The Akeman

I come here quite a lot and have had very mixed experiences.
The food is OK, but the last 2 times I’ve been they didn’t have what I wanted from the menu. I also find it to be overpriced for what it is.
The bar area is really comfortable and nicely decorated. The drinks selection is good, and even though it is cheap compared to London it is pricey for the area.
My main issue is that I find The Akeman to be quite stuffy and pretentious. They have quite a strict dress code policy at weekends, and we have been turned away a couple of times because someone in our group was wearing trainers or flip flops. On a Friday & Saturday night you would think you were in a bar in the middle of the City with the amount people dress up. I find it all a bit too much for little old Tring.

The restaurant earns one star back for being open latest on weeknights.
Ordered pork belly bites, calamari, the sirloin medium rare, and a glass of wine with the meal.
Pork bites were dry and tasteless. Apple purée was smeared all over napkin on plate. Calamari was rubbery and over done, much akin to eating plastic.
Steak was significantly over cooked, and way over seasoned. Not a server in sight to send it back. Merlot came after dinner was consumed. No beverage during meal, which I find unacceptable. Chips with meal, no vinegar or ketchup provided. Again, no server, ate the leathery steak and dry chips. Washed the pepper taste out of my mouth with the late Merlot.
But it’s open for a last drink at the bar just after the pubs close. There’s always that.

Had lunch here after visiting The Natural History Museum. It looked welcoming from the outside, and once we looked at the menu outside, we went in.
Although it was quiet (probably being a weekday lunchtime) my friend and I were greeted promptly and in a friendly manner and taken to a table meant for four, which actually made a nice change to being crammed onto a table for two as it meant we had some elbow room.
She took our drink order and talked us through that days specials and the dishes which were unavailable. Our drinks arrived a couple of minutes later where she asked if we were ready to order, we asked for more time, which she did. When we were ready, she was engaging and upbeat and took our orders and highly recommend the sweet potato chips.
When our food arrived, it was well presented and was surprisingly more chips than I was expecting (cannot complain about that) with my veggie burger. It wasn’t a ‘traditional’ veggie burger (more layered ingredients in a bun) but it was probably the best burger I have had at any restaurant. My friend had the pork belly and she enjoyed it greatly.
The waitress was prompt with any needs but did not hover over us which was good as we didn’t feel rushed. Once we had finished, we declined a pudding as we were full from the main course, a good sign of good sized portions.
I would highly recommend this restaurant for those having a day out at the museum. Going from previous reviews, they really have improved themselves and hope to have the opportunity to visit again soon.

Popped in for a hot chocolate, lovely atmosphere, loads of space, friendly staff. Haven’t eaten here before so not sure about food

We arrived with our toddler son after spending the morning at the Natural History Museum. Having looked round the town center to see what was on offer, we settled for the Akeman. This was mainly because there was plenty of seating and it seemed a reasonable establishment from it’s appearance, menu and of course it’s proximity to the museum was an added bonus.
The service once inside was friendly, but very, very slow. We ordered drinks as soon as we sat down. They arrived 15 minutes later after we’d reminded the waitress. She told us as she took our food order «oh… your drinks are ready on the bar…», we wondered how long they had been sat there.
We then waited another 25 – 30 minutes for our food to arrive, we were all getting really hungry, but the place was reasonably quiet so we couldn’t see any reason for the delay. I ordered the burger and it arrived slightly over cooked for my taste. I wasn’t given the choice of how I’d like it cooked, so I can’t blame them for that (or can I?). My wife’s duck sandwich was dry and tasteless and looked like £0.75 rather than £9.75 and was only marginally saved by the addition of fries to the order for an extra £1. My sons Cod Wheels were cooked to the point of being inedible, dry and tough, they looked like someone had forgotten them in the fryer.
When we were asked about the food, I explained the problems and we were offered free desert & coffee, which my wife accepted, but to add insult to injury the waitress forgot to put the order into the kitchen and after waiting another 15 – 20 minutes we asked for the bill and received it with the desert. Our son was getting understandably tired, so after a couple of bites of unremarkable and what seemed bought in apple pie, we paid our bill and left.
To sum up, the bar and restaurant décor has seen better days, but it seemed well used and comfortably shabby. The service really needs some work, the (assistant?) manager didn’t seem terribly interested in his customers and the waiting staff were friendly, but not very well trained/​managed. For an establishment selling a 7oz fillet steak for £25, they hav a long way to go to get my business back, but maybe we were just really unlucky…
To the owner:
The duck sandwich is known to the staff to be a loser, other customers have complained about it, either re-​invent it or get it off your menu, it’s really letting you and your customers down.
Get your managers to manage instead of eating in front of customers and hanging off the till at the front of the restaurant like some sort of over dressed greeter.

Good tasty food. We had the lamb and the duck, both well cooked with scrumption sauce. service was good and it was an enjoyable place to be on a Sunday evening.

Definitely trendy, and as a Tring resident who has eaten here maybe 20 time in last 4 years I can also confirm that is is now very overpriced and offers very poor service. On our last few visiits we have had to send food back every time on one occasion the food had to be sent back three times before we gave up, but were able to keep ourselves amused while waiting by listening to other tables around us sending their food back as well. Its strange that the other restaurants owned by this chain get such good reviews while this one consistently gets bad ones on all major review sites.

worth noting that the location is in that part of Tring reserved for Hotpoint repair shops and non-​chain pizza delivery outlets. Food reasonable, service not so hot. Prices inflated.

Nice addition to the pub/​bar scene in Tring. Enjoyed a really great breakfast in here a few weeks ago. Staff were fantastic and friendly, they also quickly rectified a mistake with our order. Very cool venue and well worth a trip.

The Akeman is quite possibly the most trendy bar in Tring, also doubling as a restaurant serving a wide selection of well cooked food. It is primarily a wine bar but also serves a fine selection of world beers on draught. It is a little more pricey than the some other bars in Tring but is certainly not over expensive. It is very well kept inside and is a fantastic place to drink and meet friends. It can get a little busy on Friday and Saturday nights however this is not unpleasant, it may just take longer to reach the bar!

Quite a funky and unusual bar cum restaurant for this neck of the woods in deepest Hertfordshire.
Plus Points:
— The building is really interesting mix of old and contemporary
— Good cocktail choice
— Food was nicely served and nice to taste
Downers:
— Service was mixed. Friendly but slow. We had to ask twice to make orders
— Food is a little pricey by maybe £2 a dish in my honest opinion

Great new reataurant, bar in Tring. Pop in for a coffe or sit down for a memorable lunch or dinner. Open kitchen to see your food prepared. Would recommend the Burger in Ciabatta Bun.