Swan Inn, Tockingtonback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Such a real shame as on first appearances we thought we were in for a real treat. Reasonablly priced bar and the menu look varied and interesting. Great care has gone into the decoration and the wood burning stove was lovely.
It was all down hill after the arrival of the starters though unfortunately! The staff had advised that the soup of the day was mushroom so when 3 bowls of green coloured soup turned up we were slightly concerned - however after the waiter confirmed this was infact pea soup, we carried on regardless. The 4th of our party opted for the scallops which can be described as over priced and over cooked.
The mains were even more of a let down and its not often we complain but on this occassion all 4 mains had to be sent back. The 10oz rib eye steaks (�12.95) were ordered as medium rare and came out well done, and were most definitley not rib eyes (more like stewing steak), the Steak and Kidney pudding was ICE cold in the middle and the Vegetable Wellington was a disappointing empty mass of puff pastry with one slice of courgette and a smearing of tinned tomatoe.
When theses issues were pointed out the very rude and surly waitress, asked 'what was she supposed to do about it' with no apology or attempt to make amends.
Due to the waitresses attitude we sent back and cancelled all of the mains and then overheard the waitress having a very loud conversation with the bar staff about the 'awkward table sending back meals' - very professional!
On settling our drink and starters bill at the bar we were offered no apology or compensation, but the sarcastic waitress did say she 'hoped we enjoyed our meals'.
The Swan Inn is most definately trying to be something its not, the food can not match up to its setting.
We then went on and had an absolutely fantastic meal at The Priory in Portbury, which we would highly recommend to anyone!!!
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Agree with Blackthorn's review, it does lack many elements despite so many positive points such as location, layout etc, etc.
They want it to be a restaurant and *not* a pub and that's where (IMHO) they are going wrong. It might be a GK pub but they can use the facility of a guest ale if they were so inclined so no excuses on their part. Such a shame because they are half way there but don't seem interested in making it a whole and the real deal it could and should be!
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This has got many ingredients to be a great country pub, but somehow doesn't quite manage to pull it off. It�s right by the village green, there�s the low beamed ceiling, suitable d�cor and a real file (actually a real fireplace with real logs, but I could smell smoke so I assume it�s lit on occasions!). However, the large chrome carvery stand assaults you as soon as you walk thorough the door (to be fair, maybe they move it when it�s not in use, I�m not sure) and there�s a large plasma on the wall in one of the cosier lounges which seems rather out of place. Fortunately it was turned off.
It�s a Greene King pub, so nothing very exciting in terms of beer � their IPA and Abbott Ale on hand pump and Old Speckled Hen straight from the barrel, plus Courage Best. They also had Stow ford Press cider.
Their seemed to be a decent selection of food available with the aforementioned carvery, a good choice of pub grub on the regular menu and a small specials board. Unfortunately it was served off-putingly quickly, I�d hardly had time to take the head off my pint before it arrived. It would probably have taken me longer to get served in a McDonalds. The food was what you would expect for something that turned up so quickly � essentially a supermarket ready meal. I never buy them, and don�t expect to be served them when I go out.
The staff were pleasant enough, but presumably on some type of bonus structure. The guy who took our food order was keen to �recommend� some side dishes, and the waitress who cleared our plates was keen to �recommend� some desert or coffee.
So, in summary, worth popping in for a pint if you�re passing, but don�t bother with the food. Unless you like supermarket ready meals, that it.
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This is an old and well established pub which had a very good, well earned reputation even just a few years ago. Sadly our experience of extremely poor food, which was apparently reheated, over cooked and frankly inedible means that we wil not be revisiting this establishment.
The environment is nice enough, the staff polite and there was a steady trade. However, both the "special" from the board (Cod loin with chorizo susage) and an old standard beer battered cod, chips and mushy peas from the printed menu were inedible - a first for me...and I was starving...
Gast1 - 31 Aug 2009 13:56 |
Had a nice meal and a couple of pint yesterday. Very friendly and good food even when the kids decided to remodel the boules courts it didn't phase the chap who ran the place we will be back, with buckets and spades for the boules pitch
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Much better in recent times! Still totally food orientated which is such a big shame because pubs of this size can always make room for a pure drinking area instead of people standing at the bar blocking service to all. Beer condition was very good with Abbott Ale going down a treat. Shame they no longer sell a real cider in such a country pub but at least it's way better a pub than it was say 2 years back.
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Hadn't been to the Swan Inn for quite a while 'well over a year' after having a number of disapointing meals & beers, we'd heard it had changed hands but still took our time in visiting as the reviews still weren't very good but we were very pleasantly surprised last weekend when we ventured in. We had an excellent meal, excellent wine & the staff were very friendly, we'll be going back again & hope the standard remains the same as the varied menu gave me a lot to look forward to, keep up the good work !!!
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Seems to have lost its way over the last year or so. We used to go a lot on Friday lunchtime because it's got a nice beer garden with big tables. However, the menu has shrunk, the prices have gone up and the service leaves a little to be desired (they seem to have a habit of getting the orders wrong). That said, I had a `rustic mediterranean platter' there last time, which was absolutely delicious!
Would go again if they could sort out the few niggling issues.
Greene King IPA is the standard ale, with guests on pump or in firkins.
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Not really a place that I would visit again. Beer was ok, but pub lacked atmosphere. Was going to eat here but decided against it when 3 other customers started complaining about the food. Shame as I only had an hour for lunch so had to go without. Phillp West
anonymous - 30 Nov 2007 16:08 |
Had a friendly welcome at this pub today, with good beer and food.
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Have visited the Swan several times in the past few months, and always had great meals and decent beer. Staff very friendly & efficient. Food prices are reasonable, and menu varied. Will keep visiting!
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Hey I can tell you where their Demon Devil Pie alongside some other old favourites have gone, they now reside at the Plough Inn at Pilning, not a long journey from the Swann....
anonymous - 5 Oct 2007 17:59 |
Like I asked before........ If anyone knows where the famous pies have gone then please please let me know. The people in this pub were so rude, they need a lesson or 2 in customer care!!
Real Ale King
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I visited this pub on a Friday evening during July. I have always enjoyed previous visits to this pub but unfortunately on this particular evening I most most disappointed with the food, the service, but most of all the goings on by the staff and the band that were playing........
To cut a long story short, I will not be returning. What a transformation from the traditional family pub it used to be, and what on earth has happened to the chef?? The food was not at all nice, 2 ales were not available and when I complained, which I thought I had every right to as my food was cold, and thrown on a plate (the whole evening cost me over �50 for 2 of us with drinks) I was told by the bar man "I've been here since 11am and don't need to listen to this!" Well I'm afraid he won't as I will not use this pub again and will certainly tell everyone I know about the experience I had.
anonymous - 17 Aug 2007 20:07 |
What an awful place to eat, food was nothing more than boil in the saucepan stuff. Staff looked smart in their uniform but lacked interest in doing their job, I asked or a bitter and the guy that seved me asked what that was!
Would not return to this venue great village and I am sure that there would be a lot nicer pubs around???
anonymous - 11 May 2007 21:46 |
visited this pub on Tuesday evening to find the bar staff, relief manager and waiting on staff chasing around the restaurant trying to catch a mouse!!! as you will appreciate we left pretty sharpish, the manager Graham seemed to think it was highly amusing.......... All can thik is that if there are mice in the restaurant, what the hell is the kitchen like??? Standards very poor since last visit in January, will no return.
Simon & Val
anonymous - 3 May 2007 20:02 |
Returned to this pub for one of their famous pies.....to find that it had turned into one of these Green King pubs that did only green king food...... not at all nice mainly boil in the bag food that resembled tesco value range. will not be returning until this menu changes and also the managers that had previously made our visits so welcome had left, to run a pub locally and had taken their home-made pies with them. We shall fnd out wherethey have gone and frequent their new pub. The person that served us I can only describe as the most unwelcoming person I have ever met...... "what do you want" was the way in which I was greeted and her face looked like she needed some sleep. I think her name was linsey and she should not be serving the public whilst eating easter eggs from behind the bar. Standards are low and the beer is of poor quality, certainly not what I have experianced in the past
anonymous - 22 Apr 2007 13:47 |
Great place this MISTERX guy has def got it in for whoever runs this place. The food is fab, the ale great no fewer than 5 real ales (OK all Greene King) but this is obviously a managed house. And working for a brewery myself understand breweries polices!!!!
As far as kids concerned, they have nothing for kids, the tables have no cutlery, yes mats, but this gives it a homely feel. It's not a spit & sawdust place it's a great village pub, with lots of atmosphere. It's not a restaurant and MISTERX needs to review his pub chains as GREENEKING don't own BEEFEATER......YET
anonymous - 15 Jan 2007 20:45 |
Great place, ale fantastic, can't wait until the next beer festival in October!!
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Hi just wanted to let you know that I read the comments from this site and alsmost didn't visit this pub because of them. A group of us decided that we would...... and I am so please we did, the guy that made the last comment said it was nothing more than a carvery... it only does a carvery on a Sunday lunchtime!!!!! We had some of the best pub food we have ever had...Home-made Steak & Stilton Pie... lush!!! They do a selection of pies and are all home-made, the range of ale available was superb, Butcombe Bitter, Abbot Ale, Spring Zing (Hopback brewery)and a few more, Ican understand why the people that run thepub have won so many awards for different things, it truly was a memorable visit and we will be returning, stunning village pub, with lots of character (they had a fire in 2003 and as the pub is listed it had to be put back to it's original way) great locals, fantastic atmosphere, ale and food A************ Keep it up!!
anonymous - 19 Apr 2006 14:29 |
Sadly this is now more of a carvery than a pub these days and much of the original interior caracter has sadly long since gone. Beer is usually fairly well kept but the trouble is if you are coming here just to drink you will feel like a fish out of water with virtually all tables set aside/booked for dining.
Food not too great either (much better off eating at the Fox - Old Down 1/2 a mile away). All in all a great looking country inn that really has lost it's way over the last few years which is very sad.
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