The Bright Star Pub in North Hertfordshire

We visited as a group of 14 on a circular walk from Harpenden. We pre-booked as a large number of vegetarians in our group and the landlord kindly provided some additional vegetarian options. Everyone enjoyed the food, pizzas, burgers and flatbreads especially, and beer very good too. This historic pub and large beer garden are in an idyllic sunny location on the quiet village green with some pleasant countryside walks in the area. Thoroughly recommended for a relaxing (and reasonably priced) meal and drinks.

There was a good review so we came especially. Slightly less than friendly reception. We were hungry and looking to eat... the lettuce garnish with the chicken wings looked 2 weeks old, black bits on it ... it really wasn't up to much. I'm writing this review to get the record straight for others

Overall a great experience and definitely worth it. I especially loved the atmosphere, very cosy inside and peaceful outside. The food and service was absolutely fine. Oh and they served Heinz tomato ketchup which makes it all the better.

Amazing village pub, centrally located with a good range of beers and some fantastic pub food! If you are in the area, 100% recommend a drop in!

Absolute state and that’s the owner rude to my son place is run down would rather sit at home then see the owners miserable face the The owners dog went for my dog then shouted at my son and dog to get out I would never step foot in the dirty place again

Went in yesterday lunchtime and had a down and dirty burger which was absolutely exquisite, later to be told it was cooked by their young chef who looked about 17. All round 10/10 and would definitely go back to see what this young man can do.

Visiting the area from Brighton. Our party of eight each enjoyed a wonderful, very reasonable priced, roast dinner in this friendly and welcoming pub on Mothers Day. The portions were generous with a range of fresh vegetables all cooked to perfection. Thank you to all the staff for working so hard to enable us to have a relaxed afternoon. I do hope your local community support you.

Excellent Sunday roast with good portions, a wide array of perfectly cooked vegetables and an ace Yorkshire pud. There was also a vegetarian roast, ordered in advance. I went with a walking group and we all liked our lunch. The service was good. The only downside was that there was no heating. Luckily, we all had our fleeces.

Came in for an early lunch today place was packed amazing atmosphere food was good and staff where very friendly a special shoutout to Brooke working behind the bar and serving the food would definitely come back thanks for a good meal and stay

Only went for a couple of coffees/meeting and stayed just over 3hrs. When we arrived it looked the pub was closed and when we discovered it was open, it felt like they weren't expecting any customers to walk through the door even though it was 1.30pm on a Saturday! The tables and seats were dirty and there were no other customers in the pub. Also, on a December day there appeared to be no heating and it was very cold and unwelcoming inside. Nice chap running it and he said he had plans for it which we wish him well with, but currently it feels like the doors should close for a period of refurbishment/cleaning and would suggest it needs to reinvent itself as either somewhere to go for cosy drink/bar snack or a typical country feel gastro pub. But in its current state it isn't worth visiting. We live locally & often look for a pub to meet up with friends as I'm sure many others living nearby do. The village location of the Bright Star is definitely a lovely draw and so is the fact you can park easily. But can't see ourselves returning or recommending it to anyone unless it seriously improved. Really hope it makes it 🙏

What a lovely pub and great staff

Turned up with a walking group to an empty pub. You'd think they'd be happy to have a steady stream of custom queuing out the door but we seemed to be a real inconvenience to the two behind the bar. Don't ask for a cup of tea as they will be really unhappy despite getting £2.50 for boiling a kettle.

It's a great place to stop for a beer when walking near Harpenden... very welcoming and a good selection of beers. Will be back in the future.

Super country pub with plenty of outside space for a sunny afternoon/evening. Incredibly friendly staff (including the pub beagle ❤️), make the Bright Star such an enjoyable place to visit. Locals are welcoming and will have a chat about anything. Stunning in the sunshine. Beer cold. Perfect.

Stopped here for lunch on a cycle. Lovely garden, service was great, food was great. Highly recommend. Was quiet which surprised me!

Proper country pub! The sausage sandwiches were amazing.

Nice pint of Estrella in the sun

Brilliant little pub with buckets of local charm. Simple but well cooked food at a very reasonable price. Beer garden that never gets shade. A secret gem!

Really tasty fresh food and a lovely quaint rustic pub ! Highly recommended!

Guy put on a great spread for my sons wake. Guy and his staff worked tirelessly serving about 100 people. I would certainly recommend this pub for an event or a few drinks and or a meal. It all went very well indeed. Thanks

Thank you Guy and his team. After a emotional day with my sons funeral we had the wake at The Bright Star. The buffet was enjoyed especially the spring rolls. The staff were very busy with over 100 of us . They were friendly and helpful. We were able to make it personal with photos on tables and the bars TV. Highly recommend.

There for a colleague's funeral but lovely country pub, would be a brilliant place to visit in the summer due to Karen spacious outdoor area

The beer garden is great for the long summer evenings. It's a classic country pub with decent prices and honest food. The meat and cheese board was very generous as a dinner for 2 people.

Good pub food, quick service and friendly staff. Nice outside seating. Traditional pub décor. The food was good pub food.

Lovely quiet village pub on Peters Green. Plenty of parking. Dog friendly. Plenty of outdoor seating.

A lovely Country pub that we've driven past on so many occasions and have said 'we must have a drink in there one day, it looks so good' We weren't disappointed when we eventually did so, we did go there on a Monday evening unfortunately though, they were closed, impact from covid but its a good thing as it's good for the landlord and all those working there to have a break. We said we'd be back the following night and we kept to our word ( tonight). We were not disappointed, what a lovely and friendly pub this is, it reminded me of the village I grew up in , where you were always welcomed, the Pub is great and the gardens are so well kept and pretty. Beautiful hanging baskets, great tables, and to top it all, a great dog too, he is gorgeous. Or, should I say, a handsome 🐕 So, something else that we love, dog friendly too . Great place, thank you 😊

Been one of my favourite pubs since 1979. It's nice to take the kids there after we've taken them plane spotting at nearby Luton Airport. We spent a very hot Sunday afternoon there, it was quite busy and even had a live jazz band playing. Another bonus is that it's a very dog friendly pub and so you can buy doggie treats in the bar and they also sell doggie ice cream!!

Lovely garden that catches the afternoon and evening sun, with a great selection of pints. What more do you want??

Lovely pub, lovely owners, lovely dog

Visited for a birthday celebration. Good outdoor seating area, good food & drink and hospitable staff.

Great little pub. Very friendly. Menu very interesting. We'll worth a visit. I will be definitely returning.

I’ve moved to a village nearby & I’ve been hearing about the roasts here. Well I had one today & it’s safe to say I’ll definitely be returning! Roast was absolutely lovely all fresh and homemade, great atmosphere with friendly staff. Looking forward to returning 😊

Lovely friendly staff, dog friendly. Brought us a heater when we were soaking wet with 4 dogs

Proper old fashion pub with good selection beers and spirit's.Much of the food is home made and would recommend lamb shank or steak and kidney pie,note the menu is limited but adequate.

Great find. Real good pub and recommend food. Proper ingredients. Great location. Two visits now and look forward to the next one.

Staff very friendly. Pizzas and beer were superb. On a hot , sunny evening it was just like being back in Italy.

Good beer served and a knowledgeable landlord on the topic of rugby. Also generous portions of well cooked food

Attractive outdoor seating. ..when the weather is good. ..

Great pub with a traditional village pub atmosphere. Spectacular floral display outside. Very friendly staff. Enjoyed a refreshing lunchtime pint and a light bite from the menu. Will definitely return.

Lovely country pub. Plenty of parking. Friendly staff and good food.

Fabulous display of flowers and a great pub too!

Lovely country pub, super staff, big garden. Beer is well kept and the food menu is simple but tasty with top notch ingredients.

Great hidden pub and lovely food, only shame for me was no cider on tap but they did have bottle options

Pizza was nice but serve a bit slow

Excellent BRITISH pub REALLY WELL FRIENDLY Good food.

After getting a table waitress was nowhere to be seen so we had to track one down, I even saw someone delivering food to a nearby table and they looked at me so I made a gesture to her about getting some drinks But alas nothing from her she didn’t even tell any of the bar staff , when we ordered drinks the girl didn’t seem to know anything about what they had and didn’t seem that interested, we sat down at 4pm and got our drinks at 4.45 terrible service when ordering 2nd drinks she informed us that there was 3 people pouring drinks and just her taking them to customers, terrible service and a bit of a shambles,definitely won’t be back until things are organised better

Poor service. Waited 25 minutes for menu that never arrived... Need some improvement...

Nice pub garden and friendly waitresses- lovely sitting in the sun!

It’s always a good food there and nice wines!

Rural pub on the large village green. Great conversation and beer.

Lovely pub, village green setting, nice outdoor seating area nice pub lunches, friendly staff

Really nice country pub and decent range of beers. The pizza's looked and smelt lovely

Very welcoming and the food was very nice

Really nice little British pub. Beer is good, service is good and very friendly. Locals are friendly also. The only down side is that we walked 5 miles to get there on a Sunday lunchtime thinking we could have a bowl of soup or a panini etc only to find that on a Sunday they only do Sunday roast. Disappointed. Maybe do a small Sunday bar menu.... We will be going back though, even if its only for a beer and bad of crisps.

Lovely village pub. Friendly welcome. Nice Sunday roast. Would recommend a visit for a drink or food.

Popped in on Sunday 8/12/19 and it's under new management. Guy and the team made me, my Wife and Son feel so welcome and the food we tried was delicious!!! Will definitely be back again soon

Lovely home made biscuits with coffee and tea. Very helpful and lovely staff.

Visited Saturday evening, had the cod and burger, was cooked to perfection, a few pints and some wine in iddilic surroundings. A beautiful country pub with friendly welcoming staff especially Amanda the new manager. Will certainly be back. Great value and worth a visit.

Just had a lunchtime sandwich and sat outside but good food, fast and friendly service and great location

Excellent local pub. Great beer, friendly owners, and you can bring your dog inside! What more could you want from a pub!? They also do Sunday roast!

Lovely little pub but ales no good ,pipes need cleaning and a bit bare when you walk in ,but the bar tender was fab .

Delicious food with good gluten free options. Caring staff who showed care throughout a full Christmas menu. Nice atmosphere and dog friendly.

3 Course Christmas dinner was excellent. If you fancy a leisurely meal then The Bright Star is well worth a try.

Really friendly and good service

Perfect for family. Good food, always welcome. Really like this pub.

New chef is producing great fresh food and a frequently changing menu. Awesome for kids and dogs, games for the family and off the beaten track. Close to lots of country walks, popular cycling and horse riding routes

Lovely little country pub, lovely food and friendly staff!

Great food smashing service great beer going again soon

A rare delight! Having cycled past The Brightstar many times recently during this scorching weather- decided it was time to make a visit. Firstly; excellent choice of spirits, particularly gin, including a rhubarb flavour served with ginger ale & a slice of rhubarb! Secondly; CAMRA & other such luddites will always judge a pub by its ales. Nonsense. In hot weather it’s all about cider & lagers, and the Heineken was served in a frozen glass fizzing & vortexing all over the place! Perfect! Thirdly; the idea of a roast on the hottest day of the year wasn’t too tempting. Not a problem. The chef sorted out a light tuna mayo & salad baguette. No issue, no eyebrows raised - just sorted! A great pub in a lovely rural setting. Well worth a visit!

Only had a pint but the beer was good after 17Km of cycling

Exceptional service and food. Very friendly pub. Will certainly visit again.

Tasty food that's a solid 8/9 out of 10, lovely friendly staff, nice and chilled, outdoor tables for sunny days, basically an all round great place :-)

Great place to sit in the garden

Great friendly country pub. Fantastic home cooked food. Love it

Found this pub on doggy pubs as wanted somewhere that I could take my Labrador and my grandson. Went on a Sunday so menu is limited to roasts and a couple of baguettes but don't let that stop you as the roast is amazing. Decor is traditional but also slightly unique the welcome is warm and dogs are truly made welcome. I enjoyed my beef last week so much that I came back this week with my husband .

Excellent meal and very friendly people

Great atmosphere. Best thing is the dogs. I love going there to stroke all the doggos

Great service and atmosphere, foods good and cheap.

Great traditional English country pub

Another warm welcome at the Bright Star today - a perfect staging post for walkers.

Great place! Food and service was fantastic. Thank you Kate!

Reasonable prices and nice location on the green. Limited selection of food.

Lovely friendly owners. The roast was really nice. Definitely worth a visit.

Nice dog friendly pub. Friendly staff.

Friendly pub with a friendly pub dog

Lovely staff. Pretty location. Nice selection of beers.

Warm welcome decent pint and the best steak pie for miles. Brilliant.

We turned up, 5 of us, plus Dave the dog, with no booking, on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Straight away, a jug of water was brought out by the landlady for Dave. We all plumped for the traditional roast, and were not disappointed. The yorkies were a bit crisp, but the meat was plentiful and succulent. extra gravy and extra horseraddish fetched by the lovely landlady. Plus cauliflower cheese comes as standard, it's an extra side in most restaurants. Really pleasant afternoon here, hope to be back sometime soon.

A proper village pub with great ales and honest home made food. Well worth a visit.

Wonderful food & nice feel good place

Cycled out to this pub as it's fairly local. The outside of the pub is a traditional country pub with nice brickwork and a sign out front. It had a decent sized car park out back and a bar to chain your bike up. The landlady was very friendly, and asked how my friend and I were, and proceeded to get our drinks. The pub held a good ale, as we enjoyed beers from the local McMullen brewery. There were several ales on tap, as well as lager and various other drinks. A fire was started in the fireplace which was lovely for such a brisk day. Very much enjoyed the experience and will visit again.