The Ship Inn - Stroud

We went to this restaurant for a family birthday celebration. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was cheerful and welcoming. I ordered a perfectly cooked steak with a tasty peppercorn sauce. However, the service did not match the quality of the food. Despite the early sitting and lack of busyness, we had to repeatedly ask for drinks and felt ignored throughout the meal. The chef's talents deserve better front-of-house service, which could be improved with proper training.

I recently went to The Ship with friends for a pre-booked Christmas meal. Before booking, I asked for a gluten-free menu and received an annotated version of their Christmas menu, which was perfect. Another member of our party also had dietary requirements and our party organizer had also requested special accommodations. Despite all three versions of the menu being annotated as suitable for me, upon arrival, I was informed that the fish pie I had pre-ordered, being told it was gluten-free three times, was actually not available as such. I was disappointed that this information was only given to me upon arrival, as I had been looking forward to it for two weeks. I reluctantly switched to turkey, which was supposed to be gluten-free but arrived with stuffing, causing some confusion. The meal was average overall, with the stuffing lacking taste and the gravy being watery. Additionally, the vegetables were mixed together, making it difficult to avoid certain ones. We had to request extra vegetables as well, as the portion was small for our group. The highlight of the meal was the large pig in blanket. Despite the food not meeting expectations, the service was good, and they offered my main course for free due to the error, which I did not request. This gesture prevented me from giving a lower rating, and I would not rush back for the food, but the service was commendable. Three stars.

Our family lunch of 15 at The Ship Inn in Brimscombe was fantastic. Everything – the food, service, venue, and staff – was perfect, and we all had a wonderful time. It's our favorite spot in Stroud, whether we're looking for a meal or just a place to meet for drinks. Their approach to running a pub/catering business is very innovative. We really appreciate all the help they provided, including sorting out the balloons and taking our family photo. Just brilliant.

Visited the ship for dinner with my family this evening. We had an absolutely amazing time!! The food was delicious and the service was amazing

We have visited the ship twice on a Sunday evening. Only to be told abruptly that the bar is closing at 20.00 and we can’t serve you. On the first occasion it was only 19.10. If this was the advertised closing time I would still expect to be informed in a more courteous manner. As you can see on this website the closing time is clearly advertised as 22.00. I advise calling prior to visiting to check they don’t feel like closing early.