Review by nbartglos on 10th January, 2011

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fantastic. good relaxing atmosphere with welcoming staff. food was brilliant. worth travelling out there from gloucester. nothing was to much trouble for the staff either. i read the other reviews before going and thought it cant be that bad and i was right some people complain for a hobby.

Date visited: 8/1/2011

Review by jbart on 9th January, 2011

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this was our first visit to the hobnails, a roaring log fire to welcome us, friendly staff, orders were taken swiftly and the food was piping hot - if you want good 'pub grub'in relaxing surroundings then a visit is sure to be worth your while! we will be back to try the lunch menu too! well done to the new management - not easy in todays clamate!

Date visited: 08/01/2011

Review by Ross Thompson on 15th December, 2010

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We visited this charming old pub on a sunday linchtime when it was Very busy. Although we did not have a booking we were accommodated after a short wait at the bar. Three of the party had the Carvery which I was told was excellent whilst I had the lamb shank which was delicious. We all had different desserts which we were all very pleased with, especially the portion sizes. Overall this was a great value Sunday lunch and we will definitely be visiting again soon.

Date visited: 12th Dec 2010

Review by Denise on 18th September, 2010

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We had been coming to the Hobnails for several years and have always in the past enjoyed excellent food and service. However after our third poor meal in as many months, we sadly will not be visiting this pub again. The starter was served with limp salad that had obviously been left out, the garlic sauce was not garlic at all and tasted like it had been mixed in the sour cream sauce. The main courses were no better and was completely tasteless apart from the grease, the desert, well most of us felt too sick for it, but we asked for raspberry ripple ice cream for the children, which came out as banana flavour! The food tastes cheap, like they went shopping down the value line at the supermarket and the prices certainly arent. The service was appalling. It was so sad to see what was once a really thriving pub, virtually empty, they stop the only good food remaining (the carvery) by 7.30 pm which seems to me to be suicide. We are all today nursing upset stomachs and wishing we had never gone.

Date visited: 17/09/10

Review by Peter Ross on 14th September, 2010

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This was my first visit to The Hobnails Inn and I must say that I was very pleased with the service. The restaurant has been a favourite of my parents for some time and I was pleased with their judgement. Although the 6 of us visited on Sunday without a booking we were warmly welcomed by the manageress who kindly arranged a nice table for us after a short wait. We all thorougly enjoyed our carvery's and the Desserts were all great. With over 100 people in the restaurant we only had a short wait for extra drinks and the waitress was very courteous. I am not easily pleased and would not normally bother with reviewing restaurants but in this instance I felt a positive review was in order. Thanks again.

Date visited: Sunday 12th September

Review by EJ Wheeler on 9th September, 2010

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We used to visit here a long time ago and they used to specialise in the best Burger ‘Baps’ - but found it is now a regular restaurant. We eat out only probably about 4-5 times a year and this occasion was for our daughters 3rd birthday. Everything was fine until my wife found a WASP under and amongst the liver and bacon sauce (served on the plate, not a side dish). We had that course taken off the bill but no apology or even a visit to our table from the MANAGER. After asking to see her she said they’ve had a lot of them about this year! We WOULDN'T recommend a visit here.

Date visited: 5th September 2010

Review by Jason Parkes on 29th August, 2010

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Having visited the Hobnails Inn in several times in the past and enjoyed their excellent menu, fine food, and swift service before, this visit following a change in management was abysmal. Arriving at the venue our party confirmed the telephone booking - the manager decided to make irrelevant sarcastic comments about waiting customers who hadn't booked. Hardly respectful - do they not want the customer's money? The menu was pretty much reduced and it took sometime for a staff member to offer the specials menu. The staff member plated up the table and walked off - not bothering to seat us at the table. It took sometime to get the food ordered. We arrived about 1915 and ended up leaving after a starter/main course at 21:20. The starters (2 x whitebait) took ages coming and the manager did apologise for the lateness. Slightly overcooked, but edible and a nice side salad. The main course took ages to arrive and at no point did the staff come and warn us of the lateness. Nor did the staff ever come and ask how the food was or pay any attention to paying customers. The main courses arrived close to 9'o'lock. The steak, chips etc was fine - but hardly a dish to mess up. A mussels course was disappointing in size of the mussels (a staff member had inaccurately described them as large) and as they wanted to serve at the same time, partly cold. No staff member came out to ask about the food - so no one to give feedback to. The salad nicoise was disappointing - the egg had a partly blue unsightly mark on and for some reason carrots had been included. The dressing was essentially the same as the side salad for the whitebait and didn't appear to have any of the traditional nicoise dressing. There was far too much and the middle looked like a few tins of tuna had been upended into the middle of the plate. Nicoise needs to be dressed together - this hadn't been and while the olives were nice, there were no capers or french beans. Hardly a nicoise salad! & no anchovy fillets either - the French would weep at such an inept take on a classic dish. We had a meeting we were late for as result of the slow service. There were no staff members to feedback to or get a bill from. As with the request for a bottle of wine, we had to go to the bar to ask (this restuarant doesn't appear to have a winelist or staff members that know much about the wine itself. Very self-service!). We let the staff member and manager know of the complaints - she argued that something should have been said when the main courses were served...who to? The manager asked what could she do, but did not remove any of the £63.00 charges or apologise. In fact, she called one of our party a "miserable bastard." This is not remotely customer service and I will write to the company who own this venue and complain. I work in customer service and we would probably be sacked or disciplined if we called our customers "miserable bastards..." As a result of this poorly served and lengthy meal, the staff members did not get a tip. Clearly behaving in this fashion they do not want a tip? There will be no repeat visit to a restuarant that we have visited several times before and found excellent. The food was pricey for mediocre pub grub - the emphasis appears to be on the carvery. Amazing that the food took so long and was so poor considering the carvery had ended and the restuarant was fairly empty. I guess they're happy to slop out the carvery where they make their money and damn anyone else? The staff members were probably not to blame - poor management and an uneven approach to the food (veering from excellent to so-so to awful). They could probably do with a visit from Gordon Ramsey. This may be a transitional point for the restuarant, but there's no need to take it out on paying customers. Not worth the drive and one that we will not be returning to again.

Date visited: 28th August 2010

Review by Elaine Agar on 28th July, 2010

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We visited the Hobnail after a day walking around the CLA Game Fair at Ragley Hall and we were all tired. Once the Manager had 'persuaded' the Chef to cook me a risotto as the vegetarian lasagne had run out, we sat ourselves down in a quaint and cosy corner. We didnt wait long for the food to arrive. My husband and 11 year old son had bangers and mash which they said was excellent and I had the best mushroom risotto I have ever tasted! If we were ever in the area again we would definately come back here. Highly recommended.

Date visited: July 2010

Review by ross on 26th July, 2010

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It was great to see many of the regular staff still at the Hobnails since its recent takeover. As usual the food was of a high standard, and served by attentive waiting staff. Although very busy when we visited on Sunday lunchtime, we were seated quickly and our order was taken without delay. Following lunch we enjoyed a couple of relaxing drinks in the large beer garden. keep up the good work....

Date visited: Sunday 25th July

Review by Beverley on 8th September, 2008

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I live locally but had not been to the Hobnails for a while I found myself there a few months ago for an evening meal. I was really impressed with the meal and presentation and friendly service. The Bread and Butter Pudding is to die for!!! In fact so impressed that I am taking my parents (fussy eaters and used to good quality food) to the Hobnails for a birthday treat this week. I am diabetic so usually avoid puddings but as a really special treat I will be having the above mentioned pud. Yum.

Date visited: Various

Review by Christine Skelton on 14th February, 2008

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So nice to see that you are open again after last years' flood damage. We have made many visits to the Hobb Nails since we moved down to this area, some 23 years ago. We have always received good service, excellent food and really good value for money - in fact some of the dishes are substantial, to say the least: especially the sweets. I am sorry you have had this one bad review; surely the exception, as your normal standards, as experienced by us, are very high. Now we know you are open again, we shall be very pleased to be visiting you soon.

Date visited: various

Review by jayne hanks on 19th January, 2008

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my husband and i visited the Hobnails this evening for dinner.(it was a first BUT will not be the last) The staff were very friendly and helpful,and our food was excellent,we didnt eat from the carvery bar but that looked fantastic too. Everything from cheerful staff,to great service.What we liked too was no one tried rushing you,we had a nice break between meals. Well done to the chef,fabulous food,and great service from all. the only thing is when we come again,i will ask to sit somewhere other than in front of the aga!! my husband was fine but i was sat in a draft from the door!! but all the service made up for that.Cant wait to eat there again. Many thanks

Date visited: 19. 01. 2008

Review by Arthur Stonehouse on 3rd May, 2007

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Browsing thro' your site I read a review relating to the Hobnails Inn which rather astounded me. I and a number of Racing friends go down for the Cheltenham Festival each year and ensure that we reserve a table for both breakfast and evening meals. The level of service we have always found to be of the highest standard, and found the Manager & staff most accommodating. With regard to the food for both breakfast & our Evening Meal the presentation,quality and value was of the highest standard. When any friends or colleagues have been visiting this area I have always recommended this Pub/Restaurant and even they have always thanked me for my suggestion. I am obliged to say I and my friends have been visiting the Hobnails for the past 3 years and have confirmed our reservation for March of 2008.

Date visited: 13th to 15th March 07

Review by David McLean on 3rd May, 2007

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**right of reply* We are the owners of the Hobnails Inn and if you were thinking of coming to ud for the first time and read the review that someone has written you would tink what a terrible place, but we are not. This is someone with sour grapes. We have an exellent lunch and evening menu, a great carvery and are famous for sunday lunch. We serve around 1500 happy customers each week and about have of them have being before. So please don't let this one bad review put you off, we have a great team, use best ingredients,and the place is old and quaint

Review by ally on 25th November, 2006

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While drinks at the bar were served readily enough, this was one of the worst experiences of pub dining I've ever had, with unacceptable levels of delay... almost two hours between arrival and service. Customers were served out of sequence and the food when it eventually arrived was either substandard (so-called Caesar salad with two lots of dressing and lots of non-standard ingredients, though none of these were indicated on the menu) or incomplete - a meal of steak and chips with mushrooms and tomatoes was served without chips. The non-standard salad and the menu's failure to reflect the ingredients used are indicative of a poor standard of allergy awareness. More than one table was heard to complain to waiting staff about the standard of the food.

Date visited: 22/07/06