Middle of nowhere, casual dress, Michelin-starred…read more My husband and I went out of our way to eat and stay here. Was it worth the 3 hour journey from London (2-hr train ride, 1-hr by car) to make our reservation from 6-months earlier? Absolutely. Courses are small, but plenty. Staff are immensely courteous and thoughtful (they made a custom menu for our dietary needs and even had the chefs sign it before we left). And the setting couldn't be more idyllic. I'd suggest getting the wine pairing as it really completes the meal. Go ahead and stay the night as breakfast is included the next day. Just make sure to work out your travel from the train station to the restaurant. It really is out in the sticks.

An absolutely fantastic experience enhanced by the charming and beautiful countryside that The…read moreBlack Swan at Oldstead is nestled within - an area that I wouldn't have visited otherwise but am grateful for having done so. Make sure to make a small detour to Kilburn to see The Kilburn White Horse which stands firmly in the hillside. The Black Swan is a beautiful picturesque old pub full of warmth and charm. Upon arrival you are welcomed into the bar area for aperitifs where a log fire crackles and glows. Make sure to notice the Robert Thompson mouse carved into the bar. Great selection of small batch gins - I enjoyed a glass of Sir Robin of Locksley from Sheffield with tonic. Amuse bouche are served here before moving upstairs to the restaurant. The Smoked Eel and Apple Tartlets were light and well balanced in their flavours whilst the Chicken Dumpling was rich, satisfying and would sit well on the finest of dim sum plates in Hong Kong. The restaurant is more modern in decoration with an "open kitchen" where some of the dishes are prepared with a clear artistic love and attention to detail. Service is friendly, knowledgeable and attentive without being intrusive. Good selection of wines for most palates and wallets. I had the 10 course tasting menu which, at £85, felt like a bargain compared to the price of Michelin starred food in major cities. To start, a Mussel with Oyster Leaf canapé - so perfectly decorated that it felt wrong to eat it, but so tasty. Next up Langoustine with Caramelised Whey, served like a lollipop with a twig to hold it with - lovely textures and cooked to perfection. Venison Tartare followed - a small dish but rich in flavour and beautifully prepared and decorated. Sour Bread and Sour Butter was distinctive and a good filler in preparation for the main courses. The Monkfish with Asparagus and Onion, although delicious, was probably the weakest dish. The sauce tasted like heavy sweet soy sauce and was a bit overpowering in its saltiness for the delicate flavour of the fish. Still very enjoyable though. The Slowly Cooked Crapaudine Beetroot was the star of the menu. Cooked in beef fat (I believe), the beetroot takes on a heavier composition and is chewy and almost glutinous with all of the accompanying decorations providing broad and bold flavours. Absolutely fantastic! Scallop Cured with Rhubarb was another standout with the smoothness of the slightly charred scallops countering the tartness of the rhubarb, all tied together with a rich and balanced sauce. Herb-Fed Chicken with Wild Garlic from this Year and Last was another amazing creation with a blanket over the chicken in the form of a garlic leaf. The chicken was more warm than hot but extremely tasty. The first dessert was ice cream (or iced yoghurt?) Lollipops which were wonderfully innovative with their unique flavours. The Sheep's Milk with Douglas Fir Oil was also an memorable dessert with natural tastes of the season. The final dessert, served with coffee was Cake made from Artichoke, Chicory Root and Thyme. The combination worked well although the chicory root (?) was slightly bitter. A great end to a fantastic meal and experience. For most who visit The Black Swan at Oldstead, a significant journey will be involved but don't let that put you off...It's well worth the effort and will be one of those great food experiences.

The food was delicious the service was excellent, the owners only been here a year and how its…read morechanged. They are doing a brilliant job with everything we had being excellent.

Walking into the Rock after a snowy, windy walk through Sunnyhurst Woods was great - a warm…read morewelcome, a fire and a refreshing pint. After warming up a little we took in a bit more of our surroundings. Locals at the bar, and not a particularly wide selection of beers. The people remained friendly. Pub grub was just what was required. A review somewhere praised the food and the selection on the specials board looked decent so we went ahead. The pub grub classic that is potato skins was ordered for starters in two guises. Sadly, both were bought in catering affairs, the cheese separated when being heated, and it hadn't been heated enough to actually melt into one piece. Mains started off with a disappointing veg lasagne, with no discernible vegetables in between the pasta sheets, accompanied by distinctly average garlic bread and a simple salad garnish. The beef stroganoff was fine - at least the fillet was of good enough quality and cooked properly so that it wasn't at all tough or stringy. The sauce was fine and the rice perhaps a bit overdone. The service throughout was spot on - everything at the right pace and appropriately informal for a pub with food. Again, we were made to feel welcome during our visit. The reviews we'd seen mentioned the pies, which on the specials board were the only things labelled as homemade. Perhaps we should have given them a go, but I'm afraid it's unlikely we'll be heading back for food. A pint and a warm up in front of the cosy fire would be another matter, and we'd be more than happy to repeat that experience if we're in the area before moving on elsewhere to eat.

Oooh this pub is looovely, especially on sunny days when you can sit outside in their garden…read more They seem to cater to both locals (lots of old folks) and people like us who were driving though. The staff were all very welcoming, and we were all really impressed with the friendly, efficient service. The menu was full of English comfort foods...and they executed everything beautifully. Just look at my photos to get an idea...I tried the goats cheese and caramelised onion strudel, which came balanced on potatoes and perfect ratatouille. If you ever find yourself in this part of the country, it is definitely worth popping in here for some lunch! *Pro tip: It sounded like they get very booked up in the evening, so ring ahead to ensure you get a table!!

A very busy Old English pub doing Great food and Great Beer(Cask Marque)…read moreYvonne and Gary run a first class pub and have a great team working with them. If going for a meal ring and book it gets busy at the weekend!! always a good sign.

If you are in the area, this is a must stop. It has fantastic views of the river. The food was…read morespectacular. Half of my group got vegetarian dishes and half did not. I personally ordered the wild boar pie and it was amazing!

Amazingly fast service, friendly staff. Good food. Had the Sunday roast. Yum! Amazing view of the…read moreRiver Dee

How on earth does this pub not have more reviews? Another of Lancashire's incredible pubs -…read moreservice not overdone and food executed perfectly. Just what one expects from a classic English pub. And I think I might have possibly had the most amazing cut of venison I've ever had here and the wine selection made the meal perfection. Our group ordered several main dishes - cod, steak & ale pie, and lamb shoulder. We also ordered way too many starters good grief, but I think the terrine was an absolute dream so it was worth it. Basically you can't go wrong here. Ask for the waiter's suggestion if you're unsure what to order. I'd also suggest coming with a big party since there's a lot of room.

Fantastic quiet little pub with fantastic homemade food and local brews. Definite recommendation if…read moreyour looking for a place to stop in for a pint or delicious homemade soup.

From the owner: The Ship Inn is a famous local landmark set back from Market Street in the heart of Hoylake. The…read morepub has a garden at the rear, ideal for a drink in the summer time and The Ship also serves delicious home-cooked meals, inc our Scouse offer on a Thursday. The Ship Inn is a popular traditional pub, has a single 'L' shaped bar in the middle of the lounge, and serves a large variety of real ales. You will find The Ship Inn featured regularly in The Camra Good Beer Guide. Food Served: Mon - Fri - 12-2:30 & 5.30-8 Sat - 12-3 Sun - 12-4 Screening all Football matches on 5 different screens Jazz Night - Monday Curry & Pint Night - Tuesday Scouse & Pint Night - Thursday Music Quiz every other Thursday (check notes/events for dates)

Plan your special occasion dinner here!!! The Waterside Bistro and Bar hosted a very special…read morefamily dinner before the wedding for my nephew and his bride and her family. Despite the challenges of planning something with hosts who were in the U.S., the Waterside made this dinner a night everyone will remember. It was the first time bringing together different strands of a family that literally came from around the world. Ian kept everything running perfectly. We met up earlier in the day to iron out a few details and then those of us hosting didn't have to worry about a thing. Paul Huddlestone is a world class chef who works with fresh, organic, Yorkshire ingredients to make a menu that is both local and international in flavors. We are a family who really enjoy good food -- with many avid cooks, including professional chefs -- and everyone loved the food. The wine selections were perfect. And the prices were reasonable too, which was also a factor selecting the Waterside as a place for the dinner. They worked with us to please the tastes of everyone. Despite having a larger group, the selections were customized. The staff were all so warm and friendly. Chef Paul even surprised us with a lovely amuse bouche for our sparkling wine toast at the start of the meal. By dessert there were many more toasts thanks to a dinner that made us now one family. I have attached some photos just to show how happy we all were -- and the good food and relaxed atmosphere made that possible. If you want to have a dinner with some world class food that is firmly rooted in local cuisine, you should dine here. In addition, if you are planning a larger special occasion dinner: I cannot recommend the Waterside highly enough.

We came here once for the early bird meal - The Roast Belly Pork is still the topic of conversation…read more- we came here once because we enjoyed the food so much - we came here once because the chef is amazing - we came here once because the restaurant is so relaxing - we plan to come here every week - once - too much of a good thing can be heaven - and believe me - we do stop ourselves coming here every day. Why??? Thank you James

Great lively Restaurant/Bar. Well worth the visit. Was playing live music when I visited. Great…read morefood, prompt service, attentive staff. 5 stars all day long.

We decided to try this place for lunch yesterday. We had been in for a beer over the last month but…read morenever tried the food. The Woodman although not reviewed on yelp has many reviews on other sites. Nearly all the reviews are bad and that's why we didn't eat here till yesterday. However we heard there was a new team in charge and decided to include them in our fact finding for the area after moving to Clayton Le Woods end of 2014. On arrival at the bar we were greeted by a nice young fella who offered to let me try both the real ale's they had on. I decided on a pint of Wainwright's which was very nice indeed. We said we would like to order some lunch so we were asked to choose a table and somebody would come to take the order. I like that I don't like all this order at the bar with a table number. So we had baguettes and chips, me tuna melt and Sharon chicken and bacon. Both served with a bowl of homemade chunky chips. We both enjoyed the food very much. Nice presentation, good quality and homemade. One check in by staff as we ate which is the right thing. We couldn't fault it. Nice beer, good grub, nice table by the real fire and 19 quid for lunch including a pint and a Bacardi and coke. I hope that the new team at the woodman keep it up all power to them.

I'm not sure why this place has so few reviews. We stopped in here for dinner and it was fairly…read morequiet on a Wednesday evening. The food was delicious (good portions with great special offerings) and the service was excellent. Their dessert options were varied and all homemade. I'll definitely stop here again the next time I'm around.