The Olive Branch Country Inn, Rutland Reviews Summary

Service

Pros:

• "Service was excellent- just the right combination of friendly and formal."
• "Richard, our waiter was super attentive and gave us options of how we would prefer to be served."
• "The service was good and the waiters were well informed on the menu and the beers and wine lists."
• "Waiters and waitresses were attentive but not over the top."
• "The service was excellent, the staff were knowledgeable of the menu and were not rushed which allowed us to enjoy a relaxing meal."
• "Service was prompt, staff were obliging and friendly."
• "The service was super efficient."

Cons:

• "This experience will mean no recommendations from me."
• "We felt like an inconvenience on arrival and staff were tired and apathetic."
• "Service was pretty disappointing though, food took a long time to come and I struggled to get the waiters attention on more than one occasion."
• "I also felt that the service was slow and a bit surly."
• "Not a single member of staff asked us at any point how our meals / evening had been."
• "Very slow service. 45 min wait between starter & main course."
• "For those who need to be connected 24/7 be aware that mobile coverage in the village is poor and the WIFI in the garden was not that speedy."

Food

Pros:

• "The food is genuinely superb, wonderfully plated and flavourful."
• "Food is delicious, creative and very tempting."
• "Food was phenomenal, we went for the gourmet set menu which had so much choice and every course was sensational."
• "All of our food was excellently cooked & prepared, the chefs here clearly know how to cook up a meal."
• "The food was a true representation of culinary excellence and was better than most top restaurants in London."
• "The food we did eat was good quality and really nice."
• "The food was excellent."

Cons:

• "The ambiance was sadly spoiled by a table of over-excited women celebrating one of their 50th birthdays."
• "I'm sure it's all very Michelin star etc (although it didn't seem so at the time), but don't waste your time here if you're hungry."
• "Food was very rich and meat a little on the tough side."
• "Food beautifully presented & tasty but portions were tiny & ungenerous."
• "Sadly we were both very disappointed, the food and the experience really were not worth the £106."
• "Unfortunately I was disappointed as the fish was greasy and tasteless."
• "Quality of the desserts poor."

Ambiance

Pros:

• "The most delightful stay at Beech House accompanied by a faultless dinner at The Olive Branch Pub."
• "The atmosphere was relaxed whilst still giving a fine dining feel."
• "Warm welcome, great ambiance, exquisite courtesy."
• "Also loved the setting of the pub and the story behind it and the selection of furniture was great."
• "The setting beautiful - spotlessly clean and so nicely finished without feeling pretentious."
• "Outstanding food in lovely, comfortable surroundings."
• "A very welcoming place with inviting seating areas both inside and al fresco."

Cons:

• "The ambiance was sadly spoiled by a table of over-excited women celebrating one of their 50th birthdays."
• "It honestly feels like you're not wanted as a customer."
• "We felt like an inconvenience on arrival and staff were tired and apathetic."
• "Our table in the bar was quite claustrophobic and this was compounded by incoming guests and waiting staff continuously walking past."
• "We stopped by and were clearly not welcome or wanted."
• "The choice is very limited if you're a vegetarian."
• "The car parking is somewhat limited but with care you can park on the road."

Value

Pros:

• "Really great value for the fabulous food offerings with the Lunch for Less menu as well."
• "It was great to enjoy 3 courses with cocktails and 3 wines and not gasp at the bill."
• "Not overpriced for the quality of the food."
• "Quality food for reasonable prices."
• "Great service, excellent value."
• "'Lunch for less' is an incredible bargain!"
• "The shop is well worth having a look around to see if anything takes your fancy."