The Bushel and Strike in North Hertfordshire

Best ghost pub ever. Went in, walked around, nobody in, no bar staff, all lights on, beer pumps all lit up but nobody home. We were there for about 3 minutes and then walked out. What a waste

Booked Christmas dinner in early November. Paid deposit. Found out at the last minute it had now been cancelled. Still trying to get my deposit back after many emails.

Today my wife and i pick up two family friends one 90 years old and the other 86 and drove to the the bushel and strike for lunch . on arrival there was a sign on the door closed till further notice ,we knock the door and was told we are moving out . This lunch was booked over the phone weeks before so why was there no phone call to me . What a let down . MUST UPSET . NO REGARDS WHAT SO EVER . Neil Schooling . P,S .NEVER AGAIN.

We turned up for our pre- booked group Christmas lunch on Thursday 14 Dec 2023 only to be met by staff in car park to be told the pub was closed from immediate effect. They didn’t even have the decency to contact us. The reputation of this once great pub is now in tatters. Fortunately the three tuns around the corner were able to take a group of nine at 15 minutes notice.

From the moment we entered, the bar staff were super friendly and helpful. My kids were given the ok to share an Adult burger which was great. The food was lovely, and the service was fantastic. I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a lovely place to enjoy a relaxing meal.

Characterless pub lacking any original features. Decor more like a hotel lobby. Plastic ivy particularly naff. First impression was baskets of dirty glasses on the bar and a stack of unused chairs. No staff to welcome you.

Although the decor leaves somewhat to be desired due to jt being slightly dated, my family and I were surprised to receive lovely food and exceptional service. We have been back multiple times since and it has become our new local place to eat. This place never disappoints! :)

Although the decor is somewhat dated , we were surprised by the lovely food and exceptional service. Myself and family have come back a couple of times now and it never disappoints! :)

We had a gorgeous 3 course meal here. Very attentive and friendly staff. It was also very reasonable. It was very cosy and attractively decorated.

We haven’t been here since before Covid and then it was rather a ‘beefburger’ type pub. Before that in another life it was very much up market. So we were pleasantly surprised to find a lovely clean new decor pub. Very nice Sauvignon wine. Will hopefully give it 5 stars when we return for a meal.

Should be such a nice pub but the owners lack any understanding of customer service. We were left standing at the bar and being ignored when we arrived and after showing our frustration, we were told that if we didn’t like it, then we should leave. We stayed (!) to have a couple of drinks (only to discover that much of what we asked for (beer, diet tonic water and peanuts) was out of stock) and then left. We shall not be returning under the current management.

Excellent Sunday roast and good service throughout. Was in a large group for family birthday and really glad we chose this spot.

Such friendly attentive staff. Offering recommendations and being mindful of dietary issues . Food was excellent Halloumi burger Pork Belly and Stickly toffee pud. Very busy fun locals also very friendly will be back

A great find! We came here for a roast dinner and it was amazing! We have return since for a drink and the atmosphere was really nice. The value for money and quality is great and the staff are really friendly! The pub has been full each time we have been which is a reflection of how lovely it is. Would recommend booking on a Sunday! Thanks!

Warm, friendly and very comfortable restaurant in the pub. Having been last during lockdown, it was lovely to be able to experience the great interior. Good service, food and drink. Lovely also to share with friends we'd brought along for a few days holiday in the village.

Whilst staying at the nearby caravan park we decided to eat at one of village pubs, namely The Bushel and Strike. The four of us ate on Thursday evening which was a pie night. Everything was freshly prepared and very tasty.

Food was delicious, and staff was very helpful and pleasant at my nephews wedding on 8th February. Would go again next time, I'm down visiting my sister.

We visited the Bushel for food with friends on a Saturday night as we wanted to try out the new chefs food. We were all blown away with the quality of food, that we returned again for the Sunday roast the next day! We had...

Came to Ashwell for a day visit. Ordered a pie which took forever to be served despite no one else being in the pub. The pie was horrible, raw meat and chewy pastry plus veggies on the side which were over cooked. Sent the meal...

An amazing Sunday lunch. Great atmosphere, great service. Friendly staff. Cauliflower cheese and pig in blanket included with the roasts. Vegetarian option and plenty of other choices, if you don’t fancy a roast. Kids menu as well. Definitely will be back. Would recommend booking so...

We visited the Bushel the beginning of May for a last minute dinner on a Wednesday evening and the food was delicious! We had prawn cocktail and chicken wings to start and then both got burgers for our mains. The food was freshly prepared and...

Worst experience possible, unable to get served in 20 minutes waiting at the bar with only one bar man serving a busy venue also told by a waitress that I can't order any food because I had not booked in advance. It seems locals get...

Sunday roast with friends very well priced and the food was delicious would definitely come again , there was a slight delay with all the starters coming out on time but these things happen

This pub is everything you could wish for. Located in the picturesque town of Ashwell, it has a small garden for the elusive British sunshine and welcomes well behaved dogs. The food menu is not extensive but everything on it is done well. We opted...

Booked a table for two the afternoon before arrived only to be informed that they were not serving food as they were on the last day of a 3 day deep clea! This would have been our first visit but now will never return

How rude can staff and management be this place is shocking. Order food and food a long black hair in my meal as member of staff to replace the meal to be told it’s not our hair must be from us sorry but I have...

Visited all 3 bars on Saturday afternoon before deciding to book to eat later, a band was on too, this bar was also the cheapest for a round of 2 beers and 2 spirits. Returned later and food was hot and tasty, nicely presented and...

Will always do their best to accommodate, food is very nice and prices are reasonable. Atmosphere in the bar area never seems to fade and the dining area is a lovely place to be. Regularly making an effort to put things on for the locals.

We came for a Sunday roast as we have been previously been before and has been delightful. However this time round the food was lovely as per usual however the service was so poor. 3 young girls, didn't have a clue between the 3 of...

Used to drink here all the time, and popped in today for a pint and a sandwich. This is a lovely pub in the beutiful village of Ashwell opposite the church. We haddent been for a long time, so thought we would check it out....

Delicious food,great atmosphere friendly staff nothings too much trouble also keiran and Vicki are most welcoming definitely recommend we have used this on many accaisons even in lockdown serving takeaway menu. worth a visit 😋 😀

Visited the pub for Sunday lunch with family. Sunday roast only option which is fine. Food good but no apple sauce to serve with pork. Another table came in shortly afternoon who were provided apple sauce!! Service poor.

Had a great experience at the last bottomless brunch with a table of 4. The table was set up before we arrived and looked very stylish. The food was delicious and large portion sizes, with the Prosecco being topped up as soon as we were...

This pub is a must go to in the beautiful village of Ashwell. The family who run the pub are welcoming and service is good. Despite restrictions being lifted, they still wear masks and there is a check in, and hand sanitizer available. The food...

Not visited this venue for about 25yrs. I was aware of it opening and closing over the years. We were welcomed by staff and felt covid save. Only wanted a drink but ended up having a sandwich as well. An excellent pint of beer and...

Me and my wife visited Ashwell today and just popped to this pub for a drink. Once we saw the roasts being brought out to other customers we were inspired to get one ourselves. The service here was incredible. The two waiters (a young male...

Visited for Sunday lunch absolutely fantastic, I am a hard person to please with meals out but this was great,highly recommend.

Although we were only here for drinks during lockdown easing, the place was well run, felt safe, and staff were great. Really enjoyed our couple of afternoons spent in the sun after walks in the area.

Unfortunately the Bushel and Strike has closed and it's not clear when/if it will re-open. All three pubs in Ashwell are in a state of flux at the moment.

We visited today with family for our annual Christmas lunch at the Bushel. The food was absolutely delicious and the meat cuts were very lean & juicy. Extra care & thought had been put into making the tables look amazing with Christmas crackers laid out...

We have been coming to the Bushel & Strike for our family Christmas meal for the last four years and every year the food, atmosphere, service and warmth of the Manager / staff has been perfect. We can not fault the place and have no...

Had a lovely meal last night at the Bushel and Strike in Ashwell. The atmosphere is perfect, the pubs dog friendly and the food was delicious.

A very spontaneous choice to come here, the first time in over 10 years as we are not locals. Such a great decision, we were SO well looked after by very welcoming and friendly staff. Top recommendation for the popcorn cauliflower with satay sauce as...

We had lunch here today, on spec a lovely experience.Although we were the only customers initially, the owners lit the fire for us as we were feeling the cold and invited us to come and sit near it! The Po'boy burger meal was delicious, everything...

We really enjoyed the super-priced Argentinian-inspired pub meal with gracious service. Lovely salad with beet, pumpkin, freshly boiled egg. Nice homemade sauces.

Honestly, the food and service was absolutely amazing and would definitely come back. Let’s start with the food, wow I was blown away with the flavours that hit my tongue, and when I say I! I was with 13 other people and all said the...

I arranged for my family in London to visit the Bushel & Strike for Sunday lunch. three of our party had the Sunday lunch which was excellent. Two had the 'Po-boy' fish burger which they loved! I had a mackerel special which was cooked to...

Came here for lunch with my family on Friday for a small bite to eat. One member off staff was running around by herself dropping food off and doing the bar. This therefor meant it took us a while when at the bar to get drinks to come with our food as no one was at the bar. There were also multiple other people waiting at the bar. The food was really good although only criticism is with the tacos to give a bigger plate as they are a messy dish and the tacos only just fit into the board before they start going everywhere

My husband and I visited last night with our two boys as we all love a bit of BBQ food. The 3 of them loved their burgers and I really enjoyed the new tacos. Special thanks to the staff for being so accommodating and encouraging me to try various bits "on the side", as it were! I promised my husband and my youngest that I would mention the lemon meringue pie too; apparently it was one of the best. Thanks for a lovely night.

Great afternoon in the sunshine. Kids had a great time in the play area. Awesome food and love the decor inside. Plus service with a smile. Lovely village too!

I took friends for Sunday lunch (see their review earlier) and it did not live up to our past experiance there which left me simply embarrased. Despite costing £18/head the vegetables were very sparse and my chicken was undercooked & 99% bones. I don't like complaining so we sent 3 out of 4 pieces the chicken back. The slightly uncomfortable waiter reurned to tell us the chicken was alright, so we sent it back to the kitchen and we didn't eat any of that part of the meal. We made the best of it as we thought it was all sad but amusing. I never ask for money off or free meals, just offer constructive feedback for the benefit of future customers. I wish owners well as it is a pleasant location (so was Fawlty Towers).

Dined here with 20+ people in a walking group for lunch. Beautiful village & the pub itself is in very nice surroundings opposite the parish church. Our food was not bad & some of the portions (chicken) were huge. Was not blown away by the quality, but would counter that by saying it was good value for money. The female staff serving us were most accommodating ! If you are a small party you can dine in the pub itself, which is very clean. Otherwise if in a larger party you dine in the Old School House, which doubles as the dining room.

On Sunday four of us visited the Bushel & Strike in Ashwell hoping for a nice, pleasant good food experience. The waitress and bar man were pleasant and we ordered drinks and we all had the Sunday roast @ £18 each. Probably the most expensive Sunday pub roast experience.

Beatiful setting with great facilities. Baby changing facilities. Best beers in Ashwell. Highly recommend

The staff were polite, extremely friendly and delivered our coffee in good time. Regrettably, although it was hot it wasn't the full flavour I have come to expect.

Joined some friends at The Bushell & Strike as we were at an event nearby for several days.

Ordered a couple of salads and some sweet potato fries. Delicious food and excellent value for money. Friendly staff too. 100% recommended!

We went there twice for the Ashwell at Home weekend.. lovely pub and restaurant.. we were again, made to feel so welcome.. the place was packed both times we were there.. the staff. Open well and were friendly and helpful even though it was manic.. had two fish meals which were superb.. and a three course meal which was cooked to perfection... highly recommend this place !!

Rude staff need to get off their high horse and realise they’re running a village pub. Over priced food, but was ok. Main issue is the staff, girl looked about 12 and think they can speak rudely to adults. Shame as previous owners and staff were nice.

Wow wow wow! Visited today for the first time. Greeted promptly on arrival and shown to our table. There was a large party in there today who were having a lovely time, but we found it quite noisy so asked to be moved into the bar area instead, which was done courteously and they accommodated our wish to move very well. I had the BBQ meat platter, my partner sea bream and son had the ribs. Food orders were taken promptly and food was served within about 20 minutes. Wonderful presentation on all meals could not fault any of it. The gravy is absolutely without doubt the best I have ever had! The staff were so friendly and welcoming, especially Tina behind the bar who my son took a shine too. We have already booked in again for next Sunday. Well done guys and gals, there is nothing to be improved upon here and we are super fussy! Looking forward to our next visit next weekend

We arrived on bank holiday Monday at the same time as two other parties. We were all lectured about priority booking and we were told we could not even see the menu for another hour. Just rude. I would like to say that the bar staff were very helpful

We had a family birthday meal there last night, very clean and tidy restaurant with friendly and bubbly staff. I felt very welcomed.

Wow, we can't wait till we go back; outstanding staff and food.

Booked a table for 7 people, from the moment we enter everything was great, great greeting, fantastic engaging knowledgeable staff, great menu lots of advice on best way to order and quantity of dishes, food was superb. The atmosphere in the pub was fantastic and whilst the food was great a special mention to the simply wonderful staff, fun, engaging, happy everything you would want from a Friday night out - will plan a return visit very soon

Great ale, nice pub, but miserable staff and more like a crèche than a pub. Young kids running around and around with neither parents nor pub staff bothered.

Travelling back to Hertfordshire after visiting a friend at Adenbrooks hospital we were so blessed to find this little treasure. Just what we needed, a very welcoming , charming place. The staff treated us like old friends albeit this was our first visit. The menu wasn’t just given to us but was explained beautifully by the lovely manager. It was a Wednesday evening and a few locals were there with dogs which for me added to the charm. We were very hungry and the food didn’t let us down. A true country village pub restaurant. I want to move !

What a lovely place. A very friendly warm pub, with an excellent menu. The food was really well presented with lovely flavour.

We are just home from one of thee best pub lunches we have ever had . For so long we have been searching in vain for decent well cooked cuisine that's within easy reach of where we live, at last we have found somewhere. Well done.

On Thursday my husband and I went for lunch here. We weren’t very hungry but though that we might have a go at the small plates. Well they were delicious, cooked perfectly and was just enough for us. We love the menus as they have the bigger meals and also the choice of the smaller ones as well so you can mix and match similar to a meze.. the pub is clean, inviting and staff really nice.. very welcoming.. will definately go there again as there is so much choice the prices are very reasonable..

Visited here with some friends on a lovely sunny afternoon. The staff are very friendly and must I say the food is delicious! Worth a visit!

Popped in on a Wednesday and all I can say is wow the food and service out of this world and reasonable priced too we will definitely return

The new owners have made a lovely place amazing from the incredible service we received to the food! Best steak we’ve ever had, if that this was my last meal, I’d die very very happy. Worth every penny. We will be back again, again and again! Perfect night thank you so very much!

We visited to celebrate our friend’s 40th birthday in Feb. I called ahead to ask if dogs are welcome and was told yes, absolutely. We arrived only to find that the private room that our friend’s birthday was being held in did not allow dogs (even though the friend had also checked ahead about dogs) We are now sitting alone in the bar. Sort your communication out as you have ruined our visit.

Stopped for lunch just on a whim at this lovely old pub / restaurant.

We chose this Pub/Restaurant based on some good reviews and memories of going there 10 years ago – Sadly a Disappointment .

Visited on a tuesday lunchtime and can't wait to go back. Creative menu, impeccably executed, served in a warm and welcoming environment, by lovely staff, who know their stuff.

I am very sorry that I haven't been able to get to the Bushel and Strike since October, but it is way up for me in terms of cuisine and friendly atmosphere. Why businesses don't bring their corporate dinners and parties here too beats me. The facilities are perfect and the food of a very high standard. And they serve real beer! I must come back, guys.

Went for my birthday on Boxing Day Great food, very friendly staff. The ribs were excellent, cooked better than any I ate in the US. A very pleasant experience

Went here again with my partner and his son, we all had the ribs and they were so good! The staff were friendly and I can’t recommend this place enough! 2ns time we have been and will be back very soon

The Bushall and Strike is in the wonderful village of Ashwell. It is a dog friendly pub/restaurant which is why we chose to go there as had our Bichon with us.

We'd been out running in the surrounding countryside for a couple of hours and just popped in for a drink but decided to stay for lunch as the menu looked interesting. We weren't disappointed as the food was excellent and the service friendly and prompt. I had winter salad with added chicken and my other half, the vegetable skewers with fries. Both were utterly delicious. The only downside was we didn't have room for pud. We enjoyed it very much indeed and would definitely go back next time we are in the area.

We returned here as have had some fantastic Sunday lunches under the previous owners and despite some bad reviews decided to give it a chance. Really wish we hadn’t! The menu was odd and confused. One of our party asked if he could just have one meat on his plate rather than the advertised trio and was told no as they had already portioned them up! The meats are also described as BBQ, but had no evidence of ever having been near a barbecue! The choices also came with veg: Yorkshire’s, roast potatoes, parsnips, etc. Very nice with roast meat but sea bream and Yorkshire pudding ? Really? I had high hopes for the only normal sounding dish, fish and chips, but the batter contained turmeric which gave it a rather unhealthy yellow colour and the batter was soggy! It was served with a dish of coleslaw which tasted of boiled onion and wasn’t very fresh.

Visited here on a Sunday lunchtime with a group of friends (14 of us). Had a trio of meats roast. Pork and chicken were good, but the beef was inedible due to the fact it was almost raw and very tough, couldn't cut it with the ordinary knife provided. Thought it should be standard practice to ask how the customer would like it before serving!

Visited for a spontaneous midweek lunch but were disappointed: service was rather slow although the pub wasn't busy, food was very average. Both the figs and the salad in my fig starter were not quite fresh which I pointed out to the waiter who said they would check but didn't hear anything back.

We came here for lunch on a weekday and had a delicious homemade chapati, mine with ham and my partner had jerk chicken. I think the chapatis had been made in the big green egg and tasted delicious with really good quality ham and chicken fillings. The rest of the lunch menu also looked good and look forward to coming back to try other lunch dishes as well as one evening to sample some of the new pizzas or other evening menu items. Really pleased to have found this pub and has a relaxing clean and cosy atmosphere with good beers and a lovely beer garden overlooking the beautiful old church.

We have eaten in this establishment a couple of times, first time we both had the fish and chips which was delicious, and that is what tempted us back.

you'd think if you booked a 4.4 rated restaurant for a meal handsomely priced sunday lunch at 15 pound, that you would get a great meal, great service, a certain less uncouth gentleman on the table next to you. Couldnt be further from the truth. This weak management team allowed a table of 10 or 12 to use blue language on a sunday and upset other diners who went into bar for their chocolate eclairs or whatever. It was more like the kind of diners you would find on a friday night at stevenage leisure park. Ok secondly the food was stone cold, the chicken was a thigh bone off a bird with as much on her as kate moss (excuse the pun kate!/) The meat was so rare only a boxer or his dog would even consider it, and not to mention I got an evil eye off the chef when I complained. It turned out they had insulted us further about chickengate (apparently not enough chicken for diners so had to chuck in some dogs meat!). And get this they refund us 1.50 per under par roast dinner. Ok weak management team who allow (and i will say it) chavs to spoil other diners experience, refunding me one pound 50 is more of an insult than nothing. It encapsulates their lack of care from the waitress, who did her best but kinda you know its all part of something in catering which is key, hospitality, when i complain for a legitimate reason, I know you don' care on your x pound an hour or whatever but at least smile!

So this is the second time we have been here since the ownership changed. Disappointingly, not much has improved since the last time, in fact we where more disappointed with the ambience this time. In general the serving and bar staff are exceptional, happy, smiling and polite, much improved since our last visit. But there was one member who let the team down, more about that later. The menu is still muddled with the use of the “small plates” title. Why not call it a Tapas menu or mezzo or just plain Starters, a description that seems to work for the majority of venues we visit? The mains are predictable for pub grub with frozen chips etc. The deserts are OK. The bar area has been redecorated and is pleasant enough.

This pub has been on our list on and off over the last twenty years. They used to be the place for mussels way back then. Then a few managers down the line who have tried different variations. For us going for a Sunday lunch, eating barbecue meats cooked in a modern 'green egg' barbecue, (yes, really... in the restaurant you see the chefs cooking!), if tasted fantastic! but go with a big appetite because you share platters with veg, roast potatoes and all. Again, too big to get to the desserts, others were enjoying them though. Try it soon!

We went for a family lunch with our two young children as knew they had a nice enclosed play area for them. The new decor is lovely and we were met by very friendly, helpful staff. Unfortunately we were disappointed by the menu, it felt somewhat confused and we felt lacked 'lunch' options. I'm sure the food is lovely but it didn't feel in keeping with the place and seemed quite pricey so we left after our drinks.

First visit while under new management. Decor is great. Ambience ok. Garden is nice. Toilets nicely done and clean. Parking for several cars.

Not sure how I feel about this pub/ restaurant . First thing that hit us all was the awful stale/ damp smell in the restarant and how sparse it felt . It is the old school room and I felt like I was sitting in the school gym or village hall . It needs to either be made cosy or more contemporary .

Great evening with friends, lovely relaxing atmosphere, food was delicious, staff were friendly. The pub has new owners who are doing a great job. Definately worth a visit, definately a big thumbs up!!

Having visited the pub when it was run by the last owners we where expecting service and food along the same lines. Especially as the new owners publicity projected the image of Gourmet BBQ food with provenance. (The menu reads like something from Masterchef). Unfortunately that was not the case for us on our visit. They make a big thing about using "Green Egg BBQ's" all I can say is our 3 burgers, chicken wings, Salmon steaks had not one hint of "BBQ flavor". And I reckon the skinny chips came from a freezer and the "flame seared scallops" had never seen as much as a fag lighter let alone a grill. 2 salmon steaks turned up on a single wooden board. When asked if this was one dish or two, the server returned with a plate for the second guest and left us to dish it from one end of the table to the other!

Very nice. We both had poisson, one with chilli, one without. Delicious. My tomato salad was good and himself enjoyed his med vegetables., skinny chips. Felt they weren’t ready for customers at 1200 still cleaning pipes and putting new barrels on. However good service all good. The music was not suitable for lunchtime which some other customers agreed with. More appropriate for evening, sorry guys.

A very pleasant lunch in the Bushel and Strike. Varied menu enjoyed by all, food cooked well and good choice of wines. Service friendly and efficient. Portions of chips were definitely party sized. Will be back soon

Have just got in from the bushel and strike in ashwell. I cannot rate it highly enough. The food was excellent and plenty of it. Cannot wait to go ack and sample their a la carte menu. Staff gave good service and were really nice. I had read in Hertfordshire life that there were new owners and the pub is a credit o them.

We have eaten at the Bushel and Strike twice since Darren and Philippa have started running it and we are so excited to have something new and different in the village. They are clearly very knowledgable and passionate about good food! We have been blown away by all of the new flavours that their Green eggs (specialist bbq ovens) produce! They offer generous portions that combine beautifully with the amazing selection of sides. There really is something for everyone and the menu is really interesting - lots of traditional dishes with modern twists. Another nice thing to note is that at present they source their meat from Trussel's butchers in Knebworth, which is local to the farm where they run their successful events company and is fully traceable.

Table of 20, service was amazing, food was amazing, best Gravy ever!!!! Definitely be visiting again soon for one of the themed nights! Thankyou Darren, Phillippa and staff. You’re doing an amazing job! Recommend the Scotch Egg!

My husband and I have eaten here on several occasions since Phillippa and Darren have taken over. The food is excellent and the service from warm, friendly and attentive staff is most welcome. The atmosphere now is far more relaxed than in years gone by, no one is hurried or pressurised.