Forum Topic

One over the Ait

Went here for Sunday lunch with family.  Food very tasty but served warm not hot.  Service appalling.  Quite expensive for a pub lunch, would not rush to go back.

Reg Ghosh ● 3904d33 Comments

What is the problem with the Weir? I'm not a pubby person but would be interested to know.

Anne England ● 3864d

Agree with The weir comments and am happy to see the One over the Ait has improved, but I still don't see why it should be so expensive compared to other local pubs.

Neil Chippendale ● 3864d

Well said.  The Weir lost my business a long time ago, they think they are a quality pub but lack customer service and good quality food.

Joel Callaway ● 3865d

To be honest this sounds a bit like people just bashing the place because it is more expensive than some of the "traditional Brentford boozers." As a fairly new resident to the area I welcome new pubs with style and what I have been used to living in Fulham for the last 8 years. Whenever I want a good meal and food I walk to The City Barge and consistently get that, is it is expensive? Yes. This is London (whether you like it or not!) and you pay for eating/drinking. I have yet to try One over the Ait, but I look forward to doing so, it is great that  there are newer pubs wanting to deliver a better standard getting closer to Brentford. The Weir could take a leaf out of the City Barge's books and it would absolutely transform the place and give it a good reputation. All of my friends from all over London and outside travel to the City Barge and love it.

Nick Fichte ● 3866d

I second your view Matthew.  Visited OOTA for the first time with my father (active CAMRA member) over Christmas and was very impressed.  The beer was excellent and only priced relative to other pubs in the area and the atmosphere had a lively and friendly buzz.  Live music was provided by a guitarist,  further adding to the atmosphere, however the volume was such that conversation could still easily take place.  Although we didn't eat on this occasion, the food exiting the kitchen looked very tasty!  One to visit again in the near future.

Paul Scullion ● 3868d

So, after reading all the reviews my friend and I checked out OOTA the other afternoon.  It's a lovely pub, really nicely designed and comfortable.  The service was good and the food was excellent.  Agreed the wine was a little expensive but they were the biggest glasses of wine I have had - more like a goldfish bowl of wine.  I think they may have had teething problems when first open because it was a very enjoyable experience when I went  a few days ago.  I shall definitely go again.

Matthew Taylor ● 3871d

True Bryan but how many  people look beyond the Fuller's 'branding'Poor customer service reflects on the overall brand and the vast majority, I would suggest, care not one jot about which division operates the establishment.South Ealing is a case in point with people now allegedly avoiding a number of the Fuller's pubs there because of poor service.

Nigel Brooks ● 3885d

Don't forget that when you say "Fuller's" here you are talking about Fuller's Pub Company, not the brewery as such. They are (if I understand rightly) separate operating divisions. The pub company is really a financial outfit, like other pubcos, and presumably thinks in "property" terms, eg. yield maximisation, what the local market will bear (all these new private estates seem to be seen by their owners and the retailers as money-pits!), and so on.

Bryan Betts ● 3885d

Good to hear something positive about the place. I have yet to visit.

Anne England ● 3887d

I'm surprised to read the place is taking such a slamming on here. Me and a group of 10 friends had a good afternoon in here Saturday just gone. Didn't notice the drinks costing much more than most pubs in the Chiswick/Brentford area. We all ate and had no complaints. I had the fish and chips which was great. We were sat upstairs and the blond waitress was Incredible helpful and friendly. Maybe they've got their act together since the early comments. Bit gutted to hear it's closed with water damage. Looking forward to visiting the place during the Summer.

Andrew Cumming ● 3887d

I had the same experience. Personally the place looks nice, but the prices are a little bit too much for what you get. I understand paying extra for premium drinks, not standard run of mill brands.

Rakesh Patel ● 3887d

According to the pub's website, it is currently closed due to flooding.  I wonder if this was an internal leak or the Thames?

Paul Scullion ● 3887d

We walked there yesterday. really nice light albeit a bit cold.Nice building, a bit corporate manufactured looking inside. But whoa! The cost of a few drinks.  I would expect Dancing Girls of a certain kind for that!So we declined and went across to the Express Tavern. Another Brentford Gem which will no doubt do very well out of the Ait! And some great Beers.What is wrong with Fullers? Inclined to agree with fellow posters here.  They are coming across as a greedy corporate and turning their back on their rich local traditions right in their very own heartland.

Anthony Waller ● 3890d

Surely the bill that was passed last week will change this blatant overcharging by allowing landlords to get out of the breweries' domination of the market.Let's hope so anyway. Fullers have been upping rents and prices for so long, it's about time it all changed and we can have pubs that choose their beers and pay "reasonable" rents to their landlords.

William Prentice ● 3890d

Hi Emanuelle,I am truly sorry that you experience at One Over the Ait did not meet your expectations and that a member of my staff treated you in an inappropriate way. He should have been more courteous and rectified the situation immediately. We are striving to make sure all our guests are looked after to a very high standard and again am personally sorry that your evening was spoilt. Please would you like to contact me personally so I rectify this matter personally.Aaron BurchellGeneral Manager

Aaron Burchell ● 3890d

Drinks are very over priced.  Fullers recent trend seems to be to do a makeover of a pub and then jack the prices up, thus getting rid of most of the regulars who can not afford the upgrades prices. Prince's Head on Richmond Green being an example.  Fullers seem to be forgetting their core customers and it will return to haunt them no doubt.

Niall Counihan ● 3891d

One Over the Ait8 Kew Bridge Road BrentfordTW8 0FJManager:  Aaron BurchellTel:      0203 581 5700Email:    oneovertheait@fullers.co.ukDoesn't the adjacent road sign say "Welcome to Brentford"The reviews are alarming... they can't be true!In the meantime..other pubs in the LBH seem to be closing.http://www.rhcamra.org.uk/branchnews.html

Jim Lawes ● 3892d

I am strangely drawn to go to this pub now - after seeing all the reviews, I am going to go just to see how bad the service is.

Matthew Taylor ● 3893d

Gave it another try on Tuesday with some work colleagues to stay out of the rain.Way overpriced, Cost is 14.80 for just 3 drinks. One of my colleagues was a master brewer in Burton and worked for 20 years in management of tied pubs.His observations are unpublishable and could not believe it was Fullers running the show.I think locally, Fullers own managed pubs are generally not what they used to be. The Red Lion in Ealing Green is very similar but was once the best pub for miles and the Rose and Crown in St Mary's, South Ealing is also overpriced to the point of barely having any regulars.I think they have gotten a tad greedy and lost the plot a bit.

Raymond Havelock ● 3893d

I've just made a flying visit to the UK and went in. The service was sooooo slow it was beyond belief. The cider was ok but the barman didn't seem to be aware of the products name. Also expensive.

Neil Chippendale ● 3893d

£10 for 2 pints of Shandy. Say no more

James Robinson ● 3893d

How disappointing to read of these poor reviews.  This is Brentford no less.. and they should get their act together!I see there is a Facebook page with the following wild review.Is it fair? One dreads going there."Not the place I would go again to. Host was very poor. Challenging us on the number of booking we had made. You would imagine the more people you bring along and you've informed them, they would be happy. Felt like it was in court where we had to show evidence of email exchanges.The organization is crap. Got the plate of food and had to remind them I need a fork and knife. Ordered wine and had to ask for the wine again. Value for money? Definitely NO! I would definitely spend my hard earn cash somewhere else next time."------------------------------------Thank goodness Charing Cross Hospital know how to run a Department with all those patients needing varying attentions....over 24/7.  Fullers would be a disaster there for sure if the Ait is, seemingly.anything to go by.

Jim Lawes ● 3895d

Has nobody got a good word to say about them? They seem to be taking quite a knocking. I haven't been there myself as of yet.

Anne England ● 3896d

We popped in to the One over the Ait on Saturday evening and although the pub looked great and will be wonderful in the Summer the service was absolutely dreadful with staff just standing around and with no idea what they are suppose to sellI must have had the only barman in the UK who had never heard of cider and I had to point to the pump for him

Paul Fisher ● 3896d

I am definitely going to the Griffin soon - Maybe the next burger night, and the girlfriend likes the fish, so looking forward to it

Raj Patel ● 3897d

Yes, I was taken there by another local neighbour and it was terrific.I would go as far as saying it has surpassed most other gastro pubs by a country mile.I've been lucky enough to eat in several michelin starred restaurants and while a pub can never match the surroundings and ambience of such establishments, the food certainly can. And it does.The Supper club is an excellent idea but even the Gerhard Burger night is brilliant.But what I like best is it is still the Griffin, a proper classic pub.It is a 'must do' if ever in Brentford.

Raymond Havelock ● 3900d

A very warm welcome Claire from an ex-Griffin regular (at least on match days).I have not been around that way for some years and guess that you must have taken over from the inimitable Ralph! :-)I must make a trip, especially to sample the fare of someone who trained at Simpson's (I trust the beef is good).In the meantime, every success to you and Gerhard.

Nigel Brooks ● 3900d

Thank you Raymond for the recommendation. The Chef at The Griffin is Landlord (and my husband) Gerhard Peleschka who has been a Chef since 15. During his 16 years in the UK, he has worked at the Waldorf Astoria, Danesfield House under Tom Aiken, Great Fosters Hotel and Simpsons in the Strand to name a few - so not your average pub Chef. Due to our location to the football ground we do not do food every night as we don't want to be inconsistent and have to cancel food on matchdays. However, we offer a traditional pub lunch menu Mon - Fri, 12-3, Burger Night on Tuesday evenings - Macken Bros. burgers & all the trimmings for £9.50 (no extra hidden cost for chips, cheese, bacon etc). We also do a supper club on a Wednesday with a choice of 2 starters, 2 mains (steak, prawn or surf & turf also available at a supplement) and 1 dessert or cheese board for a set price of 2 courses £14.95 / 3 courses £17.95.I have no idea if this link will work but here is tonight's menu.http://us3.campaign-archive1.com/?u=969f67a7f1ba75eca42e3b195&id=df05790aa3We also do a Sunday roast with sirloin of beef, leg of lamb, loin of pork or half a chicken, served with roast potatoes, Yorkshire pud & 3 types of veg - all £11.95. Beef and lamb is also cooked to taste, so if you like rare, you will get it. I am biased, but I recommend all of it :)Oh - and we do not charge service charge. We are after all, a pub.

Claire Peleschka ● 3901d

I hear the food at the Griffin is pretty good. Have you eaten there Raymond and what would you recommend?

Keith Iddon ● 3901d

The food and service at the Griffin.Honest, no pretentiousness, proper quality food and genuine quality and value.The way it should be done and still a proper pub as well.

Raymond Havelock ● 3901d

Vote with your feet. There is no excuse for poor service, One day Fuller's will wake up to that.

Nigel Brooks ● 3901d

We are a bunch of friends and wanted to get a dinner at the One over the Ait. We booked over the phone and waited for 1 week to receive the festive menu by email. We needed highlighted what was gluten-free. We had to call again and eventually after 2 more days we got the menu. 10 days to receive it by email. Just one main was underlined as gluten-free but they then admitted it was a mistake and sent again the amended menu. When we were about to pick our choices we were told we should have given the chef 4 days notice so it was too late to order festive menu (sorry about that and usual useless diplomatic b...t. I hate people saying sorry by default whithout meaning it).We then got a 15% discount on the food bill. When we arrived at the pub Peter told us the reservation was for 7 but it was not true as it was for 10 (he replied to our email confirming that!) he said he does not make mistakes so we were wrong. We showed him the email and could not say anything more: we find him very rude and arrogant. He tried to extend the table with 7 seats to accomodate 3 more guests and had to ask some people seated to move a little bit. He then asked us to use another table (not comfy chairs) and we accepted just to make things easier.Food was great, tasty, starters are extremely small and a bit overpriced. The waiter was very helpful. It seems the staff is still under training and the majority seem to come from different industries.We wanted to dine there so bad but we are likely not to go there ever again until the manager will realise that a lot needs to be changing over there. Peter, for instance, should be axed. I personally believe it's a great place for drinks, especially in summer.

Emanuele Sozzi ● 3901d

Ha Ha! We must have been sitting near you.Were you the person who complained?  We were too afraid of embarrassing our guests...until they piped up after we all left. They were thinking the same thing.Almost the same experience. Very expensive for four of us and, I'm afraid to say third rate, I've even had better in the Weir and that's not saying much!Won't be going back. Brentford and Kew have pubs that do it so much better and much better value for money.

Raymond Havelock ● 3904d