The Bell Inn Bistro in Tendring

This is a very nice friendly pub / restaurant / hotel. It can be, especially on Sunday, very busy. It does has a car park lot, right across the street. To park there, you need to get there very early. On average, we go there twice a month for Sunday lunch, which I feel is great value. I always have the pork, a choice from three; beef, chicken and pork. Its really tasty and cooked perfectly. The alternative I like is the pork belly, maple glazed. Lovely roast potatoes, gravy, Yorkshires and veg. The prawn and crab salad appetizer is very nice, but a little small. The service is always sharp, polished and friendly. Choice of booze is very good. My only "moan" is the serviettes are thin "paper". One wipe and its falling apart. I did talk to the restaurant manager about that and he commented that its all about "cost" of managing the laundry of linen. I get that; but do think on a Sunday, always rammed, it would be a nice addition. I also often also pop in for a beer with my adult daughter. Really nice place; right on my doorstep home.

Had a fantastic meal out. Food and service was brilliant. The venison dish was superb. Good selection of beer and wine. Would definitely recommend.

Another super meal at The Bell. Eleven of us for lunch, starters, main + dessert all perfect. Service was excellent, staff friendly + efficient. Would 100% recommend.

Wow where to start ? Staff ( Courtney and Ranu ) just brilliant, they looked after us amazingly. The food was incredible, so so delicious, the wine was fantastic, and overall the 4 of us just had one of the best nights ever. We even love the sloppy floors in the wonderful rooms. This place is faultless and a must visit

We first came here for Mother’s Day & the roast was amazing. We came again for a 18th birthday meal. Having travelled from Kent we were not disappointed again. Staff are friendly & attentive. Menu choice was very good Food was very well presented & tasted delicious Look forward to coming over again

We live in the village and this is our preferred place for a drink, breakfast, lunch or dinner. Staff are always very friendly & professional and the food is great, a nice mix between pub classics & a la carte. Fully recommend for anyone wanted a nice meal, reasonable prices in a cosy & welcoming environment.

What an amazing night we had at The Bell Inn for there Spanish tapas evening. Food was delicious and freshly cooked. Such a great selection. Staff were great and very friendly. Well done to the two chefs working that night! Can’t wait to return

Lovely little place, quiet, clean and best of all, the vegetarian breakfast was absolutely delicious! Never in my life have I had mushrooms so full of flavour, infact, I'd make the 200 mile round trip just to eat them again!

Beautiful food, very flavoursome......really enjoyed it. Good prices. We all loved what we ate . Beautiful picturesque church next door , tables outside. Staff were attentive.. cld not fault it, highly recommended. We will go back again

What a lovely place, great staff, great food and all in a beautiful dining area. We definitely hope to come back.

Had lunch here today - 3 of us. Everywhere was clean, tidy and welcoming. Staff were very friendly and efficient. We had starters which were lovely - mine was the shredded duck and I would definitely recommend. We all had different main courses - roast beef and all the trimmings, steak and mine was home made steak and kidney pie. We could not find fault with anything. Needless to say no room for one of the tasty desserts. We will go again.

First and most importantly to me is the welcome and hospitality of the staff.that I can say is very good . The pub is very comfortable and the decor is lovely. Food is good portions and menu has traditional food but the their chef is very creative and they have some Asian dishes that are delicious my favourite at the moment is their prawns try out it’s great you park just across the street in a car park facing the bell

Location bit off the beaten track, clean rooms, helpful staff, breakfast disappointing, carrot in the bubble, enimic toast,

Stayed here for the night as was attending a local wedding venue. We had lunch before we checked in, which was very nice I can recommend the Fish and chips. Room was clean and spacious but be warned because of the age if the building the ceilings are low and some floors slope. But that is just the character of the place. Staff are super friendly and helpful. Recommend to everyone.

Entrance to restaurant not inviting. Three or four staff inside not doing anything and ignored us as we walked in. Food was wonderful, service terrible considering prices. Restaurant manager needs to manage and not do everything himself. Girls behind bar grunt and mumble and don’t smile. Had to go to kitchen to find out where the toilets were. Hand dryer not working. Would not bother again.

Food always lovely at The Bell, never disappoints! Wide selection of wines, gins and cocktails. Lots of menu choices for food and they always have specials on. Staff very welcoming and friendly especially Radu he is excellent.

1st class Sunday lunch .reasonable cost.excellant service will definitely return

Enjoyed a beautiful crab lunch today. Will recommend, and if passing pop in again.

The Bell was recommended to us by friends. We tried it on Wednesday and were surprised how busy the restaurant was. Very professional service and a great choice on the menu. We will most certainly return

Didn't start off great. We didn't have a clue where to check in. There was a wedding taking place in the restaurant and the bar was locked and closed even though it was Saturday at 3pm. I tried to open the door but it was locked up. We had to go into the wedding party area to check in. Not nice for them or for us as we felt we were intruding on their celebration and I'm sure they didn't enjoy having a couple of strangers rock up with suitcase and carrier bags .... eeek! Our room, the Kitty Canham, was actually really nice. The room itself was large and had everything we needed. Bottle of water, lots of tea and coffee making sachets and milks and a couple of biscuits too. Towels were great, bathroom was modern etc. We had a very strange armchair though. I don't think anyone could ever sit in it. Or if you did you'd never get out gracefully as you was more or less on the floor. The view was the graveyard which didn't bother us. We slept well. We wasn't told when breakfast started and finished, but we got downstairs early enough. It seems they had suffered a leak in a bathroom upstairs which was causing a bit of a pong upstairs and the water was slowly dripping into the restaurant. But they sat us for breakfast only for us to be moved into the bar after 10 minutes. Not so much of a problem for us as we'd only got our sups of tea. But the table next to us were stopped eating to move. Why they couldn't have waited is beyond me. Breakfast itself was lovely although there wasn't enough butter for the toast, but that was a minor thing and I'm sure they would have brought more. Another gripe is that I asked for an orange juice with my breakfast and was told it would be an additional charge. I thought that was a bit mean considering we'd paid £125 for the night. It's a bit of a labyrinth inside and we couldn't find our way back to the staircase to get back to our room. Maybe a few signs might be helpful. If there are signs, I'm sorry I didn't see them. Overall it was just a bit awkward. I think we were just unlucky.

Well this was our favourite restaurant, and could not wait to return when we all meet up a couple of times a year. We walked in to a hostile environment. The staff were huddled together and looked at us like we were an inconvenience. No welcoming smiles, just a grimace. The food was shocking, obviously the amazing Chef must of left since we were last there in Jan/Feb. We felt really sick when we left and will not return. The food quality was nasty and cheap. I would imagine our chips had been re-cooked a number of times since lunchtime. Was talking to an acquaintance to be told someone left that place, having a terrible experience with rudeness and food quality.

Lovely pub, BUT "Gender Neutral" toilets. I'm a man and I don't like sharing toilets with other men, they piss on the toilet seat etc. There is a door into the toilets showing a male and female symbol, you walk in, there's a wash hand basin and mirror with a cubicle to the left and to the right, both with a male and female sign on their doors. Make one male and make one female please. As a man I found this uncomfortable and I'm not under threat like women are. It's not modern, it's not clever, it's not kind, it's facilitating auto gynophiles.

We had lovely meal, the fish was so big it was coming off the boardively and white, but a little too greasy for me. Staff excellent and friendly

Had lovely service from Radu and the very helpful waitress! Ordered a delicious meal for 3 which was fabulous. Great ambiance and dog friendly! Highly recommended. Thank you 🙏

Lovely Sunday Roast, great service.

Family meal out last night. Lovely pub, great food and staff very attentive. Will definitely be returning. Thank you to The Bell 🔔

Excellent service by Mr Radu Delicious food .. will be back ..

Went yesterday lunchtime for my birthday wonderful food not to expensive very good service will definitely visit again 5 star.

My husband and I were on holiday and decided to visit this pub for an evening meal. I'm so glad we did. We were greeted with a really warm welcome and had a lovely table. We both chose of the special board. I had a dressed crab which came with the most beautiful salad and truffle chips. My husband had the mixed grill which came out cooked perfectly. The meat was really good quality. He said it was the best he's ever tasted. When we holiday there again, we will definitely be paying a visit!! We were looked after so well by so the wonderful staff🥰🥰

My wife and I visited here for the first time for a lunch time meal, and were delighted. The restaurant area was a really nice place to sit and relax. The waiter was very friendly and helpful. As for the food!! It was amazing! My wife had lamb pie which she really enjoyed, and I had a chicken curry which was absolutely delicious. The portion size was plentiful, and looking at the other diners, it was the same whatever you ordered. You definitely won’t go hungry. The cost was reasonable for what you got. We will definitely be going back for another visit or more. Thanks for a great visit and massive compliments to the chef.

Went Sunday! Wow what a roast! It’s honestly the best Sunday roast I’ve ever had! Service spot on also. We will definitely be back. Thank you

I ate here a few weeks back and totally forgot to review yourselves! Great staff really friendly, the food came out quickly but was amazing quality, I can’t wait to return. 5 stars all day long! Really nice restaurant, highly recommend to anyone looking for a nice meal out. We then went into the bar part next to the restaurant and again it was great, old fashioned vibe, what a lovely place you have! I’ll be back!

xcellent food especially good for those requiring a gluten-free diet. We enjoyed Korean chicken burger (not gf) gluten free fish and chips and a pie of the day washed down with Atlantic ale and Aspalls cider. Highly recommended .

Didn't stay in the accommodation but ate in the restaurant. Excellent service and excellent food.

What a fab find, only 15 mins from Lifehouse Spa, had a lovely evening, food was great and so was the atmosphere, I’ll be back!

We came here today for lunch , didint book and wasn’t expecting it to be as busy , but that’s a good sign ! We were seated and served . I had the crab and my partner had the pie , the food was outstanding! Will definitely be coming back ! Great service , amazing food and lovely staff :)

Great breakfast options was delicious and friendly service in a relaxing atmosphere

Stopped off for lunch as 'first timers' following a recommendation from a local business owner. The food was excellent as was the service. We are not local but are in the area from time to time so will definitely return for another visit.

Booked a valentine's date and had a great evening, amazing food, brilliant atmosphere for the event put on by the bell inn.

Accommodation 10/10 Food 10/10 Friendliness of staff 10/10 Courtney 11/10 Warm,friendly and a GREAT SUNDAY ROAST Will definitely be back.

Stopped for a meal after visit to cinema in Clacton. Great meal with my wife and two friends. Would highly recommend the Bill Bistro. Meal was excellent. Staff really good.

Called on off chance - fabulous meal , good value and efficient service especially as we had not booked . Relaxed environment. I had fish pie delicious in tarragon sauce .

We were very impressed with this restaurant. Excellent food, great service and a very nice atmosphere. Looking forward to returning again soon.

Booked for Sunday lunch, on arrival we were greeted and shown to our table, initially we were sceptical as only two other tables had diners. No need to have been as a steady flow followed and the dining room started to fill up and the buzz of chatting started. Opted for the roast specials, I can say that the beef was lovely, pink, thick slices and tender. Roasties were good, as was the giant yorkie, all topped off with nice thick gravy, makes a change to the usual watery offerings some places offer. Plate plentiful of meat and veg but we still had an extra side of cauli cheese. Probably my taste but I would have liked more cheese in the sauce but it wasn’t bad at all. Will definitely return as it was great food and very reasonably priced.

What an amazing meal we had on Valentine’s. Staff were so lovely. Food was just fantastic We had a selection of starters and steaks for main. Everything was wonderful. Huge thank you to all the staff

Lovely , freshly cooked food , really enjoyed our meal and the service was good We were staying at life house spa and after having eaten here last year we decided it would be lovely to return and we wasn’t disappointed

We held my wife's wake at The Bell Bistro with it's own Private car park. What a find! We could not have asked for better service. We had the whole restaurant area to ourselves with private entrance and toilets. The food was absolutely delicious and plentiful, The staff were very friendly, nothing was too much trouble. Thank you all once again.

Wonderful service from the start. I booked online and requested a quiet table if possible for family meal. Received a phone call explaining where we could be seated which was simply wonderful customer service. Waiting staff were friendly and professional, food delicious and very welcoming and relaxed atmosphere. Highly recommended

Excellent service by all of the team, amazing food too, all should visit this fantastic eatery!

I don’t write reviews, but really needed to compliment this place. Brilliant service, excellent food (both quality and presentation), value for money and a nice 25% off the total bill. No idea why. Restaurant/bar had a nice warm and rustic feel without being that dilapidated type of rustic.

I had to arrange refreshments after my brothers funeral and as it was only a few days before Christmas is was difficult to find a suitable venue that was available. How lucky then that The Bell were able to accommodate us for a couple of hours and provide a buffet. The restaurant was warm and welcoming and they had provided a lovely buffet with plenty of choice and all freshly prepared. In fact there was so much food the manager brought out some take away containers so that we could bring some food home with us. The staff were so lovely and helpful and after a very sad and difficult day their kindness was very much appreciated. I hope in the very near future to return to The Bell for a meal on a happier occasion. Many thanks to the staff for all their help.

I can't say how lovely and how well looked after we were when we went for our meal here. The staff were friendly and ensured all was well. The food was delicious from the starters right through to the desserts. Everything fitted together to make...

Excellent place to stay exceptionally clean lovely staff and really lovely food. Would highly recommend. One of the best places we have stayed.

Beautiful food in beautiful surroundings. The sea bass and real butter potatoes was amazing.

The food was fantastic, very hot and good value. Atmosphere was lovely and very Chrismasy. Staff were very friendly, happy and helpful. Definitely would recommend to family and friends. The Bell made our Chrismas Party, fanastic! We will be going back next year. The Swing...

This is our local and we've hit gold because the food here is just fantastic. The Sunday roast is the best I've had from a restaurant. The rest of the menu changes on a regular basis due to seasonal produce and you can tell that they use fresh produce and chefs that actually care about their output. The staff are friendly and helpful and there is a really great selection of drinks as well! The place has a welcoming feeling with a lovely restaurant, dog friendly bar and a great outside area which is a sun trap and overlooks the beautiful church.

All I can say is try ringing them, and try getting a response from an email, absolutely awful customer service

What a lovely surprise! After reading the online reviews we thought we’d give The Bell Inn a go. We were greeted by the friendly restaurant manager who gave us a table in one of two ‘rooms’ of the restaurant. Our room was decorated delicately with...

Very friendly staff, nice atmosphere and good food.

Had my dad’s wake here, the service and the food were amazing. Friendly and helpful staff. Would definitely recommend.

Both my boyfriend and I easily had one of the best meals here tonight. For a small, cozy and warm pub, we were expecting decent food but both of starter and main were so much better than expected. We were greeted by a lovely waiter...

Lovely lunch with friends. Service was excellent, food was amazing as always. Thoroughly recommend the Pork Bon Bon and Lemon and Harissa Chicken 😋

Absolutely blew us away with the food and service. Couldn’t fault it. Top class food, incredible menu! Thank you so much for accommodating us. And the dog. We had scallops and cod loin. I’m going to have to try to make puttanesca at home. Didn’t...

Received a two night break voucher for Christmas last year and thankfully we chose this fantastic venue to stay at. From the moment we walked in we were made to feel welcome, offered advice on the local area and things to do and see. The...

Stayed 2 nights at the Bell Inn, had breakfast & dinner twice during our stay. Food was top notch and the room although small had everything we needed. We were above the kitchen so the room was a bit warm 😂. Would recommend staying here...

Looked up reviews for The Bell Inn and all were good so went along hoping for a nice meal. I was warned on the phone that their restaurant was closed for an event but I could eat in the bar. As soon as I walked...

Came here for a bite to eat before heading to Lifehouse. We were greeted by a lovely man and served lunch by Emily who was a joy! Very friendly and chatty. Food was very tasty! The wings were delicious!!! We sat outside - lovely place.

The Bell Inn is a wonderful place to stay and a wonderful place to eat. Our rooms were first class, the staff led by Courtney, were very polite and helpful and friendly and the food was delicious. Highly recommended.

Food was lovely staff very friendly,polite & helpful - one of our party was coeliac & the food on the menu was near enough all ok for her to eat, which is a rareity. One of the staff even gave her a complimentary bottle of...

Excellent staff and beautiful place to stay.The room was spotless .The food was superb. Well done Excellent chef. Coming back to stay again

Loved this little find. Highly recommend the fish & chips. Reasonably priced. Great food and fantastic service. Look forward to returning!