John Carr (Corinne and John)
+5
Very good pub about 10 minutes walk from Kingston Station run by the Big Smoke Brew Co. Eight cask beers - and five ciders - on handpump when we visited. Lots of outdoor seating some of it covered.
We had already eaten but the Albion offers classic pub fare including burgers, hot dogs, ribs, fish and chips and pizzas. There are also vegetarian and vegan dishes available.
Only had some drinks of which there was a great choice. Food looked and smelled great but didn't eat myself.
Visited during a festival across the road and got very busy when it rained - obvs. Staffing didn't plan for it but did a smashing job given the circumstances. 2 pints for like 11.60 so also good value
Had a wonderful Sunday Roast time with my mates, the outdoor seating is great. The only thing I would complain about is the stinky toilet, you could smell it from the outside.
We went here on sunday for a roast. Great place to go dog friendly as well so the pooch came too. Its nice to have found somewhere that serves the roast in the evening as well as lunch time. Could not faullt it. Gravy is to die for. We had the three roast choice, the lamb and the wellington. Great meal all round. (They also have the most amazing ribs)
I've featured my local Big Smoke pub before but on the rare occasion I found The Albion mostly empty, and serving the exceptional A&H London Black from the official glassware, I figured it was time to feature a review.
I believe this was the second pub Big Smoke opened, building on the success of The Antelope in Surbiton. It's been here as long as I can remember, and at one stage had a Gin Distillery out the back which I think is now just garden seating (opted not to pap this, but there's a huge garden there with beer festivals held in the summer).
Indoors, it's familiar to those who know the chain. Wooden panelling, ample seating, vinyl soundtracked vibe, 10+ ales and ciders, a multitude of keg offerings too including 2 AF options in the form of Lucky Saint and their own AF beer which has gone down well over the past month.
You get a mixture of students, weekend shoppers, families and real ale folk in here, it's a nice melting pot of booze enthusiasts and those looking for a pub not surrounded by Vape Shops, a step away from the town centre, outside of the rampant demolition you see taking over Kingston.
It's sort of a home away from home, despite only being some 15-20 minutes down the road from me, a chain familiarity but still less polished than those brand new Big Smoke pubs you spot in greater London. With time to kill it can be a quiet respite from the hustle and bustle of town, but with Rugby on and one of the few spacious family friendly pubs in the area it can get quite hectic. A nice problem to have for Big Smoke.
Food again is similar to the other sites, a sort of BBQ meets pub grub style, with plenty of bits in-between to choose from. See the place pack out for weekends with roasts on, and various offers during the week.
The pub dates back to 1845, little known about its history other than it was advertised as a sort of taproom with a view to watch the recreational sports on the green.
Once Greene King, now Big Smoke, another one saved from mediocrity.
Lovely pub well worth searching out, enjoyed the Big Smoke beers ( Lager & Lantern Tree Bitter that was very good) we ordered chunky chips and they were delicious.
Excellent menu, broader than the typical pub. Amazing beer and gin selection. The porter I had was delicious -- a perfect choice in January, if I say so myself. 😳
Outstanding choice of beer. Enthusiastic and engaging staff. Lovely bright windows. A real quality pub, very glad I discovered it.
Me and my partner had a Monday burger deal yesterday which was great. Really good looking and tasting burger. Served with chips but no salad/coleslaw. Hence the reduced price I guess. Drink inclusive. Not so great value for money if you don't drink alcohol. I have scored three stars for a service due to the waitress being ignorant. She just dropped the plates on the table and ran off, we asked for napkins and cutlery was missing but she didn't want to know.
I have been there for having lunch with friends, it's a nice and clean Pop, with respectful staff,
their foods as well was so nice and tasty.
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