BITE user comments - angryinvienna
Comments by angryinvienna
I've been dragged along to the Bull several times now by eager friends but have still to see the attraction. Some people just fall in love with the place I guess.
Food is average (though the portions are large), beer is quite good, service is prompt and its not too expensive.
BUT. The country pub feel is wrecked by the ambience in the main bar, where a plasma TV under barfly control is seemingly used to deter new visitors from sitting nearby. Its obviously been an issue in the past because the locals are rude and abusive to anyone suggesting that the volume should be turned down a bit. The bar staff themselves dont seem to give a damn, even if you happen to be sat in front of the screen with your elderly relatives having dinner when some dimebar decides he wants the telly on. Fair enough - its a local pub and the only decent one in Sonning, but ffs, treat all your paying guests equally.
Another big negative - there are about ten parking places and they are always full. People park on the road and because of the pubs success the cars go right around the corner and up to the main junction. At busy times, expect to have to fight to get a parking space.
I havent visited the rear garden, but the seating around the car parking area isnt bad at all.
Go midweek if you want to try the place. Weekends it is packed.
15 Aug 2007 11:26
The Shoulder of Mutton, Playhatch
Lacking the pretentious upmarket feel of The Crown (which is situated right next door), this is a real pub with grub venue. The food is excellent quality, reasonably priced, and to be honest a cut above what you'd normally find in a boozer. The ale is good and there are plenty of tables for drinkers. In the winter sitting warming by the open fire is a treat.
There is a large conservatory and garden area that is often used for parties. The venue can be hired out very reasonably.
Negative points - well it can sometimes be a bit empty due to its proximity to the much larger and smarter looking Crown, and competition from pubs in Sonning just across the roundabout. It also brought in a no smoking policy long before the ban was imposed, and suffered for it. Increasingly though, there is a loyal dining crowd who come midweek for a relaxed meal and drink in comfortable surroundings.
15 Aug 2007 10:39
A pricey upmarket restaurant that used to be a local pub. Food is fantastic, but boy do you pay for it! I had the excellent steak baguette with wedge fries and it set me back more than a tenner, but eating it in the small garden area in blazing sun - well worth the cost.
Beer is ok - not the best kept in the area (try Bottle and Glass up the road for that!). Unfortunately they've grabbed so much of the bar space for dining tables that the drinking area is reduced to nothing more than a holding point for people waiting to be seated. There are no locals or barflies here - you cant really sit at the bar.
Another small gripe - they ruined one of the best gardens in the area when they built the accomodation wing. Now they have a small gravel patio area where people eat outside, rather than a sprawling lawn and pond.
15 Aug 2007 10:17
The only pub in Henley where you are guaranteed a seat and a nice quiet pint on a weekend evening.
Why? Because its about the most expensive boozer in town. A pint, a large glass of wine, and a bag of finest S&V came to about 9 quid!
Still - you cant fault the atmosphere and its always nice and cosy during the winter. The only modern thing about this pub are the london prices.
2 Aug 2007 19:29
The Bottle and Glass, Binfield Heath
Great little boozer. Larger is without a doubt the best kept in the area. I had a brewery mate stop over for a weekend, and he commented on how great his pint tasted.
Food is generous and well presented. Good quality.
If its sunny, the garden outside is very relaxing and on a quiet road.
My only gripe - the 'locals' tend to congregate near the very small bar and it can be a fight to get to the front. On a busy evening, the queue can go back to the main door. It all adds to the character of the place though, I guess.
2 Aug 2007 19:22
The Catherine Wheel, Henley-On-Thames
If a manager is reading this - please train your staff to have some awareness of who came to the bar first, who should be served next, and how to ask impaitent OAPs to WAIT their turns instead of ignoring one half of the bar for ten minutes while a stream of blue rinsers bought rounds of cappucinos.
I walked out in the end, and so did two other customers. Catherine wheel - One point.
Oh - I like the pint and food for a fiver idea. Can you add Kronenborg to the list of available ales?
2 Aug 2007 19:16
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The Bull, Streatley
Cracking pub at the bottom of Streatley Hill. Nice garden, decent food and beer at a resaonable price, magic open fireplaces. Its very old with a interesting history; someone famous was hung from the tree in the garden a couple of centuries ago or something . Worth a look.
Goring and Streatley is a great place for a wander with a double bridge between the two villages at the only place where the Thames splits in two. There are walks up and around Streatley hill, and if you're a cyclist its about the most challenging hill climb in 50 miles. 16% at the top, averaging 12% for its whole 1km length. Absolute killer.
15 Aug 2007 11:52