Royal Oak in Allerdale

Food and service out of this world

We only called in for a drink on the way back from Carlisle races. Its an impeccably clean restaurant/bar. Woman who served us was nice the owner/manager ( not sure who she was ) very unwelcoming told us we could sit in the corner or stand at the bar ( would never have sat at set tables anyway). Turned her nose up when we said we'd been to the races how rude! Charged £15 for a pint and a small glass of wine and the receipt was not itemised. Any thoughts of going to eat there on the way back or for a drink again definitely not on the agenda 🥂.

Lovely location. A Fantastic, unhurried Sunday Lunch. Scallops and soup to start with and then the most tender roast beef dinner. Could not manage a sweet. Thank you to the chef for the meal and the delightful Hostess and staff for the service. It was a pleasure. Kind Regards, Stuart and Steve. Child hood friends. ☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️

Excellent night enjoyed by all.

Overpriced and overrated will not recommend and certainly will not go back we love fine dining but seriously this is trying to be something that it just is not and is not worth the money or the effort to go there

Outstanding! The moment we walked in we were greeted by a lady at the bar then given a warm welcome by a young waitress who showed us to our table. The restaurant is decorated fabulously. It’s elegant with a relaxed ambiance. We chose the A La Carte menu. The food is exquisite. We were spoiled with immense quality and flavours paired with fine wine. I could not fault a thing, 5 star service, exceptional food an overall amazing evening.

Fabulous meal tonight at the Oak at Curthwaite. One of the best meals we have had in Cumbria (including some well known ones!). Well done James and your team. We will be back very soon😀

Best Sunday dinner ever, food was delicious, service was brilliant, this was the 2nd time we’ve been to the oak and it’s always been a great experience, highly recommend

First visit, was a little worried it was over priced but definitely worth the money amazing food. Will definitely be returning 👍

Went to The Oak for their Valentine evening tasting menu. Fabulous evening - champagne welcome drink followed by delicious food. Lovely cosy atmosphere and friendly welcoming staff. Our favourite place for fine dining in the Carlisle area.

We visited The Oak for their Valentines tasting menu. The food is utterly fantastic, every course better than the last. Personally wasn't one I didn't like. The service, as it was at Lounge on the Green, is second to none. All the staff take the time to explain each dish and make sure everyone is happy. The only minor draw back is that it is expensive. You very much get what you pay for though and I would certainly say it's worth the money but a cheap country pub grub this is not.

Best Sunday roast beef dinner we ever had. Beautifully presented and generous portions.

Our first visit to The Oak and it didn’t disappoint. We had the Sunday roast including starters and the food was excellent! Very well presented and the flavours were delicious. Sunday roasts can be too much but the portions were spot on. The service you couldn’t fault either as the manager and her team were very attentive throughout. Highly recommend and we will definitely be back soon

Amazing food , great service ,only had the a la carte menu , but will be back for the tasting menu soon ,fantastic , thank you!!

Nice warm surroundings and very friendly staff and excellent food

Excellent food. The best roast we have had in long time. Rice pudding was out of this world.

Food was excellent. Staff were amazing and nothing too much trouble. The decor was perfect as was the table settings. Thank you for a lovely afternoon

Great meal. Superb service and atmosphere. Very well recommended 🙏

Perfect Christmas lunch, amazing food, impeccable service, cannot recommend highly enough!

This newly refurbished restaurant strikes a perfect balance between good food and comfort. The dining room is especially beautiful, but the whole place has a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere. Homemade mince pies were incredible and the service was friendly and accommodating, adding to the overall enjoyable experience. It’s clear the team has put a lot of thought into the food and the setting. A refined yet approachable spot worth visiting.

Fabulous experience, the food, drinks/wine, ambience, decor. And the staff!! Just wow. Really special place with AMAZING menu.

We went to the opening night and had a fantastic time. The staff handled the stresses of a first night so well and we had delicious food and plenty to drink, the atmosphere was amazing too. Well worth a visit! We tried a range of options on the A La Carte Menu and all were fantastic. Edited to add: we have visited several times since it opened. Whether we go for a meal or just for a couple of drinks in the bar they are always extremely welcoming (and the food exceptional).

Unfortunately I suffer with a wheat and dairy intolerance and it’s very hard for me to go out with family and enjoy food. This is the first time I haven’t felt anxious or embarrassed about asking for dietary options, the staff knew exactly what I could and couldn’t eat, not only did they make the food suitable for me to eat they even substituted small things to replace the stuff I couldn’t eat! We would 100% be back, the atmosphere was amazing and the two lovely girls who served us upstairs were the kindest people I’ve ever met! Funnily enough I had my first job here as a pot washer in 2015 and to see the pub thriving this much makes me very happy. I also need to add the gluten free bread and dairy free butter they provided was the best bread I’ve EVER tasted and to bring little extra milkshakes and minces at the end but to also include me with my own…melted my heart!! Thank you all for an amazing night with Fantastic food.

Best place around for a "country" mile. Will absolutely be returning

Absolutely Superb!!!! Food is amazing staff are so a-tentative and friendly, atmosphere is just lovely, just what the area needs!!!!!!

Absolutely amazing. Service was great. Roast beef is delicious and yummy dessert.

Recently re-opened in October! We went for the opening night and have been back since for Sunday lunch in the same month. The food is amazing, some of the best I have eaten in Cumbria from chef James. There isn't a single dish I could fault on the menu and the steak Rossini is an absolute treat. Jess who runs the front of house is extremely welcoming and always accommodating. It's definitely worth making a journey.

My wife and I have just enjoyed Sunday lunch with our friends at The Oak. The food was delicious and beautifully presented, portion sizes were perfect, not too much or too little. Beef cooked perfectly and the “hundred layer” roast potatoes were spot on! Plenty of gravy too alongside a decent sized Yorkshire pudding. We often visited the pub under its previous name and enjoyed decent bar meals. However we are so happy to see the new team putting their stamp on the newly refurbished premises. We ate in the bar area so everything was nice and relaxed, we didn’t feel bad making a bit of noise and enjoying ourselves. We received excellent service from all the staff throughout. We will definitely be back to try the tasting menu! Don’t change a thing, it is excellent.

Really excellent food and wine. Looking forward to our next visit.

Fantastic meal last night ( 26/10/24), definitely the food is Michelin star standard. The young waiters were very attentive and enthusiastic. Pleasant atmosphere ( liked the music). Well done, keep it up.

Fantastic ambiance very friendly and helpful front of house team and the food is gorgeous!

New premises are gorgeous, love the downstairs bar area, a really relaxing vibe. Stunning food as always, the Sunday lunch menu was out of this world and we can't wait to go back for our tasting menu visit.

Visited with a bunch of friends on a Saturday lunch. Varied meals ordered . I had the prawn starter , king prawns perfectly cooked in a garlic sauce with an oven crisped roll. Then salmon with a perfectly cooked poached egg and hollandaise and asparagus. All of party declared meal excellent. Great service too. Thank you to all the team

Excellent home cooking at it's best.

Holidaying in the area, popped in for a birthday meal. Two steaks cooked to perfection. Thank you

Time for an update to my review... Lakeland Inns made a hash of running the place, but thankfully, Octavia and Dave have returned. Back to the warm welcome, great food and excellent selection of beers, ales, wine and spirits.

Lovely place, service excellent, great atmosphere, food perfect

Had a lovely family meal at the Royal Oak, everyone really enjoyed the meal and the service was fantastic

Excellent food with a lovely atmosphere and friendly staff

Brilliant sunday lunch, generous portion. Really great, and an excellent pint also. For what you get, it’s very reasonably priced also. Would highly recommend.

Excellent Sunday lunch, great value for money and lovely friendly staff. Highly recommend

Nice pint after a boggy walk, that’s the 2 stars. Unfortunately, we found one of the very few non dog friendly pubs in Cumbria 🙄. I can understand the restaurant, but the bar area.

Thank you once again to David, Octavia and Staff for a great dining experience, the food was absolutely delicious. Nothing is ever too much trouble. superb meal and service.

Excellent meal and friendly service

Highly recommend. Had a very delicious Sunday lunch good value for money in lovely surroundings. The two young lads who were serving were excellent. Thank you. we will be back.

We were looking for Sunday lunch at short notice, and were lucky to find this lovely pub just outside Carlisle. We had a warm welcome and a fabulous lunch - roast beef and turkey were both excellent, and the desserts were delicious and anything but run of the mill. Portions were extremely generous and the cost was surprisingly reasonable (£45 for two of us, including drinks). The young man who served us was extremely pleasant, and the toilets were spotless. We’d go out of our way to return next time we’re in the area.

Great place to eat. I had lamb and mint pie, excellent and great value for money. I am trying to plan another visit as I don't live near.

Amazing food, get the roast beef!

We live near Chicago, and we're visiting family for Dads 100th birthday party. We came to The Royal Oak on our last day before coming home. The food was amazing, the steak pie was the best pie I have tasted for a long time. The service was attentive, but not in your face. It was an excellent experience.

Lovely meal at this beautiful country pub and very reasonably priced

Went here last night my partner and I . Food really good.service really good.. But when we come to pay bill the bar person asked my partner if he would like his change! As he paid by cash.Bearing in mind the change was over £5..It should be up to the individual if they want to leave a tip.

Made very welcome and wonderful food

I’m biased I know, but we are so lucky having this gem of a place in our area. Good luck to David and Octavia

Had a meal here for my mum's birthday for 10 of us. Pre-ordered which made it easier on the night. Food was red hot and really good not one grumble! Service really good too. Very busy pub but friendly atmosphere, everyone joined in when we sang happy birthday. Will definitely be back thank you

Lovely little pub, with proper pub food cooked beautifully! It was a difficult choice as the menu has a lot of variety, something for everyone. Husband and I opted for steak pie which was gorgeous! Boys had a burger and sirloin steak (cooked just as asked) Unfortunately way too full to try one of the many desserts. Highly recommended, thank you.

Ottima cena! Io ho ordinato il branzino servito con salsa verde, patate novelle e verdure arrostite(19,95£), mentre il mio ragazzo ha assaggiato la coscia e il petto d’anatra accompagnato da un tortino di patate(22,5£): piatti di qualità, abbondanti e ben presentati! Personale giovane super gentile e disponibile! Super consigliato!

Lovely grub 😋 lovely friendly staff, nice to sit outside

I used to live very close and visit often but it’s been 25 years since I’ve been. Food and service excellent, beer on tap lovely (Worthingtons), Sunday dinner was delicious and huge. This is not just pub grub, this is special.

Upon arrival we had to wait several minutes for our RESERVED table as locals were still drinking on it. They were then moved onto a the table beside ours and continued drinking, making us unnerved.We were then seated and felt rather rushed to order our meals. The food arrived quickly and was delicious and plentyful. We then waited for some time for the dessert menu. Only one ladies toilet and made to wait to use it twice. Overall the final bill was steep and even though the food was tasty, value for money was not made. Just under £100 for 3 people and only soft drinks were ordered. We wont be back soon.

Excellent service and excellent food. Two of us had the duck main course, consisting of perfectly cooked pink breast and crispy confit leg. Lovely sauce and dauphinois potatoes. Other two had perfectly cooked steaks and great chips. Couldn’t eat all mine so took it home. Smiley happy looking staff. Thank you. Excellent experience

Called in today (Sunday) for food, so pleased we found it. We hadn’t booked but managed to fit us in. Welcomed with a friendly smile and helpful well trained staff who were polite and professional. We settled for the roast beef lunch which was excellent large portions and the beef cooked to perfection. Great find we will return.

Excellent steak cooked very well, definitely will return, great customer service and friendly atmosphere

Excellent ,reasonably priced Sunday lunch(huge portions) & good service. Welcome back David & Octavia.xx

Came here in 2019 and I reviewed it then as simply the best. Unfortunately it then changed hands but David and Octavia have returned. It’s back to being the best. Had the Butchers Block tonight and it was fantastic, real quality and value. Service was exceptional. Hope you are here to stay.

Lovely pub! The staff were all so welcoming and the food was absolutely delicious

Passing through and found a pub that was dog friendly, the staff were so good and smily, great food, service, clean, lovely decor and best of all the dogs were given treats and very welcomed. Highly recommend

Lovely staff, food and pub, clean, welcoming and very dog friendly. Highly recommend

Came with my family, staff very friendly and attentive, everything came quickly and with a smile great pub food. Liv and Matthew were super.

Had dinner lunch there with my son. The food was beautiful, tasted so fresh and looked good. Liv on the bar was very friendly and welcoming. Matty the chef came out and he got a big praise for his food. Would highly recommend for people to go

Just had a fantastic meal- Roast Beef Dinner. Generous portions. Came on a Sunday, good service………..,

This gastro pub had a great reputation, looking at the menu on the website looks fab. However on arrival the menu was very different... an example of a starter PATE- served with Marie rose sauce , tomato, cucumber and lemon !!!!!. should have taken pictures , fish and chips the fish came and it was cooked to death the batter was dark brown, a good chef wouldn't have let this leave his kitchen they cooked another one and honestly the fish was watery and very fishy.. to be fair doesn't state cod or haddock on the menu but presumed it would be one or the other. The waitress came and asked if it was ok, i said I'm sorry to say but that's the worst fish I have ever tasted, so is it ok she asked again. I believe it was a frozen battered fillet out of a box My husband had a steak with peppercorn sauce, one mushroom on the plate and the sauce was so full of dried black peppercorns. The menu was very over priced for the quality. Woodrow Wilson serve better meals. Will never return, what a shame .

Fantastic Beef Sunday roast and excellent service. The Apple crumble and custard was delicious. We will definitely be back.

Great pub, lovely hosts and food. We stopped over on our way to Scotland and were very happy with the hospitality we experienced here.

Lovely atmosphere at a great country pub. Good food and welcome break on our journey north to find Nessie!

Booked for family meal , long delay for food which was delivered piecemeal.. Food was over cooked and in one case undercooked.Not acceptable at any price especially at these prices. We were not the only party of disappointed diners on this occasion , the venue...

Went tonight for a meal, very disappointed , ordered 2 small portions of the scampi chips and peas but were charged the full portion price which we queried but told this was correct. No ambience, restaurant was full of flies, no wine list, when bottle...

Had the two meals for £12.99 deal…. My fish and chips was first given to the only other occupied table in the place and I wish they had kept it I have never had such a small, greasy and black piece of fish ever (...

Arrived for a family Sunday dinner and we were the only people in the place. Probably should have just had the drinks and then left but we did get a friendly welcome so decided to give it a go. I ordered Sunday roasts for 3...

Dropped in for a quick meal, lovely & the staff were very friendly & helpful. I had the Cajun chicken, lovely

After being closed for a while, my girlfriend and I went back and had one of the best meals we’ve had there! The Sunday roasts are amazing and the staff are super friendly! Lycian, Matt and Millie were all so welcoming and even had time for a nice chat! Awesome to have a local pub open again 😁

We had a very warm welcome in The Royal Oak tonight. The staff were obviously under pressure with a very full pub and restaurant but that was not reflected in their attentive, friendly service. The food was amazing value, the children ate for £1! I’d...

Fantastic service and fantastic food- try the burger on the £12.99 deal! We felt really comfortable.

Great good and sercive. Dog friendly. Steak burger was very tasty. Children's meal for £1! Would recommend.

Staff were extremely pleasant and helpful. We managed to get a table inside with our dog but it would be advisable to book as it became very popular after 7p.m. The food menu catered for most tastes and the food when it came was exactly...

Chef Matt and front of house Lucian very very good. Excellent service and couldn’t have been better looked after. Food good,however, prices high for a village pub and a somewhat limited menu, although that’s probably due to just reopening on the Friday before. Drink also...

To our delight the the Royal Oak has just opened up again! Seen they were open and we were there within the hour. Both Matt & Lucian were friendly and chatty and most importantly to us the food was amazing. The Sunday lunch we have...

The staff are fantastic, so accommodating and friendly. The ingredients are all locally sourced and cooked, homestyle, with mouthwatering results. A great welcoming local pub with excellent food and brilliant staff. Definitely worthy of a visit.

A word from storm Eunice and we were out to get a pub lunch!! Never been to The Royal Oak but glad we decided on an impromptu visit. Harrison (Chef) and partner Tiff (front of house) were both warm and very welcoming. The food came...

Another return visit, can’t keep away. This time we tried the steak night. A good choice on the menu. Very tempted but we went for the rib eye steak, which came with chips, and mushrooms. We opted for side dish of fried onion rings and...

Food was realy good service was a bit iffy young lad gave us dessert menu and forgot to come back to see what we wanted but we will go back

Excellent country pub in Cumbria. Superb drinks selection, good food and friendly staff. We’ve been here purely for drinks and also Sunday lunch, we’ve been happy on all occasions. Highly recommended.

I understand this pub had been recently acquired by a new owner. This was our first time here for many years. It's likely to be many more years before we go back. It used to be a great meal here but not any more. Cannot...

Good food and service... quiet at lunch times...

Wow! If you've not tried the food at The Royal Oak Inn at Curthwaite... Why?!?! It was absolutely outstanding! Huge portion of Cumberland sausages with mash, gravy and carrots x2, onion rings, chips, two pints of soft drinks and a passionfruit creme brulee which was...

Outstanding. Pub was absolutely spotless. Really lovely barman /waiter. Food was incredible. Lunch menu a lot smaller than online but still good choices. Cumberland sausages tasted amazing and the passionfruit creme brulee was out of this world. Hands down the best I've ever had! Shouldn't have shared it and definitely will be getting my own when we come back again to try some more of the menu.

Visited whilst travelling through Carlisle. The staff and food were outstanding. Nothing seems to much trouble at the Royal Oak and if in the area I have no hesitation in recommending a visit. I had the beef burger which was quite possibly the best I...

Just had a fabulous meal at this lovely village pub. I was with my elderly mum so we booked an early table expecting the pub to be quiet. However it was busy but with a really great buzz about it. The service was excellent, really...

Beautiful pub with genuinely excellent food. Gluten free catered for as well. Really friendly atmosphere, with really good host. Safe to say I've found my found my not so local (have to drive) local. Really great meal and evening.

We went here today Sunday 10th October and had an excellent lunch and drinks. Staff were attentive and with great customer service. Would highly recommend as food is brilliant

Lovely food and lovely staff! Thank you!