Lovely pub in the Epping forest with a great selection of drinks and food. Kids loved it and they were running around in a protected environment. Will definitely go back
Dave and Jo Mundy
Kid-friendliness: Really nice to the kids. Dog friendly.
BSprimeSander
An unfortunate situation for a place once to be such high standard place. Now the food is just below quality and came to be quite a blunder. I surely hope the place Wil pick up it's traditional cuisine as it once
holly meintjes
Bar staff and servers are great as always,Shame the food was overcooked. Was a really great pub and recommended it in the past.
Gordon Spooner
McMullens pub, on the doorstep of Epping Forest, limited selection of ales, good Guinness. Good selection of food. Good room inside and plenty of tables outside for food service which gets very busy in the good weather.
Charlie Foot
Me and the family visited the owl on what was an incredible Mother’s Day. This was our first visit since the new owners and were surprised to finally see a new menu on offer We were greeted very graciously and swiftly taken to our table. The food was exceptional I started with a Beutiful duck breast followed by an owl burger (thankfully it was beef and not owl meat) my other half had the sirloin of beef which was cooked to perfection food and service was superb. I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a celebration meal.
Abigail Southall
Honestly… if I could rate it lower I would. We went for a Mother’s Day dinner, and what a dogs dinner it was, and to be honest I feed my dog better. We had to send back 3 meals out of 9. One roast the meat was uncooked - was meant to be a slow cooked beef. Try UNcooked. One roast the lamb was all fat, the potato’s were rock hard. And the other meal (the owl burger) smelt off (we think they put out of date cheese on the burger) disgusting. Barely an apology from the staff and the other meals was not up to even a low standard.Speaking of the staff the man that was serving us had a fingernail hanging off his finger. All he had to do was put a plaster or a glove on so you didn’t have to look at it, the fact he was touching our plates as well. Disgusting. Cost us a fair bit - wished we had listened to our friends who told us not to visit here, and to be honest it was our fault because we left booking somewhere for Mother’s Day too last minute - won’t make that mistake again would rather eat out of the bins.Best part of it was the magician - all be it self employed not actually part of the service. If we didn’t have to eat there just to see him would have enjoyed it.
Robin Philpott
The enticing name of the "Slow Roast Pork Belly" proved to be misleading. What arrived at our table was a tough, unappealing lump of pork, reminiscent of chewing boot leather, with poorly rendered fat. Topped with chewy crackling and served alongside dry mash and scant vegetables, it hardly justified its £16.95 price tag.This misrepresentation prompted us to reluctantly bring our dissatisfaction to the attention of the understanding server, who graciously compensated us for one of the meals.Sadly, the new menu seems disconnected from the preferences of long-time patrons like myself, who have cherished The Owl for over three decades. While stalwart favorites like the fish and chips and Owl Burger remain, the rest of the offerings fall short of expectations. The attempt at gastro fare lacks both the quality and flavor that once defined this beloved pub.Furthermore, the exorbitant £5 charge for a posh packet of dried dog food on the new dog menu is simply unjustifiable.My second visit under the new ownership only reinforced my disappointment. Until significant improvements are made, I cannot envision returning.As a loyal patron, I implore the owners to reconsider their approach:Embrace simplicity and freshness in the menu offerings. Bring back beloved classics like bangers and mash, homemade pie with mash and liquor, lasagna, slow-braised beef and ale, gammon, egg, and chips, prawn cocktail, all prepared with care using locally sourced ingredients.In my extensive history with The Owl, I have never encountered such disappointment until now.The subpar ingredients coupled with inflated prices are disheartening. I long for the return of the skilled chefs who once made The Owl synonymous with quality British pub fare, standing out amidst a sea of mediocre chain establishments.While the staff remains exceptional, the current menu alienates longtime regulars like myself, who once considered The Owl a second home.Having experienced and enjoyed fine dining elsewhere, I can confidently say that the current offerings fall far short of the mark.It's evident when the owner dictates the menu, rather than the chef. This current iteration falls short of what The Owl once represented and fails to live up to its legacy.The Owner blocked me from their facebook page for saying this.
Andy Reid
The Owl is getting better every visit. I can recommend the location, Service and food quality. Looks like a new menu and chef, this was my selection today. Dog friendly..
Lovely food. Lovely hospitality. Dog very friendly. Brilliant value. Puts the other mcmullan pubs to shame. My family had a fantastic lunch here today.
Léa D.
Just okay. The beer was good but the food was not as good as we'd hoped for given other reviews and pictures. Service from the younger members of staff was friendly, but a bit abrupt from some of the others. The pub is family and dog friendly and was a convenient stop for walking in the woods. We would go back for a drink, but not to eat I don't think.
Willem Du Plessis
Stunning views with excellent service and
Fiona Kane
We have a reasonably large group for an evening birthday meal.Service was fantastic, the food was excellent, the choice was brilliant, with plenty of vegan options. Food was served hot and timely. We will be back again soon. Thank
Manino
This bar is run by Ladys, lovely atmosphere plus they make you feel at home so
Lovely pub in the Epping forest with a great selection of drinks and food. Kids loved it and they were running around in a protected environment. Will definitely go back
Kid-friendliness: Really nice to the kids. Dog friendly.
An unfortunate situation for a place once to be such high standard place. Now the food is just below quality and came to be quite a blunder. I surely hope the place Wil pick up it's traditional cuisine as it once
Bar staff and servers are great as always,Shame the food was overcooked. Was a really great pub and recommended it in the past.
McMullens pub, on the doorstep of Epping Forest, limited selection of ales, good Guinness. Good selection of food. Good room inside and plenty of tables outside for food service which gets very busy in the good weather.
Me and the family visited the owl on what was an incredible Mother’s Day. This was our first visit since the new owners and were surprised to finally see a new menu on offer We were greeted very graciously and swiftly taken to our table. The food was exceptional I started with a Beutiful duck breast followed by an owl burger (thankfully it was beef and not owl meat) my other half had the sirloin of beef which was cooked to perfection food and service was superb. I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a celebration meal.
Honestly… if I could rate it lower I would. We went for a Mother’s Day dinner, and what a dogs dinner it was, and to be honest I feed my dog better. We had to send back 3 meals out of 9. One roast the meat was uncooked - was meant to be a slow cooked beef. Try UNcooked. One roast the lamb was all fat, the potato’s were rock hard. And the other meal (the owl burger) smelt off (we think they put out of date cheese on the burger) disgusting. Barely an apology from the staff and the other meals was not up to even a low standard.Speaking of the staff the man that was serving us had a fingernail hanging off his finger. All he had to do was put a plaster or a glove on so you didn’t have to look at it, the fact he was touching our plates as well. Disgusting. Cost us a fair bit - wished we had listened to our friends who told us not to visit here, and to be honest it was our fault because we left booking somewhere for Mother’s Day too last minute - won’t make that mistake again would rather eat out of the bins.Best part of it was the magician - all be it self employed not actually part of the service. If we didn’t have to eat there just to see him would have enjoyed it.
The enticing name of the "Slow Roast Pork Belly" proved to be misleading. What arrived at our table was a tough, unappealing lump of pork, reminiscent of chewing boot leather, with poorly rendered fat. Topped with chewy crackling and served alongside dry mash and scant vegetables, it hardly justified its £16.95 price tag.This misrepresentation prompted us to reluctantly bring our dissatisfaction to the attention of the understanding server, who graciously compensated us for one of the meals.Sadly, the new menu seems disconnected from the preferences of long-time patrons like myself, who have cherished The Owl for over three decades. While stalwart favorites like the fish and chips and Owl Burger remain, the rest of the offerings fall short of expectations. The attempt at gastro fare lacks both the quality and flavor that once defined this beloved pub.Furthermore, the exorbitant £5 charge for a posh packet of dried dog food on the new dog menu is simply unjustifiable.My second visit under the new ownership only reinforced my disappointment. Until significant improvements are made, I cannot envision returning.As a loyal patron, I implore the owners to reconsider their approach:Embrace simplicity and freshness in the menu offerings. Bring back beloved classics like bangers and mash, homemade pie with mash and liquor, lasagna, slow-braised beef and ale, gammon, egg, and chips, prawn cocktail, all prepared with care using locally sourced ingredients.In my extensive history with The Owl, I have never encountered such disappointment until now.The subpar ingredients coupled with inflated prices are disheartening. I long for the return of the skilled chefs who once made The Owl synonymous with quality British pub fare, standing out amidst a sea of mediocre chain establishments.While the staff remains exceptional, the current menu alienates longtime regulars like myself, who once considered The Owl a second home.Having experienced and enjoyed fine dining elsewhere, I can confidently say that the current offerings fall far short of the mark.It's evident when the owner dictates the menu, rather than the chef. This current iteration falls short of what The Owl once represented and fails to live up to its legacy.The Owner blocked me from their facebook page for saying this.
The Owl is getting better every visit. I can recommend the location, Service and food quality. Looks like a new menu and chef, this was my selection today. Dog friendly..
Great food as always!
Restaurantji Recommends
Lovely food. Lovely hospitality. Dog very friendly. Brilliant value. Puts the other mcmullan pubs to shame. My family had a fantastic lunch here today.
Just okay. The beer was good but the food was not as good as we'd hoped for given other reviews and pictures. Service from the younger members of staff was friendly, but a bit abrupt from some of the others. The pub is family and dog friendly and was a convenient stop for walking in the woods. We would go back for a drink, but not to eat I don't think.
Stunning views with excellent service and
We have a reasonably large group for an evening birthday meal.Service was fantastic, the food was excellent, the choice was brilliant, with plenty of vegan options. Food was served hot and timely. We will be back again soon. Thank
This bar is run by Ladys, lovely atmosphere plus they make you feel at home so