The Crown in Colchester

I had a lovely evening at The Crown with some friends, the atmosphere was very inviting. Kewan served us at the bar, he was very friendly and welcoming upon arrival and also for the entirety of our stay

I'm not one to write a Negative review for places, and try to see the light in the darkness... But unfortunately, me and my family have had a mediocre experience here at The Crown at Ardleigh for a number of reasons. We were sat at our table by the Casually dressed, grumpy waiter, then waiter for the rest of the family who shortly arrived 5 minutes after us. We were then waiting for another 10/15 minutes for someone to take our order of drinks... By then we knew what we wanted to eat as we had been looking at the menu for nearly 20 minutes (we had to remind the staff we were ready to order). Our order was taken and the food came out quite quickly which was a positive, aswell as the starter we couldn't grumble about. Our mains on the other hand, which we were greeted by soggy Roast Potatoes and Yorkshire Puddings, not so warm vegetables, and fatty meat. I tried giving them the benefit of the doubt due to it being 5pm on a Sunday, so of course they would have had a busy afternoon serving Roast Dinners. When you're paying £19 a head for a (Small portioned) roast, I still expect the quality to be the same as what it would be at 1pm. I also had a negative time here a couple months back which was just me and my partner and unfortunately to say the staff were rude and atmosphere was also mediocre. I did not raise my concerns with the staff on either occasion, but my main reason for the most recent visit was the young lady who was serving us was still training and didn't want to put her off the job this early on. To add to all this which some people may see picky, the lack of maintenance to the restaurant is most definitely disappointing to the "Vintage Inn" name. Light bulbs not working/missing surrounding our table, dusty sideboards, patchy paint and don't forget those Fly's ! Unfortunately to say, I won't be coming back here to The Crown at Ardleigh, nor any "Vintage Inn" Establishment.

Was great customer service the food was really amazing , I felt welcomed there by the guy working in the bar who greeted me with a big smile and started a conversation , he took my drink order really quickly , exceptional service

lovely food, great vibes, bartender kewan made some excellent recommendations and made me feel very comfortable ordering mocktails at a bar as a sober person. really good pizza too!

This is my honest review Bar staff was friendly, was seated by a fella with a beard and tattoos, made me and my wife feel very welcome for our 15th anniversary Good selection of beers on tap Pizza was reasonable priced Good steak selection and sides

Great food, good prices, nice and approachable staff.

The food was lukewarm, and generally badly cooked. The roast potatoes were hard, the gravy oily, parsnips hard and carrots overcooked. It didn't look fresh? Even if it had of been well cooked still would have been poor value for money. I would not recommend this restaurant.

Great authentic place. Perfect for a couple of drinks or a dinner.

What a great pub. Great atmosphere and the food is delicious. Strongly recommend 👌🏽

Izzy made our visit, perfect, very helpful and always smiling.

Nice food, but service terrible. Not the staffs fault but 3 servers for a full restaurant not good. Booked table not cleared on arrival, despite being 15 min late, then nearly 45 mins before we managed to get the attention of a server. Not a great experience

The crown is a beautiful pub the food is always incredible and the staff are very welcoming and friendly always my go to spot when I'm up for work

Wanted to book a table if 12 been calling for 48 hours no one answers the phone or returns your call. I tried to book online I have had no confirmation. I am now booking somewhere else.

My first dining experience a year ago left me disappointed but for my son’s birthday meal, I thought I’d give the Crown another go. The service was great, good food (delicious) and we had a table out of the way to chat and enjoy a lovely family meal. No complaints and we will return again!

Amazing food, great service, perfect atmosphere after a long day of traveling

Lovely visit to the crown this evening, food was amazing, atmosphere was cosy and our waitress, Joanna was very friendly and welcoming, will definitely return!

Joanna was amazing! Really enjoyed our time here.

Very good food and service. You wouldn't necessarily know it's part of a chain.

Fantastic food, great atmosphere! X

Lovely old themed pub, great food however small portion. Trio roast dinner was to die for!

Great meal and great food. Will definitely return 👍

Great place to visit. Food was excellent.

Went for a drink, but very pleasant, and staff were good and not in your face.... Didn't eat

We went to the Crown for lunch, on the day we went the place was packed. I had the Sea Bass which was superb. The service we had for drinks and food was amazing despite how busy it was. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the Crown to anyone.

The food was served a bit too quick. I had the salad with quinoa. I felt it was over priced. The atmosphere felt more like a whether spoons. Staff are friendly and polite.

Incredible pub. Incredible food. Incredible service. What more can you want?!

A great dining experience. Great food, great menu, great service, great value. We'll be going back again in the near future.

Amazing service, excellent food and calm atmosphere. Made even better by the discount included, too. Every little helps . Thank you

Cracking Sunday roast in a lovely setting.

Came for a Sunday roast, the lady who served us (reddish hair, glasses) was so friendly, polite and attentive and the food was excellent - moist turkey and clean plates all around! Really enjoyable experience and will definitely be back.

Bella gave amazing customer service and was very lovely and friendly! Food was absolutely delicious really recommend the seabass. Will be returning soon!

Well tended to as a coeliac, but the food seems overpriced for what you get. Staff aren't always that friendly

Service was great, the wait staff were cheerful polite and helpful. Food and drinks nice, value for money. Lovely setting in the pub, felt cosy.

Went for a lovely lunch at the crown which is one of mine and my mother's favourite places to go, the food and everything about it was lovely and good. The service was good and very welcoming and actually felt at home. My mother is quite old but she loved the atmosphere that made her feel like she was back in her days, which she said to me

Came for lunch today and although it was clearly very busy the staff did a brilliant job keeping up with everything. Everyone had a great attitude and service was prompt, food and drinks were all great, couldn't have been happier considering how hard everybody was working, brilliant place

Have been here before and had lovely food and hospitality but today was first to arrive at 12, door unlocked by a scruffy person with dirty clothes who asked us to sign our car registrations in then show us to our table which was under a stairwell at the back poorly lit ( the restaurant was empty) I said can we sit elsewhere please, was shown a table by the fire. Scruffy man said he would be back to take our drinks order after 10 mins he did, I said can we order food as well he said he was doing drinks orders first then would be back, 20 mins later he hadn’t returned so my friend ordered at bar. Food arrived I had ordered fishcakes, these were dry and over cooked, no broccoli just spinach which was over cooked and wet, 3 small baby potatoes which were hard and no hollindaise sauce which was down on the menu, I said I wasn’t to go pay for this to my friend but she said she had paid when she ordered. Pub busy now and couldn’t speak to anyone so left disappointed.

Went to the Crown with a friend for lunch today. Hadnt booked in advance and told there would be a 40 minute wait for food. No problem said we would get drinks and wait to be called. Every table we went to sit at was loaded with dirty dishes and glasses from other customers that hadnt been cleared away. We cleared a table and sat down. A lady came up to us and said she and her friend had ordered food and only one meal was served. By the time the 2nd dish arrived the first person had finished their meal. Chips on 2nd meal were stone cold and customer complained and was told they would be replaced. By the time they came out she had finished the rest of her meal and didnt want them. Waitress then came to us with fish cakes. Said not ours as we hadnt even ordered. Decided to leave after about 20 minutes as place dirty and no effort made by staff to clear any tables for new customers to sit down. As we were leaving another couple came in and like us had to clear a table so they could sit down. I have been here before and never experienced this. It was the first visit for my friend and needless to say the last.

Joanna was so lovely, food was great. Love coming here, so chilled and relaxed.

I came here for a late Valentines meal with my wife. We pre booked this which was quick and easy. On the night, we were met by a lovely polite lady and was shown to our table. We were asked if we had any allergies which was good, and then we didnt have wait long for our order to be taken. Starters were out really quick and was really nice, shared the mushrooms and camembert. Dinner came out and I had the duck pizza, it was Really nice. My wife went for the chicken salad again she was impressed and really enjoyed it. However the desert was the best, I went for thr orange dome. I have attached a picture. Over all I was really happy with the service and food we got that night. And a bonus is they accepted the Blue Light Card. Totally recommend this restaurant.

Came in with my family for a meal and had Amelia serve us, she was very efficient and had great customer service! The food was hot and tasty. We definitely will be returning!

Served by Amelia. Very friendly and polite. Really enjoyed our meal. Will definitely return.

Food wasn't served at our table until approx one hour after we arrived. The steak and gammon were both tough. The chips were good but very small portions, with my steak I had more fingers on hands than I had chips on my plate! The vine tomatoes were cold. Desserts were nice but the coffee wasn't very good and was only lukewarm. The dinning area was quite cold and drafty. I would not recommend and will not be returning.

We were served by a lovely young girl Amelia, very personable and helpful. Nothing was too much trouble. Will definitely be coming back.

2nd time we have been and it’s been lovely. Great atmosphere and service. We have been served by Joanna both times and she has been wonderful, friendly and attentive.

Wonderful Meal and great service! Took my wife here for Valentine’s Day and the food was fantastic, great service (We was over charged yet they sorted it swiftly and efficiently thanks for a great evening! Would recommend for special occasions

went here for lunch yesterday, slight delay on entry but after that good service, very attentive staff, food great , atmosphere excellent overall a great experience, will be back

Met up with 2 friends for lunch. Meal ok. Teapot missing a lid, pointed this out and was told no lid available!! Came to settling the bill. Bill split 3 ways. We rounded it up to £30 pounds each to include a tip. I put £30 pounds as did the other diner and the other person paid with card. Emma the waitress said it was 10 pounds short. We were confused by this, she took the money away and came back saying it was £20 pounds short. I checked my purse and knew I had paid the right amount but paid the extra 20 pounds as it was getting embarrassing. Why wasn’t the money counted out in front of us? I felt really upset when I left as my small meal ended up costing me £50. I work hard for my money and can ill afford this loss. Will never return. Emma asked for a review and this is it. 😡

A group of five of us ate here recently and had a wonderful experience. We were seated in a relatively private dining area and we were served by the lovely Amelia who could not have been more helpful. Nothing was too much trouble. The drinks and the meals were very good. Dinner was hot, tasty and plentiful and our mini deserts were perfectly adequate too. We would be very happy to meet and eat here again

Good service and choice, reasonably priced

Cozy atmosphere, great food and friendly service 🙂

Fantastic food and service at The Crown - we love it here, gorgeous venue and service from Joanna.

Thanks for all your help Bella ❤️

Wonderful service and delicious food. Served by Joanna and she was brilliant!

Such a lovely place. Hostesses were amazing and food was a treat. Amelia and Zoe were so attentive and even helped us with some knowledge for holidays too. Highly recommend

Great meal at the Crown, Joanne the waitress was very friendly and responsive Good food good atmosphere and great evening would highly recommend

I was very pleased with everything food was amazing and didn’t have to wait that long, the staff and service was perfect really friendly and helpful. Went with my partner and would recommend you give it a visit. Atmosphere is very good as well and a great location if you’re travelling and want to stop for some good food.

Service has good but the food was served cold

Friendly warm welcome. Chicken curry mains were dire

Very good experience, will keep visiting although we are one hour away.

Lovely surroundings and food was nice. Little slow on staff taking order but friendly and good at there job

Seated on time 3pm on a Saturday busy to begin half empty at 5pm service was bit slow and sporadic I guess understaffed. Watch out for the 10% service charge.

Pizza was missing so one of us didn’t have any food!

Good food at a reasonable price.

Went here over the Christmas period whilst visiting my partners family. Had a lovely meal and would recommend the arancini for starter and fish cake for main. Felt like a nice British pub

A lovely relaxing Sunday lunch. The Trio of meats was outstanding. Go hungry!!

Decided to try Christmas Dinner out with friends this year, you hear so many unhappy experiences shared as it's a very busy time of year, and an important occaision, so if it is not the best, people are very disappointed. We booked lunch here on Christmas Eve. What an unexpected treat this place was! I have driven past it 100 times without thinking about going in, I've missed out. We opted for the set menu, choice of either a starter and a main or a main and a dessert, or we thought maybe we would make it to a 3 course set lunch! Very generous portions, very fairly priced. I felt we had very good quality, portion size and value for the money. We ended up eating onlya a starter and main course only as no-one had space left for a dessert. Warm, friendly, great staff, dog friendly, child freindly, welcoming, cosy atmosphere, lovely ambience to the place. I had scallops in some kind of cheesy sauce for starter, with ciabatta, and a traditional turkey lunch. It was completely divine! Perfectly cooked, the right balance of everything, very flavoursome. All of us were happy, no complaints from 5 people. Will return and has restored our faith in the idea of eating out again next year.

Will never use these again ever son went for a drink 4 times and didn't know he was to put his reg of car in and got 4 fines ll went to a old address that he did not get mail passed on and now he's got a 1000 fine asked to have this reduced as we never got any letters for this and we have proof we had a drink as its on our bank statement and they said no. this was not his fault The TV screen you have to put your reg in is so small you miss it and it looks like a booking in for a meal screen no one told him This needs to change and stuff should be asking you if you have put your reg in before serving you it a disgrace I will never use this place ever again YOUR SIGNS ARE NOT CLEARER ENOUGH WHY DO YU NOT LEARN FROM THIS AND THERE IS NO NEED TO BE RUDE TO CUSTOMERS EITHER

Lovely atmosphere, we was given a lovely booth which felt really cosy with the added cushions. Roast dinner was lovely & serves quickly. Service was amazing, staff were so polite & friendly. 100% recommend

Hard to rate the service objectively but overall it was pretty poor and cold! The vast majority of our group sat eating in their scarves and coats, the pub was so cold despite an open fire, there was a very cold draft throughout. Unsurprisingly our food arrived cold, all our starters were sent back and half of our mains. Won't be returning and wouldn't recommend, so many more nicer places.

Very nice and cosy pub. The food is excellent, and the portions are large.

served by Emma, food was delicious and every person working was friendly and polite

Nothing available and shouldn’t of been open in my opinion with only a third of the menu available

Went to celebrate our twin sons birthday after several good previous meals. This one was a big disappointment!! Sprouts we're cold, roast potatoes reheated and as for the steak in the pies this was I edible! We mentioned the steak to the waitress but no apology or offer of discount. Sadly we won't be back any time soon

Came here for Christmas day, and it was wonderful. The service was fantastic, the food was amazing, and even though they were busy, we weren't rushed. All the team had a smile on their faces, and it really did make the day special. This is the first time I and my family have been out on Christmas day, and because of whole experience we might make this a regular thing now! Thank you.

Pleasant little gastro pub, lovely decor and nice servers: only thing I'd say is that the main ended up being different temperatures (e.g. burger patty was hot but the pulled pork on top was not) but that's such a minor nit-pick compared to the rest of the experience.

Absolutely lovely place and food was excellent

Excellent meal, very friendly staff, very Christmassy, we really enjoyed our evening, highly recommended 10/10

Went for Christmas meal with friends, had the duck pizza was delicious! With side of fries, could of had a few more fries but good food!

Love this place, wonderful atmosphere, lovely staff and great food, well worth a visit

Popped into pub Friday lunchtime after finishing work for Christmas, they were packed but really nice atmosphere and service. Highly recommend I will be coming back again for sure! P.s beef brisket sandwich was quite spectacular for 11 pounds.

The ambience of the Crown is really nice. Lovely décor. The service was good but the food was a bit of a let down. Starters were ok, but my turkey dinner was a real disappointment. I think the meal was plated up and reheated. Sprouts were frozen and then microwaved, roast potatoes not crispy and turkey really dry. Puddings again were ok but obviously not freshly made. It was lovely to have lunch with my sons but for £130 including a tip, I didn't feel I got value for money. Not sure I would return.

Great roast dinner but delays on drinks from the bar let the kitchen and servers down.

The food was OK but some elements were poor and really should not have been served had anyone taken the care to check. They served a pork belly that was so tough that we couldn't cut it even with a steak knife. It had probably been pre-cooked and then warmed up. The service was very slow. We took 2.5 hours to get through 3 courses. The most common comment was "It isn't what it used to be."

The waiting staff was great, attentive and service was quick. Portions were a good size and we all appreciated the mini dessert with hot drink deal. This place is becoming a family favorite.

Nice environment with their fire, decent food. Chain type stuff so dont expect anything special. It's still nice though and worth a visit

Lovely place great food Nice service Food was great and the price was good too Well done staff We will be back to try more food

WENT FOR CHRISTMAS LUNCH. SERVICE WAS ABISMAL HAD TO GRAB A WAITRESS TO GET A DRINK . ORDERED TURKEY AND STUFFING. MEAL WAS COLD, TURKEY WAS DRY VEGETABLES WERE ROCK HARD AND IN EDIBLE. SPOKE TO WAITRESS SHE SAID THEY HAVE RUN OUT OF STUFFING. WE WERE FIRST TO ORDER LUNCH SO CUD NOT UNDERSTAND THIS. WAITRESS ADMITTED UNDERSTAFFED AND STRUGGLING TO COPE. WOULD RECOMMEND YOU AVOID THIS PLACE AS ITS A DISGRACE.

Had a lovely time, food was great and service from Jo was brilliant.

Service and atmosphere was top notch, thank you!!

Went for a meal last night with friends, food was not great, starter was prawn cocktail it was spicy and lettuce was sour, then had a main meal it came out of kitchen with hair in the burger 🤢 and the Desert was too much cream and tasted awful it the second time going there and it was awful a year ago. Staff were friendly. But Definitely won’t be going back!

Had a delicious meal (garlic prawns, aranchini , duo lamb, steak,lemon tart,creme brûlée)in a restaurant with a comfortable atmosphere. Waiting staff were excellent especially Jo . Lovely evening

Fantastic service as always this evening from Jo. Nothing was too much trouble. Warm, friendly and attentive. A great place for a festive get together with friends, food was exceptional.

We had such a lovely night - Jo was a great waitress as always - so polite and friendly, couldn’t have done more for us. Food and atmosphere was great too!

We returned to The Crown to try the festive menu. Had pate & aranchini starter . Then ribeye & turkey dinner & lastly apple & mince pie crumble all of it was delicious!! It was very busy at the time full festive mode but the service provided by Jo was excellent as always *****

Had a nice meal here but service was very disappointing. Glass was covered in lipstick, service quite slow although busy perhaps employ more staff? Second round of drinks sat at the bar for 15 minutes and one of us ended up collecting it ourselves. Food was quite nice but as I said service let it down. Also no xmas nibbles like mints with tea, no crackers on tables no festive things.

Excellent meal and the service from Jo was first class,thank you 👌

A lovely meal as always at The Crown! Thank you Jo for such wonderful service - we tried the festive menu and it was great!

I was meeting family to celebrate my birthday. The Crown at Ardleigh is roughly half way for both of us, so very convenient. I was also gifted a bottle of Prosecco by Vintage Inns as a birthday present - lovely surprise. The whole experience from start to finish was without fault. The service, food, atmosphere all excellent and good value for money. Would not hesitate to recommend, and will definitely be returning.

Jo our waitress was very efficient and attentive.

Lovely place to eat. Food was great and so was the service. Would recommend.