The Bear Inn in Taunton Deane

What a fantastic pub! Staff are so friendly and helpful. We visited as a family and had a wonderful meal and great value too. The food quality was excellent. Nice atmosphere too.

Great value food, excellent service, lovely ambience. Thank you so much for such a lovely lunch today. Your staff were absolutely wonderful!

Having booked a table for a family meal, it started promising and ended extremely disappointing. Having purchased drinks including a glass of wine for my 17 yr old daughter to have with her meal, a waitress firstly challenged her for ID, which we explained we did not have with us. Next thing the waitress returned and snatched the glass from my daughter and ran off saying I’ll take that and then continued to throw it down the sink. My issue is the apparent rules of the house for 16-17 year olds is that they do not allow any alcohol consumed under 18 yrs even when accompanied by adults when dinning. Unfortunately there is no notice if this anywhere within the pub so you only find out when you receive an overly robust challenge. My point to consider is the rules of the house is its prerogative however the manner in which this is communicated leaves a lot to be desired. We were left feeling badly treated as if we were in the wrong, when we were totally within uk law rules. My daughter was left to feel upset. After requesting an apology from the waitress we did receive what may loosely be considered one. The overall experience was not good to add to this the food ended up being mediocre and we left half in eaten. We had up to this point been regular customers for their weekly Pizza night. However after this experience we won’t be returning. If you are planning a family meal out I would recommend steering clear of the Beat.

Food was amazing , the salmon was very tasty, excellent service from Harry very attentive and helpful . We will be back !!

Wiveliscombe is a quaint little village and the Bear Inn is situated right in the heart of it. Cosy atmosphere, friendly staff and lovely food. There were a number of locals eating there when we had our lunch, always a good sign.

Proper old style boozer for locals. Very friendly. We had a lovely Sunday roast

Good value for money. Rump steak, peas, chips, mushroom and I took topper, and peppercorn along with a drink for £15.45. Cooked well. Staff are very friendly. Good value.

Enjoyed a couple of pints and a burger here

Great breakfast we had in there with a lovely well kept pint of Guinness..

Really friendly staff, well cooked food chicken and bacon pie was fantastic exmoor burger was also delicious compliments to the chef. We will be back soon

Nice pub, friendly staff and good food.

OK... Good beer.. Great cheesy chips..

Booked the bear after the White Hart cancelled our table the night before our booking the next day for lunch, things must happen for a reason as the food and service we had in the Bear was excellent.

Fantastic breakfast...best mushroom I've had in ages. Very engaging staff... get in early for breakfast as it gets busy & my 5 minute delay in choosing cost me 15 mins before tge witness was able to return. Great community pub & thankfully management running more local pubs now...

Great pub,good food ,with Thursday 2 for 1 pizza night, Nice range of beers tonight. Good crowd of locals.Good outside seating.

Good food, very busy which was good to see and excellent service. 2 for 1 pizza on a Thursday

Called in here as a large group of 21 for drinks, served quickly by polite and friendly staff, sat in the garden at first which is large with lots of benches, moved inside as the temperature dropped and managed to fit all of use onto a couple of tables by the lovely open fire. Excellent cheesey chips!! A proper pub would definitely return if in the area

We left it late on a Sunday in our quest for food Starting on Exmoor we tried several delightful pubs but to no avail And then... We came to The Bear! Not only were they serving but the roast was incredible. I had the beef and it was faultless. The crumble and custard for dessert was also excellent. Great value. Excellent food. Lovely atmosphere and genuinely kind staff. Proper pub. Can not wait to return. As my youngest asked: 'can we come here every day?'

Popped in for a quick lunch. Great menu - lots of meals at fair prices. Good service - when you order your drinks, they bring them over with menus if you are eating - a nice touch. The menu has classics and modern cuisine with light meals for well under a tenner but things like steaks are more money - but still competitively priced. Tempting selection of pizzas. Beer and wine was spot on and again fair prices. The food itself was good - decent portions, good quality and hot dishes were served on warm/hot plates (why do so many pubs serve good hot food on cold plates?). The wait for the food was quite short and the waiting staff were very professional. Clean tables and a homely atmosphere. We will definitely go back.

Absolutely fabulous pub! And busy which made for a great atmosphere. Staff were excellent and the food came out very quickly. Best meal I've had in a long time! OK, it was pizza and chips but wow, was that a pizza. I had the fish pizza and ordered a side of bbq dirty fries and they were really delicious.

We booked a table on a Wednesday for The Bears steak night. The meal was excellent, the steak was amazing and cooked to absolute perfection. What a great way of doing a menu, you are give a sheet of paper and you tick which steak you want, then which fries, and then extras, say mushroom, tomatoes etc. The meal also includes a small wine/pint of beer or cider. The meal was great value. The pub was lovely, a proper pub, with locals in drinking and a fire, a real charm. You can park easily just up the road in a council car park which is free after six. All in all a lovely place to go and we will definitely be back

Cracking little local, the epitome of an English pub.. great food, great selection of ale, friendly staff and good service 🍻🇬🇧

Very nice, freshly cooked burgers. We had the Big Bertha, the Pulled Pork Burger and the Venison Burger and we were all very pleased with our choices! A young adult member of our party just wanted a child's chicken nugget meal and this wasn't a problem. The prices were fair, the waitresses were attentive, service came with a smile and the general atmosphere was welcoming! I would happily recommend!

Wonderful proper west country pub great steaks and wonderful atmosphere

Delicious meal at the Bear a lovely cozy pub with excellent beers and ales - had the vegan Penang curry with loads of vegetables and naan bread and a wicked blackberry crumble and ice cream

Slow food service. Other customers vaping at the bar infront of staff. Lots of flies hovering over tables and not a fly trap in sight. Vegan and vegetarian food options. Food quality and flavour was mediocre, but definitely hot and fresh. I wouldn't choose to eat there again.

Good pub food and friendly staff 😋

Did not go in the pub as can't get wheelchair in

We booked a table over the phone, my daughter asked if it would be possible to warm up some food for my Grandson and was told that it wouldn't be a problem so she confirmed the booking. On arrival, we asked the waitress to warm up the food and she took it away, she returned a minute or 2 later saying that they weren't allowed to do it but she didn't know why. We asked for dome.boiling water instead and she went to get some but came back again saying that it wasn't allowed. The waitress was lovely and very embarrassed as she didn't understand why she wasn't allowed to do it. The food was average so we wished we'd been to our original choice instead. Just avoid if you have a baby that needs food/milk warming up as they're not baby friendly at all, very annoying when they told us on the phone that it wouldn't be a problem. My son-in-law had to then go over to the Co-Op to get a pouch of something fruity that my Grandson could eat cold. I'm assuming it was the chef that said no but could be wrong, very disappointing experience. The waitress that served us was lovely, about the only plus point!

Fantastic hosts, as always! Amazing food, top pizzas, and a cold pint of Thatcher's! What's not to love.

Sorry not for us. People were friendly enough but trying to navigate a wheelchair around the bar area was very difficult. Once we got settled we could not read the menu in the lighting. This was a lunch time visit and we were sat at the back of the bar. Needless to say we did not order anything.

Had a lovely meal here with family when I visited

Called in as sister pub wasn't doing meals. Not disappointed lovely snack and good service from a fresh faced young man. Credit too him .

Met up with friends for Steak night. Reasonably busy. Ordered food by completing a form, type of steak, what veg,what sauce etc, good way to put in your order, also you get a free glass of beer or wine. All staff very friendly. Not a long wait for food which was very good. Would go backwhen in the area.

I sent eight guests over to the Bear last night as we were fully booked and this morning they were raving about their meal with you and said that they loved Wiveliscombe and would be back. Thank you.

The food was very good. I liked having the choice of options other than just a roast. It was hot and the staff were all friendly

Great find, excellent food and atmosphere. Very friendly staff.

Service was average, another table arrived after us but got their food quicker, not too fussed by that. food just about acceptable, chips were luke warm

Good traditional pub in the heart of its community. Excellent food and service. Thank you for being just that.

I stayed in Wiveliscombe for 2 nights in June. I ate Fantastic FOOD and drank unbelievabley good beer. The owner John and his staff were really friendly. I had the Best Steak and ale pie I have ever had. The inn itself is a fabulous place with a massive beer garden out back with both open and covered areas. The inn also has its own brewary. I was disappointed to learn that the bear ale wasn't ready I'm sure I missed something good. Unfortunately the Bear inn does not do accommodation, if it did it would be the best. I recommend the Bear inn. Utterly Fantastic.

Love the Bear! Tried a burger off the new menu and it’s probably the best burger I’ve ever had. Was sat reflecting on the whole experience for 20 minutes as it was that good.

Enjoyed two dining experiences in The Bear over the last three days. Last night we had the fish and chips, absolutely superb. Fish well done with crispy batter and crunchy chips and peas as accompaniment washed down with a pint of local cider. Thank you Brandon and staff for a super night, hopefully we will be back.

It's a classic country pub, but also has its own brewery and a beer garden. Pleasant staff, free parking close by.

The staff are great but our main meals were very mediocre - overcooked steak and dry lasagne. There might be more joy with the freshly cooked pizzas and nachos.

Just the most amazing Sunday lunch excellent food and service highly recommended

Had a great lunch with wine and a couple of very good pizzas

A basic town pub. However we went on 2 for 1 pizza night and the pizzas were excellent. Staff really good too. Good choice of ciders and beers

Would recommend this place to everyone, fabulous steak last night. Great staff, very friendly and extremely reasonable prices. Dog friendly too.

Great atmosphere and excellent food.

Never a dull moment at The Bear - always busy, especially on Steak or Pizza night. Best to book to avoid disappointment! And some pubs are struggling - not here. A real pub with service and lots of locals enjoying a natter.

Nice food and nice service. Slightly disappointed that it wasn't as nice as the Martlett Inn (Same pub owner)

Had a good value pub meal. Unpretentious food at an unpretentious venue.

Really great pub, friendly staff, good food and dogs welcome

My husband and I went there with family for breakfast which was very good, and the staff were polite, helpful and friendly.

Fabulous! Awesome staff. Amazing food and beer with a very warm welcome, thank you!

Went there for a Sunday Roast, the Lamb was lovely, but unfortunately the veg, carrots and cabbage were RAW, and I don't mean el'dente, because that I like, the bar staff were apologetic and gave us a 10% discount on the food, but when you're spending over £200 on a special and rare meal out with the family, it leaves you very disappointed.

Lovely food, great beer and local vibe. Plus showing Six Nations. 👍🍻

The food is good. The service is good. However, the cushions on the bench seating are dirty (no, make that filthy) and the toilets are smelly. The disabled loo had no means of drying hands but did have a rusty bucket in the corner. Not sure what purpose it’s meant to serve?

A very busy popular country pub. Does good food and a nice selection of drinks. Most staff are extremely friendly and helpful, others not so welcoming. But hey at the end of the day, not everything is perfect. If you want perfection go to the Ritz. 🤣🤣 But yes very recommendable

Food wasn't great Felt "warmed up" not fresh

Great pub. Food and staff superb. Dog and kid friendly

Great food and very friendly and welcoming The bar staff are Great 👍

Service good. Food good. Beer 🍺 🍻 good 👍

Amazing food! It was really busy when we popped in hoping to find food, (after a fruitless search elsewhere) but they very kindly squeezed us in and am so glad they did as the food was excellent! Generous portions, tasty, prompt and well made. Friendly, attentive staff too.

Love this place! The burger is the best in the west!

Love The Bear. DJd here with my brother for a Wedding party. No complaints. Staff were all lovely and friendly even though they were obviously very busy serving meals and drinks in a packed Bear.

What a special place The Bear Inn is. We visited on a Wednesday and were made to feel very welcome from the moment we stepped in through the door. The interior is old and quirky, with a roaring log fire at the heart. There's a comprehensive menu and specials on the board. My husband chose the scotch egg for starter and I had the salt and pepper squid - both were fantastic. For the mains, he had a pizza and I had the chicken supreme which is pan fried. All excellent and the chicken I had was superb. We don't usually go for pudding, but had the chocolate brownie and the berry crumble. Perfect. I thoroughly recommend The Bear Inn for couple, families or solo visitors, we saw everyone treated with kindness and friendly conversation. So impressed, it's what a real pub should be.

Delicious breakfast treat. Really enjoyed our meal thank you.

Fantastic village pub. Friendly, good food and service.

Fantastic place. What I would call, a good old faction pub (hard to find these day). The atmosphere is wonderful, we felt comfortable the moment we walked in.

We ate lunch here Oct 22. Everyone was very happy. Best burgers! And great nachos. You won’t be disappointed! Staff were all very happy and nice. Great service.

Excellent food, drinks and service in a great atmosphere.

Brilliant atmosphere and service

Way above and beyond all expectations, very warm and welcoming, the food local and seasonal, that makes the magic, can’t recommend enough, thank you all.

Just want to say thank you to the wonderful team for ensuring we had a lovely visit - we were a group of 10 visiting as part of a 30th birthday celebration lord of the rings scavenger hunt all in costume. The team were so accommodating in getting involved with giving out a clue and letting us put a few signs up for the scavenger hunt. The food was excellent with generous portions too boot - clean plates all round! Can't wait to come back again to sample more great food, warm hospitality and even live music when it's on and would definitely recommend!

Everything a pub should be! Nice small-town pub in the local center of Wiveliscombe. Well trained locals give you a funny look before politely saying "hello". Cosy bar area with open fire and a place to throw arrows. Obviously a coaching-inn back in the day, the toilets are located outside, somewhere near the skittle-alley and opposite the separate pool room. The massive rear courtyard is partially covered, with its own wood burners, or extra electric heaters if you can afford a quid or two. The pub quiz was being held here when I visited, a relaxed and convivial atmosphere. Well cooked pub staples on the menu, a few interesting choices chalked up on the specials board. It seemed like the friendly and attentive staff are trying to something for everyone, and unusually it's working out well! Definitely worth a visit, I'll be back.

We have been to the Bear several times now. Generally on a Friday night. Always a great atmosphere. A proper pub with great food and in house brewed ales. Staff are great and really welcoming. Can’t wait till the next time.

I firstly must come clean, I'm a regular of the Bear! But never the less I would like to say, the Bear Inn is not only our (dog friendly) local fantastic pub, with friendly staff, serving superb food & drink that attracts locals & those visiting the area. I think its worth saying too, that Jon & Milly the landlords, have worked hard to ensure its a central part of Wiveliscombe, providing a place where everyone is welcome, and will have a good time, they also support & run many projects for the good of the community as a whole. I would recommend you check it out if your ever in our area, you won't be disappointed! 💪👍👌 Barry Eaton.

Have been here several times in the last two weeks having just moved into the area. All staff have been unfailingly pleasant,friendly and helpful. Special mention must go to Emily for remaining cheerful and smiley with us being quite demanding. All food has been fabulous and plentiful. (Occasionally some things have not been available). Excellent good value roasts.(Too much gravy for me-apparently that’s my fault according to o.h.). In contrast to other views I found drinks to be reasonably priced also.

Absolutely loved it. Food was great.

We had lunch here, in the beer garden extension. The service was slow, but made up for by the friendliness of the staff and the quality of the meals.

Roast was ok would have been so much better if it was hot, not luke warm. 😒

Fabulous atmosphere in this gem of a pub. There is a good selection of local beers...wines etc. The good food will get you going back again and again. We both had the venison burger...the portions are very generous and it was cooked to perfection. I can't wait to go back.

Great welcome from locals and staff. Really nice food but its a pub that brews its on beer, whats not to like! Nice variety of booze and customers, so good

Not good. Order was messed up. Food was not good. Beer was nice. Expensive drinks

Excellent local beer but drinks are expensive. We ordered a starter to share and 2 main courses but they all came out together. Pie of the day was overdone with white pepper that was almost inedible. Asked for chips but got dry hard mash. Pizza had a nasty taste. Overall not good

Sunday lunch is poor. The food is stacked on the centre of the plate which results in it getting cold quickly. The cut of meat served was fatty and grisly and the one roast potato were stone cold. There was not much food on the plate for the price paid either.

I went in after work not been here for years. Looks like they have worked hard to make the place look great as it was looking a bit worn out before. My wife tells me the food standards have improved.

first time here. food was very good except a foreign body issue which was dealth with nicely

What a superb atmosphere! You find a pub which serves good beer, then another with great service and then another with brill’ food. But when you come across one with all of that, and other additional weird quirks, friendly locals and a complete lack of football playing on large screens you get a pretty fantastic atmosphere - and The Bear Inn has this in spades.

A great family pub - dogs are welcome too, which is a huge bonus for us. Lovely food and good prices with wonderful events regularly on offer. Staff are also fantastic!

Had a stop over in Wivey and visited the Bear It was steak night so why not! Very good steaks and excellent value for money The thick chips were spot on to Enjoyable evening The staff were really great to, nothing was sent trouble and...

We are on a weeks holiday in Devon, and this is by far the best food we have had. The ladies behind the bar were so friendly and the atmosphere was lovely. Highly recommend to everyone.

Brilliant local pub with great food and nice people.

Amazing place. Outstanding food & brilliant staff. Nothing but good for the bear inn.

Lovely food and there own ale, the staff are very friendly and welcoming. Thanks for the lovely meal.

Great food, casual atmosphere and really friendly staff. The outdoor space is really nice too

Travelling through the area the Bear appealed to us because of the brewery. In fact the Black Bear beer was the only disappointment. But their IPA was pretty good. The staff were charming and made us feel welcome. The lunchtime food was tasty, well cooked...

This lovely old coaching in set in the heart of Wiveliscomb has a friendly atmosphere with knowledgeable attentive staff. A warm welcome will await you. The inn serves an array of home cooked food of generous proportions.

The food was good and so was the in house beer.