Abbey, Plaistow, E13

Visited 08/01/25 No cask (disappointingly) but just a keg offering of Guinness, John Smiths, Moretti, Amstel, Carlsberg, Fosters, Angelo Poretti, K1664, Shipyard pale ale, SB regular and dark fruits. Cracking venue, shame that there weren’t better beer options! The bar servery dominates this venue with its traditional appearance. The venue is bare boarded throughout and dark wood is the order of the day here. Very pleasant sitting at the bar counter chatting with the locals and the manageress. Seating in the rest of the place via regular tables and chairs including some ledges around the pillars in the front of the venue. Some nice etched glass around the entrances and the gents' toilets. The TV's were showing the evening racing and there were also a few dart boards dotted around the venue. Rated up a little because of the venue, it would be above average with some cask beer offering.

There's no real ale here, and there was no sign of food when I dropped in here on Wednesday afternoon. Guinness was £1.75 a half. This is a lovely old Victorian pub - lovely that is until you actually enter it. It dates from 1882 and was once a Taylor Walker pub according to the external signage. The various entrances suggest that this pub once had at least five rooms. The vestibule entrance on the right has a mosaic floor showing the original name of the pub - the Abbey Arms. This entranceway also has original Victorian tiling on the right hand wall, and etched and cut glass in the windows. There's another vestibule entrance on the left of the building but this is a much simpler affair although it does have some decent glazing in it. The bar counter looks original, but the elaborate bar back is a modern piece of work. The furnishings are mainly tall tables/tall stools, but with a few normal tables and chairs around to the right, where one of the two dartboards is sited. There's a raised area by the windows at the front, occupied by a DJ plying his trade at 4.00 in the afternoon! nobody seemed to be very interested in what he was up to, and it was clear that those trying to hold a conversation were stuggling to do so. I was happy to cut short my visit, necking my half of Guinness to leave as soon as possible.

Standard draught selection. 3 dartboards