The Orange Tree — Restaurant in North Hertfordshire

We ended up here last night completely accidentally after deciding to leave the restaurant we'd originally booked to have dinner at. I remembered googling the orange tree earlier in the night after driving passed it on the way into town and commenting on their lovely lights and seeing how great the reviews were so coming here was a no brainer as our second attempt. I called ahead to make sure they could accommodate us and they were so polite on the phone saying it wouldn't be an issue. The interior reminded us of a very basic country pub, no frills, no fuss, much more our kind of place. They've got ample parking to the front and even more at the back by the spacious garden as well, and a roaring fire inside the pub as well helps create a lovely homey atmosphere. They're also dog friendly (which only made me wish we'd have known earlier in the night to come here as we wouldn't have left ours home alone!) The food was very average pub prices but not average in service or taste. The staff were so lovely they immediately made us feel at ease, and the food was SO tasty! We went big last night! We went for the starter bundle where we had 4 for £19ish, I had the chickless goujons which were very tasty and the halloumi fries which again were cooked to perfection. No squeaky haloumi! My partner had the katsu chicken poppers and the pork ribs which he said were also amazing! For main I had the Pasta Arrabiata with halloumi as my topping (after eating the starter I had to have more!) and he had the Rump steak. His steak was ordered medium and honestly was cooked beautifully. He cut through it with ease and there was barely any fat on it at all. It was so good, he completely forgot to save any for the dog! My pasta was beautifully flavoured and just enough so I was full but not bloated and the garlic bread was a nice touch. Even the spinach/salad that came with the meal tasted so good! Everything was so fresh! For dessert I had the Hazlenut cheesecake and my partner had the oreo waffle and we decided to split them as we often do with dessert, both the waiter that took our order and the waiter that brought our food over both commented on my hazlenut cheesecake choice being the last one, and their favourite so I knew I was in for a treat. Both desserts were incredible and did not disappoint. We never normally eat 3 courses and believe me, were absolutely stuffed to the gills when we left but omg it was worth it! I already cannot wait to come back here and have also told our best friends who live locally about this place as its everything you could want in a dog friendly, cosy pub and more! Thank you thank you...

We decided to celebrate our friend’s birthday at this restaurant, drawn by its 4.4 rating and numerous positive reviews. Excited for a wonderful evening, we booked a table in advance. Our reservation was at 8:15 PM, and we arrived and settled at our allocated table by 8:25 PM.

To our dismay, a staff member promptly informed us that we needed to place our orders within five minutes as the kitchen would be closing. This was shocking and frustrating, especially since the restaurant was listed as open until 11 PM. We received no prior warning or communication about this early closure, which we found to be incredibly unprofessional and disappointing.

The rushed atmosphere significantly dampened our celebratory mood. The staff hurried us so much that we barely had time to glance at the menu and ended up ordering the first items we saw.

When the food arrived, it was another letdown. Despite the positive reviews, the main courses were subpar and lacked the quality we had anticipated. Only the starters were somewhat enjoyable. It seemed evident that the rushed service impacted the preparation and overall quality of the dishes

In summary, our experience at Orange Tree was far from satisfactory. The staff’s behavior and the poor quality of the main courses completely ruined what was supposed to be a joyful celebration. Given this, I would rate this highly-rated restaurant 0/5 if I could. However, since that’s not possible, I’m reluctantly...

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WE ALWAYS GIVE 5s AS ALL PUBS ARE DIFFERENT AND GREAT

CONTEXT Random afternoon of food and beer, very busy between xmas and new years

ATMOSPHERE Very family friendly, couple of kids crying occasionally, but all taken by others in good stead. Music level was great, nice hustle and bustle across the whole pub.

SERVICE Had varying average to great here, but most recent visit was amazing! After a food and drink confusion, they quickly resolved it and refunded, even during a very busy period when a large table had just turned up, they went above and beyond. Friendly, kind and resourceful

STYLE Classic country chain pub. Its a McMullens pub, but i do find they generally have a nice style, good level of lighting etc.

TOILET Just mens, standard, nothing special, but clean.

PRICE Pretty good actually draught pint of local craft, £5.25, Chese and bacon burger with fries £10.95

FOOD & DRINK Great selection of drink and pub classic food. Several draught and cask beers, craft beer included. And fantastic selection of...