Plough & Sail in Rochford

Been here many times over the years and it consistently been a nice experience the menu is great + specials . And the staff and service has always been good. Never had a bad experience .. Great food and service and sensible pricing.

Made a last-minute decision to travel ten miles for a spot of lunch, as we had not been to the Plough and Sail for some years. Quite a trek but totally worth the effort. Realised on arrival that we really should have booked, as the place was rammed at just before two o'clock. The staff could not have been more attentive or kind, and ensured that what had started off as a twenty minute wait time actually turned out to be much less. The menu is extensive and certainly a great deal cheaper than other local restaurants! The wife opted for the duck spring rolls, which were absolutely first class, as was my whitebait. The main courses were something different - wife went for a vegetable burger, which was hugely tasty and served with proper chips, which actually tasted like chips. I opted for the local Barling sausages, which were cooked to perfection and memorable. The wife is a lover of lime desserts, and was preoccupied with the fear that the lime and mango cheesecake would have run out before she was ready for it - the young waitress smilingly undertook to save a piece for her, which made for a very happy wife. The waitresses had their work cut out in view of the crush, but they were all charming, friendly and professional throughout. Meal just over seventy pounds including drinks and coffee - an absolutely fantastic experience. Impossible to fault the place and we shall certainly return sooner rather than later.

We had a lovely meal, for my Father in law’s Birthday. The staff were lovely and very efficient, the food was amazing! and we hope to visit more often. Thank you to all the staff.

Great food, great staff and great value! Not had a bad meal, staff are really friendly and price in comparison to other local venues is very reasonable!

I would have given it 10 stars if I could the food was amazing and staff friendly so will be back I’m sure very soon but next time we need to book but was able to be fitted in x

We went on my Birthday and when I phoned to book I said that it was my Birthday and also I said to the waitress that it was my Birthday but nothing ! No Happy Birthday or anything, having said that, the food was excellent two of us had the steak and stilton pie and it was very good, the vegetables were excellent so were the desserts. A lovely old pub with brilliant food, and excellent staff. I have already recommended this lovely old pub to some friends. We will definitely go again.

I've been going to The Plough & Sail for about 30 years but having moved to SE Kent some years ago I'm sad to say I've not been for some years but I managed to go Bank Holiday Monday with my family and my parents and it was still as amazing as ever. The Olivers and their staff are so warm and welcoming and the food , wow , just as stunning as I've always known it. The Olivers and The Plough & Sail really are to be treasured

I was really looking forward to a lovely lunch for my father in law’s birthday and had high expectations. The menu looked good with lots of variety. I decided to try something different and chose the goat’s cheese, red onion & mushroom Wellington. We were in a party of 7 and my meal was the last to come out. Immediately I noticed the small square of pastry was burnt around the edges. Underneath the piece of pastry was a lump of goat’s cheese on top of a pile of soggy spinach. Not what I was expecting at all. My mother in law said I should return it but I was hungry and didn’t want to make a fuss so I ate what I could. It was rather tasteless and I obviously left the burnt pastry. I am rather surprised that any decent chef would send out a dish like that. My mother in law’s pie was also slightly burnt on top. When the waitress collected our plates we mentioned the burnt dishes and she said ‘sorry about that’ and that was that. We mentioned it to another waitress when paying whose reply was that the dish has to be cooked long enough so the middle of the pie is heated properly. Hmm! My mother in law asked if we could have a free drink to make up for it. The waitress said ‘you ate the rest of the food’. Very rude!

This was located in a beautiful setting in Paglesham. The food was perfect, the service was perfect so couldn’t fault it in any way. Excellent value for money so will definitely be making this our favourite place to eat.

We attended for a family meal and the food was amazing our waitress Amanda was absolutely great and extremely lucky to have such fantastic staff Would 100% recommend a visit

Booked for a birthday meal for my daughter as we know the food is always great. We had different starters, lamb kofta, garlic prawns , halloumi sticks etc , all absolutely delicious. The mains we picked were of a generous size, home cooked and again , really delicious. Desserts were hard to choose as they all sounded amazing and definitely didn’t disappoint. The staff are friendly and attentive, my granddaughter particularly loved the gorgeous pub dog 🐶 who added to the lovely friendly atmosphere of this pub. I highly recommend this place if you like traditional home cooked food that never disappoints and a warm ,family friendly old English pub.

Sad to say that the Plough & Sail has gone down hill after being a customer for many years. Won’t be returning unfortunately.

It was 'alright'. Food was decent but nothing special, and portions were small. I also noticed only two vegetarian options on the mains menu which l thought was a bit lazy. I wouldn't normally indulge in a dessert but was pretty hungry after my main which consisted of a pie with 4 boiled potatoes and a drizzle of gravy. Dessert was not unpleasant but very basic. The meal wasn't particularly expensive, but l would say overpriced for what it was. It's a perfectly pleasant pub with polite, attentive staff, but nothing special.

Used to be one of our favourites but very disappointing today. It was cold inside, staff slow and casual and overcharged with 4 coffees not 2. No apology just "no worries" with revised bill. I still gave a decent tip but now wish I hadn't as it was not deserved. Could be a while before we return as abundance of great pub food in surrounding area.

All good, nothing bad! Just what a Sunday Roast in a country pub should be. Perfect venue, welcoming & friendly staff, really tasty food & reasonably priced. What's not to like? The portions are rather large, so maybe the potatoes and veg could be served separately, so 'ladies' can add to their plate, as opposed to be confronted with 'man-size' portions on their plate. I didn't mind one iota, but the missus is rather fussy!

Food is OK. Customer service has unfortunately been poor when we have been the last two times. We raised an issue on our last visit with a cold meal and they were quite stroppy and argumentative about it. I have to say that the waitresses always seem helpful and polite even though they always seem busy. Some staff seem to spend a lot of time talking to regulars/friends at the bar, and last time we had to ask for the bill because we had waited such a long time and no one had been over. We used to drive a fair way to Paglesham quite regularly to visit the Plough and Sail. Sadly we don’t enjoy it there as much as we used to and we will stick to the Stambridge pubs now I think.

Another tasty lunch today. Skate and sautéed potatoes & liver & bacon followed by two delicious desserts. The place was very busy with a happy atmosphere, most enjoyable. The staff are very helpful cheerful and business like. We will be back very soon. Thanks to all.

Having seen Rebecca F's comments I would make some observations. I have run them past my wife and the other couple who were with me at the adjacent table (beside the bar), to the one Rebecca was at. The two girls who served I know to be very pleasant, friendly and polite and there was nothing to indicate they were anything other than that, while we were seated there! When the request to speak to the manager was "demanded" the girl concerned, who had literally just come on shift, so had had no previous interaction, immediately responded as requested, in what seemed to be a totally professional manner. To be honest I wasn't really paying attention at the time and only noticed because she had just come on shift. When the manager did come to speak to them, within less than a minute, he very politely asked how he could help and was there something wrong? He did once, raise his voice and his hands in gesticulation, but only sufficiantly to request that they spoke one at a time, as three of the customers were making complaints at once....thus rendering it impossible for him to effectively respond. He did iterate that if some of their complaints had been raised, when they occurred, then they could and would have been addressed ...but I would stress that he made them in what I perceived to be a genuinely regretful manner. He also repeatedly asked what he could do to address/compensate the situation but got absolutely no positive response....just repeated complaining. To be fair the bulk of this continual complaining was down to one particular female in the group! In a "nutshell" they, in particular one person, put him in a "no win" position and seemed to just "milk it"! I won't comment on the food as I rarely eat there, but I do regularly visit, as I live in the area and can only observe that it's packed with repeat dining customers every weekend, so they must be doing something right!! I really take issue with the statement of "rude, aggressive and obnoxious" as it could not be further from the truth, with regard to the girls who work there. I would also commend the manager for maintaining his "cool" and politeness right to the end. I know for certain now ,why I don't work in the hospitality sector lol !!

A very dissapointing visiting to the Plough and Sail. Our meals were 'fine' and though nothing to complain about as such, also nothing to write home about. On one of the roasts we had a Yorkshire that was fridge cold as I took a mouthful. We did not complain but I did ask the bar if I could have a replacement as it is my favourite part of the roast. One of our drinks was knocked over the table by our waitress. She apologised and offered a new one. I declined stating my daughter does not ever finish her drinks anyway. We did not complain as accidents happen and did not feel a need to make a fuss. Having a nut allergy, I queried if the cheese board desert was nut safe, knowing certain brands of crackers can be an issue. I was reassured that this was safe. On receiving the cheese board it had Jacob's crackers, which from experience I know to have nut warnings on all labels in the supermarkets. I did send this back as was not confident it was safe for me to eat. As we were waiting for the bill, a relative mentioned to the waiting staff there was no paper in the ladies toilets. This was met with a look of disdain and a can't be bothered attitude from the waitress. At which point she requested to speak to the manager. This was met with the response 'well this table has complained about everthing tonight", of which we had not despite the growing errors. The manager came out and proceeded to raise his voice at us for complaining and wave his hands in our faces. This caused quiet the audience. Please note, we only complained about the obnoxious attitude received from staff initially not the food. The manger seemed o be intent on just giving us a discount and not listening to the actual complaint. His manner was rude, aggressive and appalling. Staff definitely need some training in customer relations and the manager would be a good point to start. I definitely would not recommend and will certainly not be visiting again. Do better Plough and Sail, you diners should not be met with insulting and aggressive staff in an attempt to compensate for your poor service.

Everything was OK. The liver and bacon was fine,as was the steak and kidney pie. The mash was acceptable as were the peas. Nothing was amiss, nothing was noteworthy. Drinks were as expected from a pub. I wish there was a “good” score but there isn’t. The overall experience was not “very good” so I can’t give four bubbles.

We won a special dinner night at the Plough and Sail during the annual shoot which raises money for charity. The evening was absolutely superb. The staff were very attentive and the food was amazing. We are never disappointed when we go here, will always recommend.

Nice food service but three of us out of have had bad sickness and runs in the toilet we all had prawn cocktail starter and two of us had scampi two had pie waiting to see if forty person goes down with lunch was 1pm sickness started by 4.30 first one then further two having sickness and going to loo lots. Will call restaurant think they need to know prawns maybe a problem.still feeling ill at 18.45.

Had to share this, just had the best fish and chips I've ever had in a pub. The crispiest batter on the planet! Massive piece of cod, cooked perfectly and good big portion of chips. I've been going to the plough for a while now and never had a bad meal, love it!

Disappointed with food. Chicken Kiev was dry with no garlic butter inside, came with salad and chips. Salad just lettuce and cucumber and chips looked undercooked and not very hot. Liver and bacon was better but nothing special. Shame as food used to be excellent

Went for birthday lunch on the recommendation of a friend and wasn't disappointed. Although there are a few houses about it's remote and at the back of beyond. Quite busy for a Thursday. Staff very welcoming. Food good - we both had the steak &...

Our U3A walking group of 7 people arrived this morning (Friday 6th Oct) to start a walk at 10 o'clock, having previously rang 3 days ago and pre booked a table for lunch. The landlord shouted at us across the car park as we arrived...

I booked the Plough and Sail in Paglesham East End for my birthday lunch today. It is an attractive looking pub with apparently over 300 years history. We all enjoyed our starters; fried halloumi, scallops and whitebait. For the main course our companion had skate...

A pub/restaurant, in the middleofnowhere, on a Tuesday lunchtime at the tail end of September, and the place is really busy, which tells you something about the place. Three of us, opted for Sea Bass, Tuna Steak, and a Lamb Chop, all from the specials...

Was there for daughters birthday. Booked 2 weeks in advance. Our table was given to another party although our name and phone number was on the paper the lady was holding, she said it was the other party's number and name then proceeded to ask...

Such a shame but the food has really gone downhill. This used to be our regular go to place but I'm not sure it will be any more. Has there been a change of kitchen staff?

Two of us went, very disappointed. Ordered linguine and it was just a mess of clashing ingredients with little thought going in to it. Daughter ordered a vegan meal, it came with hallumi cheese lol! I asked if the coleslaw was vegan and no that...

Hadn’t been here for some years. But daughter and son-in-law had and recommended. We came with friends for a Friday lunch. Nice scenic drive to the pub and lovely olde world interior. We were greeted and led to our table near the bar. We ordered...

The staff including the young ladies who are waiting staff .. were friendly and helpful But the food is not to standard .. We were disappointed but paid for what we had and even left a tip ! We were aware that the pub has...

The positive elements were the food in general was enjoyed by all four of us who all ordered different starters and main courses.As for the service it was dreadful. From the minute we were showed to our table until the moment we left our two...

Having been recommended by a local business we arrived for a midweek lunch at 12pm which was extremely quiet. The liver & bacon was edible but certainly none to shout about and the ribs were luke warm, chips were like those from a chinese takeaway...

Went for Sunday lunch. Plenty of good roast beef with plenty of veg. The service was excellent even though they were very busy. Drinks were a little pricey but I wouldn't let that put you off. We will be back.

Goodly hearty lunch on a chilly, blustery day. Nice big portions and friendly staff. Food is a cut above usual pub fare but prices are reasonable and represent good value.

Lovely pub, beautiful food especially the pies. We taken friends and family on numerous occasions and food is always good. Sometimes service can be a bit slow but the staff are ultra polite and always let you know if there's a delay. Highly recommend

First time but definitely not the last time, the food was very tasty and fresh especially the Calamis and Halloumis for starters :) My wife’s veggie burger was very tasty, just a bit of a shame that it was cold - we sat outside and even in August it wasn’t that hot which might explain the food getting cold Nice service from the staff

Been going to Plough and sail for a while. Even got take aways twice a week during lockdown. Food always amazing! Friendly welcoming staff. Eaten in twice in the last couple of weeks. Back there again tonight! Sweet potato burger always a winner with me. Steak and stilton pie delicious. Halloumi drips incredible! Desserts are amazing. Give it a try you will not be disappointed!

A great lunch helpful staff and very helpful and flexible on booking. The lunches were all very good and good value.

I went to the Plough & Sail with a couple of work friends. All Covid rules were being observed. We decided on main courses only and chose Barling Beauties, mash, peas and thick gravy (sausage and mash) and a Steak and Kidney pie, mash, fresh vegetables and gravy, all washed down with a few pints of Captain Bob 3.8 amber ale, Maldon Brewery. An excellent meal was had by all, no complaints. The pub is a bit off the beaten track but well worth the effort, plenty of parking.

We haven’t been to the plough and sail for a while and we couldn’t have been happier! Our starters (tiger prawns and Brie) were amazing, and came out within no time at all, then followed our mains steak and Stilton pie an all time favourite! The service was attentive and very friendly, everything you could want from a family run country pub! We will definitely be returning sooner next time.

I had the prawn cocktail and my husband had the whitebait to start which he really enjoyed. The portion size was very generous. I then had the fish and chips which was nicely cooked and again very generous in size. The staff were friendly and the service was good!

I'm not in the habit of leaving reviews, though I do always read them! However, after seeing some of the recent 1 star reviews I felt compelled to leave one. I have been coming to this lovely family run pub for over 10 years. The food has always been fantastic (alright in 10 years maybe there have been a couple not on par - but that's to be expected), and we make it our mission to have a Christmas dinner there every year. Although, we sadly missed that last year due to the lockdown. The pub has a very pretty beer garden, with some fantastic plants and plenty of ladybirds to keep the kids entertained. Most of the staff are fantastic and friendly, however there is one old lady waitress that has been there forever whocan be a bit curt... but, I find that funny and it just adds to the character! Overall I highly recommend it, and there are plenty of excellent walks that start and end at the pub from 45 minute laps round the sea wall to longer routes passed the (temporarily closed) Punch Bowl inn over Church end side of Paglesham. Oh and the Vegan brownie is to die for!

Visited this lovely pub in the countryside at the weekend with friends,I had the steak and kidney pie which was superb, service was brilliant and staff were very attentive.Would definitely visit here again!

My wife and I came to the Plough and Sail a couple of weeks ago and absolutely loved it. Some of these other reviewers sound like they've been somewhere else. I had Sausage and Mash which was delicious, two massive big bangers, buttery mash and gravy just how you want it and my wife had the sword fish, which I must say was a lot more refined than mine, it looked great and made me a little envious too. They were very busy, but the girls did really well, always smiling and polite. Thank you!

Today we took our friends who are immigrating to Canada for our last meal together as families. We were so disappointed with the food & service. I have been many times before, the reason we came was for the chicken kiev and biscoff cheesecake.We had our table booked for 1pm, the waitress took our order for starters & main. It took over 45mins-1hr for them to tell us they had lost our ticket for starters and it’ll be another 10-15mins, we had calamari, halloumi fries, white bait and garlic king prawns which was delicious so was worth the wait.Next our mains were to come, they had forgotten one of our dishes the chicken Kiev which I was told to wait another 15-20mins whilst they cooked it when everyone else had started to eat. As one of the parties started to eat one of the chicken Kiev had not ONE BUT TWO hairs in!! We had to send it back which was so disappointing as that was enough to put him off for another one being cooked which would of taken even longer to cook & wait. We ended up sending that back & cancelling the other chicken Kiev. We spoke to who looked like the owner all she had to say OH WERE NOT DOING VERY WELL TODAY ARE WE and a oh sorry! When the bill ha come they’d just taken the two main meals of not even a complimentary drink or 10% off our bill to apologise. Very sad ending to our goodbye meal with our lovely friends before they move to Canada.We won’t be returning any time soon!

I have to say this is one of the worst sunday lunches i have ever had. The beef was clearly from a packet and grey in colour , vegetables were all frozen, Yorkshire pudding was raw, and the gravy was thin like water. We actually felt our money was completely wasted and the chefs need to seriously re-think what they are serving.I gave feedback to the waitress so hopefully this gets taken onboard.

I am gluten free, this means that I'm usually pretty limited to what I can eat and find it hard to know what is suitable. A recent visit to the Plough and Sail I experienced the best service I've ever had. The waitress knew (without checking with the kitchen first) exactly what was in every single dish on the menu including the specials board. She went through everything one by one explaining what I can and can't eat even suggesting that they had gluten free buns if I wanted the burger. I had halloumi fries to start and Scallops and Bacon for my main meal it was delicious. This made our day very special as I felt like I wasn't restricted and didn't have to worry! Thanks so much for being so thorough, you're a star!

We have been going to the Plough and Sail for over 50 years and it has always been a good experience.However on this visit I was shocked to see the barmaid pour slops from the slops tray into my shandy.When I said I would not accept it , the reply was "fine" , not sorry , in fact no one apologised for doing this.... perhaps it'd standard practice at the Plough and Sail as I was told she was not a new member of staff.On the plus side , the food as usual was very good but I'd advise watching the barmaid pour your beer !

Ordered and paid for drinks at the bar on arrival...no table service. Had to go back in for a menu, then the specials board and then to order and pay for the food. I was then given a pager so I could go back to collect my food when it was ready! Not an easy task with 2 plates of food, cutlery and sauces on a tray (there were 3 of us so another trip for the 3rd plate was needed). And we had starters. The food was ok but we will not be returning. Before the pandemic we were served at our table...not anymore! We were out with friends to relax not be jumping up & down to collect the food ourselves. Ridiculous

I visited with my partner over the weekend, we had a fantastic time. The vegan burger for me which was sweet potato and roasted veg, it was so good, they said that they make them themselves, well-done chefs! The steak and stilton pie for my partner followed by a couple of their lovely desserts to share because we couldn't decide what we wanted. Proper satisfying well made, tasty grub. A few drinks in the sun with great service. Thank you, we loved it! Planning our next trip back

Visited the Plough and Sail with old school friends for lunch. Thoroughly enjoyable visit. The food was great, had Barnsley lamb superb. The menu had a great variety of food including a vegetarian option. Top right service. Friendly atmosphere. Good selection of bitter ales. Look forward to visiting soon.

My husband and I came down at the weekend to pick up a takeaway and it was utterly delicious. My husband had the Steak and Stilton pie and could not stop raving about it, even the next day he was asking when we could go back so he could have it again! I had the Chicken Kiev and it was superb. Portion sizes are more than generous and it is great value for money. The staff were so friendly and helpful - they even gave us hand warmers while we waited for our food (we got there early to watch the sunset). A beautiful pub in a beautiful part of Essex. We will definitely be visiting again!

I visited the Plough and Sail with my family on the 1st day after lockdown ended and I can honestly say that we all had a fantastic experience. We were met by the very friendly owner who showed us promptly to our Covid outside secure table. Thereafter we were looked after by a friendly and attentive waitresses who was excellent.The food was of a very high class, especially the Salmon which I thoroughly enjoyed. It was my 1st visit and I would definitely return. I'd love to be able to go inside when conditions allow but, in the interim, I'd happily recommend this venue to anyone. 1st class.

This is a first rate pub, Great country location, friendly and hard working staff, excellent food and decent range of beer partcularly guest ales. Well worth a visit.

The most beautiful atmosphere here... It is absolutely gorgeous! A few friends and I sat in the bird garden area. The staff are so friendly and happy. The food was amazing. It was so nice to eat out again. I would definitely recommend the salmon! Very large gin selection too - my friends and I felt very catered for. It was the perfect afternoon.

Ordered takeaway - 3 beef/lamb carvery, Yorkshire puddings were burnt black, roast potatoes rock hard obviously been cook earlier and warmed up, peas again hard. Chicken goujons burnt black. Total waste of £60. Did call to complain but told these things happen. If you want a nice meal don’t eat here.

My wife and I were on a cycle ride and thought we would stop off for a drink at the Plough. My wife went in and they were not allowed to sell alcohol so we opted for 2 cans of lemonade and they were served just in the cans no frills. Cost was £4 for both cans. Now I can buy a tray of 24 cans of the same lemonade from Makro for £4.80. This made the pub earn a 900% profit which is daylight robbery. I know there are running costs but this is sheer greed at its best. We won’t be going back for anything now.

We came for lunch to celebrate our wedding anniversary. I had looked at their menu before booking. I’m a real ‘foodie’ and I love good quality food. When we arrived we were greeted promptly and shown to our table. The menu was then given to us. There were also specials available on a separate board. I ordered the Brie to start. The portion size was very generous. The breadcrumbs were cooked lovely, however the Brie wasn’t hot in the middle. I had the steak and Stilton pie for main. Unfortunately this was inedible. It was extremely salty. One of my most favourite pies and this was a huge disappointment. It came with, I think, a butternut squash purée. This was tasteless. I had a plate full of peas and watery gravy smothered over the food. I couldn’t eat the meal. In these very difficult times I would have loved to enjoy my celebratory lunch. Unfortunately there was no effort put into the food whatsoever. The pie resembled something my dog would deposit! There was no apology or offer of anything else. The plate was taken away. I could hear the waitress shout to another member of staff ‘she said it’s too salty’. They did take it off the bill, which I think was the right thing to do. My husband had steak. For what they charged, he also had a plate full of peas (must be getting rid before lockdown). He had about five chips on his plate. The steak was edible but bland. No offer of any sauce (peppercorn or garlic butter). Huge disappointment!

Oh wow what a great distance experience! Seating perfect, feel so safe ! Excellent staff all round ! Made our dinner date just perfect ! Felt safe in these strange times ..thank you for going that little bit extra it was so appreciated by us all x

Had a fantastic meal here with my partner this evening. The customer service was very good, despite being busy with take away orders and several reservations. Food was cooked to a very good standard, very tasty definitely drawing me back to taste the rest of the menu. Drinks were nice and all members of staff were very friendly.The landlord was a very friendly nice man that really gave the pub the personal touch. Definitely a hidden gem that we plan on returning to.

We've eaten at least once a week since The PLOUGH & SAIL Pagelsham have been allowed to open since the Covid 19 shutdown. Have to say their meals are superb and their staff are pleasant and helpful. The desserts are gorgeous, WELL WORTH A VISIT.

Don’t waste your petrol getting hereThere is a famous bar in New York that has made a name for itself by being rude to its customers who flock there to be insulted. The older staff at The Plough and Sail seemed to be attempting to emulate this today and this is not the first time that it’s happened here. It is, however, for me at least the last time as I won’t be back.The Plough and Sail offers an idyllic backwater retreat where good quality pub grub is served up from a well run kitchen. On a Summers day you can eat outside on one of the many benches and when the weather is less kind, sit by one of the fireplaces and relax in what is the ultimate British Pub.Unfortunately, the owners don’t seem like a happy lot and whilst the younger staff are perfectly friendly, the owners or managers (I have to confess I am not sure which they are) let you know that they are doing you a massive favour when they allow you to order food or drink at the bar. This attitude is completely at odds with what most of us expect in 2020. If they are fed up running the place they should sell up or employ a manager. What a shame as this place could be amazing.

We have had so many meals here over the years. Never disappointed. The takeaway service through lockdown kept us sane. We have been back many times since including eat out to help out. There seems to be a good safe system in place. The staff are always friendly and the food is delicious!

A great little lunch out today. Such a lovely little place.Staff lovely and friendly, even through a mask! Food was lovely and tasty. I had beef roast partner had lamb chop.Beware if you are tall though as low beams as partner found out, when on way out!

Excellent Halloumi burger. Probably the best vegetarian burger I have ever had. Rioja wine was notable. Chicken and mushroom pie OK. Fresh vegetables always a plus. Staff were friendly and attentive. Good value too.

We took a drive one Saturday, post lock down, and came across this delightful pub/restaurant. All 'Covid' safety requirements were adhered to from hand gel to plastic barriers at the bar. Because the weather was glorious we chose to sit at a table in their garden - adjacent to an aviary full of canaries, which was lovely. The flower beds were a tad over-grown, which was understandable because of the closure during lock down. The food was well presented, fresh and absolutely delicious. We will make every effort to return.

I visited this pub/restaurant for the first time with 3 family members. On arrival we ordered drinks from the bar then we were greeted and shown to our booked table. The white wine wasn’t all all nice so we sent it back. We order our food and waited. I ordered the steak and Stilton pie and that’s when it all went wrong. It had the appearance of over stewed meet that had turned into mush, and the pastry was soft and soggy. The waitress came over to ask if we were enjoying the food, I said I wasn’t. I pointed out to her the pie and said I didn’t want it and she took it away.Then an irate angry man cane over to ask what was wrong with the pie. I calmly explained my complaint and asked him if he had looked at my meal when it was sent back. My sister said to him “is it a minced meat”? He went crazy, raising his voice and throwing his arm about. I asked him to calm down and lower his voice, he looked like Bail faulty in an episode of faulty towers. It turned out he was the proprietor of the pub so should know how to behave. I can honestly say I have never been spoken to like that in any restaurant before.

There were people everywhere,outside and in.The hand sanitizer at the door was empty when I arrived.There are markers on the floor stating where to stand and a couple of screens up on the bar and a one way system but I had to wait to get out while people came through the "out" door. They have tried but not adhering to it. Not one member of staff had a mask on, or customers. And no-one asked asked for my details for track and trace.The queue for the bar snaked between people sitting at their tables, eating so even though markers are there it doesn't make any difference.The toilets are tiny and allows 2 people in at once. Also no hand towels just an air blower which blows droplets everywhere.I'm sure the pub is lovely during "normal" times but these are our normal times now and things should change.

We went there for my wife's birthday. My wife had crab cocktail and burger for main . There was no white meat in the crab , the burger was not cooked uniformly and the accompanying cold slaw was poor.I had galic prawns followed by steak and kidney pie. The prawns were good.but the steak and kidney pie was awfull the meat was destroyed to the point it had no taste and resembled wartime caned stewed beef, thekidney was almost nonexistant and the pasty was very thin and soggy . We won't be going back

As regulars we are looking forward to returning to the Plough and Sail in July for a lovely relaxed meal. Always get a friendly welcome and good food, nothing too much trouble. Hope to see you soon

My husband wanted to take me out as I have been unwell and wanted to treat me to a nice meal. The starters came up mine was lovely however my husband's fish starter came up covered in a very strong sauce so couldn't really taste the fish and then I ordered the chicken leek and mushroom pie my husband the burger I took one bite from the pie and all I could taste was garlic nothing else the waitress said when I asked her yes there is a hint No Way my husband was eating his chips while I waited for a replacement so no eating together I was still waiting when my husband bit into the burger to be treated to a mouthful of grease totally unacceptable we then sent the food back paid reluctantly for our drinks and starters and went elsewhere. Totally ruined evening would not recommend

Very disappointing evening. The sauce on my fish starter was very over powering and acidic taking the taste of the fish away. My wife's starter was fine. Main course for my wife could not be eaten it was so strong in garlic it was like eating the cloves my burger tasted wrong and ooused grease. We paid for the starters and left. We finished our date night at another restaurant. Never again

We visit for a fabulous meal every time. Great service, lovely staff, dog friendly. Good selection of ales, spirits, wine. Very cosy with lovely roaring fires in the winter. Our favourite place.

So often a Sunday Roast can be a disappointment when compared with home cooking, but The Plough & Sail is the exception to the rule. For just £13.00 you may choose beef or lamb with all the usual trimmings. You receive a very ample serving of good meat, well served, and beyond criticism. The Barling Beauty sausages are as good as sausages get. Food served hot and well. Make sure you book, as it's usually full.

We haven't been to the P&S for a long time. Suddenly thought of it and went this evening. Good move!It was quite, inviting, great food & beer. What more can you ask for?We would definitely recommend it. Note; They don't do food all day. Lunch and evenings.

Tucked right away in the far corner of Pagelsham lies this lovely country pub that rustles up some lovely grub! Great quality, great portions and never disappoints. You will be impressed and you will return. Best off booking though, people travel here from all over!

First visit for me and we’ll worth the 40 minute drive. Prawns in garlic and chilli.....AMAZING. A self confessed prawn addict, the sauce was the best I’ve had anywhere, both in the UK and abroad. Roast dinner was nice as was the desert and good value.

the three of us went for lunch on a Wednesday at 1.30 pm having all ready booked. the car park was nearly full and very rough and uneven. the front entrance door is quite small and awkward to get into i could not see another entrance for wheelchair users.we went straight to a rather small and cramped table quite near the bar, there is a good selection of real ales and drinks available.we were shown a normal menu and a Christmas menu, we chose from the normal menu, i had whitebait which was covered in a large thick batter unlike any i had anywhere before, this detracted from the flavour and texture of the fish, i followed this with a steak and Stilton pie which although tasty the filling was very mushy in texture, the mash and vegetables were very good.my two companions shared a baked cheese starter which they both liked, one followed with a steak pie with chips and peas which she did not like, saying the filling was very mushy and not nice, the other diner had sausage and mash (barling beauties} which they liked we were asked to put any desert orders in asap as the kitchen shuts at 3 pm i have recently dined at the shepherd and dog which is not to far from this venue and we found the food and service much better with no rushing you in and out possibly because the kitchen opening times are longer and it also has a more extensive menu

A party of four, from 10 to 90 - Four generations of one family. After booking a table weeks in advance we had a nice meal. Two points to make was that the roast potatoes were huge and not very nice, the Yorkshire puddings were overcooked. Aside from those two things the meals we had were very nice, however, the absolute and complete RUDENESS from Mr Oliver completely and utterly ruined our experience. We booked for 1pm and even though my elderly Grandmother was STILL drinking her Irish Coffee we were asked to move as our table was needed for the next sitting. We were never told there were `sittings' on the day otherwise we would have planned accordingly. We did move on request but there was NOWHERE for my elderly Grandmother to sit, we were standing like fools in the restaurant whilst other people ate, in the end my Grandmother sat in a chair at the end of someone else's table. We had no where to put bags, coats or drinks and the whole thing spoiled our experience. Also another point to make is the table remained empty for a further half an hour! My mother complained and we were told one dessert would be taken off the bill which wasn't what we wanted. We just wanted them to acknowledge the idiocy of the situation. Mark Oliver then, quite a while later, came and spoke to us outside and neither offered an apology nor listened to our complaint. All he did was berate US on our behaviour and called my mother embarrassing.......So all in all, don't think for a moment that he sees his customers as anything other than cash cows...... The girls serving were lovely, the food was ok (nothing special and that isn't sour grapes) but he clearly doesn't like his customers.... I would avoid like the plague......

Been coming here every year for thirty years and today the food was a complete let down, also noticed the advert on your premises for a chief which is not a good sign, will be coming back next year so hopefully you would have got things back on track.

Shocking. Lunch was so good I Could't finish it. Great homely service. Food was so good. I had no room for pudding

Having dined in this restaurant for over 40 years their standards never drop due to the hands on approach and high standards set by the landlord and his wife, Mark & Louis.

Good hearty meals served with a smile and the Steak and Stilton pie with chips was a massive meal, cooked well and with a great taste.

Rubbish cheap Sunday lunch, plate slopping with watery tasteless gravy.

Came here on saturday evening sat outside ordered our food , lovely service nice little outside space sit and nice indoors dining too , food was good and big, nice place to visit for a drive out we will be back.

Great food served in great surroundings but we found the service on a Sunday night a little poor considering the pub was empty. Nonetheless, great quality food at ok prices.

We met up with old friends who suggested this quaint pub to have lunch. We decided to book, because they are busy, even lunch times & we were not sure if they had re-opened following a fire. We arrived & found a shady space to park the car. We were shown to our table by the front window which was fresh & comfortable. The two waitresses were polite & good fun, taking our order for drinks soon after we sat down. We were given menus and were shocked at the number of quality starters on offer including crab, salmon, prawn & lamb kebabs. We all had different choices & every one was a delight. For main course I had the Plough & Sail burger, with mature cheddar, with the others going for the Home made Steak & Stilton pie which they tell me was also delicious. The portions are good, so although we were given the sweet menu, we all decided this was just too much. We finished with coffee to complete a very comfortable & enjoyable lunch with good friends. I was aware of the very low beam adjacent to the toilets, where I hit my head and landed on my backside the last time I visited this restaurant, some 5 years before. It is still the same with excellent food and lighter choices if you prefer.

Took my friend for lunch, food was lovely, had a laugh with the staff. Bit priced but still enjoying the whole experience would recommend to all

After my wife and I went on a walk around wallasea we ended up driving to this lovely country pub. Sat outside and had a drink, looked at the menu (Sunday & main menu) looked delicious, but we didn’t have anything to eat. Will be back, staff were very punctual & polite, thanks

Never been here before although have lived in Rochford for 20 years,

My first visit here tonight and I must say I will most definitely be going back.

Took an old school friend here for lunch and good old Moan . Food and service was superb as always. I chose the salmon with a crispy top and my friend chose the chicken. Another good meal as usual

We were lucky as we turned up on a sunny day and were able to use the garden.The food was excellent and generous.Great value. Sadly we were unable to go into the pub as they have a no dogs policy.the pub is alongside a footpath in the countryside.another family sitting outside were equally bemused by this policy given that the landlord has a dog.so only visit in good weather otherwise first rate.

We had seen the Plough & Sail whilst driving around exploring the area and were attracted by its appearance and location, making our minds up to eat there some time. My wife's birthday seemed an ideal opportunity to fulfil this intention. We had not booked and were surprised to find this out of the way pub packed at a Thursday lunch time. We counted ourselves lucky to get a table. The interior is splendid, well decorated with an old style layout. A presentation that both of us enjoyed. We ordered the salmon and salmon, leek and chilli fishcakes. Despite the crowd our meals arrived after very little time had elapsed. My fishcakes were more like small boulders. I am always wary where chilli is involved that it will be overused but this was not the case. Our verdict on each meal was excellent and the superb chips also merit a mention. For dessert we shared the lemon curd cheesecake which maintained the first class standard of the food served. Following on from this we have booked a table for eight later in May. As the title says a wonderful experience. Thank you to all the staff.

We enjoyed our lunch although we'd arrived a bit late and they stop serving lunch at 2. The veggie choices are good and the chips are fab. Lovely chunky, home-cooked ones. My asparagus and halloumi tart was delicious. My husband enjoyed his scampi and chips.

We dined here recently for an early pre theatre dinner, I came here many times and many years ago and raved about it back then as one of my favourite restaurants to go to within a short drive of the Southend area.

Just visited The Plough and Sail again after a few months for a belated Birthday treat after being in hospital last month and unable to go then. I had the roast beef dinner with all the trimmings which was great and my wife had the garlic chicken which was also great. For our sweet we had treacle sponge and custard which was really good so all in all we were pleased with our meals plus the service was good also and including a couple of drinks our bill was £46 which we thought was value for money as we both couldn't have eaten any more. I would recommend this lovely country pub and will definitely be going back again.