The Black Horse in Ashford

place recently changed owners i read, and i felt that it also showed. bit weird to have to pay upfront in local place when it’s not that busy. soup was nice but was cold. staff was super friendly though. might give them some time to get used to their new place. it clearly has potential. and food that i saw on other tables looked good.

Ordered and paid for our meal at 12.45pm. Soup arrived cold and had to be sent back. At approx 1pm we were told that the kitchen was prepping for a pre-booked party of 20 and there would be a 20 minute delay for our food. This ended up being a 40 minute wait. We had not been advised about this situation when ordering and paying. No compensation was offered. We will not be returning.

Such a cosy pub! So happy it’s open and running. The bar staff member was kind and welcoming. 🌳 parking is at the front and behind the pub 🌳

Our first visit to eat at the recently reopened Blackhorse. We booked a table for 8 friends for Sunday lunch yesterday and we weren’t disappointed. Food was great and the atmosphere spot on. The place was just filled with smiles and laughter. Well done to Sammy, Andy and the team. So good to get our lovely village pub back!

Only drank shandy. Lovely pub, great staff, good shandy

WOW WOW WOW What an amazing experience at the black horse, we was greeted by the most welcoming owners and able to choose our own seats meaning as a couple we wasn’t just plonked in a corner and forgotten we instead was waited on hand and foot!! The food was delicious 😋 I had the bubble and Quack which was fabulous (the duck yolk was ooozing) and my husband had a spicy bean mix with a GIANT pork chop. A great value for money and accompanied by great service from all the staff. They even gave poppy (our Labrador) some treats so she felt at home

Amazing food! this is spicy bean and chorizo stew with pork chop Lovely atmosphere 🫶

Ordered the chicken roast and was served raw chicken after a 40 minute wait. It was replaced, but with half the original food - no Yorkshire pudding, two tiny potatoes, missing veg. Spoke to the manager, who was very nice, and asked for a new and whole meal. New meal came, they forgot the Yorkshire pudding again. Two potatoes again that were inedible, could barely get my knife through, just hardened lumps. They finally brought a Yorkshire pudding, it was dead cold. My companion had a nice meal but this was by far the worst roast I've ever had in over 100 pubs visited in England.

We were so excited that the pub was opening again but very disappointed. It definitely has gone back to being a pub and certainly not a restaurant. We booked a table for lunch on Sunday and we were shown to our table. We waited and waited for somebody to come to ask us about drinks nad give us a menu. The waitress walked past several times just ignoring us. The pub was empty except for a few drinkers outsidse. I finally went up to the bar to be told it was bar service. They gave us menus and we ordered our food at the bar. They brought a plate of bread, olives and pate to the table. The bread was stable, the pate just out of a packet and olives (they were delicious) The main courses we had were awful. One of my guests had ordered the chicken and it was under-cooked, bloody and inedible and had it been eaten, they would have fallen ill. We asked instead for the breast of chicken and all they did was return the chicken that we had complained about. Had my guest eaten it, they would have fallen ill. I had the vegetarian option which was inedible, as was that of my other guest. It was a vegetable wellington with roast potates (overcooked) vegetables, overcooked and soggy and a yorkshire pudding (cold). We picked at our food and left the majority on our plates. I went to the counter to pay for the food and spoke to the Manageress. I told her that we were very disappointed in the meal and she was very defensive and told me "that's your opinion" I was trying to give some feedback that I thought would have been useful, however, I was made to feel that I was being difficult. We have been living in Pluckley village for over 60 years and this outing to our local pub was incredibly disappointing.

Oh dear, a bad day. It was a very long wait for the food, around 70 + minutes. The portion size was below average along with the meat quality. The roast potatoes were roasted to a point where they had no centre left in them. I wish you all the best, and I will return, but only for beer and crisps..but first impressions do count.

Not a perfect start. We had a table booked at 1200 and it appeared that the owners had just arrived and were a little disorganised. The young man hoovering was very helpful though and was the star of the whole meal. We also were not told in advance that there was a limited menu due to a staff party. Things did quickly improve though, and the food arrived quickly and the service became good. A few things could be looked at. Do you really need a WiFi password that long! Although we were allowed to pay at the end of the meal, the normal arrangements seem to be that you pay as you order. I've seen this in busy city centre pubs, but not in village pubs. Is it really necessary. Do you have runners? Plenty of free parking which is excellent, and it's a wonderful looking building. I wish the new owners all the best in their new venture. We need to keep local pubs open, this is partly why I'm being slightly generous with the scores.

I’m so pleased it’s reopened. May I suggest everyone visits to keep local businesses safe and historically in place. Great atmosphere drink & food glorious.

Fabulous to finally see the Black Horse Pub back up running again and offering what the public has been waiting for is wholesome freshly cooked homemade english pub food again. Menu small at the mo but have only recently opened. Great customer service too. Lovely to see the new owners are open & seeking customers ideas/suggestions for food options for the future. We'll definitely be back! 😃

Stopped for drinks, stunning building and said to be very active with hauntings. Didnt pick up on anything. Only had drinks but friendly staff who served well

Just reopened so we were lucky. Nice atmosphere and very friendly staff. The burger was excellent. Defitely worth a visit.

The Black Horse is under new management and it's absolutely A1. We ate inside and shared pulled pork tacos and then both had the Ghost Buster Burger. The burgers are made in house and are not shipped in and they were sensational. We will be back and we can't wait !

We chose a sunny day to try this very old and haunted pub under new management. We shared pulled pork tacos which were absolutely delicious and then we both had a Ghost Buster Burger. The burgers are made in house and NOT bought in and you could tell, they were sensational. We will be back for more of the same or to try other dishes that are on the menu. This really was top drawer !

Newly opening Saturday 14th September. Had a private preview & is amazing. Garden looks incredible too. New management & they have made a huge effort into reopening this beautiful pub.

Recommend this very highly ,excellent food and service

This pub is wasted closed it’s right on my doorstep and it’s gutting to see a beautiful pub building with a rich history shut …. Again. The last owners were definitely not the right fit. This pub needs to go back to a pub restaurant where you can go for a quiet drink and enjoy the winter atmosphere and also enjoy traditional English food at a reasonable price. If I had the money I would buy it tomorrow and reinstate its rich past.

Great place. Would highly recommend! We booked for a special birthday celebration and were not disappointed!

Great food, lovely atmosphere and good service. We will be back.

The food was delicious and the service was incredible! Would recommend this restaurant to anyone.

Brilliant food and excellent service, the best restaurant around.

Excellent vegetarian menu. Unusually good range and all great taste.

Excellent food service and ambiance. Our first visit but it truly won t be our last !. Thoroughly recommend 👌.

Great service and gorgeous meal never disappoints

Excellent restaurant, wonderful staff great food.

Another fantastic dining experience at The Bay Horse. The menus are extensive for both food and drinks whilst at the same time maintaining exceptional quality. We had scallops as starters which were cooked to perfection. The fillet steak exuded quality and in our experience is the best for miles around. The vegetarian option was beautifully presented and incorporated an impressive range of textures. The professionalism of the staff who served us was outstanding, they were knowledgeable, helpful, efficient and the attention to detail was spectacular. Absolutely faultless staff which really enhanced the experience.

This is a yearly meeting with friends from Kensington - we had a lovely afternoon at the Bay Horse and now looking forward to the same again next year. Huge thanks Robert Hillary - Darlington

The food was delicious, served warm and very beautifully. Staff were very nice, attentive but not intrusive. The menu was varied and it was difficult to choose as everything sounded so delicious! For such high quality, delicious food the prices were very reasonable. My husband appreciated the local gin choices as well.

What a fabulous find! Everything was lovely- good food, great wine list, excellent attention to detail!! The dessert tasting plate was a delightful and innovative way to finish the meal! Will definitely be back!!

Every mouthful was a taste sensation. Superb! All four of us had a wonderful meal and the service was very attentive all night.

Excellent for a birthday lunch as always . Perfect portion sizes .

Excellent food. Good value given quality. Friendly and helpful service. Would highly recommend.

Traditional Village pub with open fire fine dining with plenty of options for all.

Excellent food and service Can’t fault it, will definitely return

Went for 80th birthday meal, food and service were great Would highly recommend

Another excellent meal at the bay horse. Food cooked to perfection and taste outstanding. Excellent attentive staff with good knowledge of the menu. Definitely returning

Superb atmosphere with roaring open fire very welcome on a cold wet night. Not cheap especially £4.00 extra for a pepper sauce after spending £39 on a fillet steak but a great night nonetheless.

Ordered the Coley fish and Sirloin roast as mains. The presentation of the Coley was along the lines of Michelin standards. while the presentation of the Sirloin was more typical Sunday roast. The vegetables were served separately and are outsanding in quality, taste and presentation. I have had many pub-served roast dinners and this is the first venue that has consistently served genuinely crispy roast potatoes. The service was effcient and friendly. The experience was a little short of perfect, however. The Sirloin was patchy in terms of quality, tender parts with more gristle than desired. While the Yorskshire puddings are massive, and of a fair quality, they could be crisper on the outside and chewy on the inside instead of chewy all the way through. The food is well above average and they charge commensurately. My biggest gripe would be that they impose a service charge that looks to be greater than 10%. They state on the bill that it is optional, but the total includes it. So, if you were paying by credit card, you would have to ask them to revise the bill before presenting your card if you were not happy. I understand why they might do this, but I still feel it is poor form. Maybe a good reason to pay by cash!

Great Sunday lunch Lovely food Tip top service

Excellent meal served by super staff - a little on the expensive side

The Bay horse is a lovely place. Well decorated and comfortable, with tables well separated. The food from the al la carte menu was excellent. 3 of us had the fixed menu. Starters were very nice, but the peasant main was over cooked,tough and dried out. We had to ask for steak knives to cut it. Shame, as the other main looked nice and I wish I had ordered that instead. The puddings were very good too. A most pleasant meal in all. Not cheap, along with 12.5% gratuity.

Best food and service in or around Darlington. Lunch was excellent and we paid 25 pounds for 3 course set menu. Will be returning soon.

Excellent wide choice on the menu. The drinks menu is also extensive and as the driver I appreciated the chance to try a non alcoholic sparkling Chardonnay. The service was friendly and prompt. We are repeat diners but we took two new friends and they thoroughly enjoyed it. The food was excellent and it was busy enough to make it feel lively but not too noisy.

Excellent cordon bleu cuisine at The Bay Horse as usual. My first choice of restaurants in my area for special occasions.

Excellent meal - just what we wanted and the service by the young team was exemplary

Fabulous food and excellent customer service - we will be returning .

Lovely meal, well priced, beautiful venue and staff very welcoming

Excellent food. Warm and welcoming service. Informative and able to provide recommendations

Superb service, impeccably, delicious menu, Beautiful place, where staff go the extra mile. Thank you for a marvellous afternoon!

Food excellent. Menu outstanding with a wide variety. I started with crab which was fantastic. Main course of belly pork also outstanding. So good that we were talking about it the next day. Service was good, friendly and helpful. Only failing was speed of getting starter onto the table; for which they apologised, without comment from us. If they had kept up to speed with drinks then that wouldn't have been an issue: felt a bit lonely. Overall, BRILLIANT and we'll be back soon. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Excellent visit from start to finish. Incredible selection and quality of food. Well worth the price and lovely staff.

Very good lunch again today chosen from the prix fixe menu. Salmon main course was delicious and beautifully presented. Chocolate mousse dessert was lush. Service was spot on as usual. The only negative comment is that our table was in a cold draft so when staff went through to the kitchen we had to remind them to close the door. I’d ask to move if seated there again on a cold day.

Extensive menu. All our 4 meals were of vey high quality. Excellent service.

The food and service amazing. The fixed menu was absolutely outstanding value for money. It is still my favorite place to eat and I look forward to visiting again.

We have visited lots of time and introduced lots of our friends to the bay horse. We have never been let down by the food or service - I wished we lived closer so we could visit more often.

Great food, looks good on the plate and tastes even better.

Really good food, well presented. Very pleasant in the area we ate, the fires gave a cosy feel to the bar area too. I’ve enjoyed many evening meals here and have never been disappointed. The lunch time menu and service are equally good.

Very good service, food was excellent, tasty and well presented. Food content was explained when it was served. Very attentive service, plates were cleared away and requests for next course and additional drinks were all timely. Empty plates all round shows an excellent meal enjoyed fully.

Excellent food and very good service in a pleasant environment

Cosy pub with great food . Interesting menu with delicious sounding dishes

A lovely Sunday Lunch dining experience from start to finish. Beautifully cooked and presented food served by knowledgable and efficient front of house staff.

Beautifully cooked food by a chef who really knows what they’re doing. Limited menu but done really well. Would love the kids menu to have the same options as the proper menu (just in smaller portions). Absolute stand out of the evening was the duck terrine (as part of the black pudding starter) perfectly balanced and had an apple type sauce that was actual perfection. Alcohol free menu was a little limited but at least there were some there. Rest of the family had nothing but praise for their dinners, and the wine was top notch apparently. Would go again

First class service and food. This is the third time I have dined at the Bay Horse and it never fails to impress.

Another superb lunch on a very busy lunch time service; the restaurant was full - we enjoyed scallops and venison with champagne and claret! Perfectly delicious and a good start to the new year!! Thank you.

An understated venue that gives quality without shouting out.

Loved our New Years Lunch, it’s always a lovely treat to come here and enjoy the delicious food, fantastic service and friendly atmosphere. Can not recommend enough. We love to come & celebrate our special occasions here. Thank you for always looking after us.

food perfect, asked for a downstairs table due to one of our party with mobility problems and had a lovely window table which was perfect for us. Cocktails expensive but highly recommended

The food and service was first class, it was a real occasion

A 15% gratuity added to the bill is a bit much, left a bad taste after some fabulous food.

This was the 6th time we've been to The Bay Horse this year and we've enjoyed every visit. The food was delicious, the service friendly and the choice excellent. My son, who could eat for England, had the desert table - a bit of everything from the dessert menu - because he couldn't make his mind up which dessert he fancied most and I was jealous because I wouldn't have been able to eat everything. Looking forward to our next visit.

Sat upstairs away from the bar area which meant we were away from any of the noise that may have come from people having a drink. Ate from the Market menu which was 3 courses for £32.50. Food was outstanding and portion size was good. Would definitely recommend

Superb family gathering all diets catered for and super service

Classy traditional pub, Mouseman Kilburn tables in bar area, open fire, good menu and service very nice food; soufflé and warm gingerbread sponge outstanding, main course slightly let down by roasties (served skin on so not crispy and rather oily). Will definitely return

Staff very friendly and welcoming. Food was extremely delicious and high quality. We all had the prixe fixe lunch and the freshly baked bread and homemade butter at the start of the meal kick started the memorable experience. Hope to return

Excellent starters and mains. Very well cooked and presented. Lovely flavours in the seafood pancake and the parsnip soup. Both the beef Wellington and the stone bass very tasty. Did feel the cheeseboard was overpriced. Excellent very friendly service.

The food is always, always spot on! Service varies.

Once again, a fabulous meal in a fabulous pub, thank you so much xx

Delicious food, attentive service, good value for money. Perfect place to lunch and catch up with friends

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Bay Horse, and I must say, it was a culinary experience that surpassed all expectations. As a self-proclaimed steak enthusiast, I consider myself quite discerning when it comes to the perfect cut of meat, and I can confidently say that the Bay Horse has mastered the art of steak preparation. From the moment I entered the restaurant, the inviting aroma of grilled goodness wafted through the air, setting the stage for what turned out to be an exceptional evening. The ambiance was warm and sophisticated, creating the perfect backdrop for a memorable dining experience. Now, let's talk about the star of the show—the steak. I opted for the fillet cooked to a perfect medium-rare, and it was nothing short of extraordinary. The exterior had a delectable char that sealed in the juices, while the interior was tender and succulent. Each bite was a flavour explosion, and the seasoning was spot-on, enhancing the natural richness of the meat without overpowering it. What truly set this steak apart, however, was the impeccable attention to detail. The presentation was a work of art, and the accompanying [sides/sauces] complemented the main dish beautifully. It was evident that the chef's expertise and passion for quality ingredients played a significant role in creating a dish that transcended the ordinary. The service at the Bay Horse deserves special mention. The staff was attentive, knowledgeable, and went above and beyond to ensure a seamless dining experience. From the moment I sat down to the last bite, I felt like a valued guest. While the Bay Horse may be known for its exceptional steaks, the overall dining experience is what makes it truly outstanding. The thoughtfulness put into every aspect of the meal, combined with the culinary prowess displayed in the kitchen, makes this establishment a must-visit for anyone who appreciates the finer things in life. In conclusion, the Bay Horse has set a new standard for steak perfect

Excellent lunch, great food and extensive menu. Good start to Xmas festivities

As always the whole eating experience was outstanding. Superb food. Excellent service. The bar is so inviting with its lovely decor, a real fire burning in the grate, and candles shedding their light. The team is warm and welcoming and prepared to go the extra mile.

Really beautiful evening. The food was excellent service impeccable. Will be back for sure

As usual excellent foods. Great ambience. Excellent staff. A great experience for lunch or dinner

Never had a bad meal here. Impeccable food and impeccable service, always friendly. Love the home-made bread and chocolates/biscuits that come with the coffee.

Beautifully presented good, exceptional menu, excellent taste … a brilliant experience topped off by great service l.

This was the second time we have eaten at The Bay Horse the food, drinks and service were all excellent again. The set menu was very good value for money. Would recommend the pork belly on both the set and a La carte menus. The Christmas gin and tonic was also delicious.

Amazing food, lovely staff & cosy country setting.

Indulging in the Sunday roast at this restaurant is an unparalleled culinary experience. The ambiance resonates with warmth as diners are welcomed by the tantalizing aroma of perfectly seasoned meats and savory delights. The star of the show is the succulent roast, expertly cooked to tender perfection, boasting a golden, crispy exterior that gives way to a melt-in-your-mouth sensation. Accompanied by a medley of impeccably roasted vegetables, each bite is a symphony of flavors. The attentive service and generous portions elevate this Sunday tradition to a gastronomic masterpiece, leaving patrons savoring the memory until the following week.

Absolutely amazing food - the menu is perfect and I could have chosen any dish - it actually makes choosing what to have difficult because it all sounds so delicious. The staff are very attentive and the cocktails and wines match the food beautifully.

Amazing as always. Staff were super friendly and attentive. It was very busy so we missed out bread course and when we mentioned this they were very apologetic and brought it out immediately with apologies from the chef...it was to die for. They were quick with drinks and brought our wine to the table on its own stand in a cooler, then kept an eye on our glasses and topped them up regularly so we wouldn’t have too. Food is always great. Veloute, mushroom soufflé, black pudding starters, Beef wellington and pheasant mains from the Christmas menu. Sides of dauphinois, creamed sprouts and chips all enjoyed. Rice pudding dessert with cinnamon doughnut was great. Little petit fours served with coffees and teas. Really well priced for the quality of the food and the service we received.

Really good lunch. Chose from the prix fixe menu today - three courses for £32.50. No idea how the food can be so good at that price. Lovely Christmas vibe to the restaurant and bar areas. We’ll definitely be back!

Gorgeous food as always! The onion Rissotto starter was delish! And the roast beef was just lovely!

Exceptional food, service and surroundings doesn’t come much better than this.

A perfect village pub catering for drinkers by the log burner as well as offering superb creative cooking , lovely wines and top service throughout Always a treat

Overall we enjoyed our visit to The Bay Horse for lunch. Unfortunately on this occasion our food was not as hot as we'd have liked. It was an exceptionally cold day & upstairs was quite cool which probably didn't help.

We honestly had one of the tastiest pub lunches ever! Such a cosy chocolate box pub with lovely interiors, attentive staff and fantastic food. Loved it & we’d definitely be back. Thank you 🙏

Would have preferred a table downstairs, wasn't aware this was an option when booking online.