please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
There seems increasingly little point to Wetherspoons. Competition in other places, a plethora of venues for your beer and your breakfast. The Kings Tun is an echoing chamber of a place on two floors, once the Empire Theatre and later a Reject Shop, and served as a pre-loading venue for the nightclub opposite.
Last time I went in there I ate a dry and unpalatable breakfast. A man at a nearby table sat sideways on his chair and watched me while I ate it. I do not think I will bother with Wetherspoons again.
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The King's Tun was my first stop a Kingston crawl yesterday. I was here for breakfast and a quick pint. As Lezford says, it's near the train station. It's also just round the corner from the bus station on Cromwell Road. Getting across the road isn't easy though. Next time I'll use the lights! As with most Wetherspoons, this one has 2 banks of handpulls and unlike many, there are different ales on each bank. Yesterday morning they had 11 ales - Greene King Abbot & IPA, Oakham Citra & Sharps Doom Bar are the regulars. Guests were Twickenham Grandstand, Strange Brew & Redhead, Arundel Sussex Craft Coffee Milk Stout, Dark Star Green Hopped IPA, Kissingate Toffee Cog & Surrey Hills Collusion. There were also 2 real ciders from Westons - Old Rosie & Marcle Hill, in addition to a mulled cider from them too. The interior is quite spacious. Apparently there are 2 floors. But I stayed on the ground and enjoyed a nicer than normal breakfast. Service from both the bar and the kitchen was quick and efficient. Certainly one of the better Wetherspoons I've been in.
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A Tuesday night football game in Kingston so me and my pal decided to meet in the Kings Tun.
I got here around 6.30pm and as expected it was busy. A mix of ‘spoon’s punters, local workers and football fans all enjoying the cheap food and drink.
Food was popular with the 3 people in front of me at the bar all ordering food, while I only need a few pints. Quick service from the 4 bar staff meant I didn’t wait too long.
A decent range of ales (like one my last visit), I went for a few pints of Twickenham Breweries Summer Sun @ 4.4%. 4 pints for less than a £10.00, I no longer have a problem with ‘spoons pubs especially as 9/10 times the ale is well kept.
We stayed for less than an hour but like the last visit the Kings Tun is a decent pub and worth a stop especially as it’s practically opposite the station.
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Almost a year since my last visit I dropped in at 11.45am on August bank holiday Monday for a quick beer while on my way to football locally.
Miserable weather outside but very dry inside (of course) and this is probably part of the reason it was so busy. 2 girls behind the bar who were very good therefore getting served was not a problem.
11 ales on the 12 hand pumps. I went for a new ale for me which was Sequoia @ 4.5% from Thornbridge. A very nice drop and made all the better as it was ‘spoons prices.
A decent ‘spoons that I’m sure I’ll visit again in the near future.
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Like drinking in a Beryl Cook painting. Now Beryl Cook was an excellent artist and looking at her work brings a smile, which is by and large more than you get sitting in this barn of a pub and knocking back the beer. However the presence of surging masses of people (not many of them, just masses) and solitary drinkers suggests her work. Not the best Wetherspoons. Not even the best in the Kingston area (that may be the Coronation Hall). It serves a purpose and will continue to do so.
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As with all Wetherspoons pubs this one is the watering hole of dimwitted old plonkers whose loud jabbering is embarrassing to those who prefer a quiet drink or good conversation. The beer is adequate and the service reasonable but the proliferation of Rab C Nesbitt lookalikes is likely to put the civilised drinker off.
Ideal for baseball capped, beer bellied neanderthals but otherwise another one to be missed.
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Large spoons close to the station that I haven't visited for over 10 years until last Monday.
12 pumps that has a great choice of ales with 6 of them being guest’s. I had 3 of then which were Baker City Brewing’s Barley Browns Black IPA @ 5.2%; Binghams Brewery Space Hoppy @ 5.0% & Arundel Brewery Summer Daze @ 4.7%
Fairly busy but as there are no meal deals on a Monday this was probably the reason that it wasn’t too busy.
Stayed an hour or so before heading to Kingsmeadow for football.
All in all a very pleasant place, great beer choice and best of all toilets on the ground level unlike most other spoons!
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Very disappointing. Beer range poor for such a large Spoons. Long time since I've been here & certainly wont hurry back. Just didn't like the layout at all as well.
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The only pub I've come upon outside Somerset with a secret cider.
The Kings Tun sells Westons Old Rosie but conceals the fact. There is no sign, etc, about it but when I ask for it at the bar it is produced from a back room.
Some tied pubs in Somerset secretly sell a locally-made cider to locals, in breach of their tie contract, but that can't be the explanation here.
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I went in here on Friday for the first time in a blue moon. I must admit that I have popped in once or twice in the day when I have been in Kingston but would tend to avoid like the plague on a Friday or Saturday night.
I must admit I was pleasantly surprise. Firstly the beer was on really good form but I guess that this has never been a problem. They had Thornbridge Jaipur and Dark Star Rockstar which both at around the 6%ABV mark went down quicker than a whores knickers.
Secondly, we managed to get served within around 5 mons each time. In the past it was more like 25 mins which was very frustrating.
Finally there didn't seem to be as many bellends as before but I guess as we moved on to another pub just after 10 that they may have turned up in droves later.
The one gripe is they had a toilet attendent saying "no armani, no poonani".....this actually puts me off being hygenic as he expects to you pay him a pound to have the privaledge of squirting some soap on your hands! This gey would only be there on Friday and Saturday's so if you were going to go any other time then this last comment would be not applicable.
All in all, a good experience and would definitely go back again on a Fruday or Saturday. Rating increased from 4/10 to 6/10
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This is not the worst spoons in the world and usually has a good range of ales to choose from, generally well kept. It's probably your best bet for a decent pint around Kingston town centre I'd say.
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Not the best of Wetherspoons but by no means the worst either. Decent pint of Thornbridge Brock on my last visit. Mixed bags of customers. Typical average Spoons.
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A large Wetherspoons pub on the one way system. It has a large oblong lounge with a partition wall about 2/3rd down and the bar on the left. There is another smaller bar upstairs. Most of the seating is geared towards the sale of food but is comfortable nevertheless. It rather lacks character. It has an excellent range of 12 real ales. It can get rather busy and service sometimes can be rather slow but it is still well worth a visit.
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This is my second visit since the recent refurbishment and it has certainly improved. Good selection of real ales in very good condition, far better than earlier visits.
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Huge shop-conversion Wetherspoon on two levels - in my childhood it was a Pier One Imports. Sadly it's a bit dark on the inside but as often the case with a JDW it has a wide range of ales - I had a half of Loddon Ferryman's Gold which was in good condition. As with many recent JDW conversions it has many framed accounts of local people and places of note - in this case, even dogs, since the resting place of Nipper, the dog from the HMV logo is in town.
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It was and remains a dump of the first order.
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Don't you old farts have anything better to do than moan?
I have it on good authority that the reas the staff have an "lathargic and uninterested" approach is because of the misfortune of having to serve perverted, disgusting old men and women that have nothing better to do but moan, burp, fart, pervert all over and around the staff. Secondly seeing as most of the OAPs that enter the Tun seem to suffer from Runny Bum Syndrome on a regular basis. I advise you to use toilets elsewhere rather than ruining thier beautifually new and refurbished lavatories with your toxic arse fume.
Good day!
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just had yet another refit shame the staff havent still slow lethargic and uninterested. Still any port in a storm.
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As well as the normal walking dead and smell of vinegar you get in most wetherspoons pubs there were also 3 new born babies on my visit. Start them young eh. Stood at the downstairs bar for at least 10 minutes being comletely ignored so went upstairs and had to wait even longer while someone bought about 8 teas and coffees, at least the barmaid upsairs acknowledged our existance though. Very dark and dreary upstairs with barred windows. Depressing.
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You do get a lot of students and kids on Friday and Saturday nights here but I guess that's to be expected. Quite amusing to behold if you're in the mood. Nappy night as we used to call it. It may get bad reviews but you know what to expect from a Spoons pub, there is a good selection of ales and it's easy on the wallet. Hardly the most picturesque location on the one way system but it's not that bad. Very large inside with another bar upstairs.
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I often go here for a pint after work. It's right by the station, and I have to walk past to get to my train. There is always a good selection (e.g. 8) of quality ales, which are kept very well. I was last here on Tuesday at 6pm. An excellent pint of Ruddles for under �2? You can't ask for better than that. Walkers crisps lower the tone for me, but I realise not everyone's into the 'hand-crafted' crisps thing! A great venue for a conversation or solo unwind. It can get a bit lairy later in the evening and at weekends (it's right across from Kingston's premier Ritzy-style disco: Oceana). Early-evening clientele is always interesting - a cross-section of society attracted by good value and an old-school pub atmosphere (no TV screens or music). I've never had the food, but often move onto the Subway two doors down for my repast. Of its kind, this can't be bettered.
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Yes it's a Wetherspoons. But the ale is well kept and cheap and the barmaids are lovely. Get a window seat to watch the lemmings driving round Kingston's one way system swearing at each other and the Foxton estate agents next door walking fast because they're very important and busy. Tits. Good for an afternoon pint or two.
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Some of the recent reviews are as tasteless as the beer this pub serves.
Still a pub to be avoided at all costs.
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I've got that friday feeling that I'm about to get seriously tanked tonight. That pretty boy Mike on the door better watch his peachy, firm, well rounded ass- I might just pinch it!
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The Kings Tun is a delight to visit. Me and my husband are what they call 'regulars'. The lovely young beautiful members of staff cater to my every need and the fellas that stand at the bar every night clearly fancy the pants off of me, always offering to take my husbands pint over to him, they must be wanting to come over for tea or something.
I used to enjoy a delicious bacardi and pepsi, but have moved on to an even more refreshing morgans spiced and pepsi and the husband sticks to his regular pint of carlsberg. Just like sleepingbeauty I love the mini cheddars and they really are served beautifully at the kings tun in their crisp golden packaging that glistens in the light.
But the one thing I hate about this pub is their constant asking of if I would like ice. I just hate ice, hate it, HATE IT, HATE IT!!!
NoIce - 24 Mar 2011 02:58 |
The Kings Tun establishment, what can one say!...
Firstly, one must follow on from my dearest and eldest fellow Wethertramp HellsBells (she certainly has rang my bell). The Mini Cheddars served up by the bar staffing team are without doubt of the highest quality, made with the finest cheddar known to man. I must admit that one can consumate up to 20 packets in a single hour, but nevertheless, they never fail me and are regularly restocking the beautiful metallic structure that hangs so majestically alongside the refrigerators.
Secondly, although one is not a fan of climbing a staircase, the feeling of reaching what awaits thee upon the top bar is similar to that of climbing Everest. I hear you peasants ask what it is I speak of!?....It is in fact...Table 2. Beautifully presented with two sofas on opposing sides, the menus presenting me with endless heavenly beverages and main meals to feed a King.
After 100 packets of Mini Cheddars (and several visits to the Gents cubicles), one finds time to unwind in a good book, well at least that is what they think I am doing!
One has in fact mastered the art of reading with my eyes closed, a skill one has trained thyself over decades of practice which has now reached perfection. The Mini Cheddars act like a sedative but there's only room for one Sleeping Beauty in this town!
It is with great regret that despite visiting this biblical establishment for approaching a century now, that one has been "barred" due to apparently falling asleep. This is simply outrageous by them, however, I get the last laugh!....
Tescos supermarche sells Mini Cheddar 20pack for �3
Cherio
SB
x
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Alright geeze?? Love the Tun me, proper nuclear sub there mate. End of every round I'm on me bike and over there for a cosy sesh with my bird Rosie, blinder. Nice bit of crumpet in there of an afternoon an' all, hard to resist a crafty tommy tank in the corner, you might not be welcome for a week or two but they'll get over it, the mugs!
sweet mate
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As my beddable companion 2becks has stated Ruddles is the best that is available. Although i smell and have long greasy grey hair, 6,7,8,9 puddles a night is what keeps me nurtured through the day and energetic enough for my daily spud up the road.
But why I here you cry?
Many a year i have visited the Kings Tun and until recently sat in my very table formerly known as table 18. Along with Dave, me and him had a perfect view of any young Nepalese persona for us to grab like my irish gypsy counterparts over in the west to my scottish homelands and give a quick easy fondle and a long rub over.
My request for some blue roll never ceases to amaze the fantastic team of staff behind the bar that work like absolute Trojans. With some blue roll stuffed down my front anything from any orifice is caught up swimmingly.
i have become somewhat of a local celebrity with the Tun with many a young folk laughing at me, wanting there photos with me (mostly male, very rarely women) and asking me if i can smell something...
I look forward to the rest of my time there, I infact hope to die there. CPR from G to me
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I've been frequenting this establishment for the best part of 80 years and have always found it most welcoming. The mini cheddars are always served in tip top condition, with an excellent foil quality. They're melt in the mouth delicious, and thats saying something as I haven't been able to produce spittle for at least two decades! The staff are always attentive to my every need and have clearly been trained to the highest standard in the art of procuring a mug of finest hot water, but I have to say the biggest positive about this pub is the toilets! Vast swathes of luxurious carpet, scores of chairs and even a few sofas, its enough to make my nappy quiver in anticipation! Even though it takes me 5 hours to get here I always find my journey was worth it.
Highly recommended.
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And another thing- the guys at the Kings Tun know how to serve up a bottle of Beck's. Its an art form, I got served a couple of exquisitely cold beauty's the other day whilst my long time wing man Brian knocked back a blinding pint of Ruddles to the Best. Enough to make a grown man melt, so I slip them some sweeties every now and again as a gesture of our appreciation. What an establishment!
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Good lord.
I can picture you all now; Big bellied, bushy bearded, red faced kitted out in your millets gear. You tarts are just waiting to unleash your 'witty' remarks about an amusingly named Ale we haven't heard a hundred times over, before you're lard arse waddles in for a pint of REAL beer. Do me a favour.
The smell of sick comes from most of you old farts' lack of basic hygiene. That or the fact most of you were never potty trained as minors, seeing as after a few pints of Ruddles Best finest puddle water most of you cant seem to aim your sphincter for number 2's, let alone number 1's.
So take your William Webb Ellis and swivel on it, you low lifes.
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The managers of the Lloyd's No1 chain appear to be left to their own devices.
The William Webb Ellis in Twickenham is a superbly run establishment with a constant turnover of top quality real ales. When I say you wouldn't know you were in a Wetherspoons pub I think most people will get my meaning. The staff are smart, attentive, intelligent and know their ale.
Unfortunately, none of the above can be said about The King's Tun.
This may be the most depressingly offensive pub I've ever been to.
The place is dirty and stinks.
The bar staff have permanently given the few grey cells they share the day off.
There is absolutely no vetting of customers - hence the place is mainly populated by Kingston's low-life.
Only yesterday some lunatic was threatening to hit me for no reason, before I even had a pint in my hand. - the girl serving me looked terrified.
Whereas I'll happily spend a couple of hours in The Webb Ellis with drinking mates from Richmond I use the Kingston version for a quick, cheap thirst quencher.
The emphasis being on quick.
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Visited this pub on the 28 december, mainly to use the toilets as the train station ones were out of action.
What a terrible experience a strong smell of vomit as you walk in and a generally dirty look to the place.
Had a half of the real ale which was on the turn and my friend had a bottle of Corona for which they had no lime or lemon slices, the bar maid looked surprised that we asked for it!
Avoid like the plague
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We thought we'd give this pub the benefit of the doubt and venture in for a burger and ale after shopping on a Thursday evening....... big mistake. Walking to the bar we both received a strong smell of SICK! Obviously someone had thrown up (the pub is frequented by the younger crowd) and the bar staff had not properly cleared it up. So it was a quick U turn and back out into the fresher air of the one way system! Needless to say we won't be going there again.
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Big town centre Wetherspoon. So it gets a lot of trade and often there are not enough staff to cope. So it can mean waits for service at the bar and uncleared tables.
Once night time approaches it fills with youngsters having a drink before going to the night club across the road. Bouncers on the door, music etc.
You can see in through the windows and judge whether or not to pop in. There are better Wetherspoons though.
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Not keen on this pub, but went in yesterday as there was a mini beer festival on.
First pint wasn't the best I've had, however I did finish it, but did find an odd taste in the mouth. Tried half of another beer to get rid of the taste, and this was the same. Should have taken it back, but couldn't be bothered.
Won't be going back.
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Really appalling service, slow and unenthusiastic. The manager needs to teach his staff about service and dealing properly with customers. But I suppose service is not important if the pub is already busy; no incentive to improve. I shall not be returning because of the bad attitude of the staff here. They don't want to serve you and when (or if) they do it is with a sense of unwillingness and unfriendliness. You really wonder if they are that unwilling to do their job properly and treat ALL customers well (not just the ones they like or fancy), they shouldn't be employed there. I hope Weatherspoons realise that shoddy and unfriendly service is not going to encourage you to return.
The products are the same as most Weatherspoons but the actual pub is dark and dingy even on a summer's day. Not pleasant. Really if this was the last pub left in Kingston, or London, it would still not be worth visiting.
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Pretty ordinary sort of place. Weatherspoons pubs do take alot of flack and it is understandable. I find it hard to understand why Weatherspoons are on any beer site for the simple reason:
The lager is always really grim (it seems to be the same in every Weatherspoon pub I have been to) and always seems to taste of the caustic stuff they clean the pipes with. The taste of the beer burns the back of the throat after each sip. Has nobody ever checked or noticed this? Flush out the pipes completely after cleaning! It is not that difficult surely?
Until a Weatherspoons pub can consistently provide an acceptable pint the chain is going to keep it's very poor reputation and only serve to the morons who do not know any better.
Rated 1 for potential.
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This pub has about as much appeal as a picnic in the middle of Kingston's eternally snarled up one way system. Does decent beers but the people who go in there...I shaln't go on.
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A huge Wetherspoons in what was originally the Empire cinema although I remember it from the days that I lived in the area as the Reject Shop (remember them?). There isn�t much inside to remind you of its former guises and it is for the most part a typically branded �Spoons albeit covering a large area over 2 floors. The downstairs main bar is essentially the old cinema foyer and fairly open with the usual run of screened off snugs down a couple of sides. One interesting addition to the silent fruit machines and multiple plasma screens is an electronic table top poker game.
The main bar has 12 hand pumps however as it is currently Ale Festival time, I cannot for certain say how many guest beers they normally offer but on top of the 7 Festival Beers on Monday, they also had 3 additional guest beers so I am assuming that the selection is better than average even outside of the Festival dates.
An open staircase winds its way to the even more spacious upper floor which has its own self contained bar albeit with just the 3 hand pumps. Due to sheer size of the place, I would assume that grabbing a table is pretty easy even at the busiest of times however some of the customer base were a bit charmless to put it politely. The same cannot be said of the staff who were pleasant, efficient and were never without a smile. They were also patient and tactful when I witnessed them having to deal with some particularly demanding characters.
The old pictures of town are of personal interest since I can relate to the days when Kingston wasn�t just a seemingly series of chain shops, refurbished bars and mass market consumerism. I no longer know the town centre well enough to determine where the Kings Tun fits in with the competition but for Ales, it would certainly be a front runner even if the pub itself lacks any great intrinsic charm.
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Large Open plan Lloyds No 1 Bar,Seven ales available, good value as usual and friendly service, 8/10
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I visited this pub at lunchtime today and definately not the usual nice place normally associated with the Wetherspoon group. Although there was plenty of empty tables it was hard to find one that was free of empty glasses and crockery. Not exactly a nice atmosphere either.
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Regular but rather grubby Wetherspoons..visited on a Tuesday lunchtime. Not awful but not delightful either. Inexpensive pint served rather short.
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Astonishing how different two nearby Wetherspoons can be. The Coronation Hall in Surbiton is far better than this place. But like many 'spoons the Tun is inhabited by the desperate and in its case being opposite a huge nightclub is also frequented by 'preloading' youths in the evenings. Do they drive away the Wethertramps? Not really, for the Wethertramp is an oblivious creature.
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This should not be on Beer in the Evening, as it is simply impossible to purchase beer in the evening in this cesspit of a drinking establishment. The bar workers just do not listen, and when they do, they serve the incorrect beverage, served incorrectly. For example, I asked for the three guest ales which were on sale at the time of the ale festival. However, I was served three of exactly the same ale, all served horrendously chilled. How can a drinker savour the delights of a fine ale when chilled? I must conclude that the ales are all chilled to hide the fact that they have all gone off, and also to mask the rather unpleasant sediment that has built up due to the pipes never being cleaned. This establishment should not be permitted to sell ale,; a total waste of fine beverages.
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Visited this pub 27/07/08 for the first and probably last time. Both the Marstons Pedigree and Greene King IPA were absolute crap, not worth visiting this pub if you like real ale.
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Only worth visiting in the daytime if you wanna get away from the Mrs whose attempting to drag you round the shops.
Avoid fri and saturday nights. I used to go when I wqas 18/19 but no more. Takes about half hour to get served and full of muppets..No thanx! ! ! !
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Visited today, a Sunday afternoon. Standard Wetherspoons, large drinking area upstairs. They were having a local beer festival so in addition to the usual suspects they had Pilgrim, Twickenham, W J King and Weltons beers.
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The atmosphere is loud and very abusive, But the food is incredible...i love the food, but i would never come here in the evening, last time i went in the evening, i would of got my head smashed in by these drunk, drugged up girls who were giving me and my mate hassle in the toilets, thankgod I did not stick around.
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a great pub if you love the aroma of rotting piss, or enjoy the feeling of glass being thrust into your eye. really, the only advantage of this pleb-magnet is the cheap prices. the bar staff are slow and bumbling. ales were horrific at best, the ciders were sold out.
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Almost got glassed as someone took objection to the trousers my friend was wearing... the bouncer was very helpful and watched us try to reason with man from his position on the door.
There are so many nicer places to go in Kingston along the river side and around the market place.
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Sad about the smoking ban.As soon as you walk through the door all you can smell is piss and sweaty armpits (toilets smell fresher) Will not be going back. God knows what the foods like didn't see 1 person eating and that was sunday about 4ish
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Doormen on a Monday (Bank Hol) eve, carding everybody - even those plainly old enough to have sons and daughters over 18, never mind themselves being. However the beer range was ok and there was even A over T - 9% and available in pints. Which mightn't be the best idea.
anonymous - 1 Sep 2007 19:10 |
SHOCKING, went on a saturday afternoon so it wasn't busy at all. ordered some grub, 2 burgers, simply really. 10 mins i was told. 45 mins later i was curious. went to teh bar and explained. it'll be 5 mins i was told(50mins to cook a burger). 5 mins later bar staff comes back, "what did u order again?" a fcukin burger mate!! by now 55 mins had gone, i demeanded my money back and went elsewhere, thanks for the free drink that was part of the deal tho!! haha
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Rubbish, you WILL not get served in under 45 minutes unless you are a buxom blonde with a very low cut top, of which I am not! During the week, the lower level has good selection of real beer (none of this lager crap!) avoid if you want decent service on a friday night
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Didnt realise this was a Lloyds bar now, doesnt seem to be any improvement made!
As usual, good for cheap drinks but the people are nothing special and its cramped. Have a few before the clubs and then move on out!
Jo984 - 28 Sep 2006 10:42 |
I used to like this pub when it was a bog-standard Wetherspoons. I normally like Lloyds Number One for their cheap beer and music. But after popping in here on a Friday night recently to wait for a friend, never again! Some bloke at the bar took 5 minutes to remember his pin number, then dropped pills all over the ground, there was a fight in the toilets and the entire place felt like a Mecca for Burberry and cheap jewellery. Avoid, and try the new Wetherspoons in Raynes Park when it opens...
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LLoyds rather
Will2 - 12 Jul 2006 17:51 |
Even more crowded than most Wetherspoons
Will2 - 12 Jul 2006 17:51 |
Ok during the day when it is relatively quiet and you can actually sit down somewhere! However food takes forever - waited nearly an hour for it to arrive! Horrible at weekends as it is so busy it's hard to get past the doors even. Staff are nice and usually can get served quickly at the bar.
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I've been to this pub a few times and enjoyed watching the fights between Ben Sherman wearing teenagers that's always on offer. If you're really lucky you can watch a cat fight between a couple of strappy shoed slappers too.
anonymous - 7 Apr 2006 08:02 |
BRILLIANT PUB, BUZZING, WICKED MUSIC. ONLY DOWN SIDE IS THAT IT IS A TOTAL DICK FEST.BUT THE TEN BIRDS THAT WERE THERE WERE GOURGEOUS AND UP FOR IT.
THE BEER IS BRILLIANT AND CHEAP.
BAR STAFF VERY FRIENDLY.
anonymous - 16 Feb 2006 12:21 |
More of a nursery than a pub considering the average age of the punter. This place exists solely as a gathering point for teenagers to get pissed up prior to heading over to Oceana. The younger ones who figure they won't get let in though get tanked up early on and a fight's never too far away as a result. All in all not vastly different from any suburban JDWs.
anonymous - 7 Feb 2006 17:10 |
I'm going to defend this pub, which is much maligned but I find it ultra-reliable, with a good range of cheap beers, regular promotions, festivals and so on, and an unbeatable Thursday night curry. OK, there's loads of kids there on Friday and Saturday and when there's a cheap night on at Oceana, but what do you expect? It's right opposite one of the biggest nightclubs in south-west London! At other times it's generally quiet, clean, comfortable, there's masses of room so you can get away from any large groups, and if you enjoy people-watching it's fun observing the kids and their mating rituals. Plus if you're a guy there's a very high quotient of attractive females to please the eye.
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Now Lloyd's No 1. Was there on Saturday for a swift couple of pints (which were tasty, admittedly). It's hard to regret change in such a hole but even a quiet chat is now impossible due to the loud music.
anonymous - 23 Jan 2006 09:02 |
Worse even than the average 'spoons. Complete pit. Cheap, though. I'd reccomend the Coronation Hall in Surbiton if you're looking for a much nicer 'spoons. Still not that great though.
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Rumors abound that this may be rebranded a Lloyds No1. That is JDWs clubby bar type chain.
Could be an Improvement, but sometimes it feel as if a bus lost control at the lights and smashed into it, it would be an improvement!
It is OK, I'm not totaly sure about some of the door staff, they seem to have slipped up a couple of times, and with the regular clinetel the need to be up to seriously on the ball.
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TOOK ME OVER HALF AN HOUR TO GET SERVED AND THE BEER IS TERRIBLE AND THE GLASSES DIRTY. FULL OF KIDS AND CANNOT MOVE. NICE IN THE DAYTIME FOR A MEAL.
anonymous - 18 Nov 2005 21:18 |
Nice pub lunchtimes and some weekdays evenings, but avoid Friday and Saturday night like the plague when the average age barely reaches 20 and it noisy and uncomfortable. The range and quality of beers have decreased considerably over the past year. When I ordered food found service unhelpful and chef could not microwave, overcooked.
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Poor Poor & Poor
If you are over 21 avoid this place on weekends - its a nightmare, full of stuck up dressed up little daddys boys and girls.
Go to Barcadia next door - much better
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Characterless modern-looking pub, but large no-smoking area, good food and very cheap ales. Handy for Kingston shops.
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Takes to long for a drink but its cheap and easy to check out the que for oceana.
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Dismal, huge, charmless pikemungusly chavtastic. But un-walk-past-ably cheap. Very poor service, and drinkers who know no etiquette of queuing for attention. Non smoking section which reeks of smoke.
But come on, a curry, poppadoms, chutney, nan bread and a pint of just this side of drinkable lager for a fiver?
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Huge Wetherspoons (with all that implies) that gets rammed just before 10pm when all the youths have a cheap drink before going into Oceana.
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agree with sharpe... but please remember it is afterall a wetherspoons.
If you know of one that is anything else than a cheap souless pub then point me in the dircetion of it!!!
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The only good things about this pub is the females and the beer.... (if you're male) Great for pulling only ask for ID if you are taking a female/male home. Bring your body armor.
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Dirty, smelly, overcrowded on a weekend, 16year olds. V. depressing..but then again its a wetherspoons and very cheap...so whaddya expect ay?
amumd - 10 Feb 2005 15:02 |
Arguably the worst pub in the south of england. Sure it may be cheap but �1.70 for gassy ashwater doesnt add up.
Souless, Pikey, Rubbish.
But on the plus side they do nice food
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Nice during the day, don't even bother at night! - not without your riot shield anyway! Typical JDW, decent beer and food at very decent prices.Staff quite friendly too!
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A good old weatherspoons, cant fault em IMO
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good value for lunches, but not even cheap beer could tempt me into this crowded soul-less cesspit for fighting teenagers in the evening. You can't even get into the loo for the amount of girls passed out/fighting/crying/puking or a combination of all of the above
patsy - 17 Dec 2004 16:05 |
Terrible they hardly have any food they never have what you would like there excuse was it was frozen,this pub could do with a Refurbishment
Bob - 3 Oct 2004 12:37 |
weird mix of hardened trampy drinkers and schoolchildren, often go there and then remember why i don't want to go there, is a shame, I don't know why its so bad- big bar, nice venue. I guess the 15 year old kids get in the way a bit. Not worried about the female on your own bit, i reckon you're as safe as anywhere. Takes at least a year to be served on a busy eve. But you wouldn't want to be there on a busy eve....
Jane - 17 Aug 2004 12:29 |
Appalling Pub.... Avoid like the plague. Beer is generally kept in an O.K.ish condition but the atmosphere,regulars and fittings/fixtures are positively vile. Only thing this pit is good for is that everyone knows where it is i.e. somewhere to meet and then leave.
If you go in here, run while you still can!
Tom - 9 Jul 2004 16:42 |
The fact that the drinks are cheap is the only thing going for the Tun. Otherwise it's skanky and horrible (as are the customers) and I avoid it at all costs.
nene - 4 Jul 2004 18:32 |
The place is tragic-takes ages to get served -expecially if ur female as the majority of bar staff are girls-watch out if ur remotely attractive as ur either be asked for i.d,or blatently ignored. there are also no seats and the atmosphere is not like that of other 'decent' pubs in kingston..seriously go sumwhere else even if it is slightly more expensive. :)
J - 27 Jun 2004 19:37 |
I cannot for the life of me understand why I have been in this place so often apart from the fact to meet people and move on to other places ... I think their have been two occassions where I have suggested the Tun and both times regreted it ... i'd rather pay the price of an expensive pint if I can breathe and sit down when I want to and not feel like im in some school canteen
Danny - 13 Jun 2004 05:39 |
The Tun is the perfect pub to go to before going on to Oceana/McCluskeys etc. We only ever meet for a quick few drinks as they're so cheap but would never spend a whole night in there! Odd bods during the week who look like they've been living on a park bench for a year. If you're a girl NEVER be there alone waiting for people etc!!!
Francesca - 24 May 2004 21:36 |
Very smokey atmosphere, upstairs and down, not really suitiable for eating a meal in comfort. but I will return on quite evenings for the cheap beer and good food. Oh! yes I know there is a no smoking area, but that always full when I arrive.
Jack Clinton - 1 May 2004 16:08 |
Cheap, Surely that is all that matters...when your a student, your skint, and you want to get lashed, where else you gonna go? I rate this paub a solid 11/10
Ozzy B - 18 Apr 2004 12:39 |
They seem to have a shortage of chairs in this pub, loads of empty tabels but not enough chairs - please sort this out!
Drinks are cheep, but lacks atmosphere! So just drink the cheep drinks then go clubbing!! .. thats a plan!
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This is my local pub and they serve good guest beer and they are the cheepest pub in Kingston and they also have 5 guest beers on. The bar staff are really quick to serve the customers. Keep up the good work the staff at The Kings Tun.
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Good for before one of the clubs. If you don't like the age of the clientele, drink elsewhere, there's plenty more pubs in Kingston that serve real ale.
jono - 15 Feb 2004 00:11 |
Wetherspoon's = beer, innit?
I'm sorry to say it does not.
Oh no.
Umpteen (or is that twelvety?) pumps and no beer ("John Smith's Smooth, sir?" - f*** ***).
Without cheap real ale, there's no reason at all for entering the place.
DeviousDave - 5 Feb 2004 15:30 |
Kerry I know exactly where your coming from as I used to be a manager of the Weatherspoons pub In leatherhead, but I have to say The Kings Tun is not the worst I've been to. 4/10
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1 up from the Litten tree, again full of our favourite kappa pikeys, only it's cheap, hence why they all go in there before they trundle off for a fight in the Works. losers, leave them in their crappy pub.
Scotty Boy - 13 Jan 2004 13:21 |
Went on Christmas eve, suprised as they were playing music, not a dj but just music from a music tv channel! Really wierd as the adverts then came up and were played really loud? Usual stuff happening there though, cant get a drink as huge que at the bar, kids in abundance, I swear one couldnt have been older 13! If u going there fri/sat, go early and get out.
Mr Vincent Mancini - 11 Jan 2004 22:40 |
Had teh misfortune to go there on New Year's Eve for half an hour last year. Not been since. Food and drink cheap - might be excusable by day, but avoid like the plague after nightfall. Go next door to Barcadia if you don't want to be violated.
Stephen - 25 Nov 2003 17:28 |
Ok for a quiet post shopping drink or for meeting people and moving on. Cheep as chips what more can you say??
Alex - 31 Oct 2003 11:02 |
Another offending pub in the trend to have not enough bar staff on, as a result, it take forever to get served.
Its cheep + just across the road from a night club = trouble
Its too crowded evenings and weekends.
One likes a pint, not a scrum in the evening.
Doormen should be a tad more 'discriminating' but seem to favour those interested in bulk buying (if you get my drift)
jon-paul - 24 Oct 2003 16:02 |
Yes I have to agree the place is a dump and the toilets are prone to young men smearing faeces on the wall, which tells you a lot about the kind of clientele it attracts
thetruth - 6 Oct 2003 15:04 |
does no one understand the bouncers door policy in KUT - if you are 23-25 and in decent clothes - SORRY - but pike dave and his crew all get in with their work trousers (iron by mummy) and work shoes and ben sherman shirts - one word for those bouncers - DISCRETION - but sorry you are all trained monkeys and so probably couldnt exercise it anyway!!
lb - 6 Oct 2003 14:59 |
Well what can you say about the Tun that hasn't already been said! They do good offers, the food is what you'd expect for the price you pay/ It is ideally situated to get completely shit faced before you go on to Oceania.
To those who used to work there and think it's a great place - my question to you... why do you still not work there if it is so "Great"???
The place is a dump, but the drinks are very cheap. All they need are extra staff (that, of course, the brewery won't pay for as it will affect profits) and a damn good clean of the place and then it may not be so bad!
Avoid the place in the evenings, to many too young!!
Dave SD - 22 Sep 2003 13:45 |
It took 25 minutes to be served on saturday night..... Dirty glasses and ash trays were not cleared in the hour we were there. Avoid at the weekends. During the day the service is ok, and the food is fairly priced.
John - 22 Sep 2003 13:22 |
Right, I used to work in this pub and i have to say although we do our fair share of complaining too (believe me!) i feel the need to stand up for it. Maybe its not exactly the classiest place in town but no one is forcing any one in there and it cant be that bad considering the amount of people in there on the weekends and student nights. look at it from the staffs point of view, we could get 5 deep on a busy night and thats a lot of people considering the downstairs bar alone is about 20 feet long. We had a really hard job trying to serve all these people and i can just tell that every person on this page bitching about the place was one of those rude annoying customers who finds faults with everything and insists on continuing to pester the bar maids with, "when your ready, love." All Im saying is that yes there are your fare share of ikeys there but if their over age their over age and we did our best to ID everyone, sometimes its just not possible and u have to use your intuition. So if you dont like it dont go there but at least have the respect to keep your insults to yourself unless its constructive criticism.Thanks.
anonymous - 18 Jun 2003 18:54 |
The only purpose of this place is to get bevved up on cheep booze, or meet some friends.
Actualy, you might as well meet at the spirits shelf in the SOMERFIELD a few shops down.
Also, why when there are about a thousand 12 year olds in there every day, do they ID me? IT'S A HOLE (but compared to the shitten tree, it's heaven)
David - 28 Apr 2003 16:16 |
The tun is a good pre- club place to go as obviously cheap drinks and grest place to meet up wit everyone and chat then go on to wherever but it does get pretty crowded and i hate it wen u gotta wait at the bar fro about 20 minutes so buy drinks in bulk!
anonymous - 23 Apr 2003 16:13 |
The Kings Tun (A true love story)
Enjoyed a drink
And met a girl,
Dated her
And then I fell,
In love with her
For a while,
She was great
And made me smile,
But time went on
And things went bad,
She broke my heart
And made me sad,
I miss her much
But always know,
If I want to see her
The Tun I go...
anonymous - 11 Apr 2003 14:32 |
I'm indefferent to this pub really, it's just your average wetherspoons, I've been there a good 10 or so times, its the first pub I go to if I'm in Kingston and fancy a drink. The atmosphere seems fine to me, the only bad words I'll say is the lack of music isn't good. And I ate there the other day and the food was quite awful, but I've eaten there before that and it's been fine. Overall it's just your average pub, I don't mind going there, but I wouldn't go out of my way specifically to drink there.
Wulfy - 29 Mar 2003 13:13 |
Horrible pub. The beer is filthy and the size of the place (coupled with the lack of music) means it has absolutely no atmosphere.
Angus - 19 Mar 2003 10:23 |
I used to go there alot but there were alot of losers there but there are some fit blokes of corse and its alcohol arent that expensive. But i had a fight in there and im never allowed back in there. The thing i dont really like bout it is that theres no music and it always gets overley packed
Whateva - 7 Mar 2003 15:30 |
Standard Wetherspoons fare here, beer and food fine.
Nige - 26 Jan 2003 21:17 |
The only one not talking a load of bull is "tom",how old are you lot??.The Kings tun is a busy pub,but it is not full of "power drinkers" or trouble for that matter,I have been using the Tun for about a year now, and in all that time I have only ever seen a couple of problems, the door staff have allways delt with the problems in a profesional manner.The staff and managment have a very difficult job,and all things considerd are very helpfull and polite.I want to recomend the Tun to all that read this,a great place to start the evening,cheap,lively,and a great place to meet people.(to the editor of this page you photo is very out of date!!)anyone under 50,if you have the slightest bit of fun or youth in you bones then you should hsve a good time..
M..D.. - 14 Jan 2003 01:22 |
I’m afraid I must strongly disagree with some of the above comments, This pub has changed a lot during 2002 & has become a pub I really enjoy drinking in (& no I not a drunken (Alex Halpin above)). They have taken on a number of new managers. I have had no complaints with the food. The Non Music can be strange a first but that’s only because some people have forgotten the key past time of communication! Chat to people… Go on, try it you might like it! A great pub to meet up with old friends. As for trouble (as commented above by Mike! – [email protected] What ever!) I have found it to be dealt with in a fast & very professional way, by both the doormen & managers. My suggestion to anyone has been there & was not keen or hasn’t been there before is… come on down! P.S. Mike haven’t you learnt that you can call a bouncer a doorman but you should never call a doorman a bouncer!!!
Tom - 13 Jan 2003 16:11 |
personaly i hate the place with a passion the
way it packs out with silly alcoholicly iduced
losers of ever concevable age who go there
simply for the cheep beer.
if people are gonna be like that then they may
as well go to the off-licence and get drunk in
some park somewhere as the atmosphere is
about the same. no music no felling just drunks
and more drunks. Only good thing to say is that
me girlfriend used to work there & i loved nothing
better than taking the piss.
alex halpin (the lot) - 1 Dec 2002 14:17 |
awful boozer - only good for a pre-club drink (as vodka etc much cheaper here) - food despite part of a chain isn't much like the others - loads of old people smoking great cigars everywhere
simon - 30 Sep 2002 14:03 |
This is by far the dirtiest Wetherpoons I have ever visited, although to be fair this has improved during 2002. I guess it's not suprising due to the hundreds and hundreds of horrible little scrotes that pile in each Friday and Saturday, earning this pub my coveted award "Britain's Most Belligerent Boozer 2002". You also get plenty of Wethertramps, you know the sort, who appear to have been stapled to their seats since the pub opened in 1996.
Loz - 8 Aug 2002 20:05 |
needs music
and watch it on a friday and saturday night - whatver you do leave before 10:30 or trouble starts
and get there before 7:00 which is when the bouncers arrive
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Cheap. Fast Food. Power drinkers. Trouble.
Z - 27 Jul 2002 21:03 |
