please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Large traditional pub overlooking the common which mainly caters for diners. However, there is a decent-sized area for drinkers. Four real ales were on offer and my pint of Redshank from the local Tring brewery was the best pint I had in the five venues visited last night. Bar staff were young an friendly. Well-heeled clientele from across the age groups. You would be happy to bring your mum here for lunch. The 3.9 average score awarded by the other reviewers is way too harsh. This is a pretty decent pub, although I didn't sample the food.
|
Felt very underdressed when my wife, son and I dropped in yesterday. Everyone else was in their Sunday best - and they were also surprised that we hadn't reserved a table, despite it being 2.45pm.
Despite a sign I later saw in the toilets advertising tasting platters of ale, there were only two available - Old Golden Hen and Bombadier. Had a pint of the latter which was perfectly drinkable, as was my wife's red wine, although both pushing £4.
Food was good and arrived about as quickly as the drinks did. Enjoyed my pie (proper shortcrust pastry and not just meat in a casserole dish with a pastry topping) while my wife got half a cow after ordering the ribs. Bit pricier than your average pub grub, but I guess that's expected given the location.
Desserts were decent too, so no surprise that most of their trade seems to be from people eating.
Not somewhere I would adopt as a local just for a pint, though, because it would feel like drinking in a hotel restaurant.
|
Under new management but still the same, poor quality overcooked food served by staff that don't care. Been like this for years ever since Chef & Brewer were bought by Spirit and money was there only interest.
|
Under new management I'm told and vastly improved. Still the best spot on a summer's afternoon for miles around
|
further to my earlier review, which was rather kind....
this pub is a horrid place,.
we took elderly father in law for lunch, which took 45 mins to appear with no appology, spent over 30 quid on inedible, overcooked and cold food. must have been burnt then hanging around the kitchen for ages, father in laws fried egg on burnt mixed grill was like rubber egg!!
My burger was cremated.,
hubbys chicken was cold inside hot outside yuck!!
wrote in to complain, as staff were inapproachably rude.
unsurprisingly no reply.,
crap pub, crap restaurant. shame on them,
|
Got to agree with most reviews, terrible food, great location, good beer. A pity because once upon a time it was famous for its good food. Try the Cricketers in Sarratt instead...
|
Sadly, pretty duff! I've eaten here twice in the last few months, the first time we were all(about 10 of us, all locals) very disappointed, the second time was just to see if it was as awful as we remembered. That time around it was almost adequate for a bad pub, in other words, just don't bother.
They have THE most quintessentially English village green setting and it was great up until the revamp just over a year ago when they ripped out the hedges, removed the old pub signage and 'gentrified' the place, now...beer good, food bad. Stop for a pint, but just stick to a bag of crisps!
|
Great setting , beautiful views, well appointed Pub/ resteraunt areas ....but thats pretty muchw here it stops really.
We booked a table .. but on arrival there was no welcome , I stood by the bar area for 5/7 mins waiting to be seated and trying to catch the bar persons eye. when I did , it was "Oh! Just sit anywhere you like"
Service was poor and resteraunt staff were very difficult to attract. The food when it eventually came was patchy
The Meze Platter to start was fine .
The main courses were just fairly horrid , the fish pie was close to inedible and unpleasant in its presentation and smell. Thai fish cakes were OK - but the presentation was just dreadful and way too many fish cakes crambed onto the plate... all the plate sid to you
"We came straight of of a deep freeze somewhere and too many fell out of the packet so we stuffed 'em on the plate"
Pudding .. a shared platter was OK
Coffee had no taste whatever
Hugely disappointing ..........the setting kinda implies that it could and should be great ( and it was good a few years back) ...however, today the menu / the chef and the serving staff all need a serious rethink.
|
Lovely re-furbishment and wonderful location. Just a shame that the quality of the food and the standard of service don't match that. Taking over 20 minutes from placing the order (and this was after the lunchtime peak!) to serve luke warm soup tasting as if it came straight from the tin isn't good. A steak pie containing some brown awful tasting liquid purporting to be gravy was worse. To be fair, tuna fish cake and scampi were middling; mange tout were cooked excellently! But not a place to return to quickly.
|
Once again we were disappointed with our visit. I'm not sure why we keep going except that is is local and a nice setting. The 2 main things that constantly let this pub down is the bad service and the quality of the food.
On this occasion we walked into the pub, (restaurant entrance) and was totally ignored by the 3 staff including the manageress, who were busy organising the Christmas display!
Having sat at a table looking at the menu for 15 minutes, another couple were directed to the table next to us and were asked for their drinks order. As we were about to go to the bar and order our drinks we were finally asked for our order.
The food was mediocre and we didn't have to worry about a second drink as there was no fear of being asked.
We have visited on a number of occasions and it always seems to be a similar story.
The staff always seem to be preoccupied and are not interested and rarely notice their customers. Surely, this should be their first priority.
Unfortunately, it would seem that they rely on beautiful surroundings and customer service is not on the menu!
|
Absolutely awful food. How could they mess up a burger? Burnt dry served on cheapo burger bun. Had to ask for relish etc. Others had soggy baguette with awful melted cheese. BLT served without any mayo or butter just dry bread. Shouldn't be allowed to get away with this hence the review.
Nice location - go there for a drink just don't eat until they pull their act together.
rjt67 - 12 Aug 2009 17:33 |
Now called "The Two Brewers" not only the name has changed civil, but blunt service. The wonderful menu is NO more it is now a member of the Chef & Brewer chain and has a typical modern pub menu. We waited over an hour for main course and had to chase up starter and ask for drinks to be refreshed even though waitress service. The food when arrived was expectable but not special in any way.
The most disappointing part of the visit was that the pub had that beautiful English pub feel but they have tried to go shabby chic and like many greedy landlords have ripped the heart out of another English pub. It will do well as it has a wealthy clientele even if new management showed they were far from sophisticated.
|
This place is not what it used to be. I had a very average meal last Thursday evening and was throwing up before I got home. I'm still waiting for an apology from the arrogant manager and will not be going back!
|
This pub/hotel has a spacious feel about it, offering reasonable privacy at your table. It is very popular, though we have always found a good table. There is a good sized area suitable for taking children. The food is great and the pub is well situated for good walks. Best to phone first, just to check there's not a special do on.
|
We arrived at just before 12.00 Sat morning, to be told (though the door was open) that they weren't open yet. Hardly very welcoming, though it was warm and comfortable inside, but rather 'superior' There was only one person behind the bar, and with affluent locals also arriving for lunch (it was fairly food and wine oriented, tho' I think there was Fullers London Pride on), it was going to be a wait so some of us rolled down the hil to the Royal George.
|
used to be part of chef and brewer chain..I think it might be independent now..very packed and very noisy... dont think much of the new decor..has lost a lot of what little character it had in the first place.. they got rid of the candles and sconces and chandeliers and hops around the beams...
having said that they obviously have a very upmarket clientele so the food must be good, always busy and hard to get a seat, but not a bad place overall...just a bit noisy and modernised...deserves better than 5!!
|
This is quite a nice pub with a hotel attached and they sell proper meals - but I have never eaten there. It has a sliught chain feel to it but has great position beside the green. great on a summer evening when they are playing cricket on the green.
zoomy - 27 Mar 2008 22:05 |
Mmmmmm nice food and lots of it. Good location to walk off the food afterwards... Not so good with special requests such as timing of kids food with adults starters... but all in all, not a bad experience
|
I think this is a nice pub and is great now the smoking ban is in. Food is fine
|
a nice pub. Better now the smoking ban is in.
|
Been here several times and never had any problems with the service - though it does get pretty busy for lunch at the weekend. Beer and food have always been fine and didn't find it too expensive - a lot cheaper than eating out in London or even Hemel.
|
OK; the pub food was overpriced for the quality; and we did have to wait 30 minutes for it to arrive; my kids were angels during that time. BUT, they did provide drawing materials to entertain the kids and the manageress was very good with their little foibles. Note that the kids' bangers & mash came with gravy on it - not their cup of tea.
And there's a great village green across the road with some cricket going on at the far end of it, and a wood behind where you can walk off the stodgy mash.
They had 3 beers on tap; GK IPA, Courage Directors & Best.
|
Its not a brewers fayre you plebians!! its a chef and brewer, and although its lost many of the qualities it previously had, its still a wonderful place to go, with an extensive menu, and locals who are lovely!!
As for the rip off part, basically, if you need to ask "how much?" or quote the price of the meal out loud, then you really cant afford it! try going to a 2for1 pub or something else equally as tacky and cheap!
seriously folks, you are obviously an unlucky bunch of people!
anonymous - 1 May 2007 10:46 |
Must agree with the others. Typical Brewers Fayre pub. Beer rubbish, expensive. Food was rubbish even for one of their pubs.
|
The worst Christmas meal ever, food cold when sent back we have no sproats, Steak tastless, service poor when we complained the waiter tried to blame us. drink order took 40 mins to come. We ended up refusing to pay,
|
I'm with Louise on this one. Unfriendly and amateur service, staff did not know what was going on, had to remind the bar to bring the wine over but worst of all was that having pre-ordered a Xmas meal, they had no idea what we had ordered and had no turkey! This is the worst �54 spent on a meal and a thorough rip off. Don't go - you will be disappointed.
|
Possibly the worst excuse for a 'country' pub that I have had the misfortune to go into. Excrutiatingly slow service - you could seriously die from de-hydration. For you 'townies', don't be misled, this is NOT indicative of a good country pub! It's a big, chain run, microwaved food churning out machine! And the manager...?!!! Well, don't expect a smile!
Louise - 29 Jun 2006 17:17 |
