The Mouse — Restaurant in Bristol

Wanted to put zero stars but not possible.

Today I visited with my 3 sisters, one of them elderly and frail. Having read the good reviews we were looking forward to a lovely Sunday Roast. We were happy to see that they also offered a smaller size for those with smaller appetites.

However, our experience was the worst we have encountered in our lives and in the 9 years visiting various local eateries in that area.

My eldest sister ordered a coffee with her meal, the rest of us had cold drinks. We ordered a large chicken roast, a large beef roast and two small chicken roasts. When the drinks arrived my sister could not drink her coffee because it was SO strong, even after putting all the milk in from the jug it was still black. I took it back to the bar and explained and asked if another coffee could be made but not so strong. The man behind the bar who I think managed/co-owned it was not happy and got very defensive. He told me that was how it came and he couldn't change it but then said he could do a tea instead and my sister could leave the tea bag in as long or little as she wanted. My sister was happy to do this. The tea was brought and that was fine.

The roasts arrived after and they looked good. Decent portion sizes too. However, as soon as we started eating we realised they were cold. The vegetables especially were cold, limp and very pale. They certainly didn't seem fresh or roasted and there was no evidence of a honey glaze. The peas were a little on the hard side too, but just about palatable for a few of us. The roasters were mixed. A few hot a few cold. One sister had no roasters at all. The gravy was very thin and watery and there wasn't much of it. The meat wasn't bad. The chicken was quite tasty and succulent but that was the only part of the meal that was enjoyable. One sister decided to ask for her meal to be reheated in the microwave so that she could at least attempt to eat it but again this was done begrudgingly. Three of us tried to eat some as we were very hungry but just couldn't continue. The reheated meal came back and although it was hotter, the meal itself was still unpleasant, especially the veg.

We then decided to call the manager over to discuss what could be done to improve our experience. What happened next was beyond belief!

We were told by the owner/manager that in her 21 years of being there, no one had ever complained. She also advised us that another family eating there had assured her their meal was piping hot. Her voice was raised and she was getting very angry and defensive. We asked her to taste our dinners but she would not. Instead she stormed back to the bar saying she would just give us our money back. The man behind the bar, who may have been a co-owner or even her husband then stormed over to us, screaming at us and pointing his finger in our faces, accusing us of being trouble makers. He was literally red in the face with anger. He said he knew from the moment we walked in that we would be trouble! They then started telling other customers about our complaint, we believe to try and get their support. The shouting and aggression really upset my elderly sister and left her very frightened and shaking. We could not believe how any professional business person could be so aggressive and rude to a cystomer! I tried to calm the situation but the owners were not having it. They just could not accept that anyone could find fault with their food. As soon as our money was returned to us we decided to leave so as not to get drawn any further into what was a very distressing situation. I however decided to go back in to explain to the lady manager that we were not there to cause trouble and had eaten in other pubs and restaurants in the area for years with no complaints and on this occasion it was our honest opinion that the meals were not up to standard. Had they dealt with the issue in a calm and professional manner things could have been very different. I am sure on reflection they will see this too, but if not then they have much to learn about...

Good beer and friendly staff. Nice garden. Back again. Staff very helpful. Still stunning views. Back yet again, beer still good but the staff have managed to up the service even more. Love the place. Back again, still great. Shame the landlord and landlady are selling up because they make the place. Back again. Our younger son took us over for mother's day. First time since it changed hands. Fortunately the new staff are keeping the standards up and were very friendly and helpful. We didn't eat but I saw a lamb shank going out that looked very good. The garden has a nice display of daffodils but fewer other plants and tubs, hopefully more will appear as the summer approaches. Glad to see one of my favourite pubs is in good hands, even if they had ran out of...

Our bus driver Mike circled a day off in Bristol and told us we were going to head to one of the best pubs we've ever been to. Bold statement - and The Mouse delivered!

A group of 8 or 9 of us rolled in right around dinner time and our only complaint is that we couldn't stay longer. The chili with chips was some of the best comfort food I've ever had, and everyone else raved about their selections. Amazing home-cooked food and great beer selections. The staff were so welcoming and kind to us, I can't wait to head back. There were so many things on the menu I...