Swan Inn in Colchester

Went for a family late lunch at a quiet time. The meal was large and great value. Received unobtrusive first class and friendly service.

Went in for dinner today with my partner , and as always got the same warm welcome from the staff as we do any other time we go ! I decided on the Katsu Banquet , whilst my partner had the New York Chicken . Hats off to the place and the staff , especially the chef because this really was absolutely delicious ! The coating / seasoning on my chicken was just amazing and spot on ! Colonel Sanders (KFC) doesn't even compare to just how good this is ? Along with the gorgeous gravy for the chips both dishes were just superb 👌 Please don't change a thing .....its perfect and we shall definitely be in again as soon as we possibly can ! 10/10 all round 👏

Very badly cooked food and when I was asked if the food was ok I said no and the gentleman gave me a dirty look and walked off no friendliness in any off the staff it use to be lovely but it's changed

Makenzie was so lovely! she was out waiter and we had a lovely time here!! she was friendly and happy to help with anything we needed , will definitely be coming back!

Busy for a Thursday evening but food and service good, didn't book but managed to get a table Kids menu is good with Colouring etc and high chairs available Staff working very hard and very polite, even when having to put up with moaning customers swearing at them Chicken new yorker was huge! So filling Not oical but would use again if we went to the zoo

Visited the Swann Inn for a spot of lunch today & it was nice to walk into a traditional pub with plenty of wooden beams which felt welcoming unlike lots of the newly built restaurants & pubs that have recently popped up in the area. There was a great family friendly atmosphere inside the pub & the food was delivered timely by polite & friendly staff. Our food was very good & we enjoyed our visit. We were served at our table by Beth & George & they were both very friendly & checked we were happy with our food. It was the first time I’d been there for a long time but will definitely visit again when in the area. Thanks to the team at the Swan for the great service, food & all round hospitality.

We arrived at lunchtime and had no problem getting a table. Great meal and great ale. An old fashioned Pub it was a worthwhile experience just to be there.

A lovely meal, a just on the off chance as we hadn't booked, but plenty of seating to choose from. Good size portions too much for us to finish, soon served well cooked and delicious but no room for a sweet. Recommend you try.

Excellent food and service from Liam Lisa and Josh We had a lovely lunch with friends for Sunday lunch Thank you guys your the best

A very tasty meal, steak cooked to perfection, friendly staff and a good price.

A very hot and tasty meal, and drink. Good value, friendly staff (especially Liam) what more do you need? The pub is a bit tired in its decor, but the food makes up for it.

We had a really tasty & enjoyable meal here this evening. Served by Lewis who was very friendly & helpful, food was so good & a really affordable price too. Portions were excellent. Korean burgers were so impressive & really tasty.

I had a lovely experience today as always. Food was amazing very happy children with lots of help and professionalism from the dream team George and Beth see you next time guys!!

Went there for a last-minute meal with my family and friend service was amazing. Beth was really helpful and helped my children pick their meals. George the manager was amazing came over to check that everything was okay with our food food was 10 out of 10 lovely stuff lovely surroundings and brilliant food and excellent service, what else could you ask for?

I emailed them asking if they allowed dogs and Terry replied saying in the bar or garden area which was great. When we arrived with my dog and Granddaughter I asked where is the bar that allows dogs. The man behind the bar said it was the sports bar area we were allowed but had to be over 18. I explained I had messaged and they said dogs were allowed in the bar. He was then quite rude saying I reply to Facebook messages and put that it’s the sports bar. I said it wasn’t on Facebook but an email and he just shrugged his shoulders and sarcastically said you can go in the garden! It was 6.30 in the evening, getting dark and cold!. We had travelled 30 minutes to get there that’s why I had emailed to check before we went so it was a wasted journey and an upset Granddaughter because that man wouldn’t let her dog in there. I emailed the pub and guest relations at hungry horse but no response.

Went to the Swan Inn for a lovely dinner at short notice. Service was great by Beth and the manager George . Both was very friendly and welcoming. George came over and asked if everything was ok. Really polite met my expectations and my dietary requirements. Would visit again and highly recommend.

Our waitress was amazing and made us feel really welcome! She was working really hard and made the experience so much more enjoyable. Had such a lovely smile and personality - I think she said her name was Beth. Would definitely return if everyone is like her

My family and I went for a meal the other day and my daughter has allergies. That Beth girl (the waitress) helped me out with the choices for her as I am almost fully blind! Decent wheelchair accessibility for my sister as well many thanks all will see you again soon! (Hear you again)

We had a lovely family here and the service was impeccable big thanks to George Bethany and Lisha who were all outstanding and couldn’t do enough for us. We will be back again very soon thank you.

Amazing food! Ellie was our server and she was lovely, the lad on the bar was kind and very helpful as well meals came out quick and were delicious! Loved the experience will definitely be back again!

Great service and food. Bethany, George and Lisha were most welcoming and ensured we were well looked after. Thank you for a lovely meal. We look forward to our next visit.

Absolute fantastic Bhuna. Ellies service was 5 star. The chips were crispy and the sauce was creamy. Everything was spot on. Washed down with the beverages on tap it was a night to remember.

What a brilliant place has improved greatly since Terry the new manager has taken over. Clean,child friendly. Thanks to Brilliant staff too.🙂

We visited the swan today for a family meal with our children for the burger buy one, get one free deal. The staff are really friendly and helpful, and the food was great. The price is really good for the size of the plates you get. We will definitely be back soon during the Easter holidays.

Went here for the first time today (and last) for a birthday meal. After a wait, showed to the table and had no idea you order from the bar apparently, so sat underneath a lampshade that looked like it had 10 years of dust before fighting Mike Tyson, before we realised. No hot drinks available (although moments after sitting another couple seemed to come back with hot drinks) and the food was diabolical. Place is tired, dirty, under staffed and unwelcoming. Not like us to leave a bad review, we usually just shrug it off as lesson learned but we both agree this is probably one of if not the worst eating out experience we have had.

We regularly dine at The Swan Inn and the main reason is the excellent service and delicious food at very reasonable prices. We have been served by Leisha on numerous occasions and she is always very attentive, friendly and highly professional. The whole team are fantastic and consistently give the same high level of service no matter how busy the restaurant is. There are so many tasty choices on the menu and what ever day you choose to eat, there is a different offer to be had. We particularly enjoy the Curry night on Wednesdays - Jason and Charlotte.

Busy Friday night with lots of booked tables but staff managed to keep on top of it! Very hard working team! Food came out nice and hot, all very tasty and good value! Didn’t manage to catch the name of our waiter but very friendly and dedicated! Would definitely recommend!!

The staff are very personable, friendly and accommodating and don't seem to get flustered whatever is thrown at them. My only tiny criticism is that the chicken wings could have been cooked a wee bit longer.

Nice place reasonably priced food ,friendly staff ,10 of us had a meal there for dads birthday had a great time .

This is a great pub for an informal lunch or family meal. We tend to go on. Friday lunchtime and with our grandchildren (they really love it here). We have never had a bad or disappointing meal here and it is so very reasonably priced. The quality of the drinks are also very good and equally reasonably priced. The staff are always friendly and welcoming, McKenzie was particularly helpful today and gave us great service with a smile. You can tell the staff do enjoy working here which makes such a difference. I didn’t give 5 stars simply because the decor is tired now and is in need of refurbishment.

Great food and value for money. But what stood out for us was the exemplary service. We interacted with 4 different members of staff whilst we were there and each one of them was as polite and attentive as the next. This was first time for us but we will no doubt be regulars now. Couldn’t fault it.

Really enjoyed the food and staff were great.

George offered great customer service and made us feel very welcomed .Overall great experience and a lovely pub , will be coming back because of George 👍

First time coming back since I was a child and it’s still a lovely pub, the barman called Lewis is an absolute gentleman, was a pleasure to have someone like that behind the bar. Leisha was also super helpful and very kind. I would 100% come back. Ps. Josh washes tables like IP MAN. He is on point and very nice. Love this place

Was not very nice food here tonight the 1st March. Will not de back

Walked in at half 7 met by a rude rodent woman who told us to stand and wait at front, waited while she moaned to staff then came.over and said they weren't doing any more food even though half tables empty. Shocking.

Quick service, excellent value for money

Just had a drink, but food looked good,

Warm welcome very friendly helpful staff food at great prices we will be back again thank you

Horrendous experience today. We are regular customers as we live down the road. We were here today for our kids birthday. My severely autistic daughter wanted a cheeseburger. The kids menu only has a plain burger on it, but there’s no option within the app to add it. This has never been an issue before on our countless previous visits they’ve just given us a piece of cheese. We asked as usual, but since the management team has changed the attitude to service has fallen off a cliff. Our food was delivered cold with no cutlery anyway. We had 3 napkins between 6 of us. After an argument with George who only wanted to defend the app and tell me his own kid was autistic too (so you’d expect some understanding), I then had to go a till to pay 30p for a slice of cheese which came 10 minutes later, by which time my daughter’s burger was stone cold (as was everyone else’s food). So well done you’ve got 30p extra revenue on top of our £72 bill but will never see us as customers again. They’ve also gone down from 3 blue badge spaces down to 1. Probably don’t visit here if you have a disability, expect reasonable service or any degree of service. Absolute disgrace

Visited yesterday, went straight to the bar to George, he was very friendly and helpful when taking my order. The waitress Beth, was very friendly and bubbly, and the food was nice, decently priced and arrived quickly, would recommend x

Visited on 14/02/2024. Mushroom pie was very nice and staff member George was extremely helpful and friendly. Will return

Great food the staff were amazing especially Bethany who was really helpful and happy ,, will definitely be going back

Loved the feel of this place. Easy to order on app. Food arrived promptly and was very nice. Would eat there again def

Lasagna OK, cheap, but seemed frozen. Only just hot enough, over-microwaved leaving cheese too hard to cut. Watery sauce but edible. Side salad generous.

Kayleigh was a fantastic waitress, so attentive to us all. We will Definitely be returning

Ok we atrived here early after booking a table , waiter was kind and pleasent ,showed us our table ,we ordered foodbut unfortunatly they had no eggs , or slider buns which is what i wanted to order ,had to make do with a mixed grill , the wait time for our food was long ,and other people who came in after us got served first , the hot choclate that did arrive was not a lot great but drinkable , my parents veal parmisian was not better either , my steak i asked for medium well i got very rare ,but at the end of my meal i couldnt eat it ,i told the waitress at the end but it wasnt her fault..thwonly saving grace the onion rings were hot when it came out

Whilst the building could do with a little love, the service was brilliant, food good value and drinks well served. Certainly will be back!

Big plate, low quality not very hot. Sausages were shocking quality, too few chips gammon dry

Had to write a review after our recent visit here. What wonderful, understanding and accepting staff they have. We booked to have a family meal here last Sunday and I had my little boy with me who is severely autistic and public settings for him are particularly tough. The staff were amazing and accommodated us with a little corner area that he could roam freely in, it made such a difference for us and especially my little boy. Thank you so much, and we’ll back soon!

Good value for money and decent pub grub, currently offering meals for £5 and much more available on the menu. Staff always very pleasant.

Today we came in with 2 autistic chikdren as well as a big family we booked a table to block them off from everyone else which we did the staff was incredible with accommodating us and giving us lots of support thank you so much for everything you did to support us!! Amazing place

Food good. Nice staff. Only been too many loud people. But all good

Lovely place. Tidy, clean. Friendly atmosphere.

Lovely pub, great service and George was really attentive to our needs and was very welcoming. Definitely would go back

Great service at the swan. Staff always friendly and cope well under pressure. Lovely mix of traditional pub bar and restaurant area. Hungry horse menu has something for everyone and offers are really helpful when eating out on a limited budget.

Does senior management ever visit this pub Car park full of pot holes Toilets would.not take.My dog in them Nice venue but management need to look after the customers by having better facilities and adequate staff levels

Friendly place, but tired decor. As a Hungry Horse pub, portions are plentiful. Steak was perfectly cooked to requirements (medium-rare).

Lovely friendly staff, great vegan burger. Our waitress Annalise and the bar man (don't know his name) were very welcoming and attentive.

Had another lovely meal, this time a lunch date with my dad. Food was great, good atmosphere, and really fab service from Lewis. I can say in all my visits he is always very attentive and friendly. Can't do enough for us. Please give him some recognition from us.

Absolutely brilliant experience mycsteak was cooked to perfection lovely staff especially Lewis and annalise both so helpful and kind definitely be back again

need more staff ...staff there were doing their best

Pleasantly surprised by my trip here today. Really friendly service, food was really well cooked and an absolute bargain for the price. £5 fish and chips! I'll be back!

Food wasn't great rice was cold but the service was great.

The manager was extremely rude. had kids and weren't allowed to sit in various areas. Was removed from the play area due to it not being checked. Service was shocking and the manager was extremely rude.

Very happy with the food. Fantastic service and very good staff. Would recommend 👌.

Lovely pub, friendly staff, good deals on menu although could be more choice, didnt like the gravy burger, personal taste I guess.

The staff go above and beyond. Amazing Christmas dinner. Value for money.

This is a very popular place for us to come as a family. Today's visit was for the kids birthday meal. We ordered quickly with no queue at all which was nice. When the food came out there was a few items not to the order, but this was dealt with very quickly by the staff who were also very apologetic. Annalise and Lewis were really polite and helpful during our visit. We bought birthday cakes for afters and unfortunately we were not allowed the sparklers that we had. They had some spare in the kitchen and were kind enough to use them instead so the kids didn't miss out. Thank you very much for making this visit really nice and memorable.

Really love this very good value for food great choices for all

Nice place for pub grub and a few drinks.

Came for a Christmas meal with my friend and our children and we had the best time. Food was perfect, nothing was too much trouble and the staff were so friendly. Special thanks to Will and Amnaleise.

Brilliant Christmas dinner. The new manager is fantastic. It's so nice for someone to have a personality. Had everyone laughing including the mother in law. 😂

Portions are very large; the food amount should be reduced. Staff were polite, friendly and pleasant

Typical hungry horse value for money good service and good menu

Went there for are 50th wedding anniversary,the staff and manager [ Terry valentine ] put on a great show tables all decked out service 2nd to none have payed a lot more for poor service at other places ,but this could not be faulted,will be going again Good food-good service-good hospitality,Terry made the evening seeing as there was 23 people it was some feat ,thanks to all concerned

Had a lovely Xmas meal. There were 10 of us who are regulars who drink there and decided to get together and meet up for a meal. The new landlord made us very welcome and worked hard as with all the other tables to make sure we were all served together. Waiting staff were great and Lewis as always looked after us and made sure we were all OK. A very enjoyable eve was had by all.

Great food at reasonable price.

Arrived with my family and it was not busy at all with only 4 other people eating. However I waited at the till and must have been invisible to the staff who ignored me. Eventually a guy came over only to tell me someone will be with me soon. I’d hate to be there when it’s busy. The food arrived and I only wish I asked for a refund. The burger tasted greasy and it wasn’t nice. The rest of the food was very bland. I ordered a family sharing desert with five spoons. These were all dirty and matched the dirty cutlery that was left on the table. The desert wasn’t up to much just ice cream and spray cream with a few smarties on top. We agreed never to go back

Had a family meal at the Swan last night, all 11 of us ordered off of the Christmas menu. The staff, in particular Terry and Will were fantastic. Food was excellent, we all had 3 courses and thoroughly enjoyed all of them. Thank you Chef. They all arrived in good time and to a high quality. Will ensured that we were all enjoying our food and offered a fast clean up ready for the next course whilst Terry ensured that we all had enough condiments and drinks. Would highly recommend visiting the Swan for a Christmas meal in a friendly and welcoming environment.

Annalise was amazing! Such a lovely lunch with family and amazing service. Thank u

Booked a table for a Saturday night. Wasn't to busy. Marie was our server. Very helpful. Didn't have to wait to long for food or drinks. Food was hot and tasty.

Had an amazing meal the staff are so friendly and one of the managers Marie was really helpful and honestly couldn’t do enough for us would definitely recommend to anyone absolutely amazing

Marie the new lady is amazing. So much cleaner in here and the food has never tasted better.

Had a meal yesterday fantastic team, Harriet was so efficient, food was great and customer service was fantastic.

Under new management, been coming for years, improvements are amazing Marie behind the bar was fantastic.

Fantastic meal with family, will be coming again!

Lovely warm atmosphere lisha and Terry work supper hard thankyou so much for everything can't wait to come back.

Reheated food causing several of the people in our group to have food poisoning the evening/early hours of the morning after lunch

Amazing food, Amazing service, Terry is so lovely

Please please fix the toilets!!! Every time we've visited in about the last 3 months the toilets have been defective. Can't say about the ladies but the gents has had the same issue for at least 3 months. One of the cubicals has been permanently out of order. The other one has a broken lock so you can't lock the door. You have to wedge your foot against it and hope that nobody tries to open it with force otherwise they will see you doing your business. Every time I've been I've mentioned it to the management but 3 moths later nothing has changed. Unless you don't mind being disturbed while having a number 2, make sure you go to the toilet before you visit.

Was here Sunday afternoon for some food with the family and the service was amazing! Terri and the team are doing such a good job and food was 12/10 , will definitely be visiting again soon! Keep up the great work Terri

Lovely open fire nice warm pub a treat in its self these days

Called in as passing. Staff were very helpful and polite and friendly. Food is good. Would recommend.

Absolutely love this place, I would recommend to anyone who wants a relaxing meal, the service was A1 and the new manager always goes the extra mile to make sure we are happy, thank you Terry and team x

It was a Monday evening so very quite, so much so the staff didn't notice our presence and had to be sought out for service. Decor very tired and in need of a refurb Bitter drinkers beware, 4 pumps Green King IPA and one pump Abbott.

Friendly place, lovely staff n manager, good service n food.

Brilliant pub, with a friendly atmosphere and quality food at decent prices served by awesome people. Keep up the great work guys, thanks a lot for your hard work, it’s always pleasure visiting!

Great place nice food and friendly staff will be going back

If you want a cheap and cheerful meal then you can't go wrong with a Hungry Horse pub.