The Speckled Hen

I visited The Speckled Hen, St Albans today 7÷8÷12 with 3 work colleagues. Working locally, we have often visited there over the years. I assume it is under new management? I ordered Ciabata with mozzarella which was not toasted and frankly inedible and tasteless. Chips were soggy. Diet coke was served straight from 2 litre bottle but i was charged £4.80 for two glasses. I ate most of chips as was hungry but did complain about meal, which i returned (only took a bite out of ciabata). My colleagues all agreed with me that ciabata is usually served toasted and that chips were soggy. My colleagues were all disappointed with their meals also, but ate them, except for their chips. A man, i assumed to be the manager came to my table asking why i had complained. (he didnt say who he was) I explained why and he said none of the sandwiches served there are toasted. My colleague pointed out that the club sandwich is toasted. He went on to say he couldnt understand how the chips were soggy when they had been fried. He then said had i asked for it to be toasted then it could have been. My ciabata was taken away, but they did not offer to toast it, i was not offered a replacement and i was not offered a parital refund. He just walked
apology, nothing. So i had only a few soggy chips and a coffee for lunch. I would not return there.

This is the 2^nd time I have been to this pub. I would say it is ok pub fair (not gastro) but generally nice enough. I’m a veggie and they have a couple of interesting things on the menu. It’s very convenient to where I live, I wouldn’t go out out of my way to go there. On my 2^nd visit the service was appalling the young staff didn’t have a clue. We had finished our meals 3 staff were doing nothing except chatting!!! Then 2 went around checking the empty tables but did not clear our tables, we then put our plates on an empty table they cleared but didn’t ask how our meal was or ask if we wanted dessert. I think this is a training issue. I also had a g & t, when I asked if they had a stirrer they said no and didn’t even offer a spoon!
So ok food, service not so good, probably go back as it’s so convenient.

Good straight forward pub with decent meals. I went to the quiz night on Monday night with friends and we enjoyed it. There were 3 real ale hand pumps — one was completely off, the St Edmunds went off as I got there and it took most of the evening to get back on and the IPA was on all evening. It’s a fairly large pub with sofas at the front, relaxed areas, bar areas and cubby holes so something for everyone. It’s the wrong time of year for the garden but there are quite a few tables at the front. Personally I don’t like the name change — I much prefer the Bunch of Cherries. Their menu says it was the only pub in the country to be called that. Now, there are no pubs and presumably a few called Speckled Hen. Anyway, a good night and willl definitely go there again.

No, it didn’t serve Old Speckled Hen on my visit amusingly enough, at least not on pump. Apparently it often does serve it though. I wonder if they served bunches of cherries, back when it was called The Bunch Of Cherries. Either way they serve food and there were 3 ales on pump (including a guest).
This pub is on a main road outside the centre of St Albans. I wouldn’t recommend the walk from the centre, it’s more the kind of pub you drive tobut then of course you can’t drinkso I’d recommend the vastly overpriced bus (why are buses in Hertfordshire charging more than twice as much as in London?)
Anyway the pub seems very nice. Has an olde feel despite being very modern and the vastness of the interior is calmed by an excellent layout in different sections. Outside there are picnic style tables where you can sit and get hypnotized by traffic.

One of my local pubs in St Albans which was recently done up. Good size with plenty of seating. Large beer garden as well and an area for smokers so everyone is catered for (!)
Food is good, cheap and there is a good selection of drinks. They’ve also started having bands play there occassionally and have specific food nights which run for 2 weeks or so.
Recommended for a quite drink in the evening!

This has recently changed name to the Speckled Hen. It is a lovely pub based just outside of the town centre which has been fully modernised and decorated.
The food is delicious and there is a wide variety of home-​cooked food. Some of the bar areas has sofas which are really relaxing to sit in and in the summer there is a nice garden area with giant games such as Jenga to keep the children (and adults!) amused!