Old Malt Shovel in Newark and Sherwood

absolutely fantastic Sunday dinner

Very poor service might fit in if we were all high as kites .

no sunday lunch, over heard manger/landlord ask a child say to put an ashtray down while sat outside, child responded and smashed it so the whole family was barred, supposed to ge highly rated for sunday lunch and functions dirty tables and dog hairs all in carpets

It was very busy but did have outside space for smokers. Shame they didn't serve tea or coffee

Lovely pub, now we live closer will definitely be calling it our local 😀

Staff was very helpful and friendly

Ambiente amigable, todos se conocen, pueblo chico, buenas pint de cervezas diversas

Poor choice of beers. Overgrown beer garden. Full of loud drunk people in the middle of the day.

Brilliant little pub for a Sunday dinner. 3 of us sat down for the Sunday roast (beef), with a Coke each, total bill was £25. Saves me cooking of washing up, sorted

We had a family party here on Saturday and Katie, the girl behind the bar was amazing she worked all day by herself for a party of about 30 of us and around another 20 in the pub itself. She dealt with it amazingly and I hope she got extra pay that day it was far too much for 1 person... We'll done Katie! 👏👏

A town centre pub. Beer was ok (Rev. Jones) and good value. Would return.

Un local unde intam cu mult drag , servire impecabila ! Va iubim

Had family party here and it was amazing. Landlady and staff really friendly and welcoming. Also went for Sunday lunch and it's delicious all home made not processed would certainly receive

Nice little pub with great service and a decent pint 👍

Try the omelettes mmmmm delicious & lovely place. Also reasonable prices

A lovely little place that has bags of character and you feel safe and comfortable here 😊

Fantastic food no frozen ..all freshly cooked SUNDAY LUNCH... Mega good on ya Joe. B.and KEV.

Slow service, below average food. Was built up by a relative to how good the food was. Unfortunately didn't meet my expectations.

Lot better than on previous visit.food well presented and good price.floor marking good.

Great place. Friendly and fun. Well priced, too.

Miła obsługa i święta atmosfera

Three of us come regularly here for our Sunday lunch as we are weekend caravanners nearby. I almost don’t want to share this review as I feel it’s a hidden secret but it’s only right to let others try it out. Roast potatoes, mash, a selection of seasonal veg, a whole gravy jug each, horseradish, great beef and a Yorkshire pud. The price is excellent and the beer is good although I do enjoy a glass of red myself. No prep, no pots to wash ... what not to like. If you want posh seats and a twee environment try another pub and pay double for your lunch. Say hi to Claire.

we went along for a bit of pub grub after checking out the reviews. A lovely log fire on the go in the main part of the bar and a few locals dotted along on stools.We were just in time for food 6.30 pm Friday. So ordered a pint ( one of the best pints of Abott I've tasted) and ordered up our meals which both came out piping hot and very tasty. We were sat the other side of a glass partition containing a lobby which I assume led to the back garden. This seemed to be the preferred location for both staff and customers the to puff away. Every time the door opened and slammed shut it would waft in the smoke. We would have stayed for another delicious pint but had to leave for some fresh air.

Comfortable..food is good & very good price

Nice old pub. Nice atmosphere. A place for regulars. Friendly staff good ales.

I love traditional pubs.this is a rare gem, good beer and food.

Amazing food and service. Love it so much we made it a weekly reacurance x

Old with a lot of Character. Friendly people.

Good food at a very reasonable price

Booked for Sunday lunch after reading food reviews on the poor website and they weren't wrong - the food was excellent. Large portions with plenty of freshly cooked vegetables and loads of meat and proper gravy. All 6 of us were delighted with our meal. There was a good choice of real ales and gins, all reasonably priced. The staff were friendly and efficient. Don't be put off by the outside, the inside is cosy and recently modernised by the look of the rooms. The only downside is the lack of parking but there is plenty close by.

Lovely welcome ,from outside looked awful but we were told that, but went in and tried the food. So glad we did just delicious well cooked food quickly presented nice clean tables etc. Beer garden. BIG portions served 5 veg, roast, mash Yorkshire pud loads of gravy and condiments . Very pleasant old pub in centre of town. Thank you

Don't be put off by the outside. Inside is olde worlde cosy. A good range of real ales and gins. 6 of us had Sunday lunch and the food was stunning. Everything was freshly cooked, a good selection of vegetables and boatloads of meat and gravy. It was a real treat. Booking on Sundays is advisable. The staff were friendly and the service good. The prices were cheap for the quality you got. Will definitely be back.

Popped in with a mate for a some burgers and we enjoyed our time here. Service was slow but the food was terrific.

Good ales, friendly people police next door

Visited on a Saturday lunch and with my husband and teenage daughter, were greeted warmly by the bar maid and enjoyed the real ale of the day. However, we ordered Cheeseburger for 2 & Chilli for one. The wait and service were fine but before I even tasted the cheeseburger my worst fears became true, there was as much bread in the burger as the bun. It was a layer of bread, cheese, burger, cheese, burger, cheese, bread but was totally inedible, the cheapest burger that could have been bought, we both left them. The chilli had an overpowering smell of pepper which is fine as chilli should be hot except there was barely and mince and no flavour or depth at all Overall we were more than disappointed and sadly will not be returning.

Excellent value for money. Lovely home cooked meals.

Young lady behind the bar pleasant and helpful 5 ***

The Sunday roast was amazing and the beer hard to beat anywhere in Newark

Beautiful Sunday meal, freshly cooked meat and look s of vegetables. Fast service, no waiting for meals. Best to book table. Eating inside or out, no parking. They need to plAce disable down for access to garden area. Meals reasonable prices.

Cosy and one of the cheaper pubs in Newark, good food sold cheap

Excellent Sunday lunch highly recommend it

Great . many thanks for your warm welcome

Only here for the beer! Good selection of usuals, plus craft beer selection, they also do cocktails, promotions on various drinks, smart clean interior, bit of a modern ' trad mix, they have a function room to hire, beer garden, you can take your dog in if you want.

Nice little pub.good beer and the foods great for the price 👌👌👌

On entering the smell of cigarette smoke was so strong I honestly thought people were smoking inside. Bar staff yawned and spoke to others while serving me. Gave me my drink the crisps and then started on the guinness which had been ordered first. The pub felt grubby. Would not try eating here.

Gud food,gud hospitality,friendly.

Cheap and cheerful, free roast potatoes on the bar on a Sunday, generic real ale but at a very good price

Joe funny guy very good place am happy go

Ci siamo fermati per caso in questo pub sulla via principale! Purtroppo non accettano carte di credito/debito ma non abbiamo avuto nessun problema, ci hanno subito consigliato il bancomat più vicino! L'arrosto della domenica é veramente buonissimo!! Molto buona la salsa e la carne era tenerissima! Ci tornerei volentieri se fosse più vicino a casa!!

Good beer just remember no parking

Very good atmosphere. Can hire out events room for free.

Nice little pub.. Nice food.. Friendly staff

Great place. Food good. Very nice pint. Highly recommend

Lovely pub great food landlord and landlady and staff brilliant and cheep

Went for Sunday lunch didn't HV long to wait for our meal which was lvly and tasty friendly staff will be returning this Sunday with family to celebrate my birthday

Nice place for a party and a nice buffet also just nice for a drink

Cosy pub ,good atmosphere, and very reasonable food prices 👍

With a group of friends with booked Sunday lunch and had a great time at this traditional English pub. They serve real ale and a good range of other drinks at reasonable prices. Their Sunday lunch is the best we've had and is real home cooking and great value for money. Definitely be going back soon.

Very nice food n reasonably priced.

Slow, curt bar service, friendly regulars, nice function room and outside area if it's a nice day

cheap decent quality home cooked good .... great value for money

30 years ago this was a lovely well kept boozer - not anymore - not worth the walk from the town centre :(

Friendly staff,excellent prices on food and beer and Sunday dinners are the best in Newark.

I can't remember why we went there. Probably Morris dancing 😁

Excellent little pub... fabulous food and friendly atmosphere

We ordered the beef and there was none left When dinner arrived one had turkey and one was beef... Was a little heavy on the veg and we wasted lots even tho we ate loads

Best value for money in Newark. Food is fantastic

Amazing food family friendly pub and nice atmosphere

Cracking meal cheap meals freshly cooked not microwave as in most places including wetherspoons

Tried to book a table for a Saturday night whilst at Newark showground. Couldn't get through by phone given on website, so can't speak for food and nothing indicating they do food on website. When we passed by on the day, roadworks outside so maybe they we closed.

Having read the previous review I feel compelled to add my own review which completely contradicts the mans described experience. I have been using this bar since I moved to the area and more recently my friends have also started joining me more regularly ! All I can say is that joe and Sam are always friendly and remember our orders every time. They seem competent in managing large groups of people particularly on Sunday’s when they serve their Sunday lunch which is evidently one of the busier shifts. In relation to the food which is negatively described in the last review : what do people expect ? The malt shovel is not a pub charging £10+ per meal , it does not pretend to be fine dining. It really is what it is - extremely cheap food that is reasonable and you get more than you pay for. I’m not sure what people even expect these days. I don’t know anywhere where you get such decent value for money. I think this is a great traditional pub, with great hardworking bar staff , decent beer and decent food. Unless your a fine diner and want posh pubs then in my opinion I’d urge you to ignore the last terrible review. 5 star every time from me and the girls.

I am concerned to see certain reviews on here that anybody who visits the Old Malt Shovel will know holds little value to the truth. Of course, if you're after an expensive drink with pretentious food, staff with no charisma and a restaurant with no atmosphere it might be best to stick to these establishments instead of discrediting one of the very few traditional English pubs left! It's so difficult to find a pub that offers a wide selection of beer and ale as well as serving food that you require a large appetite for but in fact little cost. I have eaten here and the food has been plentiful and fresh- I certainly recommend Sunday lunch but you have to book ahead as half of Newark turn up for this! The beers prices are excellent value, the staff are very friendly and quick to serve. The landlord, albeit busy, manages the place very well and you can guarantee you won't be waiting long until you're served. My favourite thing above all else is the atmosphere this pub holds - everybody is friendly and even if you only go a couple of time you are welcomed with a smile. This place can very easily become your favourite local pub, it did for me.

good pub that's warm and welcoming

Excellent traditional pub. Good range of real ale. Good food at very low price

Good local pub, food great, very reasonable price

Very good food very cheap no parking

not probably the best Sunday roast in Newark, definitely the best roast in Newark

Best roast dinner we have ever had good service and pleasant people

Great value for money Xmas meal for our group. 3 courses for 12 pounds each. Good range of choices. Private room for party. No room hire fee.

I have never reviewed anywhere on here to date, but I felt compelled to following my experience here. I have to say that this is possibly the worst pub lunch I have ever had. My friends and I came here based on the reviews, and we were appalled to find what we did. A booking was made two weeks previous, but upon arrival they were not expecting us. This was greeted with a shrug by a clearly disinterested barman. Upon taking a seat we noticed the place was cold and gloomy, and they only had one tatty menu between the 6 of us. Our food was ordered, only to be told that there was only one steak and ale pie left after we had ordered 4. This was around 13:00 on a Saturday, when you’d expect them to have a reasonable level of stock left. We were also told there was only one steak left. When the food arrived, the burgers looked like something from a tin, the pie looked suspiciously like a reheated Pukka Pie, and some curry’s that were ordered were so hot we think that they’d poured a a whole tin of chill powder in to each dish. My steak was anaemic and bland, as were the chips which looked like they’d come out of a freezer. All in all this was a revolting experience, tempered only by the fact it was not expensive. I have no idea how this pub was rated on here at over 4 stars, other than to say that said venue has been making them up to improve their ratings. I normally bemoan the closing of any pub, but in this case, were this place to go under, I would call it a kindness. Zero from me.

Lovely dainty traditional pub serving at least three lagers and three real ales. A must stop on the way to Newark North Gate Station.

4 went for sunday Lunch, what a shock, great food , lots of veg, all very hot , ok wonts a bit of paint, but we came for food, the staff and Land lord was great, will all be calling again , great value, ,entry for wheel chairs was spot on. you must try your self,you wait a bit but all cooked fresh, all well done again. to the staff.

This is a very scruffy pub and is dark and cold. It looks dirty but this is most likely just its appearance. Drinks and food are very cheap. Their menu rarely changes which includes the specials board so it has a poor choice of food. We have not been for about a year and it still has the same menu and special board. Food is poor quality and not very good. Drinks are OK and low priced. If you are not bothered about the quality of food and just want a very cheap meal then this is the place to go. If however you want some good food in a pleasant environment then look elsewhere. We will not be returning.

I can't really add to the other good reviews for this gem of a traditional pub, other than to say that food was freshly cooked, excellent portions, exceptional value and a superb pint. Proof that an independent can easily out-do Wetherspoons by providing a value for money meal and beer. If pubs like this are not supported, the chains will take over and whack up their prices once they have the monopoly. The regular punters seemed well behaved without there being any of the foul mouthed drunks that Wetherspoons seems to attract.

Good all round food drink and friendly

Good food, a variety of good beers at reasonable prices and a welcoming atmosphere.

Good place for Sunday carvery, or reserving function room for surprise parties.

Decor best described as 'shabby chic' however makes up for lack of ambiance by excellent value for food and drinks. You need a big appetite to do justice to a proper Sunday lunch, plenty of potatoes and 3 small Yorkshire puddings plus vegetables and a jug of gravy and tasty beef too. Pleasant beer garden No car park, however park in Morrisons car park 2hours free.

Toilet smelly but drinks cheap and service great

Great local pub, brilliant value. Traditional pub. With traditional meals available @ great prices. All in all a cracking pub with decent function room available. ..

Excellent real food and real ale at reasonable prices

Sólo tenía el almuerzo de domingo un grupo de 14, y puedo decir honestamente que nos quedamos impresionados. La comida era fresca y caliente. Había 5 verduras para tener más asado con puré de patatas y, podrían reducir las patatas en el plato. Como alguien ha dicho anteriormente el exterior podría hacer pasar, pero no, no encontrará mejor relación calidad-precio.

Great food, good drinks . Quiet pub that hides qualities. Don't pass it by. You will be surprised at the quality of the food. No microwave ping here ! It's all fresh.

Regularmente comer aquí, lo han estado haciendo durante tres años. Hay poca variedad de cervezas que se cambian regularmente. La comida está muy bien de precio, y muy sabroso, elaborado por Mark, el propietario. Nunca he tenido el almuerzo de domingo aquí pero estoy confiablemente informó de que es muy buena y reserva una mesa en un domingo es aconsejado. .

Desde el exterior, este lugar parece muy desaliñada, y para ser honestos, cuando entras no es mucho mejor compensa para excelente ale y auténtica comida prepárate para esperar su comida porque es todo fresco.

La mejor comida de pub relación calidad-precio que he tenido en el REINO UNIDO, y he tenido unos pocos miles. Personal agradable y ambos Abad y Broadside. Sin duda volveremos.

Best value pub meal I've ever had in UK, and I've had a few thousand. Pleasant staff and both Abbot and Broadside. Will definitely return.

Had a few parties here, it's ok.

Clean and cosy inside, great function room and good buffet inc hot chips. All very reasonable prices.

Gd food,piping hot,plenty vegetables,gravy excellent, book in advance Sunday lunch very busy ,only Down side we sat in extension was very cold ,