A Sunday Roast to Savour!My husband and I are regulars here, both for food and for drinks. Tom's Sunday roasts are fabulous! He normally cooks up roast beef (served medium to well done) and roast chicken, with good to large sized portions. We had the roast beef here a month or so ago (ours was served medium-rare, and we were provided with fairly thick slices that were tender and full of flavour), but decided to have the roast chicken here the Sunday before last. The chicken was nicely herbed and roasted, beautifully tasty and moist, served with a Yorkshire Pudding (nicely fluffy), chipolatas, cabbage and carrots, the carrots and cabbage both having some "bite" to them (hurrah, given that a lot of pubs seem to provide vegetables that have been cooked to death and are mush). In addition, there were roast parsnips and roast potatoes that had been seasoned with herbs. The roast potatoes are absolutely fab - soft on the inside, crispy on the outside. Tom's gravy has a real depth of flavour. If you haven't tried the Volly's roast Sunday lunches before, you are missing out.. The price is pretty good too, particularly given the portion size. The service is friendly and the atmosphere welcoming, not just from Tom and his staff, especially Hayden, but also from the regulars. The pub has a brilliant back garden with plenty of seating which is nice to sit out in during the summer or better weather and ample car parking at the back.Parking: There is a large free car park at the back of the pub and plenty of on-street parking at the front.
Adam Capewell
This is our favourite pub since moving to Theale. Very friendly staff, and warm atmosphere. It's great that they now do Sunday roasts. There's a good choice of meats, and their roast potatoes are the best (and plentiful). We also love their chicken wings, when we're not as hungry. As a bonus, the kids'menu is free at the weekend, and our son loves their sausage and chips. Get yourself there, but make sure you leave a table free for us.Parking: Big free car park at rear. No need to remember to input you registration plate, like too many pubs nowadays.Kid-friendliness: Very kid-friendly, and kids eat free at the weekend.
Barbara Legg
Best jacket potato with chilli and cheese, ever. Staff so friendly and nothing is too much trouble. A great pub and an example of what old pubs should be.
James D
Lovely country pub to stop at on a cold Winter's day with log fire, good beer and food. Even better - they accept Bitcoin payments.
Bryn_West
Sorry I haven’t posted on here in a while, the second divorce has really hit me. Nothing like a roast and a pint at this lovely establishment with my eldest son to make the sorrows feel better.
Alex Burrows
Went here to meet a friend, its the first time ive been here in a long time. the place has ample parking and a large outdoor area that lends itself really well to a hot day, there isnt a large grass area for kids or dogs but that shouldnt affect the score. The seating outdoors was reasonably well kept and not your standard pub benches, which was a nice change from the standard pub garden. The outside was well kept and not particularly noisy being away from the road so was easy to converse. The interior was tidy, with a reasonably modern decor. The bar service was great, it wasnt particularly busy so and there were a couple bar staff on that were prompt and seemed to be mixing with the regulars.Parking: Parking off the main road around the back of the pub.
Lynds78
A family lunch on a long motorway journey … On a 6 hour journey home from Cambridge to Pembrokeshire, we decided we could all do with a pit stop and some food. I made a quick decision to come here due to reviews and convenient location, we called ahead as we have a dog to check she would be welcome … Welcome is an understatement, every one was lovely and chatty and fussed our dog. All the gentlemen sat in the bar area having their Sunday afternoon pint were welcoming to her and us (I’m from at David’s and know what residents can be like there). Hayden the young man behind the bar was so welcoming and last but not least the food was great! I didn’t have a chance to snap the other meals as they were so quickly tucked into. And Nancy (our dog) had some biscuits too Oh and one final thing - I commented how cute the mini milk jug was and was given one by Hayden to take home … this will be our stop of choice along the M4 in future ?
Martin Klaus F
Very nice location we found by coincidence, comfy bar, great patio + beer garden in rear, fantastic food (we had a very tasty chicken curry rogan josh and chicken wings that were just grilled to perfection!) with very good + friendly kitchen service even after 8:30 on a weekday, serving our special requests well. Not to forget the nice variety of Fuller's ales and lagers on tap! Spacious parking in rear too.
Terry1949
The Volunteer is a pretty country pub. The garden was in gorgeous bloom with hanging baskets and the like. The staff were very welcoming and we felt right at home. I ordered a pint of London Pride and my wife had a diet coke. For lunch we had a burger in a basket and a Ploughman's. The price and the portion sizes were very acceptable for lunchtime. Overall, a very pleasent experience and I would recommend The Volunteer for a visit.
KMD
A big big thank you to the staff who stayed on and kept the place open last night. Lots of people were stranded in the rain, waiting hours for taxis after the event at Englefield Estate. We were able to keep dry and warm here until they arrived. The team can’t be thanked enough ❤️
Lovely staff and great food at affordable prices. Highly recommended
Teresa Osman
We held a wake here yesterday and we are so grateful to Tom and his crew for looking after us so well from the minute we first enquired! It was a really nice space and the food was enjoyed by everyone ...especially our vegan! Tom was really accommodating of our every need and nothing was too much trouble. I would highly recommend - thank you again!Terrie x
Martin Peters-Turner
The Volunteer is a traditional pub in the heart of Theale, Berkshire. It has a warm and inviting atmosphere, with exposed brickwork and a traditional fireplace. The menu features a wide variety of pub classics, as well as some more modern dishes.We started our meal with sticky pigs in blankets. These were perfectly cooked and the sausages were juicy and flavorful. For our main courses, I had the chicken curry and my partner had the steak and ale pie. Both dishes were delicious. The chicken curry was rich and flavorful, and the steak and ale pie was hearty and filling.The service at The Volunteer was excellent. Our server was friendly and attentive, and he made sure that we had everything we needed. We also enjoyed the selection of beers on tap.Overall, we had a great experience at The Volunteer. The food was delicious, the service was excellent, and the atmosphere was warm and inviting. We would definitely recommend this pub to anyone looking for a great meal in Theale.Here are some additional details about the dishes we ordered:* Sticky pigs in blankets: These were made with pork sausages wrapped in bacon and cooked until golden brown.* Chicken curry: This was a rich and flavorful curry made with chicken, onions, peppers, and spices. It was served with rice and naan bread.* Steak and ale pie: This was a hearty and filling pie made with steak, onions, mushrooms, and ale. It was served with fries and peas.Polly our waitress was very friendly and helpful, she is a credit to the pub. Great atmosphere.Parking: Car park can hold about 10 cars
Rushelle Mckoy
It's absolutely brilliant. Thanks to Chef Oneil for preparing a great dinner. The food is always amazing, and the service is great. I would definitely recommend eating here.
Michael Haislip
We stop by chance on our way back from Stonehenge to Reading and the food was great, the chef and barkeep were super nice! Highly recommend if passing thru or staying in the area!
A Sunday Roast to Savour!My husband and I are regulars here, both for food and for drinks. Tom's Sunday roasts are fabulous! He normally cooks up roast beef (served medium to well done) and roast chicken, with good to large sized portions. We had the roast beef here a month or so ago (ours was served medium-rare, and we were provided with fairly thick slices that were tender and full of flavour), but decided to have the roast chicken here the Sunday before last. The chicken was nicely herbed and roasted, beautifully tasty and moist, served with a Yorkshire Pudding (nicely fluffy), chipolatas, cabbage and carrots, the carrots and cabbage both having some "bite" to them (hurrah, given that a lot of pubs seem to provide vegetables that have been cooked to death and are mush). In addition, there were roast parsnips and roast potatoes that had been seasoned with herbs. The roast potatoes are absolutely fab - soft on the inside, crispy on the outside. Tom's gravy has a real depth of flavour. If you haven't tried the Volly's roast Sunday lunches before, you are missing out.. The price is pretty good too, particularly given the portion size. The service is friendly and the atmosphere welcoming, not just from Tom and his staff, especially Hayden, but also from the regulars. The pub has a brilliant back garden with plenty of seating which is nice to sit out in during the summer or better weather and ample car parking at the back.Parking: There is a large free car park at the back of the pub and plenty of on-street parking at the front.
This is our favourite pub since moving to Theale. Very friendly staff, and warm atmosphere. It's great that they now do Sunday roasts. There's a good choice of meats, and their roast potatoes are the best (and plentiful). We also love their chicken wings, when we're not as hungry. As a bonus, the kids'menu is free at the weekend, and our son loves their sausage and chips. Get yourself there, but make sure you leave a table free for us.Parking: Big free car park at rear. No need to remember to input you registration plate, like too many pubs nowadays.Kid-friendliness: Very kid-friendly, and kids eat free at the weekend.
Best jacket potato with chilli and cheese, ever. Staff so friendly and nothing is too much trouble. A great pub and an example of what old pubs should be.
Lovely country pub to stop at on a cold Winter's day with log fire, good beer and food. Even better - they accept Bitcoin payments.
Sorry I haven’t posted on here in a while, the second divorce has really hit me. Nothing like a roast and a pint at this lovely establishment with my eldest son to make the sorrows feel better.
Went here to meet a friend, its the first time ive been here in a long time. the place has ample parking and a large outdoor area that lends itself really well to a hot day, there isnt a large grass area for kids or dogs but that shouldnt affect the score. The seating outdoors was reasonably well kept and not your standard pub benches, which was a nice change from the standard pub garden. The outside was well kept and not particularly noisy being away from the road so was easy to converse. The interior was tidy, with a reasonably modern decor. The bar service was great, it wasnt particularly busy so and there were a couple bar staff on that were prompt and seemed to be mixing with the regulars.Parking: Parking off the main road around the back of the pub.
A family lunch on a long motorway journey … On a 6 hour journey home from Cambridge to Pembrokeshire, we decided we could all do with a pit stop and some food. I made a quick decision to come here due to reviews and convenient location, we called ahead as we have a dog to check she would be welcome … Welcome is an understatement, every one was lovely and chatty and fussed our dog. All the gentlemen sat in the bar area having their Sunday afternoon pint were welcoming to her and us (I’m from at David’s and know what residents can be like there). Hayden the young man behind the bar was so welcoming and last but not least the food was great! I didn’t have a chance to snap the other meals as they were so quickly tucked into. And Nancy (our dog) had some biscuits too Oh and one final thing - I commented how cute the mini milk jug was and was given one by Hayden to take home … this will be our stop of choice along the M4 in future ?
Very nice location we found by coincidence, comfy bar, great patio + beer garden in rear, fantastic food (we had a very tasty chicken curry rogan josh and chicken wings that were just grilled to perfection!) with very good + friendly kitchen service even after 8:30 on a weekday, serving our special requests well. Not to forget the nice variety of Fuller's ales and lagers on tap! Spacious parking in rear too.
The Volunteer is a pretty country pub. The garden was in gorgeous bloom with hanging baskets and the like. The staff were very welcoming and we felt right at home. I ordered a pint of London Pride and my wife had a diet coke. For lunch we had a burger in a basket and a Ploughman's. The price and the portion sizes were very acceptable for lunchtime. Overall, a very pleasent experience and I would recommend The Volunteer for a visit.
A big big thank you to the staff who stayed on and kept the place open last night. Lots of people were stranded in the rain, waiting hours for taxis after the event at Englefield Estate. We were able to keep dry and warm here until they arrived. The team can’t be thanked enough ❤️
Restaurantji Recommends
Lovely staff and great food at affordable prices. Highly recommended
We held a wake here yesterday and we are so grateful to Tom and his crew for looking after us so well from the minute we first enquired! It was a really nice space and the food was enjoyed by everyone ...especially our vegan! Tom was really accommodating of our every need and nothing was too much trouble. I would highly recommend - thank you again!Terrie x
The Volunteer is a traditional pub in the heart of Theale, Berkshire. It has a warm and inviting atmosphere, with exposed brickwork and a traditional fireplace. The menu features a wide variety of pub classics, as well as some more modern dishes.We started our meal with sticky pigs in blankets. These were perfectly cooked and the sausages were juicy and flavorful. For our main courses, I had the chicken curry and my partner had the steak and ale pie. Both dishes were delicious. The chicken curry was rich and flavorful, and the steak and ale pie was hearty and filling.The service at The Volunteer was excellent. Our server was friendly and attentive, and he made sure that we had everything we needed. We also enjoyed the selection of beers on tap.Overall, we had a great experience at The Volunteer. The food was delicious, the service was excellent, and the atmosphere was warm and inviting. We would definitely recommend this pub to anyone looking for a great meal in Theale.Here are some additional details about the dishes we ordered:* Sticky pigs in blankets: These were made with pork sausages wrapped in bacon and cooked until golden brown.* Chicken curry: This was a rich and flavorful curry made with chicken, onions, peppers, and spices. It was served with rice and naan bread.* Steak and ale pie: This was a hearty and filling pie made with steak, onions, mushrooms, and ale. It was served with fries and peas.Polly our waitress was very friendly and helpful, she is a credit to the pub. Great atmosphere.Parking: Car park can hold about 10 cars
It's absolutely brilliant. Thanks to Chef Oneil for preparing a great dinner. The food is always amazing, and the service is great. I would definitely recommend eating here.
We stop by chance on our way back from Stonehenge to Reading and the food was great, the chef and barkeep were super nice! Highly recommend if passing thru or staying in the area!