George IV

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#8 of 71 Restaurants in Ware££ - £££, British, Vegetarian friendly

+44 1920 870039+ Add website

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Hours

Sun

12:00 - 16:30

Wed

12:00 - 15:3018:00 - 22:00

Thu

12:00 - 15:3018:00 - 22:00

Fri

12:00 - 15:3018:00 - 22:00

Sat

12:00 - 23:00

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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

4.0

379 reviews

#8 of 71 Restaurants in Ware

RATINGS

Food

Service

Value

Atmosphere

Details

Someone from this business manages this listing.

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CUISINES

British

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

Meals

Lunch, Dinner

features

Location and contact

Cautherly Lane Great Amwell, Ware SG12 9SW England

+44 1920 870039

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Can a vegan person get a good meal at this restaurant?

Yes

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About

The George IV offers exceptional restaurant cuisine within a warm, friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Oliver and his Team serve a menu consisting of seasonal & fresh, small and large sharing plates which has something for everyone to enjoy.

CUISINES

British

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

Meals

Lunch, Dinner

FEATURES

Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Private Dining, Seating, Parking Available, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Gift Cards Available

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4.0

379 reviews

Excellent

229

Very good

Average

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Terrible

GerbilQueen

Hertford656 contributions

Nice decor, friendly staff, good food

Feb 2020 • none

We were early and went in to an almost empty pub which is always a bit daunting, but soon enough it filled up and became nice and buzzy with a good atmosphere. The staff were all very friendly and efficient. Everywhere was lovely and clean - including the loos at the back of the bar down one step. The menu was good with a reasonable range of choices and we both opted for a seafood starter, my salmon was very nice and my companion enjoyed the crab. I then chose the hake while my companion had the calves liver. The hake was ok, but it didn't quite live up to the menu description and I felt the portion was a bit small. The calves liver was apparently very good and we enjoyed the warmed bread so much we had to have extra and then couldn't eat it all! It was offered with marmite butter which once upon a time I would have gleefully spread all over, but sadly now I can't have it, so some plain butter was produced without any fuss which was nice. My only gripe was that the seasonal vegetables were the same as what came with my hake and I would have preferred a better selection as I knew I wouldn't want to eat all that kale and broccoli! We didn't manage any beers or wines on this visit and I felt the bill was a bit on the high side for just two people without any drinks, but we both said we'd go again another time.

Written 1 March 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.

AndyG6

London248 contributions

A really good find. Friendly and good food .... but book in advance.

Mar 2020 • none

A REALLY GOOD FIND having spent Saturday morning at Van Hage garden centre 1/2 mile down the road. Friendly, welcoming staff and the dishes we tried from the snacking menu were very tasty and good value for money. We will return when back in the area. This appears to be a very popular small pub and I would recommend pre booking a table in advance ~ we were lucky to get the last unreserved table at 1:00 on a Saturday lunchtime and saw several later arrivals turned away. No car park so my experience was car parking can be a little difficult in the street.

Written 16 March 2020

Critical

126 contributions

Slimline Option

Jun 2021 • none

We recently visited with friends who had booked an inside table. That was our first mistake as it was a lovely evening and all the customers and atmosphere were outside. Inside the place was very quiet. The quality of food was first class and my wife reckons that the fish and chips were the best she has had for years. However, I made the mistake of ordering the Monkfish and although it was very tasty there were only two tiny medallions of fish on the the plate with a sauce and a few strands of Samphire as a garnish. I did suggest to the waiter that perhaps a larger portion would have been more appropriate but that met with a blank negative response. The place is quite expensive but you normally get what you pay for. This time I felt mugged and went home to make myself a sandwich. Sad because this place has a lot going for it, so perhaps I just made the wrong choice on the night.

Written 3 July 2021

Explorer27851117333

1 contribution

Poor service and food

Aug 2020 • none

Have been coming hear fir some years as the food Had been a high standard in a lovely setting.however things have deteriated and I feel this venue no longer provides value for money . The portions for starters and main courses are now minuscule . The meat I have sampled recently has been chewy and lacking in flavour. The potatoes offered with the fish dish consist of one small sauté style under the fish which would not satisfy a small pet.green beans are overwhelmed with garlic butter and even with sides added which make the meal very expensive you are still not filled up at all. The waiting staff are not very friendly and have no knowledge about the food or wine they serve . This should be imparted to them by the management . I noticed others diners near to us also complaining about the food. Luckily it as therefore discount night so at least the overpriced food was reduced. It is a real shame as have enjoyed many meals here in the past and love the location. That said unless they pick up their game I feel I and others will be giving it a miss as better food, service and value can be found elsewhere .

Written 20 August 2020

GeorgeIV2016

Dear Sir or Madam, not easy respond to an anonymous review and the content expressed does not appear to be the general view of our establishment in terms of food and service. It's also rather unusual as you state there have been many previous enjoyable visits but, no comments were forthcoming on those occasions. Our dishes are not enormous plates of food offered by some pubs/restaurants but are freshly prepared daily on the premises. The Hake (fish) dish mentioned was line caught off the Cornish coast the previous day and our green bean & shallots side only has fresh garlic with smoked butter. Not all of our young waiting staff have full knowledge of the wine but, we do have senior management available to answer any questions during service. Furthermore, we pride ourselves on friendly, attentive service and working long hours wearing a face mask is challenging. Given that you chose to benefit from the Government Eat Out to Help Out scheme, it would also have been apparent that we were extremely busy on those particular days. The staff and management work hard to ensure all customers enjoy their visit and we shall continue to do so while taking on board any constructive criticism.

Written 24 August 2020

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

badpups

Hertfordshire77 contributions

Overpriced, Small portions and Indifferent Food

Aug 2020 • none

We hadn't been to the George IV for several years but after reading some good reviews on TA decided to try it for Sunday lunch. Unfortunately we were very disappointed. We felt that the set 2 course lunch was very expensive at £24 a head. (This was £2.50 more than on the Opentable website and 50p more than on their own website which was surprising especially given the recent VAT reduction on food and soft drinks). The food was ok but the portions were tiny. 2 small slices of lamb, a hard Yorkshire pudding and a small portion of vegetables and roast potatoes was mean for the price. We asked for more vegetables and got another very small bowl. We had been given 3 small roast potatoes each! The best part of the main course was the cauliflower cheese. Puddings were better - the chocolate fondant was delicious although the pavlova was light on strawberries. Drinks were also expensive. A pint of post mix coke was shockingly priced at £3.70. We did say to the waiter that we were disappointed in our meal but nobody more senior came to see what our concerns were. We paid the 12.5% service charge that was automatically added to our bill (surprising in a pub) as we couldn't fault the service but we will not be rushing back or recommending the restaurant which is a shame. The bill came to over £150 for 5 of us, for a 2 course very average Sunday lunch with soft drinks and 1 small glass of house wine.

Written 2 August 2020

GeorgeIV2016

In response to the review, of course, we are disappointed that you did not enjoy your lunch. Although it's unclear how long since your previous visit, the present owners have been operating for five years at the George IV and, on the whole, the vast majority of reviews have been more than positive. Upon re-opening in July, we increased the Sunday roast price by 50p as food costs had risen during the 4 months we were closed due to the Coronavirus pandemic. There's an oversight on our part not to amend our website but, this has now been corrected. Our website would also have stated a £2.50 supplement for the beef (ribeye) roast but, that was removed upon re-opening and all roasts are priced the same as part of a two or three course option. The Government's recent short term VAT reduction on food and non-alcoholic drink sales is to assist the hospitality industry and not designed to pass on to customers. It's the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme from which customers substantially benefit. We shall also follow up with Open Table in order that they update our listing as their information is out of date. Thanks for bring that to our attention. The reference to our provision of vegetables has been noted together with your analysis in relation to our cauliflower cheese and chocolate fondant which, like all of our dishes, are freshly prepared on the premises daily. Having reviewed your beverages, the price of post mix Coca Cola has risen due to the Government imposed sugar tax, unlike your other soft drinks and a 175ml glass of Chilean Sauvignon Blanc for £5 is not unreasonable. We do have a discretionary gratuity/service charge which has increased from 10% to 12% due to the additional cost of providing a safe environment for customers & staff such as face masks, sanitiser etc. While we cannot expect to please everyone, all reviews are taken into consideration.

Written 6 August 2020

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

Kate W

1 contribution

Very disappointing service and menu options

Apr 2021 • none

This is a review from lockdown when we are only allowed to sit outside. We were welcomed nicely by (I assume) the restaurant manager. There were two menus (a 2 or 3 course Sunday lunch menu or a lighter menu). All of us had to choose from the same menu even though the place was very busy and there was only four of us so I cant see why the kitchen would need us to do this. (maybe this is my lack of knowledge of catering.) It was awkward as we had two people with dietary requirements and we would have liked to be able to choose from both menus. The vegetarian options were VERY limited and unimaginative. (We weren't able to check menus before we arrived as there are no menus on the website.) We very politely mentioned that we found the vegetarian options disappointing as feedback for the chef and the waiting staff seemed completely unconcerned. Overall, the waiting staff were OK but seemed very inexperienced and didn't know enough about the beers on tap - they knew the names but not whether they were beer or lager etc. Because times have been tough for catering places during lockdown we paid the service charge but in normal times we would have asked for it to be removed. I ordered fish and chips - the portion of peas was hidden under the fish and the chips were to my mind not edible (to be fair my partner ate his with no complaints) as they were hard and only just warm as if they had been standing around a wile. The fish on the other hand was absolutely delicious. We ended up in a very shady part of the pub garden but weren't offered blankets or the heaters to be turned on. No one thanked us as we left. Altogether expensive for what we had and disappointing.

Written 24 April 2021

Alexa Stringer

1 contribution

Anniversary meal - Very disappointed

May 2021 • couples

My husband and I booked a table yesterday lunch time. We were seated at a table the only one without an umbrella. Our main meal arrived as it started to rain. We aked if there was a spare umbrella which there was not. There were empty tables so we asked if we could move to finish our meal but was told they were booked. We then asked if we could move our table under the large umbrella canopy again told we could not move the table so we were expected to eat in the rain. Shocking service. The lamb was tasteless and there were two mouthfuls of lobster which had an £8 supplement, terrible value for money. The starters were very good, chicken wings and crab on sourdough. Needless to say we were very upset and will never return. We paid the bill in full including the 12% service charge as it was not the staff's fault but down to management.

Written 3 May 2021

selda100

Hertfordshire4 contributions

Awful i would never go back

Nov 2021 • friends

I went to this restaurant with 3 of my friends for a special occasion which I told the restaurant about before going. Our table was not ready for 20 minutes we were left standing and ignored until we were finally sat down. The front of house staff that were there were unprofessional and literally ignored us as they didnt seem to know what to do. Eventually once we sat down the food took ages to come out, my friend who’s bday it was was given cold fish and the chips were very oily and my order was completely wrong. They didn’t even acknowledge my friends bday and we left very unhappy with a huge bill as it’s also very over priced. We weren’t offered any compensation for the problems we pointed out. I would never return or recommend this restaurant… horrendous experience!

Written 15 November 2021

Oliver D

Unfortunately, management of our front of house team is somewhat lacking at present but, this is something we are addressing as a matter of urgency. There have been significant changes to personnel in the hospitality industry over recent months, as reported constantly in the media, and there are occasions where instances like your occur. We strive to provide high quality food & service which is recognised by the vast majority of our guests.

Written 19 November 2021

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

tropicalislandgirl

Hertfordshire31 contributions

Incredible food and service

Sept 2021 • none

Haven't been here since pre pandemic, although have always enjoyed. They seem to have raised its game even more! The meat was beautifully and expertly cooked. The desserts and starters were also out of this world. The menu wasn't "trying too hard" or being overly pretentious....it was simply excellent and professional food. The service was also prompt, attentive and friendly. The wine list was well chosen. We recommend the ox cheek croquette starter (you get 3 small croquettes) and the venison. I enjoyed the wood pigeon but won't be everyone's cup of tea (quite gamey). ALL the puddings were delicious! Really enjoyed the atmosphere too, warm outside under the outdoor heaters. (Indoor seating also available). I saw someone complained about 12% service charge, but that's standard (and well-deserved) these days and given everyone is trying to recover from a lack of income during lockdown, I can't say I blame them!

Written 25 September 2021

MalcolmRamsey

6 contributions

Not good

Jul 2020 • none

Just been for a Sunday lunch and must say was the worst £50 I’ve spent in a long time. Both the missus and I had roast beef dinner, 1 of my 2 pieces of beef had an inch of fat around it and was “shocking” we had 3 potatoes each which I believe where cook from frozen , the piece of parsnip was raw in the middle and we had to fight over the 3 small carrots and small serving of broccoli . The cauliflower cheese was very nice though . I did comment that the dinner was not very good and was told I didn’t have to pay the service charge if I didn’t want to!!!!! £38 for 2 mediocre at best dinners shame on you

Written 19 July 2020

GeorgeIV2016

Dear Mr Ramsey, Further to your review after visiting the George IV on Sunday, I was able to speak with our staff today as we are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays at present. Of course, we are disappointed that we did not your expectations. I'm informed that you and your wife were 'happy checked' which allows for immediate feedback and the opportunity to resolve any issues. Making us aware at that point would permit us to address your concerns but, this was declined and our kitchen not informed. We have discussed the vegetable portions to ensure sufficient is provided going forward but, it's impossible for roast potatoes to be frozen as they are peeled and triple cooked on the day. We do not have frozen potatoes or anything else for that matter. The £19 cost is for one course, which you selected, as we only really offer a favourable two or three course price on Sundays. Again, we regret that we regret your dissatisfaction as we always strive to achieve excellence.

Written 22 July 2020

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

Michelingirl

2 contributions

Lunch on a very stick day in August!

Aug 2020 • none

A long awaited lunch out. Very delicious fillet of beef with chips and salad. Very small portion of beef, but I expect they are trying to make up for the government reduction? Pleasant, accommodating staff and a place we have revisited. Disappointed to get pumping 'Ibiza chill out' music indoors and out. Not applicable in this location of with such close neighbours, can't imagine they enjoy it. People can eat without such loud beats, very annoying. A lovely location and good food, bigger portions please! Thanks anyhow, we still enjoyed the food.

Written 12 August 2020

GeorgeIV2016

Hi there 007 and apologies for disturbing your 'peaceful existence' with a reply to your review. Thanks for taking the time to compliment the fillet of beef. The reason it may seem small is because it was 120g (4oz) as stated on the menu for £17.50 served with garlic butter, triple cooked chips and a rocket & parmesan salad rather than chips and salad. I am sure you appreciate a larger beef fillet would have been more expensive but, we did have 300g (10oz) Ex Dairy sirloin steak on the menu for £24 and, under the Government's Eat Out to Help Out Scheme, it provides excellent value to customers. The Government "reduction" is a financial benefit for the consumer while driving much needed footfall during August (Monday - Wednesday) for a hospitality industry that was closed for 4 months with many premises unable to remain in business. The Government reimburse businesses with the discount provided to customers up to a maximum of £10 per diner. As far as the music is concerned (not Ibiza chill out), we have a lot of positive feedback and our close neighbours were dining with us yesterday too! Pleased you enjoyed the food and hope to see you soon.

Written 13 August 2020

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

HonestBlu

Hertford40 contributions

Good but...

May 2021 • solo

This establishment is consistent in its good quality food, albeit not as hot as would have liked but we were sitting outside. The reason for the average score is due to the woefully undertrained and lack of any interest in the waiting staff, the very fact that they automatically charge for this poor service, leaves a bittersweet taste when finished. If your going to charge top dollar prices,please ensure your waiting staff are correctly trained and actually want to do the job!

Written 20 June 2021

karlen

London27 contributions

expensive and unprofessional

Sept 2022 • none

Very disappointing. It's unbelievable, we paid a fortune to...starve! In 4 people we ordered 2 roast beef and 2 roast pork, portions were ridiculously small, pork was literally a tiny slice of probably 100gr (Fat included). Awful service, whilst we were smoking a cigarette I could see a waiter removing our glasses (full of wine!) from the table and I luckily stopped him, funny it was paying a service charge (19£) to receive such an unprofessional service (we had to stand up few times to ask salt etc). We work (all of us) or worked in the hospitality and it's not acceptable to pay this bill (and service) to receive such a poor lunch and unprofessional service. it's a shame because location is spot on.

Written 5 September 2022

Oliver D

Hi Karlen, I'm sorry that you felt this way. I have spoken with the staff member in question (it was his first day) and he has informed me that he thought you had left. You had not let anyone know you were popping for a cigarette and still at the table which is why he cleared it. This doesn't make it right, but i apologise for this error. Had you brought this to someone's attention we could have made some amendments to the bill. But seeing as you did not, all i can do is apologise. Thanks Chris

Written 8 September 2022

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

david c

London290 contributions

Under cooked chicken, cold risotto and poor service.

Jul 2021 • couples

Have been to this pub several times before and it’s been good... but this time was terrible . Having been given menus and had drinks brought over we went to order, only to then be told my choice wasn’t available... would of been good to know before. We heard this happen again several times after it happened to me. Chicken wings arrived and were seriously undercooked with blood in and meat was chewy and wouldn’t come away from the bone, see pic. The assistant manager took them book, but wasn’t overly fussed, said he would bring more. Tbh I really was put off after eating under cooked chicken. He then came back to proudly tell me they weren’t under cooked but it was ‘blood sinew’ and they ‘were fine’. My partners lobster risotto arrived warm, almost cold and 50% of the lobster was inedible and chewy. Shame as it actually tasted great. I asked for the manager but he didn’t want to come over and sent the assistant manager who handled the problem poorly earlier. Shame as it’s a great pub in a great location. I hate leaving poor reviews, but the manager didn’t want to talk about it, so i will leave my thoughts here. I eat out 2-3 times a week, I accept things do go wrong, if they had handled it better it really wouldn’t of been an issue.

Written 31 August 2021

Oliver D

Our apologies for the late response to your review but, the food issues were raised with our kitchen and the chicken wings served were not acceptable. We do pride ourselves on the quality of food and work very hard to be creative in terms of the menu. There are ongoing managerial changes which we hope will lead to issues like this being addressed accordingly.

Written 19 November 2021

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

524aimh

15 contributions

Delicious lunch at George IV

Jul 2020 • couples

Walked along the river to George IV and had booked a table for 12pm. Was greeted and welcomed to our table. Disposable menus and cleaning happening regularly. Our server was very knowledgeable about Gin so will have to come back to test a few of his recommendations ☺. We ordered the ex-dairy prime rib to share which was absolutely fantastic with triple cooked chips and rocket and parmesan salad! The garlic butter was lovely too. We had pavlova and chocolate fondant for pudding which were both equally as good. Delicious food; thank you for a great lunch. We will definitely be back.