The Dexter

Actually very good food for such a cheap price.
A good local, nice atmosphere with plenty of space and nooks and crannies.

We went for T here Saturday evening, not expecting anything special.
As per the previous review this place belongs to a chain so when you’ve seen one you’ve seen em all really.
On entry, the place stank of vinegar! Not sure if this is the norm or maybe a child’s accident that day but it appeared no effort was being made to mask the smell.
The noise level is also quite loud and in turn the music had been turned up to counteract this!
We went to the bar to see if we needed to wait to be escorted to a table to eat (bear in mind this was our 1^st time in the place and the was no signage as to dining area/​bar) and we were just told ‘no-​sit anywhere’. No pleasantries to speak of!
We ordered drinks and I must say they do have a good selection of Draught beers and bottles. The bar was wet everywhere and there were no beer mats/​towels/​drip trays to stand the drink on which also came in a wet glass (down the outside) — quite sloppy service I’d say.
There were tables available dotted around the place but in quite odd size combinations or a bit haphazardly placed which doesn’t appeal to a lot of people.
Having not been told what to do about food/​ordering etc I had to flag down a member of staff to ask– I also had to go back up to the bar for menus!
I went and placed our order but had to wait until the 1 bar woman had served 6 other men at the bar of whom most arrived there when I’d already been waiting!
I ordered a–
Meat sharing platter
2 mixed grills, with added peppercorn sauce
Small fish & chips
The meat sharing platter was brought to us within 5 minutes which does not fill me with great comfort but nonetheless was edible apart from the wedges which were undercooked, red hot and very greasy!
We did wait about 15 minutes to have the tray cleared and ask about our mains which was a bit 2 much time to wait we all thought.
Our mains were brought and they were all correct and they even managed to remember I’d asked for no peas– twice!
The food was by now was astounding but it was edible.
I was a little perturbed about a pink tinge my fish had ?!
We ate up and didn’t hang around too long afterwards.
The pub itself has a fairly modern décor and some nice artwork of cattle & other ‘wild’ animals but more care needs to be taken to maintain a welcoming atmosphere and the staff need to get a clue as service is appalling.
On reflection I’d say this will be the last time I’d go to an Ember Inn/​Greene King kind of place as I’m always disappointed.
£35.10 bill is not to be laughed at when you feel quite let down in terms of the whole experience.

The Dexter is a posh person’s pub on the «millionaire’s row» that is Wigton Lane in Shadwell.
Among the huge houses on this road lies a building that’s actually smaller than some of the neighbouring houses — and it’s a pub. This doesn’t mean it’s small however, it just means that the houses are huge. Anyway, enough about the houses.
The pub is really rather nice, as you’d expect from one in such an affluent area of the city, and most of the people drinking here will be nice, middle-​aged and middle-​class, giving it a relaxed atmosphere.
It’s a pub to have a chat in, rather than get smashed in, and the prices are above average because of the location, so that’s probably a good thing. I go here about three times a year for a catch up with a mate who lives near it, and it always serves me well in that sense.
But I don’t think I’d go here for anything more than that.

Nice décor, serves food, tables with umbrellas outside.