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3.5

Based on 342 opinions finded in 2 websites

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Nº 294 in 393 in Waveney

Nº 89 of 119 British in Waveney

CUSTOMERS TALK ABOUT DISHES WITH..liverfishporkmeatsaladsmokedpieladycookedbellyoldroaststeakpotatoescheesechicken

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Very good food:. We had:starter duck &orange pate, hot fish trio. Mains, 5 bells burger, trio Suffolk sausages and twice cooked pork belly all very tasty. The setting was lovely, clean, an excellent friendly service and a pleasant atmosphere. Highly recommend.

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N n . 2024-08-22

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Lovely pub. So friendly for dogs. Nice menu well executed. Would thoroughly recommend. Menu worked well for us and our teens.

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SparksAnnie . 2024-08-06

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Oh dear. Very friendly staff. Good ales etc. Booked in for a evening meal. It's a 4 star looking pub,but the food is very 1 star. An evening meal to quickly forget, would not return.

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Steve P . 2024-06-16

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We’ve never eaten here but pop in for a drink or two on trips back from Southwold through t the summer. The setting and the pub are beautiful, lovely beams inside and a lovely big lawn at the front with picnic tables. Dog friendly too.

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T Thomas . 2024-05-19

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After driving past this pub on numerous occasions we decided after a bank holiday day out to stop and have a bite to eat. What a lovely surprise it was. The 2 ladies who were serving at the bar, taking food orders at tables and delivering food when cooked were really lovely, friendly and helpful. Nothing seemed too much bother. The prawn on ciabatta starter was absolutely delicious, ham, eggs and chunky chips extremely generous portion and the hunters chicken with fries and coleslaw was definitely freshly cooked and sooo tasty.

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Deborah L . 2024-05-06

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Really worth a visit, friendly and welcoming staff, service was great and quick, great local ales, and the food was really great and well presented. We will visit again.

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John C . 2024-05-02

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Stopped for lunch with our golden retreiver, had starters main and desert with a couple of drinks, cannot fault the food at all it was perfect, nice atmosphere all round and even made our dog feel welcome with doggy treats. Would highly recommend this pub/restaurant for the lovely food and polite helpful staff.

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pete . 2024-04-28

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We stayed at the Five Bells as we were attending a wedding in the area. The wedding was originally meant to take place in 2020 but was cancelled. The customer service team moved our booking with no issues. We really appreciated this, thank you.We stayed in Room 1 which is a family room and it was large and spacious. The bathroom was also a decent size. There were no issues with noise, which was unexpected given that the rooms are situated right next to the pub.The customer service was really good at the Five Bells and breakfast was very good, with good quality ingredients.Well worth the money, thank you

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_cgyorke_0 . 2021-10-31

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What a lovely pub with lovely staff, we came with our dog and sat near the fire , very attentive and lovely food would definitely recommend if you’re coming back from a day in southwold . Thank you

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LauraFayB . 2021-10-30

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Best night of our holiday! Staff were brilliant, special mention to Dave and his plums, second to none. Food amazing, you have to try the Truffle Macaroni Cheese, absolutely delish 😋

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Glossybird . 2021-10-08

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We parked our Caravan on their Site behind the Pub and booked ourselves into the Restaurant, Dogs are welcome so Nero came too. Salt & Pepper Squid and a Mushroom Tart as a Starter we’re Superb and served very quickly, the Mains arrived very soon after, Grilled Sea Bass a on a bed of Crushed New Potatoes was amazing and the Ham Egg & Chips left me stuffed. We were delighted to find a Campsite with such a good Quality Pub/Restaurant. We would love to come again

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SNOOPY-8690 . 2021-10-01

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Friendly staff Lovely freshly cooked and prepared pub food Reasonable prices We sat in the garden at the front which was lovely Didn’t have to wait long for our food

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Orangeracoon . 2021-09-27

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Rushed from Covehithe beach to get to the pub before lunch finished at the advertised time of 2:30pm to be told at 2:15pm they have stop serving food. Bloke in front was slowly placing his food order !!!

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Daniel M . 2021-09-18

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Fantastic meal excellent service lovely surroundings. Definitely recommend this to anyone especially outside of Southwold.

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J2115NXnicolaw . 2021-09-11

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Great food- Not the biggest menu but everything was really well cooked. Service was excellent with really attentive staff. Atmosphere was lovely with a great choice of drinks to have with our meal. Can highly recommend!

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same631 . 2021-08-17

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Holidaying with friends in the area and decided to break away from the mainstream hustle and bustle of the summer.Found The 5 Bells using the Google search engine...Our party consisted of 4 adults and 4 kids (and a pooch) on two separate tables. Table was booked online - hassle freeOutstanding service from a professional and friendly staff.A vibrant and varied menu with something for everyone.Food arrived hot and in good time.This was a very welcome little gem!Thank you!

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941jefff . 2021-08-14

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We drove out of Southwold looking for a less busy place to stop for lunch. Five Bells had good reviews and did not disappoint. We sat in the spacious garden although there was also a lovely patio garden to the rear of the pub and the inside tables looked really nice too.Food was very good, burger was particularly tasty, a large patty in a perfect bun. The mushrooms on sourdough toast were delicious (a very generous portion for a starter), sausages and mash also delicious. Good range of options and size of dishes depending on whether you wanted a big or lighter meal.

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cathroberts66 . 2021-08-03

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Managed to secure a table at last minute. Welcoming on telephone and upon arrival. Huge car park and well appointed old pub/inn. Immaculate inside. Spotless/clean and well laid out. We ordered house burger, mac/cheese, sausages/mash and ham, eggs and chips. My US wife said she had never tasted mac/cheese better back home. The ham, burger and sausages were delicious. Well presented to a standard Gordon Ramsey would be proud. We all sent our compliments to chef. He duly appeared and received spontaneous round of applause that was not scripted. Wholly recommend the pub and food.

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Ltropical . 2021-08-02

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Excellent service from efficient and friendly staff. Food was excellent. Generous portions. Would definitely call in again. Interior of building is very well maintained and provides a pleasant area to sit in. Nice touring field at the rear of the pub.

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johnrosslinden1 . 2021-07-24

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We visited cor lunch on a Saturday afternoon having first called the pub to check that they had space and that we didn’t need to book. The staff were welcoming and the pub garden layout looked really attractive. We sat inside and were pleasantly surprised how well laid out it was, with plenty of space between the tables. The menu was typical of a lunchtime in the UK, augmented by a specials board. My wife chose scampi and chips and I had ham, eggs and chips. Both meals sizes were ample and the quality excellent. We had soft drinks, so cannot vouch for the beers, but bearing the location and it being an Adnams brewery pub, should be excellent!All in all, a really nice meal, friendly staff and lovely food. We would recommend this pub without hesitation.

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JohnM10786 . 2021-07-24

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Excellent staff, excellent food, well cared for pub, spotlessly clean, including the toilets. Very reasonable prices, particularly the small meals. Will return soon.

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O1400RWlynneb . 2021-07-21

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We stayed last Sunday night and what a superb location in beautiful Suffolk countryside. A warm welcome from the staff and great service. I had the crispy beef and my partner had the lemon sole special. Both were freshly cooked, good portions and well presented. We stayed the night in a light, nicely decorated room and were served a delicious breakfast in the morning, again with good service and a friendly welcome. Can’t wait to book to come back!

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R-J-7589 . 2021-07-21

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We stumbled across here on our way to Southwold and are so glad we did.Perfectly clean, Covid restrictions clearly signposted and followed to the letter. We felt very safe, which is very important to us. The food and service were faultless, try the smoked bacon steak, it is amazing... A fantastic lunchtime visit, highly recommended.

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andymichelle2016 . 2021-07-15

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WOW we have not been since lockdown and the food is wonderful and tasty, staff so helpful and great service, clean and safe

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JacquieW_11 . 2021-07-12

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On arriving at the Five Bells we found our family room with 2 beds had been painted that morning and were given a double room instead. As this was a special treat we didnt want to sleep together in 1 bed so this was a problem and not what I'd booked. The manageress Sharon and Maddy both helped to sort this out for us, making sure we got the room we had booked and also were well looked after before that was possible, with a large glass of wine to have in their lovely pub garden. Our evening meal there was excellent and on finally getting our family room, we were bought an ice bucket with a bottle of prosecco and 2 flutes as a goodwill gesture.Sharon also said if we had any problems to let her know. We were so impressed with how this was dealt with, and with their competence and kindness. Also the rooms are large, comfortable,light and airy...we chose very well and will return!!

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AUNTIEKIMBO . 2021-07-08

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Stopped here for lunch and we are so happy we did because everything was first class. We were 4 adults and a dog seated on big table in bar area so we could see how hard work the young lady and man worked. The tempura prawns and chicken supreme and the burger were cooked perfectly as were all the dishes on our table. Both bar staff were exemplary in sticking to covid rules, thanks for everything and see you again.

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PaulButt57 . 2021-07-07

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Rather unwelcoming brewery issued signs starting Whoa with an upraised hand. On entering premises, I was immediately challenged as I was maskless. Challenger had just pulled hers over her face when she saw me coming. When she asked if I had exemption, I pointed out that she had acted illegally in asking me. Despite the off putting start, food was fine though my burger was a little greasy. Pricing shown is out of date on here with 11 tops. Two meals cost 27! Two halves of drinks 4.40. Waitress Sharon efficient and pleasant. Bit overpriced though and you do need to see past the potentially off-putting "welcome"

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AsianDaffyDuck . 2021-06-15

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Stopped here for our first night in the area and wasn't disappointed. The food was great, it's dog friendly and were extremely welcoming.

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UltraChin . 2021-05-29

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Great pub, lovely food and friendly, efficient staff. We booked for lunch whilst on holidaycand it was so good went back twice. Sunday roast was excellent as was the chowder.

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jaenm13 . 2021-05-27

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Three of us were out for lunch and I looked this pub up. We had a nice day luckily as they are only serving outside at the moment as of COVID. Their area outside is a great space and is dog-friendly. We all ate lunch, I and mum had mac n cheese, my friend had chowder. You can choose from small or standard-sized meals which were perfect as it was only lunchtime. All I can say is the food was amazing! I tasted my friend's chowder and it was so..... tasty! ( it is all she went on about for the next few days) The staff were helpful and really nice. Had a look inside the pub when going to the toilets, but would like to have a meal inside sometime as it looked clean and cosy. Will be back.

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sam2338 . 2021-05-01

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Me and my friend had a burger this afternoon at the Five bells. To look at it was amazing however the Quality of the burger was something to be desired for. It was tough and tasteless and clearly frozen we both only managed a few bites. £13.90!! I hate sending food back or complaining so I paid and decided to write a review in the hope they see this and upgrade the quality of there meat. I’m not a fussy eater but I could not even finish the second bite it really was vile. Last time I had a burger there was over a year ago and it was quality meat where you could leave it pink in the middle, juicy and full of flavour, such a shame. We were truly gutted and £30 out of pocket and left hungry! Oh and just to top it off, they are incredibly tight on the sachets of sauces. I mean £13.90 for a burger and you can’t even provide us with more than two sachets between two people! It just infuriates me.

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Mrs-gramme . 2021-04-20

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We stayed there for 3 nights the wife and me along with my son and daughter in-law.The rooms were comfortable and clean the breakfast was very good and well presented. We had a meal there one night which we all enjoyed the staff were also very good. I would recomend the belly pork.

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william708 . 2020-10-29

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We spent three nights here.The staff were very friendly and made us feel welcolme.The food was well above average and at reasonable prices(we especially loved the breakfast).Our room was very pleasant,clean and tidy,very thoughtfully decorated.Great shower.The only slight criticisms we hade were,1.The wooden rail on the bed was quite high and was easy to catch yourself getting out of bed.2.Wifi reception not very good in our room but fine in the pub.3.Could do with a bit bigger TV.Overall we had a great stay.

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JamesEngland234 . 2020-10-23

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A really pleasant Covid compliant atmosphere where the rules are strictly enforced for everybody’s safety. The food was first class I had the pork belly which was mostly meat rather than just fat and my wife the ham egg and chips. Everything was hot and spotlessly clean. Something for most people on the menu. Thoroughly recommend it without the fight for parking in Southwold if you want lunch out, and reasonable prices.

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GlutenFreeLowestoft . 2020-10-15

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pub itself was really nice ! but restaurant had limited menu, understandable in view of covid19 restrictions. But having no fish and chips on menu when only 3 miles from sea was strange! could have done with a bit more atmosphere ie music . Will we rush back? too many other nice eating places close by to do that.

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Patrick O . 2020-10-11

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We stopped for an unplanned lunch here on our way through to Southwold.An excellent decision.We received a warm welcome in spite of not having booked.The food was excellent. Their chowder was delicious.They operate a covid safe environment. Track and trace, masks and table cleansing.We are pleased that we chose to dine here.

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Gavin F . 2020-10-03

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Located on the road from Wrentham to Southwold. This pub has plenty of space outside with tables, which is fantastic on a warm summer evening. Inside is nicely done too, but the outstanding feature is the food. My chowder was superb.The Covid arrangements looked to be well managed with queuing at the door and plenty of hand sanitiser. It was unfortunate that while I was there the kitchen was operating on a reduced output and the two bar staff were turning away a lot of customers who hadn’t booked for dinner. So, my tip would be book in advance.

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BonnieRed850 . 2020-09-16

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Pleasantly surprised!! Lovely room at a very good rate and accommodated small dog at minimum charge. One chef on his own on my visit but food was excellent. Probably best prawn cocktail I've had in a long time. Would thoroughly recommend

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susanbH662YL . 2020-09-15

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Stopped on our way back for a drink, great Adnams beer selection on tap. Plenty of outside space to sit and enjoy. Unfortunately wasnt serving food when we went.

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Lilmissy1984 . 2020-09-14

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There were no Specials available at the time of our visit but the standard menu more than catered for our various preferences. The service was polite and friendly and the food was of excellent quality and quantity, all washed down with some great Addams beers and a bottle of Adnams Shiraz wine (surprisingly good!). Would definitely recommend.

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BritBookworm . 2020-09-11

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Booked through the Adnams chain. Very helpful lady. Booked a family room which was spacious, light, nice carpet, bonus of a bath and a shower. Three rooms in a converted building next to the pub with grounds. Incredible value for money which included breakfast. Dog friendly. My only little criticism is that more than one vegi option on the menu is needed as the curry contained nuts but they did accommodate my meal request Manager is lovely friendly and warm and a great asset to the five bells A great stay thank you very much. Hope to return

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jaksmccoy . 2020-09-11

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Turned up for a spot of lunch arrived at 1.00pm guy behind the bar Says I will go check with the kitchen ? Came back says they have reached there full Capacity even tho it clearly states they serve food till 2.30pm never offered us the chance to wait ! And basically said exit is there bye disappointed for Addams pub !

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R2868FKdanielc . 2020-09-02

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We had a pleasant late lunch here with tasty food and accommodating staff. As we were a little late due to traffic we were able to order a little late and not rush our meal

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jeremysmithphotograp . 2020-08-23

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Good meal for all the family. helpfull service. good choice of standard pup food and all well prepared.

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peterborough1234 . 2020-08-15

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We went there today and had a lovely warm welcome, the food was amazing ! We really enjoyed the haddock and prawn chowder. Felt very at ease with the covid rules and sanitation. Great work guys we will definitely be back

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dot1982 . 2020-08-04

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Sunday lunch. The roast beef and veg were cooked perfectly, likewise the pork, plus served on hot plates. The pub itself was perfectly clean as were the toilets. We were very pleased to find suchh a lovely inviting pub.

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Gerald L . 2020-08-04

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Me & my family visited quite late on in the evening & was greeted with very polite customer service from Liam. He was very outgoing, quick with his service... we didn't have to wait for our drinks long at all. Liam was enthuastic & friendly. Really good prices wit the 50% discount currently too.

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Booboo4321 . 2020-08-04

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We booked during Covid, there was a distinct lack of atmosphere and the pub itself is a little dated. The food portions were large especially the desserts, so if quality is not paramount, you will enjoy the pub grub. The chowder is the best thing on the menu, the 'steak' burger was just a very average burger and the Asian beef was very sweet with no strong Asian flavours on a bed of a rather bland salad. Desserts were huge, easily enough for 2. The menu at this Adnams pub is cheaper than some others, and this is reflected in the quality of the food - very average.

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miller888 . 2020-07-31

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A lovely pub with a nice menu. Visited as a group of 5, aged 18-50something, plus a new dog which we’ve never taken to a pub before! We were made to feel very welcome, service was friendly and prompt. The food was very good, we had a variety of dishes between us and everyone really enjoyed their choices. The Blythburgh belly pork was excellent, doggo particularly happy with that choice! The white chocolate cheesecake was declared the best ever dessert by my daughter who is a dessert connoisseur, so praise indeed. A really enjoyable evening!

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lucyblue252 . 2020-07-31

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The most delicious chowder I have ever tasted.We booked for lunch as it was on a planned cycle route and were really pleased to find a pub respecting all the safety rules. We were given a very warm welcome by the team and shown to our appropriately distanced table. The food was excellent. The smoked haddock chowder was incredible and married to a talented chef I am hard to impress! Just a shame we are not local or this would be a regular treat.

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V4752AScatherineb . 2020-07-29

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Whilst on holiday, visiting during the COVID pandemic, this is the most accommodating and friendly place we have eaten. The Asian Crispy Beef on the menu was superb and the service was great. Excellent surroundings and reasonably priced for the area.

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mertywildman . 2020-07-28

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Easy to find, lovely pub set back from the road with lots of grass and outside seating. Cosy pub that was dog friendly, we had a lovely evening meal we had Pork Belly which was delicious and scampi. A fab breakfast was also included, the sausages were a hit with our little dog. Extremely welcoming staff, girl working on Sunday night who is about to go off to University was delightful and witty. Gentleman was great at breakfast too, super friendly and happy to make me a sausage sandwich rather than the breakfasts on offer.Room was quiet, we stayed in room 3. Plenty of room for us and the dog, lots of plug sockets and clean with nice yellow touches which made it feel more cosy. Good in room facilities for tea & coffee and even an alarm clock. Guest WiFi easy to connect to, just a few simple clicks.The bed is rather hard and mattress is a bit lower than the bed frame, so easy to knock in the night. I understand the mattress is a personal preference. Blinds and no curtains meant during summer mornings there was a lot of light in the room, I imagine it gets rather hot in the rooms, would be good to have room fans.

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Ellisjo . 2020-07-28

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What a find So so friendly I must say Adnams pubs are brilliant Love the Wild Wave cider The chickpea,roasted cauliflower and peanut curry was amazing The staff are exceptional Brilliant lunchtime

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davethedrill . 2020-07-25

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We spotted this Inn on our way to southwold and decided to stop for drink on our way home.Excellent and clear one way system to encourage social distancing. Took a while to record contact details on lap top.This is an Adnams pub too so good selection of ales and gins served by friendly staff (Who call everyone mate). Large beer garden and lots of parking. Definitely worth visiting

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bigrpc13 . 2020-07-19

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Thank you Mark and team for providing a welcoming and warm atmosphere on our first overnight stay since lockdown. Great signage and clear directions from staff helped make it a pleasant experience. Cleanliness of accommodation and pub was excellent and big garden is ideal for keeping safe distances without spoiling the atmosphere. Quality of food at dinner and breakfast was superb and so well cooked and fresh. Love that it's mostly locally sourced too. Great Adnams ale and wine. Mark and his team clearly take pride in their jobs and their pub - really polite and friendly and nothing was too much trouble. Super location for visiting our favourite beaches and we will definitely be returning. Thank you all and keep up the good work.

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SuffolkGirl27 . 2020-07-14

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Clean, cosy and spacious room. Staff very friendly and hospitable. Good Covid procedures in place, felt very safe. Nicely cooked full English breakfast. Enjoyable stay, thank you.

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Tifa710 . 2020-07-12

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Had lunch here today - only second meal out since being allowed out to pubs again. I couldn't fault them. Felt safe but not clinical, friendly fantastic food. One of best times out this year. Advise anyone to go but book in advance to give the staff a chance to have sufficient staff working. Front of house staff were run off their feet but smiled all the time!

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alisond299 . 2020-07-12

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Monday night, cosy and delicious food. Good selection of Addams. Great choice on the menu, hard to make a decision. My mother had salmon and vegetables, all cooked perfectly. My husband and I shared a massive plat of melt in the mouth twice cooked blythburgh pork belly which was outstanding. To top it off our side of chips was amazing!

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BMbeckenham . 2020-02-18

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Stayed here with the dog just before new year for 1 night, really impressed. Really friendly manager and bar staff who made us very welcome on arrival. The room was very clean and warm and for for his much they charge considering the location to Southwold I feel is brilliant value.

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608garym . 2020-01-07

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We picked the Five Bells as a convenient spot to meet friends we see about once a year while in the UK; it's within easy walking distance for us all. Our evening started at about 9pm. We were little surprised by the rap show playing on the radio by the bar but the bar staff did recognize this might not be the most fitting of genres for a Suffolk country pub and turned it off.At around 10.10 the girl behind the bar announced she would be calling last orders shortly. What?! Apparently when the numbers in the pub are low she's "allowed to do that". Never mind that we were paying customers relying on traditional pub hours to have dictated our plans for the evening. How naive of us! Sure enough 20 mins later she came good on her promise to earn an early night for herself to the detriment of our group enjoying a perfectly good evening together.It wasn't long before she then announced she would shortly be calling time, again because she was "allowed to when it's quiet." And so we left a pub, on a Saturday night at 10.50pm. It's not like Wrentham is a place where you wander to the next pub round the corner. The only other pub in the village had a band playing and we didn't fancy screaming at each other over the noise. So that was it. An enforced ending to our one and only evening together for the year by someone who considered that their discretionary right to close early more important than those who had given The Five Bells their custom for the evening.Adnams, if you read this I hope you reconsider your policy for the pub. The price for running a pub is that sometimes you stay open for just a few customers. We had planned our evening around giving you our business so to be told you had had enough of our business was an unexpected slap in the face. I'm a very loyal patron of your other pubs and shop and cafe in Southwold. It's one of the pleasures of coming home to Suffolk. This was an unfortunate tarnish on this year's visit to the area.

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VT4Me2 . 2019-12-02

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Visited with friends for lunch. Although the bar is dog friendly, we decided to leave them in the motorhome, and were kindly given a table where we could keep an eye on it. Good menu choice, some items a little different from the standard Pub fare. All four of us chose something different, and we all enjoyed our meals.

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Robert S . 2019-10-17

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We had a lovely table with friends and family. Not a great deal of choice for me as I am coeliac and dairy intolerant but what I had was nice. Everyone else really enjoyed their meals.

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dibenjamin63 . 2019-10-02

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Very present oak beamed pub great food pork belly to dir for, very friendly staff varied menu well priced. Must try if in aera

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Colin B . 2019-08-30

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We stumbled upon this pub when we were looking for a place to park our camper an overnight and we were more than pleasantly surprised.The pitch was excellent and the staff were so friendly and helpful it was brilliant. They even apologised that the showers were not that modern in advance of us even using them. They could do with an update but they were very cleanWe had drinks in the late afternoon and had a very pleasant pub dinner in the evening.Next morning we experienced an absolutely superb breakfast served outside in the sun and nothing was too much trouble for the very helpful staff.Great place and wonderful value

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Timothy H . 2019-08-17

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Four of us visited from Kessingland, where we were staying. I've just spent 10 minutes pondering on why this should not be a 4* review, it's a pub after all, but I can't find any reason not to award 5 stars. Because? It was more than a pub. It's definitely not a gastropub. The menu was local fayre and not aimed at the chip eater. The choices were not huge, but so different from the average pub/diner. And the service was just excellent. Not overpriced either, a good house merlot was £18 a bottle. The steak burger, scampi, pork belly and crab salad were all perfect. The pork belly warranted special coo-ing from it's devourer! A good choice of desserts too. So well done to everyone at the Five Bells, you made what we expected to be a good experience, into a first class one.

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Andy-S60 . 2019-08-08

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We made a quick visit here after a failed attempt to eat in the Harbour Inn in Southwold (no parking). We arrived to find no food being served despite it the fact it was a Sunday lunch time. We ordered some drinks and sat in the garden. The bar staff were friendly and nice and allowed us to eat some fish and chips that a family member drove and picked up for us. Not too expensive and it looked like the campsite to the rear of the pub was busy.

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Phillmonk . 2019-08-05

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Booked this for Sunday lunch with visiting family,as recently moved here and local to us. Found service to be slow, although staff were pleasant enough, but lacked attention.Restaurant was clean, well spaced tables, food was well cooked and of good quality.May have had another round of drinks and dessert, but, decided to leave, feeling slightly underwhelmed and disappointed by the experience.

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A1fied0g . 2019-08-05

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Went to the Five Bells for dinner. The staff were lovely and very welcoming. We had a dog with us and he was welcomed too! Had a fantastic meal - cromer crab salad, chicken with saffron potatoes, steak burger and kids meal. All very tasty. Good pint of Adnams too. Highly recommend.

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NattyHols74 . 2019-08-03

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Excellent value for money. Skandi style furniture which was superbly comfortable and the best quality bedding. The room fragrance smelled really good and the room was spotlessly clean. We had a couple of drinks in the bar and the two young servers Lauren and Beth were a delight, making a fuss of our dog and made us very welcome. Breakfast was very good and used local produce. Alex served us and was polite and efficient. The manager Mark is one of the best!

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EveWitham_Essex . 2019-07-29

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Nice location and staff are incredibly friendly and timed everything perfectly. This place have chosen quality over quantity and have pulled it off to perfection, portion were perfect size and cooked beautifully. Proper nice balance between good pub food and rosette grade restaurant with very reasonable prices. If we ever come back to area we will be back here.

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rare1982 . 2019-07-27

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Stayed here for 2 nights in July, lovely spacious and very clean rooms with everything you need. Breakfasts were great made with delicious ingredients. You wont get a better value for money stay !!

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BillMartin1912 . 2019-07-17

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Perfect for an over night stay, although many caravans are left on a permanent basis. We stayed here in a camper van as a base for a girls getaway night. Southwold is a handy 4.5 miles bike ride away. The site itself was well maintained although the toilet and shower facilities could do with a lot of updating and a good clean. We had a lovely evening meal in the pub itself. A peaceful nights sleep with just the rabbits scratching around outside! A quick bike ride down to the lovely unspoilt beach at Covehithe about 1.5 miles away(shhh, it’s a secret!) ended a lovely little break. At £20 a night with electric hook up it was good value.

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Marla1667 . 2019-06-30

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My wife and I stayed for 4 nights in this little gem. One of brewery company Adnams' pubs and stay properties. 3 custom-built rooms in a separate block on the pub's site. Well furnished and light, bright and airy, our room was a good size, with en-suite and extremely comfortable bed. Breakfast was included and consisted of a full choice of hot & cold options and extremely well-cooked. On 2 of the evenings we had meals and both were very tasty. A relatively limited menu choice, but plenty for us to choose different options on each of the evenings. They were well-cooked and well presented and although there were different members of staff on the 2 occasions, service was generally good. As you would expect, all the real ales were Adnams' own brand, but more surprisingly to us was the fact that all the wines were also Adnams' own label! We sampled their Merlot which is Chilean by origin and quite delicious! Room charges are very competitively priced and very good value for money. Sadly, we picked a very wet week in June to visit, however this only partially detracted from what was a most enjoyable and refreshing stay. All the personnel we came across were friendly and helpful and we were especially impressed with the manager, Sean who clearly leads a well-run operation. We shall be back--hopefully with less rain to accompany us!

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Bycarsbill . 2019-06-15

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Dropped in here on the way back to Kessingland from Southwold looking for a dog friendly place top have Sunday lunch. Very friendly welcome and although the menu is small the meals we had were delicious and plentiful. A happy discovery.

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Tetleythedog . 2019-06-07

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The staff were very friendly and helpful. It is a dog friendly pub with excellent food. We stayed in our motor home on their site which was clean & tidy with good facilities.

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melvynfletcher . 2019-05-13

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Arrived at lunch time after a long walk. We were welcomed by friendly staff, the pub was clean, comfortable and bright. Our food came quickly and was of a good standard. Would definitely recommend.

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Linhay63 . 2019-05-09

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Had a good surprise popped in for lunch although the menu not huge the food was great Quality and expertly. Oiled , chips superb must have triple cooked crunch and fluffy insides mmmm I had prawn and salmon cocktail

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StephenSNR . 2019-05-06

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We had a booking for 18 at the Five Bells for evening meal.

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Q4520POstevew . 2019-04-29

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A village pub with a city menu. Traditional Adnams ales and wines from the local brewery in nearby Southwold. Excellent pint of Adnams Ghost Ship for myself, soft drinks for my driver and wife.

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seaviewplease . 2019-04-13

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Visited with friends for lunch and was really surprised with the quality of the food as it was the tastiest we have had for a very long time.We dine out most days and I wish we lived nearer but I’m sure our friends we were visiting will call again.We enjoy banter and we were pleased the landlord joined in which made our visit much more enjoyable.

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Gordon1946 . 2019-04-07

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Been here quite a lot, and have to say that the Sunday lunch we had was very good indeed.

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pabahil60 . 2019-04-03

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We had lunch here and the food was excellent and the service was superb and friendly. The menu is extensive and competitively priced.

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wokka123 . 2019-03-13

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I’ve driven past the Five Bells a thousand times since my last visit 40 years ago and never gone in. Going back those were the days when it was just a pub with outside toilets. In more recent years I hadn’t heard good reports but more recently I’d heard things have turned round. Going on our experience they definitely have. We had a lovely meal: the food was good, the service friendly and responsive and the dining area and pub as a whole have a nice relaxed atmosphere. Good selection on the menu with a few different options and a specials board. Great to see it’s on the up. We will be back soon. Thanks

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. 2019-02-24

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My wife and I, plus our dachshund Basil, found ourselves with a weekend free of the kids. I booked the five bells because we've been to Southwold many times and didn't need to be in the centre, and despite some of the reviews, I thought it looked right up our street.

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. 2019-02-17

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We had lunch today, Sunday. Excellent tasty meals, well cooked vegetables, lovely desserts, good value and served by people who cared about it all. I asked for a small portion which was readily available ( smaller but perfectly adequate).

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. 2019-02-03

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Never been here before, pub was very clean, warm and inviting. Everything set out nicely. Food was excellent, best beef burger with brie and bacon ever had, friend had a very good fish and cheese gratin. Would recommend a visit it in the area. Good selection of Adnams beers and wines, wish I hadn't been driving!

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. 2019-02-01

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Thank goodness Adnams have taken back management of this pub.The welcome is now warm and the food is excellent.

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. 2019-02-01

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We stayed here over new year in our motorhome. What a lovely atmosphere. Food in the pub was great. Staff were really friendly and helpful. Camping was very relaxed. Thank you all. Will be back.

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. 2019-01-04

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Even though our party was large, 11 adults, 4 young children and a baby, nothing was too much trouble. Although the staff were busy our food was soon brought to us and it was all delicious. The staff were excellent and we shall certainly return very soon.

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. 2019-01-02

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Stayed for one night at five bells inn, had the family room and one double room. The cleanliness was excellent, the rooms were warm and very comfortable. En-suite shower was lovely and hot . The breakfast was very nice too and the staff were lovely.

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. 2018-12-24

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Popped in on way home from Southwold for lunch.... Lovely welcome and nice food. Real fire burning too which the dogs loved. Good choice on menu.

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. 2018-12-24

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Stayed at the 5 Bells for one night. Enjoyed a well presented, well cooked dinner and generous portions in the evening.

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. 2018-12-15

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Had not been in this pub for years but it is now being managed by Adnams and has improved immensely. Comfortable with lovely wood burner, good menu with nice home made dishes such as pies, truffle mac etc plus sandwiches and very good service. Will go again

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. 2018-12-14

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Went to five bells as heard new chef had been appointed and manager so thought would try it as 6 months ago not good . It was totally amazing and food was presented wonderfully would compare it to The top hotels in southwold and cheaper , well done everyone ,

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. 2018-12-13

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Had a wonderful Sunday dinner here on the 9th December, we phoned 10 minutes before to say 9 of us plus dog were coming for lunch very accommodating, food was really really nice as were the staff, wouldn't hesitate to come back! thanks for a lovely meal everyone one of us enjoyed it! Pork was lovely and melted in the mouth along with the chocolate sponge and salted caramel ice cream.

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. 2018-12-11

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Decided to give the five bells a return visit, as it's our local pub, following an earlier review which wasn't good.

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. 2018-12-10

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Went for lunch here with children and grandchildren. Been here before but now under new management. Have to say an improved menu and good value for money, however portions are far too big particularly for the children. So full that none of us, 8, wanted a dessert. Portions here are certainly of adult size. The grandchildren had a selection from the ‘kids menu’, i.e. sausage and mash, ham egg and chips and macaroni cheese. All adult size portions and could not be eaten by the grandchildren. The macaroni cheese had a side salad with a dressing which really is not something children like. Would of been happy to pay same price, £6, for a smaller kids portion and in fact this may have led to desserts being chosen. Tip:- Whilst choice on the menu is good take a look at the children’s menu given the portion size!

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. 2018-12-08

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This was our second visit to The Five Bells, the first being before the change of management. We had an excellent Sunday Roast. Service was good and we enjoyed the friendly atmosphere. We will be back.

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ChrisC478 . 2018-11-14

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Delightful pub with a great car-park and open space. We took our campervan and treated ourselves to a lovely breakfast. The quality of the food was great and the service top notch. Friendly atmosphere with staff that were happy to help and had a good amount of local knowledge. Would definitely recommend.

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Navigate53698103046 . 2018-11-14

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When the Management first changed we had a meal which we felt was not up to the expectations which we had got used to and decided not to go again. I was invited to go with some friends and so pleased I did . The service was excellent and so was the food.

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AngelaD2818 . 2018-11-12

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