please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Not a pub per se despite the Brakspear signage out front. Rather disconcertingly there is no bar, so at the time of my arrival (roughly 6pm on a weeknight) I was slightly confused as to where to go. Found a member of staff and requested a drink - they only do Oxford Gold, which I presume is served from cask out the back (no bar, remember). No bar snacks, but she very kindly offered me a plate of homemade pork scratchings which eased the imparting of £4.00 for the pint (and put the £4.80 for a packet of crisps and a drink at The Cherry Tree into the shade). Photo of George Cole and Dennis Waterman above the fireplace and caricature of John Mortimer on one of the walls. Definitely one for the foodies.
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We had a celebratory lunch here and found that, although there is quite a bit of hype, on most criteria that mattered, this pub delivered. The food was not vastly overpriced (a pleasant surprise) and all of us were satisfied - no-one complained about over-salting. Of the group of four only I had the real ale, and it was perfectly drinkable. I will happily return for similar meals, though hardly a place for a beery session in the evening
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Visited this pub following recommendation in the AA Good Pubs guide. I must admit I fell for the hype about Kate Winslet having her wedding reception here and other notable celebrities who have frequented this haunt.
Perhaps I was expecting too much, but it didn't live up to its star billing. Food was not vastly overpriced (�13.95 for two courses on the set lunch menu) but was certainly very over-salted.
As I was driving I ordered a bitter shandy - deeply unpleasant as it was served at near room temperature on a very hot day.
The staff were friendly and the food was OK, but in no way did this pub live up to the hype that surrounds it.
Pleasant, but definitely not worth a special visit.
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It's a haven from rush and bustle but it's not a pub any more so I wouldn't go for a few pints - if it had rooms it would be an inn, and none the worse for that: excellent food well prepared, good beer well served, good menu, good wine list, no snobbery or pretensions, all intelligently served in a charming, unrefurbished old pub. The prices reflect the well-heeled catchment area but it's wise to book, so the customers like it and so do I. Brilliant.
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This place lives on its old reputation and the fact it is owned by the chef at London Stree Brasserie in Reading. But it is expensive, slow and the beer is not that well kept. Kate Winslett had her wedding reception there once..
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Whilst the food is very good and the location fantastic - an ideal spot for whiling away a sunny Sunday afternoon - I would have to agree with previous comments about the price and the slow service. If you're in no hurry and your not paying for the whole family its definitely worth a visit
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we went because of the reputation. What a let down average food at high prices, served in a cramped dirty atmosphere.
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We went there for Sunday lunch and were very disappointed, cold soup, wrong order given and basically not very good service. We went there because of the good reviews here, but things seem to have changed. For the price you would expect a lot more.
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Excellent food and proper beer - set lunch menu / Sun lunch good value though beware if you're in a hurry since service can be slow as they're always busy. V different from years ago when it was just a pub but pleasant location with a few tables (picnic benches) outside on first come first served basis.
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Superb food, well-kept Brakspears, but more of a restaurant these days. That said, its a top-notch place for dinner. Also do set-lunches for less which are good value. Take a map/GPS unless you are local and know where it is - v tricky to get to!
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This pub is minute and calls to my mind the images of pubs in Thomas hardy novels - dark and smoky and full of life. A great little find.
Myshcka - 16 Aug 2004 13:27 |
Since Kate Winslet had her wedding breakfast here it's changed from a local rustic pub to being a restaurant. Still got the layout with heavy beams, flagstones, antique pubby furnishings and great inglenook log fire, and well kept Brakspears tapped from the cask (no bar counter), but it's not as good as it used to be!
pete - 21 Oct 2003 12:41 |
