The Why Not Inn in Dudley

Would leave no stars if allowed. Sunday Carvery. Bone dry meat, stuffing tasted like grease, gloopy gravy, mashed potato like it was mashed with water, didn’t even try the peas, carrots or cabbage, as a matter of fact it was that bad we left. Definitely won’t be going there again even if it was free.

*update* came for pizza night (Thursday) and it was fantastic! The toppings were tasty and the size of the pizza was more than enough for one.

Definitely recommend!!!! Staff are lovely customers are friendly and the food was superb!! We had the all day breakfast and lamb shanks....chips are the best I've had in a long while!!!! No faults at all!!!! Definitely coming for the all you can eat buffet breakfast on a Saturday. Thank you all for a fab birthday lunch!!! We'll definitely be back 😃😍

We went here for lunch on my birthday and had a fantastic time! The food was incredible, i 100% recommend the lamb shank, and my parents loved the breakfasts too. The portions were very generous and the price was great too. We will definitely be returning, and telling friends to try the food here too.

What a terrible meal we had this evening was very disappointed, have been before and always had a good meal the steak pie was not up to standard the pastry wasn't very nice at all the peas were freezing cold and the gravy ,the staff appeared scruffy and heard them swearing and also had a .funny musty smell about the place ,sorry won't be returning for food also saw the chef scratching his stomach through his top and then going to prepare food

Took my family there for a Sunday carvery, nobody was disappointed! The food was hot and tasty with good portions, the service was great and the staff was very friendly 🙂 reasonable prices for a lovely meal, thank you.

First time visiting the why not inn today and it didn't disappoint. The food and service were excellent. We will definitely be back soon!

Walked in, seated immediately. Attentive staff provided drinks and took food orders. steak for me, pie for the better half. Both arrived promptly steak was cooked exactly as requested and the homemade pie was, in my wifes opinion excellent. A nice change from the run of the mill pub chain microwave meals. Extremely good value for money for home cooked grub with a decent choice of drinks. Highly recommended. Give it a go!!.

Lovely place surprised to find it amongst houses staff lovely food Great 👍 a little difficult for parking but well worth a visit

Such an amazing place everyone is so lovely and the food blew me away defo recommended

Had the Sunday carvery great food great service in a traditional English pub all staff friendly and welcoming would definitely go again 👍

Had a lovely meal in The Why Not Inn with a colleague from work. Food was freshly prepared and the team there were so accommodating and friendly. It’s obvious that the landlady Lisa is proud of her pub. Would definitely recommend a visit to the pub. Can’t beat fresh cut real chips and the vegetarian lasagne was a dream. Yummy

Enjoyed our night out at the Why Not. Made to feel really welcome and looked after by all the staff. Food was really tasty . Will definitely be returning to sample the Sunday carvery . Would definitely recommend this place.

Big portions and absolutely delicious food. Best pub burger I've had in years, great chips, we all enjoyed the food and left stuffed

My wife and I decided to visit for a spot of lunch..what a hidden gem of a place.. service and food spot on...prices very reasonable... special mention to the staff very friendly and courteous they couldn't do enough for us...will definitely be regular customers from now on...

What a lovely little pub so friendly and welcoming. Food fabulous had the crispy belly pork that was to absolutely die for. Beer refreshing and lovely. Thank you will definitely be returning.

Fabulous food and wonderful staff so helpful and friendly. Home cooked tasty food so good

Sunday Carvery just wow food was banging so fresh and the beef just melted in your mouth. An absolute treasure of a place to visit. See you soon most definitely!!

First visit in years last week and I'd heard mixed reviews but I found the food was lovely and half decent menu

Came to the why not inn for a meal 23/03/2024 booking for 22 people and 1 child, pre-ordered food about 2 weeks prior to the booking, table was booked for 18:30 and everyone arrived promptly, my specific party arrived approx 18:20 and everyone else was already seated in the bar awaiting to be seated in the restaurant, we ordered drinks and sat down for the meal, on arrival we were ushered to the restaurant for seating however due to how staff arranged the seating we were unable to use 2 chairs so politely asked staff to re-arrange this for us , a young girl with glasses and dark hair who was very polite helped us re-arrange so we could all be seated correctly. Starters came out , soup was just blended potato with no flavour, the soup could’ve been used as cement to build a house. Staff did not come to clear the table from the starters so a few members of the party cleared the tables and took used plates to the kitchen. As said previously, all food was pre-ordered 2 weeks prior to arrival however food wasn’t served promptly and were still waiting for food at 20:40, members of the party had asked up to 3 times where food was and when it was going to be served and staff replied “soon, sorry for the wait”. Meals came out freezing cold, not cooked correctly, and multiple meals had to be sent back to the kitchen. Not once, throughout our time at the restaurant, was any of the party rude to the waitresses or staff. We reassured the young girls who were waitressing that it is not their fault and eventually stopped the rest of the meals coming out as members were past hunger and it was coming up to 21:00. During the couple of hours waiting for food, the chef was seen to be shouting at the young waitresses by all 22 members of the party and addition members of the public seated in the restaurant. One of the young waitresses became distressed and upset therefore members of our party tried to reassure her and again stated it is not their fault. The owner eventually came down to speak to the party and stated the food was delayed due to 2 fires in the kitchen, we asked why no fire alarms went off and if there were fires why were we not evacuated for safety reasons? The owner had no reply to this. Although we were given complimentary Prosecco for the trouble caused , it doesn’t excuse the rudeness of the chef and the way he treated the young waitresses serving us. I believe the young girls were serving drinks at the bar, serving food, plating food and supposed to be clearing tables. We asked for one of the waitresses to come over and explained to her again it was not her fault and they shouldn’t be upset , we tipped £25 between them for their hard work which they were very grateful for. When leaving the restaurant, the owner asked what he could do to improve his business… firstly , if you are aware of a booking containing 22 people and KNOW you cannot handle that many people do not book them in , hire more staff for starters and chef who can cook and be professional to other members of staff. The owner also replied to a previous review stating there have been good reviews for their “little” pub. Yes the restaurant is little so don’t you expect a group of 22 to take up a small portion of the restaurant. So why would this be a problem if you’re making money , which is what you want isn’t it ? There were still about 3 tables in our area of the restaurant who had members of the public seated , people in the bar were also asking where their food was . We have been numerous times to this restaurant and never had any issues until this visit.

We were at the meal for 23 people on Saturday and I agree with Mary Bagley on her comments.we arrived at 6 o clock and the rest of the party arrived just before 6.30 and then we went straight round to sit. There was not enough room for people to sit or even for your staff to serve meals. We asked if they could rearrange tables and told us there were no bookings at the other tables so it was fine to use them to make it easier for everyone. No one was rude to the girls, and several of our party heard them being shouted at. I personally spoke to the bar manager who was in tears and told her not to get upset as it was the fault of the kitchen and not her. We were told by staff there were 2 fires on the hob, we can't all be lying. My potato and leek soup was bland, tasting like it was just blended potato, no leeks at all, others tasted it and said the same. I work in a catering establishment and have up to 50 covers in one sitting and not once has cold food gone out. 90 percent of the meals were cold. Meals were coming out intermittently, at some points over half an hour apart. By the time I got my meal, a lamb shank, everyone else had eaten. If the chef can't cope he shouldn't be in the kitchen. The girls worked their arses off and if we were so horrid to them, then why did we leave a substantial tip for the 3 girls. I seriously hope you can turn things around, but for the time being I won't be recommending your establishment.

I believe the rest of my party has stated what happened on Saturday evening during the birthday party and it is very unfortunate that the responses back are not correct or constructive, because they were when you spoke to me at least at the time. There was a failing in the kitchen, due to the equipment malfunctioning, it doesn't happen all the time, but I feel that if there had been better communication at the time, this may have helped. You did apologise at the time, and that is appreciated. Needless to say the overall experience wasn't good for the party. I will say that the staff serving did all they could to assist on all points, hence why we left a tip. Improvements need to be made and maybe more staff could help when large parties are in. Or maybe serving the food as its ready, instead of trying to keep it all together at the same time. Certainly the last few meals served were better. As we discussed you are trying to build a business up, but you need to address the good and the bad. Nothing is perfect but it could have been alot better.

I personally dont normally leave bad reviews as it was stated on sat 23rd march by the owner, we are all human and mistakes can happen! Unfortunately these mistakes do not get rectified with lies. To say we was late and to say we took over the restaurant and we stopped others dining is despicable. Even if these statements about us were true this does not warrant the poor quality of the food that was served this night. If there was such problems in the kitchen, I believe communication would have helped the whole situation.

Unfortunately this is not a good review, a party of 23 was there Sat 23rd March 2024 table was booked for 6.30, was still waiting on mains at 8.40 most of the food was cold and sent back, 4 of us didn't even have a main as the wait was that long, staff in tears and a chef (if he was indeed a chef) shouting at the 2 young girls doing there best, I personally had to take glasses and plates from the starters to the kitchen as it was very understaffed, I also attended 2 weeks previous to give them a pre order list of food. The owner appeared and gave us 3 complimentary bottle of prosecco for the trouble but like I pointed out to him nobody in our party drinks prosecco so what's the point, 3 ladies in our party took the prosecco home. To say I was disappointed as it was my twins birthday meal and my husbands is an understatement, I hope they see this review and make changes to what was a fantastic place to eat to now not. I was also informed there the fryers set on fire, another person in our party was told the grill went up in flames, no fire alarms went off and if there was in fact a fire the pub surely should have been evacuated due to safety reasons. Won't be going back thats for sure. REPLY BACK TO OWNER: Wow you are a liar...all people were there before 6.30 got a drink at the bar and went to where we were to be seated, not everyone sat down as there wasn't enough room for people to sit because of how the tables were arranged, I approached one of your young ladies to see if we could change the arrangement and she said yes and then we helped her as in her words there's no one else booked in for those tables anyway. Your chef was shouting at the young waitresses and was witnessed by other members of the public in the pub, other people were also asking why it was taking so long for there food to come out, there was other diners in your restaurant apart from us so NO we did not take up the whole restaurant as you have stated, I did personally take plates to the kitchen and clear glasses from out tables, your chef snapped my head off when I asked to have some gravy to heat the meals up that were cold and low and behold the gravy was cold too. The long and short of this is......we were not rude to anyone, the one barmaid was crying because our night had been spoilt and she felt guilty, not her fault at all and we showed that by giving the 3 girls a tip and reassured them that non of it was their fault, if it sits right with you to lie then that's fine but what I will not tolerate is you making us out to be rude people when we are not. We have dined in that restaurant more than once and I had my 50th birthday there (another big party of people) and we had a great night, great food and great service.....you wasn't in charge then!!!

Lovely welcoming friendly pub not a massive place but nice with outside seating area and smoking area ...staff are friendly food was good and home cooked Will definitely be visiting again ...

Watched Cheltenham Gold Cup, great atmosphere. The prices are very reasonable too, We also watched 2 singers who were amazing, it’s good to have somewhere local to watch live music. The staff were so friendly and had a really good time. Please visit you won’t be disappointed. We have ate here previously, Sunday roast was amazing, good portion and value for money I would recommend a visit

Just had the Mother's day 3 course meal .Food was lovely, I couldn't fault any of it . Staff polite and professional. I would recommend.

First time for me and my family. Fantastic food, generous plateful and great value for money. Friendly staff and a warm welcome, highly recommended 👍

Went for a curry night arrived at 6.45pm and received our food at 7.50pm which is not acceptable do not understand why surely the pot of curry should be ready to go with just chips and naan to cook. When the food did arrive it wasnt very nice and the naan bread was burnt did not want to send it back as we were all starving. My friend took her 10 year old with us she had not eaten after school as knew we were going out so the poor child was starving by the time it came. Not a good experience and we will not be back. However, on a positive the young lady behind the bar was lovely and was non stop all night.

Waited over an hour for food. The girl behind the bar worked her socks off all night running the bar and taking food orders and even bringing the food out. The food was good and plentiful. Its just a shame it had taken so long.

Went Saturday night party of 16 , 50th birthday celebration for staff member, brilliant service staff really friendly would definitely recommend

Carvery was delicious! The Gammon was my favourite - juicy, tender and plenty on my plate. The mash was perfect and the gravy!! (nom) Staff were really friendly, efficient and happy, service was great and we weren’t kept waiting. I would definitely go again and definitely recommend.

Food absolutely fantastic. Friendly staff, will definitely be back, home cooked food nice size portions . Great atmosphere

Food a little below par from recent visits....belly draft not as we usually find and chips weren't nice at all....sorry but can only review as i find it....waitress exceptional

Superb! food was so tasty , lovely pub and atmosphere, would highly recommend 👌 for families Friendly staff and lots of choice,, will definitely return

Always love the steak baguette home made chips are the best Lovely friendly family pub Also Friday evenings are good with the live singers

Great food and lovely staff, good night had by all, would recommend

Food terrible dirty plates left by staff management seems to more interested in certain members of staff rather than the business and dealing with complaints used to be a lovely pub with great food till present owners took over

Booked for myself and my wife for a valentine treat . Food was absolutely amazing. Timing was timed to perfection. Staff were friendly and attentive. We had a special time and Carnt wait for the next visit.

Valentines night meal was absolutely stunning. Great atmosphere, excellent service and the food was amazing. Prawn cocktail starters were devine, steak was cooked to perfection and dessert was delicious. Massive compliments to the chef, bar staff and front of house, we had a fabulous evening 👌👏

Had the most amazing homemade lasagne chips and cheesy garlic bread all of which were amazing but the onion rings were beyond belief bubbly crispy batter over fresh onion

Visited with family and we had a lovely lunchtime experience. Great food (fresh and made to order) and friendly staff. Will definitely being going back and highly recommend.

Great food ,great beer ,lovely staff couldn't ask for better.

Little local old pub, with food which I haven't tried yet. It truly seems like time forgot it in the good and slightly not so good ways. I'll go back to try the food another time for sure, their meals look just as classic and appealing. No sterile expensive vibes that makes you wonder if you are welcome in the business which I like for sure.

Lovely old pub, busy with regulars, which was comforting to see. The beer was very good indeed. Our food was freshly cooked and home-made and delicious. Really couldn't fault it all. I will definitely go back and I would happily recommend it to others.

Had carvery recently. Arrived for lunch on time but waited for an hour to be called forward .. Some veg was hardly warm and others cold. Actually was able to put my had on hot plate and serving dishes . Pork and gammon was not too bad Had beef also and was served 3 slithers of meat the size of pencils. The large queue was in front of the gravy and condiments table. So constantly asking people to move. I actually asked for mine to be put in the microwave. Other people were not happy but just ate it quickly.. Young staff out front and in kitchen very inexperienced. But couldn't blame them for effort .

Waited for near 1 hour and no one’s table has food

They are really trying to make the Why Not Inn successful, but at the moment, they have a long way to go. Our food was served on cold plates, so it soon went cold. We had the pork belly (lunch menu), the pork belly was really good, and a good size. The mash potato was watery, but the vegetables were good. Unfortunately, everything went cold because of the cold plates. I do hope they sort out their problems as the owner was very welcoming and was obviously trying to do his best. I wish them a successful future.

Lovely little pub, always great food and drinks and lots of choice, staff lovely and funny, always a warm welcome.

Terrible dinner,meat too tough to eat,dinner was cold,there conversations in the kitchen was not good,a very bad experience and waste of money,no attention to detail

Lovely place. Great prices, friendly staff, good selection of food and drink.

Never had a bad meal at this pub. Visit quite often. Again today.

Good homley cooking very friendly staff Good pricing thank you

First time we have been for a few years Both had Sunday dinner Absolutely fantastic food Service was very good and value for money was outstanding Will definitely be there again soon Thank you 👍

Went for anniversary meal at the place where I proposed to my wife,and we couldn't have been looked after any better,the food was excellent and plenty of it. Will definitely be eating there again.

Enjoyed the carvery although we weren't expecting it.Veg could have been a little hotter..Really kind of your chef to use the fryer to make a kids meal for our granddaughter. So much appreciated and made the day for us.Thank you

Came here for lunch, food is freshly made! Prices are absolutely brilliant! Lovely people who work here and made sure you are well looked after. Thank you.

Wow what an amazing New Year’s Eve party! Our first visit and certainly it won’t be our last! The event was free tickets and a free buffet and the food was honestly amazing, the staff went to so much effort and it really showed. Amazing atmosphere with incredibly welcoming staff and locals. From the moment you step inside the pub they make you feel like you’re walking into a friends front room. Great drinks with loads of options and really competitively priced. We look forward to going back and trying the cooked food. The owners walked round all night greeting, chatting and taking care of guests and I just thought that was a fabulous personal touch. We were so impressed and loved every minute, we would absolutely recommend to come here, support a local business and just have a good time. Wow wow wow is all we can say, thank you for such a lovely evening!!!!

Never again waited over two hours for our food

Our family went for Christmas dinner this year at The Why Not. I had left it late to book but they went above and beyond to accommodate the five of us. We’ve gone out a fair few years for Christmas dinner at different places but this one was by far the best we’ve ever had. The food was all very freshly cooked and actually piping hot, when it came out. The beef and Turkey that we had was just delicious. It was all absolutely faultless. The staff were excellent and gave us the best service. We didn’t wait for drinks to arrive at the table or between courses but we weren’t rushed either. Can’t praise the staff enough for making this Christmas wonderful for our family. It was so good already booked for next year and will certainly be eating here throughout the year.

Very accommodating to my dietary requirements. Super friendly. Helpful. Great food. Fresh. No cheap frozen stuff. Highly recommended. Thank u Lisa 😉

Visited this pub on Boxing Day, was very disappointed, myself & my husband had one drink and left, it seemed too much trouble for the barmaid to serve us,we won't be rushing back!

After months of planning for a surprise Christmas lunch lisa and her team blew it out the park. The pub was immaculate the atmosphere was electric and her team exceptional. The Christmas day lunch was excellent both in terms of quality and quantity it was served with steaming hot vegetables perfectly cooked and meat that melted in your palate despite the challenges the kitchen staff faced in the logistics of serving a full complement of diners the ambiance gave the impression that everyone was valued.couse by course and there were 7 was of the same quality the team checked in at regular intervals but never in an intrusive way. It was our Christmas Cracker make it yours!!!!!!

What can we say ! Food is exceptional, but too much to to eat ,I had chicken curry ,naan ,rice chips and poppadom ..my partner had surf n turf ,wow this was huge, well worth the money and cooked perfectly .amazing food

Our first Sunday carvery here. Great food cooked well. What's not to like. Would definitely go again.

The staff were friendly nice warm welcome the food was excellent, good value for money, nice ambience, decorated for christmas

We haven't eaten at the Why Not for a few years and we were not disappointed. The food is still as good as it was, we had a lovely lunch.

As a family we always have to a little get together around Christmas, this year (Saturday 2nd December) we went to the Why Not, we had a warm and friendly welcoming, food was excellent, staff was always on hand can't fault it, would highly recommend, 10/10

Sunday dinner was a little cool but as soon as this was bought to the attention of the boss she went and spoke to serving staff. will be going again, good vfm.

Thank you once again for our great meal that was delivered by uber, and taking the time to read my notes about concerns about delivery and rectifying by putting in sealed containers, will definitely be ordering again love the meals, good quality

At last, a decent Sunday roast delivered! 4 choices of meat, which was tasty and abundant, fresh veggies, real mash and all the extra fixings were good. Just a couple of things which I feel needs improvement (because I'm super picky about my Sunday roast)...

Delicious fresh home cooked food, the caramelised red onion sausages are devine, my hubby had cod and chips and both meals were excellent. Lovely pub, service is fantastic.

The food wasn't great, but the service was awful. The waitress was abrupt and would rather sit in the lounge than attend to tables. Gave up on waiting to order desert and had to go over to the bar to pay the bill as the...

First time visiting, had Sunday carvery and pudding, was absolutely lovely, staff were brilliant and the banter between the staff was brilliant. We were made to feel so welcome and will definitely be going back.

Excellent value, good food, very generous portions.

Bangers and mash at Whynot Inn. Best sausage and mash I have ever eaten. Superb.

Great pub with great home cooked food

What to do on a boring Monday evening? I know lets go to the Why Not Inn for some comfort food. We were not disappointed again, the food was excellent especially the home made chips which are my all time favourite and can not find...

A proper pub. Attended the free quiz on Wednesday evening. A very casual affair. A cracking pub full of character. Can't wait to go back and enjoy more of their food, drink and atmosphere.

Very friendly place, lovely home cooked food, fresh veg on carvery

Didn't pay for food order well done steak needed saw and chisel to cut it service good waited 1hr 30 for meal and mixed grill the same unedable

First time visitor. Great food at competitive price. Will definitely return soon.

Hadn’t been here for a few years and we knew there had been a change over ownership so wasn’t sure what to expect. It was just as good as always. good drinks, Amazing food, great service.

Went last night, having never been before. Its a quaint pub with a roaring fire on in the bar and a happy family atmosphere. We ordered our meals.and had 3 courses, each one was delicious, hot and excellent portions. The price is great and service friendly, and attentive, asking if all was OK. We will definitely return and highly recommend to all !! Thanks so much 😊 Note car parking very small nearby only enough for 4 cars but plenty of spaces nearby roads.

Great food and amazing service. Varied menu which was a real knockout. The chips are amazing. Prices couldn't be any lower for the quality.

Great little local pub serving a good variety of beer on tap and other drinks options. The food is very nice, their homemade chips are incredible and the portion sizes are extremely generous. Lovely welcoming staff members and dog friendly too.

We went here for the first time this evening, this pub really is a gem. Lovely atmosphere, very friendly and great food. I really felt so comfortable and welcome, will definitely be visiting again.

Very nice friendly pub with absolutely ace food, we had the sunday carvery which was not expensive at all nor were the drinks which by the way they had a good selection including real cask ales, would most certainly go again especially for their curry night on Thursdays which is only £9.95 including Rice, chips nan bread and popadum or if there's two of you it's only £14.95! total for both meals, where else can you get all that for that amount?... nowhere!😊

It has been a few years since I have been here, but the food was excellent. I will definitely be back more often now.

Lovely family friendly pub. Great food, great service, friendly staff. Will definitely be coming back!!

Visited Friday for family meal to celebrate my birthday. Staff very welcoming, food was lovely with good portions. Thoroughly enjoyed by all of us!

Lovely pub, great service and awesome food at a good price. Will definitely be going again. Very impressed

First time visiting since the new owners came in. Absolutely freezing everyone in the pub had their coats on. The log fires had almost burnt out. Asked for the electric fire to be put on but no heat came out. I explained we have someone very ill in the party who feels the cold but the staff did nothing to help warm the pub up. Waited over 1 hour 30 mins for our food to only then be told only 1 fryer working so there is a delay. Why not tell everyone this when they order so they know to expect a long wait? By the time we were served our mains other tables were complaining also. Completely understand these things happen and are unforeseen however with the pub being freezing cold it made us tempted to leave. The meals when they arrived were huge, fresh and we enjoyed them just a shame that our night was dampened by a pub we have had many great meals in over the years.

We have been regular patrons of the Why Not Inn but not for some time (lockdown etc). But our latest visit was awesome. Utterly delightful. Tuesday night steak was in the top 3 of all steaks I've ever tasted. A rump steak which was cooked...

Amazing meal. The food was excellent. The Staff are friendly and there is a warm & welcoming atmosphere. Would highly recommend

Not planned to come here (in fact last time I was here was over twenty years ago) and loved it. Great food and lovely people. Looks like they have a tonne of great stuff on here as well. (Chips were amazing as well 🤤)

Fantastic inn, always a warm welcome and the food is amazing. This isn’t my local unfortunately, so I travel into the area just to use this pub.

Went on Saturday night for a meal and we really enjoyed it, great service, lovely food, highly recommend

Excellent staff, absolutely gorgeous food, can't fault anything. Will definitely recommend and will definitely be back.

I've never seen my husband/son demolish a plate of food so quickly and enjoyably. Also, all staff were incredibly helpful and efficient. From a wife and mother.