Axe & Compass in Central Bedfordshire

I was booked in here with the rest of my family for the 2 nights either side of my son's wedding. The accommodation is situated in the car park with the beer garden opposite. This made it too noisy for me to get an early night on the Friday as there were cars driving right past my room and a very noisy party in the beer garden. The person in the room above made a telephone call and I heard most of his side of that too. It finally quietened down around midnight. Saturday we were too busy partying elsewhere and when we got back at half midnight everything was quiet. The bed however was one of the comfiest I've ever slept on! I did struggle with the room being very hot as there was only 1 small opening window and I couldn't really sleep with the door open! As the website says it provides Bed and Breakfast, I was looking forward to a cooked breakfast. Sadly the reason there is a fridge in your room, is because you get presented with a small carton of milk and there is a small pack of cornflakes in your room, plus a cereal bar. Not what any of my family were expecting!

This place is run by 2 brothers, Jake & Ryan. We recently held a surprise 50th birthday party and was really pleased with the venue. We chose the bronze package and the food was lovely, £345 for buffet up to 50 guests, room hire & DJ from 7pm to midnight. If you need overnight stay, they have lovely rooms that are cheaper if you are holding a party there, cereals are provided but not hot food though this is not a problem as the room is cheap enough & there are plenty of places available in Leighton Buzzard town if you want a cooked brekky. The staff are all very nice and helpful too. One of our friends collapsed early in the evening & they were straight on it, calling an ambulance & asking what they could do to help. We enjoyed it so much we want to hold another party there this year with the bronze package. Thoroughly recommended.

Another great meal at the Axe. The pork belly was excellent, along with a fine fish and chips and the chef special pie of the day all served up with a choice of veg and fries mash etc. A simple menu but with enough choice to keep it interesting. Some prices are up a little, but this still does represent real value for money. Excellent

Once again in these crazy 2020 times the Axe has pulled it out of the bag, by working really hard and keeping on top of the costs and offering a brilliant service. They are still doing a reduced price, condensed menu to keep people coming through the door to try and offset the loss of revenue and custom over the summer months but as always are adding value to an already great little product. The service was great and both the starters and mains were substantial plates of fine pub grub served up with a smile We had the Lasagne and pork belly strips with the salad and a choice of accompaniments which were splendid. If we want these places to stay open then I think we definitely need to support them.

l have been taking advantage of covid offer of 50% off, this is the second time ive been here recently, both visits were great. lf you are looking for social distancing and the comfort of not worrying about feeling safe, this place is for you. Very friendly, very helpful and we found the food lovely. No its not cuisine but its very well presented and tasty. l would never had thought about eating here but so pleased l have and highly recommend it. There isn't a huge choice, set menu but that also helps keep the costs down and speed up services. £4.50 for starter/Dessert £8.50 for a dinner. l hope more people will support this pub, so friendly.

Stopped here for 2 night in July. Great rooms, nothing elaborate or sparse. Just what you need. Great little find

Great breakfast, freshly cooked , loads of food , great on a Sunday morning and only £6 with fresh orange and coffee

I can not thank the Axe and Compass enough for the amazing evening they provided on the 14th December. Everything was amazing from start to finish and so well organised. For 26 pounds a head, we had a two course meal and a disco in a private room. Amazing! All the food arrived at the same time and no wrong orders. Food was also hot! Staff were friendly and fantastic throughout the night. We will definitely come here again. Thank you so much x

I had been going into the Axe and Compass to both dine and drink for a number of years now and Ryan and Jake are great guys and run the place very well. But what is happening to the food lately? It was always tasty and plentiful but just lately corners seem to be being cut and the quality of food is not there anymore. I recently had a friend ask if i recommended it thinking maybe i had been just unlucky on two occasions when things were not up to scratch, i said 'Give them a try' but alas on asking how they got on i was informed the steak was dreadful, tough and not edible. I was embarrassed that i didn't share my opinion of my previous two trips there. Come on chaps, lets have the old Axe food and quality back as i love supporting this place

great atmosphere, clean. nice greeting. great food, brill service and good beer. have been going on and off for years very relaxing.

I will start with the only positive I could give on my night here, the bed was comfortable. Now the bad bits. The shower cubicle was very mouldy, the shower controller was covered in limescale, one of the plates had not been cleaned, the floor was in very poor state with sections missing, there was a very strong laundry detergent smell in the room, the wall heater didn't work and the replacement heater didn't work. The only reason we did not complain or move was we arrived very late and just need to sleep. We left as early as we could the next morning.

Rocked up with the family just as they were about to finish serving food but staff were more than happy to accommodate us. The food was lovely, was expecting it to be rushed but it was not at all. Friendly staff, nice comfortable atmosphere and reasonably priced. Thanks for making us feel so welcome!

This was a basic bed and breakfast. As a family stopover, it was more than adequate for our needs, being given two rooms next to each other. The breakfast of cereal, pastries and juice was left in the room, meaning we could leave quickly in the morning, and the fridge in the room (with a small ice compartment) was very welcome. The beds were a bit soft for our liking.

We needed a dog friendly place to stay while visiting family in the area and I’m so glad we stayed here . We had previously stayed at 2 other places in the area but this is by far the best and will definitely be staying here again. The rooms were very clean and the bed was exceptionally comfortable. We decided to go for breakfast in the restaurant instead of eating the continental breakfast that was in the room and it was very good . We went to the bar last night , excellent service and Jake the barman was so thoughtful in bringing water for our dog . I would definitely recommend the Axe and Compass if you’re looking for somewhere to stay in the area

Easy to book, friendly Pub environment and clean and comfortable room. Staff very helpful, and the local clientele made you feel welcome as well.

We booked the Axe & Compass for the wake after seeing off our Dad...The whole experience of dealing with this business has been 100% positive. I may be wrong on some of the following information but here goes. The pub is owned by two brothers...

All of the staff were friendly and obliging. Tomato and ginger soup isn't one we've come across before but would love to see it on a menu again. The calamari rings were also tasty. Homemade pork and cider pie with chips, also very good but...

Visited today with friends. Had a great choice of food. All available and very reasonably priced. Wasn’t rushed at all. I’ll be returning soon. Thank you 😁

Very disappointed. Yorkshire pudding were burnt and couldn't be eaten vegetables were cold, gammon was over cooked and could not be eaten. We did mention this but nothing not even an apology. Will not be going back any time soon.

Quiet accommodation in a separate annexe to the pub. I had room 5 which is accessed via a flight to stairs. Single bed wardrobe dressing table chair fridge bedside table. Tea and coffee facilities and continental breakfast provided in the room. En-suite shower room. All...

Food is always tasty and well presented and a good selection. My elderly mum and I are made very welcome and staff are willing to adapt portions to suit mums smaller appetite. We like the fact the fact that it feels part of the community...

I booked a room as shown in their advertising for friends, it was a little cramped but had all of the necessary things, fridge, tea making things, en-suite WC and shower and tv. The rear bar is used for all sorts of parties and dining...

Fantastic night. For the price you pay you won't beat it, buffet was plentiful and good variety, do was brilliant, bar staff polite and happy. Can't fault it, and breakfast in the morning was great value for money.

The food is of high standard, plenty of selection, good veggie options. Recently decorated. Large car park. Staff very friendly.

This small village pub has recently had their bar/restaurant redecorated and it all looks very clean and fresh. There are plenty of choices on the menu (usual pub food) and both our meals on 2 recent evening visits were good. Staff are very efficient and...

We booked a table for 10 of us for a family gathering. Great choice-excellent and friendly service. Lovely atmosphere and felt very welcomed

Good value meals Meal tasted good Service good Pub clean and had been repainted as a large garden for better weather with children’s play area

Treated to a lovely Sunday lunch after church with a friend. We both had lamb, which was a very generous portion with Yorkshire and a delicious home made gravy. Unfortunately, she couldn’t manage to finish it all but I did my very best and finished...

Have been before to this restaurant and this time I was rather disappointing with the type of menu that is being offered - Seems they have opted for the BASIC quick menu style like so many venues are now. So

Disappointed by the food, would not eat there again and quite expensive for what you got. Very good children's play area and good seating to the rear of the pub

The Axe has had a wash and brush up and a new lick of paint which has lightened the restaurant up no end, along with the entrance lobby. The feel of place also has changed and seems a lot less cluttered. They have extended this new thinking to the menu and with a couple of exceptions all the Mains have been priced at £8 and the starters at £4. So, with the exception of going for a steak along with an additional sauce you can have a great meal out for twelve quid. What isn’t there to like about that? The food is still brilliant and offers good size portions, served up pretty promptly and with a smile.We had a couple of calamaris and the jalapeno bullets for starters both with a dip and some salad accompaniment, followed by the beef lasagne and a couple of Strattens Butchers burgers which had onion rings coleslaw and chips and a variety of other things in the Mega burger bun. None of us could fault any of this and all agreed that this is great value for money!

Our Village Parochial Church Council had our Christmas celebration in The Axe. Good food in a relaxed atmosphere. Many thanks guys. X

A group of 35 adults and children, we had a very enjoyable Christmas lunch at the Axe & Compass. Ryan and Jake really do a wonderful job - it's no mean feat getting so many hot and tasty dinners out. They also devised a personal menu for us, with plenty of choice. We were also able to have the whole of the back function room for our group, which made it easier with all the children! Would definitely recommend for a large booking.

Really good quality ‘pub grub’. The chips are really good, non greasy but tasty and hot. I recommend the cheese omelette with chips and salad. You can get two mains for £12 which is a deal that cannot be beaten. You will not go home hungry!!! Also, wine at this pub is actually affordable. The only one like it in the village and beyond.

Called into the August Beer Festival. There was a nice choice of real ale and real cider available, all in good condition. Staff were efficient and friendly, and offered tasters to help you decide which ale/cider to choose. The chilli and ginger cider was particularly good. There's a pleasant beer garden at the back of the pub. Large car park.

Popped in our favourite place for lunch and I really didn't fancy anything substantial so asked for soup and bread. It was lentil soup, which I expected to be very plain but I have to say, that much to my surprise it was absolutely delicious and I could have eaten another bowl. The bread was warm too, which I like. Always a friendly and relaxed atmosphere here and their selection of ales is pretty impressive too, especially as it is a free house they have a great selection.

This pub may look a bit tired décor wise but the food was great. I had phoned ahead to check access for a wheelchair and the member of staff I spoke with was very helpful. On arrival, it was the same member of staff and I could not fault her attentiveness. The menu offered a good variety and there were offers which made their pricing good value for money. The portion sizes were much larger than I expected. The food was piping hot and there was no delay in service. The pub finishes serving food at 1430 and we did not arrive until 1400. This was no problem and we were offered dessert even though we did not finish our main course until 1500. Staff were friendly and accommodating and I would certainly visit again. There is plenty of parking to the back of the pub where there is also a beer garden.

The Axe and Compass is the Charlie Watts of pub grub food; Consistent, economical, and not prone to flashy infill!

Stopped here on our way back from Leighton buzzard for Sunday lunch and was not disappointed. Lovely food, which was cooked very well. We even had a desert which was equally good and a big portion. Would come back again.

We have been visiting the Axe for a while now since The Star (a little further down Heath Rd) started playing customer Russian roulette by only opening randomly, and generally not on the nights that we went out! Anyhoo, I imagine that this oversight has benefitted the Axe’s footfall considerably, offering their good honest decent pub grub to a wider clientele.

Good food in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. This pub also supports the local community through charitable giving so you can go there knowing you are contributing too. A great new menu with a good variety. Their chicken liver pate is the best I've had in a long time.

We walked in here on Saturday evening. It was very busy, but we managed to get a table.

No bagpipes but an excellent dinner, Scotch broth or salmon fishcakes to start, main course of tatties, neeps and about twice as much haggis as served up by most restaurants. Dessert not tried due to the generosity of the main course. Plus local real ale in great condition and a couple of decent malt whiskies. Service as sharp as ever. The regular menu was also available if you had an aversion to haggis or steak.

When to a birthday party at the pub. Staff very friendly & good atmosphere. Pub does deal for party's - room, food & disco so worth a look.

Went for the Xmas Day lunch with my other half, pre-booking is a must for this. The place was busy on Xmas day, even in the non restaurant side; the atmosphere was great, table well placed and the restaurant very Christmassy in theme. Staff were brilliant, service excellent and the meal cooked by Bob was mouth-watering and the portions were very generous, but without the generous price. The meal was 3 course, well 4 if you include the filter coffee and home made mince pies. I had grilled salmon with fresh vegetables and pan fried potatoes, my other half had lamb shank with all the usual Xmas veg, pigs in blankets and juicy roast potatoes. After a lovely starter of prawn cocktail and yes with more prawns than you can shake a stick at, it went down a treat. A cheeseboard followed that was larger than I thought but I did manage most of it, as said a final course of filter coffee with homemade mince pies was just about it - couldn't eat another thing. Plenty of choice of wines and beers available from that bar made it a great Xmas meal. The pub itself on any day other than Xmas is a traditional place that serves a great choice of drinks, has a bar menu with some mouth-watering dishes on it and of course the restaurant offering a further array of dishes (including veggie and gluten free) to suit all tastes and none of it expensive. Great facilities for kids, ample parking and the usual pub games on offer. Plenty of activities lined up by the hosts, charity events, fireworks, murder mystery, special offers, you name it. Hosts are great and service tops - oh and did I mention it has fully serviced bed and breakfast - I didn't? well I have now - well worth a visit any day of the year....

Great traditional pub food with friendly staff. nice selection of beers from local breweries. Easy car parking outdoor seating area not too noisy

We called in for early evening family dinner, parked easily at the rear and seated ourselves in the dining area. We were served quickly with reasonably priced drinks and ordered food - 2 had meals from the 2 for £12 menu - good meaty pies! All were happy with our food, desserts followed, again excellent value at £3.95 each. Decent pub food in a comfortable pub dining room, ideal for a midweek dinner!

Stopped off on the way back from a shopping expedition for a quick lunch. On arrival; found good car parking with lots of spaces, outdoor seating area, children's play area and accommodation block. Going in, the restaurant area is very calm and historic, check out the wooden beams. The menu offers lots of good options and incredibly reasonable prices. There were also promotions being offered. The staff were friendly and efficient. My meal arrived quickly and I was happy with what I had.

Thoroughly enjoyed Sunday Lunch at the Axe & Compass. Good selection of craft beers from the local breweries. The lamb shank was perfectly cooked. The roast beef dinner was excellent with the meat cooked to perfection and certainly a good sized portion. Extremely good value for money. No room for a dessert, definitely next time though.

A friend and I went for lunch at the Axe. They have a lunchtime menu offering two meals for £12! A good menu to choose from. I had the cheese omelette and my friend had the burger. Food was fresh and hot. Chips were crispy and the omelette light and very tasty indeed. Service is relaxed. We both had a glass of wine and a couple of coffees while we chatted outside. There were some rather nice sweet biscuits with the coffee too. All this for under £30. My fav place for lunch!!! I'm going to work my way through the menu.

Went with a friend today for lunch. There was a two meals for £12 menu. I had the fluffy cheese omelette with chips and salad. The food was delicious and really fresh and hot. I had it with a glass of Merlot and it cost me a total of £10...what could be better? A friendly and relaxed pub. Marvellous!

My auntie has visited this restaurant lots of times and mainly comes here because of the chef who she has known from the previous restaurant he worked at, so she knew the food would be good.

The Axe & Compass were very helpful when I enquired about hosting my Father in Law's wake at this venue. They were able to offer us a hire only option as we opted to provide our own catering (thanks to a dear family friend, by no means a reflection on the pub). We had sole use of one room, the venue is clean, tidy and well presented. The bar staff all worked very hard all day long, and were exceptionally friendly and professional. They made a very difficult day stress free. They were also looking after their locals in the other side of the bar, but no one was kept waiting very long.

This is a typical village pub, no frills but great ale, well kept with a comprehensive menu of good pub grub. All at reasonable prices. Also the staff are always friendly and standing behind the bar, unlike another nearby establishment where you are likely to wait a good time until you get attended to. Really would recommend this if you want good home cooked food. The bar does however lack a bit on the cosy side, but there you go, you can't have it all.

Hot cross bun bread and butter pudding at the Axe is to die for!!! Everyone should try it now!!! The main course was a rump steak cooked perfectly for my taste and there was nothing left on my plate. A really good value and yummy lunch. Will be making a habit of this for sure.

Dont get me wrong, this isnt fine dining. However, i give the excellent review based upon the quality and value combined. You cant beat it.

The Axe serves great food but they are a pub with a heart! They have a community barrel and donate 20p per pint to a local charity. They have sponsored our seasonal lunch for people who live alone or who are recently bereaved in our community. These lunches bring companionship and fun to people and have been greatly appreciated. So, if you want great food and drink with the added bonus of doing a good turn for someone in need, 'The Axe' is the place to go. I'm off there Monday for a lunch with my sister.

My wife and I popped in here for lunch on October 13th on our way back from Milton Keynes. Both the food and service were excellent. My wife thoroughly enjoyed the Stilton Chicken Breast (pan fried in a stilton & cream sauce) and chose the now famous 'Axe potatoes' to go with it (Sliced potatoes cooked in the oven in milk, cream & cheese).

Would have said 'Good' rather than 'Average' if such a category existed. Well cooked and presented 'pub grub' with several items obviously from the freezer (apart from generous and fresh salad garnish) but it was good quality and good value. Service was very good and contributed to our experience being an enjoyable one.

Went for Sunday lunch and had a lovely traditional home cooked roast which was great value for money with a very friendly atmosphere.

I have heard good things about this establishment - so we called in tonite- the food is home cooked and we didn't have to wait long before plates of piping hot food was delivered. Great tasting and very enjoyable. Great value Would recommend.

I am local to the area and over the past year or so have been going to the Axe and Compass fairly regularly. As it was my wife's birthday I decided to organise a small celebration for her which 9 of us attended. I took some banners up to the pub in the day and asked the staff if the would decorate the table, which they duly did.

New in the area and been trying a few places the last months since I moved here.

New in the area and been trying a few places the last months since I moved here.

My mother found an Amazon local voucher for a 2 course dinner and glass of wine at the Axe and Compass for me so my girlfriend and I gave it a go.

We booked the axe and compass a couple of days ago for today's Sunday lunch for myself,partner and three of our four children with their families.We explained it was a family meal and when we arrived Jake and Ryan had arranged the tables so we could enjoy each other's company.As promised the high chairs for the babies were there.We were very pleased with the lunch,it was delicious,the meals were all beautifully laid out and nice and hot.We had a variety of meals and all looked very inviting.Our only criticism was that the mixed grill was a little small.Then we all had desserts which rounded off the meal perfectly.Thank you Jake and Ryan for making our family lunch so special.See you again soon.We would highly recommend The Axe and Compass for anyone wanting a delicious traditional meal.

had our wedding reception there in july and had my concerns when my future wife decide she wanted it there but the lads and i presume mum and chef did my wife and i pround and did over and above to make it a very special day for us . and also the rest of the staff deserve a big thankyou

Stopped off at the axe & compass overnight in one of their quaint lodge/hotel rooms. We met up with a number of friends and decided to spend the evening having dinner and drinks in the pub/restaurant. What can I say, got talking to the two owners Jake and Ryan and they were top notch guys and made our evening extremely enjoyable. The food was absolutely gorgeous - large portions and cheap prices! You could not go wrong in this pub... Really would recommend to everyone. Lodge was cheap and very clean and comfortable.

Very enjoyable upgraded my room it was very comfortable and spacious.The food was only £5.49 so great value especially the excellent pies and the curry was lovely.The 2 owners are young and very helpful and the young lady behind the bar is well worth going into the bar to see and is very pleasant as well.Overall I would recommend this place and will

A good sized pub on the main road through the village, it consists of a good sized car park with a small accommodation block off of it, a beer garden with good views of the adjacent countryside and a patio area at the rear.

went for a get together here, tried the buffet, which wasnt great. the spring rolls smelt and tasted off! yuk!! and some of the food was burnt, most of it tasteless. a little while later, I was sipping my water, when someone pointed out it had mould on the glass.... on closr inspection, there was lots of mould on the INSIDE of my glass. later still, someone else we were with, noticed lots of green mould on the inside of her glass too. in actual fact, none of the glasses were very clean. we complained and got a free drink, but really???? they need to sort it out, it was horrible. upside was the outside area, it was really nice, with a lovely kids play area.

Four of us ate there last night and were really disappointed. The pies were only just warm and some of the Axe potatoes were hard. The peas were stone cold. The other dish, chicken with stilton, looked quite nice but not a very big portion. There were only four others dining there so being busy was not an excuse. Will not be going again.

8 of us pre booked for Sunday lunch, the service was really slow, didn't seem overly busy with other customers, all of our courses arrived at different times so only 2 of us actually ate at the same time, the condiments arrived as we were finishing our food. The actual food was really bad, overcooked dry beef served with 2 tiny Yorkshires, 3 halves of roast potatoes, & cold peas & over cooked carrots. Pudding was even worse, I can't even describe how bad it was. I can honestly say this is the worse meal and service I have ever experienced........

Not a very exciting menu, food when it arrives appears to be very processed, not home cooked would not go again unless menu is changed and chef knows how to cook a really enjoyable meal. Sorry

We've been returning to this pub for their pies weekly since we first went a couple of months ago.

The pies in here are packed with meat and of a good size, everyone in the bar when I was there had one as it is a good size and good value for money

I presume this is the same place that i stayed at (Axe & Compass Lodge) ate here on the first night and had the tempting sounding Home-made chicken pie, Awfull burnt pastry, ( not homemade for sure) The chicken was tough and overcooked and the gravey was tasteless, complained and was told that everyone else like it so pretty much tough. At least i found the wonderfull indian up the Road.

A down to earth place to eat. Very good deals on bar food. Always reliable. The staff are efficient and friendly. A cheap place to eat. Fish Friday is excellent. X2 fish & chips for £10!