Bull & Barrel — Restaurant in Montgomery Township

I am sad to write this review, seeing I've been here many times over the years and it used to be such a great place when it was The Bull Tavern. Unfortunately, recently, with the new management, things seem to have declined in both ambience and service. Apparently the place was perceived as "dated," so all the antique photos and decor were removed, and the place is kind of stark.

They're trying to attract a younger, modern crowd. However, they also seem to be more and more resistant to serving food, at increasingly restricted hours. And the service has declined. We used to be able to come in at 8:30-9 PM and get food, and the wait staff was very attentive. But several times recently, we were turned away and told that because things were slow, they were sending the cooking staff home and only keeping the bar open. This even happened on a Saturday. On certain weekdays they don't serve food after 9, and resist taking orders after 8:30. Someone even said to me, "you're not here for food, right?" Absolutely nothing was posted on Google or their website about the kitchen closing early on any day.

And it's perfectly OK if the kitchen closes before the bar. Many places do that. But this should be communicated. Their Google and website hours are posted as open til 2 AM, and we used to be able to order food until at least 10. Surprising people by closing functions early can drive customers away.

Also, the service has become considerably slower, almost like the wait staff forgets about their tables or only wants to talk to regulars. A couple times recently, we had to flag down another waitperson because ours had been chatting for 15-20+ minutes with a group at another table. But bar service remains decent. Again, I think they are focusing on it being a bar.

They also only seem to want a regular crowd in there after a certain time at night. Many times, I've driven by after 9 PM and the lights seem to be almost all off, and even the Open sign is turned off. That's a turn-off for anyone thinking of stopping by, and not great business practice for a place that advertises being open til 2 AM. Late night is peak money making time for bars, and making patrons feel unwelcome seems like it could hurt the place in the long run.

When food is served, it's still very good, and bar service is good. My advice to them would be to state honestly their food and drink hours online so patrons can plan visits. Or move towards a 21+ bar-only model at certain times if they'd rather reduce...

Food is hit or miss. Made a reservation but when we got there it was just a sign that said "seat yourself" made the reservation feel pointless. Saw a very interesting bench for seating large groups but upon closer inspection it was torn all over and had practically no cushion to it, everyone sank hard when sitting on it. Do I recommend the place? Hard to say honestly. I wouldn't go so far as to call it "bad" but it wouldn't make top 5 on my list of places to go.

Plenty of available seats but wait time to order was long. Cups were constantly empty, and despite multiple visits to the table we had to speak up to get refills. Staff seemed more interested in chatting with other customers they seemed to be familiar with instead of paying attention to if the tables actually needed anything.

Portion sizes were fairly generous. The fries are top tier and were my favorite part of the meal. Chili was highly recommended by staff but fell flat for me. Multiple people at my table got burgers overall consensus was that the meat was great but the buns were lacking.

Steak, cooked medium, was tough and they didn't have steak sauce for it. Both my parents ordered their steaks cooked the same way yet one was well done and the other was half pink. Cook was inconsistent. Baked potato was "okay" was all I could get out of my mother, she didn't look thrilled. Mashed potatoes tasted like instant mash. Cheesesteak was absolutely massive, filling was better than the bun. Wings were overcooked and undersauced

Side salads were romaine lettuce, 3 pieces of tomato, and croutons. Turkey BLT was a good size and had decent flavor. Dessert was enjoyable with caramel apple pie and brownie sundaes. Both served hot which went great with...

Delicious decision. Was looking for somewhere central for a few of us to gather for mom’s birthday dinner. After narrowing options down we decided to try the Bull. What a find! Service was friendly, very kind and understanding. Didn’t seem to mind my ridiculous food requests! The parking lot was jammed upon arrival but there was plenty open seating inside. There is additional parking (I read the note inside). Birthday girl ordered the special which was chicken franchise a few in the party had handhelds. I was torn between the meatloaf and pot roast. Pot roast of all things…pot roast? Yes, well I have never in my life ordered pot roast at a restaurant upon reading the menu I was considering it. Unsure of what to choose I asked our server for advice. A little, “I’m torn between…” and “what would you…”—she did compliment the meatloaf—but long story short I went with the pot roast so long as I could get a little of the horseradish sauce that the put on the sandwich. Wow, that pot roast was so good that my mouth waters just thinking about it. Wait staff handled serving tables as well as a holiday gathering on one side of the room with smiles and grace. They even indulged us with a happy birthday candle light sing for Babcia! ...