Restaurant Bar 1650 in Bassetlaw

Food was delicious but we both feel that it could have been hotter when it was served. The waiting staff were very efficient.

We visited here for a vintage afternoon tea. We have previously visited the hotel on different occasions for drinks & a spa day so had high hopes for a traditional afternoon tea in a lovely old building. It was mid week so we weren’t expecting a huge crowd but that wasn’t a problem. We arrived mid afternoon & promptly shown to the dining area. We were sat for @ 5 minutes then asked if we required a drink , we ordered the tea , it arrived in a nice pot & the cups & saucers were quirky vintage style so we liked that. However after a few minutes of letting the tea settle , we poured & tasted …. It was like hot water , no flavour whatsoever…. We tried another sip but both agreed that it was undrinkable. While waiting for the afternoon tea we told the lady it wasn’t to our taste & she apologised & we said we would try the coffee, which unfortunately was no better. Not to be disheartened by the fact that the tea is the one main element of an afternoon tea & they hadn’t got that right we awaited the afternoon tea. Now the set up is pretty but perhaps as this was a birthday gift it would have been nice to have a little menu card to see what we were expecting to arrive. We didn’t want to rush the experience but we thought we waited a bit long in a cool & not the most atmospheric environment, an old hotel with some music in the near bar. let’s get to the afternoon tea - the modern Twist uptake on pre pastries pleasant but no idea what they were The sandwiches well not traditional finger style & the cheese was grated like at a child birthday party - the ham was thin & processed- the egg was warm and all served on some floppy bread - which looked like mass catering rolls , only using the bottom part. We are in an area that produces lovely foods yet this was all poor quality products The scones were nice , the jam came in a small jar ! Really would not of taken much effort to put in a glass dish to look more appealing The cakes were ok but obviously the cream was warm as they had been standing around. Having had numerous afternoon teas in different styles & locations this was the most disappointing of them all. A cost of £50 for 2 adults, it was half an hour we spent in the hotel & couldn’t wait to leave The lady who served us was polite & helpful enough so not blaming her. Just wouldn’t recommend at all for afternoon tea if you can’t get the pot of tea right you aren’t on the right path !

Not sure of outside dining here called on Saturday with Family and our little dog we checked before visiting that the sides are still on the outside dining area When we arrived sides on , but entrance area open , so we put the sides down and tried putting the heaters on First to be told we can’t have the entrance area sides down so like sitting in a wind tunnel in not to polite manor then that the heater did not work when we had been before this was not a problem So if you want to take your little dog go to another place we will not visit again to sit outside it’s a pity because the food is very good a generally service excellent once inside must say service was once again very good but the outside service could have been more polite So if you want to eat inside not a problem but if you need to sit outside wait till summer go to a dog friendly place

Great for Sunday lunch visited a number of times over the past couple of months also been about 4 times for lunch in the week the halibut is bloomin fantastic we could do with a dog friendly area for lunch so we can ring along our little dog keep up the great food and service

A nice intimate restaurant set in this delightful hotel. We’ve never yet had a bad meal,the staff are always on hand,and to be fair the prices are reasonable for what you get.

Had a lovely lunch with my aunts and uncles. Lovely food, discrete but attentive service. Superb value for money. Empty plates all round. We had a brilliant time

Decided to book an impromptu 3-course meal for myself and my mother and we loved every second of it. Started with bread, butter and dipping oil before being served the amuse-bouches, starters, mains, and finally desserts. All of which were impeccably presented and tasted wonderful. Very pleased with the meal and we will definitely be dining there more often!

Lucky for us we've ended up eating here several times in the past few weeks and every time it is spot on. Laid back casual dining with an upmarket menu and exciting dishes. We always find something different to try and each time it doesn't disappoint. The standard of cooking is simply superb every time, every course. This is backed up by very good service which is professional but relaxed. We will keep coming back while these standards are maintained as it always offers a great experience!

Delicious well presented food and very attentive service would highly recommend. We had a good table near the window for 2 the room was spacious so you are not sitting on top of everyone else. Nothing was too much trouble and there was always someone nearby should you need something.

We have eaten here many times, the sunday lunch is superb you are not rushed and can eat at 3:00pm. The bar and restaurant menu is always up to date and serves fresh local ingredients from excellent local butchers. From "pub fish and Chips" to fillet steak it is always good.....

Have been here many times over the years (including a private dining affair for the family who couldn't make our wedding abroad). Always delivers fantastic food and imaginative menus expertly executed. Service always impeccable. One of our all round favourite places to eat whether a bar dinner or something more upscale they are always consistent!

I was particularly impressed with the staff. They all seem friendly and helpful. The hotel itself has character unlike so many other hotels. My s son had his wedding service and reception at the hotel some years ago and it couldn't be faulted then. I'm glad that the standards are just as good today.

I visit here regularly as it's convenient but also worthy of a special occasion. Staff are fabulous, food always on point. A great place to eat & not over priced like some hotel restaurants can be.

This restaurant is extra special with service and food and drinks second to none. We had a lovely meal served by very efficient staff with a great choice of food from the vast menu with a good wines at reasonable prices. This restaurant is a treat to visit you will be well looked after.

Popped in in the early afternoon to find we were too late for the lunch menu but told we could order from the all day/ bar menu. We opted for the fish platter as had previously enjoyed this. Sadly content of the platter as well as the quality has changed for the worse. Smoked salmon was topped with chili prawns so that none of the flavours could be made out from each other. Capers were straight out of a jar with brine and all, toast burnt and butter hard and straight from the fridge. Portion barely a starter size at the near enough the price of 2 mains. Sorry to give only 2 stars and these would be for front of house staff and surroundings. Better quality and value nearby so doubt we'll return for food in the near future.

What an excellent eventing. Took mother for her birthday dinner and was most impressed. Lovely food, well presented and good service. Lovely location. Great evening

We chose Ye Olde Bell at the recommendation of my uncle who lives close by, and because it is a good half way location for 8 members of the family who live on opposite sides of the country. Sadly, as it turned out - my uncle was unwell and so not able to join us.However, I can say without any heistation that all 8 members of our party truly enjoyed every moment of our visit here: Organising the event with Lydia was a dream: She answered all questions without hesitation, responded rapidly and followed up all email enquiries - was extremely helpful with her advice and ensured that all of my requirements were met - superb coordination;Birthday balloons and sprinkles were just right - not overbearing; I asked for a birthday cake - I was asked whether my father had any favourite colours or was there a theme I would like? I said that my father likes gardening and as a result Adele produced the most delicious - and inspired - cake on garden theme! throughout the mean Cathy looked after our family - she was courteous, friendly, fun - just the perfect host.

We wanted to host a small wedding reception for 12 people at a really nice restaurant. we contacted the Ye Olde Bell with only 3 weeks notice. they provided a private room off one of their restaurants for us. It was lovely. The service was impecable, the food was top grade. The bride had wheat and dairy allergies and they provided a full selection of 3 courses to accomodate this.We have since been as a couple for a birthday. Although there was a large conference group taking over most of the bar, we still recieved prompt and impecable service.

Recently visited twice, once with wife for dinner and again with kids for lunch, great new menu, quality food and great service this restaurant is the best for miles around...I would highly recommend for any occasion..

Amazing. Not a huge amount of choice on the menu, but something to suit everybody. Food is excellent, beautifully cooked and a credit to the chef. Their scallops are a delight, and the pork belly so tender. Well worth a visit if you are in the area.

We dined in the Bar 1650 restaurant on friday night. As we are regulars to this Retaurant we can only say that the meal was as excellent as it always it! the quality of the food is unbeatable anywhere else in our opinion and this is due to the hotel having such talented chefs. I had the prawn cocktail which was full to the rim with the larger king prawn placed on top this is so lovely My husband had the smoked salmon with goat cheese, he loved it the flavours together. Main was beef strogonoff which was so tasty, and my husband had duck which also was cooked to a high standard. Dessert was tiramisu which was delicious and cheese & biscuits with a plentiful selection.We can recomend the Cote Du Rhone wine, to complement all the food.There is a fantastic selection of good quality foods on an extensive menu.We will be back soon,and if anyone has not tried this restaurant, please do.

Everything you would expect from a first class hotel. You only have to drive past & see the full car park to see that this is a very popular venue.

We dined here on a Saturday evening. I had King scallops followed by halibut. My husband had King prawn cocktail followed by fish and chips. Everything was cooked very well. The halibut was outstanding. We didn't order dessert as we were both full. We did have to ask a couple of times for a glass of wine and I was initially seated with bright sunshine shining straight into my eyes but we moved tables which solved that. All in all a pleasurable experience.

Visited for the first time Sunday 28th Feb . Sat in the bar hoping to get a Sunday dinner. We are not big eaters due to medical problems but the waitress informed us that you could only have the three course lunch instead of one course which we only wanted. We settled for a bar meal instead. Later having coffee in the lounge type area we were informed by another waitress that we could have had one course. Obviously staff not aware of what's on offer. We had travelled a considerable distance for the visit so not happy with the response. Will not bother again

We dined here at the invitation of a group of friends and clients who were staying at the hotel - we had a table of ten. Pre dinner drinks in the bar in front of a roaring fire - in a nice relaxed but extremely well furnished room, started off the evening very well.We ate in the main dining room - nicely lit and well designed. It is especially pleasing to have a round table when you are in a larger party so the conversation flows so another plus for the venue.I had ordered salmon for my starter - which was delicious,fresh and very well presented. My main course was beef stroganoff which had been recommended by the waitress. I had requested that my dish was served with dauphinoise potatoes - as they are a firm favourite of mine - and this was not a problem at all for the chef. Both were absolutely delicious. Others around the table had various choices and I must say all without exception gave their meals an excellent review. Steaks I feel can be extremely difficult to get right - and my husband reported his as being excellent. He had the French Onion Soup off the specials board. He remarked that it was excellent - but he would have enjoyed it more - if it had been served French Style with a cheese crouton.A wine expert was dining with us and pronounced the wine menu excellent.Food Service was good - however I felt our drinks/wine service could have been a little more attentive at the table - and our host had to ask to order more wine - rather than the waiter asking us. Our water was not replenished. One guest was not drinking wine and I felt that the staff should have perhaps asked if they required any alternative drinks.Other than that - a really enjoyable meal in lovely surroundings. I would definitely recommend.

we have eaten here twice i have had the sirloin steak both times, second time you think will it be as good let me tell you it was. the staff are very good at their job and are always polite. it is one of the first places we would take any of our friends in the future.

We called on spec, having not been able to get in elsewhere. We were welcomed and quickly sat at a window table. The service was excellent, drinks quickly ordered and delivered menus placed on the table. I ordered a starter my wife didn't which was fine, we both ordered mains.. My starter was the scallops they were great, if I was being picky they were a tad over cooked but still good.. Mains was cod for me and beef stroganoff for my wife.. Both were great well cooked, perhaps a little under seasoned but good. The atmosphere felt a little cold, perhaps that's the difference between a pub and a hotel. Would I recommend yes, will we be back yes.. Could it be better probably..

called in for a table of 2 not booked in but was welcomed, sat and had pre drinks and ordered our meals my looked fantastic pork fillet, sage mash and curly kale unfortunately my pork fillet was well over cooked my partner had fillet of beef stroganoff which she said was great just disappointed as it looked amazing will give it one more go as it may have been a one off as everything else was great

Restaurant well laid out & welcoming. Staff very friendly & food excellent. Nothing is ever too much trouble.

When your traveling through small villages you never really know what the local eateries will be like especially in pubs/ hotels. This was a really nice surprise - went for dinner and the food was very tasty, just the right portion size and we had good wine to match and really friendly service. It was good value for money and would definitely come again if in the area.

Good service good food helpful staff nice decor.would visit again. Excellent choice of food and wine

We had a lunch here recently and found it to be very pleasant inside with helpful and friendly service.The food was good if a little unimaginative. Well worth a visit if you are passing.

I visited 'Ye Olde Bell Hotel' to attend a private event, the first time I have ever been, so was quite looking forward to it.I'd read the good reviews both for the hotel accommodation and restaurant in advance on here.It was quite easy to find with the sat nav and plenty of parking with an over spill car park at the rear.First impressions were very good though as a none smoker I do not like having to pass a smoking area patio in order to get to the main entrance.The hotel seemed busy with other functions on and the reception albeit small was staffed by one receptionist only.I got directions to the event but turned out that I was walking in to someone else's function not the one I was actually there for.. A re-direction took me to a function room set for a wedding today (Sat 18.7.15) from which was access to a smaller ante room, where our function was being held.The hotel appears really well maintained, public areas are very clean and the theme and amass of artefacts which adorn most surfaces around the hotel add a touch of the homely and interesting feel to the place.The bar was quite busy even though there were several staff on duty, but once served by a very friendly and smiling young man we gathered to review the menus and choose our selection for after our event had finished.Rest rooms were very clean and attended to.The restaurant menu is quite impressive, balanced and well thought out by a brigade who clearly like to offer variety and choice. Reasonably priced there is something for everyone and the surroundings again are impeccable, attention to detail in this department is evident from the outset.From order to food arrival, at tentative staff in what was still a busy restaurant was above and beyond expectation.Food arrived and again surpassed our expectations. I first ate with my eyes, it was a work of art on a plate, fantastically presented, hot and the first mouthful didn't disappoint. Each of us had different dishes and everyone was more than happy with their choice. Good portion sizes, a tasteful well cooked and served meal.There was not one thing in the bar or restaurant that could be faulted. Try as I may to find an area for improvement there were none.This restaurant and bar are certainly going to impress the most disconcerting diners and you won't be disappointed.What a pleasure to enjoy a lovely atmosphere, a busy food service without loosing that personal touch and attention and quality remains at the heart of the dishes the kitchen produce and staff serve.An absolute gem, worth a drive out to Barnaby Moor - thank you to the management and staff for a great hospitable evening .Highly Recommended

At here whilst stopping over at the hotel for a night. Food was very good quality and nicely presented. The staff were very friendly.

We arrived having not been here for several years. The ambience is lovely and decor appropriate for the building. Six of us met up for a meal which had been previously booked. The bar was busy , more stools might have been good but the atmosphere was very pleasant. Our food order was taken there and we were shown through to the restaurant when all was ready. This journey led to the waiter mixing up all the drinks and not being able to identify what was what and whose. Hence a reorder.The soup and squid were excellent, the scallops at £9 were literally overly swimming in a liquid which was allegedly a celeriac puree - a disappointment. Otherwise things were ok. For mains three of us had pies -two chicken ham and leek and one steak and ale. Sauce thickening was absent leaving a very runny filling, the taste was good. The pork main was not all that it purported to be. Very little belly pork and crackling - the pork fillet was difficult to cut with the normal knife provided. The accompanying sauces appeared to be the same for the pork as the chicken pie and steak pie. The portion sizes were very reasonable. Service became a little iffy towards the end and no one was in attendance when bill settlement time arrived. It was clear we were done -no one was eating and all drinks finished. Overall I would say that they are not entirely delivering what the building appears to promise as it is a wonderful venue. No rush to go back but we may return as locals as a couple to see if this was a one off

If looking for a great meal outside of London in a lovely setting this is the place. This is the first review I ever written but I do so because me and my Dad had a fantastic meal together. We often like trying new places and when he's on work meet up 'half way' somewhere in the country. We're both busy people and the experience was exceptionally relaxing and enjoyable. Overall a great team of staff looked after us, the setting was lovely, everything was very clean (facilities) and we had great food. The menu has loads of options for the health conscious too. Overall 10 out of 10. Couldn't do much better really!

cost was quite high compared to other venues in the area. the service is good and the staff are very professional.

The food is delicious, the setting is beautiful and the service is super. A lovely place to stay with high quality service throughout

Went with friends to celebrate a birthday and wasn't disappointed. From beginning to end the meal and service was excellent. The waiter and staff were pleasant and knowledgeable about the menu and wine list which was an added bonus as the food was a dream. For food and service of this quality we felt it was value for money and would highly recommend it.

The location is lovely. Nice old coaching in. The staff were very friendly and the atmosphere was pleasant. However the service was very slow and the food wasn't up to the same standard as the surroundings which was a little disappointing.

Visited last night as a treat from a dear friend with my father and wife. We had some very nice food. Mains were the best with some excellently cooked medallion beef and sea bass. My guinea fowl would have been perfect with a crispy skin and my father enjoyed his pork. Service was very friendly and we were simply served with patience that allowed a leisurely very pleasant evening ably assisted with a couple of bottles of an excellent Sancerre. The lady welcoming and serving was particularly warm and helpful. Thoroughly enjoyed the meal and atmosphere.

I met two friends for afternoon tea here not long before Xmas. It was a very generous tea. Plenty of sandwiches, a good selection of cakes and as much tea as we could drink. The surroundings were cosy and we were there for a good three hours but no-one suggested we had overstayed our welcome. We would all go again and i would recommend it to other friends.

Had a fabulous afternoon tea this week here don't think I've ever had a better one.beautifully presented lovely staff.plenty of sandwiches an array of yummy cakes and as much tea you could drink.we will definatley be back

I absolutely LOVE this place, I'm not a rich man, but I do like to do rich man things... So if you want a fabulous meal, with excellent service, this place is for you... DO NOT be one of those idiots that turns up in jeans and a T-shirt though. It is NOT a Toby Carvery!!! Put some effort in, wear a shirt and dinner jacket and you'll get the respect and best service from the waitors and waitresses. The food is fantastic, very small portions, but it is very high quality, great presentation etc, the service is very, very professional and what you would expect from a 5* restaurant. (no spotty, ignorant teenagers with no qualifications or measurable people skills and nothing else to do in life)I highly recommend paying a visit... Just take your credit card ;)

We just visited as a birthday treat for a friend. It;s a place I have always wanted to visit but never managed. But it was worth the wait....We were greeted pleasantly by the very pleasant staff. We had a drink & were shown through to our table. The room was pleasant with a nice warm feel to it. And we could smell the lovely open fire from the outer room. A good startOur orders were taken & drinks served & in no time our starters arrived. Presentation was superb for all six covers & they all tasted as good as they looked. Our waitress looked after us very well & before we new it our mains arrived. Once again, a visual treat & a palatable delightI could go on & on but the best compliment I can pay is this, we all agreed to return in the very near futureStunning

I had dinner there with a girlfriend recently.There seemed to be a lack of staff,we waited almost 15 min to order a drink.The food was poor to say the least,very bland and unoriginal.The short evening just for drinks and a main course cost us £63.80,I feel ashamed that I didn't complain at the time.

We booked to eat lunch here for my Aunt's 90th birthday because of its location, good reviews and our previous experience 18 months ago - it did not disappoint. The staff were welcoming, friendly, attentive and entertaining which made the reception enjoyable. there was no rush to get us to the table and it was a very relaxed pre-lunch experience.The hotel had arranged for us to have a lovely table and had dressed it with the decorations that we had provided. The food was presented beautifully and was exquisite. The service was attentive but not intrusive. Aunty had a lovely time opening her presents and thoroughly enjoyed it.Unfortunately, Aunty became ill, but the hotel staff responded quickly and appropriately to assist us.Uncle has asked us to book the same restaurant for his 90th birthday!

My partner and I decided to try ye Olde Bell on Saturday evening. We were met with a rather large portion for a starter, followed by the best steak and ale pie tasted. The gravy was so rich and packed with flavour and the pastry cooked to perfection along with such succulent meat. The staff are always so friendly and on hand to help you. We now visit regularly with family members for special occasions and are planning a visit in the not to distant future again, for the two of us.

After a rather disappointing experience a few months ago, we decided to give Ye Olde Bell another chance as we've always enjoyed it in the past. We found them absolutely back to their best. Both food and service were faultless.The service was attentive and efficient without being over fussy. The food was beautifully presented and perfectly. My Thai fishcakes were crisp on the outside and hot with a lovely chilli dressing. My husband chose curried parsnip soup, which he reported was delicious. We both enjoyed a creamy mushroom and spinach risotto, for our main. Our desserts entirely lived up to expectation.This establishment is clearly back to it's best again. Yes, it is a bit of a treat but we'll be back!

The food and service were excellent. The service was friendly and helpful without being in your face. The food is the best I have had in a long time and the wine list is not extensive or that expensive but has a good choice of very good quality wines. We will certainly be back.

After having 2 disastrously bad meals here in the last few years and vowing not to come back we actually returned with some friends for a meal. The restaurant has been updated, the staff were friendly and professional and the food was incomparable compared to the awful meals here before. The chef must have changed!. We enjoyed all 3 courses - scallops, sea bass, steak all cooked well although I would say the coffee creme brulee needs to be a little sweeter. An enjoyable evening and we will come back again.

Visited 3rd august for a few days for anniversary, and were very impressed with decor and gardens. Our room was Victoria suite which was lovely cosy period room with Victorian style deep bath, very good for long soak. Meals very well presented with friendly staff who were more than happy to help in any way. Hubby had shoulder of lamb which just fell apart, and I had sea bream which came out filleted (have fear of bones) with a scrummy caper sauce. Very enjoyable. Thoroughly enjoyed our stay, and would definitely visit again.

Went to Ye Old Bell to celebrate silver wedding with 20 family members including children, on Sunday 13th July. We had a lovely time, the food was great, service very attentive and efficient, nothing was too much trouble for the staff. The table was laid out beautifully and we were all on one huge table instead of being seated at different tables.After lunch we all went out into the beer garden, a lovely area and there was a small play area for children and so left adults to relax. There is an open air bar in the beer garden which was good because you don't have to go through the hotel for drinks. The restaurant came as a recommendation to me and I will certainly recommend it in the future.All in all a lovely place to have meal, celebration or function, we will certainly go back.

We were a party of 4 wishing to dine early on Sunday evening, Ye Olde Bell was local and had a varied reputation. Upon arrival we could not find anyone to serve us in the bar/restaurant. Eventually a person appeared in the bar and took an order for drinks, we were informed that the restaurant was closed but food could be served in the bar/bistro.A young waiter was called who took us to a table and then explained the menu. The food, starter main course and desert were all very good and enjoyed by all, and after a poor initial start the staff and service were also very good. We enjoyed the evening.The hotel is steeped in history and although it is away from the main routes it is certainly worth a visit.

It must be ten years or even more since we made the 30 mile journey to eat at this hotel and wow what a difference they have made to the place in that time. I had seen lots of positive comments on Facebook so decided to take my wife there as a surprise for our (latest!) wedding anniversary dinner. On arrival the hotel almost sparkled from the outside, the car park was nice and busy but still had plenty of spaces and when we went inside there was a great ambiance and atmosphere. The young girl who served our drinks couldn't have been nicer and when we said how long it was since we had visited she immediately offered us a tour of the bistro and restaurant areas so we could choose where we would prefer to eat. We decided on the main 1650 restaurant and enjoyed a good three course dinner served professionally and attentively in a small room with another party of eight and two or three other empty tables. All three courses were tasty and plentiful but it was the general level of service throughout the evening that is the lasting memory. It's a bit of a way to travel but was worth it and maybe next time we'll really splash out and stay the night.

Purposeful route detour from the A1 heading South to Gatwick today just to experience lunch at Ye Olde Bell. We have eaten here once previously again en route albeit a few years ago now.Greeting at the bar was very welcoming, all waitresses polite and courteous at all times. We chose to eat in the bar area, beautiful architectural features of the old building including the huge roaring fire with oak imposing surround.I sampled the fish pie with herby mad hand peas, side fish of buttered carrots. Presented well and the fish pie was light and tasty. My husband sampled the steak and ale pie with homemade chips which he tells me was very enjoyable.The portions do not look huge, pleasingly as I find that often you can be "over faced" by the food before you which is highly off putting.We were both very full and satisfied after our meals and would not be able to manage a desert. The bar area was very busy with guests sampling main meals and later afternoon tea.I would recommend if you are in the area or want to pull off the A1 for a pleasant dining experience as we did.Compared to our previous visit, the menu had changed and one cannot compare as we sampled different types of dishes.Finally very nice Glass of Sauvignon Blanc!

Ye Olde Bell has long been our favourite local eatery for a special meal. Sadly although externally the place has has a really good facelift, it seems they can no longer produce the food and the service as previously.My Sea Bream was overcooked and dry, I hate nothing more than ridiculously large portions but one tablespoonful of mash is stingy, especially for the price. My husband's veggie tart was just that, no vegetables, or salad or potatoes. One of our guests had a very mediocre, rather soggy pizza. My chocolate and cherry roulade was mingy and mediocre at best. The sticky toffee pudding was reported to be good but we actually had to ask for the fifth member if our group to be served his dessert! We also suffered from a very rowdy party at a wine tasting on a very adjacent table. Finally when we were left I had to ask the receptionist where my coat had been hung.We won't be going back. So sad, it used to be really good food and a great experience.

My wife and I ate in this restaurant on the Friday night of our weekend stay as we were attending a function in the Bradbury Suite on the Saturday night. I started with the scallops and prawns which were delicious and my wife had the mussels cooked to perfection. We both opted of the sirloin steak cooked medium with all the trimming, we both agreed one of the best steaks we have enjoyed in England and on par with the steaks we enjoyed in Canada. We had no room for a sweet but could see our fellow diners enjoying theirs. We will be back again soon.

I booked well in advance for sunday lunch on 3rd November 2013 my wife's birthday.At the time of booking i was very particular to specify the 1650 restaurant and this was confirmed several times by the receptionist taking the booking.On arrival at the Old Bell a Waiter told me "You are not in the 1650 restaurant as there is a private party in there today". When I went to speak to the receptionist on duty that day she said "We can't guarantee a booking will be in a specific restaurant"How strange, its never been a problem before on the many occasions we have dined here before.Had the reception had the courtesy to phone and explain the situation, there would have been no problem.We could have elected to go elsewhere or decide to go with the change It was the disappointment of being told on arrival which annoyed.The restaurant we were moved to was pleasant and airy and the food was very good.The service by Andrew & theis very young staff was very good. We were just so disappointed to be moved without warning to a busy room and deprived of the intimate dining experience we had anticipated.DHP262

We visited Ye Olde Bell for Sunday lunch recently, our first visit for a couple of years. It was really quite poor. About the only good thing I can say about it was that the one slice of roast beef that we were served was actually quite good, the same can’t be said for just about everything else. I ordered the sweet potato and watercress soup to start with and, whilst I was served a hot soup, I wasn’t 100% sure that the flavour was actually what was described on the menu, there certainly wasn’t much watercress in it! My partner’s game terrine was served ice cold straight from the fridge and so was devoid of all taste. The main course was served on those hideous tiny salad plates (although I have learnt subsequently that this is not the norm so it may have been because they were busy that day), after the one slice of beef and the quite large Yorkshire pudding there was hardly any room for anything else on the plate. The roast potatoes were very soggy, the cabbage appeared to have been cooked for several days, the other 2 vegetables were broccoli and a swede and carrot mash which were acceptable. As for the pudding my roulade was fine but the bread & pudding reminded us of something from our school dinner days, it was burnt & stodgy – inedible. We were fortunate that our glass of Argentinian Malbec (£8+) was knocked off our bill as it was obvious to the staff that we had not enjoyed our lunch at all due to the large amounts of food we had left. Overall not a pleasant experience and I was astonished to find the restaurant really busy, perhaps we caught them on a bad day.

The bar restaurant was empty at 12.15, and the barman served a very cloudy pint of 'Barnby Moor' bitter. After I complained it was replaced as being the first drawn that day.We ordered from the Chalk Board, although we were told that the board in question was yesterdays and the soup was different. We chose Chicken with Sage and Onion. It seemed a long wait, probably twenty minutes, when the waiter came back to tell us that the chicken was not with sage and onion, but was stuffed. Another long wait (the place was empty), and the chicken stuffed with - we suspected goat's cheese, served on a rather dry bed of risotto. No jus no sauce, just a dryish stodgy concoction. A far cry from the succulent chicken with sage and onion from the board. After a few mouthfuls, we complained to the waiter, who to be fair said that he would waive the bill We didn't feel like further food, and asked for the bill. The first bill presented had extra drinks added, even though there were no other customers. After yet another complaint about the drinks bill, it was revised, but this time with the waived food bill added! We eat at 'The Bell' once a month, but after such a poor day it may be difficult to justify again, as after so many complaints we feel that the staff would consider us to be 'Awkward'.

Went here for dinner with friends, four of us in total. We had booked a table, but were told when we arrived that they were busy and service might be slow......not a problem for us......after an hour, we still had not had any food.....no bread, nothing... I had ordered a sirloin steak , medium rare, with a blue cheese sauce. When the food eventually arrived, my steak was medium well, but I let that go. The chips were soggy instead of crispy.....I let that go. My blue cheese sauce did not arrive. After reminding the waiter about the missing sauce, it eventually arrived, and was inedible.....it had all separated, and looked disgusting. We asked for it to be replaced, which it was, but by this time my meal was half finished. We received no apology, just a very bad attitude. I asked for mustard, and was given the choice of English or whole grain....I chose wholegrain. He then came back and said they had no wholegrain. He then said they had French , which I accepted. When it came it was all crusty and dried up. We were served by 2 different staff members, and when we pointed out these problems, they didn't want to know....did not acknowledge them.....It was like we had not spoken.The worst part of this experience was not so much the food, but the completely indifferent attitude of these 2 staff members. Just before the bill was presented, the waiter decided to be chatty, and asked us if we had plans for the weekend....( obviously worried about his tip!)At the end of the meal, the bill was wrong. We had been charged for a round of drinks from another table. In the small area of the restaurant that we were in there were similar problems with at least 3 other tables. This experience was unacceptable. I would be interested to have feedback on these issues from the manager of this establishment. Let's see if that happens.

Haven't been here since 1952 when we would drive from RAF Finningley to drink lots of beer! .It was a perfect meeting point for a family birthday dinner.last night. The 1650 restaurant was beautifully set out, a wide choice menu suited all our party, the food was excellent and we were well looked after by Mike.This spot is only a couple of miles off the A1 and will make an excellent stopping off point for us when travelling south.

I chose this place after looking on the internet for somewhere different. Somewhere we hadn't been before and as it was a celebration I wanted it to be nice.When we arrived there was a wedding reception in progress. As we entered, there were different areas of seating. Two areas in the main reception with comfy seats and log fires, a bistro eating area and then the main restaurant and bar where we ate. The staff were very professional and a delight.We sat by the bar until the waiter collected us for our meal and then took us to our table. We had dinner, which was very tasty and then sat by the bar.We could not hear the wedding reception, so it didn't spoil our experience.I loved it and will be going back. Well done. Thank you. A nice change from the down trodden places in Gainsborough.

From arriving to leaving everything was excellent. We were looked after as soon as we walked in the door. Shown to our table in the 1650 restaurant, where there is now a lovely bar. Chose the lamb curry which was devine. I cannot say one bed word about the whole experience. We will be dining again!

Choice on menu poor, many things not available. Meat very over seasoned. Very pricey - went home hungry.

Stopped here for dinner with my partner. We had not booked - but no problem - we were seated at a well appointed table. The menu is extensive - what i would call 'something for everyone'. My partner had pasta with a pork loin - everything great - i had venison burger - and here is my only issue...... Venison can be dry - especially when made into a home made burger which will not have enough fat to keep the pattie moist - so i like a little sauce or relish with my burger just to add some moisture, So here is the issue - i was told that the chef would only cook the burger medium rare - i accepted this as helpful advice (thather than an up himself chef) - and when the burger arrived it was in fairness really nice. Served with fries and onion rings, what this burger needed was some tomato sauce (ketchup) - but oh dear - this place does nor serve such common condiments - or so i was told. I am convinced now that this place is a little up itself - and that the customer is not always right, rather its their way - or the highway. The burger was dry as i had no sauce and no alternative was offered - and this tainted an otherwise decent expirience. PS - this is a lovely place - and maybe i just got a bad chef who always knows best....

Great food, lovely surroundings and an overall brilliant day. We got married here and then booked 1650 for our meal. With only 17 guests we were able to choose from the full menu, both a la Carte and the bar menu. Every single on of us rated the meal at 5/5.Starters were: Soup (lovely and fresh), Pigeon (first time he'd eaten it and he was very impressed), Three Cheese Souffle (delicious), Crab and Prawn Cocktail (lovely, massive portion), Pate (gorgeous)Mains were: Fillet steak and pepper mash (easily the biggest serving of fillet I have ever had in a restaurant, and it was amazingly good), Steak and Ale pie (demolished), Pork (from a very fussy eater, lovely and full of flavour), Chicken (gorgeous), Salmon (very nice).Desserts were: Roulade (nothing left on plate), Fresh Fruit salad (lovely), Lemon Tart (lovely and tart) Cheese Board (excellent) and a coupe of others I can't recall, but were eaten very quickly!.The 24 hours before the wedding, I ate in the bar with my son, we had steak, curry and some sandwiches (in 3 meals, not one) all were excellent.The service was superb, be it on the day before the wedding in the bar / bistro area or on the big day from Billy and his team.Everything was spot on.

My husband and I stumbled across this restaurant/hotel after leaving the A1 on search for a decent "bite to eat" on our way down south to Stansted airport. This was on Monday 3rd September and WOW!!! we were blown away!I sooooo wish this restaurant was closer to home, yes I guess it is pricey however, the food is first class fine dining without the stuffy service. I would always pay "good money" for food of this quality.We stopped attracted by the exterior of the hotel/restaurant sporting an AA rosette sign (normally good point!) seating outside with quaint wrought iron tables/chairs in that shabby chic kind of way. What was nice is that they were set up with fabric table cloths/napkins which supported the high standard offered. For a Monday lunch time, it was busy and could tell from the other diners that "business lunches" must be a regular sight.One must bear in mind we were travelling some 4-5 hours south so were dressed for comfort, the staff were extremely welcoming and didn't bat an eyelid that we were casually dressed. The waiters so polite and dressed in the manner you would expect from Covent Garden. The interior of the restaurant has stunning archtectural features - a beautiful arched wooden doorway near the bar. The menu - spoilt for choice! Some extremely yummy dishes on offer, shame we only wanted a "light" lunch. I opted for king prawn and scallop salad, served with warm crusty bread and a glass of Sauvignon blanc. OH MY GOD!!!! it was stunning, beautifully presented with a warm garlicky dressing - each morsel like heaven in my mouth. My husband sat amused whilst I groaned with ecstasy with each mouthful. It killed me to share and wished I'd opted for a main course size portion!My husband ....... Balsamic beetroot, feta and black pudding salad and small beer. WOWSERS! so tasty.My husband informed me the gents wc's were outstanding and urged me to go to the ladies room just to check them out! I declined taking his word for it.I forget the price now, it is irrelevant! The experience perfect so who cares about the cost? Loved it so much, we considered driving all the way from Scarborough for one night for our wedding anniversary just for the food.So! Get yourself off the A1 and be in awe of the locals who can come here on a regular basis! ........not at all jealous!

Met a lady here for Sunday Lunch. The surroundings are convivial and the staff pleasant and attentive. We found the starters to be rather tasty,(we both had the mushrooms) but the main courses (one chicken and one roast beef) were no better than any pub would provide!! The beef however, was rare, which luckily is to my taste as, i had not been asked any preference! The sweet trolley was extensive and hot puddings were also available along with cheese and biscuits as an alternative. Thankfully tea and coffee was included in the whopping price of £22.50 per person!! I would say this is a nice place to go for a special occasion but the price is far too great for regular attendance.

Asa family we have lived locally for around 40 years. Ye Olde Bell has always had a certain grandeose reputation from days of yore, but has also been through an elongated phase of ramshackledness! It was lovely to see it having been restored in an elegant, timeless country coaching house style- the surroundings are now immaculately elegant and the dining room delightful to lunch in. It is a traditional dark wood panelled room. It was a Friday and quiet, a steady incoming of two more families. We had the set lunchtime menu and a choice from three alternatives, at around £40, which I think reasonable for a three course meal at such a beautiful place with so much history. I had a refreshing salad to start of parma ham, parmesan shavings and orange. The only slight disappointment was a dressing of balsamic rather than a homemade which would have added some authenticity and added flavour, but it was really nice and everyone seems to use balsamic these days! My friend had a large bowl of chilli prawns on a bed of couscous, which he enjoyed. T follow he had salmon on a bed of mediteranean vegetables topped with scallion creme fraich,which again looked lovely and was a good portion size. I had pork fillet with black pudding mash. The courgettes and green bean accompaniment was perfect and plenty for us to share. I had a rhubarb and white chocolate panecotta to finish, with an almond meringue.We were asked to complete a questionnaire as the chef was new. Service was warm, friendly and attentive, and they seemed to genuinely care that we were enjoying our lunch. I would definitely recommend Ye Olde Bell to those who value an olde coachhouse style setting, and feel the price was fair given the standard of food and the ample portions. I was delighted to see how much effort has been put in to bringing everything back to such a good alround standard, and to see it coming back to its days of glory in such style. I look forward to our next visit!

After having a disastrous meal here in 2011 we were given a voucher for the restaurant as a Christmas present so we decided to give it another go. We booked Sunday lunch which we thought would be the best option. The soup to start was tasty. The beef on the main course was tender. However the Yorkshire pudding was so hard and dry it was hard to bite through!. The vegetables were soggy and over cooked and even though we told the waitress this no one bothered to respond to us. The desserts are still served on a trolley 1970s style. Unfortunately the waitresses seem unable to manoeuvre this between the tables - constantly bumping in to furniture and people. Over all another very disappointing meal and we will not be returning!

I've known this hotel for a long time (live locally) and after hitting a rough patch-but always well thought of-it goes from strength tto strength and 1650 is now one of the better restaurants in the area

Lovely food, good choice on the menu, the service was excellent and well presented. Comfortable seating and attention to detail, excellent ambience. Would recommend.

Attentive and friendly staff. Two weddings and still great service!

We were bought a £50 voucher for Christmas for a meal at this restaurant and thought we would have a very good meal. We were actually the only diners on the night we booked 8th January. We were given 2 different menus on arrival and the waiter blamed this on the chef- When we were finally given the correct menu and ordered our meals.We both ordered the King Scallops to start which were at the best rubbery- not seared and in an inexplicable tasteless dishwasher water- like white lumps of tasteless blubber. For the main course I ordered he sea bass which was actually ok but with square lumps of something on the side that I never worked out what they were. My husband however ordered local fillet of seared Nottinghamshire fillet steak with wild mushrooms. The steak, ordered medium rare was very dry and the mushrooms were full of grit. We asked if the steak had been frozen but the waiter denied this.. After complaining the waiter just said that they had had no other complaints about the steak- he really could not care less.. We ordered a cheese board and although very expensive at over £10.00 I can honestly say that this was the best part of the meal- as it involved no cooking. We dine in good restaurants and can honestly say that you would get a better meal at KFC! Even with the £50 voucher this load of crap cost us £80.00, We were not given any discount for the main course we complained about and all I can say is if you want a good meal around Retford go to the Markham Moor Inn!

My husband’s parents worked at Ye Olde Bell in the 1950’s and he’s always wondered what had become of that precious home to so many parental memories. I wanted to treat him to a weekend there, but varioius reasons prevented it. Nevertheless, whilst in the area, I brought him in for an afternoon tea. The young attentive barman appeared to struggle with the mere concept. Once we managed to describe and order one, the waiter supplied us with green tea and a jug of milk (?). After a few more minutes of explaining and waiting, the feast arrived: an array of little pots of jam, clotted cream and a beautiful little plate of butter. All this, to accompany one scone per person and a barely half-filled replacement pot of tea, that couldn’t quite stretch to a cuppa each. We decided to consume our over-priced "feast" in silence (it didn’t take long, I must confess) and we made our escape. On our return, my mother-in-law was saddened to hear of our experience and commented "our managers would never have allowed such slackness. Don't people take pride in what they do anymore?". As to that weekend treat… perhaps elsewhere.