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Disappointment of the week with Real Ale Ray
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Detail Pages
The Punchbowl, Dorking
Okewood Hill
Postal town: Dorking
RH5 5PU
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Blue left this review about The Punchbowl Inn
Very comfortable country pub, pretty much in the middle of nowhere. The main bar area is to the centre and left, with a flagstone floor, roaring inglenook fireplace, low ceilings and beams, a selection of old taps sticking out of the mantel, and display cases of such items as shotgun cartridges and fishing lures. The room to the right has comfy chairs and was hosting quite a few locals having a good time on an otherwise quiet, dismal May bank holiday. The pub is dog-friendly, and the pub dog customer-friendly. There is also an upstairs room used for functions, and a garden which must be very pleasant on better days. Two banks of three ale pumps each served Hall & Woodhouse offerings - Badger, Tanglefoot and Firkin Fox on our visit, the last two of which we tried and found to be good quality.
Service was friendly and we found it very easy to feel at home here. I’d certainly come back – a very decent pub, albeit limited to H&W ales.
On 13th May 2012
- rating: 8
[User has posted 271 recommendations about 270 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
. Wittenden left this review about The Punchbowl Inn
The first storm of the New Year:fallen trees, rain and lowering skies. A substantial fishtile hung medieval pub with a venerable roof of the local Horsham slate.I would think that this formed part of the tied estate of King and Barnes, cruelly swallowed up by Hall and Woodhouse several years back.
Inside, low beamed ceilings and a fine flagged floor, an open fire in the rather stripped down main bar. To the left, a room laid up for dining, swirly carpets and leaded lights, to the right a rather camp public bar with comfy armchairs. Lunchtime, a few groups eating and drinking, together with our rather rampageous family party celebrating the end of the Christmas break.
I must confess to a perhaps irrational dislike of Hall and Woodhouse’s “Badger” beers: I’d not had many good pints in the past, and the closure of K and B left a nasty taste in the mouth. The Punch Bowl offered three cask ales-Badger First Gold, Tangle foot, and the winter seasonal, Pickled Partridge. I didn’t try the First Gold: in view of the weather, I was looking for something darker. As we came in, the Swiss element were enjoying the Pickled Partridge, so I decided to follow their example. This was a ruddy brown ale,malt led with autumnal berries and an element of hoppiness. I was pleasantly surprised. However I found that the Tanglefoot put me in mind of a thin fruit cake, bland and inoffensive. Both beers were well kept and in good condition.
The food was well presented and generously proportioned-I dislike small portions-and not unduly expensive by Surrey standards.The landlord was enthusiastic, and service welcoming.
On 7th January 2012
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 283 recommendations about 282 pubs]