please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
just revisted this pub in new hands for the last 9 months, what a change just won its first award, great food big portions great price has a warm freindly feel with good staff real ale served outside has been done up and a new childrens area has been built kid friendly also let dogs in some rooms give it a try. i will be back soon
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I agree Baz, I used to frequent The Plough daily and its not a patch on its previous..... Tend to use The Ring O Bells now, they have the chef from The Ploughs award winning days and a cracking management team with helpful and frienly bar staff.
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I agree, 3 months out of action and the result is a hiddeous red carpet, rubbish beer, rubbish food (cooked by morons, I saw them fagging it out the back).
This site has parking for 50 cars, and a kitchen. Who is in control here? There's money to be made, come on Brewery, dont let this pub die, it;s our local, if you do it, they will come.
Baz.
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Returned to this once charming pub to dine on a Friday evening, very disappointed!
I believe the pub has recently had a change of hands. From gastro pub waiting on... to a 10 minute wait at the bar to order what tasted like microwave cheap and nasty frozen produce.
The ambience has completely gone if not dead everything is now painted white and brightly lit, the gardens look as though they have been a testing ground for nuclear weapons, where there was once chickens and pigs there is now scrap metal and wood, herb garden may as well be a nettle garden, as for the top garden you struggle to see beyond the overgrown grass, where there were once pretty hedge rows now lies half burnt stumps with ashes and nettles, what on earth happened here for it to reach such heights then fall so badly into the 'brewers fayre' category, 'at least another pub in christleton has started good fresh food produce'
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I too have only ever had memorable experiences at The Plough Inn... Amazing food and fantastic service in this enchanting "gastro pub."
I would strongly question any negativity from the self appointed food critics amongst us and urge you to try it for yourselves.
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Was at a wine-tasting evening on Monday. Outstanding food accompnaied by unusual and really good wines. Will definitely be paying this gem aniother visit!
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I must begin by admitting that I am a stalwart fan of The Plough! Nevertheless it's no bad thing, now and then to let others know how good this place really is!
We eat in the restaurant at the plough several times a month and are always delighted with the ambience as well as with the high quality of the food. The last occasion was on my birthday a week ago. My husband and I were overwhelmed with the hospitality and christmas warmth. Not only did the lady waiting on look after us with great care but we were also presented with a bottle of champagne!
We will certainly continue to go the Plough on regular occasions.
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Called in for lunch with friends after hearing about the Gastro Pub Award. I'm amazed. Thought I'd gone to the wrong place. The whole experience was dreadful. Basic drinks they didn't have, alternatives forgotten, food less than average and cold. Service poor and unapologetic. I am from the trade and expect better from any establishment let alone an award winner!
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I have now revisited the pub and what a difference to my first visit
Service was very good and the food we chose was delicious I must also add that the pint of Spitting Feathers beer I had was excellent.
It does show what a change in waiting on staff can make and how one person can make or break an evening.
Top marks for the owners replying to my initial e mail and inviting us back.
There were new menus last evening and the whole pub was decorated in a fine festive manner.
After last night I will return on another occasion and will put my first visit down to an unhelpful waitress.
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Further to my recent review I have been contacted by the the pub and invited back by them to try their food and service once again I shall post a further review again when I have re visited the establishment
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I visited this pub last Saturday evening having read the articles in the local newspaper about it being the Gastro pub of the year for 2008. On my arrival things went downhill and never really got up again.I had phoned to make a reservation in the restaurant the previous day but when I arrived the waitress said that they hadn't got a reservation even thought I was joking about it.
Eventually after looking between a book and a piece of paper she seemed to be working from she found the reservation.It apparently is the system that reservations are written into the book first then transposed to the large piece of paper.Ours hadn't .We were told to get a drink at the bar then she would bring a menu over to us.After ordering a bottle of wine at the bar from a barman, with all the charisma of a Siberian prison guard, we eventually found a seat and waited for the promised menu to arrive and waited and waited.
Some time later the waitress walked past us and this must have refreshed her memory as the menu then arrived with an assurance not to worry as she had found a table for us.This sounded as though she was doing us a favour rather r than a service we were going to pay for.
At last we sat down and ordered our meal. My starter arrived on it's own and thinking that my companion's was delayed but on it's way I began to eat mine as it was going cold.The next contact with the waiting staff was us being asked if everything was OK. When asked where the soup had got to the waitress said she hadn't heard the order.By now the idea of soup had passed from my companion's mind and she then declined the offer of it being brought to us not wanting to eat on her own as I had been forced to .We were told that it hadn't gone on the bill and an apology was given.Sincere it was not!! The mains and a dessert were brought but were nothing special.
The restaurant part of the pub is quite nice if you don't look up and see all the pieces of blue tack on the ceiling .The menus that were brought to us were covered in stains and talked of the pub's summer menu considering it is nearly Christmas no wonder they were dirty and smeared!
All in all a very very disappointing evening and how they won this award I have simply no idea! I have e mailed the pub to get their side of the evening but as yet had no reply which taken with the service we got on the evening we were there comes as no great surprise ! I will avoid this pub in the future and go to better and cheaper ones nearby.
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NOT AWFUL, just a shame about some of the people these places get
Went to the plough inn christleton on 9th September, we were celebrating a friends birthday; we had a starter main and dessert and i must say that i could not find a single fault. The staff were polite and efficient and the food was superb, and the choice of real ale's excellent!
The decor and the general atmosphere & ambience was fantastic,you feel like you are stepping back in time to a traditional Public House; you got the feel that the owner takes pride in what he/she does, and for anyone who gets the chance you must see there gardens/orchard and livestock! 'not the run of the mill.'
You go into so many pubs in Chester and find that it is either a wine bar or clinical to the point of becoming a Bupa Health Clinic
i decided to write this 'honest' account of my experience after reading a few of the previous reviews, ironic the times and dates of those negative ones!!!!!!!!
i guess you might say i feel quite stong about the kaliber of those kinds of people having worked in the industry for many years, all mouth; no substance!
all that i can say to anyone generally interested in dining here is try it, you will see and aggree that this is not a waisted visit, but one that will certainly be enjoyed
anonymous - 11 Sep 2008 21:52 |
AWFUL!
Lunch menu very boring & extremely limiting. The food on offer was no more than you might expect in any cafe, no where near "gastro pub" style. Decor is old-fashioned beyond words, which made the whole place feel quite uncomfortable.
I ordered a chicken club on brown. Oh dear. Wrong bread, burnt, & absolutely smothered in foul, greasy, overpowering cheese. There was little chicken & what there was seemed very poor quality. The tiny salad garnish didn't make up for the high price. No-one else in my party was pleased with their food either.
I sent it back & didn't pay. GO SOMEWHERE ELSE!
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Probably one of the worst pub lunches I've EVER had! A very old fashioned menu with a limited choice of basic pub grub and sandwiches. The Chicken Caesar salad came with baby gem lettuce, bacon, red peppers, olives, celery and onion but no traditional cos lettuce, very little chicken, no Caesar dressing or parmesan! A total waste of money. Won�t be returning in a hurry.
flojo - 13 Aug 2008 19:26 |
Absolutely fabulous! Arranged a birthday party at The Plough at the weekend and was delighted by the attention to detail - balloons, banners, free bubbly!! The food was up to the same standard. Great place to celebrate anything.
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First off extremely poor choice for vegetarian's 1 option only on main courses, on the day we visited the vegi option was something i didn't like so i had to for one of the starter's - soup - whilst my friends tucked into big meals!! Then disappointingly the soup was over seasoned and tasted only of pepper, i did mention this when waitress asked why i hadn't eaten it only to be told that the chef had not added any pepper and was i sure i hadn't added it myself!!!??! Very poor service would not recommend at all
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Went to the plough after reading a view mixed reviews was pleasantly surprised. The rooms are nicely varied with a restaurant with candleabres and antiquities, lounge, snug and basic taproom. The food was fresh and good quality and the beer (spitting feathers special) was a tasty fruity number in good condition. The lasagne was a bargain even at eight quid. Home made chips worth getting with a sandwich. The hosts were friendly and the place had an independent feel.
brisk - 12 Mar 2008 17:49 |
The Plough Inn Christleton is a beautiful country pub with that something special hidden away inside which once you have stepped inside is jaw dropping! You wonder if you�re in the wrong place but the friendly staff and the excellent menu of fine foods available along with great guest ales and fine wines just makes your stay perfect. Various seating areas mean you can be in the thick of it or immersed in a quiet corner.
This our first visit one evening in November bowled us over as we walked in with its country pub meets the manor decor, so much so we booked ourselves into the restaurant for the following evening. The food didn�t disappoint and was faultless. I would highly recommend this be put on your wish list of places to visit.
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THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME WE VISITED THIS PUB, THE FOOD ORDER WAS PRE-ORDERED BECAUSE IT WAS A CELEBRATION .WHEN WE GOT THE FOOD ORDER IT WAS MIXED UP.THE STEAKS THAT WERE ORDERED WELL DONE CAME MEDIUM COOKED ,THEY HAD TO GO BACK,BUT NO EXTRA COOKING HAD BEEN DONE TO THE STEAKS.THE SERVICE WAS POOR,THE DESSERTS WERE BROUGHT WITHOUT SPOONS AND HAD TO WAIT AWHILE FOR THEM.THE CREME BRULEE WAS POORLY MADE THE WORST I HAVE EVER SEEN.THE FOOD DID NOT WARRANT THE PRICE.
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This pub is now listed in the 2007 Camra Good Beer Guide. As I've never been there I thought I'd give it a try. 6 or 7 real ales were on offer so I decided to try the local brews. I was not impressed with the Spitting Feathers Farmhouse Ale which had a nasty 'earthy' aftertaste, which I would associate with a dispense system which needed cleaning. Next I tried a Spitting Feathers Basket Case, which I've supped at other Chester pubs recently. I thought it tasted a bit 'green', maybe too fresh from the brewery, and distinctly average, which was disappointing for a 4.8% brew. When I drunk this elsewhere it was superb, one of my 'pints of the year'. Finally I tried the Spitting Feathers Old Wavertonian (stout), which was the best ale of the session and in top form.
This pub is a gem, very clean and the staff are A1.
Easily reached in ten minutes by the ChesterBus No.4 or No.41 service from Chester city centre. Try it!
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The Plough Inn on the outskirts of Christleton now under the ownership of Marphia Ent, who also own the Victoria in Chester Rows. The Plough serves food from 12-3pm and 6:30-9pm Monday to Saturday. The resturant is also open on Sunday for Sunday Lunch but it is best to phone and book. There a super range of Cask Conditioned ales that change daily (Camara Recommended) So go down and give them a visit.
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I don't know when Peter went to the Plough but it has changed hands now and I agree with the last comments about this pub. The staff are extremely obliging and cheerful and the landlord and landlady are very pleasant and friendly, chatting to all their customers. The food is excellent and cheap as is their beer. The clientele is a mixture of young and old and all are treated with courtesy and a smile. The only thing against it is the small car park. The bad news is that the current ladlords are going to retire in May 2005. Peter should get out more.
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I used to live in nearby Waverton and have been to the Plough Inn many times. I've always found the food to be very good, and have never once had cause for complaint about the behaviour of the staff, who were always extremely friendly. The only problem I've found with this pub is that the car park is on the small side.
David - 7 Sep 2004 19:31 |
My wife and I, along with her family, went along to The Plough for Sunday lunch. We waited over an hour and a half for the meal to arrive, which wouldn't have been acceptable even if the pub was busy but it wasn't even half full. During this time we were 'entertained' by the stroppy bar staff, loudly insulting their boss, their workplace and even other customers just across the bar who had dared to complain about the service. Drink orders were forgotten and no apologies were forthcoming.The food, when it finally arrived, was comparatively inoffensive apart from a completely rotten roast potato and a small selection of raw veg.
Being charitable, one could say this was a case of young inexperienced staff being left to their own devices and not coping. Whatever the reason, this was definitely a case of getting every single aspect of service to the public wrong.
There seemed very little point in voicing our opinion to the staff and so a letter to the landlord is in the post.
In short, avoid this pub until their staffing problems are dealt with.
Peter - 6 Sep 2004 16:16 |
