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Chat about:
Beer of the Week (w/e 15th June 2025) with hondo
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
Cornerstone, Kingston Town, Kingston Upon Thames
Kingston Upon Thames
KT1 1QJ
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 5 of 10) see review guidelines
Pub SignMan left this review about Cornerstone
A large, multi-room pub near Kingston station that combines smart dining with sports bar sensibilities. The front room is an airy, stylish space with tall windows, standard tables and chairs, and several booths divided by partitioning panels. Décor includes low tongue-and-groove panelling below plain and William Morris-style wallpapered uppers, with early film prints and local photos on the walls. The bar is on the back wall, with a plain counter, mirrored metal-frame bar back, and eye-catching bubble-style pendant lights above. Beyond the bar is a rear games area with high tables, drinking ledges, dartboard, pool table, photo booth, and slot machines. Between the front and back sits a quieter lounge-like space, decorated much the same.
Although two GK IPA pumps were clipped, both were inexplicably off and no effort was made to turn the clips so as to avoid such confusion. I settled for a pint of Greene King Level Head on keg at £6.80 - expensive, but about as good as Greene King beer gets these days. The barmaid was very friendly and apologetic about the lack of cask. TVs throughout showed live football with the sound on, creating a fairly loud, bustling atmosphere during my visit. Despite the noise, the space behind the bar offered a quieter retreat and I was frustrated to not be able to get a seat back there.
As sports bars go, I thought this was a decent enough set-up, with some smart, comfortable furniture, plenty of screens, pub games aplenty and friendly service. In general pub terms, the lack of cask ale (or the prospect of just Greene King IPA), the excessive noise and loud football commentary mean that it's not exactly the place to stop off for a quiet pint and you would certainly fair better in the 'Spoons over the road if good beer is your priority.
Date of visit: 30th January 2025
On 8th May 2025
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3361 recommendations about 3361 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about Cornerstone
Following a Covid closure and a facelift, this has lost its Hungry Horse branding and is very much a pub of two halves. The front and side areas are family dining, with the back room being a large dark-painted sports bar complete with darts, pool and shuffleboard; TV screens abound throughout. Just IPA and Abbot on handpump - condition adequate but not great. Apart from the sport, I can't see any particular reason to come in here rather the Spoons over the road.
On 20th March 2023
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3680 recommendations about 3615 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about Cornerstone
A routine modern town pub, run by GK under the Hungry Horse brand. There is a central almost island bar with seating in front and to the rear where there are booths and a side area. Some high tables to the front of the bar. A recess in a front corner links through to the Rotunda entertainment complex, there is a rather forlorn looking pool table in this area which looked to be equipped with a single cue. Large TVs on the walls had the cricket World Cup on.
It was quite busy in here with a mixture of daytime drinkers plus those dining from the brand's budget menu. Three handpumps with GKIPA, Abbot and one reversed with what looked like a London Glory clip. Featureless and functional.
On 22nd June 2019
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1710 recommendations about 1683 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about The Cornerstone
Very busy on a Sunday lunch time.Sky sports football on.Still GK ipa and Abbot on handpump.Dull.
On 29th March 2014
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Cornerstone
This is a Greene King house, operating under their "Hungry horse" branding. Like other Hungry Horse pubs, it's inevitably food led with the usual glossy pub grub menus available. There are no surprises on the ale front either, with GKIPA and Abbot available. But it least it does have a couple of ales on, and although I'm not terribly keen on GK ales, others may enjoy them.
The pub itself is built into the ground floor of the hideous Kingston Rotunda complex, and is a newly opened pub conversion. Furnishings are the modern sort of stuff you might expect to see in a 'spoons. Personally, I would plan to stick to the Kings Tun 'spoons opposite, but there's clearly a thriving market for this sort of place, as it was doing a good trade mid-afternoon on a Monday.
On 17th January 2014
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]