The Castle in Rochford

Took my wife, elderly father and son for a bite to eat and a pint on Saturday afternoon. Busy but prompt and friendly service with a good range of beer. Traditional pub food on offer with other options - I had the chicken fajitas, dad had the steak and ale pie,!my wife had the ribs and my son had scampi - all food nice and hot, plenty of it and genuinely tasty. Highly recommend - thanks for looking after us

Yet another perfect Sunday roast. The menu is great and the food always perfect. Friendly service. This is our 'Go to' Pub as we can always be sure of a lovely meal and a friendly welcome.

Food disgusting I ordered lasagne it was swimming in an oily liquid, garlic bread limp and oily, salad was shrivelled, my husband order liver & bacon, liver hard as it was overcooked the meal was swimming in gravy. Very disappointing would never go back or recommend.

A lunch with City of London friends. On the outskirts of Wakering, this large pub offers good pub grub at good prices and a friendly welcome.

A very warm welcome from the team. It’s light and spacious inside, with plenty of outdoor space. A very good menu, with an excellent Sunday roast. The portions are great and the service is excellent. Fully recommended, we will definitely be back!

Great meal with friends to celebrate husband’s birthday. All perfectly cooked. My sirloin steak was delicious as was hubby’s steak and ale pie. Friends had fish which they both enjoyed. We’ve never had a bad meal at this delightful village pub. Lovely welcoming atmosphere. Friendly , helpful staff. All in all a great evening

My wife, our son and I were shown to our table with a birthday balloon in the centre vase and a happy birthday banner on the wall by our table. I did not ask for anything when booking, just said as it was my wife’s birthday and I needed to ensure there was a free table. We enjoyed some really delicious food with excellent service. Much to my surprise after dessert the waitress came forward bearing a birthday cake with a firework candle in the middle, plus a small bag of presents. The whole restaurant sang happy birthday, much to my wife’s delight. Congratulations to The Castle Inn on making a really good meal into a very memorable and special one for my family.

Booked the Castle for a friends birthday celebration following a recommendation. Wow we were not disappointed. Great, freshly prepared food and excellent service. Staff are so friendly. Will be back soon

we had never visited the Castle Inn but had been recommend it by a friend, the food was excellent and we could not fault the staff at all so nice and friendly but unobtrusive as well.

This pub is a great find. I had never been here before and will certainly be going back! Went here for dinner with my family, and we all said how great the food was. All staff are super friendly and attentive, It was my birthday and was given a card and cake which was very unexpected but so lovely of them! I've been to a lot of local pubs to eat and this is one of the best ones around, highly recommend the Castle

Lovely pub, dog friendly in bar area and outside where there is shelter for when weather is bad. Lovely London pride shandy. They advertise 2 pub meals for £19.99, food smelt great to be fair but only stopped for a drink. Will definitely visit again.

We visit the castle about 3 -4 times a week usually for some lunch and a coffee or two and at least once for dinner of which we have been doing for a couple of years now, we have been to EVERY pub in Wakering and many around the area and have to say this by far the best, the food is home made, plentiful and delicious and there is certainly plenty to choose from on the varied menu, the Castle is such a lovely warm friendly place and the owners June, Ken, their son Michael and all the staff go that much further to make sure everyone is well looked after, they sometimes have live music, themed evenings and more, we have had some marvellous evenings there, the restaurant is always busy lunchtimes and evenings so that would tell you how popular it is, we come from Leigh on sea and the Castle charge much less for their drinks than most places around, this is how to run a pub, thank you all at the Castle for being there !!!!!!!!!.....Richard & Lesley......

We’ve been to this lovely pub many times and never had a bad meal yet. Today was our first Sunday lunch and it didn’t disappoint. Lovely tender roast beef with all the trimmings. Absolutely delicious. Everything about this pub is just so friendly and welcoming. Dog friendly as well. Very reasonable prices. We will be back soon

What a find. We turned up without a reservation and received the warmest of welcomes when we first walked in. Not making a reservation was no problem we were seated in a lovely dining area and invited to order from a wide variety of drinks. There is an extensive food menu which took some pondering over as it all sounded lovely. We weren't disappointed the food was really nicely presented piping hot and cooked perfectly. The chicken Espedata was really tasty and not dry at all. We had an opportunity to speak with the Chef and thank him for the dishes he cooked for us. After a short rest we had puddings of which there was a large selection. the service and atmosphere was excellent and the locals were all very friendly. Overall an excellent evening that didn't break the bank.

Enjoyed a Monday night birthday meal with the girls and was amazed at the food, fab starter, delicious main and came home with lunch for the next day in a doggy bag, due to their generous portions. Plus good choice for veggies!! Staff v helpful and friendly Couldn't recommend highly enough. The other pubs in the area have a lot to do to get to this standard, in all areas!!??

4 of us booked for a celebration meal. What a lovely evening it was. Food was amazing. Service friendly and efficient. Wonderful atmosphere. Will definitely be coming back.

Me and my wife had the best club sandwich and the best chips Ever and we only popped in there on the off chance so a good choice

This is out favourite place for birthdays or anniversaries. We came today for my partners 61st birthday. We had 5 family and our young son with us. Most of our party had never been here before. The food was amazing as always and the service was friendly, warm, welcoming and polite. All of our party commented that they would definitely be back again and the balloons, banners, cake and gift were such a thoughtful touch! Thankyou for making it a special afternoon. See you again soon.

Nice interior, friendly staff, good that it has a separate eating area, food was really good. Will come again

Visited the castle inn a few days ago with some friends. Greeted by friendly staff. Inside felt very cosy and clean. Food was superb as was the service. Definitely recommend this place and will be returning again soon.

We just came back from a wonderful anniversary meal- 7 adults and 1 toddler. The Castle decorated for the ruby wedding anniversary with banners, red candle, helium balloon and a card. They also made such a fuss of our toddler, offering her a choice of...

Just had a very nice lunch with the family. Lovely food, friendly staff and nothing too much trouble. Will be back

Met up with family at an old haunt of parents and grandparents. Service was amazing with excellent food. Food was awesome and nothing was too much trouble. Small garden area for the children to play in which kept them entertained throughout. Bonus bag of sweets...

I’ve been here a few times now to meet with my son and family for birthday meals, and it’s been very pleasant every time, food is good, atmosphere good, staff attentive, and the attention they give to a birthday was absolutely lovely, considering they really...

Had the pleasure of having some lovely food and drinks at this pub and what more can I say...other than food great, staff really nice and the family that run are top people. Not coming from round here this was the 1st time I'd been....

We just had a fantastic delivery ,amazing food delivered in no time at all still hot ,fantastic service in these circumstances, very polite delivery girls, will be recommending especially during lockdown with a nice cold pint (or four) to wash it down.

My family and I visited The Castle after attending a funeral. The setting was lovely and cozy and we felt really relaxed as soon as we arrived. Our hosts were some warm and friendly and nothing was too much trouble. What lovely people they are....

Been here a couple of times since covid, as good as ever, food good value, very nice staff, Sunday lunch for £10 all fresh, good portion and good value, lots of other choices. It had a lick of paint and looks fresh and clean. Unlike...

We've popped in the Castle for a drink now and then but hadn't yet had the chance to try the food until this week. We had a lovely family Sunday Lunch here whilst being looked after by pleasant and attentive staff. Good food, nice sized...

The best pub in Wakering. The staff and the locals are honestly amazing and the food is so good I couldn't even begin to comment. Recommend to anyone, 10/10

We booked a table for 15 for a pre Xmas family get together. The table was booked for 12 o’clock but the majority of our party was coming from Kent and were held up in problems at the Dartford Tunnel. However,the staff told us not...

Will try not to go here as the beer is ridiculously expensive and poorly kept. Indeed we had a rough pint and the landlord said'oh yea that barrel got knocked over yesterday '. No replacement pint offered or the barrel taken off.

Not always a good omen booking a table for 13 but fear not. Albeit my local pub I am not a habitual user, I hasten to add. The staff were very friendly and the service and food were exceptional. Good old fashioned family values, just...

Popped in here Sunday 3rd Nov before watching a game at Burroughs Park. Fantastic place, really friendly locals (including Henry the Chocolate Lab). Lovely pub. Definitely going to revisit.

Came in with my other half for dinner, he had the Barling sausages and i had the steak and ale pie. The sausages were so so good..and the meat in the pie was so soft and delicious, we finished everything with very clear plates!! The...

We have just been for a meal for my dads birthday. The table originally booked for 12 was then increased to 14 at short notice. The food and service was excellent. All food arrived piping hot and they had also put banners and a birthday...

Went for a birthday yesterday and all 6 of us had to send out roast dinners back!! Plus we noticed the table next to us had to do the same!! The beef was so tough needed a mill saw to cut it!!!! They must be putting up there own reviews because I do not know how this pug is rated so high??????

Never been somewhere so shocking in my life!!! The manager needs to have a lesson in life on how to be polite and understanding! Asked him to take my steak back as I asked for medium rareand it came out like it had been in a house fire for 24 hours! His reply was go somewhere else!! Wish totally caught me by surprise!!! Never ever in my life have I seen staff members and food so terrible! EAT HERE AT YOUR PERIL!!!!!!!!!

Went today for Sunday roast at 3 pm pre booked table lovely pub staff very helpful and polite nice clean pub unfortunately the roast was not the best 2 of us had lamb 1 beef and we couldn’t tell the difference in the meat not a great deal of flavour potatoes didn’t taste homemade will return but not for the roast

The venue looked very welcoming until we sat down and tried to order some lunch. The owners were extremely rude and kept arguing with each other. The cutlery was also dirty despite getting them changed. Definitely would not be coming back.

Visited today for lunch and thoroughly enjoyed it. Vegetarian roast,fish and chips and hanging chicken followed by spotted sick and custardx2 and waffle.. Food perfect,service perfect. Give yourselves a pay on the back you really delivered. Thank you

Never felt more at home or welcome in a pub/restaurant before. Walking in, I felt so welcome and as if I was at home. The food is out of this world and the staff/owners are honestly so homely and welcoming. Would recommend to any friends and family any day. 5 star deserved.

We visited the Castle Inn tonight with family and two dogs. We couldn’t have been made more welcome by the locals and the landlord/manager Michael. Very dog friendly, biscuits for the dogs, really reasonable excellent food with plenty of choices. Thoroughly recommend and we will definitely be back

We visited the Castle expecting to see a nice country pub/restaurant and although the building is reasonable, some of the clientele left a tad to be desired.

First visi. Absolutely super food excellent. Staff charming. Surroundings relaxing will visit again soon

We took my Mother in law for lunch here. The food and service were excellent. Home cooked roast with generous portions. The chicken and beef were delightful. There’s a good selection of desserts although I was too full to sample any. My husband had the Figgy pudding with custard which he said was delicious.

Went here for a sunday lunchtime beer. At £4 a pint far to expensive. The London pride was cloudy and the landlord just said 'oh yes, the barrel got knocked yesterday'; did not offer an alternative. The Doombar was not right either.

Lovely Sunday lunch. Starters were deep fried Brie, duck pate and stuffed mushrooms, all excellent. Mains were two roasts, beef and chicken both went down well especially the lovely roast potatoes and perfectly cooked veg. The fajitas were also a hit. Friendly attentive staff and good atmosphere . As locals we come here often and would recommend to anyone .

Visited for lunch on a very quiet Tuesday. Chose the Sirloin steak. It was very poor; a thin tough piece of meat, overcooked and with a poor flavour. The chips had been cooked in stale oil (or in oil used for fish?) and the peas were cheap and unappetising. The only redeeming feature was the peppercorn sauce which was OK. I told the person who served us that the meat was poor but got no reaction. Service was poor and non-attentive considering the pub was empty. This was the worst meal I've had for a long time. A poor experience overall.

Afternoon lunch ~ brilliant service. The beef burger was gorgeous! The chips were ok - very big but nice and hot ~ all homemade by the look of them including the burger. We had Nachos ~ the actual nachos were lovely but had huge blobs sour sauce and guacamole which i like but not that much and not enough cheese. Good waitress service. Lovely little pub and not bad for afternoon lunch

Came here for my dads birthday and I can honestly say they went above and beyond to make it special for him! They bought him a balloon and made him a cake! Fantastic staff, fabulous restaurant, beautiful food! Will definitely be coming back! Thank you so much!

This lovely old pub has been restored so well. There is an old traditional bar in the middle with locals & their dogs visiting. A super restaurant to one side & a modern lounge to the other. All the staff are so friendly & nothing is too much trouble. We visited twice in a month having discovered this place & will definitely be back again. The waitress is so kind & friendly and the food is such great quality at a reasonable price.

Tried to visit here today. Unhelpful person behind the bar said because we had the dog, we wouldn’t be allowed to eat. Left. Guess it’s not as dog friendly as they try to make out!

Great selection of food for Lunch and Dinner. Good friendly atmosphere, welcoming. Attention to detail, clean great service. Food served quickly albeit freshly cooked nicely presented and piping hot. Been here several times before at differing times of the day/evening. Basically always the same to look forward to. Highly recommend

This was my second visit. Would love to come here more often but I don't drive and not well situated for public transport. Booked a table for Sunday lunch with my daughter and a friend. Arrived way ahead of time but it was no problem. Between the 3 of us we had fish and chips,vegetarian but roast and kebab.Our friend's fish was ENORMOUS and very crispy and golden. What I call"proper fish" with the skin on. The other meals were just as good as were the desserts( 2 syrup sponge puddings and 1 Apple and rhubarb crumble) .Presentation was very good and the service by the young waitresses was impeccable. Oh how i wish The Castle was nearer!!!!

We walked in with out a reservation 10 minutes before the kitchen closed and we were squeezed in last minute. We had nothing indoors and we would have been up a well known creek if they hadn't seated us. A massive thanks to the waitress for convincing the chefs to accommodate us and a big hand to the kitchen staff for sorting us out with an outstanding plate of food.

A fabulous warm welcome form my elderly mother - ballon and a cake - singing happy birthday to her by staff! Food very good, all dishes. Fresh tuna! Thank you to all, I will return !

The staff excelled themselves. Prior to the evening I received a phone call checking it was for an 80th celebration and when we arrived our table was decked with balloons and an 80th banner on the wall. The food was excellent and the staff very attentive, At the end of the evening to round everything off my wife was given a card and gift from the staff at the Castle. I can't recommend The Castle higher.

We use this restaurant regularly whether it be a weekday lunch or a Sunday lunch with family/ friends you will not get better value for money anywhere else

Me and my girlfriend came here for lunch for her birthday and absolutely loved it. Service was fast and the staff are lovely! We order the bread board, garlic bread and the Cajun chicken baguette. All of the food was cooked perfectly. Everything on the menu is very reasonably priced and you definitely do not leave hungry. We will definitely be coming back again. Outstanding.

Went on Sunday for my dad’s 80th Birthday and was overwhelmed by the service our party of nine received. The food was excellent- everyone cleared their plates (their home made chips are to die for!) and it is very reasonably priced. The management and staff made it extra special by putting up banners and a helium balloon on the table, which was totally unexpected. Then after we had finished our meals they surprised dad with a lovely birthday cake - with a candle that looked like a firework- and a rendition of ‘happy birthday’! Then the manageress came out and gave him a card from all the staff and a box of after dinner mints! Dad was totally overwhelmed and this really made his day - especially as the Castle Inn was the pub he had his very first pint in when he was a teenager in the village. Cannot praise them enough for making the occasion such a memorable one.

Had an amazing meal, lovely food and lovely pub! Very friendly and welcoming will definitely be going back!

Went here on a Saturday evening, Ordered a Sauvignon blank and it didn’t taste right so replaced with a Pinot which also wasn’t very nice tasted cheap and vinegary, was told that everyone else was drinking it and no one else had complained (they probably changed their drink after one) and then was asked to leave, was then accused of being drunk by the owner and one of his sons (had only popped out for one drink two weeks after having a neck and brain tumour removed) and explained that I certainly wasn’t drunk that my eyes are now just different due to surgery was then advised that I also shouldn’t be drinking! Wasn’t aware that they was also medically trained as well as having terrible taste in wine, what a horrific experience. I must say the other son had better communication and customer service skills than his sibling and father. Wouldn’t go back even if I was welcome but fully aware I’m not.

Stopped here for an early dinner with family. Service was polite, friendly and attentive. The homemade steak and ale pie was up there with one of my favourites. The meals on the menu are all homemade, generous portions and amazing quality.

Booked for 5 adults and our dog. Food was fresh, delicious and served hot. Steak and Ale pie was the best ever, The cod was white and tasty and the hunters chicken was excellent. Very friendly staff and nothing too much trouble. Even dog biscuits supplied. Cannot praise this establishment enough and reminded me of the old days. Wish this business every success. You must go and try it and you will not be disappointed.

Absolutely fabulous once again. I had Hunters chicken and hubby had steak. Hot and cooked perfectly.

Just revisited the castle for lunch after quite a while. Lovely and clean excellent beer great food and booked to go back .

Ken and the staff are working hard to keep up the well deserved good service to the customers. Allways happy to accomodate your requirements

Had a great lunch at the Castle yesterday. I had the chicken and bacon baguette which came with chips, great food at an even better price. Friendly staff too. Would definitely be going back.

We were a party of 7 - 6 humans and one hungry dog. We were all extremely well fed and we thoroughly enjoyed the experience. This is a dog friendly pub which was extremely important to us.

Our party of six humans plus a large chocolate Labrador arrived without booking in advanced, whist waiting for tables to be moved together my birthday was mentioned, the table eas set, unexpected banner and balloon decoration; the Sevice was better than excellent, the food great, Charlie the dog had his own meal and we didn't need to have a doggy bag; the menu choices were many, the food hot and tasty, fantastic place to eat, thank you to all the staff for making our visit so memorable.

If you are in the area this pub is a must, staff very friendly and welcoming. Food freshly home cooked and options for all . Live in the area and stopped using for a while but will certainly be coming back. Cannot praise it enough 5 stars keep it up .

Gone downhill food and service poor.been a few times before and it was ok. Maybe they have changed the chef. But a lot worse this time.

Great restaurant good service lovely people would highly recommend nice pub garden and cosy inside locals are all lovely

Lovely freindly family run pub. Great mix of drinks. Food is great and the dough boys pizza oven is a must.

We sat in the garden on a sunny Sunday afternoon after a beautiful country dog walk, we had pizza, Garlic bread & a drink, dogs got spoilt with some sausages, kids played on the swings. Happy Day all round.

We had a fantastic time, the kids enjoyed the play area, and the fresh pizzas were absolutely out of this world! The staff are fantastic so friendly and welcoming, we will be back for another afternoon in the sun.

Yet again fantastic meal at our lovely local! 2 Castle burgers with pint thrown in as Thur special. My drunken chicken was gorgeous and mum had massive prawn jacket potato. Harry's sundae and kates apple and rhubarb crumble delicious! So lucky to have this gem on our doorstep! Keep it up!

Have been in wakering for three days visiting family, and spent two of them in this fab pub!! Every single member of staff was friendly and welcoming. The food was delicious - and the kids were even given free candy floss and ice lollies!

On arrival at the pub we ordered some drinks to take out in to the garden, it was a lovely warm afternoon/early evening. We ordered our food and I was really pleased that I was able to order the Hunters Chicken with the BBQ sauce,...

Firstly the owners are most welcoming the bar staff and restaurant staff are excellent very accommodating if they can help they will. Food is second to none it must be one of the best by a long shot. Reasonable not over priced a good selection...

We were looking for dog friendly pubs in Southend and this came up as a suggestion, the pub is out of the way so unless you know the area you wouldn't know about it we arrived with a child and a dog and the area...

We moved to Great Wakering last year and this is by far the best pub in the area, no question. Great food, friendly staff, beer garden for the summer and plenty of parking. Theme nights, quizzes, karaoke, barbeques, big screen TV's, they even have a...

Lovely pub two excellent meals in a week. Friendly service great quality food all in a lovely village setting. We will make this our new local x

Sunday lunch. Lovely staff. Quality food, good value, nice atmosphere. Recommend it. Plenty of parking spaces. Child and dog-friendly.

My wife and I took a party of nine to The Castle Inn, Little Wakering, Essex.

Fab food, freshly made. Delightful staff, very accommodating to special dietary requirements. AND dog friendly

Rarely do you go to a pub that treats its customers like friends. The food is always really good and the staff great! Added bonus is the pizzas you can take away, which are the best we have eaten.

Visited on a Sunday afternoon, quite busy in there but that’s always a good sign. I have to say the 2 girls behind the bar were very friendly and most accommodating. Food up to a good standard and nice drink selection also. No trip to Little wakering is complete without popping in for a swift half. Be seeing you

Having moved to wakering 6 months ago, The Castle Inn is our local. Every time we have visited the food has been excellent. Both in terms of value and quality. The staff are always welcome and accomodating, they cannot do enough for you.

1st time I’ve been here, great staff & the food was amazing.... I would highly recommend this pub / carvery .. everything had an individual taste, unlike a lot of mass produced venues..... blooming marvellous... it’s now my favourite haunt 😁

Been a few times to eat here. Always excellent food, good service and an impressive range of guest drinks. Consistently good. My new local.

The lead line says it all. A fair meal for a fair price. All in all it was good. Very much a village pub that I think is up and coming.

I visit the Castle on many different occasions, Football, Family Dinners, Christmas Eve, and just general occasions, and I've never had bad service here. The food is stunning, A wide range of drinks and a friendly service. We have also hosted parties here and the buffet is spot on and really affordable. The Castle Inn is highly recommended by myself and my family.

Amazing food as always. Really nicely decorated. Staff are friendly and thoughtful. Loving the ‘snug’ area of the restaurant. 5*s

Booked a table for my grandson's birthday. Never been here before, didn't know what I had been missing.Great food with enormous portions. Really lovely people. Decorated the table with a balloon and banner and bought out a birthday cake complete with candles. Couldn't have asked for more

Been in here many times for a drink but never eaten here. Well now we have and it was excellent. Lamb shank was superb for 14 quid. Drunken chicken sauce was a bit thin but that was it. Service was excellent. When it's my turn to cook.... we'll go there.

Took my wife for Sunday lunch at the castle and was pleasantly surprised at the changes since we were last there some years ago. Very friendly and helpful staff, good selection of beers and even rhubarb cider on tap!! Good selection of food to choose from on the menu but we stuck with a roast lamb and a roast beef Sunday lunch. Meat was lovely as was the veg, particularly the cauliflower cheese. Could have done with a little bit more and the potatoes were cold. Waitress did offer to reheat them but decided not to send them back to the microwave. Very pleasant surroundings and will definitely be back

ive been in and out of this pub for years. various owners all trying there best to make it a great place to go. I enjoy a drink here after a long day at work or after a ride on my bike.

Whitebait for starter Really large portion excellent value . Tasted good too.