The Mayfly, Stockbridge — Restaurant in Test Valley

The location is lovely, but that's as far as it goes. I took my wife and two children and we sat outside by the river. So cut a long story short.. the service really was poor and the food not great. We also had three different waitresses.

We asked for a child's menu 3 times and each time the waitress forgot. I also went to order some pre dinner drinks at the bar and the barman said to sit back down and order with the food.. it's a pub for goodness sake.. anyway I sat back down and then about 10 mins later someone came over to take our drinks order. We ordered our drinks and a jug of water for the table. About 20 mins later another waitress came over and asked what we wanted to eat, took the order and left.

Then about 5 mins later the drinks came but with no water so we again we asked for water and they said yep sure but it never came out.

So the food arrived about 30 mins after ordering and can say it was pretty substandard at best.

I ordered the chicken breast burger, my wife the pie of the day and my two girls fish and chips (their choice).

So for £17.95 I got two items on my plate a single breast of chicken in a small brioche bun, inside the bun was a single leaf of lettuce, a slice of aubergine a slice of tomato and smear of red pesto with a small portion of fries, no garnish nothing.. I know you have to make a profit, but seriously we were looking at about £2 worth of ingredients.. the chicken was dry and the bun was let's say stiff.

The girls fish and chips were fine the fish was fresh and the batter was nice but while the portion size was correct for a child it ended up being more substantial than what I had...

My wife had the pie of the day which was average. The mash was dry and very salty and he gravy had large lumps in it. Again a £18 main..

We didn't have any waitress come up and ask if we wanted more drinks or if everything was ok with our meals etc. only when we had finished a random waitress came up and cleared the table. Only for another waitress to come over and ask if we wanted dessert.

We got the dessert menu and to our suprise a main specials menu which wasn't given to us before.. anyway we ordered some desserts as the main was simply not enough for an adult so another £8-10 each for a dessert and while they were ok, they were clearly bought in and not made in house which for the price they were charging is simply unacceptable.

Our bill came to £160 in total, left feeling a bit ripped off. Oh also they add a 12.5% service charge on the bill automatically and considering we didn't have a very good experience at all it was just another kick in the gut.. but being Brits we just paid and left.

I guess that's why they do it because the majority don't want to question it or feel embarrassed to ask for it to be removed.. therefore the staff don't care whether they do a good job or not as they'll get a cut of the tips anyway.

The thing is if I get good service I'm happy to tip and As that's what tips are for.. to reward a good experience. This isn't America where tips pays the servers salaries..They get paid a salary and then the tips are shared amongst the staff.

I don't think I'll come back to this place. It's very poor value for money for what it is.. Yes the location is nice but the service and food lack.

If the food was good then I wouldn't be so irritated, but the food was no better than a...

After reading reviews we decided to visit. Being the sunniest and warmest day we thought it be best to book a table. And we are glad we booked as it is very popular. When we booked we had mentioned we had a little one and it was nice of them to sit us away from the main area in our own little space, our table marked with our name on a little chalk board.

There are quite a few parking spaces, which is ideal if you would like to drive. It's in a beautiful location with the river running alongside and amazing views. There is plenty of outdoors seating and you won't be disappointed.

It was very busy when I visited, and they were also very short staffed which showed. The staff were very friendly and helpful even though it was packed which is a good thing. There was unfortunately no table service which was unfortunate for those that were less able to stand and would otherwise need assistance. I feel like although the staff provided outstanding customer care, their could have been a better indication as to which queue was for food and which was for drinks only as this was causing confusion. (Possibly a sign).

That aside, this pub is a true hidden gem. The food is absolutely amazing. Definitely worth the wait. Food is served piping hot, excellent portions and presented very professionally. The food is bursting with flavour and you savour every mouthful. I had the saussage with mash, and I wasn't disappointed. The only suggestion would be for the gravy to be served separately in a little gravy pot. Look out for the specials menu as this could easily be missed. There is also an extensive deserts menu, with some interesting ice cream choice.

I will definitely be back, it is excellent value for money and a great day out for the family. I would recommend calling before visiting to book a table.

After your meal why not go for a walk in the surrounding area or...

I decided to try the Mayfly for lunch with my Niece, having not been here for almost 20 years we weren't quite sure what to expect. We arrived just before 12 noon on the hottest day of the year so far and the car park was already looking quite busy.

We found a table with a parasol right next to the river so that we could enjoy seeing the huge fish swimming around !! Having ordered lunch from a decent, but not too large menu that you cant decide what to order, we gave our table number and sat in the sunshine enjoying our drinks and a pot of olives each as an appetiser.

Given that it was so hot and the place was already getting busy, the staff all seemed genuinely happy to, not only be working there but also to see us, with plenty of time it seemed, to put up with my annoying banter!

The food arrived after a very short wait and I have to say, my Niece and I were very pleasantly surprised. The presentation was really nice, the service was just perfect. We both ordered fishcakes with salad and sauteed potatoes served on a cold plate with the piping hot potatoes in a side dish and the equally piping hot fish cakes presented on a bed of crisp fresh salad leaves.

The fish cakes were just delicious, none of your mashed potato mixed with mashed fish here! No these were not only deliciously light but were oozing salmon, prawns and seasoned to perfection. The sauteed potatoes were also cooked just as they should be and again the seasoning was spot on.

Our waitress was very attentive, constantly checking to see if we would like our empty glasses removed from the table and asking if we would like condiments and if we were happy with the food.

All in all a VERY pleasant experience in a beautiful setting with excellent service. We paid under £40 for our lunch including drinks and I cant...