The Whitehall Llandovery — Restaurant in Wales

Nice pub with a good atmosphere, but the strict “no outside food” rule after 6pm really lets it down. They stop serving food surprisingly early, then tell customers they must leave to eat elsewhere if they’re hungry — even after spending hours (and plenty of money) at the bar. We completely understand this rule when the kitchen is open, but enforcing it once food service ends feels rigid, unwelcoming, and ultimately bad for business. A pub should encourage people to stay, not give them reasons to leave.

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We spent a long afternoon here with a small group, enjoying the pub for over five hours and spending a significant amount on drinks. The setting is pleasant, the staff were polite, and we were happy to support the business. Unfortunately, the experience ended on a sour note that left us questioning whether we’d return.

The pub stops serving food at 6pm, which is unusually early for a rural pub. Later in the evening, after many hours of drinking, we simply needed something to eat to keep going. With no option available in-house, we picked up some chips from across the road and sat outside with them. At that point we were told off for bringing food in, and reminded of a strict “no outside food” policy.

We explained that we completely understand and respect such a rule while the kitchen is open — it would be unfair to the pub otherwise. But once the pub itself has chosen to stop serving food, it feels counter-productive to enforce it. Customers who have already supported the bar for hours are essentially given the choice of either leaving to eat elsewhere (and likely not coming back), or going hungry in order to keep drinking. Neither outcome benefits the business.

When we raised this with the manager and later the owner, the responses were disappointing. The suggestion was that if we wanted food, we should go away, eat somewhere else, and then return. That may be “the rule,” but it misses the bigger picture. In hospitality — especially in a small community with several other pubs — the goal should be to make people feel welcome to stay, not to give them reasons to walk out the door.

This isn’t about wanting to break rules — it’s about the principle. A public house should feel like part of the community, and flexibility in moments like this is what keeps people coming back. As it stands, the approach feels unnecessarily rigid, unfriendly, and ultimately bad for business.

We’d love to see this pub thrive — it has a lot going for it — but a more welcoming approach after food service ends would make all the difference and help it become the true community hub it has the...

My family and I visited The White Hall for lunch yesterday. The pub is a family haunt for us. Although, I haven't had food there for many years. Please take my word for it, the food and service is exceptional. I have had the pleasure and have been fortunate to dine in many fine restaurants around the world. Yet, my favourite new place is literally in my hometown and in a pub that I drank in back in the day!

The quality, innovation and service at the White Hall is second to none. We met the new chef Sebastian, who was charming and charismatic. Introducing us to the menu and providing a selection of treats in-between the courses - The pork belly bites and popcorn treats are truly magic - My brother and I had the Butchers Block. It was cooked to perfection. I have enjoyed steak at Marco Pierre White's London Steakhouse and the White Hall beat that hands down. If you look at the sear on the photo, it couldn't have possible been prepared more perfectly.

For pudding, I had the Dubai Doughnut.. Imagine ice cream encased in a doughnut, with the presentation of popping candy and syrup to kick off the effect. Truly blown away. It was a family get together, a bit impromptu that turned into a 5* dining experience. To assure you, I am not a shareholder or part owner! This is a genuine and independent review. I am delighted to see that Llandovery has a new gem in its firmament in such an old and historic venue. To add too, I really appreciated the care that the team there took regarding gluten intolerence and were supportive to make sure that the best possible experience was had without...

We are family of 6 are staying in Rhandirmwyn for the weekend from London. We wanted to find somewhere to watch the Champions League final that would also cater for two children and a dog. My husband found this hotel on trip adviser and spoke with the owner Anne prior to us taking our break. Anne said she was debuting an evening with food and would reserve us a table in the dining area in front of the big screen tv. When we arrived we were not disappointed. The area was a lovely spacious room at the back of the bar, with 6/7 reserved tables. The food was a choice of curry; scampi and chips; and nuggets for my youngest child, all of which was of superb quality and great value for money. Anne and her team worked extremely hard to ensure that The evening was very relaxed and everyone had...