Neils Bar & Kitchen in Rochford

Had a lovely Mother's Day meal, couldn't fault any of it.

The service was horrendous, the worst I have ever experienced. The owner I presume he was the chef, the meal was nice. The service staff are beyond training, he should replace his front of house staff. Giving one star for the service is too much of a compliment, they were totally and utterly hopeless. And my bill was over £240. Your comment that "you can see by my other reviews" I think your confused, this is the first detrimental review I have left on any food establishment.

Good meal. Will be going back to try the main menu. As had the special day menu.

Following the review of Martin Waterman and Scott Gibson, the restaurant’s response to this criticism is extremely disappointing, you have overlooked the fact that your food was indeed complemented by both Martin and Scott, as a small business, it would be in your interest to not only take on board what has been mentioned but to discuss as a team on how you can improve - not become excessively defensive and imply theft!! any business isn’t perfect and there are always room for improvement, I was part of this party and at no point was we asked if the children would like desert, they received their mains prior to their starters which was surprising, it isn’t down to the customer to keep reminding the staff to take orders or even to remove the finished plates ( which one member of our party even offered to help clear it because we were waiting so long) this is down to the staff, we were asked for our drinks at the start and one was missed, the service was indeed slow and had the head chef apologised for the lateness of the meals due to him cooking everything from fresh, we advised him that the kids were not offered their desert and straight away discussed this with the staff and again the waitress brought over the notes that were made - implying that we were lying!! Which again you don’t do!! other diners were constantly looking around for their meals etc because they too looked fed up with waiting, rather being defensive implying your customer of theft and lying, learn from these reviews and see if it can be improved upon.

Had a delicious meal here on Mother's day. The food was delicious and reasonably priced, all fresh ingredients used. The staff were so friendly and attentive and couldn't do enough for us. Thank you for making my special day even more special. We will definitely be back.

Food was lovely , the chef is talented and clean plates all round Service was pretty poor , 2 hours till they finally took plates away , missed desert orders from kids , 1 drink each never got offered a second , took over an hour to get starters and with kids that’s a long wait

We had a GREAT evening at Neil’s Turkish night. The entertainment was really good and the food superb.

We were the only ones in there. The service was very slow. The scallops in the special weren't fresh, ie, they tasted of fish. My lamb shank was nearly cold. The food was well presented though but we won't go back

What a wonderful restaurant. Food and service were great. Lovely menu choice, together with specials made for excellent options and something for everyone. Nothing was too much trouble, and the chef/owner was very proactive and informative. We went on a Saturday evening and sadly it was not as busy as it deserves to be. We were a table of 7 and none of us had any complaints and we talked about our food all the home. It was so good. The restaurant is not situated in the easiest of locations in terms of parking, however there is a lay by outside, and a public carpark behind Hockley library which is free in the evenings, after 1pm on Saturdays and all day Sunday. It really is a fabulous restaurant - give it a go.

A hidden gem. Really nice food and a passionate owner/chef Good service and very reasonably priced too

sorry but this was not a good experience food was over cooked for 2 shearers for £100 was not my idea of a good evening

Neil's bar and kitchen is fantastic, Neil and his staff are so warm and friendly and the food is incredible. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone.

Was told to be quiet as there were other diners in there (4 people). A friend had chicken kebabs which were raw, when spoke to chef he immediately went on the defence saying they were cooked, he didn't listen to his customer. I waited a good 10mins for my food to come out after everyone else's, we all waited for over a hour for food. I had to go to the bar to get drinks, instead of someone coming and taking a drinks order. And then a service charge was put on the bill, we refused to pay this.

Good food and good service, will go again.

Overwhelmed by numbers. Short staffing mean poor service. Hopefully they can get the right people in to make this a great place to eat and drink.

We had a burger and their signature bloody mary meatballs which were both delicious. friendly service.

Excellent, good food and great atmosphere.

Great place for couples or a family get together. Neil is amazing and food is too notch. Portion size gives great value.

Had a lovely 3course meal with the family, great food and drink. Family run with a real personal touch. Was made to feel very welcome and will definitely be going back.

The food was fantastic but the service is exceptional. Thank you to all the team working on Mothering Sunday 2023. I can’t wait to come again!

Excellent food & very fresh, good service and huge selection of drinks/cocktails.

We booked for the first time and we are so pleased we did. The Sunday lunch was amazing,we had the short ribs with mash, veg and Yorkshire all of which were well cooked and delicious, I had the sausage which was lovely and spicy and my wife had tomato and basil xoup which was very much enjoyed. The drinks (long island iced tea znd Sauvignon)were very nice, service was not rushed and the staff checked that all was good. No salt or pepper on table but food did not need it. We will be back A++++++

Popped in for a roast this evening. I would highly recommend. Very friendly and accommodating staff. Thanks definitely going back soon.

After a long time got a very nice and cosy place to hang out with friends..

Lovely food and great service, but quiet

Would nightly recommend the double buttermilk chicken burger and chips. Food and service 10/10

An amazing evening last night, wonderful friendly staff, amazing food and cocktails. Totally recommend

Amazing food, can't recommend enough! They do birthdays, wedding reception party's the lot! Everytime i have gone to Neil's bar & kitchen I have been very looked after by very polite staff and the food is always top notch!! Don't take my word for it! Visit them yourself you won't be disappointed!

Amazing! Food is fabulous, everything is freshly cooked, great meze and tapas. The cocktails are wonderful and a reasonable price too. We all had a great night. Cannot wait to go back and try more of the menu. Its a must visit!

An amazing little place that is well worth a vist. We popped in on the off chance and were welcomed by a pleasant young lady who gave us a choice of tables. Thoughout our time there she was polite, helpful and had time to speak to our childen. The menu is excellent with a wide range of items to suit the most basic of pallets (burgers, roasts and steaks) to the more adventurous with Meze on offer and a range of tapas and greek/turkish offerings. Being a Sunday we all went for the excellent value set menus with two courses at around £17/18. Our children tried calamari for the first time and also had hallomi. They then had burgers which they devoured and milkshakes they loved so much they won't stop going on about. My partner decided to go for a mushroom pasta dish but forgot to mention her nut allergy. When it arrived at the table it was covered in Pesto. Knowing this was our fault and not that of the restaurant I offered to take it so that she could have my beef roast. This was met by objections by the chef / owner who insisted I would have my roast, he would have the pasta and prepare my partner the same dish again with no nuts free of charge. In an age where costs are rising and restaurants are struggling this was second to none service. My roast was excellent. In conclusion if you are in any doubt visit this fantastic little restaurant. Great value, lovely food and the best customer service I have recieved in a long time!

Just finished a wonderful meal here with the kids. Would highly recommend the food, service and cleanliness. We had two courses and drinks for a very reasonable price. Staff could not have been more accommodating especially when I ordered something with nuts and did not properly check. Food was fresh, well cooked and presented with care. Cannot wait to revisit again. A little gem that we cannot believe we have never discovered before.

Excellent food. Fast delivery as well. The food is always fresh and hot. The pasta is amazing no frozen vegetables all fresh. Neil is very polite and will help you with any dietary needs. Would eat here every night if we could as a good selection of foods and drinks. We have not had any problems in the 5 years we have been using this restaurant. The food tonight is just amazing that’s why we left a review.

Got some cocktails delivered, one of them was so sour we all tried it and spat it out. Clearly extra lime had been put in it by accident so phoned Neil up and explained. Only for him to be rude and aggressive. To quote " I would make you another one but what's the point you won't like that either" " I don't make mistakes" We went down there to show him and he continued to be rude so we walked out. A simple mistake could of been handled so differently. Instead he was rude throughout . We have used Neils regularly since he opened, it's safe to say we will never visit again.

I don't normally leave reviews but I just had to today! Just had a lovely Beef Sunday lunch here, food is clearly made with love and care! My partner had the beef burger and he really enjoyed it saying it was lovely and juicy! It was quiet, the food tasted fresh. Definitely coming back here again!

Great food and even greater cocktails. Always a pleasure

Good food, but service a bit slow, especially as they were not busy.

Great little place, awesome for cocktails and a meal

Had a takeaway steak ciabatta and chicken burger delivered last night. Absolutely delicious ! Thank you to who I believe was a chef for delivering and he was in whites! Just eat must of let them down 10/10 will order again

Amazing food and the owner is so friendly and welcoming. Would definately recommend the breakfast, the sausage is the biggest I've ever seen!!

Delivery was fast and the food was unbelievable. Really quality stuff. Will certainly be coming back again to order

Brunch was lovely staff where more that accommodating. They was great with my 1 year old and made him a great meal too

Had takeout from Neil's. Meal was Angus Beef Burgers and Crispy Chicken Burger. Both with chunky fries. We had cheesecake desserts. The food was delicious! Neil is a great chef and guy. Cannot recommend his place enough.

Great experience, food, service excellent

Quick service, excellent food. Will be ordering again!

We sat outside and had a Delicious breakfast and were served by friendly and attentive staff

It was quiet the night we were in there but still a lovely atmosphere with friendly staff and great food

Very nice and the staff were very obliging

Excellent meal and host! Great night!

Fabulous fabulous, 5 stars plus

Lovely little bar and restaurant. Lovely cocktails and really nice food with some nice outdoor seating at the front. Perfect for what we want.

Excellent food and cocktails + fab service. We had a lovely evening - Thank you.

We ordered starters and a lamb shank meal. We enjoyed our meal, thank you. Lamb was cooked to perfection and the mash, veg and jus very tasty. It was delivered on time by friendly staff.

Lovely dining , spacious good food , lovely cocktails, good service.

the best cocktails with amazing hospitality I would highly recommend Neil is an absolute legend my new fav place to drink 6 stars 👍

Amazing Christmas Dinner. Highly recommend

Lovely food ... lovely cocktails... nice and friendly staff

Warm welcome. Covid safe measures. Friendly staff. Great tasty menu and cocktails wow!

Literally one of the best meals I’ve had in ages. I had Turkish sausage followed by sea bass. One friend had steak another salmon another lamb. All said it was cooked to perfection. Friendly owner. Good menu & fantastic cocktails. New chef who did a great job. Defiantly coming back. And all covid rules in place for those who are worried.

I don’t like to give bad reviews so I will keep this short. Food awful, wine not nice, service sooooo slow. The only positive were the cocktails which were nice. Admittedly the manager did offer to replace my poor meal (the risotto) but given that was the only vegetarian option I declined.Wouldn’t go back

The best quality food in Hockley! The cocktails are amazing! Everything is always served so fresh. They always cater to what suits you. Great customer service. Highly recommend trying if you haven’t already!

Fantastic food, amazing cocktails with quality ingredients and open till late ✅✅✅

Had a takeaway tonight booked it hours ago for 7pm i turned up 10 minutes early for the chance it would be all done Didn’t leave till 7:30 pm deserts were taken out of the fridge for 20 minutes on the side to go warm once my main food was done then them they decided to make the drinks so all the food is getting cold the food was nothing special at all and definitely was not worth the money The main chef who I believe is Neil he’s trying to cook food and make drinks but there should be somebody doing one thing It just took way to long and the outcome was very disappointing Won’t be going back

Still in COVID lockdown but decided to have our first takeaway meal. Also wanted to support a local restaurant. We selected our 3 courses from the menu and simply called. We chose the Cercuk sausage and toast and pate for starters. Both very tasty. For mains the roast beef. 3 large slices of beef nice and tender. Roast spuds, stuffing, broccoli and green beans with a Yorkshire pud. Nicest meal for a while. Puddings were Chocolate cake and Baklava.A really good meal and experience.

We love the ambiance of this restaurant and come here regularly on a Sunday. The range of food on the menu is always good and well thought out. It is also refreshing that the menu changes slightly from time to time. Neil, the owner, is Turkish and delivers a wonderful home-made meze for starters as well as English dishes such as prawn cocktail. There is always excellent roasts on the menu on Sundays as well as fish and vegetarian options.Neil is amazingly helpful and friendly. But best of all, he is exceptionally helpful with regard to food intolerances and allergies. In particular, he is very knowledgeable about Gluten Free options and is always willing to adapt dishes where possible or even cook something special to ensure you receive a very tasty Gluten Free Meal. Thank you Neil. I never have to worry coming to your restaurant!

Lovely food & friendly staff. Recommended.

Hey Hockley Had a fantastic pre-Christmas drink at Neal’s - cocktails are out of this world. Absolute state of art. My advice - always ask for a surprise one, Neal is happy to create one based on your taste preferences. Great atmosphere! Many thanks

Lovely relaxed evening with a couple of drinks and food. Very friendly atmosphere and attentive service. Highly recommend the pornstar martini!

all 7 of us had a great meal and enjoyed the wonderful service from the owner and chef. Many thanks.

This is a superb place with a Turkish twist on the food. Service, food, & prices are excellent. Please support Neil and visit this excellent restaurant.

Enjoyed a lovely Turkish starter and a traditional English roast followed by an American dessert. Great service staff were good with all the kids would highly recommend for a Sunday, also daiquiris were very refreshing.

Have just come back from having a fab Sunday lunch. Lovely starters -wife had breaded mozzarella sticks with sweet chilli dip and I had Turkish fill parcels both were lovely. Both had the beef for main. Lovely quality and decent portions. Would both have had desert but did not have room. Will definately be going back.

Went for Sunday lunch . Had two course meal for £14.95 food was really fresh and tasty . Neil the owner/manager was the cook and took time to speak to all the customers . What a lovely man. Definitely going back. Recommend a visit ♥️

Neil is a genuine decent guy & our food was superb. See you soon...

We were made really welcome and decided on a mezze starter to share. We had a number of starter dishes prepared by Neil and a basket of hot bread. We really enjoyed our starter and the range of flavours was exceptional. For our mains we all had the fillet steak with mushroom, chips and tomatoes. This was delicious. The steaks were cooked to perfection and we complemented the meal with a bottle of red Shiraz. We were really delighted with our choice and will be returning soon. Great meal and very friendly reception. We were so full we had to forego desserts!! We would recommend this venue to all. Thanks Neil.

We go there once a month me and my fiance and the food is amazing every time

Food and drinks 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ had mojitos, marghitas, Prosecco, and brandys. Food was cooked to perfection and wife said her cocktails was the best she’s ever had. All reasonably priced. Highly recommend.

Very enjoyable lunch with the family.

A group of us had a leisurely lunch here, main course then dessert, on a Saturday. There are no salads on the menu but friendly Nick obliged three of us by enlarging starters into mains and they were very good. As were the lamb shank, sea bass and chicken that others enjoyed. The hot dishes were well composed with vegetables that would best accompany the main ingredient - not simply the same vegetables for all. The food took some time to arrive as Nick seemed to be single handed in the kitchen on a quiet day. There was a fair range of desserts. He was also happy to be flexible with the wine list, allowing drivers to enjoy a small glass, when otherwise they might have had to go without. Hockley does not have the reputation of gastronomic hot spot, but Nick's is well worth a visit. We paid a total of £30 per head.

Lovely staff, starter and desert was lovely, roast dinner was ok, beef was a little tough, potatoes were great as was yorkshire and gravey. Would have been nicer if there were other customers as the place was empty. Shame really the owner is lovely and couldn't do enough to make us happy.

Great restaurant. Great food. Great service. 5 star

First time eating here, and booked on the basis of other good reviews, I was not disappointed!Mum had prawn cocktail to start, which was beautifully presented, and according to her, the best shed ever eaten - High praise indeed! I had pate which was equally well presented and delicious. We both had roast beef for main course which came with all the trimmings and perfectly cooked. The roasties particularly crispy, beef nice and pink, great big Yorkshire pud.The service was exceptional, all the staff so friendly and attentive.I can highly recommend this restaurant and will be pleased to return.

I recently held my young daughters birthday party at Neil’s. It was fantastic, the staff were excellent and so helpful and the food was delicious. We had lots of compliments about the food and how good it was. Looking forward to going back for dinner.

Love it great atmosphere, food and people

Excellent meal today. Absolutely FANTASTIC value for money too @ £14.95 each for 2 courses. Just wish this was a little nearer to home as would come much more often.

Lovely food and personal service

Delicious cuisine, amazing and personal service great atmosphere and reasonable prices. Well worth a visit. Thank you!

It was our first visit to this restaurant and we were very pleasantly surprised at how welcoming the staff were and how good the food was.The set menu is very good value. As it was Sunday, two of our party opted for the roast which they enjoyed and I had the special tortellini which was also very good. The feta cheese filo pastries to start were delicious. There is a good choice of drinks and the wine by the glass was good. Neil is a hospitable owner as well as an excellent chef.We will definitely visit again very soon.

We had a celebration here for a friends daughters 18th! We had a great night and the service was superb! Good choices of drinks and good wines! The food was also very tasty! I would definitely return.

Booked the whole restaurant for my birthday. It was fabulous. Neil worked outa lovely menu for me, drinks, wine etc. everything was fantastic. The staff are allvery efficient, helpful and polite. No one waited for their food or any drinks thatwere ordered.I cannot praise Neil and his staff enough.My husband and I have eaten here before and knew it would be perfect for my party.We will be going back. It just needs the people of Hockley to realise what a littlegem of a restaurant we have here Great value for money

Booked a table for new years eve having eaten there previously but on this occasion something seemed to be missing. The music was too loud which would have been OK if it was more in keeping with a New Years Eve celebration. The menu was the normal menu, again with no attempt to capture the celebration and was I thought rather bland. In summary a rather "Flat" experience for the time of year.

The gentleman serving us breakfast literally couldn't do enough for us, and the food and coffee was delicious. Really enjoyed it.

Had a fantastic meal here on Christmas day! Staff were so accommodating and food was delicious. Great value for money. Our party of 10 were all very impressed.

I have never been disappointed with the lovely fresh food ar Neils Bar and Kitchen and enjoyed another fabulous meal there last night. The cocktails are also made from scratch and are very enjoyable! And to top it off the service is always personal and professional, would definately recommend

My wife and myself invited friends and family to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary at Neil’s bar and restaurant.This was a very special place to have our meal.Neil and his staff could not have been more helpful and patient with us all.All our food from starters to deserts came up at the same time and nobody had a empty glass.As usual there was not one complaint from anyone about the food as it was so tasty and cooked to everybody’s requirements.If you are looking for somewhere for either food or just drinks,this is the place to go.Thank you again Neil and your staff for a very enjoyable time. See you again soon. Paul and Sandra.

Lovely food, highly recommend the lamb shank, and cocktails which are on another level. You can tell a lot of love goes into everything.

What a brilliant calm and chilled out atmosphere.A clean restaurant, staff are pleasant and treat you exceptionally well. Food is amazingly tasty fresh and well presented. Would highly recommend for couples families of all ages and private functions. Thank you Neils Bar & Kitchen for a delicious meal and lovely evening!

Had a great evening Celebrating my husband's Birthday in August. The owner is so friendly, the staff are too & the food is so tasty we decided we must return. Last Sunday had a fab roast and the service was just as good as the last time! Will definitely be returning. ☺ A gem of a place, so glad we found it!

Went to Neil’s to celebrate achieving good A level results and could not have had a better evening!! Incredible drinks in the bar to start, then a delicious meal as always, followed by more drinks which were made to perfection! Always a warm and friendly atmosphere in here, with Neil himself coming over and personally welcoming us. Can’t recommend this place enough!

Dropped in here when looking for a drink and some food. A good selection of beer and excellent cocktails. We had some food off the tapas menu which was all good. No rush and the owner was very friendly. A good place to go back.

We are here today for our daughters birthday (early meal) and as usual we enjoyed it. The staff were very friendly and helpful and the food was great as usual. Neil was the chef for the day and everything was really nice. He even gave me a piece of Koftè to try (very nice). The Baklava & honeycomb ice cream for dessert was lovely. Reasonably priced and very nice food and some drink to go with it. Definitely recommended and we will be back.