Ye Olde Fleece Inn in Kendal

We stumbled upon this gem of a pub whilst on a weekend break in Kendal. From the outside it just looked like a quaint little boozer where we thought we’d get a drink. When we entered, the place is huge in comparison to how it looks from the front. We decided to see if we could get a table and have some food. We were accommodated and taken upstairs to the restaurant area. I cannot explain how gorgeous this area is. It is very tastefully done with no expense spared, even the carpet bounces when you walk on it. We were served by an absolutely amazing young man called George who totally made our experience… nothing is too much trouble for George! He has always got a smile on his face, and genuinely looks like he really enjoys his job. The food was absolutely fantastic, with meals ranging from £15-£20, and although we had to wait a long time for the food this was not a concern as it is clearly cooked to order and not just thrown in a microwave as so many other places do. We liked the place so much that we repeated our experience the following evening and would definitely return again if we ever find ourselves back in Kendal. If the owner reads this review I hope you realise what I a truly exceptional member of staff you have got in George :)

Absolutely gorgeous interior. Clean with beautiful decor, including the bathrooms. Comfortable chairs are a big plus here! Staff were polite, well spoken, and good at their job. The food was also wonderful. We ordered the boar burger with apple and plum chutney and also the steak and ale pie. Both came with triple cooked chips. The menu had lots of lovely options, so it took us a bit to decide. Would go every day if it were possible!

Lovely pub in the town centre. Well decorated and staff were lovely and attentive. The food was a let down though. The prices are fairly steep, and the portion sizes very poor. The chilli with rice and nachos was around £15, the only meal with a descent portion, but the chilli had zero spice, nor much flavour. The rice was over flavoured with cloves, that also came in the rice (not good to bite into so should be removed). As the chilli was bland the clove flavour took over and made it hard to eat so I left the rice. The cesar salad main course is very small with little chicken and quite salty. The kids mac and cheese is tiny. Our kid is 10 and usually has a kids meal but she couldn't eat the hard garlic bread. Sad to say but we ended up in McDonald's down the road afterwards as our kid was still hungry 😕.

Booked a table for dinner. The staff were really friendly, chatty and helpful. I've marked it down low because of the time. We arrived at 3pm. Our food finally arrived at 4pm. Then we sat for over half an hour with dirty plates on our table. I ended up asking a staff member to clear them, telling them we'd been waiting. She was very pleasant and apologetic to be fair. We ordered desserts and finally left at 5pm. A queue of people were waiting to be seated right by us, which left us feeling uncomfortable whilst we were eating. Whilst we were there 2 staff members had their break which of course is fine, but they were sat near us on a table eating and chatting loudly with other staff members. It felt a bit inappropriate when we're sat there waiting to have our plates cleared. On saying all of that, the food was absolutely delicious! Credit to the chef!

After searching tirelessly for a decent looking pub with a menu that was simple enough for a very picky eater we decided to try Ye Olde Fleece Inn. It is located on a lively street in the centre of Kendal, a short walk from a car park, surrounded by nice shops and other local businesses. The dining area was beautifully decorated and tables were well spaced out. The catering staff were exceptional as there was a large party and they looked very busy however we still received our food in good time and they even apologised for our wait (I’ve waited far longer in empty restaurants!). To top it all off the food was potentially the best I’ve ever had. Will be back next time we’re in the area.