BITE user comments - misterrich
Comments by misterrich
Good place. Very much at the trendy end of the range for Thames Ditton pubs, but that's not a criticism. Comfortable, nice beer garden, friendly staff. It's more set up for eaters than drinkers, so the staff can get a little over-run in the early evening meal rush, but that's a minor criticism - definitely worth a look.
26 Aug 2006 22:02
The George and Dragon, Thames Ditton
Fairly expensive, and not much on tap, but this place is ok - quite cosy, areas with big screens if you want the footy or quieter seats if you don't, and generally treading the right line between too busy and too quiet. I wouldn't take a detour to go there, but it's a sound place.
26 Aug 2006 21:58
Some of the criticism of this place is unfair. I for one think that Tiger Joe's fulfills a very valuable role in our community. It entices all the chavs into a single location, so the rest of us can enjoy the other pubs in peace.
26 Aug 2006 21:54
Ye Olde Swan Inn, Thames Ditton
I'm surprised that most of the reviews of this place are so bad. I suspect there is a probably a dichotomy of views between those who go there to drink, and those who go there to eat.
The latter have a case. The food is average to poor and very expensive. As an example, currently if you were to order cheese and biscuits for dessert it would cost you �5.55. Yes, that's �5.55 for cheese and biscuits. Yes, pounds sterling. No, I'm not dyslexic. Frankly you'd fill your stomach more quickly and cheaply if you skipped the food and just ate your coins.
But as a pub to drink in it's good. It strikes a really good balance between the seasons - lots of cosy inside space and a roaring fire in winter, and lots of outdoor benches and tables by the riverside in summer. The range of beer isn't great, but unlike the food it's quite reasonably priced, and the staff are invariably very friendly.
26 Aug 2006 21:48
On face value, this could be the perfect pub:
- It's located on the banks of the Thames in a pretty location, with loads of outdoor seating.
- It serves a wide selection of good beers on tap.
- It invariably has cute bar staff.
... but despite this, I really, really, really hate this place.
Why? You just can't get served. Ever. The worst bread queues in Stalinist Russia probably moved a damn site faster than the queues to get served here.
Spending more than 1 minute queueing to be served is bad in any pub. On at least three occasions over the years my friends and I have walked out after 10 minutes or so having still not been served. And we're not under-aged, troublemakers, or treated as a lesser priority to other customers. It's just that everyone is treated this badly.
And it's always been this bad. I've lived in this area for about 20 years, the last 15 or so as a drinker. Under every name this pub has had, under every change of management, it's always a pain in the a*** to actually get served.
It's really not that difficult - hire some staff you dummies.
Great pub for teetotallers. Lousy pub for the thirsty.
26 Aug 2006 21:35
The Red Lion, Thames Ditton
Cheap beers and friendly staff, although it's hard to find a comfortable place to sit - the benches and stools all seem to have been designed with midgets in mind. The decor has definitely seen better days.
Seems to be going through a transition - last time I went in it was under new management, and a friend has seen it being advertised for sale on the internet - so presumably another set of new management are forthcoming.
More of a "regulars" pub than most others in Thames Ditton. Will appeal to "traditional" pub lovers and enrage trendies.
26 Aug 2006 22:08