The Drunken Duck Inn

I’ve dined at the Drunken Duck 5 times in as many years, and until now it has always been a brilliant experience. The setting continues to be lovely, but the food has entirely lost its lustre. This all began to make sense when we were informed at the end of the meal that the chef who had helmed the kitchen for 15+ years has recently left. The new chef has taken favourites off the menu (goodbye venison bourguignon suet pudding) and replaced them with rather run of the mill dishes. The Jerusalem artichoke starter was unsatisfying and undercooked. The steak pie was mediocre - filling was fine, pastry was overcooked, and plain steamed veg on the side was reminiscent of a chain carvery. I will give them some credit as everything tasted homemade, if rather uninteresting. I really hope that the new chef brings back some of the classic DD dishes, introduces some more interesting ones, or the management correct course with new kitchen leadership. We love the Drunken Duck and fear its decline would spell a great loss for the Lakes!

Very disappointing. We booked for lunch last Friday 22 March expecting a delicious meal (my brother had eaten here a couple of years ago and highly recommended it). The person I spoke to on the phone was so pleasant and as far as I could see online there was an a la carte menu with a wide choice. Coming up from London for the weekend, we were really looking forward to it. The reality was very different. Only 5 choices for mains on the menu: two vegan; a steak pie which looked as if it had been bought from a caterer, warmed up, plonked on the plate with beans so al dente it was difficult to cut them with a knife and thick tasteless chips; a faux Mexican taco filled as far as I remember with mushrooms; and an empanada filled with I can't remember what - it wasn't worth remembering. Each item cost £22 for food that probably should have been nearly half of that. The service lacked warmth and the dining room felt bare and cold, unlike the rest of the inn where the decor was much more friendly, interesting and in good taste. What a pity.

Lovely welcome as you enter and a great local atmosphere. I sampled some great ales brewed on site and had a lovely meal. The staff were friendly and the place had a lovely local vide about it. The venison was cooked superbly. A lovely little find

We managed to get a group booking, and had a fantastic evening of excellent food, excellent service and a really great space to enjoy together. Everyone was blown away by the quality of the food thank you

The impressively huge Yorkshire pudding was, I think, meant to make up for the lacklustre vegetables it was sitting on. Roast carrot and steamed broccoli were nice enough, but the braised red cabbage was too acidic, making the whole dish taste weird and the roast potatoes didn’t taste fresh, but reheated. Sticky toffee pudding was very good; however making that minuscule portion of accompanying ice cream stretch with each mouthful of pudding spoilt the treat. Service was good but overall it was definitely overpriced and positively underwhelming.

We visited in June as a birthday treat. We stayed on a campsite in Hawkshead and walked to the pub ( approx 2 mile) with our two dogs looking forward to a lovely meal at the end of it. Only to be told that the only food availble outside or in the dog friendly area was only soup or chips even though the other menu was still being served in the other room!!! Doesnt take much effort to bring the food into the next room surely??? Obviously dont need the business if you can turn away a £150+ sale!! Left feeling very dissappointed and went to eat somewhere else where we felt welcome.

Upon walking from holiday cottage with recommendations of being great for food. We found only a soup on the menu for outside and in bar area as we had a dog and could not eat inside the pub. Wanted to spend over £100 as celebration meal. Told short staffed. If they were busy they could pay more for staff. Can’t see management lasting as business survives on customers!

Disappointing pork based dish, menu said crackling instead it was fat shavings served with and overpowering gravy/sauce. Side order of chips were excellent although a little inappropriate for this meal. Overall disappointing experience will not be returning anytime soon.

Lunch was nice enough but, considering the price, it should be. There are plenty of places in the Lakes where you can get a nice meal and yet it will cost half as much. £120 for lunch for 2 people is pushing it. Consequently, it will be a while before we come back.