Saracens Bar & Restaurant, Ashbourne in Derbyshire Dales

This pub is under new owners since 29th February 24. We ate last night and the pub was vibrant, wood burners in full flow and the food was excellent. Venison sourced locally and cooked to perfection. Starter choice was very good and I look forward to visiting again.

Visited for Sunday lunch with family. A disappointing experience. Not offered drinks when we were sat down. Limited menu options. Starters were a little below expectations but we ate them. Main course took far too long to arrive. Approx 1 hour after finishing starter, some 90 minutes after arrival. Served on cold plates. Temperature of the food on plate varied from cold to lukewarm to touch. We rejected the mains and left to eat elsewhere. We now realise there was a change of ownership mid 2023, so the overall trip advisor rating is calculated on reviews which have been accumulated over many years and thus gives a potentially misleading view of service and food today. This experience was the second visit to this place in January. Our first booking was cancelled by the establishment because they didn't have many bookings so decided to cancel serving food that lunchtime. Unfortunately we didn't find out until we turned up. The establishment said they tried to contact us but appeared to have recorded our contact number incorrectly. We gave them the benefit of the doubt and rebooked for following weekend.

A lovely country pub with welcoming staff and chatty people,a lovely pint and some nice food,will definitely visit again

The food was excellent and beautifully presented. The landlady and staff were very welcoming and friendly. The turkey dinner was delicious and abundant. The venison and mushroom pie was out of this world and the Bakewell pudding was the best pudding that we have ever had. Well done Chef! A good pint of Landlord too.

Wonderful welcoming village pub with fabulous food. Nice cosy fire and lovely interior. Cant wait to visit again, thank you

What a find! Impromptu lunch. Greeted by one of the warmest of welcomes in a very long time. French onion soup was superb but the desert was the star of the show. Simple apple crumble turned into a delicious sweet treat instead of a soggy mess. Tart and sweet apple with a hint of cinnamon topped of with a delightful crunchy crumble. Yummy. Booked in for Sunday lunch straight away.

I have had my fair share of pub Sunday lunches and this was outstanding. The generous serving of locally sourced beef was cooked to perfection, succulent, tender and carved from a large roast. The Yorkshires were home made, the gravy rich and beefy and the green beans were as they should be, slightly al dente and an imaginative flair wrapped in a cabbage leaf. Three of us had beef and my friend very much enjoyed her locally sourced turkey. Desserts were splendid, the trifles were made with creme anglaise, the rice pudding was creamy and flavourful and my Christmas pudding ice cream was inspiration itself. The service is friendly and welcoming. Don't hesitate!

Absolutely love this place,went for the 2nd time Saturday,the food is fantastic all the staff are amazing and make you fell so welcome . Its definitely worth a visit ☺️

Fantastic fish and chips. Great service, nothing too much trouble. Really friendly relaxed atmosphere, warm fire. Made very welcome by the lovely lady serving and by other customers. The sticky toffee pudding was ok but not as good as the main course. Why can’t gastropubs do good puddings? Will definitely go again.

OMG, such an amazing meal! The welcome is so friendly, welcoming our dog as well. The ambiance is cosy and warm on such a cold night with the log burners warming us. The menu choice is brilliant with vegetarian and gluten free options. Really tasty, substantial food and beautifully presented. But best of all the proprietor was so kind and really looked after us. We felt valued as customers and got a lovely hug when we left. We would definitely recommend The Saracen's Head in Shirley and look forward to going back again soon. Loved it. Thank you.

Fantastic Sunday lunch, meal was delicious and they cater well for vegetarians and those with allergies. Lovely warm and inviting atmosphere. Throughly enjoyed by us all.

Delicious food. Not a huge menu but very well done. Friendly staff too. Roaring fires in the log burners. Nice décor. Dig friendly. What's not to like?

Had Sunday lunch here for six of us. They were clearly short of staff but those who served us were friendly and helpful. They have an excellent selection of beers and the food was freshly prepared and delicious. One suggestion would be to offer a vegetarian option.

We visited for curry night, and the curries were delicious and good value for money. We had the vegetable and lamb curry and enjoyed the accompaniments too.

WOW, I never rate anywhere as 5 as there’s always room for improvement but this is the exception. There is nothing to improve, dinner & service was exceptional. The Sunday dinner was outstanding and it goes like this. On my plate was buttery mash, 3 x REAL roasties, 6 x parsnips, 2x deep fried stuffing balls, fabulous roast beef, gravy, carrots and a giant home made yorky. Accompanied by a dish of greens (cabbage, peas, broccoli) all cooked to perfection, a dish of baked colli cheese & a jug of extra gravy. Other arf had turkey and he said it was fantastic too. Everything tasted delicious, it is now my favourite and by far the best Sunday dinner to date.

Curry night has three choices, Chiken Tikka, Lamb curry & Vegetable curry. I had lamb, partner had chicken, both delicious curries which came with boiled rice, naan bread, popadom, mango chutney, samosa, onion bhaji, salad & a drink of your choice for £20, such a...

A ride out to Ashbourne and called in for dinner as a family of four, lovely friendly welcome, fantastic menu choice - I can be picky as suffer intolerances - so was refreshing to find a wide choice available. All our meals were fresh and...

Now opened again with new owners who seem to have no idea. Place dirty garden furniture needs painting, weeds everywhere. No beer only lager. Dirty glasses left on tables. This is not the way to start a new venture. Cleanliness is everything and should come...

Popped in for a quick drink and bite to eat whilst out walking. Ordered a ploughman’s lunch for £14 at 1240 and it arrived at 1345 with no apology and stale bread. The waitress who was also the chef, confirmed that the bread had just...

We had lunch and we chose the tues-Thursday lunch time menu which was £18 for three courses no choice but what was offered on the menu was exactly what we like. We enjoyed sweet potato and sage soup, duck with red cabbage in a peppercorn...

Excellent lunch after an enjoyable six mile autumn walk. Great menu with some unusual options alongside what you would expect. We chose the homity pie with a side of heritage carrots and cottage pie with a side of cauliflower cheese, both of which were nicely...

We expected amazing fresh tasty almost fine dining level food considering the prices of the menu, we were sadly disappointed. I like to be honest and feel that the food is very over priced and it wasn’t the best, lacked seasoning & flavour for us....

Following a night on the pop the night before meeting up with a mate who i joined the royal navy with 40 years ago, I needed to soak it all up, not knowing I booked this restaurant as It was local to the Peak gateway...

Super friendly welcoming atmosphere. A great Saturday lunch for a party of ten. Nothing was too much trouble: they went out of their way to make our celebration meal (150th birthday of John Cowper Powys, a native of Shirley) a success. The menu was excellent,...

Wished we had checked with TripAdvisor before dining ! We had not dined at our favourite restaurant for some time and decided to travel 50 miles with good friends for a Friday night meal. What a huge dissapointment ! When we arrived we thought there...

I visited this traditional country pub on Sunday 25th September. I was accompanied by my partner and a friend. We received a warm and friendly welcome, with pre-meal drinks brought promptly to our table. The monkfish and prawn starter was first class. Two of us...

Had a wonderful Sunday lunch here at The Saracens today. Went into the deli first and had a browse, great selection of local produce. Walked into the pub past the kitchen pass, had a chat with Anthony the chef, and were seated near the bar...

We have used this restaurant a fair bit over the last few years and we’re always happy to recommend it to friends etc, not any more, Whereas the old menu was wide, good value and excellent quality the new set up is totally the opposite....

We do not live in Derbyshire but have been to this pub several times in the past when visiting family. Our previous experience had been great, but under new management, we were disappointed. Our lunch started well with a friendly welcome from the two front...

We visited the Saracen's Head with family for a celebration. We had read the previous reviews on here, and although uncertain, we decided we'd make our own mind up as the online menu looked good and was a handy location for us. -The place was...

We went to this pub having visited a couple of years ago and loved it. We had seen the very poor reviews but had decided to take a chance. We shouldn’t have bothered. Nothing was good - the food, atmosphere and service was all disappointing....

Having had quite a few wonderful meals here over the yrs( with previous owners ) - tonight was a huge disappointment the menu had changed and for the worst- very ordinary meals compared to before ie burgers / steak/ fish n chips etc and no...

Very poor experience. Two courses were totally bland and uninspiring. One course totally overdone, with a gloppy sauce that destroyed the fish. Disinterested and unattentive staff. £110 for two was appalling value for money. Two thirds empty on a Friday night. Will not be returning.

Arrived on spec at 5:30 on Saturday evening 26 August 2022 and found the pub practically empty. Found the menu to be limited pretentious and overpriced. Both my wife and I had the chicken salad, sorry can’t recall the fancy name on the menu which...

I’m sorry to leave a negative review but our experience here was really quite poor. - The menu was quite different (and nowhere near as good) as the one we saw on the website - My husband and I realised we’d been given different menus...

This was one of our favourite places to eat before the pandemic. This was our first visit with our best man and his wife since pre-Covid days, we knew that the management of this lovely gastropub had been taken over by the team from the...

With the price of eating out skyrocketing lately it was a pleasant surprise to enjoy a lunchtime meal for four at the Saracens Head and not have to mortgage the house to pay for it!! Ample portions expertly served, combined with tasty food, nice surrounds...

We visited on Saturday night with friends who had travelled up from Somerset. We had been booked at the Greenman in Ashbourne but a week before they advised they were only doing a tasting menu that evening and so offered us a swap to their...

We booked a table the night before as it does get quite busy (even on a thursday) and had a lovely main and dessert. We had the chicken and saffron risotto and the ham with hens egg and peaches both were damn tasty.

Recently returned to the Ashbourne area to meet with a client in Derby, having previously stayed at Callow hall last year and eaten at Jack rabbits (was amazing) it saddens me to write this review, the food I was served was under seasoned and just...

From this being our favourite place to eat, I can’t imagine going back if it continues like this. Saturday evening used to be busy and there would be a lively atmosphere yet there were only three tables taken - 11 people in total of which...

Visited on Sunday for mums birthday , on arrival the pub was very busy which is always a good sign . We were seated and served with drinks very quickly , a good menu with a varied choice on all three courses . Very well...

Absolutely dreadful from start to finish. Service was practically non existent, the food was well overpriced and in edible, was very disappointed, the table next to us also complained,

Lovely meal with very friendly front of house staff Opted for the steak which was cooked to perfection Menu had a something for every palate and from what we saw as they came out looked fabulous All in all a five star meal Clean ,Friendly...

Robin and Terri were always going to be a hard act to follow at the Saracen’s Head, but as loyal and longstanding customers we were happy to give the new owners a try. The first couple of visits were not encouraging – average food and...

Better than the usual Green King pub. Drinks are extortionate : £10.40 for a pint and a half of lager shandy and two packets of crisps. Blimey! Castle Rock brewery appear to be taking over in July or August, fingers crossed they work their magic...

The starters where very nice I had the deep fried Brie and my partner the fish cake followed by the lamb and beef roast both where excellent would definitely recommend this place

We went with friends. There wasn’t much choice for anything. The choices were uninspiring. I am Vegan so there wasn’t any choice nor did they provide a vegan option for coffee. I ended up ordering the mushroom risotto which was ok and a big portion...

Well following on from my last visit I found myself in the area and with nowhere else available I gave The Saracens another try. Pleased to say the menu has improved, more importantly what I ordered was top notch and totally back up to the...

We attended on Easter Saturday. As we couldn't book a table past 6.30 we expected the place to be buzzing with atmosphere. It wasn't. There was noone in apart from a family. We sat down and looked at the menu. The specials board had crossings...

Used to be an amazing place with big portions & good value for money. Now very small portions, very expensive and the food is below average. The rib-eye steak was overcooked and very thin, and the risotto was bland. Unfortunately, this place has gone downhill...

First visit to the Deli after the new tenants of the pub took it over. Sorry to say it is a shadow of the former glory that so well supported the village and surrounds during Lockdown. It appears the enthusiastic staff rather have their hands...

Cannot understand the previous reviews we have been here several times before and would not know it had changed hands. The food was excellent and the specials board full of interesting things. We had the Arancini which were excellent and the crispy prawn tacos to...

Our first visit since the new owners have taken it on and we were so very underwhelmed. There was less than half the normal choice on the specials boards.. they always used to have so much choice and was one of the things we really...

The whole experience was a letdown following on from the previous visits I've had.\\ Food not great some of it inedible, not even able to have a coffee as the machine broken and they had run out of milk. `Something needs to change and fast...

Very disappointing First visit since the new owners took over, the Saracens used to be our all time favorite place. Extremely disappointing experience, it was cold in the restaurant as none of the three wood burners were lit. Not what you spect in February. After...

Once a favourite, now under new ownership, and unfortunately the place is not what it used to be. Whilst the staff remain cheerful and efficient, the food is now rather average and the prices represent rather poor value for money. The duck used to be...

Read the reviews and as a special lunch my uncle booked a table for Sunday lunch for us and if honest was disappointed had better and far cheaper meals of the same standard elsewhere plus portion size very disappointing. You need three courses to feel...

We booked the restaurant 6 weeks before our visit and had the confirmation from the saracens. On arrival 15 minutes before our booking we were told we didn't have a table booked. I showed the confirmation email. Some incompetent had sent the confirmation but not...

We booked this place for Christmas Eve 2021 and thought we would check it out early when we arrived in the area. Very welcoming staff, made our little dog welcome and then served a fantastic lunch. The lamb and mint casserole from the blackboard was...

Lovely ambience , staff were great , welcoming and attentive . Food was amazing . Cannot fault and would definitely return when next in the area .

Been here several times recently for evening meals and Sunday lunch and it is great every time. The staff are really helpful and the food is delicious.

This place is perfect every time we visit. An excellent menu, cooked to perfection. Service is quick and friendly. Had some vouchers to use from pre Covid, which were still accepted with no issues. Not the cheapest place to eat but you get what you...

Six of us enjoyed a wonderful evening last night. The food was excellent & the staff were so good. All the meals were delicious, generous & hot.

Lunched here this Sunday afternoon. I has a reasonble menu and extras. The food was very good. I had beef bourguienon, nicely cooked meat and a good sauce/ gravey. The wife had roast pork and the portions were more then plentiful and the cost very...

My husband and I visited a couple of weeks ago for the first time after having several recommendations (even though we don’t live in the area). We were not disappointed! We were greeted with a very warm welcome which continued throughout our evening. The food...

We booked months in advance for Sunday lunch as we were staying the area. The pub is lovely inside and was very busy. We ordered 2 beef and 2 pork lunches. The beef for one meal was very disappointing. It was so fatty and full...

It was actually a while ago that I dined with you. I came on here because we are in the area in August and wanted to rebook. Really saddening to see that, after such a horrendous time for the pub and restaurant industry, there are...

Poor service, very average food, I probably would have enjoyed it more if it was warm! Don’t waste your time plenty of over nice places to try.

Yesterday's meal was amazing, the food is fantastic!! Everything was so tasty and the portion sizes are very good too! The service was amazing, I will definitely be returning again in the future. I definitely recommend a visit, especially since the area is so beautiful!!...

After all the great reviews was really expecting something nice, upon arrival we was ignored, took 15 minutes just to get a drinks menu, food was late and cold, I never normally write a review but all in all not very good at all, very...

We booked a table last Saturday at 5pm we took a walk to the stepping stones however we did not realise how long this walk would take us and unfortunately could not make the table. We tried for 4/5 hours to ring or contact the...

Two couples attended this marvellous eatery for the first time after lockdown finished. The premises are lovely. The staff are first class. Attentive and helpful. The menus was interesting and competitively priced. When the food arrived it was delicious. I only wish I lived closer...

This was our first meal out after many months. The food and service was as good as always, and we look forward to returning very soon. Well done to all of the staff at The Saracens.

Having any meal at The Saracens has never disappointed, the food it always fantastic and the staff are always so polite. Our personal favourite is the Sunday lunches, everything is mouth watering!!! I would recommend to book a table if possible to avoid disappointment, it’s...

This was our first visit and it most certainly won't be our last. We were made to feel welcome from the moment we stepped in the door. The staff were friendly, efficient and helpful. The food was well cooked, generous in portion and absolutely delicious....

Lovely lunch and staff are efficient, friendly and make you feel very welcome. Good COVID safety standards in place, all very hygienic and well thought through. So sorry for these lovely people having to close again but do not fear, we will be back.

This is our “go to place” for a guaranteed fantastic meal. It doesn’t matter whether you go for lunch or evening meal the quality of the food, service and atmosphere is outstanding. The owners and their diligent team clearly work incredibly hard to continually maintain...

One of the best compliments a customer can give a restaurant is to go back for a second helping, and that's just what we did today! We stumbled upon The Saracen's Head a few weeks ago, and had such a wonderful lunch. Any eaterie can...

Visited for dinner and had a great meal. We both chose different dishes and were very happy with the service and food. The pub have sorted out a COVID safe environment and make you feel very welcome and well looked after. Another 5 star evening.

Sunday lunch today 27th September. Amazing food and service. A safe dining experience. Thank you to all of the staff, we will be back very soon

4 of us had lunch here for the first time, after a lengthy walk in the surrounding countryside. 4 different starters and 3 different mains were ordered and all were well cooked and tasty. The duck and “special” pork belly were the favourites. Only minor...

After a 3 hour drive arranging to meet our son who would also drove 3 hours we were not disappointed. We were greeted by a friendly waitress who offered us drinks outside whilst we waited for our son and she also advised us where to...

I love this place, it’s my favourite place to eat out and I think it’s about time I wrote a review. The food is just out of this world, the customer service is brilliant & it has lovely owners who work bloody hard to boot....

We weren’t going to dine out tonight but decided at the last minute to go to The Saracens. We are so very lucky to call it our local and ALWAYS experience great service and brilliant food but tonight the team excelled themselves and the menu...

We took my mum for her first meal out since the start of lockdown at lunchtime today. We know this place well as we’ve been coming for years. What the owners did during lockdown to support the local community was nothing short of heroic. I...

We are here every week because the food is cooked by a superb chef and he tries to vary the menu so thzt it is never boring. If you have something that you would like Robin to prepare you have only to ask him and,...

Updating whilst trapped at home. Remembering our last visit before the lockdown. Great food, hot, plentiful, served by the ever positive and professional team. Its consistently gets 10/10. We cant wait to return!

This is so much more than a "gastro pub". It is an excellent restaurant that just happens to be located within a charming pub. A very good menu offering a good range and everything was first class. Definitely worth a return

When the Government closed all pubs we wondered how the Saracens Head would survive. We needn’t have worried. The lovely deli now stocks all the essentials a village needs and the new pub take away service open in the evening is brilliant! The food is...

Went with group of friends for a meal. Very impressed by the menu, the quality of staff and the excellent quality of the meals. Will certainly make the trek into Derbyshire again. Thoroughly recommend it.

Called in for a drink as staying with family at The Mill close by, was made to feel very welcome by staff, all very clean and modern, will definitely stay for a meal when in the area again, love that dogs are allowed and even...

We had gift vouchers totalling £60 which were given to my wife on 26 Feb 2019 as a retirement gift. My wife has spent about 6 months on crutches because of broken ankle etc. so getting out has been a bit difficult. Anyway, we found...

We went to the Saracen's Head at Shirley for lunch with some friends and greatly enjoyed our meal. Rather than a printed menu, the choice of starter and main dishes is displayed on a large chalkboard and having perused this decided to forego starters so...

We booked for a quick Saturday lunch,our food was up to the usual standard but the service was sloppy, we had to ask 3 times to order but before we had ordered a meal for another table was delivered! When we finished our meal we...

We've been a few times for special occasions, and the food is always very good, and they find solutions for our daughter who is gluten free and dairy free, will definitely be back.

My 70th birthday lunch on Sunday, 26th January was outstanding. 15 friends and family sat down at 12.30pm and everything went perfectly. The atmosphere, food and wine we’re absolutely wonderful and the front of house staff could not have been more obliging. Some of my...

Really lovely evening here. Food and atmosphere were very pleasant. Although we arrived just before 8 and the kitchen was very nearly closed. Very glad they squeezed us in. Thankyou!

We visited The saracens yesterday evening after a last minute booking. After giving a previous review regarding the service lacking slightly I have to say that on this occasion the service was outstanding. We were offered complementary drinks after our usual tipple, old speckled hen...

We have spent many lovely times over the years at the Saracens. Groups of friends, table for 2, celebrating special family events. Robin & Terri have never disappointed in food or hospitality. However yesterday Robin and team went the extra mile to help my mum...