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Baseline testHouse original

The Barley Mow

A below-average pub burger was rescued by very good fries, exceptional service and a great atmosphere in one of the best central locations in Orléans.

OrleansAugust 17, 2023
Barley Mow
7.8
7.0

The field report

The Barley Mow is about as traditional as a pub gets, and that showed in the burger. It was nothing special, tasted overcooked so it landed below average for us. Truly was lacking anything that would make it stand out from another's pub burger. At $21, the price was reasonable, but the value could not completely make up for the food quality.

The fries were very good, but the service was the real highlight. It stood above everything else the restaurant had to offer and was among the best service we experienced during our journey.

The atmosphere was also great (despite being a Thursday), with the central Orléans location adding considerably to the appeal. Combined with the relatively affordable prices, it works well as a neighbourhood pub even if the burger itself is not the main attraction.

Overall, we would return for the location, atmosphere and exceptional service, but not specifically for the burger. The Barley Mow succeeds as a pub more than it does as a burger destination.

Off the scorecard

The whiskey sour report.

Not included in the Spot score
6.5

An above-average bar or pub version, but still not very good by broader standards. It used bar lime and omitted the egg white, leaving it noticeably short of a classic whiskey sour.

Two opinions, kept intact

The scorecards

Each reviewer scores the applicable categories. Burger owns 40%; everything else shares the remaining 60%.

Main reviewer's card

Connor

C
  • Burger6.8
  • Fries8.4
  • Beer8.0
  • Beer selection7.3
  • Service9.5
  • Atmosphere8.0
Weighted score7.7
“The burger was below average and did not give me much to talk about. The excellent service and strong fries kept the visit from being disappointing.”

Main reviewer's card

Alex

A
  • Burger7.1
  • Fries8.6
  • Beer8.0
  • Beer selection7.3
  • Service9.7
  • Atmosphere8.3
Weighted score7.9
“The lovely server we had was the biggest strength. The atmosphere being great on a Thursday was another bonus. I would return for the overall pub experience, but the burger would not be the reason.”

The combined verdict

7.8

We both agreed that the Barley Mow offered exceptional service, very good fries and a great atmosphere in an excellent location. Unfortunately, the burger was too ordinary to recommend on its own, making this a better neighbourhood pub than burger destination.