please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
I was there last week for Sunday roast with my parents. What a huge transformation, the big screens and the pool are gone. The decorations are much more sophisticated and the atmosphere has definitely changed for better. The bathrooms didn’t smell anymore, which I must say were a big minus in the past. The staff was very friendly and polite. The menu was rich and they also have a large list of wines. The Sunday roast was delicious and I also notice that they had a special menu for kids. We choose to stay in the garden where they created a little playground for kids. Next time I will bring my nephews as well to enjoy that atmosphere.
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Now 'Oak 98 Suburban bar and kitchen' to go with 'Acorn 20 Urban bar and kitchen' I suppose. At least the Oak is its original name. Doesn't look too bad actually.
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Seems to be a lovely pub, can get a bit rowdy at times.
Prices are good for Kingston and service is fast and friendly.
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Excellent pub - great atmosphere for sports particularly, but very friendly at all times. Food very good value. Waitresses to die for !
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I drink and eat in this venue on a regular basis!
so i totally diasgree with the previous comment.. �6.95 for a plate of chips!! i think not!!! its about �2.00 for chips!!
i find the food on the whole very good value for money, it always is well cooked, fresh and tasty!
fantastic for sport fans as they have 2 sky boxes which means that they can split football/rugby/any sport they like!! even if both are on sky or setanta!! not many places have this facility! to be honest i cant think of any!
yes the place is in need of a bit of a makeover but, when you consider the choice of entertainment (darts/pool/all sport on tv/live music) the good food, friendly staff and the large garden, as well as the choice of draught beer and real ales, you can forgive the fact that it may not look like a palace!!
they have recently started offering a happy hour every week night ( like their sister pub Acorn) as well as deals on food during happy hour, which always helps when watchign the pennies!!
overall perfect for families, sport lovers, couples and old and young alike!!
a proper pub still survives in kingston!!
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OK, but �6.95 for a plate of chips and yet if you ask for coffee they spoon powder from a jar.
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Welcoming, spacious local 'street pub' serving excellent value and well cooked/presented food. Suitable for singles and couples of all ages. Also has an unexpected garden at the back. Would visit again.
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I met my wife here today. Shes just doesn't know it yet. hehehe
Absolutely beautiful......
She works there. wednesday lunch time, young brunette very cheerful,soft hands, fantastic smile, what else can i say...
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I used to live up the road from this pub and it was a nice place. Visited on a whim last night after getting off the bus early because of the traffic and what a difference. Smells really bad, the bar staff are hopeless and it's full of aggressive lads with no manners and nothing better to do than scare of the few accidental tourists who do make it through the doors. My pint of Pride was surprisingly OK though! I'll give it 4 for the Pride, would have been a 2 otherwise.
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I have been in worse pubs, but this place is getting very close to the bottom of the barrel.
The only good point were the female bar staff, who were friendly and as efficient as they could be, which was a tough task given male bar staff (who I can only guess is an assistant manager) treated the place like his front room, picking out his mates in the half crowded bar to serve them over the waiting punters, in between doing nothing other than ignoring other said punters. They also had to deal with the high proportion of overly aggressive lads seemingly making a sport of just how aggressive and unnecessarily rude they could be about the female bar staff, for not serving them quickly enough. In general, it�s not a nice pub, Oh but the beer was ok.
anonymous - 7 Jun 2007 09:27 |
There was only one real ale on tap - Bombardier which was ok but why not more range?
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Only one below-par ale on tap when I last visited.
And it's no use having "top of the range plasmas" if the standard-shaped picture's stretched to fit the wide screen - Wayne Rooney's ugly enough without the distortion - please get it sorted!
anonymous - 22 Sep 2005 13:40 |
Not a bad pub at all has alot of potential but is over priced.
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Oh...and we also take cards - that happened during the change of ownership week.
mmant - 28 Apr 2005 10:51 |
I took over this pub in Jan, and we now belong to the Massive group. There have been some decent changes now we have our feet under the table - we have put in some top of the range plasmas, a new menu and cleaned up the garden. We have a great new range of draught beers with some decent deals. We aim to be the best at sports and pub dining in Kingston. Come and watch the British Lions on plasmas with our early morning breakfast promo (tickets only) plus all of the Ashes this summer. Every minute. Also blue comedian nights...horse racing. Seriously - if you come in and dont like what you find...tell me!
mmant - 28 Apr 2005 10:50 |
So my spelling is rubbish! *pokes tounge*
The Oak is under new management, i've not seen the old bar manager or land lord/lady for a couple of weeks, A notice on the till pointed out that due to change in ownership they could not take cards, I asked the bar maid about this. Ownership has changed from Spirit Group to 'the massive pub company'.
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jon.paul - the word is 'centre'...
anonymous - 9 Dec 2004 10:41 |
Certainly a place I shall visit more often.
For consumption, a good pilsner, a white beer, 2 hand pump ales as well as the usual selections of lagers, the black stuff and ciders. Food, good weekday deals.
Decor is traditional dark warm colours, The music is just loud enough to be heard, not so loud that it makes conversation difficult.
At one end, 2 pool tables and many smaller tables, at the other, comfy chairs. I mean comfy chairs in the 'i don't want to get up' comfy.
Staff are friendly and helpful.
Just far enough away from the town center to be a nice retreat from those industrial boozers and the friday/saturday night party crowds that make drinking in the town center such a chore these days.
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Nice pub, nice staff, reasonably priced, can play some pool and take it easy.
Mr Vincent Mancini - 4 Sep 2004 19:19 |
A great improvement after refurb but still not great. Only 2 ales, food 'til 10pm, wooden floor, big screen, some bizarre seating (a nursery-sized pew next to bar stools, very low sofas).
DeviousDave - 24 Feb 2004 10:14 |
I visited the(British)oak last Saturday only to find it is nearing the end of a major refurbishment and has not yet re-opened,its no longer a Mr Qs but will now be a firkin pub instead,it has also been renamed and will be known from now on as simply"The Oak".
Patrick A Banks - 8 Feb 2004 22:01 |
Been drinking here for six years, and it's about to be re-furbed. Wooden floors and everything.
The prices are cheap (�1.73 Carling) and it's got 2 big screens for sport, and there's normally a somewhere to sit, 3 pool tables - but a struggle getting a game these days.
The range of people is far too wide to discuss, but in six years there's noly one thing that even came close to trouble.
The management seem to change every few weeks, and at least half the locals have worked here at some point.
annon - 16 Jan 2004 10:20 |
Its good in there the staff are lovely, its ca good freindly place. The only issue is the manegers who are rude not freindly and have no respect what so ever i think it needs new manegers otherwise its going to go dead in there as a lot of people have told me they dont want to go in there cause of the manegers most of these people have been going in there for a long time
Dazzer - 4 Jan 2004 21:23 |
This place isnt as bad as it used to be- but low prices are a double edged sword, as the percentages of dole scum and care in the community cases are still high.
David - 15 Oct 2003 16:55 |
friendly pub where every one knows every one, never has any food on though even though it is advertised. Had many messy days and nights in the oak,worth a visit before heading into Kingston centre
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well presented, and friendly staff who make an effort. You get to know people in here whether you want to or not. Its worth a visit as its only a 5 minute walk from kingston and you can always park in Sainsbury's across the road after 6pm as its free.
joan - 1 Sep 2003 21:37 |
carling is now on special offer at �1.73 a pint. who ever said calsberg is always on cheap obviously does not go there enough. Pool is great on thursday as its free do try it.
joan - 1 Sep 2003 21:28 |
A great pub for a pint & a game of pool, friendly staff that make you feel very welcome! Normal some good offers on.
Snake - 27 Aug 2003 11:30 |
Good for a game of pool. Different drinks on special offers every month. New landlady started so all the tossers have now gone ! Great atmosphere for England internationals, especially if they are played on a saturday !
Hightower - 27 Aug 2003 11:12 |
This pub is alright for a game of pool in the afternoon- but every kind of tosser comes in here after 5 o clock.
David - 5 Mar 2003 16:23 |
always seems to have carlsberg on a cheap offer, or maybe we're just lucky.
Darren - 20 Aug 2002 11:38 |
