Blundell Arms

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2,094 reviews

#6 of 65 Restaurants in Horwich$$ - $$$, Bar, British, Pub

+44 1204 841194+ Add website

Hours

Sun

9:00 AM - 10:30 PM

Mon

11:00 AM - 11:00 PM

Tue

11:00 AM - 11:00 PM

Wed

11:00 AM - 11:00 PM

Thu

11:00 AM - 11:00 PM

Fri

9:00 AM - 11:00 PM

Sat

9:00 AM - 11:00 PM

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What is Travelers’ Choice?

Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Ratings and reviews

4.0

2,094 reviews

#6 of 65 Restaurants in Horwich

Travelers' Choice 2024

RATINGS

Food

Service

Value

Atmosphere

Food and ambience

Local cuisine, Bar, British, Pub, Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options

“Salmon was disappointing”

“... enjoyed and my wife had the fish and chips which she thought was deliciou...”

“Had fish and chips, all fresh, lovely Chilean Sauv too.”

“I opted for the Salmon & poached eggs which were delicious 😋.”

Location and contact

Chorley Old Road, Horwich, Bolton BL6 6PY England

+44 1204 841194

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Details

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About

The Blundell Arms is one of the best countryside pubs in Greater Manchester. Lying on the outskirts of Horwich just a few miles from the centre of Bolton, our Chef & Brewer pub seamlessly blends into the local area with its dressed stone exterior and slate roofs. You can admire some of the local architecture and natural landscapes from our beer garden, or step inside to experience a warm and friendly atmosphere. Bring your whole family - including the dog - and order from the pub classics on our food menu. We do a traditional pub Sunday roast, along with a selection of real cask ales. With free WiFi, disabled facilities and coach parking, our pub restaurant's got everything you need for an enjoyable visit. Book online now.

CUISINES

Bar, British, Pub

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

Meals

Lunch, Dinner

FEATURES

Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Wine and Beer, Accepts American Express, Accepts Mastercard, Accepts Visa, Digital Payments, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Dog Friendly, Family style

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4.0

2,094 reviews

Excellent

1,089

Very good

432

Average

203

Poor

195

Terrible

176

boltonbuzz

16 contributions

Good food, felt safe

Aug 2020 • none

Have visited a couple of “ upmarket” restaurants in the area recently and couldn’t wait to get out due to feeling very unsafe. Tried the Blundell Arms and so glad we did. Menu has improved since I last went a couple of years ago and the lunch menu particularly is very good value for money. Serving staff all wearing visors and social distancing, one team member was cleaning the stair rails and hand sanitiser freely available. The menu was a lot more extensive than many are offering at present. Pubs and restaurants need to remember that sometime in the future, all this will settle down and places will again rely on core customers for weekday lunches. Us oldies will remember who cared about our safety and who didn’t!! Thank you Blundell Arms.

Written September 8, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Greene_K1ng

Hi Boltonbuzz, great to hear you enjoyed your visit to our pub. Hope to see you again soon!

Written September 13, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

daveyh87

Horwich944 contributions

One of our favourites in Horwich,

Jul 2020 • couples

One of our favourites in Horwich, second time visiting for dinner, first time since kick down. It didn’t feel much different here to be honest, the table service was brilliant, the food superb, good drinks all for a reasonable price. The staff all have visors on and they’ve taken great steps in ensuring it’s a safe place to eat. Beautiful views over the valley. It came to £80 for 2 people having a main, a dessert, four wines and two gins which is very reasonable. The only thing which didn’t make it a 5 for me today was that the male toilets were flooded. There was a wet floor sign but it wasn’t just wet it was about an inch high. Now these things can be helped but I’d have shut the toilet off as inaccessible and considered opening an accessible toilet instead. But it won’t put us off as I’m sure it’ll be fixed by our next visit. Great to be back. I had the fillet steak which was cooked to perfection followed by the crumble!

Written July 11, 2020

Greene_K1ng

Hi Davey Thanks for the review & welcome back. I believe you spoke to Graham on the evening of your visit in relation to the toilets and they where quickly cleaned up. You'll be glad to hear we will be having new toilets installed over the next few months which will give them a more modern feel which is long overdue. It's good to read that you appreciate all the steps we have taken to make you feel safe yet still enjoyed the dining out experience. I will pass on your kind words to the rest of the team and we look forward to seeing you again soon. Regards Matthew & Team

Written July 15, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

KaysterSolers

Bolton5 contributions

Disaster meal but great service by Jade!

Nov 2021 • family

My mum, auntie and I had dinner at Blundell Arms on Friday 12 November and it was a bit of a disaster to say the least. Firstly, the first 2 orders we made we were told they had run out, they should have told us in the first instance the items they didn’t have on the menu. Once we finally ordered something they had on the menu, our mains were served before our starters. They took our mains away, served our starters and our crumpet with mushrooms in cream sauce came with no sauce. To be fair when I asked for some extra sauce it came relatively quickly and then the dish was very tasty. The crackling that was served with our pork belly mains was inedible unless we wanted to crack our teeth, though the rest of the dish was delicious. To top it all off we asked for rose Prosecco and we were served rose wine in a flute, then the waiter was adamant that it was Prosecco that had gone flat. I know the difference between rose wine and flat Prosecco… he should have just apologised for the confusion and made light of the situation instead of arguing, I would have had a lot more respect. The only highlight was our lovely sweet waitress Jade who made light of the whole situation and kept coming back with a lovely smile on her face. Regardless of the not so great review I’m leaving she definitely deserves her bonus! Thank you Jade! Xx

Written November 14, 2021

Greene_K1ng

Thank you so much again for your feedback! We hope you have a great day! Matthew

Written November 18, 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Phillip Howard

Bolton4 contributions

Very very poor service

Jul 2021 • couples

We arrived at the blundle arms at 7:45pm having booked a table the week earlier, only to be told that our table wasn’t available and was seated in the bar area next to a table dining with a dog. We were told we could eat there if we wanted - I don’t mind dogs but not whining and sat next to us when we just wanted a nice evening meal. We were told someone would come and see us to move us to our table soon, but then was forgotten about. Nobody spoke to us, not even for drinks, we were just forgotten about. After 45 mins we sorted our own drinks out and when speaking to staff, they said there had been a miscommunication and they didn’t know we were waiting. Eventually they sat us down but this meant eating at 9pm which we clearly didn’t want, having booked online a week earlier when there was plenty of space. The food was poor quality and appeared rushed out as it was getting late - nobody asked if our food was okay. I asked repeatedly to speak to the manager to sort all this, and despite being told they would get him, nobody came. Unacceptable service and disappointing food - massively shame as this is my local and I have had lovely dining experiences there before. Wish they would have spoke to me…

Written July 11, 2021

Greene_K1ng

Thank you again for taking the time to let us know how we can improve. We hope you will consider us again in the future. Take care.

Written July 24, 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Dawn H

17 contributions

Very disappointed

Aug 2021 • friends

Booked a meal with friends party of 4 @ 8pm Saturday 14th Aug. Ordered king prawn and avocado starter this came with 4 small prawns and a slither of avocado no bigger than a 5p piece. This was returned to the kitchen, the replacement wasn’t any different apart from a couple more shreds of avocado that I couldn’t even taste due to its skin graft presentation never had avocado served this way so perhaps that’s a lesson. Main ordered Cajun battered chicken breast this was fried beyond recognition, pools of oil sat on the solid mass placed between a hard roll of a standard that shouldn’t have left the kitchen for human consumption. I asked not to have a replacement. Our waitress Nong couldn’t apologise enough and was very attentive however the manager didn’t come over to speak to us or offer any explanation.

Written August 15, 2021

Greene_K1ng

I'd really like the opportunity to turnaround your experience. Please could you get in touch and ask for the manager when you've got a moment 6121@greeneking.co.uk

Written August 18, 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Mindylolly

Bolton44 contributions

Lunch after lockdown

Jul 2020 • friends

Gorgeous lunch with a friend . Really missed eating out during lockdown so couldn’t wait to visit . Staff very careful with social distancing/ disposable menus / cleanliness . Felt very confident that all safety procedures are being followed . Pate / stilton mushrooms starters Fish chips for mains All Delicious and a great price on the lunch menu deal

Written July 7, 2020

Greene_K1ng

Hi Mindylolly Thanks for the great review from your recent visit with us here at the Blundell. Its especially good to read you where pleased with the new procedures we have in place as your safety is important to us here at the Blundell. We look forward to seeing you again soon Regards Matthew

Written July 11, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Helen

2 contributions

Lovely place

Aug 2020 • family

We ate here today for our first Sunday lunch since lockdown with two little ones (age 1 and 5). The service was quick (we used the app) and everything came correctly and at the same time which is always good when trying to keep the children happy. The food was hot and tasty and we found the environment welcoming and safe. It was lovely to be sat out in the sunshine with stunning views. My little girl wanted to run around the grass and play and as it was relatively quiet i allowed her to but a member of staff (manager?) came out to tell us she needed to be seated due to the current restrictions. The way we were spoken to was polite and respectful. I’m aware we are all (customers and staff alike) trying our best to navigate our way through these strange times and this is one pub that seems to have got it right and found the balance between following the guidelines and still making customers feel welcome. We look forward to a time when we can return and the little ones can run free as it really is a beautiful spot ☺️

Written August 2, 2020

john m

Windermere3 contributions

Top Restaurant Prices for freezer style quality meals .

Sep 2022 • none

We visited here yesterday , a party of seven for afternoon food and a few drinks. Haven't been for a few years and will not be in any rush to return. The overall experience was okay but we wouldnt go back , totally lacks atmosphere and the food was very basic pub food and did not represent good value for money. The bill for one person in the group who had 3 glasses of wine and steak and chips was £47.00 which for pub chain food is crazy. Food and drinks are all table service which spoils the country pub feel as its hardly restaurant quality The drinks were expensive , there was a level of control in place in that staff didnt want customers going to the bar , they asked us to sit down and they took the drinks orders. This seemed suspicious and hardly makes for a relaxed atmosphere. I m sure there was no alcohol near the cocktail I had . The bellini prosecco cocktail was half a glass of mainly peach cordial with no fizz. The food quality was mixed , had the shared platter for 2 for starters which was lovely but the portion size was very small and barely fed one person . Again food was expensive , the lunch menu was better value but portions were tiny. They have a thing about one cheese straws on meals which look like undercooked strips of puff pastry which everyone left, seemed a bit pointless presenting one on a plate and hardly added to the aesthetics. Most of us left the chips as well which tasted poor quality oven chips. The pub was clean and pleasant and most of the serving staff were lovely and friendly however. Would not recommend or go back which is a shame as it used to be a lovely cosy country pub.

Written September 4, 2022

toady

Bolton18316 contributions

Felt safe and it was nice to return but ….

Jun 2021 • none

We went for lunch today and hadn’t booked so we were happy we got a table. Nice amount of customers and tables set up with cutlery and condiments and not brought in a basket like before the last lockdown. The Restaurant looked as though it had a spruce up during the closure. Nice atmosphere and plenty of people outside - we preferred inside as we don’t like the picnic style tables outside. We both ordered the mixed grill and as my husband was driving we had iced water. Service was good and both guys working were pleasant and helpful. The food arrived and it didn’t look so appealing as it usually does. My rump steak I asked for medium / well was small and it was overcooked and dry and also tasteless and the chicken was a weird rubbery texture. The gammon was excellent and plentiful which partly saved the meal. Sausage tasted better than it looked and my baked potato was fine. My husband had my egg and got a steak which looked nicer but again was tasteless but he didn’t get as nice a piece of gammon. It was just okay overall and as I had a 20% off belated birthday voucher it made up for some of the disappointments as I wouldn’t have liked to pay for it full price. We really like this Restaurant and like to think it was the chefs day off !! Nobody asked was everything okay. We will give it another chance but meals really should be consistent.Usually we think how will we finish the mixed grill meal but not today.

Written June 7, 2021

Greene_K1ng

Lovely to read your comments about your experience, I'll make sure to pass them on to the rest of the team.

Written June 10, 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Mandic39

3 contributions

Awful food

Feb 2020 • family

Went for family meal yesterday. Starter I ordered scallops. They were not cooked properly. Hunters chicken for my main which was bone dry and way overcooked. Prosecco strawberry for dessert. Strawberrys were thawed frozen ones, very soggy and the size is a small pea. They did give me half a fresh strawberry! Will not be eating there again. Very disappointed. Spoke to other members of our party who were also very disappointed with their food.

Written February 9, 2020

Matty0508

Hi Mandic39 Thanks for taking the time to leave us your review of the Blundell Arms. Please accept my apologies for the quality of food you received on this occasion. I wasn't aware of any issues on the day as nothing was mentioned to myself or the Team members that I'm aware of. If you could kindly give me a call to discuss your visit I will be more than happy to speak to yourself. I look forward to hearing from you. Regards Matthew

Written February 10, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Welltravelledagain

Middlesbrough35 contributions

Very good pub food with friendly staff and warm atmosphere.

Apr 2021 • couples

Not been up to the Blundell for a while with the Pandemic so visited and found the food to be even better than usual. The staff seem to have changed but The Blundell has to be one of the best places to eat and take sup in the Horwich area. The menu has changed and prices reduced with no more “Signature” dishes, which is novel in this day and age, however, I tried the hake and it was very good. So,in a nutshell, five stars.

Written May 25, 2021

Greene_K1ng

Thank you so much for your positive comments about our pub, have a great day!

Written May 26, 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Meg R

Bolton4 contributions

Well worth the wait

Jul 2020 • couples

My husband and I booked a table to celebrate birthdays and wedding anniversary missed during lockdown and we weren’t disappointed. The food was amazing (one little thing, can we have two slices of ciabatta with the mussels starter one isn’t enough to mop up delicious sauce) my husband had Stilton mushrooms he said they were delicious. For mains I had sea bass and scallops beautiful, my husband had lamb gourmet pie which smelled and tasted divine. For dessert we both had salted caramel sundae which wasn’t over facing just the right amount.

Written August 1, 2020

wanderer64

Bolton133 contributions

Cauliflower incident !

Aug 2021 • family

We came to the Blundell today for food and drinks for lunch. The pub itself was clean and well laid out. We overheard someone saying they were short staffed so I did feel sorry for them, the waiters and waitresses all looked completely exhausted and were running around trying to see to everyone. We ordered and the food came out, everything was spot on except for two side portions of cauliflower cheese. The cauliflower was rock hard and really undercooked, so we waited for someone to come over and when they did we politely told them that the cauliflower cheese was hard and undercooked. The bloke we spoke to (I'm assuming he was the manager) huffed and said well I'll just have to take them back then and knock them off the bill, no offer of fresh ones being sent out just that he would take them away. I'd tipped mine on to my plate so I had to pick the cauliflower off my plate and put it back in the bowl that it came in (bearing in mind I did this by hand so I didn't have to try and balance them with a fork) so he took them away and that was that. We asked the same chap for the bill, 10 minutes later he asked if anyone had given us the bill to which we said no, he went away and got the bill and when he came back said "I knocked the cauliflower cheese off the bill, they put it back under for a bit and it was fine after" what the hell did they do with the cauliflower cheese that I had previously hand picked off my plate and put back in a bowl?! It didn't come back to us so I hope to god it didn't go out to another customer?! I felt bad that they were short staffed so wasn't going to leave a review, but what happened to the cauliflower cheese has been plaguing my mind ever since!!!

Written August 22, 2021

Greene_K1ng

If you have any further questions, please give us a call. We're always happy to help!

Written August 27, 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Tony G

Bolton10 contributions

We visited the Blundell arms

May 2021 • none

We visited the Blundell arms Monday the 26th April with my 81 year old father , after searching to see if it offered outdoor seating and shelter. The weather was about 10 degrees windy and cold . We where shown to our table which was on the grass with no shelter on a picnic table out in the open . We asked could we move to another table which was a little more sheltered by hedges (which was vacant) but advised this was booked already to which I responded that actually table is booked? Yes was the response! We ordered food and drinks which to their credit did arrive speedily however with no cutlery or condiments when asked for these the waitress said she would bring , which she did however that trip wasn’t speedy and our food was left to the elements while she brought these. She came back with 2 napkins 2 salt sachets and no vinegar ( there where 3 of us) needless to say we didn’t ask again! The customer service left a lot to be desired!! The food was average and was eaten quickly as was so cold. Upon leaving the pub I noticed that the table i had asked to move to was now occupied so I went and asked the two gentlemen how they had managed to book that exact table to which they responded we didn’t? I explained and they said they would swap with us but I said I was just curious as were told we could not have that table and we were now leaving! Shame on you Blundell to offer a table open to the elements to a frail 81 year old ! We will not be returning.

Written May 4, 2021

Greene_K1ng

Thank you again for taking the time to let us know how we can improve. We hope you will consider us again in the future. Take care.

Written May 19, 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Mike

Bolton12 contributions

Hugely disappointing.

Jun 2021 • couples

Considering how wonderful this pub used to be, it has gone down hill massively. 20+ minutes to get drinks, on one occasion the staff forgot to order them completely, which meant a 30 minute wait. The King Prawn and Avocado starter had no avocado, and it was practically a prawn cocktail. When we complained, we were told they would ask the chef, find out why it was like this and return with feedback... but the feedback never arrived and neither did an apology. The buttered cabbage and bacon side that was ordered with the main, turned out to be boiled cabbage and.dry bacon bits with no seasoning or butter in sight. All in all, very disappointing and highly likely we won't be returning.

Written June 4, 2021

Greene_K1ng

Hi Mike121980, I'm really disappointed we've let you down and received this poor rating. If you have any specific feedback you'd like to share, please let me know at 6121@greeneking.co.uk

Written June 7, 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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