The Plas Derwen in Monmouthshire

Pleasant atmosphere. Will definitely re visit

Fantastic place to eat. The service and food excellent with a large variety of dishes. The tables are well spaced out in the restaurant area.

Been trying to book a meal here for two weeks called 12 times over the space of hours no one picks up and no online bookings. Regards

A great place for a fairly good meal and a drink, on the outskirts of this lovely town. It has a beautiful garden to sit out and enjoy the (all too rare) sunshine. Disappointingly, there is only one disable-friendly parking space, so it's usually pot luck if you need to park close-by.

Visited with a party of 5 who had travelled a long distance for an early mother's day meal ,,,,, We Ordered 1 Sunday beef roast, 1 mixed meat platter Sunday roast for two , 1 vegetable wellington roast & 1 children's gluten free Sunday roast,,waited & then told only had 1 portion of beef & no veg option,,,, re changed orders . When food arrived, only beef roast came & platter for 2 but no plates,, The mixed platter was freezing cold & returned,,,,, The beef meal eater had finished eating before the rest of the meals was brought out & then we realised the gluten free meal wasnt gluten free and angrily returned as child is a celiac and could have been seriously ill,,, lots of apologies by numerous staff& manager was offered 20% off & free drinks ,,,, The service was lame & disorganised, food poor quality & poorly presented, very disappointing & angry,,, will definitely not be returning or recommending to anyone

Location is next to the main road to abergavenny town centre. It is quiet inside and has a good car park near to the entrance. Plenty of space inside and different views are available from your seating area. Food is great and varied varieties on offer, not expensive for lunch or dinner time and have a beer as you dine. Lovely garden and pleasant surroundings to sit outside in good weather with views of the Blorange.

Good food. Staff really helpful and accommodating

Good food, good service from Martin! The place is very well set on lovely grounds and the overall experience was great!

Food was plentiful and very tasty. I would have liked more choice of vegetables. Food was quite expensive compared to other places I have eaten but the pub is very clean, tidy and the grounds are very pleasant too. There were also nice places to sit and relax. Service was prompt and Martin and Dave were friendly and helpful. I will be coming back.

I was told to choose from the menu that the computer would then tell staff about the food intolerances. I chose the beef sunday lunch. Yes I could have the beef but no yorkshire pudding, no gratin, no gravy, then it transpired....no beef as it was already in the gravy!!! Right so...turkey...yes, no gravy, no gratin, no stuffing....! So if I was having a dry dinner could I have chips instead of roasts, this took a while but yes and would they give extra of other things because there would be alot missing - yes. Well they didn't! And the turkey was tasteless, it was a horrible meal, the person I ate with assures me her beef had been overheated in its bag in the gravy and was inedible it was so tough. A good sandwich would have been much MUCH nicer. JUST awful, never again.

Visited as a group of 16 for my mother in law’s birthday for Sunday dinner. Staff were very attentive and friendly and nothing was too much trouble. Food was very good and staff were happy to bring out extra vegetables and gravy. This was our first visit but we Will definitely visit again.

We had a very good home made haddock fish cakes which were really tasty and very fresh, with a very nice sauce, for dessert we had a apple & berry crumble and a welsh cheese board which was very nice. We were served by Imogen who looked after us were well.

Nice place, lovely staff although the managers were doing their dinner / paper work in an area we were hoping to all sit near reception on the sofas apart from that it was okay. There could be a little more on the plate (slightly bigger portions) can't wait until its warmer - spring time so we can sit in the conservatory part that over looks the garden. I am only giving them 3 stars today as room for improvement here's hoping our experience will be even better next time we pop by

This premises is in a good location just off the A40/ A465 roundabout, take the Abergavenny turn off and premises is on your right hand side.We stayed for one night in January. Very quiet at this time of year and weather did not help, persisitent rain !!This venue is dog friendly. Our room was fine, upstairs in the main building, tea coffee biscuits and bottled water supplied.The staff at the premises were very friendly and helpful. We had been walking the Brecon canal and were hungry, due to the weather we chose to eat in the pub.Plenty of options on the menu, we both had soup of the day to start with two choices both of which were tasty and hot. Mains we both chose a steak which was cooked as we requested. We chose the Welsh cheese board for desert and this was very tasty.Good selection on the breakfast menu, can recommend the full Welsh breakfast cooked to order.Tea, coffee and juices plus cereals are help yourself. Worth noting that your dog is allowed in the dining area plus the bar/lounge areas.If you are looking for a convenient place to stay whilst visiting the local area this is fine. I would imagine that in the spring/summer with fine weather it could be busy as there was a large outside area with benches and seating. Plenty of car parking space available off the main road.

I visited this pub on a damp, dark and miserable Saturday in December. We were a party of four who were cold, wet, tired and hungry after wandering around Cwmbran. Anyway we were given a warm welcome. Our starters consisted of soup (potato, rocket and pea), squid, chicken wings and a Caribbean prawn cocktail. Our mains were mussels, beef burger, fish and chips and a children’s pasta meal if my memory serves me correctly. For dessert there was just a couple of ice creams.The only criticisms we had was the prawn cocktail that had mayonnaise rather than a Marie rose and a lot of leaves which made it a little boring we all tasted each other’s food and I managed to take all of the grapefruit out of my partner’s prawn cocktail without knowing which I guess didn’t help. Secondly I felt the burger could have been a little more flavoursome but this could have just been me as I was slightly full at this stage. Now for the highs on this trip. The squid was superb, the soup was delicious, the battered fish was cooked to perfection. My daughter is a fussy eater and wanted an adult stater of chicken wings but she neglected to identify that bbq sauce came with it, not a problem, clearly our mistake but the waitress just went and got a portion without the bbq sauce, you can’t say fairer than that! Both of the youngsters had ice cream which didn’t touch the sides. I had a pint of Reverend James which wouldn’t be my first choice of beer but that was what was available and I felt it was kept very well. I think this was the first time ever my daughter requested to return to a venue for food barring from pizza hut, frankies or the harvester.We will return in the summer and take a table outside one evening.

Stopped at the first place we came to after leaving the dual carriageway. Nothing really inspired us to stop here, except we were cold and wet and felt like having a beer and a fireplace. Alas, the fireplace, though huge, had no flame. It seems pub grub is the standard here and it seemed quite busy but the menu was quite ordinary although it looked (snooping at nearby diners) nicely prepared. Bar was small and not anywhere inviting to sit and I wasn’t impressed with the beer selection. Would we go again? No reason not to, but can’t see why we would.

Went for Sunday lunch 29 dec only a handful of people in there ordered the Sunday platter for two plenty of meat when it eventually arrived unfortunately all the food was cold roast potatoes were Luke warm thankfully they did refund us but certainly won’t be returning to what used to be a real nice place to dine.

I've given this pub/restaurant an excellent rating in the past so I was saddened by our family lunch today. Firstly, they had no record of our reservation, but this didn't really matter as the place was far from busy. Drinks order was taken promptly and arrived correctly, and food order followed. We went for the basic Sunday roast that virtually every pub in the land can do competently.Meat and potatoes are served first, with a selection of "seasonal veg" following. It all arrived warm rather than hot. The seasonal veg was peas(in December? obviously frozen) carrot batons served very al dente, and red cabbage that appeared to have been steamed for a considerable time. It's easy to make this a yummy dish but this was tired and lacking any inspiration. The goose fat roast potatoes were untypical as goose fat usually give a crispy golden outer with a fluffy inside. These were pallid and on the edge of being undercooked. Pigs in blankets and cauliflower cheese, both optional sides with an extra charge, were fine. My turkey was ok, the beef overdone and a bit tough.The waiter failed to bring any serving spoons for the veg until we asked, when a couple of dessert spoons were unearthed. Coffee was served long before the desserts appeared, and my Americano was lukewarm although the two lattes were ok. I really enjoyed the peach melba baked Alaska, although it was very sweet and wouldn't suit everyone. The sticky toffee pud was a letdown, stodgy with a meagre amount of sauce. No spoons came with coffee until we asked, and the desserts were provided with soup spoons...which I suppose did the job. It was obvious some people were waiting an age for their meals and that there were long delays between mains being served and the accompanying veg arriving. Very disappointing and although the waiting staff were polite and friendly there seems to be training issues that need addressing. The kitchen also seemed to be malfunctioning on a relatively quiet Sunday lunchtime. It's been great in the past and I do hope this pleasant place can get back to form sooner rather than later.

I was cautious about booking a funeral wake at Plas Derwyn due to some negative reviews. We held a funeral wake buffet in the garden room recently. The service and food was excellent.

Freezing, fire doesn’t work, no specials as not many customers, moody staff who were rude, over 30 mins to get desert, one of the meals not put through and didn’t come until everyone else was half way through. Directly cup and dirty glass that had to go back! We will not be coming again.

My partner and I visited the Plas Derwen for a lunchtime meal. The car park was virtually empty so parking was very good. On entering the premises it wasn’t clear how to get into the restaurant so better signage would be great. We were met with friendly, helpful, polite and courteous staff and shown to our table. Looking around the establishment it is in dire need of some refurbishment and repair. The carpets are worn, decor poor, windows dirty and the toilets need painting and upgrading. The service initially was good but we had to wait a long time despite the place being empty to get our food. The meals were average and nothing to write home about. We wouldn’t visit or recommend this place for a meal. It’s time Brains invested some real money in the place and improved training and management.

Called in today with my mother,appeared quite busy,1.30pm, mother ordered a child’s roast beef dinner( small appetite) and I had the vegan wellington with veg and gravy, had around 20 minute wait, but were informed by staff very politely there was a slight wait, no problems, when our food arrived, it was hot,fresh and very tasty, my mother ate all of her lunch,and that doesn’t happen very often!lovely atmosphere, very relaxing, staff friendly and polite we sat in the conservative, will definitely be visiting again, thankyou,

I booked one night accommodation at Plas Derwen through a third party hotels website and received confirmation of the booking. On arrival at Plas Derwen I was told that the hotel was fully booked. They accepted that I had a booking confirmation but could only offer alternative accommodation... in Pontypool. The Duty Manager was unavailable to help except by telephone. On the 'phone he was indistinct and slurring his words. I stayed elsewhere but have subsequently been charged for the night by Plas Derwen! After three attempts I have been denied the refund of this charge and have had no apology from the hotel. Wholly unacceptable.

Restaurant very quiet with a party of 30 due in, got there early to make sure we ordered at the time we had agreed yet meals were all out at different times, steaks over cooked to the point of not edible and wrong type of burger sent out. My middle daughter waited 30 minutes after the 1st meal was brought for her food. Completely messed up our order. Service was a disaster and for a pub that I have visited many times I can safely say it’s my last. God help the party of 30 as they couldn’t get our table of 7 right! They need to employ staff who can listen and who act professional.

The Plas is our local and we don’t want to see it close down so, foolishly, keep persevering with it - to our endless frustration. The service in this place is shocking! Friday evening and we’ve just seen two people wait at the bar for 15 minutes and then walk away, having given up on the prospect of getting a drink. One poor lady stuck with it - the barmaid walked away from the bar twice, faffing around at tables with customers’ bills, then stood with her back to the lady at the bar and didn’t acknowledge her. We went home without bothering to try for a second drink.

breakfast fresh and hot evening meals good choice bar staff friendly dogs allowed in bar area price of food and drinks average price if in the area will call in again

Where do I start? We had food here last night for 6 people and all of our meals were stunning.

Visited for a meal on our journey home from holiday.

We were all invited to a family celebration in the form of a Sunday Lunch. There was a quite comprehensive Menu, which was very good.

The venue being a stone's throw from our business we have used Plas Derwen on many occasions, including a works do and overnight stays.

I ordered the pan fried chicken breast in crispy prosciutto in tomato and paprika sauce with asparagus and new potatoes, which was very disappointing. The chicken was dry, tasteless and rubbery, and quite a small portion, also it didn't appear to be pan fried at all. The "crispy" prosciutto was anything but crispy and looked like it had been thrown on as an after thought. It had what looked like two small new potatoes cut up and the asparagus had somehow become green beans.

Came here for Sunday lunch with my boyfriend. Friendly staff. Excellent service and menu choice. Well recommended.

Excellent service and atmosphere. The rooms were very comfortable and clean. Everyone was very welcoming and helpful. We also had a lovely vegetarian evening meal and breakfast. I would definitely recommend this establishment to others.

Had a lovely meal here tonight, service could not have been better. We turned up at 8pm and hadn't booked a table. We were greeted with a smile and seated straight away.

We have eaten here before on several occasions when staying in the area and decided to go there again tonight. When we arrived at 19:30 I asked for a table for two but was straight away asked if I had booked or if I was staying there. As I answered no to both these questions I was told they couldn't accomodate us despite the fact the restaurant was clearly almost empty. Well if they don't want our business we shan't be going there again.

We were out for a walk and heard the music and having never been there we thought we would stop in , The staff could not have been nicer or more welcoming , we set up a tab and sat back to listen to the music and enjoy the cider festival , great team , excellent cider and we will be back to try the food .

We had a very enjoyable stay here. Room was spacious, comfortable & clean. The food is very good and reasonably priced, with a good selection of local beers & ciders. We were able to enjoy our evening meal in the spacious garden at the back (it was very hot when we were there ). The hotel is a short walk (about 10 minutes) from the town centre.

Brains pub, but does a more upmarket range of food. Nice meal but atmosphere lacking, this may be because it was a Monday, plus we had spent all day at the hospital. Probably need to try again.

Called in just for a meal on a quiet Monday night. Plenty of parking and a pub that I assume would be great on a sunny day, beer garden looked great.

If your idea of a hotel is a Premier Inn, don't stay here. The main building is hundreds of years old, very quirky & different. Parking was plentiful, reception quick & easy, beer - the Reverend James, was superb & the staff were all fantastic. Despite being on a main road it was quiet & I had a good nights sleep.

Our room in the annexe was spacious, although the bed could have been longer for tall guests. Housekeeping wasn’t as thorough as it could have been.

A lovely Sunday sharing platter, 3 meat, beef, pork, turkey, stuffing, pigs in blankets, roast potatoes yorkshire pudding mixed vegetables and gravy. It was an excellent meal, hot, I would go as far a saying it is one of the best Sunday lunches we've had out.. I had a chocolate brownie and ice-cream, Which was Very rich and it was delicious. my husband had the summer fruit and apple crumble and clotted cream which again he really enjoyed. Came away very happy and full. Very reasonably priced. Will definetly be back. The waitress we had was excellent even though very busy, made us feel welcome and relaxed.

I just want to thank Gavin and his team for looking after us so well. We had pre-booked to have lunch here following my nannas burial that morning and nothing was too much for Gavin and the team even when we had to do last minute changes for forgotten meals and dietary needs, they sorted it. They were so kind and looked after us so well. They gave us the privacy we needed and constantly checked we had everything we needed especially as we had 3 small ones. If we needed something, they provided it without hesitation. The food was tasty and just what we needed before the service. I couldn't fault them for their service and thank you so much on behalf of the family to you all for what you did.

We booked 4 rooms.they were amazing. Large clean - settee king size bed. We ate in the resteraunt. Greate selection of food and drinks. Staff really friendly. Definetly want to stay here again.

I haven't eaten in this Restaurant for quite a few years. It used to be very good, but the visit last night was a disappointment. The menu is fairly limited and even more limited last night as quite a few choices were unavailable. The communication between the kitchen and the waiting staff was very poor as the waiting staff were not made aware of some of the unavailable choices until quite some time after we had ordered. What food was available was good, but portions tend to be on the small side and deserts especially so. Meals are a touch on the expensive side for what they are as are deserts. Service in on the slow side with waiting staff having to double up as bar staff, which takes most of their time. I twice had to go hunting for someone to get the bill and felt as if I was being ignored. I don't know if we just caught them on a bad night or not, but we will not be returning as there are many better places to eat in Abergavenny.

I was in the bar area last night when the person from the review below asked a 7 year old boy to be quiet as they were trying to eat their food. The boy had barely made a noise. It is a family friendly establishment, the boys father apologised for disturbing their food but there was NO aggression. They then left in a huff!!

The food is overpriced and poor quality.

Ate here mid week- hadn't booked!

Stayed for 1 night. The room was great, plenty of parking. Very easy, flat walk into Abergavenny town centre (you may want to check the distance if you have mobility trouble).

Stayed here 24th and 25th April, and discovered a jewel of a hotel which is super dog

Visited Plas Derwen on Easter bank holiday Monday as a couple wanting some tasty reasonably priced pub grub.

Friendly staff but accommodation very shabby and run down. Will definitely not be staying here again.

4 of us had dinner tonight whilst staying at the hotel. After reading previous reviews we weren’t expecting much and main reason to eat here was ease and we were tired. There wasn’t anything I fancied on the menu but the very helpful chef made me the tastiest hallumi burger I’ve ever had The other guys all agreed the food was great the beers crisp and to top it of the staff were friendly and the service was excellent. The restaurant was very busy and there was a good atmosphere I would definitely eat here again

My husband had been called last minute to the area so I called to ask if a late check in was acceptable. The gentleman on reception was fantastic and took the booking advising that if he was late that it would be fine. He has just arrived, after food serving time, and has been made a sandwich ... I wish more people and places had the same customer service ... great people make the difference

We live locally and go to the Plas regularly. We will continue to do so because it’s conveniently located for us, has a nice atmosphere and the food is excellent - all cooked from scratch and of a high quality. Every visit is a frustrating experience though, because of the service. It’s consistently poor, disorganised and inefficient. Put your sauce bottles and cutlery out in caddies and let people help themselves - it’s unacceptable to wait 15 minutes for mayonnaise EVERY TIME we visit! Instruct everyone to place their order and pay at the bar, then have dedicated waiting staff to bring it out - your hybrid approach of SOME table service combined with SOME ordering at the bar clearly isn’t working. Staff who should be running the bar are off waiting tables, dealing with requests for high chairs, getting sauces for people and running around taking the credit card machine to tables that request it - so you can’t get a drink. And if you’re seated and are promised something that you’ve requested (sauces, cutlery, to pay your bill!) you are guaranteed to have to chase up on it several times before it happens, then head to the bar to track down what’s happening to see your waiter pulling pints for a queue of customers. Frustrating!

We (2 of us) arrived with an hour for lunch. Asked if they could manage that. Nice guy said "we'll smash it out". Couldn't see anyone else eating so thought no problems. Actually they did but only just. While we waited we looked around - really needs refurb - bits chipped off corners of walls etc. After 25 minutes - Starter arrived - OKish. Nice guy said he'd get the chef to start main straight away. Another 20 mins - unpleasant ham and chicken pie, cardboard pastry, v salty, gluey odd tasting sauce; a bit of mash and French beans were OK. But overall far too slow, v mediocre food, pleasant bar staff. Advice: its getting worse! So do the place up; and get a new chef pronto. Keep the bar staff.

I have been here a few times on a Sunday for the roasts, which I like a lot due to the fact you can have a sharing platter which has 3 different meats so you can have a bit of each! The food is always good, really have no complaints, however the service is bordering on poor. Even though we booked we waited 10 mins to be seated...and were pretty much ignored by passing staff for that whole time. Once seated it took another 20 mins for someone to take our order, it was a good job we weren’t in a rush. During this time a couple on the table next to us up and went after asking for a dessert menu and getting nothing!

Had a lovely day in Abergavenny watching the rugby and wanted to end the day with a nice meal. We have driven past this place many times and always wanted to try it. Booked and checked the menu, not cheap but looked ok.

We ordered the 3 course meal offer. After about 1/2 hour they came and said there were no peas. Really ??? anyway the food was hot but not a lot else you can say about it. The carpets are disgusting and the place needs a very deep clean and a refurbishment and should be closed until this has been done. People on the next table we were chatting to ordered a pot of tea for 2 and when the cups came out they were full of dust and dirt which means they had obviously not been checked so they were sent back but when they brought out the replacements these cups had old tea stain rings along the top of the cups. When it came to paying the bill they put it down as a 2 course meal and desserts as extra therefore charging us more than it should have been and I told the waitress that they done that exact same thing when I had been there before. Needless to say we will not be going back again.

I’m afraid this was the worst meal we have ever had.

Well what can I say other than this Brains pub needs a good shake up and better management in place .

Welcoming pub, friendly staff as always. Great draft beers and lagers. Recommend fish finger sandwiches with fries and the chicken, bacon and fried egg sandwich. Good hearty food. Not expensive. Worth a visit!

As a large family meal, we had Order the food a month in advance.

If you enjoy spending an entire Sunday afternoon getting ever more frustrated at the appallingly slow service & then not getting an entire course, then this is the place for you!

Been visiting the Plas Derwyn on and off since it opened and it’s always been a good place to go. My mother lives just 5 minutes walk from there so chose to take her there for her 76th Birthday today. We booked for 3 at 1pm, and although the starters we had were very good and fairly swift to arrive, we waited then over an hour to receive the main course. Sadly it was not worth the wait. Despite asking 3 times how long the main course would be, we didn’t get an answer. It was not overly busy so couldn’t understand why we waited so long. When the food arrived it was very average. The pie I had was burnt and dry, the vegetables were practically raw and unwashed, and the mash was cold. I have eaten better food in a chip shop. The deserts were very nice but the overall service was appalling. We left at 4.40 after taking so long to eat a 3 course meal. Not acceptable in any restaurant. We were given a discount of £33, but to be honest the money was not the issue. Our afternoon plans were ruined by the disappointment we experienced

We visited The Plas last week with my family for Dad's birthday lunch. Despite the place being almost empty we were told there'd be a 45 minute wait for food which we said OK to. Fast forward.75minutes and 3 starving children later, some of our food arrived, minus 2 of the kids meals. When queried we were told they had been forgotten and so ensued *another* 15 minute wait whilst we gave the children some of our food as they were crying by this point. My mother then had to return her fish as it was cold in the middle and the mushy peas were rock solid. As I was complaining to the bar staff about the situation, I was met by a really rude young lady who was working behind the bar. Her attitude was,quite frankly, shocking and I suggest she does some customer service training. She told me in front of other diners that I had 'been warned of the wait at the start.' I did point out that we'd been waiting almost 80 mins at this point and the kids food still hadn't arrived. She was having none of it though, not even an apology or offer of something for the kids to nibble onm. She knew they were crying. Also, the kids had several near misses with dog excrement which had been left all over the beer garden. Again we told staff only to be informed that they were aware of this and that the Gardner would be in next week to pick it up. WTF?! It was disgusting. We've always been big fans of the Plas, but after this visit we will not be back. How on earth will they cope during busy periods I do not know.

Stayed at the Plas Derwen last Friday night.

We have been visiting the Plas Derwen for over a decade and until yesterday we had never been disappointed, the service, food and portions had always been excellent.

Been to the Plas Derwen many tines in the past but I’m afraid I wouldn’t go again. The restaurant was very quiet but we waited at least 15 mins before we could place a drinks order, and at least another 10 before ordering our food. One of our party ordered the calves liver, and a good 10 mins later, we were told they didn’t have any. After ordering a replacement, we waited, only to be told that our mains would be delivered but the salmon would be 1@-15 mins after everything else. When our food eventually arrived, it was all very disappointing, not up to usual standard and the salmon was dry and over cooked. We were offered a bottle of house wine as an apology, but sorry guys, we won’t be back. What a shame. A lovely restaurant in the past, the quality has gone rapidly downhill.

Ate at the restaurant. Extremely unlikely to return. I think they had a lack of kitchen staff on the night so we had slow service. I think they also lack someone who can keep check of stock levels and reorder goods if they run out.

Stopped here for three nights on B and B which was absolutely fantastic value. We were in room 7 which was massive, great comfy bed. Around 10 mins walk to Abergavenny.

My previous reviews of this restaurant show that I’ve had a very high opinion of it in the past. This visit was underwhelming. Not enough mash with the bangers. Not enough chips with the fish. Very average.

I use to use this pub years ago when going to Builth Wells showground. We went to see some friends who were staying at a holiday cottage at Gilwern. We were not aware they had booked a table here and what a relief that the pub has not changed. Fantastic staff who made us feel welcome. The pub is dog friendly and as we had our dogs with us, they went out of their way to get us the best table for 5 of us + 3 dogs.

Had a few hours to kill in Abergavenny around lunchtime so decided to eat here as it was the first restaurant we came across. We ordered the chicken and bacon pie, one with veg and one with chips and sausage and mash for our 2 year old grandughter. To be honest I was expecting your standard pub grub, but what turned up was a well presented large homemade pie with perfectly cooked vegetables and proper chips and it tasted better than it looked (well done chef). The staff were equally friendly and catered for our granddaughter giving her crayons and paper to entertain her. I will certainly recommend the Plas Derwen to all my family and friends.

Group booking. All food pre ordered but some had to wait minutes after others before being served. Poor table service with poorly trained and instructed staff.

We had booked a table for a party of 7 of us, plus a baby. The service at the bar was poor (the bar person didn't even know if they had a tomato juice) - it was asked for with no ice, but they put ice in the glass. Then we went to the table and chose our food. When we came to order, they didn't have three of the things on their standard menu. Why didn't they tell us, before we carefully chose? They use iPads, or equivalent, to take the orders. When the mains came, one one of the party got nothing. He had ordered a steak. If technology doesn't work, don't use it. Then it came to ordering sweets. All tapped into the iPad, then the waiter came back saying the order hadn't been registered, and he had to take the order all over again. Several of the party didn't rate the food at all. Overcooked belly pork, tough wood-pigeon. If The Plas Derwen has a manager (it didn't seem that way), then I recommend that they chuck the technology, if it doesn't work, or if they can't train the staff to use it. Oh, one final complaint. Two of us went to the bar to pay at the end. No itemised bill offered, just a total. The amount didn't seem unreasonable (they had agreed not to charge for the steak, which came very late), but surely restaurants give customers an itemised bill, before asking them to pay?? I could have asked, but we had a young baby in our party, and I didn't want to delay departure.

I have frequented the plas derwyn over many years. I held my engagement party there in 2012 and was so impressed by the service and friendly staff that I decided to hold my wedding reception there in 2015, for 15 guests and we booked two rooms to stay the night. I’ve had many family meals there or just popped in for a quiet drink on many occasions. Adam and Kate the then managers, made my wedding the special occasion that it was with their own finishing touches by dressing the tables and their excellent, friendly service. Pity the same can’t be said for the new managers, especially their bar staff and the shocking service we received Christmas Day!!

Lunched here yesterday (Christmas Day 2018). Our son and daughter in law booked it as our Christmas present. What a lovely present it turned put to be. We were shown to a lovely table near the bar area (our daughter in law's parents had their lovely dog Molly with them) which was perfectly placed to enjoy the full Christmas ambience of this very friendly Brain's pub. The staff were extremely welcoming, the bar service prompt and the table service excellent.. The meal itself (three courses plus coffee) was excellent : the presentation first class and the quantity and quality of food surpassed my expectations. Given that this was Christmas day, we all thought the cost of the meal was really good value. All in all an excellent way to celebrate Christmas. It took my son and his wife ages to find a dog friendly pub that was fairly local to our locations (Cardiff and Tredegar). They certainly struck gold with the Plas Derwen. We are already talking about re-booking for next year. Well done Plas Derwen.

I have been many times to the Plas Derwen. For coffees or lunches, but the most memorable when a dear friend held her wedding lunch here. The food is always excellent and good value, the staff always friendly.

mold on fruit on served with Sicillan lemon tart with fresh raspberry???? we had a party of 15 the meal was poor beef fatty covered with sauce so you could not see it, the best part was the soup i can recommend (spiced sweet potato)

Our local hospice manager arranged a buffet lunch for the volunteers. Gluten free food was ordered for me. When I arrived I was told that they had forgotten the GF and there was no buffet food for me to eat!!! I was told to go to the till and sort something out. The only food available was the Sunday roast - no yorkshire pudding but the gravy was GF. When the food arrived the vegetables were not good. Uncleaned carrots, partially yellow broccoli and soggy white cabbage. I paid £16 for this!!!

Just stopped here on our way to Newport and this pub came up as about halfway from Leicestershire, so we stopped for a quick lunch. One of the most important things to note walking in was how friendly the staff are- we were greeted with genuine warmth, which made us feel really welcome. We chose simple food from the menu- I had a fish finger sandwich & sweet potato fries & my other half had the pear & walnut salad, both delicious. The food came promptly and the service was excellent. Would recommend this place.

My husband and I were working in the area and called in for lunch on a whim. Everything was beyond exceptional.

Room lovely and bed comfy, bathroom needs updating, but unfortunately the emergency green light was on in the room all through the night, no sleep at all, so we checked out early to travel back home to get some sleep, I did advise on checkout about the light and no sleep, got an apology but would have preferred a discount of some sort, but no,bpaid full £80.. I'm due to book here for Feb 2019, I will not be booking here incase all rooms have the same ploblem, it seems like there may be a fault with the fire alarm systems as these emergency light should not be activated unless the alarm goes off.

The first thing to say is that the staff were very good, pleasant and tried hard to make our meal enjoyable. However my wife’s gammon had not been cooked properly and looked raw inside so it had to be replaced, this meant that we actually ate at different times, not ideal.

Having frequented this establishment for over 10 years I have been left stunned at the change since the new management took over. To begin with there was no-one on reception to ask about a table, no staff around and the building was so cold. Eventually the girl behind the bar came out and we asked for a table for 2. We were not asked for any preference and were given a table for 4-half of which was varnished , half bleached with peeling varnish. The room was really cold and we had to leave our coats on, as did the other couple in the restaurant (who had already tried to turn the radiator on). The service was off-hand and "couldn't care less". As we left there was a member of staff sprawled in one of the chairs holding a conversation about his beer suppliers at the top of his voice - and was not shy about his opinions! We will not be returning.

Our first visit since Kate moved to pastures new. Congratulations to Lucy and the team for providing the same warm welcome and excellent service.

nice bedroom/bathroom and menu food excellent.had wonderful cooked steak,crumble,trifle. my husband and me.mr and mrs iwan davies.while iwan was in hospital on 16th oct over night.also breakfast on 17th full English brill too.would stay here again.love sian.

We came to Plas Derwen this evening and the service wasn’t good at all. The restaurant was very quiet so there weren’t loads of people to serve and both waitresses checked we had what we needed to start our meal. However, once we’d finished main course and were waiting to perhaps order dessert no one came to clear the dishes or was even around in the restaurant to ask. We decided to just pay the bill and leave but were stood waiting at the reception for at least 10 minutes with no one either at the bar or the desk. When we did see the waitresses come out of the kitchen they were both grinning from laughing and joking with the kitchen staff and there was no apology for being kept waiting all that time. There was also a gentleman who’d come into the bar and was waiting to be served too and no apology to him either. An apology would have made a difference to how it felt. We could have easily just walked out without paying with no one noticing, it was just basic customer service sadly lacking. I don’t think we’ll be back.

Good food, spacious and comfortable interior and pleasant staff all rather let down by slow service. We waited hungrily for around 45 minutes for our meals to arrive. Good food but rather spoiled by the wait. Shame.

We’ve been here a few times for Sunday lunch over the last couple of years and it was great to start with but now it’s pretty average. We booked for lunch today (by email and even changed our booking to a time they suggested) but when we arrived they didn’t have our booking - luckily they had a spare table though. The food was alright (beef was a bit fatty, veg a bit grey)- tbh I make a better roast at home and I’m no chef. The wait was way too long. Over 40 minutes from ordering til starters arrived. We asked for water for the table which never came. Wait between courses was also quite long. Little things are amiss like no serving spoons provided-had to ask, no body asked if we needed more drinks or if the food was ok. Didn’t bother with desserts as expected another long wait. Waiting staff weren’t particularly sunny in their disposition either, and asked if we’d finished when one of us was clearly still eating. Basically lacking in finesse now so will be off to try other places nearby

I Have been in the plas derwen a few times now but probably gonna be the last.

Was a bit concerned about booking this place, having read some mixed reviews, but everything went perfectly for a birth day celebration. There were 9 in the party and the food, service and setting were all spot-on.

Arrived 6 pm for food having phoned earlier and checked they served food all day, when we turned up was told hotel was busy with guests and not serving food to visitors (we were the only ones waiting for food the restaurant was empty). I have never in my 52 years experienced this, ever. Good luck to them they lost a regular customer.

Have passed by here many times but never stopped so took the opportunity to join a group for lunch. Pleasant service on a quiet midweek lunchtime. The food choices were good with both the portion size and quality perfectly acceptable. Though not drinking alcohol, the selection of beers on offer looked good too.The place looked clean and well presented, so would not have any problem returning.

Visited on 11/9/18 my wife and I fanced steaks was shown to table by window was told be with you in a couple of minutes to take drink order 15 minutes later he arrived bare in mind it was just myself and my wife plus one other couple there at time not good start we ordered a sirloin and a rump steak one medium the other well done garlic bread but on pizza bread and onion rings pizza bread that thin could see through it steak that tough struggled to cut never mind chew.nobody came to check if our meals were ok so we waited and waited no one arrived so I went looking to find someone told them what problem was he followed took meals and said he would speak to the manager 5 minutes later expecting to see manager waiter comes back apologies asks if we would like to order anything else to which we replied no his response was manager said no need to pay we got up and left dress code scruffy unprofessional no atmosphere food awful do not recommend will not go there again we went to another brains pub call lamb and flag total reverse staff excellent food stunningly good how come within 2miles your pubs are so different shame on you .0 out of 10

First time to the plas derwen tonight,very friendly welcome, I had the fillet steak my wife had buttermilk chicken,my steak and chips was really nice so was my wife's chicken,I done usually have a desert, but I tried the chocolate cake and it was stunning,the beer and wine selection is very good,pity I've given up drinking,the service from the waitress was excellent, definitely recommend, will be going again

was in town on business and found this hotel/pub on the outskirts big room good evening meal , large selection of draught drinks, great breakfast

Apart from the sticky table, the staff left a lot to be desired. Not at all friendly, or helpful. Vegetarian menu not good, even for a lunch time.

Some really great grub to be had here! Pleasant welcoming staff were really helpful and accommodating. Food was very good I had the roast beef dinner, it was all really tasty and plenty of it non of this pen pusher portions. Only flaw I had was the meat itself may have been slightly overdone but would go again!