The Haunch Of Venison
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Quick info
About The Haunch Of Venison
The Haunch Of Venison is a British restaurant in Salisbury, set in a pub on Minster St that dates to the 1300s. A severed thief's hand is on display, so visitors can see a piece of the building's long history in person. Venison runs through the menu, with a venison scotch egg as a starter and venison three ways as a main. The rooms are small, with wonky timber beams, oak panelled walls, uneven floors and narrow curved staircases, and the tables sit close together. The restaurant is upstairs.
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Reviews
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention venison three ways, venison burger, severed hand display and sticky toffee pudding.
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention venison three ways, venison burger, severed hand display and sticky toffee pudding.
Customer Review Summary
Venison is the draw at this old Salisbury pub, and reviewers name it in several forms: the trio of wild venison, venison three ways, a venison burger, a venison scotch egg and a venison sausage plate. Close behind are the pheasant breast and starter, the cheesecake, described by one as extremely fresh, and sticky toffee pudding. Truffle arancini, thick chips and a good whiskey and ale selection also come up. Reviewers describe friendly staff, uneven floors, beams, and the famous severed hand on display. The main complaint comes from a lunch visit where the food was very good but service was extremely slow and disorganised. One diner's starter arrived alone, the mains took roughly another half hour, and a missing ice cream only came after the waitress was called over. Another notes tables sit close together, and one was irked when a table lamp was taken away during restaurant closing while a cheese board was still being eaten, before 9:30.
Customer Review Summary
Venison is the draw at this old Salisbury pub, and reviewers name it in several forms: the trio of wild venison, venison three ways, a venison burger, a venison scotch egg and a venison sausage plate. Close behind are the pheasant breast and starter, the cheesecake, described by one as extremely fresh, and sticky toffee pudding. Truffle arancini, thick chips and a good whiskey and ale selection also come up. Reviewers describe friendly staff, uneven floors, beams, and the famous severed hand on display. The main complaint comes from a lunch visit where the food was very good but service was extremely slow and disorganised. One diner's starter arrived alone, the mains took roughly another half hour, and a missing ice cream only came after the waitress was called over. Another notes tables sit close together, and one was irked when a table lamp was taken away during restaurant closing while a cheese board was still being eaten, before 9:30.
Featured reviews
- Tim Tomlinson
“Beautiful old pub, very nice pub food with unsurprising focus on venison. Uneven floors, oak lined walls, beams, narrow curved stair cases. The lot. Good ales. Friendly informal service. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal. Smoked trout starter was lovely. Only slight irk was taking the lamp off our table as part of the restaurant close down while we're still eating our cheese board. And it wasn't even 9:30. That aside we enjoyed our meal.”
- John Hillman
“Very nice pub friendly staff. Unique historical atmosphere. Very good menu especially if you like venison. Good food decent price and well presented. Wife and I both enjoyed our meal.”
- Giorgio Cagnani
“I visited this restaurant with my mum and my aunt on Wednesday for lunch. The venue is very impressive and has a really charming atmosphere. Unfortunately, the cleanliness of the place leaves a lot to be desired, especially in areas that are clearly visible to customers. I also noticed a fire extinguisher placed directly on the floor, unsecured and not properly stored. Apart from giving the impression of poor attention to safety, this could represent a potential hazard: it could be accidentally moved, become a trip hazard, or not be immediately accessible and ready to use in an emergency. Fire safety equipment should always be kept in a visible, accessible and properly secured position. The quality of the food was very good, but unfortunately the service was extremely slow and disorganised. We all ordered at the same time, but the first dish to arrive was only my aunt’s starter. She ended up eating on her own while my mum and I sat there waiting. It then took around another 30 minutes before our dishes arrived. My mum was also still waiting for the ice cream she had ordered, and at no point did any member of staff come to check whether everything was okay or if we needed anything. We eventually had to call the waitress over ourselves to remind her about the dessert. Overall: * **Food:** very good. * **Service:** poor, extremely slow and lacking attention to the customer. * **Cleanliness:** needs significant improvement. * **Safety:** requires immediate attention, especially regarding the correct storage and positioning of the fire extinguisher. It is a real shame because the venue itself is beautiful and the food has great potential. However, the lack of attention to service, cleanliness and basic safety standards significantly affected the overall experience.”
- Alice Pedersen
“We have been looking forward to try the food here. My husband ordered the venison burger, salad and black cherry ice cream. I had fish and chips, pheasant starter and sticky toffee pudding. All were delicious. The venison burger was flavorful and good portion size. The fish and chips were delicious and not greasy. Black cherry ice cream was perfect. The sticky toffee pudding was sweet and delicious. Perfect texture. Service was friendly and efficient. Atmosphere was amazing. Price was reasonable considering the portion size, quality and atmosphere. Since we don’t drink alcohol, we were unable to comment on the drinks. The drink menu list is longer than the food menu items. Definitely highly recommend this place.”
- Hersha
“I have been told by good authority that this is the oldest pub in Salisbury. It is tiny. We were lucky to get a seats in the corner of the pub. I can't imagine bring to get in, in the height of summer I was also told there was a severed hand glowing in the "embers" We ordered a scotch egg and cheesy fries as we were a bit peckish. Both delicious. Highly recommend the venison scotch egg. Wine was crisp and cold. The restaurant upstairs was surprisingly large and looked inviting. Wish I had time to go and eat there. Noticed sone coins shoved into the beams Not sure what that was about but can't imagine the old beams like it much”
Hours
- Monday
- Tuesday
- Wednesday
- Thursday
- Friday
- Saturday
- Sunday
Good to know
“The Haunch of Venison, nestled in the heart of a historic town, is an eclectic gem exuding old-world charm. This centuries-old pub captures the essence of bygone eras with its quaint, uneven wooden floors, low beamed ceilings, and atmospheric nooks and crannies. Patrons are greeted by roaring real fires crackling in ancient hearths, casting a warm, inviting glow over the rustic interiors. The pub boasts an impressive selection of craft beers, local ales, and fine whiskies, meticulously curated to delight even the most discerning connoisseurs. Stepping into The Haunch of Venison feels like entering a different era, where tradition and quirky character combine to create an unparalleled pub experience.”
- AccessibilityWheelchair-accessible car park · Wheelchair-accessible entrance · Wheelchair-accessible seating
Amenities
- Wheelchair-accessible car park
Show more amenities
- Accessibility· 2
- Wheelchair-accessible entrance
- Wheelchair-accessible seating
Location
Restaurants near The Haunch Of Venison
- Côte Salisbury4.52,4520 mi
steak, beef bourguignon, garlic broccoli
- Stoby's Fish and Chips4.03100.1 miGood for kidsReservations
battered cod and chips, haddock and chips, thin crispy batter
- 0.1 miWheelchair accessible
sushi selection, salmon sashimi, katsu donburi
| Place | Rating | Distance | Mentioned in reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Haunch Of Venison | 4.41,948 | — | venison three ways, venison burger, severed hand display |
| Côte Salisbury | 4.52,452 | 0 mi | steak, beef bourguignon, garlic broccoli |
| Stoby's Fish and ChipsGood for kids · Reservations | 4.0310 | 0.1 mi | battered cod and chips, haddock and chips, thin crispy batter |
| Mountain Spring Japanese RestaurantWheelchair accessible | 4.7228 | 0.1 mi | sushi selection, salmon sashimi, katsu donburi |
The 3 nearest restaurants by distance. Ratings, hours and review terms come from public business profiles.
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