The Kings Head Pub in Guildford

Place in major need of a spruce up but always a vibe here on a night out

We didn't eat, just had a drink. We wanted to find a pub with outside space as it was a lovely sunny day. Unfortunately, the sunshades blocked out most of the sunshine. It seems a young peoples pub and not for us. We found it dirty and smelly with unemptied ashtrays on the tables, hence we only stayed for one drink.

£10.90 for a single G&T is diabolical.

Found a sunny spot and enjoyed some delicious nachos and drinks. Great atmosphere.

Great pub. Calamari was excellent

£2-£3 more per drink than everywhere else in Guildford for some reason but a decent night out. Never seen or had any trouble in this place

Great fireplace for cold days and an enclosed beer garden. Very traditional inside but lots of student clientele, hence busy some nights. Very close to the castle

they don’t seem to serve food when they say they will on the website. beer garden is really lovely and music is great

Busy city pub with outside seating

This is my favourite pub in Guildford, really nice atmosphere inside by the fireplace. Good beer selection and friendly staff.

I am all about ambience. It’s so good and the drinks are cheap too but good in taste the interior done so beautify every price have story to tell i am sure. This place was introduced to me on a date and it is a really beautiful place there is seating inside and out and the staff is really nice too very well equipped gents and ladies loo the last time I have food was really good too. Depend up on what time you will be coming the mood depends on it it’s it’s quite time u can sit and work like i did so many charging port. No outside food allowed or drinks

Great traditional pub with extensive garden

Told us they had a backlog in the kitchen so food would take half an hour. We asked 45mins later and were told it would be there in the next hour. Asked again after 45mins and told kitchen is now closed and our food must have been sent to the wrong table.

By far my favourite pub in Guildford, possibly my favourite pub in the UK! Best staff in the world and atmosphere is fantastic - just can’t fault it and can easily see why it’s so popular. Food is tasty and reasonably priced with a good selection of dishes.

We arrived to the pub and went straight to the bar for some drinks. We were all asked for ID which of course we all provided. When the man asked for my boyfriend’s ID he asked for it and scanned it with the LED light which again is absolutely fine. He came back and then said he “doesn’t believe this ID is real” my boyfriend then explained he is 20 years of age and that is his full drivers licence. The boy behind the bar who had dark, short hair, wearing shorts and fairly tall, said “ I don’t care I am the manager and I’m not serving you and you need to leave” in a very aggressive manner. He then left and didn’t make an issue. Me and the rest of our friends then went out to finish our drinks in the outside area, and my boyfriend stood outside gate waiting for us. The same guy”the manager” came out and stormed up to my boyfriend who was again outside of the premises in a very intimidating way, threatening him with 10,000 fine. He then responded saying he can challenge it with the DVLA as it is a real licence, and the man said “im not waiting 2 years for you to have a pint”He wasn’t on the premises he was simply waiting for his friends to finish their drinks and was treated disrespectfully. We all left very quickly after that and will not be returning as we did not feel welcome at all. I understand the need to ask for ID. But when he is obviously not under 18, and making a huge deal because he was stressed, was very unprofessional.

Cute authentic old pub. The fireplace is a great addition.

A traditional pub with friendly (for the most part) staff that is clearly popular with locals. There’s a wide selection of drinks and an extensive menu, but quality was a bit mixed (eg fish and chips - good fish, poor chips). And a request for chilli sauce was met with a very curt “no”.

Can't comment on food, but the service and venue are top notch. Great, bustling Saturday night traditional pub venue.

Great food, plenty of tables and clean

Gorgeous country pub up in the hills, perfect after a walk

Wonderful and friendly staff, great drinks selection and brilliant atmosphere, also one of the later open venues locally

Love this place,it's design and decorations are so unique. Great atmosphere and many outdoor spaces.

Comfy interior - very nice old fireplace by the entrance. Unfortunately not all good - bar staff wasn't very friendly especially considering the prices. Men's toilet was especially nasty - fly infestation and black mold all over the ceiling.

This pub was for me the best in Guildford. But as I said it was… I am writing this review with the hope the management to read my review. A lot of changes happen in a year on the quality of the food and the menu changed. In the past you could enjoy the big daddy burger which was amazing with double juicy patties and salted beef in a very good price. Suddenly the prices went up and the salted beef was removed, but the burger still was tasty. Now, during my recent visit the burgers are even more expensive, they are dry, I got the one with the salted beef hoping to get the previous glory and it had some thin slices of a pastrami and no cheese inside. Totally, an average burger which was insignificant and for a hight price. Finally, for the families, I am afraid child menu is not available any more. In the past I was referring the pub to all of my friends, I am afraid I can’t do that now. As it stands now is a good pud to have drinks some nibbles, fish a chip plate seemed good and the Mac n Cheese my daughter liked it. I paid in total for my self £35 and I was still hungry and not impressed. Hope my review to reach the management.

Really fun place with fabulous food

This place is sooooo expensive 3 pints £21 Yes £21 for 3 pints!! I can safely say I won't be back anytime soon!!!!!

service was great really cosy relaxed atmosphere. lovely large open fire beams woodern tables

A great pub! Loved the atmosphere and food, Sunday roast was perfect. Staff were great as well. Menu had a good mix of traditional pub options and various dishes from other cuisines.

Went with a vegan friend on a Friday night. We had a decent pub meal before the theatre. Nice atmosphere. Good range of wine, bottled and draught beer.

Lovely old (est?) pub - perhaps think the Knights theme was a little overdone - but what a collection!

Went to the Kings Head with my friends for some casual drinks but we left early due to severely rude staff. Asked for a pint of Guinness and was given one that was bubbling on the top, which if you drank Guinness or was remotely familiar with how the drink looks, it shouldn’t be bubbling at the top. I politely asked for another pint to be poured as I payed £6.70 for it in the first place. A member of staff said yes, but he was doing another order at the moment and I would have to wait, I said I was happy to do so. Staff were rolling their eyes and laughing at me while I was standing there and claimed there was nothing wrong with the pint. After explaining that being Irish, I know that the way you pour a pint of Guinness does affect the overall drink, I was laughed at again and replied to very rudely saying I was wrong and continued to tell me that there was nothing wrong with the pint. A member of staff took a straw and wiped away the top layer of bubbles and handed me the glass again. I was denied again a new pint of Guinness until I asked for a refund which they gave me. They continued to roll their eyes at me and snicker. Clearly don’t care about their customers or the service they provide. Perhaps if I was a man I would have had a new pint of Guinness poured with no questions asked. I just wanted a nice peaceful pint of Guinness.

Just up from the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, across the pedestrian crossing and up Rosemary Alley we found the best place for a bite to eat before going to the theatre. Fantastic fire in the winter months so very cosy and welcoming. I had the BAO bun, the German one, and it was delicious. The service was friendly and quick. On the street there is the Guildford Museum and a bit further on the Castle Cliff Gardens so you can easily fill a couple of hours. Definitely recommend.

Lovely cosy pub with an open fire and great food. The only downside was that it was a little expensive.

Staple ale house of Guildford. When in doubt, kings head!

Good to see its still a niice, lively and quirky old pub. Great to revisit for memories of my student days here in the 1980s.

Great pub, very pricey on the beer front for Guildford. Best nachos I’ve had in a very long time, always a good buzz and business, eclectic mix of students to older locals. Quick service with lots of staff is a welcome change.

I really like it here, the atmosphere is very pleasant to sit on the balcony among the flowers.

One of my favourite places to go in Guildford to meet friends for a drink. The pub has a really nice vibe and the outside area is a such a bonus. Open till 1 AM on the weekends, so it's a nice place to end or start your evening. Always loads of people behind the bar and a couple of different options for vegetarians - I like the Bao Buns.

Nice pub, we went for late afternoon drinks. Good atmosphere and busy even then, so very popular 😀

Very vibey pub with great atmosphere. Plenty of food options too

Me and my son went for the first time to have a nice meal and we were disappointed...the staff didn't fell us very welcome. When my son doing the payment ,a young guy said my son to take with him the cutlery and drinks . We order our food and to be honest for the price we paid, we were expecting at least a better apresentation on the plate. Poorly service . The atmosphere was the only thing we liked and music sound. For me is very important the first impression. Probably were very unlikely at that moment with the staff. Anyway was the first time and we don't pretend to can back again . Ana

They charged me £17.40 just for a bottle of cider and two small packs of crisps! I didn’t realize until I checked my payment, but when I called them, they simply told me that I have to come in for the refund!

Cold fried eggs? Plates cold. Ham hidden under eggs ?😭 Even the beer wasn't perfect.

What a find a truly amazing place, very relaxing garden with endless amounts of nick knacks to look. With a fantastic stocked bar. We'll worth the visit

Lovely atmosphere. The chicken burger was tough and hard to chew and quite sad.

We had dinner there but sadly the food was mediocre at best and they did not have anymore fish dishes. But it’s a nice space / rooms with warm character. Maybe better going there for drinks than food!!

First time in Guildford, asked some locals on the street for a nice pub to eat at, the kings head was recommended! Definitely wasn't disappointed, the food was amazing, ordered the chilli burger, unfortunately they had ran out of chilli, but was swiftly swapped out for my second option. The curry kat. Absolutely beautiful. Guinness was awful though, served in a straight glass, brown head. Didn't ruin the experience.

Really nice old-looking pub near the castle just away from the High Street. Popped in when visiting Guildford just for a drink. I had pint of ale (£5-40) while my wife had half San Miguel lager - get ready for it - a pint costing £7-50. What??? Scandalous! Thankfully she only had a half! Very nice pub, dog friendly, as were the staff. Sadly spoiled by the ridiculous cost of the lager!!

Bit of a strong smell in the bar area

Great pub and so nicely themed! Good was amazing, we thought a little pricey at first but once it came out it was definitely worth the money!

On July 26th, we had an awful experience at the Kings Head on Quarry Street. A staff member with short ginger hair and thick black eyeliner confiscated a genuine ID, claiming it was fake despite having already checked our IDs at the door. She took the ID downstairs and returned only with 3 of the 4 IDs, insisting one was fake. Despite its authenticity, she refused to return the ID and demanded it be claimed the next morning, causing significant stress for our friend who lives out of town and had work and a driving test the next day. When we calmly asked why the ID was being confiscated, the staff member became defensive and uncooperative, eventually saying the ID would be returned but that all nearby pubs had been informed it was suspected of being fake. We later confirmed with a bouncer that the ID was real and should not have been taken. The staff member lied, saying she did not notify other pubs but we later found out our full names were listed on some kind of group chat for all the pubs in Guildford. We are questioning racial bias here as our friend, whose ID was taken, is Indian and the other IDs—one with a distorted photo—were not confiscated. This incident ruined our night, and we hope it leads to a review of the pub’s practices.

Great burger, but £18 for a burger in a pub is ridiculous. Beer is equally overpriced

A classic of the Guildford pub scene. Was a bonkers mad youth venue in the early mid 80's and has since gone up market to be an excellent central town pub.

A proud Yankee from New England, I figured that while in England for business, I must get an order of Fish & Chips where it originated. I can state without any doubt that the Fish & Chips at this place were the absolute worst thing I have ever eaten. Batter on the fish was still raw, the fish was tasteless and if it were not for the ketchup, the chips were inedible. And to boot, they didn’t have The Open on the telly because they don’t have the Sky subscription.

When the sun shines this a great place to be in Guildford. Staff are super friendly, normal Southern unfriendlyness from the clientele but that's the norm. Food was great and good value. A great vibe in the right place in town. Worth a little walk off the beaten path.

I went here randomly and am so glad I stumbled in. The drinks are a little pricier than other places but their rooftop at sunset is not to be beat. It's cute and has lots of little places to sit tucked away so it feels intimate. The only downside is they closed the very top of the roof about an hour before everything else so everyone had to move which kind of put a damper on an otherwise perfect little evening

Thx Mike, Keith, and Tony for a super welcome and hospitality . See ypu in Moffat sometime.

My wife has recently had a back operation and I needed to get her out of the house for a break for the evening and some food. From the moment we arrived the staff couldn't have been more welcoming or helpful! We were shown to a soft seat and cushions were brought for her, without even being requested...... The menu was really good pub fayre and the food was very good! The staff were great throughout, not just with us but in general. We will be going back regularly!

I simply loved The Kings Head. Nice options on the menu, with specially good (well done and generous portions of fries) hamburgers. Plenty of options for drinks, but what attracts me the more here is the atmosphere and decorations - there is always something new to be discovered among the several antiques and cool details on the walls. The price is a little higher than average, but I think it is worth. Service also was good and fast. Hopefully you will like this pub as much as I did

Loved it , the ambience it's really heartwarming.

This is a lovely pub, there is a great atmosphere. Staff are super friendly. The only thing that has put me off coming back is the price I was charged for a machine Pepsi max. £4:60 is a bit extreme.

We could sit outside on their terras with lots of flowers. Great place to visit in Guildford!

Friendly staff, lovely atmosphere, great location with beautiful views!

Love going here as my mum used to work here when I was a child, not that I came here then, it's a great pub very traditional, keeping a lot of history on its walls.. please don't change it

Shame the kitchen is closed 3-5pm but overall very nice staff and vibes!!

Superb old style pub with great drinks, super service in a lovely setting. Special thanks to the staff who held on to a pair of my glasses for me for several weeks 🙏 very much appreciated!

give the person in charge of the music a raise because u are always playing the BEST songs!! the first time i came in you were playing florida kilos by lana del rey and ever since that day this has been my favourite pub. 💖

We often visit here and drink outside when the weather is nice. However, the other evening we decided to get food also and the burgers and pizza were simply outstanding.

Lovely sitting out area although often busy in the summer !! Food is better than standard pub food as well

Always impressed with the food here. Good atmosphere, decent beer selection, and a half-decent pub quiz on a Monday.

Just been in with my brother and friend, my brother ordered a rum and coke and the barmaid forgot to put the rum in his drink. We thought, okay, it’s busy, things happen, we’ll just go up and ask for it to be rectified, no harm done. My brother was dismissed from the bar as they thought he was just after another drink. Essentially my brother has paid £6.50 for a Coke. Bit of a joke really.

First time visiting this pub with a couple friends today, as we ordered our first drink and were talking, the girl behind the bar forgot to put rum in the rum and coke that I ordered (probably through general human error) When I took a sip and realised I’d just paid £6.50 for a small glass of Coca Cola, I went back to the bar to ask what had happened and was met with the same girl, being rude and dismissive, immediately assuming I wanted something for free and flat out refused to assist, which left the situation unresolved. It’s a shame because the pub itself is rather nice, just this particular member of staff that let it down and I shall not be returning.

First time visiting this pub with a couple friends today, as we ordered our first drink and were talking, the girl behind the bar forgot to put rum in the rum and coke that I ordered (probably through general human error) When I took a sip and realised I’d just paid £6.50 for a small glass of Coca Cola, I went back to the bar to ask what had happened and was met with the same girl, being rude and dismissive, immediately assuming I wanted something for free and flat out refused to assist, which left the situation unresolved. It’s a shame because the pub itself is rather nice, just this particular member of staff that let it down and I shall not be returning.

Excellent Sunday roast with all the trimmings. I was also very impressed with the staff, they were very helpful and friendly.

This is a really great pub just a short walk from the High Street. The outdoor space has a lot of character and is sheltered so is nice to sit outside even on a windy day. It's a dog friendly place inside and out. We had the roast which was very tasty - lovely roast potatoes and generous portion of cauliflower cheese. Has a lovely cosy pub atmosphere.

Pleasant but kind of pricey pub - (£10 for a glass of sauvignon) tricky steps up to higher decking area.

Amazing pub in courtyard of castle we liked

Good rustic local pub. Perfect if you like fantasy rpgs.

Nice pub with a lovely outdoor space, can visit no matter the weather! Drinks are on the expensive side but what isn't these days?! It's also a huge plus that they are dog friendly :)

Log fire, good selection of beers and a friendly welcome. Burgers are great - we had the double “the big one” and my wife the “Salty cow”. Both were great - mine was a bit huge! Really good atmosphere.

Great little pub, Tony was attentive all evening and made our visit worth while. The landlady however was rude and crass and made the evening feel like we weren’t welcome.

Lovely food and atmosphere. Good wine and the staff are happy to help.

The pub quiz guy was extremely loud, rude, and just very odd! Was actually uncomfortable listening to him. Wouldn't go again! Curry was nice, although not enough for 5 people.

Fantastic pub and great outdoor setting area!

This truly is a gem of a pub. It has lots of little areas to sit and has a proper old style pub feel to it. The staff are friendly and it has a lovely log fire! I didn't try the food, but the beer is good.

Good pub, nice outside area. Bit on the pricey side though.

The oldest pub in Guildford, good variety of ale, beer and cider. A must if you visit Guildford.

Very Moody man behind the bar, could use a smile :) especially at Christmas 🎄!

Outside seating area is really nice when you turn on the heaters.

Still a great pub. Hasn't changed much and still has its charm

Good pub. Out on the p#@£with builders and no moans. Decent boozer and good staff

Love having work lunches here during the week. The pub's atmosphere is cosy and pleasant and the food is excellent!

First visit, it was a dark wet evening and just stopped in for one drink en route to another meeting. Very welcoming staff, lovely atmosphere and reasonable prices.

Lovely pub with delicious food. Interesting decor and lovely vibe.

Great food especially the roast, cosy fire with a spectacular outdoor area and welcoming staff

A nice venue with friendly and helpful staff. Okay food and average selection of drinks. Most nights it's okay but way too busy on Friday and Saturday nights. Nowhere to sit and takes 15min+ to get a drink through the crowds.

Great food and a warm atmosphere in this lively and buzzing pub. Captured the Guildford vibe.

We popped in for lunch after visiting the museum …..it’s a beautiful old pub with lots of books and crannies. Good selection of beer and a decent menu …..we had the cheese toasted sandwich with piccalilli and scampi and chips ….both were cooked nicely and the service was very friendly..,.we would definitely visit again when in Guildford

Sat in front of an open log fire eating a delicious meat feast pizza on a cold wet autumn day. Would have had a beer only had to return to work after lunch.

Very quiet on the day we went, but usually pretty good