Redwing Bar and Dining in East Devon

Four of us made the mistake of booking Sunday lunch at The Redwing Inn. We understood that the Inn is under new ownership and still “transitioning” – in preparation for “relaunching” later in the year. So we were prepared for some disruption – but not for chaos. It started with the wine. No, we couldn’t see their wine list – they didn’t have one. But the waitress said she could tell us what they had. Only, she couldn’t. She went off to check and returned with a scrap of paper with a few wines listed she could read out to us. We picked one, but she had to go off again to check the price. Problems continued with the menu. The main course offerings were beef, turkey or pork – all with Sunday roast trimmings. But nothing else. No fish alternative and no vegetarian option. The waitress – one of the young, personable but clueless staff (not their fault they needed training) – explained that they would have had a vegetarian offering, but their supplier of it had let them down. But, they could substitute extra vegetables for the meat. Two of our party chose the beef. Two of us were slightly luckier in choosing turkey. Four plates arrived quite promptly – with everything piled onto them. No serving dishes to enable us to select what trimmings we wanted – just a plateful each of mushy cauliflower cheese, red cabbage, watery green beans, baked potatoes, a whole carrot, a parsnip, a Yorkshire pudding and a rock-solid ball of stuffing. Two plate-loads topped off with thick wedges of beef and two with equally thick slices of turkey. All swimming in the same flavoured gravy. The turkey was just about edible for a bird of its age – the beef was as tough as the sole of a hiking boot. The request for horseradish sauce resulted in a fruitless search through all their fridges and cupboards. They did, though, eventually manage to find the jar of cranberry sauce. Clearing the plates, the waitress was careful not to ask if everything had been okay – studiously ignoring the pile of hacked at beef left on two of them. With hindsight, our mistake was in not walking out when we saw the menu or, failing that, when the food arrived. Fortunately, we will never have to return to The Redwing. The reality is that the new owners had no business opening the restaurant before it was ready to offer a proper service. With that attitude of mind, they deserve to have no business.

Lovely Sunday lunch for Mothers Day. Warm welcome and friendly team. Would definitely go back.

Great food and service. Portions are very generous! It's our 'go-to' place when we have people to stay and prices are what you would expect so no shocks when you look at the menu.

Excellent food and service - thoroughly recommended. We booked for 4 persons for Sunday lunch, the food and service was beyond our expectation. Thank you we will call again.

Such a lovely, friendly welcome from the new owner. Went in looking for food but they weren't yet set up so offered us samples from the new menu instead and have to say the food was fantastic. An excellent choice of good quality drinks and just what you would expect from a local village pub. We wish the new owners nothing but success for their new venture as they deserve it and can see them be inundated once the food starts up properly so watch this space!

Loved it, just a shame it was a wake. Well done for opening for the wake though

Totally enjoyed our night just shame the food wasn't available

It was excellent been a few times At lunchtime Lovely food

Amazing food ,I had the burger which was delicious and one of the best I’ve had. Curry was on the specials which my husband enjoyed Children had fish and chips and the steak ,all very pleased . Would highly recommend . Waiting staff very friendly

Visited the Redwing for Sunday lunch recently. We all opted for roasts which were good but slightly underwhelming on the flavour front and the meat could have been more tender. The sticky toffee pudding for dessert was lovely. As another reviwer has commented, the pavlova was far too sweet and very difficult to eat. I think it was unfortunate that we had a really exceptional midweek lunch at the redwing a few months ago so our expectations were high. Service, as always, was excellent. The staff were very friendly and attentive. Overall, I would return but probably avoiding their Sunday menu as I don't think it played to their strengths.

What a shame a great eating experience is not as good now, some of the food is not cooked as well as it should be, the attention to detail when serving and clearing glasses from table for 2 not 4 not noticed by staff. Chef problems are understandable but please improve to make a local pub great again.

Amazing food, cooked to perfection. Three of us had the Harissa Lamb which melted in the mouth. The burger looked delicious, served with a very tasty slaw. Excellent and friendly service. On holiday here but would come again just for the food. Thank you!

Maybe it was a bad day... Our welcome was not wonderful, as there seemed to be a bit of a mini-crisis going on! The food was disappointing - as least my Chicken Caesar Salad was. Unlike any Chicken Caesar Salad I have ever had in the past. The whole contents of the dish were coated in mayonaise. It was enormous - there was me thinking that I had chosen something light! My colleague's fish dish was unfamiliar to me, but he said he enjoyed the spices. We both went for the Lemon curd Pavlovas... Sounded great, but just a bit TOO sweet for me. We all deserve 2nd chances, so I am already booked in again! So it can't have been that bad. Oh, yes, please, please, update your web site - there are still plenty of us who have nothing to do with Facebook!!

We went into the Redwing for a drink on the last night of our holiday with our three dogs, the place itself was lovely and the bar staff friendly, but once we sat with our drinks in the beer garden, several members of staff had the back door open and the language was foul, every other word a swear word, and speaking at full volume, and to make matters worse, our dogs started barking and once they’d settled down, we could hear said staff members talking badly about us and our dogs. Such a shame because we were planning to eat there and now will not be returning, and it’s put a dampener on the last night of our holiday.

Came this evening for my birthday meal with family and must admit after many great experiences with the previous owners we weren’t sure what to expect .. but the food was fantastic and all of the staff and manager were amazing and made the whole evening perfect in every way thank you! They even gave us the private loft dining area which we LOVE! <3

The food was superb, way above pub quality but top top restaurant quality. Staff friendly and very professional. Can not recommend highly enough.

Brilliant dinner! Been previously for lunch too and was exceptional. Well above average food for standard food prices. Will come again soon

Belly of pork 2thirds fat 1 third meat Steak beaten to death didnt improve it worst meal i have had i will stick to lypstone arms.

If you are down in the Exmouth are you must give the Redwing Inn a visit. The restaurant is in a beautiful English village. The staff were excellent , very friendly and the service was excellent. The restaurant is very bright and spacious. The food was excellent we had a mixture of starters , olives , peppers in oil and lovely bread. Our steak was cooked to perfection by the chef , amazingly it was his first night! The chips were yummy , covered in cheese and truffle oil...... wow.

Can't fault it. One of the best meals we've ever had, and such attentive and splendid staff also. Very thoughtful about dietary needs, clean and comfortable environment, & a fair bit of parking (rare in the village). Strongly recommend.

My family and I visited The Redwing for lunch on Easter Bank Holiday Monday. Service from Cody and Ella was excellent and the food was superb - tasted great, generous portions and served quickly. I especially enjoyed their vegetarian version of fish and chips and my son was very pleased with his brownie dessert. Great value for money and will visit again.

Went in on a Friday night for my husband's birthday and had a lovely time as well as it being cheaper than we expected.

We went with friends for the £15 curry and a drink deal. We all had the chicken katsu curry, it was fabulous, really tasty, a good sized portion and nicely presented. My partner has been there for the madras curry a few weeks ago and said it was also a good tasting dish. Well done Redwing!

Second visit in 2 weeks. Food great both times , people are finding this place again which is wonderful … will be returning 👍🏻👍🏻

We both had the open steak sandwich with garlic and horseradish mayo. It wasn't cheap but was worth every penny. It was delicious and we would certainly recommend others to try it for a lunchtime treat. The default was a medium-rare steak but they were quite happy to create a well-done version for my wife as she prefers it cooked that way.

Celebrated my sister 60th birthday last night booking the venue was stress free the staff where super helpful and the food was spectacular thank you to everyone at redwing for a fantastic evening .

Trying out all the local pubs, the Redwing is up (food-wise) there with the best based on our Sunday lunch. A great reward after cycling 15 miles. Nicely presented, extremely tasty and good service, also fairly priced. We scored it 9/10 and would go back.

First time back to the Redwing for many years, called in as tried parking close to a restaurant anywhere in Exmouth as it was pouring with rain and there was nowhere with easy access. Arrived at Redwing, easy parking, lovely welcoming cosy atmosphere, lovely staff, delicious food and drink and didn’t feel ripped off! Will be back.

Starting off with olives, bread, and butter, a generous portion that sets the perfect tone. The main, a sizzling steak on a hot stone, letting you cook it just right. Alongside, you've got chunky chips crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, tomato, mushroom and peppercorn sauce for a flavour boost. The garlic and tomato butter tied everything in, making each bite a delight. Simple, yet so full of tasty details!

We really enjoyed the special Wednesday Winter Warmer menu. We were impressed with the quality, quantity and taste of the meal. The service was professional and friendly. There was a good of choice of food on the menu.

We went for dinner on the reopening of the kitchen and had a fabulous evening! We had steaks on hot rocks which were so gorgeous - the steak was literally melt in the mouth! Lovely ambience, with lots of people enjoying themselves, but despite being busy the service was top notch and we were looked after by the charming staff. We really enjoyed ourselves and will of course be returning! Thank you!

Had the most delicious parsnip soup with Parma ham sprinkles for lunch. Seriously tasty and filling, I devoured it before even thinking about taking a photo. Hats off to the chef! Loved every bite!

What happens when you have a full restaurant and you only have one chef? You delight your customers regardless because the waiting staff let the customers know that, keep the tables clear and the drinks flowing and the food just knocks their socks off. Christmas menu - fantastic value and quality food. The Pork dish was the best I’ve tasted. Staff attentive, friendly and the Chef talented. Atmosphere convivial. Service well timed. Will definitely be back (if we can get a table once word is out!)

We had a nice fish pie and chicken curry and wish them all the best.

It’s great to see the place open again and delivering a great service and food. My wife had the beer battered monkfish and I had the white bait. Her comment, if the fish is cooked in the same batter your in for a surprise (I ordered the fish and chips). The batter was the best I’ve had and the fish was cooked to perfection. I’d realised half way through that I didn’t have salt and vinegar on the chips but you didn’t need it. The chips were beautifully seasoned by the chef. Put salt and vinegar on if you want to but I’d say enjoy them as the chef intended. The service was top notch. Looking forward to our next visit. Very highly recommended.

It was a family birthday for 14 held in the upstairs room. We pre ordered our meals a week or so before which is understandable given the number. All I can say is that everyone was impressed with the whole evening. The meals were excellent. I had the fish and chips which were among the best I have ever had. A couple of the party had steaks that they cooked on the hot stones, similarly one had the tuna. The sweet course again was excellent. I can’t remember what everyone had other than they were all impressed with our first visit under new management. The waiting staff were very attentive and pleasant. A very good choice of venue.

A brilliant experience for the family. Drinks and food is competitively priced without diminishing their great food. The service staff where incredibly gracious and friendly. The food was some of the best I've had. I enjoyed a 10oz rump served on a small grill so that I could seer to my own preference, something I would usually scoff at for being gimmicky but I found it a perfect way to eat it. The steak came perfectly seasoned, heated and seered lightly so that, however rare I wanted it, it would stil be hot. The chips too where expertly seasoned and came with a choice of different butter to add to the steak. The atmosphere was very warm and lent itself to a premium restaurant feel, as well as maintaining the a sense of locality as to not feel pretentious. For the sake of being thorough and offering some constructive criticism, I would say that the cocktails menu could be more extensive. Although the cocktail I had was delicious (I had the woo woo) I would love to see a greater selection. Overall it was a welcoming service, comforting atmosphere and some of the best food I've had eating out. Highly recommended.

The Redwing has always been a good choice for dining and now under new management it still offers an excellent dining experience. An excellent varied menu to suit any one choice. Locally sourced fruit veg and meat which in the hands of a passionate chef produces some delicious meals. The front-of-house staff are friendly and really want to make your dining experience memorable.

Newly reopened what a delightful find after a long day at work. Service was friendly and attentive and the food looked incredible. I had the calves liver and mash tasted amazing and had all the elements of a well prepared and wholesome dish autumn dish. The vegetables accompaniment were cooked just right. I have to say I was very jealous of the fish and chip supper that I saw leaving the kitchen (quite a few times). The menu was elegant and had enough choice. I look forward to seeing how this blossoms in the future.

Pub currently advertised in doorway as closed - to be re-opened in the near future.

The Redwing is probably the best value-for-money restaurant in Devon. They could charge twice as much for food this good, served in such a lovely setting, but somehow manage to maintain very reasonable prices. Service is friendly and efficient, and the interior decor is uniquely stylish. It's easy to get to as well. A 15-minute train ride from Exeter and a short stroll through the beautiful village of Lympstone will bring you here, but if you prefer to drive there's a good-sized carpark.

Lovely triple gluten free BLT, friendly staff

Lovely pub, lovely people and gorgeous food.

Great food and beers in a great pub with a lovely friendly atmosphere and excellent and friendly staff. Will definitely be going again.

We we’re starting at a B and B and there were recommendations for this restaurant, we just turned up. A table was found, followed by a delicious meal, we definitely be returning next time we are in the area.

Very friendly, pleasant atmosphere, nice decor, good food.

The menu was small, and quite traditional - very few gluten free options, BUT the red mullet which I had was beautifully cooked. A very large portion with delicious accompaniments.

Quite limited menu - especially for gf choices, but red mullet was fabulous and family members enjoyed burger and fish and chips.

Really good place to meet with friends for lunch. First visit but hopefully won't be the last before current encumbants leave

Unexpectedly stumbled into a quiz night (Tuesdays) and had a great evening.

Nice meal, we will be returning.

Very lovely local pub. With friendly staff and customers

Great and unusual choices on the menu. Friendly and welcoming. Take the train and sit in the garden if it's sunny and enjoy a pint of Branscombe bitter.

Lovely space and our meals were delicious.

Absolutely brilliant, lovely service, relaxed atmosphere and delicious food. We had a great time and will be back soon

Friendly place, very welcoming, great bar, food and staff. A breath of fresh air when compared to some of the lesser eateries in the area.

A nice pub. Easy parking, good beer, friendly welcome and dog friendly.

We had a fantastic family lunch! The food was superb, well presented and good value. The friendly and efficient service enhanced the experience. We booked our table in advance, which was just as well it turned out to be fully booked on the day.

Wonderful food and great atmosphere..

Great place, friendly staff, nice ales and top food at a sensible price 👌

Table for 5, my dad's a bit deaf and we asked if we could sit further from the bar- absolutely no problem. Waitress was quick and unobtrusive, reasonably priced and Every. Single. Mouthful. Was. Incredible. We asked about the receipe for one dish! Even the simple things are high quality (e.g ice-cream). Will look forward to returning and recommending to anyone wanting a nice meal out 😍

Excellent service and a lovely lunch. We stopped at the Redwing for lunch on a cycle to exmouth. (Bike rails near the door.) Warm welcome, great choice for lunch, we sat on the sofas and had sandwich and soup. The staff were very attentive and welcoming, and the food excellent!

Great service and great food for a midweek cycle

Great atmosphere for a drink, lunch, dinner and Events. Indoors and outdoor. The perfect village gastro pub.

Why add pepper corns to a chocolate torte??? Totally spoiled the dessert

We had a fantastic meal at the Redwing last night - we were a party of 32 having our Xmas party the food and service was excellent - highly recommended

Always love the food and ambiance of this place. Never disappoints!

We really loved the food and service at this restaurant .Great service .We would definitely like to return

Short notice but very accomodating. Excellent Sunday roast beef. Super staff. Prices reasonable. Pleasant vibe & decor. Really nice.

After two separate recommendations we decided to eat here. To begin with we were pleasantly surprised at the interior, warm, inviting and modern with a touch of old. My wife and I decided we'd both go for the fish and chips. It arrived quite quickly and was ok. Nothing to complain about, but it seemed like supermarket packet food. The chips were ok and we rate establishments on their chips....I've had better. We ordered pudding and again it was fine. But I believe people who order a pudding that includes custard it's because they love custard. Well I have to say that it was the smallest jug (if you can call it a jug) that I've ever seen. The custard was very runny, not what I would call good custard. And at £6.95 for all puddings you'd expect better. Perhaps the chef was on holiday. It was the fastest food we had ever been served. From start to finish in a little over an hour. Would we eat there again? Probably, if we were in the area.

Back for the second time with a group of friends and it didn’t disappoint. Excellent great value menu backed up with ultra friendly and efficient service.

Each time we have visited the Redwing over the summer, we have enjoyed excellent food and such wonderful service. Highly recommend.

We come down from Exeter and meet friends from Exmouth for lunch and a natter in Lympstone several times a year. We used to go elsewhere, but were made to feel very unwelcome ( after a so so lunch) after 2.30 that we tried the Redwing. Glad we did. Excellent food, friendly staff and really well kept bitter beer. Have been several times now.

We had a lovely lunch sitting in the courtyard with our puppy, the food was excellent, very quick service from very pleasant and helpful staff. The pub looked really good inside too, will certainly go back.

Walked from Exmouth after checking website which said open for food and drink. Notice on door at1.30pm on Saturday 1 October saying no food and bar not open. Update your website?

My wife and I took some friends to the Redwing for Sunday lunch on the 18th Sept. We had eaten there a few times in previous years and had been served good food. The food served for our lunch, however, was very poor. We all had the roast lunch option, beef or pork, and whilst the meat was good, the accompanying vegetables were very disappointing, the roast potatoes in particular appearing to have been cooked possibly the previous day and re-heated - very difficult to cut, dry and tasteless, and requiring more chewing than a piece of Biltong. The other vegetables were similarly robust... Dessert was better, but the whole experience left me wishing I had eaten elsewhere. I think our French guests had their preconceptions regarding British food fully confirmed. The "Roast Sunday Lunch" at a British pub is such a fixture in our culture that it should be, and has to be, cooked to perfection: the preparation of this type of dish must, by now, have been practised and polished to a degree that excellence is assured. Perhaps the Redwing needs to try a little harder.

Brilliant service best food around by a country mile

Had a tasty meal on a Thursday evening. Nice atmosphere and quite busy for mid September. Food was good and reasonably priced.

Really nice atmosphere with friendly staff and locals. Well kept beer too. Will certainly be back and will bring family and friends.

We were very happy with our experience .The service was quick efficient and very pleasantly delivered.The quality and quantity of food was the best we have had for a long time.I most certainly felt we had good value for money and I do not say...

Kitchen shuts 2pm on a Saturday??

Absolutely superb great service to die for food .... all in all Tickety-Boo

This is one of our favourite places to eat in East Devon and we were not disappointed on this recent visit. Had a hummus starter, followed by a very good fish & chips and an excellent sea bass fillet. First class food and good value....

Fabulous. Staff extremely helpful

My friend offered to take me out for a meal.and booked a table at the Redwing, where I haven't eaten for a while. I wasn't too enamoured with the mains choices and so had 2 starters. The mussels were delicious and I would have thoroughly...

Enjoyed a lovely birthday meal with friends- food & Service excellent

Never been here before but will definitely go again. Super food, beautifully cooked and presented. Really appreciated the small portion option which meant we could manage three delicious courses. All very reasonably priced. Warmly recommend.

After searching high and low for a baby shower venue, the manager could not have been more helpful. He allowed us to have the loft area function room and allowed us to do what we wanted with decor and setting up, was amazing with the communication and really understanding with everything we wanted to do! He didn't interrupt any plans atall and i couldnt have asked for a kinder and easygoing gentleman to make everything so easy. I travelled down 3 and a half hours to have my baby shower here and i did not regret it. Amazing service, friendly and great bloke and to top it off in a lovely little location 😊 thank you again!

Welcoming staff..food ok but we only had snacks in the garden..posh toilets with hand wash and hand cream!

Went with a friend for lunch and had the most amazing meal which is why I give it 11 out of 10. Although my friend thoroughly enjoyed her spicy Mexican chicken she did have food envy about my pork tenderloin and am sure next time...

Great staff lovely food cannot fault this place …..

Fantastic as always great food and excellent choice of wine and beer. Very helpful landlord. Always made to feel very welcome .

Amazing food again. Love visiting this pub every time I visit Lympstone. Great atmosphere and friendly staff. Well worth a visit.

We had a superb lunch at The Redwing. Good welcome, excellent food which was well served and a lovely atmosphere. Service was at just the right speed. The sea bass was gorgeous and the desserts delicious. Thank you for a wonderful visit.

Great pub hidden in the corner of Lympstone you'd never know it was there. The mussels starter were delicious and the 8oz steak was great. Overall a great evening out with the family.

Ate at the Redwing again this lunchtime. They never fail to serve up exceptional food. The service is superb with really friendly staff so really you cannot go wrong if you book a meal there.

From start to finish was a great experience. Food and drinks excellent

Best pub in the village. The other two are good, but the welcome, beer choice (limited but well balanced and well kept) make it my favourite. Only had snacks, but they are good value, and the meals look good.

A lovely pub serving beautiful food in a pretty village. Good service. Booking recommended to secure a table.

This is my favourite place to eat while visiting sidmouth area. Always a outstanding meal and staff are so friendly at accommodating our boxer dog . Wish I lived closer 😪