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Disappointment of the week with Real Ale Ray
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The Horse & Groom, Windsor
Windsor
SL4 1PD
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about The Horse & Groom
Sort of low ceiling very traditional sort of pub the tourists love. I like it as well very xmassy.5 cask beers and the Butcome -chris moose was tried.Hope the tourists dont think this is how cask beers should be.
On 17th December 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Horse & Groom
A lacklustre W&E Canberra before Xmas which was a sad way to end the session. Does seem to be a bit hit-and-miss on the beer side, unfortunately.
December 2014
Nine Christmasses on from my last visit, I popped in to see if the place still manages to be a pub that “comes into its own during the Christmas period” and indeed it does, especially if you are able to bag the bay window seat with views across to the castle. Four pumps with three on, sadly too blootered to note the selection but my W&E Guardsman was OK, though nothing more. I do like it here though and it’s worth including on the second-tier of a crawl list in Windsor and is the sort of Ye Olde Pubbe that the foreign tourists are looking for. Beer prices are, of course, top-end. But there’s always the King & Castle a few yards away to average out the pain on your wallet. Rated 7
December 2005
I really enjoyed the atmosphere in here, with smashing views of the castle by the window. A small, compact traditional interior with wood panelling, wooden pew benches etc. Atmospherically lit inside, as opposed simply being dingy. An enjoyable Spitfire on my last visit, though not a cheap one by any means...location adds an extra 40p on top I guess. Comes into its own during the Christmas period so best worth seeking out then. Rated 7
On 15th December 2017
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Horse & Groom
A small old pub, wooden floor and furniture,a horsey theme runs througout the pub. Seven handpumps on the bar were providing, Hobgoblin, London Pride, Brakespear Bitter, a house beer Horse and Groom and two from Windsor & Eton,Canberra and Knight Of The Garter which was in good shape, the last handle had Old Rosie Cider on.
Of course given it's location the air was quite thick with accents from across the big pond but didn't detract too much from this very English pub.
On 9th November 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1871 recommendations about 1844 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The Horse & Groom
Small pub across the road from Windsor castle. Quite a dark interior with horse racing memorabilia on the walls some outside tables at the side of the pub. 6 real real ale taps ( 5 on during my visit) and food served.
On 12th October 2015
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Horse & Groom
A compact old pub right by the entrance to Windsor Castle, inside is a small bare boarded room with the bar to one side towards the front, half height wood panelling, off-white upper walls with some areas wallpapered. Beamed ceiling, seating generally at upholstered pew benches, some rather tatty, plus small stools. Décor involves various horse themed prints, one of HRH riding plus the aforementioned photo of Winston with trademark cigar.
Behind and above the bar are a collection of bank notes and coins from around the world, obviously donated by the many foreign tourist who pitch up here for a bite to eat, a group of four Americans occupied the table next to me, they seemed to enjoy their lunches and it was pleasing to see the men sampling the real ale. Many main courses are at £8.95 which is pretty reasonable in a tourist hot spot like this.
Still three handpumps, Hook Norton Hooky, CW Eagle IPA and one reversed, I suspect the W&E beer, the clip looked the right shape.
You can sit outside on a few picnic benches to the side lane when the weather permits. It feels like a proper pub inclusive to all rather than a tourist centric cash cow, I was certainly happy having a pint in here and wouldn't hesitate to return, the beer was in good shape, and I thought the bar staff were genuinely helpful and sincere with a couple of people who came in unsure of the UK pub etiquette.
On 11th May 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1707 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
John Bonser left this review about Horse & Groom
Date of visit - August 2013
In the very heart of Windsor, virtually directly opposite the main entrance to Windsor Castle, is The Horse and Groom, an attractive looking, but smallish pub, apparently established in 1719.
It’s a low ceilinged pub with fake looking black ceiling beams, dark half height wood panelling and dark padded comfortable fixed seating and low bar stools. Perhaps not surprisingly, the walls are decorated with old prints of horses and their riders, although pride of place goes to a large impressive framed photo of Winston Churchill in one corner by the small bar server. The traditional feel of the interior is enhanced by some attractive coloured leaded glass inserts on the bar gantry and several old style gas lamps by the front window. To a large extent, I suppose it’s what you’d expect a visitor orientated pub in a tourist magnet place like Windsor to be like.
Given the location, it’s hardly surprising that food is a major part of the offering with condiments and laminated menus on each table. The back of this menu contains an interesting potted history of the building, first recorded as a pub in 1719. Previously owned by a long gone brewery in Egham, it fell into the hands of Courage and now appears to be privately owned by a group called wpc Inns. It was previously known as The Lower Rose and Crown and was a two bar pub. There’s still two separate entrances, one on the main street and a second one down the cobbled pedestrian passageway at the side, where there’s some outside bench seating.
Somewhat unusually, given the pub’s location and tourist emphasis, live music is offered on Thursday and Sunday nights, the latter featuring “The Skin and Blister Band”, who do Lemon Rock, whatever that is.
There’s 3 handpumps which were offering Hook Norton Hooky, Windsor and Eton Star and Garter and – a rare sighting this – Wells Eagle IPA. The pub is listed in the 2013 CAMRA Good Beer Guide and the sticker, as well as the LocAle sticker and Cask Marque symbol are prominently displayed by the front door. The Windsor and Eton beer – at a predictably pricey £ 3.90p – was in good form, but it is clear that beer is not the emphasis here and I didn’t see anything to suggest that the range changes at all.
I’d be happy to call in here again, but I imagine it gets mobbed with tourists at prime meal times. There’s more room, and a much more extensive beer range, at The Carpenters Arms, a few doors down the cobbled street which runs along the side of the pub.
On 28th October 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 560 recommendations about 560 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Horse & Groom
Small single room pub opposite Windsor Castle.
Three hand pumps dispensing Brakspear (£2.30), Hobgoblin and TT Landlord. My pint of Hobgoblin was reasonably well kept.
The interior was fairly dark due to the dimmed lighting and dark wood panelling and floors, but a window seat at the front of the pub not only gave a bit of light, but afforded excellent views of the castle as well.
A full menu was available, no doubt to cash in on the thousands of tourists that must pass their door. It was pricier than the neighbouring Carpenters Arms though, but some special offers were being advertised in the window.
There was quite a nice atmosphere when we visited, but I imagine things are very different in the busy summer months.
On 31st March 2010
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]