The Albert Arms, Esher

Once again the previous reviewer has left me with little to say about this pub as it hasn’t changed since his visit – but I’ll think of something. On my visit there were five ales spread over the eight pumps – London Pride, Black Sheep Bitter, Dark Star Hophead, Gale’s Spring Sprinter and Butcombe Bitter. That’s a decent selection even though there’s nothing from a local micro-brewery. But the pumps are in two banks of four with no double clipping so it’s necessary to walk round the bar to look at them all to see the complete selection. I didn’t look at the main restaurant’s menu, but the sandwich menu in the bar area is quite reasonable costing between £3.50 and £6 a time. The drinks were placed on little paper napkins, which I guess is considered to be more seemly than beermats. Even though this pub is firmly in the gastropub camp, and there are no normal tables and chairs in the drinking area, it still had the feel of a pub when I was in the other day, mainly as a result of the jolly crowd in at the time. I wouldn’t really go out of my way to visit again, but the ale selection is sufficiently good to warrant dropping in for a swift one if you’re in Esher.

Staunchly down the gastro route in well-heeled Esher, the Albert is clearly more restaurant than pub, however it does somehow pull off the dual personality bit with a horseshoe bar at the front, eight handpumps and a TV showing sport. The restaurant area extends considerably down one side and returns across the rear where there is an open kitchen and servery. Food has an Italian leaning and is priced at the upper end however bar food in the front is surprisingly affordable being in the £5-£7 range for such items as sausage and mash, Barnsley chop, grilled salmon etc. Concentrating on the pub end of things, all tables around the front bar are of the high type with stools, the floor is wooden, half height light wood wainscotting and white walls with minimal decor, although there are some stuffed coarse fish in glass cases around the corner towards the dining area. Rugby is a theme, that was the sport on TV and England, Wales and All Blacks signed shirts are displayed in frames. A couple of old etched sash windows remain in the front bat, indicating "chops" and "steaks". Perhaps this has been a food centric pub for a long time. On the two banks of four pumps were Pride, GKIPA, Doom Bar, Black Sheep Bitter, Gales HSB, Butcombe Bitter (£3.50) with Surrey Hills Shere Drop reversed and one unclipped. A pretty average selection given the number offered but I would have gone for the Shere Drop if available. In all, if you are going to turn a pub into an eating establishment, then I think there should still be room for drinkers. This they have done, so a mark up for that, it just didn't feel very pubby to me.

Bar restaurant close to Sandown racecourse. Beers from fullers,hogs back & surrey hills breweries.

Refurbished in (not very friendly) modern style, ie bare wood and white walls, with large part given over to restaurant. Only saving grace is a good range of beers, mainly from local breweries.