The Swan — Restaurant in England

We pre-booked a table for 4 for Sunday lunch on 31st August. We were seated immediately and the service was very friendly. The atmosphere in the pub is nice and the garden is very pleasant, with music being gently piped outside. Sadly there was no music inside, just a lot of noise because it was absolutely packed. We actually found it hard to hold a conversation because there were so many people.

The menu was extensive but we decided to have the Roast Beef.

Unfortunately it took a very long time to be served. We weren't warned there would be a very long wait but it took 45 minutes. I can only surmise that they are simply trying to serve too many people and make a lot of money. Fair enough but the wait was simply far too long whilst being deafened. Nobody came to check on us and I was forced to go to the bar to get a drink.

The food was disappointing considering the price point. We recently visited the Wavendon Arms down the road and it is night and day. The food there was much, much better, served very rapidly and better value. The Roast Beef was very chewy. There were no green vegetables, which was a shame. Finally, there was an absolutely paltry amount of gravy. We asked for more. Clearly the price of gravy has gone through the roof because a very small boat of gravy was brought for us all to share.

For dessert I chose their special of the day Frangipane. It was quite nice but was served with some random pink sauce haphazardly dropped on the plate. When I asked the server whether it was there intentionally she replied no. She offered to change the dessert but it just shows a complete lack of attention to detail.

Finally. The kitchen. They proudly have a window looking through to it. The cut price giant mayonnaise tub and various other little things gave away that far from being the gastropub they clearly see themselves as, this is just a comparatively expensive place that might have lost its way a little.

It's not terrible but overall it was a huge disappointment after some of the lovely places I've visited locally and elsewhere in the UK and abroad recently. For £35 a head, I...

My wife, son and I visited The Swan in Salford this past Sunday, and sadly, the experience was very disappointing.

From the outset, the service was poor. Staff appeared disinterested and inattentive, and despite being the only customer at the bar, I had to raise my voice to ask if anyone was serving before finally being acknowledged. To make matters worse, the manager intervened in a confrontational manner, pushing the barman aside and telling me I should “be patient” because the tills were down – something I had not been informed of, and certainly not an issue that should have been directed at me as a customer. This was done publicly, in full view of staff and other guests, which was both unprofessional and embarrassing.

When our food eventually arrived, around 20 minutes later, it was of noticeably low quality. The dishes were bland, overcooked in places, and fell far short of the standard you would expect from a traditional Sunday roast. My wife’s “Roast Chicken” was particularly disappointing: half a chicken breast, three small potatoes, and a small portion of lukewarm mixed vegetables.

When we raised this with the waiter, he returned from the kitchen to inform us that the chef had said the chicken was “organic” and that if we wanted more, we would need to pay extra – this for a dish priced at £23.

Considering the poor service and underwhelming food, the prices were shockingly high and offered very poor value for money. For what we paid, we expected a much higher standard in every respect.

We had initially chosen The Swan with a view to hiring it as a venue for a 50th birthday celebration, but after this experience, we will certainly be looking elsewhere. Unless there are serious improvements to both the service and the food quality, I could not recommend this...

What a lucky find. Looked on opentable to see where was available for Sunday lunch in the next hour or two for 2 people. Up popped The Swan, about 30 mins from us. Arrived a little early for booking and was offered a drink in the bar and perused the menu. All sounded delicious but when we got into restaurant they had several different roasts listed for £16.50. Had the beef, very tender and delicious. They asked if we would like it pink or well done. We wanted something in between and that's what we got, alongside roast potatoes, carrots and parsnips with a side of broccoli, cabbage and leeks, all perfectly cooked. And a massive Yorkshire pudding. Mustard and horseradish on table already. They then came round with extra roast potatoes and yorkies just in case you needed more. Nicest roast I've had for some time. Followed with Baileys cheesecake with mocha cream and a apple tarte tattin with vanilla ice cream. Lovely. Our waitress Ciara was friendly and professional, as were the rest of the staff. Will definitely be back to check out the rest of the menu. Was very busy, but to be expected at Sunday lunchtime. Large carpark with plenty of room. Also have tasteful outdoor furniture so should be good...