Last weekend we had planned to do some shopping at McArthur Glen, Cheshire Oaks and were lucky enough to be asked to review a local pub restaurant. So after a morning of retail therapy we headed off for lunch at The Beeches, Wrexham.
On arrival The Beeches was quite large and was next to a Premier Inn. We parked up and where one of the first in the restaurant for lunch which starts at 12pm.
Welcome
We were quickly shown to our table which was set back and up two small steps. The dining area we had been shown to had approximately 5 tables and we had been seated right on the edge of the stairs. As we required a high chair this had pushed the table towards the steps and it didn't feel safe at all. My seat was so close to the top step that i knew if we didn't move I probably would end up toppling down so we moved to another table. We informed the waiter who gave us a nod to let us know that was okay.
Once we were seated and settled we ordered our drinks. Now you may already know how I feel about drinks, I do prefer to eat at restaurants that provide free refills and unfortunately The Beeches doesn't have this facility. We did order 3 large diet cokes which I was hoping would last the meal however both Daddy and big J ordered another one each later on. The diet cokes were £2.50 each so this alone added £12.50 to our bill. I obviously know that you have to buy a drink whilst eating out but it just adds so much cost to the bill especially when you can buy a can of diet coke for under a £1 in a shop.
I was hoping there would be a lunch / light bites menu available, unfortunately there was only the one main menu available on the Saturday afternoon. I have since found out that there is a lunch menu and a daytime meals menu which is available on a Saturday although this wasn't offered. It's such a shame really as we all would have ate from this and it could have halved our bill.
I decided to order a chicken caesar salad. Daddy ordered a lasagne and big J ordered hunters chicken. There was a children's menu available for little J which included a starter and a main or a main and dessert. Little J had sausage and chips. We ordered garlic mushrooms and potato skins to start and little J had a garlic bread to start to from the kids menu.
The waiter who served us was training and after he had took our order he popped back to see if we wanted little J's main meal to come with our starters. This was great as usually the food is too hot for little J when it arrives so he stares at us eating whilst his cools down.
When our starters arrived I was impressed with the amount of garlic mushrooms and potato skins. There was more than enough for all four of us to share.
Little J was not impressed when he had to wait almost 10 minutes for his garlic bread to arrive after we had received our starters. He actually got his main meal 10 minutes before his starter. The waiter did apologise for this.
Lasagne - well it was a lasagne . . .
Our main meals arrived shortly after we had finished our starters and again they were big meals so maybe a little too big for lunchtime. I couldn't eat all my caesar salad although the rest of them scoffed theirs down right to the last chip.
When we had finished I asked for our bill and noticed we had been charged for the kids meal. It does say online kids eat free although this was nowhere to be seen actually in the restaurant. The waiter apologised and another waitress (possibly manager) who was walking past at the time told me he was training. It wasn't a problem I just was highlighting the fact we had been charged. At this point I did mention that I had a discount code to use and was then abruptly told I couldn't have a kids eat free with the use of a discount code too so we would be charged for the kids meal. I was little angry at this to be honest as the offer had nothing to do with my discount code but rules are rules I suppose.
In total the bill came to £62 which for a pub lunch was a little on the expensive side for us but it was enjoyable.
*****
What We Loved
The meals were delicious and portion size was good
Adequate main menu, plenty of choice even for fussy eaters
The pub has a real 'country' feel to it, nice, warm and cosy
Our waiter was pleasant and polite at all times, although a little forgetful
What Could Improve
The light bites and daytime menu was not offered to us on arrival. Only that I have seen the menu online I would have had no idea these existed
Although we were not eligible as we were using a discount code, the kids eat free promotion was not advertised at all
The cost for 3 main meals and a kids meal was quite expensive for lunchtime. Like I said in my review if we had eaten from the light bites / daytime menu our bill could have been halved
We asked for the free kids activity pack twice and it never arrived. Daddy wouldn't let me ask a third time as it was just embarrassing. Although it was a shame as little J would have liked this to keep him entertained.
Little J's starter of garlic bread arrived 10 minutes after his main meal
No free refills
*****
Overall the meal was enjoyable. I would definitely go for a meal again but maybe for the daytime menu to cut the cost.
To view The Beeches you can visit the website
*We received a discount code to use against the purchase of our meals. All thoughts, opinions and photographs are our own*
Lovely beer garden - although it was a little too cold for us. Maybe in Summer!
On arrival The Beeches was quite large and was next to a Premier Inn. We parked up and where one of the first in the restaurant for lunch which starts at 12pm.
Welcome
We were quickly shown to our table which was set back and up two small steps. The dining area we had been shown to had approximately 5 tables and we had been seated right on the edge of the stairs. As we required a high chair this had pushed the table towards the steps and it didn't feel safe at all. My seat was so close to the top step that i knew if we didn't move I probably would end up toppling down so we moved to another table. We informed the waiter who gave us a nod to let us know that was okay.
Once we were seated and settled we ordered our drinks. Now you may already know how I feel about drinks, I do prefer to eat at restaurants that provide free refills and unfortunately The Beeches doesn't have this facility. We did order 3 large diet cokes which I was hoping would last the meal however both Daddy and big J ordered another one each later on. The diet cokes were £2.50 each so this alone added £12.50 to our bill. I obviously know that you have to buy a drink whilst eating out but it just adds so much cost to the bill especially when you can buy a can of diet coke for under a £1 in a shop.
I was hoping there would be a lunch / light bites menu available, unfortunately there was only the one main menu available on the Saturday afternoon. I have since found out that there is a lunch menu and a daytime meals menu which is available on a Saturday although this wasn't offered. It's such a shame really as we all would have ate from this and it could have halved our bill.
I decided to order a chicken caesar salad. Daddy ordered a lasagne and big J ordered hunters chicken. There was a children's menu available for little J which included a starter and a main or a main and dessert. Little J had sausage and chips. We ordered garlic mushrooms and potato skins to start and little J had a garlic bread to start to from the kids menu.
The waiter who served us was training and after he had took our order he popped back to see if we wanted little J's main meal to come with our starters. This was great as usually the food is too hot for little J when it arrives so he stares at us eating whilst his cools down.
Cheese and Bacon Potato Skins
When our starters arrived I was impressed with the amount of garlic mushrooms and potato skins. There was more than enough for all four of us to share.
Little J was not impressed when he had to wait almost 10 minutes for his garlic bread to arrive after we had received our starters. He actually got his main meal 10 minutes before his starter. The waiter did apologise for this.
Our main meals arrived shortly after we had finished our starters and again they were big meals so maybe a little too big for lunchtime. I couldn't eat all my caesar salad although the rest of them scoffed theirs down right to the last chip.
Time to go
When we had finished I asked for our bill and noticed we had been charged for the kids meal. It does say online kids eat free although this was nowhere to be seen actually in the restaurant. The waiter apologised and another waitress (possibly manager) who was walking past at the time told me he was training. It wasn't a problem I just was highlighting the fact we had been charged. At this point I did mention that I had a discount code to use and was then abruptly told I couldn't have a kids eat free with the use of a discount code too so we would be charged for the kids meal. I was little angry at this to be honest as the offer had nothing to do with my discount code but rules are rules I suppose.
In total the bill came to £62 which for a pub lunch was a little on the expensive side for us but it was enjoyable.
*****
What We Loved
The meals were delicious and portion size was good
Adequate main menu, plenty of choice even for fussy eaters
The pub has a real 'country' feel to it, nice, warm and cosy
Our waiter was pleasant and polite at all times, although a little forgetful
What Could Improve
The light bites and daytime menu was not offered to us on arrival. Only that I have seen the menu online I would have had no idea these existed
Although we were not eligible as we were using a discount code, the kids eat free promotion was not advertised at all
The cost for 3 main meals and a kids meal was quite expensive for lunchtime. Like I said in my review if we had eaten from the light bites / daytime menu our bill could have been halved
We asked for the free kids activity pack twice and it never arrived. Daddy wouldn't let me ask a third time as it was just embarrassing. Although it was a shame as little J would have liked this to keep him entertained.
Little J's starter of garlic bread arrived 10 minutes after his main meal
No free refills
*****
Overall the meal was enjoyable. I would definitely go for a meal again but maybe for the daytime menu to cut the cost.
To view The Beeches you can visit the website
*We received a discount code to use against the purchase of our meals. All thoughts, opinions and photographs are our own*
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