Wow. I can honestly say I have never, ever paid for poorer food and service in my life. But I am…read moregetting ahead of myself. From the outside, this looks a charming, village centre real ale pub. How wrong that impression is. The decor looks to be around 20 years old. Despite boards advertising a number of real ales, there was but one session ale (at 3.8%) on, and nothing else. When I asked, no apology was given. The ale was in decent condition, but was nothing special. The woman behind the bar appeared uninterested, and the bloke wearing cooks' checks actually scowled when I misread a sign (thinking both rice and potatoes came with a meal). They do a lunchtime special - £7.95 for two meals. The meals wouldn't have been worth 7.95p. The Chicken Cacciatori I had was vivid red, came with rice but not the promised veg, and, worst of all, was cold in parts. It had been microwavedbadly. The chicken was dry, and the sauce bland. I ate some of the rice, and maybe three bites of the chicken, and couldn't stomach any more. I, however, was lucky. My friend got the beef pie. The beef resembled dog food more than it did meat from an actual named animal (it even appeared slightly green). The pastry was just bunged on top, and again, it was imperfectly heated. The service was more than surly, it was rude. Bringing our food over, she just pointed randomly to a corner, where we were told we could fetch our cutlery. We had not been told this when ordering. When the barmaid came to take our plates, she did not enquire how the meal was, even though both plates were nearly as full when she took them away as they were when she brought them. I have never been quite so grateful to leave a pub. I recommend you avoid this pub at pretty much all costs. Don't eat there, and don't drink there unless someone is holding a gun to your head. Avoid.

Went to The Red Lion to grab a night cap. We went in late in the evening prior to closing. We were…read morestill served, and were able to sit in peace to enjoy our drinks. They did come around and make us aware of last call a few minutes prior to closing. We were not pushed out upon closing, but they certainly were anxious for us to leave. There is large outdoor space with both covered and uncovered seating. There's free wi-fi too!

Nice atmosphere, Large eat1ing area and large quiet garden…read more Food was fab and nice ales!!

From the owner: The pub boasts locally sourced food, fantastic ales and great fun, relaxed, friendly service. Our…read morefunction room known locally as 'The Stables' hosts many functions and is a popular venue for Christenings, Funerals, Birthday's, Corporate events, Board Meetings, Christmas meals and even small weddings. Whatever the occasion, please contact us at the Bells to discuss your specific requirements and budget.

Fantastic pub with very friendly landlady (Sandra) and bar staff! Saloon and Public bars, pool…read moretable, fruit machines and extensive bar. Homemade delicious food. Regular live bands, karioke, quiz nights, raffles etc. Spotlessly clean and a wonderful flower display in the Summer. Sky/Sentanta. Smoking and lovely seating area at rear of pub.

My review concerns labor issues:…read more I worked at this location when it belonged to another company. During the transition to the new company, we were assured that our rights would be protected if we waited a few weeks without receiving payment from the new company. In my case, I waited and, after starting work, I was fired a few weeks later by the new company, the same one that had guaranteed our rights, and another person was hired in my place. In these cases, it's also important to know how employees are treated. It all happened after I helped clean the entire kitchen during the Christmas holidays.

Despite the fact that this pub didn't seem to be hugely fantastic, the thing that struck me was…read morethat despite it being packed, I still was served rather quickly, which I certainly appreciated. Anyway, this sort of felt fairly typical of an English pub in the semi-rural areas, though it still had some charm about it. The staff were friendly, and I suspect that the beers were also fairly typical. However, for a pub that is basically located on the outer fringes of London it wasn't too bad.

How on earth 15 years later the price of British breakfast here hasn't gone up. Either I got…read moretheir specials or it's been fantastic since. Same order I had in London was over 10 times more. Refillable coffee oh boy. Came back late afternoon for a jug of Pimm's and it cost half of a single glass of the same thing minus fruits in the city. Try this British pub. Sit anywhere order at the counter. So relax plus good quiet walk along the Thames. I will definitely be back for Thursdays curry someday!

If you're fond of English pub-grub (which I am), this is not a bad place to try. It's one of many…read moreold pubs that have been taken over by a company called Wetherspoons, and they serve decent, reasonable food and beer in a traditional English atmosphere, a totally non-hipster-joint, where you feel like one of the locals, even though it's part of a corporate chain. First you find an empty table and claim it, making a note of the table number, which is engraved in a small metal plate attached to the table. Then you walk up to the bar and place your food and drink order, tell the server your table number, and pay for it. They give you your drink, and tell you your food will be delivered to your table. I paid £7.35 ($9.37) for the afternoon fish and chips special deal. It included a huge piece of cod fish, large portion of fries, and "mushy peas", PLUS a pint of ale (I chose the classic "Old Speckled Hen"). The food was tasty and one pint of ale is plenty for me. I couldn't finish it all, I can sit here as long as I like, sipping my ale, AND there is no tipping necessary. What a deal.

Amazing. We had a 16 hour layover at Heathrow so we decided to book a nearby hotel for the night…read more This was an amazing decision. It was a short uber ride from the airport, and the place was SO cozy and perfect. We ate the best fish and chips of our lives at the restaurant and then hopped over (across the hall) to the pub for a few drinks before walking right up the stairs and going to bed. The bed was comfortable (although Americans- take note that a king size bed in the US is much bigger than a UK King. I'd say the UK king was closer to a queen). There was a gorgeous coffee/tea setup with a Nespresso machine and pods, an electric kettle, some teabags, and chocolates to pair with the coffee. We had a balcony overlooking the river which was gorgeous! Everything about this place was cozy, cute, and felt so English.

After a few nights of questionable lodging in other nearby towns, arriving in Staines I wasn't…read moreexpecting much. Hoping, but not expecting, and this is the perfect way to go through life: Set your expectations low and watch your happiness meter rise. The Swan Hotel is a 16th century place of lodging sitting right beside the Thames. It's been refurbished to a stylish, immaculate inn with both a pub and a restaurant. Staines isn't a hotbed of activity so hanging out in the pub then stumbling up to your room is a very comforting plan. While it's true that a ball placed on the floor of my room would have rolled on its own (remember, 16th century building) it's also true that my room was a dream. With its luxurious bedding, mattress (1600 individual pocket spring mattress), and a French door that opened up to a tiny balcony overlooking the Thames River I'd have enjoyed staying longer. That such charm can be had for so little (rooms here can be had for about $125 per night) brings joy. The Swan Hotel is a Fuller property, a name I saw several times during my time in the UK. Based on my all-around excellent experience here I'd not just seek to stay here again but I'd also seek out other Fuller properties when returning to visit the rest of the UK.

At home we would call this a local dive bar, nothing special about the place. Came in on a cold…read morewinters day to warm up and have a few beers but it was a balmy freezing degrees in this pub. A local but not a local for me,

Good Beer, Good Prices. Definitely worth a visit if you…read morefancy a chilled out few pints.

Must edit my review of this pub as it's under different management since I last reviewed it and is…read moretotally different both in friendliness and style. It still retains it's old pub charm but the new landords/s have obviously spent a lot of money updating it and making it into a great pub with a very friendly atmosphere. Spotless toilets and a fab large back saloon bar ideal for hiring for bands playing and private parties. The landlord is lovely and so friendly...it's a great place to go! This is just what pubs used to be like before all the meddling went on trying to turn them into yuppey wine bars etc! If you're in the area and want to drink in a 'real' pub then go to this place!

Panface, Are you sure that you were in the Compasses ? This is not the pub that I know. They don't…read moreeven do food so of course you can't comment on it. Perhaps you should check your facts first. It is a friendly well run public house. Not shabby or grubby. Try visiting it again and have a proper look and I am sure that you will realise that you have been mistaken and of course will apologise to the landlord and landlady for your inaccurate comments