Great gastro pub. Fab food, atmosphere and really friendly service. Strongly recommended.read more

The Bear has become a good quality gastro pub recently with a nice atmosphere and a good menu and…read moresome great specials. The ambiance is relaxed country pub and the staff are very helpful. There is a reasonable ca park as it gets quite hard to park in the summer. I have visited for lunch and dinner and both were very nicely presented and well cooked. The skate is very tasty and the scampi and Jenga chips are good. The costs can be a little bit higher for lunch but the menu is very similar and therefore for dinner, I thought it was quite reasonable. Peter who used to be at another Billericay restaurant is the restaurant manager and as normal makes sure we get well looked after.

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.

A great, but really quaint, old English pub in the middle of nowhere. Great service and extremely…read moregood food. Very nice in the summer as the gardens are vast and overlook the countryside. Lao, if you are in the area in November, they have a fantastic firework display (arrive early, it gets packed)

What an amazing traditional pub. Views to die for, massive garden space, ample parking and the…read moremost amazing pub brimming with character. The staff are always friendly, professional and helpful. The food is always amazing quality from rolls at lunch to the best chicken pie in the evening. We turned up without a booking just wanting a summer time drink but when we asked if we could possibly have a table they managed to fit us in. During lockdown we visited several times. Everything was really professional. We felt extremely safe but none of the enjoyable experience was compromised.

Outstanding food, convivial ambience and excellent service contributed to a wonderful dining…read moreexperience at this quintessential English country pub. Definitely a place to revisit for a special occasion or a casual lunch in the adjoining "Bakehouse". Highly recommended.

Went there yesterday 29/7/25 the building is lovely and the Peroni I ordered was very tasty, it's…read morein a lovely setting, red e food smelt lovely

What an amazing find!! Driving to Cambridge from London and we stumbled upon this gem on the way…read moreand really enjoyed the look and feel in this historic spot. The side part of the building was constructed in the 15 hundreds. Small doorways are a real treat. We started with the Honey-baked whole camembert which was a real treat. Had two ales which hit the spot and then debated for a while with the great menu options. We went with the pie of the day which was very flavorful. Joined with fresh veggies and chips. The mustard to go with the chips hit harder than a pimps slap. The chicken sandwich my friend got was good. Chicken very crispy and joined with chips. I went with Gammon steak with peas and chips and it was a good pick. Then to close it up we went with several pudding options and tea to cap off a great meal. Will be sure to stop in again and if you are nearby think you should be sure to check this spot out too.

very happy nice car staff and helpfulread more

What can I say except this is a must visit. Try the Beef and you will be hooked…read more Its a shame that it is a little out of the way as you have to drive to get there. There staff are very welcoming. It has a feel of an really oldie worldie pub but with a touch of class. There are often some very nice cars in the car park which suggests that some very ell to do people go there so try it. You will be pleasantly pleased by what you find and sad you didnt find it before.

This venue was a favourite venue for many years. Following its recent change of hands we went again…read morefor lunch on quite a busy Thursday lunchtime. There were only two people serving and they were struggling to cope with the bar and waiting at table. You order your meals at the bar and as the one lad there kept having to take meals from the kitchen, the business of taking our food order took ages. The meals we ordered did eventually come and were quite tasty thought the vegetables were simply microwaved carrots and green beans. The waiting staff brought meals out to other tables but didn't clear ours on the way back to the kitchen. The table was actually quite mucky and was never cleared; when we went to the bar to order dessert, the staff were unaware of what was on and what was off. The whole place was seriously understaffed and the staff were not really competent.. Based on this experience we decided to go elsewhere for a meal at Christmas time.

I'm glad I've found this one! It's literally in the middle of the Epping forest, woodland all…read morearound you, birdsong and all. There are plenty tables outside and a small sized car park just accross the road - just be careful when crossing back from the pub after a few pints, as it's in a corner. :) It attracts a middle aged crowd (maybe not yet discovered by trendy youngsters?) and lots of bikers and cyclists. The menu is small and not particularly creative, but won't disappoint people after old school pub fare.The beers are very good, but if you're after the ever so popular fruity ciders they usually have just a couple of flavours. Staff is lovely and helpful, there's always someone with a cute dog around for you to fuss over and nothing beats a summer afternoon sitting outside taking in the nature around you after a picnic in the woods. In short: location, location, location - and good ales. :)

If you are looking for a real pub experience The Viper is the place. It is a little gem on the…read moreoutskirts of Ingatestone so check your map before venturing out as its surrounded by woods, along a narrow country lane. Parking is provided by picnic benches at the front and in the car park opposite. What I like is that the bars are small and the ale is real. The locals are evident and I'm sure help keep the pub going. It still has a saloon and public bar, unusual for this age and its decor is traditional. The staff are efficient and enjoy spending time chatting with the locals providing the place with enough atmosphere. No TV screens or modern entertainment features. This pub is a real gem.