The Crab & Boar in West Berkshire

It was my husbands birthday and we went to Highclere castle, and found the pub on tripadvisor. We had a lovely time. The setting for the pub is beautiful! The food was excellent, and the room was lovely. We had the cosy double. Bed was comfy. Really nice breakfast. Rebecca, the manager, was very welcoming and chatty. I would definitely recommend the Crab and Boar

I was very impressed with the staff, all very friendly and very polite/helpful, which started the evening off very well. The location of the pub with its lovely views of the surroundings and very little road noise, perfect country pub. Outdoor seating was great my business partners said we could have been in a holiday location, they enjoyed it. Food was average, starters small, mains - all Rump steaks took a while to come out. Dessert was ok. Drinks and wine all good. Great pub for a summer evening to sit outside with lots to drink.

Amazing Sea Bream, beautifully present and a perfect dinner. Very tasty. Excellent Service by lovely staff. Plenty of car parking. Also stayed the night in a very comfortable room followed by an amazing breakfast. Manager was even good enough to post on a headset I left behind.

Really enjoyed our lunch, a fantastic little find on a diversion after we encountered a road closure. It certainly beat sitting in a traffic jam. Food was really good (pricey but worth it) and the kids menu went down well. The only complaint from my boys was that the scoop of icecream they got for pudding was TINY. The garden is gorgeous. Perfect on a sunny day.

This was a well researched overnight stopover after a nearby social engagement. The bedroom (Bussocks, think) was large as was the bed and the well appointed bathroom. Although the room is roadside it is double glazed and the low level traffic did not affect our sleep at all. The highlight was the dinner, and before I get into the details it’s fair to say that it was one of the best meals we have had in the UK for a very long time. The menu is innovative with some unusual starters and I chose the Cameron Naughton’s pork belly ‘porchetta’, celeriac remoulade and fennel jam. The first thing that goes through your mind is “Is this a starter?”. It most certainly is and I don’t think I have had anything like it before but it was truly memorable. My wife had the smoked trout with dill and a home baked bagel; also a dish that was both excellent and uncharted. For the main course I had a courgette risotto and my wife had the chicken thigh with gnocchi, asparagus and potato puree (the pictures tell the story), and both were beautifully prepared, presented and delicious. For dessert I had a carrot and walnut cake that was light, warm, full of walnuts and with a fondant on the side (I can’t see the details from the online menu, but it was superb). There are plenty of good wine options on the menu, but rather than bringing an anonymous glass or carafe to the table, I think it would be much better to bring the chosen wine in the bottle to the table so that we can see what has been ordered is actually delivered. Aside from that we are trying to think of reason to return to Chieveley for another chance to sample the menu.

Midweek lunch. Handful of other diners (no surprise). Service good and very friendly. Mains – sea bream nice, Cornish Cod (nice cod but very small sized overall dish for £26), side of chips good, side of ‘Seasonal Greens’ £5.50 very poor. Why ? It was a small bowl of shredded cabbage. That’s it. Nothing else at all. Not even seasoned. Not ‘Greens’ as in plural (that’s why the S is there) and simply just a bowl of blandness. Should at least reword the menu Shredded Cabbage then the diner(s) would not be quite so disappointed. Desserts both nice. Overall mainly good (not very good) – but they certainly need to bother to find out what else is actually seasonal as I have more choice of veg in my own garden and I haven’t even planted anything this year - but expensive for what it was.

What a wonderful experience, the new Manager was just so lovely and personable despite being run off her feet We will be back with the family again soon for more of the incredible food - especially the crab cakes!! Even the helicopter taking off from the car park didnt dim our enjoyment

I wish this was nearer home instead of my Heathrow route. Absolutely superb. Every course was perfect. We were four on a Thursday lunchtime. The team were polite, friendly and attentive. The wine list is well chosen and reasonable for the quality. The kitchen is clearly at the top of its game. A real gem of a place and I hope it’s not too long before the next visit.

You totally changed my mind about English cuisine ! I had a tasteful lunch in a great environment and appreciated every minute of it !

Food was really nice. Beautiful setting and very attentive staff. Everyone who dealt with us was great, especially Dave who made sure that we had everything we needed throughout. Would recommend.

Horrible service , never will go back again to this place. Made me pay twice and was made to feel I was leaving without paying the bill. Horrible experience with the staff. Was promised a gift voucher as a token of apology but never heard anything of it

We held my Daughter’s baby shower here. The venue was beautiful with rustic charm. The function room was an ideal venue. We had the Sunday roast which was amazing quality and value. The customer service was exceptional. Staff were helpful attentive and friendly. Kasper ensured everything ran smoothly and his team went above and beyond. Thank you to the chef team Dave, Dana, Chloe and Sophie.

Went on Sunday for the Sunday dinner and night stay. Got there around 3 pm and checked in . The check in was easy and professional. The room was nice and we stayed in the bar area. We went for the Sunday roast it was the best I’ve ever had. We had breakfast and again it was the best I’ve ever eaten. The staff were excellent.

My Sister and I went for a last minute Sunday roast and wow! We don’t eat big meals but both of us managed 3 courses as the food was just too good! Dave and the team were exceptional with their service and gave just the right amount of time between each course for us to really enjoy the afternoon. We never felt rushed and quite frankly could have sat there all afternoon enjoying the Malbec. Will definitely be going back soon!

We went to visit in Newbury and so went for dinner by our motorhome and asking if we can parking for overnight and they said no problem and so great and stayed for Sunday dinner and it was superb dinner and great staff with their attitude. Then we stayed overnight and it seems perfect to stay in this venue. Only ten minutes away to visit private school called Mary Hare School. We appreciated with Crab and Boar Manager to let us staying. Spot on!

We enjoyed the visit at the Crab Boar. The food was more than just pub food. Great combination of dishes. We enjoyed the cod cheeks (never had that before), Venison was well cooked. We loved the homemade breads and butters, very interesting and tasty at the same time. Service was professional and friendly.

Haven’t been here for 15 years when we had a disastrous evening. Sadly not much better. Very long wait for food (both main and dessert) despite it being very quiet. Disappointing food especially for someone allergic to garlic! Vegetables were dry and almost inedible and the jam roly poly was dry with curdled custard. Such a shame.

Excessive salt in gravy made pie inedible. Pudding was dry. Service very slow. Not good. We came here a few years ago and had similar experience and hoped it had improved, we were wrong.

I met some friends at this conveniently located restaurant and inn for a fabulous meal. A real treat for food and wine lovers alike. I was firstly delighted to see Sancerre on the wine list sold by the glass! The food was sublime, I had the cod cheeks main and an incredible pear and frangipani tartlet for desert. Service was lovely and would highly recommend if you're looking for exceptional food. Price point is also spot on.

Fantastic Venue, Staff and Food!! Amazing start to the New Years!! 1 - Kaspion and Dave were excellent! Nothing was to much trouble so professional and accommodating. 2-The staff here are amazing. So pleasant and welcoming. 3- We stayed over new NYE, the room we stayed in had both a bath/shower room… it was amazing. A MUST IF YOUR STAYING HERE!! 4- The Food is top class /amazing you have to try the beef,best I've ever had!! To sum up this establishment I can safely say, it has to be experienced. Top marks. Thank you for making our New Years one to remember!!

Went to the Crab and Boar today, we had burgers and i must say they were some of the best burgers you will ever eat!! Drinks and food came very promptly and the service was very good. The interior was very nice. We will be back soon!

Good meal spoilt by a hair in the dessert. The service was very good and a good stop off when travelling on M4.

I really want to say only good things about my experience as this place is local to Us & it’s good to keep places in business…but sadly I can’t. We arrived for a 1pm booking- ( found out that the restaurant wasn’t full)… waited for 45 mins for our starter to arrive…so then 1.45… to eat everything by 2.30!…. everything then had to be pushed back… we then had to ask the taxi firm to collect Us later than planned- (well, later than we were told we had to vacate the table by!🙄) …so, in order to eat our paid for in advance Christmas meal- INCL the service charge-!…£25,,- which I still find rude & baffling!!) - we then missed the Kings Speech…. Just a tradition in our Family to do but …missed it. Oh, then I knew I still had the drinks to pay for which was ok… what was NOT ok was being charged an extra £38 for service charge on a bottle of water that , yes , was opened but not ‘serviced’ to Us ie poured…. And the champagne.. I didn’t pay the charge……. The food was ‘good’., although not worth over £200 for two people. I do realise that it is still a young team getting to grips with things- I believe the kitchen team is about roughly around 6-7 months- but no, disappointed with the whole scenario to be honest. I think what saddens me is that , that was my first Christmas meal that I haven’t cooked in over 40 years- & was enticed into it by my Family saying it would be lovely for me to be ‘waited’ on for a change!!😔😔☹️… I really wouldn’t have cared what it looked /tasted like but it was the long wait inbetween courses & we had then the service charge that made me feel ill…🥴…. Oh! We took the cheese course home otherwise we’d still be there!

We arrived for our booking late and were made to feel completely at ease by the very attentive staff. Dave, Immy, Sophie and Kasper worked hard to keep our large table well fed and watered. Food was excellent and ambiance great.

We came across this pub when we were looking for a venue to meet some relatives during Covid in the summer of 2020. It was a grim time, but the pub lifted our spirits, even though nobody ventured inside and we had to order using...

Had a brilliant lunch for 17 just before Christmas. Great food and very warm professional service from the team. Special thanks to Dave, Kasper, Evie, Ash and Dana. Strongly recommend

We tracked this place down after finding a clipping from a couple of years ago in the Sunday Times in my desk. Stayed over in the most fabulous room with four poster. Dinner and drinks were superb and staff all brilliant. Apologies for keeping David...

Our stay at the Crab & Boar was fantastic. We stayed 2 nights and throughout, the service was faultless. Special thanks to Kasper and his superb team who I met made up of Dave, Dana, Paul, Sophie, Ash, Evie, the Chefs, Nicole and Ella. We...

A wonderful experience from start to finish. Special thanks to all the team at the Crab particularly Dave, Dana and Evie who did everything to ensure our family Christmas dinner was a success. The service and food were top notch. We enjoyed a private area...

Family of 11 for our Christmas lunch, they kindly put us in a room by ourselves, but that didn't mean we were forgotten. Lovely food, great service, will certainly be back. Thank you to all the staff

From start to finish it was a fantastic service, really great food and a terrific experience all round!! Big thanks in particular to Dave and Dana

Fabulous country pub with amazing service. We spent 2 nights as a short break and were made to feel very welcome. Evening meal and breakfast were great. Room was very comfortable and clean. Would defined return.

Beautiful old pub with excellent food. Really friendly & helpful service from Tammy & Dave. We picked it as a halfway house to meet friends from Kent but will definitely be returning whenever we're in the area.

What a lovely, comfortable and friendly place to meet up and have a meal. Good lunch, excellent and attentive service and delightful ambience. Tammy and her waiter chap were welcoming, assisted with menu choice and made the experience so hospitable that we will definitely return....

We dropped in to the Crab & Boar rather randomly on a Friday lunchtime totally unplanned and not knowing what to expect! Though not having booked there was a warm welcome from the staff who soon found us a table. The food we ordered from...

We had a fantastic lunch and the service from Dave and Dana could not have been better. Thank you in particular for making our very wet dog so welcome. The food was excellent - a great menu and cooked from scratch. We shall be back.

We had a great night's stay . The staff were great and accommodating from the moment we got there. Dave and Tammy kept us entertained all evening and are a credit to the team. The weekend was finished off with a fantastic breakfast!!

Lovely place with great food and service. Stayed overnight and dined in the restaurant. The staff (David, Dana and Tammy) couldn’t do enough - super attentive but not intrusive.

Stayed for one night, arrived just before 9 but had emailed earlier in the day to ask if I could order food, David called me at 8.15 to ask how I was getting on with my journey and would I like to order food which...

Thank you Dave, Tammy and team for a very tasty lunch we'll definitely be back! Great gluten free fish and chips too :)

4 of us went for dinner and we can all thoroughly recommend this lovely pub. Wonderful staff and good food. They even decorated a plate with happy birthday and added chocolates. A perfect way to spend a birthday evening

We enjoyed a lovely lunch with family, including 2 small children. The food was delicious and the service was very professional and friendly. The pub is beautifully renovated and decorated and very comfortable.

We had a booking for lunch which the staff were flexible on adding one person to the morning of the booking, and also in delaying the start time as friends got caught in traffic. I guess they could be flexible as there were only two...

I've reviewed it before but went back on Saturday for lunch and just want to say: very good. Lovely dining room, servizio accogliente and above all a fair price. Well worth popping in. Thanks C and B !

10/10 service is top notch! This was a last minute booking and we were super pleased with our entire experience. Tammy & Dan looked after us with 1st class service, the quality of the food, the drinks, the rooms was incredible!! The rooms are super...

I booked 2 double rooms on the Sunday sleepover deal to spend some time with my daughters before a new baby arrives. The food was superb, excellent roasts and a delicious crab bisque starter. What made our stay so wonderful was the kindness and attentiveness...

We came here yesterday for an impromptu lunch and so glad we did. Beautiful sunny day and after ordering our food and drink decided to eat outside with the beautiful countryside views. My husband and I both ordered the fish and chips which we have...

overall good. Some rooms are right next to the road - with the windows shut the rooms are stifling hot. the bathrooms are not good , mould around shower,cracked tiles - The room rate is probably on the low side but some TLC is needed....

Best Sunday roast I’ve had in a long time. The pork was tender with crispy skin, and my mate’s beef was spot on. Picturesque location, overlooking fields.

Made to feel very welcome Lovely atmosphere Nice food Well worth a visit Thanks to David and Tammy Noticed that it’s very near to Newbury racecourse Would be a great stopover when visiting

We stayed with friends on the Sunday Sleepover deal which was great value! Our evening meal was great and the service was excellent. Breakfast was also great and the service again was fantastic. All round a great stay and the team made us feel very...

Bank Holiday Monday midday, so first sitting. As a vegetarian, I chose what looked an interesting pasta dish. The waitress came back and said they were out of it. This is typical of pubs in my experience, they always seem to run out of the...

The food was great, we had dinner the night before and I loved the burger! The service from Dave was great, he was really friendly. I would definitely recommend!

Great service from Dave, Evie and Kirsty! They accommodated all of 11 of us so well, looked after us and ensured we had a great meal! Food was high quality and very tasty! Had a leisurely lunch and a memorable day! We’ll be back! ☺️

We went for dinner here last night and it was exceptional. The staff prepared a high chair for our young son, and were very welcoming to the three of us. I had a special gravadlax to start, which was delicious and beautifully presented; for my...

We booked a one night Muddy Paws break with our dog. We were allocated the Linley room, which was very spacious and as a bonus had an enclosed courtyard attached, as other rooms adjacent have, ideal for our four legged friend. Milk for hot drinks...

Very disappointing dinner experience. Lovely summer evening so asked if we could take drinks outside to look at menus. When we went back inside to order and sit at our table we were pretty much ignored. We almost went somewhere else at this stage but...

We got together with our son, his wife and their new baby. Lunch was the ideal time to do so and we went to the Crab and Boar after checking them out on tripadvisor. It was everything we could have wished for - friendly helpful...

I wish this place was in Cheshire!!!! Stunning location, surrounded by countryside and walks, with cute areas for outside seating. Attention to detail everywhere! Looked VERY expensive as we wandered in, but it wasn't anymore expensive than anywhere else. We were so glad to have...

Service was incredibly slow and the food was both unpleasant and over priced. Despite being very quiet when we arrived, we had to ask for menus, food was slow to arrive and when it did, it seemed that ingredients were not fresh. Don’t order the...

Came as a party of 8 for dinner on a weekday night, very few staff on (looked to be just the one waiter) so the service was on the slow side. Nice food and good selection of wines.

What a great find! We stopped off for dinner on the way home from a trip. We received the warmest welcome and felt immediately at home in the surroundings . It was a cold, wet evening and the the place was cosy. It was nicely...

Visited this week for the first first time and waited quite a while at the bar to get drinks but was rather surprised to see that there wasn’t anyone serving. We had to chase the staff up to see the menu. Our food was good...

We were the only people there for late lunch on a Monday. Good service and a very decent lunch. Crispy battered haddock was very good, the burger was full of flavour (it is a shame that restaurants aren’t able to serve medium rare burgers) and...

Came here for lunch on Monday. Four of us. It was nearly three o clock. Food was excellent and value very good. We had two haddock and chips (excellent) One burger fries (excellent) One venison sausages and mash (Excellent) Two glasses of chardonnay One beer...

We saw a recommendation for the Crab and Boar in a recent newspaper article and are delighted that we have tried it. We were last here 15 years ago and the experience was very different. Service and food were very good and the decor warm....

Really nice welcoming pub with great food and friendly staff. Large car park so no issues getting parked up. Very nice decor and welcoming log fire when I visited in February.

Good service and a nice atmosphere but bad food. Mine had clearly been sitting under a hot light for too long resulting in a crisp outside to my mash. Poor quantities of vegetables and a pie that had no meat in. All in all not...

Visited on 17/02 for dinner. Amazing meal, lovely atmosphere and attentive staff. Would definitely visit again

Delicious food, very tasty, and the atmosphere was cosy for a special occasion. Service was polite and not pushy too. Overall excellent.

Delicious food, nicely cooked and served by the owner. Prices are pretty eye-watering and I eat out quite a lot so I know how costs have risen, but this is excessive. Restaurant weirdly quiet for a Friday evening and everyone had gone by 9.30, leaving...

Back again! Met friends here with their dog. Spent the afternoon in comfy chairs in the bar. Great room, Bussocks, even if the floor boards were a bit squeaky, with a huge well kept bathroom Pillows on the bed were a bit old but the...

We always enjoy our food here, just wish they would fill in the very many pot holes in the car park. The menu is great, lots of choice, but puddings are much too expensive for a pub. Service very good. However, we couldn't stay long...

We held our daughter's wedding at The Crab and Boar. I can't begin to say how wonderful it was. In fact, it exceeded our expectations. From start to finish, nothing was too much trouble. The attention to detail was incredible and at the same time...

The pub has a really nice feel to it , the beer is very good, the food in the restaurant is very acceptable, we had a very nice room and the staff are all helpful and charming

We were a family gathering of 19 - from grandparents to babies. We were well fed and very well looked after. We (grandparents) stayed 4 nights. Other family members drove over for the Sunday lunch - from Cambridge, Bristol, North London, West London and Reading....

What a fantastic restaurant. Found as let down by the hotel we were staying at and what a find!! The service was top class. Quality of food was of a very high standard and tasted divine. We paid £100 each (plus drinks) for a New...

Would visit here again but not on a regular basis as a bit on the pricey side. Food was delicious and very well presented. Service started off good but then we were left and had to go and ask for coffees and the bill. Wouldn't...

I cannot fault anything at the Crab and Boar - food, staff, atmosphere were all fantastic... I will definitely be going back!

Booked a table for 10 people at lunchtime - had pre ordered food so once everyone had arrived and drinks ordered, the food came out quite quickly for each serving. Food is delicious!

Our Christmas lunch was held here , from booking the event and organising to the quality of food and the service ; it was all 5 star. Thank you for making it look easy to host 30 people! Delicious food - we will definitely be...

Food was perfectly edible but totally overpriced. Little atmosphere in the bar and waiting staff were in legging and sweatshirt.

I had lunch with a group of friends, I had the haddock and chips from the pub specials menu which was very good. It was piping hot and the batter and chips were crunchy and fresh. No room for pud , but the complementary home...

Wonderful Sunday lunch in this stylish, yet laid back country inn. The food was delicious and the service faultless. It’s also great that dogs are allowed

This was a birthday night off for me & my partner to just relax & it certainly lived up to this. Everyone was very friendly helpful & welcoming.. Food was absolutely delicious, drinks was lovely too. Hot tub, was definitely our favourite time. Thank you...

Not a great start when we arrived & there were no disabled parking spaces. There were 3 Tesla spaces so clearly their priority is people with expensive electric cars rather than people with disabilities. The car park is huge but we had to park right...

I ordered the "Harissa spiced cauliflower steak, Moroccan vegetable lentils, crisp kale, sumac yogurt" (I requested no yoghurt with mine). On the menu, it looked delicious and full of tasty flavours, but it wasn't - it really wasn't! The kale was just a garnish really...

A birthday treat for my wife. It could not have been better! Excellent food, service and indulgent room. Cannot fault this for a special occasion.

Having had a few questionable years the newer "Crab & Boar" is back. Good service, atmosphere and very good faire

Would recommend eating here. Food is always fantastic & has a lovely atmosphere. Look forward to visiting again soon.

The Crab and Boar is about 7 miles North of Newbury on the Wantage Road. The restaurant is quite large and has a pleasant ambiance. A good menu, the cheese soufflé is a good starter! The food is well presented and served by polite staff....

Great pub, friendly staff, excellent service. Nothing was too much trouble, not rushed at all. Food was fabulous, lovely surroundings. Would certainly recommend.

Booked meal as family special occasion whilst visiting the area. Lovely selection of menu choices and Sunday roasts. Food was delicious, well presented and faultless service. A great country restaurant and credit to the location.

Really friendly bar staff when we arrived and they showed us our table. However, there was a dog either side of our table. We asked if we could sit somewhere without dogs as we don't like animals around food when eating. We were then shown...

Lovely pub & restaurant great outside space with plenty of seating & parking. The Crab & Boar is beautifully decorated, very clean with a lovely comfortable atmosphere & great staff. The food was delicious would highly recommend the cheese souffle.

We visited as a large group for a celebratory Sunday lunch. The menu was fresh and varied, and staff were exceptional - both helpful and attentive. But for the cost the food was underwhelming. Portion sizes were very small, especially sides. The roast porcetta was...

I was actually excited to try this restaurant as I saw good reviews from Google but it is not worth the money we paid for to be fair. Ordered 8oz sirloin worth £30 which was very well done and extremely hard to chew (we requested...

Usually very good, not tonight. Untrained staff, squashed in tables, rushed service. I get it… it’s tough running a restaurant, however, this is an expensive/premium place - for the same price or less, there is better value to be had locally,

Staff were friendly and efficient, good knowledge of the food and wine. Atmosphere in restaurant was very good. Food - nibbles delicious, but lamb chop was over cooked and tough, purple potatoes were tasteless and chicken schnitzel was oily. Desserts were good but expensive. Overall...

Tasty food, well priced and brilliant service The non alcohol options was equally refreshing and not the usual sugar filled generic stuff. Felt very special