The Starting Gate in West Berkshire

It was very quiet in the pub when we arrived at 11pm after a night out in town. That's why on this occasion I had to give a low score for atmosphere but I'm sure at other times it would have a good vibe. We only delayed for 2 drinks due to the time of night.The landlady was friendly, helpful and polite. We hadn't been in the pub for years and wish we'd gone back sooner. The function room was closed off last night but is well used and booked out for many Saturday nights. They also have live music on some Saturday nights. They offer deals and incentives. They run a welcome cafe one afternoon a week as a meeting point for the local community. There are 2 pool tables and a dart board. They run teams for both sports. They have sport showing on 2 screens for a number of channels. The pub is having a full refurbishment in the near future but was still in good condition. We will certainly return.

Absolutely love this place!! Always have a great time there, everyone is friendly and very welcoming!

Very much a local's place, good luck getting near the pool table. It had stacks of pound coins on both tables. But pleasant enough for a drink. Not many of these places around anymore.

A lovely community pub on the main road through Speen and en route to Newbury. The owners and staff are lovely. I've especially had great chats with Sian and James. I often stop by for a pint at the weekend and have felt very welcome. The beers are well kept and the atmosphere is buzzing, especially on Sundays when they offer free games of pool. It's been a really good find to chill and decompress after work with good company. I can't comment on food, as I haven't eaten there.

Cosy, popular and historic local pub.

Pleasant ambience . Lovely staff and great service too . Would def come here again !

Great spacious pub, conveniently located and good atmosphere. Pool tables and slot machines too

I didn’t eat there, so I am unable to review the food, but I stopped in whilst charging my car on Saturday. The staff were very friendly and inviting. So much so that I stopped there to charge my car again on the journey home on Sunday. Once again the staff were all friendly and welcoming. Would recommend and would stop by again

Stopped off for a pint after a walk. This is a proper pub. I like it a lot. Pool tables, dart boards and a really community field. Wish this was my local!

Lovely family friendly pub, great local with very friendly staff and customers. Great community atmosphere.

Friendly neighbourhood pub also hosting a weekly local community cafe

Friendly local just round the corner from me. Sian and Nathan are always welcoming and there’s always something going on - pool, darts, karaoke/discos, sports on the tv. etc. Nice area to sit outside in the better weather too!

Fantastic local pub! You can tell the beer is cleaned every week! Nathan and Sian (landlord and lady) are extremely welcoming would highly recommend!

Great pub with Superb customer service. After an hour long bike ride in freezing temperatures the pub management could not have been more helpful or friendly. Thank you!

The community atmosphere at the Starting Gate is second to none. Sian and the team have made the Starting Gate a truly great centre of the community. Wholeheartedly recommend.

Friendly staff and a fantastic place to enjoy a quiet drink and a few games of pool

Two pool table with a bright welcoming atmosphere. Despite the external look, I was pleasantly surprised and would definitely visit again

We had a great time meeting local patrons and the license owner. So great to chat with folks to get information on what makes the community special!

Great pub and food well worth a visit

Fantastic! We went for the car charging :) - on our way through past J13 of M4 - but would go again for the welcome, it was ace. Really friendly. Also dog friendly which was a bonus for us, what a find! Thanks - we hope to visit again.

Great atmosphere and friendly staff and patrons.

Excellent service .....great lunch but pity full Sunday Menu was not available due to a shortage of staff .....our host went out of her way to please us and will go again and again

Not a friendly atmosphere, dirty kitchen & carpets. Would not recommend it.

Fab place. Friendly atmosphere and nice people. Good to know that they host a Community Cafe every Wed afternoon, very community minded staff.

Welcoming and full of good vibes. Recommended 100%

Best Pub I’ve ever been to in my life,, super friendly,, loved the pints,,stunning place,,highly recommend

Half decent, proper community pub,first visit and the staff and regulars very friendly

Great night there Good band , nice atmosphere. Friendliest staff Completely different experience to 20 odd yrs ago

Welcoming, clean and friendly family pub.

The people who run the place are lovely people

Awesome little bike meet tonight 👍🏼 Nice mix of bikes 🏍️ Good vibes.. My mate even won a little 🥇 Helpful and friendly staff.. Good food and beer.. Always recommend to everyone and will revisit

Great staff, music and atmosphere

We held our grandads wake here and the staff were amazing very friendly symapthetic even asked if we wanted some soft music to play in the background something i didnt even think of, very accommodating all round and made such a sad time easy for us all highly recommended

Probably the worst meal I have ever had!

Went there for a first time visit and meal out with my wife. Seemed quiet on arrival, mainly drinkers. When I approached the bar to order food we and others who had arrived behind us found there wasn't food being served that night. Disappointed.

Had Dad's 80th Birthday Party with live band and hog roast and it was great. Nathan and his wife were brilliant and couldn't be more accommodating.

popped in for a drink with a family member and fancied a burger one of the best burgers i have had in a long time. also i have been to many private function there in the last 6months and 10/10 on customer service and treatment given. 100% better with the new owners

amazing food and outstanding customer service always made to feel welcome.

Lovely atmosphere, great grub, clean ale/beer. Worth a visit 100%.

Great night out and the team are really lovely.

We ended up in the Starting Gate by chance as our car broke down and we got taken there while we waited for recovery - and we ended up spending 8 hours there while we waited! The staff couldn’t have been more friendly and hospitable. We were there with our daughter and everyone looked after us and made us feel so welcome. Great gin selection too!

Nice pub but the music is always loud

Friendly helpful staff and good wholesome delicious food.

Awesome roast beef dinner and amazing price too

Great service, fly in Mrs pint but bit of protein aye 👍🏻

Super helpful and friendly staff! Delicious food with great vegetarian options! Great selection of drinks and cocktails. 100% recommended if you are in the area!

Enjoyed our first visit and will definitely visit again. Service very good and host very informative.

Love this pub, it does exactly what it says on the tin! Really friendly and welcoming family running the place, great selection of drinks all well priced and food too. Highly recommend.

New landlady is rude. Totally upset our children with the way she spoke to them. Shouting at them to stop playing whilst they were outside in the garden. THIS IS NOT A FAMILY FRIENDLY PUB.

Travelled to Newbury for the weekend and found this pub. Really great food, atmosphere and fantastic prices. Would highly recommend.

Always a friendly face and good service xx

Worth a visit beers good staff are friendly

Food was awful again 2nd time we have been both times was awful

Terrible customer service, absolute shambles avoid at all costs.

Great its gone to one of bottom pubs to one of the top pubs since the new landlords Collin and Lisa moved in love being part of the locals 😉😊😁

Lovely pub with friendly staff. Colouring books and games for kids. Good food - normal pub stuff. One or two vegan options.

Food was shocking didnt get what was ordered, burger was over cooked and dry on the outside and raw in the middle.... paid over £40 pounds for a meal we didnt eat in the end.......

Friendly atmosphere. Good pub food

Nice little pub! I go there quite a lot.

Been here twice now for food , great steaks, staff are lovely, nice clean pub, lots to offer on the menu

Steak was excellent Very good atmosphere

Grate service when I wanted a drink staff was lovely

Amazing staff an food was amazing couldn't fault it 1 bit and very well priced for what you have I would def recommend this place 100 percent

Lovely people great atmosphere 😎

Great pub great company and friendly staff

Staff very polite and service is excellent would recommend to anyone plus all interior has been redecorated pub is really bright and colourful now

This Pub has new Management again and they know how to run it. very friendly staff . Food was Great and a full menu Available Food and Drinks Reasonably Priced I would Highly Recommend will be back .

Yes, of course I know it, it is a large place, they serve all kinds of food and drinks, they have two billiards, a very good place with more intimate booths, outdoor tables with parking.

Lovely breakfast. Endless tea/coffe. Good value

The pub has got new management.They are friendly and so welcoming. The food is great but on a limited menu un till the new one comes out soon.well recommended

The Starting Gate used to be a lovely place to eat. However I would not recommend this venue anymore. My family and friends organised a surprise party for me and I found out afterwards what a nightmare of a time they had with the staff. A deposit was taken in May. They tried to contact them to let them know the numbers for catering only to be told there was no booking made for the date booked. Then they got a phone call on the day asking for another payment for food. It was a very stressful time for my mum and family. The Party food was not great (asked for some gluten free food which they didn’t do) The card machine was not working on the night either. Hopefully under new management later in the year it will be better.

My family organised a surprise 50th party, which was only good because of the people that was there for me. My mum had put £100 deposit down in May when she booked the venue. Then was told they had no booking for that day. She tried phoning and the phone wasn’t answered. On the day of the party they didn’t have any food so my son had to take a further £150 down for them to get some food. They asked for some gluten free food. Which wasn’t supplied. The quantity of food was no way £150 worth. The card machine wasn’t working either. The service was terrible. I wouldn’t suggest anyone using The Starting Gate for a party.

I was very ill after having food there

Great venue with good Entertainment (Mike Nova Elvis Tribute )

Nice place for a pint ;) after football ;)

We had a terrible night and would not go again. Pub was empty, Hardly any food available, We were told we couldn't have a dessert as the lady had broken the probe !! Why couldn't she offer us at least ice cream. No-one offered us coffee. We then saw the same lady 2 minutes later going home. Her top was full of grease !! The card machine was broken so I had to borrow money off my friend. We go out one a month and try a different pub each time and this was the worse one ever!! I emailed them but as you would expect no reply. Saying that although there was hardly any food to choose from and the scampi was more or less had to have was good. The chicken was not so good, very dry.

We chose this pub for a family lunch for my dad's birthday as the reviews were good. We found it to be a very friendly pub, lovely polite staff. We pre-ordered food for 7 of us, it came out promptly. We all really enjoyed out meals and the portion sizes were good. Lots of choice on the menu and very good value. Nice clean pub. Plenty of parking. Outdoor eating area. I'd definitely recommend it for a family meal.

Good family pub. Social drinking . Game's. Food good deals. !

One of my old"is pubs in its day the best

A quiet, relaxed place to eat with the family in the daytime. Somewhat less quiet in the evening!

Verry welcoming staff and great value for money

Sunday lunch is passable. Gravy was nice but didn't have a vegetarian alternative.

Food was off due to Rugby crowds....which was 5 people stood around one of three TVs. Took a while to get served as the landlady was round the back threatening potential customers who took a wrong turn on foot in the car park. Returned from the toilets to the landlady and bar staff eating full roast dinners with punters in bar. Needless to say we didn’t stay longer than a very reasonably priced shot of tequila. Can defo recommend to anyone who enjoys being made to feel unwelcome whilst drinking hard liquor.

It was as the ratting suggests OK. Food was acceptable as was the service, just standard pub grub really in a slightly grubby pub full of regulars who look you up and down when you walk in.

Popped in for lunch midweek. Rather chilly so kept our coats on. Aside from that all was really good. We had burgers from the 2 for £10 mains menu. The burgers were excellent and fries too. Then 2 for 1 from the desserts menu (we qualified for this as we had purchased mains). Very good too. Lady serving was very friendly and efficient and checked everything was ok with our food. Amazing value and excellent food. The score would have been 'excellent' if it hadn't been so chilly.

Great place nice food and family freindly

Food is pretty terrible, but they have good pool tables

A very welcome break in a busy day. Relaxed lunchtime atmosphere, friendly staff, extensive menu includes all the usual favourites. Food is really good and nicely presented. Worth noting, served on good quality plates with good quality cutlery Happy to recommend based on visit 15 November 2017.

Lovely pub amazing food welcomes familys as run by a family lovely deals and plenty of entertainment often.

Food was great all came out got and timely. Visited for a father's birthday party with family 9 of us. All good was great service was great.

Very good value food, the meal deals are particularly good. Nice range of beers and welcoming staff.

Good food, big portions and at low prices. Also remarkably nice inside and lovely staff.

All 2 weeks before Father's day their said dad's eat for free. On father's day their said not doing it any more dad's pay full price... Really???

Family Bar This pub is run by a family and serve popular beer and couple of more craft beers as well. Not so great but good for watching sports with friends and family.

Amazing little place with great food and great prices!

Friendly people. Lovely meal good for the money.

Llegamos a la puerta para ver el fútbol con los amigos y disfrutar de una cena asado. Teníamos el adulto asado, que está a sólo 6 libras. 99 y fue tan grande, que ni siquiera podía terminar! Era tan delicioso y tan barato. Gran ambiente divertido! ! ! Vale la pena una visita con amigos.

Great prices and some great food! Very friendly staff and food was cooked perfectly! Would advise and would also come back!

First choice of pubs to go in the whole of Berkshire! Friendly staff, great quality food and perfect environment to bring children. Highly recommend and will return shortly!

Probablemente el peor sitio en el que he estado en el REINO UNIDO (al menos). Servicio horrible, horrible la comida y el personal no era muy buena. Los aperitivos tardaron mucho tiempo en llegar, la nuestra se le dieron a la gente equivocada dentro del partido, fueron parcialmente comido antes de detectar el error. Lo recogí y luego nos lo dio como era (parcialmente comido y frío) me esperaba una nueva, nos dieron una bebida gratis como consecuencia de este. Nos llevó más de una hora y 20 minutos para nuestros platos principales para salir, pagamos por patatas fritas de camote, que entonces no tenía y pedí mi hamburguesa con queso y no salio con queso. Había un montón de otros problemas para el resto de nuestro grupo con los pedidos de comida y servicio. A algunos de nosotros nos dieron las restituciones en nuestra comida ya que estaba tan horrible. Teníamos servicio de mezclado del personal, algunos fueron educados y se disculparon, algunos eran groseros y argumentativo. No recomendaría este lugar a pesar de sus esfuerzos para aplacar nuestra opinión con un reembolso parcial. Yo nunca volvería.