please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Three of us called in here on the off-chance as the pub in Loxwood where we expected to eat had unexpectedly finished serving. We all sat down and ordered Crab and Chilli fishcakes. We were not offered any bread so asked. "We don't serve bread with that starter". What??? Don't all good restaurants place some bread on the table whatever?
The fishcakes were OK, nothing special. What was special was the rocket salad. 'Specially limp! No dressing and no staff to ask for some.
An hour later (no exaggeration) our main courses turned up. Sausage and mash, salmon and Chicken. Nothing tricky but it took an hour to arrive. Still no bread and the same limp rocket on all three plates. Disgraceful. Oh yes. I nearly forgot. No summer fruit pudding left so we went without having pudding. And it was expensive. I don't mind paying for good food and good service but we got neither.
One good thing - the TangleFoot. Nice pint. On the subject of drinks, we paid £5.50 for a small glass of very average Chardonnay.
Bottom line: give it a miss.
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Pleasant country pub with an emphasis on food and fish in particular. The beer's well kept but you wouldn't travel here for it alone as it's run of the mill (Badger / Tanglefoot). The food though a shade pricey IS worth a journey. The fish and seafood are always fresh and properly prepared and cooked. Non-fish dishes are limited but the local-beef steaks are a treat. The wine list (especially given its emphasis on fish) is expensive and disappointing as is the dessert menu - though the ice-cream's good. Service has improved greatly and is now close to exemplary: the food is freshly cooked so don't go expecting fast food. Its toilets are really well fitted out and immaculately clean but, like its sister pub, the Wheatsheaf, the place needs a bit more care in the dusting department. It's due a refit soon (2012?) so perhaps we can expect improvements in that department? In all, a good pub for a (fish) meal but not worth travelling to for just a pint or two.
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Well, well, well, what a surprise. Not my first choice because of previous reviews, but as we were attending as a group (of 8) So I went along with an open mind. I even put the dire prior visit, several years ago, aside.
I cannot praise the place enough. Plenty of attentive, but not overpowering staff. And a huge plus point, excellent food. A range of starters plus 2 * Salmon Fishcakes, 2 * haddock, 1 cod, 1 skate, Scallops and a Paella. Each dish superb.
The winners were definitely the coconut & garlic butterfly prawns as starters and the haddock and cod main courses. The portion sizes were huge and the flavours fantastic � all nicely cooked & presented.
Definitely worth another visit. OK there was one downside � Hall & Woodhouse Beer � need I say more?
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Over the past 4 years we have visited this pub on 3 occasions. Each time we have wondered why (because it serves food all day and is convenient...). However, having given it several chances we have been bitterly disappointed each time. The pub and atmosphere are very good BUT the kitchen is dire, and the food expensive as well. On all three occasions we have had to complain about the quality of the food (on one occasion I played it safe with fish and chips but even then the fish wasn't cooked all the way through). On the most recent visit we had to return the Sea-bass in mushroom sauce as it tasted mouldy (from the mushrooms). So we were offered to choose another dish - swordfish in lemon and garlic (can't really get that one wrong) - but the fish was really very fishy and undercooked (we were assured all their fish is fresh every day - I don't think so !!). The upshot is we have give this pub 3 chances and each time it has been so very disappointing and also so very expensive for poor quality food. To cap it all off on the final vist (24-02-2011) we paid �5.10 for a small glass of Rioja - unbelievable, To add insult injury the owners/staff just get offended and shirty when you politely point out it's shortcomings. The Fox Inn 'Famous for fish' - infamous more like. Avoid it like the plague.
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As my mother is disabled i thought it would be best to book in advance to make sure i would get the best table for my mother's wellbeing. I spoke to a lovely young lady who offered me a table at the back of the resturant which was right next to the exit. When i arrived at the resturant we were greated by two young female staff members who were very welcoming, one of the young girls offered to open the exit door and was very happy to help me get my mother out the car. We ate using The Times �5 offer which was amazing value and we all enjoyed our meals especially my mother who was very pleased. This was our third time visiting The Fox Inn and we will defintely be returning soon. Thankyou to all the staff and the Chef for a great lunch. Friendly service and delicious food!
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where did you you hear good things about this pub? in their adverts??
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I had always heard good things about this pub but it is the second time I have visited and found the staff unwelcoming, unsmiling and very slow at service (if you can call it that). Having read some other reviews here I am pleased that it wasn't just me having expectations too high. The food was ok, the beer batter was actually quite greasy today though, quite expensive for an average meal though. The place lacked atmosphere, perhaps it's better if you are one of the "in" crowd, the girl serving at the bar certainly preferred to talk to someone else rather than me whilst serving. Don't think I will be going back or recommending them. What a shame
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i had a baguette in here and although i agree with many of the previous comments, it was actually o.k and quite good value for money. the staff really need a kick up the bum and understand the customers are actually an important part of the making money process.
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As other comments, we used the �5 offer and had to sit inside, not in the garden on a beautiful day. The food was fine but staff were not welcoming or communicative, this was to the extent that one of them managed to shut the door in the faces of two elderly ladies who arrived just after us; the person serving us maintained a stony expression of indifference at least, bordering on irritation at our presence - or was it at our audacity to use the special offer?
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booked a table for the Times Eat out for �5 offer. Asked to sit in the garden, which incidentally was empty...we were told that this offer wasn't available outside..it was a beautiful day, so we were made to sit inside..miserable and inhospitable staff...and mediocre food...left the minute we had finished eating....dreadful experience
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only very slightly better than the mucky duck. famous for fish my axxe, not a good experience.
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i agree the blue ship is nothing on this place, but that is being kind. the staff are very poor and if you are not known, the service is curt. food adequate and beer o.k
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Better than that dump down the road...
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awful.awful.awful.
Get the message
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really has to be one of the worst places i have ever been. don't get me wrong the owner has done a fantastic job of marketing this hole, but i am left wondering why people keep going back...3 oysters cost �6.95.
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are people still falling for this pubs self praise....famous for fish....where? the food is awfull at best and the staff don't care if you are there or not. a very shabby venue, try the barn further towards guildford for real cooking.
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i had an absolutely awful meal and complained. i was almost laughed at from the foreign staff, and i wasn't the only one. how this place stays open i have no idea. try the barn at alfold 3 miles towards guildford....you won't be sorry. i will not be returning here!
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lots of signs saying this pub is famous for fish....shame about the beer though !! in their defence they dont say famous for beer
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If you like well prepared dishes from a well-sourced supply of freshly caught fish this is the place to go. Reasonably priced. Wealth of oak beams in old pub typical if this neck of the woods.
Good range of beers. The only criticism is the the close proximity of the table is alright if you want to eavesdrop on your neighbour
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Not too bad for a roadside pub only stopped for a snack which was good,not into fish so possibly not a plaice for me (no pun intended).
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really nice amazing fresh fish, well impressed with the service good job
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Way over the top on prices,sevice not good food average. If your going to Guildford try the village pubs further on Alfold, Bramley(BIT EXPENSIVE)or Wonersh.
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God,how can i describe the experiance. I should have brought an interpreter with me. could not get anywhere when asking which dishes contained dairy products!
anonymous - 19 Jun 2007 16:31 |
The bar staff do not speak english well. Basically they are rude and do not seem to be at all interested in their job. A couple seem to work there when my wife and i come in and they just seem to be moody 24/7 and very very rude. There are a few staff who are very helpfull, but they seem to be english! the food is ok, but the service is slow. When i came to pay the bill, the bar staff(not english) gave me the wrong one and then proceeded to argue amoungst themselves about it, in another language which came across quite rude.I asked to see the manager, he came over and was drunk but seemed nice enough, couldnt really get much out of him!Overall the pub is nice, but the bar staff ruined the experiance several times. It needs more structure. Maybe an english head bar man, as the polish girl thought that when i asked for fosters, i was trying to book a table, and told me very bluntly. no table for fosters, come back another day!!!
anonymous - 19 Jun 2007 16:28 |
what an awful place. the pubs further along towards guildford are much much better. the crown, three compasses.....much nicer and better food.
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i don't understand how this place keeps going. the service and food are poor at best. someone needs to take this place and start again....but differently.
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Basically expensive and poor alround.
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the food here is of a very low standard indeed. the staff can hardly speak english and are never interested in dealing with customers complaints...i was paying our bill and a customer beside me was trying to get the manager,to no avail.....he was too busy playing cards in the bar area....the fox inn, famous for poor food and service.
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Where to start? My partner and I went here on Friday based on positive reviews we had read on the internet and had high expectations. Unfortunately the Fox failed to impress on just about every level.
I started with the Pan Fried Scallops & Chorizo with Garlic & Parmesan Shavings which were swimming in oil and lacking in flavour. My partner had Green Lip Mussels Gratineed With Garlic Butter & Parmesan which despite being a little tough were probably the best dish of the evening.
For main I was looking forward to the Foxy�s Famous Fish Pie -Salmon, Prawns,Scallop,Mussels, Cod & Cockles - With Creamy Lobster Sauce (�15.95). What arrived was incredibly disappointing. I did not expect creamy lobster sauce to be a lot of water with some brown lobster meat in. The prawns appeared to be your average frozen peeled prawns you can buy in large bags from the supermarket, there was one very large chunk of salmon which had a lot of brown meat on. I could go on but I'll spare you.
My partner had the Coquille St Jaques, the whole thing was swamped in the sauce which appeared to contain no Saffron and tasted as though it had come out of a packet.
By this point we decided to cut our loses and asked for the bill. To make matters worse a liqour charege of �3.20 appeared on our bill! The waitress could not explain this, it had been written on the pad in completely different handwritting and pen. Fortunately they chose not to quibble over this, I wonder if it's a common occurence?
Whilst talking to the taxi driver on our way home it seems that he had a very similar experience and said the food was mediocre to say the least.
We are considering contacting the owner as I spent much of the evening being ill and we cannot identify any other factors other than the quality of the fish.
I only hope that others do not experience the poor quality that we did, I just wanted to ensure people are aware that this place isn't all it's cracked up to be.
anonymous - 22 May 2007 12:15 |
Really nice pub. Some good ales on tap (Badger and Tanglefoot) and a nice atmosphere. Great outdoor seating on a sunny day and very nice bar meals.
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Only stopped off here briefly with my daughter on way home from Brighton. Lovely atmosphere, a good pint. Seem to remember it may have been Green King Abbott Ale. Always mean to return here as reputed to serve outstanding food. Good outside seating area.
Thats all I can offer for now, but I'll return and reappraise.
RoyTheBike
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