Bull Inn — Restaurant in Braintree

Lovely pub, bar staff and waitresses were very friendly, and the Guinness was nice, however the food was not very good. We waited an hour and 10 minutes for a steak and a pie and had to ask several times how long our food would be. We said we were close to asking for a refund and leaving, but we were told 5-10 minutes, which turned into an another 20 minutes. One poor sod had waited over an hour for his chicken, and admittedly the waitresses were honest and told him the chef hadn’t even started cooking it yet, so he cancelled and got a refund. My medium rare steak was well done, which was a shame as it was a lovely cut of beef, spoiled as it was too overcooked. My sautéed mushrooms looked like they’d just been deep fried to a shrivelled mess. The “dressed” salad was barely “in date” lettuce with a mountain of onion thrown on top. My “salt and pepper” squid had zero salt and pepper on them, and again look like they were just deep fried from a packet (could be wrong). The pie was nice. No complaints but nothing special either. The mash and gravy were also nice. The Peas were dry and the broccoli was definitely frozen broccoli from a packet. What made the whole experience worse was the poor waitresses were getting all the grief from the customers, and were visibly upset and embarrassed. Earwigging, it turned out that someone had said the chef had a bad attitude, and the chef was not happy about this, but instead of pulling them to one side to quietly and professionally speak to them, came out to the bar to have an argument with them in front of the entire bar and restaurant, right next to us eating our lunch. A bit of entertainment I suppose. Despite this review, the pub was nice, and the revellers seemed friendly enough. If it wasn’t for the food I’d be giving it a +4 stars instead of a 3.

I personally just think they had a bad day, and the chef may have been overworked or under-staffed. There seemed to be enough people in there eating that would suggest it isn’t...

I recently visited The Bull, and it was an incredible experience! From the moment I walked in, I was greeted by a warm, inviting atmosphere that instantly made me feel at home. The decor has a charming blend of vintage and modern touches, creating a cozy yet vibrant vibe.

The staff were exceptionally friendly and attentive, ensuring that my drink was always full and my food came out promptly. Speaking of food, the menu offers a fantastic variety of options. I tried the artisan burgers and they were absolutely delicious—perfectly cooked and bursting with flavor. The locally sourced ingredients really made a difference! Ben, Claire, Elisha, Kiarah were all amazing, and should be really proud of the environment they have built in the pub.

The drink selection is impressive, featuring a wide range of craft beers and unique cocktails. I particularly enjoyed their signature brew, which paired perfectly with my meal.

The live music added an extra layer of enjoyment to the evening, creating a lively yet relaxed atmosphere. It was the perfect spot to unwind with friends after a long week.

Overall, The Bull exceeded my expectations in every way. I can’t wait to return for another wonderful evening filled with great food, drinks, and company!...

Never ever again will we have a Meal in that place as me and my Wife were So so ill withing 2 Hours after eating a Chicken Sharer platter at the Bull in Halstead .My Wife Was much Worse than me all Due to Food Poisening Caused by the Chicken platter . 2 Days with Terrible Stomach Pains ! and all the women who Rang from the Bull inn Could Say was if you want to Take this Further I Suggest that you Go to your Doctors in the Morning with Samples of your Stalls Can you Beleave this ? No Sorrys Just We will have to look into this and get back to you ! of which tno one Did untill I Rang them to Find out ! and guess what all was Fine with the Chicken ,and guess what today after near 2 weeks Green king sent me an email Saying everything was OK and it must have been Something Else we had eaten ie maybe the Dry Toast that we had in the morning ? I only Thank God that our Grandchildren had not been with us Two Gorgeous Little girls who would have Definitely Tried the chicken and would have ended up in Hospital .Shame on you at Green king as anyone know that if you eat chicken or Seafood and you become Very ill within afew Hours it's one of them that's caused it .my Wife Was very ill with Stomach Pains for Over 3 Days Caused by Your poxy...