetically sat clumped in half melted clusters. Avoid the jalapenos on your pizza or you will have half of the pickling sauce with them. Literally only eat two slices and had to leave. I would’ve got a better pizza from the worst takeaway where I live and to pay £9 for the pleasure of each pizza? Never again shocking service and pizzas primary school kids would have a better attempt at.
Rant over.

My friend has a taste card so we thought we’d give drurys a visit. We walked in at 6pm on a Wednesday night and the place was empty. There were a couple of people playing pool. We were eating so we both ordered burgers. The place smells of food when you walk in, which was nice at first but then, I take it they cook the food at the bar which leads to all your clothes stinking of cooking and grease, not good. The food arrived it was very basic and no thrills. I opted for the burger with bacon and cheese. It tasted alright but the burger was dry and had fatty bits in it. Due to my friend having a taste card we got a buy one get one free offer so our bill came to just over £10. but I won’t be rushing back.

I’d heard great things about Drury Street, particularly about their wide selection of fine ales.
The day we were there, there didn’t seem to be a very big selection on draught, and no stouts on draught. To be fair, they had at least 4 bottles of stouts/​porters, so I opted for a bottle of Talon — I think it was called that — it had an eagle on it anyway. It was delicious, very dark and licoricey. And also very strong. So for all those awesome qualities, I was expecting a high price, which it was, at over 5 quid for the bottle. So while the Talon was indeed yummy, I was reluctant about forking out for a second round.
I always like a downstairs bar in winter, as you’re protected from icy drafts, and I liked the set up of the place, with cosy side booths, candles giving a warm glow to the place, and some pool tables at the back.
I would return to Drury St, but I’d probably look to see what they had on draught first of all, and I’d be hoping there would be more choice next time. I’d go back if I fancied a plain old IPA and a game of pool.

Drury Street Bar… after reading some of the reviews of this place I was expecting a lot more but the beer choice just lets it down I’m afraid.
The bar is downstairs which is great as it means the biting cold wind outside is not blowing in through the main door which makes it nice and snug down below. The place itself is pretty big with nice long tables and some nice ‘booths’ along the back wall if you want something more cosy. The bar menu has a range of options from snacks to burgers and the like in case you fancy a bite to eat.
Also, they have at least 3 pool tables at the back of the room if you’re into this kind of thing whilst supping your pint.
However this is a bar and the key to a decent bar is a decent selection of beers and this is where Drury Street currently falls down. I was expecting a good range of beers but they were sadly lacking and I think I counted about 8 pumps with all the normal fayre although they did have Brew Dog Punk IPA and Innis & Gunn so all is not lost! They do have some decent bottles but they’re never cheap are they!
So, we only stopped for one and then moved on — uninspired but the choice on offer currently. With a decent range of beer, this place could be really good.

I was meeting up with a friend for Friday night drinks. We wanted a bit of a cocktail gin night! We tried Alston bar and it was packed. We tried Tabac, it was the same. I then thought of Drury’s. It is perfect because it’s such a big space and sure enough we managed to secure a sweet booth in the corner.
It seems they have a rather interesting cocktail menu. There were a few gin offerings but they were quite unusual because they were mixed with rather strong liquors! I would say they are manly cocktails because they have a pure kick to them.
We ordered food and got a total of 12 chicken wings. 6 of them were chilli and maple. 6 of them were PB & J which we could only conclude as peanut butter and jam? I asked the staff member if the PB & J were good. She told me that she didn’t like peanut butter so she couldn’t really say. She also warned me that they were spicy so beware. But my god were they AMAZING! I think I’ll be recommending this place to everyone the wings were that good.
There was a point when I felt I had something stuck in my throat & I was coughing. It was apparently the chilli in our food as it was getting cooked. The server told us that the entire place was coughing & choking when the chilli was being cooked in their open space kitchen! The perils of open kitchens!
So next time we go we are going for 20 wings for £10 and all of them PB & J!!!
Also great music and we were dancing like idiots as the night wore on…

I feel sad only to give this 2 stars, but yesterday we were the only two people in the pub! I know it was Monday night, but some of the nearby places were almost standing room only. I usually reserve judgement on bars where I have had a ‘not great’ experience, but I have been here several times (including when it was Drury Street brewery) and eaten there too, but there is hardly ever anyone in!
I hope to revisit again on another day when it actually is more busy, as I really want to up its star rating, as technically a city centre place with quirky furnishings and interesting beers should be on my ‘must visit’ list!

The need for for a late-​afternoon refreshment with friends last weekend saw me heading to Drury Street bar… Initially reluctantly, despite having heard the bar had improved, but I can confirm it certainly has improved!
The first impression was good; gone was the awful carpet on the stairs. The bar was brighter and far more pleasant than before. Artworks on the wall, and a mini open kitchen area made for a far more welcoming experience.
The staff were friendly and welcoming, and the beer prices pretty good, in fact Joker IPA the cheapest I’ve bought in the city.
I was only in for a quick beer, so didn’t have an opportunity to try the food, but again I’ve heard good things.
The «steampunk» copper piping is still there, but the other changes that have been made are definitely in the right direction. Happy to say I’ll be dropping by again.

This is a surprise update for me.
My previous experiences of Drury St have been very blah — I previously have them 3 stars mainly for potential and having a big space.
So, last Friday I was meeting a big group of friends and figured this would be a quiet place where we could get seated together. And we did, but it didn’t remain quiet for long. It was another relaunch for Drury St — gone is the previous bad management with ideas that just weren’t likely to work, instead they’ve now built an actual team of staff. And it works.
The staff were fast, happy and friendly. And the beer was cheap! A round of 2 Joker, 1 carling and a large white wine came to £11!
We had only intended staying here for an hour just to meet, but ended up staying all night. The DJ was awesome, playing every song from every film of the 80/​90s.
The thing that struck me most about the night was the mix of people — it was a really eclectic crowd, from the old Steampunk customers, to guys just in to play pool, to people obviously using this to kick start a night out.
This is now a place I’d purposefully go to of an evening. 4 stars as we had a great night, but I want to check it out again.