The Royal Oak was a friendly and accommodating place, ready to serve us, as we arrived at the tail…read moreend of lunch. The grilled mackerel was beautifully done and tasty. Fresh farm salad of chard and company added complexity to the dish. The burger bun was exceptionally fresh and grilled with the burger, which was ordered rare but arrived on the medium edge, without any flavor lost. The warm farmhouse hippy vibe was playful. Staff were helpful to these confused travelers. Easy, breezy and relaxed.

I find myself out in the middle of nowhere sometimes. Thank goodness for Royal Oak. Hidden among…read moreresidential area, through winding country roads. It would be near impossible to end up here without planning to be. The restaurant is homely and rustic with it's decor and chalk board - it's like a pub. But you don't read my reviews for my architectural appreciation. The food. The food here is pretty great. No difficulties recommending everything at all. I've had my fair share of bresola, crayfish, gravadlax, steak, pork belly and everything I've sampled punches well above its weight. My last meal was the gravadlax starter and the pork belly mains. The gravadlax is well complimented with a mustard dressing and a fresh side salad, being a seafood monster, I was pleased with this starter. It's accompanied by rustic bread and some wonderful butter. The pork belly, however, was a bit of a show-stopper. The pork had clearly been roasted for a very long time, the fat between the skin and meat was already oozing out. It tasted delightful too. My only minor minor qualm, was that i would've personally preferred the skin harder, it was a tad chewier than I would've liked. But the meat and the fat was on point. Coming from London, I've gotten used to small portions and extortionate prices. Royal Oak flips this concept on its head, why can't you have large portions of delicious food at reasonable prices. The Royal Oak ticks all my boxes for a high end pub with great food. But it lacks any wow factor, the food is rustic and well executed, but their's no visual or sensational awe about eating here. It's never a let down though.

This is an amazing place. Old school pub but with lots of tv's to watch your favorite team. The…read morefood is outstanding and the owners were awesome. Definitely worth your time to visit.

For the beauty and the original features of the building, it's getting 3 stars because it really is…read morea cosy, quintessentially English pub with its log fire and oldy worldy feel. If I were rating this place purely on food and service it would be getting a 2.5 - 3. A few of us had starters, I went for the baked Camembert to share, that was nice but you can't really go wrong with it can you? They didn't bring out any plates for us until it was too late and we we're all pretty messy! My bf had the homemade scotch egg which he was really looking forward to but alas! It was dry and the piccalilli was also disappointing. For the mains everyone went for a roast except from one fish and chips. The fish and chips was described as a fillet of reasonably sourced cod weighing between eight to ten ounces, but I'd say it was the tail end of it, the fish being very thin and dry. You also don't expect to find a LOT bones in your fish and chips so that wasn't very pleasant for him either. It had a nice golden batter though, but I suppose that's irrelevant when the contents are disagreeable. The mushy peas were watery and vile tasting, everyone agreed. The Veggie's were pleased with their nut roasts and the rest of us had beef. I specifically asked for mine to be rare and was pretty pleased with it but the rest of the beefs were a bit tough and gristly. The vegetables came on a plate to share between three which I always hate because as some of you may have already established - I'm a pig! They were nothing to write home about, my pet hate is diced carrots and they were unseasoned, cold and shrivelled :( It would have been nice if they'd have cleaned the tables up after each course as it started to look a bit grubby and cluttered. The puds weren't fab either. The waitress's were very sweet with my little boy though and allowed him to take some orders and even see the kitchen and chef so that was a nice touch. The staff are very accommodating. There's a good amount of parking space at the back. All in all, I wouldn't make a big fuss of the food but it is such a lovely pub to come and have a drink in if you're ever in the picturesque little village of Wanborough. It's a nice place to take a stroll and give your legs a stretch.

We'd spent the day driving (on the wrong side of the road) and by the time we arrived at our B&B,…read morethere really wasn't much of a choice of food within walking distance. So I used Yelp to see what choices were within a short drive. I called White Horse to see if they could take us for dinner, and they suggested not waiting much longer as their kitchen closed at 9 (it was already 8.) I set the GPS and off we drove! If you've driven in rural UK, then you know that the roads are narrow and unlit. In the middle of nowhere, the GPS announced that we had arrived. So, I called again, described where we were as best as I could, and was advised to "keep going." About 5 minutes later, we arrived. We each ordered a Greek Salad. Often, the amount of cheese is pretty limited, especially on less expensive salads. Not so at the White Horse. The salads were absolutely loaded with delicious feta cheese, along with yummy cucumbers and tomatoes. Unfortunately, I can't remember the rest of the food we ordered, but it was all good. Had it been a bit warmer, we could have enjoyed our dinner in a lovely outdoor garden area.

this place feels very authentic, in a way that i enjoyed a lot. it's a very old building with a low…read moreceiling, open fire. the food was excellent, i had a steak and a salad, both of which i enjoyed a lot. prices were fair (and certainly below london standards). would definitely go here again, if the occasion arose.

My team and I were in Swindon on business from the US last October. My boss said we should go the…read moreThree Crowns for dinner one night, because she was there on a previous visit. I'm a vegan, so my expectations for finding something tasty at a UK Pub didn't seem very high. Even in the US, I find pub menus about the most vegan-unfriendly. I didn't see anything on the menu to eat, so I e-mailed them in advance to see if there were some options available. Not only did they get back to me right away, but they offered me several off-menu options for starters, dinner, and even dessert: Starters: Soup of the day (we can do a veg soup if you book) Orange & Walnut Salad with Watercress & Balsamic Dressing Sun-Blushed Tomato, Olive & Artichoke Salad Dinner: Mushroom Stuffed Vine Tomatoes with Tempura Veg & Salsa Verde Dressing Cous Cous Stuffed Peppers with Mixed Salad & New Potatoes Marinated Tofu & Noodle Stir fry with Bean Sprouts Dessert: Red Wine Poached Pear With Sorbet Fruit Salad with Fruit Coulis Glazed Pineapple with Mango & Chlli Are you kidding me? I don't get great options like this even when eating at restaurants with vegan options. I got the orange/walnut salad, cous cous stuffed peppers and glazed pineapple and everything was fantastic! Some of the best food I've ever eaten. This place can really cook. (By the way, my non-vegan colleagues loved their food as well) If you are vegan and want to go here, please e-mail them in advance, so they can provide some options and plan for your visit. Not only was the food great, but the place has a nice cozy atmosphere and the owner and staff are great. Not only was the service great, but the owner actually drove us all back to our hotel in Swindon, which isn't that close. I can't say enough about this place, because it was such a surprise. I wish they would come to Minneapolis and set up a restaurant here, because it would beat every pub in town. The next time I go to Swindon, I will be back.

Oh Three Crowns! I've waited eight years to write this review! So glad Yelp has finally crossed the…read moresea to reach you! I discovered Three Crowns while working as a consultant in nearby Swindon one summer. This cozy pub was the "go-to" spot whenever the team needed a break from our normal routine (hotel food or late night kebab trucks). Particularly memorable was the "Taste of the Wild"-- kangaroo, ostrich, and venison. The meat wasn't too gamy, and cream sauce was amazing! The homemade desserts are also fantastic. They even have a proper English cheese tray that they roll right up to your table. The Stilton I tried was far and away the best I've ever eaten. And cheese for dessert! Boy, the British sure know how to live! It's a lovely drive into the countryside (including some sketchy single-lane roads!) and well worth it once in a while to splurge on a great meal!

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.

Traditional English pub with friendly staff and a warm fireplace. I would live here if it was an…read moreoption built in 1843.

the food was delicious. the place was so cute and fancy. i love it, and i love all of bourton on…read morethe water! if you're there then i defiantly recommend going! the servers were very nice too.

Came here for the Sunday roast, it was delicious!!! The place is lovely and and service is good and…read morefast. Parking can be tricky, there's parking just a few blocks down the road, and as it is in the center, it can be quite busy.

Haven't been here in a while but definitely a family favourite. I recommend making a reservation if…read moreyou're going during the weekend. Can't wait to go back next time I visit home!

I must apologise immediately for posting this review as its not in London, but 84.1 miles near…read moreLondon, but after visiting this establishment I felt that I should share this with you. I found this little gem on a recent trip to Marlborough and just happened to stumble across it. the Silks on the Downs (formerly known as the Wheatsheaf) is located in the very small village of Ogbourne St Andrew, it is one of those blink and you will miss it villages, located on the A346, which is a very busy road, however once inside the general ambience and polite and cheerful outlook of the staff and proprietors soon erases any misgivings. The building has been tastefully renovated to transform it from a pub to the now gastropub, with the dining area being laid out allowing you to dine privately without being in close proximity to other diners. They pride themselves of sourcing all there main ingredients from in and around the area. They go as far as naming the local butcher, fishmonger and gamekeeper. Our meal commenced with Soup of the day, which was displayed as a being a tomato soup blended with spices, which sounded quite tasty, but we were informed that they were just in the process of replacing it with fresh cream of mushroom soup, as they had sold out of tomato soup. Reading that as a good sign and not wanting a heavy first course, I went for the mushroom soup, even though I'm not keen on mushrooms in there raw state, that aside I found it to be just perfect, I even surprised my wife by consuming it all. For the main course I opted for the Venison Goulash slowly braised in 6x Beer, (which I was reliably informed was shot locally), a selection of root Vegetables and herb Dumplings. The meat was braised to perfection, leaving it just gently resting in the juices, the taste being succulent without being overpowering and leaving your taste buds knowing that you have eaten a very well prepared cut of venison. We declined the dessert menu, being that our hunger had been suitably satiated, but they did look very tempting. So if your ever travelling this way, you might find this place to be a pleasant detour from your journey. www.silksonthedowns.co.uk

One of the absolutely best pubs (and restaurants) in Britain. As a pub fanatic, I've visited…read morehundreds of watering holes through the years, and the food has never, and I mean never, been this good. I've eaten at Michelin star restaurants that haven't had steak as tender and succulent as what we had here. The ambiance was romantic, quirky, and quiet, perfect for a night out. We started with a potato and leek soup and the Welsh rarebit. The soup was good, not exceptional, but good, and the rarebit was tasty. We continued with the special, which was a hanging skewer with melted garlic butter, corn on the cob, and chips. I can honestly say that I have never had such a delicious, perfectly cooked and seasoned beef skewer outside of Greece or Spain. It was an absolute experience simply eating it. One of those rare dishes that makes you pause and close your eyes at the sheer pleasure of the perfect taste. I never wanted it to end. My husband had the same experience with his assorted beef platter. The medallions were so tender you understand what the phrase "melt in your mouth" means. I only wish we had room for dessert, as the dessert menu looked utterly luscious. But we will be back, and soon. I cannot recommend this restaurant highly enough.

What a lovely little pub. Had a meal there & it was so nice. Great value for money. Food came out…read morewithin a reasonable time. The staff are very nice and welcoming. I will definitely be going back.