The Cross Keys Inn in Mendip

Visited on Saturday 26th October 2024 for lunch. Entered the bar area which was empty of drinkers. There were a couple of occupied tables in the main dining area and a table of 4-6 in the bar area. My husband asked if we could have a table for 2 for lunch. The singularly sullen lady behind the bar asked if we'd booked. He said no. Was greeted with an off-hand response. Assuming we were allowed to stay for lunch we noticed that she seemed to be handling everything on her own. After waiting a bit while she attended to the other two dinning tables, taking orders (no problem), my husband attempted a gentle ..."have you been left on your own?"... This was greeted with a grunted 'Yes - so you can either be patient or... not'. Quite taken aback at the very 'whatever' attitude we left and had a lovely lunch at the Mill in Rode instead. Possibly a bad day for her, but really not a good customer experience for us. We have eaten here previously and really enjoyed both the hospitality and the food so really wouldn't put people off giving it a try. Just not a good moment for us this time. Making people feel welcomed and valued as a customer goes such a long way. We were quite happy to wait for service as we could see she was on her own but the attitude meant we left instead.

Lovely roast with all the trimmings...best roast pots ever!!! All people made our dinner excellent!! Friendly and helpful...it was 10/10...delicious!!!

Great local pub and super food.

Lovely place, lots of character and atmosphere. We had a great overnight stay here. Our room was beautiful and had all the amenities we needed. Staff were great and the food was excellent. Would definitely recommend, good value for money all round.

First negative point parking is very limited, most of the car park is allocated to the residential properties. Second negative point, I arrived on a Monday at 5pm, I could not check into my room because the pub was closed it only opens at 5:30 pm, this was not mentioned anywhere when booking the room. No food was served on a Monday night. The room was ok, however the kettle and coffee maker didn't have the water emptied out from the previous tennant. The water after refilling and boiling the kettle several times was cloudy. The worst part of this hotel was loud music from the pub downstairs which went on from opening at 5:30pm until late, considering the pub is supposed to be closed by 8:30pm and the music continuing well after this, it's 10:20 pm as I'm writing this. This has left me with a particularly restless night given that I had to go to work in the morning. I even had to turn the TV volume to the max to try and drown the music out without success. Would I recommend this place not a chance, this hotel is now going on our company avoid list for when we are working in this area.

We came as a family to finally celebrate our son's gcse results. The food was really good-there was a lot of choice and it all sounded delicious. We all had something different for our mains and everything came out beautifully presented and everyone enjoyed what they had chosen. Puddings were also very good. The reason for four stars is that the service was friendly but slow. The servers were very busy but had to manage all of the tables in the restaurant part that we were sitting in as well as serve at the bar which meant a wait for dishes cleared, pudding order taken, puddings arriving then bill asked for.

Had a really tasty and well presented Sunday lunch . Lovely attentive service and a warm welcome . Great atmosphere and well decorated and comfortable dining room .. just what you want in a traditional country pub . We hope we can visit again soon . Thank you all 😀

We don't usually order Sunday roasts feeling that we cook them better than most pubs and restaurants. The Cross Keys' roasts were excellent and remarkable in a pub cooking lunches for a large number of customers over an extended period of time.

Best roast dinner in Somerset. Lovely atmosphere. Great food and lovely village setting.

They were able to provide a delicious vegan meal that wasn’t on the menu. Hugely appreciated and very tasty.

We visited this pub tonight as we are staying in Rode, it was well worth a visit, such a relaxed vibe, lovely staff, very friendly locals, a darts board and best of all a beautiful pub cat, what more could you ask for!

Beautiful pub. Had a wonderful lunch in the courtyard. Great menu.

Stayed here last night for a trip with work was welcomed with a big friendly smile and helped to my room, the room was beautifully decorated and hugely recommended. I had food from the pub which was a pie and it was fantastic great service and good quality food highly recommended to stay over and to eat.

Charming hotel, some free parking spaces were available. Really nice, stylish bar, and there was an attractive food selection too. Very nice, easy-going staff. Unfortunately no breakfast offer. Unfortunately, the French double bed was completely wobbly and squeaky. Overall good price and still a very positive experience.

Great local food, staff and vibes!

Only stopped for a pint but this pub seemed popular with locals and the food certainly looked great. I sat outside in a covered area. Will definitely return to try their food.

Went to the Cross Keys for the first time for a comedy evening and it was brilliant. Really nice pub and very well organised comedy evening. Well done.

I cannot fault the Sunday lunch as the food was superb. However the experience was sadly let down by extremely slow service. I'm afraid a 50 minute wait for food was too long for my 90 year old Dad, even though the pub appeared to not be overly busy. I think we would have been more accepting of the delay had a member of staff apologised or warned us there might be a delay when taking our order. For that reason, although local we are unlikely to return.

Food was lovely, at least what we had. We couldn’t have desert or coffee as we were told that the pub was closing at 2.30pm so no time. This was disappointing as we were there for a birthday celebration and would expect on booking a table for 1pm you would have more than 1.5 hours to choose and eat your meal. This is third time I’ve eaten here and had recommended to friends. Was sad it let us down by closing early on this occasion. The pub missed out as went to another venue for coffee.

Rude landlord. Awful customer service and tried to charge 12% tip!!

Lovely old village pub. Good food and friendly service.

Amazing pub, great food, lovely team

The food we had for lunch was truly excellent. The barman/waiter was extremely friendly and helpful. I just cannot fault this quirky pub. Just FYI parking is extremely limited. The clock workings in the restaurant area are intriguing for those with a mechanical mind, see pictures

Good location to visit family. Unfortunately, not able to try menu because we were here on a Monday. The two reasons for low score is the awful uncomfortable bed in room 3, we left just after 6 because we couldn't stand lying in it a moment longer. Mainly, the appalling attitude of landlady. Doors locked when we arrived at 530, we stood in rain, knocking & ringing telephone, no reply. Eventually door thrown open in true Basil Fawlty style asking what we wanted. Money taken, no showing to room, leave your key in room when you go, here's some milk. I feel some hospitality pointers wouldn't go amiss. We like to support local businesses but will never stay here again. Very poor customer service.

Our first visit to this lovely old Somerset pub. The quality of our food was outstanding, in particular I really enjoyed the steak and kidney suet pudding. Luscious and rich. The only negative was the tight parking and the steps between the car and the bar, not very easy access for my wife and her limited movements.

Great pub, wish I lived in this village

The food was exceptional, we had the Poor mans beef Wellington and cherry crumble and all agreed it was some of the best pub food we’ve ever had. Will definitely be returning.

Lovely pub but v disappointed at lunch menu. A full meal and no rolls sandwiches or similar. Surely not hard to make up some cobs better than no food so went elsewhere.

Fantastic pub, great Sunday roast

Sound didn't spread equally around the funny shaped hall with a band playing....

Fab Sunday Lunch. I was dogsitting in the area and Mark kindly booked a table for me for Sunday lunch. The food was great, the staff very pleasant and attentive. Good all round family food, reasonably priced. I would highly recommend this lovely village pub.

First time to my daughter’s local and hopefully not the last. Perfect village pub, nice mix of locals and tourists, good food, friendly service. Thanks.

After spending 2 nights at a travelodge in Swindon for work, and eating witherspoons food. This place is heaven.

Great service, friendly staff and the best moules marinere we’ve had for a long while.

First night of a long weekend in Rode looking after a couple of chocolate Labradors, we were able to sit and eat without the dogs being a problem. Me and my life like real ale and they had a couple of choices from Butcombe brewery, the ale was kept and served well. The menu was great and they helped my wife who is dairy free and marked down all of the items on the menu that were, or could be made, dairy free, great service! When our food came it was lovely, well presented and tasted awesome. They are actually booked out most days so we were lucky to get in, we tried to book for Sunday lunch which they managed to squeeze us in, so we are looking forward to going back for this. Highly recommended but try to book your table in advance by a few days at least so that you’re not disappointed.

First night of a long weekend in Rode looking after a couple of chocolate Labradors, we were able to sit and eat without the dogs being a problem. Me and my life like real ale and they had a couple of choices from Butcombe brewery, the ale was kept and served well. The menu was great and they helped my wife who is dairy free and marked down all of the items on the menu that were, or could be made, dairy free, great service! When our food came it was lovely, well presented and tasted awesome. They are actually booked out most days so we were lucky to get in, we tried to book for Sunday lunch which they managed to squeeze us in, so we are looking forward to going back for this. Highly recommended but try to book your table in advance by a few days at least so that you’re not disappointed.

Just perfect! Food service and atmosphere. A lovely welcome, decorated table and nicely weighted service. Oh yes, and the food & drink is fab!

Had the best Sunday roast at the Cross Keys I have ever had….there with family, everyone commented how good their lunches were and the home made ice cream was a winner

Excellent lunch. Tasty, fresh food. Lovely ambience and plenty of seating areas to choose from. Both starter and main courses for all four of us was top quality. Would highly recommend.

This has to be the best roast we’ve had The lamb and pork belly was amazing beautiful veg and gravy lush Highly recommend and we will be back Thanks to all at cross keys

Such a gorgeous place to stay, romantic, good location, get a lot of freedom!

Possibly the nicest pub I’ve been to for a while. Had lunch with my daughter yesterday, first time visiting and can highly recommend. Oh

We stayed for two nights. Beautiful clean and comfy rooms. All staff were very welcoming, the locals very friendly and the food was delicious. Very reasonably priced, I would definitely recommend the cross keys.

Everything you would hope from a country pub somewhere such as Rode - warm, friendly, roaring fire, dogs, ales.... The list could go on and on. The menu is well written and equally as well cooked, and i would just as happily take my mother there as go for a weeknight pint with friends or a roast on a sunday

We stayed within walking distance of The Cross Keys and ate here twice in 5 days. Really good food and excellent service. The menu seems to change weekly with a few standards, like fish and chips, hanging around. Cannot recommend high enough.

First time there for 4 of us and will be back .Great service, good beer, and excellent food. In the words of Arnie I'll be back.

Delicious food had the roast, very nice! And cooked perfectly, the atmosphere of the place was good, staff very friendly and accommodating, dessert was to die for!! Very cute pub cat in the garden (garden very nice!) Good amount of memorabilia/trinkets around the building nothing too in you face, didn't spend anytime in their hotel rooms. Booking was easy and fast did it on the website heard back a little later in the evening via text and email (I'd imagine when they opened) luckily I read up on the place before booking and it definitely does get busy so would recommend booking with good notice :)

Had an excellent meal with friends, good choice menu, nicely presented, friendly staff very welcoming. A very pleasant evening. Thank you. Car park very busy, on road parking.

Spoke to a nice chap to try and book a table for Sunday lunch but was asked to call back because the owners weren’t available. Upon calling back I spoke to another chap who needs to work on his customer relation skills. Although he was not specifically rude he was very matter of fact and quite short with me bordering on rude when he told me they could not fit me in. I don’t have a problem that they were full but do expect a more polite response. I won’t be trying again. There are plenty other pubs who can take my money.

Well kept cask ales and great Sunday roast.

Delicious food in a lovely garden

The food is absolutely amazing. I cannot fault this lovely pub. The flavours are out of this world. The staff are the most friendliest in the area. Will definitely be coming back.

A wonderful find. It was very quiet when we visited on a Saturday lunchtime but still had a great atmosphere. The food and the service were top notch. Will definitely be going back again.

The pub is delightful, indoor and covered outdoor eating available. You will not be disappointed, inside is quintessentially England. Food is excellent and the price is amazing for what you get. Parking is tight, small car park at the rear and limited spaces outside on the high street, but that is the only downside. Definitely I will go again.

No response when trying to book air bnb then rang them... asking if I was right there was no availability? Met with a curt 'ok' ....no help at all!

We sat outside with the heaters on as we had our big dog with us. It is a dog friendly pub. They gave us blankets and our meals arrived soon. My son and his wife each had a venison pie and I had gnocchi made with so many delicious vegetables and herbs and beautifully presented. The Venison pies were so beautifully presented and tasted extremely good as did everything on our plates Service was really good and for a small pub in a small village the food was truly exceptional. Prices good for the superb food

Best pub ever! Food insane, staff lovely & environment beautiful. Won’t find a better pub if you tried! Also had Xmas 2022 dinner there… outstanding 😍😍😍

Butcombe real ale on offer is a good start. Wine listed very good and not too pricey. Nice, quaint and old surroundings in the restaurant. The food is just delicious and again main meals below £20. We had oxtail and lamb mains. The meat portions fabulous. Great pub and restaurant and has accommodation

Wow. Just wanted to say we had the best Xmas lunch ever at the keys this year. Thank you so much to Hannah, james, Mark and the whole team. The food, the atmosphere , everything was perfect. 10/10 john and Sue Baker

Beautiful venue decked out very tastefully for the festive season. I visited in the daytime, and was really disappointed to find that the dining area was freezing cold. I wouldn't bring friends or colleagues here again on that basis alone. Nothing particularly wrong with the food, but the fish and chips was distinctly average - pretty much on a level I'd expect from a chain pub. Chips certainly didn't seem fresh cut, and the battered fish was unimpressive.

the service charge was far to high for the service, the rom ws cold, also along wait between courses, the food was good, but on leaving the back entrance to the carpark was not lite at all there are steep steep sand a doorway step which is a danger and maybe a expensive oversight by the owners, so please keep restaurant heated and quicker service,

On finishing work thought it would be a good idea to visit our local pub managed to get a table for 2, we were a bit early so thought we would have a drink first before ordering , was told our table was in the corner by the window nice we thought, and that's where it ends we became totally invisible after an hour of waiting not even being given a menu (I had to ask) we decided to leave!! Will not be returning for a while if at all so rude even management really rude.....unbelievable!!!

Went to The Cross Keys for lunch today. On my last visit I had been served a wonderful beef stew. Was disappointed to be told that it wouldn’t be on the menu till tonight as it needed another 4 hours of cooking. Chef Mark came out to my table and asked what I liked and offered to prepare something similar. What came out was short rib of beef served with Dauphinois potatoes, kale, carrots, onion, celery and turnip (I think). The jus was to die for and was given more when requested. A really fabulous lunch which I couldn’t fault even if I tried.

A really lovely pub which we booked having seen the amazing Facebook reviews - sadly our visit was a disappointment. We were seated 40 minutes before our food order was taken (only 4 other tables booked). Even though we had an early booking there was no fish and chips, no mussels, only two skate! If we hadn’t already started our wine (which was on the pricey side), we would have tried somewhere else.Drinks went to the wrong table (not just us) and then a £14 optional gratuity! The food we had was lovely but the whole evening felt very much like an episode from Fawlty Towers. We will try again at some point as previous reviews certainly don’t suggest this is the usual.

Nice food and friendly staff. Not much more to say really Fair sized portions and served in timely manner. Seemed family friendly too.

What can I say about this little hidden gem? Fantastic place to stay, really friendly and the food was exceptional! We booked the largest room, it was lovely, clean and nicely decorated. I really couldn't fault a thing. Sadly they no longer offer a breakfast...

We decided to book Sunday Lunch at the Cross Keys, as we were looking for somewhere new to eat which was not too far from Trowbridge. Upon arrival the first thing we noted was that parking on site is extremely limited! However, there is parking...

My friend and I dropped into The Cross Keys as a little treat to celebrate the last day of term. The wine was lovely and although we had missed the lunch slot, the people who run the pub offered to make us food anyway! We...

Annual pre Christmas meet up and we chose this wonderful inn . Warm and friendly greeting with an extensive menu. All dishes were beautifully presented and delicious. Exceptional value for money and will definitely return. Thanks for a great experience.

My pal and I are ‘serious’ ale drinkers and pre-covid have been occasional visitors for >50 years. This visit was a disappointment ! Poor choice of Butcombe ales and the quality was poor … this was quite a surprise. My posh fish & chip lunch...

We were made to feel very welcome at the Cross Keys. Although the majority of the tables were busy the service was friendly and efficient. The food was delicious with an emphasis on locally sourced ingredients. The atmosphere is warm and relaxed with the pub...

I absolutely love coming to the Cross Keys. Team Keys are always really friendly. Such a good atmosphere. Good selection of drinks and food is absolutely amazing. Always really accomodating. Would highly recommend to everyone.

We are regular visitors to this pub dining with various members of our family on different occasions. We booked a table for 1pm on 22nd December. After taking our seats at 1-10 pm we ordered drinks and subsequently ordered mains. It took a long while...

Really lovely pub, love the decor was a good mix of Morden and old pub style. The food was amazing! The perfect little find. Would thoroughly recommend.

Visited several years ago and was impressed then and didn’t disappoint on this occasion. We were staying nearby so ate here two nights running. Enjoyed pints of Butcombe Original on both nights. First night had their fish pie which had plenty of seafood with the...

Met some friends for dinner. Food was very good. We ate haddock and chips, roast cod with mash and greens, steak and chips and pie with chips and very good red wine jus to pour over. Only downside was having to keep ordering drinks at...

I went here for dinner with my partner and our dog. We had an amazing time, the food was delicious and the ice cream is to die for! I had the homemade peanut butter ice cream but could have tried all of them. You must...

Plenty of parking, nice large beer garden, spacious tastefully decorated dining area and another separate bar. They only had 1 of 4 beers on tap, so I just had a water. Limited menu, but I didn't realise until afterwards there was a much more comprehensive...

In short, a fantastic pub with delicious food by my gosh the tables!! They are awful. They are sticky to the touch and when a cool glass of drink sits on the table it creates this milky colour ring which just ends up flooding the...

This pub has a nice atmosphere, welcoming and would advise booking in advance as was quite busy. Ordered food with a young girl (who we later found out was new hence why not dropping star ratings for her) but she really acted like she didn’t care to be there, blunt, and having heard her with other customers she was not trying to be welcoming. Anyway the other staff were great which saved it. Roast beef was fantastic and was very impressed, good portions and very fairly priced so happy there. The homemade ice cream was incredible, never tasted anything as good so would go back just for that! Tabby was great and saved the service and made the visit really nice. Just feel bad for the staff that had to pick up the slack and rectify mistakes of 1 girl as they lost out on tips but were still great! We can’t wait to be back as the food was brilliant

Had the pleasure of a short pit stop here. Great food and welcoming staff. I can high recommend the Chilli (best I've had!). All washed down with a cheeky pint, whilst warming up in front of the open log fire and listening to the fab soundtrack. Whoever sorts the background music out, its fab (had a little singalong to myself)! Thank you cross keys. X

The Cross Keys came highly recommended by a colleague who lives in the village, so we made the 25- minute journey out from Bath. The car park is a bit tight, but there were plenty of spaces for an early-dining family, and we were shown to our table in the spacious dining area. This space would, in most restaurants, be crammed with tables, but the Cross Keys have left plenty of room around each table, leading to a relaxed atmosphere and some privacy for each dining group.There was plenty to choose from on the menu- we had a roast, ham hock terrine and crab starters, the chicken and the beef burgers- and the food did not disappoint! Puddings: Eton mess with home-made blackcurrant ice cream was out of this world, and the children enjoyed their Belgian waffles and homemade Biscoff ice cream. I can't stress enough how good the ice cream is! All in all we had a very enjoyable lunch at reasonable cost, less than half-an-hour from Bath. We would have given it a resounding five stars were it not for one small but off-putting thing: there was a table of people who had brought their dogs for lunch, and they fed said dogs with cutlery from the table, which is also used for humans. I'm sure that the pub wash the cutlery and crockery carefully, but it was not a pleasant sight while trying to enjoy my own lunch! We will be back- we've also heard good things about the comedy nights. Don't miss the ice cream!

We've been trying 1 Sunday roast a month in our quest to find the best in the area since moving to the South West a year ago, and we tried this place yesterday. What a find! The roast can be done to your likeness, the beef was tender and flavourful, and the service was friendly yet professional. They cater to dietary requirements (1 of us needed gluten free meals) Oh, AND it's dog friendly! They really do seem happy to have you there and the place had a very good atmosphere. Try their desserts as their homemade ice creams are really good, but do book when visiting, as they were already turning people away by the time we left. That's how popular it is. Currently number 1 on our list!

My husband and I went with friends today. The service was excellent and the food divine. I had forest mushrooms on toast followed by Moules with fries. Will definitely be back, thank you.

£5.00 service charge for only two people. Not a very good service either. Food was only average, could be a nice place with a little more effort

Gorgeous country pub- cozy and warm. Food was amazing! Not your standard pub grub. Some of the dishes coming out of the kitchen looked absolutely amazing! Steaks cooked to perfection. The menu had flavours for every one- very exciting. Service was great- everyone is so welcoming and friendly. Beautiful place, lovely atmosphere, brilliant staff. Would highly recommend and look forward to my next trip there.

My husband had previously visited with a friend for evening drinks and was so impressed with the atmosphere that we decided to visit for dinner. To say we were delighted is an under statement. I had Fowey mussels to start followed by Sous Vide Hanger Beef - both cooked to perfection. My husband had the Torched Goats cheese starter followed by Beef & Ox cheek ragu with tagliatelle and he was equally impressed. Unusually we both had desserts - the homemade ice cream is excellent as is the Baileys, Espresso & Peanut Butter Ice Cream. The prices ...even for drinks are SO reasonable and the service & atmosphere exceptional. I cannot fault this place and will definitely return.

The advertise that everything is homemade and in the case of the vegetables, much of it is home grown. It’s all absolutely lovely. Home made ice cream is absolutely gorgeous too. Staff are really patient and kind.

What a find - firstly the most beautiful village and definitely the most delicious Sunday Roast !! The staff were also so welcoming, giving excellent service - So highly recommend this awesome pub

Went to cross keys for steak night Friday after bath and west show,well it was absolutely fantastic, atmosphere great,food to die for ,rump steak that was better than fillet,gorgeous peppercorn sauce,just perfect.Its a really lovely pub with obviously a good local trade which is a good sign,staff very good,can't fault it,will return.

Arrived at this Hotel and this is the kinda of room that greeted us. The Manager did apologise and agreed a refund after I said it was good enough. But they didnt cover the cost of the Travelodge that cost us extra stess and money. They actually put the Laughing emojy on their Facebook page and then proceeded to remove the comments and called me a keyboard warrior. Well I think the pictures show the state of your hotel in good light.

Stayed overnight in the Blue room which was very roomy and had a lovely comfortable bed.Shower good with lots of hot water.

A small gathering of friends for lunch..I was new to both them and The Cross Keys. What a lovely surprise to have a snug area to ourselves, be waited on hand and foot AND enjoy delicious, new to me, menu. In fact there was so much to choose from that I delayed the entire meal, trying to make a decision.

A lovely meal spent at The Cross Keys for mother’s day as a table of 11. Our food came quickly after we ordered and I don’t think I’ve tasted Rost Beef like it before, melt in the mouth delicious. Everyone was really pleased with their meals and the Sticky Toffee pudding was amazing. Highly recommend great service and beautiful food and atmosphere, thank you

Came on a Friday night. All had different meals and every dish was delicious! Even stayed for dessert! Fab Chilean Sauvignon too Will definitely return Thank you

Having had an amazing meal a few weeks ago, I returned yesterday with my granddaughter for lunch. Having made our choices from the menu, my granddaughter noticed some games by the bar. What a good idea! She chose a box of draughts which she had never played before. So, whilst waiting for our food, we had a great time with me teaching her how to play this traditional game!

We called in here on the off chance as we were driving past Rode. A lucky chance. There was a table for 2 for us but I'd advise you to book. This is an old pub and a bit drafty! On the day we were there there was snow outside and it was a tad chilly in the bar but don't let that put you off! We both had slow roasted boned rolled shoulder of lamb - fantastic! Two huge slices. Usual roasties, parsnip, carrot, cabbage, broccoli and Yorkshire. Thick hot gravy over top. A little slow arriving but it was busy. If you're passing here then call in. You won't be disappointed

Sunday lunchtime and we hadn’t booked .... very welcoming. Good food. Very attractive interior. Limited parking, so you may have to find a roadside spot. Very dog friendly. Would have been nice if fire had been lit .... quite chilly. Would return.

What can I say? Roast beef just melted, roast potatoes crisp on the outside and fluffy in the middle, and the carrots .... possibly the best carrots I have ever had (apart from when I cook them!). The service was a little slow, but they were very busy, and we could overlook the speed because the decor, atmosphere and friendliness were great. Even though it was busy, it was not too noisy and easy to hold a conservation without having to shout or constantly say .. can you say that again!

Fantastic staff, excellent food and great rooms. It’s definitely worth ordering a breakfast, lots of choice and local produce. Highly recommend a stay at the Cross Keys-Rode