please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Our final pub on our Sunday evening trip to Berkshire was supposed to be the Elm Tree. It proudly advertises on the exterior that it is open all day. But alas at 7:45 on a Sunday evening, there was no sign of life and the pub was closed. False advertising. Not to be outdone, I returned this evening. Two ales were on - Landlord & Razor Back. Neither inspired me. So I went for an Aspall's cider, which was promptly dispensed from a pint glass into my half glass. I wondered how long it had been sitting there. The interior was nicer than I expected. But most people were enjoying the evening sunshine on the outdoor patio. 0/10 for my first visit and 4/10 for my second visit, due to questionable serving practices. I'll average that out with a 2/10 for this one. Very disappointing.
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You will definitely need a car to get to this pub (unless you walk from Riseley or Mortimer along narrow roads with no pavements).
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I have visted this pub on a couple of occasions and both times have been let down by the service the person I believe to be the landlord appears to have little control over events taking place and seams to be constantly falling out with the staff. I would like to know how this place can call its self a pub with continusly running out of beer and ale's the food menu is dissapointing to say the least even more so when you order something only to be told they have ran out. I really dont know how this pub is still operating with its dis organisation and total lack of knowledge and professionalism.
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In an attempt to avoid the Royal Wedding our party did a seven mile walk around Mortimer. The Elm Tree was our chosen stop.
The website makes it out to be rather a posh place, more a restaurant than a pub, similar to the Foresters near Fleet that we visited on our last excursion. The pub is situated at a crosroads at the top of a small rise. A large area of decking outside levels it out a bit, but in truth it doesn't look much like a country pub from the outside.
Inside too it's OK but nothing spectacular. Ringwood Bitter and Doom Bar were available ( is Doom Bar taking over the world ) so nothing over 4 per cent. Greene King IPA was unavailable. The easy options had certainly been taken with the real ale choice. Beer was fine if a little cold.
Being Royal Wedding day the landlord had made an effort and put on a barbeque. The "chef" was a short fellow who did a mean Joe Pasquale impression but sold very little food, despite trade at the pub being steady. We opted for the pub menu, the entirety of which was written on a small blackboard and brought to our table. Choice was limited to about ten items - not neccessarily a bad thing as huge menus usually mean pre-cooked food brought in and re-heated. Food was OK ( I had home made burger) , nothing exceptional, and in truth the portions were a little meagre. One of our party actually supplemented his lunch at the BBQ. All this makes the website a little misleading.
The Elm Tree struck us a bit schizophrenic. Part of it seems to want to be a country boozer, whilst the other part wants to be a restaurant. The result is that it is neither. I'd visit it again, but if any other options were available I'd probably choose them instead.
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Since the previous comments for this pub have been posted, there seems to have been a change in chef at the Elm Tree. It is not expensive, infact it is quite cheap for a country pub. But not just cheap in an inexpensive way, but cheap in a lamintated-menu-with-pictures-of-the-food sort of way.
Once I pealed my menus from the sticky table (there are a choice of two menus - Thia or English), I opted for the English. From that I chose the English fayre. Oh dear. Oh deary, deary me.
It would be unfair to go into frightening detail, only to share with you my two conclusions: 1. Gammon cannot swim. 2. The chef was very apologetic. But then he only came over to me after apologising to another table.
My friends who ate from the Thia menu were, however, delighted.
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Very expensive place for a fairly average selection and quality of beer, well over �3p/p.
Place is full of clocks. Has an impressive outside decking area, with a nice view towards Hampshire from the left. The gents is indeed 'bog standard' (ho ho) compared to the ladies, so I'm told.
Atmosphere inside is decent enough, a few drinkers among the diners.
Maybe worth a quick half if driving and it's a nice day. Otherwise, too expensive to justify it really.
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Appalling!
anonymous - 6 Sep 2007 00:15 |
If u fancy paying over 3 quid for a pint of fosters go there....if you value your money dont....
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Went for dinner after change of ownership, verdict? APPALLING..NOT the gastropub they think it still is judging by the frankly mad prices...Actually paid a tenner for a clam chowder soup with NO CLAMS in it...complained to the foreign staff who said "thank you" and got very rude when we refused to tip. what happened to the place...come on, sort it out.
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Nice pub, I didnt have any food as the prices were a bit dear. Nice beer garden to sit and enjoy the nice weather. Apparently they have paintings of fish tanks in the ladies toilets but its just plain bog standard in the gents. Overall a quiet little allright pub.
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ok ish little pretentious
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not impressed trying hard to be a gastro pub but not doing a good job
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Eaten out here twice, food was excellent but come on please do NOT charge for accompanying vegetables as price easy high enough to include.
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resturant/pub, deff something different tho, lots of stuff on the walls to look at, especially good if you like clocks, they have about 1000 of them.
captain_cool - 3 Mar 2004 10:43 |
Have booked a table for valentines dinner. Have been sent then menu to pre-approve before confirming booking (nice touch), the menu looks amazing and the lady taking the bookings was very helpful and friendly. If the food and surroundings is as good as the service that I have received so far, we are going to have a wonderful evening!
Emily - 10 Feb 2004 16:59 |
Excellent food and very well kept London Pride. Not cheap but very good for a treat.
Christopher - 30 Jan 2004 13:04 |
Nice pub, Bud on tap, no garden unfortunately. Food is above average but very pricey, pulls points back with the friendly and attractive bar staff though.
Chris Ashworth - 17 Jun 2003 18:20 |
