The Refectory in Waverley

Vicky was our waitress. She was amazing! Nothing was too much effort for her. We were a table of fussy annoying women 😄 and she was fantastic with each and every one of us! Really really fantastic service which should be recognised!!!!!!! Thank you Vicky!

Opening early, and on a manic Christmas Sunday service, to help a dad in need was unbelievable and I’m extremely grateful for your support. Thanks

I booked on line for 12:30 today as I was meeting a friend half way between where we live. I had my confirmation of my booking plus evidence i was coming and somehow my booking was cancelled! Must have been a glitch because I never cancelled and no confirmation of my non existent cancellation. The manager was the most rudest person I’ve ever experienced in my life. He refused to accept that there was an issue as was my fault! He just went on st me with a queue of people behind me. No apology or acceptance that something had obviously gone wrong. I’m disabled and struggled to stand whilst he was bullying me! I was waiting for my friend to join me who was lost. I will never return to this place ever. No idea what the food was like as we went elsewhere where I was told g to the staff here are leaving because of his they are being treated !

Visited Sunday 1st December 2024. Chosen as a convenient location to meet up with family. We travelled from Suffolk and Bournemouth respectively. Great ambience by the open fire, food was faultless and the service excellent. Particular thanks to the young lady who served us, utterly cheerful and charming, she helped to make the whole experience all the more enjoyable. Thank you!

Nice place, very busy. Staff pleasant, but again busy, maybe short handed? Portions were a little on small side hence 4*, and busy staff 4*. Atmosphere was spoilt a little bit due to quite a few dogs and their barking, (I'm a dog owner and control mine better). Overall 4 out 5.

Ate here a bunch of times over the last year, and really enjoy this place! Can't fault the kitchen, seems lime every dish I've had there has been executed really well. Menu could do with an extra vegan item on sometimes but it's not their specialty so definitely don't mark them down for that. Sadly, the slow service lets this resteraunt down. It seems like front of house is always one or two personal short when it's busy; big place so the team that are on have to run around a lot. The team they have on always seem to be really great, even the trainees have always come across like they know what they're doing. Tl;dr: great place, great food. The servers are great they just seem to need a couple more of them!

Excellent service food was hot and so much of it. ( glad I didn't have a starter) big slice of pork and a pinked piece of beef with all the vegetables £25.95 vfm

What a beautiful place? Definitely recommend and would love to go again. Staff all very attentive and friendly

Delicious roast lunch, stick toffee puds and tasty Guinness

Nice place, not bad food, very friendly service.

Always a treat to visit. It feels like they really take care of this place. The menu is creative and varied and we appreciate all the vegan and vegetarian options. We always receive excellent and attentive service. Keep up the great work.

The service was outstanding, food was amazing, overall, a perfect Sunday afternoon.

Excellent pub and restaurant with friendly staff and chatty locals, a great range of beers and ciders.

We had a truly fantastic time at The Refectory. For a booking of 21 people, the pub handled us with complete ease and we all had a great time! Food was delicious and brought out quickly, service was top notch and the atmosphere was cosy & welcoming. They even found us a table quickly for drinks when we showed up an hour early unexpectedly! Thank you so much Refectory team. Can’t wait to visit again soon.

Very good food! Lovely place always a pleasure!

We had the Sunday roast, every cook/chef should try the food they expect their guests/clients to eat, and in this case they obviously didn't.The beef was inedible and sinuous, the roast potatoes were hard shelled and over cooked, the plates were served cold!! We left without sweet or coffee. The service staff were let down by the kitchen. I could, and would not recommend the Refectory.

Fantastic place. Cody, open fire, great wine, and fantastic carvery. Good portion size, not too big. Loved it

Amazing service considering the amount of diners. Food was hit, generous and tatsty

The refectory is your classic traditional pub food and drink Emporium. None of it is cheap but nothing is outrageously priced unlike some other local hostelries. To my mind the thing that makes the refectory stand out is the welcome you get as you come in and the willingness of staff to stop and chat. Has that certain friendly landlord feel to it. Huge car park and plenty of outdoor seating for when the sun comes out. Recommend the puddings and definitely sample a couple of beers before settling on one. Update : fifth Star added because this venue simultaneously does not automatically add service to your and definitely earns it. There is nothing more satisfying than adding a tip for good service rather than it being assumed.

If you wish to take your dog on your family meal be aware when booking that dogs are only allowed in the bar and the outside area and not in the main restaurant.

We came here recently for dinner on my wife’s birthday. We had visited earlier this year at lunchtime and had a good meal so it was an easy choice. The menu had a limited choice and there was no obvious stand out item for me. One steak dish of a 10 oz Ribeye was around £34. A bit pricey in my view. The food that we did have was very good. We didn’t stay for desert as the service had been very very slow. I don’t think they have enough staff to be honest. There is no greeting at the entrance - just an over worked stressed bar person pointing us to walk to the other end of the bar to be processed. We were seated by another over worked waiter type operative and then waited 10 minutes to order drinks. A further 10 minutes went by and the waiter arrived to take a food order. We declined until we had drinks on the table. To be fair the waiter looked a bit surprised that we didn’t have any drinks and went to get them himself. Food ordered, 5 minutes later the waiter returned to state that one item had run out. Another 5 minutes getting that sorted and reordering. Another 33 minutes (I timed it) to get our main course. We had skipped starters because we sensed it would be a long wait. Same with deserts …they just couldn’t cope we felt. We won’t go back ….well not for a good while. We know of plenty of other places locally that offer good food and much quicker and friendlier service. It spoils the experience of eating out. The prices aren’t cheap here and we just expect better. I noted a recent review stated it “could be so much better” and this is exactly how we felt.

One of the best meals we've ever had, such great atmosphere and fantastic/ attentive staff. I worked in the industry for 6 years and is by far one of the highest standards of food & service in a long time. Well done all, what you're doing works very well. It was so good we came back a second time in our stay in Surrey! Highest compliments to the chef (s). Rebecca & Sarah - Hackney

Just used up my tokens for £12 off my meal. Picked up some more for 2025. The system works so dont forget to pick up your vouchers!! Great service and the menu us very good. Pleasant easy atmosphere. Super service. Good range of beers, some local, and a fine wine list. Best to book because I'm not the only one who likes it here.

This was our second visit here and yet again it did not disappoint. The food was fantastic and the atmosphere and staff equally. 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Very cosy and welcoming setting, we booked for a large group and staff was very nice (the wait was a bit long but we weren’t in any hurry) I recommend the steak pies with homemade crust 🥧

Lovely place, nice food, good service

What a marriage! Excellent and varied menu, including vast range of good gluten free options, beautiful building and knowledgeable and friendly staff. Don't pass through Godalming without stopping here! The food was out of this world - I had GF Halloumi with delicious dip and gluten free Nut Roast served with wide range of 'just right' veggies and GF gravy ... could only manage small dessert but once again, the GF Sticky Toffee pud was extremely good. My husband enjoyed the Crispy Squid, Roast Porchetta and Profiteroles ... all excellent! Highly recommend this place for dinner for two or big family/friends grouping. Plenty for everyone and special diets really do receive a first class service.

Beautiful old barn, very atmospheric and I imagine great at Christmas. The boiler had broken down so it was very cold but the roast dinners that we all had were lovely.

A very nice pub with a very nice atmosphere, we won the monthly quiz here tonight and had a very nice meal to boot (the beef feather) highly recommended.

Very nice atmosphere, good food and fantastic service

First time at the pub. The food was excellent, the place was busy and the atmosphere on a wet lunchtime midweek was great. The staff were very friendly and helpful. We really enjoyed the experience and will visit again.

Poor Sunday roast - tasteless Yorkshire puddings, roasties were hard and tasted previously frozen. Barely any gravy. Won’t be eating here again! £6 for additional items on the menu like cauliflower cheese and pigs in blankets… otherwise lovely place and nice staff

We loved our first visit with friends.

Very average food. Waiting staff could benefit from some customer service training and some dress code - wearing jeans with the waistband worn around the knees somewhat clashes with this venue.

Lovely building, good service, food was fine just not particularly special/memorable. Would happily return.

Lovely location, very nice garden and staff were exceptionally friendly and food was wonderful 5/5

If I could rate this 10 stars I would. Best pub I’ve been to in a very very long time!

Good food. Excellant service. Plenty of parking in village setting.

Lovely atmosphere and great service. Staff are always very polite and warm welcoming. Food is really nice and reasonably priced. Love going there and will definitely recommend

Very enjoyable visit to the Refectory with our two dogs, who were given VIP treatment.

Excellent food and great choice on menu My wife is gluten free (so really fussy!!) said it was the best that she has had Staff were first class

Beyond terrible food. I had the prawn with rice a flatbread. The prawns were chewy, the broth cold and the rice gloopy and watery. Honestly. Save. Your. Money! I told the waitress and she said she would “feed it back to the chef”. Nothing was done about it.

Visited today and I have to eat gluten free dishes so usually I struggle to find something that won’t upset me. So imagine how surprised I was to find that their menu contains many gluten free options and that they’ll make things gluten free. I had gluten free fish and chips! Fab.

5star service and roast porchetta Just a small criticism the roast potatoes could be a bit crispy on the outside inside that are perfect

Visited on a Monday afternoon, sat outside in the garden which is absolutely beautiful. Our waitress was lovely and clearly working hard. Drinks were slow to come out and a mistake was made but this wasn’t a big deal. Calamari and halloumi fries starters were excellent. Main courses were a mixed bag! The tandoori halloumi burger was not nice at all - massive slab of halloumi just sort of covered in a raw spice tasting red marinade. Token piece of lettuce and slice of tomato in the bun, nothing else. Really disappointed in my food - especially when it was pretty pricey. The total bill was very high - the price for cordial with soda water was criminal!! Such a shame that this place just doesn’t seem to be able to get it quite right. Definitely won’t be rushing back.

Stopped in Milford to find somewhere for lunch. Found this lovely pub. Even when busy the staff were friendly and helpful had a great steak sandwich sitting outside in the gardens. Will definitely go again when passing.

The roast beef ordered today was not tender it was very hard to chew it .I also ordered a pear cider which was a another disappointment. I can't even describe the taste ,a cloudy fermented acidic drink.🤔

Yeah place was very nice, and the food was fantastic. The service was very slow. Waited 30 mins after arriving to place our order, then the food took over 40 mins to be served. When the waitress offered us dessert I asked if the wait would be as long, she laughed and said no, there is no wait for dessert. There was though, waiting about 30 mins. A great place let down by poor service.

The Refectory was recommended to us and worth the 30 mile trip. Lovely looking pub from the outside, nice garden and patio area and internally full of character. Good selection of drinks and the food was very good. Excellent service by everyone. Would highly recommend 👍

Shared a delicious meal here with family.

Beautiful building and lovely outside area. The main pull for me to go here was the choice of gluten free dishes on the menu. There are so many! Eveything is clearly labelled as gluten free and the servers were knowledgeable and helpful when asking about menu items. This was such a find! Highly recommend and you have to try the cheesecake. 😊

Very impressed with food and service. Staff were all very attentive. Ambience was excellent and very relaxing. Highly recommended

Wonderful pub. Brilliant garden 🪴

Our group went here for dinner. It is located close to godalming in a converted barn. Looks really attractive to come and eat or drink something. We were not the only ones. The place was quite packed both inside and outside and this stretched the service. We had to wait a while for drinks and also ordering the meals, as well waiting for the food to arrive. Nevertheless this pub has a great ambiance and we enjoyed talking and looking around. We ordered some nibbles to share as starters. We have took fried hallummi which tasted great, and we ordered a hummus dish with bread sticks. The number of bread sticks provided were too few. As main courses we ordered vegetarian burgers and a pasta dish. The fries were delicious and also the fried hallummi burger tasted fine which was accompanied by a mango chutney. As dessert we ordered ice cream.

Stopped after golf for drink and quick bite around 8pm. Was packed inside and out so didn’t have much hope for food. However, we were served quickly and the food arrived in a normal time frame. Ordered small plates to share which were very good.

Very welcoming pub. Gardens are fabulous, building is full of character and the staff very eelcoming. Food was plentiful and delicious.

High quality food and very friendly staff. I have been here a few times now and the food is always excellent. They have a lovely garden area and quite a big inside area. I have coeliac disease, and everything that is gluten free or can be made gluten free is labelled on the menu, and there are plenty of options! They even have a note on the bottom advising anything marked as gluten free, they ensure is cooked in a way that their will be less than 20ppm gluten in, which is very rare to come across especially in a pub! We shared starters and as they brought the food out they reminded me which ones I couldn't have. We will definitely be returning.

Staff were friendly and very efficient. Food was good. Ambience was charmingly different. A nice place to be.

Very pleasant atmosphere, lovely building,great service and very tasty Sunday roast. The outdoor terrace is lovely for summer dining.

My husband and I went to Refectory for dinner earlier this month. We used to come regularly and then they were closed for refurbishment and hadn't been back since until now, so it was great to see the new menu. It is such a lovely venue and the atmosphere was just like we expected. The food was very good and I must say the staff were really great and so efficient. The young lady that served us was quick to come back so we could order our mains as we just ordered starters and couldn't make our mind up about the mains. She really was good also at getting our drinks. It was a week night and it was quite busy so it was good that we booked online beforehand. The outside area looked very nice and we sat inside but now with the weather being so wonderful we will probably opt to sit outside next time. I had the steak salad and my husband had Halibut. We both thoroughly enjoyed it. He had Eton Mess for dessert and said it was great. It was smaller than previously which was easier for him to finish. I would highly recommend this restaurant. It is relaxed, spotless and the food is exceptional.

Perfect Sunday Roast at The Refectory Godalming 23/06/24....since their updated refurb last year this is a perfect go to place. We've been on a few mixed occasions now. Always exceptional. For non locals.... Outside and inside spaces nicely spaced with contemporary decor- a real oasis spot. Faultless service, food quality & taste and beautiful presentation. Piping hot and no problem ordering extra gravy. There's a grassy playground slightly away from main patio ( keeping excitable noise at bay) and good dogs seem welcome. Inside was full of groups 4-8 guests at tables. An intergenerational family gathering vibe and all needs catered for. Ladies loo was immaculate with lush soap and I love a basket of paper hand towels. Thoughtful as guests closer by didn't have to be distracted with the handblower noise going on and off. Lastly a mention of Josie our lovely waitress. Gave us a little smile and bit of chat who presented herself stylishly and attentively. Just what we needed after a bereavement and the lift we needed. Thankyou chef for a nourishing meal in more ways than one.

Very atmospheric barn style pub restaurant, beautifully maintained. Had a lovely meal and the staff were attentive and thoughtful, even though the place was very busy

Great food, great service, parking excellent, good time had by all, friendly staff, great for Coeliac’s as the guy is a coeliac himself

Good food, nice place helpful staff

Great food, pub , service, setting. Marvellous!

We gone there at 4 on sunday. As they are doing food all day we thought it would be fresh. Paid 25 pounds for a roast and I couldn't eat it as potatoes were rock hard,green beans raw and other vegetables just tasteless. Will not be coming again.

Lovely pub , great food , efficient friendly staff.

A local pub we have been multiple times near family. Always friendly service. Menus change which is nice as we can try many delicious dishes. Dog friendly pub. Lots of space

What an absolutely amazing place. I haven't been here for a few years always used to love it. However now it is even better, incredible atmosphere, clean and stylish. But mainly super welcoming run by a superb landlord with gorgeous staff.

Update 1st June 2024..... Fantastic menu in a lovely setting, just perfect 👌 Update 1st February 2024... Great location, great food, staff, and ambience. Wonderful environment with which to meet a dear friend for lunch. Updated September 2023... Lovely location, food and kindly staff. I shall visit again.

We went here for a beer festival , there was also a hog roast and live music. The food, staff and atmosphere was great and the pub and gardens are fantastic. We will definitely be returning soon.

It is hard to find something that would have made the experience better. The menu is extensive and varied and the food cooked really well. If I had to find something, the only meat one of our party only eats chicken and the chicken choice wasn't inspiring but she did enjoy the fish and chips. It isn't the first time we have been to The Refectory, and yesterday we booked for a party of 12 in October. Thank you for a very nice lunch.

Fantastic building, Staff were very helpful with some very vague requests that we made. Food was delicious. A great selection of Ciders.

A bit on the pricey side but well worth it! The food the service and the atmosphere are all amazing.

Must have been an off day looking at other reviews. The food was disgusting, lamb rump was 50% gristle cold and a portion that wouldn't fill my cat! But the worst thing was the price, at £56 it was nothing but a rip-off. Don't mind paying hard earned money as long as it's worth it, which this place isn't. Never again!

We last went about 2 years ago and was very underwhelmed. We thought it was time to try again and so glad we did, the food was excellent and at good prices. Now back on our regular list, we will be back very soon

Was on vacation for a week and stayed in the area. I will definitely be saving this place for when I return. The staff was absolutely amazing and the beer selection and food were delicious.

Haven’t eaten at the Refectory for a long time and was very pleased with the new menu - great location and outside space - and nice play area for the kids too

Beautiful pub with a large menu, lots of beers to choose from.

A lovely alfresco lunch on the terrace. Very friendly staff and service was excellent. We enjoyed fish and chips with mushy peas and Thai green chicken curry. Both dishes were very tasty, presentation excellent and food was hot. Thank you.

Lovely place, our first visit with friends and we'll definitely be back! Friendly, efficient staff and great food. Thank you.

Really tasty food, refreshingly different menu, attentive and friendly staff.

Return visit a year on as it’s local to my two dear friends who I visit each year - last year as per my previous review was excellent but this weekend was by far the best dining experience as a whole I have had in a long time. We came in without a booking on spec, to find a heaving venue but Buzz, the manager, greeted us very warmly and kindly got us a table. Vicky looked after us for the evening and was wonderful - nothing at all was too much trouble for her, she is a huge asset to the company. From replenishing drinks to taking photos at the end and despite a restaurant full of customers, she was always on hand, attentive and made us feel so welcome, as did all the staff from Buzz and Vicky through to the youngsters waiting on, apologies if I get names wrong but believe Kiera and Reuben. The food was superb - a very generous fish and chips, trio of sausages and mash and a pork rib with mustard mash, not a morsel was left on the plate - huge compliments to the chefs. A great atmosphere, beautifully clean venue, great food and an evening made special by your staff. Thank you all and see you next April!

Great place to enjoy your time!

Such a great meal here tonight, we sat in the bar area as we had our dog with us. All the staff were so friendly and helpful, food was delicious especially the halloumi fries and the Thai green curry, it has a really nice atmosphere too, would highly recommend if you are in the area.

Lovely pub, good food menu, dog menu, fabulous garden. The perfect pub.

This has become one of our special restaurants to meet up, chosen as it accepts dogs! The atmosphere is charming with good service. Never disappointed with the freshness of our meals, which are full of flavors. The loos are spotless 🤫

We were served by Rich, really welcoming, wicked shirt, beautiful singing voice (happy birthday), would definitely come again!!! :)

Very polite staff, professional and helpful, Great food. Don’t mind paying a little more for better quality.

Fantastic staff, fantastic pub. Welcoming, friendly, great selection of drinks and classic pub food (cooked so well!!). The pub area was a tiny bit chilly and the manager surprised us and bought a little blanket/ throw. How kind. Recommend this place in the winter for the log fires and in the summer for the garden which is a sun trap.

The service is what brings us back time after time the food is fab lovely staff never disappointed everyone we take says the same and that's a lot of people.

Stopped in for dinner, excellent service, and food was good and plated well. Would return if back in the area

Lovely informal dinner following lots of house renovations. Good warm welcome. Very dog friendly. Great gluten free menu.

It's okay, not bad. It could be better

Fabulous setting excellent food. The Refectory is a lovely massive converted barn....all ceiling beams and huge fireplaces. Very friendly and welcoming. The tables are nicely spaced so you don't hear everyone else's conversations. Small but perfectly formed menu.....and nearly everything is gluten free. We had a family dinner for 7 people, absolutely fantastic.Will definitely be returning .

Just went for drinks . Great service, lovely gardens

Lovely last minute lunch on Good Friday. Great service and food.

made a booking for Easter sunday dinner for 4 but when we arrived they didn’t have the booking!! they accommodated us in the corner and the awful overpriced food was delivered after we had to order it at the bar! so no waitress service!! so awful food .. no service .. no officiency.. it’s a beautiful place with terrible service and terrible food

I had a 2 course lunch here with my wife today. This was our first visit for many years. We have lived here for around 35 years and last came in around 25 years ago and weren’t impressed and have never returned. I had heard good things recently about the food on the local grapevine, so we thought we would give it another chance and were really pleased that we did. The food was excellent, as was the service, despite being very busy on a Wednesday lunchtime. The menu has a good and varied choice in my opinion. I am always suspicious of places that offer loads of different dishes. Here they offer around a dozen choices of main courses. We had the sea bass with a sauce and potato cake and vegtables, the fillet steak sandwich and chips followed by the dark chocolate torte and cherry sorbet, and the blackberry apple tart and blackcurrant sorbet. We were offered custard as an alternative to the sorbet. We could find no fault with any of the food. I was particularly impressed with the sea bass. There were 2 generous fillets and the combination on the plate with the sauce, crushed potatoes, sun dried tomatoes and greens etc was very well balanced. The choice of drinks was also very good. Quite a few of the wines were sold by the glass at sensible prices. A choice of real ales, including the locally brewed Tea from the Hogs back brewery. At £5.20 a pint this is sensibly priced I feel in this day and age. All in all, very enjoyable and we will return very soon.

We had the most AMAZING lunch at The Refectory yesterday. Fabulous pub/restaurant, scrumptious food & really lovely waitress & team looking after us. A huge thank you to them all!! PS We’ll definitely be returning soon hopefully!