The Swan in Cheshire East

We enjoyed an excellent meal here. The pub is cosy and very welcoming. Staff were very pleasant and friendly. Two of us had pie and chips and one had macaroni cheese. All of the meals were absolutely delicious and the portions are big. I would definitely recommend.

Never been so appalled! I have a family member who has a speech impediment and after about 10 minutes without taking even a drinks order, a young girl with dark brown hair took our order FINALLY and when she went behind the bar was sniggering and giggling to another member of staff, i don’t know if this was about my family member who struggles to talk but I was so angry!! Felt so unwelcome, staff unfriendly, table for ignored for about 10 minutes, the so called owners of this pub need a serious kick up the backside and need to have a serious lessons for themselves and the employees about customer service. Food was terrible, wish I would’ve gone to McDonalds!! Do not come here.

Food not the best, average at best. Chicken katsu tough and generally dry, Expensive for food and drinks but situated in a nice place.

My husband and I stayed and dined at the Old Swan Oldstead last Saturday and were disappointed. The first 4 courses of the tasing menu were really good but sadly downhill afterwards. The Monkfish and Seabass were similar dishes and quite plain. The Monkfish was a course on both the meat and pescatarian menu and it felt like the chef had run out of ideas for a further pescatarian course when the seabass arrived also quite plain. The two separate dishes of seabass and partridge were served with exactly the same vegetables, presented in exactly the same way. This was lazy and the priority seemed to be around making it easy to serve rather than create Michelin level dishes. We ordered the wine pairing option for each course. The wine pairing for the pescatarian menu was lazy. For the course where my husband has partridge breast and I had seabass, we were both served the red wine, Thymiopoulos Alta Xinomavro 2021 which pairs wit Lamb, Pork, Beef, Pork, Sausage and Charcuterie. The lady who served it, whilst looking bored with regurgitating the same script, extensively described how it paired with partridge and then commented ‘oh and it pairs with seabass’ followed by a brief description. This wine does not pair with seabass and this was a lazy and poor choice, especially for a Michelin restaurant. The height of disappointment was the last course of puree mushroom and chocolate shard – It was, as it sounds, fairly disgusting and hard to believe that any chef had tasted it before putting it on a menu. When leaving the restaurant, we noticed other diners struggling with it also! So, all is all not a good experience and would not return or recommend it. The restaurant is not putting the effort in to providing a good dining experience – which is fine if they were charging prices that reflected the effort they were putting in , but they are not. The price is based on the publicity that Tommy Banks has and he is maybe taking their Michelin star for granted! I wish I had read this honest review before booking it.

Fantastic experience staying and dining at the Black Swan for part of our honeymoon. The bedroom in the adjacent building was very nice with a 4 poster bed and big bathroom. The tasting menu with drinks package was very tasty and memorable and we loved the attention to detail in the food, surroundings and service.

Called into the Swan just on spec while touring the area. Greeted by very friendly staff and made to feel very welcome indeed. We chose meals from the light bite menu which were very good indeed. I had beer battered fish and my wife had the lasagne. The only thing that needs identifying is the £6.75 a pint for Neckoil IPA. Ridiculous price. Overall a very warm and inviting place to visit. I think I'll book a room there soon for a better visit to the area. Well worth 5 stars in my book.

Just had such a lovely stay at this beautiful pub. The rooms were so cozy and comfortable, the location was really pretty and the food was very good. The owners were so friendly and attentive. We found this place by accident, but will definitely be returning in the near future. Thank you for a lovely night.

Our stay was at Byland, Abbey Inn. Breakfast was served at the Black Swan. It was the most amazing breakfast. Most enjoyable. Well deserving of 5 stars.

We did the over night stay with breakfast and tasting menu in the evening. Food and service were exceptional. Would highly recommend

Amazing service, wonderful food and lovely chilled vibe

Wonderful experience. Food was off the scale.

A shocking, hair found in food, food cold would even entertain it to the homeless. They didn't even serve heinz Ketchup for the chips! We ended up going to the local greasy spoon down the road, food much better and cheaper. Foods absolutely horrid!

Tommy Banks & his team are culinary magicians, faultless tasting menu. Standout dishes the Scallops & The Saddle.

Food superb, service excellent, as you would expect from a restaurant of this calibre. It’s what you’ve paid for. Two gripes. One, lots of upselling attempts for additional courses or different wine pairing suggestions. Felt it was inappropriate and could be intimidating. Second, accommodation is poor value for money. Nothing special and in our cottage we could hear them setting up tables in the restaurant from 6.30am.

Because we stayed at the Abbey Inn, our breakfast was at The Black Swan. I honestly never expected to have my breakfast at a Michelin Starred restaurant. It was beautiful. I'm used to greasy spoon caffs being a contractor but the food at the Black Swan is something else !!

Food and service were exceptional as can be expected. All the courses were wonderful and beautifully presented. Can't fault it. We stayed overnight in their cottage and that was clean, warm and very well presented.

Our first visit. The food was amazing bar one such where I felt one of the Lemon Verbena sauce overwhelmed the delicacy of the Fish it was accompanied with. This is a small comment against a a spectacular tasting menu. the scallops and Hoggen were standout plates. Wine menu is not massive but has many great options at a fair spectrum of prices. We visited the kitchen garden and the farm which emphasised the philosophy of the restaurant and was wonderful to see and connect to and with. Rooms are simple and adequate, value is hard to judge as there are few options close by. All in all a great experience provided by great staff ( Florrie at the Inn and Gaia ) in a lovely location and with a brilliant philosophy closely connected to provenance. Integrity in supply and care in the production shone through. Thankyou.

Went today for lunch not been before passed it many times and thought must try it so today we did . On arrival little wait at the bar to be seated .we're greeted by a very nice lady who showed us to our table then came back for drinks order.we all choose different meals and there was a wait but so worth it when it came .we all agreed and really enjoyed it. Now for puddings nicest sticky toffee pudding I've eaten in ages delious creme brulee was nice my cousin said and hubby's apple pie went down a treat. So thanks we had a lovely afternoon . And the toilets were so clean and smelt lovely !!

Delicious tasting menu and wine pairing. We had one course which wasn't to our liking but others loved it so just not for us I guess. For me the rooms are lovely but way overpriced, but if you're wine pairing and don't live nearby your options are limited. However, I would definitely go back for the food.

Me and my girlfriend had a Saturday lunch testing menu and was simply perfect. We are chefs too and really, everything was just amazing, from the location to the floor team (especially Steph that was our sommelier/waiter) to the head chef Alice and the rest of the team that showed up many times to explain all the dishes to us. You can see when people are really passionate about the job, the product and everything that is in between. This place really makes you feel at home, nurture by the chefs and is the place to understand the real meaning of the word "hospitality". Has been our pleasure to be customers of the black swann. Thanks again to the team. Gabriella and willyxander.

Lovely cozy pub. Visited today 13th July 2024 Plenty of food choices on menu. Meals Freshly cooked, and tasted delicious. Very filling. Plenty of indoor and outdoor seating and tables. Free car parking Accommodation available. Friendly staff. Definitely recommend

We stayed here last night in room 1. There are 7 rooms which are adjacent to the pub in an old converted barn type building. Our room was superb! Clean, modern, quaint and simply so much thought gone into the added extra's. The tea tray was excellent as were the little touches like supplying ear plugs incase the local church across the carpark bell's keep you awake. We personally didn't hear them, they go off every half hour 24/7 and is a lovely noice to wake up to on a Sunday morning in this lovely little village. The pub itself is superb! It is quaint, with an amazing interior full of unusual nik nacks and even trees inside. Lovely cosy lighting. Just perfect. The Staff are wonderful and so friendly from the minute we checked in until the minute we checked out. They work extremely hard. If we lived in this village it would most definitely be our local. We watched the England match for which they had put up a screen for and this was a great treat along with lots of others, mostly friendly local's. Even had a free chippy bap at half time which was just a brilliant gesture. Can't comment on the food as we didn't eat here in the end but we will definitely be back to try it next time. Simply can not recommend this lovely gem enough. If you haven't tried it then you certainly should. Thanks again to all of the wonderful Staff.

We’ve been to The Swan twice now and each time has been brilliant, Food - amazing! Drinks - perfect (their own rose wine is gorgeous). Service - again perfect. Can’t wait to go again!

We live locally and a highlight of our year is supporting the amazing Fig Pie Wakes, always a brilliant atmosphere at this quirky event. After a lovely afternoon we settled down for a meal at The Swan. The staff were amazing, they had been rushed off their feet all day, yet still were welcoming and genuinely friendly. Our food was good: lasagne and chicken burger. If I am being critical, the chicken burger was very thin more like a schnitzel, very tasty all the same. Finished with the most delicious cheesecake. We always enjoy a visit to The Swan and this was no exception.

We had a fantastic overnight stay in a well appointed room with every detail thought out. The tasting menu was superb as was breakfast the following morning. Every member of staff went the extra mile.

This was our third visit to the hotel and as always the food was out of this world. However, the accommodation was a real let down this time and did not feel worth the £400 charged. We couldn't check in till 4pm and needed to be at the restaurant at 6.10. The meal lasted till 11 and then we had to check out by 10.30. So didn't feel like we got the most out of the room. The walls are also thin so we re kept awake by the people above us. In terms of the restaurant, they had recently had it varnished and a strong gasoline smell was all we could smell when we were downstairs and it was really off putting. All in all, we will back for the restaurant but plan to camp nearby instead next time.

Couldn’t have asked for a better night. We’d been really looking forward to eating at The Black Swan and when we got there we decided to stay over as they had a room available last minute. We are lucky enough to have eaten at a number of nice restaurants but the service here really stood out. They couldn’t do enough to help us. The food was as good as expected and we enjoyed some really nice drinks as well. Will definitely be coming back.

We went to the Black Swan back in July 2021 and stayed in one of their lovely cottages on site. Accommodation was fantastic and the food was out of this world. Since visiting The Black Swan we have also visited some of their other restaurants, Roots in York Twice and also the Abbey Inn. All locations have surpassed our expectation and we can't wait to return.

Breakfast here was a part of our stay at The Abbey Inn It was a little disappointing to be honest

Love that same party can have slightly different options (vegetarian/ pescatarian etc) very knowledgeable staff, questionable wine with scallops, was not for us, overall good experience

A truly disappointing experience booked by my husband for my 60th birthday. We were expecting great things but we're let down in lots of ways. We will not be back and we will now also not be going to roots in york. Booked 3 rooms on arrival at 4pm non of the rooms were ready until 4.50 we were expected to be suited and booted by 5.30 and in the restaurant no time to relax. Checkout by 10.30 am..Oviously once you have the money you are just not interested anymore.. .

Great lunch, if a little pricey at £135. Famed for using preserved items, all very tasty. Best little snack was the toast with the aged Killeen and pear, good chewy and crusty bread, sea bass was perfectly judged with asparagus n the sauce, plate lickingly good sauce with the variations of mangalita pork, and the sweet/savoury "dessert of mushroom, artichoke and woodruff.

We went to the Black Swan for a surprise 40th birthday for my partner, also deciding to stay over in one of the beautiful garden rooms. Overall it was a wonderful culinary experience, and the room was fabulous. We opted for the basic wine pairing which complimented each dish perfectly. Each dish was full of flavour and cooked to perfection, a superb dining experience. The waiting staff were superb, exceptional attention to detail, and courteous and friendly throughout the evening. My one issue was the supplement they charged for one of the courses, this was an optional choice that we agreed to; however, charging £28 each for the lobster ravioli, given the cost of the tasting menu, seemed at tad inappropriate. We have eaten at other Michelin starred restaurants and I don't recall supplement charges being added to the tasting menus. I would suggest that Tommy Banks reviews this element of their menu. Regardless of this, we still had a fantastic time and this minor issue did not detract from the exceptional dining experience we had.

Absolutely superb in every area

My expectations were as high as could be so to have the entire experience go massively above these was a absolute bonus. The entire team made the evening so special and really deliverd a once in a life time experience. Not to mention the food was by far the best food I have tried anywhere in the world.

Absolutely lovely food, staff are very friendly and competent. Had an amazing meal and wine pairing, cannot fault it. Location is a pig to get to, but once you are there and especially if you are staying in one of their rooms, it's a lovely village.

Just fantastic, local, food. Preparation is exquisite and the taste experience is stunning.

Five stars for the restaurant, did not stay in the hotel.

Beautiful food, excellent service, a glorious setting

Fabulous fine dining experience.

Visit: 9 Dec 23 Menu. Simply the best of Yorkshire. The Banks Family have created a wonderful culinary experience at Oldstead featuring the very best of locally sourced ingredients cooked with a care and passion which is impossible to overlook. Well deserving of their 2023 Michelin Star Award. Service. Impeccable. Warm, friendly and attentive. Nothing pretentious about the experience, the staff really make you feel at home whilst maintaining smooth & seemingly effortless service. Rooms. Excellent. Warm, clean & functional, complete with roll-top bath, walk-in shower and reasonably priced mini-bar. Perfect for a short getaway in the Yorkshire countryside. Rec: 5 Star - Rebooking ASAP

Phenomenal food, service and atmosphere, an amazing experience and evening

Me and my wife visited here a while back now and do plan on visiting next year. What can I say apart from it’s everything and more than we expected. The food was absolutely amazing, the staff was very attentive. This place is definitely worthy of a Michelin star and you can tell why.

Food was good & it's off the bucket list!

Had a fabulous dinner, all the food was outstanding and service was exceptional. Staff were knowledgeable and so welcoming. Thank you for the most wonderful visit.

Stayed at the Abbey Inn on a 2 night break and was not disappointed. The tasting menu at the Black Swan was superb, the chocolate and mushroom dessert was just glorious and Micheal who guided us through the wine flight was a joy he was just brilliant. The meal at the Abbey Inn was fantastic, our room and views of the ruins superb. What a wonderful break with the food and staff cannot wait to return. Thank you.

Been to a few Michelin star restaurants, for us , this one was the top for food, so far. Well done Tommy, keep it up.

Simply amazing. We stayed at the Abbey Inn, which overlooks Byland Abbey and the building is situated in a beautiful location. The food at the Black Swan did not disappoint and is well worth the hype it receives.

A beautiful and delicious stay at Oldstead

A superb tasting menu and matching wines. The food is clever and inventive without ever being fussy or pretentious. Chef Tommy Banks' focus is on flavour from seasonal and local produce, most of which comes from the restaurant's garden and nearby family farm. The staff are knowledgeable, efficient, helpful and friendly. Altogether a wonderful experience and highly recommended.

Super food very rich and filling. Impeccable service all staff very knowledgeable. An excellent experience and breakfast was excellent

Best of the best and we have eaten at Michelin Star restaurants. Head chef has the most amazing team. Waiting staff the best ever. Would we come back? In a heart beat. Loved Black Swan. Our best ever experience. ❤

We were fortunate enough to dine here last night and the tasting menu was exceptional. The amount of work that must go into creating the food is staggering to achieve the flavours in each dish. Knowledge of the staff was also first class. I wish I could describe the dishes but I simply wouldn't do them.justice.

We actually stayed at The Abbey Inn as part of a 2 night stay with one meal at The Abbey and one meal at The Black Swan. Our room was spectacular, the service at both establishments was spot on and the food was outstanding. It was a luxurious break and was perfect for our celebration trip. The ethos of the Banks family including home grown produce and all the initiatives for sustainability are to be commended.

Outstanding food and exceptional service. The staff are incredibly knowledgeable and each dish had a story. Everything is so local and innovative. It’s expensive but you get what you pay for. Can’t comment on the rooms as didn’t stay over.

So happy to be back after our first visit in 2017. It truly deserves all the fame and the michilin. Vs 5 years ago, the food have noticeably become more modern and michilin like and yet retained the Oldstead charm. Breakfast has become less elaborate but still delicious. Service remained as friendly and attentive. I can't see what's stopping Black Swan to getting its 2nd star. The rooms however need some updating. We had 2 rooms. Both are comfortable, nice bathrooms, etc. Adequate I guess, but somewhat pricey vs the competition now in Yorkshare.

Bit of a cracker for the anniversary... Very nice, although as a vegetarian that doesn't drink I suspect my wife had the better time!

Perfection What a great experience. A manifestation of absolutely Tommy. The food was just exceptional with the most extraordinary flavour combinations with absolutely stunning presentation. It's hard to imagine a more perfect experience. Only shame was not meeting the man himself.

Super service and great food. Tasting menu quite expensive (£250 pP even if you only drink water) but huge variety of beautifully prepared dishes that all taste top-notch. Explanations maybe a tad too long/explicit, really needs aircon in this hot climate-changed weather and not too keen on iPad drinks menu but otherwise perfect. Lovely outside area to take exotic aperitifs (eg Yorkshire Tea Negroni), some surprises (eg English caviar) and some fun (eg choice of colour of knives). A great pleasure following the many, very varied, all delicous courses

Had at a fantastic meal last night. The food was amazing, the staff excellent. The ambiance perfect. Cannot sing the praises enough for a fantastic evening. Thank You to the Entire team.

Just the most amazing and memorable experience. Exceptional food - every course was so delicious it is impossible to choose a favourite! And exceptional front of house too. Thank you so much to all of the staff who were all so friendly and gave us such a lovely day to remember.

Exceptional, local, fresh, unique. Go.

Quite wonderful. The most imaginative pairings of flavours that anyone could dream up. We went for the lunchtime tasting menu and everything was absolutely stunning, starting with the cocktails. The wine pairing was inspired, with the biggest surprise being a fabulous Polish dessert wine. Service was friendly and absolutely impeccable.

Completely faultless. Can't wait to return.

I have held off writing this because I was initially reluctant to say anything negative about this place. I do still, however feel strongly about our experience and think it important to share both positives and negatives. This is the second time we have been here and the food, as ever is beyond superlatives, truly wonderful, however not all is rosy. As a tee-totaller and designated driver we visited the restaurant on a tuesday where it was offering a free wine flight. I mentioned the fact that i don't drink and asked if i could just have water instead. The waitress who served me said of course I could. So, on the table we had one bottle of tap water and one bottle of sparkling water that i drank in lieu of the wine flight. Imagine my horror when i found that we had been charged £4 for not only the sparkling water but the plain water too. £8 for two bottles of water - instead of the wine flight! Had I taken the free wine flight, the wines would have cost them quite a lot, so i effectively saved them a lot of money. It did, however cost me for the privilage of missing out. It would have been cheaper for me to have had the flight and just tipped it down the sink. We voiced our disappointment when we paid the bill, but there was no offer to put this right. We love our Michelin restaurant experiences around the country, but this is one, alas that we will never return to, on principle , in spite of it being local to us. On one last point, but i was always of the opinion that a restaurant had to offer tap water free to customers. I am clearly wrong.

What I love about the Black Swan is the seasonal ethos and the amazing food combinations. Food and service were faultless. The wine pairing was very good, too. For me, the highlights were Lobster amuse bouche, Pork main and Woodruff/mushroom dessert, incredible flavours. Stayed overnight in the cottage just a short walk from the restaurant, a beautiful room with great bath. The breakfast the following morning was superb with a refreshing apple juice and local produce. Even bumped into a "hairy biker"on the way back to our room!!

Farm to fork. High end dining with a sustainable ethos. The wine list is superb, the cocktails are even better. Driving back through Byland Abbey made this a magical evening.

The best vegetarian tasting menu I have ever had (and I’ve tried a few), wonderful service, beautiful room

Love stopping here thats why we keep coming back, It is great for a quick escape, accommadation is of a high standard with everything you require for an overnight stay. We dined in the pub and the food was amazing, service from staff was great....

The lunch was really well prepared, expansive choice of wines and beers. Staff were helpful, chatty and polite. Set in pleasant surroundings and perfect day or evening

Its a pub rooms which appear converted from courtyard buildings so all unique. Mine was No 7 so have open views and apart from an Old cheap Tv it was great. The staff are great and the menu has some unusual choicest although the food...

Great customer service and delicious food. What more could you ask for? Halloumi burger was delicious and very filling.

After visting the nearby antiques center we saw the sign for the Swan Inn and, it being 1-ish decide to try it for lunch - good choice, We ate from the 'Light Bites' menu, fish 'n chips/ ham and eggs - delicious. The staff couldn't...

Walkers Beware- Wear Hats at Your Peril! Our group was on a 5-mile walk around the village, which was a great walk and we decided to finish with a drink at this place. We quickly ordered at the bar and then planned on heading to...

Had a great Sunday lunch here with my Mum. Cosy setting with friendly welcoming staff. Dogs are allowed too!

We are local to this pub and I love its ambience . Chose this for my birthday meal. Matched all of my expectations. I had the lamb steak - delicious and my husband had the pie - no complaints , he’s had a lot of...

WE went for dinner with friends on a cold January evening-a warm welcome in a busy bar area offering a good range of real ales. Our table was next to a coal fire very welcome!!. I had a King prawn pasta dish others had the...

A very attractive village pub with some pleasant touches - plenty of candles all lit, interesting decor and friendly staff. The menus offer good quality pub food at sensible prices and the family were well satisfied. The bar is well stocked. The washrooms are beautifully...

A lovely warm and cosy pub, pleasant staff but in my view the food is not so good. I had the Sunday roast, Lamb looked cooked nicely but was all gristle, the roast potatoes were kept warm and hard, the vegetables were not any better.

My Husband and I were in the area on Saturday 19th Jan just driving around looking at properties. As we are not from the area we had no clue where to go for the loo or for a drink and when we stumbled on The...

Good food and reasonably priced. Paul bakes his own bread and scones. Everything is fresh and made on the premises. Paul is a good chef with skills that some chefs lack.

after getting drinks Waited nearly half an hour no came for our food order. Paid for drinks and left Very rude staff

We visited as a group of 4. The waiting staff were excellent and food delicious. The one comment I would make is that portion control needs to be addressed. My husband and I had a starter which contained prawns, I felt that my portion of...

Called with friends for a birthday meal. Charming setting, great service, and the food was fantastic. Very good value for money, and a great choice, plus the special boards. Highly recommend a visit

We booked a table as my grandparents traveled over from Yorkshire and this was where they wished to eat. We where shown to our table witch was lovely about fifteen mins later a gentleman came over and asked me to Remove my hat in a...

Staying at nearby Rookery Hall and far from impressed with various issues so went on to trip advisor to find a nearby venue for dinner. Found the Swan and were very glad we did. Lovely old Inn in lovely location. Excellent ambience and staff. Lovely...

Visited 26th December with a specific table for 9 booked for a few months. Arrived to be shown to a different table with no explanation other than it wasn’t written down..!! Even though I mentioned it on numerous occasions through the booking and deposit system....

We returned to the Swan today for a christmas lunch. This pub is an hours drive for us but so worth it. Great to see it stunningly decked out with christmas lights. The staff are so lovely, polite and friendly. My wife has allergies and...

the food was excellent both in quality and quantity. would definitely go there again. I can recommend the sirloin steak because mine was cooked to perfection but the service from the staff was outstanding for both friendliness and professionalism

The booking for the Fri evening family get together dinner was made over the telephone and proved to be quick, easy and efficient. It is suggested that no matter when you are going that a reservation is made in advance both to ensure you get...

We visited yesterday lunch time, the staff were all helpful and friendly and the food was well presented and tasted delicious.

Stayed at the swan . The room was spotless and beautifully decorated. On our arrival all staff were so friendly and could not do enough to help us. Lovely atmosphere in the restaurant and food was 1st class. Would defiantly 're visit.

My first visit to this lovely pub So pretty now with festive decorations and a log fire. I am a celiac I was provided with a menu with GF shown. I had a delicious meal with no problems I could highly recommend this place to...

My wife and I stayed here for a weekend break in mid November. We wanted somewhere not too far from home but far enough away to chill out and relax away from work. What a great find! A lovely pub full of warmth, old world...

I love this place. The pub itself is so quaint and unique with a lovely layout and well thought out design. Food was great, service was good and the rooms were just perfect for me. Shame couldn't just go for breakfast in the morning should...

Excellent service and very tasty food in a cosy setting and at a reasonable price. As a bonus the staff were very friendly and helpful when we explained it was our first visit to the establishment.

This pub retains a lot of old features, beams, quirky seating areas and has been decorated with a well chosen selection of collectables and ephemera. The menu had a good choice of dishes, ranging from homemade pies through to venison. It was reasonably priced and...

Didn’t use restaurant but the food looked very nice. Good selection of beers and very good presentation of gins which my wife enjoyed . The place was very welcoming. We liked the idea of the rooms being separated from the pub, maybe once the stables....

The rooms are quaint and very clean and the area is lovely. The church bells can be heard through the day and night but this is a positive! The pub is warm and welcoming and the staff are friendly and professional. The food is gorgeous...

Bit of a late one being over 6 months ago but hey........booked the back room for my wife's 50th...fantastic food laid on and very attentive owners and staff..they always make you very welcome...I also eat and drink in here quite often and to date have...