The Chelsfield in Bromley

Men’s Loo needs attention, lack of cleanliness and only toilet room won’t lock

Arrived at my local pub to find they are not showing the Grand National as the management won't allow it! Can't blame staff as they are following the bizarre decision of management not to show a national event! If it is too downmarket you could also lift your image by cleaning the gents, the smell of urine is overpowering!

We booked a Mother’s Day meal for 3pm. We arrived at 2.50 and were told our table wasn’t ready so we had to wait. Twenty minutes later we had to ask again to be seated. Once at our table we had some drinks and ordered food but by 3.50 nothing else had arrived and we were getting hungry so we asked for the first course of ‘artisan breads’. What turned up was a few slices of baguette. No one had spoken to us to explain why this was or why the bread had taken so long. At 4pm I spoke to the waitress and expressed my disappointment that we had waited an hour, had to ask for bread and that was all that had been served. Another waitress then came to our table because “no one else wanted to” explain that the starters we had ordered an hour previous were no longer available and we would have to reorder. I asked how much longer this would take and she said she would need to go and find out so there was still no sign of when the food would finally arrive and no assurances given. At this point we had spent enough time waiting and had little faith that the service would improve so decided to leave. We had already been told when making our original order that some of the starters on the menu weren’t available so the restaurant’s planning for their 5 course Mother’s Day menu was clearly inadequate and little effort was made to try and make the experience any better. All in all it was a terrible experience that ruined a special occasion. It could have been made better by the staff if they’d kept us informed, instead they chose to ignore the problems they were experiencing on a busy day.

My Children booked in for mothers day. Started well, seated and got a drink. Ordered the whole meal at once. We waited around 30 minutes for the starter and then nothing. Over 1 1/2 hours. We could see the next set of customers arriving, probably waiting for our table and decided with a couple of other tables to leave. Now I understand there was obviously a major problem, but my criticism is that nobody came to apologise or explain what was going on. This was really poor management, be honest, give people an option.

A really terrible experience. We booked a table for the Mother’s Day 5 course meal. We arrived at 2.50pm for a 3pm booking. We were told to wait as the table would be ready at 3pm. Twenty minutes later we reminded the staff we were still waiting. We were seated and did get some drinks but by 3.50 we were getting hungry and we had to ask for the first course of ‘artisan breads.’ What finally turned up was a few slices of baguette. There was no explanation of why the bread slices had taken so long or why it was not as described. At 4pm I expressed my disappointment to the waitress that we had waited an hour to just get bread and that we had to ask for it. Another waitress then came to our table because “no one else wanted to” explain to us that we would have to reorder our starters as they had now run out of the ones we had originally ordered. (We had already been given a limited choice as they had previously run out of some of the other starters on the menu). I asked how much longer these starters would take and she said she would have to go and find out so there was still no sign of any cooked food arriving any time soon. At this stage we decided to leave. I’m really disappointed at the lack of care or attention on such an important day for families. We had to ask for everything that we did receive and there was little effort on the restaurants part to try and explain or make up for the problems they were having on what was obviously a busy day. The lack of planning and of adequate customer service ensured that our meal out was ruined.

Lovely pub with great outdoor seating. All the staff are brilliant, especially Eloise who always goes above and beyond.

A great venue for a night out - the staff are fun and friendly and there is a great range of food and drinks. Do visit if you can. PS: got to love Eloise behind the bar :)

Hired room, asked for food for 40 people including children. Not enough for 20!! Charged £798 ,disgraceful. Guest's had to go & by something to eat after they left. We didn't dicuss problems on the night as we weren't going to spoil the party for my husband but I did ask a staff member if there was more food to come out, she replied 'no' Would not use again

Absolutely love this pub, lovely staff very friendly and make you feel very welcome and comfortable, Great atmosphere and lovely outside area to enjoy a cold pint in the Sun! Been coming here for years and had many occasions and celebrations which have also been great! Thank you

The Chelsfield has always been our favourite local for many years, the staff are always so welcoming and has a great vibe. The food is very good and they have a great selection of ales, ciders etc.

A fantastic pub which stands head and shoulders above the other offerings in the area. Special mention to Eloise who is always cheerful and welcoming. Great for functions also with a large function room.

Love this tradition country pub. Very welcoming staff and cosy atmosphere. Fully recommend sitting by the fire and unwinding with a few drinks. Also the food is a real treat here.

Lovely pub with a great atmosphere and a huge choice of beers. Always spotlessly clean and friendly staff. Has a large patio area out front with lots of seating and a real suntrap. Eaten here a few times and has never disappointed

Fantastic to be back in the chelly, with a welcome from Eloise. Food was great and enjoyed the atmosphere.

Honestly one of the best pubs I have ever visited

Come in here for a couple of drinks with friends.. from the minute we walked Amy greeted us with the biggest smile and served us for the time we was here she was amazing and can fault her customer service

Eloise was fantastic. Such great service, and created such a lovely atmosphere.

I’ve been coming to the Chelsfield for years now and the food is always amazing. Eloise is very attentive and friendly.

Amazing experience here , bar staff nice and friendly and very helpful , Nice and clean . Will return soon

Always have a lovely experience here and the staff are always friendly. Food is excellent

Chiara is an amazing manager. So helpful and accommodating. The rest of the staff are always so helpful and knowledgeable

I can honestly say this place has the rudest nastiest people working here! We visited some time ago and had the most awful food, thought we would try agin but just drinks and this was an even worse experience!!!! AVOID AT ALL COST!!! I don’t need a reply thank you, nothing you can say can make things better and to be honest I am not interested!

I attended the same party as a couple of the other reviews and the replies from the pub do not reflect the truth. Yes the price of food was agreed, but quantities were not and for £20 a head, there should be enough food for each guest to eat and feel well fed. £20 a head for a buffet is alot so the food and quantities should have been on point. We attended a party on the Sunday at another local pub and it was £10 a head, there was more variety and much more food per mouth. Very poor for the management to state quantities were pre agreed when they were not. Love this pub and used to use it regularly. Shame that they resort to playing down reviews instead of holding hands up and offering some sort of solution

I also attended the 80th birthday party in the private room. To find out the food price was nearly £800 is daylight robbery. That evening we where told that food would be provided per head so not to eat to much beforehand. I had a small plate with a small amount of food, which must have cost a maximum of £5. To then go up and see that the table was empty, and everyone was waiting for more. I saw all the food arrive at the table as i sat near. If im being kind , i believe i could have purchased that food for less than £100, that means it cost £700 to cook and serve it ,Shocking .!!! Very slow to get a drink as staff where short that evening. The company was fantastic that night with lovely friends and family but I was looking forward to going home as was still hungry as you can imagine after being there for 5 hours with not much to eat. I really hope that this gets sorted out with some sort of compensation refunded to the family. I know it was talked about between us on the night, but really didnt want to spoil the evening by telling the family there really wasn't enough food per-head. Fingers crossed 🤞. Let's hope the management responds fairly.

DO NOT USE! We recently held my Dad's 80th birthday party in the private function room. When making the booking in 2024, we weren't told about their licencing restrictions and that all children needed to leave by 9pm.....this was a grandfathers party so obviously there were going to be children coming. I suggested a work around, not them, in order for children to stay until the party was finished - not the best customer service. Also, we paid £798 for the buffet which was supposed to serve 40 people. Less than half that amount actually got to eat anything. The food that arrived served around 15-20 people and would've cost no more than around £200 max so this was a total rip off. Also, we ordered a hot buffet so instead of staggering the food being served, it all arrived at once so was cold within 10 mins. The staff were over stretched and when we arrived, was told to "bear with them" as they were understaffed and no-one was serving on the bar in the function room until later in the evening. Overall - a rip off!!!!

Been to the Chelsfield several times & never experienced rudeness on the level that we did last saturday. There were around 30 of us so spending nearly £100 per round, one of our party asked for a thinner glass for her vodka & was told they didn’t have any other kind of glass but on our next round a few of were given a cute delicate tumbler! So they clearly had some. We kept being told they had no change & would prefer if we paid by card but being so many of us we had a whip (so cash only) shouldn’t really be a problem. We came back to the pub after our meal only to be served Baileys with curdled lumps in, when we questioned it the woman said, yeah I think it’s out of date!!!! Unbelievable! We were also overcharged for the round of drinks we had just been served, on questioning this, the manger was really aggressive & told my friend to leave, no apology for serving out of date drinks, admittedly my friend did argue back but who wouldn’t after the experience. The manageress decided to bar all the women in our group, which was probably just as well as we wouldn’t go back there for a repeat of the rudeness anyhow.

The lady behind the bar had the worst attitude I have ever seen. There was a group of 20 of us and from the start didn't want to serve us although we had been in there before we went to dinner. We ordered drinks and was missing 3, when asked she was so rude and argumentative. She should not be in a public facing role. You just lost 20 customers. Avoid this place if you want a nice evening

Last night I was in the bar area and I listened to a dark hair woman working behind the bar be disgustingly rude to a customer!!! You made the mistake, don’t take it out on paying customers. If you are the brewery or senior management you should sack this woman.

Beautiful pub situated just of the guided path, clean and well designed outdoor area with a great food and drink range to match. Lovely staff, you can walk in and feel like you want to stay a while

Went to Chelsfield twice in one week, barlady Amy was refreshingly friendly and knowledgeable. Went back again with my wife and friend for lunch, wild mushroom on sourdough was the best thing I’d eaten in London the entire time, chef that prepared it clearly immensely talented, could taste the passion in the food. We will return.

Really nice vibe and good food. Good crowd of people. Staff really good. Would recommend!

Had a lovely Sunday afternoon at The Chelsfield pub. We were looked after brilliantly by Chiara and the meat, turkey and pork roll, were beautifully tender and tasty.

The Sunday roast has been amazing, our waitress, Chiara has done an amazing job accommodation all our allergen related requests. I can say this is the best spot for a Sunday lunch in the area.

First time visiting here on a Saturday night, wonderful atmosphere and great staff! Was served by Chiara who was really lovely! Will definitely be back again.

Amazing! Great food, waiting time was good, lovely friendly staff who greeted us at the door and were very attentive, the areas were all very clean. Child & baby friendly. Would 100% recommend and will be going back.

Nice pub. Friendly staff. Food is subpar and overpriced, unfortunately. Good for a pint, but not a meal.

Service slow, friendly good ok. Def not worth the money & would not recommend. The pub is better outside than the service received Inside. Expensive for what u get.

Food sampled was nice, buffet setup due to it being a wake, friendly staff, parking can be limited.

We went to this “restaurant” on Christmas Day to remove the stress of cooking. The meal cost £340 paid in advance and also advising choices prior to attending. Our starter was satisfactory and we sat at 3 and completed this by 3:20. We then waited approx 50 mins for our mains 3 choosing the Roast Turkey and 1 the steak. When it arrived our meals were very veried with regards to what we got. Nobody got the pigs in blankets. We all got 3 roast potatoes. 1 got 3 tiny sprouts (definitely frozen) 1 got 1 sprout and the other got 1/2 a sprout. 1 got a slice of parsnip the others none. My Turkey looked like the scraps which I suspect it was as our table was the last served. The only positive was the gravy. The restaurant manager came over anc asked how it was. I advise the above anc said it’s very poor and disappointing she asked if our waitress had been over during the meal to ask and we said no. She apologised and walked off. We then got our desert. 2 baked Alaskas. Both so full of ice the Titanic would of been sunk, another the sticky toffee pudding was caramelised around the edge obviously due to the microwave being too high. The last desert served in a half pint beer mug was mediocre. When I went to pay our drinks bill 1 large gin and tonic anc 1 bottle of non alcoholic beer the waitress said they are on the house due to the poor meal. Very poor. Near going back.

Nice pub, went for a festive meal. Food was okay. Good service.

Amazing food! Bit pricey, but worth it for a special meal out

5* all round! My friends and I chose The Chelsfield for it's reviews and photos. Although the pub is close to the station (and not far from Orpington station) it is much much nicer than a classic station pub. It is beautifully decorated, with a cosy fire and in a great location, off the main road with good parking and the service was great, with friendly staff. And now to the most important aspect - the food. For context, we are 3 very fussy middle aged women from central London with high expectations.... and we were blown away! All 3 of us described our meals as sensational and better than any restaurant food that we had had in London. We even asked to meet the chef and thank her. Two of us had the lamb rump and the other the salmon and noodles with some vegetable sides and can thoroughly recommend!

A belated big thank you to the team at Chelsfield for making my husband's 40th an unforgettable event. We invited 50 of our family and friends to help celebrate his birthday and the manager, Chiara and her team went out of their way to look after us. We hired a singer - shout out to Jukebox James who topped off the party. We had a fabulous night, drinking and dancing the night away. Chiara was very patient with me to help plan the event. We talked through my budget for food and drinks and buffered time to decorate before guests arrived. Thanks once again for your fantastic hospitality!

Went to the chelsfield for dinner on a Friday night and it wasn’t upto scratch at all, they didn’t half the things on the menu, the young girl serving look embarrassed and stressed, the bar staff were rushed of there feet and the food was most disappointing, lacking in flavour it’s safe to say we won’t be returning!

Nice pub always hood service and atmosphere

It's a good local pub, staff are great. If you want wine you should bring your own glass. Been here 5 times in 2 weeks and it keeps getting served in a gin glass as they don't have any wine glasses. Not just Fri/Sat when busy, even a quiet Tuesday. How can a pub run out of wine glasses so often? 😔

Great service, great food Thank you

Just about the friendliest place I’ve been to. A local where whether you’re local or not, by the end of the evening you’ll be an honorary local and have a new favourite pub. The place is run by the funniest, most lovely landlady I’ve met in years. Food is great, high class and interesting. The drinks range is extensive and the staff knowledgable. Location is brilliant. Near the station, easy to get to by car and in a quiet, suburban location. The building is tastefully decorated and they have a wonderful function room that’s incredibly stylish. If you get a chance to visit the garden you’ll be treated to a modern, fun and comfortable location. Perfect for parties, but also perfect for a wonderful evening midweek even when it’s wet and horrid outside. It’s hard to not love the Chelsfield. I’ve never had an evening that I’ve gone away without a huge smile after.

Very very good establishment for business meals. Quick service, a private table, immaculate food and left my clients feeling well looked after. I would recommend the lamb rump especially.

After eating here the last few times the food has not been as tasty as in the past, [over cooked or not fresh] still a great pub but food has gone down hill, nice friendly staff.

Went for the lunch deal of Mushroom and mozerella sourdough but when it arrived there was no mozerella. When we advised this at bar the young lady advised “yeah we ain’t go no mozerella “ but we was not advised at time of ordering! If we had them we would have ordered an alternative. No alternative offered just had dried slice of bread with a few sliced mushrooms and a few bits of tomatoes. Shame as a lovely venue.

Been here quite a lot since we moved to the area six months ago and the Chelsfield is great. Staff are friendly, good selection of beer and wine and all the food is excellent- had Sunday roast several times and food off the bar menu a good few times, it never disappoints. Would highly recommend.

Not busy at lunchtime. Good range of food, menu includes a salad as main course and cheeseboard for pudding, two rare items these days (and favourites of mine).

Awful. I had Sunday roast and my hubby fish and chips. Both inedible and certainly not cheap. No wonder there wasn’t another soul in the restaurant at 1.30pm. I would add that the two lads behind the bar were a delight and a credit to the pub.

Great local pub… food very good

Two ladies behind the bar were rushed off their feet on a warm evening last week. The wait at the bar was very lengthy but it was not their fault, they were simply overwhelmed. There was quite a wait for the food and unfortunately mine arrived on a scalding hot plate so the salad was very wilted. Not ideal. Food was good. Pleasant outdoor eating area but a non smoking section would be appreciated. Would return but hopefully on a day that wasn't so busy or had adequate staff on duty.

Update: staff morale still seems low and, some friends and I came for the quiz (that is supposed to be on every other Wednesday) which didn’t end up happening. Very disappointing.

I had a Sunday roast and I must say it's one of the best pub roasts I've had! Really tasty and big portion sizes too. The staff are very friendly and helpful, I highly recommend this pub

Just had a terrible evening at The Chelsfield. Went for a family dinner but ended up leaving after 1 hour & 20 minutes because our mains hadn’t arrived and didn’t seem to be coming. There were only 3 tables occupied so we couldn’t understand why we were waiting so long. No explanations given. We paid £50 for some drinks and 2 starters ( no complimentary drinks offered for delay!) and went to M&S for microwave meals for dinner! Definitely one to avoid!

Empty restaurant (3 tables including us) and yet it took 35 minutes for our starters, and the main courses were a no show! 1 chef working on a Friday night, and after asking where our food was, we were told it’s ’plating up’… only to wait another 15 minutes and it still not arriving. Don’t go if you expect any dinner!

for a business meal I wanted to impress my clients and thought this pub would be a perfect meal We all ordered fish and chips However The fish and batter came stone cold and soggy having waited for half an hour for the food to arrive We all witnessed the manager have arguments with the staff and we just didn't feel welcome Really gone downhill here

Have been a regular visitor to this pub for many years, It was my local ! Unfortunately there have been many staff changes recently & I'm afraid to say not quite the same anymore, very sad ....... This pub was such a lovely friendly pub to visit 😞

Lovely pub with a great atmosphere! Myself and my partner have noticed a huge difference since the place has been under new management, staff are more attentive and service has been much smoother with a friendly smile. Looking forward to enjoying a cold drink in 1 of the large beer gardens when the warmer weather arrives.

The local pub grub, the classics done really well. Feels gourmet, the kids also love it. We get great service and patience there!

Great pub which accommodated a large group last minute after a walk with the dogs. Great service 👏 Great food 👌

Really lovely pub and the staff are very friendly ! The food was amazing

Popped in for a Sunday roast and were very impressed. The selection of vegetables (kale, leeks, peas and carrots) was excellent! I requested only greens and they kindly did this for me. Eloise and Ellie served us, they were both super attentive and delivered and excellent service. We will be back!

Bar staff absolutely lovely, but no toilet roll and no lime cordial, apparently they hadn't ordered enough! Clearly some poor management!

A Sunday lunch for the family, 4 of us, great restaurant, great service and absolutely lovely food! And great value! Not our first visit and definitely not our last!

Friendly local pub, good food and reasonably priced!

Delicious lunch last week. Very tasty soup served with a Welsh Rarebit sandwich and a nice glass of wine. Great value at £11. We received a warm welcome and excellent service. Having written a glowing review last week with 5 stars I've had to edit my comments. Today I asked for the same soup and sandwich. I was given half a tiny cup of soup and a mini piece of cheese on toast. Charged £9.50 for this meagre portion I asked why it was so different! There seems to be some confusion. I was told I was given the wrong meal last week and it was a starter! Today I was told I had been given the real lunch. I think someone's got it round the wrong way. You'd hardly have a bowl of soup and a sandwich as a starter. So disappointed today. A miserable experience and a paltry meal.

We used to live in the area and the Chelsfield was our local, so we decided to pay a visit for mother's day. I will start my review by saying the food was delicious and the staff pleasant and friendly. The negatives: the dining area was too cramped, we had to get up if people on the tables behind us wanted to move. We were given the menu for deserts and then completely forgotten. The staff were too busy cleaning tables and seeing to the new customers arriving. We eventually gave up on the desert idea and went to the bar to ask for our bill. Unfortunately due to the cramped area and lack of service, we won't bother going back.

Nice place and reasonably priced, really nice staff

Family celebration for large group. Booked Sunday lunch. We were all given wrong menu, Roast beef was tough and carrots not cooked. Awful cheap gravy over everything. Wine glass was chipped, my daughter in law cut her lip. Would not recommend as a place to eat.

Beautiful building, very tastefully refurbished 2 years ago, huge outdoor seating area and covered smoking area. Open fire for them cold nights, serving food and a wide range of drinks... Lots of free parking in car park but Restricted on the road between 11am and midday to stop people parking all day and jumping the train

My Local ! Great pub and good food ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is a lovely pub that has been extensively refurbished. Good selection of beers, lovely food, outdoor space to the front and rear. Part of the bar can be hired as a function room for parties and events. Would recommend.

Lovely pub which decades ago was a bit run down, & now has been spruced up & is slightly upmarket. Pub with bar, restaurant area & private function room. Friendly helpful barmaids too.

If, like me, you have a steak just once a year, you should have it at the Chelsfield. Gluten and dairy intolerance sensitively handled too - for once, rather than feeing sold short, I had a meal out that fellow diners envied!

I wish to sincerely thank Louise and staff at the Chelsfield for arranging our post funeral wake on Friday 15th. The staff are both friendly, efficient and accommodating in relation to our requirements. The hot and cold mixed buffet was perfect and was enjoyed by all the guests. Most importantly the room with its own bar and facilities is ideal for any form of private function. I rarely write reviews but can whole heartedly recommend this venue. Well done Louise.

I wish to sincerely thank Louise and staff at the Chelsfield for arranging our post funeral wake on Friday 15th. The staff are both friendly, efficient and accommodating in relation to our requirements. The hot and cold mixed buffet was perfect and was enjoyed by all the guests. Most importantly the room with its own bar and facilities is ideal for any form of private function. I rarely write reviews but can whole heartedly recommend this venue. Well done Louise

Very flexible with arrangements in the restaurant of this wonderful pub when we eat in the restaurant with 2 youngsters (under 2). Food was excellent and more importantly, the service was superb. Long may it continue!

Quieter than expected for lunch this close to Christmas, but it was lovely to find a place that wasn't rammed to the rafters. The service was excellent, the food was tasty and filling, and we had a fantastic time. Thank you!

Lovely meal tonight at this charming pub. Fresh fish, perfect potatoes and delicious desserts. Convenient parking right outside.

Terrible steak for the price. Dirty table. I ordered shepherds pie which was nice,but thrown at us. Could of been better especially £28 for a steak with oven chips and a dry tomato.

Smart pub with decent selection of beer. Good menu, with vegans well catered for. Service from Hayley was friendly, helpful and efficient. A very pleasant lunchtime outing.

Love visiting with dad when back in uk

We have regularly visited this pub over the years but the food has really gone down. If I pay gastro pub prices £18.50 for a main; I expect to wait for the food to be cooked from scratch. Our food came out within 10 mins of ordering, clearly warmed up in the microwave. The meals had to be sent back as the food was not cooked evenly through and my sausages were cold in places. not something you would’ve sheaved if it was cooked in the oven as we do at home. The £18.50 Thai Prawn Curry had just 3 prawns - what you would normally get for a starter in an Indian restaurant. No vegetables with the sausage and mash. The food was not good value for money - indeed, I’ve had better at Wetherspoons for a fraction of the price; not to mention that you get a drink with it! We spent £80 in the pub - left feeling very disappointed. Will not eat there again.

Had a lovely evening with family and a lovely homemade meal, staff were friendly. This place makes you feel very relaxed and comfortable. I would recommend eating here

I would have enjoyed it more if the serving staff had topped my drink up to the line and hadn't refused twice. The quantity line is a minimum not a maximum

Pub in Chelsfield nice location with outdoor seating. A comprehensive food menue is available.

Went there for lunch to celebrate a family birthday, 9 of us and a baby. As it was a Sunday, there were several different roast dinners. 3 picked the beef roast, 1 the chicken, and 1 the pork. 3 others picked from the standard menu. When the order was placed it took for ever to be served, almost to point of us leaving as we had another event to go to after lunch. The beef was dry, the chicken was dry, and the pork which should have has a crackling crisp top was soggy and the normal knife couldn't cut through it. The roast potatoes were all soft, soggy, not crisp and looked like frozen roasts. Those that had standard menu, the beef burgers were just about o.k., the big steak was overdone, but worse of all was the fish and chips!! The whole plate of the fish and chips were all dark brown, the chips almost burnt and inedible, the fish was dark brown batter and two tiny pieces of fish which you had to dig out of the voluminous batter pyramid. That person left 80% of the meal. Then it took them almost 30 minutes to collect our finished dishes, by then we were late for the next venue that we couldn't wait for any dessert and coffees etc. The worse meal we have had and pathetic service delivered in an unfriendly fashion. Not even the relishes on the table, i.e. mustard for steak and beef, horseradish, or even ketchup for the younger children.

Food and drinks lovely, sometimes service can be slow.

I didn't try the food but the atmosphere was good, the people are friendly and would recomed going for a drink there, dog friendly

I truly enjoyed this pub. It’s pet friendly, the staff is super nice, great music and authentic GB atmosphere. Simply 5 stars

great food, great ambience, very friendly staff! we will come again!

Excellent food, great service - the pork belly with sweet potato fries was tasty. Calamari was really nice - lovely latte. Will be back again !!

Wow what a fantastic pub!! 1st time visiting the food was absolutely amazing the service was absolutely amazing the staff are friendly and welcoming highly recommended definitely worth a visit and highly recommend the food

Great location, good prices, excellent service

Really enjoyed our Sunday lunch and Toby was the best waiter, very attentive, and even brought beef for our dog!