The Black Boy in Sevenoaks

Nothing to dislike, friendly with outdoor and indoor eating and drinking space. All completely ok, well cooked food, service ok but food was mediocre given the price, so that’s the reason for 3* as really expect a bit better quality burger for the price.

This pub is just great, the atmosphere was good, just like pubs used to be, great staff, couldn't have done better, polite, friendly, helpful. we had lunch and the food was brilliant, really nice place to visit. We'll definitely be back next time we're in Sevenoaks.

2/5 for the beers and the place, both nice. The food though... Honestly I think it was the worse "pub" food we had in years. The fish and chips was not good at all, with a really weird taste. The peas were almost cold and as if not cooked. Ham and eggs, well, just ham that you can find in a cheap supermarket with lots of fat on it. Chips were ok. We would not recommend it, or just for a drink.

Food portion is very small for its price on the full English and the Avocado on egg. Staff are nice just the quality and portion size is just not great.

Location is good within high st and nice tables and chairs outside. Not vegetarian friendly and don’t even think of changing anything on the menu!! They had egg /chips and ham on the menu. My husband asked if we just have egg and chips! Have bread and butter instead? As we wanted 1 vegetarian meal! Reply was No! We offered to pay for the ham. The waitress had to go and ask the chef / manager! Their reply is they will do it just this once! But will charge for the ham. My husband said fine but put it on a separate plate. They were another discussion about that ! Got the egg /chips and bread / butter eventually. It was a child portion on a tiny side plate, 10 thin chips!! 2 runny oily eggs ? but charged adult price plus extra for bread and butter! Wouldn’t call it a meal !! Honestly a simple meal and simple request was made so complicated!! Won’t be visiting again !!

We grabbed an outside table but had to clear and clean it ourselves as there weren't any staff to ask for this. It didn't spoil our trip, and as time went on, there were plenty of staff, and we were checked on numerous times. We just had drinks to start with - enjoying the weather, the atmosphere and most importantly, the live music from the pop up saxophonist/singer who was amazing and no doubt contributed significantly to the foot fall coming to this particular area. He's what drew us to take a seat! He should be employed!!!! When we did decide to eat, we both ordered from the sandwich menu. I felt disappointed that my friend's plate and portion size was significantly larger than mine. My sandwich was nice and the chips were gorgeous, however, for a 'posh' sandwich, it was quite basic and wouldn't have scored much on masterchef for presentation. A bit of a salad garni, would have made a big difference and when serving sandwiches to the same table, they ought to match in plate and portion size.

Wouldn’t recommend this for a brunch we ordered the breakfast bap with a side order of chips both were Luke warm When Mentioned to the waitress that the chips were not hot … she hovered her hand above e the dish snd said that was the temperature they are served at !! At £5.00 a portion I think they should at least been above warm

Wasn’t sure if the pub was serving brunch when entering as it was quiet with one group chatting to the bar staff which could have easily have been friends. We sat before ordering at the bar. Drinks were served promptly and brunch followed shortly after. Food was good, coffee was small for the price paid.

Fish finger sandwich is dreamy! Pub is really nice inside, it’s in a great location and the staff were absolutely lovely.

7-Oct-23: Good for a quick drink, especially if you can get an outside table in nice weather. Shame they only do Schweppes tonic when there are much nicer ones without artificial sweetener that taste so much better. Aperol Spritz was decent though.

We had a great evening here for our School class parents night out in early December. The pub was buzzing when we arrived with a great atmosphere. Ryan the bar manager greeted us and directed us to an area I had reserved with Will the Landlord as we were having a small Christmas buffet. The food was excellent and plentiful and we were very well looked after by Ryan and the other bar staff especially considering how busy the pub was. Would definitely recommend

We went to this pub on the strength of the reviews. I would not go again. I found the staff rude and dismissive and the food not good value at all. The chips are what I call lazy chips, skin on fries. The ham was one slice cut into 4 and layered to look like more. Eggs were snotty. The other diners with me were equally unimpressed. Food is over priced and underwhelming. I've had far better and more reasonably priced in roadside cafes and the staff were more amiable too.

Okay place for a drink I was not impressed with the cleanliness of the table. Nice selection of cocktails and wines. Service was ok

Nice friendly staff and dog friendly but the food left a lot to be desired? 2 of us had the meat pie which was quite nice but the very small portion of mashed potatoes and even smaller portion of vegetables left a lot to be desired! The gravy was very thin and watery and it was £13.95 so not good value for money! The other had a cheddar cheese burger which was better. There was no fish and chips as the fish had run out and no blackcurrant juice for the soft drinks that two of us wanted! Coffees not too bad though. Probably won’t eat there again whilst shopping though!

Visited as a quick pop in for a bite to eat and a coffee before going shopping. Had an amazing value for money eggs royale bagel which was delicious. A beautiful design adorned my coffee, good latte art! Bartender was friendly and welcoming and there was a pleasant atmosphere. Definitely worth a visit! L

We decided to have birthday drinks for 9 people on a Saturday night and all was going well until anyone wanted a drink! We had to find someone to serve us, we learnt that if we went to the bar we would find the ‘bar person’ sitting on the stairs just out of view, scrolling on their phone and then to be served, we felt like it was a total inconvenience. At 10pm we were told that they were closing early as it’s not worth their while staying open with only us 9 in the pub. As we were still sitting, drinking making the best out of, the now awkward situation, the lights came on fully, candles were blown out on the tables and the music switched off…we felt very uncomfortable and not welcome. We left and attended another pub that was happy to have our business, but vowed that we will not visit the restoration again. A shame as we were looking forward to the evening. If you are looking for a warm welcome and pleasant relaxing evening…sadly, I would choose elsewhere rather than here. I am sure there are justifications to follow a negative review to ‘save face’ , but this is just an honest, undramatised review of our experience that we wouldn’t like anyone else to have the misfortune of having themselves.

Microwaved food which tasted like cat food. Mash had the texture of cement, gravy was just like brown water just truly disgusting.

Nice little terrace with heaters. Felt lucky to find a table on Saturday afternoon. Friendly, helpful staff. Such a shame they didn't have the menu seen online - they only served three types of sandwiches and loaded chips. The chips weren't very nice as they were sloppy due to too much sauce.

Pubs and restaurants have adopted very different ways of dealing with Covid-19. The management team and staff at The Restoration have clearly made a great effort to keep customers and staff safe. Plenty of hygiene stations are available and social distancing is adhered to. What does this all mean for customers? A pretty safe place to eat and drink in comfort and after my last visit I want to highlight this. We were greeted on arrival by Garry who is part of the management team and courteously shown to a table and our drinks order was taken. Minimum fuss, maximum attention and great table service. Our order arrived in good time and the team are always watchful of customer needs. There was a lovely atmosphere and everyone enjoyed themselves. My congratulations to Garry and the team for a lovely couple of hours at the pub and I certainly look forward to my next visit.

Had a fantastic afternoon today at The Restoration in Sevenoaks. Amazing staff headed by Gary. Friendly, professional welcome under the circumstances. Great food and looking forward to visiting again. So good to see this boozer busy again. Jim Power.

The staff here are amazing, especially in this strange time. They have limited capacity but they were really doing their best to seat people who hadn’t booked, even offering to call them when a table became available. We wanted to sit outside and there wasn’t an available table at first, but Katie let us know as soon we could. My friend got stung by a wasp when we there and we asked Katie for ice and she suggested using vinegar and bought us ice and vinegar right away which really helped. Her and Chelsea were working so hard and were so kind and professional! Will definitely visit again soon because of the staff.

Visited The Restoration for drinks with my partner, staff were very welcoming and recommended a lovely wine & pint. Look forward to our next visit

Correct name change for opening, very Covid19 friendly ample social distancing, Whitstable Bay ale excellent, menu looked interesting for another visit

Amazing staff, brilliantly clean and all felt very reassuring! Safe distancing observed and loved being back! Have to remember to leave by the right door! Thank you Will, Sevenoaks is not the same without you!

I visited with my colleagues for lunch and we all ordered different beers, they have a very decent selection. We also ordered separate lunch dishes and all 4 looked good.Decent amount of food for the money, very nice décor in the heart of Sevenoaks allies.

Last if the great pubs in Sevenoaks, Chelsea the manager is friendly and always laughing... the new food menu has something for everyone and the wine list won’t need a mortgage to have a good bottle of something. Winter time there are warm cosy fires and in the summer a larger terrace area to soak up the warmth. All in all one of the last great pubs... well worth a visit👍

The staff here are lovely, so accommodating. They really make you feel welcome and great with children in the day. The menu is always up to date and has something for everyone and they have a great selection of wines. Best pub in the area!

I’m so glad I chose The Black Boy for my 70th birthday party. With over 70 guests attending, it was a perfect atmosphere. Big enough for everyone to be comfortable but cosy and welcoming.The manager Will couldn’t have been more helpful when I was planning the party and all the staff on the day were most welcoming and helpful.Food was excellent and plenty of it. I had so many thank you messages to say how lovely it was and everyone commented on the food and the staff.We had a guest ‘Elvis’ to entertain us and he had plenty of room to perform and set up his sound systems. Thanks to The Black Boy for a great and memorable day.

I hosted an engagement party here for my daughter just before Christmas and it was a fantastic evening. The staff could not have been more helpful and attentive; had a fantastic atmosphere, was cosy and lively and service was impeccable would definitely recommend.

Visited the black boy often for drinks and have always had a great experience. They have a lovely log fire and great outdoor area with heater. Staff are warm, welcoming and helpful - always happy to call a cab for us or answer any queries. I've come in for food a couple times too, can't recommend their Red Hen burger enough - delicious! Definitely recommend it.

Such a lovely family friendly pub. I love that the children are made to feel so welcome and we can bring the dog. Food is great, service is wonderful and the staff especially the manager are always so helpful! Best pub in Sevenoaks!

Absolutely superb pub, in fact the only place in Sevenoaks that brings a bit of life and soul to the town.. jazz nights on a Sunday evening are a really nice addition. V friendly staff - always serving your drink with a smile and more importantly, quickly

The Manager and all stall were all so very helpful and very polite. Couldn’t do enough for us! Will definitely be back for my 50th Birthday. 🎉🥂😘

Went here for an engagement celebration and had a lovely time staff were amazing and the pub is so cosy and comfortable. Can't wait to go back.

Manager is unpleasant, went out of his way to ensure that final drinks were not available to anyone other than his friends, serving them shots whilst ignoring customers. No loo roll in the toilets.. avoid!

Really charming local pub, staff are very friendly and accommodating. The best pub in Sevenoaks ! ...

Fabulous staff, very friendly atmosphere, great food. Staff are wonderful and are always very welcoming. Great food. I’m a regular here and great place to bring work colleagues and friends for a chilled time. 10 out of 10.

The bar staff were great and really friendly. The food was amazing. £35 for great quality food and there is more than enough for 2 people. Venue is clean and modern.

Absolutely wonderful food and even better bar staff. Can’t rate chelsea and Katy enough for their outstanding service. Would highly recommend.

We had a lovely lunch here with great food and drinks , the best bar/pub in the area , will definitely be returning , thanks to will and the staff

Sevenoaks is blessed with a number of places to take a brunch mid-morning but we hadn't taken the opportunity to pop into The Black Boy until today. It is a pub first off but anybody thinking of a coffee and a full English or scrambled eggs on toast (with this or that) should give it a go.

Visited here recently for lunch. Good atmosphere and quick service. My burger was excellent and good size.

We got married on July the 17th and chose to have a low key ceremony with our nearest and dearest. We've chosen the Black Boy to have our reception afterwards as it was already our favourite pub in the area plus the inside and outside area's are perfect for a function such as this. We could not be happier with the day we've had, the staff at the Black Boy were absolutely amazing, so helpful, friendly and involved. The buffet food was outstanding, all in all they've been a massive factor in making our special day as perfect as it was. Thank you, you've been absolutely brilliant!

Walking around the town for first time called in for a drink. Great atmosphere and full of charm.lots of other watering ho,Es but chose this. And enjoyed our visit

The black boy is instantly noticeable when the sun shines in Seven Oaks square. There is a flood of folks sitting comfortably drink in hand watching as the people pass by.

Apart from being a great pub and excellent food I would like to say a big Thankyou to Chelsey REYNOLDS

Located in centre of Sevenoaks, the Black Boy is an ideal Brunch / Lunch venue..

I hired the Black Boy for a private party. The staff were amazing and couldn’t have done more to help. The food was lovely & thoroughly enjoyed by all the guests. I would highly recommend the Black boy for any private events.

I’ve been meaning to write this review for a while. Me and my husband had our wedding party at the Blackboy and all the staff and management were so helpful and friendly and couldn’t do enough for us. Would highly recommend. Thank you all, best wishes Jok and Hayley

My friend hired out the pub for a private party,the staff were absolutely lovely and so was the food! Would highly recommend!

Staff and management couldn’t have been more helpful when we hired out the pub for a private party. Great venue and no hesitation recommending it for a private event.

Yesterday I held my husbands 40th Birthday party at the Black Boy - it was perfect! Will and his team were amazing, the room was set-up brilliantly to leave a good space for 40-50 people. Food was incredible... the only issue I had was getting people to leave! Thank you again. I would highly recommend for any Birthday’s, Christenings etc...

I booked the black boy for my sons birthday on a Sunday. They were amazing. Nothing was too much trouble. The buffet food was excellent and all the guests thought so. Thank you to will and his staff for making it such a lovely special day!

Service was impeccable, the tapas was flavorsome - we had a great time at the Blackboys and I would highly recommend a visit.

We had a lovely evening here. Such a great atmosphere in the whole place and our waitress (Tasha) was amazing, so friendly throughout the whole evening.

If you're in Sevenoaks then the Black Boy is a good place for a drink and bite. Well kept beer with a decent choice of wine, reasonable prices.

Me and my friends were looking somewhere to have lunch. Walking pass the black boy as it was so cold the fireplace was very inviting The food was good, we had the tapas selection, the service on the other hand not so good very uninviting.

A small group of us went to The Black Boy on their tapas night and it was absolutely amazing. The food and atmosphere was incredible and all the staff did a fantastic job keeping us stocked up with incredible dishes and more importantly, wine!

After a wonder around Sevenoaks we fancied a bite to eat and came across The Black Boy. As we walked in I was very surprised, comfortable sofas and a big open fire to greet us. The menu had more then enough to suit all tastes but we both went for the brunch (a full English breakfast) this was superb, fantastic flavour and I would say freshly cooked. My wife wanted to change couple of items of her meal and this was done without an issue.

Attended a best friends 60th on a Sunday evening which is available for private hire. Lovely evening, lovely food and atmosphere. Top notch.

Popped in for a quick drink with a friend. Never been before.

Will and his team are superb - nice friendly pub and great food! Would highly recommend a visit here.

Recently visited The Black Boy on a Saturday for food and drink with my family at lunch time! We enjoyed the lovely tapas selection which the Manager kindly advised us on what was best to eat as well as the appropriate amount to order as there were quite a few of us eating. The food came out very quickly and did not disappoint (I highly recomend the prawns). The Black Boy is a welcoming pub with friendly staff suitable for families during the day, it is a firm favourite for my family and I! Definitely the place to go in Sevenoaks whether for food in the day or a good drink in the evening! Could not recommend enough!

Thank you to Will and his team for an excellent Sunday afternoon, a fantastic day and made so easy by the team there, a wonderful first birthday for our son. Looking forward to next year already.

We had a party at the black boy pub today, the pub was amazing. Great venue, great staff and great food. The manager is amazingly helpful and even threw in a raffle prize (meal for two and wine) for the charity day we did. A great day and thank you again!

Great Pub Great Staff and Friendly Manager Buzzy Fun Good food and Great Beer Tasting Nights ! Always Buzzy and Busy Especially At The Weekends

I came to the black boy pub in Sevenoaks for lunch with a few friends. What a lovely experience it was! The lady behind the bar was very attentive and always happy to help - nothing seemed too much to ask (by memory, I think her name was Heather) Lovely setting, and a very central location.

We called in for a drink on a hot day and were agreeably surprised by the selection of wines by the glass. I chose a delicious Chenin Blanc and my partner had Samuel Adams, a beer he hadn’t tasted since daysin California.

Had a lovely brunch with friends. Service was quick. Food was excellent. Heather was very accommodating.

Brilliant service with a smile. Chelsea is the most charasmatic barmaid. A good place to drink in the summer as it is a sun trap.

I went to the Black boy one Friday evening for drinks with some friends. There was a lovely lady behind the bar called Chelsey. She helped us chose a delicious bottle of wine and was so fun and friendly! It was a warm evening so we sat outside and it was a great atmosphere. Chelsey even brought us out some ice for our wine. Would definitely go back this summer!

Visited The Black Boy today after a long drive from central London....to be greeted with a big smile from my server Chelsey. She couldn’t help enough,with great local knowledge & helpful deciding what to eat from the vast menu. She couldn’t help enough...my twin boys were kept entertained whilst we enjoyed our food,cannot recommend this restaurant enough,ask for Chelsey,she made our experience there so much nicer....thanks again,see you Friday on our second visit. PR.❤️

Located at the top end of Bligh's Meadow paved shopping area in Sevenoaks town centre, The Black Boy is an attractive Shepherd Neame pub and restaurant. Inside, the decor is 'classic' pub with comfortable seating including some nice little nooks. There is also a small area for outdoor seating if the weather is fine. The beers are kept well and there's a good selection of ales to choose from. We didn't eat here on this visit but the food looked good. Friendly, pleasant staff too.

Went here today and experienced their new menu & it's absolutely amazing. The best food/value we've had in a long long time, can't wait to go back!

Was really pleased to see and hear that the summer menu had a number of vegan & Veggie options. On chatting to the manager, he was pleased this had been noted and hoped to get more positive feedback. He added suggestions would also be very welcome. Really tasty falafel wrap was enjoyed with a glass of fizz in the sun!

The Black Boy is an excellent venue for a private celebration. It’s available for private hire on a Sunday when they would otherwise be closed. We hired it for our mum’s 70th birthday last week. The manager - Will - was happy to meet with us beforehand to discuss all our needs. Nothing was a problem. We had a buffet catered for us - good food at a good price. We took our own desserts and birthday cake, but the pub provided all the crockery and cutlery we needed. The staff were brilliant from beginning to end. So friendly and helpful. Excellent service, and great value for money. Would definitely recommend.

I hired the pub for my birthday on a Sunday, we had the most amazing day! The staff were fantastic, food brilliant and atmosphere was great! The staff made the day run so smoothly and they really accommodated everything I asked for, I couldn’t of asked for a better venue! They went above and beyond to help make the day special! Definitely a 5 star pub! Thank you to all who were involved

I took my fiancee to this pub on the 20th March as we was in the area. When we walked through the front door, we immediately felt welcomed by the member of staff who took our drinks order.

Stopped for a short lunch break, excellent fresh and tasty fish finger sandwich with salad, staff friendly, accommodating and professional. The type and volume of music was just right. Will definitely visit again.

We had a sandwich lunch which was god value staff friendly. Nice atmosphere, the hot chocolate particularly good.

My fiance and I held our recent engagement party at The Black Boy on 25th February. Thank you so much Will we had the BEST time, and felt that you and your staff couldn't do enough for us! Great venue, decorations, food and drinks, and I would highly recommend holding any sort of celebration there!

Invited to a 50th Golden Wedding Party here on Sunday 18th Feb. Super venue, food, staff were fantastic, coming round with food at just the right time, always with smile! Very clean and tidy. Highly recommend, will be back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Because I work in Sevenoaks. and live near the town it's the best place To meet friends. Have a very nice meal served by very friendly person You will want to come again and again

Very nearly empty on a Monday afternoon but wonderfully warm from a roaring open log fire. Clean and comfy, with...

On a very dismal afternoon what a pleasure it was to walk into The Black Boy! With a roaring fire...

Decided quite last minute to hold a small gathering, 20 or so people. Hayley booked me in and reserved a...

Luckily we managed to find somewhere else for our table of ten. Menu looked so nice, but weirdly not available in the evening. Bit odd taking an evening booking for 10, but not telling us there is only a small selection of bar snacks on offer in the evening..

I have not eaten here so can't confirm standard of food. It's more of a meeting place but good for sitting outside and people watching. Good selection of wines for all price range but I do think their house wine is a bit pricey for what it is. It tends to be pricier drink wise due to it's central location, I think. Good heated outside area though.

Good place for a lunch on a work day - often pop down with colleagues for a quick respite. Great customer service, homely friend feel a favourite of the office!

A great pub and a Venue to meet friends. A welcoming landlord and polite staff.

We hired The Black Boy out on a Sunday for a joint Birthday party, it was amazing! Staff were excellent, drink selection was great. The food was lovely and plentiful! We could not fault it in anyway!! Highly recommended!!!

Thank you Will, for the great time we all had at my & my granddaughter’s birthday party! With all the children involved it could’ve been hard work but it went really smoothly- food was delicious & flowed freely, both hot & cold - venue was clean & tidy, until we got there anyway! - staff, attentive, polite & efficient. All in all we’d recommend the Black Boy very highly- a great venue for sole use on a Sunday. Thanks again Will.

The Black Boy closes on Sundays for private parties and we recently had our daughter's christening party there and I have to say it was the best day ever. We had the whole pub for the day and a selection of delicious food. There are two buffet menus to choose from and very reasonably priced. Everyone commented on how nice the food was and William the manager and his staff were fantastic - they couldn't have done enough for us. We highly recommend having a party here - we will definitely look into having more celebrations at The Black Boy. Thank You William for everything - we look forward to coming back to the pub again soon!

Great little meet'n'greet to catch up with friends or if you just fancy a drink or two. The bar staff are attentive and you don't have to wait long to be served. Nice little venue to hire for birthday parties and christenings and the catering for these events is not to shabby either.

We visited this pub for the first time and were not disappointed. The guy behind the bar was very friendly and kindly informed my husband when he ordered the drinks that if he wanted food he would need to order it soon as they stopped serving at 3pm. We both ordered sandwiches together with a generous portion of chunky chips. The sandwich was very fresh and tasty.

After a few hours visiting Knole House we were desperate for a cold beer and saw this one on the way so decided to come back to it.Excellent service, fast, friendly and helpful. Bottled beers were ice cold, perfect! We sat outside in the sun and was a very pleasant area to relax. We were too late for food unfortunately and we were interested in coming back for a Sunday roast at some point but they dont offer this which is a real shame and the only reason I didn't give it 5 stars. Would come back again for drinks though.

Popped in hear to meet some friends for a drink prior to dinner. Reasonably priced. Great selection and so quick to get serviced.Everyone we encountered, both staff and customers alike, had a smile on their faces!Well worth a visit.I'm starting to Instagram all the places I review soon, so if you want to follow, I'm at MelM01. Please feel free to ask any questions. Cheers

Never eaten here, but often pop in for a drink and have noticed that there is usually a nice mix of young and older drinkers . Plenty of seating and friendly bar staff , very convenient for cinema and shops . Seating outside away from road .

Held my husbands surprise 40th birthday party at the Black Boy pub in Sevenoaks and we had the most incredible time! Thank you so much to Will and his team, so helpful and communicative, right from booking all the way through to the night itself, incredible customer service, very friendly and flexible - we even had a band! Food was great, lots of compliments from my guests, esp the hot buffet finger food - Staff went over and above, even prepping bread and butter for one fussy guest!! Honestly had the most incredible night, 40 adults and 25 kids, perfect venue for an intimate party - set back from the main road and within the pedestrianised area so its great for families. Highly recommend. Believe its Selected Sundays only for private hire so best to book early.

I very recently had my 30th birthday celebration here and I was blown away at how amazing everyone was here from start to finish. Upon arrival they let me decorate with anything I liked (and I brought many many bags full) then served the delicious food along with walking around to my guests offering them food on platters. At the end the staff team helped clear up - alot of what i wasnt expecting them to such as food boxes i had provided for kids so that we were all set to leave prepared. They even let us leave behind a few items and collect the next day as we were rather tipsy from the evening so it was very helpful. This venue really ticked all the boxes and allowed me to have one of my best birthday celebrations to date. Special mention to Kate who was very helpful and the other waitress working that evening.Thank you again