Shoal hill tavern in South Staffordshire

Visited here Saturday with 14 family members, for a family breakfast get together, we have visited before in memory of a family member who enjoyed coming for breakfast On this visit something seemed to be off (for want of a better word), service was not upto the standard we usually get. We ordered hot drinks, I almost had half a cup of coffee, tea was served in tea pots and what seemed to be coffee mugs, not a cup and saucer. We ordered our breakfasts, which was served after about 20min, but there was no cutlery on the table, a waitress then came and plonked all knives and forks in the middle of the table which we had to distribute ourselves to all family members, sauces had to be requested, toast was over cooked, not buttered and no butter offered, after food family members ordered more tea, one of the mugs was dirty and had to be sent back for a clean one, no apology for that. The only time the waitress spoke was to make sure we vacated by 12 o clock. Not the best service we have received from the Shoal, and when you are spending £100+ we expected better and a more Christmas atmosphere.

Lovely gastro pub, food is good and the service very good. It must be well thought of locally as it was very busy and with that quite noisy.

Called in today (Friday afternoon) the pub was busy which is good to see first time of visiting warmly welcomed on arrival and showed to a spare table by the log fire which was lovely . Excellent choice on the menu and on the specials board ,I had the faggots and mash and peas with gravy really generous portion ,my partner had the beef roast dinner which again was excellent. The staff are excellent and look after the customers very well. Highly recommend we will be back 100%

I've been here twice recently with friends and can't recommend the chicken smash burger highly enough. Extremely tasty and good sized portions. They also have a good coeliac friendly gluten free menu.

Very nice place to go an eat. Very good menu and the food is second to none. The chef there really cares about the food he sends out. I highly recommend this establishment, we have never had a bad meal here.

Having only ordered from Shoal Hill Tavern twice, I can confidently say it has set the benchmark for quality food and exceptional service. Our first experience, several months ago, was a takeaway breakfast that truly impressed us. Initially, we had a table booking but were forced to cancel due to a late start. The team was incredibly accommodating, allowing us to place a collection order instead, and even catered to a few requested swaps with ease and professionalism. The food itself was nothing short of exceptional. I opted for the Eggs Florentine, and it was possibly the best I have ever tasted. The eggs were cooked to perfection, the hollandaise sauce was rich and velvety, and the balance of flavours was simply sublime. My partner chose the aptly named Belly Buster breakfast, which lived up to its name in both portion size and quality. It was hearty, well-prepared, and absolutely worth every penny—a meal that left us both thoroughly satisfied. Today, we decided to try their Sunday dinner, and once again, Shoal Hill Tavern exceeded all expectations. Despite being fully booked for table reservations, they went above and beyond to accommodate us by offering a delivery option. As someone who doesn’t eat meat, I requested all the trimmings with a little extra to compensate for the lack of a meat portion. Not only did they fulfil this request, but they also charged me for a children’s roast, a thoughtful gesture that demonstrated their commitment to customer satisfaction. The meal was absolutely delicious. Every element of the roast, from the perfectly cooked vegetables to the crispy, golden roast potatoes and rich, flavourful gravy—was executed flawlessly. My partner opted for the Mighty Meat Roast, which features four different cuts of meat, and she was blown away by the quality. She couldn’t stop raving about how delicious everything was, declaring it the best Sunday roast she has ever had, and she is a true connoisseur of Sunday roasts. Shoal Hill Tavern has set itself apart through its attention to detail, exceptional food, and customer-focused approach. Both experiences have left us thoroughly impressed, and we are certain we won’t wait several months before returning next time. This is a venue that not only meets but exceeds expectations, offering quality and service that few can rival.

Visited Christmas eve afternoon very busy only had one drink after walking out with the dog

Really lovely place. Hardworking staff. Ok food . Lots of outdoor covered seating. Fabulous garden.

Went for a Sunday morning breakfast treat before going for a walk across the road in the nature reserve. I had the 'belly buster' breakfast. Absolutely lovely and even I could not finish it all! Quality and Quantity second to none!

Went to shoalhill on a Sunday, wasn't to busy, was able to book for a table, the only negative is that it's a pity there's a diving wall with tables behind it, as you feel like you've been put out the way, but the service was excellent, staff even came out during our Sunday meal to see if we needed anything else or extra... I would recommend the mighty meat Sunday roast.. if you can handle a big plate, roasties were amazing! Very friendly and welcoming.

I don't normally leave reviews but after going through a hard time recently I went for a meal with my mom. Food was great. And as a vegetarian I really appreciated having more choice than the usual mac n cheese or veggie burger. Had the vegetarian meatball linguine with garlic bread. Beautiful! Sauce was just right, right amount of everything. My mom had a baked potato with steak and kidney and gravy. Now she normally complains about something, at least, but she still says it was beautiful. I had the dark chocolate torte with cherries and vanilla ice cream, my mom had the berries cheesecake with vanilla ice-cream. Both very nice too. Came to about £44 altogether including a kopparberg. Staff were great. Definitely recommend

Absolutely lovely food, very tasty, generous portions, and the dessert were yummy 😋

Food was nice beer a bit pricey the guy who served us was very nice cracked a number of jokes and would have tipped but the food bill for 4 and drinks was £134 quite pricey for what we had

Had my 30th here last night, everyone in my party of 28 left, full and impressed with how great the food was, thanks guys! Really did have a great evening

Went for Sunday lunch. My husband had the roast beef which was lovely. I had the lamb shank which was quite expensive , didn't expect instant mashed potato for the price

Chicken in chicken tikka was pink in the middle - definitely under cooked. Any other meat and we wouldn't have bothered, but the risk of undercooked chicken is too much. We got profuse apologies and no bill for that meal. Fair enough.

October 24. First and last time for a long while. Basic pub grub, paid £15 per head for mains. Intial Order of 3 drinks, NO ice but still came with ice, grr. Big breakfast, Hunters Chicken, Sizzler. Fist two ok, mm. Ordered beef sizzler with chips recommended. On arrival it was a chicken sizzler and rice & chips. Waitress agreed not what ordered. Too late have it changed. Obviously use frozen chunky chips, they undercooked but a nice colour.

I popped in today to check this pub out, as I've recently moved to the area, and want to get to know pubs local to me. It's a cracking pub in general, the staff are hard working and never had a problem with service, the only gripe I've got is the prices, I realise there is a cost of living crisis going on at the moment (AKA greed!) But the prices charged here are truly extortionate, way over a fiver for a pint and did not taste the best, I paid cheaper in Cornwall a month ago, over £10 for a ciabatta, disgusting. For thar reason I will cross that off my list of my new locals to visit. 😒

Off the beaten track, an A1 dinner venue Beautiful to look at, with the feel of a country cottage and garden. Delicious, wholesome food. Excellent quality. Well stocked bar Will be wonderful in summer and is cozy for winter.

Visited yesterday for the first time in a few years. For a Thursday afternoon the pub was quite busy without being crowded. We were welcomed on arrival and shown to our seats and served drinks quickly. I ordered the cod and prawn sizzler and my partner the Bombay chicken sizzler with a side of cheesy garlic bread. Food arrived piping hot as you would expect from a sizzler, good portion size and overall a tasty meal. Enough leftovers to take home in a takeaway box which was provided for us. I did mention the tables were a little sticky but the waitress explained that they had been recently varnished so no big deal, good to see the pub keeping up on up keep

Lovely meal, generous portion, friendly service, pretty location on the edge of the chase.

Starters were lovely but very disappointed with the roast dinners. There was so much gravy I could not tell what I was eating. As with previous reviews meat was very bland. If I came again it would not be for the limited sunday menu. My husband was not happy with his burger and he us not a fussy eater. Cannot fault the attentive service we had so made the food experience more tolerable

Lovely food ,has dog friendly area inside

Nice food and good prices drinks are expensive.

A family meal , good service pleasant staff ⚕️ Will certainly be back .. Added Bonus Very Dog Friendly, x

A gem of a traditional British pub. Pets allowed. Beautiful beer garden.

The food here is great, I love the smash burger and dirty fries. The service wasn't great though. We walked in one Wednesday and the restaurant wasn't busy and we're ignored and left standing at the door while people walked past us for about 4 minutes. It wasn't very welcoming at all.

It is a brilliant establishment

Food was okay but the table was so sticky it was bad, I had difficulty picking my phone of the table when we left it was better than super glue.

Came across this Gem by accident.. Excellent service and the food was fantastic. The menu is really varied. 2 meals for £18 on a special menu. That was really good value...thanks folks.

Sunday lunch is excellent the menu gives you plenty of choice well worth the money

Great food, amazing menu and staff were incredible. Booked to go back already

Seven of us went for a birthday meal. Three of the meals were ok, four disgusting! There were items missing on two of the meals, the veggie burgers. They were supposed to have veg bacon . When queried the waitress said the supplier doesn't do this anymore. I suggested amending their menu as £15 for an ordinary burger is expensive. The lasagna was overcooked pasta and dry. The jerk chicken had no flavour and certainly wasn't jerk chicken. We ordered a cocktail, which they hadn't got the ingredients for so wasn't served. This was still on the bill. The service was average at best. Avoid!

Perfect and it's the opinion of a French person so really perfect lol

Excellent gem of a place to eat. Can't thank the chef or staff enough, so attentive on allergies. Made dining here a pleasure. So nice that they are considerate, thoughtful and attentive. Thank you.

Came for lunch today . Best meal ever . Sizzlers highly recommend. Well done to chef and kitchen staff

We booked for this Wednesday gone, it’s a good job as they were very busy. It’s a large carpark so parking was not a problem. The pub itself was buzzing, but we had booked a lovely seat overlooking the garden. Within 5 minutes they had taken our drinks order, the staff were busy but, friendly and welcoming.The menu is varied, you’re almost spoiled for choice. They had to come back twice as we continued to ponder the menu. We chose Fish and chips and chicken chilli sizzler. It was a reasonable wait but not excessive.Everything arrived piping hot. The diced chilli chicken breast came with green and red peppers and onions. It was absolutely delicious. The chips were just right too. The fish and chips were perfect. The portions are generous, we still had room for dessert. Again the portions are big, my chocolate brownie and vanilla ice cream almost defeated me! All in all in was a lovely experience, good food, lovely staff, and reasonable bill for 4 adults. Highly Recommend .

Massive portions served quickly.

Food was nice and location is nice. The male waiter that served us was really lovely and couldn't be more helpful. However, a female waitress with long brown hair was one of the most miserable waitresses I've ever seen. She didn't smile once and looked like she absolutely hated being there. She actually made us all feel very unwelcome. There was another female waitress there too that also looked miserable but she wasn't as bad as the brunette! I'm not sure whether I'd go again as eating out isn't cheap and we'd rather go somewhere that we felt welcome. It's a shame as the male that served us was really lovely and we did like the food.

Delicious food, and very good serving, just garden tables need cleaning.or painting.

Lovely food and friendly staff will be back soon 👍

An amazing place to go for all the family

Just popped in for a drink. Lovely place

Today I went there with my family for a meal after a nice day and instead got raw food, 40+ minute waiting and then blamed by what I'm guessing is the manager after I told her what happened. The fish was greasy and 75% of the chips were not cooked. I inquired about it when the staff came over about what could be done and was told quote "you should have told me then " even though she had literally come over 30 seconds after we were served and didn't check on us again till the end when this happened. The chef then came out stood behind the bar stared at us and laughed. This is not acceptable and I highly advise people to avoid this establishment.

We are local and have ate at Shoal Hill loads of times over the years, it always used to be our place for a guaranteed good meal but we came on Saturday and the food wasn’t the best. My partner ordered the smothered chicken and it looked like something that would be served in a care home. It actually made us laugh it was so bad. I got lucky because the veggie lasagne was ok. We didn’t complain because we were hungry and he gobbled the sad looking tiny portion down in about 2 minutes. The table behind us sent their food back! Maybe a new chef in there or just a bad day but we won’t be returning for food in a hurry

Lovely food, I had the steak & mushroom pie very nice

Great food and reasonably priced. We didn’t have a reservation but they managed to seat us. First time we have ever been here and it was a great pud and very good food. Drinks were definitely overpriced with Carlsberg @ £5.35 per pint. Staff were pleasant but asked us at least 4 times if we were ready to order although we was quite clearly reading the menu. This said will definitely return again maybe for the Sunday lunch menu that also looks great

We had a lovely meal tonight. Booked last minute, after a walk on the chase. It’s been a couple of years since we last visited, and the new menu had a fab variety - I struggled to make my mind up as lots of options sounded delicious! I thought it was reasonably priced, with most mains between £15-£20. Waitress was friendly and we all enjoyed our meal, and were suitably stuffed! We will def be back :)

Nice food but extremely overpriced

Lovely "sizzler" meals Nice drinking garden Very relaxing

Great visit on a busy Sunday. Hasn't booked but we managed to get a table and there was quite a few of us with children and a dog. Pub couldn't have been more accommodating and the food selection was really good. Definitely go again.

Had a lovely meal, the staff were efficient and the atmosphere was good. Would definitely recommend a try.

Went today for Father's day and what a shenanigans. Starters came out and we had burnt Pork-belly Bites and 3 Chicken Wings, not good value for money. So we had a credit for the starters, mains came out and all the pies were cold. When we complained we had the most discourteous waitress insult our intelligence saying the plate is hot and it’s not my fault. When we challenged the waitress about front of house , she did not take responsibility for her actions let alone the customer experience. We normally pop in now and again after a walk for a pint and chips , we will not be going again.

Great view of cannock chase when sitting in the garden friendly staff food a bit basic but that's my opinion

Very busy place, need to book a table. We have eaten a Sunday roast better and cheaper. I only go there if invited.

Reasonably priced lunchtime 241 meals, really tasty steak and ale pie. Good selection of ales.

Fabulous pub in a lovely location the breakfasts are very good and I am sure the main meals would be too. Dog friendly with a separate area for people wanting to bring well behaved dogs in there plus plenty of fresh water,bowls and food treats available to purchase.

First visit here. Nice little country pub with friendly and welcoming staff, with an atmosphere to match. Great service, the waitress was lovely. Love the fact this venue is dog friendly, as the pooch could just laze under the table after a long walk. I was impressed with the dog menu, never seen this before. Brilliant touch imo. However, I was quite disappointed by the Sunday roast if I'm honest. The meat was clearly pre packaged sliced meat that had a bland flavour, which the seasoned gravy tried to revive... But the meat had clearly been dead a long time, there was no flavouring possible. The roast potatoes were burnt and not very crispy - I also think these were cooked from frozen along with the vegetables, it was quite obvious to me. Although the food was edible, it wasn't very satisfying. Didn't have desert due to disappointment with the food. I would visit here again, but think it would be for drinks only.

Not very happy with the whole experience of having a meal there its a shame lovely old pub nice setting, food and service let's it down .it use to be one of the best places to eat in the area a while ago not anymore in my opinion.

Very nice, had a lovely meal with the girlfriend, definitely will be back

An impulse late afternoon visit, plenty of tables available inside or out with attentive staff on hand, we chose from the offer 2 for £18 and the steak pie was delicious, Thwaites real ale , excellent food , sensible prices and super location, what more could you want, Being super critical , the recently vanished tables were sticky for which the staff apologised Highly recommend for a visit

Lovely pub lovely location not soo lovely prices but I don't suppose you can blame the pubs for that

Good food and setting. 2 for £18 menu is the one to go for.

Visited here with 3 friends, there was some confusion with the booking even though we had email confirmation it was booked. The waitress abruptly took us to our table. As we ordered the waitress seemed to be looking around the room and not engaging with us at all. It was quite busy in there. When we ordered we did ask for mushrooms on a burger and no relish, when it arrived there was no mushrooms but we didn’t say anything as there had been quite a wait for the food to arrive. The rest of the food was of a good standard. The pasta was a little dry and lacked seasoning but the sizzler was lovely. On to desserts we wanted cheesecake but there wasn’t enough for 4 so a couple of us opted for alternative where cream and ice cream was mixed up. The last waitress was friendly and polite. When we asked for the bill the mushrooms that we didn’t get were on and the desserts weren’t the same price as on the menu boards. We didn’t bother to dispute this, however we didn’t leave much of a tip. Don’t know what’s happened there, yes it’s had a refurb and looks good, but at what cost?

Went the wrong time..in between lunch and dinner...meal was OK..

Dogs loved their roast turkey dinner!

We had a lovely family lunch yesterday the staff were really helpful catering for gluten free options and egg free ones. Will definitely be returning yummy food and 😊

Superb meal and great service. Loving the refurbishment. Looking forward to many return visits.

Beer always seems expensive but nice pub.

I didn't eat here but the other people who did said their food was lovely, and it did look delicious.

ANOTHER comfortable well presented service

A very good place to go for a bit of refreshments after a good walk over Shoal Hill. We only went for a drink which the price was very reasonable.

We have noisy dogs so sat outside

Very ordinary, but nothing wrong.

We've lived in this area for 34 years but this was my first visit to The Shoal Hill Tavern. First impression was that the place neede some updating as it looked a bit tired...but it was clean and tidy so no real issues. Staff were friendly and efficient and service was excellent. We came for an evening meal and were not disappointed. We decided to share a fish platter for starters...the dish was awesome! Great selection of fish, well cooked and the portion size was really generous, in fact so generous we were not sure about wanting our main course! Our mains; classic 14oz gammon steak and a hunters chicken were exceptional...unfortunately we couldn't do them justice and did leave some...consequently we did not have pudding! I thoroughly recommend the Shoal Tavern to all. Might suggest that you book for an evening meal as it was very busy even for mid-week possibly due to being on the edge of Cannock Chase so attracts people come back from walks Loved the place

Went for breakfast. Good food and service

Lovely place for a family meet up. We all had a delicious breakfast. Staff were very helpful & friendly. Recommend a visit.

Food was lovely great portion sizes for the price! Love the fact we can take our dog in too

It took almost 10 minutes for me to be looked at whilst waiting at the bar. (I was the only person there).

Friendly place. Good choice of beers.

Food was nice, service really good. Decor dated

Came from Grimsby to see a friend and we went out to eat something. Sure I.m not gonna come here again. The only thing good on the table was the beer. Neither me or my friends ate what we ordered. You can see the products are from tesco or even worst, and then just fried. We only ate the fries. The staff was lovely.

Very crowded men standing swearing at bar whilst people and families eat

Breakfast was absolutely amazing and staff all superb and friendly

We have been here several times but never again. This was the worst visit ever. The food was very very disappointing. The pork belly was pure fat it wasn’t cooked very well and the flavours were all very bland on all meals. Very disappointed.

Found this place after a nice walk around Cannock Lake. Fantastic food - a really good, succulent chilli with garlic bread - and service, and I like the outdoor seating sheds (with all mod cons). Perfect place to shelter from the rain while enjoying the view, and fuel up both myself and my phone for the way back.

Very friendly impeccable staff. Unfortunately we had broken down, as a diabetic needed lunch. RAC wasn't particularly helpful so walked back to shoal hill tavern, leaving husband sorting things out. Explained my situation to a member of staff who immediately showed compassion and concern. Ordered food for me straight away fast tracking knowing I was diabetic. Said take a table as you have had a long walk with back problems. I was prepared to sit outside as it was busy.Two ladies befriended me making me feel easy . Then the member of staff came to see how things were going was fully prepared to drive me back to the car. How thoughtful was that. I cannot express my gratitude to all concerned for coming to my aid.HUGE THANKS from both myself and husband. You all deserve recognition for your thoughtfulness and kindness shown. Nothing was too much trouble and went above and beyond your duty rescuing a damsel in distress.

Nice place food usual microwave pub grub no better or worse than everywhere else. Good value beer prices bit ott

Called here with family on Sunday morning. A very pleasant welcome as we arrived and were shown to a suitable table by the front window. Immediately our drinks order was taken while we looked at the menu. 3 full English with toast arrived in a short time and was extremely tasty. Very pleasant and attentive staff, and a lovely atmosphere. Will definitely return, was well as recommend to friends and family.

Fantastic breakfast and coffee after a very cold dog walk on Cannock Chase. Very dog friendly with a specific seating area.

Friendly staff and lovely food. Nice atmosphere. Meet friends there about once a month. Usually go for lunch and order from the lunch menu

We have never had a bad meal here, so long may it continue. Our favorite is the steak and ale pie. There is a range of real ales on tap as well. So food, ale and service is really good. Well worth a visit if you have never been. It is right on the edge of Cannock Chase, so some good walks to walk off the calories, if you want to. Recommended.

Lovely honest food, warm welcome and attentive staff. Food arrived piping hot and fresh. Good roast dinner. Staff very friendly and ready to help.

Considering the price, Sunday lunch was very, very disappointing.. The place needs an urgent face-lift and the quality of the food needs serious attention to justify the cost. The most gutting factor was the service. It's clear that some of the staff have no interest in being there. We were given abrupt, even downright rude service. The Shoal used to be great. We will not be returning.

We were regulars to this pub however we won't be returning. The table was dirty on being seated (this was the beginning of food service. Sunday lunch is overpriced and very poor-frozen veg for the high price is unacceptable. The pork Yorkshire was sour and clearly gone off. We reported this to the waitress who didn't even have to the courtesy to come back to us. So reported again when we paid to have a number of the waitresses argue with us. I was concerned that the pork Yorkshire was off and that they should check before sending anymore out. We were just dismissed and given a mouthful. Shocking service and poor food. It never used to be like this. What has happened here recently to let the standards slip so much?

Lovely food and a nice, friendly atmosphere. We visit often. Highly recommend.

Went for a family meal , food was excellent very hot and plenty to eat.

Very nice pub food great and generous portions. Staff are very efficient and friendly

Lovely place, the food was wonderful, and service was equally as good.

Waited over half an hour to order food , was not overly busy . Received our food over an hour after arriving . Wasn't worth the wait chips were dry and cold , peas were like bullets . No sauces had to hunt round for them ourselves . Just generally very poor service and terrible food would not reccomend .