The Castle Inn in North West Leicestershire

Previously had good experiences here, reviewed well here in the past. However, I took my parents and daughter here today, booked in advance. Was seated and was then ignored for half an hour, no drinks order, or any acknowledgement at all. Tried to get waitresses' attention a few times but was ignored. So we decided to leave. The manager was apologetic, but it was too late. Shame, it's put me off returning.

Great venue for live music. Always a good mix of music genres to suit everyone. Been to a few gigs here both free and paid ones. Always busy, always safe and friendly.

Visited a friend who took us to the Castle,the food was amazing and they had a good selection of drinks, friendly service.👍

Lovely surroundings, great service and lots of lovely food - Sunday roast was spot on !! Was surprised and delighted you could fit us in as we didn’t book until the day.

It’s not just the staff , the owner and the quality selection of beers but the quality of the food as well ! Always a pleasure to visit and so much to enjoy especially when the tribute bands are on at the weekends Sunday lunch excellent , Pizzas fantastic .. Thank you ! Daz Woolley 🦊

Really good food and excellent service. All of the waiting staff were friendly and couldn’t do enough for us. Great pub!!

Always wonderful food and service! Amazing live music. Up to date Facebook and social media pages. Great ale / beer choice. Fabulous selection of wines, spirits.

Very nice pub although I found the menu quite limited. Lots of seating for eating but not so much for drinking. They were setting up an outside area which looked lovely and looks like they have lots of entertainment. Staff friendly and efficient.

Beautiful ambience, welcoming bartenders, variety of ales to enjoy (and whiskey too). Patrons are friendly (once they “get to know you “) too.. Music was enjoyable. Enjoyed the visit with one regret- couldn’t sample their food (kitchen closed two hours earlier than closing time- would be nice if that information was made available on their website).. A fun place and must visit..

Amazing food, pizza are fabulous. Lovely friendly staff. Highly recommend. Thank you

Excellent venue for entertainment. They have different live bands playing every weekend.

Fantastic food and really welcoming atmosphere, highly recommended. Good size portions and, while not the cheapest, it's definitely value for money.

First visit here to see a band and meet friends. Lovely place. Great venue for live bands with a room and stage at the rear of the pub. Lots of seating too for those old bones. Bar staff lovely and the food looked beautiful. Will return

Enjoyed the evening with friends, watching Bon Jovi tribute band. Felt safe in a room with 200 people. Further comments will be via email.

I visited with a young child and was not offered a high chair. Sandwiches over priced really, £8 for a cheese sandwich with no salad. Sticky table

Once again great food and service in a busy, buzzy environment. We were celebrating my wife’s birthday and had a great night, would thoroughly recommend.

The service at the bar and table was excellent. The servers were attentive and the food was really good. Main course arrived too soon after starter otherwise I would have scored 5/5

Staff were lovely and the food was great. We were a large party so we had the room upstairs. Staff were very helpful and the food was gorgeous and the portions were good. The only reason I haven't given 5 stars was the room upstairs was very hot as it was a rather hot day so it would've been good to have some windows open up there

Nipped in for a quick bite on a Friday evening. We went up to what looked like the restaurant bar and asked if it was possible to get a table but were directed to the main bar to ask about this. The place was packed- getting served at the internal bar would have been a bit of a fight. Had a similar experience on a visit here before because there's not much space around the bar so you tend to get an impenetrable crowd instead of any sort of line. Eventually managed to get the attention of a member of staff and were told the restaurant was fully booked, however we could sit outside and order food at the bar to our outside table. Would have saved us some time if that was communicated through the team and relayed by the first person we asked instead of sending us to queue elsewhere. We did order to an outside table, and the food was excellent. The small pizzas really are quite small. But if you have a couple of sides they're perfect to not overstuff you. If you want to just eat pizza probably get a large. Also they had really interesting topping selections on the pizzas- I had the spiced aubergine, creme fraiche and honey. It was absolutely delicious. The chips were hot and well seasoned, the greek salad also really nice- I did miss the addition of peppers and would possibly remove the pea shoots and sub in the peppers to improve this and keep it more authentic though. Drinks were nice and the atmosphere inside was quite cosy and outside had a nice vibe with the tasteful lightning and wooden furniture. Would definitely return (but probably make a reservation. It's busy for a reason!)

First time visiting and will certainly return. Pizza was amazing with some really interesting and delicious topping selections. Great selection of beers and ales on tap too.

Dishes decidedly poorly executed and without flavour

First time dining at the castle inn, great service and an excellent sirloin steak. Would most definitely recommend a visit.

Awesome- went on a very busy superbike weekend service still top notch great food many thanks - staff are really friendly and there was even a live band on in the back would go again

Fairly good food. Great service but lacks ambiance. Slightly loud rock type music which isn’t too everyone’s taste. We were directed upstairs to eat which made us feel that we had been forgotten and added on at the last minute. Food just off being hot due to the waitress having to carry it from kitchen, up a flight of stairs to second restaurant.

Love their pizzas and so nice you can order a small one. Service is good and the restaurant is nice and busy. As the restaurant is part of the pub, you can go for a drink after the meal.

Attended on a mid week evening - so good availability. Main bar was reasonably busy but dining less so. Servers were excellent and super efficient - just the right level of attention. Had smoked salmon to start - lovely light plate with decent quality smoked salmon for the area and paired well with the beetroot and creme fraiche. For main had the chicken royale. The star of the plate being the potato terrine but sadly let down somewhat by the chicken jus being unbalanced - too strong and overpowered the other flavours on the plate. The chicken was also over seasoned to my palate - but a splash of brightness via some citrus to the plate could help both accounts. This would let the apple and celerac shine more too. Despite my criticism I am impressed for a 'pub' they offer an interesting spread, and clearly have talented chefs. Pints and wine reasonably selected and prices as well.

The food and service were both superb, perhaps a little beyond our best expectations. We will definitely be coming back, strongly recommend.

Beautiful fresh pizza & good service . Pub was really busy but still efficient . Food & drinks were lovely & great atmosphere

Beer here was good. I was in a venue at the top so quite a walk to get the real ale from the front. Really nice place though

Absolutely wonder meal, great selection. Service top notch. Venue unique as various areas with lovely outside seating. Will definitely be returning.

Visited mid-afternoon mid-week. The place was very clean, staff were welcoming, and there was a good selection of well kept beer. As expected it was very quiet so couldn’t comment on the atmosphere, although the pub had a nice feel to it. The menu looked interesting although I didn’t eat there. The inn had a lounge, a couple of dining areas, outside seating and a courtyard, and I was told there was also an upstairs function room with posters advertising tribute bands and a weekly charity quiz. I have given 4 stars due to not being able to comment on the atmosphere or the food. Worth a revisit.

We love this pub. Max and the team do a fantastic job.

We didn't eat here but the pizza looked amazing, cooked in a proper pizza oven. Dog friendly although didn't seem to be a lot of seating in the bar but I could be wrong on that. Had a nice selection of beers with a craft beer on tap which is my jam.

Usually fantastic food. I have eaten here many times before. The staff are attentive and friendly and the atmosphere and decor lovely. My partner ordered the salmon which was delicious and me and my parents ordered 3 Steaks at the cost of £27.00 each. The steaks were cooked badly and there was no offer of a discount or refund. Very disappointing.

Booked her for a Sunday Roast and was very impressed! The whole thing was delicious. Great portion size, roast potatoes were perfect and although I'm not a Yorkshire pudding fan still polished it all off! Highly recommend! Plus if you're a brownie fan then the Dark Chocolate Brownie with salted caramel ice cream was divine! The place itself was lovely, lots of different seating areas and outside looked gorgeous too. Friendly and welcoming staff and would definitely return if in the area again.

Didn't eat at the pub. We attended a charity quiz, which was excellent and a lot of fun. Definitely going again. Staff excellent.

Came here for Sunday Lunch. The food was great and the service, however the only downside was the meat. I had lamb and it was a bit fatty and tough which was a shame. Usually the food is great but the meat wasn’t good at all so hope next I visit it’ll be better.

Had the most amazing wedding reception we could of wished for, the staff were amazing and so attentive. Food was amazing too, really appreciate all the extra effort they put in to make it a personable experience.

If you come to the airport for duty, I recommend you to definitely stop by. The food is good, I especially liked the pizzas and salmon.👍

Great place, no fuss, good food, good beer and a friendly atmosphere.

Lovely food good menu choice and excellent service highly recommended we will return soon. Excellent booking on Facebook

The goats cheese pizza was absolutely phenomenal - They also have Gluten free pizza bases on the menu too which my husband had, he said it was delicious as still wood fired. Drinks were reasonable and good selection of beers. Will be back again!

The staff are always polite, attentive and pleasant, the food is always nice. We live in the village and love to visit the Castle but whenever I have business colleagues visit I take them to the Castle and they love it

A hidden gem of a pub in one of the oldest quaint locations in Leicester City. A great drinking experience with excellent ales at reasonable prices. Friendly staff. Cobs and bar snacks. Good vibe in a small historic building full of historical interest. Recommended.

Beautiful food, great service and a lovely atmosphere Stayed to see the live band, who were excellent. Such a good music venue.

Really great service and the burger was mega! Would highly recommend, glad we found it on a whim! Cute little village and great beer choice too

Very disappointing take away pizzas which were surprisingly expensive for what they were. Pizzas were cold when I got them home (2 min drive away) and tasted more of the cardboard takeaway boxes than of pizza. Real shame as the pub is lovely and previous experiences were ok. I won’t be rushing back for pizza though.

Absolutely fantastic service at the Castle Inn. We went with a large party of 36 and they catered to our every need. Great communication prior to the day organising the pre orders. Everyone said the food was fab! Thoroughly recommend the venue 😊

Delicious food, great atmosphere and service - we had a great evening.

Pub quiz was a lot of fun and for a fantastic charity - Castle Donington Food Bank. Max was a great quiz master who gave us some good laughs :)

Had a amazing Sunday lunch here for a family birthday. We all had the roast options which was generous and delicious large amount of meat, fresh veg, lovely roasties and large Yorkshire pud 😀 couldn't fault it and we had the room upstairs as a large party with it own toilets which was great, everyone had a great meal and time :)

Amazing roast dinner....highly recommend....Amazing roast potatoes and Great service ! Couldn't complain about one thing !

My wife enjoyed the gluten free options which were well thought out, not just the usual deletion of the bread. My gluten packed pizza was delicious and huge.

Gem of apub!. Googled somewhere to eat nearby after spending a cold couple of hours viewing cars at ‘Available Cars’. Was given a table just inside the door so first impressions were not the best. It went quickly up hill from there! The Sunday lunch of roast beef and caramelised banana was the best pub food we’ve had in a long time! Everything was home cooked. The staff were all very polite and attentive. We shall definitely return when next in the area! ❤️ We paid £24 pp for two courses. Thank You Everyone!

Very nice food in a standard english pub.

Great food, great atmosphere and staff were excellent!

Took kids for pizza, they were really nice. My son said best pizza ever! Service was great. Very nice little pub and family friendly.

Nice pub food, good selection of drinks. Very slow service that evening but did apologise and offered a free drink :-)

We hired the smaller room of the venue for 30th birthday! Perfect room for what we needed!! Had our own bar and toilets!! Staff were amazing and everything was so effortless to organise! 100% recommend!!

Great local pub. Always a good atmosphere and love the music that they bring to the village.

Went here for Mother's Day with my Mum and my sister. We all thought the food was excellent. Only negative would be that we all commented that the portions were very small !

Nice atmosphere. Beer is good. Want to try the food at some point. Dog friendly. Nice staff

Great Mother’s Day the service was really great . Thank you 🙏

Great time with family 👍Food was delicious and so service 👍

Had a great time band was brilliant 😁🤘🤘

Sunday Lunch with friends excellent food and service We would recommend and definitely be dining there again

Please could you bring back fish of the week. The veggie burger was nice but would have liked some salad with it. Otherwise great 👍

Had Sunday lunch it was really good

Great venue and atmosphere. Good and staff were amazing!

Delicious food, excellent environment We will definitely return to The Castle Inn

Had lovely time , nice atmosphere and friendly staff lovely food .

We visited for Sunday lunch and absolutely delicious it was too. Tender Roast Beef, giant Yorkie and lots of veg, preceded by a very tasty prawn and shimp cocktail. Lovely warm and friendly atmosphere with good music in the background. We will be visiting again this Friday for music night.

The food was fabulous, cooked to perfection. Good portions and side veg was delicious. Unfortunately, We ordered 4 roast dinners from the Sunday Menu, my wife selected a Pork Roast but was served Pork Belly, the waiter returned the meal to the kitchen, but another waitress returned with a Pork Belly as listed on the menu with mash and apple source, which she never ordered. Again, pointing out that the Menu stated Roast Diner Beef / Chicken or Pork. The waitress then said that the Pork option was in-fact Pork Belly. My wife therefore settled with a meal that she didn't order and doesn't like. I think there needed to be more clarity as to what cut of pork was being offered and the staff needed to take more time listening to our 'complaint' / concern.

Had a lovely Sunday lunch (roast pork) yesterday. Only reason I have mark this down slightly is I would love cauliflower cheese and mash potato as a staple on the plate. Missed them :(

Couldn’t fault anything food was absolutely delicious staff was friendly inviting with smiles 10stars to them all

Saw harmony of spheres playing live... excellent evening!

Delicious food, friendly staff. A nice place to visit. Only downside was, it was crowded. But this is expected in a popular place on saturday night.

Fabulous roast beef dinner, cooked to perfection

Food as always was excellent but service was very slow. Admittedly it was a busy night but 3 times we had to request a bottle of wine from 3 different members of staff, when it did finally arrive it was the wrong bottle. However, I am sure it was a blip but might be worth having more staff on during busy periods.

Absolutely amazing evening x food was delicious and service exceptional x definitely the place to spend your birthday

Always a pleasure to visit The Castle.

Another very good meal with 5 friends good food and drinks and great service and good value. We will be back again soon

Requested a table at short notice and this was accommodated. Although our table wasn’t ready for the time of booking an alternative was found without fuss and our options were explained openly to us (if we wanted to wait for table or take the alternative) Really nice food, as always, service was great and really good value for money.

Lovely place to meet for an enjoyable family Sunday lunch

Il pub si trova sulla strada principale di Castle Donington, molto frequentato, organizza anche serate musicali. Abbiamo preso una birra e un burger molto buono. Lo consiglio

Excellent food and service on a busy Thursday. Staff friendly

This was our first visit to the Castle Inn and we are very happy with what we found. We will be back.

Il pub si trova sulla strada principale di Castle Donington, molto frequentato, organizza anche serate musicali. Abbiamo preso una birra e un burger molto buono. Lo consiglio

As always, a wonderful visit to The Castle. The team are always so welcoming and accommodating. We visited on Sunday as a table of 6 with a variety of roasts and pizza being ordered. Everything was lovely and the food was great!

Service was a little slow but once the food arrived the kids were happy and the food was fabulous. Ladies serving were absolutely wonderful

Delicious pizzas, good value and friendly staff.

Food was spot on and the service was excellent 👌🏻

We had a private meal upstairs in The Rose Room for an 80th Birthday. Staff were so helpful on arrival with the cake, upstairs was all ready for us to add our decorations to. The food was beautiful, presented so nicely. We had a lovely evening and would go back again.

I had a great New Year at the Castle. Dhillan the barman in the cocktail area was great along with all the other staff.

Great night bringing in the New Year. Max and his staff at the Castle Inn are always going the extra mile with a smile. Nothing too much trouble. Great atmosphere, added to by the villagers, long may it continue.

Friendly staff and lovely food.

Great pizzas, wine, beer and service 👌 Thank you Always feel welcome 😀

No llegue a comer porque cierran la cocina a las 22:00 (fui casi en ese horario) las bebidas muy bien, fui un viernes con banda en vivo, el lugar se llena muchísimo!!! es mejor ir con tiempo para poder conseguir mesas.

Great night good food the only point I would say was people walking back and forth from the bar area through the restaurant as a quick route to the toilets was not good .

There were far to may people in for the Killez gig. Saw gropes just entering that had not paid as they did not have yellow wrist bands. ended up sat in the bar and left during the bands break.