please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Stayed at the Alex one night recently and had a great time. Good choice of cask ales (although you can never have enough!) and some of the best pub food I've had in ages. If you time it right you might even see a Vulcan flying past the garden.
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Gazza, I don't think it's a conspiracy. I've been drinking in the Alex since the early 1990 when Helen & Geoff ran it and have reviewed it before (see below).
It's now changed out of all recognition, I was in there today and the beers were Doombar, Ringwood and a guest I can't remember. The food we had was very good. I had hot scotch egg with runny yolk (great with a pint!) and first rate fish and chips. It's still a pub as opposed to a gastro pub and well worth a visit. For years the Prince of Wales by Farnborough North station was always reckoned the best pub in the area. I think there's now a serious challenger on the block.
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Four gushing reviews by people who have not reviewed on BITE before. A possible conspiracy?
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Have just eaten at the Alexander pub for the very first time. My husband and I have had the best risotto and hamburger we have ever eaten . We cant wait to try more of the menu. Food is freshly cooked and beautifully presented. Ignore the comments made before the new management at the end of January 2014.
JANNT - 20 Feb 2014 15:28 |
We were looking for a nice place to relax during our weekend off with my hubby and found this place. I must say it worked just perfectly! Our room was very nice and clean, comfy bed :) Yummy food and perfectly chilled beer... And all this for very good price :) The Italian lady who served us was extremely nice and helpful. Will be definitely back again! Thank you.
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We were at the Alexandra on Thursday night and it was so lovely! We got to meet the new management team there. What an improvement! The have done it all up and it looks very welcoming and warm. We only went for a beer but instead we were tempted into a lovely meal. The chef is Italian and knows a thing or two about great food :) Nadia at the bar is so fun and lovely! The beer selection was very very nice too. We had gorgeous chicken and mash, tagliatelle and calamari.
can't wait to go back :)
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I visited the pub recently after it had been taken over and had a lovely time. I went with my husband and three year old son while in the local area. We were made to feel very welcome and the food was fab! Everything was very clean and I really wish the new owner well in this venture because she made a huge effort to provide excellent service and a fantastic product.
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Amazing. Just one member of staff on, but she cooked hot meals, served them with a smile, and 'manned' the bar too. All in a pub which has a wonderful traditional ambience, is only 5 minutes' walk from the station, and where real ales are just - wait for it - £2.50 a pint! Everything a pub should be....
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This pub was the best thing about my visit to Farnborough. Stayed at the Village Hotel and wanted to find a traditional pub to repair to in the evenings and I was glad we found the Alexandra. My partner and I felt welcome there despite the pub having that feel of being a locals pub, the landlord was friendly, there's a decent smoking area at the rear of the pub and the jukebox is ok. Really good barmaid on the Saturday night we were there too. Oh, and they serve a quality glass of wine at a very reasonable price. There is a bird in a cage in the bar which might deter some folk but it didn't bother us.
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Decent Hook Norton Gold on as a guest. Rather spoilt by the sarcastic comment when we asked for our short measured pints to be topped up. The TV still dominates and if you try to sit near the pool table the rather loud music takes over. Not really a pub for a quiet pint this one.
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The only positive thing that I have witnessed is the welcoming. The rest is history to be wiped out of my mind.
The more negative aspects are numerous.
-Distrust: After having told the pub owner that I would let him know around 2pm the same morning whether I would stay for another night,on my return from town, he forced me to pay �35 for another night claiming that he lost a sale because of me.
- The toilets and the toilet seat were really dirty.
- The room door could not be closed so I barricaded it with a cupboard whilst I was sleeping. The pub owner remained oblivious to the problem claiming that nobody would break into anyway.
I would be cautious to sleep in the Pub for a long stay
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Sound pub, but quiet atmosphere. Average.
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The refurb is ok, just seems to lack a bit of atmosphere to me. Tried the food, it was ok pub fayre at a reasonable price. Decent beer and choice of ciders.
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Clean, friendly service, good food and good beer. Much, much, improved over what it was.
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fantastic place clean friendly food excellent,, highly recommend a visit to this place since it had the refurb...
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Now i'm glad they've had a refurbishment here, and I intend to visit.
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Glad its been changed from a couple of years ago or so, I'll report back after visit.
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Two real ales available on Friday - Courage Best and Black Sheep Bitter (which tasted okay), Bombardier was turned round. The TV was on extremely loud and forced us to sit outside on the patio which still needs a little tlc to bring it up to the standard of the interior. A far more welcoming refurbished pub when compared to "The Swan".
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Dropped in out of curiosity - wanted to see what they've done with the place. It's been refurbished & refurnished well enough. Seems like it has more of a wine bar feel now, however, than the atmosphere of a pub. They've gotten rid of the pool table and dart board - dining tables now reside in that area. A parrot in a large cage also now makes the Alex it's home.
I have it on good authority that the men's room hand dryer is now functional.
They have a decent-looking pub grub menu (I didn't try the food, however) but it does seem a bit pricey. The usual selection of lagers and a couple ales are available. They also have pear cider and three varieties of wine on tap! One of the former Tumbledown Dick employees was the barman when I was there several nights ago.
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Now re-opened and it's been done up nicely.
John seems to have moved on.
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Shut for a month from 8 April for a major re-furb.
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Been in here several times. Never thought it was that rough - at least not compared to the Tradesman's Arms! But I've been served two too many bad pints (must disagree with Consumer1's comment that they serve a good pint) here and that's why I don't stop by anymore.
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Despite the reviews about this pub....i would like to state the landlord John is a down to earth all round guy. Who has passion for his work and takes no s**t, enjoys to have a laugh that uses foul language but never offensive and know where to draw the line. Punters may give ya a stare at first but your soon buying them a pint and exchanging stories.
It's Different, It's Unique and something memorable always happens. Better than Eastenders!
10 out of 10 love it!
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Needs work on it I admit but still better that the alternatives in town.
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Agree with the last post; the place is a dump. Oh yes, and the hand drier still doesn't work.
anonymous - 2 Nov 2007 21:53 |
This has never been the most solubrious or welcoming of pubs, but it's gone further down the pan since John was replaced as manager a few weeks ago. They serve a good pint, but the service is absolutely dreadful! There is a regular barmaid who has a vocabulary of only four words: "There yer go" and "Cheers". Do not expect a cheery greeting or normal pleasantries like "please" and "thank you" in this pub!
Rowdy and foulmouthed behaviour is tolerated - even encouraged - here, so don't even think about going in for a quiet evening!
Clearly rundown, this pub could do with a radical clean up! It has a grubby "feel" to it and the toilet doors are filthy. The management obviously do not expect the clientele to wash their hands after using the loos as the hand drier in the gents has been broken for months!
I would definitely put this pub alongside the "Trades" and the "Queens" as pubs not to visit in Farnborough.
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Walked in with my boyfriend on a Saturday afternoon, there were only men sitting round the bar, and I got completely stared at - felt very uncomfortable - so we left without even ordering a drink! It was also pretty dark and dingey inside. Nearly needed a combat knife to cut through the smoke.
anonymous - 21 Oct 2006 13:13 |
about the parking in the car park and going in kfc, i do understand were the manager is coming from.. coz think about it would u like some one to drive on ur drive and eat a kfc and leave there rubbish, a pub car park is for customers only.. and the pub is good entertainment the manager is funny and down to earth, also the staff.. the live bands on a sunday is brilliant!! I can not say a bad word about this pub..
anonymous - 7 Oct 2006 16:51 |
Used to be good for a ruck, not sure if it is still the same, but put it this way, if u walk in and your not a local, you are sure to get a few stares,
Plus if you even dare to use their huge and always empty car park for 2 mins just to pop next door to kfc, you will without a doubt have someone outside, before you have even locked your car, giving u a f**king earful which is far from polite,
great way to build up some custom guys,
1 out of 10
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Didn't notice many young girls here, mainly a middle-aged crowd. Seems a bit close-knit, but not hostile
Will2 - 11 Nov 2005 19:20 |
Rather different from the Tumbledown Dick. Rather mature crowd indeed, though it does have the advantage of having a friendly atmosphere
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This pub is areal boozer! Smoking at the bar and talking to staff still not banned here! However no real babes to see in this pub, young girls come in at times. The Alex is going through a quiet stage at the moment, probably people were sick of the never ending Irish music and crap food. We will see a revival im sure.
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Typical Farnborough pub, terrible.
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Seemed like a nice pub, went there midweek lunchtime and was getting quite busy but got served immediately
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