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3,00

Based on 137 opinions finded in 2 websites

3.5Ambience3.5Cuisine3.5Price3.0Service
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Nº 355 in 402 in Taunton Deane

Nº 82 of 88 British in Taunton Deane

CUSTOMERS TALK ABOUT DISHES WITH..oldpayfishchickencookedsteakmustroast

comment_iconOpinions

I can not praise the staff more for going over and beyond for our wedding party . Fabulous evening meal prior to our big day, fabulous Sunday lunch afterwards. Not only was the food unfaultable but the friendly manager and wonderful staff accommodated more guests for Sunday lunch than we booked with smiles and fabulous service . Thank you so much

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Susie C . 2023-10-24

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omg the best food and amazing service from dawn she really looked after us well and was such a lovely lady x

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natasha e . 2023-10-08

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We got an extremely warm welcome from Victoria, Jemima and Ed, and then some excellent, professional and friendly customer service. The staff is great in this place. And so is the food - tasty, different and inexpensive. We will be back!!

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villageidiot2018 . 2023-10-02

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Staff were very polite and friendly making it a comfortable place to eat, food was excellent enjoyed everything and dog friendly

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Simon P . 2023-09-29

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Lovely pub and food but service was poor. Took our order promptly but after 30 minutes the waiter came back to say our order hadn't gone through. Because of this delay one of our order had run out so had to have 2nd choice. Not the best. Took an hour in the end to get our food.

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Linda M . 2023-09-24

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Staff very friendly food good table booked had christmas menue portions good except the christmas pudding 1 small slice compared with others Date Dec 2014

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Oreo3281 . 2023-07-07

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Nice looking menu, but Service was poor and an unacceptable time to wait for a mediocre frozen meal. However... After lunch, I was looking forward to a decent dessert. Having a severe (life threatening) nut allergy I asked for the Allergens Book to check if there were any suitable dishes. The older male member of staff was immediately hostile, asking what I meant? I repeated my request and reminded him that it was a health & Safety requirement.... he muttered that he'd already thrown the 'boxes' out.... and walked off. Needles to say, that was the end of that! People have died because of sloppy food labelling... I wasnt prepared to be one of them. Reported to local authorities with the hope of education and improvement. Swerve, avoid forget it!

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BlameCaine . 2023-07-02

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Went here on a Tuesday early evening. Was not busy the service was very slow drinks and food took ages to arrive despite plenty staff around. Staff were polite but service was slow poor. I had a rump steak which was worst cut of meat ever had, chef must of seen that it was full of chewy grizzle not suitable to feed to a dog tbh. Other 5 meals were ok just chips bit over done but all presented nicely cant go wrong with burgers and fish and chips. Steak major let down we told staff quietly at end of meal as did not want to create a fuss as it was a birthday party with family guest. Only had main course there and drinks spent near £120 Wouldn’t go back in a hurry

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SuzandDick . 2023-06-02

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Very unwelcoming and cold. Staff were more interested in taking down decorations! The food was cold but tasty. We had family with us so did not complain, will not be returning or recommending.

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Joyce T . 2023-01-09

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This was a favourite pub of ours until recently. We have always enjoyed a nice pint of Green King Abbot Ale and reasonably priced good food but our last two visits have been disappointing. Each time there has been no Abbot Ale and only IPA available plus the food has not been up to the standard we have always enjoyed. The garden has had quite a lot of litter awaiting clearing up and the potted plants need watering. I was told today that a new Manager has taken over a few months ago.

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58adrianb . 2022-09-12

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Not sure this place wants customers, sadly unwelcoming. They say they are dog friendly; but only to some degree. Dogs only allowed in the bar but you can’t book a table in the bar (only the restaurant). So it’s pot luck if you get a table. We did not, bar completely full, and frustratingly the restaurant empty. However, what incensed me was when we asked a member of staff to confirm the seating for people with dogs, she showed us the bar and said ‘plenty of room’ and walked off. We did check, but still no tables, so left. As I said they don’t want customers

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Takum111 . 2022-04-08

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Took Mum and a friend out for a birthday lunch and thoroughly enjoyed it. The lunch menu is very good value with the added bonus of £3 starters and desserts. Three meals, 3 drinks two coffees and pud was £35. Very well socially distanced, easy free parking outside the door, and the sweetest staff. Ignore the rude reviews and try it for yourself.

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Tracey C . 2022-01-19

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The Cross Keys is a pleasant clean and tidy establishment. The menu is varied if not exciting typical of a large chain establishment ( Brewers Fair). I had prawn and avocado starter, very nice prawn cocktail little shy on avocado. I had the fillet of hake main as did my wife,very nice well cooked except for one problem both my wife and myself pulled 6 bones out of our Hake. When I mentioned it to our waiter he said he would tell the chef, on his return he told me that the chef apologised but he did not fillet the fish that’s how it arrived so it was not his fault. Firstly the chef is responsible for everything that comes out of his kitchen regardless of where and who supplied the produce. If he can not be bothered to pin bone the fish it seems to be a real shame to spoil what could be a good meal just for the lack of effort.

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newjerseyprince . 2021-12-11

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The menu was good & the food was nice .. starter Korean chicken & creamy mushrooms Main course fish & chips. We were seated by a table of 6 & did feel very close to them, the service was average& very slow , we waited about 20 min for our mains .

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Explore06688933707 . 2021-12-07

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My family and I visited here to cap off our week's holiday. My young sons (3yrs and 1yrs) and dog loved playing in the beer garden. We ordered on the app, but my husband went to the bar to ensure what we had ordered was suitable for my elder son who has a severe dairy allergy (anaphylaxis). The food arrived, and we did our usual double check with the waitress that the food for him was dairy free. We were met with a surly 'probably' over her shoulder, as she walked away. We called after her, to clarify, stating he had an allergy, and she just yelled back 'yeah I think so'. My husband then went to speak to the manager, who first tried to blame us for ordering food that was not suitable for our son. I was absolutely incredulous when I heard this, as the allergen information was unclear on the app for the side options, hence why my husband went in person to check before we put our order through. Upon checking the rice ingredients, it did in fact have dairy in. So if we had allowed our son to eat it, we would've been rushing him to resus at the nearest A&E 10 minutes later when his tongue swelled up, blocking his airway. Eventually the manager half apologised, and refunded his meal. By this time, my son was sobbing, my food had gone cold, and our family meal was ruined. So I asked for my meal to be refunded too. Mistakes can be made, we fully understand that, but we do not expect to be met with such derision and outright surly attitudes by both waiting staff and management when we highlighted their error. So, go if your kids want a good romp around in the beer garden. The food was mediocre, and most of it is microwaved (my son couldn't have the mash potato option was it arrives precooked and frozen, so it's microwaved), and I unfortunately cannot recommend if you have any allergies or intolerances.

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409jos . 2021-08-28

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Top quality food with plenty of choice for starters , main course and sweets. Great service and very pleasant staff. Would recommend and would go there again 5 Stars

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Alan H . 2021-07-04

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Today we decided have Sunday lunch out and as we know the Cross Keys well, that was our place of choice to go.We were thoroughly impressed with the pub safe operation and the way it was implemented, and certainly believe that Tim and his team had our safety as their priority.The team were very good as usual and it was nice to see Bill still at work behind the bar. Our choice of roast was the Slow-cooked Rib of Beef, which sadly wasn’t my greatest of choices as I didn’t enjoy it. But I must emphasise, that there was nothing wrong at all with the dish and all the trimmings that came with it, were spot on. Tim offered to let us have some beef, but we declined the offer and in our book. That’s what makes the Cross Keys a place I will always recommend and return to, as nothing is ever a problem.Well done Tim and team Cross Keys

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kwisatzhaderach60 . 2020-08-09

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Very friendly nothing to much bother busy busy staff yet still treat customers as individuals. Brandon never stopped was everywhere pouring pints clearing plates etc alsodl listened to my requests that some would find awkward..

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SteveE2037 . 2020-01-09

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Menu looked quite interesting but food was rather average. All staff were very nice and pleasant. I expected better, but it's often the way when a pub chain insists on having exactly the same menu across the country, taking away the skills and creativity of a decent chef.

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EBoy679 . 2019-12-01

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Very enjoyable meal, v good service and good choice of beer and wine. Customers definitely treated very well. Will definitely pop in again if passing

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863robt . 2019-10-05

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We meet there. Every year on anniversary. We go there for a meal . Felt very let down with service . I booked gave my name and was told sit there as when he looked at his list , couldn’t see us . Before we sat he said what drinks do you all want . I did ask if l could sit first then we will give you our order . Young man came over after a short while and took food order . Which l must say came out looking good . and we enjoyed it very much. But girl took plates away . Then we waited and waited after trying to catch a person walking bye . It was a set price for two cores . Anyway after l said excuse me to two people and walked bye us again . My husband said you go pay as he’s off . Not good service which let the night down . The person who took my money did take some money off and offered a discount next time . Well can’t see us going back in a hurry as the service was very poor . The pub was getting busy but still no excuse for not given a good service. Most people offer more drinks , coffee , deserts, but sorry Not to night we are invisible.

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Angiepjc_12 . 2019-08-16

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good value pub grub, not overly priced with a good selection of food liked the meal offers on 2 & 3 courses

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lansonmum . 2019-08-02

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This is my first visit but pass regularly and always looks appealing. Staff were friendly and inside looked clean and tidy. Was a sunny day and so I went into the large beer garden and was very disappointed. Every, and I mean every table that was not occupied had dirty plates, empty glasses and ash trays full. The two bins were overflowing and used napkins blown onto the grass. The staff that were bringing out food did not once during my visit think to clear a table on their way back in. Plenty of people were eating and the food looked good but this would put me off coming back

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mattyleigh2003 . 2019-06-22

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This was a return visit by invite from the crosskeys manager, following a disappointing family visit in January.I originally wrote a strong review about the disappointing service we had received, and was contacted by the manager Tim to discuss further. Tim discussed my views with his staff and was agreeable with my views, he gave some logical and fair answers as to why it had gone wrong for us.This honesty was greatly appreciated and Tim invited us back for a complimentary meal.We returned and had a wonderful evening, excellent food and service and we are pleased that we have seen the good side of Crosskeys. The consideration shown by Tim has more than resolved an unfortunate situation. Thank you so much .

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David Y . 2019-06-05

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Came here for lunch. As it was Sunday, I decided to have a roast. As other reviews have said, the pictures are better than the taste.I had the lamb roast, and although there was a lot of meat, it was pretty tough for lamb. The roast potatoes were not as crispy as I'd have hoped, and the Yorkshire Pudding was disappointingly chewy :(

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chris-c-wood . 2019-06-02

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Upon entering The Crosskeys the staff avoided seating us, so we took matters into our own hands - this was also unsuccessful. The menu was well presented and had a good variety of dishes for all dietary requirements. However, when ordering our food the waitress informed us that they did not have 4 of the meals on the menu available to us. As a rational person, I could accept my first choice meal being unavailable, I would be understanding my second, I would be disappointed with the third, however four! This was just one meal too far. I settled for a combination of sides. The food arrived quickly, which was good as this was the only pub locally serving food on a bank holiday. Our mains were satisfactory - steak and chips and halloumi and chips, followed by some lovely deserts - citrus torte and ice creams.

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arianwin . 2019-04-22

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The food is alway excellently cooked and presented and the service is fast and efficient and it is easy to get to access the building too (with two elderly people both using walking sticks)

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M11V03B61 . 2019-02-10

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The food looked better then it tasted.

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Jessica B . 2019-01-27

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We went here for Sunday Lunch. We all enjoyed it. The roast meals were very good. The puddings were very good. We loved the open fire and the new decor. But... service was very slow. We waited over an hour for our main meals to arrive. And a similar long wait for puddings. So we got there for 1230 and left at 1500 for a two course meal. We will go back but we hope things will be faster.

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BristolGuyNow . 2018-11-19

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Let me start by saying Ive worked in hospitality for many years. I had steak which was covered in black pepper and 13 chips which aparantly had been cooked 3 ways tomato was not cooked pepper still burning my throat 2 hours later was not charged was told they would replace but the rest of the party had finished so had dessert bland and boring and as a gesture made me pay staff walked past are table looking bored

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H256DZkarenw . 2018-10-10

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Just had a fabulous day at the Crosskeys Inn, Uppermill an organised party in the Barn building where we had home cooked food potato pie and cheese and onion Well looked after by Dee and Darren and all the staff a great day out, thanks all.

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James M . 2018-09-23

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As a vegan I was so pleased to find some were that did vegan, this pup profits on this, weak poor salad with couple of new potatoes for 12.99 !!! Absolutely awful, money making out of a vegan diet! I don’t think I have ever had such a expensive meal for so little.

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thebirdhouse1 . 2018-09-09

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We often come here between 1pm-2pm on a Friday.

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MissSquid82 . 2018-08-28

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We live locally and have enjoyed eating 'cheap and cheerful 2-4-1' meals. These are no longer on offer. We effectively pay double but the food is the same quality.

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Rob A . 2018-08-21

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The drinks are pricy for a pub at around £5.30 for a medium wine and £4 for a cider.

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Moocow359 . 2018-06-27

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I’ll start by saying a pleasant beer garden to which we took our seats on a busy Sunday lunch time. Ordered at the bar and waited for food that arrived in good time. My pork belly was very yummy and really couldn’t fault it(see picture) however my friend went for the roast beef Sunday lunch. The quality was that of a school dinner, a big Yorkshire that tasted like cardboard, over cooked veg and bland gravy. Not good at all and no horseradish as advertised. I think it was £11.99 but £6 would have been too much.

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Martinalvis . 2018-06-05

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We received a warm welcome from the staff at the Cross Keys,& enjoyed another great family lunch. A good choice on the menu to suit a 3 year year old to a 75 year old.

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docodevon . 2018-03-18

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Can’t fault it the staff are always to hand. For a multi pub outlet very good. The steak offer night is very good

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alexwithey . 2018-03-08

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I am a chef and my son is head chef of very good pub. We had a steak which unfortunately was plastered with pepper and seasoning which I had to scrape off before eating. The other meals were all very nice. Isn't it a shame to not let the flavour of the food be tasted. Either ask if you want seasoning on the steak when ordering or let people season it to taste. It is not everyone who likes pepper etc and my husband is not the only person I know who is unable to eat pepper due to medical reasons. The staff were very pleasant and it was clean and tidy. We would visit again but please ask first regarding seasoning.

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carolinej418 . 2017-12-30

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Delicious food, great value and good service. Great place to have a get together. Booked ahead and all went very smoothly. Thank you!

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timkevan . 2017-12-24

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My daughter and I had a lovely meal here en route to Cornwall. Service was good, food was excellent.

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kathybr0wn . 2017-11-30

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There were 8 people in our group, we all had various different meals which all came out together and were very hot, they looked delicious and everyone said there's tasted it too. The service was very quick and the new waiter did them proud (well done)

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DiLock . 2017-10-19

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We were recommended this place by fellow tourists. On arrival, was asked to order a drink whilst they sorted a table for us, there were many free tables at the time. After waiting 15 minutes we were shown to our table and was then told four items not on the menu. That's ok, we answered we would like two roasts, sorry we have sold out. I choose fish pie, my husband ordered gammon and chips. Mine arrived along with the manager apologising that the gammon came with a sauce that had run out. My husband agreed to have the gaol on without the sauce. The manager offered to take my meal away to keep warm, we both decided that I would start eating.

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Jane55Hastings . 2017-10-18

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14 of us came here one Sunday lunchtime to celebrate my Mums birthday. We had pre booked our meals due to the large number of people in advance. The service was very slow as many have reviewed below, however I don't like getting rushed so this just meant we all had more time to enjoy each others company. If you were planning on a quick eat then you will probably be late to wherever you are heading! Everyone enjoyed their meals, all dishes were fine, hot & well cooked. There were 3 of us that had pre-booked the slow shoulder of lamb, disappointingly they had over sold on the lamb so I had to make another choice which meant my meal came out when most people were over half way through theirs. Like I said I don't like to be rushed but I do think they need to work a little on their service times, things need to get a little finely "polished off" and it will go from good to very good in no time at all. Ample parking, clean toilets, and a pleasant place to sit & eat.I expect we will try again, they just need to do a little fine tweaking!

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Dimples50 . 2017-10-09

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A varied menu, hot tasty food and good service from the friendly staff. The Crosskeys has ample parking.

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Christine T . 2017-09-23

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Four of us went here for a Saturday evening meal. One of our party is coeliac and was well catered...

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pebagesa . 2017-09-11

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Really not sure where to start. I had booked a table online. When we arrived they had a booking which we guessed was mine but my surname was not spelt correctly (surely not hard to copy if the customer has typed their own name in online), but I needn't have bothered booking as our table had been used to seat other guests !! Thankfully not a packed out restaurant and we were seated on another table. Drinks ordered ( I asked for Fosters as per the menu, but was told they don't serve Fosters) and a copy of the Sunday Roast menu was handed to us to look at. The veg options with the roast were carrots, cabbage and broccoli which didn't entice either of us so we asked to see the main menu instead. Several members of staff walked back and forth by our table but it became quite apparent during our visit that making eye contact with your guests is not something that happens here. We got someones attention and asked if we could place our food order only to be told that the first item we asked for they didn't have. Back to scanning the menu for option B. Food arrived and hoorah :-) one good thing it was piping hot. Now, I know it can be annoying being constantly asked when you have a mouthful of food if everything is ok, but I guess Crosskeys works on a 'If you don't complain, all is ok' policy as not once were we asked if our meal was ok. A waitress appeared and took our plates and handed us the dessert menu. We managed to grab her attention again as she was passing to place our order. Two desserts arrive at our table, slight problem in that one wasn't what we had ordered. Waitress goes back to the kitchen to collect the right dessert. In the mean time I have rescued the melting ice-cream and cream from around the rim of my sundae glass only to discover a chip in the glass.

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BECKMIKE . 2017-09-03

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Service is rubbish, we had booked a table and were pointed towards it to sit down and was told it was waiter service so we waited about 15 mins to be even asked if we would like a drink we ordered food and drink at the same time after waiting another 20 mins we had to ask for our drinks. The first two options I asked for on the menu were no longer available. When the food eventually came it was nice but service definitely lets this place down.

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alikayyoung . 2017-08-29

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Went 2 weeks ago on a lovely sunny evening only to be told that meals are not served outside after 6 pm!! Went inside and served by a lovely waitress however the food was not good value. I ordered a goats cheese salad which was the size of a small starter with only a few crumbs of goats cheese - worst I've ever had and would definitely not recommend. To top it all the coffee machine was broken and they charged us £2.50 for an instant coffee.

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Mojo W . 2017-07-23

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Thought we would see if a table was free at about 8:20. Bartender said shouldn't be a problem as not busy. He then had to go a find the waitress to seat us, for her to turn around and tell us she 'didn't really have room for us', and then walked off! Despite the restaurant only being about a quarter full and no reserved signs

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Alice D . 2017-07-21

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The food was elllllxcellent but the service let it down. We stopped here for a nice meal to celebrate my husbands 65th Birthday. The fish sharing plate starter was excellent when it came, but quite a wait between courses. We both chose the Eastern meze, which again was excellent, we were asked twice if the meals were ok, but no one came to ask if we wanted desert (we didnt). We had to stand at the till to pay, no bill was offered at the table.

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pat1309 . 2017-07-07

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We hunted out a Chef and Brewer as are fans of the franchise and menu. On arriving the guy serving us said "oh you have a kid" referring to our 3 year old and then asked how many other children we have - not sure who else he would have been referring to, the woman in her 60's , then in his 40s, me in me 30s or the woman in her 20s (who is 5'11). We were then taken to our 5 able and told lunch menu only, we enquired if any items were available off the main menu as it stated on th lunch menu that the full menu was available all day, and were told quite rudely no. The man was quite abrupt taking our order. We asked if we could have crayons or pencils for our daughter (to go with the activity menu he gave us) and he rolled his eyes and said they were thin on the ground and then went and took half off a table with a child who was using them. When the food came it was really good and we all enjoyed it with the exception of some questionable lettuce. We weren't asked of our food was ok but saw other tables being asked. If you are happy to deal with bad service with good food then it's a food place to go.

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Abi S . 2017-06-12

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Thought we'd give this lovely located pub with a garden another go. We arrived at approx 12:30, the tables were approx 40% full but we were advised that it would be approx 30 mins before we could be seated (no apology). Then the long wait at the bar for the drink, only 2 on front of me but with just one person serving slowly it took approx 20 mins to get the drink. After 40 mins we went to find out if the table was free, it was and so were even more than before. We were sat down and advise our waitress would be with us shortly. 10mina later we left - so who knows what it's like.

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John R . 2017-05-29

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Ok we did not book, just turned up early Sunday evening, the place was not that full, loads of spare tables, seated quickly but took a long time for anyone to come over and even order drinks, loads of stuff not avaliable, placed orders then had to have another look at the menu. Food was nice, I liked the menu choices but meals did take a long time to come out, the chief came out a couple of times and had discussions with the manager, think they had staff issuesNot the best place to eat, think I will use others, much better places to eat in Taunton

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steveh482016 . 2017-04-28

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Came in for lunch. Service was slow but totally worth the wait. Huge menu and Food was very tasty. Would recommend

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A TripAdvisor Member . 2017-03-19

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We were a party of nine celebrating my sons birthday. Service was excellent the staff were efficient particularly the person who took our order and generally looked after us.The food was cooked well as ordered and was serve at the same time for everyone.

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Ira I . 2017-02-19

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I am utterly dissapointed with our visit today. My inlaws wanted to treat me and my husband and our 3year old daughter. On being seated by the manager, he shouted at another member of staff for seating a previous couple in the wrong area, he then left us to look at the menu, my father in law likes to order his drinks at the bar but was told by the manager on getting up not to as he already said he would take our drink orders' my father in law said he likes likes yo choose, the manager replied 'i order everything so I know what we have thank you' which was said rudely.. He then didn't return to take our food order and we had to get another staff member to take our order who appologised.. My husband then got up to take my daughter to the toilet, on getting up accidentally they bumped into the manager and said sorry, he replied 'you shouldn't let your child run around as last time I got this burn (showed a burn on his arm) because of it, so you need to keep an eye on her' they had litterally got down from the table to use the toilet.. I then tried to tell him this and he walked off when I was talking to him, in mid Sentance.. I had asked for our daughters meal to come out with our starters, it hadnt, so I asked for him to check on this, again he was abrupt, huffed and said he would check.. We tried with politeness but he was arrogant and rude and rushing about huffing as if we were too much trouble. His friends then turned up and he sat behind us loudly moaning about the job, which was also very inappropriate.. We then asked for another server and he then ignored us and wouldn't look at us etc. I was very upset as we don't go out often and this was supposed to be a nice family meal as we had just visited a sick family member in hospital and he was appaling. This is our local and I feel concerned about returning which we do a lot for drinks after dog walks. Shame as the food was amazing

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StoreySW . 2017-01-08

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Visited for lunch. Looks lovely from outside and lovely interior. First impressions great. Staff were efficient but lacked personal service and they were all male. Food came quickly but we werent overly impressed. No garnish with my burger, big gap on plate, burrito still wrapped in foil, hard lump of cheese and creme fraiche instead of sour cream! Drinks nice but wouldnt return for food. More expensive than a Wetherspoon and not as good.

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cuppateacooper . 2016-12-28

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A party of 9 people booked for lunch - arrived at 12.30 - eventually got some sort food about 2pm ! I ordered the crayfish starter - they only had prawn cocktail (lettuce & prawns) also POSH burger from the Festive Menu !- rubbish, burnt meat - brought home for the dog ! only edible thing were the chips ! The few staff that were on were soooooooo slow and not on the ball as we would have expected some sort of apology ie; at least a free coffee. Never again - it used to be really good.

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jackjonesSomersetuk . 2016-12-06

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Decided to have lunch here with my kids, partner and mother in law on Saturday. On arrival there was a big group of men at the bar one was smoking a Eciggarett!! The service was slow, food quality awful over priced. the staff that were working that day seemed miserable and really killed it for us. Sorry but I wouldn't recommend food quality, price and staffing needs to be improved after all we are dining in taunton in a pub not a restaurant in Chelsea!!!

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Paula D . 2016-11-29

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Have eaten here a few times in the last few months - always had great service and the food has been great too. This isn't the best restaurant in the area but it is good food and great value for money. We have never had a reservation, but we were disappointed only once. We will be back and look forward to our visit.

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David P . 2016-11-27

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Always pass this pub and wondered what it was like. Well curiosity killed the cat, slow service, expensive and dissapointing.

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95iris . 2016-11-26

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Really good modern cooking at reasonable prices, beverages a bit expensive but worth a trip out. A varied menu with good choice, all cooked perfectly.

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Steve D . 2016-11-15

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Went here with my family for my birthday, the food was great and the menu is huge, definitely something for everyone! The pub has also being decorated since I last went there, and I really like it! Lovely cosy feel!

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Lucy C . 2016-11-15

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Sunday 6th NovemberMy steak pie pastry didn't taste fresh, the pie filling was well cooked but dry. The mash was dry and the vegetables were watery. The prawns in my starter were watery and flavourless, maybe they had been defrosted in a microwave?We asked for the dessert menu and then waited at least 20 minutes for our order to be taken by which time we'd decided to ask for the bill and leave.Very disappointed and we won't be going back.

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shirleyb2313 . 2016-11-07

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Looking forward to a relaxing family meal only to be extremely disappointed by the service. Incredibly slow!!

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Fiona C . 2016-10-25

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We decided to try this place as we liked the look of it from the outside. We arrived around midday and were shown to a lovely table where we ordered our drinks which quickly arrived. I ordered the Slow cooked pork belly which was absolutely delicious, the other half ordered the Steak &Ale pie which was also excellent. I ordered the Irish coffee sundae and the other half the Rhubarb pudding. Both of which again were scrumptious . We couldn't fault the service at all and look forward to a return visit another time. Most tables were occupied as we left so obviously a popular venue.

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Elaine H . 2016-10-21

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I visited last night (4/10) with a friend, the first time since the refurb and new menu. Whilst our greeting was fantastic, being told about the new dishes, asking us where we wanted to sit and taking our drinks order straight away, sadly the rest of the visit was appalling. The drinks took an age to come out and then the food (2 burgers!!!) took even longer! We were starving by the time they arrived. Once finished it then took over half an hour for somebody to come and clear the plates / offer dessert - too late at night by then to eat any more!Then to top off the experience, the older gentleman who was behind the bar and took payment was incredibly rude. I explained I had a family discount voucher, he was gruff, disinterested and then told me that I wasn't showing the correct code (which code, having checked with my family member who passed it to me, was actually correct!!!).All in all a disappointing experience that cost me more than it should have, that has left a bad taste in my mouth.

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ejm19782016 . 2016-10-05

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Absaloutly awful waited over an hour for our meals then when they eventually came out we had 2 meals missing to be told they were just starting to cook them! So we went and got a refund.. The manager did not apologise what so ever. Rude... Manners cost nothing. We shall not return again.

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hannah297 . 2016-09-10

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My first visit after the recent refurbishment, went with a friend who wanted to give it another chance. Shown to a table which was extremely close to a family of three! Waited a little while for our drinks but not a problem. I ordered a jacket potato with prawns it had a strange vinegar taste and was not even hot enough to melt the large knob of butter placed on the side of the plate! My friend had scampi chips and peas, she asked for garden peas and got mushy peas, the chips could have done with another few minutes in the frier as they were very pale! The lady on the next table looked over and saw I had the same as her and agreed hers had a very strange taste! She said she would carry on driving past next time! The waitress came to clear our plates and asked if it was ok, my friend said "I asked for garden peasant got mushy" she didn't answer us!! I always try to look on the positive side, the lovely decoration and furnishings are by far the only good thing about this place. I'm afraid I can't recommend it as a good place to eat.

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Chrissy045 . 2016-09-03

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It was busy, with lots of screaming kids. Kids running around. She offered us a table next too some very noisy kids and the tables are so close together we asked for a quieter table. She led us into a room that was empty with lots of mirrors. It was lovely until another family came in and the little girl couldn't just speak but had to shout. I know this isn't the pubs fault but they should have an adults area. I don't want to go out on my birthday and listen to unruly kids. The food was awful too this time, the chips were disgusting, unedible, when I complained the lady said yes they do look awful, but no apology or refund was offered. My partners veg was so hard couldn't even cut with a knife. We have always found this place lovely with great food, wasn't as busy as the week before and we all had a good meal and great service. Think I will be looking for a different place to eat now and may try The Windmill near Williron.

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Terri W . 2016-09-01

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Arrived at 5.10 to a pub less than a quarter full. Promptly seated and a drinks order taken. These drinks took 20 minutes to arrive and only did so after my partner went and chased it at the bar. There was no apology from the barman or the waiter. Food arrived shortly after which was really nice apart from I had no fork and had to go and find one. We then waited 15 minutes after requesting the bill before going to find someone to pay. Can't imagine how bad it must be when they are busy, 3 other tables complained just in the time we were there. Definitely not a place for a quick meal!

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Elaine W . 2016-08-19

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Went last month and thoroughly disappointed. Have used this pub many times in the past over the history of flooding and change in management/theme/group.We have had wonderful meals, cheap deals and experienced fantastic family gatherings.We felt rushed as soon as we were shown to a table as it was booked another party from 7:30. Decor was lovely-the best part of the meal.Ribeye steak was ordered and when delivered was called a rump-which it was but I was assured it was a Ribeye cut. Not in my experience. Will not go back again...until it changes hands...probably within the year!

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Husky35 . 2016-08-12

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Visited today,Sunday 7/08/2016.We were expecting it to be really busy, it wasn't. A very pleasant chap took us to our table,ran through the Sunday menu and got the waiter to take our drinks order. The drinks came very quickly, that was the only time anything was served quickly.My food itself was not bad, Caribbean Chicken, my wife had Roast Turkey, this was far from being ok,although you don't normally have Yorkshire pudding with turkey, there was one, well a cardboard replica!!! The roast potatoes were cold, not very pleasant at all. Our young lad had fish fingers, they were fine.After we ordered desert of ice-cream, it took 35 minutes to get to us, the lad had a fruit crumble which was not cooked, the crumble on top had hardly warmed!!Very disappointed with the service, it was awful, apart from a couple of waiters (thanks to them) the rest seemed to be unclear about what they should be doing.Sorry first and last visit.

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Anthony T . 2016-08-07

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'Summer Sunshine Menu' not available, two of the three sharing platters not available, no muffins for the mushroom starter, would we mind having it on a piece of toast? Three of the main courses were alright but Moroccan style lamb cutlets were over-cooked and the cous cous had hard lumps in it. I could go on - burnt toast, no Pernod, wine arrived half way through the meal...........The waiting staff did their best but the chef really needs to up his game. Very disappointing, won't be returning.

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Elizabeth F . 2016-08-05

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On a visit to Taunton came across this restaurant on a Sunday evening.Unfortunately, we were unable to eat here as we had not booked a table/ They said they could seat us if we were prepared to wait more than an hour. As the time was after 6.30pm decided we could not wait that long,However, while we were trying to get seated meals were going by. They looked very appetising and were presented very well. We had a look at the menu whilst there which was quite extensive and the prices were very reasonable,Sorry could not eat here at this time, but if ever we were going t be in the area would definitely book a table from from we saw,

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LINDA M . 2016-08-04

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This used to be a very good pub to get great food at great prices, since they re-opened under the Chef and Brewer label they have tried to make it too fancy, the venue itself is very nice since the re-furb, but the food seems to have gone the Gourmet way. Not as much choice on the menu of traditional food which a lot of people like, portion sizes have been cut and I feel that custom will probably be lost over the menu. Its on the main road from Taunton to Minehead with lots of passing trade which I feel will slowly dwindle.

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Ashtongate . 2016-07-29

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Well this was our first visit to the newly refurbished cross keys but where do I start. 30minutes for a drinks order to be taken. Ordered some food only to find out that a number of items were not available. The food finally turned up after about another 30minutes and to give them thier dues it was good quality but after that the waitress disappeared no one to offer more drinks or ask how the meal was. Finally when she appeared again we order some more drinks but they never arrived. After 2 hours we gave up waiting any longer and asked for the bill. Unfortunately they even manage to get this wrong (twice). Expensive, poor service will not be going back again!!!!

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Andy G . 2016-07-26

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We have been several times now and food is very nice. Sometimes there is a bit of a wait at busy times but that is to be expected.

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sujanet . 2016-07-24

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Ordered drinks when we sat down at our table - they took 15 minutes to arrive, the tip here is go to the bar and get your own drinks.The Main meals were slow to arrive but were very good and worth the wait. However, we waited 30 minutes for desert only to be told that there was no Creme Brûlée left. They did apologise and did not charge for the deserts. In summary, the refit has improved the ambiance, the front of house staff are very good, the food is very good, but the service is extremely slow and spoils the experience and this was a Wednesday evening - I dread to think how slow they would be at peak times.

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pauldianne2014 . 2016-07-21

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We visited on the spur of the moment early Sunday evening. We were welcomed by very friendly staff and seated in a nice cosy spot. Nice selection of meals to choose from on the menu. Service was very prompt and we really enjoyed our meals. Loved the new decor, nice atmosphere, will have to visit again soon.

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Kate P . 2016-07-11

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The food prior to the refit was atrocious to say the least. How it was always so busy was beyond my wife and I comprehension. Since the refit food is a significant improvement. What continues to let this place down is the shocking service. There are a couple of staff here who are fabulous. Attentive, friendly and skilled. The biggest issue is the elderly gentleman that works the seating. Every single occasion now (3 for food) with every person requesting a table he seems intent on making out it is going to be difficult to find space. Why? There is always room, non are reserved. Has he been told to do this and if so why? It's rude and frankly bloody annoying and a number of friends have commentedThe other main issue is the garden. Much improved but totally neglected by all staff. We, as someone else have noted, counted 15 tables on one visit that where yet to be cleared and the pub was not busy. This is bad management and needs addressing fast. Again today there is food and drink on most empty tables (13) and the garden is littered with tissues, forks and menus. Hardly family friendly. And FYI walking all the way round is not onDecor is much better and as I said earlier so is the foodCome on guys the rest of this is basic stuff and regardless of having reopened should not be going on

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Richeyyy . 2016-07-09

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Nice decor, nicely cooked meat BUT very light on the amount of veg and a very long wait for the food to arrive. Had to ask for sauces and condiments rather than offered.

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Colin F . 2016-07-08

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Nice menu good food..mayb more choice of ciders? But still decent choice.Exstensive menu for everyone.. reasonable prices.Easy to find ! Nxt to petrol station A358 x roads wth B3227

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Jump44 . 2016-07-06

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Bring back the old Fayre and Square menu, it had more variety to choose from and the prices were reasonable.

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alankendrick2016 . 2016-07-03

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Ate there 07 05 2016 which was the last night before closing for a refit. Well done guys had a very nice meal and although not all wines were available (understandable as closure / refitting was imminent ) was very well served and fed.

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alanw258 . 2016-06-07

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Visited today with a stinking hangover, was wanting a delicious succulent meal to sort me out and what I got was far from it. I asked for the curry, absolutely no flavor. How do you even mess up curry? Rice wasn't the best and the chips and naan bread were as dry as Ghandi's skin on the bottom of his feet. My friend ordered the chicken burger. What he got was a disaster. A manky looking breadcrumbed mess, Dry chips and no salad. I wouldn't feed that food to a starving Vietnamese dog. No wonder the place is getting new owners. Will not be returning until the new owners have taken over and as long as the good looking bar maid stays.

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Craig D . 2016-05-08

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When we came at lunch time on a weekday the service was very quick. The restaurant is big, with comfortable seating. The menu has lots on offer, unlike some of the other pub/restaurants in the area.

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Jethro Y . 2016-02-09

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Very good service and quality at a great value price. though an establishment as busy as this will always have the odd blip, in general a great meeting place good waiting service. If ive had a complaint its dealt with happily very courtious .Will be back time and time again, keep up the service guys.

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John T . 2016-02-06

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Have eaten here several times always quick service and you know what you will get, not fine dining but good value tasty good pub food ideal for a quick lunch or supper.

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piney56 . 2016-01-30

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Went here with the wife for lunch on Sunday 3/1/16 and was really surprised how quick we were served super meal can recommend the mixed grill but best of all was their wine a New Zealand Sauvignon blanc from Brancott estates super wine.will definitely be going back again.

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chris m . 2016-01-06

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Called in again after some time. 2 starters, 2 main meals and 2 drinks well under £25. Very pleasant staff and nice atmosphere. My veggie breakfast was perfect. Enjoyed our visit.

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Wellyman99 . 2015-12-29

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Me and my partner went here for lunch,unfortunately there was a very large party which slowed service a little but staff were very apologetic,tlWe did have to send our onion rings back as they were cold but they were replaced,we had the pulled pork nachos which were very tasty but I felt that there was not enough cheese,we were pretty much left with a bowl of chrisps,the pulled pork however was delicious and extremely tender.our main meals were delicious Aswell and the staff were brilliant.Overall a nice place and I would return.

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Tara_fruitloop . 2015-12-12

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A very nice lunch was had today with my friends at Cross Keys.We didn't have to wait very long for the meal to be served by our cheerful waiters.It was very hot and every one enjoyed their choice of meal .There was a good portion on the plates.Only fault was the peas could of been fresher,(They were various colours) Will go there again

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Sylvia F . 2015-11-10

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If your not to fussy the food is edible but straight out the microwave. Meals were served very quickly and the sevice was friendly. Meals are cheap but you know what they say, 'you get what you pay for'

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smartalan . 2015-09-29

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I agree with other reviews this is a cheap place to eat and the price reflects the quality. The interior is nice and table service was efficient.Having said that all our burgers were microwaved and still steaming when they arrived, even the sponge desert was over nuked and burnt. It's ping food to the extreme. Having said that we paid about £8.50 a person for a coke and a burger so maybe that is the standard. Personally I will pay little bit more and go somewhere else next time.

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melonman0 . 2015-08-24

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We as a family love popping in for an occasional meal.The menu is varied, service always really good and friendly, very reasonably priced and never disappointed. If you go to a place like this, you know what you're getting. Nothing more and nothing less. It quite simply does what it says on the tin and we love it!See you again soon :-))

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lora_cam . 2015-07-19

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I rarely review but felt on this occasion I must. We arrived for a meal, we've been before I know the score, if you're expecting out of this world you'll be disappointed. However, we still eat there from time to time as a make do. After sitting down the pub was quite empty, it was around 6pm on a Monday evening. It took some time to be served at the bar despite being quiet, nothing unusual at this venue. The girl was polite and took my order and apart from being a little unfamiliar with the till and finding the buttons which wasn't a problem in my eyes it all went down hill from that point onward. We waited nearly 40 minutes to get our starter, other people who had placed orders after at the bar after I had were already eating their mains ? The starter " nachos " arrived with the same girl who took my order at the bar, she made no eye contact and literally placed it on the table with no apology or explanation, surely nachos doesn't take 40 mins ? The nachos weren't even warm as I'd expect. I'm not a complainer and scene creator so just cracked on having not eaten all day and it now being the evening. I ate some but left most. Around 20 minutes later the same girl approached the table saying did we want our mains as the chef and I quote " hadn't even started them yet ", this particular wording seemed off key and I felt uncomfortable like we were in a family domestic ! We agree with her that it had been a while now and we would indeed like our mains, after all the kids were very hungry now. With in 2 minutes the mains arrived to our surprise, clearly something wasn't right here ?? No one makes 4 mains that quick or the kitchen weren't talking to front of house. As it happened a few minutes later the waiter a young small, 9 stone - 5'5 looking dark haired lad, around 20 brought something to the table at which point we noticed the order had been taken incorrectly at the POS. Both burgers were meant to have chicken added but only one did and there was no coleslaw, as asked him for the coleslaw and another glass of wine of which we paid for both, it was around another £4 or so, I can't remember exactly, but I can remember him asking specifically did we want the change from the cash we gave him ??? I found this really odd, I've never been asked that unless it's a penny or something. He may as well of asked, do you mind if I have the change ! We didn't order the extra chicken that had been missed as we couldn't be bothered to wait any longer instead what I had was in two parts so we split it. The meal wasn't great to be honest, again as I first stated, if you go here it's cheap and cheerful and you pay for what you get. So that was the meal and horrible service. But it gets worse. Both the adults, one being me that ate a few hours later started feeling unwell, we don't live live together and haven't seen each other for over a week so only found out the next day. Through out the night I had painful abdominal cramps, by 8am the following morning I was being violently sick with a very upset stomach to match. I wasn't able to get a call to the pub to inform them I was unwell and warm them on day 1 of the illness but managed on day two after a doctor visit to get in touch with them between vomiting. The phone was answered by the vile and arrogant boy called Jamie. I explained that I had been unwell, not pointing a finger of blame and politely and was met with an immediate denial of food poisoning, words that hadn't even been mentioned by me, I explained both the adults in out party who had met there from separate locations, who had both ate the same meal and who had both been unwell with the same symptoms just to be cut off mid conversation with and I quote " it can't be food poisoning as it's not been 72 hours ! ". What utter tosh, as I knew already as a 35 year old man and not a child, food poisoning can be 2 hour or less or more and is well documented as just that. I explained again that I had become ill within a few hours, ie, I had eaten at around 6 and was rough in the night and physically ill around 8am, I was told and again I quote, "Well you're changing your story !" At no time was I asked was I ok, how were the children, or even what had I eaten ! I explained I didn't want an argument it was a case or being responsible and notifying them in case others had had problems and maybe knowing what I had eaten or taking my details would be a good idea, it was clear he ( Jamie ) didn't care. He even said that every piece of food is throw away after 24 hours so there was no point knowing what I had eaten and to write to head office if I had a problem !? Firstly having working in kitchens I know every item isn't thrown after 24 hours and secondly I couldn't believe that lack of empathy, professionalism and training he had. I mean take away all of the above, what a complete ********* to not even care if I or my family were ok ? I ended up calling head office and guest relations and explaining, the lady who helped me was perfectly polite, trained, intelligent and knew what she was talking about. I hope the issues are fixed and as a minimum I'll end up with my money back although I feel being self employed and lossing three days work should be compensated for frankly. I never wanted either of those things, it was only after Jamie was so bloody rude that I felt it needed this review and the subsequent ones I shall be leaving on every bit of social media I can find along with the papers. Cross keys; I am a local, a regular visit, how could you get this so wrong ? Your staffs attitudes and behaviour are disgusting ! I will never visit you again and as someone who deals with hundreds on local people will ensure everyone knows how I was treated and goes elsewhere where they are treated like human beings and customers. As an an update it's been 3 days and I've not eaten anything since just water. I still have an upset stomach and the other adult in the group had had the upset tummy return too.

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Ian P . 2015-05-21

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The Gammon meal was excellent, the fish dinner was tasty but a little dry. Overall very happy with our meal. The prices were very reasonable. The food came within a reasonable amount of time. The place was busy which is always a good sign.

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Carole D . 2015-05-02

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First visit to a Fayre and Square and I must say it is better than a Beefeater, Brewers Fayre or Hungry Horse. The pub has a nice atmosphere and has a decor which is the usual style when compared with the above chains. The food is very good and there are loads of deals to take advantage of. We would definitely recommend the square burger with criss cross fries. Overall, a good experience once you accept that you are in a chain pub/restaurant. They don't pretend to be something they are not.

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somersetfood2012 . 2015-03-16

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