The Bull Rodington - Shrewsbury

Really shocked at our first visit to this pub. Not sure where to start. Staff didn’t seem like they wanted to be there, 1 waitress said I don’t work here normally I work in another pub when taking our food order. The halloumi was £4 for pieces of small cubed halloumi as you can see in the photo below in a ramekin. As we finished starters we were told there was no mash for the pie dish... this wasn’t an issue as it does say served with mash or chips, so we just chose chips instead When the ‘ pie ‘ come it looked like the photo below a cold bowl of chewy steak and cold cabbage with chips and no gravy) When asked what is this main, and where is the pastry for the pie we was told ‘ there’s no mash’ Yes but where’s the pastry.... ‘ the mash is normally the pastry’ .... very confused as this would normally be cottage pie ? We were disappointed as why was advertised looks amazing for the pie and 1 of the reasons we chose that dish. No explanation was given that there was clearly no pastry or mash... you probably shouldn’t of sold it that night as many more tables complained about it and sent food back cold. No check back at all. Our 3 chicken burgers were very flaky, if the batter wasn’t falling off everywhere it was a soggy paste in the middle of the burger and on the roof of our mouths. It was so sticky and had zero flavour not sure why it was sticky All 4 meals were completely disappointing and I wish I went to the last inn as I didn’t realise it was the same menu and travelled all that way from Newport. The 1 pie dish was taken off but we still paid £88 for 3 small starters and 4 mains that were not nice at all. Not usually one to write a review working in the industry myself and knowing how hard it is as a waitress but it was completely nothing like how we imagined from seeing posts on your page. I’ve also attached a photo of how you advertise to how it actually came

The food was outstanding, and the staff were incredibly attentive and friendly.

We had a table booked for 6:30pm sunday 13th September for a 60th birthday meal. When we arrived we were left standing around for 10 minutes to be greeted so we wasnt off to a great start. In the end we ended up walking up the steps to see if anyone was around. There was no one at the bar but eventually saw a lady (rachel) handing out food we drew her attention and was met with a rude reply which was full of attitude im on my own not what you expect from a member of staff. When she came over to seat us she was again very rude and abrupt. She came across as somebody who didnt enjoy their job or want to be there. We had our drink and food order taken. The food took 45 minutes to come out which seemed a long time considering there was only 3 tables in the pub. The food was good and was enjoyable but we could not justify the price of the steak considering the childs meal was actually a bigger portion then the adult and the plate came very bare. We didnt recieve any table check until after we had finished our meal so it was pointless to even ask. It was only at this point we was asked if we wanted any other drinks as she was taking the glasses from our table. Overall we left feeling disappointed and felt the 60th birthday meal and been ruined but enjoyed the food. It is clear that additional training is needed to be provided to staff. Its a shame that we had this experience as previously we have enjoyed eating here and have visited a few of the other connecting pubs. Unfortunately this experience has put us off eating here and visiting the other connecting pubs

As we entered, we were met with a diner complaining that they had waited two hours for their food, and we stood there waiting while the waitress engaged with them. This made me feel quite uncomfortable, as if being a table of two was an inconvenience. After some time, I finally managed to get the waiter’s attention after the waitress had walked away without telling us where to sit. He spoke to the other diner about their food delay before finally directing us to our table. The atmosphere was chaotic and noisy, which added to the discomfort. While I usually don’t mind parties in restaurants, it felt a bit inconsiderate given the current challenges many are facing due to COVID. When the waitress finally came to take our drink order, I was informed that most items on the menu were sold out. At that point, I decided to leave. Unfortunately, I had to navigate through the large party with children playing in the exit doorway, which made the situation even more chaotic. Overall, it was a disappointing experience, and I won’t be returning anytime soon, nor will I recommend this place to anyone.

I dined at The Bull last night with two friends, and we had a wonderful experience. The meal was fantastic, the selection of red wine was great, and the service was excellent. A big shoutout to Dan for his outstanding customer service! I will definitely return with my husband.