The Crown Pub Dining Rooms

The burger let things down: it was dry, with just one thin streak of bacon. The menu is limited and feels quite pricey for the food quality, though the atmosphere is great and the service friendly.

The loud, unadvertised DJ music made it hard to hear each other, which really spoiled our annual catch-up. It felt more like a cheap bar than the relaxed, welcoming pub we expect The Crown to be. We’ve been many times before, but had noticed the food quality declining as prices rose. The convenient location for our group led us to book again this year. We paid a £10 deposit each, pre-ordered, and went yesterday. The prawn mousse had no taste. The pork was nice, but there were only two small pieces, and eight of us had to share two small dishes of vegetables. The cream with the dessert had clearly turned. The waitress suggested it was raspberry-flavoured, but the three of us who ordered that dessert all agreed it was off. It was eventually replaced with canned squirty cream, which wasn’t an acceptable substitute. With a pitcher of sangria, the bill was £46.50, on top of the £10 deposit already paid. It was a very disappointing experience, and one we’re unlikely to repeat.

Breakfast was freshly cooked and served promptly. I was travelling alone for one mid-week night, and my room was warm, cosy, spacious, and as advertised. The dining area was just a short walk away. Food was reasonably priced, and they readily accepted the 40% discount from simply downloading a loyalty app.

The staff, service, and ambience were great, and there was a 30% discount for Friday service. But the food was awfully poor. The pork bites with orange glaze were tiny, hard, and overcooked. The buttermilk burger with french fries, slaw, and sriracha mayonnaise was dreadful to look at, with no finesse or garnish and the burger fallen over. It was dry, with only a teaspoon of mayo on top of the chicken inside, and dry, tasteless slaw beneath. I wouldn’t serve that meal. A child could have done better. The fish and chips were the only meal anyone enjoyed, though the kitchen had run out of peas and served baked beans instead. Running out of peas on a Friday night, with no frozen peas either, was laughable. I’ve eaten at The Crown many times before and was always delighted with the food. Now it seems there’s an incompetent person or people in the kitchen. The food coming out is overpriced and dreadful quality.