The White Horse Harpenden in St Albans

My partner and I returned to this gastropub after loving our first visit. I had one of the roast beef while my boyfriend enjoyed a burger. Nothing seemed too much for team! They were great and the atmosphere was amazing. A great start of the bank holiday. We will be back! ✨

Plenty of parking available on site. Service was really good and friendly - we were made to feel really welcomed. Highly recommended the soup, which was made really well. A good choice of desserts - nicely finished the meal off

Lovely meal at the White Horse. Only reason I have knocked one start of was because, the special I ordered - Roast Pork Belly, whilst lovely, the piece of pork I got was tiny. I was wondering when they would bring the rest out! A real shame, because what i did get was so good. Staff are very attentive. Was served by this big guy - Jamie, very good service, and happy chap.

We had a lovely Mother’s Day Brunch here. The food was good and the staff were very welcoming and friendly. The gave all the Mother’s a mini bottle of gin as a gift which I thought was a really nice touch. We would definitely go back.

Fantastic food and attentive staff.

First visit … A wonderful atmosphere and the staff are brilliant. The only negative is that the food is a little overpriced for what it was 3 croquettes £8.75 A few king prawns (which should be served de-shelled) £10.75 The vegan burger with a handful of fries £16 The roast of the day(pork) £19.50 A mini Shepard’s pie £22.50 Just be prepared to pay pricey posh nosh !!!

The waitress was very good plus the food was good. Had a nice evening

Nice comfortable armchairs inside

We booked for a 60 th birthday lunch , and it would be fair to say that there were a few initial issues - a couple being game terrine was missing the pickled cherries as advertised , plus one main meal order was the wrong dish . However the way this was handled and rectified by Brontë was excellent and hence the review. The food was very good quality , both fish of the day and steal - and wine selection was varied with lots of areas/ types not usually seen .

Very nice gastro pub with nice staff and very good food. Soup on this occasion was not good but this was addressed very quickly by the serving staff and a replacement found. Was quite noisy from the main pub but still a nice atmosphere - could have been quieter

Excellent, as always. Food and service just excellent....nothing more to say....except give it a try, you won't be disappointed.

Excellent service but I unfortunately ordered a dirty burger not realising it was a vegan choice although it tasted o.k but not what I was expecting

The food was very good - it was Sunday lunch and everything was well cooked and the piping hot. I normally go to this restaurant during the week when I’ve never had a problem with table timings. However my recent visit was on a Sunday and we felt the service was rushed. We were told immediately we sat down that the table would be required back after 90 minutes and the whole meal was served at pace. I think this is too short for a Sunday lunch which is normally more relaxed and leisurely. I know some restaurants impose a 2 hour limit on a table but 1 1/2 hours is too short.

As always, a wonderful meal. Thank you to Brontë and the team

This lunch was the second “event” my Club has taken to this venue, this time with partners. The first was in mid November. Both on Mondays when it has the advantage of being open when many places are not. Both with about 16 attendees. Happy to report that on both occasions the lunches were very good. There is a wide ranging menu. A vegetarian was very happy with her dishes. Service was good with 16 people being served almost at the same time. Food was very fresh to table. It has good parking. A while ago it was not good. I had a poor group lunch in the private room; but pleased to say things are on the up.

You know you are in a good place when waiters laugh and make jokes with guests. Loved it here.

Lovely early evening food, good service, just found the music a bit intrusive.

Lovely place always friendly, food was great too ... I had the risotto and it was very nice. It was a Tuesday and 0 degrees so it was quiet

My sea bass mains had just half a fillet, considering the price paid about £23, wasn't really up to scratch! When asked a manager why portions are reduced in size and the price is the same, the only reply was, sorry we run out of sea bass....

We went in for some drinks. Nice choices of drinks and relatively well priced! Great atmosphere which make you really feel to be in the countryside or in the mountains! The staff was plaisent and the place was very clean. Nect time we will try the food.

It has become expensive and the price of wine is very expensive.

Amazing food. Really great gastro pub. The burger is especially good.

We nipped in here NYE 2023 with 2 families- what a fabulous place this really is - loved the drinks and the atmosphere, would love to come again when I visit Harpenden again

Absolutely no special Boxing Day menu. Extremely limited to the most basic of mains. Steak, burger, shepherds pie etc. It's as if they were trying to use up all the basic food items left in stock, as the menu is normally great. Monkfish starter was not seasoned and extremely bland. Extreme fishy smell and very watery tasting fish. Burger and chips just ok. Tiramisu was a severe let down. Extremely lacking in taste. Coffee was nice though. I really like this place, but it's so hit and miss. The waitress was good but service could have been more attentive..

Absolutely no special Boxing Day menu. Extremely limited to the most basic of mains. Steak, burger, shepherds pie etc. It's as if they were trying to use up all the basic food items left in stock, as the menu is normally great. Monkfish starter was not seasoned and extremely bland. Extreme fishy smell and very watery tasting. Burger and chips just ok. Tiramisu was a severe let down. Extremely lacking in taste. Coffee was nice though. I really like this place, but it's so hit and miss.

It was super loud in there because of Christmas meal parties which freaked out my 4 year old disabled grandson. But the staff were really understanding and moved our party of 6 to a different area.

Food was good, staff friendly, great place to catch up with friends for dinner

Had a fabulous evening in the private dining room at the White Horse. Great room/venue for up to 12 people. Food was lovely. First class customer service provided by the team under the management of Brontë . They made us feel special , participated in the fun and contributed to the success of the evening. Two bottles of complimentary Prosecco did not go unnoticed either. Thanks Brontë and your staff/chefs. Highly recommended

Dirty glasses flies on glasses over bar Non attentive to customers or live fire... barely keeping salute embers!!

Family dinner on Friday night. Excellent. The service was outstanding and the food was delicious.

Tried the new Autumn menu. The Hake with Malay spiced potato and spinach curry was absolutely delicious. Cheese choices excellent too. Follow up visit on a Sunday and tried Sesame-crusted Seabass, Ssamjang Potatoes & Pak Choi this time. Just sensational flavours 😊 The marmite butter and bread is great too

Great Sunday brunch! Dog friendly. Food was good. Professional waitress service from Lucy who was super friendly. Will definitely return!

Excellent as always...food, drink and service. Throughly recommended......

Had a delicious Sunday brunch with girlfriends and dogs recently. The food was delicious and the service by Lucy was professional, friendly and attentive. A perfect venue pre or post Sunday morning dog walking.

Went for a Sunday roast a few weeks ago with family and had a great time. The food was great and enjoyed by us all, and we were very well looked after by Lucy, attentive service with a smile. Would highly recommend.

Great Sunday brunch with girlfriends where we could natter away whilst our lovely waitress Lucy simply delivered all our food and coffees seamlessly - great attention to detail and all with a huge smile. Will definitely come back!

Delicious brunch served by a wonderfully helpful waitress, Lucy. Nothing was too much trouble and we (plus dogs) were very well looked after.

Another fantastic experience at The White Horse. Came for brunch with friends and dogs and received a really warm welcome! Superb food, lovely atmosphere (it’s looking beautifully festive at the moment) and super attentive service from our server Lucy! Thanks, we’ll be back again very soon!!

Ok this is the second time we have been here and I'm sorry to say it was no better this time round once again they run out of stuff on the menu so when the dinner came out 1 wasn't very hot 2 frozen potatoes 3 vegetables where hard ,and one of the staff that was serving us needs to learn how to smile all in all really poor we will not be going back

An excellent place for having your meal while chatting with your friends. The food is great and the services are of very high quality.

Great lunch time meal , I recommend you start using proper mash potato not the packet stuff , all four meals had mash potato which was terrible , but the rest of the meal was above average, service was tip top , well done Joe .

Full English breakfast portion size small. Nothing tasted organic or free range even though the price was excessive. And staff really need to cheer up. Never again!

Lovely Autumn Menu.So much to choose from.Beef Wellington was fantastic.Very friendly staff.Great environment,enjoyable setting.

Jamie our sever went above and beyond to accommodate us. He is very friendly and courteous. What a credit to the White Horse. See you soon Jamie :)

From all the staff from the family tree roofing guttering specialists renovations bespoke. Carpenters electricians. From all of my team really enjoyed it. Thanks again!

Didn't book before going so just had a drink and nibbles in the bar as it was fully booked, fat chips were very crispy and tasty, I could see the Sunday roasts coming out, they looked amazing. Dog friendly in the bar. Staff very friendly. I will go back but will book a table next time !

I’m a regular diner but today felt that the cooking wasn’t up to its usual standard. Pork crackling was hard and stale Rump steak uneven cooked ( medium one end rare the other) Chicken wings very dry

Had lunch here today and looking at the menu and the venue, we were looking forward to it. Very very disappointed I must say. The food wasn’t good at all I’m afraid, I had the venison shepherds pie which was so dry and I believe to be reheated. My wife had the schnitzel which was dry and burnt one side, half of it got left. She also ordered a Bakewell dessert but didn’t taste of Bakewell. Waiter forgot the drinks then forgot one of the desserts. Are there any pubs that cook their own food from scratch anymore? Cocktails were good though but wouldn’t eat there again.

fantastic food; fantastic service for Sunday roast!

A lovely dinner with family. Well worth a visit.

The service was excellent, very attentive. Joseph, the manager was wonderful, quirky, smiley and went out of his way to please. All waiters and waitresses on this night who served us, were also brilliant. The food was delicious. The ambience was perfect. Please try!! We will be returning! X 🥰🥂

Fantastic breakfast at the White Horse as usual. Great quality food, lovely coffee and the service was brilliant too.

Daniel was very efficient and made sure we got our orders promptly as we were time limited

Having been to the White Horse a couple of times a little over a year ago, I was really looking forward to a similar experience today. I picked this restaurant because it was mid point to meet my daughter as we now live in Milton Keynes. The food was mediocre at best and very uninspiring and bland. Very expensive for what was served up - very disappointed. There has also been a change of staff and, in my opinion, not for the better. ☹️

Unfortunately, they hadn't received a delivery that day so that took a substantial number of dishes off the menu. Only steaks, burgers, fish and small plates were available, hence why I've only given the food 3 stars. Otherwise, a good enough experience to rate the 5 stars for service and atmosphere. Give it a go!

The only problem was a more limited menu than usual after the venue had a very busy Sunday in the very warm and sunny weather.

What a amazing gem of a place this is. Set on the very edge of harpenden. The restaurant has a separate salon bar for casual drinks and then the main dining area. The outside areas are substantial, offering a quiet and tranquil grassed garden with the main terrace area opposite the building with the option of seating under the canopy during them stormy days and evenings. Combining the stunning planting, easy listening background music and pontoon lighting this area is a delightful space to dine and socialise. We all appreciate beautiful surroundings but what good is this unless the team are not up to scratch …. The team at the white horse are managed by Bronte, her leadership skills are simply amazing and you can tell by talking to the staff how much respect they all have for her. She runs her establishment like a well oiled machine and the team here seem to gel and it has the feel of a family business. Nothing is to much for the team and the team are always polite, friendly and accommodating to the highest level. The food is always presented to a high level, a truly well thought out menu that caters to all pallets. Breakfast is served every day and again has a nice balance to the choice, I would say the black pudding is not to my taste with regards to texture but black pudding is obviously a personal thing. All ingredients are of a high quality with regular deliveries and do look out for the specials menu!. The weekly fish dish as it appears is always exceptional. I have no direct links to the establishment, management or staff. Just a very happy customer who sees the joy of others that also frequent this beautiful business. Ex publican Gareth Farr

Took my parents for Sunday Lunch. We all had the Roast. Food was delicious & service was excellent! Will def be back!

We have been to the White Horse many times as we live close by. The last couple of times have been poor overall. First two meals picked were unavailable, and following the actual meal l was very ill. We won’t repeat our experience.

We have been here a few times now and it's very hit and miss. Food is generally really good. Today however, we were firstly disappointed with the food and also the service. We both ordered a roast, mine being gluten free. We had to send them back as they were cold. Once we had received the same plates heated they were decent. However, the portions are small. And the gluten free portion doesn't come with a yorkie yet is the same price....can we at least get an extra carrot or potato? For £21 you can get much better elsewhere. We were given 1 and a half pieces of beef. Also, whats happened to the jugs of gravy as per the menu? Gravy was on the plate, then added again after food was reheated but no jug in sight.....nor salt, pepper, cutlery and no one asked about condiments. Trifle was great but apple crumble was burnt. Service today was also below par. Staff clearly not enjoying their jobs, a simple glass of wine took 10 minutes to arrive and the waitress looked quite terrified after we had said our food was cold. No one smiled at all or asked how our food was after we complained 😔 I really loved coming here as a treat but for the service, portions and food quality - wont be back in a while. Jazz was great!

First visit - very lovely and will definitely be back!

Great food and brilliant service especially from Alex. Outside seating is brilliant.

All the ingredients are there for a good time but service is very slow. A lot of wasted energy by the abundance of staff. Two items weren’t available on the menu from the get go and was also told that mashed potato was not available because the chefs were frantically peeling the potatoes. The food itself was pretty good though, service could be better in terms of time.

Strange place in a nice location. Had like much today with my wife and daughter. You have to sit under a canopy to be served outside. We were told this after 15 mins of waiting, apparently it written on a board somewhere? . Ordered our food at the bar - not great at all. Greasy fish and chips (14 chips in total) peas that had been left under the heater too long and tartar sauce tasted bitter - unsure what the fish was it tasted bland and was bet greasy. The pie apparently was nice but the mash and green veg was cold. The fish finger sandwich was poor and skimpy. My pint of lager was served in a dirty glass. It’s a shame as this was once a pretty decent place. Won’t hurry back nor would I recommend it.

Really warm welcome with a smile for a late lunch booking. Interesting menu options service was very good and we enjoyed the lunch menu

Limited choice for a Sunday lunch and uninspiring. My fish was ok there no choice of vegetables as a side. They offered my roasted vegetables to go with sea bass and they came as a plate of parsnips and carrots from the Sunday Roast. Not great on a super hot afternoon. There were no side salads or anything else. . Staff helpful and friendly, food very average

Lovely experience as always. Worth the few extra pounds for excellent food.

The White Horse Menus: I normally like the menus but I did not like the Sunday menu because it did not have as many options as the weekday menu we have experienced in the past. Sadly the day I went had a large number of items on the menu were not available. I found this particularly disappointing. Service: slow compared to other places I’ve been to. Food: The fish was well cooked, the chips were flaky and delicious. The chicken Caesar salad was amazing! It was also very well cooked! I loved the ice cream, vanilla and chocolate. Sadly the apple crumble was unimpressive however I loved the peach cheesecake. 3/5

Many items off the menu Kitchen and staff overloaded - took 40 minutes to place our order and another 30 minutes for food to arrive Nibbles never arrived Food was served in drinks and drabs A starter and a main did not come and had to be ordered again Staff were stressed and not welcoming Got some items thrown in to compensate, but did not make up for spoiling our evening.

Welcome was good and setting very nice. But overall the food was disappointing. The fish with “cassoulet” and chorizo was tasty but the skin on the fish was unappealing. The fish and chips were mediocre. The fish was small and below expected gastro pub standard. The biggest disappointment was the rhum baba. It seemed to be a factory produced steam pudding, warmed up and without any rhum whatsoever!. To call it rhum baba was an insult to the real thing. As a whole, the meal was expensive for what was presented to us.

Hi not bad my chicken dish was a bit put off the way it was probably thigh could see veins didn't like it .my other half had hake no flavour service was brill though.

We were invited back to The White Horse following my previous review which I already thought was really impressive. It’s clear from the amazing experience we had that we were just unlucky on our first visit and some issues had cropped up that weren’t the usual standard. We were able to choose where we sat so we chose outside as it was a beautiful sunny day, we received excellent attentive service from staff and enjoyed delicious cocktails. All of our food was perfect, particularly the prawns on sourdough - wow. We are so pleased to have had the opportunity to go back and have had a really positive experience. We will definitely be back. Thank you.

Service was a little slow and to wait a long time for desert but overall good

Super! Everything we expect from a Peach Pub

Fantastic Sunday lunch. Great food and service - will definitely be back!

Lovely olde worlde pub with immaculate outdoor seating area (blankets & heaters too) plus snug & separate bar area away from the restaurant. Excellent Sunday roast lunch too. Highly recommended.

It was my husband’s 85th Birthday and it was a Sunday : we had invited 4 friends to join us for lunch and as they had all eaten with us on several occasions at The White Horse we were all anticipating a splendid meal. We were not disappointed : the atmosphere was very pleasant and the staff could not have been more helpful or friendly. The champagne we ordered was in its ice bucket already and we all tucked in. Everyone apart from me chose the Roast Pork and the portions were huge and very enjoyable : the Vegetarian Wellington had spinach in it so I was invited to choose an alternative from the weekday menu. I chose the Indian Patties with a coconut and onion salad : it was utterly delicious. Six other friends joined us afterwards and we all consumed much more champagne ! It was a totally enjoyable occasion and we shall be going back many times. Our thanks to you all …. you know who you are.

Don’t know what’s happened to The White Horse but standards have significantly dropped, sadly. Food was overcooked, poorer ingredients, service was poor primarily due to understaffing. Two people serving the entire restaurant. Very disappointing as this was a firm favourite previously. Ho hum.

Stopped off here for lunch on a sunny day as it has a number of outside tables, though for those fully outside you have to order at the bar- no big deal. Serving staff seemed pleasant but our main course order got lost and so we had to both chase it and wait for ages for it to arrive. A shame as the food was nice when it finally arrived.

We ate outside in the sun. There were 4 of us and it was a bit of a squeeze at the small tables. There was 1 large table occupied by 2 ladies only - I thought the staff might have noticed & asked them to move. Three meals were good ; one of our party had the trout fillet which was overdone & looked unappetising with greasy pan juices covering the plate.

First time here, three of us called in for something to eat after a very long day, but it was quite late so weren't sure if they would still be serving. We hadn't booked but we were greeted in a friendly manner, and made to feel most welcome. A table was found for us and we had a lovely meal - we all had the steak and ale pie - and I also had the summer pudding and ice cream which was utterly delicious. Excellent food and drinks, friendly staff, lovely homely atmosphere in pleasant surroundings, what more could one ask? We will definitely be coming here again in the near future.

Great service and food. Would definitely recommend.

Warm welcome by staff especially manager. Nice chilled bar area with additional seating for drinks. Outside garden area looked beautiful unfortunately the evening was wet n miserable so wasn’t able to take advantage of this space. Wide choice on menu and all food was beautifully presented hot and very tasty. Very attentive waiting staff without being overbearing. Good value for money, and prices are reasonable in comparison to similar settings. Overall a very pleasant evening had by all. Will definitely return.

Lovely setting & excellent service. Fish & chips not so good ....fish pastered in heaps of batter & overcooked. Shame! Maybe we caught them on a bad day as previous visit was excellent!

Came here earlier for a birthday meal. The roast dinner was poor at best potatoes seemed like they were cooked the day before, the portion sizes were very minimal. Service was very poor and slow, forgot most of our drinks. Waiters seemed really annoyed when asking for something. Roast dinner had no flavour at all on anything. We got KFC on the way home will definitely not be returning and to top it all off payed £240 for 6 roast dinner. Very very disappointed !

Excellent lunch. The Sunday roast was sublime and would highly recommend. Our server Lucy made the lunch even better, always being delightful and making sure we had the best experience possible.

Pricey for the standard of food and service. I’d hesitate to return on my own freewill

Very nice not awe inspiring but good grub.

Wine glasses are local pub style , Roast was really quite poor,Potato’s were a bit aunt Bessie . Nothing really poor but nothing at all was good just average at best and at the price point they are at it isn’t acceptable. Won’t return.

The food was excellent and the service was extremely good, once seated. The noise within the restaurant was very loud and so made it difficult for me to hear. Would not put me off from coming again and top marks to all concerned.

Excellent for a weekend breakfast, inside or outside.

Came as two couples for lunch. The staff member serving us seemed impatient and unbothered. The best items on the menu were out of stock or so we were told but by this point we were hungry so chose different items. One of us asked...

Menu has recently changed. Thankfully, more veggie & vegan options are included,which it did lack. Very busy when we visited, we sat outside as we had our dog. Service was definitely below par,compared to when we have dined indoors.

Great place for lunch in the sunshine ( or shade) with plenty of parking. Just outside central Harpenden. Definitely recommend the garlic prawns on sour dough as a light lunch followed by rum baba- great. Very pleasant service.

Food is expensive for the portion size, good menu choice.

Very slow service. We went straight to mains and the food just took forever. If they want a table back within 1h45min, they can't serve food after an hour! Had to ask twice for water, my side dish came after I was halfway on my main. My husband pie was burnt and my tofu was bland - which chef picks silken tofu instead of firmed! It is a lovely garden but the food and service lack care, won't be coming back.

A burger arrived instead of a vegan burger. The re-ordered vegan burger arrived after everyone else had finished eating. Whilst it was removed from the bill, it defeated the purpose of going for a family meal.

Whilst out on my now customary Sunday jaunt, I decided to try somewhere new for my lunch. Sunday Roast has always been a favourite of mine, so choosing the right place was important. I was in Harpenden, so I decided to sample the culinary delights of The White Horse and what a wise choice that turned out to be. I ordered the Roast Beef Sunday Lunch and was impressed with both the portion size and tastiness of the meal. I would definitely recommend a visit for a meal at The White Horse as the food is delicious, well presented, and the right mix of protein, carbohydrates, and vegetables. In addition to the food, I found the staff to be polite and accommodating.

Great place to stop for a quick bite and a drink or two

First visit to the White Horse for food and wasn’t disappointed. Food was very good great service really nice staff and good atmosphere. Will definitely be back