The Speckled Hen in St Albans

I tried the Specials Menu Pork bites absolutely yummy Duck with calconan mash & carrots cooked delicious so nice Pineapple crumble with ice cream , it was HUGE and so tasty with such a crunchy crumble 10/10 today lovely food

Not sure if staff were new because didn’t seem to know what they were doing and zero personality between them all, not welcoming. Never checked with any of us how everything was, no customer service skills at all. Food was very poor. Out of 13 of us and 12 meals not one meal was pleasant to eat or presented well. Garlic bread burnt so crunchy to the extent you could break teeth, microwave meals overcooked, dry and burnt. Katsu curry served with dried clumpy rice through overheating or left under heat lamps/on hot plate. Lasagne was so burnt it had shrivelled up to a burnt crust. Halloumi fries were disgusting and tasted like stale popcorn. Beef burgers were shrivelled and curled up around the edges due to overcooking. Mac and cheese looked like was thrown on dish with it all dripped over side, awful presentation. Salad came with limp browning lettuce and very little else. Slow service and messed up simple drinks order. Tables not cleared, left it to heavily pregnant customer who they watched go back and forth at least 3 times clearing plates and glasses. We’ve visited several times in the past but can honestly say this was the worst visit in every aspect, needs vast improvements and definitely staff training.

They were short of staff during peak period, had to stand in the queue for a lengthy period of time before being served. Food took approximately 1hr before it was ready

We’d like to thank all the staff at the Speckled Hen in making our family gathering to celebrate birthdays, a new home & the imminent arrival of the latest family member so special, dealing with 16 customers at once was handled brilliantly, everyone enjoyed their food & we all had a wonderful time.

Used to love the bar food here but not anymore not sure if its been taken over but food terrible ...staff nice though

I first visited this place about 10 years ago. As a lover of Speckled Hen beer, I was looking forward to it. Alas, it was flat, which was really disappointing. The pub itself wasn't up to much either. The only way I could have described it, is as 'very drab' When family asked me to accompany them again this time, they assured me that it had changed. They were not wrong, I didn't recognise the place. It was nice and bright, and very busy, with a great atmosphere. The food was great. But alas, only bottled Speckled Hen, so I opted for a pint of 'Landlord' , which was very palatable. There are 3 or 4 more other draught beers to choose from. The menu is extensive. I had fish and chips. I'm not saying the fish was fresh, but ate half my chips. I look forward to visiting Speckled Hen again, but this time, well before 10 years are up.

We popped in today for some food & some drinks, 5 stars all round from us! Very happy customers, we highly recommend. We were blown away with the first class customer service from Perry ( Assistant Manager) & all the other lovely staff, they were all so friendly. Such delicious, tasty food at great prices! We will definitely be returning more often now we know how fantastic it is here. Michelle & Adam x

First time here. Marisa was very polite and accommodating. Would definitely recommend. And will definitely return with my kids and husband.

This is a super pub-restaurant where the staff are friendly, the choice of food and drinks is always good and there are lots of different seating options depending upon the party size. It's not the nearest St Albans Pub to me but worth worth the extra distance. This visit I was just having a morning coffee but I've had lunch and evening meals multiple times and every time it was really good. It's a good place to meet.

Me and my partner Rob go into the speckled hen alot. It's a great atmosphere, the staff are always lovely, friendly and welcoming. The food is amazing, we eat here alot. If you ever want somewhere to go for amazing food and a friendly environment...dog friendly too then come here

We go here a lot, food, beer & service is always first class

This is my local, Berry has been amazing! Always checking on us and make us feel very welcome and valued! Service always great x

Steak Thursday - Fabolous steak - cooked to perfection - great value followed by coffee and cake which again was a great value dea.

Excellent quality food cooked to perfection, good portion sizes , lots to choose from on the menu. Served by Marisa and Lynda who were very helpful and friendly, first class service. Would definitely recommend this restaurant and will definitely visit again.

Well decorated large pub plenty of parking nice food. We had a meal for 7 pre booked in the private room. Very nice

Service can be a bit slow when busy lovely pub lost of parking

Sadly, we had a few issues. They were out of what we wanted so we ordered different starters which was no problem. They then brought our shared starter out and said the chef had made a mistake and made the starters and mains ready at the same time, so our mains had to sit in the kitchen for a while whilst we ate our starter. Then, the mains came out and were lukewarm at best and my pie dish was missing its gravy. I then had to go ask at the bar for the gravy which took another 5 mins to come out. By this time my meal was stone cold. I was disappointed to not get an apology or discount offered for the several mistakes and cold food. Such a shame because the atmosphere was nice.

Never fails to live up to expectations

From the moment we walked in to when we left we had no complaints. Considering we were a big party (11) we didn’t have to wait long for our food. It was all served at the same time and was lovely and hot and very tasty. Staff were amazing, nothing was too much trouble. Will certainly visit again

I have visited the Speckled Hen on numerous occasions, quiz nights etc, more recently though for lunch with work colleagues and friends. The food is always great and value for money. I received exceptional service this time round from staff member Perry. She was attentive polite and super efficient. I would like to say a big thank you for your customer service 'Perry!' and we look forward to coming back.

Burger to greasy but everything else was spectacular

Absolutely banging lad Trust me when I say, absolutely banging Bangers n mash

As always great service from Perry and Linda. Food tastes great and us value for money. The bbq wrap with fries is really good.

My company brings a client here regularly. They are always so accommodating, kind and friendly. Definitely recommend.

My company brings a client here regularly. They are always so accommodating, kind and friendly. Definitely recommend.

Very limited lunch menu. Had to have a fish finger ciabatta. Did not eat the soggy bread Or the un frozen greens. Uyuck

The staff were warm and friendly . We loved the cosy ambience of the pub. We visited with our 6 year old daughter and she was provided with colouring sheets and crayons to keep herself occupied. We loved the Christmas jingles which were being played. The food was top-class, with an almost homemade touch and freshness. We loved the Nachos as a starter and the mains were amazing as well. It was our wedding anniversary and Speckled Hen made it a memorable one. We shall definitely visit again! :)

I haven’t eaten here but they always have a couple of decent ales on. Staff are friendly and helpful. Dog friendly.

Lovely decorated nice pleasant staff will nice clientele did not eat so couldn't give a star rating for food

Very nice staff lovely food nice price and free parking

Love the vibe here. Fantastic local pub.

This establishment looks nice but the food is Terry

Oli was friendly and attentive throughout. Very accommodating and happy to make changes to suit dietary requirements. Lovely pub, great food!

A lovely meal with friends. Thank you to the chief for serving a nice hot meal and thank you to the bar staff for making us feel welcome ( especially Perry ).

Had senior meal food was really nice..marked down on atmosphere as only a few people in there as it was mid week afternoon

The Mac and cheese children’s portion was tremendously small, the toilets were diabolical; and my friends burned their hands because of how hot the water was and it wouldn’t turn off and there wasn’t want soap. On top of that, there was a bad smell in the toilet. My friend had a black hair in his burger and also, the corn was nibbled. The mac and cheese was delicious but it was a shame there wasn’t more of it.

Love Jill. She generates just the right atmosphere for a neighbourhood pub. So glad she's back.

Good friendly staff. Good Guiness!

Quiet comfortable country pub, clean with good atmosphere located on the edge of st Alban's

Love this place.So spacious very clean and tidy .Superb food and staff.Will definitely visit again.Re visited today.16th October Again we found the food and staff were amazing Thank you .We will be coming back.

We love this pub for a little evening drink with the kids, lovely atmosphere! We love the speckled Hen, such a great atmosphere 👏

Love this pub. Great food and family friendly.

Enjoyable lunch ,but could be better . Would be nice if they provided table service there, specially as there was 3 members of staff there . The one member of staff there was very polite with us though as I had to return my dinner . We will give it another try .

Really nice pub, Wayne Perry and Linda were all brilliant. We hosted a work meeting and they were incredibly accomodating, great food, great service and a great space. Pub next to the room was also a really nice atmosphere 👍

A good pub but there's no pool table and no dart board

A good pub but there's no pool table and no dart board

Excellent food , excellent service .. I take my Elderly friend here every Wednesday. We love it .. always clean , tidy And the food is always excellent

Recently had a reservation for 8 people for lunch to be together for a sad family occasion. Staff we brilliant. All 8 meals arrived at the same time and staff continued to check upon us without being intrusive. Value for money. Would go again.

Recently had a reservation for 8 people for lunch to be together for a sad family occasion. Staff we brilliant. All 8 meals arrived at the same time and staff continued to check upon us without being intrusive. Value for money. Would go again.

Lovely lunchtime treat. Very friendly staff, good food and value for money.

After waiting for ten minutes to be noticed, we were told that we would have to wait an hour for food as they only had one chef. We walked.

Great pub and lovely beer garden staff are really friendly, definitely recommend

Visited one Saturday, was served all night by Scarlet and Emma. Both really friendly and had a great. Also the food was really nice.

Good meal.much like other pubs but light and airy. Will be back.

I was looking forward to the beer 😃 Thank you also for the friendly nature and the understanding accommodation even if we can't speak English so well!!!! Three thumbs up from me @kalisyndikat

The Speckled Hen is my pub of choice in this area for mid-week lunch and a pint of guinness whenever I visit my friend. The food is great and reasonably priced (I particularly enjoyed the chicken schnitzel with mushroom and truffle oil sauce), the staff are friendly and welcoming, easy to park. I thoroughly recommend a visit.

My friends and I are pleased with the friendly hospitality and excellent service we received during our visit yesterday. Especially the attention given to us by Perry. The Speckled Hen was clean, comfortable and relaxing. We can certainly recommend the menu and quality of the food, cooking and presentation.

We went to watch the football, first time visit to the pub the bar staff were amazing lovely and friendly good choice of food and beer will definitely be back again thanks for a great night 5*

As a career it’s hard to find nice places to take clients. Had a lovely lunch with my lady today and the staff were brilliant

Food okay. Enjoyed the baked Camembert cheese sharing platter and crispy salt and pepper squid. Great place for a beer out in the sun.

Great to have smaller portions.

Turned up for a lunch treat, didn't realise it was steak Thursday. Chose the sirloin, not disappointed. We come here with family about once a month and never ever have we had a bad meal. Tried most of menu now, from aluminium fries to the mixed grill. Food is highly recommended and the atmosphere is relaxing.

Lovely food nice size portions friendly staff

Went out with friends this afternoon, great service, atmosphere and all our meals were fab. Staff were so helpful as one of our guests had dietary requirements and they also checked in on how we liked our meals. We were sat in the side room which is great if you have a big group.

Lovely pub with good food,dog friendly. Eat in or sit outside in the Lovely garden. Staff were very friendly & helpful. I will recommend to family & friends.

It,s a great place for a drink and a meal with family and friends.

Had a lovely lunch. The Hunters chicken was excellent and served hot with chips, onion rings and a mixed salad. The large portion of crumble and custard was tasty and filling. Wine was reasonably priced. Good menu choice and good service.

Wide selection of low and no alcohol beers - apart from the horrid Becks blue. And the usual excellent range Green King beers on tap. Fun, lively atmosphere. A good night out!

Was ok quite busy for a Saturday lunch time

Only came in for a drink, but what a lovely pub!

Went there on the spur of the moment didn't know what to expect but it was a really nice meal and didn't have to wait long definitely would go again

Great food and very good service on a very busy night, Nikki deserves a special mention for listening to the order properly and getting it exactly right and the waiter was very efficient and polite. Great service and a good afternoon/evening, a well deserved 5 stars

Nicki was give in us an amazing experience! Keep going this great job girll !!

Refit looks great, food was delicious, my starter was a bit cold, they had no problem making a fresh one which was lush. I would recommend here. Thanx

Great new menu, fantastic service from Lily and George , will see you again soon !

lovely atmosphere and the food is always yummy, relatively cheap and the drinks are aswell, i always get a lovely warm welcome from Nikki and she is so quick getting my order down and bringing it over quickly. So lovely, ensuring everything is okay with food and drinks and just a lovely person and face to see when i come to visit. would deffo recommend this pub to anyone in the area, even if it’s just for a quick drink

Lovely hot food ,good selection , quite for a bank Holiday which suited us ,meant quick, friendly service . Will visit again when in the area ..

Went out for a meal was disappointed as we had the main course, We then went to order dessert & was told we would have to wait 30 mins a the chef was having a break. Appreciate chefs need a break but 8pm on a sat evening prime time? its not freshly made surely someone could have taken the cheesecake from the fridge and put it on a plate

We was served by Nikki, remembered our drinks from last visit and our table no. Food was so lovely, can recommend the Houmous, Pesto & Bread as a starter. So obviously will return again.

A wonderful pub with cute aesthetics, great selection of food and drinks, and good service. They add seasonal specials to their menu which are excellent. Overall a must visit.

The atmosphere is inviting, the staff are friendly and attentive, the food is good, and Monday quiz night is the perfect spot for a fun evening out with friends!

Got served by a lovely girl named nikki who's been an angel since I met her 6 weeks ago.

Diabolical. Still here awaiting good af5er 45mins. Not busy. One member of staff behind bar. One extremely rude! After asking again food just on its way! Apparently waiting fir chips to arrive and be unloaded. What a joke.

Unacceptable wait for food. We had booked for 12.30 and ordered a two course set lunch. It was well over an hour before we got food and it wasn’t hot. No apology from the waitress. It was another long wait for our dessert. Other tables had the same problem and they too were asking where their food was. We finally left after 3pm. Don’t visit this pub if you want a quick meal.

Had to wait simply ages for the food which wasn't particularly hot. Staff aren't overly friendly and there was an eventual apology for food delay. No atmosphere at all and definitely will not be going back.

Entered the venue and it was nice and lively, although not too busy. Ordered our drinks before finding a table to peruse the menu. Once we had decided, we went back to the bar to put in our lunch requests. Then it all went downhill from there….. We waited an hour for our lunch and saw customers that had arrived after us getting served before us! We asked the table near to us how long they had to wait for their lunch and they replied an hour or so and were still waiting on their desserts - another hour later! We were not offered any explanation as to why it took so long for us to get our lunch. Finally, our food arrived and it was lukewarm at best; we ate it as we were absolutely famished by this point. Interestingly, the other table also told us their food was barely warm too. The wait for dessert was not as long, thankfully! And it was delicious. However, the music was loud and quite dismal and this did nothing to lighten our mood! We won’t be going back as this was our second, highly disappointing, visit. The people at the other table also told us they would not be returning….. I feel that if you are a ‘regular’ then you get much better and more personable service as I witnessed this. Overall a very disenchanting experience that wasted our time and money!

Lovely place to eat and drink, went with family and had a wonderful time. Great staff with speedy service and an excellent range of drinks. Food was fab, can highly recommend the Mac n cheese. Will definitely be visiting again soon.

Haven't been there for age's, the food was lovely

My first time coming to this pub and the experience that me and my friends had was brilliant. The food was 10/10. The staff and the pub itself is very lovely too. Throughout the evening we had a young lady serving us (Rosie). She done absolutely phenomenal job! Checking up on us and making sure everything was okay with food and drinks. Felt very well looked after. Great experience, will be coming back for sure!

I went to the speckled hen for a chicken burger.Not only was the food excellent but my server Rosie, is one of the best in the business.She is simply a ray of sunshine X

Great service and great food. Well done x

Speckled Hen is a Green King pub. Food is pretty much what you'd expect to find in a chain pub. Prices are not bad, especially if you go for one of their deals. This pub holds regular quiz nights, which are great if you're taking part, but not so good if you've arrived for a quiet dinner and a chat. Would love it if they brought back the Yorkie wraps!

Good food, friendly staff and a good selection of ales

Nice pub cozy, staff really friendly was served by Hannah who was very attentive and lovely

Once we arrived we sat down and ordered drinks and food through the mobile app, we didn't see our drinks till 40 minutes later and that was only after going over to the bar twice to complain, we then had to wait an extra 20 minutes for the food. I ordered the bacon and cheese burger which had a stale bun and was overcooked. We were sat in the dining area which had good music, but it was too loud, to the point where we had to shout at eachother just to have a conversation. I definitely would not recommend this establishment and would most likely advise people I know to steer clear.

Local friendly pub. Good food, friendly staff.

I went here on Christmas Day for Christmas dinner with my family. The food was very substandard and lukewarm. The music was competing with everyone talking. I couldn’t hear myself think or talk to my family. The music seemed to get louder the longer I was there. The waitresses were lovely and very polite. I just felt like they were ran off their feet trying to serve everyone their food.

Don't bother for food. Food service is terrible, and neither the owner nor the staff seem to care. Many occasions I have been here thinking it can not possibly be the same again, but unfortunately the same experience everytime. Wil not be buying food again.

Great atmosphere Great staff which make a pub Will be retuning Maybe only negative is the craters in car park

Was part of a large group dinner booking. They closed the kitchen when only half of the group had ordered until we complained. No opportunity to order desert etc. No table ordering so we all had to order at the bar individually. Ladies loos were out of action apart from the single disabled loo. Food was ok but was delivered at different times. No one cleared the table so we did it ourselves. The Speckled Hen used to be cheap and cheerful so no one expected much. The prices have gone up and the service has plummeted. Awful