Little Hallingbury Mill

We were disappointed with our experience, as our arrival seemed unanticipated. The menu appeared to be poorly written and clearly consisted of frozen items. There’s really no excuse for that. This restaurant was much better 30 years ago.

Fantastic food and service, very friendly atmosphere. The restaurant has seating for about 27 people, making it quite cozy. Richard and his staff were delightful; we had a great time with them, and the ambiance was lovely. The presentation of the food was quite artistic, though perhaps a bit on the pretentious side. However, it looked amazing and tasted even better. We enjoyed the lamb rump and the pear crumble. I can't wait to return. Thank you, Richard and team—hats off to the chef!

I booked this restaurant for my mother's birthday, as she follows a gluten-free diet. She was very impressed with the gluten-free selections available during afternoon tea. She ordered the same meal as I did, but with all gluten-free options, and I can't fault it at all. I would definitely recommend Hallingbury Mill, and I plan to return when the weather is warmer so we can enjoy watching the boats.

Went to Haliingbury Mill for Valentines meal on 14 Feb. On a positive note the venue is interesting and the male waiter/barman was friendly. Unfortunately the rest was less good. The food was ok but not great. My wife's salmon was quite a small dish which didn't come with any sides. She asked if she could have a side dish with it but waitress said it didn't come with one. The waitress also brought us the wrong dishes and forgot to bring the water and said we couldn't order a dish because something had fallen on the floor in the kitchen even though we were ordering something else? Maybe she was new or just having a bad day. However the worst thing for me was the dirty toilet with broken toilet seat and broken tap. This made me wonder what the kitchen is like as things like that don't inspire confidence. We were also seated squashed between 2 other couples with not much room between the tables. The wooden chairs were also quite uncomfortable. Sorry about the negative review, my first ever one, but there are several things that I think could be better starting with fixing the toilet.

How on earth this restaurant acquired 5 stars is utterly beyond me. It doesn 't deserve one star. I looked at the menu and the reviews and booked. As it was Valentine 's night there was a set menu. 3 options on each course. This was not stated on the website. We were greeted when we arrived and were served drinks. There was no ambience whatsoever. A rose/carnation on the table or a glass of champagne/prosecco on arrival might have been an idea.... I would have chosen the crab and salmon ravioli. However we were told than ten minutes prior to our arrival the chef had 'dropped the whole tray of ravioli on the floor '. So the ravioli was off. We then chose the pate. We were given one piece of toast Main course was dreadful. My salmon was lukewarm. Very small portion too. My guest chose steak but was not asked how he wanted it cooked. It arrived very rare so it was sent back. It was cooked a bit more and returned to the table. It was very very tough. By this time I had finished my main course and my drink. I was not asked whether I would like another. After quite a while, we had to ask. The cheese board was mediocre to say the least. The restaurant was cold and uninviting. Rather sad as it is a lovely building with great potential. Why they only had three options on the menu is beyond me. It was not even busy! The owner was in jeans and a cowboy shirt.... there was no attempt to make this night special in any way. We were told that two staff had called in sick. Poor excuse. This restaurant has been open for exactly three years. It should have made its mark by now. The owner did make a reduction to our bill. However the evening was ruined and I came home feeling hungry. I think the owner is in the wrong job. Just a final comment.... having read the glowing reviews of this place before I booked I suspect the owner has a lot of friends! Such a pity.