The Whalebone Pub and Scrimshaws Restaurant in Chelmsford

Our favourite venue for a meal, the service is always first class and selection of food is always variable. local parking is ideal for me as walking is limited. It is a family venue Thankyou for always making the effort.

A friendly welcome to all 16 of us, rocking up thirsty and hungry on a Saturday afternoon after a 10 mile hike, around the South Woodham Ferrers area. Bar service was polite and efficient, with reasonable prices on wines and beers. Good quality food, expertly cooked and presented: ham egg and chips, scampi and burgers all recommended. A clean, well presented pub, with a great outdoor space, for sitting, eating and relaxing, especially on a sunny day, play stuff for the kids, and dogs allowed. Everyone will enjoy visiting this establishment which also has a sports bar and restaurant, so even more more to check-out, at the Whalebone Pub. Just go!

Booked a table for 14:30 after 45 minutes order finally taken, 20 minutes later starter arrived. Waited another 50 minutes still no Mains. Paid for drinks and starter and left - not even an apology for delays

Just had a birthday lunch at The Whalebone Inn. Best Fish, Chips, Peas and Tartar Sauce had in years. Had it on a Groupon offer of Medium Fish with unlimited chips for 2 at £16. Plus got an extra 20% discount meaning paid £12.80. Not the most luxurious of surroundings but comfortable and friendly staff. Will definitely go again.

Warm and friendly place. Great service and the fish and chips were scrummy. Huge piece of fish! Delicious. Definitely go here again!

We visited today for lunch and we were really disappointed. The garlic bread starter was not toasted/cooked at all and just tasted doughy and dry, the soup had no flavour. The roast dinner was disappointing, the chicken was pink, the roast potatoes were undercooked and hard and the gravy was very thin. I had fish and chips which was ok but it was nothing like we’d had before when eating here. I wonder whether they have changed chef or food supplier in the last few months as the quality has gone way down. I can understand a reduced menu but when the food on that is poor, I’m not sure what the point is. What bothered me most of all though was the fact they had taken a booking for 18 people for a baby shower which goes against all guidelines and was loud and disturbing for everyone else in restaurant. I can’t understand how they thought that was acceptable. While I am all for supporting local, I cannot see us returning again. The wait staff were really nice and helpful at least.

This is the first time we have visited this restaurant since the lock down back in February & we were very impressed. Lesley the manager greeted us as we entered & took out particulars for track & trace, if found necessary & advised us of the Covid rules to be followed in the building. She then took us to our table & provided us with menus.The selection, as you would expect, was reduced to the ' normal ' one, but still had a nice selection of starters, mains & deserts. We chose steak, which was cooked to perfection plus the usual side dishes which were lovely & fresh, this was followed with some of their delicious deserts & then coffee, all of which were purchased for a very reasonable price. We paid the bill & left very contented.

Our son took us for a midweek meal here. Had booked a table but the restaurant was empty. We enjoyed our food and they are doing a menu during Sept which is £15 for 2 courses and a glass of wine or beer. Service was a little hit and miss but it didnt spoil our meal. Friendly pub with lovely outside area.

As a local we try to support our businesses, The Whalebone never disappoints. We always try to eat off the specials board as there is always something tasty on it. The staff are always welcoming with a smile and seem happy working there. We will be back.

We had been before and the food is very nice. This time we had a groupon voucher for four people for Battered fish and chips the chips where unlimited with the choice of peas or mushy peas with home made tarta sauce which is amazing.We had medium sized battered fish and it was huge lovely white cod found no bones none of us did.The waitress was very friendly and couldn't do enough for us.Would highly recommend this place.We have been three times since.The desserts are very yummy to especially the orange cake and chocolate cake.The lemon meringue pie is a big portion along with the rest of the desserts.Desserts are all around £5 to £6 well worth the money.

My boyfriend and I booked a table for the restaurant online. When we got there we were told we were no longer able to eat on the restaurant as they’d sat a large group in there and there wasn’t space for us. We were told to go and sit in the bar and leave. While the bar is lively and a good place for a drink, it was packed with the sports being on and we couldn’t hear one another, which when eating as a couple isn’t ideal. We explained this to the staff and they apologised but also then sent us on our way. It’s a shame as we are local and had heard good things. Won’t be returning after being treated like this however.

Our U3A Table Tennis Group (13 of us) visited Scrimshaws in February 2020 for our post Christmas Meal. Everyone agreed that the food was excellent, very tasty and very well presented, with reasonable prices. Our waitress was excellent too and went out of her way to help us and make sure that we were enjoying ourselves, even working out separate bills for us. Overall, a very enjoyable evening in a lovely restaurant.

Booked into restaurant for Sunday lunch (for birthday celebration), while quiet when we arrived it soon got busy. All the meals we had from hunters chicken and fish and chip to the roast of the day were good sized portions. Staff were helpful and quick to assist without hovering over you.Pudding were also good. Drank the local crouch vale - brewers gold. Will eat here again. the bar area where you can also eat had a lively atmosphere - sports tv and birthday celebrations going on. There is good off road parking and an area for children outside (should we get a summer).

Called for lunch food is lovely I had ham 2 eggs chips £5 my hubby had the cod and chips normal portion far 2 much food very good value for money nice cosy pub ,staff lovely will be back

Great local pub serving good food and lots of choice staff are very good and helpful easy parking, worth a visit

28 of us went to this restaurant last Saturday. Not only was the food lovely and plentiful, the service was impeccable! Great choice for our Gluten Free people and they also managed to accommodate one of people who does not care for too much on the plate. Great place, have booked again for next year!

Went again for Xmas meal, two years after the last visit. Same excellent food and table. Nice atmosphere. Very good value. Service was very good by Amy and Angela. Really couldn't fault anything. Well done, keep it going.

First Time i had visited this Restaurant as soon as we walked in we were welcomed by a big smile said we had a booking and shown to our table. The service was first class but not in your face, to me a very important drinks ordered then to decide on our meal we both had the Sunday lamb roast, we chatted for about 15 mins and the food arrived with the veg on side plates all very well presented. nothing over cooked and all very taste.When you go out for meal its nice to have good service and first class food and the bill was very fair.An enjoyable few hours spent in nice surroundings and young people that care, will be back Thankyou

I booked a table for 8 friends in the restaurant Scrimshaws 3 months ago. For my Birthday Celebrations. I rang this week to confirm the booking. Last night I walked into Scrimshaws to be greeted with a travellers Birthday party. We were shown to a dingy stuffy back room in part of the pub for our meal. Not what I had planned for a nice night out with my friends. We looked at booking another restaurant as we had been so badly let down and not informed about the party. If I had been told this was the situation I would of booked elsewhere. After a conversation with Kat we decided to stay, we were offered free drinks and dessert. Kat saved the day, she went above and beyond to ensure the evening wasn't a complete disaster. Unfortunately this has put us all off from booking again.

We normally go to the quiz at The Whalebone every Wednesday and my birthday was coming up so we decided to combine the two.

15 of us visited today at 3:00pm on a Saturday, and we were very attentively looked after, the food from the Gourmet Menu was excellent, tasty and good GF options for some too.

Evening visit and ate in bar area as there was a private party in the restaurant. Lively venue. Friendly knowledgeable staff and super clear menu especially for Gluten Free dining. Had a special price for two courses off the Gourmet menu. Good portions of Butterflied Chicken and Sea Bass.

As per my previous review,car were looking forward to bringing my Mum here for lunch today. We ordered drinks at the bar and checked with the server that it would be OK to have lunch in the restaurant, which she said would be fine. Suffice to say that after three quarters of an hour waiting for someone to offer us a menu, or even acknowledge we existed, we left very hungry and disappointed.

Have just had lunch here with my partner and mum.last time we ate the food was good but I can honestly say they have really stepped up their game.food was fresh and delicious the bald fella behind the bar was lovely and his recommendation of the scallops was spot on.def be back was a lovely afternoon.

We revisited the Whalebone today after quite a break, to find they had replaced the old & tired settees & replaced them with new chairs. They have also revised the menu. I had a rib eye steak & my partner had a club sandwich. These arrived after a short while

I last had a whine about this place about three years ago; I didn't much enjoy my visit here then. However,we were put off by the reviews of a nearby local venue, so we thought we'd give this place another try, and we are very glad we did.

What a lovely Sunday Lunch, lamb was plentiful and so tender, loved the fresh vegetable selection and the portions were on the larger side. Made room for dessert though - honeycomb cheesecake and French apple pie. This was our first time here and definitely will not be our last. Will fetch the family next time as there's a great outdoor area for the kids.

This is the first time we have been to this Pub, when we walked in I asked if they served lunch and was told the menu was on the tables and to go back to the bar to order our food, we sat down and decided what we wanted, unfortunately their was 2 men sitting at the bar with very load voices and they kept swearing, after a while I got up and told the waitress that we were going to move, and we sat outside on the patio, My steak pie and the pees ware barely warm, the only part of my meal that was hot was the chips.

We visited the RHS Gardens at Hyde Hall and searched in trip adviser for somewhere to eat. This establishment had good reviews. It is well tucked away and we had to use Google Maps to find it. Well worth it. Excellent fish and chips and a nice pint too. I had medium and my husband the large.

This is one of the rare pub 'eateries' that actually serve food all day! Not only that but delicious and tasty too. We arrived at 3:30pm - after a long day at Lakeside and had no problem ordering at that time - unlike other pubs in the area, who stop serving for at 2! The menu was extensive with lots of favourites available to order.

Popped into The Whalebone for lunch. Wasn’t busy in the main bar but there was a large function on in the back room. Staff were very pleasant and served with a smile. Food was very nice and lots of it, the childs portion was huge! I’ve not been in this pub for maybe 15 years but will return much sooner!

Definitely the best fish and chips we have ever had. Fab taste so white fish and extra bowl of chips. Service was excellent. It was a Groupon deal. 2 medium fish and chips. Piece of fish was massive. I was so full I couldn't eat dessert and I love a afters!!!

Really disappointed in the quality of the food served having looked at other reviews and the web page we were expecting a decent meal in a lovely friendly pub.

Came for Sunday dinner. Stood at the bar while the staff texted their mates for a while. Shown to a table in the Scrimshaws restaurant. Food was very good and plenty of it. The fish was massive. All served with a frown. I would have given 4 stars but for the shortcomings. Overall great value for money but we like smiley faces.

We wanted a simple Sat night drink and meal. Nothing too fancy. First pint was off, second was on the turn. That was the good bit. I had steak pie with peas and new potatoes. The potatoes were burned, yes burned. The peas had been over microwaved and the pie had some meat, gravy and rubberized pastry.

Just had lunch here and couldn't be more impressed . Excellent service, tempting menu choices and great value for money . I had an amazing prawn and pea risotto that was huge and so tasty . Well done Chef.

I can't speak highly enough of the afternoon we spent on Monday celebrating the life of Mum. The staff behind the bar (Gill and her team) were helpful and friendly. The food was perfect for the occasion and there was plenty for everyone and with 3 choices it catered for everyone. With the crumble and custard and cheese and biscuits to follow, the food couldn't have been better! Thank you to the chef - you did a great job. Finally thank you to Lee the manager for organising the projector last minute! That really just made the afternoon seeing all the old family photos. Thank you once again for finishing off what was a sad day but a day full of memories.

Returned for the 7/8 time with 23 family members for our Boxing Day dinner. The actual bar area was very quiet this year which gave us plenty of room for chatting and mingling with each other. The Boxing Day menu was the usual choice of starters with cold meats for main and great choice of deserts with coffee. As ever the food was great, plenty of it and the ladies serving were excellent. We never feel rushed to leave and spent at least 3 - 4 hrs enjoying the day.

I've eaten so many varied meals from just a bowl of cheesy chips to really yummy specials like the Turkey, brie + cranberry ciabatta, the Christmas burger (soo good) and roasts! The food never disappoints and they are always happy to accommodate like adding two meats instead of just one on the roast dinners. They just have such a lovely atmosphere, warm, welcoming and staff are great for a chat whilst waiting on friends to turn up. I fully recommend The whalebone.

We are regular visitors at this restaurant and the service and food never disappoint. I love taking my parents here, we always come out happy & full up. I tried the festive Turkey, Brie & Cranberry Ciabatta today which comes with chunky chips & salad for just £6.50 then indulged in the Black Forest Gateau which was gorgeous. We shall be back soon.

Visited today for a family meal. The main restaurant (Scrimshaws) was a little busy but we found some room in the main pub area. We had a party of eight and the helpful staff helped create a space for us. We decided to skip the starters and go straight for mains, the menu offers a great selection for both adults and children. They also have a good selection of specials on the boards around the venue. I tried the XMAS Burger which was delicious. The children had chicken nuggets and I was really impressed with the size and the quality. We have quite fussy children and they almost cleared the plates! Some of our party decided they could somehow manage a desert and once again everyone commented on how nice the food was. As we finished our deserts the owner introduced himself to the table and offered us all a complimentary brandy or cappuccino! Very nice touch! Delicious food, great value and exceptional service. What more can you want!

Enjoyed a great meal of Steak and Chips. Steak was cooked to perfection. Was a lovely sunny day and they have a large beer garden, just slightly too cold this visit Will return.

The dishes are varied and well presented with new ideas from the chef at regular intervals. Also do smaller portions which suits us now. Friendly staff and relaxing atmosphere. Recommended.

This restaurant is in a pub and give the best of both worlds poker on a Monday food all week. The food is pub and restaurant food with a large restaurant a small room and the main pub that has large tv,s with football so caters for all tastes. Book first as Monday and Tuesday main room used for other things.

We were told that it was a nice bit of food and we were not disappointed!! The staff were competent happy and very helpful with great portion size and the food was excellent Will definitely be back thanks Whakebone / Scrimshaws Restaurant 💙🙏

Thank you to the Scrimshaw Restaurant who recently accommodated our family birthday celebrations!

We hired the restaurant for a family party and were very pleased with both the food and the service. All the staff were friendly and helpful. We all had a great time.

My family visited here as it's local to us. Decor is spot on with very friendly staff. Food was delicious and came quickly. Nacho starter is great.

Great atmosphere with a real buzz. Guvnor Lee is a down to earth friendly bloke that loves sport & West Ham. Nice food & good entertainment too.

Visited here for the first time on Sunday 15th July. Great Sunday lunch - the roast lamb was probably the best pub roast I have ever had. Friendly service and the bill was VERY reasonable. Will definitely be back!

A welcoming return to this pub/restaurant.

had a childs party there on Saturday.food supplied by the pub was great and plenty of it. staff will cater for you and don't do a head count but a sensible estimate of food required which can be added to if needed (twice we have had functions there the food was good and plentiful).

Went for a quiet drink, in what we thought would be a quiet Essex pub. What a letdown, bouncy castles - with adults on them! Loads of "yobs" using foul language, thank god we didn't have our grandchildren with us. Never, ever again.

Excellent meal. Decided to try Scrimshaws restaurant for Sunday lunch not long after moving to South Woodham Ferrers. We were not disappointed. The staff were good and the food made for a very good and heart meal.

We had our nans wake at scrimshaws, the staff were very pleasant and understanding of the situation. The buffet food was amazing, it was the perfect place to give my nan the send off she deserved and to have a drink to celebrate her 89 years of life. Thank you scrimshaws

After hearing rave reviews about the restaurant we thought we’d give it a go. We were the only people in there on a warm day, with some younger people sat in the “garden”. Painted green floor and fake grass isn’t my idea of a beer garden. I had the tandoori lamb curry from the specials board. At best it could be described as a lamb stew. The lamb was sliced which made me think it might have been the left over from the Sunday roasts. There was no heat from and spices and not much flavour. The service was different, after placing our order we were asked “is that it” the two young ladies working, neither had their hair tied back and one even stood behind the bar brushing her hair. Over all, not great, we won’t be going back and I wouldn’t recommend.

We revisited this well known pub for lunch the other day & were not disappointed. The ladies behind the bar are very friendly & welcoming, they have a nice menu as well as other items on their specials board. Their food is always freshly cooked to your requirements & can be purchased for a very reasonable price.

I came to the whalebone on bank holiday Sunday to have lunch with the family, the pub was packed out but we expected no less for a bank holiday when the sun was beaming. There was 5 adults and four children to our party. We went to order food and again was surprised there was no wait on food? Kids had the usual chicken goujons and fish fingers, whilst I had a dressed crab salad, my partner had the ‘whalebone burger’ and the others had wraps and ciabattas. I must admit every meal was great! Hot fresh and pretty quick considering how busy it was. There were times we thought the staff were struggling to keep up but they were all non stop clearing tables and glasses and it was great to see. Bouncy castles are a great idea too the kids loved it, they were clean and secure which is a relief! Thanks to the whalebone for a great time and well done. GREAT food, nice place and good atmosphere just what you want for a family outing. Will be coming back.

Pub looks more like something from a theme park. Bouncy castles which don't appear to be secure!! Adults jumping on them with beer glasses! Music so loud you can't here yourselves speak!! Visited friends close by for the weekend and couldn't believe the unruly behaviour coming from the pub! Cars racing up the road! Gas canisters all over the road! Shouting swearing! Not a family atmosphere from what I could see!! Certainly wouldn't be taking my young kids there!

We hired Scrimshaw for my sons 18th party. Booked their usual dj company and a schrimshaws buffet and it was just perfect.

The food was excellent and all the staff were friendly and cheerful. We will definitely use them again for an event. We have also had lunch there several times and the food, drinks and staff are all great.

The dinner was very yummy. Portions were a little on the large side for ladies but just enough for gents. Staff were lovely and welcoming, lovely customer service. Recommend this for Sunday dinner. Cappuccino was especially nice too.

Went with the outlaws and other half for dinner - the food was fantastic and the staff were friendly and warm as always!

Great food. Wonderful service from Lesley and Jackie. Good price. Will be returning real soon. Chef need a medal.

Went to the Whalebone yesterday (15/2) for lunch with my husband.

I've lost count how many Boxing Day dinners we've had here, but it must be around 6-8 and will be...

Wasn't sure what to expect as I'd only known the "old" whalebone pub, but we were all pleasantly surprised. Great...

Have visited this pub for a few years as its closest when we visit relations.Very good menu and excellent food...

I tell you what, the meal today was out of this world - but first off, thank you to all...

Went last night with friends for a Christmas Meal. Food and Service was excellent. I had the salmon and thoroughly enjoyed it. The portions were not small either. Very very pleased, Many thanks and well done.

Yet again wonderful lunch with 4 friends.

This is my second meal here, the first one was in their restaurant and the second was pub grub. Both meal types were flawless!

We revisited the Whalebone again & had a lovely meal. As usual the staff there were very pleasant & friendly, they have plenty of tables & comfortable seating. They also have a good selection of food in their menu & as well as this they have other goodies on their specials board. Lesley the manager always ensures that you are happy with your choices, good food at very reasonable prices.

I read the previous reviews and thought maybe either we were lucky or they were unlucky but thought I would leave our review. I have never been to this pub before as I am not local and went for my neices 30th. She wanted to book on the groupon deal but it had expired, they were happy to do the same deal for us. All of the starters were beautifully presented and very tasty, we all had different. Main courses were all excellent, I had sea bass with risotto, others had steak, fish with vegetables. Mine was very tasty and everyone thought the food was very good without exception. I was surprised to read the negative comments but then I have only been here the one time. There were a lot of us and I was surprised there was nobody else in the restaurant on a friday evening so I think if you were going just as a couple it may lack atmosphere? Not sure whether it is always like this or was this unusual. I would definitely go back just to see if it was as good as this time!

Ordered a prawn and avocado wrap: prawns were like rubber bullets that tasted like they were way past the best before date. Sent back the wrap, not something I ever do, was told to pick anything I'd like, chose nachos - quelle surprise, they were awful, and got charged full price for them... Everybody else thought what they had chosen was dry and tasteless, Can't say I'd ever go back unfortunately.

Came here as part of my friends birthday meal. There was quite a lot of us think 15 in the end. Food was great, all came out hot and presentation was superb. Considering there was a lot of us we thought that something would’ve gone wrong but it really didn’t we had a fantastic night so thank you to all at the whalebone. Compliments to the chefs from that night and everyone else there who made it special!

Visited the Whalebone on Sunday 24th with my wife and young son. Plenty of parking out the front so great for families.Pub was welcoming enough and also shows sports which is a bonus!I had the Sunday roast lamb which I have to say was very nice. The meat was cooked perfectly and there were plenty of ‘trimmings’ for a big eater like me!My wife had the rib-eye. It was cooked perfectly as ordered (med-rare) which, let’s be honest, doesn’t always happen in a pub kitchen so hats off to the chef.My son had the homemade lasagne, which was nice enough for me to steal half and want to order it next time for myself!All in all, we would recommend this pub for the food as it was very nice. Would definitely eat here again.

Visited here on a Wednesday evening which was quiz night. Table of 7 in the main dining area. Ordered food at 6.45, starter came out at 7.35 which was not very good, huge portions but quantity over quality. Staff slow to clear plates and deliver the mains which was again another 35/40 minute wait...far too long! When the mains arrived all three rib eye steaks were appalling...over cooked and extremely dry, the beef bourginion was dry also and looked as if it had been sitting under the light/heat to keep warm for a considerable time as there was a skin that formed over the beef stew, quite disgusting to be honest. Needless to say, the majority of the 3 steaks and bourginion were left..We informed a member of staff who gave us a free round of drinks and an ice cream for our son, but lets be honest 2 pints of lager, a coke, a martini and a kids ice cream doesn't make up for 4 inedible mains! We were told that there was little she could do as the owner Lee wasn't on site....we accepted this, wrongly so I think because in hindsight the food wasn't worth paying for. I struggle to understand the concept of the on site manageress not having the authority to do anything other than offer a complimentary drink or dessert...not sure this is entirely true. I was told that the manageress would inform the owner but what good is that once we've left! All in all a huge disappointment, long wait and appalling food, I think the owner should have a serious discussion with this chef and management to enable issues like this to be rectified at the time. Whatever chef was In the kitchen Wednesday night should have been ashamed to serve 3 rib eye steaks in that state with some dried up mushrooms and tomatoes for good measure on the side, seriously wetherspoons steak is a million times better than yours! We should have had our steaks taken off our bill as at least 80% off the food on each steak plate was left as the steak itself was that appalling. Avoid if you want a nice meal.

As soon as we walked in the restaurant there was a overpowering smell of overused oil.The prawn and crayfish cocktail was very bland the prawns were not cold enough the ciabatta bread was hard.My partner had the pork belly and noodle starter.The pork was coated in a batter which was dry and tough and the noodles were drenched in a rich and overpowering sauce which did not go with the pork.The waitress took our full plates back without asking why we left it.We both had fillet steak which was ok but the plate was covered in fried onions and greasy field mushrooms. When we got home our clothes and hair reeked of oil. We will not be going back.

I walked the the Whalebone, although there are several parking spaces outside if needed. There was a special offer on Sunday roast, so my partner and I decided to have one. It came out in good time, although the Yorkshire puddings were very crispy. We asked for replacements and they were provided very quickly without any fuss. Towards the end of the meal, the football was turned up to the point where it wasn't possible to talk anymore, which was a shame, but expected as we were next to the bar. I did see a lounge area on the opposite side of the bar which may have suited better. We took our drinks outside, which has a large seating area and moved on shortly after.It was an average experience, but I have visited a couple times now due to the price and location. Maybe return after the football season!

The food was incredible, I had the pork belly and noodles to start and Seabass main- both were impeccable. My boyfriend enjoyed the prawn and crayfish starter and lamb main, the portions were huge! Our waitress was really friendly and helpful too. This was our first visit but will definitely go back soon!

visited this restaurant yesterday lunch time, excellent food, good service. This place caters for all ages, even got a lovely play area in the garden for the children, also OAP menu as well.

Just had a terrible meal , had the pie of the day which was so dry and tasteless, wife had the fish and chips which was full of bones and been battered to death and to top it all the kids burgers were burnt !! Told the staff but they weren't interested and didn't seem surprised.The poor quality of the food certainly doesn't reflect the high price !! Such a shame as this is our local pub but definitely won't ever eat there again!!

Because of a large party event we felt a bit left out and in the corner, however the food etc. was very good

Excellent value for money. The food was outstanding. Staff very polite and accommodating nothing was to much trouble

We went to celebrate my grandsons 2nd Birthday and had a table for 16 booked. We were asked to pre book starters which we were happy to do. On arrival I spoke to the manageress and explained we would like three separate bills. You would have though I had asked for the world! Her attitude became hostile as if we were no longer welcome due to this simple request. We were advised due to this request we could not order any drinks from the table, but would have to go to the bar ourselves! The food, although very large portions was only warm and the roast beef looked and tasted as though it had been soaking in warm water!I have to say that I rang the owner Lee who was mortified and confirmed his ethos of how important his customers are to him and confirmed that he would speak to his manageress to ensure this did not happen again. Lets hope things change for the future.

Quiz night on Wednesdays is certainly Avery entertaining evening but you have to get there early to get a table so it's best to eat.however the food has deteriorated and increased in price. This is a shame however will not eat here again

Sunday lunch very basic but reasonably priced Not impressed with the food.Beef wasover cooked and very fatty

Popped into the whalebone for a beer in Sunday and decide to have dinner as well whilst there. Chose from the specials board, only choice I believe in the actual bar area on a Sunday, you can use the restaurant but need to book I think. Anyway I had the Sunday roast, Lamb, cooked to perfection, lovely roast potatoes and veg. My wife had the lasagne which was lovely. Great value for money and great roast

We were given a groupon voucher for a 2 course meal for here. There are a few options but most of the starters had a supplement charge. We both had the soup of the day which was butternut squash and was good. We had the rib eye and fillet steak which both came with a £5 and £8 supplement. Cooked well. Very friendly staff. Wouldn't say it was worth a Very Good mark.

Having visited the Whalebone a few times mid-week we chose to call in for Sunday lunch whilst passing. There was no bar menu on offer but the 'specials' board gave a good choice. The pub was extremely noisy with several large television screens showing football at what seemed like full volume with another showing Rugby and we had trouble hearing the barmaid. We enquired about the restaurant hoping it would be quieter but we didn't realise that you have to actually exit the pub and enter through another door to the restaurant,so by the time we found this out the last table had just been taken. We ended up sitting right underneath one of the televisions in the bar and ate the whole meal without talking as we couldn't hear each other. The food itself was very good and the staff friendly and welcoming but if you want to enjoy a nice quiet Sunday lunch look elsewhere...........

Liked this restaurant,it was comfortable with nice light decor.The staff were very friendly and helpful and the food was tasty.We had the duck with orange sauce,seabass with sweet potato risotto and grilled chicken.All of the dishes were very nice.I would recommend this place.

We were looking to stop for a meal on the way home from our Beach Hut and we saw that The Whalebone Inn was Ideal. We were extremely please with every aspect of our visit. The staff were helpful, pleasant and efficient. The atmosphere was relaxed and welcoming. Our meal arrived quickly and the quality was outstanding. In fact my wife says that it was the best Steak pie she has ever had! and she's had a few. Thanks for a great experience. We will be making Scrimshaws Restaurant at The Whalebone Inn, our regular stop on the way home from the Hut. Dave S.

(Electric Light Orchestra) - The Whalebone - South Woodham Ferrers The Whalebone is one of the oldest buildings in South Woodham Ferrers, while most of the town was constructed after the nineteen seventies, it's reported that there has been a pub on the site of the Whalebone for more than two centuries, although the current building dates back to start of the 20th century. It’s another one of those pubs that I've visited occasionally over the last thirty years, we've attended a few bashes in the restaurant, which was relaunched as 'Scrimshaws' about ten years ago. The Whalebone recently announced that they would be serving weekend breakfasts so, on a bright February Sunday morning I thought I'd I pay a visit. Breakfasts are served in the main bar, rather than the restaurant, there were a few other people breakfasting when I arrived. I took a seat and ordered the "Full Whalebone English"- priced at £7.50 - which comprised 2 rashers of Bacon, 2 Cumberland Sausage, 2 Eggs (fried, poached, scrambled,) Black Pudding, Mushrooms, grilled Tomatoes, Hash Brown, Beans and two slices of white Toast. There's 'help yourself' mugs of Tea and (instant) Coffee. My breakfast, when it arrived, was freshly cooked. The rashers of bacon were thick and tasty, the sausages meaty and the addition of a thick slice of black pudding a pleasant addition. All in all a very good, and filling breakfast, a few tweaks would make this an excellent breakfast.

A lively pub, with lots of space, good sevice, and food is a bailable. Traditional pub with pool tables etc. They often have live music as well.

We had a Groupon deal and cannot fault the meal with a good choice from the menu.Excellent service and very good value for money.Highly recommend this very smart restaurant.

Thank you to the Whalebone for the best steak i have ever had. The new restaurant looks lovely the staff were friendly and helpful. We will be back xx

Got to be one of the most friendly and welcoming restaurants in Essex. Nothing is too much trouble for the staff. Good quality food, speedily delivered and all at a good price. My only criticism is that bar next door can be a bit noisy.

Visited recently to celebrate my birthday. Staff as always were friendly and welcoming, and none of our party of 4 could fault the service, or more importantly the food! Steaks were lovely and tender, cooked just as ordered, and I felt quite 'ugly' by the time I had finished my raspberry and white chocolate cheesecake.Looking forward to being taken out again, although somehow I always end up paying the bill!Thank you Lee and Katie for your hospitality!

My husband and I have just returned from a wonderful experience at The Whalebone. On a rare childfree day, we decided to have a late lunch there. The food was sublime, and the service was outstanding! Despite the football being on, they made sure we were separated from any rowdiness that we may not have wanted to be a part of during our meal. We ended up staying for several drinks afterwards, whilst watching the football and rugby and had a fabulous time!