please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
More restaurant than pub. Nice makeover. The TEA was good on my last visit
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Beer first. 3 "beer engine cooled" beers from the Marstons list (although a freehouse). Marstons EPA (English Pale Ale), Ringwood 49er and Wychwood Hobgoblin. All in great nick, esp the EPA. Prices start at �3. Don't like the fact they charge more for halfs than equivalent pints. So drink pints!
Tidy refurb. Good food. Pleasant staff (Closed Mondays). Hope they can get a good local support. 9.
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Closed for extensive makeover from April to August 2nd. Now reopened with 3 real ales on offer( 49er, pedigree and cumberland ale) and nice locals bar. Restaurant also busy so well worth a visit.
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Food expensive and turned up cold and would have expected to pay less than half. Very dissapointing.
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The Exchequer is a really great local pub, my favourite in the area actually. The latest landlord has done a really great job. Inside and outside it's been beautifully done up, and there are sofa's next to the open fire where you can lounge about reading the papers (supplied by the pub). The food is fab. I'm a vegetarian and even I'm tempted by the smoked haddock on a mustard mash with green beans, a poached egg and hollandaise sauce!! The menu is more extensive than it used to be and you can have traditional pub favourites (perfectly cooked) or something more refined - there's a lot to choose from, including a brilliant "Pie Menu" with about 10 different deep filled, homemade pies which come with veg and potatoes and all for �6.95!! The staff are really welcoming, they try and source all their produce locally, they serve real ales and very lovely wines, and if all you want is a cafe latte by the fire, then that's fine too! Dogs are welcome (and seem particularly fond of the fire) and it's just lovely after a walk along the canal. What more could you want!!
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good selection of ales,nice open fire,making nice progress
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Ok, so i read the recent reviews. Not great but decided to try it for myself. I ate here on Saturday 18th September and my welcome from the moment i walked in untill i left was extremely nice. The gentleman behind the bar was very helpful and not only seated myself and my friends but ensured we got our drinks within 5 minutes of sitting down. The waitress that dealt with us was prompt and kept us informed each step of our evening. The food was wonderful and it is very difficult to find fault with any course. All in all i would say we had a wonderful evening and to this point have found it hard to find a place to eat where we have felt not only so welcome but so valued. All i can say is that those with negative reviews have been overly critical. This is still a village pub that caters for a local trade as well as offering a very good menu and service to others from outside the area.
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If you enjoy waiting a long time to be served this is the pub for you!!!!!
Not only can you wait a long time but when you do get some one to serve you
there is a distinct lack of choice. When I tried to get a round in for some friends
there was only one ale on, funnily enough called exchequer, nothing else despite assurances a delivery was coming tomorrow. Not to be put off we ploughed on attempting to purchase some wine that was marked up on a board
over the bar,no such luck this hadn't been ordered yet as it was a bin end and
the wine hadn't been ordered on the day it should have been and wouldn't be delivered until later in the week, silly us thinking that as it was advertised it would be available. The problems don't stop there, 3 women were working behind the bar, mostly serving tables and taking drinks orders for the diners tables, in fairness they did look to be constantly on the go. The male person who we assume is part of the team, spent most of his time avoiding work, there is nothing more infurriating than trying to get a drink from overworked bar staff when one of them decides to stand out the front and have a cigarette, when he came back from this cigarette break, you guessed it I was still waiting to be served, he acknowledged me, told me he would be straight back having to get something from upstairs???? When he did return he went straight back out the front.
I'm sorry but even in the depths of a depression service like this takes some believing, I shall actively tell everyone of my social circle about this pub, it's advertising but not of the sort you would choose, it's akin to a latter day Fawlty Towers, just without the fun.
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Although most of the reviews to date are positive, I must say that following a visit on Saturday for a party of four (my wife�s birthday), the experience was not good. Firstly, the noise in the eating area was so load that it was impossible to converse without shouting, due to the terrible acoustics and the wooden floor - everyone�s voices were amplified beyond belief - not good for a restaurant.
Secondly the service was poor at best as the serving staff had no idea what the menu comprised of and could not answer the simplest of questions, the one hour wait for the food was unacceptable although an apology was given for the wait after 45 minutes and the offer of another drink while we waited was welcome although I was surprised that we were charged for this.
When the food did arrive, it was not bad although for the price the steak (around 6oz), one tomato, one mushroom, and four chunky chips for �15.95 was not exactly good value and the lemon sole (one small piece) was not filleted and contained more bones that I thought possible for such a minuscule fish making it almost impossible to eat - the one redeeming feature was that the beer was good - perhaps they should just stick to the beer and stock a few more as a very limited range was available and only one cider (Bulmers) - if ever there was a case for a Gordon Ramsey makeover it must be the Exchequer - Avoid at all costs.
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Haven't been to the Ex-Chequer (very clever, how long did it take them to work that one out!) for a while but tempted in due to rumours of decent beer. And the rumours were TRUE. 3 gravity fed barrels including a local Andwells brew (renamed for the pub), Otter Ale I think and London Pride. Tried the first two and 10/10. I suggest, if possible, keeping it LocALE with e.g. Hogs Back and Ascot Ales (request:- Anastasia's Exile Stour). The boring bits:- pub very clean and bright; food limited menu so average. Keep up the good work!
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A change for the better I have to say! Clean (i.e. no smell), real fire and hopefully a garden soon I am told? Food is good and a good range of ales with pleasant accomodating staff. I will revisit, but would be careful about which wine to drink as the prices generally are a little on the high side.
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Called in to have a look lunchtime. Not the sort of place i would go to just for a few beers ,to gastro for my taste. ideal though for a family pub lunch .Nice to see the ales availabe all dispensed straight from the barrel, today these were . Andwells gold muddler, Hogs back advent ale and fullers london pride. I went for the advent which was pretty good. Didnt try the food so cant comment . I wont visit often as its not my kind of pub, but the beers good and may try it for a meal sometime
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I have eaten in this pub several times, the food is well above average, served hot and within reason, bearing in mind cooked to order, delivered to your table promptly. The atmosphere is pleasant and the open fire is a bonus, if a little smokey at times, as it tends to blow back into the pub. The people I have been with when we have visited this pub and we all agree this is the only real critisism we have, some of the ales are stunningly overpriced, some by 35p a pint, which is a lot of money compared to the price we pay in other surrounding pubs. We can understand some of the wines being on the pricey side, as they are more upmarket quality wines than your usual run of the mill pub wines, if the ales were more realisticaly priced this indeed would be one to be reccomended.
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Visited this place today, lunchtime, and was almost shocked by the change - for the positive - since I last visited. The place was buzzing with punters and there is now real ale on offer (check the website to get a free pint). Menu looks like it has had a bit of thought and the owners are clearly trying hard. The renaming as 'The Excheqeur' is quite amusing - good pub sign (can't often say that these days). Worth a thought if you live anywhere near Fleet area. They are also promising to get loads of real ales in...
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Now the Exchequer. Looks promising. Good selection of ales. Food good value, ales a little pricey.
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3 of us went for dinner on saturday evening, our first visit since the pub has changed hands, we had a lovely evening ,excellent food good service and very good value for money, we will certainly be retuning
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We live locally and eat out at practically every available lunchtime venue in the district. Until recently, the George & Lobster, having been tried and not liked, was not on our rota. Having received an enthusiastic report of improvement under new Landlords and making several visits, we now put the G&L at the very top of our extensive list. Being pensioners, we particularly like the special inexpensive lunchtime menu for OAPs and the very affordable wine list. Our only complaint being that the size of the meals is way too much for us. The standard of cooking is far above what one would expect for a country pub (the chips �a reliable yardstick - are among the best we have enjoyed anywhere).
The mention of �smells� puzzles us � we have never experienced this, but it does take our memory back (70 years!) to when this was truly a very lowly rural �local�. The strong smell then was of damp lino, but this building has been transformed since, into a much more �up-market� establishment, with impeccable cleanliness and a high-class ambiance.
We suspect that the Landlords consist of a couple � he dealing very hospitably with the public and her (?) displaying undoubted skills in the kitchen. They deserve to succeed.
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i recently visited the george and lobster with my parents for an evening meal and i have to say that since the new management have taken over things are improving, the service was excellent the atmosphere was brilliant and the food was was great, we shall be returning to the george and lobster frequently.
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Very disappointing. We booked this pub to go out for a meal to celebrate our anniversary. I had been to the pub a few years ago and it was fantastic. However, upon arriving at 8pm on a Saturday night, the place was deserted. We had to wait 5 minutes to be served as there wasn't even a barman to be seen. We decided there and then not to stay and eat. The menu displayed in the bar looked average, at best, but overall it was the complete lack of atmosphere that ruined it. Another couple did turn up to eat and you could hear the chinking of their cutlery from outside, the place was so quiet.
I decided to try and get another drink, but unfortunately after waiting another 5 minutes for non-existant bar staff, I gave up.
What has happened to this once busy and vibrant pub. This place can't have long left.
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Only ever stayed for lunch, but it's been decent. Shame you can't sit in the back garden, unless you like the noise of air-con fans, but sitting at the front is fine. I'm tempted to say it's a touch overpriced, but I think given its location it's probably spot on.
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I have been dining at the george and lobster for four and a half years now, And i must say the food is to die for. The portions are huge, and it always come to the table very quickly and is piping hot. The service is excellent the staff are polite and cheerful always in good spirts. The atomosphere in this place is "buzzing". The bitters are mainly local bitters consisting of TEA, And ringwood best, And green king IPA. Over the years there have been many like sharps doombar. As for the previous review of the smell, I have only ever notice this smell on the one visit, And that was due to a problem with the drains, But this sunday lunch when i visited the smell had gone and everything smelt hospital clean. To sum up the george and lobster, Resonalby priced food, Great ales, Great friendly staff definatly a place to dine.
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There was a group of 12 of us who dined here yesterday evening to celebrate my aunties 60th birthday, I was concerned reading the reviews, but thankfully we could not fault the food or the staff. I have never tasted steak so good, and we came across no smells other than clean and fresh !!
I would highly recomend this place, even with a large group of us the food was piping hot and presented so well.The manager did keep checking that everything was to our satisfaction.
We would definately eat here again
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The staff are polite and helpful but are clearly angry with poor management. Very miserable faces.
Have been 3 times now and will not go again. There has been a poo smell lingering in the restaurant on every occasion. Having complained to a member of staff it appears the pub has a plumbing problem so the shit smell is here to stay....
Myself and my wife were the only people in the whole place for the duration of the last meal... a clear indication that the smell of faeces and cooking dont mix well. Also according to the member of staff (who was actually working their notice period!) the comments on this website by HiHOSilver had actually been written by the desperate manager himself! Nice location, nice staff, miserable atmosphere, smelt of shit... 1/10.
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11 of us went for sunday lunch to celebrate my husband's birthday. We could not fault it the food and service were excellent, the staff were very friendly and helpful. We will definately be going back again.
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We had Roast Duck Breast and Beef Wellington and they were delightful. Service was prompt and pleasant. I also had a great pint of Doombar from the Sharp's Brewery. The food and service have improved here and is well worth another try.
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A group of 6 of us dined here last night. We had no problems with service and the food was very good. We will return in the future!
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I am surprised to see all the poor reviews on here. I have dined at the George and Lobster regularly over the past few years and although standards did slip a bit they seem to have re-gained their original excellence.
I dined there last night with my wife. I had the roasted seabass with cherry tomatoes which was lovely. My wife had poached salmon with fresh hollandaise sauce which she thoroughly enjoyed.
The service was friendly and prompt.
We were sitting at the bar after our meal and chatting to the barman who told us they have got the original head chef back, who worked there when this pub/restaurant was in its heyday. My personal view is that if you have had a poor experience it may well be worth another try. We will certainly be returning.
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I had hoped the negative reviews were overstated. We went there on Saturday evening as guests of my wife's father. The food is utterly appalling. It reminded me of the worst kind of fare served in post-perestroika Russia. And typically without charm or flair. You surely cannot serve pork tenderloin (at �14,00) plopped like three small beef olives on a plate swilling with gravy and a lump of mash nearby. It reminded me of school food in the 60's. This used to be a gastro-pub. It is now a pretentious overpriced cafe - with service to match. Shame on you.
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Took my parents here on a Saturday night, table booked for 7.30 and the place was pretty busy. 3 waitresses and the bar man. We were shown to our seats immediatley, this was the only prompt service of the evening. The service was slow, no apology for keeping up waiting. The order taken and when this arrived, this was wrong. No apology for this either. Food was average, service poor. Would not recommend this for anyone who hasnt been here before and expect a nice pleasant evening.
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A good gastro pub some years ago but seems to have lost the plot. Mainly east european staff were pleasant enough, but the food was mediocre with undercooked chips, a rather grey looking fillet steak and a dessert which had a definite taste of furniture polish about it. Decor is tired with dirty carpets and paint blobs on the back of some chairs. Couldn't recommend it.
DickB - 20 May 2007 16:59 |
May be worth a visit if, say, your car broke down right outside, but it's not worth make a journey of any distance to get to it.
Far too pretentious. They seem to think they know all there is to know about pubs: they know very little.
Food O.K. service anything but.
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Superb restaurant and new bar area with sofa`s my wife and I enjoyed the evening very much.
anonymous - 13 Aug 2006 17:59 |
Where has Ferrari MAn gone ????????? He was the best !
Food is now OK as to previously excellent.
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