Tawny Owl — Restaurant in Newark and Sherwood

Just sat in the place for over 30 minutes. Was told someone would come to take my order but didn't happen. "sit anywhere, staff will come to you." Staff barely looked in my direction, at least one knew I was waiting but ignored me. One waitress came down that side of the restaurant the entire time I was there to collect dishes. Maybe you guys need to install table lamps or something so people can turn them on so you know when to do your job. Thought about going up to the bar but never had to do this before, and like I said, I was told at front door waitstaff would come. Plus reserved tables ended up coming in after quite some time I was sitting there. After over thirty mins I walked out. Sometimes they are slow but this was ridiculous. So let's give them the opportunity to fix it, I thought. I rang them while they didn't bother answering for over twenty rings. Got someone on the phone who gave a lackluster appology and said they were short staffed. The bloke running food and the woman near the door were the only ones really busy, the rest were having a great chat. The woman on the phone said that there was a bit of a wait due to short staff. I could have been there an hour and they wouldn't have come. No resolution offered or even bothering to get a manager, just wanted to put it in the too hard basket and sweep it under the rug. I gave them the opportunity to try and fix the situation but they were apathetic at best. 30 mins is a long time, I was hoping to be on the way out of there after eating by then. Anyway, I've been here before and don't normally sit in that section. The resturant was alright and decent for steak on a Thursday the last few times I've been there. I think they go with different meat suppliers because it can be different week to week and I order the same thing. It was starting to become a habit which conservatively with some other trips I've made on the occasional weekend would have been over four figures per annum for them. But they are fine with palming off a genuine complaint and they were fairly busy so they obviously don't need my business anymore which is alright because I will just go where I'm valued instead. There are plenty more fish in the sea but there isn't an infinite number of customers. I won't be going there again now. don't take your customers for granted, you will continue to lose them. Please don't bother asking me to ring you, I already tried that and my time is something I don't like to waste. Nor will I email you, you can watch the whole incident on the cameras. We will just cut it off there, if you do know the name of a good pub in the area within a mile or so that does good food, and values their customers, feel free to put that in any response on...

Unfortunately every time I've come to Tawny Owl with family we have had bad experiences. Made us feel embarrassed. Last time was the final straw for us so we won't be returning here with family again. It was a Saturday evening which was understandably busy, but not at full capacity. We got seated at a dirty table as a waitress was halfway through clearing it before giving up and taking another tables order, and it took about 10 minutes before someone come to take our order - couldn't do it via the app as wanted a drink which wasn't on there. They notified us it would be a 30min wait on food which was fine. But they didn't tell us we would be waiting about 20mins just to get our drinks, and we only got them because I had to go up and eventually ask for them. They said they lost the ticket?! It wasn't 30mins that we waited for food, it ended up being an entire hour. People that were sat AFTER us were getting their food BEFORE us and they had pretty much finished it by the time we got our starter. I asked a waitress where the food was, they would go to check but wouldn't come back to update us. Food eventually came which was thankfully hot, unlike the first time we went with family, but was missing the side of onion rings we ordered. Spoke to a different waiter for the onion rings, but instead of going to get them they decided to take another tables order on the way. By the time it eventually came out we had pretty much finished our meals. We wanted a straightforward meal out, no complicated requests or allergies, just to place our order, eat and go home. It didn't need to become a huge ordeal, we ended up being there 2 hours which you'd expect if we ordered a 3 course meal, but we didn't. We ordered cold starters too so they didnt even need cooking. They gave us 20% discount without us asking which I'm grateful for as no way would we of paid £100 for an awful experience. I can only say I think this place is severely understaffed. If you go on a weekday evening it's great, super quick and get hot food. Other times we have been in slightly busier periods we end up waiting absolutely ages and/or getting cold food. We didn't bother ordering dessert because we were getting fed up of having to chase everyone to give us the food we had paid for. We were surrounded by dirty tables the whole meal. One waitress, instead of taking the empty plates & glasses back to be cleaned had instead moved them all to a single table in the restaurant area to the point it was overflowing with...

A Gem Among Marston’s Pubs: The Tawny Owl

I’ve had the pleasure of visiting quite a few Marston’s pubs (over 30 different ones approximately) and have even lived near several, but The Tawny Owl stands out as the best of them all. Since moving to Fernwood in August 2022, it has become my go-to spot, visiting on average twice a week.

What sets The Tawny Owl apart is not just its excellent food but also the warm, welcoming atmosphere that makes it more than just an eatery. It’s a place where having a drink feels just as inviting as dining in. The manager, Kayleigh, deserves special mention for her outstanding, approachable and down-to-earth demeanor. She’s incredibly friendly and truly sets the tone for the entire establishment.

The staff, including Amy, Harvey, and Sam, are also great. All staff have a wonderful way of getting to know the customers, making you feel genuinely welcome and valued (a testament to Kayleigh’s recruitment methods) Their attentive service ensures that nothing is too much trouble, and they always go the extra mile.

As a dog owner, I particularly appreciate the dog-friendly environment. The addition of doggy treats and a dedicated doggy menu is a thoughtful touch that my furry friends and I have thoroughly enjoyed.

In essence, Kayleigh and her team provide an exemplary pub experience and deserve every bit of recognition for their hard work and dedication (and I hope this review is shared with them)

Regrettably, our upcoming relocation at the year’s end, means The Tawny Owl will no longer be our local spot, which is truly disappointing. We will sorely miss Kayleigh, the rest of the staff, and the superb service that made every visit memorable. We will obviously continue to visit as often as possible...