Willow Tree, Winchesterback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Popped in here the other evening. Its a Greene King outlet (as other posters' have noted). Kind of a strange place, its a mix between a typical drinkers pub with a restaurant type area on the back. I tried a pint of St Austell's 'Propper Job'. Although on the cold side it was in great condition. Another great plus point is the manageress is a rather attractive blonde and I'm a sucker for blondes!! I'll be visiting again just to see her behind the bar!!!! LOL!!! On a serious note, if your in the area oe passing, it's worth a visit.
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Firstly I think JOPI on this comments list must be the pubs owner - too much detail and self promotion??
In any case I support the other recent reviews, ale is well kept but boring (GK + derived pseudo brands), the style and interior is very nice indeed, very much a pub that does food than the other way round, despite the attempts to brand it a restaurant. Garden is very sweet - surrounded by water, child friendly - no complaints. Didnt eat but it looked good on paper - standard aspirational pub £10-£18 charges for mains.
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Clean & tidy pub just a short walk from the city centre.
On the plus side the garden looks good for a summer drink, being bounded by the River Itchen on two sides...the food menu looked good to at a glance.
Sadly the beer choice was fairly uninspiring (GK) and the most expensive round of the day was purchased here for some average session bitter, albeit well kept.
Could have huge potential as a free house, though sadly it'll never happen of course!
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The brand new team are keen and skilled. They have given the bar and restaurant a makeover and tidied up the fantastic riverside garden. The food is all prepared freshly by the owner/chefs from succulent pate and perfect squid, juicy steaks whole Sea Bass to Lemon Posit or Eaton mess. They have excellent suppliers of local Venison, Guinea fowl and Rare Breed Beef. I have already eaten most of the menu and it has all been superb. I think it's just what Winch needed.
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Very friendly Staff let down sadly by the limited choice of Ales and high prices. The Pool table really doesnt fit. Perhaps they ought to replace it with a Bar Billiards table. And get some none GK beers
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Reopened under new management after a refurb - very pleasant interior, friendly staff and it sounds like they've got big plans for food and the garden, which sadly went to seed under the previous owners.
Hopefully they can turn it into the pub it ought to be, as the garden should be the best in Winchester.
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The pub is ok, but being Greene King the drinks choice is limited. It saving grace is the garden. Very pleasant with the River Itchen going past on two sides.
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This is in the 2009 Good Pub Guide, so I had high expectations. Unfortunately it didn't live up to them.
The beers were a fairly uninspiring Wadworth's 6X, Speckled Hen and Greene King IPA "extra chilled", whatever that is. On top of that the only cider was Strongbow.
There's a decent sized bar area with a pool table, and a lounge bar more geared towards eating by the look of it. We arrived at 10:30 at night, and all the tables had place mats on even though they obviously weren't doing food at that time of night. I find that rather off-putting when I've only popped in for a pint. The landlord gave the impression that he wasn't really that interested in serving us.
The lounge has obviously been done out fairly recently, but with it's red painted walls, cream leather bench seating and high backed brown leather chairs, it somehow feels more like a Chinese restaurant than a pub.
Finally we were asked to leave bang on 11:00 as the pub was closing. It's a little off the beaten track from the town centre, and not worth making the detour for.
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