Waterside Inn Ware in East Hertfordshire

Fantastically tranquil and beautiful location. Make sure you go for a walk along the tow path after your meal.

I decided to try this whilst in Ware for the day one Friday afternoon and chose it as it's along the river. It was a bit of a cold day so decided to sit inside. The bar tender was really friendly and helpful and helped me choose some suitable food for my child with allergies. It's a lovely, bright pub with an airy feel, very clean and nice modern decor. The bathrooms were also well maintained. Both me and my child had the fish and chips, it was so good! I went for the minted peas which were excellent and my lemon was charred which gave it a lovely full flavour. We also had vegan vanilla ice cream for dessert which was delicious. The pub has a lovely relaxed atmosphere. I will look back to returning on a warmer day and sitting outside which also looked lovely.

Not the place to go for Sunday lunch. Food awful.

Great Saturday afternoon walk from Hertford to Ware along the canal and stop in the Waterside inn Food and drinks delicious 😋

Food good , even though think it's time they change the menu ! Good chose of drinks. Friendly staff. Crumble of the day great. Atmosphere let's it down. Too loud with too many TV's playing loud , no area to avoid a TV or quick space to eat.

This is a pub close to the high street in Ware. Had a whole day to kill and dont regret my choice.. The food was really delish. Wasnt extraordinary. But definitely fresh, delectable and will visit again. Reasonably priced. Ambience is great. So many groups were having a jolly time.. On a nice summer day would have sat down by the river. It was a really cold dreary day and so stayed indoors. The young man at the bar was super friendly... The girls less so.. But on the whole accommodating and welcoming.

Beautiful location & also great sunday roadt

Booked a table for 2, a couple of days in advance. However, I have been given the worst table (Next to a loud speaker and a door leading to the toilets) . The waitress said : It is only 2 of you and the other tables have been reserved. I felt so upset that I was about to walk away. My husband spoke with someone and we 've got another table. The food was good, but my broccoli was under cooked. Not sure if we are going back...

Excellent pub for everyone. Staff are the best bit!!

A group of friends and I booked the bottomless brunch for yesterday, was really pleased to find a venue that offered a variety of drinks as part of the bottomless menu as usually it’s just Prosecco which not everyone likes! The food and drinks were lovely, the manager was really helpful and friendly. If I was to give any criticism, it would be that you had to order each round of drinks at the bar which on a busy Saturday afternoon took you away from your group quite a bit.. but still we had a great afternoon! Thank you!

Food was good. Service by Emma was excellent 👍

Went for football and a roast. The roast beef was very very disappointing beef was something like we used to serve out of a packet at a low end pub. Yorkshire puddings where stale but all out can eat. Parsnip and carrot singular was cold. The best thing on the plate was the single baby stem broccoli that was served. Staff where friendly and the atmosphere was nice. The garden out the rear was lovely right on the river

I arranged a ger together with friends as we were visiting the area from the midlands . Communicated with the manager who was very prompt and accommodating with his response. They reserved an area for us as we were a large group. Atmosphere was great , food and service was good and staff were pleasant and helpful. Lovely pub and lovely location by the canal. Great time was had by all . Thank you Waterside . We will definitely visit again when we are in the area .

Decent food and good choice of beers. Team are always friendly and rarely have to wait for very long

The food is okay, normal pub food nothing too special. Maybe a little pricey for want it is but still filled a hole. Was very loud but granted Friday night, probably not a smart idea to go out for dinner

Just held my dads wake in the Waterside buffet was absolutely excellent and staff friendly and helpful would recommend this venue to anyone Thank you for going above and beyond

The staff are mostly useless. If they’re not on their phones or chatting amongst themselves they’re ignoring you some other way. Sooo rude. Especially the younger ones. Sorry to say.

Preferably for groups of people

Nice pub. Bit like a Beefeater ambience, but nicer. Good beer selection. Food quality a bit hit and miss.

Visited for a NYE meal with friends. Disappointed with the service but put that down to the fact they were busy. Food was excellent as was the drinks.

I want to The Waterside on Friday evening December 21st. Lovely meal with excellent service. I left a Christmas present under the table that a friend had given to me, and thought that it was lost. However I called in on Saturday morning to check if it had been found and to my surprise it had been found by a member of staff. It was waiting for me behind the bar. I was so grateful and thankful to the staff who were happy to return it to me. Honest and friendly beyond expectations.

Couple of drinks. Friendly staff

Well situated gastropub overlooking the River Lea with outdoor tables which are very pleasant in the summer. The interior is unusually well lit and open but with smaller sub-divided areas giving some privacy. The food we ordered was promptly delivered, of adequate quantity and all four different dishes proved of good quality. Trouble had been taken to present the food attractively and it was served by friendly and efficient staff. The gents was roomy (but the toilet seat needed repair) and there is a ground floor toilet for those who can't face the stairs.

I wish they'd sack their chef. For the third time the vegetables with my meal were inedible. Raw broccoli, the parsnip might have been held over a boiling pot for a few seconds, carrot barely cooked. When we mentioned it to the staff they replied 'again!' so obviously it's a frequent complaint. Please teach your staff to cook. Bar staff were lovely though.

I had a problem with my food and had to send it back. Leanne handled everything really well...very understanding, put me at ease and sorted the problem with no grumbles. Thanks so much! You're a star

Very nice bar, go there drink all your problems away and watch live football. It's just next to River Lea Bridge and opposite Saracens head, Ware.

Outstanding burger today and lamb shank pie was awesome too 👍 well done chef

We had a nice meal. The food was good and was served very quickly. The staff were polite and friendly.

A lovely location, which I suspect is much better in summer due to its location by the river. We had not been there before but booked for Sunday lunch for my wife's birthday. Unfortunately we booked for 3.45pm which might have been our downfall. It was playing football on the screens which made for a slightly noisy environment, but worse was the fact they had run out of Sunday roasts! In the end , we all found something else to eat which was fine, but not when you planned for a roast. Parking was also a challenge as the car park is very small. Prices were very reasonable though; shame the coffee machine was broken.

Jade at The Waterside Inn in Ware is honestly awesome. From the moment we walked in, she made us feel right at home, super friendly and just really easy to chat with. She was on top of everything too, checking in just the right amount without ever feeling pushy. Jade also knows the menu inside out, which was a massive help when we couldn’t decide what to order. Her recommendations were spot on! You can tell she actually cares about making sure you’re having a good time, not just doing the usual server stuff. All in all, Jade totally made our night. She’s got this natural vibe that just makes you feel welcome, and it really adds to the whole experience at The Waterside. If you get her as your server, you’re in for a good time!

Came here with friends for Sunday lunch. It’s very pretty and cosy inside, however, the food wasn’t great, the roast beef was very over cooked and dry as were the Yorkshire puds - think they had been left under the heat lamp. We asked for more gravy which was never brought out. We then got told we only had 15 minutes left at the table not long after our food was delivered, we moved to other table but the staff were not very helpful and there were plenty on empty tables not used but with reserved signs on which were not used for the whole time we were there.

Ate a rather dry and unappetising meal here. Sunday roast sirloin of beef featured tough overcooked beef, Yorkshires that tasted as if they'd spent an age under the heat lamp, and powdery roast potatoes. I've eaten well here in the past and it was disappointing to see the standards slipping so much.

In response to the review in the photo attached. I appreciate the gesture however all I ask is that you remind your staff (again not all) that life is tough and the majority of people who go to a pub need it to escape , to laugh, to be with friends and to forget any troubles. A smile and understanding of that is not a lot to ask for.

Absolutely disgraceful place so rude and the manager discriminates so badly I never want to go there again avoid this place at all costs the disrespect that my family had to go through because of the manager absolutely mind boggling

Great place to sit relax and be sociable

Great Lunch Time Lunch Deals very friendly staff and efficient service

Recently had their roast and it was delicious! Also the service at this place is always a 10/10

Update, used to be the best place in town. But the service and food have definitely declined. Could be new management as they change a fair bit. Even the ales don't taste like they used to.

Great spot on the river. Nice atmosphere, service was a little slow on the bar (but I could see they were training new and likely a body down) Service was very friendly once attended to. Food was excellent. First time visiting and definitely going back for more.

Came in today in the afternoon for lunch and the food was brilliant, great value for money and very cheery staff. Special thanks to the kitchen team, the must have been very busy but our food came out really fast and was presented beautifully, Nice one brothers and sisters! We will come back again.

Service with a genuine smile, food really tasty and very good value for money.

Music was amazing 👏 best fish & chips I've had will be back to try the roast

Great place with good food, goog beer and friendly staff.

Sunday roast, party of five, two adults, three kids. Not a brilliant roast, greens undercooked, lamb very fatty, roasts just about cooked. Service was ok, but noisy with football on in the background in most rooms. Would revisit and give another go. 4* for a general day.

Beautifully set on the river The Waterside Inn is an excellent pub for all ages. Thoroughly enjoyed our food and staff were friendly and helpful.

Bar staff were amazing and very helpful! Andrew and Keira were amazing specifically! Great drinks and great staff

Dirty tabels aren't inviting enough, and waiters serving at the table, lacking a bit too . This place is our favourite for like 8+ years now so food and drinks are nice 👌🏻

Popped in for a bite to eat after visiting H20 Rampage Aqua park. PLENTY of seating in this beautifully decorated/furnished establishment. A lovely setting, next to and overlooking a canal. Live sport being shown both inside and outdoors. My daughter especially loved the swinging chair on the decking out back. The staff were friendly and welcoming to us (2adults,2kids) and our furry friend (dogs welcome). They were also great with assisting adaptations to dishes, to suit the needs of a child with Sensory Processing Disorder. The meal was good value for money and they even had a Doggy menu, to treat your furry friend, which was a lovey touch. If you are in the area...it is definitely worth a visit. The only downside, there was no direct parking at the venue that we could see.

We were served rancid chicken. The manager was in denial and even refused to take one of the chicken dishes back. This is a very serious issue and was reported to the East Herts council / EH.

First time visiting Ware and came across this place for lunch. Fantastic staff good selection of food and very nice layout. Great location, would recommend

Unbelievable Accusation - A Nightmare Experience I am absolutely appalled and heartbroken by the experience I had at Waterside Inn. What was supposed to be a pleasant meal turned into a distressing and humiliating ordeal that left me in tears. Upon entering the restaurant, my friend and I were looking forward to a nice, relaxed dinner. We had just sat down and were browsing through the menu when a waitress approached us, asking where the salt and pepper were. Confused, I told her that there had been no such items on our table. She looked at me with suspicion, as if she didn’t believe a word I said, and walked away. To my shock and utter disbelief, she returned just 30 seconds later, accusing me of stealing the salt and pepper and hiding them in my bag! I was stunned and completely at a loss for words. I immediately showed her the inside of my bag, proving that I had nothing to hide. Yet, the damage was done—I was made to feel like a criminal in front of everyone, as if I had committed some terrible offense. This baseless accusation ruined my entire evening. I was so upset that I broke down in tears and had to leave the restaurant. I’ve never experienced anything so degrading in my life. The fact that a customer can be treated with such disrespect and suspicion without any reason is beyond comprehension. My day was utterly ruined, and I am left deeply scarred by this experience. I urge anyone considering dining here to think twice—no one deserves to be treated like this.

I had few drinks here bar staff welcoming . Nice pub definitely come back try the food.

Great food at lunch time value for money. Helpful friendly staff

Excellent pub with great river views at the rear. There are plenty of TVs to watch the football. This is also a dog friendly pub with water and dog biscuits available for free.

Didn't eat here..but lovely to have a drink by the river and watch the world go by..

Relaxed dining and friendly staff. Great setting, too.

The lovely tables by the canal has to stand the road trafic, well yoy kinda expected. Order came , no utensils given , only when asked. Utensils came, mayo and ketsup in the same ' tray' no salt no vinegar for chips, and after quite a while the gravy bote was brought.Beef an venison pue came... collapsed pie, must say. Massive piece of bone in the filling that almost break my tooth... Parsnip so under cook the niffe will not cut them. Never again !! Never again!!

First visit to ware to look at grandson flat, qweznt for a walk to the waterside Inn had a very pleasant atmosphere and good food 😀

Do NOT eat here! Went in today (21st July 2024) for a Sunday roast and was the worst food I have experienced in my life. We arrived and asked for the roast dinners and were told that there was only 2 pork left and turkey which was not the issue. The food was cold and was clearly ‘heated’ up in the microwave. The potatoes were soft and no longer crispy, the Yorkshire puddings were soggy and the roast vegetables were rock hard. When we asked for more potatoes and Yorkshire's we were told we are not serving anymore even though we paid for unlimited potatoes and Yorkshire's, (we only asked for more to see if they were going to be any better) we then was asked by the staff if our food was okay and told them all the above, the staff were brilliant and said they would speak to the manager about a refund but the manager refused any sort of refund or even a sorry and said that the food was fresh when it clearly wasn’t. After leaving the pub my stomach felt extremely dodgy and within 5 minutes of leaving the pub i was being sick on the roadside before having to take a pit stop on my way home as my stomach was aching like mad and had to pull over to use the toilet, if thats what the manager classed as fresh food then I would hate to know what management classed as non fresh. Would NEVER recommend anyone to ever eat the roast dinner here ever and if you do maybe stay in the pub for some time after so that you can use the facilities.

Fantastic pub on the river. Great staff and food was great on a previous visit. I went to order this time but kitchen closed at 9pm.

only 7 chips on the plate with my burger, don't go if you're hungry!

Nice staff, raw veg. (I like al dente- this was raw) Couldn’t eat my roast. Got money back. Staff where great about it. Be back for drinks not food.

I like my vegetables al dente but unfortunately this time the vegetables were very undercooked & extremely hard which spoilt my experience, same with my dining partner, please take note Chef!

Wouldnt put my 2kg dog on the floor so asked to leave. (in a bag on a windowsill) loved by everyone around us except one sour face see you next tuesday. No ill let her nervous wee on your carpet and get stepped on by a drunkard... Doesnt matter place made whetherspoons look like it had a soul. went ot a pub 2 door sdown dog was on a chair and loving life. NOT DOG FRIENDLY

Too much pricey ,rip off ,but great atmosphere and great STAFF

Amended my previous unhappy review. I found the place much better than before and the staff is extremely nice and kind. I would go back to dine there again if I have chance.

Good food, delicious cold Guinness, nice view to the riverside.

Me, my daughter and parents popped in yesterday for an afternoon tea. It was fabulous 👌, great ratio of sweet to savoury, big fat sandwiches, lovely cakes and service with a smile. Would definitely have again. There's 2 points I will say, I would recommend changing the tea to Yorkshire Tea, you can't get better than Yorkshire. Lastly I was very sad to hear of the best boy George passing over the rainbow 🌈 bridge, he was a great dog, so friendly and handsome. It was an absolute delight meeting him and a pleasure feeding him half my food everytime i saw him. You will be missed baby boy, RIP George.

Only went in for a late pint after a cracking curry so cannot comment on food. Place is well lit, with plenty of room and there is a good choice of beers. The garden is lovely and (been before) spacious

Unfortunately I can’t recommend this pub. The food is of terrible quality with the meat being overcooked and the potatoes burned. Miranda the manager is extremely aggressive and rude. We traveled for over 2 hours to come and celebrate my 40th birthday to be treated extremely rudely from Miranda. The bathrooms smelled of urine and the whole place is extremely dirty. Avoid this place at whole cost.

A friendly pub where you can sit indoors or there's tables outside overlooking the river if the weather's ok.

Just popped in late morning for soft drinks with friends, very impressed with our warm, cheerful welcome and service, and it was lovely to sit along the river outside.

Group visit (51)with a boat trip afterwards. Food pretty good and hot Service good Not enough seats for our coach party but the was soon sorted out

Went here as my daughter has a dog and it’s a dog friendly restaurant. All three of us had the Sunday roast which had 3 meats Wonderful meal with lovely roast potatoes and veg and Yorkshire puddings Never had any dessert as we were full great meal

What a disgusting pub I was going to book a table for my daughters 21st but due to one of her best friends who use to work for you getting thrown out after 3 months of leaving your company I can no longer use your establishment I feel the manager needs to get the sack as you will be losing a lot of potential custom.THis is so disgusting I have been in your pub before and food is lovely that’s why I wanted to use you again but with a nasty person like her in charge no way and I will not encourage anyone else to visit your pub

Nice pub and friendly staff. Great next to the canal

I came in with my mates for a nice drink and marina told me I wasn't allowed to come in because I didn't work in till my notice so she took my drink away and she gave me my money back I won't be coming back

Absolutely loved the food. Staff were great. Never got food so fast. Excellent x

Great for a lazy Sunday afternoon . We all had the roast which arrived quickly and tasted amazing . The pudding was even better . A plus was finding proper job on tap as I’m from Cornwall

What a beautiful garden! Was served by Lauren, so friendly and helpful, 5 stars to her! Loved the tiger fries.

Just popped in for a drink. Really nice place and staff. Highly recommended 👌

Steak and kidney pudding was the nuts, but sadly no longer on the menu

Food not very good at all , except fish . Children told not to swing on swing chair , also not to run around in an area where no one was sitting and actually coaxed away from grandmother back to their seats . I nearly fell down stairs as so dilapidated and breaking apart .

We popped in for brunch about 11.30am and were told Brunch was at 12noon and had to be booked online days before. Apparently this was the owner who was so unwelcoming and abrupt. Brunch actually means late breakfast/early lunch. We didn’t stay but we did speak to the lady behind the bar who was absolutely lovely and apologetic. Shame, won’t be recommending this venue, good location but first impressions matter in the service industry.

All the staff was friendly and really nice,but when I said my sausage roll (pork&onion) was grisly she just said "oh its the same meat as the other ones" ,it was actually really horrible,my children both had the pork one and loved it. My only complaint as a very nice place to visit otherwise.

Excellent food, well priced a loverly place for lunch.

Lovely pub by the river great way to spend a Saturday afternoon

I would give this 0 stars if i could..... Walked in and left after two minutes, I hate football and the whole pub had football commentary blasting out through every speaker and i mean BLASTING out!!!!! Can't really comment about the food because I didn't get to eat any.

A brilliant and busy pub at the heart of Ware . Good food , great prices and very welcoming staff . My partner left her earrings she has bought from local jeweller and it was kept for us to collect . We’re very grateful. Keep up to good work everyone because you’re amazing.

We just went for a drink. Lovely garden to sit and enjoy a few sun rays.

Spacious, some parking, friendly staff

If you like real ale, this is a great option. Good range of seven draught beers available this visit. CAMRA members will enjoy discount when showing your membership card. However, there is sometimes a queue to get served. Needs more staff behind the bar at peak times.

Great pub! Good beer and great service. Take dogs

Booked table for Sunday lunch turned up and told they had run out of roast Sunday lunches not good then football commentary on the telly was very loud not good the pubs nice I would be willing to give it another try

Friendly & Comfortable + Staff & Food also BRILLIANT = Thoroughly recommend 👌 x

Walked in today bang on 12 noon (pub was empty) for a quick pint to be told can’t serve me as I don’t have a table booked for Mother’s Day…. …. Wouldn’t serve me one pint even though happy to stand at the bar and would of been gone by 12.15… …so much for the negative stories in the press about the hospitality struggling, great to see you can pick and choose your customers

My sister has just treated me to dinner here literally just finished the last bite and all three of us thoroughly enjoyed the burger. It was cooked to perfection and will def be coming back here

Came here as its easily accessible with a pram and also dog friendly. Had a delicious lunch. Staff were Friendly and very helpful. Will be returning!

Too noisy more like a sports bar.

Lovely place, food is delicious, the staff are lovely helpful