please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Woody's is a café-style bar on Kingston's riverfront, not far from the shopping area. It was quite a pleasant place to while away a little time watching the comings and goings on the river. Yesterday there were countless rowing boats going by. On the ale front, there are only 2. Autumn Red from Portobello & Little Nipper from Brightwater were on. There are also craft beers and various bottles. I was the first customer in. But another couple came in. A fourth person arrived. But she gave up waiting for service, as bar staff were too busy fulfilling other tasks. The furniture is quite unique. There are better pubs in Kingston. But if you're in this neck of the woods, it's probably worth popping in to see what they have.
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Ale quality okay but feels more like a riverside cafeteria than a pub. Also has the increasing trend of waiter service (a ploy to pay staff even less and embarrass you in to paying a tip to supplement the meagre wages - US style).
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As good as ever last weekend. Does cake and coffee as well as beer, which can be a plus for some. the beer, which is supplied by the Twickenham Fine Ales brewery, is also very palatable.
There are very few decent places to get a drink in Kingston these days. They're mostly corporate bars or dwindling backstreet boozers. I said 'mostly', not all, but it is true. Woody's bucks the trend and does it very cheerfully. Smiling really does make the day go quicker.
If you look on HeteronormativeTraveller i.e. TripeAdvisor you will find a whole host of people complaining that this place isn't child-friendly. Well (i) it is, in as much as a pub should be child-friendly, given that there really isn't room for the Maus Panzer-sized baby buggies that Kingston parents go in for; and (ii) in the words of the great Michael Pearson, THIS IS A PUB NOT A CRECHE.
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A really nice alternative in downtown riverside Kingston. As others have commented it's nice to see real ales being served in a non traditional pub though some of the lagers on tap (Brooklyn and Freedom) are worth a detour for in their own right. Food is always good and the homemade soup served in cooking pots has never disappointed yet, my only issue is that it gets claustrophobic with more than two dozen inside as the layout of the chairs and tables is more geared for a restaurant than a 'stand at the bar' type pub though this is a small sacrifice given the unique feel that this establishment has. IMHO it's the only half decent place for a pint in Kingston all the others feel too corporate.
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This riverside pub is expensive! �9+ for a pint of ale and a glass of wine! The food is nothing to write home about,I had the burger which was the size of a sixpence, they just padded the plate out with chips and an oversize bun. On the plus side the ale was good. Overall it's an OK place but if you want a burger go to Byrons just along the river, excellent value and they sell good bottled ales!
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I really like Woody's. It's a very pleasant place to sit by the river and watch the world go by. Always top quality ale (usually one from the local Twickenham micro) plus a good range of lagers. Despite being an ale drinker, I nearly always go for the Freedom lager which really hits the spot on a warm day. Excellent food too!! My wife had the Steak sandwich which came with huge hand cut chunky chips, and I went for the interesting named Fish Finger Jenga - both excellent. Well worth the walk down from Kingston bridge.
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I am surprised that I am yet to have commented on this bar. I used to frequent this establishment a from around 2001 through to 2005 when this bar was known at the Porter Blacks (aptly titled by me and my companions as the Poo Blicks). This place did used to be a bit of a dive however this is very much a summer pub that you take advantage of to sit outside on a long warm evening. I also have memories of dropping my phone down the toilet one night......not good! ! !
The place has gone through a complete refurb and now appeals to Kingston's more genteel element. However, it is good to see that the pub are selling a few real ales which was something that you couldnt really get at the Poo Blicks. However I am not sure about having a slice of cake with my beer. I am more of a crisps and nuts man!
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Fancy a cake with your ale?! Both can be had here. A small-ish bar which can become really crowded serving real ale, an unusual draught cider, comics and magazines for reading etc. Being a riverside place, I expect it will be rammed to the doors come the summer. They host an open mic night once a month. It's cheek-by-jowel with The Ram next door and close to The Gazebo and The Bishop.
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Great location, quirky and comfortable decor (reminds me of a now-lost pub near my house!), nice staff, Twickenham ales.
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Twickenham Naked Ladies and Greene King Eagle Brewery Bitter. Twickenham was in great condition. Stripped down basic interior, bonus of being able to sit by the river on a sunny day. "Twinned" with the Lamb in Surbiton.
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A lovely place with so much less pretence than many in the area now. Wonderful location, great staff and a gorgeously eclectic mix of drinks plus the usual favourites.
A hit every time.
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I used to pop into this place when I was a student, and it was always a bit of a dive to tell the truth, but the location was good as part of the pub crawl.
I was in kingston on sunday with the girls, and what can I say? We walked along the river and stumbled across Woody's - what a transformation!
Cake AND wine... what a winning combination. I tell you, the chocolate cake really does wash down well with a glass or three of rioja!
I can't say for sure but the rest of the food I saw looked pretty good too, and the staff were really friendly and on the ball. Well done on the change!
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Now this is Woody's and it is a fantastic place at last. The food is delicious (especially the homemade cakes) and the management and staff are unbeatable - you really do get a warm welcome and feel thoroughly well looked after.
Wonderful place and my first choice for entertaining friends and family - whether it's a full meal, coffee and cakes, or a messy night on the booze.
patsy - 15 Jan 2009 16:38 |
This pub is now called the waters edge. there has been a change in management. The new management team have introduced a new menu, which is very good value for money. the staff behind the bar are excellent, alays happy and smiling. the beer is alway nice. all in all it's a very nice friendly pub to go to.
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one of the better bars along the river decor a bit sparten but the beer was well looked after, good selection of music playing and the barstaff were freindly 7/10
anonymous - 13 May 2007 13:19 |
I haven't been in here since last summer. I went to the bar and asked for a wine list... there wasn't one, fair enough I thought. So, what wine do you have? Chardonnay, Chardonnay or errrm Chardonnay.
I haven't been back since!
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Now known as Waterside, either it doesn't serve beer in the winter or it won't open at all in the winter. One or the other but people weren't sure which.
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I went into this pub tonight for a quick pint but having walked in the door past the barman who was playing on the gambling machine and waited at the bar for five minutes as the other barman was more interested in his sums I never even got served. The barstaff were more interested in what they were doing.
Nobody could be bothered to serve so went next door to the Ram which is much better. On the way back home past the pub the first barman was still at the gambling machine and the other was playing darts with his girlies. Sorry not normally negative about bars as like beer but the owners of this pub must be getting no income and employing cheapo muppets as a result to keep it going. Don't bother with this place - too many other better places around! This place will be gone within 6 months I reckon, they can only survive on Summer trade. It's such a good location by the river though - shame!
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Don't see what all the fuss is about. The "trendy" atmosphere extends to the decore and no further. Seats comfortable, if a little sparse, and bar staff very friendly. Excellent in the summer on the river front of an evening.
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This bar is pretty naff inside, there's ALWAYS a sticky floor and sticky bar. The toilets are absolutely disgusting, last time I went there was no toilet seat, a broken bowl, and human "products" all over the floor, you really have to lower your standards to set foot in there and some good advice is to bring your own toilet paper as generally there is none. On the plus side, it's nice in summer when you get to hang around on the waterfront.
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Proper beer, goth barstaff, a lot better than other places along the riverfront. I was pleasantly surprised (considering I wasn't expecting at all much).
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This place is another one of those 'stylish' = soul less places. Good to avoid the wetherspoon massive if you catch my drift but overpriced and not very warm. Okay in the summer when you can escae onto the river outside
amumd - 10 Feb 2005 15:12 |
Expensive, but definite plus I saw one of our project managers getting a kicing in here.
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Good news, apparently they are lookinf to get this place back to it's former 'pub style' glory days, admittedly it won't be Seamus, but it'll be damn close. Heard fromt he horses mouth, so here's hoping......
Scotty boy - 7 Sep 2004 11:23 |
The bar is very average and the prices are on the pricey side but the pub has it on the location front in the summer, situated on the footpath beside the thames it's great for peoplewatching and watching the swallows dipping low over the thames catching flies as the sun sets and watching the boats slip past down the river...
It's also worth visiting the ram, busy at the bar but lower beer prices! (and it's right next door!) :)
I - 27 May 2004 22:36 |
It brings a tear to my eye when i see this place and what they have transformed the great Seamus into, yes it's another poncey pile of shite bar, which is always empty (unless England are playing then I recommend it), go to O'Neills, you'll have so much more fun.
Scotty Boy - 13 Jan 2004 13:14 |
good in the summer to sit out at but now the winters on its way will prob not venture down there - ok but why no cranberry juice!!!
lb - 6 Oct 2003 14:43 |
A great laugh on a Wednesday night.... but only if you're a very drunk girl who fanices members of the Uni rugby team.
Lilias - 23 May 2003 13:16 |
Bring back Seamus O'Donnell's. This pubs former incarnation had everything. The only good thing that remained when it changed was the Landlady.
Liz D - 2 Apr 2003 13:24 |
Quite simply a very dull and average bar.
Angus - 19 Mar 2003 14:19 |
