Church House Inn in Cheshire East

Visited in the evening with my husband, not greeted on arrival despite the pub being fairly empty (4 other tables in and two groups at the bar) so headed to the pub, we were served quickly by a young lad and had a drink before introducing ourselves at the host desk. Considering the pub was very empty, we were shown to the worst, draughtiest table in the entire pub, right next to the door, which children were running in and out of. The "host" placed menus on the table and walked off, not explaining if it was table service and without further conversation. My husband then went back to the host stand and asked for a different table, which was not a problem at all and resolved very quickly. We noted that the pub felt cold and they should have taken the opportunity to light the beautiful open fire they had or at the very least turned up the heating on one of the stormiest nights of the year! Our order was taken relatively quickly and a small bucket brought over with cutlery (a picky bugbear of mine.) Our starters of calamari were enjoyable but on the chewier side, our steaks were lovely and certainly a filling dish, but we did have to wait whilst someone fetched us steak knives from the kitchen, as they "were being washed" which felt like it took an age and considering there were only four other tables in the pub rather shocking. The service was somewhat lacking and we did have to flag someone down for further drinks. I'm not one for missing dessert (ever) but the dessert menu was very uninspiring and evidently brought in generic cakes, so we skipped this. We felt that the pub could be so much better, considering it's refurbishment and setting, all it lacks is the warmth of hospitality that should come with customer service.

This is a great spot for families and friends!! Amazing food and an excellent service !! Definitely would recommend and definitely would eat there again !! Thanks the staff for all your hard work !!

We go here far more frequently than we should for a number of reasons. First of all, It's our local and we are truly blessed to have it. Second of all, The food NEVER fails to impress. Always freshly cooked, Piping hot (except for the ice cream 😂) and absolutely delicious. Third of all, The staff. They're always friendly, Approachable and attentive. Nothing is too much trouble. We've also noticed a massive difference since the pub was taken over. There is always a good choice of freshly homemade pies to choose from as well the daily specials and the regular menu. The new landlords are a LIVELY couple too. Keep up the excellent work folks! ❤️

After being at the Church House, several times which were good; after reading the reviews thought we would try Sunday lunch. Booked table 17 but when we got there they told us that they moved us, when we asked why we were told "don't know, I'll have to speak to the Manager! - we're still waiting on a answer. BIG mistake. The food was served on cold plates and the food was lukewarm. My husband's Yorkshire pudding was flat as a pancake and rather well done, when he cut into it was that dry it broke into little pieces and shot across the table! He was lucky - I couldn't cut mine! We spoke to the waitress and she was "sorry about that". We decided it would be get better with a pudding, but no. John's jam sponge was microwaved and had some sort of red sauce drizzled over the top. My apple and blackcurrant crumble was made with fruit pie mix (I know this, because I use it at home) and topped with crumble. The custard in a nice little pot, how many blobs would you like - definitely not pouring custard. Again spoke to the waitress and she said "sorry about that" - a phrase that was heard several times whilst we were there. The meal - 1 standard, 1 small, 2 desserts, pint of lager Shandy and diet coke came to £49.40 wouldn't have been a bad price if we had eaten/enjoyed the meal. Such a shame as when we have been during the week the meals / plates have been hot and we have thoroughly enjoyed. Would not recommend Sunday lunch and won't be going again

A bit of a hike from the canal, but it was our first night so we had lots of energy. A well appointed country inn with a large beer garden. The menu offered buy one to get one half price so we opted for the fish n chips and curry, washed down by some fine ale it was a great start to a week on the canals

As a local and regular I am so pleased to see management that know what they are doing and actually put in the hours. Gary and Cheryl are brilliant. As are the all of the staff! The food has improved so much, big portions and everything that comes out of the kitchen looks amazing… try the Sunday dinner! A new play area has been installed at the front of the pub, so it’s the only pub in town with something for the kids to do!

Gary and Cheryl have made a fantastic go of the church house after there being a number of managers who came and went quickly. They have their own specials menu as well as the standard menu and the meals are really delicious and homemade. The atmosphere is great now too and all the staff are very helpful and so friendly. It’s a must visit pub

I was in the Churchouse on Sunday for some food and WOW! What an improvement. We were served by two lovely girl called Erin and Annabelle, who were very professional and upbeat. Nothing felt too much of an ask and every request was seen to. Lovely food, lovely atmosphere and we also got a chance to speak to the new landlord and lady Sheryl and Gary who made us feel very welcome. All 5 of us loved it and will definitely be returning.

We haven’t lived in Congleton for long but have been visiting The Church House regularly. The new landlord and landlady have definitely improved the pub vibe and food. The home cooked choices are great and I would definitely recommend the Sunday dinner. All of the staff are welcoming, friendly and willing to accommodate requests. Great job to everyone involved ⭐️.

The pub now has new managers and Gary and Cheryl are a great couple and the food is great now with home cooked food as well as the standard menu. Last month really wasn’t good as it had several managers coming and going but I’m really pleased to say that now you should have no complaints. The staff are great too and so friendly and will always aim to please offering you a great meal in a great environment

Stop over on way to Bakewell, easy access, great pitch, great pub, fantastic food, friendly staff. Nothing too much trouble, landlord and land lady made us feel welcome and informative about the area.

Visited for Sunday lunch with great expectations. We all ordered different food. In all honesty all the food was quite good and not overpriced. I had the three meat roast, and i asked for English mustard and cranberry sauce, as i had turkey, chicken and beef. What they fetched was apple sauce and mint sauce. Three of the meals came at the same time, but the other came 15 minutes later (we had all finished ours by then). Whilst there seemed plenty of staff (young people) they didn't seem organized. Sorry

We'd been to Church House before and thought it was great so decided to go last night for an early mothers day meal as our son wasn't going to be around today. Unfortunately it was ruined by awful food. My husbands trio of pork and leek sausage arrived as a duo, which he pointed out straight away, the fix came as 3 cheap mini sausages, the sort you might get on a child's pub meal. We think they'd un out and hoped he wouldn't notice! The lake of gravy was very, very salty. My sons burger was a disgrace and he was really unhappy being charged £15 for it. It was tiny, and swamped in mayo which he had to scrape off and the fries extraordinarily salty, he didn't eat them. My fish gougons were OK, bit greasy but ok. My fries extraordinarily salty, and I was cross with myself for eating them. By the time we were asked if everything was ok, none of us had mentioned how unhappy we were with the food as we didn't want to ruin our evening, so our reply was just "ok". A plus point.....the staff were great. We cheered ourselves up by going to The Bleeding Wolf for a drink and pudding, which was very good.

Just called in. Steak pie was amazing, chips perfect. Staff were brilliant , would definitely go again and would recommend. Sam and staff couldn’t be more helpful.

Called to the church house for tea tonight as it seemed to have a good selection of gluten free options. I asked for the hunters chicken but was then told the bbq sauce contains gluten so it would be a piece of chicken with bacon and cheese. I changed my order to fish and chips, my friend had the steak pie. When the food arrived mine was served with garden peas, although the menu said it was served with mushy peas. My friend asked for some tomato sauce for his chips but was told they had run out. The chips were soggy but also looked over cooked. Really not an enjoyable experience.

I came here 7 months ago with a group of friends and had one of the loveliest meals I've had in a while. Revisted tonight with the same friends and completely different. He didn't feel homemade at all, and although polite, the service wasn't very good. Very overpriced for the quality

Lovely place but very disappointed with our Sunday roast came out luke warm/ nearly cold one carrot and one parsnip but massive bowl of broccoli. Wasn't told the meat choice option was expected to know 🤔 and served alcohol free beer when it wasn't asked for

Food was very expensive for the quality and quantity of it. Just shy of £16 for a chicken burger that unfortunately you could get better in a Wetherspoons. Wished I'd gone for the £10 baguette and chips option, which my mum had and was hearty.

Excellent service and food, very pleasant atmosphere with log burner in a room with plenty of light we had a very nice afternoon and would definitely be returning to sample some of there offers through the week, curry nights etc, defiantly be returning

Went for an early evening meal with family including young children. Staff were friendly and helpful and so very accommodating. Despite being extremely busy, service was very efficient. The young lady who served us was absolutely delightful and very patient. Great choice of food, especially the specials! Good children’s meals and attentive service throughout our visit.

Very busy on a Saturday lunchtime. Good sign. Good vegan and vegetarian options as well as a standard menu. Staff very professional and friendly. Food nicely presented and well cooked. Really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend. Erin served us so a big thank you to you. Jane and Marc

We were seated immediately are hugeportions where huge I ordered small and got what the picture shows there is free Wi-Fi and the staff were very helpful and friendly this is a great way to have a meal and prices are very very good value for money is exemplary

Haven’t dined here since I was a child. What a transformation and update it has had! Still a beautiful building filled with character, cosy fires, spacious, well thought out tables and lovely decor but gosh it’s changed! Most importantly though the staff were friendly and the service was on point. The food was such good value, home cooked, great portions and delicious. I’d go as far as to say the cheesecake was the best I’d ever eaten! Highly recommend and will definitely be taking my family back soon. Thank you Church House splendid evening.

Wonderful careful staff looked after over 30 of us for the works Christmas party, great food, roaring fires, space laid out for us in a really nice atmosphere. Will be back for sure.

Lovely atmosphere, great food & service. Thanks Particularly love the tapas plates and Sunday roast.

Visited the Church House for Sunday lunch last week and was very impressed with the quality of the food and the staff. They were very friendly and welcoming and no task was too small. The facilities were to a very high standard and tables were...

Excellent value lunch. Great food and really good service. Been back several times now and always enjoyed

Birthday meal for my son . All family had a Fabulous time, great team and lovely food. Thankyou xxxx

Cracking food went for Sunday lunch last weekend really friendly staff do lots to help especially great for anyone who’s gluten free. Very good value. Portions are very good

Absolutely very poor service for Christmas meal this evening - 9.12.23. This establishment in the evenings is run by a young team, who although pleasant do not have the maturity or training to run a venue of this calibre as it should be. Although amends...

Went to lunch with a small group of friends. After waiting nearly 45 minutes,we were told there was a problem in the kitchen. The main course was served over an hour after we had ordered. Waiting over an hour for food isnt good, surely we...

Lovely. Great service and lovely food with a lovely price tag. Very reasonable and lovely atmosphere. Would go again 👍🏻

Came here on Sunday evening for an impromptu tea,ordered Sunday roast only to be told there were none left (bad management)in my eyes,ordered fish & chips instead,food came & was disappointed with the size of the portion & the quality of it,for £16 I would...

We all enjoyed a lovely evening as a family and friends. Good service, very friendly staff with a smile and helpful with the food choices. Good portions and reasonably priced too.

Joined friends for evening meal to find a Lovely refurbishment & location , good food but lighting far too bright which ruins the atmosphere.

Very Happy Regulars. We live nearby and are absolutely delighted to have this as our local. The drinks are always good and the food never fails. We eat here regularly and have never been disappointed. 🙂

We recently visited for an evening meal and had a lovely time. The food was great and so was the service. My sister in law was advised by the waitress that the pie was something else and so she sent it back ...... it was...

Greeted with a friendly welcome and promptly seated. Server wasn't very knowledgeable but endeavoured to answer all of our questions by going to find out the answers from the pub team which we appreciated. Meals ordered, one gyros and one GF tacos arrived. Surprised by...

Called into this pub on the way home from visiting family one day thinking what a lovely looking pub it was !!!! How wrong can one be we found the food tasteless and the man behind the bar so grumpy and unfriendly , we were treated as if we weren’t welcome here,shall NEVER use this pub again

The staff were very friendly, but unfortunately the food was not very good, and there were a few mix ups! We hadn’t been in this pub for several years, at one time we went a lot. They have changed the outside with wooden tables and benches, but unfortunately they split the car park in half, so you don’t know which way to go in!The inside still looks the same and needs a complete refurb. Perhaps the new management intends to do that anyway, it certainly needs it.It’s a great pity as we have had so many happy hours there in the past.

The pub has had new management and made a real turn around. There’s a new menu and the food is good, proper pub grub. The place is slowly being improved and already looks better. Locals are returning and the whole place is improving. Well done to the new manager!

Took my partner and we both tried the burger which was obviously not fresh it was processed meat, very poor. The toilets were dirty and need updating, also staff once became busy could not accommodate people efficiently. Very friendly staff but would not go back as food not fresh

Lovely pub great atmosphere, friendly locals, great outside space and kids play area and caravan park at the side, food good , friendly helpful staff.

This place used to be good but these days it’s like being behind the scenes of a Jeremy Kyle show with all the arguing, shouting and swearing. That’s from the owners and staff. Underaged bar staff, smelly toilets and cheap shop brought food. Unless something turns around we will not be returning. It’s such a shame to see what was a good family focused community pub being run in to the ground.

I came in on Sunday lunchtime beside, the extremely rude (to which is now a someone who left) member of staff and her daughter who at a great desire wanted to ensure her foul mouth was heard on her presence of leaving the pub, my experience was 10 out of 10. Food was delicious. The Sunday roast was high standard and a range of vegetables. Myself and friends were very pleased. We are delighted to return for every foreseeable Sunday from now on. I can’t say it enough. Delicious food. Wonderful people!

I’ve got to say, as a whole. The pub had been brought back to life by the new owners. Today, I have gone back into this pub within a group party and had food and drinks. The respect and friendly I got was outstanding. All staff were welcoming and couldn’t do enough for you! Plus, I was starving after the long, bitterly cold walk and the food was out of this world. For a long time, I avoided due to rude staff members and disrespect I’d be shown in the past. I would 100% recommend this pub for any occasion!

From the new managers I have seen improvement - bar, kitchen, cleaning and has a whole a new outlook of the workplace.

Visited tonight as always on a Monday for the Quiz . The place is friendly and welcoming . The new managers aregoing above and beyond to maintain the running of this popular public house .I fear that certain recent reviews left are nothing to do with the efficient running of the pub and more to do with sour grapes fromEx staff and their family members .Keep up the GREAT WORK ....I for one back you both all the way !

The place needs a bit of an overhaul and a good tidy. There was a lot of fag buts in flowerpots which is quite off putting. Lady serving was friendly but sadly this pub wasn’t for us.

We were on the canal looking for somewhere to eat unfortunatly the friendly service that was advertised was not what we had Not dog freindly at all my 10 year old was on the park playing with her dog and was told to get out as dogs are not allowed in the park after being told they can run anywhere out side which i understand health and safety but there are ways to tell us not as abrupt as they did Will not be recomending when we get back to the marrina

Can't thank the church house enough. Having 8 adults 2children and 3babies we rang up to see if they could accommodate to be told yes that's fine. When we arrived they had given us the family room. We only had a small wait for our food. We all enjoyed our food and the service was fantastic

A warm and friendly atmosphere, very welcoming and now under new management.

It was our first time visiting this delightful pub but it won't be the last! The pub was warm and welcoming and the roaring log fires soon made us forget the freezing weather outside. The staff were polite and efficient and the range of beers and food should satisfy even the fussiest of diners and were all very reasonably priced. I would personally recommend the steak and ale pie as it simply just melted in my mouth! We will definitely be returning very soon.

Decided to call in for lunch today with the wife first time that we have been really enjoyed it

We had had a long day and were looking for hassle free eating and a decent pint. The Church House Inn delivered on both with added friendliness and warmth. The food was good with that rarity in pub meals of vegetables, rather than just a few bits of lettuce. The Robinson's beer was excellent and service spot on. It is a pub that does food and there is no separate eating area as such but was reasonably quiet when we were in mid week.

Matchday in Stoke, and a chance to stop here for dinner.

Parado para comida aquí para encontrar a su llegada no habría ninguno debido al personal de cocina de enfermarse.

service good the food good the place has a welcoming atmosphere and its outdoor garden area is lovely especially in summer

I phoned the day before to see if they could accommodate a party of 18 for a family meal on a Saturday afternoon. The online menu looked reasonably priced with a varied choice for both adults and children. The landlady warned us that if we...

Amable con todos, este es un verdadero pub. Parque de caravanas al lado, así que puedes acampar! Mucho espacio, muy amplio pub con un montón de asientos al aire libre y un gran patio para los niños. 👍 encanta MrPalio

Sin duda un fantástico pub. Bien cuidado por dentro y por fuera, la comida fantástica y una excelente selección de cervezas. Los niños zona de juegos es una ventaja. Además de la caravana y el camping. Me encanta aquí.

El personal es muy amable y publicanos, familia y perro pub acogedor con amplio menú verity y mano barril, ¿qué más se puede pedir.

Familiares con jardín encantador pub y escalada bastidor / parque para niños. Preciosa casa menú preparado con mucha variedad y para sin gluten. Siempre la celebración de eventos de la comunidad local y apoyar organizaciones benéficas. Lo recomiendo altamente.

Its hard to find an old fashioned family run pub these days, but this is a great example. Excellent good quality food at great value (Usually cooked with the Landlady's fair hands), friendly staff, great welcome, super children's play area. Highly recommended!!

Called into this pub as we were passing with family on a very hot afternoon.All I can say is it was full of yobs, smashing a ball against a fence continually, and drunken behaviour. Not a pleasant experience when we wanted to sit in the beer garden and kids play on the climbing frame. Avoid at all costs.!!

Impromptu visit and was pleasantly surprised with this great family run pub. Very friendly owners and staff, food was lovely and good value, and good real Ales too.Recommend the monster burger for those with a big appetite.Will certainly return.

we had our wedding reception (small one of 50-60 people) here on the 12th of March and the service was second to none! buffet was amazing, all our family members commented on how nice the food and staff were. perfect for a small cosy do. will definitely be using again for future events! Mr & Mrs Henderson :)

Called here on our way home from Wales!Fantastic food with fantastic staff!! Will definitely make planned visit here with our friends as they have great gluten free menu!! Keep up the good work!

Having taken longer to cross the Peak District than we'd planned, we were stuck for a place to spend the night in the Macclesfield area, since most campsites were fully booked already. Despite only having a little caravan park, they were happy to let us spend the night there and since the pub was open till midnight and again at 8 in the morning, we weren't really stuck for any facilities. Enjoyed a few of the nice ales on tap in a cosy bar area. There's also a lovely beer garden out front with nice playing facilities for kids. Absolutely lovely staff, would definitely recommend! Their dog's a total cutie too!

Called for dinner. I had chicken breast in mango sauce, wonderful flavour. My wife had roast beef. We followed with pineapple with honey and ginger, and choc fudge cake.Overall excellent food and charming staff, we will return

As someone who lives with Coeliac Disease, I know the struggle of finding somewhere with more than one option for your meal. The landlady of the church house inn has an excellent understanding of various allergies/intolerances'. There is a vast range of gluten free meals on the menu, ie roast dinners, fish pie and potatoe wedges, to name a few. The Sunday roast was divine, I will be going back again!

I visited the 'Going up the country' indie festival held here, in June 2015. There was ample parking and it was easy to find. The staff were lovely and the food served quickly. It was really nice. Beer was good too! I'd definitely visit here again for a meal and a drink. Excellent value for money.

Well worth a visit, friendly staff, lovely food, lots of guest ales, play area for the kiddies, and caravan or camping available

We (family group of 7) visited The Church House for a Father's Day meal for my girlfriend's 71 year old dad. We booked well in advance, of course, and had a reserved table.It so happened that a huge group of Bikers had already booked, for the same time. They got there just as we were arriving, and staff immediately started serving them with drinks and food orders as we read the menu.We eventually got to the bar and ordered our food. Nothing complicated - a pie, 3 roast dinners, a chicken something or other, and the gammon. One of our party had not arrived.We waited for just over an hour, and a single solitary (very sad looking) dish was delivered. It was my gammon. It had literally been dropped on the plate, and there were two over-cooked (solid) fried eggs, with burned frazzly edges, laying on top of it. They hadn't been fried separately - they had run together and were conjoined into an ugly oval. That was it. Some gammon with some egg, on a plate. No attempt at garnish or any kind of presentation. I had asked for pineapple - there was no pineapple. The gammon itself had been kept warm for so long that it had turned reddish-brown in places. I poked it with my finger and couldn't even make a dent. So - I asked for another. The poor waitress didn't say a word - she must have known she was delivering something that was bound to be sent back. It really did look awful.Anyway. Ten minutes later a Roast Dinner arrived. The meat was the uniform grey colour of reheated or kept-warm beef. The Yorkshires were soggy (later, at the bar, I could actually see through the kitchen window and watched a woman whose job was clearly to place Yorkshires and other things, into a row of three microwave ovens....) and the potatoes were chewy.So after another five or ten minutes, my girlfriend's pie arrived. Fairly standard bad-pub-grub pie; gloopy chicken goo in a dish with a reheated puff pastry lid placed on top. It was just a (sort of) pie, in a dish on a plate, with some over-boiled watery pale sliced carrots and a few chips. Once again, no garnish or visual appeal whatsoever. She had asked for gravy. There was no gravy. The gloopy chicken goo had no hint of seasoning or flavour - it was floury, and the chicken pieces were hard. She ate about half of it and then felt sick.So it went on - one forlorn plate of bad food arriving every five or ten minutes. The chicken something or other (can't remember exactly how it was listed in the menu) was supposed to be a chicken breast in a sauce - but turned out to be chopped-up bits of chicken (offcuts ?) which were dry and hard, even burned in places, in sauce, with dry stringy cheese. Eventually, maybe 45 minutes after sending it back, my replacement gammon arrived. This time it was at least gammon-coloured, but again was dry and tough. It was about five millimetres thick. I had now been given my requested piece of pineapple (at the expense, I noticed, of an egg...) - but the pineapple was stone cold having clearly just been taken from a tin and put on the gammon. It's supposed to be griddled for a while, of course, so it takes some colour and caramelises slightly. The egg - again, was cooked so the yolk was solid, and burned around the edges, having clearly been fried in oil that was too hot. Still no garnish or presentation - but this time with some chips on the plate. The chips were very, very good !! (surprise !!).To cut a long story short, only one of our party ate their whole meal (and that was only because, after an hour and a half, they were starving...). Most plates went back only half touched. None of us enjoyed their meal. All of us felt disappointed. My girlfriend's father was really upset and apologetic, as he had chosen the venue. His Father's Day treat family meal was absolutely ruined. My girlfriend and I had driven for over 3 hours from Northampton to Congleton, for this meal, and we drove 3 hours home again feeling hungry, upset and ripped off.Had the Bikers turned up unannounced - that might have been slightly more understandable but still, as a pre-booked party we should probably have been served first so our orders got to the kitchen first. The fact that these Bikers had actually made the pub aware that they were coming, and at that time, just makes matters worse. Why were we not called and advised to turn up a bit earlier ? Even though we did still arrive at the ill-fated time - why were the bikers served immediately, and one by one ? Why were they not made to pre-order ? Why did the staff continue to take food orders from us and other groups, surely knowing that the kitchen would be overwhelmed ? And even then - why was clearly dreadful food being allowed to leave the kitchen, with five or ten minutes between dishes ? I used to work as a chef. I would be ashamed to send out such rubbish, in such a haphazard chaotic way. It's hardly fine dining, either - if you can't get a pre-made pie, 3 pre-prepared roast dinners that just need assembly, a probably pre-cooked chicken something or other, and a fried bit of gammon, out onto tables all together and in under an hour and a half, then you should probably consider a change of career.The good points - 1/ Fantastic, crispy-edged chips. Luckily because they formed the most edible part of most of our meals. 2/ The lady behind the bar - Renie (??) - who was so apologetic and embarrassed, it really touched us. She couldn't say sorry enough, and she negotiated some money off the bill, I think, with the landlady (who didn't in fact ever put in an appearance). The kitchen's workload explains the ridiculous wait and chaotic service, to some extent - but it still should not have happened. But nothing explains or forgives the truly mediocre food and soul-less presentation. With regret, I really cannot recommend anyone to eat here.

This pub is very family orientated lovely food well presented plenty of Space outside for the children to play and very safe .

Barbara & Graham run a very friendly pub with friendly staff. The food is good traditional English food (excellent roasts in 3 different sizes). I eat here regularly & my mother does even more so. We have never had a bad meal yet. I didn't used to be a big fan of Robinsons beer but have found over the last few years it has greatly improved. Plenty of outdoor seating. Occasionally have events on Sundays for those of you who want a lively atmosphere but most Sundays are ideal for those seeking a relaxing lunch, as are weekday lunchtime & evenings.

Beautiful floral displays was the 1st thing that attracted us to this establishment. Walking through the door the decor may be a little tired but the welcome isn't! We walked in as complete strangers and within minutes felt completely at home. Many eateries claim home cooked food and when you start to eat it you realise it is merely finished off in a "steam-oven"! Not here. When we placed our order we were advised that everything was prepared fresh from scratch so our order would be a few minutes. It wasn't a long wait but when it arrived it was most definitely worth the wait! Some of the Best Pub Grub my wife and I have ever had with some of the nicest pleasant service you could wish for! 10/10