BITE user comments - LunchLadyDoris
Comments by LunchLadyDoris
We find this a smart, friendly and well run establishment for an after work depressurising session, or lunch time drink.
I have yet to sample the food however, so I cannot comment on that aspect.
The staff members we have encountered here have been chatty without being obtrusive, as well as being cheerful and helpful which is a winning combination for me.
I certainly don't find the prices here offensive, but I don't drink Red Bull so I have no idea what that drink should cost.
Whilst The White House may not be everyone's cup of tea, it is one of my favourite places to pop into for a drink in Guildford, and has never disappointed me yet.
1 Jul 2008 18:37
We have been back here on several occasions since my last review, and although we have always enjoyed our visits I do have a couple of quibbles.
The food is seriously variable. Sometimes we have enjoyed eating here immensely, but on several occasions the food has been of a much lower standard than we are used to.
The other quibble is about cleanliness. The menus are always sticky and grubby which conveys an unpleasant first impression.
My husband says the beer is consistently good, and they are a friendly bunch, which is more important to me than anything else. If they could only get the sticky menus and cooking under control we would be happier to recommend The Squirrel.
As things stand we visit The Squirrel when it is just the two of us, but tend not to take guests there in case they are having one of their off days.
1 Jul 2008 18:21
When we ate here the other day we had a problem with our food. The waitress went away to do something about it, but she didn't and she never came near us again either.
There is far too much competition for customers in this town for a business to be so slack and uncaring. I seriously doubt we'll ever bother to go back.
28 Jun 2007 13:20
There are far too many WAG wannabes and would be playboys in here for me to feel comfortable any more.
Perhaps increased competition in this busy town centre has forced them to change their door policy?
All those ex-RSVP customers have to go somewhere I suppose.
28 Jun 2007 13:14
The Swan is the best pub for miles around. They are in the enviable position of not having much in the way of real competition. The other pubs in the vicinity would be better served by improving their own service rather than posting ludicrous reviews criticising eberything about The Swan including it's "locals".
We did have a problem with our food recently and by the time everyone had flapped and panicked and conferred with their colleagues it was far too late to do anything useful about it. I got the distinct impression that they would prefer to take their chances with an unhappy customer rather than go into the kitchen.
Hopefully this proves to be a one off blip by new and inexperienced staff, and not the face of things to come.
28 Jun 2007 13:10
This is a very attractive pub to visit and we have always enjoyed our meals here, but they persist in doing things that I find profoundly irritating!
For example, on our last visit when I went to the bar to order our food and more drinks there were 8 customers waiting, but only one member of staff behind the bar. A mere 10 feet away two girls were languidly polishing cutlery at the dresser, whilst another zoomed around delivering food to tables. In my opinion whoever was responsible for managing the staff wasn't doing it very effectively.
The girl behind the bar said she would deliver our drinks to our table, but that just meant that we waited another 15 minutes for them on top of the 20 that I queued at the bar.
Both the edges of our table, and the bar were horribly sticky as well, and I hate that kind of sloppiness.
It's such a shame.
28 Jun 2007 12:42
The Lovely Jackie's Leaving Do is on Sunday 26th November from 7pm.
If, like us, you are a fan of The Swan, but not a daily regular, you may not know that Jackie is leaving.
We were shocked to hear the news ourselves yesterday, but of course people change jobs all the time, and I am reliably informed that Jackie has been at The Swan for many many years even though we have only known her for a relatively short while.
We wish Jackie all the best for the future, and we will be there on Sunday night to raise a glass to her and her new enterprise.
20 Nov 2006 13:25
The Anchor Inn (Hungry Horse), Hitchin
A worrying lack of food safety knowledge here. When I complained that my steak was stone cold they offered to heat it up again for me with no thought for whether or not this was wise (given that it had been sat on my plate congealing for 25 minutes and had evidently been sat out getting cold for some time before that!)
We waited and waited because we foolishly thought that someone would do a satisfaction check, but instead my husband had finished eating long before anyone came into view.
So, in conclusion, the food was crap, the service worse, and the food safety issues quite alarming.
Bon appetit!
11 Oct 2006 11:49
I dropped in after a hectic morning in court desperate for a coffee and was told that hot drinks were "off".
This would have been fine except that a member of staff could clearly be seen drinking a "hot drink".
I didn't ask them to go to the lengths of boiling a kettle just for me. I left and went elsewhere, and will continue to do so from now on.
27 Aug 2006 21:40
When we arrived here on the May Day Bank Holiday Monday for a late lunch we were astonished to be told that they had apparently "run out of food".
Even more shocking was the frosty attitude of the staff member we encountered. My husband made a little jokey quip about "the supermarkets are not open around here today then?" which received an extremely unfriendly reception.
Our friends had brought us here because it is the only place within easy walking distance of their home, and they were completely mortified so I don't imagine they will return in a hurry.
We were not at all impressed with the bad management inherent in the whole running out of food on a bank holiday situation, and the extraordinarily poor handling of our enquiry.
3 Jun 2006 23:23
This is an incredible place.
We came here on the recommendation of some family members who live locally. I'm quite envious of them being able to visit The Well all the time!
Both the decor and the food were stunning, and we were so pleased to find that the staff genuinely seem to care about the customers. Our waitress and the lady in charge particularly stood out for their charm and friendliness.
Since we didn't have to drive my husband was only too happy to sample every one of the four or five real ales on offer, and I made a similar attempt at the wine list.
We are in the area again for a family event in a few weeks, and we will most certainly make time to visit The Well again. This time I shall make every effort to leave room for a pudding.
Marvellous.
17 Apr 2006 16:10
The second best pub in New Malden.
What an accolade!
It is more of a traditional "booozer" than most pubs are these day, but none the worse for that, as I have always found it to be a clean and well kept boozer with a friendly atmosphere.
My husband enjoys "real beer" and I always judge a place by the loo. The Oak gets a big red tick on both counts.
Its biggest asset IMO is the lovely function room upstairs, fantastic for parties. The panelling and the fireplaces are very grand.
It is always nice to be able to sit outside too during the warmer months.
I cannot comment on the staff because I am not here often enough to have formed a consistent impression. The service has never been either stunningly good OR shockingly bad, the same as most establishments I expect.
I never recognise anyone except for the blonde landlady, but perhaps I am just bad with faces!
28 Mar 2006 20:45
We've just been to The Swan for a most impressive Mothering Sunday. My lord it was busy! The whole place had been decked out in an abundance of daffodils which was a marvellous surprise for all the Mums.
We don't visit The Swan as often as we might like because it is so incredibly busy that sometimes the worry about getting a table is just too stressful, and so we plump for somewhere less popular instead. Thankfully they have now instituted an organised seating system at busy times which is a vast improvement on the previous "free-for-all".
When we first arrived we were dismayed, if not exactly astonished, to find the pub packed to the gills with not a seat to be had anywhere. We were directed towards the lovely lady who always makes us feel so welcome, and she said that she had a list of people to seat before our party, but to have our drinks at the bar and she would keep us informed.
I explained that my grandmother is quite elderly and cannot stand for long periods, so a charming young man was dispatched to fetch the piano stool since it was the very last seat left in the building! When pressed to give us an estimate of how long the wait was likely to be, the lady responded with a smile that unfortunately she had left her crystal ball in her other handbag, but she felt that twenty minutes was a reasonable estimate.
Having glimpsed the length of her list I was somewhat sceptical of this claim, but we had already bought some drinks so we waited. True to her word, my husband had barely uttered the words "Those twenty minutes are up." when she reappeared, still smiling, having seated everyone else and ready to to lead us to our table.
As always we were most impressed with all the staff we encountered: They were all uniformly friendly and helpful. How they all remain so whilst under constant siege from ravening hordes of hungry and thirsty patrons I simply can't imagine.
In particular:
One of the young waitresses took both our drink and food orders, and popped back periodically to offer further assistance whenever we needed it. Is this the new standard or just her individual style?
Another young lady quieted a nearby toddler with the inspired offering of a handful of Jelly Babies. I don't imagine that is strictly part of her job description.
The young man who had brought the piano stool also checked on us during our meal and brought quite the twinkle to Grannys eye with his blarney!
Whilst chatting to the lady in charge again as she cleared our plates we asked her how on earth she kept her smile in place on a day such as this. Even as we asked, the plates were taken from her hands by one of the waitresses and the dessert board she had offered arrived as if by magic in the hands of yet another young man. "Oh it's not that hard." she said, beaming.
Granny insisted on paying the entire bill, and after meeting "yet another" lovely young man behind the bar she can't wait to go back!
28 Mar 2006 20:18
I would say this is my second favourite pub after The Swan in Ash Vale - but it's a misnomer to call this place a pub.
The food and service are both immaculate. It has a varied menu, and I was very impressed with the professionalism of the (predominantly young) staff.
It isn't cheap, but I wouldn't call it over priced either. Adequate staff training and beautiful surroundings have to paid for somehow after all.
We were lucky enough to be here for New Years Eve and it was awesome!
8 Mar 2006 17:50
The Thatched Cottage, Farnborough
The food here is ludicrously cheap, but I have to say it has always been lovely as well.
We wandered in one evening years ago attracted by the olde worlde quaint exterior - it's not quite what we wer expecting, but we have been back a few times.
I haven't been in on a Sunday night for the music quiz for ages. I'm not sure they still do it. We used to go not so much for the music nostalgia as the entertainment factor of the funny little man who used to ask the questions. Comedy!
I was there recently with my mum who seriously rates the food - but not the staff. Whenever I've been there they have always seemed competent enough.
8 Mar 2006 17:36
My goodness what a hole!
A perfectly glorious location, ruined by shocking mismanagement. Where shall I start?
There's simply no excuse for a dirty pub. I can't help thinking If the public areas are this squalid then what on earth does it look like behind closed doors - like the kitchen?
I usually avoid eating here because of my hygiene concerns, but I'm aware that my less fussy friends have sometimes waited hours and hours for their food, which is apparently standard.
The last time I visited they had run out of chips, the time before that they had run out of white wine...
The ahem... "service" is truly dreadful, but I can't blame the staff. Evidently they have been thrown into the deep end with no proper training or supervision, and they simply don't know what they're doing, and they haven't been required to care.
The pub is huge, and the bar stretches for miles seemingly...but there are 3/4 barstaff and they never seem to come your way. Staffing levels like this disrespect their customers.
But then their customer base seems to be mainly composed of under age drinkers, chavs and shall we say "the rougher element". (I AM being a tad harsh, but they do seem to predominate.)
The last time I was here there was a sea of "Chav White" heavily logoed clothing, Boyband "fin" hair, conspicuous bling, bleached blonde hair and fake tan.
I am certain I shall be reluctantly dragged here again, and I fully expect it to be equally shit.
There used to be a scottish manager called Andy who never seemed to be able to do anything to help you, but at least he could make you laugh. The latest incumbents lack even that much customer service skill.
If you are planning to visit my advice is this - please eat before you go, drink packaged bottled drinks which don't require a scummy glass, and order rounds in pairs to cut down on queueing time.
8 Mar 2006 17:24
This isn't really my kind of place, it's shabby without the chic. The decor is Ummm... "interesting", but not retro enough to be cool. Unpretentious is the best word for it I think.
However, the place seems well run. The friendly staff appear very capable, and the regulars weren't as cliquey as they seemed on first acquaintance. There was a great mix of ages and a large preponderance of black clothing. (But that may have been due to the bands playing.) It's also very women friendly - we felt totally at home and safe here which is not something I can say about all pubs I am afraid.
We went to see a friends band play and had a perfectly riotous night. I'd go back again in a shot.
It's quite refreshing to go into a proper pub with lifelong regulars who welcome new faces, and we love that it hasn't been given a chav makeover by the brewery. Excellent.
8 Mar 2006 16:49
We popped in here a few weeks ago mistakenly thinking that it was part of the same group as The Swan in Ash Vale - It isn't.
Unfortunately they weren't serving food. (Nobody explained why not.) so we didn't stay very long.
It was certainly very lively. I understand it was Quiz Night. We would probably like to return some other time and try our hands at the quiz when we weren't so hungry.
In addition, I found it a touch claustrophobic with all those nooks and crannies.
I can't say I was at all impressed with the staff, but I liked the look of the other clientele - I like a random mix of ages and types - so this must say something good about the place.
And my husband gave the beer a thumbs up as well.
We were only here for 45 minutes so I'm just giving my first impressions of the place. I shall update when we pop in again.
8 Mar 2006 16:30
I don't know what it is about this place, but there's always a great atmosphere here. I'm not certain if they have a selective door policy, or if it's just the kind of place which attracts ahem.. "your better class of punter", but I always look around and feel comfortable, and at home.
The staff are generally great - capable, and friendly enough. (There's usually enough of them too, which is always a sign of a well run establishment, with respect for its customers.)
We especially like the courtyard to hang out in a group - and meet new people!
It's a little bit on the "too cool for school" side, and they play the music loud, but we always have a good night there.
7 Mar 2006 20:39
One of the great assets of this pub is the rich cross section of different people who use it - you see all kinds in here! I always get into an interesting conversation with someone I've never met before, and usually bump into an old friend as well.
The bar staff are excellent - bags of personality, cheerful & efficient.
We like sitting outside in the warmer months, and we ADORE the jukebox!
7 Mar 2006 20:27
Hideous. We didn't even finish our drink. I've never felt so uncomfortable and unwelcome anywhere before.
There is so much choice in Farnham that there is absoloutely no need to ever set foot in this nasty establishment. Ugh.
7 Mar 2006 20:17
Young and funky VERY lively hangout in Croyde village.
It's always utterly jam packed and you can cram a lot of fun into an evening here.
To be honest, I usually go elsewhere for food. (several great places in the village) but somehow we always end up here at some point during our stay.
It's just got to be done!
7 Mar 2006 20:13
This is my new favourite pub! Every time I go to The Swan it has been incredibly busy but all the staff seem so cheerful and exceptionally well trained, despite the fact that most of them seem pretty young and are presumably part timers.
When we first visited the lady behind the bar made us feel so welcome immediately that we didn't mind the wait for a table. She seemed to have it all under control and it was a pleasure to watch her "marshalling the troops".
Our food has always been of an excellent standard. The customers seem to be a good cross section and we feel very much at home here. The pub is very attractive to look at (as are most of the staff if that is important to you!) The patio area is particularly picturesque.
Midges could be an issue this close to the canal, but they have thoughtfully provide citronella candles in the garden to keep them at bay, plus patio heaters for the chillier evenings.
But please don't visit. It's already far too busy!
17 Aug 2005 15:10
The Old Thameside Inn, London Bridge
Fabulous location and awesome views. Sitting outside is a treat. BUT staff turnover and outright shortages of staff mean that the people serving you often seem poorly trained and stressed out. Standards plummet as soon as it gets a little bit busy. I have never eaten here so I cannot comment on this aspect. I visit here fairly often.
17 Aug 2005 14:56
Well this place has really gone downhill! Admittedly I haven't visited for a couple of years but I had extremely fond memories of this pub.
The refit is heinous and the staff are umm.."interesting." I generally believe honesty is the best policy, but I'd take a fake smile over honest to goodness surliness and sighing!
17 Aug 2005 14:47
Back to LunchLadyDoris's profile
The Rose and Thistle, Frimley Green
I believe that a genuinely friendly welcome is the most important quality of a pub and The Rose And Thistle passed with flying colours.
Both the cheerful dark haired girl who served us at the bar and the lady who appeared to be in charge were as friendly and capable as anyone could ask.
I'm not sure about the black walls. It may be a practical shade, but it can look rather gloomy. However, the mirrors in the walled courtyard are an inspired touch.
My husband gave a thumbs up to the beer, and we'll stay long enough to sample the food next time that we visit.
2 Jul 2008 14:03