The Old Windmill in Chelmsford

A group of us took our dogs here after a walk. We sat in the beautiful garden for drinks. Staff were really friendly.

I haven't been to Hanningfield for years and The Old Windmill has certainly changed for the better. The food was always good but it was notoriously slow. There was a pub garden but it was just that, rather barren and sad. The garden has been planted and with numerous tables and seating undercover - a rather impressive canvas roof or out in the sun. It looks good. 2 mains. 2 drinks. 1 dessert. 1 coffee for £50. Pretty reasonable. I can recommend the steak burger, very tasty with a ton of chips. The service was friendly, fast and all were very attractive, almost as if it was company policy to employ exclusively attractive young women 🤔 Not that I'm complaining. Definitely impressed and will be returning soon.

I recently dined again at The Old Windmill with a group of five, and it was a fantastic experience all around. We tried the roast lamb, fish and chips, and a burger, and each dish was excellent—fresh, flavorful, and cooked to perfection. Even though the restaurant was bustling, the service was spot on. Our food came out quickly, and the staff was friendly and attentive, making us feel well taken care of. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, ideal for a meal with friends. We spent just over £100, including drinks, which felt like good value considering the quality of food and service. A tip for future diners: it’s definitely better to reserve a table, as it’s a popular spot. All in all, everyone left happy, and I’d gladly recommend The Old Windmill for anyone seeking a great meal in a charming setting.

We where a very large party and the waiting staff could of not been more helpful and attentive the food was delicious and actually what we had ordered this made the whole afternoon go really well.Thank you.

What a lovely place! We are coming back there often! Food is very delicious and inside and outside pub is just super cosy! I really like this place! I couldn't be here without having crispy beef salad, complement to the chef !

First time here , excellent food and very quick service even though it was really busy on a Sunday lunchtime

Great ever changing menu, super service, massive carpark good outdoor space loved it

Attentive staff, gorgeous Tippee in the grounds , dog friendly, great food well priced , would recommend to anyone

Nice location and staff but food is average

Great place good food, friendly staff and customers

Definitely need to book for Sunday lunch . We wanted to sit inside as we felt it was too cold in October to eat outside We ate at 5.20 and it was packed . We were near a large table which was unfortunately quite noisy so not quite as easy for my dad to be able to hear all the time Good menu we all had lamb which excellent and lots of tasty veg

Over priced I thought, I wouldn't rush back

Beautiful large old pub. We went for lunch good service but found the food to be very mediocre and processed nothing seemed to be home made. Felt we paid restaurant prices for standard pub grub. Will not eat there again but would happily go in for drinks, has a nice pub garden for the summer months.

We visited for Sunday lunch, Although it was bust the food an the service was brilliant and we didn't feel crowded. Highly recommended.

Had the pleasure of visiting this great pub again yesterday. The food is excellent and the staff are fantastic. I have a citrus allergy and despite it only being mild, the staff couldn't have been more keen to make sure I know which food contained it. First Class service as always!

Had a really lovely meal last night. Lovely atmosphere, staff were helpful and friendly, highly recommend.

Still the best Sunday Roast in Essex

**Review for The Old Windmill, near Hanningfield Reservoir:** I recently had the pleasure of dining at **The Old Windmill**, located near the beautiful Hanningfield Reservoir, and I must say it was an outstanding experience from start to finish! Despite the restaurant being quite busy, the service was **exceptionally quick** and attentive. The staff were friendly, efficient, and made sure we had everything we needed without delay. As for the food, it was simply **excellent**. Every dish we ordered was perfectly cooked, full of flavor, and arrived at our table in no time, which was impressive given how packed the place was. The quality and presentation of the food easily exceeded expectations. Whether you're a local or just passing through, I highly recommend stopping by The Old Windmill for a meal. It's a great spot for anyone looking for a wonderful dining experience in a charming setting. I will definitely be returning!

Lovely dog friendly pub with a gorgeous outdoor area and childrens playground. The food looked amazing but didn't tey it this time round. Will definitely be returning soon for dinner or lunch with the family. The perfect spot for any occasion, especially after a lovely dog walk. I've updated my review as we went back yesterday and attended the dog walk they do occasionally to raise money for dogs. Great cause and lovely to see so many people out walking their doggies. Well worth getting involved 👍 😉

The Sunday roast could have used a bit more flavor but the sticky toffee dessert fixed it all up! Perfect family cozy atmosphere, not too expensive not too cheap.

Great eating house been coming since1974 and coming on my birthday 22 September 2024 Thankyou

Food is tasty but not for the health conscious. Even the crispy beef salad was quite rich and glutenous. Although our waitress was friendly and attentive , we twice had to chase our drinks' orders and getting and paying for the bill was almost impossible ( strange, as the pub was pretty quiet at this point). We like the pub but disappointed on our last couple of visits.

Decidedly average on this occasion

Booked a table for 8 for a birthday celebration. The pub was extremely busy due to a car club meeting and the staff seemed rushed off their feet. When we sat at our table there was a small vase of flowers in the middle completely dead and dried up, not a good start, we quickly removed it to the windowsill. Some food was ok , some was very poor, the Goan chicken curry was very dry, overcooked with very little sauce. The crispy beef was also overcooked making it difficult to chew. Very long waits between courses due to being so busy.. Will not be returning anytime soon!

Great service & staff, very reasonable drinks prices and lovely atmosphere

Went for Sunday lunch,great pub , lovely garden,nice atmosphere very friendly staff .I like that you can sit in garden with dogs .

Amazing service and Great food,

Love this place, not eaten here yet. But love just popping in for a drink and chat with friends.

I ordered a pie and the crust was so hard I couldn't cut it.I complained and was offered another meal, but I refused because it would of meant eating on my own as the rest of my party already had their meals. I was given a 50% discount on my meal.

Become a regular venue to meet BFF with her beloved Connie - very dog friendly. We both had the Steak Sandwich - OMG! Divine! Chips perfect too! Highly recommend!

Beautiful food and great service again. Been many times and always get fantastic food. We are looking forward to the next time!

This is now our go to place for a good quality family lunch. The menu is always interesting with varied dishes regularly changing. It's not the cheapest place around but is still good value for money because they use the best quality ingredients. The beef salad is just fabulous! Highly recommended!

A great country pub. Good food and nearby walks.

Just price and menu choice let's it down

Food was good shame about hospitality service was shocking order at the bar fetch your own knifes n forks and condiments next question is how much did I spend does it matter

Good food and good value. The old place is beautiful. Could do with more staff

Booked for our 20th wedding anniversary. Disappointed with my steak dinner. At the price of £31, I expected better. Dinner wasn’t hot and steak was full of fat.

Lovely country pub. Attentive staff. Great good.

Really nice pub in a scenic location. Food is excellent, is dog friendly with free water and biscuits. Good parking and attentive staff

Good pub food, nice beer, prompt and friendly service.

This was my Grandads pub back in the day! Took my wife and 4-year-old son for a family meal and it was a great afternoon. Good for kids and the food and service was decent.

Lovely pub what is very popular. Had a nice meal with family. Staff were attentive without being in your face. I would absolutely book if you want to eat here at the weekend.

Beautiful old building and amazing food with good portions. We happened upon it while looking for somewhere to have a Sunday lunch and I'm glad we did. It's clearly a much-loved family friendly place. They are dog-friendly too which is a bonus. The food was delicious, the staff were friendly even they were incredibly busy and service was great.

Sat in the canopy area with our dog, comfy chairs and nice view into the garden. Food was great and the staff were really friendly and attentive despite it being busy

Had table booked for 3pm for x4 under shade in the garden. Food very nice and fresh. All had starters. X3 had chicken and mushroom pie, pastry top and bottom, with mash and greens and beautiful sauce, x1 had salmon, very filling. After suitable time and 2nd round of drinks we all had dessert. Stuffed to the hilt. Cost £200 for x4 + x2 drinks each. Would recommend, not cheap, but worth it.

Great pub! Great Service and great atmosphere!

Absolutely lovely food and very friendly staff.

Visited here today for a spot of lunch, great menu if you're gluten free, several options available, food good, service good and good location..... Recommend it for gf or coealiacs...nice one

We was on the look for somewhere different and we come across this pub and we thought we give it a try we had a lovely waitress called Macy, who was so helpful with food and drinks suggestions her customer service was excellent we will be definitely coming back soon

Top food loved under cover outside dining

It was our first visit, the food and service was fabulous. We will definitely be going back, especially as dog friendly

**Terrible Experience - Beware!** I have dined at The Old Windmill in South Hanningfield several times with my family and always enjoyed the food and service. However, our recent visit was an absolute disaster. I ordered pie and chips and requested a pot of peppercorn sauce, which I noticed on the menu was available with the steak. Initially, the waitress accepted my request. However, she returned 10 minutes later to inform me that the chef refused to provide the sauce because it had been portioned out for the day. This made no sense to me – how could the chef predict exactly how many people would order steak and peppercorn sauce that day? I was absolutely willing to pay extra for the sauce. At this point, I no longer wanted the pie and chips and felt extremely frustrated. The restaurant claims everything is made fresh, yet they couldn't whip up a basic peppercorn sauce, which requires only a handful of ingredients. The manager then came over, apologised, and said he would speak to the chef and get the sauce. This led me to believe the chef was being difficult and simply didn't want to serve the sauce with anything other than the steak. When my food finally arrived, I was already anxious about the situation. Halfway through my chips, I found a small black hair. I immediately called for the manager, and upon inspection, we found several more black hairs in the bowl of chips. Absolutely disgusting! The manager refunded only that one meal, leaving us with a bill of over £200. We left feeling disgusted and extremely disappointed with the entire experience. If you value good service and cleanliness, I strongly advise you to avoid The Old Windmill in South Hanningfield. Our experience was appalling, and we will not be returning.

Very enjoyable lunchtime meal, excellent service and the food was of a high quality and presented very nicely, we would highly recommend The Old Windmill

Excellent food and drink well served.

We visited for lunch on a Friday afternoon. It was sunny and we chose to sit outside. There are plenty of options outside, with a covered area you can book, or picnic benches that are first come first served. The food was lovely and the bar has a great range.

Have a lovely Sunday lunch Food delicious Friendly staff Great atmosphere Would definitely recommend Thanks to the Old Windmill staff for a great experience

Was a Saturday afternoon. The place was buzzing g but the service was still very good. Food was delicious and not too expensive. We were tempted by the pimms and lemonade. Very well presented. This is a lovely pub with a fab garden, which we ate in. No hesitation I recommending.

Great service,great food, fitted us in even though we didn't book on father's day, really nice to accommodate us..

We ate outside and it was lovely. The food was very good. The service was friendly and quick.

Great place to go for a drink, or for a meal. Some portions are rather large!

A great gluten-free choice on the menu, served with care. The ingredients are evidently high quality and portions generous. Returned because of previous great gluten-free meal, this time bringing another person who is coeliac too. Keep it up!

Amazing food, took nearly an hour just for our starters. Apart from that the place was packed and the staff were really friendly.

Service was terrible food was bland with no taste waiting & waiting wanted a dessert but couldn’t be bothered to wait bbvvgghhbvcccccvcccccvbhbvcfvvccvbbhhg

Gorgeous food and exceptional service. Menu is a bit overpriced.

Over charged, portions of bread with starter poor although they know but no one cares. 5 spice wings in bowl too small again know but choose to ignore. Staff told us they know also no where to put cutlery on. Salmon with noodles was just salmon with a small side of greenery and 5 small strands of noodles. Not main dish. Burger dry and could not cut

Had a fab time here food and drink have always been great and reasonably priced. Also all staff were fab and very welcoming. Great place for food and drinks will definitely be coming back

Great selection of cask ales. Food us always delicious. There is plenty of parking and outside seats too. Idyllic location.

Been going here regularly for some time but sadly the food has gone down hill. Fish and chips doesn't appear to be fresh Cooked anymore it appears to be a cheap old frozen piece and batter soggy not crispy and dark coloured like it used to be, clearly oven heated and not deep fried. My wife received one half slice of carrot with her pie as vegetables, what a joke. Very disappointing 😞

Going for food Sunday on my birthday staff are very welcoming got my favourite cider food looks amazing for what I've seen so very much looking forward

Went in for a few drinks after work but one member of staff was too busy flirting with a group of guys to serve any drinks. There was about 5 people at the bar when she looked over and carried on her conversation. (Clearly she is too good to do her job) Also, I heard her being very rude to another customer which is completely outrageous. Luckily all the other staff working were extremely apologetic and helpful looking after the customers and getting the queue down whilst this first member of staff continued her conversation

We were a table of nine. We were well received. Drinks immediately offered. Order taken after 15 minutes. Food arrived in about half an hour, All together! Everyone happy with their choices. Very little left on our plates. Puddings, many and various were delivered in good time! Facilities were clean and tidy! Hand driers so powerful it was good job they were screwed to the wall! Only downside was being an old building it’s got steps and some of the floors rise and fall which would be a concern to elderly or disabled! All in all a very pleasant evening midweek but weekends and holidays might become very busy!

Great evening- the veggie options on the menu were really good. It was great to have more than one choice, good work! (Both options we had were delicious, filling and tasty and more exciting than average veggie options often seen elsewhere).All other courses across our table of 5 were very good too.Great staff, we had a lovely evening thank you!

Lovely beer garden and the beers aren't overpriced

Lovely eatery that caters for Coeliac's.

Very impressed, great food, great looking pub and a very enjoyable lunch with old friends. Will definitely visit again and we'll done for having a good gluten free menu for the wife.

Perhaps we were too many people for the.. Meal (30 +) almost a 2 hour wait for food. But when it came out it was fast! Drinks were slow to arrive. They must have been overwhelmed with us. Able to pay in groups or single! Magic boss. So apologetic. Think we will come here a other time.

Had a meal today at the Old Windmill, food was great, server was lovely, food cooked to order and well prepared. Brilliant the way they managed our large group. Cannot praise high enough. Best wishes Pete ( the magician)

All was good however never got asked how’s the food - overcooked chips- undercooked leeks - soggy pastry - I paid as you do but will never return - another microwave don’t make anything - overpriced- I can’t be rude just give a swerve they don’t care whether you like it or not - does anyone who goes there actually cook anything or have their taste buds died

Been here a few times and it's always great! The staff are great, the food is delicious and the building feels like a classic pub but clean!

It's such a lovely pub restaurant.

Fantastic food, great service and large capacity to handle busy weekends. Booking recommended. Very dog friendly Authentic old fashioned pub Just watch the low beams in the ceiling if you're tall!! 🫠

Very good food and service. Sat outside under cover will definitely return

Great food and service. Allow dogs which always helps!

Really nice place but: Everytime we here something disappoints. Order chips, omg the smallest size I ever had for that price?! Today, wanted Mojito- nope, they don’t do it. What place doesn’t do mojito?! And service by the bar - what service, you wait and nobody acknowledge you cause bar staff is not there.

We had a great family meal for my husband's birthday. 13 of us. Food was really lovely, perfect table, excellent menu for gf too

I wrote a review of this Pub three years ago. I have to say my wife and I have still been going to the pub and the food is improved in that time dramatically I would recommend a visit and I’m sure that there will be something on the menu to suit everybody’s taste the quality has been excellent in recent months, so it’s worth calling in for a lunch or evening meal

Sweet and quaint, lovely atmosphere.

Just been to the Old Windmill in Hanningfield for lunch, the food was amazing, in fact my mackerel starter was probably the best starter I’ve ever had. Service was spot on, couldn’t recommend highly enough.

Warm atmosphere and good service, food was great (possibly best fish and chips I’ve ever had), will be coming back to try the things we couldn’t decide between

Went for a birthday lunch x food and service fab

One of my favourite places in Essex for a proper Sunday Roast, it's a lovely little country pub and restaurant, I love the big fireplace and cosy feel inside. The food was delicious, generous portion sizes and the service was really good.

Went for a meal with friends on Bank Holiday Monday and it was packed! They were really helpful when one half of our party was an hour late due to traffic delays. The food did not disappoint either! Had the Wild Boar pie and a lovely lemon and mascarpone cheesecake. Both delicious. Coffee great too and dog friendly. So good went again on Thursday and tried two different main meal salads and fish and chips. All beautifully presented and delicious. Will be back again!

Lovely traditional dog friendly pub in a beautiful location / setting. Free parking lot. We stopped off here during our dog walk for drinks. This place has a very chilled atmosphere and has clean, stylish decor inside and out. There is overall ample seating, we sat outside in the undercover area. There is also an open air garden area. There is a fantastic public walk path at the back entrance of the pub. Although we did not eat here this time, the menu looks great, we will have to visit again soon to check it out!

Great dog friendly pub, fantastic food and service. Can't wait to return in nicer weather and take advantage of the pub garden more!

This would have been a 5 star review except that they've stopped doing the chocolate tart with black cherry sorbet 😩

Lovely place. Dog friendly too. You just have to book if you take dog.

Lovely place to celebrate a family birthday, highly recommend. Great food

Food was great and a lovely pub but service was a bit meh - we weren’t really looked after and struggled to get attention and things we needed such as ketchup and the kids menu (it’s not on the back of the menu and the tone used to deliver that wasn’t appreciated so had to ask someone else we finally got their attention) All food was good and fresh and came quickly

Visited the windmill on Sunday with my wife very busy, service was good my wife had the roast beef which she said was good I had the wild boar pie which was ok but the mash was very bland it hadn’t seen any butter or milk also the cabbage wasn’t good either wouldn’t go on a Sunday again far too noisy.

Was taken here by my family for my Birthday . 12 of us 8 adults 4 children food was lovely it’s set in a very charming old fashioned pub with character and charm . A wonderful evening served by very compotent staff .