The Red Cow in St Albans

As my Mum, Stepdad and little brother are visiting from up north this weekend we decided to pop to the Red Cow yesterday after they arrived at my house.I honestly wish we hadn’t bothered. We had three children in total with us. One of which is autistic and the other deaf so both can at times be loud but they weren’t overly noisy at all yesterday. Some customers were glaring at us anytime the children spoke and another customer kept tutting anytime a dog barked or our children made a noise. Customers were sprawled out across the bar without moving aside to let my partner order. One staff member with black hair came over to our table snatched the cutlery off and remarked “this table is reserved hence why the cutlery is out”. There was no reserved sign and a lot of pubs/restaurants have cutlery laid out on tables anyway. We just sat there because the children gravitated to it and didn’t think that deeply into it. My son was getting fed up and we weren’t happy with the atmosphere so we packed up to leave. My son who is 2 was crying in his buggy on the way out of the door. The same staff member who snatched the cutlery off our table was standing by the door, my Mum said thank you to her and the staff member rolled her eyes at my son who was crying. I passed her at the door after my mum and I too said thank you, only to be ignored by her. I’m sorry but is this a pub or a library? We’re local and although we don’t visit the pub that often, when we have been there in the past the team have been amazing. Particularly the manager Zoe, who I believe is currently on leave-AND IT SHOWS!! Zoe is amazing with kids and has always been really helpful and kind to our children, also to my little brother when he is down to visit. What a genius way to make people feel so uncomfortable and awkward that they want to leave and not spend more money. It’s an actual joke. Get some manners!

Never know who you'll run into at the red cow. It'll be a hoot.

Great pub with well kept beer. Well worth a visit.

The red cow good food nice people

Was recommended by a friend had a really nice steak cooked perfectly rare, really nice beer available! Wonderful owners! Looking forward to coming back for a Sunday roast 😋

Lovely place, great staff & of course fantastic Farr Brew beers

Had a lovely quick lunch with an old friend gorgeous place lite bites to main meals. We had ciabatta with coronation coronation and New York beuben with pastrami

A lucky find as we were looking for somewhere to eat before a flight from Luton Airport and the first pub we tried was closed for renovation. The Red Cow is about 12-15 minutes drive away from the airport depending on traffic. We had a really nice lunch (fish & chips and my wife chilli con carne) and the Farr Brew beer was simply excellent. Alex, the assistant manager, was amazingly friendly and helpful - a real asset to the pub. We had a great experience and plan to return. So if you're looking for somewhere to eat/drink around Luton Airport, we can highly recommend the Red Cow pub (food, beer, team all great). I'm actually going to make this my go-to place before flights in future.

Pleasant, cosy little pub with friendly staff and very fine pub grub too.

A regular Sunday watering hole, really friendly staff. The latest menu is impressive as 11 of us tried it last month and not a single unhappy customer....

Best roast in Harpenden in long time.

Didn't eat but had a drink & bought some local eggs from a very friendly barman. Will go back

My wife and I visited on a Saturday evening for dinner and thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s a nice old pub with a fairly big garden in the back. Only 2 parking spaces at the front but plenty of on-street parking available around. Gent behind the bar was very friendly and welcoming. We had some of the local brews which were lovely. The food was excellent with very generous portions. Would happily visit again.

As a group of 11, The Red Cow was able to accommodate us at a few days notice. A preorder was required for the large group but that was fine with us. The staff were really friendly and helpful, especially with our kids and working around the sprawled out guide dog. The food was delicious, a variety of meals had been ordered and everyone was very happy. It was a relaxed atmosphere and perfect for our family catch up. This was Our second visit and we will return!

The food was good but we had the misfortune of sitting at the table by the gents which meant the waiting staff seemed to forget about us Would try to avoid this table if you visit

I hope you remain busy enough to continue to ignore less than regular customers, the only member of staff at the bar was busy when we walked in so we waited, another member of staff kept walking past us at the bar, three times, but we assumed she was just waiting tables but only to walk past us again & go & serve the regular crowd, meanwhile the first one finished serving & decided to take a drink & walk out without acknowledging us. We left. It’s not like we haven’t been there more than a few times in the past but maybe not that often since Hamish left. Good bar staff acknowledge waiting customers and will serve them next, really good bar staff will slip in a regulars drinks whilst serving the next person in the queue, I guess the staff here don’t qualify at being either.

Lovely bacon and brie ciabatta with chips for a light lunch. Friendly service, just beware the added 10% on the bill, labelled as "Optional Service", which wasn't disclosed, just added and not noticed till looking back at the receipt.

Popped in for a late saturday lunch amazing food and fab service ! Fish pie was absolutely fantastic we will be back

Visited this place after giving it a good review the last time. However, I cannot do the same this time. We were squashed into a table by the gents looking and not overly comfortable. My roast beef was both tough and cold and the Yorkshire pudding as flat as a pancake. No leeks with cheese available and a generally disappointing visit. We will give it one more try and hope it was a blip

Love this pub, recommend roast dinners, good selection ales and wine. Staff clearly care for customers reflected in service

Nice pub and good food . Very friendly staff .

Very cosy pub. Open fires. Great choices and reasonably priced. Never been here before so was an interesting choice for a Sunday roast. Local ales and well known spirits and lagers. We skipped a starter. The other half had roast pork belly and I had roast beef followed by lemon meringue pie and cherry & chocolate cheesecake . Fosters lager £4.50! Not seen below a fiver for a long time. Considering the current economic climate this place is priced r reasonably . Great great service, good food and a nice pub! We shall return

This is a great pub for those lovely private moments with friends or family. It is a lovely pub and not noisy like most pubs. Staff are very welcoming and go out of their way to appreciate your visit. You can also eat outside during warm months. Best pub in the lower batford area.

Smashing pub - simple, friendly, warm, good food. Staff were attentive and the prices made me feel like I was chilling in the 2010's. Thanks for having us - would reccomend!

A really nice pub with lovely staff. Food has always been good and a nice place to come for a Sunday Roast. A hidden gem 💎

Not so much of a drinking pub more group eating by the feel parking is a bit of a problem. Or lack of .no disabled parking. Not many ales on .

Food was slow to arrive, but the 6oz minute steak with fries was really tasty!

When we arrrived, the open log fire was roaring; perfect to keep us warm with the cold winds outside. It’s a traditional “local” pub that serves great food. The service is prompt and attentive. The Guinness was soft, silky and creamy smooth. The wine we ordered was simply superb; we highly recommend the Turtle Bay, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. The menu boasted a number of British favourites. We opted for a couple of starters followed by a mammoths sized fish and chips & cottage pie! We all left full and satisfied after our hearty dinner.

We loved our Sunday Roast. It was delicious and the service was friendly and excellent. I would thoroughly recommend this place. We went back again today and not only was our meal delicious (mine was the vegetable and lentil pie). Father Christmas came and gave the children really lovely books. Thank you Red Cow, my favourite pub! ❤

Hidden gem, very nice pub atmosphere, super friendly staff and good portions of really tasty food. Well worth a visit.

Food was good, staff very pleasant. Wine overpriced. 175mls sauvignon £8-50. Made a lunch time treat quite expensive. Should have asked for tap water.

Lovely,cosy pub,does good range of options for vegans,of which we have a few in our family. Staff are friendly, service is good. Would definitely recommend 👍😀

The food was great and they looked after my party of 6 people and my 2 grandsons. The only criticism I have is that the lighting is very poor.

Five of us arrived for Sunday lunch and although the staff were really busy, we received a warm welcome and our table was quickly cleaned and set up for us. The food and wine went down a treat and the staff looked after us really well with a genuine smile. Will definitely return. Thank you.

Great Sunday lunch. One of the children's meals arrived not as ordered but the staff were efficient in correcting the issue speedily, without fuss. Great venue and nice to have a relaxing family meal and support a locally owned establishment.

In particular, the Sunday roast, is a very good quality beef cooked perfectly, one and only reservation is placed on the well over cooked roast potatoes. 😋

Just ate at the Red Cow, mixed diets in our group. Food was very tasty, staff very friendly. Great experience! We will be returning. We are not locals but will be our choice for a few drinks and food when within reasonable distance.

We were extremely impressed with the food, 10/10. Zowie was absolutely lovely. Service was quick. Great burger and chips at a fair price, generous with the sauce on the nachos, what more could you ask for?! Pub was surprisingly quiet and we had a really lovely time. Will defiantly be returning, thank you!

We popped in last minute for lunch on a Sunday. Service was great! Really positive and lots of smiles. Food was great. Really well cooked and not too expensive. Would definitely recommend.

The Sunday Roast we had was great. Very large portions of excellent home cooked grub of lamb potatoes and veg. Nothing fancy...but that's what we like. Great quality food, excellent service in a relaxed atmosphere at a very reasonable price. We will be back.

I was at a loose end for dinner, so I decided to pop in to The Red Cow for a drink and a pub meal. The barmaid was really chatty, especially about Australia, as I was wearing an Aussie T shirt. The Guiness tap was playing up, but the barmaid eventually poured me a pint. The menu is quite extensive. I chose the Nachos loaded with Cheddar cheese and topped with guacamole. It was loaded with sauce, cheese, chillies, quacamole, and cream. It was very filling and tasty. A couple of the locals were friendly and chatted to me about Rugby initially and then sport in general. It was a pleasant 1.5 hours and I'll visit again.

Friendly clientel and nice beer.

A pleasant and quaint pub , friendly staff, and efficient .

Just had the best meal vegan options amazing so tasty so recommend the red cow thank you

We were in Luton but don't know the area so trusted the reviews and came here for brunch. What an absolute gem of a pub! Friendly welcome, table service, excellent food, cider was exceptional, bitter was great and when I asked if they had oat milk for coffee, they had just run out but sent someone out to get more. Lovely atmosphere, friendly locals. A really pleasant rainy lunchtime spent watching the Women's World Cup in a proper village pub.

Only had a drink but friendly staff. Not my favourite beer I am afraid.

Great little pub with excellent food and beer!

Had an excellent Sunday lamb roast lunch and raspberry pavlova desert. Nice atmosphere and great service. We'll be back!

Lovely pub, friendly locals. Gets busy especially with a food menu. Lots of choice for veggie and vegan. We sat down and within ten mins our food arrived. Well presented, and plenty of it. Our interaction with the staff was very positive. Really helpful, chatty and professional. Deffo would visit again, next time to try more of the menu.

A good venue for a family meal. Excellent, good value, food and friendly service

Popped in to watch the football last night. The food was top notch. Gammon steak was awesome. My friends steak cooked to perfection. Jacob behind the bar was very attentive and service 2nd to none. Great range of lagers, ciders and local Farr Brew ales. A real gem.

Only had beer. Need a better draught.

Farr brewery excellent beer. Food was good. Staff nice. Take your own company as local don’t talk to outlanders if you are on your own. Review only written after 15+ visits. Reading Rooms so much better.

Best barman in all the land, looks abit like ed sheeran in disguise. Well worth a visit for the quality beer and incredible food aswell.

Their brunch menu has a wide range of items and is good value for the quality and portion size. We received great service and will return.

Popped in with a friend, super friendly staff and locals. Also very dog friendly. Super pint of Neck Oil

Absolutely Scrum diddly oceous ,Sunday lunch was one of the cheapest and best of the best my wife and I’ve had in many months as we try and dine out most Sundays, rare beef and falling apart lamb,crispy roast pots homemade Yorkshire puds and best of all fresh homemade gravy,and this is from someone(me) who was a chef good part of 40 yrs!

Lovely knowledgeable staff and endless gravy made Mother's Day roasts all round (we were a table of 10) a very pleasant experience.

Very nice country pub.lovely open fire,and delicious real ale.we didn't eat today,but food and menu looked good.friendly staff.

Lovely small pub, open fires, cracked head if your over 6 foot.

Excellent Sunday Roast - great Service and the Manager and team are so welcoming

Hell yeh! Good place with good beer and staff. Food looks great but haven't eaten yet.

We had this place recommended to us,but to be honest it wasn't that good,my partner had the lamb and she enjoyed it,but I had the beef and it was dreadfull,just a mush of fat,and the roast potatoes needed a chopping axe not a knife and fork,give this place a miss in the future

Very friendly staff. The place is beautifully designed with a nice decor. The food was delicious. 🐶 friendly as well. We will be back for sure.

Our new post work watering hole. Awesome place, new manager is great. Lots of cool stuff in the pipeline it would appear. Stars will only be deducted if the glass freezer gets removed ;)

Very friendly and welcoming pub. Only came in for a drink (or 2) but I'm looking forward to try the food under the new management

Review from my mum - Excellent meal all round. The squid was yummy and the lamb + vegetables were cooked really well. Will be coming back and highly recommend the red cow pub.

Lovely cosy tradition pub with excellent food and drinks.

Great food and delicious local beers!

Awesome. Friendly staff, great cocktails and food. Relaxed atmosphere. We had a lovely lunch with cousins. Would highly recommend

Quiet place to chill and enjoy your drink

Great Sunday roast! Book a table to guarantee a place!

Lovely local pub with great traditional atmosphere, welcoming staff, local fresh ales.

Lovely pub - superb friendly staff, excellent food, great beer and a really good atmosphere. My first visit (came in for a pre-flight visit as it is really close to Luton Airport), but will definitely visit again when in the area.

An excellent Sunday lunch next to the open fire. The quality of the food at the Red Cow is very good and the Sunday Lunch is excellent with a choice of lamb, beef and chicken. The beers are also very good. Best of all is the atmosphere. Will return.

Great beer, great food, friendly staff, what more could you want from a local pub.

Like this place lots. Suggest though anyone even if kitchin staff who become behind the bar become consumer focused. Please engage with the clients not ignore. Even if Hi and we will be with you. Ignore customers is fatal especially if you are arranging across county walks for many walkers.

We turned up impromptu for dinner. We asked at the bar if they were serving food and were directed to a cramped table whilst being informed that most were taken. We later observed that there were a few tables that were empty whilst we were there and no “reserved” notices placed on the tables. The meal and hospitality otherwise was great. We were pleasantly surprised with attentive table service.

Good service from barman/waiter and delicious food

Our fist Sunday lunch at the Red Cow since Jacqui and the team have taken over. Not only do you feel welcomed by such a friendly team but the Sunday lunch was amazing. It’s our new go to for the perfect Sunday afternoon. Look forward to visiting again very soon.

Very nice and traditional bike meet good staff excellent

We fancied a proper Sunday roast so I called up and booked the day before. We had some calamari to start and it was delicious. We then had Sunday roast; a lamb one, 2 chicken and a beef. It was fabulous. Compliments to the chef. Loved the cheesy leeks and the roasted courgettes with the roast potatoes, carrots, broccoli and Yorkshire pudding. My eldest loves the roast parsnips. A tremendous Sunday roast. I’ll be back to try the lamb kofta! Our first time to the pub, very welcoming and a friendly service. We will be back. Thank you

Last Tuesday of the month is bike night. I always find the owners and staff are extremely friendly and the food is really good.

What a fantastic proper pub the Red Cow is. Good friendly service, a lovely atmosphere and great pub food. The white chocolate cheesecake was as good as I’ve had anywhere. Well worth a visit!

We had a great evening at the Red Cow. The pub is lovely. We sat outside at the front for a few drinks before our meal. The inside is a ‘proper’ pub and really nicely decorated. The food was great, Jacqui was a great host...

Brilliant hidden gem of a pub Found it by chance on the way to the Liam Gallagher concert @ knebworth Beer is lovely with a nice garden to sit in the sun Food was cooked to perfection Nice staff Highly recommended 👍🏼

Looking for some comfort food, I visited this local pub that doesn’t disappoint. A few beers and a dirty burger was the call of the day as the weather turned for the better. I ordered the “Red Cow” burger. I arrived pretty quickly and was...

Great little pub but a bit off putting with dogs allowed in the eating areas.. we had excellent Sunday roasts!

Great country pub with a fireplace. Cosy and cute

An unassuming pub from the outside, but the food was absolutely great and the staff utterly helpful and responsive. We were a party of 10, and the staff were diligent and ready to assist at all times. Thank you very much.

Food was fab ..a bit smoky as real fires on either side of the lounge were burning but when you sat down the smoky air didn't seem that bad. Good service very friendly if I'm passing there again I would def go back

This local pub offers a delightful homely atmosphere with warm cozy fires and local ales on tap. The food is wholesome and hearty. The plates are filling and tasty.

Spot on pub, especially happy because they serve London Pride.

Farr brew tastic! Lovely pub, great location and great beer.

Good value and nicely cooked Sunday lunch in a cosy pub setting

Popped into this friendly local pub. It oozes character with two fires situated at either end of the place. Was looking for some dinner, served after 6pm, and was delighted with the tasty and plentiful meal that was presented to me. Would highly recommend this...

Traditional style pub serving great beer and food.

Nice atmosphere. Good food. Friendly staff

3 of us Sunday roast 2.30 pm, first of all the pint of Guinness was just right,I had slightly Med-rare beef with lamb which was slow cooked,wife had well-done beef and I’m gonna go out on a limb here they didn’t use the Med-rare and...

Great service and good atmosphere