Blue Strawberry Bistrot in Braintree

Disappointed. We have visited the restaurant many times over many years and always enjoyed it. Unfortunately our last visit was disappointing. The service, whilst friendly, was very very slow. The wait between our starters and main was nearly half hour with no explanation. Wine order was forgotten and then dessert took a while to be taken. The restaurant was no busier than we have seen in the past so not sure why things were not as good as usual. The food also did not seem it’s usual standard either. The bread was very poor, the starters were nice but nothing special. The main courses were very poor and underwhelming. We ordered the lobster and the beef wellington, both we felt could have been presented far better. The wellington was small and overcooked and the potatoes we burnt and soggy. It was supposed to be served with a red wine jus, however it tasted like thick bistro. The lobster presentation was also underwhelming, salad in a small glass dish and pile of chips! However the desserts were good. Please can we go back to the lovely homemade bread, exceptional service and high standard of dishes.

I also had the fish and chips and cannot recommend it. The batter was oily, the fish was flat and the chips lacked any crispness. However the starter of the Blue Strawberry salad was delicious and the service was, as usual, excellent.

Fact one, I love this restaurant! Far from our best trip this week though. Just the one problem my wifes fish and chips was Tilapia. A little unusual when she usually gets Haddock or Cod at the BS. Early on during dinner she mentioned that the fish tasted of disinfectant. I poo hooed her reaction. At the end of the meal she'd left some of the fish reiterating that it tasted of something weird. So I ate a piece. Sure enough it tasted of disinfectant! Strange. We have enjoyed Tilapia in North America but it didn't taste like this. We mentioned the issue to our waitress who relayed the problem to the chef. Apparently he was apologetic and offered my wife a desert on the house. Lesson learned? I need to ask what the fish is when ordering her fish and chips. It's never been a problem at the Strawberry before and we will be back early in March! You can please some of the people some........

Visited on a Monday lunch time and was surprised how busy it was, having said that the service was first class and the food was amazing. If you haven’t tried this restaurant you do not know what you are missing.

Visited to sample the 30 year celebration menu - well at least that was the plan but as per normal things change. I was amazed at the range of dishes across the menus provided making selection difficult. The food and service as usual were excellent. I had previously had an unpleasant experience with skate at a different venue but decided to try again. I was not disappointed it was delicious and beautifully cooked. I had an issue with the new potatoes it was served with in that they would have fed 3 people easily and I could not do them justice. Husband opted for the griddled pork chop and was equally pleased (I did ‘mug’ him for a bite and have to agree) All in all we had a delicious 2 course meal coming in at around £30 per head

Great service Great food Presseco flowing from start to finish Deff be back What a lovely lunch there were 13 kids f us for a special lunch Food was delicious and service was outstanding couldn’t have asked for more

We went here last night for my brothers birthday. I was very disappointed after hearing such good reviews. My starters was ok had the cauliflower piri piri then the chicken for main -very disappointed. The new potatoes that came with it looked like and tasted like tinned potatoes and the chicken tasted over cooked. Other family members had steak and said it was very chewy. We took a birthday cake with us but didn’t cut it up as it’s a £2 charge each to eat it. I totally understand this as everyone will just bring their own dessert but when u are speeding nearly £500 on dinner they should let u off!! I wouldn’t rush back here

Finally booked the Blue Strawberry for my Husband’s birthday and we weren’t disappointed! Its so quaint, well dec’d out for xmas! We had a lovely table by the fireplace. The food was lovely, we did the Xmas party menu that i pre ordered a couple months ago. Firm favourites were the brie tart and chocolate torte! The staff were so nice, couldnt do enough for you. Quick service too. I felt sorry for them as other guests were moaning at them just to moan in my opinion. Car park is abit tight but we got parked up ok (friday lunch time). Will return!

Tabled booked for 8:15. wasn't seated til 9. Went to bathroom but no water after putting soap on hands. informed manager who was condescending that "thats why there was a sign on toilet" when the sign was only on the ladies and another member of staff had directed me ( and another member of our arty later ) to that bathroom. Once seated had a long wait for order and even drinks to be taken but when order taken the waitress was very good. Pasta ratatouille started was like a Childs pasta with passata on it and no flavour and not made with fresh pasta. Calves liver main was excelled and so were side of brussels. Lobster was nice. Turkey leg and roast was expected to be a turkey log and not just a few pieces of leg which was disappointing to the eater in terms of amount. Turkey leg hardly expensive and so why be so tight with portion? Not asked about desert until 10:45 by which time we had to leave because of baby sitters. This was an 8:15 pm sitting! Locals recommend this place highly so maybe this was just Christmas stress and a bad menu choice of starters by the chief. Avoid the specials and the manager.

Booking team were fantastic and information on web site about the limited parking helped. Xmas meal sittings so very crowded while waiting for change over, but moved to the table a soon as available. Food was nice, needed to ask for some additional condiments but nothing was too much trouble. When it came to the bill this was confusing and on review we were over charged on top of the 12.5% service charge. This made quite an expensive meal just a little more costly, hence 3 Stars.

Have been many times and food was always great but this time picked the turkey etc (essentially a Xmas dinner which was £24.00. It looked like it was out of a packet (all meat identical in shape) and warmed up. Small slices of turkey, small slice gammon and round disc of stuffing with a chipolata, shreds of ‘vegetables’ mainly insipid cabbage with poorly cooked potato. No Yorkshire, no sprouts either. It is definitely not what was expected.

We visited for Sunday lunch for my Mother's 90th birthday. We had been there before quite a few years previously, but I wanted something a bit different and special (as I live miles away I wasn't aware that the restaurant had a conservatory room which was quite separate and ideal) and luckily where we were located for the lunch. I had quite a few phone calls to arrange (the numbers kept changing) and all requests and queries were met with total professionalism. On the day, we were all very impressed with the room and especially the food. We all had a two course Sunday lunch and everyone enjoyed what they had. To top it off, my Mother was given some extra ice cream with a happy 90th birthday plate and candle. The service was really very good. We also took a cake and lit candles to sing happy birthday. Nothing was too much trouble and she thoroughly enjoyed it all. Thank you Blue Strawberry!

Every time I come here I start off with a lychee martini or three . Always greeted by wonderful team and also mr blue strawberry. The menu offers a delight for all pallets . Tomato red pepper soup was delightful, homemade and flavour in all . Liver and bacon my intimate favourite. It was like walking into your family home and welcomed . Thank you all for beautiful food and service . J&B x

Lovely restaurant brilliant service but food very disappointing starters was Lovell but mains was tasteless such a shame unfortunately it was not just mine. Vegetables were a dull colour and had no taste chips were hard steak cooked perfectly but taste was strange .

We went on Saturday night for gran daughter birthday very disappointed food was not what expected chips were hard.ordered a salad which turned out to be all lettuce had a few prawns and 2 pieces of cheese and a few nuts a lot of the...

I am going to try to be nice... not sure I could though as the food was so so disappointing and poor ! Where should I start ? I can't say anything about starters as they haven't been cooked (Crab and Seafood platter) so no work for the chef ! then come main courses...Pheasant as dry as a bone and completely over cooked, even burnt (poor pheasant !!) ; the sauce called "Smitane ? I wonder where the red/orangish colour comes from when there is only white wine and cream to make this sauce... then the other main course ; are you competing pubs food ? Hard chips, a poor big mushroom and a sad tomato !!! really not impressed at all.... one very good point though, and we have appreciated, you haven't charged the pheasant. Desserts were good (pavlova and apple blackberry crumble). A good note was the service, the waitresses were smiley and our waiter looked after us well. Room for improvement, no ?

The staff were very accommodating from the time I called to make our reservation, to calling again to increase our numbers and were so welcoming when we arrived. Our family were celebrating with my parents to mark their 68th wedding anniversary and were not disappointed....

A very pleasant experience all-round. From the moment we entered the restaurant we were made to feel very welcome, the food was prepared and presented to a high standard and all dishes were thoroughly enjoyed. The staff were attentive without being over bearing. It was...

Hadn't been for a while, it did not disappoint. Warm welcome, staff have that knack of friendly professionalism, great food, love the surroundings and atmosphere. So glad I recommended this venue

We visited the Blue Strawberry for our Anniversary because I had always wanted to go there as I had heard it was a really nice dining experience. Unfortunately for my husband and I this was not the case, our table was booked for 8.00pm but...

From the moment you arrive to the moment you leave , this beautiful venue wraps itself around you . Kerry makes me smile so much and makes the night and moment to remember , our food was top class and the staff made us feel...

Have eaten at the sister Lion Inn restaurant but wanted to try this restaurant for some time. Unlike The Lion Inn, you can book a table here but you did have to enter your credit/debit card details to do so which felt ominous. As warned...

We had an excellent evening celebrating my husbands 80th Birthday. From the moment we arrived to leaving the restaurant we all had a great time. We were aged from 16 to 80 , our waiters engaged with us all. It was an exceptional evening where...

We were treated to a Blue Strawberry gift voucher for our anniversary. Went on Saturday and had such a lovely meal. Had drinks on the terrace first - wow the Pornstar Martinis were soooo good! Our meals were lovely no complaints at all. The mixed...

A lovely evening for my Sons 18th Birthday celebration with family. We were all looked after so well. Food and service superb. A few more veggie options would have been good as only one hot dish was limiting, but they happily allowed starters as mains...

Booked this restaurant as a treat for my wife's birthday. The food was delicious, the restaurant has a lovely atmosphere and the staff were very attentive and welcoming. We'd like to say a special thank you to Martin who went the extra mile to make...

We finally ate here for a birthday lunch back in October, having been meaning to eat here for several years... We had the pork belly, the liver and parma ham, fish pie and the child's sausage and chips followed by mars torte, coconut and lime...

An absolute delight Everything was absolutely perfect from the food to the decor to the service to the menu The food was unbelievably good - one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time I can’t wait to go back!

Managed to get some free time from Grandparent duties to treat ourselves to a celebratory lunch, albeit a few days after the event. We had visited here a few times before and on our return from the Marks Tay dentist we had booked here again....

We had lunch on Friday the food and service were superb. Will definitely be booking a table there again thank you for a lovely time

Went here for lunch with some friends. If you’re a meat eater the choices are in abundance. I ordered the Camembert starter, the bread was only toasted one side and really it could’ve been helped by being served with a chutney or pickle. For main I ordered the haddock and chips, this was £20 so I was expecting it to be a big portion and delicious. Unfortunately the fish was over cooked and a measly portion, I also had to chase up the garden peas it said it came with. You can get a much more delicious fish and chips down southend seafront for half the price! But The Blue Strawberry is a beautiful setting, but I found the food to be very average at a very high price.

This was our first visit to the Blue Strawberry and we were hugely impressed! We had booked in for a family dinner with our toddler and baby in tow. We were seated in the private library room, which was just perfect -- charming, spacious, quiet...

We had a 70th birthday party in the marquee, the staff were very attentive, nothing was to much trouble, the food was delicious, all of our friends were really impressed ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Came here during the week for lunch with my family. The food was delicious and the ambience and atmosphere in the restaurant was lovely. Our waiter was helpful and made us laugh he was very friendly. Not the cheapest restaurant but you pay for what...

This was our first time here. it’s where we had both said we had wanted to visit and so my Partners birthday gave us a reason to finally go there’re. And my we were not disappointed and the experience was better then we expected. A...

There was a comprehensive menu and the food we had was excellent with great service to - so all in all a great meal out - Thanks!

It’s been a while since we have dined at the Blue strawberry, it’s always been a fantastic restaurant but I had to revisit because there have been some amazing new choices to the menu. To start I had a classic poached egg and asparagus with...

I rarely get a Sunday lunch out . This really was stunning . Outdoor seating that looked like indoor . The staff and owner were fantastic . For the first time in 20 years I had lamb . The dish was prepared with love ....

Out with a friend on Wednesday evening to my favorite restaurant The Blue Strawberry. Greeted as usual by the warm, friendly staff upon arrival. We both opted for the Specials Menu (as we have both pretty much exhausted the main menu over recent weeks :)...

Best Sunday lunch I’ve had in years! We recently enjoyed a fantastic Sunday lunch here! A warm welcome by Sammie, before enjoying a relaxed drink at the bar before seating. (Great range of gins!!) Food and service were both impeccable, with plenty of choice on...

Me and my girlfriend come out for dinner Wednesday night. I must say what a fantastic night we had from the walking into the restaurant and getting a warm welcome from the barman, the younger lad who showed us to our table and are waiter...

Came here with a few of my friends, as soon as we entered the general atmosphere was amazing, we were greeted with respect. We all ordered a steak which was cooked perfectly to our preferences, the peppercorn sauce was rich and creamy, and for our...

Came here for a calm evening dinner out with my wife and friends and it was immensely successful to say the least! We entered into the restaurant and were met with a kind and amusing server called Sam who made our evening a delight. The...

Sunday lunch was so shocking that I just left my meal and will never return - I have hand written a letter to the Director/ manager as would like him to be aware so that changes can be made. Steve has always taken such pride...

My wife and I have been going to the Strawberry for some 20 years. We have spent many enjoyable evenings there with our friends and family. Visited in February this year with a relative for my wife's birthday and was less than enamoured with the...

Really enjoyable meal at one of our favourite restaurants. Lovely staff. Great food - as usual. Always a pleasure to dine here.

Lovely restraint staff very helpful but food let's it down especially using smash or something like smash tearable veg not great ashame its got the makings of a real good restraint the food let's it down a bit

Firstly the server who greeted us was so friendly and very funny, food was to die for as I’m a vegan the other 3 adults aren’t but I had so much ch to choose from including vegan wine , they were polite and helpful we...

Courtesy of an accident on the A12 which forced us to abandon our original lunch plans , we ended up at the Blue Strawberry for lunch It is a while since we ate here but the quality of food and service are still of high...

We used to come here years ago but haven't been as we moved away. Booked online no issue and came for a lovely dinner on a Thursday. Lovely surroundings and a nice atmosphere just like we remembered. The menu is extensive and seems regularly updated...

Visiting the area for the weekend and this bistro was recommended. Booked online in advance but could only get a table for the second cover late in the being - clearly a popular place! Tip-Top&Not! Tip-Top Lovely restaurant, atmosphere and really friendly, attentive staff. We...

Came here for afternoon tea for mothers day Had a lovely cream tea with vegan options Waitress was very helpful and professional Food was lovely with a good selection of finger sandwiches and cakes.

Visited for dinner on a Thursday evening,. Greeted by a very friendly gentleman who seated us in the main dining area. All staff were super friendly and attentive. The menu had a large variety of starters and mains to choose from and almost all of...

An excellent restaurant if you are coeliac. There are countless gluten free options on the menu but they will cheerfully adapt anything to suit you. A fun, friendly place with great food. Thank you to everyone for putting up with our lively birthday celebration!

Attended the blue strawberry with a group of friends and colleagues service was excellent and my main course was absolutely beautiful, however the dessert of trifle was disappointing and certainly not worth the cost ! Synthetic cream is simply not good enough at the level...

Took my family for Mother’s Day meal and had a thoroughly enjoyable experience. The service was exemplary - from the warm reception on arrival to the end of the meal the staff were attentive and professional. Most of our party had roasts and overall the...

Where to start the welcoming was nice then it just went donwnhill from there . Firstly at the bar there was a youngmale member of staff at the bar running his fingers down what I would of thought was the middle aged male manager. Then...

We were delighted with our leaving party at the Blue Strawberry today, for a group of 26, in the marquee. The service was quick, impeccably well organised, and all the staff were friendly, professional and extremely helpful. As is always the case here, the food...

We were a party of 4 Adults, and although we've been to the Blue Strawberry many times before, nothing has changed. The Staff are all so helpful, polite and smiling, and Service was excellent. We just mentioned to our Waitress that it was Our Son...

The Blue Strawberry does it again. They smashed Valentines night once again. Great food, good atmosphere and excellent bar service.

We just love this place. Great food Amazing staff, very good at what they do with amazing personalities. What a quirky place full of amazing decorations. We loved the food.

Visited with friends to have lunch and a catch up. Lovely venue with welcoming staff. Excellent menu with lots of choice but not overwhelming. Very attentive staff but not ‘in your face’ - ensured everything was in order (to a very high standard) but at...

Went to The Blue Strawberry last night with friends, and what a fabulous night we had. The food here is just superb. Had the battered monkfish in a curried sauce to start. OMG, what a delicious starter. Then had the venison for mains. Just fabulously...

Visited on a Sunday for a family birthday celebration. The food was excellent and all the staff were very friendly and professional. Will certainly be returning.

Became very I’ll after eating their squid starter, which was either ‘off’ to start with or not cooked properly. Threw up in the ladies toilet, which was very distressing, ruining a brand new jacket. Not one person asked if I was ok, which I obviously...

Thank you to all the wonderful staff at the Blue Strawberry for such a fantastic service. The food was wonderful, the place had a lovely cosy and friendly atmosphere. We were blown away by the friendly and efficient staff who went the extra mile to...

Superb lunch, really good menu with some nice brunch options and a very comprehensive main menu. Super food, lovely service, great find. 10/10

My family and myself had an excellent experience at The Blue Strawberry. My daughters have a lot of tricky allergies and intolerances and the Manager and Head Chef were so accommodating. They were helpful and went above and beyond to ensure that my daughters would...

Pleasant staff but food is way too high for what is on the limited menu and served up plainly. Same as a good simple British pub, but it’s s restaurant. If you are looking for a special meal this is probably not the right place...

A lovely restaurant and great food but the shine was taken off a bit by the way we were spoken to by our waitress. We'd just got our main meals but a couple of us needed new knives after the cutlery was cleared with the...

Visited here quite a few times and always enjoy a lovely meal! Usually have 3 courses as they are very yummy! Staff are always very attentive to allergies/intolerances and will find out any information you need from chefs happily.

Very cosy atmosphere as the restaurant is over several small rooms and only semi open plan. Food is amazing and would definitely recommend this place if you have something to celebrate

We went here for the first time after a Monday afternoon registry wedding lovely lady behind the bar while we waited for our table Food was nice and came up quickly , waiter was rude at points and quite aggressive towards end of meal then...

From start to finish, the staff, service and food was outstanding. We were a group of 8 having lunch following a registry office wedding. This was the perfect place to relax and chat and we could not fault anything

Ww visited the Blue Strawberry for an evening meal and the food was amazing the atmosphere was very warm and welcoming the staff really looked after us especially Sam our waiter he was brilliant and went the extra mile to ensure a great evening. I...

Had an amazing dinner last night. The food was absolutely superb. Couldn’t fault anything about it. Our waiter Sam added to our experience by ensuring all our needs were met, with a little bit of banter along the way. Wasn’t expecting any entertainment but with...

Had a delightful dinner last night, the food was beautifully presented, and absolutely delicious. The half boneless duck was cooked perfectly, and the jus was intense with whole cherries. My husband had the beef wellington, and absolutely raved about how perfect and tender the beef...

We were a party of 6 and were seated in a delightful private area like a library. The restaurant was tastefully adorned with Christmas decorations that complemented the surroundings. Service was friendly and attentive. Food was delicious for all of us, with a great selection...

Visited for Sunday lunch oh dear what a disappointment. Firstly we asked if the barman could make me a Whiskey Sour. He cannot which was a shame I would have gone with the listed whiskey Christmas cocktail they had on their board. We ordered our...

Never let’s us down - another superb meal, bringing friends this time who had never been. Amazing service (as always) food outstanding (as always) just delivers every time we go. Friends loved it and we will all be back. See you again soon.

Visited BS for birthday treat, food, drinks and service were excellent as always - thanks Kerry, looking for to next visit

Great atmosphere as soon as you walk in. The staff are so friendly and couldn’t do enough for you and make you feel really welcome. Came here for a birthday. Table of 4 Had plenty of room at the table. Food was amazing. My sister...

Visited recently having not been for a while and very pleased that standards are still very high. Great food and great service, especially from Zoe.

Fabulous food, fabulous drinks, fabulous atmosphere, fabulous service (thanks Kerry). What's not to love? Visit as much as you can!!

Went for lunch on Sunday as was really impressed by the quality of the food and the excellent service. In particular, one of the servers named Willow went above and beyond for me, ensuring that I had the best possible experience. Whenever I'm in the...

Great meal today thanks to kerry for looking after us. Big thanks to Kerry and and all the staff at the BS

We had a family meal here last week and I am writing to say that we cannot thank you enough for providing us with an attentive dining experience that allowed us to relax and get together in such beautiful surroundings. A particular mention must also...

Brilliant food and wonderful service as always. We just love the “Blue Strawberry” Salad. The best place to eat out in Chelmsford!

Great restaurant, love to come for birthdays and anniversaries. Staff very friendly and helpful, thanks Kerry for your patience!

Came for lunch last Thursday and was so impressed! A warm welcome on arrival by Sammie, followed by wonderful food and attentive service throughout. Will be back soon!

We had a delicious meal, staff were lovely. A big thank you Kerry for looking after us - love this restaurant !

Popped into the Strawberry midweek for lunch with friends. Always a warm welcome to be had. Service was superb. Food choices were excellent, as was the wine list. The staff make the Strawberry, high praise for all of them, especially Kerry.

Great welcome from all the staff, Kerry couldn’t do enough for us. I’m sure the Caesar salad was bottomless it never seemed to end, best I’ve had. Great family night out with my sister visiting! Atmosphere buzzing.

I was a-bit intimidated going for a solo meal at a restaurant as my date stood me up, but after I was greeted by a lovely woman which I think her name was Sammie if I am not mistaken after she approached me in a...

I had visited the Strawberry on many occasions but never mid week. I was greeted by the most loveliest lady behind the bar who instantly made me feel very welcome. Sammie her name was. Sammie was very professional and welcoming and it is obvious she...

Had a cheeky lunch with my partner Deb, this is her favourite restaurant and never fails to deliver in both quality and service. We had Kerry serving us today and how lovely she is! Her laugh is so contagious and joy to chat to. Thank...

I had the most amazing calf’s live, cooked to perfection, Kerry was very attentive and nothing was to much trouble, good selection of wine and beers.

Have been dining at the Strawberry for many years and have never been disappointed. A great ambiance coupled with good food and professional service. Nothing was too much trouble for Kerry on our last visit.

In an age of fast food and "Can't do that, it's not on the menu" this is a gem of an establishment. My wife has specific dietary requirements which were met easily and fuss free. Don't just take my word for it, try The Blue...

I took my Girlfriend there for a birthday meal and this gem of a place did not disappoint. The service is superb, the menu varied but just enough Choices. I had the Pork Belly and my girlfriend had the calves liver, both dishes arrived within...