Onslow Arms, West Clandon

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user reviews of the Onslow Arms, West Clandon

please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.

Certainly open when I walked past today.
GuideDogSaint - 9 Oct 2011 15:06
The last time I passed this pub, it was closed and up for sale!
jbsjazzer - 22 Jun 2011 10:03
Went in last weekend and bar staff were very pleasant, food was good. Will go back again.
CTo - 31 May 2011 21:30
if you like to eat mashed potatoes in many guises then this is the place for you
theoldchef - 14 Apr 2011 11:02
Visited on Saturday evening for the first time since it reopened.They must have spent a fortune, but to what end?It has the formulaic decor of pale green walls and bare floorboards.
the beer (Ringwood Best) was badly pulled and flat,the staff were singularly disinterested so we didn't stop for another and probably won't be back which is a shame as we used to like it under the previoue regime.
huntforbeer - 11 Apr 2011 12:24
As of 10th March 2011, the Onslow Arms is now back open and looks great.
dgodden - 10 Mar 2011 18:42
The pub remains closed. After a period of inactivity there is currently some building work going on. There is still no indication as to who has taken over the property.
Woofs - 2 Dec 2010 18:12
Popped in a week or so ago. Two Surrey Hills beers, Courage Best and London Pride. Traditional country pub, low beams, nooks and crannies. Hopefully it won't change too much after refurbishment.
GuideDogSaint - 15 May 2010 23:12
THE ONSLOW ARMS IS TO CLOSE, on or around the 14th May 2010.

I didn’t know that the place was in administration for some time and on the verge of being boarded up!

Anyway, the good news is the new owner is purported to be Raymond Blanc who is to completely refurbish the entire establishment over the next 12 weeks with “no expense spared”, according to the barman. I was in the pub today and, frankly, it needs it!

I think we all agree that the place is in need of a major overhaul, but I hope baby does not disappear with the bathwater! There is a rumour that the pub will be very much secondary to the restaurant (even that some portions of the drinky bit may be claimed for the sitty down, eaty bit). My feeling/hope is that just the Rotisserie will become part of the enlarged kitchen and restaurant, leaving the pub relatively unscathed.

dgodden - 27 Apr 2010 16:55
Visited this pub on a Saturday evening as it is a very short walk from Clandon station.

I had a pint of TEA while my partner had a glass of house red.
The beer was good although the wine made her feel a bit rough.
Not the cheapest round I've ever bought but then this pub caters to the boat-shoe-moccasions-and-checked-shirt crowd.

The pub itself is quite cosy with low ceilings and directly attached to the somewhat pricey L'Auberge restuarant - there is a more reasonably priced bar menu.

Kronenbourg on tap,
Large car park to the rear of the pub.

Toilets were quite dated but amusing none the less - five posters for Surrey Police - terrorism, domestic abuse, drink driving, racism and one other.

Move onto the Queens Head once you've had enough.


cb2k4 - 26 Jul 2009 09:39
Still got live music on Wednesday nights - last night were the highly entertaining Flying Tigers. Pint of well kept Brakspear (ABV 3.4%) £3.20 and a pint of Bitter shandy £3.00 - a bit toppy IMHO....
everylittlehelps - 13 Nov 2008 15:22
I spent a pleasant afternoon in the garden, listening to the jazz quartet, playing there.
The barman did not seen to be very good at English, as he tried to serve me sparkling water rather than tonic water, lemon rather than a slice of lime, and white rather than black coffee. Otherwise the service was friendly.
The jazz band will be back there on the evening of 12th. July.
jbsjazzer - 18 Jun 2008 10:16
Great pub with a blend of upmarket resturant and pub attached. Eaten at both and had decent meals from both. Atmosphere is great and well worth a visit if you are in the area.
epsomwinedrinker - 9 Nov 2007 08:49
Only eaten in L'Auberge but the food is ace. 2 course meal is £10 at lunchtimes (£2.50 supplement for the steak) and for that price I couldn't complain. Had a Deuchars and IPA, which were both well kept.
beergibbon - 16 Mar 2007 13:51
have been down twice now for the newly started music on a wednesday night...the service is slow but the atmosphere is ok and gavin and his guitar is always fantastic!!
definitely worth a look
zeemouse - 27 Nov 2006 17:34
I went there for the jazz in the garden, on Sunday afternoon.
The general appearance was good, but service in the bar was somewhat slow, with a lot of staff 'getting in each other's way', trying to do food orders for the outside tables as well as drinks for the people queing at the bar. After the lunchtime rush died down (about 3pm.) service improved no end.
A good choice of drinks were on offer.

anonymous - 24 Jul 2006 14:42
Excellent 17th century village pub retaining many historical features. Food in both the pub and l'Auberge is excellent. l'Auberge particularly good value at lunchtime, superb service and very sexy petite French waitress! Amazing how cleverly the decor of the l'Auberge has sympathetically blended modern with "Olde Worlde" - wonderful ambiance. Trees North of helipad male it a bit dodgy in a strong South Westerly but OK if you take it carefully. Tons of room for parking the Bentley otherwise!
ravenman - 14 Feb 2006 14:24
I think this is a fabulous old pub which has a great French restaurant attached. The food is very good but it's not a cheap night out. The pub does have a few different things going on e.g. a cine club which shows a French film each month (£15 gets a glass of champage, canapes, see a film and a 2 course meal afterwards). They also do cooking lessons once a month which are excellent. They also have a French market which comes along once a month.
All in all a great friendly pub which does great food and drink. Just wish it was my local.
Savo - 27 Oct 2005 13:36
Considering how posh Guildford and the area is, this pub is only one of two that I would prefer to show my face in. It's filled with the sort of people that one would rather associate with, especially if what you seek are those who did not fight against the Germans. Periodically, there is a bit of totty as well. The food, quite frankly, is amazing. I didn't find it that expensive, though the cost of retaining my pilot on the pad was a bit more than I expected. Top Boozer. And NEVER confuse this with the the pub up the road which is always closed and filled by the Legion.
BoozerFC - 21 Oct 2005 16:45
Good real ale pub with ok food, trying not to be taken over by its restaurant's 'L'Auberge' branding.
beeronaut - 29 May 2005 21:08
Not a bad little boozer. Restaurant food is expensive and can best be described as average.

At least it has a helipad so when I have had 5 pints of Kronenberg 1664 I can fly straight home.
CityBoy - 31 Mar 2005 15:03
The comment by Jason T on 16th August has to be factually incorrect or he has the wrong pub. The Onslow never closes, any day of the week, and on Sundays is always full.
Peter Linacre - peter@massivepub.com - 7 Sep 2004 08:32
Drove by on a Sunday afternoon - looked like a nice and traditional public house. However the car park was empty at 3PM on a warm Sunday afternoon. Went in, only to have the door slammed in my face with a guy yelling at the top of his voice - "we are shut, stupid!" Could not believe how rude this guy was and I for one, will NEVER step inside this pub again!! How about advertising the pub hours outside by the road, stupid!
Jason T. - 16 Aug 2004 17:52
Used to be a regular at this pub and revisited it recently. Good to see that tha atmosphere is still the same convivial mix of regulars and passing trade. Great beers but the food has slipped into a gastropub theme which is a backwards move as it used to be simple but great. Definitely still worth popping in.
Daniel Malkoun - 6 Feb 2004 12:21
Have been the to the Restaurant twice for lunch with my family since October 2003 and both times have had excellent food (Chicken Liver parfait, Venison, Roast Chicken, Creme Brulee - all superb). Other diners may have been a bit disappointed with the Roast Beef, but all in all worth a visit for Sunday Lunch.
My only other comment would be the decor in the restaurant is a little out of keeping with the rest of the building.
Amanda - 27 Dec 2003 14:14
My sons godmother visited for her 75th birthday yesterday and was appalled by the food. (Roast beef) She is a superb cook and for her to comment like this is something that you should be aware of. She was celebrating her birthday by a visit to the local National Trust gardens and this spoiled what should have been a very happy day.She is not the sort to complain and therefore went home hungry.
Chris Prior - 26 Aug 2003 16:49
Fairly pricey and not a very good range in food but it's nice if you can find something you want. Love the atmosphere though.
James - 4 Aug 2003 00:53
Great olde worlde pub with loads of different beers. Food is pricy, but worth it!
Dan - 15 Jun 2002 11:41
Famous 17th Century free house with over 15 real ales always on tap. The restaurant was regularly the first to have Grouse on the menu on the first day of the season; shot on the Scottish Moors in the morning, flown to The Onslow in time for lunch. Many famous faces have graced the pub and restaurant over the years including Robert Redford, Marlon Brandon, Boy George and, more regularly, Jimmy White! All in all one of the cosiest and attractive pub in Surrey...oh, and it has a helipad just in case...! I love it!
David - 14 Jun 2002 17:27

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