please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
The Rose & Thistle looks like the best pub in a town I'd only really ever heard of due to the darts. True to my perceptions, there was a guy playing darts. A fairly busy pub with more people outside than inside. But it did have a good selection of ales and excellent service by a barmaid who was patient and clearly knowledgeable about the ales. The selection on cask was Celt Experience Otherworld Batch II: Pale, Rudgate Dick Firkin & Sharps Doom Bar. Tasting notes were on a blackboard. They also had some interesting keg options. The interior is plain and simple. Nice place.
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...oh, and they have Fruli Strawberry beer on tap too, which pleased the wife.
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Three cask beers on when I was in there and two cask ciders too. I had the guest beer (Red Squirrel Hopfest) and it was excellent. Food was good too and reasonably priced. Staff were perfectly friendly - despite some of the earlier comments here. It wasn't what you'd call busy though - but it was a weekday so that might explain it.
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great location, everything else is poor, staff not trained, food bad, beer ok, the main porblem is actually getting served, a smile and a thank you goes a long way and guess what they're free!
needs a like of paint,
service service service! SORT it out!
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Came in for a nice quiet drink in a village pub but was hit by very bad customer interface skills. The staff were very unfriendly and obtrusive in their mannerisms and I think customer training would be beneficial. Despite the service the location is good and the drinks and reasonably priced.
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I dunno what dat alan is chattin about they av banging beers on!!!! they never ran out of Stella and star
I love da Rose cos they let u smoke in bar and play well goood tunes
top place gettin smashed before que pasa!!!
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This pub is quite good, but not as good as it's twitter feed @ratfrimleygreen
The staff are friendly, the food is good and the pub is generally in a good condition. Shame about some if the regulars, but I suppose you can't have it all.
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I'm a Real Ale drinker, and when I find a drink I like, I tend to stick with it for the evening (I get a nasty head in the morning if I mix my drinks). However, this hasn't been possible down the Rose and Thistle on a Friday evening for almost 6 months*!
Take the popular Doombar & Tribute brands for example. More often than not, you will find that the taps will have little delicate signs on them saying; "coming soon" or "coming next". Coming next after what? The next lunar eclipse? All it really serves to highlight is the pub's inability to manage their suppliers in conjunction with the gregorian calendar. How hard is it to keep a regular supply of the most popular ales in stock which therefore brings punters and their money into the pub? It's not like the suppliers are ice-cream-vans which randomly turn up in the carpark for 5 minutes before vanishing, it's 2011 and communication has never been so simple and easy. Forward planning is the key!
That said, on those rare occasions when Doombar and/or Tribute is available on a Friday night I guarantee you that 2 pints will be the most you'll get out of them before they're "off". Knowing what they're like, I've even asked Bill before starting a session "Am I going to get more than 2 pints out of this?" and have been told that they'll easily last well into the next day. When they inevitably run out when going up for number 3 I question Bill on his promise, and his reply was "Naaaaaaaa gone".
Either the people who manage the Ale are complete idiots, or it's a classic pub con in which they get you in on the nice drinks, then force you to drink the money making varieties once you're underway?
Don't get me wrong, the pub is superb. Food is great, nice location, beer garden, toilets, opening hours. But the Ale management is so bad it makes you question whether the person responsible often forgets to get dressed when they leave the house of a day.
*to be fair, there has been one Friday night in 6 months where both Doombar and Tribute made it through the whole night
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Good range of beer and good quality when we consumed it - try the Ghost Ale , it's something else. Food good - I had pork belly and it was very pleasant. Very efficient and friendly bar staff. A bit dark inside but as it was a beautiful sunny day we sat in the garden. I'd happily go back here again
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A most friendly and appealing pub (more than you can say for The Price of Wales close by)
3 cask conditioned ales on pretty much all the time and pretty well kept too (Cask Marque pub), the food is excellent and the whole family are very welcome, even the dogs
Well worth another visit especially for Sunday lunch, a very full plate and excellent Sunday roast washed down with fine ales
Highly recommended
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My husband & I went along to the Rose & Thistle to see in 2010 and what a fun evening it was!! We began late afternoon enjoying a yummy dinner in the conservatory then later we (group of 8) joined in with the St Trinians theme and had a great evening. It was very very busy in there possibly because there was a DJ set up, a fab atmosphere & great staff. Well done Annie & Martin for working soo hard and ensuring the evening went well. We did not see any trouble within the pub only friendly faces & were pleased to see there was door staff & even more pleased that Annie & Martin had choosen not to charge her customers entry.
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We have all visited the rose and thistle on many occasions and would very much recommend it to friends and family.We go as a family and enjoy the friendly family atmosphere.Very pleasant staff, great food ,keep up the good work ,hope to c u soon.
hoddy - 17 Oct 2009 14:47 |
My husband and I are aged 59 and 69 respectively and despite having visited this wonderful, friendly, welcoming pub on many occasions, have not met with drug-related problems nor anything else that has been suggested in the earlier negative comments.
We visit the pub either alone or with friends. We have made both evening and daytime visits and have NEVER met with anything other than a safe, welcoming atmosphere - including on a Friday night!
We have made this our 'regular' since Annie and Martin took over and have enjoyed the pub's metamorphosis from grubby and unappealing to a place where we can chill out with friends or family. The food is great and fairly priced. The choice of wines and beers is excellent and all the bar staff, without exception, are helpful and welcoming.
I use the ladies toilet and have never witnessed drug use nor found it to be anything other than spotlessly clean, with working taps and hand drier. I am confused as to which pub the slanderers are referring - it is certainly NOT the Rose and Thistle.
jomjo - 10 Oct 2009 00:04 |
Having been dragged to the beer desert called Lakeside for a Belly Dance Congress the wife was involved in, I was extremely pleased to find that the previous comment is the invective diatribe of a very sad, probably barred, idiot.
Prior to my visit at Friday lunch time on 25th Sept, I had a very quick glance at the comment and only went in to the R & T to verify that our group of four would not want to go in there later. I was initially bemused by the sign showing inclusion in the 2010 Good Beer Guide - that did not sound like a drug den!
I found a very clean and extremely friendly pub with three decent real ales, two draught ciders (and plenty of funny fizzy stuff to keep others happy!).
That night the four of us tried the Old Wheatsheaf up the road, nice enough but only Greene King beers on at that time.
The following lunch time the four of us had a very pleasant meal at the R & T and then on the Sunday afternoon the two males of the group returned for a few beers while the girls danced.
If this pub was near where I live, I would make it my local.
It is just a great shame that the next Congress is in two years and Frimley Green is a long way away from home!
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I have been a resident in Frimley Green for just over a year now and did not know the pub under previous management. However, in the last year since moving to the area, I have begun to frequent trips to the Rose and thistle more often than ever before. Annie & Martin are extremely welcoming, the food has always been great and the selection of guest beers and cider is exemplary. The staff are always attentive, friendly and welcoming in all circumstances. I have been in their with both family members and friends of all ages at various times and have never felt threatened by anyone in there.
Locals do frequent the pub but this is a compliment to the pub to have locals who really enjoy the pub. The atmosphere is lively at the weekend but this it is never over the top or disruptive. I would know living just over the back from the pub and never gets annoying.
I feel that a lot of the negative comments posted by others on this review are extremely nasty and offensive to the new managers of the pub. Allegations over things which are made be people and comments which are posted are clearly a personal vendetta somebody has against the landlady and are probably the result of their own poor behaviour and no doubt barring from the pub!! Its disgraceful to post on a review site and be offensive in this way.
I really support their hard work in ridding the pub of undesirables and by all accounts from the regulars I have spoken with, Annie and Martin really are making the Rose and Thistle an inviting place for people of varying ages to go at all times and socialise.
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just to add, i've seen some of the more personal remarks and i think they're very uncalled for. they're obviously coming from a very bitter nasty person, which probably goes to show they were right in barring them!!
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We visited the Rose this summer with our young family and found the environment to be really family friendly. The Manager, Annie, gave us a warm welcome and was helpful with ideas for local attractions and activities for the children. It's easy to park, the outside area is well designed with lots of tables and attractive planting with bamboo tubs providing screening to create private areas or you can relax on leather sofas in the large conservatory. The service was polite and efficient and the food was delicious. All the facilities were immaculate. The management team have worked hard to build good relations locally and we talked to customers many of whom were local residents and were all very complimentary. 10 out 10 for a hard earned top notch reputation and an excellently presented establishment. We really think you could do no better locally than experiencing the Rose
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This is truly a gem of a pub! And I'm allowed to say that because I really don't like 'em! The young couple who run the pub and delightful, the staff are friendly and welcoming, the food is great, the beer is...well...I don't drink the filthy stuff, but the ol' man says it's excellent!
I haven't lived here for very long and I admit to being worried about living very close, but we have never had a minute's trouble or noise, even in the summer evenings - yes we can hear it, but it stops at a reasonable time and it can not be heard inside the house!
I love it! I go in willingly (but don't tell the husband!), my dog is welcomed (sometimes more than me!!!) and it is a truly enjoyable experience.
Try it out - as long as you are a sensible rational human being, the staff will treat you with kindness and good manners - it's only those who don't have these attributes that can suffer the rough end of their tongues - cos they don't stand for any bad behaviour! Be warned!!!
My favourite watering (and eating!) hole!
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I am a local resident living only about 50 yards fromthe pub.I find the Landlady and staff most friendly. My wife is not a pub loving person and even she feels comfortable there. I moved to the area about 2 years ago because of the village atmosphere and the pub is certainly the centre of the village. Recently I understand that there have been very negative comments made about the pub by people who have been asked to leave and not return. As a retired police officer of 30 years service with the Metropolitan Police I have always found this pub to be very well run and in fact one of the best I have seen. The Staff should not have to put up with abuse from the customers and I fully support Annie in her quest to rid the pub of people who are abusive and insulting to staff and other customers. Well Done Annie and all the staff. Keep up the good work.
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I had a great time in the Rose & Thistle. Lovely atmosphere, brilliant food and very welcoming. Can't wait to come back.
awood - 24 Aug 2009 22:29 |
My family and I have visited the Rose & Thistle on many occasions over the past couple of years enjoying drinks outside in their tastefully designed patio gardens or should the predictable good old Bristish weather take a turn for the worse there is always the spacious and airy conservatory to escape into.
The menu is extensive and offers a wealth of variety, however, the burgers served from the outdoor bbq during the busy 'Family Fun Day' will take some beating!
Congratulations Annie, Martin and to all their hardworking team for making every visit a lovely family experience.
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I have just read the comments posted by people who feel the rose is a drug,rat infested,abusive and dirty place. What a load of rubbish. The rose has gone from being the above to what it is now, a clean friendly pub which gives good entertainment good food and a very good pint. Being a very close neighbour to the pub ( 35 steps from door to door ) i could complain more than most about noise? but only once have i had cause to say somthing to bill behind the bar about noise going on till the early hours outside,these things happen in every pub from time to time. I would like to say well done Annie , Martin and the staff for a well run and enjoyable enviroment.
tystu - 21 Aug 2009 12:43 |
I recently moved to the village - to the houses right behind this pub. The wife and I decided to give this pub a go - we went on quite a few occasions and not once did the landlady say hello / smile at us - even when the pub was empty. At the weekends it is full of young people - and, as stated in Friendsinfrimleys comments, 'Annie supplies them all with COPIOUS amounts of booze until the early hours' - it is very uncomfortable in there - at the grand old age of 48 I feel that is somewhere too dangerous to go to at the weekend! There is definitely illegal goings on in the Gents as well - this really needs to be sorted out - and quick!! MaureenPaterson - if you are looking for a proper village pub then you should try the Wheatsheaf - great food and great staff - absolutely nothing like the Rose & Thistle.
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have been a regular at this pub for years now but not for much longer. it was a village pub that attracted a pleasant mixed group during the week with various pub activities, very busy on friday night and medium at the weekends, quite relaxed and virtually no trouble the landlord would bar those who did. but now there are doormen (never were before), most of the local users (drinkers) have migrated elsewhere and more users (coke and i dont mean cola) have moved in, surveillance cameras everywhere, I think the management believe its stringfellows in central london. Heading down the tubes i think. cant comment on the food side to much but we had a bar snack 2 months ago and the potato skins were mullered but it could have been a one off
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Excellent pub! Went in for a Sunday lunch and were very impressed by the high quality Beef and Pork meals we had with a good selection of fresh Veg. The 4 Cask Ales on that were all excellent and crystal clear. I would recommend this place to anyone, whether it be for a Real Ale, or Meal and the Wife said the Nitro Keg lagers were good to
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Wonderful welcome from Landlord and our DOG was made so welcome with a bowl of water AND a bacon chew.
The four of us had a truly deliciuos lunch and great dessert.
A really pleasnat exprience all round
We shall be back soon.
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Friendly staff and customers, no comments about my dress sense with good beer on tap (Grolsch and Leffe,can't go wrong!). You can normally judge a pub by the toilets and they were very clean and tidy. would definitely go to this pub again if in the area.Nice one.
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Usually really good food and drink in this pub. The service was great, very friendly. Had newspapers at hand to go and sit down and relax. Oredered some food today and was a little disapointed, dont feel it was a strong as before. The chips have changed from hand cut, homemade to what seems like oven chips, and the vegatables seem a little wilted.
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I believe that a genuinely friendly welcome is the most important quality of a pub and The Rose And Thistle passed with flying colours.
Both the cheerful dark haired girl who served us at the bar and the lady who appeared to be in charge were as friendly and capable as anyone could ask.
I'm not sure about the black walls. It may be a practical shade, but it can look rather gloomy. However, the mirrors in the walled courtyard are an inspired touch.
My husband gave a thumbs up to the beer, and we'll stay long enough to sample the food next time that we visit.
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uninspiring and false, from the staff to the decor...
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Two real ales - London Pride and Landlord (tasted OK). Surprisingly, also sells two real ciders. Don't ask for salted peanuts, they will try and sell you something costly from a jar. The bar is sparsely furnished with odds and sods, some of which look like they have been pinched from the allotment sheds. Sunday roast is �7.90 among a list of overpriced main courses. There were not many diners at one o'clock on this Sunday for some reason!!!! Odd background music completes this underwhelming experience.
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ok, good selection of weird and wonderful beers from the four corners of the globe
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i satyed at the lakeside hotel recently and visited this local pub, or gastropub whatever they are these days. on entrance it was like a bloomin creche in there! i am all for family friendly pubs, but this was a step too far, i think these big chain pubs and managers forget what demographic spends the most money in there establishments, it certainly isnt mums and young kids! i couldnt enjoy my pint without kids tearing around making a racket. the beer was average at best, prices dreadful at best! on my next return to this odd little area i will look for a pub with a bit more tradition and dignity, or il bring me kids!
anonymous - 21 Sep 2007 12:10 |
ABSOLUTELY HOPELESS
anonymous - 9 Aug 2007 23:47 |
What happened to this pub? it used to be such a nice place to go to it has lost its soul almost like its a lie...
anonymous - 11 Jul 2007 14:47 |
This pub feels very much like your new modern type GastroStyled place. Not really the place that would appear much fun, but maybe would need to visit more than once to find this out. Full of people doing 'the old pub quiz'
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stayed and Lakeside complex where the fod was rubbish, so walked into the village and foudn the Rose and thistle pub. The manager welcomed us and served excellant food each night for 4 nights and. Service was first class and the fresh orang juice was wonderful made a chaneg from the normal watered down variety. If i stay and lakeside again i will certainly eat here each day. Good value for money.
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Went there for lunch today. Waited ages for food when not overly busy. Food was good when it did arrive. Worst pint of bitter (youngs, usually v. good) that I have had in a long time. Flat and warm.
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This is a Great pub with friendly staff
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this pub is my dream had too many hangovers due to the possesive staff with my wallet LOL on the real thing this place is fun so freindly staff that are your friend when you walk in the door you feel like its a home to everybody.Never had food poision so i guess the pretty good as well
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Great pub,fantastic atmosphere.Food was excellent,range of beers superb.Why go anywhere else?I highly recommend this stylish eclectic pub and will be a regular visitor.Keep up the great work.
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The new manager has really made a difference... great beers, fantastic food and alternative atmosphere. Better than the old one! Keep up the fantastic work... i've spread the word about this great little pub.
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This pub is great, a fantastic range of beers on offer as well as really tasty grub...and not a chav in sight. Hoorah! The fun is here!
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like it.
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I had a client meeting here recently and was quite impressed. It seemed well run.
The staff were friendly, professional and on the ball.
Overall it has a very nice atmosphere. So many pubs that you walk into as a lone woman make you want to back out again fast! This one feels friendly.
We didn't eat, but I will next time.
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The new landlord Paul has been given a free hand to develop the pub how he sees fit by the conglomerate owners. He's doing a great job. Weekends are busy, beers and service are good. Tuesdays there is a quiz and the place is packed, every Monday there's an over 35's singles club meeting there, so well worth a look!
anonymous - 6 Jun 2006 14:43 |
My ex fiancee works here. She tells me it is a great pub and has a good customer base. I will visit it soon and comment further!
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Interesting last comment from 'anonymous'. This is by no means a 'theme pub'. It is an original well designed and friendly pub now being run very well by a guy named Paul. He appreciates the stigma this pub has had in the past and is turning it around by listening, (yes, shock horror) to the punters and actioning their comments if reasonable.
The staff are friendly and welcoming and there is always some fun to be had. The menu compared to others in the area is expensive but on the whole you pay for fresh, well prepared food from a constantly revolving menu as opposed to bland, manufactured food from a laminated, mass produced menu that normally tastes better than what rocks up on your plate.
Excellent selection of beers and wines compliment the rustic feel to this place and i recommend it to anyone. A new quiz night is now running on a tuesday night with a delightfully dizzy compere which adds to the enjoyment of this popular evening.
Not always full of chavs, they are down the kings head where the legal age for drinking is around 12 last time i hazarded as visit!
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Overpriced but you pay for quality with whats on offer. Its obviously going to be full of pikeys and scummers, its in Frimley Green, home of world darts.
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I visit this pub about once a month. Currently it has no full-time manager which maybe why it has gone drastically down hill. The Leffe is great but the 2/3 times it is off. The last time the barmaid didn't have a clue how to pour it. They also don't have enough of the right glasses for the imported beers. The furniture is shabby and well worn another refurb would not be out of order. This was a good pub but it has a lot of work ahead to get back it's reputation. I hope a new manager can make the difference.
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Nice place since the refurb, with good food and beers, but filled with the same old pikeys at the weekends.
Marek - 2 Jun 2004 22:54 |
Great place to spend your free time supping on Hoegaarden! Nice atmosphere, leather couches, big breasted bar maids the lot!
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Great pub, with a great range of belgium beers. Something for everyone here
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serves Leffe Blonde in bottles! Food is good, got tables, sofas, conservatory, garden - massive improvement over what was there before!
Nick - 2 Jul 2003 15:19 |
Lovely pub, live music seems like every Thursday, very friendly bar staff and landlord, bit pricey but great food.
Sam - 13 Apr 2003 22:53 |
