please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Visited in order to compare with the Seven Stars at Leigh, on a Sunday afternoon. A less luxurious feel, but none the worse for it. I had the draught French cider, which was excellent. The bar staff (two guys - one of whom I assumed to be the aforementioned landlord) seemed friendly enough. A good selection of ales was available. Nothing exceptional, but good enough!
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Nice quiet country pub, I was welcomed warmly enough, Moles Black Rat cider and Westons' perry served.
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I have to say this is the most unwelcoming pub I have ever had the misfortune to visit!!! After 2 months of planning our local pubs outing to Brighton, we searched for a good traditional pub to stop off to on the way back. After going through The Good Pub Guide we decided on The Surrey Oaks, As 25 paople turning up to a pub at 7pm on a Saturday night can be a bit unexpected, the organiser of our trip made two calls four weeks before the date to The Surrey Oaks to check this was ok. So we diverted from our route to find this pub with everybody looking forward to a nice refreshment break. As soon as we entered the pub the the gentleman and lady behind the bar looked at us as if we were something unpleasent on the soul of your shoe!! however we stayed and purchased a drink and yes the beer was very good. After we had paid for this large round the landlord then asked us to remove our coach from the car park as it was not " in keeping with the image of the pub". The landlord has a right to say who comes to his pub but there is ways of speaking to people without being rude. This was suppost to be a nice end to a very enjoyable day but ended making everyone miserable. I noticed that this pub is holding a beer festival soon, I would like to advise people that they go in groups of no more than four as large groups are blatently not welcome. I could understand if he was obviously busy but with the current situation of pubs in Britain who can turn away passing trade. We should have stopped at The Six Bells !!!
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The (late ) May bank holiday beer festival is on again this year.Unmissable ! Ken works hard to obtain esoteric beers from all over the U.K.
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Went to this pub after visiting the curry house across the road. I have never received such bad service in all my life. We waited so long to try and get served whilst the landlord just stood staring at us that in the end we turned round and walked out.
Don't go here if you want to actually get a pint this century.
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Like this place so much I popped by again this evening! And a curry house over the road as well!! What more could you want??!!
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Very pretty pub (woodwork suffering a bit from winter weather!) easy to find despite being deep in the country and has a good carpark..didn't try the food but what I saw looked wholesome...friendly service which is becoming increasingly rare...beergarden must be a joy when/if Summer arrives...understand as well as the good (and changing) choice of local draught beers there are ale festivals but couldn't see when..Extra marks for supporting small brewers. BQ 8.7
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Fantastic!! The landlord Ken really takes pride in his beers, too many awards to list! Nice little pub, can be quiet sometimes, but overall one of the finest pubs in surrey!!
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Agree with below comments that the beer is good and there is a nice selection. However i was extremely disappointed with the food which i received, it was definatley below average standard.
I would not eat here again.
The service was miserable and slow, and the atmosphere flat.
All in all not an enjoyable experience for my friend and i, which was a great shame!
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Popped in whilst out for a walk at the weekend. Loved it. The beer was good and the natives were friendly. Will go back to eat some time very soon.
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So good, I moved to the village! (seriously)
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The Surrey Oaks is one of those great pubs where the landlord really cares about the beer he serves and the awards on the walls speak volumes for this sensibility. The food won't win any Michelin Stars but it is decent pub grub, I usually go to and judge pubs on their beer, that makes the Oaks a winner in my book.
One of the best pubs I've been to, highly recommended.
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The finest pint of Harvey's Sussex I have ever had.
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PS reviewer "anonymous", below = "the landlord"!
He has improved his welcome over recent years to be fair
The beer can be great, but irritatingly, seems to run-out after one pint, every time I go in there and is then switched to another brew [single barrels presumably]. There seems to be a policy of only stocking weak to low/mid strength bitters, which is a pity, as he used to stock some nice full bodied stronger brews.
The food is reasonable, but not great.
The pub used to be very smoky and is better for no smoking, but the landlord is quite parsimonious with his heating, so it can feel chilly.
However all-in-all, this is the best pub I know in the area for some miles
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Had high expectations for this place as it is in The Good Beer Guide. I suppose rightly so as the local ale was top rate. BUT…..found the locals to be very unwelcoming and had to wait to ages to be served as they were extremely understaffed. In fact we were going to eat there but gave up and went for a very nice curry across the road instead.
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Had lunch in there recently. Not so much a 'sausage ploughmans' as a do-it-yourself sausage baguette with a salad garnish. Tasted good though. Beer excellent, good selection with many guest ales due. Prefer the Six Bells for good value food
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Wonderful pub. Ken continues to lead the way in this area re real ale. Ever changing selection in tip top condition. Good quality pub grub.This is my local so please excuse the bias.
Try it yourself.
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Re the comment below, the pub won an award for its beer not food! The beer is usually magnificent.
anonymous - 27 Dec 2006 17:49 |
Plenty of atmosphere and good beer. Supposedly the regional winner of good food pub guide. Not on my reckoning. Average pub food, good, but nothing to rave about.
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The Oaks is a great place to take your mates to show your pride in your local pub. It's a great pub for drinkers and eaters alike. Always changing, they had 365 beers in one year in 2005! The food is pretty good and good value too. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm lamb pie :) It's my favourite pub in the world though so ignore my bias and go see for yourself
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A great country pub. The imaginative and ever-changing range of ales is supremely well-kept. The food is of a good-standard too, their home-made quiche in particular is very satisfying.
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Personal bias aside, on an objective level I am amazed that this pub hasn't been rated higher by BITE users. Yes, it is a rural pub, that tends to be favoured by more middle-class punters with a preference for excellent interesting ales, and reasonable food. It's not for the urbanites who prefer loud music, lager and over-priced microwaved fodder. Maybe that's been the type of customer who finds the S'Oaks somehow unpleasant. I can't help but think that anyone with what most pubgoers and serious drinkers would regard as reasonable discernment would find anything to hate here. The manager prides himself on being a primarily drinkers' pub, with a rare emphasis on constantly changing, well-kept ales, and fortunately the pubco give him carte blanche in that department. Indeed, the S'Oaks has a virtual monopoly on the quality ale market because there are so few "free" houses serving good and diverse beers in this part of Surrey - no wonder his walls are strewn with awards going back 11 years!
Granted, the food is secondary to him, and if it weren't for the need to compete and provide service to a wider public, including families, I suspect he wouldn't do food. But it is of a decent quality in my experience, even if it isn't ALL "home-made".
Whilst he can come across as somewhat off-hand to some, those who appreciate what the licensee's trying to do will find themselves all the more appreciated by him in the process. This is a good country pub that can appeal to people of all ages, be they friends or families. The beer festivals held now in May and August bank holidays demonstrate this amply.
You can always visit the curry house opposite if the food really doesn't appeal!
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it looks like timeplease likes posting negative comments about pubs. A good proportion of the food is home made, and very little has been bought in. Perhaps you are more used to MacDonalds food
anonymous - 28 Aug 2006 18:56 |
Came here last week....very disappointed, surly staff, terrible choice of menu, all deep fried, no emphasis on local produce or homecooked food...nicish location, but all in all I would say anew manger could do this place proud....all in all...a 2 out of 10. (beers were ok..hence the 2).
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In response to AVFC (you have two middle names!?!?)we also have electricity and inside toilets down here.
If you wanted to smoke you and your mates could have had your drinks outside..I'm sure the garden is big enough.
anonymous - 22 Aug 2006 14:20 |
Did you say non smoking. Was going to come to the Beer Festival me and my mates will have to find somewhere a bit less Surrey. Do you allow alcohol in your beer Southereners ? Don't forget leave your 4 WD at home what what ....
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Regular rotation of good ales especially local brews such as the excellent Ranmore and Shere Drop from the Surrey Hills but also features ales from other parts of the country so you may be likely to find something you might not have tried before.
Good pub food but the real ales are the main reason for visiting this pub.
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I've been recently and landlord Ken has taken on a new bar dude called James and a friendly chap he is too. Great food, great beer, great service, great surroundings and great beer festivals! No wonder it's my favourite pub!
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Went to pub for first time this evening.Very busy but was served by a wonderful Scottish gentleman who I believe was called James.Real ales were well worth a re-visit. Surrey Oaks you WILL be seeing us again.
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Took the day off for my birthday and went for a drive with the wife Came across this pub so stopped and went in. One of the nicest boozers I have been in and I have about 50 years "experience" Tried the Sussex and the Ranworth and they were excellent..bar snacks were brilliant and the Bacon/Brie/Avocado was an absolute delight. I will not be waiting for my next birthday to visit this pub again..and what a pleasant surprise to find a non-smoking establishment,,,congratulations to the very pleasant gug'nor.
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Generally a decent pub with good ale and decent food. Only gripe was that the playframe is slightly 'old-school' and isnt really suitable for toddlers. The barman James made us feel very welcome and the kitchen/serving staff were very nice.
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my second visit - why in the area, great pub/beers just slightly let down by a large group of "locals/regulars?" letting out their rather bigoted and prejudiced views in a very vocal manner
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I see it is the Camra Surrey pub of the Year. They do a different beer each day of the year, and also do the great Surrey Hills Ranmore Ale. Even better, they do two ciders from casks in the cellar. And the beer is cold.Great pub.
anonymous - 25 Jun 2006 10:57 |
Well..what can I say. Just been to the S'oakes on the strength of the previous comments...an all I can say is, good beer, but shame about the food. But I suppose bugs in the salad don't make much of an impact after a couple of pints!. We did go while the beer festival was on, but had to endure 'dixieland' piped music, which does get a bit much after a while.
anonymous - 29 May 2006 14:33 |
The S'Oaks is my favourite pub full stop. I guess I'm pretty biased then but it's great to have a choice of garden areas 5 or 6 bar areas, pool table, fires, incredibly well kept ales and ciders, elusive crisps and really good food, all at reasonable prices. They made it no smoking this year too so when you walk in it smells of grub! When you leave you don't stink like an ash tray. If curry floats your boat, Ali Raj over the road is also superb. Think PINTS > CURRY > MORE PINTS! The pub also has two beer festivals a year. Huzzah!
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Used to stay in the area and ‘discovered’ the Oaks. Now, I always try to go when I am visiting the area. The bitter is consistently excellent, the food always good and I have never had a grumpy word from the landlord in 8 years.
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taken here my friends when i was visiting the area, what a pleasant suprise, superb beers at sensible prices ! and no smoking throughout... highly recommended
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The pub has a shabby chic look but is no worse for that. The beer is always good. And with regard to locals getting served first, not true. Everyone has to put up with the landlord's grumpy ways. I think it is a great pub and there are some very friendly locals (unusual for Surrey).
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The pub from the outside is looking shabby and run down. The bar area is ok for drinks, but food in there can be awkward as its not that big, it looks a bit run down too.
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I have occasionally visited this pub and although the publican does have a positive approach to serving a variety of ales, the wierd thing is, they all seem to taste much the same, "socky", when you come to the finish. Most strange!
I agree with the earlier comment, the publican can be quite prickly and the service can be selective ie regulars first, strangers last. The food wasn't great when I tried it and the garden furniture is well past the replacement date!
Could do better!
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Good choice of well kept and varied ales. Wide range of menu but would regard as primarily a drinking pub rather than an eating pub.
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Good range of real ales and varied menu (with specials), has a childrens menu also. Playground for the kids and an aviary!! Well worth seeking out as this pub is in the middle of nowhere. Had a beer festival due to start with 30+ ales available. Had a meal and a few beers after booking into a hotel near Gatwick Airport. Friendly bar staff. Very good pub, I will definately return.
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Excellent multi-roomed old pub - unlike too many rural pubs not given over entirely to eating - you don't feel out of place if you just want a drink and a smoke - anyway excellent food and range of beers, delicious Timothy Taylor's Landord. Well worth a trip out.
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Chris, probably because you used his car park for eating at Ali Raj across the road! The Surrey Oaks is my favourite pub even though I don't live particularly near. An exceptional array of ales, international beers and real cider on offer. Great food and a big garden with Boulé pitch and swings! Unmissable Beer Festival August Bank Holiday weekend and Ali Raj is superb for a curry after a few beers
Fergus - 22 Aug 2004 20:38 |
The landlord at this pub chose to tell us to move our car within his empty car park in such a rude way that we left immediately. It is quite possible to request these things nicely and there are plenty of other places to eat and drink. I recommend boycotting pubs like this one with rude landlords. The Indians in the excellent restaurant across the road were much better mannered.
Chris, 4 August 2003.
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The Soaks is one of the best real ale pubs in Surrey. Plenty of excellent guest beers and ciders, a nice beer garden, and they do take outs as well. Strongly recommended if you like good beer.
Jeez - 12 Jun 2003 23:45 |
