The King's Head, Aylesbury — Restaurant in England

Ordered two burgers with sides, a Chiltern Black—nothing exotic, nothing complicated. Just a normal order at a place that’s been standing since 1455. You’d think a pub with nearly six centuries under its belt would have figured out how to handle basic table service by now. But no. We sit down, I glance at the table—only one set of cutlery. Odd. I go up to the bar to check what they’ve actually processed. And of course, only one burger. One. Despite ordering two. Despite it being plainly clear. Despite this not being some experimental gastropub with abstract rules. Just sheer, almost proud, incompetence.

Fine. I order the second burger. Annoying, but fine—mistakes happen. What matters is how a place handles them, right? So I ask, very simply, please bring both burgers out together. It’s a basic request. Fundamental, even. Because unlike the staff, my wife and I actually enjoy eating meals together, not in relay. That’s when it all goes to hell. The lad behind the bar—blank-faced, monotone, the human embodiment of a dead battery—starts repeating “No, this is not possible.” Not once, not twice, but over and over, like a malfunctioning answering machine. I ask why. I ask if he can check with the kitchen. Nothing. Just the same useless, robotic phrase thrown back at me with all the charm of a wet rag. Absolutely no sense of initiative, no willingness to make even the slightest adjustment to accommodate a customer who’s already had their order botched. No “let me see what I can do,” no “I’ll ask the kitchen.” Just an unthinking wall of “not possible,” as if I’ve asked for a unicorn steak on short notice.

So now I’m left watching my wife eat her burger, while mine is presumably still being prepped by the crew of the Titanic. Then she gets to watch me eat mine—because eating together, apparently, is a logistical challenge too immense for this place to tackle. Romantic evening turned into a mealtime baton pass, all thanks to a team that treats hospitality like an afterthought.

Btw, asked to speak with the manager. Maybe, just maybe, there’s someone upstairs who’s clued in. Nope. Same slack posture, same scripted lines, same absolute vacuum of responsibility. The manager shrugged, offered some mumbled excuse, and vanished before anything could be properly addressed. Zero effort, zero urgency, zero care.

And it’s a crying shame, because the food—when it finally arrives—is genuinely excellent. Rich flavours, generous portions, clearly a kitchen with actual talent. And the ambiance? Exceptional. The building breathes history. Low timber beams, worn floors, the kind of timeless, lived-in character that no amount of trendy refurbishments can fake. Sitting there, you can almost feel the weight of centuries behind it. It should have been an unforgettable dining experience for all the right reasons.

Instead, it was unforgettable for all the wrong ones. Sterr clear, let...

Booked a table for 6:15pm, for my mother and I, as a treat, prior to going to see the Neil Diamond Tribute Show at the Waterside Theatre and a VIP Experience for her. It was the first time she'd been out to the theatre in over 40 years, so it was a big deal.

When we arrived, there was quite a large queue at the bar, with only one bar staff to cope with a pub that was practically bursting at the seems. However, I managed to get the attention of the Waitress, who then attempted to locate our table.

In the meantime, she then informed us that there were only 3 staff on duty - one on the bar, one cooking and her serving. Granted, it was a Saturday night, but it beggars belief that so few staff were rostered, on one of the busiest days of the week.

When she found our table, there were four large burly men sat at it, even though it had a reserved sign on it, which the "gentlemen" seem to have conveniently hidden from view.

At this point the Waitress, now becoming extremely embarrassed and stressed, offered us another table, in the back of the pub, although I then realised that I'd left the Theatre tickets at home.

My mum was not impressed with how we'd been treated, after arriving at the pub, not to mention the speed that the food was coming out. After 15 minutes, we decided to leave, as at no time, following our arrival, had we been offered a food menu.

We then returned home to collect the tickets and grabbed a sandwich we made ourselves.

I am tremendously disappointed, as this is not my first visit to The King's Head and on a number of previous occasions the service has been outstanding, as well as being served exquisite food and overjoyed at the variety of locally brewed ales and beers (my husband is a Real Ale Enthusiast.)

After this experience, I have to be honest and say that I'm niw somewhat reluctant to recommend The King's Head, which is something I don't do lightly.

I give no apologies for the 1* review because, on this occasion, I was more embarrassed for my mum than I was for myself and luckily I managed to salvage the situation, thankfully avoiding the potential of completely ruining her evening.

I am prepared to give your establishment a second chance, but only because, from past experiences, know that you're a heck of a lot better than what I have...

This beautiful little pub is tucked away just off Friar Square. What a gem! It apparently dates back to the 1400s but while it has kept that Olde Worlde feel, the ambience and menu are right up to date. When you walk in, there are cosy nooks and crannies with a cosy fire in one corner. We were greeted by the low level murmur of customers spending time together and the wonderful aroma of good food. They also serve a good selection of beers brewed locally by The Chiltern Brewery.

We ordered our food at the bar and there was a little wait for this to arrive. However, to say it was worth the wait is an understatement! I ordered duck leg with chestnut mash and buttery greens which came with a generous serving of 'gravy'. I cannot remember when I enjoyed a plate of food as much. The duck meat fell off the bone, the mash was soft and very tasty, the greens were just peppery (enough) and delicious. As for the gravy, I used the mash to mop up as much of the gravy as I could and then asked for a spoon so I could finish it off. My husband had steak and fries. The steak was done to perfection - rare as requested. We shared his tender Portabella mushroom because too much mushroom doesn't agree with him and I love 'em. It was so tasty. We then both tucked in to apple crumble and custard which tasted like it had just come out of the oven at home - tart apples, crunchy crumble and creamy custard.

Every mouthful of this meal was piping hot and a real delight.

My photos do NOT do this meal justice. We will be back, and if you find yourself with a couple of hours to spare and in need of food, please treat yourself to a visit to the King's Head.

The staff were friendly, helpful and smiley. When I asked if I could have a spoon for the gravy and how big the apple crumble was, the waitress returned with the spoon and a bowl to show me how big dessert is - and a happy face - she looked like she was enjoying her job.

The food, the ambience and the staff were second to none. Well...