Waddington Arms in Ribble Valley

3/11/24 Premium prices but not premium food. Sunday roast with beef that was so rare and fatty that it was impossible to cut never mind eat. Lack of other food hidden by a gigantic Yorkshire pudding. Offered a free desert because of the beef, no thanks, just wanted out of there.

great food assertive staff beautiful location 👌

Very friendly, helpful staff, we picked the sharing ploughman’s lunch, nice but could improve a little, pork pie wasn’t great, salad not great either, crusty bread needed not soft bread, piccalilli very watery, maybe not choose it again

We didn't stay here but went for Sunday lunch. The food was amazing and the staff were very friendly and helpful. Thank you so much

Went for a lunchtime meal. The food was very good. We sat inside as it was a showery day! Staff very pleasant and the pub seemed popular with locals.

We were disappointed today after going for lunch, we have been many times in the past and it’s always been very good, but on this occasion it fell well below par. The service was good a very pleasant waitress who was attentive. I ordered gammon and chips, and when it arrived it looked liked shop bought ham from a packet , I thought it was false advertising actually, if I’d have known it was sliced ham rather than gammon I would have never ordered it. My husband ordered fish and chips , and for the first time of eating out for many years had to query the portion of chips that was served, it was more of a small child’s portion. On a positive note the waitress agreed and took it back to the kitchen, she returned speedily with an extra portion and an apology which was great service. We have to say the fish was large and very lovely. We may leave it a while before returning to the Waddington arms, as there are so many outstanding eating places to visit.

Was in the area so picked WA from reviews it was Sunday Lunchtime. Food was OK my lamb was quite chewy and grisly also quite expensive. My main problem was the extras I asked for mint sauce which arrived in a small ramekin, no spoon suppled, then my side dish of cauliflower cheese arrived again no serving spoon to get it onto main plate, maybe I’m being picky but trying to pour gelatinous mint sauce onto your lunch evenly and using your fork to get one floret of cauliflower at a time spoils it, attention to detail is important not just putting dishes down and rushing away.

Great place 👌 didn't dine but the food looked fantastic 😋

This was the worst restaurant meal I’ve had in years. Pub food at its worst. I invited my brother in law and his wife for lunch today and traveled an hour and a half as did they. We all had the Sunday roast which we were assured was local and tender. NOT TRUE !! It was as tough as old boots. The presentation was appalling. The meat was strategically placed over the overcooked veg and soaked in a glutinous mass described as gravy. The only saving grace was the Yorkshire pudding and cauliflower cheese. The 20% discount offered was laughable and was offered via the waitress on behalf of the manager who disappeared following our complaint and never reappeared!! A huge disappointment and never to be repeated!!

smashing pub in lovely village, staff really helpful and nice fabulous woodburning stove

Came here on the 2nd of Jan with my partner for a meal. We ordered the pie and fish and chips. When the meals came out, we were brought pie and sausage and mash. There was a mistake and the lady apologised for putting it through wrong. I asked if the fish hadn't been started could I please change my order. The lady said that wouldn't be a problem and would check with the kitchen and let me know. A different lady came back and said they are just about to start doing my fish and chips. I asked for a different meal and she said that it wouldn't be possible as it was already put through. I explained that the previous lady said she would check and come back to me. In the end though I did manage to get my order changed and I got a really nice beef roast dinner. My partner said his pie was very nice, although it was dry and expected gravy. We overheard someone on the table behind us complaining about there not being any gravy with his pie. He asked the lady server and she said that it would cost extra if he wanted gravy. He said he wouldn't want to pay extra as it should have come with gravy anyway. We thought the same. After we finished our meals, we really wanted to order dessert. We sat and waited for about 30 minutes but no one came to our table to take our plates or ask if we wanted dessert. In the end my partner had to approach the lady server and ask her if we could please order pudding. The mains and desserts were really nice. When we went upto the till to pay, we were expecting a small discount or a free drink because of the mistake earlier. We were waiting a long time for our food. We didn't get anything as a good will gesture as previous pubs have offered due to similar occurances. Overall, we did have a nice evening but we felt like there was lack of communication between staff and there could have been a higher level of customer service.

Nice pub, good rooms, good food, excellent service, it is a period property and rooms are noisy until the bar closes, but well worth a visit, will reccomend to others.

Superb in every way. Great food, extensive drink selection and lovely surroundings. We stayed overnight in a super clean and comfy room overlooking St Helens church. Everything at reasonable prices. Really nice staff. Spacious car park. Located in a picturesque village on the edge of the glorious Trough of Bowland. Highly recommended!!

Good food and excellent service from lovely service from Brontë,who was polite efficient and explained the menu in detail, would definitely eat there again, excellent evening

Lovely clean & warm rooms, everybody was super welcoming. Even my dog PI was given a treat and a fuss on arrival. The food was absolutely amazing, I had the hotpot and can't recommend it enough. Breakfast was a perfect full English for me, PI also enjoyed a lovely sausage breakfast.

Lovely cozy pub, food was very nice. Staff very friendly and helpful. Large outside space to eat etc. Quiet when visited on a Wednesday evening.

Would highly recommend,service and quality of the food and drinks first class.

Great staff, great food. Can't fault it and honestly go visit

Beautiful village pub with friendly and helpful staff. We visited as a large group to celebrate a pre-wedding get-together. Food was pre-ordered and was absolutely delicious and well presented. Small car park to the rear but parking available on the road. Easy access to wheelchair users in the pub. The only thing I would have changed was that the tables given were not as booked for the group and 2 of our guests, in the party, had to sit on a table on their own. We moved this so that they felt part of the group. Other than that, we had a wonderful time and would definitely return. It was a great evening out.

All staff are so so nice, happy, friendly and the manager too! Amazing 👏 service xxx

First time visiting and was really impressed great food and good atmosphere,dog friendly and a car park at the rear I’d definitely recommend this place and will be coming back

We stopped here for a meal as part of a nice day out in the Trough of Bowland. The place is very charming and the food was good but most of all the service was excellent! We particularly want to thank Rebecca whose level of service was exemplary to everyone who came into the pub to eat or drink.

We had a large booking here the night before our wedding in July and the staff were great at putting separate food bookings in one area (so it felt like a party!) and at managing all the separate bills! The waiter was really friendly and didn’t at all seem phased by the chaos. A lot of the party stayed over two nights and commented how nice the rooms were and the breakfast too

Visit here about 4 times per annum and have usually been satisfied with the offerings although food and beer prices are higher every visit,this is not unique.They are now at the top end of what i am prepared to pay. My favourite is the Lancashire hot pot and previously this came with pickled red cabbage and a chunk of bread.It now comes with some sloppy white cabbage. Why? is there a world wide shortage of red cabbage

The best mash I have ever eaten in my life. The staff were very attentive

beautiful pub in a small village lovely inside and they have appalls on draught my favourite ,menu varied not the cheapest but all freshly made i had the burger chips salad was beautiful in all fairness in fact all meals looked nice till my friend ordered a bread and butter pudding just short of £8 and when it arrived look nothing like the pudding that i grew up with our friend was disappointed think the chef needs to read the be ro cookbook and make a proper pudding

I revisited the Waddington arms in July 2024 and very much enjoyed our lunch. We were very thoughtfully looked after as 2 wet and weary bikers. The fish and chips were top notch! 2 years ago… Great welcome and service at this cosy country pub. Food was good quality but ‘lamb chop and shoulder’ portion was a bit mean for the price.

Had a recent overnight stay here, (mid July) and I got to say very impressed. Good selection of draught beers extremely friendly staff food from Breakfast to Evening meal was excellent 👌

The change in menu is poor and reflected in the produce. Smaller portions with lifeless salads accompanied a very poor sandwich, the bread was very thin & nowhere near as good as the ciabattas from the previous menu. Large ploughman's was also mediocre for the price.

Just stayed overnight while in the area. Lovely hotel, great staff and very comfortable accommodation. Breakfast great and browsing the menu I would love to come back again for lunch/ dinner

Called for breakfast. Everything was 1st Class. Stay or eat here with confidence.

Excellent service, coffee & bacon barmcake 1st class x

Lovely location but for a Thursday night the service was very slow. Food was ok but we couldn’t order a sweet due to lack of staff. Polite & friendly and not badly priced but wouldn’t come back

Lovely outside area to relax. Friendly staff

It was good but felt rushed and poor service in general. We waited 15mins for someone to take a drinks order then a further 10 to receive our drinks. Never food when you've got 2 thirsty kids. Our food was nice and well presented but let down by the service

We dropped in for a quick drink and stayed for food The staff Rebecca, Bobby and Andrew were great so friendly to everyone and gave great service The food was lovely, particularly the Butter Pie (or Preston Pie ). This was made with potato, and caramelised onions which did not sound good but it was delicious ! The chips were amazing too like really light and crispy roast potatoes

From the first entry we felt welcome. Holly made us feel amazing and the food were good! Thank you again for a wonderful evening.

Outstanding food, outstanding service, and absolutely lovely atmosphere. The staff, each of them, we're so kind and helpful, and the carrot and coriander soup was the best soup I've ever eaten. 10 out 10. Highly recommended 👌 great job guys

I love the Waddington arms but last week I went with my husband staff not organised didn’t know table numbers food late and I had the worst ploughman’s I’ve ever had pub a bit shoddy we got married at eaves hall no complaints cmon Andrew or James time for refurb or organisation

I used to go when Andrew was the manager. The pub had a different atmosphere then. Andrew gave it his charisma. Now, the atmosphere is pretty standard, dull, and less attractive—no disrespect for the current staff, who are possibly doing their best. Andrew’s departure has been a painful loss from the customer's perspective.

We had a meal here with friends. Excellent food, great choice of menu, huge portions ,even some vegetarian. Staff were very friendly and helpful. It was Monday at 6.30 and almost full. Enough said

Lovely pup in a lovely village with great staff

This is a lovely country pub, the rooms were of an excellent standard, spacious bathroom, great service and nice breakfast. My only negative comment isn't the fault of the pub but unfortunately it does have an impact on the experience is the clock tower. Maybe I had the worst room, facing out onto the square, but the result was I hardly slept. If you are a light sleeper, mention it to them when you book if there's a quieter room

Perfect place for fun and good meals

Birthday lunch with my wife. Very good.

Fabulous food. Beautiful surroundings. Went back 2 weeks later, popping in for a coffee. We stayed 23minutes after being placed and then moved by the staff from 3 tables, we were offered standing room at the bar. If I could change my review to “one star” I would. An appalling absence of consistency of good service. Three other existing customers left with us due to the shambolic table reservations system and chaotic staff. Don’t visit on a Sunday afternoon, i suppose!

Just had one a night stay here and really enjoyed it. There was a group of six of us and the others enjoyed it too. The staff were friendly and welcoming and helpful. The food was excellent too! Will definitely be back when the weather is nicer.

Old fashioned country pub. 6 of us had 1 night stay. Excellent food. Very friendly and efficient staff. Room clean and slightly old fashioned with creaky floors (as you would expect in an old pub). Room 6 bath was tricky to get into and out of for a shower - no hands rail to assist.

I grew up in the village, so loved my short break here. The staff were excellent - cheerful, friendly and efficient. The food was very good; it's a long time since I had a pork chop as well cooked as this one. The bedroom was larger than I expected, and very clean without losing its rustic charm. Thoroughly recommended.

One of our favourite pubs to eat in. Hotpot is fantastic! Busy pub staff always friendly.

Had an amazing meal, by far the best food I have had out for years. I had 🦆 with potatoes and cabbage. Not as simple as it sounds, amazing meal. My wife had pepper beef, the taste was fabulous, hard to say but better than mine, Unfortunately I had to finish it as there was to much for her. Amazing meal, staff and place. Thanks Tony

Standard pub food at a very inflated price.

Lovely room, friendly staff, tasty food.

I can't say anything about the rooms, but I've stopped for a couple of beers whilst walking and dropped in for breakfast twice this weekend as I was staying locally. Good breakfast, but beyond that the ladies working service were wonderful. And they're very dog friendly. Makes all the difference.

Lovely little pit stop for a Sunday lunch. Gravy was banging, great front of house staff & bar staff. Pete did a fabulous job looking after us!

Lovely place to stay, clean characterful rooms. Lovely food and ale. Only thing I would like would be pastries at breakfast, the breakfast was lovely though. We come back here again and again.

Only called in for food, what we had would be hard to beat, excellent!!

Absolutely one of the best Christmas dinners I have ever had. The chef in this place can rustle up just about anything and it is so tasty, the presentation second to none - I can't wait to go again. The staff are very welcoming with a homely ambience - I love the decor - it's a traditional pub with excellent food. I don't know about the rooms as I have not stayed but as a restaurant/pub it is brilliant.

Absolutely spot on stayed for dinner bed and breakfast and couldn't fault a thing..exceptional ..the dinner was piping hot..rooms really clean and breakfast perfectly cooked

We popped in for Sunday lunch - we were just passing and googled to see if it was dog friendly (it is). The staff are super helpful and friendly. We ordered soup of the day (roast tomato) and a beef roast dinner. I have to admit I was just expecting "same old". This was not the case. The soup was delicious. The roast dinner was next level. Rather than a bog standard meat and two veg there was an amazing medley of veg, the sliced beef was at least 1cm thick and the Yorkshires were home made. Huge portions too. Not cheap £62 but you get what you pay for. I couldn't recommend it enough.

Well thought out menu and our monkfish and duck dishes were superb.

Came here as my daughter & boyfriend were visiting. I have never been before, but they have. Th place was busy when we arrived (4pm sunday), it got less busy as time went on. I had moules marinare & the were delicious, the other 2 had the bubble & squeak & also enjoyed, all were tasty & fresh. For mains they both had the brisket which they said was as good as the starter, I had pie (encased in device puff pastry), absolutely delish. 2 bottles of flying zebra, 2 pints of lemonaid & a pint & a half of cider, the bill came to £162 altogether which wasn't bad. The staff were lovely & attentive. I will defo be back, thank you

We only went for Sunday lunch. The food quality is excellent however what is letting the place down is very slow service and desert portion. We was a group of 7 people and arrive at 1.30 and left after 3.30pm. We only had 2 courses and took 2 hours. From the start service was slow from taking drinks order to bring to our table etc was too slow. Even when we want sauces etc that took 10 minutes to come. Desert portion are too small for the value especially if you want ice cream with your desert. We had 4 different desert which came with ice cream. Ice cream size of a teaspoon. I had cheesecake which size is right size however ice cream which go with the ice cream ran out when I was halfway through my desert. Hotel was not really full and were spare capacity at the time we visited.

We are regular diners here. Tonight's meal was outstanding. In particular the brisket in peppercorn sauce. Dear god I can't move.....

Just a bit rubish. You get charged for everything asked for a little bit more gravy with my food BOSH £4 asked for another slice of bread for the dippy cheese BOSH £4. Not to say it took nearly 2 hours to get our food. Was really hard to get the attention of any of the staff. Seems they were too busy walking into a cupboard then back out. It's really expensive for the quality of food you get.

The food, staff, service, atmosphere is always first class that's why keep going back

We had some really good pub grub and a good selection of drinks. All the staff made myself, my wife and our dog feel really welcome but Andrew in particular provided excellent service.

Excellent pub, good food and great staff.

Booked a table for lunch over the phone previous day but on arrival no booking was written down, fortunately it was quiet so wasn’t an issue. All was just fine, cracking little eatery in a gorgeous village, staff very pleasant and helpful, food was your average pub grub, nothing fancy but enjoyable and nicely presented. Very reasonably priced Do no issues and worthy of a visit.

Staff absolutely brilliant Andrew Russel and the team do it credit, unfortunately the owner is an arrogant self centred person who does not appreciate the staff or customers, thankfully down the road the lower buck has reopened. Waddington arms staff 10/10 owner doesn’t get a 1/10 arrogant person who has probably got money from his parents in my opinion

Had lunch here and the food was very good.

Popped in for lunch after a walk pretty much knowing what we wanted having checked it out online prior to going. We both went for the steak ciabatta with peppercorn sauce. Came with a tiny bit of salad and a few crisps (no fries/chips) . We bought extra chips to share. Not much steak and a lot of it was fatty with gristle , siphoned that off for the dog. Sauce nice but not the price! For what we got it was a massive rip off, especially comparing the exact same dish we have had at many establishments that would not really be considered high end gastro pubs like this one. Now of course this was one dish, we could have gone on an evening and given it 5 stars but you can only go on the last visit. The other annoying thing was the person behind the bar said you have only 10 minutes then we stop doing food. We had been stood at the bar for almost 10 minutes before anyone spoke to us and it’s pretty easy to order in ten minutes anyway. The distinct impression was they wanted to wrap up the food service just before we entered. A nice place interior wise ,no doubt about, that but for what we had with 2 pints of lime and soda, the total cost of £37 was an absolute joke.

Great mid ride latte. Very friendly staff, sat outside in the sun! Perfick.

Visited for lunch today after a dog walk and it was perfect from start to finish. All staff were attentive and friendly, especially the landlord who went out of his way to bring our dogs some treats! I had a beef roast which I would definitely recommend! All in all great experience and will definitely be back very soon!

We have been coming here for over 6 years and have always enjoyed the atmosphere and the friendly staff. The food has always been pretty good but more recently the “The Specials Board” has hit a new level of excellence. I had the slow roast lamb which was absolutely delicious, tender and still very juicy. I will definitely order it if it is ever on again. Andrew, Russell and the team did a great job. I was a bit worried that with almost every table full and with people taking advantage of the Sun both in the garden & out the front, we would be waiting a long time trying to entertain a 4 year old. The service however was fabulous and as requested the child’s food came with the starters so she was happy. I would recommend to always try something from the special’s menu, I’ve never had a bad one.

We had an amazing lunch on Tuesday here, staff were brilliant, food was amazing and loads of it! Hoping to come back and stay overnight in one of their lovely rooms. They run offers which are really good value which includes evening meal, bed and breakfast. Five stars from us and our dog Nelly the whippet who enjoyed plenty of their sausages !

Great pub. Had a meal on Friday night, which was lovely. The landlord and bar staff really know what it takes to make you feel welcome.

Only called in for drinks as was pouring down outside! Still made to feel very welcome and enjoyed our pints!

Very helpful and friendly staff. Great beer and food.

Didn't stay but just went for breakfast. It was excellent

Food sourced from local suppliers and well presented and a more pleasant surprise, brought to our table piping hot. Friendly staff copied very well with a lot of customers.

Always a very warm welcome here off the lovely Andrew and the rest of the lovely staff ..food was delicious ..great atmosphere..10/10 myself and mum are very relaxed here Thank you Petrina and Margaret xx

Great food. Fish was delicious. Bit of a wait. Great staff but service just a little slow

Great place in a stunning village . Staff were wonderful. Highly recommended.

Got to say Alex Henry Ben Russell went the extra mile we were eating as a lg group as my brother and wife from Australia were meeting up with long lost friends nothing was to much trouble Alex u are a star xxxx

Another good pub in Waddington great village to visit.

Amazing food and service. Alex really made our meal. Attentive, funny and her recommendations were spot on. Thanks Alex!! ❤️

Came for Sunday lunch after completing the Waddington Inn Trail(?). Great food! Beef roast do. Beef roast dinner was amazing. Crème brûlée was gorgeous. The accompanying short bread was divine. But even better was our waitress Alex. She was witty and fun and really put the cherry on our experience. She an asset to this venue.

We visited the Waddy Arms impromptu for something to eat & drink. We went to the bar and wasn’t welcomed but just asked what we want. We ordered some drinks and then food. We had some chippolatas and mustard Mayo dip and some duck spring rolls. All bang average. When our starters arrived the young waitress came over and said “are these yours?” Followed by “where do you want them” Quite aggressively which we found quite jarring and & left us in quite a bad mood. Absolutely no atmosphere whatsoever and you could hear a pin drop. Our main courses took a further 45 minutes and again were average. Just dropped at our table with awful service. We will not be returning here again.

Very friendly staff and a lovely location.

Great service in what was a very busy night for the staff. Our waitress Alex was fabulous.. Would recommend a visit

We visit reasonably often with our dog and its always a lovely welcome, great food and a relaxed atmosphere. Andrew and Phoebe looked after us on our last lunch visit, and everything was perfect. The mussels are highly recommended!

Visited whilst on holiday - such a lovely (dog friendly) pub in a quaint little village - food is absolutely amazing - steak and mushroom pie is the best I've ever tasted. Husband and Son both had steaks and were equally impressed.

Visited today after a walk in the local area, nice to see people supporting a local pub. Food very tasty, great service from lovely staff. Alot of tables reserved for the evening, however managed to be seated straight away. Will definitely return.

Visited on a busy Sunday afternoon. The roast dinner was spot on with a generous portion of beef. Two of our party had pies and the size of them was smile-inducing when they were delivered to the table. My vegetarian wife had limited options and...

Had a lovely couple of nights here. The room was good with tea making facilities. Staff were extremely friendly and efficient. We ate in the pub one night and the food was very good, again with excellent service. This is definitely somewhere I would stay and eat at again.

We were away on holiday and read another review from the place we stayed to visit the Waddington Arms. It did not disappoint! Excellent meal and really friendly staff, even our dog got a treat so she would definitely recommend it.

Food decent enough but service not good enough...got fed up waiting for sweet menu ended up going to chatburn for an ice cream !....but its understandable as there was 1 young lady who was very good ,doing her best 2 wait on every table...sorry but not a place we are going to be rushing back to..

Lovely pub in a small village. Shared ploughman's lunch was good quality, plenty to feed two. Pub garden is good with seating covered so you can still eat outside, bonus for smokers. The staff was all very friendly and couldn't do enough to make our visit one to remember.

Always amazing food, friendly staff and a lovely setting. Our dog especially enjoys visiting as Andrew spoils her with treats. Highly recommend.