The Black Bull in Rutland

Found this pub by chance and we weren’t disappointed. Quite a small bar area where we sat and we were the only visitors among locals but made to feel so welcome . Food was amazing , couldn’t fault it. So good that we booked dinner for the next night and yet again an amazing meal.

We Had Sunday lunch , very disappointing, quality of food not brilliant, expensive for what we had, certainly not home cooked roast, Wouldn't go there again

Popped in at opening time this evening today. Long day looking after the grandkids - very busy and very warm Was looking forward to getting a pint on my way home to Rutland - had enjoyed popping in in the past and was impressed that they had Black Sheep, a favourite of mine. Not so good this time - warm beer on a lovely warm summers evening = yuck Left a third of it , couldnt face it . Its a shame the pub doesnt know how to store or serve its beer. Other than that they seem great and friendly hosts. But I wont be back If you like proper beer served by people who know what they are doing there a a few really good other places in Rutland, and not so fixated on food.

We walked through the door of this village pub on an early Friday night and the place was buzzing with what appeared to be locals. The staff were all friendly and did their best for us to find a table as we hadn’t booked. It was Fishy Friday and so for £12.00 we had an enormous portion of fresh fish beautifully cooked and presented with plentiful chips, mushy peas and home made tartare sauce. Great value these days and washed down with a couple of pints of good ale. The rest of the menu looked very interesting with a good specials board as well. One hopes that places like this still remain at the heart of a village community for many years to come.

Low to village pub , very welcoming to us two strangers ! Everyone very chatty . Great atmosphere . Came for Sunday evening drinks and they have a happy hour til 8pm too !

A truly perfect country pub, serving delicious home cooked food! You will not be disappointed. Friendly staff and owner was lovely!

Splendid meal and great welcome. Lovely Black Sheep bitter. Really great to see our village pub humming again. We ate early but there were lots of people socialising whilst we ate. We weren't alone eating lots in. Cheerful waitress despite being very busy. The main courses were served quickly and were piping hot. My venison cottage pie could have done both of us! We wish the new management well. Hope to be back next week for the "Game Week" menu.

We had a meal just after the change of owner and it was very good. The puddings were exceptional and we all thought it was good food at a fair price. We will definitely return as despite the whole team being new and the chef was getting used to the menu, everything was just right.

Sunday Lunch was superb and the pub very friendly. We stayed in their room for one night, no complaints, yes, the room could do with a refurbishment, but it was clean and I slept really well. Breakfast was good and service very friendly.

Sorry to say that we were disappointed. We went for Sunday lunch. The bread with balsamic vinegar was stale. The meat and potatoes were nice, but apart from that, the vegetables were undercooked and hard ,even though we like veg that is lightly cooked, this was too much. The Yorkshire pudding was not fresh and tasted like it had been around for some time. I see that this has been mentioned in a previous review but not taken on board. The owner was pleasant enough.

A great choice for Sunday Lunch with the best roast beef dinner we have had for a long time, nothing else we can say except the deserts are very yummy, liked the service and the the staff are very friendly.

My husband and I popped in for lunch for the first time and this will certainly not be our last . Service from the moment we sat down was excellent and such a friendly team on hand to assist . We both had rump steak with chips and salad . The steak was absolutely amazing and cooked to perfection. We both said it was one of the nicest steaks we have had . The chips were home cooked and also delicious. We highly recommend this place and can’t wait to go back.

Just had a superb traditional Sunday lunch. Black bull offers a great choice of roasts, including a lovely nut roast. In addition there is a wonderful full menu for those who do not wish to have the roast! A friendly welcoming traditional pub. Great food, great staff and great value .

We absolutely love this pub whether it's for a quick pint or evening meal. The food is always fantastic, the service is friendly and speedy, and the general atmosphere is always welcoming and relaxed. Sunday roasts in particular are excellent and the takeaway menu regularly makes our Friday night

The hospitality from the staff was horrendous went in for family meal and was spoken to by multiple staff especially the girl behind the bar very rude i was not served food and was told to leave as I wasn't from the village would advise anyone to just drive past and not even go to there most terrible service and was not served another drink as I was not from the village disgraceful

Visited last Sunday for lunch, and I have to say going out during the cold snap was of concern as past experiences had taken us to places that were very chilly and uncomfortable. Well we arrived early, the pub log burner was roaring away and the bar area was nice and warm. We ordered 2 roast dinners, turkey and beef and portions were generous. They came with a selection of well cooked and presented vegetables and really tasty gravy. The pub had a great pre Christmas feel and our Lunch experience means we will hopefully return soon. Also thanks to all the staff for the great service and Happy Christmas!

Booked for an early Saturday dinner for 3 adults and 2 children, there was something for everyone, and well priced, a very cosy pub/restaurant. A nice environment not to formal but certainly not "spit and sawdust" either. We arrived on Game Night, which if you are not local might mean something else! They had a good selection of game specials which given location in a small village in rural Rutland was nice (though not a fan personally, but i'm a fussy so and so).

We shared starters of Whitebait and crispy king prawns with sweet chilli sauce, freshly cooked and delicious. Lots of choice for mains too, with us choosing steak and Stilton pie with mash and vegetables plus one pie with ‘skinny fries’ (triple cooked chips are also available). I had the chicken supreme and it was amazing. A very generous portion of tender chicken with very creamy mash and a gorgeous red wine jus. Dessert menu is also very good, again we shared, choosing Churros with chocolate sauce, and a crème brûlée. A very good meal at a reasonable price. The service was also very good.

Reading the reviews it is unfortunate that this review is somewhat negative. Upon arrival with my family I waited at the bar to order drinks we were not welcomed and two regular customers were served before me even though I had been waiting. Eventually I was acknowledged. We waited to order our food having to say we were ready to order as nobody seemed to notice. The sirloin steak was cooked incorrectly so it was changed but that was poor quality so took it home for the dog ! The incorrect accompanying salad was served. I asked for the rocket and parmesan. It was taken away (by a very pleasant young lady) returned with the same salad with some cheese put on ! Tomatoes and one mushroom dry. We were not approached to see if we wanted desert. Left disappointed.

I do not like leaving a negative review, but I'm afraid we were disappointed with the food we had today. I had been wanting to come and try this pub as it always seems so well supported. I understand that there was an order that had to be seen to, and that was possibly the reason for our poor experience. We ordered roast pork: two very thick slices arrived with no sign of any crackling. The enormous Yorkshire puddings seemed to have been reheated somehow. They did not have the "freshly baked" taste at all. Some of the potatoes were hard in the middle too. The vegetables were fine! The apple sauce didn't look homemade. I'm so sorry that we were disappointed with our meal as I had been looking forward to going.

I spent a week at the Black Bull. My room was great and Sue's breakfasts are wonderful. In fact all the food is wonderful. Ian knows how to keep his beer too. I felt completely spoiled throughout my stay. Should I find myself in Rutland...

We visited during a recent trip to the area to meet friends. The service for our table of eight was fab, and the pizza night specials were great value and tasty. Recommended🙂

We only discovered this wonderful pub earlier this year but we love it so much, despite being over an hour away, we visit it regularly. The food is fantastic, every single course of every meal has been a real treat. The menu has regular changes...

Group of four recently ate here on a Saturday lunch. Great atmosphere and very good service, reasonably priced food and drink's The food was brilliant(good choices with clear GF& V markings) and this is the third time we have eaten here.

A traditional village pub full of character and interest. We were there for the Tuesday pie night and I was served with probably the best steak and ale pie I have ever had! Lovely staff, well worth a visit!

A day out for a birthday treat found us stopping in the picturesque village of market overton, the local buildings are beautifully traditional and the black bull in is no different. The food was hot, good portions and tasty. Staff were friendly and our dog...

I stayed here whilst doing the Rutland round - pub does not open on a Monday night but the accommodation was still available and I had a number for a key safe for access - it was a bit of a way from Thistleton but...

A one night stay with an evening meal. The best Steak and ale pie and chips I've had a long time. The room was nothing fancy but with an extremely comfortable bed. The breakfast was exceptional. We would definitely stay again.

Visited restaurant for evening meal, food was excellent, warm and friendly atmosphere, staff very helpful, would definitely visit again

A friend recently suggested trying the Black Bull and it was well worth it. On arrival we were greeted and immediately shown to our table and orders were soon taken. My friends opted for the Pie deal and I went with scampi and chips. The...

After taking the dogs for a wander round Rutland water, we rang a few pubs who weren't dog friendly. The Black Bull is and the food was superb, freshly cooked rare roast beef and freshly Churros. Will be going back for a speciality evening!

Went for early evening dinner- so glad we booked. Although busy we were welcomed and went straight to our table. Appreciated being in the smaller, quieter bar. New, varied and interesting menu. All staff friendly, attentive and helpful. Delicious food, generous portions served on hot...

Visited here in Aug 2021 as we were staying at a campsite close by. Called to book and the gentleman who answered the phone was super polite and friendly! The food is cooked fresh and very nicely presented, also very reasonably priced. The pub has...

Just had steak and ale pie, chips and veg as a takeaway meal during Covid Lockdown 3 - couldn't fault it! Hot crispy chips, excellent pie, well cooked veg and delicious gravy. Well done and thank you!

Following a 4 mile walk through beautiful Rutland, five of us (ravished and thirsty) arrived at the Black Bull for a well deserved beer or two and a Sunday lunch. The staff were extremely friendly and welcoming and very accommodating. We had accidentally only booked...

This was a very nice place to have a meal, we met up with family who live in Greetham. The food was very nice, I had seafood risotto which was delicious. Staff were very pleasant. The ale was good too.

I visited for their steak night on the last night of the Eat Out to Help Out scheme (aside from BHM) and was floored by the experience. Not only was the steak cooked to perfection, in my case Rare but the Sticky Toffee Pudding was unmatched served with banana split ice cream. What a pairing! I was impressed to see the social distancing, spaced out tables and just the right amount of screens so as not to feel like we were in a science lab. Together with friendly and attentive service, The Black Bull has perfected their niche and know what works. Truly well done! Special shout out to Sam for looking after us!

The whole experience from booking to paying was very professional. The meal, real ale and Merlot were all excellent. The ChateauBriand was cooked to perfection- medium rare with peppercorn sauce, sprouting broccoli and triple cooked chips. The dish is normally served with a different dish of potatoes but we felt the chips complimented the dish far better. To further emphasis our enjoyment is to say, there was not a scrap of food left. We look forward to a return visit.

Just stopped buy for a quick drink while passing through the village from Oakham, not a great amount of parking available but I should imagine most of the Bull's customers are local so this wouldn't be a great problem, inside was very cosy and has a warm feel about it, beers are good,the time of our visit coincided with their "happy hour" which in fact was only available on real ales of which there was not a lot of choices, nothing for the ladies, poor show, come on landlord pull yourself out of the 1970s and into the 21st century. Did not have time to stay for food but will certainly be back for a meal as the Bull has been highly recommended by friends, will update my review accordingly.

Group of five recently ate here on a Sunday lunch. Great atmosphere and very good service, reasonably priced food and drink's The food was brilliant and this is the second time we have eaten here.

Nice place with a good range of traditional meals cooked well. Good for families, traditional country pub with an ‘Old World’ feel in a pretty village, wine choice was pretty good.

We had a beautiful meal here last night , can’t recommend this pub enough Very friendly, great food , spotless toilets , nothing too much trouble

I have just returned after having spent a wonderful night at the Black Bull Inn. The staff were first class and very friendly. The food was excellent and the room was cleaned and very comfortable. I’ll definitely be back when I’m in the area. I would have no hesitation in recommending the Black Bull if you’re in the area and looking for somewhere comfortable to stay in.

My family and I went to the Black Bull for an evening meal, my son and I had the Saturday night special, it was a nice medium rare steak, absolute bargain at £22.00 for two. The service was brilliant, we could not of asked for more, the waiters/waitresses were very attentive. The pub was nice and decorated in a lovely style, the atmosphere was welcoming and warming, music playing in the background, I’d definitely recommend a visit!

As we were staying in the village so we went to the pub. I had the veggie curry and sticky toffee pudding, my family had salads with either chips or boiled tatties. I felt I could have had a bit more curry, it was nice and spicy, but I felt not enough, the chips were nice and tasty, however, the boiled potatoes were wet and turning black. The sticky toffee pudding although nice, was dry even with the toffee sauce and ice cream being poured over it! Was expensive for what we got and we live in an expensive part of the country for eating out. :(

Picturesque Market Overton is lifted straight off a biscuit tin with its beautiful stone houses, winding lanes, perfect lawns, and little green with the village sign and the stocks. It’s a quiet place and very pleasant, and The Black Bull pub is the perfect compliment. Good beers, friendly staff and fantastic food. I’ve enjoyed every morning chatting to Steve, the chef, over a perfectly put together Full English. My room was small but comfortable, my only complaints would be that there was no desk, which would’ve been very useful as I was studying on a course and had work to do in the evening. Also, it was a hot couple of weeks and my room was right above the kitchen so was a constant ‘hit box’; but what can you do about that?The Black Bull is a great place and I’d highly recommend it. My only suggestion is, know what you want from the surrounding area - it’s truly beautiful, but I didn’t find many things to do - primarily because I was here to work, but also because it appears a little sleepy.

The Denver steak is SUPERB! I've eaten all over the UK and USA and I have to say the steak in this lovely little pub can compete with the very best! Beautifully seasoned and cooked to perfection I could rave about it all day. Had squid for starters which was also lovely and a great bottle of red wine. Stayed overnight in the little rooms they have there and had a great breakfast in the morning. It's a great little pub and definitely worth a trip to.

Group of 18 with very mixed orders for food.All arrived promptly and well cooked Sweets were all excellent as well Beer selection good

Really good stay, the best shower we'd had all week. Room/bed on the small side. Evening meal- delicious smoked salmon starter, desserts both very good, just raher dissapointed with the pork belly main course over cooked and dry. Breakfast excellent.

Excellent Dog friendly pub/restaurant. The decor is gorgeous, food amazing. Wish it was my local village pub.

We visited for lunch and from the moment we walked in we and our little dog Poppy were made to feel welcome by Adam and Steve. The service was just amazing and the food delicious and beautifully presented. This place has a great ambience and is an absolute gem of a place. We will definitely be back and would give this pub the highest recommendation.

First time visit to the village. Called for a drink. Met Sam on the bar who was very informative and friendly and sold us on chef Steve and their Sunday lunch. One of the best EVER for us. High quality food - beef for me and lamb for my wife - excellent service and great value. We will return and no hesitation in recommending this fine village pub/restaurant

We visited this Pub as a small group of caravanning friends for an evening meal. Menu was good British style food with a fairly broad selection of favourites. Got a warm welcome from the staff and had a round of drinks during which our order was taken.

Took family here for New Years Eve dinner. The environment was warm and welcoming just the right sort of atmosphere.

Booked at fairly late notice for the NYE dinner for four. No problems and the staff couldn't have been more helpful and attentive. Food and service for the dinner was fantastic and the beer well kept. Adam and Steve, the chefs, have a delicious menu for everyday too. Top country inn - and it is dog friendly as well with free doggie treats on the bar. Win.

Booked a table of 7 with short notice and they were very happy to accommodate.

I've just got home with my teenage family from celebrating my birthday at the Black Bull, with a weekday evening meal. We all thoroughly enjoyed the meal and the food was spot on. The staff were really pleasant and made sure we had a nice time. We haven't eaten in the pub for many years, but after getting new management, we decided to visit again.....glad we did.

The new management are doing an excellent job at the black bull, it’s nice to see a good selection of beers, wine and spirits that are always in stock, the food is always amazing, after eating here serve always times I’d recommend everything on the menu.

Splendid service. Super value for money. My wife had a job finishing hers. Brother and sister in law were impressed at the value on offer and the speedy service.

Last minute booked a table on a Friday night recently. Three courses, great pint of Black sheep, came in at £55 for two people. Compared to other Rutland pubs we've tried recently the food was good value and well worth a return visit.

A Friday evening with family . Great traditional pub food at great prices . Brilliant selection of beers and spirits . Great service and a log burner fully fired up. Great atmosphere and very welcoming . What more does one want !? Perfect .

A lovely country pub in a gorgeous location, friendly staff, a well stocked bar and the food is delicious. If you are in the area, visit this pub. It's great!

First of all a lovely warm welcome, lovely to see the fire on. Makes you feel warm and cosy. I had the Toad in the Hole off the special board. WOW. The Yorkshire pudding was huge and so tasty. 3 sausages and delicious gravy.

We both had pie; I had the steak and black sheep ale pie and my partner had the steak, Guinness and Stilton pie. Both were absolutely delicious. Great hospitality from both staff and locals as we sat in the evening sun outside. Okay, it’s at the roadside but that didn’t matter. No more than half a dozen cars in an hour. We also shared a dessert of meringue which was a gourmet delight. Definitely chef-made not shop bought. What a great place; as a result, you’ll be lucky to get a table if you haven’t booked in advance.

Got the last table on Friday evening. Thank goodness we did! Delicious home cooked food in a busy village pub. The sausages were delicious- from Redhill - and the Barnsley Chop from Launde. Local meat is important. Reasonably priced food in this non-pretentious setting.

Our local pub ! Best fish and chips and steaks ! Very friendly owners Reasonable prices Efficient service Highly revomrnded ! Long history of tradition !

Black Sheep bitter on draught.Delicious starters of grilled prawns and cheesey mushrooms.Tasty roast beef with usual veg.Yorkshire pudding a tad heavy.Lovely homemade cheese cake desert.£57 for four.Very good value.

Only open in the evenings during the week and did not have to book. The staff were very friendly and the menu was limited but a good variety to choose from. Lots of atmosphere ad history in this country pub

We are staying in Market Overton for a few days and made our visit to the Black Bull after reading the reviews....they weren’t wrong.

Just when you think you cannot find anywhere to eat early evening we stumbled upon The Black Bull. Lovely food - best chips on the planet, good atmosphere and excellent service. A true gem and we will be back.

We had a family gathering to celebrate a birthday here. The sunday lunch menu had got a good selection to choose from for starters, mains and pudding. Service was excellent and the food fantastic. The team were friendly and took the time to chat with us and join in the banter around the table.

Excellent food and service. The steak was delicious and my husband had the pie which was excellent. The staff work very hard to ensure you have a lovely evening. Can’t recommend enough. Landlord and Landlady are the best in the county!

Great little pub with fantastic hospitality you must pop in maybe stay for a meal great in the sun on a beautiful day.

Although we live locally we've just discovered the delights of the Black Bull and enjoyed a delicious birthday dinner on Saturday night. There were 6 of us and we had a range of dishes from the menu including the brie in batter and the mushrooms and the bread is so moreish too it's difficult not to eat too much!! I had the rack of lamb which was tender and cooked to perfection with the rest of the party enjoying a pie, chicken, fish and chips and a steak - everything was beautiful including the desserts which we just managed to find room for!! The ambience was warm and inviting and we were looked after so well by the charming landlady who is welcoming and friendly. Highly recommended.

We were staying for the weekend in local accommodation and simply looking for somewhere handy to eat.

We have come here unannounced on a Saturday for three years running returning from a meeting. Never disappointed. They always fit us in. Great homemade food, good beer, reasonable prices. Well worth the 6 minutes detour from the A1!

Located in a small rural village ... you feel as though you've traveled miles off the main road when you arrive. The old, picturesque facade gives way to a modern interior. The landlady was welcoming and the menu had lots of traditional Pub treats. I plumped for garlic prawns to start and steak/ale pie.

Recently organised a meal here for a large family get together, owners were brilliant with helping to organise. We had a full mix of adults and children with a vegetarian chucked in for good measure and everyone's needs were catered for and the food on all accounts was absolutely perfect. Great portions and really great value for money. The fire's were lit and the pub was so welcoming to us all, can't recommend highly enough. Definitely be back soon. Thank you very much.

We booked a birthday lunch for anymber if adults and some children. The food was fresh and delicious, the service impeccable and the staff were attentive and friendly. A brilliant lunch.

Family of nine had Sunday lunch here today and honestly we could not fault anything.

We visited over the Christmas period for lunch, with snow on the ground and lunch by candlelight (they and half the village had no electricity). It was so picturesque, Peter the landlord made us so welcome and the limited lunch options on the day were fine. even though the mother in law is gluten free. Service was great, wood fire giving off a welcoming glow it's a real nice village pub that puts on live music on a regular basis and has a lot of seasonal cooked options. We live 3 miles away and it beats a pub within walking distance by far. Mustn't forget, compliments to the Chef, lovely cooked food and well priced.

Kay and I had lunch here today, and we are so glad we chose The Black Bull. It is a beautiful village pub; traditional in every way. We were looked after wonderfully well. We both had the steak pie, which was delicious and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys genuine home-cooked and hot food. Thank you for looking after us, and see you soon!

This is truly a lovely, warm and cosy pub. We chose broccoli and Stilton soup and mushroom gratin to start and kept swapping with each other as they were both so delicious. We both has pies for our mains and agreed that the chips were the best we'd ever had. The pies were also delicious with lovely fresh veg on the side. Dessert was shared as we were sooo full, sticky toffee pudding.. gorgeous! Everything was piping hot and the waitress ( who was only on her second ever shift there) was lovely, attention I've and made the evening even nicer. Go, try it if you'd like gorgeous rich home cooked food of high quality and cosy surroundings! X

Lovely warm welcoming landlord and landlady food always excellent especially their British steaks !!!! Never had a bad meal ,we return nearly every week ,the wood burner is lit and adds a wonderful atmosphere ,we recommend the black bull and the food is well worth to travel for,

Visited this pub with friends yesterday , landlord and staff very welcoming serving the best roast potatoes we’ve ever eaten and all free. I wish this pub was my local I’d be there every day

What can I say other than thank you for making our evening so lovely

We have been a few times to The Black Bull and the staff are always very friendly and can't do enough for you. The food is great and freshly prepared. We will be visiting very soon.

We are staying in Market Overton at a local campsite with friends and decided to book a table for lunch.

We were staying in the area & had a Friday night meal at the Black Bull. The food was home cooked & fresh. The staff were very friendly even though we weren't locals. There was a band on so the pub was very busy but service was still good. Would definitely recommend!

My wife and I had dinner here on a Tuesday night and it was very quiet so we had no trouble getting a table. The pub is very nicely decorated in a traditional manner and we ate within the bar area. There was only one young lady serving at the bar and waiting on the few diners but she managed well.

We met some friends here for lunch and we all received a very nice welcome from the friendly girl at the bar.There was a pretty good snack-type menu available, including excellent Welsh Rarebit which three of us had. The Black Sheep beer was a good condition and such was our experience that we decided to return for a meal the following evening.The same member of staff welcomed us to a busy evening in the pub and the four of us had steaks. They looked good but perhaps weren’t quite as good as they looked.There was a reasonable wine list but we did think we were charged incorrectly for the wine we requested.It is a friendly pub but I think they perhaps could do with upping their game a bit.

Called in on a cycling trip. Two pints and two average baguettes with cheap frozen not handcut chips, £24. Ridiculously expensive, no wonder it was empty on a sunny sunday lunchtime. Never again, there are far better pubs in the area.

Warm welcome to lovely village pub. Nice atmosphere. Lovely menu. Staff extremely pleasant and friendly. Food lovely

Food was average at best , service was ok but when your charging these prices food needs to be good and it just was not. Will not return in a hurry.

Not our first visit nor will it be our last. The beer is first rate if you like real beer. The food order was taken promptly as usual. As all meals are cooked to order they aren't on your table straight after your order is taken Be prepared to wait. There's a grand steak selection and a reasonable choice of starters, mains and sweets.

We have called here on a couple of occasions now for Sunday lunch, as it is the halfway point between my sons home and ours. On both occasions we have had a very warm and friendly welcome, excellent food and service.

Food was tasty, with good portions. Good chips and ice cream (not together!) Fish and chips particularly good. Even though I ordered chips it would have been good to have some veg!

Came across the Black Bull and we are pleased we stopped, the ambiance is superb as is the food, my "Barnsley Chop" was as good as any I have ever had, veggies were fresh and first class and my "Sticky Ginger" desert went down a treat. What a pleasure to have linen napkins in a pub. Thank you.

Good food but a little more variety is needed. A nice pasta dish would be good. Pies are excellent so is the Black Bull fish and chips. Maybe a curry every now and then, or the good old ham on the bone, egg, and chips. Lovely village location with nice walks. The pub is dog friendly which is nice to see.

Fish and chips were piping hot and delicious. Our waitress, Lauren, was a delight and very attentive. £70 for the room was on the steep side even though the bed was comfortable. Entrance door used for staying guests had piles of junk nearby, another reason we felt price was too high!