The Six Bells, Penmark, Barry

A group of men out on a mens night here really enjoyed the atmosphere not one of the group failed to enjoytheir food, especially the afters!! The baileys cheese cake was extremly nice and would recommend it if still on the menu. Sitting by the lovely fire on arrival was very nice too adding to the night out.

Had a lovely meal last night Jan 21st 2012 portions were very good haven’t been there before as it is only 3 mls away can’t think why.The food was brilliant My husband said the pepperd beef pie was exelant and the staff very atentive and friendly. I will defenatly be recomending the Six Bells Penmarc to my friends. It’s a must.

The food was extremely good - well prepared and with a varied selection available, although those with a hearty appetite might be disappointed with the portion size. My daughter declared that the chicken breast was the best she'd ever tasted.

Bad points: the service was good but very slow - our meal took three hours for three courses. Also, two of the main courses were unavailable on the day.

We went for an early evening meal and found ourselves to be the only patrons. We worried that as the restaurant was empty it might bode for below par meal. We needn't have worried, the food was delicious and the service was excellent.We would have no hestitation in returning to this friendly well run establishment.

I have eaten here many times as well as relaxed in the traditional cosy bar with a pint of real ale. The real ale - HB and normally speckled hen, are the best pints I have had for a long time and would recommend it to anybody.

The restaurant which is contrasting to the main bar is bright, fresh and rather contemporary. I believe the head-chef is from Gilby's Fine Dining Restaurant (now closed down) and the food i have only praise for.

I give this little gem 5-stars as I believe it is a hidden gem in The Vale.

Update 07-03-2010

After a disappointing visit last year, a more recent visit went better. The meal was fine, and came in at around £20 a head (some had two courses, others three), and service was friendly (they made a couple of mistakes but rectified them straight away without a quibble). Decent portion sizes still, but not a great deal of choice for vegetarians.

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Located in the tiny village of Penmark in the Vale of Glamorgan, the Six Bells is a traditional pub with a restaurant area and function room, under new management (as of January 2009).

Penmark itself has a church and the remains of a 12th century castle, once home to the Umfraville family. The Pub itself has a traditional bar area with a low ceiling, wooden beams and a tiled floor and a large fireplace, which is home to a roaring fire in winter. There's a second bar on the other side of the servery leading to an airy, modern dining room, although I prefer the cosier side myself. They serve real ales, which on my visit included Hancock's HB and Old Speckled Hen.

They also serve food (Tues-Sats, 12-14.30 & 18-21h) ranging from sandwiches, warm baguettes and salads to a decent menu of pub grub favourites, including a curry, lasagne, sausages and mash, fish and chips and a slightly more upmarket menu with the likes of steak and sea bass. They also have a daily selection of traditional desserts and a Welsh cheese board. During the week they do a £10 for two courses special offer. On Sundays they do a traditional roast from 12-16h, for which it is advisable to book.

We had a family meal there recently, and the food was both well cooked and very good value indeed, with everything freshly prepared - be warned that some of the portions can be on the generous side, so if you want pudding, you may want to skip the starters! Although they weren't terribly busy with diners (it was a Saturday lunchtime), service was spot on, and all the staff were very friendly and helpful.

The pub has strong competition locally, as neighbouring villages feature the Blue Anchor (a genuine 'olde worlde' building with excellent real ales and a posh restaurant) and the Fox & Hounds at Llancarfan (also well known for its food, but pricier). The Six Bells sensibly goes for something slightly different, and scores on quality and good value food and the friendliness of its service.

In terms of practicalities, it also has a large car park tucked behind the building, so parking is straightforward. It is accessed by a minor road off the B4265 Cardiff Airport - Llantwit Major Road.

Worth looking out for.

Went for New Years Eve, wasn't impressed with the menu choice or the service, paid alot for not much, wouldn't hurry back.