The Blue Ball in Rutland

Fantastic food. I had a lamb curry and my friend had prawn linguini. Delicious and plenty to eat. We struggled to eat it all. Lovely venue

We were made very welcome with our dog. Staff were friendly food was of a very good standard maybe slightly over seasoned but that was only complaint. Good beer and nice surroundings would go again and recommend.

We’ve been before some time ago for an unplanned lunch and had a good time. We went again on Friday evening for supper and had an even better experience. Staff are friendly and attentive and the food was excellent. We started with bread and dipping oils as well as the tomato soup. To follow I had the special Thali pictured here which was amazing. Jo and Abby had Punjabi lamb burger and beef burger which again went down a storm. Sadly we had no room for puds!

Excellent evening at the Blue Ball. Delicious food chosen with difficulty from the extensive menu and specials list, vegetarians well catered for. Good wine list and lager options…we’ll be back!

A thoroughly disappointing experience. My husband’s meal came out 20 minutes before mine arrived, during which time the waiter came over to ask if everything was ok with our meals! There was no explanation or acknowledgment of the delay. The beef was overcooked and both meals were generally underwhelming. Such a shame as we’ve previously had good experiences here but the food and service has gone down hill.

I booked a table for two for my husbands birthday. I won’t bore you, but turns out they had a large booking for a 50th party and a table for two obviously was important to them any more! They had cancelled our booking, but didn’t bother to let me know!

Came here as a group of 10 for a birthday party. Bups and the team provided a fantastic service. I was really impressed with the portion size for the half chicken roast. Will be looking to go back to try some of the options in the future!

Visited the The Blue Ball for the first time. We were greeted with lovely staff that made us feel welcome even with 3 lively dogs! Ordered food which didn’t take long to arrive and thoroughly enjoyed our meal! Will definitely be returning!

Staying in a local AirBnb, and remembered from my last trip how welcoming this place is and how magnificent the food was! Just arrived today and would you believe the lovely gentleman remembered me from my last trip which was over a year ago! I guess having pink hair really does me me stand out though.. 😉 It’s so lovely here - it’s a beautiful location and it’s lovely inside. I had the recommended pie which was perfectly cooked and the presentation was amazing. Cannot fault the excellent customer service and the food was to die for.

So disappointed. Evening began by all being read a list of items “not” available which didn’t begun the evening on a good note. We then went on to order appetisers, starters and mains ( they didn’t have blue cheese sauce only peppercorn, this is more relevant later on ) The meal arrived, straight to the mains 🙈 we asked about our appetisers and starters and were told they “forgot” !!!! Ate the main, was average. Then ordered desserts.. greeted with a pause. again they did not have the cheese board I ordered as “no blue cheese “ !!!! Husband ordered Eton mess. I then went on to ask if they could put together any kind of cheese board as I missed my two earlier courses as they “forgot”!! Cheese board came but was very poor. Husbands Eton Mess arrived and the waiter very proudly stated he made it for the first time himself, it was shocking, small amount of meringue and squirty cream and a few blueberries , no ice cream. To top all of that “Uber” don’t like picking up from the location as so rural ( just a point for those who use Uber ) I then thought I will have glass of wine while I wait for transport feeling very deflated. Guess what no white wine, so I had to have a Prosecco as only alternative. Was then greeted with a bill for around £110 ! Will not return.

Booked for a large group of 30 people travelling by coach. Agreed a set price menu which had plenty of choice and was reasonably priced. We sent in a pre order a couple of weeks in advance. Food was excellent and was all served promptly and piping hot. No mean feat with a large group. Staff worked extremely hard to ensure that everyone had what they wanted and were very polite friendly and welcoming. Thanks to Bups and the team for making it such an enjoyable evening

This is a lovely 17th century inn that has been tastefully renovated. We went for the Sunday Roast ordering the roast beef and roast pork. Both meals were really good serves - the food was piping hot and they nailed the Yorkshire pud - cooked to perfection. The accompanying veggies were also of a high quality. Service was spot on and the price very reasonable.

Hi Bups, I just wanted to thank you and all the staff at the Blue Ball for your superb service today. The food was fabulous… the best roast I’ve had in ages and the sticky toffee was similarly off the scale! But most of all, the unrushed, polite, and attentive service - which continued beyond your normal food hours (sorry about that… we just felt so at home, we lost track of time) was just fantastic. Thank you all so much. Best wishes to you and all at the Blue Ball! Andy & family

We went on new menu day. We thoroughly enjoyed the Lamb Shank Biryani and the Pan Fried Chicken Breast. A fabulous welcome with such friendly staff. Would thoroughly recommend.

We were staying in Rutland for a few days and booked the Blue Ball for a meal on our last night. It was so good. We had a lovely warm welcome from the landlord Bups who was very attentive and looked after us well. The food was excellent, very tasty and creatively served and enjoyed by all six of our party. Amazing home cooked steak pies and rolled belly pork with chorizo stuffing and cherries. Absolutely delicious. Unfortunately we were all too full to try the desserts!

We came here for lunch on a Sunday and enjoyed a veggie burger with sweet potato fries and a goat's cheese and red onion tart, with hot chocolates to finish. The burger was particularly impressive as it was stuffed so full with salad, beetroot and mayo that I had to take it apart, but the most endearing thing about this pub was when we were surprised with a miniature hot water bottle each partway through our meal!

Very nice place for Sunday roast & family dine out. Excellent hake “supreme” & apple crumble. Coffee from Two Chimps /Oakham. Friendly service & fair prices. We will come back.

Friendly covid compliant welcome and a very good meal. Belly pork was fabulous and the sticky toffee pudding divine! The pub still oozed atmosphere despite the restrictions.

You know when you've just finished your dinner, and you're looking forward to returning, something has gone right.So what went right on our first visit?The Manager fitting us in on a table for two when we called in the morning last minute The ambience of the Village Pub when you walked in, the warmth of the fires Safety measures in place throughout the Pub to meet COVID-19 The food was to the highest standard, my wife had the venison burger, and commented, possibly the best burger she'd had in a long time For me I had the rump steak not to be mistaken for a very fine fillet, cooked to perfection with chunky chips, oven baked tomatoes, mushroom, and home made crispy batter onion rings.We found the service was friendly and polite The dining experience ticked every box, and having visited 100's of restaurants around the UK, this is up there with the best.Congratulations to all the staff front and back, and not forgetting the Chef and his team.Keep up the service and top food

We enjoyed a really delicious meal in this welcoming and cozy village pub, with food that was out of the ordinary.The smoked haddock scotch egg starter was coated in a light and non greasy crumb, the inside was soft and fluffy, herb flecked smoky fish and an egg with just the right amount of oozy softness in the centre. It sat on a delicate but aromatic curry sauce that was clearly made with freshly ground spices, and finished with a slick of herb oil. I'd happily have eaten two or three on their own as a substantial meal.The vegetarian and vegan choices are unusual and enticing which is not always the case in this part of the world. The cauliflower steak was accompanied by an oat granola which provided delicious flavour bombs of toasted walnuts and fennel seeds and satisfied even the hungriest of teenagers, accompanied by some great triple cooked chips. We have eaten in the Blue Ball many times over the years but the food hasn't always been the main reason to go there. A new chef and menu has taken the food to a different league. I'm just hoping it doesn't get too popular to snag a table on a Friday night!

Visited midweek where we enjoyed a starter, a main course and tried to finish our evening with a dessert followed by an Irish coffee. Unfortunately the rather terse waiter insisted that the Irish coffee should be brought to the table with the dessert, rather than waiting until dessert had been consumed. 'It's the rules' he insisted, 'Government guidelines' he said. We remonstrated that my husband wished to consume his dessert first and that the coffee would be cold by the time he was ready for it. Again we were told it wasn't possible to order an alcoholic drink separately for consumption by itself. In my books, a coffee after a meal is exactly that, a coffee to finish a meal with - whether it has alcohol in it or not. We pointed out that we were ordering it at the same time as food but just didn't want it prepared and presented to the table before the dessert had been consumed. We had already enjoyed two drinks whilst we chose from the menu (no food on the table at this point) then a bottle of wine with our food. Even when we were trying to order the dessert, there were unfinished glasses of wine on the table (but with no food present!!). I asked if the waiter wanted to take this away as we had no food on the table - based on his dessert and Irish coffee principle. But no, that was okay to drink the wine with the food finished and our plates cleared from the table. This incident was dealt with exclusively by the young waiter on duty. I think he actually took pleasure in insisting the Irish coffee should be delivered to the table when he decided - not when we wanted it! We had also seen Dominic the owner/manager throughout the evening but at no point did he make any attempt to come and speak with us and offer a proper reason. Perhaps the Blue Ball would be happier if their customers would order their starters, main course, dessert and coffee all in one hit and have them delivered to the table - all at the same time! That way they would ensure they are complying with the guidelines by insisting that any alcohol consumed is accompanied by a mouthful of food!I do fully appreciate that the government rules are very vague, however, one would think that a little common sense would prevail over such a minor point. Needless to say we declined the dessert (and of course the coffee) paid the bill and left. Our previous spend with the Blue Ball has averaged around £100 each time so unfortunately it’s going to be their loss, as we will not be returning. Unable to recommend due to abysmal attitude of their waiting staff. A course in Customer Service in the Service industry might be useful? Oh and by the way, your commendable elaborate 'no touching anything' practice fails somewhat when you ask a customer to use the card reader. Your waiter tapped in the numbers and then presented it straight to my husband to enter his pin. No santising going on there.

We ate here recently after a local walk. We may have got slightly lost on the walk but certainly found the right place to eat! The food was of great quality and it was particularly pleasing to find somewhere where good attention is paid to Vegetarian choices. I had a nut roast with chick peas which was delicious. My husband had excellent lamb rump. The atmosphere was relaxed an convivial. We felt Covid-safe. The experience was topped off by a charming building and location. We will definitely come back.

We had dinner twice at the Blue Ball during our week's stay in Braunston at the beginning of September. This was the first time I had visited a pub since the lockdown in March so I was slightly nervous about how it would all work. But I'm very pleased to say that the Blue Ball team have made excellent provisions for covid safety. The food was great and the team were all very friendly. We were also made to feel very welcome by the local customers as well which is a real treat when visiting a country pub for the first time. The menu is also very friendly for vegans/vegetarians. Highly recommended.

Came tonight for “date night” Dinner and I could not recommend the Blue Ball more highly.. it is clear they are going above and beyond to keep patrons and staff safe in light of silly covid, this does not stop the staff being amazing! So helpful and friendly throughout. The food? Simply put.. I cannot do it justice, you have to try it for yourself! Thank you to everyone involved in making our night so special. We will be back it was fantastic!

I thought about not doing a review because I’d prefer to keep this wonderful inn secret! Excellent service and food.

Stumbled across this little gem while staying in Rutland. The pub itself oozes character and so do the people we met while there. All very friendly. Spent a good hour talking to the owner / manager who was happy to have a drink with us and talk all things from lockdown, EOTHO, the state of the economy and much more. Our ridgeback and jack russell were welcomed warmly and i just wish we had a pub with this much character to go to in our village. I can imagine for the local community it really serves the people well. We will back for food next time. Tim

We were a little nervous about coming out as a family for Sunday lunch with my seven month old granddaughter but the reassurance from our very first contact with the Blue Ball was excellent. We arrived on time to be welcomed in a safe Covid compliant way with everything explained to us to give us confidence we would be liked after. We were able to bring our own high chair and had a table separate from others. Food and drink and service was superb and every step taken to make us feel welcome. We will be back Thankyou!

Braunston is a beautiful village but unfortunately you can’t say the same for the Blue Ball. 10 out of 10 for the Covid compliance but the same attention needs to be focused on the main event! The flooring throughout is thread bear and filthy. The windows and windowsills are dirty. Despite the windows being full of empty Malfy Gin bottles my daughter asked for a Malfy gin and Mediterranean tonic but the response was “ this is a country pub we don’t have that!” The muscles were cold and so were the main roast dinners. The stressed front man asked if all was ok when paying the bill and I quietly mentioned the above. His response was. There isn’t enough hours in the day! I said your in the wrong job then. He replied again that he had been in the industry for 15 years but was leaving soon. Perhaps this is the best for all! Ps I live in rural Rutland and most of the country pubs have modern drinks.

Once again we enjoyed a lovely Sunday Roast today .Great service and great attention to detail regarding Covid precautionary measures .Food was hot and most enjoyable .

We popped in for lunch and despite no reservation, were welcomed immediately. The hostess was lovely-finding a decent balance with the Covid world we live in and a relaxing welcome. Great food, good chat and looking forward to coming back.

Visited for the first time with our 2 children, first time having been out for a meal since lockdown and we were a bit anxious but we were pleasantly suprised & relaxed as soon as we walked through the door. Beautiful building, lovely staff, great food. Friendly and attentive without being over the top, the only downside was that there was no children’s menu but they did offer everything on the menu as a smaller portion. The food was very fresh & tasty. Scallops were to die for!! Made to feel very welcome, will definitely return

The staff are exceptionally ‘COVID friendly’ and well trained. The four of us all very much enjoyed our excellent meals. Nice distanced outside area.

Today I took my family for a Sunday roast at the Blue Ball it was amazing great food, great service and the restaurant is perfect. Given the COVID 19 situation they handle it with professionalism and respect. Thank you for a wonderful meal. I wanted to add the staff are all polite, amazing and so attentive. Thank you

The pub is making a great effort to keep serving its customers during this crisis and is making plans for when and how it can re-open. I had a delicious game pie which was hot, ready as soon as I arrived and was a generous portion. Staff were really welcoming and friendly. Definately worth having a takeaway (Wed-Sun) and I'm looking forward to my next Blue Ball meal!

We decided to try the take away options. We had burgers, chilli and lasagne, which were all good. And the chips are amazing. I'm sure we'll be back!

Just had a fantastic takeaway, great takeaway menu, we had the burgers and handcut chips and for a treat handmade chocolates to finish, perfect Friday night treat when you can't get out. Definitely doing it again soon

Just had the takeaway sunday lunch from the Blue Ball due to the closure and it was gorgeous. Lovely roast beef with the trimmings and even a pot of rich gravy to accompany it. I am so glad that they are continuing to do business through the corona closure and the takeaway sunday lunch may become a regular occurrence. Well done Dom & Pip

We visited this little country pub for Sunday lunch, as soon as we walked through the door it was really welcoming, the staff were really helpful and nothing was too much.We have a 7 months old baby who it just in the midst of weaning, the staff found him a proper highchair, not a wooden one you often find in eateries but I really good sturdy chair he was safe in. There is also a play area with lots of toys we were able to keep our little boy amused with.We were sat on our own table in a little area away from diners which was brilliant for our little one as he could play and eat and be messy without disturbing anyone else.Our order was taken quickly and the food served really quickly, we didn’t have wait long at all. The staff even made a little plate of vegetables and some fruit for our baby to munch on which we weren’t charged for. The meal itself was delicious and the staff made sure everything was ok throughout.Definitely recommend, delicious food, friendly staff, a warm atmosphere and excellent for small children

We were staying in the area with friends to celebrate my mother’s birthday. We arrived just after 5pm on 6th March & instantly felt at home.We received a warm greeting & sat next to the roaring fire which was a nice relief from the cold outside.The food & customer service is exceptional here, really second to none.I can firmly recommend the delicious Game pie! The Barman/owner was brilliant, friendly & attentive - particularly towards my elderly, disabled father, whose appetite is not what it once was & who ordered something he was served & then decided he did not fancy. It was no trouble for him to suggest something else, more simple for my dad that he might prefer & dads eyes lit up when he mentioned ham, egg & chips’. This was not a simple egg & chips but delicious sliced local ham & homemade chips which my father enjoyed immensely.In today’s world, with today’s challenges & stresses & strains it’s not often that you visit such a warm & cosy place that delivers so much more than excellent food & drink, which leaves you happy, contented & with a spring in your step. The Blue Ball is truly 5 STAR.

We were on a muddy half term tramp through the fields around Braunston with the intention of heading into Oakham for lunch. However, the chill and hunger set in on our completion so we decided to chance a walk in here. Glad we did - warm welcome, friendly service and lovely food. Our boys enjoyed the smaller portions from the mains with Game Pie to the sticky toffee and my Cod Loin was very welcome. Lovely find where a spur of the moment decision really worked out. Shame we couldn't have stayed all afternoon playing Uno!

The Mrs. and I had a lovely supper at a table near the log fire. Absolutely superb food from the new chef. #LovedIt!

Fantastic service from start to finish. I have never left a review for anywhere before but feel I must comment on the excellent service I have received from Dominic and Pip here at The BlueBall in Braunston. I won’t go into the ‘ins and outs’ of the surprise 50th Birthday party prinks that we organised there yesterday because it was complicated; I was unsure as to how many people or even what time. It was unusual as I was not requiring lunch or dinner but a bespoke arrangement of food at a time that the kitchen was not normally open! I must have been a tricky customer but I had lots of email communication with Dominic where he took the time and made a lot of effort to fully understand what I was hoping for and he made helpful and creative suggestions as to how my wishes could be accommodated. Suffice to say, we had a fabulous afternoon, everything we’d agreed was executed professionally and helpfully in a cosy and comfortable environment. All of my guests, who had travelled some distance, were of a wide age range and didn’t all know each other, were impressed and spoke of how beautiful the pub was and how welcome they were made to feel. The food was lovely and plentiful, particularly the chips! Can’t recommend highly enough. Thank you to everyone who must have worked hard to ensure our satisfaction.

We visited the pub during the day, and it is such a lovely place, we decided to eat there that evening. We were both disappointed with the meal. We ordered liquor coffees, and asked for one to be made without sugar. What a mistake. It looked awful, although at least I could taste the brandy. My husband couldn't taste the whisky! It was his 70th birthday, and it was a let down.

Me and my seven colleagues went to the Blue Bell for Christmas lunch. As is my experience in life, I don't believe the Christmas menu is generally as good as restaurant's typical menu, however this is all I have to go on.

We visit the blue bell for some lunch on Saturday. The setting was great , a nice log burning fire going on in the snug .

Looking at the reviews I was shocked how good it is . I instantly visited The Pub,. Especially Rubel he was gentlemen , One of kindest people I ever met . The Place was absolutely amazing I had experience Of Great Kindness and loyal service The food was stunning . I would recommend to everyone to visit , Because This Is Clean Environment , Great service and Stunning food

Had a great evening at The Blue Ball - food was absolutely fabulous and the pub & restaurant had a great atmosphere. Dom & Pip were very welcoming and very hospitable. Our evening at The Blue Ball is one we won’t forget in a hurry. Well worth a visit, highly recommended, and hope to return soon!

My grandfather was evacuated to this village and this is where he longed to be. The Blue Ball was where he had his first pint and where he wanted his wake to be. Dominic knew this and he had no empathy. He charged over 500 pounds for food for 40, with two choices of sandwiches that were poorly made. Cold flans, cold sausages and some salad. We were promised chips, sausage rolls, sweets, coffee and tea on arrival and none of this was given. There were only two people on their team (who were great by the way but were rushing around like headless chickens to try and do everything at once). The one lady was very apologetic but she hadnt even been told we were coming - a wake!

Where to start? After meeting Dominic to arrange food for 40 people I was confident we would be looked after at one of my Father's favourite pubs. The food was poor. No butter on the massive sandwiches, no hot sausage rolls, hot flans were stone cold, no sign of baskets of fries over salted coleslaw and no tea or coffee waiting for us. The team of two were helpful and over stretched. I voiced my disappointment to Dominic and was more or less told 'tough', and when I settled the bill of £1000 with the nice young lady, Dominic who was s5a doing next to her couldn't even say ,thankyou'.

I was meant to write a review for October when I tried the Haddock Poached egg Risotto which was fabulous, returned again last night for the special board risotto when was sea bass which again was excellent. Both times the risotto cooked to perfection. Hubby had lamb shank which was so tasty. Well attentive staff and great ambience dinner in front of the fire.

Lovely old little pub with very friendly owners. The local shoot came in for lunch whilst we were there, with some lovely gundogs. Loved the beams and furnishings. We both had the scallop starter which was super tasty, although I wasn't keen on my haddock risotto which was a shame. My husband loved his Barnsley Chop however. Nothing wrong with the risotto, just my personal weirdness i think! (I don't like skin on the fish in a dish like this for example). We will definitely be back however!

Had an excellent lunch here today. The food outstanding. The service was excellent. A really good find.

Had not been to the pub before. My expectations were not high. Lovely looking old English Pub. The food was very good, the staff were excellent. A great experience. We will be back.

Once again another absolutely brilliant evening in this pub as usual the staff were friendly and helpful the beers of course tip too and on Halloween night lots of kids in trick and treating fantastic night and for us adults bar snacks great evening and good to sit and chat with friends of which I have made quite a few

I had read about the Blue Ball in local magazines and on FB and despite having lived just half an hours drive away in Northants for damn nigh 60 years, had never visited. Until last night that was! Took a run over to have a meal (albeit a day late) to celebrate my good lady's birthday.

Great atmosphere, Excellent service even on a busy Saturday night, friendly, welcoming staff and we all loved the food! Three of the group had rump steaks that were just cooked to perfection and beautifully tender. The venison was superb and the Serrano wrapped cod loin was really tasty. Children can have the same menu with smaller portions and reduction in price- a great idea.

The whole experience was great. The menu had a good variety of choice, not just the traditional cuts of meat but other options where available such as sea bass and a three bean burger. The waiters made us feel very welcome and the service was very efficient, waiting no longer that 10 minutes for our food. I decided to start with the blue cheese, walnut and pear salad followed by the road beef; finishing with the sticky toffee pudding. The salad was average (6/10), there was too much cheese and not enough of everything else as I only got 3 slices of pear and a couple walnuts. The main course more than made up for the questionable starter as the beef was cooked to perfection and smothered in delicious home made gravy. The roast potatoes where again cooked to perfection, having a slight crunch but not overpowering and dry. The Yorkshire pudding had slightly caught around the top but once mixed with the gravy it taste fine as did the vegetables; the main course gets a solid (8.5/10). The dessert was very nice and presented well (8/10).

Arrived on busy Friday looking for a table for 2 although the bar area was buzzing with young ( 20-30s) people enjoying a drink the bar staff were quick to greet us and confirm they would find a table for the 2 of us.

This is a lovely venue & we have always found the service very pleasant and prompt. This is the first time we have visited for lunch but we did find the menu a bit limited. That said I'd prefer to have less choice but done well rather than the other way round - so credit where credit is due. Suggest you check on line before visiting to ensure there is something for you before just rocking up.

We booked for lunch, turned up way to early, but were graciously accommodated without a fuss. The pub interior was charming and comfortable, the bar and waiting staff were really lovely, explaining the menu and specials and taking such a lot of trouble to make sure we had all we needed to enjoy our meal. My husband chose chicken and mushroom pie from the specials board and I had pork fillet with apple and the most enormous portion of scrumptious sauteed potatoes that I would have eaten again for dessert! We did have pud, though hardly had enough room for it .... All in all, it was a perfect destination, we were looked after brilliantly and our meals were delicious and very good value. We live quite a distance from the Blue Ball, but we are determined to visit again.

Walked for miles around the villages and the Blue Ball was a very welcome sight. The staff were great and helpful. I enjoyed my whisky here. It gave me fortitude for the next 6 miles lol

Came across this lovely place on our way back from Rutland Water. Arrived about 1.30 and went for the ciabattas (1 cheese and pickle, 1 Brie and bacon), both with potato wedges and coleslaw. Very tasty, and very filling - couldn’t manage a dessert this time, but will definitely go back one evening before long. Very welcoming and friendly as well. So glad we found it.

So my husband booked a table without me knowing and we had a 45 min drive out. A lovely pub... great service and food lovely. Only complaint was not enough toast for our pate apart from that i had the sliders which are amazing husband had the pork tenderloin again he throughly enjoyed it and the lemon and raspberry cheesecake was very nice indeed. Will definately return probably when weather is cooler as they have open fires which is a plus for me

Welcoming atmosphere in a village pub, locals friendly. Good selection of wines and beers, and excellent restaurant menu, well presented and with friendly, efficient service. Fair prices, and a very pleasant evening after a long drive through the rain to Rutland!

Where do we start? From the moment we arrived at The Blue Ball and met Pip and Dom we knew The Blue Ball was the perfect location for our wedding. They both went above and beyond - everytime I had a question, Pip was there on the other end of the phone/ email / messenger keepng me calm!

Such a beautiful thatched English pub with huge potential, lovely country village environment.Unfortunately unless you want a large lunch there is very little choice on the light lunch menu- basically sandwiches or one omelette. I found it a limited choice and eventually settled for a cheese and pickle ciabatta with chips, which came with very onion tasting coleslaw, lettuce & small pot of chips ( really wedges). The cheese was grated (?) and with Branston pickle ( why not make a homemade chutney?)

Great Sunday lunch after our walk around the beautiful area. Very welcoming staff and good portions with local veg. Good beer too !!

A picturesque setting, a warm welcome and an inspired menu made this a great experience. Scallop and chorizo salad that burst with flavour. Washed down with a well-kept pint of bitter. Miss this and you miss a real treat

Visited after researching dog-friendly pubs in Rutland. Sadly the rain drove us inside and the only dog-friendly area is a small bar with one coffee table chest to eat from. But the warm welcome persuaded us to stay and were glad we did. Despite having false hips and not being able to bend easily to eat I made the effort for the excellent scallop and chorizo salad. Three perfectly cooked scalloos with tasty chunks of chorizo and tiny sweet peppers on a bed of leaves - only improvement - fewer leaves. Excellent vallue at £8.95; also had ham and eggs (good thick slice local ham) with tasty potato wedges/chips - also on Light Bites menj but a sizeable portion. Water provided for pooch. Lovely village setting but not easy to park - only 6 others in pub but we struggled to find somewhere nearby. Wd love to tey again on a fine day as garden looked very welcoming.

Eat here regularly. Small menu plus special board, everything beautifully cooked and presented. Have excellent special offers. Good beer and wine list.

A very nice place near the village church for a lunch at the end of a good walk. Very welcoming and the food was very good.

Nice cosy restaurant with a good varied menu, something for everyone. Well cooked tasty food at a reasonable price. Staff were friendly and helpful without being overbearing. This is a comfortable homely restaurant, if you want posh it’s not for you.

Lovely seasonal meal. Good portions and fresh tasting. Good service and quaint setting. Would return. Reasonably priced.

We celebrated our anniversary at The Blue Ball and loved it. Food was delicious and we splurged and had dessert as well. We don't usually do that as our main course is always plenty for us. Friendly staff, great food and atmosphere was good too. Not to forget my partner who was the best part of the meal.Can't ask for more.

Spent a Saturday evening here with friends enjoying a wonderful dinner and drinks. Table booked for 7pm, we were told we could stay as long as we wanted. Interesting menu of fantastic food, all beautifully presented. Attentive, warm staff who offered excellent service without being intrusive. Food not cheap but worth every penny. Definitely recommend this pub, we all loved it.

Really lovely area, nice beer terrace decking. The inside looks cosy. I'd like to come back here during a hike or bike ride and also maybe for dinner.

Our first visit today for Sunday lunch and we couldn't fault the quality of food, service or ambience. The pidgeon breast, crayfish cocktail and pear with pickled walnut starters were first class and very nicely presented. The roast beef and lamb main courses were superb and the accompanying vegetables were perfect. The scallop and crayfish stew was worthy of the best Mediterranean restaurant. Nothing was too much trouble for the front of house staff and the food is good value for money. The only very minor niggle was the lack of coffee choice.

I would highly recommend The Blue Ball Braunston in Rutland. I went for a meal with a friend last night and the food was of a very high standard, and presented very well, i had scallops, which were absolutely delicious, followed by a sirloin steak, which was cooked to perfection. My friend had crayfish cocktail which was devoured with gusto, followed by steak. We both had a lovely evening. The hosts Dom and Pip and staff, gave great service. I will going to eat there very soon.

We’ve always loved this pub for its honest, fresh food, well kept ales, well chosen wines and friendly, low key, smooth service. And we still do, having not visited for many months so booked for a table with visiting family on Fri eve. When my OH wanted to show my mother in law where we were taking them, we became a bit concerned by the recent run spate of poor reviews on Tripadvisor... Oh dear, we thought, has it gone downhill since we were last there? But not a bit of it. Just as lovely, clean and friendly. Everything we ordered from Starters to Desserts was very tasty to boot. We especially enjoyed sharing the Rutland Charcuterie Tasting Board, Chefs homemade burger and Sticky Toffee Pudding and lingered, chatting over our locally roasted Two Chimps coffee and our desserts and had a thoroughly pleasant evening. Nice to see somewhere supoorting local producers and not shoo-ing off bar trade just because it serves good food. A proper village pub... very charming building, decor and staff. And when we had a quick look, other reviews on other sites pretty much all glowing. Well worth a visit.

New Year, new dining experience! We have been to the Blue Ball several times over the last few years and I was looking forward to last Friday's booking at this beautiful old pub. We had a very friendly greeting on arrival and sat by the fire with a drink, looking through the menu. We ordered lamb's liver off the menu and duck breast from the specials board, we were informed that both came "pink". The only offer of fresh bread was white, we declined. When our table was ready we had to carry our drinks and coats through to another small dining area. The room was cold, diners were still wearing coats, the floor covering was dirty, light bulb dead...

We made a reservation at the Blue Ball th have a Sunday Lunch with our English frieds. We were ith 7 and the table was standing ready.

Had always found this pub a delight and a great food experience. But, went yesterday and was sorely disappointed. My main had to be sent back twice, the duck was inedible and could not be cut by a steak knife, the pigeon breast was no better. Even the chips were uncooked. The service is lovely but it can not help the fact that the food has gone down hill recently.

Having looked at the reviews and following this pub on Facebook I was looking forward to travelling out here to see what the hype was all about.

None of our family considered the meals memorable and it didn't start well when the heavy bread they brought round was part frozen ! Wine recommended was excellent but sadly nothing else. Sorry as we've had some great meals here in the past.

Found this lovely place whilst out in a Sunday drive. Beautiful surroundings coupled with warm and welcoming staff. Nice choice of Wines and Beer. Cosy pre meal drinks before being shown to our table. Very nice comfortable dining area, with a large choice of tables, some fairly private and others suitable for larger parties. Food arrived promptly and was well presented and delicious. We all enjoyed our meals. Lamb was exceptional. Nice choice of sweets too. Thank you for a lovely enjoyable impromptu visit.

We went for Sunday lunch at 1.30 nice table on ordering firstly told there was no lamb but was offered a ;lamb steak I found it very fatty, the others asked for rare beef which when it came it was not the 6th member of our table ordered Pork which they forgot.

Sunday lunch was overall disappointing. Our rating between 1-10 - The meal, wine I would give it a 5. The staff and service was OK.Would I go back for a Sunday lunch?. No

One year ago, my review title was ‘Perfect’ and it was with much anticipation that I was returning. What’s happened ? That thick, vivid green pea soup - full of flavour - is now a watery mint sauce and the bread & butter pudding is an embarrassment ; layers of sliced white bread ( a throw back to Mothers Pride ? ) seemingly soaked in water with the odd sultana dotted about. And the chicken curry special just about managed to raise its game beyond being bland... A real disappointment and such a shame. I really want this place to be the success it’s village situation and internal environment deserves.

highly reccomend this gourmet pub. the food was beautiful and staff were fantastic. really enjoyed our evening and can highly reccommend the game pie!

We were staying with friends in the area and they booked a table for dinner at the Blue Ball on a Saturday evening. Staff were very welcoming, and table was ready. Decent local beers and a selections of Gin. Reasonably priced menu ~£15 for a main, which was a decent size.

The food was tasty and well presented and the place hAs a nice atmosphere and the local beer is tasty, worth a visit but a little pricey for pub food

Stayed in Braunston at the weekend and made a few trips here. Sunday lunch was great and had free live jazz, which I believe happens every so often. Lovely engaging owners and team and really wanted our visit to be pleasant. I will be back

This is my local and aren't I a lucky person. Beer is always well kept and served at its peak. Menu is varied and frequently changes throughout the year so you never get bored with available options. Staff are friendly and quick to serve. The pub itself is the oldest in Rutland and is full of cosy corners to sit in, and the log fires in winter are a real treat. Live jazz performed by some amazing musicians takes place on the first Sunday of each month and is free to watch. Just a pleasure to visit.

Met up for family meal which included an 8 month old, had booked a high chair and we were impressed with the attention to detail providing spoons, bowls plate etc appropriate for age. Very accommodating. A pleasant meal with friendly staff.

We booked the Blue Ball for a meal after visiting nearby the British Bird Fair in the summer. We arrived early and were directed to sit by the fire in some comfy armchairs with a pile of newspapers and peruse the menu. We ordered our wine and when our table was ready we were impressed that the wine was already there in a cooler for us waiting on the table. We had our own private dining area away from the rest of the restaurant just by chance, which was a lovely space to eat in. The service was very attentive and professional. We all commented on the little touches they threw in to go the extra mile. The steak was probably the only thing that let it down as some of it was a bit tough, it wasn't the highest quality cut. But that was made up for by the setting and service.

Initial service was satisfactory. However they got one of four starters wrong ... three companions had finished theirs before the fourth one arrived even though they went as slowly as possible. The wait for mains was a little too long and the offer of coffee was delayed to the point where we declined and had it at home instead. Not so bad that we wouldn’t give them another chance.

We have visited this pub on a number of occasions but this time it was just with two of our grandchildren. It was a Saturday evening and although it was busy we were made very welcome. The food was first class with a good variety and without too long a wait. Thank you Blue Ball and we'll done.

What a great welcome we received this weekend when we arrived for our first visit for Sunday lunch. The setting is beautiful, staff group a delight and food great. The service was efficient and friendly, always a bonus and we very much appreciated our lunch. A few minutes drive from Oakham makes this a great venue in a delightful village.

It's a thatched and beamed pub, 100s of years old, in a picturesque Rutland village. They have their own brew on tap (a bitter if you're interested) and a decent selection of gins. Nice menu, well cooked, friendly service. We loved it for its charm and friendliness. You won't come away hungry either

We came to the Blue Ball as a large group and ordered our meals in advance. Myself and my partner ordered the lamb, which was expensive but we were really looking forward to it. When it arrived it was tiny! 3 slices of very average lamb, a tiny portion of boiled potatoes, peas and gravy! Needless to say we were starving afterwards. Then when we all requested our bill the staff refused to split it and then it was £140 more than it should have been! We spent a while working out what it should have been, then they brought another bill which was also wrong!! We eventually got the correct bill but we didnt really receive an apology and the man who brought it over had quite a bad attitude over it too which we were all disappointed with.