The Horseshoe Inn — Restaurant in Wales

Well, we were asked on booking if it was a celebration and told the staff it was. Why I don’t know as there was no effort made but we were stuffed in the corner. We were told to sit anywhere when we walked in and then told if we had booked we were round the back! There were 4 adults and my son, we ordered 4 starters and 5 meals. 3 starters arrived so a few mins later we had to ask at the bar for the other but was told there wasn’t another they would sort it out. Ok it arrived but after some of the party had finished their starters. The waiter said sorry for the delay, I’ll take one starter off the bill. We ordered 4 rump steaks, 1 medium and 3 medium/well, when they arrived the owner said no they are all medium/ well so plonked them down, one of the party had the medium and had to send it back to have it cooked more as the others had put sauces on theirs. The waiter then told the boss, no 1 of them was medium cooked! Now on the tables there are liquid oil candles in what can only be described as a vinegar bottle, with the smallest of signs on one side of the 4 sided square bottle saying oil lamp. Do not use on your food. With no wick sticking out of the top! So obviously this has happened before but myself and my husband were sorting out my son and he picked up the bottle and shook it over his meal. We didn’t winge about it, I asked for another plate and we shared our chips and salad and he managed to avoid his steak with the liquid and we made do. Afterwards We did comment that it had happened and suggested the sign was inappropriate and it had obviously happened before. Maybe if on the tables they should be lit! As if to prove the point the waiter came along to light the lamps but ours wouldn’t light as there was no wick on it!!! So now we go to pay for the bill and the sarcastic owner asked was everything ok, when he obviously knew it wasn’t and an argument proceeded, he said there are signs on the lamps sir, when we complained that we had to chase the starter, he replied but we did get it in the end! We accepted it was our fault about the lamp but they should not be on the tables if this is happening. My husband told him we run a business he asked‘ in this trade’ we replied no but with the public, and if there were previous issues I.e oil on food, this should be eliminated so it cannot reoccur, all he would answer is there is a label on it. I am sure health and safety is being compromised in this establishment. He plonked a bill for £104 on the bar without a comment so my husband told him to take off the starter which he did without a comment and plonked another bill on the bar, £98.20 for a bog standard meal, left within 2 hours, and we based our choice on previous reviews but this was appalling hence the bad review. I can only assume this is a new owner, but customer service is not his strong point! We sat outside to finish our drinks and one of the ladies wanted a drink while the gents finished theirs. He was refused at the bar and asked to leave. In hindsight we should have refused to pay the bill at all as this was the worst place I have ever eaten. I will remember my 50th but for all the...

As family of four, we stopped by here at the end of a day in the hills. We just googled "nearby restaurants" and this one popped up. We did not book, turning up at around six o'clock starving hungry, and there was some space to park the car. The interior was charming and traditional, warm and nicely lit with some candles and classic pub tables and seating. No booming music or rowdy clientele. We were quickly accomodated and sat down by a very polite and attentive waiter and given the menu.

The starters and mains covered some really interesting choices, nothing too weird, but way better than normal "pub grub". It was a compact menu which for me is always a very good sign, but as family with a vegetarian, a fussy 12 year old and 6ft 2 teen who could eat a horse, we all had a hard time choosing from the excellent options. I went for confit duck in a cherry sauce, which was absolutely divine. My son had a homemade curry with chips and rice which he wolfed down (and proper filled him up), and my wife had a broccoli soup which she said was delicious. We managed some deserts too, even though we were stuffed after the main course. The choice of deserts was good, with classics such as bread and butter pudding and treacle tart with custard and a slice of cheesecake about half the size of a house brick.

We all had some drinks (with some nice ale and IPA on tap) and the whole thing was a good chunk less than £100 for a family of four which felt more than reasonable! The waiting staff were attentive, smiling and polite and the owner was happy to chat after our meal too. We we had a lovely time and left very satisfied.

This place is a real gem, if you are in the area it is...

It was a wonderful happenstance. We were staying less than half a mile away from the pub, I called in to take a look on the way back to Ty-Cooke (lovely little certified location for caravans) and had a gander at the menu. I started chatting with the clientele who were very friendly and spoke highly of the pie and pint night on Wednesdays. On the strength of this, I booked a table for two, and I'm so glad I did. They had a good selection of beers and wines, so the better half and I were happy. I chose from the specials board and J from the menu. My beef bourguignon was superb, as was the bacon wrapped chicken stuffed with spinach and cream cheese, even the veg was outstanding, especially the red cabbage. Sadly, I was unable to finish it all as the portions were too generous for me, and I wanted to leave space for desert. The creme brulee with a cookie was truly excellent, as was the blackberry cheesecake, just how we both liked it. Not sweet but perfectly balanced with the fruit. We will be back to this location for a stay, and the food here is a major part of that decision. We had no right to expect such exemplary food without doing our research first, and it blew us away, and it wasn't expensive either. If you are in driving distance, you must give it a try, I can guarantee you will...