The Chequers Inn in Ashford

Brilliant night at the chequers. 4 course meal with Aperol Spritz aperitif and Limoncello for £45.00 a head. The food was superb with choices to suit all tastes. Atmosphere was excellent. Please do it again we want to try some of the other choices on the menu!

Stayed at the 14th Century Inn as we were attending a festival a few miles away. Enjoyed the stay in such an historic building and only just missed out on staying in the Sir Galahad bedroom but the room we had was fine and had some nice quirky features. Breakfast was excellent and the staff at the Inn were all friendly and very accommodating.

We wanted a walk around Smarden, a beautiful old English village, and decided to have lunch here. What a find, what a fantastic pub and quality food. We had the £20 per head 2 course lunch menu and the food was excellent and great VFM. If you’re passing, drop in, you won’t be disappointed 👍🏼

Food was great, really good location, Manager was friendly, 2 women running the bar were so rude, we asked if they would recommend the pork belly and they said well its pork belly! Need training again if they ever were! Obnoxious and so rude!

Had a fabulous meal at this lovely pub. The food was excellent and service great. Will definitely be visiting again very soon.

This is a really pretty village pub set in a gorgeous village, full of locals & timber beams. We were shown to a glorious room-huge bed & beautifully decorated, then went downstairs for drinks at the bar, where the room was full of warmth & laughter. The meal though, was the shining star at the Chequers. He had a Scotch egg for starters & declared it to be a work of art! Our mains were equally stunning, wonderfully presented, unbelievably tasty & bought to us with plenty of smiles….we managed to squeeze in a sticky toffee pudding-unlike us to have a dessert-which was totally worth it. Sleep came easily & breakfast was perfect. A lovely way to spend an evening.

Just had a delicious Roast dinner at The Chequers Smarden , we both had the Beef and it melted in your mouth , the side dishes of red cabbage , creamed swede and cauliflower cheese were also great . I followed with the Sticky Toffee Pudding and salted caramel ice cream , absolutely delicious 😋. Thank you

We spent a delightful afternoon celebrating my mother-in-law's 70th birthday with friends and family - the food was amazing, I had roast pork and I can honestly say that it was the best roast pork I have ever had!! Highly recommend!

Every course was beautifully prepared. We had Prawn cocktail for starters, which had little pieces of apple hidden at the bottom. This added a wonderful crispness to the prawns and was delicious. As my friend and I are not big eaters, we shared the lamb and had extra vegetables. The lamb fell off the bone it was so tender. You could tell this had been cooked low and slow. The flavours had marinated beautifully. To finish, we had cheesecake and pavlova. Unlike some restaurants, this was the perfect size to finish the meal. It's the first time we've been since the new chef was hired and we left full and very happy. Will be back!

We booked for Sunday lunch; the half chicken consisted of 2 slices of chicken, definitely not a half breast, 3 roast potatoes 1/2 a stick of carrot and half a stick if parsnip. It was very disappointing for the price. After we had eaten our disappointing lunch we noticed the next table had a whole platter of veg as well; we mentioned to the waitress that we did not receive any veg. She apologised and said we could have dessert free of charge. Nothing materialised after 30 minutes, and left with a sour taste in our mouths. We will not return.

What an extraordinary discovery. Ales are perfect, food is amazing (Ollie Brown) and the staff an service are exemplary. It’s a wonderful locations, spitfires flying overhead, rooms charming and wonderful. The pond brings Kent’s wildlife to you. You must stay here

We wanted to try dinner at the Chequers Inn now a new chef has arrived. As usual the Chequers is very welcoming but the food has now taken a step to a different level. The flavours and combinations were excellent. Having eaten at many Michelin star restaurants I would anticipate soon it will be hard to book a table once the secret is out.. but will definitely be back to try the rest of the menu.. a lovely evening to be repeated.

We went to this pub for the 1st time in a few months as a last minute option. We were surprised to get a table as it’s always been packed on our previous visits. We were surprised when we arrived to find that the pub was not its usual bustling self and instead only had a few tables seated. The menu was also now slightly more expensive and more elaborate. I opted for the beef shin which was as good as I had hoped for. My partner had the Cornish cod which was again just as she wanted. Our vegetables were carrots and broccoli. For dessert I opted for the 70% chocolate dessert with homemade ice cream. I managed to get a little bit after my partner tried a sample of the ice cream which is not normally something she would order or eat. I hope this change of tack works for you and your obviously talented chef as we will be back.

I have dined at the Chequers Inn on 3 previous occasions and always enjoyed the food and ambiance. Most recently my daughter and I had a delicious lunch created by their talented chef in a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere. The Manageress who served us was charming! My daughter ordered the vegetarian option. I ordered the Cornish cod served with flavoursome vegetables, a wonderful fusion of flavours! We both ordered dessert, a lemon and lime posset and rhubarb meringue, both of which were superb! I like the fact that Prosecco is served in individual small bottles, ideal if only one person is drinking alcohol. Also, it is always bubbly, never flat! If I had to criticise one thing it is that, from my personal perspective, the coffee could ideally have been stronger, but this was not sufficient reason to detract from our overall positive experience. The entire building, bar, restaurant, lavatories and bed chambers were all spotlessly clean! I like this establishment so much that I would very much like to book a room in the future. Despite the fact that the pub was officially closed, the Manaeress took us upstairs to view the rooms! To say we were 'gobsmacked' by the amount of detail that had gone into making the rooms amazingly comfortable and welcoming would be an understatement! They all have an Arthurian theme and were all absolutely outstanding! I cannot wait to stay at a future date! The theme of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table is very attractive in such a historic building. There is even a beautiful black cat called Morgan, I assume named after Morgan Le Fey! A fabulous country Inn! 100% recommended!

This is a beautiful pub with a cosy and warm atmosphere and very friendly staff. We were greeted warmly and given time to choose from the menu. The food was superb. A real fine dining experience but without the fuss that usually comes with it. That’s not to say it wasn’t special, as it was my birthday. We had mains and dessert with drinks and coffee. The prices reflected the quality of the food and we were not disappointed by anything that came to the table. Empty plates showed that. We booked for a Sunday lunch as we had a great evening and feel very confident that we will find the same quality of service and food on our next visit. You can go out for a meal and find it to be ok but not particularly memorable. That certainly wasn’t the case this evening,

Very cold and unfriendly welcome from the landlady. Very off-hand attitude when asked for certain wine. Prices quite high too. Would not return which is a shame as I remember pub from many years ago and it’s changed but not for the better. It’s sad as it’s in prime position and should be full of locals. Paul Hollywood you can do so much better. We went into Flying Horse round the corner and had a lovely warm welcome from everyone, including the locals.

This is the second time we have been to this lovely Kentish pub. The reason for us returning is for their fantastic Sunday roast. Four of us visited this time round and all had the pork roast. It came with roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, carrot, parsnip and a jug of extra gravy. We also received sides of mashed swede, red cabbage and leeks in a cream sauce!! The photo is before the extra vegetables were added! The portion size is huge and great value for money! We were so full up we could only manage coffees at the end of the meal. The staff were very attentive and helpful. We liked it so much we are considering returning for a family meal for my father-in-law's birthday. Would highly recommend!

Second time we've stayed at Christmas, excellent service, food terrific and staff great. Highly recommend! Breakfast is superb! lovely to see the pubs cat still going strong too - Morgan Spice😊

Sunday lunch was hot, plentiful and beautifully cooked. Second time we have had Sunday lunch at the Chequers and didn't disappoint. Staff polite and helpful.

We loved our stay in the beautiful Lancelot room; I haven’t slept that well in a long time! We ate in the restaurant where we received excellent service and delicious food. Breakfast the next day was high quality and cooked fresh with lovely attentive service....

Tasty evening meal, the chocolate brownie was superb, good portions, good service, lovely pub, will definitely go back to sample the Sunday roast

I really enjoyed my stay here the food was spot on , and the breakfast is delicious, nice products used The landlord and husband made us feel so welcome , all the staff are spot on they really go out there way to make you...

Wow! Sun is shining so had a wonderful lunch with family in the beautiful garden overlooking the lake. Gorgeous place....

We have just spent a fabulous relaxing weekend at the 14th century inn for our Ruby Wedding Anniversary. We stayed in the the Guinevere room which was extremely comfortable. Nothing was too much trouble for the family run inn. We would definitely recommend a visit.

Took friends here for a meal and explained that I am coeliac and also vegetarian - arrived to find that the chef had arranged a version of a really delicious risotto for me - felt very safe in their hands and it was lovely to...

We booked here today for a Sunday roast and specifically asked if they had Nut roasts which we were told they did. By our table at 2.30pm they had sold out of everything - yet only offered the Sunday menu which doesn’t really cater for...

Fantastic family run hotel. Would thoroughly recommend and I've been back several times. The rooms are all unique and each has its own charm. Great friendly service and very good food. On a summer afternoon you can sit in the garden with a drink and...

We missed our trip to The Chequers in Lockdown, but have made up for that today. The food was exceptionally good with all ladies making loud purring noises! Attention was given to our gluten free member without fuss. Smiles on all faces. The service was...

The room was more bed chamber, beautiful curtains, furnishings and a tapestry. The theme of the whole lovely pub is of the King Arthur legend, with suits of armour and shields. Excellent restaurant. The garden, overlooking a large pond, is delightful. A huge range of...

Found this by chance. Lovely 14th century Inn. Our room Guinevere was lovely. The bed was so comfortable. I didn't try out the Cooper bath but the smart power shower was excellent. Brilliant breakfast. The local sausages were delicious. Staff are really friendly and happy...

Spent 3 nights at this quaint pub. Thoroughly enjoyed our stay, lovely staff and amazing food. We would definitely revisit this pub. Thank you Chequers for looking after us so well.

Quality food. Really good service with good fine at a fair price. Really nice pub and worth a visit.

Yet again you did us proud. Brought another set of townie friends to have a traditional village pub lunch. Food was all lovely, two of us had the fish pie special. Probably one of the best I've had, vegetables were appreciated too as all to...

A beautiful pub, had an evening meal which was absolutely fabulous, highly recommend pub was really busy and vibrant! Could do with more staff working as the girls were clearly overstretched.

We had a mixture of £11.95 menu and a la carte. Fish pie was to die for. Cosy setting but surprisingly quiet for a pre Christmas lunch.

The place itself is beautiful- Really old with original painting and furniture. Staff and locals very friendly but the food was average. We had fish and chips and it was pretty flavourless.

Second night staying in this lovely village. Booked a table (Polite staff and no hassle). Arrival on a dark wet night was welcoming and all staff friendly. Table service excellent, drinks great. The food was superb. Our foursome appreciated the great 14th century building and the maintenance and interior decoration and artefacts.Discussions/banter with staff great.Chef fantastic. Well managed.

Excellent food and our Accommodation was fabulous, with the added benefit of our own private garden. Warm friendly staff and locals evening meal excellent. . breakfast cooked to perfection. Lots on the menu, could have what you wanted. Beer garden with pond. Will definitely return.

On our 1st visit here during the beer festival we had a lovely time the lady serving our drinks was very nice so we decided to book a table for our Sunday lunch for the next day, sometimes you wish you hadn’t bothered. Oh dear what a let down the only smile we got was when we was leaving . avoid if the dark haired waitress is working there at all cost what a miserable person made us feel most unwelcome rushed the table service no smile we couldn’t wait to leave .

We were fortunate enough to get a table on Friday evening.I had chicken breast wrapped in bacon and stuffed with Camembert with whole grain mustard, and veg, my husband had the steak and ale pie. Both were delicious, hot, and plentiful.My husband then had sticky toffee pudding, his favourite. He said it was on par with the best he had had.The service was friendly and efficient, especially as they were very busy. We considered our selves lucky to have found it.

Very quaint and well presented village pub. Staff are extremely welcoming. The food is well presented without being gastro. Even the vegetables were cooked. The portions were 'adequate' and priced about right, except the desert which were small and pricey but still very tasty. So why only 4 stars?Very slow service. Only one waiting staff serving both restaurant and bar. Other diners expressed their frustration and one couple skipped the desert as not wanting to wait a further 45 minutes.

Stayed for two nights in this beautiful inn. The staff are excellent and very welcoming, the food was great. We stayed in room 4 which has a four poster bed which was very comfortable and looked to have been recently refurbished. Special mention to the landlady who never seem to stop working and the garden is looking good with all her hard work.

It was my daughter and son-in-law's wedding anniversary so I booked a table at The Chequers and after a drive through glorious countryside, four of us enjoyed an excellent Sunday lunch. Two of us had starters of scotch eggs which were some of the best I have tasted. They had runny yolks encased in super crisp sausage meat. The following roast of belly pork with roast potatoes,Yorkshire pudding and far more vegetables than we could consume was excellent too. Unfortunately, we were all too full to sample the interesting choice of desserts but managed a coffee in the pretty back garden with its duck pond.

I have to say I’ve just had probably the best pub Sunday lunch ever. The roast beef was plentiful and melted in the mouth, the vegetables were cooked to perfection and nothing was too much trouble for the lovely staff. Don’t miss desert wonderfully light sticky toffee pudding. All reasonably priced. Will definitely be back. Thank you

We stopped here this evening for dinner and we weren’t disappointed. Lovely atmosphere, friendly staff and delicious food. We had homemade scotch egg and calamari for starters. My husband said the egg was one of the best he had tasted!

Had a lovely drive out in the country today and stopped at this place for dinner on the way back.well what a gem.14th century inn themed around knights and the food is unbelievable,best dinner I've eaten for a while.very friendly staff good service good value too and you can stay there too,couldn't be better,will be going back as soon as

a group of us ate at the chequers and had a lovely meal. Service was a little slow but that was the only down side. There were 9 of us and we sampled a wide range of the foods on offer. None of us were disappointed with what we were served and the portion sizes were good. The fresh vegetables were not over cooked so all in all very satisfied.

Stopped in Smarden for a walk decided to try to eat somewhere stopped at chequers walked in asked for table for two we hadn’t booked but were given a table staff were really friendly I ordered scotch egg it was one of the best I have tasted we both had roast beef again absolutely bang on also really nice to go somewhere with proper bite to horse radish sauce partner had banoffie cheese cake again bang on what a find will definitely visit this place again

We have just returned from The Chequers , Smarden. My husband and I booked for Sunday lunch . We have been here a few times now and just want to say what an amazing Roast Beef dinner we have just had , tried somewhere else last Sunday and there was NO !!! Comparison .

Well looked after by Emma. Simple food well done and just what we wanted. One had ham eggs and fat chips,one ham and eggs and 𝑺𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒚 chips and the other sausage and mas. All three plates were cleaned up!

Myself and a couple of friends came here for dinner and drinks and the food was outstanding - great bang for your buck. Aligned with the fantastic food is the new owner, Monica, she's bubbly, friendly and attentive - you can really tell she cares about your experience there. 10/10 I'll be back for the carvery!

Location is lovely. Staff are very friendly and attentive. The steak - ribeye was OK and the chips were nice. I ordered pepper sauce as an extra which was utterly devoid of any pepper, just like warm cream in fact. Strangely the wine ( which came in a carafe) didn't really taste like red wine, and more like juice, maybe grape juice? I know it was from a wine bottle as I asked the waitress. Three Mills Merlot apparently.

25 members had lunch together last Tuesday and everyone was so pleased with their experience.

Lovely stay.beautifull room really comfortable . First class breakfast.staff made us feel welcome.we will be back

The food and service are always excellent. We eat here quite often and have never had a bad experience.

We had booked a night nearby and were sent to the pub for a meal, unfortunately the food stops at 5 on a Sunday, so as we had walked to the pub we were in the middle of nowhere without transport and feeling very hungry. The bar staff tried to book us a cab to an Indian however the cab was not available for at least an hour, so unbelievably the daughter who is part of the family who run the pub offered to run us to the Indian gram spice in Biddenden and arranged a cab for our return to the Hereford Oast where we were staying.

We had a nice night out. The pub is very cute, the watress very nice and the food tasted great. What more can you wish for.

Treat yourself and stop here for a meal or really spoil yourself and stay for a day or more. Just a short hop skip and jump if you are attending any of the many things going on at Headcorn air field.

Excellent family run Inn in time warp village. Great place to stay and the hosts and staff can't do enough to make your stay enjoyable. Great food and great experience. Highly recommend. Will be back.

Friendly greeting when we entered and the good service was continued until we left. The the main courses we had were all really enjoyable, decent portions, and pretty good value. Elsewhere we would have expected to pay at least a few £s more. Only criticism would be that the beer, for us, could have been a little bit colder (but that is our preference). The menu was quite varied but a couple more vegetarian options would be nice.

the most beautiful stay ever.the room was fabulous,could not fault the whole stay.the food wasoutstanding. the whole village was beautiful.

Dinner with friends at the Chequers Inn and the Slow Roasted Belly of Pork with Black Pudding was delicious and apparently the Thai Green Curry the best had in years. Friendly and attentive staff, most enjoyable evening and definitely on the list to go back. Recommended.

Just returned from our second trip to this lovely Inn, we were pleasantly surprised by the refurbished rooms so beautifully restored. The room was spotless, the bed was so comfortable with clean crisp sheets, tea and coffee making facilities and soft fluffy towels, complete luxury. The food is suburb , 1st class, the breakfast was hot tasty and plentiful. The owners were so friendly and couldn’t do enough for us; I forgot my phone charger and the owners daughter lent me her one. We had a fantastic break here and will definitely be returning , so worth a weekend away , highly recommended great value for money. Thank you Chequers Inn .

Lovely reception at The Chequers after a Christening at the Church next door. Lovely buffet, cheap drinks and a warm welcome

Called in for light lunch while out walking,I had chicken sandwich with cheese,which was excellent, my friend who is gluten intolerant had a salad meal and saute potatoes especially prepared, nothing seemed too much trouble. Friendly service behind the bar and a nice pint. What more to you want.

Excellent roast pork, yorkshire pudding and vegetables. One of the best roast lunches I have eaten at a restaurant in a long time. Food beautifully displayed on both the plate and in the vegetable dishes. Table attractively dressed as well. Staff very efficient and checked that we were satisfied with the food. Can't wait for a return visit.

We went for Sunday lunch. It was seriously good food. Roast beef like I've never had before (slightly pink, so tasty). As we were slightly early for our booking we sat out the back in the beer garden, in the sun. Highly recommend.

Nice food and attentive service. Amazing hoster garden outside. Needs a few more veggie options on the menu.

We came here after spending a warm day at the Wildlife Heritage Centre seeing the big cats and in need of liquid refreshment. This is a very traditional central village pub with a very eclectic decor and is a tea room/restaurant/pub with rooms above and a wonderful garden with a huge carp pond stocked with fish the size of great white sharks and ducks trying not to be eaten.

Having booked a nights accommodation with the pub a few days beforehand we decided to take the chance to book a table for Sunday lunch as well, to save the trouble of taking a risk that they would be booked out and having to find somewhere else to eat after a long drive.

My friend and I arrived at the Chequers at about 1 pm on 26th June. We were the only customers. We wanted to eat outside. The woman who served us was grumpy and offhand. We ordered drinks, which were put on a tray with the cutlery and sauces (in a tub). On the tray, there ended up 2 glasses of wine, a soft drink, two empty glasses, a carafe of water and the cutlery tub. My friend and I are both in our sixties and were expected to carry the tray to the garden, some distance away which included opening a heavy door! If they had been rushed off their feet I could have understood it but we were still the only customers! We asked for the load to be put on two trays. Whilst arranging ourselves to go out side we put a black pepper grinder on one of the trays. Another grumpy woman appeared from the kitchen and took the pepper off the tray saying that salt and pepper were in the cutlery tub....yes they were but powdered pepper, not in a grinder. I did comment that I didn't realise it was self service, to which she replied that they brought the food out. Well, hooray for that.

We gathered as a family of nine for a farewell meal. We sat at a very comfortable table with plenty of room to stretch our legs and relax. Enjoying well kept local ales and a fine selection of Gin's our evening was filled with laughter which merged well with the distant chatter from other diners, a lovely ambience! The menu was varied and we were all excited by our choices even the children. Steak and Ale pies with succulent beef and chunky chips, Pork Belly, Ham egg and chips. A truly wonderful fillet of steak with a lovely Diane sauce. All piping hot and served at the same time. No hanging around waiting to start for vegetables and other sides. This is a country pub in the truest sense of the word and the food was honest and not pretending to be anything else. A great night and well recommended, Thank you to Melissa and to Molly who looked after us so well helping us to create a wonderful memory of a fine night out.

Visited The Chequers last Saturday, arriving 10 mins before our 7:45 reservation time. Bought a drink and sat at our table. Having perused the menu we waited 15 minutes for our order to be taken our order of pork belly and steak and ale pie. After 35 minutes there was no sign of the meals and when we asked how long our meals would be, were told they were being plated. After a further 7 minutes the meals arrived. Whilst the pork belly looked and smelt delicious the pastry on the steak and ale pie was very pale and when lifted was found to be raw underneath and not cooked. The saute potatoes looked as though they had missed the saute pan and were lost beneath the vegetables. I returned it straight away and was offered to have the pie returned to the oven. I declined their offer, explaining that another 10 minute delay would have made us late for an appointment and therefore wasn't acceptable. I was then offered a quick alternative of ham, egg and chips. I declined explaining that the delays already experienced had now made us late and had put me off eating at all. My partner was now trying to rush and finish her meal in very unfortunate circumstances. 6-7 minutes later just before we were getting ready to leave, a steak and ale pie and vegetables arrived with an apology from the chef. I explained again that we weren't able to accept due to the delays already experienced and requested the bill. We paid and left.

We went to the Chequers last night with some friends and had an overall fabulous evening. The landlady was extremely friendly and we received great service from the waitress. The food exceeded our expectations. We each had a three course meal. Some of the dishes we had included a steak and ale pie where the meat was succulent and delicious; pork belly cooked to perfection and sea bass that melted in the mouth. The puddings were devine and the whole experience did not disappoint any of us. We will definitely be returning and would highly recommend it.

Great service, starter of asparagus with Parma ham & poached egg, cooked to perfection, belly of pork great pork crackling, the roast beef was gorgeous, the lamb was melt in the mouth, desserts all home made, staff very friendly. Perfect family lunch

Called in as we happened to be passing at lunchtime and although we've driven past on numerous occasions, it's usually been the wrong time of day to stop. Also there was parking in the car park behind. The men ordered pints and we ladies had soft drinks. All fine. We decided on the sandwiches served with chips and a salad. The chips were dire, they must have been cooked in oil that needed changing and wasn't hot enough. The salad wasn't bad but had a fair amount of coleslaw on it which my husband can't stand and wasn't mentioned on the blackboard otherwise he'd have asked for no coleslaw. Two of us had baguettes which were ok and the other two bread, one brown, that was ok, and mine was white and although new was like eating cardboard. We all thought the fillings were rather tasteless. All in all a very disappointing visit and we won't be returning which is a shame because it's an attractive pub in a pretty village

Booked in for a family meal. The restaurant was fairly empty, and the atmosphere was fairly quiet. Arriving after 7 it took until long after 8 for us to begin eating our starters. The portions were small and pricey but they were nice enough. The main course was over an hour later (Well some were anyway) The mains dribbled out from the kitchen bit by bit, some having to be sent back as they were not cooked properly, some people finished eating their meat before the almost raw vegetables were brought to the table. A hair was found in the mash potatoes, and the portion sizes of the fish dish were laughable. Half the table had finished before the other half had even been served their meals. I would understand more if the restaurant was packed.... But it was almost empty. Eventually the meal was over at around 11 o'clock. Nearly 4 hours after arriving. We were given complimentary deserts for the poor service, but this was not enough to help me overcome the shock of the bill. If I had not been with family who wanted to get home, there is no way I would have paid. I felt robbed, not only of my whole evening, but also of a ridiculously large amount of money for such a poor meal.

Yet again another wonderful meal at The Chequers. So pleased this is our local. Food great, service friendly and efficient. Traditional pub in pretty Kent village.

very cosy room (4) Staff were friendly and showed great patience with other guests' unruly children running around the bar area unsupervised.

Six of us regularly meet for lunch, in or around this part of Kent. We have visited most venues for our lunches. We decided to give The Chequers Inn a try. If I say that we have already re booked for our next meet it will give you a good idea of what we found! A most welcoming and delightful country pub, everything seemed just right. Plenty of room, no squashed in seating as in many other venues, instant attention, water and glasses on the table without us asking, menus promptly issued, and excellent wine list. None of us could believe the Wednesday menu, two courses at £10.50, three courses at £14.00 and excellent house red at a better price than any of the other dozen or so pubs we have visited. We were very wrong in our assumption that at such prices the quantity and quality might suffer. Between us we sampled most of the menu and all of us thought that it was most definitely equal to our other best rated venue and also less expensive. I would thoroughly recommend this pub and the service and the food. On inquiring how such value was possible I was simply told that the pub was family owned and that everything was home- made on the premises. The special two and three course meals are on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Do not fail to try the Sticky Toffee Pudding.

I have been to the Chequers many times now and every time I go it's always so nice. The food is delicious and the service is second to none! Waitresses and bar staff are friendly and good to talk too. Would recommend to anyone.

We went down to Smarden on November 5th, great atmosphere having drinks waiting for the parade, and by far the best pace to view from. We then had a table booked for dinner after the firework display. Great service and the food was excellent, I had the Steak and Ale Pie and I would go so far as to say it was the best I have ever had! There was 5 of us and we all had different meals and everyone loved it. I had the waffles for dessert just to finish off the perfect evening. Will definitely be returning!

Go to the Chequers frequently, either for a couple of drinks or for food. The service & food is fantastic! And you're never waiting too long for the food to be served.

Looks the part from the outside but the welcome was non existent.

I love this pub for it's warm friendly cozy family atmosphere ..... always had good food here on every visit but when I want a good quality roast we always go here they use top quality ingredients and their belly of pork is delicious ... melts in your mouth , so much better quality than going somewhere for a carvery and great value ....highly recommend going here if you want good food and they have a great selection of choice on their menu .

The most indignant rude unwelcoming manageress!!! My daughter and called in on the off chance hoping to receive a warm welcome and a warm drink. Instead we were left standing at an empty bar and had to go and find someone to serve us. When she realised we wanted serving she huffed and sighed and threw down a pile of napkins she'd been folding to come and serve us. I was so taken aback by her rudeness I was speechless for a moment and then I told her not to worry as serving us was obviously too much effort for her in her empty pub. So we went around the corner to a fabulous warm welcoming busy vibrant friendly pub The Flying Horse. We won't be returning to The Chequers only to be made to feel a nuisance and a hindrance. A very disappointing experience.

We were invited to a family do in Tenterden, and decided to see if we could get local accomodation

Good beer (Doombar and London Pride); a skilled kitchen delivering large and extremely well-presented meals (the pork belly was simply outstanding) -- and a comfortable room. Couple all that with a warm, welcoming and helpful service and you have a great place to eat/drink/stay in a quaint old Inn situated in a charming Kent village. Sound-proofing in the bedrooms could be better, especially above the bar - but that's the only (minor) quibble.

I don't know where to start, on first impression the pub looks a old style country pub but you will be fooled if you think that! As we walked from the car park we herd a old man from the kitchen shouting and swearing at the young girl doing the washing up, absolutely volguer language was coming from the kitchen after hearing that we wasn't sure if we should eat here but as we have booked a table we felt obliged, the menus where lacking decent food but I went for a easy meal but was disappointed by the poor quality of ingredients and it seems like it was microwaved! To be honest I couldn't wait to leave.

Stayed here overnight for my birthday treat.... And what a treat it was, beautiful old pub,room had amazing 4 poster bed. Our overnight stay included a full English breakfast cooked to order as well as a selection of juices and cereal and delicious preserves. We ate in the restaurant in the evening and the food was out of this world! The staff were so friendly and couldn't do enough for us. Will absolutely be visiting again and will be recommending to all our friends and family

Fantastic over night stay here my daughter and i had a lovely stay staff were very friendly food & the room were excellent we will be back

Lovely food in the restaurant in this beautiful old pub in the heart of Kent. Great menu choice and wine list. Lucky to stumble upon!

Stuck a pin in the map and came away for our anniversary weekend, Smarden is a beautiful old village and the hotel/pub is 14th century and full of charm.

Stayed in one of the barn rooms clean, comfy bed (perhaps a bit soft) tv, tea and coffee making facilities, en suite has a power shower. Evening meal excellent, full cooked breakfast excellent, staff friendly and very helpful.

Went here Sunday morning because the village features in a 1981 film of the Miss Marple franchise this one starring Angela Lansbury and Rock Hudson (and friends), the film being on at 08.00 in the morning with nothing else to watch on the News channels. The village has multiple roads into it, and is truly charming in a classic Kent weatherboarded way. We dived into the lovely pub after watching a village tradition pass by. Tractor rallies are big in this part of the world, and whole families were being driven around by tractors towing sofas on trailers. Was not at all busy at opening time, and business didn't really pick up by 1.30, which was great for us. Both had roast beef, and a delicious pudding. Staff were fun and helpful. A lovely day out and the Adnams beer was perfect.

Unplanned stop due to tummy rumbling for food, therefore no expectations and hadn't read reviews. But stopped for lunch. Not been before. Liked it. Nice feel, quite charming place. Food was good, nice hostess (actually v attractive - but let's not get distracted here...), scallops followed by chicken pie. Preferred restaurant side of the pub. Worth a visit if passing like me.....

A group of walkers, we had pre booked and pre ordered. We were at the pub in time but had a long wait of 30 minutes to sit down. Once we were seated, it took close to an hour for the food to appear. The food was great but not particularly hot as the plates were not heated...so if this is important to you, choose another venue. However, the meat was tender, there were good veggie options and the portion size was good. There were no complaints when I asked for more vegetables. Soft drinks were expensive with a blackcurrant and soda at £2. There was a limited range of red wines as more quality selections were only available by the bottle. There was a good atmosphere as we were tolerant...just as well as we had just walked 11 miles and were very hungry.

Hey guys if this is the third best pub in Smarden then I'm amazed, I turned up at sunday lunchtime without a reservstion and the staff happily squeezed me in, I had the roast beef with all the trimmings and a pint of guiness and I have to say it was fantastic, will certainly return next time I'm there, thanks

We were on a return visit to stay at The Thatched Barn in Smarden. This pub was our evening walk and had excellent beer for starters and a varied menu for dinner. Didn't always need a starter or pudding.

A late booking at this excellent pub gave us the opportunity to enjoy a first class evening meal and drinks. From the minute of walking in to a warm welcome, to being wished a goodnight everything was perfect. The menu supplied a very good choice of different meals, starters being so enjoyable they realy could have been enjoyed on there own as a meal. my choice of baked camembert with honey, and my wifes field mushroom with goats cheese were mouth wateringly enjoyable. mains were as equally enjoyable, my seafood platter consisting of fillets of salmon and sea bass, both of a very good size, with some unpeeled prawns, and squid. salad and new potatoes, The chicken with a mushroom sauce and sides that my wife had was also a superb dinner. we declined puddings, but only because no room was left. As for the cost, shockingly inexpensive.the service could not have been better, not too much pestering, but enough to make you feel comfortable, a revisit is definatly something for the very near future.