Sportsman's Rest in Isle of Wight

Had a lovely lunch here today. Staff are friendly and the chips can't be beat! Highly recommend if you are looking for a good country pub with a relaxed atmosphere.

We went there Friday afternoon for a drink liked the look of the pub and the friendly staff so booked a table for dinner Saturday night we had a really great meal will be going back again very soon

Fantastic pub, extremely friendly welcome, can't do enough for you. Food fabulous as was the service. Will be coming back without doubt! Keep up the good work! 🙌❤️

Myself and my husband visited this evening; Being on holiday from Norfolk, and were blown away by the standard of service, beautiful food, and very warm welcome. We felt very comfortable with our young son, and would definitely visit again!.

First meal out since COVID and our family were over for a holiday so we wanted a local cosy atmosphere , Yarmouth’s always heaving so remembered that The Sportsman’s Rest had been doing take aways over COVID so thought we would try a meal there in their garden , as under New ownership . Firstly followed all their rules and sent in a Text when we arrived in the car park and then found a seat In the back garden as the front tables were full . The back gardens very lacking and not really somewhere to sit for nice meal out , the benches are painted up but old and covered in Ants . We waited for a good 10 minutes as someone is ment to come out and greet you after you text , but no sign , they knew we were there because the kitchen window looks out over the garden . I then went in and gave the young lady behind the bar our details , she was very pleasant but I got the impression it was her first night working there as she was a little confused . She gave us menus and said she would come out , but again after deciding and waiting no one came , so again I went into the bar and ordered . At the same time a man was at the bar ( our side) who announced that he was the landlord , he got drinks and went to a table in front garden , where he stayed most of the evening . My brother in law then went into the bar to buy our drinks , he came out grinning and told us that he had just had to teach the girl behind the bar how to make the Gin and Tonics ! By that time a table had freed up at the front so we moved there . These are very old wooden slatted bistro style tables and chairs , very old and rickety and very uncomfortable , but we made do . Surprisingly our meals arrived very quickly , and this time with a young dark haired girl who was completely on the ball , the meals were excellent , good quality meat , well cooked and a good size , could not fault the food at all . We thought it was a shame that the land lord seemed more interested in having a good booze all night rather then looking after his customers , and training up his staff , as front of house was definitely very lacking . But on the positive a well oiled working kitchen !

What can i say about this pub, its landlord , staff and drinkers....great! We stumbled on the pub after a long walk, dripping wet and had a bad back, Ordered lunch which was great and asked about local buses :) . Landlord explained there was none and offered to drive us to nearest stop and a customer went one further and drove us back to Cowes. If i was staying or living local this looked like a great pub (with a nice Guinness) and had a very good way of dealing with Covid restrictions, not too intrusive and very sensible.

Not sure what to say about this pub, there’s so much promise and it could be a real money maker in the right hands but the clowns who currently call themselves the landlord and landlady are running it into the ground The landlady was quite pretentious and forthright she made sure we knew that they had only been the owners the last couple years and that they’ve bought it up from the ruins “like the Phoenix rising” (yes her exact words) she told us this three times in approximately 2 hours she also “bigged up” her husband and son as top “top class chefs” it takes a lot more training to be a chef than just cooking steak at a beefeater restaurant (as she later let slip) - hardly a top class chef!!! And son is a student who went to school with our daughter Firstly the whole place needs a good deep clean the outside is tatty with all the chalkboards n garish coloured cheap rickety tables and trellice with paint chipping off.the bins were over flowing in full view of everyone the inside didn’t fare much better (think 90’s working mans club with grubby snug area in the corner and sticky tables & chairs) Giving the Benefit of doubt as looks can be deceiving, We ordered a steak med rare and a scqmpi and a side salad and some onion rings Scampi was decent size portion, chips weren’t my cup of tea The steak was a a bit tough was more like well done again the chips awful, seriously who doesn’t know how to cook chips this “chef” needs to go back to cookery school or catering collegeThe oil had a funny taste, could be that it needed changing or it was a fancy oil they trying to promote that shouldn’t really be used for Deep fryingThe side salad was a joke small pieces of brown edged lettuce pieces of soggy tomato and some curled up cucumber I think we would have had a better meal at one of the sizzling pubs or hungry horse (and that’s saying something) definitely not worth the nearly £50 we paidI dread to think what the kitchen is like, looking at the state of the so called chef/landlord sauntering behind the bar in filthy tracksuit bottoms dirty trainers a dirty t shirt with a filthy apron one cloth over his shoulder and one tucked into the back of his bottoms! helping himself to a bottle of beer to take back into the kitchenThe waitresses didn’t look much cleaner in faded stained dark polo shirts hair loose and hanging all over the place that they kept playing with we asked a couple of questions about the menu and the local area, they didn’t have a clueTo watch them clean a table was comical (put it this way can see why the tables are all Sticky - I don’t think the cloth was washed once just the table sprayed and wiped this is why the place seems to be infested with flies)As a previous post mentions there was teenage kids loitering round the bar which isn’t a good sign if the landlady sorted her high and mighty better than everyone else attitude out that would be good start,Give the “chef” some trainingfollowed by a deep clean and refurb of the whole inside and outsideget rid of the silly immature waitresses and the teenagers loitering around the barI’m sorry but I won’t be returning and I’d find it hard to recommend to anyone Like a previous post I did post this review on the sportsman’s rest Facebook page and again it was deleted not once but twice there is also two review pages sent up for this pub/restaurant – ie left my review on both!!!I don’t think these clowns like criticism

My husband and I popped in on Monday lunchtime whilst doing some family history research. We had a lovely bacon baguette with salad & chips which was delicious. The one way system in place worked fine no problems at all. Throughly recommend.

We order from the pub tonight a small group meal as we are staying locally on business and we were all blown away by the quality of our take away meals. Fresh, delicious, plenty to fill you up and all great value for money. Such a shame we will not be around for when they open fully back up! Good luck guys post lockdown

Got recommended by a friend who had been for a takeaway a couple of nights before they couldn’t praise the food highly enough Maybe I expected to much on that recommendation We placed two separate orders and both had issues The “famous” mixed grill as soon as opened the box there was a smell of gone off meat the steak was rancid it had a sour twang to it it was inedible, the chips were barely cooked in fact they were anaemic and still hard where the potato hadn’t been cooked properly the egg was raw it was still snotty and the sausage were cooked that much you had to use a carving knife to cut through them the pizza box it was served in was swimming in greaseThe other order of fish and chips the fish looked huge in the box but in fact was layer upon layer of greasy batter again chips were in edible the food had gone sweaty as presented in a polystyrene cartonWe did ring several times, to say how unhappy we were, the number either rang out and on two occasions the phone was picked up and hung up For the money we paid and the distance we travelled we were very disappointed and in a way cheated I doubt we will be back

Wife and I had a delicious take away lamb shank for Sunday lunch. Deborah and David are providing an excellent service for the local community during the coronavirus shutdown. Well done guys and thanks a lot. Regards John and Nina

We had a gammon and egg meal. The Gammon and egg was fine, however the mushrooms were inedible and the chips looked as if they had been cooked in fat that needed changing. We visited here on the recommendation of friends who said that they had had a fantastic meal a few days before. Price was comparable with most restaurants.

We had the plaice which was served on a tiny plate everything piled up and the chips were a sad excuse for chips, white and hardly cooked, the place was run down and tatty well at least we only went for lunch and don’t have to bother going again

This pub is positioned perfectly for a coast path walker, as it breaks up a long stretch of enforced lane walking away from the shore. I sat in the front garden and drank a couple of nice pints of Pravha lager in peaceful autumn sunshine. The landlady was friendly and chatty and told me the pub had been closed before they'd bought it and that it was doing well. It's a perfect, idyllic spot, in some of the quietest countryside on the island. It feels like England might have been back in the 1950s. Definitely worth a visit, as is the nearby Newtown, with its quiet beauty and walks by the estuary.

On holiday to the isle of wight and found this little gem only visited 3 times and on honeymoon when we arrived for sunday lunch just married balloons and bunting really made us feel special. Great food and service from owners and all staff feel like we have made new friends thankyou so much Steve and Mo Xxx

An evening meal here was good hearty fayre. nothing overly fancy but well cooked and well kept beer. We would go again.

9/10 for this place only because they warmed the apple pie up in the microwave, even so it was very tasty if the crust was a little soft !!Best Sunday lunch for months, also if you have beef or chicken you can get a 1/2 portion for children. Very reasonable prices but good sized plateful ( NOT A CARVERY) even the 1/2 portion was plenty for the wife. Dogs allowed in the eating area by the bar which was great. We also called on Friday for the fresh cod n chips. Again large fish with the option of skin on or off just ask the host. Trifle expensive at £12 + each I thought, but very nice as a treat. Sportsmans Rest is a little out of the way in Porchfield ( about 3 miles from Newtown and 6 from Yarmouth but well worth the effort). Use the postcode to find it.Stephen n Patricia

Booked a table for six very late in their Sunday Roast 'time window', but were welcomed very professionally and provided with a great table, very suitable for our family birthday meal. We do have one 'awkward' eater who was very satisfactorily catered for without question. Portions were large and the food was top notch. Looking forward to a return trip !

A nice pub in a quiet village location which we would recommend for a drink or two but regret to advise that the visit was totally ruined by the food standards. We ordered 2 steak meals one of which was a rib eye and once served the immediate smell told us that the steak was rotten. It was clearly old and gone off and the chef mustHave smelt this whilst cooking. The other meals were ok but the experienceOf the steak put us all off our meal I’m afraid.Unfortunate, but the proprietor/chef reallyNeeds better foodManagement toPrevent this occurring again

Came across this place by chance on the Cowes-Ryde leg of the coastal path, just as we were getting hungry. Unpretentious pub serving perfectly nice sandwiches and friendly staff. Only issue was that it's maybe too dog friendly: the group at the next table (which was pretty much butted up against ours) had 4 dogs with them. Reasonably well behaved dogs, but in such a small space it was a bit much if you're not a dog person.

Short notice visit for 10, was made most welcome upon entering. Great pub great beer, server knew her ales. The food was of very good quality and very well priced. With family from the area and they had never been here before. They were most impressed, this is most definitely a hidden gem and will visit again. If large booking would call as not a very big place. The burgers were home made and very nice.

Sportman’s rest is located along the Coastal Path and is a nice place for taking a break. We had a good lunch at a fair price, and friendly personnel.

Nice welcome from the young team here.

This is lovely little pub with friendly FOH staff, lots of choice, plenty of vegetarian options, good portions and proper hearty, tasty pub food. However my group of 4 each ordered separately for paying purposes. This was at 2pm, it wasn’t busy, there was no-one else wanting to order food and we ordered one after the other, no gaps. However the head chef was clearly unimpressed with this and quite loudly was heard saying to his sous chef “well we need to bloody wait for the other one to come in”. If you’re going to keep your kitchen door open when it’s right next to the bar and speak at the top of your voice, then maybe consider your choice of words and tone of voice too... If it hadn’t been for that comment, I would have rated you 5/5.

We were walking the coastal path when we came up on the Sportsmans Rest in Porchfield in time for a lunchtime stop, I had a hot bacon sandwich and my Wife had a Jacket Potato, both were delicious, service was good

8 of us visited about 2 months ago. My partner and I had the steak and kidney pie and to be honest it was very bad. The meat hanging out of it was black looking and really dry. My pie had a whole large slab of meat just under the pastry lid and I couldn't even cut through it with a knife it was so tough. There were large chunks of meat inside the pie but all were either very dry or full of fatty bits. The chips were limp and very greasy. One of our party ordered the fish and chips and although the fish looked huge, it was mainly batter. Someone else ordered the sausage and mash and said the sausages were very ordinary. Another member of our party ordered a steak and wasn't asked how they wanted it cooked and she said it was very over done. I was expecting so much more after reading all the other reviews. Perhaps we were there on a bad night?

I’m a month behind writing this as been busy but anyway this place was a gem ! The people were so friendly and welcoming ! The service was fab :-) the food was so good we even went back the day after for tea again ! Very welcoming with young children ! My boy loves the games ! We will definitely be retiring next year ! Xx

We called in here one evening just for a drink while passing, the pub had a great atmosphere. When looking for somewhere to have lunch the following day before we headed to the isle of wight festival we thought we would go back. I'm so glad we did! I had the best gluten free fish and chips I have ever eaten. The batter was so crispy, and the chips were definitely homemade. My boyfriend had a 'dirty burger's from the specials and it definitely didnt disappoint.

Wish this was our local..it has a lovely atmosphere and superb food cannot fault anything ..one downside we eventually had to leave Mr Mrs hall visited Saturday evening 8th june

We visited on a Sunday, booking advisable especially on a sunny day.

Went for a tour round the IOW and found this great little pub. Old world style of the beaten track. Very friendly as soon as we walked in. Food was excellent and a reasonable price. Toilets very clean. When the sun comes out there are some nice tables to sit at outside. Plenty of car parking space as well. great to find a pub that still has that personal touch.

This motto is on the Bar of this splendid Pub and sums it all up beautifully. Warm welcome. Visited while walking the Isle of Wight Coastal Path from Cowes to Yarmouth on 21 May; a cloudless blue sky day so I had worked up a good thirst. Well slaked by a pint of Hobgoblin beer. Very friendly service.

We arrived on the island on a wet and miserable may day after a week of glorious sunshine and we had a three damp dogs on our Motorhome, the Sportsman’s rest turned a grey and damp day into a lovely warming evening, I’m coeliac and and we had what can best be described as top quality gluten free fish and chips, they cook all the fish with gluten free batter and it was fantastic, a nice friendly cosy pub, dog friendly and they were happy for us to park up in the Motorhome for the night (small mohos as it’s not a huge car park) highly recommended by us because it’s not a fancy plush place pretending to be something it isn’t, it’s an English country pub that serves good food at a good price with friendly service

Turned up to a very warm welcome and had a great evening meal. Good selection of drinks and food and nothing was too much trouble. When the food arrived it was a good size porting and piping hot. At the end of the meal all the plates were empty as was the 3year olds so goes to show great food . Price was also very good. All staff very help full and nothing was too much trouble. Well done team Thanks .

Stopped by one lunchtime had steak baguette and chips wife had tuna baguette. Lovely food, great chat, great service given box to take away and finish. Thankyou

Am sitting here right now reviewing as it’s that good! Good old out of the way country pub with fab food and welcoming team. I had the salmon fillet with rice and bearnaise sauce and everything about it was tasty. My pops’ steak etc very good. Glad I looked this place up-highly recommend you give it a try.

Great meal, really good value for money. Meals always come with the added extras you often have to pay extra for! Salad, mushrooms, home made chips and plenty of it!!

Another stop off point on the Coastal Path! Although I have lived on the Island for over 20 years (still an Ovener of course!) I had never been to Porchfield or the Sportsman's Rest. We are now going to return on Tuesday! The day we went was drizzly, damp and cold and the warmth of this lovely village pub - both the logburner and from the barstaff - was much appreciated. Great, varied menu - I had the smaller meal and it was just right - fab chips! A friend had the chili and that was delicious too, all at very reasonable prices. The service was superb, friendly and really helpful. Looking forward to our return visit - thank you.

Went in on a Friday evening to find the bar busy and a few tables already with diners eating. Our table was in the "back room" which was just off of the main bar area. The food was good and quick, but a lovely atmosphere of a real local was felt all through the evening. Great attentive hosting by the staff.

We stopped by for a drink on our way home and received a warm friendly reception from all the staff. Once we had ordered our drinks, another customer started ordering his food and mentioned that they were back, having eaten there yesterday. We therefore decided to order lunch and we were not disappointed.

We are the owners of the Sportsmans rest but unfortunately don't have access to this review page as it is historic. We are a village pub with open fires in the winter, a good size beer garden and car park. We serve traditional pub food, including fresh chips and we welcome children and well behaved dogs. In response to some of the previous comments, the building is 160 years old and is being renovated slowly so as not to cause disruption to customers, the pub is cleaned and aired daily in the mornings. We do not profess to be something we are not but the most frequent comments we receive are, "a proper pub", "good food", and "great staff". Sometimes, like anywhere we don't meet someone's expectations and each time this happens we always look at the situation to ensure that we have done everything we can under the circumstances and change anything we feel we need to, but we can only do this if we know at the time, otherwise we change what we need to as soon as we know. Above all, we thank everyone for their customer and welcome everyone who walks through the door, and if there's anything we can do to help, please just ask. Thank you again. Deborah and David

Visited the pub for lunch with family and the staff were lovely and welcoming but unfortunately, the building needs a deep clean as it smells of fried food the second you walk in and they allow dogs (which is fine) but carpets are covered in hair and again it adds to the odour. Food was alright but really greasy - particularly the chips. Such a shame as there was a lovely open fire and as I say, staff were extremely helpful and attentive.

During my cycle ride around the isle of Wight, I found this oasis. The food was lovely as were the staff, thank you guys for fuelling me up for the rest of my ride.

We enjoyed a very pleasant meal here.

Quite an 'old school' village local and all the better for it. Visited here occasionally over the years after a walk and always found it friendly. We felt compelled to write a review after our most recent visit as the landlord brought out two replacement pints for ours which he had spotted were slightly (and I do mean slightly) cloudy - we hadn't noticed! We were in the beer garden at the time and he'd noticed from the kitchen window. Excellent service right there.

Tastie food at an average price for the island. Friendly staff and good ales. Have already booked to go back with the family. Kids also gave it 5 stars!!

This pub has had some tough times and closed down for a while. Well it’s open, the food is delicious and the staff are welcoming and friendly. The menu is varied and sensibly priced and there is a good range of specials. Ok so the decor is a bit tired as is the exterior but that will come. If you are on the Isle of Wight then a visit is a must. Do check by phoning beforehand as the kitchen does not keep normal opening hours.

There don't seem to be many pubs around this area, so this was our saviour when looking for a late-ish lunch. It has a good sized car park and friendly staff, but the food was definitely average. My sausage and mash was three very basic sausages, a pile of mash that had turned brown because it had been drowned in a thin, watery gravy, some peas and a wilted salad garnish. Really not great.

We have been frequent visitors to the Sportsman's Rest for the past 18 months or so. There is always a warm welcome and more often than not a friendly chat with other customers. Good value pub food in a picturesque area. We can recommend it.

We found the pub by chance but it was a great find. I had scampi and chips. Perfect skins still on and crispy chips. Very helpful and informative landlady. Made to feel very welcome. Had banana split but with banoffee ice cream highly recommend it.

We stopped off here for lunch today and found the bar lady and locals to be very friendly and chatty while the food was good and well priced. We sat outside in the sun to have our meal and found the area to be peaceful and relaxing. We will certainly be back.

Stopped for a couple of beers at the end of a day walking the coastal path. Can recommend the Ringwood 49er and the lady behind the bar was lovely, excellent pub.

Just had a very pleasant casual lunch, with large portions of sandwiches etc and local ale in perfect condition. Friendly, efficient service.

We had both types of lasagne both lovely and filling and amazing chips ! Lovely staff, very friendly and attentive Worth a visit if your passing by!

Dropped in for supper as staying nearby. Good wholesome pub food with a specials board. We had a curry and steak from the special board which wee both excellent. good choice of local ales and a warm welcome. Yes could do with a bit of painting but this does not detract from food or the beer!

Fabulous meals - if anything, the descriptions on their website UNDERSTATE the quality of the food on offer. My Mixed Grill will ruin every other Mixed Grill I ever have. All other meals served for our family were also superb. Thanks Very Much

An lunchtime visit. Not very welcoming. Establishment very tired and dowdy. Needs a complete decore refurbishment. Now to the only adequate food. Ordered from the main menu with a side salad meal and another basket meal. Side salad here dried up Cucumber and Tomato. Spoke to waitress. Who said she would spoke to Cook/Owner. Only acknowledgement was a feeble excuse, that it had been freshly cut. Well we were in for lunch at 12.30 and the establishment did not open to 11.00. It was old salad left over from the day before ! ☹

We were pleased to find that this pub had reopened as we used to come here frequently until it closed down.

Visited this lovely village pub after a nice walk in the local countryside.

Was visiting the island found this pub round the corner from where we was staying went for Sunday roast it was lovely staff were excellent catered for a very fussy eater on our table of 6 there was no problem with any request will definitely be back when we visit again

Lovely basket meal. Nicely situated near lots of lovely walks. Has a large car park and inside is warm and cozy.

Having just moved to the island my wife and I tried this as our first meal out. A pleasant welcome and a nice atmosphere on entering. Prompt service at the bar and having ordered we moved through to the side room. Oh, dear. The table was sticky. The blu-tack blobs on the walls too many to count. The sofa reminded me of the cast off found in my youth club of yester year. The soot on the fireplace hinting at a chimney not working as perhaps it should. The nicotine stains on the ceiling spot light (not working) giving the hint as to when that room last saw a lick of paint. Food served was piping hot and although nothing special quite reasonable for pub grub. The Sportsman could be brilliant but it let's itself down.

We visited for what must be the 8th time to enjoy what is usually the best lunch and specially the best home made chips we have ever tasted. This was not so on this occasion, they were hard and undercooked. Not being complainers we waited for the waitress to ask us if we enjoyed our meal, on this occasion we felt necessary to complain that not only the chips were not cooked but also found not 1 but 2 hairs on my plate. The waitress apologised perfusly but seemed reticent to tell the chef / landlord until after closing. We also saw snail trails on the carpet and smell of food stays on your clothes. We were happy to put up with this in the past because of the lovely food and we have enjoyed the ambience in recent visits. We feel as we complained to the waitress someone should have come and spoken to us from management.

We popped in for an after work drink and ended up staying and eating!!

had a cooked lunch there on Sunday the 17th December with my family and we were looked after excellently,had a smashing meal, very well cooked and the prices were to match

We stopped here after a walk in the meadows at Newtown. We were greated with a warm and friendly acknowledgement. This is very much a traditional village pub. No glitz and glamour and much the better for it. Locals and "visitors" mixing comfortably together. It was nice and warm with both a log burner and open fire at opposite ends. We both had mixed grills. They were"huge" and delicious!! After a couple of hours it was hard to leave our comfortable corner. We are glad it is open again and hope it goes well for the friendly people running it. We would recommend you pop in if like "tradional old pubs" we will definitely be going back when we go for another walk in the area.

Deliscous, well cooked and well presented generous sized lunch at a sensible price!

A lovely village pub. Cosy with a friendly atmosphere and dog friendly. We had the beer battered cod with chips and mushy peas. Very nice and big portions. Highly recommended

We came to this recently reopened pub on the recommendation of friends who live locally.

My husband & I stopped here on our way back from Cowes, while travelling to Yarmouth. We wish we never had. My salmon steak had many bones in it. I know that fish does contain bones but this piece had an unacceptable amount after a chef had supposed to have filleted it. My salad portion was far too much & I was unable to eat much of it. The salad dressing came in a small pot but the taste was very strong so I couldn't eat much of it. The large portion of homemade mash tasted ok but there was too much butter in it. My husband had a portion of leek & potato soup but it was a very small bowl, & he could only fit in half of his portion of bread. The worst meal of our holiday.

We were staying at the very nearby Horseshoe Cottage (recommended) so a visit or three to the pub (not much else in the village) was essential.

My family were holidaying on the Isle of Wight and were after a pub that served evening meals - without costing a fortune.A search on google led us to this establishment. As we walked through the door we were warmly greeted by the staff and after taking a table we ordered our drinks and 4 meals from the early bird menu - 3 courses for £10.95 (although this was a limited time offer).4, 3 course meals were served and very much enjoyed (even by our fussy 13 and 15 year olds !!) Don't be put off - as others have commented - about the appearance of the pub. An enjoyable experience.

We go out for lunch more often than not, and this is on our list of very nice places to head for. It is a very welcoming pub, with GOOD food! My husband had rib eye steak last week and said how well it had been cooked ( something you do not always find). We would happily recommend, it is good food, in an honest pub, not over charged and in a plastic themed pub.

Popped in for a pint after visiting NT Newtown. Lovely pub just what a pub should be, chatted to locals and a friendly barmaid. Beer was good, barmaid even changed the barrel as what was on was below par. Will definitely visit again cannot fault.

Had a drink on a very hot day, but didn't manage to get back for a meal. Very friendly staff and welcoming atmosphere. Would recommend and menu looked good.

Good pub, good beer and a fine terras in a very small village. Situated on the main road. Diner starts at five.

The SR is like stepping back decades! I'm guessing nothing has changed in 30 years but that's ok because the two most important things.... The people and the food were just right. Good value snacks including very generous cheesy chips like my mum made in the 70's and from the moment we walked in til leaving they couldn't have been more friendly. If you are eating out with anyone who always finds something to moan about this may not be the place to impress but for us it was a welcome change and we will definitely be back soon.

My dad wanted to try this pub out as it had reopened last year. Good pub grub, nothing pretentious. Proper homemade chips with the skin on were the highlight. Two meals for under £15, there aren't many places you can say that about now. One ham, egg & chips & one scampi in a basket (we ordered a side salad as extra to share). Dad liked the ale he had too. Nothing fancy but great for a nice lunch in the garden in the sunshine. And you don't feel like you've been ripped off either!We will definitely go be back.

A lovely old pub. Very friendly people . Food is perfect and very cheap. There serve food in the basket just like the old days will be back again. Beer great and family friendly. Keep up the good work

Popped in on the way home after a drive or and about. The pub itself is very old and I'm site some will say it could do with a makeover. .. all these makeovers are OK but then the pubs loose their character. So as long as it's clean and the paper is on the wall and the ceiling isn't falling down then leave it alone. The choice on the menu is more pub grub food... and that's because it is a pub and not a restaurant. So those of you looking for a romantic full 3 course amazing meal then I suggest you just stop in here for a drink on your way to your destination. Those looking for a quick and very tasty pub meal, which is freshly cooked, not greasy, and enough for the price then definitely. The staff are extremely friendly and is a nice welcome change from previous staff and owners. We will definitely be popping I need again. The chips still had their jackets on, which I loved as not many pubs on the island do this. Anyway pop in and make your own mind up. :-)

Visited this newly re-opened pub, which is a work in progress. The food is basic, soup, sandwiches and of mediocre quality, however saying this, the new owner is lovely and I feel with some updating/upgrading and tweaking the menu it will stand a great chance to succeed. This pub is on the walking and cycling trail, so they will have a great opportunity to provide good grub to willing and gratefull punters. Keep going and the locals and punters will support you.

Friendly bar staff Let down by the menu It's chips chips chips Fish fingers and chips Sausage and chipsCod and chipsScampi and chipsHam egg and chipsPlaice and chipsLasagna and chipsBurger and chipsNo veg ! No other potato choiceI had scampi and chips it was cheap 5 pieces of scampi and chips £5.75 no veg

Had a family meal at this lovely little pub in Porchfield. Food was piping hot, waited a reasonable time for our meals. The food is value for money and the customer service was excellent.

Excellent food, great beer, friendly staff and friendly locals nice atmosphere recommend this pub. Shame it's not in Essex

Cosy, friendly and welcoming atmosphere enhanced by landlady's friendliness. Nice varied menu without being too 'freezer' driven and promotions for early evening dinning.This is a real traditional pub in every sense- subject of recent improvements but done with the locals in mind to preserve it in it's original state - yes a real pub.Lots of adjacent parking & set in small village.

wow we have just had a super meal,well price plenty of it nice and hot.The staff were very friendly made us feel welcome

Perfect spot. Lovely walks and a lovely beer garden out the back for the fmaily need someone to take it over and do event days to keep it running

Called in for a pub lunch only to find it boarded up.Its a shame such a lovely pub has had to close.

Tried a few times to locate this genuine village pub. Not that posh surroundings but very friendly and very dog friendly , staff are mad about dogs . Food was good , better than expected for such a small establishment .

Hi, really sorry I am local and still waiting for the Sportsmans Rest to come up to scratch. Porchfield is a nice little village and the pub should be the hive of activity. We have ventured in a couple of times to eat but the pub had a lot of bikers just standing at the bar so no one could get served. The next time food was not being served. Opening times and the serving of food seem to change. On passing the pub today it looks unloved with paint work needing to be refreshed, untidy,unkept gardens. The car park looks like a scrap yard so over all not very inviting. If it looks scruffy it may be improved inside but first appearances count, such a shame it has so much potential.

We have used this Pub for most of our meals while we have been looking for a house on the isle of Wight, there a great atmosphere there with a very friendly bunch most days. When we move to the Island we will make it our local, this is by far the top pubs we have found so far.

Love this pub. Great food. Friendly staff and locals. Well worth a lunch time visit. Dogs welcome too which is great for my little cockapoo!

My husband enjoyed his steak very much, cooked just what he wanted it. I ate all my lasagne, which tasted lovely. The only thing I didn't like was that the garlic bread that came with the lasagne was too generously cut (it was huge) and too much cheese was lay on the top. But that is just me. Some might like it that way, especially the hungry bike riders.

Used to come her 20 + years ago and thought we'd give it a try. The meal was lovely and couldn't fault it.The pub is a little tired inside and out (needs some TLC) Other than that had a really nice evening and staff pleasant to

A fantastic pub that is still as a pub should be! Great food but still welcoming to drinkers. Gluten Free options including beer. Pub games. Its on the Isle of Wight coastal route so great for walkers, cyclists, etc. Dog and family friendly. Outside seating, large car park. Lovely rural location. If you are fortunate enough to find yourselves here on a Rock n Roll night, then lucky you!

We stopped for lunch here yesterday when out cycling with our group.We were 7, so we had quite a wait but were happy to sit in the garden chatting. There was a big choice of food and it was good with generous portions. The publican was particularly welcoming and helpful.

We booked this place for a meal after reading last review and have to agree what a gem it is.Friendly atmosphere in an old country style pub.We had a lovely meal the veggie option for myself which was excellent. My husband had lamb which was juicy and cooked how he wanted it.Plenty of food on the plate and well presented. We had cycled a long way and were really hungry and it did the job of filling us up. We did have to wait a bit which we didn't mind as it was a sunny Sat. evening.

We discovered this from a book we had on Isle of Wight pubs. Having had a disappointing meal elsewhere the previous evening we went here for a drink lunchtime and after looking at the specials board decided to eat there that evening. We did book a table just in case in got busy as they only do evening meals from 6-8pm. Having read other reviews on Trip Advisor we decided to go for the sirloin steaks for both of us and we weren't disappointed. The only complaint, the meal was huge and we couldn't eat all of it! On the basis of that meal we went back the following night my husband had the liver and I had the steak and ale pie. Another lovely meal!. My husband likes real ale and was not disappointed. They have three on offer. It is a nice friendly pub and it has a cosy feel.

We went over the Easter weekend after reading reviews we decided to give it a try, our food and service were excellent, the roast was fantastic, proper home cooked food and lots of it! I can't wait to go back! Such friendly people and polite efficient staff.

My girlfriend and I decided to eat here, after her friend suggested it. I had the burger with fries, and she had ham and chips. The care that went into the food preparation and cooking was outstanding. With my burger; you could tell it was all local produce, the meat was very lean, juicy and fresh. That's not to mention the size of it. The fries were American style, which gave a sense of occasion to the plate. The salad (which I don't eat normally) had a ripe, fresh taste to it, topped off with thick balsamic vinegar. I can't speak for the ham and chips, but my girlfriend informed me, it was delicious. I tasted some ham, and it was thick, smokey and beautifully cooked. The chips were a different variety than mine; they were thick cut steak home chips, which I think suited the cold ham. We had two pints of diet coke, which we feel were adequately priced. The cost for the food itself was very reasonable, especially for the taste, size and general ethos. I.e local and possibly free range. To top it all off, the service was very friendly and polite. Definitely worth a visit if you're on the Isle of Wight.