The Jolly Tar Hannington in Swindon

A great local pub. The welcome was friendly and the food was fabulous. What more could you ask for? I would recommend this clean and comfortable Inn if you are in the area.

A good quality and pleasant country pub serving a high standard of food you would expect from such an establishment. Good service, selection on the menu is good and overall execution of the dishes was positive also. Would be unfair for me to remove starts for this but personally would like to see them remove the pictures of fox hunts from the walls. Personally disagree with hunting and don't want to look at images of those enjoying it whilst I'm eating my food. It would actually put me off going again, which is a shame because it's a good place for lunch.

On a quiet Saturday night I had a melt in the mouth 16oz rump with some fine Arkells beer, my wife had a great burger. Clean, friendly country pub with great service. Not the quickest in serving food but when it’s this good it’s worth the wait.

Lovely country pub with great food and a warm and friendly atmosphere. Can’t recommend enough. Great freshly prepared food.

Credit where credit is due, fabulous Sunday roast, generous portions, beautiful meat and sensibly priced we were very happy customers . Will definitely return and recommend .

Enjoyed a really delicious lunch at The Jolly Tarr in Hannington. They have a good lunch menu ranging from sandwiches to proper mains. We ordered the cajun fish finger and the chicken & bacon ciabatta’s which both came with fries and we got a steaming hot pot of tea. I would have taken a picture but it was all so nice I didn’t get a chance to! The fish finger was a lovely piece of fresh fish with a crunchy cajun coating and a really nice slaw & salad and the other sandwich had a chicken breast in with the bacon, tomato and lettuce and they were both in lovely ciabatta toasted buns. Yummy! The staff are friendly, there is lots of parking and they have a nice outside seating area for the summer. Definitely worth stopping here for a spot of lunch and if it looks closed from the outside do check as the lighting isn’t so bright and when we first passed it looked closed. So glad we double checked!

Meet some friends for pre-Christmas supper. Food was excellent and good value, would recommend the mulled wine. See you again soon.

We visited this lovely looking pub for a works Christmas do in early December. Generally the food was good, however, my steak that was supposed to be medium cooked was well done. Much worse, two of the steaks served were virtually inedible as they were so overcooked. About three-quarters of each was left, but this failed to elicit comment from the waiting staff. This utter lack of attention to detail, both in cooking and in service, means I shall not be returning.

Lovely setting in Hannington. The pub interior really nice. We arrived about 5 mins late for our 1:30 booking. It took the best part of an hour for our mains to arrive (no starters) which was very disappointing. The reason given was that the chicken breast roast that had been ordered by 2 out of 4 of us needed to be cooked to order but I’m fairly sure that doesn’t take an hour! I had the lamb, meat was excellent and generous portion, roast potatoes decent, but the rest of the veg was unimaginative and rather dull. Tbh I was expecting a much better offering for the price. We overheard another table asking if their dessert order had been forgotten so we didn’t risk a lengthy wait for a pudding.

Came here for a Friday afternoon birthday meal and what a place. Absolutely lovely setting, staff all very welcoming and the food was all sublime. Our group had garlic prawns and mushrooms to start and then ribs, steak pie, crab and tartiflette for main. Every meal was excellent and portions generous. We will def be back to sample more of the menu 👍

Expensive, over an hour wait for food, not over busy When food came it was over cooked very basic , bulked out with loads of salad Very disappointing way to spend £82 !!!

Its been a while since we dined at the Jolly Tar what with lockdowns and all until a neighbour suggested we join her and her friend one Saturday evening for dinner. So glad we did, it was all we remembered and more. The friend had to be very careful to avoid glutens, the staff and kitchen could not have been more helpful or accommodating. The Pub is rightly famous for its steaks but we ordered the equally mouth watering crab, fish and chicken options followed by some frankly decadently delicious deserts! The service was spot on from the charming, timely, polite, helpful, efficient smiling staff who well deserved their tip I'm not saying what it all cost other than that too was a pleasant surprise. All in all we couldn't think of a nicer way to spend an evening. Thank you

One of my favourite restaurants, food is incredible! We particularly love going in the summer as their outside area is so pretty. Whenever we have family visiting from outside the area we always bring them here as everything on the menu is so nice, my favourite is the ribs. Have a nice little park area for kids and staff always nice and friendly.

Really tasty food very well cooked - gorgeous location , great service. Highly recommend Looking forward to going back

We booked a table for 4 at 6.45 on Saturday 3rd September and was so very disappointed. The starter took three quarters of an hour and mine was inedible it was prawns with Marie Rose sauce which had so much chilli i couldn’t eat it. We sat patiently for our mains which never arrived so that by 8.15 we decided that it was best to go home. We duly paid our bill for the drinks and left. This restaurant was recommended but I would never go again and never recommend it to anyone.

Came across it driving away from our hotel, Decided to have a snack lunch. So much choice, Wonderful area, pleasant surroundings, very peaceful. Staff friendly & helpful. Food delicious. Went back a second day & was not disappointed. Great Service, food arrived in good time. Very hot, tasty, plenty of choice.

The food is really good - the team are helpful, all be it, a little slow, especially as not always very busy. One time we booked a table by the fire and was told we couldn't have it as the locals were coming in. Once i had showed the email they did change it. Anyway all in all its worth a visit as the food is very nice.

What a pleasant place for Sunday lunch. The portions were generous as was the veg. Everything cooked to perfection. The pudding looked inviting but my eyes were bigger than my belly. Drinks were fine not overpriced. Staff/ the ladies waiting table were delightful. An open fire added to the ambiance. The facilities were clean and well kept. I thoroughly recommend this establishment. Ample parking.

I visited the Jolly Tar in Jan 22 with a group of friends. We really like the setting - the venue had a nice log fire, and we enjoyed the food. A good evening. Would return!

Love this place for a nice relaxed lunch. Landlord and landlady very welcoming and friendly along with the locals.

Visited on a busy Sunday lunchtime, sat outside in the patio area as weather good, had reserved a table in snug bar due to bringing a dog but no problem to swap seating arrangements. Ordered French tartiflette and my friend had roast lamb. We were told that would take longer as ordering from special menu rather than both opting for roast. Not a problem but took 1 hour and 20 minutes to arrive. Couple on table next to us queried when their meal was arriving as it had taken so long and they just had roast dinners.French tartiflette with side salad was basically a dish of dauphinoise potatoes with some mixed leaves and cherry tomatoes, not as advertised on the menu and very salty. At nearly £14 it was terrible and I did refuse to pay for it as I couldn't eat it. I did ask if the manager wanted to discuss it with me but he didn't. Shame because I had some very constructive criticism to offer.Lovely pub, lovely setting but let down by service and food

The terrace at the back of the pub was a great setting for an evening meal - plenty of space and loads of flowers in tubs make it a really good setting.We shared two starters between three. The wings were very good, as were the garlic king prawns, though just four of these seemed a bit stingy, and they were fiddly shell-on when hot and buttery.Crab salad, filet steak and burger mains were all very good. My burger was too tall to eat as a sandwich, but delicious, with good skin-on fries - and very filling. Altogether a really good meal.Three niggles, though on the service front. I was surprised to be told they only had one bitter on tap - Arkell's 3Bs, which is okay but not thrilling. I can't say I've ever been to a pub with only one bitter.As mentioned elsewhere, service was slow. The starters took 45 minutes and the mains another half hour.Finally, there was a rather iffy bit of upselling. The waiter asked the person with a filet steak 'What sauce would you like with that?' The resultant peppercorn sauce was actually more pepper sauce - no obvious peppercorns but very strong pepper flavour. But the issue was we were then charged £3.50 for it. It was priced on the menu, but 'What sauce would you like with that?' implied it was thrown in with the £27.50 steak - distinctly misleading.Good food, then, and a pleasant location, but could do with a little work on customer service.

Nice building and good location with large garden and play area, it’s just the landlord that lets the place down, he still makes comments about customers when they leave and is very full of himself, which Is strange because he doesn’t really have a pub that is achieving its full potential and his cooking is quite average.

Visited shortly after the beginning of lockdown restrictions. Three waiting staff for two separate areas, with a car park inbetween. Food arrived 1 hour and 20 minutes after we sat down. No apology or explanation. Food was excellent but didn't stay for a sweet as we didn't want to wait another hour! Won't be visiting again. Sorry.

Visited this pub probably a couple of times a year for about 30 years. Always welcoming, and the food has always been great.Thoroughly enjoyed our meals today, apart from the noise from a large family with very loud children, but not the pubs fault!Do find it a little pricey, but love the feel of the pub, and the village.Highly recommend this pub.

As a regular to the Jolly Tar it was great to be back post lockdown with the family enjoying what is, for us, the best pub food. Big thank you to Steve and Leigh for making the Jolly Tar feel safe whilst as welcoming as ever in the 'new normal'.Great food and ambience as ever. Fully deserving of each of the 5 stars!

Another lovely evening at The Jolly Tar. Perfect food and very friendly staff. We will be back soon!!

Asked whether beef and lamb was well done as always been done before so declined and went with the pork which was fair

Stopped off for a spot of lunch. We were very impressed with the service and the food was amazing. Pie and burger highly recommended. Lovely log fire. Will definitely be returning.

We booked for Sunday lunch at 1pm having been unable to secure a table at our preferred time of 12.30pm. I'm not sure why as the table was waiting empty for us and lunch didn't start until 12 o'clock. We were hungry when we arrived so ordered 2 lamb and 2 beef roasts at the bar straight away along with our drinks. After a long 50 minute wait our food finally arrived. It would have been nice if the staff had explained the wait time just so we knew what to expect as we may have ordered starters to keep us going if we'd known. The beef was good, nicely cooked but the lamb whilst tasty was tough. Unfortunately the staff spent more time on their phones behind the bar than looking after their guests so when we wanted more drinks we had to go back to the bar to order them. At no time were we asked if we were happy with the food.We also had to approach the bar to ask for the bill as the staff weren't paying attention. Overall the food was reasonable value and generally good but the lack of attentiveness from the two girls behind the bar made the experience less than ideal.I imagine this is a lovely pub in the summer with lots of plant filled pots and seating outside and a play area that our 6 yr old enjoyed too.If the service improved I'd happily return.

Been to the Jolly Tar numerous times and the food is always good. Menu varied and a bit different a great place for a family get together Or a quite meal out for two. Near enough for us to pop in for a cold pint after a bike ride and enjoy a warm welcome.

I have eaten twice at this pub and both times the food was great. The service, my god it's poor. The young tall lad try his best behind the bar but the 2 waitresses. Never interact unless delivering meals, normally after we have asked again for service because we had been waiting while they just breezed by ignoring us. Misrable faces and all. I think the parents are in the kitchen but never been seen outside the kitchen. So obviously no management of staff. As I say great food if you like waiting 30mins per course

We walked a few miles on a Saturday afternoon (with our two small dogs) to get to the Jolly Tar, intending to have a few pints and a bite to eat. We arrived in time for the advertised opening time (6pm) only to find the pub in total darkness and a couple of other customers driving away (not understanding why there were no signs of life from within).We sat in the back garden and waited, even persuading the other couple of customers to hang fire. Eventually the lights came on and we went to the front of the pub to go in, opting to use the bar entrance on the left, only to find this locked.So we opened the door on the right hand side, entering the lounge bar and restaurant. Whilst I went to put my coat on the back of a chair, my companions were bluntly told 'you can't come in here with dogs', you have to go on the other side (which had been locked). No warm welcome, no good evening, nothing even remotely approaching hospitality skills.So we went the other side of the pub only to be completely blanked by the Chef, who had walked past us twice whilst we were waiting outside, without saying a word. After a few minutes the rude barman (landlord?) came to serve us, by which stage we decided we'd had enough and left (prompting the barman to turn the lights off behind us as we walked out). Walking a few yards away from the pub I decided I really needed to go back in and express my disappointment with the welcome (or lack of it) and with the way my companions had been spoken to when arriving. But instead of being offered an apology for getting off on the wrong foot (which we might have accepted), the chap elected to defend his behaviour by telling me how rude we'd been by coming in the lounge bar with dogs. He also explained away the reason the Chef didn't acknowledge us by saying 'that's because she's just the Chef'!The arrogance and complete lack of hospitality here is astonishing. They really do not have a clue and I have no idea why he/they are in the service industry at all. This is a beautiful country pub in a nice location. I can only imagine he doesn't need the money. Retirement beckons perhaps.We left and walked to the Freke arms where the welcome and service (for us and the dogs) was at the other end of the scale.Overall, it's not often I'd write a review without eating the food but this isn't the first time we'd been to the Jolly Tar. Sadly, it will be the last time under this stewardship and I can only recommend you go somewhere where you are made to feel welcome and your spend is appreciated.

Had a great meal, all freshly cooked which is why it is not instant! The lobster, steaks and caesar salads are delicious and also recommend the cranberry, blue cheese and walnut salad to which I added the skewers of garlic prawns, very tasty!! Well worth the visit, we shall be back!

Good food but such a shame about the slow service and miserable staff. I don’t know if it was the landlord behind the bar but no acknowledgement or friendly farewell which is so often received in other village pubs. Won’t be going back there that’s for sure

We hadn't been to the Jolly Tar for several months having moved from the area and we were pleased to have made the short journey. The food and drink were as good as ever and we had a most enjoyable evening being looked after by Steve, Leigh & the crew. Excellent!

My first trip to,the jolly tar and wasn’t disappointed. The landlord and staff very friendly and the burger I ordered very enjoyable served with chips and homemade slaw. Nice rear garden with lots of well maintained plants. Thanks

Visited this pub in the tiny village of Hannington (pop. 250) on a Saturday lunchtime. It’s a lovely looking pub (converted from an 18th century farmhouse in 1855) with two cosy bars and large, light conservatory at the rear. There’s also a decent sized, family-friendly garden at the back and a large carpark. On our visit the staff were friendly and the food was good. We’d certainly return.

We have been here many times over many years and within a 50 mile radius this is in the top 3 of roast dinners from any pub/restaurant and we have tried a large number! fluffy hot potatoes, quality veg, extra gravy and good sized portions. also the sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream is the best in the country!!!! May it never be removed from the menu.

Quaint, family-owned and operated 500 year old (est.) pub that produces delicious steaks and BY FAR the best desserts we experienced throughout southern England; including London. Owner's were delightful; a wonderful experience for us all. Definitely worth going out of your way for.

Always great food and good service. Lovely atmosphere with the fab real fire not a huge place so lovely for couples or small groups. Great bar.

We have eaten at the JT many times, we recently went for lunch for my mother’s 91st birthday, how disappointing. The service was painfully slow, 45 minutes to get our main course, my husband and I both had the Cajun chicken and it was very spicy in a strong and salty way, not pleasant. Pudding was sticky toffee pudding, my mother’s favourite, it took 20 minutes to arrive and was just tepid.

The building is pleasant the food is ok but the landlord acts like you should thank him for allowing you to spend your money there. He is very unprofessional and makes comments about customers.

A nice warm fire kept the bar warm when we visited for tea. Not the biggest selection of drinks but all very well kept and tasty. The menu is minimal but well presented, home made pie very good. will visit again..

Visited this evening for a celebratory meal. I can’t honestly say we had the best fillet steak I have ever had, and I have eaten in some very high end restaurants, this is definitely up there with them. The staff were all very friendly and accommodating and could not reccomend highly enough - thank you

Stayed here for 1 night, room a converted stable and was beautifully decorated and warm and inviting. I was greeted with a warm welcoming smile by the owner who explained everything clearly. Later i went tp the bar and the owner took time to talk to me abput the history of the village which was very interesting.

We arrived here to what could only be called rubbish. Having been here many times before the place was almost empty ( one other couple) even so they did not welcome us, we felt as if we were intruding ! The gentleman serving was very rude, ignoring us most of the time and turning away when we spoke to him.The food was very average but the service was awful. A great shame as it is a very pretty pub.

I looked on their webpage (seen that the restaurant was closed as the landlord was on holiday) I arranged to meet some friends at the Jolly Tar for a few pints; we arrived and found it closed. It said on the webpage that the bar would be open.

We popped in for lunch with the grandparents and wish we had stayed at home. We were greeted (actually not greeted at all) with the coldest and most miserable of receptions through-out our visit.

Went here yesterday for my birthday with my husband and 3 daughters and we had a lovely meal in fact the best meal in such a long time. Food was great and all the staff were very friendly and helpful.

Fortunate to have been able to get a table today after dropping in on the off chance. The roasts were very good servings with varied veg and extra gravy. A definite place to try again in future.

We eat here regularly for dinner, excellent food all the time. Would highly recommend, lovely quiet environment. They do a gorgeous steak too. Friendly staf, owners are fab

Popped in this week for dinner. Wife's birthday, have never been to this pub before and fancies a change from the usual haunts. Pre-booked a table for 3 people using their website a few days before. The website is a good starting point as it shows the menu - we already knew what we'd be ordering! We took the 15 minute drive over and parked in the huge, off road free carpark. The pub is in a lovely location and very well presented in an out. Went into the bar and was greeted by a friendly chap. He asked where we'd like to sit, inside, outside or conservatory. We chose the conservatory - it's a nice sun trap and less bugs than sitting out on the terrace with all the beautiful plants. There are also a selection of rooms should you choose to stay the night. We ordered some drinks that were reasonably priced and sat about chatting and perusing the menu to confirm our choices. Along with our starters (skewered prawns, wild mushroom on toast, chilli squid and some artisan bread with olive oil / balsamic, Steak was the order of the day, flat iron for me, ribeye for the wife and #1 son went for cajun chicken. All of the food arrived promptly. It was hot and well presented. Starters were pleasant and I was a big fan of the artisan bread. Soon the mains came - steaks were large and came on their own plate (i say 'plate' - more of a wooden chopping board style). Cooked as requested, rare and mid-rare. We began tucking in. the Ribeye was quite fatty and the flat iron was probably about a 3rd gristle - I spent a lot of time chewing but then removing it into a serviette! #1 son enjoyed his cajun chicken. To be honest, we were in a nice environment, staff were friendly, helpful, efficient and un-obtrusive - we weren't asked every five minutes how the meal was. We just found our menu choices a little underwhelming, especially at £25 per steak. I guess we had read the reviews, built up an impression and felt a bit let down. OK, I accept that looking at a piece of raw meat you can't tell whether it will be gristly, fatty or whatever until you've cooked it and the customer starts tucking in. There were other diners there who were enjoying their meals and I didn't hear any complaints. The reviews on this site speak for themselves, but based on my own, personal experience I wasn't that impressed. I would come again, there are plenty of other menu choices. On paying the £115 bill, I did mention to the young chap serving (not the chap I spoke with when we first arrived) that the steaks weren't great, mostly gristle and he just kind of said 'oh' and scurried off to get my receipt.

Lovely country pub, great atmosphere, great terrace and garden for eating outside. Lots of choice on the menu, couple our party had steaks - said best they'd had! Great value for money and service - highly recommend.

Great food, good beer, friendly staff, comfortable accommodation and reasonably priced. All surrounded by beautiful countryside. What's not to like!

The pub itself was set out beautifully and so relaxing with its outside veranda, the owners and staff were lovely and very accommodating. There is a large garden area away from the rear of the pub with tables and a child’s playing area where I could sit and read my book in peace.

We have been here a few times now and Sunday lunches are delicious. Would recommend booking. Really good size meals. Friendly and helpful staff. A good price. We will come back again.

Visited for lunch on the 1st May bank holiday. Only 1 person serving behind the bar and in the kitchen, although they did their best to ensure everyone didn't wait too long. Service was very friendly, food was good and prices reasonable. We plan to visit again for lunch.

All right ...in the.middle of the week the atmosphere can be relaxed. But the service was a bit slow In addition the quality and the quantity of the food( burger, pie, chips)was average Nothing particularly good nothing particularly bad

Found this pub online after a nearby place was unable to accommodate us for Sunday lunch - result! My wife, my 92 year-old godfather and I had a great meal - good portions and very tasty.

Had a family Sunday Dinner at the Jolly Tar and the food and Service was great. I had beef and although perhaps a little overdone, was tender and very tasty. my daughter had the roast pork and she said it was perfect. Deserts are good as were the starters. I am a custard man so the omission of this option from the dessert menu was a little disappointing. However, no problem going again.

Ate here on a friday lunchtime, and were the only people in. However got a lovely meal and were very happy!

Visited for lunch today, very welcoming and superb food - Not been for years as it went though a period of not being that good - but after today will definitely be back!

We turned up at around 1.45pm on Sunday without a booking just on the offchance. We were half expecting to be told we were too late or there were no spare tables.

Made a short notice decision to come here one Sunday lunchtime. Expected it to be busy as it warm sunny day but was pleasantly surprised. There is a lovely large beer garden with some play equipment out the back. Also a patio area where you...

¡Qué gran manera para recorrer la campiña inglesa! Pub campo clásico renovado con buen gusto, conserva el carácter, un magnífico alojamiento en graneros ingeniosamente transformado. Menú superior y gran terraza para cenar al aire libre en verano. Fantásticos anfitriones, relajado y divertido!

Nos encanta este lugar. La comida es excelente y a un precio razonable. Hay un jardín de la cerveza en el verano y chimeneas dentro durante el invierno. Sólo recomendaciones es que algunos de los camareros podrían hacer con un poco de entrenamiento - una...

Me alojé en el Jolly Tar en un viaje de negocios a un cliente en el centro de Swindon. Me alojo en un montón de lugares y ser en todo el Reino Unido y no puedo recomendar el Jolly Tar lo suficiente. Las habitaciones son...

La comida era excelente. El servicio era pésimo. No entiendo a la gente que diga el personal fue bueno. En un ambiente absolutamente no tan encantador. pub El personal era de robots y miserables. Esto debe ser reportado a Arkells como Este pub tiene que...

One of the best steaks I've had in Swindon!! My friend had the Sea Bass and that was cooked perfectly too. Lovely garden at the back to make the most of summer evenings. Need to book for weekends and be prepared to wait for your food but it's worth waiting for!!

My Brother-in-Law took my wife and me out to Sunday Lunch at the Jolly Tar by way of a "thank you".He knows the area well and was very complimentary about his many previous visits.The Pub was full- always a good sign!Friendly young staff were attentive and efficient. The landlord clearly enjoyed seeing his guests having a good time. Many of them appeared to be local.The food was excellent, with generous servings of meat and an equally generous, varied, selection of vegetables.The loos were in an adjacent stable block- perhaps a slight disadvantage in inclement weather- but they were modern, tastefully appointed and spotless.The pub offered very good value for money.We shall certainly visit again!

We regularly visit The Jolly Tar and are never disappointed.The owners and staff are always welcoming, the interior is cosy with an open fire and the food is freshly cooked to order.Having read the previous reviews, I think it's important to say if you want an extensive menu of frozen and microwaved food, this isn't the place for you. If the pub is busy you may have to wait a while but that's because the food is being prepared freshly for you and it is well worth waiting for- and if you want Sunday lunch you'll need to book in advance!The food is good quality with the meat sourced from a local butchers - the fillet and flat iron are favourites, and the menu also includes seasonal specials and pub standards like burgers and a homemade steak and ale pie.Children are also well catered for and if you need something a bit different just ask as they are always accommodating.Deserts are all amazing. I'm sure starters are too, we've just never managed three courses as the portions are so generous!

We hadn't visited the pub for many years as we no longer live in the area. The inside had certainly been upgraded but the original country pub feel was still there. Good!We ate in the back dining room which was pleasantly decorated. Staff were attentive but clearly unaware of the subtleties of good waiting. A bottle of Rioja was delivered to the table, opened, but without an offer to sample the wine. At £21 a bottle I expect to be asked to taste the wine and certainly have it poured for the guests. Chilli squid starters were tasty but slightly overcooked and quite dry. Camenbert starter was lovely, salads were fresh and tasty. The flat iron steak (served medium rare as directed by the waiter) was enormous. The steak was very tasty but for me too rare to enjoy fully. All in all the meal was enjoyable but not spectacular. The Arkells 3B was excellent.

Firstly a simple bit if advice to Manager or anyone working behind the bar. It's good manners and excellent customer service just to acknowledge that you have noticed new guests arriving at the bar. A simple 'Good Afternoon, I'll be right with you' goes a long way.Anyway back to my review. My wife and I wanted to find a nice, quiet, traditional, cosy proper English pub for our Sunday afternoon lunch. After reading reviews on Tripadvisor we decided to visit The Jolly Tar. Inside is really cosy, with a big open log fire, nice decor, furniture. This is all a shame because we didnt stay. The reason being is although there were two people serving at the bar, there was no hello, acknowledgment or anything to make us feel welcome. When I asked if there was another part to the pub, the young lad said 'yeah' you have to go outside and throught he other door.We just walked out. It amazes me the level of customer service we now have in this country. We won't be going back anytime soon.

We had driven past and thought this looked like a nice place to go, so finally we decided to give it a go. The visit turned out to be a real mixed bag, both good and bad so I have given average as the score.The décor is nice, a traditional pub with a big warm fireplace and beautiful wooden furniture. The interior is clean and spacious, with some nice decorations and the outside has a number of tables in a paved courtyard which would be full in summer most likely.We had come for dinner in Winter though so we sat inside and ordered camembert as a starter and two mains. It was about half an hour before the camembert turned up and what a sad mess it was. The camembert has been overcooked into liquid which dripped off the almost burnt bread instead of clinging on in nice gooey blobs, it ran off like soup. We were there for over an hour before our mains turned up, during which time the only other table to order before us complained their food was taking ages, as one starter after another came out in dribs and drabs. So our mains came out and to be fair the presentation was good, but the food itself was nothing special, it was like something I'd expect from a Little Chef or something similar. The only highpoint was the Pork chop - that was a nice bit of meat, cooked perfectly.Would I go back? For a drink maybe, but I don't have an hour and a half to waste on food I could have prepared to a similar standard myself in less time.

Stopped in on the way home from a weekend away. With one exception, the reviews looked good. Food was fantastic, roast beef and Yorkshire Pud, great selection of fresh veg. Kids insisted upon chicken nuggets, which were also well prepared and presented. Pudding was a step too far but went for it anyway, choc brownies, toffee apple pudding, proper country pub fayre. Good sized portions and delicious. Staff and service all fabulous. Would like to return and possibly stay a night or two.

We have eaten here many times and the food, service and ambience is always really good. The meat is sourced locally and every dish I've had has been superb. Puds to die for as well!

Friendly staff and well prepared food. As a group of 6 we all enjoyed our meals and the pleasant atmosphere. We could not book at the exact time we wanted but were accommodated within half an hour.

Met family in August. Husband said his pie was the best ever. I had the Cajun chicken, very good, very hot, did not need the bun. Arkells beer quite good. Very quiet this but still friendly efficient service.

New to the area and this place was recommended to us. Went with my 8month old daughter, husband and my mum. The food was fantastic and great value - £10.50 for a very good roast dinner. The pub itself is really nice, the staff couldn't have been more friendly and welcoming and they were very accommodating of daughter. Really pleased to have found this place and will definitely be going back!

a wonderful and warm atmosphere with a great menu and delicious home made food and a great wine selection

Went for a birthday meal with my partner and his family. The food was lovely, well presented, tasty and well portioned! It was very busy so that proves its popular!The only downside to the evening was the wait for the food and the lack of service when it came to ordering more drinks. We asked for water for the table and it never arrived, but that didn't stop us from enjoying the evening!All in all, an enjoyable evening with great food, drink and company!

The food is always superb (cajun chicken is a dream) and the service is excellent. Lovely pub which has a perfect conservatory and outside area for summer, and a cosy bar with roaring fire for the winter - can't fault this place. We always bring friends/family who stay with us here - best pub within a 20 mile radius of Swindon!

We visited The Jolly Tar on Wednesday 10th August, greeted with a nice warm welcome! The locals guided us to the right area of the pub as there is a separate bar, which is a great touch. We were shown to a table in quick time and given plenty of time to chose. The food tasted great, excellent value and the pub had a nice atmosphere. We Would definitely recommend this to anyone who is passing by.

We went to the Jolly Tar for dinner. The food was delicious! Perfectly cooked steaks sourced from the best butcher in Highworth, followed by the most scrumptious limoncello trifle! The bar has a good selection of beers and whiskies as well as obscure but delightful gins. Would recommend!

The Jolly Tar at Hannington is reasonably close for us, but we do drive past other pubs that offer food to reach it. The team provide a warm welcome & the food is excellent. We visit here as a couple as well as bringing family & friends. We would definitely recommend it.

dicht bij Swindon gelegen, in een rustig dorpje. enige pub in het dorp. zeer "jolly" uitbater: er wordt veel gelachen en gepraat, echt een prima sfeer. ruime parking en gazon met kinderspeelgoed. zeer lekker eten (lekker gerijpt vlees en zeker kaasschotel proberen!) en drinken. De omweg waard!!

We went for a family birthday and Sunday roast lunch - the Jolly Tar is a pleasant Pub set in the countryside with parking and a kids play area out the back - NB if travelling from Swindon don't get confused by thinking it is the Freke Arms (the road sign is a little confusing) - the Jolly Tar is about a mile further on. The staff were friendly and helpful in letting us set up a table with balloons and the cake we organised and the starters were served promptly. Main gripe is the main course took nearly an hour to arrive which was frustrating - it would be good to manage guests expectations if serving is going to take more than 15-20 mins in my opinion. The roast was also overcooked.

Cosy, friendly pub. The porkchop done with herbs in the oven is worth a trip on its own, in fact I have been back specifically for that. The flatiron steak is also very good.

Four of us went to the Jolly Tar for Sunday lunch and I will definitely not be going back! I cannot fault the waiting staff but the food was pretty awful. How you can go wrong with baked Camembert I don't know. Whenever I have ordered this in any pub/restaurant in the past it is baked in its own container but this one arrived in small dish with some dried pieces of bread and was very waterery - inedible. My companions choose roast lamb and beef which looked and tasted like it had been pre-boiled. The vegetables were very plain and when we asked for more parsnips we were told they only came together with other veg and it was not possible to have any individually.The desert came with cream from a squirty container, fine for kids but not for everyone. I think the chef? could do with some retraining perhaps.Someone is having a laugh but it wasn't me.

Date night with wife, lovely food Had the burger and deep fried Camembert starter, no room for the deserts maybe next time...

Came here as two couples for a meal as we had heard others saying how nice the food was, and we weren't disappointed. Three of us had steak of one kind or another and I had the steak and ale pie. All of us found the beef really tender and tasty. I find steak pies served in pubs to be an over salty beef stew with a piece of puff pastry on top but this was the real shortcrust pastry home made pie that was really lovely. The starter and the pudding was nice as well. There is a nice feel to this pub. I'm sorry I can't comment on the beer as we had wine. The staff were very helpful and not over pushy. One of us had a gluten intolerance and we were advised which food he could eat. Will be coming back soon!

Haven eaten here over the summer and being impressed with the food, I recommended we go with my family for Sunday lunch. We said to bring the children's dinners out whenever they were ready and not to wait for ours to be ready as they were hungry. The wait was ridiculous. We must've waited for an hour. We asked a couple of times to be told it wouldn't be long but the wait was far too long. Then the waiter spilt the gravy from one f the played all over the table! The food was fine, nothing to write home about. All in all a disappointing visit

My wife and I have been eating here for about 2 years and love it the food is always very very good ( cracking steak) the service is always very good and attentive remember that first Sunday of the month is quiz night! one of the few spots to get a good meal on a Sunday evening

Sunday lunch here as good as ever. Can't go far wrong if you want great food and good value - as well as always being gauranteed a warm welcome. Can get very busy on a Sunday so make sure you book either in the bar or the restaurant . Llooking forward to winter just to sit in front of the open fire and enjoy lunch and the relaxed atmosphere that this great local pub offers .

Lovely village pub, plenty of seating inside and out. The friendly and polite staff made you feel welcome. The food was great with plenty of choice, recommend the Brie and Pork

The food here was much better this visit than our last a couple of years ago. Both our meals were well cooked and tasty. The flatiron steak seemed on the expensive side, but was absolutely massive and tasted fantastic, so it was reasonable value. We will certainly return. Only one thing the brewery should think of when considering improvements to this upmarket pub - indoor toilets!

We had recently stopped off at The Jolly Tar to see if we wanted to book a table for lunch there (half way point for our visitors). Had a very friendly and cheerful reception from Steve. We ended up with lunch for six yesterday (26th July). Proved popular with all of us, excellent food, friendly, efficient staff, reasonable prices and nice surroundings.

The Jolly Tar is a lovely pub in the small village of Hannington. The food has moved in the gastro pub direction since I last visited and sadly didn't live up to expectations. A burger from grill was over cooked and my Vegetable Minestrone main was bland and unexciting. Sadly won't be returning again for food at least.

we have eaten here many times and have always enjoyed the food and friendly service we receive. This sunday we all had the roasts. Two for beef one had pork and one the lamb. Each meat was tender and very tasty. The portions were very generous with two large dishes of vegetables which we failed to finish. The desserts were lovely.All in all a really good fathers day meal.Well done to everyone at the jolly tar. john and lin