By The Fountain in Mid Sussex - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

This place is amazing! I absolutely love it here. We visited for the first time this weekend and it was so much fun. The cocktails are delicious and the staff are so lovely. Couldn't recommend it more!

I had a wonderful time at Aqua Bar&Kitchen today, I would deffo come back as definitely recommend this place to my friends and family. Başak was wonderful staff and all staffs made sure that everything was served and made our restaurant visit so special.

Great food and very reasonable. Be nice when we can go inside too, but they are making the best of the outside space

Love this place! The staff are super friendly and the cocktails are amazing. Definitely go check it out if you're in the area.

It has a very nice atmosphere and a great space to dance 💃 and enjoy 😉

Lovely place for my mums Birthday .amazing food , service and beautiful setting .Staff really made my mums birthday special .the roast beef was so tasty and the rhubarb Eton mess was best I have tasted .My daughters Jaffa chocolate mousse desert was delicious

My husband surprised me and took me for our Wedding Anniversary. Amazing quality food and fantastic efficient friendly service. Everything looked as amazing as it tasted. Highly recommend and will definitely be back, just perfect!

Great space, lovely cocktails and drinks at a reasonable price, great food and good music!

Outstanding food, outstanding service. They had heaters and the whole experience was amazing. Every bite was a taste sensation. Probably the best place for food in Eastgrinstead. Highly recommend.

Excellent food and service. Would definitely recommend it.

Lovely dining area, fantastic service

We had the most delicious lunch here to celebrate my sister’s birthday. The food was very tasty, service excellent and we stayed far too long, but nobody complained

My Wife & I had a beautiful 3 course meal , really lovely atmosphere with friendly & helpful staff , 5 star Evening will definitely return .

exceptional service and food again! highly recommended..

Always excellent service and food. Definitely in the Top 2 of restaurants in East Grinstead.

absolutely lovely food .great staff and nice atmosphere

Fantastic food, great service and lovely atmospheric venue. Highly recommend.

A special restaurant in the beautiful historic High Street of East Grinstead. This deserves a special occasion. Wonderful staff & excellent food.

We had a superb dinner here this evening. Good choices on the menu, I can honestly say that eating here was a pleasurable experience and highly recommend this for an occasion dinner or special night out

Interesting and creative food served by attentive and friendly staff - and fabulous cocktails.

Lovely food, very tasty, and they make their own bread, so kudos for that. The service was extremely good too.

Excellent Service and beautiful food - we will be back xx

Wow what a meal! By far the best place to have a nice, tasty, freshly made meal at a reasonable price. The beef macaroni cheese to start with was absolutely to die for, the cod to follow was very tasty and then the passion fruit cheese cake topped the meal nicely. Can't wait to go back - so pleased to have this restaurant in East Grinstead 😄

Excellent service, beautiful food and soooo lovely inside. Thanks for a great evening team

Superb food and service can’t fault this restaurant!😀😊

Lovely decor ,excellant service,very high end food choices and would highly recommend a visit .

Welcome to EG! Delicious food served by efficient and attentive staff in a lovely environment. You are poised to fill a gap in dining options in the town. Our meal felt special whilst still good value. Will be back soon.

Open Evening was amazing, staff were on the ball and attentive. Food was amazing and the cocktails were good too. Will definitely go back.

amazing food, staff & ambiance.... so happy to recommend to all ❤❤

We were there as a group for a birthday party, the food was delicious and the cocktails were great, we left very happy..

I had a lovely dinner at Aqua last night !! The food was delicious, the service was prompt, and the atmosphere was lively! Would definitely recommend to anyone that loves good food and a fun time:)

I went in today for some breakfast the guy was as miserable as sin will never see me again

Great food, freshly prepared, and lovely cocktail selection.

Well, looking at all of the other previous reviews I can only assume that the food served in Aqua is very good. Unfortunately I didn't get to taste it! I had booked a table for 7 people for 8.30 on a Saturday evening. When we arrived, spot on time, the restaurant was very busy. The manager checked our reservation and told our that our table would be ready in 5 to 10 minutes and asked us to sit at a table by the bar. There were only 4 seats for the 7 of us, but that wasn't a problem. When I went to the bar to order a round of drinks the barman politely told me that is was table service only and that he wasn't able to serve me. Once again, not a problem. We then waited a good 10 minutes without any of the waiting staff coming to serve us, so I went and stood by the bar until one of them approched the bar. I explained that we were waiting to eat and told him where we were sitting and placed our order with him. We then waited for what seemed like an eternity, in reality problaby about 20 minutes with no sign of our order. So we had now been in the restaurant for at least half an hour, have made a reservation, for over half an hour with absolutely no service at all! When a familly at the next table told us that they had a arrived at 7.15 and that they were still waiting for their meals, (it's now gone 9pm!), we decided to leave. I told the manager why we were leaving. He was apologetic, saying that they were very busy, but that it was, "No problem", and that he would give us 50% off the next time that we came in....... No problem??!!! ....... His poor management had ruined our evening ..and we certainly won't be going back ...... there are two other good restaurants in East Grinstead serving similar dishes. I don't know whether this particular night was a one off and that unforeseen circumstances had occurred which caused problems, (such as the chef being ill or something). If that was the case then it was not explained to us. What is the point in making a reservation? If you know that you are going to be full then don't take the reservation. If unforeseen circumstances crop up which you know are going to cause problems then phone the customer, (they took my number when I placed the booking. Obviously to phone me if I didn't turn up!), and explain the situation so that they can make alternative arrangemeours. As it was, this appalling service has left a bad taste in our mouths, (unfortunately we didn't get any food to take that taste away!), and we won't be going back. We are fortunate that there are plenty of good restaurants in East Grinstead.

Had Dinner here Saturday, I had the Mushroom Rissotto and hubby had Crispy pork belly both meals were lovely but one criticism and that was the plates were not warm halfway through our dinners they were cold which was such a shame. Please Please heat the plates ot makes such a difference. Will definitely be returning though.

Had a brilliant meal here 22/06/24 late afternoon for my wife’s birthday Service was excellent and food was fantastic. Food was very tasty and was It was really fresh. There was seating outside and inside. We ate inside but stayed for drinks after our meal and sat outside. There was some parking out the front but it was limited. There is parking local to the restaurant but it is a bit of a walk. There was a disabled ramp for easy access to the restaurant. Would highly recommend and we will definitely visit again in the near future. Thankyou for an enjoyable afternoon.

I ate a seafood linguine yesterday here. It was really YUMMY one of the best I have ever had. It came with olives & nice grilled pita bread. I would highly recommend this restaurant & the staff are very friendly. They don’t even add a tip to the bill, so I chose to pay extra

Good food, sensibly priced with friendly & attentive staff. Will definitely be going again. Mixed seafood linguine

Wonderful place to celebrate, food was amazing and the staff very attentive Highly recommended

First visit here, didn’t get the meal I ordered and my Wife’s Piri Piri Chicken was very bland. Nice atmosphere but food and service very average, I did get a discount on my bill after mentioning my disappointment on the food.

We had lunch there for my mother's birthday. We choose from the set menu great value lovely food and the staff were great. We will definitely be going again.

Had a really lovely dinner with friends here - the food was delicious and the atmosphere was amazing! I would recommend Aqua to anyone living in East Grinstead 😊

Awful food. Service was shocking. Very over priced

Two of us popped in for lunch. Great food and good service. A la carte menu available but we chose from the separate lunch menu which is very good value. Our sea bass was very tasty with roasted vegetables and potatoes. Would recommend a visit.

I recently visited Aqua, and it was an amazing experience. The cozy atmosphere, complete with soft lighting and floral decor, made for a perfect evening. I ordered the king prawn pasta, which was cooked to perfection. The accompanying sauce was full of flavours chili, lemon etc was wonderful. Service was prompt and friendly, adding to the overall pleasant experience. Prices were reasonable, considering the quality of the food. I highly recommend Aqua Spot for anyone looking for a relaxed dining experience with great food. Definitely one to look out for on your walks up the high street.

Wonderful lunch, great value. Food was simply stunning fresh and full of flavour. We will definitely be coming again. Thank you

Lovely lunch ,good choices and value

First visit & was pleasantly surprised. The food was delicious and good service. Will definitely be back.

Definitely new owners and now Aqua Bar and Kitchen. Excellent Mediterranean menu, nice ambience, good service at sensible prices. Absolutely packed on a Saturday night. Have now eaten there three times.

My 2 visits, definitely the best in town…!

We were given a voucher as a Christmas present but noticed soon after that By the fountain was closed. We heard that it was reopening in March so popped in recently to ask if they would still honour the voucher. The new owner said that it was nothing to do with him and he couldn't honour the voucher. He did offer a discount but we were so annoyed that we had a £100 voucher just wasted that we didn't stay. We had heard that the new restaurent was owned by the family of the old one, but he denied this. So it was a waste of the generous gift that was bought in good faith. Although the new restaurent is called Aqua bar, it is still By the fountain on the booking website. Very disappointed.

EDIT: The review below is for By The Fountain. I have not yet tried it under its new guise of Aqua Bar & Kitchen. Brilliant restaurant that serves food that is Michelin-starred quality at reasonable prices. Friendly and accommodating staff. Highly recommended. 01/01/24: Editing this review to add some photos following our New Year's Eve celebration tasting menu, which was wonderful. This restaurant has never ceased to provide superb meals and excellent service since it first opened.

Nice Venue, Not been before , not sure what I was expecting, but the service was prompt and efficient. Food was very good, Recommend this venue

Absolutely delicious food each visit we have gone. Friendly service as well. Loved it. Nice treat.

very good food and amazing service. Thank you

Outstanding food and service It was quiet and did lack atmosphere

We had an early family Christmas lunch on a Sunday in December. The food was incredible with impeccable service and such a wonderful setting. Highly recommend for seafood with suggestions given by the amazing host, Ali and also meat eaters will love! Can’t wait for the Christmas Day menu! 😍

I've just enjoyed a fabulous lunch at By the Fountain. The food is top notch, service faultless, warmth and welcome hard to beat. Honestly, you must go to this restaurant, it's very, very good.

I've been here a few times lately and I'm always amazed that it isn't busier - maybe there are al lot of people like me who went years ago and don't realise how much it has changed. Great service, great food and good value which is something it never used to be. I think the manager does himself a disservice putting people at the back of the restaurant rather than the front to make the place look busier. This is the best restaurant in East Grinstead.

An excellent restaurant that's great for a meal out. A nice selection of food done really well, a lovely atmosphere and good service.

As usual, as we are regulars, the food cannot be faulted. Everything is cooked to perfection, the service is excellent and friendly. This is the only restaurant where I eat dessert as I am fussy and cannot stand things that are oversweet. Even the ice-cream I had this time round was so tasty. Highly recommended. We'll be back soon enough.

I had a family and friends gathering of 40 people, they did us a 6 course taster menu with vegan, coeliac and vegetarian options, the food was outstanding matched to different wines were a perfect combination. Ali and his team looked after us amazingly. Great place to hold a party or just sit and have a nice romantic meal. This place is an find. Thanks Ali. We will be back soon.

This is a fantastic restaurant! The food was amazing and the staff were very efficient and helpful. The restaurant itself is lovely with a warm friendly atmosphere, a place you want to go back to. I definitely recommend a visit

Loved it! Great addition to East Grinstead. We really enjoyed the Seafood Platter for 2 and the Baked Hake with Smoked Haddock.

This is a amazing restaurant. Food and service were first class . Would highly recommend for either a meal or a birthday/Christmas get together. 10/10

Fantastic restaurant, food and service absolutely first class . Highly recommend for either a meal out or a birthday/ Christmas celebration with friends.

Amazing food and would definitely be visiting again. Ali the owner was so professional, very attentive and nothing was too much trouble.

Food was top notch, the service was great, and very friendly. Overall, I would thoroughly recommend!

Fish I had was fantastic. Unfortunately, not a massive range for vegetarians, but they did accommodate my two vegetarian guests with a wild mushroom risotto, which wasn't on the menu, and which my guests said was excellent. Service was great. Really good overall

What a gem of a place. So refreshing to find such a well run independent restaurant. The food was superb, all bought fresh from Billingsgate market that morning. Oysters and scallops as good as I've had anywhere and a superb, very generously portioned fillet steak from a local butcher. Topped off with fantastic service and very fair pricing, this is a place I would wholeheartedly recommend, and will certainly be coming back to.

Had a wonderful dinner here with my wife. Food and service were excellent. Will come back 👍

Excellent evening I’d rang up to confirm my table on the Friday evening and the owner informed me he was off to billingsgate market in the morning and if I wanted anything particular great service. Food was excellent would definitely go back

My partner and I came for dinner here at the weekend - we stopped by in the afternoon and we were greeted so warmly by the owner. We booked our table and came back in the evening. The service was wonderful, very attentive and we were treated like old friends, even though this was our first time dining here as we live out of town. The food was amazing!! The hake is possibly one of the best fish dishes we have ever had and the seabass was so tender! We would recommend this restaurant to anyone and we will definitely go back again next time we are in town!

We enjoyed a really pleasant lunch here on Saturday. It was quiet and I enjoyed a Turkish RAKI as an aperifif The owner looked after us very well and had been shopping at Billingsgate which meant a good fresh selection of fish was available. The majority of the party went for the sea bass which was perfectly cooked and served. We went for the crab equally good. Good wine list reasonably priced as was the entire menu We all felt well nourished and appreciated the time there 100 per cent recommended!

Can’t fault the food which was delicious…but the service was non existent from the moment we walked in, to the moment we left. Having to leave the table and find someone so we could get water and order aperitifs was the poor start but unfortunately that’s how the service carried on for the rest of our evening (the evening we visited was the hottest day we’d had for weeks!) Our evening ended by having to ask several times for the bill almost to the point it felt we had to demand it. All very bizarre I do wonder what it would have been like had they have been busy! We had heard good things about the restaurant but it was an expensive experience which left us feeling very disappointed and somewhat letdown

Had high expectations and was looking forward to a great evening with friends as reviews looked good. Arrived at our booked time. There were 6 tables outside all taken (no issue) and 2 inside. The inside looked pretty closed but for the two tables of diners. After waiting over 5 minutes I asked if we were going to be shown to our table. Which were duly shown too. Round table for 6, right at the back is f the near empty restaurant. We the. Waited a further 15 minutes before I went and asked for both menus and to order drinks. Service was abysmal. We ordered our food and no complaints there. The food was amazing. Just such a let down by the service, which continued to be very slow and inattentive during the meal. We had to ask, numerous times, for our wine to be topped up (they placed the bottle in a ice bucket away from the table. I’m afraid we won’t be back. Which is a shame, but the service let them down and was quite frankly embarrassing in front of our guests.

Lovely food and friendly staff. It was slow service to start and the tables were not that busy. But once we had ordered food was quick and good quality.

I went with my dog for a nice dinner while my partner was helping to set up a friend’s wedding nearby. My dog Prospero & I were looking for a dog friendly place with outdoor seating to take advantage of the balmy 30* day. The restaurant has a lovely outdoor terrace which is covered and I think this is the only dog friendly area. It’s really nice. The service was great. I ordered the Hake with a rich Arnold Bennett sauce and tenderstem broccoli and a glass of white wine. They brought over water for the pup and he also enjoyed a bit of my Hake. I would happily go here again if ever in East Grinstead again!

Visited for the first time and it won't be the last - well worth the 20 min trip from Oxted. Unusually there's a decent selection of good wine by the glass, with advice on matching food and wine.

We went for my birthday treat last night, not sure what to expect and WOW!! what a fantastic restaurant. The food is simply gorgeous, the atmosphere and services spot on. I honestly don't think there is a single thing they could improve on. What a truly fabulous restaurant and we can't wait to go back. We eat out a lot so we have pretty high standards, By The Fountain exceeded them all.

Excellent, courteous, efficient, unobtrusive and knowledgeable service, with superb, beautifully presented and delicious range of menu options. Six of us shared a birthday lunch at By the Fountain on Saturday. The restaurant was spacious, attractive and everything was spotlessly clean. We felt special, we couldn't have chosen better and would be happy to return.

Six of us booked for a birthday lunch on Saturday at this restaurant. First thing I noticed was how spotlessly clean and spacious it was. It has an elegant feel. Not sure if the gentleman who served us was the owner or the Manager, but he was great, talking us through the menu, offering advice and food background and quietly attentive. The other staff were efficient and pleasant. We were supplied with water and a basket of fresh bread immediately. The food was excellent and imaginative in choice. . My starter, crayfish with avocado, arrived as a neat moulded tower, positively crammed with crayfish. All our starters and mains were beautifully presented and tasted as good as they looked. We had an excellent experience overall and would not hesitate to return.

Excellent! Food, service and atmosphere all fantastic. I would highly recommend this restaurant. It's the best place to eat in East Grinstead.

We had a lovely meal here which came with excellent service. First of all, Ali (I think that’s his name) was helpful in many ways: he recommended wine, he recommended meals - starters and mains - to complement one another; he was well travelled and...

Best restaurant in east grinstead!! (Please delete if not allowed) Me and my other half went out for dinner at By the Fountain and I want to give where credit is due I know a few months back on Facebook there was a post made in regards to the owener (I won’t go into detail) however we have always wanted to try the restaurant as they always seem to have very good deals on and reviews are always good and never see any negative ones; for example Sundays; 2 courses for £25 each & do seafood! We were not disappointed, we had been greeted and brought to our seat, offered water and given plenty of time to look through the menu, we had; seafood plater to start, Main dishes; fish of the day & hake with cream sauce. The food 10/10 and service is 10/10, very relaxed atmosphere, didn’t feel rushed at all also felt like we could ask the owener anything regarding the restaurant or meal, we will definitely be returning! Cocktails are also very nicely made no unnecessary ice or sour.

First impressions is the restaurant looks like something out of the 90’s with Daily Mail readers yapping thinking they’re dining in a upmarket restaurant and the waiters were wearing hoodies…you get my drift. Food was uninspiring and again looked though it was from the 90’s...

Lovely food and great service. Quite expensive so good for celebration rather than regular dining out.

We had an excellent meal I recommend the Hake.

A truly wonderful experience! Our meals were faultless and the staff were friendly and very helpful

Gorgeous meal! The staff were amazing- so attentive. Best place we’ve eaten in a long time! We will be back

Great night Friday here, amazing singer, will be back. Understand same singer is in on Friday 21st, well worth a watch. Looking forward to it

Excelente atención, muy buena comida se los recomiendo

Beautiful meal! We have been here on two occasions and have booked for another! The fish is so fresh and beautifully cooked, the prawn pasta was full of flavour, all food is well present and spotlessly clean throughout the restaurant and outside.

Beautiful meal! We have been here on two occasions and have booked for another! The fish is so fresh and beautifully cooked, the prawn pasta was full of flavour, all food is well present and spotlessly clean throughout the restaurant and outside.

Very fresh and excellent quality food. We had a superb seafood platter to share followed by the best prawn linguine I’ve ever had. The service was attentive but not intrusive. It was a fantastic culinary experience and I will definitely be back. The only star lacking is because sadly the restaurant was inexplicably not busy. Please go!

One of the best meals i have had for a loooonnnng time! Great service, wonderful food and selection. We'll be back and go for the seafood menu.

We took Kiwi friends on a Tuesday. Most if our meals were nice but prawn pasta dish was saltire and tasteless. Been many time including at Xmas so was a bit disappointed this time but restaurant was empty so maybe a one off.

We've actually been many times. It is our favorite eaterie. The food is always SUPERB and the service is great. Highly recommended.

Absolutely the best restaurant in East Grinstead or the local area weve been to to date. Plenty of variety of fine dining dishes and really very good value for the quality of food and service. Loved it here and hope to he back again soon.

We have visited twice now and both occasions the food and service were fantastic. First visit we ate a three course meal and the second time we ate from the sea food menu. The staff are very friendly and the food is absolutely flavourful and tasty. We will now make this our regular restaurant for special occasions. I can't suggest just one food option because every single item we have tried tasted amazing.