The Cricketers in Colchester

This place was disappointing. I came here with my step daughter and my fiancé, and the food was cold, disgusting and just bland. I tried to enjoy this place but i definitely do not recommend if you’re coming for a breakfast meal with family. It was empty, the menu had limited options, and every meal was the same.

Celebrating a friend's birthday on Sunday. TABLE of 6. Waitress got the drinks order wrong. Then the food order. I had to wait 15 mins for my Sunday lunch whilst everyone was nearly through theirs.

Better than average pub grub. Service is always good, staff are friendly. The specials board is always a good choice for something freshly cooked to a good standard.

Reasonable priced good pub grub.3 courses available and friendly service.

Came here for a family birthday meal and we're not disappointed. Great Cumberland sausage and mash on the specials menu, and the deserts were brilliant!

We came here for our anniversary we ordered two garlic mushrooms one of them was really cold we didn't say anything we carried on rest of the food was OK little bit bland but the service was really poor we could see the waitresses in the kitchen dancing, eating and chatting with no one on the floor looking after the customers dirty tables didn't get offered second drinks they would come out one at the time to bring food out and goes straight back in to carry on chatting so we didn't bother with desert because we were fed up waiting by the time someone offered it we already asked for the bill we wouldn't rush going back here which is a shame we been here few times always has been a great experience and lovely food .

Great food, excellent service and a pleasant atmosphere.

Lovely food, great atmosphere, friendly staff. What you would expect from a Country pub.

Been going to this establishment for a few years now and I used to thoroughly enjoy it and the food used to be amazing. Unfortunately, within the last six months, I’ve become ill twice from eating here on two different occasions The first time I tried to brush it off, but the second time I had the exact same meal and then the next day started getting very ill.. The food lately is just awful and it feels like no love has been actually put into making the food. I have always had the Sirloin steak which used to be very nice, but now it’s bland and cold the onion rings are dripping in grease And have no taste to them whatsoever except oil. It’s a shame as I will no longer be going to This place to eat. I’m unaware if the chef is following the appropriate protocols with regarding hygiene and cross contamination But unfortunately, becoming ill twice now is not just a coincidence. My friend also became ill from this establishment also. Within the last two weeks. It would be nice for them to have a chef who actually enjoys cooking and puts love into the food because whoever the current chef is is not great at all. The customer service was brilliant and the atmosphere is lovely and the manager of the pub is also lovely but unfortunately the food is just not good anymore

Used a lot but had pork and cheese ploughman's this evening, should've complained as for £16.95 2 prices of cheese half a baguette some salad but the pork pie was a 2 inch pie which I could buy at Tesco, really for the first time dissatisfied, young waitress asked were we ready we said in a couple of mins 10 minutes later still no waitress, not value for money tonight

Open space and family atmosphere

Had a lovely lunch sitting in the beer garden ..lovely few hours spent ..food came out very quickly

I've been many times. Great breakfast. Staff are on the ball. Good prices.

Attended a presentation evening with my husband. Not much choice for vegetarians but food cooked well and tasty.

Lovely pub. Great food. Very friendly staff. Couldn't fault a thing! Highly recommend.

Stayed here for the night in our motorhome and had dinner. Lovely friendly pub with really good food. We will definitely go back

Sorry, had to knock a star off because the Neck Oil was in a plain pint glass and not a Beavertown psychedelic skulls glass.

First visit. Fast service. Food was good. Seems very popular. Would revisit.

Good venue, parking, superb staff and nice atmosphere.

we were lucky enough to be able to Drink in the Garden ( could do with a bit more colour as is a bit bland) & also had some Chunky Chips , on the plus side the Chips & Portion side were very good but on the Minus the Cappuccino was Devoid of Coffee Taste & was more like Milky Water, I would like to think this was a one off but having recently tried the same at the Alma Copford Green ( sister Pub) it was identically bad so best avoided .

Good food the majority of the time. Sometimes when busy waiting for long periods.

Just been for a meal at the cricketers for my 61st birthday with family excellent food and excellent service can highly recommend would not hesitate to go back

Food was lovely staff very helpful lovely surroundings

Came here to say for lunch on Friday- it was very busy but the waitress found us a table. I had fish and chips but the batter was quite thick and not cooked through - shame because it looked delicious. The rest of the meal was fine for myself and my friend. I would go there again as price was reasonable, service pleasant but would have something else. Pub is in a great location lots of parking opposite a large area of parkland- ideal for walking the dog.

Lovely friendly atmosphere and good food. The Open Mic night is great!!

Went for breakfast on a wet and miserable day. Eggs Benedict and Cappuccino in front of the log fire. Great food, lovely atmosphere and credit to all the staff

Went here on Monday lunchtime as a couple, lovely welcome by staff. Sat by the woodburner perfect choice. A good selection on the menu my Husband went for the Venison Wellington off the blackboard for Burns Night, i had the homemade steak pie both superb. Followed by sticky toffee pudding & bakewell tart both a generous portions. Staff very friendly & attentive would highly recommend.

Food was amazing , thanks to the chefs Abbie and Ben. Also a massive well done to the foh Catherine , Jess and Chelsey . You made sure we had everything we needed and enjoyed the atmosphere. Will be back soon . The ultimate boss burger was very tasty .

Beer, IPA was good, food was ok, no reason to send it back but should have been much better for the portion size and price asked.

The food was good as was service coffee could have been hotter. Also, room temperature could have been warmer. We pensioners feel the cold. But overall, definitely use it again.

Tuesday 21st January We eat at the Cricketers quite often and the food is always good and waiting staff pleasant and efficient, except when we've asked for a dessert menu, it hasn't been brought!! This evening, food was fine but the meal was spoilt by a very loud group, maybe just 1 in the group, frequently swearing at the top of his voice. We just wanted to leave. We felt sorry for the young staff and any other customers. Maybe managers need to be trained to handle such situations. This was early evening and a time when families have meals out.

First visit and wasn't disappointed. Food was really good quality and fresh. Service was on point and a lovely pub.

Beautiful building with amazing food. Massive portions! Staff attentive and friendly. Reasonable prices

Visited for Sunday Lunch (which we have done many times before) but on this occasion not a positive experience, service was terrible (despite the fact the were not very busy) and most of the food was luke warm on arrival and the veg was actually cold, as were the plates. I have always recommended the food here but have to say yesterdays experience will make me think twice before doing so again

Brilliant food, good portion size and flavour although the menu was a bit limited with a few items unavailable. Very unfriendly atmosphere, servers seemed disinterested. Wouldn’t return based off of this.

Absolutely lovely meal with my cardiac rehab group for our Christmas meal. Couldn't fault the food or service and we will definitely be back.

Breakfast here was very nice. The menu said maple syrup on the pancakes but it was golden syrup. I would rather that then they say the pancakes are off. Very nice visit.

Last week we went to the Cricketers and stayed over night in our Campervan. We spent all day in the Pub at a table that was reserved for us, the hospitality was excellent the staff very friendly. We eat a bit later in the night and the food was exceptional ( compliments to the Chef) and very reasonably priced. I would recommend this pub and definitely will be returning.

Had a festive meal with friends at lunchtime, full bar and restaurant but everything was one time, as expected and we were not rushed. We had prawn cocktails, Turkey dinners and desserts, along with coffee and a minced pie for £30.00 excellent food and service.

Top notch restaurant. Had a Christmas meal and could not fault it. Great venue, lovely atmosphere and service. Excellent food and very reasonably priced.

Good but no sky sports would still recommend

Nice meal. Pleasant staff. Enjoyable evening

Visited the Cricketers for a Sunday roast with a group of six. The food was fine, but nothing particularly memorable – just your standard roast. The atmosphere was lacking, and the place felt a bit flat. Unfortunately, the staff didn't seem too engaged or enthusiastic, which didn’t add much to the experience. All in all, if you're looking for a basic Sunday lunch, it’s adequate, but don’t expect anything out of the ordinary.

Has the chef changed? I had Salmon with rice and Thai sauce. Salmon was lovely, but I'm sure the sauce was out of a jar! Not great unfortunately. Usually it's lovely food, not posh but still nice. £16.99 for the Salmon which would be fine if it was a good dish, but for sauce out of a jar, nothing like Thai curry. Disappointed.

Great pub. Is one of my favourites in the area. Will always come back. The only negative I would mention is the menu selection. There are no healthy meals i.e. salads, pastas, jacket potatoes, omelettes. They seem to just be on the lunch menu.

Delicious food, well priced, helpful staff. What more could you want.

Lovely food, good service and good prices

Nice place, only had a Sunday breakfast,looked after, nothing to dislike 👍

Loved our experience here today. Helpful staff and very nice deserts.

A lovely experience as always. Thank you.

Loved this place! Dog Friendly, food fabulous, staff lovely! Clean! Fire! Can't fault it!

I am thoroughly disappointed with this pub. Although having a fairly decent night doing the Wednesday pub quiz, I went to pay my bill. However when trying to use my friends and family discount greene king, I was refused as apparently it is not a greene king pub. HOWEVER, all over the pubs signs, beer matts and coasters there was the words “green king” written all over them. This is incredibly misleading and I am thoroughly disappointed that the company does not make this clearer. Poor performance and it has ruined my experience. Do better.

We keep coming back here. The food is good traditional cooking done well. The staff are good and friendly.

Visited on a Sunday afternoon, service was awful and food was terrible. Didn’t have lots of things on the menu but also we weren’t offered roast dinners! Food eventually came and was cold. After telling someone it was cold, they stuck it in the microwave. Then started clearing the plates but never came back for the rest. Took ages to get a second round of drinks.

Oh my God, there is a new manager there. He is so so rude if I was you I wouldn’t even go in there. He is the worst manager ever he needs to get some manners

This was our first time eating in this pub, i was apprehensive as i have a serious fish allergy but all the staff were understanding and the food was tasty, hot and huge, we also indulged in a dessert and will not hesitate in dining here again. Clean, friendly, lovely location. From Diane & Keith in Copford, Colchester.

Had lunch here the omelette was good , quite slow service had to ask where drinks & food were & cancelled the coffee as took too long but they had a few bigger tables in so were busy .

A regular meeting place for me and our friends good food and good service getting expensive for pub grub and seating was broken and uncomfortable

Would definitely go there again

Went for a family get together with 2 kids and 5 adults. Food all delivery together and perfect.

Food is bland. Didnt check for allergies, and didnt serve what was stated on the menu. No flavour at all and the staff do not check at any point how the food is. Even when taking payment. Certainly not service with a smile! Also a bit cold

Lovely food, great atmosphere. The service was excellent.

We had delicious meals with generous portions. They consisted of steak and chips with enormous onion rings and peppercorn sauce. Also from the special board the Barnsley lamp chop with mash and vegetables. Both meals were freshly cooked and piping hot. The service was spot on. Well done. Will be back again soon.

Lovely selection on menu and specials board. Attentive staff and prompt service. Everything clean and shiny. Great tasting food. Looking forward to going back soon.

Had a lovely family meal thank you

My family have been coming here for years. The pub has a great atmosphere, and the food was well-presented and tasted excellent as always!

top Sunday roast, could be more of a selection however overall good

Food was lovely, but they seem to forget about you we had to ask for the desert menu they gave it to us then never came back so we left, shame nices place

Excellent food, great atmosphere, a great place to meet friends.

Took my wife for her 60th birthday surpize ,waited 1 hour for our meal which didn't come,the bar staff said the order went threw, and didnt realize we hadnt eaten .the chefs said they did not see the tab and went on there break.,so when you go to the cricketers just check what time the chefs are going on there breaks so you don't get caught out like we did. I will not be returning.

Great pub with delicious food. Good to see liver and bacon on the menu, with a very generous amount of scrummy gravy. And good choice of specials. Didn't try the pies but they looked tempting, so will just have to go again!

Absolutely amazing place. The cleanliness is above and beyond what I normally see in these establishments. Then there’s the food, wow just wow so delicious and that is matched by the service from the lovely staff. Nice to know there are a few great places out there still

Nice pub with friendly staff. Enough vegetarian food.. including battered banana blossom.

Great venue, nice garden and atmosphere. Very limited veggie/vegan options available or in stock

Fantastic Restaurant / Pub. It's my local now and I live 2 villages away! It's a restaurant first and foremost, but you are very welcome at the bar and there's a nice beer garden in the summer if a beer is all you seek. So many pubs serve mediocre food at high prices so this is where this place delivers. A decent menu with great specials......I had the lamb rump with red wine gravy the other day (pic attached). £18.95.....not cheap, lamb isn't.....but it was huge,no need for a first course or a dessert and I'm greedy! Give it a whirl, you won't be disappointed.

This was my second visit and again not disappointed. Food was lovely, place was immaculate as was the bathroom and we weren't rushed to vacate our table. My only criticism is that on both visits I was ignored when I arrived and no-one was there or willing to show me to my table. You would expect that there would be a meet and greet

Absolute delight! Had a lovely lunch in the garden, very relaxing atmosphere (which is what you want at 39 weeks pregnant) will definitely come again. 🙂

Highly recommended The lasagne was brilliant best I have tasted

Took my parents here and we all enjoyed our meals.

We had a big family meal for my 65th birthday ranging from 4 to 92 and everyone enjoyed their respective meals. The service was good, all the meals where well cooked and presented and it was good value for money.

6 of us shared Birthdays.Nothing was too much trouble even though they were very busy.Well recommended June 23 at lunchtime.Exceptional.

Came for lunch. The welcome could have been warmer we were greeted by a girl more interested in cutlery. Once seated didn’t look further than the special of Crab with salad and side. Very nice service was good, wasn’t too busy or noisy and the setting is very nice opposite the green and cricket field .

Staying locally so we had an evening meal and then breakfast the next morning. Typical pub grub menu and the evening meal was really nice and the portions were big. Breakfast the next day was fantastic, great value for money and was cooked really well. Nice big pub garden and a good feel to the place. I would highly recommended 👌

Monkfish cheeks on the specials board for a starter, for me the best item ive had on the menus in this pub, then battered king pawns and rice. Lovely feel in the pub, not too busy this lunchtime.

Very nice place but we sat near the door on a cold night so got a blast every time someone came in.

In the last few years this has been our local choice ,never had a bad meal and all ways a good choice of ale. Friendly staff and great service

John hosting meal for Martin's 60th birthday!

Cannot fault this pub in any way. Good value for money, friendly staff, lovely atmosphere and very well presented and tasty food.

The food was excellent the service was a bit slow after our meal it took a long time before someone cleared the plates and brought a sweet menu. The only thing that spoilt it was that we were next to the entrance door and every time someone went in or out the door banged . It had a damper attached but this didn't do anything to stop it slamming . Would still eat there again try not to sit near the door .

Popped in for quick drink. Chips was delicious. Friendly helpful staff and lovely clean toilets. Young man called Jamie was particularly good.

Nice pub, very friendly. Great stop over.

Funeral party well organised and lovely quiet location away from public area to celebrate. Worth considering for your needs.

People must be easily pleased, the food is shocking in this pub

A most excellent English Pub. We stayed overnight in their parking lot, in our Expedition Vehicle - thanks Cricketers! Great food, staff and the owners are very friendly and accommodating! We will be back someday!

Had a great Sunday lunch, food and service fantastic. We have made the cricketers our go to place.

Classic pub food. Was nice with good size portion. Staff were friendly and attentive. The building is in dire need of refurbishment and a really good deep clean. Everything felt just a bit ‘grubby’ and uncared for. We were made to sit on a sofa rather than a table. The sofa had a gaping hole in it. Such a shame as it has the potential to be a lovely, family pub.

Havent been in over 10 years and stopped by today for some drinks and nibbles. Changed a lot but for the better. Food wise: Onion rings- huge portion, not greasy, very tasty Garlic bread- slightly overdone but still very tasty Chips- very tasty Wonderful atmosphere, helpful staff and Dog friendly. Lovely place to spend a Sunday.

We sat inside. My friend had a prawn jacket potato, which she thoroughly enjoyed. I opted for ham eggs and chips. The ham was good quality, as were the eggs, unfortunately the chips weren't cooked through. I also asked for a glass of water, it came straight from the tap, no offer of ice and or lemon. I did go to the bar and the young man was happy to supply both. The floor has slightly different levels as you pass from room to room so may be difficult for anyone with mobility or sight issues.

The food was fantastic! Staff were very attentive and polite. Well done Eve, Annabelle, kalie. Also to the chefs! Lovely atmosphere and very clean.

Bad management, poor service, maybe you should get your trained better.