please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Very slow service and rude barman. We called in for a late lunch and a couple of drinks on Sunday at about 4pm, there was only one barman serving at the time (although someone helped out later). After a long wait, he indicated that someone else was next to be served, I said "Sorry but I am next (there wasn’t any doubt about this)".
Now this is where it goes wrong, instead of indicating that he THOUGHT that the other person was next, he said. No you are not! At which point it descended into an argument, after he was served the other guy even admitted that I was in front of him. They are usually very slow with meals, my wife and I have eaten there a lot (but not any more), but waiting sitting at a table is far less frustrating than waiting at the bar (especially when you are not being served in order). They have lost my service, when I said to my wife we aren’t going back there, she said that she never liked the slow service or the food and only put up with it because she thought that I liked it there. But on reflection it isn’t any great shakes anyway, it is just handy because our dog can sit with us outside.
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Nice change. Changing Ales. Not standard Pride and Doombar which you get every where. Ranmore making an regular appearance. Food and service on the up. Keep it up, way to go yet but now heading the right way.
Only one thing at the moment lets this down from being a nice place to drink. I was here Wednesday 29th October at lunchtime enjoying a beer. Most of the staff looked very busy. The foreign lady serving behind the bar kept disappearing and leaving the other staff to cover her. This seemed unfair as the place was very busy, and the way she talks to the staff if disgraceful. I had seen this before when she shouted at a male member of staff in front of the customers he was helping but it looks like she still does this. And her wastage is always on show never taken away.
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AVOID AVOID AVOID. I have just seen the barmaid serve pints on two occasions where she filled them up from the slops tray. I have never ever seen this happen before, but when I saw her do it for the second time I realised it must be company practice to do this. Do not go here EVER.
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I ate here about 1pm yesterday. I had been told the manager had changed. Things are on the up. Food was very good. Just a couple of grumbles. The assistant manager looked really uptight and did not smile. One of the waitress was dressed very inappropriately. I will say bruises all over her neck, and low cut top. Yes she is young but this is not the place to be dressed like that. She made me feel uncomfortable. She seemed more interested in standing around chatting than looking after the customer that pay her wages. I will go again but if this waitress is working I will leave straight away.
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On the plus side, the beer is good and good guest ales, although they do have that irritating habit of not letting you go to the bar for a pint, but insisting on sitting you down - then they ignore you so you sit there twiddling you thumbs sometimes. Today was the first time I have eated there for a while and it was a dreadful experience. To be fair, there didn't charge me for the steak, which was totally inedible and my wife's crumble, wasn't (it was just stodgy). Worse was the waiting time, it took too hours for two courses. Mostly, I want to echoe the other coments about the response to complaints, which were clearly unwelcome.
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The Watermill is my local pub and whilst the food is good most of the time, I've become a little fed up with the overwhelming lack of any pleasantries from the staff. It's almost as if the staff have been told not to speak to customers at all. I've decided therefore to make a point of not using the pub again and to take my custom elsewhere to more friendly establishments.
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The Watermill excelled themselves with the buffet food for guests at my Nan's funeral yesterday. The Pub was very busy with their usual lunchtime trade and despite there not being many staff they coped admirably. Haven't yet tried the menu but the catering for our party was very good and the room was perfect. Thanks for making a sad day very enjoyable - we'll definitely come back to try the food and take in those amazing views over Box Hill.
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Located about a mile out of Dorking on the road to Reigate. The car park extends on both sides of the pub but uses a surface of pebbles which is not ideal for my motorbike. The bar is central with large lounges on both sides. There is an outside area to sit in the front and another larger patio at the rear of the pub which has splendid views to Box Hill and the North Downs. They had 3 regular beers and 3 guests, once of which was a cider. It does an excellent food trade despite prices which are higher than normal. Worth an occasional visit, especially in summer.
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Pricing is a little off having 2 meals the same on different menus at different prices so do your maths before ordering. Also the management really don�t like complaints so be prepared for a very aggressive attitude if they get anything wrong and you need to complain. Lastly, my food was served rock hard after being cooked, left to cool and then microwaved. After a complaint, a near fight with the duty manager and a surly letter from the management group letting me know that �refresher training shall be taking place�, for the kitchen staff I won�t be going back any time soon.
I get the impression that there is no Chef but just poorly trained migrant workers in the Kitchen.
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Very nice meal, good seating arrangments and served by pleasant and helpful staff, good prompt service and the premises has a large car park. Be very happy to go back again.
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A neighbour recommended this place but after the reviews I was a bit unsure if it was worth going. I'd needn't of worried, had a lovely three hours there. Yes, most of the place is table service but the staff were friendly, efficient and very good at their job. The food was excellent, i recommend the wild boar burger. After our meal we sat in the bar area which was lovely to finish our drinks. My only complaint, as it was a very hot day today, on the tables outside only two had umbrellas to help you have a bit of shade otherwise I couldn't complain.
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Visited last week for lunch. Well kept and reasonably priced beer - Courage Best was �2.71. The food was indifferent. The menu is trying to be 'all things to all men' and it seems there's too much on it for the chef to cope with. Staff were friendly and attentive. I agree with previous posts that it's very odd to be served drinks at your table in a pub but maybe it's trying to be more of a restaurant.
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Visited just recently.very enjoyable meal chicken,the others in my group had steak.all very acceptable. nice area the rear view is good looks up to Box Hill Viewpoint.good service pay after eating as it should be .good staff .Worth a visit
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I agree with Wuboozals, this could a great pub but the aggressive attitude of the foreign staff make this place an absolute hell to drink or dine in. They don't like people standing at the bar and the table service is so awful. When we finally had our drinks bought to the table the waiter stank so much I had to go outside as I felt so sick. The waitress bought our food to our table and just dumped it where she felt like so we had to swap plates. Our food was crap and the beer was ok, that's being polite. When we went to leave the Polish waitress asked us why we didn't leave a tip so we told her that the whole experience was awful. She then called us tight c**ts so make your own mind up from this.
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This establishment currently has a rather irritating new policy of only serving you a beer at your table. The bar still stands there, warm, brightly lit and inviting, but prop yourself there for more than a second and you will be pleasantly directed to a table from whence, you are optimistically advised, you may order your drinks. To the uninitiated it all sounds rather European, but unlike in the Mediterranean, no swarthy waiter will pounce on you immediately and magically, then produce frosted glasses of cold beer, but oh no... I waited seven miserable minutes before the table next to me got up to see if they could FIND a member of staff to take their order! I decided to drive into the town cos it was a darned sight quicker. A lovely pub if you are elderly and infirm, have lots of free time and can't drink very much, very fast... otherwise drive on!
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I went here this evening against my better judgement as i had family up and we were all hungry, and it was convenient. The guest beer 'Bankers Draft' was actually rather good. The food however, was at best mediocre. 'Gently poached pear and Prosciuto salad' to start meant, as far as i could tell, tinned pears, with no flavour. Maybe that's what 'gently poached' is a euphemism for. The dressing didn't go with the sald at all; it's not difficult to get a simple dish like this right. For mains, 'superfood salad with chicken skewers. That's a normal salad with some pumpkin seeds on it and lots of raw red onion. The chicken skewers were dry and overcooked. The ham, egg and chips? surely it's impossible to get that wrong? Two overcooked eggs with powdery yolks, large slices of ham which, were the flavour a colour, would have been mid-grey. The colour of John Major's old spitting image puppet. In fact, maybe the ham actually tasted of John Major. There's a thought. Moroccan burger ok, but served with a stupid flat bread when it would far better suit focaccia or a normal decent bun (you don't need to stretch the Moroccan thing too far, we know it's Brake Bros). Generally completely uninspired food, and ANY pub should be able to get the basics right. A pub which is truly excellent at being mediocre.
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This is my local. It's what used to be called a roadhouse. It's a Chef and Brewer. It's average. Occasiionally a good beer but more often mediocre. Food ok but not excellent. Has an aura of 'fake pub' thanks to the hugely expensive renovation. It feels like what it is: part of a chain and corporate. If you're looking for character, go elsewhere. Friendly enough though. Superb view of Box Hill. Popular with local pensioners. I only ever go there because it's the nearest pub to my house.
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Abosultely love this pub - cosy inviting, great range of drinks and superb food. Definitely keep revisiting - lovely garden too. :)
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This is a restaurant/pub with more emphasis on the restaurant than the pub. The food is good. They seem to specialise in fish dishes, though there is a varied menu, and the beer is kept well. They do a nice pint of Directors. If you are after a meal with a few beers and friendly service to your table then this is a good option but it does not have the atmosphere of a traditional pub.
If you can get a seat outside the back the views of Box Hill are spectacular.
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really a restaurant - superd views to Box Hill - well kept beers - nice food by the way
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goodfood great service kid friendly worth visit
anonymous - 31 Jul 2007 17:16 |
Visited several times on the basis that the food is good and unusually good value for Surrey. Courage real ale is well kept.
I would give it extra marks for being fully non smoking so atmosphere is unpolluted. Good news for the majority who are nonsmokers!
You can't book tables but is big enough not to be a problem.
Only negative is we had Sunday lunch here in a group of 6. The meals from the normal menu were good but the Sunday Roast was poor - little meat, undercooked Yorkshire pudding, cold vegetables. Also one meal was smothered is salt, which they exchanged quickly but we suspect the first one was someone else's reject as the waiters first comment was they don't salt food in the kitchen.
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Perhaps more of a restaurant than a traditional pub but absolutely fantastic either way. Staff greeted us as we arrived, service was extremely friendly and the food was fantastic. This place looks great too, am really looking forward to checking it out in the summer with that impressive looking garden looking up to Box Hill
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Brewer's Tudor 30s roadhouse on the edge of town, currently one of Spirit Group's Chef and Brewer branded eateries, so the usual stuff. I expect it was nice once. By the way, what is a welsh rarebit baked potato? A baked potato with cheese on toast? Never mind, the only possible reason for going here is to sit out on the terrace on a summer's afternoon enjoying the view over to Box Hill. For some reason the oudoor furniture is bolted down. Didn't think Dorking was like that.
Ostentatious no-smoking notices all over the place. Not that you'll stay long enough to want a fag anyway.
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Good staff, now spoilt by going non-smoking
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