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.
Marlborough Tavern
Review
About
Travellers' Choice
2024
Situated around the corner from The Royal Crescent, The Marlborough Tavern combines the atmosphere of a local pub with the quality of a top restaurant. Two AA rosettes, a horde of local & national awards plus inclusions in The Michelin Guide and Good Food Guide bear testimony to their consistent delivery of high quality cooking. They have a clear approach to food, find the best and freshest ingredients and to create great tasting, essentially simple dishes where the quality of the produce speaks for itself. Food is essentially, though not slavishly, English in character and takes advantage of locally sourced produce wherever possible. The lunchtime menu features a range of lighter dishes plus some traditional pub classics - and the Sunday roasts are legendary. They have an extensive wine list and selection of local ales. Outside they boast what is arguably Bath's finest pub garden; a walled courtyard space, it's perfect for summertime lunching and drinking.
Features
CUISINES
Bar, British, Pub, Gastropub
Meal types
Lunch, Dinner, After-hours, Drinks
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
FEATURES
Accepts Credit Cards
Dog Friendly
Free Wifi
Full Bar
Gift Cards Available
Highchairs Available
Outdoor Seating
Reservations
Seating
Serves Alcohol
Table Service
Wheelchair Accessible
Does this restaurant offer free wifi?
Save this restaurant
Hours
Closed now
• Opens at 11:30 AM
Sunday
11:30 - 22:00
Monday
11:30 - 23:00
Tuesday
11:30 - 23:00
Wednesday
11:30 - 23:00
Thursday
11:30 - 23:00
Friday
11:30 - 23:00
Saturday
11:30 - 23:00
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4.5
1,545 reviews
Excellent
996
Very good
369
Average
112
Poor
45
Terrible
23
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Kate Bond
Bath123 contributions
Aug 2024 • family
Me & my partner came on 11/08/24 for my birthday meal. The tavern was very lovely and we were offered the choice to sit outside. Plenty of seating inside and outside, both great options for s really nice and hot sunny day.
As we were given the menus, we were offered some table water immediately, which was brilliant. However, we were not asked if we would like any other drinks to start with, which would usually happen in any pub after the menus are given to us, and we would usually expect. Moreover, we did wait a while before being served, at least 15 minutes. On the other hand, the service was lovely once the staff arrived to our table to take our orders.
(If you didn’t fancy a roast, there are other lovely options on the menu including sharing and starters)
The food was given to us quickly and was presented very well. I had the roast chicken, which included bread sauce, stuffing, roast potatoes, veg & red wine gravy (there was a good variety of roasts on the menu, including a vegan option).
The roast was delicious! Lovely buttery carrots, crispy roast potatoes, and the bone-on chicken was very tasty and juicy - best chicken I’ve had in a while! Surprised to have a giant yorkshire pudding - even that was very delicious!
The dessert menus were given to us quickly, but staff were still slow in taking our dessert orders. Nonetheless, the desserts were - likewise - delicious! The salted caramel ice cream matched perfectly with the warm chocolate brownie.
In the end, we did have to get up and ask for the bill at the bar because we waited another 15 minutes (with our empty plates) to be served.
Overall, the food was very lovely and the atmosphere was very enjoyable. Unfortunately, because of the slow service, I did have to knock a star down. Nonetheless, we would still come here again!
Written 11 August 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.
Marlborough Tavern
Hi 'kxtebond',
Thank you for taking the time to leave us your thoughts regarding your recent visit.
I am happy to read that there were several highlights for your evening food wise. Our roasts have always been a massive hit for us, so I'm glad that you enjoyed yours, along with the brownie for dessert, which is a staple inclusion on our dessert menu these days.
I'm disappointed to hear that the service you received wasn't up to our usual high standards. It has been very hot this weekend, which can lead to it taking a little longer to get around to tables, especially in the late afternoon when the temperature peaks. However, waiting for 15 minutes on multiple occasions is too long and we will look into what has happened on this occasion to improve on this in the future.
We hope that you decide to pay us another visit again in the future where we will aim to bump that 4* up to a 5*.
Kind regards,
Callum Penny
Assistant Manager
Written 12 August 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Calendarman
Taunton140 contributions
Apr 2023 • family
Called here twice over Easter when visiting family in Bath. The first time when we were there on Thursday with young children, we were served by Elena who was efficient, and nice with the children. The second time was on Good Friday with other family members for lunch. Service and food was good on a very busy day, but somewhat spoiled for us by all the dogs. There were at least five, two of which were big, and there was regular barking. This would be totally unacceptable in an ordinary pub, but as other reviewers have commented, this is more of a restaurant than a pub. I cannot see why dogs are allowed in a place like this where people are eating, and am surprised that people with barking dogs were not asked to take them outside.
Written 25 July 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.
Marlborough Tavern
Hi Calendarman,
Thank you for taking your time to leave us this review.
I am delighted to hear you enjoyed both the food and service on both of your visits over Easter. Elena will be thrilled with your comments.
Since opening we have been a dog friendly gastro-pub, I'm sorry if this impacted your experience. We will always try and move you to a more suitable table on request if you are uncomfortable.
We hope to see you again.
Kind regards,
The Marlborough Tavern Team
Written 8 August 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Harald L
Berkeley41 contributions
May 2024 • couples
Fantastic! Nice atmosphere near Victoria Park, nice staff, creatively prepared food which exceeded our expectations. This gastro pub was recommended by our Nephew who never disappoints and this was no exception. Cocktail menu was creative, great selection of ciders and beers (I had an excellent local cider) and the food was delicious. Creative and attractive presentations of unusual dishes that were as good as they looked. This was our last night in Bath after walking around all day and it was the perfect way to end the day and a great visit to Bath.
Written 30 May 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.
Marlborough Tavern
Hi '13haraldl',
I am happy to hear you and your party had such a positive experience whilst dining with us recently.
We take great pride in delivering great food and service so it is always encouraging to hear that the hard work is paying off.
If you ever decide to visit Bath again in the future, please stop by and pay us another visit.
Kind regards,
The Marlborough Tavern Team
Written 10 June 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
jon_p_taylor
Bath108 contributions
Jul 2023 • family
The Marlborough has been a favourite for many years now but has definitely gone off the boil. For some reason the menu seems to hardly change. It used to be the case that new dishes were regularly introduced, but now only the odd new dish comes through. Not sure why, but it’s a shame.
That wouldn’t be a huge problem if the food was good, but we were quite disappointed. All starters were good, particularly the marinated tofu and Asian salad which was fab. But two of us had the lentil curry with sides and it was unbelievably bland and boring. The sea bream was very good but was served with a huge slab of bok choi which was so undercooked we couldn’t even cut it.
The atmosphere is good, but a lack of soft surfaces makes the place extremely noisy when full, which it often is.
Great to see that dogs are welcome.
Finally, the staff are lovely and very professional.
For us, after 8 years of very frequent visits, it’s time to go and find some new options with more variety and better quality.
Written 29 July 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.
Marlborough Tavern
Hi Jon_p_taylor,
Thanks for taking your time to leave us this review, as a returning customer your feedback is of great value to us.
Please allow me to apologise that you have been left feeling disappointed by the food you received on your last visit. We set ourselves high standards and it seems that on this occasion we have failed to live up to them.
We use all feedback both positive and negative to develop & improve our offering, so rest assured we will take your comments on board.
I hope you will give us another chance in the future.
Kind regards,
The Marlborough Tavern Team
Written 8 August 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Neil C
Bath17 contributions
Jan 2023 • none
We were disappointed with our mid afternoon lunches today. Two of our booking are vegetarian and chose the nut roast. We both thought it too stodgy and we agreed it tasted predominantly of peanuts. It was warm not hot. The roast potatoes, didn’t have that crispy hot roasted texture but were ,instead ,warm and barely browned. The accompanying vegetables and side of cauliflower cheese were also served warm not hot. We didn’t raise this at the time because the Tavern was busy. We don’t want to complain but wanted to come away thinking wow that was great. Sadly that wasn’t the case for either of us vegetarians or our carnivore friend who joined us today.
Written 29 January 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.
MarlboroughTavern
Hi C2515XXneilc,
Thanks for taking your time to leave us this review, I'm sorry to hear you were underwhelmed by your experience with us.
I've spoken with our chef & we do use a mix of many nuts in our nut roast however, allow me to apologise if you found it to taste predominantly of peanuts.
Sunday is a busy day for us, but in future please do flag any issues to a member of our team. We are always more than happy to bring each of your party a fresh roast, as our main aim is to make sure each one of our diners leave satisfied.
I hope you will give us an another opportunity in the future.
Kind regards,
The Marlborough Tavern Team
Written 21 February 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Dave S
3 contributions
Aug 2024 • couples
We had an amazing experience. We arrived and were welcomed by Jordan who continued to look after us throughout our meal. He was brilliant!! My partner has an allergy and he went away to check and ensure what she ordered was okay.
The food was amazing too. We both had the steak and it was cooked perfectly to our individual preferences. We were so impressed with the food and the service we are coming back tomorrow for their “legendary” roast.
Written 31 August 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.
Marlborough Tavern
Hi 'Dave S',
Thank you for taking the time to leave us this 5* review.
I am in no way surprised to hear that Jordan went above and beyond for you during your visit. He is a credit to us here at The Marlborough Tavern and always gives 110% for the team. I will be sure to pass on your feedback to him.
The kitchen team will also be grateful for the feedback regarding the food, we will be sure that they know they excelled on this occasional and dealt with all requests with ease.
We hope to have you visit us again in the future, but until then please take care.
Kind regards,
The Marlborough Tavern Team
Written 2 September 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Angy047
Domfront43 contributions
Oct 2023 • family
Very disappointing dinner after long walk across Bath. I had fish and chips. Very little fish in lots of crispy batter. Chips very dry. My daughter in law’s mushroom risotto was fine but my daughter’s vegan meal missing certain items and then she was presented with a few slices of vegan cheese!
Written 1 November 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.
Marlborough Tavern
Hi Angy047,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We greatly value your comments and are sorry to hear that we did not meet our usual high standards during your visit. I have personally spoken with all the staff who were present that evening to gain a better understanding of what went wrong.
We realise that we need to improve the clarity of our messaging regarding the vegan options. While some of these dishes may not include certain elements, we always strive to increase the portion size of other ingredients to compensate for this. We apologise for any confusion caused and will work on providing clearer information to our guests moving forwards.
I also understand that you may have been informed of alternative options on the evening. This is something that our Front of House (FOH) team should have confirmed with our kitchen team before placing the order. We will use this feedback to enhance the training of our FOH staff and ensure that such mistakes are not repeated in the future.
Once again, we sincerely apologise for the disappointment you experienced during your visit. We genuinely hope that you will give us another opportunity to provide you with a better experience in the future.
Kind Regards,
The Marlborough Tavern Team
Written 2 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Stephen Benson
15 contributions
Aug 2023 • family
Having not been here for a couple of years when we had a very enjoyable meal we thought we'd go again for a family Sunday lunch.
Overall we were a bit disappointed. One of our party ordered ood tomato soup and it arrived hot,another had a starter that included a tempura biscuit which was so hard it was inedible, you could not break or cut it.Another had the vegetable Wellington as a main which was delicious but as it was swimming in far too much gravy the pastry was soggy.The service was though excellent and we were not charged for the soup.The ambience was buzzy and friendly.It could be a change of chef since our last visit but whatever it is closer attention to the food quality would be a definite asset.
Written 14 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.
Marlborough Tavern
Hi Holtfoodie,
Thanks for taking your time to leave us this review, your feedback is important to us.
Allow me to apologise that you had a somewhat mixed experience with us on the day, we have highlighted your comments with the team to make sure we can improve moving forwards.
It's pleasing to hear that although you were unhappy with some of your dishes you found the service you received was of an excellent standard.
We hope you'll give us another chance in the future, so we can show you the full Marlborough Tavern experience.
Kind regards,
The Marlborough Tavern Team
Written 2 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
jongage
Victoria95 contributions
Sept 2023 • friends
The Marlborough Tavern. we went to the Malborough Tavern on September 21 with two friends. The decor was disappointing. Certainly not by any stretch of imagination a cosy place.
My wife and I ordered the duck leg. 23 pounds for a small, and I mean small, shrivelled leg of a duck and some mashed new potatoes. No vegetables and certainly not what one would expect for that price. Our friends orders seemed somewhat better. Dessert was 7 1/2 pounds for two scoops of ice cream. Again outrageous. This pub is very poor value for the money and I would not recommend it.
Written 16 October 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.
Marlborough Tavern
Hi Jongage,
Thanks for taking your time to leave us this review, all feedback is valuable to us.
It's extremely disappointing to read of your experience with us, as it is not close to the standard we aim for. I can only apologise that the duck leg left the pass if it wasn't up to our usual quality, we have taken your feedback on board and have been working closely with our kitchen team and suppliers to make sure it doesn't happen again moving forward.
Our ice cream is on the menu at £2.50 a scoop, we'd be more than happy to refund the difference if an error has been made, please email iain@marlborough-tavern.com & I can look into this further for you.
Kind regards,
The Marlborough Tavern Team
Written 2 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Karen S
5 contributions
Sept 2021 • none
I booked dinner at the Marlborough Tavern in Bath for a group of 27 including 4 young children. As a large group we were required to pre-order but were given a good range of starters and main courses from which to choose, and every taste or dietary requirement was catered for. The booking was very efficiently handled, and the service on the night was excellent. The food was very good, there were compliments all round and my meal was delicious, with expertly cooked battered fish. Just typing this is making me want to eat it all over again! Thanks to Maddie and the staff for an excellent evening, and for coping with our group so well.
Written 23 September 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.
MarlboroughTavern
Hi 'KarenKMS',
Thank you for taking the time to leave us this 5* review.
It's encouraging to hear that the service and food were both excellent for you on the night. It can often be difficult to execute large parties so we are glad to hear our front of house and back of house teams both exceeded expectations .
We are glad that you felt your large booking was handled with great care and professionalism. Our Deputy manager, Maddie, puts a lot of effort into ensuring these types of bookings run smoothly so she will be thrilled to hear you and your party enjoyed your time with us.
We hope to have you dine with us again in the future!
Kind regards,
The Marlborough Tavern
Written 27 September 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Nelly K
11 contributions
Sept 2024 • friends
My friend & I visited for Sunday Lunch. Both had Roast Chicken followed by Sticky Toffee pudding, all washed down with a lovely sparkling rose Prosecco. Everything was delicious. Staff very friendly. Would highly recommend. (Minor point, I would have preferred not to have the gravy poured over the lovely crispy roast potatoes as it defeats the object)
Written 28 September 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.
Marlborough Tavern
Hi 'NellyK341',
Thank you for leaving us this 5* review.
I will be sure to pass your feedback on to the front of house and kitchen teams who will be happy to hear they delivered a fantastic product for you and your party. We are constantly aiming to improve and feedback such as this shows that we are heading in the right direction.
We hope that you decide to pay us another visit soon, also, don't be afraid to ask us for gravy on the side!
Kind regards,
The Marlborough Tavern Team
Written 15 October 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Meredith Merridew
Bath124 contributions
Sept 2022 • none
This was my third visit to The Marlborough, and I've thoroughly enjoyed the food and ambience on each occasion.
Great service and pub grub of a superior standard and quality together with a relaxed atmosphere means this is going to be a regular "go to" restaurant for me. I have been here with friends and also as a couple and it's a great place for any occasion.
On this visit I had the chicken schnitzel which was delicious; I'm looking forward to my fourth visit.
Written 11 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.
MarlboroughTavern
Hi chrisbM5244GQ,
Thanks so much for taking your time to leave us this review.
I'm delighted to hear we are going to be a 'go to' restaurant from now on. We love getting to know our regulars so be sure to say hi next time you are in.
I will be sure to pass on your lovely feedback to our team.
Kind regards,
The Marlborough Tavern Team
Written 21 December 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
m0ssy8
Liverpool136 contributions
Aug 2021 • friends
The Marlborough Tavern is a little outside of the city being no more than a 15 minutes walk from the centre. The pub can be found towards the back of Royal Cresent.
This meal was book by friends and highly recommended, so expectations were high.
On first appearance from the outside, I was a little worried and it didn't look fancy or anything special.
On walking in, the decor was plain and simple with plenty of privacy between tables. Looked like a normal pub gone gastro.
Food smelt lovely on entering!
We had a 3 course meal and 3 bottles of wine and the bill was worth every penny.
Seared scallops, rack of lamb, and a child's portion of sticky toffee pudding, all of which were fabulous!
Staff were friendly, excellent service and as with our friends, I would highly recommend eating here. (booking in advance advised)
Written 31 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.
MarlboroughTavern
Hi 'm0ssy8',
Thank you for leaving this 5* review.
We are glad to hear that you found our menu to be of good value and were satisfied with the quality of the food and service.
We will pass on the positive feedback to our front of house and kitchen teams who will be pleased to hear they are doing a fantastic job.
We hope to have you dine with us again soon.
Kind regards,
The Marlborough Tavern
Written 8 September 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Nicole R
86 contributions
Jan 2023 • none
My husband and I ate here yesterday evening and we had the most wonderful time, there was a lovely atmosphere, the service was excellent and so friendly and we enjoyed and absolutely delicious Sunday roast, the starters were also excellent, (we had the pâté and soup) You just couldn't fault anything. Everything was beautifully cooked, piping, hot with generous portions. Thank you all for a fab evening X
Written 16 January 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.
MarlboroughTavern
Hi Nicole R,
Thanks for taking your time to leave us this review.
It gives me great pleasure to read of your experience with us. Our team works hard to provide the best possible Sunday lunch, as I'm sure we can all agree it's one of the most important meals of the week.
Our team will be delighted to hear yours was beautifully cooked, piping hot & generously portioned.
We hope to see you again soon.
Kind regards,
The Marlborough Tavern Team
Written 21 February 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
giraristo
Milan203 contributions
Oct 2023 • family
Typical restaurant with excellent reviews. We went there on Sunday evening to eat the legendary English roast with all its side dishes. The meat was good but the rest was dry and gave the impression of having been prepared and reheated. Overall, a little disappointing compared to the reviews. Nice and characteristic place outside the center and frequented by residents, at least it seems like it.

Written 5 January 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.
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