The Lion Inn in Chelmsford

It used to be a guilty secret but word is out just how good this place is. The just turn up policy seems to work and even on a Saturdaynight we were seated in seconds. No music just the sounds of clicking cutlery and happy customers chatting and envy the delicious food. This is first class quality food served with expertise that’s not poncy or small in portion. Reasonably priced and plenty of daily specials to choose from. Whoever runs this kitchen knows exactly what they are doing. Probably my favourite restaurant in recent memory.

Having visited the Lion on many occasions for a great steak, sadly tonight's was poor. Extremely fatty and chewy, really didn't enjoy it and had to leave most of it. I do hope this is a one off after all they charge enough.

Mass catering run with military precision. Staff were lovely. It’s a huge venue and sadly the space between some of the tables means that any waiting staff of any stature have their anatomies impinging upon your space when they serve the next table. No review site for the restaurant so had to review here.

Fab lunch with the girls today ..amazing food ..wine . Good value but servuce charge should be optional so ty staff that serve receive the money

Mixed food. Chicken liver pate was lovely however the fish pie was disappointing. There were nine in our party ranging from 25 to 80 in age and we ate in the conservatory. Apart from the battered fish and chips which was excellent I would say the rest was nice but average. What really grates is the service charge which was automatically added to our bill. I am aware this is stated in the specials QR code however our waitress seemed unhappy whenever we requested anything, no thanks for passing plates to her, all too much trouble, she definitely did not add to our experience and was no way worth paying an additional £50 as a tip!

Been here for over 10 years, always busy,great atmosphere and a good selection of food on their specials board. Also a great selection of drinks from beers and ales (inc locally produced!) to wines and cocktails!

I had the pleasure of being booked for my wedding Dj and Selfie Pod package at The Lion Inn. What a wonderful venue, with such a great space for weddings. The team there are amazing, so friendly and gave me great communication before from Georgina, with lots of options to get set up ready for the evening. So easy to work along side, with the staff paying attention to every aspect of the wedding to make it a success! Thank you for being such a pleasure to work with you !

From the ambience to the food to the staff, everything was absolutely amazing and faultless. Special mention to Elena and Jenny, who served our delicious food, and Max at the bar, who crafted some amazing cocktails. There are many more staff members whose names we didn't catch, but they all contributed to a wonderful experience. To all the staff at The Lion, you work so hard, and it does not go unnoticed. Thank you!

We hired out one of their private rooms for an event. The meetings running up to the event meant that the whole day ran exactly as we hoped it would. Me and my husband had staff approach us and check a couple of times that everything was running as we wanted. The day ran very smoothly we had a wonderful time and that was all down to the planning of the staff at the Lion and their professionalism.

Lovey venue food and service. Third visit with group of friends which requires a deposit to be paid. On each occasion when we have asked for the bill the deposit hasn’t been taken off. This should not happen

Had an enjoyable dinner, food and service very good, have eaten here several times, great atmosphere and staff attentive. Only ever had one bad experience at The Lion which I have tried to forget. This evening made up for that.

Always a lovely time at the Lion with great service. We came here for a comedy night was very well organised and a really good atmosphere

Valentines meal was fantastic. Food was stunning, candlelit atmosphere was wonderful and the service was superb. Would happily book again.

Great food as always & great service from Tess, she was friendly & accommodated all our additional sides we wanted on our meals. Tess is an asset to the team

Lovely lunch with great selection of gluten free items and vegetarian. Staff were friendly reasonable price

The lion is a great place to eat, excellent food and service. Would recommend to anyone.

Excellent as always. Great food and drink, and usually a full car park, tells you all you need to know!

Great place. Strawberry Mojito was watery and disappointing

Booked a table for an evening catch up with good friends … lovely environment, excellent service & food (great menu choices at affordable prices) I had fish pie which was delicious 😋 Also lovely friendly service from both Elena & Diana 👌

I'd stay there again. Nice place, good atmosphere. It's great in the summer!

Choose here for a Christmas get together with a large group of friends. Booked a Sunday lunchtime in December. The venue looked so pretty with all the Christmas decorations & lights inside and out. Great service. Great food. We all had a wonderful time. It has a large carpark for easy parking. It's my first visit, I will happily return.

If you like clients kids behaving like its McDonald's in the restaurant at twice the price it ok to go. Otherwise go somewhere else!

Great food, great service and usual great atmosphere. Family of four visiting for dinner. Consistently brilliant!

Just popped in for lunch, and the staff were accommodating

Lovely place, great staff, oh and the food my god! Its amazing. My only hope is you will still be able to book a table going forward, they introduced it recently and makes the whole experience better. My biggest gripe is when its busy its too noisy. I'd prefer they'd partition the open plan restaurant to baffle the noise as it tends to feel like a school canteen.

Looked after our chaotic 25 strong family party (ranging in age from a 96 year old in a wheelchair to a 2 years old) with great professionalism. Separate back room was ideal, menu and quality of food excellent and the waiting staff were great, and patient! Thanks everyone!!

Christmas Eve dinner superb as always

One of the best restaurants in Essex, good value, fantastic quality food and great service . I have to comment on the manager Leanne, what a professional, attentive and hardworking employee. She sorted out an issue quickly and efficiently. The Lion is lucky to have her.

Absolutely fabulous, food and setting was excellent as was service

Took my family, 6 adults, 4 grandkids for dinner. Steph, our server couldn't have been improved upon. Friendly, very funny and absolutely marvellous with the kids. Nothing too much trouble and all the various meals were served promptly, professionally and were delicious. Will 100% call next time we're down visiting our family ... 5 stars!!

Huge place with a big bar but there are only couple of tables inside for people want to drink only. So you either go outside in the winter or stand in front of the bar, that’s it.

Christian party here. Fantastic rooms, staff and looks great

Great place for all occasions. It was beautifully decorated for Christmas and the service was great. Throughly enjoyed the Blue Strawberry salad.

We booked a Christmas meal after excellent experiences on previous visits, but this time was a bit disappointing. Despite having a reservation for 7:15 pm, we were asked to wait at the bar and only seated 20 minutes later, even though plenty of tables were available. This gave the impression that the wait was orchestrated to encourage bar purchases, which left us with a sour taste. The potted pork starter was underwhelming and didn’t live up to its enticing menu description. There is no polite way of saying this, but it did remind us all of wet cat food. However, the main course of roast turkey was fantastic, and the crème brûlée dessert was also very good. The staff were attentive, friendly, and very helpful throughout. While the meal had its highlights, the initial experience and the starter took away from what could have been a perfect evening.

Beautiful hotel with really nice staff, lovely rooms which were very clean and felt cozy, food was also very nice and happily for me a good choice of GF menu items and they can accommodate for most allergies. We stayed overnight in December and I give 10/10 to whom ever did the Christmas lighting it was fantastic. We will definitely be visiting again.

Always a favourite for a meal! Great service, great food and a quality which is good value. The baked cheesecake is my favourite dessert, which stops me from trying the other desserts!!The decaf coffee was good too. I'll be back, and I'm sure I will enjoy dining here again.

Great Christmas dinner with several girlfriends. Great menu, plenty of variety, including for our veggie friends. The food was excellent, all three courses. Service was friendly and efficient. They didn’t fuss when we ran our Secret Santa at the table. Really delighted with the evening. We’ll be back!!

Another lovely Christmas meal here! The portion sizes are perfect for our three course meal and theres a good selection of drinks. The quality matches up to the price. I definitely recommend it here and will definitely be back.

Stayed a night here and also had dinner with friends both of which were excellent! All staff were happy cheerful and made every encounter a great one. Would definitely stay there in the future.

Afternoon out with Friends, food was fantastic and lots of, felt bad leaving. Service was so so, was left after drinks were bought and had to flag down to order and the same with desert, was not asked who was having a desert and just put spoons at 3 peoples places.. which I think is odd, if one orders soup u don't just give a soup spoon to anyone u ask and same should be with desert. Yes,we will back..

Had a xmas meal with friends there mid week. The food was delicious, generous portions too. The staff were all friendly and on point.

A lovely festive evening at "The lion" Boreham, with my elderly mother and 7 others who throughly enjoyed the evening.Our lovely waitress Tess, was helpful and tentative to us all - particularly Mum! Each of our 3 course meal was served hot and punctually and beautifully presented.Thank you to you all! Tess well done!.See you all again in 2025.Regards Della Burgess on behalf of the Burgess family.

Great service and excellent food!

Attended a wedding. It was lovely. Staff were excellent and a really good venue

Had a Christmas lunch today and the food, service and property are first rate. It was absolutely fantastic. Will definitely be back.

What a beautiful place! stunning wedding venue, lovely rooms & very comfy beds! Staff were very helpful, food was fab! 5* all the way!! definitely will recommend having your wedding there! Thank you for a lovely time 😍

Fantastic Inn, the rooms were clean and more than comfortable, the staff clearly love their job and it shows in the the quality of service. The food was delicious, well done all at the lion

Easy to find. Parking ample. Clean and tidy. Staff all speak English. Visited a few times. Recommend for beers and food

Stayed for a mini break to visit family in the area. What a fabulous inn. The service and food were excellent and the rooms were very well decorated with the most comfortable beds ever! The staff make this place, nothing was too much trouble and they all enjoy their work. Definitely be back 10/10.

Lovely place. Massive. Food was excellent table of 17 every order was correct didn’t wait long loved it

Always a good place to eat. Very popular with plenty of parking. Easy to find.

Plenty of parking and easy to get to. Lots of staff as this is a very busy pub/venue. Big separate function hall.

Attended a fabulous wedding, room was lovely and staff amazing

Just had Sunday lunch at the Lion, and it was first rate yet again. We have never had a bad meal there and we have been going there for years. Staff are always friendly and work very hard the food is always very good. Lovely friendly family atmosphere and we both said that once your there you can relax and feel you belong there. Cheers.

Excellent food good atmosphere but can get noisy. Staff excellent and location is convenient We have been as a couple and with a party of six. This place never disappoints I would highly recommend

Love this place!! The food is amazing. Went for parents anniversary meal with family and they were very impressed. The staff, although rushed off their feet, were friendly and helpful. Thank you !

Fantastic meal with friends - our first time here! Absolutely gorgeous roast! Prices very reasonable although service charge 12.5 % rather than 10 % not sure why. Staff very helpful. We all had an excellent time. Had a quick look at tge hotel next door, wow! Loved the astro turf lion standing guard.

A Quick thankyou to all of your staff for a beautiful meal on Sunday evening, we each enjoyed a starter followed by a beautifully cooked roast dinner and a few drinks. The service was brilliant and well managed the restaurant was lovely and clean and the food came out at a reasonable time of ordering this was our first time of visiting but we will definitely return. Many thanks Jemma

I would have given a 5 star as I loved the place, ambience, and location. It was my first visit, and I had to say I was impressed. The only thing that took the star away was the service. I had to wait for 15 minutes at the bar 🍸 and eventually, i gave up and left the place after just 1 drink. There were 4-5 staff members behind the bar with only 3 customers, including me waiting, yet no one was served for at least 15 minutes. I understand the restaurant was busy, but I believe bar customers should be equally important.

Very busy Saturday night dinner was s bit slow to arrive but we weren't In a hurry

Great food and service. Had a great lunch here.

We had a meal for my daughter's birthday, the food was lovely and brilliant service the staff were helpful and efficient. Will definitely go back

Very busy on Sunday but food and staff delightful. 100% recommend

Great food, great service and great ambience.

In for breakfast, team attentive, food great and open fire going. Felt welcomed and valued by the team working this morning, thank you.

Brilliant place for food. Never had a bad meal when I have been to the lion inn. Recommend this place to everyone

We had a lovely meal with great company but being a large table of 12, where we were sat in the middle of the restaurant was incredibly noisy and struggle to hear Next time, would have been better suited at the back

Sunday Roast review - very mid. Roast potatoes were woeful, we were given a tiny plate of boiled, tasteless vegetables to share. It had a total of two broccoli florets. Yorkshire pudding was bland and cold. The meat was the only redeeming feature, pretty decent. The starter was decent. The restaurant itself is large and has a nice interior, the outdoors area was attractive. Lots of staff, who were friendly but could have been more attentive.

Had a lovely meal outside. Food was amazing, service was good except long wait at end to pay bill but otherwise best meal both me and my partner have had in a long time eating out and very reasonable (£85 and both had 2 alcoholic drinks and a starter and main each)

Our usual lunch venue had closed so we looked for somewhere on our way home . Saw The Lion Inn and gave it a try . Really attractive pub. It was a boiling hot day 12/8 /24 and we were seated in the courtyard by a very nice smiley small blonde lady . Nice menu. We chose Cod with samphire and pea purée. The accompanying potato cake was really dry and needed some cream and butter , probably dried out because it was prepared a while earlier, but the rest was nice . The only negative was the attitude of the young waiter who took our order, ( I had to call him over ) and then he brought the Bill. I’d say he was rather bored and not particularly happy in his job. The only time he smiled was when we added a tip , which in fairness wasn’t much deserved by him personally. Will definitely go back because it’s a really nice pub. Would like to try a stay there too as it’s a hotel as well .

Used to adore coming here but on several occasions one has been left bitterly disappointed. Yesterday evening popped in for soft drinks and a beer and not food as dined earlier. Larger tables had empty and full glasses left on them including our own which had very full glasses left thus causing confusion as to whether the table was occupied along with discarded qcigarette packet. One had to look for staff to get the table cleaned despite several members of staff passing near to the table numerous times I had a non alcoholic cocktail which consisted of a small tumbler sized glass full to the brim of ice. I paid for a drink not something that resembled a Slush Puppie with very little content. Please ask in future if customers have finished rather than clearing their glasses and snacks,. Shame the staff were not so eager to clean the tables earlier. The Lion was a place we really loved and recommended to many people but sadly no more. I remember on a sunny Sunday evenings in the past the garden used to be packed, one could not get a parking space, not so yesterday.! Such a shame, as there were on past visits really lovely members of staff and the was food fantastic. Little point in complaining as when I once did I was treated in an a very dismissive manner. Our visits got less and less and yesterday was the final straw !

Amazing Sunday Roast, best we’ve had in a long time!!! Had Roast Beef (2 stunning thick slices), juicy pork belly with incredible crackling and steak and ale pie, all with bucket loads of veggies……and fluffy yorkies. A little on the pricey side, but so worth the money, will most definitely be returning again soon.

Steph our waitress was so good I had to ask her if she had shares in the company I’m a business owner and recognise a gem of an employee when I see one. The Lion is very lucky to have an employee like Steph that cares …. Our party of 4 all had incredible food Well done to all !

Met up with some of the clan for dinner. Went on a Friday evening and sat outside. Excellent meal had by the majority....steak pie was rich and tasty, personally I would have had a puff pastry top rather than suet. Also when did veggies become an extra cost? With had lobster bisque spaghetti which was a little tasteless. But all-in-all very enjoyable time.

Lovely setting and great service helpful and friendly but the menu promises more than it delivers on a few dishes that I have seen or eaten , what a shame, otherwise it hits all the right spots

Members of my family frequently dine at the lion. We love it! A really pleasant environment The food always excellent. The service friendly , helpful and efficient. An interesting menu at reasonable prices. Recently I had a family lunch for my birthday in their private dining room. A lovely room Again everything absolutely perfect We had our own waitress Steph who couldn’t have been more helpful and efficient. We were able to go outside into their excellent secluded garden as it was a lovely day Some family stayed there and highly recommended the rooms and breakfast. Do give it a visit. Just off the A12

Perfect place for meal just to pop in book a room and have a private group meal outside tables good spot on and service was fantastic bubbly polite well worth trying.even had a weeding going on and didn't feel busy at all .didn't stay in rooms so can't comment.

I have recently got married at the lion house and the whole experience was a amazing. The venue is beautiful and the courtyard makes you feel like you could be in Spain or South of France. All the staff were second to none and couldn't do enough for us and all the other guests, especially Georgina. Finally the food, we went for the grill menu and it was definitely a wise choice, as all our guests loved it and all they can talk about are the ribs!!!

We went for a party & was located in the sun terrace so it was like private dinning. We were a party of 10. Service was good, food was good all had a lovely time & have gone back since

I have often eaten at The Lion, and I have never been disappointed. It has always been very busy and had a noisy atmosphere, but on my last visit on a Sunday evening, it was quiet.

Had a lovely meal on 14/5/24 for my 40th birthday! Our waitress Steph was wonderful and was so helpful and friendly. The food was delicious and we will definitely be back!

I love this place . We have been a number of times and seen it grow over the years . Still great food and choice - great atmosphere, lively if not a bit noisy unless you sit around the side - always forget to take photos of the food to put on here - will do next time - great place to go , couples or family … celebration or just going out out

Service was very poor, feel like the area we were sitting gets forgotten..had to keep calling our waitress over.

I've had the pleasure of staying at the Lion multiple times and it was always a great experience Easily 5 stars

The excellent venue for a birthday party great service and food very efficient staff

Always our go to place for a Sunday roast or indeed any occasion, being somewhere local we can always trust which never fails to disappoint. Consistently delivering incredible food & hospitality - the management are always welcoming and friendly, greeting us on a first name basis - such a nice attention to detail. Highly recommend!

Fantastic meal. Food was piping hot and really tasty. Great selection on the menu and different specials. Staff were really attentive. Even though it was really busy, we didn’t wait long for food. Will be back again soon!

Went to a mid week evening wedding reception there. Very smart venue. Staff friendly, helpful and attentive. Good parking, and on bus route between Chelmsford and Maldon.

We stayed over night at the Lion Inn and cannot recommend this place enough! Absolutely 5 star service from start to finish. Food was amazing and all the staff were super helpful. The room was absolutely lovely, extremely well decorated and comfortable. We will definitely be back soon!

We stayed over night at the Lion Inn and cannot recommend this place enough! Absolutely 5 star service from start to finish. Food was amazing and all the staff were super helpful. The room was absolutely lovely, extremely well decorated and comfortable. We will definitely be back soon!

Oh dear must have been a bad day. Been here for years and always outstanding but today so very poor. Prices have recently really increased a lot. Still taking our coats off when we were asked for our drink order if any. Not many smiles from the team who were slow by previous standards but perhaps we upset them by asking to be moved to a different table. Late on I asked for a small glass of water and as it hadn't arrived after a few minutes I reminded the floor manager who slammed a glass down on the next table, said she had ordered it and stormed off glaring at me. Not a good advert for front of house and very unprofessional. Nevertheless we still we left a tip but may not be back as spoilt for choice for other excellent eateries in the area.

Had lunch here for a celebration, consisting of prawn cocktail starters that were £8.95, a reasonable amount of Prawns/crayfish with sauce and lettuce, plus half a slice of rye bread. The main course for me was a large haddock and chips , of which both were good. For my wife, she had the pork belly that had mash, cracker strips, a light mustard sauce. Overall the food was very good, but £190 (4 starters and mains, 3 desserts, 3 coffees, 1 bottle of processco and 1 bottle of water) including tips, was a tad expensive, I would have expected a bit better for that food was 4/5. Didn't use the rooms, so I can't score those. Good service and very nice looking inside.

Buzzing atmosphere, great food and helpful staff. Returning customer.

I’ve been to the Lion inn several times now over the years and have always been impressed with the ambience and the food is consistently incredibly tasty, really well presented and a reasonable price. The Lion however has surpassed even my expectations tonight by the level of service received from the most bubbly, kind, caring and amazing waitress I’ve ever known. My girlfriend and I wanted to say a huge thank you to Steph our waitress for the evening who brought the whole experience to another level. Thank you Steph for making a lovely evening even more amazing!! If you’ve been on the fence about going to the Lion, then go just to meet Steph!!

Excellent destination for lunch... Good menu, good price and excellent service ...

Had a meal here yest eve with family. Food was lovely. Our waitress was excellent. Nothing was too much trouble.

An unassuming place from the roadside but outstanding once in! Try the delightful bread board or perfect pork crackling; but starters may seem unnecessary as the portion sizes are decent. The latte is a definite must-try. While the sides come at an extra cost, the Homemade Fish Pie and The Lion's Homemade Pie are absolute delights, easily ranking among the best we've ever had. The service strikes a seamless balance - attentive and professional. The cosy ambiance is perfect for some Instagram-worthy shots. Remember, the kitchen starts taking orders at 12, but worth the wait. Consider arriving early or booking in advance on their website. Ample parking is an added bonus. Our bill for two amounted to approximately £65, excluding the tip. Visited a couple of times now! The ham, egg, and chips, along with the double sea bass and main tart, offer pleasant, but not particularly remarkable choices. While they don't quite steal the spotlight like some other menu items, they still are worth a try if not in the mood for a pie. You will have an enjoyable dining experience here.

Just came back from a lovely evening. Out waitress made our evening....she went above and beyond to make our evening special. Wish I'd found out her name for a name check. Food was as good as always.

One of the best pubs for traditional British food in the East of England, absolutely unmissable!

Wonderful roast beef for Sunday lunch. Only problem was that I had no room for a pudding. Service and general environment excellent. The staff work hard with a smile on their faces! Can't praise enough! Can't comment on the rooms as my family live very close by.