Three Blackbirds Inn - Torfaen

Reasonably priced, friendly staff, good menu. The food was well presented and the taste was very good. I would definitely recommend.

Had a lovely meal. Everyone loved the carvery and all were impressed by the price. The staff are very friendly and helpful

Haven't been to the Three Blackbirds in quite a few years but after todays visit, I won't be returning again. For the positives, the staff were friendly and welcoming. The food wasn't too expensive (cheaper than the Harvester), and the food was decent. Although, my partner did receive the wrong food which happened to contain food that she had an intolerance too; one that we did make the staff aware of whilst ordering. But mistakes do happen and what matters most is how they're dealt with. The staff were very apologetic and the issue was resolved surprisingly quickly so props to the staff for that. For the negatives, the place is in need of some repairs. The backboard where we were sitting near the mounted TV has come off from the seat, exposing the wood and nails it was attached to. The leather seating needs a deep clean and treatment as the stains are quite excessive and off-putting. The radiators are showing signs of rusting but a lick of paint will sort that. Minor issues but raising it more so for awareness. The major issue was that people are allowed to bring their dogs into the restaurant/ bar. This also extends to any restaurant that is a dog friendly establishment. A divisive opinion but I find it to be unhygienic having any pet within the restaurant, even if its the establishments own pet. When we were there, it wasn't too busy and we hadn't noticed there was a dog under one of the tables until after we had ordered and paid, and it started barking at other people and their dogs that were coming into the restaurant. This happened a few times whilst we were eating and it was rather noisy and annoying. Then I was greeted with the sight of a very large bull terrier. None of the dogs had muzzles on and it made us feel pretty uncomfortable. Even though the risk is low, dogs can still be dangerous and even the best trained ones can be unpredictable. For example, say someone brings their dog to the restaurant on a match day. The restaurant is busy, it's noisy and rowdy, kids are crying, and there are other dogs about. If that dog is not use to that kind of environment, it could start to feel trapped, anxious and/or stressed out, increasing the likelihood of them becoming defensive and injuring someone. Add in alcohol as well and you risk having pet owners having less control over their dogs as their inhibitions are lowered. Not sure if the Three Blackbirds have risk assessment measures in place, such as not allowing dogs in after a certain time or not, but I would advise anyone with children to take caution before going to the Three Blackbirds. (Please note that my criticism does not include guide dogs as they should be and must be allowed in any public area or place of business, regardless of whether or not they are with their owner).

New menu is wonderful, food delicious, hardly any wait! Staff helpful and polite. Never had a bag meal or poor service! Always been spot on.

My experience at The 3 Blackbirds today was excellent. The staff were incredibly friendly and welcoming. They even accommodated our dog, giving him treats. Despite being busy, our food and drinks arrived promptly and were delicious, as usual. I am looking forward to returning for another visit.