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About
We take great pride in opening our doors and rolling out the carpet for you and your family, friends and guests. Our home is your home. Within it's thick whitewashed stone walls, chocked with low slung beamed ceilings and flagged stone floors, our family warmly welcome you our friends and guests to our home, 'Owd Nell's, our traditional canalside tavern.
Special Diets
Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch, After-hours
CUISINES
Bar, British, Pub
FEATURES
Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Television, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service
Reviews (849)
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LanguageEnglish
Traveller rating
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Reviewed yesterday

Absolutely awful food Dry and tough chicken , hard to cook Fish small but loads of greasy batter Currry ok Probs the worst pub meal ever

Date of visit: March 2024
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed February 10, 2024

They need to cook the eggs a little bit more they are always a little bit raw . you can find snotty eggs all the time I love a runny egg ...but I don't like raw.

Date of visit: February 2024
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Reviewed February 8, 2024

Not one for writing negative reviews as we all have bad days, but today's meal of battered fish and chips with mushy peas was truly shocking. Service was excellent, the waitress was efficient and polite, but when the food arrived I was surprised it didn't...slip off the plate it was that greasy. The fish had obviously come straight out the fryer and tipped upside down onto the chips causing the fat to soak them and the plate. The batter was dark brown and at least 3mm thick, with significant parts fish free. Being the greedy begger that I am, I ate the fish part and piled high the batter. I brought this to the attention of the waitress who just apologised and took my plate away with no offer of an explanation or next actions. Other than that this is a fine establishment in a great location and well worth a visit especially during the summer.More

Date of visit: February 2024
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Reviewed January 18, 2024

We used to be regulars at Guys next door but we haven't been for a while , we decided to go to Owd Nells because they allow dogs. I'm afraid we we were disappointed. There were 4 of us and we ordered four starters to...share, three of the starters came together with two of the main courses, the food was tepid and bland. About ten minutes later the other two mains and the fourth starter arrived. The food was expensive and uninspiring and the whole experience was poor. We were sat near to a door used by irritating smokers going in and out causing a frequent icy blast across our table. Just not good enough and they need to raise their game. We wondered if customers in Guys got a better service. Sorry but we won't be back to Owd Nells anytime soon.More

Date of visit: January 2024
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Reviewed December 1, 2023

had the Christmas menu today amazing the food was fantastic will be back soon , the starter mushrooms was lovely staff great

Date of visit: December 2023
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed November 26, 2023 via mobile

A group of friends meet here regularly as it is roughly half way between Manchester and Morecambe. Yesterday we had booked a table as they get busy on Saturdays and visited for lunch. It was not as busy as usual for a Saturday. Firstly I...ordered the food and drinks for our party. The drinks were served 2 coffees 2 teas including tea pot , milk jug and 2 mugs and saucers. I asked for a tray to carry the drinks and was informed that they didn’t think they had one. I was expected to walk the length of the restaurant carrying all these items. Eventually a tray was found but by the time I sat down to drink the coffee it was stone cold. The food eventually came 2 scampis and chips, owd Nell’s chicken, and gammon. The chips were barely warm and the peas were stone cold, the chicken was over cooked and also cold. I ate the scampi and left the cold food. When the waitress came to collect the plates I explained that I couldn’t eat the chips and peas as they were cold. She said she would let the chef know. We also asked if we could have more coffees and she advised us that she didn’t think she was allowed to do that! That was the end of our experience yesterday. No-one in authority came to apologise. We will now shop with our feet and boycott Owd Nell’s in the future after many visits, too many to mention.More

Date of visit: November 2023
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Reviewed November 15, 2023 via mobile

It's hit & miss again. Staff friendly on ordering food and drinks. Steak & kidney Pudding once again had no kidney. The same experience as last time sadly. The chips served with the deep fried fish & Pudding has seen better days, reheated, to crispy...( the little ends and bits) not enjoyable. We did mention this to the waitress and she did offer to bring a fresh basket of chips for the 4 of us but we didn't have time. In my opinion the chips should not have been sent out at all in that condition. I appreciate chips can be branched but to hold them too long just looses the dining experience. The fish was great, one good part of the meal.More

Date of visit: November 2023
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Reviewed November 11, 2023 via mobile

What a pleasant discovery . A very cosy place with a great atmosphere. An antidote to all the new minimalistic modern bistros . The menu is extensive and also great old fashioned home cooking . Couldn’t improve on it . Great pie delicious cheesecakes and...super Wallings ice cream . Very generous portions and great selection of beer and ale too . Great location by the canal. prices good too xxMore

Date of visit: November 2023
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Reviewed October 30, 2023 via mobile

Fantastic little place for food and drinks. They provided kids entertainment over Halloween too. The kids loved it. Highly recommend.

Date of visit: October 2023
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Reviewed October 22, 2023

Had a birthday celebrations here 21st October how this place has gone downhill! Not the place it used to be. Rooms are grubby and in poor state of repair. Who would paint over pine furniture! The jacuzzi floor was black with grime with sink casing...rotten, the bed has lumpy and uncomfortable mattress sheet was stained. Food as with previous reviews cheese onion pie as hard as rock, we complained and was told chef forgot to get it out of freezer! this was on menu as freshly made pie! BREAKFAST in restaurant was poor ordered breakfast barm which consisted of 2sausge,bacon and egg on toasted barm I received all on soggy toast and was not asked how I wanted eggs done so they slopped scrambled on. The tea and coffee were awful! All in all you need to do better Nell!More

Date of visit: October 2023
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Reviewed September 15, 2023

I have been many times to old nells and it will be the last time I go. Cheese and onion pie which looked like it was cooked hours ago and just kept warm. The pastry was hard the filling dried out and well overcooked. The...chips were no different.More

Date of visit: September 2023
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Reviewed September 10, 2023 via mobile

We stopped for a bite to eat & all of our choices were lovely & freshly prepared. Drinks were also good. Staff were just wandering around in groups mainly it was odd to see. That said we did have one lovely waitress collect our plates...& ask if everything had been ok. Would visit again definitely.More

Date of visit: September 2023
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Reviewed August 13, 2023

The food was appalling, fresh made pizza, not fresh and on a bought base. Arrived cold. Cheese and onion pie slice was rock hard and burned. The cheese had formed a hard skin from the microwave. £6.95 for half a lettuce with some spunk sauce...on and bacon bits. Beer was flat. Nice location, spoiled by the menu.More

Date of visit: August 2023
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Reviewed August 6, 2023

Me and my family stopped here for quick breakfast and I'm sorry to say we was Absolutely appalled! The service when we ordered was a joke, a bunch of teenagers stood behind the bar with not a brain cell between them. I ordered toast and...my son ordered a bacon and egg sandwich. My toast turned up half cooked and without any butter ?! My son's sandwich was drippibg with grease and the bacon was fatty and horrible. Not often we go to Owd Nell's, but we will not be returning Don't even want to give them 1 star, they don't even deserve that.More

Date of visit: August 2023
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Reviewed August 2, 2023

We have moored on the canal at old nells on many occasions. Had a problem with my lunch BUT Andy turned a negative into a positive! He could not do enough for us and really went over and above to make our visit a good...experience. Would def recommend a visit and a meal. Ice cream is to die for. I hope ANDY gets to see this feedback, thank you so much you are an asset to the team at NellsMore

Date of visit: July 2023
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Questions & Answers
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dean H
March 19, 2023|
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Response from 161debl |
Think is a secret 🤫
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abbie-jayney
December 2, 2019|
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Response from Sarah W | Reviewed this property |
No I didn't see any either but they may have a charging point in the lounge in between the Italian restaurant and the pub. I'd ring to confirm.
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Peter S
July 20, 2019|
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Response from Linda F | Reviewed this property |
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OWD NELL'S TAVERN, Bilsborrow - Updated 2024 Restaurant Reviews, Menu & Prices - Tripadvisor

Frequently Asked Questions about Owd Nell's Tavern

Owd Nell's Tavern is rated accordingly in the following categories by Tripadvisor travellers:
  • Food: 3.5
  • Service: 3.5
  • Value: 3.5
  • Atmosphere: 4