Smisby Arms in South Derbyshire

Food always good, staff always friendly and accomodating. Landlady always makes an effort with my little boy which is nice.

Booked a table for 1 pm. On arrival was asked what drinks we would like and also asked could we order quickly as the chef wanted to leave early. Why did they take our booking, we were the only people in the restaurant. When we go out with friends for lunch we like to have a leisurely lunch and a drink. Will not be returning although the food itself was very good.

Food good value for money. Atmosphere isn’t pleasant. Staff appear to work hard, with excellent customer service skills but owners don’t speak to them respectfully which made for an uncomfortable experience to have to witness. Shame really because it’s a nice location, nice local pub. Don’t think I’ll be returning anytime soon.

We went for the first time last night and the meal was nice the atmosphere in the restaurant was awful the lady behind the bar was having goes at the two young ladies that were trying their best as soon as the chef shouted They stop taking orders and run and get the food to take to the tablets for the customers .I take it there were short staffed .my friend was also there and went out for a fag and she heard the chef shout at them saying they were awful at their job .I felt sorry for the young girls as they couldn’t get anything right what ever they did in the time was there and were both crying I’m just glad my son didn’t go for a job there when we seen one on indeed .

once again superb food at the Smisby arms, we go alot to the Smisby arms and it never fails to impress the quality of the food ample portions it really is first class.

Avoid this dreadful place like the plague! . Went for lunch today with my family and asked if I could add beef to the mushroom stroganoff, totally prepared to pay extra . Whilst sat in the restaurant with just 2 other customers, the chef and 2 old cronies decided to berate the request and went into a tirade for 5 minutes about customers who try to engineer his menu and he could do without the hassle! How a backstreet boozer can take this attitude is beyond me. Deserves no business and a lesson in customer service! When I asked for beef I didn’t expect to have beef with the chef. What an amateur ! Just lost best part of £100. No one in the pub, dark dingy hole and we’re in a cost of living crisis Seriously needs a visit from Gordon Ramsay

Heard many good reports about this place but it did not live up to its reputation. Underwhelming and mediocre food to say the least. The real disappointment though was my daughter’s fish and chips…Quite frankly, the fish stank. I have never smelled anything quite like it before. Upon quietly and politely telling the landlady that it smelled ‘off’ and was inedible, I was told that it was ‘fresh from Grimsby 2 days ago’….! My daughter’s meal was swapped for an alternative (slightly more expensive - which we were charged for!) but it has put us off ever returning unfortunately. There are much better places to eat locally.

We visited “ impromptu” for lunch mid-week. What a really smashing experience. Perfect variety of main-courses served with a smile and excellent value for money. Made our standard poodle Percy very welcome. All in all, an extremely pleasant surprise. Deserves to be well patronised & well worth a drive out for lunch, and I’m certain, dinner.

Needed a family lunch venue and because I had been to Smisby Arms several years ago I suggested we all meet there. I phoned at 0930 that morning to advise them that there could be up to 12 people arriving around 1215. When we arrived the first issue was no wheelchair access and as one of our party is wheelchair bound that caused a bit of a problem. The worker let us in to the lower dining room by opening the back door. We had to stop in that room as there were steps up to the bar area. We made the necessary adjustments to tables and i went to order drinks. The worker asked me if we had booked and I informed her of the phone message. She then said for a party of our size we should have pre-ordered. Our party was 9 people. At this point feeling unwelcome and unwanted I asked if we should go elsewhere and the worker said no.I proceeded to buy drinks and took them to the table. The table, chairs, cutlery, glasses and chairs were "sticky". The serviettes and cutlery stuck to the table and if you leant on the bar or the table the same happened to your arms. To keep things simple we all ordered fish and chips. lovely, good portions, well cooked, thrice cooked chips which were smashing and perfectly cooked chips. Good grub shame about the attitude, disabled access and they need a new cleaner.

Been to this establishment on several occasions, bar manager, bar staff, waitresses and chef are absolutely outstanding never had a problem UNTILL the landlady is on shift, she is rude, arrogant and disrespectful never met a woman like her ……. It’s a shame as she’s the only person who lets the place down. I won’t be returning whilst she is still there under any circumstances!!!!

A welcoming old pub, with tasty food and well cooked. Staff were friendly and even though they were very busy nothing was a problem for them.

A friend suggested we meet up for a meal and a catch up, and they thought the Smisby Arms would be a good idea. I rang to book a table and was told they could just squeeze the two of us in for 6.45. I don’t eat out very often, so this was a real treat, and it’s lovely to have a meal cooked. On arrival, a few minutes early, the bar/waiting staff seemed slightly pressured, but it was a Saturday evening and we were served drinks before being told which was our table. It was right next to a back door which staff needed to use on several occasions. The table adjacent had a family who were about to leave but the significant amount of dropped food from a high chair next to mine took a while to clean up. The wait time between serving staff visits to the table increased as the evening went on. Sometimes two came at once. The wine did not arrive in time to be consumed alongside the food. The vegan choice of Provençal vegetables was very disappointing - thin, watery tomato based sauce wrapped around a bowl of slightly under cooked mixed veg, with zero seasoning. No salt, pepper, garlic, herbs… very bland and hardly French. The lady who appeared to be the bar manager had an aloof and slightly rude air about her, though the younger waiting staff were polite and friendly, and though they seemed to be trying their hardest, service was at best chaotic, not just for us but other customers too. We were served by three different staff. The ‘manager’ was abrupt when I asked about vegan dessert options, saying ‘you won’t be about to have cream or custard with it’. Cramped seating, poor knowledge of menu items, very disorganised staffing, tasteless and overpriced food. When we finally got the bill (the ‘manager’ had to confirm with us which items we’d had). We took it to the bar to pay, rather than wait another 15 minutes. I left the table first, as I’d been asked to move by staff wishing to use the door behind, and waited up the steps for my friend who was putting on a jacket. The ‘manager’ said ‘Are you alright?’. I didn’t realise she was talking to me so she said it again, rather rudely. I explained I was waiting for my friend. When asked if everything had been okay, we politely only mentioned the wait times, and the ‘manager’ retorted defensively and rudely, referring to the younger waiting staff, saying ‘Well, I can only work with what I’ve got’. Disrespectful, unfriendly, rude, poor attitude. I can’t remember the last time I felt I might leave a review for anything - I’m not a complainer - but this was a shambles, a waste of time and money. Will not be returning, sorry.

Visited this pub on 28th December around 4.45pm.Was told not serving food till 5.00pm not a problem enjoyed drinks beforehand. Owners were very friendly food came out very swiftly 2 lasagne and 2 fish and chips excellent food . overall a good experience only visited there a couple of times before but will certainly go back there again soon. WELL Done to all the team that work there !

Well I have to say you can’t beat real pub grub and this certainly hits the mark! I had liver and onions cooked to perfection with some roasted boiled potatoes and vegetables was very nice indeed. My partner had gammon and chips very big portion. My friend had chicken supreme unfortunately that was very bland. They managed to get us in at 1:45 pm but they stop serving food at 1:30 pm. So was in a rush to get us served. Bit strange in this day in age as most pubs serve all day now. Lovely traditional pub but no Guinness… I don’t think I’ve ever been in a pub that doesn’t serve Guinness 😵‍💫 (can) = no thanks. There was 2 Real Ales on, updated Madri & peroni on draft. Was nice coal fired on.. All in all good. Thanks

Food that I had was not worth the money I paid. I complained to waitress but no one came to me. No veg with the main meal unless you pay extra.

First time here, parking is very restricted so if there were lots of you then you would struggle but thqt seems to be the way for Smisby. We came for Sunday lunch, sadly there is no vegetarian option you can only order a meal from...

Such a shame excellent food was spoilt with poor service and late apology. We were greeted with a very awkward welcome advising we had been booked in for 5pm rather and 8pm, but when questioned we got told this was the temp who had booked...

Good and service is out of this world, amazing food served with a smile. Highly recommend anyone to try this place

We chose this place for a family get together evening meal. The place looks nice and cosy from outside and the inside is equally so, there is hardly any space to move about though. Our table was booked for 7.30. We arrived way before our...

Very friendly welcome. We ordered our drinks and food, and sat outside in the sunshine. Food served quicker than expected, it was hot and tasty. Good grub in a friendly pub, what more could you want?

I have read these negative reviews and confused as to why people are writing these malicious reviews about the landlady. I come here with my partner montky and have done for the last 4 years and the couple that run it are amazing and can't...

Is a lovely country pub with fantastic food. Shall be visiting again well worth The Visit. Fantastic fresh hot food. The service after ordering my food was quick and no complaints at all about anything.

I can honestly say I have been coming to this pub for the past 6 months and the land lady and staff are absolutely amazing! Very friendly and cater for all. Always feel welcome and the atmosphere is relaxed. Please don’t be out of by...

As an employee for a FTSE 100 company and having to entertain a sales director for the evening the pressure was on me and I was unsure where to go for and evening meal. After a few discussions, he suggested a village pub (after all...

I can’t believe some of the reviews wrote on here and I feel that we must write a review .We have been visiting the Smisby arms for at least ten years sometimes 3 times a week and can honestly say we have never had a...

We went to the smisby arms today for food with the family, nothing was to much for the staff they even did a menu to our child's needs food was very quick to be served lovely delicious food piping hot! Puddings was lovely we will...

Someone in the kitchen knows what they are doing , the food was excellent The attitude of the landlady however completely quashed that Damn rude & almost goading in her comments towards us Plus a full on audible rant with the kitchen staff Never experienced...

Me and my wife booked a table on valentines/our anniversary evening. Our one night away from the kids in a long time. This place was recommended by somebody we knew. However he was a regular drinker there and friends with the landlord. We placed our...

Absolutely brilliant place. Been here several times now. Every single time was absolutely outstanding, food and atmosphere always top notch. Staff always go out their way to help out, very professional and caring. Thank you :) see you again soon

We went here for lunch and I must say that the food was excellent. The portions was more than generous and the staff was really welcoming and helpful. I've recommend this place to a few people who are going to try it themselves.

Go out of your way to come along to here and benefit from the conscientious chef and extremely well kept cellar. The they cater perfectly for carnivores and us vegans at the other end of the spectrum.

I came here one evning due to my motorcycle breaking down. Leanne was lovely. Great personality and easy to talk to. She knows exactly what shes doing and makes things run like clock work. The same can be said about Carol. Lovely person and very...

As always the food was excellent also the service. We all thoroughly enjoyed our meal. Happy Christmas 🎄

I have had Sunday lunch here twice. First time I had steak with red wine and Stilton which was lovely and the next time I had a lamb dinner. I asked if I could have stuffing with this and there was no hesitation. Four of...

My partner and I attend for our usual monthly date night(18/12/22)we sat in the snug for a drink but quickly ask to be seated as there was a Christmas party in the restaurant area.The language was absolutely awful all f's and c words and shouting.I...

Visited in November 2021 for my auntie’s birthday and it was unfortunately quite poor. We have visited previously and the overall experience has been middling at best, but this particular was our final visit. I have respect for new staff as it’s not an easy...

Sunday lunch, absolutely first class, cooked to perfection served by friendly attentive staff. Would not hesitate to recommend. A big thank you to all the staff a real feel of professionalism and pride in their work. Will be back soon Kind regards David Hick

Just had yet another wonderful Sunday lunch perfect crispy roast potatoes and beautifully cooked vegetables. Lovely old style country pub. With friendly athmosphere and efficient service. Can’t wait to see you soon wendy

Sunday lunch today and very disappointed! This is the second time we have been for Sunday lunch the first time was fantastic great service and delicious food! Today was a complete disaster!! The starters were good, the main course was awful! Lamb that you couldn’t...

On arrival given a table that was cramed in between two tables of four no conversation was private you may as well been sat on a total strangers table with them that close may I add that this was a pre booked table so not...

We went to the smisby for a family meal, the pub itself was very clean and gave a warm atmosphere. We didn't book (though sometimes its advised to as can get busy). We probably was there around 5pm. We were seated by a gentleman and...

Six of us visited this pub today and the food was excellent with good portions well- cooked and presented. We commented that we had recently been to other restaurants in other areas which charged more for dishes not as expertly cooked. We also appreciated a...

Party of 6 ate here last Sunday. Have eaten here in the past and food was good. However this wasn't the case on this visit. All the vegetables were hard and consequently few were eaten. The only meal that was ok was fried fish and...

I normally try to lighten up my bad reviews but I’m not feeling that today. When you order Ham Egg and Chips you expect the food to come as described. The menu says Gammon, but you get sliced ham from a deli counter. Every single...

We have just been to The Smisby Arms, our first visit after Covid restrictions; felt very safe and we were seated and served very quickly. Food and drink was served quickly and efficiently and was of good quality with generous portions, not a stellar experience...

Saw the good reviews and thought it would make a lovely place to stop off after a fab walk around the nearby arboretum. Food was good - good sized portions and tasty. Only spoiled by the really tense atmosphere caused by staff (father and daughter?)...

Travelling from York to Swindon & stopped in this little gem of a find for lunch. Hubby had sausage & mash, whilst I had meat & potato pie, topped with short crust pastry ... ABSOLUTELY delicious! Think we will be adjusting our future & frequent...

Fantastic homemade food. Plenty of choice for Carnivore or Vegan. Really tasty Friendly staff. good value for money. Will definitely visit again to sample the other dishes.

Tasty well cooked meals and plenty of it. Staff were very friendly and accommodating. Would highly recommend.

Carol and team were absolutely lovely and accommodating. Food was delicious and we couldn't of have been more welcoming. We will definitely be back and recommend to everyone.

Visited twice in a week because we were so impressed. Excellent food, great value and a friendly welcome! Sunday roasts were excellent - so much choice and large portions! Great with the kids and so accommodating. Thank you!

Some friends of ours took us out for Sunday lunch at The Smisby Arms and what a great place. Tucked away and actually nothing to look at from the outside, it is lovely and cosy inside dating back to the 1600's. The menu is brilliant,...

Visited on a Saturday evening. Excellent food , well kept ale and courteous and professional staff. Liver and bacon and salmon were both excellent. Would be a regular of we didn't live 160 miles away. That said will visit again when next in the area.

Wanted somewhere different and new for our lunch. Read the reviews , recieved a few good reports from friends. Tucked away in the heart of the village. Nice chatty regulars and really good staff. Well looked after by Mick. Good menu and specials board. We...

Warm, cosy and friendly atmosphere. Food was fresh, and quickly prepared. Large, but not overwhelming menu. Attentive staff and a vast selection of drinks. Lovely little find and no complaints at all! Will definitely be returning to try more of the menu!

It's a lovely little pub/restaurant. Very friendly service and the food was amazing. Definitely recommend

I wish I had registered previous reviews!! The one that reported that no-one wore masks!! 5 family members went for dinner on a Saturday night. It says on the door that staff wear PPE and alcohol gel available . NO-ONE wears a mask and one...

Food was lovely and portions big but main plus point was the good service with a smile. Will definitely be going back!

me and my partner came for our 3 year anniversary. We rung as the babysitter was late but they were fine, when we arrived the staff was so nice. We ordered starters and mains and the food was amazing, my partner had chicken and i...

I chose the Smisby Arms for Sunday lunch based on their reviews and I was going to be in the area.Parking is limited, about six spaces but people park by the side of the road. This place is old, 1600. There are steps into the bars and dining room. The room I was in and I was grateful to see very comfortable chairs, old people appreciate this. There were just four people in this room, and a two and a four came in after me. Normally I suspect his place would have been packed if not for Covid-19. The bar tender was a young attractive woman, she was polite and efficient but not what you would call welcoming. The background music was more for people in their 20's although the clientele were in the 50+ range. Non of the staff wore masks and guests were not required to wear masks. I had one in my pocket just in case. The male waiter used hand sanitzer frequently and was thorough cleaning down a table for the next customers.On the specials board there were several steak dishes.I ordered the home made pate to start. It was definitely home made, served with toast quarters a bit of salad and I think a home made chutney. For me the pate was bland, It lacked complexity. I would've liked some more salt and pepper, some brandy or cream or bacon flavour if had been poached wrapped in bacon strips.For my main I ordered a trio of roasts of the day, pork loin, lamb and topside beef.I asked if the pork came with crackling, unfortunately not. The amount of food is huge. On my plate was a slice of each meat, a large Yorkshire pudding, some roast potatoes and boiled potatoes. On top of they was a plate of steamed vegetable, and a jug of gravy that I felt needed some more flavour and juice from the roasts. Everything was served hot, I do appreciate that, I like my food hot. The meats were a disappointment for me. I strongly suspect they were not roasted that morning. They were some what dry. All the vegetables were very good.The Smisby Arms is a lovely pub, the price is very good value for money and the portions are generous. I feel so sorry for places like this that are trying to make it through the pandemic. My only suggestion would be to cook the roasts on Sunday, and together more flavour into the gravy to make it richer.I would return to the Smisby and try the home made fishcakes and one of their steak dinners.

Was a very pub but had very good reviews. Not a chain. Menu fabulous, staff lovely. I had peppercorn chicken with the most amazing proper chips. Friend had garlic chicken. Both dishes were delicious. Will go again when in the area

7 members of my family have just had a great evening at The Smisby Arms A lovely warm welcome from Craig the owner, and Mick the bar manager. Delicious food.Excellent service from all the staff. A friendly happy atmosphere. Everyone was delightful with my 2 year old great niece.Many thanks we really enjoyed ourselves .

We stumbled across this pub purely by luck when our daughter was invited to a party in the village. We decided to call in rather than go home. Initially we were told that it was fully booked so we ordered drinks and sat in the bar. A few minutes later the landlady asked if we still wanted to eat as she had a table free for an hour. We took her up on her offer. We knew nothing about this bar restaurant. Our starters arrived; I had the stuffed mushrooms, four mushrooms stuffed with cheese served in a tasty tomato sauce. My description is rubbish, it was delicious and massive for a starter. My partner had the home made fish cakes, two huge home made fish cakes with a side salad and chilli sauce that he said was delicious. My main course was broccoli in a cheese sauce topped with dauphinois potatoes. It was piping hot which meant I had to try and eat it slowly but it was so tasty I found it quite frustrating lol My other half had fish and chips. Again a massive portion of food. We weren’t rushed at all for saying they needed our table. The service was impeccable. I would recommend it to anyone who likes good home made food, and it wasn’t expensive.

The beer choices were good, the meal was great - great choice on the menu, more on the specials board and more again on a steak menu. Starters were huge, mains good - all excellent food. But, waiting staff were not good - not welcoming, one diner out of our party of eight, has disability and asked for meat to be cut in the kitchen before presenting it - was told that the chef said no it would spoil the dish; waitress asked can someone else cut it up for you?! So another party member had to cut up the meat like a parent for a child. All members of party so angry, stunned by attitude of waitress. Also, the male staff member came to clear away and just asked are you done then? On sharing this tale with other friends the unprofessionlism of the staff has been noted by them too.

Food was good (apart from onion rings!) but unfortunately service was not. Had to ask for someone to come & take our order & no-one came all evening to see if we wanted more drinks - had to get up & get our own. Seemed very short staffed.

The Smisby Arms was a recommendation and we had our family reunion there. The converted pub was clean and warm, with a friendly atmosphere. The starters were, like the rest of the food, well presented. There is enough food for the bigger appetite and very tasty, too. The mains were also large portions and, like the first course, extremely flavoursome. The desserts looked nice but we were too full to taste anything other than the creme brûlée and the cheesecake. Both were equally delicious and enjoyed in the relaxed surroundings, along with a few drinks.

We called in on the off chance and we were given a cosy table for two in the corner, service was quick, Sunday lunch (Lamb with no extra supplement) was excellent, fresh and hot! Highly recommend - thanks Martin & Lou.

Food not as good as usual, service abysmal, served by a sweaty little man, and practically no other staff, always loved this place and the service, when the older lady, think her name was Sarah, was behind the bar, hopefully just on holiday, and the service improves

We didn`t book and were lucky to get a table for Sunday lunch. The pub is full of olde world charm and although quite compact we felt comfortable. The home made pate starter was delicious and our roast beef meal was very enjoyable. Thanks.

No atmosphere, food disappointing (steak unbeatable) and staff wasn’t had no costumer service skills

Took my wife here for our wedding anniversary. Wasn't disappointed. Wide range of food available, including a good vegetarian selection (which pleased the missus). Didn't have to wait long before food arrived which was superb. Best meal I have had in ages.

Amazing pub wide range of beverages head chef was a top guy not surprising really as all the best lads come from the West Midlands. Not sure about the one star reviews I’ve encountered seems like some very false and negative people. All the best for the future.Yours sincerelyNigel holte

Booked meal for 7:30 pm on a Saturday night. Meal arrived after chasing at 8:50. The gammon was dry and over cooked along with the chicken curry which only had roughly 6 pieces of chicken in it. To be fair when asked if the meal was ok they did replace the gammon and we were not charged. Having been here many times in recent years we won’t be rushing back. They did apologise for the lateness of the meal due to being short staffed. Why were we not advised that it might be late? A bit of communication would have helped.

Ate here for the first time in a year or so and service and food was no where near as good as previous.

Although it was fairly quiet we were forgotten about twice! The waitress forgot to take our initial order after we were shown to our table. We had our mains and when the plates were cleared asked for the dessert menu. We gave up waiting and eventually and asked for the bill! For three adults and a child the bill came to £80, just for mains and sides, two alcoholic drinks and 5 soft drinks. The food was okay pub food and we pretty much cleared our plates. We giggled amongst ourselves to overhear a loud conversation at the bar between the chef and a customer, when the chef was telling her how much he was sweating!!

First time visit. Waited 15 mins before we prompted waitress for order to be taken, then went to table next to us as she assumed we had been served already as we were there that long! Asked basic questions regards the menu, but didn't know without checking. Food arrived in good time and was lovely. Waited ages for dessert. Eventually called waitress over and asked what was the hot pudding of the day. Didn't know so went and checked and came back. Then zero service. Like the table next door we gave up and went to the bar and paid up. Would give it one more go as food was nice, but oh, the service! Msg to owner... Train your staff!!!!

Amazing food! Just expecting typical 'pub food' but was very wrong! We ordered faggots and were very impressed with the enormous bowl, carrying three enormous faggots and gallons of onion gravy. The food was actually too hot to eat, I always think that's a bonus and was delicious. Being greedy and having a day off from Weight Watchers went for puddings as well! Beautiful warm chocolate brownie with a jug of cream with so much cream in it even I couldn't finish it.

Lovely food, hot and tasty. Not too expensive, varied menu and friendly staff. A characterful pub, lovely open fire (in the cold weather).

A party celebrating a family birthday 30 of us went to this lovely pub and from start to finish the whole night was fabulous. The food was faultless and beyond expectations of pub food. many of us having different dishes but all was beautiful and everyone commented how fantastic it was. The service was outstanding and staff very helpful and kind. Thankyou to all for a superb night. We will be back.

Pope’s I’m on the off chance they could fit us in

Found this gem of a place while staying in the local area with my partner, we didn’t book a table just turned up and was fortunate enough to get the last unbooked table so glad we did the food was amazing and portion size huge partners fish was like a whale and my gammon was amazing would definitely recommend this place

Amazing food and friendly staff would definitely recommend to others, and we will definitely return!!

Been today for a birthday meal and we all had a great time, the food quality was spot on and myself I could have eaten all of the meals that was ordered as all the food was excellent

A friendly pub with amazing food. Excellent range of food available and relaxing atmosphere. Never rushed to leave.

Had the most delicous meal on fri night , pate to start , my husband had garlic mushrooms which he demolished very quickly . I had the steak which also had proper chips that was a bonus and was all faultless and my husband had slow cook lamb shank which he said was sublim . Thankyou for a lovely enjoyable meal will he booking again very soon . Mr and mrs hunt

Fantastic food and great service. The open log fire was very welcoming on a chilly day. The reasonably priced food came out promptly and was excellent when it arrived.

Don't be shocked if they are rude to you, you were warned. The management act as if they do not care and guess what they don't. We went there for a meal and ended up walking out.

Haven't been to this pub restaurant for a long time and honestly say I wouldn't rush back. Service was slow even though it wasn't busy and it was a Saturday evening. Generally the staff and chef were pleasant and helpful although we couldn't help thinking that the place and menu needs a face-lift. Food was OK far to big portions and my steak was very over cooked. Overall our group thought the foood was average and perhaps slightly overpriced in relation to the quality.

Party of 4 had lunch time meal and we weren’t disappointed Good Choice from the a la cartel menu and more dishes off the Specials board so really spoilt for choice

Me and my partner come here regular , we have never had a bad meal and are blown away by the food everytime we go , I have a favourite every time I go the fillet Rossini is amazing and always cooked to perfection with homemade chips and a rich sauce , on Sundays they do a fantastic selection of courses and I struggle to eat a main after the starters , fantastic value for money and proper homemade food

A little gem. Wonderful service, lovely atmosphere and food so delicious it leaves you planning your next visit as you eat. Our night was perfect here.

Great little pub. Lovely homemade food. Plenty of choice and massive portions!!! You won't want a pudding if you have a starter..........

We were a bit apprehensive after reading some of the negative reviews (which I always read when choosing a new restaurant) but we were really surprised, thinking maybe we had gone into a different eatery!! The young Lady on reception couldn't have been more helpful or polite and asked us to pick a table and she then brought our drinks to us. I ordered the "Stilton Stack", two pieces of fillet with a slice of Stilton cheese between cooked medium rare! Not only was the fillet cooked to perfection but the Chef himself came out to check it was as ordered! The second young lady waitress was equally friendly and polite and kept check that everything was to our liking without continually coming back every two minutes asking if we wanted more drinks!! All in all a very pleasant meal and somewhere that we will certainly be re-visiting. Many Thanks

Sunday 30th September 18, after visiting Calke Abbey we went for Sunday lunch at the Smisby Arms. This was our very first visit here and we were given a wonderful welcome and seated in the bar area and given menus to look at. It was good pub food at very reasonable prices.

My wife and i went for a meal at Smisby Arms, it wasn’t our first time but it was since i joined TripAdviser so i thought it is only right to give my review. My wife had chicken valdastana basically chicken with ham and cheese with chips & salad. I had fillet steak, chips ,peas, tomatoes, mushrooms,onions & extra onion rings. My wife’s chicken valdastana was very tasty & the home cooked chips are superb. My fillet was cooked medium and it was superb and just melted in my mouth. Again home cooked chips superb. Both our meals were generous in portion size, very filling and tasty. There is plenty to choose from the menu for all tastes. We will definitely be going back. It is one of my favourite places to eat. Generous portions, very tasty, great choices and value for money. What more could you want. Very highly recommended.

This lovely place was recommended by a friend.The food was lovely.The staff were really nice and helpful.cant wait to visit again.

We have visited Smisby arms several times, and I can honestly say it is the best Sunday roast we have ever had.it is consistent, we have never had anything bad. The meat is cooked to perfection, the veg comes separate And they bring you an extra jug of gravy.

Visited as a group of 6. Loved the menu choice and the prices were reasonable. Better still, fresh ingredients. How refreshing. Nice visit late pub with good ales and great food. Will definitely return. If you’ve never been, you should try it.

Called in for a drink after visiting Calke Abbey nearby and after looking at the menu, decided to have a bite to eat, and very glad we did.

At last!! A real country pub serving down to earth food. Gravy not jus! Three choices of a roast and more vegetables than you can get on your plate. Huge portions for the price. Can’t comment on the deserts because I hadn’t room for one!