Everything was very good. As an American still getting used to some of the customs here. Ordering…read moreis quite different from American restaurants. You order before you are seated and go to the bar for your own drinks. All in all the food was good.

Extremely disappointing! Having visited and very much enjoyed the food and atmosphere at the Owls…read moreon many, many previous occasion, sadly Saturday nights experience was very, very uncomfortable due to the restaurant being extremely cold and draughty. These cool conditions prompted our party and other customers to dine in the upstairs seating area in our outdoor coats in order to keep warm. We did request a warmer place to dine and after eating our starters, were subsequently move to the downstairs conservatory which was marginally warmer. Clearly, the heating arrangements were totally inadequate. Regrettably! The food was also not at the Owls usual standard, ie the sprouts were stale and unpleasant and the carrots appeared to have been kept and reheated. Sadly, our family and freinds will not be returning to dine at the Owls in future unless the comfort conditions and food quality greatly improve from our latest experience.

I went here for my boyfriend's birthday this week, my first ever visit - and it was fantastic…read more The food was quite reasonably priced and really delicious! There was quite a wide variety of food available too - so loads of choice. Also had a tasty glass of wine :) The staff were lovely and really attentive - even though it seemed fairly busy. Very pleasant experience! Would definitely go again.

Used to go here about 12 year ago, as the food, service and prices were always spot on…read more Recently went back and I'm glad to say it is still spot on. Great traditional british food (and a good few ethnic dishes) on offer, nice pleasant staff, good prices. If what you want is a great Sunday Roast or more - go here and enjoy.

Located Centrally in Standish town center this vibrant boozer is a both bright and modern inside. a…read moregood selection of beers on draught and live acts on regularly. they even cater for the smokers with a generous annex at the side with tables and chairs.

Just been for our tea, ordered 2 sirloin steaks asked for medium, they were the worst steaks I have…read moreever had in my life, impossible to chew due to veins running all through them, I left mine, my other ate half, so we paid £24 fo chips and peas, dreadful never go again

The macdonalds of the pub world. the food is the same as it was last year .. and everything comes…read morewith chips. a popular favourite with families as has kiddies play areas and menus to match.( also mostly with chips) beer is good and night staff are friendly. if you have kids and they like chips and knickerbocker glories it's 2mins off J27 of the M6..

The owners have converted this pub into a lovely restaurant specialising in English/French cooking…read moreusing local produce, especially good for fish.

This family run business does 1st rate food at very reasonable prices. Expect to have to book (…read moreespecially at the weekends ) as it is has a limited number of tables and is very popular. They don't run multiple sittings either ( which i like ) so your table is your table all night long..and you don't feel rushed in any way. Because it's not a huge place the waiting-on staff attend to your every need..often before you know you need it !!! The menu is very well balanced with specials from the seasons best offerings. they do great fish and game specials , accompanied with firm favoutites of beef, lamb, etc. the startes are always excellent and the desserts just too tempting not to at least share one or three around the table. They have excellent wine choices, and all at prices that won't leave you crying ixnto your bank statement. If you haven't eaten here pick a date 3 weeks from now and some very dear friends and book!! you won't be dissapointed.. ( NB Don't judge this book by it's cover :The resturant is in two halves the one where you sit and ponder the menu over a GnT or similar, and this looks like a small country boozer where you'd get served gammon and chips The dining room is a different place alltogether, it's beautifully decked out and candle lit for a great ambience..)

I found The Black Horse by chance! My car broke down on Long Lane, on the way to Chorley, and so I…read moretook respite in the classic country looking inn and had a lovely lunch. Today I returned for dinner, having meant to come back for dinner ever since I enjoyed that first lunch visit by chance. I'm surprised it's not already on Yelp as it's not new either. It's over 1000 years old. Yes you read that right. The Black Horse is believed to be one of the oldest serving taverns in the country, and was the second pub in the country to be granted a license back in 1577. Every corner and beam exudes the feeling of a classic English pub/tavern. It's comfortable, cosy, and welcoming, with dark wooden furniture, a roaring fire, and warmly lit side rooms. It's everything you would want in a proper English pub. As I don't drink, we were here for dinner, and were greeted warmly and given menus. The staff are friendly and familiar, it's their business and their baby, and they want to make sure people enjoy their visit. The menu has recently been updated and has some fantastic sounding options, as well as periodical specials. On this occasion, we chose the starters of black pudding scotch egg, and garlic flatbread. We were surprised. It's a pub, so you don't quite expect the artistic and pleasant presentation of the black pudding scotch egg, which was beautifully tempting to look at, and perfectly cooked with a lovely soft yolk. The mustard sauce was creamy with a gentle kick. The garlic flatbread was subtle on the garlic side, but lusciously buttery and fresh. The staff checked on us now and then to make sure everything was ok, even the chef herself at one point. Very enjoyable indeed. For our mains, we chose the cheese and onion pie, and the fish and chips, two classics of British pub food! The best bit? The chef came out and asked how I'd like the side of bread and butter cut with my fish and chips! We all know why too... preference... do you just want bread? Chip butties? It's all dependant on that cut! It was nice to be asked! Both were again presented pleasantly. The pie was unctuously cheesy in a perfectly crispy pastry, not a soggy bottom in sight! The mash you could tell from the moment it was placed on the table was proper home made mash, and the comforting thick gravy provided was perfect for flooding the lot! Wonderful! The fish and chips were equally good. The mushy peas were nice, and the tartare sauce was particularly good, however my praise is mainly on the fish, which was outstanding! The quality of the fish alone was excellent, and the batter was crunchy, crispy, golden perfection! For dessert we chose the sticky toffee pudding (it's a classic!) and from the specials menu, the jam roly poly. Both with custard. We're Northern. The sticky toffee pudding was deliciously rich whilst being super light and fluffy! The smell of the jam roly poly slapped in the face as soon as it arrived, whisking me back to nostalgic childhood sunday dinners. The taste was amazing, not just in flavour, but the crust on the pudding was just right, with the occasional chewy crunchy bit. Bloody marvellous! I'd come again just that jam roly pudding! Basically The Black Horse is everything you want from a proper old English pub. It's established, cosy, warm, welcoming, and offers great drinks, excellent food, and a thoroughly pleasant atmosphere. I recommend it thoroughly!

Wow ordered a ploughman's platter ( takeaway) what a fabulous feast more than enough for 3 of us ,…read morefantastic taste , great value , definitely ordering more , highly recommend

As a child I was fascinated by Little Scotland. We used to drive through on our way to Aspull when…read moreI went out with my grandparents. It was little because it was literally a tiny country lane, but I'm not sure about the Scotland bit... In the middle of rambling fields and winding lanes you will find Suzanna's. Just outside Blackrod, and very much a step back in time to the bit that escaped development. I remember this building being Gallagher's, a friend of my grandad's. Funnily enough, although I was aware of its presence for many years, I don't actually know anyone who went there, perhaps that is why it is now Suzanna's! After visiting the restaurant with cake club I couldn't wait to go and try the new menu. I called the very next day for a reservation! The decor and staff had already won me over, so I had high expectations for the food. Suzanna is a lovely lady; passionate about her work, the food and her family, but also well travelled and has eaten at some of my favourite restaurants. I was sure this was going to be a good experience! They didn't let me down. My husband and I went on Friday night. I had been dreaming of the assiette of desserts that she had teased me with on Monday... We started with a small aperitif, not something I expected for a restaurant nestled between Blackrod and Haigh! It was a piece of ham terrine with a lovely quail scotch egg on top. We didn't have starters because we both fancied a dessert (some piglet might have been out for lunch as well...) My husband had the Pork Three Ways, and I opted for the burger. I always find a burger is a good test of a restaurant. Easy to get right, but equally easy to make a right pig's ear of it. Both were lovely. What Suzanna's seem to be able to do is serve homely food, but they also capture enough of the fine dining element to make the trip feel a little more special than your average town restaurant. My burger was well seasoned and cooked to perfection. They make their own burger sauce too. The skinny fries were really tasty, and I particularly liked the fact they had their skin on. The pork dish includes a fillet wrapped in bacon, confit belly and ham hock terrine. It's served with dauphinoise potatoes and a local cider sauce. If I'm being honest, I could have quite happily just gone to Suzanna's for desserts. Reading through the menu, I could have easily tried everything they had to offer! Traditional desserts, all homemade, all tempting me... Then there is the assiette. One of almost everything on the menu. This is one of my favourite desserts ever. It's a true tasting platter! None of this trio malarky! We had trifle, bakewell tart, vanilla ice cream, cinnamon ice cream, sticky toffee pudding, lemon tart and carrot cake. We 'shared' it. I have no shame in telling you that I could have devoured the entire plate myself. I loved it. I would happily recommend Suzanna's. We had a relaxing evening with great food. We'll definitely be making a return visit!

As I am completely unfamiliar with the surrounding areas of Wigan I hadn't heard of Suzanna's…read morebefore this weekend and it's a big surprise; the perfect restaurant and bar for special occasions I cannot believe I haven't been treated here before! Stepping in to the bar area you are greeted by big velvet covered armchairs, much akin to images of men sipping brandy in front of open fires, and exposed brick. The reason my review is only 4 stars also lies within this bar - the TV and fruit machine really take away from the atmosphere they are trying, and almost succeeding, to create. The bar staff were polite and helpful and, when it was time to move from the bar to the restaurant, the server took our drinks for us, one of my favourite things when moving from one room to another whilst eating out. The dining area has a real luxury feel to it, with leather covered booths and exposed beams, expensive but comfortable and warm, a balance that can be hard to find. Service was efficient and they seemed happy to go away and come back to take our order later, not annoyed by our indecisiveness about both food and wine (when I say our I mean the men of the table - the women had decided before we'd even sat down thanks to looking at the menu online!) I skipped starters due to my love of dessert but everything was presented well and generated the correct noises from my fellow diners. My choice for main was confit of duck leg and it was delicious; moist, falling from the bone, but with some amazing crispy sections hidden away underneath. The mash was smooth and creamy, blending perfectly with the sweet braised red cabbage and red wine reduction. The menu has a great selection meaning even the fussiest of eaters will be able to find something; I was very much drawn towards the breaded chicken & chorizo burger or the chicken & chorizo risotto (which the bf eventually chose and I managed to snaffle a forkful - smokey and creamy but chunks of chorizo alongside the chicken would have really lifted it!) For dessert I tucked in to warm chocolate fudge cake and ice cream after a long battle with the bf's mum about who was going to have the lemon tart and who would have the cake - you can't have the same dessert!! The cake was moist and drenched in chocolate sauce and the ice cream was sat on top of a tasty nutty crumble, adding another element to the dish. The lemon tart had just the right amount of tang and came with a bright coulis, perfect when you've had a heavy meal. A great experience here and somewhere we will all definitely return to, but not to play the slots.

this pub sits on a very old crossroads between wigan, chorley and standish. the pub itself is as…read moreold as they come and decor to match. that's not a put down.. it's just full of old world charm.. real ales and closing times to match. if you do find it open popin and ask for a magners just to confuse them :-) seriously good bitter but that's what they are about if you like your beer in a bottle this ain't for you.

The boars head on the outskirts of wigan 'standish' one of the last old style pubs in wigan. As a…read morelocal to the area I can honestly say the pub is slowly being ran into the ground. The staff and ignorant and many are under the legal aged to serve alcohol. What use to be a friendly old mans working mans pub is now the new hang out for teenagers. It seems to be a drinking hole for them on the weekend before they hit king street. The owners seem to turn a blind eye to the under age kid that are being served and who are working behind the bar. And for the food, well you would think as they are in competition with the brocket that is within walking distance for the pub they would up their game a little but all I can say is the petrol station across the road have better pre packed sandwichs than the quality they expect you to eat. Which comes to my next point. I know it is in one of the better off places in wigan but they don't half use that to their advantage. Beer and food is too expensive!!! It's a shame but this pub is no longer a nice and friendly place to be , unless you under the legal age if 18.

Went here before Christmas for Saturday lunch on the suggestion of my vegan dining companion. She…read morehadn't been here before and may have picked up this claim on their website: "The local vegetarians and vegans, who regularly eat in both the Bar and Southwell's Restaurant, say we have the best selection of vegetarian and vegan dishes in the area." As a vegetarian myself, and having cycled past the Farmers Arms on many occasions, it seemed worth a go. We ate in the bar, but from a passing glance on the way in the restaurant looks very luxurious by any standards, let alone for a pub restaurant in these parts! The bar does the English pub ambience reasonably well, with a warm glow from the woodburning stove. Staff were friendly and welcoming throughout our visit. We both ordered some sort of curry from the six or so choices on the vegan/vegetarian menu. While my overall experience of Farmers Arms was OK, the food was definitely sub-standard. The curry itself, both my companion and I thought had a strange after-taste. I suggested at the time that this might come from some indian vegetable or herb, but it dawned on us later that a green potato was a likelier explanation. Which doesn't really surprise me, as the veg was a hodge-podge of roughly cut baby potatoes, julienne carrots, uncaramelised onions and nothing else outstanding. The curry sauce was thin and unappetising - even a scoop of a Patak's jarred curry sauce would have been a big improvement. Poppadom on top (OK) and by far the highlight of the meal was the food service chips served as part of my friend's half rice/half chips. Coffee after the meal for the lady was "bog standard" in her words. En route, we had passed from Fir Tree Farm Christmas Market into the farm shop and cafe itself. There don't seem to be menus on the tables these days at Fir Tree, only a short, daily changing blackboard menu. If it were all about a safe bet for wholesome sustenance, a bowl of soup at Fir Tree would wins hands down every time. But one needs to take a chance, and here is hoping that the next throw of the dice turns out a bit luckier! It wouldn't surprise me to read a good review of vegetarian food served especially from the restaurant at Farmers Arms. But I feel it somebody else's job to take a chance on that one!

The best pub in this featureless snobby, inbred area…read more The nearby Eagle and Child is a overrated, pretentious, snobbish dump serving overpriced substandard food to inbred snobby p**cks in Range Rovers. Choose this place instead.

I attended a gorgeous wedding here last Friday and must say I was blown away by the efficent but…read more'seen & not heard' service and gorgeous decor. Yes, I am bias - it was my FIRST EVER wedding (at the grand old age of 21 that seems to be a bit of a mean feat!) and, yes, it was my bf's cousin's, so of course it was a beautiful occasion. The house itself is grand and sumptuous, if a house can be, if a little let down by its driveway. Saying that, it's in the middle of Standish, so one can't expect the same long country lanes you get, well, in the middle of the country. Once inside we were greeted by traditional decorations and matching furnishings and ushered into a bar area where we were to greet the groom and additional family before moving into the ceremony space. The bar staff worked quickly and efficently, even with cash and card handling, and never seemed to be rushed. Plus, they were generous with the servings, which was what everyone seemed to need! Into the ceremony space, which was a lovely little room with a high ceiling, large window, and traditional paintings hanging on the wall. I was impressed that the decoration of the space, even though it was simple, was not ruined by these paintings or the floral carpet; the colours matched and toned the space down from its Tudor/Edwardian/Victorian essence (hey, I read American Studies, English history is not my strong point!) and made it much more romantic and intimate. Needless to say, the bride looked gorgeous and the space suited the number of people perfectly. Back out into the bar area for what our cousins across the pond would call 'cocktail hour' we received a glass of Pimm's each and started the evening celebrations! Again, the staff at Ashfield House worked around the clamour of people spilling out into the space and got quickly onto changing the ceremony space into our eating area. Obviously after a few drinks time flies but it really did feel like they did a quick job of it, keeping everyone contented but allowing the bride and groom time for photos on the grand staircase and in the gardens when they got a few spots of bright weather! Whilst eating the service was prompt and efficent, obviously on a schedule, maintaining the group's happy buzz and keeping everyone topped up with food and wine. Plates were cleared quickly, the food was hot, and the wine delicious. (After that, it all gets a bit hazy.)