Cowick Barton in Exeter

I am very disappointed to hear that the new business owners are not honouring existing gift vouchers. My friends recently visited and explained to the staff members that they were going to use the voucher on arrival, just told before settling their bill that they couldn’t use the voucher!! Very poor customer service, how disappointing.

I was gifted a £100 voucher by a friend which was valid for 12 months. So I went there with my family to celebrate my birthday. On arrival I made a staff member aware that I had a voucher & was told no problem. After the meal I went to pay for the meal with the voucher & the staff member had to get the manager who went on to inform me that I was unable to use the voucher as it was something the previous manager had put in place & something he had not taken on. So for anyone out there who may have been gifted a voucher it will not be valid as he is not prepared to take it out of his pocket & I was told to go to the previous manager to be reimbursed 😠 won't be going back in a hurry & won't recommend any of the dishes.

An excellent Elizabethan period pub. Worth going to for the experience. The food and atmosphere was amazing. Would I go there again. Yes I would.

Best carvery !! Had a wonderful carvery to day , even though we didn’t go until 3pm, everything was piping hot and delicious, will definately return, thank you Cowick Barton

Never going to cowick barton again for fireworks no safty in place at all. No warning they were setting them off right next to a que of people with children in. And i mean the que and fireworks were not even that far apart. About 1ft apart. The fire was right nexts to a childrens play area with no fencing around. And they let children play in it. Disgusting safty wasnt put in place. While waiting in the que for ur food U have children running and mothers covering there kids as we were so close to the fireworks without warning. My son has autism and there was no warning at all and we was in that que

So, shock, horror, the Sunday Roast is now a carvery. However, even if you're not a big fan of the C word, this was one of the best. Served hot, with a massive variety of veg and great tasting roast potatoes. It appears that any teething problems mentioned in a couple of recent reviews have now been addressed.

Fabulous carvery , great selection, friendly staff and pretty interior, will be returning for sure for another carvery

Had a late Sunday Roast that was kindly plated for me after the carvery was cleared. It was absolutely delicious and very well presented. A very relaxing meal in this gem of a pub! New Owner was lovely and took the time to make sure we were happy with service. Would fully recommend.

Very disappointed with the first carvery experience. The carvery servery isn’t big enough and the condiments need to be put on another smaller table not just put on top of the servery. The gravy should be in an urn to keep hot, not in a plastic jug on a plate. The lamb and turkey wasn’t cooked thoroughly in fact the lamb was raw. The potatoes and vegetables looked like they had been there all day and not replenished freshly, with the lids removed and clean spoons away from the food. The whole servery was not very inviting. I had to ask to warm the food up as it was stone cold. We were not the only unhappy customers this afternoon. We were asked to pay upfront on ordering. I could have asked for a refund but felt a few pointers and if the owners feel that they wish to take this on board to help keep the locals coming back and just maybe get in touch with us to offer a way of an apology for the total waste of £27 for 2 unhappy customers. I spoke to the ones who were serving but they didn’t offer any satisfactory customer service. Mr & Mrs B

Great food and good historical pub great service even when busy

Cowick Barton is interesting, charming and full of character. The new landlord cheerfully welcomed us and was very friendly. Lunch was lovely (cooked by the landlord) and there was a great menu choice. It was very dog friendly and even sold dog food and treats, which our whippet happily sampled. I would highly recommend anyone to visit and will definitely return when I’m in the area.

Walked in at 2.30pm ish on Sunday, just for a drink or two. The bar area, around the back to the left, had dirty tables everywhere. Glasses and napkins left on every one. We sat and had a drink, clearing our own table, then left. The tables still hadn't been cleaned when we left, 45 mins later I know it's just been taken over, and we are local and will support it, but uncleared tables left for hours seems like amateur stuff. I hope it was just an off day. The menu is expensive - so people will expect high standards to justify the prices.

Great location. Lovely staff and service We didn't eat this time but menu looks great. Look forward to trying it out next time.

Our 4th family meal here on Tuesday 1st as it’s mid point between our families homes Launceston & Bridgwater. Landlord Oak offers excellent standards of food from a sensible sized menu. All presented individually and cooked to perfection each time. If we lived nearer it would be a regular choice of venue.

Not the best roast dinner I have had. I have a dairy and gluten allergy and was given butter in the mashed pumpkin. I found this out after eating it the kitchen were aware. I have had health issues related to this. We waited 45 minutes to order our desserts and had to leave without as our order still wasn’t taken. The waitresses were lovely but they were over run. They were unable to be attentive to anyone’s needs. They were overwhelmed and needed more serving staff to support them. Overall a disappointing dining experience.

Very disappointed with our recent visit. Very over priced for the quality of food. All the meals we're over cooked lamb shank was dry and over cooked carrots, Had to send burnt bread back to the kitchen. The curry had hardly any chicken in it for the cost of the meal. Hunters chicken was dry. Overall all over cooked. 7 meals and all were not great A bowl brought for the mussel shells was a dirty bowl with sauce juices in it.

Went for a Sunday roast first of all the kids roast was £11+ which is a bit high but not a problem in this situation as ordered an adults meal for 2 kids to share . The food took a long time to come out . The food when arrive was cold the gravy was glup and all over food was not a great standard for price . When expressed dissatisfaction to manager / chef it was implied that because sum-one elc had complained we were trying to get a discount (as we may not of looked as well off other as the other customers even do we have more than enuf money to pay for the food ect ) we felt that we were looked down on the waiting staff were great and the bar staff bit would not recommend and food from wat it was before is very poor

We came here last night (Saturday 15th September) as there was live music which there hasn’t been here for many years. The duo known as Tattooed Lemon were brilliant with amazing voices, energy and great acoustics. We certainly recommend people to go there, especially check out when they will be playing again . It is planned for live music on Saturdays at about 8.30. We only had drinks this time but as usual staff were very friendly and welcoming.

Great Sunday lunch, very good service. Well worth. Visit.

Went here after new management change for the first time! Discovered that its now open 7 days a week! Excellent service and atmosphere. The food menu is perfect it was quiet when we visited but it started to get busy when we were leaving. The pub itself is old but a lovely building. There is a play park outside near a seated area so families can enjoy outside dining. Plenty of tables and bar staff were pleasant. We didn’t have much to eat only some chips but it was all well presented and we enjoyed our time there. Will definitely go back again. Update: Recently went back for a proper meal on Monday night! The food was amazing, very cozy lovely vibe in the pub the cakes are also amazing. We went with a group of people. Food arrived in good time and is very well presented but also delicious. We all ordered something different. I had the steak and ale pie with mash, my partner the seafood pasta and our friends had lamb shank, ribeye steak, and seafood platter. We all enjoyed all the food so much we tried some cakes. Stunning cakes so heavenly! Will definitely be calling in here regularly.

A lovely lunch. The vegetarian starters and mains were great. Oak, the manager was lovely; attentive and charming. The pub is a. Fabulous old building with modern upgrades.

Used to be a great Sunday lunch, but the food has gone really downhill, much like a school dinner. Felt really sorry for the guy behind the bar, and one waitress who, between them, were trying to keep the whole pub going, while training a new waitress. Very disappointed.

Out with friends and had dinner here out in the sunshine, ordered seabass, chips and veg. The veg was stewed, the fish overcooked and in all fairness the chips were quite nice. So if you love chips, come here but anything else- don't bother. The food is bloody awful and straight from the freezer.

Excellent food very friendly and professional service and a good garden play area for children.

Beautiful place, lovely interior. Food was really nice and staff really friendly. Had a friends birthday and everyone was catered for and looked after. Also, great IPAs on tap too!

Staff are absolutely miserable, especially the blonde woman who was at the bar slagging off the customers in there with the bar man/manager. Customers are going to enjoy themselves or have a quiet friendly Drink. Not to be looked down at by some stuck up waitress.

I have never been to this pub before. I can’t believe how incredible the roast was. Every single thing was cooked to a very high standard.we didn’t book but the staff found us a table in the bar. The staff were all so lovely.i would go as far as to say it’s the best roast I’ve had in a long time.

A lovely quiet summer evening family meal in the pub garden. -Garlic & sweet chilli prawns -rosemary baked Camembert -hot crispy chunk chips -light & crispy onion rings -scampi & chips (part of £7.50 kids meal deal with drink & ice cream. Bargain!) -ice cream trio & sorbet trio Food was delicious & service was spot on. Hope to pop back again soon!

A lovely quiet summer evening family meal in the pub garden. -Garlic & sweet chilli prawns -rosemary baked Camembert -hot crispy chunk chips -light & crispy onion rings -scampi & chips (part of £7.50 kids meal deal with drink & ice cream. Bargain!) -ice cream trio & sorbet trio Food was delicious & service was spot on. Hope to pop back again soon!

We recently had lunch at Cowick Barton on the 12th of June, eagerly looking forward to catching up with friends after a long time. The anticipation of enjoying good company and trying out this restaurant was high, but sadly, the experience left us with a bad taste in our mouths. The restaurant itself is quite charming with lovely interior decor that sets a pleasant ambiance. The food was well-presented and tasted nice, which initially gave us hope for a great dining experience. However, the staff’s attitude and inflexibility marred our visit. One of our friends had recently undergone stomach surgery and is only able to eat small portions at a time. When we booked our table, we noticed on the website that the restaurant offered a kids' menu, which seemed like a perfect solution for our friend’s dietary needs. However, upon ordering, we were informed that they couldn’t serve anything from the kids' menu, even after we explained the medical situation. The staff's suggested solution was to serve a small adult portion but still charge the full price. This felt unreasonable and dismissive of our friend's health requirements. It seemed like the restaurant prioritized their profit over accommodating a customer's special needs especially as all he ordered was ham,egg and chips. Overall, while Cowick Barton boasts a lovely setting and good food, the lack of empathy and flexibility from the staff made us feel undervalued as customers. It's disappointing that the restaurant couldn’t adapt to our situation, leaving us with the impression that what mattered most was the amount we paid rather than our dining experience. Not sure if we will be back.

It was a really lovely evening spent at the Cowick Barton.... It was such a nice change to go to a unique authentic venue where the food was very good .Staff attentive polite and friendly would definitely recommend Thank you to all

This pub is one of the oldest in Exeter. Built in 1540 and is known to be haunted. The place is finished to a high standard and the food is fine dining and reasonable priced. It is a family run pub and the staff are very well presented and the service is exceptional. The features inside the building are to a high standard, even the front door and entrance is stunning to look at. The car park is huge and free and the beer garden is of a great size. There is a children’s play area that has lots to offer. It is about 5 mins drive from the a30 and just over that to the a38/M5. Sun all day in the beer garden.

Love the food price varies , kids meals are affordable at £7.50 for 2 courses . Carvery is amazing and it comes with a large bowl of veg for the table , also it has amazing service the staff are always happy and have a huge smile on there face they are great 👍. There is a child play area outside which is also good .

This is a fantastic place for a passing drink - beautiful ancient building and garden with lovely kids play area. Parking easy. If you're into buildings, there are so many original features, beautiful fireplace, amazing stonework outside - it's worth a trip just to see that.

This, was my first visit to the Cowick Barton pub, along with my workmates from Devon Disability Collective. And, I thoroughly enjoyed it too. The staff were very friendly and welcoming, the food was excellent, and the atmosphere was very nice too.

What a shame. Food was delicious and reasonably priced. Beautiful Building with childs play area. WAITER was excellent with the service. Unfortunately the bar maid needs more training on customer service. Refused to serve our son with an alcoholic beverage. She asked the waiter if she should 'challenge' these customers to which he replied 'no' but she decided she would anyway. He is 24 but she belittled him in front our guests. She wouldn't even serve him a glass of wine with his meal!!! It wasn't that my son could not have a drink of his choice so much as her attitude towards us and the principle of the matter. Her attitude and lack of discretion as it was a funeral family lunch. We understand the laws as been running pubs for several years ourselves. Discretion is a must in hospitality on every level. We were there for a family meal after a funeral. A difficult day made worst by an inadequate arrogant incompetent . Not only let us down but also her team. We were going to book that day for a family pre-wedding family dinner but decided we will take our business elsewhere in future.

Great authentic pub. Lovely atmosphere. Good food. Free car park.

Lovely pub, really relaxed cosy feel with excellent food (very filling!) and friendly staff. Lots of outdoor seating for summer months and ample parking. Full marks from us!

Friendly staff, quick service and delicious food. The Cowick Barton has a lovely atmosphere.

Lovely food always enjoy a roast, good selection of drinks, expensive for a pub, friendly staff, they allow dogs here!

Suprised at how good the food and service was. Awesome pub, great lager, nice fresh food which was superb.

We were very pleasantly surprised by our two course festive dinner. We are local to the area and have visited plenty of times but I'm wondering if the chef has changed and this was the perfect gastropub meal. It was very tasty, plenty for serving and the man who served us was couldn't be more helpful or friendly. We have recommended this to many of our friends and family already.

The food is always excellent and the staff are always really friendly. Lovely pub with a great beer garden and children's play area. Can't recommend this pub enough!

Food was very good and they accommodated us - a biggish group - quite well . Service was also efficient but lacked a certain amount of individual 'caring' attention, that's why I didn't give 5 stars. However, I will always recommend this place. 👍

Great meal - our pre-booked meal for a big group was served efficiently by a team of lovely people. Delicious food at a great price.

Great evening with a large group of party goers. Good food.

Lovely old place.food was excellent

Good, artfully served roast dinner, by personable, attentive hosts. Excellent dessert. Plenty of parking with reasonably level access to front door. A superb period character house bursting with old world features. My only gripe is that they have no traditional real ale, although the American style craft ale isn't bad as a meal accompaniment.

As good as ever. Food is great. Staff are so friendly, efficient and attentive. Great value for money

Staff are very friendly and efficient. Fantastic food. And the building is beautiful. I would definitely recommend. And will be returning. Compliments to the chef.

The staff were so attentive & friendly throughout, much praise to them....we have been coming here over the years on & off for either a drink or lunch time food... Last night we had food for 3 of us that came to over £100. no problem with the price if it was amazing but it wasn't.... 2 of us ordered the £31 each t-bone steaks - they tasted great but we had NEVER seen such thin t-bone steaks in our life. The meals were served with chips that were clearly 'oven chips' - at £31 a head you'd expect something crispy, these were not crispy at all, more dry & tepid, quite disappointed to be honest. And to have 1 large glass of sauvignon at £8.75 a glass I thought was on the expensive side :-( I love you guys, we love to have a drink here, but just not convinced by the food we had last night.....

Sadly only there for a Wake but service and food was good. Very atmospheric and busy as well. Not bad for mid week but it was half term.

Delicious Sunday roast and friendly staff. Excellent value and lovely environment. Great local pub.

Lovely friendly pub. Consistently of a high standard. Beautiful building aswell.

Lovely pub excellent food. Good price too

A lovely place to eat staff were very welcoming food was excellent would highly recommend.

First time Iv been to this pub and we were not disappointed the building service and food was first class . Definitely we will be back

The pub was lovely and welcoming. Great staff very helpful and friendly. We were disappointed however. We were recommended by family who go there regularly. We had the roast dinner all was great but the disappointing part was the roast potatoes. Not at all crispy but soggy. It was such a shame

Lovely family meal. We had a big party, but the food and service was excellent 👌

Beautiful restaurant, amazing food and great friendly staff. Would highly recommend. Thank you very much for squeezing our booking in for tonight, we had a lovely time.

Great food, friendly staff lovely place. And dog biscuits :)

Good service and roasts at reasonable price and tasty. Dessert bit small but overall good

Staff are very warm, helpful and welcoming. Food was gorgeous, enjoyed every bite. Reasonable prices too. Would definitely recommend, will be back. Easily accessible for those with disabilities. There is an play park for the children, so great for family (including dogs). Outdoor seating as well as parking.

Pre booked for grandson's 21st birthday. Good service, good food. I took over a birthday cake and Louie brought to the table with candles lit, plates n napkins for everyone. Good drinks menu as well. I enjoyed a couple of very nice cocktails which was refreshing on a hot day. Can be mocktail if you don't want alcohol. It's nice to get the personal touch that you won't get from the big chains.

Nice place, a bit pricey but for a change its lovely

Had a visit for Sunday lunch, very good and fresh. The trio of meats is the way to go. Great customer service and lovely play park for the kids (a big reason for our visit). My only grumble was £6 a pint. Happy to visit again when we are in the area.

Amazing passionfruit martini cocktail 🍸 Staff are fantastic always friendly. Great atmosphere. Highly recommend this place

Great pub and restaurant, excellent menu, really friendly staff and lovely building. Good garden for kids and dog friendly. Well worth a visit.

Beautiful facade! Great food and friendly staff

This place is honestly a real treat! Food cooked to perfection, attentive and welcoming staff, very reasonable prices and beautiful surroundings. The roast was absolutely fantastic and thoroughly enjoyed by all. One place well definitely be revisiting. It's rare to have such a positive and enjoyable experience when dining out these days. This ticked every box and was talked about long after! Huge compliments to the chef. Just an observation - please add more bitters and ales. Gluten free "Old Speckled Hen" was very undesirable for dad. The original one would be great!.

Phenomenal! Absolutely truly fantastic. I decided to treat my dad to Sunday lunch this Easter Sunday. I grew up in Cowick Lane and after moving away, I recently visited the Cowick Barton for a wake last year. I was so impressed by the quality and presentation of the buffet food, that I decided to book Easter lunch here. This ancient building is stunning and it has a real inviting and warming vibe. There were 4 of us today. Myself and my dad had the trio of meat (beef topside, belly pork and chicken). My daughter and husband had the beef. We could not fault a single thing. It was honestly the nicest roast we've ever had, and we've had a fair amount of good roasts, including our own - we're keen cooks. That Yorkshire pudding 🫨 Just amazing. All the meat was cooked to perfection and the veg was lovely. It was the best. Really flavoursome thick gravy too. The presentation was impressive. The only slight niggle, was about the variety of beers. Dad loves a bitter but there wasn't any - just an Old Speckled Hen, which he likes and ordered, but it was gluten free! It would be nice to see some more bitters and the proper Old Speckled Hen 😊 The drinks were served really quickly, and the service overall was top! The waiting staff were really attentive and really on the ball. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming and the whole experience was a joy. We'll definitely be revisiting - thank you for a wonderful lunch. Most places are very underwhelming these days, and this is the quality and experience you can only imagine having. So to actually find yourself experiencing what you long for, is magic! Massive, massive compliments to the chef, from us all 👨‍🍳

Amazing place and went for a wine tasting evening. Knowledgeable host ensured a fun, tasty, informative and wonderful evening.

A wonderful building with so many original features, yet really comfortable too. Excellent food on Easter Sunday for lunch and not expensive. A really good range of dishes and all beautifully cooked. Service was so welcoming and friendly when booking for a large party at short notice, and couldn't be faulted on the day. Look forward to our next visit.

Delicious, generous home cooked food, good choice of beers and lovely staff. Historic building. Parking and small playground.

Great for dogs and children. Enjoyed a lovely lunch outside and kids played in the playground between courses. Ideal!

Good service, great beer and food in pleasant surroundings.

Unbelievable food staff and the surroundings! Can’t believe how incredibly amazing the cost is for the quality of food. It’s five star gourmet Definitely recommend to anyone.

Lunchtime get together with friends. Nice service and food.

Been here many times and yesterday for Mothers day was simply brilliant Great food Staff are simply fantastic Nothing is to much trouble and table service from drinks to ordering food is so slick ... They make you feel most welcome

We booked for mother's Day lunch parking was ideal and nice little play area for kids. We all had the Sunday roast it was awful!! Veg undercooked and meat overcooked and the roast potatoes where dreadful. Bit disappointed to be honest especially paying almost 100 pounds.

Second time I’ve eaten here and a few visits for a summer drink. Very nice food and reasonably priced. Good atmosphere and ambiance. Will be back again soon hopefully.

My son bought this for me and my sister as an early Mothers Day present. I can only say that we had a wonderful time. The food was stunning and the information given on each wine was detailed and interesting. I tasted wine I thought I didn’t like only to discover the pairings with the food were great. The staff were very attentive and it was a lovely relaxing evening. Can’t wait for the next one!

My sister and I attended a Wine and food tasting event last night at the Cowick Barton, Exeter yesterday and it was a lovely experience, food and wine was excellent and I would recommend this restaurant to all.

I have been here quite a few times for drinks or a bit of lunch, but the best one was the Sunday lunch recently. The belly pork was the best I've had anywhere. No idea how they make it so good, but it really is. Service is usually very good and friendly, great outdoor area too especially for little ones.

What a lovely place. Comfortable and homely. The food was amazing- tasty, great portion size and well cooked. Service was fab - friendly and efficient staff. Will defnlinately visit again. Thank you for making us and our dog so welcome

This has become our local go to place for beautiful food. The environment is stunning steeped in history. There is ample parking too. The staff and so helpful and on the ball. The food is amazing and we’ve tasted several items on the menu now and it’s never let us down. You actually get a lot of food too. Must try and well done guys your amazing

Lovely place,friendly caring staff,food fantastic

Great food. Very interesting building. Good play park for kids. Friendly staff

We have just returned from an evening meal at the Cowick Barton. We found the food good, well presented and nice and hot. Sadly we left early due to the cold . The lovely fire was lit but once the logs had burnt down the room chilled. We requested if another log could be put in the fire but informed that it couldn't because the fire would take hours to go out !! We understand health and safety issues and the cost of living , but one log. Rather than staying for more drinks we left and on leaving we noted other customers with coats and scarfs on. We won't be in any hurry to return until the summer months.

Visited here yesterday for a family celebration. Beautiful pub, food was good too. One complaint my friend was in a mobility scooter and there was no real wheelchair access, to the room where the celebration was held. Another guest complained the toilet had no disabled rails etc, making it a bit difficult for her to use.

Good food; friendly staff and plenty of parking space.5*

A very regular customer to the Cowick Barton and never disappointed to this day. This Tuesday we attended a fantastic introduction to wine tasting hosted by Luke and the Local Devon wine school. Myself and my father attended and we left very satisfied. Lovely place, great people and a fantastic atmosphere.

We have been here many times previously and always really good and great service. Sadly went back today for a birthday celebration and it was really poor. They had a pre-order, but yet still took over 10 minutes to bring the sauces and extra gravy....

Relaxed atmosphere, dog friendly. Helpful, friendly and attentive staff. 2 meals for £25. Good selection of meals. Thank you for an enjoyable evening.

We had our wedding here. The service was amazing Only beaten by the food. Thank you for making our day so special. from Debbie and Clive

Good Food good bar people. Really busy place

Inside the place was crammed, the waitresses did not look like they wanted to be there and they were constantly trying to kick us out of the bar. Did not like the setting at all the Guinness was poured out of a can much to...

A group of us had our Christmas celebration here. I can only speak for my meal and experience. The meal was average/poor. Have had much better for half the price. Portion size on the meagre side. The sprouts could be used as a weapon if...

Very nice friendly place . Good food and dogs welcome.

Always great food & great service 🍻