After rave reviews, this was restaurant of choice for a special evening. I had quail that tasted odd (couldn't decide if it was like the smell of chicken-poop or the taste of persil - whatever it was I was relieved that there were 2 tiny smidges of it and some unripe fig to mask the flavour but did nothing for... more

Six of us had a wonderful evening recently at The Black Rat to celebrate my husband's birthday. We had booked a Hut, which was fantastic. It was very comfortable and cosy and we were totally oblivious to it having rained throughout the evening. The food was truly superb - locally sourced, beautifully presented and delicious. We had very attentive, personal... more

I was taken out for Sunday lunch at the Black Rat a few weeks ago. I must say that we were very fortunate to have one of the huts available in the back yard. I have noted that other reviews say there is a lack of atmosphere but the huts allow you to create your own. They come equipped with... more

I booked a table in the Black Rat for 5 people. Two of us were vegetarians. We were told on booking that this would not be a problem. Unfortunately, it WAS a problem as the there was only one vegetarian option for a starter and also a main and was vastly overpriced as gnocci was the only main choice. I... more

We visited the black rat recently one evening after reading good things about it from a local publication. Little did we know that the 'review' was a paid advertisement. Basically the evening was one big disappointment. We dine in Winchester often and enjoy sampling excellent food and wine all over the world. But as many of you would agree dining... more

I don't know if the The Black Rat management have been reading tripadvisor reviews recently but there was no hint of the poor/rude service when we visited last night. We had a fabulous time. The managers were very accomodating when we called to say that we were going to be late and we recieved a charming welcome on arrival. The... more

On a rare free evening my wife and I decided to see what all the fuss was about with the Black Rat. We arrived and had a drink outside which was very pleasant before being shown to our table in one of the dining rooms. The rooms are small and quirky with paraphernalia all over the walls and certainly interesting.... more

I recently shared a Saturday evening meal with my girlfriend at the Black Rat in Winchester, Overall, I have to say the food was good, with a wide choice available from the menu and accompanying wine list. However, the whole experience was tainted by the questionable attitude of the management. Having booked a table in advance we were puzzled to... more

Went here for dinner on a weekday and had a great evening. The food was delicious throughout although the menu is quite meat-orientated - suits me down to the ground but vegatarians might find their options slightly limited. I took full advantage of some of the more unusual options to have calves tongues, followed by mutton - both of which... more