The Cornucopia in Southend-on-Sea

Doesn't get as busy as elsewhere, cute little pub, decent seating area outside. Prices not too shabby. Enjoyed a few drinks here.

Came for a quick drink, service was amiable.Ok choice of drinks, reasonably priced. Reputedly "smallest pub in Essex"? Needs a little T.L.C. to the interior decor but overall a nice little boozer.

I believe its the smallest pub in Southend? Drinks nice and cheap, good music playing, staff friendly. Will visit again!

Sat outside with husband and dog - 2 halves of lager cost £4.40. Small, oddly laid out pub inside and outside about 6 tables - staff member friendly. Enjoyed watching the comings and goings of the main road in front of the beach,

Warm, friendly atmosphere. Great Barstaff.

Great to see it open. Had a cab time in there

Wonderful I'll be back with friends. Great food, friendly service, comfortable surroundings, and a magical atmosphere.

Food menu not very good especially if you are a vegetarian

My step son spotted this cute tiny pub on a walk down the seafront in the half term (Wednesday). He felt sad that there wasn't a soul in there (it was evening) so we said we would return the next day. It was a little busier but still fairly quiet. We were served well- staff were polite and chatty (lovely girl from Wigan) and a gentlemen. We sat inside. They confirmed that they are dog friendly which is good to know. Drinks were good and reasonably priced. Will return again.

Only had a couple of pints was working in area for a couple of days but nice pint and great bar staff

The smallest pub in southend I believe. Came here while watching the fireworks

Nice small pub, with nice staff.

Lovely little pub. Friendly staff. Xxx

Walked through to this place originally in January. Was completely dead with the manager who was originally in charge admitting he couldn't see them staying open much longer. Sadly he was right as it closed in July. Good news is it has reopened and I revisited here last night. Barmaid was very friendly and I thank her for her patience when my phone had a blip for payment. DJ was very friendly as well and the atmosphere was one of friendliness and enjoyment. Next time I'm in Southend I will definitely be revisiting. Ignore the negative reviews. Most of those probably just don't appreciate a good old fashioned English pub.

I have frequented this pub lately. It is a nice little place. This afternoon I ordered a pint of Kronenbourg, which is very reasonably priced at £4.20. I asked for a packet of peanuts, and the young barman said that would be £6.20 and apparently put it through the til. I paid him. Then I questioned the price of a packet of peanuts, being £2.00, thinking he had made an honest mistake. He confirmed unequivocally that the peanuts were £2.00. No mistake. I ask for a refund and he duly obliged. To the owner/management of this pleasant, little landmark Southend pub, be careful who you choose to employ! Your peanuts are not £2.00 a packet. I know that! This is a difficult time for independent pubs. You want to encourage customers to come back instead of allowing casual members of staff to pull a fast one! I am only talking about £1.00 here. So what? The amount is irrelevant. It is the principle. No one likes to be ripped off. 22 August 2022 at 17:50.

Interesting old school pub, following true southend-on-sea random

Without a doubt the best Stella I've ever had

had a pint here at about 1 pm. only 1 other person in pub. very friendy, good beer. worth popping in, if nearby.

Very local, friendly but very local and very average beer with limited selection. No real ale or craft

What alovely hostelerie ,had a fab day in the smallest pub in Sussex ,Fantastic service great D.J.lovely guests and enjoyed my birthday drink with new friends. Thankyou so much xx

Such a cute little pub! Great music to listen to whilst enjoying the character of this pub and staff! Worth a visit! You wont be disappointed.

A proper pub with good range of drinks and reasonable prices served by friendly staff.

Great little pub with lots of atmosphere, some great "entertainment" put on some weekends

Very friendly great music and great atmosphere

It might not have what I usually look for in a pub, like pool table and jukebox but it's still the best pub in Southend.

Love it in this tiny little pub really easy going staff grate atmosphere I would definitely recommend it

Had the best night. Music was great, staff and regulars were so friendly

A proper pub. Nice music (and not so intrusive as to stop you from chatting). Interesting people to chat to. We'll be back I'm sure.

Top boozer top bar staff very patient 👌🤣

Friendly place & cosy, well it has to be, being it can only seat about a dozen people!! Reputively the smallest pub in Essex!!

Small pub with friendly staff.Nice choice of ales and lagers. Nice location. Smallest pub in Essex.

Rude staff. if you are unlucky to disabled or have a partner in a wheel chair do not go to this bar. The ladies toilets are up a flight of stairs and the gents in the basement. No lifts.

Went in here for a few drinks table service only, me and my dad sat down 1 person walk in after us for a takeaway drink got served before us, then a 2nd person walked in got served, my dad question what table service means and she got aggressive. During our visit her attitude stunk couldn't handle confrontation of any kind, she shouldn't be in any customer service industry jobs at all. This is such a shame as it is a nice little old pub, but if shes working behind the bar with that attitude it will make it an unpleasant visit.

Came down here on Sunday 13/5/21. In the pub as a sign saying table service only. Put people walked in and stand at the bar. Also no sign saying cash ony. The lady serving was rude with no customer service skills.

Lovley very decent prices right on seaside nice views dead centre of the hustle and bussle. Friendly place nice staff. A historic visit.

Best night here, lovely locals, great staff!

I enjoyed a drink outside on a warm evening. The barmaid was chatty and welcoming. It's quite small inside, apparently the smallest pub in Essex if the signage outside is to be believed.

Great staff and good for drink and food

Supposedly the smallest pub in Essex. Friendly locals. Cash only. Narrow door to access toilets. Ladies on first floor gents on ground floor. No disabled toilet.

Terrible toilets. Extremely small bar.

Great pub with friendly staff and locals

Very, very few establishments have this feature. There used to be one in the Wetherspoon in the 02 shopping centre on the Finchley Road in London, but I think it may have gone now. The Cornucopia's Ladies is on the first floor, up a narrow staircase, and one is expecting the worst, only to find a very spacious room containing two toilets! What a curious yet endearing little place the Cornucopia is. I thought at first sight that it must be an oriental restaurant, as so many letters were missing from the signage outside. Instead, it is a tiny, intimate street-corner seafront boozer, where you will find humour and well-chosen music. A customer told me that on some evenings it hosts strip shows, which would explain the pink Playboy bunny neon sign behind the bar. On Saturday nights a DJ plays his personal selection of music from the 1960s to the present day. This was one of those pubs where I found earplugs to be necessary, but once they were in I enjoyed my visit, and the cheeky humour of the customers and staff. The pub still has its geometric 1920s (?) windows with amber stained glass panels contrasting with the plain. The chevron woodwork inside looks more recent, but the little bays of seating are attractive, and attractively provide continuity with the original design. There is a display of reproductions of saucy seaside postcards on one wall.

If you're interested in visiting or want to know what London pubs were like in my youth... a warm welcome and chatty staff and locals quaffing pints of best bitter, ladies lingering over a port and brandy then you'll have to visit this lovely little boozer in Southend on Sea!!! Old style decor, standing room only on a busy night and rock n roll tunes on in the background. Wish we still had these kind of boozers around in North London but sadly all gone. And for goodness sake there's a great sit down fish n chip shop next door, The Neptune!!

We were invited in and made to feel like part of the family. We had such laugh and some serious chats as well. Pop in, say hello, you get what you give in this world and nowhere says that more than the Cornucopia.

Well good had a good time there

It's great, especially the weekend, good bands and live music 💚

Good pub.... go in the evenings ;) more entertaining

Heard the music and ventured inside and WOW what a great little music venue met the band they r called Not Dead Yet what a great little pub the bar lady Sara was attentitive and on the ball with our party’s drink the band were excellent will surely visit again

Has seen better days, but staff were friendly

Never been to pubs in Southend before , most of the pubs on the Sea front are awful but when looking on Google to try & find out where else we could go , this particular pub came up & online it did not mention at all what it does during the week & also doesn't mention on the premises. Its a very tiny pub & the reviews only mention about it being a nice small pub that plays live bands. So we thought we'd go & see . We popped in & found out very soon what they do & we quickly left . I found out at weekends it runs like a normal pub but during the week it's a lap dance pub . Apparently girls strip naked in pub & give private lap dances upstairs . This pub only has a small paper sign on the door written with a marker pen or felt pen saying no children allowed & that's it !...it does not say anywhere that there's adult entertainment in the place . I cannot believe this type of place is on the seafront next to other normal pubs/hotels where children are outside still with their parents , there should be a clear sign to state what they do , this type of place should be in a back alley . Not good for people visiting Southend who don't know the area as it gives an impression of the place being seedy . Won't be returning to stay over in Southend ever again .

Gorgeous find! Compact bar with lovely staff ond people. Ladies loo's are a must see....DJ-Epic tunes!!

Run by alcoholics, Toilets disgusting, wouldn't waste your money. Plenty of nice pubs on seafront to choose.

Its a nice little pub and friendly

Seafront small old pub for a pint, seemed perfect, why not? After all I live abroad so coming back to blighty means experiencing Essex for what it is known for, and not some place impersonating characterless European standards of excellence and charging accordingly. This is a centre of perfect cliché and they are probably totally unaware of it. What Disneyland is to Orlando or a Bullring to Pamplona, the ironically named Cornucopia is to Essexness everything you may secretly desire. If you were looking for a questionably cleaned, ragged, rundown, tacky but authentic in many ways, shabby, remnant of an earlier politically and morally incorrect time, this is the place for you. It was a Tuesday night and very very quiet, just a couple of punters, builders from Yorkshire and a few local males. The draft ale was actually excellent. Then a couple of ladies appeared, presented themselves and requested a quid each and took all of their kit off, pranced around a bit, got dressed an left. I must admit my taste in eroticism lie elsewhere. I had no idea it was a (licensed) strip-joint on some evenings and initially thought this was a premature Christmas collection as no poppies were in sight for the forthcoming armistice day. It did no harm and generated a few anecdotes that are probably unforgettable. It's an unique rabbit hole to slip into if the real world needs an antidote and it left me questioning humanity just that little bit more. After writing this, if the cliché run true, my days may be limited :-)

Really cosy place and really the smallest pub in Essex :)

Dont let outside put you off. Only popped in for a drink spent several hours here. Cosy pub. Def not what i was expecting. But brill time had.

The barman or owner was so drunk he struggled to take the order, The so called presenter of music" Dawn" was so poor it was unbelievable, I don't think she knew the difference between Karoeke and set music. Surely she should be dismissed immediately" pityfuly poor

went to the seafront on Tuesday night (19/09) called into the cornucopia a lovely little pub the smallest pub in Essex, I didn't know this until the bar staff told me. and also to our surprise didn't realise that at 8pm they had naked lapdancers in the pub, my Swedish friends were okay with it, we did laugh everyone was so friendly even the customers!!

Lovely little bar, great staff, becoming regulars now, luv the live bands and the atmosphere on Sunday evenings when playing. Long may it last.........x

This is a traditional, old fashioned, small boozer with jug collection. Very friendly. Cash only, no cards. They have hand pumps but real ale is only available at busy times in the summer. Plenty of other drinks though.

Had a great time at The Cornucopia. Wonderful people so welcoming and friendly. The band were excellent. Can't wait for the next time.

Friendly staff not over priced drinks and on the sea front

Friendly staff, helpful, traditional pub with a night club feel :-)

Reputably the smallest pub in Essex

Unpretentious hostelry with friendly staff.

Attracts the locals, can be quite noisy.

Outstanding, pleasant staff, great choice of drinks, pop in try for yourself

Lovely little pub let down somewhat by the loud music playing at ear-splitting levels during the day. It claims to be the smallest pub in Essex, and it probably is. Worth dropping by for a pint if they keep the music down.

This small pub is often over looked by tourist because of that I think the prices here are cheaper than other places around. Great staff and service.

Realmente una experiencia desagradable. Metimos en una copa con un amigo y fue inmediatamente abordadas por un hombre en el bar exigente para saber qué estaba buscando. Este fue a las 4:00 p.m. en una tarde de lunes, no tarde en la noche del sábado. Como ya habia ordenado bebidas pagamos y nos fuimos y nos sentamos afuera, de lo contrario me hubiera ido inmediatamente. Me visitar los pubs para beber con amigos en un entorno relajado y fantástico que no intimida. No volveré a la Cornucopia.

One of the smallest pubs in UK. Very traditional - NON TRENDY. Do not expect any extras or frills. Just sitting in the space on the seafront is an experience. a mans boozer really - do not expect any pinstripe suited bankers in here

Omg, that's all I can say about this pub, we left pretty quickly well it's quiet uncomfortable having a drink with friends while a lady was sitting on a bar stool in her underwear..and the toilets well that's another story..I ain't no prude but something very strange about this place..

Ok lets start with the toilets...the women's is up a steep staircase and consists of a room with two sinks and two side by side toilets (no cubicle) one missing a toilet seat, no paper towels, pink plastic coats the windows giving a pink glow to an otherwise dark room. The men's sit down cubicle has no door and the urinal is a trough in the middle of the room so you stand in a "friendly" circle to pee. The only dark beer was John Smiths which was an awful pint and the brandy was watered down....so much for most improved pub of 2007.

estado que quiera usar este interesante buscando pequeño pub para las edades, pero fue una decepción. Debería haber notado el encargado bebiendo Stella! Pedimos una pinta de verano bitter que parecía agua del estanque. la izquierda un rato a clara pero no mejora. Propietario era completamente indiferente mientras que la mayoría lo consejo distancia y ofrecen un sustituto FOC. Fui decepcionado. Si te gusta el lugar se te pegan en el Stella.

when i first went into the pub i thought my god it is small never been in a place so small there was about 25-30 people in there and it was packed lol but good atmosphere people dancing in and outside the pub to the dj music on sundays sometimes they have a live 5peace band playing how do they manage that

The Cornucopia is the Southend locals pub. Good beer, good pricing and although small, often empty in the middle of the day. Be warned though, some of the locals language can be a bit choice.

Tiny place which adds to its southend seafront charm. Real old style pub - not for trendies. seems to have been little changed for decades. Would not travel far to visit, but good for a quiet pint.

Very small seafront pub. Traditional 'old southend' type place; conversational. Pleasant and welcoming service whenever I've dropped by. Worth a visit.

'Reputedly'. Whatever, it IS pretty small - and can therefore get quite (over)crowded on a busy day. I've been in winter, and we just about had the place to ourselves. It's got some interesting photos on the wall, and is pleasant enough. Seating outside / space for smokers. It's right on the sea-front, and is working popping in.

I've used this pub for many years now and its by far the best on the seafront. Although the smallest, the staff are very friendly, the atmosphere is great, like having a drink indoors with friends. Everyone drinking in there treats newcomers as old friends. Karaoke, a DJ and even a live band has been crammed in there and always goes down well. If you only go to one pub in Southend, visit the Cornucopia, Adam and Heather will make you welcome.