Williams Arms — Restaurant in North Devon

Sub par food for the prices. Only turn up if you want a carvery!

Had a simple burger, I’ve had better from a side of the road burger van. Bland, dry, massively over peppered. The side salad could have done with any sort of dressing and requested sauce never arrived.

Partner had a ‘pie’ - casserole in a metal tin with below average pastry. Likewise mayo for the side chips never turned up. Very runny inside of the pie, lacking in any flavour.

Asked for a rum and Diet Coke, but got a rum and coke. Only able to get a second drink when our food turned up, couldn’t catch anyone’s eye and they didn’t check in.

Likewise never checked back in with us for how the food was - usually get asked just after the first bite!

Didn’t bother with desserts, got out as quick as we could!

Premium end prices, low end food and service. Atmosphere completely lacking, evidently just a grab your carvery...

This is simply the best carvery in the south west. We've been coming here from a distance for a long time as the carvery is so good. The portions are generous of the meat and it's self service for everything else, so you can have as much or as little as you like and all of it is good. The carvery isn't just available on Sunday but I've only generally been on Saturdays and Sundays and it's always consistently good.

The staff are really friendly and helpful and if you ring to book they always try to accommodate you in some way. If you can't get a booked table in the restaurant they have a first come first serve seating system in the bar.

The rest of the food menu always looks good but we always end up with carvery, so I haven't tried it but whenever anyone else orders from it it always looks good. The price is also very reasonable too.

All in all an excellent place...

Always and I mean always visit here if I'm in Barnstaple visiting my son....the Carvery is quite possibly the best I've tried anywhere. Food is incredible, staff....not so, but that's not why I go. Rude man on the phone, didn't give his name, simple enquiry, can I book a table ? ...I apologise for being an inconvenience !! He was In too much of a rush to be anywhere else exept on the phone. Rocked up on the off chance of there being a table, thought it would be busier being Mothers day...got a table, got the carvery, eat the carvery and buggered off....will I go again ? Yep, for the food, although I hear there's another fabulous carvery at The Pack o cards...but I consider that a further drive ....who knows, see you at Easter for another try, hopefully the staff may smile, say please and thankyou. Just a gentle side note...no customers equals no...