Based on 401 opinions finded in 3 websites
Opinions
Some kind of joke. Booked a table for Fathers Day at 12pm. Seemed ominous when we arrived (10 mile Journey with 2 kids) and it was still closed at 11:55 with no sign of any life from within or the kitchen. Sat in garden until 12:10 then called them. Apparently “Jane usually opens before 12”, and “who said we’re closed?”. Could take no more of the farcical situation and left to find a place with far more accommodating staff with a level of competence. I’m sure this place may have been good at some point in time but whoever runs it now clearly has either zero customer care or is being seriously let down by whoever should be running it. The gardener is doing a great job though!!
BlingDog . 2024-06-16
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We walked over to the Old Swan yesterday (Saturday) and arrived at 12:15, to locked doors, drawn curtains, and no signs of life. I had called in the morning to book a table and nobody picked up, but I assumed there was just nobody in that early. Their website says they open at 12. We waited until 12:30 just in case they were running late but nobody turned up. We walked on to the Cock and Rabbit in the Lee and it was great.
Walker-S-R . 2024-06-09
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A wonderful old pub with a fantastic beer garden at the back. The food was excellent: Caribbean style chicken skewers, Greek-style lamb, and a brilliant vegetarian aubergine dish (I tried to get the recipe for this last one from the owner ;)) The owners were very friendly and welcoming. Will be back to try more of their food!
Ben Sheard . 2024-05-06
MORE AT Google
Lovely traditional pub. Great location and amazing garden.
Warren Gaunt . 2024-04-02
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Everyone who works there is lovely and great pricing !
Sally Walling . 2024-03-13
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What a wonderful, old, characterful pub. We came for Sunday lunch having heard it’s open again and the roast was amazing with the best gravy! Nick and Jane are such fantastic hosts and we were made to feel so welcome. Will be back regularly.
Charlie W . 2024-02-03
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Good traditional pub food in a great atmosphere with excellent personable staff. Highly recommend for a meal or a drink at any time.
Jason Waling-Heath . 2024-01-27
MORE AT Google
Lovely friendly staff at this quaint pub. Great beer garden for the summer and dogs are welcome
Cheryl Thompson . 2024-01-09
MORE AT Google
Lovely quaint pub, which feels like it is located in the middle of nowhere. Beautiful location and great atmosphere. Absolutely delicious food!! We have been visiting weekly, and Nick and Jane are so welcoming. Highly recommend!!
Holly Marzec . 2023-12-07
MORE AT Google
Fabulous, cute, cosy, friendly and relaxed pub with the warmest welcome - thank you Nick and Jane! We had a great time for roast with friends. They had the slow cooked lamb and pork, which was fantastic, I had the vegetarian - absolutely delicious, potatoes are a stand out! On to the homemade puddings… wow. Decadence! Love it, glad it’s back on the map!
Navigator32969728993 . 2023-12-06
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Recently ate at The Old Swan. The pub is off the beaten track, but well worth a visit. Home from home, cosy atmosphere, friendly staff and lovely home-cooked food. I had the Beef Bourguignon with mash and seasonal vegetables - absolutely delicious.
Louise M . 2023-12-06
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We had the most amazing Sunday roast yesterday. Lamb and pork cooked perfectly. Incredible roast potatoes and gravy. Couldn’t tell you about the yorkshires as the children loved them so much I had to give them mine. I didn’t have room for pudding but the chocolate brownies and ice cream were a huge hit with the children. Finished off with a glass of red in a lovely friendly atmosphere with roaring fire. How wonderful to have such a warm, welcoming family friendly pub back. More than 5 *s if it were possible
Maria Newman . 2023-11-20
MORE AT Google
I loved this place. Would recommend
raul mackie . 2023-11-14
MORE AT Google
Jane and Nick are great hosts serving good beers and an expanding menu Wonderful garden including a small football pitch Opening hours are expanding as well, I believe there open 6 days a week. According to Facebook they're now [October 2023] open: Monday closed Tuesday to Thursday 12-3 + 5-9 Friday to Sunday 12-10
Mark Kettle . 2023-10-25
MORE AT Google
Lovely pub, and very friendly staff , delicious food and very clean area and overall a lovely place to be!
Nick Jones . 2023-10-08
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My wife and I had the most amazing Mother's Day Sunday roast. Due to the present conditions we are all living under, we had to take our meal away. What a meal it was. The rare roast beef melted in the mouth and the pork belly was to die for. All in all I would recommend the food at The Old Swan unreservedly. You would be a fool to miss out on a treat like this.Use this takeaway facility, you will not be disappointed.
Amershamcollectables . 2020-03-22
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Perfect example of ancient country pub with old beams, great ambience, friendly welcome and efficient front of house staff, but so let down by the chef and kitchen.Tried to order the tempura prawns listed on the website menu, but told they were not available because the pub could not order enough to meet their supplier's minimum order - so why are they on the menu if never available.The smoked haddock supreme I did order inexplicably came as a small fillet cut into two pieces placed either side of a small, oily, tasteless pile of bubble and squeak in a typically chef's trick to make a small piece of fish look bigger - grossly overpriced at £13. It did not help that the haddock was overcooked and dried out without flavour, and the poached egg was overcooked and not runny.Difficult to understand how Tripadvisor rates this the No 4 restaurant in Missenden?
Colin C . 2020-03-13
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This is a true pub restaurant with the locals often in for a pint whilst you eat in the side restaurant. There is a lot of variety on the menu and I have never failed to find a few things that really appeal.
Jill P . 2019-12-30
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A lovely place to eat on a cold wet day, they have a lovely fire great to sit round good selection of beers a changing menu give it a go
pauline3711 . 2019-12-02
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Stopped for a drink and packet of crisps but ended up having the ham hock which was fantastic! Really good size portion and tasted fantastic.
imogens86 . 2019-10-05
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Just dropped in on the off-chance - no problem. Nice table by the window and an excellent Rib-eye cooked to perfection. Nice goat cheese start (needed a bit more ciabatta!). Overall excellent value - will be back soon.
lizJ22 . 2019-07-16
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Visited here with my brother and his wife.Haven't been here for some time,but it's always a lovely place to visit,especially on a nice summers day being able to sit in the spacious garden.We all had the fish and chips with peas,which was all nicely cooked,and the fish just flaked away.The mixed summer berry parfait dessert was also nice and refreshing.This was all backed up by with excellent friendly service from the waitress and bar staff.Many thanks for an enjoyable visit.
Slmon S . 2019-07-02
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Got a last minute booking for lunch today. Set menu looked varied and the food chosen was all very good except for the fish cakes which were bland. The pub has a nice atmosphere and has a regular clientele. Don't visit very often but will definitely go again.
philjh59 . 2019-06-16
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Had a lovely lunch here. We booked and I would recommend you do the same as it was busy which is good for a mid week lunch off the beaten track. Food was amazing - I had the pie of the day which was a really good quality lamb, plenty of meat and tasty pastry. You can taste instantly that good quality food is made on site and is all fresh........delicious. And make sure you leave room for desert, again superb.We will definitely return.
steventhebeard . 2019-06-05
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This hidden gem is tucked away in idyllic surroundings. We went as a family outing on a Sunday. Two delicious roast lambs were had! The lamb being very tender drowned in a sumptious gravy accompanied by potatoes and carrots. We also sampled the broccoli as a starter smothered in soy sauce and sesame seeds and I opted for a satisfying pea soup, which was soup of the day. All this was served with a choice of warm mini rolls and pats of butter. We enjoyed our meal in a beer garden tucked away to the rear of the building. The tables were well spaced so we could enjoy our meal without feeling crowded. This pub is child and dog friendly so families are also able to enjoy their day out together.
AmritaA74 . 2019-05-13
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Lovely traditional English pub. Friendly pleasant staff. Went for dinner and the food was good and prices fair. Tables a little bit squashed together so don’t expect any private conversations! Four of us ordered different dishes and all enjoyed their choices although fries were anemic (why can no one cook golden brown crispy fries anymore) but a lovely find and great to experience what seems a thriving successful pub with people who clearly know their pub business.
JILL T . 2019-04-14
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There are few things in my view more pleasurable than a country walk followed by a pub lunch, and I especially like small pubs tucked away in the Chilterns. Located in a pretty area I had not previously explored The Old Swan was new to me.
Hackneypete . 2019-02-24
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I have been to this lovely old pub several times and I think the food and the welcome have got steadily better. Three of us had roasts which were excellent followed by lovely desserts. There was a warm welcome and the food service was very prompt. Dogs are welcome in the bar and our cllie even got a bone. The pub combines being a local and an eaterie very well.
David P . 2019-02-17
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I love this pub and eat here frequently. The menu is always varied with a choice of fresh and seasonal produce. Tonight we had fillet steak and chips and a salmon dish. Both were, as always when we eat here, cooked to perfection. The Swan is a charming old pub which oozes character and we like to sit by the fire in the winter. The staff are always very accommodating and cheerful and we can’t wait to try the food on Vegan night next month. Even though we aren’t vegan we are excited to see what the chefs will do with the menu on that evening. Thanks team Swan, keep up the excellent work
Abwooop . 2019-02-12
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Popped in after a dog walk in the surrounding area and arrived at about 2pm on a Saturday. The pub was v busy, so much so that no tables left to sit at. However, after about 15 mins a table became available and we placed our lunch order. My partner had the homemade burger which he described it as 'amazing'.
KimbleWoman . 2019-02-10
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We were recommended The Old Swan. Booked a table for Saturday night for 4. Lively old pub with cosy bar and small dinning area. Warm welcome and nice ambiance. Lovely menu. We had scotch egg, soup and fish cakes then roasted pheasany, turkey and game pie finished with crepes. The good was excellent and nicely presented. Good wine and beer selection. Service was friendly and helpful. Will return.
B439ZQchrisl . 2019-01-14
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This picturesque pub in a somewhat overgrown garden has been run by Italians for more than 30 years. Chosen to feature as the pub in TV;s Midsomer Murders. Makes a change from the traditional Sunday lunch with its homecooked Italian menu and interesting wines. Located ina beautiful village
Hedgehog44 . 2018-11-15
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We visited on a Wednesday evening. the pub had a good atmosphere. our food was beautifully cooked and presented, we also selected a great wine. we enjoyed it so much we've booked a table to take friends on Boxing day!
Sallie B . 2018-11-15
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A walking group were due to dine at this pub at 12.30. Due to some problems we finally arrived at 12.50 only to find that our pre-ordered meals had been put on 'our' table at about 12.30. The obvious result was that any hot meals, including the soup were slightly warm. The soup tasted good but the walnut sized roll was an insult.
RogerA . 2018-09-16
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Visited the old Swan for lunch on the 30th of August. Staff are always friendly and pub itself and gardens are very pleasant. This is our 5th visit for lunch and sadly the standards in terms of the food have dropped significantly. We ordered the crab cakes to start, followed by a salmon supreme and the chickpea fritters and a children’s portion of fish and chips.
Meander741414 . 2018-09-02
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Lovely old pub, really big garden at the back. Food is not exceptional but not bad at all. It’s a lovely friendly place
379leilaw . 2018-09-02
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We visited today for Sunday lunch. Perfect in every way. Great food, friendly and quick service and the garden was a lovely location for the family to sit out in and enjoy the sunshine.
Gazelle Running... P . 2018-07-01
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Took our friends to this restaurant on their anniversary.
Harold P . 2018-06-30
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Visited yesterday at lunchtime. What a wonderful place. The food is superb the pies are a revelation - perfectly cooked short crust pastry, amazing fillings and a delicious "jus" poured around it - served with mashed potatoes and vegetables. Really superb. Super lady behind the bar and super management. I also tried the desserts which were amazingly good. Basically the food in this charming and out-of-the-way pub is just as good as any high-end gastro pub you will find anywhere. Spoilt only by some complete idiot going on and on about how a small service charge had been added by mistake to his bill - so embarrassing - I wish I had told him what a fool he was.
beavifamily . 2018-06-29
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Lovely fresh food, nicely cooked and good service. As it was lunchtime and good weather we ate outside in the pubs pleasant garden.
allistersmith2016 . 2018-06-10
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Been to the Old Swan several times and it’s a really enjoyable experience. Today’s fish and chips which the 4 of us had was pretty good. Sadly, the same couldn’t be said of the treacle tart which was VERY dry. Needs to be unctuous and oozing. Suggest they review their recipe.
simonrubin . 2018-05-23
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The food here is utterly delicious I have eaten here on at least 8 different occasions since moving to the area 5 yrs ago and have never been disappointed. The pub is very nicely decorated modern country pub style. The open fire in winter times is perfect, the garden in the summer time is blissful. Sometimes the staff have been a bit flustered (although they always tell us the specials and if anything is no longer available from memory) and the ladies toilets are freezing in the winter but honestly you won’t get a tastier meal anywhere else locally.
mintchocciechip . 2018-05-21
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Having just completed a lovely local walk in superb sunny-but-not-too-hot weather, we returned to this remote but easy to find trad pub for lunch. First impressions were that the staff seemed very friendly (easier when not busy) and the beer garden is lovely and very extensive. For once, I had a decent pint of (admittedly award winning) ale - Chiltern Pale Ale if I recall correctly. An excellent start. The food quality and presentation and service did not disappoint.
Peter G . 2018-05-11
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We have eaten hear many times and it never disappoints. The staff are so helpful,kind and jolly. The chefs do a great job and it’s consistent and that’s hard to find. Looking forwards to Sunday lunch .
franceso478 . 2018-05-02
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Having recently moved to the village we went to The Old Swan expecting good but classic pub food but I was very pleasantly surprised. This pub has a great drinking area, with roaring fire, frequented by local people AND a lovely restaurant perfect for taking family out for a nice dinner. The food is presented really beautifully, the menu changes regularly and as well as being extremely tasty the chef uses a good variety of ingredients. The staff are always lovely and it has a nice cozy feel. The beer garden also looks lovely for a summer lunch, can't wait! One of the best village pubs I've been to in a while, definitely worth a visit.
Annie G . 2018-04-30
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Phone at the last minute and arrived just before kitchen closed for lunch. Had a lovely 2 course lunch at £50 for 2 including tip. Food was of a very high quality. The meat pie was one of the best pies I have had and the special prawn risotto was very tasty as were the puddings. Very friendly waitress and landlady. Quite a small place so definitely worth booking.
Graeme32 . 2018-03-31
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Out-of-the-way location, down country lanes but with plenty of parking. Extremely good food: restaurant quality rather than pub grub. Really friendly service. Great value. And in a lovely old building, very atmospheric with its beams and fire. Highly recommended.
JCW . 2018-03-10
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This pub is about 3 miles from Great Missenden in a place called Swan's Bottom. It is a very isolated spot. We arrived early for lunch on a horribly wet and cold day. Having been there before we let ourselves in via the back door. The place was very cold and the famed blazing fire was only just stuttering into life. There seems to be no other sort of space heating.
Ian P . 2018-02-18
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Very small, nice looking, old pub, but didn't really welcome.Seems like it's just for locals. They do have a few tables for food.
Pete F . 2018-01-27
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We had booked the table for Saturday 23 Dec 2017 at 12.30 as rumour had it that it got filled up - the rumours were seen to be correct. 3 of us had breast of pan fried pheasant with dauphinoise potatoes, red cabbage, pureed parsnips...
stephennoless . 2017-12-23
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We came to The Old Swan for a funeral wake in the memory of a very dear friend.
TripperSouthampton . 2017-11-07
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We went to the Old Swan to celebrate my mums 80th birthday there was 12 of all together but even so we're served each course quickly.
Sarg63 . 2017-11-07
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We usually try to book something new most Friday's and although we'd been here before, it was fully booked. The table was ordinary, typical pub quality but the service was good. Very friendly and prompt. We had steak from the specials board and lamb. The food was good, a little chewy (the steak) but good enough with lovely starters of pate and soup of the day. Nice enough and will definitely come again.
James W . 2017-10-28
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Good atmosphere, except a little cramped and other noisy tables who seemed oblivious to the fact that there were other customers who would have liked to have been able to talk in a normal volume. You can't blame the management for this, but it was a drawback. Food was nicely presented and tasted good. Just the right amounts. Obliging waitress who brought yorkshire pudding for the lamb roast even though not on the menu. Nothing seemed to be too much trouble but asking more than once was necessary! Would recommend to others. Book early as it is very popular.
PHD4 . 2017-10-15
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Probably the last time we eat outside in the UK this year. Met up with friends for lunch and opted for sitting outside. Beautiful garden and lovely staff.
Simon L . 2017-09-27
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The food is just the best We'd night is steak night and we had it last night just melted in your mouth Super range of beers Lovely old pub wonderful staff .
briantP7424UV . 2017-09-07
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Enjoyed our lunch - lovely thick slices of smoked salmon in ciabatta with sweet potato chips, never had that before and the desserts were to die for!
Claire F . 2017-08-31
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We stopped for a pit stop on a dog walk, finding The Old Swam almost by mistake. What a find! The welcome was warm and friendly, the beer was very good and the garden was large and clearly well looked after. We didn't eat this time but will certainly be going back.
resident_nobody . 2017-08-13
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Our son and his family were visiting from Australia. After a morning at the Roald Dahl museum in Great Missenden, we took them for lunch at the Old Swan. Ducking our heads to avoid the low beams, we made our way to the bar. Greeted with a smile, our drinks order was efficiently fulfilled and we took menus into the wonderful garden to examine. Our six-year-old granddaughter was able to run around the football field and use the swing without annoying the other customers, it's a large space. A charming young waitress took our order and it wasn't a long wait before our food arrived. It was simple food, beautifully prepared and presented, although vegetarian options were a bit limited, they were very good. My son felt the whole experience had boosted his homesickness, nothing of that calibre in Australia!
JB27int . 2017-08-06
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Went to the old swan with a group of friends and its just the most honest experience of a british pub. The surroundings and breath taking. The mood is great, the employees were amazing and the food was superb! I even met one of the owners who was super nice and welcoming! Definitely recommend!!
Rita C . 2017-07-26
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Visited on spec and after a very long drive from the Midlands on probably the wettest day of the year. Some miles from Berkamstead along narrow, twisting and partly flooded lanes. But worth it. An unspoilt traditional country pub. Unpretentious decor. Friendly staff, in particular our delightful young waitress. Good quality pub food. My soup and ham hock and my wife's rhubarb pudding especially good.
Gordon S . 2017-05-18
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A very popular village pub that produces excellent food. It is not a large dining area so booking is probably advisable. The waiting staff are friendly and attentive. There is good choice of beers and wines at reasonable prices. The food is more than your traditional pub food, nicely presented. There are the traditional steak options but I followed the asparagus/mushrooms/beet roots with an individual pork and apple pie, mushed potato and seasonal veg. Very tasty. We will certainly be back.
Tony_AG13 . 2017-05-15
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Excellent pub lunch, very reasonably priced. It felt like a proper pub, not trying to be something different, and they do pub grub very well indeed. We shared the Calamari starter, which was delicious. One of us had the Ham Hock main, which had excellent flavour and the chunky chips were "proper" chips!The burger wasn't huge but - for a tenner - was priced accordingly and tasted great. The beer was very good, as was the Australian Chardonnay. We will definitely be back.
AlixBlumMatt . 2017-05-04
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1st impressions on arrival were of an extremely (?too) busy pub. Difficulty getting to the bar and ended up drinking outside.However, a warm greeting by the barperson but overheard a waitress say 'but it's not 8-o-clock yet (the time we had booked) - it was 7.50!! Our table wasn't ready but it didn't matter as we were waiting for our friends to arrive.The restaurant bit was a bit 'cozy' and loud chatting from surrounding tables and the bar made conversation a bit difficult. We had booked this specially because of their web site 'special' of "fizz and fish Fridays" but when we asked for it, the very pleasant waitress said she wasn't sure that they were doing it and 'didn't know why it was on the web site' as people kept on asking for it but they don't do it! So, from an expectation of a £20/head meal, we ended up having to choose from their a la carte and paying £37.50/head but this did include modest drinks.The food itself wasn't too bad but the calmari starter was rubbery. There wasn't a great deal of choice and it seemed as though the restaurant had aspirations above its station. Would have been more in keeping to be pub grub rather than trying to be gastro.Maybe we were just unlucky but don't think we'll be returning. Shame.(As an aside, the car park was full and very lumpy and had to park across the road which was on a steep hump so beware scraping your car!)
Badgerisimus . 2017-04-25
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We stopped here for lunch whilst doing a 14 mile walk around Wendover. Staff are friendly and the food is delicious. However, we didn't want anything too heavy, so just had starters, which wasn't quite enough. My friend opted for the pate which was delicious, but came with 2 very meagre melba toasts. He asked for more bread, and another meagre melba toast came, but what he really needed was a good hunk of bread to go with the generous portion of pate. The rest of us had the duck starter - also good. I imagine many walkers stop at this pub, so it would be really good if they could supply a menu suitable for those not wanting a 3 course lunch! (sandwich and chips would have been brilliant!)
25degc . 2017-04-10
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Had a very nice lunch here. Interior of the pub was so English .The staff were welcoming and efficient. MY homemade pie was very good. We sat outside in the beer garden and enjoyed a pleasant english spring day.will be back for the Sunday roast one day.
Penne A . 2017-04-07
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1st visit today. Well tucked out of the way, big car park but very uneven access to it. Pub itself is lovely, a typical country pub. Low ceilings, smalish rooms, thick walls, lots of wood. Can't fault it to be honest. Large garden with seats and mini footbal net out the back. Dog friendly, outside and in the bar. Menu had just changed for Spring. A good selection of starters, mains and afters to choose from. We had 2 starters, 2 mains, 4 coffees and 1/2 diet coke for £44, the food was excellent especially the Haddock - superb! All in all very good value and nice setting. Opened at midday and closed at 3pm, some may want to check before they go. Staff were busy and friendly, talking to a couple of the locals 2 minutes after walking through the door. Definetly going back.
Gwlader . 2017-04-04
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We ate as a family of 4 last Saturday evening. We arrived at 7.15pm for a couple of drinks prior to our booking for 8.30pm.8.30pm came and went, still no call to table. After 5 mins, I stood at bar, waitresses were doing their best to avoid eye contact. Sat down again, after another 10 minutes, asked if our table was now ready, she replied yes.Only 5 starters (one sold out) and 5 mains (only a couple of steaks left) to choose from. The food was actually very nice. My daughter in law is Vegan, she had phoned the Swan twice to inform. When we sat down at table, the waitress said- one of you is Vegan, we have some boiled cabbage and sweet potato for you. Yummy!! This was not the case at all. The chef had produced a lovely soup, and main dish for her.The pub is extremely small, and in very close proximity to each other.If you like olde country pubs, this is for you. The food is the redeeming factor, but sadly won't be returning.
juliekBucks . 2017-03-30
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This pub has a great olde world atmosphere. The beer is good and the good value Sunday Roast is terrific. It's not huge, but enough for the average appetite. The staff are friendly and helpful. You'll probably need to book for food at a weekend as it's very popular.
Richard B . 2017-03-14
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Very small restaurant in pub but excellent food and atmosphere. Also had Sunday lunch which was very very good.
Brenda F . 2017-03-01
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Seems like a nice pub and fully booked for a Sunday lunch with a group of friends. Large group so split tables. Restricted menu for Sunday lunch acceptable except that the roasts featured no chicken or turkey. Those who chose the roast were disappointed that the accompaniments (horseradish for beef, mint sauce for lamb) were not served separately but were concealed on the plates (horseradish under the beef, mint sauce mixed with the vegetables). Not good for those who dislike these and even worse for those with allergies. Linen napkins seemed a little pretentious for what is no more than a pub.
Jessama . 2017-02-26
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It's a really traditional pub. Great environment. The menu is limited but there's enough choice for all tastes and the food is really good. Lovely open fires and a really homely atmosphere.
Ian D . 2017-02-20
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Last Night I spent a lovely evening with friends at the The Old Swan. We were warmly greeted and shown to our table on arrival by a young helpful and great service waitress. The evening menu is varied but thankfully not overwhelming with too much choice. Because we were a party of women, we decided on not ordering starters but treating ourselves to pudding which was yummy yummy! The Lamb and pork belly looked superb and the others certainly thought so! I went for the vegetarian option of scotch egg, red cabbage, mash(I'm sure that's not what they called it) I have to say it was superb and deliciously tasty! - not the biggest portions but for us girls it was perfect. Also one of our party is coeliac they were extremely accommodating, providing gluten free options. The only thing I noticed which let the place down a bit, was the toilets, which could do with a bit of an up date.
Julie W . 2017-01-28
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My family and I had supper here Friday night. The food was absolutely excellent; in particular, the squid starter and pollock and lamb courses were beautifully cooked. Prices are reasonable considering the quality of food and the setting is relaxed and unpretentious. One of the best pub suppers in Bucks!
EmmyLex . 2017-01-27
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Head busting beams but not wallet busting prices. This little gem is tucked away deep in the Chilterns and offers really good pub food at sensible prices. A good menu with not too many choices and varying specials, and a wine list to match that covers a lot of the groung you would want at this price point. Our food was well cooked, steaks exactly as requested, and fine well aged meat with great texture and flavour. Crisp attentive friendly service and pub ambience. We will undoubtedly go back.
Andrew N . 2017-01-22
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We had little idea how food at this venue would be.How pleasantly surprised we were!We were warmly welcomed on our arrival and there was a good local pub ambience.A real fire added to the atmosphere.We both chose the roast beef which was very tasty and cooked medium rare as we prefer. The roast potatoes were delicious!For pudding we had tarte Tati n which looked rather messy but was good.All in all, a very nice local pub, friendly service and tasty food.
Suesa1 . 2017-01-08
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Looks like a house from the outside. However as you go in it's a lovely traditional country pub. Low beams, open fire and cozy atmosphere. The staff are very attentive and made us feel very welcome. We stopped here for lunch after a long walk. We weren't disappointed. The food was very good with a good choice on the menu.On the whole, a lovely little pub.
Jonathan Y . 2016-12-31
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My daughter, son-in-law and I dined on the Thursday before Christmas. If I'm honest, the dining area was a bot cold upon arrival (7.30pm), but the welcome was warm. The menu was very interesting and the food even better. My son-in-law declared that his pheasant starter was the best starter he'd ever had. My daughter and I had the venison main which was absolutely beautiful. Won't be long before this place is swamped - go now!
YayaBucks . 2016-12-29
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Having tried & failed twice before it was 3rd time lucky for my partner & I. The Old Swan is the quintisencial old country inn tucked away off the beaten track but quite a few people have managed to find it ! If you want a decent table in the restaurant booking is essential unfortunately we ended up with a low table in the bar area close to the lit fire, which was a little uncomfortable. The food was good, a roast beef & a roast lamb although my partner thought her lamb was possible just on the turn. I thought the service was excellent & hope we get to experiance this again .
Thomas R . 2016-11-13
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We stopped at the Old Swan for drinks on a long walk through the Wendover Woods on a bright November day. it was great to be able to sit in the sun in the beer garden in mid-November.
Andrew J . 2016-11-13
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I love this pub and went with parents again last night. Beautiful, fresh, seasonal indgredients and top notch service. Whether it's a pub lunch in the garden after a long walk up or a relaxed evening out with great food, this place never disappoints.
Ali N . 2016-10-23
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Visiting on a Sunday lunchtime, out group of 4 eat from the set menu, which was not bad but didn't offer a great choice, particularly for vegetarians. There was a veggie main, but these days, not to provide vegetarian gravy with a meal is pretty poor.More worryingly, the vegetables were cold to luke warm which, although we were some of the last to eat, is not really good enough.The service was OK but you didn't get a welcoming feeling, which in a country pub is what you'd expect, so overall, it was just OK, but I don't think we'll be rushing back any time soon.
melzest . 2016-10-18
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The staff were very pleasant, but don't be tempted to choose a starter as a main course.Our goat's cheese, although beautifully presented, was miniscule!
Heather W . 2016-10-15
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We consider ourselves very fortunate to have the Old Swan on our doorstep, and have become regulars again after a gap of some years. It manages successfully to combine being a local drinkers’ pub with a good restaurant, which is a feat not accomplished by many. The menu is changed regularly which is great, as not only is the food seasonal but it encourages us to visit more often to see what is new. The market menu is particularly good value, and the soufflés for dessert (especially the passion fruit one when it’s on) are always excellent.The kitchen are very helpful at occasionally tweaking dishes to accommodate preferences, which is hugely appreciated.There’s a large garden for sunny days, children and dogs, whilst the open fire is always cosy in winter.
ruth948 . 2016-10-10
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This is a beautiful old pub that hasn't been spoilt in any way. The staff are all welcoming and professional and the lunch was perfect. I really like pubs that hold on to tradition, rather than going down the gastro pub route, and this pub shows how it should be done. We will definitely return.
GastonSorbet . 2016-10-05
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We have been visiting this pub as part of walking our dog for about 5 years. We have witnessed it become more & more popular. Why should success mean that the quality of the food & service declines? Yesterday we arrived at about 1250 expecting to enjoy our usual drink & filled rolls. We had to wait nearly 30 minutes for our order to be taken ( we had been warned that it might take a while but didn't expect it to take this long). After a further 20 mins my husband went to ask if the food would take much longer as we had finished our drinks & as my husband was driving didn't want to order another. Eventually rolls arrived. They were bland & the fillings sparse. Over the last year or two we have noticed the quality has declined. We used to look forward to our halfway house snack lunch at the Old Swan but in future we may just stop for a drink & eat at home. What a shame! In contrast today we had an excellent snack ( paninis) at another pub
Phtouchwood . 2016-09-25
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1st class service .staff very helpfulSuperb meal .very well presented. Couldn't fault anything. Huge garden for those of you with children.
44steve2014 . 2016-09-11
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Stunning area to cycle around, the pub has a large garden and restaurant tables and bar seats catering and open to drinkers and eaters, snackers and multi course diners. We took my parents there for lunch cycling from Aylesbury and enjoyed the sun in the garden. Fishcakes I ordered were double height so perfect for a large lunch. Dad enjoyed the sausage sandwich and sweet potato chips. My guy had a ploughmans but one of the cheeses had been used up so the cheese selection was small, but the bread is lovely and fresh. It is high on the price scale for the menu offered but food and service is charming.
Sam M . 2016-09-10
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We have visited this pub SO many times as it's local and have always raved about the food to anyone that will listen. Disappointed today for the first time - don't know what has happened. Food well below par and definitely not the finesse normally received; nothing on the a la Carte that you couldn't make at home. Waiting service dire, just young kids that don't realise FOH is a skill... drinks not brought out and had to be chased, wrong order taken, half the desserts came out 15 mins later than the rest, waiter blew on my food to discourage a wasp (what?), without the right cutlery... I could go on.
Maria M . 2016-08-27
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Went to the Old Swan with the entire family, four generations. Great food and very nice service. Bit too slow for us hectic Londoners but that actually was refreshingly calming as well. Slow food connoisseur heaven, fast food hell - great!
P0R5CHE . 2016-08-07
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We have been walking and lunching at the Old Swan for several years now.This pub has a great atmosphere, friendly and attentive staff, and great beers.Added to this, excellent meals are always on offer. What more does anyone want?Highly recommended.
dxb99 . 2016-07-02
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So glad we saw the sign pointing us to this amazing example of great customer service and fantastic food.We were assesing Duke of Edinburgh award groups and wanted a quick lunch. The friendly, warm welcome on arrival set the scene for a lovely lunch experience. We sat outside but still received service at the table by a very cheerful and helpful waitress.The varied menu looked delicious but as we had a short time we went for a BLT roll. It was fresh, hot, in a tasty bun and served with chips.We couldn't fault any part of our visit and it was just a shame we didn't have time to try the larger dishes.We'll definately return if we're in these parts again and would highly recommend it to everyone.
James N . 2016-06-28
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From the moment we entered and Sam the barman offered a very warm welcome we knew we were in for a treatWaitress Jo was very knowledgable and Sam told me to try the lamb as it was delicious ! He was not wrongMy brother and I had it and it was melt in your mouthMy husband had a filet which he said was one of the best he had hadSister in law had trout which she said was as good as it lookedStarters were innovative and well executed and desserts quite as goodThe food was frankly top restaurant standard and the chef should be very proud of his menuSo don't miss the chanceYou need to book and you will not regret it
linda w . 2016-06-27
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The food is priced for the clientele and not what is on the plate.The young chef they have in the kitchen does not have the experience to produce gastro pub style dishes.The potatoes were way over cooked, the vegatables undercooked, al dente I am familiar with, but the veg must have seen the chaufont for a short amount of time.The meat was cooked well, but I only received half of what I though would have been on my plate.Everything was under-seasoned, they really needed to put salt and pepper on everything.If a little more effort had been put into the food, we would have been regular clients as we live close by.
r0rschach . 2016-06-27
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Had a pie and the sticky toffee roulade for dessert.The food and beer were both great and the atmosphere is adorable.Friendly service, too.
Rebecca B . 2016-06-18
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A warm welcome was afforded to us when we visited this week. The steak I had was cooked to perfection, just how I asked for it and my fiancee really enjoyed her asparagus.I don't spend a lot of time in the area which is a shame, I'd be back a lot more often if I did.
MarkMYorkshire . 2016-06-11
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Our experience matches exactly that of "Disappointing" below. We have been semi-regular here for years and love the food and the setting. Service is usually absolutely brilliant. Today we were insulted by an unfriendly waitress who told us that she couldn't take our order for ten minutes as we (as walk-ins - well it is a pub!) were not her priority. We finished our drinks and left without bothering to try and order food which she made quite clear would take some time to reach us.
Mary_Sharp . 2016-06-09
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Went there for Sunday lunch. Got there at 3pm and by the time we asked if they were still doing food it was almost 3.10pm. Waitress went to check with the kitchen and told us we we were ok to order, and she would come and take our order in 5 mins if we wanted to find a seat. Sat outside in huge garden in the sun (great, safe garden for kids - fully enclosed, tree swing, football goals and space to run around). Had the three courses for £22 - all good sized portions, and presentation and taste were excellent. Waiting staff all lovely and super helpful. Thank you for a lovely Sunday lunch!
Scoobysnak . 2016-05-30
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First time at this pub. Very impressed with the quality of the food and friendliness of staff.Would recommend booking for restaurant area.Unfortunately,the hanging baskets looked very sad at the front of the pub as the plants were dead - but that hasn't put us off returning!
Jan W . 2016-05-19
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We were looking forward to a bar snack after a dog walk and bike ride. We like the bar snacks here and we had checked to see food was served on a Sunday on the website and duly arrived at 1:45. The garden was virtually empty and the inside not excessively busy for a Bank Holiday weekend, so we thought we wouldn't have any problems. On asking for the bar snack menu, my husband was told in faltering English by a very unwelcoming lady that they don't serve bar snacks on a Sunday and handed the restaurant menu. No mention of this on the website. She also said something else but her accent was too thick for him to understand. It was only a customer at the bar who overheard us saying how ridiculous it was not to have bar snacks on a Sunday that we learnt about the bap menu. So we asked for that and chose our baps. We ordered drinks from a barmaid who didn't seem particularly competent and tried to order some baps. We would have to wait for our order to be taken in the garden, but could pay for them (there was incidently no price given on the menu) with our drinks. Having paid, we were given a numbered wooden spoon and told it would be about 10 minutes. Not sure if that was the time for our order to be taken or the time it would take to prepare our baps when we had ordered. We were not in a particular hurry, but thought 10 minutes ok, so we waited in the garden for our order to be taken and waited and waited... After about 20 minutes, the unwelcoming, incomprehensible lady came out. She went straight to another table and took their order; that's fine we thought, she'll take our order when she passes our table on her way back inside. She walked straight back into the pub past us without even glancing. A further wait and no sign, so we gave up and my husband went inside to get a refund. He asked if she had forgotten and she just said they were so swamped. It was not super busy; I have seen it busier and it's a bank holiday, get some more staff in. The beer here is good and we have had some tasty meals here but this was not the experience we expected and we were very disappointed. This pub could be an absolute goldmine if run in a less hit and miss manner.
MagIul . 2016-05-01
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2996 Opinions
Some seriously good food. Standard is far higher than alot of gastropubs we've tried and its been consistently great for a number of years. Highly recommend, staff are super welcoming and we look forward to visiting again. Thanks so much for a great birthday dinner! Don't miss out on the desserts :)
1202 Opinions
It is a beautiful, warm, and inviting venue with fantastic food and great service. The resident chef definitely knows his stuff. I had the classic sausage and mash. It was brilliant. The deserts were also amazing. Thank you.
1098 Opinions
Met my brother for lunch, half way for both of us. Well worth 160 mile round trip. Both the calamari and mussels starter were delicious. I would go as far as to say the mussels were the best I've ever tasted. I opted for fish and chips main. The quality of the fish was sublime, big fat chunky flakes of cod, almost creamy in texture that melted in my mouth. My brother ordered the seabass, after clearing his plate he commented, perfect sized portion. I even managed dessert , albeit out of nothing more than pure gluttonous greed. The cherry tart also received a well deserved thumbs up. Loved the atmosphere, especially the amount of dogs in the bar. Little gem of a place.
853 Opinions
The calamari and chicken Caesar salad are both amazing with a side of zucchini fries. The atmosphere and service is brilliant aswell. I would highly highly recommend
993 Opinions
The front of house staff were amazing and friendly, really helped with our needs. Unfortunately the food was a bit disappointing. The food was not very good, not what it was mentioned to be as described on the menu. The food that was cooked properly tasted very good. Atmosphere was ok but the tables were too close together and the chairs and table we were sat at were very high like bar stools and not very good for children. One of us had to wait for a new meal while everyone else ate. The price was high for what we had to eat and no discount was offered or taken of the bill for the food that was sent back.