The Bull in Maidstone

Visited with a groups of seniors after a monthly walk. Made very welcome despite finding out they were 2 staff down due to illness. Meals took a while for which theey apologised, Very attentive staff despite being under pressure Food delicious, everyone agreed we had a good meal.

Shocking service at the Bull. Had been a regular diner over the years. Met up with friends and each dinner was serviced at different times. Vegetarian pie was so hard and not able to eat sent back and chicken pie was serviced to vegetarian. Money was given back but meant one friend didn't eat anything!!!Dog was running around at full speed pestering at peoples tables.

If you are planning on having a roast dinner then expect rock hard Yorkshire puddings (so hard the knife would not go through them). It seems we were not the only table to have this problem. On top of this some of the vegetables were raw and cold. Followed by stone cold crumble for desert. We will not be going back as we have now had two occasions with sub standard food.

I have worked in the pub trade before, as well as visited many out of work. I am used to managers being one of three types. Sleepers, drinkers, or tyrants. The manager at the Bull Inn has opened my eyes to a new and rare type of manager within the pub trade, which I will call "The Manager". He runs the pub as a manager should. It is a tight ship, but he will still help the staff members out. He doesn't lay on the sofa in the office sleeping, or drink at the end of the bar like you and I are used to seeing. He is the the perfect definition of a manager.Next up, the staff. The staff are friendly and kind. No moodiness or bad attitude at all. They are always there to help answer your questions and deliver a friendly service, which I have seen is astronomically rare within Greene King.The food was sublime, I even cleared my plate for once! If you're used to your meals just slumped on your plate without a care in the world, then you've been going to to the wrong places. An absolutely gorgeous presentation on a sirloin medium-rare steak. Cooked to perfection.All in all, I could not ask for a better service at the Bull Inn in Penenden Heathe. Five stars all around. Everyone should be visiting this place!

Visited here on the 14th August 2021 there was 8 of us. Staff were friendly and professional at all times, we all had a starter no complaints. Waited what felt like a very long time till the main meals came out. Two orders were incorrect and missing items on the plate, one was a chefs special hunters chicken, the chicken was under cooked. They took the plate away and returned it with the chicken over cooked. Lamb Shanks were swimming in gravy, and they seemed to like using alot if salt and rosemary with fish. Puddings were average 4 members had a mini Eton mess Sunday which mostly consisted of cream. Overall no offer of a discount on the food. Have been before and was very good but not this time.

Meals were terrible raw chicken sent back then the chicken was hard chewed and tasted awful lamb shanks swimming in gravy sirloin fatty and mussels too much sea salt not enough white wine sauce. Desserts Eton mess where was the meringue too much cream.There were only a couple of tables not busy .Will not go there for a long time spoilt our evening.

I was served at the bar by the rudest member of staff. She was extremely unfriendly, unhelpful and had a very bad attitude. I don’t usually write reviews but it really upset me on what was supposed to be a relaxing, special occasion.

Excellent service great food quite with plenty of space. Drinks and food prices reasonable we will be back again soon

Four of us for Sunday Lunch and sister in laws roast chicken came out raw not once but twice!!!!!! Staff seemed to be apologetic and offered what we thought was a full refund across the whole order after my sister opted for Lamb Shank on the 3rd go and had to eat on her own but I was given what amounted to just over £4.30 by way of refund!!!!!!!Won’t be going again and will take further…….

Thank you so much to all the staff at the bull for accommodating a very large party last minute with great food and really good service Nothing was too much trouble and all the children enjoyed the garden.

We came as a family. We love coming here for dinner. We ordered our food and within a few minutes we had it. It was hot and very very delicious. Thank you to ALL the staff as always they are friendly and nothing is to much trouble. Thank you kindly. We will be back again very very soon.The Byrne family.

This pub visit could have been so much better. Found the bar and restaurant area clean and presentable. The toilets where minging. The service was lacking. Soup starter was such a small portion and microwaved into a molten lava. The bread was dry, ready sliced.Both main meals where overcooked, greasy and not presented well. I asked the waiter for the liver and onions option from the menu, just to be told its is not available as its so popular it is being removed from the new menu. Considering it was a Friday evening the pub was nearly empty.

I was greeted when I first arrived by a waitress with a frosty attitude! I just wanted a bite to eat for lunch so a table for one. So I picked a table inside, never been before, so I didn't really know where to seat, she didn't even asked if I wanted to sit outside or say about any specials. I looked at the menu for about ten minutes, then another waitress took my order. Then before I even got time to settle to wait for my food the waitress come over again and said: "Is that card or cash!" even before I had seen what I had ordered or gave me an opportunity to order anything else. I felt rushed and unwelcome. The staff just lingered around the bar complaning about customers not wearing masks. It wasn't ever busy, I know why by my experience. The food was OK hence the average rating.

Nipped out with the kids for a quick bite to eat in my lunch break. I've always driven past the Bull and thought it looked lovely so decided we give it a go. We weren't disappointed. The lady was helpful and knowledgeable. We had a table in the garden. My son thoroughly enjoyed the play park!It was very easy to order. The food arrived quickly and looked as good as it tasted. My 8 year old went and thanked the lady as he loved his lunch. He's not easy to please either!? We will definitely be back and highly recommend. The Bull was definitely covid safe for anyone with any concerns about eating out. We felt very safe. Thank you!

I visited recently for a meal with my two daughters. We had a lovely meal, the service was good and the prices reasonable. Couldn’t fault it. We will certainly go again

Took my young granddaughter out for lunch today but would not come back . Food was terrible. I ordered childrens sausage and mash and a salmon salad for myself . The salad consisted of a large pile of mixed leaves with a couple of very dodgy pieces of tomatoe and a few strands of roasted peppers topped with the dryest ,overcooked piece of salmon I've ever had in my life ! My granddaughter's sausages were hard and the mashed potatoes were definitely instant. I imagine prison food would be better, won't be returning !

Brilliant pub! I have always been a frequent visitor of this pub and have always been very impressed with it. The staff are brilliant, food is lovely and service is quick and attentive. I was apprehensive about visiting post lockdown and sitting outside - however the experience was great. We were greeted by Harry at the outside host table who showed us to our seats. We used the app to do track and trace and place our order. Drinks arrived in 2 minutes and food took under 10 minutes. The staff members were all wearing masks, we took our own items off the trays and felt very safe during our visit. A special mention to Ellie, Joe, Harry and Andy who made us very welcome and remained positive and professional despite the rain! Many thanks team Bull - see you soon! :)

Dont know where to start!walked in shown to a busy dining area which was very stuffy!got drinks order in 20 minutes later got a drink,took food order 40 minutes came out with main meals and we asked what had happened to our starters and the lad taking our order had forgot to put in!yes he apologised but nothing else really!had mix grill and actually was ok!no one taking drinks orders just standing up the bar doing nothing so had to keep going up to get them to come and take our order!not how covid friendly pubs work I'm afraid!next wae a visit to the toilet!oh dear!filthy!one urinal fall of urine where a guy next to me said that's been like that for about a month!toilet seat smashed off in cubicle!was told to hurry up at 9.30 in a not very polite way!was asked to pay our tab but in our haste to get out in think we just paid and forget to check but think we forgot about the starters and paid for them!just wanted to get out!filthy,poor service,forgotten order and expensive!never again and avoid as this place gives pub/restaurants a bad name!

4 of us had lunch today using the seniors menu. 10 out of 10 for food and service. Will definitely be going back.

lunchtime today not overly busy half price deals : this means half the meal and half the service. Over cooked food which you wait for excessively long and then they forget your food apparently is waiting in the kitchen. 45mins later for brownie and ice-cream. As for Covid-19 good luck ! Glass taken back still with lipstick on a child's drink.Taking the mickey out of half price meals. Any metre rule does not exist here. Time,money and our health wasted here.

Rang to book a table on Saturday afternoon as a last minute family meal. Everywhere else was booked up so felt lucky to get a table. We hadn't visited The Bull before and won't be going back. The table we were put on was next to a window and there was water dripping into a pool on the window sill right by me. There were large black flies on the window so we asked to move, we were then seated across the room by another window where more black flies were congregating and flying above our heads. We ordered a drink and then left as didn't want to risk eating with flies about. Really gross. Staff friendly but either oblivious to the flies or powerless to deal with it. Disappointing for a Greene King establishment.

We went for a roast today, I'm not exaggerating when I say this.. It was the worst food ever, I wouldn't feed it to my dog, if was frozen, the potatoes were frozen the veg was vile and soggy... I would never ever return

poor service food on floor needs to be clean they run out of food quick eg cake was always Victoria sponge. needs to improve the restaurant kids meals small

ended up here as the Harvester could not fit us in! was disappointed as really fancied the salad cart at Harvester, nevertheless food I ordered at the bull was really lovely fresh & hot. I chose the pizza sharing platter the meat feast pizza. The pesto & rocket on it made it the nicest pizza i have had in a long while

So I was down south visiting family and was recommended this place by friends and family, I must admit being from up north I was abit skeptical upon looking at it (we have nice buildings up north ) but once we got in there I was greeted by a very friendly and helpful young girl called JADE from entering to leaving I couldn’t of been happier she made us feel so welcome(even though she couldn’t understand my accent ) everything was just great for me and the family also food was amazing!! You’d be stupid to miss this one of your list

Whilst on holiday in the UK last week, my wife and i came across this pub on our travel's The food was good and the customer service was brilliant especially from jade who was our waitress

Great atmosphere on a Friday evening, ordered food didnt have to wait too long service was quick and our waitress jade was spot on with everything

Went for Lunch at the Bull , Penenden Heath, Very Welcoming atmosphere, very comfortable clean and tidy , On a week day , Jade was very attentive, friendly brilliant service, not to long to wait for the food , excellent by the way . Would definitely visit again.

I booked a family meal for Saturday lunchtime due to children. Jade the waitress/bar lady was so welcoming and helpful,she took time to speak to the children and made it so nice, certainlyservice with a smile. The food come in a good time and it was of a good standard. The setting is family orientated and quite spacious I would recommend.

Went for lunch at The Bull on Saturday, food was pretty good (4stars) but upgraded to a 5star review as the level or service we received from Jade was excellent. Very attentive, nothing was to much for her and an A* service provided! Will definitely return but only if Jade is our waitress again!Regards David And Betty Wells

Lovely meal. Service excellent by Debs. So helpful.. Will certainly come again. Views from Conservatory pleasant across the heath.

Food was excellent the staff were very friendly especially Tyler loved it brilliant service food was very good as I said

Reserved table, very attentive waiter Tyler great food would highly recommend will defiantly be coming back to this venue

Great waiter Tyler. Very polite and efficient. Food was lovely would definitely recommend. I will be back soon. Thank you

The bull in a wonderful place for a nice meal, friendly service from our waiter Tyler aswell. Would definitely visit again!!

Came in for a works lunch, food and drink was good Bar staff friendly, especially Jade who was our waitress she couldn't do enough for us, great to see someone who loves their job! Will be returning 👍

We came for a family lunch... food and service brillant. Especially Debs who was very helpful and attentive to us, especially with the kids.

Popped in for a roast with my little one. The food was perfect, delicious and we'll presented. Serving staff Debs couldn't do enough for us. Quick service and great value for money, large plates even for Kids Roast (one less notch on the belt)

Popped by for lunch, lovely menu, food served hot, pub was very clean and a lovely atmosphere. Served by Jade and Debs and was reasonably priced.

Attended as a large group booking. The service was fantastic. Our waitress Debs was amazing and extremely patient with us. Food menu had alot of variety and was served hot. The whole pub/restaurant was very clean. Will def be returning.

Excellent service Amazing food and a great price Very accommodating and disabled access and toilet facilities excellent Was served by Staff Debs and Jade Very friendly and helpful staff

Food was lovely and we was also served by a lady called Aimee who was more than helpful and made us feel welcome.

Great selection of music, very comfortable and food was fantastic. Very welcoming atmosphere would definitely recommend

It was a pub in a sort of housing neighbourhood across a field, but it was like a big christmas tree in a dark area, so stood out. Interiod was large and cosy. Food quality was the usual pub fare, with some good promotions. Food came out hot and with not too long of a wait. Service was ok. I would not hesistate to return if I am in the area.

Came for lunch - had a halloumi wrap it was dry barely full chips were greasy. My drink was also flat to which I asked someone to change - he told me to go up to the bar myself which is hilarious as we were the only ones in the place pretty much. The girl at the till was moody and didn’t smile. Worst lunch Iv had in a while

Dissapointed Dinner was Hot But Not Enough .To Warrent Price They Charged .To Much Veg On Plate No Free Coffee ,Mints .If Gone To Harvester ,Would Of Had Better Meal ,But Left It To Late to Book

Good food and good helpful staff. Would come again. I am vegan and the meal option they offered where good.

Decent Surroundings and comfortable Normally food good , Have had a few bad meals at venue, not good last visit on 17/12/2019

Very, very poor on 19th November 2019. One was sent back, as it was cold. Waitress was accomodating, but I had to take my plate to the bar, as no one came to see if everything was alright. 'Yorkshire Pudding' was inedible. And the second Waitress was darnright rude. Would never go back, even if we were paid. Alot of money for the worst meal out.

Paid over £11 for cod and chips and the cod was the smallest, flattest piece I have ever had and 80% of it was batter. Will not be going back!

Love the pub in the summer as it's great for kids but there is a big but.....waiting for service at the bar is painful, unfortunately it's the same everytime, they really need more staff that are effective in serving drinks otherwise you have to be prepared for a long wait even if you are standing right at the bar you can still wait 15 mins or more for a beer then order your beer and it gets served in a fosters glass! Dreadful.

Went in for roast dinners no beef available so we went with the chicken, the meat was very nice but the peas were cold and hard, the Yorkshire was floppy and cold and fibrous, the mash potato was a packet mix very fibrous also, the roast potatoes were cooked from frozen very soft and cold, the stuffing ball were raw in the centre and bouncy on the outside, the pig in blanket had been previously cooked then heated up in the microwave and shrivelled to a crisp & the gravy was poured all over our dinners instead of in a jug on the side in case you actually don’t like gravy. Absolutely never ever would we go back in there for a roast dinner. £70 down including the drinks, now we in McDonald’s drive through filling up on McFlurrys!

Just eaten at The Bull Penenden Heath, not been there for years and after eating there understand why it’s been that long and do not plan on going back, had the new peri peri chicken and. Had to fill the other half of my bun with the chips on the plate as the chicken only covered half of the bun the other half was filled with salad leaves, when picking up and eating the bun fell apart, they brought out the starters with the mains, not value for money as this is one of the worst meals i’ve Had in years, gross, Drink was lovely though.

This is an amazing location on Penenden Heath that has had a recent refurb.

Waited over 45 mins for one starter then we finished that and waited a further 40mins for main dinner when we got it it was over cooked and dry, it was dirty in there food on the floors, the blinds are full of dust and dead flies and wasps on window sills, disgusting needs a overhaul inside and out.

Came with my mum and daughter. Ordered food at the bar. Bar staff really nice and friendly. Food took a while to come. Unfortunately sat near an old couple who did nothing but moan about the wait. Working myself in the trade, I understand and appreciate that food does not magically appear in seconds! If a member of BOH is ill or whatever, it dramatically affects the rest of the team. I didn't mind the wait. Food lovely, desert was divine. Definitely will return. Nearly forgot, new refurbishment is beautiful, absolutely love it.

Sunday lunch ~ 1 hour!! wait for food, which was awful. Fish in batter was very dry shrivelled and small. Fajitas were warm (certainly NOT sizzling). Glasses were dirty as was the cutlery. Very Very disappointing.

The cutlery was just shoved in a pot , not wrapped in napkins and dirty . Service was very disorganised. No clean glasses and waited ages to be served . Food was okay but for vegetarians it was very limited. Ordered salad but they said they had run out! How can that be allowed to happen on a hot Saturday ? Not impressed at all and can’t recommend

We went back to the bull not been for a long time,next time we need a meal we will drive past this pub,food was not very good,told staff how bad it was she just walked away never see her again,

Been coming here for a very long time and now the food has gone down hill and went there today and food was terrible cold and when I told the staff all they say is it wasn’t come when it come out won’t be coming back anymore which is a shame as used to be lovely

This is, unfortunately, our local. The glasses are always lipstick stained. It’s under staffed, and a mess.

Lovely pub restaurant located on the outskirts of town over looking Penden Heath. We popped in after a day out on the bank holiday and, as allways, found a good selection of food at reasonable prices plus freindly staff. The only let down was the time it took for the food to arrive from the time we ordered.

Best restaurant in the area, excellent value for money and very friendly staff. Have visited most restaurants in Maidstone, and have always found this best.

I went for lunch here with 6 friends, which we had booked, following their refurbishment.

Ok we knew that the food is average at best, but it's convenient and set in a lovely location and child friendly. So we thought that we would pay The Bull a visit in the hope thay maybe things had improved.

a very enjoyable lunch ,you order food at bar and they bring to you, very prompt service food excellent.nice atmosphere

We've been a few times for a beer and it was ok but today we had food....waste of money. Bar staff are miserable and unfriendly, we ordered 3 sandwiches which were stuffed with loads of lettuce and hardly any filling and bread was wet and they got the wrong fillings also. Loos are old, dated and dirty.

Friendly staff and fast service.

Been here quite a few times. never been dissapointed with the food and price paid. Good selection of menu, well presented .

Was not impressed with bar staff, they looked to unhappy food was ok but steaks were very chewy and cold.

We are a large family and needed a nice venue to cater for a meal to celebrate my dad's 87th birthday. We needed a huge table to accommodate 18 people including two toddlers (and we also had a baby in the group) and we also required an outside space so the children could get outside and run around if necessary and plenty of car parking, plus good and affordable food to accommodate a range of budgets. We found all this and more at the Bull, along with friendly, helpful staff. Oh, there was even a children's play area, which was made use of. Perfect!

Recent lunch with friends. The service was friendly and efficient. Good food and Excellent chunky chips. Worth a visit

Turned up after making a booking online, gave the name and told no booking. Some rude old woman spouted to him no more bookings. We told him it was booked online and he founs a seat in the corner. We noticed lots of reserved tables but no one came and sat on them. When the food arrived the plates were dirty so were promptly sent back. No discount offered despite dirty plates and a crap system that can't make bookings. Tasty food but that's it.

This place has gone down hill. The food was quite terrible. I wouldn't feed it to my kid and he eats books. There was damp/mold on the walls and ceiling. Wallpaper hanging off all over the place. The overall feel was that it was quite dank and no one cares. A really disappointing meal, especially as it used to be quite nice.

Nice pub meal for Sunday lunch, the bull is located on Penenden Heath and offers good food, reasonable prices and freindly service.

Ok, now I've been to this pub many times and usual the food is great. This time we both tried the festive burger. As can be seen from the picture it looks great but unfortunately it was let down by the chefs inattention to the bacon and roll which was both burnt. The bacon to the point where it crumbled in my fingers, every chef should know that no matter how good the food is that if any part of its burnt then it will overpower the rest.

This is a beautiful pub/restaurant. Always very full of people. Beautifully warm and great service. You can also be picked up from home and taken back after your meal. Food excellent.

Food was not much better than awful, service was slow - and by a very unhappy waitress! Very understaffed. Ceiling looked like it may fall into our laps and the toilets were the filthiest I have ever seen in a restaurant. So many better/cleaner/nicer places to eat in Maidstone!!!

Great service, well poured pints and nice food. We came here on a trip to Maidstone from Brighton and was impressed with the service and the bar staff can actually pull a decent pint unlike the pub up the road. I recommend

We ate here today for a quick lunch break.

This pub brings down the neighbourhood . It's scruffy and tatty exterior does it no favours. Empty crisp packets, beer glasses, cigarette butts and outside furniture which is not fit for purpose welcome you as you enter. Not dog friendly as the only place to have a drink with a dog is out the front in the aforementioned unwelcoming environment. Beer garden is basic. Haven't eaten here and wouldn't want to. It feels dirty, tired and deprived. Such a shame as it's in a pleasant setting overlooking the green in a nice neighbourhood. Penenden Heath is an affluent area and deserves a high quality pub/restaurant. In the right hands, it may achieve it's potential and compete with The White Horse in Bearsted or the Kings Arms in Boxley but we won't be returning any time soon.

I can only echo what has previously been said, you are welcomed by tatty seats out the front, overgrown shrubs and a tired frontage of the pub, which is a shame, given that it overlooks Penenden heath which is lovely on a nice summers evening.

Dreadful, dirty and disgusting. I have never seen a pub/eatery in such a bad state. I would not want to eat there or drink there.

Miserable women serving behind the bar! Crack a smile at least! Dirty outside, rubbish, cigarette butts everywhere, garden furniture that looks ready for the skip! Wouldn’t go here again! Run down and neglected

We came here as the Chiltern Hundred was booked up, offers good pub grub at good price and with nice views over Peneden Heath. Worth tuning ahead as large amount of tabels were reserved.

Went along to have a meal and to save having to cook. Nice meal reasonable prices, food was hot and tasty, some of the seats will need replacing soon.

With quality to match! Burger was OK (no better) beer was good. Overall average, but not expensive so no complaints but you do think that perhaps more attention to detail and less to quantity would achieve a better result.

booked for a lunch time treat for our daughters had a really enjoyable meals service was spot on their was something for everyone on the menu

Lunch with three friends . The cod and chips sat on a red and white material, itself on a plate. Shortly after starting to eat we realised that the 'material' was a kind of tissue paper, which of course was ripped very easily by the knife and fork, and inevitably ended up on on the fork with food. It was only with some effort that I avoided eating any of it. My friends suddenly mentioned that they had been the week before and had the same problem, which they had forgotten about until I had the same issue (tissue, even )

First visit to this pub for several years will be our last. Part of group pre-booked for Christmas meal so awkward to make individual complaint but several people were muttering. Large portions tried to make meals appear good value but poor quality food. Steaks were tough and full of gristle. Burger served in metal dog’s bowl said it all. Save your cash go elsewhere

First time at the Bull for a lunch. Pre ordered as there were quite a few of us.

nice welcome great service friendly staff throughout time there . food was good tasty hot and plenty of it would eat there again

We pre-booked and pre-ordered for 11 people at 1pm on a Sunday. Food came out, nice and hot, pretty much all together, got one extra side wrong, but sorted it when told. Our waitress was very new, but got answers to any questions without complaint, as we hadn’t pre-ordered desserts we had to go and order them at the bar after, they don’t take orders for drinks either at the table. Apart from that all went well, especially considering some of the poor reviews. All staff on duty were pleasant and helpful.

Waited nearly an hour for our lunch. 3 different meats and fatty, stringy and tough. The mash was from a packet as was the stuffing and roast potatoes. Disgusting food. Save your money

So two families thought it would be nice to go out for a Sunday roast together. Knowing that everywhere is popular we researched spaces and booked on line. The eight of us arrived 4 adults and 4 children at 17:30.. only to be greeted by an obnoxious waitress (found out her name was Jess).. who barked at us that we didn't have a booking, when explained to her we booked on line.. she abrubtly stated that she was short staffed and didn't have the time to look on the computer.. she told us to just sit anywhere (the pub was busy with no obvious available tables) that there were no roasts left and there was over an hour wait for food.

We fancied a Sunday meal out so wandered up from home to the bull as its a few minutes off. This is a nice pub located on Penenden Heath over looking the recreation ground, it has well presented and has a homely atmosphere. It took a few minutes to order from the food order point but the service was quick and efficient. The roast dinners were very goid quality and well priced at £9.99.

Beer and wine fine, coffee a bit average, but the food was good (spoilt a bit by being served on cold plates - the chips suffered particularly badly).

Food was well cooked and came quickly

Lovely atmosphere and good service chearful however my child had spaghetti Bol but it had a "funny taste and smell" my child didn't like it but my rest of my family was happy definitely recommend this pub however I do not recommend the spaghetti Bol

ConsRude barmaids, they look like sisters. Grumpy and non helpful ProsFood is ok, gets very busy which makes the service even worse , good set of beers and wines Fantastic location overlooking Penenden Heath , easy parkingWhy be in that business if you don't value your customers, appalling service by staff