The Riverside Bar in Allerdale

Amazing find! Ate here last night after staying in Rosthwaite and having limited options as we had not booked anywhere in advance. We were greater by really friendly staff, a cosy informal atmosphere and a great menu. I am usually a bit dubious about pub fish and chippy, usually preferring to go to an actual chippy, but WOW! They were amazing! We were both really impressed. Great portions after a day walking in Borrowdale and so so tasty. Good range of beers on tap too.

We visited the pub three times in our week in Rosthwaite and the food was consistently delicious and good value (good portions after a day’s hiking in the fells!). The staff were helpful and friendly and there was a great atmosphere. We highly recommend the Riverside Bar!

When for an evening meal with the family. Very disappointed in the quality of the food, Chips were obviously reheated. Felt we were being rushed as staff started clearing the table for before the whole party had finished. Wouldn't recommend.

Great place to finish off a day in the hills,friendly staff,good beer,good food and reasonably priced , thanks

The place was heaving but the staff still refused to take food orders until 6pm. When it got to 6, there was suddenly a long queue for food. I finally got to order but waited nearly 40 minutes for food to arrive. Not great after a day's walking. When one person tried to order before 6, they were snapped at by the man behind the bar. People are hungry and your system is stupid. Don't blame your customers for that. I had the gammon. It was 70% inedible fat. The chips and egg were nice. The customers were friendly and most if the staff were too. Shame about the few and shame about the daft food system. Clearly there's demand for earlier food or at least being able to order earlier so there isn't a massive queue.

Party of 7 adults and 1 baby. Varied menu at reasonable prices. Had various main meals including gluten free, all of which were lovely. Good selection of drinks available. Vwry enjoyable, thanks

I ordered fish and chips as the menu which was a fairly standard menu. That wasn’t a problem as I had fish and chips here last year which was great. Chips were not available with any meal so I had to have skinny fries. The big problem though was that the fish was way over cooked , when I cut into the batter the fish just crumpled and the fish disappeared. At the end of the fish some of it that was left required chewing about a dozen times just to break it up. Three of my friends also had the fish and they had a similar experience. I gave my meal a 4 out of 10 as it was so poor. The staff were very nice though and I will be back next year but not good!!!

I would have given a much better rating if this was based on the quality of food and good intentions of bar staff. However, unfortunately the management appear to have made a very poor decision for customers to get the ‘free pudding’ with the main course. We were told we could not buy a pudding but could have one each free if we all did a trip advisor review and show the bar staff when done. Sounds easy? No- the pub has no phone reception on our network, and we have 2 factor identification on Our accounts to log in and submit the review. No matter what we did we could not post our reviews or change our security settings to submit. I needed a phone text security code to verify it was me logging in and even walking up the road- no signal could be picked up. I explained to the staff- but they said they weren’t able to do anything as it was a management decision. Eventually, they allowed us to pay for 3 out of the 4 desserts. What a farce. I feel sorry for customers who aren’t tech savvy or don’t have a smart phone. It’s not very inclusive is it? So here I am a few days later posting my review with a lower rating based on the fact that I feel sorry for older people or those with less tech facility to be denied a pudding in a bar!

Fantastic food and service well worth popping in for a visit if passing by or staying in the area. You won't be disappointed.

We ate here 3 times over our stay nearby. Food is lovely pub dishes. Brilliant after a long day walking the hills. Dog friendly too is you have a four legged friend.

We have been here many times over the years and the food, beer and service have always been 10/10. Beautiful place sat next to the river. This is just what you need after a long days walk.

Really lovely food, hot and hearty portions. Staff are lovely and go above and beyond to welcome you. We were a large party and got a table easily with no wait. I recommend the chips!

Very welcoming atmosphere within a cozy pub setting. Staff and food were fantastic! Would highly recommend

Very welcoming, friendly and warm atmosphere. Food was lovely and no wait for a table despite being in a large group. Would recommend

Warm atmosphere, friendly staff, awesome fajitas and beef pies, and don't miss the sticky pudding. Lots of tables, no wait for our visit.

Burger and beer really good, close to campsite and easy/close to drive too. Would recommend for a good burger and pint👍🏼

Stopped by to warm ourselves after a long hike, good atmosphere inside the bar, lovely food and good service.

If you’ve done a big day in the hills, mountains or crags then this is the place to refuel. Great good, friendly staff and fab atmosphere. Highly recommend!

Great place, food is made with love. Slow cooked ragu beautiful. Exactly the type of place you want to be after a big day in the beautiful mountains. Bar staff great… good banta. Makes it a pleasure :)

Great guys in the bar, friendly place . Nice selection of beers. Visited a few times and would return again.

Sound place, had a lovely time.really nice people and lovely place in a lovely place really enjoyed.

Just come off the fells after a particularly long and hard day walking and had the most delicious vegetable lasagne ever! The bar is cosy with a lovely atmosphere. Although it was very busy the service is quick and efficient. Will definitely come again!

After a lovely walk around surrounding fells we pitched our tents in Borrowdale and headed for the Riverside bar in Rosthwaite. I chose the Foot long luxury hot Dawg- fried onions- ketchup and mustard. It came with a slaw side and spicy nachos. It was...

Amazing service. 5 star food! and great selection of local and regional produce as-well as great local ales on tap. Great atmosphere and staff.

What a great atmosphere with a varied menu with speedy and great service. The steak pie was amazing.

It was a good family dinner and Dan was really helpful. Will come again and bring the test of the family.

Lovely meal, very friendly staff and great deserts Dan was great Dogs loved the hotel and we will definitely come back M

Been to this restaurant for the last two nights. Great food and great service. If your staying in this area of the lakes I would recommend it as the place to go for great food and well looked after beer.

Staying across the road from Riverside, love it, staff are fab with excellent customer service , food excellent and atmosphere brilliant, met some lovely people whilst in here and will definitely be back,

We had a fab meal here last night. Arriving before six pm but the chef started service early as we weren’t the only ones ready to eat! Good local real ales on offer and a full bar selection. Me and the other half had the...

Love to come to the Riverside bar and it is a very friendly place with good beer but the food is below par in its quality. Menu is very limited too. I will go again for its location and staff but wont be eating there.

What a mean spirited business you are. We are very frequent visitors to you for food and drinks when on holiday in the area. My 18 year old daughter has just had her first solo trip to the Lake District and done some pretty epic...

Early April 2022 phoned a couple of weeks in advance to book a bar meal but told they only take bookings for restaurant so on the day arrived (on-foot, no car) for a table for four bar meals at 8.30pm.. We were immediately told that...

Staying at a cottage in the village, our adult party of 5 ended up eating three nights here. The surroundings are unassuming, and our expectations on the first visit were pitched accordingly. However, the classic pub food was very good (proper home cooked chips -...

Visited twice while we were on a family holiday in the beautiful lakes. Wonderful pub full of real character what I would call a proper traditional pub, such a wonderful warm welcome from the bar staff on both visits , we sat in front of...

Nice bar. Lovely, warm open fire. My food was very disappointing. The chicken pie was good, but small ( we had been walking for five hours ), the lumpy mashed potato was watery, the small portion of mushy peas was dry and probably microwaved.

It's been a long time since we'd been back to the Lakes. We'd visited the Riverside the last time and not liked so how we allowed ourselves to visit again I don't know. Possibly because of the time distance and coming at it from a...

Popped in for a quick drink and a light lunch after recommendations from others. The bar has a nice feel and an excellent range of well kept real ales. I had a cheese and pickle toastie which was tasty and excellent value for money. The...

Have been coming to this bar for 20 years. Haven’t been for 8 years before this week. While the decor’s been updated the nature of it felt just the same - warm and welcoming with good local beer and filling post-walk food. Love reading the...

The food options were chicken and chips, scampi and chips and onion Bhaji and chips - all served in a cardboard box. The food arrived in less than 2 minutes. It cost £32 for two ‘boxes’ of food and a drink. Strange.

We visited the pub twice and both times the food was great. However, as they only take a limited amount of food orders we saw many people turned away, we were "lucky", but arriving at 7.30pm were told our order wouldn't be taken until 8.30pm,...

A mixed experience. Our waitress was very friendly as were all of the staff. However, there were several mistakes with our bill which lead to us being overcharged and then charged again instead of being refunded. However, on the plus side, the problem was resolved...

We always like to visit the Scafell bar when in the beautiful Borrowdale. A lovely walk over Castle Crag today and nipped in for a drink and lunch (COVID times have to eat with a beer). Greeted by a very friendly lady and seated by...

...and as someone with coeliac disease and therefore needing a gluten free meal I couldn’t have asked for more. I had the steak and caramelised onion chutney sandwich- all portion sizes were very generous and delicious. We are a family of four and all of...

Great bar with friendly staff and good social distancing. The chicken Ceasar salad was delicious. Thank you.

Great pub with scrumptious food in a lovely riverside setting.can highly recommend. Lots of spacious seating outdoors for the good weather and dog friendly too. Thumbs up

Awful.... That is the easiest way to sum this place up. Stopped for a 'nice' lunch and was practically inedible. Certainly not worth the money they charge. Staff friendly, but that doesn't fill you up. The fish finger sandwich was cold toasted sliced bread with...

Large friendly bar with good selection of ales. Good covid procedures with hand sanitizer, screens and qr track and trace.

Afraid I don’t know where to start ... a really poor experience. The pub including toilets was very unclean, certainly not a day or few days worth of dirt from general use. The place looks like it needs a deep clean. The floor in the...

Ate here on Tuesday 8th Sept. Food was acceptable but service indifferent. They were not busy and when we went in the 1 girl behind the bar was stacking bottles and did not acknowledge us even though I called to her. 2 other members of...

Glad to find somewhere to eat in Rosthwaite and quality of food was good but portions were tiny. As hungry walkers we could have eaten double.

This bar is at the back of the Scarfell Hotel. It is basically a pub bar with food at lunchtime and in the evening. Lots of atmosphere. Limited selection of beers but good quality. The river is just outside and there is a pleasant patio...

We came to the Riverside bar and the food sounded posh on the menu but when it came it tasted microwaved re-heated. The puddings were all terrible not even worth the eat out to help out reduction. Were £8! Cheap ice cream and dry cakes....

Food was ok but overall the place didn’t feel as well organised for Covid conditions as other places we have been. A bit rough around the edges. Felt over priced for pub food

We have stayed at the scafell many times and loved it the staff are second to none and the food fantastic. On Friday 10th July we arrived approx 2.40 we know we can't have food at that time but we take a packed lunch for...

Called in for a drink and was pleasantly surprised. We saw food being served which looked fantastic.

been few times previously and food was good value , theyve changed the menu and the prices with it. went for the pie (lamb) which apeared to be a standard commercial one-was ok. postives? friendlty staff,good beer and quick service.

Had lunch for two in the hotels Riverside bar. Reasonably priced. Good choices on the menu from traditional to veggie. I went for smoked salmon on mascarpone cheese followed by cod on a bed of kale, then a board of Cumbrian cheeses. Service was great....

I have visited this walkers bar numerous times over many years, in company with friends, after a pleasant and often wet, walk. In the past we enjoyed a good beer and pleasant pub food. However, yesterday's offerings were a disaster. If all you want is...

We called in for a quick pint and some good after a day on the hills. While trying to decide what to had, one of the bar staff walked past with what looked like an portion of old good auld fashioned fish and chips which...

Wir waren mit ein paar Freunden mehrmals in diesem Pub, der zugleich die einzige Institution dieser Art im Ort ist.Die Bedienung ist freundlich und die Bier- und Whiskyauswahl ist überraschend groß und gut.Die Speisekarte ist ortstypisch kräftig, gehaltvoll und lecker. Die Preise sind in Ordnung, nicht besonders günstig aber absolut angemessen. Die Beleuchtung im hinteren Bereich des Pubs ist leider zu grell, der vordere Teil ist der bessere und dort flackert auch ein Kaminfeuer.Insgesamt ein empfehlenswertes Lokal!

We drank and dined here when staying at the attached hotel overnight after day 1 of 6 walking the Inn Way from Ambleside. The beer, food, service and ambience were good albeit not overly special - just enough to keep us happy after a testing first day’s walking.

Ate here because we were staying at the attached Scafell hotel. As such it was fine, if a bit expensive. Not the most welcoming of environments, tables in short supply.

Been here a few times over the years with friends, and will definitely return again next summer. Had the ‘Borrowdale Lamb Burger’...which was cracking quality and decent value. The Ale is tasty, and the staff were polite and helpful.

I'm always interested to read reviews for places before we visit, but form my own opinion afterwards. We ate at the Riverside bar on 5 nights during our stay in the village. The staff were great and I don't understand some of the negative comments given by other people. I tried four different options and enjoyed all of them, my favourite being the pie and mash. Places that offer too many menu choices don't always deliver the goods. It's good pub food.

Menu didn’t really change much over 3 nights. Some dishes different ingredients to menu description!

We went here for dinner in the midst of our C2C walk and it was yet what we needed. - You’re kind of limited to the local pub for dinner on this walk, which means a lot of fried food and chips (especially if you’re veggie). This pub had actual delicious food which was a true delight, and really good veggie and vegan options. I give it 4 not 5 only because it didn’t have that perfect cosy pub quality I love, but it is a bar I guess!

Overall very disappointing experience. We were a group of 3 couples a child and a dog, there we’re tables but lack of chairs. The staff were rude and just ignorant. Myself and my partner wanted to share a meal, we opted for the burger because they’d run of a lot of the other options on the menu. When I went to the bar I paid £4 for a portion of beef dripping chips they however failed to inform us that they’d run out and ended up with dry french fries. When we complained the staff were ignorant and didn’t offer to do anything about the issue. So all in all I paid £25 for 1 meal and 2 drinks to be disappointed by a burger that didn’t taste great and fries we didn’t want. The over all cleanliness was appalling, there were flies everywhere and the staff didn’t do anything about another dog which was off of it’s lead and attacked our dog. Would not recommend.

We visited after a 12 mile hike and were hungry. We ordered 2 mains, calves liver, extra salad, cumberland sausage, 1 glass of wine, 1 bottle of beer. Bill came to £44! Portions werent enormous. Wish they had a set 3 course meal for a price which provided a full meal after a day on the fells.Left feeling a little disappointed and still hungry!

Stopped at the Scafell Hotel during the coast to coast walk.I had the steak burger which was excellent and also the chips and side salad were very good too. One of the best meals I had during the 2 week walk and I hope to eat here again when i’m next in the area.

So disappointed, I have lived locally to this bar / hotel for most of my life and have often called in for a pint and occasional meal.This time however the food let us down.On the menu it looked great, Beer Battered Haddock and chips, pretty standard bar food which should be hard to get wrong.Well Scafell Hotel you need to up your game and think again how you serve this dish.Everybody else's food came as expected on a plate while the waitress proudly presented my "Fish Supper" wrapped up in paper like the local chippy !!!!It may seem trendy to present it in this way but not what I expect in a restaurant and i certainly never saw it referred to as this on the menu or when ordering.On opening the paper I found a massive pile of soggy greasy chips with a small fish buried within the muck.The fish may well have started out with crispy beer batter but now more resembled a wet handkerchief wrapped around soft overcooked fish !!However I must admit their description for the chips was spot on "Dripping Chips" was on the menu and the chips were certainly dripping with grease !!!In a restaurant or bar meal I expect my Beer battered fish to be crispy and served on a plate please as I can go down the chippy for a paper bag of fish & chips for less than half the price.The worst bar meal I've had in the Keswick area and I will no longer be recommending anybody eats in this place agion.

This review is for the Riverside bar (just down the side of the Scafell hotel - but part of the same group) not the hotel itself. Good ales and sandwiches excellent. Will be doing it again. Only downside - stop doing food at 2.30, then start again about 5pm. We just got the order in before 2.30...well worth a visit in one of the most beautiful areas in Cumbria.

After our circular walk to Watendlath and Dock tarns we enjoyed a drink in this smart and comfortable bar with a good range of beers and friendly service. In the winter months you can enjoy the warmth and glow of a real fire.

This place is the reverse side of The Scafell Hotel. Behind the traditional frontage, once you find your way in amidst the confusing signage, you will find a pleasant bar that offers a wide selection of meals and snacks. Friendly and efficient with a good few local customers who are happy to chat.

Stopped here when we finished a long day of walking. Good food, reasonable prices and lovely atmosphere. Good outside space (if you haven’t spent enough time outside already!)

This bar is very atmospheric. It is busy with locals and holidaymakers alike. Staff are very efficient and friendly. Food extremely good at a good price. In the cooler weather there is a lovely open fire which is regularly attended to.

We called for an early dinner as we could take our dog with us. It was very wet so the floor was damp and lots of walkers gear was stacked just inside. The staff were very friendly and the food was really good. The room was comfortable but not overly convenient. The prices were medium range which bearing the quality, provided good value for money.

This bar is attached to the Scafell hotel. We popped in here one evening for a quick drink and ended up staying for dinner. As pub food goes it was delicious! Great food at a good price and a good atmosphere.

Pescado y patatas fritas para morirse. . Pescado y patatas fritas para morirse. . . Pescado y patatas fritas para morirse. . . sólo asegúrate de que tienes hambre. Pescado y papas fritas a la antigua usanza servida en papel con guisantes blandos y salsa tártara. Oh, hay otra comida también. Un montón de grandes cervezas. Es muy popular, así que prepárate para esperar un poco, ya que no puedes reservar una mesa. Pero vale la pena esperar.

Me and my Wife visited for some dinner as we needed something after completing a day’s hiking. We have always driven passed and wonder what it was like and this time we decided to stop.I went for the haddock fillet in crisp soda batter with homemade chips and my wife the slow cooked lamb Henry. The fish was well cooked with it being still juicy and tender but having a nice crispy batter surround. The mushy peas and chips did the job with the chips being well drained of oil making them very tasty. The lamb was well cooked with it being soft and tender and the accompanying vegetables being not too soft due to being overdone. The mash was very buttery making it a delight and the mint sauce gravy was extremely good. The portions were very generous so perfect after the day spent on the fells.The service was polite, efficient and the setup was you find a table and then order at the bar. The interior was the classic old-world pub which is akin to a lot of the establishments in Keswick and the surround.In all, the location of the pub is perfect if you’re coming off Scar Fell back to the Borrowdale valley. The food was very good and the value for money was excellent so I would visit again.

Great food, fish and chips were amazing! It got busy so get there early as you can’t reserve a table! Lovely open fire and outside seating would be great in summer! The menu offered choice for everyone including the children.

Pasé por un bocado para comer, pedí 2 comidas y un par de bebidas, costó la mejor parte de 40, el pescado que pedí no estaba disponible, por lo tanto, tenía que ir para el pastel de pescado, esto se entregó en una olla pequeña con zanahorias y repollo ¿Afortunadamente con un pedazo enorme de pan sin cortar ya que tenía hambre? la otra comida era un pastel de bistec y cerveza sin cerveza y que requería un juego de dientes de diamante para penetrar en la corteza! En general masivamente caro para comida mediocre!

Apareció aquí después de caminar hasta sca cayó lucio por algo de comida bien merecida. No tenía expectativas, pero me sorprendió gratamente el pescado y las patatas fritas que eran absolutamente excelentes. Mucho mejor que el promedio de pescado y patatas fritas de pub. El eglefino estaba perfectamente cocido dentro de la masa, y venían con papas fritas que goteaban, que eran fichas adecuadas para la tienda de papas fritas, no como las papas de pub normales. También servían los guisantes blandos adecuados, ninguno de estos tonterías de guisantes picados. En general, me impresionó mucho, y me gustó especialmente el hecho de que lo habían hecho como auténtica tienda de chips de pescado y patatas fritas en lugar de pescado y patatas fritas de restaurante.

Nothing so great about this place - the bar is dark with a small outside terrace. There is a larger outer area to the front of the hotel. The pint was pulled just ok which was the reason for the visit after a long walk. Ok just not good

Very nice clean bar and restaurant friendly staff good service. Good selection of local ales.. Food was good and the side order of dripping cooked chips was huge and possibly the best chips I've ever had.

Huge fire burning. Excellent beer. Barman Steve was very friendly and made a great fuss of our dog Sam. Been back again this week!! Will be back again soon too!! Not to be missed.

Lovely bar variety of drinks and meals, informal surroundings and relaxed. Lovely food, good service

Character bar, huge open fire, very homely and inviting. Barman was friendly and welcoming. We settled for bar meals rather than the restaurant- I enjoyed my meal but unfortunately my wife did not so only 50% happy! Didn't put us off and I'm sure we will be back soon. Enjoy

Stopped off here after a walk to Stonethwaite and watelndath. Whilst waiting for the return bus to Keswick.Had a lovely cold drink sat outside in front of the Scafell hotel then went back inside to enjoy the log fire and what looks like a recently renovated bar area. Really lovely inside, do friendly and food looked great. Staff very attentive and friendly.

This is part of the Scarfell hotel, but has its own separate entrance. It is warm, comfortable and welcoming to all and their well behaved dogs. The bar is well stocked, and the menu has all the usual pub favourites. Many of the customers are walkers and the atmosphere is welcoming, as are the friendly staff.We liked it very much

First visit in the Riverside Bar, which itself is lovely and clean with welcoming staff. Prices as you expect in the Lakes. The food was a big let down, I left most of my meal (pulled pork and cheese) I can’t explain the taste but it wasn’t good. My husband had the club sandwich which he said was average. My husband wouldn’t let me tell them as it was very quiet and didn’t want other diners to hear, so I hide behind trip advisor!We live locally and had been looking to visit here for some time, would call again for a drink as its a lovely bar but not for food. I noticed lunch menu deserts were over £7! We drove onto Sykes Farm at buttermere for coffee and cake, which never disappoints. Sorry for the low rating but I was really let down by my meal :(

We recently stayed at the Scafell Hotel in which we had amazing food. On our second evening we had a meal in the Riverside bar, where the same excellent standard of food was served. The bar has open fires, friendly staff & is really dog friendly, with treats for them to enjoy. We thoroughly enjoyed our two night visit to Rosthwaite, & can’t wait to return very soon.

Always a firm favourite of ours, we called in one evening last week for an informal bar meal. Having been here many times over the years, we were pleasantly surprised by the new spruced up interior since our last visit some three years ago. Clean and fresh yet still cosy, and a warm welcome from smiley, polite staff. However, it was very clear as soon as we looked at the menu that there had been many other changes since we were last there. Not sure if they are aiming for gastro/bistro pub style food, but it just didn't seem to fit. The menu was massively overpriced, which now totally conflicts with the school canteen style cutlery and sauce sachets on the table we're used to seeing in a high street cafe! We settled on the fish and chips which on arrival left us totally speechless. Wrapped in paper as they would be from the local chippy, so packed with chips that once on the plate the fish was invisible under the mound. I suspect this is how they justify the £14. Utterly ridiculous, we left 3/4 of the chips. The dessert prices were also inflated, and at £8-£9 each, more expensive than The Ivy in Manchester! Such a shame that this lovely place is trying so desperately to be on trend, yet got it so wrong.

We ate here twice during our week long stay in Grange. Dog and child friendly. Husband liked the beer options. Sadly only one vegetarian option on the menu, although it was a very tasty cheese and onion pie. Lots of seating available, lovely fire.

Super little outlet at the rear of the Scafell Hotel offering a great ‘Walkers’ atmosphere, just the perfect environment after a day on the fells. The food, in our view, was of good quality and reasonably priced (for the Lake District). A good offering of local cask ales even in February when they could be excused for reducing the options by far less than 3 cask ales. Good efficient and friendly service. Well done to the team.

Had a few drinks there before we booked in the hotel. Staff very friendly and the place is great for walkers as there is always a lovely roaring log fire on the go. Food is excellent from previous experience - same chefs that cook the fine dining menu in the hotel. Highly recommended.

Excellent fish and chips and a decent pint of Jennings Sneck Lifter to follow. Generous portions and pleasant staff always a plus. First time I'd been in the bar since the 1990's and its now much brighter than I remember.

After a nice but tough walk from Keswick up over Cat Bells trying to avoid the bad weather the friendly surrounds were perfect. Since my last visit the bar has had a facelift and the money spent looks to be well spent. A good selection of beers served by friendly staff in front of roaring fire. It's also accessible by the bus-route that stops almost outside!

Beer OK but swearing from locals not very nice, hotel would not exist without visitors and they would not have any where to drink. Bar man obvious a friend and didn't tell them to be quieter or stop swearing.

Well presented, no-nonsense food that's too good to be described as pub grub. With a small selection of decent ales it's a great place to unwind after a long (or not so long) walk along the beck.