The Bell Inn in West Berkshire

Poor food menu and slow service and terrible value for money. English cheese at £9 is two small bits of brie and some crackers. How can you get a cheese plate so wrong. Burger is poor and again how can you get a burger wrong. Such a shame as pub and beers nice.

Been coming here for years and always good but not this time. Went for lunch on a Saturday. Of the 7 mains listed on the menu only 4 were available. The pub was not at all busy, maybe two/three other tables of 4 eating. It took an hour for them to produce basically cheese on toast (rarebit) and a salad. When we asked for salad dressing they said it would take another 20 mins to make! The toast of the rarebit was so thick and hard we could all barely cut it. Saving grace- the young staff who served us were delightful and there was nothing wrong with the drinks. Let's hope it was just an off day.

Always a lovely lunch at The Bell. The garden is beautiful and the whole vibe is very relaxed with delicious food and well kept drinks.

When we were served with lukewarm warm food we mentioned it to the staff. The cook then came from the kitchen and told us there was nothing wrong with it. He refused to redo the food and told us we were getting a refund. I have never been treated anywhere in this way before. It is a shame that after numerous good experiences here this one soured all the previous times we have been here.

Visited for Sunday lunch and Wednesday supper, both were very good. Pork Loin on Sunday, Bambi Burgers on Wednesday. It’s a cracking little pub which although limits it’s food menu, holds a very good wine selection. The two open fires ensure you don’t get cold. It’s a proper place and we can’t work out why it’s not crammed to the rafters with people. They have a very good selection of cider, poured straight from the tap in the cellar (untried but range looks good) Couple of good real ales as well. Certainly will be returning.

Very friendly bar staff. A small Menu but everything we had was amazing The quality of food and price rivals Some much fancier places. Lovely open fire on a cold night. It could not have been better

Booked a table for 6 and 2 dogs and given the snug room just inside the door so we had plenty of space. This is my fourth visit and once again an enjoyable visit, lovely service and very welcoming. Food was good although it would have been nice to have a choice of meats for a Sunday roast rather than just beef. Everyone enjoyed their food which was perfect. Service was very prompt, servers were extremely chatty and very helpful. Good selection of beers.

This weekend, we visited the pub for the fifth time. It never disappoints. The food is simple but brilliantly done, the staff are always attentive and the pub itself is cosy, in a wonderful setting. The garden is brilliant for children (ages 1 and 3) and dogs to play in too- whatever the weather. We will be back soon.

Decided to try the Bell for lunch but it was disappointing. Despite a log fire in both bars it was freezing cold, so cold everyone had their coats on! The beer was ok but the food offering was weird and disappointing, lots of nibble things as starters and just three mains, a risoto (odd in a country pub), fish stew (hake) and a burger (not even the bambi burger) just a simple burger and fries and at £17 it was expensive. Oh and I'll say it again, it was probably the coldest pub I've been for many, many years! Shame...

Very good little pub with a great soul and lovely ambiance, service always great and welcoming. Food was just perfect with a small selection at the moment Really good and diverse wine list I recommend that place to everyone

I hadn’t been there for a few years. I had heard good things and I wasn’t disappointed. The staff were friendly and the burger was really the best I’ve had in a very long time and I would recommend to anyone.

Cycling group chose The Bell as our refreshment stop as they had previously served up a decent, albeit expensive, bacon sandwich. Staff were miserable and from past experience it really is hit or miss as to whether they will interact or ignore you. We arrived early and keen to partake in some fuel for the rest of our trip we decided to fill in some time riding locally. At twelve we were able to try ordering, only to be told we haven’t offered bacon for five years. The menu offered had nothing anyone fancied and eventually the chef said they did a sausage sandwich which is not on the menu. Quoted £10 initially then reduced to £8 we were shocked when presented with two sausages between two slices of bread, zero sign of any garnish or presentation for the price. I have read the comments about a pub for locals but given the economic climate I doubt they can survive on that business alone. Until things change we will not be returning nor recommending to other groups.

Full of Character, lovely staff and tasty food. Perfect setting for a celebratory lunch. Highly recommend

Roast pork Sunday lunch was absolutely delicious,but then again every roast at the bell is amazing .thank you both For all your amazing food

Staff are outstanding: friendly, helpful, tolerant. Food was excellent. Location is intriguing and wonderful.

Great ambience, friendly staff, superbly tasty sausage on ciabatta – moist tasty sausages, ciabatta that was soft inside and crispy outside – delicious! Also great sticky toffee pudding & ice cream

There today with some friends for lunch on the patio. The experience just makes you feel better! Food really good but unpretentious – it’s a wonderful pub, not a starred restaurant. Range of beers brilliant. The couple of staff who dealt with us were splendid – it isn’t that easy to get it right between being friendly & completely professional, but they have it cracked. Our colleagues went away muttering if only they had a pub like this close to where they live. It is that comment that motivates me to leave this review – it’s deserved.

We came to have a birthday lunch after having a lovely walk there from home We had cycled there a few days earlier for a after work pint and had a pleasant experience Not Yesterday, a Saturday lunch time! We had a table booked outside...

Checked the menu on-line limited menu but good variation of food, slow cooked lamb, sole, steak, burger and veggie option. When I rang to book 1 day before asked if menu was as per on line and was told yes. On arrival at 18:00 the...

This was our first post lockdown meal with family and what a surprise it was. A historic quintessential English village pub brimming with character, warmth and Michelin Star food. Our waitress was Freya who gave not just excellent service but charm, professionalism and was a...

Stopped off for a drink after a walk, sat at the front of the pub as the rear was full. No-one came to serve so I went to investigate. Went to the back and stepped inside the pub to be promptly told to get out,...

I write with reference to a separate review left last month (April 2021) by my partner. Before posting the TripAdvisor review, we emailed The Bell to set out our complaint. Having not heard from the proprietor after a few days, the review was subsequently posted....

We had a birthday lunch at The Bell Inn Saturday 24 April and were a party of six. We were so disappointed and frankly appalled by the service. We subsequently emailed the manager to provide feedback and an opportunity for the manager to respond but...

We’ve just had a fabulous take away Sunday lunch from the Bell - well done guys, it was great. I will be recommending the Bell for those who want an easy Sunday. 👍👍😁

Service excellent (table service only because of covid and they were clearly working hard to operate to covid standards). Wine and cider were very good and the food was excellent. Wouldnt hesitate to go back there although its a little off the beaten track

We just had an exceptionally good dinner at The Bell Inn. If you had been served exactly the same food at a Michelin starred restaurant and were charged twice the price, you wouldn't have felt short changed. We both had delicious lemony-cider mussels to start,...

Wonderful country pub with a great welcome and great food Great choice of beer Well run establishment

I love this pub, great welcome, great range of drinks and a lovely garden to sit in - so pleased it is back open

The Bell is a rare find of pub that caters for almost everyone; lots of locals, dog walkers, families and tourists dropping in. The food menu is not extensive but always imaginative, locally sourced and cooked well. It’s cosy, relaxed and informal with a great...

Thank you for being consistently great. Good food, good drinks, amazing staff, amazing venue. Regardless of what rubbish some randoms have to say, we know you guys are the best!!!!!!

Outstanding pub, lovely location and a great and welcoming team doing a sterling effort in face of some challenging times and certain customers ignoring all the measures in place to keep everyone safe. Keep up the good work Scott and team.

I realise that pubs are dramatically different in these lockdown, pandemic days and have great respect for the pubs that are open now and keeping us safe. It was a warm afternoon today and after driving around the area we came upon The Bell. Yes,...

Had lunch here recently and couldn’t resist the bambi burgers (Venison and pork). These are excellent, great fries to match. Lovely people and great service with a smile! Glad to see them back in business!

We had to wait over 45 minutes for our food to come and when it did my pasta was stone cold, over crowded and noisy, over priced, would we go there again, NO.

This is my local village pub and it’s great, food is good restaurant quality and not that expensive, the drinks are flowing, staff are normal and friendly. It is a pub for the community and for people who appreciate the country way of living. If...

The bell is my absolute favourite pub. The food is always on Point! It’s a locals pub and the locals make the place! If you come in with a smile or even if you don’t, they will all make sure you have the best time...

Out for a ride. Looking for a nice pub. Found it, The Bell at Waltham St Lawrence. Just a lunch 🤨 friendly staff, muscles and beer bread, nice, very nice...Cumberland sausages, in a sandwich. Could be a pub that could be called clicks , but...

Local family just out for an evening meal. Both of us have lived and worked in next village and wanted an easy atmosphere and good food. No welcome by any of the staff, it’s “we’re doing you a favour” mate. Many “locals” or are they...

Out for dinner with the wife, even though we booked online there is no reservation once you arrive. The place was packed with locals and bar staff were just focused on their local business. Not a very welcoming place. We ended up having a quick...

Out for a ride. Looking for a nice pub. Found it, The Bell at Waltham St Lawrence. Just a lunch 🤨 friendly staff, muscles and beer bread, nice, very nice...Cumberland sausages, in a sandwich. Could be a pub that could be called clicks , but...

I am local to this pub and the landlady was rude often and unwelcoming over the years. It was quite a clicky environment and you would try to make pleasantrys and jnteract and she would often coldly ignore or begrudgingly respond to you. it's a...

I went to this pub over the weekend with a couple of friends looking forward to a relaxing drink in a nice peaceful environment, how wrong could I have been. I found the staff very frosty and hostile which was completely off putting and the...

For those of you old enough to remember, the opening scene to AW in London involved two hapless lads stumbling into a North Yorkshire Moors pub where the locals just stared at them. Pretty similar experience here where It's been a very long time since...

I haven’t eaten in this pub for about 20 years! The food was always good. I don’t know whether the same people run the pub but the meal I had today was excellent and so were the staff. Hake was on the menu and as...

Went for lunch. We only had snacks/ starters but it was quite pricey for what we were served. I had the pigeon terrine which was tasty but no salad with it and only beer bread which really was greasy and didn't go very well with...

3 days before a group of 20 planned to visit after a walk, rang the Bell to see how to pre order meals on the day. Told download menu and phone order on the day. Rang about 1100 and told only accept pre orders 24...

You know what ? Sometimes you don’t need to stick around to know the food is quite something! A planned business meeting this morning brought me within a nose of some incredible aromas that were only going to produce ...:::: gravy????!!!! Well..... Bring it on!!!!

So every so often, but not frequently, you like a steak? And when you do indulge, because the costs, all things considered, and not just the ticket price, are huge, it'd better be good. We're all going to have eat less beef, and more chicken,...

On Sunday I took our overseas to be best country pub in the area according to reviews and past experience, but now food is not a good experience. They do not offer Sunday roast anymore and they have a very limited Sunday menu, basically they...

Lovely old pub along side river with large garden very friendly staff food very good and reasonably priced

We had the sausage ciabatta and burger both were exceptional. We will definitely be back but please don't economise on the ketchup and make me bring my own!! ;-)

From experience I know that this is a great place for beer and cider. But I hadn't eaten there for a while. I'm pleased to say that the food is just as great. We were fairly late in the lunch time slot, 12 to 2,...

Great lunch after a nice long Sunday walk. It’s a fresh and local/seasonal menu so be prepared that items will run out. It’s a great pub with loads of character, we were sat in the room towards the back which was slightly quieter than the...

Popped in for a post walk large GOW x2...£7.50 a glass seemed pricey but there you go. But what really disappointed wAs the surly barmaid. Didn't crack a smile on serving or thank us for bringing glasses back to bar. Not a chargeable peanut or...

Brought visitors from abroad here. Found something for hearty on the menu for everyone and enjoyed terrific beer from the Loddon Brewey.

Visited last week Staff friendly, Beer good Rib Eye Steak awful The amount of fat, sinew and gristle would (should) have been apparent to the butcher and chef - this steak was never going to be a good or pleasant meal - I don't mind...

Enjoyed big family lunch yesterday with most of us choosing the excellent roast beef. Very relaxed in the garden and the children could play in safety.

My wife and I had lunch here with two of our friends. We were the first to arrive and almost the last to leave. Good company good service good food. Everything was as it should be without being exceptional. Just a wee bit on the...

I went for lunch today with my mother and we sat outside and had sausage sarnies in the sunshine. What a lovely pub! I have been before but not for a while. The food was nice but what really made it a pleasant experience was...

Headed to The Bell after a really disappointing visit to The Beehive in White Waltham. Really helpful and friendly staff. We had lunch; cheese toasted sandwich and a number of sausage sandwiches - all absolutely delicious. The pub itself is charming and the garden is...

Came here for lunch yesterday, having been meaning to come for ages. Lovely old, quiet, traditional pub, with relaxed atmosphere and no TV or irritating music. Staff were helpful, food was very nice, pleased with the vege options. Huge, fabulous garden. Great place to hang...

Been coming here for years as convenient and has a decent garden for kids. Just be careful if you want to eat early as no food until 1900 on the night we ate. Evening menu is very limited and tired. Actually passed on a main...

Stopped here today for a spot of lunch and I have fallen in love. A real country pub set in the most perfect village. A true piece of England. Menu is tasty and prices very reasonable and there are some great ales. Nice seating out front + a great beer garden and terrace. Will return.

What a dreadful shame. Either a conscious decision by management that customers are no longer important or maybe lazy staff. Either way, having been a regular (at least once a week for many years) where we spend quite a few pounds each visit, it would appear that bothering to spend a couple of minutes pouring a pint in the cellar isn't worth it! Some pubs deserve to fail - I sincerely hoped the Bell would not be one of them. Please get back on your game

Visited as part of Reading Ale Trail. Truly historic village pub with "mind your head" beams and roaring fire. Very good selection of local ales plus my lager drinking partner very much liked the "Rothauser"

Despite parking being very difficult I made it into this old pub. It is rare to encounter an unimproved place these days. The Bell has charm in buckets. Open fires, friendly locals in for a drink & probably the best Bambi Burger I've ever eaten. lots of garlic..Small snug rooms to eat in & good glass of beer. What could be better on a winter day. newspapers to while away the afternoon what more could you want.

Enjoyed a tasty lunch, good service and a friendly atmosphere in the Bell. Look forward to a return visit sometime soon

A beautiful and comfortable countryside pub with a roaring fire and lots of atmosphere and character. A great selection of real ales.

Order a pint of beer, some of the homemade pork scratching and sit back and relax. I love The Bell because you can feel part of the 21st century chatting to the friendly bar staff or squint your eyes a bit and you could be back to the 18th century - you've just poached a couple of hares for the pot and stopped in with your hunting dogs for a refreshing ale on the way home.

Always keen to try a new pub which welcomes my quiet little dog too; there she was sleeping quietly on the floor in a corner tied to the table on a short lead when a dog from another part of the pub charged in and savagely attacked her. What kind of dog owners take a vicious dog in to a public place without a lead; and the landlord needs to set some ground rules, like asking them to leave? No, they were still there drinking when we left, we having put our terrified pooch back in the safety of our car. Obviously this ruined what was already a fairly average lunch with friends; slow bar & food service, with a short, quirky & pricy menu.

Our visit was tarnished by the fact we had pre booked a table for 10 people a month in advance yet only being at 1pm on a Sunday lunch time they only had one Sunday roast available! When around 6 of us wanted a roast as it was a Sunday. That is not acceptable in my opinion.

The only pub in the village, but what a pub. Waltham st Lawrence is beautiful but so small you’d drive through within seconds, but stop sometime and go to the Bell, you can literally smell the history, and the food and drink is excellent too

This is an old pub full of character. On a chilly autumn day there were two log fires burning which made it very welcoming. There is an excellent range of unusual beers, and the menu looked interesting and imaginative. As it was lunchtime we settled on sandwiches which came on thickly cut lovely fresh bread. We had a side order of crisp fries which came with a home-made tomato sauce. Service was good too.

A dog-friendly pub in a little village, complete with somewhere to leave your horse!

Absolutely brilliant meal 10/10 great service lovely Sunday evening meal best venison I've had thanks again guys well worth a trip to the best country pub in berks.

We have eaten in this pub several times. Food is always excellent even at busy times. When busy we sometimes have to wait for the food slightly longer but it has never been a problem. Pub has a very intimate atmosphere and menu is innovative.

Excellent food, very friendly and helpful staff. Welcoming atmosphere in a traditional old village pub.

The beer is stored well and is served in good condition and the glasses are clean.

Nach einer Empfehlung haben wir diesen sehr schönen Pub besucht und zu Abend gegessen.

The wife and I have been here several times now: my main reason for the first visit was that my ancestors lived in Waltham St Lawrence; to know I was in the same pub they drank in around 150 years ago is a nice feeling for us Genealogist :)

Lovely historic building, large garden and a good range of ales. The list of 13 gins is also impressive.

This is an old pub which used to be the house of a minister in the Thatcher Government.

The Bell Inn dates back to the 14th Century but has been tastefully modernised while still feeling like a pub, so it's full of regular locals. It's a free house and they have a ridiculous number of interesting ciders on tap and the Pheasant Plucker was delicious. Our lunch of fallow deer fillet with spinach and cheesy mash was excellent although the service was a little slow on a Saturday. A lovely place to stop for a meal.

A sunny Sunday afternoon, a classic English building, a seat in the garden come together to make an ideal recipe for a memorable lunch. The food was good, if somewhat overpriced, but a leisurely drink is there to soften the blow.

I last reviewed The Bell in January 2015 and I'm pleased to say that we received an even warmer welcome when we popped in yesterday, on our return from lunch nearby! The staff were very helpful and friendly, the beer (Rothaus) clean and the most enormous pork scratching and delicious pickled egg I've had (in chilli and bay leaves) - which I got for free as I mentioned it was my birthday! Will definitely return on our next bike ride.

They always have a great selection of ales on and the most amazing pork scratching. Full of friendly locals and always a great atmosphere day or night. Lovely beer garden for the sunny days.

Booked lunch for four people here today on the strength of good reviews, but have to report that the food did not live up to expectations. The pub was not busy and yet we were left to explore to find a table and the menu. The only menu was written on a board, but not in the room were were sitting. Expectations were in decline already, but we ordered our choices at the bar and spirits lifted a little with the arrival of pork scratchings which we all tried. I enjoyed my soup with very good buttered beer bread, but my 'Bambi' burger was really sub standard. Firstly, it was served on a wooden platter not much bigger than the bun which had everything apart from the chips inside it. As soon as I cut into it food started spilling off the platter onto the table. As soon as I tasted the burger I commented that it was barely warm and the bun was stone cold. Why the cold garnishes were not served separately I have no idea, but there was certainly no room on the platter for that to happen. It should have been sent back but when you are with several friends it delays and spoils the time together, so the only alternative is not to return. If an establishment can't serve a hot burger in a warm bun, let's face it, no one would wish to try anything else on the menu.

We had a lovely lunch here in their tiny but perfect dining room. The pub is a really nice local, and the food and service were great. I'd gladly recommend The Bell.

Cosy pub with snug open fires, good standard of nosh and delicious pork scratchings. Just what I look for in a country pub.

We called in on Saturday afternoon for a drink. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming. My husband ordered some pork scratchings and we were all very impressed by the homemade light, delicious pieces of pork skin served with apple sauce. I had a lovely glass of Malbec, my son a pressed juice and my husband a bitter which he was impressed by.

This is a proper pub with a great atmosphere. We booked for 4 people on a Friday. Greeting was great, table fine and menu whilst limited was good. 2 of us had steak and I had a pie. The steaks were great, the pie good but could have done with a bit more gravy and vegetables (just mash) - beer is good - the staff were very helpful and friendly

In the middle of this picturesque Berkshire village (c. 7 miles from Reading) is as pleasant a pub as one can find. The bar is low ceilinged, the main bar small and cosy, and there is a fire to keep you mellow. This bar spills over into another one, wood panelled and compact. This is a genuine old fashioned pub with no pretensions to be a gastro : there is a dining area, and, unusually, a snug, large enough to accommodate 6-8 people round the table. In warm weather benches and trestle tables allow for lunch in front of the building, and at the back there is a substantial garden, ideal for drinks or meals. Locals sometimes complain that it is a victim of its own success as people come from far and wide to sample the charms of this lovely spot. I cannot rate the place too highly.

The bell has an excellent atmosphere which is very cozy in the winter. The staff are brilliant and the food is exquisite. Definitely worth a visit.

Fabulous atmosphere both inside and out as a result of the fabulous scenery and hard work of the friendly staff here who make it all work so brilliantly. The food derives from a small , thoughtfully put together menu using only the best produce and all delivered at very fair prices. It really is fantastic value if you enjoy good quality food, wine and local ales in informal surroundings. A rare find among increasingly expensive and formal pubs in the area. Children and pets are warmly welcomed here too.

Warm welcome, good honest food, super atmosphere, ability to have a good conversation without shouting. Good venue for any rime of the year.

A lazy summer Sunday, with a threat of sun after lunch, and a YL with whom I needed a business conversation. A pub lunch and drinks were indicated, and betwixt Bracknell and Maidenhead are the Walthams, as a midway meeting point.

Best pub garden, excellent selection of beers and the food is fantastic Staff are very friendly and welcoming, fantastic place to meet and relax with friends

Just back from a visit to the Bell. Would give it a 2 rating but the prices were more than reasonable. Visited today with our dog, Large garden and plenty of table/benches.

I have visited the Bell a few times over the years and always loved it. This time I went for food and had no idea that they did such lovely food. It was a beautiful sunny evening so we started our evening sat outside in the back garden. The garden it beautiful, lots of sun and really relaxing. We did decide however to eat inside but I love the inside of this pub, traditional super old décor. The food was amazing, just what I needed and I cannot rate the Bambi burger enough served with proper skinny fries! The best thing about my visit to be honest was the friendly staff, so warm, helpful and really did make you feel at home.

I did a walk from our house to this pub on a lovely summers day and enjoyed a pint of one of the Loddon beers and a portion of the skinny chips with their own ketchup. A lovely combination, hearing the locals, the view over the 'Pound' and the peaceful ambience. Can't beat it.