Gardners Arms Bar & Restaurant in Mid Sussex

The Gardeners Arms has been a favourite haunt for many many years BUT after a couple of poor meals and bad service we hadn't visited for a long time. Having been a favourite for so long we decided to try again and thank goodness we did. We had a lovely meal with excellent service. I'm pleased to say The Gardeners Arms is back on our list of favourites!!!

Sadly Sunday roast was poor. The veggie roast was extremely tough. Approached the staff at the bar as no one had asked during meal guy behind bar was great and spoke to his manager....manager errr right. So after being told we were the first complaint of the day more than once which in my mind is irrelevant other than trying to make us feel awkward and a long and pointed "Interesting... " more than once he then says "what do you want us to do?" I said: " it's not up to me to tell you what to do but we should offer feedback if it's not right" After this bizarre exchange we were given a pudding. What happened to the days where it's a simple "Sorry guys I hear the meal hasn't met your expectations how about we..." situation sorted. It may be worth the manager considering the reason they aren't getting more complaints is, they were empty and people are voting with their feet!

Nice food , cozy feeling the employees care for the customer ,I recommend it !go with your friends and enjoy a very good experience

We had the steak here and it was tough as an old boot. When we mentioned it to the staff they didn’t seem to care. Had to pay the full amount anyway. Disappointing!

I wanted to take this opportunity to commend Ed. He was both courteous, polite and extremely professional. Not only did he make me feel extremely welcome, but he is a real credit to your team.

Where to start? Don't take cash. Dogs everywhere barking sniffing jumping up, should not be near food! Sunday lunch meat overcooked, very poor lunch. And a 10% service charge in a pub? Never again!

Dirty tables in the restaurant from customers that had been and gone. Food was below average. Expensive for what it was, waiter kept saying we owed more money when paying the bill as he was not adding it up properly, he ended up getting his calculator out to realise he was wrong. Hardly anything available on the menu on a Saturday night… a local pub that has really gone down hill…

Popped in for drinks lovely atmosphere beautiful decor but very surly man behind the bar totally disinterested in customer service what a shame as we live locally have since heard from other people they have had same experience with the young man

Stumbled across this place after having an afternoon out near by. Really lovely pub both inside and out. Quite dark inside, but I loved the atmosphere and it was very cosy. My husband and I had lunch and a couple of drinks. Food was really good. Will definitely return when in the area again.

Had lunch here recently. It was surprisingly busy, mostly with older folk, but plenty of space both inside and outside. I chose moules frites at £16.75. Very underwhelming - small mussels, salty stock, without a hint of garlic or wine - just like you'd buy in a supermarket. My friends had fish finger sandwich with which they were also a bit disappointed. Not enough tartare sauce, they said. Service was pleasant.

I guess my main quibble about this place is value. The prices are what you would pay in a good restaurant, but the quality is hit and miss. We both ordered main courses off the ‘specials’. I had baked sea bass Nicoise, which sounded interesting, and my wife had chicken schnitzel. My dish had a beautifully cooked medley of new potatoes, olives ,green beans etc but was topped by 2 very unappetising looking sea bass fillets which were clearly not fresh. My wife’s schnitzel was very good but accompanied by some very soggy green beans, To start, we shared a mackerel pate which was very nice but came with only 3 small savoury crackers. Dessert was an Eton Mess which we both enjoyed. I had a couple of glasses of very good Spanish house red; my wife a Prosecco and a tea. The bill came to £92.00, thank you very much. I don’t mind paying that much, but I expect more consistent quality. It’s a nice place with pleasant staff. Service is ok rather than attentive.

I had an incredible time at the Gardeners Arms! The food was absolutely delicious, and the atmosphere was warm and inviting. The staff went above and beyond to make us feel welcome and were incredibly friendly and attentive throughout our visit. I highly recommend this place for anyone looking for a great meal and fantastic service. I'll definitely be returning soon!

Brilliant food,amazing atmosphere,lovely and friendly service. Great pub for family gatherings,private functions and pet feiendly aswell!!

Terrible service - missing croutons on the salad eventually someone came into the area we were seated asked them, they said they would check never saw them again! Lots of tables with dirty plates on, people waiting for plates to be collected. Unfortunately we won’t be visiting again

An amazing choice of good and drink. The staff are wonderful and attentive, and the ambiance really 'hits the spot'. Well worth a visit if you're in the area, although I'd suggest booking ahead (because it's so fabulous).

Disappointing food. Unpleasant tasting and 2 of us had mild but disagreeable stomach upsets afterwards. Presumably the food is simply heated up on the premises and it really was not a good experience compared to previous occasions. Staff were very pleasant but this does not make up for an expensive but poor tasting meal.

Young servers were attentive and accommodating. Food was a good portion and tasty even though the veg was abit overcooked. The music in the background was pleasant and not too loud, which it is in alot of other venues.

Well the fist attempt to eat with friends at the revamped pub soon after it reopened we got a call 2 hours before to say the Grills had all broken down so last minute we had to rebook elsewhere. So Friday 26th April 2024 we had table for 4 people booked for lunch. We turned up and walked into the most dreadful smell of raw sewage. It was not very busy and we could tell why. Initially when we all walked in the stench was of thought to be cauliflower. However on taking a few steps closer to the bar it was obvious it was not food. We were greated and when I asked what the horrible smell was the waitress reluctantly replied we have had a real problem with the toilets. We decided we could not eat in a restaurant with that smell so we said goodbye and had to go elsewhere. So petrol wasted and dreadful stink we feel we should be compensated for the second inconvenience. Will leave well alone not recommended.

Exceptionally warm welcome set the scene for a terrific night where nothing was too much trouble. The staff were fantastic, the food was great and the overall atmosphere was excellent. If you're heading to Ardngly for an event at the showground, make sure to allow time to visit the Gardeners Arms - you won't be disappointed. (oh... and if you like a provence rose, you'll love the one that they serve you!!)

Good pub grub with an extensive menu, ordered the fish and chips which was really good however very stingy with the number of chips on the plate. Please take note for the future, I could virtually count them and did make a joke about it with the waitress when she brought plates out.

My wife took me here for a birthday lunch. The pub restaurant is traditional and very comfortable. We chose from the main menu and the specials menu and the food was excellent, to start my wife had the crab ravioli and I had the beetroot and goats cheese salad, outstanding. For mains we both had the pork belly and wow, it did not disappoint, compliments to the chef. I would highly recommend it!

We had a really good dinner. All the dishes were very well cooked and presented - high quality restaurant standard rather than pub grub but reasonably priced. The atmosphere was friendly and relaxing.

Everything was perfect until we had our bill, our glass of wine was £12.00 each, such a shame, everything else was lovely

The staff are attentive and friendly. The atmosphere and cleanliness is good. However the food is mostly frozen, and mass prepared, probably so it’s easier to recruit kitchen staff. Everything is great except the food

Utterly disappointing! Second worst meal I have ever eaten in my life. Friends took us out for special birthday dinner on a Saturday night. Lovely decor but that was it. The menu had very small print that many of the dishes were made with vegan friendly ingredients. There was no normal Parmesan cheese available whilst serving butternut squash ravioli. Odd! It was disgusting. A few pieces of soggy veg & supposed confit tomatoes - purely halved & heated cherry tomatoes added. Terrible. The waitress could have checked to see if we wanted to order a vegan meal when the menu has roasts etc included. It was not clearly a vegan based menu, it was as if the chefs were subversively feeding us alternative food. I ordered arancini as a starter- it had vegan “cheese” grated over it - smelled terrible. They kindly made me another portion without “cheese” on top but the small balls were frozen in the middle. My husband had shepherds pie as a main which was a tiny portion, sloppy & tasted like a salt pit- as if it was an Iceland frozen ready meal. The only custard available with desserts like sponge & crumble was dairy-free. Half way through the meal the waitress greeted two people & said to us- “oh my chefs are back from holiday” - they should have closed the kitchen if they couldn’t find suitable replacements. Go for a drink at a cozy fire but don’t waste your money.

Great British pub with logs fires, great food and service - loads of parking and opposite the South of England Show if you fancy a walk first - dogs allowed in the pub in a special area too !

Lovely pub Sunday roast inedible the roast beef was awful, chicken alternative was a cheap leg not breast as expected. Very poor value.

Sadly this was a dreadful experience. It took an hour and a half to get our main course despite complaints to a waiter who could not have cared less. He said they were busy but that did not stop all the people around us who arrived after us being served before us. When it came, the food was tasteless and certainly not worth the wait. We won’t be returning here.

I am vegan. There were three vegan options which is good. I had the nut-free roast. Basically tasted like bread-based stuffing with a few seeds and cranberries thrown in. Vegan food needs to contain protein. Adults need at least 50g of protein a day. 100kg of pumpkin or other seeds would be needed to get a decent amount. Nuts are great - why not have them in the vegan roast? (or have them as an option on top of the roast eg roast walnuts/flaked almonds). The beetroot wellington had no high protein containing ingredients - why not add some lentils, chickpeas or nuts for a protein boost? My partner had the hake which was tasty but quite a small portion. Luckily he had ordered a side of mixed vegetables, which was OK.

Only one meat for Sunday roast on the menu. Beef? Tough as old boots. Seriously, this is really bad. The rest of the plate was ok’ish apart from the raw parsnip. For £17.95 there are better offerings elsewhere. Staff were lovely, and helpful. Although food came out before drinks. If you’re only offering one meat on the main menu; surely it would be the best you can do. Not in this case. The special of the day is roast chicken , which runs out within an hour. Now I understand why. The place itself is lovely - sort your beef out and add more choices on a Sunday.

Last time I ate here it was not very good but I had heard that changes had been made. The refurbishment / decorating is really nice. Lovely atmosphere. happy to say the food was excellent. Starter portion on the small side but absolutely delicious. Restaurant was quite busy but the waiting service was very good. Attentive and friendly staff. Thoroughly enjoyed our meal and would recommend and return.

Awful, just awful! Bad service, miserable staff, stale atmosphere. Place was dirty and looks very tired. Will not return. My advice is…avoid!

Disappointed to give a 2* review but we’ve visited many times before mainly as my husband loves the beer and although have had to complain once in the past about a terrible waitress and food, nothing like yesterday. We were with our grandchildren, and when I enquired about the children’s roast beef, was told that the veg was more ‘child friendly’ in as much as it would be potatoes, carrots, peas etc without things like leeks parsnip and red cabbage so we were surprised when her roast had exactly the same veg as ours, so we ate her red cabbage and parsnips. My husband got no potatoes on his roast at all so we were bought some separately. The 2 roast beef dinners were so tough, even I couldn’t cut my granddaughters up, even with the steak knife my husband had been given to eat his, not a good sign! I had roast pork, which was dry but edible and all the veg, apart from the potatoes, were cold. I’m not sure what cut of beef it was as the slices were almost square with a piece of gristle running right across the bottom and top, and it definitely wasn’t 21 day aged as claimed. We mentioned about the beef to the waitress when she cleared and she didn’t seem surprised as she finished our sentence and told us the beef was tough so I’m guessing ours wasn’t the only complaint? She deducted my granddaughters roast from our bill. Another gripe we had was the fact that as part of the refurb, they’ve crammed a lot more tables into the area where we sat. We had a round table, with at first, just 3 chairs even though we’d booked for 4 which meant we were even more crammed when the extra chair was bought as the table was right against the wall but there were no other empty tables to move to. We came home feeling very disappointed and definitely won’t be going back, which is a shame, as we’ve been going for years, with various family members, all of whom have enjoyed their food and experience, I’d appreciate feedback from the management…

Pub has easy parking and a nice ambiance inside but food on this visit was disappointing. Steak in particular although nicely presented was as tough as old boots. We won’t be hurrying back I’m afraid.

Friendly, welcoming and efficient staff. Warm ambience and comfortable well kept surroundings. Great choice of food. I had the Venison Bourgignon with mash and carrots - very tasty.

An very average Sunday Roast. Beef was very tough and certainly not medium rare which is a shame as we thought it was under new management.

Lovely meal. Called in with no reservation. Very friendly staff who found us a nice table. Good choice of meals. Meal served quickly and was excellent. Will definitely return.

The food and atmosphere are fantastic. The menu has a good selection. The lovely open fire on a cold evening is a real treat. The staff were very friendly but it was a little unorganised, no cutlery on the table we were a party of 7 and some members had finished their main meal before others got there's, which was a little disappointing. Also its a cash less restaurant so someone had to pick up a big bill and then we sorted it afterwards which isn't great. But we did enjoy our evening.

The new interior and makeover is great and very welcoming. Sadly our food was disappointing - the fish pie had try potato and was tasteless, very little fish. The pastry was the same (not sure if pastry is a good idea with a fish pie - but tasteless and dry pastry definately not), my husbands tanglefoot pie (which used to be good before the new menu) was similar although the filling was nice. We live locally and were feeling excited to have a revamped cosy space with great food but the food was a let down. The prices are not cheap either, which is not a problem if the food is great. I hope this inspires the team to improve the food, as many locals would go often if the food standard was high. We certainly would.

Had a really nice dinner here, the whole family loved it. Very quick service and very polite staff. Will be back!

Enjoyed a really lovely meal last night. The food & the service was great finished off by the best cappuccino!

We took my mother out for lunch. The building is lovely, beams, stone floors etc The service was good. The food was ok. The double cheeseburger was £16.95 and wasn’t as good as a Wetherspoons one The killing point for me was card only payment....

Had booked a table for lunch as it was my birthday. Total disinterest when we arrived . Shown to a tiny table with no room to pull out chair .Asked to sit on larger table which was great .Husband ordered a beer which wasn’t the...

The pub lunch was poor. The dishes sounded lovely on the menu but when they arrived were disappointing. The butternut squash was hard and seemed boiled instead of roasted and leeks were grey and tasteless.

Looked on trip advisor and saw some good reviews for Sunday roast. We booked and turned up. We were sat down immediately but were not told that there was two roasts on the menu. We both had roast beef. The beef was so tough I...

Visited quite late this evening, without a booking and were welcomed by the staff, who were friendly and hospitable. We both chose the fish pie which was not only extremely tasty but a generous size (I have a large appetite) unlike the majority of restaurants...

Very helpful staff , let us stay in carpark overnight in campervan , just had drinks in the garden with our dog as going to show the next day . Best place ever to stay at

Great spot for a lunch in the sun. Food was delicious with a great choice for meat eaters and vegetarians. Service was spot on and did a mean Aperol spritz.

Blimey ....what a disappointment.Popped in having not been for sometime.Poot servicr as severly understaffed.Food very expensive for bulk standard chain pub food..... .biggest sin NO badger bottle beers.......wont recommend or return

Popped in for a Sunday roast with friends, fairly busy as there was an event at the South of England show ground. Starters were extremely small and overpriced, the charcuterie sharing platter was a joke for around £17. We all had the beef roast which...

Been before though the food is good I found prices have risen and portions have got smaller. How they justify £7.45 for a dessert I really don’t know they were tiny will have to think again before I return

We spent two wonderful evenings there towards the end of April. It's one of those places that still knows what a pub should be. Good bitter (Tangle Foot), good cider (Stowford), a truly excellent ginger beer (stupidly can'tremember the name), and a fine range of...

Been here before and disappointed to see the portions are getting small still! Childrens portions for adult prices - not a good recipe for long term success. ...and the wine,well. Glass of bog standard white 175ml for £7-85 - around £34 for a bottle ....

Lovely pub and well run. We came here after a walk around Ardingly reservoir with the dog. Food was excellent and service to match. Also dog friendly which was great. We really liked the coffee and small puds menu. Recommended.

The Sunday lunch roast beef was tough and difficult to cut and chew - that was the opinion of all 8 or so of those in our party who had the roast beef. The vegetables were "loaded" on the plates and not only looked unappetising,...

The food looked unhappy on the plate. One sad carrott, a small mound of peas, greens with long stalks , potatoes camouflaged in herbs shredding and a fig and camambert tart. Rather sad. The coffee was fine. Monday lunch in a virtually empty premise suggested...

We made a visit to the gardeners arms with our 2 young children for Sunday lunch. We had to specifically ask for a child’s roast dinner as it was not on the menu, which I thought was strange on a Sunday. We initially asked for...

Hi, Today I had your fish pie. It was excellent! Lots of fish. More over it was LOW GI! (that's something you should advertise on your menu) I am a type one diabetic and have struggled with sugar being added to most meals/vegetables/chips when eating...

Went to Wakehurst and called in here afterwards for lunch . Hadn’t booked . Made very welcome . Really lovely tasting food . My husband had the Pie and I had Shin of Beef . Well cooked and presented . Delicious Camembert to start with...

They’ve got something SERIOUSLY right at this pub, the roast dinners taste the closest to a homemade one you can get. Gravy was so rich and delicious. Potatoes were actually crunchy, carrots were out of this world, the beef great too. Staff lovely too. I...

The pub itself is lovely. Understaffed, we were first in almost and nearly last out( there were only 3 of us) The food was disappointing, my steak was like leather, no taste , not from a good butchers I'm sure. Things were forgotten, we had...

We were in the process of having a new kitchen fitted so was unable to host Christmas dinner with the family. It took various emails and telephone conversations to organise and we anticipated being spoilt on this special day. The set menu was limited, the...

A lovely country pub with a great outdoor space but the food is mediocre and portions small and expensive for what you get. We all were left a little disappointed by the experience. Staff were friendly and efficient.

Came here late at night for a last-minute Christmas staff do for some drinks. Staff were extremely accommodating & cleared out an area for 20 of us, despite it being late. They also came and took our last orders at 10.30 before they closed. Thank...

Such delicious food, and such impeccable service. We booked a quiet table. When we got there, we realised it was quiet, but also a bit chilly as the table was by the door. The staff set a new table in no time and was really...

We'd booked a table, but arrived to be told the table had been given to someone else. The staff were running around, trying to stay on top of things. It was chaotic. After 25 minutes of waiting for a table we left. The manager was...

Came for dinner with an old school friend and my dog. Staff team were very friendly and sociable, we were mainly served by Ben - he was really good and even sorted out a light snack for my dog Dexter. Food was delicious too and...

The atmosphere of the building is lovely. Food is good pub food, staff all very polite. My only comment would be they do not take cash which is legal tender.

Well what a delightful place! Firstly I was glad we had booked as it was very packed with people - always a good sign of a nice pub restaurant. We had the fish and chips x 2, the fish pie and the meat pie. What...

Having booked in advance on-line, my wife and I stopped at The Gardeners Arms for lunch following a visit to nearby Wakehurst Place. The place was pretty full, but the landlady was very welcoming. The one waitress was extremely efficient, but rushed off her feet,...

I was astonished to be refused my payment of cash at the bar for 2 pints. To be told credit cards only due to covid restrictions . No warning of this payment restriction was made clear on entering this pub, pretty shoddy really.

Food ok but expensive for what you got seen they like a lot of pubs are serving small portions to combat price rises

Only giving 2 stars for location and building. When we got there the first staff said no we are busy and the one behind us said we could sit outside. We were quite confused but decided to stay anyways as it was lunch time and...

Poor food, rushed service and no children menu 🤷🏽‍♂️. It was on a busy bank holiday during the school holiday and it is understandable that it was busy. However, that’s not an excuse for forgetting to give cutlery for food, the chicken burger tasted like...

Here with a party of 12 visiting family and friends from Hong Kong. They had been here before and wanted the fish and chips! Happily they were pleased with their food! They also loved the sticky toffee pudding, Well done and we will return!

Having ordered the Sunday roast but small portion was hoping for decent lunch. Unfortunately the piece of beef was like shoe leather with gristle and the vegetables came in a mixed up mess. Spuds were OK. I wanted to return the dish but stupidly didn't...

4 of us met for lunch on a Saturday. We’d booked the table in advance and were quickly seated. Drinks orders all taken and turned up quickly. Friendly and efficient service. Food came quite quickly too and was tasty and well cooked. I had whitebait...

Very nice food and good service… Only big problem for me were the toilets… I was initially a little bemused when I went to the ladies and saw pictures of Alan Titchmarsh everywhere… but ok, it is the Gardeners Arms after all. The problem came...

Three family members and a friend organised a trip to Wakehurst on a Monday. We decided that it would be nice to round the day off by having a meal, before leaving for home. Before leaving for Wakehurst, we checked the opening and meal times...

I have been before & was looking forward to meeting old friends for lunch. First of all there was nobody behind the bar to welcome fortunately I spotted my friends. There were quite a few serving staff but slow to serve & take orders. We...

Arrived spontaneously without reservation and were seated right away by friendly server who advised on beers and pies. We all enjoyed our pies and roast with yorkshire pudding (though the vegetarian roast with nuts & cranberries was a bit on the dry side) and would...

Our drinks order was taken very promptly and arrived quickly. The girl that was propping up the till seemed to be oblivious that after 15 minutes we were more than ready to order our food. I also noticed other people trying to get her attention....

I’m super fussy about roast dinner! Whilst I want something homely I also want something better than I could make myself. This is it!! The place was homely, smelt incredible and the staff were welcoming and efficient. The roast was absolutely delicious, unlimited yorkshires (not...

The group I was with were disappointed with the price. I agree. Wouldn't recommend going there for food but enjoyable drink

Enjoying a social drink with friends and they shut the bar at 9:30 because their headmaster went home and couldn’t be bothered to serve anymore and just carry on cleaning glasses. Not Impressed and was forced to walk across 4 fields to get back to...

Whilst the pub was welcoming upon arrival at 7pm, it is now 9.30 and we have been told that the bar is closed - no prior warning, not even the decency of a bell. Let’s not beat around the bush, it’s bloody Friday Eve. We...

We have visited here many times before over the last 15 years. There wasn’t much options for starters but the mains were lovely ! The sea bream was so tasty and would recommend. The lady who served us was also very friendly.

Nice pint and some of the best food i have tasted in the area polite staff quick service and plently of parking worth a visit

Expensive - cheese burger and fries bill price came to £15-35 without tip. Cheese was flavourless. At that price you should be using quality cheese so we can at least taste it. Bacon like a supermarket basic. You can do better for the prices you...

Been here a few times before and always really enjoyed the food and atmosphere. Unfortunately tonight was quite different - restaurant was cold, service was pretty slow and worst of all the manager was so rude. When our waitress asked how the food was, we...

E use The Gardener’s as a regular place to have lunch with friends as roughly midway (45 minute drive) from our respective homes. On arrival this week found a notice pinned to the entrance advising they were closed. Also an ‘A’ saying on ‘only bookings...

We both had the Carrot and Coriander soup and it was excellent - as was the sourdough. I had the fish and chips with crushed peas and it was very nicely presented and perfectly cooked. My wife tried the Gnocchi and had a fair amount...

Went for a Roast before our trip to Glow Wild yesterday and we were well looked after by super staff and had just fabulous veggie and Pork roasts - huge portions, really well cooked food - made with love ! Will be back really soon...

Had a lovely Sunday lunch in the cosy back part of the pub. We all had delicious roasts, 4 roasts to choose from and they didn’t disappoint! The girl serving was lovely and friendly. Overall had a fantastic lunch and will definitely returning!

We both enjoyed a good tasty meal here. It was served quickly by friendly staff who willingly brought the food outside even though all the other dinner's were seated inside as the weather was poor. Do note: on a Sunday the Kitchen's closes at 7pm...

Had lunch here two days in a row as it is so good. Really like the small plates choice and four is enough for two people. Excellent choice of ales and wines. The staff are really good . The front of house lady is spot...

Busy on o wet Monday lunchtime which tells you its popularity. Large portion sizes, fish pie very good. Sat in an area between loos and kitchen (storage?) door which was particularly windy though.

For our Friday lunchtime visit we ordered fish, chips and peas. The fish had a very strange taste, and we discovered that it was hoki, which apparently comes from Australia. The peas were like bullets, completely overcooked and we both left them, advising staff why...

Booked a table online and stated allergy as celiac. When we ordered they had run out of lots of things T 2 30 on a Sunday. Then when we were given menu for puddings I asked what there was gluten free and the waitress said...

Popped in here for an impromptu supper and with only a short amount of time available. Staff showed us to a table and despite it being busy, our food arrived within 10 minutes. Our waiter (a chap in training for taking on a management role elsewhere with company-he will be great!), was super friendly and helpful as indeed were all the staff. It is so rare to find attentive staff nowadays but everyone working here seemed to be really customer focused.Food was great too. We will be back.