Reviews in Ripon

A lovely country pub with fantastic food. A good atmosphere with well mannered staff~ first choice!

I thought the Staveley Arms was poor and would not recommend it to anyone. I went on Tuesday 27th May 2009 for a pub meal with friends. The pub itself was very attractive but quite noticeably empty. It went downhill from there. The service was very slow, the lady at the bar (who I presume was the owner) was flustered and could barely cope with serving drinks. We ordered meals which took approximately 45 minutes to arrive - or not in my case. When I went to query where my meal was, I was confronted by the landlady and accused of 'taking' someone else's meals. I went through the order with her and even when it was clear that we had not even received the food we had ordered, she was very rude. When my food arrived it was extremely average. I had ordered a steak pie. What I got was something akin to yesterday's carvery meat, cut up and served with a thick, very salty and synthetic tasting gravy. The accompanying vegetables were bland and watery. I received no apology from either the landlord or landlady and was expected to pay full price for all meals. I shall give this pub a very wide berth in future.

I booked for a meal for a party of 9 in March 2009. We were all extremely impressed. The ambiance was charming, the food superb and the service very good indeed. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this restaurant to anyone. I have no vested interest: it was a meal for a (low key) stag party from London and only found the restaurant on the web.

The Staveley arms use to be a lovely restaurant with friendly unique landlords...however since it was taken over in October i have to say the general standard of the place has fallen dramatically and i will never be returning.....

We have visited this pub frequently when visiting Ripon.Pub grub has always been value for money.Last visit was Sunday 28/09/08 for Sunday Lunch.The prices have increased but it is still good value for money.Pleasant staff,the pub has been recently re furbished(nine weeks ago) but still retains its character.We would recommend a visit.They also do senior citizens rates.

The Sawley Arms used to be famed for good food so we were a little surprised to turn up at 12:30 and find an almost empty car park and only one couple inside eating. That should have set the warning bells ringing, and the signs by the entrance forbidding children, dogs, muddy boots etc hardly made for a welcoming atmosphere. The choice of beers and wine is limited to nitrokegs and screw tops and the menu had the look of having been put together from the ready pub meals of the local cut price cash and carry. The scampi and chips was perhaps some of the worst I have ever experienced, tasteless with no texture (possibly reconstituted) and served with a bowl of obviously frozen chips, the ubiquitous bowl of peas and a rather mean sliver of lemon that looked to have been fished out from the bar rather than the kitchen. At 11 pounds a head we had expected better than motorway service station food. It's a shame but we won't be back.

Four of us had a superb meal at Ripon's Café Thai in Kirkgate last night. We received a very friendly welcome and plenty of help to choose from the extensive menu. My companions chose a selection of meat and vegetable dishes to share and loved them all. As the only veggie in the group, I decided to try Gaeng Pah - Jungle Curry - a very hot and spicy curry with mixed vegetables and herbs. I was offered it with or without tofu and great care was taken to make sure that it was the right level of hotness for my palate. It was delicious and the lychees I ordered afterwards complemented it nicely. Highly recommended - we shall certainly be going again.

Meal was fantastic value. Would recommend Peking Spare Ribs as a starter and Beef Chop Suey for main. One rice between two people would have been sufficient for future reference. March 2008

Come on down to The George Country Inn Very nice people

The pub has changed hands Again. Very nice people English food Real ale beers

We referred to AA Guide’s and several Internet sites before booking to stay at The Bruce Arms, West Tanfield, Yorkshire, on Saturday 5th January ’08, attracted by the pub being owned by a renowned chef and every comment praising the food as some of the best ever tasted. The landlady greeted us with “your early! I’ve got a shooting party arriving shortly!”, we immediately felt unwelcome. The Bruce is under new management. The present owners have two cats, which they feed on the stairs up to the accommodation, so they are littered with cat food and bowls. The stairs and landing stink of dog and cat faeces and urine, sufficient to make you feel sick! There was also a pair of dirty boxer shorts left on the stairs! Our bedroom was clean and tidy, had it been elsewhere we would have happily stayed. Unfortunately it was next to the family lounge and small children appeared to be left unattended as the landlord worked in the kitchen and the landlady was behind the bar. The children were noisy and ran around banging doors, making it impossible to relax. The stench from the staircase wafted into the bedroom. If this standard of hygiene was acceptable to the Landlord/Lady, it certainly was not to us. We could not stay in the room and had no wish to eat in this establishment, so we left. We decided to stay at the Stavely Arms, 2 miles from the Bruce in North Stainley. It was wonderful, with Mike and Elaine being the perfect hosts, the food fantastic and the accommodation being exceptional (£59 for B&B with the most comfortable kingsize bed!)

What a fantastic little pub. Like a little ship inside (all oak curved ceilings) Superb pies too, and really good value. Great place to go while the wife's shopping in Harvey Nichols.

had an amazing meal here - the chocolate fondant with peanut butter ice cream should not be missed - I loved it and I am not a chocolate fan - so light, the ice cream was amazing - one of the best things i have ever had. I wish that i had the rabbit as my husband did and it was fantastic too - I had the sea bass which I felt could have been better. Would love to go back soon. Great value for money - the chef came out too and chatted etc.

This is a brilliant place to eat which we just keep going back to. The price is extremely good value for such accurately cooked and clean tasting food. Consistency is maintained well across all the courses, with a well chosen and good value wine list to match. Service is always good but not over fussy and for family celebrations they always go the extra mile. It makes neighbouring Swinton park look very silly. The Bib gourmand was well awarded.

Glasses sparkled over the bar; the cutlery gleamed on the polished wood tables and the whiter than white napkins were beautifully ironed. An attractive, smiling Rosie greeted us, showing us the blackboard menu for us to peruse while we had a drink at the bar. The choice was limited but with interesting touches of imaginative combinations. I could have chosen any of the dishes and eaten them with pleasure as Russell only cooks from fresh even to his own bread and hand cut chips(none of your "ready bake" in the oven varieties) Our meal arrived in just the right amount of time, no long waits or the feeling of being rushed. The white plates(hot with the main course)set off what I can only describe as works of art and tasted delicious. We chose to eat in the lounge/bar area but there is a very attractive, elegant dining room where clothed tables of different shapes and sizes gave the room an interesting look. If you want to see a young couple working hard, giving of their best and enjoying doing it. go to the Bruce arms at West Tanfield where a welcome awaits you. The drive to this attractive village is a pretty one without many motorists. There is no parking problem as an ample car park is available. All these factors need consideration and are part of a successful night out. Thank you Rosie and Russell for such an enjoyable evening with you last week.

Vennells Restaurant has simply the best food I have eaten in a very long time, even when compared to Michelin starred or fancy city centre restaurants. It also seems extremely consistent in its high standards - I have eaten there several times and have never been disappointed. The home smoked trout is a favourite but every single dish has been well thought out and is always perfectly executed. Other reviews have referred to the price but again I think this compares pretty well to other restaurants in the area. I actually quite like the honest pricing - a starter and main course together cost £21. It saves deliberations about whether to have a starter and it means you can order exactly what you feel like without worrying if it's more expensive than what someone else in the party is having! If you're in Masham or the Ripon area I would thoroughly recommend giving it a try. It's advisable to book in, especially at weekends but they have often managed to squeeze us in with relatively short notice too.

the best ice cream ever

Last Wednesday was my first visit back to Lockwoods since Christmas, and I have to say things were always great there but now they are even better. The new decor has given the restaurant a really cosy and intimate feel. The service was friendly and smiling, and the food was delicious. There is an increased emphasis on local food, even down to the drinks with Lockwoods being the first Restaurant to offer Yorkshire Cider from Cropton near Pickering. I had the chargrilled vegetable and goats cheese stack with sesame roasted potatoes which was very tasty, and healthy. Couldn't resist the white chocolate and rhubarb tart, and looking forward to next time!