please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Despite other people's dire warnings, I rather liked this place. Every member of staff was friendly and welcoming. They found me a table when there didn't appear to be any free ones (which itself is a good recommendation). There were three ales on, of varying strengths, and the seasonal one I had was very pleasant - as was the fish & chips. I'll be back.
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A typical C&B chain pub - microwaved and deep-fried food and an appalling lack of imagination when it comes to beers - Directors and Old Speckled Hen ! Worth avoiding really.
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That time of year again--- a visit to my old village. This place has got even worse than my last call. If I want a microwave meal then the local coop would be a cheaper and better quality option. No locals, apparently they have all been banished to the pub up the road which given the unfriendly atmosphere in this place can only be an improvement. Beer OK but the place is dead and more than one member of staff looks like they have been chewing wasps. Such a shame as I have many happy memories of this place back in the days when it was a real pub.
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The reason the food is so quick is it`s not homecooked or even homemade it`s BrakeBros tosh all ping and fling.
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Don't know if this place has changed hands since my last visit, don't remember it being a Chef&Brewer place before but in any event there's been a dramatic improvement. Had a a couple of pints of Black sheep which was excellent, they also had London Pride & Doombar on. Food was very good and arrived quickly and staff were all friendly and helpful. We were there on a Thursday lunchtime, maybe there's a different regime at evenings/weekends?
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Good old pub which I 'think' sells London Pride - hope i'm not wrong!
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So this place has at last had a clean up and now looks just like any other chain pub or hotel reception. Totally devoid of character.
The beer is very good however but the standard of the food is appaling. What is even worse is the attitude of the staff, that is if you can ever find someone to serve. They are rude unhelpful and generally missing.
I know a good number of the locals from my time in the village years back and they have little good to say for the way they are treated. It is apparently according to a staff member now the opinion of management that the reason the pub has been doing so badly over the last few years is the strong local element that use the place. WRONG!! the place is under used because few people return after being treated like they dont matter and being served sub standard food. The locals are stuck with it, they were here long before the current set up arrived and will be there long after they have gone that is if they dont go the whole way and turn it into a burger king or the like. Costa Cofee signes everywhere, in a village pub, madness.
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We visited on Sunday 23 Ocotober - the pub was fairly busy but not overally so but we had a awful meal. Cold & not as ordered. We were asked how we enjoyed the meal was & when we told them no notice was taken! I posted an e-mail to Chef & Brewer but needless to say no reply - this is one place I won't be returning to. Such a lovely village and luckily there is the William Bray where we've always had excellent service & food. We would have eated there that Sunday but there was a Ferrari Owners Club gathering & it was full to overflowing!
The White Horse is shabby & run down & desperately needs attention to its service and furnishings (loos etc) - not what I was expecting in Shere
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It`s a `Punch` outlet Say No More !!!!!
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This pub has to be located in one of the loveliest areas in Surrey. Come rain or shine the village has visitors from all over. Why then for years has it been a ghastly place to eat and drink. I feel sorry for the locals. Uninspiring food, uninspiring wine and service which is so slow it would try the patience of a saint. Once in every 3-4 months I pop in, check the queue at the bar, look at the punters as they sigh and wait and wait . . . . then invariably I turn round and leave. Somebody get to grips with this place!
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An old pub in the middle of the picturesque village of Shere. Oak beams abound and the small lounge is on 3 levels. It does a good food trade which looked good but I wasn't eating. It had 3 real ales i.e. Spitfire, Tea and Doombar. A nice atmosphere in a very pleasant setting.
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Very friendly staff in this packed pub on Sunday lunchtime but it's Chef & Brewer fare & warrents better. More school dinner than Sunday lunch. The location & character deserves a more personal, hands on & real home made approach. We will not be rushing back.
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Had Adnams, TEA (Hogs Back) and Black Sheep on when I visited, while the Doombar clip was turned round.
Had a pint of TEA, which was pretty decent.
Only one guy behind the bar on a busy Saturday lunchtime, and it was standing room only when we got there. Not that it's overly small inside, so guess that it must be pretty popular.
Definitely been to a lot worse pubs.
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Great location in the beautiful little village of Shere. Popped in for a quick beer and lunch today. First impressions not good, it looks rather dirty and un loved, the christmas tree and half hearted decorations are a litttle premature considering it's not even halloween.
Barman not engaging, food seemed ok if a little over priced and the range of beers were limited. Worst of all, I was stung twice by a wasp who had crawlled inside my trousers at our table. After returning from the toilets to remove the offending insect I then started to notice them on the chairs, windows and curtains. As it was colder they were drowsy and not flying around, other people around us were also noticing the wasps. By this time we had gone off the pub and quickly settled up. On the way out I mentioned the wasps to the barman who shrugged and told me to speak the manager. He in turn seemed non commital, and made no attempts to help or even acknowledge the problem.
As with other reviews it appears that the pub has a great location and attracts a large number of unique visitors. It therefore doesn't worry about customer service and so will get a low score from me for the food and bar staff.
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A wasted opportunity in a very affluent area with a strong magnetic pull for tourists. Why offer the standard, dull as a dishcloth wine list available in every other pub in the chain? The food menu is equally uninspiring. Nothing particularly and chips galore. Last visit was lightened by the amusing sight of a bored Russian tart holding the hand of her pot-bellied aging English beau and just about managing to feign interest in his ramblings.
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After a rather unpleasant experience with the beer up the road we thought we would go back to a pub we have known and loved over the years. Just over a year ago on my last trip to the village I reported the sad state of this place so I was pleasantly surprised to find a much more laid back atmosphere and some friendly staff. This place is still looking a bit tired and in need of some renovation but the staff are making a good job of what they have, clean and tidy. Much to my delight they seem to have at long last sorted out the beer. A very nice pint of Adnams was consumed followed by a guest beer that I had never heard of and forgive me but I have forgotten the name but the landlord recommended it and we were not disappointed. We didn�t try the food as we had eaten up the road on this trip but it looked good as it came past us. Maybe the rather brash new boy up the road has made them up their game but whatever the reason we will be back if only to get a decent pint in the village
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What a disappointment! This pub used to heave and be full of atmosphere. We visited on a warm, summer Friday evening, and the place was like a morgue, and only a third full! Worst of all, three of the five real ales were off, leaving Adnam's 3.7 and Deuchars 3.8. Hardly a wide choice! Were told by off-hand staff that the three ales would be off until the Sunday! What sort of management is that? We sat outside for a meal (we were the only ones outside), and I have to say the food was tasty, although my beef bourgignon was presented in a way I have never known beef bourgignon presented before! A short walk up the hill after the meal gave a clue to the pub's unwelcoming atmosphere. The nearby William Bray (formerly the Prince of Wales was bursting at the seams, with a real buzz. Doom Bar and Shere Drop were on, but I'm afraid gastro pubs are not our scene!
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Tried on three previous occasions (Sundays) to get a table in this pub - each time its packed, so a good sign anyway. Shere's popularity puzzles me. Yes, it has a river with ducks, quant cottages, quant church, antique shops and the like, but it's invasion every weekend by tourists seems disproportionate - its pretty, but but no means the among the prettiest English villages. Most weekends will find the place littered with 4x4s and Audi estates. What is the big deal with Shere? That said, the White Horse fits in with the rest of the quant olde England image that Shere sports. We finally got lucky squeezing into the White Horse a couple of months ago on a dull chilly Sunday mid afternoon. It had a somewhat 'morning after' feel to it. The empty tables were in need of a clean, and required the discreet removal of the previous sitters' detritous to the nearest empty neighbouring table. There were only two before me at the bar, but it seemed to take an age to serve them, as there only appeared to one weary staff serving and the man in front of me was ordering a dozen different drinks for a large family party, with the usual checking back to the gang having to be done - want ice & lemon/diet or regular/pint or half/dry or medium etc. etc.. (the will to live ebbs away) When I was finally served, the beer was just ok. The atmosphere was somehow lacking for such an old pub - maybe it looked better a couple of hours earlier rammed full with 4x4 drivers and their entourages. Overall, a rather disappointing experience - we weren't moved to return another day to try the food and I coudn't face the wait again to get bag of Nobby's nuts.
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Sorry, must come back on my comment of the 18th Feb. On discussing this pub with members of the walking group some time later I understand a couple found the food so bad they took it back and received a full refund. I was not aware of this until just recently. While my original comment still stands I apologise if anyone read my views and were later disappointed.
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What an absolutely miserable place! This time last year, it was full, bustling and served reasonable food outside on a sunny Sunday. This year I walk in and the bar's dead. The staff were surly, unhelpful and unsmiling. Was it possible to order some lunch to eat outside? No: we don't serve lunch outside any more. Well, could I have something to eat inside? Only if I went into the restaurant. What? Not even a sandwich? According to the unsmiling manager, apparently not. I can't understand why they keep the place open at all if that is their attitude. It's such a lovely village and such a pity that such a beautiful pub should be so joyless and depressing. I went round the corner to the very nice Lucky Duck tearoom instead where the staff were friendly and helpful, and the food delicious.
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Really like this pub, can't comment on the beer as was pregnant when we visited. The food was good though and the pub interior is lovely. On a winters evening they have an open fire going, very cosy.
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Sorry to say agree with comments below ..I now frequent gomshall mill inn
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Walked in at about 12:05pm on a Sunday. Pub was practically empty. Asked for a menu and was told they only serve food in the restaurant on Sundays. No room at the moment but we could eat about 1:30pm. Walked straight out again and up to the William Bray.
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Admitttedly we went on Boxing Day but this pub was awful. I can understand slow service on such a busy day but it does not need to be unfriendly. Manager was rude and worried about unsatisfied customers who had underpaid. Food was less than mediocre. Would not recommend.
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awful, awful, awful.....need i say more
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This is the worst pub i have ever had the misfortune of visiting. Apparently anybody can display a �cask Marque� sign. Cask marque stands for
1. Excellence in the service of cask ale.
2. Awarded to the licensee rather than to the pub
So perhaps the licensee who gained this merit has long since left as i have never had such disgusting beer(s) in my whole life.
Maybe i�m a complete dithering old man who believes that you can buy this qualification without knowing the fundamentals of beer & ale.
If you like a Pint of cloudy vinegar then this is your ideal pub. Don�t expect a smile from the staff either !
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Only ale on was Abbot which was in OK condition. Place felt a bit unloved.
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Back after 2 month break.
No change, the beer is still awfull, the food is over priced and at best bland but the service is better.
Probably because of the lack of customers, oh what a surprise!!!
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This place has become more like the local youth club being run by the kids who seem to take it as an insult if any customer has the nerve to actually want to get served.
Very poor ale. Quite what is a "Cask mark".
The draught beers I have tried there are virtually undrinkable. The lager is OK and although I dont partake a friend informs me the Guiness is good.
This has been a regular haunt of mine for many years and it is so sad to see just how bad this place has become.
Lets hope that the new pub in the village will get them to up their game.
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I have been drinking regularly in this pub for some 14 years. Although the food has always been poor and overpriced (cook-chill microwave dishes with fancy names but little flavour) it was a pleasant place to meet friends for a drink.
Although draught ales here should always be avoided (god knows how they contrive to render even the most standard beers undrinkable) they were always able, until about 18 moths ago, to serve a cold pint of lager efficiently and with a smile. However that has certainly all changed in recent months. On the rare occasions when a member of staff deigns to break off a conversation with colleagues and actually serve a customer the chances are that they only started working in their first ever bar job that afternoon and have no idea how to find a glass, turn on a beer tap, operate the till or deal with a living human being.
This has to be just about the worst pub in Surrey for customer service, food and beer. That is certainly reflected in the ever dwindling customer numbers.One recent example of their appalling attitude to paying customers I witnessed recently occurred when they were unable to provide food service for some days due to a problem with their water heating system. A couple of hapless foreign tourists approached the bar to order food to be given the response by, I understand, the deputy manager "Can't you read? There is a notice on the door saying we aren't serving food today!.
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I was sceptical of the reviews here...I mean a lovely looking pub in a beautiful village - how wrong could it go? That was my biggest mistake. Next time I shall heed the advice here.
Greeted by an aggressive "are you eating" (yes) we were led to a table where we then proceeded to experience some of the most intense discourtesy ever shown to me as a customer. Asking reasonable questions such as "which ales do you have" resulted in rolling of eyes and gave us a distinct sense that they would rather be doing anything else than serving us.
The food I'm sure was heated in the microwave then crisped for 5 minutes in the oven. After our main course the our waitress came to ask "you want dessert?" then promptly asked her boss if she could go (it was 5pm) leaving no-one with any indication that we were waiting for our order to be taken.
Busy with planning our holidays we waited 15 minutes then gave up waiting and went to the bar to ask to pay. Begrudgingly we were allowed to do so. I guess location really is everything.
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This place still has crap beer and awful service.
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When oh when will the pub company that run The White Horse read the reviews on this site?????? I got married at St James in Shere and have been coming to The White Horse on and off for about 10 years now. Years ago it used to have such a good reputation - good food, good drinks, good atmosphere & good hospitality. However, on my last visit the staff all have the worst attitude you could imagine and seem to be more interested with having personal chats with each other behind the bar than concentrating on customers. You are also not allowed to sit at the back, top end of the pub now unless you are eating - even if they are empty!! We found this out when we were last there and looking to sit near a fire and a member of staff barked at us "are you going to be eating?" when we replied"no" we were quite abruptly told that these tables were for people eating! As others have said this place will always do well because of its location and I will keep visiting periodically (just on the pff chance it has got a decent manager!) but it could be a complete gold mine with decent staff and abit of a refurb.
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Stopped off at the pub this afternoon with a bunch of cycling friends. Biggest mistake ever.
Walked right into a frosty atmosphere given off by both the female bar staff.
Having sat down and waited for our drinks, our coffee turned up (sorry thrown onto the table) and it was not hot. a simple down in one would do it! (it was cold outside)
The waitress didn't even raise a smile or a simple polite comment of 'Enjoy'. I'm not asking for much, but basic customer service wouldn't go a miss!!!!!
The roaring fire was great, until the moody waitress near enough put it out with to many logs.....
I didn't sample the food, but going on the coffee and service I'd stay away.
And, popping to the loo was like stepping into the artic....freezing they were
My local Greasy spoon has better manners and hotter coffee......but they do sell nobby's nuts and supplied a nice chocolate with the coffee......hence the two out of 10, alright three out of 10 (location is great)
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No matter how bad the food and service gets, this place thrives; donnadonk is right. People love the picturesque village (just off the A25), the very old Church, the ducks on the Tillingbourne etc. - all a few yards from the pub. A certainty for 'Surrey Pub of the Year' - for complacency.
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Do the pub's owners ever look at this site? Is there no desire to change around a pub in a fantastic location which could be an absolute goldmine - but where one visit is enough for anyone to ensure they take a vow never to go back?
Went here with a party of 11 last Sunday. Service appalling, led by a very cocky, arrogant guy behind the bar. Food and drink...can't even remember what it was like. Service is everthing, White Horse Inn, Chef & Brewer, Spirit Group take note before your busineses collapse.
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They say fresh food served daily,between what hours? coz it`s never happened when i`ve called in,always been ping and fling rubbish.No chef required here only a one eyed monkey on a push bike.
anonymous - 7 Sep 2008 17:16 |
Went for a drink last night, haven't been for years, and now I remember why I never go there, the staff are so rude! If this pub wasn't in the cute village of Shere, it wouldn't last 5 minutes.
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If you wish to pay the same price for your glass of wine, as they paid for the full bottle, this pub is for you. By the way, the price of wine does not include a smile.
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A group of 8 of us went there on a Friday night. There were plenty of staff and the pub was surprisingly empty. Despite these factors the services was appalling. It seemed we were interrupting the staff social club at times and we were treated like an inconvenience. The beer was pretty good but the food was very average. It's such a shame that such a nice pub in such a nice location is so poorly run. I can only agree with an earlier review I read in that the pub seems to be devoid of any kind of management.
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Last time we came in i commented the thought this place was on the up and had a good pint of lager,on this visit i was with some mates who all said their ales did not taste good,to which a local said the ales are never very good in here.Make of that what you will.
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Popped in here for dinner last night around 8.30 - what a joke - hardly any diners and yet our food took way more than half an hour for 1 dreadful Chilli Beef & Rice and 1 gammon steak. Friendly staff but I didn't go to eat the staff ! Needs a drastic management overhaul before we go back.
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Have been here before when it wasn't a busy Bank Holiday. The beer was fine, the food and service was of average chain quality. This last Bank Holiday Monday was, as expected, busy but catastrophically at times there was only one bar person serving hence huge queue reaching the door. Zero management ability in evidence. We almost felt sorry for the staff. Surprisingly most of the tables inside were vacant which suggests the pub could have done much better if the clueless person in charge opened their eyes.
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Called in on the way past to see if anything had changed got to say had a good pint and things look a little better than our last visit (did not eat so no comment on food).I would hate to be a local here as there are so many tourists
about (us included).Lovely village.
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Nice building with an unhappy interior: it's old and not irredeemably spoilt, but it feels uncared for. And the fridges were louder than the music.
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I live locally and would only go there in an emergency
20 years ago it was a fantastic pub
Now a typlical chain pub with bored unmotivated staff and over priced food which arrives in a lorry and has probably never seen a real chef before the unsuspecting punter eats it
It used to be the heart of the village. You won't find a local in there. Closed New Year's Eve etc etc etc...............
Very dull, just a take your money pub which preys on tourists
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I live in the area and haven't been to this pub in years. Very small inadequate bar for the size of the place and really only the location to commend it. A typical chain pub!
anonymous - 2 Nov 2007 16:13 |
It`s been 14 months since our last visit and it has not changed, its still very poor, i will say it once again it`s a Punch co. pub so what should i have expected poss. exactly what we got poor service luke warm food and average beer.
It`s still a great location.
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Went here last night and food was rubbish - no specials available, what they did have was cold/poor quality. Great pub still but don't bother eating.
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This will be our last visit after having frequented this pub.
The service was very poor, in fact had it not been for myself or a member of my party (6) going to the bar to order food, wine, (which we had to collect), etc, I am sure we would have been ignored all eve.
I might add that there were only a few other diners so they could not put it down to being busy.
Four of us ordered the fish pie, described on the "specials booard" as having cod, prawn and salmon filling.
What we actually got was NO cod, a few specks of salmon, a few very small shrimps and lots of spinach.
We then waited 45 minutes for the table to be cleared and a chance to order desert, neither happened.
I again went to the bar and put my concerns to the general manager who had an attitude of tell it to someone who cares.
One pub off my list.
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That's a 4 by the way not a minus 4.
Disgruntled but not that disgruntled!
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I have two opinions for two very different pubs.
For drinks and meals during the week it is perfect. Relatively quiet and you get a really cosy, villagey atmosphere.
Sundays are a nightmare. Unless you are one of the first people to arrive, odds are you will spend ages waiting for a table. Obviously there is not a lot the pub can do about this (hire more staff?) but when finally seated it has taken close to an hour before we've even seen a waiter/waitress before and then it's been similar intervals between ordering drinks/courses. It seems there are so many people descending on The White Horse that the staff can get away with sketchy customer service knowing full well that for every person that doesn't return there will 3 more who didn't get a table the week before so they stand to lose very little. Add the fact that scenes from The Holiday were shot here and you have an endless supply of empty headed idiots who'll come just to see where Jude Law stood. Voila, business.
A group of friends and I used to come to The White Horse most Sundays for lunch during the winter period but several bad experiences with undue delay and lazy customer service has led to us looking elsewhere.
It's a lovely pub with well kept beer and the food is worth investigating on a weeknight but there are friendlier welcomes and more definite seats elsewhere in Surrey if you are looking at this place for a Sunday.
7 for weekdays
1 for weekends
Rating given - 4.
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Hi just to update those who like me are are fans of The White Horse. After what appears to hae been a bad appointment of head chef he has now left and there is now an English head chef offering good quality British specials. I had a wonderful fish pie, but their specials are made daily and are sometimes unavailable by Sunday nights. The garden has now been finished and is well worth a visit.
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I was very reluctant to go back to this pub after reading the write ups below. However, after a fantastic evening last Saturday night - excellent food, wine, ale and really friendly service I'm slightly confused and think I may have gone to a different establishment!!! I'm not too sure if people are expecting gourmet cuisine and silver service........thats the last thing I want from a good old English pub. Shere is a must visit Surrey village and the pub fits into it brilliantly. Compliments to the staff on a brilliant evening! Pub lovers dont be scared off from what you read below....
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This is such a lovely pub but what a let down on all aspects food,service etc.I would suggest you drive on and try the great village pubs not to far away ie Albury Shamley Green or Wonersh.(not Chilworth).Until the idiot pub company that owns this wakes up.Dont you just hate chain pubs?
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So disappointing. This has been a favourite pub for years but is now off my list.
Visited on a Sunday evening arriving at about 7.45.
When we say down to order we were told by our waitress that as they had been very busy there was no steak, no roasts, no lamb and oh no pork either. But they did have fish!
Rather limited our choice but as we had previously enjoyed evenings there and were loathe to move on we all (four) chose from the limited menu. It took quite some time to attract any staff to give the order to and noticed that we were not the only ones seeking assistance, where had all the staff gone? Ordered eventually and then waited over 45 minutes for our food to arrive. Three meals at once and the other following five minutes later!
Our chosen meal was perfectly fine, nothing thrilling but acceptable pub food, nothing more.
We decided to have a pudding. Again our waitress said that as they had been busy there was not much left!
So we choose from a very limited selection. Ten minutes later another staff member (manager? we think the original waitress was too embarrassed) appeared at our table and said 'bad news. we have not got either of the choices'
I can only imagine that in an attempt to tighten margins they are woefully under ordering food in and thus the reason of being 'very busy' should have been allowed for.
The manager seemed genuinely surprised that we were disappointed with our experience. Merely saying they had had a busy day and would not have a delivery until tomorrow did not really help us and we were after all the customers. sadly we will have to find another favourite now.
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A very attractive looking pub which appears welcoming as you walk in. However, very sadly, the menu is unimaginative, the prices inflated and the service quite diabolical. Basically, the staff are not remotely interested in you and it's more like self-service. Think Fawlty Towers without any of the laughs. You'll go home feeling you've had a good meal, but rather angry that you've been ignored. Allow plenty of time as the service is very slow indeed. We were the only people in the pub and it took forever.
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GGG, is correct not shut this week, there is a sign in the pub stating that it has been postponed to later this month.
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CORRECTION - the pub is not closed this week, perhaps Crazy79 was thinking of another White Horse? They've only got a small garden so �56K would be going some.
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I Visited The White Horse again this week and am pleased to say that the service we received was magnificent the staff were very attentive to our needs, even though they were very busy they kept us informed of the wait and the food was lovely. A note to anyone wanting to visit they had a sign up saying that they will be closed 12th to 16th March for a garden sparkle where they are spending 56Kon them so that should be worth a visit in the summer!!!!
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I visited the White Horse again yesterday for a late lunch and am pleased to report that my friend and I had a most enjoyable meal.
Two big advantages of this pub are that it is completely non-smoking and that meals are served throughout the day so you can have a late lunch, rather than having to rush to get there before the meal service stops for the afternoon.
It's a cosy pub, with the log fires burning, and was a good choice for lunch on a cold, snowy day.
The food was great and so was the service.
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Went in for a few beers last week. No complaints myself though did overhear management giving two of the waiting on staff a bollocking outside the gents for something service related so perhaps those issues haven't been resolved.
From my point of view its a lovely looking pub, non-smoking and good beer. Also, service we received from the barman was decent, nice chap happy to share a joke
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I like the new style of service, I was in ther today 09/11/06, and they now offer full service to those wanting it, or you can still order at the bar if you want to. New menu very good, quality has improved from previous menu. Management and staff seemed very friendly and happy to see us. Very impressed as it was very busy, staff did inform me that Sundays between 12 and 3 are crazy busy with tourists, so if I wanted a more relaxed meal to come after 3 o'clock.
Will definately return
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went to this pretty pub in the hope for a lovely sunday lunch.
It was horrendous, really bad, the whole thing was obviously microwaved with the meat being the worst i have tasted.
i would say it is not worth a visit or �8.95 for a rather dreadul sunday lunch!!!!
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I last visited the White Horse in October last year and had a very mediocre, desiccated meal so it was with some trepidation that I went back there yesterday for lunch with a friend.
What a pleasant surprise! The pub is now entirely non-smoking inside which is fantastic! The staff were friendly and helpful (OK, it wasn't busy but hopefully they're always friendly) and there was a good choice on the menu and specials board.
The food was excellent and it was also well presented, which is not always the case in pubs. I do hope my last experience was a one-off because I've been visiting the White Horse for the past 12 years and have only ever had that one poor eating experience.
Congratulations to the chef and all the staff - please keep up the excellent food!
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This could be one of the best pubs in the south of England (no joke) but it isn`t.Punch Pub Co have got it wrong again, put someone in here who cares not any Tom,Dick Harry(or Sally, people who have been in here will know what i mean)This place`s location is fantastic,but the food & sevice lets it down compleatly.Not forgetting the awful beer.
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Typical chain owned pub gone down hill
anonymous - 21 May 2006 18:29 |
I have come to The White Horse on a semiannual basis for many years now and I'd go so far as to say it's the best it's been since the refurb in 1997.
Had a smashing lunch there today; the food - from the extensive and not terribly overpriced for Surrey menu - was really delish and we love all the little rooms; it is still essential to get there early on a Sunday if you'd like to pick your table.
We had nothing but obliging, efficient and expert service from the polite staff (Antipodean and British alike). If you compare The White Horse to other Chef and Brewer pubs (one I visit often is the Prince of Wales in Esher which suffers from all of the minus points observed by fellow reviewers -- and more) the clincher for me which sets The White Horse apart is the GREAT !! decision to start table service (for food and drinks) once you've opened a tab. Believe it or not this detracts not in the slightest from the classic "pub" experience and in fact leads to less queueing and more happiness for all concerned !
In fact, White Horse, you're getting an extra point just for that: 8 out of 10 !!
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scratch that, abinger's gone to pot as well. Go to the volunteer or the Kings in Holmbury
anonymous - 18 Apr 2006 14:55 |
This is the typical quaint little pub set in the picturesque village of shere. However all is not as it seems! It has fallen to the same fate as much of this area and has been overrun with tourists. It also gets cold in the winter, service can be abismally slow and the food is mass produced and slightly below par.
I dont object to tourists being, in fact it annoys me that they will leave thinking the White Horse is representative of a really good English pub. Try the Abinger Hatch instead.
anonymous - 18 Apr 2006 14:52 |
I've been visiting the White Horse for the past 11 years and have always enjoyed the food there, but I took some friends there for lunch yesterday and was disappointed for the first time.
The vegetables were a bit soggy and were slightly overcooked and the pie was very average and had very little meat or gravy inside (possibly reheated).
Presentation could have been better as well.
Hopefully this was a one-off as I've had some delicious meals there in the past.
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Stopped at the White Horse after a hiking in Gomshall and Shere. Overall, pub was very good. Beer selection included the local Hog's Back TEA as well as selection of bitters (Adnams, etc.) The service was prompt and efficient and the food very good. We had a Vegetable Pie and a Smoked Haddock special which both were excellent and well portioned.
Tables out front and in rear garden were nice and a good crowd had come to Shere for the day and stopped in.
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Great setting in the centre of Shere, some seats out front overlooking the picturesque village square, and more out back in the garden where they had light music playing. Not a bad pub in itself, however I agree that the service could be improved. Most recently it was the passive-aggressive barmaid; otherwise they just seem so uninterested.
anonymous - 12 Jul 2005 21:23 |
A pretty, ideally located pub in the centre of the idyllic, although increasingly tourist-dependent Surrey Hills village of Shere. The building, which dates from the 15th century, is a perfect setting for the kind of pleasant but ersatz 'Ye Olde England' branding practiced by the chain that owns the pub.
The atmosphere is bland, the service average and the food similar to what one might find in a motorway service station. The selection of beers is distinctly underwhelming.
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This appears to be a very nice pub. Its traditional frontage and low ceilings and old furnishings give it a very characteristic feel.
The fact that food is served all afternoon and until 9pm on a Sunday is a bonus, although there is a good reason for this - the delay in getting your food once it has been order means you are kept waiting for ages, and consequently the kitchen has to stay open! Having ordered 3 main meals at 2pm (nothing fancy, just basic pub grub), and having complained after an hour, the food eventually turned up at 3.30pm. The Manager claimed the order hadn't been forgotten about, but we doubt this very much.
anonymous - 17 Jan 2005 11:52 |
I have been going to the White Horse every other Sunday for two years. It is a very nice looking, low lit, cosy pub which has a real history. The food is consitently decent and well priced.
It serves food until the evening, whereas alot of pubs in the area stop serving Sunday lunch at two o clock.
The down side is that it has a very transient crowd as it is a tourist village. As a result there is no local feel. I have been going for years and have never once had a hello, or any sign of recognition from the staff.
The bar staff can be very rude and short and generally make you feel like a fool, which is a real shame.
After another rude outburst from a barman this week I have now finally decided to stop going to the White Horse as I feel my years of custom are unappreciated.
I would certainly reccomend you try it, but as a regular haunt, it's too unfriendly for my tastes.
anonymous - 6 Dec 2004 11:31 |
