Ship Inn in Exeter

Disappointing pub considering its history. In the Good Beer Guide, but truly don't know why - no proper ciders nor stouts on tap. Only a handful of ales to choose from. Wasn't relaxing nor cosy either.

Perfect , and so professional work magan we love u !

Lovely and calm for lunch during a busy day. Food delicious, staff attentive and cheerful. An oasis of calm. The only slight point was the music in the background that wasn't necessarily to our taste but was fine and not too loud! Really enjoyed our lunch. Salad was lovely and fish and chips good too.

Had the steak and ale pie , chips and cabbage was totally delicious staff were friendly .. Was disco night and had a really good time

rob the ginger one- amazing customer service 10.5 service. Great kindness and service thanks rob 👍🏼

Great place. Definitely worth a visit if you are in Exeter

Stopped here for a drink on a sunny April afternoon. Nice local cider on offer and good places to sit outside overlooking the harbour. We did not eat here.

Always feel welcome here. Well looked after beers, staff are brilliant, quirky little place. The staff are brilliant, the manager does a stellar job and thanks to Marc for looking after me

Had lovely pub meal, great pint ,good atmosphere

We walked past the pub and decided to stop for lunch, it had real character and was busy, well we were not disappointed. The staff were friendly and helpful and had a great choice of options on the menu. I had the Salmon Fishcakes with salad and fries, my partner and son had Fish and Chips, all of the meals had generous portions, were delicious and great value. I would highly recommend.

Family of four - had a late lunch which was fantastic (chicken kievs which were amazing) good choice of drinks and overall a lovely cosy pub with a good atmosphere

Chose here for a pre concert meal, as close to Phoenix in Gandy Street. Had the duck on saute potatoes, with fried egg on top, very tasty, only let down was the fried egg was hard, would have been nice to cut into the egg and let the yolk run down over the potatoes. service was friendly and prompt.

Came in here for a drink only. Next to some serious Building work so not much site of outside. Inside split into sections and plenty of Wooden Beams. Is a Greene King pub but had 3 Guest Cask Beers. The one I had was local and excellent. Most people were eating but space for drinkers too.

One of the true highlights of this place is the Duck Hash — an absolute must-try. At first glance, it seems like a simple dish paired with a vibrant red sauce, but one bite in and you’ll be completely captivated. The flavors are unexpectedly rich and perfectly balanced, making it a memorable experience that lingers long after the meal. This hidden gem truly knows how to elevate comfort food into something extraordinary.

Bbq and spicy chicken sharer with a pint of hazy day INSANE. Staff are friendly, funny and add to a light enjoyable atmosphere. Do yourself a favor and book a table already

Pub food is elevated here to very nice selections involving quite fresh, healthy choices! The prices were quite reasonable, the service friendly, and the offerings were delicious. I had salmon fish cakes on a bed of greens. They were fresh, very lightly sautéed, and though a large portion, seemed not heavy. My husband had a beef pie which was tender, rich, and served on greens, with fries- done perfectly. The extra sauce was super rich. We are from the states/ and are happy to have found this!

Nice place. Chilled and friendly.

Great looking central pub on two floors. Food tasted good and service was efficient and friendly

The Atmosphere is very Pleasant and Historical Service was Prompt Friendly polite! The Food was Good Quality fresh delicious well made

Good food reasonably priced, busy when sports on.

Absolutely awful. Smells of drains lack of service..order at the bar or by an app. Food inrd

Brilliant venue for night out, Meg and Karolina are brilliant bar staff 😀

Fab pub. No need to try any others.

We went in on a day the Six Nations rugby was on. Managed to get a small table. The table had empty glasses on and was sticky. There were staff behind the bar but they weren't all serving. Place was fairly busy with patrons already seated. It's a place that has a 'locals' feel to it, which suits us fine. Very tasty hand pulled local ale. The staff were more than happy to pull off a 'taster'. Next visit to Exeter, we'll be in. 😀

Get the sirloin stake, it was awesome!

Very lively pub with great beer

Went here for a works outing. Food was excellent, great atmosphere, the staff were really great, looked after us really well, kept the drinks coming. Everyone had a great evening. Even the karaoke was fun.

Polite staff ,but didn't stay long as the smell of sewage was awful so left drinks

My partner and I had our leaving do here last weekend and it was fabulous. We hired out the top left part of upstairs for approximately 25 people. On arrival everything was set up and staff we on hand to help. The staff were INCREDIBLE as nothing was to much trouble. They went above and beyond with their kindness and professional service. We had pre ordered food which all came out on time and was delicious. Everyone was super happy with their orders. I'd highly recommend the ship for small gatherings, we really did have the best time. It was the perfect venue to celebrate with our friends and family. Big thanks to Jade for organising and Rob and Megan for the excellent communication and effort behind the scenes. Great team, excellent service, fabulous pub! 👌

A nice warm welcome from the bar staff . I had a pint of Abbot ale , and this was a very well looked after pint . Then I ordered food for myself steak and ale pie with triple cooked chips, and a wedge of cabbage . My friend had cheese mac that came with a side salad , he also had a side of garlic bread. The meal was nicely presented , and was well cooked with generous portion sizes. All together a most enjoyable lunch, with resonable prices to match. Well worth my visit , and i will pop in again wen i am visiting Exeter .

Wonderful, very dog friendly, authentic, historic pub easily missed down a small alleyway which joins Cathedral Close to the High Street. Visited today at lunchtime and couldn't fault the food, atmosphere, service and staff, all were beyond expectations and excellent. We had the Ship Burger, OMG it's not just any burger, it's the Ship Burger, as it were, Duck Hash, again delicious and a pleasant change from the standard fare on most pub menus and the Chicken Kyiv (we are all Ukrainian now!) which was delicious. Said thank you before leaving and was advised the head chef today was Angelica, which was a nice touch. Well done to Angelica and the whole team, in today's world of cheap and cheerful or pretentious overpriced gastropubs, this hits a real sweet spot, with great food, staff, atmosphere and value. Will definitely return and would highly recommend seeking it out. Cracking pint of The Ship Best Bitter too, which was the icing on the cake. Thank you, keep up the good work.

Good historic olde public houses

Amazing place, amazing staff, haven't rated food because didn't have food

Such a shame, used to go in here most times I was in Exeter. This time however the place was quite dirty with an awful smell and the bar staff weren’t great.

Found this place down a side street, great atmosphere, very busy but friendly staff and great customer service, there was a karaoke on the night we went but was very hard to get to sing as it was so busy.

I came in to eat some lunch for the first time, not knowing what to expect. I was totally overwhelmed by the amazing service and food quality provided here at the Ship inn ! The two lovely ladies that worked here named Kat and Indi, brought us our food and gave exceptional service. Thank you very much for a lovely afternoon and great food ! Keep it up !

A pleasant evening but marred by two things. Firstly, there was a group of rowdy revellers who were creating a cacophony on the piano and doing their best to break it. Eventually, the security staff moved them on. Secondly, someone had obviously been sick on the floor earlier in the day and it hadn't been cleaned thoroughly as the smell was still very evident. Other than that the staff were friendly and efficient although it was a busy evening due to an event at the cathedral and another body would have helped.

We love everything about this place, location (down an alleyway), the history of it, the ambience, the welcoming staff, the food and the drinks. We visit here every time we visit Exeter.

My wife and I went for lunch today, my wife had the pie and chips and gravy which she said was luke warm apart from the pie which was hot, not bad vfm is everything was served hot .I had the chicken burger which was pathetic, cooked to death half a wafer thin chicken breast that again was served Luke warm with a tiny little cup of fries like a child’s portions and a little pot of sauce, not at all vfm , left hungry and not one check back to ask how our food was?! Nice little pub but average food. Can’t forgive luke warm or cooked to death food.

Excellent meal, service, and hospitality. The staff were very friendly and helpful, table service was superb and the atmosphere first class. Would recommend this establishment for anyone visiting exeter.

Awesome cosy pub with great atmosphere and a great selection of drinks. Staff were attentive too. Good menu but only 2 vegan options so wouldn’t recommend for food but would to call in for a good pint.

Came up here with my 3 sons, had a Korean burger, my sons had steak and ale pie, steak with chips, loved the food, tasted nice, and service was good.

Hands down the best pub in Exeter

Beautiful old pub. Good food too.

absolutely gorgeous meal, can’t fault our experience here. My steak was cooked perfectly and my boyfriends steak and ale pie was amazing! The building is stunning inside with a really cosy atmosphere and the staff were all super friendly and provided great service. definitely recommend and will go back again

What a find! My wife and I often travel up to Exeter from Paignton on the train to look around the city centre and have lunch. We came across this lovely olde worlde restaurant/pub, tucked away in an alley close to the catheral green and decided to give it a try. What a great decision! The staff were friendly and efficient and the atmosphere was in keeping with the quaint surroundings. But most importantly, the food was superb! I had the fish and chips and my wife had the steak and ale pie, all washed down with a lovely bottle of the house Chianti served in an ice bucket. We're both now looking forward to our next visit to Exeter soon and returning to the Ship Inn for another superb lunch.

Very good food and friendly staff

went with friends for a monthly meet up. the young lady behind the bar was lovely and friendly. service was great. food good.

Had dinner and drinks here with friends. Lovely pub, excellent service, nice options for drinks, tasty food with a good choice so everyone happy! We'll be back :)

Beautiful spot and warm place. Food and drinks are amazing. Excellent service and very supportive friendly staff. Won’t bypass Exeter without visiting again

Lovely atmospheric pub hidden down a small alleyway nr the catherdral. Food is lovely(best onion rings ever) Service was fast Would highly recommend stopping for a pint and a meal.

Lovely place for eating and drinking

Beautiful spot and warm place. Food and drinks are amazing. Excellent service and very supportive friendly staff. Won’t bypass Exeter without visiting again

A very busy pub but worth checking out..

Went in after the Christmas Carols at the Cathedral. Seemed to be one of the only places open nearby so not much choice but very glad we went. The atmosphere was great and the singer was fab.

it's an old pub with lots of original features creating a nice atmosphere. Best get there early coz it gets very busy lunch times and on rugby days

This was a fantastic pub for drinking, maintaining its vintage Tudor aesthetic! This is done through the ceilings as well as the imagery carried across the walls, counter feels like a glimpse back in time too. I had a fresh pint of Guinness at comfortable seating, right by the fireplace too!

Looking for a bite to eat and we stumbled on the The Ship Inn. Food was exeptional and very reasonable, with great portion sizes. Coke was not watery, just right. Matilda at the bar was very attentive and friendly, will certainly be back.

Lovely busy pub, welcoming and warm. Good lager selection 👍

Nice little pub down a side alleyway. Plenty of seats, cosy and dry....

Tired looking & needed a good clean & decor refresh. Sticky tables & chairs covers dirty. Not a pleasant experience. The beer was ok. Staff very nice.

It was super busy but managed to find a table. Atmosphere was cosy, burgers were delicious and service was super quick and the waitress was excellent, very professional and polite.

Excellent food. Polite and attentive staff. Lovely environment. Highly recommended

We had an amazing lunch here at the ship inn! We were served by the lovely Emma who was so polite and attentive. She honestly couldn’t have done enough for us- she even did table service for us! Amazing food and great atmosphere :) will always recommend this little historic pub

Enjoyed some great Guinness here. Staff were friendly, a really nice pub with some great history behind it. We were sat upstairs very cosy and comfortable seating. Later on we ventured downstairs and enjoyed the live music. A good night and worth a visit

If you’re in Exeter, you really should visit The Ship Inn. Located in the town centre close, off the cathedral square. This is a Tudor or Elizabethan pub with all the features. Good selection of beers and wine. We didn’t get to try the food as there was a 40 min wait (7:00 pm), which may not be a bad sign. Great atmosphere

Fantastic pub with great atmosphere and friendly staff. The variety of beer and wine was good with the traditional pub feel of an old building adding to our enjoyment of a Friday night.

Busy pub with delicious and good value food

Staff are super friendly, great atmosphere, I managed a song on karaoke abdbhad the whole bar singing! Trip from Yorkshire so it was a nice end of the evening

The food was great and we were served by Lily who was lovely and very customer orientated.

They have Estrella and I love them for that

Our first time here….Had Sunday Roast today, unfortunately by 1.15 the Turkey was sold out. Was told 45 min wait, came within 30 mins. We both had Beef, unfortunately underdone for us and chewy, undercooked Veg too ☹️. Lovely staff though and lovely setting/atmosphere 🙂.

Fantastic food! Raclette and beef pie - intense cheese, fantastic flavours and the gravy was really good too. The smoked salmon on sourdough was delicious and so was the Chicken Kiev. Best chicken Kiev I've ever had!

Food was rubbish and pot of tea for two was Luke warm and only half a pot of tea .not reccommended

Lovely place with a good vibe. Good bar staff and fast service. Toilets were clean.

We were in Exeter to have a walk and have a look to same shops around middle October. I were with my partner and his parents. It was two o'clock on a Saturday, when we arrived we ordered our food and we waited patiently for 1 hour. We been offer free drinks due the long waiting but we had already our food at the time of the gentle offer. I have to say the food was well presented and cook at perfection. (check pictures) All of us enjoyed our food. I've never had a better piece of duck, the same was for the pie of my mother in law, the steak of my father in law and the chilly without carne " vegetarian option" of my partner. I am so pleased for such delicious food but I definitely will looking to the clock next time we get to eat in that pub, I do appreciated that it was a busy time but I saw a couple arrived later then us been served before us. However the place it is a lovely, cosy and traditional English pub very close to the Cathedral of Exeter, hiding away in a little allay. There are plenty of space and room to eat. I raccomend if are a lover of food like me but take a book with you it may help you to kill the time of waiting!! 😉

Love this pub, trully a hiden gem.

Only Greene King could bastardise a lovely old historic inn like this. My first visit while travelling through Exeter and very disappointed. The inn has a plethora of poorly installed modern electronic equipment, flat screen with exposed wiring, overhead projectors, unsightly speakers, gaming machines, etc. In addition there is the ubiquitous background musick. Brewery chains should have a responsibility to operate premises like this in keeping with their historical context and keep modern equipment out of the main bar.

Do not go to the Ship inn if you want hot foot. I got my food heated up twice more and it remained luke warm. Good atmosphere, good service, disappointind food.

Amazing place with great food. Had a large and delicious plate of fish and chips. Great sense of history there and lovely staff.

Just passing through...... Beautiful environment, with character..... Thank you, great experience

Absolutely brilliant karaoke night with the locals at the ship thankyou

We visit friends once or twice a year and always make a point of heading here. The signature burger was amazing this time round. There are plenty of drink choices, even when they had a problem with the beer pumps.

Family gathering ..really nice place.. good food & drinks we had a good time

Whilst in Exeter for a couple of weeks, it was an absolute delight discovering the Ship Inn. The staff were always bright and friendly, greet you with a Hello and a smile, I was amazed to see the level of help given to a disabled customer by young staff meeting his needs. On a number of occasions, staff assisted new customers ordering food who had food allergies, not only by using a tablet but verbally and professionally. The bar staff and serving staff were supported by team leaders throughout my visits, who also greeted customers in a friendly manner. Although I don’t know their names, one had a lovely regional Scottish accent and the other I think was Polish. If not team leaders, they should be! Although I didn’t eat at the Ship, the food looked lovely and seems well priced. All in all a wonderful old pub with great atmosphere and brilliant service…..I’ll be back….thank you….!

Fish and chips are excellent however still missas scampi and chips no idea why it's no longer on the menu.

Lovely building with a lovely atmosphere. Staff attentive and friendly, food excellent, hot and reasonably priced. Would certainly recommend this to anyone.

Friendly pub with great food, drinks and atmosphere.

This incredible old pub could not be more English. It has a long history - apparently Sir Francis Drake frequented here! Stumbled across it on the way to the cathedral and popped in for a Guinness. They had run out of the roast so had the pie… it was excellent. A generous serving. Staff were great… really fantastic experience!

Lovely historic pub with lively crowd, great staff and very good food.

Excellent little pub down the ally from the Cathedral. The staff were absolutely brilliant and friendly and very helpful. The food was Amazing well presented. Most Definitely go back again well Recommend. Absolutely fantastic place.

Friendly staff, good service and good traditional pub food. Will definitely return when visiting Exeter in future. Recommend.

Extremely beautiful place with amazing atmosphere. Will be visiting more often.

Had an evening meal on two nights, on both nights the staff were friendly, efficient and really took an interest in what they were serving whether it be food or drink. The chicken Kyiv was wonderful. On the second night the lights went out due to an electricity short. The staff didn't panic and the situation was handled calmly by the staff. Good beer, good food, good atmosphere and Sir Francis Drake’s local to boot!

I had a really good steak and Guinness here, and the customer service - courtesy of Indi, was great!

The food was great lots of selection seasoned dishes meat lovers and vegetarian too food served really hot very old timber structures

Lovely old pub near the cathedral.

Love it here ,always pop In when I come home . Steeped in history ,how could you not love it. Huge range of beers on tap could keep you there a while. Highly recommend to visitors of Exeter.

Great atmosphere and excellent food.

Best burger I've had in a long time. We also ordered the steak and ale pie which was equally delicious. Friendly staff who were really helpful too. Had a great catch up here with friends from all over the country. We will be back again.