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Detail Pages
The Halfway Inn, Newbury
Halfway
Postal town: Newbury
RG20 8NR
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Halfway Inn
Really rather nice Hall & Woodhouse lounge and eatery. Quite a captivating interior; red walls, wainscoting, beams, stone floor, baby grand piano (apparently played daily), Audrey Hepburn prints and cushions, numerous objects d'art. As mentioned below, there are no TVs, machines or games. Ale-wise, was disappointingly just First Call (fair) on pump and £2 a half as well. However what looked like the full range of bottled H&W beers were on display at the front of the bar. Nice 50’s music fitted the ambience. I quite liked it here, even if the ale was pretty unremarkable. A good place to bring your squeeze or your expense account.
On 28th November 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Michael Wright left this review about The Halfway Inn
Return visit as last year's was so good
Still 4 hand pumps on offer, I had the Hopping Hare, twice, and a very nice pint it was, but at £3.90 it should be. Warning for traditionalists, served in stem type of glass, so if looking for a pint pot you are out of luck
The lunchtime menu has shrunk, now has set meal type, but you can just opt for one course at reduced price as we did
Also available are sandwiches, but these are not your M & S ones, these are £7 or more, but are biggies and come with extras
Food, coffee, ambiance, service, staff, toilets & piano were excellent as before
Marked down to 9 only due to reduced lunchtime menu
We enjoyed our visit, drinks & meal [fish & chips @ £10.90]
Not a cheap option for meal or drink, nor a local boozer, very much gastro pub, but on a Thursday lunchtime it was busy, I think many local boozers would be glad of the number of customers in here
Do not drive by, but take your cheque book
On 1st April 2011
- rating: 9
[User has posted 526 recommendations about 382 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Michael Wright left this review about The Halfway Inn
Update 11 March 2010
At last we went in here, passed by it for over 20 years without stopping, but recent changes prompted a visit on a Thursday lunchtime
This is now styled as a "Bistro & piano Bar", but please, do not let that put you off going in
Has 4 real ale pumps, but two were not available on my visit, not that it mattered as I was driving, so a Sussex brewery shandy for me on the day
L shaped bar and dining area, with major emphasis on eating, but given location on A4 & miles from large habitation it really could never be a "local" pub to anyone
The decor is just a tad short of twee, reddish walls, beams, vases of twigs, film star photos, stone flag floor
The dining areas occupy the major portion of space, but the pub has space to spare, so not squeezed in and bumping into folks
Large & ample car park, toilets spotless and sort of luxury, informed the Ladies loo had hand cream dispenser
Has two menus, the A La carte for serious dining, and a bar one for more modest diners. The A la carte is around £15, the bar is around £5 to £6
We opted for the bar menu, it is not "pub grub" burgers & chips, very much better than that. We had smoked salmon sandwich and steak & ale pie
The sandwich was not the plastic wrapped type, but a triple decker, came with veggie crisps and sort of side salad. Pie and veg was excellent, could not fault it, big chunks of steak, yummy
Service, 10 out of 10, all on the ball and attentive, waiting staff sort of French bistro style, but very polite and helpful, even the table napkins were linen & not paper
Absolutely no Sky sports, dart board, juke box, fruit machine or pool table or chavs, just pleasant people enjoying nice ambiance, food & drink
The piano bit is a chap really playing a piano, quietly, and not jazzy, so much better than muzak, one can hold a conversation at normal speaking levels, no need to shout
Owner apparently worked in pubs & restaurants around the area for years, and this is his first venture into really running & owning one, he has triumphed in spades and deserves to succeed
When we left the place was filling up, the locals know a good thing when they see one
Not often I give top marks, but this is one that really deserves it
To sum up, do not drive by as we did for 20 years, go in and enjoy what there is
17 Dec 32009 Changed hands yet again, currently being refurbed and hopes to reopen by Jan 2010 as gastro type pub
PS, chap on corner of pub in my picture is new owner having spotted me taking pics of his pub
On 30th April 2010
- rating: 10
[User has posted 526 recommendations about 382 pubs]