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Detail Pages
The Watermans, Richmond
Richmond
TW9 1TJ
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Watermans
ORIGINAL REVIEW February 2020
Youngs Pubco. had done an expensive refurb here,but have changed the vibe completely to restaurant quality gastro.Externally there is sparkling etched glass windows and a light paint scheme.You then enter into quite a small area with bar to the right with a drinking shelf to the immediate right and bar stools for anyone wanting to just drink.To the left a fine red leather clad banquette contains a series of dining tables,all laid with silverware and offering food from a classy menu.Expect mains to approach £20,starters and desserts £8 all prepared by a proper chef,no food service reheating and microwaving here.It's an opulant spot and booking a table here will be necessary.
In order to find more casual seating you will need to go around a short back corridor where there is a lower level lounge with pine tables,where you could go to just drink.However dining overspill will occur here,especially at lunchtime.There is a seperate front door to this section ,but it seemed cold and antiseptic to me.However on the first floor there is a charming square room with some Georgian features which is used as a smart dining area or can be hired for functions.You get a good view of the Curzon cinema and it's neon sign from this room.
There are 3 handpumps offering Youngs Original and St Austell Tribute (NBSS 2.5) while the clip for Youngs Special was reversed. This ale line up wont attract serious real ale fans and given the very high quality food offering,it's strange to see such unadventurous beer .However wine will always be more popular with the upmarket diners who will flock here.
UPDATE
The three handpumps stand felourn and if you just want a drink you must use the 6 bar stools and the drinking shelf.There is a bar snack menu.Note the back room is now part of the dining experience.There is a walled beer garden outside which would be another option in good weather.It's really an upmarket restaurant and very good at that to boot .
On 18th February 2023
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about Watermans Arms
A traditional looking pub tucked away down a quiet side lane between the High Street and the river, it consists of a larger lounge bar at the front and a smaller bar at the rear. There is also a beer garden although we did not investigate this.
Décor wise it’s very traditional with red patterned carpet on the floor and red velvet bench seating around the perimeter. Leaded windows faced out on to the road and there were various old black and white pictures of the river on the walls. Paintwork was a pale shade of yellow and there was dark wood panelling on the lower part of the walls. One end wall was covered in wallpaper printed to look like a bookcase, whilst elsewhere was a plasma screen showing the football which seemed a little out of place. Fortunately the volume was off so this was not too intrusive. The rear room was broadly similar in terms of décor although with purple paintwork and some stained glass partitioning in front of the bar counter.
Although food is offered, it seems to be run as a separate enterprise from the pub itself, and hence must be ordered and paid for via different staff. The menu is predominantly Thai with a number of options from that genre, as well as a few English dishes if that’s not your thing. We went for a Chicken Pad Thai and this was a decent enough dish, if nothing spectacular but quite tasty and good value at £8.95 considering the area.
Beers on tap were Young’s Special, Sambrook’s Wandle, Young’s Bitter, Twickenham Redhead and Twickenham Naked Ladies. Ciders were Aspall’s Harry Sparrow and Thatcher’s Gold, although the latter was perhaps slightly past it’s best.
On 8th December 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1948 recommendations about 1861 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Watermans Arms
A traditional if basic side street pub with an upstairs Thai restaurant attached. Five hand pumps with a Young's lineup of Bitter,Special,Winter Warmer and presumably Wells/Young's Watermans Ale plus a Guest of Twickenham Naked Ladies. Despite the unchallenging beer selection the pub is enjoyable enough.
On 29th December 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about The Watermans Arms
Traditional pub with traditional Thai food.Cosy but busy.Two Youngs beers and Two Twickenham beers.
On 26th March 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The Watermans Arms
Young's pub tucked away on a side street. Bar and lounge served from a central bar. 5 real ales( 3 Young's 2 Twickenham). Food served.
On 2nd May 2015
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Watermans Arms
A old-fashioned Youngs pub on the lane between Richmond town centre and the River Thames. It has a cosy front bar and a smaller room to the rear, both with traditional furniture and decor. Thai restaurant and function room upstairs. Very compact front terrace and modest side patio. Ordinary, Special and the guest ale Twickenham Naked Ladies (£3.70) available from the five handpumps.
On 6th April 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Watermans Arms
A pleasant and welcoming pub just up a lane from the riverside. Small front room with the bar in the middle, banquette type seating to the perimeter and a fire burning in the grate made for a homely feel. Assorted nicknacks, pictures, model boats and other nautical stuff. I could see a further small room through the bar seemingly with small tables laid out in a way to suggest an eating area more than a routine bar. Some bench tables to the front and another outdoor terrace area to one side.
Youngs beers plus Deuchars which appears to be a standard guest in some Youngs pubs these days. I didn't see Bombardier although it could have been on in the other room. TV in the corner showing sports but in a complimentary fashion rather than dominating the proceedings. Rather good, and a good spot to wander down the lane to smugly check high tides at the right time, as you won't get your feet wet here.
On 11th February 2010
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Watermans Arms
This is an excellent little pub tucked away down a side street leading down to the river. It's a Young's pub, and the Bitter was good. It appears to be primarily a locals' pub, although there were one or two “visitors” in (like me) who were made welcome. The TV was on, showing a gameshow of some kind, with the sound turned down too low to hear over the babble of conversation. I don't think that we were missing anything worth hearing.
In my view this is an excellent pub. The only downside was a fruit machine flashing away like a demented Dalek, that detracted from the otherwise excellent atmosphere. Food is mainly Thai (like so many pubs these days) – I had a chicken stir-fry, which was OK and reasonably good value at £6.50. Dog friendly as well – there were a couple of well-behaved mutts lying around the place.
On 19th November 2008
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about The Watermans Arms
The Watermans arms is on a narrow lane which leads to the river Thames.
This pub is a Youngs tied house and once inside there were a couple of rooms i went in the room at the front which was the bigger of the two but this was also fairly small,the room was comfortable enough and there were three real ales on the bar i had a drink of Youngs bitter and this was a very nice drink the other beer was Youngs Special.
Pub visited 1/11/2001
On 1st November 2001
- rating: 8
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]