The Motte & Bailey in North Hertfordshire

Great pub with good selection of drinks, excellent food and welcoming staff! Roast dinner is amazing - the best in area!

Popped in on the off-chance on a Sunday and had a roast. Chicken wrapped in bacon with stuffing was great, roast potatoes absolutely spot-on, veg. delicious and cauliflower cheese the best i've had in a long while. Will be back!

Excellent customer service, great food and great atmosphere. Fully recommend.

Popped in here after a run, hoping maybe we could grab some food but unfortunately we were too late for service. Did get some drinks though and was offered free roast potatoes leftover from roast lunch for free on the bar and by god they were great! Will be returning earlier to try the full roast!

We live in the village so are a little biased but love this country pub. Excellent Sunday roast and pretty sunny garden with lots of different areas. Staff always friendly and dogs welcome. Lovely roaring fire in the winter and Jo has thought of everything from a dog watering station, blankets for outside and beautiful window artwork.

A pleasant country pub in the middle of nowhere. Very friendly and helpful staff. Set in nice surroundings

We really loved our Saturday afternoon lunch at The Motte and Bailey. Service was brilliant, friendly and very helpful. The food was outstanding, I had the dirty burger and it was honestly one of the best burgers I’ve ever had, so delicious. Everyone else’s food was also excellent. Pirton’s a beautiful village and the location of the pub is lovely. We’ll definitely be back.

Lovely pub with delicious home made food. Beautiful setting and pub garden - super dog friendly. Would highly recommend.

8 of us had Sunday lunch 12 May it was delicious and very reasonable too 😋

Lovely Sunday lunch with a large group of friends, roast beef was delicious. Staff were great and we will be going back.

Fantastic meal. Jo and her team we're excellent, friendly and very welcoming. Fantastic food, excellent pub and brilliant atmosphere. We will definitely be returning!

I cant say enough good things about this place. I often see west Indian food and its been dressed up and not authentic but this is cooked like my family would cook. first time coming here and I'll be back

Went there for new year's and the staff there were absolutely great and the atmosphere in general was wonderful. 10/10 would definitely go again.

Nice pub, nice food, good atmosphere, prices average and worth a visit

Nice place, cozy setting inside and nice selection of drinks. Bar staff were a little less enthusiastic that I would have liked. Having run a bar, I know what I look for in a quality pub. It was on the pricey side for drinks, but was nice to sit outside the front and watch the world go by

Had a cheeseburger for lunch. £15 for a tiny burger in a resco bun what a rip off. Never again, how you can ger away with that is criminal.

Lovely pub, very nice staff, great food. We've been looking for our local Sunday roast spot since moving to Hitchin a few years ago and now we've found it! Portion size was very generous and even came with a surprise free cauliflower cheese! So happy to have found this place, will definitely be coming back.

Really delicious food and lovely staff and service. Would definitely recommend the roast dinner and also I will definitely be going back!

Lovely pub set in the heart of the village. Friendly service, decent beer and good food

Lovely pub in Lovely village, very quiet at lunchtime, good selection of beers and wine. Will return again. Friendly staff.

Newly discovered gem. Lovely country pub with nice food and a great selection of drinks. Outdoor is very nice overlooking the green.

Horrible bar women today!!! Absolutely rude and serving inferior drinks. Their look on their face showed that they didn’t want the clients!!! Awful people! They both didn’t care!!! Never again!

Tha atmosphere was OK but the food and the service let it down. It took 30 mins to be told that they didn't have what I'd ordered and my friends salad was really disappointing 😕 and over priced.

The Motte and Bailey is a lovely local pub. They are really welcoming. The food is lovely with a new menu. Dog friendly. Really relaxed atmosphere. Highly recommend.

In the heart of a verdant land, where nature's secrets dwell, Stood a pub of whimsical tales, where legends weave and swell. 'Twas the Motte and Bailey, a haven of joy and mirth, Where capybaras and otters forged an alliance's birth. Within its timbered walls, stories whispered in delight, Of capybaras with gentle souls and otters sleek and bright. Their worlds collided, fates entwined, a bond they could not sever, In the tavern's warmth and cheer, friendship found forever. The capybaras, noble and calm, with their friendly grace, Sought peace and harmony, a tranquil dwelling place. The otters, playful and quick, danced in the rivers' flow, Their agile spirits yearned for adventure, on the waves they'd go. At the Motte and Bailey's threshold, they found a common ground, Sharing tales of lands afar, where both creatures were renowned. Under moonlit skies, they toasted with pints raised high, Celebrating newfound kinship, under starry tapestry. The capybaras, wise and kind, shared their ancient lore, Guiding otters through the woods, teaching them to explore. In return, the otters showed the capybaras the river's dance, Swiftly gliding in tandem, a mesmerizing trance. Through laughter and camaraderie, a treaty was conceived, An alliance of friendship, where boundaries were relieved. The Motte and Bailey became the symbol of their bond, A sanctuary for harmony, where unity would respond. And so, the capybaras and otters flourished side by side, In the Motte and Bailey's haven, their spirits unified. Through laughter and shared secrets, a testament to their reign, As creatures of land and water, their alliance would sustain. So raise a glass to the Motte and Bailey, where dreams take flight, Where capybaras and otters found kinship's purest light. In this timeless pub of wonder, their alliance shall remain, A tale of unity and friendship, forever to proclaim.

Not good very basic food and not good service

Just had a quick meal here before a walk, not many in at the time. Food good. A bit cold but they hadn't been open long. Nice setting in a pretty village.

The Sunday roast was tasty and filling well worth the visit thank you.

Came over recently from Ireland for a weekend break.a large group of us, plus two dogs, were accommodated in a suitable area for watching the rugby on TV. Friendly staff and friendly locals made for an enjoyable visit. I get the feeling the motte is at the centre of village life; my kind of pub. I will do an Arnold Schwarzanegger . I'll be back.

Such a lovely welcoming pub, the lovely girl with the red hair behind the bar was so welcoming and sweet to all the customers. The roast was amazing! So important to keep great pubs like this going! Highly recommend. We were travelling though and this is the best pub we found. Thank you :)

Great pub, friendly staff. Definitely will visit again

Really disappointing . Pastry was raw in the pie. Burger was over cooked. Won't go again.

Great pub with great landlords.

Great selection of cask ales. Welcoming staff and dog friendly.

Lovely village pub spoilt by some pond life sitting at the bar whose only known word of the English Language began with the letter F.

Ran our of prosecco! I've never heard of pub running out of anything before.... a good night out despite this.

Visited for the first time for a wedding. Lovely place in a small village with friendly staff and good food👍🏻

It was nice staff was friendly.

lovely pub in centre of pretty village. Food was good had the Sunday roast.

Food times from website... Wednesday to Saturday – Lunch sitting 12pm – 2.30pm Wednesday to Saturday – Evening sitting 6pm – 8.30pm Sunday 12pm to 4pm

Enjoyed the cider and was nice sitting out front. Thanks.

Another amazing experience at The Motte and Bailey. The most amazing food and friendly place in hitchin and surrounding areas

Had a couple of good experiences here but seems to have really gone downhill post pandemic. Avoid!

Much improved. Great service and friendly host

Great local pub, drinks, service all excellent. Great atmosphere too

Arrived at 13:00 to find it closed! Google needs to be updated

Oh dear...you know when your instincts say "Turn around and walk out". This seemingly popular local pub was run by teenagers on the day who don't appear to have tbasic knowledge on how a restaurant should be run. It took several minutes before we were acknowledge or even noticed as customers, 4 of us standing obediently in front of two bar staff focusing on a till issue. The rest played out as you'd expect as we noticed a sign that said 'no service here'. We giggled in a hungry kind of way.

A lovely local village pub with a great atmosphere, helpful staff and a decent roast.

Today we had a delicious Sunday roast at The Motte and Bailey. On arrival we were made to feel welcome and were seated in a lovely area of the pub next to the fire. The roast was all home cooked with a large portion of cauliflower cheese served on the side and included in the price. The Rioja was great too! Thanks for a lovely experience. See you again soon.

Jo and the team makes us all feel so welcome. Whether it is family visits or drinks in the evening there is a welcoming atmosphere. Only moved to the village in June and the Motte is a great find. Our dog Chewie gets spoiled too which is always nice 😁

Arrived 1400 hrs for Sunday lunch, only had the beef left, which was very tough, the veg was fine. Other problem, there were no deserts available. Very disappointed. Do not think we will be going there again.

Great selection of beer at very reasonable prices.

Very good and friendly excellent

On the first visit, very friendly staff. Pub is very clean and has a nice outdoor area. Second visit different staff and sadly less friendly.

We love our local pub. The food, drinks, and atmosphere are always great and the staff so welcoming. The Motte and Bailey recently hosted our wedding which was absolutely fantastic; a truly magical day thanks to Jo, Elliot and team.

Not very impressive, no children's meals little choices and staff not attentive

Took our dog here as her first trip to a pub and they couldn't have been more welcoming. Both the landlord and landlady came over for a chat with a handful of dog biscuits Didn't sit inside so difficult to comment on what it'd be like in normal times but what I can say is the burger was lovely. Will be going back. Its always good to find such a gem.

Super village pub, great food and good beer. Front garden is just the place to sit on a summer evening and enjoy the sunshine. Thank you for an awesome night out.

Fairly standard pub menu but done really well...will definitely be back!

Lovely selection of ales and a great location for a pub. Really pretty and worth the trip!

Great cask ale & ideal location for the end of a long walk.

Fabulous pub run by fabulous people

Lovely Sunday Roast! Nice atmosphere, friendly staff and good covid precaution measures.

Nice Sunday roast and dog friendly.

What a Sunday Roast, & what a great pub & on our doorstep!!! Delicious, fabulous food, highly recommend!! The service was great, quick, friendly & efficient...excellent range of drinks, & a good selection of Gin (very important!!). Lovely atmosphere, comfortable & well set out. The environment was very well prepped for the current situation, making you feel safe & protected. Can’t ask for more, it’s an absolute MUST for a visit when this lockdown is over!! Thanks Jo, Elliott & Team...

The Motte and Bailey is a fine Edwardian pub, with an ornate cast iron fireplace of the period. Meals are available most afternoons and evenings, and the real ale is kept in excellent condition. I enjoyed my Timothy Taylor's Landlord from Yorkshire, no end! The beer is unique, with apricot hop and a bitter edge. There are plenty of customers and conversation 😉, plenty of parking around the back and a beer garden. Pirton's motte is a short walk away,. A mound, where a Barrister friend of mine once slept one night, and the parish church stands in the as site of the bailey.

This was our third visit to the Motte & Bailey and we can't recommend it highly enough. Absolutely delicious food and the staff are very welcoming, attentive and lovely to chat to. Thank you!

Literally can't remember having a better steak and chips worth an hours drive i'd say. 😁😋

My first visit here just now for over thirty years. It's changed a lot but I really enjoyed it. The menu is small but all properly produced from scratch from local ingredients where possible. All four of our meals were really lovely. And the staff were welcoming and helpful too. I really hope they stay busy, and profitable, in this current crisis. They deserve to.

Perfectly pleasant, with a nice outdoor beer garden. Stopped for a quick drink and the service was friendly and efficient. Can't comment on food but might return to give it a look.

Nice pub trying hard. Sat outside only Good table with umbrella.

Fantastic pub. Beautiful interior and exterior. Fantastic range of drinks and excellent service. Recommended

Fantastic food and quality service highly recommended

Excellent pub well managed nice and Covid secure, very friendly very welcoming, great selection of beers and food was spot on deffinately recommend

Very good food and atmosphere. Lovely place

Fantastic pub and excellent Sunday roast. Really excellent.

Can't recommend highly enough based on my first visit. We went for Sunday lunch. Offering is delightfully simple - choice of 3 roasts (I think there's a risotto option for vegetatians). We sat late and thus the pork was sold out but this mattered not a jot, both the chicken and beef were excellent, in particular the beef was as it should be, so rare at a pub these days. Nice range of traditional and new age beers to go with it. Service from booking to aftercare (I left something behind) was outstanding too. Looking forward to trying their evening menu, which is a little more expansive and sounds delicious...

Lovely pub for a bite after a walk. Friendly staff, and bar allows dogs.

Lovely pub to stop at after a long walk. Food was excellent and the open fire is very welcoming.

Really nice pub. Great Reuben sandwich and perfect pint of bitter. Friendly staff. Will definitely visit again.

Very nice food, friendly service. Very good wine and beer choices.

Relaxed dog friendly pub..... And aspals cider... Comfy chairs... I'm in!!

Kind and welcoming, strangely they also speak and understand a little Italian, the menu is almost a leap in the dark, but what we chose was accurate and the ingredients were fresh... Well you can't expect the taste of a traditional dish , but acceptable... We will be back...

Nice pub with good fish and chips. Good place to fibbing a walk. Stocks Timothy Taylor.....

Great village pub and fantastic owners

Nice and clean and polite staff. Would have given 5 stars but the gents toilets were very smelly and I dont mean air freshner smell.

Popped in whilst on a bike ride, Staff really friendly and nice beer garden, takes cash and card. Quick service

Great setting. Good beer and snacks. Warm atmosphere.

Lovely, friendly pub. Small menu of good food - could maybe change menu more often.

Lovely outdoor area and local people are very friendly. Great staff but a bit on the pricey side

Top quality food and service with a smile

Food presentation very good we enjoyed

Nice stylish village pub, good food

A friendly village pub with an interesting menu at a reasonable cost

I wanted to organise a group of over 20 men for a walk and lunch on a Saturday, and went to sample the food. The food was very good, but the menu was slightly limited in its appeal to my group. Undaunted, the chef offered to provide a menu specially for us, and in consultation with the group, we agreed on dishes more to their taste (fish and chips, ham egg and chips, chicken pie, veg option...) Ordered in advance, the food came out on time and was universally given the thumbs up. Just the job for a group of hungry walkers. It is rare to please a whole group, but this time it was job done! Thanks to all concerned - we will be back.

Very helpful staff and a lovely glass of Aspells Cider

Very welcoming warm friendly pub lovely punters top staff first class landlady and great entertainment. Loved it.

Everytime we turn up they arent serving food, be it changing menu or too quiet to bother. Wont be coming again

Great spot to start and end a good country walk

3 Sunday menu choices, 2 roast and 1 vegetarian option. Meats were very very rare and 1 was chicken, yorkies bit on the dark/black side. Risotto was very good. Toilet issues there too. But lady did her very best to appease us and bill was reduced plus free desserts, coffee etc. Her efforts were appreciated. Not sure will return soon though.