Nelson Head in North Norfolk

We decided to go to see the seals at Horsey and googled pubs nearby. Nelson Head came up and the reviews were good so we thought we would give it a go! The pub was smaller than I expected but we got a warm welcome. There were quite a few things unavailable on the menu but all 6 of us found something we would like. Food was quick and everybody enjoyed their meal. Very friendly service and if we were in the area again, we would definitely come back. Thank you for a lovely lunch.

A great friendly atmosphere with great beer and excellent food. Fish and chips were incredible. A proper proper pub!!! Beautiful surroundings.

5e service & the food we received yesterday was amazing. After a walk to Horsey Gap Beach we headed to get some lunch on the recommendation of a fellow walker we had spoken to. We hadn’t booked or rang ahead and worried there might not be room for…wait for it…6 adults, 4 sandy dogs and a 6 week old baby in a pram. They made space for us in a quiet corner. The staff were lovely & friendly and the food was fantastic. I has the burger & fries that came with coleslaw to die for. Everybody was happy & well fed.

We parked on the pub carpark , booked a table, then walked to the beach to see the seals. What an excellent decision this proved to be. The 20 min walk to the beach was quiet and pleaseant and we stoped to watch deer in the woodlnd, Then, at the beach we were blown away by the number of seals we saw just chilling and not at all bothered by us taking photos. Then back to the pub to be greeted by very freindly staff and shown to our reserved table. The food was all freshly prepared and was excellent. ( recommend the crab sandwiches, they were lovely) The locals were really friendly too and made us feel very welcome.

A dated traditional pub. The service was great, a very friendly barman. We sat in the pub garden aka a field on a lovely sunny day and had lunch. Lots of customers sitting outside with their dogs. Highly recommend

REAL pub. V good crab sandwich. Staff - just right.

Great pub in a tucked away location, parked there to go to the beach and then back for food. Food is excellent and plentiful for a decent price.

Lovely food, good portions, friendly staff and good value

We ate here on a stopover, the service was friendly but slow, we asked for additional bread which took a good 20 mins to arrive at the table! The food was at best average, not bad, but at best standard pub food! The bar was very poorly stocked, each wine I asked for wasn’t available and when I asked what they did gave I was told “I don’t know!” Settled for a beer as was easier!

A traditional country pub with good food choices. Plenty of space inside and out. Dog friendly too. Ideal spot to park, eat then walk down to the beach to see the seals. They are happy for you to do this providing you use the pub also before or after.

Great rustic pub. Great atmosphere and great location.

Stopped here whilst cycling the area. Super friendly staff and lovely, spacious beer garden. Would def return as food looked good

Quirky countryside pub with lots of charm and good things going for it! Strictly no tap mixers here. If you want cola or lemonade it comes in a tin or from a bottle. Good selection of ales and lagers. We stuck with the Wherry’s. No shortage of choice on the Specials Board including three crab and three prawn dishes. The Ploughman’s was good too! Reasonable prices. We sat in the garden. Friendly, diligent staff. Overall very good!

We visited the Nelson Head as it was the closest to the beach. The staff were friendly enough, though nothing to remember. Food was average, halloumi burger had minimum halloumi & a cold bun. One thing I will say is that the whole pub needs a complete clean & upgrade from top to bottom ~ not sure where the earnings go, certainly not on improvements.

If you're staying at any of the campsites near Waxham , always recommend a recovery meal from this pub and restaurant. Shepherds pie and their chicken burgers went down a treat. Big up to the young lad with long hair behind the bar 🤙

Nice little pub. They had run out of several dishes having been busier than usual. Food was good. Staff were friendly.

We stayed just down the road and often wandered up there for food and drink. Very relaxed in the large outdoor garden on a summer evening. Interesting selection of ciders. Good place.

This restaurant offers a wide selection of dishes and drinks. A real insider tip, also suitable for hikers exploring the coast like us, for example to observe the nearby seal colony. Nice location a little inland. Outdoor tables too.

Shush, don't tell anybody!!! Great that they invited dogs in! Great service and food.

Fantastic pub. Great atmosphere, lovely beer garden, exceptional food and service. Extra mention to the young chap who took the trouble to refill and bring over the dog bowl of water. Something so simple, but had a massive effect on our enjoyment

Brilliant pub. Like stepping back in time to what English pubs used to be.

Traditional pub. Not a chain or franchise. Decent ales on tap.

Very friendly and welcoming. Big garden to sit in and happy for you to use the pub and walk to see the seals. Def would recommend this pub to anyone

In need of some TLC, looking a little run down, but the food is good. Quite a small little place so doesn't take long for it to look crowded. Definitely a locals pub but do not let that put you off, they were all friendly and welcoming. Very dog friendly too.

Not been to the Nelson Head for a few years and it use to be an old favorite but sad to say we won't be back anytime soon. The attitude of the young lady serving at the bar and taking food orders really set the scene from the beginning, completely disinterested, not an ounce of warmth or any senses of customer service. Commenting to someone as she poured our drinks that she had enough and was already looking forward to the end of the shift and this was at about 18:30! The food was okay though not cheap and there was a long list of things whilst on the menu that were not available which seemed strange so early on a Saturday evening. We were not expecting fine dinning or 5 star service but it would have been nice to have been made to feel welcome customers rather than just an inconvenience.

We only had a sandwich but it was fantastic and served with loads of salad. Fish and chips looked awesome. Beers and cider were excellent and such a great range of choices. Wish it was closer to home.

We stopped in for a couple of drinks when staying local. Well placed just off the main road if in the area of Horsey, Waxham, Sea Palling. Lots of quirky old maritime memorabilia scattered around and on show helps add to the atmosphere of the pub. Service was friendly and great choice of drinks. We didn't eat but food served looked pretty good and decent sized portions. Main criticism is the cleanliness. The toilets were very dated and not very well maintained and some of the decor is very old with some areas not great to look at, ie, the radiators with spills, stains, etc splattered on them

Very good range of beer. Very interesting pub, garden is huge with great views.

No bells and whistles just a country pub , nice atmosphere, good beers and food all reasonably priced, some fascinating things to look at inside the pub

We went unannounced - group of 11 as we were camping at Waxham nearby. Couldn’t have been more welcomed. Great food fab service. Lovely staff. Beautiful historic pub. Loved it.

Great "take us as you find us" pub, friendliness in spades and fantastic food.

The fish and chips and scampi and chips I would recommend. The staff are really friendly and Dogs are more than welcome. A true traditional pub. They let me leave my van there as we went to see the seals.

Excellent bar man gave me a taster of the cider before buying was very knowledgable !! Food was lovely - garden amazing . Service great . Would defo return again .

Just had a meal and a drink outside in the beer garden, food came really quickly and was lovely! I had the fish finger sandwich, which came with chips and salad. I had enough chips to share with my wife who had a really nice jacket potato with chilli. Now the fish fingers were huge! Flaky fish in a crunchy golden batter, served with tatare sauce, both looked homemade and were delicious!

Tucked away in Horsey, not far from the windpump and in walking distance to the beach. You can also take a permissive walk from the windpump, which is nicer than the road route. Huge meadow opposite, with picnic tables. We stayed 50 yards down the road and so far have eaten there twice. Friendly staff. Dogs welcome. Fish and chips is huge, vegetarian meals on offer .. I had a vegetarian curry I couldn't finish. They do ask if you park there that you also use the pub, which is fair enough as it would be rude not to. Landlord and his dog are friendly too.

We stopped off here before a walk. Lovely traditional pub food, delicious. Very friendly staff and atmosphere for a lunch time excellent

Great out of the way pub with lots ale and cider choices and good food

Absolutely fabulous place, staff very friendly n hard working, they're a credit to the pub....very dog friendly which is a bonus, this little pub is well worth the long walk or drive to.....well done ✔️ 😀

Went in for some food, did an excellent crab sandwich. Nice pub

Excellent food , atmosphere and very friendly staff, shame we only have a chance to enjoy the Nelson when we are on holiday , great craft ales and cider

Lovely traditional pub with a wide selection of beers and ciders. Would have loved to stay for longer but unfortunately had to drive so couldn't take full advantage..

Brilliant food, friendly staff and great range of beers and ciders

Enjoyed a lovely lunch in the sun after a short stroll back from the beach, has a lovely big beer garden with plenty of seating areas very dog friendly too, food was large portions and very nice would deffo return

A must visit to a proper pub with lovely food 👍

The kitchen must have been woefully understaffed. We waited 1 hour 35 minutes for a weekday lunch, which is just unacceptable.

One of the worst pubs I’ve been to in a long time. The family dining area smells of urine from the pretty men’s toilets next door. The table we sat down at hadn’t been cleaned. The service was dire - when ordering food they said it “might take a while”. 1.5 hours later it still hadn’t turned up. No refund, no offer of free crisps that we ordered because we had too famished children with us. Just a dire experience. Understaffed too.

Cosy, comfortable and local - welcomed us with muddy boots and paws and made us and our dog feel like part of the family! Recommended some excellent local ales and we had some great conversations with people who were living on and touring the Broads

Unchanged for decades, which is a good thing. Staff were very friendly & welcoming. Great outside space, with tables on the road & large grassy area. Excellent choice of beer...bitter & IPA.

What a lovely lunch before a walk to the beach which is 20mins away. Arrived to an empty bar which within 10minutes was full of families, dogs and couples all enjoying the Sunday sun. The staff were brilliant from talking us through the ‘still’ cider on tap to the food menu. Food arrived hot and plentiful. Fish n chips were brilliant. The Nelson is a traditional pub with a great food, a great atmosphere and great beer/cider. Thankyou

Beer nelson revenge great and the main point it's very reasonably priced £ 3 60 a pint ,staff brilliant and food very good 👍

Lovely crab sandwiches and chips. Quiet location with a very relaxed vibe. Traditional pub

Lovely pub, perfect for a post beach pint after a visit to Horsey Gap to see the seals. Had a big garden for play and sitting but sadly we couldn't get food because the kitchen had closed.

Called in on my way to view the seals on Horsey beach. Received a warm and friendly welcome and the couple of local ales I tried were good and in good condition.Didn't try the food, but was came out of the kitchen all looked good. Well worth a visit if in the area.

Lovely food. I had fish and chips and it was a very good portion and served hot. From here we walked towards Horsey Gap about 20min including dog stops and sniffs along the way and then used same route back. They allow people to leave cars there to go and see the seals but ask to also use the pub for food or drinks. Great pub!

Called in for lunch with our two doggies before walking down to Horsey Gap to see the grey seals. Lovely meal served by very friendly staff, lovely homely traditional English pub decor. Was great to know we could leave our camper van in their carpark whilst going to see the seals as the main carpark for Horsey Gap doesn't allow camper vans.

Had a delightful lunch at the Nelson Head. The pub is very atmospheric. However at lunchtime- if you want a starter as well as a main meal you get the two courses served together. A little off the wall.

Huge plates of good value food.

What a fantastic place! Having had a lovely morning at the beach visiting the Seals we travelled into Horsey where we stopped at the Nelson Head. We received a very warm welcome before sitting down to an extremely tasty lunch. What made our visit more of a challenge was we were a group of 15! Despite this fact the team at the pub were awesome and were very helpful and catered for all our needs. I highly recommend you add the Nelson Head to your plans when visiting the local area.

We could not eat because of a party of 20 turned up at the last minute so they had run out of food. But the menu and staff looked great staff were most helpful.

The food here was absolutely amazing and would definitely recommend coming in, especially if you’re going to look at seals on the beach.

Lovely pint of cider after a 5 mile walk.🙂👍

I had been hiking along the coast and discovered this lovely secluded old pub when I went inland. Wonderful selection of traditional ciders. Excellent young staff who were most accommodating and gave me accurate directions on how to travel by public transport to Cromer.

A perfect find. We visited for lunch based on TripAdvisor reviews and they were not wrong. Friendly greeting on arrival, good choice menu and specials. Portion sizes were generous and food you could not fault. Dog friendly. So glad we gave found this gem.

Stayed overnight in our campervan at the pub at the agreement with the landlord and spent a very pleasant evening. Good selection of real ales and food fantastic! Dog friendly. Staff and feel of the place was excellent. Definitely coming back/

Excellent food and drink and very friendly atmosphere and service. Called by whilst walking and we were not disappointed.

Proper countryside pub with huge ploughman

We stopped here after a 2 hour walk from Winterton-on-sea to recharge our batteries and we were greeted with such friendly staff and a wonderful quaint setting. Me and my boyfriend had fish and chips for lunch and WOW, some of the best I’ve ever had. The sticky toffee pudding was also heavenly. It’s also dog friendly and they didn’t make a fuss when our GSD barked ever now and then. I will definitely be coming back!!

The pub boasts a ranch of local brewed flat ciders, a warm and welcoming atmospehe and fully dog friendly. However the food is the real gem. The best fish and chips I've had in a long time. The portions were massive and the food was fresh, cooked to order and delicious. The sticky toffe pudding was to die for. The amazing staff were very welcoming and accommodating for our quite reactive dog and the open fire was lovely touch. I cannot recommend this place enough.

Had a lovely visit to this pub. Wonderful atmosphere chatting to the young lady behind the bar when she noticed my cockney accent which opened up another conversation with another couple. Food was brilliant and as Arnie once said "I'll Be Back"

A "proper" pub. Don't see establishments like this too much these days. Traditional decor and good home cooked food plus a great choice of beer! Dog friendly and made to feel very welcome.

As soon as we walked in we were made to feel very welcome. Tasted a cider before I purchased. The food was excellent , we ordered the Crab Salad. An authentic pub which welcomed locals and visitors alike. Felt very at honey. Thank you and will definitely visit again.

Great place the fish sandwich excellent.

Simply put.. a proper pub. This is all I need to say! Great food. Great choice of beer and cider and a great welcome... don't change, pubs like this are fast disappearing. Will be back most definitely.

Authentic and original pub which is like stepping back into the past. Very welcoming with a great array of ales and ciders! Friendly bar staff and a great atmosphere.

Nice food in a great little country pub.

A brilliant pub with great value for money and excellent staff & just a walk up to the beach. Beautiful location!

Nice old pub very large portions of food.

Just nipped in for a quick drink decided to eat food was wonderful and plenty of it so much so when we got home we didn't have an evening meal because we were still full from.lunch

Great pub ; good food; fantastic real ale and cider . Staff lovely. Children and Dog friendly . Worth a trip. We visited twice.

Perfect country pub. Friendly staff, great atmosphere and food is always top notch 👌

First time visit to this delightful pub set in the tiny hamlet of Horsey close to the north Norfolk coast. Google maps was spot on. Plenty of parking spaces to the front and rear of the premises. Upon entering the bar area you might wonder if you were in a Napoleonic armoury!! The walls and ceiling were adorned with numerous antique firearms and other paraphernalia of a bygone time! Very interesting!! A good selection of meals from both the ordinary and the "specials". We went to a table in the back of the restaurant. It was compact with a door leading to a larger annexe. A number of our party were vegan and/or vegetarian. All found something they wanted. Orders were placed at the bar. I went for the fried haddock, mushy peas and chips. Given we were a group of eight people, the food was brought out to each pair at intervals which, unfortunately, meant that the first served had more or less finished by the time the last of us were served. This was later explained that the size of the kitchen dictated how many people's food could be prepared at any one time. The food was excellent! Well cooked and my fish took up more or less the entire oval plate!! For dessert I had the school jam sponge pudding with coconut and custard. Again a good sized portion and delicious! My only real negative on our visit was that it was not particularly warm. Yes it was a chilly day but there was only a small fire tucked away in a corner. The door, that led to the annexe, was constantly being used/left open by customers and staff. This meant a very cold draught was brought in each and every time, reducing the temperature further. Also there was a rather pungent smell of oil wafting in (presumably from the heating in the annexe) each time the door was left ajar. Having said all that, we did enjoy our meal and time there! Thank you Nelson Head!!

A quaint little pub with amazing friendly service. We just popped in for a drink so can’t comment on the food.

The Nelson Head is a proper pub, serving home cooked, hearty, tasty food and has done for a long time. It is a pub for locals and visitors, with memorabilia and items of local interest on the walls. A wide choice of ales and ciders are on offer, with knowledgeable staff who are friendly. I had the liver and bacon which comes with mashed potatoes and peas. Perfection. My husband had the scampi and it nearly defeated him. The potions are generous, the scampi was the largest we have ever seen. Great value for money, perfect hearty food for a winters day. The pub is dog friendly, there is an open fire to sit next to and enjoy. It is near to Horsey Gap so you can call in before visiting the beach, or after, or both. I can see why this pub was recommended to us and we will visit again.

Very good pub grub, helpful and friendly. Recommended.

Pie was very hood. Staff attentive. Busy at lunchtime on Sunday. Nice atmosphere. Ales and ciders in plentiful supply. If there had been more choice on veg and dessert this would have been overall excellent.

Excellent place to drop in when visiting the Norfolk coast. The fish and chip lunch is quality, and for us possibly a little to much quantity, many would be very happy with portion size. Excellent choice of real ales and ciders.

This place has so much potential as it is the only pub within the Seals Colony and some lovely walks and shore views in this area. If only the food was better - this pub could've been super popular... But the food is just edible - no more. My friend ordered fish - it was raw and tasteless to the extent that she did dare to finish it. I went with a safe choice of jacked potatoes. It was so badly burned that when I finished watching Ng what I could salvage, half of the potato was still on the plate. They could not ruin alcohol, so that's good. My friend claimed that fruity cider is one of the best she ever tried, so 👍🏼 for alcohol. Management, please help your cook to get better and your establishment will thrive.

Nice to find a pub that still maintains the old ways fascinating array of artefacts displayed on wall and ceiling with great service great food and great atmosphere will definitely be back can't wait.

Dropped in for a quick 2 pints and 2 bag of crisps after a 4 mile walk. Really love this pub and the barman was ace! Excellent selection of beer and a real local village pub. Wished I lived here!

The best fishfinger sandwich and fries. Excellent friendly service - found a table for us and we dropped in towards the end of lunchtime. Thank you.

Felt unwelcomed in the pub and the food was not as good as expected. The pub itself is nice with a garden Service definitely needs major improvement

A beautiful old pub in Horsey Gap in Norfolk near the beach. Had the best fish and chips ive had in years 😋

I only get to this place once a year for the last 10 years fantastic place .A bugger to find but we'll worth it

I visited Nelson Head, conveniently close to Horsey Gap for those Horsey Grey Seals. The staff here is super fast and friendly. If you plan an evening visit, booking a table is a must; this place gets packed. Note that there are certain hours when the kitchen closes, likely before 4 pm. I opted for the berry cider, and it's hands down the best I've tried in pubs. The atmosphere was buzzing, and I ordered fish and chips for £17.25. The portion was massive; I couldn't finish it all. The home-cooked fries were fantastic, but the fish was a bit oily and lacked flavor, even with added lemon and spices. Despite that, the overall experience was enjoyable. But unfortunately 4 stars as I was waiting for “the best fish n chips in my life” as reviews were saying. A highlight was the nachos – seriously delicious. So, if you're in the area, I definitely recommend checking out Nelson Head for a pleasant pub experience 🍻

Nice old pub, choice of 2 Woodfordes and a guest ale. Food looked good, but not between 3 and 5.30

Popped in for a pint. Nothing special. But they did have a nice open fire.

We parked in the car park and I went in and told a staff member we were going for a walk and would be back for lunch, apparently this was not a problem. The four of us returned and ordered drinks and food. All excellent, fairly simple pub food. Service good staff polite. Nothing to complain about.

As soon as you open door staff are welcoming. Log fire, traditional pub, good food and beer - what more could you want.

Great pub! Popped in a for quick pint on new years that turned into 6! Great staff and atmosphere!

We stumbled across this place on a campervan tour of Norfolk (new years eve) What a fantastic bunch of locals, very friendly, fun and welcoming. We ended up playing darts with them all evening and enjoying the great selection of ales and ciders, open fire and the traditional feel. Gemma behind the bar was super too and made some tasty food with a buffet too. Thankyou all for your warmth and hospitality, it was one of the best pub experiences we have ever had..... Look forward to returning one day!