The Bulls Head Belper — Restaurant in Amber Valley

Sunday 24th Novemeber, my Son and I wanted to book a Sunday lunch in Belper. Everywhere was busy in Belper due to the food fair, but The Bulls Head could fit us for a table of 2. We booked for 2pm and arrived on time to a warm greeting and ordered a drink. Was told to take a seat and we would be shown to our table. The place is lovely, very nice decor throughout. It was 2.25pm, I had to approach the waitress to ask what was going on, who was a little shocked, and replied oh I 'll take you throug without apologising for the delay. The place was half empty so the 25 min wait seemed totally unnecessary, not a great start. Ordered 2 x Derbyshire beef, £25 each, very vexpensive for Belper, most other places are between £15 & £20 max, so we were expecting something super special. When the meal arrived, we were underwhelmed to say the least, shredded cabbage with a bit of leek I think, 4 or 5 very average spuds, hard on the outside, not in a good way, nice carrots and a decent yorkie pud though. It was a rip off £4.50 extra for a tiny mount of stuffing which we ordered and in fairness was quite tasty. It was the meat that was the real problem though. Awful, chewey and bad tasting, quite inedible to be frank. We complained and was told by our waitress she would mention it to the chef. The waitress passed us by several times without a peep, and then brought the menu back to see if we wanted dessert! No mention of chef feedback. I explained I wasn't happy with our meal or service at all and was not willing to pay the full amount. She offered to knock 30% plus the discretionary 10% service charge off the bill which I had no intention of paying anyway due to the 25 min wait and told her my review would reflect this. Panic then set in and the owner came to see me. She made me feel like my grievience was an exception, even though the table next to us were also complaining about their food. The owner blamed the supplier for a bad piece of beef and would feebdback to them. Well what about taking ownership of the beef, and the chef should have never let it leave the kitchen and taken it off menu. I was asked what I was happy to pay. I said £25, basically half, but I was still minded to post a negative review as to warn future potential customers. She then proposed I pay nothing, walk out and never return. At this point she realised she couldn't buy my silence she went off on one about how hard she works, had the business 11 months, her first business etc and seemed on the verge of tears. I said don't get upset, not to be thin skinned, it's business not personal, but I was thinking ok just go and forget the review, but she then decided to go nuclear and insult me by saying she felt sorry for me, in other words I was being pathetic. I stood up, and announced that not only was I not paying, but the review was a definite and I would also mention the insult. All in all a...

Sian and the team have created the best place to eat and drink in Derbyshire. Situated in a cosy warm historic pub. Sian’s team welcomes everyone and their dogs with outstanding service. I have visited the Bulls Head Belper, 7 times since they opened their doors! Having been in large groups (10+) or just me and my partner, the incredible service has never wavered! The food served here is second to none, with completely original takes on classic dishes which entice you to keep coming back! A seasonal menu which changes monthly! Only using the freshest and local ingredients from Derbyshire’s great independent business! The menu is not intimidating either, it’s just delicious! You will get food envy over what other people in your party have ordered, but it just means you’ll have to go back! With a large wine list that the team can pair to your dishes and a cocktail menu that is sensational, not to mention the variety of draft beers! The rhubarb Amaretto sour is out of this world! One thing that never gets mentioned in food reviews is the furniture, you can tell a lot of thought and effort has gone into the layout and selection of furniture, as no matter where you sit, you are comfortable, the tables are solid and spacious along with not having the feeling of being on top of each other. I honestly cannot recommend this place enough! I’m looking forward to trying anything that Sian and the team put together! This is our favourite place to dine and that is a true testament to the passion that everyone on the team brings to the place! Don’t look else where, book here! You will not be...

We used to visit all the time but recently the drink serving sizes have reduced massively. The photo shows our visits in the past few weeks vs May and June in the same glass type. It’s worth saying the bar staff are always lovely.

Edit post reply: if the price is reflected in the ml then 125ml should be £6.25 rather than £7 if 200ml was priced at £10 - the size has reduced by 37% but price by 30%. It’s really surprising to hear people asked for smaller sizes - especially when they’re now being charged more per ml. A lot of regulars we used to bump into in the pub have commented on being disappointed by the new sizes so maybe allowing the option of a small or large would be beneficial. We visit high quality wine bars regularly and usually the option is 150ml or 200ml - even the Ritz serves 150ml as a minimum standard size and I don’t think many establishments are higher in quality.

Re: the none 5* review having an impact on a small business - I understand this but regularly see the pubs instagram page asking for Google reviews so presumed feedback was welcome - reviews should be honest or there isn’t much point. We used to visit almost every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday for 2-3 months without fail as it was quieter and we’d enjoy 2-3 hours whether it be as a couple or with friends, and spending £100-£150 just on drinks each evening - but we continued because we always had a lovely time, the pub was a lovely calm environment and drinks fairly priced for the size...