The Knowhere Guide

Eating and Drinking in Southend, Essex*

Southend, Essex Pubs, Cafes, Coffee Shops and Restaurants

Food

• Harry's burger van! (Get Harry's Special) He's by B&Q but he blatantly deals drugs, we see him hand over a package to some guy and he paid him £20, rofl. Also, err, The Road that WHSmiths BACKS onto, go down there and theres a nice little café which sells bacon, eggs, etc. nice stuff.
• Having been encacerated in Southend for many months now and eating out almost every night I think I’ve seen a fair selection of the varied culinary delights that Southend has to offer. I’ll start with the regular haunts, Ask and Pizza Express. These are located next to the Odeon so pretty good if you want to get something to eat before seeing a film. Both offer similar selections of food (well for me anyway as I always have pizza!) and at a similar price. Ask probably has the better atmosphere and nicer environment but pizza express has much quicker service; they also have (or used to) one quite fit waitress which is always good. The food in both is what you'd expect. The other side of the Odeon is the Hogs Head, more a bar that does food and the portions are quite small and not really that filling. It’s reasonably priced and they have two for one type meals too. Often something to watch on the TVs around the place and they usually have quiz night on a Monday. Talking of quiz nights and slightly further out of town is the cricketers pub also has it’s impossibly difficult quiz on Monday. They do a good selection of food, including all day breakfasts, and the portions are plenty large enough. If it’s pub food and large portions at a reasonable price you can’t beat Weatherspoons, The Last Post back in town. With their 99p a pint deals, Steak Club on a Tuesday and Curry Club on a Thursday (which is very popular) this would be an excellent place to go. However, the dregs of humanity, and the mental hospital, also seem to drink here which takes the edge off the place as they sit there in their urine stained jogging bottoms. On one occasion we had to move during our meal because there was such an odd mental that came and sat near us. Don’t get me wrong I like Weatherspoons and support it but I just wish they would be more restrictive on the cliental they let in. Sticking with the town centre and concentrating on junk food there is the usual Burger King and McDonalds which everyone knows. The McDonalds nearer the pier is probably your better bet and Berger King in Southend is a particularly bad one, cold fries etc. Sub Way is ok if you fancy a change but I quickly got bored of it. The Mews is one that I went to last night which is a really nice trendy sort of bar on the ground floor and restaurant upstairs with a bohemian decor. It’s somewhat hidden next to a church near the bowling green near the town centre. The restaurant and food served is of a very high standard although the fact that you have to order sideorders like potatoes and vegetables separately does add to the initial reasonable price. But considering the type of place it is £21 for a main course, side orders, pudding and drink isn’t too bad. There are comfy seats to relax in downstairs at the bar and the cliental is quite trendy, which is good! (Compare this to The Railway Inn around the corner where the sub human scum who couldn’t even get in Weatherspoons frequent) On the Sea front as you look out to sea/estuary just to the right of the pier above Adventure (wrong) Island (wrong again) is a pretty good fish restaurant, serving up loads of different fish dishes called Fishermans Wharf. It’s a little more expensive than you regular fish and chips look to pay ~£20 for you meal and drinks but has a nice alfresco dining area with a view of the promenade and adventure island and out towards the power plants in Kent... ok it could be better but it’s still quite nice! My mate had a bad pint (which they happily replaced)and the table mates could have been cleaned better but minor points. On the subject of traditional fish and chips probably the best one is Henry Higgens opposite the Sainsbury’s in town. They have a small dining area at the back which is usually full of OAPs. Beware though they stop serving at 8pm in the restaurant bit and close at 9pm, which by Southend standard for chip shop opening hours seems quite late! The fish and chip shops down the front near the arcades are dire, plain and simple. However, further down in the Leigh on sea direction on the front is Van Noostroy (ok that’s wrong but it starts with Van something) is a good fish and chip shop that also does tasty sandwiches and an all day breakfast, it’s also reasonably priced, and a good place to go for lunch. It’s like a restaurant and has waitress service. Just a bit further down is the Esplanade, I’ve never had food there but am impressed with the frosted glasses they get out the fridge for an extra cold Stella. Towards Westcliffe but still almost on the front is Roccos, Flying Pasta and Mama Mia Italian restaurants all in a row. Rocco’s (think that’s it’s name ..it’s the furthest one up the slope) is ok and certainly has a very Italian feel about it. However it does become quite expensive to dine there, look to spend £26+ if you want to have a good one. The bar lady (who is fit in an older woman sort of way and looks quite naught) makes sure you are always armed with a full glass. One person I was with did get a completely burned pizza served but they quickly realised this and got him a replacement. The do good steak and fish dishes as well as mussels as one of their specials. The mozzarella on garlic bread seems to be served as a compulsory starter but there isn’t that much to go round a large group of 8 or so. Mama Mia is probably better value for money but probably isn’t quite the same for an Italian feel. My favorite Italian restaurant in Southend is El’Pescatori just off the high street next to hmv. This does excellent food and has a very cool laid back feel to it. The lunch time menu is cheaper than the evening meal and you can look to spend ~£30 each on a good one, lunch wise it’s about £15. They play Italian opera over the speakers which may not be to everyone’s taste but certainly added to the ambiance in my opinion. Down the high street opposite Royals shopping arcade is a restaurant with a marble frontage and has a cafe bit to one side which is open during the day. I forget the name but it sounded Italian, the food isn’t really though. It’s an ok place to go and the do nice ice creams for desert. Nothing special just your traditional English food, expect to spend about £16-17 all in. I do get a feeling it might be popular with the pre-bingo crowd and parents taking their 6-12yo out for an evening meal. Switching to the Asian Sub Continent, Indians. The best Indian I’ve been to is the Shagor over in Westcliffe. Nice and spacious they do a good selection and the service is very prompt and efficient. You can have a good one here for under £15 including a couple of cobras. The Bay of Bengal is another option and they do two for one if you ask on a Wednesday. To get this you need to have starters though. If you order a cobra here and opt for the large one it’s just two 330ml bottle that you are actually given. For the popadoms they always bring out this orange coloured ‘sauce’ in a gray boat but no one seems to touch it and I’m not fully sure anyone ever has. They do a mean balti and the peshwari nan is actually better than the Shagors. There are quite a few Chinese restaurants I’ve been two in Southend. I don’t remember their names..as they are all pretty silly. One I do remember is the Green Dragon. This is opposite the Central station and offers an all you can eat deal but is incredibly slow service. The one slightly further out of town (a few doors) is actually the better Chinese and they do an all you can eat too. Look to spend around £15+ for these. The other side of town and down from Frankie and Benny’s is another couple of Chinese. The one on the ‘sea side’ of the road is ok but there all you can eat deal has so many sub clauses it isn’t worth risking it and the same cd on continuous repeat is more than a little annoying. It is ok but I would not recommend it. The other side of the road is a very dimly lit chinease/ti restaurant that does good food and an all you can eat but does seem a little bit too amateur as they were doing the ironing in the restaurant when we went in there too! In Westcliffe opposite the Shagor (and up a bit) is Sian City (think?) and they too do an all you can eat which is pretty good value. I really like the food in there and it has a spacious open light feel about the place which is a little different to the others I mentioned. In a similar style there is a good Chinese down the front road down from Kursall bowl that seems busy and has a nice layout in there. It’s more expensive than the others and look to pay over £22 for your meal and drinks. I don’t think they did an all you can eat either. Worth treating someone to a night out at one of these two..I think they’d be disappointed with the others to be fair. Opposite this restaurant is the Fujiyama Japanese restaurant. We went here in a big group and sat around a large hot plate type thing where the chef, who has zero personality and charisma, comes out and cooks your food infront of you. For this you wear some dressing gown type outfit they provide just incase you get splashed.. which I didn’t so I suspect they might have just done that to make us look prats? The food is really expensive; look to pay £38 for a meet and fish combo platter. The sushi is ok but not really my choice of food. It's an ok place to go, and an experience but probably only recomend it for a change if you go out regularly. There is a new Susi bar opsite Sainsbury’s that has one of those revolving food counters. I was not impressed with this place, basically £7-9 for a bowl of water with some vegtable and ‘meat’ lumps in it. Some dishes are ok, the ones with rice just insist you don’t get one of their bowl rip offs. I didn’t have sushi here and I’ve never see anyone sat at the revolving counter thing. Far better value can be found at the Bangkok Kitchen which does a good selection of food, starter and main for under a fiver and is ideal for lunch. It’s at the Blue Boar Pub on Victoria Avenue and contrast the rest ofthe pub and what you’d expect from that type of pub. Don’t go expecting an elaborate meal and try to avoid sitting under the AC as it’s freezing there. The Fleur D’Provance is a posh French restaurant opposite the Scream pub and near the bowling green. It’s a hi-end restaurant and the food is very good. However expect to pay a premium for it. The restaurant is perhaps a little claustrophobic especially when busy. The service is slow (as it probably should be) and they give you plenty of time to drink the wine in between each course. I don't remember too much! The best restaurant in the area is the Boat Yard at Leigh-on-sea. The restaurant is in a cracking location, has a really good atmosphere and the food is top. The waitresses are quite nice too and they have a really good selection of fine wines, cocktails and spirits to sample. Look to pay at least £80 each here. The food includes a traditional English faire with steaks etc on the menu. Outside they have a nice decking area and they also have a gallery area upstairs with seating. There is a piano and they do band nights, which apparently can be a little loud if you are sat to close so probably best to request a table removed from them. The cliental are also pretty interesting in here and it’s definitely the type of place you would take a girl to propose....or apologise!
• There's a hundred thousand McWimpyKing shops for the chavs to fatten themselves on.
• Hello Southend! I'm visiting and wanted to let other visitors and residents know about a great local restaurant called Slassor's, at 145 Eastern Esplanade. I had dinner there tonight, cooked by owner Martin, and it was fabulous! I ordered a mixed green salad as a starter. The vegetables were crisp and fresh, and it was served with delicious fried vegetable chips. The baked dinner rolls were fresh from the oven. And my main course was a wild mushroom puff pastry wrapped in filo dough and baked in a flavorful sauce. (I'm a vegetarian, and Martin was great at accommodating my dietary needs.) I NEVER eat cauliflower, but the cauliflower side dish that came with my meal was too good to pass up. My friend had a tender, juicy steak served with au gratin potatoes and grilled mushrooms. Everything was really good! It's an intimate restaurant that seats 24, and it's BYOB (bring your own beer/wine). I would highly recommend it.
• Pizza Man
• Hassans Indian Takeaway in Eastwood. Good food and good value.
• pizza go go, the food is good and a good delivery service
• just the norm, MacDonald's, Burger King, KFC.....thats bout it realy, nothing special bout any of them.
• perfect pizza down london road (westcliff) or planet pizza down west road (westcliff)
• The Shagor in Hamlet Ct Road is shit hot for a ruby!
• the best restaurant in southend is def. KIA located down london road. It does a mixture of food and its not the usual crap you find in southend, i suppose its like some of the smaller restaurants is nice areas of london. the food everytime i go is great they do tapas, fish and seafood, meat dishes everything really
• Golden Dragon
• stephanes in milton rd...top decorative munch
• The Devil's cake shop in Leigh. Oh my God yes.
• Worst place Ive ever eaten is Fusion in the hamlet court road, The grub is awful and the staff look as if you had better not complain know what I mean squire?
• Kia on the London Road, just before Hamlet Court Road if you're heading out of Southend, is a wonderful place to eat. Friendly staff, great mix of music and good value for money. There's a seperate area upstairs if you want a quieter environment.
• Has no one been to Azzurros restaurant in London Road Westcliff. This Italian restuarant is the best in the Southend area, for food drink staff and atmosphere. It can be as cheap or expensive as you want.
• The Sun Rooms food has come on big time! Shitty venue, yes, but the chef knows what he (or she)s up to..
• For a dedicated Cruiser like me the staple diet is Maccy'Ds (MacDonalds), for all you drinkers out there its Kebab,Kebab,Kebab...hundreds of these dog-meat selling holes around town...'you pays your money, you takes your chance'.....
• Samboca Italian Westcliff, just like Mamma's kichen, massive portains and they even give you a lift home if you stay too late. Proper italian momma home made food. Try the lasagne and peas and ham...bliss. spent many a valentines night in their.
• Maccy D's, 2 of 'em! Burger King for all the sad little grungers. KFC, tomassi's, Pizza hut, Frankie and Bennies...
• maccy D's
• See above . Mind you the Pie & Mash shop in teh Victoria shoping centre is ok.
• Kingfisher down (the dreaded) york road, yummy scrummy fatty cheap fish and chips
• FING FISHER in the road next to the bus depot. £1.10 for sausage chips and curry sauce !!! how cheap !! nice food, been open for 25 year. YORK ROAD i think the road is called.
• Ali BAbaS....oh how fr8 those chips in pitta taste afta heavy nyts self intoxication!
• McDonalds n the usual
• Pizza Hut and Dominos operate in this area offering a fresh slice of generi-pizza at any time of the day, except mornings when they're shut and evenings when the wait time is usually around the hour mark.
• Manoly's Thai (Leigh Broadway)is OK but the Singha on West Road is better. Zanzibar on Alexandra Street, Southend is APPALLING
• Pipe of Port- famous for its Desperate Dan Pies! Excellent on a cold winters night (not really a summer place!) Menu is full of old english fayre! Old time favourite is the Chicken & Chestnut Pie very yummy! Wine is excellent and if you are in an Oz Clark mood they do wine tasting events through out the year. Keep away from the beer/ale goes by the name of Nats and tastes like its made from their urine! But on the whole its excellent and not pretentious as it still has the sawdust on the floor and a wine cellar ambiance.
• mcdonalds of course
• macdonalds, high street
• I would like to recommend Rif Rafs Bar Cafe in Leigh on sea, I used to work there as the head chef and the food was brilliant(if I do say so myself) and reasonably priced and there was a good selection of wines, since I have left the restaurant has now changed hands but I know the current owners and I'm sure its still as good as it was then!give it a try.
• curry king in raleigh! cheep and shit
• baileys or oban road
• Many a dodgy burger bar along Sutton road, great if pink burgers are what you go for.
• The high street.
• Mmmm, food, well, If you like seafood I would recommend el pascatori. It's down queens road which is just off town. It's not a big place but the food is excellent and the service good as well. I would advise the swordfish...very nice.
• you name it southend has it, pizza, pasta, indian, chinese, mexiacn, burger, chicken, frankies, amalfis, churchills, simply blues
• burgerking near the odean is the best and all the grungers hang out there
• Maccie D's etc
• Loads everywhere, London Road, Town, Victoria Plaza.
• Ali Babas everytime, without fail, hands down, the best in kebaberys in the land. Just how do they make that burger sauce taste so good? Could it be the amount of alcohol consumed earlier??
• Il Pescatore (Italian) Queens Road next to W.H.Smith REALLY GOOD !!!
• manolys in Leigh. Best Thai food I've ever tasted
• The Broadway grill in leigh seem great. Alli Barbers manage to sell a load of crap to pissed people. Alli Barbers also don;'t seem to understand the phrase "NO CHILLI SAUCE THANKYOU"!!!!! Mama Malfis do some great food too (although very expensive)
• Pizza Go Go has the tastiest pizzas in town.
• Curly fries at Route 66 - can't beat 'em!
• simply blues is a great american bar/restuarant that does massive portions american style
• Dooh das on the seafront is great. I'm gueesing though it can't compete that well with the three (yes that's three) macdonalds in the near facility.
• one word:-KEBAB! the kebab shop in rayleigh is widely used as the end of the night munching site, oppsoite pink toothbrush...get a nice mixed kebab, mixed being grease and fat that is.....theres loads of indians and chineses but some should NOT be trusted due to rat infestation.
• McDonalds, McDonalds, McDonalds, you get the idea. When visiting the town centre it seem s to be the place everyone wants to visit but surely one day someone will realise the polystyrene packaging and big lumps of B.S.E in a bun aren't that great !
• The Polash, in Shoeburyness a couple of miles east of Southend, is one of the best Indian restaurants you will find in the anywhere.
• Ali Babas kebabs at the Sainsbury's roundabout is still the only place you can go after a night out. That's a lie actualy, there's this place next to TOTS called Burneys which is open till the early morning and isn't too bad if you've been forced out of Tots because its soooooo bad.
• Doo-Dahs, between an arcade and the hope hotel on the front. Brilliant if you are plastered and starving, the double cheeseburgers are amazing.
• SUB WAY - high street, Really good food whether you are drunk or not. Fairly wholesome menu, and not bad prices for what you get. A much better alternative to Mc Donalds (Yuck).
• hundreds cafe southend seafront only cafe with tables on the beach
• noble house chalkwell (chineese)
• Pizza Express at the top of the High Street do the best (real, Italian) pizzas I have ever tasted. I was amazed - even better than Topo Gigio in Dover and that's saying something. Excellent if you are catching a bite before going to the Odeon (next door).
• Southend Tandoori, next to the Bus Station, serves up some great nosh. The Sun Rooms for really cool food and huge portions.
• Ali Babas kebabs (bus station roundabout) good clean kebabs and hot chilli sauce, also ideal for a post puke feed up!
• Duncans Pizzas (on the sea front) doesn't open till 9.30pm but stays open till at least 4 in the morning. Ideal for the post puke feed, after a night down Tots!
• Frankie and Bennies (formerly Garfunkels): very good and cheap food!
• Arches on a Sunday morning, or breakfast at Churchhills. Lunch is great at the Sun Rooms, real vaule for money. Dinner's nice at Rayleigh Lodge, Rayleigh, Mastroanni, Hadleigh and for a great Indian, The Star of India. Hadleigh is worth a visit.
• When in Southend eat the food that made Southend famous, PIE, MASH AND EELS! at the West Ham Lane PIE, MASH & EELS shop. Cheap and cheerful nosh served by a friendly French lady, no less!
• Best Chinese is the Pearl Dragon on the Eastern Esplanade (seafront).
• Essex Provisions and McDonalds and all the usual plus a few good sandwich shops. Loads of chinese, most quite good. Some very good Indian, Italian, Thai etc. Check out "The Butteries" a small cafe near Pizza Hut. Very cheap, huge portions of full-on English food. Tasty waitress!
• For food, a sunday morning tradition is to go down to the Arches for breakfast (excellent hang-over cure + fantastic waitresses).
• Alexandra Bowling Green Cafe: cheap and cheerful - eg egg and bacon sarnie WITH a mug of tea for only 99p PLUS pleasant views of the bowling green - go on give it a go. Shirley also does other mega meals as well.
• Mostly catering for Mr & Mrs Gumbee on their holidays.

Pubs

• Rileys =)
• the best family pubs in southend are the anne boleyn in rochford. has the best food for a small amount of money and kids can stay till about 9. then theers the rose inn wich has a bar for the over 18s and also a family room with a play area . nice food as well.
• Last post is quality if you like standing up in a crowded, urine soaked room with tramps and vagabonds
• Sell Alcohol for the over 18's, apparentely
• The Kursaal Bowl in Southend has a nice bar that sells bitters, ciders and lagers on draught. We also sell sprits, liquors and soft drinks bottled drinks. Come down to the kursaal seven days a week, (especially Thursday, Friday and Satuday nights from 8 till late)! We have two top dj's who will play to your requests and who often give prizes out. It's a top night out, so make the most of it!
• I disagree with the the Angel Inn (Shoebury) review, which to my mind has fallen from grace. Still good beer, food & table staff, but the management is terrible. There are now lots of hidden extras, that really add up and can ruin a good meal. Beware, you can be charged for 'free' complimentary items. If you do dine here, get the full costs in writing, in advance.
• Trendy pubs include Yates, Hogs Head and Clarence Yard. Plus, for cheap drink is the Last Resort (sorry, Last Post). Alternate pubs include The Alex, The Sunrooms and Saks.
• The Cliff is ok but there should be more gay pubs in southend
• Smithys oppersite the sea life centre is a strange place... Its next to Dreams nightclub (formerly Brockets). Its advertised as "Southends Karaoke Hotspot"... Okayyy. They have karaoke most evenings and the DJ's aren't too sad, the bald one takes bribes, the young thin bloke can sing and the chubby fella is a great entertainer, Gary, Ben and Mark I believe the names are. Pub itself not bad, 2 landlords of questionable sexuality but overall a good atmosphere, you could do a lot worse (like the Minerva!)
• again, The Minerva, The Alex, Club Riga or the Cricketers.
• woodgrange
• Dont try The Sherlock Holmes, Shit hole & so is the Park Tavern in Park Street, watch out for the local attraction "The Ostrich", bleach blonde hair, long arms & legs with very long neck. Watch out for Christine and slim sade, maneaters!!
• The Cliff, a gay pub behing Southend Central railway line. Very busy, is visited by gay's/bi-sexuals and str8 people from all over Essex. If you fancy a good night out pay it a visit, you will be made to feel very welcome!
• Not Yates full of cunts, I reckon Motels cos it's full of cunts without being pretencious!
• leigh again
• The Alex rocks. Make sure you get a Yellow Card if you're a student, for some discountage.
• The Alex - Good music and beer pub-style
• seymores. it trys to be a club but we all know it isnt. go there its the best one.
• The Peter Boat (sat outside on a summer evening looking out over the sea - can you beat it?), The Smack and The Crooked Billet in Old Leigh; The Grand, Mariner's Court and the Elms in Leigh; The Hog's Head in Southend; The Angel in Shoebury; and all the Paglesham pubs are worth the drive. So many to choose from, but nearly all do a nice line in ales.
• Read your the remarks re The Cricketers Pub in Westcliff. Can I suggest a revisit. In September 2002 the Pub underwent a major refurbishment and is now modern and open plan. It also did away with all the sad people. It also now incorporates a Thai influenced restaurant called The Salty Dog. With a new upbeat manager as well I think you'll notice a difference. Oh, and the excellent Riga Bar is still next door, the best live music venue in the Town
• I prefer the quiet 'Checkers Pub' in Canewdon...Yates's and Town house too much like clubs, - dress-codes, bouncers, no-where to sit, expensive, hot, sweaty, bad-food, smirnoff-ice,(poofs drinks), - give me a pint of bitter and a bag of pork scratchings anyday!
• The Sun Rooms. The food has just improved beyond belief. And it's cheap!
• The Alex!
• The Crokked Billet (although not as good thesed days in my opinion now it has a blooming TV installed). The barge in battlesbridge.
• Just like to say that Seymores in Southend is up and coming recently, ok I know its isnt great for Talent, but since the new DJ hit there on Saturdays it is livening up and getting a different crownd coming in.. so get yourself down there and check it out... oh and look out for a couple of Guys from kent, your know who we are.... cheers..!!
• Just like to say that Seymores in Southend is up and coming recently, ok I know its isnt great for Talent, but since the new DJ hit there on Saturdays it is livening up and getting a different crownd coming in.. so get yourself down there and check it out... oh and look out for a couple of Guys from kent, your know who we are.... cheers..!!
• Cricketters Inn has been refurbished from a nice old fashioned pub into a gay wine bar 1980s style nightmare. should suit the owner and his boyfriend.
• There is a pub on every corner in southend.You would find most of the pubs down the seafront. They have a karaoke in most of the pubs. But if you have kids most of the pubs won't let them in.
• The Last Post is probably the best place to go
• The Alex is the place to be for alternatives really. wednesday nights, £1 a drink nite :P
• Cork & Cheese (ok its from memory i was a student once !) Last Post any one ?
• Good pubs : Grand in Leigh, Townhouse, Yates (hardest place 2 get into in town) BAD pubs: Last post (girls wearing hardly nething blokes just wanting one thing!) UGLY pubs: Chinnerys!
• O 'Neils just off the High Street in Southend is the best night out for miles. Not only is the atmosphere friendly, but there is a fantastic mix of people every weekend. The DJ / Manager is wicked and not only spins some great recent hits, but knows exactly when to put the funky oldies on. Drinks are reasonable and loads of room to dance! Doormen are absolute tossers though...!
• Last Post in the middle of the highstreet in Southend, Cork N Cheese under Argos in Southend n if in Rayleigh, go to The Half Moon before goin 2 t Brush for a mental meet up wit metal nuts!
• Stear clear of *all* pubs in S'end on Friday and Saturday night. There are dress codes. The music is way too loud (so bring a loud hailer). The bouncers will at any given moment kick you out for no reason other than 'because they can'. Pop over to Westcliff for a nice quiet (but not too quiet) drink.
• The ALEX is cool
• The Sunnies is NO WHERE NEAR as good as it was when run by Mark and Pete. All the staff now think they are the reason people visit and they're the coolest funniest people in bohemian Southend. They're not.
• What has happened to the Angel Inn, Shoeburyness? Pub food used to be great especially the roast on a Sunday, now its all frozen microwave wraps and the prices are expensive even by London's standards!
• THE ALEX IS THE BEST PUB IN TOWN IT HAS BIG LEATHER SOFAS AND ITS AS COMFY AS IT GETS AND THE TOP ALEX IS PHAT IT PLAYS GRET MUSIC GO ON A FRIDAY AND ON THURSDAY AFTER 7PM IT DRINKS FOR A POUND YOU CANT GET BETTER THAN THAT!
• Alex
• The Alex and the Sun Rooms, within safe walking distance of each other for a lazy buggers pub crawl.
• Parsons Bar in Shoebury. I'm only saying that coz my brother works there and he's lovely! look for a 6 foot 4 guy with a bald head and wicked personality!
• the alex - great music, good beer and pretty nice staff
• The Cricketers Inn - nothing going for the place, old fashioned, dingy and loads of sad people!!! Drinks expensive compared to other places and a few decent looking bar staff wouldn't go a miss. One good thing not a bad bar next door with some okay music.
• Go to the royal hotel, theyll serve anyone!
• bored of them all
• Alex,Scumrooms,Liberty Belle
• The Grand is the only decent pub and that vis full of bums.
• Hogshead is a good one, nice friendly pub, recently been done up!
• Let's take a drink. Meet at Victoria Circus (Vic Corner if you like).We won't start on an empty stomach, so it's into the Bluebell Cafe for a Fergie pie. Then cut through the Talza Arcade into Southchurch Road for the first one in the Sutton Arms (Manns). Back towards Garons Corner to take our pick of the bars in the Victoria (Courage). I favour the little one right on the corner. If you want to use the lavatory, go to the one deep in the hotel, through the reception. You'll find that each of the urinal stalls has, just at the aiming point, an image of a bee in blue glaze put there by some Victorian sanitary-pocelain-making humourist. What's the latin for "bee"? "Apis". Is that what he was thinking? Anyway, time for another, so it's down the High Street to the Middleton for a quick one half way on our route to the London Hotel (Whitbread) The side bar is best: echoing wooden floor. I recall Champion Jack Dupree playing a surprising version of "The Sheik of Araby" in here. We'll resist a detour along Clifftown Road for a game of table skittles in the Railway (Charringtons), and carry on to the Bottom Alex to see if they've got any Bass draught barley wine on. If so, it'll be in a small barrel racked on the bar, but they'll only sell it in half-pint measures. Nothing to stop us having a couple, though, is there? I think we're probably getting the taste of it by now, so off to The Royal. It may be Courage, but who comes to the scrumpy bar for beer? So it's a pint of the rough and a restorative slice of Peg's bread pudding (or an Arrowroot biscuit or two) before we cross the road. We could have a bite of shellfish from Goings' stall (literally pavement oysters) or straight into The Royal Stores (Manns) where there may be a bit of music. If so, odds on the Nancy Mount Trio (bottled Guinness on the piano) (Nancy's piano, that is). Out of here through the other door with the port tun onto the top of Pier Hill, where Queen Victoria's statue is pointing the way to the public lavatories. Turn left and we've arrived at The Grand Pier Hotel, and here it is that the drinking starts. The front bar is fine for a game of bar billiards or a look out over the water with the old naval gun sight mounted in the bay window, but the Private bar (the smaller of the two facing the Ritz) is our destination,as this is where we find more draught cider. Andy was tapping a new barrel on the bar one day and got it wrong somehow.The thing eploded cider everywhere and an old dear fell off her bar stool right by it. by the time the ambulance came, she was functional again, though (or as ever she was). Probably would have taken another dive for a few more of those medicinal brandies. We could go over to the Long Bar, and down the hill to the Criterion or the Hole in the Wall, but I'm for settling into the Grand Pier. After closing, there's always Gerry's Nosh.
• the bell pub is really big it's opposite the shell garage.
• Seafront, Argos, loads!
• Yates's is a surefire winner - excellent DJ on Fridays and Saturdays. Female barstaff ming though...loads. Its a requirement to get the job.
• The Hogshead ain't bad Its by the underpass, Bring back the ARISTOCRAT and the DICKENS, They were real pubs!!!Also try the Shorehouse really good actually!
• The Plough in Westcliff. More like a London boozer. Serious drinking. Friendly. Southend Bob does his disco. best place to watch the footy or gaelic games. The JUG and BOTTLE station road, cool jamming sessions, Southend Irish Association have traditional music sessions on last Friday of every month where you can bring along an instrument(acoustic) and join in or just listen. Big nod to Club Riga at the Cricketers, saw top blues band THE MOTEL KINGS there. Last saw them at national blues festival where they were seroiously respected.
• Look, The Sun Rooms is OK, but it's a sad state of affairs that it's the best Southend has to offer. It's tiny, for God's sake. I recently returned there for a drink after years of living away, and found the clientele to be a little pretentious and living under the delusion that they were drinking in the coolest bar in town. Ha! Compared to the best bars in most other towns and cities, the Sun Rooms is a little new age lounge bar with some average DJs and nothing more. There's no atmosphere there, and it would appear that having a goatee beard is part of the dress code for the men (remember - all beards are evil, regardless of their form). Call Pickfords and move out of this town, that's my advice. I did only a few months after my return.
• The Grand
• Well I'm in the Elms every friday, saturday, sunday, wednesday etc. BLoody nice place with friendly staff. Yates is also pretty funky on a friday too and seems to be full of HSBC staff ending their week with a piss up.
• The Railway in Clifftown Road has an excellent DJ on a Friday night.
• The Peter Boat in Old Leigh is well worth a visit on a hot saturday afternoon, you can sit on the sea wall get a tan and drink (cheapish) beer!!!
• The last post, the alcohol is cheap. Crap for music as there is none. Best bet for that Yates Wine Lodge, but the beers not cheap and its very warm in there. The music is a little old!
• the bowl bar at the kursaal bowl - sport on big screen, great music ,great times
• People have very varied views on The Sunrooms in Southend but i have been going there for many years now the clientel has changed but the atmosphere has always remained the same. Tuesdays is always one to look forward to with vodka mixer only a quid and DJ Stevie Wonder to completely entertain you throughout the evening with a large range of very cool music. Give it a go and make up your own mind.Friendly, sociable and a bloody good laugh.Dress code scruffy to potentious.x
• Well i just want to say that i work in the best pub in southend 'The Sunrooms'. Thankfully it is a well chilled out place and has no room for tots boys or the southend sea front slags. The bar staff are gorgouse especially Russell!!! The beers cold and the food is lush (as supplied by Elnie our sexy sassy chef)If your very very lucky Peter the manager might sing you a song it normally goes' toilets, arse, bums and cocks.'I'm normaly behind the bar but now spend my friday nights on the door with three burly bouncers(its a hard life), so come down give me your 2 pounds (after 10.00pm) and have a cool one.cynical_kitten@yahoo.com
• Fish 'n' Firkin has possibly the best jukebox in Southend expensive drinks there though what's happened to the Townhouse - its become all continental but they do Jugs of Vodka/Red Bull now so it can't be a bad thing!
• the sunrooms i always go there for a pint but end up having serveral. it's just sooooo chilled out and they do great drinks like absinth (70%proof!) and hemp beer which gets you stoned as well as pissed. excellent.
• Futher on up this page someone said that Saks was brilliant and so were the Sunrooms I love that person!! They are soo right. The sunrooms has some of the horniest barman around and Saks underground (open 10 til 2) Is great, although not as good since they enlarged it and painted the downstairs white! Or if you just want somewhere for a nice drink, The Fish and Firkin or the Townhouse (Queens Road). In Summer the best place to go is the Peterboat in Leigh.
• The town house. Great meating place before the clubs. That or the bar in the Kursaal.
• Route 66 (The UK's biggest Pool Club) above WH Smith's is the best evening out in Southend, besides the clubs. The staff are friendly, atmosphere great and the booze cheap. Great!
• yes please.....ok The weir- Big fmaily pub, nice food, all my mates work there....erm Id say ages range form 16/17+ The paul pry:- nice inside, but needs redecorating outside.....ranges from 16-50 id say.......Spread eage just been reinfurnished VERY easy to get served!!!! The crown NICE but dont try unless your 18 the landlords a tosser....White horse....hahahaha 13 year olds galore..shithole.......half moon......old mans pub......pinchos funky little wing bar, fairly strict but nice...and the lincoln and rayligh lanes snooker halls......lanes is better
• The Angel Inn in Shoebury is a great pub with really good beer.
• Teh new one in town that everyone is going to is Yates's (wine bar??) opposite MVC at the top of the high street. There's supposed to be a couple opening in the Victoria circus complex soon but otherwise stick to O'Neils (used to be the Dickens) The last Post, Yates's, The fish&Firkin, the Sunrooms, Bakers bar (late opening) or the Grand in Leigh.
• Sun Rooms, Market place. A good chilled out venue (not really a pub, more of a gathering place for the deep thinkers) Lots of cool and groovey art work and really funky toilets (still smell of piss though). Probably the only place that's got a bar too high to see those under age drinkers - I think the idea behidn this is that you have to be tall enough to see what drinks are served. Nice place to chill out on a Sunday afternoon after a heavy weekend.
• The slating of Churchills is totally out of order..where else in this area can you see top stand-up comedians (every week) eg Lee Hurst, Jo brand etc. The few cultured people left in Southend will also tell you of Churchills Sunday lunch JAZZ. Eat good food and chill out to some coooool sounds!!
• ive been in southend for one year(i come here from madrid).i have made vise to many bars...of course!!the only one me and friends like is the sunrooms..very good drink and food..bands and dancing,also sexy barstaff (marky and pete)almost like madrid xxx maria
• sun rooms or crooked billet
• Great Wakering High Street, several pubs within a short walking (stagger) distance.
• The best thing about Southend surely (after the Blues!) has to be the "Crickters" pub in the London road. Exellent Abbot Ale. Pity about the bar staff though!
• The Forresters (on the sea front). Great family entertainment, lollies for the kids, tits for the dads (if you know what I mean!)
• During summer months, Old leigh for a beer, Anchor in Hullbridge, the Hawk in Battlebridge (great food).
• I only saw one mention of the Sun Rooms, it sells some good beers, the toilet floor is covered in piss, always packed, has gay nights on Wednesday (avoid Wednesdays), the staff are crusties, there's a few board games to play, I've seen a few people rolling cigarettes out in the beer "garden".
• The Paul Pry Tavern in Thundersley. Popular, local pub and absolutely rammed to the hilt on summers days!
• The new Irish pub (O'Neill's?) opposite Central Station is worth a look - stays open later and has a better atmosphere than most of the other town centre pubs. Good for dancing on tables etc.
• Clarence Yard, Bakers Bar and the Fish & Firkin - the first two being very mediocre and the last better, depending on the time of year.
• The Dickens. The Spread Eagle on Victoria Avenue is being redecorated (Best pulling pub)
• The Last Post
• Bakers Bar

Cafes and Coffee Shops

• Utopia Coffee Bar. They're real nice in there and it tastes so pro!
• starbucks coffee in the high street and also the cafe in debhenams.
• Zen Garden Cafe - A little coffee shop at the back of ZU Southchurch Road Used to do really good cold lunches but now just great coffee and cakes etc. Better than any in the High Street
• The Daily Grind @ Leigh on Sea Train station... See the mexican @ Starbux
• The Coffee House opposite Pizza Hut and Frankie & Bennie's is all orange and warm inside, and they do food and a student discount too!
• Gino's i'd say, £1.70 for a great sandwhich or your choice made with the bread type of your choice, they have a great lil place running there. My friends and I always go there for a bit to eat, they kinda know our orders off by heart.......how sad am I??
• one on the corner of town down southchurch road aint bad. (by the bus stops)
• STARBURGER!
• the best cafe or coffee shop that i have been in is the one down hamstel road right at the beginning near the white horse it does really nice food and the staff are really jolly too and they do lovely breackfasts i think its called hamstel fayre you gotta gpo there a try it to see wot i mean
• they are everywhere, but the buttery, just down from pizza hut, is pretty good.
• Seem to be alot of these popping up these days, got Mama Amalfi and that new one in Abbey National down the High Street, no Starbucks yet (and they do make the best Espresso)...
• Yeah, there is a coffee shop in the Abbey National building society branch - aint that pretentious!?
• Try Seafront Arches, lots of different cafes where you can either ave a cuppa and watch the tide roll in or enjoy a full english. Packed at weekends in the summer but bliss on a week day with your lover! phoor
• There are lots of cafes and coffee shops. i would strongly reccomend a sandwich bar called gino's it sells great sandwichs and coffee but can be a bit expensive. They have a smoking room upstairs and downstairs a place for non smockers.there is a coffee place in the abby national banks down the high street.
• Costa coffee in the abby national bank!
• Bakers Oven, expensive food but u can laugh at the staff in there iniforms (i can say that now as i dont work there anymore hehe) xx loobie
• victoria plaza, by the elevators from the train station/pub area.top floor i think. one cartoon shop and one comic shop.
• ooh, theres a gorge greesy cafe, i dont recall the name but its near a funkey shop called 'Oh yeah'in southend u can't g wrong, its so tradish its fabby!
• Victoria Plaza does a few! If you go to Curio City, they do a mental bacon sandwich for about £1 - £1.50 but its well nice!
• The Rendezvous on Leigh Broadway is the bestest little caff around.
• victoria cafe, victoria plaza
• the coffee house near the back of argos was great till they removed the sofa to get rid of us dammit
• The Coffee House, quite new. And without hindsight has the twin towers and other prominent new york buildings scattred over the walls, nice Lattes though
• costa in the abby national - not that ive ever bene in there but costa lotta is nice
• the coffee house
• There r a few in leigh.
• Too many to list, loads down the seafront and near Southend College.
• Give Mamma Amalfis a whirl just along from the top of the high street near the Odeon cinema. Although strictly a delicious Italian restaurant, it also doubles up as an authentic coffee shop at the front.
• the one down Queens road a few doors down from HMV, fantastic sandwiches, and you can sit up on the 2nd floor and watch the world go by
• Mami Malfis next to the Odean sell a bloody nice (but bloody expensive) cup of coffee. You've also got the Oasis Coffee House on Leigh road which is pretty cool (although they're only open 9-5 :(
• That little one between the railway entrance of The Last Post and Saks is quite good.
• the subway does excellent sarnies and meatballs in french bread mmmmmmmm!

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Last updated: 2007-09-19