My husband and I went for dinner on Saturday evening .. we were almost the only people there, which sounded alarm bells. However, we thought we would still go ahead, maybe everyone is away on holiday over the Easter period.

We could sit pretty much where we wanted, the menus were already on the table. This was a tired looking piece of paper with very little choice for a Saturday night dinner.

Anyway we were prepared to make the best of it. I had garlic mushrooms on toast, my husband had whitebait. The mushrooms and sauce was OK though the toast was a little too crispy (I had to be very careful cutting into it, worried about it going across the table). My husbands whitebait had a chemical after taste which was not enjoyable.

However the main course was better, I had risotto (which I enjoyed), and my husband had liver with bubble and squeak (which was mostly made up of carrots).

We decided to have a pudding (which unfortunately was a mistake). We both chose plum crumble and custard. I couldn't finish mine. It was far too sweet and I think maybe it was heated up far too much and the crumble seemed to melt.

Having been to the Headley a few years ago and having good memories of it we were very disappointed and I'm afraid very unlikely to go back.

The staff were polite and friendly.

(Couldn't comment on the toilets as we didn't use them.)

Fantastic, fantastic, fantastic. Great food great place my wife was very happy with the food and it made our anniversary. We are going back with our kids as it was very kiddy friendly.

FOR ALL YOU PEOPLE SLATING IT - READ BELOW AND GIVE IT ANOTHER CHANCE IT HAS REALLY CHANGED!!!!



I have now been to the Headley about 4 times in 2 years and it has varied.

Our last visit was last week - August 4th 2010 for a friends birthday - and it was FANTASTIC!!!

I had seen recently banners saying under new management and the signs had all changed to say that it was now The Headley steak house, so thought why not - we like steak!

Well we were not disappointed, they have new menus, simpler and not so fussy.

The prices have been lowered considerably - and yet the food is better! We were welcomed as soon as we arrived, and asked if we would like to sit straight down or have a drink at the bar first, we opted to sit straight down, our drinks order was taken there and then and within a couple of minutes we had our drinks, the menu is on the place mat on the table, so we didnt' wait anytime at all to read it and shortly followed someone took our order - all in all, everything was done at a nice pace, not rushed and not left waiting

I had a traditional prawn cocktail for starter and it was fantastic to not see frozen prawns or ridculous amounts of sauce - it was just right event with brown bread as it is suppose to, my partner had the tempura prawns which he raved about and if he thought he could get a way with ordering another lot of he would, a friend had the chicken wings and also really enjoyed them.

Main course was just as great - i had a steak which I ordered with the Blue cheese sauce, cooked medium rare - and do you know what theat is exactly what I got, with a lovely addition of some grilled tomatoes and very tasty mushrooms!! My partner had the burger which he loved, he said that it was the first home made burger he had come across in ages that was all in proportion to its self, the bun, the patty and the salad all sat nicely together all being the same size, nothing looking like it had shrunk! I can only remember what one of our friends had and that was the chicken which he said was tasy, not dry and all round very pleasant. We order sides to go between us all and the onion rings were delicious and perfectly crunchy - and the celeriac coleslaw yum!!



We didn't have dessert but that was because we had all cleared our plates and I could not think about eating another thing!!

Ther service continued to be good for the rest of our people, we were left alone enough to enhoy our evening and talk, but we also not ignored when we wanted more drinks etc.



Overall a really GOOD meal and the price was so reasonable.



This also do Roast Beef on a Sunday - so I think I am going to have to return for that!!



People please give this place another chance, it certainly seems they have read the reviews and pulled their socks up!!!!

Unless this restaurant has been taken over in the past year I would be extremely reluctant to step foot in here again or recommend it to anyone. The service we received on both occasions was dreadful, staff had little or no customer service skills, several items on the menu had run out yet it was early into the service on a Saturday night, the starter I ordered was not properly cooked, my husband's main course order was wrong then when the bill arrived the manager refused to deduct the service charge because we were a party of 8. One word..appalling

I found this restaurant on the EssexRestaurants.com website as I was looking for somewhere different to go for a Saturday Afternnon lunch with my wife.

I was pleasantly surprised. The Pub is a great place to have a relaxing meal and the staff are very nice and friendly.

Would I eat here again - Most definitely.