The Cuckoo in Chelmsford

Visited valentines times day and it was the best service food and atmosphere is second to none and I cant wait to return sad to see it is up for sale and hoping when it sells they can continue this

This was the third time we have eaten at The Cuckoo and once again the food did not disappoint. Being Valentines Day the food may have been a little more expensive but the menu choice and quality if the food was excellent. We had a window table which was a good choice as by 8pm all tables were in use so we had that bit more space around us. Service was very personable and attentive, could not fault anything.

Came here for the first time for a birthday meal and was instantly struck by the warm and welcoming atmosphere. The food was delicious, well thought out and beautifully presented. The staff were very chatty and friendly as well. We're looking forward to coming again!

Another superb lunch at The Cuckoo. No matter what is ordered from their menu it is always first class in every way. This really is my favourite place to lunch. The ambience and staff make the whole experience so comfortable. THANK YOU you NEVER disappoint.

A lovely welcome followed by excellent food & service. I had tasty rope grown Mussels to start followed by a Seafood Pancake & vegetables.. Then made my fellow diners jealous with the Homemade Ice Cream served in a Brandy snap Basket. Whilst my guests had a pot of tea, I had a superb flat white coffee to finish off a lovely meal. My only disappointment was that I didn't read the menu properly & missed out on the superb Steak & Kidney Pudding, which I have had on previous visits.

My favourite restaurant. We had Beef Wellington and Aldeburgh Cod with cheese topping both meals were absolutely delicious, beautifully presented. Service here is always excellent. Look forward to our next visit.

Heard so much from fam and friends about this place so had v v high expectations , it’s definitely fine dining I would say the food was nice but not sure really it’s worth the cost if I’m Being honest , eg salmon fish cakes £20 beef wellington £34 , would say service was fine

One of my favourite places to eat Eat there Friday night with friends have been several times before and always first class meals and service It is up for sale I only hope how ever buys it run it the same way I will be very upset if it closes As it is one the best in the area if you haven’t been you should try it now I recommend this The menu is small but I believe it covers most peoples taste

Went here for the first time and so wished we had dined here sooner. (As I believe the current owners are retiring). The food and service was excellent. The setting and interior bright and comfortable, and the importantly, the food extremely good. Well made classis dishes. Highly recommend.

Exceptional food and great and prompt service. Lovely venue and great choice of dishes. The scotch egg was to die for. Great value with the ladies menu.

First visit here. Staff very accommodating and professional. It was very busy with a great atmosphere. Food was top quality with the right size portions. We will be definitely returning….

A quite exceptional experience! Visited for lunch today, when I phoned to book the lady did we have had a cancellation, thought that was just posturing as it’s a Tuesday lunch, but wow it was busy! I entered at 1200, when it opened, shortly after it was almost full! Large enough menu to cater for most, nice variety. Started with the dusted fish and seafood, only complaint, aioli was too mild. The main was a delicious lamb dish, 98% perfect, personal taste. The dessert produced a challenge as there were two that really piqued my interest. I had brown sugar merrangue with ginger crem and rhubarb. A sensational dessert! Venue has character and is well presented, toilets very clean too. Loved the experience

Absolutely superb food. From the starter to the end the food was perfect. - Warm bread and butter is served whilst you choose what you want to eat. One small point it’s more of an adult environment. I do believe they may have an age limit on children as it’s a small area and it wouldn’t be safe to have youngsters running around. The lamb the best tasting I’ve tasted. You have a good choice of options, such as new potato, chips, mash. You can swap vegetables if you want to. I more than recommended trying to leave room for pudding.

We came here for dinner one evening. The place was beautifully set out and looked after. We both had three courses and both of us went with the beef Wellington for our mains. It was amazing and just as good as Fortnum and Masons beef Wellington, if not better! The fillet inside was cooked how I asked and very thick cut. I will be returning to have another one of those! On a minor note, my husband and I did feel that the desserts weren’t for us. He has the cheesecake which came in a kilner type jar, but the consistency was quite gooey for a cheesecake.

Great food. A cosy feel to this restaurant with helpful staff (but not overbearing). The beef wellington and thai curry is superb as are the starters and specials.

Always great food in there, their Thai Curry is to die for and so are their ice creams 👍 lovely place to go

We visited pre-Covid and had a wonderful evening, so I chose it again for my dad's birthday this year. It was fabulous in every way and we all had a wonderful experience. The staff are welcoming, friendly, professional and engaging. Nothing is too much for...

Charming little restaurant. Intimate with a homely feel. The staff are lovely, attentive (but not overly) and the food is amazing. We all had the beef Wellington which was excellent - crisp pastry with medium rare, quality beef. Highly recommended

Went there in December with friends for an evening meal. Selection on the menu was good but wine selection was well below average and the beef wellington was over-cooked. Deserts were excellent but after so many good meals, this experience was disappointing.

It was a great pleasure to have lunch at The Cuckoo yesterday. There was a great deal of choice and the three courses I selected were all top quality. This was the best local restaurant food I have eaten in ages. I am looking forward...

We have had lunch at the Cuckoo twice in August with fiends. A wonderful location and outstanding food. The beef wellington is an outstanding treat. The staff are charming and deliver an excellent friendly service. A big shout out for the bar staff as I...

A first visit, for lunch with friends, and we'll certainly be going back! A quiet setting with nice outdoor seating, and a fresh and open dining area indoors. The food was excellent, fresh and well presented, though limited on vegetarian options. The staff were friendly...

I must say I have been to the Cuckoo on quite a few occasions. The food is excellent but feel like the whole experience this time was a big let down by one member of staff who I felt was very stuffy, quite rude really...

I phoned to make a reservation for 8 people to be told it can only be for 6 people which is fair enough but to be told if the booking wasn’t for that evening she wished she hadn’t answered the phone and then HUNG UP...

We have been other times over the years and the standard is still excellent. The menu is varied and exciting with best ingredients used. The staff are very friendly and helpful and offered good service throughout the evening. There is good attention to detail in...

I hadn't even heard of this restaurant and someone recommended it. It is a definite must! The service , from the moment we turned up was first class. Pretty old school to be honest. Food was outstanding, worth the price. Toilets were excellent and felt...

Hadnt been back here in sooo long, so was wondering how it was nowadays. The answer is it scored 11 out of 10. My wife and I went for the Wellington and Half lobster for Mains and there was no faults with anything. Thanks so...

What a joy to be able to have a meal here once again, the fish was cooked to perfection, the desserts although a touch expensive were wonderful, service as always impeccable. It’s the little things like homemade bread and petit fours with the lovely coffee...

We were invited to celebrate a Birthday at The Cuckoo and thought the food to be of a very high standard and the service was also first class. We would definitely go again.

We received a warm friendly welcome back from all the staff at The Cuckoo !! Decided to try the chicken yakitori skewers for starters and scotch egg, both were fantastic!! I love the fact that the menu doesn’t stay the same at this cozy restaurant....

My wife and I visited the pretty Cuckoo Saturday night. Wow its been far too long . What a wonderful evening, from the friendly excellent service to the amazing food.We both had the beef Wellington, I can safely say the best we have ever had.Our compliments to the chef and also.the whole team.Excellent excellent excellent. 10/10 in every way. Thank you & def see you again very soon

Really enjoyed our evening at The Cuckoo. The food (scotch egg, courgette fritters, beef wellington, cod) was very tasty and of good quality. The service was really friendly and we will definitely go again!

Me and my two friend went for a meal after work. Place is great, food to die for and service very friendly and professional. Five days later and we still talking about your food ❤️ Thank you so much!

A very enjoyable lunch for ‘Ladies Who Lunch’ deal, good food beautifully presented, good friendly service and nice ambience. No pressure to choose or to leave. Plenty of social distancing and COVID aware measures. Highly recommend and will definitely return.

Food was delicious.It seems that who run the place loves take care of details. Not only food was truly goo but also anything else was higly curated. I have seen only women running the place and they are kind and, in this strange time, they take seriously safe measures for their diners. And I now know why there are mostly deserts' pics online. It is because you're just focused to taste each dishes during the dinner. Then, you take a nice breath when the desert arrives. You look at it and you cannot avoid to take a pic as it is awesome. Of course, to eat too!Last thing, we had an extremely good plums chutney.

We ate here yesterday to celebrate our friend and my birthdays. What a wonderful meal we had again. 2 of our party had the salmon fish cakes to start and 1 had them as a main course, which were fresh and tasty with homemade tartare sauce. The pate was deemed excellent and the fourth member of our party enjoyed the feta and watermelon salad. The Rosemary bread was delicious to nibble too.The pork belly was pronounced superb while the cod in a cheese and bacon sauce nestled on broccoli spears just exceeded expectations, thick meaty fish and oh so tasty. The Kiev was voted delicious too.And then the real show toppers! The gooseberry brûlée’s were sweet and fruity but the raspberry cranacan cheesecake was sublime.As we were driving we were very restrained but the Sauvignon blanc and rose wines we had were excellent.Our two lovely waitresses were charming and efficient and we felt totally safe and comfortable, there was sanitiser readily available and the staff wore face shields.I said it before but have no hesitation in saying again - this is my favourite restaurant outside London. I can’t wait to go back again.

Super lunch, friendly staff very tenative, lovely food, excellent lunch deal. "Ladies do lunch" will return soon.

We went with friends to celebrate a special birthday. Food was delicious and reasonably priced. Pink Prosecco was yummy and service impeccable. We will be back!

My partner and I had dinner at The Cuckoo recently and we were far from disappointed! The service was great, friendly and not over the top, all three courses we had we couldn't fault - hats off to the chef! A few people we know recommended going here, and we would now highly recommend. Thank you again for a lovely meal :)

After stumbling across this online, we visited for a midweek lunch and were not disappointed. Menu had plenty of choice and when our food was served, portions were generous and food tasted great!Would def recommend and advise to book in advance as lunch was busy!!

Not too busy at Saturday lunchtime, Fabulous decor, lovely atmosphere, superb food and great value for money. Extraordinary!

What can I say.......everything was excellent from start to finish.A charming building in a country setting. The decor inside the restaurant was gorgeous.Great staff that welcomed us on arrival and took our coats .The ladies lunch menu was enough to choose from but still more dishes can be ordered from the main menu.5 people in my party, we all ordered different meals which all arrived together. Beautifully presented and very tasty.Thank you to All the staff for a leisurely lunch with friends.Already recommending you to friends.

Attended to immediately on entrance to the restaurant and shown directly to our table .The service from then onwards was professional and attention to detail was excellent.The food was exceptional with a variety of choices with a great choice of wines to accompany the meal.The waitresses were very helpful and courteous at all times and shared their time between everyone in the restaurant,so you never felt left out.A great lunch experience and would recommend very highly.

This is a gem of a find introduced to us by friends living locally. Initially amused by the “ladies who lunch menu” but pleased when we were informed men could also order it! There was also a full menu and excellent specials. The food was excellent - flavoursome well presented and very homely. Thoroughly recommend a visit if you are in the area.

We haven't been to The Cuckoo for a number of years - we managed to get a booking over the weekend and wondered why we had left it so long to revisit! The staff are very friendly and helpful without being pushy. The food came very quickly and it was very well cooked. Really deserves a five star rating.

Was not happy with your manner regarding a reservation I was hoping to have booked . Blaming your phone system is not a great excuse and left me high and dry won't be a next time.

Excellent for that something special food was superb. Staff friendly and efficient nothing was too much trouble. We were family of 8 and we all agreed how enjoyable it was.

A delightful restaurant with a great menu ...the pheasant was delicious and the ginger ice cream was superb....will certainly return next year

The Cuckoo nests in beautiful surroundings. The interior is bright and welcoming with traditional decor of a high standard. The staff are friendly & courteous and give you time to relax and enjoy the excellent cuisine: at no time did we feel rushed. The food is exceptional - the steak & kidney pudding is the best I have tasted and was presented beautifully. My wife had the beef Wellington which was delicious. I would thoroughly recommend the Cuckoo: you wont be disappointed

If this place could have 6 stars I would definitely rate it so, amazing food I would have driven past the place but as you drive down it’s so pretty, Annette was a strict and firm hostess but with food like that she should be super proud and made our little girl feel special too

first time i have ever been there .

I love this restaurant. i always feel as if the staff are friends rather than working there. They are so friendly and social especially Mandy(?) that it adds to the overall experience. The food is fantastic, the service is superb, everything is faultless and the wine, for the price, is wonderful. As we were leaving we chatted with the owner and again felt like family.

I was due to visit The Cuckoo for the first time recently with friends so decided, beforehand, to do a dummy run to find the restaurant. It is tucked away down a narrow country lane in the middle of nowhere but what a find! The place was practically full but I was found a table with no problem. The staff are friendly and welcoming and the food is scrumptious! I had the Seafood Pancake from the Ladies Menu and all dishes from that menu are automatically accompanied by a bread basket. I could not resist, instead of a pud, enjoying the warm rosemary bread and butter! There is an alternative extensive menu with unexpected choices. I subsequently visited The Cuckoo a couple of days ago with my friends and we were all delighted with the whole experience! My companions chose the guinea fowl and I had chicken kiev, all of which arrived piping hot, were very tasty and beautifully presented. We all managed a pud - just! I cannot recommend this homely but stylish country restaurant highly enough - I will most certainly be back before long!

We love this restaurant. The food is always delicious and the service is friendly and professional. They do a very good value lunch menu too

Well where do I start, what a fantastic restaurant 10/10 on every aspect. Couldn’t fault it. Great food great staff great setting absolutely perfect meal.

We visited on a Friday night and there was a nice buzzy atmosphere. We had the laksa and fritters to start and the duck to follow and it was all delicious. The service was friendly and efficient.

We visited this restaurant on a Saturday evening and had booked a few weeks in advance. The restaurant is pretty and on arrival we were warmly welcomed. The service was excellent right from the start, both friendly and efficient. We all ordered a starter which included scallops, mussels, homemade scotch egg and a prawn Laksa which were all delicious. We moved on to the main course and two chicken Kiev’s and two steak suet puddings were ordered. Once again the dishes did not disappoint! Only one of us ordered dessert with spoons to share as by this point we were all full and were just being greedy. The chocolate brownie was a perfect finish to a very enjoyable evening. When the bill was presented we were very pleasantly surprised by the reasonable price and it is now definitely my number one choice for a meal out in Essex. Can’t wait to go back again and sample other items on the menu.

Lovely treat from my mum. Beautiful setting. Lovely building. Must book as not a large restaurant. Light and modern inside. Had guinea fowl for mains. Absolutely superb and pavlova and figs for desert absolutely mouthwatering. Shall definately come again. Service was unrushed and very attentive. Lovely way to finish my birthday week.

Mid week dinner every course was expected /pushed to be ordered and followed by rude waitress who was just looking at her watch and in the end just bought up the bill in her desperation to go home it was only ten o’clock we felt so uncomfortable we paid and left my brother had come a 2 hour journey to see us disappointing as it’s the second time this has happened to me good food but abrupt service , seems like they just can’t wait to go home , employ some young people maybe who are fresh and enthusiastic .shame wont be going back.

We had a very good meal,the food was excellent,staff very friendly and a really comfortable atmosphere, three of us had lobster and it was delicious. A brilliant evening out.

Tried The Cuckoo on the recommendation of some friends and we were certainly not disappointed. The venue had a lovely cosy feeling and we were met by the charming owner who showed us to our table. Having ordered some drinks from a very reasonably priced but wide selection we then had a look at the menu. Our only problem was trying to choose as it was such a lovely selection. Three of our party had the scotch egg with chorizo and one had salmon fish cake which came beautifully presented and all agreed were delicious. The two cod in cheese, lamb and steak were all cooked to perfection and again presented really really well. Only the two gents could manage the home made ice cream which was scrummy. Our waitress was lovely too, attentive but never rushing us.

Tucked away off A414 in Radley Green the Cuckoo is a must visit restaurant. Excellent menu to tempt any palette all cooked to order, friendly staff and very welcoming. Prices reflective of the menu; fairly priced. Leave some room for the about desserts

A really atmospheric small restaurant. Excellent food at good prices. Not a massive selection but that probably ensures the quality is kept high. Friendly staff and served with a smile. Will be returning. Superb value and I highly recommend.

Haven’t been to the Cuckoo for many years so decided to try it again, so glad we did as it didn’t disappoint,excellent food,service and atmosphere won’t be leaving it so long in future.

An absolute delight from start to finish. Everything was homemade and so delicious. Reasonably priced too. Couldn’t fault anything.

Visited many times and happy to say that once again we all had a lovely evening.

My wife and I visited this restaurant to celebrate a Birthday with good friends.

Me and my wife had good afternoon yesterday. Nice and tasty food. Great service. Recomend to visit. .

Set off the main road the Cuckoo is a lovely restaurant with a really nice atmosphere. From the moment you enter the building, Staff are on hand to assist and all with a lovely smile.

Three of us went here for a friend's birthday party. The food good quality and well presented.The staff were very welcoming of our small party and were happy to accommodate a balloon or two at our table. The waitresses were clearly relaxed and experienced and couldn't have been more helpful. The choice on the menu was good and the food good quality and well presented.

We have been visiting The Cuckoo for many years and it never disappoints. The menu choices are delicious and varied, influenced by cuisine from the many countries Brendan and Annette have visited. Thoughtfully selected wines are served at perfect temperatures. With its fabulous staff, great setting, plenty of parking and amazingly good value, The Cuckoo is a no brainer 'go to' place for us and our friends. A fabulous gastronomic experience in a friendly, bijou atmosphere. Not to be missed.

on arrival we noticed a sign saying sorry we are fully booked today so that alone tells you the good name this place has got [ hence the title of my review ]

Another visit to the lovely Cuckoo today. Great menus we opted for The Ladies Lunch. Good value for money at £13.50 for their home made bread, one course and a glass of wine. Service impeccable and speedy as ever and the food was delicious. Lovely buzzy atmosphere and the setting is beautiful. Whats not to like?

Got last minute cancellation. Great choice of venue. Good friendly welcome. I loved the decor in this busy buzzy resturant. Excellant efficient service and the food was'nt half bad either. Especially loved the thai curry and the local asparagus. Great choice of puddings too. Can't wait to revisit.

We visited again for the second time in two months, we were asked if we would like to have a drink at the bar, which we did, only to be asked halfway through our drinks to go to the table. Everything seemed to be rushed including service in the dining room. We really enjoy the food here but there does not seem to be a genuine touch by the staff. The surroundings and restaurant are delightful as is the food.

My wife and I took a couple of friends for dinner. We'd visited The Cuckoo several times before, but not recently. The whole experience feels like a bit of a production line - the service is quite rapid, food appears quickly, it all seems a bit of a rush.

Lovely venue, the food was delicious with good size portions. Brilliant menu, we wanted everything on there! Added to our list of favourite restaurants!

We had a fabulous first class meal for 5 people with 4 bottles of quality wine, a bottle of house pink champagne and two gin and tonics. The food is brilliant, a good choice of meat and fish dishes, the Thai prawn red curry was very tasty. This is our favourite restaurant in Essex. Cost of the above meal £66 a head, very reasonable for that sort of quality, we will be visiting again very soon! All the staff are very good, efficient service and not too rushed.

Celebrated my sisters birthday here, once again excellent throughout, our (2) cods were beautifully cooked, as was the lamb in pastry, for dessert the Bakewell tart is a must.

Beer was goood however not really a drinking establishment,more gastro pub.Foor good and interesting,service and ambience excellent. Very nice selection for lunch.

Our first time at The Cuckoo. All four of us had a superb dinner. The food was fantastic and the staff very friendly and welcoming. Definitely going back to try everything else on the menu! Also looking forward to going in the summer as it’s in a lovely location. A little gem of a place.

Me and my mum and dad came here for a meal on a Friday evening. We came as an early Mothers Day present for my mum as I had to work on the Sunday. We received a very warm welcome from a nice lady who offered us a choice of table. The Cuckoo is quite small but it has such a cosy, homely and even vintage feeling about it.

Another visit to this very good restaurant. There were five of us in the party with one on her first visit.

Very friendly welcome greeted us on arrival, so glad we got a table in this very popular restaurant.

Friday early dinner with friends, made to feel very welcome, lovely atmosphere. Great selection we were spoilt for choice. The food was first class, sadly we couldn't all manage a pudding and had to share! The service was spot on. We will return very soon!

Friday lunch with friends. Food off the clock. I had haddock with poached egg and it was fantastic, as good as Scott’s in Mayfair, at a fraction of the price. The Cuckoo was full, a testimony to how good it is. A diverse menu with a couple of specials also a top quality wine list. Really worth 5 stars. Shame it’s not a bit closer to us!!!

Last minute booking on a Saturday lunchtime. Lucky to get the last available table as this restaurant is very popular. Lovely old pub transformed into a relaxed foodie venue with imaginative menu choice. Food and service really good and not over priced. Would recommended and will be returning soon.

Hadn’t been here for a number of years. The place is larger but keeps the atmosphere and is beautifully decorated Two of us had a drink in the bar waiting for the others Nice beer on draft and the white wine went down well.

We visited the Cuckoo on Saturday with friends that had eaten there before and told us how good it was and there where right the moment we walked in we where made very welcome and ordered drinks by a log burning fire .We where taken to our table and the service was first class we all ordered different staters and main course and all said it was great ,this was the first time my wife and I had eaten there but will be going back taken other friends and relatives with us .

Wow ! What a hidden gem we have in Essex - the cuckoo - being vegetarian is often difficult for me to chose from the menu and I end up settling for something . But here I had so much choice and each course was just amazing ! My fellow diners ate meat and it looked fabulous - they each said their food each course tasted fab. I would say the taste of our food exceeded any fine dining restaurant we have been to. The service was quick , friendly and efficient, just when we were for to burst our came complimentary chocolates and homemade sweets - just the most perfect pretty little place - loved it ! ThanKYOU staff for making us and everyone feel

Very good friendly staff can’t fault , lovely place great atmosphere . Superb starters and deserts all round the only slight let down was I had a chicken curry main meal and didn’t think there was enough chicken in it ,bulk out with sweat corn ( that I don’t like ) ! So 1 less star sorry !!

So lucky to have a restaurant of the Cuckoo's quality just 10 minutes down the road.

Ive been eating at Annette and Brendon's restaurants for years. Their latest being the Cuckoo. Its warm and inviting and the food and service never fails to disappoint. From the moment you step through the door you are welcomed with warm smiling faces and for me a nice glass of bubbly. Do go.... its worth it

Had been recommended The Cuckoo and finally went and was not disappointed! Food was delicious and hearty portions too, desert was sublime (ok is my weakness) and good service to boot!

Thanks for a lovely meal! Brendan your food cannot be surpassed and last night was no exception. Always a lovely atmosphere and the girls are so friendly, helpful and knowledgeable about the dishes and the wine list. My absolute favourite place to eat even if we have to travel 25 miles to do so and one has to drive!! We will be back soon- preferably in a taxi!!!

Went back again to the Cuckoo last night with friends. Food as always excellent and service attentive and friendly but not overbearing. Such a good evening can not recommend enough.

I have never left a review before but feel so dissapointed that i wanted to say while the food here is very nice the service unfortunately was a complete let down. Came this evening with my husband and mother for her birthday and can honestly say I have never wanted to leave somewhere as quickly as I had arrived. If it hadn't been for the fact my mum wanted to book there in the first place then we would have left before food was ordered. As I have worked in the service industry when i was younger I ALWAYS leave a tip. But this evening my only tip to this restaurant is to hire new staff. Unfortunately the food is not enough to tempt us to return and I will be strongly advising people to go elsewhere if your looking for a friendly atmosphere.

Booked this place on a whim, nearly didnt as the opening hours are much shorter than the norm, so bear that in mind and book ahead. Also, the restaurant is compact, so limited seating numbers are available. This is definitely a restaurant rather then a pub as such.

we had been recommended to the Cuckoo but a few people so were very excited to be going.

I travel past the sign to The Cuckoo every day en route to work and back and always wondered about what it was like.