please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Quiet Tuesday lunch time. Traditional pub interior, family run tenant business from Fullers. London Pride was therefore very good. Also on hand pump was ESB, Lacons Encore and two beers from Dark Star (owned by Fuller's) namely Hophead and American Pale Ale.
Menu with several options and at very reasonable prices. Chicken and chorizo pie, mash, peas and onion gravy for £8 is not half bad, hot and tasty too.
Staff were friendly and pub is well worth a visit.
|
Consistently great pub. Ale is exceptionally well kept in a decent cellar and the swift turnover of beer means a quality pint every time. Locals are a friendly bunch and the bar staff are very attentive. The landlord is very in evidence and has a good number of events throughout the year, with seasonal ale festivals, regular Scalextric tournaments and a movie night every other Monday. They stock the usual Fullers
beers as well as the premium key keg stuff, but there are usually two guest ales on draft at any time. Well worth a visit!
|
A good honest boozer based in South Street which hasn't changed for years apart from some new/secondhand furniture. Usual selection of Fullers ales which was in good condition. The L shaped lounge has a variety of seating, from armchairs. high chairs to dining type chairs but was reasonably comfortable.
|
There are at least three Fullers pubs on the main street through Dorking but this is the best. Very traditional with (surprise, surprise) a cricket theme. A few nice beers, free sandwiches if you're lucky, but beware the steep steps to the back garden!
|
Cock heavy pub. Beers ok
|
Quite simply this is the best pub in Dorking. The landlord is very friendly and always welcomes newcomers warmly. There is a fun eclectic mix of customers and there is always a good selection of ales on offer. The terraced garden is especially a joy in the warmer months.
|
Not quite my local (yet!), but I'm in here at least once a week. Great beer, great people and great staff. Can't be beat really
|
Although it must be almost 20 years since my last visit, nothing has changed. Even the seating looks original. As for the easy chairs, I have seen better ones in skips! On a positive note, the beer was good with 3 Fullers beers and 1 guest. The pub was also friendly and had a good atmosphere. It has no car park so you have to use the street or public car parks.
|
I think it safe to say that the barmaid was not employed for her brain power. Ten pounds given for a three pound pint of beer. Four pounds returned in change. On pointing out that this was incorrect she looked at the change and went "Oh yes", and gave me two pounds more. Once more I had to tell her this was not right. She examined the change, recalculated the transaction and announced that it was correct. She did this sum twice more and could not believe that ten minus three was not six. Eventually she gave in and gave me the extra pound, but was not happy and gave no apologies. I'm sure she thought I was ripping her off. She was easy on the eye so it is obvious how she got the job.
|
Open again - but very quiet.
|
Closed...30.01.11
No sign/notice to say why...
|
Probably the best best for beer in Dorking. Very friendly landlord as well.
|
Excellent pub in every way - beer in great condition, crystal clear and full taste, beautifully kept. Friendly service and great interior and garden. What you want out of a pub. We left to sample The Falkland as reccommended on BITE and then came back to The Cricketers as the Falkland was unremittingly ghastly, complete with snarling attack dog. Not nice.
|
Chiswick, Pride and ESB with Jennings Cumberland Ale as a guest. Difficult to assess fir atmosphere as at 5pm on a Sunday I am the only one here. Large patio and decking area out the back. Very pleasant barmaid. Looks like a traditional homely sort of pub.
|
I'm very much warming to The Cricketers. After a few recent visits I attended this weekend's beer festival and was quite impressed. A real mix of local characters in here, like a sketch from The Fast Show! The landlord though tied to Fullers runs a great beer festival three times a year and with a warm welcome. If you're in Dorking it's the place to head to I reckon
|
Although quite small on the inside, which means it can be very busy around the bar, there is always a welcome to be had. I like the pile of board games, which can always be a pleasant distraction on a sunday afternoon or evening alongside a game of darts at the back.
Serves a decent pint, and has a wide selection during their very own "Dorking Beer Festival", and served up by friendly and chatty bar staff. Occasionally has a live band, and when there isn't a band on the music is usually quite chilled and never so loud that you can't have a decent conversation. A place for locals, but not in a cliquey way.
Haven't tried the food, and nor have I grown an onion, which seems to be something the pub is involved in!
|
Great pub, without a shadow of a doubt the best kept beer in Dorking, friendly bar staff and a nice high ceiling reminiscent of a London pub. The client�le are a friendly mix of old codgers and young... er... codgers. Some imaginative theme nights (Scalextrics, Onion growing competition, mini beer fest etc), but also the sort of place you can drop into any time of the day for an unassuming pint, well not in the morning I guess, but any other time. Go here.
|
I think Fullers have a slight monopoly in this street,saying that the beers here are mostly good,agree with last comment the language used by some in here is liitle ripe.Not a place to take your wife or girlfriend.A bit cock heavy if you get my drift.
anonymous - 14 Nov 2009 13:28 |
Def becoming one of the best pubs in Dorking. Good atmosphere, beer on top form, place well looked after. Haven't tried the food, but heard good reports.
However, I took my girlfriend there twice and we left both times because of the resident mancunian 'character' whose constant and loud F'n and C'n was just too much. I'm not a prude, but this was waaay over acceptable.
Landlord, you're doing a great job, BUT is it your pub, or his pub?
|
After some rubbish experiences as place like Stepping Stone and The Plough (Coldharbour) this pub is a breathe of fresh air....very friendly....good pints....good food.....very comfortable atmosphere.....we will definitely be coming here again and again.
|
The Cricketers is probably Dorking's best pub at the moment. There is a good atmosphere and good real ales (especially when the London Porter is on!). Recently had a small beer festival with twelve beers on sale, mostly served from the nicely terraced garden. Well done!
|
One of 3 Fullers establishments on the same run, but that is not its fault and should be judged for its individual qualities (although comparisons with its nearby neighbours will always be inevitiable). It is perhaps an unexceptional hostelry, but certainly not an unpleasant one. I have found the staff welcoming, the beer in good order, and the punters to be pleasant - generally quite well-heeled locals but not pretentious. Rugby does seem popular but then Dorkers is a bit of a rugger-orientated place; its local team take themselves rather seriously.
This is one of those pubs that works equally well in Summer (when the garden comes into play) and Winter (nice and cosy in the bar), and is unlikely to offend anyone. That said, I fear the Cricketers, like so many boozers in Dorking, will in many people's measure never rise beyond the level of general satisfaction to attain true excellence.
|
The new landlord & lady appeared to have settled in well - even reducing the price of Chiswick. The good atmosphere has returned and it is now a proper decent pub again. Keep up the good work
|
I like Fullers pub as they go, this one is no different. Friendly crowd and very much has a historical feel to it. Give it a go.
|
On my visit i found this an ordinary town bozzer beer ok,not good or bad just ordinary.
|
I have always liked this pub, especially since Fullers took it over in the 80's. However, it has had a chequered past with good and bad landlords. When Ian and Karen A were here it was simply superb and 450 barrels a year for a tiny pub was exceptional in a very competitive town. We visited two Saturdays ago and the pub has come good again, although unusually quiet. Gone is the moody manageress and poorly stocked bar, I hope the damage of previous years is not permanent. I enjoyed an excellent pint of ESB and a friendly chat with the barmaid.
Stay with it John, it will never make fortunes, but will give a good return with good strong trade. Always a boozer, don't concentrate on pretentious food, keep it basic. A few rolls on the bar to soak up the afternoon beer is a great idea, I wish you and your sister well.
|
Unfortunately this place has gone downhill again - not sure why. It could have something to do with Pip leaving? Shame really. It was turning into a very good place to drink
|
The struggle to get to the bar and the dearth of vacant seats were witness to the pub's popularity. Good beer (mine was London Pride),and friendly and efficient service, but during busy periods not a place for delicate folk.
|
Completely agree with other comments. My mum and I went in here one lunchtime, and I was worried it would be blokey and a bit hostile. Not at all! The staff were welcoming and friendly, locals were nice, and the pub has an interesting interior. The food was good too, will definiely return.
|
A locals' pub but without the cliqueyness (is that a word?). I spent a very enjoyable afternoon in here today.It is a cosy and friendly place to spend a few hours. The Fullers Porter was in top - notch condition.
I've been here before and it has always been a cut above the average pub.
|
One of the better pubs in the centre of Dorking. Decent service, friendly regulars and a generally good atmosphere. The Fullers beer is well kept too. The place itself is cosy if a little shabby round the edges, but overall a pleasant option for a pint in Dorking.
|
Friendly atmosphere; reasonable range of lunch choice; beer OK
|
Went to watch the Rugby on Sat. Great atmosphere, owners seem to be really trying. Place was packed, will go back
|
Visited last weekend, the new owner seems to have got a grip of things here.
The Pride is still the best around the area and he makes a mean Advocat Snowball too.
Will be back this Friday.
|
going here for years - best pint of Fullers in Dorking
|
Went in there under new management-Decking and lighting done in garden and new furniture looks really upmarket and you wouldnt know it from the front. Excellent beer but it always was the best pint in Dorking. Excellent food which was brought extremely quickly and efficiently. Well done to the new owner. Now smokers all outside its not a smoky little smelly place now but a clean and friendly proper pub!! Great
|
New landlord just taken over, lets hope he doesn't keep running out of beer! All the smokers are now outside so it's quite empty in the pub. I think the tv should be kept switched off though
|
Good pint of Pride here as well as some of the rarely seen pints from the Fullers stable i.e. Chiswick.
Pub itself is fairly small with plenty of darkish wood and, as previously noted pre ban plenty of smokers.
|
I was in there again this last weekend. It is a great pub, really the best in town. Of course the best pint of Pride in Dorking by far and the most professional bar staff.
|
like the bulls head, seems quite quiet. very small pub
leo_1 - 31 Jul 2006 02:28 |
Came here for a pre-restaurant drink based on the reviews I read and felt that 2 things needed pointing out. It's (a) very smokey in here and, (b) very small. We went outside instead. It was not warm but better than choking on the fog inside. Aside from this, a nice place.
|
Good if unremarkable town centre pub. The beer is the best reason for coming here - a very good pint. In summer the garden is a great place to be.
|
Big screen? What big screen! There's a small monitor in the corner if that counts...
|
Even though I live on the other side of Dorking, this is still my favoured pub by a long way. The bar staff are the only professional staff in Dorking. You know your going to get served as soon as possible and when you do get served, it is then that you will see why it is the best pub in the area, as the beer is always good. A very good mix of customers.
|
Now under new management, Jaxon is doing a great job, and it's getting busier by the week - not unpleasantly so though.
As a Guinness drinker can only say that it's always good, and that there are plenty of you real ale folks in there, so they must be good too.
Just added a free wireless broadband connection. Ask for the cd behind the bar. Good connection all around the interior, garden patchy, will probably add another access point for the garden if there's a demand.
I'm not connected with the management, just a regular whosetup the system.
|
Splendid pub, a must on any Dorking crawl. The bare brick walls add enormously to the friendly welcoming atmosphere. Note the fine collection of framed Fullers advertising posters and the cricketer mirror on the left as you come in. The garden can be a real suntrap, but it always seems to be raining when I do this pub.
Recommended
|
Don't know why they claim to be selling Fuller's Hock when it is blatantly not in yet. They could make the schedule for their spring beer festival a bit clearer! However the atmosphere and the characters more than make up for it. Despite the disorganisation, this is my favourite pub in Dorking.
Will2 - 22 Apr 2005 11:04 |
This does seem like a good place to go to in Dorking. Can get interesting characters in here and the pub does have a lot of character. Fullers beers are good, though they could make it more clear cut about what fullers drinks they are selling
|
I agree with Chris, it is not the same since Pete left. It hasn't the same atmosphere and is not as well run. The garden is still great though.
Matt - 7 Sep 2004 00:38 |
nice pub with raised beer garden and heated canopies , watched england win the rugby world cup in there , good atmosphere if you like rugger , and real ale , or strange little barstaff .
old dorkinian - 31 Aug 2004 17:41 |
Nice, small pub that serves a good range of Fullers Ales - London Pride, Summer Ale, ESB etc. Can get a little smoky at times but all in all, a very friendly local, in which the landlord likes his rugby and his beloved Crystal Palace FC (somebody has to!) Nice beer garden, if you want to get away from the traffic noise of Dorking.
AleMan - 22 Aug 2004 22:01 |
Another 'sports' related pub although more rugby than footie! Again full of men drinking their beer and that is just about it. Like a working man's social club. Does this town have any decent pubs????? Beer garden not bad.
Ms. Slaone Square - 28 Jun 2004 11:09 |
Good pub. However I was shocked that a pint of London Pride was �2.50!!! Flippin 'ell, talk about London Prices! Hate to think about how much a pint of piss water (lager) would be. Under new management... more of a rugger pub now. Still quite good although it is very smoky now small guy behind the bar still has no personality.
anonymous - 30 Mar 2004 12:29 |
Since Pete and his wife left the pub in late September, it is not quite the same anymore. The beer is still very good but, it is has got incredibly smoky and the place is not as clean as it used to be. The new landlord has brought in a lot of his friends and they have alienated a lot of the regulars!
Chris - 7 Oct 2003 13:01 |
No -- Oliver Reed's local in Dorking was the Hogshead. He spent a great deal of time trying to get down the chimney there and once got stuck in it -- I think the police had a few words to say to him!!
Dorking Dave - 26 Aug 2003 11:25 |
Can anyone confirm whether this used to be Oliver Reid's local in his heyday?
Vindaloo - 25 Aug 2003 17:10 |
No doubt, this is the best pub in Dorking. Good people, a very unusual garden which is great on a summer evening.
richard - 10 Jul 2003 09:29 |
First rate London Pride, ESB etc. A real cosy pub with a great mix of people, young and old, male and female! Probably the best pub in Dorking!!
Chris - 5 May 2003 18:10 |
A real pub! Excellent beer, nice beer garden, nice mix of people and the couple who it are real professionals!
Smithy - 29 Apr 2003 12:12 |
