Ranken Arms in Blackburn with Darwen

Great place to visit. Never before has 1 pub ever been able to plz me my wife and 2 kids when out for a meal. This place did. The food is fantastic 4 separate dishes was loved by us all . The service , the beer (gold) was unreal. 100% will visit again.

Brilliant food perfect staff fantastic atmosphere came for a 18th amd couldn't complain

Went with friends before Christmas for the afternoon tea. Outstanding selection.

My wife and I called in for lunch on a Friday having driven through the village on a number of occasions and noticed this cosy village pub. We decided to give a it try and we were not disappointed. Although we had not booked on this occasion the staff were most accommodating and offered us a choice of tables, however I would strongly advise booking as it soon became apparent how popular the pub is. Staff were most welcoming and amenable as well as smartly presented. Decor was delightful and tastefully decorated for the Christmas period, it has a very cosy and happy ambience. Extensive menu and spoilt for choice, on this occasion we chose a hearty option for such a wintry day the meat and onion plate pie with chips mushy peas and gravy. What an inspired choice! food arrive promptly, hot and well presented, generous portion size - good value for money. Having looked at the menu and having had such an enjoyable experience we made our mind up that despite this being our first ever visit we will soon be back to work our way through the appealing menu A truly charming pub in a wonderful village location. Would recommend a visit without hesitation!

Lovely authentic food in a cosy atmosphere

Myself and my boyfriend visited tonight and it was that bad that I’ve left and immediately thought I needed to write a review, it’s a good job our receipt asks for reviews on trip advisor. I’m not usually one to complain and most things I’m more than happy to see the good in however there wasn’t anything good about this visit. My boyfriend booked a table for 6pm and was told that it would be in the restaurant area however upon arrival at 5:55pm we went to the bar to order a drink however was told we were on table 14 and to go take a seat. This table was clearly in the bar area, everyone was drinking around us and we were sat on a high table. We sat down and there were no menus on the table, so we viewed the menu briefly online and nobody had come to take a drinks order. We went to the bar at around 6:10pm to order a drink and ask for some menus. We then decided what we wanted and a waitress came to clear tables next to us around 6:25pm but we were ignored. We then went to the bar at around 6:35pm to order our food however was told they’d come over of which the waitress did and said ‘Sorry, it’s because your sat in the corner out of the way’. I didn’t choose to sit out of the way, it’s where they had put us. The order of two starters and two mains was taken and we were looking forward to our food, because we have both eaten here several times before and know that the food and service is usually really good. Our starters arrived relatively quickly and the food looked good however we weren’t given any cutlery. We waited a few minutes before having to go back to the bar again to ask for some cutlery. The waitress came to the table and apologised stating that they ‘were mowed under’. I appreciate that it is around the festive period/new year however you shouldn’t take bookings if you cannot give a good quality service. Whilst waiting for our mains the owner/manager came over to offer us some free drinks of which we were grateful for and took up her offer and got two diet cokes she stated ‘sorry, staff have phoned in sick’. I understand that this must be frustrating as a business owner trying to make everyone’s dining experience great but it was just one thing after another and felt like multiple excuses from different members of staff. Our mains arrived, at this point nothing could’ve salvaged this experience the starters were good and mains were average at best. Surprisingly our plates were cleared in quick time and we were asked if we wanted desserts, all I wanted was the bill and to go home. The whole experience has just left us feeling like we wish we went elsewhere and would now make me reconsider ever coming back or at least not returning for a very long time. Being short staffed is no excuse for how bad the service and experience was. I doubt anyone will respond and I would’ve told staff as we were leaving but the two waitresses were more interested in chatting between themselves as we were paying.

Lovely family meal on boxing day. Highly recommend.

Christmas party sat 21st Dec , festive Platters are delicious and amazing quality , so tasty and great choice . Wendy /Nick and all staff work so hard to accommodate us and made us very welcome . Fantastic night with great entertainment and Company in a very friendly , happy environment. 🎄🎄🎄🎄

Thank you to Wendy, Nick and all staff at the Ranken , works Christmas party . Delicious food ( we had festive platters) all staff very happy and helpful , great atmosphere and entertainment

Booked for the festive afternoon tea and what a delight. We all loved this unique feast - from the batter coated pigs in blankets, cherry glazed stuffing balls, mini roast beef stuffed Yorkshire puddings etc, each dish was delicious. The staff were friendly and efficient. We loved it and will be back to sample some more of their menu.

Didn't mind the wait for the food as it was very busy. But the salmon was very dry as was the rest of the food

Thank you to all the staff at the Ranken. We had the best Christmas party. The food was outstanding with so much choice on the main menu as well as Christmas menu. The staff were helpful and even though we were in a large group the food was served efficiently and was hot. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed what they had ordered. The live entertainment was great. See you next Christmas 🎄

Staff friendly and food very good. They are also dog friendly

Went for a sharer lunch tapas, absolutely loved it. Even though pretty much a deconstructed Christmas dinner, food was delicious.

Lovely food, lovely atmosphere. Would recommend booking as it got very busy. Dog friendly

Roast beef dinner was kind of amazing! Great place in general, lovely staff.

Hi there the three of us have been here three times,birthdays,in the last three months. Everything drinks ,meals,service,surroundings cannot be faulted. Will return in new year, may even bring our little labrador for a drink before then. Excellent cheers Graham, Lorraine and Sian

Fantastic experience. The staff were extremely polite and efficient.

Amazing best Sunday tea iv had in years will defo return x 4 of us had mains and drinks for 65 quid and was well worth every penny x

The food here is always excellent! You can't beat a Ranken roast....and I'm vegetarian!

Came here yesterday for lunch with my friend, we had planned to go blackburn but rovers were playing for we thought we would come here as the Google reviews were good. The food was really nice I love the homemade chips it's so rare to find a place that doesn't use frozen chips these days. The biscoff cheese cake was amazing. All the staff were extremely friendly and polite. The Halloween decorations were brilliant aswell great effort made. Will definitely be back

Sunday birthday lunch with family was super. We had a great table for 6 & service & meal/choice was top notch. The roast chicken dinner was superb. Extra gravy/Gf oprions no problem.

Great food, amazing service & a lovely atmosphere. We had two roast dinners & a lasagne, perfect portion sizes & absolutely delicious. The chocolate fridge cake is to die for! Best place to eat in Lancashire, absolutely amazing will definitely return again & again.

Consistently good product, cooking and service.

Totally blown away by the friendly service , the beautiful decor of the pub & the fabulous food. You will not be disappointed

The roast dinner was delicious. Kids menu is ok but a bit pricey. The chocolate cake was ok but like what I would pick up at the supermarket.

Great experience, felt very safe.. Well organised, and really friendly staff. The food as always was excellent, and we can't wait to be back👏👏👌🍲🍲

Great food, great service, very friendly and very clean, we hadn't booked a table, but they still managed to fit us in, would recommend booking especially on a weekend, would highly recommend to anyone.

First visit to this pub, fancied a change from our local Bromley Cross pubs, was not disappointed! Food was great home cooked traditional pub grub! Will be back!

Went to watch meatloaf tribute with friends which was excellent. The only downside was an hours wait between starters n mains. My friend spoke to the manager who asked him several times if he had had his starter which he replied with yes and she asked him again so he said yes I have just told you that. To this she replied no need to be rude and walked away from him. Which is bed management/ customer service in my opinion. We eventually received our meal which was lovely but we didn’t get offered dessert menu.

What a wonderful lunch, staff amazing and the food was perfect. Thank you to all the staff for a brilliant lunch service

Meal & entertainment. What a brilliant night. Food delicious, staff lovely, entertainment superb & great atmosphere

Lovely Sunday roast highly recommended this pub for food

Spot on place, served by the amazing Jess whose enthusiasm and professionalism is an absolute credit to the Rankin . Food perfectly cooked you can tell chef and staff all female as food perfect . Will come again

Delicious food and drinks. Relaxed atmosphere with lovely background music. Service really good too. Both the roast beef and chicken roast dinners were amazing, the beef just fell apart, hubby had the cheese and onion pie, also lush!

Great place, great food, amazing staff if I could give it a 10 out of 10 I would.

The staff were friendly & the food was lovely (I had a roast beef stottie which came with proper chips & salad ) it was divine

Absolutely brilliant place for food, beers and great atmosphere

Quality food at a reasonable price. Main meals from £10 to around £15 I will stop again when passing, and I'm really fussy !

A great pub and restaurant with dare I say the best been garden in Darwen & Hoddlesden... This place is perfect on a summers day for a pint and some food, we've eaten here a few times not and the food is lovely. Parking can be tricky when its busy though but we usually find a space on one of the side streets.

The food looked great but we didn't eat. Great service and staff are lovely.

Lovely local pub serving delicious food.

Lovely food and friendly staff :)

Best Pub in the area - fabulous food, friendly team, excellent atmosphere 👌

Popped in to the Ranken Arms for the first time this lunchtime. Great feel about the place, friendly staff who showed us to a table (advisable to make a reservation). We both went for the rag pudding, chips and peas (£13.95). Served in a timely fashion, whereupon having seen the chips (looked amazing) we order an extra portion. We weren’t disappointed, the whole meal was outstanding but, the chips, the best chips I’ve ever had!! We will definitely be returning.

Excellent food, attentive, efficient service and well kept cask ales. Well worth trying anew as it seems to be on the up-and-up again under new management.

We where told about this pub just 10min before we arrived, were shown to a table, every where was very clean and laid out it was fairly busy. We looked at the menu and decided on the rag pudding X2 (mince beef in suet, with gravy, mushy peas and chips. Did not wait long and we tucked in this was tasty and an excellent choice only left 1 chip. For dessert we had apple crumble with custard sharing again and excellent choice. Total price with drinks£41.85

Visit for lunch with family while in the area on the walk. The food was good and so was the service ... a little busy as there was a function, funeral I think. Will come back another time.

Had birthday lunch today. The best roast beef ever, perfect vegetables and lovely staff. Topped off by a surprise birthday cake.

The best beef Sunday dinner ever!! Sticky toffee pudding was out of this world delicious. We cannot wait to come on a weekly basis for a well deserved treat and for pub quiz.

Visited lots of times over the past couple of years. Great food and friendly atmosphere. Booked again, for Father's 80th Birthday on Saturday 6th June. Looking forward to it. In our opinion, the best food in and around the Blackburn/Darwen area.

Food was OK, prices are very high for what you get, drinks are also very expensive. Had to sit outside as restaurant was full, but still had to pay same menu prices despite not getting same service. Lively pub though, plenty of outside seating, very clean and with a canopy.

First time eating at The Ranken our food was absolutely amazing, staff we’re extremely friendly and welcoming, even our dog enjoyed his Doggy Meal, highly recommended and definitely be visiting again l.

Took my elderly mum to the ranken Spot on 👌 large portions Food piping hot Proper chips Real Sunday dinner gravy Smashing beer garden Family friendly Reasonable price Staff could not do enough It was a perfect experience We are returning soon Please 🙏 tell me the brand of your wallpaper in the ladies ?? It’s beautiful

The Ranken Arms never disappoints, always welcoming friendly staff and great food. Lovely beer garden to the rear too always best to book to avoid disappointment although they do try and accommodate walk ins

Service was absolutely terrible. I’ve never sat for so long with an empty glass in a pub! Everything on my plate (roast beef dinner) was overcooked. We’ve had really nice meals here before so it was a hugely disappointing experience.

Good pub food that never disappoints. Served with a smile in a nice atmosphere. They always put a good tribute act on Saturday nights which we've seen quite a few including Freddie Mercury, Abba, Gary Barlow and many others, and their always good acts too!

A lovely country pub in the heart of Hoddesdon nr. Darwen, Blackburn. The outside area to the rear is great, lots of seating, some undercover, some in the sun. Great menu, I definitely recommend the Margarita pizza 🍕 lovely decor inside as well. Friendly staff, will definitely be calling again.

Had a beautiful lunch yesterday with my daughter. Great Food Lovely Pub .Excellent Staff x

Great little village pub, great service and friendly staff, clean with a nice ambience

Good food,excellent service from friendly staff. Can recommend.

Excellent service 👏 have booked to go again with friends

A great local pub in the heart of Hoddlesden village, with community centred events across the entire year. Homemade food , the Cheese Pie is a particular favourite, but catering for both vegetarian and vegan diets and gluten free. Very much a dog friendly location. Beautiful beer garden with undercover outside dining area. Running quiz nights on every other Thursday and Live Entertainment on weekends.

The food was excellent, as was the service and hospitality. We hadn't booked, but they got us a table and were very attentive. Thank you for a memorable lunch. 💛

My first, of what I hope will be many visits. Delicious food - the Biscoffe cheesecake is to die for - lovely welcoming staff, and friendly atmosphere.

Didn't actually eat there but a nice pint. Friendly, comfortable atmosphere.

Went there for my birthday dinner with my husband. Very busy place, but service was excellent. Food 1st class, staff very friendly. Booking in advance advised. Great for couples, families etc.

Good home made food at reasonable price. Very busy on the Sunday l visited. Book to ensure to get a table. Visited week day, still busy would advise to book. The meat and onion pie is excellent, served with homemade chips.

This pub is very nice inside with regards to the decor. We celebrated my nephew's birthday and the food was excellent.

Last minute decision to go for lunch with granddaughter, we were seated straight away. Service and food fantastic would highly recommend

Fantastic pub, friendly staff, great atmosphere. One of the best pubs in darwen

Finally managed to go to The Ranken Arms a few weeks ago for a long overdue meal with the other half who recommended it. I have to say we weren’t disappointed! Even though it was extremely busy we were shown to our table straight away and our drinks order was taken. The service was excellent, the staff efficient, friendly, organised and professional. The food was even better with absolutely superb mains and desserts at a very reasonable price. The atmosphere and “feel” of the place is very welcoming and we will certainly be returning soon. Highly recommended.

Good value, reasonably priced, a little cramped if there is an artist on but on the whole quite nice.

Yet another lovely, local pub/eatery that we've sampled for the first time 😊

First visit as new to the area,really impressed food was excellent,lovely friendly staff and the good atmosphere,will be our new local.Chicken balti was lovely.

We went for the first time on Sunday. You will need to book as its very busy. The food was amazing, my partner got roast beef dinner (he's a butcher and rated it 10/10, the beef just fell apart). I had meat and onion pie, its the best pie I've ever had.. the chips looked and tasted home cooked and were really nice, we definitely will be going back. It is dog friendly, in a lovely beautiful location, has an outdoor area. The staff were amazing, polite and friendly. Was of very high standards. Its not expensive at all. I would of loved a pudding but was too full, honestly looked at other people's and they looked delicious. You couldn't get anywhere better. The atmosphere was lovely too.

went here with the family and dog on Sunday 5th may..nice place friendly staff and really nice food would definitely visit again

Food was excellent the atmosphere was lovely quite gull for dinner time

Absolutely top class food and hospitality would highly recommend

Great food , great staff ,very busy ,lovely garden area will be a must in the sunshine 🌞

Good pub grub, with fantastic live music and tribute bands, plus the best customer service and atmosphere

The Best Pub around....Great food, atmosphere and friendly team.

Came for a family meal tonight and the food was fab and everyone left full and with smiles on faces. but the thing that made the meal was the staff, everyone was absolutely perfect and couldn't do enough for us and with a smile, they are an absolute credit. Thankyou very much for making our evening☺️☺️

The visit was, unfortunately, a funeral but the welcome, and the buffet was 100%

Called here on a lunchtime for a drink while in the area. A lovely village pub, well decorated and very comfortable. Staff are all very friendly and welcoming. A real credit. Highly recommend. Would call here again.

Didnt eat here and quickly walked out, rude greeting when we both arrived for lunch and they said are full, yet the place was empty with reservation signs on. We could have ate and gone. Glad we found somewhere else

To quality food and decent sized portions.

Our Friends have moved to Darwen recently and when we went to see them Easter Sunday they suggested going out for Sunday Lunch They booked a table for 2.30pm which was a good thing because when we arrived the place was heaving we were shown to out table and given the Menus 3 people ordered the Roast Beef Sunday Lunch and i had the homemade Rag Pudding with PROPER Chips(best chips i have had in a long time) washed down with 2 pints of Bitter and a Millonaires Sundae ☺ Very Very Nice Best Sunday Lunch out i have had for a long time

Great to see a ‘proper pub’ thriving. Visited for afternoon food and drinks with friends. Very friendly service, fantastic and plentiful food at reasonable prices. Lots of evening entertainment on offer over the month. Great atmosphere.

Very nice local pub with a great atmosphere. The food was excellent. The staff couldn't do enough for you. Highly recommended.

THE best food and atmosphere you’ll ever find. 100% effort has been put in to this pub with fantastic food. The best roast dinner I’ve had. Never had a bad meal

Pub Ristorante molto frequentato, personale gentilissimo e servizio ottimo. Locale caratteristico con menù vario. Ottimi il roast beef, la pizza e le lasagne. Consigliato.

First time going and wow it was amazing - fantastic home cooked food, fantastic atmosphere and the service was up there with the best. Nic, who served us all night was amazing such a lovely young confident man. Keep up the good work team Ranken. Amanda :-)

Had a fabulous meal and a great night. The pub is lovely and welcoming. We had to book a table as it gets very busy. Great menu and really good food. Would definately re-visit.

Lovely food, great atmosphere, fab service from Nick, would definitely recommend

The pub is beautiful. The service was excellent and the food was delicious. Highly recommended.

Excellent food and service is always great,value for money and it is my go to place when I want to eat out.

The food at the Ranken Arms is delicious. Lovely. Pretty well priced. The staff are great, attentive and efficient. The pub itself is pretty nice (apart from the fake fire tv - but no big deal). It’s great. Go there. Eat. Overall excellent. Yet we get sat next to a family of disturbingly loud chavs. I mean I can’t hold the place to account for that. But it ruins the meal. We ate o main courses and left in a hurry. Go. Eat enjoy. Just take your Bose headphones to drown out the T*ts-and-Teeth Darwen chav mums, the steroid abusing dads with slim fit joggers half way up their shins, and their feral children with names like Sasha and Arianna being screamed endlessly as they had the run of the place - but only when mums looked up from their mobiles. The only thing that kept the kids under control were the tablets with various cartoons at full volume. I ended with sympathy for the dads as the banshees screeched with an as yet unrecorded ferocity and I didn’t blame the ginger curly top for locking himself in a cubicle in an otherwise empty toilet. Found it strange he didn’t wash his hands, but he was VERY excited to see people afterwards. But the food is lovely. Wish I could give it 5 stars.

Food excellent, but service very slow, not enough staff as pub was packed. Ordered 2 lattes we sat there and we sat there eventually had to ask about them, they'd forgotten. When we eventually got them they were only warm not nice.

Great pub in a lovely village. Food was top notch and the staff were really friendly. Hope to come back soon next time I'm in the area. Dog friendly too.