The Black Horse in Hambleton

My husband and I booked in with friends for Sunday lunch today and quite frankly the service and the food was appalling. The young lad who took our order was surly and unfriendly. We waited nearly an hour for our food which was over cooked and horrible when it arrived. The meat and roast potatoes ( which were so overcooked they were dried out and crispy) were served with no veg or gravy. We eventually had to go to the bar and ask for the veg which came in a small square pot which wouldn’t have been enough for one person never mind the three of us who had ordered the roast dinner. The veg was also over cooked and tasteless. Meanwhile the rest of the meal had gone cold. Even the dessert I had of a chocolate sundae was off. Never again…

Arrived in our Motorhome and asked if we could stay in the car park overnight if we were eating in the pub which was agreed. We booked for Sunday lunch and it was bloody fantastic. Choice of meats, huge portions and lots of veg to choose from plus delicious gravy. Great quality and great value for money - we’ll definitely return

Great Sunday lunch!! Lovely homemade and fantastic portion. Will be back! Thank you

Gorgeous Sunday dinner. You won’t be disappointed. Food homemade and great portion. We will be back ! Thank you very much!

New owners ! Food was fantastic Service was amazing Great turn around to a village pub ! Excellent all round will be back Thank you 🙏

Had a lovely lunch with walking buddies during a quiet period on a Friday afternoon. The young lady attending to our needs was very attentive and provided us our drinks and food promptly. We had fish and chips, big bang bangs (chicken or king prawns and a small chicken bang bang (nice n spicy sweet & sour) which included rice & chips. The pub has plenty of parking and sits nestled into the heart of Swainby Village. Good value food, been coming here for years.

Quiet but lovely food and service

Visited for a spot of lunch with friends. The food was cold despite ordering the chicken sizzler. The veg were uncooked, nothing sizzling about the dish other than the outrageous price. The chicken had the lightest of coatings, it tasted bland and dry. The seats were uncomfortable, the interior is akin to a pub on it's last legs, even the dogs looked depressed who came in with their owners. Not a place worth visiting even if you are desperate, the pub across the road is leagues ahead in every category.

A lovely pub, comfy and spacious seating arrangements, with delicious food and excellent service. Menu has plenty of vegetarian selection and all the pub classics! One must have the home made Chicken and Mushroom pie, with mash and garden peas. For me, it was the best ever, I've eaten, just the perfect amount of tender chicken & mushroom, served in a creamy sauce. Good size portion. Sticky Toffee Pudding with Custard was also very good though, I struggled to finish it and had to have it packed. Compliments to the Chef and thank you Adam for being a perfect host!

Lovely meal. Great food and top notch service.

We had a wonderful time here. The young man behind the bar and serving the food. His service was excellent. We had lamb casserole pie with mashed potatoes, veg and thick meaty gravy. Highly recommended.

Great food choice and you get a pot for your money.

Good light lunches provided here. The staff were very friendly and efficient, the place itself is quite charming and the prices were extremely reasonable. Will definitely go again.

We had 3 different main meals.bang chicken was a tapas portion, another 2 dishes all tasted like made with bought in jar sauce. Starters ok. Walls bare showing cracks in walls & filler. Staff were good to bring water for the dogs. Food we chose was disappointing

Excellent food, great choice. Even found out about "Cutlery" thanks to Charlotte.. 10/10

Food was delicious and at a great price

Lovely food and great staff. Will and Adam were really friendly, so refreshing to be made to feel so welcome. Will definitely be going back to try Sunday lunch.

This is a wonderful pub, which I'm looking forward to visiting again. The staff are really friendly and welcoming. The menu is great, with a wide selection of food. There are are lots of dishes to choose from, including lighter/ smaller bites and a good selection of vegetarian food. Our group had mussels, stroganoff and bang bang vegetables and they were all delicious. The jam roly poly and ice cream sundae were also amazing.

Good as always, good menu, very good food, young lad serving good at his job.

Went for Sunday lunch, had lamb dinner and it was dry. Veg is pretty basic. Staff really friendly and helpful. Starter of garlic mushrooms was nice.

Excellent Sunday lunch, staff were all lovely. We hadn't booked, but luckily, we got in.

Daughter and Son In law treated the "Two Mothers" to Mother's Day Sunday Dinner. First time out together for a meal. Total disappointment!! Total waste of their hard earned money. We should have read the negative reviews on Trip Advisor before going. Beef dinner arrived: 2 thin slithers of TASTELESS cold beef described as prepacked beef by other reviewers which we would agree with. Cold tasteless yorkshire pudding, sloppy tasteless grey stuffing accompanied by very undercooked brocolli and cauliflower. Mashed potato, swede and carrots were acceptable. Gravy was okay (at least it was hot). Daughter asked if it was possible to have more meat (and pay for it) and was told by a young waiter that it wasn't possible and that was the portion size everyone got. Again, Daughter was happy to pay for more meat! Our family ordered three Bier Morettis and one pint of coke, all of which should have been colder than they were. We were all very let down with our meals/visit. There was hardly anyone in the place and we are sure the staff working there were aware of our disappointment. Yes, we should have asked to speak to the manager but we didn't want to spoil our family gathering. Safe to say we will not be returning. Definitely gone downhill.

Where do you start? This was always a fantastic place for Sunday lunch, to say it has gone down hill is an understatement. When you walk in at lunch time on mothers day and the place was near empty it set alarm bells ringing for me and it became clear why. The menu now states a choice of beef, turkey, pork. Note the absence of the word roast infront of any of these. They appear only as "meats" this is clearly to comply with trading standards as they are certainly not roasted. The meat is pre packed convenience sliced meat from a supplier. (I've worked on the industry and could identify) the meat was tasteless and rubbery. Along side this we had supposed meat dripping gravy. This again is clearly mass produced gravy with bits of meat added to create effect. No flavour at all. The Yorkshire puddings were pre made I think also as had that artificial taste. Veg was OK but not seasoned. Stuffing was mixed but not roasted as was wet. This for the price of £16 wow!! Whoever has thought this way of doing sunday lunch is better needs to think again. Making it cheaper to produce is no good if you have nobody in to buy it - which will happen. Big shame. I could mention the state of the pub and its upkeep, and that we were sat in the unattractive extension when half the pub was empty - but the food quality is enough to make sure we never return. Mothers day 2024 not one to remember.

Considering this used to be one of our favourite places for a Sunday lunch today was terrible. The 2 slices of ‘meat’ we were given which were clearly pre-packed, I asked the unenthusiastic waiter if we could possibly have more meat (on the understanding we may be advised we would pay more) for his reply ‘no. This is the portion size… I don’t know what else to say’ and walked off. I understand we are all busy and have other things going on but this individuals customer service skills were zero and the resturant was empty. The other staff were polite enough. All of the vegetables were hard and not enjoyable, the roasties were ok but certainly not how they once were. Definitely will NOT be returning here which is a shame as it was always a top place to go for a Sunday lunch!! I don’t like to leave bad reviews especially concerning a staff member but in hospitality customers expect at least a polite manner and not rude and awkward behaviour.

Booked here for Sunday Lunch today 25/3/24. We were given a table in a small snug room which was freezing so asked to be moved nearer to the fire. Drinks menu taken by a surly teen who needed some customer service training. We ordered 2 Beef and 1 Turkey dinners. When they arrived we were dismayed to find tasteless pre packed slices of meat on the plate. Very disappointing! The veg was uninspiring sitting in a dish of water, just tasteless. Yorkshire pud we think was frozen but not 100% sure. What a shame! What has happened to this once lovely public house. Did we eat the dinner, yes some of it but so disappointing. Did we complain, yes when asked if everything was okay I told the waitress that it was not very nice, definitely not to our taste. Would definitely not recommend or return.

Shocking ! Booked for birthday meal 10 people. Arrived to be told we were in the restaurant….wow is that what you call restaurant area? All crap shoved in there and even wooden pallet and freezing , like we were shoved out the way . Asked twice for. Heating to be turned on and finally was for half hour . No bottles of cider or on taps but by recent reviews seems like a big problem. Maybe not paid suppliers. Sunday dinners £15 for pre bought sliced meats , even waitress couldn’t tell difference between the pork and turkey . £4 for cauliflower cheese which was inedible as was rock hard like most of the veg . Wish we had stuck to the black smiths just up the road . Will never return and don’t think will be there much longer anyway. Such a shame as was always fantastic food in the past.

Absolutely the worst pub I have ever been to the staff were rude and the smell everything about this pub is horrid the goo choices were horrible like why would you put blue cheese on a burger do not recommend for anyone the only good part was it was near the park and the kids liked that but I will happily say never coming agin

Christmas lunch today was the best experience I’ve had in a long time, staff very welcoming, food fantastic, wonderful atmosphere… we will be booking for next year. Thanks ever so much.

Popped in for coffee, very nice and dog friendly

Lovely Sunday dinner and do a gluten free

The pub was quite only 2 people in, we had a drink and looked at the menu, we decided to have a meal and within minutes the was people coming in and it was cosy and friendly

Lovely fresh home made Sunday dinners with gravy boats, vegetable platters and accompaniments. Great value. Friendly staff. Will be a regular here.

Great food and great service. We all enjoyed our main courses before going for a short walk to explore the area....then went back to the Black Horse for delicious puddings.

We dropped in for a late lunch, it’s dog friendly, they got biscuits and water straight away. Felicity was extremely friendly and happy to spend time talking. We started wit small plates 3 for 18.00, omg, they were huge! The chicken carbonara was delicious, really creamy and garlicky. Stuffed!! Make sure you visit, you will not be disappointed.

The staff were excellent and nothing was to much trouble for them, in my opinion they went over and above...the food was excellent too.

Cannot beat this place for value for money but with it comes quality food aswell. Have the mussels,best in Yorkshire

Lunch at The Black Horse, Swainby was quite a surpise! We arrived a little after 12noon & after sitting down were presented with the menus. Great choice of food at realistic prices & pretty soon our drink & food order was taken. It seemed a while before the food arrived (over 30 minutes) BUT when it came we were very pleased. Small parmo with chorizo topping, salad & great chips for one of us & the other was (Large) Cod & Chips with mushy peas. Both clearly cooked to order hence the longer waiting time but well worth it. Very pleasant staff providing good service & definitely a place to recommend & visit again.

Great food and service. The pub is in a great setting and even though it was quiet at lunchtime, there was a pleasant atmosphere

Brilliant friendly country pub, hosted my daughters christening and everything was perfect. Fliss, Adam and the team did a fabulous job from start to finish!

Popped in for a drink. Barman was decidedly unfriendly and unhelpful - when asked why no hand pulled ales available his reply was "delivery tomorrow".Decor dated and needed some money spending. Sadly this place has slowly gone down the pan in recent years.

I did not eat there, but the staff and atmosphere was brilliant.

Friendly staff great Sunday roast

Was made very welcome when we arrived for Sunday lunch, shown to our table and brought over our drinks, even though they were very busy our starters arrived promptly the food was delicious from the prawn cocktail, followed by roast beef etc, the main meal vegetables came in separate dishes so you could help yourself to the amount you wanted it was so good we returned on the Wednesday. The staff were attentive and friendly thank you for making our two meals out a pleasant and delightful occasion

This is a proper proper village pub Fresh homemade food Excellent drinks and Top Class Service . Without doubt the best pub for miles around You will not be dissappointed.

The food and service were excellent. Not really fair to comment on the atmosphere as we went on a quiet week day for lunch. We have been before and keep going back for the potato skins with garlic mayo which are just delicious, and for me a meal in itself. Husband had a big burger which he also rated very highly. Lovely location and friendly service. Previously we have ordered way too much and they gave us a doggy bag to take home. So literally fed us all day. Highly recommended.

A good reason to visit or stay in Swainby! Very pleasant welcome from the host, nice pint, excellent food, friendly locals, genuinely could not wish for more. If you're not local (as I'm not), don't miss the chicken parmesan, it's fantastic!

Absolutely amazing family friendly pub. Food was spot on British food. Owners came and spoke to us to all too ask if everything was good. Must cost if you want to experience a proper British pub.

Nice outdoor garden dog friendly

As I work in the food industry and have done for the last 40 years I can tell boil in the bag beef from roast beef so around £15 for a boil in the bag dinner is all wrong taking the piss comes to mind

My husband and I both had the steak pie which was lovely, nice home made chips my daughter had half a chicken Parmo which was amazing. The staff were lovely we will definitely be returning.😄

A lovely cosy dog friendly pub with exceptional food. We visited twice while staying in Swainby and both times the staff were welcoming and couldn’t be more helpful. Gave us a bowl of water for our lab and asked us a number of times if...

Absolutely fabulous Sunday lunch I have never had a lunch anywhere when I've been asked if i would like more food also I'm pleased I opted for a small portion as I don't like wasting such lovely food very reasonably priced Adam in particular was very polite and helpful he obviously loves his job😁 however other staff were very pleasant too

Food was really nice, we ordered the large parmo. But it did look a bit small. But it was decent. £16. I'm definitely going to try the fish and chips next time. The bar staff were excellent, couldn't fault them. Animals are allowed. The fans helped to cool you down. Yes I would go back.

Arrived with no food reservation on Saturday night to be met by smiling, happy, helpful staff who made us feel welcome from the moment we stepped inside. They ensured we were comfortable at our table, asked if they could get us a drink and left us with food menu's, no rush or hassle to order. Our food arrived within minutes of being ordered, it was delicious, cooked to perfection and hot. When we asked for our bill there was no surcharge added, unlike other establishments in the area. If you want a nice meal in pleasant surroundings drop by this pub, very highly recommended!

Excellent food. Staff very friendly and coped very well with our 7 dogs 🐕

The roast dinner was very average and I did mention the cabbage was seriously underdone as it felt more like salad! What I can’t understand was, we ran out of veg for the three of us excluding the cabbage and when we were offered more...

Went for lunch with the family. Plenty of choices and reasonably priced. All of us enjoyed it. Definitely recommend

Brilliant staff. Food was lovely. Happy to tweak the menu for our needs. Definitely recommend.

Wot a little gem. 👍😜 Staying in the village for a few days and was recommended this pub for food. Excellent value, (not rip off prices like everywhere else we’ve been last few days in the Dales) -great food, lots of choice on the menu...

Best Sunday lunch we've had in a long while! 6 adults and 1 child booked for a birthday lunch and wanted to try somewhere new - we were not disappointed. Friendly attentive staff, great meat choices, lovely home-cooked hot food with plenty of veg, stuffing...

What a golden gem this is called on a Sunday afternoon ...welcomed by fantastic service from the young ladies and gentlemen on the bar ...after 26 years in the industry this service had to get a 5 star review ...food great ,beer great ,location fantastic and the beer garden was spotless ...well done ✅

Pizza and service were good but beer disappointing.

Great food and helpful, friendly staff. Same.

Lovely food, Sunday lunch was huge, kids loved there meals lots of choice with kids meals, which is nice, nice beer garden over looking a play park for the kids, thanks we will be back

Review : The Black Horse Inn, Swainby, Northallerton This Inn really has everything to offer! From the moment we arrived at the Black Horse Inn in Swainby, Northallerton, we were impressed. The rooms were incredible, with cozy beds, tasteful decor, and all the amenities we needed for a comfortable stay. The attention to detail in the pub and separate apartment dwellings, which had a Beatrix Potter theme, was remarkable. It wasn't tacky as you would imagine, but instead, it worked well with the overall ambiance of the Inn. One of the highlights of our stay was the food and service. The restaurant served top-notch meals made with locally sourced produce, and the homemade food was simply delicious. The staff were friendly, attentive, and made sure we had a memorable dining experience. The Black Horse Inn also boasts beautiful gardens and a well-maintained beer garden with plenty of outdoor seating. It was lovely to relax in the tranquil surroundings and enjoy the scenery. We were pleasantly surprised to find a huge rear parking lot, and even electric hook ups for motorhomes, making it convenient for travelers. The location of the Inn in the picturesque village of Swainby was an added bonus. The peaceful atmosphere and stunning surroundings made our stay truly memorable. Whether you're looking for a relaxing getaway or a cozy retreat, the Black Horse Inn has it all. In summary, our experience at the Black Horse Inn in Swainby, Northallerton was exceptional. The incredible rooms, Beatrix Potter-themed decor, delicious locally sourced food, attentive service, beautiful gardens, ample parking, and peaceful village location all contributed to a memorable stay. We highly recommend this Inn to anyone looking for a perfect blend of comfort, charm, and hospitality.

Did not particularly enjoy the food when we visited here at the weekend. Nice pub in a lovely village but the food and service let it down in my experience. It is a shame as we would not come back for that reason. 2 stars for the venue and its location/setting.

Very friendly staff,locals welcoming too

Utterly fabulous village pub! Exceptionally friendly staff (take a bow folks!), excellent cask beer and a huge menu with a great deal of variation to suit all tastes. We only managed to visit twice in our short stay in the village but we were particularly impressed with the warm welcome. We had dinner on our second visit and the quality of the food was top notch and very good value. Whoever came up with the idea of a pork and black pudding burger is a genius!

Ate lunch here. Very friendly, welcoming staff (Adam) Meal was delicious. Highly recommended.

This pub does the best Sunday Lunch in the area due to fantastic food & service. My wife had three meats and I had Turkey both were delicious. Food was hot, a huge variety of vegetables and plenty of meat. Alex Manager & the dinning...

Excellent beer, warm welcoming hosts - nothing too much trouble, good food, good atmosphere. We will return.

Haven’t been in here for a while and as we were passing we thought that we would call . They had an extra menu called 888 which meant there was 8 meals to chose from , £8 a meal and it was on until 8pm...

Great local food and local brews. Friendly staff and warm hearth. Homey vibe. Good luck leaving.

I love our pub. The meals are really nice I know i should try and get in a little more to support our local pub but very busy person. Friday nights are my favourite everyone knows everyone and i would hate to loose it.

After a lovely long walk in the area, stopped for a compulsory pint in that pub. Roaring fire, fresh ale and great staff. Highly recommended!

My family and I, have been regular customers at the Blackhorse. However, my wife and I went for Sunday lunch, although the Sunday lunch was to a good standard, I decided to have a Parmesan, the Parmesan was more of a burger and very disappointing. When paying the bill a member of staff stated I could have requested mores chips, I didn’t order and pay for a portion of chips!!!, never again

Went out to visit and old work colleague, who owns this business, and had lunch there with my Grandson, nice to get out of the Town for an hour or so, very nice, good food, very reasonably priced.

Visited this pub for Sunday lunch,4 adults 1 dog ,very welcoming when shown to table, service quick and professional and very friendly. Food came out everything cooked fresh proper home cooked food delicious

Beautiful beef. Tangy home made English mustard.

Friendly staff and fantastic food

Lovely Sunday lunch loads of meat and vegetables and very friendly staff

A meal from heaven ....I had to "waddle" back to the car ...superbly served despite the waitress actually "Jogging" round the pub !! I guess like so many places they are short staffed ....but it was hard to tell with "Zola Budd" whizzing about!! A FANTASTIC EVENING 👏

We visited the Black Horse Inn after visiting Whitby for Lunch. We have had a few Sunday dinners before, so we knew we’d be looked after. The pub is very family friendly, staff are fantastic and food is always spot on. After your meal, Swainby is a lovely village, our personal favourite is the castle and church not too far away. There’s also a lovely walk round Cod Beck Reservoir up near Osmotherly.

What a fab little pub! Great menu, enormous portions and a lovely atmosphere…

Made to feel welcome by both members off staff,chatty and pleasant. Food was well presented,good portion sizes and very nice. A lovely little touch was when the barman realised it was our anniversary he brought over 2 glasses of complimentary bubbly,excellent customer service. Thank you very much👍

We have been to The Black Horse on quite a few occasions, usually a Sunday Dinner. We went on a Saturday having visited a rainy Whitby. It’s a great country pub, in a lovely part of the North Yorkshire. There was a slight delay from...

We had a wonderful lunch here. The food was great and the staff showed an amazing level of service. They were very welcoming, engaging and friendly. Highly recommended.

First impressions were how warm, cosy and inviting the pub is. As we came in there was an open fire crackling, warming the room. The menu is great, fabulous choice of Sunday meals and good veggie options. We ordered the pie of the day (steak),...

We visited this gem of a pub in Swainby twice when on holiday. The food is all home cooked and every meal was perfect. The staff are friendly and made us feel very welcome.

Brilliant place. We came on Friday 2nd September with our dog and couldn’t of wished for a better welcome. Bowl of water for our pup and a plate of treats. Drinks served in lovely glasses and the food was outstanding. All home cooked and a...

We stayed in Swainby for 3 days and visited this pub and what a lovely place and more important Adam who was working there is a great asset to the black horse as the rest of the staff there too! Great service and great food...

Beautiful Sunday Lunch, great staff and friendly atmosphere, dog friendly too

There for a beer festival. Beer was really good, staff were great. Can't wait for the next one!

Exactly what a country pub should be! Friendly and cozy. Amazing food. Will definitely visit again soon!

Just had lunch at The Black Horse. 11.08.2022. Family of 5. The service, hospitality, friendliness, drinks and especially the food was absolutely brilliant. The best Parmo we've ever had.

Good food, big portions. Good service. Range of beer pretty good but not staggering.

Very welcoming staff who didn't mind our dogs sitting with us under the table at the Black Horse in Swainby. This village pub is very popular for Sunday lunches and we could see why when our Steak Pies arrived with home prepared veg and lashings of gravy.. Could have done with a little less piecrust but the meat and gravy were delicious.

What an AMAZING pub! Firstly let’s talk customer service, the staff in this pub can not do enough for the customers they serve. They’re polite, well presented and most importantly have decent banter. Then there’s the food, the sharing platter starter is to die for,...

Had a great late lunch on Saturday, Sat outside in the sun, Home made steak pie chips and proper mushy peas With real gravy for hubby, he loved it best pie he's had in a long time, I had the small fish and chips because I didn't feel very hungry but once I started eating the fish I wish I'd got the normal size. The chips are proper home cooked chips, perfect, my cousin had the whitby scampi, its best she's ever had, and she has eaten a lot over the yrs. We love coming here because they allow dogs inside. Well worth a visit when next in swainby. We had finished before I realised I hadn't taken a photo. Next time.

An absolutely abject Sunday lunch. I picked the mixed meat , the three meats were virtually indistinguishable from each other in pallor as well as taste. I obviously do not know but suspect it was from a catering supplier. I left most of it, a...