The Anchor Gunthorpe — Restaurant in Newark and Sherwood

My wife, 2 year old, and I came for a Sunday roast and ultimately came away feeling it was incredibly overpriced for what it is.

Set up outside is very good though, we arrived early and ordered a couple of drinks at the indoor bar and sat outside for a bit so our 2 year old could play and go on the mini train ride which he loved! We did think the play park could have more things for younger children as it seems more suited to older kids.

We then went in for our meal which we had booked. Asked the guy who sat us down for a high chair for our little boy, but he must have forgotten, so we had to ask someone else.

The dining area isn't massive and where we sat felt like we were in a corridor, constant people coming in from outside to go to the bar. I had to get up several times to close the door as the draft was too cold and was right on us. Layout is not ideal, didn't feel comfortable or premium as the prices would indicate. Always felt like there were people coming and going all around us. Not relaxing at all. The miniature toy train going around the room was a good distraction for our little boy though.

No guest ales on draft even though it's listed in the menu was a bit of a disappointment too.

Very disappointed with the roasts. My beef roast was 2 small bits of beef (cooked well but just not enough) 4 roast potatoes, one carrot, a dry Yorkshire pudding and cabbage (photo attached). For £24 it's very expensive for what you get. Our plates were chipped as well as you can see from the photos, which for a premium establishment that has just opened, is a bit poor.

We ordered a kids chicken roast which is a tenner but is almost the same size as an adults main. (photo attached - wife had already cut up some potatoes)

No-one came to check in with us to see how we were getting on with our meal which again I thought was poor, and the overall atmosphere, with feeling like you're in a walkway with the constant flow of people, and the door being left open is not what you expect when you're paying premium level prices.

I fully appreciate its not long been open, but for us, the price point did not match the level of quality, service and comfort you'd expect. In total we spent about £90 for 4 drinks, 2 mains and one kids main. I think there's much better value and service elsewhere.

We won't be in a rush to return...

Amazing place for children . Can’t fault that. However, seems the pub is not ready In terms of staffing and finishing . Firstly arrived , wasn’t too busy . Sat outside . It’s very untidy and dirty . Food all over the patios , tables all needs a good clean! Even the toilets are unfinished with dirty floors and no Hand wash . It’s odd. Surely by now it could have been finished , uneven floors outside , tarpaulins covering the outside bar. All the patios are stained . Anyway, first bottle of wine was like vinegar . Had it replaced but after asking 3 times for some ice I just went to the bar to get it myself . Food was actually really good , they did a small portion of the prawn pasta for my little boy so he could have something more interesting than the standard kids menu. So accommodating until we asked for some ice cream after our dinner for the children . At 9:07 they said no as the kitchens closed ! Although we had only just finished our mains . The worst thing is , this is the ice cream pictured…. we had to kick up a bit of a fuss to to get it , but why was the manager so unhappy to get it. It’s pre-portioned in a pot! Didn’t even need the chef to serve it (who had apparently gone home already) it didn’t even need a bowl or a spoon ! Just miserable can’t be bothered attitude , took nothing to walk to the freezer to get a few kids some ice cream after their tea ! Likely to return as the kids area is great but just hope they make some improvements, clean the place up a bit and have A better attitude toward paying customers . It’s not that good value either so go with deeper pockets !

Went back for breakfast. The picture of scrambled eggs on toast for £11 says it all! Took 20 mins to order , They ran out of salmon but still changed me the same. She offered me a free orange juice though instead! Look at the actual state of the eggs . Obvs no butter on the toast either 😂 3/8 . Commented to say email us to discuss . but then don’t reply...

I booked a table for 4pm specifically so we could enjoy items from the bar menu. I arrived about half an hour early and was seated promptly, which was appreciated. My first impression was positive — the outdoor area had a great atmosphere, and I could see why it’s popular with families. There were plenty of activities to keep children entertained, which is a big plus for parents.

However, the bar service was slightly disrupted by strong gusts of wind. Staff were doing their best, but they were clearly struggling to keep the temporary umbrellas secured, which affected their ability to serve efficiently. Additionally, there was no visible drinks menu, and many of the beer pumps were blank, making it unclear what was actually available. I had to ask staff what drinks were on offer, which shouldn’t be necessary.

At 3:35pm, I went to order food from the bar menu, only to be told that it was no longer available as it ended at 3pm. This was frustrating, as the online menu clearly states the bar menu is served until 5pm. When I questioned this, the barman responded quite abruptly, saying that particular kitchen closes at 3. Not wanting to cause a scene, I ordered from the lite bites menu instead, but I was disappointed — especially after travelling 45 minutes with the intention of trying something specific.

It’s frustrating when there’s a disconnect between the advertised information and the actual service, and it felt like I was the one inconvenienced by that miscommunication.

That said, this pub has real potential. Having recently visited places like The Reindeer and Tom Browns, I truly believe this venue could match — or even surpass — them with a few finishing touches. The outdoor area, in particular, would benefit from being fully completed and better equipped for weather conditions, so that it doesn’t feel like an unfinished project...