Smiths in Cotswold

My partner and I had a disappointing experience during our recent visit. The staff didn’t come across as very welcoming, and we ended up waiting an hour for our burgers. To make things worse, our sides didn’t arrive until 15 minutes after the mains. We were told the delay was due to an unexpectedly high number of delivery orders, which had overwhelmed the kitchen — but no one apologized or acknowledged the inconvenience. It really left us feeling like dine-in customers weren’t a priority.

Amazing burgers and atmosphere!

very nice place, great burgerszzz!

Nice cosy pub with friendly staff. Food was amazing and portion sizes were good. Dog friendly throughout too. Highly recommend!

These burgers are next level. A definite must if you’re craving a burger. Amazing bun with smashed patty. Chicken tenders were great also

Fantastic place, the staff are wonderful. We had a really delicious meal here. They were really friendly to our little girl as well. Can’t fault the place to be honest. The portions of tenders are huge! We really enjoyed it and would go back!

Heard really good things about here, so was excited, they had no chicken, no brisket, which I understand, it was bank holiday weekend and that’s fair enough, but the food then took an just over an hour to come, then the sides came out 5 mins later, and not with our burgers, only for the food to be pretty bang average, didn’t get asked again if we wanted any drinks or for any sauces, or even asked how the food was, we were just neglected which was disappointing, Cajun fries and Mac and cheese were nice though, burger tasted of not a whole lot as well and was majorly disappointed considering it was ranked very highly. The pulled pork we had on the tater tots as a substitute to the brisket tasted of nothing, the only thing quick about the service was getting the bill (which was hellishly expensive for what we got) and paying which I wasn’t overly keen on, maybe I caught on a bad day and could try again!?

Delicious burger, a bit expensive

Amazing food and service. Definitely worth it! 100% recommended ❤️❤️❤️

We had a vegan and vegetarian cheese burger. They both were good. We also had truffle fries, it was a bit extra salty but was OK..

Absolutely fantastic experience. I would recommend Smith's to any burger or fried chicken lover. The burgers were brilliant on all aspects, the chicken was moist, flavoursome and crispy. The buns were expertly baked and the jalapeño relish had the perfect balance of sweet and heat. Tater-Tots were crispy, soft and not too oily. Tenders were beautifully crisp. The only aspect i could fault would be the nashville hot tenders, as i found them to be carrying more oil than i feel they should, but still had a lovely flavour. The star of the show was the scotchy, perfectly caramelised and juicy beef patty with a firey bite. Staff were friendly, fun and attentive.

Great food! And lovely friendly staff

The food here is excellent. Possibly the best burgers we have ever eaten!

Staff were very accommodating, we had a baby and dog and they welcomed us in! Found us a table out the way and also let us store our pram out their back corridor out the way. Friendly staff, tasty burgers! What’s not to like!

A stunning setting and top-tier burgers, let down slightly by the service. Smiths is located in the beautiful village of Bourton-on-the-Water, easily one of the most charming and visited spots in the Cotswolds. The restaurant itself is set in a striking building that you wouldn’t usually associate with a burger joint — definitely a great first impression. We had a table booked and were seated quickly, though we were only given three menus between the four of us, which was a minor oversight. About 15 minutes later, our drinks order was taken. When asking for some advice between two of the ciders on offer, the waiter simply said he had no idea — not particularly helpful. The drinks then took another 10–15 minutes to arrive, and unfortunately, they weren’t even the ones we ordered. The same waiter took our food order but again couldn’t offer any recommendations or guidance, and his general demeanour gave the impression he wasn’t overly thrilled to be there. A bit of a shame, especially when everything else was looking so promising. Now for the good part — the food. It took around 40 minutes to arrive, which is on the longer side, but to be fair, it was well worth the wait. The burgers were delicious. Three of us went for the Classic and one had the Hot Chick. The flavour, sauce, and quality of ingredients were spot on. Personally, I found the buns a bit too large and would’ve preferred a slightly less well-done patty, but I get that with smash burgers that’s not always an option. Still, they were bordering on overcooked. The cheese skirt on the burgers was a brilliant touch — added loads of flavour and texture. We also tried the Nashville chicken tenders which were good, although not very spicy and could really do with a dip as standard. I paid £1 extra for a sauce which came in the smallest pot known to man — frustrating, to say the least. The loaded dirty tater tots were absolutely fantastic — potentially the best tots I’ve ever had. The mac and cheese was rich, creamy, and generously portioned. Cajun fries were tasty but didn’t particularly stand out. All in all, Smiths delivers some of the best burgers in the Cotswolds — no question. The food is excellent and definitely worth the visit. However, the service didn’t live up to the same standard. With a service charge already included, I chose not to contest it, but it didn’t feel particularly earned — wrong drinks, no guidance, and no check-back on how our meal was. If you’re nearby, absolutely give Smiths a try. The food is fantastic, and despite the service blips, you’re still likely to leave impressed.

Delightful Dining Experience From the moment we walked in, it was clear this restaurant values every aspect of the dining experience. The staff demonstrated exceptional attentiveness, particularly when it came to accommodating allergies and dietary needs. They took the time to understand our concerns and made thoughtful recommendations without making us feel like we were causing any inconvenience. The burgers were simply outstanding! Each bite delivered a perfect balance of flavors - juicy, well-seasoned patties cooked to perfection, complemented by fresh, quality toppings. While the portions might initially appear modest, they proved to be ideally substantial, leaving us satisfied without that uncomfortable overstuffed feeling. The highlight of the evening had to be their Cotswold gin. Served beautifully in a glass that showcased its clarity, this was easily the tastiest drink I've had in quite some time. The botanical notes were perfectly balanced, making each sip a delightful experience. Both the chef and service team deserve special recognition for creating such a wonderful dining experience. Their passion for food and genuine care for guests shines through in every aspect of their service. This place has certainly earned a spot on our list of favorites! Thanks you lovely lot! 💚

Went for a quick lunch, service was amazing. Super friendly, and they are dog friendly. Food was superb, the burger was delicious. The chicken tenders are amazing and the Cajun fries were fresh and topped the meal off. 100% worth a visit

Amazing food and excellent staff!!

Really delicious burgers and food and the team were so accommodating for my dad’s birthday, thank you Smiths ☺️

Smiths of Bourton is the place to go if you love a great burger! 🍔 Their chimmi tater tots with brisket are absolutely incredible, and the cedar side salad is non-negotiable—it’s that good! The chicken strips are also a must-try. If you haven’t been yet, make sure to put it on your list. The team is so kind, and the service is always top-notch. Big shoutout to Lorna, Theo, Seb, and the rest of the team for always making us feel welcome!

Amazing!! Highly recommend. Food is incredible and staff were super friendly. Thank you so so much :)

A absolute sensation. The burgers were sent from a higher being as far as we could tell. Great vibe. Delicious beers. Good fun and lovely staff. If you are in Bourton then you’d be a lunatic to go anywhere else

The best burger I’ve had in England, by far! The service was incredible, and the ambiance is very charming in one of the cutest villages in the Cotswolds. We will be regularly coming back for burgers! Thank you!!!

It was a beautiful place but the food wasn’t worth the wait. The worst thing was too long waiting. Waited for almost 1 hour to get the food. Even 5 for get the dips. Seems there was shortage of staff. It wasn’t that much busy to be not managed it was fine in number but not well managed and very bad customer service. They asked for service tax without asking if we actually wanted to give or not. Didn’t worth it.

Incredible restaurant, food was amazing and the service was really nice friendly and left us which was great. The burgers and chicken tenders were sensational the fries were also really good. My 14 yo son a burger connoisseur highly recommends them too. We were walk ins just after 12 today and it was already busy. Will be coming back. They also accept dogs which is great more and more places accepting dogs which is also great.

My girlfriend and I both Had food poisoning from smiths, we contacted in a polite way to just give a heads up more then anything, we didn’t want any issues, we were told we need to prove it and send samples for testing, we’ve worked in kitchens before and the reply was frankly a disgrace, we tried supporting a local business on their new idea for takeaway Thursdays and was incredibly disappointed all round, We also didn’t get a discount when they said we would, NEVER AGAIN UNFORTUNATELY.

In the "2nd row" you will find this cozy restaurant with perfect service and interesting dishes. I wouldn't have expected it in such a tourist place. Absolutely top class, especially the burger with roasted goat cheese. Craziness!

Best 😍❤️ but please book prior u visit

Fantastic food, really good burgers and the tots with pulled pork was very very good. Great food and well worth it. Service was excellent

I came here one lunchtime craving a burger and excited for the veggie offering. We were quickly seated by the window by our very friendly server and were informed there was an issue with a printer that was causing delays. Unfortunately it took about an hour for our food to arrive. Onto the burger. Soft buns, nice charr on the patty, great texture from the pulled mushroom and tangy with cheese and peppers that were needed with the richness of the burger and mayo. I personally felt it was occasionally overpowered by the pesto mayo which was a bit heavy, and the burger could have used a bit more acidity to balance things out more. Perhaps some tomato or salad as well for freshness and crunch? We also had an issue with the burger containing a small piece of very hard non-food item which luckily I noticed before biting down too hard. I believe this is an issue with the supplier and not Smiths. It was dealt with swiftly and professionally by the staff who were absolutely excellent. Fries and accompaniments were perfect - crispy, fluffy and well flavoured. Unfortunately our visit was let down by a long wait and issues with the veggie burger but judging by the other reviews, this definitely seems like the exception rather than the norm. I did feel that the burger was smaller than expected and didn’t offer the best value for money compared to other veggie burger offerings I’ve had elsewhere. Flavour wise, everything was good but definitely room for some improvement. If I ever pass through again, I would be happy to try them again. The serving staff were polite, professional and a credit to the team.

An utter 10/10. Friendliest staff. The burgers are seriously hard to beat. The food is just insanely great. If you’re about, do not miss!

Nothing short of excellent! Also, what kind and thoughtful staff. Great experience - can’t wait to be back

Food was great as was the atmosphere

This place was recommended to us by three people so we had some lunch, wow the burgers and fries were awesome! Defo recommend to everyone!

A great lunch, really friendly, helpful welcome, really interesting, good choice of drinks, great burgers will be going back .

We were sitting by the fireplace on a cold January day, enjoying our burgers and the atmosphere. The Cajun fries were especially tasty. Unfortunately no beers on tap, but they do have bottled local beers.

Amazing 🤩 Great service, friendly and attentive staff. The restaurant is a lovely building in a fantastic location. The food was delicious, well presented and hot! The Triple B burger was sooo good, the Chicken strips were tasty and tender and the Tater Tots crispy on the outside and soft on the inside! Highly recommended.

We loved this place so much! Bourton itself is beautiful and this was the perfect lunch spot - cosy cottage vibes! The burgers were incredible, the best we’ve ever had!! Such unique flavours! Only let down was the chicken tenders, very dry with no crispy coating :( but other than that we loved it!

The best veggie burger EVER - get “Symplicity is Key” in the menu

Fantastic food great for gluten free best burger I have had.

Let me start by saying that I was born in Southern Italy and for me eating spicy is ordinary and pleasant. But in this restaurant I was forced to leave my meal halfway through! How is it possible to present a menu with dishes without specifying that one of these is prepared with a sauce based on one of the hottest chili peppers in the world? How come the waitress didn't inform us about the extreme spiciness of that burger? For many years, symbols have been placed on menus to indicate whether and how spicy a dish is. Not here, too bad, because it could have deserved a better review, but instead a burnt mouth, ruined dinner, wasted money. Waiting time, even though the place was half empty, was at least 40 minutes!

Great meal out with the family. 6 of us had artisan burgers and fries. Perfectly cooked and presented, warm friendly and helpful staff. Highly recommended.

Great food, busy but not overcrowded. Recommended the pimento

Lovely little restaurant with a relaxed and quiet vibe the Staff are absolutely lovely and welcoming they were happy to make room for a pram, the food was amazing genuinely the best burger I’ve had in a while !! And pricing is really reasonable too. Definitely recommend

I ordered two burgers, two gin and tonics, and wings. The quality of the beef burger was very good. Although the chicken burger was labeled as ‘sauce cut’, the dry meat was a bit difficult to eat. The gin and tonic from the Cotswolds tastes better when made with Beefeater, to my taste. It is slightly scented, so feel free to change it if it is the scent you prefer. For wings, I chose buffalo sauce based on the employee's recommendation. I was a little embarrassed because it tasted sour, not the buffalo sauce you get in Korea, but I realized it was the original buffalo sauce. Koreans, keep that in mind! I ordered two bugers and gin tonic with wings The beef burger quality was excellent But chicken buger was good but little hard to chew Gin tonic made by cotswold gin, was not good for me, but the people who like these scent will enjoy it

The food was incredible, and the service was excellent! 10/10 recommend.

5/5 lovely service and delicious food (especially the triple b )

Delicious food and very tasty tasty burgers. However, no atmosphere in the shop and a bit expensive to be honest for burgers and friend. Also at some point the waiters brought us the bill without us actually asking for it which was confusing, felt like we were getting kicked out (maybe bad timing I guess) But food was good

Burgers were really good! Chill ambience with pretty lights in the evening.

Absolutely bangers burgers! For the classic and the triple B. The triple B was by far my favorite! Excellent service and super kind waiter.

The staff here are second to none absolutely brilliant experience in every way,the food was very tasty indeed, double thumbs up from me 👍👍also dog friendly!

Delicious burger highly recommended

Lovely friendly place. Beautiful food.

Some of the best burgers we’ve ever had! 😍 After a day of travel, we called up and were able to order takeaway and definitely did not disappoint! Super friendly and prompt service, delicious burgers full of flavour, the Pimento was especially delicious 😋 we can’t wait to have it again when we are next here, thank you!

Excellent burgers, very jucy and just delicious. We tried the Classic and the Pimento. Fries were perfectly crispy. Rated 10 out of 10 by the kids.

Possibly the best 🍔 in the 🌎 and the tatter tots are amazing. Cocktails are incredible and the local beer was the cherry on the cake. Can not recommend smiths enough

Symply the best! Delicious burgers and great service. I couldn't ask for more. Thank you

Great staff, food, and atmosphere.

Cannot fault Smith's! One of the best margaritas I've had in ages, and I frequent a margarita! Fantastic burgers, chips and macaroni cheese! And the service was absolutely impeccable! I wish we lived closer!!! X

The best burgers we have had!! Thank God that Smiths offers food (lunch) till late, even on weekends! We had almost given up hope when the friendly and kind team at Smiths offered to take us in for lunch (it was almost 4 pm)! The incredible Simplicity burger and the fries with truffle oil and cheese was scrumptious!!!

Great food, lovely staff, food does take a while to come out but was worth it in the end x

An absolute gem in Bourton-on-the-Water! I had the pleasure of dining at this fantastic burger spot twice during my three-night stay, and it was the highlight of my time in the town. Their burgers are perfectly cooked, bursting with flavor, and the truffle fries are just incredible. But what truly sets this place apart is their cocktails. The bartender clearly knows their craft – every drink was unique, perfectly balanced, and thoughtfully made. Even better, they’re open late, which was a lifesaver when most other places had already closed for the night. If you’re in Bourton-on-the-water and craving an exceptional burger and cocktail experience, this is the place to be. Can’t recommend it enough!

We had a really delicious meal here, absolutely the tastiest in all of Bourton! The staff was very friendly and could help with selecting beers. Nice atmosphere, good price and top staff.

Best burger! And the surprise: the dirty tots!!!! Awesome!

Excellent food and very friendly staff, beautiful and cozy restaurant I highly recommend.

The burgers at Smiths are some of the juiciest and most delicious burgers have had and the brioche buns so soft. First pit stop had at Bourton-on-the-Water and so glad we found it. Great spot for lunch and tucked away from the main thoroughfare

5/5 - One of the best burger places we have been to, and always try and come when we are in the area - Highly recommended!

A great place to eat, we had some extra requirements to seat our baby when making our booking and they went beyond expectations in terms of accommodating this request. The staff friendliness and music choice really made it a special experience, food matched this and was well worth the price with great flavours and presentation.

The scotchy burger was class, double up!

The quality of the food here is outstanding! I drove more than an hour to get here and I'm so glad I did. The burgers are just so flavoursome and up there with the best I've ever eaten. And the chicken tenders, are without a doubt, the absolute best I've ever eaten. The cocktails we sampled were excellent too. The young lady who served us was new but seemed very comfortable and knowledgeable and provided a superb level of service whilst we were there. I was thoroughly impressed with the whole establishment and am looking forward to visiting again and will aim to complete the menu. I've already recommended them to everyone I've seen since visiting.

One of the best burgers I ever had! The place is lovely. The food is delicious. The staff are friendly

Food was delicious, best burger I’ve ever had , decor , atmosphere, service and price all perfect.

Very normal. The prices are also exaggerated and not worth it. I definitely will not try it again and do not recommend it

Warm welcome cosey atmosphere we went at 8pm delicious food great selection of cocktails beers and ales in the centre of picturesque Bourton on the water just great thanks guys staff made us feel very at home.

We came for a burger Saturday lunchtime so it was averagely busy but not packed. As other reviews have said there was quite a bit of a wait on food but it was 100% worth the wait. We had a burger each and shared a portion of fries. The burgers were some of the best burgers we've ever had. We will definitely return. The only thing I would suggest is making the bathrooms unisex and be updated, there was a queue and a young girl didn't want to use the gents being 'for men'.

The burgers and chicken were fine and tasted good. The service was good. We were very satisfied.

I visited the cafe yesterday with my mum and we both had hot drinks.We both sat outside. The customer service was excellent and faultless. Lovely staff. Thanks very much to you all ☺️

Menu looks impressive as descriptions very good. 15 pounds for burger in major tourist hot-spot appeared good. However burger not even quarter pounder and no side salad and McDonald's type fries were extra £6.00 They did come with out of a bottle truffle sauce and shave parmasan on top.expensive but nice. Burger roll cheap and flaky and Stilton cheese in burger so strong couldn't taste meat. Cocktails inventive but at 14.00 pounds Not cheap and small. I had a heimlech manoeuvre being an ex nurse as described as long drink but came in tinest cocktail glass ever seen. Service cheerfull and garden out the back most pleasant. However meal not good value for money and at around 3.00 a McDonald's quarterpounder much nicer and better value for money

Okay for lunch. Very tiny plates which made adding chips,salad etc to the plate very hard, rather silly.

This was one of the best burgers I’ve had in a long time. I highly recommend the one with pimento cheese. While the food was excellent, the service was a bit slow, and the tables could have been cleaner. Despite these issues, the overall experience was enjoyable.

The Smiths Classic was one of the best burgers I’ve ever had.

Burgers are very good and sides are delicious. But keep in mind everything takes around 30 minutes. Including dessert

Really great burger - the produce is clearly of the highest order. Service isn’t brilliant and rather slow.

We had to wait a bit as we didn't have a reservation. We ordered a Smiths classic , Blue cheese boulevard and truffle mayo fries. They were delicious. I recommend this place.

we're americans and these were some of the BEST burgers we've ever had! 🍔 🙌 very friendly people and fast service too 👌 we think about yall frequently, we need you in america! 🙏 🇺🇸

Lovely place to eat and drink - great food and cocktails

This is a review after I ate here almost 2 weeks ago but important enough to mention that they make some really tasty burgers here. So good that they are in my top ten of the best burger makers

Food was really good. Location was good. Would have been 5 stars but there was a lot of flies in the restaurant and the tables was really sticky.

Brilliant time here on Friday night! Beautiful outdoor garden to sit in and lots of seating inside. Staff were really helpful and polite. All burgers apart from the chicken and the veggie can be made gluten free. The gluten free bun was really tasty. Chips are cooked in a dedicated fryer with no other food so gluten free and no cross contamination. Brownie is the gf option for dessert. They have gf beer too. Very yummy food would definitely return!

Considering it’s a ‘burger’ place. The burger was over done and very dry. The chicken ‘tenders’ were even more dry. Service was lovely and they gave me the money off the bill for the tenders. The table next to me also said the chicken tenders were dry. We waited around 1hr for food (it was peak time in bourton-on-the-water though).

I have eaten some burgers in my time…but these are without exception the finest I have ever tasted!! The Brisket and Chimmi Tater Tots were to die for too! Service was amazing and atmosphere was great aswell! We will definitely be back! 10/10!!

They accept dogs everywhere but kids only in the dark inside area. Hard for families

Incredibly cozy place! BI sat in the backyard, which was atmospheric and secluded from the other busy streets. Charismatic and pleasant place. I ordered the scotchy which I think is the best burger I have ever tasted! Truly a fantastic experience😃

Superb And Authentic Burger in UK , Must try

Great food and very friendly staff!

After eating at Smith’s three years ago we were looking forward to a lovely meal again. Unfortunately we had to wait 60 minutes for our meals. I ordered a plain burger and thought it would be nice and juicy. However it was overcooked and dry and I had to pick off the worst of the burnt bits. I did consider sending it back but did not want to wait ages while the rest of my party ate there’s. We waited a further 15 minutes for the bill and gave up and went up to the till. We removed the service charge and received an indifferent response to our comments. Definitely gone downhill.

Food at Smiths was good quality but not substantial considering the price tag, the atmosphere and aesthetics of the place was fantastic though, great place to try if you return to Bourton

Really cute restaurant with a very friendly staff and delicious food. Not the place to go if you're looking to cut calories, I'd say, but if you're not, go here to indulge because everything we had was amazing and the cocktails were delicious as well. Our group was very exhausted and still struggling a bit (hungover) from our wedding the night before when we went here for dinner. Well, the cocktails brought us back to life and the food was just what we needed! Corpse Reviver #2 certainly lived up to its name. The Hot Chick sandwich was spicy and crunchy and delicious. Service was a bit slow for sure but it could've been an off night and they also took good care of us. Would recommend!

The best burger I've had in a long time. You'd think London would have the best burgers in the country, think again. This place is simply amazing. Can't recommend enough. Been there with the entire family (baby and dog included) and service was impeccable. Will go back as soon as I can.

We loved Smiths - one the best burgers I’ve ever had! I have a dairy allergy and the staff was accommodating and made sure everything I had was dairy free. We loved the location and atmosphere too. Service was excellent - we may have to find time to go back again during our stay in the Cotswolds.