The Grove Tavern, Surbiton - pub details

Grove Tavern
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Address: Grove Road, Surbiton, Surrey, KT6 4BX [map] [gmap]

Tel: 020 8399 1662

Nearest train stations Surbiton (0.3 miles), Kingston (1.2 miles), Berrylands (1.3 miles)

Pub facilities/features:

Pub added by anne. Last visited on 6th May 2004 by dsf.

NB: Information may be incomplete or out of date as this pub is not currently registered.

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> Current user rating: 5.1/10 (rated by 32 users)
> Local guide: Surrey pub guide
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other pubs nearby:

Rubicon Bar, Surbiton (0.1 miles), Antelope, Surbiton (0.1 miles), Gordon Bennnett bar + kitchen, Surbiton (0.2 miles), Fox And Hounds, Surbiton (0.2 miles), Harts Boatyard, Surbiton (0.2 miles) - see more nearby pubs

 

user reviews of the Grove Tavern, Surbiton

please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.

5 most recent reviews of 37 shown - see all reviews

Often B.I.T.E. reviews are either wholly negative or positive, the middle ground doesn't get much of a look-in; the consequence perhaps of the obvious apathy in posting something that simply says 'average', let me redress the balance.

A bit like Gordon Bennett's down the road, The Grove appears to have a policy of limited seating to encourage a standing and mingling crowd. This is fine on a busy night when atmosphere takes over but when you go in on a sunday evening and there are just enough people there to take up all the seats so you're the only ones standing, it can feel a bit sparse.

I quite like the decor inside since the re-fit but concede it's not to everyone's taste. It's more of a spring-to-autumn pub now as the lack of furniture and curtains means it feels a little cold during the winter when black windows look out onto the street. However, The Grove provides a healthy alternative to chintzy chain pubs and isn't so 'gastro/wine-bar' to have lost all charm.

The staff are generally quick, take cards for small payments and on the occasions I've been i'd find little to complain about. It's not going to blow you away or even become your regular drinking hole but it will often tempt me away from the high-street and even Gordon Bennett's from time-to-time.
smorgasbord - 12 Apr 2008 18:32
i like this pub. quick service, nice decor from what I have tasted the food is great.
Great outdoors area cannot wait for the summer to ecploit it!
tolworthboy - 23 Mar 2008 12:35
I ate here a few weeks ago and thought the food was excellent - superior pub grub perfect after a few pints. Service was fine although they almost forgot to take our money. Went back the other night and got a rotten pint of Abbot, however.
DholeMoney - 8 Dec 2007 20:48
Having left this pub half an hour ago, I have to say that it is probably the worst food I have ever experienced in 18 years of working in pubs. The service wasn't as bad as the food, the draught Peroni had a nasty metallic aftertaste. The risotto was, amazingly, a cheesy sauce to which a small amount of cooked rice had been added to. The steak, which my wife sent back, arrived well done having been ordered medium rare. The burger was 'middling to poor' and the thai prawn curry overpriced. All in all, shockingly poor. This place does not deserve to do well considering that there are many decent pubs serving good food in the area. If you are considering going there then don't. we went straight to sainsburys and got puds just could't bear to be there another second now you'll forgive me as i get stuck into a sticky toffee puds
cheers

lordy23 - 17 Nov 2007 21:52
Please see below the complaint I sent to Green King which they have failed to offer any sort of genuine appology or compensation for: I suggest you take your money and custom ANY WHERE BUT THE GROVE.....

I feel it necessary to write to you to following our visit yesterday (Monday 28th August) in regards to a number of points;

1. On arrival at the pub we were informed we would be unable to pay by card (after the drinks had been poured and served), I did later notice a very small card / note to this effect which had been taped onto the front of the bar, however, this was located at the service point where customers leaning on the bar waiting to be served were completely obscuring it.

2. We were unable to order the food we wanted, one of each of the ‘sharing platters’ so we had to settle for 2 of the ham and prawn platters instead.

3. On arrival the food was ok, albeit over warm: the additional dips which included olives and smoked tomatoes were ridiculously small in size (3 olives and 2 tomato quarters per platter) due to this we ordered an additional 2 bowls of chips to accompany the platters.

These arrived approx 20 minutes later and each bowl contained 8 chips, pro rata cost of 30p per chip.
It also transpired at this point that my partner on having gone past the bar to use the bathroom while we were waiting for these to arrive a member of staff had asked him to pay for the chips (£2.45 per bowl) which he politely did, in cash.

4. When the waiter came to clear the table I explained I was unhappy with the amount we had been charged, he said he would speak to the manager he returned on 2 more occasions to pass messages backwards and forwards to say the manager would offer replacement dishes but no refund and after 15 minutes of this game the manager Jody Morgan eventually came to speak to me in person.

Mr Morgan was rude and aggressive in his tone and manner as well as happy to have the entire conversation with a raised voice at the table in front of my guests despite my suggestion we should move away from the table.
He was unnecessarily sarcastic stating we had obviously ‘liked the taste of them or we wouldn’t have eaten them’ and refused point blank to offer in his words ‘either a refund for one bowl or nothing’.
He also actively encouraged me to write to you to complain providing me with your address and his full name.

Despite several request for receipts for our other food and drinks I was not given these and eventually told the printer wasn’t working, clearly not true as I was given the one for the chips.

I am left a day later feeling totally let down by my visit as well as offended by the way Mr Morgan spoke to me.

Having worked in the pub industry myself for InBev in the on-trade for the last 5 years I understand the huge value that Green King place on their consumer’s experience, this is one I hope I never have repeated.

I look forward to your response and also reasonable compensation for this spoilt bank holiday afternoon.


JForster - 18 Sep 2007 14:57

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