BITE user comments - Graam
Comments by Graam
Ordered food late moring/ealry afternoon, waited absolutely ages. It was missing some stuff off the curry. To be fair, the guy on duty, possibly Duty Manager, was friendly and polite. Not something I've experienced at too many Yates's.
As with all Yates's, be careful not to dislocate anything when your feet get stuck to the floor. Don't stand still for too long, you might lose a shoe.
I always like to call in to Yates's that I find on my travels, just to see if there are any good ones. The search continues.
27 Feb 2008 16:36
The Wellington Arms, Sandhurst
Best pub I've tried so far, since moving here a year or so ago. Better than the awful Jolly Farmer. Good food too. Had some really blunt service here though, which is my only real complaint. That's when it was quiet. Couldn't help but feel that it was because I was a new face.
27 Feb 2008 16:33
Just about better than Walkabout. Better staff and atmosphere. Prices a little steep though. Not a bad vibe, even for a Brit.
Can't say you feel to welcome when full of "locals", by which I mean Aussies.
27 Feb 2008 16:31
Random Ranger gets it spot on. I've been in here a few times, at various times of the day, as I used to work in The Bush.
First visit was a week day lunchtime. Had food. Not bad. Not great either.
Doormen are scum. Really rude, aggressive & menacing.
Been in on the odd evening with some (educated) Aussie mates. They hate it too, but like a few people have posted, you have to see it to believe it.
The urinating, various unpleasant smells, blokes in "thongs" and "board-short" in the middle of winter, it's all true.
A particular favourite is the disregard the regular patrons have for the area. Guys throwing rubbish in the street outside, and their response? "Why should I care? It's not my country, mate." Classy.
27 Feb 2008 16:28
Can' really pass a judgement on this place. Never stuck round long enough. One thing I will say, is Camberley is full of scallies. And they tend to hang around between the shopping centre, Yates's and the Goose.
22 Jan 2008 12:46
Awful place. Went in one weekday morning, as I needed to feed the baby, and needed to heat some milk up. I swear, my feet have never stuck to a pub floor so badly. I was in fear or dislocation something. and that was first thing in the morning.
Anyway, Irish guy behind the bar on his own was friendly, if a little un-nerving. Noyl one other customer. Ordered a couple of meals after baby was fed, and they took over 20 mins. How? Why?
Food was pretty much to spec, but the glasses were minging. Utterly filthy. Whenever I go in to a place like this, I buy a bottle, but this time, I bought a pint. Asked at the bar for another glass. It was just as dirty, and scummy. Couldn't finish by beer. Food was average.
Plenty of damaged fixtures and fittings, and broken wondows. A tad rough in there at time, me-thinks.
22 Jan 2008 12:42
Called in on Saturday afternoon. A lot quieter than I expected. Didn't see any signs from below indicating a problem pub. Saw a group of lads ID'd, was served in good time, although one minute there's no one at the bar, and 5 mins later 8 people were trying to get served. You can't expect 8 staff to appear like Umpa-Lumpa's, to served them, then disappear again.
Had food, was very nice.
Lots of young couples, most with well behaved children.
Overall, a nice expereince. Would expect a diferent one later in the evening. Maybe next week.
One point to mention is that I thought the staff on the whole could have been more interactive with the customers. It wasn't busy. Was there for 2 hours, and didn't see a manager in that time.
14 Jan 2008 01:16
Nice pub, with deceptive size, and plenty of character. I always get good service here, from friendly, chatty staff.
Beer is good, and reasonably priced. I've eaten here a few times. This place has the same manu as The Duke. I'd forgotten they were both Spirit. Thought at least one was Fullers. Anyway....
My rump steak, on my last visit, also came out Medium-rare, and I'd ordered it Medium-well. My mate had ordered his Medium rare, and they were both put down without checking whose was whose. They both appeared to be cooked the same.
Still a bloody good pub though, I'll just double-check on my steak next time I order.
10 Apr 2006 20:00
Lovely pub, recently done out. Thai restaurant is fantastic. Excellent food, and service to match everytime I've been (and I've been here loads of times).
Bar area is lovely too, but as already mentioned, there seems to be an old fella' on every table. Bar service is sometimes out of turn, and there is a modest amount of outside drinking situated on the High Road. Perfect for when the sun is out.
10 Apr 2006 19:49
The Hole In The Wall, Chiswick
I've been dissed on here for my open hatred for "Gastropubs", and the primary school furniture they all sem to adopt, so I'll concentrate just on the service.
Found this place by accident, and took the wife for Sunday lunch.
Got there and a VERY disinterested guy behind the bar made it obvious we were a hassle to him (not sure if it was due to the football shirt I was wearing - LOL). Begrudgingly poured me a Guinness. On top of his attitude he was scruffy, with 3 days or so of stubble. As ever, I said "please" and "thankyou" where possible, but don't think I heard either from him at all. Took a seat and looked at the menu, but that did it for me, and I wasn't interested. There was a chirpy and friendly young female (Kiwi I think - Sorry if you're Aussie, sometimes it's difficult to tell), who was permanently busy, and she thanked us as we left, but the chap was still miserable as sin.
Ended up having food on our first visit to The Duke.
10 Apr 2006 19:42
Been only the once, so don't want to judge too quickly.
Good, polite service from a couple of the girls, and the manager was nice too. Served me a lovely pint of Amstel.
Ordered Sunday lunch, but "chef" was on his break (girl pointed to lad sat at bar, eating).
10 mins later he toddled off to the kitchen, food was with us within the next 10 mins, and was very nice.
I can confirm it's very loud (music), even when not packed out, and I did note a number of chavs. Well at least it keeps them out of my local.
I'd happily return, but likely with a few lads, rather than the wife again.
10 Apr 2006 19:30
The Crown and Anchor, Chiswick
This pub is always improving. I like the pub, and the staff are a good laugh too. Can sometimes be a 'mare to get served, but it's difficult to know which part of the bar to stand in, as it's split in to two parts. Typical boozer toilets that whiff, but show me one in Chiswick that doesn't.
If I'm not mistaken, it's recently gone Over 21's only, with a ban on baseball caps. Should aid the further improvement of this place, as I don't think it's reached its full potential yet.
10 Apr 2006 19:24
Ghastly "Gastro-pub" wannabe.
I hate everything about it, and would never go back. Poor service, poor range of beers, and being a "Gastro-pub", they just want you to drink the overpriced wine.
Went there for Sunday lunch. Looked around at the other customers. You know the type. Couples sitting there, not speaking, reading the Sunday broadsheets, wearing canvas trousers, non-ironed shirts and wooly jumpers. Range Rover parked outside. OR �15K per year office assistants, who think they're further up the food chain than they are. Aarrgh!
Felt uncomfortable, and left.
Just for wannabes. What ever happened to just being yourself?
Avoid at all costs.
12 Sep 2005 14:14
Jack Stamp's Beer House, Chiswick
'Orrible. Should have closed sooner. Now replaced with a hugely overpriced "Balans". Won't go there either. This just attracts more "la-de-da's". I've lived close-by for years, and have seen the area change.
Stabbings outside McDonalds on an all too regular basis, with groups of kids from Hammersmith, Richmond, on mountain bikes causing trouble.
50 yards up the road, this latest incarnation on the Jack Stamps site attracts the other end of the market. People who think they're better than you for whatever reason really get my goat......
12 Sep 2005 14:04
Formerlly a Wetherspoons. Barracuda bought a lot of older, smaller Wetherspoons.
Food takes AGES to come, but is tasty. Staff who stand around/read newspapers, etc. when there's no one to serve, really hack me off. They can lean on the bar, and look disinterested here, for Britain.
Beer OK, and reasonably priced. Some scum-bags drink here, and there can be a negative atmosphere. Suppose being half way to Hammersmith doesn't help.
12 Sep 2005 13:36
Standard, generic All-bar-one. Pretencious, over-priced, but with a good range (expensive) of guest lagers. Food is pants, toilets are mile away, and the doormen (we stopped calling them bouncers years ago folks), are, well doormen. Stare at you (and your Mrs.), and swan round the bar like they own the place.
As already mentioned, full of suits and "la-de-da's". Unless you park your Aston Martin outside, the posho's will look down their nose at you.
Verdict - Go there if you're a ponce.
12 Sep 2005 13:24
Been drinking in here for a couple of years, but it's losing it's appeal for me. For the length of time I've been drinking there, I'd expect a chat from time to time. Staff retention is good, and the staff tend to do stuff together on days off.
That being said, the staff can look quite scruffy (unshaven, "bedhead" hair, etc.), and on the whole they're professional and attentive, but it feels like an Aussie bar (virtually all staff are Aussie or Saffa, etc.).
Food is great. I eat here loads.
As commented previously, it's a Fullers pub, so you pay Fullers prices.
As a Licensee myself, I notice things other customers may not, and there's a blatant Coke problem amongst some regulars in the toilet cubicles. The same guys that stand at the bar "bantering" with the staff, usually swearing loudly about England v Australia in Cricket, Rugby, etc. Quite off putting.
12 Sep 2005 13:19
Drink in here very rarely, but a couple of times in the last fortnight. More expensive than the norm, and the draught lager offers a pitiful range (Fosters, 1664 & Holsten). Tried the Holsten. Flat as a pancake. My mate had fosters, and it was the same. Couldn't finish them.
Staff seemed friendly enough though, although quite amateurish at times when not serving.
Not the kind of place I'd eat.
Quite rough. I see plenty of dodgy faces in the beer garden that I know from the area, and there was a mass brawl in the bar in January '05 (my first visit). I saw it coming ages before it happened, but no staff seemed as observant.
12 Sep 2005 13:13
Skylark (T1L), Heathrow Airport
Seen quite a few subtle changes here, in the years I've been working in Terminal 1. Expect to pay more than you would in a normal Wetherspoons, unless you're airport staff, then you get 20% discount.
Usually London Pride, Abbot, and a guest ale on. All well kept. Food normally quick to come out, and most of the staff have a personality, so you can actually talk to them.
Very popular with airport staff in the evenings, after a busy shift, which to me, is a great advert.
26 Jan 2011 15:07