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Hours
Sun
12:00 - 22:00
Mon
12:00 - 22:00
Tue
12:00 - 22:00
Wed
12:00 - 22:00
Thu
12:00 - 22:00
Fri
12:00 - 23:30
Sat
12:00 - 23:30
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Ratings and reviews
4.0
Travellers' Choice 2024
RATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere
Details
Someone from this business manages this listing.
Learn More
PRICE RANGE
£3.00 – £20.00
CUISINES
Bar, International, British, Pub
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
meals, features
Does this restaurant offer takeaway or food to go?
Details
About
We are a friendly Pub and Restaurant, located in the hamlet of Heronsgate, Chorleywood. The Stag is just moments away from the motorway but beautifully off the beaten track, surrounded by the open fields and woodland of the Hertfordshire countryside. We are at the heart of the local community and welcome friends, neighbours and faces old and new to enjoy this local as much as we do. Our menu provides choice for all occasions, from sandwiches and British pub classics to the very best of international cuisine and a hugely popular tapas selection. We offer quality, tasty, fresh and honest food which changes with the seasons and work closely with our suppliers to ensure our ingredients, flavours and selections are the best for you, our customers. The Stag can be enjoyed both inside or out, in our bar, restaurant, conservatory or secluded garden - which provides a safe haven for children. We also extend our welcome to your four legged friends who might need a bowl of water or a biscuit after a long walk. We offer free wi-fi and newspapers and are more than happy to cater for any of your business or social needs. For the winter months, we have a cosy wood fire place and heated patio area's to provide respite from the cold. Coffee, home made cake and biscuits are always on offer. We have ample parking space, but are happy to help with taxi's should you wish to indulge in our wine selection or hand crafted local McMullen ale. Please do not hesitate to contact us for any of your venue, drinking, dining or socialising needs and we will do our best to accommodate you. We look forward to seeing you soon!
PRICE RANGE
£3.00 – £20.00
CUISINES
Bar, International, British, Pub
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner, After-hours
FEATURES
Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Buffet, Seating, Parking Available, Free off-street parking, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Wine and Beer, American Express, Mastercard, Visa, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Live Music, Dog Friendly, Family style, Sports bars, Gift Cards Available
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4.0
364 reviews
Excellent
181
Very good
85
Average
37
Poor
34
Terrible
27
Cem658
Greater London7 contributions
Aug 2020 • none
The Stag is always a mixed experience. We ate there as part of the ‘Eat out, to help out’ scheme and unsurprisingly it was absolutely heaving with customers. However despite the huge amounts of food being prepared it was absolutely delicious, particularly the Crispy Duck Salad, the risotto, the tasty Kerala Fish curry and the crispy batter on the Fish and Chips. They have a large pub garden which is well suited to the current times, and with the hardworking staff working flat-out, and the pub full of guests, the atmosphere was great and the place buzzing.
Written 15 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SlickNick13
Earith6 contributions
Nov 2021 • family
My heart sinks when you are invited to choose from a Christmas menu. Often it is the same old ingredients that have been overcooked, the starter lacks any imagination and the pudding is heavier than a prop forward. I have to say that the stag gave us a first class Christmas lunch and one I would recommend without hesitation. The staff were very helpful and attentive. My only criticism is that the waitress needed to have a better knowledge of the beers on tap but in fairness the local ale was a great taste.
Written 3 December 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ajayali
Rickmansworth83 contributions
Oct 2020 • couples
£75 is a lot of money for 2 people to eat out. All I can afford these days is to do it once a month, after payday. It becomes a special "outing", not like the old days (pre-covid)
Warm environment and a nice menu. So disappointed to only eat half of my beef roast. The meat was tough and too fatty to cut with a knife.
I provided my feedback, paid my bill and left...
Unfortunately nothing was offered other than "sorry about that". Guess I will just have to wait another month to look forward to eating out again and keep my fingers crossed that next time it is better food or better value for money.
To say I feel disappointed is probably an understatement
Written 25 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lukasz s
Hi Ajayali, thank you for your feedback, we are under new ownership and we re designed menu and our pricing to , if you will give us a second chance we would love to host you at The Stag , Lukasz & Team
Written 14 July 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Peter C
Chalfont St Peter6 contributions
Jan 2020 • none
Do not venture to the eatery at the Stag Pub at Heronsgate near Chorleywood Hertfordshire.
Bad food resulting from over trading, poor staff and arrogant Chef/Manager with selective memory.
Following a pre Christmas Sunday Roast for a table of nine which was extremely poor as selections ran out and beef was atrocious served with over cooked vegetables we had complained to be quietly pleased to be offered a complimentary meal for the same group.
Feeling confident that everyone deserves a second chance and it couldn't be as bad again with the complimentary meal as the attraction (which was confirmed as such only the day before with the manager/owner) we booked to return today.
Having been shown to a window table in the sun we settled into our drinks order and within 20 minutes were asked for our starter and main meal selections.
Sadly 40-50 minutes later our starters did arrive, albeit the original pumpkin soup had run out and was eventually replaced by a broccoli concoction which was delivered a further 10 minutes later.
Of the starters, the home made fish cakes were tasty and fresh.
However the pork and ham terrine was served with short hair and plastic wrapping within the meat and fatty casing. (This was pointed out and returned)
The replacement soup eventually arrived and disappointingly was spilt from the bowl onto a carry plate and the dining table with no apology or correction from the server. On tasting it was mightily watered down and over seasoned, subsequently it was left.
A further hour passed before main courses spasmodically arrived and despite orders for rare beef, the server when questioned said they were normal cuts of beef (medium rare at best), roast pork was ok as was the chicken. All was served with over cooked vegetables.
The general conversation led to confirm this experience had been really no better than the first and just as well it was food complimentary.
Then the fun started....
The bill was brought as we were not having puds and we were shocked to see the food had been included in the bill along with a 10% service charge (for non existent service).
After an initial query where the Chef/Manager was called his story changed to the food "possibly" being discounted rather than complimentary.
After a rather heated 25 minute conversation we left having paid for our drinks, the only part of it worthwhile.
If you want reasonable quality pub food at an appropriate price with a good atmosphere, competent service, where they can cope with a busy dining room Do Not Visit The Stag Pub
Written 24 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lukasz s
Hi , thank you for your feedback, we are under new ownership and we re designed menu and our pricing to , if you will give us a second chance we would love to host you at The Stag , Lukasz & Team
Written 14 July 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Alexandra H
London21 contributions
Feb 2020 • none
Asked for gluten free options and one recommendation was couscous which if you are gluten free you know that this is made from wheat! They also recommended other items that contained wheat so they don’t have any understanding at all. Ordered a paneer and peas curry which was ok but the sauce was runny liquid and certainly not worth the £12.50 charged. There was very loud music being played in the kitchen and every time the door opened we couldn’t hear each other over it. Not relaxing at all. My partner ordered a burger and chips which he said was alright but nothing special. They really must improve their knowledge of what the food contains!! I would not recommend this place for anyone with dietary requirements as it could be potentially disastrous due to their lack of understanding.
Written 8 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
simonjgresswell
High Wycombe12 contributions
Oct 2022 • none
Arrived in our party of 8, only to be shown to 2 tables in the window. 2 of the staff both casually said they couldn't fit us on one table! Not a great start...why take the booking or not explain that at that time and does any group seriously ever go to a pub or restaurant and expect to have sit on separate tables?! There was an even bigger party in the pub, so clearly 8 could be accommodated, but only for one group it seemed. We suggested putting the tables together and the staff just stood and just let us do it! Drinks....4 men in their 50s, only 1 ale (a porter) available. Again, not great from a country pub. Service throughout was charmless, without a smile and patchy. The 2 coeliacs in our party (also noted on the booking), were not well accommodated in terms of the menu, ingredients information, or choice, especially desserts (only 1) and our first indication that none were homemade, as neither panna cotta nor creme brulee should have any gluten in. No initiative from the staff at all throughout wrt their needs. Had traditional Beef, which wasn't very traditional. Never heard of the 'striploin' cut, but we were not offered a type of cooking and the meat form was not particularly recognisable and tough at best. Veg varied between overcooked and undercooked, but yorkshire pud was great! Desserts weren't much of an improvement....nothing homemade in appearance or taste, about any of them and as mentioned, very limited choice for our coeliacs. We imagine that times are still tough for those running pubs, but the owners need to understand that coming out to eat is also a rare treat, as times are tough for customers too. When we do, we hope and expect that the food and drinks are better than we could do at home and that the added value of a warm welcome, cosy environment, great service, accommodating dietary requirements and even the number of people in a party on 1 table, would be fundamental. This was not the case at The Stag, a big shame.
Written 17 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LUKASZ S
Hi do apologise for that we haven't meet your expectation , i can assume all deserts are home made and we do caterer for all allergens, person served you was a newbie and still in training , but i would like to find more about whole situation and if you could get in touch with me will really appreciate info@thestagchorleywood.co.uk as I do get all feedback personally and always want to improve.
kindest regards and hope you will give you a second chance
Lukasz Owner.
Written 21 October 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
peter c
London6 contributions
Aug 2021 • none
I've been visiting the Stag to eat and drink, occasionally, for over ten years now, and I was keen to check it out after its recent closure and re-opening under different management, so my wife and decided to try out the Sunday Roast.
A nicely cooked and tasty meal arrived after a fair old wait, but then, mysteriously there seemed to be a staff shift change (2.30pm on Sunday) and we were left staring at our plates for an hour. We decided a dessert would probably take an age, and could have easily walked out un-noticed, but in the end went up to the bar to pay. The bar staff responded to my 'vanishing staff' query by agreeing that it was confusing for them too. Obviously new management needs a bit longer to get things sorted out so I'll leave my next visit for a while........
Written 23 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael H
225 contributions
Aug 2021 • none
Had booked for 5 down the road at Heron, but locked/shut on arrival, so moved on. Warm welcome by smiley faces and seated promptly. Menus issued drinks order taken and then shortly after food order. Fish and chips, burger and linguini all excellent and hot. One had prawn starter as main and one paella (portion a bit large for a lady but otherwise v.good.
The fact there was no peas and only decaf coffee will not deter us from coming back next time we visit sister .
Waitress was excellent smiling all the time even at my jokes about no peas.
Written 24 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
steve
Chorleywood1 contribution
Apr 2024 • friends
Went to the stag last Saturday for a meal with friends
Good atmosphere and really nice decor
Food was a let down massively
Thai curry’s were warm at best and have eaten better ready meals
My wife had sea bass. One small fillet with a couple of cut new potatoes and tiny amount of green veg
We ate here last month and she was served 2 fillets of sea bass and far more vegetables
Why 2 different meals ?
Ordered 2 different ales and was told by waitress she didn’t know which were which
Hello , that’s your job as I’m the customer
2 Eaton mess all cream and minimal fruit and spoons were to small to fit into bottom of dessert glass
Won’t be rushing back
Our friends agreed
Written 2 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LauriBa
London33 contributions
Feb 2024 • couples
I feel mean writing a review like this, but I hope it is constructive and things can change for the better, as I would love for local businesses to prosper and succeed, and we were given a card asking us for a review with our bill.
I had checked the menu before booking the table and it showed a vegan option on the Valentine’s page. Whilst booking I also let them know I am vegan.
I mentioned it again when ordering the risotto, as it said it was vegan but one of the ingredients was parmigiano, which isn’t even vegetarian. The lovely waitress assured me it was added later but then came back and apologised as it was cooked like that. There wasn’t much more to eat, so she went to check with the chef and told me he would do a risotto from scratch for me, I was very impressed, even if it should have been there from start as advertised, I felt grateful.
What I got had no taste whatsoever. I have been vegan for over 10 years and I’m no chef, but I can cook the most flavoursome meals. I just got some arborio rice with a couple of truffle shavings and three rocket leaves. It tasted what I imagine cardboard would. And I can eat anything, but there was so little effort put in it, I felt like I was paying for the fact that I am vegan.
Like it or not, veganism is here to stay, I just want to help my kids and future generations have a better world, and businesses and restaurants have to get into the 21st century and accept it, making everyone feel welcomed into their premises. I am so sorry that I won’t be coming back here (and the family of 6 who would come with me), as I saw so little effort in making vegans feel welcomed.
The waitresses were lovely by the way, this is just a review on the food
Written 15 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lizzi1989
Rickmansworth22 contributions
Feb 2023 • couples
My husband and I had a lovely lunch today at the Stag in Chorleywood. Haven’t been there for a long time and it was one of the best meals in terms of quality and value for money we’ve had in ages. Starters of chicken wings and prawns about £8 each and mains of chicken burger and steak sandwich about £15 with really generous portions. Pudding was amazing and for once drinks didn’t seem to be a rip off like a lot of pubs these days! We also saw them cooking and taste testing some new dishes for the menu which looked delicious (mushroom and nduja pasta dishes, couple of fish dishes - even a lobster and crab lasagne 👀) - just wish I’d of had some room left to try them! If you haven’t been lately then I would highly recommend!
When I called to book a table I mentioned we’d have our baby with us and they made sure our table had plenty of space for the pram which was a lovely considerate touch.
There was also a log fire burning! We will definitely be returning!
Written 14 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
L Michael
Thank you for your kind review, hope to see you again soon
Lukasz & Team ;)
Written 25 February 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
John D
4 contributions
Aug 2023 • family
This place has gone down hill. A few weeks ago was in for drinks and they had NO glasses and the entire bar was covered literally from one end to the other with used glasses. Pint of mild was awful. Yesterday went in for dinner and drinks four alcoholic drinks, two soft drinks, bottle Of house wine, one kids pasta, one sliced half chicken breast on a few leaves with a handful of cold fries, and two fist fills of mashed potato, carrots and green beans with a tough as shoe leather lamb shanked dumped and squeezed into a pasta bowl with not a seconds thought to presentation. Had to go up and order food and drink each time at bar yet they had the temerity to charge a service charge. £109. After complaining they scrapped the £17.50 charge for the lamb shank. Atrocious place will not be going back. Sadly, this is becoming all too frequent in Chorleywood with places charging astronomical prices and then serving up sub standard fare with zero service. Best tip. Cool and eat at home.
Written 5 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LUKASZ S
hi there, thank you for your feedback , as we did re opened after clousure we do hope you will give us 2nd chance
Written 6 October 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Me M
1 contribution
Sept 2023 • couples
After closing down for a "refurb" i thought i would give it a go after a previous bad experience, i wish i hadn'tve bothered, after finding a hair in my food i was told "it must be mine, as none of the waiting staff had black hair", even though i found it within a min or 2 of arriving at the table... the beer was flat and had a subtle old dish cloth taste to it. The staff seemed indifferent and not like they wanted to be there at all. We expected an improvement after the "refurb" but its actually worse. Will not be going back untill it changes management.
Written 10 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LUKASZ S
Could you please get in touch with more info about your visit and details as we want to be perfect each time and feedbacks like this is very important to us to get thinks right in first place asap
Will appreciate your contact
Info@thestagchorleywood.Co.uk
Written 22 September 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
YachtieLass
Amersham104 contributions
Sept 2023 • friends
Ate here for a special occasion with friends. We went the whole hog and had 3 courses including various seafood options and one person had lamb. Everything was excellent, tasty and beautifully presented. We also enjoyed a lovely white wine. The service from Sam and Lauren greatly enhanced our enjoyment of our meal. They both gave helpful tips, ensured we had all the accoutrements we needed and kept us entertained with their engaging wit and humour. Lauren has the charisma to sell anyone a dessert when they've already eaten too much!!! We love this gastropub for its extensive and imaginative menu enhanced by ever-changing chef's specials. We'll be regulars....
Written 24 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nikki W
Beaconsfield144 contributions
Apr 2023 • family
Family birthday Sunday lunch … with a dog as well. The service was amazing from everyone. They struck the balance between being attentive and helpful and being overbearing perfectly. Lovely birthday desert as well. Food was top notch…. Although roasts very large boxes are available to take extra home. Really fantastic can’t recommend highly enough
Written 23 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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