The Victoria

After a venue let us down on the day of my 50th birthday party with around 50 guests coming , the incredible Jamie worked hard, shifting arrangements just 3 hours before the event to secure an outdoor space, saving the day and ensuring our celebrations went off without a hitch! I am eternally grateful to both Jamie and Emma for creating an unforgettable night!

I booked a table online for a Wednesday night, this is quiz night at The Victoria. When I booked I got a lovely email from Nick explaining this was quiz night and it might be noisy. Really appreciated the email explaining about the quiz. Atmosphere is really lovely and I think this is down to the layout. We sat on the sofa and had a lovely evening.

This Young's Pub occupies an impressive space on Surbiton high street, a mixture of vacant shops, vape shops and charity shops, only a stones throw from the station. Owned by Young's since 1897, it's vast inside with nooks and side rooms, and boasts arguably one of the best gardens in the area, one that was a frequent meeting spot during Covid with the firepit and bookable chalet style booths. Built around 1850, originally a beer house, it gained its licence and proudly served "tradesmen, mechanics and labourers". The glasswork you see on the windows survived a 1980s refurb and is original (I think), the dining room extension is a former 1890s billiard room, and in 2005 George Best was known to drink here as a regular, although did suffer a serious assault on one occasion. On tap, it's your usual Young's affair, it's pricey, as are most Young's, but the Pravha is decent, the Guinness pours well, the glasses are clean, and the Surrey Hills Shere Drop came in under £6 which is somewhat reasonable. The Young's on Tap app is available on all tables and out of all of them I've visited, this is the best I've seen it in action. It's also super family friendly, so this was a rare occasion not to find the front two rooms with prams and parents, it made it a prime opportunity for my empty pub requirement. The garden is usually packed out as well, just a few solo daytime wine-drinkers enjoying the quiet. No sport on unless it's terrestrial channels, so the vibe remains mellow and fun, it's a decent spot if you need space, food, drinks and good service. I popped in this time around because a certain customer wasn't there who seems to want to talk AT me whenever I seem to go there. He asked my wife "where are you really from?" on one occasion (London, parents are Indian), and compared wheelchair tennis (which I was praising the athleticism of) to "a freak show that belongs in the circus". It's not a reflection on the pub, maybe I should've said something. Maybe someone else did. Maybe he doesn't drink there anymore. I hope so, I'd visit more often.

This is now a warm and friendly pub for hip kids, cool families and business exec types alike. It's seriously changed since its days as an 'old mans' pub' (not that there's owt wrong with those, but this metamorphosis in a time when many establishments are struggling is a delight to behold!). The food is a little pricey but portions are good and the food, for pub food, has a healthy streak: home-cooked food with nutritional value in the main. The pub boasts a lovely outdoor area as well as a good whisky selection and you don't need to wrap up as though you're about to go on a trip to Antarctica when you head off to use the toilet (I am a fan of a warm ladies loo!). All-in-all, a pub deserving of support from clientele, we feel. Addendum: Nick makes a passable Negroni!

I visited The Victoria Surbiton for a Sunday Roast and I was very impressed by their food and service. The roast beef was tender and juicy, the Yorkshire pudding was huge and fluffy, and the gravy was rich and flavourful. The portions were generous and the sides were delicious too. I especially liked the cauliflower cheese. The staff were friendly and attentive, and they made sure we had everything we needed. I would definitely recommend The Victoria Surbiton to anyone looking for a traditional British pub with great food and atmosphere.