The Lion in Aylesbury Vale

Came in back entrance so saw no signs about needing to register parking, staff also said nothing . Later sent a letter informing me I had a £100 fine for parking in their car park. Phoned pub, who said to appeal and would pay ‘admin fee’ only. Appealed it, sent a very formal letter informing me id still need to pay £20 else a debt recovery agent would get involved and given for the appeal I had to give my address not particularly friendly warning. However now given this situation thought I better leave an honest review, to help others wondering whether to visit. The pub is not dog friendly - mine had to stay in car, first pub experienced that in years! Food nothing to write home about, extortionately priced for what you get. Somewhere I’ll remember not to return to.

Amazing athomsphere and service

Family run business. Great food. Friendly staff who can’t do enough for you. Great for visiting Waddesden Manor. Will return.

Just in for one drink. Very busy, good atmosphere. Just one hand pump, Timothy Taylor.

The staff were lovely food was great I'd go here any time loved it! Even service was good 👍

This is a really nice pub! We are staying in Waddesdon for a wedding and needed dinner when we arrived. We had a lovely meal and the service is very good! Would definitely recommend visiting!

Came in at lunchtime and our server was pleasant enough. We ordered a panini and fries and they were very nice. The salad served on the side however was somewhat brown. It was a shame as the rest of it was very tasty. I would have given four stars but deducted another because when we pointed out to the server that the salad was clearly old and a bit manky, after he’d asked if everything was ok, he just took our plates and didn’t offer so much as an apology. Why ask?

Stopped here for breakfast waited 45 mins for it .was lovely but £13 fir one rasher of bacon and one sausage was steep

Went for dinner and a pint after running the Waddesdon Manor 5k. The service was good and prompt. I ordered chicken burger and chips. Chips were good albeit a small portion. Burger consisted of a small chicken breast, a bit of salad in a brioche bun. Possibly the blandest burger I have ever had! So lacking in seasoning and taste.

Fantastic stay at this great traditional pub. Very good food (dinner & breakfast) great drinks selection (including a good pint of Timothy Taylor’s landlord in a traditional jug, and good gin selection). Very friendly & attentive staff. Thank you for a great visit, we will be back

Amazing stay at this lovely inn. Great food and an excellent pint of Timothy Taylor’s landlord. Hotel room was large, clean and beautifully kept. Everything you could want and some thoughtful touches. Breakfast was another treat and the whole experience enhanced by lovely hosts and great bar staff who made the visit a real pleasure Look forward to a return visit

Great atmosphere, lovely bbq, very impressed.

Saturday night dinner. Pub was busy. Warm welcome. We had squid & chirizo starters, fishcakes & lamb burger as mains & sticky toffee pudding all washed down with a nice bottle of white wine & a pint of Landlord. Great service, food & drink. Fab evening.

Fantastic food and really friendly

This has changed management. The food and service was a let down, from before. Lots of work needed.

We like the Lion....alot... We stay in many places but always feel at home when we stay here.... It's a family run place at the heart of the village and it shows. Our room looked freshly decorated with new double glazing facing the busy A41 so not noisy. If you are a very light sleeper I suggest you request a room at the back or in the annexe.. There is plenty of free parking at the rear of the pub. We had a delicious dinner with friends from the village... 6 of us having multiple courses plus several bottles of wine, beers and digestifs to finish totalling a very reasonable £40 per person. Slept really well and enjoyed a delicious breakfast this morning... Recommended

Don’t know about the rooms. Went to it as a pub. Nice local full of regulars. Great service and good food. Had the fish and chips and a madri so all good. Nice friendly pub near Waddesdon manor.

Didn't book a room, just there for food , which was excellent.

The food was incredible (freshly prepared and good sized portions) and the service fantastic. Great rustic but chic decor too! Really inpressed. Thank you especially to our waitress who we could not fault. She was friendly and genuine, and incredibly attentive in an unobtrusive way - a real credit to the place. Thank you! 😊

Stayed over the weekend because of the close proximity to Waddesdon Manor. The staff were friendly and really helpful, the rooms are basic but clean and looked after and the breakfast was fantastic. Will definitely be staying again ☺️

We were staying at The Lion as we had two long days at Waddesdon Manor. We arrived at 7pm and the room was clean and comfortable however at 10:30 pm music started playing below us, so loudly we could literally hear every word from both the music and those singing along. As it's near Christmas we checked the website to find out closing time which was 11:30. Despite wanting to sleep and that being impossible we let it go. However by ten to midnight we couldn't take it any longer and went downstairs to ask when it would end. We were greeted by the owner with hostility and she made no effort to apologise. Instead she smirked, turned the music down and as I walked away proceeded to say 'there's always one'. Had her attitude been better we would have put it down to our bad luck and Christmas festivities however the owners attitude was inexcusable. The shower is a trickle and you would be better washing in the sink and the breakfast was anemic toast with rubbery scrambled eggs. Although my husband said the full English was good.

We booked for Sunday lunch at 2pm, they only had turkey and nut roast left, we had one of each. Both meals were delicious, with a decent amount of veg, the roast potatoes were very good, but the Yorkshire pudding was the star of the show! It was massive! I asked for extra gravy, which wasn't a problem. The service was great, we had 2 young ladies looking after us who were friendly and polite. The restaurant was very busy, but they didn't forget to check our drinks and how the meal was etc. Well worth a visit.

Great food and beer. Always worth a visit. Not had the option to stay there yet as I don't live too far away. Sunday lunch is good value and plenty of it. My partner said it's the best nut roast she has ever tasted., I'll stick with the meat option.

Living in this village for nearly two years, we've popped in for plenty of 'quick' drinks and checked out their main menu a few times. Surprisingly, it took us ages to finally try their Sunday lunch. Wish we'd done it sooner! I can't complain about a single thing. That roast was a work of art (kicking myself for not snapping a pic). Huge Yorkshire puddings and the most melt-in-your-mouth beef ever! Our friends had the roast turkey and raved about it too. We ate in the bar area instead of the restaurant, but the service was still top-notch and super attentive!

A little treasure in Oxfordshire! Rooms are nice, very clean and spacious. The food was incredible and service was spot on. I had steak pie and was one of the nicest I have ever had. I travel here with work so will definitely be back.

Great accommodation, service, comfortable bed and fabulous breakfast I would recommend a visit

The room was very clean and pleasant, the staff were friendly and efficient and the food was good overall a very nice overnight.

We booked a double room for one night due to works in the home, the price was reasonable and included a very nice Lion Full English breakfast with toast tea coffee fresh orange juice, with a selection of jams and marmalades, staff were very accomodating and nothing was to much trouble. enjoyed an evening meal. The room we stayed in had on suite double bed TV tea and coffee making facilities, had a peacfull nights sleep waking rested. we even popped back the next day at lunchtime for something to eat, if your passing by drop in as its a hidden gem, its now my local

We were here for a short 2 night stay. We had dinner, the food was very well presented and tasty. There was 5 of us eating. We had the burger, scampi, fish and chips and sausage and mash. The fish, scampi and chips all came with peas. The only thing I would warn other customers about, is that any veg with your meal needs to be ordered separately. We didn't realise that so the sausage and mash came with no veg at all. Although I, guess this was our fault for not reading the menu correctly! The cost for 5 meals was just over £100.00

Had a fantastic meal, could not fault anything. The service was excellent very attentive, selection of beers and wines very good. Had such a great evening will definitely being going back highly recommend.

Great food and a good selection of beer. Have been here on a number of occasions now and not only does the chef know what Hes doing, but the service from the friendly lady was top notch, she couldn’t do enough to help. We are soon returning with a wider set of family members.

Went for dinner on a Thursday night. Pub & restaurant busy. Very nice waiter who showed us to our table. Excellent pub menu. Scallops & garlic mushrooms to start, ham egg & chips & beef pie as mains and our son had sticky toffee pudding to finish. All the food was nicely presented & tasted fab. Very tasty pint & bottle of red wine. Very enjoyable evening

Had a lovely lunch, bottle of wine and evening meal (and another bottle of wine!). Relaxed and staff were excellent.

We stayed for two nights bed and breakfast. Great accomadation . All very clean and tidy. Breakfast was very good however it would have been nice to have been offered orange juice on the menu. We ate in the restaurant on the first evening and enjoyed nachos followed by steak and ham, egg and chips. All very acceptable. A suggestion would be the addition of a wine list. Overall a pleasant stay.

We decided to book the venue for our wedding after meeting up with Phillipa we felt it would be a nice friendly and cosy location for our wedding we tried the food on a couple of occasion's which was excellent the wedding was great and quite a few of our guests cemented on how excellent the food and venue was. Thanks to all out the lion we highly recommend you Bob and Sue.

Quite simply the best Sunday lunch we've ever had. Took some of my family this time having told them about it from our last visit and it did not disappoint. Melt in the mouth beef and stunning Yorkshire puds. Looking forward to next time. Thanks Matt.

The full English breakfast option which is included with the room is really delicious as well as the bangers and mash.

We had a Sunday roast at the Lion and it was absolutely superb. Both starter and main course first rate, roast beef probably best I've ever had, melt in the mouth. Staff brilliant, service second to none. Highly recommend. And such a friendly welcome.

Had a very pleasant Sunday lunch here including delicious Calamari starters and then Roast Beef with their enormous Yorkshire Pudding, desserts were good too. Pleasant service and comfortable covered outside seating area.

Following a family funeral, we went to the wake at the Lion. It is in the High Street and has a very large car park at the rear. As soon as you enter the building you notice that the décor and furniture is very tired...

We went to the Lion as a couple recently and on arriving we were met by the landlord who I have to say was not very welcoming. As we walked in we asked where to go due to all these new restrictions and was met...

Meet up with friends for dinner. Warm welcome and pub was fairly busy. Good menu with some nice specials. We all had the large prawns to start, from the specials menu. Two chicken pies, sea bass & steak finished with chocolate brownie & ice cream...

Due to work times we needed to eat early, and this seemed to be ideal. We had been before the upgrades had been carried out. No atmosphere only 5 of us eating in the restaurant nil when we left! We were looked after by friendly...

We booked this after reading negative views on another pub in the same village, we arrived at 1pm on a Sunday expecting it to be busy and we were the only ones there. There were lots of pub classic’s on the menu but I went...

Typical country pub with reasonably priced pub food and a good selection of beer, ale and spirits. Service was efficient and friendly.

Awful. The chips were brown and tasted burnt. Old oil. Was like eating a meal that was re/ Heated. This place could really do with a dimmer switch. So bright. Did mention that wasn't happy with the meal. but didn't seem bothered.

Excellent family run pub, very close to Waddesdon Manor, with friendly knowledgable staff. The food we had at lunch was delicious and tasted very fresh. Highly recommended.

Had lunch today, family of 6. Very friendly staff, nice menu. Despite being by quite a busy road we had a nice relaxed meal sat outside in the sun. All food good quality, Burger, Sausages, Salads, Pie and good variety of draught drinks. Would definitely...

Close by to my hotel so as an alternative to restaurant nouveau menu. Friendly welcome and a clean plain dining area. More of unfussy simple decor than cosy pub. Food menu has all the regular expectation of a public house menu not bistro choices. Chose...

Booked for a 70th Birthday last year and was so impressed i booked again for it this year. I write this review based on both visits to be fair to the place as they had some 'issues' this time. Apparently they had some sort of flood so their pumps were out and only had one ale out of a on-the-bar barrel and fizzy drinks from a bottle. As only one of us was drinking alcohol and was happy with the ale, that was ok, but the other drinks were flat and warm. Previous visit though was 100%, no issues so will assume normally would be ok and we just had bad luck. The food was excellent both visits with the exception of the mushrooms in the mushroom sauce with the chicken supreme, they were really tough and i had to leave them. My only other comment on the food is that the menu hasn't changed in that year and is maybe a little limited. The service was good. Both times there was just one person out the front, but as it's a hotel, he was also the receptionist. Both times we visited for a 19:00 table we were the only ones in the restaurant, but the guy frequently had to leave for 10-15 minutes to deal with things in the hotel so we had to wait for ordering more drink. I dread to think how it would have been had more people been in the restaurant. The guy this time was new to the job so was a bit slow, but the previous time there was no waiting despite the man being alone. The whole building is 13th century with bits built on over the last 4-500 years. Yes, there's a bit of scaffolding holding up a beam in the bar area, but apart from that it's really amazing how well it's all lasted. Last year the receptionist gave as a 'guided tour' and was able to explain exactly what was what and from when. It's a really interesting place, sadly we had forgotten most of it and this time the guy didn't know quite so much, but after 4 weeks in the job, he had clearly been taught a lot. Overall, it's maybe a little over-priced, but i'll be back next year...

I had the ham, egg and chips which was lovely. Service was quick too. A garden at the back would have been nice to sit in the sun and have a drink, but this was taken up with a big tent for some function.

Good old fashion pub grub. Excellent portion size and value for money in the area. Excellent service from bar and waiting staff, nothing to much trouble.

We had afternoon tea, the cakes were slabs of cake all very lovely but not really what you expect for a afternoon tea. The service was lovely and friendly a table did arrive with small children and the noise level rose considerably. However a lovely venue and service.

Had a lovely pint and some nice hand cut chips in the pub garden. Lovely atmosphere and welcoming staff.

Awful experience! You have to order all 3 courses at the beginning as the chef goes home at 20.20pm and will not wait for you to finish. My husbands pork was overcooked and my salmon was covered in sauce which I had to scrape off, didn't feel like we could say anything as it was made very clear to us that the chef was waiting for us to finish our dinner so he could go home. Due to building works there is limited alcohol with no wine menu so we ended up with a warm beer, why is it not in the fridge? And a glass of red wine which they charged £8.50 a glass for, this is more expensive than London!!! No wine menu was provided and we were told that was the only wine they had, mmmm.... The waitress is also front of house so chaos can be expected in the morning! Head Office need to employ another member of staff to get any kind of customer service on this restaurant. Definately would not return, no atmosphere at all.

Popped into the pub for a couple of drinks . Nice atmosphere, warm and welcoming, didn’t have time to sample the food but what we saw being severed up looked nice.

The Lion thankfully has a large car park at the rear of the property. The bar/restaurant area is designed to offer a relaxed cozy ambience without being faux vintage pub. Friendly staff everywhere. I tried the "Carbonara". No pasta was specified on the menu, but the dish arrived with spaghetti which were cooked al dente. A raw egg yolk on top was a nice visual touch, but the carbonara had been prepared with lots of cream, in fact I suspect entirely with cream, as opposed to only raw eggs and cheese. It was a nice interpretation, but there was too much liquid in the sauce for my taste. Prices for food and drink are quite civil.

Called for lunch after a very cold morning at waddesdon manor Christmas celebration. Staff were so friendly and helpful and food was good well cooked pub food. Would recommend

7 of us had dinner at The Lion, 1 12 year old and 6 adults. We had pre booked as we had expected to be 8 and it was during Christmas Market time so they were very busy. We chose not to use the Christmas menu. The food was good, menu varied, something for all tastes. The service was good and friendly.

Received a call an hour before the booking to say Sunday lunch is only twice a month and not on the booked day so had to cancel the booking.

We had our usual annual family Xmas get together and we chose to have lunch this year at The Lion in Waddesdon and it was absolutely lovely. We were served by Josh who was very friendly, attentive and polite. The food was cooked to our individual liking and was was perfect. The restaurant was clean, tidy and not over crowded.

The Restaurant had been fully booked for a function, but chef Matt after a discussion with the lad on duty, said if we chose quickly he could fit us in, sitting in the bar area. We had a quick review of the menu both choosing a homemade burger, they were cooked to perfection taking note of my allergies, lovely presentation even being brought out by the chef. We enjoyed it in a warm welcoming atmosphere. I must say the Bailey's cheesecake is beautiful very light. Will definitely be visiting again.

Food was absolutely stunning. Cooked to perfection and nothing too much trouble. Service was really friendly and helpful. Really highly recommend.

Recently visited to have a catch-up with my Bestie. We have been before and never been disappointed - until last night.

We popped in as we were early for an appointment just down the road and had the pleasure of meeting Matt and his team we had a couple of pints of bitter and a fantastic pink gin and tonic and some amazing bar food of onion rings and garlic bread.

We stayed at the Five Arrows but walked down to the pub which is only two minutes away. It is a small but very friendly pub and outside seating area. The menu is very good and the food excellent (Steak and Ale Pie with Mash delicious). Well worth a visit and reasonably priced at £36 for two (two courses.)

I was staying in one of the rooms upstairs so it seemed sensible to eat in the restaurant. The menu is not overly complex but there is still plenty of choice. I had the scallops to start with the carbonara main course; both were excellent. My lemon posset dessert was for me too sweet and could have done with something to even out the sweetness but overall a very good meal

The room was immaculately presented and the coffee machine in the room was a pleasant surprise. The large shower was fantastic and a great temperature.

When we called in the whole of Waddesdon was without water, the management we’re trying really hard not to turn people away, but health and safety had to be considered, but even considering this the management tried really hard to keep all their customers happy.

After a fantastic visit to Waddesdon Manor we walked around the village looking for a place for a late lunch. The Lion was almost empty but the menu appealed. We had Moules Mariniere and Prawn Linguini. Both were very hot and extremely tasty. The portions were large. Service by the young barman was efficient, friendly and courteous. Excellent food and a nice cold beer and wine. So glad we stopped here.

Stayed overnight after a wedding. Lovely rooms and equally lovely breakfast the next morning. Very friendly and helpful. Would definitely recommend. Also lovely area to visit.

Had a 3-course Sunday lunch, the food was great, came out quickly and tasted good. The restaurant was very quiet but it meant our waiter was very attentive, my only issue was the drinks were not cold, although we did have a jug of iced water on the table to compensate. Would definitely go again

Much nicer inside than out. Had a lovely meal there too. Would certainly recommend this pub restaurant.

I dined at the lion yesterday evening and I have to say that it really was just perfect.

What a great pub in a lovely village. Superb service and equally superb food Birthday treat for the wife , scored plenty of brownie points. Thanks the lion.

We had a lovely pre Christmas afternoon tea. The cakes were amazing the only slight downside was the sandwiches were a bit dry. We were made to feel really welcome by the gentleman who served us, he was extremely polite , helpful and easy to talk to and he made the experience more special for my 6year old daughter by making her feel grown up and including her in our conversations, he was amazing at his job. Lovely surroundings with a warm and cozy feel, perfect for this time of year. Will definitely return.

I've given this 5 stars as it deserves it. This is an old pub that's been modernised to some extent but without losing its character. We'd travelled 150 miles to see one of my sons and had booked on spec. We were not disappointed. We're shown promptly to our table, and attended to in an efficient and courteous manner by the young guy waiting on. Had the Sunday lunch package which had several starters and puddings also to choose from . Starting with delicious mushrooms in cream on toasted fresh bread. Presented beautifully. Then the Sunday roast carvery, choice today of turkey or beef today. I usually have turkey but the beef looked.... and tasted delicious. Chef talked to us about how they prepare and cook it, which ensures it then doesn't go dry or slightly tough. Plenty of good veg to help yourselves to, none of it over cooked. Plus sauces if you wish, and gigantic home made Yorkshire puddings if you wanted one ! Also had Bailey's cheesecake and ice cream to finish with. Based on our experience we'd definitely recommend this place. Good for couples, friends and families.

We were in hurry so decided just to have the French Onion soup thinking we would not have an extended wait. 20 minutes later the soup was brought to the table minus the hot crusty bread which should have accompanied it. We pointed this out and were told it was a new chef/menu. 15 minutes later we were still waiting for the bread. The bar girl went to see the chef and came back minus the bread I told her this was totally unacceptable and as the experience had been completely spoilt I suggested we eat the now cold soup and our money be reimbursed. She went to see the chef who then stormed at us saying he would make us some fresh soup and bread. I pointed out that we were running late and asked for our money to be reimbursed and could we eat the cold soup. His reply was 'if you eat the soup I will charge you for it and anyway it's got croutons so you don't need the bread'. The fact that soup and bread are on the menu as one dish seemed to have escaped him. We decided to leave immediately and get our money back . We had no desire to stay in a place where one of the staff (the chef) is so devoid of any people skills yet feels he can address his customers in such an ill mannered way. I do believe that this establishment has not yet heard of the concept of 'Goodwill'. A totally nasty experience altogether.

Delicious Sunday roast apart from the broccoli and cauliflower which were almost raw, pudding was lovely too. Would go there again.

Whilst on a circular walk from Quainton, Waddesdon was the halfway point. The Lion was the first place we came across. Not being a local we were surprised to find they had a beer and sausage festival in full swing. Was able to sample pint of Titanic Porter Ale and some very beef and horseradish sausage, Very good indeed.

Lovely place Warmly greeted by staff On the busy main road but traffic noise not too intrusive Varied menu we both enjoyed our meal

I had arranged 2 days for ex colleagues who are/were involved in High class accommodation and fine food and wine. The 2 days were full of Colchester history and experiences with the Red Lion chosen as perfect for an evening meal in a lovely historical building. Sadly this was the worst place I could have chosen - there is ironic humour - to take foodie people to dinner and give them a diabolical meal!! It wasn't funny at the time but our group did see the funny side and it caused much hilarity during the rest of the week end. Is that the sort of reputation Colchester wants? The guests are from different part of the country and have business associates in the service industry but I doubt if they will organise anything in a brook hotel. We weren't in the Parliament Restaurant but in the Tudor room which was a very nice venue The Manager was informed of our disappointment and adjusted the bill as a goodwill gesture

stayed for 1 night in april . food was top class as was the room. really nice , comfortable bed , adjustable heating , clean etc.

Visitamos el pescado y Chip a 6 libras la noche. No estoy seguro de la identidad del lugar, el restaurante está recién renovado y agradable, pero no nos sentamos a saber si fue el servicio de camareros o pedir en el bar? Un muy buen chaval fue corriendo como una lunatic pero él nos ayudó. Tuvimos que esperar mucho tiempo para nuestra comida, teníamos entradas, salmón ahumado, sopa de cebolla deliciosa y francesa, pero esperamos una eternidad para nuestro plato principal. El restaurante estaba bastante vacío, así que no me hubiera gustado estar allí en una noche muy concurrida. El vino era cálido. Pero aún así recomiendo este pub en una noche especial. 6 libras de pescado y patatas fritas, creo que una noche de carne también. Ambiente agradable, bien decorado y una ubicación céntrica.

Been here a few times Always enjoyable My friend waxed lyrical over her excellent lunch Good service too !!!

Este es un muy agradable pub. Sin embargo. Pensé que era caro en £85 pn, especialmente porque no puedes reservar antes de las 5 pm. Mi esposa y yo nos alojamos en la habitación 1 en la parte delantera del pub. Esta fue probablemente la peor noche de sueño (o más bien la falta de sueño) que he tenido. El ruido del tráfico era sin parar durante toda la noche, y la vibración sacudía la habitación y la cama. Hay habitaciones en la parte trasera del pub, así que quizás estos son menos ruidosas. La habitación en sí estaba bastante bien, pero de nuevo, normalmente encontrar habitaciones similares en todo el país por 65 libras la noche. La comida es cara, pero disfrutamos del pescado y patatas fritas. El personal era amable.

Our son came for a visit on Mother's Day and suggested we eat out. Most Sunday's not a problem but Mother's Day a little tricky as most places are fully booked. So decided to have a late "lunch" at The Lion as they had a 6/30 sitting. We have been here before and enjoyed it so had no hesitancy in going again. Surprisingly not many in the restaurant but guessed that the earlier sitting would have been busy. This was pretty much confirmed when we we to the carvery and both the roast beef and turkey joints had not had much carved from them. First sight of the beef joint showed we had found the right place to eat. The beef was absolutely perfect- beautifully cooked, lovely colour and excellent flavour. Accompanying vegetables, a choice of about eight plus a whopping tasty Yorkshire pudding and then with all the sauces you could wish for made a 'run of the mill' Sunday roast a real treat. There was also a good choice of starters and desserts.All in all a memorable meal very reasonably priced.

This place is well worth a visit, we had an evening meal, would recommend booking, the starters were so tempting, two of us had the Black pudding & Crispy bacon which was mouth-wateringly good. The steaks for main course were cooked exactly as we wanted them, my husband had the Fish and Chip night special and didn't leave a trace of it on his plate. A nice dining room separated from the bar, welcoming staff, a very pleasant evening. We also had a buffet here earlier in the year for a funeral and we could not have asked for any better, food was beautiful and again we were well looked after and the cost was very reasonable. Highly recommended

Visited on Friday 24th March.The person serving gave the impression she didn't really want to be there!!! Afraid to say the food matched her attitude.Have visited the Lion on a few occasions at lunch times,when we have been served by an American lady who has always been very pleasant.Not sure we will be returning.

Great Food and Friendly service, would highly recommend visiting. We would definitely be returning soon.

Travelling from Aylesbury back to the M40 after collecting a new vehicle, my friend & I stopped for lunch at the Lion.It looked inviting & was very presentable inside. However we should have heeded the "warning signs". 12.30 on a Sat & only 2 people in the bar nursing pints, & no-one eating !There was one pleasant young lady serving. I suspect she was inexperienced behind the bar as my beer (my mate was driving !) had a head of at least an inch on it, or maybe she had been told to do it that way as you'll get more money per barrel !We ordered food & a coffee for my mate.I ordered "24 hour cooked ham" with egg & chips, my mate having Haddock & chips.The food was served by the same young lady, who appeared to be doing everything.My ham & chips - the ham was 2 slices of wafer thin (cigarette paper thin) that was about 1/3rd fat. The chips - 21 (I counted) were dried up & 9 of them were burned black on one side.The Haddock was small, dried up & curled up on each end, the chips served with it were the same standard as mine. The coffee was thin, weak & tasteless.At an educated guess (I used to run a pub in Dorset) the Haddock, and both sets of chips were hot oven reheats of leftovers from the previous evening.The young lady asked if everything was OK, looking a bit embarrassed, with a verbal question mark at the end of her enquiry. I think she was expecting a tirade of complaint. I didn't have the heart to complain to her as it's obviously not her fault.Nor did I ask to speak to the manageress as when I went to the toilet a couple of minutes previously she was on the phone at the accommodation book in desk apologising profusely to a previous visitor for the bad service they'd received - whilst a guy was stood at the desk waiting to book in - I'd have "walked" if I'd been him !I can honestly say that I have never had such poor & expensive (£31.50) food & drink in well over 30 years of travelling - & I include roadside burger vans in that estimation !A suggestion for the polite & professional young lady who served us - find another job in a reputable establishment.

Carvery prices are too high for the quality and selection of food. Chef needs some more training about cross contamination, sharing cutting boards and cutting different meats with the same knives not what I expected!!!!. If you go as a group they will refuse to divide the bill over multiple cards for payment. Please note to pay tips with cash otherwise the staff don't receive them.

Attended 50th birthday celebration of Andrew Rolt (nephew), evening of 7 Jan 17, and must congratulate staff for coping with the numbers. The buffet was really first class, more than comparable with any 5 star restuarant, cruiseline etc that I have come across in many years of travel here and throughout the world, even including carpaccio, langoustine etc. Well done.

Good food, service ok, beer poorly presented and they stop serving alcohol at 10.30 do not book room 4 i think the boiler was in the room with me wont return

I reserved a table for Sunday lunch and the food and service were both excellent. A thoroughly enjoyable experience and I would certainly recommend The Lion at Waddesdon.

If you are on the A41 and on your way to Bicester or visiting Waddesdon Mannor stop at The Lion Pub/Restauarant and B and B friendly efficient staff good freshly prepared food.

Last Saturday my daughter's wedding reception was held at the Lion. They made the organisation a breeze. They were very helpful and creative. We can highly recommend this restaurant. The food was excellent. The staff are very friendly. Their restaurant also serves great food. The room my daughter stayed in was very comfortable.

We had a very good evening meal here. The food was excellent with plenty of choice. The staff were very helpful and friendly

Thoroughly enjoyed Sunday roast... of excellent quality ... fantastic service provided throughout our visit... local produce used including a range of good local beer...Highly recommended...

Great food with a large choice to please everyone...nice comfortable place with friendly helpful staff