The Shoulder at Hardstoft

Accommodation & Facilities: Rooms are noted for being clean, spacious, and comfortable, with some mentioning warm, well-equipped spaces and views of the surrounding area. The pub-style setting includes a bar area, dining room, and beer garden, offering flexibility for guests.

Positioned in a nice area, xlose to local villages, near the 5 pits trail and hardwick hall. Apparently has nice events here, which we have never been to. Lots of parking. Not great for walking to from the local areas and is situated away from shops, but a nice open location next to main roads access. Can be difficult to get to if not driving, it would be a taxis, there is a bus stop very close by but they are buses are very few of these running along there. We are local and never been here for food. We decided to give it a try and prebooked here for a meal with other local friends. Confusing behaviours from staff & owner upon arrival about seating us. We was seated in the snug area to the right. Seemed to have a weird sewage smell behind our back. We was given an A4 specials menu, no other menu. I am a vegetarian that does not eat fish, not vegan. Only one vegan option. We reviewed the online menu, to make sure there was something we all liked. Despite us questioned this, we was told the one online is a sample menu. It is not, this is not stated online. 2 of us wanted lamb shank, this was not an option at 6pm, apparently they had sold out of the "cheaper" options. We was not pleased with the options available, or the prices. The only steak options were T bone at £34.95 each. Plus added cost of sauce which was not stated. So peppercorn or Stilton sauce at £3.50 each. I was not impressed with the price of a vegan lasagne at £16.00 I was told only salad comes with it (salad being leafs no onion, tomato, cucumber, Peppers anything at all just leafs and balsamic vinager). So I ask if I could order a side of chips. Food came, but came with chips. The young lad said he would remove off the bill because of what i had been told. The chips were like chip shop chips too, looks of hard inedible scraps. I was left underwhelmed. My Husband said his T bone was nice but not worth the money. Upon ordering the steak, they were asked if they would like it cooked? That left us confused. Another guest in our group had the shoulder burger at £16.95. Which they said was ok, but they didn't want this. They wanted something off the online menu. Each cocktail I ordered (priced between £8.50 to 8.95 each), the owner would bring them over present it and introduce what was in it. I knew as I had a menu I had collected myself from the bar. It was a bit cringey. At one point a lady joined him to ask if it was one of our birthdays, when I answered no she just disappeared and it was all very unusual. The pudding was nice. We had sticky toffee pudding. We approached the bar for our bill. As we had been consuming a few alcoholic beverages we did not notice they had not removed the chips cost at £4.50 and they added on a gratuity charge of £10.10. Which i do not have a problem with but it would be nice if the bill had been given at the table so that we can review it and determine what was what and if it was earnt. Instead we had to get the bill with the owners waiting fo

Lovely little village pub, very friendly owners and staff, amazing [affordable] food , very clean and quiet, definitely worth a visit either for overnight stay or just good food and drinks .. our room no1 was very clean and quite spacious, small shower room , but all we needed for a few days away ...