Jolly Drover in Chichester

Went for Sunday lunch for my wife's birthday, food was excellent and very friendly staff would definitely visit again

Came for Sunday lunch with friends. One guest had trio of roasts, slice of beef, slice of pork and a chicken leg. Two guests had roast beef, one guest had pie of the day. No complaints for pie of the day, extra gravy requested and served. Roast Beef was chewy, gristly and cold, not great at all. Vegetables were all hard including a “double” portion of cauliflower cheese that at £9.00 was outrageous for such a small portion! Very crafty of the waitress to offer it after we’d ordered when we had no idea of the cost!! Puddings were pricey for what was served. Didn’t think it was value for money.

We had been recommended to re-try "The Drovers" after many years, it wasn't bad but fell short of our expectations, food was just "ok", service was also, just ok, things like no serviettes, having to ask for the bill three times, nothing was a disaster but when the pub was not even half full, felt that it could/should have been a whole lot better, a shame as we had heard good things.

A great choice of food as always and you will not walk away hungry. Portions are very generous but not so large as to spoil your meal. A real range is offered from the classics e.g. fish and chips, throught to something a little different. All fresh cooked and beautifully presented too.

Arriving late, tired and hungry after cycling King Alfred's Way, The Jolly Drover was perfect! Amazing dinner, friendly staff and lovely rooms. Special mention to Sharon at breakfast, Queen of Porridge! Thanks for a brilliant breakfast.

I booked lunch on a Monday when there were not many customers. The food was excellent and so was the service. Parking was easy. We did not stay at the hotel so cannot comment on the rooms, etc. It is our favorite venue for lunch.

Booked for a table for a Sunday evening. Two of us ordered the trio roast, and our daughter, the turkey roast. After a short wait, a plateful of hot food came out and my, what a feed! Perfectly cooked beef, tender pork, and turkey topped with a large Yorkshire pudding. A side of veg and cauliflower cheese finished the meal, all washed down with two well-kept ales. The staff are all very welcoming and friendly. We will definitely book again while we are in the area.

Hadn't been for a while but glad to have dropped in after a cycle ride to the good size rear garden, partly covered. Friendly staff and nice beer. Have been back several times.

Stated three nights and enjoyed my stay tremendously. My Relatives Whome I was visiting came for a meal one night and thoughrily enjoyed their meals. I myself was very pleased and hope that I can get booked in again in the future. Many thanks. David Magill

Lovely tasting meal, good choice of menu and prices as expected ,service was efficient and with a smile . Loved the idea of a mini pudding and coffee .

We stayed at this lovely, old, quaint Public House to attend a wedding being held locally, and found it to be a very friendly, clean, and well run establishment. The rooms were very clean, beds beautifully comfortable, and a shower to die for. The breakfast was well cooked and very tasty, with plenty to choose from, and I’m sure, if you had wanted, more would be given, as I witnessed another coffee being given to another table. My only slightly criticism is the price of the room, with breakfast, as £170 per night does seem a lot to stay in a Public House, as nice as it was. That said, a lovely stay was had, and I thank the staff and amazing Chefs for a comfortable stay.

Stayed for overnight on cycle tour, we were a bit late but had a very friendly welcome, excellent meal, decent beer (a good real ale). Rooms were nice and separate from the pub. A really nice breakfast as well. They have a shed to store bikes as well. Highly recommended.

Excellent pub. Very friendly staff. Nice ambience. The food was excellent. The Pie of the day was lovely. Superb pastry. Vega were cooked perfectly. Local Sausages with mash were so tasty. Good beers on tap. Ruby was very attentive. Service with a smile.

We called in here for early Friday evening dinner and were blown away with how amazing the food was. We shared starters and had chicken wrapped in pancetta, we really couldn’t believe how great the food was. The staff were friendly and we’re already looking forward to going back again.

When Bass is on a menu I look no further. The flavour of a superb fish dish was destroyed by the fact that the dish included a sauce which overwhelmed the fish. Such a shame as everything else about our experience was good

Lovely pub for family dining. We dropped in for our first meal with children in tow on a Bank Holiday. Staff were helpful and attentive with high chairs etc and when we asked for the children’s food out ASAP (to stave off any meltdowns!) it came out quickly and was of good quality. Our food was tasty and hearty, highlight is the mini-puddings and coffee/tea after lunch, a great idea to satisfy the sweet tooth. Nice traditional decor, poor weather precluded use of the garden. Will visit again!

Once again a superb Sunday lunch, perfectly cooked and served in good time by happy friendly staff! Nothing too much trouble and attentive without overdoing it. Will be repeating this experience again and again!

Staff are very good, excellent service. Food was lovely. I’d recommend this pub. Good feel about the place. Easy parking.

Very disappointed. Thoroughly enjoyed the meals and eating here until today. What's changed? Food was disappointing and more expensive and the music was so load we couldn't talk across the table to our friends. Feel very reluctant to go back again after this latest visit.

A busy Sunday. Staff were excellent, considering the number of customers,friendly and helpful. Food was much better than the average, I will correct myself excellent. The whole experience was superb. We did not stay at the hotel.

Went there for a family gathering. Each of us had something different and everyone commented on the taste and quality of the meal. Lovely pub , centrally located for us all. Good customer service , cannot fault and worth a visit.

Great stay thanks. Breakfast 6 stars.

Delicious food and warm and cosy atmosphere. Friends stayed there for a holiday and absolutely loved it! Spacious rooms, super clean and it has everything you need. It has definitely become our favourite pub in the area 😊

Chose the Hake Steak from the specials board and it was sensational. Beautiful fish , excellently cooked and presented. My husband and son had the Seabass from the main menu and equally delicious. Thoroughly recommend.

A great pub for food. We came for my boyfriends birthday lunch. Beautiful presentation and delicious. Great service and friendly staff. I had a homemade burger and my boyfriend had a lamb and mint pie. We had apple and Berry crumble and chocolate and plum torte for dessert. 2 drinks and 2 mains and 2 puddings for under £60. We will be back.

Sunday roast at 4pm so a bit quiet. Roast was very good veg n gravy very good. The young man serving was brilliant so friendly and polite he was running the bar and restaurant as it was quieter well done to him and the chef. We really enjoyed our food. Ty

Lovely local food with excellent staff. Free range eggs from local farm and Hampshire bacon and sausages. Full and happy belly.

Booked here for a wedding locally. Staff are so attentive without being overbearing, food is on the higher end price wise but totally worth it. Rooms are clean and spacious. Definitely would recommend.

Stayed here whilst cycling King Alfred’s Way. Very helpful staff. Both dinner and breakfast were delicious. Large specials board and great selection on the regular dinner menu too. None of your cheap sausage for breakfast, super tasty butchers special instead.

We have been meeting friends here every year as it's a convenient half way point. The service is always excellent and the menu looks good. However a 'pork steak' turned out to be one reheated and therefore tough thin slice of pork loin - last weekend carvery leftover? and the battered fish unusually still had it's skin on. Our friends both had liver and bacon which looked good. Disappointing and not value for money this time

Excellent place. Food to a really high standard. Crab bisque superb. I believe theres a new chef and they are very good. Check the specials board

Dinner, Friends and Music in a great setting. Great Band. Been a while but definitely worth the trip.

Sunday lunch yesterday with the family . Absolutely delicious. Excellent roasts with all the trimmings . The beef was succulent and tender. Had the popcorn prawns too. I eith I’d taken photos but it was eaten too quickly. Thoroughly recommend.

They have a new menu and chef. The food was stunning. I wished we had taken pictures. I had lobster and crab thermadore to start and a rolled chicken breat with fondant potatoes. Amazing value for incredible food

We stayed two nights DB&B at the end of May. It was a great price, and had no complaints at all! They have a new chef, Sean, who was very helpful. He rustled up Gluten Free Fish & Chips for my wife, which wasn’t on the Menu! I had Mackerel pâté, which was lovely. Some great GF puds too! The room was quiet and comfortable, located in a separate building. Comfortable 5’ bed and super “rainfall” shower. We would definitely stay again!

We had dinner and stayed overnight at The Jolly Drover following a visit to Gilbert White's house & gardens. It was an absolute pleasure - the food was great, the staff and customers were friendly, and to top it all a terrific live band The Trevor John band kept us entertained well after our bed-time! When that came, the bed was fab, very comfy and super-clean. Well done all round!

Visited last night for a meal with husband and son. Haven’t eaten here for a while but tempted by the new chef and we were not disappointed! I had a lovely steak cooked just how I liked it - well done but not cremated! Husband had the chicken from the specials board and said it was really nice and the vegetables were superb. Son had the sausages and was equally impressed. All beautifully presented and clearly fresh. Will definitely eat here again and recommend the new chef and his team highly. Service always great - friendly and attentive staff.

This is our local & it's been through a few ups & downs since a change of ownership/management/chefs/etc. Delighted to say we thoroughly enjoyed our meal last night - we deliberately chose pub grub classics but the meals were freshly cooked, well presented & served by the charming Sarah ! We shall definitely return. The food gets 5* but please remove the plastic greenery on the tables & around the decor, then the whole experience would receive a 5* !!

Great roast, but why oh why is the beef sliced so thickly?????? Lovely roast apart from the fact that the beef slices were far too thick...... Might be fashionable perhaps.... Appreciated not really Whatever happened to the thinly and slightly rare roast beef I wonder???????

This is a great place. We stayed here the night before our daughter's wedding with her, other family and friends. More friends and relatives joined us for our evening meal. It was fantastic! The food was great, the accommodation very comfortable and the staff could...

We aren't local but often work in the area. It's always a pleasure to visit as the welcome is as friendly as if we're regulars. The atmosphere is perfect and the locals are extremely friendly, this helps a great deal.

We went for dinner to catch up with my sister and her husband. We phoned a week before to book the table. Upon arrival we were met with 21st balloons and banners indicating that a party was happening. We ordered our main meal which arrived...

Lovely country pub with good food and friendly staff, great atmosphere. New chef who I think will do well. Beef burger delicious but very very small! Looking forward to new dishes in the future wish I’d tried the lamb tagine special Puddings homemade and amazing.

Just had steak pie which was gorgeous,lots and lots of melt in the mouth meat. Downside was that it was served not with the fresh vegetables served at the carvery but with frozen tasteless carrots and cauliflower. Very disappointing.

The Jolly Drover is a lovely pub and an ideal place for an overnight stay. In the winter a fire welcomes you as you walk in and then you are greeted by their friendly efficient bar staff The rooms are extremely comfortable and spotlessly clean....

We stayed over for a Sat night after walking in the area nearby and were really impressed with this pub - spotless and well equipped including bottled water, biscuits, cafetière coffee and chocolates in room. Lots of storage space, comfortable bed and spacious shower. We...

First time here and what a night. This is really good pub and great staff and atmosphere but... the "live" band were amazing. Quality pub, staff and music what more could you want. ahh... one thing would be more vegan/veggie options.

Great welcoming pub (dog friendly) with excellent beer (Timothy Taylor). The food is standard pub fare, reasonably priced and tasty. Just a nice place to pop in for a mid-week pint and meal (particularly when the Inglenook fire is lit). However, always enjoyed the scampi...

Great value,amazing attention to detail,happy helpful staff,fantastic shower,good food and beer highly recommended

Been coming to this pub on and off for years but have not been back since Barry owned it. So went Sunday for a family meal. Not good , my chicken dish was dry and sauce very cheesy, daughters roast was dry and only had...

Stayed over a Friday night and had a very good experience. The room was clean and well maintained, with nice plentiful towels and comfy beds. The staff were helpful and friendly. There were clearly plenty of locals in the pub on a Friday evening which...

I always used to enjoy coming to this pub. Due to family troubles, and lockdown, I haven’t been for over 3 years and had reasonable expectations for a good meal. The pub looked much fresher and brighter than I remembered, and the staff were very...

Having lived within 7 miles of this pub all my life I visited for the first time today. It's a little hidden gem. Well maintained car park, which is always a good sign. We were welcomed on arrived into the clean and well presented bar....

We stayed for one night when traveling in the region. Accommodation was great (including a breakfast of plentiful choice and delicious dishes). For convenience we decided to have our evening meal in the pub. A good menu with wide choices. And service was outstanding -...

My disabled Daughter and myself stayed at short notice for one night after we were let down elsewhere.. They were able to accommodate us and did everything they could to help us out. The rooms were quiet, clean, comfortable and Wi-Fi certainly helped us out....

Pub with rooms. Nice dining room and also has outside tables in the back garden. Lovely for meals on a sunny day.

Just 48 hours. Long enough to appreciate how good the accommodation, surroundings, food, servce and staff really are. Everyone so helpful, polite and obliging ... and cheerful I tried to think of just one item I could suggest needed inprovement. Wracked my brains. But could...

I visited a few weeks ago and meant to write a review. Then I was back on TA and spotted this pub in my recent searches again and decided to correct the omission. What a gem of a country pub! During that week they had...

Positives….staff all very obliging in these difficult times. We felt very safe COVID wise as were able to collect cooked breakfasts and eat in our room if we wished but as it was fairly quiet we felt comfortable eating in pub. Food was good pub...

Group of mostly elderly people booked for Christmas lunch party, very well looked after through out the meal, and courses arrived in a timely way, no long waits. Delicious food, beautifuly cooked, the turkey was very generous and succulent, very moist and tasty and a...

Lovely evening spent with friends we live local but haven’t Been here for 6 years not sure why ? Food was so good and service fantastic!

Been going to this pub for years but steak which was always good was full of gristle this time chips not up to standard and peas tasted like process ones. Complained but manager although said forget the bill her attitude to lose temper and flounce...

Not been here for about a year due to lockdown etc. Had an early evening meal for two. Good menu choices, waitresss was very smiley and friendly, looked after us well, large meals were excellent, hot and well cooked . Good value, will be back...

Fantastic food, freshly cooked and beautifully presented. Good choice of ale and lager. Service was excellent and the young man who looked after us was highly professional. Will definitely return.

Great food, Steak & best chips ever ! Excellent. Son enjoyed the Trout also and homemade desserts were a pleasure for us all.

Great hospitality. Nice staff, very friendly and helpful. Rooms are nice, clean and comfortable. Secure storage for bikes. Lovely food. Would recommend.

One of the worst dining experiences we’ve had. The two ladies were extremely rude when we queried the bill - turns out we were being overcharged by nearly 30%. We were polite with our query as well. The food was awful and seriously overpriced. The...

Food was average, not much ambience but it was a dull, wet lunchtime. The let down was the bar staff when paying on our way out. We already felt that a £10 a head for a sandwich, small bowl of chips and a lime and...

Stayed here for 2 nights Bed and Breakfast - what a great decision that was. We had the traditional English Breakfast and enjoyed each mouthful. In the evening my husband had a perfectly cooked sirloin steak with all the trimmings and I had a home-made flan which was melt-in-the-mouth. Would definitely recommend the Jolly Drover as a place to stay and eat. Staff most welcoming and friendly - had a great chat with Alex.

Excellent lunch and gluten free options for me. Bar staff lovely and very helpful. All Covid distancing in place. Peter Watsons 95yr old mums birthday and she loved it. Barry and Anne welcomed us. Pete(ex landlord)knows him well. Thank you so much.First meal out since lockdown We will be back.

25 years at the helm of what is a fantastic destination. I have been honoured to be there at some time for each year of that quarter of a century!Both yourselves, & “The Team” are exemplary not many venues can lay claim to such popularity more so given the amount of so called “Keyboard Warriors” who are supposedly to be listened to! I despair of those who expect all for nothing.As you know my good lady is intolerant to two particulate items of food that can cause her serious problems.WHEREVER & WHENEVER we visit an establishment that is not known to us I engage with the owners before arrival and are looked after with care and consideration.It’s what professionals do. We are not talking about the latest fad or being fashionable more ensuring we have a good time with the restaurant having being forewarned in fairness to them.If I wasn’t confident I would stay at home! Used correctly and with respect the internet is a marvellous tool.Anyway back to you, well done, here’s to the next 25!“ If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”

Mushroom stroganoff, overpriced watery mushrooms and onions, surrounded by rice, no garnish.Looked un appetising, tasted bland and when presented with it was met with an attempt at an anti-vegan joke, un-wanted and potentially offensive.Coupled with my daughter being doubled up in pain in the toilet after a supposedly gf baked potato with tuna and a chocolate desert, not a pleasant lunch.Was it really gluten free or just non-gluten containing ingredients ?

Great Sunday lunch and where else copes so well and calmly with a totally full house?Nothing too much trouble, calm, appeals a lot to the older generation for good solid pub food but still lovely old pub side as well .Love the way they deal with that older generation, kindness and respect and good to have choice of a smaller plate.

Lovely Sunday lunch, busy and a little noisy but superb friendly service extra thanks to Alex who is brilliant. Food great just like home cooked fresh and tasty excellent puddings too. Good choice and always freshly cooked.

Great meal 5 people had steak everyone who had steak said it was absolutely wonderful and cooked perfect all the other meals that were served come on time all together absolutely excellent the service was wonderful I would recommend this place for a meal to anyone

Really friendly bar staff and super efficient. The restaurant serves great food with a good menu. Luxurious comfortable rooms. Perfect!

Brilliant local, cosy, log fire sort of place. Excellent pub food but with a much wider menu than most. Fab Sunday roasts and ‘Special’ nights most nights of the week. Friendly,warm local with excellent,efficient staff who go out of their way to make a meal there as good as it gets.

Friendly staff, large, clean room, loveky breakfasts and great evening mealsThe area around the pub is quiet so a good nights sleep gained, comfy mattress, big shower.Breakfast freshly cooked every morning with proper coffee and fresh ingredientsEvening meals were good, wide range of tastes. I can personally recommend the cold pork pie, the chicken curry and the lasagneLooking forward to going back

The Pub car park was packed but empty tables were available. We were greated by a fab friendly landlord who guided us to a table. We stopped here on the off chance but will definately go back. Friendly helpful staff who smiled and great quality food. Quite a few slightly different things for vegetarians on the menu that I would like to try even though I eat meat!

Very friendly and efficient staff. Excellent main course (Ham egg and Chips). Dessert (Apple crumble) was very disappointing. Soggy crumble symptomatic of being heated in a microwave over cooked apple which was more mush and far too sweet ( maybe it wasn’t Bromley Apple) and cheap tasteless custard.

Whilst it was not our first visit to the Jolly Drover, I have to admit that it is several years since we last eat here. This is something we will put right for the future. It was an excellent evening with friends, the food was well prepared and full of taste and the welcome and service could not be faulted. Fair pricing and comfortable seating added to our experience and we will return soon.

Always love a landlord with a sense of humour, and wasn't disappointed!! We were a large group, booked Sunday lunch in advance but didn't know numbers until the day - nothing was too much trouble. The staff were very efficient, the food quality was excellent, all freshly cooked and piping hot, and the beer garden had enough space for pretty much all of us to relax in the sun after lunch, and let the food settle before heading our different ways.

A great restaurant where everything is freshly prepared and cooked to order at a very reasonable price. Great range of gluten free welcome when you have a brother who has severe coeliac reactions.

We went for a few drinks recently and we had a great time . Alex s service is very friendly and efficient and also Barrie the landlord too. They both hav a very knowledge of wines generally speaking and they know their wines at the location really well . They hav great roses , Malbecs , Riojas and Sauvignons blcs plus a full bar with local ales and artisans ciders which all are very lovely. There is a nice crowd and a few lovely regulars at the bar before 2 pm. As we had a few drinks , we indulged in smoked salmon and prawn cocktails sauce Marie rose , and it was all great . higly recommended

We went for a family lunch on Easter Sunday. I’m vegetarian and ordered the nut roast which was very dry and not pleasant. The others all had roast lamb and they did enjoy theirs.

Enjoyed the meal, service was excellent, attentive without being oppressive. Food was ok, a bit canteenish in presentation. An ok experience.

Plenty of gluten free choices, including several desserts. Will revisit in the summer to sit outside

I have visited this pub on several occasions and have always found the staff very polite and welcoming. Lovely home cooked food with a good choice on the menu and in the winter a wonderful log fire. Would recommend a visit.

I have visited this pub on a number of occasions and always found them to be very helpful and friendly. The food is good and a nice log fire welcomes you in the winter. Definitely recommended!

I did not stay there but ate several times. The food was excellent traditional English food, the service warm, friendly and efficient. I love the sign ... under old management. I think it epitomises what good pub food should be.

This place had been recommended previously and one of our group had visited earlier in the week and we therefore agreed someone else could "do" the sunday roast. The presentation of our meals was lovely and food was plentiful and hot.However the roast potatoes we were served had obviously got burned on one side and had black bottoms - a shame. The men thought the steak and kidney pie superb and the ladies loved the beef and chicken meals. Desserts are a little different and most enjoyable. Lemon and Lime crunch is a cheesecake and decidedly mmmmmmm. Orange and raspberry bread and butter pudd equally so. Hot fresh coffee was the perfect ending to the meal. Intend to visit again, just hope I don't get put into the jokey "Naughty Corner" seats for saying about the burnt offering.

Lovely pub still has just drinkers which is a rarity these days. Good home cooked pub food, consistent in quality, staff friendly helpful and efficient and willing to assist.

Fantastic service and excellent food.

Ok, so this is my second visit to this establishment, my first was not that memorable, so I had high hopes this time around that the food might of improved, but I was sadly mistaken. I had the Gammon, which was around 1/4 inch thin, over cooked with large fat rind, not the juicy thick Gammon I had envisaged!! Chips were usual pub fodder and the entire dish was extremely Overpriced for the quality. The staff were pleasant enough, although one of our guests had his entire plate accidentally dropped and not much of an apology from the waitress, in fact she hardly flinched and said very little!! It is my own opinion but I believe this Pub relies on the Senior customers who seem to frequent it to keep it trading, it would be nice if they catered for everyone, not just Seniors. This Pub could do so much better if they just made a few small changes, we live in hope.

Great atmosphere. Staff welcoming and friendly, nothing too much trouble. Food well presented and tasty. Will definitely recommend to friends and family, and eat here ourselves again in the future.

Lovely welcoming atmosphere great staff,lovely evening meal and very good breakfast. Rooms are very comfortable and clean already booked with an extra night for next year. Can’t fault this place at all and the staff are so chirpy and welcoming.

Party of 10 stayed 4th August 2018 No complaints from any of us as the food was lovely and service was excellent

Good food and service. I was a little surprised when they insisted I have chips with my curry. We went there on a Thursday evening so it was quiet but quite pleasant.

We went to this pub on a recommendation from a friend and were not disappointed. The menu is varied, caters for vegetarians, and the food is frankly delicious.

Traditional sunday lunch .Sat outside in the sun.Good service and friendly staff.vegs were excellent,very fresh and good selection,meat so so.No room for pudding and saw gluten free and dairy free on the pudding menu.Will defiantly return to this pub as all sorts of menu offers during the week.