please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Very nice boozer - has had new landlord (Geoff) who knows how to run a pub, and a great new chef since 2012/3, so all the old reviews are out of date now
Beer is kept well, had 3 ales (Timothy Taylor, Seafarers and Greeen King IPA) which kept good quality over a weekend despite several of us trying to drink the barrels dry.
Food is very good - managed to serves 11 of us 3 times over the weekend without any stress, big selection of mains, great burgers, sandwiches, and can especially recommend the Calamari.
Bar staff all very friendly and helpful - Geoff the landlord, lovely Jo serving us beer and shots until 2am, and 2 other very shapely yummy barmaids taking shifts to look after us
Good TV lounge and garden out the back if there is a big group. A bit tired looking in places as the other reviews say, but it is a pub not a winebar, so no complaints.
Needs some more customers outside of tourist season, so do pop along
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Lovely location, place is a bit tired inside but staff were friendly to kids dog and wife and value for money the food is easily the best in surrey hills. The roast beef was very good and the beer choice was nice and well kept.
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Popped in for lunch and a beer - whilst the beer was good, food was a mistake. Pity, as people very friendly and a nice fire.
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I've been visiting this pub regularly for 15 years. To me it's going through it's worst phase of ownership. Food is medicocre as is the beer. I have been there on occasion when all hand pumps have been off. Better to try the Kings Head around the corner now under new ownership or The Volunteer just up the road also under new ownership.
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visited here for a really great Thai eveing. Food was A OK, beer superb and atmosphere really good. recommend.
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was walking with some friends and our dogs yesterday in the area. was so disappointed with the service in The Parrot, Forest Green, decided to try this pub on way home. Smart move! Made very welcome. Service excellent. Locals friendly and chatty. Dogs were made a fuss of. Food was excellent value for money. All our drinks were good quality and fairly priced, Nice front garden to watch the world go by.And Sky sports to catch footie results etc... Will definitely use this pub again next time we are walking in the area. May even bring several more walkers with us. Well done The Royal Oak.
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Stopped here yesterday for a quick pint after a walk around the area. Very nice pint and friendly staff in a lovely location.
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Visited here after a disappointing start at another pub in the area. Beer was excellent. Well kept and in nice condition. Found the staff very welcoming. Have not eaten here but they have a new chef and the menu certainly looks interesting and appropriately priced. Must give the food a try.
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Spent a couple of nights drinking here recently. On the first night they managed to accommodate 18 for dinner though the barman looked like he was going to have a heart attack when we booked the table. Food fine in the main, though two of our party were ill after, but I can't put it down to the food for definite. The beer was decent, and actually better kept than the pub up the road where the selection was better. It is certainly rough around the edges, especially considering the moneyed rural idyll it is a part of. I can sympathise with the people who weren't made to feel welcome, but I was in Surrey as part of a big group of friends so we didn't really experience this. Having said this, on the second night we had a great time with some of the locals, though that had less to do with the pub itself and more to do with a substantial amount of alcohol.
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We visited this pub on Tuesday 28th of December. To say that this was probably the worst experience of going to any pub that we have had for a long time, would be an understatement.
Four of us went for lunch and it was quite quiet, however there was a group dining upstairs which seemed to throw everything out.There were 2 female staff and 1 male member of staff on duty. The man was friendly and courteous, however the 2 women were miserable and surly, with everything being an effort.
We had to send back 2 different pints of lager as they were off, with the replacements not being any better.
We chose from the limited menu on offer and the food was very dissapointing.In addition we had to wait over 45 minutes for our food and became alarmed when another diner in the pub got up and returned his 2 main courses to the staff to return to the kitchen.
I chose Gammon, however it arrived without the advertised egg on top of it, the lasagne was over cooked and was inedible and the chicken dish was inedible.
We used to frequent this pub a few years ago when it was under different management. Suffice to say we will not be going back, which is a real shame as it is in a lovely location.
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Stayed the night here. Room was a little tired but the service and breakfast were excellent. This pub has the honour of being the first pub/restaurant presenting me with a meal (belly pork and chirizo) that beat me. Excellent food well prepared and tasty but just TOOOOO much.
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Sorry, should have posted the last comment on the Kings Head, my apologies.
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This is a beautiful village, an ideal place where I would love to spend the final days of my retirement. Visited this pub on a midweek lunch time. Good selection of local beers, the food quality was good but we considered expensive. Only 3 locals in that lunch time but it was made very clear by them and the staff we were not welcome. We could have stayed, enjoyed the beers and caught the 4.10 bus home but opted for the 1.30. Will not be going back.
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Fantastic place, love the village and the pub. First Surrey village I have visited that is not on a busy road. I had a home made pie for lunch which was excellent but the wife's whitebait was not up to standard. Unfortunately served by the same woman who served tapis which was rather off putting but at least given a friendly wave by the landlord when we left. Will return to sample the beers.
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Attractive pub in a beautiful location. I'm sorry to say that I did not enjoy my visit at lunchtime on Saturday 22 May 2010 very much. When I entered the pub, one of the staff looked up at me from the bar where she was pouring a pint; I smiled at her and said hello; she did not smile and did not say anything; she just looked rather miserable and continued pouring the pint. Maybe she was having a bad day but I had been having a good one up until then and her attitude put a bit of a dent in it. Oh well, never mind. I waited my turn to be served; after a couple of minutes, the same staff asked her colleague to serve me. I asked for some lager (Carlsberg Export); it foamed a lot while it was being poured and I was afraid that it was going to be flat but it turned out ok, if not particularly fresh-tasting. Then I asked for a Ploughman's Lunch. The miserable-looking staff brought it to me and put it on the table; I thanked her but again no response. Starting to feel a bit blue by this time, I ate my lunch: good bread, cheese, pickle and side salad, only spoiled by the half-apple - tired-looking and floury when I tried it, with what were probably brown bits cut out of it. (I left it for the birds in a hedge when I resumed my walk after lunch.) Wondering whether I had inadvertently done something to offend, I glanced at the same staff while she was attending other customers; despite their thank-yous and pleasant comments about the food, she looked just as miserable and was just as taciturn with them. What a shame but I hope that mine was an isolated incident and maybe there was something seriously wrong that I couldn't know about so I will give the benefit of doubt.
tapis - 23 May 2010 13:27 |
I've been a regular here for nearly two years and visited and done work at The Royal Oak for a long time. All pubs are struggling in this financial situation, and Dawn and Ian, and now Julia the new Manager as well as the staff are working really hard to keep going and to make improvements. I am astounded that anybody takes their own sandwiches and expects to eat them at a Commercial establishment - (BrixtonSteve) and then vindictively comments on line that the beer is flat because they've been pulled up about it (BRixtonSteve) - which by the way there are two signs in windows and one permanent sign to say not to eat your own sandwiches (BrixtonSteve) so get your facts right! I've never had a bad pint at the Royal Oak and whilst Dawn, Ian and Julia have been here have seen a vast improvement on what was happening before they arrived.
All Customers get a warm welcome at The Royal Oak which I see on a regular basis, as though not in the pub all the time, have seen it at all times of day even when it's heaving on a Sunday lunch - and believe me like any busy day it's stressful for the staff but there's still a smile on their faces!
This pub offers great value homecooked meals. Try the fish and chips and see if you can finish it, or the fish pie which is the biggest I've ever seen, and see if you can finish off with a sticky toffee pudding which has had rave reviews! By the way, they don't advertise it but they've just been voted best Ham Egg and Chips in Surrey!!!
Cycling, Walking and Running groups use The Royal Oak on a regular basis where they are offered special deals and catered for out of normal food hours. The local schools are allowed (with prior agreement) to use the gardens for children with their own sandwiches - showing true community spirit.
An all round good pub, struggling in this current climate that DOES good value, good food, good beer and has freindly staff.
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Extremely rude staff and manager. We arrived on a quiet midweek afternoon on a walk through the local countryside, the pub was empty and so was the village. Only one of the twelve or so tables outside had anyone at it. We sat down, ordered our beers (flat) and ate the sandwiches we'd bought with us on - there's no sign to say you can't, their kitchen was closed, and we'd just bought their (flat) beer. The manager sent his barwoman over and she hectored us like naughty schoolchildren, telling us if she let us eat our sandwiches she'd have to let all the cyclists (there weren't any) eat theirs too. it's not as if they had any other customers anyway! We left. Rude staff, flat beer, there's a much nicer pub down the road. Avoid this one unless you like being patronised while drinking badly kept beer.
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oh dear oh dear oh dear .... what has happened here then ?? used 2 love the pub but gone down hill in the last few weeks wont be having our family gatherings and lunch anymore unless things change such a shame
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Great pub, 14 of us walkers decended on the pub today for lunch, they couldn't have been more helpful or friendly. Walking boots and dog were taken in their stride, awkward drinks like Ginger wine with hot water were obligingly provided and the food was good to eat and good value by Surrey standards by a nice roaring fire. Thanks.
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Nice looking pub & location. Nice fire inside greeted us which was a good job as the landlord didn't. He was a miserable sod who quite clearly was not overjoyed for walkers to turn up or for dogs despite the supposedly dog friendly tag. Either way we got served reasonably quickly and veg soup was nice although �4 for a soup and some bread seemed steep to me but maybe I should get out more ? There is another pub up the road which we'll try next time.
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Looking at the other reviewers I can agree with some comments, like the brash male landlord or the foreign barmaid who lives on another planet. But having visited this pub a number of times recently during the day, it is a good place for beer, or a quiet read by a log fire, a good selection of food from chip butties to full christmas turkey. The quality of the food was good, although a little high in price compared to others in the area. The landlord was helpful despite the dog, the weather. and lack of other customers. I would recommend this pub for a lunchtime drink/meal or an evening out with friends but not a romantic evening with your lover.
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In the good old days (previous landlord), I used to drive down from the lab during my lunch break, and quickly browse through my New Scientist while witing for the food to arrive. These days, if I was so ill-advised to go back to this pub, I would have to bring War and Peace with me. The landlord reminds me a little of Basil Fawlty...only the rude bits, not the funny bits. In fact, from his behaviour you wonder whether he banged his head on a moose trophy sometime. The waitress will pay more attention to the dog than to you. If you enjoy being treated like sht while waiting 45 minutes for your meal, that's the pub for you. If not, the Kings Head is just 2 min down the road.
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Used to be a good pub, went there frequently...not any more. The service is poor, the waitress is unhelpful, the new landlord is unfriendly or downright rude, the food is low quality and expensive, the wait for a sandwich can be more that 45 minutes, hygiene is a foreign language (playing with a slobbering dog and serving food at the same time don't mix too well). Stay well clear.
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Visited with friends on a wet November Saturday evening - a wonderful oasis! Landlord very friendly and helpful, the waitress a little more reserved but very efficient. The quality of the Ringwood Best and Exmoor Gold was excellent. We also enjoyed the food - very tasty.
(Not sure why davidgla thought �67.50 was excessive for all that the four had - this is SE England, after all!)
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We had a fantastic day at the pub, the Landlord went out of his way to put up the bouncy castle for the children, what a godsend. Food was excellent, beer very well looked after and the barstaff very helpfull. Recomend it to anyone with a family to visit, set in a lovely location.
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I have lived in Holmbury for over twelve years now and during this time have visited this establishment on a number of occasions. Since moving to the village the pub has been run by two landlords. In it's early days The Royal Oak was an absolute pleasure to frequent, one was always greeted by an exceedingly jovial landlord who treated every customer as a guest. The food was always pleasant, as was the drink. I am sad to report though, that in recent years the food and beverage has gone significantly downhill, and not only this; the service has taken a severe nose dive. If one is looking for an extremely average glass of wine, followed by a meal an eighteen year old student could concoct; you'll find this here. At present the only positive aspect is location. Holmbury is a lovely spot to wile away a summers afternoon, but if you're looking for good homemade food at a reasonable price I would suggest The Kings Head only a few moments up the road. Unfortunately this doesn't have the village green location, but I can guarantee a very warm welcome and an extremely pleasant seasonal and fresh menu.
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Visited on a walk yesterday. Ringwood Best, Youngs Ordinary and Courage Directors. Beer quality of the Best was good. Attractive pub in great location.
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Beautiful location and marvellous setting.
Pity about the poor service, expensive and very ordinary food. Four of us had roast sunday lunch, with desserts, two pints of lager shandy, small house red and a ginger ale......�67.50..........a bit over the top!
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Although there are two good pubs in Holmbury St. Mary (the King's Head is tucked away up in the back street), this pub wins on its village green location, if not for its beer and food.
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I agree it's lovely pub but it's so short on seating and there is always a queue for the Ladies on busy nights. Can take a while to get served sometimes. Nice to sit outside on a summer's evening.
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Plus points
Good food and beer, amazing location.
Negative points
A few less than friendly daytime drunk locals sat blocking the bar and over �2.00 for a soda water, Can that be right?
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In a beautiful setting on a small green, in an atmospheric old vilage surrounded by woods and hills -you feel like you have stepped back 100 years and are a long way from busy roads and crowded cities. The pub was atmosperic and old, with lovely Christmas decorations. Couples, families and walkers were enjoying the food and hospitality of very friendly staff. We had roast beef with all the trimmings - delicious home-cooked food, followed by bread and butter pudding (yum) and Eton mess (yum yum). Well-kept Youngs beer and several other interesting beers (sorry I've forgotten) served. A great way to spend a Sunday afternoon!
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Very large food portions as i remember, though that was going back about 3 years ago now. But lovely area
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Stayed in the YHA up the road and took a walk down to this lovely pub. The food is great, certainly very reasonable compared to the more gastropubby places aroundabouts where a meal usually starts at about 13 quid. Not that I'm a veggie, but there's at least three veggie dishes on offer that aren't the bog standard lasagne/burger ilk. Plus they like dogs. All in all you couldn't wish for a better pub in the Surrey Hills - we soaked in the views and wished we had the money to live in Holmbury!
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Visited early saturday evening for first time. Good selection of specials but why so many already off? Was told Sea Bass filleted but came on the bone. Selection of vegtables very poor. Other wise food & beer good at reasonable prices.
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Incredibly beautiful surroundings, very attractive pub and great food (Came for Sunday lunch, had delicious roast beef) Patrons included couples, families and walking groups stopping off for something to eat. Highly recommended
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Lovely traditional pub with real no-nonsense 'pub-grub', good beer and relaxed, friendly atmosphere. Wish we lived nearer for more frequent visits!
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No real atmosphere?! Try it on a Sunday afternoon in the winter, like today. Good food, served all day, a very nice pint, Sunday newspapers - what more could you want.
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When I first set eyes on this pub I thought how 'unspoilt' it was. Felt very welcome and the governer knows whats what about beer. Food selection was great. Very relaxing.
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Really chilled out pub,beer was good and the food tasty.Will be back when in the area again.
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Pleasant traditional pub a bit off the beaten track. Choice of several indoor and outdoor areas where you can enjoy their scrumptious (and large!) meals and a pint of Youngs Ordinary, Everard Tiger or a couple of other beers. Very large car park, so this is a good central location (between Dorking, Guidlford, Woking, etc.) for meeting up with friends.
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Lovely location overlooking the green, but no real atmosphere...
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Food not bad good choice of ales all in all a nice pub.
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This is a lovely traditional English pub in a very pretty location just next to the church. I visited for the first time earlier this month and it seems there is a new couple here who have recently taken over. I recieved a very warm welcome and enjoyed a pleasant meal and a good pint of Adnams Broadside. I would definitely recommend a visit.
Susan Lancashire - 24 May 2006 16:03 |
Located in the heart of the village, Homemade food served every day fron 12-3 and 6-9. 12-4 on a sunday, good selection for veggie's. B&B and function room available as a non smoking area.
Ian Buckley - 2 May 2006 17:14 |
Great little pub. Good food and puddings, good beer, nice garden and great walking area. I might be an old git, but its best when off season and quiet.
anonymous - 26 Apr 2006 10:30 |
