The Higher Buck in Ribble Valley

Arrived here after reading all the glowing reviews. Received a lukewarm reception and were seating. We ordered the fish starter which was lovely, but we couldn’t help feel the staff just didn’t want to be there and lacked experience and enthusiasm. Especially the dark haired girl behind the bar who sadly didn’t smile at us once. It’s a real shame as the food was really very nice - But it lacked warmth and atmosphere. So many places for Sunday lunch now that I think they need a front of house with better people skills. Mains were lovely but under seasoned. I wasn’t particularly keen on the carrots that were over sweetened and had fennel seeds. The Roast potatoes lacked flavour but the rest - especially the beef itself was faultless. The decor was comfortable and tastefully done with lovely clean loos.

We travelled from Chester to meet our Lancashire friends at this rural restaurant. Arriving in Waddington we were quite surprised to enter a packed car park behind the restaurant. The place is bright and welcoming. The staff were delightful and the menu creative and inviting. My partner and I shared a cheese soufflé starter which was phenomenal! According to our friends you need to reserve a table well in advance - no surprise there. We noticed that they have rooms, so we will definitely be returning to sample dinner and breakfast at the Higher Buck

The Higher Buck never fails to please. The produce, choice, and cooking are all exceptional. Nathan and Gayle also play a big part in the smooth running and lovely atmosphere. They advise and where possible alter dishes to suit dietary requirements nothing ever seems too much trouble. Thank you for making our visit so special.

Never had a bad meal here yet. Tonight was exceptional. We both had the Beef Wellington. The meat melts in the mouth perfectly cooked with light pastry and accompanied by fresh vegetables and Daphinoise potatoes. The sticky toffee pudding was delicious. Generous portions. Attentive and friendly service. Highly recommend. Never disappoints.

Good food, good atmosphere, nice setting, lovely staff.

Last Friday night on the eve of my wee cousins wedding my mother, my cousins mum, her twin and best friend and I went here for a pre wedding day evening meal. Something close family and just the girls but something to calm the nerves of our Hannah. We had the most fabulous food, served by the kindest, happiest and lovely waiters and waitresses. I was aware we were loud at points in comparison to the surrounding tables and even I was slightly concerned yet no one let on or made a fuss. We ever had other tables when they left wishing Hannah a great day for her wedding the next day. The atmosphere in the establishment was relaxed, and in general a really nice vibe. Made so by the wonderful staff working. Thank you for the delicious food and for making our Hannahs final night as a Miss so memorable. 🫶🏼

Didn't stay there just dinner with friends after long walk .food was good but over priced better food at the wheatsheaf in St helens for a 3rd the price service was poor I gave it 4 because they were very apologetic when we called them over . They where busy ..May be under staffing was a issue.

Went for food, and whilst the food was very good, it didn’t justify the extortionate prices. £9.95 for a desert that was bought in with a dollop of ice cream really isn’t on. The staff were nice, the food was very good rather than excellent but the prices spoilt it. Too many restaurants in the local area going after the same business - not that this will concern the Higher Buck as ever table had three covers on the day. A solid 7.5/10

We recently stayed here with a large group of friends, we were given a warm welcome. The rooms were fantastic as was the breakfast each morning with plenty of choice.

Great ambience and decor. Super food and the salads were amongst the best I've ever had. Guess they were busy though didn't look that full but they let themselves down a bit with how long they took to clear our plates. We sat over 15 mins with dirty plates, even asked one of the servers who passed and in the end I'd just pushed my chair back to do it myself when the manageress finally arrived. Despite that, a good place and I'd eat here again.

Excellent from start to finish . Staff were fabulous. Great choice in food and the espresso martini was a 10/10 !!!

Definitely worth a visit, we went in Tues at lunchtime and it was busy so maybe book a table? . The main menu was the same as online, quite a few specials though even some of  those were finished and quite busy in the pub. You can also do sandwiches if you don't want full meals.  Anyway..cheese souffle (light as a feather) I thought I could have had bread to soak it up but on reflection it didn't need it, then pork belly from the specials - v good and we shared an apple tart tatin - excellent. My husband had king prawn bhaji (not many prawns but lively), roast chicken - lovely. We both a small white wine and a cappuccino = £93.40 without a tip.. Staff friendly and attentive .

I went out for lunch here after I heard it was good. Went with me and two other family members and it was incredible. I had the steak and it was possibly the greatest I’ve ever had. The staff couldn’t have been better overall just a brilliant experience. Would highly recommend

Absolutely 5* food & service. All meals where tasty & presented well. Service was helpful & friendly. Highly recommended

We stopped in Waddington as a planned lunch break on our way from Scotland to Wales. We had pre-booked on the basis of good reviews and they were quite right! We were also glad to have reserved as even on a weekday at lunch time it was full. Staff were friendly and efficient. The decor was warm and welcoming and toilets were clean. We were there as a family of 4 with 2 teens. We all enjoyed all our courses and had a range of options from the menu including regulars (burger, steak) and choices from the specials menu (scallops, pork belly). I chose a goats cheese and beetroot salad with walnuts for main course and wasn’t disappointed - it was large and very tasty. The cheese soufflé starter was also delicious - cheesy but light. An excellent earl grey and lemon panna cotta rounded off my meal perfectly. The menu is long and varied which can be a risk that a small place is overstretching itself but we did not find that at all. Great food, pleasant atmosphere, friendly service - what’s not to like? Would come again if we were passing in future.

Four family members enjoyed another delicious meal here yesterday afternoon. The Higher Buck is a very welcoming establishment. The atmosphere is warm and convivial, the staff are friendly, and the food is delicious. There is a varied menu and also a “specials board”, so something for everyone. We visit family regularly in Clitheroe and have to say this is our preferred restaurant. We will be back very soon.

This place is well worth the 100 miles round trip. The pork hot pot today was amazing, nothing like what you would imagine it to be, it was stunning. The wonderful chocolate bar (my favourite dessert from anywhere) was just gorgeous. I just wish they would open somewhere near us. I also have to mention the lovely young gentleman who is so professional and a really nice person, who makes everything special.

We recently attended a family wedding at Bashall Barn, near Waddington, and found the area totally picturesque. It reminded us of Emmerdale with brilliant pubs, especially the Higher Buck, who were very kind and helpful, allowing us to use their car park even though we were staying in a nearby cottage. Our two sons did stay in the inn and were very pleased with their rooms. We enjoyed the local ales and the evening meal was excellent.They were very attentive to my wife's special dietary requirements - to the extent that she returned the next day for lunch!

Excellent food, absolutely brilliant and friendly service, really nicely decorated and very comfortable and quite spacious bar and restaurant areas but a little dearer than we expected. But still good value (some of the best food we’ve had out anywhere for a long time) in comparison with other local pubs/eateries. Well recommended and we will be back soon.

A lovely meal as usual. Fish and chips and steak puddings all cooked perfectly. Desserts were beautifully presented and tasty. Great service and comfortable surroundings.

I absolutely HAD to have the cheese souffle again, and it did not disappoint. I had an unusual pork ribeye (never heard of that before) but it was nice. I resisted having a pudding but had a taste of hubbies cheesecake which was very tasty. Everyone cleared their plates again so I would say it was a huge success. I will be making a return visit for that souffle though - it is EPIC!!!

Wish we had checked this place out before and made a reservation .It was very busy and in spite of Gail the manageress , trying to juggle things round no luck , a great pity . Still we had a quick drink and look forward to revisiting when in the area , all the food looked magnificent, and the comments of the dinners were very positive

We stopped by on spec on a Wednesday and although it was only 6pm most of the inside tables were reserved, so best to book if you can. That said it was a warm evening and we decided to eat outside. All the staff were extremely pleasant and friendly. They were well-trained and clearly wanted to be there. I had the beetroot and goats curd salad and my husband had halibut with Thai curry. Both were extremely tasty and well presented, though my husband said the portion size was a bit small. It looked ok to me to be honest 😄 He should probably have had a starter or dessert (or both!) but we were being "good". We'd certainly go again. Welcoming atmosphere, tasteful decor, good bar, great food and easy parking. Recommend it.

Just returned from an enjoyable stay and dining at the Higher Buck , wonderful friendly welcolm from Mike on check who was super helpful throughout inc dinner service , a great ambassador for the gastro pub but to be fair ALL the staff were excellent including Mikes mum serving breakfast . The meal was excellent but i have to highlight the Cheese Souffle which was as good as it gets , one just isn't enough so next time it's two and a salad ! Breakfast was lovely and i had to try the "homemaid baked beans" , with a secret spice , lovely . Highly recommended .

We visited 29th Aug for an evening meal and it can honestly say I had the best meal I have had in a good while. Mackerel starter was to die for ! Service was also very polite and attentive. It's a ten from me ❤️😁😁

We had the most splendid Sunday lunch at The Higher Buck in Waddington. It is a superbly appointed and brilliantly run gadtro pub / restaurant. Everything about the place is first class and the menu and specials board makes choosing a real challenge! Highlights were...

We had great friendly service and super specials menu. I had fish soup and my wife had crab special to start which was extremely tasty. For main I had the steak and ale suet pudding which I would certainly have on next visit. My wife...

Amazing, cheese soufffle light and hot, fish soup one of the best ever, queen scallops small portion, but well cooked, sunday lunch beef and chicken perfect cant fault

We visited for Sunday lunch- our first visit and certainly not the last. Every aspect of our visit was splendid. Food was delicious and drinks were varied and reasonably priced. The beer options included’No Eyed Deer’ which was a humorous talking point as well as...

Unfortunately not all of our party were happy with their meal , three of us had roast beef which was lovely , all of us said it was very well cooked and tasty , but one of our party who had fish and chips was...

Stayed overnight. Room was good, clean and beds were comfy. We found the room very dark though. Breakfast was lovely but we had to keep asking for things. We were a table of 7.

Nice place. Lunch OK. Staff good. But £17 for frozen fish & chips is a joke. Should be half the price. Expected better quality for paying that much (our fault). Been to a few James's places but that's our last.

Exceptional from beginning to end. Becca, the Front of House could not be more welcoming and attentive. The food was exquisite, we didn’t want it to end. The atmosphere is just lovely. Highly recommend.

Booked a last minute table for a Friday evening and so glad we did! We were given a warm welcome by the FOH staff, seated straight away and had our drinks order taken. We ordered the crab arancini to share (exceptional!) and both devoured the...

Have been before. Atmosphere and ambiance good. Food was delicious and a varied unusual menu. Good wine menu

Our first visit to the Higher Buck. Very welcoming staff, nice and friendly/chatty. We were shown our table and asked if we wanted to order drinks, which we did. It was getting quite busy but we didn't have long to wait for our food, which...

We had an overnight stay and the room & facilities were excellent. Had dinner and was fantastic! Staff very helpful. This place is a real find and will return.

We went for lunch while staying in the village. We were shown to a table by a very pleasant lady who took our drinks order and then our food order. My husband ordered fish and chips and I had steak and Mushroom pie. The portions...

I cannot comment on anything other than their rudeness in turning away those of us on a 12 mile charity walk for the local Hospice who called in for a drink. There were four (friendly) people sat at a table inside who sheepishly warned us...

Visited yesterday found staff to be extremely rude to walkers who were on a chaity walk for the local hospice. If that's how they treat people I'll spend my money else where

Called in for lunch not booked and directed to a table straight away. Great service throughout considering they were very busy. Good beer, excellent tempura battered haddock, very tasty and meaty burger, two great pudds, chocolate 3 ways and cardamom rice pudding. Excellent value for...

Great setting, having had an hour or so in clitheroe beforehand, a 10min drive to Waddington, Higher buck was easy to find. Good car park available. Greeted as we arrived and seated at table, lunch is 12-2 so we'd booked a table for 12.30 I...

Decided to comeback here after a 3 year period and what a change ! There must be a new management in place. The place was absolutely heaving and had a tremendous ambiance,all the staff were welcoming and courteous,the decor and furnishings are welcoming and warm,...

I stayed here for 2 nights whilst down in England for a wedding and it was a fantastic place to stay!! The room was beautiful, staff so friendly, and the breakfast was delicious!! Would definitely recommend

Truly outstanding pub with the most innvative menu you have ever seen! The specials board is something to behold. We've eaten here before on a previous trip to Cltheroe so we booked ahead. Wise move... If you fancy this place pre-book a table online. Easy...

Popped in with some friends for a drink and found the menu too tempting so asked for an evening table. Rebecca managed to squeeze us in and provided excellent service and hosting when we returned. Food was lovely. We will definitely return and maybe book...

We stayed as a large family group- some of whom were quite elderly (90+). The visit was enjoyed by all. The food was delicious, met the needs of a diverse group and all freshly made from bread to a range of high quality main courses....

First time at The Higher Buck and will be the first of many. Fantastic car park with direct access into the pub and dogs allowed. The staff are so welcoming and treat you as individuals even though was busy. The food was outstanding as was...

Just passing by looking for somewhere for dinner. Wasn’t expecting such quality! Great food for great prices, lots of drink to choose from, it’s not the most relevant but i’ve never seen such immaculate toilets! Great, friendly staff! Shame we were just passing through, would...

My husband & I had a few days away and stayed near this pub. We ate there 2 nights and have to say it was absolutely faultless. Food is delicious, service spot on & place is so clean & fresh. Also dog friendly which is...

A wonderful experience on our 1st visit to Higher Buck. Set in the village of Waddington just 4 miles north of Clitheroe. Lovely warm welcome, lovely table with plenty of space and we noticed imm all tables were well spaced. Great specials menu plus a...

We booked late but were still accommodated. Greeted by friendly staff. The food choices were just brilliant and we all found so many things we wanted to eat it was hard to choose. In the end we had a portion of crab arrancini which was...

Visited in January as a group of 4 people. The food was great and the service was excellent too. We booked ahead and really liked that the reservation was for 2 1/2 hours, so we never felt rushed. It was a lovely setting for a...

First time visit, great menu choices, especially the specials board. Good friendly service and great to see a full pub of diners.

Everything about this place is perfect ... always a great welcome Cosy Warm .. and beaufiful Great menu .. very hard to choose what to try Everything served beautifully and taste Fantastic We would highly recommend .. and will be seeing you all again soon

Visited today for Sunday Lunch. It was our 4th visit here and worth the 1 hour drive as the food is in a different league to similar establishments near me. I would go as far as to say the quality of the food rivals the...

Food was great but service was pushy and a let down. Sadly we arrived 40 minutes late due to a taxi not turning up. (We informed the restaurant but it was clear we were not in favour for this situation which was out of our...

As good as ever - the food is brilliant, the service is fantastic and it's totally unpretentious. The mussel sauce which came with the hake is a thing of beauty.

We live in the village but don’t often come here as we don’t really pass, we came yesterday for lunch after a walk purely to get out of the rain.. I cannot recommend it highly enough, lovely welcome, staff were brilliant, I can honestly say...

I enjoyed two outstanding meals and very good beer at this welcoming pub. The char-grilled pork ribeye with sage and onion butter and dauphinoise potatoes was to die for. Excellent hospitable service too. Wish I lived closer!

I booked this for a special birthday and I am so glad I chose this place. The drive through the quaint village of Waddington was a lovely start. We parked in the ample car park and settled in for a treat. A good range of...

We travel 120miles round trip to eat here, and never feel disappointed. We had not booked a table and arrived at an almost full restaurant. Luckily there was one table left. The lady who waited at our table was just lovely, explaining and advising us...

Amazing food, bex the manager was amazing along with Gail, so attentive and looked after us so well . Food amazing, will

Attending a wedding nearby and needed an early check in; no problem . We received a lovely, warm welcome and shown to ‘The Cottage ‘ which is a lovely room next door to the pub . Both lunch and the breakfast we had were delicious....

The Higher Buck has a lovely atmosphere and a quaint countryside charm about it! The food was delicious - we only had a main course but these dishes were ample and we just didn’t have room for dessert! The restaurant was pretty full - a...

Booked a table x 4 to meet family for lunch and stayed over rather than drive home. The food was delicious; the “Kick Ass Cheese Soufflé” and fish soup were superb followed by fish pie, steak and ale pudding and their very own Asian fusion...

10 of us went for Sunday lunch for my wife’s birthday. Really, really l, really good food, lovely atmosphere. There aren’t many better places than this

Had the most wonderful meal here yesterday. From the delicious steak pudding to the home made ice cream all served by the friendliest and most attentive staff. We will be back.

We had our evening meal at The Higher Buck tonight (Tuesday 27th September) . Wow , what amazing amazing food , service and atmosphere. Couldn’t feel any more welcome accompanied with the most fantastic food . We both had the Duck and Chorizo Salad to...

We stayed here because we were going to a wedding nearby. The room was clean and nicely decorated but VERY DARK. The lights were dim and the windows, although large, didn’t seem to let a lot of light in. Even with every lamp on the...

We have reviewed here before after two fab visits - unfortunately the sunday roast we had yesterday was disappointing. Tepid cauliflower cheese(spoonful) half a roasted carrot and half a parsnip and 3 roast spuds that were very plain and seemed like they had been cooked...

We stayed her for 4 days. The room was excellent, service superb and food extremely good. It is a very friendly and very efficiently run restaurant with room and pub for a casu7la drink. The staff are all so pleasant and extremely helpful. Breakfast superb...

Stayed here for 1 night as we were at a wedding in Hobbit Hill around 15 mins away. The pub/Inn is lovely very cosy and really clean. Our room was spacious and had a lovely big bathroom with a free standing bath. The bed was...

I've reviewed this place before in the past but I need to update it because I cannot even begin to describe how amazing the Sunday Roast Beef dinner is. It's usually on the specials menu on Sunday. I actually dream about it. If you choose...

Booked the day before on the off chance for Saturday lunchtime. The specials offered a great variety of choices. I had the pea & mint soup, main course was fish pie, piping hot and so flavourful, wonderful. Quite at 12.15 on the 6th of this...

Fabulous food….. second visit in quick succession and the food is bloomin lovely! Not cheap but you get what you pay for and it was all delicious. Lovely atmosphere and decor in the bar / restaurant and we have decided we need many more visits...

As two couples we go for a meal every 4 or 5 week. We went to HB at the end of July and the food was phenomenal. Best meal we have all had in ages. The staff were very friendly and we will be going...

Could not recommend this highly enough - food is excellent, pub is beautiful and the staff are all very welcoming and professional

Pleasant atmosphere and attentive staff. Our courses were very tasty and there was even attention to detail in the flavour and presentation of the vegetables. We commented that it was the best meal out we've had in a long time

Booked a table of 3 for lunch.An enjoyable meal,was quiet to begin with but did get busy. We ordered burgers and the steak pudding.The food was well presented hot and tasty. The staff were pleasant and helpful. Would certainly return and would be best to...

First visit to The Higher Buck and the 5 star reviews are well deserved. The Scottish Mussel ‘hot pot’ starter from the specials board was outstanding as were the Salt & Pepper Prawns. For main the Roast Beef dinner was lovely, melt in your mouth...

Our 4th visit to this wonderful restaurant based in the beautiful village of Waddington. Can't fault it. Everything from the staff, atmosphere and delicious food is well worth our drive over from Manchester. Will definitely be back. Marion & Dave

Can't fault this place. Dog friendly, tables well spaced out. Always receive a warm welcome. The specials board is always tremendous. There's a lot of love and pride put into each dish and it's a big thumbs up from us.

Lovely place, first time we've been since moving to the area during lockdown. Nice, quite little pub, serving a good standard of food, will definitely be back.

We took our children for Sunday lunch, their first visit, we have been many times. Whole Dover Sole from the specials board, not cheap, was not good, the flesh was jellyfied and not very tasty like a piece of water bathed fish. My roast belly...

The Higher Buck has been one of our restaurants of choice since we moved to Clitheroe but I'm no longer as sure about it as I once was. A lot of the positives are still there: a great space in which to eat, the daily...

We had a lovely meal at the Higher Buck. Service was friendly and attentive, for our starters we had the Duck Salad and Scallops, then Beef Wellington and Seabass , and to finish creme brûlée and frangipani tart. All the food was very good except...

We called in for a meal early evening, and were quickly seated. The service was very good as usual and a good choice of drinks quickly arrived. The food was rather slow and although acceptable not quite as high a standard as on previous visits....

This is our 2nd visit and it was amazing The food is 1st class and can't fault anything The beef Wellington was delicious the chocolate bar and the rhubarb cheesecake were fabulous!

I’m struggling to write such a negative review because I always try to see the best in restaurants given current impacts on staffing etc. However our meal was terrible. We were a table of four and we had a £100 voucher gifted by family. Our...

Can't fault this place. Belting atmosphere, delicious food, dog friendly, it ticks every box. There's always a decent specials board too, the only drawback is narrowing down the choices. Highly recommended.

Would highly recommend this bar and Gastro Pub so book in advance as its always very busy. Sit outside for Lunch/drinks when its warm or have a beer looking out on to the Village they have very comfy outdoor seating area its on the street...

We were well received on arrival, the IPA was excellent as was the specialty Gin & Tonics. The menu choices were interesting and all the food was well cooked and flavoursome. The service was very good and the charge for the 4 of us was...

The service is lovely, it’s such a warm and welcoming place! Even if just for a drink or cup of tea! Food here is always top notch… amazing quality and presented so nicely! Nothing is too much! Toilets are also super clean which I find...

What an excellent establishment. The service was wonderful, second only to the fabulous food. We shared the fish plank to start and you could tell a lot of thought had gone into it and the accompanying pickled vegetables were delightful. Specials board was one of...

We have been visiting for many years and it’s our favourite by far. Sunday lunch is amazing. We always compare the offering against other venues we visit and it’s never beaten. The rooms if your planning to stay are very well appointed and the welcome...

Our first visit and will be definitely back. Service amazing, food amazing and thank you for making us feel welcome 😀 the food was excellent, truly amazing 👏

Lovely place. Very efficient and friendly service. Quality wine by the glass and the food was immaculate. As a cynical old git I’m usually able to find something to whinge about. Not here.

Stayed as a party of 8 lads. excellent staff, good food. Couldnt believe how cheap the weekend was when we came to pay the final bill. Not as much of a drinking pub as the other two in the village but we were looked after...

Top bar/hotel the bar was clean tidy and very presentable with quick friendly attentive staff. Since covid the seating areas have been converted into booths which I think adds to the personal experience when with friends. Outside there is plenty of parking and access is...