Ring of Bells

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#19 of 199 Restaurants in TauntonBar, British, ££ - £££

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.

Ring of Bells

Review

At a glance

Open until 11:00 PM

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Website

+44 1823 259480Improve this listing

About

Travellers' Choice

2024

The Ring Of Bells is a Pub/Restaurant found on St James Street in Taunton. We offer a good choice of alcoholic beverages, Wide variety of great real ales and serve delicious, locally sourced food served between 12pm-2:30pm for lunch, then 6pm-9pm for dinner. Sunday's we serve food 12pm-4pm

Features

CUISINES

Bar, British, Pub

Meal types

Lunch, Dinner, After-hours, Drinks

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

FEATURES

Accepts Credit Cards

Free Wifi

Full Bar

Highchairs Available

Mastercard

Outdoor Seating

Private Dining

Reservations

Seating

Serves Alcohol

Table Service

Television

Visa

Wheelchair Accessible

Location

16-17 St. James Street, Taunton TA1 1JS England

Can a gluten free person get a good meal at this restaurant?

Yes

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Hours

Suggest an edit

Open until 11:00 PM

Sunday

12:00 - 18:00

Monday

Closed

Tuesday

11:00 - 23:00

Wednesday

11:00 - 23:00

Thursday

11:00 - 23:00

Friday

11:00 - 23:00

Saturday

12:00 - 23:00

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4.5

641 reviews

Excellent

436

Very good

132

Average

Poor

Terrible

Philip N

Taunton12 contributions

A long overdue revue of The Best Pub in Taunton

Nov 2024 • friends

I am very bad at writing reviews on Trip Advisor but I feel I need to write one for "The Best Pub in Taunton" We go to eat at The Ring of Bells at least every other month and we have never left disappointed. Matt and his team are very attentive without being overbearing and the regularly changing menu always has interesting new dishes on it which you just want to try. We use the pub for eating on our own before a show at The Brewhouse or whenever we have friends staying as we know we will be looked after and that the food is great and the prices are reasonable. Thanks Matt, PN-H.

Written 7 November 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.

andrewsrebecca16

Taunton29 contributions

Can’t fault the food we were served. Issues with desserts

Feb 2024 • family

We were a table of 8 on a quiet Tuesday night as family members had come from Germany for a visit. We love this pub and frequently come here for dinner, drinks and Sunday roasts. Most of us had a starter which was great we all had a main and the duck especially was a winner on the table. A great dish. The problem arose when we tried to order desserts. There was only one bread and butter pudding left when 2 of our party wanted it, not a massive issue, we changed our order accordingly. The main problem was that when one member of the table requested vanilla ice cream as a dessert, we were told that it’s not an option as the vanilla ice cream is reserved as an accompaniment for the other desserts?! It’s vanilla ice cream??? Surely you can cope with serving 3 scoops of vanilla for a dessert? There were 8 of us on a quiet Tuesday night and the bill for our table was over £300! Surely, you could’ve made an exception to the rule and served one person (he was paying the whole bill!) some vanilla ice cream as requested. The rest of the evening was great but we were all pretty astonished and perplexed about the ice cream. You might think this is petty but after the amount of money we spent, surely the establishment could’ve bent the ‘rules’ slightly. Anyway, This is a great place for drinks and dinner, just maybe read the room a bit better and go out of the way to meet customer needs

Written 15 March 2024

Matt Harvey

Thanks for the mostly amazing review. As regular customers you know the high standards we set ourselves. We will make sure the ice cream issue is resolved. You are quite correct should have been very easily resolved. Hope to see you all soon.

Written 15 March 2024

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

DaveD2019

Taunton3 contributions

The highlight of Taunton

Oct 2024 • family

I can thoroughly recommend the Ring of Bells in Taunton. Matt and the team always ensure that we have a great time and greet us with a warm welcome and excellent service when we arrive. Unlike many other pubs and restaurants, Zach and his excellent colleagues make sure that we are well looked after and food and drinks are there when we need them. The table service really works. My family and I love the locals in there and the atmosphere is always good, whether you enjoy cricket, Rugby, football, the theatre or anything else really, you can always find good company. If you are in there and fancy talking about your massive football shirt collection (maybe that’s me), give me a shout. You won’t find many better venues for good food, whether it’s just a bowl of chips for a snack, a delicious panini for lunch or a special meal, it fits the bill for any occasion. If you are in Taunton for the cricket, a day’s shopping or for any other reason make sure you pay the Ring of Bells a visit. The original Dave Downes.

Written 5 October 2024

David P

Bath373 contributions

Trying Too Hard

Sept 2024 • friends

We felt this place was transitioning from simple food to fine dining and not quite there yet. Two large tv’s are in the dining area . No one was watching them and they detract from the ambiance. We were offered a table upstairs but it’s not where we wanted to be. Starters were very good, including generous portions of mussels and scallops. The nduja overpowered the scallops. Sometimes simple is better.The terrine was very good. Two of us had salted cod. The salty taste was hardly bearable and the dishes were not enjoyed at all. The Guinea Fowl risotto was unusual. It looked as though it had been cooked and then a broth added afterwards which left it too liquid - like a rice soup. Desserts were all very good, especially the lemon posset. Staff were all engaging and friendly and seemed to take on board our comments. A few minor changes would greatly improve their offering.

Written 23 September 2024

Facup78

London70 contributions

How’s that

May 2024 • couples

2 nd visit to this lovely restaurant and it was as pleasant as the first. Soon as you walk in you are greeted with a smile and shown to a table. Drinks take seconds to arrive, the food menu is well above anything in the town. Had the steak last time and had to have it again. Wow perfectly cooked. Will definitely be coming back for a 3 rd visit .

Written 23 May 2024

Chloe F

25 contributions

A fantastic NYE dinner!

Dec 2024 • couples

My husband I came here for dinner on NYE, and it was perfect! The atmosphere was warm and inviting, and the food was delicious! We had the crispy squid to start, duck breast and beef blade for main, and shared the chocolate praline tart for desert. The food was cooked to perfection, fresh and packed with flavour! We’d also like to mention how incredibly friendly, attentive and polite our waitress was - she helped us decide what to eat as we were undecided, and she took the time to recommend several pubs for a drink in the area too as we aren’t local. Thank you so much Rachel for looking after us last night, it’s quite rare these days to have such excellent customer service and you are an asset to The Ring of Bells!

Written 1 January 2025

floodplainsr4water

31 contributions

'Medium' rump steak - cremated!

Aug 2024 • friends

Been here many times previously and always had good meals. However, last night, 30 Aug 24 @7:30pm, very disappointed. Brought visiting guests with us having told them that this was a really good pub restaurant. I ordered (expensive) rump steak (medium). What came was a rather flat, burnt around the edges, well done piece of beef! Not wanting to detract from our guests enjoyment I didn't say anything at that moment, but expected a waiter/waitress to come back and ask if everything was okay. That didn't happen!! When waitress did finally reappear to clear the table I mentioned that the steak was overdone. No apology, but said she would let chef know! Nothing more said. My wife said her linguine was nothing special and our guests fish and chips didn't look that good. It's very disappointing to see standards drop like this. Hopefully notice will be taken of this review and improvement made.

Written 30 August 2024

Matt Harvey

Hi there, So sorry to hear that your most recent visit to us was not as good as your numerous other visits to us. Having spoke to the staff member who looked after you it does seem that you guys did not get your check back. Massive apologies that we let you down. We pride ourselves on our outstanding food and service as you know from previous visits. We really hope to see you again so we can resume normal service! Matt

Written 5 September 2024

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

JT555

2 contributions

Best pub in Taunton

Dec 2024 • family

We booked a special meal for 20 of our family on the 21st of December and it really was fantastic. The food was exceptional. All food came out at the same time, no waiting for orders, beautifully presented and really delicious. Everyone commented on how wonderful it all was. Special mention for the fish dish which was so, so good! Staff are so attentive and drinks were never empty. They really do go above and beyond, and even sang to my Mother-in- law in her home tongue, Welsh! The pub is our local and the combination of friendly staff, great athmosphere, and fine selection of drinks keeps us from going anywhere else! It manages to be a high end eatery and a really wonderful traditional pub

Written 28 December 2024

Sam H

12 contributions

Never misses, exceptional food and varied menu all round in a great atmosphere

Jul 2024 • business

We booked a table for about 15 people from work as a special occasion to celebrate our work experience scheme ending. We had a wide range of dishes and each of them was exceptional - particular shout-outs go to the very popular pulled garlic chicken burger and the lamb rump, which was magical. The upstairs space was lovely and the staff really attentive to drinks and food needs. Nothing was missed and everything was hot and on time, which wasn't easy across a variety of meals. Matt is an excellent host who runs the place well and I wish him every success, because he's got quality chefs and staff making something really special.

Written 5 September 2024

Harry2706

Taunton24 contributions

Over priced , small portions

Nov 2024 • friends

Visited the ring of bells for Sunday lunch, with friends . Staff very friendly. Quick with the drink orders. Unfortunately once the food started to came out , it all started to get very disappointing , Firstly all the plated potatoes and meat came out for 14 at once , but only enough veg for about 6 people , It was another 10 minutes at least before any more veg came out , and that was only after bringing it to the server’s attention by which time The plated food had gone Cold , The puddings were a real let down and greatly overpriced, If you’re after small portions at Inflated prices , And mediocre quality, Then this is the place to go.

Written 16 November 2024

ShellieBoreiko

175 contributions

Consistently excellent!

Sept 2023 • family

It’s been difficult for pubs that are not chains to get through the other side since Covid, this little gem in the heart of Taunton town has done just that. It’s because of the steadfast commitment and passion of the owner along with his team who have worked hard and succeeded to provide customers with great local produce, thoughtfully prepared dishes and good service. It is only because of this that this lovely bistro pub is always buzzy with a lovely atmosphere and on the occasions I have visited the food has been delicious, exciting and service always great. I brought along family from London on this occasion who are extremely hard to please having been other places and been disappointed, I thought it may be a challenge- I am happy to say all the food was delicious and they were very happy ! So thanks 😊

Written 30 September 2023

Judith L

Warwick387 contributions

Nov 2022 • none

Had lunch here- food was pub grub eg sausages, faggots, stew etc which was ok but reheated. The starter of a tart was miniscule and quite tasteless and served with a supposed handmade chutney that was just like Branston pickle. The sweet potatoe fries were lukewarm and overcooked and dried out. The place is packed and busy but the food is not that wonderful - ok if you want to fill up and not too expensive. One of our party ordered a half of orange juice and lemonade and was told he had to pay the same as for a pint?

Written 8 December 2022

Matt H

Thanks for taking the time to review your recent visit. To address your points mentioned. We currently don’t have sausages on the menu. We do have a slow cooked venison dish on at the moment. Due to the nature of the dish yes it is reheated. The tart is a starter so yes it’s not a huge dish. It’s starter size. The chutney most certainly HOMEMADE, you do however have to use your hands as in handmade. If you felt your sweet potato fries were not up to scratch please just mention to your server. We would have happily replaced them straight away. With the orange juice, the bottles are single serve 250ml bottles. You can get 2 servings from one bottle if a half pint with added lemonade or one serving as pint. So yes it works out the same. Yes we are a very, very busy pub/restaurant. We are delighted you found it good value. If you are unhappy with your food please, please just say something. It’s to late after you have left. It’s in our best interest and yours to make sure you are happy and well looked after. Hopefully see you soon another time.

Written 11 December 2022

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

The 3rd man

Taunton79 contributions

Ringers

May 2024 • friends

4 of us visited for lunch on a Saturday. The Ringers is situated very close to the town centre, so if driving be aware that parking may be a problem, especially during the day. The pub is lovely, corner entrance (like in the old days) very nicely furnished and decorated. We ordered drinks and perused the menu, I felt we were being slightly rushed to order food, we were asked if we were ready to order food about 3 times in quick succession, anyway, food was very good, staff very polite etc. Would definitely recommend/return.

Written 8 May 2024

Estevan C

Bridgwater3 contributions

Post wedding celebration meal

Sept 2023 • family

The day after my wedding I decided to get my close relatives and friends that traveled from so far to have a more intimate dinner before everyone started travelling home. We were a big group of 22 people and food was preordered to make things smoother for the kitchen. The restaurant was all ready for us when we arrived and food came out on time and was absolutely delicious, everyone was very happy with the atmosphere, staff were friendly and efficient, a great selection of drinks, the pub is very well looked after and the owner Matt was welcoming as always.

Written 9 September 2023

Matt Harvey

Thanks so much! We are all thrilled you enjoyed it so much. What a happy occasion. Good luck in married life. Hope to see you all soon.

Written 9 September 2023

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

trippyred

Taunton2 contributions

It’s a dog friendly place but the staff aren’t friendly to dogs.

Feb 2022 • family

I booked a table for 4 for a Sunday roast with a few people, and told my party that they can bring their dog because upon research I found that it was dog friendly- they are not! They made my party feel very unwelcome, we were sat in the bar right at the back to eat our meal. This was a bit off putting but we decided that it would be fine, it was just a misunderstanding. Just to note, the dog they brought is a small puppy and she was sitting on my partner’s lap with our coat underneath, but because she is only small we didn’t think this would be an issue; well it was! The waiter came over and told us very abruptly that dogs weren’t allowed on the furniture and he followed it by - because “humans will have to sit there afterwards” which we thought was a bit unnecessary. However, saying that, we really enjoyed the food, the meat was a great portion, could be more vegetables as we were brought two bowls of veg for 4 people, could have done with more. I was told that the roasts were £13 upon enquiring about the venue before visiting but they were in fact £14.95, this wouldn’t have been much of a problem but it felt a bit like misinformation. One thing I would say to people visiting is do not bring dogs because they aren’t very accommodating to dogs even though they say they’re a dog friendly venue. As we walked past a table of two people with a dog they commented that “it’s a dog friendly place but the staff aren’t friendly to dogs” which set the afternoon off on a bad note. Had I known how uncomfortable it was going to be with a dog I would have told my party not to bring their dog and that wouldn’t have been an issue. I don’t want to be too negative so overall I will say the service was good, as they were very attentive, and food was tasty. I probably wouldn’t come back though because the food was a bit overpriced for “pub grub”

Written 6 February 2022

Matt H

Hi there, Thanks for taking the time to write a review. First of all just wanted to clarify our policy on dogs. We most definitely do welcome dogs. They are really welcome in our two bar areas. We also have a large heated garden area were they are very welcome. We only ask two things. Firstly that they stay on a lead. Secondly we ask that they don’t get up on the furniture. We can provide water bowls also. We have loads as we have so many dogs that come in. Saturdays and Sundays we often have one on every table! When you guys arrived first before your friends (Who appeared shortly after with a very cute puppy) we sat you in the downstairs dining room. This is an area that is dog free. We keep the two dining rooms dog free as not everyone Wants to eat with fury friends. Once your friends arrived we realised you had a dog with you. On our online information request form there is an option to tick if you are bring a dog so we can get you all sat in the right area. Being a Sunday lunch we were packed out. We only had one option of where to seat you left. A large table in the corner of the bar. Indeed people often ask for this table who have nervous dogs as you don’t get other people walking past with their dogs. Once you guys were all sat I should have explained that we ask dogs not to be on the Furnature (I normally do). I felt awful coming back to ask you not to. It’s just we have had issues in the past with customers complaining that they have got dog hair on them. If you didn’t like where you were seated we could have tried to move you once other tables had gone. Please just ask us we will always try to get you where your happy. Glad that you enjoyed your food. We pride ourselves on our Sunday lunches. Again if you need more veg please just ask. We would rather give more than throw away, especially with food waste being such an issue at the moment. Regarding price it does depend on market prices. Food costs as I’m sure you have noticed have gone through the roof recently. So there is a variance in price that happens from time to time. Hopefully we see you soon for another visit so you can see how much we really do welcome dogs. Indeed many of the staff can’t wait to see the puppy again! Matt

Written 6 February 2022

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