The Abbot Cook in Reading

As a frequent visitor over the last few years, I've seen the Hope & Bear go through a decline in recent months. The varying levels of service is like guessing what Putin is going to do next (just don't know), the quality of food is like knowing whether Gareth Bale is going to start for Real Madrid (highly unlikely to start), & the recent charge of £1.80 for a splash of Robinsons cordial with Thames' Water finest tap water was the final straw (pardon the pun). Shall not be returning anytime soon unless there's a scenario of 'Shaun of the Dead' & it's the only last pub standing.

Nice, airy dog friendly pub with friendly staff. Food is ordered through a QR code on the table which has worked with no issues every time I've used it.Menu is varied so there's something for everyone and food is good quality with good portions.There's some vegan options on the menu- one on the sandwich menu and at least two on the main menu and they're not half-hearted. Would definitely recommend trying the falafel, as they are super tasty, crispy on the outside and light on the inside. They go well as an extra to the nourish bowl.

This used to be great place I really liked. Super friendly and polite staff and good food. Things have changed thou. They seem to have more supply issues now as menu availability is very patchy. My last visit was a nail to the coffin. The staff (new faces) could do with some basic courtesy training - I felt I was disturbing them with my presence. The ordered burger was a ghost of the old days burger I used to order. Super salty slab of meat, invisible slice of cheese in squashed bun. Something I would expect to find in super saver menu of a certain chain. If the days of glory are gone so am I.

A very surprising place. Hadn't been there before so wasn't sure about the place, but I went with my girlfriend and we had a very lovely meal. The food was reasonably priced, it was quick and the staff were lovely!Plus the place is very nicely decorated. Highly recommend visiting!

Excellent food and choice of drinks, nice atmosphere and very friendly staff. Good outdoor space with heaters and covered area. Amazing roasts on sunday, would recommend.

Another fantastic meal here and friendly staff. Nice to have somewhere dog friendly too. Seems difficult to achieve in Reading to get them all in one place! Well done Hope and Bear.

They had less than half of the mains on the menu. When we ordered our main, we received instead a salad with mostly lettuce on it and a couple of other bits bearly noticeable (lettuce wasn't even one of the ingredients on the food we ordered!) After complaining they said they had run out of the main ingredient so decided to replace with lettuce without even asking. The manager didn't even apologise. Definitely not coming back here for overpriced salads that are not supposed to be a salad!

Is a bit more of a gastro pub than the type of pub you'd go into for a few beers. Staff are super friendly though and the beer range is really good, far better than usual for this type of pub. Happy to spend a few hours here drinking excellent beers. The food, which is their main thing, is excellent as well. Just not a focus for me. Definitely recommend for food, or just beer. Also dog friendly.

The cosy vibe, bar & people are worth 5 stars for sure. The variety in the menu & the very nice staff make the staying very enjoyable. I’ve been to quite a lot bars in Reading but this is the best so far. Absolutely going to come again. (Quick tip - the “Posh Chicken” burger - absolutely fabulous!)

Enjoyed our visit here. Really easy to order food & drinks on the app. It felt well spaced inside, but we were there after the big lunch rush.I had fish & chips - the fish was lovely. Not my favourite chips, but they were okay. The children's meals were good sizes & they enjoyed them.I love all the bear pictures inside! 🐻