Lock and barrel in Tendring

Tried the Lock and Barrel for lunch today after a long walk from Walton but due to the poor quality food, we will not be returning. I chose the burger which was extremely salty and seemed to have been made with very poor quality meat. I tried eating it but after a few mouthfuls, I couldn’t cope with the taste or texture and left most of my meal. My partner had the prawn linguini which he said was ok and contained plenty of prawns so I think he chose the better option. The table behind us also sent back their jacket potatoes as they were not hot. Despite several disgruntled customers, the staff remained pleasant and were extremely helpful and deducted the cost of my meal from our bill. They also offered the table behind us a free drink. Frinton has lots of eateries and based on our experience today, I would recommend trying one of those instead of the Lock and barrel.

Met owner and his daughter, wow they have don't a brilliant job in creating a warm and welcoming place for people to meet up and share a drink, and they had to battle against locals to help grow the local economy. We need more people like this in government

Two staff running the bar and bringing food to tables. Ridiculous! Serving drinks and the dumb waiter bar was ringing for the food to be taken out and taken to the tables. Half the time the ringing went unnoticed. Food wasn't hot! Eight whitebait on top of a pathetic salad for £12! Won't be going there again!

We entered very quiet at 5pm to be expected on a Wednesday. We went to bar no welcome from the lady sitting at the bar with a glass of wine and her young junior school age boy and a man. A bell rung twice to a lovely barman who served us. We went to our table, and realised she must have been staff even a manager when entering staff rooms. We found pub unfriendly unwelcoming and left.

A couple came in with two dogs, one urinated up a table leg the other on the floor in front of where we were eating our food.

Popped in for lunch midweek with family. Great choice of food, had jacket potatoes plus sandwiches. Lovely salad accompaniment with both choices and very efficient, friendly staff. Nice clean toilets.

Always a lovely welcome. The team here are fab. Food is excellent and choice of drinks is very good. Highly recommend.

So, on a lazy Friday afternoon, with most of the coffee shops having closed for business for the day, we needed a place to get something to eat and drink. Although none of the family go to pubs that often, the Lock and Barrel was at least open and willing to provide us with some food. Being mid-afternoon, unsurprisingly, it wasn't very busy in there, but the staff were friendly, and we ordered 4 meals with drinks and sat with our dog in the open area at the back of the pub. The cost of everything was very reasonable, averaging about £15 per head, and the food arrived in a timely fashion and was very good. This is at least the third time we've visited this pub over the last year or so and would highly recommend it.

Lovely pub experience in the heart of Frinton. Staff were really friendly, great drinks available and excellent lunch options!

We were in Walton on Naze and fancied something to eat but struggled to park so we drove to Frinton and found The Lock and Barrel. We decided on having Sunday Roast. The meal was served from a heated servery and the chef carved and also served the vegetables. The meat portion was on and the vegies plentiful but I do prefer to serve veg myself so I can have more of some and less of others. May be thats just me but I cant fault the meal. My only concern was value, at £14.94 I felt a bit overpriced and when we got home checked menu on ther website and it showed it was £9.95 so they need to sort this out. Would I return well possibly but may go with another menu option as they looked good and were better value.

I ordered a Chicken Caeser salad with anchovies. When it came it was lettuce with minimal dressing - too little to recognise its origin, and with no anchovies, and the wrong lettuce. Other meals had arrived and been eaten, while I awaited another meal. This never arrived. The only item that arrived as ordered was the chicken. The replacement meal never came. Don't blame the waitresses.

Great welcome on arrival. Good selection of drinks available. Extensive food menu with carvery served twice a week. Good outside space.

Busy pub in Frinton with live music. Can be noisy. Staff are friendly and helpful.

Lovely carvery! Very friendly staff and accommodating for the kids x

Went for a pint with a friend and a good old chat bar was ok friendly staff not crowded sat outside for a while then had another drink inside as it started to get cold. Spacious bar pleanty of space to sit Good stock of drinks.

Had Sunday lunch here yesterday! Value for money is outstanding, and the carvery for both food quality and choice was brilliant! Haven’t had a roast that good in a long time. Carvery chef is a lovely guy and knows how much gravy a roast really needs! Will most definitely be going again!

Great little pub. Lovely staff. If in Frinton pop in!

Nice place with tasty food. we had to wait for the order quite long, but it was fresh made.

The only public house in Frinton on Sea. Nicely set in the middle of the high street. Spacious and nicely laid out. A place to sit outside and watch the world go by. Food or just a beer pay a visit.

Old fashioned, full of character English pub.

very nice bar staff especially the young man with the tats. food was very good too. we we're only visiting but if i was in Frinton again we would definitely go back. also dog friendly 👌👍

It's a nice venue dog friendly which is why we went in there we had to fish and chips although the carvery looks good. Service was very good the barman was extremely friendly I'm very helpful

We had the Sunday carvery and it was very good, plenty of meat and the cauliflower cheese was actually nice and cheesy lol 😂 and a decent beer ...

Lovely place to have bite to eat and drink family friendly was really nice atmosphere Inside or outdoor seating . Staff very friendly

We had a lovely couple of pints of Masterbrew and sat in the sun outside the front of the pub.

It was a great place for an evening meal, The food was lovely and the staff were very friendly.. made our dog feel welcome. Would recommend booking a table in advance.

I took Eight older people some with mobility walkers, for lunch on a Wednesday we had been before, but not for a long while and it has since got new ownership. The new menu is fantastic and the carvery is a great addition. We were well taken care of with staff being very attentive to our needs, can’t thank them enough. We will definitely be back. Great value for money and the food was lovely.

Great pub in the high street, good carvery lunch and great beers

It's OK. Not the best but not the worst.

We had a small roastie. Should be on a bigger plate. Its not help yourself . Pilled too high could not see the meat as was under far to bigger portion of veg. Gravy keep running of the plate .

I phoned to discuss a food allergy prior to making a booking and was put through to the chef which was reassuring. I discussed a couple of dishes which I had seen on the menu on the website one of which was not on the menu on Sunday but the chef said he would make it for me anyway and ensure it had no added sugar. I was really impressed with this customer service, and the fact that the chef was preparing the food from scratch and so knowledgeable of all the ingredients used.( This is a rarity so many establishments buy prepacked dishes which they just re-heat.) The place has a relaxed environment, is spacious with both indoor and outdoor eating areas. The food is lovely and very reasonably priced. Thank you again to the chef! I have already recommended the lock and barrel to work colleagues who have food allergies and therefore need to be able to check ingredients when eating out. Conveniently placed on the main route to the esplanade, Connaught Avenue, a short walk from the station/seafront with limited parking directly outside. Highly recommended

Seemed a nice pub with friendly staff. Went to eat but only thing vegetarian was one salad or a cheese and pickle sandwich so didn't bother.

Last time I went here I had a roast, it was very good and so I gave it a 5* review. At that time my friend who was with me had a Caesar salad. That also looked a substantial meal and she said it tasted great. So, today, I thought I would have that. What a mistake that was! There was very little chicken compared to the one my friend had had, the size was more like a Starter than an £11 main, and when I asked if I could have just a bit more chicken the waitress took it back (I assumed just to add a bit more chicken) but the chef decided to do another completely new dish (what a waste of money for them!) and it’s true there was a lot more chicken, BUT there were no croutons as the original dish had…I guess you can’t have everything!!! Also, only one cherry tomato, and a few thin slices of cucumber, most of the ‘salad’ was leaves plus some horrible tasting bacon bits. Then, as I was eating, I crunched on a small sharp bone in one of the chunks of chicken…I thought for God’s sake what now…it really hurt my gum as it stuck in! I really don’t like leaving bad reviews but when the waitress asked if the second dish was ok, I said it’s ok but this time he’d forgotten the croutons! I was quite shocked that there was no apology, just rolled eyes as if to imply “does it really matter”? Well, actually, yes it does matter, when they can’t serve up a decent value for money simple dish like a Caesar salad. And when I mentioned about the hidden bone hurting my gum, again, no apology. I expect I was just seen then as a complainer! But I have been going to this pub regularly for a number of years now and, mostly, I have come away satisfied. But today, sadly, it’s been a terrible eating experience, so much so that my once 5* rating has decreased considerably and I doubt I’ll ever go there again. The prices too are a rip-off now for what you get. Or maybe I just chose the wrong dish.

Popped in for a drink while waiting for the rain to stop. Good pub with good range of drinks. Food looked good as well.

Had a Sunday roast with 4 friends. The Roast was a Carvery and the food was delicious and there was plenty of it. 😋. We were looked after by Vince, he was lovely, attentive, and a very nice young man. Will definitely return.

Had a great time here - got the small carvery, which was enormous, and staff looked after us v well.

Great pub in a quirky building. Staff are very friendly. Haven’t eaten here, so can’t comment on food options. Locals seem welcoming and friendly too.

A totally soulless boozer with staff that look like they've never ran a pub before. What pub runs out of house gin on a Saturday evening..? We also saw staff running over the road to purchase bottles of white wine..! Frinton is a beautiful affluent seaside town town these people are sitting on a goldmine, sadly as the only pub on the High Street they have no competition to force the owners to raise their game.

Food looked ok on website but was really bad. Was told fish was cod but turned out to be haddock. Starters were laughable. Place dirty with staff just chatting when they could be cleaning tables or getting food off carpet. Girls behind bar all on regular breaks on smoking and pouring themselves drinks.

Such a poor experience. Food was awful,their tapas was a sight to behold. The chef needs to Google potatas bravas , it’s not burnt potato cubes with tomato paste and mayo on the side. The garlic prawns where just odd and swimming in a sea of garlic flavoured buttery water. The mains fish and chips was full of bones. To their credit the burger was juicy and well seasoned but let down by a few days old brioche. All the lettuce garnish which seemed to appear on all plates was brown at the edges. Staff not overly friendly, they chatted amongst themselves whilst pouring our drinks about someone they none of them are particular fond off. To top it off a couple of my pets hates , carrying condiments by clutching them to their chests - get a tray ! And staff ( I assume the manageress ) vaping in the doorway on what where quite frequent breaks. If I hadn’t had to pay for food in advance I would have refused starters and walked out .

After a lovely walk with the dog, we decided to find somewhere to eat in Frinton. We decided on the Lock and Barrel on the main street due to the reasonable prices. My wife and myself ordered fish and chips from the menu. The service from the staff was acceptable but unfortunately the fish and chips were not very good at all. The fish had no taste at all, it certainly wasn't fresh and the chips not much better. A shame really because the pub itself had a nice atmosphere and a good selection of beers. I believe the fish was bought in frozen and then deep fried.

We had heard that since this establishment was under new management things had improved. So on a day trip to our favorite Frinton-On-Sea we decided to give it a try. First impressions hmm! Stark white clinical decor, nice lamps but absolutely no ambiance. Sat at a table that was dirty, there was an attentive waitress whom we asked if she could clean the table whilst we browsed the menu & she did showering us with the debris from the centre of the table until asked to clean the whole table. Another young female returned to take our drinks order the the food order was placed. Drinks were served promptly by an unengaging waitress that wasn't presented well; hair uncombed & loose, leggings & T shirt much like they were all wearing some with thallons for nails (yuch) - scruffy & no engagement! Wine arrived in a dirty glass & when I took it to the bar & complained the older waitress begrudgingly took the glass, held it up to verify my claim I guess & proceeded to put the wine into another glass to which I objected. Customer service without apology let alone a smile. Food: expensive for what it is haddock was little soggy & flavorless,, teaspoon full of garden peas & frozen chips. Burger - let's just say the Wagu burgers from Aldi are superior in comparison. Condiments: OMG sauce bottles had a teaspoon left in them & we were told that was it, no more...bottles & tops were filthy too. We were later told that the elderly chap sitting at the end of the bar was the NEW proprietor- well I'd like to know why he was there playing on his phone. He observed the lack of professional conduct when I complained about the dirty glass but didn't intervene (I didn't know who he was at the time) Overall we were all sadly disappointed & won't return. We also learned that the same gentleman & his daughter have taken over management of the Essex Skipper - I dread to think how that is managed. Get prorities right from the outset - staff should present as clean, groomed, professional & friendly & know the need for cleanliness . Ambiance needs to be reviewed. Mens toilets are a disgrace & stink to high heaven.

Loads of restaurants in Frinton but this one had a dog friendly sign in the window so it was perfect for us with 2 dogs. Right choice as we were welcomed. The atmosphere was good and food excellent. Will return. Thankyou to the staff.

A lovely pub, with good food and drink, excellent service and a nice friendly atmosphere. This was our first visit to The Lock & Barrel, but we will definitely visit again the next time we are in the area.

Carvery was absolutely delicious..hot ,gravy was great .service good efficient staff ..manager a delight.

Very very poor food. it was the bank holiday, sign outside read carvery . Went inside sat down waited a long time before seen. Now the best bit . dryed out meat, very limited veg, no carrots , and you are not allowed to severe yourself ??? Will never return and would not recommend.

Called in today after a lovely day on the pier. Food was absolutely lovely, can't beat quality homemade food and staff were great. Still can't move nearly 3 hours after eating. Definitely visit this place if your in the area

Hadn't been here for a couple of years and I wished we hadn't bothered. I'm lactose intolerant and don't eat meat. My black decaf coffee had milk in. Then no main meals I could have ( not even a vegan main meal on the menu) Only one tapas and one starter I could have so ordered both. I wished we'd walked past the pub and gone to Greggs, they have a better selection. The Garlic Prawns were over cooked and the Patatas Bravas were cold. Will never go again.

A little disappointed. It seemed the owner/manager had friends in for Easter Sunday lunch that took priority over others. Even though we arrived and we're seated first they got service before us. Had the fish pie that was very bland

Hours wait once you have ordered food over priced for bland badly served dishes looks as though it was thrown together fish pie lacking any fish and so small veg not cooked looked as though had come from left overs no condiments on table waitresses not got a clue your just left sitting there if you don’t ask for things they are ablivious to serving you never again

We had 2 ploughman’s lunches here. The onions were in a pot of water and no pickles. Just lettuce bread cheese ham. Very poor value for money. Don’t think we will eat there again. Had a portion of thick chips which was very tasty.

Overpriced and lacks any semblance of atmosphere. New owners have really jacked up prices but it's just the same tired old L&B. Won't be back. Half a glass of coffee. Pure class. £9 for a coffee and Guinness.

Waited 45 mins for a Camembert and a small pasta dish so we walked out No stock so limited drinks Poor service

Was tempted to go here for lunch after seeing the online menu to try a crusty baguette 🥖 with chips & salad. Arrived to discover its now under new ownership & that's no longer available. Had a small plate Ham, Egg & chips but be warned the small plate is very small, probably more child size & one of the smallest small plates I've had before. The ham was lovely but only half a slice? Staff all very pleasant and location is good too. Prices reasonable compared to similar venues like this. We'd visit again but they need to update this website & menu on there.

Really disappointing meal …. King prawns were not deveined or de shelled .. no extra napkins or side plates .. asked for a finger bowl and extra napkins to be told too busy .. in a minute ….they never came … I asked for the plates to be taken away to be told too busy …. We took them to the bar counter ourselfs after 15 minutes…. We ordered carvery for mains but changed our minds after a closer inspection .. we had mains from the main menu. They were ok ….. our dirty plates were again not cleared away and as we attempting to leave we were asked would we like our free dessert for Mother’s Day. But we’d already given up asking for service … we had actually gone to bar and already paid bill … Everyone was polite but clearly need training … The bathroom had no toilet paper on a busy Mothering Sunday and it took two requests and 90 minutes to restock them … that is unacceptable ..

Went for Sunday dinner. Quite poor selection for starters, croquet’s , bit strange. Ordered 3 carvery and a kids meal. Had to ask 3 times where is the kids meal, very disappointing when it did arrive, extremely unappetizing. Got 2 carverys ,then had to wait for potato’s for the third. A guy walked in , went into the private area , then sat at a table. All the staff flocked around him and didn’t move again . Had to send the 6 year old up to the bar to ask for the bill. Not really good enough, won’t be back.

I went with my family last week. The pub was fairly quiet and we were a table of 6 adults and some kids. The girls at the bar were lovely, quick drinks and good coffee. However after waiting over an hour for food, we were told the kitchen was just about to start cooking it. We couldn't wait any longer so paid for our drinks and went to greggs instead. The lovely ladies on the bar were so apologetic but there was clearly some sort of issue with the kitchen as we were not the only ones in there to take our custom elsewhere. Such a shame.

Excellent carvery, and skate was very meaty ,thanks Peter From the kenties, xx

First time trying this place, really lovely friendly welcome, which was very different from the place nearby we walked away from. We both chose Pork Loin, mine was a nothing but ok, my partners was a thicker piece, the Pak Choi was a little tasteless, Potatoes very good, all in all an ok place for lunch, Service a tad slow but they were busy

Great food and friendly staff. Went by chance and discovered a belated valentine's day disco. What a great evening. Try the steak or poached haddock.

Friendly staff, lovely freshly made food, generous portions and very reasonable, we had the carvery, will definitely be back.

Had a lovely Sunday lunch today. Starters garlic prawns, Beef carvery perfect roast fresh veg. really enjoyed, everything freshly cooked. Dessert yummy. The staff were brilliant splendid service. Well recommended.

Cold food , carvery served up at counter ( not self service ),potatoes picked out by hand as was Yorkshire pudding from tray under counter.disappointing for £18:25

Nice local pub in Frinton, with very good food portions and reasonably priced. Staff are very friendly and welcoming. I think a few minor tweaks to the dinning area/ lighting (it was a bit bight) this would be spot on. Looking forward to our next visit thanks

Been here today for the carvery and was amazing. All fresh and very tasty lots of veg and a good vegetarian alternative. Very reasonably priced and staff very attentive. Will definitely return

We had good food 😋 Friendly staff

GREAT LOCAL PUB GREAT FOOD AND ATMOSPHERE

Very average Wetherspoons. Spitfire was their only real ale which I enjoy but prefer a choice. Will probably go back as very limited choice for other pubs nearby. Might have a pint in Walton-on-the-Naze next time.

Popped in for lunch, took a while to be served but lady was friendly, sadly we didn’t see her again after order was taken! Food arrived cold and tasteless after a really long wait and one of the 6 mains ordered didn’t arrive at all! When we explained it was cold and that we’d seen the dishes being brought out to a different table before going back to the kitchen and then being brought back out for us! We were offered to have them ‘pinged’!!! When I went to pay I was told the non existent dinner off the bill!!! They were apologetic and blamed the chef for leaving food waiting on the side and not telling them it was ready and for there only being 2 bar staff on. Lack of communication and the food that did arrive eventually, was tasteless and cold! Such a shame as had high hopes for this place improving under new management but it clearly hasn’t!

Great welcome and friendly service. First time eating here since being taken over. Really enjoyed our ham, egg and chips and staff were very helpful with my dietary requirements. Look forward to eating here more. Great for drinks as always.

Wow! The food here is excellent 👌 Garlic King prawns and a portion of fries were our sharing lunch. So tasty and at a very reasonable price. The bread and balsamic/oil dip was a lovely added bonus. Thoroughly enjoyed, we will return!

Had pre christmas meal. Food was tasteless the worst christmas meal I have ever had.

On high street,with on street parking had 2 physically impaired relatives,so handy.Arrived just after 14:00 on Wednesday 6th December 23. My first visit to venue, inside was clean ,spacious, not loads of dining tables and was quarter full of customers eating. Starters 2 out 3 don't have grilled prawns as not done look like frozen stuck on a bit of salad( not worth it) .Main meals were Okay, shepherds pie was tasteless according to my relative, my pork loin was good apart from pok chou could of been pan fried,grilled, as near enough raw, daphanaise potatoes was nice another 5mins cooking would of been better as potatoes were a bit hard. Deserts good. The staff which was mainly 2 serving, did apologized for delays and waiting time as it did take long time for ordering, getting meals,drinks, paying for bill, was getting concerned at a point as 2 hours on blue badge running out of time. I would also state that we didn't know the procedure for ordering saw food menus on bar,not on tables, no daily specials/offers, had to keep getting member of staff attention or going to bar for services. The toilets could be more cleaner,smell nicer,as dirty,wet floor completely freezing as outside ammindites. The worst thing I saw as where I was sitting,see in the food service area were members of staff taking chips? Off customer plates then munching when plating on table with customers meals. The pricing is at a peak as stated home-made, I guess cooked to order(fresh)? I don't think I be returning as first impression and standards were poor, couldn't figure out if trying to be a first class restaurant or local pub missed view of business impression. I would email the establishment with review , don't have....

It has new owners and they need to sack the chef. The food here has always been excellent and omg what a change. I understand the owner is the same owner as the skipper, the food there is OK, not always the best, but they have ruined the lock and barrell for food. The new paint and the blinds being open are good, ot gives it a more modern feel, but you have got to get a chef in that cooks good food. The chicken burger meal in particular is awful, it used to be moist and a large meal with chinky chips and onion rings, it's now dry, bland, tiny and what is the point of putting half a teaspoon of coleslaw on the plate? Tall Paul is still there I'm pleased to see as he really makes the place, he's very nice, makes great cocktails and is the heart and soul of the place. Please don't ruin our local with poor food!!

Great band Albion breaks played .place was pumping

As most busy pubs a bit tired after the summer rush. There was someone vapin which is not good when people are eating.

good food and efficient service at a reasonable cost. Nice and cosy in the pub. Be even better if you can get rid of the group of roudy drunks sitting outside. (Not the pubs fault, this was at 2-3 pm not late at night)

Good bar right on Frinton on Sea high Street

really lovely food, good value great staff would recommend

Excellent pub in the heart of Frinton, friendly staff and the lamb burgers on the specials menu were excellent. We felt the price of £13.50 each was really good value especially as the lamb burger came with chips / onion rings / slaw & salsa dips / bacon / cheese / pickles / tomatoes / gerkins

Good food & historical information of the hardware store I remember as a child when there were no pubs in Frinton!

Lovely quiet pub but first time ever I've been in a pub that calls last orders at 8pm when people still in there buying drinks

Staff and mangerment very rude wouldn't recommend

Lively place. Good food and drink

Always a firm favourite for good food

Great place for a relaxing drink

We headed for Saturday lunch to this venue I've previously reviewed. Back then I wrote that I can't wait to visit again... and August Bank Holiday brought along this visit. We arrived for late-lunch,/early dinner finding this venue to be deservedly busy with customers being served at the bar in good time and others sat at tables waiting for the food they'd ordered... soon enough we were doing the same. Harry had taken our order perfectly and now Ruby was serving us and making sure we had everything we needed. 2 x burger meals and my pork dish were delicious and filling. 3 x happy diners! Thanks to all at The Lock and Barrel, Frinton-on-Sea, until we meet again.

We headed for Saturday lunch to this venue I've previously reviewed. Back then I wrote that I can't wait to visit again... and August Bank Holiday brought along this visit. We arrived for late-lunch,/early dinner finding this venue to be deservedly busy with customers being served at the bar in good time and others sat at tables waiting for the food they'd ordered... soon enough we were doing the same. Harry had taken our order perfectly and now Ruby was serving us and making sure we had everything we needed. 2 x burger meals and my pork dish were delicious and filling. 3 x happy diners! Thanks to all at The Lock and Barrel, Frinton-on-Sea, until we meet again.

First time in this pub. I just popped in for a quick lunch. The welcome was very friendly from all the team and they took my order and poured my drink super fast. The food arrived quickly and was very nicely presented. It tasted great too. I had the mushroom stroganoff and I'd definitely recommend it. If you are passing this way you you give this place a try.

Great food, hospitality and friendly staff. Well worth a visit. Great beer garden. Pet and family friendly 😊

I was on holiday in Essex and found this lovely pub in Frinton, I enjoyed my couple of hours there

Great place wonderful food been before will be going again

Poor selection of beers and the first pint was off - as the only pub in Frinton I had expected so much more

Great place to drink and eat good food

Nice pub. Great food, excellent service.

First time visiting this pub and was really pleasantly surprised. The inside is very big and spacious with a sun trap beer garden at the back. Two gents working and had some of the best service I've experienced in a long time. Very welcoming, friendly and attentive. Food was very reasonably priced, big portions, tasty and well presented. Will definitely be coming back and reccomending to friends.

Been a regular here for a few years ,somethings gone wrong use to have a friendly atmosphere and it was busy. We use it summers for lunch,s when the dog can sit in the garden. If he could go in the bar it would be all year. I think its new people they seem stuffy the old staff were fun. Sunday lunch it was dead says it all. Dont think we will be going back. Shame loved that pub.

I took my husband and twins here for their tea we are new to the area and we were treated very well, the food was fantastic my children were treated with excellence by the staff we will be returning thank you so much for a great evening guys.

Lovely friendly pub. We go often as it's such a lovely place to be

Excellent service, staff amazing and food great too. Chance find on Easter Sunday and not disappointed. Will visit again