A proper spit-and-sawdust pub (minus the spitting - well, at least when I was there!) the sawdust…read moreon the floor and the Victorian decor and architecture give it a proper east-end pub atmosphere. The premises was originally an hotel - still called the Spotted Dog - handy for the railway line (the station is just a very short walk away). One of my best memories of the place was sitting down with a group of mates and drinking port - yes, port - served in a large jug at the table. Other fortified wines still feature on the alcohol menu today. Still a 'locals' pub, it's also a mix of city-smart types (I was one of them!) and the atmosphere is colourful and characterful. Maybe not a place to spend the entire evening but as a stop-over with friends (inside or outside in the courtyard) it's worth it for the port alone.

Wow, when was this picture taken??? I have never seen barking this quiet before, especially as…read morethere is barking station across the road to it!!! Anyway, this is perhaps my favourite pub that i have been to. It is situated in Barking, East London. With Barking Station being across the road, it has great access by the district, hammersmith & city and C2C lines. Dispite being in a very busy area (there are also 2 bus stations nearby and bus stops outside where around 10 different buses stop) the pub is actually quite quiet. There are 5 main area in this pub. The first is the front beer garden. With seats and tables, it is always open in the summer although quite a small area. Not my favourite place. Usually the last resort if all other seats are filled. The second is the main area, where the bar is. This is as you walk in. There are plenty of tables and chairs here wich are usually the first to get filled. The third is the back area. This is my favourite area. It has that old pub feel to it, with beer barrels and beer making instruments stuck to the walls and ceilings. There are plenty of booths here along both walls, left and right. There is a sofa area in the middle. During the days and most weekday evenings and weekends, this area is pretty quiet and is air conditioned. The forth area is the private room. I think the pub came with a small room, so they turned it into a private booth area that will seat around 6 people. The fifth is the back beer garden. This is a secluded outdoor area which is rather large. During the summer, it is a great area to sit. Its very quiet considering a tube line runs underneath. I think the main reason this pub is quiet is that there is a weatherspoons next door. As this is a very popular chain that sells food, that pub is mostly packed. I am not sure why more people do not go here. i love it. Occassionally on fridays, there are performers there, from elvis imporsonators, irish singers and various bands. The staff are great. very polite and helpful. There is also a wide range of beers, largers and ales. A great place to go for a quiet pint. Very highly recommended.

I have been going here for almost 15 years Quality of food is always good, Price is very…read morereasonable, Highly recommend to every one

This is much better than your average cafe. It may seem as a builders cafe, which probably it is,…read morebecause where its located, but I sometime will prefer to walk across the abbey and have a good old fry up here, than any of the other dozen or so breakfast cafes in barking. I believe the price for what you pay for here is much better, the quality of the food is a lot better, love the bread they serve out with your full English, fresh bread, not the hovis sliced bread type. Portions are large and presented well. Food is served very quickly and the venue is light and modern. Too bad it shuts at 3pm and closes on Sundays. Lunch menu is also decent. Good variety and again portion is massive. Its is a nonsense breakfast lunch cafe, not out dated or tired and serves a good grub.

I'm not sure what I feel about the Cat & Mutton. I should like it. After all, on paper, it has a…read morelot of things going for it. Its got delicous food, it serves a wide range of drinks including a fine Guinness, its spacious and airy inside and there is rarely an evening when it is not full enough to have some sort of atmosphere going on. In practice I avoid it. Something about the vibe created by so many young, alternative and utterly, utterly self-concious people puts me off. I really feel when I go here that I am entering the private members room of a club I will never be offered a membership to. If you are in the area on a Saturday and you are not as bitter about the Broadway set as me, then you can do alot worse than a swig of a bottle and a giggle at all the odd people on the crowded pavement outside. But for me that appeal wore thin pretty fast and I now usually go to the Albion, the Pembury Tavern or Bidels if I'm drinking in the locality.

I'm going to have to have words with that fella out of Ghost Busters. You know, the one that sells…read moretires? Well he has this guide book, the Michelin Guide, and apparently the Cat and Mutton has had it's pride of place in that book for quite a few years now. I think they were mistaken. I think this is another pub. The aliens have landed and used their transport-zapper beam to put in it's place a pub filled with twats and over priced beers. Oh and don't forget the rude and tutting staff from behind the counter. "Oi, you with the thick glasses and a haircut your half blind friend did in your squat. Yeah, you! Don't tut at me. I live here. I live on this street and am paying you money to give me liquid that will make my day rosy. Less of the tutting okay mate!" Alright, I didn't say that. I paid and quietly went on my way. But I was thinking it. And I'll think it again next time I go in there and get tutted at, and the next, and the next!

Very disappointed with service that we received tonight. We have used this restaurant many times in…read morethe past and have never been unhappy with any aspect of the service received. Although thos evening was a different story... Booked a table in the usual way (over the phone) days in advance only to be turned away on the night as there was no booking recorded. Myself and my party of 5 was offered a table although was also told that we could only stay for an hour which we thought wasn't fair as we had reserved a table to enjoy a meal for our occassion. Not happy at all.

Finally made time to try Cristina's the casual steak house. First thought, didn't expect to find…read moreany mid range to fine dining resturant in Barking, let alone a steak house. Although it is surrounded by butchers and the area is super busy, it does not really shout out wealth. There is no trendy bars, or cafes, not even a Costa or a Starbucks. So I applaud for such a business bucking the trend, and bringing something much needed which is a bit of charm and quality. The venue it self is surprisingly larger than the shop front suggest, plenty of space to move around, wide tables and fat apart. Nicely decorated with a mixture of being rustic and a bit of art decor charm. Good job keeping it simple and casual, after it is just a rectangular room. The food - quite decent, but can be improved. First the starters was excellent, well presented, full of flavour, but not over powering, and with such a variety. Four of us, had four different starters. - and cooked quite well. The mains - I asked for a medium rare, but was serve a medium, but nvm. The mains comes with two sides. And size of the steaks was decent. The steaks them selves wasn't bad, there was plenty of seasoning, but the meat itself was on the average side. I would not call it prime, then for the cost, I would not complain. Deserts - a nice variety and tasted very fresh and home made, they certainly made an effort with putting together a desert menu. There is good selection of wine and drinks. The service was really good, friendly and efficient. Overall for the price and location and the service, quite value for money and decent food. I would definitely come back to try again

If you like tasty food, and you enjoy eating well for not a lot of money, do visit Chennai Dosa…read more It is very much an Indian version of a caff, and the seating and service is interesting, but you can forgive them anything. Why? Because you can have a great, healthy meal for less than £5, and there's not many places that will do that in London. It's vegetarian, and although I'm not and there are non-veg options, I stick veg when I'm there, because it is so tasty. My favourite? A chilli iddly to start (a fried dumpling served with peppers, onion and chilli) followed by a Masala Dosa, all for about £4. If there was a down side to it, it is that I didn't understand what a lot of the menu items were - they are authentic. But I've enjoyed finding out.

If you really fancy good quality and authentic India food , Chennai Dosa is the place. Things are…read morevery cheap, but they ahve a big queue. You can get veg buffet for less than £5 and non veg buffet for £6 . I have been there 7 times now . Nice for Dosa and other south Indian dishes. Brilliant preparation. but need to wait for things at times Cheers

Excellent food we need and good ambience the staff responsible is great for there customers the…read moregood there is no words I'm quite happy about that no words for that

If you ever have the yen to head to India, but can't quite scrape together the time or the funds…read more.. or maybe you've already been, but are in the mood to reminisce, I suggest you hop on the District Line and head to East Ham. There's a plethora of Indian stores and restaurants on the East Ham High Street (and of course, the requisite population of Asians to patronize them... if you're anything but brown, be prepared to feel like a foreign minority - I've been stopped and asked if I'm "lost"), but after you've poked around a bit, I suggest you take a right out of the East Ham Tube station and head up the street to the vegetarian Saravanaa Bhavan restaurant for a delightfully tasty and authentic Indian meal experience. What's really cool about Saravanaa Bhavan (and what makes it worth the trek) is that they serve dishes that you've never seen anywhere in your run-of-the-mill Indian restaurant... and certainly not anywhere in Central London. Visually, you're in for a surprise. There are incredible inflated pancakes, mammoth tubes of golden crepes-like things three feet long, little tin cups filled with a rainbow of curries and sauces that you've never heard of before. For a lover of Indian food, this is a veritable funhouse of new and fascinating curiosities... you will want to look and stare and ask a thousand questions, and then, order everything! They have a couple of platter options, and for a first-timer, I recommend that you get both (especially since they're unbelievably cheap) - that way you get a good sampling of everything on offer. Plus maybe order a mashed-potato-filled dosa, just for good measure. The service is okay. The atmosphere is better than what you'd expect. But the food is delicious; good quality and exceptionally well-spiced - plus you really can't trump the whole novelty factor of the cuisine. Just be warned, the locals like it too, so on a weekend night you could be in for a bit of a wait... but consider this a fantastic sign - you're dinner will be worth it.

Stopped in for a quick dinner. Thought I'd try their fish and chips…read more The bar looked really well stocked. Unfortunately, I wasn't in the mood for a cocktail, but I may return one evening for a smoked old fashioned. Stay tuned for a future update. The staff was very helpful. The fish and chips were good. Nice portion.

The flat iron steaks which were the best we've eaten for a long time, thanks to Chef Tom!read more

I'm so happy, I'm so so so so so happy that it's kind of makes my little pessimistic body shake…read morewith excitement. I walked past this place about a week ago and it had only been open a few days. It's was pouring down with rain and I peered though it's wonderful windows at the warm glow coming off the copper coffee pots. I begged and begged to go in but my partner in crime at the time dragged me on to the bus and I stared back at the orange lights as they faded into the distance. This time however I was alone and missed two buses just standing in the rain peering in. It looked so wonderful that I didn't want to go in and soil it by the place being bad. I can't tell you the relief I felt when I had my first sip of my fabulous mellow, deep, smooth, rich... coffee. I don't know if I told you but this place isn't a bar, it's a coffee house, a proper old skool hang out where you can chill out, relax and read a book, pen a novel or even just stare out the window and pass the time people watching. I can't even describe the decor, it was a cross between an old pub and someones sitting room. I'll upload some photos so you can see what I mean. I think their beans are Brazilian, and they are tasty too so you should come her and drink coffee. As I said this is a coffee house and unlike many others I have been too, this one is of a particular style yet it's not trying. It's just great, and it's doesn't need to try hard at all. They do have a selection of cakey cakes and sarnies but... I didn't try those, damn it, I'll have to come back.

We've been going past this place forever on buses to central, have gone on about how cute it looks…read moreand how we have to go in, but have only just set foot through the door. More fool me, I love The Bridge. And I love the old school looking robot-like gold and silver twin coffee machines more. The decor is pretty manly downstairs, all dark wood with old school posters and sporting memorabilia downstairs; but venture upstairs and you find jewel coloured armchairs and drapes. Coffees were good and the pastries and muffins were pretty, but I really want to come back and make the most of the alcohol licence, get myself tipsy and pretend I'm Alice in Wonderland and make myself at home upstairs.