Bell and Bear, Emberton

Have been here a few times in last 3 months and enjoyed excellent ale and also the 2 local ciders that they sell from Milton Keynes orchards from the friendly and well informed Sophie.Had a chance to go to a Cider and Apple themed 8 course meal for a friends 60th and can only say it was one of the best and most creative meals i've enjoyed for a long time,clearly the Chef(Jon) is highly talented and put on a locally sourced menu which would put many a so called "restaurant" to shame.
This is a proper local with a warm welcome for anyone also if you're lucky on a Fri night a local baker pops in with the latest batch of artisan made breads.All pubs should be like this

25 Oct 2011 15:36

The Black Horse, Great Linford

Thought i'd pop in and enjoy the chaos that this pub is,very entertaining to sit at bar and watch,much better than t.v.The poor staff almost run everywhere as there are not enough of them and barely keep the whole thing going and that is on a quiet night!! It's like watching a slow motion car crash! 2 real ales on until you ask for them and then get told they are off(be nice to turn clips aroud so as not to get excited).However after apologies the landlady put some more on and it was excellent(UBU Purity).I just wish the owners of this pub(M&B) would get their act together and allow the Landlady the money for staff before it all goes belly-up.

2 Sep 2011 21:41

The Cricketers, Redbourn

Been here many times as my in-laws are locals,excellent choice of 4 ales 2 from Vale and 2 from Tring and very tasty and well kept,top location on the common with great views,hard to beat.Good atmosphere in the bar which has a good feel to it.
Excellent well thought out menu,very nicely presented by friendly helpful staff,all round a pretty good experience.One negative thought that also seems to apply to most places these days is that they seem to run out of imagination when it comes to the cheeseboard and settle for the usual suspects(cheddar,brie, stilton,goat) Shame when there are so many to choose from these days.All in all i cannot reccomend the Cricketers highly enough especially on the choice of ales.Enjoy

2 Sep 2011 21:30

The White Horse Inn, Wroxton

This is an attractive pub on the way to Stratford in a picture postcard village and well worth a stop for a bit of refuelling on route.They now have landlords that can actually run a pub and keep the beer well, two real ales on handpump,one of which changes on a regular basis,good traditional pub grub is the order of the day and it is done well with a side dish of banter from the staff.There is a garden which is nice if the sun actually shined long enough to use it,this is a proper village pub that extends a warm welcome to all that use it,well worth a go.

24 Aug 2011 10:17

The Black Horse, Great Linford

This pub should be a cash machine for the brewery,fabulous location on the canal,lovely building,spot on in so many ways.However as i go there 3or4 times a month i can only say it seems to lurch from one crisis to another.Often i've sat there and watched customers give up waiting to be served drinks and walk out,also at lunchtimes customers have left the pub before their food order has been taken as they need to get back to work.The beer is pretty good and the food is not bad either but the staffing levels and organisation is a joke(you cannot get away with this in this day and age)In it's defence last week new staff appeared and things seem to have improved but it's happened before and after a short period the old rot sets in again.I had American relations over 2 weeks ago and would have loved to have taken them there but i did not want them going back home saying how lousy the service was so we spent the money elswhere.

14 Aug 2011 20:28

The Three Crutches, Strood

Jesus,thought that pubs like this had all gone out of business years ago!!
Tired decor,staff abyssmal,tired menu,service dire,cold Fish and chips,need i go on.
Best advice is don't go.This pub needs a makeover 10 years ago even the menus are dog-eared,at least get some new ones without stains on.
Can't find anything good to say about this pub except a visit from a bulldozer might improve it.SHAME.

14 Aug 2011 19:11

The Red Lion, Stodmarsh

awesome pub!!

Pub packed floor to ceiling with all manner of objects,could spend hours just looking at them!! but that would be denying yourself a chance to enjoy some of the finest food from a clearly talented chef.Very well thought out menu using locally sourced ingredients,quite a suprise to find food of this quality in a pub that you could never find by accident,puts many so called restaurants to shame.Couple this with some eccentric behaviour of the staff and especially Robert the Innkeeper you have the perfect non-corporate establishment.Enjoy

14 Aug 2011 19:00

The Rising Sun, Stourmouth

Been here many times for food and beer and menu interesting with a few well thought out dishes as well as the old favourites.Beer choice and condition good and food mainly excellent.
The only negative comments are the veg is cooked to a point where it could be sucked up a straw and as i have all my own teeth and not in a nursing home seems a bit OTT.
The other thing is the cheese board,seeing as Kent produces several fine cheeses within a 10 mile radius none are available here,in fact the most local cheese is one made in France!! Pretty disgraceful not to support local businesses.
However it's a nice pub with a nice atmosphere and a good place to go.

14 Aug 2011 18:51