Martins Pond in Dacorum

We booked Martins pond based on some excellent sunday lunch feedback. I seemed to miss all the negative reviews left by others about the quality of food, mine was a tough tasteless leathery roast beef, others in our group had the ‘roast chicken’ which wconsisted of small dried out thigh/leg pieces, which they confirmed wasn’t enjoyable by leaving most uneaten, one had veg roast which was exactly as another reviewer described as weird crumbly dried out mushroom risotto, veg were mediocre bordering uncooked, roast potatoes good, thank goodness! 2 puddings ordered, one a weirdly textured‘brownie’, another ‘crumble’ with a powdery pale unbaked crust. front of house lady was lovely and friendly, the restaurant was almost empty at what is normally peak sunday lunch time, sadly won’t be back anytime soon and felt the need to post this as the food quality is not pub restaurant quality or standard by a long shot. perhaps there has been a change of kitchen staff as there is no way this food warrants anymore than 2 stars.

After a very lost walk around Berkhampstead Common circular walk we finally found our way, so a deserved drink and food.....it wasn't overly busy, but food was really tasty.....I had the junior roast and it was plenty big enough...would definitely recommend

We thought we would have lunch and have not been to Martins Pond for many years. We ordered fish and chips and they were hot but the fish was obviously out of a packet and looked like something out of Iceland and the price did not reflect this at over £15.95 for one dish of fish and chips, it was really disappointing. The chips also looked out of a packet of frozen chips. We also thought the drinks were expensive and a small glass of house white was £5.40. It was many years since we had been but we will not be returning.

had our family christmas get together here, there was 20 of us, we had a fantastic evening, the food was very good and the service was exceptional, they couldn’t do enough to make the our evening special - thanks guys

Excellent roast dinner, decent portions, great friendly service. I would definitely recommend to anyone

Had the most amazing roast here in Sunday, probably the best I've ever had! Brilliant service and top quality food and drinks. Will be visiting again soon.

Visited Martins Pond on Sunday for a roast and from start to finish it was amazing. Jude behind the bar and Aaron in the kitchen served up probably the best roast I've ever had! Absolutely delicious. Will be back as soon as possible.

Lovely staff lovely food great for Sunday lunch worth the journey up from London!

Visited for Sunday lunch and couldn’t be more disappointed. Phoned to reserve a table which was quickly accommodated and no surprise why now - I can see why it wasn’t overly busy! Frosty welcome/seating on arrival. No wine list/drink menu as it “is out of date”. Attitude of staff made us feel like an inconvenience and food fairly miserable. Good job the children “ate free” as part of a current Sunday lunch deal. Meat of poor quality, as was veggie “nut roast” (seemed more like a deep-fried slab of mushroom risotto?) and vegetables mediocre. Despite feeling ravenous I couldn’t stomach it and we didn’t stop for pudding. Tables grubby, and wine glasses dirty (lipstick marks etc). Safe to say we won’t be returning sadly as could be such a great venue given the location.

Booked lunch online which was confirmed very quickly. Pub very quiet this lunchtime. Excellent choice of food. Proper pies not a fluffy disintegrating dust cloud! Sausages and mash tasty and very filling. Food hot, tasty and very good value. Jude the landlady was a fabulous host/ waitress/ barmaid etc Absolutely brilliant lunch. Highly recommend

This pub/restaurant is a lovely friendly place and we shared a vegetarian panini. The bread was fresh and crusty and together with the vegetables with melted cheese was very tasty. The staff are super helpful and with its family friendly welcome will definitely visit again. We had already eaten 1/2 of the Panini before the photograph was taken so there was lots for two.

Very friendly pub, Laura was really welcoming and nothing was too much trouble. Food was excellent.... proper pies packed with filling, generous portions and very tasty... would definitely recommend a visit

Martins pond is an absolute pleasure to visit! It is a lovely, quaint, family friendly environment with accommodating staff who make you feel like part of the family. Whenever I have attended, I have been met with a warm welcome and no request is too much for Jude and the team. I could not speak highly enough of the establishment and those who represent it! I recommend the Sunday roasts - the best around!

THis review I hope will be taken as constructive and not just a rant. Reading all the reviews we decided we must try this pub at some time and the oppertunity arose on Sunday as we were in the area - I booked beforehand an early table, expecting it to be crammed, however it wasn't so let's say the ambience was lacking somewhat however the server / front of house was absolutely first class. Now I will make a point about the actual tables themselves, the tops of which are varnished however the constant wiping down and cleaning breaks down the varnish and leaves a sticky surface - literally elbows and plates stick - also this sticky surface leaves a residue that's hard to clean - I would suggest that the owners address this asap as its really not appealing to diners. I have a friend with a restaurant who has pointed this out to me . Now on to Sunday Lunch - suffice to say ours on arrival didn't look similar to any of the fotos on other reviews - but in saying that they were ok . Veg was slightly overcooked but ok, The roast potatoes were crispy on the outside but collapsed when cut ands were oily in texture. My wife had Pork which was nice but chunky pieces . My main issue was the beef I had which was really tough and looked as though had been reheated , and there appeared no 'beef texture' to the meat - I would have preferred a medium cooked roast - I understand that this meat is slow roasted in a commercial oven to give a uniform result - not sure that's to the beef's advantage re eating quality . I had a crumble for desert which was a like a fruit compote with just a powdery topping again with no texture and was unpleasant to eat. I didnt finish the crumble and I pointed out the toughness of the beef to the server . The pub had run out of ale , which is a pity . I'd like to try this pub again as maybe they were having an off day .

Second visit and just as good as the first. Lovely roast dinner and friendly service. We will be back soon.

Great pub in a beautiful location, would highly recommend.

Great place loved the bike meets their

Friendly pub, great location on village green

Only went in here to get water, and the staff were friendly and welcoming! Thanks to the staff!

This is a very nice English country pub in a lovely village green setting. Each time I have been there has been good service and really good pub fare.

What a great pub, staff are amazing very helpful and polite. Sunday roast wow what a dinner but also have had their weekly food that is also very tasty. I highly recommend this pub restaurant to anyone.

Excellent well run establishment. A big birthday lunch for the wife for a party of nine. 6 different dishes chosen by 9 guests. All food was very good cooked to perfection and tasty, service excellent felt welcome and could not do enough to make us all comfortable, including mobility impaired 100 year old guest. The position on a traditional English village green is absolutely perfect. Part of me feels like keeping this all a secret so that I can keep it for myself.

Great little pub in the middle of fabulous Hertfordshire Countyside

Really welcoming pub ideal for anyone looking for a well-priced meal with great portion sizes. Would highly recommend!

The food was mediocre......quite expensive for what it was.The ambience was very plain,not much atmosphere.....l wouldn't go there again for food. Outside there's a beautiful green with a pond and today there were 2 adult Canadian geese and 6 goslings....fascinating......

What a great family run pub in beautiful surroundings. I recommend the Sunday roast. Well priced and just the right portion size. Top marks Martins Pond will definitely be back.

Limited selection of pump beers.

My partner and I visited Martin's Pond for the first time today and had their roast dinner. Staff were all very friendly and made us feel incredibly welcome, and the pub itself seems like a lovely local spot. We both had a roast dinner (1 chicken roast, 1 vegetarian roast). The food was out very quickly, was piping hot and was delicious! We have been trying to find a decent roast dinner around Hemel Hempstead for a while now and Martin's Pond is the only place that has hit the mark. It is clear to see that the food was homemade with proper roasties (not your typical Aunt Bessies) which were nice and crispy, generous sized proper yorkshire puddings and amazing cauliflower cheese. I was informed that this was the first week they were trying the nut roast as the vegetarian option and, although it's not something I was usually go for, this was really yummy and I would gladly have it again. The price was very reasonable and worked out just over £40 for two meals, a side of cauliflower cheese, and two drinks. Parking is just opposite the pub, and is free. There is a lovely open space and plenty of woodland to walk around to help digest your food after eating. We will most definitely be coming back here again!

My partner and I visited Martin's Pond for the first time today and had their roast dinner. Staff were all very friendly and made us feel incredibly welcome, and the pub itself seems like a lovely local spot. We both had a roast dinner (1 chicken roast, 1 vegetarian roast). The food was out very quickly, was piping hot and was delicious! We have been trying to find a decent roast dinner around Hemel Hempstead for a while now and Martin's Pond is the only place that has hit the mark. It is clear to see that the food was homemade with proper roasties (not your typical Aunt Bessies) which were nice and crispy, generous sized proper yorkshire puddings and amazing cauliflower cheese. I was informed that this was the first week they were trying the nut roast as the vegetarian option and, although it's not something I was usually go for, this was really yummy and I would gladly have it again. The price was very reasonable and worked out just over £40 for two meals, a side of cauliflower cheese, and two drinks. Parking is just opposite the pub, and is free. There is a lovely open space and plenty of woodland to walk around to help digest your food after eating. We will most definitely be coming back here again!

Nice and cosy pub for a drink or meal with family and friends, friendly service, lovely location!

Superb local pub! Excellent staff, great range of drinks and a friendly and welcoming bunch of locals! Be seeing ya again soon!

Good food with friendly staff. We all had a different main course and all enjoyed what we had, would go again.

Such a lovely pub! Jude is a great host and the food was delicious. Really hearty and a nice atmosphere. Vegan and veggie options. Can’t recommend it enough. Dog friendly as well. A real gem. Staff were all really friendly.

Warm welcome, very accommodating. Great lunch

Don’t believe the positive reviews. A large group of us arrived for lunch. £15.95 for a microwave curry; rubbery ham on the ham egg and chips; old grease taste on chips; paninis looked like they’d been cooked in the microwave; we ordered peas instead of beans with a children’s meal, which came with beans and then the ‘landlady’ pointedly refused to change it for peas because the chef was too busy. Rude, unwelcoming, dirty, horrible food. Avoid.

Don’t believe the positive reviews. A large group of us arrived for lunch. £15.95 for a microwave curry; rubbery ham on the ham egg and chips; old grease taste on chips; paninis looked like they’d been cooked in the microwave; we ordered peas instead of beans with a children’s meal, which came with beans and then the ‘landlady’ pointedly refused to change it for peas because the chef was too busy. Rude, unwelcoming, dirty, horrible food. Avoid.

Friendly, cosy pub set looking out over a pond in the lovely village of potten end. They have a roaring fire and games to play for all the family to enjoy, just ask at the bar We had a roast dinner, generous portions and freshly cooked. We had the beef which was slow roasted and melt in the mouth with a lovely proper Yorkshire and nicely cooked vegetables. For pudding we had an amazing banana split and the special of rocky road, both beautifully presented and delicious. Good selection of beer including Camden brewery and good selection of bar snacks including chilli peanuts! A must visit for familys and couples. In the summer months you can sit outside by the lovely pond.

Lovely friendly and helpful staff. Tiny gripe had two puddings added to our bill which we queried. To be fair they apologised and sorted it straight away. Sunday roast food was plentifully portioned tasted lovely and was well cooked. Our Belgian waffle pudding was gorgeous as was our friend's crumble. Exclent. 136 quid for four roasts 4 puds and 6 pints of ale. Decent!

Sunday dinner with the wife. Just a couple of us retiree's but a great experience, warm welcome and really nice food. The new Chef has transformed the dinning experience at this restaurant and I would thoroughly recommend anyone to visit.

I went to martins pond for a Sunday roast with my family. This is not the first time I have been and definitely not the last! We were welcomed with a big smile. The staff were lovely and very helpful! The food was outstanding and definitely worth the price. It’s a lovely atmosphere, very nice and cozy with a beautiful fire! Overall great staff great food and I would i highly recommend going as i had a lovely time.

What a lovely and cozy pub. Food is delicious and staff is very attentive and friendly.

Adorable local pub, offering a variety of food and drink! Roast dinners are available at the weekend. Dogs are welcome too.

We went here for Sunday lunch, attracted by positive reviews and the short menu. (Short menu = unlikely to come from the freezer.) Welcome was excellent and minor problems were dealt with speedily and with a smile. Then we got the food. Roast beef from a carvery - that is, freshly cooked and carved by human hand - is rarely of uniform thickness. Martin's Pond's beef slices were uniform, which might mean the chef has advanced carving skills....or there may be some other explanation. Moreover it was exactly the same colour all the way through, whereas a kitchen-roasted joint is inevitably better cooked on the outside than in the centre. How do they do this? Not in any oven I have ever used, that's for sure. The menu promised 'lashings of gravy', which were supplied. But where did the gravy originate? It would not surprise me to find in the kitchen a large tin labelled CATERING GRAVY POWDER (GENERAL PURPOSE). Of course, I have no knowledge of where it came from, but that is the impression it left on me. The top half-inch of the Yorkshires was crisp but the rest disappointingly flabby. The bit they got right was the vegetables - beautifully roasted carrot and parsnip, properly cooked (ie al dente) shredded cabbage and Calabrese and good roast potatoes. It's a shame, as the staff are pleasant, the building attractive and the setting utterly lovely.....but I came here for the food, and was disappointed. So our quest for a good lunch near Berkhamsted continues.

I went into Martins Pond for Sunday lunch with my mum, what a fantastic experience it was. We were welcomed by a lovely lady who I assume was the owner and then served by a young lady who was absolutely brilliant, we never had an empty glass or wanted for anything as she had things completely covered. The roast beef dinner was absolutely lovely and served piping hot, you can tell everything is home made appart from perhaps the stuffing balls...this was by far the best roast I have had at any other pub around Berko/hemel, The beef was cooked to perfection and all the vegetables were also roasted really well too, it really was such a great experience and nice to finally find a pub that can pull off a decent roast. Mum had the roast pork with crakling, she said hers was delicious too and couldn't be faulted. I don't often leave reviews on anything but I felt I had to on this place. I will be back very soon.

Came here via a recommendation from a friend. Their sunday roast was one of the best we've tried! It is quite rare that both me and my boyfriend enjoy every single part of our roast, (normally leaving something behind), but it was all delicious! Portion...

Excellent food and very friendly staff 👌

Incredible food, both the roast chicken and roast pork was cooked to perfection and came with lots of tasty veg. The Yorkshire puddings were so good. Strawberry cheesecake was absolutely on point and the service was fantastic. Will definitely be returning.

Friendly people and nice location

We went on Christmas Eve and had a great time. Lots of regulars and everyone seemed to know each other but still made time to chat to us and involve us. The food was good and service was great.

A great pub, lovely open fire, nice beer selection Well worth a trip out here

We came on Sunday for lunch as a family of 8. The food was amazing Delicious pate and prawn cocktails for starters. We had the pork and beef and chicken roast, with the sides of cauliflower cheese. Everything was perfectly cooked and hot. Never had...

The wife and I had a lovely Sunday roast at Martins Pond today. The food was lovely and the welcome was warm on this cold windy day. It's is nice to see a proper fire in a restaurant bar nowadays. The staff are lovely here,...

Quiet pub on a village green with friendly staff and a fair choice of food. I was just passing through but would stop again if I should pass that way again.

Visited Martins Pond for a Sunday roast and had a great experience. The food was delicious - we had a beef and a pork roast with the extra side of cauliflower cheese, and an apple and berry crumble to finish. All very tasty with friendly...

Lovely ambience, excellent food and wonderful hosts. Spoilt for choice with the menu. Judith and the staff are so welcoming and will be a pleasure to return

Great village pub, with a really homely feel and a great selection of ale and beer and spirit's

We came last Sunday for lunch as a family The food was amazing we had the beef roast, the beef was perfectly cooked melted in the mouth with side of cauliflower cheese which was amazing too. The starters and pudding were also great too Food...

Went for Sunday lunch at martins pond and definitely will be going again, great food, great service, would recommend Lee

We had our first Sunday lunch yesterday at Martins Pond…. Won’t be our last!! Attentive service, fantastic food (veggie pie was huge) and an ample wine selection! Already rebooked!!

Lovely Sunday lunch. Both had roast beef which was really good, lots of fresh vegetables all cooked perfectly, we’ll definitely return again.

I have been going to Martins Pond for the Sunday roast for a few months now and have always enjoyed them but recently they have stepped it up another notch and somehow made them even better! They must have a new chef working his/her magic, I will certainly be recommending their Sunday roast to my friends!

Again, went back for another marvellous meal Saturday lunchtime. Tried the homemade steak and ale pie. Came with a good helping of vegetables and mashed potato and gravy all piping hot! Followed with a lovely brownie and raspberry sorbet with trimmings. Washed down with a...

Visited Martins Pond for Sunday roast with the family on Sunday 25th. Four adults and three children. One of the best pub Sunday roasts we have had in some time! Meals were hot and plentiful and the apple and mixed berry home made crumble to...

Great food very plesant staff nice relaxed atmosphere.

Decent selection of beers. Friendly service. Great place whilst the sun is out and you can sit on the green.

Very nice Sunday Roast available that we had few weeks ago. Steak was a bit dry.

We had lunch on Sunday 12th June 2022 to celebrate our golden anniversary with 25 family and friends . It was absolutely fabulous The food was amazing It was all hot when it was served and the quality was amazing it was so tasty and delicious . The staff were amazing and welcomed us all and very very attentive. Thank you so much for such a wonderful day

Lovely country pub with great food and service

Just visited to try out the new 'Pie and a Pint' Tuesday special at Martin's Pond. Absolutely delicious, piping hot, filling and full of flavour. You won't be disappointed!

Lovely frieny staff and roast was excellent xx

Very oldy wouldy type English pub with fine food

Great roast for a pub lunch on a Sunday

Superb roast beef dinner and excellant service. Thank you!

Lovely place in a lovely village

We recently visited the area to meet some friends and went to martins pond for an evening meal. The food was delicious, the chefs homemade recipe burger was amazing! Would highly recommend. High quality food and fantastic range of drinks and snacks. Staff were welcoming...

What a great pub! Fabulous pizzas! Even better beer!

Lovely boozer on the village green

Martins Pond hosted us (Emilios) for a jubilee celebration in Potten End over the weekend. Working alongside the team was a great experience, they continually extended their arm to help out in any way they could, and were fantastic hosts for 4000-5000 people throughout the...

Lovely pub.very friendly owner and staff nice customers foods brilliant.

Looking at website:easy to navigate. Ate here years ago: lovely food. Parking is abit of a nightmare: car parking is opposite, no wheelchair parking, parking is back to back so go in 2 cars & leave at the same time!

Recently held my sons communion party at the pond which turned out to be be a fantastic day. From the moment we got there were welcomed with big smiles. We then had a sit down meal which was delicious and the portions of food left...

Visited Martins Pond last weekend, both for a few drinks one evening and for a Sunday roast! The food was absolutely superb, all freshly cooked, unlike so many other pubs that churn out frozen rubbish! Even the yorkshires were homemade and delicious! Such a lovely...

Lovely friendly pub, great food, shame too far away for regular visit as went to visit follys farm for donkeys

8 members of our family met up for a get together. Jude was amazing. She was extremely helpful for all our requirements and made us most welcome. All the staff were great. Food was good and if we are ever in the area again would...

As a customer who frequents pubs for Sunday roasts fairly often, and admit to being fussy about standards and quality of food, I must say this pub is a breath of fresh air and a delight. Our Sunday roast was perfect. One can tell that...

Went there with my wife and we had excellent beer and food, while sitting in the fabulous garden. Prices were very good and the chips were lovely. Will definitely go again.

Lovely little gem near Hemel Hempstead. Went to visit for lunch as I was in the area, and the trip advisor reviews were promising. I'm glad that they weren't unfounded, as the staff were really friendly and welcoming. Prices are pretty reasonable for the area, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a place to eat locally who aren't looking for a particular cuisine

Lovely local pub. Roasts are amazing as well.

Mothers day roast with family, great food friendly staff, very helpful, good choice of beers. The bunch of daffodils for the mums was a lovley touch at the end. Thank you all staff at Martin's pond.

Had Sunday lunch at Martins Pond today. Simply amazing. Could not fault out meal. Natalie and Sian make a fantastic team and entertained us through out. Best meal I’ve had out in ages. Would definitely recommend.

Thank you to the Martins' Pond team for your wonderful support of Midshires Search & Rescue at your charity Darts Tournament.

First time visiting this pub, absolute dream team behind the bar. Service was so welcoming and the Guinness was the best I’ve ever had!

Brilliant little pub by a village green , fast friendly staff and food is good and wholesome 5***** from me and the wife .

What an absolute gem of a pub. Great selection of drinks and the food is fantastic. Dog friendly too which is a real bonus!

Visited this lovely pub today for Sunday lunch with my youngest son and my sister. We pre-booked a table, but arrived 30 minutes earlier than planned. Staff were very welcoming and accommodating, allowing us to dine early. This pub had such a lovely atmosphere. The...

First time there. Lovely setting, great atmosphere and super friendly staff.

A very big thank you to all the staff at Martins pond for makeing a very difficult day a relaxing and warm welcome to us as a family. Landlady couldn't do enough for us and the food they supplied was perfect 👌. I would highly recommend

Just had a wake at Martins'Pond, service and food was brilliant and staff couldn't do enough for us. Thank you.

Always a friendly welcome, nice pub.

Good was delicious and the staff are so friendly, will definitely be returning