The Kings Arms Royal Hotel, Godalming

his place seems to be getting progressively worse every time I visit. I can't comment on the quality of the accommodation, although if the food is anything to go by, give it a miss.
The lad serving behind the bar was friendly and on the ball, but that's where the niceties ended. I thought I'd chance it with a beef roast, which with a pint of Foster's came to just over ten pounds. I live in London and would pay roughly twice that for the same meal, so make of that what you will about the quality vs price. What arrived was a tiny portion with tired, wilted veg, poor quality meat and a watery, lukewarm gravy (served with sprouts, I mean who the hell eats sprouts these days??). I briefly contemplated sending it back ut couldn't see the point if the replacement was likely to have been of the same dreadful standard.
It's a real shame because there was over a million pounds invested in this building a few years ago, yet the place just seems tired and burdensome, the managers seem to change at roughly the same rate I change my underpants, which may have a lot to do with it.
It was cold in the bar as well. Avoid.

26 Dec 2013 20:47

O'Neill's, Beckenham

Until my visit yesterday, I'd always been very impressed with this O'Neill's in the five or six times I'd visited over the last couple of years. Yesterday however they lost themselves a customer:

- tables filthy and sticky, empty plates and glasses left lying. I'd expect this in a Wetherspoons, not here.

- service acceptable, not particularly cheery, and it was very obvious they were badly understaffed - the guy serving me, whilst polite enough, seemed panicky and flustered.

- screaming kids, wailing babies. This is not acceptable in a adult boozer especially on a Sunday afternoon.

- The food....where to start - O'Neills used to be reliable for serving honest pub grub in generous portions at a fair price. The new menu is an absolute joke - I ordered the "Ultimate Fish & Chips" described as a jumbo portion of the regular offering - costing £8.99. I received a tiny, tired looking affair that wouldn't satisfy a 10-year old. I finished my pint and headed over to Waitrose opposite to purchase a ready meal for when I got back home.

There's something seriously wrong with this place, as it used to be great. Until it's sorted I won't be back.

18 Feb 2013 12:56

O'Neills, Wimbledon

It's not often I'm compelled to criticise pubs on web forums, however this place takes the cake. The staff here are behave like their on ketamine - I visited about six weeks ago around 6pm on a Friday, ordered a pint of Guinness and watched the barmaid pour half of it - then promptly forget about it. Hence a ten minute wait for a pint of Guinness. I ordered food which in fairness was delivered fairly prompty, but the waitress decided to literally shove it on my table and walk off.

I visited yesterday to see if there was any improvement - sadly not. The girl behind the bar asked snarled "are you waiting?" prior to serving me, at which point I asked if if there was any other reason I'd be stood at the bar - the joke seemingly lost on her, she looked at me like I was something she'd trodden in.

There are numerous better pubs in Wimbledon. Avoid this one and do yourself a favour.

2 Jan 2012 15:49

The Shooting Star, Liverpool Street

I rocked up at this seemingly inviting City boozer last Wednesday, having got off the train at Liverpool Street following an excruciating dull day of meetings. Starving hungry, I opted for this joint and one of its famous Fullers pies....what a mistake. Service was fast and polite, which is a rarity in this part of the world, but the food is awful. I went for the "house pie" which arrived promptly ten minutes later, served with soggy, wilted veg, microwaved new spuds, and a pie cooked in a Merrychef, with a massive deceive large lid containing...fresh air. Oh, and there was the filling - reminiscent of something like dogfood, I'm not sure it contained any meat, or if did I need my tastebuds examined, the whole meal served lukewarm, with bizarrely - a jar of mayo on the side. Awful, awful reflection on Fullers - the price for this rubbish? A tenner. Avoid.

17 May 2011 20:45

The Kings Arms Royal Hotel, Godalming

Not impressed with this place one bit...it's been nearly three years since a massive refurb took place and yet I still can't see what it is their trying to achieve, went in today for the roast (only because No.5 Wharf St had their kitchen closed) and it was just passable but certainly not anywhere near value for money at 7.95, just above lukewarm and stingey portions, which wasn't the case a couple of years ago.

The faux-colonial decor seems to aspire to something...but what I don't know, the pub itself has plenty of history but none of linked to 19th century India - any one have any idea?

13 Sep 2010 01:03