please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Most expensive pub in Kingston - for no reason.
Double (50 ml) Smirnoff with a dash of Coke - £7.50!!!
£3 cheaper just down the road, towards the Centre...
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Went in a couple of Friday nights ago and it was not busy. Saying that I've certainly been to worse places and can think of at least 5 boozers in Kingston worse then this place. Decent ale selection
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Only been in the Ram a few times, but must admit that the reviews surprise me a little. I've found a clean, reasonable place with a decent choice of ales to choose from. The prices are not much different to anywhere else in the area and the barstaff I encountered were polite and friendly.
Wouldn't say it was the greatest pub in the world, but it's certainly not awful.
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Went in there with a friend yesterday for a quick drink and my god we wont be going back!
Truely dreadful service from one miserable member of staff who hardly opened his mouth to speak to me before throwing me my change and walking off.
If it was busy I may have given him some slack, but it wasnt...
Drank our drinks in our lovely plastic cups and then left.
We wont be going back!!
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Lol Laughingduck,
This place is still dreadful. Caters now only for students who don't really care what hole they drink in or the misguided lost souls who know no better.
I wish the staff, instead of writing their own reviews, would spend the time cleaning the whole pub, perfecting the ale and lager and concentrate on the general upkeep of this shambolic pub.
I'm still laughing at 'the gorgeous garden' comment.
What a loser.
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Greene King pub, was a lovely Youngs house in my youth. Many pumps, little ale. Nothing to recommend it currently.
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what a good review by the landlord....see below
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what a pub. went here last weekend for a couple and ended up sat in the gorgeos garden by the river all day. hot ladies behind the bar and great food. rosie was a good laugh behind the bar and gave exceptional service. love the pub going back soon.
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Rude bar staff, discriminatory against us a middle aged married couple. Refused to drink out of plastic cups, were told we could not sit outside with glasses, yet numerous other people were seated outside with glasses????????? The Ram used to be our favourite pub in Kingston and we have been visiting this pub for many many years.
Yesterday will possibly be our last visit!!!!
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Went there last night for a bit of a Thursday sesh and ended up bumping into some people I aint seen for a while including a guy called Weefy! ! !
Its been a long time since I went. I think the pub might have still been Youngs last time I went. I think the refurb the Greene King have undertaken has improved the place subtley without changing it too much. Also the rank stench that hung around the bar seems to have gone but I'll have to wait for the summer to see if it returns.
Sampled the Gangly Ghoul and the Fireside as well as the Star. All in good nick. 7/10
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Fairly regular visitor mostly for the delights of sitting in the garden in the sun. Recently refurbished but i find myself fairly disappointed with the outcome seemingly just a clone of the druids head... went in this week and was served a pretty gross pint of adnams regatta but unfortunately could not find anything to replace it with both other guests in fairly similar bad condition and with 2 pumps of GK IPA and not alot else we asked for our money back and left. Another recent visit had me trying the food very disappointing portion sizes. ordered selection of sides and a sharing plate, found 3 potato wedges not entirely substantial for the price we paid. With the current road works next to the garden i can only suggest escaping to the mill with few real ale venues worth going to in the immediate area.
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The "new" Ram has certainly been spruced up and given a fine makeover, with the main bar being bright, the little corridoor to the patio garden being cosy and the outside tidied up and more pleasant. A very decent range of beers from mainly the Westgate (GK) brewery and good looking food mean that this could be saviour from some of Kingston's other rubbish pubs.
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Greene King pub with quite a small frontage but a rather elongated layout inside, extending back through a rear extension. Refurbished in a fairly modern style. Claims to have a "river terrace" but this is stretching things a bit - there is quite a reasonable amount of outdoor seating (some covered), but only a few tables are actually close to the river wall. Total of eight handpumps, five from the owners (including a decent pint of London Gold at �3.15) plus, unusally for the brewery, three guest ales. Also has one of those outdoor beer trolleys for the summer months that you often see in Europe, with two keg pumps (not in use when I visited).
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Visited last night.The beer was stunning Ruby Mild and Wilde Trip.The barman friendly and offered to top up pint he had just poured to a full pint.Bar staff always friendly and attentive.Alexlive and his band then came on,brilliant and I'm not a Prince fan but his version was great and although not a big Hendrick his playing was stunning.Live music great beer and very friendly mixed crowd no agro no wonder they were busy a great chage from my local who has a miserable landlord variable expensive beer and is not full
Keep up the good work
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Got a new menu and is just fried crap. Went in there the other week and saw this fat chef wearing a dirty black t-shirt walking a round and then out side to have a fag. If he cooked my food. My god. Rude bar staff. Ogga or Elga or i just say the chubbie polish girl behind the bar. how rude is she. garden ok but there building a park next to it so lots of dust around. all in all. wont be going again
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The Ram's alright. The beer garden is pretty good in the summer, and the food is palatable. My mate reckons it stinks of piss. I can't really see where he's coming from myself, although the toilets are small, and lead directly into the main body of the pub, so maybe he caught a waft sometime. He is a bullshitter of course, but then again I can't see what he'd have to gain by making up stories about pissy pubs. I guess I have to believe him.
At the current time, it's being ripped out, so we'll see what they do with it after that...perhaps the stench of piss will be gone. Perhaps it will be stronger - perhaps much stronger. We can only wait and see.
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Maldenman - have to agree entirely - GK have ruined the place. Whilst not the greatest pub in Kingston it was a little haven of unusual beers but now its blxxxdy awful. Even the few characters that used to frequent have buggered off. No atmosphere, short pints (see below) and more expensive. Go to the Dukes Head nearby, not great but better value.
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BeerConnoisseur99 why don't you just come out and say that you're the manager of this pub? I can't believe you have the cheek to write your own reviews on here.
Stop trying to fool people into 20 minutes of torture.
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In tonight and sadly I have to record now a Greene King house. The only guest, Everards Tiger went straight away. An absolute travesty, a decent riverside pub now a shadow of its former self. Additionally on complaining about short measures and large foamy heads on the beer, it was due to the GAS! Would someone like to explain why gas is required for handpulled natural beer?
Rating substantially reduced. Real shame.
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This place has everything I look for in a good pub. When approaching the bar I found a great selection of real ales and was advised to try the Sharpes' Doombar by a friendly barman. The beer was spot on and went perfectly with my pie and mash. There seems to be a regular crowd during the day and an overall friendly atmosphere.
I returned later that evening after a visit to the Rose Theatre to find a busier pub with more young people, but still the friendly quick service I had experienced during the day. Being just out of the town center this pub seems to avoid the more chavy customers unlike some of its competitors.
I guess there are still some good old English pubs about! I recommend this pub to all.
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Full of Tiffin Girls toffing their hearts out, and waxing lyrical about their ambient boyfriends who they've moving to New York with.
Nice beers, and should the Tiffin yaw yaw become too much, you can always drown yoursefl in the river.
anonymous - 21 May 2009 19:43 |
Visited for first time this afternoon. Good range of real ale (incluing Old Peculier), good food, pleasant and efficient service. If some of the previous reviews were accurate at the time of writing, things have obviously improved a lot!
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They had six real ales on when I was in there at lunchtime today: Bombardier; Young�s Bitter; Adnam�s Bitter; GKIPA; Sharp�s Doom Bar; and the excellent Exmoor Hound Dog. They even managed to produce a fruit smoothy for Mrs R. This pub is right on the river a stone�s throw from Kingston Bridge, with a narrow outside drinking area with a decent view over the river. Inside it�s a low-beamed single room pub, though it has clearly been extended into the smallish conservatory area at some stage. The food was OK, though nothing special, and the service was pretty good. One of the better pubs in Kingston in my opinion, and the real ale choice puts it a notch above the average as well. Definitely worth dropping in for a pint if you�re in Kingston.
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This is a nice pub, these reviews are dated. Every time I go I always want to return - the bar staff are always friendly and helpful, if they don't do something they will suggest another. There is a nice atmosphere during the day with the locals chatting together. In the evenings I like to go on a Thursday when it it open mic night - the resident band bring a good clientell to the place, it is certainly not a chav pub although it is quite a mix with older people and families during the day to a lot of students during the night. The students tend to be harmless indie kids so there's rarely a fight or a fuss.
With the drinks the selection of ales is great, far more than in most pubs, basic larger but lots of spirits and wines.
There is a big beer garden looking right to the river which is nice. I remember in the summer they gave plastic cups for outside when it was busy which is fair enough but some of the customers tend to kick off at that which I think is a bit pointless besides it's not that big a deal.
The ram has a lot of parties - during the summer there was a beach party where they Filled the beer garden with sand; JAck Daniels night, Halloween. Sexy Santa Xmas and an austrailia day is coming up. These are great because the bar staff always go all out and dress up.
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I confess to being a little confused by some of the reviews below. I've known The Ram for a fair few years and apart from occasional slow service I've never had any problems. My visits do tend to be lunchtime or early evenings so perhaps things change later on, who knows? Anyway, I post as I find.
Enter to a squarish room, bar to one side, the seating is a mix of wooden settles and chairs to the tables around the walls, there is a central raised shelf/table with stools. A single Chesterfield sits rather oddly in the front corner nearest the bar. Through to a narrow drinking area with seating along one wall, the long covered garden is beyond and runs down to the Thames.
Wooden floors and stained wood panelling make for a fairly dark environment, the area in front of the bar has black and white mosaic tiles. A real fire burns in the grate. Two large plasmas, one on yesterday showing Sky Sports news with the football scores updating, volume at a very low level.
Seven on with a bit of a seasonal flavour; Pride, Youngs Bitter, Bateman's Rosey Nosey, Mauldon's Midwinter Gold, Wychwood Winters Troll, Hydes Rockin Robin and Theakston Old Peculiar. No problems at all with the two tried (Gold and RR).
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Well-placed traditional looking pub; the front being close to the main shops and car parks, the rear being a secluded beer garden on the waterfront. Range of food listed but not tried. TV sport showing but sound turned down. Good range of both lagers and real ales; the latter being a couple of regulars and three unusual and interesting guests, of which I enjoyed the Exmoor Gold. Hope to go back for a longer visit next time.
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I found myself visiting Kingston on Thursday and thought that I'd try The Ram seeing that the Griffin has now gone further along the road! It's a Spirit group pub of some possibly history considering its position close to the centre of Kingston and the Thames. On offer were a good selection of Ales; Doombar, Youngs, Green King IPA, London Pride, Nethergate and Bath Hare. I tried a pint each of the latter two. It should have been okay, but for the taste of dirty pipes. Pressing a button, doesn't clean the pipes and ensure good tasting beer. You have to attend to the main job in hand in a Pub and clean and pull through the pipes properly. Is the area Manager from Spirit a beer drinker? Silly question? I don't know in this day and age.
The pub it self was clean within reason; however the tiled area in front of the bar looked as though it hasn't been mopped recently. The toilets were clean, but here was another pub with no hot water to wash your hands. Soap alone doesn't clean germs, you need hot water too. The pub is a dark and dreary place, but it does have an area that streatches down to the River. However, this too is charmless considering it's positioning near the Thames. Can't Spirit group landscape the area? You have a brand new, world class theatre, The Rose, just along the way; why not spend a bit of money making this place pleasant. The drinkers of Kingston upon Thames deserve better. I certainly will look for a better pub on my next visit to the town.
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I dont like this pub.
It has a really bad atmosphere, and some of the staff seem to be stoned out of their nut.
the service was really poor i had to wait nearly an hour for my food, and the drinks were flat.
it's a chav pub
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Oh dear, what is happening to this place? It used to be a great Kingston pub for real ale.
I went there the other night. The Sharps Doom Bar was off, even though the pump clip was facing us. A few others were off too, but again with the pump clip suggesting otherwise. I had a pint of Outlaw Pale Ale, which was nice, but I wanted the Doom Bar. Don't advertise beers that you haven't got on!
Also, the bar staff are slow, dippy and generally uninterested. I guess they are students.
If you want real ale and a warm welcome in Kingston, go to The Willoughby Arms instead.
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Average for a Kingston pub, half-decent for a riverside pub. Occasional irritations like the constant "in or out" question and the famous time it stopped serving because one till didn't work!!
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taijix is absolutely spot on. I use this pub every day and am a 'happy regular' of The Ram - probably the best pub in Kingston. Good food and atmosphere.
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taijix - what are you like?
You are wrong 5 times over! Many 'happy' regulars? Tasty food? Lovely atmosphere? Exciting vibe? Friendly & Skilled barstaff? Ok, it has barstaff (I suppose...though have never really seen them).
Why have you hidden your profile? Do you work there? It would be great if you do work there, you could help put this place back on the beer map rather than mislead drinkers into 20 minutes of misery before sorting the place out.
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so you have to find this website and then sign up before you can post a review about this pub
then it's no wonder that the many happy regulars (myself included) and frequent visitors of the ram haven't been boosting the ratings, instead they just go back to the pub
tasty food, lovely atmosphere during the day, exciting vibe during the evening, friendly skilled bar staff. yes occasionally a few chavs come in, but it's in kingston so you can't avoid this with all the student clubs in the area
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Went in there again a month ago - (tried hard not to but I was in a round with friends). Pretty dreadful place - no point in saying anymore - still not changed.
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You guys are right, the Ram bites. I once thought this place was OK for a jar.I dunno, maybe being Canadian makes me slower in the head: must be the clean air, open space, tasty food and cheerful service staff over here. Anyway, the posers and goofs now own the Ram. Sad, really.
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Students ruined it (both by working there and patronising the place) and they still are today.
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Started off at this pub on a recent night out in Kingston. Not sure why there are so many bad reviews, ok it's not the best pub I've ever been too but it's still ok, particularly in comparison to most of the pubs in the centre of Kingston which are chain hell holes or poncey bars. The beer was good and there was an excellent selection (7 ales on tap). OK it's a bit tatty and the service wasn't that great but it proved to be the best place we visited all night (we went to 3 other pubs after this each of which got progressively worse). Luckily the friend I was visiting is moving soon so I won't have to sample the delights of Kingston again!
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Loved it for the 3 years I have been back in the area, until today... two staff on duty, one "taking a break" the other on the phone for 10 minutes and then serving her mates (who just entered the pub) while at least 3 others have been waiting for her to finish the call. I blame the management, never around and obviously don't train the staff in being aware of who's next, THE most important skill of bar staff.
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F'ing students have let this go down the sh!tter. Crap slow bar staff, the bar still stinks of puke and the beer is average at very best. How they have made the beer garden feel like your in a prison yard is staggering! This used to be one of the better pubs in Kingston but is now no better than a crappy chav/student union dive. Come and listen to wannabe indie people embarass themselves with musical instruments aswell...
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No JoPublovic, it is as bad anytime of week. I can't believe T&J Bernard have not sorted this place out. The reviews as staggeringly bad and have been for some time. What on earth are they doing? T&J Bernard...please....for the sake of humanity, shut this place down or sell it on to someone who can run it properly.
anonymous - 24 Aug 2007 16:02 |
This place is diabolical. I don't think I've seen somewhere go so downhill so quickly - I'm sure a couple of years ago it was quite cosy and civillised. They even did reasonably good food.
Went there on a sunny Sunday afternoon the other day and it felt like the games room at Feltham Young Offenders prison - teeming with teenagers on Aftershock, pitbulls and that luminous away kit. The claim to serve only over 21's is laughable. A handful of shirtless teenagers who had had way beyond serving doses were effing and blinding and the staff didn't have the first clue - probably too scared - about asserting authority. Just plain intimidating.
I know that part of the river turns does turn into a Day Release destination when the sun comes out, but they might make an effort and clean the toilets every so often - and perhaps consider a glass collector? The toilets ming as well. Truly, best avoided. It might be different in the week, but its a sorry story on weekends.
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Exceptionally poor service......and what is that dreadful smell?
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HOPELESS service.Why are most of the ales always off?
anonymous - 17 Apr 2007 23:02 |
I heard a rumour and I believe it may well be true that a number of people have died of old age/thirst/starvation waiting to be served here.
Potentially a great pub. Realistically until they sort out the shockingly slow service one to avoid unless you are a student looking for a cheap night out
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This pub has the worst ladies loos in Kingston.
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Around 10 years ago, The Ram used to be a fantastic Pub with great beer, good food and friendly, lively, knowledgable staff (Landlord/lady took a great deal of interest in their pub). Unfortunately this pub has changed hands a few times to owners that appear not to give a toss. The beer is awful, service is disgraceful and the food (used to be so good) is dreadful. I advise anyone walking past to carry on walking.
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I know that I am only a lowly Canadian visitor but, where I come from, a pub like this, full of chavs or not, is a licence to mint money. Everyone knows that England is not exactly the home of pleasant service, or of tasty food, but it does have top beers. Enjoy what is good and laugh at the rest. I like the Ram. Anyway, what's so pleasant about the skanky old Thames in Kingston anyway?
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Why are Kingston riverside pubs mediocre? I have no idea. Hammersmith, hardly the most salubrious town on Earth, redeems itself by having several pleasant pubs by the river. Kingston seems to be incapable of doing that. It seems the riverside here is designed to be looked at from the buildings along it, not actually used, which is a shame, but there is no reason why a decent pub or two can't take root here. Just because the town is oversubscribed with young families (just try dodging the pushchairs on a Saturday morning) doesn't mean it can't have good pubs - parents need pints too!
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I have been to this pub a few times now. It is a constant disappointment to me. It is in a prime location and what a waste. It could be something great. I am not talking about modernising it, all it really needs is some organisation. The service is so slow you could die waiting. I understand it can get busy but the last time I went in it was not so there could have only been 5-6 people waiting and it still took an age to get a drink. Get it together guys it is a nice place other than the slow slow service.
anonymous - 5 Aug 2006 14:30 |
The smell is probably from the stagnant bar staff! This is one of those pubs were there's a lot of activity behind the bar but nothing bloody happens especially at lunchtimes. You can wait for ages to get served drinks as the method of taking food orders seems to take ages.
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Worth coming here just for the fact that they sell Theakston Old Peculier on tap
Will2 - 12 Jul 2006 17:54 |
I agree with Lawrence17 partly in that there did seem to be a bit of a smell. But around the bar area, who knows why. But it was fine in the seating area. They showed Mrs Doubtfire here, not the sort of thing i expect to see in a pub. Good place to come if you are a fan of real Ale
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I quite agree with "sidjtu", except that it doesn't always have sport on; sometimes one is treated to loud and crappy pop music at a volume which makes it just that bit more difficult to make oneself heard, especially after factoring in the babbling plebeians
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Anyone who has enjoyed this pub as a pleasant old fashioned type of place where you could have a quiet pint might get a shock if they visit these days. They now have plasm TVs installed blasting out continuous sport, and as a result they are attracting a younger noiser crowd.On my last 2 visits it's been packed out with noisy and aggressive football fans.Good for business I'm sure but it's ruined a once decent boozer.
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Why does this pub smell so badly......there's a constant smell of sick next to the main entrance
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The Ram has finally been renovated, the walls have been been painted purple, new Tvs bought and some better furniture - however the toilets are still as bad as ever and the pub still has a shortage of glasses.
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Kingston isn't a very nice place to be on a wet Sunday but this pub really cheered us up. It isn't much special inside. but is cosy and nicely lit. Can't speak for the real ale but the food was nice and the staff were really friendly and actually seemed to be enjoying working there. They also had ecclectic music tastes which put an upbeat spin on the exeprience.
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After a horrific year this pub now has new management and the early signs are promising. Better range of beers now available and some evidence that the toilets have been cleaned. Very impressed by the quiz night on a Tuesday night - highly amusing quiz master.
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It seemed to smell of sick throughout most of this summer. Did anyne else notice this?
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I must agree. This was a very nice pub. The beer was good, a nice selection of ales on tap (6 if i remember correctly, 3 of which were guest ales). The food was very good no nonsense pub food (try the chicken cumberland pie if its on, very nice). The layout is traditional non tarty pub with some quiete nooks to talk with your mates in. All in all very good.
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We thought this was the best pub on the Kingston riverside. Good beer, excellent food at a reasonable price and service friendly. A good no smoking area at the rear. Smoking not allowed at the bar thank heavens!!.Beer garden overlooking river.
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seems an ok pub - massive outside bit, pint was fine. all in all, perfectly acceptable.
TheGP - 20 Sep 2005 20:50 |
If your at the Mill and fancy sitting down this is the place for you!
Nice out the back....
...and George Best has been spotted having a drink here so it must be good!
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I was always told "never trust a pub where the bar staff dress better then you, no matter how nice it looks on the outside". This is one of those pubs.
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Does no food at the moment because the chef is being 'customized'. Not sure what this means: fitted with a larger exhaust and a metalflake paint job? Beer ok though and the inside is trad, there is also an outside area behind the pub. Clientele a mix of younger people and tourists.
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A nice pub for the summer but not before a night out on the town.
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Airhead bar staff. Waited 10 minutes to be served, when it was nowhere near busy, with 3 bar staff. I was invisible?! Weird. Great location, and the food was OK when it eventually arrived. Needs proper leadership behind the bar.
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Great in the summer for a chilled pint with friends
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Good for an outdoor lager of a summer's eve. Toilets ming.
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Pretty good, however resent paying �2.80 for a pint of draft soft drink.
Lovely cosy seats, sadly the kitchen was closed, but the menu looked lovely. Would like to go there for lunch.
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Like this place in the summer outside on the benches. Good pub for a chat with mates, without being disturbed.
amumd - 10 Feb 2005 15:14 |
Last time I was in there someone was having a go at the staff for calling time about 15 minutes early!!!
I think the staff have lost interest.
The Druid's head (formerly a Hogs Head) is 2 minutes away and rapidly improving.
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Unfortunately, seems to have gone down hill over the last couple of years. And a very big hill at that. The bar staff aren't the brightest people on earth, there doesn't seem to be a manager, the beer's no good, the toilets are still a disgrace. It smells so bad, it makes you wish the air was still thick with fag smoke.
Badly needs proper renovation - didn't they give it a lick of paint quite recently? Sad really. Used to love it...
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I LOVE THE RAM, Nuff said. A drunken gathering on a Summer evening
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Met up in here about 6pm last Saturday. Seemed everyone else was doing the same as when we left at 7 having had a pint with the last arrival we left the place almost empty. The Youngs was very good but the Bombadier disappointing - unfortunately I started on the latter and the former ran out. Usually reliable though
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I have officially given up on the Hogshead (or rather the Druids Head) around the corner. The Ram offers a far more genuine pub experience and if all you are looking for are a few pints of an afternoon then you can't go wrong here.
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when I complained that my jacket poato was cold the guy whisked it away brought it back piping hot. Unfortunately so was the coleslaw that was on it! Microwaved coleslaw - mmm, nice. Evidently someone else was using the brain cell that the bar staff share between them
anon - 1 Nov 2004 13:31 |
the ram isn't that bad.... i think it has gotten alot better over the past year. it must be hard work running that size of a pub, especially in the summer, with a beer garden backing onto the river. personally, i think the staff are all very nice,and not idle as some have said.whenever i have been there, the only time customers have had to wait for drinks is when it gets busy, not because the staff refuse to acknowledge you standing waiting at the bar.overall, i think the pub has a nice atmosphere.and let's face it.....you're not there to admire the pub, you're there to drink. and thats what its good for.
anonymous - 14 Oct 2004 15:25 |
a small familie pub it's just been taken over by new managers steve and lyndsey who seem nice good crowd staff are nice nice beer garden that goes back on to the river lots of real ale's and verry good food
shaun donald - 30 Aug 2004 03:06 |
Poor old Ram is taking a battering!OK so you get plastic pint glasses but when pissed people go outside and drop their glasses I'd rather there were bits of plastic on the floor than have me toes shredded by glass. (Mmm, nice!). Does often take a lifetime to be served and ladies loos not always in a fragrant state... But it has a bit of atmosphere, beer is OK when you get it, food nice and beer garden nice too. Leave off it, I like the Ram.
Jane - 17 Aug 2004 11:10 |
Really gone downhill in the last two months inspite of a paint job. Staff are idle and content to chat at the end of the bar rather than serve, beer is often appalling and even on a quiet midweek afternoon staff require you to drink out of plastic glasses, while the men's toilets are full of grafitti and under several inches of water - needs new management urgently!!!
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this pub used to be one of the best on the riverside in kingston and a welcome break from the growing number of theme pubs that now dominate the scene. However, it is going down hill fast. The back area which looks out on to the river is littered with discarded fag ends and generally the place looks as though it could do with a clean-up. The whole place is unloved by staff who don't seem interested in anything but from chatting among themselves. There is even paint sprayed graffiti in the men's toilets which nobody has even bothered to cover up. The staff are poor and the cask beer quality is average. Such a shame but I won't be returning.
gearbox - 23 Jul 2004 09:44 |
Known this pub for many years, the smell is a drain that runs under the bar towards the door. In summer in tends to smell although the various landlords have tried numerous techniques to limit the smell including perfume and having drains cleaned. On a busy night this pub can run out of beers and serves pints in plastic glasses
anonymous - 1 Jun 2004 00:53 |
I used to adore this pub, but the stench from the bar area is getting too much to bear. Imagine what it's going to be like in the summer?!
The staff are very apologetic, who through no fault of their own get a great deal of verbal abuse about this. Apparently there is an area behind the bar that they cannot clean without taking the bar out. For God's sake, will the manager please close the pub and refurbish the bar? Rather lose custom for a week or two than forgo an entire summer of trade.
It is basic human psychology: people don't like consuming food and drink in an area that stinks of vomit, death and disease.
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We went there on the 16th April. Still smelled of sick, apparently it's the chemicals in the glass washer. I've worked in plenty of pubs and have never come across that before.....
anonymous - 23 Apr 2004 11:24 |
..two weeks later, bar still smells of puke AND the outside area was absolutely filthy.It's not that difficult to keep a pub clean is it? What a shame, seems to be going downhill fast.
Simon - 19 Apr 2004 14:44 |
Agree about the vomit smelling bar, though to be fair I've drunk in here loads of time and never had that delightful experience before.The week before I was in there at exactly the same time on the same night and it was a lot quieter and more pleasant, that night it was busy, smelly and the music was turned up loud.The only reason there was such a difference in atmosphere was that on the second occassion it was a warm night and people were drinking there because they could sit outside.Moral of the story; if you fancy a quiet night don't go when the weather's good.
Simon - 9 Apr 2004 12:38 |
Nice pub in general, but becoming easier to avoid in preference of other pubs where the bar doesn't smell of vomit.
Paul - 30 Mar 2004 19:27 |
Long thin pub with river frontage (all 25 feet of it). Was smokey when tried on one evening recently (yes the floor doubles as an ash tray) but good choice of real ales. Have previously called lunchtimes when it is busy with diners.
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More of a pass through than an all night stayer I reckon, but a good old pub nonetheless. Quite a novelty to be able to sit outside in the winter, what with their sod off big heather things. Not bad, give it a bash.
Scotty Boy - 13 Jan 2004 13:27 |
Went in just before Xmas - only 1 beer on (Theakstons OP) - what were the other 4 pumps for ? - No ashtrays litter on the floor - even if they'd had a busy lunchtime they could do better than this
steve - 29 Dec 2003 18:40 |
One of Kingstons stronger efforts. Nice and traditional, what more can you say?
Good for: Bog standard drinking with a mate
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I like it. Just a simple pub with a pub 'garden' if you can call it that...but drinks are quite nice and tis a good place to chat with mates!
Rara - 8 Aug 2003 11:49 |
good pub - good food - good location
jim - 23 Apr 2003 14:13 |
Good pub with a wide selection of ales and nice food. Only problem with the beers is the poor selection of draught lagers (they used to do Becks but not anymore) and the poor quality of the Guinness. Well worth a visit in the summer due to the large seating area outside on the river. Does take a very long time to get served on a friday or saturday night.
Angus - 28 Mar 2003 10:42 |
Really nice pub. Nice atmosphere on winter evenings when quite full and great in the summer with its big outdoor area by the river. Good beer, friendly staff. Worth the bus ride from Surbiton!
Ilsa - 24 Mar 2003 16:29 |
Still serves Old Peculiar, and a great pint it was too!!!
Mike - 24 Mar 2003 14:18 |
I like the Ram, especially in summer when you can sit outside. It also used to to serve Old Peculiar on tap - one of the few pubs that does in the area. Only problem is when it does get busy it is very difficult to get a beer - it has a very small bar area definatly one of my favourites in Kingston.
Mike - 19 Mar 2003 13:19 |
I worked in the Ram for about 9 months a few years back- it's a nice place to work eat and drink in-
But it is full of coppers, CID especially - Kingston police station is opposite the pub
David - 11 Mar 2003 13:15 |
Oh yeah - haven't noticed the Filth in there either. May be they're in mufti tho...
ElDickster - 23 Jan 2003 10:41 |
Best town centre pub by far. Cosy, if a little smoky, in the winter, in the summer you can sit out by the river and watch the world go by. Attracts a pretty good crowd considering - I think they have an Over 21s bar policy which keeps the oiks out. Nice ;)
ElDickster - 23 Jan 2003 10:40 |
Yup, it's a great place. I've been a regular since I was 18. I'm now 30, which just goes to show that it's pub that you'll feel comfortable in however ancient you are. And I've never noticed any coppers in there, although I suppose that's not to say that aren't any.
David - 11 Dec 2002 17:03 |
great food (although you can be made to wait ages) great location and much better than the poncy ones by charter quay - good pub to get away from shoppers etc and enjoy a decent pint - proper beer drinkers will love the selections here
simon - 30 Sep 2002 13:47 |
The east bank of the River Thames in Kingston has recently been 'developed', meaning that there are now several premium residential blocks priced way in excess of the means of local people, and with them a number of pretentious new bars. So it's great to see pubs like the Ram surviving unchanged in this prime location, for the present at least. The Ram has always been a very relaxed pub, equally at ease catering for shoppers, students, office workers and revellers. At the rear of the pub is a huge paved garden, a partially covered strip between the pub and the river, which seats over a hundred people. Combined with a good range of beer, wine and food, this is a fantastic place to get very drunk with good friends in any season. Just mind those monied New Media Mockneys!
Loz - 9 Aug 2002 00:29 |
