please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
A large L shaped lounge with the restaurant at the far end. the bar is centrally located with a fair selection of real ales. Seating was reasonably comfortable.
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More of an eating house.
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OLD HOUSE At Dorking - is now the name over the door. And I can fully endorse the views of the previous two posters.
A pub that had lost its way has now become a gem. Best in the area, by far.
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I agree with the last reviewer, the pub under the present couple is quite outstanding!
First class Young's beer coupled with an outstandingly good bar and brilliant food - including homemade pork pies, sausage rolls and scotch eggs as bar snacks - they'll make you want to have a go at the main menu.
The pub has always been excellent, but it's had some terrible managers: no longer is this the case thank goodness.
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A SUCCESS STORY.....................Please ignore all of the previous bad news stories about this pub. It has changed hands and been taken over by a lovely young couple who have transformed the pub in just a few months. The decor is warm and cosy with a welcome when you enter the door. The food is amazing as they have managed to find an excellent chef. The Sunday Roasts are truly fantastic.
If you are looking for a place to eat and drink in a lovely atmosphere then this is the best pub in Dorking by a mile.
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This place has lost the plot is it a pub or restaurant?
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This is an absolute dive. Youngs should be ashamed of putting their name outside it. There is a great real ale off licence next door though - Cobbetts. Now that really is worth a visit.
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Walked in and got half way to the bar the place stinks so walked out.
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This pub is being run by a holding company - and it shows!
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as i was told the pub has had a refurb and food is on every lunch time, watched the rugby in 3D and enjoyed the old house own youngs ale, then watched the world cup of darts in 3D, then a football game, great saturday if you ask me!
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A decent and fairly small pub which has cheaper than average Youngs beers and a couple of screens for footie and rugby, just a walk over the road from the fine Kings Arms.
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visited on friday lunch time enjoyed a well kept youngs and cottage pie enjoyed both, new manager informed me of a re-furb including out-door bar and kitchen will be back again to check it out.
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Not bad, friendly staff, sky sports and newspapers to pass the time away the menu looked cheap and cheerful and the lager selection wasnt bad either.
Been in a lot worse.
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Have drunk in this pub four or five times, always to watch the rugby as it seems to be the only place in Dorking that will reliably show it (can't watch at home due to a self imposed Murdoch boycott). Beer has been good on all occasions and staff have been really friendly and accommodating.
All my visits have been in the afternoon however as it does look a little bit "lively" when walking past in the evening.
Would recommend it for anyone wanting to watch sport in the Dorking area,.
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I pop in here from time to time at lunch if I want a change of scene. I wouldn't make this a regular haunt, but the beer is quite nicely kept, and as mentioned: the roast beef sandwiches are excellent!
I can't really comment on the rest of the menu, but the staff are usually quite friendly and happy to help which is always a good thing.
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I agree with TWG, as pubs go in Dorking this is one of the better ones. The Youngs is invariably well kept and well served, though the staff would do customers a favour by not using the hatchway by the kitchen as their informal gossiping corner.
Despite this the place is well kept and the food is pretty good - especially the roast beef sandwiches, a bit pricey but actually worth the money.
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This is a smart Young's pub, offering a pleasant atmosphere and a good mix of punters. The ale has always been on excellent form in here, although being the usual Wells-Young's portfolio it obviously won't offer up many surprises in variety (you'll need to Kings Arms up the road for that). It is understandably popular and can get pretty lively of a Saturday evening, although the garden is useful to accommodate overspill (people, not beer) in the warmer months and has been used for functions on occasion.
One of the few pubs where one can maintain enough interest to possibly stay for a more lengthy session, although it's always wise in Dorking to move on and sample the delights of nearby competitors, however good this one may be.
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Visited this pub last week, looks much better than it used to, the beer was good and the food was ok too. The beer garden is quite nice, so much better than the previous landlords efforts ( or lack off!)
However, there's no way you'll catch me in here in the evenings, the regular clientelle that have made there way from the Bulls Head are awful! Rude, arrogant, punchy hooligans, half of which are out on licence or wearing a tag! Note to landlord- you've got a great boozer here, get rid of the scum that frequent it and you'll most definately see an upturn in trade!!
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Youngs pub - asked for a pint of the 'ordinary' bitter but was served a pint of Special. Not sure which I was charged for, but it tasted fine anyway. Otherwise a reasonable-looking pub, quite quite a range of events being organised by the look of the notice board.
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superb pub has desevedly got its late licence back about time too....
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Had a pleasant pint of Youngs served by a pleasant barmaid. Not many customers for a Saturday afternoon. No trouble finding space to watch the football on the big screen.
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Bad pub that has deservedly lost its late licence
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This pub is a fab pub.. The staff are efficent and friendly, the pub was clean and the food was great..They also have a sun trap for a beer garden, perfectly mixed with a white wine spritzer on a sunny weekend afternoon. The landlord and landlady have done really well to turn it round...
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2 busy staff 2 slow not a good pub
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Quality pint and Bombardiere available as well as the Youngs but overall on a Friday night did not quite feel right - with TVs and large spaces for upright drinking
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while simon has clearly made an impact since moving in, it still seems a bit dark and dingy in there.
too crowded on a friday night, another pub let down by average bar staff.
leo_1 - 31 Jul 2006 02:29 |
Called in mid.week good selection of beers, chilled out place
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Good pub, beer is quite upto the mark, can get a bit overcrowded on weekend nights though and can take a while to get served as every idiot sits at the bar. Still one of the best pubs in town
anonymous - 4 Apr 2006 03:06 |
Not sure why this has such a low rating. It is a really good town centre pub with great beer, late opening and good TVs for watching the footie.
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Nice pub, great landlord... its quite hard to imagine what this place used to look like a year and a half ago when the previous tennants had it, i think people used to not bother going into the toilets, just to what they needed to do where they were standing...glad they're gone!
anonymous - 28 Oct 2005 15:34 |
Simon Hardcastle has taken all his clientel from the Bulls Head, to the old house. Makeover is really good, unfortunately the same pratts start intimidating non-regulars as soon as you walk in the door. Bring back national service and despense with the cannon fodder who make this an unpleasant place to drink, if you're not in...
anonymous - 13 May 2005 14:53 |
I agree with previous comments - infinitely better than it used to be. This pub can now be recommended on any Dorking pub crawl, which certainly was not the case previously. Must come back and try the food sometime - I would expect it to be good, given the efforts that have clearly gone in to make this pub a success again. Keep it up !
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A new landlord and The Old House has been totally transformed from one of the most disgusting public houses around into one of the best! It is tastefully (and totally) refurbished and CLEAN.
How on earth the previous landlords got away with it is beyond comprehension (or maybe they didn't as they have thankfully gone). Pure lazyness and slobbery, as it has always had superb potential.
It is now a well run pleasant place to eat, drink and socialise. Would recommend to anyone.
Pete - 7 Sep 2004 00:26 |
Has re-opened! Thankfully, there is a huge improvement in the general state of the pub (ie. it is a lot cleaner, looks cosmetically better etc.) Sadly, try to get a drink is another matter! Went in to the pub in the evening and there was no room to order a drink, everyone was crowding or sitting around the bar, making it impossible to order a alcoholic beverage. It was one hell of a scrum and people get on pushing in all the time. How about less seating around the bar area and, one last gripe, as with most pubs in Dorking, it is incredibly smoky in this establishment. Shame the publician, did NOT have his ventiliation fans on as the smoke was creating a super thick fog thanks to the low ceilings!
Mandy - 9 Jul 2004 09:48 |
CLOSED during the summer -- sums Dorking up! Probably just as bad as the Kings Arms, Cricketers, Malthouse, Arty P's etc. Therefore, it just as well it has closed down!!
Ms. Sloane Square - 29 Jun 2004 16:09 |
Looking forward to this one reopening - the landlord did a good job with the Bulls Head and more of the same is desired!
Yop - 14 May 2004 18:50 |
CLOSED for the time being. New landlord from neighbouring pub will be moving in shortly - about time too!! Hopefully, this public house will be turned around. The previous landlords managed to screw this pub completely up by alienating all the punters and by turning into a filthy s**thole!! To the new landlord -- please, please make sure that this place is totally refurbished before re-opening. Also, I hope that the toilets and the kitchen will pass the health & safety check as well.
Will - 10 May 2004 23:19 |
Rumour now has it that a new landlord is imminent. Watch this space... Could really become a good pub...
gge - 16 Apr 2004 17:20 |
Totally agree that this place is DISGUSTING!!!! The lady behind the bar spent most of her time sitting on a stool at the bar puffing on a cigarette. The place was covered in rubbish - packets of cigarettes, crisps covered the floor! The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) should be called in as the place is probably infested. How the hell does Youngs (brewery) put up with a place like this?? This place should be condemned! Thankfully, Dorking has better pubs in it ie. The Kings Arms, Cricketers, Hogshead, Arty P's etc.
Stuart G. - 13 Apr 2004 18:48 |
Rumour has it that Youngs are trying to evict the currrent tennants, so Wayne Main, make them an offer !!
anonymous - 23 Feb 2004 21:04 |
Okay pub. Beer is fine although my biggest gripe, with the Old House at Home is that is FILTHY!! It is incredibly dusty, tables are covered in fag ashes, crisp packets cover the floor and the inside and the outside of the pub are in dire need of a lick of paint! A message to the landlord- clean the place up, dust on a daily/weekly basis, vacuum, empty ashtrays on a regular basis and you might be just onto a winner.
WayneMain - 4 Feb 2004 12:00 |
THE TABLE FOOTBALL HAS JUST CHANGED TO A POOL TABLE WITH LEAUGES STARTING ON MONDAY NIGHTS, WICKED!
anonymous - 20 Aug 2003 12:38 |
Is that the restaurant?? About time as Dorking as nowhere to eat!
anonymous - 18 Jun 2003 13:41 |
Coming soon "FISH"
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Nearly Forgot, Tonight for one night only, come and witness the FA Cup first round proper Football match between Dorking FC and Plymouth Argyle. 2nd June 2003, prelim Interviews 8:30pm Kick-off 9:00pm.
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The old House has replaced the bar Billiards with Table Football. Regular tournaments to be arranged for Monday Beerinthteevenings.
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Over the last few weeks this pub is starting to under go a transformation. The toilets are clean, the brass sparkles and the food is resonably priced and very edible. As a youngs pub, the real ale is probably the best in toen.
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Sadly, this pub needs a facelift. The pub is falling apart, toilets are dirty, and the landlord has no clue on how to run a pub! A Youngs pub which serves Ordinary, Special which is drinkable at times.
Chris - 5 May 2003 18:18 |
