Horse Brass Pub
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Lunch, Dinner
- Best Nights: Wed, Fri, Sat
- Alcohol: Full Bar
- Smoking: Yes
- Coat Check: No
41 Reviews for Horse Brass Pub
Once while at the Horse Brass I watched a man eat three and one half turkey sandwiches in a row.
I know, you're thinking...three and one half?! Child's play! I kind of agree, but boy can eat, okay?
Oh right...the Horse Brass. It's big and beery and loud and smokey and I didn't used to like it. I think I do now. The owner is the saltiest looking man you'll ever see! Super awesome.
There are many old men playing darts or rabblerousing. I approve of that.
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As an ethnic Welshman, thousands of years of tradition, from Reaullt Hir to Tom Jones, compel me to be solidly prejudiced against all things English. So it is with unending apologies to the memory of Owain Glyndwr that I do not completely trash this English-themed pub on Yelp.
In fact, the Horse Brass is one of my favorite Northwest-European-Archipelagian-(some people like to say British Isles)-themed bars in Portland .
First, though, its negatives: in addition to its Anglo-Saxon influences, it loses points for being one of the smokiest pubs in Portland (for just six more months).
But it wins strong marks for slightly better than decent food (as good as English food gets) and an impressive selection of beer. Allow me to dwell on that last point: even the most obnoxious beer snob will nearly always find something he/she has never tried here at the Horse Brass. Scotch, also, is in splendid supply here, and at some of the lowest prices I've seen in Portland.
Add the character and charm of the space (excessive photos of Winston Churchill notwithstanding), and even I can't help but be something of an Anglophile when I'm here.
Although more often than not I'll go right back to cursing the English in the morning.
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I think Horse Brass is one of my favorite bars ever. For a darts playing, cider drinking, scotch egg eating good time in a dark bar with long tables, head here. I miss it... I've found nothing like it in Seattle yet.
My boss and I are big football fans and he happens to be English so where do we go for a traditional English football watching, cask beer drinking, artery and lung clogging experience at 8 AM on a Sunday? The Horse Brass Pub ladies and gentlemen. And you also can have a traditional English breakfast that includes warm beer, blood sausage, cold beans out of the can and deep fried bread! Its so delicious you can tasted the oil dripping off the sour dough! mmmm! If only we had their health care system we would be in the UK. It doesn't get much more authentic then that folks.
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If you want great beer selection, loud games playing on TV and don't mind dodging the occasional dart, this place is for you.
The place is rather smoky, but it feels mysterious and part of the charm. We went here for a traditional English Breakfast, which was rather tasty comparative to some of the English cuisine I have had.
Hey, any place that lets me roll out of bed, order a beer and breakfast at 8am to clear last night's cobwebs..is ok with me!
Great place to watch soccer and rugby! But don't get too chatty with your friends. They take their shir serious here and have to hear what is going on!
The Horse Brass truly is and will always be a personal favorite...First off, their beer selection is top notch. Anywhere that I can get a point of Hair of the Dog Blue Dot Double IPA on tap has to be at the top of my list (ok, I take that back...Henry's has it and they will not make any top list of mine). The Horse Brass is the quintessential English Pub...complete with darts, authentic menu and air that weighs heavy with smoke.
Great place to gather with a group of friends, as it is often void of the pretentious and trendy crowd that has suddenly appeared in our great beer drinking town.
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Comfortable, smoky, friendly, charming, good food, and imperial pints. I went to the Horse Brass for the first time in years to get some chow and have a drink, and I felt good from the start; this pub is so inviting! The beer menu is great, there is a pretty sizable selection plus they include beers which will be on tap in the near future which gives you something to look forward to. I did not plan on staying long, but I wound up staying several hours enjoying several different brews and playing gin rummy with a friend.
I don't know why it took me so long to return here, it makes me feel a little stupid because the H.B. is nice and fun, but I never go, and there has been so many crappy dive bars which I go to over and over again even though I don't even like them! I feel an apology is necessary.
I am sorry Horse Brass, I have been a bad friend.
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Nice space. Big open room that is good for a group or just blending in with the background. Lots of great beers and an overall positive vibe. Service was decent-to-good, but not too fair to judge as I was with a large group.
It is smoky. If this bothers you, might want to avoid it. The good news is that if non smokers bother you, this place is great.
Didnt eat there but heard great things about the Fish n Chips and the Scotch Egg.
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A typical British pub, with lots of old school charm. The fish and chips are delicious and it seemed like everyone else in the establishment was eating them. They have lots of different beers with some sort of rotating schedule featuring all types of beer from all around the NW and a few from faraway places like Belgium. I really enjoyed the atmosphere, the food, and drink, so what else is there? Five stars says I.
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When the smoking ban in PDX takes effect, I'll give this place 5 stars. I could smell the smoke inside my car with the windows up just by pulling into the parking lot. But, it is a fun place inside. Great Scotch egg.
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Love Beer?
Come here, because this is the place to be if you're in the SE!
mixed drinks, micro beers, wine, and more!
i like to drink, but i also like a nice atmosphere. you can walk into this place with any attire, any attitude, and any state of mind.
just order something simple, a drink of your liking, and find a place for your moment: studying, lounging, chatting, drinking, and/or relaxing can make your day at the horse brass pub.
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Now I've been to this place a gazajabillion times. Come to think of it, much like Montage, this was a spot I visited years before I ever lived in Portland. When Belmont Station was next door, I'd drive from Eastern Wa. over to this pub...get really loaded and then do some beer shopping. So Belmont Station moved...but that's no reason to not get loaded here. Lovers of fine beers from all over the world will surely spring a woodrow in their drawz at one glance of this here beer list. If yer the type who walks in to Henrys on 12th and goes..."f- this scene! where do the REAL people go to down some brew!?!?!"...they go here.
Some highlights from my last visit (aside from supremely awesome company)..........
-Some dudes on the other side singing like a group of victorious British Rugby players just after they won the last game of the season. Oh yeah, and they weren't just singing anything...oh no...these ruffnecks were singing "Winter Wonderland". No shit.
-A DAMN good burger. Now I know to come to a place with some of the best English Pub food anywhere and order a burger is tantamount to heresy...but I gotta tell you folks... I'm not a fan of English Pub food...and I assume that if I can't enjoy it here, I prolly won't anywhere. I once told an English expat friend of mine..."I am convinced that English cuisine is designed to not compete with the taste of beer". She agreed.
But all that aside, the service here has always been pretty good for me. They were SLAMMED this last time and I don't think I ever had an empty pint glass.
I will definitely warn the Yeeps about the restrooms here. Kinda nasty. More than a little cramped. But I used to drive an old Volkswagon Beetle in similar shape, so I guess it's all good.
Oh yeah, this is smokers territory. While I don't smoke, I love a place that allows it...maybe I'm weird that way. It just sorta seems wrong to leave a place like this NOT reeking. So get over yourself, make this your last stop for the night and just shower real good when you get home...that's what I did...and you know, it was worth the hassle.
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I went here for an English breakfast and to watch the World Cup. Why am I always rooting for the "other" team? The game didn't go the way I wanted, but that's ok. I don't even like soccer that much. But the breakfast was pretty awesome! Beans, eggs, a few slabs of meat products and omg, fried bread. It was outrageously good. Anyone who thinks British food sucks has never had an English breakfast. Sure, they're colonizers and their queen is the oldest person alive, but shoot, she plays Wii. Anyhow, I'm not reviewing Brits. This bar is a great place to chill and watch the game with some yummy food and excellent beers.
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I didn't use to like beer. In fact I hated it. But, then my brother took me to the Horse Brass, I even met Don. And, now I love beer. I love it more than I should. Thank you Horse Brass!
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Yay!!! I love the Horsebrass. I haven't been in 7 years and it feels just the same. What a comfort. That is the word for this place, everyone would feel comfortable here (apart from maybe non-smokers). I used to live in Britain and the first time I walked in the Horsebrass I was immediately taken back. The smells of smoke, fried chips, and malt vinegar and the exposed wood beams and long wooden benches brought back all my memories of the UK. I was home.
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I went to the Horse Brass to celebrate a friends birthday who is British. When I first walked in I thought the place had potential. I went to the bar making sure not to stand in the waitress station ( I was a bartender in Arizona, so I know that really irritates the waitresses), so I found an empty spot at the bar to order from.
There was a good crowd but nothing overwhelming especially for a bar on a Friday night. As I waited to get a drink I was looking at the beer list and I saw they had the standard 16oz and Imperial 20oz pints. After deciding on a Rouge Brutal Bitter, I waited patiently for 10 minutes to get a drink as 2 bartenders filled at least 4 orders a piece for the waitresses totally ignoring myself and the others at the bar.
Finally the bartender came over and rudely asked "what do you want?" I responded by asking for an Imperial of Brutal Bitter and a vodka cranberry for my girlfriend. Apparently that confused him and he asked me to clarify as I did, I commented that I was surprised that a bartender at an English Pub didn't understand what i meant by "An Imperial"
To which he responded well you're in Portland not England. Finally he brought me my STANDARD Pint and then proceeded to fill 3 or 4 more orders for the waitress before coming back to me to ask what else I wanted. After finally getting our drinks I left him an undeserved tip of $2.50 hoping he would recognize me as a decent tipper and keep that in mind when I came back for more drinks.
We took our drinks and went to hang out with our friends at their table where we stood and chatted. The table was next to the stairs and even though we weren't blocking them the bouncer continuously and rudely asked us to move away from the stairs.
At this point we'd had enough. We said our goodbyes finished our drinks and left for another bar. As i said it was slightly busy but hey . . . that's the bar business and you know what they say "if you can't stand the heat. . . . "
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So the first thing about this wonderful pub is that it's not smoke-free. Mind you, England and Scotland have, from what I understand, banned smoking in their bars. Thus, is isn't an "authentic British pub."
Now that I've gotten the Russian judge/ technical assholery out of the way, we can begin the review.
I loved it, frankly. The fact that they list the IBU's of most of their beers is great for a hop head/bitter lover like myself. Their kitchen is quick to get the food out and they had plenty of space for darts of a large party. Hidden in a neighborhood like all the best pubs are, I'll make sure to seek this gem out again next time I'm in stumptown.
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i stopped in here in the afternoon and it was pretty empty. the whole place looks like a bar that is really lived in by its patrons however. from the talk ive heard they have a lot of regulars and a sister pub in the uk. their fish and chips are pretty darn authentic and they have a really large list of beers, not to mention that most of them are on tap. i really need to try their bread pudding, english sausage, and perhaps their scotch eggs. with how much emphasis is put on the british feel of the bar, id imagine they are rad. they also show epl soccer if you are a sports fan, which im not much of myself, but enjoy seeing something different on bar tvs every once in a while.
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I like the Horse Brass. I want to love the Horse Brass, but I can only bring myself to like it.
I love the selection of beer. So many beers to choose from, whether on tap or in the bottle. In addition to their huge permanent selection, the Horse Brass also hosts many guest taps, most from Northwest and West Coast breweries. The price of the beers may be slightly higher than what you're used to, but the beers are better than what you may be used to. They carry Full Sail's Session if you want cheaper, yet still local, refreshment.
The Horse Brass also has good British food. I don't think there is such a thing as great British food, but I have never been disappointed with my meals here, the quality is consistent. My favorite is the Ploughman's Lunch which is a plate of cheeses, fruit, bread, pickles and carrots; tasty and good for sharing.
I love the location as this is the closest bar to my house. On a cold and blustery day it's a very short hike past Movie Madness to a buffet of beers. The Horse Brass is literally three blocks from my house, and yet I hardly ever go, which brings me to why I can't love the Horse Brass.
Driving by, you might miss it. It's very nondescript from the outside and I was shocked at how big the Horse Brass is the first time I entered. The good news is that most of the time you will be able to find a place to sit, but the large size takes away from the ambiance. The service suffers from the bar's size as often there are only a few staff members taking care of a large amount of customers. As a result I usually have to flag someone down when I need something and am tempted to just walk up to the bar and get my own beers.
This place could use a good hose down. I wouldn't call the Horse Brass dirty, but dingy is very appropriate. If you don't like cigarette smoke, try to go during a slower part of the day; again the large size means a lot of room for a lot of smokers.
If you like to throw darts, you can almost always find a game going against good competition. There are also several Oregon Lottery machines if you want to try your luck.
If you have never been to the Horse Brass, and you like beer, I highly recommend you stop in for a couple of pints. Unfortunately the service and the atmosphere are not friendly and warm enough to keep me coming back.
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21 reviews for the Horse Brass and counting, so chances are that I won't have much to add. Here then are some miscellaneous thoughts:
* The clientele is pleasantly mixed.
* They make a damn good steak and kidney pie.
* Soccer + breakfast on weekend mornings - tough to beat.
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I went to the Horse Brass on a Sunday night, which was a fantastic idea: it was pretty empty, not super smoky, and the server was right there to help us, even if she was a bit brisk. (Careful: take Kim A's review to heart)
It did have a pretty authentic feel, except it was too spacious, not full of suits downing bad pints or Scouzers with their sweat pants and rough and tumble demeanor, and definitely too clean. Now, this is not to say that this place was clean - it was standard. This place did have one of those trivia/game machines though that are so popular in the UK, so I can appreciate that.
One thing I especially liked was that you can get a cheese plate, with some serious portions for decent priced with your pint or glass of wine.
Anyway, I felt liking being a pretentious dick, so I ordered some port, decided to play some darts with some friends, and promptly got de-stroyed. Ah well...guess that is what I get.
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Some people are content within the herd. Others are driven by forces within to stray in their own directions.
If you walk far enough down SE Belmont you will come to the Horse Brass Pub. An establishment dedicated to maintaining the true feel of the modern English pub. I sat one early February morning watching football (European, not American) and sharing snifters of aged scotch and cigarettes (for over four hours) with a man who strayed from the herd, the owner of The Horse Brass, Don Younger.
In that morning I learned how the micro brew revolution started here in Oregon back in the 1970's. A revolution brought about by a group of friends who were strays themselves, men who had the idea of brewing and selling their own styles of beer at a time in which Oly and Blitz were the dominant macro brews of every tavern in Portland. These friends literally all lumped themselves into a car and drove from Portland to Salem to help change some of the antiquated liquor laws of Oregon that prevented the selling and distribution of self-brewed beers. In that car were gentlemen from what became the breweries of Widmer, McMenamin's, Bridgeport, and of course Don himself.
Throughout the morning Don recounted his life, his failures with previous bars, and some carefully worded aces (a la Kenny Rogers' "The Gambler") on what makes a man successful, in life, and in business.
As a stray, perhaps that is why his bar is located so far from the downtown area, or perhaps his love of England led him to a location that is geographically closer to those British Isles.
http://distilledpublis...
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Love the Horse Brass. Next time we're in Portland, we're going back to gorge ourselves again. Being a brewer, my husband had the Horse Brass at the top of his list of places visit when in Portland, and it did not disappoint. Not in beer/beer selection, food, service, or ambiance. Our waitress was awesome! She reminded me of the waitresses at the old Dog House in Seattle. She told us all kinds of stories about her dogs and the birds in her yard, etc. And the Ambiance was even better than the George and Dragon in Fremont, though I do love that place. But the cheese plate was amazing. Did I mention that we had a plate of melted cheese with something else... maybe bread??? But the melted cheese... mmmmm!!! OMG, I may be setting myself up for a coronary one of these days. I had to tell my husband we were out of money or we would have spent the night there drinking beer.... and eating.... I had to get out of there... too many good foodie things on the menu.... but we'll be baaaaack!
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I love the Horse Brass for the food, but can't stand the smoking (it is seriously like a wall of smoke when you enter). They used to have amazing cheesecake and of course, great fish and chips. I haven't been in a while, so I need to revisit - maybe I will wait for a sunny day for take out . . .
Upon my revisit last night, I bumped this baby up one star! Less smoke in general and the fish and chips were really good (while the fries looked greasy and over cooked, they were actually quite good and tender - the fish was excellent). Plus, I got the Old Speckled-hen beer (can it really get cuter than that?).
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When you go to a pub in England, they are quaint, offer few choices and have friendly people chatting about and eating their British food. The Horse Brass does the British food, but everything else about them is more American. It's a large place with darts, wood tables accomodating large groups, has every draft beer under the sun and alcohol too. The decor is splendid and the walls have stained a smokers yellow. The place has a fun feel to it and you can be loud and rowdy and your neighbors won't notice because they are as well. It's a great place and if you can't find one of your favorite beers, then you must be tooo specialized.
Cheers!
Smoky but fun English pub
I heard that the Horse Brass Pub was the closest to the real thing in England with its atmosphere and English breakfast. The rumor was right, including a smoky fog rolling through the pub and great dart boards.
I've been to England and this pub is spot right on, which isn't necessarily a great thing for my taste. All over Europe, the smoky pubs were tough to take. Saying that, the place does serve one of the best selections of beer in P-town, and the darts add charm to an already authentic place. I haven't tried the English breakfast but heard that's equally as good.
All and all, it was a fun night here, and I won't rate it low because of the smoke. It will just keep me from going back more often.
Tip: During football season (soccer) they show games on the big screen for $10, which includes an English breakfast.
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I don't live in Portland anymore, but every time I return, the Horse Brass is where I meet my crew. I sit at the same table (back by the dart board) and usually have the same waitress, always with the exact same people, and we have the same amount of fun every time. Great fun, always. Even when I'm so hungover from being there the night before, I will have the exact same amount of fun. The last time I was in town, I actually cancelled my flight so I could have one more night at the Brass with my pals.
My friends and I always day dream of ordering the Scotch Egg, but are too afraid because we might die of a heart attack on the spot. Such cowards, I know. But I'll gladly stuff my face with the beloved sausages and get sh*t-faced on the excellent selection of brews. I also quite enjoy looking at the lovely boys, as the pub fills with many of Portland's finest.
Only complaint is the smoke - as a social smoker it is really convenient, however I hate smelling like an ashtray (California has done this to me - blame them). Perhaps I'm not being fair, this really isn't the fault of the pub itself, all Portland bars are this way, I apologize to you, dearest house of delights. I will always return to you with open arms, and open wallet.
Side note: This could also be a restaurant.
If you have ever been to England and you miss it, come to the Horsebrass, you won't need your passport. This is like walking into any pub in a small town in England, along with the overwhelming cigarette smoke. I highly recommend the Scottish Egg, and you will love the full selection of beers on tap and liquor. They also have live music!
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Never been to England, but as soon as I walk in I feel like Donald Pleasence from The Great Escape. This is just a caveat as I can only assume that this food is authentic.
If you are in the mood for a smokey pub, I place this right at the top of my list. The food has been consistently good, with some very fun options like scotch egg, and a Bridie. I am a HUGE fan of kidney, and their pies are always wonderfully warm.
The real topper to this place is the beer list. They have what I consider one of the better lists in town. Again, I'm biased, as I love kidney and smoke a pipe.
I can't compare to a reviewer who considered this pub his living room for two years, but:
1. Best fish & chips in PDX. Straight up. It's a huge order and the halibut is FRESH.
2. They have a beer called a Gorby. It's a black-and-tan from their house beers. It's an Imperial pint and it's $3.00. Wonderful!
3. The dark, smoky atmosphere is unparalleled in this town. I have not been to the UK, but this will serve until I do.
4. The crowd's always a great mix: a work party, a grandparent with their 24-year-old grandchild, some hipsters, a smattering of couples, friends playing darts. It seems like a real fair sampling of Portland's (pub-going) population.
Head on down.
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Well, the other reviews say an awful lot, but here's what I like about Horse Brass:
- awesome, big serving fish 'n' chips (I like to call in the order for takeout)
- great hangout for darts and beer in the early weekend afternoon before the rush
- chicken caesar salad for lunch
- dark and atmospheric; very UK
When I feel like taking a trip back to ol' foggy London town, I go to the Brass, order a Scotch egg, and then drink me eyes out.
Disclaimer:
A Scotch egg is a hard-boiled egg which is wrapped in a "sausage meat mixture," coated is bread crumbs, and then deep-fried. It is not recommended for human consumption.
The Horse Brass has the best selection of beers on tap in PDX, hands down. Well I suppose Henry's is substantial too, but you don't have to rub shoulders with Pearlites at the Brass.
With that said, this place actually feels like a pub, not those schmarmy, wannabe ones but an actual english pub. Complete with tiny, smelly bathrooms and old, ugly curt waitresses that you love to hate, as well as a nice thick curtain of ciggarette (sorry, fag) smoke. But they have kick ass dart-boards that are usually open with darts you can borrow that are in fact of some quality. And there's a selection of bar-type games (cribbage) you can borrow as well. Plus the food ain't too bad, considering it's English.
Bottom line is if you like good quality, hard to find beer on tap (at somewhat above avg prices) and enjoy cacophonous laughter with freinds then this is a good spot to check out. Beware it can get crowded and the service spotty on wknd nites.
HBP, is good stick to your thighs food with a changing beer selection. The service is beyond awful and the fries are inconsistent but the beer and deep fat fried fish are good. Its a pub what more can you ask for.
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One of my favorite Pubs in the U.S. The selection of beers is wonderful. I like to just pick a 'type' of beer and tell the wait-person to just keep bringing me different ones from that category. i.e. stouts. Very smoky, but hey you're in a pub. Real dart boards, wonderful staff. Food quality varies, (I'm just saying don't let a scotch egg sit under a heat lamp.) but always satisfies as good "pub grub.' Go, drink, smoke, laugh, and have a bugger all good time.
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Most authentic pub I've ever been in outside England. Everything is just right. Right amount of darkness, tons of wood.
It actually manages to look a hundred years old even if it's not. That's not easy to do and is not the extra step a lot of places are able or willing to take.
Oh yeah, and one of the best beer and authentic pub food selections anywhere. Have a hand pumped cask beer and a scotch egg (hardboiled, wrapped in sausage and deep fried... YUM!!!).
Go here now!
Okay, here's the deal: there's no way in hell this is gonna be unbiased given that it once was my second living room for the better part of 2 years. I still go here on a semi-weekly basis. Hopefully this will explain why I keep coming back.
First, the cons.
1--It reeks. It's one of the smokier bars in Portland, especially if you go during peak hours. You can mitigate this by choosing your drinking spot well. I like to think that the HB has "microclimates", where the smoke tends to aggregate and condense according to the airflow and local topography of the area. There are a few "zones" in the brass: the Holodeck (near the video poker), the Zoo (next to the bottleshop), the Ranger's corner closer to the rear exit, and the two terraces which are elevated. Each of these have differing concentrations of smoke assuming an equal distribution of smokers. I'll let you figure out the microclimates. I've also known people to have special clothing to wear to the brass because whatever you wear gets pretty stanky.
2--They don't really do the mixed drink thing much. I mean, it's a beer bar, but even so I like to mix it up a bit (pun intended). They can do it, but just don't expect them to do a dirty martini or what-not.
3--Puzzling disparities between the Bar stock and Bottle shop stock. Sometimes you see something really tasty at the bottle shop, but for some reason the brass doesn't sell it.
Pros?
1--Beer. It cannot be overstated. Their selection is the perfect balance of freshness and diversity. I mean, sure there are joints with 99 taps, but how many of those taps are ass? The brass attracts enough beer lovers that the turnover is pretty consistent. In fact, running out of their guest beers can be a bit of a problem to the point that their printed beer list can get out of date quickly. But that's a good thing--just try something else, right?
2--Scotch egg.
3--Great fish and chips.
4--I like to think of it like a coffee shop, but with beer instead of coffee. That is, I can come here and relax and drink beer as opposed to coffee. It's well lit enough that I can attend to my stuff and also have some of that sweet sweet nectar that is known to enhance cognition.
Boo yeah!
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This may be the best neighborhood pub in Portland. I should know because I don't exactly work full time, I don't have any kids, and I like to drink lots of beer. I actually hope I'm wrong about this being the best because I would experience dangerous levels of glee upon finding something even better.
There are at least a hundred beers waiting to be unearthed here, perhaps thousands waiting somewhere behind the bar cluttered with cheesy beeraphanilia and ancient Christmas lights. They do have a full bar, if you are silly enough to eschew the beer or if you bring Grandma and she just has to have a screaming orgasm with the kids. The guest taps rotate faster than rotisserie chicken at Safeway, so don't be shy; ask what they got.
There are a few thing that you should know before you plan an evening of beer and conversation here:
1) Germaphobes may want to smuggle a large rag and some Murphy's oil in their pants. The waitresses are often too busy to do more then wave a rag near the goo left on the old wooden tables and benches. The grooves in the tables are so deep you'd probably need a power washer to do a good job anyway. The cigarette ashes and gravy stains you find on your leopard skin tights the next morning will just remind you of what a great time you had the night before.
2) If you have ever wondered how blackened your lungs can get from one night's second hand smoke, this may be the place to test it. Personally, I find nicotine addicts to be great conversationalists, and you're going to die from something someday anyway, so why worry? If you like cigars they'll let you test fate with those too. I still can't tell if the plastered walls are yellow from the nicotine stains, or if they paid Italian masters millions to make it look like this. I think only independent lab tests will prove it either way.
3) Don't arrive too drunk to read. The beer menu is longer than your average divorce settlement, and if you arrive drunk it may take so long to get through it that you'll see the real thing sooner than you'd hoped. Don't believe everything you read, either. Many of the beers on the menu will be out, and some of my favorites never seem to make it on the list. Be sure to pace yourself enough to try a few, or a few fews. You're worth it.
4) There's nothing better than hurling sharp objects near strangers while consuming intoxicants. The dartboards are decent, and dart snobs must be going elsewhere because I think I was actually better than the guys playing next to me last time.
5) The daily food specials are a good deal, and are very edible if you're not terribly picky. It's traditional English pub food, so it just fills you up and keeps you drinking. The sandwiches and French fries are to be recommended.
In short: Tons of beer, great people, and food that you can eat. What more could you want?
Good beer selection....YES!
Good food selection....YES!
Good service.......FUCK YES!
This place is the best place to go for a beer after a long day of work. Kick back with a variety of beers and friendly staff. The fish and chips have yet to be matched in my book. The turkey sandwich on rye with swiss and a side salad is also good. And if you have had more to drink than you should, order a Scotch Egg(a hardboiled egg wrapped in sausage and then deep fried) and sober the hell up. Plus, it is as close to a British pub, if you disregard the size and available seating, as you can find in Portland(only rivaled by the equally good Moon and Sixpence). God save the Queen and the Horse Brass!
My mom introduced me to the Horse Brass way too many years ago. Great beer, dart boards, and the occasional live music treat. The crowd has gotten younger and louder over the years (not sure how that works!) If you ever get a chance to see Tom May play do NOT miss it. At Christmas time don't miss the horse drawn carriages leaving from the Horse Brass travelling down Peacock Lane.
