please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
this pub is open again.
more of a gastro style food menu which I haven't tried so cannot comment on.
Good selection of ales and friendly staff at the bar. Nice decor inside and seating available outside in the summer.
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Pub now closed and boarded up
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Tried to visit this pub yesterday and it was shut at lunchtime (Saturday). The doors appeared to be nailed shut.
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Brilliant pub quiz on a Monday evening. Good crowd, lots of people eating and enjoying a pint or two with the quiz. Well worth a visit on Monday evenings.
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I booked The Spring for my 21st Birthday meal with my family after a> recommendation from a friend - it certainly did not disappoint! The foodwas> divine and the service was exceptional. Nothing was too much trouble andall> staff members made every effort to make my night special. I would without> hesitation, recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a great night> out with delicious food!
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Stopped into the Spring for lunch (in November 09) for the first time since it reopened and it was a bit of a disappointment; no atmosphere, a bit clinical. The food was OK but nothing special, and it wasn't all that cheap.
Interesting choice of guest beers, and I guess they were still getting used to running the place since the service was a bit erratic. Maybe one to try again in the summer, but not as good as the Fox & Hounds in Theale.
ewand - 17 Jan 2010 20:57 |
Visited last night and was so disappointed. I ordered the salmon but refrained from having the buttery sauce and mashed potatoes but asked for extra green vegetables instead but checked first with the waitress that the vegetables were not smothered in butter. I was assured they were not. When the meal arrived everything was very shiny indicating oil of some kind. The two tiny florets of brocolli, 3 slices of courgette, one tiny carrot, 4 baby tomatoes and 10 green beans and the spinach base for the salmon was just oozing with oily pesto. The whole meal was greasy and very small considering it cost �12.95. Did I send it back - no I didnt for two reasons, one my partners lasagne would not have coped with any more microwaving and two, we went there to dine together not at different times. Surely if I declined from having the buttery sauce and potato and asked about the butter someone would have considered that I didnt want a meal oozing oil. Sorry but it was disgusting and I wont be revisiting even though the place has sentimental value.
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Great to see this place reopened. A lot of work has gone into revamping this tired pub and talking to the owners many teething problems have created unforseen issues for them during their first week of opening - not least the kitchen extraction system not working causing the unfortunate cooking smells through the pub (which I must admit I quite liked) as mentioned as a negative by an earlier review. Staff very friendly and attentive, great selection of local ales, and the unobtrusive background music was just right. Keep up the good work guys. Definitely worth a visit.
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Husband and I stopped in here on a Saturday afternoon after a walk by the bird reserve hoping for a couple of nice hot chocolates and a jacket potato for our toddler. Seemed they don't do hot chocolate and didn't do jacket potatoes on Saturday for some reason. Also there were no highchairs, but luckily we had a booster with us. We ordered a couple of lattes and a bowl of cheesy chips because the menu seemed very limited and not child friednly at all (we weren't offered a children's menu and only noticed they had one as we left!). The lattes were nothing special and didn't even come with a little biscuit on the side (just a bowl of icky sugar cubes) and the chips were horrible oven chips with cheese grilled under a seemingly filthy grill. We could taste the old grill/oven and there were lots of bitter burnt bits. Needless to say this wasn't what we'd had in mind and we made a quick exit, wishing we'd gone further up to the Rowbarge or the Butt Inn, which always seem very cosy, good food and child friendly too. Staff were not really very helpful and a bit abrupt even though there were only about 5 other people in the whole place. New decor seemed a bit clinical and the old cosy atmosphere we remembered wasn't there anymore. We won't be going back!
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The Spring Inn recently opened their doors again. What a challenge it must have been. Weeks of preparation and anticipation.
Let it be known the staff works very hard especially the Chefs having to do prep. and service in order to provide a wide variety of food all day every day. Not to forget all the food is FRESHLY prepared, home made! From the Grapefruit Sorbet to yes the Tartare sauce.
Front of house is very much a pleasant sight, staff always welcoming us and upon departure one lady in particular always wishing us a safe journey, what a nice touch.
I certainly enjoyed my visit to The Spring enjoying Ascot Ales - Posh Pooch and Alley Cat to name a few. Top of my list so far is the Spring Burger, have not had a chance to try the Steak and Ale Pie - seems very popular !
Good luck to you and all your most friendly and helpful staff.!
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Pub has just re-opened after a bit of a make-over, but not as 'cosy' as it was before. It looks rather clinical and bright - no candles or dim lighting. The dining area downstairs is now one big open room with no divisions, corners or closed in sections, so no atmosphere - it feels like you're sitting in a school dining hall!
The staff didn't really seem to know what they were doing - it took 3 bar staff to serve us our drinks - one doing the ordering/till, one doing the drinks and one telling them what to do! The menu is trying to be 'bistro/gastro' style, but fails to deliver as it's actually quite normal and boring, just more expensive than normal pub food. I had the worst 'posh' fish & chips ever, and at �11.50 it simply wasn't worth it. The menu said Beer Battered Cod with Chunky Chips and homemade Tartare Sauce & Pea puree. What I got was a solid lump of fish in batter that tasted like it was cooked in old cooking oil, about a dozen frozen 'fat' chips (not the homemade chunky ones I'd have expected), green goo for the pea puree and no tartare at all. When I asked the waitress for this, she looked confused. I eventually got a pot of shop bought tartare sauce!
The cooking/frying smells from the kitchen filled the entire pub, and when I got home all my clothes stank of it. To top it all, the ladies toilets were disgusting - they obvoiusly hadn't been cleaned at all that day as the floor was filthy, and one of the toilets was completely un-usable. There was no mirror on the wall, or any nice finishing touches such as flowers, tissues, pot-pourri etc.
Having said all that, it was busy, but no-one really looked they were enjoying themselves and there was no 'buzz' to the place. In fact, there wasn't even any background music to give it any atmosphere.
I suspect, as they've only been open a week, a lot of people are going there out of curiosity. It would be interesting to see how many go back a second time, as I for one, certainly won't be!
If you're looking for good pub food in that area, go to The Butt next to Aldermaston Canal (less than 5 minutes from the Spring Inn), where you'll get fantastic food, sensible prices and a nice friendly atmosphere!
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Just re-opened earlier this week. Quite busy yesterday (Friday) evening. Good selection of well kept ales: Triple FFF, Ascot ++
Shame about the smell coming off adjacent fields; that killed the apetite for food.
Will go back soon.
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Seems to be getting a makeover by Enterprise Inns, hopefully will reopen soon
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Seems to have just closed.
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Currently closed down...
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went out for a dinner the other day; used to love this place but food is not that good any more, shame.
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I live in Theale and have always like the charming decor and good food served here. We booked a table for six to celebrate a birthday. We went for the earliest available sitting - Midday on Saturday in mid July. The initial bar service was "relaxed" and the "brewed on the premises" Spring Ale, is very good for a low ABV tipple. We found the food good although a little pricey - (�125 for 6 starters / 6 mains / 1 dessert + lunchtime drinks). The service was snail-like however. It probably took 20-30 minutes before we saw our starters. The main course took even longer and don't get me started about one cup of coffee and a single Creme Brulee ! (which had sunk, presumably while cooling on a worktop somewhere !) We order drinks but the round came up short, and when I went down to retrieve my missing beer, it had been "poured away !". The two waitresses serving upstairs looked overstretched, this despite the fact we were there early to avoid the rush ! They failed to take payment until we all got up and walked downstairs - (or potentially out the door !) It was probably close to 3pm when we got back to Theale ! Please, please, please, employ more staff - as we do genuinely love this place !
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Lovely setting by the cricket green, which would be reason for being packed during the Summer. Pub on two floors bar downstairs and restuarant upstairs. Well laid out clean. Friendly helpful staff. Good selection of beers including real ales such as Black Sheep. Ate in restuarant. Excellant quality of food, not your normal pub grub. Homemade vension pie, pan fried sea bass etc. Maybe pricey for some but thought on a par with others serving same sort of fayre. Well worth a visit.
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Nice pub this. Food is a bit pricey though. Very friendly bar staff and the punters seem nice aswell. I think this would get packed in the summer. Worth a visit.
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Nice pub overlooking local cricket green.(you can almost forget the fast traffic passing by) Lovely little Irish man made me & my family feel very welcome
Food was very good
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Had to return the first pint. It didn't 'pull' very well, was cloudy and Sarsons would have been proud of it.
It was so bad that the after-taste ruined the replacement pint.
Food arrived fairly promptly but it wasn't what we ordered. Surprising, because the food order was entered through the till system. Otherwise, good.
Poor service: plates were taken before we had all finished eating.
Health inspectors might have something to say about having a 14 month baby in a nappy and tee shirt sitting on the serving bar.
Would not return out of choice.
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Food ok, not upto the standard I feel it wants to be but on the way maybe. Please bring back the cocktail menu!!!
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Food was superb last week and service was A1, no complaints there. Definitely more of a resturant that a pub in my view but as long as you apprecaite that it may be worth a look.
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Very nice pub and the food was superb!! However the service was rubbish. We got sat down and ordered drinks then that was it for about 1/2 hour, finished a bottle of wine before our dinner order was taken then had to wait a further 3/4's of an hour for dinner.
We were seated at 7 and didnt leave till just before 10. Not impressed.
But the food was good and so was the wine so that made it a lot more better, may go again but a little hesitant as if this proceeds then wont go again.
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Nice enough pub - biggest pluses being the good Sunday lunch and excellent selection of real ales. Service was friendly. Well worth popping in for food or a quick pint if you're on the A4/M4 in the Reading West/Thatcham/Newbury area.
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I have never been there just for a drink, but have eaten there several times and had no problem. Sandwiches are excellent as is the Sunday roast. One time service was a bit slow on getting the food, but to be honest so many places rush you in and out it made for a pleasant surprise. Would recommend.
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For the 3rd time I visited this local, expecting a beer and meal. Each time bar staff leave you standing and dont even acknowledge you. A pretty girl walks to the bar, and jumped a long queue muchto anoyance of about 6 waiting. Finally, Barman says 'with you in a minute' then takes the girls food order to kitcken but never came back! Five staff behing bar, all conentrating on food orders - gave up waiting for a beer afer 20mins - definately WONT go again.
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