please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
The previous comments about the food are on the harsh side. My Mexican veggie burger was quite moist and tasty and my mother enjoyed her mango, mozzarella and asparagus salad. On the minus side my prawn cocktail was straight out of the freezer and consequently quite tasteless. The service was friendly but a bit slow - presumably due to the number of diners on an Easter Saturday. Four ales were on handpump including GK IPA and Ruddles best. My pint of the latter was OK. The pub has recently been refurbished and is situated in the centre of a picturesque village next to the church. For a chain pub it's not too bad and you'll find many a worse place to dine. The prices are reasonable as well.
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Try the cricket clubhouse opposite (Little Berkhamsted Sahibs CC). It's much friendlier and much cheaper!!!!
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Could a pub getting any worse than this? I doubt it!
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Just uploaded a photo of the meal we were served - A picture speaks 1000 words.
That's assuming the MODS post it up!
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We are halfway through a walk with max the dog. Stopped of here for a spot of Sunday lunch. Oh my god. What a mistake. The food is awful. Very dry beef, burnt roast potatoes, overcooked veg. On passing comment to the duty manager "James" his reply was "You ate the food didn't you". In fact we hadn't. Even max our dog curled his lip up.
Kudos to Carly Ann for sorting out a refund.
Big raspberry to James for being so dismissive of my wifes comments. Chef and Brewer my arse!
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I always say I will NEVER return to this pub, but for some inexplicable reason my grandmother loves it, so I do.... and each time it's worse than I recalled.
The food is truly terrible and any menu that tells me something is going be "delicious" or "succulent" usually suggests it's going to be utter crap.
The range of beers and lagers is pretty unimaginative too (1664, Adnams etc.) One plus, a couple of months ago they had Timothy Taylor's Landlord on tap. Ah, I thought, something good to say at last. When I returned last week, they had "discontinued" it.
Either the people who operate this place don't realise how awful it is, which is sad; or they do and just don't care, which is shameful.
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Blah blah blah, blah blah blah and not a mention of the beer.
Is it me? It must be me.
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This used to be a favourite pub of mine u to 2008 when on a Sunday you could barely find a table inside or out, food and drink very good and prices reasonable. Then something happened new managers came in and a new chef whose name was plastered all over the menus apparently to impress us that the massive price hike was worth it. Clearly this was a blatant attempt to milk a very successful pub. Until last week we hadn't returned but having a voucher we thought we would try it again. The clientele is still scarce unfortunately but the waitresses were very friendly and the choice of wine and food was pretty good, though the service was a little slow. While I would not yet give this a glowing review we shall certainly put it back on our map when we are in the area. I have given it a 6 but probably worth a little more had I not compared to it at its best and a certain cynicism that will take time to erode.
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A lovely village; no doubt once upon a time a lovely pub; today, an abomination. What's just so depressing about the Five Horseshoes is the sheer cynicism of Chef and Brewer's approach. The problem wasn't so much that a couple of things had gone wrong - although they had - but that the whole operation is designed to fleece as much money from customers whilst palming them off with a calculated bear minimum return. It's a woeful calculation from a pub chain run by poor accountant's rather than beer and food lovers, and a calculation they get wrong. This is sub-lowest common denominator and betrays nothing but contempt for their patrons. They deserve bankruptcy, it's the only language they understand.
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When will Chef & Brewer get the message about The Five Horseshoes? Not too long ago this was a wonderful pub that people would travel some distance to enjoy good food, good atmosphere and good ales.
Then they introduced the 'Pizza Hut' model of plonking a lecturn in the doorway and taking you to a table of their choice, rather than yours, and making it quite clear that this was a restaurant and not somewhere to come for a drink with friends.
Review after review on here shows that people care enough to post comments in the, apparently vain, hope that things will change. Eventually the supply of new visitors to the pub will dry up and, as no one returns for a second visit, one can only imagine that the'Horseshoes' will close. Perhaps this is what is needed to bring about the necessay changes?
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We ate at this pub yesterday (fathers day)Dont go there, we waited 25 mins for a drink, had to ask for food order to be taken, 6 of us 4 deserts were served 2 came 20 mins later on complaint to the landladys attitude was one of if you dont like it ...too bad Staff were a miserable looking bunch.........tip left was 'Get your act together.
DONT GO TO THIS PUB
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Attractive looking building and low ceiling ,original interior but thats the high point.On entering you are shown to a dining table so it's difficult to just drink inside apart from standing at the bar,or pushing off to the garden.Bomber and GK IPA only real ale available,but the IPA was tolerable.This is a Chef and Brewer chain pub and the food is really poor , not surprising as most of the meals are prepared offsite,frozen and then reheated.Whats cooked in the kitchen was worse,sauteed potatoes carbonised and few of them,very little butternut squash in a butternut and motzarella pie,veg not cooked properly etc etc.Good friendly service can in no way make up for poor food.Avoid.
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Still cr@p.
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think twice before going to this pub. the bread and olives took half an hour to arrive and the food took a lot lot longer even though the pub wasn't that busy. roast beef was chewy and difficult to eat and the staff were mouthy and unpleasant. a pub with the wrong attitude to food and customers. there are plenty of other better options in the area.
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Well we read the reviews and were slightly surprised by some of the comments. we had been to the pub before some while ago and had thought then that it was a good pub to eat. One of the comments suggested that the pub should concentrate on being a pub rather than a resaurant, well the name CHEF and brewer would give a clue as to the buisiness model they offer, Food is a big part of what they do, in this pub they do it ery well, i recommend the 12 0z burger. The wines are excellent and so is the service. we were had a better experience that the posted comments suggested we would have,
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This used to be one of my favourite pubs in Hertfordshire but sadly my last two visits have been disappointed. The service and food used to be exemplorary and great value but now it is all rather average and over-priced for what you get. What a shame.
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Plot lost in Little Berko.
This place is now trying too hard to be a restaurant instead of a pub that sells good food. All the blackboards of menu offerings have gone, as has the bar-snack menu of baguettes, "hot hobs", etc.
Nothing at all wrong with the food, beer and wine - they just need to go back to being a PUB!
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Well - I have to say that the "Nanny State" has taken a further turn from the sublime to the ridiculous. My wife and I went to this pub for a meal tonight. My wife found the steak rather tough so asked for the remaining 2/3rds in a doggy bag, (actually seriously - for our cute puppy), however the manager refused to allow us to remove it from the premises as we might subsequently sue for food poisoning !!! - I suggested that this was PC going completely barmy and also pointed out that as we were going to pay for the meal we actually OWNED it and requested the steak be returned so we could "Finish it" (In reality we would have wrapped it in a napkin and left) Sadly, we were subsequently informed that the offending article had already been "thrown away".
I lost the will to live at this point.
The beer (Bombadier) however was excellent, just don't try the "So-called" 35 day matured, tender, flavoursome sirloin steak - perhaps this is why we were not allowed to remove it from the premises? We love our dog but �12 for a steak for his dinner?
I feel a call to trading standards coming on!
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This place has so much potential but with the new manager it seems that it is destined to fail. Dont like waiting to be seated and quizzed about my intentions to eat or not before Id even decided myself! What works in some pubs and restaurant doesnt always work here.
anonymous - 19 Feb 2007 15:59 |
turning into a pizza hut, waiting at door to be met, walked to table etc. food to be fair is much better though
anonymous - 26 Jan 2007 09:20 |
I agree with the previous comment. This pub has been a favourie for many years, even before it's major makeover a decade or so ago. One of its big plus points has always been that it managed to pull of the difficult pub/restaurant balancing act and, as a result, perpetuated a nice relaxed, welcoming feel. On our last visit, 10th Jan, I too was disappointed to be met with a sign at the door insisting that we waited to be shown a seat. We chose not to, and headed to the bar where we were quizzed about our eating intentions for the evening and told we might not be able to sit down if we were not prepared to commit to a meal. We decided that The Beehive down the road was more welcoming and headed off. There were six of us, all of whom have used the Horseshoes for 20 years or so, it's such a shame but perhaps people need to vote with their feet (and their wallets) so that the grasping new seating policy is ditched.
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surely management trying to seduce their ineffecient dull staff, long waits, rubbish food and loud locals all suggest a great place to be!
anonymous - 24 Jan 2007 15:57 |
This has been one of my local pubs for 20 years & I have always enjoyed the atmosphere, food & range of beers. I turned up with my wife for the first time this year on a Saturday evening to find a "wait to be seated" desk at the door. Ignoring this, I got drinks at the bar & was then approached by a woman who insisted on showingus to table. I then noticed that a cash till had been situated in the corner of the bar area & was told I could now order everything at my table. We ordered food - my "signature dish" pork chop had been boned & defatted & consequently was very dry. My wife's fish & chips was inedible - chips contained a bad potato, the batter was soggy & oily & the fish very dry. On leaving it, the pub didn't charge us, but we couldn't wait to leave. I'll go back when it becomes a real pub again without the pretensions.
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I brought a Canadian friend to this pub as I had had good food there in the past. Sorry to say that I found a hair in my entree - and sent it back. Much apologies from the staff, and a comment from him that he had belaboured the chef for not wearing his hat. Then skipped the rest of that course and ordered dessert - to find a hair (suspiciously like a pubic hair!) in the custard. We left without paying!
Hoyus - 10 Dec 2006 08:21 |
Visited on Sunday June 19th for lunch. Have been here umpteen times and have never had a bad word to say about food or atmosphere.However this was pretty dam awful to say the least
Menu boards had nothing much to offer at all so chose the roast beef.
2 slices of fat, accompanied by powdered mash, soggy roast spuds and raw veg, plus a leathery yorkshire pud. Disgusting. Having complained we were compensated with 2 enormous jugs of coffee, enough to supply all customers for a week. !!
My once favourite pub has fallen from grace, tis such a shame as the atmosphere and ambience are wonderful.
Sack the chef and get the menu back to its previous glory.
anonymous - 20 Jun 2005 18:52 |
Ignore all the above comments!!
We went to the five horseshoes this sunny sunday lunchtime and had a fab lunch complimentated by great service. I just cant believe its the same pub being slated by all the above! Nice garden with lots of tables and parasols and an extensive menu. Food came quickly although they were very busy and staff were friendly and attentive. Give it a try!
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Visited this pub on Saturday and I have to say was thoroughly disappointed with the whole evening.
The LOCALS in the pub were very rude spoiling the evening for myself and my friends.
The food was very average.
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Havent been to this pub since about 1993. I remember then that the owner was a large eccentric chap with a Bentley Chinese Eye parked out back, looked like that fella off the Channel4 racing programme!
The food did go down hill after the Restaurant Mgr left in about 92. Also, the pork was supplied by Freddie Forsyth's farm up the road, though I never saw FF in there himself.
Shame to see so many negative replies in recent months on BITE. Perhaps the Beehive up the road is still worth a visit?
Lawrence - 20 Sep 2004 14:51 |
dined there last night, you may rest assured we will never repeat the experience.
The chef? dished up what was supposed to be mixed grill, he didn't cook it he cremated it.
I did complain and was compensated by having the ice cream deducted from our bill.
Over priced, pretentious and the clown in the kitchen should return to his true vocation and empty dust bins.
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Pleasant enough Pub - although if I had known that it was part of a chain we would not have stopped for food. Gammon cooked to death and Steak & Theakston pie damaging later on.... Other than the food - nice little place. Unfortunately because of the Food will never be returning.
Jo - 17 May 2004 11:25 |
Do not try the Strogonoff, it is a stir fry !!! At allmost �12.00 not what I thought I ordered.
Craig Horn - 20 Oct 2003 11:18 |
Unfortunately my local pub is owned by Chef & Brewer (S&N) but may well be sold off as part of S&N's clearout and conversion to brewing only.
It is the only pub in Little Berkhamsted and is opposite the shop and cricket ground. On a good day there is nothing better than getting a pint and walking across to watch the cricket....
Anyway, The Five Horseshoes has a reasonable sized car park (room for about 35 cars) and there is parking opposite. It has a beer garden with about 10 tables and they have plenty of plants and flowers to make it look attractive.
Once you get inside, it is quite dark and has low ceilings with most of the light coming from candles. Although it is biased towards food more than drinking, there are a few great tables (my particular favourite is in front of the log fire which is cracking in winter!). The cask beers are Courage Directors and Best, with a guest ale (6X or similar) on offer - I personally recommend the Directors as it is generally pretty darn good. The lagers are Fosters and Kronenbourg with Guiness and Strongbow as well. They do a good selection of wines but all the drinks are a little pricey - Fosters went up 11p to �2.37 recently. One thing to bear in mind is that this pub is non-smoking with the exception of 1 area (where you can eat or drink).
The menu is varied and they do a selection of fish dishes which are quite nice. However the fact that this pub is a chain does rear its ugly head sometimes, with poor pre-packed Steak & Kidney pudding being one that stands out.
On the whole though, the 'Horseshoes is a pleasant little pub and is in a good location with easy access to the A414, A1 and not too far from the M25.
Enjoy.
Paul Makin - 26 Sep 2003 16:23 |
