BITE user comments - yummummy
Comments by yummummy
In Sutton on Sunday early and in search of breakfast, husband not a Wetherspoons breakfast fan and we most certainly wouldn't touch the vomit stinking Moon on the Hill with a 20 foot bargepole. Talked him into going into the The Grapes as looked ok. We were both really pleasantly surprised to see how lovely the interior was, clean and full of people eating breakfast and drinking coffee rather than the old soaks on their second pints as can be the case with many Wetherspoons at 9.30am. Service efficient and the breakfast cooked really well, a thoroughly pleasant experience and we will return. Normally the further down Sutton high street you go the worse the experience is but this is not the case here, long may it last!
17 Apr 2012 09:12
Vines Bar and Grill, Carshalton
The bar part is a great addition to the area as a bit of a trot to the nearest pub, have been in 3 or 4 times and mostly very busy with a buzzy atmosphere, very narrow so not much seating though. Ate in the restaurant once and was expecting something really great but was just ok and the prices were quite steep.
9 Jan 2012 11:07
Had a special offer voucher and went on an early evening of a Bank Holiday. It was very quiet in both the bar and restaurant. Food as good as any of the Mitchell and Butler gastropub groups we've ever been to, can't comment on the beer but wine very well kept. Service a little slower than we have experienced before but the food was very good so no complaints.
3 Jan 2012 07:12
Read these reviews and decided to make up our own minds after looking at the menu online which seemed pretty good. The car park warns you that "social misfits operate in the area so don't leave valuables in the car!!!!!'
So we were wondering what we would meet at 5pm on a Sunday afternoon but we were so pleasantly surprised, restaurant was fully booked and the bar full. We managed to get a bar area table and ate there. Hubby pleased with the selection of ales and had a pint of Doombar. Food really quite good and atmosphere great too, food and drink prices very good too. As they were so busy was assuming we would have a long wait for food but wasn't the case and the staff efficient and pleasant. What a great local find, we normalyy drive 20-30 mins to find food and surroundings of this calibre, lets hope they go from strength to strength.
11 Dec 2011 21:29
The Abinger Hatch, Abinger Common
Visited for a meal with a prebought special price voucher. The restaurant area was a lot more casual than we had thought it would be and we were left to choose our own table.
Menu choices were good but one starter a very good sized portion and the other quite mean, main courses good but again typical gastropub style meat and a carb no veg, extra cost if wanted. A band were playing inside the pub that had meant to be outside but was raining so was very noisy and drove out all the locals leaving the people who the band had come to play to from the hall next door.
Would we go again? Probably not, food good but prices (without voucher) steep and food not quite good enough to warrant the high prices charged. Location also very off the beaten track so think this may well stay a locals pub.
19 Sep 2011 14:19
Had to laugh at the 2 recent reviews by the same person, one complains of the noisy young children and the next about elderly loud male drunks, what age group will behave then?!
Joking aside had another great Sunday lunch, got there at one and the whole place was heaving. We were given a table within 5 minutes though and although had a fair wait for our lunch was up to the great standard we experienced last time, considering they are so busy just don't know how they do it when other establishments just don't seem to be able to cope.
Although I am a great fan a few weeks ago went for Friday lunch with a friend and service great and place heaving but it wasn't anything to write home about. We both chose the burger and it was quite frankly just not very nice, bit embarrassing for me as had sung the praises of the place, wish we had chosen anything else to be honest as they even do roast in the week. But as you see hasn't put us off and in my opinion the place goes from strength to strength. Husband loves the choice of real ales and as a wine drinker the wine is well kept by the glass. Never got to try the bistro offer it has ended!
7 Sep 2011 15:44
Went to a wedding reception here, food surprisingly good but beer and wine the usual outrageous prices charged by all youngs pubs.
3 Aug 2011 16:33
I agree with the last poster, visited on the way home from theatre last night and was surprised how orderly and what a pleasant atmosphere there was for 11pm on a Saturday night. There are much much worse Wetherspoons in much more well to do areas so they are definitely doing something right.
31 Jul 2011 12:41
The Blue Ball, Walton On The Hill
Can't believe the change in this place in a year and a half and not for the better. The ladies toilets absolutely stink of urine, they smell as bad as the very worst public toilets I have ever been in, they do appear fairly clean but the smell is stomach churning.
It was late Sunday afternoon/early evening and we have never seen the place so quiet, could it be the price increases? We noticed everything on the menu had gone up by �1-1.50 and house wine by the bottle was about �2 more.
The service has always been very good and the Manageress always there but nowhere to be seen and the waitress was both unfamiliar with the menu and when asked questions was rude and defensive! There were actually more waiting staff than diners but 2 did everything whilst 2 chatted. The people on the table next to us asked for a pint of St Clements, the waitress came back to check it was ok as would be �6!!!!!!! unbelievable.
Food was good and hearty portions as usual, but that was the only saving grace, would we go back? doubtful. A shame because this was our regular haunt when our children were younger as such a varied menu. In these hard times when most restaurants are offering special deals it seems madness to up the prices when you down the amount of diners at the same time.
18 Jul 2011 14:46
The Tudor Rose (Harvester), Coulsdon
This pub is neither Harvester or Ember inns any longer is now in the Mitchell and Butler "gastropub" group. Have posted this as previous comments so outdated. We visited the week before Christmas for lunch. The place was heaving with Christmas parties so we thought we had made a mistake but not so. Our waiter was very efficient and made sure he got our order in quickly before the large tables that surrounded us. We had the set lunch menu that was excellent value and top notch quality. You have to pay to park and get a refund off your bill which is a bit annoying and easy to forget but assume this is due to non restaurant users parking there all day so suppose they are assuring parking for diners. Other than that excellent place and a great new find.
12 Jun 2011 19:56
Called in for Sunday lunch at about 4pm, love the fact that The Woolpack serves late on a Sunday but was a bit apprehensive as sometimes if you eat later than 2pm in a pub for Sunday roast you get dried up offerings. Not a bit of it, everything was excellent, especially the lovely selection of freshly cook vegetables. Couldn't fault it at all and at a very reasonable �8.95. We will definitely be back especially for the weekend Bistro offer, in fact was going to return this Sunday but were nearer to another pub that we had a good experience in before. Wish we hadn't bothered and had given our business to The Woolpack!
12 Jun 2011 17:43
The George & Dragon, Westerham
Ate here today (Sunday) after not visiting for about a year or so. We were looking forward to the great roasts that we remembered from our previous visits. Staff very helpful but that was the most positive aspect of the whole visit, husband shocked at the price of �3.30 for a pint of London Pride and my �5 glass of wine was very sour, should have sent it back really. We are aware of the whole not being able to order drinks at the table and find it bizarre as to why the waiter/ess can't get them for you but we were aware of this from previous visits. The roasts were quite good portions but not as spectacular as before but meat dry, uninspring vegetables consisted of soggy cabbage and overcooked carrots, potatoes hard and old tasting too. Didn't remember it all being so pricey before either, maybe it was but was worth it back then, most certainly not now. Won't be visiting again.
12 Jun 2011 17:30
Visited last night and food good as usual but pricey as usual (�5 for half a bowl of minestrone soup) unlike our previous experiences the service though was chaotic, everyone running around but getting nothing right. We were offered other people's starters, main courses and bowls of chips here and there!! Our choice of wine not available so selected another which took 20 minutes to arrive. When asking for the bill we had been charged for both! gave back to the waitress who said it would be changed, we were then handed back a bill of double the price for another table! hubby had steam coming out of his ears at this point and the Manageress couldn't be bothered to deal with it as too busy, given right bill in the end but service so appalling we left no tip. Some things are so right, selection of beers and wine and food quality but all so miserably let down by poorly trained staff, the management need to pull their socks up.
5 Jun 2011 12:58
Had another good quality and hearty portioned carvery with my family. Not sure what the cost per person was now as no menu but seemed to be roughly �10 for 2 courses. Fairly busy and from the way the Landlady greeted most all of the diners has a solid set of regulars eating there.
Still the awful old seating and the lick of paint given when the new management took over is looking as if it was never carried out in the first place. Really efficient staff and a friendly Landlady that makes you feel welcome and wanting to return.
20 Dec 2010 07:47
We have been great supporters of this pub from it's opening. Have raved about it and introduced many people to it including our friends who adopted it as their regular haunt. Went in on Sunday and as per usual the Landlady looks at you as if you are something unpleasant that she has stepped into and Landlord never so much as says hello or cracks his face at you. Glasses filthy and according to husband beer not as well kept as it used to be. Still busy and by far the best decor and ambience of any pub in either Carshalton or Wallington but has it become a victim of it's own success with owners more interested in finding another new venture to add to their Portfolio? Out of interest when we got home we called our friends who go twice a week, their reply? We don't go anymore the Landlord too unfriendly, interested in taking your money only. Landlord if you are reading this a smile and a hello might not go amiss to regulars at the very least, unfortunately too late to lure back the early supporters of your venture. I expect I will be mauled for posting this but it is the truth I am sad to say and wish it wasn't, read my other reviews to see how we once felt about it being exactly what Carshalton needed.
7 Dec 2010 13:20
Husband and older daughter watched the football here Sunday whilst myself and 14 year old shopped. Met them there afterwards. Sat in the upstairs area, wine fridge broken so kept being told that the glass of wine would be brought to the table but barman more interested in talking on his phone so forgot and had to be reminded 15 minutes later. All ok until 6pm when everyone thrown out of the upstairs area by a beefy bouncer and we were told in a not altogether tactful way that we weren't welcome downstairs with our teenager so had to get out, Charming!
4 May 2010 13:20
This pub is like Marmite you either love it or hate it. We used to be members of the loving brigade years ago when we first moved locally and on Sundays you could only order roasts, salads or burgers. The food was great and the atmosphere buzzy and lively with it being dog eat dog in the battle for a table. Since it has become more upmarket foodwise we have tried several times with little success, like others husband has always found the beer overly warm and not well kept. The last time was the worst and final straw when the steak we ordered was substituted for a cheaper cut with no price reduction or apology, just told that was the way it was going to be and worst and most revoltingly of all we found a dead bluebottle in the balsamic and olive oil, yuk. We complained about both incidents and again no manager would see us, just the waiting supervisor who although did take a bit off the bill, made it sound like she was doing us a favour and not at all apologetic.
We will not be going again. Friends of our love it so it would seem there is no continuity in quality or service or there is just no accounting for taste.
14 Apr 2010 09:46
Visited last Sunday after seeing the sign for the very reasonably priced Sunday lunch. Last visit about 5 years ago and just didn't like the old fashioned and fusty atmosphere so thought we'd give it a go after management change, if the management do read this one thing I would say is that the constantly open kitchen door is what put us and our local friends off the most. Cooking and washing up can be seen from every table and makes the place seem like a greasy spoon cafe, the door still open and just as offputting. I wouldn't say the old fashioned interior has changed much except a lick of paint but the management and staff very welcoming.
3 courses for �10 so excellent value, beef extremely rare, almost to the point of still being alive due to oven problems and cheese platter, which was of excellent portion size and quality served with a tiny, albeit lovely homecooked eccles cake (could have done with crackers or bread). This includes all the negatives but the meal was really good on the whole and much better than expected. Although management really friendly is it that they don't have much experience of food servery due to the niggles? I may be wrong on that front but if so judging by the way in which things were handled they will soon learn.
Husband enjoyed his pint of Timothy Taylor and the wine list really good value for the quality of wines included.
Not at all the same vibe or interior as the newly refurbed and popular Sun but could definitely give it a run for it's money on a Sunday.
No card machine so a few people around us couldn't "afford" to order what they wanted due to lack of cash ( cheques were being accepted) on them and were a bit disgruntled but assume this is out of management's control so will be resolved soon.
Would definitely would try again as the problems did really seem to be easily resolved teething ones and were definitely outweighed by the good points.
2 Mar 2010 10:49
Have now visited many times now both just for a drink and more often to eat too. Agree the family room feels quite isolated from the rest of the pub with no atmosphere at all but you have no choice but to eat in there with children, eau de toilet does waft through sometimes, husband says they haven't been refurbed like the rest of the pub.
Husband loves the selection of special beers and the food still very good but I am surprised that nobody has commented on the really long wait that there is for food. The only time we have found the wait to be reasonable is on a quiet Friday lunchtime. We usually visit on a Sunday and whether its lunchtime or later in the afternoon/early evening we have always waited 45 minutes at least and on one disasterous Sunday 1 hr 15 minutes (and one of the meals was wrong so another 15 minute wait)
Would still recommend but not if you have young children as food wait unacceptable. Don't know if this is just the way it is going to be or cooking staff still to find their feet.
Overall though still a cut above what the rest of Carshalton has to offer.
8 Feb 2010 10:04
Agree with the last reviewer. Had been recommended the Rubbing House but found that it served the kind of food you would expect expect at a "Brewers Fayre" but at far inflated prices. Absolutely nothing to write home about. The Sunday roast belonged to "Aunt Bessie" rather than the chef and everything including the drinks expensive. Maybe because of the location was expecting something of far superior quality. For the same sort of money The Derby Arms serves much better food and a much nicer atmosphere.
8 Feb 2010 09:29
The Blue Anchor is back up to the standard that it was when initially refurbished by other owners 2-3 years ago. We stopped going after a disasterous meal we had about 2 years ago but now it has been taken over by (is it M&B as people keep quoting, never says on menus etc!) all I know is that it is the same chain as The Arkle Manor, Derby Arms etc and menu virtually exactly the same. As with all these gastropub types drinks very pricey and food likewise. We have visited several times and found food and service very good including that of the bar staff.
14 Dec 2009 12:13
Totally agree with GBN. Our neighbours love this place but I am a wine drinker and the extortionately priced, revolting tasting and badly kept wine by the glass is enough to keep our custom away for the foreseeable future. Never mind the fact that we had to wait an age to get served as regulars get served first by the inadequate staff. Have tried the food and in line with The Greyhound has gone downhill massively, anyway why would anyone want to eat in a draughty and atmosphereless area that is in no way separated from the bar area which is extremely noisy.
8 Dec 2009 13:31
Given the Greyhound so many chances foodwise over the years, had lovely meal one time and then the next awful, left it a few years and gone back to nice meal, next time atrocious. Longwinded way of saying the place is very hit and miss! Have never really seen the attraction of drinking there, overpriced and personally never liked the atmosphere. In fact after writing this I am wondering why we have given the place so many opportunities to get it right when our experiences (in a group with children) have included the staff writing our booking on the wrong day and then trying to turn us away as children are not allowed anywhere except the old cellar area, until a childless party took pity on us and offered to move. Won't be spending any more time, money or effort in taking our custom there again.
8 Dec 2009 13:24
Have visited many of the pubs in this chain and found the Derby Arms to be better than most, including the Arkle Manor which used to be our favourite. Drinks pricey and much of the food is too but very good quality and well cooked, service is efficient too. You get what you pay for in life and if everything with frozen chips and peas or made by Aunt Bessie your thing this won't be the pub for you to eat in.
8 Dec 2009 13:14
The Blue Ball, Walton On The Hill
So much nicer now the refurb has been carried out, the shady looking characters that used to sit at the corner of the bar seemed to have disappeared together will the quite unpleasant smell that the whole place used to exude too.
Drinks pricey as always but the food is back up to the level that it used to be after a blip about 2 years ago when we stopped using the place.
24 Nov 2009 15:18
The Inn on the Green, Tadworth
Have eaten here many times, but make no mistake, although it classes itself as a pub it is in no way a pub at all. The "bar area" is in fact full of tables full of diners. Sunday lunch very good but very busy so booking needed well in advance. Our last visit was a bit of a disaster as was an unexpectedly beautiful day and the tables outside were busy. Ordered a lukewarm glass of wine only to be told that the kitchen closed as been too busy and couldn't cope, counted 18 other people being turned away too. So the moral of the story is book, book, book and expect a restaurant and not a pub.
24 Nov 2009 15:12
Had visited for a drink the first week they opened and husband impressed with his pint of Bombardier so decided to go back for late lunch on the following Sunday.
Bad points:
No wine list as "incomplete" so had no idea about prices in advance.
Not nearly enough tables to accommodate the people eating, the pub is quite child friendly but children only allowed in the back room so took up all the tables as well as the families with big prams parked right by the door causing an obstruction. A definite rethink needs to be made over the arrangement of the tables as could fit more smaller tables in rather than the large tables with few seats around them.
Good points:
The whole place is modern and welcoming with a lovely open fire.
Food absolutely excellent, in fact would go so far as to say the best roast we have had in a pub ever. We got there at 5pm so not much choice left but had started out with 3 roasts.
A family friendly pub that still serves good food and not plastic heated up rubbish.
Think this could possibly be the little gem that the local area needs, in an oasis of "builders pubs" overpriced, unfriendly hotels and cut price "spit and sawdust" pubs The Sun is bringing the area a much needed and much wanted more modern approach to drinking and eating. When the place is truly up and running it really could be fantastic.
24 Nov 2009 14:56
Visited this pub for food after reading reviews on this website. Maybe we were just expecting gastropub type food but we were distinctly underwhelmed. Paid for a bread basket which contained a cut up pre bought part bake roll which had been burnt. Starters and mains were just O.K. We were with our daughter and were in the non smoking bit at the back which was just as well as the bar contained a raucous table of swearing yobs. Staff were very good and eager to please so maybe just an off day.
25 Jun 2007 14:28
The Grapes, Sutton
Stupid comments by ignorant people like tradervic do absolutely nothing for this site. Go and get a life and post reviews about establishments you have visited not comments about other peoples's observations that make you look a total fool.
18 Apr 2012 09:59