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3.5

Based on 429 opinions finded in 1 websites

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Nº 388 in 491 in King's Lynn and West Norfolk

Nº 99 of 131 British in King's Lynn and West Norfolk

CUSTOMERS TALK ABOUT DISHES WITH..payfishpizzaroastbeautifulcookedsandwichmeatcheesesaladostrichpuddingchickenoldladysteak
Score
OpinionsNoteTripAdvisor4293.5

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Lovely, friendly welcome for us & our three dogs. Very decent coffee & delicious baguette with freshly cooked chips & generous fresh salad. I would happily return

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Sue S . 2024-09-28

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Went for a family get together (7 adults) - the meals were very tasty and arrived hot - I cannot reconcile the bad reviews posted as we all had a very good experience - would definitely recommend .

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Averil S . 2024-09-25

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We stayed overnight in a newly fitted out room that was spotless and had everything you could need. We ate and drank in the pub and the staff were fantastic. The food we ate was very good and I can not reconcile other recent reviews with the very pleasant visit we experienced.

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russnlil . 2024-09-21

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Extremely disappointed with the service. We ordered our meal and sat in beer garden. The pub was very quiet but even so we waited an hour and still no food. I went to the bar and asked when it would arrive she said they were on with it in the kitchen. Another 20 mins passed and we asked a passing waiter when the food was coming he didn't have a clue but said he'd find out. 10 more mins passed without any one bothering to get back to us. We ended up asking for our money back and we went to the tea room in the village instead. What a waste of time the pub is !!!

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heathera1133 . 2024-09-19

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Dinner for 5 friends nearly ruined by awful, cheap, over-priced food. Fish and chips (e.g.) was a miserable, tiny, frozen, breadcrummed, cheap and over-cooked mess. The "chips" were limp, soggy wedges. Awful. The burger was just as bad and none of us had anything approaching a decent meal. Even worse: the so-called manager did not even talk to us, or send the cook out after we all complained. He basically ran away and left his poor young staff to try and deal with our anger and frustration. When he eventually had to face our group, he was utterly hopeless and lacked any customer skills, just infuriating us and being generally confrontational and incompetent. Why he is allowed to run the place is anyones guess. In the end, we simply reduced the bill ourselves and and left. He was lucky to get anything. We would never set foot in the place again.

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Philip R . 2024-09-15

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Very disappointing. Waited 45 mins for the food, and when it turned up, it was luke warm and poor. Won't be visiting again..

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Lesley F . 2024-08-21

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We’d wanted to try The Ostrich when we were last in Castle Acre but it was closed so when it reopened we wanted to give it a try. I don’t want to be one of those people that gives bad reviews as things are so tough for businesses but l also don’t want people to waste money if the food isn’t good. Sadly the food wasn’t good. I had a burger which was a triple stack and it looked ok but the meat was cheap meat and it tasted really bad. The chips were triple cooked but just tasted like grease. I did tell the lady at the bar who didn’t seem to surprised. The place also could do with a deep clean as it was really grubby. Such a shame as it could be an amazing place. Sadly we won’t go there again

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Becca . 2024-08-07

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Worse lunch I've had in years,plowman lunch, smallest piece of cheese,tiny piece of ham day old tiny piece of pork as they didn't have pork pie, small bread roll, no butter,no pickle and just a few salad leaves, all for just under a tenner,not going back there again..

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Brian J . 2024-07-30

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Great place to stay, old coaching Inn, full of character. Fantastic bar, friendly staff, amazing food. Room is big, warm and cosy.

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Andy G . 2023-11-18

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Stayed overnight on a walk from Thetford to Walsingham. Their winter timetable was in operation which meant no evening meal available but the village fish and chip shop was perfect! The staff - Shelley and Warren - were very helpful and friendly. The room was comfortable and the bathtub very welcome for a soak after walking all day. Continental breakfast substantial. Would stay here again.

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Jane P . 2023-11-02

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The Ostrich is a fantastic ancient building, with the biggest fire place I've ever seen ! The staff were happy and helpful. We had an amazing steak sandwich and ploughman's lunch. Wonderful old pub, wonderful food.

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Martin G . 2023-09-13

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The Ostrich hours suggest they stay open until midnight Fri and Sat but do not be fooled. As a local pub in a quiet village they only stay open if there is enough people to. We were fortunate to get a drink at 1030pm last Sat after a wedding and only because their were hotel guests who had also just come in. The service when agreed was good at the time by the young barman, unfortunately it was clear the lady manager was not impressed and disappeared for a time before coming back in to tell everyone to go at 1130 and made it clear they had done us a favour staying open......strange approach for a pub to take. It was a shame as the beer and the place itself was quirky and nice but overall welcome was definitely lacking.

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stuartrQ4494MQ . 2023-09-05

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Booked a table for me and my family to visit after we’d eaten here over a year ago which was amazing! We failed to realise that since our last visit the pub has changed ownership for a significant downgrade. Our table was booked for 12pm on a Sunday, where we arrived 10mins early for a social drink. We stood at the occupied bar for 20mins without so much as a hello from the staff. Not one of the three staff members (made up of what can on oh be assumed as the owner, her daughter and her friend) asked if we were ok, wanted anything or god forbid if we wanted a drink! We decided to give up after 25mins of standing at the bar waiting for any ounce of service. Dreadful service and would not bother again!

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Charles P . 2023-08-27

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Had dinner here after checking into the lovely Airbnb room next door. Lovely open restored old pub in a quiet village 30 minutes from the beach. We ordered veggie & steak burgers topped with the local artisan cheese, really good, finished off with bread / butter pudding & apple crumble, home made and delicious. Our dog was made welcome, we’ll be back!

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mat_n038 . 2023-08-20

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What a lovely gem! The staff gave a warm welcome and were friendly and attentive. Great food and quick service- highly recommend the dessert too!

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Dreamer52034551133 . 2023-08-06

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We made a late booking with only around 3 hours notice on a Sunday afternoon and the booking was confirmed. We (me, the wife, 2kids and a puppy!) turned up around 15 minutes early and were made to feel extremely welcome by the management and staff. The pub was fairly full but soon started emptying due to the lateness but the ambience of the pub was really great. The food was duly ordered and arrived fairly quickly and it was superb. My kids ate almost all of theirs (Rare!) and both myself and my wife were very impressed with our choice, Ploughmans for me and Tacos for the wife. As we were so late I did'nt expect to be able to order desert but the staff said it was not a problem so deserts were chosen and ordered. Again, great food and my Eton Mess was especially yummy! All in all a great dining experience which we will definately repeating! Highly recommended.

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Ian W . 2023-07-31

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Popped in today for a late Sunday lunch, no Sunday roast on the menu, but plenty of choice with lots of gluten free options which is always a joy. I had the smoked salmon salad on special and a side of GF halloumi fries, the other half had ham, egg & chips, and what a sizeable portion and decent chunk of gammon! Beautifully presented in a very timely fashion. Really enjoyed sitting in the garden, lovely bunting in a very calm atmosphere.

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Tinkerbell013 . 2023-07-09

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We had a fantastic two night stay. Ate here in the evenings - food was delicious and the home made granola at breakfast was absolutely amazing. Our rooms were comfortable, clean, and the made an excellent resting place for us whilst we went to the nearby Folk in a Field festival during the day. An excellent weekend!

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Stephanie058 . 2023-07-03

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lovely village and super old pub, but utter confusion … website says parts of full food menu served between 12 noon to 5 pm, similar on Facebook, advertising summer menu, arrived around 3pm to be told stopped serving at 2.30 then given ‘afternoon’, simplified, menu, told serving from 4 pm … though menu said available between 3 and 5 pm. had drinks in garden that needed a bit of a tidy …over-charged on bill. left - to get great, freshly cooked, fish and chips from Little Chippy in Litcham; won’t be back, sadly. If using e-media, be good if what is advertised is what is on offer. Please sort.

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14pms02 . 2023-06-30

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We went for the Japanese evening. The food was authentic and delicious. The staff could not have been more attentive. Total thumbs up to Aoife and her team.

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Jo H . 2023-06-22

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Never again! The worst service. Went there for lunch and we had to wait for 1.5 hours for our food to be served. No apologies&no explantion for being late by the service team. Nothing special about the food we had. I don't reccomend this place to anyone.

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Esra E . 2023-05-29

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Very limited menu, we had ham egg and chips.the ham was so thick was unappetising the chips were cold and the egg was ‘snotty’ . We were seated on a sticky table in a corridor, when we both left two thirds of our lunch the plates were just taken away with no mention of the amount of uneaten food. Another £50 wasted.

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Kenneth B . 2023-05-02

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I would like to say this place is terrible and should be avoided at all costs. Hopefully that will put people off so there will be tables next time we visit! Now for the real review... It's fantastic. The staff are very friendly, helpful and nothing is too much trouble for them. The food is very good quality, fresh, beautifully presented and very tasty. A good selection of very reasonably priced meals, snacks and sandwiches on the menu. It's a lovely atmospheric building with a large garden. We will definitely be returning soon.

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leisure_traveller35 . 2023-05-01

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What a find!! Great Welcome when we arrived a chose the £15 for 2 course option. The Gumbo was to die for and sticky toffee was excellent as well. Even found a new wine!!service very good and personal. The area is really worth a visit...

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AndyS5596 . 2023-03-17

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Had a family meal, group of 12. Meal was super, all served really quickly, all staff were helpful and friendly, nothing was to much trouble. Would highly recommend.

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V8632HXchristinem . 2023-03-09

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Loved this place. Cold on arrival, but heating soon put on. George and Ruby were brilliant server's, nothing too much trouble. Great assts both in their charm and efficiency. Highly recommend the Hake and Veg tartin. Would have liked the venison but substitute was fab!...

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amandacM3404OM . 2023-02-11

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We were lucky enough to find this pub while we were in the area on holiday. The atmosphere is so cosy and welcoming, as well as being very dog friendly! We had a Sunday roast and shared a chicken, all the ingredients were clearly of...

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BethanyM77 . 2023-01-18

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We had one of the best Sunday lunches ever here today. Food was great and the service was exemplary. My only criticism is that the portions were too big!

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Liz S . 2023-01-08

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We dropped in to the Ostrich what staying in Castle Acre we had no idea what to expect and were delighted when we found it was Thai night. The food and drink was delicious the service excellent and the staff very friendly and helpful. Would...

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Nicala O . 2022-11-22

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Food excellent. I had the belly pork starter 👍 & home made steak pie. Best pie I've tasted. Succulent steak encased in lovely pastry with gravy that was just delicious. Others had prawns, haloumi, burgers & said how good they were too.

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davehN7914MU . 2022-11-13

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A very friendly pub which on our visit was welcoming large and small groups including one with 6 basset hounds! Food was excellent- we had the delicious haloumi flatbread with roasted veg and a huge fish finger sandwich with salad

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Z7832OXchristopherb . 2022-10-26

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After years coming here on and off whenever I’m in castle acre. Still the best burger I’ve ever had! And I’ve had a few 😉 definitely would recommend

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William G . 2022-10-01

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My friend and I went for a light lunch last week. We couldn't believe that the only sandwich available was a fish finger sandwich! I have never eaten one and had no intention of paying £9.50 for the privilege. Surely an establishment calling itself a...

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bonnienorwich . 2022-09-15

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Met up with some friends for drinks and light bites. Drinks were expensive and as we looked through the menu we overheard a couple of families complaining about the wait for food service and the quality of the food. We decided to press ahead but...

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Departure03112267536 . 2022-08-21

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Dinner, below average. Maybe because owners wear not around, but £26 for an old fatty. Steak and some aged lettuce is poor. Stayed the night, kept awake by music until 12:30. OK. Then had breakfast, was unhappy, but the breakfast was brilliant. Greatest sausages ever,...

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corsicaloverman . 2022-08-14

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Refreshingly excellent service and menu. Food exceptional and very reasonably priced. Beautifully presented and tasted delicious. We had interactions with several members of staff and all were very friendly,cheerful and polite. This was our second visit, and certainly wont be our last!

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leisure_traveller35 . 2022-08-11

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Lovely food and homely interior however the drinks were particularly expensive (£10 for a glass of wine - though it was probably our fault for not just asking for the house stuff) and it took ~45 minutes for our starters to arrive when it didn’t...

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D2261DBadamt . 2022-08-09

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Have visited this pub several times for food or sometimes just a drink either in a group or just as a couple and have never been disappointed, in fact I always look forward to stepping inside, as does my dog as she is made to...

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julielegg . 2022-07-05

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Five of us had Sunday lunch here (26/6/22) and the food was terrible. Three of us had nut roast, one a curry and one the meat roast. All the roasts were soggy, beef over cooked and everyone of the Yorkshire puds were burnt and brittle....

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H3228SNrichardb . 2022-06-27

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Me and my dad popped in here after walking about 10 miles doing peddars way, was nice to get a quick pint and staff where very helpful trying to sort a taxi for us to get to swaffham for our accomodation.

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HeresHarper . 2022-06-14

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Whilst staying in the area we called for Sunday lunch. The staff were young and very friendly, well trained and professional. The atmosphere was relaxed and pleasant and the roast dinners were great. Large portions and nice to see good home cooking but with great...

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annettebS677PY . 2022-05-17

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A family group of 6 with a vegetarian and a 88 year old, we were made very welcome. The food was completely lovely. The lovely waitress suggested a smaller portion for mum, which was thoughtful and tactful. We all loved the homemade ice cream and...

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Julie R . 2022-04-12

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Had lunch yesterday at the Ostrich for the first time since the beginning of covid. It has been taken over since we last went. A proper pub with welcoming fire and excellent staff and the food was very good too. If you are out this...

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doyoukeepatroshin . 2022-04-08

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The Ostrich is a pub/restaurant with accommodation. My wife and I enjoyed having our reception here, the food and the service were way above expectation.

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Graham H . 2022-03-14

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My partner and I had booked on the Saturday afternoon for a meal. Whilst only staying locally temporarily. Warm welcome, and order for food and drink was taken pretty promptly, but went downhill from then on. My partner had a starter, I didn't want a...

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AnnR275 . 2022-03-12

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This is a gorgeous country pub with a great atmosphere awesome food and a great selection of drinks. If you are local or on holiday come here at any time for great locally sourced ingredients put together by an awesome chef!!!!

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Jaydogg69 . 2022-03-11

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Had Sunday lunch here today was the best roast we have ever eat so delicious..!! and staff were lovely too definitely will be back thank you x

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tillierose16 . 2022-02-27

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Phoned for a roast adhoc advised last orders were in 15 mins they had a table, rushed over they had a table we were greeted by warm and friendly staff, served drinks straight away had a lovely roast the beef was delicious. The atmosphere was...

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Cher H . 2022-02-14

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Tried to book a Roast Lunch for 1pm on a Sunday several days in advance, It was very hard to get a response by telephone or Email, however finally got connected, we we're told either 12noon or much much later, so we accepted 12noon. On...

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AChanceMeeting . 2022-02-13

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We were the first guests since Aoife and Ant took over last year, and we were not disappointed. We were warmly welcomed when we stepped into the pub looking like a dirty mess after a long day of walking. We were shown up to our...

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rachaelbY6163QL . 2022-02-07

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We visited on two evenings. On both evenings the staff were fabulous despite being very busy. The place was spotlessly clean, there were 2 huge fires and the atmosphere was friendly. On our first night there was blaring music but this had been toned down...

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318nd . 2022-01-15

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Well a lot has changed since the new landlords took over. The pub has had a fresh and cheerful refurbishment - wonderful wood floors finally cleaned and polished, great colour scheme bringing the rooms to life. The pub is going from strength to strength -...

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gusabus . 2021-12-17

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Eight of us, including two vegetarians, had the most wonderful time at the Ostrich for our first Christmas party in two years. I mention the vegetarian diners because they were so well catered for. The menu was wide-ranging, the food good quality, the range of...

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juggsy . 2021-12-11

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Popped in on a Friday lunchtime on spec, and managed to get the last table. The place was buzzing- impressive looking food and a really warm welcome. Will definitely go again.

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Minnou . 2021-11-14

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We had a very enjoyable meal, the menu was more varied than many post lockdown menus. The service was good despite the pub being busy. Unfortunately we were sat by one of the doors and got a cold draft every time someone entered or left....

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Stealthhippy . 2021-11-13

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The most important thing to say firstly is ignore any reviews from more than 3-4 months ago as this establishment has had a complete renovation and makeover with Greene King & the new tenants putting a lot of money and hard work into making this...

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Paul S . 2021-11-11

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Probably the best Sunday roast ever. Great historical location but with a modern vibe. Plus it's well cozy.

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Mrbryanoregan . 2021-11-07

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This pub had some pretty poor reviews so I was a bit nervous about booking for a meal. But, this is a real case of leaving the past behind. We had a lovely meal on Friday evening – currently the food is provided by guest...

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juggsy . 2021-11-01

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Big shout out to Maisy, Rob and Erin. What a friendly pub particularly for a Thursday, fabulous food, staff and burgers! 100% recommend, particularly if you like a big beer garden, an open fire and a convivial welcome!

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GoPlaces12873041241 . 2021-10-21

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The new owners have revitalise the Ostrich, great Sunday lunch today. Buzzing with people brilliant to see such a vibrant village pub.

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carolynbK6510PR . 2021-10-19

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What a fab pub. Everything this lovely village could wish for. Food great, service very friendly and ambience just lovey. Long May they continue.

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shazhal . 2021-10-17

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Went for some food. They currently have no chef but have Street Food vendors a few nights a week offering a limited menu. The evening we went the selection was filled tacos with some optional accompaniments. Decided to try- absolutely delicious and very reasonably priced....

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AC95Cam . 2021-09-22

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Went along for Greek night food. Was not disappointed. Food was excellent, nice selection of drinks. Staff are wonderful, friendly and very welcoming. Great to see it reopened and relaunched.

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Latmanson . 2021-09-11

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The Ostrich has just reopened with new landlords. So to start with forget all those negative reviews from a while back which relate to the pub when it was tired,run down and,shall we say,not entirely customer focussed. In stark contrast the new landlords are charming...

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Mrbunnywunny . 2021-09-11

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After completing the circular walk we stopped by The Ostrich beer garden for refreshment. The pub re-opens 9th September apparently. We met happy, enthusiastic people who were keen to serve us. What a difference it makes when people welcome you with a smile. These appear...

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TrevorHall . 2021-09-06

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Pub grub in pleasant surroundings. Good pint and attentive staff. Dog friendly . Lovely little village and the priory is well worth a visit too.

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Glenys E . 2020-11-02

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We have visited The Ostrich numerous times and had nice meals, on this occassion our lunch visit was shambolic. First of all we were told our drinks order had been lost, then it arrived. I ordered a jacket spud with chicken curry, I was told...

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andywB5108XM . 2020-10-30

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After a nice walk myself and partner had a meal in this establishment, I had the Swaffham sizzler, which i imagined to be a proper butchers type sausage filling , but in fact was the cheapy rubbish ones milled up like rubber. YUK !!!! My...

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RUSHYMAN . 2020-10-25

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I’m not sure I’ve ever scored a one and I’m sad to do this for a local pub who are possibly struggling in these difficult times. However, at no stage during our ‘short’ experience did I feel that they gave a stuff. Booked a table by internet, received no response so phoned and it was confirmed, abruptly. Arrived, masked up, and was told no booking but offered a small table. The two people who seemed in charge were not masked but moving around the tables. Given two menu’s. One for the advertised special pizza night and one for a spicy mezze. We had come for pizza so ordered pizza. They arrived in takeaway boxes. Mine didn’t have the toppings I ordered (paid extra for chilli). Questioned it and was brought dried chilli flakes.... it felt begrudgingly. The meat one didn’t have all the elements described. The vegetarian one didn’t either. Once we started to eat, it was obvious that the pizza dough was raw. They were inedible. We asked for our bill to leave. The owner/ manager asked why we were leaving early and disputed our explanation. Took our pizza to their chef who said it was fine but she admitted it was raw. She said their pizza chef had left the previous week and this was a problem. They charged us the full amount and we left. I feel that their offering was limited; their website implied that they had many alternatives to pizza and I was looking forward to having a lovely evening there. The staffing was inappropriate for these circumstances; we were served by a person not wearing a mask. Would I ever go there again. Not under the current management/ownership. I also emailed them yesterday to ask for their response before I put my review in .... no response.

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ruthndave . 2020-10-24

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Myself and family went to castle arce for the day and came across the Ostrich. A warm day so we sat outside. I had squid which was very tasty, the only complaint ther wasnt enough! Service was very friendly and the young man and lady were fantastic to everyone in the outside area. Very attentive and considerate.

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Daniel R . 2020-10-23

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What a lovely place. The staff were wonderful to both us and our dogs and we were made to feel at home. COVID restrictions adhered to so felt safe.The food was hot and delicious and they would try and meet any requestes if given enough notice.

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Cath E . 2020-10-17

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Fantastic atmosphere with attentive staff. Good priced drinks. Food.... chips very nice but I had fish and it was a little greasy. Rest of party liked their meals, sizzling sausage nutty and chips. Staff very very god

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BazThornton . 2020-10-13

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I would rather pull my own teeth out than visit this pub again! Ok for early evening drink but later in evening got worse and worse. Had better pizza from corner shop. Lovely village though

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susanneg2016 . 2020-10-09

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I was in the area, and called in initially for a coffee. I was struck by the ambience of the place - a wonderfully rural pub, with exposed beams and a lovely fire, and the most fantastic selection of blues playing in the background. I decided to stay for an evening meal. As I sat at my table (hand sanitiser available on each table, staff respecting social distancing while also engaging with their clientele), I idly looked The Ostrich up on Trip Advisor. Had I read some of the negative reviews before, I may not have decided to come. I am so glad that I did, and I urge you to come and make up your own minds. Given that the menu is restricted (due to the pandemic), I was impressed with the variety of choices on offer. The staff were polite and friendly; the service was excellent, and I thoroughly enjoyed my meal. I had the Steak Burger, with a Flat Mushroom, and it was generous and delicious. It came with a portion of very tasty chips, all presented in a biodegradable box, with biodegradable cutlery. The meal was more than enough for me. I would have liked to try one of the desserts on offer, but I prefer to feel pleasantly full, as opposed to regretfully stuffed. Outside the pub, while reading the menu, I had considered the takeaway option. Once inside, the lure of the blues made me want to sit down, relax, and treat myself. I’m so glad that I did. These are unusual times, and The Ostrich was an unexpected haven. Thank you to all of the staff for their welcome and hospitality. I live miles away, but I will definitely return.

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djembe_k . 2020-10-06

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One night stay. Room adequate, food only average but staff and overall service was friendly and helpful, with one exception. We had wanted to leave early the following morning but were told breakfast was 8- 10 am. So at 8 we were waiting to be let in only to be told by the cleaning lady that breakfast was 9-10. Had we been told that previously we would have left earlier and got breakfast on the way! We subsequently learned that other visitors had been told that the Ostrich does not do breakfast. I strongly suggest that travellers check what is the Inn’s breakfast policy

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G2187VCbilla . 2020-10-04

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My partner and I stayed 3 nights. Our stay got worse as the time went on. Money was wanted up front as soon as we arrived. Paid £12 extra for breakfast. Room was basic, and could have been cleaner. Our meal that night was nice.Breakfast was ok.That evening there was a power cut, so no dinner available. Not there fault i know. A couple of complimentary crisps and nuts were given. As no staff stay on the premises my partner was shown how to turn the fire Alarm off in case it went off during the night when the power came back on! The power cut triggered the extractor fan in the bathroom to not switch off. Very noisy during the night.Complained in the morning. Apparently the electrician could not do anything while guests were staying in the room. I asked to be moved, but no other rooms available.That night the sink, bath and toilet blocked up! No one to call! You can imagine how awful it was for us.Breakfast is 9am-10am so in the morning we went down to complain. 2 young girls there. We were told manager is on his way, even though they were ringing him and he was not answering the phone. No breakfast available as he was supposedly making that! We could not use the pub loo as all Locked up and they did not have keys!I have contacted the pub. I have had no reply!We love Norfolk. Never been to Castle Acre. It looked lovely and we we so looking forward to our long weekend after a stressful few weeks. It was totally ruined.

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Travel722511 . 2020-10-02

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Stayed one night .. had downstairs double . Very comfy and nice decor . Shower good but race against time before it overflows. . Good value for money .Had a few beers in garden , very disappointed that it was plastic glasses as beer etc never tastes as good this way . Garden bit untidy and uninviting Evening meal was nice but expensive . Cold platter and pizza . As mentions , all comes in boxes. Obviously I do with them doing takeaway etc but it must be more cost efficient and better for the environment if you got proper payers etc for indoor eating , especially for the price you pay Asked about breakfast which on our booking stated we got a continental breakfast for our room rate . Waitress stated they didn’t do this and only full English at £12 per head . I showed her the message and I was told it must be old information which needs changing . No apology and no breakfast for us that morning !! Great location to go walking etc , would stay again as room was good value but please give me a glass and food on a real plate

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markie129 . 2020-09-29

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We had a table booked for six friends out for a walk with 3 well behaved dogs. We were grated by a very friendly lady who explained the COVID restrictions making us feel very welcome and at ease. The food was really good all be it not the “normal” way of working for the restaurant. Our dogs were made welcome too even received a little fuss and a bone. Thank you very much #OstrichInn

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traceypU8464UK . 2020-09-24

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Having passed the pub during a daytime walk and thinking it looked nice we decided to book in for dinner. What a mistake! We had no problem with the fact that they had a reduced menu due to corona but the menu was completely confusing - heading at the top 'ciabattas with crisps', which gave the impression that was all they had! Had to ask the waitress to clarify and she admitted it needed redoing. It also said 'Eat in or take away' so we assumed as we were eating in we'd get a proper meal on plates etc. Wrong!We ordered a seafood sharing platter for two which, at £18, we assumed would be generous so only ordered something which we assumed was a starter (again the menu wasn't clear) between us and clearly asked for two plates and knifes and forks so we could share it. A suspiciously short time later, both our 'starter' and main arrived at the same time in takeaway containers - the starter in what looked like a burger box and the seafood platter in something that looked like it was from M&S, and were unceremoniously plonked on the table and the waitress walked away. No plates or cutlery were provided.We attempted to eat the starter with our hands but it was impossible so asked the waitress again for plates and cutlery which this time were provided, though just two small side plates. It was OK at best, so we then lifted the lid on the seafood sharing platter, which for £18 was a ridiculously small amount of food - barely more than a starter itself. A few pieces of (by now) luke warm calamari, some bits of smoked salmon, a few prawns, a measly amount of salad leaves and 3 slices of brown bread cut in half, all very disappointing. No further plates were brought so we had to recycle the side plates.We had been planning to have dessert but decided against it so went to the bar to pay the bill, which came out at £38 for the above plus two glasses of wine. I mentioned all the above to the barman hoping for at least an apology and possibly something off the bill, but all he said was he'd pass on the feedback to the manager.We fully accept we're in the middle of a pandemic and times are tough for pubs but this place will do itself no favours giving customers this kind of poor experience and value for money.If you're looking for a nice dinner, avoid this place and try one of the other, hopefully nicer, pubs in the village.

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JN67 . 2020-09-19

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Fab goats cheese pizza as a Covid friendly take away. Hubbie had jacket potato with lamb curry. All great. Great pub. Great service.

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Italybytreno . 2020-09-17

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...little attention given to self-distancing by staff. Limited menu but food tasty although gluten-free options very limited. Big garden - maybe a grass cut and general clean up would make it more attractive. Good service from cheerful staff.

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ChrisA206 . 2020-09-16

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Having read many of the recent reviews we made an alternative booking in the village of Necton... but they were closed!!Things seem to have improved at the Ostrich, servings now in hygienic cardboard boxes... fish and chips on large plastic tray.Good quality good although portion of fish quite small for price.Underlying tensions in the bar... long queues to order even when pre-booked.But things seem to be improving....at least they were open when advertised

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K8821NYstephenh . 2020-09-14

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Plastic container!! Come on guys, think of the environment! To add insult to injury, the portion reduction in the seafood platter was noticible but marked up at the usual price. Other pubs nearby have continued normal service allowing customers glasses in the garden and serving using cuttlety and plates. I understand the sentiment but this is social distancing/Cross contamination gone mad. Get back to your best, get your service back to its best. Ps is it permitted for children to pee In the beer garden these days? Kind regards.

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jimmyn374 . 2020-09-12

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We visited The Ostrich on the 6th.It is an old pub which looked inviting. Also, it said 'Dogs welcome.' Just right we thought.We chose a charcuterie platter to share priced at £19. When it arrived, in a plastic box, it was very disappointing. The cheddar cheese consisted of 4 cheese slices. Not value for money inu opinion.Then, two greyhounds arrived and our dog began barking unfortunately. However, during, our visit, other dogs had barked too.A man appeared beyond the bar and quite aggressively told us to 'quieten our dog, please'. The 'please' did not soften his manner towards us. No others had been approached in this manner and she would have calmed down. This us supposed to be a 'dog friendly' pub. It's not.Because of the above and the poor quality of the platter, I cannot recommend this pub.

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606joanneg . 2020-09-09

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Looked attractive from the outside and the interior looks dated. Welcomed warmly into the pub and felt comfy on church pews. Sanitiser on every table, lovely easy listening music in the background. Oredered pint of IPA and half of cider. Dog was welcome too. On paying on departure chaged £10. Didnt blink unfortunately. Put the place down in rating due to charge.

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alfiedog_gb . 2020-09-08

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Disappointing but food filled us up to continue the day ahead. On approach this pub looked really inviting and we looked forward to tucking into a pleasant relaxing lunch. The staff were welcoming and friendly, although we did pick up on an undercurrent of tension between the serving staff and the kitchen, with them making griping within earshot of customers re their dissatisfaction. Data protection was obviously something that the staff have been well trained in, as they leave a list for you to complete for track&trace that has previous customers personal details on it.Our food order was taken incorrectly meaning some of us had to wait for ours and when it came to the table, the food was served in cardboard/plastic boxes with flimsy wooden cutlery which could not even cut through some of the food. a) this is taking the regulations too far as regular cutlery & plates can be washed in detergent / b) using such packaging is creating unnecessary waste. Two of the meals provided were of a reasonable standard, however we also ordered the Swaffham Sizzler ciabatta’s - as we had read about this sausage being famous in this region, so thought it was worth a try as was bound to be good! We also hoped for the price charged it would be outstanding, especially as it came with just a few crisps. What was served was fairly tasteless cheap looking sausages (that had absolutely no texture or seasoning to them) in a very dry bun, with a bit of onion marmalade. I questioned whether they were indeed the infamous Swaffham Sizzler as described on the menu and was assured they were. If that is the case, I would not recommend them to anyone, however I still have my doubts.

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LaViaBelle . 2020-09-07

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This was a very late booking; nor is it over yet. The overnight accommodation represents reasonable value but the food provision is the worst I have experienced recently; particularly after the special efforts of the much appreciated and generously minded Eat out to help Out scheme. The prices here are far higher than in Suffolk for ‘local good pub listings’. Maybe breakfast may deliver. I’ll revert. Carl the manager - maybe the owner - is on duty tomorrow. The lovely lady behind the bar worked hard to make us comfortable but was powerless to evict a local intimidator who was determined to invade our space; even joined our table regardless of Covid guidance. All very edgy and unnecessary. Regret coming at this stage.

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JulieWilkinson11 . 2020-09-01

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This is one of a dying breed of old English coaching inns. Its lack of modernisation adds to its charm. This is no "boutique hotel", but is none the worse for that! The bedroom was large and comfortable. The food was selected from a limited menu, but our pizzas were delicious and well loaded with toppings. The staff were very friendly and helpful...even the chef came for a chat in the bar after finishing his shift! The pub is in a stunning village. Overall, the hospitality, character and humour of the landlord was outstanding. Would recommend without hesitation.

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Tracey L . 2020-08-27

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Our experience of this 'hotel' was so bad its difficult to know where to begin:The food was appalling, substandard 'pub grub' served in plastic containers and obviously reheated. Don't be fooled by the images on the website, they're years old. On the first evening, on making our way to the restaurant we were asked if we had reserved a table, on pointing out we were staying at the hotel a place was found but only on the condition that we finished eating within the hour! No one bothered to tell us anything about the breakfast arrangements so we spent the remainder of our stay eating out. Regarding our room, we had a bad damp patch down one corner of the room caused by what looked like a leaky roof. Although it appeared to have dried out it left a permanent musty smell. While we were out, no attempt was made to make the bed, change the towels or even refresh the water for the kettle.Add to that largely indifferent staff (apart from the owner and a young guy behind the bar), a very limited drinks selection and arbitrary bar closing times and we won't be back. We couldn't wait to get away. And be careful when booking - they take the funds from your account before your stay.

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kev_g_cooper . 2020-08-22

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We booked 2 rooms for our family for one night and the whole experience was shambolic! At check-in they had no record of our dinner reservation and had also given our second room to someone else. Rooms were large but grotty with mildew around shower. Most food on menu had run out but what we did have was good despite being served on plastic plates (they said their cleaning wasn’t up to covid levels!!) We requested a refund on breakfast as they had charged us £12 per head and yet they couldn’t tell us what it would include and after dinner couldn't confirm to other guests if breakfast would be on or not! Next time we are in Norfolk will be finding somewhere else to stay.

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TaniaB456 . 2020-08-21

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Myself, husband and Harvey the Airedale terrier had such a lovely evening at The Ostrich. Our waitress, Natasha, was so welcoming and friendly. The food.. I had the cod special and hubby had the prawn noodles.. was plentiful and delicious! Followed by profiteroles and ice cream! The boxes were a surprise but really Not a problem! We enjoyed food so much, we ordered a takeaway this evening! The pizza was full of topping and delicious.

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AnnetteA2909 . 2020-08-19

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We had a lovely welcome from the blond lady (sorry didn't get/see a name) and friendly service. However, the drinks put together by the barman is where it started to go wrong. I ordered a diet coke and my friend ordered a normal coke but when they arrived there was nothing to distinguish which is which. The dark haired waitress (who is pretty vocal having unprofessional conversations in front of us customers) suggested I try one to see, but I had to remind her that if I tried the wrong one I couldn't then hand this to my friend afterwards!! So off she went to get 2 new ones (as a suggestion a simple straw in one would have been easier). My diet one came fairly quick but then the other one just didn't come. I looked and it was sat on the bar, the barman saw me look and got it brought over to us. We ordered our food which included me asking for a bowl/plate of chips. A pizza in a box makes sense but I think putting everything in a box is taking covid regulations way too far, especially at the prices you charge, and wooden cutlery is just wrong. When our food arrived my sons chips didn't, so I had to chase these, they had clearly been forgotten. How they were served was pretty unreal. A card mcdonald's style fries pouch was how they were delivered to us on the table and toppled over onto the table!!! I'd lost the will, so couldn't be bothered to ask for a plate or Ketchup. I had to give my son my napkin to put his chips on. Thankfully I carry spare Ketchup so he had some but you can imagine sauce on tissue?? I had to rip a piece of card off to put underneath the napkin. Our bill turned up and none of the discount had been taken off which was then amended. Your prices need to be amended if you carry on with this way of presenting food. £4.50 to eat chips off of a napkin is not great and £4.50 for that amount of chips is pretty poor too. Its funny you're taking covid regulations so seriously but have salt and pepper on the table that everyone shares. And one last note, you seriously need to look at GDPR regulations which have been in place since May 2018 leaving a book with us to fill in our details so that we can see everyone else's information is so wrong. You should not have anything on display that shows more than 2 pieces of information that gives people's identification, I saw everyones first and last name, telephone number and address. You should be taking the information yourself.

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W7870UZlucyj . 2020-08-19

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So sorry to do this during challenging times but the standard of our lunch today just wasn’t acceptable . All food served in takeaway containers with wooden cutlery, under cooked jacket potatoes with pitifully small fillings , profiteroles were disgusting - definitely cash and carry standard. It felt rather like school dinners. I really feel they are exploiting the way out to help out scheme , offering lower standards because they think they can get away with it . So many good pubs in the area I’m surprised they think they can get away with such poor quality . The staff were lovely but the food was the worst I’ve ever had in a British Pub. Such a shame ..

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834henriettag . 2020-08-19

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Very poor, pleasant staff but clueless, food expensive but poor quality ,sausage sandwich seemed to have been made from breakfast leftovers reheated. Would have complained but felt unsafe so left as quickly as we could

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Hertshem1 . 2020-08-15

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Went with some friends and had a drink in the front bar area. My friend ordered a coffee and was asked if she would like a biscuit with it. The owner/manager I presume as he was ordering staff around, opened the jar, held the tongs and then just thrust his hand in the jar rooting around for biscuits which he then placed on the saucer and grabbed a spoon by the bottom part and not the handle. Surely with everything going on, staff would be considering hygiene even more but even normally this is disgusting.

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benneg9 . 2020-08-14

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Made an overnight stop here while walking the Peddars Way. Room was nice - even if the bathroom was looking tired and in need of update. Beer was okay, but the positives end there as the food was a shocker! We both had a chicken curry which turned out to be a culinary apocalypse - no idea how a curry could be made this tasteless and bland. It was served up in a box, with hugely overcooked rice. We complained and exchanged it for something else which, although passable, wasn't great. Chef really was having a bad night it seemed. The following morning the rude breakfast service was accompanied by even worse, cheaply prepared food. I'm sure this was once a good eatery but things have seriously slipped - good staff make this kind of place and is lacking at the moment.

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phild909 . 2020-08-13

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We visited this pub on a Saturday evening after a walk. We were told that they were offering a limited takeaway menu due to Covid19 which can be eaten in the pub. We ordered fish and chips as nothing else appealed. We sat in the restaurant area at the rear of the pub. The kitchen is in a separate building opposite the bar area. The food arrived on plastic trays underneath a plastic food cover with wooded disposable knives and forks. While this would be suitable if we were taking the food away, we didn't think it was necessary if we were eating the food in the restaurant. Despite Covid, other pubs are now serving food on plates with proper cutlery. The fish was very greasy and was accompanied by a scattering of chips and a small pot of peas. Not worth the money and was was among one of the worse meals I've had in a pub. While the main bar of the pub is cosy and has a nice atmosphere the garden is run down and could be made a lot nicer. Won't be eating here again, Covid or no Covid.

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suemB1877EF . 2020-08-10

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We visited The Ostrich whilst on a short break and had a good meal in the beer garden. We ordered pizzas, chilli and a halloumi wrap, all of which were nice but slightly small. Catering for a gluten free meal was no problem and staff were friendly.

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kfjess . 2020-08-06

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After doing 6 miles around the local area we went to the Ostrich.Staff were friendly welcoming and was a nice little pub.Good selection of beverages as well!We order some ciabattas sandwiches and had to wait about hour to get them.I think they couldn't handle the lunch time rush, and I overheard they had a delay of an hour for food. Did ruin the experience and when the food did turn was average, wasn't worth the wait really. Was expecting more for the price. Since its the only place in Castle Acre you don't get much choice.At least the beer was nice

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eroomeoj94 . 2020-08-01

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We turned up unannounced and mid-walk on a Sunday morning. They were very welcoming, the host sat down next to us and invited us to order whatever we fancied. Good humoured and accommodating, despite difficult times. Thank you Ostrich.

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GreyWagtail . 2020-07-29

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