Needle & Awl in East Northamptonshire

Really a tale of two experiences, arriving slightly later than our booking, not being local anyone that has to negotiate the Rushden Lakes Christmas rush hour traffic will I’m sure sympathise, we enquired at the bar to say we’d arrived, there was no room at the inn here, so we was told to go to the main door, who knew there was two, to check inn, we asked where that was, and the manageress very kindly got one of the young staff to show us (have you worked at Sainsbury’s, well done) however, the queue was back out of the door which, by the time we eventually checked in, the table had been released (I know, it’s our fault for being late) but the phaff in rebooking the table, I didn’t see 8 people come in and take what would have been our original table, was just too much like hard work, eventually we got sat down but told we had to vacate by 645pm which wasn’t a problem. Next challenge, getting a drink and ordering, the app, which would have solved a problem, didn’t allow for amendments, my grandkids didn’t want cheese on the burgers and with no option to do this, I visited the bar. There was two other clients at the bar, one being served and another waiting, I stood on one side and was told, please don’t stand there, stand over there as I need to know who’s next, which I did but then thought, there’s only 2 of us it can’t be that hard to remember, surely if a queue system is needed, then make a sign, though when I was served someone else stood where I was originally, but wasn’t asked to move as another member of staff appeared, begging the question, what if there was a queue All of this didn’t set a precedent for the meal, however I was proved wrong, the meal was served quickly, correctly, hot and with a smile, well done for this element, the hamburgers were wolfed down as was everyone’s meal. Greene King, please just sort out the front of house and ordering experience (bar staff and app) Ps. Question for any HH management, what’s the importance of the black cup you get when you’re taken to the table and the insistence of getting it back half way through the meal?

Always a great place to visit for something to eat/drink, great atmosphere, great price, great staff! Staff are always attentive and happy to help, nothing too much trouble for them.

I brought my mum and son to The Needle & Awl tonight for a meal. We hadn’t booked and although it was busy ( at 6.15pm!) they fitted us in. The menu was huge - So much choice!! My mum had Classic fish & chips , my son had Fairytale New Yorker and I had Lamb Kofta Flatbread. We all gave our meals a 10/10. Somebody there knows how to cook! and the service was friendly and efficient. Just great!

Great food. Great hosts.............. Would definitely come back here again. Now you get free hot drinks refills 😎😎

Marie made my family yearly dinner out a great success the service and food was top quality .thank you all at the needle and awle for a great night

We come here once a week, and each week it gets better and better: Marie and Harmony are always friendly and are on hand to help us with our menu choices; I would fully recommend coming here!

Great atmosphere, staff are always friendly and polite never disappoint when i go in always have great banter with all staff

Had a great night at this pub this week. We were greeted by Molly who told took us to our table and explained what wasn’t available. Bit of a queue at the bar but the barman took our order professionally. Our meals arrived together and was hot. Molly came back several times to ask if everything was okay which we appreciated. We will be returning.

Ordered the ‘gravy one burger’ and Was very disappointed with the amount of gravy inside as it’s meant to be ‘smothered’ but clearly was not, when I asked for more gravy I was told I would have to pay for it, would not recommend, pathetic

Another lunchtime spent at the Needle and Awl,the food is always very good and all the staff are lovely A special thank you to George who served us today he is very helpful and friendly.

Visited today with party of 8, booked in advance because we were coming at lunch time, staff member was very friendly and happy to see us, showed us straight to our table. Food was fantastic, great prices and a nice wide range for everyone to enjoy. Service was quicker than expected, and portions were great too. Thank you to the team today, most certainly will be back very soon.

Usually go the twice a week, lovely food at great prices

Great food and very responsive staff

So up date from curry night I went back and gave it another go went last week Sunday- pint and a mixed roast for tenner ok good price so went with it The beef was full of gristle but ok! - the rest was tasty the turkey was ok also So I went again today a week later And today shows yep should never have gone back The meat is boil in bag ok The veg is frozen gets heated in a hot water bath ok The roasts are deep fried ok The Yorkshire oven couple mins Gravy just mixed with hot water But hay the chef still forked it up If you cant cook somthing or serve somthing precooked I'm sorry you shouldn't be in kitchen My 13 year old could do a better job And it's not funny as it's the front of house staff that get the stick for an incompetent cook! 10/10 tho for front of house staff Will I eat again here erm no! Not even if somone else paid

Booked to eat with family, arrived, and spoke to a member of staff stating that we had booked. She walked away from us, like she was walking to a table but instead walked us to the other door to check the booking. She was talking all the way but because she had her back to us, we couldn't hear her which seemed to annoy her. (Also worth stating that one party member wears hearing aids, so was really struggling to hear her) Once checked , we walked back across to the door we came in to be seated. We sat near the bar and, in doing so, could hear every conversation from the staff standing around, some of which were not appropriate! Ordering of food and drink is done so at the bar. It seemed that all staff ran when I approached the bar area, leaving myself and 2 other customers waiting. One of the others waiting with me wondered if the bar was self-service as it seemed that everyone had left! Once able to order, we realised that our meal came with a drink. These were ordered despite confusion from the staff what wine we could have. We ordered 7 roast dinner, and this was delivered to our table promptly. The dinner itself looked ok for a £10 dish (with a drink) Taste, however, was completely different. The beef was like chewing gum (more was given after staff were made aware). The roast potatoes were deep fried and greasy. The stuffing looked ok but was extremely glue like! For £10 a meal, i wasn't expecting gourmet, but i did expect edible. The turkey, however small, was tender like it had been reheated in hot water. The problem with this method is that it has very little flavour. Again, I didn't expect amazing food, but my family and I were left very disappointed by everything. Definitely will not return as I know there are better places to eat on a budget.

A fantastic place for breakfast, lunch, dinner or a great night out. The staff are amazing and so friendly

Very busy and quite a wait to be served. Food was hot and tasty.

A regular, always quick, friendly and most importantly clean. Highly recommend

Pub food served quickly. A good fill. Plenty of room and space for wheelchairs and push chairs. Good friendly service

The pub was bugger than we expected! First time visiting and the lady could tell, she sat us down and explained to us how to order which was helpful. Food and drink arrived promptly and was tasty!

If I was able to give zero stars I would. Disgusting behaviour and attitude from all members of staff, especially the manager. Waited for obee 20 minutes to buy 4 drinks and the bar was empty. The staff didnt apoligies and served us with a really rude manner. A booking had been made for our large party, and there wasn't enough tables or chairs for us. We politely asked if that could be rectified and we were spoken to so rudely, being told we would just need to squash in!!! When we said that we even by doing that there still wasn't enough room the manger came over slammed her hands on the table, raised her voice and said she had made room for us. Her behaviour and attitude was absolutely disgusting. I have never been spoken to so rudely. Safe to say our whole party left and they lost out on hundreds of pounds. I only wish I had her name as there is no way she should be working in this position. Utterly awful and we of course would never dream of spending any time there.

Always great service and great value food. Would recommend for families with kids. The breakfast menu is good, would especially recommend the waffles benefit and thd the full English.

Amazing service as always by Emily and Lauren. Number one customer and always the service is phenomenal! Good work ladies!

Did stay in the end after waiting more than 10 minutes to be seated. Place wasn't that busy, but what staff was on duty was not interested in getting people in and seated and not allowed to find your own table. Comment from another group waiting said oh it's always like this foods good but don't expect quick or good service so gave up and went elsewhere.

tasty food at reasonable prices. friendly service

George was our server, he made the whole experience amazing. We were firing different orders at him and he still served with a smile on his face. George is a keeper and defo an asset to your company

I had the sharer nacho as my main and I have never been defeated by a shared portion of nachos but I sadly couldn’t finish them. Whilst waiting for our food I saw the most amazing looking fried eggs with perfect popping dippy yolk (yes I do look at everyone else’s food) and a quadzilla burger with the most sickeningly delicious amount of melted cheese over the top! Major food envy which led to the decision to arrange a return visit asap to attempt to eat my own body weight in melted cheese. Great value for money, friendly staff, gluten free options and obviously an abundance of melted cheese available 😋

We had a lovely meal last night with two friends, considering how busy they were the staff were very helpful and friendly, didn't have to wait long for the food and it was hot. Well done to you all

Staff rude from the beginning. The most disgusting food I have ever put in my mouth. The cheeseburger quesadilla did not taste how meat should taste. Cheese and bacon burger had the smallest bit of bacon that I nearly missed it and the burger looked anaemic. When the (rude) waitress came and asked if everything was okay, I said no and she took the food and walked off. I may as well have chucked £24 down the drain.

Great dinner experience, service was great thanks to George and Emily and floor team. Food was very well cooked and hot. Even though busy everything was perfect. Thank you.

What a great experience we had with the tuesday crew for breakfast would definitely recommend the needle and awl for great food & even better friendly staff an amazing team Sharon and sammie were brilliant.

Deputy manager fitted us in super friendly could not do enough to help us. Well done Marie. You were super busy. Nothing was too much trouble

Food was good, polite staff , food came out very quick, had burger combo all good roll was a bit soggy only downside

We have been to this establishment many times & never had an issue however our most recent visit was disappointing & leaves us questioning whether we'll come back again. Firstly the item I wanted from the menu was unavailable as were some other items which suggests poor planning. Then the item I chose had pineapple so I asked if I could have another egg instead as I don't like pineapple to be told that what be extra. Now I've had similar meals from other establishments & they are more than happy to accommodate this request, some even suggest it without me asking. It won't cost them any extra as I'm not asking for more items, just a substitute. Given we have eaten here many times before this is a very disappointing outcome. Decent customer service lacking.

Sat outside because I took Buster the Westie. Went on Friday and tried the burger offer. Wouldn't have the burger again. Tasted like it was already cooked earlier. Not a nice flavour, greasy, and had pieces of gristle

Loved the pub, the staff, and the food was excellent, thank you for such a great customer experience. It was a busy night, but the level of service was spot on. Friendly staff with a smile.

Excellent service from the waiter, went the extra mile to ensure we were happy. Food good value and served quickly.

Staff are always lovely and helpful even when they’re rushed off their feet, food good for the prices. Come here a couple times a month and highly recommend!

Lovely food, prompt service very friendly staff.

Had mixed grill and everything single piece of meat was cooked perfectly, as weee the chips and onion rings. Forst time I have cleared my plate. :o I will admit I gave my sausages and peas and pineapple away :/ only because I do not eat them , the recipient said they were 'banging ' haha Whoever cooked today done a super job 😋

What an absolutely disgraceful time. We had an absolutely awful meal, everything on the menu has an amazing picture and description (5 starts for advertising the food), however, the quality of the food is below any standard I have seen in a kitchen. Plus, if our time couldn’t get any worse, the arrogant plus sized lady on the bar is a disrespectful rude “person”. Waited 20 minutes for a drink at the bar, screaming children, horrible looks from staff and microwaved overpriced food. Thanks guys, I won’t be returning.

We come to this pub/restaurant a few times a year, and today was one of those times. Kids are on school holidays and the bar was buzzing. Staff were busy but always have a smile and make their customers feel really welcome. The food was good and served fast considering the demand on the staff. We will always return

Hadn't booked, got seated straight away, ordered at the bar, food came hot and very promptly it was delicious xx

Service was brilliant, staff were fab, and food was lush, it was nice to finally have a steak cooked the way I like it.

Fantastic service; Marie & George are the best, and go out of their way to help! Great food too!

Friendly staff, lovely food decor a little tired.

Had breakfast with my family. Nothing to really complain about, especially when considering the inexpensive cost. Definitely worth a visit, and I'll certainly go again.

This is our family go to for a special occasion the food is great and the service is exceptional

Great staff good food and have spent many an hour with friends and family at this restaurant 👍😄

We brought our son here to try the ultimate big candy mania (he loves icecream), and he wanted to see if he could finish it himself! He ordered it without the items he doesn't like, with no problems at all. Very friendly staff in a busy but peaceful environment.

Amazed! First time in 20 years my chips were actually HOT. I gave up going these past few years as the food and service were not, I'm my opinion, ever worth it after so many failed attempts to be served edible food. Lasagne was tasty and the salad had a delicious dressing on it. Staff were friendly and polite. I'm looking forward to going again soon.

Amazing place Amazing food Definitely going back again.

Food very cold and over cooked did not enjoy it at all left most of the meal no one came back to table to see if food was ok they wasn’t busy so no excuse

Great for children and great food and nice staff

Only one serving at the var took 15 mins just order food and drink And the pub wasn't cleaned enough

Ok, food, reasonable prices,nice atmosphere.

Very good place for drinks with excellent staff👍

We had a lovely Sunday lunch today, I couldn’t fault anything, the service was great and fast, food was amazing and the children loved the colouring and ate all there food so that’s a plus in itself, the roast dinner was perfect, definitely be returning, thank you! Best experience yet.

We were a party of 19 and although it was really busy, the staff were amazing and food and drinks were very quick. Kerry made sure we were looked after and provided excellent service

Very busy but really good service

Went in for an early evening meal. Food was hot,well presented, and value for money.

The food is very tasty, and the staff is very friendly and polite. Overall, a great place to eat and spend quality time with friends, family.

Really impressed with the food, haven't been for a few years and was really impressed with the quality. Will be going back

2 hours limited parking,the food is enjoyable,the manager checks our plates all the time,when on from our company finished her lunch the staff comes and asked to collect the plates,pressure all the time and the restaurant was empty,really disappointed 😞

Steak was so tough the steak knife had difficulty

This is a second review about this place and the score has gone down sadly. Food is good, tasty and comes out fast, although they seem to be cutting down on the chips they put in food now. Additionally it took us 15min standing in a queue to order as there was only 1 person, on a Saturday busy lunch time! Upon arrival we were allocated a table and were very authoritatively told that we would have to leave within 2hours as 'there was another booking for that table and it is what it is'... Given the fact that it was around 1:20pm, and in 2 hours it would be 3:20pm, so way past lunch and too early for dinner and there were tables available throughout our stay and when we left, clearly that wasn't the reason. The hostess was very sternly communicating and we felt we couldn't request to stay longer than this due to her attitude. Customers, especially larger groups of people are being told they need to be out in 2 hours probably because of the parking, which states that its max 2 hours, ( changed from my last visit that it was 2 and a half hours)is very stressful and opposes the purpose of actually going out for dinner/lunch which is to relax, enjoy the company, have a chat and a laugh and have a good time! Service was ok but as mentioned above, a long time in queue to order and then after one and a half hour, and while one of our group was still in the middle of having her food, there were servers coming asking to take the empty dishes, they were told we are ok, we are still eating and they insisted in getting at least the empty ones, which increased our feeling of uneasiness and felt like, in a way, we were being rushed and forced to leave. We wanted to order dessert but we only had 20min or so left so decided against it. After the latest visit, although we liked the food, we will definitely think twice before deciding to eat there again. On the positive plenty of choice for meat eaters and vegetarians on the menu. Aslo available parking but there is a time restriction so if you go there with a large sociable company you will definitely feel rushed.

A lovely meal enjoyed by our table of four. Thank you to all of the kind and attentive waiting staff. We couldn't have asked for a better meal and service.

Lovely place for a quick inexpensive meal, food and staff lovely

The staff are really good here. One of the managers brang some toys to my daughter when she was having a meltdown which calmed her down and she was very chatty and friendly to my daughter, very grateful for that. Fast service and nice food too! We come here a lot and it is always great 😀

Literally just left your premises. Firstly we had issues with actually being able to find a table (in a pub) that didnt have a reserved sticker on it. Then watched other people with the same issue wandering round looking at all the empty tables they could not use !.... Manage to find a table & had to make do even though there was no bulb in the light fitting above table... 3 of the meals we wanted to order were unavailable, two of which were from the new menu, one was the childrens Build your own Pasta as they had no pasta !!!!!! Absolutely ridiculous, especially as pub sits in between 2 supermarkets ! Unfortunately the wait was not worth it....My daughters burger was burnt & extremely dry, my fish was cold with so much batter there was hardly any fish, My husbands gammon was as tough as old boots & my grandson roast beef & smash potato was that awful he refused to eat it. We did not complain at that moment because when my son in law went to the bar to speak to someone he had to wait so long he gave up.... This was suppose to be a nice family get together to start of a weekend of celebrating my daughters special birthday & this evening in the Needle & awl did not get it off to the happy start we were hoping for. Absolutely horrendous !!! Now the 29th Sept 2019 & not a word of apology.....great customer service hey !!!!!!!! Now 09/03/2020 Still no word of an apology for our diabolical meal !!! Quick update 04/08/21. Never, ever received an apology. Have never been back nor will we. Atrocious customer service 29/03/2022 Suppose this means you do not apologise for awful food or absymal customer service because that would mean accepting you & your staff were at fault 21/06/2024 WOW!!! Originally wrote review in Sept 2019. Its now June 2024 & you have only just replied to review !!!!! Says it all...

If you want a well cooked and tasty breakfast that's not going to break the bank Needle it where to go! Great, friendly & smiley service. 10/10 Great service from Cerys & Paula. Saved our Birthday Meal after being ruined by another local restaurant. Went over and above to accommodate a large party at short notice. Thank you 10/10.

As with my previous visits, we had good quality food at good prices. Service was a bit slow this time - about 25 minutes after ordering, but staff were polite. Reasonable environment. I'm happy to eat there again in the future.

Food fantastic and staff amazing couldn't fault anything

Lovely staff, food hot, service excellent

Fantastic all round. Eleven of us came for a meal and drinks, food was served very quickly and came piping hot and exactly as described on the menu. The beer washed it down very nicely. Staff were very friendly and welcoming. Will definitely be returning in the near future.

Best Hungry Horse we've been to. Staff are always friendly and chatty. Food comes out quick, all together and hot. Although this isn't the closest, we'd rather drive the few extra miles for a pub/restaurant that goes the extra mile.

Ordered the mega breakfast, came really quickly and was delicious!

Didn't enjoy our visit at all staff rude behind bar asked for manager but the girl in play area just sorted it for us by changing the drink feel like I wasted.my time and money on this visit unfortunately

Always excellent food and drink

Great banter with the staff especially Kerry & Lauren. Good service one word CHEESE 😊

Food on this occasional was spot on.

Service freindly food reasonsble.

Molly was GREAT! She went above and beyond to make our visit the most comfortable. I am always fussy with which table I sit at so she double checked the one I wanted wasn’t booked and helped us move there. She was so kind and generous too. Thanks so much Molly!

i came in today for a little bite to eat and Molly was so helpful. she had such a positive work attitude and was so kind to me and my family, she really made our experience even better! so glad we had her serving us 🩷

Molly was our waitress she was very attentive and nothing was too much trouble. Food was nice and very good value

Really good value, we came here on Bank Holiday Monday expecting a wait for a table however we managed to get a seat almost straight away and were warned for a wait for food which was fine as it was really busy. The food arrived promptly and was enjoyable. All 3 of us enjoyed Mixed Grills and Steak. It's nice pub food so if you are looking for somewhere with lots of different choices and pub food then I can recommend coming here.

We go to the Needle & Awl at least once a week, pre cinema visits. We have never had a bad meal, food is always well presented, tasty and good value. The staff are great, always welcoming with a smile. Going again tonight so, see you soon :)

Went for breakfast and wasn't disappointed and I'm a big eater

Outstanding service from the staff Sammy, Sharon and all the Wednesday crew for this morning’s Veterans Breakfast Club. BZ Needle & Awl.

The Staff here look after our Veterans Breakfast Club magnificently. Always pleased to see us and serve with happy smiling faces, Sammie, Laura, Sharon, Charlotte, Wendy, and all the gang, thanks for your great service.

Great place for good value food. Lots of choice and food is always good. We go at least twice a week.

Service on morally good and friendly .

Spent just over 3 hours here catching up with a friend I haven’t seen for 16 years and got a £100 parking ticket!!! Having spoken to the manager she cancelled it straight away no problems. Thankyou very much. 😀

Went for a birthday meal with friends. Great food ans service

Charlotte gave excellent service to our visit.

Food was amazing and arrived quickly, had a great waitress and great customer service overall by kerry, came here for bogof Friday left with smile on my face thanks to Kerry

From the second I walked in from the car park, through the double doors, I was tsunami’d with the angelic smell of meat. I was then greeted with the angel herself, Kerry. She welcomed us in and gave us the finest table in the establishment, she made the meal if I could I would take her home. KERRY is the needle and awl and the needle and awl is KERRY. what an icon she is 10/10 Kerry more power to you queenie keep slaying

Had a banging time at this wonderful establishment. The food was spectacular - I ordered the Korean bbq burger and it was delectable. Our server Kerry was an absolute gem, deserves a pay rise for her vibes alone - best customer service I have ever received. I’d recommend going here just to be served by Kerry.

Great food and lovely service from Sharon she's really friendly and always smiling highly recommended 😊

4 of us came and the staff were fantastic, as was the food. Special thanks to Molly and Rhianna.