The Compasses Inn in Chelmsford

This lovely community owned pub never disappoints. We had the Sunday roast, which was generous and well cooked. The atmosphere was suitably festive and the staff were very polite,friendly and helpful. I heartedly recommend this pub.

Great country pub with an excellent selection of beers and very good pub grub.

Great little unspoilt country pub which was formerly the 'Brewery Tap' of the Ridleys Brewery which was taken over by Greene King in 2005. However this pub was retained by the Ridley family and the site has been developed to include quality accommodation though the pub remains as was. Good selection of mainly Essex real ales including beers from Bishop Nick brewery operated by Nelson Ridley. his establishment is renowned for it's Essex Huffers - whopper of a roll or bap, triangular in shape filled with a huge variety of fillings. This is a place full of history and not to be missed!

Gorgeous pub that served pull pump bitter and cider.We arrived and was greeted by a young lady that helped with our bags to a courtyard room. The room was great and had a shower with underfloor heating.They arranged a taxi as we went to Chelmsford Races which cost £15 and was 6mins away. Lovely breakfast and we will be back.

The definition of a quality traditional country pub. Dog friendly, strong sense of community and amazing food and drink. I come here with family, colleagues and for work meetings for those visiting. It does not fail to please. The staff are always polite even when it's busy, and it's always very clean. The menu is a fantastic size and it's easy to keep going back and having something new. I love this place!

Came here yesterday for lunch with my husband and our son. We were very welcome. The pub was busy but not so much that we couldn't find a table. They have an amazing selection of beers and ciders as well as the usual drinks and tea and coffee. There is a huge selection of Huffers on offer (traditional Essex triangle baps) with some interesting fillings. We opted for meals from the "cooked meals" board. My husband opted for the pate with some toast which he said was really nice, it also came with some onion chutney and a salad. I had the pork chop which was perfectly grilled, it came with some nicely cooked vegetables and a really interesting sauce and some potato dish. Delicious. Our son decided on a vegan shepherd's pie again with the same vegetables as I had. He really enjoyed his main course and polished it off with no problem. We all opted for different desserts, all of which were really lovely. The crumble was stunning. Portion sizes were generous but not too big to enjoy and the price was very fair. I bought a piece of bread pudding to bring home which my husband and I enjoyed this afternoon with a cup of tea. It was beautifully moist full of fruit and nicely spiced. I will be going back especially for the bread pudding wonder if I can have it as a dessert with custard?

Brilliant place to visit and stay staff lovely. Pub is lovely room lovely. Can not fault it definitely be back soon 😁🍻👍

Quality rural establishment, great food and good beer

Only popped in for a swift cola whilst out on a motorbike ride. Looks lovely up a quite back lane. It's a bit of a TARDIS it seems bigger on the inside! The food menu's displayed looked quite comprehensive. I'm gonna have to visit again and eat here with the Mrs 😉

Lovely food and staff couldn't be more helpful and friendly, plenty of room in side and big garden for the summer time,, would definitely recommend and will be going back again.

I’ve always loved visiting The Compasses. I don’t know whether it’s the great simple food, the well kept beer or the traditional pub setting that makes the place such a pleasure. But what I do know is that it feels like what a pub should feel like.

Fantastic food with plenty of veg. Good size portions.

One of the nicest lunch experiences I've had in years. In a beautiful rural part of Essex, fantastic food and really good beer. All reasonably priced. Two of our party of 6 have mobility issues but no problem with accessibility. Made to feel welcome in a very relaxed way. Kids enjoyed the lovely garden.

Never had a bad meal. It's always one place I go when I'm visiting from the USA. Best sticky toffee pudding

This has to be one of the best traditional pubs in the Chelmsford area albeit slightly out in the sticks.. I’ve visited the Compasses on many occasions over the years and rarely disappoints on service, choice of real ales, or food, it’s a very popular venue. More often than not the purpose of my visit is to enjoy the great selection of bar meals, including the traditional Huffer bread with a choice of many fillings. My regular go for meal is normally Scampi which I had on a recent visit, it has to be said not the best I’ve had there.. I wonder if they are using a different supplier? It won’t put me off visiting this fantastic venue but my choice of food may be more selective next time, and probably won’t be Scampi.

This was our second visit following a recommendation. What a difference between the 2, couldn’t fault the first, we visited for an evening meal with our autistic son. We ordered a plain chicken burger which came out with cheese! We managed to avoid a complete meltdown. The remaining meals were given to someone else having waited over an hour. It was only when the waitress realised that we were acknowledged and our order moved to the top of the list for the chef. I ended up eating my dinner using the light on my phone as it had gone dark in the garden! It would have been nice to have been offered a drink or something while we waited for the mistake to be rectified I was considering making a booking for a birthday celebration but I’m now reconsidering. Such a disappointment as it’s a lovely setting for a late summer treat.

Fantastic, like a time-warp, with well-mannered people having fun in a pub! Amazing Huffers, great other food, good range of good drinks and not over-charging to cash in. Can be a victim of their own success with the number of customers but worth waiting a few minutes for service/

The compasses has been our favourite pub in Essex ever since we discovered it. Whether it’s going for a full on Sunday lunch a light lunch with a huffer or just popping in for a pint and a packet of crisps, the compasses has it all. The pub has recently had an extension in the side which has extended the seating area and provides a lovely small patio area which can be great for having lunch in the summer. The pub is known for having very nice huffers and boy they do. The wide variety of white and granary huffers make the ultimate lunch I must also mention the portion size of the huffers is beyond average. And if you’re not a huffer guy they have lots of other options. The parking is never a worry at the compasses as they often open up the nearby field which has tons of spaces. I am also delighted to inform you that the prices of the drinks are fairly reasonable. We live in a family of five and can get two pints of coke, two bottles of lemonade, a glass of wine and a packet of crisps for us each for under £25. The food prices are ok but when having drinks as well it can become slightly expensive for a big family like us. I unfortunately do have to point out there is frequently and unpleasant pong coming from the toilets. They have had sewage problems for a bit now but hopefully that can be fixed coming up 🤞 I will also mention the annual event of the steam day which comes old fashioned cars which is always something to look forward to. In the summer they open out a garden bar which drinks and crisps can also be ordered there. Whenever we are bored the compasses is always an option. Hope this review helped 😀

The bar area when we arrived was chaotic. Not enough staff on duty to deal with drinks orders and food orders. Had to wait ages to order drinks and then ages to order food. Food when it came was ok but but the wait spoilt things for us. We booked the table for 7.00pm and we got our starters at 9.00pm!!!

A very nice way to spend an afternoon, with a mini festival - enough beers 'n ciders + some chilled live music. Burgers were dearer than last year, but everything seams to have gone up. Still yummy though 😋

My family and I came for lunch yesterday. The food was amazing! The selection of drinks was excellent, the staff were brilliant!! We loved it so much we plan on returning and staying for the night!!

We’d booked a table and had to queue for ages just to let them know we were there. Then found out there were no menus, it was all on a board in the bar, and there was no table service so another queue to order our food and drinks. We were told there was a 45 minute wait for food but our starters came out reasonably quickly, but with only three napkins between five of us. I asked for some more but they never materialised. Some time after our starters had been cleared the waitress came out to say one of our dishes was no longer available, so we assumed they’d just started to prepare our main courses. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case. By 9 o’clock I decided to cancel my meal but just as I got to the bar our food came out, 90 minutes after placing our order. We won’t be going back.

Lovely traditional pub. The food was excellent and great value for money. Can't wait to go again. The menu has so many choices to suit everyone. My only tiny criticism is in the side garden there is a highly toxic plant called poke weed growing pretty wild, the berries could be tempting to children. Maybe consider putting a notice up or remove the plant away from the garden area.

My son and I stayed overnight with my grandson prior to my daughter's wedding. The place is superb. Room was very comfortable and garden is beautiful. Dinner and breakfast were substantial. Staff and customers very friendly. Many thanks.

Busy country pub and restaurant, I would go again.

Lovely friendly staff, reasonable food and drink prices. The place is a beautiful pub and has a great garden to enjoy your drink and food. I would recommend visiting

Very nice pub in a lovely rural setting with great food. Very busy pub, good atmosphere.

Absolutely lovely. Only gripe is we were a party of four 2 of us with limited mobility, once in the back garden (beer gardenn) it was a real effort to get to the toilets as they were up some stairs tricky for me but worse for our friend in his wheelchair this deffinatly needs highlighting. Also the pub it self is not wheelchair friendly as he could not approach the bar to order drinks due to many chairs in the way. The food and service were outstanding. I would NOT recommend this pub if you are in a wheelchair or mobility scooter

Love this place oldie fide and you never know whose going to turn up that night

Great pub with a choice of fab craft beer. Missed the kitchen opening times during my visit, but will defo come back to try one of the Huffers!

Great village pub serving local ales and does Huffers!

A very nice independent pub, with good food and very nice bread pudding 😊 They brew their own beer and also have some other craft beers which you could drink inside this traditional pub or it is well taken care of garden.

Had a lovely stay here the night before my wedding at Leez Priory. Great food, friendly service and nice modern comfortable rooms.

Fantastic beer well looked after and of course brilliant filled Huffers - definitely worth a visit. Repeat visit today just keeps getting better 😌

Lovely pub, very lively and really nice accommodation

Lovely traditional pub, just the way they used to be

Wonderful place deep in the Essex countryside

Havent stayed in the hotel rooms but the pub is always superb. A truly quintessential English pub, not one of these thats tried to go upmarlet like a restaurant inside. Its well kept in the best possible rustic way. Lovely food, great real ale and ciders, lovely garden and they have a steam up at least once a year. Beware the kitchen closes for a break some days between 4 and 5pm.

Wonderful pub with the best beer I have tasted in decades. Look forward to coming back. This was our first visit. I was brought up in Essex in the seventies when Ridleys beers were prominent. So glad that they are still brewing.

Wonderful traditional country pub with a very good garden, very friendly staff & brilliant food/drink so worth a visit but can get very busy as popular

Didn't stay, just had a great meal. A proper pint and the chilli with rice. Will be back if I'm ever nearby. 👌

This is a lovely place to stay but it is in the middle of nowhere. The staff are so friendly and the food is great.

Cracking lunch and beer selection amd friendly service

Good pub food, great selection of beers/ciders. Friendly service, lovely country location. Thoroughly recommend it.

It is a great place to meet with friends and enjoy a fantastic meal.

Really friendly comfortable retreat.

This is a 'hidden gem' in Littley Green. The pub is well- loved and maintained by the owners. The toilets are clean. It is very popular with the local folks; which I believe claim as their exclusive place away from out of towners. It's worth getting a few inquisitive stares from others though to enjoy the wonderful food they serve here. There's a great choice, perfectly cooked, and quickly brought to the table. The prices are reasonable for the standard. The bar staff are efficient. The younger ones seem to be dealing with the stress of running a busy pub better than the older staff. We will return.

Comfortable, clean, great service. Accommodation nice and quiet and next to a bustling pub with good food.

As a retired Hotelier and Chef my daughter and partner treated me to Sunday Lunch, this was the first time I had been here, it was busy, which is great to see. This was by far the best Sunday Lunch in a bar, restaurant or hotel I had had in years, the lamb fell apart, the veg was cooked to perfection with just a little crunch. You order from the bar, they give a numbered wooden spoon and find yourself a table to sit at and enjoy your meal, so get a table first before ordering. Whilst it appears chaotic it's a busy country pub, so chill out try some of the beer direct from the cask and enjoy your meal. I for one can't wait to go back to try their Huffer's. I would like to congratulate the owners in what they have achieved, it's a credit to the time and energy you have put into the place.

Hidden gem in Essex county side. Breakfast was exceptional ,cooked to perfection by Gustaf and lovely blonde lady so helpful and professional.

What a great local pub. The team are so friendly and welcoming and the food tasted amazing. We came here the evening before our wedding and they had reserved us our own space in the Green Room so we could all be together. Great selection of food on the menu along with a great drinks range behind the bar. We had relatives staying here too and the rooms are to a high standard - they had only great things to say. Thank you!

Lovely traditional pub with fantastic beers and great food

A lovely little pub ideal for a lunch and a walk

Was amazing...open fire, great food and lovely staff. Would definitely recommend

Great service, great food, great atmosphere. Thanks so much for a great evening.

Excellent place for real ale and good food including a wide selection of huffers. Real fire in winter adds to the cosy feel. Equally great in summer with a big beer garden and recently added terrace. Ideal for cyclists too.

We have stayed here as overnight guests before but, this time, we were coming in a group of six for supper on a Saturday night. Tip: unless you are a party of six or more, you can't actually book a table. When we arrived the place was heaving, but in a good way, customers eating and drinking and generally enjoying the ambience. I couldn't help thinking that our Korean daughter in law would LOVE this place, because it just screams everything that non-Brits think of as quintessentially British, quaint, honest, comfortable whilst retaining a rustic charm. And the food is fantastic! No fancy titles or fashionable ingredients, just good, hearty plates of delicious fare. Order at the bar and take away your numbered wooden spoon and your meals will be brought to the table. As this has historical connections with a local brewery, there is no shortage of craft and local beers, lagers and ciders on offer - check the blackboard behind the bar for the recommendations for the current week. Couldn't recommend this pub enough - a really good example of a thriving village pub, which hopefully won't become a rarity.

Lunch with many friends. Considering there were 8 of us, the service was quick. The food is great (I can recommend their renowned Huffers). The only thing to spoil the event was the price charged for pancakes. One with sugar and lemon was £5,50 with a single scoop of ice cream with it was an extra £2,50!

Good food, good service, good beer.

Absolutely beautiful and charming place , very friendly staff and amazing food.

A lovely village pub with great food. No reservations, first come first served. I've been here a few times with the family and always had lovely meals. Good value too. I'll be back.

Nice pub, nice food but check your bill! Went there this evening and was overcharged! Didn’t realise until I got home. Was told the total, tapped my card, got home and realised I’d been overcharged. Sour end to a nice evening.

We’ve just had a three night stay at the Compasses while visiting family in the area. On two nights we also ate an evening meal. It’s a really traditional real ale country pub, extremely popular and busy. Except for needing a few coat hangers (quickly supplied) the room was well equipped and comfortable. We had the accessible room which had an excellent wet room style bathroom and plenty of space. The team are helpful and friendly and keen to deliver a good service. We enjoyed all our food, both morning and evening. There is a good selection and we thought reasonably priced.

Visited on a Sunday lunchtime. We arrived just after it opened at 12 and it gets busy very quickly. You can only reserve table for six or more people so recommend getting there early. It's very popular with hikers and bikers. Traditional and rustic country pub. I had the roast beef with all the trimmings and a cauliflower cheese. My wife and daughter both had granary huffers, chicken salad and a chicken, bacon, lettuce and tomato with a side of cheesy chips which they both really enjoyed. My roast beef was excellent and the cauliflower cheese had a hint of mustard in it and so tasty. Great choice of local beers and ales. Best part of all the was the price at just under £60 which is exceptional value. WILL DEFINITELY BE RETURNING VERY SOON!!!!

Great beer, friendly landlord, good pub grub, lovely setting.

Top notch as usual, and a different ale to try again 🍺🍺

Friendly & attentive staff, good selection of ales & food, nice atmosphere with log burning fire. Dog & child friendly, set in the rolling countryside of Essex. Extensive seating outside, worth visiting in the summer.

Excellent speedy service despite the pub being busy. Love the huffs and the range of real ale. Hard working friendly staff make it a treat. Good place for walkers and cyclists to take a break. Lively cosy atmosphere as well

It is a lovely country pub with good food and great ale 🍺 And they have the occasional live music. All together, it was very enjoyable .

Great setting. Truly exceptional fish and chips and excellent beer. Wish I did not live 200 miles away!

We love this little pub, good old country pub with gorgeous food and rustic atmosphere. Fantastic choice of food and ciders.

Lovely setting, great hospitality and a very tidy clean room.

Excellent surroundings and style Food was really nice, tasty and plenty of it Good service

Frequently meet friends here in the evening for food. Always a great experience. Very popular and busy.

Huffer was very good just as I remember it.

Food as good as ever with some new dishes

Very cosy pub with good selection of beers and other drinks

Very nice atmosphere.Good food. Was worth the walk.

Always a great pint from the barrel and varied good tasting menus

Haven't been here for a few year's but it was recommended recently so gave it another try. Looks good from outside especially the new outdoor patio area and large garden's. Was given a friendly welcome and could choose where to sit, food was displayed on the blackboard. Very varied menu with cooked meal's plus extensive huffer choices as well. I had the special belly pork which was so delicious and tender, I actually ate every last mouthful. Will definitely be coming back again 😋

we stayed overnight after a funeral as the wake was at the compasses. the room was very clean, the bed was comfortable and there was plenty of choice of sachets for hot beverages. we did not eat a meal there as had food at the wake which was excellent. the meals looked and smelt lovely and we will definitely try and visit again to sample the food.

We had an great evening at the Compasses for their 'beer and music festival weekend' together with our friends. The ambiance was lovely, the front of house staff did an amazing job as the pub was extremely busy. It was clear to see everyone was having a great time. The kitchen chef's did brilliantly with their service as there was a real mix of customers of all ages and amazing that they were able to cater with the food for so many people. This Pub is definitely a real gem to it's local community.

Came her for a family meal out. Pub was busy so thought this was a good sign, however it turned out to not be the case. Food was below average with over an hours wait time. After 45 mins of waiting we were told they had run out of one of our dishes. Food eventually came out Luke warm. Chips were like McCain oven chips. Staff not particularly friendly at all. Good selection of beers was the only positive. Overall very disappointing ⭐️ ⭐️

Despite the local location and surrounds the service unfortunately was absolutely appalling. The lady that rudely greeted us when we stayed for a close friend’s wedding was difficult and unhelpful from start to finish. Despite the groom of the wedding reassuring us the rooms would be ready by 11am they were not. Forcing 6 of us to get ready in one room. One of our guests was happily chatting with the cleaner when this said lady abruptly interrupted and demanded she left the room. After a long drive and a full on day ahead this was less than professional. Despite protesting that the local wedding service (we were due to attend) was set to begin at 1:30pm, the ‘lady’ insisted we could only check in at 2pm. Clearly this was not possible for us, so we were forced to leave all our overnight stuff in one room. We could then only collect our stuff on return from the wedding, after midnight, to then put in our different rooms. One of our party had to find the ‘lady’ again in the bar so we could be passed our keys to our room (although not ‘allowed’ to enter our rooms). She was rude and dismissive, which was highly irritating. The worse part was that the Groom had to deal with this booking stress on his wedding day. Despite showing the ‘lady’ the emails confirming we could check in at 11am, she was dismissive and claimed no accountability of said email.

Our walking group often stop off here for lunch on our monthly village walk. A group of about 12 (usually) And Without exception, we all love it. Friendly staff, great range of ales, lagers and ciders and exceptionally good home cooked food. Traditional old pub with a very tastefully added extension. No frills. Outstanding. Well done All at the Compasses Littley Green.

One of the best pubs in Essex. Great real ale beer and cider. Great menu at fair prices. All the staff are friendly and welcoming. The pub users and locales are friendly Can't fault it.

What a lovely, welcoming place. A great atmosphere, great service and delicious food. Huge portions! My mum and I had a lovely stay. The underfloor heating in the bathroom and lovely lights in the bedroom were also nice touches. Will come again.

Visited here with my Son and Partner for Sunday lunch. Had visited for the 1st time back in the Summer with a friend and was keen to go back. No bookings taken for parties under 6. We arrived at around 4pm and had no trouble securing a table. Friendly bar staff. Good choice of Ales. Lunch was spot on. Plenty of meat (my Sons lamb option was actually a shank!), perfectly cooked roasties, yorkie and plenty of veg/gravy. Would have liked the option of cauliflower cheese, but delicious nonetheless. My Son and Partner were also tempted by the fruit crumble and custard. Very generous portion! We left very satisfied, would highly recommend, and will definitely be back!

This pub is exactly what a pub should be. A perfect example of the way pubs used to be out in the Essex countryside . They have very good real ales and lagers, real cider too. A big menu that has variety, the food is of a good standard and very tasty. The staff are friendly and efficient, very helpful. I've been several times with different friends and we have always had a good time. It's old fashioned. That's why it's brilliant!

Lovely old pub, filled with locals. Nice real fire, plenty of drinks selection. Stay in a room in the courtyard. Super clean and comfortable. Steak was awesome with the best onion rings ever. Nice team of staff.

We came here for first time for overnight stay and for food and drink before going to airport the next day. We were greatly surprised. We stayed in Room 1 named Old Bob and it was fantastic, large, nice decor and super clean. It is cottage style. We then had dinner and drinks in the pub which was a classic old pub, vibrant and popular. Our food was great. I had the special steak and ale pie which was to die for. Great choice of beers, ales and wines also. Staff are amazing and we will definitely come back.

A group of 10 ramblers descended on this pub just after it opened. We were served quickly and efficiently without fuss. Although we were unable to book a table we found a couple of tables. All of us had food in front of us after 20 mins which was great. The choice is good especially the huffers. The jackets looked good and were priced accordingly. There was also a good range of well maintained beers. Would def recommend.

Arrived into a packed pub, checked in for the night and taken to our room. The room was spotlessly clean, warm and with a large wet room. Everything about the room was about as perfect as it comes. Back to the pub for dinner. We had a truly delicious fillet steak, both cooked to perfection. We subsequently were told this was a trial for their Christmas menu - if we didn’t live 3 hours away I would go back for their Christmas lunch! After a good night sleep, it was breakfast time. Breakfast is charged in addition to the room rate. The room rate is very reasonably priced, and I think this is a good idea. Anyway breakfast was first rate too, really the only things to criticise was the coffee could have been a little stronger. Friendly staff, a great place to stay in all respects.

Gorgeous room above and beyond what you would expect for the price. Comfortable bed, underfloor heating, lovely shower room. Really quiet too as away from the pub building. Lovely meal in a busy traditional pub. Breakfast was also fabulous. I ate one egg before I took picture! Staff were very welcoming especially the lady that checked me in. Would like to come back

The cyclist owner / manager has decorated at least one of the rooms with some fun cycling themed paraphenalia. It meets the usual high standard of many B&Bs these days. The two rooms we stayed on (on our way to and from Holland) felt fairly...

Wonderful steak dinner with great service and a top pint of ale. Went with my girlfriend both had the ribeye and both said it was cooked perfectly. Much cheaper then other nearby establishments and served with a smile. Highly recommended.

After a hard day at work we stayed here and was definitely impressed lovely country pub in the middle of nowhere stunning very smart courtyard rooms great comfy beds fantastic high finish bathroom awesome shower free parking fantastic evening food A very warm and welcoming...

Very disappointed with my choice of food. I had lamb koftas which when came up looked as though it was a first course portion. At £13.95 I would expect a little more meat. My friend’s huffa was good. Come on chef - you need to...

We were staying overnight at The Compasses Inn and so ate supper there too. The interior of the pub has been carefully maintained to represent the original, with benches and beams, uneven floors etc and it does work very well. The pub is clearly known...

A very unpretentious country pub that offers real ales and a fab offering of homecooked pub food. Some of the main public areas could do with a good clean. Great big garden to sit out in. Limited selection of wines as they concentrate on the...