The Malt Shovel in Leicester

It’s been a while since we’ve eaten here but really glad we decided to have a Lazy tea here. I had the chicken burger and partner had Angus burger. We shared Mac and fries. Wow, the burgers were amazing as were the fries. Service was very good and relaxed comfortable surroundings were much needed after a busy day

I and three other family members came for lunch on Wed 17th July, the quality of the food was excellent and could not be faulted, all the meals were different but all came out at the same time and all were nice and hot and very tasty, I had the Chilli Con Carne, and I told the waiter afterwards that it was the best Chilli Con Carne I had ever had, all the staff are very polite and happy to help whenever needed, we will certainly be coming again, so well done and thanks for a lovely lunch experience

Not the best Was squashed in where we sat , asked to be moved Dinner luke warm Frozen veg, mash & Yorkshire pudding Cold custard Waitress cleaning table next to ours and the spray went all in our drinks had to be replaced Felt very rushed and not very welcomed Shame as we have had nice evening meals there, Never again…..

We went for what should have been a pleasant lunch we were greeted by a snotty waitress who directed us to a table after awhile she came back asked if we were ready to order we said not at the moment to which she went off with a huff and said I'll serve another table if it wasn't for a lad who came out of the kitchen we would still be sitting there we ordered the food came it was eatable but not as good as we expected tobe fair fairly average. Suggest the waitress takes lessons in customer relations it might well improve your reviews.

This wonderful gem of a pub has now become my 'go to' for a perfect 'ladies at lunch.' A homely setting with delicious freshly cooked food, small portions for a light lunch or larger portions for an early dinner. Sunday Lunch with the family not to be missed. Scrummy roast, variety of vegetables and cauliflower cheese to die for! Most definitely value for money and always service with a smile from Clara and her staff. Don't change a thing, it's perfect. Remember to book so not to be disappointed.

I should start by saying that exactly a year ago we throughly enjoyed a meal for my grandmas 80th birthday. So there was no hesitation to go again for her 81st. Well....what a difference! The service was ridiculously slow. Even to take drinks. My cousin wanted to order a prawn starter but we were told we had to pre order that to be able to have it. Yet there was no mention of this when the table was booked weeks prior We had taken a cake with us to celebrate and were told that there would be a 5 pound surcharge to cut it up for us. Which we were fine with...but the charge didn't exist last year? When the meals finally arrived, we were asked if we required any sauces. To which, I asked for extra gravy. To my surprise, I was told if I wanted extra gravy then I had to order it with my meal. Really! It feels as though there should be a terms and conditions page on each table to give you a heads up about things that wouldn't be an issue anywhere else. To top off the poor service, the food was just average with the vegetables hard. So disappointing after what was such a lovely experience previously.

Took a 92 year old friend who is quite ‘picky’ about her food. She thoroughly enjoyed her fish and chips, but did say there were too many chips. I had lamb shank and it was absolutely delicious. The mash and minted gravy were superb and my only gripe is that I prefer my vegetables to be a little more cooked, but I enjoyed what I had. Service was good, atmosphere was great and seeing the vintage car on the car park as we left, made my friends day. Thank you - we will be back.

Today I visited with family for a light lunch. The choice of options on the menu were fab and the waiting staff were friendly! The food was tasty, and generous size portions even though we ordered the small versions. Well priced as well. Lovely cosy vibe and will be back definitely.

I cannot thank the Malt Shovel enough! What a fabulous 80 birthday celebrations my mother had. Excellent hot and cold style celebration buffet. The food was fabulous, and a great selection, to be had. Kind attentive staff, on hand . Fabulous pub atmosphere too! I cannot recommend the Malt Shovel enough. Thankyou again.

Just had the most amazing food for our Christmas dinner. Service was outstanding, nothing to much trouble. Would definitely recommend and already decided to return next year

Our Christmas dinner was amazing, so tasty and lots of it. The service was outstanding. Everyone worked so hard. Wouldn't hesitate booking again for next Christmas. Thank you.

Really friendly service, good food but we don’t eat there often. Live going round just for drinks. Very dog friendly which I absolutely love.

What a great Sunday lunch! We met friends here and all the staff were so fabulous. The bar staff although busy were polite and attentive and the waiting staff were also brilliant. Claira who runs the front of house was extremely busy but kept us informed and looked after our every need. Lovely delicious food and a warm Chistmas atmosphere. Would definitely recommend and superb value for money.

I’d booked a table for 3 via the website and had an email conversation that said we could have a booking 15 mins later than requested which I accepted. We arrived (including friends who’d just driven for 2 hrs for a visit) to be told there was no record of our booking and it had been missed. There was a ‘sorry’ but nothing more. The server even scrolled Through the email thread on my phone as if to question my booking. I asked if there was any way we could be accommodated and it was a flat no with another sorry. It was gone 2pm on a Sunday afternoon - late to find somewhere else . I emailed the next day to express my disappointment and the chef/owner, Tony, promptly responded with an apology and the offer of some freebies if we choose to go back. The gesture was appreciated but we won’t be going back.

Very, very disappointing!!! Booked a month in advance for a special 60th birthday Sunday lunch. How disappointed when we arrived to be told they didn’t have our booking (email shown confirming booking) nothing offered, no table, didn’t want to know, disgusting service!!!!!

Was so disappointed on Sunday 15th, October I booked for my husbsnds birthday the roast was delicious, but ooh dear was put in the very very cold anex no heating we sat in our coats with other diners so very cold, it really spoiled the occasion ,also was told the soup was only available if preordred so unacceptable as only soup !!!hope you sort this cold area as it is so sad for diners to eat food with top coats on

what a wonderful gem in the country, staff were great, food cooked by the landlady as one of the chefs were on holiday was fantastic, the rump steak was to die for, 3 starters 7 wonderful meals and 7 puds fantastic great price especially for the portion size already booked for Sunday diner. we will be back

Ever since Mackenzie has left the place has gone downhill, no organisation between staff (although it’s not their fault) it’s obvious the manager hasn’t trained any of them. I’ve also been told the waitresses get their tips every 4 months and don’t even get more than a weeks pay. Food is frozen and cheap. Tables are sticky, floors not cleaned. And manager is a bully

Arrived just before 6pm on Friday night, it was pretty empty on arrival, only about 4 other tables in use. We looked at the menu and wanted to order straight away as had a 4 year old with us that can only sit still for so long. We asked 3 times if we could order to different people, including going up to the bar to ask. Each time they said they'd be there in a minute. At 6.40pm I went up to the bar and paid for the drinks and said we weren't prepared to wait any longer. My son was starving and had already waited patiently for 40mins and we'd not even ordered yet so I couldn't wait another 30+ mins. The guy on the bar made an excuse about the kitchen having issues but they hadn't even taken the order yet and nobody had made us aware of any issues to allow us to decide if we stay or not. The staff weren't even busy, they stood at the podium looking at reservations, sat new arrivals down, took drinks and then stood at the bar waiting for them to be made rather than taking orders in the meantime. At the point we left it had filled up and if the kitchen truly had problems I dread to think how long people waited for food because now all food orders would happen at the same time instead of being staggered. We didn't see a single food order taken or leave the kitchen whilst we were there. There were 4 staff but they need to sort out staff role and responsibilities: have one person on the door to seat and take drink orders, one person doing the food orders and one making drinks and one delivering them to tables. At points all 4 were at the bar for ages instead of splitting roles effectively. After having asked 3 times over 40 mins, we couldn't cope watching them standing around ignoring us any longer. Such a shame as its a lovely little pub. Agree with another review about having too many tables squished in though. They've turned us away previously despite being empty and said it's not due to lack of tables but due to the kitchen so why not remove some tables so it's not so squished!

Booked a table for 5 of us, and had drinks served to the table, and a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. Meals we had were Hunters Chicken, Ham, egg, chips and salad, Rump steak, chips, peas, tomatoes and onion rings. All meals nice and hot, and excellent. Staff very friendly. Would definitely book again.

Fantastic food,amazing prices,staff very friendly and helpful. Have recommended to family and friends. Cannot wait to try the Christmas menu.

Lovely welcoming staff, quick (but not rushed) service and good food. Incredible value for money! Really enjoyed ourselves, left VERY full and would certainly go back again.

My wife & I, plus our pub friendly pooch, en route home from Leicester, popped into the Mark Shovel in the little village of Barkby (very apt) on the off chance for a spot of lunch. Good choice. Situated in the pretty Main Street, parking was accessible and ample. An attractive inn, with alfresco facilities and a pleasant entrance area. Busy lunchtime, but we were warmly welcomed and directed to a table, orders duly taken. The dining area is quite large, with a well stocked bar at one one end and tastefully decorated in contemporary style. Tables aplenty, to seat from 2 to up to 8. The menu reflected a fair choice of “pub grub” favourites and the “Specials” featured a surprisingly good selection of veggie / vegan dishes too. My cod ‘n chips and my wife’s scampi arrived piping hot, were well presented and very tasty. Portions were good and pricing fair value. My accompanying pint of Thwaites Bitter also went down a treat. Ambience was relaxed, convivial, suitable to anyone; couples, family groups, whatever. The toilets were obviously well tended to, functional and clean. The staff, whilst obviously very busy, were universally efficient, nevertheless cheerful and obliging, a credit to themselves and the establishment. Happy to recommend.

Visited for sunday lunch with my family, was very disappointed by the food and the service. Very average food with tough beef and deep fried roast potatoes. Service was very poor, with servers which seemed to be very inexperienced. Our bill was dumped on our table before even having our puddings. We actually waited longer for our puddings than we did our main courses. Used to be a lovely village, now will not be returning.

Visited for pre wedding drinks lovly Village bar staff very welcoming arrived at 12.30 ordered oreded food was told there would be a 45 minute wait even though the restaurant was half empty. Ordered liver asked for it to be pink and nor over cooked served on a bed of mash! Liver was over cooked and small bits of liver and dry bed of mash is instant mash was outside with the wedding party food was put on the table behind me with no acknowledgement that it had arrived.did eat some of the food as I had been waiting and hungry and was due to get to the church in 10 minutes. When I pointed out that the liver had been completely over cooked was told by the bar staff that its batch cooked!!! So why didn't they front of house make me aware that they can't serve it pick!! POOR FOOD AND SERVICE A SHAME BECAUSE ITS A LOVLY PUB AND SETTING

Came here as a group of 9 for Sunday Lunch with no trouble accommodating a large enough table when booking ahead. My husband did not enjoy the beef however the rest of the food was delicious and myself and others all loved the turkey and other chosen meats. There were more than enough vegetables, unable to finish it all, the small portion was definitely enough for myself. The staff were lovely, we will definitely return.

Beautifulllll sunday dinner , with the most perfectly cooked chicken . All the family really enjoyed the meal and we will be sure to continue to return to such a lovely , family atmosphere pub. I would also like to thank our waitress Alisha for both being polite and always on hand to help , she had 10/10 service , great addition to your staff ,,,outstanding service.

Never had a meal here before. Thought we'd give it a try. Doubtful that we would return. Tables were too close together and too many of them in such a small area. Had difficulty getting in and out of seat without disturbing others! Not enough staff...to be fair they did their best. Waited over half an hour for the order to be taken. Food was average - but quite expensive and NO starter menu!

Came here for lunch today food was brilliant I like how they do a small or large portion and they have started to do dog meals too which was reasonably priced for the portion size at £3.50! my dog loved his meal too! We will...

Just had our first Sun lunch at the Malt Shovel. The food, service a friendliness was excellent. Will definately be returning both for a drink and a meal

Definitely not 8 oz rump steak served medium rare; More like a 4oz 🤣 3 inches & 1cm thick. So tough I asked to take home for the dog to eat andtold a surcharge of 40p to take home for dog ? 😮.

Great location nice staff bower food not so good. Orderd scampi chips and peas. The peas were hard and tasteless and two of my scampi were empty!! I would say brought from cheap supplier.

Great food and good service. We went twice in a week. Once for evening meal with grandkids and Sunday lunch for a couple. Service was very good, the manager was training a new recruit without taking over and guided her through the process when asked....

Absolutely fantastic from the excellent food to the the exceptional service and welcoming athmosphere. Also special thanks to the bar staff who were very friendly and made it the kind of place I would certainly go for a drink on the rare occasion I wouldnt...

Excellent food from a very good pub menu and excellent service, friendly atmosphere. Recommend. Good access for the ‘less able’.

Always have a great meal here but the last 2 times we have been have not been as good,not sure if they have a new chef tonight had a steak for my husband’s birthday which was tough and fatty.Will definitely go again hopefully will be...

Went with the inlaws. Full of anticiption. Love refurb. However when I go out and have fish and chips don't really expect the same frozen stuff I get from Aldi. Husband had ham & egg. He got one slice and suspects it came from a...

Had a lovely meal this evening the steak was cooked perfectly,compliments to the chef. Waiter McKenzie was very friendly and polite.Will definitely be returning

Poor meal supermarket fish Ross or Birds Eye no trimmings very poor quality cheap nasty wine this place has been one of our favourites for ages but it really gone off such a shame

Lovely place, nice food and friendly staff. Lots of choice on the menu and the food arrived quickly. Very accommodating.

We all had a great meal here yesterday. The service from the staff was exceptional from booking us in, and ordering our meals to the actual service of our meals. The Steak and Ale Pie with mash and veg was really tasty. The Hunters Chicken...

After a busy shopping trip we decided to call into the malt shovel for lunch when we arrived it was very busy so that shows how popular this lovely pub has become we were told that there could be a 45 minute wait for food...

0k where do I begin I phoned twice regarding our booking I was never told we needed to order our starters So when I asked what the soup of the day is The reply was you have not ordered starters Why do they put the...

We had a sunday lunch booked we asked what the soup of the day was, to be told all starters had to be pre booked at no time were we advised of this. Attitude of serving staff not great, The meal was as at best...

Food was great - meaty and veggie burgers. It was also hot when served and appreciated the time taken by waiting staff to answer questions and check specifics with kitchen. We sat in the side restaurant as it was busy and we booked last minute....

Had father in laws wake there. I simply cannot praise the management, staff, quality of service and food enough. I no longer live in the area but when visiting will certainly return. Family & Friends who still live in Leicestershire have all said they will...

Fantastic food and excellent service. Really like trying the guest beers as well. Nothing was too much trouble, when we had questions about the different beers, food.

We visited on a Saturday night, was full but as a small pub wasn’t that many people. Waitress was very stressed and it was coming across as almost rude and rushed when dealing with clients. I would not visit here again down to the poor...

Just to say a BIG thank you to the wonderful team for making my mum’s birthday meal so special. The food was excellent as was the service. Would highly recommend and will definitely be back. Thank you 😊

Had a meal there on Friday night, all of the food was excellent. Portions big, couldn't manage it all. Really good quality and service. Was very busy so quite noisy but they can't do much about that!

Want to say thank you so much had my 60th birthday at Nottingham dogs cancelled 2 hours before we were due to go was devastated, l rang the malt and they were able to accommodate us at short notice.Had amazing night and the food was...

Be prepared you SHOULD BOOK, for some reason they have changed their system, if you’re a walk in you get put to the back of the queue if booked tables are ready to order. You can’t get your own drink that again is ordered with...

Came here for Sunday lunch and it was lovely. Staff were all friendly and attentive. Food was delicious. There's the option of small or large, I definitely could have had the small instead. The only thing to note is with the lamb there is mint...

We were booked in for 1.15 pm but some of our party got caught up in traffic. I'm sure this caused the staff all sorts of problems as the pub has always seemed very busy when we have been there, we were told this was...

We ate at the Malt Shovel on Sat 7th, Our first visit since the recent refurbishment which has been very well done, including a much improved outside seating area. modernization without losing the character, We had Lasagne and Liver/Onions mains ( No starters available) Cheesecake...

Having enjoyed several excellent meals lately, was disappointed yesterday with being served only 1 slice of turkey. Rest of meal however was excellent.

Made to feel very welcome. Staff were very attentive and friendly. Sunday lunch was very tasty and cooked to perfection. More than generous portions and a realistic price. Will definitely be returning. Thank you very much.

Visited for a Christmas meal, warm welcome, enjoyed a lovely mushroom starter, which was like a meal alone, the Christmas dinner came with a good generous selection of winter vegetables, everything was cooked just right, Christmas pudding was lovely and the cheesecake was to die...

Popped in for lunch during our dog walk on Tuesday. We were warmly greeted by staff who looked after us superbly throughout. The food was great, nicely cooked with good portions - thank you.

Went last night and had a steak and it was amazing Very big portions everything cooked to perfection will definitely be going back

Absolutely fantastic ! The Sunday dinners are the best , so much food 👍 the service from everyone who works there is superb , there were 8 of us today , all food arrived at the same time , could not fault any of it...

Another fantastic meal at the Malt Shovel, Barkby with the family to celebrate my husband’s birthday. Staff so friendly and look after me as have a lactose intolerance. Highly recommend 🥂

Visited today with my Mum and Dad for Sunday lunch and it was delicious! The staff were very attentive and made our experience even better. Will definitely be coming here again!

Called in for drinks only, excellent staff, great garden area, restaurant was very busy so the food is as good as the menu prices. We live locally (Queniborough) and this pub has grown throughout its ownership. Would recommend.

Our intention was to have a 'pub grub' style of meal and were greatly surprised at not only the extensive menu but the price of everything. The Liver was amazing with the only regret being that I should have gone for the smaller portion so...

Went there for a Sunday roast, potions were great, quality of the food was very good, well worth the money, service was warm and friendly and overall a great experience, great beer garden when the weather is good and certainly will be back again.

Excellent evening spent at the Malt Shovel. Great selection on the menu at very competitive prices. Service was very good and all the staff were friendly and efficient. Thanks to everyone and we will return.

Staff decided to shut kitchen early even though we had checked website and phoned earlier in the day that food was served till 9pm. We walked to the Malt Shovel arrived at 8.30 for them to tell us that they weren’t taking orders any more....

Lunch with friends, great food, lovely outdoor seating, as the sun was shining. Very nice, interior/bar/seating area. Definitely going to visit again as have evening entertainment/bands etc with outdoor covered seating if the weather isn’t behaving! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Great food again today at the Malt, good home style cooking with lots of fresh veg . Fantastic value for money. Shani & Steve

Lovely country pub very nice inside and out. Had sunday lunch with my family. Food was not great as the meat was very tough and vegtables very hard and undercooked. Im a fan of al dente cooked veg but all needed cooking longer especally the...

Food service was very efficient with a wide choice and reasonably priced with the choice of large or small portions. The small portions are very generous and the staff were all friendly and polite. Could not ask for better service.

Fantastic village pub. Friendly staff. Highly recommend the Sunday dinner. Huge Portions. Plenty of vegetable choices. Piping hot. We have dined here many times and it never disappoints. Also recommend the home made lasagnes & steaks.

Arrived at the Malt Shovel last night and the guy was quick to wipe our table down, as previous people had just left, which was great given that covid is still out there. We had another lovely meal. I had chilli con carne and my...

Visited with my family yesterday and had a terrible experience. As a fussy eater I find it difficult to eat out. The waitress offered a macaroni cheese dish to which I ordered for my daughter and asked for the same. I was told only children...

Not very accomodating, poor service on this occasion I'm afraid. The manager wasn't helpful but quite the opposite.

What a amazing service amazing clean place, very very friendly 😀 you wouldn't leave there hungry portions was very big We went as a family of 8, amazing atmosphere definitely will be going back again

Well what can I say...yet again we have enjoyed the most delicious Sunday Lunch! As always the selection of vegetables and the pork & turkey were very tasty - all served by lovely waiting staff and bar staff. The pub is friendly, tastefully decorated and...

My Granddaughter booked a table for 6 at short notice. I had not visited for many years after being very disappointed by just about everything including the menagerie in the yard/car park, so I was delighted to find that the place had been transformed and...

Dress up in your finery or you will be told your card has to kept behind the bar, even though they have portable card machines. Don't ask for a menu of any kind as it will be refused, don't ask for a drink unless you...

Had another excellent meal here. Really good value for money. Friendly accommodating staff and lovely atmosphere and environment. Really good choice and great selection for vegetarians and vegans. Will definitely be returning soon

First visit here. First impression was actually great. It’s a lovely pub, with great decor. Food very nice, however Saturday evening only had 2 sirloin steaks left, we wanted 3. Opted for the fillet due to sold out sirloin. Very tasty, everyone enjoyed their meal,...

Sunday Dinner as always was brill been lots of times,customers are allowed to bring dogs in which not my cup of tea but ok.But when they are sitting on there owners lay at the table is a big no no from me

Excellent food, reasonably priced, good beer and a welcoming atmosphere and service. Make sure you book a table for food as it's very popular (especially on a Sunday) the pub also has a large well laid out car park, which is a must as it's...

We had a family get-together - some of us not met up for over 20 years. As our family come from Barkby we wanted to meet in the village. The Malt Shovel laid on a wonderful buffet, and made us feel very welcome. Nothing was...

Just off the cuff visit the beer was fantastic the food very good the welcome spot on and the ambiance brilliant Thank you

Wonderful meal, lovely staff nothing to much trouble, there were 7 of us every meal came out piping hot , thank you so much.

If you want great service, great beer and great food look no further. I don't usually leave reviews but the food and service at this place were exceptional.

Excellent food, good portions, hot & tasty, and very good service, BUT, having a table of 4 nearby that were very loud, despite the room not being full, and swearing all night was not a good experience as I was out with my mother (82)...

Meal went back three times as cold member of staff agreed could have been warmer on asking for refund very rude member of staff just handed money over no apology never use again.

Couldn’t recommend a better place to eat than The Malt shovel . Had an amazing three course Sunday dinner here today . Servings are massive and very reasonably priced .Very friendly and helpful staff . We will definitely return . Thanks the Mabbett’s

According to local knowledge. The pub was empty during during this incident. So feel like there is a lot of fake news happening. The landlord needs to learn a better way to deal with situations rather than getting aggressive. Last time any of us country...

I was also in the pub when the shooting party were present. I witnessed the disgraceful behaviour of some of those present including a very drunk woman who having lit up a cigarette in the pub was then abusive to the landlord and staff. In...

I was present in the pub when the landlord had cause to speak to the shooting party. Not only had they clearly been drinking to excess before visiting the pub, they refused to comply with the current laws around covid, table numbers and face masks....

We visited the pub after a lovely days shooting at Barkby. It was a wonderful day that ended short when we met the land lord what a complete nob. Don’t visit this pub

Can’t recommend the Malt highly enough for Sunday Dinner, there is nothing about it that needs improving! Meat is fantastic, Selection of veg is excellent, and the Mash & Roast are to die for! Booking highly recommend as it gets full You even get a...

Came here today for Sunday lunch with my husband,sister & brother-in-law - we all had the large dinners - we all had different meats - it was all fantastic- my husband's half roast chicken was huge - we had a fantastic meal, but next visit...

Had a Sunday roast, yesterday I just have to say absolutely first class.The food was cooked to perfection and there was so much (it was a good job I was wearing my joggers due to the waist expansion) I really only needed a small portion....

3 of us ate here on Saturday night, the pub has had a major refurbishment which looks amazing. we all ordered steaks, rump and sirloins, all cooked to our liking mine was medium rare and was perfect, everything on the plate was gorgeous. The staff...

Myself and 3 friends had a lovely meal at The Malt Shovel in Barkby on Wednesday evening. We all thoroughly enjoyed our meals and the staff were very polite and helpful. Great service, great food..i can highly recommend and we will definitely be returning.