Kings Head in Lewes

Well, it all started when we came to the front door and the bar man was so unwelcoming he may as well of told us to leave before we entered. To say the least it was a disappointment. However the bar ladies was very nice. What a shame the barman’s unwelcoming behaviour overshadowed the bar lady wonderful customer service. It would a much better pub with out him in my opinion.

There are three rooms and the one we stayed in was recently decorated and extremely well appointed and comfortable. Large TV, deep standalone bath and excellent shower with plenty of water and three settings.Staff were friendly and helpful.The slight disappointment was the food, although to be fair I think that was due to a limited menu due to Covid so only three Tapas selections.My steak pie was really nice though and I’m sure it would be fine when everything is back up normal.For the same reason we couldn’t sample the bar but it was nicely decorated and quirky. Lewes itself is a sleepy little town, made even sleepier by the pandemic but has plenty of historical buildings and interesting places. Worth a weekend visit and close to London.

Extremely poor customer service for some business accommodation bookings. I sent a complaint by email last week and I've heard nothing back. Very poorly ran. Won't be booking here again.

Beware of cancellation terms. Glyndeborne announced indoor performances so booked the kings head and glyndeborne. Glyndebourne cancelled but offered a performance two nights later. I booked the later night and requested to cancel the earlier night, but the owner would only agree to a refund if it was booked again by others. Everything took place within 3 weeks of the performance so not really enough time to sensibly take stock but there was no compromise. I was disappointed as a regular visitor to Lewes and Glyndbourne and we were making a 560 mile round trip to support Lewes and the Opera. This is the first ever negative review that I have ever written for Trip advisor or indeed any other similar ranking site .

Nice staff, can’t fault. Only issue being that there was nobody adhering to social distancing. The owner was hugging people and prancing from group to group like a gazelle. Such a shame. The refit looks very nice. Hope the staff find somewhere more legal to work.

Attractive modernised interior with old motorbikes. Decent pint of Harvey’s and nice garden with views of castle... But... Noisy extractor fan in garden, poor food and unwelcoming staff.

Had my daughters wedding reception here was amazing catered for all dietary requests they went over and above my expectations and very competitively priced extremely good value in my opinion I am glad I didn't see the previous review beforehand as it seems they had a very different opinion and I would have missed an amazing venue Thank you so much Penny and your amazing team for making our special day super special .

The Brighton Suite is newly refurbished and has a stunning view of the castle. It is comfortable and attractive with an excellent ensuite shower room with underfloor heating, plus sauna and shower. We felt an armchair, shelf by the basin and something to dull the very bright emergency light which kept us awake, would have made the difference between good and perfect!

We expressed our interest in using this as our wedding reception venue! we then spoke to the manger/owner who was rude and unhelpful! We wanted to go ahead with their wedding package despite this because of the location for our wedding guests but the owner made this seem much more difficult than it had to be and tried to charge us £2000 above what the package price stated because we had 50 guests, she told us we had to have exclusive use, even tho the package states for 50 people we didn’t need exclusive use! They then back tracked and told us we didn’t have to pay the extra £2000 but we’re not aloud music! I’m not sure what venue can offer a wedding package without any kind of music celebration! Not even a first dance! Their prices are misleading and extortionate! They are rude money grabbers who are not about trying to please their customers! A lot nicer places in lewes to go where customers are treated as a priority!

It was my birthday, and my other half booked a room at the Kings Head as a special treat as we wanted to have a look around Lewes. Their website showed numerous photos of the newly refurbished bedrooms, and they looked very nice. We checked the menu while we were on the site, and much of the food seemed to tapas related, but there was also burgers, steak, fresh fish and fish stew, so we knew there would be something decent to eat. The room, The Brighton, was as expected. Freshly decorated with a sumptuous bed, brand new carpet and a bathroom with underfloor heating and even a sauna! 5 stars all the way. However, when it came to dinner, we'd booked a table but that was totally unnecessary as the place was almost empty at 7:30 which was odd as the had live music from 8 pm. On being given the menu, we soon found out why it was almost devoid of other customers. The first page of the menu was almost entirely tapas, then baguettes. The burger turned out to be a vegan burger, and there were no steaks, fresh fish or fish stew as promised. The online menu mentioned a "specials" board, but when my other half asked about that, the young barman looked at her though she were insane and said there was no such thing. They didn't even have so much as a position of crisps available!We left and walked into town to find a decent pub with food and a soul. When we returned to the Kings Head around 10:30 that night, the live music was in full swing.... but the place was still virtually empty. We saw 3 people inside as we trudged passed on the rain towards out room. In summary, the rooms are stunning, but the whole food issue needs to be urgently addressed. The current menu maybe okay for lunchtime, but is poor in the extreme for evenings. Stay there by all means, but go to another pub to eat!!

Ordered the fish & chips, it was beautiful. The fish was gorgeous. Also, the barman was very friendly, GREAT SERVICE !!! The landlady was very welcoming too!!

Perhaps we caught them on a bad day but I ordered a fish finger sandwich for lunch and had to listen to the bar staff complain that my group ordered separately and then waited 40 minutes for a baguette. The baguette was undercooked and the fish finger was mostly skin and overcooked and the side salad limp. I left hungry and won't return there again

Booked at kings head for one night was so impressed stayed for two Beautiful room and the most comfortable bed ever .The shower /sauna pod with piped music a delight will definitely be back . Highly recommend .

Shared fish platter very impressed with the price and generous portion size .lovely staff and atmosphere

Went to pictures so decided to go for a meal, decided on kings head and glad we did .we went for the tapas and it was of the highest quality, quick turnaround and great service .bar staff were great and ambience suited us just fine.went out into beer garden which had stunning backdrop view of lewes castle .all in all a gem and will definitely return sooner rather than later

Stopped off during a day trip to Lewis, the place has just been refurbished so nice inside ( the loo’s are not finished ) nice pint, and dog friendly, but the menu we found was very limited lots of Tapas dishes, but only 5 baguette dishes, needs a serious expansion of the menu to cater for lunches. Would not return

Great place to meet up with friends either lunch time or evening, for good food with friendly welcoming staff

I called by this evening to get a meal for two. the kitchen was closed. when I asked if it was just tonight I was told no at least three weeks due to gas leaks and old wiring.. Not helpful when the pub having stood empty for a while is doing its best to reestablish its self. One of the bar staff stated there is no good time to shut a kitchen when I suggested that surely they had a survey done before taking the place on and that the time when it was closed prior to the grand reopening would have been an excellent time to sort out the kitchen I was asked to leave. Having used this pub since about 1970 I would suggest that the current management have more problems than the the broken sign hanging out side the pub.

We arrived on a Thursday evening to find that it was “steak night” which means a steak meal for two plus a bottle of wine for £30:00. We were very pleased with this especially as there was a singer too. We got our wine which was very nice and awaited our meal but sadly it was such a disappointment. My rare steak was cooked medium, the chips soggy, the pepper sauce gloopy and nothing was seasoned so all fairly tasteless.A very helpful lady got me another steak which arrived in less than five minutes but that was almost uncooked and practically mooing! Such a shame as this pub is our local and we would like to support it but this is unlikely if they can’t cook steaks properly on steak night!

We called into The King's Head after visiting a local farm for my 2 years old Grandson's birthday. There were 8 of us, including 2 children, and were very warmly welcomed. The table service was quick,friendly and helpful.The tasty food arrived hot and in good time, although my own order had been forgotten. The lady who served us was extremely apologetic, and offered my meal 'on the house', although I was certainly prepared to pay for it. When she realised it was my Grandson's birthday, she produced a large slice of hot delicious cake with a candle in it. What a lovely touch. Wiil definitely visit The King's Head again.

We live close to the King’s Head and have been waiting and hoping for its turnaround from the last couple of years’ awful management. Sadly the wait continues. Some kind of event (stag?) going on this afternoon (from midday) with a torrent of obscenities being shouted and sung in the garden - including through a loud speaker! Not just rowdy fun - extemely unpleasant and threatening language booming out to be heard throughout the neighbourhood and audible in the nearby Grange Gardens full of families and kids. The staff don’t seem to be bothered at all.

We had a lovely Sunday Roast lunch here , the food was very good , the staff are extremely friendly and helpful it is definitely worth a visit .

We knew the Kings Head had a new management team, so were hopeful all would be good for the wake of our family loss. The whole team were very good & very caring. We were probably over 100 people but they coped very competently. The Head Bar Lady with her team were exceptional; despite the numbers nobody had to wait long to get a drink. Harveys Ale was first class. I have also never seen a barrel changed so quickly and efficiently. The Buffet was topped up when required. This team, all be it new, not only held it together but gave us superb service - well done!

Went for an evening drink and it’s much improved. Nice atmosphere and friendly staff. Good beer selection.

Living very nearby, we were keen to try the Kings Head now it’s re-opened as the previous managers were terrible. We arrived at 1:15 on a Sunday and were told there were no more roasts left. We decided to stay anyway and order something else and got our small children settled at a table and ordered drinks. We were then told that we had to move tables as they were about to get a large group in. I dont understand why they didn’t therefore have reserved signs on the tables needed. We went to order food and were told that they wouldn’t be serving any more food due to their “one chef policy”! If we’d known, we wouldn’t have got any drinks and would have gone elsewhere. As it was, we finished our drinks and headed to The Swan down the road which was great, as always. I think we’ll head straight to The Swan in future.

Steak was good, accompanying Tescos frozen chips not so much.

Visiting Lewes with some business colleagues and was recommended to the newly reopened Kings Head, we all had a steak lunch and very much enjoyed it, very quality meat beautifully cooked and good service. The bar man was friendly and professional albeit a little quirky, I think they call him King Henry 9th !!!

Decided to try the reopened King's Head. Wish we hadn't. The tall blonde bar manager (general manager?) needs some lessons in customer service. I'd booked through facebook and he said 'you're not down on my sheet' in a most dismissive way. When I asked him if he wanted to see the confirmation, he was quiet. The place was empty in any case, so absolutely no need for his sanctimonious attitude.

Stopped in on Sunday afternoon for some food and a pint. Roast was amazing and plentiful! Pork belly bites absolutely delicious too! Very warm welcome and great staff. Would highly recommend

After a week of closure for ":cellar restoration" the pub opened on a Saturday, offering food 12-3pm only. In the evening the bar was busy. From the Monday it was closed with a note on the door, "Closed for new management until further notice" so things don't look good. It would be a sad day if this pub were to close permanently, but the last refurb destroyed the atmosphere. Installing bright white lighting turned a cosy bar into an operating theatre / dentist's chair. Unfinished walls made it feel more like a building site than rustic chic. Amateurish catering mistakes sent the hungry customers elsewhere, leaving just a few habitual drinkers. I have good memories of spending time with old friends in this pub. I hope it can be saved.

The food is limited and poor, but the service is good. Only one choice for red wine :(

Visited on a Thursday evening with friends. Staff were very friendly and welcoming. Beer selection is okay. There were very few people in the pub though which is always a little discouraging.

Fuimos el viernes pasado- había menús lo atribuimos en tablas en el bar, y en una gran pizarra. Pedimos unas bebidas mientras decidimos qué comer, sólo para encontrar que cuando pedimos que no había chef y no hay comida. No había nada en ningún sitio, lo que muestra lo hubieran dicho, y parece típico de una actitud que el cliente realmente no importa tanto como el personal del bar están gozando. Este pub es uno de nuestros residentes y solía ser muy bueno, pero durante los últimos dos años hemos tenido varias malas experiencias con la comida. No volveremos ahora. Hay muchos otros buenos lugares para comer en Lewes.

Ha habido varios cambios en la administración en los últimos años. Parece que el actual equipo finalmente tienen derecho. Recientemente decorado. Todo está limpio. Fantástico jardín de cerveza. Muy buena selección de cervezas a un precio más barato que otros pubs de la zona. La diferencia es la calidad de la cerveza. El personal es muy amable. El menú es sencillo, pero tiene una tabla interesante pero limitado ofertas especiales. Pero de nuevo, la calidad de la comida es excelente. Sin duda relación calidad-precio.

Como un gran grupo de senderismo, en el último año hemos visitado el King's Head en varias ocasiones y siempre han dado una cálida bienvenida por el personal maravilloso; de hecho hacen todo lo posible para llegar a la chimenea equipada para nosotros, así que pueden calentarse en invierno días de caminatas. La última vez que fuimos tuvimos una noche fantástica - no sólo la excelente comida (el pescado y las patatas fritas era absolutamente delicioso) y el helado amstel, pero bailaron toda la noche a una fantástica banda en vivo. Pero lo que realmente hace de este pub es el personal, maravillosamente amable, divertido y eficiente. Que hace una gran diferencia. Cuando esperamos el post pub caminata tanto como no las caminatas, que significa que es un alcohólico o se encontró usted mismo la caminata ideal post pub. Por supuesto, este último se aplica en este caso ;-)).

Stopped over for some refreshments after a walk in south down hills . Loved the place , the staff particularly were energetic and served our large group very well. Loved the ambience .

I am gluten free and don't eat meat so there wasn't much choice other than a jacket potato, which sounds boring but it was well cooked and came with a delicious home made coleslaw

Claramente la nueva administración parecen ser trabajando duro para actualizar este encantador pub anteriormente, pero ahora está muy bien iluminada con focos blancos, así que si estás buscando una noche acogedora íntimo que pueda necesitar para escoger otro sitio.

Nos quedamos encantados con nuestra comidas especiales elegidos de la junta, mi compañero tenía un enorme filete de venado con patatas fritas handcut puerto jus y tomates vine aunque disfruté de salmonetes con remolachas y generoso para repetir de brécol y patatas.

Lewes es una de las ciudades medievales mejor conservadas de Europa y Lewes es un favorito perdurable para mí. El Kings Head ha tenido una nueva gestión en mayor frecuencia. La presente nuevos propietarios han gastado mucho dinero y energía en tratar de mejorar el negocio, admiro su entusiasmo, así que me entristece ver errores elementales sobre la decoración, el ambiente y la comida.

Both of our roasts were served cold. We asked or them to be warmed up. They came back maybe 2 degrees warmer. Not acceptable. Will not visit again.

I saw a review of Kings Head in a freebie magazine in Brighton. It sounded interesting so I stuck the article to the fridge for a year as a reminder and finally got round to going. Importantly for us they are dog friendly and they offered the dog some water without being asked, which is always welcome. We don't have kids but I did notice they had high chairs for little ones. It was Saturday lunch when we arrived and was empty but it was only just gone midday and it did start to get busier within 15 minutes. It's very much a locals pub but not an old fashioned boozer. But it's also not so far from the centre of Lewes to be inaccesible to day visitors like us. The beer was good but as it was from the local brewery, Harveys, you would expect that. The food was pretty good too. We had planned on something light but ended with venison burgers. Sizeable, well cooked, fesh briche bun and with a healthy side salad and baby roast potatoes. All in all, we are happy with our visit and would definitely consider a return visit.

As part of my Lewes trip I popped into the King's Head for a pint of Harvey's.As you'd hope, the beer was in good condition (it's only brewed a quarter of a mile away) but the landlady made a point of coming up to say hello, in a non-intrusive way.She was happy to show me around and talk of her plans for the King's Head. I understand that it's under new management and I don't doubt her commitment, certainly so far the locals look happy.The new people here radiate competence and welcome; they know what they're doing. I had already eaten that evening so I wasn't able to sample the menu, but it looked good. If you're looking for a decent place for a beer I heartily recommend, and if you're a lone drinker you can come here with confidence.

I was pleasantly surprised, after walking into this quaint little pub and over hearing a very loud rude lady, complaining about her meal and service, we thought twice about whether we should stay for a meal.However I'm pleased we decided to stay as the meal was one of the best we had been served for quite some time. It was hot, portions were of a good size and served to our table after only a short wait. By a member of staff who was polite and respectful. As a family we will definitely being coming back to this pub and trying some more of the meals on the menu. Obviously the lady we over heard was having a bad day.

Having heard that this pub was under new management we decided to give it another go as it is very local. Went for Sunday lunch. This would now rate as our number one of top 5 appalling restaurants unless you like raw pork and lamb so tough you could sole your shoes with it! Think we have given this one up for good.

My husband, son and I have just returned from having Sunday lunch here and the food was delicious. I had the roast belly of pork, which was cooked to perfection. My husband had the lamb, and my son the roast beef. We all left completely full and happy. The staff were very friendly and helpful and the pub was spotlessly clean. We enjoyed the meal so much we booked lunch for Christmas day while we were there.

Went for dinner on Saturday night had s great steak went back again on Monday had fish and chips and the sticky toffee pidgin was awesome enjoyed a game of scrabble too

We knew the pub had new owners so decided to try it.Previous visits hadnt been great.A nice welcome from the barman was a good start.One negative was a large group that had taken up one corner of the pub...very noisy and were gradually encroaching on our space.The menu was limited...burgers,fish n chips and steak, plus one or two veggie options.Our friends had burgers...they looked and tasted lovely and the fish and chips was good too.Excellent real chunky chips! Too full for pudding and wanted to be able to chat but the large group of people dominated the place so we left.Still a lot to do to get it right...the lighting and furniture for a start...the menu.Staff are great and location perfect.A super beer garden with fantastic view of the castle!

Excellent food good value friendly and efficient staff portions were good and a good menu to choose from

I came here last Saturday for a meal and the food was incredible! I also broke down outside and had to come back today so stopped in for a coffee while I waited for the recovery to come and the staff are really friendly and welcoming, just what you want from a village pub, will definitely be back! Enjoy!

We had a fantastic meal here. Everyone was so very helpful and friendly. They couldn't do enough for us. This even included complimentary doughnuts as only one of us wanted a pudding but then they changed their mind.We will definitely return.

On a short walking break the Kings Head proved a great starting point. The food was incredibly fresh (sea bass) and the accompaniments were wonderful. would recommend!

We had probably one of the best ever meals in a pub. The beer was good, the atmosphere calm, friendly and like a good local. Near the station. Recommended.

When we last visited earlier this year, we were left very disappointed with the service then. We decided to go back for Sunday lunch last week and were pleasantly surprised . The food was excellent and the service was friendly and efficient. It was also great to be able to enjoy the spacious garden. Overall, a very pleasant experience and we will certainly make it a pub of choice for us and our friends in the future.

Having heard The King's Head is now under new management, my husband with our 2 boys decided to check it out..Attentive staff, lovely atmosphere and one of the best roast dinners!!! They have really turned this pub around. Will definitely be back.

I've always loved the Kings head as a quality Guinness pub but on Sunday my partner and I decided to go for a Sunday roast and it was beautiful.I had the veggie option of the blue cheese and pepper Wellington and my partner had the pork. Both were excellent, with top quality service! We will be returning soon to try out there weekday menu!

We had a couple of very nice cold San Miguels on a Monday afternoon. Was very pleasant sitting in the sunny courtyard garden. The barman was very friendly. We were going to have something to eat but all the dishes sounded quite large and we were only after a light lunch so moved on.

Under new management, my colleagues and I often frequent this pub after shows at Glyndebourne. Very pleasing. I love the fresh flowers on the tables which are a small detail which really spruce the place up.

Poor service staff have no knowledge of menu content so disappointing ordered steak /chips (how taxing is thatTo the chef? Worst thing of all didn't even acknowledge letter of complaint perhaps they didn't understand a steakIs whole piece of beef not 3 cubes of. Something (not steak for sure) pushed together on a cold plate! Disgusting!

The staff in this particular pub were not so great the lady behind the bar was beyond the smiley friendly welcoming bar maid/manger? I believe to have come across! The food on the other hand was exceptionally good which made our visit to the Kings head not as bad as when we first entered. It goes a long way to welcome customers and to even smile. Chef well done.

Lovely food and really great staff and service , definitely worth a visit. Four of us visited for lunch and none of us left hungry and all enjoyed our meals

We where visiting Lewes and was recommended the Kings head. On arrival we where met with a lovely welcome the staff where very friendly. The food was amazing we had the pizza special which was great value. Kate and David where very good hosts and we will definitely be visiting again.

I went with a group of friends for an evening meal in May but what a disappointment. Firstly there were things off of the menu, and when one of our number asked for steak he was told he couldn't have it because the chef couldn't cook it! The service of the meal was so slow that we were given free drinks to keep us going. The meal finally arrived (which wasn't bad, actually) but no sooner had we started eating than the staff started disinfecting and cleaning the area behind our table. Food and disinfectant just don't mix. We understood the pub had only been taken over 4 weeks earlier but there was no sign of the new owner. There need to be some rapid improvements if it is to survive.

Living very nearby, I really hoped the Kings head would improve as it used to be great, but went off the boil. Over the past few months several things have put me off going in: the vases of dead flowers left in the windows after Mother's Day, the sign advertising Valentine's Day still up in April, and then steaming piles of vomit outside the pub after a Friday night which did not get cleared up and stank. We tried it again the other day for a sandwich for lunch. A previous meal had been cold apart from the potatoes which had clearly been microwaved. But we thought, how wrong can you go with a sandwich.... Well at 12:30pm they had run out of bread, so my sandwich was basically a half sized crust and they tried to make up for it by giving us lots of chips. This was done without asking us. I will not return. The Swan just down the road is fabulous!

Really disappointed by our visit for a working lunch. Music blaring out so could hardly hear .Ordered sandwichs but when they came presentation was poor and bloomer bread looked like Kingsmill plastic bread and appeared to have been slung on a plate.Wanted coffee but machine broken.Nobody in there and not really surprised not likely to return.

First visit to this well regarded pub but something is going on as it was terrible. We also had the waitress with the skanky bandage and the pub was just a mess Have to agree with Avia G about the state of the place. Ordered the pie and mash but was told mash was off!! What nobody available to boil a few spuds?? Anyway we were offered the option of hand cut chips as an alternative but what turned up was a selection of oven chips, skinny fries, thick cut and skin-on chips. Even worse they were raw and had barely seen the inside of the oven. Pie would have been nice if it had been hot, nut luke warm was not acceptable. Complained about the food and had the drinks removed from the bill. In retrospect think I should have paid for the drinks and not the food.

RubbishCold plates, burger buns cooked from frozen, cold red cabbage accompaniment to mash less pie, puts pay to description of handcut chips surely?? Insisted on keeping my card behind the bar due to bring a lunchtime reservation.... What do you do after 7 for your evening guests??? Punching above your weight... Where has the lovely kings head gone??

I visited here with some friends as last summer this was the place to be.. Well, not any more! Rude staff, Food was horrendous and to top it all the place was filthy!! There was only 2 other people in the place propping up the bar so the staff weren't busy yet there was dirty glasses and plates etc just left on the tables. Sticky bar and the toilets were disgusting. Very disappointed and definitely wont be back. What happened to the old staff? They were much more attentive and pleasant..

We have been going to this pub for years and the food has been consistently good. However we have not been for a few months. The fish and chips which used to be excellent, home made chips, locally sourced fresh fish in a crisp light batter. Home made tomatoe sauce etc.. Has been replaced with half cooked frozen fish that quite frankly tasted as if it had been around longer than it should have been. We were not alone in sending it back!The waitress who was serving us had a filthy bandage on her thumb and appeared to be helping out in the kitchen. I do not blame her or the chef, I blame the owners, if you can't get the staff keep the menu simple!

We have eaten here in the past and it was good. The menu on the website still looked good. HOWEVER, the menu on the night we went was limited and half the dishes were unavailable. Because of our previous experience we decided to stay. We wish we hadn't. The burger was dry and overcooked, the vegetarian sausages turned into veg. burgers but were ok, the vegetarian burger was a tasteless potato and pea thing and the nachos were mostly crumbs with a small amount of overcooked cheese (how can you mess up nachos?) but the lamb pie was ok.

Oh dear, popped in for quick drink with friends but had to leave after just one as unpleasant smell (from drains?) and tables were sticky, seating dirty and torn. All in all, not the pleasant drink we had expected. We wonder what has happened ? This is potentially a great pub. Food and service used to be okay but seemingly not now ... so many great little pubs in Lewes so won't return here till we know things have improved.

I popped into this classic public house with a friend and wow I was pleasantly surprised. The service was great and the staff so welcoming, a great asset to this establishment Nikki and Lucy I believe, they certainly displayed excellent customer service. Will definitely be back

Took some business colleagues for lunch - there were four of us. I usually sit in the restaurant area, but was told that was not open today. No obvious reason why we couldn't sit there. We sat in the bar. The outlook from here looked a little tatty and not the same as sitting in the restaurant end. The place did not smell fresh and it was only after we had ordered our drinks I noticed the ceiling above our head was wet. There had been a leak in the flat above apparently. We looked at the menus and went to order, only to be informed that the meat order had not arrived that day. We were restricted in what we could have. If my colleagues had more time we would have left and gone elsewhere. The food was OK but the overall experience left me thinking I was not going back.

I visited a couple of weeks ago with 2 friends for a drink on a Monday night . The pub was empty , I asked the barmaid if we could have the gas effect log fire on, for a bit of atmosphere /warmth, but she said "no, I'm too tired, I might forget to turn it off and I don't want to lose my job", we were too surprised to argue. While we looked at the wine list she told us to " just listen to the ones we actually have" , rather than order from the list. She then spent much of the time we were there complaining to her mate loudly about the shifts she was having to work, swearing quite a lot . Lastly near closing time she told us she would be "locking the door in 10 minutes....." We left and won't be returning .

The service is a bit hit and miss but nice wines, good food and a cozy place to catch up with friends.

I felt sad to see that my local pub has changed so much. Visited on a Saturday for drinks, this night the pub was not busy, half empty. Dirty tables, there was no Harvey's beer, no ice for our drinks. My tomato juice came from a carton which tasted of the cheapest bland supermarket value brand. They must be in competition with the Swan up the road where we had just left which was rammed!

I've been to the King's Head before they changed hands and the bar staff were always helpful and willing to serve. Shame it's all gone to the complete opposite direction. We were served during a somewhat busy night, the first time I attempted to get a glass of wine, the barman had no idea what I was talking about and decided to pass the order on to his colleague which wasn't particularly friendly nor patient. The second time at the bar I asked if there was any food being served and all I got was a "pfff NO!" I walked away feeling guilty for hurting her feelings or offending her.These guys have the wrong attitude to be in the service industry.

Had a celebration sunday lunch for 17 people the staff and guvner were very helpful the food was excellent . The bossman couldnt do enough to help all round a very good choice

About 20 of us came here last Sunday for a roast. The service was friendly and quick, the food was excellent, and we overall had a great experience. Thank you. Highly recommend.

My partner and I popped in for a spontaneous lunch on a damp Thursday lunchtime as we were in Lewes. I ordered the butternut squash soup with bread and my other half went for the crayfish sandwich with a side of hand cut chips. My soup was gorgeous, creamy, tasty and beautifully presented. The sandwich was bulging and tasty. As for the chips, these were amazing.We will certainly be returning and would not hesitate to recommend.

Picked the pub blind as don't know Lewes very well based on previous reviews. Met for Sunday lunch with some old friends.I rarely write reviews but was inspired by this place to do just that! We picked Roast Lamb, Braised Beef and Cheddar Wellington. All absolutely delicious with amazing vegetables, pots and the best meaty gravy in the world. I had the beef and it was a huge tasty tranche to die for! My partner was the only one who went for the pudding and it was a great indulgent chocolate affair! Amazing!!! Service was very friendly and attentive! All tables booked and filled, and even with a full establishment, all served at a decent speed. Will be back very soon!

What a magnificent establishment. From the moment you walk through the door onto the old wooden floors and the low ceilings, you almost feel as though you have gone back in time. Nothing old world about the service or the food as both were first class. The service was prompt and efficient, and the recommendation of Harvey's ale was a winner. Likewise the food was traditional British, and very goodish sized portions at a reasonable price.

The staff were welcoming and friendly. The Harveys best was too warm for my taste and serving gin and tonics in thick tumblers with a straw is not right in my book. The carafe of tap water was welcome.Our food included burger, the vegetarian option, moules mariniere and 2 childrens dishes. Absolutely no complaints about the quality or quantity of food.The bill was reasonable. Would we come back? Probably but not in the immediate fufure, there must be better on offer in the vicinity.

I had the haloumi and portobello mushroom burger, with fries. Really good. Think the burgers have improved since my last review. Still a bit too much salt for my liking but definitely better than my previous 4 stars. And so now it makes 5 stars!

I have eaten here before just a few months ago and it was really nice.Not so great this time though.The pub was fairly empty early on a Tuesday evening so we were served very quickly.The waitress was very friendly.My two friends received their meal but mine didn't arrive! I was then told that my order hadn't gone through to the kitchen??I was offered some olives as way of an apology and then waited another 10 mins for my meal...by then my friends had finished their food.Unfortunately the pan fried chicken with chick peas was not worth the wait and definitely should not have been on the "specials" board. Very bland and tasteless.My friends however were happy with their food.Not the best experience overall.

The King's Head Lewes.I have already written a review of the King's Head last year, but since we had our wedding there a few weeks ago I have to give an update. Getting married is a very special but nerve-wracking day, with almost 100 guests you want everything to be just so. Well Patrick and his team delivered and then some. Best day of our lives easily. I have also been overwhelmed by the number of our friends and family who have been praising the setting, the service and the food. The current team at the King's Head are relatively new but boy do they know their stuff. We chose to serve a hog roast followed by a BBQ later in the evening, delicious and plentiful. Also every dietary requirement was catered for (gluten, diary, yeast- free and of course veggie).Not only was the day and evening itself executed expertly but they guys so accommodating in the lead up/ build up to the day. We were able to dress the pub ourselves but with plenty of help from the team.12/10 King's Head! Thanks again for making our day so special.

A friend and I had lunch there last week. We both had requests to ask the chef if he wouldn't mind doing a mix and match from the menu. The female bar staff - sorry i can't remember her name - was very friendly and welcoming. They couldn't have been more helpful. My gluten-free needs were met. I had moules with hand-cut chips (which are very tasty) instead of with bread. My friend had the meat option swapped, and was even given extra sauce on being asked if all was well and if we wanted anything else. Nothing was too much trouble. It was quiet, so i don't know how it would have been if busier but they gave the impression that they really were trying to please the customer - a rare treat these days.

On a return weekend to Sussex stumbled across this nice pub on a walk around Lewes on July 12. Received a great welcome from the staff, and got a good overall impression from the decor to the atmosphere. Had a lovely relaxing drink in a little table under the library bookshelf. Didn't eat food here so can't really comment but everything seemed clean and the pub was nice and cosy. Would return on our next visit to Lewes. 10/10

We ate here on the recommendation of a friend. We shall not believe him again. The starter came after a mere half hour, but was so meagre that it could have been eaten with tweezers rather than traditional cutlery. The main course came after an hour and a quarter, yet was lukewarm, and included the mushiest vegetables we've ever had outside a school canteen. An exceptional and unrepeatable experience.

Service much better, very friendly barman. Cooking really ameliorated, we enjoyed a good dinner. We come again.

We had a pint and a meal in the beer garden looking out over the castle. It was simply lovely. The food was of good standard, and the waitress very friendly. Would definitely return.

We dropped into the King's Head for the first time in a while, for a late lunch on Thursday. We were greeted by the new manager, the delightfully flamboyant, Basque-born Iker, who had taken over only a couple of weeks earlier (and also has The Foragers in Hove, so he will be splitting his time between the two). The King's Head was fairly quiet, so Iker was happy to answer our questions, and tell us all about his plans for the place, whose food has certainly seen its ups and downs over the last few years. He has installed a known and trusted chef, who intends to offer unusual and interesting food at a reasonable price, and who described to us his take on the upcoming Sunday roasts, which sounds more adventurous than most. Iker also has plans for a number of interesting-sounding events, presumably to draw people back into what seems to have become a sadly empty pub, at least at lunchtime.Our lunch was excellent. My husband chose the 8oz rump steak, which was a bargain at the price, and came with very good chips and a Cafe de Paris sauce (something you don't often see these days); I had a starter of confit duck leg with salad and a hazelnut dressing, followed by an excellent - and sizeable - orange and chocolate brownie, beautifully presented, with a rather good vanilla icecream.So we booked for Sunday lunch, and decided not to do a TripAdvisor report until after that.--------------------Sunday lunch today. The basics were absolutely excellent - tasty and tender meat (I had roast pork stuffed with home-smoked apple, and my husband had slow-cooked blade of beef, which was so tender he could have eaten it with a spoon). An interesting selection of vegetables (not just potatoes, carrots, cabbage, but also roast sweet potatoes, for instance) were all cooked precisely as they should be, neither over nor under. The Yorkshires were perhaps a little flabby, but were still tasty. And there was plenty of gravy; out of habit, being used to roasts in other pubs, I ordered extra gravy, but as it turned out I didn't really need it. The downside, if I'm being ultra-fussy, is that each dish (and we watched both lamb and chicken being served to other tables) was uniformly brown - brown meat, brown Yorkshires, brown potatoes. This was because in each case the meat was placed on top of the vegetables, so there were no visible highlights of red or green or yellow until one had moved things around a bit. A slight rearrangement would make the plate very much more attractive to the eye.The desserts need no rearrangement - mine was as attractively presented as the one I had on Thursday. A white chocolate and vanilla panacotta, it trembled just as it ought to, and tasted lovely.Service (Iker was assisted by two other front-of-house staff) is efficient and smiling. In so many places the waiting staff forget to smile - and it does make such a difference! And the price - £36 for two roasts, one dessert, a pint of Harveys' bitter and a pint of Stowford Press cider - was more than reasonable. I advise people to get in there before word gets around; there aren't all that many tables, and I think they will all soon be fully booked.

I walked in to a hostile bloke with such an attitude we might have just left. He spoke to me and my friend as if we were taking up too much of his time and gestured towards a table that we'd booked but clearly wasn't reserved as requested. I don't know what's happened to this place but the food is something like wetherspoons. Must try harder, standards have slipped. If they want to be a spoons can we at least get a coffee and an all day breakfast? Wetherspoons coffee isn't great, but it beats the filth we were served... Poor.I never normally review - but this was worth saying something.

I have lived near the Kingshead for just over 12 months and couldn't reccomend them more, their Sunday roasts are one of the best I've had in Sussex (and we travel afar!). They cater fantastically to my child's many and complex severe allergies with the staff and chef always being willing and able.The ambience is relaxing and the decor is pleasant. The fact that it was built in 1888 gives it an added attraction and history.The garden is a fantastic sun trap with lovely views.I couldn't recommend this establishment more, and very pleased to now label it my 'local'.

I think this pub has really improved in the past year. The food is great - I had mackerel and my friend had the thin steak and they were both really good. The atmosphere was more relaxed and the staff really friendly and good. It was busy and had a much better atmosphere. Really good.

As you enter, you'll see that the bar was spotless and sparkling, and the restaurant gleaming, but there weren't enough people making the most of it. Was this a bad sign? A quick check on my watch tells me that most people are either at work or picking up the kids. So I order a local bitter - Harvey's - which clears in seconds, reassuring me that the lines have been properly cleaned and not just flushed. The crisp taste further confirms this as I sit down in a quiet corner to work out my three courses. The bar steward informs me of the mains, including the self named Kings Head Burger.I order for my friend and I - the Salmon and Ham Hock to start, and the Burger and Steak for mains. Make a note - the steak will only be served medium, and you won't get a steak knife, I'll tell you why in a minute.The salmon arrives, cold cooked with blood orange, and each cut (not slice) melts in our mouths, the ham hock fails to wrong itself, with a healthy portion of toast, home made piccalilli and red onion chutney to leave me wanting more! The burger and steak arrive after a small wait - about ten minutes. The burger with haloumi, bacon and cooked to perfection, with its juices seeping in to the bun. Add some of the ketchup and mayo to the chips, and my whole attention has gone fromAnything else to all the flavour in the burger. I get to sample the steak, again - so tender that no steak knives needed in each cut, and the flavour just melts in to each taste bud. For the next fifteen minutes, we are consumed with food envy of each other plates. Bliss.The pallet cleansed with an ice cream made of cornflakes, and a nice freshly made coffee.All in all, I've decided I now know of a good pub to eat in, in Sussex - which isn't too pricey, yet isn't too bold. Why is this gem so hidden?Go have the salmon and the steak, and you'll see why I had to write this.

Stopped in after a long walk. Muddy boots accepted. Excellent home cooked food. Good value and excellent service. Would recommend for casual food and good beer. Staff very accommodating so we were very happy with our visit.

We were a very large group of 11 and I guess this pub is not used to handling such large numbers.Food,drinks and cutlery all took an absolute age to arrive.It was a good hour long wait for food.As we were such a large group and sat across 3 tables I asked for separate bills for each table.This simple request was met with incredulity from one of the waitresses and they managed to mix up the bills for each table.As a result,I had to work out each individuals bill from my party as I was hosting this day trip from London to Lewes.Not impressed,I allocated 1 hour from my busy sightseeing schedule for Sunday lunch.Instead,we were at the restaurant for over 2 hours.I enjoyed my lamb and vegetables when they arrived,but the poor service ruined my meal at the King's Head:(. Not everybody in my party of 11 was happy with their food either.

We have just returned from our most disappointing Sunday lunch ever. We have eaten several times previously at the Kings Head, both on Sundays and weekday lunchtimes & had alwaysthoroughly enjoyed both the food, service & ambience, so much so that we have recommendedit to several friends. However today we took our daughter for the first time & met up with two of her friends.We ordered two slow cooked belly of pork, one roast chicken, one pot roast lamb & one pot roastbeef. My lamb was grey, fatty, gristly & so tough I could barely cut it. I discreetly mentioned it to the waitress who fetched a replacement. On returning to the table I noticed my husband was struggling to get a knife in his beef as at least 10% of it was solid gristle. I mentioned this to the waitress who sent the manager over who in avery offhand manner asked if he wanted it replacedor voided on the bill. He chose the latter as the everyone else had almost finished their meals.the roast chicken was o.k. just, but the belly of pork was certainly not slow roasted for long enough and the crackling did not crackle.In mitigation I would add that all our vegetables were cooked to perfection & the waitresseswere very pleasant & apologetic, but suffice to say we will not be returning.

5 work colleagues/friends, 2 of whom celebrating significant birthdays, booked here for Sunday lunch. Lovely atmosphere, friendly and helpful staff and the food was lovely. Well cooked, presented and most importantly it was hot. Have dined out in the area several times this year and this by far the best. Will definitely return.