Ye Olde Fleece Inn in South Lakeland

A lovely place! Visited on Friday 27th September for lunch before our drive home back to Lancaster. We actually came in once for a drink about a year ago so thought we’d come in and try some food. We got seated in good time and were put on a lovely private sofa table with our 2 small dogs and was given a bowl of water for them. 🐾 2 young-ish men were serving us on this occasion and they were both so professional, polite, hard working and so attentive and the young lady behind the bar was welcoming too as we walked in past the bar. The pub & restaurant area were rather busy and they were all managing it on their own as a team of 3, whilst providing great service - really impressive! We went for 3 small plates for £18 to start with: a little sausage dish, a chicken dish, and halloumi fries and every single plate was delightful and all came really well seasoned and with tasty sticky sauces, we were really happy… as were the dogs🤣 My partner ordered the loaded nachos (the one with blue cheese, jalapeños and a few other toppings) and they were honestly SO good, I’m not usually a nacho person but after trying my partners I can definitely say they are the best I’ve ever had in 26 years - such a good mixture of flavours and the portion size was HUGE! I went for the beef burger with cheese, bacon and bbq beef brisket served with chips and the whole meal was 10/10, absolutely delicious, the nicest burger I’ve had in a while! We’ve been away for a 3 day trip and both said this was the best meal we’ve had the whole time 🌟 Everything was just so lovely and so tasty, the entire menu seemed nice to be fair and so much choice! The bathrooms were clean and the decor was attractive. My partners dad has a business in Kendal so I have no doubt we will be back again. Thank you so much 🍔 🐾 ❤️

We were Americans visiting the Lakes District for a week, and on a very rainy day we stopped off in downtown Kendal and ate lunch at noon, right when this restaurant opened on a Sunday. We were the first seated and the venue rapidly filled up with many families, and quite a few dogs. seating is comfortable and cozy, the service is friendly, and the food was hearty and flavorful. Clean toilets. We shared fish and chips with mushy peas (excellent chips), plus a flavorful Cumberland Swirl with mashed potatoes and very fresh-tasting peas. Portions are sizeable. There is of course a variety of beer, and a decent wine list. The challenge, typical for tourists in all British towns, is finding parking close enough to walk from at key times.

Good food and drinks, served by Fiona she did a fantastic job she was the only member of staff I could see on the floor all night but she made sure we were well taken care of.

Had a really good experience here, the bar staff were really friendly and efficient with a great range of ales on the bar - when placing our order I mentioned that my wife is a coeliac and the gentleman that served me was very knowledgeable being a coeliac himself and noted coeliac down on each item - the menu was excellent in identifying gluten free options and the whole experience was excellent - also really doggy friendly throughout

What a lovely place, great friendly staff where nothing is too much trouble. The food is of excellent quality and we really did enjoy, very good portion size and good value. Lovely and clean too 😊

We were wondering around Kendal and found this great pub! We didn’t have reservation, but we were offered a table anyway. The service was superb and the food too.

The meal was good and the portions were good however it was very expensive pub food and I don’t think that the triple cooked chips were home made. They tasted as if they were frozen chips, just taken out of a bag and fried. The fish batter was a bit soggy in the middle. The staff were friendly though.

The food was very good - burger/steak/fish and chips - and the atmosphere was relaxing. Sadly though, it was a busy Saturday evening (with a few large groups eating) and there was only one waiter trying to juggle all of it. I felt really sorry for him; he was trying his best. We ended up giving up on more drinks/dessert as there was no one free to take the order and the whole thing was taking too long. We would recommend a visit (for the great food) but go at a quieter time.

Great pub food . Really enjoyed the salads on offer and could have stayed all day . My wife had the shredded beef salad and said it was her dish of the year .

Excellent food served by super staff who were very attentive . Great selection of meals on the menu but no real ales or bitters on the bar selection. If you like IPA or Lagers you'll be OK . Wine prices reasonable . I suppose it is what I should have expected as I did enter a Gastropub !!!! Anyway a good evening with friends / couples.

Amazing, we were so pleased we popped in out of the rain, recommended to us by local shop workers. The friendly service we received by all staff members, especially the manager, the food was fabulous, 4 of us all had different choices are were extremely pleased with what we were served - I had battered prawns in a chilli dressing sauce, belly pork bites in soy sauce, freshly baked small loaves in clay pots and triple cooked chip - all outstanding with phenomenal flavours! The place oozed charm and character, tastefully decorated and immaculately clean and we were especially impressed by the beautiful toilet facilities 👍 Well done guys - great service received, we’ll be back soon !

Fantastic Meal with a Great Ambience We needed a restaurant which could do a gluten free meal. We weren’t disappointed. We had chose smaller starters followed by main courses and ice cream. The staff were well informed about the menu and if they had any hesitation that the food was definitely they went back to the kitchen to check. Delicious food / I wish we’d returned for the next evening meal. We’ll definitely return.

Food and atmosphere was fantastic. Great service, and reasonably priced. Sticky toffee pudding is a winner! Great for a date

Excellent food and good service 👌 very clean throughout and nicely decorated top stars it's VERY dog friendly location is perfect

We were staying on the outskirts of Kendal for a few days and walked into the town centre for a look round and also to get an evening meal. Ye Olde Fleece Inn looked a good bet but, if I am being honest, we didn't have especially high expectations. This was only because it looked like a traditional 'proper old pub' without any pretentions so we thought we might be in for pub grub. It was a lot better than that - there was a very good range of options on the menu, the food when it came was excellent, the portions were generous and the staff were friendly. George was our waiter and he was spot on - attentive without being intrusive. All in all, a great experience and one I would recommend.

Stopped for lunch. Great atmosphere, lovely food and incredibly friendly staff would recommend for eating, look forward to trying for a few friendly beers.

Had a brilliant lunch. Was met with a lovely welcoming atmosphere by George and Shelby. There was amazing food, drinks and service Will be returning again.

This was the third time I have had lunch at the fleece Inn and once again it was superb. Great service and great quality food. The chilli beef was sublime and HOT HOT HOT.

We were in Kendal for a few days and we booked a table one evening for dinner , when we were , seated at the table we were introduced to Nial who would look after us . His knowledge of the food and drinks was excellent and all through the time he was serving us was polite , chatty and well mannered . Due to this we would definitely return .

despite trying to book about 30 minutes before we arrived, we were able to find a slot online. When we arrived we were rudely met by a woman (assuming she is a manager). She insisted she had no tables left and since we “had left it so late” we would be sat upstairs. Following her upstairs, we were taken to a room which can only be described as cold and dusty. We were the only people in here sat around a large “conference like” table. They shut the door and left. I understand you are busy and we booked last minute, but WHY allow us to book knowing you have no actual tables in the restaurant. It is completely ridiculous.

Great atmosphere and lovely food! Good prices too. Would definitely come back again if I’m in the area. Drinks were delicious too.

What a lovely place with very attentive staff from arrival to departure. The reason we booked here is because of it being dog friendly and we were away for the weekend with the pooch. The steak pie was delicious and felt really welcomed.

Outside promises a real pub. Inside fails to deliver. Table service only, duty manager wasn't able to state what beers were available, London prices for mediocre products and service. Disappointing and won't be back.

Over four days we popped in for coffee & cake, brunch, dinner and just for a drink and on all four occasions the staff were lovely, attentive and friendly. The food selection good and the food we chose absolutely lovely - with a fish finger sandwich to die for. Good selection of ciders, beers and wines. Lovely setting, comfortable chairs and a lovely overall experience. Would highly recommend and we will be back

Our negative experience which I outlined in a letter in January 2024 to the owners of Ye Olde Fleece has received no reply hence the reason I feel compelled to put it on Trip Advisor. A close friend had a similar experience, no reply, this was not related to our visit. This was our third family Boxing Day visit. A party of 10. Upstairs in a small room. First visit delightful. Meals pre ordered as requested. Room warm, crackers, table set up even music. Food good. Second year no pre ordered meals. Room not as welcoming but there was a fire. Lengthy wait in between courses, uncomfortably so, however the exhuberance of the young waiting on staff made up for their lack of knowledge around the menu and we were there to enjoy being together as a family. Third and final visit 2023. I got the impression our booking got lost. After a short wait we got shown upstairs, the room was cold and I mean cold. No fire in the grate. Napkins hastily scattered around the table which was dirty and we used wet wipes to clean it. The tired old Christmas decoration was on the table, burnt down tea lights sat in its midst. We asked the Duty Manager for a heater, none available. We asked for logs so we could light a fire, none available, it's Christmas and we have been busy. 6.30 pm Boxing Day. We sat in coats, hats, scarves and gloves throughout the meal. And now to the menu, no coca cola, no chips, no pizzas, maybe one steak pie, it's Christmas and we have been busy, the mantra of the Duty Manager, so rude, at one point she shut the door firmly! she did however come back and said we could have steak pie and chips. When the steak pies appeared they consisted of gravy and the odd potatoe and maybe a carrot, not a sign of meat, hastily put together I think, but at £18/19, shocking. It was difficult to enjoy any of the food as we were cold and the setting was grim. We declined desert! We would have left earlier but where would you go on Boxing Day for a meal if not pre booked. The one saving grace of the evening was the waitress, professional, pleasant, polite who was doing her best juggling plates opening doors with the help of a member of our party and serving a table of diners sat in their outdoor gear! We did find a rather nice hostelry nearby, warm, welcoming, they even made some seats available for us. This is where we will be next Boxing Day for our annual family reunion, and they do food.

This place is worth a visit just to see the inside of the very old (1600's) building (though it has been adapted). The food is also good. It is dog friendly - the dog for the family next to us was given a dog's dinner as well as water.

We visited on a wet Thursday evening for an anniversary celebration. We were taken to our table by a very friendly and smiley George. Drinks were ordered and served quickly. Food was delicious(we both had messy burgers) everything was served perfectly piping hot as you would hope. For desert I had probably the best sticky toffee pudding I’ve had out before and my partner had the lemon meringue roulade which I tried and was equally delicious. All the staff working were smiling and happy to help and they seemed a great team.

On a wet and rainy afternoon, my brother and I stopped in to get a couple of pints. Upon arrival, we were met with an indifferent grunt from the bartender telling us to find a table and someone would be with us to take our order. We sat down and proceeded to wait for 20 minutes. Mind you it was past lunch hour, so the place was relatively slow. In the 20 minutes, we were ignored by all staff, including the bartender who cleared some tables around us and passed us about 5 or 6 times, not even acknowledging us. We left! Terrible, indifferent and almost dismissive service, DO NOT waste your time or money! We went around the corner to a very local pub, were served immediately with care and courtesy!

We had a family of 16 and the staff were amazing. Our 3 waiters Robin, Niall and Ryan did a great job and was constantly attentive. The food came out quickly considering how big of a table we had. The food was delicious and large portions!

Super friendly and organised service . Obvious that the staff were positive about working together too. Lots of smiles obvious as they went about their business not just when with customers. Great !

Our experience today seems to echo other recent reviews, staff need a kick up the bum and properly trained, they just didn't seem to care, food took ages, we asked a staff member why and he promised to get back to us but never did. We witnessed other groups leaving as they had waited too long to get served, some of the food was decent other dishes very poor, all in a thoroughly miserable experience

My experience was not good. I am gluten free and was delighted to find Mosaic, a gluten free beer on draft. In fact out of 4 cask beers it was the only one available, the others had run out, which to my mind indicates the cellar is poorly run and after a pint each for me and my friend the Mosaic ran out as well, so there were 4 cask beer pumps and not one available. I chose a gluten free and vegan sausage dish from the menu but after the order was taken to the kitchen I was told the menu needed updating as the sausage wasn't gluten free. So, along with my friend we ordered the 3 bean chilli and rice dish. When it arrived it tasted like it was 90% tinned tomatoes with some bits of bell pepper and a smattering of kidney beans. The duty manager confirmed that it was in fact a 1 bean chilli rather than the 3 bean chilli on the menu and as such is probably in breach of the Consumer Rights Act. I refused to pay for it and to be fair there was no push back and I have no complaints about the staff but for anyone planning to eat there it is worth having the ingredients confirmed before ordering, particularly if you have any food allergies.

Fleece are normally good but went in yesterday with family, sat nearly an hour and a half waiting for our lunch only to be told they were sorry they had forgotten to put through our meals

Wow! Drove up from bridlington for a few days in kendal and stumbled into this real gem of a pub! The beer/spirits/wines selection is top notch with accompanied glassware and the atmos is very relaxed and chilled. Staff are first rate and the place is spotless. Bravo! 💪

This is a pub but told had to sit upstairs as we weren't eating. Very rude manner. Very cold upstairs so left after 1 drink as didn't feel very welcome

Great service. Good selection of food on menu to choose from. Food was well presented. Staff were welcoming and young waiters were very accommodating. All round nice experience and gorgeous ladies toilets. Loved it.

Looks promising from outside. Ordered simple fish and chips thinking it was a safe choice and at £15 possibly even nice. Fish arrived literally covered in salt, once removed it was quite nice and I didn’t think it was possible to ruin a chip, seems it is. Burnt peelings basically, although I’m guessing they were frozen. Bar service poor only one staff on at 6.30 on a Friday, after queuing at empty bar and being acknowledged by them they served someone else before me as I paid my bill. Dirty beer mats on table and sticky menus. Visiting Kendal for the first time as a birthday treat with my daughter so I decided not to complain at the time. Frankly it was unpleasant.

The menu is varied and extensive with something for everyone, the food is excellent. The staff are quick, friendly and efficient.

Two things I have to say about this spot… First I’ll start with the fact the whole way through the restaurant stank of urine which was very off putting. Secondly just don’t bother going as the food is awful!