Sportsman in Brighton and Hove

Lunch with a friend at the carvery was a great surprise. Much improved since our last visit when it all seemed to be going downhill. Luke warm dry meats and soft overcooked veggies. BUT TODAY... WOW! New management and kitchen staff retrained. Excellent succulent meats, crispy toasties and bigger choice of properly cooked veggies. Well done! We'll definitely be returning. Very friendly, polite staff too. Just a suggestion...little wooden toothpicks on the table would be a welcome extra! Also, perhaps some roasted parsnips...tis the season. Yum 😋

Our main courses sat under heat lamps, in the restaurant area, for ages. We were obviously expecting them to be brought over as it wasn't self service. I went and got another drink, and when back at the table, the food was still sitting, drying out, under the lamps. I eventually went to get them myself when a reluctant looking member of staff then started taking them to the table, with no apology. Also, most deserts were unavailable as they had no ice cream.

Absolutely first class. The improvement is amazing. Wesley the manager has turned the carvery around, big portions, lovely fresh vegetables, all perfectly cooked. Jordan who I think is the bar manger was very attentive and friendly. I highly recommend the Sportsman if you want a beautiful dinner in nice surroundings.

Good food. Great service from Sophie

Good pub grub @ amazing food @ prices met sophie who was so lovely & looked after us really well

Great carvery and atmosphere. The best service is always given by Sophie

Had carvery, meat was great and most other accompaniments, but the cauliflower cheese had no cheese, was not very nice. I personally prefer the saltdean Stonehouse but if you like a cheap carvery, this would be fine. Staff as usual are great.

Awful experience of a evening out, dried up food had to wait 10 minutes for some vegetables to be brought out absolutely disgusting service won't be going back there again

Sophie was so lovely. And catered to us really well. Definitely deserves a praise. Can never go wrong with a carvery.

Shoutout to Sophie making great atmosphere and very attentive

Didnt get served by sophie, emily or kaylee but ive heard theyre great!!! Amazing food this time, nice atmosphere and the redhead doin the meat was a top man will be back great time!

Great food, lovely service by Kaylie and Emily

Another great value meal with amazing service. We're always greeted with a friendly welcoming smile when ordering and Sophie couldn't be more helpful and always takes the time to come and say hello. Fab team, thank you!

Great service from Sophie who always works hard to make sure we have a nice evening. Nice carvery and great value

Had an amazing carvery and Sophie was a very wonderful waitress who made it one of the best experiences I’ve had.

Good staff happy with everything and they treated me nicely thanks kaylie and emily

Amazing service received from Sophie food was great, was made to feel welcome, Tom was very friendly and polite, service was quick we didn’t have to wait long

Another great visit to the sportsman in Brighton. Sophie has managerial qualities

The carvery was absolutely awful. everything was dry and rock hard. Never going back.

This is the 2nd time I have visited when almost all of the food had run out- no beef, no Yorkshire puddings, no mashed potato, no cauliflower, no pigs in blankets. The roast potatoes were so hard that you couldn’t cut some of them. This meant having to wait for that to be cooked and brought up meaning the rest of the food going cold. In addition, the turkey was so dry it was inedible unless smothered in gravy- my daughter had to spit it out because she was chewing it so long it made her gag. I appreciate you get what you pay for with a carvery but this was bad

Took my mum for the first time in her wheelchair Kayley went above and beyond to help us with opening the door, and carrying my mums food. food was amazing too. Very good experience definitely returning soon

Lovely place to come and eat. Table service was superb by Emily :) chefs are happy and welcoming. Will defo visit again!

Cancelled a family party of 8 with 2 hours notice!!! Apparantly a restaurant doesn't have enough food. Decides to let us know with 2 hours to rearrange a party of 8 . Didn't seem to care ! Bloody awful will never go again. What a joke

Had a lovely meal at a reasonable price, helpful and friendly staff. What more could you ask for. The roast potatoes were to die for, best we've had at a carvery.

Great experience. Had Freya as my server and she was so fab and friendly. Really went above and beyond with a smile the whole time. Will definitely be returning

Amazing delicious roasted variety 😋 Kind stuff, affordable prices, highly recommended 👌

Served by the lovely Sophie who was very welcoming and attentive. Nice food and atmosphere. Thanks Sophie!

This is my FAVOURITE local place to eat. I even had my hen do here! The food is delicious, if like me, you like a good old- fashioned roast. I've been eating here since I first moved to Withdean in 2011. However, I'm currently stuck at home with a major injury and decided to use Ubereats to order in, and get my appetite back. There's no option to choose your veggies. I ordered turkey only- and ended up with turkey and beef. I ordered roasties only- and ended up with mashed potato (eugh)...and there's no option to add condiments such as cranberry sauce. They need to go a LONG way to improve their delivery service choice options. That being said, eating there in person still gets 5 🌟 from me. Work on your delivery choice options Sportsman!

Came in today for a pizza party couldn’t recommend enough great day had by all special thanks to the amazing Sophie, Lou and Wes who went the extra mile to make sure we had a blast! 10/10

Pizza party was great, kids loved it! Big thanks to the staff Sophie, Lou and Wes they were amazing!

As promised, i am leaving 5 stars for the amazing Leah. We had a fantastic experience and although it was busy and the team looked rushed off their feet, we were still given great service and food.

As new customers to this restaurant, there was confusion as the person showing us to our booked table didnt explain that it wasnt table service and that we needed to go to a certain point to order and pay. Once that issue was resolved Dad and I enjoyed a gorgeous carvery. Leah & Freyia were very helpful.

Amazing carvery roast in a lovely setting. The atmosphere is perfect for a Sunday..Pork, Turkey and Beef joints were all fresh and tasty. Great roasties with Yorkshire puddings ,with all the trimmings you could ask for,. Great seating area. even had the footy on, & the manager said we could sit in the bar area to watch while eating. Special mention to Wes, who was very friendly and brought over a portion of fresh pigs in blankets when they were cooked. We will definitely be back again soon. Cheers guys

pretty poor to be honest. I know this isn't supposed to be top end cuisine but standards were very poor. vegetables overcooked and frozen. stuffing so crunchy you could barely cut

come in today for lunch emily and lou were brilliant definitely be back

Very nice place and Leah has assisted us very well and so friendly. We always come here for our get together.

I came in today and had a lovely experience I had brilliant service for Emily and Lou and really enjoyed my time will definitely be booking here again soon

Excellent customer service from Jordan. Top lad.

I came in today and had a lovely meal with my daughter food was good and service was even better Emily and Lou are a real credit to this restaurant was grate knowledge of drinks helped us pick

Very very very very very very good. Thank you Leah, amazing service and amazing place. Highly recommend!

I had a lovely meal here today with great service Emily and Lou was very helpful

Wesley the chef is brilliant , great service and fantastic food. Definitely will be visiting again in the future 😁

Lovely people lovely place, Emily is 5 stars

Great food and service from Sophie

Busy place. Lots of people. Service was good considering how many they were serving. We had the carvery which was also good. Large free car park. Yep all good.

Sunday carvey very nice. I had Sophie help me with the machines and help me with my child very lovely women

I visited on 18/10/24. My friend and I had the Carvery. The chef was very friendly and helpful (can't remember his name. He'd made the most amazing roast potatoes! He helped me with my plate and carried it to the table as I'm in a wheelchair. A very pleasant experience!

Lovely food. Sophie and Marley are amazing

I have always liked the food and drive quite a distance to dine. The last two visits particularly the one last Sunday was a huge disappointment! Lots of food had run out, some were not going to be replaced, no crackling at all etc. and some were going to take up to 45 minutes. E.g. Beef. Surely, if we have paid a full price at the bar, we should then go to the pass and get a full carvery?? The beef gravy was finished, only veg gravy on the counter. The counters were dirty, the table had no salt, the salt we received had no cover on the bottom and salt dripping everywhere. The restaurant was untidy and unkempt. There was definitely leadership lacking and probably short staffed. I am glad I did not bring any of my guests to dine as this would have been an embarrassing experience. The little food option we had was tasty and the young lad carving was quite pleasant but although not his fault, he was constantly apologising to all your customers for lack of food items. He did look uncomfortable and I did feel sorry for him. Please resolve these unacceptable issues or get leadership that cares and is observant!

We were a party of 7 and arrived at 5 pm. There was very limited choice of food as the meat/veg and gravy hadn't been replenished. It wasn't a busy time, in fact quite quiet, but it seemed like the take away orders were taking priority. What food we did have was very disappointing. I have emailed a complaint to The Sportsman but the reply I received didn't address the issue.

Sophie our server was very friendly and helpful X We came again tonight, all staff working hard and friendly especially Elliot, Nicole and Leah xxx

Was served by the most lovely lady called Emily, she was very sweet and good with children! Went above and beyond with everything she did for us .

We recently visited The Stonehouse and had an absolutely delightful experience, thanks in large part to our server, Sophie. From the moment we were seated, Sophie's genuine hospitality set the tone for what would be a memorable evening. Sophie's service was impeccable. She was attentive without being intrusive, always ready to assist but also giving us space to enjoy our meal. She recommended dishes with such joy that we couldn't help but trust her suggestions, and we were not disappointed. The food was really good, but Sophie's service truly elevated the experience. Beyond just serving us, Sophie made us feel like valued guests in her home. Her friendly conversation and excellent customer service skills were evident throughout our visit It's clear she takes pride in her work, and her dedication to providing top-notch service is commendable. Thank you, Sophie, for a wonderful dining experience.

Thank you to the manager Paul, for the lovely meal today, for myself and friend . A big shout out to Wesley the chef as well. Delicious roast dinner.

When being seated there was no explanation of what to do, was it table service or do we use the QR code. After waiting 10 mins we asked a passing female server who said we could order using the QR code, with no other explanation, however later we overheard another girl advising another new table they could order using the app or at the bar. Shows poor and inconsistent service. We ordered using the website which was fine. Drinks came quick. Then one kids meal arrived, but not the other. We waited 10 mins then asked the same girl as before if the second pizza was coming, she curtly and immediately stated ‘yes’. We waited another 10 mins at this time, the second child was getting a bit upset. So I asked the pizza chef directly who said his order didn’t have 2 kids meals but he’d make it straight away. This finally arrived 10 mins later when the rest of the table had finished. We had ordered 2 carvery’s but had no idea if we’d be given a slip or if we should show the receipt. No information given online or by a server. When the first of us got to the servery, there was only pork and turkey available and we were told it would be another 1.5 hours for new meat to come out. When the second of us got there, only Pork was available, which was very dry. At the same time the chef behind the pizza oven was getting very irate and animated about something, he was cursing and his behaviour front of house was completely unacceptable around families and children! Overall we had a pretty poor meal and would not look to return. We regularly visit the Stonehouse in Peacehaven where we get table service, all meats are available almost all of the time and the atmosphere is lovely and very family orientated.

I wanted to say Emily’s services was perfect with a smile, will be back thanks to her!

Emily was amazing she was so friendly and really interacted with the kids and Kim making the pizza was so accommodating of the kids and they really loved there pizza will definitely be back a real family friendly environment x

Had a lovely carvery this evening! Sophie served us and was so friendly! Would definitely return and recommend to anyone x

Came with my girlfriend on Wednesday afternoon. We not local and have never had a meal in a carvery before. What’s a lovely experience and what’s a fantastic food and the place. When I saw the whole roasted turkey in October I was sold! :) The Staff was super Friendly. If not that personally I’m on strict diet every day due to work, I would come here at least once a week. I am so full right now I can barely finish this review ;)

Was served by Sophie, such lovely service and a great meal. Would definitely recommend to others!

sophie, our server was amazing!!! so helpful and friendly will definitely come back!!!

Booked table of 7 for carvery a week in advance.. Had phone call advising that there was no beef, or gammon at all and not much turkey left. The manager who called was polite snd professional when 'challenged' on this snd offered a free round of drinks which negotiated further to also have discount off the order. As it was too late to change the venue this wad agreed to. However in the end as none of us wanted pizzas we settled on burgers... which as it turned out was a Monday special with 50% off. Praise to all the staff who were professional having to deal with kitchen issues. The restaurant itself needs a complete refurbish as it looks run down and neglected. Overall not the best experience other than good efficient staff.

Sophie served us and was amazing at her job!

went towards end of the night so food was not amazing , however sophie made our evening !! very affordable as well

GOOD EXPERIENCE, EVERYTHING WAS EXCELLENT.

Not great, cookers broke so not many options avaliable. Replacements offered. Carvery wasn't great this evening

A carvery and pub with live sports and reasonably priced.

Emily and Sophie were very kind and accommodating. The food was great, we even got the brownie for dessert. Overall great!

Always a pleasure coming to the carvery. Food is always cooked to perfection and the best service is always from Sophie. Emily is also a great girl, very helpful.

Have been lots of times to this carvery but have never reviewed. Met Alliyah, one of your bar staff, and she was amazing. Very friendly and welcoming. She made an amazing cocktail for me and my son. She is fabulous and very helpful and we really enjoyed the food. Will be back

Lovely food and service, thanks to Sophie , lovely girl, friendly and polite

Absolutely love coming to the sportsman. Food is the best. Sophie is an absolute legend she needs a pay rise and Jordan is great

What a night at the sportsman, Sophie and Emily are the best. We will be back. Thanks girls Great prices

Lovely food great prices and portions. Sophie and Emily are the best

Was the first day it had reopened, so only a few customers there, this led to a subdued atmosphere but we all left with full tummies! Service was attentive and Sophie looked after us well.

We have just driven down from Haywards Heath for a carvery lunch to find the place closed. I checked the website before leaving home it did not say "Temporarily Closed" or even mentioned a closure. We always enjoy our roast dinners here but this shows a severe lack of customer service awareness. Please update your website ASAP so others won't be disappointed like us.

We came a few Sundays ago and the food was a lot better. Coming in on a weds wasn’t good! They ran out of the meat and everything else was a bit sparse or dry. We did have a lovely server called Sophie though who was very helpful😊

very good food and good service from leah

Good afternoon the sportsman team, what a lovely experience you had in store for me and my family, Sophie especially was wonderful and very helpful. Food was brilliant and the overall sportsman venue was excellent. Could not thankyou Sophie enough for her service. Chow

Took our Australian friends for s British roast and the Sportsman did not disappoint. Food was hot, beautifully cooked (especially the roasties) and staff freindly Would like to say a very special thank you to Alliyah, her welcoming smile made our friends day

Food was good! Sophie was lovely and very helpful!

Sophie was amazing! Great service! Great food!

A little disappointed when we visited for a friend's birthday. There were just 3 of us. Apparently a group of 24 had been in and there was just enough meat left for the 3 of us at 6.30 in the evening. They then shut the carvery down. Also the unlimited ice cream machine had run out. I'm assuming the group of 24 had booked in advance so I'd have thought they'd have prepared for that. Having said that, I've had previous good experiences here so will give it another try in the future

Leah was an amazing server, she was very friendly and welcoming and it was a great experience.

Leah was very polite, kind and served us very efficiently.

Came here yesterday for food and it was awful!! Hardly any selection the peas were hard the carrots were full of water the potatoes were so so dry they were like saw dust even with gravy ! I always have stuffing with my roasts but I saw the stuffing and it looked like a hard burnt square so I didn’t have that and I’m glad I didn’t after the way the meal was it wasn’t nice never eating here again

great atmosphere, amazing food and customer service! 10/10!!

Took ages to be seated, the manager saw us waiting, but made no attempt to acknowledge us and let us know he'd be with us shortly. The new lady behind the bar was great, she had to get help a few times from said manager who was utterly unprofessional and very straight face, he seemed thoroughly pissed off to be there! The carver was the loveliest lady, but slightly disappointed on the variety of vegetables. The ice-cream machine had flies all around the nozzle and when we pointed it out, we're told it needed to be cleaned and ice-cream would come from the kitchen. Also, we had to pay extra for toppings, as there were none out to choose from. Not the best experience overall!

You get what you're paying for. Good staff free parking

Food has gone downhill over the years. Less selection to go with the meats lucky to fill your plate. Stuffing bland. Roast potatoes hard like they'd been under the lamp all day long. Shame. I have found all the Stonehouse carvery have gone down hill. Toby carvery are definately then ones to go to nowadays

The food was terrible on 2 separate nights. Burger was tasteless and fish and chips were also really bad ...the fish was chewy and didn't seem fresh

Leah thank you for your amazing service. In honour of the Olympics we have enjoyed our time at Withdean Stadium....ready, steady, EAT.....

Lovely evening and very well looked after by Taran , great night

I had a really enjoyable experience, the food was delightful and the staff was amazing, the waiter Alison was very clear patient with me (I have multiple sclerosis so I have trouble speaking and understanding) but Alison was amazing 5 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Alison was so helpful and her customer service skills were fantastic. Absolute gem! Well done Alison

Does excactly what it says on the tin had a carvery here with a voucher received from another branch of stone house. This one on the other hand had all the meats available full veg available and food was tasty staff pleasant when had to interact with them but don't get much interaction as u take a seat and order at bar get ya voucher go up to carvery but the carver was friendly and chatted. Visited on the 18/07/24 in the evening

Service not great. Ambiance is lacking.

Great service from Sophie! :D Jolly conversation and had a laugh✨️ Woo!!

Amazing food, great atmosphere and the customer service is always 10/10. I’ve been coming here for a long time and always leave happy. Sophie is absolutely great! And really polite. She’s really friendly from the get going. Thank you once again Sophie!

I really like this place I regularly enjoy the breakfast and roast.food is great value and staff are amazing