The Waggoner's Restaurant in South Lakeland

Great service compliments the menu which always has a Sunday roast dinner on Sundays. You need to book in advance to ensure of a table at your chosen time as there is nothing worse than being turned away and having to wait for a table.

La familia (6 en total) disfrutó muchísimo nuestras comidas, desde entrantes platos principales, postres y bebidas. El servicio fue bueno con la atención de un joven camarero muy agradable y el gerente. ¡Nuestra noche termina en un pequeño y acogedor salón con café y galletas de mantequilla y muchas risas!

There is a good choice on the menu and staff will mix and match for you.There is a pleasnt air in this dining room which has views over the gardens and to the fells. Breakfast is first classs and served hot from the kitchen.

We came here for a dinner one evening whilst away for a birthday break. Our waitress (unsure of the name) was lovely, although I’m unsure if she was new as she didn’t seem to know a few things. It looked like another staff member nearby was the same. The restaurant was completely empty so we thought we’d be in and out pretty quick. I asked for a straw for my drink as I have sensitive teeth and she said she wasn’t sure I could because it’s bad for the environment.. strange reply but she brought me a paper straw anyway so I was thankful.We actually overheard a conversation where a member of staff was telling her things she didn’t do correctly then left her by herself again, after hearing this it’s clear that they aren’t training staff well. Although trying to order was slightly hard work, this wasn’t her fault and she was very nice. My partner ordered the fish of the day which was cod and it looked very nice, he enjoyed it. I ordered the pork chop, we also asked for some thin cut fries on the side to share. Our waitress then began to tell us we don’t need to because we have potatoes on our dishes. We told he that’s fine we just want them extra on the side, which she then asked if we wanted to swap out potatoes for the fries. After a while, we managed to convince her to order them as an extra. Although when they arrived we got chips and not fries but it didn’t really matter. The pork was very tough and over cooked, with a strange taste (not sure if it was frozen). I’m never one to write a bad review but this this point on is where I decided I’d have to. We decided to have dessert (bad idea) and ordered creme brûlée.. When it arrived it looked lovely but once cracked, the inside was extremely lumpy and curdled. It looked and tasted like scrambled egg, which was bizarre. My partner ate it anyway as I couldn’t eat it and he’ll eat anything! So after this I was disappointed and just wanted to leave so we asked for the bill, but was told someone else had to give it us so we waited. About 5-10 minutes later we received the bill and asked for the card machine, around 15 minutes later we received the card machine and finally paid. Overall not a great experience and felt very awkward. To top it off, in the corner where we sat was very dirty with crumbs, fluff and hair down the sides of the floor. Wouldn’t visit again unfortunately.

Great service— friendly and attentive, tables were well spaced, cozy and food was yummy. I had a green salad, roasted tomato soup, fish pie and the cheese board. All delicious.

Mi esposa y yo nos alojamos en el Hotel Swan y pensamos que sería una opción fácil reservar una comida en nuestra primera noche. Pero cuando leí algunas de las críticas, me preocupé de haber cometido un error al reservar. . . . . . . De hecho nos sorprendió gratamente? El restaurante es un espacio encantador, en armonía con la histórica construcción de Swan Hotel en el histórico World Coach House. El personal era educado y profesional, con muchas sonrisas para hacernos sentir bienvenidos.El huevo escocés con pudín negro / cohete de arranque y aderezo era encantador. Mi plato principal de ternera y pastel de ale, verduras marchitas, papas fritas y salsa. Fue abundante, sabroso y agradable. ¿Junto con el pollo kiev de mi esposa? Las bebidas que acompañaban eran buenas. Los precios del restaurante y de las bebidas están en consonancia con los precios de grasmere, y no son demasiado caros.¿A la gerencia y al personal, seguir con el buen trabajo y las sonrisas? ?

Food good quality, limited choice staff very professional and efficient, breakfast excellent choice for everyone

Called in for a family gathering at lunchtime. Not all on menu was available.net said children friendly but no childrens menu but matter sorted admirably by manager.Food was tasty but rediculously priced. 15.00 for fish and a few chips in a " bucket"My relative had a burger..no cheese etc for 15.00. And a few chips.The previous night a local pub served a steak with all the trimmings for less.Coffee a rediculous 3.90 a cup.Sorry but wont be going again.

We called in at exactly noon for lunch hoping it wouldn't be too busy in the holiday season, there were a few having coffee, we went to order lunch from a quite limited menu to be told (without apology) that one of the three available sandwiches was off so were the fish and chips! We ordered a cheeseburger and a streak sandwich, after 40 mins the burger arrived without cheese, I asked for cheese and after 5 mins the same burger was again delivered at this time reduced to rubber, the steak sandwich was in toasted mothers pride, the person behind the bar was without any experience of customer service - two inferior sandwiches and two drinks £52.00,!

This place is a joke ,the food was not what was advertised on the website, I had a steak that tasted like a boil in the bag, I love to write great reviews but I can't find any positive to say about this place, maybe it would be a good idea if the chef went back to catering college,

Do not bother trying to relive wonderful memories at the Swan Hotel in Grasmere. The place is now a dump, the furniture needs updating and the food is horrendous. There is zero evidence of true customer service and honestly the food is the worst food we have eaten in the Lakes. For the position of this hotel it should be thriving, but sadly it’s not! Thank goodness we visited when this hotel was in its prime, twenty years ago. Someoneplease buy the Swan Hotel at Grasmere, restore it and then serve delightful food, with great customer service.

We walked up from Grasmere Village to have dinner. We ate in the bar, it was very hot and stuffy. My husband ordered fish and chips and I ordered chicken kiev. Unfortunately five minutes after ordering the barman came back and said 'sorry the chef said there is not any fish and chips'! My husband ordered something different which was quite nice. My chicken kiev was just okay so overall a disappointing visit.

Stopped for Sunday roast. Nice beef and yorkie although were only warm. Roasties nice but only 3 small on plate. Nice veg mix but cold! Complained to waiter who was ignorant told me it was because we were sat in the garden. Was goin to have a dessert but will save my money for elsewhere! Also very pricy for what we received! Won't return.

We were in Grasmere for a week with a large party (and split up this night...so this review is based on the experience of our family...they had the children while we ate at the Dining Room at Oak Bank -- wow, see that review for number 1)....anyway, we had reserved a table a few weeks in advanced and the restaurant called the day prior and bumped our table to the bar area to accommodate a larger group....we agreed. But the food was below average and the service was terrible. It could be due to the large party, but based on this experience, I'd eat somewhere else.

Pop in here for a drink wile on holiday in the village. Nice looking bar reasonable well stocked. But the gin was one of the most expensive gin I gave ever had and it wasn't even a posh gin. No going back for me

We were staying at a holiday cottage very close to the Swan Inn so, just a minute's walk away, this was a natural choice for Sunday lunch at the start of our holiday. On ordering, we discovered that there were no prawns, ham or salmon so that ruled out some of our sandwich choices for the children. In the end, we ordered three Sunday roasts and one other main. We didn't have starters. With two rounds of drinks (each including soft drinks for the children), and two deserts for the children, the bill came to £137. We felt that this was excessive. Granted, the food was good (good, not awesome) and the staff were friendly and helpful.

We booked dinner at the Swan whilst staying in Grasmere for New Year. We had called in New year's eve for a drink in the bar and was impressed with the ambience and customer service so we decided to book a table for dinner on New Years Day. We had visited some gorgeous restaurants during our stay and the menu and promises of quality local produce looked appealing.

Visited this restaurant with family. A party of 10. Roast Dinner, beautiful beef with a perfect Yorkshire pudding and a small selection of seasonal vegetables; swimming in a deeply velvety red wine gravy - £16.95. My husband had the fish and chips, divine costing £13. My daughter had the sausage and mash, also £13 but was the smallest portion of food I’ve ever seen labelled as a main meal. 2, 1.5/2 inch sausages (honestly wouldn’t have looked out of place wrapped in bacon servied with a turkey dinner) with two table spoons of mash. A large glass of wine was £12 and all had to be ordered at the bar with a table number. The waiter did all he could to make us feel looked after but I just feel the model felt like a 2 for £10 service with meagrely portioned good food at fine dining prices. Not somewhere I’d recommend but if it were just the 3 of us and I fancied a roast, I’d go again and just avoid the sausage and mash option and stick to just one glass of wine.

The four of us decided to have early dinner at this place. The Scotch Egg made with Black Pudding Crust was nice. We all ate a English country meat pie. Sauce was tasty but the pie content had hardly any meat and two to three pieces of carrots. Very high price point, questionable quality and quantity on the meat pie. the rest of meal on the plate was good. Service has been good and friendly!

£ 15.00 for a smoked Salmon sandwich! £72.00 for soup and sandwich+ drink for 3 people. Plus poor and slow service. We were just about the only customers in. Not shown a menu, but asked for soup and a sandwich, No cutlery for the sandwich, sent one sandwich back as it was not gluten free as requested, and would have made someone ill. Agreed £48.00 and left rapidly. Empty carpark at lunchtime should have been a clue!

Staying in the Lake District you expect to pay over the top for everything BUT £9.10 for a pot of tea for two is taking it to another level! Out for a walk with my husband and stopped off for a refreshment and charged a fortune for hot water and 2 tea bags, (neither of us take milk) I'm still in shock, won't be going back!

A huge pub with various places to eat we chose the garden which was large and nicely kept. The food was good but I thought it was rather expensive.

We were part of a large group that enjoyed a dinner here. The food was delicious and served promptly. The meat nearly melted in your mouth. The servers were very positive and helpful.

We stayed here and used this restaurant for breakfasts and evening meals. Breakfast choices extensive with hot food choices individually prepared at your request. Dinner menu a bit limited in my opinion but what was offered was excellent. The service was impeccable.

A pesar de críticas buenas, esta era una comida decepcionante que comenzó mal y nos fuimos cuesta abajo. Al entrar en el hotel, no es evidente que el restaurante es y tardé 10 minutos en conseguir la atención del personal del bar muy concurrido para ir sentado. Los camareros parecían lo suficientemente rápido pero mal el inglés y una actitud hoscos no pinta bien. Comida de mi pareja era lo suficientemente agradable, pero la mía llegó tibio. vino era caro para lo que era. En general, una experiencia muy decepcionante con lugares mucho mejores en el mismo pueblo.

You can't go wrong by stopping here for dinner - the food is good and the service is excellent. It's right on the outskirts of Grasmere and good parking. Try the pub while there as well

Not a very extensive menu, but the food served is local and very good - Rump Steak (which can easily be rubbish) was succulent and excellent. Presentation was above average and the staff very attentive and quick.

Fantastic food, along with great service. We found it difficult to chose what to eat as everything was so tempting.

Called to The Swan on the first night visiting the area, had the most friendliest server (he may of been the manager) . Service was amazing, we were really looked after. Absolutely gorgeous food, all homemade!! Very filling and worth every penny.

sadly, like other reviews on this page, the staff let this particular visit down. I've eaten at this restaurant many times and always been impressed, but sadly communication issues with the staff (and lack of staff) meant the meal wasn't as we expected. We asked 3 times for white wine, even pointing at the bottle we wanted, and ended up with red, we asked for side plates for our starters which never showed up, and was just generally quite a calamity which we've been giggling about since. I'm sure they'll be able to turn it around quickly. It is very quiet in the restaurant and maybe some background music and dimming the lights a little would help set the mood. Food is tasty though.

I am so disappointed! We have visited here many times and were up with a couple of our friends on our recommendation we booked for the Friday night. It was extremely quiet only two or three other couples in the Resturant. We asked a couple of requests from the chef which the waitress wouldn't entertain! Dropped most of the cutlery whilst removing our plates, her mobile phone rang in her pocket whilst taking our desert order and manners think she left them at home! The food that we had was very nice, but the whole evening spoilt by one person. Won't be recommending in future!

Recently stayed with my 10 year old grand-daughter and we had our first evening meal in the restaurant. On the second evening, it had been our intention to walk into Grasmere for a meal, but my Grand-daughter was very keen to eat in the hotel restaurat again. The food was excellent, well cooked and presented with a very good choice of menu and the waiting staff were attentive without being 'pushy'.

lovely food well presented and a good choice, we will be back soon. great views over the fells and surrounding countryside .not too formal but with a certain style. the camembert starter is particularly good.

Visited here Valentines evening while staying at hotel. The food was very well presented but some of the portions were small, more of a 'tasting menu' than a good sized meal. For main course I had the lamb which was delicious but the creme brulee which followed was an 'espresso' sized portion. More disappointing was the brulee itself. After breaking into it rather than being creamy it was dried up. The waitress noticed it uneaten and said she would mention it to the chef but no offer was made to compensate for it or replace it. The restaurant itself was busy, and very nice, and the staff were friendly and efficient. Some plates good, others not so, which is disappointing for the price, and an occasion.

This is a hotel restaurant and is expensive for the quality of the food.The wines are generally good and the waiters know about each wine. It is not somewhere I would choose to eat at again

Dinner service was slow and although the menu was good the cooking did not live up to expectations. I had Hake with a prawn sauce, tasty but prawns over cooked so like little pieces of rubber. Chicken supreme was better but very little vegetable accompaniment.

Not a huge menu, everything is prepared to order. Quality over quantity. Be prepared for a wait during busy periods. Lovely surroundings

We stayed in the hotel and had looked forward to dining there. Sadly there was a number of options that were "not available" while the staff did their best to make up for this the list of alternatives was limited. The review therefore is scored lower as 3 of us had to have second choice dishes. Also the menu price supplements and the somewhat expensive drinks and wine list spoiled what otherwise should have been a relaxing evening in a great setting.

The Waggoners Restaurant at The Swan Hotel in Grasmere has gained a remarkable reputation so Pat and I were delighted to be invited to dine there.The hotel was built in 1650 as a coaching inn. 150 years later William Wordsworth strolled along from Dove Cottage to dine there. In 1803 his new friend Sir Walter Scott went with him. Three years later Wordsworth wrote his epic poem The Waggoner which reads: ‘Who does not know the famous Swan?’The window seats in the restaurant are coveted to admire the awesome view across the crags which hasn’t changed in three centuries, its splendour matched today by the quality of the AA rosette dining. The à la Carte menu (complimented by a gluten-free version) features popular dishes and each one seems more appealing than the others.Among the Starters are: Ricotta Gnocchi, Tempura Prawns, Smoked Salmon, Terrine of Duck, and Scallops with Black Pudding cylinders (all the way from Stornaway!), and even Haggis, Neeps and Tatties!Main Courses include a selection of Steaks plus: Highland Lamb, Corn-fed Chicken, Pumpkin Ravioli, and Roast Duck. Chef Robert Ryan enhances these dishes with his own unique vegetable preparations. You’ll take a minute to admire these presentations before taking the first taste.Jason Moore became manager of the Swan four years ago: “I have a dedicated team who provides great customer service. We were finalists in the Cumbria Tourism Awards and our commitment to quality and food gained us the award for Catering Hotel of the Year with Macdonald Hotels.“This traditional coaching inn has a wonderfully romantic atmosphere and provides the perfect venue for an intimate wedding in the Lake District. Guests can sip mulled wine by the log fires in winter or enjoy Champagne in our private garden while marvelling at the dramatic backdrop of the fells.”After nearly 400 years the Swan is as popular as ever. Wordsworth’s chair still stands in the dining room, a reminder that greatness once resided here and that greatness remains.

All in all we enjoyed the food, the dinner bed and breakfast is reasonable value. We ate with our 10 month old and it was refreshing to see a relatively clean high chair. The service was friendly and welcoming, my only gripe was paying for veg which was forgotten and had browning cauliflower, other than that the food was very good. 2 nights in a row is probably a bit much but if you have been travelling and want somewhere convenient I would recommend it.

I dined here at very short notice, but the friendly receptionist was able to find me a table.The food was truly excellent, displaying a lightness of touch and understanding that would be envied in "posher" restaurants. It was not expensive for the quality of food. Service was pretty good: friendly and observant. It's clearly a hotel restaurant, so the ambience isn't special, but the food was way better than most hotel offerings. I'd go again.

Have stayed at the hotel on several occasions and always with the dinner included. Whilst there is not a large choice the food is varied and always of a high standard.

The quality of the food was excellent. The 3 course menu was just right for choice - not too much or too little. The ambience was brilliant and the service was spot on - not over pampered.A 3 course meal was around £28, but, if you pre-booked, that was reduced to £20. The wine, I thought, was expensive, but I guess that's what goes with 'fine dining'. At the end of the day, it was a treat for us, and we enjoyed the whole experience.Would I go again?................for sure!

lovely staff and good was perfect. Didnt have to wait long for the service. nothing seemed to be too much troble for them.

My wife and I spent three nights in Grasmere . We did not stay at the Swan, but decided to celebrate our wedding anniversary at their restaurant . We were not disappointed. We were welcomed by a very pleasant young man who was probably the Head Waiter.We had a really nice two course meal with wine, which by Lake District standards was really good value.The service was excellent and I would certainly eat there again.

visited the waggoners again after the staff re-training and found it to be a most pleasant experience. every member of staff were welcoming helpfull and friendly the menu was very varied and good value all the food we had was cooked to perfection will definatly visit again well done!!!!!

We had booked a table for 3 at 7 15. The restaurant was very quiet with only 4 other tables occupied (Easter Sunday - we thought would have been busy!) Non the less- we ordered drinks and food from the hotel reception area as we waited for our table, and 45 mins later, we hadn't received any drinks, and we were shown to the table as the main course arrived. The food was very average, veg were very under done (as we like them actually), but we saw many returned for being "almost raw", and the "sauce" accompanying my steak was not heated at all - it was a block of stilton mixed with butter!The staff were friendly, but sadly, some did not speak English.Needless to say, we didn't bother to stay for deserts!

We stayed for one evening in the off season - February 27 - at the Swan Hotel and were given a credit towards our dinner bill at the hotel restaurant. So it was nice to be able to enjoy a pre-dinner drink in their lounge and then to move over to the dining room for dinner without ever having to leave the hotel in the chill of the February evening. The restaurant is tastefully decorated and inviting. Our meals were done to perfection, and the waiter was professional, yet friendly. I hope someday to come back and stay longer, and to try other items offered on their exceptionally inviting menu.

We had a lovely meal here on Saturday. Our food was extremely well presented and very tasty. My salmon was particularly good. The deserts were scrumptious and filling. Alex, our waiter was delightful, and deserves a pat on the back for his good service and likeable manner.

very over priced & very very ordinary food .not special at all.although the waitress was friendly, it didn't make up for the lack of atmosphere ,& the rest of the staff who looked miserable.

The set price menu options for two or three courses are very good value but take care with add-ons e.g. extra veg, coffee etc as these can be quite expensive, The wine is overpriced.The food is good and I would eat here again, the service was excellent. We had very good waiters who were friendly and well informed about the menu choices. We had evening meals on both evenings we stayed, the first one we booked with the room the second meal we booked because we had enjoyed the first.

There was great choice at reasonable prices, the fixed price menu was particularly good. the food was very attractively presented and well cooked with great flavour combinations. Wouldn't recommend the service for breakfast though too slow!

The food and service were both of a very high standard.I would recommend the 2 course early bird deal between 6pm and 7pm which not only offers very good value for money but means that the waiters are able to give you more time as the restaurant is quieter.Thank you cazleeds for the original suggestion - very helpful.

well presented quality food,service brilliant. Can recommend the steaks and the sticky toffee pudding was to die for.

Service and food were excellent- could not fault it. We had the 2 course special offer for £16 a head from 6 - 7 p.m. Very good value.

We liked the food but the pea mash was a bit dry.

The food in this restaurant is beautifully presented and devine to eat. Well deserving of the rosette and price. All dishes deserve special mention and are well thought out. Breakfast is cooked to order. Evening meal is a gourmet experience.Enjoy!!

Staff were great and breakfast and dinner were excellent

We stayed at the hotel and ate in the restaurant. The staff were very good and the food second to none. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

We did not stay at the Swan Hotel as we were staying in Grasmere, thank goodness for that! We booked a meal for the evening and were happy to see that there were two vegetarian dishes on offer, limited but at least they were there. The meal when it arrived! was appalling, our red onion tart, was just a pile of red onions, with cold side dishes of mash and the 'vegetable special' was carrots in orange juice, terrible. The bill was large considering and we were only given ten pounds discount. We will never eat there again and if your a vegetarian, don't go there! We travel a lot, but in the future will avoid the Macdonald sign.