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.
The Exeter Arms
Review
About
Travellers' Choice
2024
Features
CUISINES
Bar, British, Pub
Meal types
Lunch, Dinner, Brunch, After-hours, Drinks
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
FEATURES
Accepts Credit Cards
Dog Friendly
Full Bar
Highchairs Available
Live Music
Outdoor Seating
Reservations
Seating
Serves Alcohol
Table Service
Can a gluten free person get a good meal at this restaurant?
Save this restaurant
Hours
Open until 11:00 PM
Sunday
12:00 - 22:30
Monday
12:00 - 23:00
Tuesday
12:00 - 23:00
Wednesday
12:00 - 23:00
Thursday
12:00 - 23:00
Friday
12:00 - 11:30
Saturday
11:00 - 0:00
Contribute
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4.3
1,019 reviews
Excellent
649
Very good
211
Average
66
Poor
41
Terrible
52
Nicholas P
1 contribution
Jan 2025 • solo
A nice old traditional pub.good beer.good food and very helpful bar staff.I am glad I went! I intend to revisit next time am in derby centre. I had the fire bucket chips and the peppers were fresh and the meat perfectly cooked. Very good job guys , decent music too....no appalling electronics.....chill chill !
Written 6 January 2025
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.
David W
41 contributions
Jun 2024 • couples
Great food and friendly staff. We were a party of two plus 1 small K9, they have an amazing selection of real ales and a great food menu. Dan was brilliant getting our food to us during a very busy time, would recommend booking if you are a bigger party. Overall 10/10
Written 8 June 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.
Paul L
2 contributions
Jul 2023 • couples
Visited with my partner to celebrate our anniversary, the second we were through the door we were made welcome by the staff who guided us to our table.
We were informed that there was a 40 minute wait on food, but the welcoming atmosphere, brilliant ales on offer and high reputation of the quality of the food easily made up for this.
My partner had the Woodsman Chicken and was very impressed with the quality and size of the meal, I had the Pie3 and each pie was cooked to perfection - the chips, gravy and peas added in for an absolutely wonderful meal.
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.
Di
Heanor1 contribution
Jun 2024 • couples
My husband and I visited today after I’d had a nice meal on a previous occasion.
I ordered a butter chicken wrap and fries.
The fries on the plate were inedible, they appeared to have been cooked several times and were extremely greasy…. totally off putting ! The wrap left a lot to be desired too. Poor tasteless ‘chicken’ and I can’t believe it was even shown any buttermilk . This was after an extremely long wait, not sure why as the pub was neatly empty. I can see why !
All in all I felt thoroughly disappointed. I was asked if I wanted anything else but I declined.
Written 21 June 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.
Carl
25 contributions
Dec 2024 • family
Absolutely amazing place, so cosy and rustic with a very warm friendly, welcoming atmosphere!
Staff were very nice and clearly well experienced.
The food is possibly some of the best you'll find, especially for their very fair prices!
Portions are excellent, I'm a bit eater and I left there full up and very happy!
We had the Sunday roasts, 1 pork roast and 1 chicken roast- both were way above our already high expectations.
The chicken was a half chicken roasted on the bone, the amount of meat I got off it was astounding! Proper tasty!
Vegetables were cooked perfectly with a little bite, just as we like them!
Roasties were cooked in dripping which was a nice change to what is normally served with a roast at an eatery.
The roasts also come with perfectly made giant Yorkshire puddings and lots of beautiful thick gravy.
Their menu is very extensive with great options for everyone, a lot of their options can be made Gluten Free.
Having seen their normal weekday menu, I'm spoilt for choice as what to have on our next visit, maybe have to order 2 meals and take home what i don't eat 😂
They even sell 3 types of unique scotch eggs, unfortunately they were sold out but by the sounds of what they are combined with their standards of food.. I can understand why, hopefully they will be in stock next time we visit (next week!).
Thankyou to the team, we had a lovely time and shall see you again in a few days 🤣
Compliments to the head chef and their team, top work! 10/10. 5*.
Written 8 December 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.
Mr B
Nottinghamshire21 contributions
May 2024 • friends
Visited the Exeter on Saturday with friends
It was a first class experience from start to finish
Food was amazing and offered great value.
Staff where a credit to their team.
Would highly recommend this place to anyone who is visiting Derby.
Hope to see again soon.
Once again thank you all at the Exeter.
Written 25 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.
Vacation51386685854
2 contributions
Oct 2024 • solo
This place serves excellent food and is rightly praised for this.
However..
Only wanted a snack so had a chip butty, wish I had had a bag of crisps.
Not a butty, a baguette with no butter, or just a scrape at best. Baguette was dry and inedible, reheated to appear fresh. Chips were refried from cold. Presentation was non existent.
Yes it was only a chip butties but it was a fiver and every meal sent out, however small reflects on the chef.
Scored 2 because the beer was good
Written 15 October 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.
Beth S
51 contributions
Jul 2023 • couples
We have given the Exeter arms multiple chances since reopening as it was one of my favourite places to visit before COVID. Unfortunately the numerous times I've visited have been really disappointing. The staff used to be excellent and the food was consistently good. However since COVID you can be waiting for over an hour for food, despite the quietness of the restaurant, and tables who sat down after you will get their food first. The service has massively gone down hill and so has the quality of the food. The staff do not care about their customers and can be quite rude at times. It's a shame that a once great place is now mediocre at best.
Written 16 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.
Johanne P
Tamworth4 contributions
Oct 2023 • family
We phoned the Exeter Arms on Friday night to see if they could squeeze us in on Saturday night and are we glad they did?!
From the moment we walked in, the customer service was wonderful. Friendly, welcoming, happy staff and a lovely atmosphere.
Not once did the customer service waiver; we were treated like old friends and felt so incredibly comfortable in there.
The food was amazing!! Oh my goodness, 6 meals, all cooked to perfection and beautifully tasty. The Viking Burgers were amazing, my daughter wanted another KFC for dessert :-) and the veggie burger "could easily fool a meat eater" according to one of our party.
We cannot fault our experience. We had lovely food, great drinks and a warm welcome.
Thank you all so much
Written 29 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.
Darren L
1 contribution
Oct 2023 • solo
Been in on many occasions bar staff always remember you and recommend new ales that have come in . I ordered a late Sunday dinner which I was told Robbie and Demi was the chefs cooking today. To say I was blown away with the food would be an understatement presentation time it came out service went above anywhere I’ve I’ve been . Keep it up team. Amazing place to take friends family or pop in by one self
Written 15 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.
Spenser G
Loughborough9 contributions
Oct 2023 • couples
Sunday Lunch was utterly brilliant. I often feel a bit aggrieved when eating out as I can do better food myself, not a chance I can match the cooking here. They also have several decent beers and a couple of ciders which are well looked after.
The staff are great on the customer service front too.
I thoroughly recommend
Written 8 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.
italianforbeginners
Welwyn Garden City107 contributions
Aug 2023 • friends
What a find! It's almost impossible in Britain to find a pub which does both a range of real ales and excellent food. Some pubs do one or the other. Excellent real ale pubs often don't do food at all and gastro pubs often have no real ale, choosing to offer nasty gassy lager, or perhaps just one real ale, (almost always too cold and generic). However, the Exeter Arms has really superb homemade pub food and a wide selection of brilliant cask ales from local breweries. We had doorstep sandwiches with chips and gravy, a steal at £10 each - huge portions. The dripping gravy is the best I have ever had. Service is excellent too. Thanks!
Written 26 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.
John M
Glasgow45 contributions
Dec 2023 • business
A colleague did some research and found this place when we recently visited Derby. What a find. Their ‘strap line’ is a rural pub in urban Derby and that is really fitting. We arrived on a cold December evening and there was a roaring fire and a very warm welcome from the staff. The pub was packed and staff quickly secured a table for two. The food was great pub food; the pie selection and kebab dishes were really tasty. However the highlight was the friendly and engaging staff. Attentive and really helpful they delivered first class service - well done.
Written 9 December 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.
DAVID B
1 contribution
Aug 2024 • friends
I have always liked this pub; it is one of the Derby real-ale venues. So we were very surprised when five of us walked in to the pub at 10:10pm to be told that they had just "rang last orders", although we did get served. The pub seemed quite busy and I commented that they must be doing well if they could afford to shut up shop so early and turn away good customers. Anyway, we sat and drank our pints, whilst all of the time, customers continued to go to the bar and get served. At 10:40pm, we asked for another drink, only to be told that the bar was now closed. Less than one minute later another customer went up to the bar and ordered a pint. When we questioned why we could not be served, we were told that the party being served were friends and family of an ex-employee. SO WHAT??? It wasn't "a lock-in" it wasn't after time, we simply wanted to be treated like everyone else in the pub during normal licencing hours. When we tried to make this point, we were accused of "getting lairy". So I have to agree with the previous reviewer. Unfortunately, The Exeter is living off its past reputation and there is a certain level of arrogance that has crept in to the people running the pub. A shame really. They probably think that one group of customers won't make any difference. But each one of those five has friends, and it doesn't sound like we are the first to have had a bad experience recently.
Written 12 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.
Martin Roper
The person in charge at the time of your visit took the view that you'd had "more than enough to drink". Rather than refusing to serve you and your guests, the person in charge declared the bar 'closed'. The fact a member of staff was served after you were informed of such, is your bone of contention, but we stand by the decision made by the assistant manager. This is the first and only review you have posted on Trip Advisor and is certainly not an accurate reflection of the excellent experience that most other guests have received at the Exeter Arms and compelled to review accordingly.
Written 18 September 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Emma D
Derby7 contributions
Oct 2021 • friends
Awful experience last night. Had two steaks both ordered med/ well but both came out bleeding & rare. Asked for them to be cooked more but they were still rare & all other food on the plate had been microwaved. Had to leave the food. I don’t ever like complaining but did on this occasion as you don’t expect such poor service for two £21 steaks. The member of staff was extremely rude & despite not eating any of the meal he only offered a drink complimentary. Will definitely not return!
Written 8 October 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.
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