The Stables in East Devon

Genuinely awful - food inedible, most drinks not in stock, zero atmosphere - what has happened to this previously lovely cosy pub/restaurant? Only highlight was the lovely Irish guy who seemed to be doing absolutely everything.

Not open despite having booked a table and had a confirmation Email for the particular day and time. Had parents over from Cyprus and had to find another venue so as not to spoil the evening.

Easy to get to, just outside of exeter. Plenty of parking. Now do a carvery

Saturday evening before Christmas. Just our table of 4 and two to three other tables taken all evening, so no atmosphere to speak of in this large, roomy venue. New 'leather' bench seating looks great, but so low we were virtually resting chins on the table, so moved across to the other side. At least there was plenty choice of where to sit! Pretty chilly, so kept coats on a while. Remember a roaring fire there - in the past... And so to the food... we all opted for chicken wing starters and carvery. Somewhat perturbed to have to order dessert at the same time. Not sure if we wanted dessert, and certainly didn't know which one before we'd even started! Anyway.. chicken wings were lovely, carvery meat was also very good. Potatoes appeared to have been reheated from lunchtime (maybe only a few tables then too) and none of it was over-warm. As for the dessert... 'spotted dick' was a piece cut off a roll of doughey spongey tasteless mush with a few bits of unidentifiable dried fruits hiding in there, and (probably) reheated in the microwave. Custard was half-decent though, similar to a well-known tinned brand. Felt so sorry for the three lovely staff members we saw. How embarrassing for them... Won't be visiting again until we hear it has returned to at least it's former standards.

Absolutely terrible from start to finish, where do I begin, booked the upstairs room and when we arrived, they just put us at one end of the pub which was freezing and by the kitchen, the menus offered were totally different from the one written on the board, no coke, no cocktails, no fruit ciders, 2 members of staff one of which was serving carvery and doing the bar, starters were terrible the soup was like dishwaterixed with tomato puree (homemade apparently) the carvery itself wasn't too bad but the Yorkshire puddings were rock hard, the desserts were dry as the bottom of a birdcage and were only offered with strawberry ice-cream which did not go, one person found something hard in their dessert alot of full plates taken back, and no manger in sight ha sto call them and speak on phone who were extremely rude and unapologetic, will not be coming back or recommend it to anyone it should seriously rethink about closing or getting a new manger

We were here for our annual family lunch and hoped for a cosy pub with good service for our elderly family group and a wheelchair user. Unfortunately we were disappointed on both counts. On arrival we were shown to a table which was directly in line with the front door. The door was hooked open, as was the inside door too. The cold wind was blowing in making it very chilly, and the noise of the passing traffic on the main road was unacceptable, so the minute we arrived we had to ask for a different table in a more comfortable part of the pub, We were told that the doors were open because they had been trying to light the fire and the room was full of smoke. On requesting 3 sherries at the bar we were told that nobody drinks sherry so they didn't have any sherry glasses, so they had to serve the drinks in 3 small tumblers instead. The carvery itself was pretty good, apart from the roast potatoes, which were so hard and dry they were inedible. No one came to our table whilst we were eating to ask if everything was okay, and no one came to the table to clear our plates away once we had finished, so in the end we piled them up ourselves and moved them out of the way. One of us went to the bar to request a glass of tap water, but although there was another customer waiting, there was no one there to serve us and we had to wait for 6 or 7 minutes for someone to arrive. Later we went to the bar to order desserts and coffees, only to be left waiting again at an empty bar. We waited quite a while, then some more customers came for drinks and when the barman (who also seemed to be the carvery chef and the waiter) arrived he went straight on to serve them first! It was at this point that we decided to leave and go next door to the garden centre to finish our meal. To be fair, the food was good and the staff were pleasant, polite and helpful, but there were just not enough of them - they were trying to be everywhere at once. The price of the carvery was very reasonable and they do a special discount for seniors, and the drinks were fairly priced too, but in spite of this we didn't feel like valued customers so sorry, but we won't be visiting again.

Went there last night was very disappointing they seem to be under new ownership Carvery was under heat lamps which is fine but even heat lamps will not keep food hot for long periods the service at the was slow but the guy at the bar was going as fast as possible the whole business was severely understaffed and no manager or owners on site the very few staff that were there had to phone up the owners/magers for advice on dealing with a bill We had a large group booking and we ended up squeezing around a table that had been laid for four and there was seven of us The whole experience was a shambles and without any sort of leadership

We visited on Saturday 7th December at around 5:30 for an evening meal….we were literally the only people in the pub at one point, which is a shame as it used to be very busy with a great atmosphere. We opted for a carvery (two meat and one veggie) All three cost the same, however I wasn’t offered anything other than the tepid vegetables to accompany my veggie carvery. The lights weren’t working in the gents toilet and the accessible toilet had to be unlocked by a member of staff using two eating utensils. The member of staff on duty was lovely, he had clearly been dumped in it with no support (I think he said it was his second day working there) I feel a bit sad that this place has gone down hill so badly, it was our go to place for birthdays, Christmas and meet ups with friends. Sadly we won’t hurry back.

If you don’t want good customer service in a timely manner then come to this place

Very poor experience with carvery Lunch.

We came here for a group Christmas lunch - a set menu all pre ordered. Total lack of atmosphere! The staff didn’t know what had been ordered and it was a shambles. Prawn cocktail was just prawns- no lettuce or garnish. The Stables will have to up their game.

What a shame. We always meet here once a year for a Men's re union, we have always had good food from a good menu. We could only have a carvery because of a problem in the Kitchen, I think its the worst carvery that I have ever had. thats it for us no return.

Awful awful awful! For some reason the management have stopped offering their interesting and varied menu which included a half decent roast on Sundays and changed to a carvery which was truly DREADFUL! Haven’t had such a bad meal for many years ! Avoid !

Went for Sunday carvery, potatoes hard and funny taste, meat a bit overcooked, asked for cauliflower cheese they brought out cauliflower and broccoli no sauce, puddings worse, bumped into someone who recommended 2 weeks ago and raved about the food but they said they couldn't eat it this time as it was so bad,

Really nice atmosphere, felt really welcomed and the carvery was spot on, Will certainly come back

Disgusting food ,we had a beef lasagne and a veg lasagne, apart from one desert spoon of meat ,both were very sloppy and tasteless , the service was very haphazard and the menu was a sheet of paper with 4 choices ,no specials, very disappointing won't be going again ,sorry .

There is nothing good about this place reserved a table months in advance and was given to a party that had reserved a couple days before . Staff are rude food is cold and veg is hard

Lovely Sunday lunch with friends read some reviews & wasn't sure glad we came still can't understand what some people have written one of the best Sunday roasts I've had would highly recommend

I would normally hold back from making negitive comments but in this case I'm going to make an exception. The carvery was awful! It took ages to refill the roast potatos which were still almost raw & the couple next to us had been waiting over 45 minutes before it was ready to serve. The meat was just about OK but everything else was very bland or raw or par cooked with nothing much actually being edible. We paid £36.00 for two carveries & 2 drinks & I wish I hadn't bothered! The others walked out & left their food just before we did! The staff were all very young & that, with the obvious lack of experience is reflected in the quality of the service & especially the food. I wanted to go get my dogs to see if they would eat the food but my missus wouldn't let me! Gordon Ramsey would have a field day with this bunch! Get some cooking tips off somebody's Gran please "for gods sake" because that way at least you'll manage to turn out a decent roast dinner! Think of this as a positive bit of good advice rather than outright complaint! You can keep my £36 & go get some cooking lessons!

We used to be regulars here however I'm afraid the stables has gone down hill. We walked in to find someone receiving a refund on the food they had ordered, not a great start to the atmosphere. You now have to pay for your food before you recieve, terrible strategy. The menu has been cut down massively including the home made Pie I always come in for. Won't be going again, which is sad.

Carvery very poor got there 5.30 no pigs in blankets beer very dry turkey tasteless ony small selection of veg Yorkshire puddings looked shop bought ehent for dessert two on offer black forest gateau and one cheesecake will certainly not go back

We booked a table for our anniversary because had been there many times , this was20 oct 5 pm we were driving up and received a call saying they had to cancel due to having no food WHAT really , never a let us give you another date , are whole anniversary was ruined , Thankyou stables very bad 😔

This is probably the worst dining experience I have ever had. Where do I start. We were a party of 7, 5 adults and 2 small children so I booked for 5.30. I booked a table for 7 and was shown to a table for 4. We ordered off the really tatty A4 paper menu along with 4 carvery's. We asked to see the wine menu we were told they had a Malbec, an Australian and a Zinfandel, no further details of the wine were known by the staff. The wine was then served in cocktail glasses!! really shoddy. 1 1/2 hours later our dinners arrived after asking several times if there was a problem with our order. We then had to get our own carvery's and waited another 10 mins for someone to actually serve us, so this meant that the people with other meals had virtually finished. We then had to wait for the 3 more lots of cutlery to arrive. The meat was a choice of gammon or turkey, both cold along with the luke warm small variety of veg swimming in grease. The other meals were not much nicer. Our table was left uncleared for another 1/2 hour while we waited for 2 ice creams for the children. The person in charge then decided to let us wait another 10 mins for 2 spoons for the ice creams. When she gave them to us and eventually decided to clear away our main course plates, she knocked over our drinks, she went to get a cloth and left the cloth on the table for us to clear up the drinks that she had spilt and at no time did she offer to replace them. When I went to pay I hadn't realised that the bill had already been paid by another member of our party and she tried to charge me for the whole amount again. If it wasn't for someone telling me that they had already paid the transaction would have gone through. This young lady then decided to argue with me when I let her know that our experience had not been a good one, and at no time was there any apology for the long wait, spilt drinks which she expected us to clear up, and awful food. Her attitude was absolutely dreadful an by no means professional. This used to be a nice busy place to eat and now it is absolutely atrocious. I wondered why it was so empty when we got there and now I know why. I should have read the other reviews before I booked, but just expected it to be really good as it was before. I have never written a review before but this was so bad I felt I had to let other people know.

We came to the stables a party of 10 people for a family birthday. We were let down by the place I booked a month in advance so was pleased that the stables managed to fit us in. Food was adequate but not the best but we were already on a downward spike due to being let down which completely spoilt our evening. Thank you the stables and staff for fitting us in at short notice.

We arrived for a birthday meal on a Sunday as we'd been before and enjoyed the menu and food. But sadly, we were told on arrival that the menu was just Sunday Roast. Staff were lovely, but food was just OK sadly and unlikely to go back.

Came to the Stables for lunch (close to kitchen closing time but we were still accommodated well). Staff were friendly, slight confusion of the table service vs ordering at the bar, but it wasn’t an issue. I had a midweek carvery and it was very nice, lots of meat, perhaps over time the offerings within the carvery may extend. From my understanding, having a carvery as an option is relatively new to The Stables (there was a fab carvery years and years ago, when it was The Three Horseshoes, so is a welcome return as far as I’m concerned). The rest of the menu choice was limited but suited us all, and I believe this will also grow over time. I would fully recommend a visit, just bear in mind, as with any changes, you can’t please all the people all the time. I’m confident that The Stables, as it now is, will thrive and I think it’s a great place to go to.

Booked afternoon tea , put it on booking nobody got back to me . When we arrived they said hadn’t been doing afternoon tea for months . It’s on the website & even on a poster in the toilets in the pub ! Staff member couldn’t even work the till properly as it was new . I wanted half a beer I had to show her what was beer not lager . The carvery was good but it wasn’t actually what I went in for . Hardly anything on the menu all they are interested in is a carvery. I won’t be going back .

Booked a table for a birthday lunch sadly we walked away with no lunch. Many issues disabled toilets had to be opened via a knife couldn't lock door for privacy and told not to shut door. Menu presented on a dirty a4 piece of paper with no choices for vegan or gluten free vegetarian. The carvery was dried out under lamps and very unappealing. When I apologised for not ordering and leaving I was told we can't cater for everyone what do want a burger. Extremely disappointed as have been many times before and had lunch and dinner but menus have changed and certainly won't be returning.

The carvery was not great at all... two slices of dried beef... The choice of vegetables severly lacking ... 1) Mixed roasted carrots and parsnips, 2) carrots and swede mash and cauliflower cheese that was it... The tiny yorkshires clearly Aunt Bessie's. Gravy thin and barely hot. No clear direction of table service or not.. You couldn't sit and order drinks and food and pay at the end.. it was order drinks and pay , sit down, the choose food get up order and pay again. Bar staff were not friendly. We where witness to a customer complaining and what is possibly the manager arguing with the customer not agreeing with the customers feedback.. Terrible atmosphere and you shoukd have table service amd pay at the end ...such distrust...

We went on a Sunday for a relaxing roast but we won’t be going again. We used to put everything on a tab, getting more drinks and then ordering desserts if required. Then paying at the end. Now you have to let them know when you arrive if you want a 1 course meal or two course meal and you have to pay upfront. How can you possibly know if you want a dessert before you eat your mains! Not only that we had a 2 year old with us and waiting over half an hour for desserts was unacceptable. When they did arrive the chocolate fudge cake came cold and tasted like a dry piece of sponge. To add insult to injury because we’d ordered just a roast we had to pay over the odds for each individual dessert, far more than the cost of a 2 course meal.

Disappointed, we were looking forward to trying the new menu. Ordered a vegetable pie clearly marked as a vegan meal which came with a side with butter in it sent back and replaced whole meal, to be fair they took it off the bill without prompting. Pie mostly pastry with little filling. No alternative milk for coffee. All staff disappeared by 9pm except chefs hovering around and clearly wanting us to leave which we did as felt very uncomfortable! Serving staff were polite and helpful. We won’t be returning unfortunately.

Worst meal & service we have had there. Roast took over an hour to come & meat extremely tough & looked & tasted like it had been boiled not roasted. Complained by email which is being ignored.

We went for Sunday roast with my wife and daughter and wow can’t believe what we got!!! So we ordered our drinks and food got our drinks ok but then two other tables had come in and ordered after us and got their food! I went up to ask what was going on, he came back and said sorry the new chef had a fall so it’s been a little crazy in there. Food came out 45-50 mins after we had sat down but the food just wasn’t great at all, some cold Swede mash puree stuff, daughters chicken was dry and hard, the wife had a chestnut roast but it was hard to cut and then my top side was many inedible! The manager was very sorry about it but just not great and won’t be returning anytime soon

Lovely gastro pub food amazing very clean and welcoming.

Horrendous! Had a baguette Brie/spinach and bacon. 2 spinach leaves in either side of the baguette. Ate some of the baguette upon chewing a complete slice of virtually raw bacon in my mouth… I picked it all out of the bread and told the waitress who collected the plates. I apologise she said . No refund no offer of money off. Husbands fish and chips very mediocre. Not great

My daughter had her baby shower here. She saved hard and decorated it so lovely, but sadly she was let down with the communication, or should I say, lack of communication from the staff. When she did ring, they never answered and when she emailed, they never replied. When she eventually got through and spoke to them(3 days before the occasion), they hadn't known anything about it. After being reassured that they would sort it out and be ready for her, we stopped panicking. Sadly though, even though we all enjoyed the celebration, the food included 3 finger sandwiches(this was for 2 people to share), 1 had ham n lots of mustard, 1 had cheese and the 3rd had salad only. Then came 2 scones with jam n cream(very nice) and then was a bought cupcake, slice of brownie, an almond slice and a gooey square of something very sweet. They did end up bringing extra sandwiches out after but there was NO quiche, sausage rolls or anything savoury. For £27 per couple, this was very poor. My daughter did email them, to query this but as usual no one got back to her. They were happy to take the money but that's all. Please be careful if you decide to do something like this, as this has happened to us twice now and there definitely will not be a 3rd time.

Had to wait over half an hour after starter for second course for roast dinner and potatoes were not cooked

Unfortunately the afternoon tea that I booked for my baby shower was not up to the standards that the website showed. Not only was my booking forgotten about until 3 days before I called to confirm it was still going ahead (due to lack of email communication on their part), but the pastries and quiches were also missing from the afternoon tea and the cakes appeared to be shop bought (from Tesco). With the amount of money I paid, I would not be recommending this to anyone!

Have used this place many times as a lunch venue as between both our houses. We went today ,menu very disappointing . Nothing out of the ordinary and as an ex chef I felt the menu was chosen as an easy option. Even the starters were oh lets do the easiest thing possible. Told it has not changed hands but different chef. If it is to survive I think it needs to up its game. Not worth the price. Sorry. Wont be going again.

Stables has always been a favourite for us, but no more. Came here for lunch midweek. Specials board had all 6 items crossed out?!! The first 2 wines requested are no longer available - why still on the list? We chose 3 dishes from the small plates menu...burger, fish and chips and ham,egg and chips. All were totally underwhelming! Burger was totally overcooked and inedible, ham was so thin the light shone through it and the fish was also tough and overcooked. No staff interaction or interest when this was mentioned. I see from another review that staff have changed (Inc chef). Sad, but this place has gone downhill very quickly - lots of good competition around (Thatch House, Exwick for one). Real shame if they can't or won't improve.

We went for Sunday roast today. Food was very disappointing. Chicken was tough. Pork fatty and beef tough. Bring back extras. Used to recommend to friends, but not anymore. Very basic roast. Roast potatoes were overcooked and very difficult to cut. Won't come again

Great family atmosphere. Staff were excellent.

A very poor menu for lunch with hardly any vegan options. We ordered a Greek salad and shared it because it was a huge portion ( actual salad very nice). Then we had ordered 2 mushroom burgers.They were nasty mushy tasteless and cost £15 each! My friend had chips but i didnt want chips but was still charged for them which was a bit unfair. I guess there has been a change of ownership because our last visit was so good. Wont be back.

New menu is banging and the service is always great, no matter how busy!

Dark inside pub Service was slow 🐌 No atmosphere to speak about!

Until recently, this was a reliable place for a meal - well cooked, a good choice with a full specials board, a good range of local cask ales, and good, friendly service. All that has gone, I assume there has been a change of ownership. We have been twice since the apparent regime change. The first time I ordered a rare steak and received a tough piece of leather that was so gristly I think only half of it was edible and then only with a lot of chewing. There didn't appear to be a specials board any more. The second time was for a Sunday roast, previously a sure-fire brilliant experience. Now, the portion size has been reduced, cauliflower cheese is no longer an extra (in fact, extras no longer exist) and the roast potatoes looked good but were, in fact, the victims of a long time under a hot lamp or some similar food warming method. I had roast chicken and it is a real achievement to cook a chicken breast so it is tough. Local cask ales were noticeable by their complete absence. We were told there was a new chef. Clearly, his brief was to cut the food budget by as much as he could even it meant standards would slip The Stables always used to be one of our favourite places for a meal and a good pint. But, with the marked drop in standards. I don't think we will bother any more. There are plenty of other establishments in the area, as good as The Stabkles used to be and with integrity intact.

This was our home from home for family meals for years. We always called the staff our family. We gave them the benefit of the doubt when it changed hands, but after the way the new management treated the staff, many of who left, we have boycotted it.

The pub must have changed hands, because it's cleanliness has declined. Chef must also have changed because the food was so disappointing compared to how it used to be. My mum's jacket potato had a spoonful of beans and a pinch of cheese. My ploughman's had withered and dry rocket a splatter of chutney on the board that resembled a crap on a plate.. Mouldy Mouldy cheese it was grey for goodness sake. Such a shame.

Went on a Tuesday and was quiet . Started to get busier about 1-45 . Lovely have a variety of meals without CHIPS well done Stables .

We have had a lovely evening out. The seating is spaced so conversations aren't overheard. Great background music at the right volume to hear conversations. The fabulous service was attentive with a 'can do' attitude. It was great to feel valued as a customer. We look forward to a return visit soon.

Was good and fast service. There is no car charging point despite being identified by Pod Point!

Food was better than average Service excellent Hardly anyone there for a Saturday night was quiet and lacked atmosphere, will give it another try soon but won't rush

Food nice but over cooked, been again and the same over cooked

Even a nags head at full canter would run a grand national to escape the hurdles described as food, it gave me the trotters and it will you to...

Basic but good, simple food cooked well, great portion size, very attentive staff.

Lots of stairs to walk down into restaurant or drive around front to walk in, tables are a little close together, Nice little pub, good food not a big dessert menu.

I reviewed this some time ago, but I had occasion to dine again recently (May 2024) so I thought I would revisit my review. The restaurant wasn't exactly empty, but it was nowhere near full or half full. That was a great shame as the food and service was excellent. The service was attentive without intruding and putting a jug of water on the table when we arrived was a nice touch. The food was excellent, much better than pub food, it was nicely presented, hot and plentiful. The menu had something for everyone, I didn't realise there was a specials board but I do now and will look out for it on my next visit. I understand the cocktails are worth a look. The staff were friendly and efficient, the duty manager (Gilly) was a great asset to the establishment, if only all restaurant staff were this knowledgeable and effective, perhaps The Stables should be giving Masterclasses on how it should be done. Please take note Wetherspoons. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this place. This was my previous review. Excellent food and service. Much more than pub food..

Lovelly ambience friendly staff and attentive. Food was delicious and ample servings.

Had lunch here today. The starter was garlic mushrooms in sauce, great taste. Ham eggs and chips as main, good thick slices of ham with fluffy chips and two well cooked eggs, partner had same starter but a main of chicken and ham pasta in white sauce, also a great dish. Recommend eating here.

Had to wait 30 minutes for food which then came out cold so we sent it back . It then came out cold again . When I say cold the potatoes and parsnips were stone cold and the gravy which was a shame as the gravy was tasty . We were so hungry by this time so we did eat some of it . The Yorkshire pudding was burnt . We asked for mint sauce but were told they had none as they did not have any lamb, but they have always had mint sauce as my husband eats it with every meat and most restaurants would have it . The food used to be amazing here which is a shame the last time we came they had run out of turkey but we decided to give it another try . Definitely won’t be going again . The bill was over £60 so it’s not cheap for a roast and I can only afford it once a month so it’s a shame . The staff did offer us 25% off but that’s not really what’s this is about we did not ask for any discount we just wanted a hot roast in a timely manor . Very disappointed

Sorry too say but apart from pleasent staff,very average and really overpriced,both couples returned dessert cold custard and plates don't mind waiting 30 minutes for freshly cooked mains not over cooked over batterd fish and lukewarm belly pork,it gives us no pleasure too write this review but if you claim to cook all dishes fresh you really need to up your standards and warm plates! and hot food!

My friend and I had a wonderful dinner last night. The staff were really friendly, the service quick and the food was excellent! we will be back!

Quiet when we went fir lunch, however the service and food were great.

Very tasty Sunday lunch. Well cooked and presented. Generous portions. Friendly welcoming staff.

Went with friends for dinner, 1 had dietary requirements that were catered for very well. I started with the trio of pork which was incredible, perfectly seasoned and cooked ro perfection. I finished up with a cheese board which had a great selection of cheese and biscuits. We were sat by the log fire in the corner and it was a great atmosphere in the place. Would highly recommend.

Really tasty meal, highly recommend the burger. Lovely atmosphere with super friendly staff. Always feel welcome, even dogs are allowed in the bar area. Easy parking, enjoy coming here for a drink or meal.

The staff is amazing, creating a much better atmosphere now that the short-tempered lady has left for a new job. The food is brilliant and offers great value for money. I believe the staff members were named Gilly and Abby. They really made us feel welcome and it was nice that they were willing to engage in conversation, even when it was quiet. I highly recommend this pub to anyone. It is nice and quiet, and the background music perfectly matches the pub's theme. A true country pub.

Quiet evening with a friend having a few drinks. Honestly the atmosphere was lovely and the staff Abby and Alex made us feel so welcome making conversation when they can because it was slightly busy but the service was quick couldn’t point out any issues both hard welcome staff

✨️Lovely food 😋 usually come here for a lunchtime mid week or a Sunday roast. Can get quite busy so definitely book (online very easy !) Food is always delicious and piping hot, staff very friendly. One of my favourite places for food 🥘

We booked the stables to celebrate some family birthdays we had a lovely large table. The service was great and the staff werrle very accomodating. The food was really good, everyone ordered something different and it all looked amazing. Would definitely come back again

Couldn't fault our server but food is ridiculous am really confused at all the good reviews. A kids roast? 2 sausages, 2 potatoes and some peas? Will never go back.

Only booked a day before and they still managed to get 8 of us in (just) with a good amount of rearranging. Thanks to the staff involved. Great pub food, staff and plenty of parking. Nice decor.

A real find good food and excellent service...Will be back

We were met by a very attentive waiter who gave a great table. One guest ordered rump steak while I had calves liver. I was surprised not to be asked how wanted the Liver cooked. The steak was supposed to be medium and it was just about ok, but it was almost impossible to cut. The liver was very overdone, and I was not convinced it was calves liver not Lambs. The individual pieces were very thick and didn’t have the consistency of Calves liver Overall the meal was satisfactory but no more

I booked specifically to have an Afternoon tea for my daughter and I on her Birthday as she is heavily pregnant and couldn’t manage a full lunch. The rest of the family and Grandchildren 9 in total all ordered from the lunch menu. The food arrived all together and beautifully hot. The Afternoon Tea was amazing! Such a lovely selection and presented in a very professional way. The other meals were excellent too! We could not fault anything. The staff were very helpful and nothing was too much trouble. They all went the extra mile. Excellent and will definitely be booking again in the next couple of months. Well done to all the staff, front of house and especially the kitchen staff. Excellent Service!

Haven’t been here for ages last time we came 2 female senior managers were running the place. We thought we’d visit again after being away for so long, wish we hadn’t bothered, the food was appalling, service was very slow. We waited over a hour for our meal it’s not as if it was busy either, no apology staff seemed disconnected would rather be somewhere else attitude, the place always used to be packed on a Sunday, when it did finally arrive it was barely hot. What has happened? The place has taken a massive nose dive. Very disappointing. Bring back Caitlin and Kirsty they were both lovely always went above and beyond for us very friendly and relaxed always had time for their customers, the place ran like clock work when they were there. Clearly there is an issue in the kitchen the food has always been great. The Sunday roast was awful a few bits of veg in a bowl meat as tough as old leather boots. Definitely not the same chef. I wouldn’t recommend the place anymore and certainly won’t be going again, not that the new manager and owners are bothered if they loose customers, everyone seems to have lost the respect and passion for the once well beloved place. Avoid at all costs. Says a lot for the owners and current managers!!!

We had the afternoon tea, which was lovely, but you do need to order the day before. Deliciously warm sausage rolls and quiche with freshly baked scones with jam and clotted cream. And more cakes than we could eat. Accompanied with tea and coffee, what's not to like?

Agree 110% with the recent reviews -service was TERRIBLE - in fact there was no service because we booked in at 13.15 as arranged and had not received ANY food by the time we walked out at 15.15 - corresponds to 120 min of everybody's wasted time. I can only guess that the problem is insufficient staffing of the kitchen because the serving staff were clearly doing their best to manage the lunatic total ineptude of the failure of meals to appear out of the kitchen area. I had a perfect view of what was going on into and out of the kitchen,but of course I cannot confirm what was going on - or not going on - behind that closed door. NEVER AGAI - and there speaks someone who has patronised the pub in its various guesses for over 40 years. SAD INDEED..

Great place to spend an evening. Food great, staff brilliant..very friendly.

Wife ordered the fish pie. When it arrived, it was overcooked and burnt around the edges (as if it had been left in the oven too long). For a fish pie, it was lacking in fish.

Food was great Excellent service and great atmosphere also dog friendly very important to us

We had a lovely experience at this place! The Sunday roasts were delicious and satisfying. The portion sizes were generous, The staff was friendly and attentive, making the overall dining experience pleasant. I would definitely recommend this place for a tasty Sunday roast."

Very different from previous experiences. Now very poor food.

The waitress was rude and unhelpful. Been a couple of times now and the food is always really hit and miss. An expensive wetherspoons

I'm surprised at some of the recent reviews. We just had (Sunday 14th January) a really nice late lunch. It took a little longer than we would have liked, but this was acknowledged, and apologised for. We also glady received free desserts as a gesture. Great food, and we were looked after. If the delay hadn't been acknowledged, it would have been unlikely that we would have gone back, irrespective of how good the food was. Because it was acknowledged, we will definitely go back.

Me and my family love it here! Can be a bit pricey but the food is really nice l we have always got really good service from friendly and polite staff! It’s a nice place!

Very cold day and a missed opportunity to make it a cosy lunch by not having the real fire lit. We were not warm where we were sat and we were sat by fireplace with no fire lit! Lunch portions small and basic, needed more generous portion and tastier food for prices charged.

First time we have been out for lunch with family for awhile,came away very disappointed with the service and drinks.three of our family complained about their lemonade,tasted just like sparkling water,asked for replacements,which were better.however,after placing our food order we had to wait for a hour before it arrived,our Grandaughter had to ask when we could expect the meals to arrive as her toddler was hungry and fidgeting.his meal arrived different then what was listed on the Sunday menu sheet,no roast potatoes or gravy.also no drink came and it took 20 mins for his one scoop of ice cream to arrive.we would all of us ordered desserts and coffee to finish but decided that we would call into tescos on way home and pick up desserts,which we did and enjoyed.we all said that unfortunately we wouldn’t be visiting this restaurant again any time soon..

On a positive note the staff were polite,pleasant and professional and the environment is excellent.However,the food let the establishment down.My wife had the fish pie which was too much mash and not enough fish.I had live and bacon and I could hardly see the liver as it was so scarce.Liver is reasonably cheap so no excuse there. Sorry,not impressed so will not return unless the food improves!

Sadly poor all around. Should have picked up in the fact that there was a distinct lack of cars in the carpark on a Saturday night further reinforced by the lack of atmosphere when entering. Slow service and food not at all up to the old standards. So much was missing from the menu and specials sold out by 7.30... Starters ok, but ingredients missing as unavailable but no account taken with pricing. Mains disappointed 3 of 4 of us. Frankly I think it's reheated, but if not then really poorly cooked. Finally lots of beers unavailable as the delivery hadn't happened???and the shandy ordered wasn't i.e. twer a full pint for the driver. Really sorry to leave a poor review but seriously disappointed at the difference in what we knew to be a delight. Will not be going back.

Went for my wife's birthday. All day breakfast. Way Too much pepper used by the chef. Over cooked bacon. Over cooked eggs. Very poor. My wife had a chicken ham and leek pie. Extremely hard crusty pie. Way over cooked. Way too much pepper used by the chef on the mash potato. Treacle sponge and custard. Both Extremely cold. Expensive food and poor quantity. Not impressed. We won't be going back.

We went before Christmas in November and again for my birthday in January everyone was very happy with there meal would definitely recommend the Stables in Exeter

Food came all different times and took ages like hour and half

Really nice place to eat really good food at a good price

Christmas dinner was nothing more than poor at best. On arrival they had lost our pre-booked order. When the 1st course arrived we had to ask for suitable cutlery as it was quite difficult to eat soup with a knife and fork. One of our party had prawns which she described as tasteless with a cheap sauce. Other than that the 1st course went without a hitch. When it came to the main course just 1 waitress served 8 of us. She had to make several trips to the kitchen and by the time the veg came out, the meat and potatoes had almost gone cold. Again we had to ask for cutlery as cutlery had been cleared following the 1st course. The turkey was overcooked and dry and there was very little of it. The dessert was ok except for the pavlova!! This turned out to be a merengue (probably bought from Tesco) filled with what looked like blackcurrant. This was returned and replaced with poached pear! All in all, it was a total shambles. In my opinion they had overstretched themselves. Waitresses were doing their best but overwhelmed by the amount of people they had to serve. I would NOT recommend the Christmas meal. and won’t be going again.

Food was delicious and the staff were brilliant , nothing was too much bother , very good value for money , large carpark . I can highly recommend this restaurant , and I will go back very soon .10/10

What an awful experience for a party of seven pre-booked for Christmas lunch. Arriving at 12 noon, we were served our starters at 1.30pm with no explanation for the delay. This set the tone for the rest of the meal, with sub-standard food quality and presentation. The main meal was cold, the turkey was so tough and the roast potatoes were burnt and un-eatable! Unfortunately there was only one potato per person and the vegetables, which consisted only of cabbage and 2 Brussel sprouts each, served in a cereal bowl for all of us was seriously inadequate. Later we understood there was a shortage of staff and supplies, but the manager didn't find it necessary to advise us of this when we first arrived. Had this been the case we may have gone elsewhere. We eventually finished our 'experience' at 4.45pm. Trying to converse with the Manager was all too difficult, as the only response was that she was suffering from a panic attack! A bad day all round.

we have visited the stables many times in the past , and have been pleased with the meals and service , so we had no problem in booking it for a family gathering ,(bad mistake) , when we arrived we were shown to our table , which consisted of four small tables pushed together with non matching chairs , and had not been set for our group of 9 of us ,this is where things went down hill , we weren't even asked if we wanted drinks , and we had to ask several times for someone to take our food orders , when finally are orders had been taken , we were informed some time after that some items were off the menu ,so had to reorder , we waited nearly an hour for the food to arrive , but most of the meals were just warm ,( not hot) and under cooked, we asked for them to be redone , so then had to wait further time ,and by the time we eventually got them back , one member of our group hadn't received theirs , so we again spoke to the waitress to remind her , eventually the meal came out but was missing several items as advertised on the menu , the whole service and food orders were very poor standard , so we asked to speak to someone in charge , we were sent the deputy manager, who was clearly not happy with our concerns , and said she couldn't do anything , so we asked to speak to the manager, who eventually came , so we informed her of the issues we had and how disappointed we were in the whole matter, she explained that they were short of staff and were finding things difficult , we politely said if they had informed us on arriving that they had problems , it might have helped , to which she said she would give us a discount , but when we said her offer was enough, because of the poor service etc , she said if you are getting it for free " That's not going to happen " she then became very rude and non professional , saying lots of people are complaining , we tried to explain we were just pointing out our concerns , she became more angry and said " you know what DONT PAY THEN ...JUST LEAVE ....and stormed off , so we did just that and left , and you can be sure we won't be back and will tell our friends about the whole sorry experience !!!!!!!

Joined friends here for a Christmas meal but disappointed to find it was the same menu as last year with no specials available. I ordered fish pie but it was more like a bowl of mash and veg. Could only pick out a small amount of fish. It did not look appealing and was not enjoyable to eat. The service was slow so I wasn’t able to stay for coffee as I had to leave. The pint of coke was also flat and tasted off. If it’s Pepsi you should inform the customer when ordering.

What can I say.its hard to describe just how bad it was today at the Stables,the service and meal was an absolute shambles from beginning to end.Imagine Fawlty Towers but considerably worse and not as funny and you wont be far wrong.The food was dreadful,the service appalling,honestly we have been here several times in the past with no problems which is why we came back, however based on today none of our party will ever return. The "Manager" was so far out of her depth it was excruciating,plainly she had been thrown to the wolves by her senior managers.My advice would be if you have booked a Christmas Meal here CANCEL IT NOW while you can get in somewhere else, because if you don't you may well have to suffer the worst restaurant experience of you life.If however you like waiting 60 mins between courses,like your food stone cold,like having to ask for utensils every time a course eventually appears,and then like being overcharged after being offered a substantial discount for what was frankly an appalling experience then this is the place for you !