The Blue Bell in Carlisle

Nice little pub in a nice little village

Wasn't open as advertised Should really update their hours online

Pub wasn't open despite website and notice on the outside showing the opening times and that it would be open at 6.00pm on Wednesday evening. No menu to see or if there was a reason for being closed, hopeless. As we're touring and staying in the area, not very helpful 😒 however it made us walk, quite a way out of the village, to the bridge end inn....fantastic food and staff.

Didn't eat here. Not sure if they were doing food. I think the landlord had just taken over. Seems like a good pub Would visit again.

Nice boozer.We were staying up at the campsite & walked here a couple of times and both times felt welcome and enjoyed our visit.would call again if we're ever up this way,cheers

Niamh was very kind and respectful to customers and treated us all with great respect. She deserves a pay rise!!!!!!!!!

We shared a bottle of wine 🍷 in the rear beer garden, landlord was helpful and friendly, dog biscuits available, and fresh water. Good location in lovely village

Had a lovely afternoon here on Saturday. Unfortunately no food except on Sundays at the moment. The landlord very kindly said we could get fish and chips from the chip shop next door and eat them in the pub. So disaster averted. Would definitely recommend if you are are staying nearby. Landlord also has a minibus if you can't face the walkback to the campsite. Thank you once again, we will definitely come back

Amazing pub! So glad it has reopened and the prospect of Sunday roasts being served starting May bank holiday Sunday is excellent! Looking forward to drinking and eating in their pub this summer.

Can't share my experience I'm afraid. I walked in and asked if dogs were allowed in and stood at the bar. And waited. And waited. The landlord was far too busy playing on the slot machine to serve the only customer in the pub. Certainly to say I wasn't impressed at all.

Telephoned three days ..different times..gave up in the end and went elsewhere.

Brilliant little pub, you can tell the care they take in serving good pints. Would highly recommend to anyone on their way past, Guinness was top notch. Nice log burner and darts board too!

On the Square so parking easily found. Obviously a work in progress (found out later they were new owners). Staff excellent, polite and attentive. Reasonable menu, pub grub at reasonable price! Ordered Scampi and chips, good sized portions, hot and tasty. Would have no hesitation returning again when the pub is a bit further along in the renovation, and we are visiting again.

I don't know . I didn't visit it , but am off to The Bridge end later 🍻

Kitchen has recently reopened following change of ownership. Lovely pub food - chef knows what she’s doing. Would certainly come again.

Great day today with my Yorkshire family great food and drink family feel and bar staff amazing so go try it down to earth family run

Lovely setting, excellent food, brilliant friendly staff we thoroughly enjoyed our visit and will definitely go again! 10/10

Visited for a quiet drink but left after one. A woman ( not a lady) was swearing at the top of her voice with no regard for other customers or a young girl sitting nearby. Disappointed that the staff did not ask her to tone it down . Such a shame as it was a lovely friendly pub but if this is how the locals are allowed to behave won’t return or recommend

I stopped at The Blue Bell for lunch and will recommend the pub if you want a large meal at a reasonable price in traditional surroundings. The Blue Bell is a pleasant pub with a friendly landlady and has a large range of meals from £10 to £15, which is quite reasonable these days. I selected a Thai red curry with rice from the extensive menu and was quite satisfied as the portions were generous and cooked well. Service was quick and my table was spotless. Other good things about the Blue Bell: the traditional features like the beamed ceilings have been retained, sports fans will be pleased to know the pub has Sky, and when there is no major sport on at lunchtimes, the sound system plays seventies music. Also dogs are welcome. One note pf caution, there is free parking outside, but as the car park isn't clearly marked, you can get wedged in by incosiderate drivers, and I had to ask someone to move their car so I could back out.

I came here tonight after booking a table over the phone. The staff were lovely and really looked after us, pretty much instantly we got offered drinks and we didn’t feel rushed to order food. The food itself is good, large portions and warm. We ordered steaks and for my personal preference it was slightly over seasoned with pepper however it didn’t stop me eating it as it was still tasty. There was a mix of people too - both regulars and people visiting like ourselves so we didn’t feel out of place. The little dog, which looks like a regular is very cute and friendly too! Thank you :)

Needs money spent on the interior, menu limited

Great bar staff, friendly and good beer.

Such a lovely find! A really homely welcoming pub with super friendly staff who couldn’t do enough for you, delicious food and a relaxed atmosphere with log fires burning. Finally, an amazing welcome for our furry friends! Thank you! 😊

Had a lovely end of trip meal here tonight, booked over email and ended up with a nice atmospheric table and given the chose of where to sit. Menu had a great range and we both ordered one of the burgers which were homemade and delightful. Especially of note was the fantastic service, from a kind brunette lady we think is called Mandy, who accommodated for my dietary needs with no extra hassle and nothing but kind words and we ended up with a tasty meal. We also had the vegan cheesecake which was fab. Felt very considered and looked after throughout the meal and would fully recommend for both the food and the service.

Booked a table for 7. Even though there were quite a few customers already in the bar we were seated, given menus and drinks orders were taken straight away. I ordered the cumberland sausage which came with mash gravy and black pudding bon bons. Also ordered a side of onion rings. Had the spiced walnut and white chocolate cake for pud which came with ice cream. I cannot fault anything about the food or service, it was exceptional. We all agreed only niggle was that although the main area of the bar was warm and had a fire, where we sat away from the main area was really cold. That being said it was January and had been a cold day outside. This will not deter us from visiting in future though.

Staff were super friendly, quick with orders and took hubby's humour with good grace! Lovely atmosphere, pub was cosy and welcoming. The only criticism is hubby doesn't do tomatoes, so to have a vine of seared tommies served with his steak was amusing to me but he really enjoyed the sauce that was served with it! Can't fault the food or service and will be back again.

Brilliant local pub with home made food. stayed at Dalston Hall and loved the short drive to eat here.

Booked yesterday for lunch with old friend, really warm welcome and friendly service. We both had gammon which was superb quality and very generous portion together with egg, pineapple and a basket of delicious thin chips. A really cosy traditional pub in the lovely village of Dalston, would certainly go again

Fantastic food and all the staff are very friendly - would recommend

For kind attention of owner. I have sent an email with my review.

11 of us booked for a family meal on 26th November 2022. All I can say is that everyone thoroughly enjoyed their choice from the menu. I had the Onglet steak and highly impressed with it, and the homemade French Fries, with veg to suit. I will be back.

We visited for a birthday celebration and really enjoyed our visit. Great atmosphere, warm and friendly staff, we were made to feel really welcome.. The food was top notch, well beyond traditional ‘pub grub’. The highlights being Prawns with a delicious sauce was amazing, as were the pigs in blankets with cranberry sauce and stuffing flavoured mayo. We really enjoyed our visit, we’ll be back.

Very cozy place. easy parking and a good range of dishes. Prices are reasonable and this is ideal if you are staying in the fancy Bed and Breakfast / Wedding Venue Dalston Hall. I work at Nestle Factory and always find they have space.

Very good food and very friendly service

Ok food not been here for a while, meal was ok but no mention from the waitress about the specials board only noticed after eating. Was not so keen on the large heavy wooden boards the food was served on an they seem heavy for the staff to carry. This place used to be a favourite but it’s changed a little.

Nice pub, couldn't rate very we as just there for a funeral tea!

A group of 6 visited Sunday afternoon with booking, it was reasonably busy but we were sat straight away by a really friendly lady. We were told it was full table service and with plenty staff on the bar there was no waiting, we were checked in on for drinks and to ensure everything was good. The service was excellent! The food was amazing, not just good but amazing. Between us there was pies, Sunday roast, burgers and vegetarian food. Not a bad meal in sight!

Stopped into the Blue Bell whilst walking the Cumbria Way. Lovely welcome from the ladies working at the time. The Inch cider and chicken enchiladas were lovely. I found my phone charging cable had broken and the young lady serving actually gave me an old one. Amazing service, food and assistance. Thoroughly recommend a visit

Great food and service. Highly recommended.

Booked a table for myself & my husband. Very disappointed with the food & value. Card machine wasn't working so had to go to cash machine in the coop. Certainly will not be going back anytime soon.

Lovely village pub nice atmosphere worth a visit

Rost Beef was raw, soggy Yorkshire Pud, beef burger - had better frozen fom Aldi/Lidli for fraction of the price. Not again.

Nice friendly staff. Lovely pub and beer garden , £14 for a glass of wine and a pint of lager was a bit steep.

Great food although ribs where slightly over cooked making then a little dry. Bit strange that waitress was out in beer garden drinking wine in between serving table's 🤔

Amazing Enchiladas 5star. I would highly recommend. We went especially for the Enchiladas and will be back next week. All the food & menu was excellent

The Blue Bell certainly justifies it’s 4.5* review rating. My wife discovered the Blue Bell on Google whilst we were looking for somewhere to break our journey from Scotland to Devon. We called ahead from the car and managed to get a table. It is a comfortable pub / restaurant located in a lovely village. The clientele were mainly couples and families at the time of our early evening visit. The owner and staff are very welcoming and cheerful and the service was excellent. The menu is varied and the food very reasonably priced. The Blue Bell special burger is well worth trying. I thoroughly recommend the Blue Bell to anyone looking for a friendly pub that serves quality food.

Great food. Whole family loved it.

Had a lovely meal, amazing food, cooked well and beautifully presented ,great friendly staff, very attentive. Will definitely return.

The vegetarian Sunday roast was Amazing!! 😍

Great little pub, good food, friendly staff. Had a family meal while.staying close to the village and was recommended to visit,the bluebell,glad we did 10 out of 10

Would of enjoyed my visit but the manners of 1 young lady behind the bar was shocking !!!! Very rude & abrupt !!!! We will not be returning!!! The rest of staff are great

Great food being served here at the blue bell! They cater for GF/Coeliac sufferer's, the staff were exemplary in hospitality, and general service. The establishment exhibits a great atmosphere, and surroundings. I will be returning, no doubt.

Dropped in without booking and they fitted 4 of us in. Food was just gorgeous. Great menu. Couldn't decide which to have. Definately be back 😁

Friendly service and a good varied menu - the halloumi fries were the best we have ever had, they falafel on flat bread with hummus was good, the sticky toffee pudding and the ice cream/sorbet for dessert were delicious - would have been a 5 star rating but my flat bread was a little bit too charred and the prawns in the tapas special were a little over cooked - would still recommend a visit though

Very cosy pub. Food was good. So lovley to see so many dogs enjoying it too with their owners 😊

Good food, very pleasant friendly staff.

Here for our anniversary dinner. Quite busy and really friendly staff. We skipped starters so we could have puds. The mains were huge I ordered the belly pork a whole strip arrived. My wife ordered prawns on green curry . We ended up sharing a dessert. Enjoyed been here.

Very good food and nice atmosphere

Very busy when we went but still managed to get a table for four. Staff very friendly and efficient. We had a small problem with one of the meals but this was dealt with quickly and brilliantly. We will definitely be back, thank you for a great experience.

Food was awful, uncooked gammon, plain with nothing but egg, pineapple and fries. No veg to accompany the meal. Staff were miserable, no one asked us if the food was ok! Would not return, EVER!!!!

A good pub with good tasty food. We didn’t book a table, as we had visited previously for drinks, and it didn’t look too busy mid week. The area in which we had a table, was cosy, and looked clean and tidy. They were other...

We visited here yesterday with our dog. It was a nice day so we sat outside. I got a Reuben sandwich off the specials menu and my partner had the gammon. Both of us really enjoyed our meals. They have a doggy menu which enough...

Booked lunch on our way to Penrith. We got lucky with the weather so we sat outside with our dog in the outdoor area. The staff were lovely. So friendly and they made our dog, Harris feel very welcome. They brought him water and some...

Lovely friendly pub. Nicely presented and tasty food, will definitely be back

Great service and excellent food at a reasonable price. Will be back.

Myself and my sister Karen went for lunch on the 25th February. We had a beautiful meal. I had the ribs chips and salad it was a fantastic size and was delicious. My sister had the steak and ale pie she said it was beautiful. Great presentation beautiful setting kind staff it was very special I live in Australia and I flew back the next day. Had some ribs here in Australia and was disappointed. I really need the blue bell to move to Townsville Queensland.

If you go in here you need to try the club sandwich. Best one I had in my life 😋 Good position aswell 👌

Lovely pub, visited a few times now last summer we sat outside with heaters had pizza and salmon and 2 pudding was delish, finally got to go back yesterday we had mussels and chicken strips with a few different dips, the staff were very friendly,...

Amazing food and excellent service from all staff 👍🏻

Very friendly and efficient service, and delicious food.

Bit cold & food was OK. Nice friendly staff

Been out today for dinner absolutely fantastic food, staff very friendly and welcoming. Atmosphere was great along with the background music. Would definitely recommend.

We popped in for a few drinks then returned later for food as we loved the place so much. I had the steak and ale pie which was lovely and my partner had the chicken burger which he loved. We also had halloumi fries to...

I went with my son, daughter in law and granddaughter on Christmas eve.. The meal an service was outstanding despite the staff being rushed off their feet. Brilliant amazing 1st class service and meal.. Thank you Trish

Had a lovely warm welcome for myself and my dog Daisy at the Blue Bell. Both from the very friendly staff and the amazing roaring fires. Very appealing on a cold dark evening. I would strongly recommend their Onglet steak. Probably better than most fillet steaks I’ve had! Very impressed. Thank you

Nice cosy place to meet friends for a drink on a Sunday afternoon.

Came here for our anniversary tonight which was the first night out in ages to find it the worst meal experience. I ordered steak and ale pie and fries. This came with mushrooms which was not stated on the menu. I mentioned this and was...

Really lovely atmosphere, staff friendly and warm especially the lady with the tattoos, really made us feel at ease. Staff passionate about the food which is great to see. Mains were lovely and we saw an incredible home made cake come out whilst we were there so we're a little disappointed with our chocolate Fudge Cake being a bit blah.

Nice place good food staff very friendly beer good

Lovely pub, very friendly staff and quality beer 🍺

Tried here on Friday night after staying nearby. Oh my, we are so glad we did! The Bluebells, Landlord and Landlady were so welcoming as were the staff. An added bonus we were able to take our dog in with us! The locals were so...

Wonderful burger if a bit overcooked when asked for medium rare and still got well done 🤣

Recently taken over by new management, this family-friendly local pub and restaurant is incredibly welcoming for both locals and visitors for drinks and food. The menu has a nice variety of dishes available, as well as homemade beef and chicken burgers and a range of...

Staff are lovely...great cozy wee pub. Prices....well could drop a bit.

Lovely pub with very friendly staff just a very limited menu on offer, good for pizzas or burgers just not a lot of other options available

Very welcoming. A nice way to finish my birthday celebrations xxx

Best Sunday dinner I have ever had, And to top it off finally found a sticky toffee pudding that does not contain dates. The roast beef was cooked to perfection. Will 100% definitely be back! Thankyou x Becky nicholson x

Lovely Sunday lunch. Friendly staff. Will definitely be back

Great food, great service, will be back for sure.

Had pizza and crispy beef salad. Was delicious! Excellent service and very friendly staff. Will be back!

Friendly staff and quick service. This was not our first visit however we left feeling disappointed. Limited selection of veg which was under cooked and hard. Tender meat and tasty Yorkshire puddings. We wouldn’t hurry back for Sunday lunch but would consider visiting in the...

Best pub in Cumbria, hands down 10/10

We hadn't Booked because we had been let down by another restaurant, however we were able to get a table and so glad we did. Very helpful and friendly staff. We ordered the Onglet steak and Salmon, both were amazing and extremely tasty. A wonderful experience.

Visited with family for Sunday lunch. Only a beef choice and menu different to your standard offering. We all had the beef which was excellent. Wine choice very limited. Staff were very friendly and service excellent. Good atmosphere in the bar and restaurant. Was a...

it was awful.Asked for well cooked bacon ,it was cremated BLACK as was the chicken .Could've got a tastier meal at McDonalds for a third of the price .

Great friendly service, good food. Dog friendly. They bring your dog a few treats too!

Very nice food and friendly helpful staff. Sadly no masks worn by anyone or any COVID precautions so I just hope I stay healthy following my visit!

First visit but not the last. The food was excellent. I had the onglet steak and whilst it was medium not rare as I'd asked it was superb; very tender with a wonderful flavour. The sides (chips, roast tomatoes and grilled hispi cabbage) were also spot on. Husband had pizza, which he thoroughly enjoyed and my daughter had the Blue Bell Burger and sticky toffee pudding, all of which went down very well indeed. They serve food all day which is a god send to us as we rarely want to have lunch much before 3pm and most places stop serving at 2pm. Looking forward to our next visit. Last but not least, all the ladies serving were lovely, thank you.

Fantastic food. Really enjoyed the steak it was cooked perfectly and had so much flavour. The puddings were standard pup puds but were still tasty. Would really recommend for lunch.

Lovely Sunday lunch served by cheerful staff in the nicely-set-out beer garden. Thanks again, Steve & Carol