The Bartholomew Arms in South Northamptonshire

Great place to enjoy the day. Amazing staff and great food. Highly recommend.

Close to silverstone race circuit, nice sized rooms all with ensuite bathrooms

Popped in for a pint after looking at a house in the village. Has the vibe of a locals pub, but everyone was really nice and the place has a proper British village pub feel. I'd go back for a few more beers!

Fantastic Sunday roast, home cooked meal in a lovely country pub

Kate and Jamie are great with customers and staff and operate a great "ship". We love the Sunday roasts with chef Nikki Steele.

Take a 10 minute drive in the opposite direction and you will find yourself in much cleaner and friendlier establishments, where they actually clean the taps and invest in their facilities. The landlady walks around like a bulldog chewing a wasp looking for anyone to take her moods out on, she often breaks the law by allowing children to pull pints for the locals. Yet still has the audacity to dictate which rules & regulations everyone else should abide by. The landlord and landlady have no problem facilitating all the drink drivers that frequent Blakesley village, yet they seem to think they are morally superior to everyone else. They have no shame, they just have inflated ego's and a total lack of self awareness. Avoid.

Thankyou Jamie for your First class hospitality it was wonderful. What a wonderful Good old fashion English pub using local beer and Atlantic Ipa see you and your wife very soon.

Lovely country pub to enjoy a pint and a bite to eat. The staff are so friendly and welcoming . We'll worth calling in

The pub has the ability to be good but it is currently lacking the passion to get there.I do take on board the other reviews which some maybe a little OTT as run down is perhaps too negative. Yes it’s tired but is that charm?. There needs to be a degree of food options.This pandemic was a great opportunity for an overhaul so once it’s done I think it could get there. Just needs work.

Wow what an amazing pub ignore other reviews regarding it been run down, its a old pub what do you expect that's part of the character ..Really friendly will definitely return .

I have to agree with the other reviews. Run down and is craving so much investment like many of the British country pubs these days. It is such a pity the pub trade is going this way but I suppose it is cheaper to drink at home these days. Pity

It was concerning that the pub simply did not reflect the level of cleanliness I would have expected in this pandemic.

Visited an old friend in the village with my little dog and thought I’d pop in for a drink. It’s “ok” just a little run down so had a quick drink and left. I would personally not go back ....

Cycled past & saw the coffee sign but opening hrs suggested we’d be out of luck We we then greeted by the lovely host who asked if she could help them said I’ll make you coffee !! Fantastic friendly service conversation and coffee arrived. Decent coffee too not instant or stale filter. So good we had another & more free biscuits!!Would not hesitate in recommending based on what we had and will visit the pub again soon for a beer food & maybe a stay over - They’ve got 4 rooms too. Great coffee stop for the cycling crowd too

Fabulous dog friendly pub in a lovely village that had no hesitation welcoming a stranger in both conversation and and attitude. I moved at the start of lock down and the pub has restrictions but these are not onerous, I have not yet sampled the food as I am not sure they have yet restarted it but I am confident that once they do it will match instinctive first impressions.Northamptonshire from the small amount I have seen is largely undiscovered and is here to be explored and enjoyed.

My fiancé and I visited for a little break away. Honestly the service and quality is fantastic. The local residents and owners make you feel very welcome . Beautiful log fire. Great selection of alcoholic drinks . The room we stayed in was so modern and in immaculate condition . I had the best night sleep as there was no noise from downstairs. Would 100% recommendAlso is an extra bonus for dog lovers , as the pub dogs are the cutest and so well trained

Basic but clean,warm and super friendly,nothing was too much trouble Hope they start serving food soon as this will enhance the experience Would love to return one day

Spent Saturday night at the pub to go to a party nearby. The rooms are simple but clean, warm and cosy. The owners of the pub were so friendly and nothing was too much for them. Would definitely recommend.

We stayed here for 3 days and we had a fantastic time. The atmosphere was great , the owners and their daughters are warm and friendly. The rooms were comfortable, clean and warm. Nothing was too much trouble for the staff. The food was lovely and the pub was good craic... We will be booking it again for next years race.. Thanks for a good time. Kenny Clarke Belfast...

Attended live music night with free buffet. Best night out in ages! 3 guitarists/ singers were brilliantly entertaining. Can’t remember when we last laughed so much. Superb audience involvement. Had the whole pub singing along. Great buffet. Warm, friendly and positive staff. Rob & Pete (down from Cumbria for MotoGP weekend at Silverstone.)

After a day pleasing others for their weddings, it was time to have a well drink. What a lovely pub, nice ale selection. I will return for a meal

We stayed here for two nights as we were going to the Silverstone Classic. The current landlords and their daughter had only taken over 4 days before, but what a good job they've done already. The room was very clean and comfortable. Toiletries, tea, coffee, biscuits and continental breakfast included. The landlords and staff, very friendly, as too we're the locals. As the kitchen wasn't up and running to do meals yet, locals recommended the New Inn at Abthorpe, which was well worth the visit. I think the new landlords will do well, nothing was too much trouble and they will soon put their own stamp on everything. Will definitely stay again if in the area.

I travel throughout the UK on business and avoid impersonal chain hotels in favour of friendly local pubs with accommodation. It appears from some previous reviews that things haven't always gone well here but I can tell you that this week (w/c 22 July 2019) The Bartholomew Arms was taken into new ownership and is now managed and run by the formidable family team of Sarah, Andy and Emily who are absolutely committed to investing in the pub and changing it into what will be an excellent village pub, restaurant and hotel. It's already loved by the friendly locals who treated me like I'd been a regular for years.Sarah and Andy live on the premises and are completely 'hands-on'. My room was spotless and Andy's breakfast poached eggs are fantastic - just how I like them.If this sounds like a marketing post I can assure you that it isn't - I've known Sarah for some time and the commitment that her, Andy and Emily are putting into this place is commendable. Please contact me directly if you want any more.

I heard the village pub was open so I wandered down at lunchtime for a pint.boards were out and door was open but I was met by a lady telling me it wasn’t open,Oh well same old stuff

We had a lovely family meal at the pub on Thursday night. It was pie night with a large selection of homemade meat and vegetarian pies. The food was delicious (yummy pies and fab chips) and we ate in a lovely friendly relaxed atmosphere. And very affordable too!! I would definitely recommend it

As a solo female traveller, I booked 2 nights based on the website’s positive reviews. What a nightmare! Pub doors locked until 4.30pm so had to wait hours after a long journey. Given room key, bizarrely, by the local shop owner, but pub still shut. Was informed by passing local that “The back door’s always open. We call it ‘The Shining pub.” Filled up with locals from 5.00pm so asked bar-girl (single member of staff on premises) for the menu. NO FOOD available at all; previous tenant left with kitchen hardware 6 months beforehand.

My father and I popped in last night for dinner. We have lived in the village for 30 years and seen the pub change hands numerous times. The food was absolutely outstanding; beautifully presented, generous portions, reasonably priced and delicious. We will definitely be visiting again very soon.

Absolutely fantastic! Great welcome, great food (both had fish and chips) plentiful and freshly cooked. Will definitely be back soon!

Lovely meal fantastic vege meal and huge rack of ribs had to take most of it home, good service, good value. Will definitely be going back!

A little disappointed that the barmaid wouldn't serve us any food because it was 2minutes past 9pm on a Saturday evening. We would have been before 9 but parking is tricky in the village. We stayed for a beer and that was very good! Good selection of beers in the Pub, clean, comfortable and quaint. Shame we didn't get to try the food, oh well know better for next time.

Sólo quería decir que tuvimos una comida fantástica última noche.

Llegamos a las 8. 30:00 después de haber estado en el Grand Prix, a pesar de que el restaurante estaba lleno y no habíamos reservado nos acomodaron y nos hizo sentir muy bienvenidos. Disfrutamos de una comida de pub perfecto, la comida era de excelente calidad y sabor y era muy razonable. Recomendamos encarecidamente este pub tradicional.

Mi familia y yo nos detuvimos en los brazos para almorzar una Bartolomé Sábado. Nos dijeron que el pub está bajo nueva dirección y que lo reabrió su menú esa semana. Normalmente esto se preocupó, a menudo necesitan tiempo para restaurantes ejercitarse dobleces en cocina, presentación y servicio, pero me sorprendió gratamente. El bistec, ale y Stilton, tarta que tuve fue excelente, y el pescado y las patatas fritas que mis compañeros tuvimos una preciosa, masa crujiente (así como verdaderamente generosas porciones).

No esperaba mucho debido a nuestros malos comentarios, pero parece ser bajo nueva dirección y yo disfrutamos muchísimo.

Comimos allí y nos sorprendió gratamente. El pub cambiado de dueño hace un par de semanas y tiene un nuevo chef y menú. Es un pub tranquila en el campo. El tipo de pub donde los agricultores tomar una copa después del trabajo. La comida era muy buena, la comida superior pub. Tuve las correderas que eran excelentes. Otros en nuestro grupo tenía el pastel de carne con cerveza, mientras que otros tenían la carne y pescado y patatas fritas. Todos estuvimos de acuerdo en que era gastro pub digno comida. Habíamos oído que las críticas eran variadas, pero parece que el nuevo propietario está decidido a doble sobre una nueva hoja. Recomiendo encarecidamente este pub.

La comida dejaba mucho que desear fue horrible, no hay mucha variedad, platos fríos y el servicio era terrible, no se va a comer su nuevo. Los baños están fuera y la decoración era viejo y anticuado.

Cold, Old,Cobwebbed,run down and noisy. No wonder it is for sale.Not only will you freeze half to death, yiu have to make your own room up. Perhaps guests are expected to clean the rooms they pay for too.Avoid.

I would have given 3 and 1/2. the hotel is in transit at the moment up for sale.The Hotel is very much out in the wilds, but if you are looking for an old world pub thats where you find them, so driving over was not a problem. The first thing is that they do not have parking, only out of the road, which is a bit of a pain if you cant get your car outside the pub. The Pub has a lot of visitors mainly locals, but they do come mainly by car hence the parking problems. I was lucky someone was just leaving as I was arriving. One room had a lovely fire, which was where the TV was on unfortunately it was a football night so my choice was not to go in there. The lady behind the bar booked me in I stayed in room 2. .The Hotel downstairs is very old fashioned which did not bother me too much, but the carpets in the dinning room and the stairs going upstairs are very very old and in desperate need of replacement, however my room was well decorated and had clearly been recently refurbished. the bathroom mirror was very good, and had a light. Plenty of shower gel and shampoos etc, but strangely no soap. The TV did not work and it would appear had not all week and they were awaiting the repair man. (these things happen and it is unfortunate) They were short of a mirror in the main room near the plugs and when I requested one they very quickly found me one so I was sorted. The management did take on board that ladies like to be able to do their hair in front of a mirror, and promised that all rooms would have a mirror next to the plugs. The evening meal was a a very large choice as was the main I did not have desert . The price of food was very good, and the quality was also quite acceptable. however they do put a strange dressing on the salad, so ask for a plain salad and dressing separate. Breakfast was served with a smile, and before I went to bed they did ask me if I would like a continental started which was lovely, and I know they went up to shop for me to get it. I also asked for a poached egg unfortunately they did not know what that was and I did have a very strange way of egg served, sorry I could not eat it I felt sorry for chef as I know he did what he thought it was. But overall the service was very good. If they could sort out a few of the minor problems this could be a lovely place to visit. They could turn it into a real specialties pub, but they must move things like as you go up the stairs flowers on the windowsill but a light bulb in the box next it, it was the same on every windowsill shame. the kitchen door should be closed so that guests don't have to walk past the crockery etc But they owners is trying really hard and I wish them well.

We ordered ribeye steak with pepper sauce and my husband ordered Stilton sauce. Coked really well and to follow we have the cheese platter which I would highly recommend

The family has Sunday roast today', it was great food was hot,Lovely veg, and a very good price 3 courses £12.Amazing!!!!!Will be back.

We had booked a room and had an evening meal with friends.First thing to note was there had been a change of chef since I originally booked and the old menu was still on the web site, our friends are vegetarian and were particularly looking forward to the option on the menu. However the menu offered was completely different. However, all our meals were excellent, cannot fault them in any way and great value too.The accommodation was adequate and had a good nights sleep even though we were above the bar and on the roadside. The only misdemeanour was complete lack of pillow cases.Breakfast the next morning was our biggest gripe, instant coffee and no black pudding even though it was on the main restaurant menu.

Really good menu and lots of specials!Food cooked by Steve is always absolutely spot on! steak was cooked to perfection! Thank you

Steve from the new inn is now at the Batholomew arms running the 2 courses for £10 or 3 courses for £12 that he started a few years ago at the new inn. and some lovely specials of which some have a supplement but are very much worth the extra couple £s

We visited this pub for a Saturday lunch with our parents and children. It was very quiet and the service was very friendly, attentive and accommodating across the kitchen and bar staff. The menu was reasonably priced and the overall bill very good value. We had gourmet burgers and gammon and it was all excellent, exceeding expectations. There was good attention to detail with lovely dressed salads on the side, real pineapple slices (not tinned) and great homemade burgers. The toilets are outside but are well maintained and there are baby changing facilities.Overall a big thumbs up and we'll definitely go back!

We have been to lunch today, Sunday 31st Jan 15,I booked a table for 7 for my mother in laws birthday. I rang to book the night before and was told then they weren't very busy on a Sunday! This should have been a warning and we debated at length after the call but we thought we would give it a go. There was no one in the restaurant when we arrived, ok keep an open mind, worse still having booked in advance the fire in the restaurant was not lit, and there was no heating that we could see. It was very cold and unwelcoming. My 94 year old mother in law was not exactly comfortable. I had to wear a spare fleece from the car, I'm 43 by the way and my 75 year old sister in law ate her meal in her coat!! I dont understand why you wouldn't light the fires when you have a booking? We were the only people in the restaurant for the entire meal. We weren't greeted as if we had booked initially and made our own way to our table by default. A very friendly girl in the bar who took our food order and also advised she wasn't supposed to be working was lovely but really, what's that about bless her!! The young man who bought the food to the table was also lovely, this was why we left a tip. There was a mix up with with the starters and as a result the 1st course took forever and came at different times. So 3 of us ate our starters before the remainder arrived. Soup while tasty was luke warm. Pate was nice im told. I had veg pie and asked for this to be reheated as was cold in the middle but when it returned hot it tasted nice. Don't think I would consider what essentially was ratatouille as Sunday roast fare, veg pie in my view is veg in pastry in possibly a mushroom or cream sauce with veg, potatoes and gravy not basically ratatouille with mash on top and roast potatoes on the side. Very strange. The other members of the party had Sunday lunch and fish pie and all said food was quite nice. The pub was basically empty save for a handful of local guys. At no point by anyone were we asked if we needed more drinks or any sauces etc. instead we went to the bar for extra drinks ourselves where the guy behind the bar sat on his iPad. Not exactly restaurant service. This is a real shame, it's pretty clear to me this establishment doesn't know how to host for food at restaurant level, hence why it was empty, the pub is nice and could be great, the food was on the whole good however the service and atmosphere seriously let this place down. People go out to eat for the experience and occasion and as a treat as well as the food and this was not a nice experience. Just a small thing of lighting the fires and taking us to our table as we arrived would have made a difference, the place would have felt cosy and we would have been more inclined to linger and have desert and coffee. As it was we made our escape to warm up and have a cup of tea at home. Unfortunately I understand why this place was empty on a Sunday, I wouldn't return as things stand.

Visited recently and enjoyed a good 3 course meal at the pub but in the restaurant side with large group of friends (10+). Great service and banter with the owner/staff, food good quality and homemade. The point to note that due to small kitchen they struggled to get all main meals out together but this didn't spoil out night (plus they gave us 2 bottles of wine to compensate).Some nice real ales on in the bar too.

I've taken my girls on a couple of occasions now and on both times the welcome has been lovely and very helpful . We've eaten both times and the food different for me, you know children always pick the same, has been very enjoyable. The girls love it and it is now towards the top, if not the top, of our regular tea time places to eat list. I've not stayed here only eaten.

an unplanned visit, found the two ales we tried: Tribute and the pub's own Bart's Best both pouring very well - and drinking of course ;) Had the gourmet burgers, everything just right!

We stayed here recently and loved it. Typical English country pub. Friendly staff, beautiful home cooked food. Room was far better than we expected, breakfast was freshly made. Would highly recommend.

My mum decided to treat me for my birthday. When we arrived we were the only people there. That should have been a warning! We were told that only roast dinner was available and we couldn't order off the menu. We were not told this on booking. We ordered roast beef and were asked how we would like it cooked...medium rare. It was served well done and was very chewy. When asked how our meal was we complained and was told that it was medium rare when cut, but became well done when reheated in the microwave! We were not offered a change of meat and was charged for a meal that I could have cooked better at home. Also, I suspect that the yorkies were Aunt Bessies. We declined dessert....couldn't risk it. The waitress however was lovely and we chose this establishment as a year ago I had an outstanding meal there, however I will not be returning.

Excellent food and good choice at a very reasonable price. Good service in an ideal location and not too far out from our visit to Silverstone Moto GP.

Visited for lunch with my parents. We each had excellent filled baguettes (sausage, egg and bacon, cheese and tomato) served with salad and chips. Generous portions sensibly priced. Clean facilities. Would thoroughly recommend and would visit again.

Fod was nice, home cooked, good value and plenty of it but service left a lot to be desired. Ordered two drinks then as i was pondering the wine list the waitress walked away never to return - managed to get the attention of (i think) the landlord who was apologetic and served the rest of the drinks. There was a chalk wine list on the wall but only one of the wines there was actually available - the printed list was completely different which was a bit odd. Then had to ask for a food menu. Ordered no problem but waited at least 45 minutes for food to arrive, meanwhile other people who ordered well after us had their food served. Again, the landlord apologised and eventually our food arrived, The place was busy so obviously popular but i probably won't go back which is a shame as its a nice pub in a lovely village.

I had booked in to stay here for one night on 24th March. Booked online via a booking site who took full payment at the time of booking. When I arrived at 7:30 last night pub completely closed with a pub to let sign outside. Had a good look around but it was completely deserted. Managed to find alternative accomodation in Northampton at 3 times the price. Did manage to get a full refund but beware do not book or try and visit at present withour first checking if its actually open!

Booked a table for a birthday after reading good reviews on trip advisor....big mistake!After waiting twenty minutes to be asked if we wanted a drink we waited a further 20 minutes for a food order. The food order was painful as there were so many items not available or only limited portions. It all came to a head when another 10mins later we we're told the oven had broken.

Staff were rude,,,No customer service skills at all Atmosphere was horrible as soon as you walked in the locals look at you like a outsider,,, Can hear the local drunks swearing as its right next to the restaurant Restaurant is small and needs decorating,Health and Safety person needs a big kick up the bum too!! Honestly save your penny's & go somewhere else.

Went there as a couple with groupon deal Friday evening 5th Dec. Had been many years since I've been and I had not eaten there before. It's a very small cosy pub and the eating area, which I believe was the old bar, is very small. Groupon deal was for 3 course meal from a set menu of several choices. One of the starters was unavailable, as was one of the mains, a flat iron steak ( I know a lot about meat but have no idea what that is ). Friendly waitress informed us that the belly pork from the a la carte menu could be ordered instead. Starters were fine, my partner had soup and I opted for the pleasant and plentiful duck pate with chutney. The mains were excellent, my partner was very happy with the half herbed chicken and I'm glad I opted for the belly pork which was very tasty and a decent portion (unlike the measly portions some places provide). The gravy on both dishes was to die for. Finishing off with tasty deserts ensured we both full up and very content with our meal.The waitress informed me the chef was new and had only been there a few days. Well compliments to him, he evidently knows his job. The normal price would be what you would expect to pay for food like this but was a real bargain with the groupon deal. Would definitely revisit.

Groupon Deal for &B with breaky.See other review for accommodation.3 course meal was lovely.Homemade Carrot soup with homemade bread the highlight.Quick service.Recomended.

We went there for afternoon tea (groupon deal), was really looking forward to it. The table was ready for us and staff pleasant enough. But was disappointed with it. Cups were dirty, though they did change. Sandwiches looked nice, but you had to guess what they were and I think they must have been made the night before as bread was cold and stale. Cake was nice, scones would of been better warmed. It would of been helpful if the staff member hadtold us what the sandwiches and cakes were. Would I go again or recommend.....im afraid not!

We decided to visit the pub's restaurant for my birthday meal which I mentioned when booking on the morning. When we arrived there was no reservation dispute spelling my name to the lady answering the phone. 10 minutes after hanging around in a half empty dining room, they decided we could actually eat. We had to ask for a wine menu ( limited choice) then chose our starter and mains from a set menu. 35 mins later tepid soup arrived along with what was supposed to be duck pate. I have never experienced pink slop masquerading as duck pate and pointed this out to the server who promptly ignored me. That was left almost as it arrived apart from some bread which I ate as I was hungry.Mains arrived. Featherblade of beef and game stew. The pit the stew arrived in was so hot I dropped it when transferring the contents onto the plate for fear of burning my fingers, yet the mash it came with was again only just warm.There was just 3 pieces of meat, the rest was offal which had not been mentioned in the description or I would have chosen something else. My partner said the beef was OK but terribly dry.Dessert followed very swiftly, ice cream and for me, my favourite as it was my birthday, creme caramel but this one was white chocolate and BlackBerry which sounded delicious.Sadly not. Totally bland, no flavour at all and a couple of blackberries hiding under a mountain of brown sugar which hadn't been heated sufficiently to make the topping.I tried to eat a bit but no, this was so tasteless I just gave up on what was supposed to be birthday treat. We didn't feel welcomed although we did state it was a celebration meal and we left feeling hungry and very disappointed. Unfortunately we are not able to recommend this pub and our experience of what was hoped to be a great night was one of wishing we hadn't bothered.

Book a table for 5 for my wife 50th brithday dinner on Wed 3rd Sept ..phoned a head & asked could they dress the table for 50th dinner . on arrival we had drinks n the bar ,a very helpful young lady behind the asked was i the party booking & would i like a tab for the bar drinks.My wife was shown to the table and it look faboulous with a plant & table dress .The food was excellent rom starters to mains...to home apple crumble..the red wine was excellent..i eat in a lot of london restaurants & (am a master in butchery,fish monger & food expert for a very large food company in the UK & USA)Looking forward to my next visit. Well done to the Bartholomew team.

Great new assistant manager, young friendly, attentive and keen. Food and service was great, and looks like it will be even better with the new menu from Thursday. Well done and see you again soon.

I ate here with 3 friends on Saturday night and we all enjoyed a 3-course meal from the A la Carte menu. Both the scallops and the steak were delicious and beautifully presented. The creme brulee was to die for! The young staff were extremely pleasant and attentive. All in all, a lovely experience and one I would definitely recommend. We will be back!

We stayed here as part of a Groupon deal, our room was above the bar so we expected noise, at midnight the noise continued which I assumed was fair enough as the staff would need to clean up by 3am my partner and I had enough and wanted to leave. We packed our stuff up, locked our door and tried to get out but we had been locked in, there would have been no way to complain about the noise.We found a fire exit and used that to come out, we met a very intoxicated member of staff/owner who left another part of the building and had gone round the front, my partner explained why we were leaving, had to repeat it as he couldn't comprehend what we were saying.We got in our car and just as an afterthought I locked my door, just after I spotted the intoxicated fellow walking up to the side of the car, he asked me to unwind the window and he offered a refund, there was absolutely no way we wanted to return to a bar with a private party going on and felt extremely threatened so insisted it was fine.We left, we had decided for obviously forgo the stay for the whole night and breakfast the next day, we emailed them directly and complained which was ignored.This was to begin the celebration of my 40th birthday, we got home tired but relieved to get out of the situation.The room was lovely, the area was gorgeous so we were extremely disappointed.

We were confused when given menus with very average fare. Not what we were given to expect here. We were then told the chef had left recently and this was the new chefs emergency menu. Our meals were very average. Staff were pleasant and helpful. I guess it was our bad luck to go at the wrong time. Check on menu before booking and don't believe the website

We were invited back for a free stay after there were a few issues on our first visit, and were very glad we took up the offer. The room was spacious and well decorated, with an excellent shower. Sitting in the window seat with a book was a real treat. We booked for a meal, and were advised that they were doing a reduced menu due to the extra volume of customers from the grand prix at Silverstone. This wasnt a problem as we both fancied a steak and the menu had sirloin and ribeye. I had a nice fishcake to start and the wife enjoyed mushrooms on toasted brioche. The steaks were perfectly cooked, really charred on the outside but medium on the inside. Usual accompaniments were decent quality. We both had chocolate fudge cake to finish, which was delicious. A very nice quiet and comfy nights sleep followed. Unfortunately the gas wasnt working at breakfast (it was fixed before we left) so a full english wasnt available but my bacon butty was great and the wife loved her porridge. Overall a really good stay.

We visited the Bartholomew Arms last week using a Groupon voucher. It's a pretty pub/restaurant from the outside, but inside the decor was very tired and in need of a bit of tlc. There was only one member of staff working and she was serving behind the bar, taking orders and serving the food! She was, however,very pleasant and helpful.Our food was served quickly and was tasty, but we were disappointed that there was a very limited choice of menu options that fell within the price limitation of the Groupon offer. My husband and I both paid extra for our starters and our main courses.I don't think we would rush back.

We stayed on the 14th June. The food and room was lovely, no complaints at all. The staff were very friendly and happy to help.

Visited this evening on a Groupon voucher for 4. Food stunning & staff couln't do more for us.Restaurant small but didn't feel over crowded.Would completely recommend & we'll soon be venturing back

We visited on a Groupon deal on a Saturday night. Food and wine excellent. The chef here certainly knows what she/he is doing, as both courses were first class. Couldn't fault the service and a special thanks to the three young ladies who were manning the bar, waiting at tables, etc. their attention to detail was very very good. We will certainly go back. Thank you

Visited yesterday for lunch with my family. Three adults and two children. We enjoyed a really good lunch. I had the fish (battered and crispy), my son had the pigeon (delicious), daughter-in-law the burger (very moist with a brioche bun) and the children had scampi which they wolfed-down.Took a look at the garden which is furnished with beautiful teak furniture (and umbrellas when the sun shines). A garden bar will open soon, adding to the rural and rustic ambience.Highly recommended

me and three friends came for dinner on saturday lunch time and had an amazing meal.three courses of stunning food and the new pigeon dish was sublime.deffinatley worth a visit!!

We visited the Bart on a Groupon deal for bed&breakfast plus a separate deal for dinner.On arrival we were welcomed and shown to room 1 bright and airy, spotlessly clean with a large comfortable bed.Last night we ate in the restaurant and the chiefs skills can only be described as magical.My wife had homemade soup and a steak which she said was excellent. I had salmon to start followed by the best seafood linguine that has ever graced my pallet.This morning the same chief cooked breakfast which was again excellent ingredients prepared with flare.Don't take our word for it give the Bart a try.

We went on a Groupon deal, bought separately dinner and B & B. Room lovely, fresh and nicely furnished, comfy bed. But the best bit was the amazing food. Will definitely return to a lovely country pub.

The party room was an excellent venue for a reunion of friends and the food was excellent. The pub has had its ups and downs over the 18 years we have lived in the village, but the food last night was definitely the best in that time: scotch quails eggs with pineapple chutney and game crisps, followed by pan fried sea bass, samphire and saffron beurre blanc and finally a strawberry parfait. Service is friendly and at a comfortable pace. The function room was perfect for our group of about 14 (could take a larger group) and meant we could have pre dinner drinks together, dinner, then a crazy party game.

Tempted by a Groupon deal we visited the Bart Arms and found a wonderful surprise. The restaurant, forgoing standard pub-grub, has now moved 'up-market' with a haute-cuisine experience to rival some plush restaurants! We started with (Quail) Scotch Egg with Pineapple Chutney and Game Crisps. I then enjoyed the Hand-made Linguine with Mussels, Scallops and White Crab-meat in a delicious creamy sauce. Karen had the Pan-seared Duck with roasted beetroot, figs and sugar-snap peas in a jus. We couldn't eat anymore so declined the dessert menu. A wonderful dining experience which was followed by a friendly evening in the bar sampling the selection of Real-Ales. Overall an experience to be remembered as being excellent value for money as well as being of excellent quality too!

Having driven passed the pub a few times, we finally booked a table for Saturday night and we were not disappointed. The inside of the pub is lovely as were the locals. The a la carte menu caters for all types, but the chef was still happy to tweak a dish to suit someone else in as everything was freshly made. Could not fault and of the dishes, in fact still enjoying the thought of my main (seabass). Looking forward to visiting again soon.

My husband & I stayed for one night and thank goodness we ate in the restaurant. The new chef started on the Monday and the food was delicious. If I am in the area again this will be my choice for a meal.

We stayed for one night on a Groupon voucher. The room was immaculate, well equipped and with a comfy double bed. We were above the bar but wasn't too noisy. We had a fabulous meal of fillet steak and liver and bacon and the desert of sticky toffee pudding was delicious. Breakfast was one of the best good English variety eith perfect poached eggs and griddled bacon which tasted smokey and full of flavour. The atmosphere in the pub was friendly anf like a good old fashioned local. The groupon made the stay a real bargain. I would stay there again anytime. The food was excellent and well worth going out of the way for.

We stayed here just for one night on the 19th april using a groupon voucher.I found this was realy good value for money especially as i was able to use the voucher on a weekend.Very welcoming and freindly staff.We were given room 1 and this was a nice room clean and had everything you need.Bed was comfey too!It was lovely as we was able to sit out in the beer garden, was realy nice!Only thing that we wasnt very impressed with was the food, We had a meal in the evening and just didnt enjoy it at all! The mixed grill was like all the meat had been cooked then re heated.Food was expensive for what it was.Overall we enjoyed our stay here, we would stay again if we was in the area for a day out or something but i think we would go in to towcester to have our evening meal. manager i think her name was alison was very nice and welcoming.Thanks x

A nice local country pub, with a dinning room to one side. Staff and locals were friendly & welcoming. There was a good selection of Brakspear real ales.Smoked mackerel starter was lifted to above average with the beetroot and horseradish dressing, the scallops were excellent and were served with crushed peas and black pudding. Beef bourgeon from the specials menu was excellent, served with little pickled onions and crispy bacon bits on the side. The pork medallions were excellent, served medium, with a cider sauce.Area for improvement, the dauphinoise potatoes were over salted, but not to the extent that any was left uneaten.Children were well catered for. While there isn't a separate children's menu, they were offered a small portion of anything on the menu, or they could have sausages & chips or freshly made chicken nuggets & chips. They both went for burgers, which were thick and meaty, lightly charred on the outside, medium well in the middle. Chips were large, crisp & fluffy. I would have been happy to have been served this in a high end burger joint, it is a world away from the typical poor food offered to children.Overall, very pleased with our meal, will definitely go again.

Stayed here for 1 night in March 2014,before Towcester Races. Thought the locals in the pub were really friendly! We stayed in the Twin en-suite room. Very nicely done out. Slept great. Couldn't fault the lovely full English breakfast either. Well done to the owners! My Husband thought the Brakspear Beer, Buy 5 Pints Get 1 Free Card, at pub was a nice touch! We would definitely stay again!

My partner and I had a meal there last night using a Groupon voucher and the welcome and service was very friendly. There were obviously locals in the pub but then it is their local pub. We did seem to wait rather longer than we would expect for our food but it was of good quality and the steak was excellent. The atmosphere in the restaurant was nice and there seems to be just the right amount of tables for comfort, though maybe a bit of reorganisation is required so that a couple could sit in a quiet corner rather than the middle of the room (but that's personal preference). I also feel that the bar area could do with a bit of attention, paint over the 1980's terracotta walls with a more neutral colour to bring it up to date (again personal preference). On the whole we enjoyed our night out and the food was good so we will be returning at a later date.

A group of 3 of us ate at the Bart for the first time, after a recommendation from a friend in Towcester. We checked Trip, and looked at some of the reviews and thought with trepidation about our visit. We'll, I'm sorry, but some of the reviews are way off the mark. Friendly staff greeted us on arrival, we tried the guest ale, and proceeded to look at the menu. My 2 colleagues chose the mussels whilst I went for the pasta and meatballs. We were served breads before our food arrived, and then WOW. All I got from the other two, was Brilliant, etc. I therefore sampled their mussels, and they were right, the best I've ever tasted...... But that's not discounting the meatballs. Homemade by the chef, very good, we'll seasoned and presented. We'll be back for our post business meal. Excellent.

Excellent food, service and atmosphere at a very reasonable price,four star type food,very clean and well laid out small restaurant (so book early). I can't say enough about this pub now that the new owners have shaken it down and started again!

Had lunch with extended family and it was delicious on all counts. Children were present and they were well catered for. Steaks were delicious and generous. Chunky chips like no other.Warm atmosphere helped by welcoming fires and attentive staff.

having known the pub for many years and seen other village pubs start to get their act together, there has always been the hope that 'this time they'll get it right'.well, the good news is that it's almost there........went a week ago and steak and sole were delicious, service impeccable, management very switched on, nice feeling.....and definitely no sticky tables. and the upstairs function room, which looks to seat up to 40 would be great birthday/anniversary location.downstairs, the restaurant lighting and decor are 100% better than before (not difficult), but there is still an opportunity to cosy it up a bit , maybe put tables for 2 in a corner with an individual light, leaving the bigger tables in the middle.it's all about the 'meal experience' - an awful expression - but as they are so nearly there with really top class service and food, although a full restaurant helps, initial 'eye appeal' is the key to building atmosphere and the anticipation of a great night out.I got the impression that this a work in progress and look forward to our next visit

Well we came back and things are on the up. The tables are now spotless (not sticky) and the service very friendly - no sign on our night of the unwelcoming locals so hopefully the new landlord has managed to tame them. But the food was still poor and I really dont think a local pub can charge over £18 for a steak that falls way short of perfect. The steak was ordered rare and came medium rare and they had forgotten the sauce which, when it did come, came in a ramekin and was very watery. The fish and chips was over £12 and whilst the fish and the batter were good - the chips - more like wedges - were greasy on the outside and not cooked through, a few of them were still raw in the middle. The burger was excellent. To be able to serve good chips is surely not asking a lot? There was no chance they had been twice cooked never mind 3 times which makes them incomparable. The problem is that at half the price one wouldn't really mind, but at these prices raw chips and overcooked steak is just not on. Having said that - I know that the party held a few days later was indeed very very good - so it can be done, but standards have to hold up for all customers.

ok, we don't do it every Wednesday night but you know how it, get in from work and just need to go out?!The Bartholomew Arms proved the perfect venue, good attention to real ales the Tribute was pouring beautifully. Very good selection of freshly prepared food on the menu. Ate in the bar with all the locals as everyone very friendly, a roaring fire and a genuinely relaxing atmosphere.Had the paprika whitebait to start, lovely little whitebait, no batter, delicious, hot and plentiful.It was Wednesday so we opted for the burgers, locally sourced meat, home made into thick, juicy burgers perfectly cooked. Served on ciabatta, with a fresh salsa, grilled cheese, crispy bacon and pea shoots. All accompanied with crispy, hot wedges. The Landlord himself served us, table service drinks during the meal. Real napkins, ok perhaps I do notice the little things...All in all, a great night and a highly recommended venue.

As a local to the area I have seen the pub undertake many changes, although I have not quite enjoyed myself as much as I do of late within The Bartholomew Arms.The new management that the pub is now under has seen the introduction of a new food menu offering a superb standard of locally sourced ingredients within the restaurant, and a selection of wine and popular ales within the bar.A now bustling pub and restaurant, the atmosphere is hugely friendly and somewhere that myself and my family have very much enjoyed being welcomed into. With the fires now lit in the Bart Arms for the winter months, I know where I will, and recommend others to be.A true country pub in an idyllic village, serving excellent food and drink.

I recently attended a function for a group party where we had use of the excellent function room. We were a large group of more than 25 and i must say that the quality of the canapes, starters, main and dessert were all excellent as well as the level of service. I will definitely be coming back to try the restaurant food!

Stopped at the Bartholomew arms also on a recent walk on a lovely Saturday afternoon. Have to agree with the other reviews, at first I thought I was an alien from another planet, or perhaps I had entered the twilight zone!! The place almost halted for a "stranger" had walked in... It was almost like they all had the same question in their mind (if they had a mind) "how did they get passed the pitch fork patrol on the bridge???? Believe me if you come to a bridge with a sign saying welcome to blakesley... Turn around and don't stop (don't stop for a drink if walking ) The red lion at culworth... Worth the extra walk!!! Bartholomew arms Pub is a hole !!! Full of local drunk farmers!!! Dreadful place!!!

pwegbr's review is pretty spot on - the pub has always been a locals 'drinking pub' and despite numerous attempts to turn into a destination gastro-pub it just is not working. Since the freehold was sold to Brakspears a number of leaseholders have tried to make it something it isn't and until it goes back into private hands I cannot see things improving. The hardened locals are still drinking there but people who want more continue to drop in from time to time to see if the food and service has improved only to see hideous prices and sticky tables - and move on - . We are in desperate need of somewhere to eat that is good value and welcoming - and at the moment The Red Lion at Culworth is the nearest pub that supplies that need. I would add that the drinkers pwegbr describes also need to be catered for but perhaps round the corner so that the great barrier of unfriendly backs is not the first thing visitors see on entering the pub - it really is daunting.

After a long country walk I stopped in at this pub which apparently was' now under new local management' and from the menu boards, served a nice variety of pub style meals. The first problem that it was one of those pubs where the bar is lined with regulars who resent having to move to allow people to approach the bar.When I squeezed through to order a drink it was like that scene out of the film American Werewolf in London where the boys go into the Slaughtered Lamb.I asked for a pint of beer and some crisps only to be told that 'we don't do crisps'. I picked up a menu and asked if they were serving meals (it was Sunday at about 6pm). The landlord looked me up and down and said 'naaa'.I drank my very expensive pint of beer and left within 15 minutes of arriving.This is the worst country village pub I have been into for a very long time. One the return leg I called into the New Inn at Abthorpe and it was lovely.

Has a wonderful friendly atmosphere, great food and excellent live bands. All the staff are polite and helpful, even when you turn up without a booking !