Reviews of Game Cock Inn, Austwick
Review by Beryl Smith on 15th September, 2010
Add your review Date visited: 10th September, 2010
We booked the pub that night for an event we were hosting for 90 people. They provided us with a fantastic Buffet which everyone really enjoyed and were so impressed with the standard of the food. We mingled in with the locals who were very friendly and the staff at the pub were wonderully helpful and friendly. 3 of us had gone earlier in the year around May and had a meal which we thoroughly enjoyed which gave us the idea of going there with our guests. We would definitely go there again, and I intend to go back for a weekend to stay in the lovely accomodation that they have so that I can sample more of their delicious food.
Review by john schofield on 17th July, 2010
Add your review Date visited: 14/07/2010
We had booked an overnight stay at nearby Clapham and whilst walking around the Village got talking to a local resident who recommended the Game Cock as somewhere good to eat. So we booked a table and on what I'd of thought was a slow night were given an early start of 18.45 pm. We hardly had time to look around the pub before we were taken to a small dinning room-of about five tables (one of a couple of rooms-the others? being larger). The staff were very friendly almost over enthusiastic for a cynic such as me. We opted for the French Night special-two courses for £13.00 (a wise move) and a bottle of house white for about the same cost. The Wine came first and was pretty good. I for one was pretty hungry and shortly after the Wine a couple of complementary nibbles were brought to our table. They looked a bit like savoury scones, and I was pretty hungry so scoffed them hardly noticing how good they tasted. When the starters arrived I tasted the Gamecock Terrine and was blown away.My partner a greater expert on food than myself and a enthusiastic cook herself agreed as to it's quality (note: we had to ask what it was). This set up the night for both of us and a lot of "Here taste this-it's amazing" followed on. The main courses Beef and Rabbit arrived and after tasting them both we settled down to simply enjoying the food in a way that is rare for me. The Rabbit in particular was bursting with flavour. Even though we were both full and very happy I decided to order a dessert and asked the waitress for her recommendation. I can't recall what it was called but it consisted of an ice cream come nougat come pistachio creation served with a cream sauce. Though £7.00 it was amazing and fantastic value. We talked to other people in the room one couple who were on a five day holiday had eaten there every night-which is high praise indeed. When we got our bill we had been undercharged (the sweet had been left off so had a coffee) and in what is for me (alas) quite rare I pointed it out and gladly paid the real amount. Dinning out is a compromise of many things-especially when on Holiday. This meal though was one I will remember for a very long time and I'd urge anyone to go there. Quite simply wonderful........
Review by sonia mcavan on 7th May, 2010
Add your review Date visited: 28.4.10
my husband and I were delighted to find the Game Cock Inn earlier this year and had the most wonderful overnight stay. food beautiful, freshly cooked,service first class,accommodation clean comfortable, style like stepping back into another world so relaxing. I arrived each time around 8pm after a busy day/week in a stressful job in Bradford city the lovely care and attention at the inn transports me instantly to a place of relaxation. can't recommend this place enough,hoping to go after work next friday if they have a room available.
Review by Malcolm on 19th February, 2010
Add your review Date visited: 19 Feb 2010 & many previous occasions
An absolute gem of a village pub. Teh food is superb, freshly cooked and locally sourced by Eric and his team.
I had the Steak and Guiness Pie from the Specials Board. The Steak was so tender it almost melted in the mouth. The home made chips were superb, and the vegtables were done to perfection.
One of our grand daughters had a 9" Pizza, with home made chips, whislt the other had fajitas. These were beautifully presented and excellent. My wife had a vegetarian option, with a side salad. Again the whole meal was beautifully presented. The two girls each had a sweet and these too were very tasty and beautifully presented.
The young French man behind the bar was very pleasant and went out of his way to make us feel most welcome. The food (and drinks) were served to us, by him in a very pleasant manner.
Having read some of the previous negative comments I really wonder if these people have been in the same Game Cock Inn. We have visited the Inn on nmuerous occasions and have always been made most welcome by both the staff and Eric.
The food has always been well cooked (no signs of microwaved/soggy pastry) and beautifully presented.
I would unreservedly recommend this Inn for both the standards of its meals and drinks,as well as the helpful and welcoming attitudes of the staff.
Review by Meryl on 3rd January, 2010
Add your review Date visited: 01/01/10
We visited on the recommendation of friends. A warm and friendly greeting welcomed us on a cold evening. The menu and 'specials' board offered a fair range of dishes to choose from and we were prepared to wait for our freshly cooked food. The service was quick, perhaps a little too quick? The reason for this soon became apparent! The cheese and beetroot pie starter, a novel idea, was home cooked but had been microwaved to reheat! Such a disappointment, instead of melt in the mouth pastry, it was extremely soggy. The Game pie, a signature dish of the pub, had a wonderful flavour which again was spoilt by microwaved suet pastry sat on top! Pastry and microwaves do not work well together. However, we are visiting again at the end of January as the pub has real character and potential but no more microwaved pastry please, we would gladly wait an extra 30 mins for the real thing.
Review by robin and annette rawcliffe cleveleys. on 20th November, 2009
Add your review Date visited: march, april,july, and september of 09
what a rustic place, its like stepping back in time,very hospitable with its own village characters, usually drinking at the bar, never been turned away,although did once have to wait a little longer beacause it was busy, but... was worth the wait, the food is worth a michellin star, 10 out of 10 to all the staff,and while we are so close now, have a very happy christmas
Review by Martin and Susan on 22nd September, 2009
Add your review Date visited: 22/09/09
We arrived in the village, prior to a meeting nearby and decided to have a quick bite.
Apart from one miserable looking member of staff, the rest were polite and gracious, especially the younglady that brought us our food and drinks. We waited a very reasonable 15-20 minutes for freshly cooked food, which was very nice. We didn't experience anything that would put us off visiting agan.
Review by Andrew Walker on 3rd August, 2009
Add your review Date visited: 2.8.09
This is a smart clean pub in the lovely Yorkshire Dales' village of Austwick. A nice place for a refreshing pint after a walk.
Just don't bother trying to get a meal out of this place. They have an expert sales prevention officer behind the bar. We were informed that there would be a delay in service (even though the place was largely empty). There was even resistance to us taking a menu out into the beer garden to peruse.
Once in the beer garden we were in the company of other unfortunates waiting for food. After a while we got the message. We went home with empty stomachs.
Oh and don't bother trying to use the gents lavatory, there's no paper, so you can't use it. So the staff won't have to break their backs cleaning.
Summary: a local pub for local people
Review by Hampton family on 11th May, 2009
Add your review Date visited: 10th May 2009
Having booked a table for 4 for Sunday Lunch, I then read some of the reviews on the website and was a little apprehensive as to what the meal/service would be like. However, both were excellent - we really enjoyed it and would certainly go back.
Review by Mrs Blanche on 19th April, 2009
Add your review Date visited: Easter
This pub is set in a lovely village and Austwick itself was very pleasing for a 'towny' like me, although I cannot recommend this pub as there is a large amount of 'slap-dash' attitude. The staff are more concerned about each other than the customer!
I also would like to state that I am worried about who is writing reviews on here... the last one has some serious spelling mistakes, was it written by a child? If so should we be taking the comments on board? In my view 60% of the positive reviews are those with equally poor grammer, maybe written by the same person?
Review by carl sherratt on 23rd February, 2009
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gamecock is fantastic always has a warm welcolm from eric and maree . food fantastic . rooms clean .warm and homely. will be back there soon
Review by James Holden on 7th February, 2009
Add your review Date visited: 31st January
I cannot recommend this establishement due to the disappointing and rude service! We felt like we were imposing and when paying over £20 per head you expect to be treated slightly better! We will not be going back.
Review by Karen Eliot on 20th December, 2008
Add your review Date visited: 20 December 2008
We were warmly received by the young staff on this busy lunchtime in December. The fire was blazing, lots of locals in, some playing darts in the bar. Walkers, even with boots, were welcomed and the mulled wine was superb. Beer good too, and the food was excellent - the home-made chips were particularly appreciated. The chef definitely knows what he's doing. We were told that he's french and is developing some french-themed nights, which should be worth a visit. This old-style pub in a superb setting definitely deserves to do well.
Review by James Sumergill on 3rd September, 2008
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Visited this pub two years ago, two weeks after marrying my wife, we both fell in love with the pub and Austwick itself. Our recent anniversary brought the oppurtunity to visit again however this time we where deeply dissapointed!! the service was poor, the staff where ignorent and the food was way below average a far cry from the experience we had two years ago! i still love the pub and surroundings its just a shame the standards that where in place are not being adheared to anymore, a Crying Shame!
Review by Richard Burchell on 1st September, 2008
Add your review Date visited: 23rd August 2008
Decided to lunch there to meet some old friends. We were very disappointed. Despite booking 2 days earlier we were put in a side room on our own which had a very strong fusty smell to it and was very off putting. Apart from the Leek and Potato soup which was quite good the rest of the food was of very poor quality and presentation (I was not enamoured by the skin on the gravy served with my cumberland sausage). The service was surly bordering on the arrogant. My wife had to take a cup back to the kitchen which was given to our friend, it had a series of bad and not clean looking cracks which should have been obvious to whoever put them out for use.
We had 2 course each and some tea and coffee and altogether given the surroundings, service and quality of food, we considered the bill to be well over the top at around £17 per head.
We cannot recommend this pub nor will go there again.
Review by Amanda Williams on 22nd June, 2008
Add your review Date visited: 21st June 2008
Arrived at the Game Cock after a very wet walk from Clapham at 4.30pm our thought being dry off and enjoy a bar meal when they start serving at 6pm. One lady working behind the bar who was not particularly welcoming but the warm fire made up for this even when she went round the bar with dog treats for the other dogs but ignored ours! So its 6pm husband goes to order the much awaited food to be told oh sorry cant fit you in wish you had said you wanted food(we only wanted 2 mains).I am still at loss as to why she could not fit us in when we were seated in the bar for 1 1/2 hours. The other people in the bar were flabbergasted also. So we commenced a very wet walk back on an empty stomach and a vow never to return and to tell all family and friend not to either!
Review by Carwyn on 1st June, 2008
Add your review Date visited: 31/0/08
Spent the evening in the Game Cock, and although very busy the food, beer and staff were excellent, Would certainly go again.
Review by dave west on 16th December, 2007
Add your review Date visited: 15/12/07
Stopped off in austwick looking for a bite to eat and stumbled upon the game cock. We were welcomed into the cosy bar with its open fire and freindly atmosphere, we ordered ourselves drinks and were offered the menu which consists of a variety of dishes some with a more french influence, I settled on the Cassoulet while my freind had the italian chicken, what ensued was one of the finest meals I have ever had, the service was beyond impecable as was the food with a variety of well thought out and delicate flavours both dishes were delicious and filling. A highly enjoyable meal. I will certainly return, all those at the gamecock should be proud of themselves! A truly wonderful experience!
Review by Smith & Myers on 4th November, 2007
Add your review Date visited: 04/11/07
We had a fabulous lunch today, seated in the restaurant area. Very good sunday roast.
Staff were attentive & friendly. Would definately return.
Review by alex on 27th August, 2007
Add your review Date visited: 25/08/2007
Great base for walking. Good value and above average quality food. Made to feel very velcome - professional staff and friendly cat. Will come again
Review by Steve Marshall on 23rd August, 2007
Add your review Date visited: 21/08/2007
While on a mountain biking trip in the Yorkshire Dales 6 work colleagues and myself visited the Gamecock for both lunch and an evening meal.We found the staff to be very helpfull and friendly,we had a varied choice from the menu and found the food excellent.I do not know where some off the people who have given negative views visited, but on what we experianced it could not have been the Gamecock Inn at Austwick.
Review by Helen Marshall on 24th July, 2007
Add your review Date visited: 21 July
A cat jumped onto the table and walked over my plate whilst I was eating outside. It stole off my plate, it then followed my friend into the pub. I felt sick and left my food, which was rudely served and was cold! If you go take dogs, to ward off the pub cats!!!
Review by Judith Williams on 20th June, 2007
Add your review Date visited: 16th June 2007
I'm shocked to read the previous reviews. Having just completed our first Three Peaks Challenge, my friends and I couldn't have had a better end to the day. The pub was delightful and everyone was happy. The food was excellent (thank god for home made chips!!!) and very well presented. I can't comment on the beer as I didn't have any (the Southern Comfort went down very well though). I would be more than happy to go back there. Infact I was just looking up the details of the Game Cock to see if a room was available for our wedding anniversary when I came across these reviews. I must admit, it made me think twice, but I would still probably go anyway.
Review by Jane Potts on 17th April, 2007
Add your review Date visited: 20.04.07
A dull atmosphere, very boring... what has happened???
Review by James Carlton on 8th March, 2007
Add your review Date visited: 22/2/7
A poorly run establishment, with staff resembling scruffy students. I did not take kindly to the way the landlords pregnant girlfriend snapped at me as I was in her way, the pub is small and difficult to get around if it is busy especially if your old and disabled like me. She was dressed in a big baggy t-shirt and looked to be lacking any self-respect. I do not like the atmosphere and can not get over the vast difference from the previous tenants whom made you feel so welcome and treated each customer equally. It is not pleasent or professional to sit at the bar and bad mouth customers or past members of staff to the locals. The pub is doomed in the current tenants hands. A shame he has let things slip so from the previous tenants.
Review by A Taylor on 25th February, 2007
Add your review Date visited: 7/2/2007
Over the years I have visited the Gamecock numerous times. Things have certainly changed in recent months, some things for the better, some not. The head chef, who has been there for a considerable time I believe, obviously has the talent to produce excellent food. Unfortunately, consistency seems to be missing. The lack of professionalism, manners, and work ethic from some members of staff is appalling. I also believe, as with a lot of pubs these days, too much emphasis is placed upon the catering side of the business. The quality of bar staff has certainly declined since 2005, with a distinct lack of ability and understanding on how to run a bar effectively, especially during busy periods. Overall, I believe The Gamecock will always do well because of the its wonderful location and surrounding areas, but with the right team in place could do so much better!
Review by Alex Ferrari on 2nd February, 2007
Add your review Date visited: 20/1/07
A disappointment, the staff need to smile.
Review by alison654@hotmail.com on 12th January, 2007
Add your review Date visited: 22/12/06
Recently visited and was also disappointed by the lack of personal touch which can with Mr Lord and his family. He was always there when I went during Christmas! Totally amazed by the bar mans inability to work a bar as he tried to get red wine out of the white wine tap. Food was standard and staff rude and loud. Such a shame.
Review by Martin on 12th January, 2007
Add your review Date visited: 1/1/07
I will have to disagree with the last posted, although I am sure he is correct that everyone has a bad day! I am a local and in the Game Cock Inn frequently as I was over Xmas and New Year. It was very quiet and the staff were rushed and contry to the last post it did lack Richards character. He often worked in his last two years especially in the busy periods and it was great. Now it lacks the personal touch and unfortunatly Richard. The bar man is clearly inexperienced and misplaced and the food is OK. I am sure this site is not meant for bad mouthing people or places,but in my opinion the conservatory was better before the new owners took over and the pubs bird cages were empty and clean!!!
Review by john and linda on 5th January, 2007
Add your review Date visited: Every week
I have to say i am stunned at the recent reviews on this site, me and my wife have been going to the game cock once a week for the last three years and we have never! not once had a bad meal nor do we hear anything from the kitchen! i'm sorry to have to point this out but everybody has an off day at work the only difference is most people don't get publicly chriticised for it!!!! and for those people who ask what has happened to the conservatory and the lords well number one i certainly didn't want to eat below some dirty old birdcages in a room that felt like you where in the amazon and the lords where never in the pub for the last two years they left there staff to run it! The gamecock is a wonderful place with fantastic food we love it!
Review by Karen James on 19th December, 2006
Add your review Date visited: 12/12/06
What a pity this piece of heaven has been dashed by a group of loud teenagers running the establishment. I used to go back in the old days when Richard Lord and his family ran the place for the last 8 years or so. The atmosphere was amazing and lovely that Richard's girls worked there too. Recently someone else has taken on the pub and the food is of poor quality and the spark has been sucked up and spat out the front door. I agree with the reviews previous to mine, the language and attitude of the staff is dispicable. I turely believe that gone has Britains last True Publician only to be replaced by 'same old', such a shame!
Review by Alison and Roger on 8th December, 2006
Add your review Date visited: 6th December
I have to disagree with David, I feel the pub has gone further down hill since the take over. It has clearly lost its spark and the food has not changed much, if anything it has got worse. The language coming out of the kitchen is terrible and very uncomfortable. What has happened to the conservatory? Its terrible. We miss the Lords and will not be returning until the attitudes of all present at the Game Cock change!
Review by David on 6th December, 2006
Add your review Date visited: 3/12/06
i;ve been to the gamecock on a number of occasions the food went downhill towards the middle of this year however the french chef has taken the pub over now and has employed a chef who apparently used to work there a couple of years ago and i have to say the food is back on top again no doubt these two chefs make an ecellent team we definatly will be returning!
Review by Peter Reynolds on 29th September, 2006
Add your review Date visited: 17/09/2006
Back in the day the Gamecock was the place to go for food. But on a recent visit i was appalled at the amount it had gone down hill. The staff where very unorganised and the amount of loud music and obscene language that was coming out from the kitchen was disgraceful. The food tasted like it had been frozen then reheated to death in the microwave.The pie tasted like vinegar and was hastily left by my wife kim. I ordered a steak and asked for it rare it was nearly creamated, thus showing a complete lack of training or maybe passion.I know i wont be there again for a very long time until something changes drastically.
Review by Vicky Archer on 2nd June, 2006
Add your review Date visited: 20 May 2006
What a lovely place!! Such a quaint lovely pub and restaurant. Made to feel so welcome by locals and the lovely family that run the business. Superb accomodation. Food was amazing and the chef a charismatic french charmer with looks to match. Certainly worth a return visit. 10/10. Can't wait to go back.
Review by Rob Jacques on 18th May, 2006
Add your review Date visited: 16th May 2006
Though not staying in the pub, my nephew David and I had dinner and a few pints on three consecutive evenings recently while walking in the area. The food was excellent, as was the beer and the company, quiz night included.
We live in Surrey but will return soon with other family members; the Gamecock is now our local in the Dales.
Review by ann Melia on 15th May, 2006
Add your review Date visited: April 2006
We have eaten at the Gamecock on several occassions but just recently the standard in the pub and the food standard has really gone downhill, so much so that we will not eat in there again, not for a long time anyway.
Review by Tim Jennings on 14th April, 2006
Add your review Date visited: 24/06/05
we first visited this friendly dales pub when we were looking for B&Bs for people comming to our wedding... and we've been comming back ever since. we live 220 miles away in Reading but like to think of the Gamecock as our "local"
Review by marion and tony on 9th April, 2006
Add your review Date visited: every 4 weeks
we found this quaint pub on one of our many visits to the dales,about 18months ago.we stayed the night,and now we are both hooked.the staff make you welcome and the meals are excellent.the rooms are very cosy,as is the bar ,where we listen to the locals on an evening,before having our meal in the diningroom,then back to the bar.
all we can say is if your passing the gamecock popin try it ,you wont be dissapointed.
Review by chris on 10th June, 2005
Add your review Date visited: 21/04/05
excellent country pub, nice atmosphere & staff, serving excellent food........although the chips aren't as good as they use to be!
Review by Colette on 22nd May, 2005
Add your review Date visited: Autumn
Really really good pub. Great food and a lovely buzz, can't wait to revisit. We visited on french night!!!!! Tres bien
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