The Kestrel in Harrogate

Very sad really. Lovely setting, service was good, but the food has gone downhill pretty quickly. Some hot shot at the top needs replacing and sooner rather than later.

The Sunday lunch was average in terms of quality and quantity and at nearly £20 it was not cheap. Everything all piled up in a heap on the plate. The vegetarian option was particularly poor - it was small and had less vegetables with it than the meat version!! Service was inattentive albeit it was busy.

Four of us booked a table for 12.15pm, Our orders for drinks and food were taken within 10 minutes - one starter and four main dishes. The starter arrived after about 20 minutes. We then had a very long wait till we received our main courses - at about 1.15pm. We asked the waitress what had happened to our meals and were told that the kitchen staff were not given the orders for the table's main courses until 20 minutes after the starter had been served. She said this was 'the system'. We complained about this and another member of staff - a manager? - came and said the delay between starter and main course was 30 minutes and that the person taking our order initially should have told us about these time gaps. Nothing had been said at the time of ordering - had we known, one of our group would have foregone his starter! When we had finished our main courses - the food was fine - we were asked if we wanted any puddings. I asked what the time delay would be and was told 20 - more - minutes. We chose to skip this final wait, paid and left. Our part of the restaurant area was also rather chilly. We won't be going back.

Being regular visitors to the Kestrel we visited last night for a nice saturday evening meal. I asked the waitress what the specials were and was told what the soup was, the pie of the day was chicken and pancetta but there was only one left and then the pie would be beef. Unable to decide I asked again was she sure there were no specials, oh she said there is belly pork and mash! My husband ordered the fish and chips and I asked if it was possible to order the beef pie, she told me no that couldn't be ordered until the last chicken pie had been sold, which seems bizarre! I reluctantly ordered the Hunters chicken which when it arrived didn't look appetizing, there was a small amount of cheese on which was dried up, the bacon was so crispy it crumbled when cut into. My husbands fish was poor, the edges were very crispy and little fish, the middle was OK! When the waitress came to ask if everything was ok we said it wasn't up to the usual standard to which she pulled a face and said sorry!!! When we had finished she came and said did we want the dessert menu, the bill or another drink, which seemed a bit abrupt and as if we were being rushed. We said we would like more drinks and that we had a complimentary cocktail, I ordered as Mojito and was asked what flavour (strawberry, passion fruit or another). I said I didn't know you could get different flavours? Anyway ordered a passion fruit one, she came later and said she was sorry for the delay but they had to get margarita mix to make the mojito, I was even more confused by this as I understood mojito's contained bacardi, mint, sugar, lime and soda??? We got the impression that the staff were not of the usual standard and experience that we usually experience when visiting the Kestrel which is a couple of times a month.

The ambience of the place was lovely. The staff were attentative, and the food was extremely good. Wendy couldn't do enough for us even though the place was busy. The food was more than adequate belly pork delicious, as was the gravy. Lasagne well presented and full of flavour. Well done guys when we're next in the area, we will return.

The four of us had main courses and desserts. It was bookings only as short staffed. The lady who served us was attentive.The food was delicious. Just feel embarrassed as we only live in knaresborough and it was our first visit,but not the last!

We came as a group, pre booked. I'm glad we did as non booked people were being turned away, which is a shame. The service was very slow and when the mains finally arrived, there were numerous items not quite right, including the unlimited gravy, it was cold!! My thoughts are, with more staff, particularly in the kitchen, it would be good. The menu is good as are the Real Ales. May return but there are plenty of others.

Rude staff, don’t bother. No interest in their customers. Never been to a pub before which has signs up saying don’t come in we don’t want you.

If I could give 0 starts I would. On arrival all seemed good. The pub is beautiful with views to match. That’s where the good stuff ends and where I wished we hadn’t got out of the car. We sit at our table and order starters which were ok but very small in portion when you look at the accompanying price tag. Now the main course. 3 of us had ordered steak. One steak came out perfect the rest came out over cooked so we sent 2 back. My husband and children carried on eating. Not once did anyone come back to the table and acknowledge our wait or apologise for any inconvenience caused. After a whole 20 minutes had gone by they eventually brought out the steaks they were cooked ok but myself and daughter were that hungry it might as well have been a burger. We then had dessert which was ok and asked for the bill. There was no apology at all and Emma the duty manager at the bar was quite rude. She offered us a round of drinks on the house but couldn’t take off the steaks as they are “premium products”. Then adding “well you enjoyed your second one” that wasn’t the point. We went out for a family meal and wanted to eat together which we didn’t get to do. If I wanted to eat in sittings I would go to a school canteen. Now I understand that businesses need to make money it’s been a tough few years. We were getting nowhere so decided to take the offer of a round of drinks off and we also used a 20% off voucher. This combined was still £80 and we didn’t have alcohol. All in all avoid this pub at all costs. We are currently emailing head office about the meal and subpar service.

The service was excellent. The staff were friendly and very accommodating for my wheelchair. Excellent value for money.

Spacious quiet friendly, quick service, varied menu. Family meal for 8. Waitress service very good. Food well cooked and well presented.

Great service and recommendations from Rory. After a long drive from Norfolk we were very pleased with our Room and food in the restaurant area.

When visiting The Kestrel pub and restaurant on Sunday, one of the first things that struck me was the excellent service. The staff was not only friendly but remarkably speedy too, which added an extra charm to our overall dining experience. Efficiency was a clear priority, but it was balanced with warm and attentive hospitality, making us feel right at home. The food quality, it goes without saying, was impressive. The portion sizes were generous and well worth the price. My wife chose the pork Sunday roast, and it was a real treat. The plate was laden with an ample amount of succulent pork, vibrant, well-cooked vegetables, and delectable roast potatoes. For my part, I opted for the fish and chips. The fish was perfectly fried to a golden-brown crisp, yet maintaining the succulent softness inside. The chips were equally delightful - chunky, crispy on the outside, and perfectly fluffy on the inside. It's clear that The Kestrel has mastered the art of traditional pub fare. So satiated were we with our main courses, we found ourselves unable to even contemplate ordering a pudding, despite the tantalising options on the dessert menu. We opted instead to finish our meal with coffee, which was very good - rich, aromatic, and provided a perfect end note to our meal. Lastly, I cannot complete this review without giving a special shout-out to the beer. The Kestrel serves a very good pint of Black Sheep - a testament to the pub's commitment to quality even in its drink selections. Keeping a good beer is indeed a skill that is often underrated, but The Kestrel clearly takes pride in this aspect, maintaining the highest standards. In conclusion, our visit to The Kestrel was a splendid experience filled with outstanding service, high-quality food, and superb beverages. Whether you're a food enthusiast or a craft beer lover, The Kestrel certainly won't disappoint. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a wonderful pub and dining experience.

Wow, what a gem. A pub restaurant that cooks food from fresh. No microwaved frozen offerings here and a nice price too. Plenty of choices on the menu and staff were very efficient too!

great meal in pleasant surrounding staff outstanding really helpful food was very good indeed have eaten here several times and never disapointed

My partner and I visited The Kestrell a couple of weeks ago and it wasn’t the best pub lunch experience. I wasn’t overly hungry so I didn’t order a starter but my fiancé opted for the deep fried brie. When it arrived he took a...

basic requirement for a good meal,food is hot,fail,food is appetising and tasty,fail,food is value for money,fail. not much point in being a resturant really ! will i return ? have a guess !!

Came in after a lovely visit to knaresborough, couldn’t have been more disappointed. It was a lovely day but they had a sign saying they weren’t serving food outside due to staff shortages which was a shame but understandable, we decided to go in and...

Very rude. Popped in to meet a friend and have a bite to eat. Large restaurant with a lot of tables...only 3 or 4 tables taken. Was met by man with 'are you just having a drink?'. Replied we'd like to have a bite to...

Lovely pint of Doom Bar then downhill. 2 of us seated on a long table for 8 when there were much cosier tables. Prawn cocktail rejected because prawns were part translucent. Had the usual agruement that they were cooked because it said so on the...

I made the mistake of ordering a turkey roast dinner, when it arrived the potatoes, parsnips and yorkshire pudding were dried out and very rubbery, they were inedible and the turkey was also dry although edible. It was as though it was cooked at lunch...

We visited here again on Saturday for a family catch up. The food was lovely, the seating arrangement was good and the staff as always were pleasant and friendly. Our party had Duo of Lamb, Beef in red wine Pie, Slow Cooked Pork and Fish...

We had a comfortable stay, but thought it was rather overpriced (£178) for what we had. The room (11) was very smart but lacked any storage facility - not a single shelf or drawer. An open hanging space was helpful. Not too much of an...

Had Sunday lunch. Food hot and delicious. Emma, our waitress was lovely. Would recommend you book as the place was extremely busy

Superb food, friendly staff and amazing location. The rooms were lovely and cosy too. We stayed for two nights for our 18th wedding anniversary. Breakfast was superb! My only little niggle was that maybe an extra couple of staff would be perfect as they were...

Started off well, but went downhill, starter was lovely really enjoyed it, but main course, oh deer, oh deer, total disaster. 1= wrong meal sent out twice in fact. roast pork first and not beef as ordered. after another long wait, out came 2= steak,...

Welcomed in by friendly staff asked to sit in a none carpeted area with us having the dog. Drinks were excellent The food was very hot and freshly cooked, vegetables were perfect. The pudding menu was vast. My wife wanted seconds. We will definitely be...

Lovely place to either go for a drink or have some thing to eat. We went with our son on Saturday and encountered friendly efficient service and great food. We sat in the restaurant part and it was lovely.

We stayed overnight for a weekend trip to North Yorkshire. Good location, just outside Harrogate and Knaresborough. Lots of parking, overlooking field of sheep, with more fields and trees beyond. Lovely pub & restaurant area, very friendly and helpful staff. Reasonable price for Bed &...

The picture looks good and the menu reads well. Ambience is nice …. and then came the food…din not be deceived by the impressive round dome of pastry on the pie. Underneath it is all hot air and it falls into a meagre gristly beef...

Great food good helpful staff enjoyable would go more often if we lived closer but just been to Harrogate for the day

Excellent food, our server Ciaran was very helpful and efficient, no wait times and we were seated immediately. The pub has a cosy atmosphere and casual feel. Would certainly recommend, the menu has a wide variety of food and is quite a reasonable price too....

Lovely pub, however after a few visits we do find the welcome rather brusque! We sit down somewhere and a Reserved sign for 6pm, is slapped down on our table. We are told they don't serve chips outside when it's a warm afternoon, and most...

Very friendly staff a special mention to Ciaran for excellant customer service and good banter,the meals were good and the waiting time was short

Very disappointing The food was not as expected The linguini was very poor and not at all appeasing to the eye 3/4 meals were not hot at all

Easy to book online and lovely afternoon. Julie was attentive throughout with a superb level of service. Good food too and nice relaxed atmosphere. Julie, very thoughtful to acknowledge my dads 82nd birthday.

Enjoyable visit. Staff welcoming. Food imaginative and tasty. Accessible toilet welcome. Will visit again

We were spending a day in nearby Harrogate and wanted somewhere to eat before returning home. I found the Kestrel online and learned that by signing up for emails we could gain a voucher for a free pudding to claim when we ordered a main...

Decided to forego the expensive canteen at Yorkshire Event Centre and booked online here. Very good car parking. Warm friendly welcome..table upgraded to dining room as we had no dog with us!...Very comfy chairs and we enjoyed perusing the books. Our waitress, Wendy, is an...

Lovely food and atmosphere with my husband and friend food really good lovely warm restaurant a treat in itself these days

Dined early with a friend. No problem having a mix of starters for our meal. Fast service, hot tasty food well presented. Our very pleasant waitress Gemma kept an eye on us, to make sure we had all we required.

Had a really pleasant evening at the Kestrel, nice food, nice atmosphere and great service. My only observation is that the portion size was on the smaller size and for a lovely Yorkshire pub. Certainly will return.

I booked to stay 2 nights at the Kestrel because it is advertised as a dog friendly pub and we had stayed previously. The visit was to celebrate my wifes 71st birthday. I booked on line and requested a dog friendly room in the special...

What a lovely place, ideal location, lovely people, amazing food. Room was well appointed, clean and had everything we needed. Very comfortable.

A disappointing experience at a previously consistent venue. The service was appalling particularly from ‘Chris’ who looked like he had just rolled out of bed and when asked whether our food order would be much longer replied with ‘probably we are very busy’ missing the...

My friend and I decided to try come in for an early dinner at around 5pm on Sunday. We walked in the door and waited and waited and waited while we were ignored. It was as though we were invisible. Several members of staff walked...

Visited for a meeting and a meal. Choose Belly pork from the menu.. Having had belly pork at other similar establishments I was very disappointed when it was presented. The skin on the portion was soft and there was to much while undercooked fat .....

We have been loyal customers of the Kestrel for a number of years, each time we visit we are made to feel welcome by a friendly team of waiting on staff, they are always willing to please and are very courteous. We have no complaints...

Sat waiting for over an hour - shocking service. Sort it out. Came out in the hope to have a nice lunch/afternoon.

As a principle I do not do late. We had a booking at this establishment for 1.00pm and were seated at our table ( which smelt fusty) at 12.50. Around 1.15pm a guy came to take our order, no pen, no paper, all in his...

My niece booked us here under their family name Irving-Johnson as a festive treat for my mother, her grandmother who herself in the past has provided many festive feasts of her own. What a treat we all had from our respective choices, coming from Scotland...

A n excellent value for money 3 course meal on New Years Eve. Good selection of dishes to choose from, portion size very good and delicious food, Good range of cocktails and drinks on offer. Friendly, efficient service, welcoming and warm atmosphere in a comfortable...

It is what it is, you know (or should do) what you are going to get and they deliver but I have to say that the staff were particularly friendly and accommodating, not easy on New Year's Eve. No complaints at all but I believe...

We went for a large family party on Boxing Day and we were very impressed with food, to produce on a large scale food of such a high quality and fabulous taste is not an accident. The meal we had was gorgeous and full of...

The Kestrel was recommended to us for a gathering after a family funeral and it provided us with a marvellous buffet and the space for us to gather with family and friends. Hats off to James and his team for super service. We returned this...

We visited The Kestrel Harrogate yesterday for lunch and I must say it was superb. The restaurant was very busy but the staff worked so hard to make sure everyone was well attended to and each and every one of them was friendly, pleasant, polite...

We booked a few weeks back as we knew we would have to sit in the bar area as we had a dog with us. I had also asked for easy access as one of our party was likely to be in a wheelchair as...

We popped in as we drove by. We were warmly welcomed. The ambience was super friendly and attentive. Nice classic decor and warm with open fire place. Very nice calamari’s, lovely rib eye steak and the chips were excellent . Prices were fairer than most....

Environment and atmosphere delightful with roaring central fire. Ordered two sirloin steaks, the well done one was excellent. One steak came with no onion rings or side salad,which was rectified. The medium rare one was only just pink but delicious. The lamb shepherds pie was...

Four of us had lunch here on Sunday. Three of us had the Turkey and one had the Beef. The Turkey was the best I have ever had- it was so succulent it just melted in the mouth. The beef was very good. The Yorkshire...

Met a friend for Sunday brunch. Restaurant was quiet but the fire was roaring & very welcome on a frosty morning. The staff were equally welcoming without being over the top. We both had full English at £10 and it was good quality ingredients, well...

Really friendly staff. Excellent food, had the Kedgeree fishcakes with Hollandaise sauce, just a hint if curry, very enjoyable followed by the mini creme brulee and a coffee from their 2 course special menu. Good value for money.

A Group of 8 , we stayed here a few weeks ago to visit Harlow Carr, this was our second time! Service , cleanliness and food perfect ! Lovely cosy place to stay. Staff look after you as if you are the only guests there...

We had lunch here today. A nice greeting on arrival without booking. We were given a table straight away, coffee first, nice! Lunch was Signature burger with fries. Very tasty! Sea Bass with Pancetta Raspberry, Blackcurrant and Cherry crumble and custard. Lovely friendly service from...

On arrival the front of house woman was very rude. She tried to say we didn’t have a booking when we did. She advised us to go to the pine Martin, which is another pub. Anyway after about 20mins she realised it was her mistake...

Stopped off for late lunch en route to London from Edinburgh. Perfect pit stop. Hadn’t booked and nice man was very helpful in shifting stuff around to find us a table. Staff super friendly and a great large menu. Dog friendly with treats water bowls...

Can’t believe the bad reviews on here. We stayed here last minute with our motorhome and was alowed to stay in the car park overnight. Staff were very welcoming, helpful and friendly, the food was very good and a reasonable price, large portions no room...

Called mid afternoon on a Sunday,without booking a table.We were found one soon enough and the efficient friendly team looked after us very well. Food was tasty and plentiful and at a reasonable price. Lovely relaxing atmosphere with no loud background music and a gentle...

My mum booked a table on the website. There was no option to put on the form that we would be bringing our dogs with us. However the website says they are dog freindly. We arrived at the booked time. Where we were greeted in...

Good, friendly check in, nice room, sofa bed was thin and uncomfy. Floorboards are horrendously noisy, neighbours kept us awake and we could also hear others snoring! So not really great without your earplugs! Food ok but chicken dry, didn’t eat it. Quite speedy though....

Excellent service excellent good,you will always get a warm welcome from the staff. Would recommend without hesitation

Wow. What a find. A very warm welcome from all the staff who seemed genuinely interested in providing great service. The Sunday lunch was extremely generous and really yummy. Our only complaint is that you’re 3 hrs away from where we live - do you...

We were staying at The Kestrel overnight and for ease decided to eat in the restaurant. We were a little late arriving for our stay and had to change the time of our booking which proved to be no problem. We were seated and ordered...

Went for a family meal together, food wasn't very nice at all, all 3 of us felt very disappointed with the service. Its not the first time, but gave benefit of doubt and went again, but unfortunately was no better and over priced for what...

This place is absolutely faultless. The staff were so nice and welcoming, they couldn’t do enough for us, the quality of the food was amazing, the hotel and bar is spotless. Me and my partner wished we stayed longer than 1 night and we will...

Passed the Kestrel on the way to Harrogate and thought we'd give it a try on the way back. Glad we did. The food was delicious and hot and the staff were friendly and welcoming. Gemma, our waitress, was attentive and polite, without hovering over...

We often pop book the Kestrel is we are in the area. We have always been very happy with the food and service.

They were understaffed and the service was poor. When they were about to bring our food, we were told they had run out of some ingredients, but it was too late to choose another dish. The only vegetables were one small piece of overcooked broccoli...

We have been to the Kestrel a couple of times before and found it pleasant with nice food. Today we had Sunday lunch; including 2 beef. They arrived and both were extremely rare. One family mentioned this and asked for it to be cooked SLIGHTLY...

Enjoying a break in Harrogate to celebrate two family birthdays we booked lunch at The Kestrel having heard of its excellent reputation. The friendly atmosphere and quaint olde worlde pub with good food met all our requirements, My husband opted for the pate to start...

We live in Harrogate and eat Sunday lunch here quite often.Food is lovely but very hard to chop up. They need to invest in sharper knives, we always leave with a sore knife finger from spending ages trying to chop our food.

I can't praise the waiter enough for his friendliness and fun nature. We had such a good laugh with him and he clearly enjoys interaction with customers which isn't the case for all staff you encounter in restaurants! He was definitely overworked but still found...

We had booked our table for six people but there were actually seven on the day, the extra one being an eight year old child . The man who greeted us made this seem such an inconvenience that he was quite rude. We enjoyed the...

Lovely cozy, welcoming pub. We aren’t local to the area and popped by on the off chance that we could enjoy an evening meal there. The restaurant was busy but they were able to accommodate us. Food excellent, service friendly and dog friendly (in the...

Popped in at the last minute for Sunday lunch with a couple of friends (and dog). Lovely welcome, great menu. Fresh food served piping hot and so quickly too. Thoroughly enjoyed our brief lunch visit, shame we didn’t have time for pud. A real treat,...

Lounge to ourselves like being at home! Tasty and very yummy food, quick and efficient excellent service! What a great way to start the day with an amazing breakfast and my girls 😜! Highly recommended!

we went for lunch with friends yesterday, the food was very good, and the young man serving us very very efficient and very friendly

We went for Sunday lunch, booking late so that the earliest time available was 2 pm. The pub was busy, so service a little slow, but the food was very good. The meat seemed freshly cooked and carved, unlike so many pub Sunday lunches, and...

Party of 4 booked but 5 walked in. No problem manager sorted table straight away. Ordered starters, mains and desserts. All made fresh and very delicious personaly had the signature burger and the flower pot dessert, highly recommend 👌. Overall a perfect experience and would...

My husband and I visited The Kestrel at the weekend whilst staying at our new static caravan at Rudding Park. We've been visiting Rudding for over 30 years and it was the first time we'd been to The Kestrel! We were greeted very warmly, quickly...

We visited the kestrel on a Saturday evening with family and friends. What a superb restaurant, warm and welcoming. Amazing food and lovely atmosphere. Special shout out to Tom our waiter! So nice to see outstanding customer service. Definitely worth a visit.

Stayed for a week for a get away around North York’s. The reviews did not disappoint. Warm welcome from the start. Room comfortable and excellent shower. The food, whether breakfast, evening meal or Sunday lunch were excellent both in portion and taste. Nothing was too...

Went for family meal to celebrate joint birthdays, sat in nice table in window with plenty of legroom and table space. Ordered drinks and food from waiter. Menu has a varied choice of meals,something to suit everyone I expect. Drinks arrived promptly followed by our...

Was shocked at the attitude of managers here. And extremely over priced. Had a roast dinner in a family group and the food was just okay, defo not worth the cost. Was served by rude male manager.

Good food,excellent friendly service. Very clean and comfortable rooms. Intend to return in the future

We recently had a two night stay as we were attending a wedding at Rudding Park and what a little gem of a place this is! We rang ahead to see if we could get a table as it appeared to be fully booked online...

I visited The Kestrel for the second time recently, I had an Issue with the Food the first time, but a lady member of staff apologised and asked me to 'give them another chance' and which I did mainly because of her reasonable attitude and...

Had an excellent lunch at this cosy inn on the outskirts of Knaresborough. Thoughtful and efficient service and very good food. Highly recommend.

Got seated straight away, wasn't too busy. The restaurant itself is very nice, clean and well decorated. Food was lovely and arrived really quickly. Julie was a lovely server, attentive and friendly.

If you want to be sworn at after being served a plate of bland food then this is the place for you! Their Irish waiter - swore at me! I don’t expect to be spoken to like that. He asked if we were happy with...