The Black Swan in Henley may not receive as much tourist trade as the other pubs in Henley as it is…read morethe last on the High Street. However, we made the effort to walk all the way to the end of the street and just before you fall back into the countryside there is a great pub. Inside the Black Swan is a tastefully decorated public house with nicely spaced out wooden tables. This is perfect for a quiet meal, the food is ok for the price. We popped in for an afternoon pint but ended up staying much longer. The bar man had nearly finished his shift but that didn't distract him from giving us a warm welcome. He nearly persuaded us to give the scrumpy cider a try but we opted for a larger and an ale. Outside there is a beer patio next to the pub or a small beer garden through the car park. I'd highly recommend this friendly pub if some of the other places in Henley are too posh or busy for your tastes.

The weather was fine so I took train to the gorgeous city of Henley-in-Arden to and made the most…read moreof it visiting some pubs of its high street. Although it is placed in the end of the street, Black Swan was my first choice of visit. This traditional pub and restaurant has a genuine welcome to guests. Its decor follow a very classic type of pub with wooden booths and carpet. It seems to attract an older clientele so this pub tends to be a quiet place but far from being a boring place to have some drinks or a meal. I have spotted a nice soundtrack in the background with the best of 60 music without being the usual hits. The average price of a pint is a beer not so much over £ 3 and their jacket potatoes are just delicious and costs only £ 3.95. Free WiFi is available and the staff is really friendly, inclusive coming to your table for taking orders. The lady who was serving us was pretty much busy indeed but offered the password of the Internet in the establishment with a pretty smile on her face. Black Swan is probably not the most popular pub in this famous high street but it's certainly the most pleasant one in the area.

This place looks lovely and warm and cosy from the outside, exactly like a good old fashioned pub…read moreshould look. However, entering the pub, all the tables were labelled reserved, and the candles, décor and clientele was a little too upmarket for my liking. I persevered and continued to attempt to find a table that had not be reserved, but unfortunately could not. I was about to walk out, when a member of staff kindly offered to allow me and my friends to sit anywhere, and removed the reserve sign from the nearest seating area. In this instance, my initial liking for the Bluebell had been rekindled by the staff, who were very friendly and welcoming to the likes of a scruff such as me. Although I still felt a little too underdressed to fit into their sleek, modern designed interior, which was littered with bear skin rugs on the floor, curtains around doorways and potpourri scented toilets. Drinks prices were reasonable, which I found highly surprising, as I thought they would reflect the pub surroundings. I purchased a sailor jerry and cranberry juice for around £3, so nothing to complain about there. I found it very interesting that the Bluebell doesn't keep cranberry juice in cartons, but has small glass jars full of the fruit juice instead. I'd never seen anything like this before!

Betwixt Birmingham and Stratford-upon-Avon lies the sleepy town of Henley-in-Arden. It's 30 minutes…read moreby train from the city centre through glorious postcard perfect English countryside, and on a summery Saturday we headed there to try out a Michelin recommended pub - The Bluebell. They've been around a while, in fact the Tudor hostelry has been feeding and watering the public for half a millennium, so they've had plenty of practise. For the last decade owners Leigh and Duncan Taylor, and their head chef James Devonshire, have been offering food that has won plaudits including two AA rosettes, and he Good Food Guide Midlands Restaurant of the Year 2013. They offer coffee and cake from 10am, lunch from noon, and dinner from 6pm. Obviously there's an à la carte menu and they've also just launched a two course for £10 lunch club, available Tuesday to Saturday, noon till 2.30, and that's what we went to sample. The restaurant and bar are intimate spaces with low Tudor beamed ceilings, flagstone and wooden floors, and heavy velvet drapes. The furnishings are eclectic and owner Leigh's eye for design is obvious with shabby chic furniture, artistic lighting, and quality stemware adding to the overall feeling of lusciousness. The private dining room looked particularly inviting. The lunch club menu (two courses for £10, or three courses for £15) is changed daily, so you get what you're given i.e. there are no options. If however you don't like that day's offering (I think that's unlikely) you can of course eat from the normal menu. On the day we went, the lunch club menu comprised Sweet Corn and Basil Velouté followed by Cottage Pie with pickled red cabbage, and dessert of Pavlova with English Strawberries and Chantilly Cream. We started our lunch with a "Bluebell-ini" (£7) that's Prosecco and strawberry juice, with a ripe strawberry on the rim. Our first course was the Velouté of Sweet Corn and Basil. Served in a vintage tea cup and saucer the smooth and creamy velouté was well seasoned, piping hot, with light sweet corn and basil flavours. It was served with sourdough bread made onsite from a "mother" dough that Chef James has lovingly nurtured for three years. The sourness of the bread worked well with the sweetness of the corn. As you'd expect The Bluebell are big on using the best suppliers, and the quality of produce shone through, worthy of mention was the creamy butter from Netherend farm, and that they use Aubrey Allen butchers for their meats. The main was a Cottage Pie, which initially I thought might not be summery enough, but the side of pickled cabbage with star anise lifted it so that it was not at all heavy. The pie itself had great beefy flavours with a good texture, and the mash was fluffy and buttery and attractively piped with crispy grilled edges. The wine list is impressive and there are 15 by the glass. I went for the delightful Veramonte Chardonnay (£6.25 a glass, or £25 for the bottle). We also had a glass of the Luigi Bosca La Linda Malbec (£7.15 a glass, or £28 for the bottle). Those wine lovers amongst you will know from just those two name-drops that there are plenty of good wines to choose. Not a wine drinker? Worry not, there's a good selection of other drinks including Purity ales (a local independent brewery). In the interests of fully reviewing it, obviously we had to have desert. A large pink quenelle of crispy sweet meringue was topped with Chantilly cream, roasted pistachios, and English strawberries. A super finale to a summer luncheon. Monthly event nights are run at the venue for about £40 which includes a three course dinner and entertainment. Coming up in July is a Calypso night with singers and dancers, and then in August there's a Ratpack night. I like venues that are run by a small and dedicated team because their passion translates in to the food and the service. That's exactly what The Bluebell will offer you. Quality produce, well prepared, and served with care and enthusiasm for what they offer. The £10 lunch offer really is extra-ordinary for this quality, so get there when you can. We will inevitably be back, which given that we get a nosebleed when we cross Brum's middle ring-road, is testament to how much we liked it. Simply delightful.

Looking at this bucolic pub facade you have the feeling it's a perfect place to take the girl…read morefriends and have some afternoon pints and gossip after shopping. Inside The Three Tuns is pretty much different. It's a sport friendly pub but it doesn't mean it is not a welcoming bar for all kind of public. A tiny tavern where the decor mixes wooden tables with red leather sofa sets has also a dart board and some TV screens spread in the place, generally showing some sport on. A rugby match was on when i have visited it but when the match was over the barman turned on the Absolute radio station. Always a good choice! They serve real ales and draught beers. The average beer price there is also around £ 3 and the food served at Three Tuns is bar snacks ones such as crisps and nuts. I quite enjoyed the atmosphere at this pub but I was the only woman in the establishment which makes me believe the first impression I had about the place was really completely wrong. Three Tuns is a good option to sport fans or if you want a quick pint while catch up with the matches results!

I have read some negative reviews about this pub said as a not welcoming one, especially if you are…read morenot from the city and I was quite happy to have accepted the challenge of getting a drink there. It's proper the most local of the local ones in Henley-in-Arden, but from the first drink asked to the information given me about the toilet. I felt a really welcoming reception in this pub! To be honest, there is a quite vibrant vibe in this pub that probably made this place a bit more popular than the other ones. jacket union flags, young and really educated staff and some locals enjoying football on the big screen. This seems to be a very good sports bar with a plus: the building is absolutely fantastic. The pub was recently refurbished but the real structures of this medieval construction. They serve a range of real ales as well and the price is quite cheap compared to the other pubs visited in this high street. Beer garden and karaoke are also other attractions of this very spacious and pleasant pub!

This is my favourite pub in town. An interesting selection of real ales and good choice of bar…read moresnacks. The adjoining restaurant serves tasty food in sensible portions with a changing specials board. One small quibble would be that it would be lovely if they included more side vegetable choices. Overall a very welcoming pub if you just want a pint or watch footy on the big screen. A real fire makes it cosy in the winter. Highly recommended.

A nice bar and restaurant which is located on the main high street in Henley…read more All ages are found here, and the bar area is across two rooms with the bar in one half and tables and chairs and sofas in the other half. The bar had a nice vibe to it, with music played in the background and I could of easily relaxed on the sofa for a while. The restaurant area is located at the back, and it would be interesting to see what the food was like. I feel an update to my review coming! All in all a fab little bar that is great any day of the week.

We turned up on spec,but they soon had us seated . The surroundings were lovely, and smart. We had…read moregreat service from a lovely lady who was knowledgeable and had good humour. Food was super- tasty and great quality Would definitely reccomend, especially for the specials nights. BB.

My favorite pub in the world…read more Excellent beers/ales, fantastic food and the location is awesome. Service is always nice.

There are dog-friendly pubs and pubs that do not mind dogs. This is the former. We are not dog…read moreowners and perhaps would have avoided this place had we known in advance. However apart from the occasional ear piercing yelp we were pleased to spend our evening out dining here. The waitress was friendly and genuine with it, the food arrived in serious baskets which is quite a novelty without being pretentious. No complaints.

We reached the Tom O The Wood by canal on a narrowboat. Our route took us past many canal side pubs…read moreand you would be hard pressed to better the Tom! We were worried it would be too posh to allow dogs, but the initial modern gastro restaurant look & feel soon vanished! the truth was that CJ was greeted with a dog biscuit from a huge vase full at the door & was welcomed with open paws! The same welcome was afforded to the kids as well! The decor & furnishings was beautifully done, a lot of effort & time had been made to create a very smart pub/restaurant. Their fantastic menu was matched by a great selection of real ales & wines On our 120 mile trip, the Tom was possibly the nicest pub we found don't miss it, moor outside & check it out for yourselves!

The unassuming sign outside this pub says it all: "Home of…read morethe Pies" and "Pub/dining canalside gardens" We were lucky to find a table for 4 without a reservation on this Saturday afternoon, and despite the many other alternatives on the menu, we all ordered pies--2 vegetarian (wild mushroom, asparagus and shallot), and 2 steak and kidney. There was another good looking vegetarian pie option too (goat cheese and sweet potato), and plenty of other meat choices including venison as well as the usual non-pie pub offerings. We were all pleased with our choices, which came with gravy, thick hand cut fries and steamed mixed veg. The atmosphere is lovely with three intimate rooms, each with a fireplace and bar, but I'd almost say the highlight is the fact that you can leave your car in the parking lot and walk along the canal for miles if you desire. More sedentary folks could sit by the canal in the beer garden while their kids play in the attached playground, so there's something for everyone!

Four of us went here for lunch on the recommendation of someone else. Unfortunately, we did not…read morehave have as good of an experience. I had a chicken tikka salad sandwich and some breaded mushrooms. The sandwich ended up being tiny pieces of seasoned chicken on a piece of lettuce between two of the thickest pieces of bread - 2X Texas Toast size. It was not a chicken salad at all as advertised. It was very dry. As for everybody else's meals it was a consensus of MEH.... Average. The service brought it down another notch. We actually thought we could dine and dash but we really really could have dined and strolled. (Of course we did not!). Once our food arrived we were never checked on again. We had to get up and ask for our bill and then get up and pay. We will definitely not make the drive out to the Fleur de Lys again.

Fantastic food, great specials board a really great British pub, sadly too few about nowread more

AMAZING!!! As far as I remember this place has won pub food…read moreof the year ever year since Ive lived in the area. Super tasty quality food, I noticed that on the menu it even tells you which farm the meat came from, or where the ice cream was made etc. The Greek Lamb and the Gammon are both brilliant. The portions are huge and I'm always left with enough food for another meal but save room for the Holly Bush sundae because you wont ever have a such a selection of tasty locally made ice cream :) The prices are great too, last time I went it was around 30quid for the 2 of us.

Service was excellent! Beautiful atmosphere, food was good! 1st time visiting, I will visit again.read more

Lovely views and lots to do here and the surrounding area. Nice staff but with most fancy bars,…read moredrinks are a bit pricey.