Gardeners Arms in Mid Sussex

We came here for lunch as we were visiting Wakehurst Place later in the afternoon. Staff were very pleasant and overall we had an enjoyable visit, but would really only come back if we were going to Wakehurst again.

Just popped in for a drink, friendly staff, and clientele it would seem. Xx

Compliment to the chef, the food was amazing, will definitely return.

For the price of £20, Sunday roast was awful, especially beef. Looking at other tables, most guests left it untouched as well. Fish and chips were passable at best.

Excellent Sunday roast, we both had the pork, it was hot , very tasty and plentiful, we couldn’t fault it , the best Sunday roast we have had in a while

Thoroughly disappointed. We normally have a good time here but this time we weren’t impressed. We weren’t acknowledged when arrived and took a while to get menus at the table. Our table was booked for 7:30pm and we ordered drinks at 8pm. Two of our steaks were basically cold, very chewy and full of gristle. We told the nice waitress and she spoke to her manager who said they would take off one drink from our bill bearing in mind we had two bad steaks. £4 compensation for £38 worth of food. We only ate it because we were so hungry. Not an ideal meal for a 25th birthday.

Wonderful hospitality, great food, and staff too!

Good food and beer. Nice service.

What a great experience! The hostess was so friendly and accommodating. We were half an hour early for our reservation but she seated us a immediately and found us a chair that had gone missing. She made some spot-on suggestions about beer and food. There was a little mix-up in the kitchen with the order our food came out in, which she rectified immediately by not charging us for our sharing plate. The food was also great--refined versions of the classics. The Fisherman's Pie was the standout for us.

Good value, nice food and efficent, friendly service.

A nice country pub with a good atmosphere. We went for Sunday roast lunch and there was a choice of beef, pork or chicken. We ordered the pork loin which arrived with a yorkshire pudding, a selectiin of fresh vegatbles and its own jug of gravy. Service was brisk and staff helpful and attentive. We only had room for sorbet and ice cream afterwards, and with coffee to follow we came out with a bill of under £65 for 2, incl 10% service charge, which is added automatically. We will be returning.

Fantastic place to stop by for a pint after a long walk or for nice and comforting food.

Very cold. Service charge not pointed out

Nice place to have a meal and a coffee or lunch

To celebrate a birthday myself and 7 other adults booked and ate on Sunday 11th February 2024. The pubs decor and ambience were good however the roast beef dinner ordered by 3 of the group including myself was returned, the meat was inedible being extremely poor quality. The manageress resolved our complaint by providing an alternative meal.

Fran & Camilla helped organise my wife’s 60th Birthday lunch for 20 people. Emails were always acknowledged and any questions answered. It was a great afternoon enjoyed by all. With Fran at the helm and our main waitress I knew we were in safe and competent hands. She worked so hard and you are very fortunate to have such a great staff member that worked under pressure for the 3 hours we were there. She was exceptional.

Staff very busy so service not so geat.

Unfortunately, although we had booked a week in advance we were seated right by a draughty and constantly in use door. We did change tables however which was much improved. Service was good. Sadly the food was poor, all vegetables were over cooked, beef was not very tasty and the beetroot wellington was soggy, as were the hasselback potatoes. We were offered free desserts to make up for it however I had to query the bill at the end because the cost of the deserts was not fully removed. Sadly my desert (the lemon tart) also had soggy pastry however the sticky toffee pudding was nice. Overall a very disappointing experience which would put all of us off returning.

Excellent service, great food and a lovely atmosphere! Highly recommended and I'll definitely be back.

Really nice. Called in for dinner en route to Brighton. Tons of parking. Pleasantly full with what seemed like regulars in the bar area. Chargrilled steak very tasty, if a bit tough. Fish and triple cooked chips excellent. Chocolate mousse desert delicious. Pleasant service.

Go to the Arms quite often. Never had a problem. Good value for money. No apple crumble. Oh dear 😳 😕 😞

Great food. Gluten free options

Great revamp of the Gardeners. Will be going back soon.

Delicious food and really nice atmosphere. Good value pricing wise

Really enjoyable lunch. Good range of food and a great drinks menu.

We have been coming for years but last time we visited the food was definitely not as good as it used to be, very average and over priced for what you now get. Very disappointed as it used to be a favourite.

Pollock not great but nice atmosphere, very quick friendly service and other food tasty, especially crispy chips

We had a fantastic meal here at Christmastime! Staff were friendly, helpful and polite. All 4 of us enjoyed our meals and we really loved the atmosphere! It was decked out with Christmas dex and very busy but it made for a great atmosphere for families, groups and couples. Even better the music didn't intrude lol. We will definitely go back here and can thoroughly recommend it, but make sure you book as it's a very popular, successful restaurant!

Been coming here yearly for the past few years around Christmas, lovely atmosphere and cosy pub, unfortunately food this time was dreadful, undercooked and cold. Very expensive bill for very disappointing meal :(

Great pub,easy access food good

Felt very let down by the service and experience of staff. The menu was already reduced as it was a Sunday and the Grill wasn't working, but we weren't told that til after we had got our drinks. That meant no burger or chips. Therefore, a lot of dishes were unavailable.

Lovely staff and good food and service BUT the piped music is far too loud and obtrusive. I had to ask the staff twice if they could turn it down a bit as we were sat right under a speaker and it made holding a conversation difficult. We even had to ask to move to another table which was only slightly quieter and calmer. Moreover, it didn't make the atmosphere relaxing at all.Overall, that one element spoilt our visit to an otherwise great local pub.

First time back since the refurbishment. Still a nice pub, but I was a bit disappointed with my beef. A bit tough a sinewy and my ice-cream portion was small. My biggest disappointment though was the amount of people with dogs in the pub. Personally, I don't feel the presence of animals in a restaurant is compatible with good hygiene. At least have a dog free area.

Really good. Nice cosy atmosphere, efficient service, good selection of food which was tasty and not exorbitantly expensive. Beer selection is standard Badger which was the only minor downside

Exceptional food, great atmosphere and superb recent refurbishment! Well done team!

Really lovely pub, shame it’s closing for a few weeks for a refurb but we’ll definitely be back!

Server was great i think her name is Elle’s, very fit and fast service

Nice place to get a pint, but the food is a bit pricey

Went Friday night, we had booked a table. Took ages for our drinks to arrive, asked for children's menu, he had fish goujons which were dripping in fat . I had coq au vin, the sauce tasted and smelt horrible, vegetables very overcooked. Other half had cheese burger and said it was just about edible. They don't take cash. Had a bookingfor the next night as we were staying at the showground but didn't want mediocre food again. Our waitress was lovely but even she admitted they were not prepared for it to be busy even though there was a big event on opposite.

Shame nice pub but roast was medioka 3 roast potatoes not crispy tough beef and not a lot of anything and service was poor lot of people saying the same bit of a disappointment was looking forward to it.

Only ordered chips so can't comment on food! Good atmosphere and service tho! Had a good work meeting 👍

Fantastic food, lovely staff, plenty of parking

Had the most tiny fish and chips ever. Counted 8 chips on my plate and a tiny fish for the price of £16.95. Beer and outside garden were nice. But disappointed with the portions of the food.

An excellent, proper English pub. The interior is a classic pub style and the food and drinks are exactly what you would want and expect from a pub.

Great food, great atmosphere and an all round great experience. I'll be back there soon.

Brilliant pint excellent food

Delicious food,perfect service!

Excellent light lunch. Recommended

Beef was perfectly cooked, portion was just right, bottomless gravy and Yorkshire puddings were a nice touch. Only criticism was that it could have been a little hotter. Service was great. Will definitely go again.

Very nice food and service, well done

Good beautiful place, situable for walking.

Food was good, pub looking tired and in need of some tlc

Nice rustic place for a quiet drink

Went with family on Sunday 6 March and disappointed that no vegetarian roasts were available. Other veg/vegan options were limited. The veggie burger option was nice but the portion of chips was very poor for £13.

Made a booking at short notice that was accomadated.Very nice simple meal served with minimal wait.

Popped in for Sunday lunch, service was quick staff were friendly and the food was lovely. Would highly recommend if you're nearby. Was busy so I'd recommend booking in advance if you can

Went for a Sunday lunch. The staff is polite and kind, the place is a bit crowded. Food was good and that's about it. Just a good pub

Food was delish. Service was ace. Lovely country pub. Dog friendly and dog walks on its doorstep.

Birthday celebration family meal of excellent food and great service.

Largish country pub in the Hall and Woodhouse chain. Very welcoming staff.

Good food, good atmosphere. Dogs and muddy boots allowed. Most importantly, decent whisky behind the bar! Any pub that has Lagavulin 16 is fine by me. Worth a mention on it's own, the burgers here are excellent, even the kids are homemade, perfectly seasoned, beefy and awesome. I can not overstate how good the burgers are!

I/we visited this gastro-pub for a get-together meal with two friends, who live & work approx 15 minutes away. The food and service were both good. There's a liklihood that we will re-visit this place again, when we have more time to enjoy things more, (without having to cut & run back to work).

Had enjoyable Sunday lunch while visiting friends in the area

Food was ok but the options are portions were a little pretentious and over priced

Food was over priced for what it was. I had the duck salad and the meat seemed as though it has been frozen then defrosted and prior to freezing it was overcooked! 'Loud' drinkers right next to the diners so not the the right atmosphere. Pleasant enough staff but I wouldn't return.

Lovely place. Very accommodating. We stopped in after visiting the Young Drivers experience at the nearby show ground. We had the Sunday roast. It was the best roast I’ve had in a long time. It was lovely. The only reason I gave 4/5 stars was because of the service. It was slow.. not the order or the main food delivery, but the clear up and desert/coffee, and by this time it wasn’t that busy. The staff walked passed plenty of times and left empty plates on the table. That’s my only gripe. Other than that it was a lovely place and the food was excellent!

Had higher hopes, food was ready average - slightly overpriced for what it is.

I walked to the pub from the village 20 minutes each way only to find it shut! At 6pm on a Monday. No sign on the door nothing, no change of hours on Google or website

Overall the venue was nice with a roaring fire in the main bar area, however we had a 50th birthday celebration and went to a back room where the windows were milky and unclean, the plaster was falling off the walls and it was generally tired. We booked here because we had previously eaten and had been impressed with the food. Sadly on the most recent occasion the food was average to say the least, the steak pie was mostly fat and poor quality meat, the lamb was tasteless, burger was dry, fish was chewy and inedible and most of the food was tepid when served. We had to request items stated on the menu which were not served with the meal. The charges for food/drink were acceptable for a top quality dining experience in a clean and welcoming pub but sadly this pub fell very short of this, I will now be taking it off the regular eating list and letting friends and family know of the experience we received. I would not recommend this pub and suggest they need to consider the maintenance of the pub and the current quality of food if they insist on charging such prices

Good 'pub' food, nice staff and very helpful, just what we were looking for after as nice day at Wakehurst Place.

Lovely country pub with a good assortment of drinks and heavenly pub food. The staff are really friendly and helpful with a dog friendly atmosphere. The only gripe is the photo of Carol Klein in the men's but that is because I dislike Hostas.

A good country pub with nice beers - I tried the Badger - and very good food in large portions. The staff are friendly, but we got forgotten towards the end (we had been sat in a back room away from the bar), so we had to go to find someone to come to take our dessert order. We will return though.

Decent pub with about average food.

Went here with friends on a Saturday afternoon. Lovely, cosy country pub with a fantastic menu and great service. I'm vegan and they had loads of options for me! Would visit again.

Service and food was very good 👍

Welcoming traditional country pub with low beams and lots of character. Great food and attentive staff. Ideal location after a walk and dog friendly.

Food was totally delicious I had parsnip and pear soup with sourdough bread, but my favourite has to be the sticky toffee pudding with caramelized walnuts and a scoop of ice cream. Would highly recommend it.

Great food. Lovely waitress. Will go back.

Quick service and nice food for a dinner before visiting Wakehurst Glow. And the sticky toffee pud is on par with my mothers which is a first!

Beamed pub with open fires. Found opposite the Ardingly show ground. Can get busy and booking is seriously suggested. Tend to struggle when busy but food good.

The food was excellent as was the service. The table we were on was by a window and it was cold all the time we were there

Excellent food and service. A really great Sunday lunch with friends.

Nice surroundings and good food

Nice setting, pleasant but busy staff, food quality quite good, prices slightly high,unfortunately they only take payments by card no cash! I would visit again to try other menu items.

Wonderful atmosphere, great traditional pub food and excellent service. We went on a show day at the nearby ground (we didn’t think to check) and they managed to seat us and even offered us a different table when someone cancelled. We had a seat by the fire which was just spectacular! This is our usual lunch spot before a woodland walk around Wakehurst.

Popped in for a light bite after an event at the South of England Event Centre across the road and we both ended up having the Sunday roast. Delicious and generous, great to have the option of extra Yorkshire puddings and gravy. Good quality, reasonably priced, friendly staff.

A fabulous evening dinner. A lots variety of vegetarian options. The Bhaji burger was die for! Cosy and clean pub. High recommend.

we can normally set our watch by the standards here , but going away very disappointed , arrived for a Sunday Roast and ran out of Roasts so told not available , in hindsight we should have just left like several parties we saw do this , the normal menu didn't go down well either , a wonderful Pie spoilt with mash that had more salt than the dead sea and a steak full of sinew and to put the icing on the cake the ladies toilets were just awful !!! to add insult to injury half way through our meal Roasts started leaving the kitchen and after asking told they were reordered but only for large table bookings , surely when booking you can click a button to say you are coming for a SUNDAY ROAST and this is the only reason you are coming and dont book otherwise , or put a sign at the entrance to say Roasts are not available so we can decide then to cancel or not , such a shame as i have loved coming here in the past and wont be returning for a good while

Great food, lovely staff and great atmosphere

A good landmark for the showground.

Lovely food and great staff. Some interesting vegan options on the menu. The chipotle mushroom tacos were excellent!

What an amazing pub and restaurant. Awesome staff, fantastic food and a great range of beers. Will definitely be back to this place. Well worth a visit if you are going to the Ardingly Show ground as it’s only a 150m walk. Fab!

Went there for a couple of beers with my so. Lovely staff and a wonderful to environment.

Very good food, friendly service and cosy atmosphere.

Nice people, good food, price ok

Great food and great staff. Very welcoming

Excellent pub food. 2 minutes by car from Wakehurst. Highly recommended.

Stopped here for an evening drink. Pleasant pub in a nice location. Indoor and outdoor seating available.

Sub par food. The only good thing about this place was the lady employee who too everything off our bill.

Very disappointing nothing like it was before new management took over.