Lakeside Pub & Grill in Milton Keynes

What a venue, loved everything about it, we will be back!

Came here for dinner for my son’s birthday and had a lovely time. We were a large table and the staff were fantastic, our drinks and food arrived in great timing and our meals were delicious. I would definitely recommend this place, it’s a lovely location and I must say the Christmas decorations looked fab!

Had a great afternoon with the family this weekend. Staff were great, food was tasty what more could you ask for

Unfortunately there was a technical problem within the kitchen today so we was unable to try the food but the service was great for the drinks. Staff really friendly and welcoming.

Visited with work colleagues......Honestly the worst meal I have ever endured. Wrong orders, no wine glasses (apparently only had six in restaurant 🤦‍♂️), overcooked food (not a cleared plate between us), cold plates, bland and tasteless, both food and restaurant. Absolutely shocking.

Called here for a take out coffee. Both Jake and Rachel gave excellent service,polite and friendly. The restaurant looked clean and tidy. We didn't have food as we were going for a walk around the lake

So disappointed that this place, since change of ownership, no longer offers cooked breakfast. Visited with family and friends after my 200th Parkrun on 19th October and found a disappointing variety of snacks. However, coffee was good and service acceptable.

My friend and I had lunch here today. We sat inside by the window with lovely views of the lake. We were served by Lucy who was great, she was helpful and friendly, within minutes she had taken our drinks order and given us a menu to read. We ordered our food and when Lucy came out with it she asked us if we needed anything else. She also checked in with us later to make sure everything was to our liking. Well done to Lucy, with service like you gave today We will be back.

Lucy made us feel right at home. Great service and a lovely pit stop.

We booked for a Sunday afternoon. Staff member Joshua was very welcoming, accommodating and friendly. Also the tablet they use for those with allergies was amazing and really helpful for those who need it! Best allergy info I’ve yet experienced. Unfortunately the food itself wasn't as good. The Sunday dinner was luke warm, the gravy cool and way too thick. The burgers came with chips that were very nice but hardly any of them. The steak portions were better. It is a lovely setting and by the lake and staff Joshua really excellent! But sadly the meal wasn’t good which was disappointing for a Greene King which we usually enjoy.

Ordered two adult meals and a child tomato pasta and corn on cob, adult meals where nothing special but the child meal was very poor the pasta was cold and dry like it had been left under the heated lights too long the cob looked like the chef had already sucked it clean. On complaining to our waiter he said he would replace it. But after 30 mins nothing showed and couldn’t see anyone to complain to and with our parking running out we left. Very poor quality and service. Will not be going back

Nice lunch with a great view. Joshua who was our waiter was absolutely great!

Steaks are lovely and staff are very efficient

Thanks Josh, really great service! :-)

Served by Josh who was just amazing. Super helpful when our table needed to be cleaned, very attentive regarding our daughter’s allergies and generally a great manner and super professional. An absolute credit to the team there.

Where do I start. Chicken burger came out with the mayo and onion we had asked to be left off. Steak and ale pie was dessicated with a pot of congealed gravy. Serving staff are trying their best but the kitchen are letting them down badly.

Service by Lucy was excellent, so friendly and despite being very busy she found time to pop by the table and check all was fine with our meal. The food is lovely here and the pricing is very reasonable, waiting time for both service and meal arriving wasn't too long at all.. 5 star 🌟 all round.

It was really good and the service is excellent. The atmosphere has great vibes and it's amazing for big parties...

Had a absoloute great roast there special thanks to aaliyah and josh who provided great service

These place was really nice and tidy😍 I really loved and enjoyed it🥰

Menus were covered from previous diners. Server was apologetic and cleaned table and menus, but this is basic food hygiene. Food was delivered by server from kitchen in jeans and t shirt. Poor food and limited choice. OK for drinks, don't waste your money on eating there.

Really good Sunday roast & service. Would definitely recommend. Great surrounding and interior

Great service, great food. Our trip out for Sunday lunch started with a great warm welcome as we entered the pub. We knew from this great things were to follow, our service was attentive but not intruding. The Sunday roast sirloin was beautifully cooked, seasoned perfectly and served with crispy roast potatoes. Great way to spend a Sunday afternoon on a rainy day will certainly return.

Nice place, friendly but a bit forgetful service, good food

very helpful and friendly staff and management good food excellent lake views clean plenty of easy parking

Service at bar was fine but then one member of staff was both rude and aggressive in their interactions. We were sat outside, bought drinks and when asked we said we were sat outside. I started taking dinks out and the member of staff got in my face telling me we couldn't take glass outside, yet they served it in glass when we said we outside. When I said that's fine but could you sort it he started raising his voice as if it was our fault. Not necessary or acceptable behaviour

Kind waiters, perfect food, lovely view

Ordered 12oz streak with burnt ends... They are the smallest things I've ever seen. The dripping sauce was fresh out the fridge and freezing cold , Ordered medium well came out medium rare. Chips was hot. Steak cold, onion ring dropping in oil and cold, 1st and last time here absolutely disgusting food. "Chef" should be embarrassed or Atleast fired. Worst food we have had in Milton Keynes £50 down drain AVOID.

Very good time . Staff were really accommodating and friendly. Cannot remember my servers names but they were very kind. The food was quite lovely to.

My server Jake gave me an outstanding service, lovely chap, definitely recommend families to come here ! Food was lovely, service was 10/10! And everywhere was so clean👍

Called in on the off chance, on a long car journey. So glad I did. Had a lovely warm welcome from Jake who really looked after my friend and I. Food was delicious and a good price. Jake was very professional, helpful and knowledgeable. Will be back!

Food not good. Need more staff!, Service not great

I had the most incredible experience at this pub, and it’s all thanks to the amazing team led by Rob. Jake was incredibly friendly and helpful. Poppy and Chantelle also greeted us, introduced us and were attentive throughout our stay. The moment we walked in, I was greeted with a warm smile and a welcoming atmosphere. Rob’s attention to detail and knowledge of the business was outstanding—he helped me choose the perfect beer and meal for me and my partner. Jake was behind the bar mixing up some fantastic cocktails, and his creativity really shone through. Poppy’s service was second to none—friendly, attentive, and made sure everything was just right. And Chantelle’s energy and enthusiasm were infectious, making the whole evening even more enjoyable. This team works together like a well-oiled machine, creating a relaxed and enjoyable environment. If you’re looking for a place with top-notch service and a great vibe, this is the spot! I’ll definitely be back soon. Highly recommend!

Had a great meal here with good service. Jake and Chantelle were really helpful - friendly and obliging including takeaways coffees for our journey north afterwards.

Lovely food, the staff were friendly. Service was good

My kids and I went for a light lunch, prior to a walk around Willen Lake. It's quite a nice pub, by the side of the lake, with good views. As we approached there was a strong smell of weed, from (I presumed at the time) a guy sitting outside the pub, smoking a joint. We went inside and were welcomed by a really friendly female member of staff, who seated the four of us quickly and handed us menus. She seemed to be the only person working, and as the pub started to get busier, she seemed to be in her element, taking orders and looking after people... She was going a great job! After a short while, she came to take our drinks orders, and then put food orders. The four of us ordered ciabattas from the lunch menu. My eldest son & I ordered steak, and my younger two, Chicken and Bacon. Eventually, after a very long wait, the food arrived and it was very disappointing (unfortunately). The steak on both my son and my sandwiches was overcooked, measly in size and overcooked. The bread, dry and stale (on all 4 sandwiches), and every sandwich was missing onion, lettuce, dressing and tomato. It was really poor. Thankfully, the lady who served us was apologetic and mentioned that they'd got a new member of staff in (I hope they up their game, for the sake of the rest of the team, to be honest), and did offer to replace the food, however we were short on time and I also didn't really expect tlany replacement food to be much better (to be honest). As a result, we only part paid the bill (just the drinks). It's a shame, and I hope our experience gets chalked up to a blip with a new member of staff. Nice place, really friendly service, terrible food (on this occasion). It could have been so much better.

Went in for a meal lack off staff so no food went elsewhere

Jake behind the bar has made me feel welcome through the summer as my son attended his weekly watersports. His friendly attitude enabled me to sit alone comfortably even during busier and rowdier days, thank you!

Dirty tables, much litter around the outside seating area. Not a particularly nice place to be.

Really lovely staff despite how busy it was! Katy communicated clearly if there were any delays or issues and kept up with my families ever changing mind

Great place, great food and even greater view.

The staff are great, the food was nice for the price and the atmosphere is fine for families with young children

The hygiene of a pub was very poor and the worst thing is people using their own plate to give food to the dogs that was disgusting dogs should never be allowed inside of the pub people having kids and getting allergy from the dogs inside the pub dogs to stay outside with the people not inside I will never visit again or eat in the Pub🤮👎

Only offering the lunch menu, not advised this on booking. Rude staff and no stock, would avoid. Have been to this chain before, but this was far more substandard

Disappointing!!!! Very limited menu and half of that had sold out. Overpriced drinks. Ordered food (after deciding from the poor choice), to then be told later that some of our order had sold out. Asked for refund and left. Won't be returning. Shame as it's a prime location but clearly badly managed. Needs a good clean too!!!

Ideal spot for a nice cold beer Infront of the lake

Dreadful experience. Went to the Lakeside after working up an appetite around the lake. Wheelchair accessible and dog friendly. However, we were met by the one member of waiting staff to say there is only one chef. There will be a 45 minute wait minimum for lunch menu only. No desserts. No hot drinks. Coffee machine broken and no milk in kitchen. We went elsewhere needless to say.

Great place for a relaxing brunch! We ended up staying till past 6pm!

My granddaughter and I received great service from Poppy last week.

We had been to the lakeside pub a few other times, and it was okay so today, we decided to go again as we wanted to indulge in a lovely Sunday roast and check the fair out. Biggest mistake ever. No Sunday roast was available until the end of the summer (no disclaimer anywhere at the time of booking or when we got seated. I had to get up and ask for a Sunday roast menu and only then they said they weren't going to do any Sunday roast). In the end, we decided to go for the main menu rather than the Sunday one and there comes another disappointment. Half of the menù was not available which for a Sunday at 12pm in a very busy location is just not what you'd expect. We ended up getting mac and cheese and the same for the kids. The kids' one didn't even look like mac and cheese, more like mashed potatoes. The adult mac and cheese was a tiny and cold portion without the crispy onion as stated in the menu and barely any cheese at all. Also the garlic bread that came with it was soggy. Not worth a penny of the money we paid and unfortunately we won't be coming back which is a shame because the location is a 10.

Good overall,but a couple of menu items sold out..

Had a great lunch at Willen with family, service was quick and Poppy our waitress was very helpful and friendly, will definitely recommend!

Nice place to have a drink on a hot day but stay away from the Food

I had a mixed grill on placing order asked for no black pudding yet it came on in the plate the chicken was barley warm the Onion rings was cold the stake was over cooked from what I ordered would not recommend this place sad to say great location poor food

Food and Service varies from time to time. Service is the Same. Cozy Family vibes brings you back everytime.

Beautiful place and the food was amazing however the menu is quite limited and fairly expensive

The pub had a lively atmosphere and was clean even though it was busy. Our server Poppy was so friendly and helpful and nothing was too much trouble. She kept smiling even though she was rushed off her feet! The food was lovely and well presented and we would definitely return

We had a family meal after a day at Gullivers, food was very good but the service was excellent. Aliyah was our server and nothing was too much trouble, I have been in too many places recently where the servers just aren't interested so it was a breath of fresh air to have someone that actually really cared and was on top of everything at all times. If there are pay rises or promotions going around, this is your girl!!

We had a family meal after a day at Gullivers, food was very good but the service was excellent. Aliyah was our server and nothing was too much trouble, I have been in too many places recently where the servers just aren't interested so it was a breath of fresh air to have someone that actually really cared and was on top of everything at all times. If there are pay rises or promotions going around, this is your girl!!

Great restaurant. It was very busy and the staff were efficient and courteous. The food was really tasty the menu is varied. Highly recommend the steak. We will certainly be returning soon.

5/5 the service is brilliant I would definitely come back again even with not enough chefs the waiting time was good and food was perfect

I'm extremely disappointed with the customer service I've received. Despite booking my reservation well in advance, my booking was canceled due to overbooking. To make matters worse, they've taken my money, and now I have to wait a week to get my refund. This experience has been nothing but stressful and frustrating. I would not recommend booking here—it’s simply not worth the trouble or the cost.

I'm only giving this rating for the new female staff member that was doing all the serving while the manager and other staff were ignoring the bar at 8.30 getting the close done instead..

We're here for drinks only. The ambience was quite good, but the toilets were out of order. The menu looked good, but we were not looking to eat either time we were there on 02/08/2024. Staff wise, they were always attentive in particular one bar member who was very helpful, small, dark hair and very chatty. The price of drinks, however was variable and one staff member deemed to think that Whyte and Mackay was a premier whisky. An enjoyable day but could have been better

The staff were very pleasant and friendly I felt we were well served, however when it comes to cleanliness of the gents toilets it was absolutely piss poor. The heavy smell of stale urine also no soap in the soap dispensers and the urinals were in very poor condition, also we were sat fairly close to the gents toilets and every time the door was opened we got a waft of sale urine. We did enjoy the food and the service, however disappointing there were no roast dinners left at 2:30 in the afternoon. Regards.

Excellent service! Can’t wait to go back.

A great place to eat, or even just drink. Nice atmosphere and fantastic views. Our server, Poppy, was lovely. She had great suggestions, and she was very attentive and friendly. A great asset to the place!

I wondered why I hadn't been here for a long time, and I was quickly reminded why. Filthy every where especially around all the outside tables. It was a hot day and very busy and they had 1 person serving at the bar. The tables were sticky and dirty. The staff were unfriendly. Finally when I went to use the toilet, there was a sign saying out of order. How can a bar and restaurant have no working toilets???!!!

Popped in for a quick afternoon drink and food, great service and decent food, nice atmosphere inside and lovely views overlooking the lake, will definitely be back

Visited a few days ago, food was excellent and the service was great considering how busy the pub was.

Lovely food and fantastic friendly staff! Will definitely be heading back!

The staff were very friendly even though it was a busy time .

Great location, friendly helpful manager and staff, good food, big selection and well priced. Will def be returning

Broken toilets; rude employees; sticky tables; and high prices-nuff said 😂

Nothing says summer more than sitting outside a pub at a filthy table drinking overpriced warm beer out of a plastic cup because you can't be trusted with glass. Didn't eat here but did see some poor souls who did. Best give it a miss.

Lovely location. We had a really great meal. The servers were friendly and welcoming. The food is great with a good variety too. Will definitely be returning to enjoy the sun.

Had lunch here, lovely location and was served by a really friendly and professional member of staff named Aaliyah. She advised on food choices and was really helpful. Will definitely return.

Lovely service Molly was amazing in sorting out cake or my partners birthday. She was genuinely all round really good.food was really nice also, would highly recommend for a meal out.

Sadly it was absolutely awful. Would not recommend. Went there last year and had a really lovely meal so decided to go again this year. The toilets were out of order, we were told there would be half an hour wait for food which we were happy to wait. After an hour still no food! When we did get our food it was far smaller portions, very poor quality, cold some of it was burnt. Long wait to order drinks and some staff were standing around not doing anything while others were rushed off there feet. Very disappointing and spoilt the day.

Such a disappointing experience. Great place by lake and that would be it. First we had to clean table from people before us ourselves as we have been told staff is too busy. We have ordered 4 drinks, 2 portions of fries, nuggets for our doughter, ice cream, and share nachos. Ordered online through app as queue at bar was taking forever with only one person serving. It was supposed to take 45minuets. We waited 45 minutes for our drinks to find out they were staying on the bar left and we have to take them ourselves. After one hour, we asked how long left is for our food to hear rude answere back it's 45 minutes wait. Waiter was very rude when I was trying to explain to her it's been one hour already. After 1.5hr I went to bar asking for refund as we are not waiting any longer. I heard food is on it's way, 5 min later we finaly have received nachos and nuggets only, and been told fries and ice cream are coming. They never did, we just left after another 20 min wait. We are aware it's summer and high season but while we were waiting there was half of tables free at time and we could see people who came after us receiving their food quicker. Also the attitude of staff takes away the appetite. Never again.

Great restaurant ideal location

Went here yesterday. I last went there 25 yrs ago. The limit to menu was disappointing. On leaving noticed a lunch menu mon to Friday which was not offered to us but everyone else was. Main menu only were offered to us. Today I'm absolutely doubled up in abdominal pain, dirahorrea and sickness due to food poisoning. ..... never ever again!

Food was very reasonably priced. Would have been much better with warmed plates as some items arrived a little cool. No fish and chips at lunch, still on paper menu but to be fair was replaced by salmon on the online version. Would have been nice if the salmon had been mentioned. Bathrooms could use a bit of refresh. Nice views over the lake. Update: Ladies toilets much worse than men's.

Beautiful Amazing place for families.

Came here yesterday for a drink, while waiting to be served I witnessed one of your staff (Chantelle I think) put up with such an idiot of a customer. She had the patience of a saint and it was also nice to see her management back her up after and say she didn't do anything wrong, as a former retail manager I completely agree. The guy said he was gonna complain so thought I'd get in here first!

First time here and it was a glorious Sunday evening and Willen Lake was alive and buzzing. We decided to sit in as it was quieter. The service was somewhat slow and our drinks didn't arrive until after we were eating. That said we couldn't fault the waitress who herself was pleasant, polite and friendly. The food was the usual fare and was OK, not nothing special but fine. We both had onion rings and found them overcooked to the point of ultra crispy and the onion inside all but gone. The ladies toilets had an issue as well from what we gathered. Overall it was a meal and drink but probably won't visit again.

So disappointed! Firstly, Greene King pub, no Abbot on draught! Out with friends, 2 had steak which they said was good. 3 of us had rainbow salad with chicken. There were no grains, beetroot or peppers. The onion was not chargrilled. The salad leaves were on the turn and the spinach had wilted to slime. I couldn't decide whether the chicken should be hot or cold as it was somewhere inbetween. I think I'd basically been served a house side salad with chicken on top. I told the waitress imediately that the grains were missing and the salad was not perfect. She said she would get us a bowl of grains and offered complimentary drinks but these neither arrived. We were not even offered an alternative meal, it was like the staff had given up! I told someone who looked like a manager who explained it had been busy and they had run out of stuff, so I said we only got half our meal. She was very apologetic and gave us a round of complimentary drinks and took 2 meals off the bill which was something, but it spoiled our eating experience. If you haven't got all the ingredients then tell they customer and not try to con them with half a meal. My only positive is that the staff were polite and friendly.

UK pub eateries alike, only very few choices available, this one has only breakfast as lunch.

Booked a table to celebrate and arrived earlier than the booking time. The lady at the front seemed very stressed and told us to order soon. We took roughly 7 minutes and went to order and waited in a queue, only to be told there is apparently no food left by a very rude employee when we got to the front. What a ludicrous reason. How did they suddenly run out of all food? How did the people in front who ordered food magically order the only item of food left? Sounded to me like some staff made the decision to stop making food for the day. There was no talking to the bar man he was very rude. It didn’t just affect us but others also and the staff member behind the bar was dreadful. If you go to Willen lake make sure you take a picnic.

Booked a table with email confirmation but on arrival they couldn’t find it, was told there would be a wait as they had a few large tables in which was fine. However, after 25 minutes we did not even get drinks, then we were told no food available at all, despite booking. Astounded at the situation and the servers ‘not my problem’ attitude who did not even offer an apology.

Booked a table, were told half hour wait on food, which would have been fine. Went to order, told there was no food left, and server had a foul attitude. Would not recommend.

I recently visited the lakeside pub and it was a thoroughly disappointing experience. To start, the food was absolutely terrible. Everything we ordered was either overcooked or lacked flavor entirely. It was clear that no effort was put into the preparation or presentation of the meals. The staff was equally disappointing. They were rude and inattentive, acting as though they were doing us a favor by serving us. It was difficult to get their attention, and when we finally did, they were dismissive and unhelpful. The most off-putting aspect of the visit was the state of the pub itself. The place was filthy and looked like it hadn't been cleaned in weeks. There was grime on the tables and an unpleasant odor permeating the entire establishment. It made for a very uncomfortable and unappetizing dining experience. Overall, I would strongly advise avoiding lakeside pub. There are plenty of other places where you can enjoy good food and friendly service in a clean environment. This pub, unfortunately, misses the mark on all fronts.

The food was very good i got the Crispy Chicken burger and it was very good, our server was Lucy and she was lovely and made sure we had a very good experience. We will be back and the food exceeded my expectations.

The food was lovely and we were served by the lovely Lucy who was so kind and so patient will 100% be back !!

This restaurant leaves much to be desired. Despite the nice view of the lake, the decor feels very used, and the staff, though youthful, seem inadequately trained. The menu promises more than the food delivers, which is substandard, reheated, and served in the smallest portions. Even the salad was brown. Both the quality of the food and the service are lacking. It's not a place I would return to.

We've been twice now with a large group with young kids and I don't think we'll return unfortunately. You get the overwhelming feeling that the management are coasting on the appeal of its location and view, and there is little to no care felt elsewhere. The interior feels thrown together and tired. The food is sub-Wetherspoons for twice the price and a far more limited menu (I hope you like lukewarm, overcooked chips!) Staff were completely inflexible on substitutions to any menu items, even when it would have cost them less, refusing to swap peas for beans for an infant or chips for a salad for a diabetic pregnant woman. The whole experience was underwhelming, with nobody at our table of 12 reviewing their meal beyond "it was fine." An expensive experience completely devoid of passion, warmth or effort. I take no pleasure in saying this, but I left hoping our friends wouldn't judge me too harshly for choosing this restaurant.

Only visited for a short time but seemed OK.

Nice selection of food. Plenty seating, in or outside. Although the outside seats can be uncomfortable for longer periods. Plenty drinks on offer including cocktails with a lovely view across Willen lake.

Great restaurant good service food is exellent and reasonably priced and friendly staff. Only slight negative is the womens pub toilets need some tlc only one door locked some had lights not working or flush broken or no toilet roll but if you go to the restaurant end toilets they are lovely and well maintained.

I haven’t had a chance to get a table even though the place was empty. Apparently all tables inside are pre-booked online only the ones outside for drinks. The staff was rude when asking for the table , I noticed the place was empty so was surprised wouldn’t be able to get a table and put me off how the staff approached to this. Would not recommend even didn’t get a chance to try to food.