The Owl — Restaurant in Epping Forest

The enticing name of the "Slow Roast Pork Belly" proved to be misleading. What arrived at our table was a tough, unappealing lump of pork, reminiscent of chewing boot leather, with poorly rendered fat. Topped with chewy crackling and served alongside dry mash and scant vegetables, it hardly justified its £16.95 price tag.

This misrepresentation prompted us to reluctantly bring our dissatisfaction to the attention of the understanding server, who graciously compensated us for one of the meals.

Sadly, the new menu seems disconnected from the preferences of long-time patrons like myself, who have cherished The Owl for over three decades. While stalwart favorites like the fish and chips and Owl Burger remain, the rest of the offerings fall short of expectations. The attempt at gastro fare lacks both the quality and flavor that once defined this beloved pub.

Furthermore, the exorbitant £5 charge for a posh packet of dried dog food on the new dog menu is simply unjustifiable.

My second visit under the new ownership only reinforced my disappointment. Until significant improvements are made, I cannot envision returning.

As a loyal patron, I implore the owners to reconsider their approach:

Embrace simplicity and freshness in the menu offerings. Bring back beloved classics like bangers and mash, homemade pie with mash and liquor, lasagna, slow-braised beef and ale, gammon, egg, and chips, prawn cocktail, all prepared with care using locally sourced ingredients.

In my extensive history with The Owl, I have never encountered such disappointment until now.

The subpar ingredients coupled with inflated prices are disheartening. I long for the return of the skilled chefs who once made The Owl synonymous with quality British pub fare, standing out amidst a sea of mediocre chain establishments.

While the staff remains exceptional, the current menu alienates longtime regulars like myself, who once considered The Owl a second home.

Having experienced and enjoyed fine dining elsewhere, I can confidently say that the current offerings fall far short of the mark.

It's evident when the owner dictates the menu, rather than the chef. This current iteration falls short of what The Owl once represented and fails to live up to its legacy.

The Owner blocked me from their facebook page for...

Came here for lunch Thursday. First time although I live local. The staff were very friendly and there was plenty of them so didn't have to wait long to be served. The food came quite quickly even though the pub was quiet busy (good sign!) and the portion was a good size! I tryed a butternut squash n beetroot Wellington for a change from meat and I really enjoyed it. My Aunt had the lasagne and liked hers too. No cuppacino as coffee machine broke but over all good experience. My only bug bare was the noise. The chairs! The chairs! 😖 The customers chairs nxt to us were , 1 by 1, scrapped across the floor to let someone out then dragged back and all over again when they returned from the loo then again when they left. Then the waitress dragged them again when she re set the table. I feel like im the only person that picks up a chair to place it in postion ha. What with a dog whining in my ear and then 3 dogs barking at each other, it became exhausting to try and speak over the noise. The toilet was a relief as you could hear a pin drop! Ha So I have still given 5 stars for everything else and I will return in the summer but when I can sit in the conservatory or outside and enjoy the view. I think that is the answer! Also again with my cousin as she has a working dog and will appreciate the dog...

If you have a dog & want to meet like minded people (only nice people have dogs let's be honest) this is the place for us/you/our kind of people. Plenty of seating outside & I've never seen so many staff at one establishment. They were all very attentive & nothing is too much to ask for. Love the fact that bowls of water for our k9 family are always available & they do a doggy dinner too (I think it's Sunday only). On our visit it did get very busy (so more dogs to say hi to which is a bonus) so you may need to get in a bit early to get a seat. My only criticism from not giving this place a full 5 star was the sausage & mash we ordered was average at best (it looked lovely & was piping hot) but the mash was a bit lumpy & the overall taste just lacked something. Also some of the seating is on a slant so trying to eat or even just sitting can be a bit uncomfortable after awhile. At the time we didn't realise they had a bbq going in the garden so think we'll give that a try next time & the roast dinners look pretty epic so another outing on Sunday is planned in the diary. Price is another reason to visit, we had a couple of soft drinks, a large glass of wine & 2 meals & came to less than £30. Definitely a place worth spending a...