The Mute Swan

We were lucky to have the Mute Swan be the first pub we visited in England. Literally a hop and a skip across the street from The Hampton Court, we stopped by here to fortify ourselves before heading to the palace. The pub itself is very lovely. Clean, welcoming, with a pretty interior. We dined on the ground floor by the bar with a view of the wide windows and spiral staircase (there is a second floor with more tables).
The bartenders were very friendly and patient with us clueless tourists. They gave us our drinks at the bar (I got a cider he got a beer), a menu, and we took our seats. Someone came in good time to take our orders and we got our food pretty quickly.
They have a pretty substantial wine menu but we were excited to get a pint.
We wanted something light so we shared the Chicken liver pâté with spiced apricot chutney and buttered toast (£6.95 very creamy) and the Roast pepper, cream cheese and basil sandwich with tomato hummus, olives and artichokes (£5.95, light and flavorful, sandwiches available til 5p).
Overall we were thoroughly pleased with the pub. I especially recommend this place to those visiting Hampton Court for it’s close proximity to the site as well as the good food, drinks, and service the Mute Swan offers.

An excellent choice after a 30 min train ride from London. Before visiting Hampton court, stop here for lunch. Great to get out of the city and see the palace of King Henry VIII. Wonderful pub and kitchen. Try the lamb shank.

Wonderful food. Families are upstairs while pub is down. Good service and great traditional English meal options. Everything we all had was really good. Nice flavors and not over priced.

I work in the area and had a group dinner with colleagues and my boss at the Mute Swan.
The layout of the restaurant is smart, on the ground floor is the pub area for after work gatherings while upstairs on 2^nd or 3^rd floor is a formal dining room.
The wait staff and service was incredibly attentive.
I was not blown away by the food. I think the menu was a bit too selective and I would appreciate items that might be done more eloquently but that are still traditional. Instead it was venison, ox cheeks with bone marrow, and Brixham brill, which frankly I still do not even know what that is.
I ordered the vegetable salad as a starter which was really lovely. Beetroot with a a variety of other mixed legumes and aubergine as well as rocket and cream bullets that smoothed it all over.
My main course was more disappointing. I ordered the duck which was magret style, however mine was outright still bleeding when served to me. Cooking a magret to perfection means it should be pink to red, but certainly not just butchered.
Presentation of the plates was spectacular however and again nice ambiance.
Not sure I would patron this establishment on my own and may also persuade our firm to go elsewhere if the opportunity presents itself again.

Called in for lunch after a tour of Hampton Court. Great pub, excellent food, spotlessly clean and the best staff that we have encountered during our 7 week stay in the UK. Shame that we are not in the area longer or we would definitely eat here again. Casual dining outside or in the bar, and a really smart dining room upstairs. Highly recomended. Thanks for the super service and excellent lunch.