The Bear in Chelmsford

I visited The Bear with a group of friends, and we had an absolutely fantastic experience! The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, with a cosy yet lively vibe that made us feel right at home. I ordered the seabass risotto, and it was simply delicious... Perfectly cooked seabass with creamy, flavourful risotto that really hit the spot. My friends all enjoyed their meals as well, it was clear that a lot of care goes into the food here. The service was also outstanding. Our server was attentive and friendly without being intrusive, and the staff made sure we had everything we needed throughout the meal. We’ll definitely be back!

My husband & I visited the Bear on a Saturday night. It was a buzzing atmosphere which was lovely to see as the Bear is our favourite pub in the village! We were greeted with a smile when we arrived and sat next to the table by the fire - which was stunning and very cozy. There was no rush to order, we enjoyed our first drink and then ordered our food. The food is exquisite! We had scotch egg, fish fingers, bear burger & brownie. With a taste of each course all was 10/10 and could not fault the food choice on the menu as it caters for everyone. All the service was second to none, nothing was too much trouble and everyone was all so friendly and knowledgeable you could really see the Bear has a “family” team and they really want to provide the best service. All the menu is reasonably priced for HOMEMADE food so I would definitely recommend to others. Thank you so much again! See you next time.

The Bear is the best dining pub in Stock. With ample space, vast menu choice and friendly service with amazing quality food and drink. TJ and his team always make the dining experience one to remember and we are forever thankful to have The Bear in our village. The scotch egg with homemade piccalilli is one of my favourites and it is my go to starter every time! 5 stars all round every time.

Lunched at the Bear with three friends, first impressions were good. There is a nice bar atmosphere with friendly staff. Unlike some dining pubs, the tables were well spread out. The bar has a good selection of draught ale, lagers and ciders. The menu was fairly limited, but a notch or two above the usual pub grub, we will be returning

7 of us went to celebrate my grandma 70th birthday. Most of us were drinking cocktails in which there was an extensive selection of - each one came well presented and tasted incredible. There were so many options of other drinks and food, it all looked so so good! I had the prawn linguini which was amazing - full of flavour with chilli and parmesan. We found out from our waitress the linguini is homemade fresh which shocked us. The sticky toffee pudding for desert was fab!! Overall a lovely night full of memories, our experience greatly impacted by the staff service and food. Thank you everyone, keep it up 👍

Another fantastic meal in the Bear. I really can't fault this place which just seems to get better every time we eat there. Watch out the hoop because I think this is now the best place to go out in Stock as it has a far better atmosphere and the food and service are without fault.

Evening meal on a Friday night. Good menu selection, great food, nice atmosphere. Recommended

Nice Atmosphere, very friendly staff, good table service. Food was generally ok, some had the roast beef which was very tough. I had the Burger which was good. Scallops for Starters were lovely and the Crème Brûlée for dessert which was excellent. All in all, pretty good, maybe a touch expensive but a good Sunday lunch out with good Service and very friendly staff

We visited for a second time yesterday for a family meal. Fabulous!! First, the service was friendly, efficient and helpful - the staff made us very welcome and second, the food was really good. The menu is wide ranging but every dish was beautifully prepared and delicious. The first time I visited I had the chef special spicy lamb in pita bread and second time, I had the pork belly. I really can't recommend it enough.

We attended yesterday’s 80th birthday bash in your function room as guests. It was excellent, your buffet spread very impressive and plentiful. Lots of favourable comments about the quality of the food. And our waitress was lovely, always attentive and always with a big smile. Well done all round!

Excellent food and venue was great!! Staff couldve been a bit more happier and cheerful considering how much money we spent there! Lovely roast dinner. Dessert was quite expensive but ill deffo visit again.

We popped in for a meal the night before a local wedding we was attending. What a lovely place for a meal, staff are super friendly and very helpful and the food was very nice. Would recommend to anyone in tbe local area.

Loved this pub, The first time we've been there and sat in the garden having a nice quiet drink feeding the ducks in the lovely pond they have there. We didn't eat here but the food looked really nice.

Beautiful place, lovely food, excellent service.....perfect!

Fantastic food. Shared chicken satay and scotch egg for starter. Had bear burger for main really nice Only complaint was main was brought out too soon after starter but we should have asked for a break between starter and main so our own fault. Definitely go back.

Firstly, the staff are a credit to the restaurant. We went as a group of four and had a selection of the menu. Burger, fish fingers, linguine and sausage and mash all nice . Good atmosphere for couples or families

First timer came with a client in the village nice pub will come again!

The food is really nice. The quality and the portion are amazing. Price is ok. The waitresses are kind and friendly. I will be back!

Excellent, friendly and speedy service. We sat in the bar for lunch and all had starters and mains, the soup went down a treat which was cauliflower and brie that day! All the food was hot and well prepared, we look forward to returning very soon!

This restaurant never disappoints - everytime we visit we have a great meal with great service and no issues - a favourite place to lunch or evening meal - services and staff are excellent and the food is just perfect

Beautiful food. Nice place to eat. Waitress was efficient but no interraction apart from asking what we wanted to eat

We eat at quite a few decent pub restaurants and the food we had here was average and over priced. No better, no worse. We both had the chicken. It was slightly over cooked and there was little flavour to the sauce. I asked for chips instead of dauphinoise and if these were home made then I'm an astronaut. Overall, food was not even close to somewhere like the Old King's Head or Coach and Horses and a number of others. We had some white wine and whilst again a little over-priced, it was a nice bottle and would recommend (chenin-blanc). However, service was excellent.

We went for a midweek family lunch and having seen the menu before arriving, we were impressed with the range of choices which are often limited in other places and can only say that the quality of dishes more than delivered not only in taste but also in size for those that had the Lamb Shank. Loved the mushroom risotto as a starter which was also a healthy portion so really pleased an alternative was chosen to the lamb! The service was excellent, attentive whilst unobtrusive and pleasingly we were not rushed out of the door. Definitely a place to return to in the future.

A great spot for lunch, lovely food and cocktails! Our waitress Caitlin was so friendly and attentive 🩷 highly recommend!

Had a lovely birthday lunch with friends. The food was excellent and service was great - We will definitely be back again soon!

Came for my friends 25th birthday, was such a lovely meal with excellent service. Our waitress was Caitlin and she was super friendly and helpful. Food was incredible and the drinks were flowing - would definitely come again!!

Great little place, the service is very nice here, you are welcomed with a warm approach and if you are a regular, they recognise this and definitely appreciate your business. The quality of the food is great, it's presented well and has a good taste, from the starters to the mains, the taste and satisfaction from food is spot on. The cost of the food and drinks can be a little excessive. However, highly recommend for anyone and definitely holds a spot for us to visit again in future.

Lovely lunch by the pond . Xxx service great food tasty and well presented x

Lovely food and service. Great bar!

Early booking so pub was almost ours. Food and service v good but imo the pricing was not suited to the area, more like London prices. Having said that we hsd an enjoyable time.

Fantastic Sunday roast with family today, 18 of us in total, we ate in the upstairs dining area, the food from starters to deserts all were amazing, Emily was so attentive and helpful, such a great experience, very busy, but no delays, definitely would recommend

Was good experience to go on valentine day, stake I had was amazing very good size and was melting in the mouth, mixed fish grill very tasty to. Life guitar and lovely atmosphere

Only 1 vegan dish on the entire menu (none for starters), meant I didn't get to experience much of the food. But the dish itself was nice. I felt £17.50 for a chickpea curry and rice was a bit pricey. It was concerning that when asking if there were any other vegan dishes the waitress suggested the fish! I feel restaurant staff should understand various dietary requirements and allergies. But they were staff were friendly and polite.

Amazing restaurant, such a lovely meal, didn't really get a chance to interact with the staff as was a busy night but the interaction we did have was friendly and welcoming. It's fairly expensive but well worth it in my opinion. Next time I'm up this way would absolutely come back

Had a lovely Sunday lunch accompanied with friends. Wonderful food, I had to have 3 courses! Always a fabulous experience at the bear. And shout out to the waiting staff for their immaculate service :)

Had a lovely Sunday lunch accompanied with friends. Wonderful food, I had to have 3 courses! Always a fabulous experience at the bear. And shout out to the waiting staff for their immaculate service :)

We had family dinner at bear, food was delicious I had tiger prawns for starter and beef bourgignon for main course both was soo tasty, classy service well trained staff Also wine selection is very good too

Second time and second lovely meal, really is a nice place with a wide selection of meals excellent service from the very nice Carol thinking about third visit already

Oh, how I love the bear. Tucked just away, giving those small town Inn vibes. The service is excellent and the food is good. It's perfect for a family dinner or catching up with friends.

Great food, atmosphere and service. Beautiful outdoor space with a stunning pond. Love that it's dog friendly too! Good selection of cocktails and beers. Would recommend!

Lovely place, went for an anniversary dinner for friends… good food and friendly service, enjoyable evening

First time visiting for a Sunday roast, we visited and it was very pleasant. Atmosphere was cosy, vibrant and well managed. The food came very promptly, and it was nice to be asked how we would like our beef to be cooked. The kids roast was generous but personally, a different choice of veg would have been more appropriate. Not all children (ours are 5) are likely to be eating sprouts and cauliflower - we also had to ask for gravy as it apparently doesn't come with a turkey meal. Our waitress managed to hop on this quite quickly though. Our beef roast was around £22 each, which was good but nothing to "wow" over. The potatoes seemed a little under roasted for my liking and were under seasoned, and the Yorkie felt like it had been sitting around for a while. Our waitress was exceptional, and attentive but we had trouble getting a second round of drinks. Our bill came to £140 for a family of 4, which for an 'upmarket' roast is fine but there's some refining to justify the price. On a side note, parking here can be very tricky so when you do visit, arrive a little early incase you need to wait for a space.

Met friends here for lunch. The staff were very friendly. We were not rushed to order but eventually placed order. I had Skate wing in butter and capers. It was enormous and very tasty. The others had various dishes, which were all enjoyed. The prices were a little more than most places in the area. But overall , an enjoyable 😉 visit..

Exceptionally attentive friendly lunch service Felt very welcome and attended to Give that server a payrise (1215 booking today) Food was good Fuss free, accurate order Fair (not cheap ) price but high value Liked it very much

Was at the Bear inn today with friends and the food, service and atmosphere was excellent.

Coped brilliantly with a very large party for lunch (prebooked) the service was very good girls were so friendly and accommodating. Good food too especially given the numbers Recommended

Excellent lunch with great service and tasty food. Well worth a visit.

Thank you for being so kind and attentive to us and for hosting my grandmas wake. It was so appreciated and the staff and food were amazing, thank you and happy Christmas, from the Stockwell family. ❤️

Fantastic evening, wholesome night, food was unreal and lovely staff! No better place for our Xmas girls meal!!

A great little find out of the main towns. Busy place and so glad we made reservation. The service, the staff was exceptional. The food was most enjoyable and warming especially on a cold December's Saturday. Will definitely return when in the area. This will be my go to pub when on that side of England

We had a lovely meal at The Bear last night. The service and food were amazing, the staff were very attentive and nothing was too much trouble. We also loved hearing the stories about their resident ghost ‘Spider’… Who knows, we may see him next time we’re in there 😱

Great food and amazing service.

A Culinary Delight with Exceptional Service! I recently had the pleasure of dining at The Bear Inn, and it was truly an exquisite experience. The food exceeded my expectations, with each dish delivering a burst of delicious flavors that left me craving more. The culinary expertise showcased in every bite is a testament to the chef's skill. Beyond the exceptional food, the staff at The Bear Inn made the entire dining experience memorable. Their friendliness and efficiency stood out, creating a welcoming atmosphere. The prompt service added to the overall enjoyment of the evening. I highly recommend The Bear Inn to anyone seeking a delightful combination of delectable cuisine and outstanding service. It's a gem that truly deserves recognition.

Lovely pub went as a big group of around 25 and all the food was hot and very tasty.

Me and my wife had lunch today the food was fantastic I had the the beef bourignon which was amazing the beef just melted in in my mouth and my wife had the chicken which she said was very nice,would definitely recommend this restaurant

I always have a great experience at this amazing pub and would highly recommend! The bear has a superb menu full of well crafted dishes, full of flavour and beautifully presented! The staff are all lovely; very attentive and personable, making everyone feel welcome and comfortable. The garden is perfect for summer drinks too! x

I had two recent visits. One with family and friends, the other with a friend. On both occasions the food, beers and wine was excellent. Service impeccable, all staff very friendly. The lamb rump was superb. First choice for local restaurants.

Enjoyable evening and lovely meals. Great service, new staff excellent. The Bear is getting popular again which adds to the atmosphere. Open on Mondays which is very helpful as most restaurants now closed early in the week but people have Birthdays etc on Mondays and Tuesdays!!!

After an half hour drive, we found it was not possible to park in the car park (small ) however did find a spot in the village. Service I think could have been more tentative, we was left waiting a few times although front of house was not too busy. Food was nice but a little expensive for what was delivered (in my opinion) . Sorry I was expecting better , so left disappointed.

What happens when a Turkish man walks into a bar and buys it? He ruins it! Loads of money spent ruining this beautiful pub. Bar staff were worse than useless, decor was text book gastro but done cheaply and wrong. Every table laid as if fully booked but not a customer in site. We left sharply. Horrible

Sunday lunch, this place was packed and no wonder , as soon a a table emptied it was filled . We had to wait 5 mins for our table , shock horror, absolutely no need for the apologies from the staff . Your greeting was warm and friendly and it was crazy busy. The place was buzzing with a fantastic atmosphere, lots of different tables. Chicken satay my wife loved , served in a coconut shell, different. Tomato soup was so thick and tasty .The roast beef was pink and perfect, it melted in the mouth best beef I’ve had for a long time. The lamb portion was large and tasty. Tried to work out what the sweetness in the gravy was , it was delicious. We didn’t have to wait long for our orders to be taken or our food delivered.if I had one criticism it would be . No there is none . Great place , great food, great staff. Thank you

On the plus side, the service was very friendly and efficient, which is why i feel guilty writing this. The staff were lovely in fact. BUT the meal! That was something else! Most of us had the vegetarian option- nut roast. Not unlike cuts of liver sausage with a few tiny nuts hidden away somewhere in it. No texture whatsoever. And the gravey - thin as dishwasher. So a really dry and unappetising lunch, I'm afraid. And if you like your roast potatoes crisp on the outside and cooked well, you would be very disappointed. And the food wasn't particularly cheap either for what we paid ( close to £20 each). The feedback from those who had the meat in fairness was a little better. And it is a lovely old traditional pub. But would we go back there, ever..?? No! Well, not to eat anyway.

We last visited The Bear Inn about 6 years ago, had a really poor experience and vowed never to go back . . . .until tonight. We usually go to The Hoop but couldn’t get in tonight so myself and 5 friends booked a table at The Bear Inn after reading the reviews and I’m so glad we did. The service was friendly and quick, the food was to die for and none of us had anything but praise for our chosen meals. Generous portions, nice and hot, flavourful and cooked to perfection! The Hoop has some serious competition in the Bear Inn and it will definitely be our first choice of places to eat going forwards. Compliments to the chef and lovely staff who made it a good night for all of us. We’ll be back!

Really nice place for an evening meal. Good atmosphere and the staff were friendly and attentive. Food was delivered quickly and was rather tasty!

Melody was a fantastic waitress. Attentive, welcoming, friendly and efficient. The food was impeccable. Will definitely be returning!

What a lovely restaurant top quality food and excellent customer service.

We popped in on the spur the moment for lunch and are very pleased we did. Sat in the garden near the lovely pond, we were taken care of very well with prompt service ordering, and our drinks arriving without any delay. The food was great, especially the bangers and mash. We’ll definitely be back again soon

On arrival pub seemed to be really nice and in a great setting by the pond. Ordered drinks at the bar,had to wait quite some time for bar staff to appear. Once ordered was presented with the price. £15 for a glass of mediocre savingion blanc and a pint of larger. Took our drinks and sat down still not believing the price of the drinks. We then decided to order some food, only starters as they where as expensive as a main course in most other pubs. I chose the whitebait and my withe the scotch egg. When the food arrived all looked good, however as soon as my wife cut into the scotch egg she found badly undercooked egg and raw sausage meat. I will say the whitebait was ok but you can go wrong with frozen whitebait. All in all not a very pleasant experience bearing in mind lunch came to over £40.00 for 2 drinks and to starters. On addition they added without asking 10% service.

It’s a great location and nice little venue. Staff were friendly, but the food was just a little disappointing. Maybe it was an off night, but our expectations were higher .

This is our second time to The Bear Inn but our first for a Sunday Roast. I had the local lamb and the Banoffee pie for dessert It was all absolutely delicious and all of the staff waiting on us were all very helpful and friendly. I thoroughly recommend 😍

My wife and I wanted to host our 2nd wedding in the UK so we decided to use the Bear Inn, the venue is stunning and the food is excellent. We later spoke with the Manager TJ who was so easy to speak to and he understood exactly what we wanted to do. And he and his staff went above and beyond to make this day so special for us. The wait staff were amazing too. They made sure all of our guests had drinks, food, and constantly checked in on us even after dinner to make sure everything was going smoothly. By far one of the nicest pubs, staff, and food in the area. The menu was catered to us and nothing was out of the question when it came to making what wanted happen. The kindness that was provided to us by the amazing team, has made my wife and I want to go back to this venue more and more even just for a quick lunch on a nice day, or even a date night. Truly amazing. If you are looking to arrange a party or a celebration please be sure to check out this venue and speak to TJ because he goes above and beyond. Thank you all again... cannot say it enough.

Fantastic Sunday dinner yesterday. We took my mum out for dinner as she's been very unwell The staff were amazing. They couldn't of done more. Thank you to The Bear. X x x x x

Went out with the family with my mum who's been unwell. We had a fantastic time the food was amazing. Nothing was to much trouble. Can't wait to return x

Just a quick drink nice place since it reopened

Very nice pub we was served by Connor very friendly also makes the best cocktails in stock, we will defo be back soon

Lovely old pub, beams, stained glass windows. Great atmosphere. Food was excellent and portions generous, service was friendly and efficient. Would definitely eat there again.

I met some friends for dinner here last night. I had the miso salmon which was cooked to perfection and the banoffee pie which tasted great and was presented beautifully! I was excited at the range of cocktails available, all made by the friendly barman. The espresso martini was the best I’ve ever had! I will definitely be returning

Such a lovely lunch at the bear Inn. First time here, the atmosphere was lovely and cosy, the service was great and we were never waiting around for anything as staff we so attentive. More importantly food was fabulous. I had sea bass and cray fish risotto which was beautiful and the BEST bannoffe pie I've ever had, just delicious. Beautiful place.

Just swung in as staying in Stock for a wedding. Absolutely lovely pub with gorgeous house red wine. Tried the whitebait and chips as we weren't that hungry. Really tasty, especially the tartare sauce which was rich, thick and crunchy and utterly delicious. Really good bar staff also.

This pub has absolutely delicious, high quality food. The scotch eggs in particular were amazing. They have a wide range of foods on the menu. The food was very high quality and the restaurant warm from the fire place in the cold.

Really nice place, with good food. Good service. We enjoyed stay in the outside garden under the pergola with 14 friends. The restaurant seems to be well organised and the food is really good. Definitely will come back if ever again in this area. There is some parking on the road at the front and some more at the back in the garden.

It has been a fair few days since I was in but something kept telling me to get the word out. I don't know if it's the pub, the food or one of the staff "Nicki" that made my experience so memoreable? I ordered the prawn linguine and I won't lie, I was concerned as I am a bit of a ketchup fiend. I am normally frowned upon or scorn for asking for ketchup, but, to my delight Nicki made me feel "normal" for once. And low and behold the food and the condiment did not disappoint. Hats off to the Bear, the chef, Heinz and Nicki I guess that's why I felt so compelled to review.

Went for a Sunday roast with my mum as a birthday treat. The pub inside is lovely and a great beer garden with a duck pond. Unfortunately I wasn't happy with the service or food, Also now The Bear charges service charge. The roast that was served did not look appealing with just meat and potatoes plonked on plate, thin watery gravy and no effort with presentation. Standard microwaved Vegetables come seperate and after waiting 5 minutes had to get up and ask for our Vegetables while the meat and potatoes sadly waited getting cold. We had to keep trying to get the attention of a waitress and service was slow, the Restaurant was not very busy. Village is lovely and I normally have an amazing roast in another pub in Stock but my mum wanted to try somewhere new. I would not return for a Sunday roast but my mum ordered a desert which looked delicious and the presentation was amazing, Nice coffee to.

The food was ok, nothing special. But i loved the location, surrounding area, and the fact this place is dog friendly.

Great food at a reasonable price.

Love The Bear, food and service is always amazing.

We had a fabulous afternoon. Service was wonderful. Thank you for making my father's birthday lunch so special! 😊

Came here for dinner a few weeks ago and it was the best meal I’ve had out cannot fault it at all.

Food was excellent, we all loved the choices on the menu, 1st time we have ate here in years, but we are definitely planning to return, good vegetarian options as well. The meat eaters enjoyed theirs too :)

Two visits in, with another to come this week, and I cannot rate this gem highly enough. Lovely atmosphere. Friendly, attentive service, with a fantastic menu that hasn’t disappointed, rather it has surprised and exceeded, each visit. The flatbread with hummus was the perfect introduction when we stopped in for a drink in December. A meal with friends last week, during which I had the sea bass with saffron risotto, was exceptional. To all at The Bear Inn: thank you, and please keep it up!

Lovely little gem nestled in Stock. There's lots to choose from included a specials menu. Staff are friendly and attentive. Food is delicious and didn't have to wait a long time for food. Was recommended by a family member and was definitely worth it. I'd highly recommend to anyone passing through Stock too.

Great pub and restaurant. Excellent food with attentive service.

Came on a very quiet Tuesday night but still had to linger at the bar for 5 mins whilst the manager and a waiter passed me off to each other. I ordered a beer and two starters, one to follow the other. The first came out 1 minute later, crayfish and smoked salmon tian, it was bland and then cleared away without anyone asking if I liked it. My replacement cutlery was dumped in front of me and my second starter arrived 2 minutes later with no enquiry if I wanted anything else. No-one checked half way through. My dish was even more bland than the first and then cleared with no enquiry again. 10 minutes later, I asked for the bill, put my card down, intending not to pay the £2.63 service (first time in years) but the waiter walked up and said 'contactless' and touched the card before I even said anything. So I had to inform him that I didn't want to pay the service. He didn't ask why at all. Both transactions are showing so hopefully the first is refunded shortly. Having been in hospitality and the wine trade for years, this was really poor all round.

Great food, the roasts were very tasty and excellent and prompt service.

This was my second visit to the Bear Inn, absolutely fabulous, food, service and atmosphere. Will definitely visit again

It was a bit of a squeeze, and we were not greeted properly, just stared at for a few seconds until we said we had a booking. Other than that the food was lovely.

We had a really lovely meal in this pub. Highly recommend a visit

Party of 13 for dinner. Staff and service excellent. Food served hot with no problems as ordered before the actual day.

Had a great Sunday lunch. Would definitely recommend

We enjoyed excellent coffee and food and drink at a reception after a funeral. The staff were helpful and friendly!