The Woodman — Restaurant in Stoke-on-Trent

Last time I was in here was 30 years ago when Lowenbrau was £1 a pint and they had a killer jukebox. I'm glad to report that after years in the wilderness, the current owners / tennant's have done a fantastic job in bringing back the spirit of the old Woodman whilst providing a sorely needed oasis of real ale quality in Hanley to complement the offerings at the Coachmakers & Bottlecraft. Nicely done out in the traditional style, subdued lighting, quirky features (the stocks in the lounge / snug), decent punters, friendly bar staff, with a great selection of ales, keg, wine & gin. I tried a Citra from Mobberley, Titanic Plum Porter ( best drink in the world btw) & Stairway to Heaven (Burton Bridge) - all were exceptionally well kept & a real treat to quaff. My other half reckoned the Sauvignon Blanc was decent as well. We didn't eat, but the menu looked very reasonable £2.50 starters, £5 - £8 mains, £3 puds & the chef did the rounds of the pub and seems a decent bloke. Last thing is as an old rocker, the background music was a great eclectic mix of soft & hard rock sprinkled in with a few Xmas classics. Summary - this place deserves to do really well & I...

A nice traditional pub with a good selection of ales, bottle beers, and spirits. It recently reopened after being closed for a long time and has been fantastically refurbished. The smoking area is the best I've ever seen and I'd happily sit in it even though I don't smoke. My only fault is that they can close a little early if it's quiet. It's worth mentioning that the approach from the town centre doesn't look pleasant, but don't be put off by the building site / war zone look that's currently gripping the surrounding area; there is a lot of demolition happening in that part of Hanley but it doesn't affect the pub. Well...

My partner and I had a chance meeting with the landlord Guy in the Fountain pub in Leek, he was helping out behind the bar in a busy period. We got chatting about pubs in general when he told us about the Woodman in Hanley, we said we'd give it a try, so last night we found it and what a surprise, spotlessly clean, very pleasant staff and very importantly excellent beers, tried a couple, both on top form but sadly we couldn't stay too long. We will definitely be returning, for me that's about a 35 mile trip, my partner about 10, but sure it'll be worth...