please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Smart. Pleasant. Competent. Good pint of Young's. Artificial flowers in small vases.
All present and correct. Bit dull.
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I suppose it's a bit late to give my opinion now- see my post of 18/7/10!-, but here goes.
Yeah, I think I agree with most the negative stuff in the reviews- it's a poncey place, over-priced, pretentious & badly run, uninterested barstaff etc-, but I was able to stick a pint or two with my mate before we moved on to REAL pubs like The Wheatsheaf!
It's just a shame that a pub with such a lovely position on The Common should wish to exploit & prey upon punters so obviously, & attract bad reviews...
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Agree with many of the other reviews on here. A sunny evening and the garden is tough to beat, and there's a great selection of wines. Food is good too. But, it's realllly expensive. Also, not once but twice I've been booted out of the eating section of the pub, even though no one's been eating in there. And on another occasion the bored staff cleaned the whole pub with strong smelling fluid whilst we were still drinking at 4pm. The staff are often disinterested. I will probably still come here from time to time as it's a nice walk from my house, but it's a long way fro my first choice in Ealing.
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I used to drink here quite bit before the make over a few years back, however as mentioned in previous reviews that after the revamp the service was poor at best so I started drinking elsewhere.
However it was a nice evening last night so I thought that I would give the place a try again as I remember the garden was always nice and chilled (a rarity in Ealing Broadway) . And I have to say on first impressions I was pleasantly surprised, it seemed nice a relaxed with an ok selection of beers and ales (Youngs on pump). However I was instantly reminded of why I decided to stop drinking here when it took an age to get served as one of the two bar staff on was far to busy chatting to a friend to even notice that we were standing there, When I finally got served I was shocked that a pint of Krirn and a flat pint of font lemonade was �8+ to add insult to injury the Pint of Kirin was dead. So we decided to cut our losses and agree not to return.
Its a shame because the Pub itself is nice and the location is great for a chilled pint or two, what really lets it down is the ridiculous pricing a poor service.
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This is one of our locals. To sum it up: great selections of drinks, middle class, hit & miss staff. Probably won't go back.
My husband has always liked the look of it and we started going every Saturday for a couple of drinks. First time we got there, the staff didn't have a clue (probably new and untrained). We ordered a couple of drinks and it took ages. The week after, same staff - I ordered a shot of liquor with milk and she didn't know how much that should be charged. Waited a while (by this time the ice in my drink had already melted halfway). Still, we liked this pub because of its wide selection of drinks (Italian and Japanese beer on tap, and my favorite nutty liquor). So we gave it another go last night. Went and ordered a couple of drinks with a bowl of chips. This time, a proper barman served us. He seemed to know what he was doing and service was quick, even though it was really crowded. He said, we should order the chips from the other side (dining section), because it would make things easier. So we went to the dining section. Didn't see any signs like "Dining only" or "Please wait to be seated", and no staff in the area. We grabbed a couple of menus and sat down. Within a minute, one pint-sized, spray tanned brunette in a mini skirt came over (almost charging) and said, "Can I help you?" We said we wanted to order some snack, maybe a bowl of chips or dips. And she basically asked us to leave the area because it's "Service only" and we are not allowed to be sit there if we're just having chips. Very unpleasant and disappointing. We didn't even finish our drinks and just left. I wish this wasn't just down the road because every time I see it, I want to egg it. Or maybe egg her.
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I used to like this pub more - it's comfortable and friendly. The prices have shot up in the last year and it's really only one I visit when friends are there. The garden room is nice though and the staff are invariably excellent.
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I used to go to The Grange back in the mid 70s, in the days when it was a real pub, & even had table football inside! I've been back a couple of times in the last 10 years or so, & am going again today. However, I have a feeling of dread that all the bad stuff written here is true, & that there'll be little for me to enjoy. ('Why go, then?', I hear you say. A mate wants to visit, that's all!)
Watch this space for my opinion.
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A reasonbly recent nice refurb of the garden by the look of it but looks like the prices have been adjusted to pay it all off in a hurry ....
A shock at the bar - �9.80 for one lager, one lager shandy (!!) and a packet of crisps. Technically one of my locals - used to visit quite regularly over the last 12 years .. Such a shame that this place is so overpriced
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I've had hit and misses with the food - our lamb burger was so overmarinated it was like mush by the time it reached our table, but also some decent meals. I think it's pretty nice in the summer if you're just after a drink but it can get busy.
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Went to the Grange last night, having not read any reviews, or even looked at a website, so I went with zero expectations. I'm glad I did, it softened my dismay and disappointment. The bar was fairly busy (for a monday), tho the dining room appeared empty. After ordering a bottle of ok ish white wine my girlfriend and i moved to the dining room. At this point all was ok, till what i can only describe as " the fawlty towers affect" took over. . .
We were badgered into ordering after only a few minutes, when our food arrived it was wrong ( computer error), we then waited for an age for it to be re done and it was overcooked when it arrived, mid conversation and mid meal they tried to clear our plates, and all the time we watched the staff chat and discuss the thousand things they had to do, apart from one poor lad who was running around like a looney for the twelve customers in the dining room. Not once were we asked if we were happy or satisfied and when we asked for the bill we even had to wait ages as the barman had to leave the bar to take our payment. . . wont be going back
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The place looks nice. Unfortunately it's completely let down by the overbearing staff who seem to be too afraid to ask big groups of youths to leave at drinking-up time, but who are very happy to badger small groups every other minute from the dot of 11pm on. Their excuse? Their neighbours hate them and they'll lose their license. Except the small groups have already drunk up and handed back their glasses and the only ones still drinking are the big groups...who presumably are the same ones who'll make a racket upon leaving. We're locals and used to like this pub, but having been bowled over by the likes of the red lion and newly-refurbished kings arms, haven't been for a while. I can safely say the next time we think about going back, we'll go and walk over hot coals instead for a bit of a laugh.
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This place used to my local, as it is literally 30 seconds from my falt, but I have given up on it.
This Grange is more like a cr�che with a restruant attached, full of babies and children.
I'd say the "pub" aspect of this place doesn't feature very highly in the way in which the pub is run at all.
The food is medocre and overpriced. Meals are between �9 and �13, starters around �6. Ive eaten here and it's OK, but if you want the same quality pub food but at a lower cost you'd be better off nipping down to The Castle Inn about 10 minutes walk away which is about half the price and just as tasty, OR go next door to Charlottes Place to the restaurant, which has food at the same price but it about 10x as nice.
The beer as already mentioned is overpriced, they often serve larger and beer in the wrong glasses, or it is flat. I've complained about the beer served here about 5 times now, before I learned the error of my ways in coming here, and 4 of the 5 times the bar staff have been really moody about it although have never refused to change the pint. (listen hun, if your beer it flat, then it's flat. I'm not paying �3.50 a pint for flat beer). The wine is OK, but again overpriced.
There's always loads of unattended kids (usually running around and making loads of noise) especially in the summer, and until quite late (past 9pm). In the winter they run in and out leaving the patio doors open, it makes the whole pub freezzing but I've never seen any of teh staff (or parents) say or do anything about it. Last time we came there was a child of 4 or 5 running around us and actually climbing onto the sofas on which we were sitting. The parents and bar staff did nothing for 10 minutes, until we politley gestured to the parents to take their kid from climbing all over us.
It's a shame because this place has a great little paved garden in the back, and actully looks nice inside and out and has stunning veiws over the common. It has really good potential to be an excellent family pub but at the moment jsut lacks in everything.
My adivce would be to nip 10 minutes down the road to The Castle Inn, if you want a nice quiet pint with good food served at a reasonable price, OR go to the Rose and Crown (also about 10 minutes walk) which serve excellent food, and seem to have stuck the right balance of, family pub, quiet boozer, and good food. It is still less costly than The Grange.
There are better options then The Grange in the area if you want a nice family pub, or a quiet drink, or good food.
Only go here if you have kids and want to go to the pub, and have minimal responsibility over your kid. Bad for everyone else I'm afraid.
GabiA - 27 Feb 2009 13:21 |
Average Restaurant with OK Pub attached or over-priced Pub with a posh Harvester attached ?
Used to be OK a few years ago when run by Andy & Julia but disappeared up it's own fundament some while ago.
Full of the sort of people who've just moved in to the area and have annexed this part of Ealing as their own.
Food - if you want to eat go to Charlotte's Place. Drinks - OK but on the steep side.
The only advantage this Pub has is it's location as there isn't another place for a quarter of a mile.
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I quite enjoy going to this pub, the staff are friendly, get on with the job and for the most part quite fun. True, the beer prices are a bit on the up side, but then again, if you want �1 pints go to weatherspoons and put up with the friday night fistycuffs. The atmosphere is so much more relaxed in here and I cant wait for summer to roll around as the beer garden is awesome, on top of this, they will serve pints and wine in plastic glasses so you can go to the common for a bit of a lie down in the sun.
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This is a large pub with a conservatory and beer garden. There is a nice mezzanine level away from the bar, but it overlooks the open kitchen so it was very hot during my visit. The governor seemed nice enough, but I felt that this place lacked any sort of atmosphere except for the inane chatter bouncing off the wooden floors and furniture.
Bombardier, Youngs Ordinary and Winter Warmer were available along with Scrumpy Jack, Guinness and standard/premium lagers.
My Bombardier was good, but I felt that this isn�t the most comfortable of pubs to go to just for a drink.
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Is child friendly the same a baby friendly? I think not. Here's a tip for those thinking of bringing babies into a pub: don't. Either accept that having a baby means a few sacrifices, or get a babysitter.
As for a the pub itself, it's pretty good. Comfortable, quick service, a chilled out atmosphere (assuming there�s no crying babies to annoy you) and the food is very nice (although too expensive, I feel). The nearby Red Lion is a better pub, but the Grange isn't too bad at all, in an upmarket kind of way.
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This pub advertises itself as a child friendly pub - do not believe this. My wife and her group left the pub after a few cries from one of the babies prompted an onset of rudeness from the bar manager. Of the few people in the pub at the time, nobody complained except about the behaviour of the bar manager. One to avoid if you have children
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This is the LEAST family friendly pub I have ever been in. We had a small baby with us who cried for a few minutes (babies sometimes do). The manager was extremely rude about this to the extent that we felt compelled to leave. Looking back we were not made to feel welcome from as soon as the bar manager started his shift. The pub was virtually empty anyway and there was no atmosphere. Avoid.
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I used to frequent this public house regularly before the refit. It was a far better pub, one of Ealing's best in my opinion, even if it was slightly shabby. That was part of its charm. I then avoided it for a year after it was refurbished thinking it was another All Bar One. Thankfully I discovered it isn't. It is a decent pub but it is not what it once was.
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Used to go all the time and loved the food. Haven't been back since recent change of ownership. Will report back.
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I think this is a good pub. The food looks good though I've not tried it yet, but it has a nice range of beers and wines and is vastly better under the new management that have been in place for the last 2 years.
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I was looking up what I consider to have been and still be one of the best pubs in Ealing and not normally one to leave an opinion felt compelled to point out to the previous writer briski contrary to him I find the service at the Grange perfect, unpretentious,friendly and efficient. Their wine list (and I went in tonight to Count the wines) includes a range of 22 whites and 20 reds most of which can be bought by the glass. The beer there I admit is a bit pricey but our choice as customers is to pay it or not to, the environment definitly makes up for it.
My wife likes it now the smoking laws have come into place and we occasionally take our children in. Overall I will be returning come what may,and in summary now knowing the managers were New zealanders I would compliment them on trying to create an atmosphere that caters to one and all.
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Awful!
I spent 2 happy years attending the Grange on a regular basis, the staff were friendly, the food was excellent, the wine selection was extensive and good, the beer was even ok, although a little over priced.
Then Youngs took over and since then it's been down hill ever since. The d�cor is now dark and oppressive, they have decked over the patio area and installed nailed down benches and chairs so if you have more them 4 people you can't sit together. The beer if grossly over priced, they don't know how to serve some of the beers they have in, the wine list has shrunk leaving a collection of average bottles at inflated prices. The food is still mostly good but the menu seems much less variable.
However these failures are nothing compared to the worst change, the staff. Once the picture of helpfulness, knowledgeable about the things they served and friendly. Now rude, arrogant, lazy and seemingly unable to serve the drinks they are trying to charge �4.20 for. It's frankly shocking that this Kiwi couple have been put in charge of a pub as they clearly have no ability to hire competent staff.
Youngs has simply ruined what was easily Ealing's best pub. For shame!
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The most inept service i have every experienced.
They simlpy forgot we were sitting at their table waiting for food for over 1/2 hr, until i beckoned them over.
By that time, they had lost our order, and because it was late, we just left to go to a eaterie which had heard of customer service.
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I've started using this pub recently as I live around the corner. I never used to think much of it as I thought it was a bit poncy and took itself too seriously. Anyways a friend of mine told me that it'd been taken over by a young Kiwi couple who were kicking over the statues so I thought I'd give it a bash.
First time in I get talking to the new manager (Simon) and his wife (Sarah)and I've got to say they're doing an unbelieveable job. All of a sudden it's a pub again, it feels alive and the staff are just so friendly. The food is brilliant without being too "gastro", there's a quiz , and when you walk in you can have a laugh with the staff. Box it, bottle it or whatever, this is everything a locals pub should be, fantastic.
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It seems that i am going against the grain here but surely it was better before they ponced it up. Of course pubs should be clean and well presented but why do they have to be so souless
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I have a real soft spot for The Grange after spending 2 years working there. After leaving last year I vainly thought it would 'never be the same'. However, the new(ish) managers are doing a blinding job and the pub feel's really welcoming, with a great atmosphere & a lovely team! I can't wait for the quiz to start...
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Definitely on the up. And about time Youngs. Real energy in the place. Looking forward to a good summer enjoying the beer and garden
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I love this pub! Used to live right around the corner and always headed here for Sunday lunch - their Roast's are the best I have had in London.
Friendly service and a beer garden just add to its appeal.
sem07 - 14 Mar 2007 14:05 |
Recently returned to the area after moving away. Met a friend and tried the Grange out.What a change from the old place.Service was fantastic and the food was great. Tried the Oyster Kilpatrick and the Fillet Steak whilst my friend tried the Seabass. Apparently there is a new Kiwi couple in charge. Being from there myself all I can say is go NZ!
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VERY DISAPPOINTING. Drink here and eat nextdoor at Charlotte's Place. For 3+ years until the end of 2006 we went here regularly with many friends and visitors to Ealing but NO MORE! Towards the end of 2006 The Grange was bought out by Youngs and the food standards have plummeted. They've tried to keep the same menu but just don't deliver on it's promises.
However, it's still a great place to go for a drink and enjoy the decor, then go for dinner nextdoor at the delectable Charlotte's Place (best Sunday lunch in Ealing).
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If you're paying this much for food I'd expect a more extensive menu in the restaurant. That said the food is very good, a nice place to come for a special meal out. Nice pub in general, not a great choice of beers. Plenty of space outside for the summer months
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Very disappointed since they changed owner: staff is very rude and food is not as appetising. They lost that welcoming/chill out feeling... too bad.
anonymous - 8 Sep 2006 17:01 |
Nice food, but pricey. Pub has not been split into 2- one part restaurant with decent views of Ealing Common, the other more of a Gastropub/leather sofa's/dinning tables rather than your everyday pub. Food is in all pretty good- tasty roasts, but is a touch pricey (good when someone else is picking up the bill).
I'd have to say 8/10 overall.
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Although I wouldn't call myself 'well to do' I am a parent and often struggle to find anywhere decent in Ealing.It's hard to get the right combination of somewhere that sells booze and lets kids in.However The Grange is just the job.It remains very child friendly whilst retaining it's pub atmosphere.The food was great ,the staff were very friendly and there was plenty of alcohol available!
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I always try and give The Grange a chance, after being continually annouyed wit the service, pruices and food - the location is amazing, right on the common, but they just can't get it together. Oftentimes you'll turn up and there is literally nowhere to stand, let alone sit. The food, when you can get a seat, is pretty good in fact, slightly poncy bar food down in the bar and quite expensive restaurant stuff in the posh bit, but there's so little space to do owt that the place just collapses into a kind of gordon ramsey kitchen nightmare when the place is really busy.
The pub used to seem much bigger, and admittedly in the summer there is a lot more space when the outbuilding is open and the garden is on form (BBQs are ace). Although then you have to put up with another annoyance - millions of squaeling babies and well to do young parents mulching around. Thankfully though, they can serve your beer in a plactic glass for you to take out to the common and escape the mayhem.
Pretty good for spotting posh dogs at that time of year too.
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Owned by Spirit Group in their "Gastropub" brand. Good wine list, nicely redecorated but just seems to miss the mark slightly.
The staff are all well meaning but seem to congregate at the bar unsure of what to do, the menus all have some pages missing and whilst they have a selection of 30-odd wines - some very unusual - no-one seems to be able to describe them to you.
Now - I'm perfectly happy for a pub not to serve wine, or only a limited selection - but if you're promoting yourself on the basis of the wine list, then you should know what you're talking about. It's a little annoying because they seem so close to having a brilliant gastropub, but somehow just miss the mark.
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Cannot beleive what they have done to this place, Ealings pretentios lot who like to pretend that they are a superior breed seem to like it.
How many more trendy wine bars does Ealing really need?
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When we moved to the area a year ago, The Grange was an appalling pub - bland, terrible atmosphere, terrible drinks, and despite being by far the closest we could only bear to go twice.
Now it's been refurbished, and the difference is incredible - much more stylish, a fantastic selection of drinks, great simple but tasty bar food, and a fantastic restaurant. It's been open about five weeks and I've been about six times so far and I simply don't have a bad word to say.
The waiting staff are very friendly, and always ready to help out - and enjoy a bit of a chat - plus are making us feel like welcome regulars already.
The food in the restaurant is delicious - huge portions, well cooked and fresh. There have already been several changes to the menu in the time we've been, so no chance of getting bored.
I could keep praising it - especially the red wine....! - but let's just say I couldn't have wished for a better local.
If you've not been since the revamp, get down there quick. In fact, don't - I want to keep this my secret.
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A yes The Grange. Visited this establishment in 1988 when I was in London on my big O.E. from Invercargill, New Zealand. As there isn't a photo I can't really rememeber the ol'Grange...I was 25 in those days and consumed 'snakebites' that were 50% strongest cider and 50% strongest lager I could buy...needless to say one minute I could speak English and the next sheer utter gibber! The drink fermented in your stomach so one can imagine what it did to ones swede...yeh so who needs 'P' then!
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Revisited this pub post refurbishment for sunday lunch. Trying so hard to emulate the Ealing Park Tavern and failing miserably. I dont mind paying �12.50 for a good roast beef lunch but when it comes complete with raw vegetables, one lump of overcooked meat (isnt this normally a steak?)& a bottle of wine plonked down on the table without being poured - better off in The Harvester. Would have complained given the chance but half full plates were whisked away without any enquiry as to enjoying your meal. If this is the service 2/3 weeks in then EPT must be having a party to celebrate how good it makes them look!
Lisa - 16 Nov 2004 10:59 |
Currently under going refurbishment. I really hope they don't change it too much.
Nigel - 31 Aug 2004 16:28 |
This used to be our favourite pub but it's under new management and terrible now. They play really loud music and attract a very young crowd which is not in keeping with the lovely pretty residential area that its in. I feel sorry for the residents too. I will not go there any more.
Ceri Diver - 16 May 2004 21:14 |
Comfortable & freindly. Can't say what the beer is like as every time I go here I'm on my motorbike.
Nigel - 20 Apr 2004 18:30 |
The best place I know for a quiet drink. A very comfortable lounge, nice seating elsewhere, good food, a heated patio and table football!
James - 27 Oct 2003 14:00 |
