The Earl of Pontefract in Wakefield - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

When booking we asked if they could offer gluten free options. They asked “how gluten free?” Erm… gluten free is gluten free! It was explained that 2 people attending had Coeliacs Disease. We were informed at the time of booking that the fryer used for gluten free was out of action. Upon ordering gluten free braising steak we were told it was unavailable. Second choice was a gluten free beef burger only to be told 10 minutes later that the patty wasn’t gluten free! The chicken burger was offered as an alternative. When the chicken burger arrived it looked delicious. Wrong. The chicken/bacon/cheese was tasteless and the gluten free bread tasted & smelled like pure yeast. We thought having the gluten free chocolate orange brownie would make up for the disappointing main course. Gluten free chocolate brownies ordered. 15 minutes later we were told they were unavailable. I won’t be recommending this restaurant on any of the local Coeliacs websites. If they can’t offer a realistic gluten free menu then they shouldn’t advertise that they can.

The staff were attentive and friendly. Service was quick and the breakfast was delicious. A super start to my morning

Great place for Sunday Lunch, they also did the most amazing Bonfire night display and food. 👍👍 Real Ale served and it’s in great condition and kept well. Service has always been fabulous.

We were lucky enough to win a 3 course festive meal via a Facebook competition. We booked in last evening and we were amazed by the food. Really good quality, fantastic choice and amazing friendly staff. We will definitely be back in the new year! Thank you very much and Merry Christmas to all the staff.

My better half and I have been here quite a few times and have tried most things on the menu... Mostly decent and enjoyable food with good sized portions.. a decent selection of beers, wines etc.. It's not The Earl of Pontefract anymore... It has reverted to its former name of The Fox and Hounds. It is also only open limited hours, so do give them a bell to book before setting off.. I might even be there with my better half enjoying a beer or three..

Been here for food tonight and the attitude of the bar staff if ridiculous. She was never at the bar and when she did come back it was only for two minutes. Lovely food and a lovely place, only let down was the bar staff.

Recently some friends and me had lunch here. We were greeted with a happy lady behind the bar who could not have been more helpful. We chose a table by the window. The menu was great with lots and lots to choose from. I had the bacon and brie sandwich on brown with homemade triple cooked chips,2 of my friends had the club sandwich and both with the home made chips. WoW when our meals came there was absolutely loads with a side of homemade coleslaw. The chips were the best we had. I would highly recommend to anyone visiting the area to definitely call in, its worth a visit!

Last minute decision to nip out with dad for a pint & something to eat on Thursday evening. Was really impressed with the lovely decor & furniture to the right of the bar. We chose our own table which was a plus for me & the tables were spread out comfortably. We didn't fancy a big meal so just ordered the sweet chilli chicken starter & a bowl of chips & onion rings to share. THE FOOD WAS BEAUTIFUL! Proper chips & the batter on the onion rings was light & crispy. I also enjoyed the flat white coffee afterwards. The gentleman & young lady who served us were welcoming, efficient & professional. A very relaxing, enjoyable couple of hours with my old man - thank you! See you again soon!

Thank you for going back to proper chips..lovely.. I had mushrooms on toast starter..amazing best starter I ever had..main was lasagne and chips lovely..my husband had burger and said it was dry...i know the burgers have changed since you first opened as fox and hounds so please can you go back to original burgers they were much better..

Having been to a funeral in the Leeds area we were looking for somewhere for evening meal. Having stopped at nearby traffic lights spotted the Fox and Hounds so decided to pull in. Staff very welcoming. Good menu choice. Adequate sized portions well cooked and presented. This is not a cheap eats pub but prices are realistic. All food and drinks must be ordered and paid for at the bar. Exceptionally clean toilets. Only a short detour from the A1 so if ever in the area again looking for food would certainly return.

Been today for Sunday roast, with my partner. Superb food, very friendly staff, will definitely be coming again.

we had not been here for a long time following disappointing experiences. We had been told it was under new management and had changed. we called late afternoon and the place was nearly empty but decided to eat. It is not a cheap menu but the food was quite good. On the plus side it was hot and plentiful and very tasty. If I was hyper critical I would say that the Yorkshire pudding was a bit rubbery because it had been re-heated but one cannot expect everything cooked from beginning in this trade and at that time of day. Custom picked up as we were ready to leave and the atmosphere changed. I would go again without a doubt.

Came for lunch as somewhere different to try. The front of house staff are really friendly which gives the pub a great atmosphere. We ordered our food and settled in. I was planning to bring the girls as the nibbles menu looked really good to have for a chat and catch up. I checked out the wine list and found it expensive as where some of the items on the menu but I felt if the food was good maybe it could command a higher price. Sadly the food didn’t measure up. The starter was tasty but there wasn’t enough bread with the pate or garlic mushrooms advertised as Tin loaf, it was a very small roll but it was warm. The mains were a real let down the lasagne was a small square piece with no real flavour and the triple cooked chips were dry. The pie of the day just had a pastry top and the vegetables were hard and parsnips I can only describe as inedible. The gravy was thin and the chicken I thought was rabbit. One particular wine I had purchased elsewhere for £9.95 was selling at £15.95 which must be a huge mark up bearing in mind that the other establishment must be making a profit too. Overall it was disappointing if the food was better it would be a hidden gem. The food definitely needs improvement.

We come here often, usually on a Saturday lunchtime but decided to visit for Sunday dinner. Never disappoints. Food is well cooked, staff are pleasant and attentive. I had the pork and my husband had the beef. The pork was amazing. Crunchy crackling and really nice taste and my husband said the beef was as tasty as always. I never hesitate to come here

Wow what a night it was last night. Spectacular firework display amazing. Two displays one for the children and then a 25 minute adult display the best I’ve ever seen. Nice choice of food too. WELL DONE to all the staff

We have been going to the Fox & Hounds now weekly since it reopened. Every visit has not disappointed. Five star no question. Only one gripe - three cooked chips seem to have become singe cooked chips. I would recommend booking first.

The Fox and Hounds is now back to its original name after a rather brief period as the Earl of Pontefract.I’m glad to report it’s back to expected standard of reasonably priced and good quality pub fare.The staff are ever welcoming and the new menu has plenty of main course choices at just over a tenner.This is a competitive local market place with 4 or 5 good eateries within a 5 minute drive. I’d say the F&H has its mojo back.Very enjoyable and good VFM.

Name change back to the Fox and Hounds. Well the 5 of us arrived here having booked a table. Staff were very friendly and we were shown to our table. A very cosy setting on a very rainy night.The pub was about 75% full. ordered our drinks and unfortunately the Yorkshire blonde tasted off. Took it back to the bar and no problem at all. The young lady behind the bar was very apologetic and let us try all the other ales on offer before we decided on Timothy Taylors. We only ordered main courses, Pulled Pork brioche, Hunters chicken, traditional fish and chips and the Greek meze. All came together and were freshly cooked. everyone enjoyed their meals and we had a very good night. keep up the good work

Excellent lunchtime menu.Food well prepared and tasty.Staff friendly,efficient and polite.This restaurant has returned to the high standard it held at a previous time.Highly recommended!

Firstly let’s clear up the pubs name. As shown in the title photo it is back to being the Fox and Hounds.I have eaten lunch here three times in the last fortnight with my mother. On each occasion the food was very good, well cooked and attractively presented. The lunch menu served from 12:00 to 4:00pm is good value and the portion sizes are ample. In fact my Mum has been unable to finish two courses.Particularly worthy of comment are the Yorkshire puddings, not the usual small ones but a generous size and well risen. Triple cooked chips, well browned, not the pale, hardly fried chips a lot of places serve. Also the Ham Hock Terrine, a generous slice of terrine with lots of ham, salad leaves, sweet onion chutney and some toasted bread that’s salty, go together beautifully.Try it for yourself, you won’t be disappointed.The photo is of the garlic mushroom starter served with a small loaf of bread.

myself and my wife visited this so called restaurant today my wife ordered a prawn marie sandwich on brown bread with a portion of chips the bread was has dry has could be and the chips were more suited to fire kindling I ordered the ocean pie the size of this portion would not have filled a child the carrots were overly cooked when we complained we were offered another portion of chips which I refused these meals should never have left the kitchen we will never return but will certainly let people know how bad it was

There was only me and the wife and an older couple in the place.The pub music was nice quiet soft country playing in the background, the loud music eminating from the kitchen was rap/hip hop. I had to ask to have the racket from the kitchen turned down.The elderly man had ordered fish pie with seasonal veg, he complained the veggies were over cooked, and from what I saw they were.I’d ordered the same, lo and behold I got the same meagre portion of over cooked carrots and rubber parsnip.My wife complained the beef pie tasted strange, I confirmed it did but the manager insisted it was the ale that gave it the distinct taste, it wasn’t.No further action taken by the staff, just left us to get on with it and pay.

I visited the pub today for my mums birthday and what a lovely pub it is. The staff were very welcoming and the food was amazing. Will definitely be returning in the near future.

Don’t think that the overpriced Earl of Pontefract is still in existence - it is most definitely NOT ! The pub/restaurant has now reverted to its original name of Fox & Hounds and is under new ownership. This is certainly reflected in the new menus wich offer a good range of pub classics as well as steak & burgers and at reasonable, sensible prices. We were impressed by the good offerings of Landlord, Blue Moon, Moretti & Farmers Blonde all on draught and a small but acceptable wine list. The staff were, without exception, professional , pleasant and attentive. The steak pie was filled with moist, tender, non fatty cuts and a super shortcrust pastry lid. My Thai curry was home made and tasty. If I had to be picky I would suggest the chef abandons the thrice cooked chips for a single cooked, hand cut chip which would improve their appearance & please the calorie-conscious diner!I wish the new team all the best, they deserve to do well and would highly recommend to both old and new customers (and owners of well behaved dogs both of whom are welcomed!)

Sorry I felt the Sunday lunch was very overpriced The roast beef was very dry and unappetising the Yorkshire pudding dry and hard We won’t be returning

My partner and I called on speck and were impressed by the warm welcome.We were close to the cut off time for the lunch time menu, which is a long period, so no excuse for missing the offer. I had a starter (Yorkshire puds in onion gravy, and homemade pie, which were both piping hot and served with a generous portion of fresh hot veg and gorgeous gravy.My partner had the Chicken burger which was a piece of real chicken breast and served with a wonderful salad.Will.be going again soon

Top quality food! Polite staff especially Leah who served me with lovely manners and a happy face well deffo be coming back

Return visit of several since the reopening. Previously had good food...not so on this occasion..sadly my seafood Paella was dreadful. Claggy tasteless rice and very little seafood. Dessert of Eaton Mess just that. Sorry to be negative but very disappointed. Ambience still good and staff o.k.

Sat outside in the sunshine. We both had calamari which was really tasty. I had seafood paella which was very nice with plenty of fish. My friend had Thai green curry which we were told at time of ordering it was very hot which want minded. They were right but the flavours were Devine. The staff were very friendly and helpful and I would definitely go back to try other things on the menu

Mid week meal for two. No salad leaves to go with the veg lasagne so was offered some veg instead. No problem, until it arrived. Chips over cooked, lasagne lacked flavour and watery and veg had been kept warm for an age. I couldn't quite believe they thought the veggies were fit to serve. Husband's burger had cheese and relish missing and same very dark brown chips. Pub is clean and tidy and pleasant atmosphere but won't eat here again. Okay for a drink.

I have always liked the atmosphere in here. It's cosy, not too noisy possibly even intimate. Now that the dreadful previous owner has gone and the service has improved and it is getting back to its best. Went for Sunday lunch it was ok but you can't tell a lot from one lunch. Worth a re visit.

We booked for my mum's birthday, 3 of us turned up and it was pretty empty (3 tables) however we were told we had to order at the bar and keep a tab open? Confusing as this is the only place I've ever had to do this for especially at roughly £13 for a main £6 a starter, so not exactly pub food prices. The starters were ok but I ordered the paella (my favourite) and when it came there was no texture to the food I couldnt see any rice just what looked like baby food and overcooked tough prawns, really disappointed but I told the waitress and she took it off the bill. I then ordered the lemon meringue pie which was ok but the lemon curd was gluey.Overall disappointing and I won't be visiting again.

A good Sunday roast, I had the beef and there was plenty of it. home made yorkshires went down well. The vegetables where just right for me well cooked and not hard as many places serve them. Home made cheese cake to follow very good. The Heineken alcohol free was quite good. Reasonable prices would return.

I called in with my sister for dinner and we had a really enjoyable meal. The staff we a little thin on the ground but the service was good and the people were very pleasant and helpful. we both had the Philly cheesestwak burger and they were super very well cooked and nice and hot. All in all a lovely evening. see you again soon.

We called in here today on a whim, luckily there were spare tables.A nice choice on the menu, I had pigs in blankets, they were unexpectedly big pigs in those blankets! We both went for the beef, a good few slices of beef and a decent selection of vegetables. There were parsnips, baby carrots, broccoli & cauliflower cheese (not my favourite) also mashed potato and a few roast potatoes with a Yorkshire pudding all in all a very nice meal. The staff were extremely helpful and friendly, we will be calling again

We travelled over to meet my nephew and his lovely wife mid week to have food and a catch up ! The pub has been given a fabulous renovation and we were looking forward to seeing the new look and trying the menu ! We ordered olives and breads just for a nibble to start with ! Two of us had fish and chips and a pie of the day along with toad in the hole for one !!! All were cooked well and the fish were very good portions of beautiful white fish !! Overall we enjoyed our night at the Earl of Pontefract! Good service from the staff made a great night ! Thank you !

Lovely location, nice welcome.variety of food on the menu from pub classics to steaks. We did not wait lond for our food . When it arrived we were very pleased. Not been to this place for a while but since it has new management we will go again. Nothing was too much trouble for them. Thank you for a lovely time.

Great location, clean & tidy pub. Waitress very pleasant & attentive. Food was major let down. The consistency of the sauce, looked like powder mixture, watery & thin. Not impressed. Nice place for a drink though.

Tried this venue for the first time at the weekend. It has some good points - good home cooked chips for example. Reasonable value main courses - led by quite a variety of burgers.However they need to improve their attitude to service. As out waitress brought our main courses I asked to order a bottle of wine and was told I would have to go to the bar to do that. Really? There was a biggish queue at the bar and we had just been served hot food. I've never come across that before anywhere - needless to say I didn't bother.

We called in for lunch on a Saturday. I had the pie of the day - meat and potato and my husband had a burger. The pie was absolutely delicious. Everything about it. The sauce, the beef. Everything was perfect. Also the chips are amazing. Soft inside but crunchy on the outside. Wouldn’t hesitate to return.

We had recently heard it was under new ownership so thought we’d give this a try. All I can say is wow. The food is delicious and home cooked and arrived promptly to say they were extremely busy! atmosphere is lovely, staff are polite and friendly and can’t do enough for you. Oh and the gin selection is fab too! Keep up the good work and this will definitely take off! Would recommend to anyone.

On arrival was told three times our booking was not recorded and then told they were joking not a good start we thought. Ordered 2 beef Sunday lunches, they were well presented with veg served separately they were a little on the cool side my wifes beef had a large piece of grisle and fat and at £12.50 a serving should not be there there was also an overwhelming taste of salt and pepper in the gravy which lasted way after we left maybe that is just personal to us. Think its a bit overpriced for a sunday lunch and for what you get

Been for lunch today, lovely home cooked food, excellent service very polite and friendly staff. Would recommend this pub to anyone wanting good good in very nice surroundings. Well done to the new owners

The food was alright nothing to rave about found the menu rather boring it’s fine if your a burger fan as there’s more choice of different burgers than anything else. Don’t think they’ve heard of vegetables apart from lettuce which was the only vegetable on everyone’s plate. I had a steak and a blue cheese sauce the sauce was lovely the steak rather tough but didn’t bother complaining as there was a few of us. They seem to concentrate more on making the presentation look good which is fine if the food lives up to the appearance. My starter of scotch egg maple bacon and lettuce of course with piccalilli was very boring I had to ask where the piccalilli was it was pointed out that the yellow streak on my slate was it. The waitresses were lovely and nothing was too much trouble for them. Will I return again probably not

Booked earlier in the day for a 5 o’clock sit down, soon as we walked through the door a member of staff informed us whoever took the booking should have informed us that last food order was 5 o’clock but we could still order, not our fault but we sat anyway, I’ll not go into too much detail but the food was not of a high standard and quite pricey. I only ate a small portion of my beef dinner as it was just too salty, barely warm and the veg was way over-cooked, my daughter’s veg lasagne was small and bland. If eateries take your booking they should serve food in the same manner from start to finish, our money is just as good as someone who goes in at opening time, unfortunately we’ll not be returning as it fell way below the standard we’d normally expect!

A lovely clean looking pub restaurant with really attentive staff. Food was hot and tasty and we had the Hunters chicken which was excellent.

We arrived at The Earl of Pontefract and were greeted with a warm welcome from the bar staff.Our table was all set and it was almost as if we had our own private area.Our waitress, I think her name was Hannah or Anna showed impressive customer service skills, nothing was too much trouble, she brought us paper for our niece to enable her to draw. Despite been busy Hannah/Anna did everything with a smile on her face.I was impressed that there were numerous vegetarian options on the menu. Food was served piping hot and at the same time.A few of our family ordered beef and did comment it was a tad tough and cut too thickly, however, this is personal preference.Extra veggies and gravy were brought to our table at no extra cost. Along with a extra plate for our niece as she shared a main course with Mum.The friendly and attentive staff made our experience at The Earl of Pontefract a fabulous one.We will definitely be returning in the near future.Thank you again!

Had a delicious meal here, it has recently re-opened under new management, I just hope they can be consistent, I had the Mushroom Crostini to start and Fish & Chips both were delicious, my wife had King Prawn Linguini in a lobster bisque sauce and she was well impressed, keep it up please? We will be back.

Family meal , absolutely no complaints what so ever - the place is lovely , the atmosphere is relaxed, the staff are fantastic, friendly and go above and beyond, the food is amazing (even squeezed in a pudding) definately recommend to family and friends without a doubt ,

Lunch for two on Thursday April 16. Excellent. Ambience very pleasant and staff friendly and efficient will go again.

Tried today for first time. All staff were excellent and we both chose the fish and chips on the lunch time menu (£7.50). The food was excellent and so was the service by all the members of staff. It has only been under the new management for a few weeks and I can highly recommend a visit. We will certainly be returning.

Food - good Value - good Location - good Atmosphere - okay Called in after visiting a friend in the local hospital. Drove past on the way in and checked it out on TripAdvisor.On the way home we called in. Large car park meant no problem parking.Walked in and got a table straight away. Apart from a family table, we were the only ones in.Ordered food and drink straight away, served by friendly and helpful staff.Food arrived promptly and was tasty!Everything was hot and fresh, as you would expect being very quiet but not everywhere manages that.Would definitely call in again if passing.

Visited this evening with a friend. Lovely place beautiful decor and surroundings. Staff could not have been any more helpful. Food came quickly and could not have been nicer. I have already made arrangements to come back next week. It is definitely on top of my local places to go!! Well done everyone you have a gem of a business!!

We stopped here on a Sunday because we fancied trying proper Yorkshire puddings and this place did not disappoint. The staff are delightful and the generous food absolutely lovely. I would definitely recommend. Lovely Theakstons beer on tap as. What more could you want.

only been open a few weeks and decided to give it ago. Couldn't fault the food we had pie, fish and chips, chicken burger and veg tart. No room for a dessert. Will be going back.

Called in at lunchtime with my although wife, we live locally and heard it was under new ownership, friendly staff and good value lunchtime menu and quite a good range of drinks although some real ale would be a good addition. The food was tasty and well cooked, we will be returning

My wife and I visited shortly after it reopened, the place was well decorated and had a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. We both selected the steak pies, both were served with chips and veggies. The pies were excellent very thin pastry and plenty of filling inside.I have read a few negative reviews, which I would put down to teething troubles. This will definitely be a go to place in future as it will also provide much needed competition to other local establishments.I understand the drinks selection is to be increased in the near future again another positive, looking forward to our next visit thank you.

The place has recently reopened. Really nicely decorated and furnishings are really nice.After waiting over 35 minutes for our food it was really nice, it seemed there were quite a lot of new staff that really didn't know what they were supposed to be doing. All the staff were really nice and friendly but it seemed they just kicked experience. Food orders and bills were all laid at the bar with only one till it could gave been organised a little better.All said the food was excellent, very tasty, freshly cooked quality food, a little on the expensive side but when we actually got the food it was worth the wait.

Okay, so the first time was really to suss the place out as a venue to take an elderly relative! - but both visits left us thinking "we'll eat there again!"Clean - they have only been open a week.Friendly - nothing seemed too much trouble (both visits) the table was dressed before we arrived at it.There was a decent choice for starters, mains, and desserts on the Saturday menu and a choice for the 'Sunday Roast'the meals (on both days) arrived promptly.The two of our party that enjoyed the soup of the day and the pate were too full to have dessert. The gent that saved himself for dessert enjoyed that.The mains were really good - melt in the mouth brisket, a full of meat - game pie and a locally sourced toad in the hole (my choice from a range of possible treats). the sweet potato chips need a special mention.The following day we brought the relative: Mobility issues were not a problem - no steps from car to table. Accessible toilet easily accessed. The staff were willing and able to relocate our table reservation to accommodate access.The meals were again substantial, delicious and enjoyedand a good day was had by all.I can't think of any negatives - Will go again.Didn't think the prices were any dearer than I have paid elsewhere.Wicked gin selection for those that weren't driving!Glad I missed the negative review here, as we would have driven on by and missed a treat!

On a positive note a pleasant environment and was served quickly. The prices are not the cheapest so we did expect better quality food than a typical pub grub. The starters soup and pate were good. the mains however: the Linguine bisque was a thick tomato sauce on soft pasta. Poor. Chain restaurant standard. The waitress didn't know what a bisque was so left it at that. The lasagne was swimming in bescemel sauce. Hunters chicken overcooked.Great tripple fried chips.Not worth the extra over all in my view.

Went to this restaurant on a Wednesday evening. The visit was a disaster. When we arrived there was a queue of people out of the door waiting to be served. They only had one bar person on and she was new to the job. We waited in excess of 15 minutes to order. We ordered pork crackling as a nibble which was served without any serviettes or cutlery so we got covered in apple sauce. The starters were adequate. The pate was pleasant and the scotch egg was ok but a little small for the price. But the starters were served without cutlery or napkins so we had to ask for them. The mains were terrible. The gammon was unpalatable as it was so salty and the egg was fried to with in an inch of its life. The chicken burger was served stone cold with the melted cheese being set and rubbery. The chips were the highlight of the meal. Further the mains were served without clearing the starters and again we had to ask for cutlery and napkins. When we complained and asked for replacement meals we were told that they were very busy and would take some time. I asked to speak to the manager, who declined to come out of the kitchen to speak with me. This pub has recently been reopened but sadly fails to live up to its promise. I would strongly recommend you avoid this place. I would have given this place zero stars if it would have let me.

Visited this restaurant with friends and it was really nice. The inside was clean and tidy Lots of tables spaced out and not crowded. I ordered the mushroom burger with chunky chips which were gorgeous. My friends had steak and ale pie which was quite a large portion and served with garlic mash. My 3 friends had orange cheesecake which they said was delicious I was far too full after eating the burger but the desert menu looked nice. I would have liked more choice on the menu but I am a faddy eater. I would say the prices are above average but I don’t mind paying that bit more if the food is nice. I will definitely be returning in the near future.

Shocking food. Burger was under cooked and the steak was like chewing old boot leather. Also portion sizes for the sky high prices were terrible. Will not go back no way!!!

Went for a midweek meal with a couple of friends and the food was outstanding. We all had a scotch egg starter which was lovely, a steak main which was cooked to perfection and a variety of deserts including a chocolate pyramid and a sticky toffee pudding. All the food was served quickly and staff were friendly and helpful. The beer was good too. Can’t wait to go back and would recommend to a friend!

We came for boxing day and had a fantastic day we had a four course meal which was great quality every course was a delight great price aswell, great service and a lovely place to dine will definitely be visiting again soon.

Visited weekday evening, very attentive staff, nice food, warm comfortable surroundings. Wasn't busy so no real pressure but would visit again, menu wasn't extensive but it does say it changes weekly so you shouldn't get bored of eating the same stuff... because you would if this isn't true !

Having never been to The Earl before I was not sure about going for my birthday lunch. Had a fabulous lunch we went on a Sunday so had Sunday Lunch We thought it was excellent value for money. Even though the restaurant was full we were not kept waiting and never felt rushed to leave.There is also a good selection of gin

We’ve enjoyed a fabulous lunch today celebrating a family birthday - from the initial booking to paying the bill - nothing was too much for the friendly but first-class staff. The food for us adults and the children was spot-on. Super chips and a steak pie packed with succulent meat, a crazy towering burger, tasty hake and a chicken wrap they were all amazing. The sticky toffee pudding was a winner too. The dining area was busy and I’m sure all the passing traffic which stopped and looked over into the pub would have wished the Earl of Pontefract was their destination! Keep up the good work we’ll be back soon!

Had a festive lunch here with friends, the food was great, the staff were friendly and attentive without being intrusive, we were not rushed between courses. All in all a really good lunch with good friends in very nice surroundings with good service, an excellent way to spend a Wednesday afternoon. Well done!

There is a lovely atmosphere in this pub, beautifully laid out, with excellent friendly staff.Sunday lunch was quality food, very tasty, very nicely presented with lots of different ingredients. It was also very good value for money.Sadly it was just let down by the fact that the food was lukewarm, so after a short time, it became cold. If the food had been hot I would have given 5 stars.

A very pleasant evening spent in a quiet atmosphere. Background music was kept at a level that made it possible to have a conversation. The tables are well spaced so other people's conversations don't intrude. The food was tasty, well cooked and presented but there is limited choice for vegetarians.Service overall was good- we had to wait a while but the food was well worth the wait. Don't be put off by some of the trendy descriptions on the menu!! Only complaint is lack of vegetables with mains; the veg come as a side order and were perfectly cooked with some bite and not mushy. The barman was very friendly and engaging. Our waitress was okay, not rude but could have been friendlier. Ample car parking available and prices not extortionate. And there 8 different guns on the menu!!

Probably the best Sunday lunch in the Pontefract area. Friendly staff and well presented tasty food.

We ate here the Friday before last and haven't been since it has changed from the fox and hounds (many moons ago) but living locally we thought we would give it ago. We had heard mixed reviews but glad we came after what appeared to be small teething problems from other people we wanted to see for yourselves. The service was great, the food was lovely....the garlic mash is to die for. I'm a veggie and sometimes there is little I can have but here you cater for that and will come back to try the other dishes. My mum had the belly pork and she said it was the best she had ever had and trust me she doesn't say these things like that easily. My partner had the burger and really enjoyed it. The only little thing if I was to pick something wrong was it was a little cold in the restaurant and also there seemed to be a slight lack of atmosphere, I think a little back ground music never hurt anyone and I think it would give that little something that seemed to be missing.I think this could be a lovely country pub with a tiny little tweak, keep up the good work and effort we will return!

What a fantastic night at the Earl. The firework display was amazing and enjoyable for all. Would definitely recommend this place for next year.

Visited recently and was disappointed with the food. We went for Sunday lunch with family, service was ok for how busy they were. When we received our food, it wasn't that hot really, which I did mention to the waitress. She offered to take it back but as all the meals were the same I didn't feel that would achieve anything and didn't want it put in a microwave. I ordered the belly pork, which I know is generally a fatty cut but there was very little meat on it and what there was wasn't very tender. I thought the dish of cauliflower cheese was just for my husband and myself, not for all 5 of us. There wasn't even a piece of cauliflower each. All things considered, I don't think we will go back.

visited the Earl and had a wonderful lunch the food was excellent could not fault it the staff also first class,everything for us was perfect, it's well worth a visit we will certainly be going back , thank you to the staff.

We ate here for a 90th birthday meal. Six adults and one eleven year old.The food was very good and we all enjoyed it. The children's menu is not that extensive and it would be good to be offered smaller portions of adult meals, (never asked so have no idea if this is on offer sorry). It's just that not all kids enjoy kid type stuff. The Children's starter she ordered was strange, like a macaroni/pasta battered piece. This wasn't brilliant, but the rest of the meal was enjoyed by all of us. We would definitely eat here again.The only down side was the over enthusiastic use of the word 'guys' by the very friendly waiter. Not all older people want to be called 'guys' particularly 90 year old's!! Bit annoying, but overall a really good waiter.

Visited on saturday following pumpkin picking. Ordered some lovely and well presented meals. Lovely atmosphere and waitresses. Will visit again 👍

We went as a family of 3. No booking but were found a table straight away. Service was good and the food choice excellent. The only negative came when we went to pay and because someone was using the telephone line we couldn't use the card payment straight away. It was a little embarrassing for us and the staff waiting for the phone line to be free. Other than this we couldn't fault anything.

I ate here during my stay at the BW Roger Thorpe Hotel, where I could charge food and drinks to my room. I didn't need to book as it wasn't that busy so the service was speedy and attentive. The staff were friendly and the food was very nice. I had the hake for main which was excellent. The IPA beer was well kept, all in all, a good find.

Had my first visit today. The Sunday lunch is totally amazing. I had the roast beef and it was so tender. The Yorkshire puddings are massive and lovely and crispy and I’ve never seen such a large variation of vegetables in one meal. The portion size is big. Top marks. I’ll be back for more. �

Visited here for a change. Heard mixed reviews but I have to say what I had was lovely. King prawn starter, 1/2 chicken for main with a side of pickled onion rings which lived up to their name and were a fabulous explosion of flavour. The staff were smartly dressed, polite and professional and the venue itself stylishly decorated. I will return.

Me and my partner had lunch at the Earl of Pontefract. It is a lovely building and really feels very welcoming. Their was 4 choices on the main menu plys starters and then a further 4 starters and mains on a lunch special deal. The food was very very nice, Carrot and Corriander soup and then Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding, simply superb. We really enjoyed the meal and would definitely come back and further I am very happy to recommend it. The only reason it is not a 5 is the lunch special deals suggested it included Coffee, which we did not get and we forgot to request it until we had left the restaurant. That one very minor point apart, the service, the food and the setting were superb and definitely gets my recommendation to visit.

Came in on a quiet Saturday afternoon for some dinner. Serviced was fast and polite. Ordered soup of the day which was amazing. Proper home made soup with fresh bread rolls. Got Fish and chips for main which was huge. Amazing triple cooked chips. Ended up ordering the chocolate orange cheesecake for desert and that was one of the best deserts I’ve ever tasted. Such good food and really well priced. Would highly recommend. Will definitely return.

Went here with the family for Sunday lunch, our first time although we'd been often when it was the Fox and Hounds and always enjoyed it, so was prepared to be disappointed as it had a lot to live up to. Were we disappointed ? Not a bit of it. Tomato soup, thick and creamy with just a hint of spice, roast beef, what can I say? Three big slices of the tenderist beef I've ever had, giant Yorkshire pud, loads of very good and uncommon veg, all beautifully presented. Service first class, surroundings elegant - treat yourself, you won't be disappointed. Only downside, the desserts looked wonderful but I was too full to try one, next time hopefully.

Excellent food, quick and friendly service would definitely recommend for Sunday lunch, sure we'll be back

Really enjoyed the food, portions size more than expected. A little bit of something for the kids to colour in whilst we waited for food arrive would be the only recommendation. Looking forward to the next visit

Amazing food presented beautifully and all staff are lovely and make you feel very welcome. Would recommend to anyone, everything is clearly fresh and homemade with a lot of pride going into each dish from chefs.

A twenty-four place table setting was no trouble for this charming and very well staffed dining house/hotel we visited on a warm Sunday this Seotember. Newly refurbished to a high standard, The Earl of Pontefract can obviously cater for even a family of two dozen without a blink of an eye ... and do it well.The food is good Yorkshire fare and very fine value for your buck as you expect, nay denand, in that Great English County. The two girls serving our table were lovely things ... efficient, helpful beyond the call of duty ... and could not have done more to make our family visit into a Truly Pleasant Afternoon's Get-together. Top marks for whoever manages this place. We shall certainly return here.

I visited Sunday with a party of 23 including five children under 6The decor makes for a very nice atmosphere. The warm welcome by Kim was a pleasant change from the usual Uk pub welcome. The barman was great. To say how busy it was, we didn’t have to wait long for another drink. Again refreshing to have someone enjoying their job and being really helpful. Excellent Sunday lunch menu with plenty of choice. The pigs in blankets and apple crumble were excellent. The presentation of the main course is great. Service from the whole team was first class. Overall this is s great place for Sunday lunch. Looking forward to my next one already. Well done EofP team and thanks for taking care of us.

Lovely food except the amount of custard. The waitresses haunt the table for drinks it’s a very nice place to go

I used to go here a lot when it was "fox and hounds" it's different but different in a good way, good was cooked fantastic, and presented very well, the waitress was good even tried to suggest something for a fussy eater that was in our group, definitely recommended

My daughter in law and i , Had the beetroot Wellington it was a small beetroot on the plate with 2 pieces over cooked pastry lids to the side of the beetroot with a small portion of salad ,no sauce totally dry and when asked they returned with an onion sauce ? which my son had with his Chicken Pie ,,they then fetched a sweetcorn sauce terrible , my other son whose birthday it was had rump steak full of fat could not cut it with his knife when asked for a steak knife none was produced. For starters i had the goats cheese cheesecake with beetroot , the cheesecake was tasty the beetroot on top of rocket leaves with the plate ' splashed ' with beetroot sauce .Daughter in law had Sweet potato soup bland another starter was the scotch egg again no comment, will we be returning NO

Well, we came here in April earlier this year and the review I gave it wasn't very good really....what a difference 5 months has made, we booked in for Sunday lunch today and I have to say it was very very good, food was excellent, staff were great and prices weren't bad either.We'll be back....Recommended, give it a whirl for Sunday Lunch...Ken

We visited the Earl of Pontefract for a large group family Sunday lunch celebration meal. On arrival the manager/head waiter made us very welcome. We were offered to access our table at our convenience and when part of the group was late, this was no problem. At no point were we rushed and once the order was taken the wait, given the size of our group, service was not too long. The impression was always however that the staff were rushing to keep up, the fact that they succeeded for the majority of the time, was to their credit.As for the food, this was where the variety kicked in. Those who chose the chicken were very impressed, the portion was huge and very tasty. Those who went for the beef had varying portion sizes and, given it was a £10 dish, felt it was a stretch to call slow cooked, pre-plated beef a traditional roast dinner. Those who opted for the pork unfortunately felt it was tough and overcooked (albeit with very nice crackling). All the accompanying veg and particularly the Yorkshire puds were excellent.The manager was happy that we share some of the puddings and this was appreciated. However the portions were small for £5 each and the advertised (and ordered) rhubarb crumble turned out to be apple and blackberry, seemingly without the waiter's or manager's knowledge until asked after we had started eating. This is an error which simply should not occur.So overall given the size of our group, service was stretched yet friendly, and the meal was pleasant but far from memorable.

Picked location as convenient between home and Leeds. Started good reserved a table for 4...and arrived ontime. Waitress took drinks orders and starters within 10 mins. Food all around looks good.my prawns etc tastes good. Soup was good for the wife. But mains came and was a bit disappointing especially the beetroot Wellington. Which without being a fine diner...would describe as a red ball place between 2 pie lids. A quick search on Google images and I cannot compare what was served to what is on web as an example. Still after a little sauce was made up and added was eaten . Same issue as previous reviews cutlery is pretty but useless needed excessive effort to cut steak. My chicken and leek pie was ok, veg was ok too, so for me I was ok. Just rest of party disappointed.We did make it known at the time and recieved a discount on total bill. Maybe teething problems but start serving good tasting food, presented well, maybe less show. The venue as always been a in good location having visited during different ownership and prior refurbishment, it's no longer a local for me, so doubt I will see improvements anytime soon. But hope the management read and accept some criticisms so that they can improve and create a good dining experience.

Decided to go after being unable to get the Bluebell to answer their phone. We were firstly taken with the videos on the website showing prep of some of the dishes. We we instantly greeted and shown to a table. The staff were all so friendly and the service was brilliant. My wife had mussels as a main and I had the pork. Both excellent. Good presentation, both delectable. Reasonable choice of desserts, and again our choices were substantial and tasty. Certainly looked homemade; unlike many chains where they appear to come out of plastic pots!. Really enjoyed the evening and will go again.

Good service, good food and good company. The decor and furnishings do not seem to have changed from previous life as Fox and Hounds but staff very pleasant and good food. Will visit again.

I went to the Earl of Ponte with my wife, her sister and husband and two friends from America. The ambiance, food and service was spot on and the company was even better. A lovely evening all round! Thank you Earl of Ponte.

Visited for evening meal 12th September. Ordered burger and steak. Burger was over cooked, steak was tasty but tough and they had no proper steak knives and no French mustard. Chips were soaked in fat and sloppy. Sent coke back as it was flat but they did refund it. Shame as it's a nice place but they need to up their game if they're going to compete with other restaurants in the area. Disappointing.