please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
I like Fullers pub as they go, this one is no different. Friendly crowd and very much has a historical feel to it. Give it a go.
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On my visit i found this an ordinary town bozzer beer ok,not good or bad just ordinary.
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I have always liked this pub, especially since Fullers took it over in the 80's. However, it has had a chequered past with good and bad landlords. When Ian and Karen A were here it was simply superb and 450 barrels a year for a tiny pub was exceptional in a very competitive town. We visited two Saturdays ago and the pub has come good again, although unusually quiet. Gone is the moody manageress and poorly stocked bar, I hope the damage of previous years is not permanent. I enjoyed an excellent pint of ESB and a friendly chat with the barmaid.
Stay with it John, it will never make fortunes, but will give a good return with good strong trade. Always a boozer, don't concentrate on pretentious food, keep it basic. A few rolls on the bar to soak up the afternoon beer is a great idea, I wish you and your sister well.
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Unfortunately this place has gone downhill again - not sure why. It could have something to do with Pip leaving? Shame really. It was turning into a very good place to drink
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The struggle to get to the bar and the dearth of vacant seats were witness to the pub's popularity. Good beer (mine was London Pride),and friendly and efficient service, but during busy periods not a place for delicate folk.
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Completely agree with other comments. My mum and I went in here one lunchtime, and I was worried it would be blokey and a bit hostile. Not at all! The staff were welcoming and friendly, locals were nice, and the pub has an interesting interior. The food was good too, will definiely return.
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A locals' pub but without the cliqueyness (is that a word?). I spent a very enjoyable afternoon in here today.It is a cosy and friendly place to spend a few hours. The Fullers Porter was in top - notch condition.
I've been here before and it has always been a cut above the average pub.
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One of the better pubs in the centre of Dorking. Decent service, friendly regulars and a generally good atmosphere. The Fullers beer is well kept too. The place itself is cosy if a little shabby round the edges, but overall a pleasant option for a pint in Dorking.
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Friendly atmosphere; reasonable range of lunch choice; beer OK
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Went to watch the Rugby on Sat. Great atmosphere, owners seem to be really trying. Place was packed, will go back
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Visited last weekend, the new owner seems to have got a grip of things here.
The Pride is still the best around the area and he makes a mean Advocat Snowball too.
Will be back this Friday.
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going here for years - best pint of Fullers in Dorking
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Went in there under new management-Decking and lighting done in garden and new furniture looks really upmarket and you wouldnt know it from the front. Excellent beer but it always was the best pint in Dorking. Excellent food which was brought extremely quickly and efficiently. Well done to the new owner. Now smokers all outside its not a smoky little smelly place now but a clean and friendly proper pub!! Great
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New landlord just taken over, lets hope he doesn't keep running out of beer! All the smokers are now outside so it's quite empty in the pub. I think the tv should be kept switched off though
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Good pint of Pride here as well as some of the rarely seen pints from the Fullers stable i.e. Chiswick.
Pub itself is fairly small with plenty of darkish wood and, as previously noted pre ban plenty of smokers.
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I was in there again this last weekend. It is a great pub, really the best in town. Of course the best pint of Pride in Dorking by far and the most professional bar staff.
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like the bulls head, seems quite quiet. very small pub
leo_1 - 31 Jul 2006 02:28 |
Came here for a pre-restaurant drink based on the reviews I read and felt that 2 things needed pointing out. It's (a) very smokey in here and, (b) very small. We went outside instead. It was not warm but better than choking on the fog inside. Aside from this, a nice place.
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Good if unremarkable town centre pub. The beer is the best reason for coming here - a very good pint. In summer the garden is a great place to be.
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Big screen? What big screen! There's a small monitor in the corner if that counts...
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Even though I live on the other side of Dorking, this is still my favoured pub by a long way. The bar staff are the only professional staff in Dorking. You know your going to get served as soon as possible and when you do get served, it is then that you will see why it is the best pub in the area, as the beer is always good. A very good mix of customers.
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Now under new management, Jaxon is doing a great job, and it's getting busier by the week - not unpleasantly so though.
As a Guinness drinker can only say that it's always good, and that there are plenty of you real ale folks in there, so they must be good too.
Just added a free wireless broadband connection. Ask for the cd behind the bar. Good connection all around the interior, garden patchy, will probably add another access point for the garden if there's a demand.
I'm not connected with the management, just a regular whosetup the system.
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Splendid pub, a must on any Dorking crawl. The bare brick walls add enormously to the friendly welcoming atmosphere. Note the fine collection of framed Fullers advertising posters and the cricketer mirror on the left as you come in. The garden can be a real suntrap, but it always seems to be raining when I do this pub.
Recommended
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Don't know why they claim to be selling Fuller's Hock when it is blatantly not in yet. They could make the schedule for their spring beer festival a bit clearer! However the atmosphere and the characters more than make up for it. Despite the disorganisation, this is my favourite pub in Dorking.
Will2 - 22 Apr 2005 11:04 |
This does seem like a good place to go to in Dorking. Can get interesting characters in here and the pub does have a lot of character. Fullers beers are good, though they could make it more clear cut about what fullers drinks they are selling
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I agree with Chris, it is not the same since Pete left. It hasn't the same atmosphere and is not as well run. The garden is still great though.
Matt - 7 Sep 2004 00:38 |
nice pub with raised beer garden and heated canopies , watched england win the rugby world cup in there , good atmosphere if you like rugger , and real ale , or strange little barstaff .
old dorkinian - 31 Aug 2004 17:41 |
Nice, small pub that serves a good range of Fullers Ales - London Pride, Summer Ale, ESB etc. Can get a little smoky at times but all in all, a very friendly local, in which the landlord likes his rugby and his beloved Crystal Palace FC (somebody has to!) Nice beer garden, if you want to get away from the traffic noise of Dorking.
AleMan - 22 Aug 2004 22:01 |
Another 'sports' related pub although more rugby than footie! Again full of men drinking their beer and that is just about it. Like a working man's social club. Does this town have any decent pubs????? Beer garden not bad.
Ms. Slaone Square - 28 Jun 2004 11:09 |
Good pub. However I was shocked that a pint of London Pride was £2.50!!! Flippin 'ell, talk about London Prices! Hate to think about how much a pint of piss water (lager) would be. Under new management... more of a rugger pub now. Still quite good although it is very smoky now small guy behind the bar still has no personality.
anonymous - 30 Mar 2004 12:29 |
Since Pete and his wife left the pub in late September, it is not quite the same anymore. The beer is still very good but, it is has got incredibly smoky and the place is not as clean as it used to be. The new landlord has brought in a lot of his friends and they have alienated a lot of the regulars!
Chris - 7 Oct 2003 13:01 |
No -- Oliver Reed's local in Dorking was the Hogshead. He spent a great deal of time trying to get down the chimney there and once got stuck in it -- I think the police had a few words to say to him!!
Dorking Dave - 26 Aug 2003 11:25 |
Can anyone confirm whether this used to be Oliver Reid's local in his heyday?
Vindaloo - 25 Aug 2003 17:10 |
No doubt, this is the best pub in Dorking. Good people, a very unusual garden which is great on a summer evening.
richard - 10 Jul 2003 09:29 |
First rate London Pride, ESB etc. A real cosy pub with a great mix of people, young and old, male and female! Probably the best pub in Dorking!!
Chris - 5 May 2003 18:10 |
A real pub! Excellent beer, nice beer garden, nice mix of people and the couple who it are real professionals!
Smithy - 29 Apr 2003 12:12 |
