Great food, excellent service and I loved the atmosphere Enough said…read moreBlah, blah, blah

A bridegroom friend of mine in Brightwalton listed Ye Olde Red Lion as one of the nearby B&Bs and I…read moredecided to book my stay there for his wedding. It turned out to be a very good decision and really enhanced the trip. When I arrived Robin, the proprietor, gave me a tour of all the rooms and let me choose which one I preferred for my first night (a fluke due to available scheduling, but a nice gesture) and I chose the thatched-roof Arran, which is the coolest of all the rooms, although honestly they are all very clean and nice. Me and the other wedding guests who stayed there took all our breakfasts and some of our dinners in the pub just a few steps away and I don't think any of us had one bad meal. Everything was well-prepared and tasty. The decor and ambiance is charming and authentic English pub-like which helped us to feel like we were really on vacation. The only minor quibbles are: - the wifi is broken into two zones, so you have to log in to different routers depending if you're in your room or in the pub. - our room's shower was a bit leaky on the floor, and one morning I showered too late and all the hot water was gone. However the cold shower was pretty invigorating :) But these were really minor items. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed staying there and found Robin to be a friendly and accommodating host. Very happy with the rooms and food, all priced very reasonably for the quality of the experience.

Just tried calling to book a table for tomorrow (called at 14.15 as website said they close at…read more14.30), phone was answered by a very rude individual who told me they were too busy with lunchtime and to call back later. I asked if they'd be open to answer the phone later and he shouted 'the pub is open all day I'm very busy' and hung up on me! So won't be dining there then. Sorry, but first impressions really matter - if you're too busy to answer the phone (the only way to book) then DON'T or implement a different method of booking tables. Don't recommend it, they were horrible and obviously too busy to be bothered.

What an amazing little pub and restaurant. I found this place purely by chance and what a little…read moregem. Be warned if you want to eat here book in advance we couldn't get any food! The pub was amazing and quirky. It was all of different levels with the restaurant being an extension out the back. The pub had the log fire going with antiques all around - even some quirky games too! The allowed dogs inside the pub and in the beer garden. The garden was lovely not massive but a good sun trap. Warning there isn't much parking either and had to park on the side of the road. Reasonable prices and great atmosphere I will surely be back

2 words sum up the Yew Tree - substance & quality. The prices are reasonable with the a la carte…read morestarters ranging from £7 to £11 and the mains from £14-20. The menu is excellent and packed with mouthwatering dishes (as well as 3 or 4 daily specials) and the surroundings are lovely. There is a daily fixed price lunch menu with 2 courses for £15.95 and 3 courses for £19.95. Despite its pedigree it's not starchy or stuffy. Gull eggs are in season so we had that and an Omelette Arnold Bennett to start and the steak & ale pie and Pierre Koffman venison for mains with a couple of side dishes each. For dessert I had the raspberry souffle which just heaven on a plate - if you go make sure you leave room for this signature dessert!

Having eaten here a couple of years ago and reported on good food but disorganised service, I…read morereturned recently for lunch and had a wonderful meal. The restaurant is in the middle of nowhere and you almost rush past it on a nondescript piece of road just north of Highclere Castle, but turning into its ample parking areas, the smart cars there seem to have simply driven a few miles from the Peat Spade, another great inn. This time it wasn't full and the service was far better, but the food and drink weren't just good but exceptional, and extremely reasonable to boot. We started with a glass of house white a Chilean Sauvignon Blanc which was delicious and some very good bread and unsalted butter. I had the mussels and clams in a white wine broth which come daily up from Cornwall, and I can declare that they were the best I have ever tasted. The mussels were so fat and full that the dish could have made a meal on its own, while the clams, as ever, added a subtly the taste of the sea. The onion-rich broth was perfect and almost got finished! We then had the fish and chips, which came perfectly presented and was exceptionally delicious. One could perhaps quibble that twice or thrice cooked chips would have been even better, but these were crispy outside and fluffy inside, with a small dish of mushy peas to underline the fact that the dish was supposed to be authentic and not ersatz Belgian. Liver and bacon was pink and perfect, and could hardly have been bettered. A lemon posset followed, which was a good way of cleansing the palate after such a fine meal. I can't recommend The Yew Tree highly enough for lunch, especially with a bill (without service) of only £42 for two. There is wi-fi in the bar.

Hen and Chickens is a lovely pub full of character between Chesham and Ley Hill. It is especially…read morefriendly on a cold day as they have two fireplaces either end of the main bar. The locals are helpful and quick to smile and chat. I haven't eaten there, but the menu appears to change regularly and the food looks reasonably priced.

Absolutely lovely little pub, I cannot think of a single criticism. Me and my friends frequently…read morepop in and the staff are always wonderfully friendly and chatty. The food is superb, and the drinks to match. My favorite aspect has to be the quiet garden that is always spotlessly clean and peaceful. I would recommend the Hen & Chickens to anyone, easily my number 1 favorite pub.

This is so far my favourite pub anywhere. The pub's been in the same family for about 400 years, if…read moremy memory serves me correctly. And that shows. The welcome is genuine and they have their feet on the ground. They serve beer made down the road and it's popular with real ale fans. The food is good -basic and inexpensive - Ploughman's and sarnies, for example. Good choice of well made cheeses and pate. I love the double seats in the porch. I have fond memories of taking my father here and sharing a seat here. And it's a lovely place to go for a walk along The Ridgeway before or after. And it's wonderful to see such a beautiful old Berkshire building. Lovely location and a pretty garden. Inside is lovely - nothing added, nothing taken away. This is the real thing. PS The pointer in the map showing here is far from in the right place. Check it out on the map. Aldworth is a pretty little hamlet.

Simply the best pub in the south of England. Tiny, friendly, unspoiled. Excellent beers from the…read moreWest Berkshire Brewery ( try the Maggs Magnificent Mild) and simple food. No 'gastro' here. Large garden. Classic cars meet in the field at the rear every fourth Saturday lunchtime throughout the summer. All welcome.

Incredible pub for food. Tucked down a lane you'd never stumble across, the rough road and tight…read morehedges will make you wonder if you've taken a wrong turn. Don't give up! They have brilliant, brilliant food. Definitely a special occasion-type place. We stayed at a nearby B&B (http://www.qype.co.uk/place/234858-Larchdown-Farm-Reading) that recommended we have dinner here. It's a nice old pub with two small rooms and one larger one. There's no room just for drinks, now, as they do a roaring business in lunches and dinners, it seems. It was very dim and romantic on the night I was there (which suited me fine). The menu is extensive. There's lots of choice, and a lot of game, too. The service was top-notch, efficient but quiet. The menu on their website is representative, but not exact. I had a starter of calves' liver with black pudding and tarragon mustard sauce, with a main of rare roe deer fillet. The wine list was good. Desserts were very nice, too, although my only complaint is that the cheese was far too chilled when they served it. Not a big deal, I let it sit a while. Starters in the £8 neighbourhood, and mains around £17-£20. It feels like the sort of place that celebrities hang out in when they're in the country. I'm told Kate Winslet had her wedding reception here: that feels about right. The posters indicate they get live music in from time to time as well.

Superb country pub, a little out of the way down a country lane. Lots of atmosphere and with…read morehelpful and attentive staff. Food absolutely delicious , and a wide choice. Venue not very large and can be quite noisy when full which it often is. So recommend booking.

What a lovely pub. We stopped in after our long walk to see Watership Down. Had a pint and dinner…read more All the food was stellar. We shared a mackerel pate, which was really wonderful. Hubs had fish n chips (he never gets tired of it) and said it was the best one of our trip. I had the hoisin duck salad. The duck was shredded and crispy. Yum! I found the sauce a bit sweet, but with a little vinegar it was perfect. Neighbors were coming and going, greeting each other happily -- terrific atmosphere.

From the owner: A classic British pub with exceptional food.read more

Good choice of pub grub, it feels like a great feeling of cosy and comfortable environment…read more The service provided was great and it delivered on food.

This pub is in an amazing setting on the outskirts of Newbury. The pub is made up from a mixture of…read morebarns and farm houses cobbled together. The result is very picturesque. The best part about this pub though is the beer garden / dining garden. This has to be the best beer garden I have seen, with a lovely brook running through middle and water/marginal planting which looks amazing. The staff are very efficient at carrying out your meals from the main building, across the bridge, to your outdoor table. Inside there are plenty of windows to look out onto the garden. We had a dog with us and the waiter immediately brought out a bowl of water (silver service style), so they were very dog friendly. The menu was really good featuring local produce and a variety of cuisines. The restaurant is a little pricey but this does reflect the amazing setting and garden. Make sure you sit int he garden or grab a window seat inside.

The bartender was really nice-she chatted a bit about the area and responded to my request for a…read morelocal beer.

Visiting Bath for a couple days and stepped in here for a pint to cap the day of sightseeing. Local…read morefolk were welcoming, and we had an interesting chat. I'm thankful for this Yelp app and our reviews which is very helpful in finding great spots we might miss otherwise.

If you're looking for a good pub, it doesn't get much better than this…read more Lovingly called simply "The Axe" by locals, this pub is in a different league to most other rural pubs. I'll explain why and try to be concise. The cuisine is exceptional. There's a good selection of quality drinks. The service is excellent. The atmosphere is always friendly and welcoming -- the sort of place where complete strangers tend to strike-up conversation. The location is perfect, overlooking the Village Green, with a big beer garden behind, and a vast playing field behind that. It's a lovely village, nestled in the gently-undulating farming landscape of rural north-east Herts -- no wonder Braughing was recently awarded the prestigious "Village of the Year" accolade. The pub's menu always includes the best of local produce, from locally-reared beef to local pork sausages, alongside popular country pub dishes. (Braughing village is famous for, among other things, the delicious local sausages, and this is a good place to sample them.) Did I mention the pies? A different pie every day it seems, and you won't find better pies than these. I don't make a statement like that lightly.