please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
The Onslow Arms looked like a fairly unassuming roadside pub at first glance. But then I entered the car park and found an area with around 100 cars parked and an overspill area with countless more. The pub itself is a rambling affair with a number of rooms. It's clearly another place that is more of a restaurant than a pub. But there was a pleasant patio area at the rear which seemed more popular for drinkers. Unfortunately I was driving and drivers appear to be penalised here. £4 for a cranberry juice makes this one of the most expensive places I have ever been to. Ales were Caledonian Onslow Arms Ale, Surrey Hills Shere Drop, Little Beer Corporation & Sharps Cornish Coaster. There were also some posh-type lagers seemingly available. But I did watch one toff try to order one which was not available. His second choice was unavailable too. At that point it was easier for the barman to inform him of what was actually available! Nice pub. But I can only award a 4/10 for the completely unrealistic pricing. I wish I had declined to pay and walked out as £4 for a fruit juice is lunacy, Surrey or not.
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We didn't eat but our friends did and very good it was apparently. Beer choice was a little limited in one of them was Sharps doomed beer which I don't like and another a pub badged beer made by Caledonian which my friends warned me off being over malty. I had Shere Drop which was quite acceptable but not as good I feel as their Ranmore Ale and not a scratch on Tillingbourne's beers. Anyway good atmosphere and busy for a Tuesday.
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Great pub and well worth a visit - beer range excellent, staff very friendly and seemed to have a genuine rapport with the locals who were steadily streaming in on an early friday evening - I always see this as a good sign as they know where to choose in an area and this place was clearly very popular. Food was obviously important and the menu looked very nice for another day, but thank goodness they have left plently of space for those wanting just a beer or two in the evening. Garden very nice with looks of interesting pots and plants and car park was much larger than you'd expect when to turn down the side of the pub. All in all, one not to miss.
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Visited again on my friend's birthday and again the place didn't disappoint. We only go for a beer or three and are made just as welcome by the staff as the diners in the restaurant part. Surrey Hill's Shere Drop, Tillingbourne Hop Troll, and a couple of others. Good quality.
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Since its refurbishment this has picked up nicely as a local pub - beer was Shere Drop, TEA and Cornish Coaster (plus others, I forget) and it is also something of a destination restaurant - it was certainly full on a Thursday lunchtime which is unheard of in many places. Staff nice also.
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Searched out the Onslow Arms for the first time on Saturday for a spot of late lunch (it would have been early lunch if the western section of the M25 hadn’t been goddam awful ) and were reasonably impressed.
We were aware it is a food led establishment as we had found it via the restaurant reports on trip advisor, but was pleasantly surprised at how well it worked as a comfortable pub as well. Several separate internal sections dotted around the central bar area and the ones closer to the bar are comfortable just for a beer. Was blessed with a fine weather day so could utilise the large back courtyard garden which is a very pleasant spot.
We had come here for both the beer and the food and were happy with the offerings on both accounts. There are two banks of three ale hand pumps on the large L shaped bar area which were dispensing Surrey Hills Shere Drop, Caledonian Flying Scotsman and Sharps Cornish Coaster. And then a solitary pump in the middle of these, which is easily missed, had The Source from the nearby Tillingbourne micro brewery. Both this and the Shere Drop were very well kept and the Shere drop was an excellent pint.
The main food menu is more gastro than traditional pub fare, but there is a decent selection of sandwiches and lighter meals on the lunch time menu and , although at Surrey price levels, the quality and quantity was very good.
Can see myself utilising this one again when back in the vicinity.
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Called in on a Friday evening - our first visit since the pub was refurbished. It was a warm summer's evening and the place was heaving, with plenty of atmosphere. The "cliquiness" of the old pub has fortunately gone. The car park was full but we managed to find a table easily enough. They had just put on a new barrel of Surrey Hills Shere Drop which was very pleasantly kept. As I'm a creature of habit and it being a Friday i had the fish and chips. To die for! The whole menu looked very interesting. Very friendly staff and despite the pub's being busy, the service was speedy and efficient. Well recommended.
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Popped in last weekend for a friend's birthday. A much underated pub. There were 3 ales on from Tillingbourne, Hogs Back and Surrey Hills as well as the carbon footprint unfriendly Doom Bar. Excellent staff, all very friendly. All the beers we had were in excellent condition. There is live music on occasion. There seemed to be a good food menu. Definitely a good place for just a drink of for food as well.
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Certainly open when I walked past today.
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The last time I passed this pub, it was closed and up for sale!
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Went in last weekend and bar staff were very pleasant, food was good. Will go back again.
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if you like to eat mashed potatoes in many guises then this is the place for you
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Visited on Saturday evening for the first time since it reopened.They must have spent a fortune, but to what end?It has the formulaic decor of pale green walls and bare floorboards.
the beer (Ringwood Best) was badly pulled and flat,the staff were singularly disinterested so we didn't stop for another and probably won't be back which is a shame as we used to like it under the previoue regime.
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As of 10th March 2011, the Onslow Arms is now back open and looks great.
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The pub remains closed. After a period of inactivity there is currently some building work going on. There is still no indication as to who has taken over the property.
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Popped in a week or so ago. Two Surrey Hills beers, Courage Best and London Pride. Traditional country pub, low beams, nooks and crannies. Hopefully it won't change too much after refurbishment.
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THE ONSLOW ARMS IS TO CLOSE, on or around the 14th May 2010.
I didn�t know that the place was in administration for some time and on the verge of being boarded up!
Anyway, the good news is the new owner is purported to be Raymond Blanc who is to completely refurbish the entire establishment over the next 12 weeks with �no expense spared�, according to the barman. I was in the pub today and, frankly, it needs it!
I think we all agree that the place is in need of a major overhaul, but I hope baby does not disappear with the bathwater! There is a rumour that the pub will be very much secondary to the restaurant (even that some portions of the drinky bit may be claimed for the sitty down, eaty bit). My feeling/hope is that just the Rotisserie will become part of the enlarged kitchen and restaurant, leaving the pub relatively unscathed.
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Visited this pub on a Saturday evening as it is a very short walk from Clandon station.
I had a pint of TEA while my partner had a glass of house red.
The beer was good although the wine made her feel a bit rough.
Not the cheapest round I've ever bought but then this pub caters to the boat-shoe-moccasions-and-checked-shirt crowd.
The pub itself is quite cosy with low ceilings and directly attached to the somewhat pricey L'Auberge restuarant - there is a more reasonably priced bar menu.
Kronenbourg on tap,
Large car park to the rear of the pub.
Toilets were quite dated but amusing none the less - five posters for Surrey Police - terrorism, domestic abuse, drink driving, racism and one other.
Move onto the Queens Head once you've had enough.
anonymous - 26 Jul 2009 09:39 |
Still got live music on Wednesday nights - last night were the highly entertaining Flying Tigers. Pint of well kept Brakspear (ABV 3.4%) �3.20 and a pint of Bitter shandy �3.00 - a bit toppy IMHO....
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I spent a pleasant afternoon in the garden, listening to the jazz quartet, playing there.
The barman did not seen to be very good at English, as he tried to serve me sparkling water rather than tonic water, lemon rather than a slice of lime, and white rather than black coffee. Otherwise the service was friendly.
The jazz band will be back there on the evening of 12th. July.
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Great pub with a blend of upmarket resturant and pub attached. Eaten at both and had decent meals from both. Atmosphere is great and well worth a visit if you are in the area.
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Only eaten in L'Auberge but the food is ace. 2 course meal is �10 at lunchtimes (�2.50 supplement for the steak) and for that price I couldn't complain. Had a Deuchars and IPA, which were both well kept.
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have been down twice now for the newly started music on a wednesday night...the service is slow but the atmosphere is ok and gavin and his guitar is always fantastic!!
definitely worth a look
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I went there for the jazz in the garden, on Sunday afternoon.
The general appearance was good, but service in the bar was somewhat slow, with a lot of staff 'getting in each other's way', trying to do food orders for the outside tables as well as drinks for the people queing at the bar. After the lunchtime rush died down (about 3pm.) service improved no end.
A good choice of drinks were on offer.
anonymous - 24 Jul 2006 14:42 |
Excellent 17th century village pub retaining many historical features. Food in both the pub and l'Auberge is excellent. l'Auberge particularly good value at lunchtime, superb service and very sexy petite French waitress! Amazing how cleverly the decor of the l'Auberge has sympathetically blended modern with "Olde Worlde" - wonderful ambiance. Trees North of helipad male it a bit dodgy in a strong South Westerly but OK if you take it carefully. Tons of room for parking the Bentley otherwise!
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I think this is a fabulous old pub which has a great French restaurant attached. The food is very good but it's not a cheap night out. The pub does have a few different things going on e.g. a cine club which shows a French film each month (�15 gets a glass of champage, canapes, see a film and a 2 course meal afterwards). They also do cooking lessons once a month which are excellent. They also have a French market which comes along once a month.
All in all a great friendly pub which does great food and drink. Just wish it was my local.
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Considering how posh Guildford and the area is, this pub is only one of two that I would prefer to show my face in. It's filled with the sort of people that one would rather associate with, especially if what you seek are those who did not fight against the Germans. Periodically, there is a bit of totty as well. The food, quite frankly, is amazing. I didn't find it that expensive, though the cost of retaining my pilot on the pad was a bit more than I expected. Top Boozer. And NEVER confuse this with the the pub up the road which is always closed and filled by the Legion.
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Good real ale pub with ok food, trying not to be taken over by its restaurant's 'L'Auberge' branding.
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Not a bad little boozer. Restaurant food is expensive and can best be described as average.
At least it has a helipad so when I have had 5 pints of Kronenberg 1664 I can fly straight home.
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The comment by Jason T on 16th August has to be factually incorrect or he has the wrong pub. The Onslow never closes, any day of the week, and on Sundays is always full.
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Drove by on a Sunday afternoon - looked like a nice and traditional public house. However the car park was empty at 3PM on a warm Sunday afternoon. Went in, only to have the door slammed in my face with a guy yelling at the top of his voice - "we are shut, stupid!" Could not believe how rude this guy was and I for one, will NEVER step inside this pub again!! How about advertising the pub hours outside by the road, stupid!
Jason T. - 16 Aug 2004 17:52 |
Used to be a regular at this pub and revisited it recently. Good to see that tha atmosphere is still the same convivial mix of regulars and passing trade. Great beers but the food has slipped into a gastropub theme which is a backwards move as it used to be simple but great. Definitely still worth popping in.
Daniel Malkoun - 6 Feb 2004 12:21 |
Have been the to the Restaurant twice for lunch with my family since October 2003 and both times have had excellent food (Chicken Liver parfait, Venison, Roast Chicken, Creme Brulee - all superb). Other diners may have been a bit disappointed with the Roast Beef, but all in all worth a visit for Sunday Lunch.
My only other comment would be the decor in the restaurant is a little out of keeping with the rest of the building.
Amanda - 27 Dec 2003 14:14 |
My sons godmother visited for her 75th birthday yesterday and was appalled by the food. (Roast beef) She is a superb cook and for her to comment like this is something that you should be aware of. She was celebrating her birthday by a visit to the local National Trust gardens and this spoiled what should have been a very happy day.She is not the sort to complain and therefore went home hungry.
Chris Prior - 26 Aug 2003 16:49 |
Fairly pricey and not a very good range in food but it's nice if you can find something you want. Love the atmosphere though.
James - 4 Aug 2003 00:53 |
Great olde worlde pub with loads of different beers. Food is pricy, but worth it!
Dan - 15 Jun 2002 11:41 |
Famous 17th Century free house with over 15 real ales always on tap. The restaurant was regularly the first to have Grouse on the menu on the first day of the season; shot on the Scottish Moors in the morning, flown to The Onslow in time for lunch. Many famous faces have graced the pub and restaurant over the years including Robert Redford, Marlon Brandon, Boy George and, more regularly, Jimmy White! All in all one of the cosiest and attractive pub in Surrey...oh, and it has a helipad just in case...! I love it!
David - 14 Jun 2002 17:27 |
