Pubs / Bars National
Offers
Reviews
 |
The Stag (Ascot)
by ladybracknell Since retiring, I've become a member of the ladies-that-lunch brigade and regularly meet up with friends and ex-colleagues in the same boat where we discuss the joys of no longer being wage slaves whilst tucking into a spot of grub. As we all live in different parts of East Berkshire, we take it in turns to choose the pub or restaurant ... and The Stag was the choice of a friend who lives in the Ascot area. She hadn't eaten there before but had heard good things about it. This pub is part of the Greene King group and is purported to have been recently updated. I'd argue that there are still areas which need improvement. Location For anyone who doesn't know this area, Ascot isn't the world's most beautiful high street. It's dominated by the main entrance to the Race Course at the top end and the rest is a mish-mash of archectural styles, mainly Edwardian and mid-twentieth century shops down one side and the Race Course overspill car parks and boxy Sixties shops and offices on the other. Even on non-race days, the High Street is a very busy thoroughfare as it's a main road used by many drivers as a route to the M3 heading towards London. The Stag has a corner position and looks to be one of those mid-twentieth century purpose-built pubs, all red brick and fake Tudor facade. It isn't a particularly attractive building but you know what it is straight away. Although this pub doesn't have its own car park, there is very limited on-street parking with time restrictions but there's also a free car park close by, just a few yards further on. Ambience and mine host Just as the outside of the pub isn't particularly attractive, the interior is also fairly bland, quite cold and soulless looking. There are a couple of entrances, both taking visitors into the bar area which has been decorated in a retro pub style by which I mean it has wooden floors and a high wooden bar; so high, in fact, that there was no way either myself or my lunch companions could have leant upon it. The area behind the bar was obviously higher as the barmaid towered over us. In the part of the saloon bar where we were, the chairs and tables were also very high. I'm just over 5 foot two inches and after several attempts to clamber up onto a bar stool, in the end I gave up rather than struggle further. Decoratively speaking, I didn't find the bar area particularly welcoming as it all seemed very cold and bare. The barmaid, however, was very pleasant and friendly. Although it was a lunch time and Ascot has quite a few businesses, the bar was surprisingly quiet which was probably just as well as the barmaid seemed to be on her own. The restaurant area is at the back of the pub facing onto a paved courtyard beer garden and is a much larger area than the bar. This has also recently been redecorated and is again modern old-style with flagstone floors, painted brickwork, sturdy dark wood furniture and fairly neutral soft furnishings. The decor is best described as pleasant but, to my mind, it lacked warmth. Just as with the bar, the restaurant area was very quiet with only about three other tables being occupied. Although it was a week day lunchtime, there are several businesses in the area and I would have expected it to have been much busier. As we were served by the barmaid who seemed to be doubling up on her duties, it's probably just as well that the restaurant was quiet. The barmaid/waitress was very pleasant, welcoming and helpful and although we lingered far longer than most diners, she left us in peace and didn't show any signs of wishing us gone. Menu The lunchtime menu is extensive although it's largely confined to pub grub but it has something for everyone whether they are meat or fish eaters though for vegetarians the choices are rather limited. The menu offers a selection of sandwiches and wraps, sharing platters, burgers and light main meals ranging in price from around £4.95 for a wrap up to £10.95 for the lighter main meals. There are also more substantial lunch dishes, which include such delights as Steak and Ale Pie, Pork Belly with Bubble and Squeak, Roast Chicken and several fish dishes which were priced from £6.95 for Scampi, Chips and Peas to £11.95 for an 8 oz. Sirloin steak with the trimmings. Sadly, the menu only offered three vegetarian choices for main meals; Haloumi, a pasta dish with chickpeas or Butternut Risotto and only a couple of vegetarian sandwiches. The weekend menu has the addition of a roast dinner option on Sundays costing £9.45. We opted for the sandwiches, all of which are served with salad and chips on the side. My friends' choices included Duck and Hoisin Wrap, Basil Marinated Buffalo Mozzarella served on Flatbread with Rocket, Red Onion and Tomato, a Chicken and Streaky Bacon Club Sandwich and a Fish Finger Sandwich for me. All the sandwiches were every bit as substantial as a main meal and everyone enjoyed their food which was hot, well cooked and well presented. My Fish Finger Sandwich wasn't your average two slices of white bread and a couple of Bird's Eye fish fingers but was served on homemade multigrain bread with handmade breaded haddock goujons served with a lime and coriander mayo and a lime wedge. The fish was perfectly cooked and the salad was crisp and plentiful. I have to single out the chips for special mention. They were delicious and though I can't swear they were twice-cooked, they were golden and crispy on the outside, beautifully cooked on the inside and not at all greasy. Despite being on a diet, I ate all mine! Only a couple of us had room for pudding as the options were all quite heavy with such dishes as Sticky Toffee and Date Pudding with Clotted Cream and Vanilla Sauce, Tarte Tatin with Toffee Sauce and Ice Cream and Belgian Chocolate Torte served with Crème fraîche and Orange Coulis. I didn't have a pudding but when I saw my friends Chocolate Torte I wished I had. The puddings were all priced around £4.50 with the exception of the Pudding Board option which consists of mini portions of all the desserts on offer and that was priced at £9.95. We didn't have any alcohol as we were all driving so I can't comment on the quality or price of the wines on offer. We were offered a jug of still water without having to ask and free of charge. Facilities I paid a quick visit to the ladies and can't say that I was impressed. It isn't somewhere patrons would want to linger. The facilities were very basic and the decor was rather tired to say the least. However, the toilet and basins were clean and there was plenty of loo paper although the strong chemical scent of disinfectant wasn't at all pleasant. I can't speak for the gents, but can only assume that they were in a similar condition. This is definitely an area of the pub which requires some improvement as it obviously hadn't been included in the upgrade. Opening times: Food is served seven days a week from 11:00 am until 11:00 pm which is extended to midnight from Thursday to Saturday and closing at 10:30 pm on Sunday. In Summary The Stag is a good option for a quick or leisurely lunch if you're passing through Ascot, though I imagine it's a no-go venue for race days not least because parking will be almost impossible. The food was well cooked and reasonably priced and service was fast and friendly but the overall ambience was somewhat lacking due in part to the rather sterile decor and I suspect the lack of other diners contributed to this. As I've already mentioned, the loo could do with considerable improvement. I can't wholeheartedly recommend this pub/restaurant because there are areas which definitely need attention but overall the positives certainly outweigh the negatives and this is one stag which doesn't need culling. Contact details: The Stag 68 High Street Ascot, SL5 7HP Tel: 01344 621622 Read the complete review |
 |
Sparrow Brewers Fayre (Ansty, Coventry)
by lubyloo This pub has changed it's name so many times, originally the Sparrow way back it was a small hotel with the hotel part upstairs and the restaurant pub downstairs. Since then it has had the upstairs converted into more restaurant space and the hotel is now round the back. The restaurant is part of the Brewers Fayre chain and ... the hotel is part of the premier inns. The pub --------- I have been many times just for an evening drink, not to eat, it's lovely and spacious and has comfortable arm chair seating with televisions and a snooker/pool table. This area is not huge but it's not extremely busy which is nice as it's a nice quite place to go out and sit for an evening drink. I like to have hot chocolate or coffee with my friend and a good natter! Because it's a hotel as well there are often guests in there too and it's often open quite late. The Restaurant ---------------- The restaurant is very popular and at weekends it can be quite busy, Mothers day a couple of years ago was really busy and I notice they're doing the same deal this year, mum's go free!! fab, it didn't matter how many mum's were in the group either. The restaurant has a massive area, there's downstairs and upstairs. The menu is good there is plenty of choice, there are a range of starters from prawn cocktail, soup, mushrooms to cheese bites. The prices range from approx £4. The main menu has a range of meals from pub classics including chicken, sausage and mash, steak and ale pie and lasagna. There is a grills range including rump steaks, gammon steaks, mixed grill and BBQ spare ribs. A fish menu including fish and chips and scampi. prices range from £7 to £13 approx. Light snacks are also available Monday to Friday during the day. Deserts include Belgian banoffee waffle, fudge cake, ice cream, proffiteroles and caramel apple crumble (this is my favourite and lovely with cream) Again prices range from £3 approx. All prices are depending on offers that are on as there are often special evenings and offers on certain nights. Some of these include; 2 meals for £10 Monday to Friday 12noon till 6.30pm and 2 puddings for £2 Monday to Friday 12noon till 6.30pm. so for £12 you could have 2 main meals and 2 puddings - excellent value. Parking -------- There is a huge car park plenty big enough, also in the evening late there is a barrier which comes up so that no one can come in but guests are let out by pressing the button or the security raise the barrier, this makes evenings feel quite safe. Staff ----- I have always found the staff very helpful and friendly, drinks are often brought over to us if they're not busy and they are very chatty. If you want to book a larger table then often they will accomodate that either in the conservatory type area or upstairs which is excellent as it's not too over crowded. Overall ------- A great place, not too crowded not too busy but enough to feel friendly, warm and welcoming. Have marked it down one because at times when it has been extremely busy such as mothers day, the staff can seem a bit frazzled but then who wouldn't!! Read the complete review |
 |
The Quays (Surrey)
by kiss_me2070 The Pub = = = = = This pub/restaurant is located in Mytchett near Camberley in Surrey. This is a beautiful pub/restaurant which backs onto a beautiful large lake where they regularly do activities on the lake during the summer months. I was actually introduced to this place by my boyfriend and his mother who have always been ... regular eaters here. There are speed humps on the way to the pub which you need to go over in order to get to the car park. As you go over the speed humps you can see the large open lake which the pub backs onto. The first impressions of the car park aren't particularly very good as the car park is just covered with loose gravel with dips and holes all over. This can be awkward during the winter/rainy season as there are quite a few large puddles around the car park. There are no proper markings for car parking spaces so it's just a case of parking where other cars have decided to park. This can also get a little muddy when it rains as well. There are some spaces for disabled people and these are marked by small posts near the front of the building. The car park isn't huge but can hold a fair amount of cars and we never have trouble parking here whenever we visit. As you walk through the main doors the pub is quite bright and looks very clean and tidy. The toilets are on the left hand side and on the right hand side is a seating area with a television. The bar is located to the right of this seating area and this stretches right down to the far end of the pub. You can see which beers are available on tap and spirits are displayed in optics along the back of the bar. You can also see the range of soft drinks and Alco pops in the fridge behind the bar. There is plenty of seating in the pub and you can choose whether to sit in the bar area to eat and drink or you can sit in the dining area. There are a few tables in the bar area so this is more suited to people who just want to go here for a drink. The dining area is located down towards the back of the pub down a few steps (there is a small lift for disabled users) and there are many different sized tables and chairs for you to sit round. On each table is a holder with a menu, win list and other information such as current offers. The tables should also be laid with napkins and cutlery in place. The seating area continues outside where there are more tables, chairs and picnic style tables suitable for families or small groups of people. This area is lovely as it looks out onto the lake and in the summer you can watch then do some water sports on the lake. There is how-ever a lack of shade in this area so it does get extremly hot during the summer. Some of the tables have umbrellas for shade but others don't and as the chairs and tables are made from a type of metal they can of course get rather warm when sitting in the sun. I have sat outside on a few occasions, how-ever more for drinking rather than eating. The view and atmosphere outside is lovely in the summer, how-ever this area does get very busy during the summer. The Food = = = = = The pub has a large range of food available and they also have a menu for kids. The menu's can be found on each table inside the restaurant. They have a lovely range of starts, sides and main meals which includes steaks, burgers, chicken dishes, vegetarian meals, pasta and other meals. I always find it hard to choose what to have on the menu due to the range of food on here as it all sounds lovely. Most of their meals are two for one which I think is brilliant offer. This does only apply to the main meals, how-ever this works out really cheap if me and my boyfriend go here to eat as we are only having to pay for one meal and our drinks which I think is good value. An example of some of their food can be found below: * Starters - Duck Spring Rolls served with Hoisin Sauce, Garlic Mushrooms, Prawn Cocktail, Popcorn Prawns, Goats Cheese and more. * Main Meals - Lasagne with garlic bread, Half roast chicken with vegetables and mash potato, Leg of Lamb with potatoes & and mint sauce, Ribs with chips and peas, A selection of different burgers, A range of different Curries and more. * Sides - Garlic Bread, Cheesy Garlic Bread, Vegetables, Side Salad, Cheesy Chips and more. * Desserts - Banoffee Pie, Sticky Toffee Pudding with Custard or Ice Cream, Spotted Dick. They also do a range of different cheesecakes, ice creams and sundaes too. On Sunday's they have a carvery which you pay one price and fill your plate up with your chosen meat & vegetables. I have only had the carvery once and I wasn't that impressed with it as they only had chicken left as the other meats had all gone. The selection of vegetables and different gravy was good and the food tasted ok, how-ever I personally think my boyfriend cooks a better roast than what this one tasted. Sunday's get extremely busy here so we actually avoid going here on Sundays after visiting here and having to wait over 40 minutes just for our starter. They also do tend to run out of meat very quickly so I personally wouldn't recommend going here at all on Sunday's. To order food you need to go the bar area and tell them what you would like to order. You can choose to set up a tab to pay later or you can pay for all the items at once when ordering them. We normally set up a tab and pay at the end of our meal after we have had a few drinks. You will need to take note of your table number which can be found on the actual table. After ordering your food a staff member will bring it to you table along with any extra items such as sauces or condiments. Tasting the Food = = = = = = = = = I have had a starter a few times in here and can't really complain about the starters. I normally always go for the duck spring rolls with the hoisin sauce which I find delicious. They are always cooked really nicely and taste delicious. My boyfriend has had the popcorn prawns here and although they are nice, they are rather small and are more like shrimps rather than prawns. I have had various different meals here including a pasta dish that comes with garlic bread. I how-ever never received my garlic bread along with the pasta dish and when I finally did receive it I had actually finished my meal. The pasta dish was very hot and tasted ok, how-ever it was nothing special and I think I could have made something better at home myself. I have also had chicken dishes here which are nice and I always find that the chicken is quite juicy and never dry. On one occasion I really fancied a steak here which came with chips and some salad. The size of the steak was good and the salad that came with the steak was a good portion too. The steak was cooked to how I like it, how-ever the steak had so much gristle in it, and I couldn't even finish it. This was really disappointing and since then I haven't had another steak. It may have just been my bad luck to get a steak like this; how-ever my boyfriend's mum's steak was the same as well and also contained a lot of gristle. As there was a large group of us we didn't bother complaining as we didn't want to seem awkward when everyone else with us had already started their meals and were enjoying them. I have also had a dessert here and this was probably one of the best parts of the meal. Me and my boyfriend shared an Oreo Cheesecake and this was delicious. . Not to mention very sickly as well. The food is always presented very well and always comes out looking really nice and tasty. Some of the food, depending on what you have is very nice but other dishes don't taste as good as they sound which is disappointing. If there has been an issue with our food on some occasions we have called over a member of staff to complain, how-ever they don't seem very quick in bringing out a replacement or trying to come up with a solution so we have learnt not to complain now and just pick the meals we know are going to taste as good as they look. Toilets = = = = There are toilets located in 2 different places in the pub, some of which are located by the main entrance and the others are located in the dining area. I can't really fault the toilets as whenever I have visited here (which has been at least 4 times); they have always been very clean and well stocked with toilet tissue and soaps. There is no graffiti or broken locks on any of the toilets and they always smell fresh and clean. There are also disabled toilets located in the bar and the dining area as well. Staff = = = Depending on when you go here, depends on what the staff are like. I have noticed that they tend to have so many different members of staff and I don't really recognise any from previous visits. The staff are reasonable well dressed wearing black clothing including a branded shirt in which they all wear. I have found on a few occasions some of the staff aren't very well trained and have made mistakes when we have ordered food. This hasn't just been on one occasion but has been on a few occasions. This includes when ordering food and drink. On the other hand there are other members of staff that go the extra mile and are very helpful and polite and will help you with everything you need. If I knew the staff member's name on our previous visit I would have quite happily mentioned them in this review. Although most of the staff are very well presented on a few occasions I think the girls haven't look very presentable. Especially larger sized girls wearing short black skirts who when cleaning the table you can get a clear view of the bottom of their bum cheeks. I don't find this acceptable at all, especially when working in the dining area of the restaurant. In fact this was rather off putting to say the least. Overall Opinion = = = = = = = = I really enjoy eating here with my boyfriend and friends when it's not too busy and I especially like going for a drink here during the summer where we can sit outside and enjoy the beautiful view of the lake. Me and my boyfriend often cycle here as it only takes us about 15 minutes from North Camp in Farnborough. There are posts and fences where you can chain your bike to. The restaurant always looks very clean and tidy and the table and always very clean with no mess on the floor or around the tables. You can book tables here if you are planning a party and they can move some tables around to cater for your needs. The food is reasonable value, especially as it's two for one on all the main meals. In terms of the quality of the food, I wouldn't say that it's the best, especially some specific dishes such as the Steak. I have been disappointed on a few occasions with the food here due to items missing or just the overall poor quality of it and the way it has been cooked. Although the food always looks and sounds good on the menu it sometimes doesn't always taste like this. Some of the staff in here are really helpful and are also very polite, whereas others don't really have a clue about anything and seem to lack any sort of training with how to deal with certain issues or problems. Due to the one bad experience with the carvery I personally wouldn't visit here for a carvery again, but I would go here for another meal. The pub tends to be really quiet during the week, especially during the winter, how-ever for the summer the pub is really busy and it's often hard to get a table. There have been a few occasions during the summer where we have had to walk back out as we haven't been able to find anywhere to sit. This isn't my top place for dining out but it is lovely if you fancy a nice relaxing drink during the summer. Other Information = = = = = = = = = The Quays, Coleford Bridge Road, Mytchett, Camberley, Surrey GU16 6DS Tel: 01252 372656 (review may also appear on ciao) Read the complete review |
Pub / Bar National |
||
|---|---|---|
|
1 review Address: 18-20 St Annes Road / Pub / Bar National / West Lytham / FY8 1RF / Tel: +44 01253 712515 |
|
|
1 review Address: Beauty Bank / Pub / Bar National / Whitegate / Cheshire / CW8 2BP |
|
|
1 review Address: Funtington / Pub / Bar National / West Sussex / PO18 9LL |
|
|
1 review Address: North End / Pub / Bar National / Mablethorpe / Lincolnshire / LN12 1QQ |
|
|
1 review Address: 18 Campbell Street / Pub / Bar National / Hamilton / ML3 6AS |
|
|
Address: 102 Oldham Street / Pub / Bar National / Manchester / M4 1LJ |
|
|
4 reviews Pub / Bar National / Pub.74 Grassmarket, Edinburgh EH1 2JR. Tel = +44(0)131 225 4851. |
|
|
Address: Waverley Railway Station / Pub / Bar National / Edinburgh / EH1 1BB |
|
|
1 review Address: Sleapshyde / Pub / Bar National / Smallford / St Albans / AL4 0SE |
|
|
Address: 30-34 Candlemaker Row / Pub / Bar National / Edinburgh / EH1 2QE |
|
| Pub / Bar National recommendations 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ... back next | ||
| dooyoo Results 31 - 40 of 1254 | ||
