Hickory's Smokehouse, Widnes

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Steve Segar left this review about Griffin Inn

Sunday 9th October 2011. 18:30 Party of 4. Not Pre-booked. Had a half hour wait for a table.
Since the menu change (mid 2010) from a pasta/pizza place to Fayre & Square the popularity of this pub has increased significantly. It is a find a table and record the number and order at the bar but at busy times they record your name and advise you of the wait time. If you do not have a table number they will not let you create a tab at the bar. However, they will charge drinks to your credit card.
The menu is typical Fayre & Square menu and they often have good deals on. In our case all our meals were from their deals menu and we have 4 main dishes for £20. The food takes a little time to arrive but it is fully cooked and the portions are plentiful. Selection includes all traditional pub favourites gammon/chicken/fish/burgers etc and there is a specials board (particularly on Sunday but at the time we arrived the Sunday roasts had all sold out). Desert menu is again varied and prices range £3 - £4 each.
We found the drinks rather expensive even by pub standards especially for soft drinks - a bit of a rip-off but the same as so many pubs these days.
Service was average, hence the 6 mark - nothing out of the ordinary and I don't know if we hit them at the end of their shifts but not many smiles in existence. Food wasn't exactly thrown at us but they couldn't wait to leave and never came back to ask if everything was all right. Some people maybe bothered by the brisk nature - that's all I'm saying.
It is a very large pub and can probably seat about 150 people on two levels but there is plenty of parking space and a good play area outside if you have kiddies in your party.

On 30^th October 2011 - rating: 6
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