BITE user comments - Toller_Rant
Comments by Toller_Rant
Nice friendly local, if a bit pricey. A few regulars visit with their dogs. They should be a bit wary of a tall man drinking San Miguel with a reputation with canidae animals especially vulpines from the Low Countries!
11 Feb 2012 17:15
The Orange Tree seems to close when they like rather than the stated hours. Twice I have been told that they close at 10.30 on a Monday and 10.00 on a Sunday if it is quiet so it is not suitable for anyone visiting the theatre.
They seem to prefer chasing potential customers away rather than serving them.
16 Jun 2009 14:51
The Park Tavern, Kingston Upon Thames
Exactly what a pub should be (or will be after 1st July). A great range of beers, a very friendly welcome and a proper pub atmosphere.
10 Apr 2007 17:23
I too tried the new Albert on the first night and, although it is early days, it was not very impressive. The beer is now expensive and the pint I had was not at all good possibly due to slow sales. Judging by the fact that the barman did not know the price of the Bitter at the end of the night I suspect that most of the beer sales that day had come from the fizz available under the usual brands rather than Youngs�s own beers.
The restaurant area is full of old furniture making it look a bit like an auctioneer�s saleroom and lacks the atmosphere that a proper restaurant would have. The menu is the usual Youngs/Brakes ponced-up pub grub; expensive for what it is without being particularly exciting. I cannot see nurses flocking over from the hospital to eat dishes such as sausage and mash or to have a ciabatta sandwich at �5+, or many others for that matter.
The staff seemed friendly, albeit in a trained �have a nice day� manner and are much better looking than their surroundings. I assume, by the range of fizz and the noise coming over the speakers, that the target market is young trendies but I am not sure how many this place will attract, being out of town.
I suspect that locally, the drunks will remain at the Kingston Gate, the beer drinkers at the Park Tavern and the foodies at the Pottery. I do hope, however, that I have been premature in my criticism and The Albert settles down to be the great pub it was once.
10 Apr 2007 15:31
The Kings Arms, Epsom
They have done a nice job doing the place up although filling the windows with junk is a strange idea. Eventually I got a mediocre pint of Youngs after being ignored by the staff for a while. They seem to think they are far too important, or attractive, to fraternise with the punters. I did fare better though than a woman at the bar who was being harangued for not knowing her table number when trying to spend �30 on food!
12 Jun 2012 10:57