The Bull Hotel

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#8 of 29 Restaurants in Olney££ - £££, Bar, British, Vegetarian friendly

+44 1234 711470+ Add website

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Hours

Sun

8:00 - 22:30

Mon

7:00 - 23:00

Tue

7:00 - 23:00

Wed

7:00 - 23:00

Thu

7:00 - 23:00

Fri

7:00 - 0:00

Sat

8:00 - 0:00

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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

3.5

556 reviews

#8 of 29 Restaurants in Olney

RATINGS

Food

Service

Value

Atmosphere

Food and ambience

Bar, British, Pub, Gastropub, Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options

“Stylish hotel with great design and ambience in restuarant and bar.”

“Excellent Sunday Roast”

Bar Scene, Business meetings

“... - surely a day when the hospitality business is more in demand than ever.”

“As a local resident we want to support local business BUT for the first time...”

Location and contact

9 The Market Place, Olney MK46 2EA England

+44 1234 711470

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Details

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About

The Bull Hotel is a pub & restaurant with rooms. Overlooking the historical market place in the centre of the town, The Bull sits at the heart of the local community & is a great spot to watch the world go by. Our menu, drinks list & décor are a perfect blend between the traditional & contemporary, with home comforts, nostalgic charm & modern amenities.

PRICE RANGE

£8.00 – £20.00

CUISINES

Bar, British, Pub, Gastropub

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

FEATURES

Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Street Parking, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Wine and Beer, Digital Payments, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service

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3.5

556 reviews

Excellent

244

Very good

Average

103

Poor

Terrible

Janis J

Northampton197 contributions

Very disappointing

Dec 2020 • none

We had eaten here before and had enjoyed it. Booked for weekday lunch with friend but the menu was very limited and we couldn't find anything on the man menu that appealed so we have a starter and pudding which was not what we wanted. The service was slow and the waitress kept disappearing so we couldn't ask questions. It was a strange experience and a shame as the venue is very attractive.

Written 17 December 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.

Keri B

Gorefield6 contributions

Dinner and stay

Sept 2020 • family

After my nans burial we booked 2 tables for 12 people for dinner and 4 rooms for over night stay the results were hit and miss. On arrival the tables were ready but we had to wait 20 minutes to get drinks. One table was served food after an hour the other 1 hour and twenty minutes. While every one realises short staff causes issues this was a bit excessive. Some if the meals were very nice but not all. The fish finger sandwhich was cold . One of the steaks was very grissly. The other two steaks all though over cooked were very nice. The bull pie... dont bother! Food and drink were reasonably priced with exception of the wine. We decided to have local takeaway for tea and as the restrant and bar shut at 10 we sat out the back with these. The hotel itself was exceptionally clean and staff friendly. Rooms were comfortable and quirky.. all appear to have original stable walls. I was woken at 9am by very loud cleaning staff outside and felt by their comments they were waiting for me to leave! Breakfast was served hot and fast no complaints there. So a mixed review for this stay. Would I stay again .yes..eat there no. Keri x

Written 9 September 2020

Jenny H

Bedfordshire29 contributions

Disappointed with Services

Nov 2021 • family

I had booked for breakfast as my son and grandson had stayed over and as we had lovely meals here previously, I thought it would be nice. I booked the table for 10.00am and when we arrived I could see there were a couple of very large tables waiting for their food. I assumed these people had rooms booked, so I imagine they would not have booked a breakfast sitting time? We were brought our drinks, but were still waiting for food at 10.50. It happened to be Remembrance Sunday and I am certainly not disrespectful of that, but the manager then came over to say they would be stopping service from 10.55 to 11.05 as a sign of respect!! We were brought our food during this period, which made me feel uncomfortable. My argument is, we should have been served long before this, and if the restaurant was so busy at that time, my booking should not have been taken. The food, when it arrived was good, but we didn’t enjoy it as we would have done normally, because of the circumstances. This will not prevent me from eating here again, but it will certainly make me very wary.

Written 18 November 2021

The Bull Hotel

Hello Jenny, Thank you for getting in contact with us and leaving your feedback. We will be sure to pass this on to the management team here to look into further regarding your experience to avoid such an issue occuring again. If you would like to contact us further regarding this please feel free to email us at info@bullhotelolney.co.uk We look forward to your next visit and hope we can make this up to you. Team Bull

Written 29 November 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

tartnjohn

Olney3641 contributions

The Upsell taken to the extreme

Jan 2020 • none

A group of us had booked a table and arrived, settling down and browsing the menu. When the waiter arrived to take our drinks orders we asked for a bottle of the House White to which he replied Sauvignon Blanc? Fortunately one of our company had looked at the wine list and he was less than happy when it was pointed out that we would have the Pinot - which was over £7 cheaper. Now perhaps this Charles Wells owned outlet uses different standards from every other restaurant whose "House" wine is normally at the lowest end of the price range or are the simply aiming to increase their income. We also had vouchers offering free nibbles when ordering a main course so we took advantage of this offer. Fortunately we happened to order the specific meals as apparently the offer is only valid with selected items on the menu. Not that this mattered anyway as the bill when it arrived, had charged us for the nibbles and more grief was expounded as we had to have the charge removed. It's a pity that these problems had been created as the food wasn't at all bad but when you feel that your cash is being subtely extracted then time to look around elsewhere in future. Fortunately Olney has a wide range of alternative eating houses and having had issues with this restuarant previously, I guess that three unsatisfactory visits out of three is more than enough. It is a pity that this restaurant is being seriously let down by the staff either by corporate rules, poor selection and training standards or simply staff who don't have the customer skills that I believe are needed in this type of establishement.

Written 26 January 2020

jane r

1 contribution

disappointing attention to detail

Oct 2021 • none

well I have never done a negative review but given the location and the aura I think this needs to be said. we arrived for our 6.45 booking and was seated where we ordered drinks we then placed our order with a lovely confident young women where we were amazed she did not even need a pad to write down our order! the nibbles came as did the starters which were faultless and then when it came to the mains there were 3 mains for 4 people and a duplicate of sides, we waited a few minutes thinking the 4th was on the way and for our cutlery to be replenished and neither arrived! as our food was getting cold we beckoned over the waitress who the promptly got her manager who apologised and said it had been missed and would be a few minutes, so as our food was getting cold we decided to carry on and eat while we were waiting for one meal! which subsequently we had all finished by the time this arrived! the replenishment of drinks were a little slow given that the restaurant was not overly busy and staff seemed plentiful which was also disappointing. at the end we asked for the bill which arrived quite timely and swiftly there I purposely I checked this before I made payment and the extra side was on the bill, so when they came to take payment I politely pointed out this was on the bill but as we had eaten it so I had no problem paying for it however I did point out that there were so many shortfalls which had spoiled the meal. for the first time in a long time I had decided there would be no tip and gave £165 for the £164.20 bill. the final nail in the coffin was the fact that they did not even return the change which shows how badly the wheels had fallen off!! We frequently eat out this was one we were excited to do but left a very bitter taste and there are many out there far more worthy of our hard earnt cash! food lovely but everything else was well below par

Written 1 November 2021

The Bull Hotel

Hello there, thank you for leaving us feedback. We are disappointed to hear that your experience was not a positive one. We set high standards for ourselves and we clearly did not meet those on your recent visit with us. We would really appreciate it if you could get in contact with our management team at info@bullhotelolney.co.uk to raise this issue further internally and hopefully rectify this with you. We look forward to hearing from you. Team Bull

Written 5 November 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

WispaRose

Winslow58 contributions

Awesome weekend in a fabulous hotel

Nov 2019 • couples

We stayed as a couple for a weekend break. We were greeted upon arrival with a warm friendly welcome. and showed up to the Dairy which is beautifully decorated and furnished. The bed was huge and comfortable and the room had all the facilities we needed. The roll top bath standing in the room is a quirky touch and the shower was also excellent. Breakfast was delicious- we had full English- and the service by the friendly waitress on both days was attentive and efficient. We had some drinks in the bar which was busy and had a good atmosphere. All in all we couldn’t fault anything; just we wished we could have stayed longer.

Written 31 January 2020

Sarahjayne G

Haversham1 contribution

Lunch

Jun 2021 • friends

We ordered our food using the app as we decided to sit outside. The drinks came very quickly but our food took much much longer than stated on the app, well over an hour. I am diabetic so had taken insulin for the food we were going to receive based on the time however it was so late my blood went low. When the food did arrive my chicken burger was so charcoaled I honestly thought it was beef. It was awful. We ate anyway as we were both so hungry by then but the burger bun was dry on the burger the chicken basically inedible and the cheese used on the burger very cheap. I have eaten here before and found the quality of meat very cheap. That was pre pandemic. After two bad experiences over two years I wouldn't eat here again. The food isn't worth paying for sadly.

Written 27 June 2021

The Bull Hotel

Dear Sjalexisg, We appreciate your honest review. We set a high standard for ourselves, so we are disappointed to hear that your experience with us was not a positive one. Having looked into this in detail, it is safe to say that it was a "bad day in the office". Please get in touch with us by emailing info@bullhotelolney.co.uk as we would like to invite you back in and make sure that this time you are looked after and the food is of the highest standard. I look forward to hearing from you. Ana

Written 13 July 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

James

Windsor86 contributions

Lack of attention to detail

Nov 2021 • couples

We noticed a huge improvement in the quality of the food and the atmosphere when The Bull reopened a few years ago. Gradually, however, it has sadly declined to a poor standard. We had a late lunch today, and our food (although presented well) did not have the best taste. The burger was undercooked, the bacon was just fat, the chips were hard and my partners roast dinner just lacked flavour. The cookie dough for dessert wasn’t dough, just a burner cookie. The sticky toffee pudding had a lack of sauce. To make matters worse, the service was almost non existent towards the end of our meal, and despite the presence of staff around our table, we were constantly having to ask for things. The atmosphere seems like it’s the only remaining positive element; everything else just lacked attention to detail for the price point.

Written 7 November 2021

The Bull Hotel

Hello there, Firstly, thank you for your honest feedback, we really appreciate anything you can pass along to help us improve. We set high standards for ourselves here at the bull and it is clear that we have not met them on this occasion. We would like to apologise for the experience you had with us and would love it if you could pass this along to our email at info@bullhotelolney.co.uk so we can raise this issue further with our management team and hopefully rectify this for you. We look forward to hearing from you and working towards an outcome. Team Bull

Written 9 November 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Adam cordier

Kent2 contributions

Lovely

Feb 2020 • family

This is a brilliant restaurant with kind and very lovely staff. They are kind and are very funny. The food was excellent and I'd recommend any of the roasts. They come with lots of meat but with very few vegetables but you could ask for some extra and they are more than happy to supply you some.

Written 16 February 2020

m0nkeymrs

Kent104 contributions

Go here, eat here, stay here!

Oct 2020 • friends

I have just returned from my second trip to the Bull, staying over night in The Stables with two friends, we had the best time! The room called “The Stables” is large, gorgeous, and Rustic with bare floorboards and big comfy beds. It’s not attached to any other rooms so there is no noise to be heard from rooms above etc... Although I visited with two friends I would happily bring my children here to stay. The staff - particularly our waitress on the evening of 11/10/20 was fabulous, friendly funny and not at all intimidated by our over excited table! The dinner is so tasty, the menu is fairly small but is perfectly formed, the portions are a decent size and so tasty I’m not even sorry for saying it twice. My only minor disappointment this time was the breakfast, understandably buffet breakfast is no longer an option and therefore in comparison the menu appears limited. No pancakes or pastries is sad... but it won’t stop us returning again!

Written 11 October 2020

Potters Bar2 contributions

Late Sunday Lunch.

Oct 2021 • couples

Visited this past weekend and was extremely disappointed by table service and food portioning. Drinks ordered arrived within 5mins but were wrong. 1. Ordered a spritzer and received a glass of Pinot. 2. Ordered Artisan breads for starters which never arrived as the order was apparently not put through to the kitchen. Mains arrived 30mins after the order was taken; one thinly sliced piece of beef served under a gigantic yorkshire pudding which was tasteless and cold, minimal portion of veg and gravy. 4. Ordered a pear crumble which arrived stone cold - a poor quality dessert with a sprinkling of crumble which had clearly been flashed under a hot grill for colour - of which l returned and ordered a microwave hot sticky toffee pudding. Service was debatable, untrained young staff floating around the restaurant with no sense of direction or leadership by the floor supervisor or management. We will definitely not be returning for a long while.

Written 13 October 2021

The Bull Hotel

Hi Bedford222, We apologise that you did not enjoy your experience with us, if you would like to contact us directly via email on info@bullhotelolney.co.uk. We would love to talk to you regarding your experience and invite you back in the near future. Team Bull

Written 22 October 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Gary D

2 contributions

2021 Christmas Lunch

Dec 2021 • none

We had previously been on boxing day lunch 2 years ago and the food and staff were excellent. However, we booked for Christmas Lunch 2021 and the food and service was totally different. On arrival no staff member to greet us, we had to wait for over 10 minutes waiting for anyone to acknowledge we were there. Staff just kept walking past, it was extremely rude and unwelcoming and totally unacceptable. All it required was someone to say, could you just wait for a minute whilst we do ........... We booked for 4 and were eventually taken to a very tiny table opposite the toilet - very disappointing, worse seat in the restaurant. The table was wobbling and we asked a staff member to sort this out which she said yes and then totally ignored us. We had to take some leaflets from table next to toilets and put these under the table legs so all 4 of us could eat our lunch. Totally unacceptable. The staff were poker faced, no atmosphere at all, just a tokenistic Christmas cracker on the table. The food was ok, the vegetables soggy and the stuffing, well the size of a 2 cm square, if that. We were not offered any condiments, not even the usual cranberry sauce and when we did ask for some, this took forever, by the time the tiniest of glass dish arrived, we had almost finished our meal. I would say we were given 2 teaspoons between 4 people. Absolutely disgusting bearing in mind this meal cost £80 per head. Based on service, ambience and general total disregard of staff towards customers, this meal was not worth it and totally over priced. Based on this, I would not return.

Written 29 December 2021

Fran S

King's Lynn45 contributions

Fabulous return for the Bull.

Jul 2020 • none

Fabulous return for the Bull. Really embracing our new normal. Staff even more focused on diner experience and the smaller menu really delivers. Prebook of course but do come. EXCELLENT

Written 16 July 2020

thebullhotelolney

Hi Fran! Thank you so much for your kind words - this means the world to us! Hopefully, see you very soon! Ana

Written 17 July 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Aylesbury27 contributions

Very disappointing revisit

Jul 2021 • couples

I used to visit regularly when I lived in Emberton, until early last year. The food was always great and the staff very friendly. I revisited on the 10th July with my good lady and was looking forward to having a nice lunch. We were seated in the enclosed area, outside. All was fine until the food came out. I had the plant based burger, which was swimming in relish, so much so, it pooped out as I took the first bite. I had to scrape it off the bun, as it was unbearable. My fries were undercooked and over seasoned.....I had to pour vinegar on them in order to be able to eat some. My good lady had the mac n cheese, fries and breads with oil. She asked me to try the mac n cheese as she thought it tasted off. I agreed and my god, it was seriously salty. She couldn't eat it at all. Her fries were also over seasoned (and she loves salt usually). The only palatable item was the bread. No one followed up after serving to ask if everything was OK. When the young lady asked if we were finished (and she was super polite and friendly), I didnfeed back our dissatisfaction for the food, to which she said it will be mentioned to the kitchen. We were very polite by giving this feedback, however we are not the ones to make a scene and complain. Just thought that someone senior would have popped over to speak to us about it, however, this was not the case. I'm so disappointed as the food was terrible and I remember this place to be really great.

Written 12 July 2021

The Bull Hotel

Dear H9682BF, Thank you for providing us such an honest review, we pride ourselves on providing a high standard of service and consistently well prepared food. We apologise for not having this standard on your visit and will be investigating why nothing was done for you at the time. I hope that we can have you back with us soon to restore your faith in us, please send us an email to info@bullhotelolney.co.uk so we can organise a table in the new future and have you looked after to the highest standard. Kind regards Josh Fadden Deputy Manager

Written 19 July 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Dr Sarah L

4 contributions

Avoid!!!

Mar 2022 • family

Awful!! As we we were walking up to the door of The Bull, a lady came out shouting, “Don’t go in there, they have ruined my f***ing Mother’s Day!” Well I should have listened! The food was awful. I ordered the Beetroot salad and it was drench in olive oil with zero taste. I have never, ever, sent food back but it was inedible. My daughter’s chicken had been cooked on a dirty skillet and tasted of fish - she didn’t eat it - I told the waiter but he still charged us. He was polite but didn’t care that I didn’t have any food or that my daughter went home hungry too. Maybe it is a regular occurrence because he didn’t tell any senior management. Really disappointing as we visited before Covid and it was outstanding! So sad that things have deteriorated. I will no longer drive past and wish I could afford to come in every day! We spent over £100 and it was a complete waste of money. Also, staff please shut the disabled toilet door - no one wants to eat with the smell of the toilet and the view of the sanitary towel bin! I am sure it must be against health and safety regulations? I got up twice to shut it. So sad as the setting is lovely

Written 28 March 2022

The Bull Hotel

Hello there, Thank you for leaving a review with us and your honest feedback, we really appreciate it. We are sorry to hear your recent experience with us was a negative one, we set high standards for ourselves and would like to apologise that those were not met on your recent visit. Our management team will be reaching out to rectify this for you. Team Bull

Written 1 April 2022

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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