The Compasses Inn in Chelmsford

Very nice traditional pub, friendly staff. Food was nice as well.Stayed in one of the rooms for the night, very clean & comfortable. Would recommend for both a bite to eat or a place to stay.

My husband and I went in Sunday afternoon for a spot of late lunch. Had such a friendly, warm welcome. It was like chatting to an old friend. We ordered our drinks and sat in a little room to look over the menu as it was far too hot that day to sit outside. My husband had the Roast Beef and I had a Salmon dish from the specials board. Both were absolutely delicious. We followed them with a Syrup sponge pudding and custard, and a Brownie with Icecream. Let me tell you, that was the most delicious Brownie I've had outside my own! Incredible. The waiting staff were lovely, if a little late to clear. The bar staff were friendly and chatty and the atmosphere was nice and relaxed, despite they were terribly busy. All in all, we had such an enjoyable lunch date there. We shall be returning soon.

Lovely country pub great food (try the traditional "Huffer") large range of cask ales and craft ciders. Large beer garden great if you have kids or dogs. Really nice atmosphere. A bit out of the way but we'll worth the effort .

Great traditional pub serving 5 real ciders,3 from Essex and several real ales,always at least one from Bishop Nick brewery in Braintree. The folk band on Thursday afternoon was entertaining and obviously enjoying themselves.

Fantastic little pub. Friendly service. Great choice of ales. Really good food. Definitely worth a visit

Great traditional pub. Food is lovely and beer even better. Dog friendly, too. Good outdoor space and easy to park.

Excellent beer selection and great staff. Went specifically for a huffer. Make sure to ask for as much stuff in it as possible as I had a great OTT (fried breakfast with everything) but my partner's avocado and Brie had so little filling that she ended up only having half the bread! Really can't fault the Old Man Sea beer and would beback if I'm in the area!

Great pub with a wide range of real ales, lagers and ciders. Decent food, good sized portions. Dogs welcome, both in the large garden and inside the pub. Friendly staff and it's always been busy when I've visited which is a sign of somewhere well worth visiting.

A Hidden GemWe booked in here for a short break and so glad we did.The accommodation, in a separate annex to the pub, was very comfortable and up-to-date with a spacious bedroom, underfloor heating and well-appointed en-suite. There's free wi-fi and plenty of parking. Situated in a very rural area it was lovely and peaceful. The only thing missing were clothes hangars so take a few.The pub serves a range of traditional 'pub grub' but each dish has been taken to another level with creative and imaginative cooking. Top quality ingredients and care combine to make eating a pleasurable experience. Everything is cooked from scratch and definitely not mass-produced out of the freezer and into the microwave. There is a good range of quality real ales and ciders, well kept. We ate in the pub on three nights as there isn't anything else nearby and but that was no hardship because the food is so good. The atmosphere is great, no music, just convivial conversation and the sound of happy eating. It's well frequented by the locals and everyone seems to know everyone else.The breakfasts were very good, again high-quality ingredients but we found service was a little bit um, idiosyncratic.The service was excellent. All of the staff were friendly and helpful, nothing was too much trouble.There are lots of well-signposted footpaths near to the pub for country walks and plenty of things to explore in the vicinity. Chelmsford is an easy car ride away.If you're looking for a quiet country retreat with excellent food and drink in a traditional inn then this is ideal. We'll definitely go back.

A haven from pubs which only do food, with drinks on the side.This is a proper pub. Old fashioned yes. Beer from barrels in back room. Different yes, frozen in time offering a down to earth experience. That's not to say that is unfriendly, because it has a family and friends feel. Nothing happens fast, this pub is on the back roads, if it wasn't, it wouldn't still be here.We took friends who loved it.Check out their website.