BITE user comments - pomona
Comments by pomona
I am a real ale fan and the mediocre Greene King IPA and London Pride on offer is no reason to visit Hardy's.
However, if you're looking for good quality food made with love and care then Tom's your man. Tom embraces the notion of 'sell the sizzle, not the sausage' and his food is hearty and delicious and very reasonably priced.
The other staff are friendly and welcoming too.
Skip the ale here, have a Guinness and fill your belly with excellent food.
29 May 2011 11:50
A fine real ale house with friendly and welcoming staff. Food looked substantial and it was packed for Sunday breakfast.
A good range of beers kept in good condition and they even have their own beer festivals.
Deserves a higher score. I rate it 8/10
29 May 2011 11:38
The Town Hall Tavern, Chertsey
What a happy find this pub turned out to be. May Day Weekend beer festival with a small but beautifully formed collection of ales and two ciders. Very friendly and welcoming landlord. Had a delicious and reasonably-priced Sunday roast which I ate in the pleasant beer garden. Will definitely be top of my list if I return to Chertsey in the future.
1 May 2011 23:02
The Fox and Grapes, Wimbledon Common
The Fox & Grapes has reinvented itself as 'a real pub with rooms'. I thought that all pubs had rooms! On further investigation, it appears that 3 bedrooms are planned for upstairs. Oh, like an inn then.
The new owner has been at pains to stress that this is not a gastropub but I'm not sure how it differs from one (even the colour scheme is pure gastro).
On the positive side, the Grapes smells a lot better than it did but it has lost its cosiness and I'm not sure how comfortable the rugby players and dog-walkers will feel in there now.
I was served by a polite French lady who looked very uncomfortable pouring a pint. They had three ales on - Hogsback HBB, Black Sheep Bitter & Doom Bar. I opted for the Black Sheep which was well kept but there can be no justification for the �3.90 price tag. My friend asked the price of the Symonds Cider but declined at �4.60 a pint.
We didn't eat there (�12.50 for burger and chips!) although the tables around us were being set for dinner which had an unsettling affect on us.
I believe that in trying to be a pub and a restaurant, this venture has fallen between two bar stools.
19 Feb 2011 17:32
Having read some of the reviews here, I approached the Curlers Rest with a certain amount of trepidation. When I arrived, there were bouncers on the door which is never a good sign.
Once inside, I found a distinctly pleasant ambience and was delighted to see beer given such prominence with an extensive list of bottled beer on the blackboard and an unusual selection of real ale at the handpumps, complete with tasting notes.
The barman was friendly and welcoming and seemed genuinely interested in what I thought of my ale choice. The prices were approaching London levels but were not exorbitant.
I wandered upstairs to check out the real fire. It had a restauanty feel due in part to the open kitchen.
I felt happier drinking downstairs where I read through the pub's newsletter. It looks like they're trying very hard to create something different for Glasgow and I wish them well in this venture.
3 Jan 2011 21:53
The Pig and Whistle, Earlsfield
This could be a great pub if they'd just make a little more effort.
It has undergone several changes in the past year including a tasteful refurbishment, a new menu and strong branding and yet it is still not a welcoming place.
The bar staff are a mixed bunch but only one member could be described as friendly and she's not always on duty.
Prices have shot up which makes me wonder if the customers are paying for the refurbishment. �3.50 for a pint of Bombardier is a whopping 20p more than in Central London and Youngs Bitter is 15p pricier than at a nearby Youngs pub.
Such a shame that a potentially fine pub is let down by such small faults.
15 Dec 2010 16:13
Following Stephen's suggestion (see below), I gave the Gardeners a second chance today and I'm happy to report that things were much improved.
Had a lovely pint of Sambrook's Junction followed by a roast lamb dinner. The meal was piping hot with a generous portion of vegetables, gravy and mint sauce.
The service was friendly and efficient yet unobtrusive.
I can only think that last Sunday was a blip and I'll certainly be going back to the Gardeners.
5 Dec 2010 19:38
Decided to go to the Gardeners for Sunday lunch last weekend. Big mistake. The menu promised a choice of 4 roasts. Only 2 were available. Two of my friends ordered the pork while another friend and I plumped for the beef.
After half an hour, we enquired after the meals as they had yet to appear. We were told that they were 'on their way'. Eventually one beef meal arrived. This was followed, about 10 minutes later, by one of the pork meals ordered.
The bar was heaving because of a Newcastle v Chelsea match and yet there were only two people behind the bar, one of whom also served the meals as and when. There was one member of staff in the kitchen.
When my food still didn't arrive, I asked if they were short-staffed. The barmaid said that they weren't expecting so many food orders (on a Sunday!).
After an hour, I asked if we could at least have some free drinks to compensate for the long wait. To her credit, the barmaid agreed to this and brought them to our table.
My meal was lukewarm and unappetising when it did finally appear.
People on neighbouring tables refused their food when it turned up and demanded full refunds. At least 4 meals were sent back to the kitchen.
This is no way to run a pub. I felt sorry for the staff because they were clearly overwhelmed and way out of their depth.
30 Nov 2010 15:51
Visited The George twice in one day. First for a cup of tea (there's a distinct lack of tearooms in this part of Kent) and then later to partake of some fine ales at their beer festival and to eat good home-cooked food. Friendly staff and a characterful pub.
26 Jul 2010 23:09
Went there one lunchtime recently. Received a warm welcome from the very friendly barmaid. Beer was excellent as was the food we ordered. Well worth a visit.
26 Jul 2010 23:00
The Dog and Fox, Wimbledon Village
This pub has had its heart and soul ripped out. I hear that it was once Oliver Reed's local. If that's the case, he must be spinning in his grave!
Visited recently and was greeted by an unsmiling, unwelcoming barman. Only one beer was on. Cross the road to the Brewery Tap and you have a choice of at least 4 ales.
Judging by the half-price meals on offer this month, the place is struggling and it's hardly surprising. Walk a little further and find real value in the Village.
7 Jul 2010 21:57
The landlord of this pub runs a tight ship which results in speedy, polite service and good beer. Certainly a cut above the average Wetherspoons.
5 Aug 2009 13:28
Oh dear, what has happened to the Lamb? Went there for Sunday lunch yesterday and despite arriving at 1.25pm, all the Sunday roasts had gone! The dining room had only 4 customers and the bar area was practically deserted. The whole pub had an air of neglect about it. How different from my last visit when the food was delicious and the place was buzzing with life. No wonder rural pubs are closing at an alarming rate if the Lamb is typical of the standard on offer.
3 Aug 2009 14:00
Interesting pub, friendly welcome and great live jazz music. Let down by the beer prices - �3.40 a pint was a tad excessive.
18 May 2009 00:55
Huge town centre pub but comfortable. Friendly barman. Good pint of ESB. A real pub as opposed to a tarted up restaurant which just happens to sell beer too.
9 Mar 2009 11:52
An amazing pub lurks behind this fairly ordinary exterior. The back bar is cavernous with huge black statues holding lights. Had a great pint of HSB and played Scrabble by the fire on a cold March day. The welcome could've been warmer as it costs nothing to smile. But where else are you likely to find Hungarian Dancing in Acton on a Sunday night?
9 Mar 2009 11:44
What a great pub! Greeted by a smiling barman. Fine and well-kept ales. There was no food on the day I went so can't rate that. Wonderfully relaxed feel to the place. Less crowded and much cheaper than the nearby Cutty Sark. Deserves to be supported by the local community and visitors alike.
9 Mar 2009 11:36
Sad to report that this pub is no longer there and has been replaced by a bar called 'Church Street' :(
26 Jan 2009 13:26
Nice pub although a little on the bland side. Disinterested service.
8 Oct 2008 00:32
The Bull & Last has just re-opened after a major refurbishment. A reasonable range of real ales including Hooky Bitter, Old Speckled Hen & London Pride along with ciders, lagers and an extensive wine list. The menu looked impressive although I didn't eat there. Friendly staff. I wish them well.
5 Aug 2008 18:59
Stumbled upon this pub by chance. Good selection of ales, comfortable interior and friendly bar staff. I'll be back!
21 May 2008 00:58
I took a party of 20+ people to the Fentiman yesterday. I rang the duty manager last Thursday as a courtesy and was told that the upstairs bar would be opened at 3pm so there would be plenty of room to accommodate us. He thanked me for the call.
I arrived at 2.30pm and understandably, for a Sunday afternoon, every table was full.
After 3pm, I enquired whether the upstairs bar was open yet and was referred to an unsmiling woman who informed me, in no uncertain terms, that the upstairs bar was a private function room and was only available to rugby fans. I mentioned my phone call of a couple of days previous and she just shrugged.
Consequently, my reunion celebration was held in a corridor between the bar and the serving area meaning that we were blocking the flow of food from the kitchen.
A friend and I ventured upstairs at one point to check on how big the rugby crowd was. The room was empty with a plasma tv blaring the match out to no-one. Pointless.
As we came back downstairs, the unsmiling woman saw us and gave us a dirty look.
On the plus side, I have to say that the rest of the staff members were friendly and helpful and the beer was excellent. The pub decor is warm and inviting and a couple of my friends commented that the food smelt delicious.
In the two and half hours that we stayed there, we paid a considerable amount of money across the bar. Such a shame that our custom was not valued and our visit was marred by a 'jobsworth' attitude.
4 Feb 2008 09:43
This is a gem of a pub. Friendly and welcoming with first rate beer and a great jukebox. It also boasts 2 pianos! I had a fine pint of Butcombe Blonde drawn straight from the barrel.
2 Jun 2007 23:49
The Prince of Wales, Wimbledon
This pub is everything a town centre pub should be. It has a varied range of cask ales, comfortable seating and efficient service.
22 Aug 2006 00:17
The Hand and Raquet, Wimbledon
I have to agree with the comments made by Mcloj. This pub has a brilliant location, pleasant ambience, the staff are friendly and the prices are very competitive but the ale is woefully bad. My friend and I opted for the Hooky today and had to leave half of it because it tasted vile. If you're a real ale drinker then you're in much safer hands at the Alex next door although you do pay quite a premium for guest ales.
9 Oct 2011 16:36