The Bear Inn in Swale

All you need a drink in cosy atmosphere and this place is providing you that. Good service and nice location in pretty street of a pretty town.

The Bear is an absolute gem across the board. The food is extremely reasonably priced and doesn’t disappoint (I could eat a bucketful of the pork belly bites). The staff were amazing, super friendly and the pub has a wonderful welcoming feel.

Had a fantastic meal. Old fashioned steak and ale suet pudding and veg. Never have we had a pie/pudding with so much meat. Huge chunks of steak. We could not finish it, it was so big. Highly recommend. Good range of beers.

This was our first visit to The Bear and we really impressed. The staff and, I think, the landlady, were very attentive and welcoming from the start. My husband was brought samples of two different beers so he could decide what he preferred and they were fabulous with our two young sons. They prepared a sald for my mum, despite it not being on the menu and made a child's version of one of the adult puddings for my son. I couldn't praise them more highly.

Been here many times over the last 20 years. But wouldn’t consider myself a regular. Attended one evening with friends. Made the mistake of saying the work s*it and got promptly told off by the bar man who said they have a no swearing policy and promptly threatened to bar me. I honestly thought it was a joke, being an educated, polite person with a professional career who has managed to reach the age of almost fifty and never ever been in trouble! Despite saying said swear word. And having only said just this one word. Not in a loud drunken way ( this was a pro social group of middle aged couples who were sitting enjoying a chat and a drink). But no it was not a joke. Which I quickly realised when upon laughing I was then threatened with the manager.who then promptly appeared to bang on at me about no swearing. I said I’d been here numerous times and never heard of this policy. To which the manager started pointing at my friend - saying she recognised him as a regular but not me! It was quite frankly a remarkable experience and the attitude from the landlady was very very rude. In fact the whole incident was so bizarre it was akin to a Monty python sketch. We all kept waiting for the punch line. I responded with the word I had said on one occasion and how ridiculous this was. However apparently it’s no swearing and that’s it. What a bore. If only I’d said the C and F word now. At least I could’ve got a few good ones in and gave them a real shock. Apparently the local rugby team can come in and clearly drink till they’re peed and obviously they never swear…. . ! Think of the slaughtered lamb in American werewolf in London. Except I am from Faversham and have been in the pub many times. Think this was more the issue - if you’re not a regular you can’t swear ( eg they don’t care if they’re rude to you as they think your continued custom doesn’t matter and if you do swear you are immediately labelled as trouble and must be threatened with being barred!) sadly I don’t even class the s word as swearing . Probably says something about me. But then I don’t give an S. Our Australian friends were amazed. Clearly woke has not reached Australia as yet. Will never come in here again. What a load of uneducated and discriminative wallys running what is a really historic and lovely looking pub.

My wife and I visited for lunch today. We had no idea what to expect, but it was recommended to us by a local shop keeper. The food was lovely and the staff were very friendly. We had 2 mains plus a side of onion rings (which were amazing), 2 deserts and 2 cokes. I was surprised when the bill came and it was only £41. Exceptional value for the quality and quantity of food. If we are visiting Faversham again we will be back!

Sunday lunch. Food ok but quite small portions. That was fine. The main problem was no heating. There's a working fireplace but this wasn't in use. We had to sit with coats on as dining room area was draughty. Seems a bit tight-fisted.

My three compasnions and I enjoyed a lovely lunch at The Bear today. I can certainly recommend suet steak and kidney oudding and lime cheesecake ! Pleasant pub atmosphere, they were busy but we were unhurried. Thanks and will return.

This is always our go-to pub when we visit Faversham. Love the atmosphere here. it really feels like you have gone back in time. Service is always good. Lots of locals seem to be in here. Food is usually spot on, and they have a good range of drinks.

Great service and fantastic beer served 🍺

Beautiful old school pub very cosy lots of wood.......

Popped in for a pint or two. Lovely dark mild on tap as well as many other great beers. Cosy, stained glass. Didn't eat, so I can't comment on food.

Great local pub with reasonably priced bar meals

The Bear is my favourite pub in Faversham. Always friendly and has a real cosy feel to it. Perfect to spend a few hours chatting with friends.

Only there for drinks but atmosphere is always good

1st time visit! Yet to eat, impressive basic ,apparently home cooked menu! Looks promising, nice welcome! Proper pub,no plastic bits! Old school! Like it👍

Lovely surroundings and a really smashing roast dinner, puddings and drinks for a double birthday celebration. The staff and service are always great here but they outdid themselves this time - thanks for a really enjoyable afternoon 🙂

Stopped off in Faversham and decided to try a pint of Shepherd Neame Ale, the oldest brewery in UK. Popped into the Bear Inn which has been a pub for over 300 years. The interior is that of an old traditional ale house with a snug and bar reminiscent of the 1950s which was charming. It was a real treat to have a pint in such a realistic old pub and the pint was excellent.

It is a fascinating place with three bars. A public bar, a snug, and a saloon bar. It is full of character, and you are served excellent beers and spirits by good bar staff. Loved this place.

Unfortunately, when I ordered a drink then tap my card that I had on the side rather than waiting for me to put my card to the machine. I think it was quite rude and would not come back.

I just love this pub! Food, service and atmosphere are always perfect in an old characterful building. Reasonable prices, no frills just a good old fashioned pub. Recommend booking for Sunday lunch as always popular and on our last visit the super lovely chef came out of the kitchen to talk to me about vegan options which I really appreciated, thank you!

Wonderful traditional old pub. Great location in the centre of this ancient market town.

A nice customer was kind enough to buy myself and my friend drinks. The waitress who served us the drinks was also very nice. However, when I went inside and asked to use the loo the man at the bar was very rude towards me and assumed that I wasn’t a customer because somebody else had bought me a drink. I also told him that I was mask exempt because of a medical condition, and he denied me access to the loo because I didn’t have a mask with me. No other pub in London gave me any trouble like this when I told them I am medically exempt from wearing a mask. It wasn’t until my friend walked in and handed him the drink glasses explaining that we had drinks bought for us that he let me use the loo. EDIT: I WENT BACK TODAY and the service was excellent! I had a delicious panini with tomatoes and mozzarella. My friend had garlic and mushrooms. Good food for only £16 between the two of us for cranberry drinks.

Great pub in the market place. Cosy and traditional. Staff are friendly and helpful

Thoroughly enjoyed a recent visit to The Bear Inn. Well kept cask ale including the seasonal offering, although only two on at a time which was a little surprising. A good lunch selection, very pleasant environment and friendly and helpful staff. Toilets small and could do with some modernisation. Recommended!

Very well priced. 4 of us ate for less than £50. Nice one

It would be a much better pub if it was dog friendly and didn’t have people like lyn Hayward in there .We are in a world now where dogs are a huge part of families life’s if kept on a lead and under control like you do children then cannot see why it’s a problem

Great pub in the centre of Faversham.

Went in for a quick lunch woth my two kids and everything was great

Best bangers and mash I've had in ages

Proper pub right in the middle of Faversham

This pub is in the market square in Faversham. The best ploughman's lunch and very reasonable prices! Will return (regularly)😁👍The manager was very helpful and friendly as were all staff.

Such a great little pub with so much history, Master Brew was great, bar staff were so friendly and said good bye when we left.

Such a great little pub with so much history, Master Brew was great, bar staff were so friendly and said good bye when we left.

Lovely food, friendly service and great ambience. I particularly love the steak pudding and the fruit crumble. The stained glass in the doors is gorgeous.

Made the Absolute most of a Spare 90mins...Popped-in ,made Welcome 🙏🏾 🤗 & enjoyed a good old fashioned English pub , which isn't trying to be anything other than What it is 😃...Thank you to everyone both Staff & Locals 😍 Takeaway Eggs were the icing on the Cake 🎂 Happy Days Matt 😀

Friendly staff, traditional English pub, cosy place & nice drink & food. Plus if you are into bears, the name of inn and decoration are the same topic. Will defo have a sip of ales and grab some foods again when I visit Faversham.

Been a handful of times but on my most recent visit was in my own conversation with my dad and brother and was rudely interrupted by a barmaid who tried telling us off like school children about swearing as apparently it is a non-swearing pub. Bear in mind it was 11pm on a Saturday no children around, shocked, we apologised then proceeded to discuss how that is a ridiculous rule for a pub to which then the bar man then butted in and told us if we didn’t like the rule we could leave as it has been a rule in the pub for 20 years which is a complete lie as we knew the previous owner. There were no signs up or any type of information that mentioned this rule so we were supposed to have just known. Very rude do not come here plenty of better pubs in faversham.

Nice little pub with cosy fire in rear lounge.

Very friendly and excellent menu choice of real bar food

Great pub served with great kindness. Thank you very much. I hope to return in the future 😎

Great beer,great food and great service...

Excellent, atmospheric pub in Faversham that sells great food and great beer. My family and I popped in today on the off chance that we could get some food. The bar staff couldn't have been more helpful, getting us seated within 5 minutes. A decent selection of food on the menu with good choices for vegans. I went for the fisherman's pie which was really tasty, served with veg that were cooked perfectly. As the pub is near Shepherd Neame brewery there is a lot of SN beer on tap, a point of Bear Island IPA and a point of Bear Island Lager washed the food down lovely. The pub is in a building that dates back a few hundred years, low ceilings, roof beams and an open fire added to the charm. 4 mains, 2 cokes and 3 pints for under £65, I thought was great value for money, taking into account how great the food was. I'm starting guitar lessons in Faversham so will definitely be back.

My great uncle and aunt were licencees of The Bear from 1930 until their retirement in the 1940s. One of their nephews then became licencee. From time to time my Dad and uncle used to take me there on Sunday mornings when I was in my teens. We always went in one of the snugs. Yesterday I had the opportunity to visit again for the first time in very many years. We went in the very same snug. Thankfully it hadn't changed. It was like stepping back 65 years. The landlord welcomed us very warmly and showed me my great uncle's name on a list of past licencees. The food was excellent and the welcome first rate. Thank you and long may The Bear stay the way it is.

Lovely old world pub located at the Market Square.

Had Christmas lunch, first class food, lovely area to ourselves. Service excellent, friendly and good break between courses. Would highly recommend. Well done to all at The Bear.

Lovely pub. Warm cosy atmosphere and great local beer.

A proper pub. Great atmosphere great beers and brilliant staff. A must visit if in Faversham

Stopped in for a couple of drinks after the cinema. Fabulous as always. Loving the Christmas decorations.

Simple food done well. Pleasant staff and full but not overly busy

A lovely traditional pub. Not themed or spoilt. Highly recommend.

I really enjoyed our visit to the Bear Inn. I love the layout with its different bar areas. The staff were really friendly and welcoming. We also had a bit of food at lunch. I would highly recommend the pork belly bites they were amazing! I would definitely come back and try some other dishes off the menu!

The Bear does it again! Brilliant Saturday and Sunday lunch. If they had rooms, we could just move in. To top it all, lovely roast potatoes just put on the bar, no charge, for everyone to enjoy. If you want to experience a proper home cooked British meal you need to go no further than The Bear. Great selection of beer and wine. Real sense of family run establishment. How lucky we are to have this marvellous boozer on our doorstep.

Great atmosphere, service and food. Enjoyed it very much and will return in the future, hopefully.

Great pub in the mat square faversham

Excellent traditional pub with 3 separate bars good beer

Attended the local quiz night, amazing value for money and a really fun night.

Honest spit n sawdust local with friendly service and good beer. No food served so no rating

Cosy little ancient pub in Faversham with an enchanting snug bar. There are several unique sections to this ye olde pub, and you can hide yourself away in a little nook or share a small space with fellow patrons, while being served by delightful and chatty staff. Highly recommend.

Cheep and cheerful Sunday lunch. I had the pork and apple sauce baguette which came with roast potatoes and gravy. Was tasty, staff were super friendly.

Quaint old pub with lots of small rooms Visited during the Hop festival Pub full of Pearly Kings and Queens and do those guys know how to party

Ein klassischer Sunday Roast auf dem Marktplatz umgeben vom Flohmarkt, es war eine wirklich schöne Atmosphäre, und es hat geschmeckt.

As always, great service, lovely food, nice atmosphere and superb pint

Dropped in for lunch but the place was heaving, most tables were full or reserved, we found a small spot and ordered, lovely food not any cheap rubbish well presented and delicious.

Excellent attentive service, excellent hot fresh food, fabulous cold wine, one of the best Sunday lunches we have had for a long time, highly recommend x

No nonsense and reasonable. Could be more imaginative beer wise.

I've been to the Bear on numerous occasions, it is a lovely pub right in the town centre. I can't fault the pub, however on our last visit I found the attitude of the bar staff to be poor. We asked to speak to the landlady and were firmly told she had gone upstairs and wasn't available. A real shame.

Nice selection of dishes, although being Sunday we went for the roast which was delicious. Near the Market Square of Faversham so best to park up by the swimming pool and walk through.

When You are here in Faversham have a rest at the bear inn! Simply good! This pub is so wonderful British! We were glad to be here. ...and taste the glorious SHEPHERD NEAME, which comes from here! As a German I like a good beer - especially Pilsner, but when I'm in England I only drink local! Of course! On my first England trip many years ago SHEPHERD NEAME was the first English beer I ever had, unforgettable! "Spitfire" is my favorite but a Master Brew is also very nice! AND: Don't drink when You must drive!!

Cracking pub in the heart of the market town Faversham. We went for a thene night of mixed cuisines. We were met with a smile and a beautiful.pint of Whitstable Bay was being poured. We sat at the table and the food came out. French onion soup, calamari and pigs in blankets. Main - Risotto, bratwurst and steak pie with mash. Dessert - Pistachio brulee, ice cream expresso, waffle with chocolate and strawberry. Great price, good food and amazing service. Thankyou to the team at the bear 🐻. Will be back again.

Charming period pub close to the Brewery.

Great little Find in Rochester.. The staff were very Friendly and the Food was Great and Very Fresh.. Especially the Fish and chips.. Definitely be Returning..

Very welcoming public house. Loads of character with good menu and nice staff

Wow has to be one of the most friendliest pubs ever. Top class staff, well informed re wine choices, they got it just right. BUSY EASTER SATURDAY THANK YOU. X

This really is a lovely olde worlde in the centre of Faversham. Lots of small bars including a snug. It's a crying shame that more ancient pubs haven't survived the ravages of"progress" as the Bear Inn has. On my visits I've seen Master Brew, Whitstable Bay Pale and the odd seasonal special on offer. Why can't Sheps offer a regular stronger cask beer? Or offer decent guest ale. Only just made 4 stars for being a classic pub. Wouldn't take too much to make it a comfortable 4-5. Update: December 2022 - fantastic pint of Sheps' Christmas Ale - extra thumbs up.

The Bear isn't your standard pub. It's a collection of little nooks and snugs surrounding a bar. It's cosy and welcoming, like a warm duvet on a cold night. I'd happily visit The Bear again.

Great pub, lovely atmosphere and staff. Beers really good too. And update, it’s even better than 3 years ago. Such a nice pub.

Great beer and the food was brilliant

Don't have the sausage and chips. Sausages were black as the ace of spades. Came out with peas swimming in a bowl of gravy. Good job I like gravy. Did eat it but presentation was awful. Really friendly staff, atmosphere was friendly. Will go again but won't have the sausage and mash.

First time i visited this pub , excellent service with friendly staff, typical pub grub, well presented .

Very good traditional food at a reasonable price.

I met up with two gentlemen I served in the Army with. We had our wives with us and a reserved table. From the moment we arrived the landlord and his staff made us feel very welcome and could not do enough for use. We all enjoyed the meal which was professionally presented, well cooked and a good portion. The drinks were excellent and fairly price, something I have grown to expect in a Shepherd Neame pub. Well done to all the staff at the Bear in Faversham and thank you for making our little reunion all the better. We will be back.

Decent pints average food and sexy bears what more could you ask for hehe 😜

A little gem food topclass and the staff what a welcome another topclass gem

Lovely staff and best suet pudding ever

Real pub with traditional interior. This local small pub serves a small range of Shepherd Name beers both cask and keg. Food is home cooked. I recommend the roast dinner, chocolate brownie and fruit crumble.

Great lunch lovely and hot. Good service friendly staff

A lovely pub, with different bar areas, including a snug, great service, atmosphere and music.

Brilliant friendly staff. Very helpful and polite. Nice cosy pub

Really nice cosy Shepherd Neame pub. Helpful staff. Food is really nice and good value. Recommended.

Lovely friendly atmosphere and service.

Beautiful pub but with most miserable barmaid in town. Have to complain about short measure every single time. Topped up but with very bad grace.

A very nice place. Outside seating on a fine afternoon can't be beaten! Tasty food available and reasonably priced.

A great historical pub in the middle of the Faversham market place, not far from the Shepherd Neame brewery. The pub is divided into different sections which makes it a bit more private and personal, meaning you can choose a table more suited to your particular preferences (either surrounded by people or in a quieter more secluded area). There are oak beams and lots of traditional features as well as the the usual selection of fantastic Shepherd Neame beers on offer. There is also a small outdoor space with tables and chairs outside the pub for the warmer months and the bar staff were all nice and friendly. We have been to this pub many times and there is always a good atmosphere and I would definitely recommend it, if you are in the area.

proper ld school pub, public bar, snug and saloon, beers good and staff friendly.

Fantastic service and super Food! Would definitely recommend. Lovely relaxed homely feel. The Guy running it couldn’t be more helpful. Shame we live over 100 Miles away as we would be regulars.

Sadly do not share the many positive reviews of others as regards this establishment. Surly staff just too off putting.

One of the nicest, quirkiest, more traditional pubs you'll find. Not the most capacious because of the unique layout, with several bars inside. But the staff are great, landlady and landlord really friendly and the beer is good 👍 And great value roasts on a Sunday. Thoroughly recommend.

Top Ten all-time favourite pub in the world!. Great location, unique structure & interior, excellent beer (of course), warm & friendly welcome and good food selection at really good prices.

Great local. Best sausage baggy I have ever had.