Bell Inn St Olaves in Great Yarmouth

Called in on spec so were pleased to be accommodated. Sat in the garden as pleasant day. Dog friendly. Pizza oven was operating, 2 members of our party had pizza and enjoyed them. Others had fish and chips, bullet hard peas, not cooked. Ham, egg and chips with peas, equally disappointing. Hard peas and sliced ham rather than gammon. Presentation of food good, taste not so. All in all not the best meal and probably wouldn’t rush back. Nice location next to the water, some road noise but lot course this isn’t the pubs fault. The staff were attentive as much as they could be. Plenty of parking.

Very nice man ,( think he was the manager/ owner.) Service good and good food.

My friend booked table for get together. The menu is limited and the specials menu was ok if you like chicken but nothing special on the specials! Ordered starters and were asked if we wanted them to start cooking our main whilst we were still eating. Was told they did not have the pie that I ordered so had the scampi which was out of a packet and well over priced. When they served our main meal they had not cleared away our starter plates. Whilst my friend was eating they cleared the plates away from myself and other friend. My friend asked for coffee and was told no they had turned coffee machine off. This was at 9pm. So she asked for tea and still told no. Most people follow meal with coffee. Group of 4 came in to order a drink whilst waiting for train to be told no they close at 10pm and they replied but it’s only 9.30pm and told no as they had cashed up for night. Staff were all young and inexperienced. They had all sat round table next to us whilst we were finishing our drinks and then told us they were closing. When we left all the lights in car park had been turned out. I am partially sighted and would have struggled if it hadn’t of been for my friend putting torch on her phone on! Will not return or recommend. Over priced and basic food with no nice atmosphere. Very disappointing!

Very average. Will definitely not be making a return visit. Staff very young and inexperienced. Stop serving drinks at 9.30 .Ask for coffee at 9pm after meal only to be told they had turned the machine off. I would personally not recommend the food either.

Just had a fabulous meal with great service and a lovely atmosphere. It's ideal for large or small gatherings. We are regular visitors and have always been made to feel very welcome. We're lucky to have you as our local.

We sat in the grounds, with a view of the river. Very pleasant.

Had Sunday lunch the beef was not a freshly cooked joint it looked like it was bought already sliced from cash & carry. It was very fatty. Broccoli was brown in the middle when cut, new potatoes where hard. Shame as the pub is in a beautiful spot near the river. Won't be going again. No one asked if everything was OK during the meal only when we finished.

The Bell is a pleasant pub with a large garden overlooking the river. Plenty of drink options and friendly staff. At one point there was quite a lot of shouting and swearing from the locals that the staff didn't do anything about.

Beautiful spot on the river, changed the cider from Aspall to inches which is a definate downgrade , drink prices too expensive for the quality , shame because overall its a nice pub

We went in for lunch on a weekday but an older barmaid was very curt. We decided to have a drink in the garden and eat elsewhere.

First visit and not disappointed. Food was marvellous, locally sourced meat and flavoursome food. Bit more expensive but worth the money. When cooler bring a jacket or jumper as it’s quite chilly by the river but can still be nice if you get over the cold. Ample parking and friendly staff, just feel a little more attentiveness from the staff (slow to take orders, no checking in etc) would have raised the bar. Doggie friendly and ideal for any occasion. Will be back

Large seated garden next to the river. Busy at lunch time but plenty of spare seating. Nice looking menu. We only had jacket potatoes but very nice.

Great place to meet by the river with friendly staff and excellent food

Gave this one a go as was recommended, and was not disappointed. Fantastic location down by the river , garden literally backs onto the bank. Friendly service, and great food. They even arranged for the weather to be sunny 😉 Will definitely be back

Booked on good Friday for 19.30,we got turned away because we were late for our table at 19.00,as they said stopped serving at 19.00,I checked my reservation, and went back in at 19.40 after checking, and showed proof of booking time,they still refused to serve us saying we were 15 minutes late, absolutely disgusting customer service!

Food was poor. Gammon was tough, eggs were hard. Meat pie had obviously been heated up over and over again as meat was hard and chewy. We had to consistently ask for service, no-one checked to see if we were satisfied with our meals. I complained to waiting staff but received no apology. Very poor service. Won't be back.

Been coming since 2021 to Norfolk and always have a excellent meal with VERY friendly staff and therefore highly recommended.

With more than 60 tables overlooking the river, could there be a better location for a family or corporate event

Absolutely perfect! Delicious food, great service and a lovely atmosphere! The garden area is perfect in the summer :)

Attractive pub with disappointing service and food. Without a reservation, we approached the bar where an older lady, without even raising her eyes, tossed a menu board towards us and gestured towards a small, insufficient table, saying, "Sit over there." There was no indication to order at the bar, leaving many patrons confused and waiting in the wrong area, only to be redirected to the other side. We opted for the Sunday roast, which arrived lukewarm simultaneously with the neighbouring table's meal, also lukewarm. I sent mine back to be reheated, as it was inedible. A seemingly new meal was brought out 20 minutes later. The adjacent table requested another Yorkshire pudding which was flatten and cold the response they received appeared less than welcoming. Youngster serving definately need some sort of training as they were surprised we had no cutlery and actually wanted some ! They often seemed confused where food orders were going or what to do. Did not finish meal or take dessert Will not be returning here.

Very nice pub, excellent food. Big garden on the river.

Met up with family for lunch. Very busy, even though it was a week day. However, the food was good and the staff were friendly.

Lovely food, cheerful staff & beautiful location. Highly recommend

Had a superb lunch here on Mothers day, starter, main, and dessert all absolutely delicious and nice and hot. Staff attentive and friendly, would thoroughly recommend and will definitely be back! Best pub lunch we've had for a long time and well priced too. Keep up the great work 👍

Very friendly, very busy for lunch and dinner. Good food, good hotel, a little too close to the highway but convenient. Highly recommended!

A little disappointed as we thought we were going to eat over looking the water but the food and service made up for that

Came here for lunch with friends. Nice location, would be even better if the sun came out. A good selection of drinks available, limited menu due to what’s available to them. Not great food, prawns undercooked, limited range of sandwiches available. Customer service was good, the staff welcoming and helpful. Will try again in the summer.

Myself and my fiancé went in for a quick drink with our daughter and our dog. A lovely, chilled out atmosphere. Friendly staff. We went for a little walk after, really enjoyed a couple of hours here :)

If you could write down your ideal English Pub you have just been to the Bell Inn, the Guinness was just perfect The bar staff had just how I like, big personality.

Friendly folks, a relaxed atmosphere, good grub and a great view. Can be a wee bit windy out on the riverside.

Enjoyed a lovely meal here with the added bonus of 50% off mains (weekdays only available until end of March 25 )Friendly staff and quick service. Nice cosy pub with open fires, will definitely return.

Nice cosy pub. Good choice of drinks, food menu not too busy and good variety of dishes. Lucky enough to find all mains 50% off when we wandered in....which was nice!

Good meal staff friendly and very obliging nothing to much trouble. Even chef didn't mind sorting a adult meal to a childs meal. Pleasant surroundings. Warm cosy. Old building right by river. Easy parking. Plenty of seating outside in summer months.

A great meal, slightly marred by people on next table having a dog which started my wife's allergic reaction to dog hair.

Went for a Sunday roast. Great portion of meat ,well cooked food but zero seasoning so overall very bland.

Lovely visit, friendly staff! Made a fuss of our dog Dennis. He had his first Pupachino and loved it!

Visited the Bell on our week's holiday and we ended up visiting on multiple occasions. We can highly recommend the southern fried chicken, ham egg and chips, cheese and bacon burger, trio of sausage and mash, scampi and chips, chicken tikka curry, buttermilk chicken burger and the plaice. Lovely venue, home cooked meals, great value for money with a wide selection of drinks. We were a little cold but this is from the old building and thick walls, staff couldn't do enough for us! Highly recommend

Good was good. Nice selection and friendly staff x

Lovely location but very low quality food. Veggie burger for £15, no dressing in the burger and the veggie patty was very watery, greasy and cold. My partner had fish, poorly cooked and it was defrosted

Fairly mediocre pub food. Stringy pork .. lacks any finesse . We won’t be back . The young staff were pleasant but require training in how to clear tables !

Food was delicious, staff were super friendly, especially with the kids. Really reasonable prices. Would definitely recommend. Thank you for a lovely evening.

Beautiful location on the Norfolk Broads

Lovely old pub. Beautiful inside,great food. Friendly staff. Great atmosphere.

As a party of 5 we all enjoyed our meal. Sitting outside in the sunshine by the river and then inside for our meal. It was refreshing to order starters and mains separately, instead of anticipating how hungry you're going to be. It was also nice to have easier service for ordering instead of having to go to the bar. Good honest food.

Great food pleasant staff. Good dog friendly pub.

Nice pub on the river. Gets busy in the summer on the outside seating. But plenty of room so not a.problem. food not cheap for pub food.

Food has definitely got worse since visiting last year ,very poor quality, would not visit again.

Sadly we arrived just too late to eat last Saturday lunchtime, as it all smelled lovely.. Instead we had a cooling drink after a long beachwalk in the lovely beer garden.

Friendly staff quality food cheap prices highly recommended

Very old pub by the waters edge. Beautiful. Loads of parking.

Lovely ladies serving us, very kind and helpful staff.

It is a lovely setting by the river with plenty of outside seats. Food is also very good and served very promptly too.

Just stopped here for a drink, it seemed nice enough with a good outdoor area.

Great little spot for a beer by the river. Staff are welcoming. The beer garden is lovely next to the river and quiet enough despite the road nearby. The food wasn’t great which was a shame.

Great food and location, recommended.

Great dog friendly pub restaurant with plenty of parking. The traditional menu was perfect for my elderly parents. Friendly staff and a good drinks selection also serving real Ale.

The food was absolutely amazing, the staff were wonderful, the atmosphere gorgeous. Dog friendly, reasonably priced, exquisitely presented. We moored up here for the night in our yacht and had a warm welcome from the folks inside (including our dog Xena) and to say the food was good would be a disservice - it was outstanding.

Great meal in unique surroundings with good friendly service.

Great food, great location, a regular spot of ours

We popped in the bell inn for food. What a great place located on the river. They have 3 little huts to order food from or meals from inside. We had the pizzas made fresh and were amazing. Great staff and just a great pub.

Lovely place to eat great food highly recommended

I never eat in there, but smell very good! 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Nice pub great food large beer garden 👍friendly hospitality

Called in yesterday a group of 5 of us. A couple had the Bell burger 1 had chicken strips I had the the Steak and ale pie, wife had the plant burger. Sat in the garden by the river with the dogs. Food was a 40 min wait but well worth waiting for. Would definitely use again.

Expensive and awful food which we brought home for the dogs. When we complained we were told that nobody else had complained that day and you can see how busy we are. Hardly the right attitude when five people have been presented with a bill of over £165. This pub obviously thrives on transient traffic from people staying in local mobile home sites like ourselves. The food is generally poor quality and tasteless. We were given a reduction on the price but this in no way makes up for a spoiled evening. Do not be fooled by the lovely location and outlook, the food is generally appalling.

Great pub and garden on the side of the river. Good parking, boat hire nearby. Bar serves food, usual drinks and coffees. Mini pizzeria and selection of specialist food/drink venues in the garden. Didn't eat, but food I saw looked good! Friendly and welcoming, visited with children

Great riverside pub on the broads. Good value food and drink in a great location.

Little disappointed with the menu choices were limited and the pizza shed was shut .This was a sat night

Great location great food, speedily served.

just had a meal at the bell one of the best meals we have had in norfolk. staff 5 stars food 5 stars parking 5 stars only a 20 min drive from great yarmouth ( dog friendly ). thanks again. food prices match the food you could pay double for what you get.

Met a,family member on a Sunday afternoon. Sat outside so had to go to the bar to order. Quite busy a nit of a queue garden seemed very popular. Food came fairly quickly two roasts and a jacket potato. For me too much red cabbage and too many potatoes more green veg would have been welcomed. Food tasty however and enjoyed by us three. Waiting staff very attentive and cleared away promptly. May not make a return visit.

Stop here on the way to Yarmouth brilliant every time!! Good food good staff and a lovely view !!

Beautiful picturesque pub on the side of the river. Perfect location for fresh fish of the day which was haddock with chips. Service super nice staff welcoming and friendly to newcomers. Also I love that the pub played modern music and everyone seemed really down to earth. The toilets were really clean. Beautiful to come here on a lovely sunny day and sit outside to chill. Lovely to see children running around freely playing nicely with one another. Would recommend and would return for the fresh fish and a refreshment.

Had late lunch here Saturday 20th July and must say great food great service from the lovely staff and great atmosphere perfect site near river too who could ask for more good weather too which ticked final box perfect 👌

Called in for a drink very clean and tidy with very friendly staff Many thanks 👍

Food and Drink was excellent. Unfortunately weather was not the best when we come here so couldn't appreciate the outside area but could not fault the pub inside and out.

Food good but a little expensive for what it is. Probably due the location and the passing holiday trade. If the weather is nice there are plenty of tables to sit outside.

Having recently travelled down to Great Yarmouth to visit family, I thought I would try The Bell, St Olaves and I am so that I did. From the moment we arrived, we were made to feel very welcome by all staff. The food and service were both incredible, especially the Prawn Mayonnaise sandwich. I will definitely be returning when next in Great Yarmouth. Thank you so much

Lovely little stop off on our journey. Food was very nice, the staff were attentive & the place was very pretty. Would definitely go back when in the area.

Absolutely our favourite place to eat when we are visiting the area. Right by the river, so you can sit and enjoy the evening. Friendly staff, great food which is always served promptly and good quality.

A beautifully located pub alongside the river. The food is nice but fairly typical for a pub and the drink selection is nicely varied with a good selection of draught beers, ciders and ales. The service requires you to order from the bar so there isn't much table service as such but the staff are friendly and the atmosphere is very nice.

Went here last year on our holiday and found the staff to be so rude! Gave it another chance on our holiday this year and same thing! So rude. So unhelpful. Says “cocktails” on the menu. When we asked what cocktails they do they literally looked at us deadpan and said “no, we don’t do them”. Asked to have mash with my pie instead of chips. “No the mash is already portioned out for other meals”. Weird as I had been offered mash or chips with my son’s meal and chose chips, could I not have had his portion? 😂🤦‍♀️. “I’m not upsetting the chef”. All good to have unhappy customers though. Just in general I have found the staff to be very rude and unbothered by customers. Such a shame as the setting is so beautiful. Staff really let it down.

Could not have been better excellent food and service and the outside dinning area was great overlooking hehe river

Slow service, nice setting. No steak on the menu 1 out of 10.

The place is set in an idyllic little venue, and even though we sat outside and it's next to a main road the traffic noise was negligible. Being a 6ft + person there were a couple of places inside I thought I'd bang my head so stooped a bit to be on the safe side. The drink selection was quite good as was the menu, when we ordered we specifically mentioned about a food allergy more than once but unfortunately even though the food came out in very good time with what appeared to be well cooked and fresh ingredients the one allergy item was delivered along with the rest of the meal. They were very apologetic and replaced the meal in very good time, this is why they only lost 1 star on my review had the experience been any different they would have lost a few more. Definitely going back.

Stopped here while out and about for a bite to eat with my partner. Been before for a drink and the food looked nice so thought we’d try it. Long story short.. the boss lady was less than welcoming and the food wasn’t great. I had sludgy undercooked batter around my “catch of the day”, we had to remind the waitress about our side order which eventually came half way through eating our meal, and when we mentioned that we got none of the sauces that were advertised on the menu with our meals she just shrugged her shoulders and said that they usually come with it. We returned our plates and voiced our concerns. Again, their response was “ok I’ll let them know… bye” I wouldn’t bother eating here again at all. But the location is nice for a drink.

Nice pub on the broads. The food was good. Bar staff were excellent. Good size garden allowing outdoor eating.

Lovely little pub plenty of mooring outside on the broads, there is a low bridge if you want to get back to GT Yarmouth and breydon water, so check tide times

Food was cold and vegetables overcooked and mushy . Wouldn't bother again wouldn't recommend any food not cooked fresh to order

Best burger I have ever had - my 14 yo son. Seriously, the food was very very good. The desserts were also excellent.

Popped in for lunch yesterday 26/05/2024 Inside pub was very busy, but several tables available outside on lawn and weather was nice if a tad windy. Six of us ordered food and despite how busy it was the food was brought out quite quickly by friendly staff. All food was well presented, hot and nicely cooked. The steak and ale pie meal was lovely and reasonably priced. All the other meals we had were same quality and good value. Lovely family atmosphere and don’t think it will be long before we pop in again :)

Felt Very welcomed to more here. Cost to stay the night they ask if you use their pub, which seams fair. Last Orders at 21.30 even in the May H/T. Very well kept garden, Great atmosphere.

Lovely pub, perfect location and really friendly staff. When I stay in the area again will stop by for lunch or dinner.

Very pleasant location. The quality of the food was average at best but carried a price tag for food you would expect to be top notch. The staff were both friendly and attentive. For me it is all about the food when eating out so will probably strike it off my places to revisit.

We sat in the garden, and it was really nice sitting by the river, we only had a sandwich, but the size of the plate was more like a main meal. The staff were very friendly, and we will definitely go back again.

Chicken was dry. Hash browns were soggy under a nice sauce.

Lovely place friendly staff and brilliant meal

Staff were really lovely but the food was disappointing, burger was very dry and the roast beef was very tough. Very expensive for what the food was.

Great location, lovely food, friendly and helpful staff, would recommend going back

Friday night a group of five of us wanted to dine out, we arrived around 7:35, found a nice spot in the sunshine. One of us went inside to get the menu's and after taking our orders went to the bar to order the food. They said they stopped cooking at 7:45 really? And as it was 7:48 he would not take the order. So landlords don't moan that you can't make ends meet. Anyway we found another pub, where they were only too willing to take our orders and not only was the food better then we've had in the Bell in the past it was also 5 to 7 pounds cheaper per person. Plus friendly service, so thank you staff of Bell Inn for pointing us in the right direction