The ingredients used in our award-winning restaurant are locally sourced, fresh and seasonal. Crafted into delicious dishes by our talented team of chefs. Enjoy your meal in our cosy restaurant, or outside in our marquee. In our bar you can choose from our carefully selected wine list or opt for one of our refreshing cask ales from local breweries like Wye Valley or Evans Evans. We also serve local cider and quality lagers chilled and ready to quench your thirst. Whatever you choose to eat, we've got the perfect wine to accompany your meal too.

PRICE RANGE

US$9 - US$50

Special Diets

Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Drinks

CUISINES

Bar, British, Pub, Welsh, International

FEATURES

Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Free Wifi, Table Service, Live Music, Jazz Bar

Reviews (565)

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Excursion26728280085

1 review

Reviewed yesterday

Fantastic stay

Attended Winter Hay Book Festival, lovely weekend, good food, quirky accommodation. Will definitely visit again

Date of visit: December 2023

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B3377PKrebeccab

9 reviews

Reviewed 23 October 2023

Delighted!

It's great to go somewhere where you feel that the staff really want everything to be right and the whole team here were working hard to make that happen. We were all super happy with our meals, the crab/lobster sauce starter got rave reviews. Beer...was judged to be on perfect form! Friday Jazz was also really good, not too dominant and added to the good atmosphere. We look forward to coming back.More

Date of visit: October 2023

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NorthStar15666896074

2 reviews

Reviewed 19 October 2023

Wonderful Family Birthday Meal.

We had a wonderful meal at The Old Black Lion last week to celebrate a family member's 95th birthday and couldn't have been happier with our chose of venue. They were extremely helpful when we contacted them beforehand and organised a beautiful bouquet of flowers...from a local florist on our behalf for the table, which looked lovely when we walked in the room we ate in. We had a warm welcome when we arrived and the service throughout was excellent. All the food was delicious and beautifully presented, with something on the menu to suit everyone. The turbot and lamb main courses are to be recommended and the specially decorated birthday pudding plate for the birthday 'girl' was a lovely touch. If you are looking for excellent food, friendly, helpful service in a relaxed atmosphere, we would definitely recommend visiting here. We can't thank James and staff enough for providing the perfect setting and excellent food which helped make the day special for her. We couldn't have chosen better.More

Date of visit: October 2023

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Bertiesmu

14 reviews

Reviewed 12 October 2023 via mobile

Well above average pub food

A very pleasant restaurant within an atmospheric pub. Cosy atmosphere with dining area split into separate areas making it seem more intimate. Friendly service and dog friendly. However the high spot was the food. Quite a small menu but everything was freshly cooked and beautifully...presented.More

Date of visit: October 2023

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susanbH8648GT

5 reviews

Reviewed 27 September 2023

Highly recommended

We ate in the bar area as we were here with our 2 dogs. The food was delicious and the service was excellent. Nothing was too much trouble and they even brought a bowl of water over for the dogs. The staff were very friendly...and welcoming and we were even able to leave our cars in their car park whilst we went and had a look around the local shops. All in all a fantastic experience and we can highly recommend a visit to the Old Black Lion.More

Date of visit: September 2023

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Steven C

2 reviews

Reviewed 25 September 2023

Incredible Service

A beautiful old pub serving excellent cask ales and keg options. The food is hearty and prepared with care, but the most outstanding aspect of our visit was the level of service: the staff went above and beyond to ensure that we were comfortable and...sated. Highly recommend and we will certainly be returning.More

Date of visit: September 2023

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Samantha B

1 review

Reviewed 24 September 2023

Great Sunday lunch

Great food, great atmosphere. First time visiting the Black Lion, I had the risotto, it was just amazing,loads of flavour. The roast beef looked great and plenty of it. There was no pressure to eat and run, which was lovely. Can't wait to visit again.

Date of visit: September 2023

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Katherine C

4 reviews

Reviewed 20 September 2023

Wonderful venue for a family dinner

We had a wonderful family birthday celebration meal here with wonderful food. We were seated in the Lions Den so we could bring the dogs. The staff were friendly, accommodating and informed about the menu choices. The food was incredible serving delicious pink lamb, pork...belly and other incredible dishes. All dishes were beautifully presented and delicious, I was far too excited to eat it so no photos taken.More

Date of visit: September 2023

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Julian B

5 reviews

Reviewed 11 September 2023

relaxing and enjoyable meal

We booked a meal here as part of our wedding anniversary this year, while staying near Hay. The service was excellent with good attention given to our dietary requests. We both had sea bass which was beautifully cooked and the setting was very relaxed. Thank...you.More

Date of visit: September 2023

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John G

1 review

Reviewed 6 September 2023

Boss screaming at staff

Had a lovely meal, the service and food was incredible and all went well till about 9:30 when we heard lots of shouting from outside. The owner (I presume?) was shouting at the lovely barman who served us all evening. He then came into the...bar and shouted at the 2 other members on the bar using some bad language. I pity the staff who try so hard and they don’t deserve to be treated that way. Ruined our whole night and we won’t be coming backMore

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Marki1997

249 reviews

Reviewed 2 September 2023 via mobile

Fantastic Quality

The quality of the food and service is second to none. The pork loin was superb and the sticky toffee pudding was excellent. We will be back as in my opinion it's one of the best restaurants in Hay. Highly recommended.

Date of visit: September 2023

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Anne F

153 reviews

Reviewed 16 August 2023 via mobile

Greatly enjoyed

En route through mid Wales and our.visit to Hay was made special by a delicious lunch stop. Best silky smooth cauliflower soup and tasty Caesar salad. Husband had lamb loin with veg. All perfectly cooked by a chef with a great palate. Waiting staff efficient...and very pleasant. Looking forward to next visit!More

Date of visit: August 2023

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27benc

6 reviews

Reviewed 14 August 2023 via mobile

Great food & Service.

We visited the restaurant as a family of four. We were blown away by the food & the service we received. The menu & food was unfussy but cooked to perfection. The ingredients were all locally sourced & tasted amazing. We had such a good...meal that we returned for another visit on our last night in Hay. Again there was nothing we could fault. We all agreed it was one of the best restaurants that we have visited in our travels in the UK. It is worth every award they have or will undoubtedly get in the future.More

Date of visit: August 2023

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clair874

6 reviews

Reviewed 21 July 2023

Fantastic attention to detail!

An amazing evening, great service and superb attention to detail. We felt very well looked after. Cheese Souffle to die for! Thank you to James, a fabulous and genuine host. We will be back, both to the River Wye for more fishing, and evenings spent...at the Old Black Lion. Fantastic. Call in, you will be so very pleasantly surprised :-) PS I'm not related!!! Just had a great time!More

Date of visit: June 2023

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Dear Clair, Thank you for your lovely review and for choosing to dine with us. We look forward to seeing you when you are next in Hay-on-Wye. Let's hope the fishing can match the dining! Kind regards James

Megan H

3 reviews

Reviewed 19 July 2023 via mobile

Amazing food in a lovely welsh pub

What a beautiful pub! The food was wonderful and the staff were so lovely to us. We were a very large group (we did book beforehand) and they were quick and attentive. It was a wonderful evening

Date of visit: July 2023

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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.

Dear Megan H, We are so glad you had a lovely time with your friends and had a wonderful evening. We look forward to seeing you when you return to Hay-on-Wye. Kind regards James

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Questions & Answers

Ask a question

ElaineG32

Has this place ever had a Michelin star

16 December 2019|

Answer

Hi Elaine, i would be surprised if they have ever had a star, it didn’t strike me as that sort of establishment . We only ate breakfast here. However, you could alway telephone them to inquire.

RhiannonML86

Would this pub/restaurant work for large bookings?

1 July 2018|

AnswerShow all 3 answers

We can do parties but do have a maximum capacity. Can you say how many people are involved? Regards, Dolan

RichardK505

is it dog friendly

8 January 2018|

AnswerShow all 5 answers

Dogs are welcome (and their owners !). We usually suggest the Den for dogs as there are french windows to the patio too.

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RESTAURANT AT THE OLD BLACK LION, Hay-on-Wye - Updated 2023 Restaurant Reviews, Menu & Prices - Tripadvisor

Frequently Asked Questions about Restaurant at The Old Black Lion

Yes, Restaurant at The Old Black Lion is taking precautions against COVID-19. A full list is available within the "safety precautions" section of this page.

Restaurant at The Old Black Lion is rated accordingly in the following categories by Tripadvisor travellers:

Food: 4.5
Service: 4.5
Value: 4
Atmosphere: 4