The Bear on the Barge - Uxbridge

So on a random hunt for a restaurant for a quick bite, we came across this great pub/restaurant. Walking in, you'd think it was a tiny pub until you go for

A Great place at a great location. The beer garden with views of canal are to die for on sunny summer days. Service is prompt and food is delicious. Sunday roast was very nice and pizza was yummilicious as well. Worth to pop in on Sundays for a relax brunch.

We wanted to have a meal in a beer garden on a beautiful, sunny evening, so we chose this restaurant. The beer garden is spacious and well-maintained with a play area for children. We had looked at the menu beforehand and it was to our liking. Although we had to order through a QR code and our food came in a box with plastic utensils, we didn't mind as we felt they were taking precautions due to the pandemic. The portions were generous and we all enjoyed our meals, which were served promptly. As for areas of improvement, we suggest offering a larger selection of ice cream and addressing any issues in the restrooms, such as broken locks and toilet seats.

My wife and I had lunch on Sunday. Disconcerting to find a gate half across the car park and with a Private car park notice. Welcome to the Bear on the Barge car park would be friendlier. The front door is shut and we had...to go round the side. There is no indication of this anywhere, however having been before, we knew there was a side entrance in the garden. Very small menu, mainly Greek Souvlakis, some skewer dishes and pizza. We had expected some sort of Sunday roast. It's a pub (or at least, it used to be) but the only beer was lager and only a choice of three at that. After the mains (one lamb and one halloumi skewer, and very tasty they were too), we asked about desserts. We're not doing those Something to do with covid.. How about a coffee. What would we like Filter A blank look. I asked Have you a machine Yes, they had a machine. OK, two cappucinos. Waitress came back ten minutes later to say they had no milk. Add to that we were sitting in an almost empty room on a cold, wet day with the door to the garden permanently open. The place can hold a huge number the large garden is full of tables and there is a big marquee at the side but they don't seem geared to cope. The waitress sympathised and said it was due to covid. Well, yes, but other places have bounced back. She also said they were going to close in September for refurbishment. I think that maybe a complete rethink of their core business would be useful. So no complaints about the food but it was not the pleasant Sunday lunch in a warm pub atmosphere that we had looked forward to.

Gone are the days when this used to be a lovely, friendly beer garden. We came here for the Live Music every Friday as advertised on their website, to be told there currently is no live music due to covid restrictions. (No time to update...website in the last year But more annoyingly: There are now speakers every across the ENTIRE beer garden. Not a single quiet spot where one could have a nice time without the conversation feeling overwhelmed by annoying chart/dance music. "Dominant music level probably describes it best). I'd understand it if this was a party place in town centre. But even at with only customers in the beer garden, the music was simply too loud to have an enjoyable conversation over a meal, so we left again. I mentioned the dominant music to one of the members of staff, but they didn't seem to care. With only customers, turning down the music surely is an option, right? Never seen anyone complain in a beer garden that the music's too quiet... Anyway, glad we left before ordering anything. I'd imagine the music probably gets even louder as the place fills up. people more noise crank up music... after all, people drink more if they can't hold a conversation. Which is good for business, right?