The Royal Oak, Martin — Restaurant in North Kesteven

I wanted to give the benefit of the doubt, I really did. I started going in January of this year and now in August I will not be returning at all. At first the landlord and landlady were lovely people and so were the regular customers that I found myself with. Rumours started about me in April that were being spread at the pub by customers and some staff, which were not true but they had no intention of shutting it down, they just let it carry on even when other people had asked and the landlady had said “it isn’t true” but still allowed such things to be spread on their premises. After this I was put of going for a while but decided to give it another try and met an old friend there to watch the football with her and before I was served the landlady pulled me to one side and told me she would not serve me if it was any other night and blamed me for things that someone else had said to her, this other individual I do not talk to and have nothing to do with so how it was my fault I don’t know but I was told to stay away for acouple weeks to let the dust settle, I then got my drink and watched the football because I hadn’t seen that friend in a while and wasn’t going to let that ruin my night. After getting home and talking to my mum and dad about the matter it dawned just how wrong that was for me to be blamed for someone i have absalutly nothing to do with especially when I hadn’t said a bad word about them and they had been harbouring rumours about me for several months, at that point I decided I would not be going back at all. I have no hate towards them as people but the allowing of rumours did not sit right with me. I also had an issues with passive aggressive comments about my dog being in there past 10, but the landlady had given me two different times, the first she told me no dogs past 10 and the second, no dogs past 9, however one of the other regulars was in there with her dog at the time and nothing was said to her at all, instead they were giving her dog treats. I feel like they get too invested in the drama and don’t seam to care who it effects or whether what is being spread under their roof is true. When confronted about the rumours about me all they had to say was they had heard some rumours about me and that was it, no intention of shutting them down or apology for allowing lies to be spread about me in the first place. It is unprofessional and they have also treated my best friend very similar to how they have treated me. It’s a shame because that’s not how a village pub should be but the atmosphere just isn’t a nice one anymore and they seem to be very quick to blame the youth of the village and seam to take no accountability for what they have done, instead penalising others for mistakes they make, while completely ignoring their own.

To clear up as we put It i do work for the other pub in close proximity and I love the job and the little family we have there. I infact do not go spreading lies, so whoever has come up with that is lying to you because not once have I gone to work and said anything bad about you or given any information about you because I do not care enough. Not once did I say you do not allow dogs, it was the fact you told me he wasn’t aloud past 9 but the very same night had another dog in there past 10 and nothing was said to her about it. You mean the dog that I walk with my neighbours dog… that dog, because he is perfectly socialised and as I have said to you on numerous occasions, he is nervous due to the shear number of irresponsible owners in the village who has aloud their dogs to attack mine unprovoked. My dog has been on lead every time I’ve been in there, the only time he wasn’t was when one of your old regulars removed his lead without my consent and you seemed perfectly ok with it then, but was that because they were your highest spenders. I beg to differ. A lot of the youth there are the ones you allow to spread lies about me and acknowledge that has happened but never seem to do...

Landlord was very welcoming on our arrival but gave us time before taking order.

We had a meatball dish and a garlic prawn dish for starters, with steak for mains and red wine to drink. Wine was reasonably priced at £6 for 250ml.

Both starters were excellent and the accompanying bread especially good.

The steak comes out sizzling on a hot plate and needs you to cook it to your personal preference. This can be awkward as it is cooking all the time you are eating. Therefore your rare steak is soon a medium, or well done, if you don't eat quickly or swap your food around between dishes! However, you don't have a lot of room for this.

Veg was a battered onion and breaded mushrooms. The onion was nicely presented but the mushrooms were disappointing, soggy inside the breadcrumbs.

Overall very nice and...

Where can I start ? Took my two children here.. my son got screamed at saying he get off his seat. Now what pub does this ? Me and husband were shocked. We went in for a pie Tuesday. Size of the pie was not worth the price at all.. gravy was so runny had bits in it. I left it. They clearly can’t cook. Frozen chips. Frozen pizza base. Seeing others praise saying food is amazing. Guessing they have never tasted good food. Thai night they did was dreadful who puts broccoli in a Thai curry. Clearly haven’t a clue, landlord is rude so is landlady. Will not Return here!...