Boars Head, Austback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Discovered this pub last year whilst staying at the local Travelodge. Made use of the pub again this year on four consecutive days for our evening meals. Found the beer well kept and very reasonably priced. The food was excellent, with a good choice and again reasonably priced. The food is cooked to order and NOT a re-heat job, therefore you wait for it. Bar staff were also very friendly. Well done and more importantly....LONG MAY IT CONTINUE
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visited this pub with my partner last night for a meal.
the food outstanding and value for money. chef is extremely good. i would reccommend this place to anyone. staff were excellent also. i will definately be back. keep up the good work guys
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A quaint old pub conveniently situated just a few hundred yards from junction 1 of the M48. I assume it one time it was a row of cottages, but has now been put to much better use.
It�s surprisingly big inside with several different bars and a traditional �olde worlde� design, although perhaps not as quaint as some other examples around. There are exposed stone walls, a big old fireplace and a few copper pans and the like hanging around, but the rather tatty red (lino?) floor in the front bar spoils the look somewhat, and the modern quiz machine looks out of place. Similarly the small left hand bar could be described as a cosy snug, but the pile of high chairs stacked in the corner spoilt the effect. A selection of chunky wooden tables, including one made out of an old beer barrel completed the interior furnishings.
There was a decent looking �pub grub� menu with most of the mains being around the �8 mark, and a couple of specials chalked up on the board above the fireplace. There were also several different meals deals available, such as free deserts on Tuesdays, a free bottle of wine on Thursdays and selected mains being offered in a �2 for �12� deal. We didn�t try the food however, so can�t comment on the quality, or the length of time it took to arrive.
Staff seemed friendly enough, although an acknowledgement while I was stood at the bar waiting would have been good. There looked to be a good sized beer garden, although it was far too wet to try it on our visit. There is also a small patio area with a well.
Beers on tap were Ringwood Best, Pedigree and Hobgoblin. The solitary cider was Strongbow, unfortunately.
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Sorry to say I would advise anyone visiting this pub, not to go.
If you just want a drink, it might be passable. If you want a meal, thumbs down. They are de facto members of the 'slow food' movement, without the quality. Bring a picnic and a Thermos while you wait. You'll need all the help you can get. The best thing about the menu, is the menu. Flight of Fantasy but the graphics are pleasant and tasteful. The same thing cannot be said about the food. The service is pleasant. No service but with a smile. Are the waiting staff still at school? Making a bob on the side? I think so. And never complain. In this pub, the customer is always wrong. Don't go. There's other pubs. Do yourself a favour.
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Oh dear! I used to go here occcasionally, found it very good and so I was surprised at some of the recent reviews. But it's true, this pub has gone downhill! Went at Sunday lunchtime, it wasn't mega busy; but still we had to wait over an hour for food. To be fair, the (freindly) staff did advise us there would be a wait. The food was at best average, the beer (Wychwood) was OK. And they don't answer the phone!
A shame, because this could be, and used to be, such a good pub; but if there aren't some changes it will spiral further down.
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A great pub tucked away in the small village of Aust. The service is always friendly which does make a difference from most of the other pubs I visit. The food is good, there is a sufficient choice of ales and a lovely beer garden.
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lovely looking pub. but shocking service. had to wait a long time for the food to arrive. used to go in a lot but the food has gone down hill and the portion sizes are now tiny.
think the management need to rethink there aproach to there customer service. and staff training, i am no longer a regular customer
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Used to be a great pub until recent change of staff. I visited with friends recently, bought a drink, asked for a food menu and went to the garden. The bar staff then brought cutlery etc to our table. We went back to the bar to order the food and was then told that the kitchens were being closed one and a half hours earlier than advertised. I asked for the owner and the chef came to see me. He was extremely rude and aggressive and refused even to offer a rebate on our drinks.
I have no idea if the owner is aware of how his staff are behaving when he is off-site but I will be happy to give him details if he contacts this website.
I will not visit this pub again until there is a marked change in customer service
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Popped in on a very quiet week day afternoon. Strange service from the bar women who poured half of my pint and then walked off to do something else. Barman had to come over to ask what had happened and then finished pouring the pint which was then about two inches from the top of the glass and was fairly ungracious when I asked for a top up. Three ales on - Pedigree, Ringwood Best and one from Wychwood. Although good value at �2.50 per pint, the Ringwood was a little tired - I suspect that it had been sitting in the pipes for too long - please clear them out before serving your customers! Pub has a very attractive interior, all low ceilings and beams and there is a large garden with a sheltered area. Hope for better quality ale and better service next time
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A beautiful pub with lovely staff.
When the pub transferred managers the food did go down hill whilst they got their heads around the menu but now it is consistently good. However, the prices are high for what is just good pub food rather than a gastro pub. The location and ambience of old worldiness make up for it though.
The 2 for �12 offers are excellent value Monday to Friday.
We go quite regularly and are a bit surprised when people seem to get upset that they are not being treated as if a restaurant on busy Friday and Saturday nights. The service I have received there has set it aprt from the other local pubs so I diont quite get the reviews above.
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Booked a table for 19.30 on a Saturday. Arrived to a fairly busy, but certainly not packed pub.
After several waiters had walked by our group ignoring us we stopped one and enquired about our booking and were taken to a table.
Drinks were ordered and menus handed out, with the said drinks arriving to the table shortly after.
Following a long wait for someone to take our order (waiters busying back and forth past our table) we again had to stop a waiter, who told us that they were 'not supposed to be providing table service' that evening (meaning our whole group was supposed to have ordered our food at the bar...). However, he kindly decided to make an exception as we had been waiting so long without anyone telling us...
.... but despite it being relatively early when we began to order mains we found that 3 of the 'premium dishes' (duck, lamb and pork) were not available... not only this but there was going to be at least an hours wait for the food.
This was extremely disappointing as several of the group could have neither their first nor second choices, but we persevered and ordered alternatives.
The starters arrived around 45 minutes later. The Camembert and Ciabatta which I had was lovely, and the other starters looked good also.
The mains arrived over an hour after ordering, with the burger certainly being a healthy (or not so) portion. The steak, which I ate, was OK, but a lack of any sauce left it rather bland and the meat itself was a bit stringy and laced with sinew, giving me the impression it wasn't the highest quality that the menu stated.
Further drinks were ordered from the bar (for which there was a long wait), however, no glasses were removed from the table at any point during the meal, even following the courses.
Overall I was extremely disappointed with the service, especially for the price of the meal (I would certainly expect to be ordering from my table, from a full menu and having glasses cleared).
The lack of service was highlighted when the couple in front of us at the bar queue enquired about the availability of food, were told it was available so ordered drinks and found a table (which the waiter cleared for them) only to have the same waiter return two minutes later to inform them that they wouldn't be able to eat after all as the kitchen wasn't taking more orders.
I would certainly not recommend a visit due to the poor service and overpriced food which left me thoroughly disappointed and undervalued as a customer.
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absolutely smashing. Well kept beer the staff were so knolageable and helpfull Ive never been anywhere quite like it. Food was generously portioned and of a very high quality. the chickens and rabbits in the garden kept my kids amused for the whole visit. Very pleasent experince will be returning with friends soon.
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The worst pub meal that i and my eight friends have had.After a wait of one hour the food came out cold and uncooked.A complete waste of money and a birthday celebration spoilt.
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A very nice country location plenty of space in and around the pub great for that warm evening pint sat outside.The food leaves a lot to be desired.Ordered a 8oz Sirloin Steak cooked medium,waitress arrived in a flourish after a wait of 35 mins with an Angus Burger! Then had to wait and offered to warm my partners meal while mine was being prepared, declined the offer, sat and watched her attempt to eat wilted salad, over cooked cheese on an over cooked burger, re heated oven chips and some peculiar sauces. 20mins later my piece of meat arrived! A wedge! cindered at the thin end,and almost blue at the other, oven chips dry and powdery, a mushroom soggy and wet, a whole tomato warm but not cooked Oh and an onion ring out of the freezer bag. �13.95. This is the second meal in the last month and the last!! The first meal was disgusting and I had a full reimbursement, this time they took my money even after a complaint to the bar staff, and no apology was obviously not on his agenda so we left. A disappointing evening for both of us.
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We visited on a busy Saturday lunch time as a party of 6.Service excellent, friendly atmosphere, good food and excellent beer. Not sure whether some of the other reviews here relate to another pub!
Prices shouldn't be an issue - just look at the menu! If the prices don't agree with you then you don't have to buy.
Will be reurning soon
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Nice pub,although damp peeling ceilings & mouldy painting where we sat. Charmless service. Overpriced food. Laughably small portions of chips with our meals. The micro portion of Chocolate Stack was a complete overpriced disappointment - don't expect to see any of the described "Devon double cream". We had mains & puds and left still hungry (normal appetites). A disappointing waste of money - we won't be going back.
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Rubbish beer, pricey food that is what I class as a complete and utter waste of money. won't be returning
anonymous - 6 Sep 2007 20:27 |
Nice pub, shame about the beer!
Far too many country pubs these day's get above themselves thinking they are something they most clearly are not i.e. A bistro. A dear bistro at that with expensive drinks too.
What about the word *PUB* don't these managers/landlords understand?
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Gastro-pub. Several inter-connecting rooms. Interesting menu, home-cooked food, but pricey. Modern "farmhouse kitchen" style decor. Lots of specials on the menu. Little focus on the beer.
anonymous - 10 Apr 2007 16:33 |
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