BITE user comments - ILBuono
Comments by ILBuono
This pub has good food and although the beers are not varied are well kept. Bar staff generally nice although the woman (presumably the landlady) has a face like you have just walked in and taken a dump on the carpet - not a warm reception!!
12 Jan 2011 13:35
Compared with the other pubs in the village this comes out quite well. Beer is generally well kept but the service has that annoying veneer of aloofness which verges on rudeness - if you don't want to serve people don't run/work in a pub. Snotty bar staff aside the food is not bad, just don't expect a warm welcome.
8 Nov 2010 17:12
So after going for a drink and then going back to eat I can report back on this pub which is undoubtedly better than it was before! The renovation has been done well and the gardens are nice. The owner mind seems to have gone for the slightly aloof, brusk manner of service rather than warm and friendly. First sign that this indeed is a restaurant and not a pub. The beer was well kept and some good choices. The menu is nothing new or that interesting and reasonably priced BUT did not have one vegetarian main course option!! This I think is an arrogant oversight and indicates a chef/cook with little imagination without the interest in catering for a growing and wealthy minority. The trout I had was well cooked and presented and the waitress was warmer than the owner although when I looked over at another table the owner was laughing and joking with a table like old friends as they guzzled wine, he had suddenly turned into the perfect host, fawning all over them as they brought more while other customers waited at the bar!
When I went to the bar to pay, yes went to the bar as I had done to order all drinks and food I received the bill with service, SERVICE there was no service apart from our meals being brought over - we were eating outside (no excuse). The owner was back to his brusk self, no �how was you meal� etc. He was obviously trying to get back to kiss the a*ses of the other table. I would of course been more than happy to pay service if I had received any but I paid the bill and thought I would not eat here again until the menu offers more as there are friendlier places in area. Also when in there for a drink previously there were too many members of off duty staff hanging about making it a bit like the staffroom.
All in all OK but they need to sort the service thing out i.e if charging for service make sure it is being given and the owner needs to fawn less to some people (the ones buying the pricer wine!) A much happier reception is received at The Yew Tree up the road if this is what you value in a pub � but then The Woolpack isn�t really a pub, or is it!?
27 May 2010 12:23
The Horse and Groom, Alresford
Having lived in the village for a number of years I can truly say this is one of the worst pubs in Hampshire. Like a Wetherspoons with more beams it serves lots of lager to lots of rowdy men in football shirts and is rough as old boots. Only one beer when I was it (Pride) extra cold as everyone is drinking Fosters whilst their girlfriends drink luminous alcopops. There are a couple of old bar flys who have been there for years and routinely get drunk and I can only imagine cannot see what a dump this is. A great shame, however there are some truly excellent pubs within 10 miles - just a shame I can't get a decent drink in my village.
29 Mar 2010 10:45
The Horse and Groom, Alresford
Having lived in the village for a number of years I can truly say this is one of the worst pubs in Hampshire. Like a Wetherspoons with more beams it serves lots of lager to lots of rowdy men in football shirts and is rough as old boots. Only one beer when I was it (Pride) extra cold as everyone is drinking Fosters whilst their girlfriends drink luminous alcopops. There are a couple of old bar flys who have been there for years and routinely get drunk and I can only imagine cannot see what a dump this is. A great shame, however there are some truly excellent pubs within 10 miles - just a shame I can't get a decent drink in my village.
29 Mar 2010 10:43
The Globe on the Lake, Alresford
Oh dear. First visit the other day to check out the changes. I didn't think I would ever say this but it was much better before, and that's not saying much! Cheap renovation, no atmosphere, closed sunday evenings, beer (Doom Bar) was off. This is why so many pubs are closing, people think it is easy and they don't have to try and think the money will come rolling in - this place will be closed again soon as there is no marketing/profile and it does not seem like the owners give a toss. Great shame - with the right direction this place should be a gold mine.
29 Mar 2010 10:30
Beer could be better. The menu promises good things but the food is obviously not prepared by a chef, rather a cook without knowledge of how best to bring flavour out of dishes. The food was flavourless and badly conceived - I won't be going back.
25 Mar 2010 13:22
Friendly and good service, beer good and no more expensive than anywhere else. Food very good value for money, I had local mussels, fresh and well presented. Busy, I could imagine a nightmare in the high season. Left hand bar a bit weird - go right for traditional.
18 Jan 2010 16:28
Brilliant, brilliant. Excellent people, beer and food, I sort of like the toilets! Publicans of failing pubs come here to see how it's done.
18 Jan 2010 16:22
This pub is terrible. The staff seem not to know where they are, there is obviously no training at all. A real generic place with beer to match, food is mass produced junk. Greene King are the new Harvester. Be warned and be prepared to be disappointed if you go here. I am even writing to Greene King about just how bad my experience was.
25 Nov 2009 15:28
The Horse and Groom, Alresford
Aggghh!! Although the new owners seemed to make a good start this pub has gone even more downhill than before. Bar staff act like they have never been behind a bar before and the beer is rotten. How many times have I been served bad ale here - come on its not that difficult really.
New leather chairs are no substitute for bad service and awful ale.
7 May 2009 16:29
Good beer, food generic chain pub food variable quality (pubs seem to hide their branding nowadays). Service ranges from very friendly landlord to dizzy waiting staff members. Only pub in Eastleigh you won't stick to the carpets.
24 Oct 2008 16:19
Used to be really good for food, nice traditional atmosphere. Gone downhill in last year or so. Landlord's response to a complaint about uncooked food has ensured I will never go back to this pub - good old British customer service, very shirty and we were spending almost �100 on food and drink - shocking.....their loss I suppose.
24 Oct 2008 16:11
Really friendly, great home cooked food, well kept beer, beautiful location - what more do you want!!
24 Oct 2008 15:59
I have always been wary of vast menus - better to do a few things really well I think. Having said that the food and beer is generally high quality and staff polite -although last couple of times quality had slipped
24 Oct 2008 15:58
Very varied quality food, eaten there several times this year sometimes good sometimes really bad - recently more bad that good unfortunatly.
24 Oct 2008 15:54
Actually one of the best value pubs in Winchester. Great food always and some of the best kept beer in town. I prefer to pay and get quality rather than second rate, this pub is always first rate. There are some good characters - watch the look on everyones face when someones mobile goes off!! Also good for watching Americans (is in guide books) ordering halves of Guinness. Great wine list
24 Oct 2008 15:51
Easy pub grub and OK beer, plenty of space, some of the barstaff seem like they have never worked in a pub at all - some training needed. Overall I will go there if quick pub meal and pint needed.
24 Oct 2008 15:44
I really like this pub, friendly helpful staff, good beer and excellent food. I think it does have enough pub to resturant area and is nicely laid out. Blows most pubs in Winch away.
24 Oct 2008 15:41
The Bishop On The Bridge, Winchester
Ok Fullers beers. Food not good with dizzy service. Great location with nice beer garden if not full of idiots. Cozy in winter
24 Oct 2008 15:37
The Horse and Groom, Alresford
Too many TV screens and tracksuits ruin this pub, do not maximise their food potential as they are sitting on a goldmine the amount of visitors the village gets. Some rum characters watching TVs, although sitting on the street on a summers day is OK. Beer not the best kept mind as they obviously mostly sell lager.
24 Oct 2008 15:33
The Globe on the Lake, Alresford
Service generally polite, although bit funny atmosphere if not eating. Expensive beer and food, food average and overpriced fro what it is. I have had unusually high number of dud pints at this pub.
24 Oct 2008 15:27
The Trooper Inn, Froxfield
Had a great lunch here, well kept beer and tasty food, service was polite and attentive.
12 Jan 2011 13:37