The Riverside Inn Restaurant in Chelmsford

Great location a long the river and a 5 minute walk to Chelmsford Town centre. Decent amount of beers on tap and even more available in bottle. Will be a great venue in summer. However, be ware. The place is a death trap for anyone talker than 5 feet. So watch your head.

Visited here for a few drinks. Lovely place. Good selection of drinks and nice atmosphere.

Such a great stay in this room. The pub is super lovely and the staff was very helpful, even though I showed up very late in the day for the check-in. Very comfortable, great commodities and also very well located, walking distance to the train station. I will certainly come back if I have the chance and would 100% recommend this place

I've just had a good evening catching up with a friend in this pub, I haven't been here for 20 years and although it's changed a lot in that time, I'm happy to say that the warm and friendly environment has stayed. They have some large TV's for the sports fans, the decor was very nice and tastefully done (much better than I remembered) and the food was delicious. Can't fault the place on a Thursday night. I was very impressed and looking forward to coming back again soon.

We dropped in with our dog whilst walking home from Saturday shopping, what a treat. A pint of Adnams, brandy and coke and a bowl of water for the dog. As soon as we walked in we were greeted with a warm smile. We were offered a number of placed to site and chose a table earish to the bar. Good job we arrived when we did as the place soon started to fill up. Even though they appeared busy, the staff were very attentive. Our order came much quicker than I was expecting, especially with how busy they were. Whilst we did not feel rushed at all, we managed to enjoy a very tasty veggie burger along with a chicken burger, excellent fries and two rounds of drinks, all in well under an hour. A stunning old mill, a mere 5-1] mins from the City centre. Looking forward to a return visit, might try the outdoor space overlooking the river.

Very nice pub, lots of space and very nice and friendly staff

Decent real ale plus a good selection of lagers, wines and spirits. The staff are friendly and on our last visit The food was very good, it was enhanced by friendly staff and warm atmosphere. We will certainly eat and drink there again.

Food was brilliant, Service was fast and staff were very helpful. Definitely will be returning. Felt Covid safe.

Three of us had lunch here during the Eat Out To Help Out scheme. Our booking appeared to have been lost but the place was almost empty so that didn't matter.We ate outside and had scampi, fish & chips, and hunter's chicken which were all fine.We had desserts too and the cheesecake was delicious.We'd happily eat here again in the future.

With the above government scheme I have use this opportunity to out restaurants i wanted to visit.Our party of three had dinner in the beer garden for social distancing for harty pub food. The food was good, on time though some of the stff did not look that happy. Trying times for us all at the moment.

Reserved a table for Sunday lunch today. Left my name and a contact number in case any issues. Went there today with my family who had travelled far to visit me after lockdown, only to find that it was closed due to flooding. No contact was made to inform us of this and so was very disappointed, a phone call would have been appreciated so another reservation could be made elsewhere.

Thoroughly enjoyed our Sunday roast at the Hare with friends. We were quickly sat and served drinks which we were worried about because the car park was full! You could see how busy the staff were but this didn’t effect the service at all. They were rushed off their feet at one point but you can see they all work well together and carried on smiling. Hats off to our waitress Stacey, she is a credit to you. She is so friendly and efficient; nothing was too much trouble. The Beef was cooked to perfection and the service couldn’t of been any better so we will defiantly be returning.

Was looking forward to a couple of days away with my partner. The Riverside Inn was our choice. The old beams and low ceilings were lovely and our room was very nice. We came and went as we pleased. We had nothing to put on the door to say do not disturb so just thought they would do the room when we left. This was not the case and went we got back after lunch on the second day someone had been in our room. We was not happy with this. I think you need to leave door hanging signs so people have a choice about whether they want the room cleaned or not !!!

Got a Caesar salad and sea bass. The Caesar salad didn’t appear initially to have Caesar salad dressing but as I ate more it Irealized there seemed to be some very thin coating of a dressing on the lettuce and it tasted good and was probably healthier without the dressing (would still have been nice to have some on the side but that’s only a minor gripe on a great salad). Got the sea bass next and it was perfect, the sauce was delicious and the new potatoes were beautifully soft and tasted great with the sauce (some people like potatoes to be cooked al dente...I am not one of those people). Was a really nice dinner and would definitely recommend.

Wow £23 for an over cooked , tiny sirloin , with greasy chips for me and a defrosted haddock for my wife ... in a freezing venue , which is nice in the summer am sure but not today... and all for £80 for the 2 of us.... seriously the worst steak at that money I have EVER had and I run a small pub in Suffolk ... very sad that people can serve such rubbish at such a price ... we recently ate for 4 at the same price and food was amazing at a local pub... service was ok , but took ages for a soup and pate starter.... very disappointing

We booked to stay on the 15th February and were really looking forward to a rare night out .Upon arrival we walked into a private function which we were not told about (these things happen but would’ve liked to use the bar/restaurant)When we got to our room, room 5 we were immediately unimpressed the room felt dirty and scruffy ! I went to put some bits in the bedside cabinet only to find a pair of underpants which immediately said to me that the room has not been cleaned properly !We have since emailed the Riverside inn twice about this and we haven’t even been acknowledged with a single reply to which I think is down right rude (especially after paying £95 for a massively overpriced room) Think twice before considering this hotel !

My partner and I visited here last night, was a lovely modern boutique room with plenty of space. Including its quirky characteristic features, and great location to the centre just down the riverside. Followed on later with a very generous surprise from the owner; a bottle of bubbly awaiting us on our return. Definitely would recommend and most importantly stay again.

We visited on a Friday night as a group of 14 for a couple of birthday celebrations, it was the first time we had bee here for a few years.Decor was really nice and contemporary - we were greeted by very friendly staffAll throughout the evening the staff were attentive, we never had to wait for drinks and even though we were a big group all the servers remembered exactly who had what drink and foodEveryones food was nice especially the sticky chicken starter.Our only grumble was that the chicken that came with the chicken and ribs was a bit over cooked but not enough to spoil our meals.Pints are a bit on the expensive side but a bottle of wine is average for restaurants Overall, we had a great evening - I cannot thank the staff enough for going above (in my opinion) for our celebration and everyone of them was polite, friendly and attentive - they deserve every penny of the service chargeWe will be definitely be back at some point

We obtained tickets for the New Years Eve Party at the Riverside Inn.WOW wot a welcome we got. We were met by Lauren and from then on in it was brilliant.The buffet was great and all the staff couldn't do enough for us.Well done all of you we hope you do the same thing again we will certainly be there.Phil

As we entered the restaurant loud offensive (swearing) music was playing which they immediately turned off when asked to. The room was freezing cold, service slow & food poor. Soup lacked flavour, crumble was just cooked apple with a dusting of crumbs, main course average. £30 for 3 courses (Boxing Day). So disappointing as the other Blue Group restaurants are excellent. We won’t be returning here.

We visited Riverside Inn Chelmsford yesterday and enjoyed a delightful Christmas lunch. The Inn's menu was a la carte, offering a reasonable selection of alternatives to the traditional turkey and all the trimmings which was also on offer. We chose various items and none disappointed, all arrived,well cooked, in good time. The ambiance was warm, friendly, and the staff were efficient, helpful, and all had a good sense of humour. We could not have asked for more.

Went with husband and a friend on Christmas day and had a very relaxing day. The scallops appetizer is beyond fantastic and the turkey main is over the top that couldn't finish it but managed to finish Christmas pudding. Ladies & Gents, keep up the good work! I have to add that no matter how busy the restaurant was, they managed to exchange pleasantries and chats with us, which I appreciated.

Not great, setting lovely, food not so, very ordinary, had a traditional 3 course Christmas Turkey Lunch, it seemed to be the cheapest of everything, probably arrived in a freezer bag, defrosted, heated up and served, very disappointing.

Having booked and paid a deposit for a Christmas Party meal, the deposit paid was not credited on my final bill, which was only noticed after we left the restaurant.

I have lived in Chelmsford 25 years and this was my first experience of The Riverside Inn. I came here for a work Christmas meal and was not disappointed. The food was delicious and catered for my gluten free dietary needs. I was really impressed by the stuffed pepper dish. The staff were polite and attentive and ensured everyone had a lovely evening.

Had my works Xmas meal here! The food was delicious and our waitress Tula was fantastic! Would recommend this restaurant to all my family and friends!

Visited with some friends for a meal out and a catchup, from walking in the service was excellent and all the staff made us feel welcome, the drinks are well priced aswell as there being a wide variety. The food was excellent and worth more than what you pay. Would highly recommend going with friends and family for either a meal or drinks. Overall superb.

Came in here this week for our work Christmas dinner, the food was great and can't fault the service. A lovely inviting atmosphere, will be going back.

Came here with my partner and two friends, food was amazing, service was great and couldn’t fault a thing. I will be returning :)

Came here for a meal with my friends and the food was flawless could not recommend this place highly enough! Service was personal and really good. Such an amazing building as well with so many call features

We had our works “do” here last night. Lovely venue, good food and great service. Harry and Gemma on the upstairs bar were fab and really looked after us.

Went here for dinner with friends on Saturday. We had drinks in the bar first where there was a nice vibe. We went to our table about 20 mins late, however I did check in well before our allotted time to say we were in the bar. We sat down and after only about 5 minutes a waitress came over to take our order. We obviously asked her to come back. She returned about 10 minutes later to say that she needed to take our order as the kitchens were closing at 9 - this was a little annoying as a table if 4 and one of 6 came and sat down well after us?

Had a 2 course meal with a Bellini/glass of wine, but due to taking antibiotics couldn’t drink so missed out on cocktail.... husband fancied beer .... the coke and beer were charged for even though didn’t have free drink....

Absolutely lovely. Staff very friendly and welcoming.Service first class and food scrumptious. Would recommend. Barbara

Groupon taster menu voucher used and couldnt fault the food or the service.

Oh wow, although I have been here once previously with friends for lunch, I just recently returned and ordered the waiters suggestion, the Southern Fried Chicken, and I cant stop suggesting it to anyone and everyone. I saw they have a very nice tasting menu as well, next time, will give that a go.

I booked this restaurant as we were celebrating my mum's birthday. There were 4 adults. The staff were all very helpful and friendly. They took our order at the table as they were quiet and were considerate of my mum celebrating her birthday when bringing drinks over.

What a lovely old atmosphere this pub has. The room was clean comfortable and spacious. The food is good.although the breakfast is a bit pricy. Nice helpful friendly staff.

Visited Riverside Inn on a Thursday and found it quite easily walking along the river from Bond St car park.

Ate at the Riverside for dinner with our daughter. Found the staff quite rude. The meal was no better. My veggie cheese tart was over heated and dark brown. Few dry salad leaves and cold potatoes. Just awful. My child’s pasta was tasteless and even she commented on how bad it was. My husband’s meal of ribs and chips was heated up frozen stuff it felt like. Zero atmosphere. Tired decor. Tables sticky. Overall a very bad experience and would not recommend. We have not been to a blue group restaurant in a while as the last two we went to had gone downhill. This one is even worse than the others. Would never return. Avoid at all costs.

Visited The Riverside Inn last night for a Steak Dinner. The food was good (we both had the sirloin steak) and the service was very professional and polite. The restaurant is very nice with a great outdoors area.- no hesitation in recommending

Stuck up staff members, who feel very in titled. Spoke to me and my friend very rudely, was shocked at how they spoke to us.

We went here today for Father’s Day.

We had a lovely fathers day meal in a beautiful old building, the setting is amazing, we sat next to the old flour mill which really is lovely. The quality of the fixtures and fittings is exceptional.

Visited here with work friends for a celebratory meal, I had booked it and seen the online menu and there seemed to be a few vegetarian options. When I booked it I sent an online enquiry and asked within my first message if they did a vegetarian sausage and mash version to which I was ignored.

I booked this hotel for a one night stay due

The pub seems nice enough with a reasonable menu and good outdoor area, but my partner asked for a half of coke (from the tap) and they charged him £3.20 which seems vastly overpriced.

8 of us stayed for dinner the staff were very accomodation and moved our reservation to an earlier time. We had 3 courses including alcohol and the bill came to £80 a couple which included the 10% service charge.

7pm on a Wednesday evening and there was one table eating a couple drinking. I asked for Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and was offered Chilean, afterwards realising there was a Yealands Marlborough next to it. We ordered Pie and Mash and Fish and Chips which came very quickly, but I can honestly say I was disappointed with the “pie” it was a difficult to get into little pot with what could be described as a casserole in it, with a small puff pastry top which was so thin it crumbled to nothing. I was so disappointed as I was really looking forward to a proper pie! The mash was a bit rubbery as well. My husband enjoyed the fish and chips but again the chips were a bit hard. Not the best experience, we won’t go back to eat and the atmosphere being as it was we’re unlikely to go back for a drink either.

Popped in this restaurant for lunch whilst shopping in chelmsford & didn't know it was there after many years coming to the town. Its pretty much your gastro style eats but with

We’ve walked or driven past often but have only just made it in! And it was well worth making the effort. Tastefully decorated, lovely outside seating area by the river, friendly staff and very good food. Can’t fault it. Definitely one of the nicer places to enjoy Sunday lunch.

This is a pub with bedrooms located in the heart of Chelmsford. An old water mill on the banks of the river. There is no parking on site but literally a stride away from a public car park opposite. They do not offer overnight vouchers for guests, it’s a regular pay and display, but if you pay using the app, 24hrs will cost £3.00

Following the change in ownership we thought we’d check the place out before possibly dining there.

Booked last minute for the 5 course taster menu and evening. Food was amazing! Staff so friendly and efficient. DJ great choice of dance music and not too loud. A really enjoyable evening with friends. Would recommend. Will be going back.

Service was excellent and the food good. Well organised waiting staff came out with each course and asked by name for the person who had ordered it. Good job because we ordered back in November and I had forgotten what my order was!

If you are going to promote yourself as fine dining and home to a named chef then you do need to provide an experience that lives up to the billing. My experience and that of my friends did not. While the food was good, it was not exceptional and there were some issues. Firstly, the Yorkshire pudding with the Turkey meal was virtually cremated, it also came with no gravy; this wasn’t some novel take on a roast meal but a mistake, other tables were provided with this. This is simply not good enough.

Really great night out with great live music, good service and great food , we all enjoyed our meal and evening

We had been looking forward to our pre Christmas festive meal here and first impressions were good, the place has had a decent makeover and the setting looked nice and festive . However, despite passable food the dining experience was really poor . No effort to give us an enjoyable evening , one of the staff was particularly rude and unprofessional making snippy comments to his overworked colleague within ear shot of us . It felt like they couldn’t get rid of us quickly enough and to be honest I’ve had much better service and dining experience in high street chains like Cote. Suffice to say we won’t be going back.

Out for the annual 4 couples Christmas meal on Saturday night. Friend of mine booked the table. Table was upstairs. Service was excellent. Mulled wine went down really well. Christmas pudding dessert was absolutely spot on. Lovely night. All in with a fair few drinks £45 each which felt very reasonable. Definitely will return. Lovely evening for company and the venue

I came here with my other half without a booking. The staff were friendly from the onset and sat us down at a really nice table. The restaurant wasn't very busy for a Saturday night so we have a lot of choice for seating.

Second visit as good as the first, another great menu, each dish amazing ! The best tasting menu you will get for £40, if this were in London you would have to pay double for food of that quality. Looking forward to next months menu!

We stayed here last night.our room was lovely. Was amazing the hotel was clean and tidy. Staff were great friendly and helpful. Food was so tasty. We will definitely being coming back. Thank you for a great night.

Stayed at the hotel purely on recommendation about the food. Lunch was so good we booked back in for brunch after checkout the following day! You must all eat here, 1 billion percent recommended! Stunning fresh seasonal food that not only tasted fantastic but was beautifully presented and awesome veggie / vegan options too! It was totally a different class, will certainly be going back. Andi and his team are really passionate about food that they serve and the service was also impeccable. Our new favourite place to eat! Asparagus Lady!

Went here for a large family birtnday lunch. Food excellent and staff on top form. Only issue wsa the delay in bringing out the veggie option for three gueasts and then the rest of us. About 10 mins. Lemon Posset was fantastic as was the brownie. Most of us had the roast and the kids all went for burgers. Would go again.

Great food with nice view of small river. Staff was very friendly, def recommendation stopping in if in the area.

We only popped in to The Riverside for a 'swift pint' after the ice hockey, but although the pub was very quiet it had a very nice ambience. The well lit and comfortable interior merged into a large patio and beyond that, garden with barrel tables and outdoor overhead patio heating.

Had a nice lunch here with my wife. Had drinks outside in the gardens first as it was a sunny day. After a couple we sat down inside for lunch. Both had the goats cheese with beetroot and walnuts for starters. Whilst the starter was lovely it could have done with a little more beetroot and nut - also at £7.50 I felt the dish was overpriced. We both had the roasted cod in a chorizo and bean stew. This was a very tasty dish and the fish was well cooked. Did not have dessert this time as nothing to tempt me on the menu. Worth a visit despite the cost of the starters!

We visited to experience the tasting menu by Andi Walker and we were not disappointed. The food and wine pairing were excellent. A very talented chef and we will be back again very soon.

Visited the Gastro pub with friends on Saturday night , beer garden was good but the beer was slightly cold.

Had a fantastic menu here great food & wine was well chosen and presented "well done Ben". The taster menu was fantastic I can see why Andi did well on Master chef.

I’ve been waiting to visit since it relaunched earlier in the year so was so excited when a friend and I booked to go last night.

My girlfriend and I stayed at the riverside Inn for two nights.

Food was nice, female member of staff was brilliant but the male member of staff should work on his customer service, what a miserable person to be serving us when we are on a lunch out, we all had a hard earned day off work so was all happy and looking forward to our lunch, didnt expect to be served by someone who obviously thought a smile is not something that should be given, lucky he only served us at the bar and the lovely waitress bought food etc to us. When we left he didnt even look up to say goodbye: thank you: not a thing, bearing in mind the place was empty so we couldnt have got lost in the crowd. Lovely garden and pub has been decorated lovely but I hate feeling like being in a restaurant is an inconvenience to the staff.

Good quality, reasonably priced food with an excellent beer garden. However when dining our waitress came across patronising and impatient, and almost seemed to be inconvenienced by our presence. Constantly felt like we were being rushed out the door and unwelcome. A real shame that cast an odd shadow over the whole evening.

Lunch with friends on a day when there were very few people in the restaurant was a disaster , the one ‘vegetarian’ dish included chorizo and there were no gluten free dishes on what was an extremely limited menu, the waiter couldn’t care less and simply said if we wanted vegetarian “well have the fish and chips “ this was lunch on a day when the temperature was in the mid 80s.

Came for Sunday lunch, food was good except found dessert to be a little bland. Staff were all friendly and polite. Very clean

Pub and food good , more attention is needed on the hotel rooms , Bathroom door would not shut or lock . Tea tray was lacking choice and no milk . Fruit bowl had 1 apple and 1orange that was not fresh .

I had read some good things about dining at the Riverside Inn so my friends, husband and I thought we would go on Friday for the tasting menu in the evening. It was ridiculously quiet with only ourselves dining in the main restaurant, this could be due to the Bank Holiday weekend. Andi Walker’s food was amazing. We had the 5 course tasting menu starting with an amuse bouche of crispy chicken skin. The waiter serving us was very attentive as you can imagine and together with Andi they served each course to us and described what we were eating and the cooking process when asked. We started with a cool pea panna cotta, followed by very crispy fried plaice in a lemonade batter which was then followed by the softest lamb I have ever eaten with a lamb croquette too. We then had a lovely honey parfait (even though I dont usually like honey and to end we had a deconstructed rhubarb cheesecake with tasty rhubarb grown by the maintenance man. All delicious. It was like appearing in an episode of Masterchef being served fabulous food by the chef. Andi left after we had eaten and told us he was going to collect his mother from the airport. Good value for money, excellent sized portions too. My only negative would be after the dessert, a few petit fours would be nice to end, but that is a minor point. Thanks Andi, we will be back to try your new menu soon.

Our third visit to Andi Walker’s upstairs restaurant at The Riverside this time with family from Canada. Had another fabulous tasting menu experience which did not disappoint and enjoyed by all. The lamb course especially was cooked to perfection.

Let me start by saying we visited the pop up restaurant (at The Riverside Inn) 8 or 9 times and loved each and every visit as much as the last.

Above average on every dimension....and in a great location next to the river with parking opposite.

We decided last minute to eat out today, so glad we did! We had the best table: a beautiful view onto the river. The menu choices all sounded tasty but we went for the roast and were not at all disappointed- a gorgeous meal, served by a very nice waiter, Will. We will be going back very soon with friends for an evening meal.

I was really excited for the re-launch of this place but unfortunately not much has changed.

Visited with my partner to sample the tasting menu and it didn't disappoint. Food was on another level to anything you will find in Chelmsford. Atmosphere and wine flight went hand in hand, the curried cod dish blew our minds!! Get there now before the secret gets out!!

We went for lunch, 5 people. Nice place and great setting with the river behind it. No problem getting a table as there were only 5 other customers in the place.

Me and my girlfriend visited for dinner and booked the tasting menu. The duck breast course was spot on and the presentation and skill of the cooking was unlike anywhere else in Essex. What a find!!

Came for a Mother's Day meal with my Mum and Dad the staff were very friendly and welcoming. I ordered...

We visited as a group of 4 on Saturday 3 March. We had been to the restaurant before to have...

We visited this restaurant on Friday and dined upstairs, where we were looked after by Andi Walker, Head chef, and...

First experience of the tasting menu at the Riverside Inn and it was exceptional. Five courses with wine pairing with...

This was an overnight stay as we were visiting friends in the area and was booked because it was a...

I visited The Riverside Inn a couple of days ago for a family members birthday, and it did not disappoint!...

I visited Andi Walker at the Riverside Inn today and was very impressed!

Recently visited The Riverside Inn with a few friends and to say we were impressed would be an understatement. The service alone was great and the food was just superb.

My partner and I went to Riverside Inn for a casual dinner and absolutely loved it.

Went in a week ago. Only six items on the menu. Went elsewhere. No menu on the website. Tried to book a table tonight (Tuesday) Told they were not doing food! Recent reviews seem to suggest there is a problem here.

Charming building with character. Car park directly opposite so very convenient. Quick efficient check in, and shown to room with lots of original features and exposed beams, Tea and Coffee facilities etc. Bathroom a little dated, and mattress very hard. Great location for shops and an abundance of restaurants within walking distance, which was great as when we arrived in the evening the restaurant had stopped serving food at 7PM as we arrived at 7:30pm. (Great shame as the restaurant looked very nice)

The blue group has lost its touch, looks very tired albeit its an old building with plenty of charm, the food was really poor quality, the prawn filo rolls to start were literally like something from Iceland's! Pea and ham, but no ham taste present... We had roast beef for main but this was overcooked not pink at all, all veg was awful, caramelised carrots atop it all were dreadful garnish... shame it is a good location but desperately needs a revamp in the kitchen!

Visited the Riverside Inn for a Christmas family lunch, had drinks in the bar, nice area to have a chat and peruse the menu. We were offered the Xmas menu and enjoyed all 3 courses, special mention to the attentive staff who would always ask if we needed drinks as they passed, surprised it was bursting at the seams with customers as surroundings, food and staff are all excellent.

We had booked as a group of 17 people, on a Saturday lunch time, and this included a number of children. We asked for the menus in advance because of different diets, but when we arrived we were given totally different menus. They do however cater for gluten free, vegetarian, etc, and everyone enjoyed the food on the whole. I have to say though, the waiters were absolutely miserable and added nothing to the ambience of the place. They didn't talk to us at all, and kept bringing out the wrong dishes. Although they didn't say anything, their faces said it all and I felt we were being blamed for this. The restaurant was also freezing cold. I can only assume the heating had broken down as there were some portable heaters dotted around the room - it would have been courteous if someone had just told us this really. We came here last year and came again because our waitress last year was fantastic. I don't know where she's gone, but we won't be coming back.