The Bull Inn Arborfield in Reading

My wife, son and I came back to The Bull for an early Christmas family evening meal out. As always, we came away having fully enjoyed all three courses, drinks, tea and cappucino. We were delightfully served by Lilly, whose customer service was really friendly and impeccable. Do please, please, support your local restaurants at this time, whether eat in or take-away. The Bull is the most Covid-19 compliant place we have visited and is deserving of your custom. I saw one or two other previous comments on here, that are at odds with our experience this evening. We will certainly return to The Bull.

Further to my 2 earlier reviews, ( June 2019 & January 2020 ) it is simply a pleasure to eat regularly at The Bull - Arborfield Cross. The meals here, are like reading good books - you are sorry when you have finished them !!In these bewildering times, you still feel very comfortable eating here, with Covid 19 protocol impeccably followed by both Staff and Diners.Have already booked to come back for lunch during this coming week.Thank you again to all of the " Team ", who make us so welcome.Michael and Anne

With the VAT reduced by 15% you would not expect the prices to rise by a huge amount. Pro ratered fish and chips is nearly £20.00 !Reduced menu and main courses only. No sandwiches or baguettes. It’s a shame that the customer is being exploited.

The prices have increased considerably since reopening, however the menu has shrunk. Food of very average quality and very poorly cooked, definitely not worth the money. A shadow of its former self.

El personal ha trabajado muy duro para hacer de este un ambiente seguro y está haciendo todo lo posible en circunstancias desgarradoras. Sin embargo, el menú reducido no está en su sitio web y nos sorprendió ver cuánto han subido sus precios en comparación con el menú regular a la carta. 4 más para un plato de salmón básico es mucho más, especialmente cuando hay varias personas. La comida de pescado y patatas fritas fue decepcionante, ya que no estaba muy caliente y la masa estaba demasiado cocida con patatas fritas semi calientes.

Visito con bastante regularidad y puedo decir honestamente que nunca he comido mal aquí. Estoy particularmente impresionado por las medidas adoptadas para proteger al personal y a los clientes ahora. Incluso antes de que las mascarillas fueran obligatorias, todo el personal las usaba. Mesas bien espaciadas; menús de un solo uso y usted registra sus datos en la parte posterior para rastrear y rastrear; cubiertos comprados en bandeja para evitar demasiado contacto. Mesas y sillas rociadas y limpiadas después de cada uso y una entrada y salida / circulación unidireccional. De la cocina a la mesa es un gran equipo, bien gestionado.

Es importante apoyar a los restaurantes locales, especialmente a los que se administran de forma independiente, por lo que fue bueno estar de regreso en The Bull Inn Arborfield para almorzar hoy. El Toro, tranquilizador, se está tomando muy en serio los requisitos de Covid, por lo que todos nos sentimos seguros y, con el excelente jardín aislado, se puede comer felizmente al aire libre. La comida es tan buena como siempre, pruebe la tarta de pescado, morralla, curry, las famosas patatas salteadas y el Eton Mess.

Primera cena en 5 meses y, desafortunadamente, el camarero Benny era su miserable y gruñón habitual. No podía molestarnos en informarnos de las numerosas comidas en el tablero de "especiales". Me he encontrado con sus modales antes y honestamente puedo decir que visiblemente no disfruta de su papel al interactuar con nosotros, los clientes. La comida, como de costumbre, fue excelente, Bruno y el resto de su equipo son siempre profesionales y acogedores. Esta revisión habría sido de 5 estrellas si no hubiera sido por Benny. Si vuelvo, le pediré a Benny que no nos sirva.

Have just had a delicious two course lunch with the Eat Out to Help Out scheme. Well organised, well sanitised and well spaced. No reservations in recommending this venue which never fails to please.

Not only because it convenient and local but we always get a warm welcome by the staff and the food is lovely.Its good and atmosphere is very homely so if that's what you enjoy then that's what you'll get. Great selection of starters, mains and desserts although I would always recommend listening to the selection of special on offer that day as when the have the swordfish it's unbelievable!Lunch is also great, a really good selection of panini's and baguettes.Not so much a bar to stand or sit in although in the summer the beer garden lovely and they will serve food outside too.Although we love this place I would like to see the inside updated slightly.

Good food and friendly service from 2 ladies serving, unfortunately spoiled by the surly male waiter.6 of us were having a family meal, we enjoyed the roasts and then all ordered a pudding, i mentioned to the waiter that we were there celebrating my dads 85th birthday and could he have custard and cream with his crumble, the reply was an abrupt ‘he can have what he wants you’ll be paying for it’Really spoiled the mood, won’t be rushing back!

Visited for Sunday lunch. As ever good service and good food. We haven't ever had a meal that disappointed.

Called in on spec yesterday at lunchtime. Warm and friendly greeting, excellent service, good atmosphere. What a great idea having all the lunch dishes at the same price, similarly the desserts! Plenty of choice. Our Lamb Rogan Josh curry was better than many we've had in Indian restaurants.... Followed by sticky toffee pudding and vanilla creme brulee and coffee. Terrific value and we thoroughly enjoyed our lunch. Good parking and a nice garden for the better weather. Thank you. We'll certainly be back!

As mentioned in my first review (6th June 2019) of this remarkable hostelry, which Anne and I discovered a year ago now, continues to be in a class of its own. One of yesterdays Lunch Special's was Baked Shoulder of Pork topped by a slice of ham, tomatoes and melted cheese, and served with saute potatoes, and fresh vegetables, all cooked to perfection and tasting delicious. Being now retired we have been fortunate to eat here regularly over the past twelve months and simply enjoy the warm welcome, atmosphere, food and service. Returning very soon for a Sunday lunch bringing close Friends. Thank you to The Bull Inn " Team ". Michael and Anne.

I wish to recommend the Bull Inn at Henry Street, which stands at Arborfield roundabout at the edge of a countryside of pleasant fields and meadows. The Bull Inn is a Grade II listed building which is believed to have once been a 17th century alehouse. It was transformed some time ago from a being a typical village pub to a thriving, attractive and well-known restaurant but one which still retains a village pub atmosphere. Its success is not only due to the excellent and varied fare that is always reasonably priced and well presented. It is also because of the friendly welcome which immediately makes the diner fell at ease and the relaxed atmosphere to which the diner wants to return again and again. There is also a garden to enable the diner to enjoy dinner outside on warm summer evenings. My wife and I have been regular customers for years and have never had cause to be disappointed.

Habiendo vivido en el área durante 23 años, siempre pasamos por este pub y pensamos que algún día iremos.Esta noche fue esa noche que nos pusimos a ello.Éramos una familia de 6,La elección fue increíble, la comida estaba fuera de este mundo, el personal atento y no pudo hacer más por nosotros, sin duda volveremos pronto, ya que no nos podemos quejar de nada. .

El menú es excepcional en todos los sentidos de la palabra. Aburrido y mediocre lo resume.La gerencia es demasiado arrogante incluso para vender chips reales.Los camareros exigen efectivo para propinas. . . . . qué vergonzoso es eso. !Si quieres una bebida batidora fría. . . . olvídalo. No hay mezcladores bajo refrigeración en absoluto. . . así que este pub está atrapado en un salto de tiempo.El servicio está bien y la comida es aceptable si estás contento con una elección aburrida limitada. Mientras que los precios ciertamente no son baratos para lo que obtienes.Una experiencia muy decepcionante y nunca volveremos. ¡Y recomendaría a todos los demás que conduzcan de inmediato! ,

Cosy pub with a relaxing ambience. Freshly cooked, very tasty food made with good produce and care. Efficient, friendly customer service. Highly recommend!

A family evening to celebrate a 50th Anniversary. The staff were efficient and prompt. Nothing was too much trouble. A great choice of food on the menu and everything was delicious. Will definitely go back soon.

Super fijne locatie . Zowel als B en B , als pub ,als restaurant . Sympathieke uitstraling zowel binnen als buitenterras !

Four of us had a table reservation yesterday lunchtime (folks had been before but was myself and daughters first visit - booking recommended as was pretty full at 1230. This to me was a good sign of what to expect and wasn't disappointed). Nice friendly greeting on arrival, super service where nothing was too much trouble to the superb food choice, I settled for the rib of beef sunday roast which was excellent, as was all the food served. All round a great visit was had by all.

Vinimos aquí como parte de un grupo grande y habíamos pedido la comida con anticipación, por lo tanto, la comida fue sin problemas. No nos sentimos presionados y nos preguntaron si estábamos listos para los cursos. Todos parecían disfrutar la comida y era que atendían a alguien con tolerancia al gluten. Realmente disfruté el plato principal de pescado y el entrante de morralla, ambos muy buenos tamaños de porción. Lo único que creo que me decepcionó fue que cuando el grupo estaba a medio camino de pagar las tarjetas, se callaban si incluíamos una propina que estábamos. Luego nos dijeron que esto no funciona y que si lo pagamos con tarjeta, nadie lo vería y, por lo tanto, la propina debería pagarse en efectivo. Esto parecía muy extraño, pensé que era legalmente, sin embargo, la propina fue pagada, tenía que ir al personal y en la actualidad ¿quién lleva dinero en efectivo? !

We did a walk-in on a Saturday evening & were lucky to find a table. From the outside, the restaurant is beautiful and exuded old-English charm. Inside, it was charming: very clean and tidy. The staff were exceptionally hospitable, very friendly and helpful. The menu is mostly, if not entirely, Italian fare. The food was delicious and it did not disappoint.

I'm not sure why I haven't tried this place before, but I will be back again very soon.

Had another great lunch at THE BULL ARBORFIELD.

Had a lovely meal, service was excellent.

Had a lovely meal with friends, lovely place with friendly staff, we all had different dishes and all were delicious. First menu I have seen with a floater coffee on for years I like the way you are not rushed and can stay all night which is rare these days, will definitely be visiting again, lots of dishes to try

Good dining pub. More of a restaurant but keeps a good pub vibe going. Nice staff too! We’ll definitely come back.

The food here is top class my husband and I had the daily specials the lamb rump was cooked to perfection and so was the tuna the staff were attentive the puddings were also amazing I highly recommend the trio of sweets

Yet another pub that is no longer really a pub but a very good restaurant.

All different dishes ordered. Exceptional quality including vegetarian lasagne and ginger chicken One of our favourite venues

We had dinner at the Bull Inn with two friends and it was just perfect, the food was delicious, the staff so welcoming that I thought they were the owners? The atmosphere of the restaurant was charming and so relaxing too. All for of us commented on how extra special the whole evening had been. Give them a try, you will have a great time.

Enjoyed an excellent lunch here with friends. I chose the tasty slow cooked pork belly with crackling! Oh my goodness, it was so delicious and crackling was crunchy and it was even gluten free! My friends both chose the steak pie which was fabulous too. For dessert we shared the delightful and superbly presented trio of desserts.

Came with friends for dinner. Excellent service, very good menu, and very good food. Only two criticisms: a fingerbowl should always have warm water in it with a slice of lemon. Ours was cold, so it wouldn't cut through the grease of the garlic prawns (which were delicious!). Secondly, surely Creme Brulees should be served warm, not straight out of the fridge?

Have just returned home after the most enjoyable lunch. We chose the " special of the day " - pork chop, with bacon, mushroom and onion gravy sauce , potatoes with fresh vegetables. Simply a delicious feast, with the chop cooked to perfection. There is something " simply faultless " about visiting The Bull, which includes the warm welcome, which radiates from the Family members who own and run the pub, together with the personal attention and service. Must be the best " hostelry " in Berkshire, including their Sunday Roast. Thank you . Michael and Anne

Popped in for Sunday roast having been out for a drive and found all other pubs locally stopped serving food early on a Sunday.

Honestly was the best vegetarian roast I've had for a long time. The others in the group had either the chicken or pork and they all said how good theirs were too! Big portions, good price and tasty! Will be back soon!!

Hemos estado viniendo a The Bull en Abrorfield Cross durante años (generalmente con mi hermano y su esposa) y siempre la pasamos muy bien; Bruno y su equipo son muy divertidos y siempre nos tratan bien y la comida es realmente de primera clase, excepcionalmente para lo que es básicamente un pub rural. Bruno es francés, así que la selección de vinos también es buena! En nuestra última visita el martes para el almuerzo, comenté que realmente debería escribir una reseña complementaria, así que aquí está. Recomiendo este lugar y estoy seguro de que no te decepcionará si lo intentas.

Had lovely lunch at the Bull after an absence through sickness.As good as ever.service ,food,drink excellent and good value .

Good food, pleasant surroundings, easy parking. Just what you need in a nice country pub. Will definitely give it another visit

I love going to the Bull, Food is excellent, been going there for many years & never had to complain. Great atmosphere and the staff are very friendly. Highly recommend

I went here for dinner on Mothering Sunday with my family. The meal was delicious as always and the staff so welcoming and friendly.

Sadly we were served by a man who clearly doesn't enjoy customer service. He was unsmiling, snappy and pretty unhelpful, bordering on rude. It's a real shame since, as a local, I have recommended this place based on my previous experiences of the food. The food is still good, but after this experience (and that of several people who have attended based on my recommendation) I would be unlikely to return. Best to put smiling people who like customers in customer-facing roles!

We can here on a Saturday lunch time, we had booked. We got a small table right by the till and it was right behind the till so we had banging and staff talking.

Attentive waiter service and very good food although portions could be smaller. The homemade desserts were delicious and worth a repeat visit. We were told that several chefs prep and cook the food but I’m sure the sauté potatoes were frozen. Seasonal veg dish a little al dente and under seasoned.

Had a wonderful time on Sunday 24 March. 5 adults and a 3 year old and a baby... GREAT food, excellent service. Full to bursting and really enjoyed everything. Thank you xx

Maybe having a dining table feet away from a constantly banging loo door is not a good idea . Didn’t actually realise until we had sat down . Not exactly a warm welcome either , the person that sat us down seemed irritated. Very busy but food came quickly enough . Obviously a popular place so was hopeful . My chicken lunch greasy and not enjoyable.

Lovely old beamed pub, now a restaurant and very busy....apparently most days. Good choice on menu of the day with main courses at £10.50 with a good choice also on the a la carte; very reasonable prices on wine list. Whitebait from menu of the day slightly overcooked, saute potatoes frozen prior to cooking and too much salad. Duck wrap, a starter from the a la carte was good....a large glass of Sauvignon and a lime and soda all for £29.00. Value for money. Friendly service.

We visited The Bull for the second time last night and it didn’t disappoint. The food was to die for and the staff lovely and attentive.

We have visited this restaurant a few times and every visit experience great quality. Most recently for a Sunday roast - beef nice and pink, extremely generous portions- it’s our restaurant of choice for good, homemade pub food!

Always busy which speaks volumes. Melt in the mouth roast beef and attentive staff. A great atmosphere - we all sang happy birthday to another guest.

You can always be sure of a warm welcome from the staff at the Bull and as usual for a Saturday night they were fully booked - with good reason. The quality of the dishes is excellent, the service is warm and attentive without being intrusive and ambience is relaxed and welcoming. I can’t recommend highly enough. Can’t wait to come again!

Lovely welcome and super efficient service - the staff were so attentive. Great selection of meals, all cooked and presented well. Couldn't fault it.

The bull generally has some aspects that really stand out for me, but then is let down by others.

Nice service, starting when you walk in - all friendly and professional: nice menu - not huge, but covering most needs. . Yes it's posh pub nosh, but very European and a and rather well done. We will return!

We had a fantastic birthday celebration here....one of many infact.

This was my second visit to the Bull this year & I must say another excellent meal ,cannot fault anything, staff are very welcoming, friendly & helpful. A great atmosphere, highly recommend to everyone. Plus a very nice car park

Nice big carpark, easy to find, friendly staff and an interesting ale too. Half decent wine list, most of which were available by the glass (unusual).

We eat out vary rarely as we both cook and enjoy good food but my husband found this place when he went out to lunch with friends and knew I would like it. I was not disappointed from the moment we walked in. It was very welcoming and we ordered the dish of the day which was a pork and Stilton pie with Vegas. It was delicious, the pork had been caramelised and the gravy was very tasty.

Excellent meal served by friendly and courteous staff a great experience. The full car park at lunchtimes and evenings tells it all

The Bull is one of our favorite places to eat they are always very friendly and the food is excellent. It is one of the best places to eat in the area and we do have many eating houses in the area. Would recommend it for any occasion.

Can't understand comments "step back in time" This place is really good. We had lunch today (5 people) in a packed restaurant & the food & service were first class.Cheerfully served, couldn't have been better. Recommend you try for yourselves! We have been coming here foe several years & NEVER been let down. Will be back for more.

How on earth this dire establishment gets 5 stars reviews I do not know. Firstly this is NOT a pub or bar. They are not even vaguely interested in your custom if you don't intend eating there. Every single table is booked and set up for dining. We arrived just wanting a drink and were almost told to leave. After some time a table was reluctantly cleared for us to sit down but we were told we had to 'get out at 7.30 as the table was booked for someone eating at 8.00pm'. We were made to feel so uncomfortable and couldn't wait to get out of the place.

Dropped in on the ‘off chance’ when passing The Bull. Although we’re quite local, we’ve never been here before. What a find! Staff were very attentive and friendly. The food was excellent and well-priced. In spite of being very busy, the food came without a long wait. We were very impressed and will return!

We visited the Bull on a Sunday to celebrate a birthday. There were 6 of us and a 2 year old child. We were looked after as though we were royalty and the food was generous and first class, without exception. The surroundings were clean and un-fussy but cosy. We will definitely visit again.

Five of us had a lovely meal here. We had starters and main courses but were too full for puddings. Every meal was lovely and the service was excellent. Particularly liked the baked Camembert and the curry.

Visited for lunch today. Service prompt and polite without being formal. Mine host Bruno puts visitors at ease with his rapport and friendly approach. Food was served promptly and was piping hot. The menu was good value for money - particularly the fixed price lunch menu, which today included a very edible rib eye steak in port and stilton sauce as "dish of the day" for £10.50. On previous visits the "dish of the day" has been equally good including a huge potion of fish and chips. We will undoubtedly return again. NB: Booking is a good idea particularly at weekends.

People had been telling me for years how great this place was, including other members of the group I went with who had visited earlier this year. However I was very underwhelmed. The starter of mushrooms, potato sides and vegetables were all of a standard I would expect out of a freezer packet. The main I had, which was a fish dish, was nice but very large. For the prices and reputation I was not very impressed and baffled that in an area with a number of lovely gastropubs this one things serving "saute" potatoes identical to ones I was served at school for my lunch is going to attract it's customers.

Great location, and lovely looking pub, car park a bit small, was full but then lots of people eating for Christmas, Services was good except we had to fill our own wine glasses, not something that you expect when they have lots of staff. Quite a wait between mains and desserts, even though we had pre ordered our food. other than that very nice

Fabulous place, great attentive staff, freshly cooked food, and no pressure to leave. Prices are great for what you get, so not over priced and I totally recommend the liver and bacon and lamb shank. We will be back Bruno and team x

Family meal, not bad, not good. Repeatedly ordered tea and diet coke but it never arrived. Everything OK but nothing special. Swordfish juicy and succulent, lamb shank overcooked and a bit dry. Nice soup, nice pate, average sponge pudding...….

Really enjoyable meal today at the restaurant.

We went for lunch mid-week, and arrived early. Just as well that we did, because by 1:30 the place was heaving. Excellent food at reasonable prices: my only grouch was that service was a little slow at times - staff always friendly, polite and efficient, but were a little overrun on this day at least. Still, we weren't in a hurry, and this gave us plenty of time to chat in between courses!

apareció a las 1220 un jueves sin reserva y tuve la suerte de conseguir una mesa, la próxima vez reservaré. El servicio era muy bueno, la selección de comida buena y la calidad de la comida muy buena. El amable personal está dispuesto a reírse con usted y definitivamente vale la pena visitarlo.

Sunday roast was great. Good choice and the vegetables were fresh and cooked well. The nut roast veggie option had good flavour. Friendly staff, good beer and tasty food - we will definitely return

We as a family have been here - 10-15 times a year - groups of 4 to 15 - always get greeted by Bruno by name - together with his extended family - would always recommend him - Its likely Strictly but with food.

Aprovechamos el excelente menú de almuerzo, aunque el menú principal también estaba disponible.

Great food and ambiance and friendly staff at the Bull Arborfield. A good selection of drinks at reasonable prices.

We went there today (sunday),for my wifes 70th birtday.We

Three of us went for lunch as this was mid-way between us. It was a Tuesday and it was completely full (make reservations as we did). The reason is that they have a lunch menu, with everything on it at 10.50, and I had the Thai style sea bass, which was perfect - For a busy place, or perhaps because it is a busy place, the mains came out hot, perfectly cooked, and yummy. With drinks, it was very reasonable and we shall come here again.

Nice Sunday lunch. All meat cooked well for all the family veg cooked well, a little light on roasties and gravy. Portion sizes were medium starters ok nothing special.

I have been coming to this restaurant since it was taken over by Bruno and his colleagues. I can honestly say that I have never had a bad meal. The food choice is good the potato and veg choice is good and the food generally is very consistent.

Visited the Bull for a nice Sunday afternoon roast with the family in the garden. Disappointed that there is no service in the garden and everything has to be ordered inside at the “bar”. Can’t even order a second drink at the table after setting up a tab.

We have been here many years ago, and driven past so many times since without going in. Friends recommended, so we went for dinner last night. Warm welcome and quickly served our drinks. The menu was large, but seemed typically pubbish. With the Italian staff we expected an Italian slant on the food, but it was mainly English pub favourites. I had the 'specials' starter of prawn and crab, but the Rose Marie sauce on top looked and tasted like it came out of a bottle. The whitebait and other starters were good. For mains, I had an excellent Liver and Bacon and the others enjoyed theirs too. While we were eating, a poor man at an adjacent table was taken ill(absolutely nothing at all to do with the food or drink). The staff were all superb, quickly and quietly helping and calling an ambulance, and reassuring the friends and wife of the patient.

We have lunched here with friends a few times. On every visit the food has been of the same high quality and the service excellent. The menue is varied and it is difficult to try a different dish as we all have favourites. Puddings look delicious but we hardly ever have room.

Friendly warm welcome from efficient staff. Good lunchtime menu at reasonable prices. All selections were well presented and enjoyed. Worth visiting if in the area.

We were driving through Arborfield and saw the Bull and pulled in for a quick bite. The staff were very welcoming and set the tone. We looked at the menu and opted for a Greenland Prawn and Avocado salad, and a a Thai Red Curry for me.

Amazing very tasty food. Excellent value for money. Staff very friendly and attentive . Just perfect.

Arrived early for lunch with distant relations i'd never met. Staff very helpful in settling us with a drink to await the rellys arrival. The traditional sunday roast lunches looked good. I had the beef. Nice selection of well presented vegetables. Very enjoyable.

We thought we would try the Bull again for a traditional Sunday lunch having become fed-up with the Black Boy's indifferent quality of service. We made the right choice. We had a great Sunday lunch, with fantastic service and a much better price than the Black Boy. We shall be sticking to the Bull in future.

Good range of well cooked and well presented food. Wines are nice and the staff are friendly. Ample parking.

Have been going regularly and the staff always great, nothing is too much trouble. Food is fresh and simple always cooked the way you want it. Good all year round and in summer can sit in garden (so don't need to book).

Have been driving past this restaurant and kept saying must try so on Sunday we did

Stopped for lunch today and what a lovely place this is and great value, I had the Belly Pork and it just fell apart, my husband had the steak pie and there was so much filling it looked amazing. The veg was cooked to perfection.Service was good. Will definitely return.

Came here for a birthday meal for the first time. I had fish and chips and it was the best fish I have ever had. Had profiteroles which were also lovely. Service was great-we had a French waitress who was really friendly and helpful. Looking...

I know it’s summer when we can eat in the Bull’s garden. The food is consistently excellent, the sauté potatoes legendary, the fish pie amazing, the curries well flavoured and packed with meat. On top of all that they have a small range of well...

A nice lunchtime menu, with special of the day, and always busy so book an early slot or the car park will be full. Steak and ale pie was tasty but, disappointingly, the pastry was an add-on flaky top rather than proper home-made crust. Expected...

The lunchtime special menu is great value and it can get very busy. Portions are large. It's not high end stuff but a nice meal. Though the pub is olde worlde from the outside, the inside is sadly not in keeping and is quite ordinary....

We visited the bull for a meal on Sunday the 18th of February it was very busy which is always a good sign. We was greeted by the owner a French guy who made us very welcome me & my wife both had fillet steak...

Well worth a visit. Some old favourites on the menu like brandy snaps, bananna split, omelette for vegetarians!!! I was impressed the service and the food were good. We would return there.