please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
I used to love this pub, but had a bad experience in 2011 - see below. Something recently pointed me to the Food Standards Agency site, where you can check food hygiene ratings given by local authority inspectors. Given my experience, I checked out the 5 Horseshoes. As of today, the last inspection reported on the FSA site (18 June 2013) gave a rating of 1/5 (Major improvenet necessary). I recommend dining somewhere else until they get it up to 4 or more.
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I was at this pub 8 years ago (see my piece from 01.06.06) and gave it a positive review. Unfortunately different people run the business now and they cannot cope with the popularity of the place. Whereas before the staff had pumps and barrels outside and a BBQ going to cope with the garden customers, now everyone has to queue at the small bar which is like being below deck on the Santa Maria. The staff have to dodge round customers with hot food and drinks in a not so merry dance. We were told we would have to wait 40 minutes and ordered soup which came in about 25 minutes and was cold. Staff's response to this was "sorry" and then to walk away. They came across as fed up with so much business. Strange. Some of our order was forgotten and the bill was totted up wrongly. Some people arrived after us to be told that they were no longer serving as the had run out of food and they were trying to "honour" the customers who had already ordered. Another couple nearby complained about various things and finally the waitress was called over to examine a miniscule amount of meat on a plate: the honouring reduced to eking out. Do the pub a favour and leave it out of your itinerary. Until the management get a viable system it's going to be like this or until a new bunch can make it work like the previous guys in 2006. On the plus side the beer was good but then Brakspears should be when it's only come up the road from Henley. The view is great.
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Visited Monday lunchtime. There were perhaps a dozen or so customers. The Brakspears was in fine form and the 3 course lunch for £13.95 was well cooked and excellent value for money. My only criticism would be that the vegetable portions were a bit small. I've been going here on and off for several years now and the food and beer has always been of a high standard and the staff polite and competent. Certainly worth my 70 mile round trip
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We've been visiting this pub now and again for a few years now, and never had a bad experience. True, the place is extremely busy on Sundays, and it sounds as if the previous reviewer tried to get a table without booking, but we have always found the service and food exemplary, and though pricey compared to an average pub, I think it's really good value. I would recommend it to anyone.
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Should be a great pub but its not because the people who run it are so complacent.
Fantastic location nice building decent garden but when 6 of us visited yesterday it was like we did them a favour turning up.
CUSTOMER SERVICE matters wherever & whoever you are.
Reasonable beer( but why no guest beer?) food decent though pricey are fine but RUDE staff are unforgiveable!
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After seeing a couple of negative reviews about this place below I felt obliged to add my opinion to the mix. I think this is a wonderful place. The very old English bar oozes charm with its low beams and quirky feel. The pub has 2 very very large beer gardens with views over the chilterns, perhaps the best views I have ever come across (and I do a lot of walking!) I can understand perhaps the place does get a little over run, specially on a Sunday, I have visited myself on a Sunday lunch and without a booking there is little chance of being served - However this can only reinforce the popularity of the place! They serve doorstop sandwhiches with thick cut chunky chips and a great venison burger! Dog and children friendly this is my family's favourite place to visit after a nice long walk. Do give it a try!
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The location of this pub is fantastic but I'm sorry to say that the food and owners let it down. The landlord was very unfriendly and made my friends and I feel very unwelcome. We visited on a busy Sunday but they clearly couldn't cope with the volume of guests. Our food took 55 minutes to arrive and was cold when it finally did. We all had roasts, the meat was very, very fatty and the serving of vegetables was minimal, it was worth no where close to the �15.50 they were charging! We all left very disappointed and will not be returning whilst the current Landlord is running it, it is a great shame as I used to visit this pub lots with my parents as a child.
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I visited this pub for the first time yesterday and will not be returning!
We booked for 12.30pm and on our arrival were told we had to be out by 2pm so they could fit another party in! Very insulting! We chose to sit in the garden instead so we wouldn't be rushed!
We were given two menus between six people and the choice of meals was limited and pricey. I had fish- which was lovely, but my chips were undercooked- one was infact still raw, and the serving of peas was pathetic.
Two friends had roasts for �15.95 with only one slice of beef/pork each!
For pudding one had panacotta which was the size of a teaspoon, and the vanilla ice cream that came with four servings of sticky toffee pudding was completely off! Rather than apologising they denied there was anything wrong with it, implying that all six of us were wrong!
Terrible service and won't be going back!
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This has been one of my favourite places to eat for a while. The food has always been excellent and the service friendly. A couple of years ago we'd had such a good meal with a memorable passionfruit souffle with chocolate sorbet dessert, that we asked if the chef would come out so we could thank him personally. Recently we had another good meal but afterwards I spent the night throwing up violently. On checking with my fellow diners, I discovered that 3 of the five of us had the same experience. Given that we had not seen each other for 10 days prior to the meal, it's hard to believe that the cause could have been anything else. On bringing this to the attention of the five horsehoes by email, they at first seemed to take it seriously, but eventually denied being able to find any problem and took no responsibility for it, claiming that their food was safe. I was very disappointed. I'd love to go back - I love the food, but until they can admit they may have a problem, I won't be taking the risk. It's probably a very small one, but you'll have to make that choice.
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Would have been a 10 but not everything is perfect.
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This pub is lovely we go there for dates it is romantic and the log fires and views are just stunning. The food is quality local food which makes a huge difference this pub is slightly expensive but they do have weekly offers on. They also have a mailing list and they send you newsletters which include wine tasting evenings etc. We travel 25miles to this pub because it is as a pub should be, warm, cosy, real ales, local people, log fires, country views, nice people, and lovely meals. Please try it and see for yourself in the summer it is busy go on a week day off peak.
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Went there on a wet Monday lunchtine in November. It was suprisingly busy and I'm glad I booked. The Brakspears was excellent as was the food, though the steak whilst very tasty was rather over salted. The staff were competent and professional. Slightly on the expensive side but overall an enjoyable experience. I would have no hesitation in recommending this pub
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Used to be my local. More of a gastro-pub but the food is excellent although slightly expensive, with a good range of drinks. The views over the Chilterns are superb and it's right in the middle of some great walks. Nice garden and occasional barbecues which are recommended. It's out of the way but worth the drive.
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We have visited this pub on three or four occassions in the last year and we love it. Food is excellent, staff are good and the view and location are really special. Pub is dog friendly which lets us relax with our boxer, and we highly recommend it.
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My partner and I visited the Five Horseshoes the week before Christmas on a friend�s recommendation and felt compelled to report what a fantastic experience we had. The place is in the most beautiful setting - a view unrivalled in the area - rolling Chiltern hills provide a wonderful setting. The pub itself is lovely - unmessed around with, traditional, with log fires and beams. However, the food and service are what made our day - everything was delicious and home cooked and the landlord and landlady with their young friendly staff looked after us beautifully. A real treat. Highly recommended!
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Brilliant pub, we went there last Friday on a recommendation and had a superb meal, as good as any top restaurant and half the price. They also have typical pub food on the menu like fish and chips and bangers and mash, but what the place is really about is top quality game and fish. Stunning location with far reaching views, beautiful olde worlde pub, freindly efficient staff.
We went for a lovely walk through the woods afterwards. Hard to beat.
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On the pricey side, but by no means expectorant, and nice and friendly.
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One of the best things about this pub, apart from the outstanding views and location, is that you can eat there OR drink there. Unlike most pubs in the area, you can simply go there for a beer, even at busy times, without feeling that you are intruding in some upmarket restaurant. There needs to be more pubs like this.
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Went for saturday lunch last weekend with a very fussy pregnant friend! I always brace myself for a problem with the food with this friend (not the pub!) and right on queue something was sent back. our waitress couldn't have been more accomodating and thoughtful. not only did she ask the chef to re-cook the burger, but noticing my friend my be a few months pregnant put all the toppings etc in a separate side bowl in case they contained mayonnaise etc. that she might not be able to eat. again, the team at the horseshoes manage to go beyond the expected. not to mention the fab gardens and views. Finally if you have kids go here. they've a full kids menu now, and the big gardens are kid proof, which meant managed to have a very happy 3hr lunch! Go visit!
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We got to this pub at 14.50 having been disappointed at the The Crown on 29.04.06. The landlord and his team of Aussies and South Africans were in the garden to welcome us to their first BBQ of the season. He said he'd taken over the 5 Horsehoes last autumn and intended to provide this service throughout the day and good weather as long as people dropped by. The beer was good and if you don't mind paying �9 for a burger, all be it a big one made from local produce with chips and salad then this pub is to be recommended with a great view back over Russell's Water Common and down Pishill thrown in for free.
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In fact managment has changed quite a few times since around 2001, with around 2 or 3 changes.
As jonno_ says correctly, one team have gone to the Baskervilles Arms, and another to a pub in Beer, Devon.
One of the chefs who was there around that period is now at the Crown at Pishill which is down the road- excellent food!
It's a shame that this once great pub has gone downhill: probably due to continual change of management. Let's hope things improve again soon
anonymous - 27 Jul 2005 11:18 |
Management have changed in the last year or so.
The previous team have gone to work their magic at the Baskerville Arms, Shiplake.
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This was a favourite country pub of ours until our visit this past weekend (Feb 28) - gone were the staff we recognized who were effortlessly polite and professional and the food was nothing like we remember it. Have the management and kitchen we know all disappeared? If so, we want to know where they went to.
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Really nice pub, serving good food, especially sundays - roasts in winter, BBQ and hog roast in summewr. Well worth a visit!
emma crozier - 11 Dec 2003 14:45 |
up on the top of the hill, it's a lovely pub which is mostly food nowadays (but very good food at that). Roomy main bar, with a lovely fireplace, and usual great Brakspears on tap.
pete - 21 Oct 2003 12:35 |
