Local craft beer on draught. All vegetarian menu! I had a big bowl of winter vegetable minestrone soup (with kale, white beans) with thyme butter and parmesan. Vegan options available on several items. Very filling with a thick slice of granary bread. Another time I shared the sizzling lentil fajitas with guacamole and salsa. Yum.
Vegetarian pubs don't exist where I come from, so this is special.
I am surprised to see some poor reviews for this place as we had exceptional service and food.
Both our meals; falafal board and italian bean burger were super tasty and of a good portion size. Best of all however was the vegan ice cream sundae, this was probably one of the best vegan desserts I have had outside of London. The staff were all pleasant and the pub had a nice relaxed atmosphere. Prices are very reasonable also.
I hope we will enjoy it just as much on our return trip later this summer.
Pros: excellent menu, good value, relaxed atmosphereExcellent vegetarian pub with a decent menu. Always lots of vegan options available. I've eaten there several times & have no complaints.
Pros: Vegan stuffI booked our usual table for grandma's birthday recently, but got a horrible surprise when we turned up.
At 7pm they were already pumping out loud music and it felt like a city centre bar, not the cosy pub we knew and loved.
While we were debating whether to stay, there was a tense atmosphere and we then realised the landlord was threatening to call the police if a drunk didn't leave.
When I booked, they hadn't even bothered to tell me children were no longer welcome after 7, so we wasted an hour and two taxis. We eventually went to Food for Friends and had a great time.
I never thought I'd say this about a veggie pub, but I hope it closes soon! There's still chance for someone else to turn it back into the friendly, family pub it always used to be.
...and what's the deal with the 5-star rating system? I want to give it 0, but the lowest available rating is 2. Grrr!
Updated from previous review on Sunday January 02, 2011
Update, 6 June 11:
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I bowed to family pressure and we gave it another go recently (17:30 on Saturday).
Much nicer atmosphere today. The decor is much improved (from a year ago) and the clientele was chilled. Music still upbeat but not too loud for my hearing-impaired mum to cope with.
The standard menu was pretty, erm, standard: burgers, falafel, etc. The list of specials was much more appealing. My thai curry was spot on. The risotto looked sodden and overcooked, but still got the thumbs up for taste.
Great to see my previous experience wasn't representative, but it still struggles to compete with my favourites (Iydea, Loving Hut, Food for Friends, Planet India).
For the second time in 2 weeks we were told that the George had no Soya Milk! On the first occasion I remarked to the person serving us (who apparently was the assistant manager) that it was odd that a veggie vegan pub didn't have soya milk. Her response was that they were not obliged to stock soya milk and the last time they bought a carton they threw half of it away. We left and took our custom to Ideas, where we had pleasant service, delicious vegan cake and soya milk for our tea! The second time there were 5 vegans wanting tea. One of our party went and bought a carton of Soya milk, the George declined to pay for it and charged us the full price for the tea. Where does the George get off treating people like this? Not only is it rude, but it is also bad business practice.
Pros: Nice environment, Nice food, cant think of a 3rdI went to The George today after not going since they changed owners. The menu was good, there is a lot for vegans compared to a few months ago. However there is no vegan cheese, but the nachos were just as great without it. It would have been nice to have the option though. The staff is very friendly and the atmosphere was fun. This would be a great place to hang out in with friends on the weekend. I'd like to go again and try the burrito!
Pros: Lots for vegans, Friendly staffI was at the george on sunday at lunch time,I found a good selection of ales,a vegetarian menu that had at least five vegan options on it,we had sweet potato and ginger wellington and chestnut, mushroom and spinach nut roast with soy broiled greens,onion mash carrots and roast potatoes,friendly landlord and staff,quick service,excellent tasty food,good beer,fairly reasonably priced,hard to fault really
Pros: plenty of vegan options, tasty food, good beerThe George, now called the Prince George used to be great for vegans but sadly after two changes in the management the pub's now terrible! It is still vegetarian but now has very few vegan options, just the usual falafel & pita and falafel burgers that you could probably find in any Brighton pub or cafe.
The wines used to be marked vegetarian or vegan but they now have no vegan wines & only one that's even vegetarian.
I certainly wouldn't bother eating here if you're in Brighton - there are SO many better options!
The George USED to be bloomin' great but the people who run it these days probably never frequented the place in it's glory days as the standards have fallen dramatically.
Although it is a still a vegetarian pub I very much doubt if many (or any?) of the staff are of this persuasion for a lot of the menu consists of 'pretend' meat dishes in a similar way to what you have plonked in front of you when visiting a meat eaters house for dinner (IE: carnivores think that unless it LOOKS and smells like a meat dish it isn't really a proper meal)
This is all a bit of a tragedy because the George was really one of the best veggie pubs in the country, fantastic food and great beer all within staggering distance of Brighton Station.
How I miss the 'George Salad' with its roasted veg and sun dried tomatoes sprinkled with toasted seeds, the sumptuous Mediterranean mezzo platter and the generously proportioned 'George burger' - and then there were the ever changing specials of the day on the blackboard.
Those were the days when they had a decent chef..... it seems to me whoever is manning the galley these days is cooking by numbers.
I will check in to the George again in a while though hoping for the best so if the owners happen to read this I do so hope they can restore the culinary reputation of this fine pub apon which I will re-assess my review accordingly.
Pros: Good beerMy friends and I ate at the George and had a brilliant time.
We arrived quite late and the staff and chef were very accomodating and friendly.
We read in other reviews that they no longer had vegan options marked on the menu but were happy to see that this was not the case and there was planty of choice for everyone.
A couple of us would have liked to have slightly bigger portions but apart from that, the food was really lovely and there was a great pub atmosphere.
Pros: Vegan Options, Nice Staff, Yummy foodThe management has recently changed hands and for the worst. They no longer list Vegan dishes on their menu and the staff are pretty unsure of what is Vegan. There is also no Vegan wine any longer too. I ordered a burger that I was promised would be Vegan. It came smothered in cheese, which I sent back. Within seconds the same burger was returned to me with a poor attempt at scraping off the cheese. It was once again returned and the the member of staff laughed embarrassingly. Appauling.
Went to the George pub last night (now called the Prince George) and we were very disappointed. Nothing on the menu was marked vegan and most things were very heavy on the cheese. We asked a waitress what was suitable for Vegans and she didn't really know. She just said we could have the falafel burger or falafel pitta without the tzatiki. It's a big let down for Vegans as there isn't one solely vegan item on the menu so you'd have to make to with a vegetarian meal with something left off which you've paid for. Luckily we hadn't ordered any drinks at this stage so we left and went to planet India over the road (which was amazing!!)
I used to love the George - in my opinion, it was the best pub in town and had great and not too expensive vegetarian (with vegan and gluten-free options) meals.
When I came back to Brighton after travelling in April, I notice the place was close for refurbishment. As it re-opened, I decided to visit the place with friends to celebrate my birthday - the celebration took place yesterday.
I was first disappointed because I couldn't make a reservation but decided that since it was a Saturday, it was understandable. When we got in (around 8.00 pm), the place was full and looked really nice - the (now 'Prince') George needed some work done and it looks great. However, the kitchen closed at 8.30 instead of 9.00 because they ran out of food (?!), which my friends and I were told after some of us had ordered and others were waiting. We weren't allowed to bring food in from elsewhere (although this meant that some of us would not eat as the others got their meals) which was annoying. Since I had told friends to meet at the George, we couldn't really leave anyway, in case others showed up.
The menu has changed a little but still offers typical pub meals (burgers, chips, chili, pasta, kebabs, sandwiches, etc.). They changed some of the beers on tap, still sell Guinness (not vegetarian), and I didn't feel like the staff knew whether the other beers were vegetarian or not.
I might go back to see whether they got their act back together, but wouldn't invite lots of friends for a celebration anymore.
Oh, and one last thing: while refurbishing the pub, the owners didn't change their toilets much (painted, but that's it) and therefore they remain inaccessible for disabled people - it would have been nice for them to take their needs into account.
Pros: good pub food, gluten-free optionsreally disapointed with our last vist to the pub, has it changed hands?, no specials on the wall, and the menu isnt as it was-not many vegan meals, but still a nice pub to have a drink,(stowford press cider on tap!), oh, and one last thing, the music was gash!, come on "george" get it back together again
Pros: ciderThe George is a great place. Stop in for a beer and their burger specials, like the Elvis. We went for the regular George and jacket potatoes with vegan beans. Service and food is fantastic. If you want to be a total glutton bar hop down a few streets and split the spicey vegan burger at the Eagle, too.
Pros: Vegan low fat options, baked potatoes, baked beansRelaxed veggie pub with veggie and vegan pub grub.
Hot drinks include soya cappuccino and hot chocolate.
The George has always been a bit hit and miss as a dining experience - bear in mind it is a pub that does food from a small kitchen, rather than a restaurant.
You may arrive to find half the menu crossed off the blackboard as they have run out of almost everything, or to be told that they're not taking orders for an hour while the kitchen "catches up".
If it's busy it can take AGES for your food to arrive, so it's NOT the place to go if you are in a hurry. (Luckily, there are other places to go nearby if you are in a hurry).
Once it is with you, it will be a good satisfying plateful of food. Their roast is usually really good, they also do stuff like Thai green curry, burger salad & chips, bangers and mash. All reasonable quality at reasonable prices.
Great for a relaxing afternoon in the pub.
Must admit I preferred it before the recent redecoration, with all the posters on the walls and grunginess - they have kept the toilets pretty grotty as a reminder of the old times, I noticed :-)
Since it has been refurbished it has become a lot better. However the selection of vegan food has gone down but it is still one of the best pubs in town.
Pros: good size portionsWe do not drink, so we went there purely for its food. The food taste very good but some South American food can be a bit spicy. You order and pay at the bar counter. The service can be a bit slow and some of the waiters/waitresses is not very friendly or helpful.
It can be noisy in time as well.
the food is always spot on, sometimes a little expensive compared to other pubs, but i feel you pay for what you get, most of my friends love this place and the fact they can do most things vegan is great. If in brighton i'd try and check out this place
Pros: excellent food, vegan options, they sell beerMy partner & I love visiting The George on day trips to Brigton, but having read some poor reviews we were sceptical on our latest trip in March. Happily were not disappointed. We both had 2 huge vegan burgers, plenty of chips & a basic salad with a delicious dressing. It was 5pm ish when we arrived so not as manic as at lunchtime. It's a real treat to be able to select a glass of vegan wine and a cup of tea with soya milk in a pub. There was enough vegan selection on the menu, & they also serve veggie & vegan tapas if that's your thing. Would recommend The George to anyone looking for reasonably priced veg/vegan food.
Pros: Good food, Good wineI used to love coming to this pub for a filling meal with huge portions, great vegan choice, friendly staff and value for money. None of this remains though. Taking a while to arrive, both meals were almost cold. My 'vegan' burger came covered in cheese, and when I questioned this the girl at the bar grabbed the plate without an apology, and I returned to my seat. My drink had lipstick all over the glass. When I got my meal back the chips and salad remained- the chips now even colder. I wont be returning and I hope that the George can somehow get back its once valued reputation.
Pros: Vegan options.
It's easy to be critical of a pub today when most gastro and chain pubs all offer deals on food and booze. The George is a vegetarian ild styled pub with a pub atmosphere. Yes it can seem a bit grubby but that is pub experience. If you want lavish surroundings and cotton serviettes then this is not the right place.
The food portions are enormous and the vegan selection is great with some veggie options that they can make vegan for you.
The serice can at busy times be slow but hey, sit down have a drink and relax that's what it's all about. The food is worth the extra wait. I think it is great that it get busy with people all eating veggie food and whan i leave i walk past the other empty pubs.
Now with the smoking ban the experience is better for people who want to eat their food without the forced smoke in their faces.
On the downside i do not like to see children in pubs in the evening as their time is during the day. I don't like screaming kids running round while i am eating and drinking and trying to relax. Maybe there should be child free zones for those who do not want the hassel of children disturbing their dinner times.
I've been going here for a few years but really going downhill. The tables were grubby, the food took a long time to arrive and, on two occasions, it was only lukewarm and had to be sent back. To make matters worse when my partner complained the bar staff got quite nasty with him. Some of the dishes are still very nice but don't think I'll be going again. Vegan desserts are non-existant, mostly.
Pros: Fairly cheapBoozer in Brighton selling vegetarian food. Nice atmo in the place. I haven't been in Brighton for a while but more than happy to eat at the George again. Central location.
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I am very disappointed to read of the poor experiences previous customers have had at the Prince George and would like to offer my sincere apologies.
As the new manager of the Prince George from the 17th January 2011 I have made many changes and feel the issues raised in these reviews have been addressed.
We now offer an extensive vegetarian and vegan menu that includes many vegan options which are clearly labelled 'V.O' (Vegan option). Our menu changes every day and all of our dishes are prepared from fresh ingredients on site daily. Last week we were voted in the top 10 most vegetarian friendly pubs in the UK by 'PETA'.
We also offer many vegetarian and vegan, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, with vegetarian wines, vegan and vegetarian beers and ciders all available.
We now also take bookings of any size every day, except on Fridays and Saturdays from 5pm onwards, when we only take bookings for parties of 4 or more people. We are a very family friendly pub with children welcome until 7pm every day, high chairs, colouring pens and paper and play-dough are available.
Our music system has been modified so we can now offer louder and quieter areas of the pub, and we aim to select music that is appropriate for the time of week and ambience our customers require.
We work tirelessly at the Prince George to ensure we are one of the best pubs in Brighton and would love for you to come and give our pub another try.
Many thanks,
Ben Murray
Manager
01273 681055