Pubs in Guildford, Surrey*

The place to go for a lazy afternoon, pub quiz or last call

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• We often pop into The Albany after work for a quick glass of wine on the way home.
• Farenheit is a pretty cool place if a bit small but the atmosphere is always good. it's near sainsburys and down an alley way.
• king arms
• Pews is good in summer out the back in the courtyard, RSVP always seems full although not entirely sure why. Back in the day it used to be 3 p's (top of high st) the spread eagle (now the Tup) in Chertsey st and Scruffy' s ... i think it's now the Britannia (?) down by the River
• Kings head for music people Royal Oak for goths and rockers The Star for gigs Pews for reggae gigs every other Sunday.
• the star and wetherspoons are good but don't go to wetherspoons on a friday or saturday unless you want to be surrouneded by pikeys!
• everywhere - cant walk 100m without seeing 1
• all the pubs are over priced except for wetherspoons - fantasitc place, they've served me since i was 15 :)
• Stoke. Was a firkin, now face lift, nice.
• The Three Tuns is an excellent studenty type pub
• The Star - poor selection of beer and they take an hour to prepare a cheese sandwich - and even then it isn't what's promised on the menu. Avoid it like the plague.
• The White Lyon at Worplesdon serves great beer, great food and has a cracking live entertainments programme to suit most tastes.
• Spoons is good, Barzuca is way too expensive even with teh new £5 all u can drink happy our thingy, Bar Med is great, but too busy on a fri/sat nite!
• How come at 23 I get asked for id, but when I get in the bloody place it is full of remarkably young little twats and slapperz?
• The Royal Oak on syedenham rd, is THE place to be any nite of the week. Ok maybe avoid tuesdays when the Barber Shop singers come in and annoy everyone 2 death with their singing. But fridays and saturdays are always fun. The staff there really know how 2 have fun(usually it involves large amounts of sambuca) . Mary and Ray the landlady and landlord are great, u won't meet a nicer couple. If ur really lucky u might get 2 see the girls dance on the tables after last orders.....
• The Wetherspoons is generally crowded and sold out of half the beers.
• Bridge Street pubs - full of twats
• the three tuns - if it wasnt for all the babies they let in
• The ONLY gay (homosexual) pub in Guildford is the gypos haven known as 'The Elm Tree', ideal if you like to get pissed amongst the moistened 'spendings' of the average dole dwelling suburban gay male, if on the other hand you're a lady seeking similar for fun and frolics and you get off on having your facial features rearranged just for posessing the ability to stand upright whilst stringing a sentence together - then the 'Elm' is the place for you!
• bar Zuka get to know the bar staff your money will go further get there early for seats+ a dance floor that no-one dances on Whats that all about?
• Yates on Bridge street gets a bad wrap but i genuinely a good night out with friendly staff and good crowd, hope u have fun
• scruffy murphy's, blatantly
• Pews Marquee bar, thats the bit outside....nice & chilled
• How can everyone not like Yates? The staff are all really friendly and always look like they'r having a laugh-it's nice to walk in somewhere on Bridge Street where people are smiling for a change. So what if a few youngsters slip in every now and then? Have you seen Bar Med and Wetherspoons? The average age of people going there must be about 12!! Yates is cheap, friendly and the best pub in Guildford.
• Kings Head
• theres quite a few, but i don't know any of their names
• Scruffy Murphys on a wednesday night Weatherspoons
• errr the george abbot next 2 river is chilled.RIKI Lowther
• If you want a good night out in guildford follow this simple guide: start in wetherspoons-here you can get a table, sum cheap drinks, easily chat to your mates and play a few drinking games-however they dong like you gettin too loud and theres no music. So wen you get bored stagger across to yates-its opposite. Upstairs is the best place,create a dance floor by the dj box and sink a few more.your now warmed up and ready 4 next door-bar med, but be warned its very buzy,sweaty and your feet get dirty!wen your in, straight to the dancefloor and bop away in a delirious till its time to leave. You will have an eventful and guaranted brill night!
• The Forresters off Cooper Road - just don't attempt to talk to anyone unless you can prove you're more local than them. Landlord and Landlady are lovely and the food is great.
• THE ROYAL OAK -TRINITY CHURCHYARD wow! have you seen the sexy barstaff in this place?????? the pub is now a gales pub which is great for me h.s.bat its best! the new managers are friendly and up for a laugh and have wicked party nights! food is cheap and tastes great i recomend brunch in a bun! £1.85 much better than Mc D's!!! i wish the new managers the best of luck and pray they keep the sexy barstaff!!!
• Loads - the white house and the jolly farmer being the best and Wetherspoons..
• Bar 29 are doing BOGOF
• SCRUFFY MURPHYS
• all too trendy for my likeing, can't hear yopur salef think in Yates and weatherspoons is too busy. so the best pace is the whitehouse, they do nice burgers too.
• KINGS head, Pews.... Wetherspoons... erm.... Wooden bridge... Watchout for the door people at Pews.. scary... Try godalming if all else fails... (the anchor) oh yer and Bar29 where they had the cheek of making people pay a quid on the door the other day,,,
• Where do I start. In my opinion don't go near the Bridge Street area of Guildford as it is full of dickheads and slappers! All the bars on this little strip are cheesy, expensive and packed to the rafters thus it takes ages to get served. With the exception of Wetherspoons which has cheap drinks, but there is no music and no atmosphere in there and it also takes ages to get served. Pubs I would recommend are The Star (High Street), Pews (Chapel Street), The White House (down by the river) in the summer anyway, The Hogshead (Upper High Street), The Power House (Portsmouth Road) used to be the Canon. The best pub of all though is in Godalming and is called the Anchor. It's a great place, friendly people, not too expensive and a great atmosphere! You won't find any try-hards in here. Also I'd recommend Bar 29 as somewhere to go when the pubs shut as it is open til 12am. But get there before 11pm or you won't get in, and it costs £1.
• EVERY Tuesday 8.30-11pm, 'Melting Pot' @Pews Wine Bar which is in Chapel St, off the High St. Jazz Jon & KJ play a varied selection of funk, breaks, Northern, hip hop with guest dj's every week. September 25th is a special 10th Anniversary bash til 12pm.
• The great Robin Hood.
• There are literally millions of clubs and pubs, everyone used to go to Scruffys (scruffy murphys) till that changed hands. Now pews restaurant and bar down the alley by baby gap is a popular hangout.For a slightly trendier customer try Bar Med and Guildford also possesses the largest Wetherspoons in the country..
• Loads - Pews is a little kak though but you'll get in if you're like six or something.
• Bar Med: Fine younger women, normaly private school girls. Generaly older kevins (20ish), expensive, big ques, but wicked atmosphere and cheese after 10. Hogs Head - nice, country like, next to my school, always good for a lunchtime ;) Not generaly underage, quite a few oldeish people. Kings Head - used to be underage style, now quite tight. OK atmosphere, young person type country pub thing. Spoons - cheap, no music, massive. 'nuff said. Yates - bit ghey, full of ben sherman wearing twats. Scruffys - very tight on ID, studenty, good fun. Not so irish.. Pews - seem to have many very young looking people. RaH. Freidnly bar people. Coast / Bar 29 : Plays good garage / trance, pricey, packed.
• The Jolly Farmer in Bramley is worth going to. Avoid The Wheatsheaf nextdoor. The Jolly closes from 3pm-6pm tho.
• The Three Pigeons on the High St is a bit 'lively' on a Fri/Sat night, but it's OK the rest of the time. Royal Oak on Sydenham Rd is much nicer, but gets a bit packed. George Abbot is good for Real Ale. More 'commercial' places can be found on Bridge St (Edwards, Bar Med, JD Wetherspoons).
• The George Abbots good and friendly bar staff, reasonable prices. Scruffy Murphys is a good and always busy esp in the summer, but quite strict on ID. Bar Med is great with a excellent atmosphere but a little pricey, Edwards is good and big, again srtict on ID but the worst for ID is Yates but always busy and good prices.
• The Bridge Street area in Guildford has really taken off - a suggested night out is as follows: - Bar Med is a definite stop - good crowd, nice place, good atmosphere - Edwards - also good and just opposite Bar Med - JD Wetherspoons - A Cheap alternative - but no music - Yates - Shit hole All these places are within a half mile square block - good for a piss up
• Pews Wine Bar, Chapel Street (off High Street) Well worth a visit on any night - good food, good beer and friendly staff. I'd say the only place in guildford worth visiting - unless of course you're into cheesy shite, in which case go to The Drink or Cinderellas. If it's decent alternative music you seek Pews is the place to check. Tuesday: Melting Pot - Funk, Soul & Jazz - DJ's welcome If these are the type of rare grooves are you're scene you'll not want to miss this. The resident DJ's have a relentless supply of vinyl. Wednesday: A new addition to the Pews line up. An evening of serious vibes alongside MC Stevie P. Thursday: The alternative - Industrial, Metal, Hardcore and just about anything alternative you care to name - DJ's welcome. A very popular night and not for those of a nervous disposition. Alternative Fridays: Breakneck - Breakadelic, Funkadelic, whateveradelic. Moved from their very popular Wednesday spot, Guildford DJ John LJ and guests spin some tip top breakbeats. Sunday: Da-Vinci Sound System: - DUB Arguably the most popular evening of the week - a perfact way to end you're weekend - loud in your face Dub (if you listen very carefully you can hear them from the High Street). MC Knati P (look out for his new albulm produced by reggae guru Manasseh)with guest MC's alongside ruffhouse selectors Little B, Kashmir, Thunderball and the Rhino. If you're into dance music may i suggest you check it out.
• J.D.Wetherspoons down by the one way system opposite The Drink nightclub was absolutely full of little children last time I went in there after the GCSE and A-level results had come out. The oldest person in there must have been 17, I thought Wetherspoons were supposed to be quite strick with their age policy !!!
• By far the best pub in Guildford is the Hogshead at the top of the high street -it has very friendly staff and a lovely landlord from Newcastle. Drinks aren't cheap but the warm welcoming atmosphere certainly makes up for it. Other pubs and bars around Gford include RSVP (v busy on Fri and Sat, loud music,quite smart crowd), The dreadful three Pigeons (young slapper crowd), Scruffy Murphy's (quiet but nice Irish pub), The Kings Head (used to be v young but now just empty) and Wetherspoons (no music,bright lights but cheap drinks).
• Bar Ha Ha's a recent addition to Guildfords growing bar scene, they took over the old Cafe Toto site, this bar is great to go and relax and have a pint any time of the day, thew food is excellent and of a reasonable price. Designed by the same lady who introduced the Bass concpet "All Bar One", good bar, one of Guildfords best.
• Loads of pubs, try the Rats Castle, the Jolly Farmer or Scruffy Murphy's (an Irish pub, believe it or not). Also in town: the White House (Fuller's), by the river, nice in the summer; the King's Head (Courage); the Hog's Head (free house, good range of real ales).
• The pubs are all being refurbished and renamed at present for reasons unknown. The Forger and Firkin in Woodbridge Road brews its own stuff. The Sea Horse in Shalford does nice beer and grape and non-grape wines.
• IMHO the best pub in Guildford is the Star at the bottom of the High Street. Over 21s and no scummy types in there. Nice oak beams too.
• Fancy a pint in the sun? Try the honey pot that is the village of Shere - a few miles South of Dorking, 8 miles Guildford, off the A25. Dead mellow - village pond, ducks, brats, bikes, flash gits, one special pub (the White Horse) and a village green (more like an oasis). Down the road a bit (heading South to Cranfield) I found a place called the Windmill - gorgeous pub garden & smashing pub. Twas mostly young people (under 25) on Good Friday but I do not know abou the rest of the time. Lively music (sorry that is the best description available as the Caffrey's was flowing) and a coat of armour in the gents.
• For out of town pubs go to the Barley Mow in Tilford it is the quintessential English country pub on a cricket green. Also The Woolpack at Elstead: probably one of the best eating pubs in the country.
• Forger and Firkin is quite good - beer is cheap for Guildford (£1.60 pint). Someone appears to have had a lapse in concentration as you said The Star is Good - NO!!! It is way too expensive and filled with nob ends (no offence). Both Kins Head pubs are rather excellent (Castle Street and Stoke Road). The best ale house by far is the Tap & Spile - used to be the Elm Tree (an absolute shit hole) but is now brilliant - cheap-ish beer and a different selection each week. Youthful drinking venue: The Canon on Portsmouth Road. Rats Castle is a bit of a lager drinkers place and rather non-studenty - still if you are into that kind of place. Hog's Head - is good but is often filled with Suits waving all their cash around after work - this can be a right pain! Best pint of Directors is served at the Wooden Bridge on Wood Bridge Hill. Pub grub - White House - Sunday lunch - excellent. Out of town pubs - White Horse at Shere. The Wharf (A Hogs Head) Godalming. The Star - Godalming. The Ram - Francombe - at least it used to be a very good cider house - but I think it has gone down hill a bit.
• Best pint of Courage Best is the Sanford Arms (first pub out past the Odeon). Grumpy Landlord but beer is always great. Other ones with more atmosphere and good beer are The Hogshead, White House & The Star. Out of town there are many great pubs tucked away. My favourites are William IV in Little London (nr Albury), The White Horse (Shere), Abinger Hatch (Abinger), The Volunteer (nr Abinger).
• The best town centre pub must be the Royal Oak or Roke to the regulars. Hidden away down a flight of stairs down the road from the Rat's Castle, I always make a beeline for it whenever I am in town. This is despite the fact that it is small, quite dark, has no pool table, it's always packed from 7pm onwards and like everywhere in Guildford it's expensive. It must be good then for me to keep going back.
• The best out of town pub is The Wheatsheaf. Head out towards Shalford and keep going until you get to the next little village and it's on your right hand side. Nice beer garden, friendly locals, pool table, dart board, quite large, never totally packed.
• I have just had a read through your piece on Guildford, and was most dissapointed to see that there was no mention in the pub guide to the all time best pub in guildford, The Royal Oak, Sydenham Road. This pub has been here for years, and has really friendly staff, and the Land Lord and Lady are the best, and the food is great, but best of all you can still pay less that three quid for most pints of beer, and there's just too many to chose from. So please be kind enough to give them a mention, why should places like the Star get all the credit, when it's got no atmosphere?
• There are Two King's Heads - the one you have mentioned is on Castle Street - The other and better of the two is a bit out of the centre on Stoke Road (Fullers). Very quiet pub - on the way to the Stoke Road King's Head is a Tap and Spile (Stoke Fields - but nobody knows where that is - crap parking around though. Management has also changed from the Rowbottoms to some young guy called Matthew - nice chap not much of clue however. Firkin has gone down hill quite since then manager changed (last check Steve was at the Fleet and Firkin in Portsmouth). The saving grace of The Star is the bands they have in the back room quite often other than that tooo expensive - snooty bar staff - iritating pissed rugby players on Saturday.
• Go down the river.
• Pews is now definitely on Chapel Street. A visit on 11/7/98 reveals it's still a great place for a pint or six, has a laid-back indie crowd and very nice bar staff. Good place to try as a newcomer wondering where all the non-stockbroker types hang out in Guildford.
• Start in Old Orleans(I recommend the Flaming Lambourgini's they knock your head off), then to Bar Mambos, then to Bar Coast (Wicked Tunes if you like the house/garage scene), then to the Star, Three Pigeons, and to the to the Wok Club, by now you should be steaming woo hoo!!!
• RSVP bar next to TGIF now open. Rodboro Buildings (a monstrosity which should have been knocked down years ago) is to be a Wetherspoons. The Sea Horse in Shalford has been taken over by another chain and has lost its character. The Stoke Hotel has gone and is replace by Finnegans wake (YUK another Irish theme pub!!)
• Scruffy's (by the river) and the Forger and Firkin (Woodbridge Road) are the best places to escape the dreadful colony of townies and lads that plague our town. The former is pretty relaxed, with a nice mix of crusties and student types; it's lovely in the summer and you might find yourself having to queue to get in after 9 on a Saturday (sometimes it's one-out, one-in). The latter is brilliant when there's a football match on, has a good jukebox and a pretty cool terrace out the back. Bored of Guildford? Two out-of-town pubs definitely deserve a mention. The Wheatsheaf (Bramley) is friendly, homely and serves excellent food. There's a big beer garden with fairy lights and speakers so you can hear the jukebox - great in the summer. You'll find all sorts here, from old men on bar stools to hip young folk on the pool table. John and Rachel, the landlord and landlady, have now moved to the Star in Godalming - it's miles smaller, but they're friendly folk and if you go in there enough they'll soon begin to remember you. Also in Godalming is the Anchor, which is THE place for students and crusties. Lots of interesting people, especially in the summer when the tiered garden is packed. No jukebox, but a great selection of cds on the stereo behind the bar. Has massive cult appeal.

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Last updated: 2012-02-22