The Plough Bar Restaurant - Brentwood

Today we celebrated a private birthday party at this restaurant. Our group of 16 people, including 4 young children, enjoyed both the delicious food and excellent service. Our server Chelsea was amazing and very attentive. We will definitely be returning in the future!

This restaurant has undergone a wonderful transformation. The staff is welcoming, friendly, and professional. The cocktails are perfectly mixed and the food is delicious. The atmosphere is warm and relaxing. We are thrilled to have rediscovered this place and actually visited twice in one week. It has quickly become one of my new favorite local dining spots.

The service at this restaurant was very poor. The barman/waiter was unwelcoming and unsmiling. Despite there being multiple empty tables, my brother and I were told we could only sit on stools at the bar. When I suggested we could move if others arrived, I was informed that this was against company policy. We left without finishing our drinks and found a much more welcoming atmosphere at The Rose in Shenfield. The prices were also quite high, with a pint of beer and a Coke costing £10.60. Overall, it was a dreadful experience compared to our visit to The Rose.

I found this pub by reading Trip Advisor reviews. The pub had obviously been recently refurbished and was very modern inside and a little sterile taking away any real ambiance. The menu was very good, but took a little longer to arrive than I would have expected., but the quality of service was good. The meals were reasonable but not great, and didn’t live up to the reviews I had read. Don’t get me wrong, they were ok, but just not as good as I expected for the price paid. The cost of the drinks was frankly outrageous, which is why I have given this a three star review and not a four star. I also didn’t like the fact they added a 10% service charge at lunchtime making the entire experience significantly overpriced. Don’t let this review put you off going, but check the price of the drinks before you order.

So here’s a shout out to a local business, The Plough at Mountnessing. A table for four, great playlist on the system (amazing how many hospitality businesses never read the room and just put ‘anything’ on yet this is another crucial area of the experience). The food… brilliantly presented and cooked to perfection (even room for desert, which is a rarity for me). Service from the staff amazing, just right… no rushing, but attentive when required. As someone who has worked in hospitality and trained in service levels, this one ticked every box! If you’ve never visited, certainly one to put on the wish list… I’ll be back soon.