The Crown in Hastings

We had coffee and tea in this lovely pub. It's largely decorated with paintings (which you can buy I think, some have price tags). We didn't have the chance to try the food and the ales, but we'll definitely try it during our next stay in Hastings. The staff was very friendly 🙏

Lovely pub. Great food and very friendly atmosphere

My partner and I both had the pasta for lunch. We were warned about the bowls being hot, unfortunately the same could not be said of the food. It was lukewarm at best and swimming in grease.

Delicious food, nice atmosphere, pleasant staff. Highly recommend!!!

A very warm and friendly place. Very warm welcome, good beers and tasty food (the fries are homemade)...what more could you ask for. To recommend.

👑 Cracking gastro boozer ... Gorgeous Food ... Warm welcome from friendly and attentive staff 🤜🏼💥🤛🏼 ... Tap selection is great and the wine was delish ... If you're in Hastings swing by for a pint, scrum grub and potentially take home some art from local artists which is scattered across the walls which only adds to the charm of the p(a)lace ... All in all a truly regal xp

We had the haddock rarebit, vegetable fritters and chips to share between two. On the light bites menu but so filling. Good value. Service with a smile as well. Lovely, recommended!

Been many times but this was awful. Roast dinner. Chicken was the smartest I’ve ever seen, very dry and tasteless. Potatoes boiled and still hard, not roasted. One carrot, small and one very small parsnip. Overall very disappointing. Small plate of food for £20 and the quality lacking. Sad.

Nice little pub , good food but a bit small when besy

Went to this pub especially for Hastings Tap Takeover. The most friendly pub we visited as far in Hastings.

Fantastic lunch with 6 girlfriends. Glad we booked as all tables reserved (must be a good sign). We were shown to a small private room (although the tables were small - we made it work). Sunday lunch menu was interesting and made for it hard to make a choice. Food combinations are unusual (in a good way) with distinct flavour combinations. I had a super tasty aubergine curry (would have loved a slightly bigger portion) and then tried the blue cheese, ginger cake and honey - sounded crazy but was super delicious. Chef clearly has an eclectic palate but a great understanding of taste combinations, which just makes for an interesting menu and an opportunity to try new flavours. Our waitress was super friendly and gave us good attention. An absolute gem of a find and wouldn't hesitate to recommend.

Wonderful lunch again. The food and staff are wonderful.

We have been to the Crown a few times for a drink and thought the food looked good. Therefore we went today with a member of family. The drinks were good and the staff overall friendly. However, the food was very disappointing especially for the cost.. myself and another had a smoked haddock rarebit at a cost of £9 each.. it was a piece of thin bread which was tough to cut around the edges topped and then topped with a few leaves! We will not be back!

Visited first time for lunch walked in as only 2 people at a table not a very warm welcome put in the Snug told come back for order by waitress nobody came! I walked out clearly not a priority out of sight out of mind. Not great service infact none!

We really enjoyed our visit to the crown. They have such a great selection of wine, and the Vin Orange we chose was lovely, crisp, and light. We had bread and herb butter to share to start. The bread was warm and crisp and the butter was lovely, but I'd have preferred more butter. I had pasta with ricotta, peas and mint. The pasta was silky and tasty, but the sauce was a little rich, I'd have preferred more mint, but hubby really liked it. He had the bacon chop, which he devoured. I tried the stout ice cream, which I loved. It had a real toffee like quality. Hubby had the frangipane, which was (I am told) very nice, and not too sweet. It was great to see place so busy on a Monday, and we were glad we booked a table. Staff were all great, knowledgeable, quick and unobtrusive.

Had a good meal and very nice porter ale here. Lovely friendly team.

Friendly service, great drinks selection and wonderful food.

Great food, nice atmosphere, not far from the front.

Been there twice while visiting Hastings, both times with my boisterous toddler. Staff nothing short of amazing, patient and very accommodating. Food is delicious, their vegan and vege options are top top notch.

The crown is a friendly place , you can eat for a reasonable price considering the quality of ingredients. The roast filet of Coley is a winner , full of flavours and you get a generous portion. Local beers are available and the service is nice. So happy I moved outside rip off London 😍

Simply a perfect pub/restaurant. The vibe is so welcoming, the service spot on. And the food is the jewel on the crown. Never the same menu, full of fresh and punchy flavours, options for all dietary requirements (vegan in particular is always great). Plus such good value for money. So many places nearby charge more for far inferior food and drink.

Fabulous evening. Apart from an error on our bill, everything was great.

In a time where pubs are going in various directions it was great to see a pub that catered for all. Not too far down the gastro route and also a great drinking hole, plenty of outside space and a good beer selection. The Crown was a very good spot in Hastings. Loved the Rothaus on tap and there was a good mix of ale and craft beers available with some Belgian options in the fridge. Didn’t eat but the food looked good and the menu having glanced it ticked all the boxes you’d need. The pub seems to attract a friendly crowd and the staff were all very nice too. Would happily make this my local if nearer by. A good all round venue.

I can't complement this pub enough, doing a great job in my view, spent a couple of happy hours there yesterday, really liked it, thank you. Ben & Berts

One of the best pubs anywhere ever. Excellent beers, mostly local. Food is also superb. Generally busy, but for good reason and you can usually find a seat or spot at the bar

What a great find !Visited with 7 friends (booked ) while staying in the area .Food was amazing and the staff so friendly and helpful.

Family of 7 with no reservations, very welcoming, great food (fish finger sandwiche) and cider. Also dog friendly 👍

Very welcoming pub, reasonable prices and great food. One star missing because being by the sea I thought there should have been more fish on the menu

Love this place so much!!!! 5 stars is not enough. Don't miss this place. Best pub food in the UK. Well, absolutely on my top list. And, when the bill came I thought they made a mistake, £54 for 2 meals, drinks and a dessert to share. I have been here several times ,tried different things on the menu. Absolutely everything is fantastic. ❤️❤️❤️✌️

My husband and I had been sat in the snug with our tiny dog on a cushion next to me for over an hour and had spent several pounds on drinks and food when a staff member came in and said sorry our policy with dogs is paws on floors. As my dog is old I asked if I could have her on my lap. I was told no as people complain her paws may go on the table. I have never let my dog put her paws on the table at home or any pub, restaurant. I said I’d have to leave or sit outside. We sat outside to finish our drinks. The staff member came out to us to ask if I wanted a crate for my dog to sit in. I said no thank you, she’s old and unwell. 8 years we’ve been visiting The Crown, that was the last time. It’s always been my favourite pub, welcoming and friendly and homely, until tonight. Plus £4 for a tiny amount of chips is pricey.

My husband and I had been sat in the snug with our tiny dog on my lap, or the cushion next to me, for over an hour. The crown has been our fav pub for the 8 years we’ve been in Hastings due to its friendly, home from home nature. A staff member came to us to say the dog policy was paws on floor. I asked if my dog could sit on my lap as she’s old and couldn’t sit on the floor. I was told no as people complain about paws on tables. I never let my dog touch the table at home so wouldn’t in a pub. I said I’d have to leave which we did, we sat outside to finish our drinks. I was asked if I wanted a crate for my dog to sit in. I said no thank you. We found this upsetting and ruined our night. We won’t be going again. The young lady who served us was polite. £4 for the dozen chips was pricey.

Good beer, never tried the food but it looks great .

Good selection of cask beers and in good condition.

Good selection of cider and beer. Nice pub with friendly staff.

Cozy pub with very friendly staff. Good selection of beer and cider. Highly recommended!

Excellent pub in the Old Town part of Hastings, a real community pub. Locally sourced beers, ciders and food, the latter of these being stunning. Adventurous menu, very vegetarian and vegan friendly. Quirky design and artwork, very friendly staff providing excellent service. Update: visited 17 May 2022, and it is still as good as ever - the crew running this place are a perfect balance of friendliness, attention to detail and knowledge. Update: 23 July 2024 (my birthday!) Still as excellent as ever. Great selection of local small breweries served, fantastic food (had the pardon peppers, followed by tempura courgette flower stuffed with herbs). Very friendly service, cool music. Uses lots of locally sourced products.

Cool pub, excellent selection of interesting beers on draft and very good food. We really enjoyed our lunch at The Crown, the fish fingers sandwich and bacon eggs chips were excellent, very tasty, well prepared and nicely presented. There is a really good atmosphere, the service is friendly and it's a very enjoyable spot with a nice breeze coming through the large windows or sitting outside watching the world go by. Highly recommended, best pub in town.

Wonderful, award-winning pub, with unusual, mostly local beers, exceptional wine list, amazing food (with fantastic vegetarian and vegan choices), served by really good staff - friendly, welcoming, very quick to help. Few tables outside, but very charming interior; funky artwork, upcycled furniture. Quirky clientele, cool music, and not a TV showing sports anywhere to be seen.

The best fish finger sandwich on earth!!! Also Elliot is the best

A fabulous pub in the absolute heart of the Old Town quirky layout with a tucked away snug seating area. Great range of interesti ng ales, stouts and lagers as well as delicious wines which can be hard to find in other pubs! A great menu and extremely fresh and tasty food, you can hear the chefs singing happily as you descend the hill! Perched on the corner of Crown Lane, a steep hill leading directly to the East Hill Country Park, home of the infamous annual Bike Race during Hastings Week where locals and tourists alike attempt to cycle up Crown lane on an ancient butchers bike without lifting their bottoms from the seat under which is placed a 10 bob note!

The lady behind the bar was very friendly and welcoming but that's where it ended. After being sat we waited ten minutes before getting a menu which meant the couple sat after us had their order taken and food delivered first. We asked for water 3 times and never received it, the food came out in reasonable time, only it was the wrong food. When questioning staff on if the chips were vegetarian friendly Whilst waiting for the correct meal we were told they're not vegan friendly as may be cooked in the same frier as meat, which was a concerning answer. Wait staff seemed completely uninterested. Food and cutlery seemed to be dumped infront of us, it was also peculiar that the wait staff sat at the table when taking our order. My food was however nice, but we made the decision to leave instead of finish the meal.

My wife and I, with two friends, went here for drinks and lunch. It has a great atmosphere about it. The walls are adorned with the works of local artists which you can buy there and then. I was impressed with a neat bar, the great bar staff, and the quality of the excellent food that we enjoyed - the drinks were of course good too! The resultant bill contained no surprises and was good value for money. We will, without a doubt, return for another lunchtime meet up soon

My wife and I, with two friends, went here for drinks and lunch. It has a great atmosphere about it. The walls are adorned with the works of local artists which you can buy there and then. I was impressed with a neat bar, the great bar staff, and the quality of the excellent food that we enjoyed - the drinks were of course good too! The resultant bill contained no surprises and was good value for money. We will, without a doubt, return for another lunchtime meet up soon.

I have attended the Crown fairly frequently over the past few years. Food was generally nice, a bit overpriced for the size of the portions, but tasty and exciting. Tonight was a total and utter rip off. I ordered was called an Octopus salad and received a giant plate with stone cold marinated cabbage and a tiny shreds of octopus. In fact you need a microscope to see how much octopus there is. When I separated the octopus from the main salad I received 1.5 forks in total. It also tasted like a cold mop. When I asked the waiting staff where the octopus is - they got back to me saying they can add more for an additional charge. This has ruined my evening. Felt like being ripped off at a trusted place.

Visited on a Monday, calm atmosphere, very friendly staff, they even have a children's area to keep them distracted whilst waiting for their meals with their family, although the wait was minimal and most amazing food, nothing like I've ever tasted before. We were blown away by the cauliflower dip and the bacon, egg and chips we tried. 💯% recommend 👌 and will definitely visit again soon.

The food is absolutely delicious and lots of vegan options! We came a bit early for lunch, and we were lucky to find a table because all tables were already booked. We’ll definitely come back even if we live 40 miles away 😅

Tasty food. Good value. Good beer

A perfect end to the day. Thank you for your hospitality. ☺️

Seriously.....this has to be the absolute best "pub food" I have ever tasted! I went for the bacon chop, eggs and chips. Totally to die for! For something that sounds simple, these guys took it to another level. Taken with a pint of porter...heaven!

16.06.24. we've been again and it was even better than last time. All the staff were superb, chatting with my aged Mum and making her feel special. The food was delicious, with so many things we wanted to try. My food intolerances were taken seriously and we all had a brilliant lunch. Thank you. Previously .......Superb menu options, that didn't disappoint. Great staff and atmosphere.

Lovely pub with fantastic staff! Really great beer selection on tap and it looks like they do some great events! Will definitely go back

5 adults and 2 young children had evening meal here..the food was very good

It's a nice pub .always seems busy food is always tasty ..snug is really cosy looking now the room layout has changed. The bread is delicious. I think they have a secret bread maker .. !!!!!. It's no secret if you ask them .. 😉

Super friendly and knowledgeable. Had the bread with garlic butter - amazeballs.

Its a beautiful pub, inside and out, and wow the food was so delicious. The smoked carrot and apple coleslaw really stood out to me, so good. Everything was perfect, the food, the staff, the service, the atmosphere, the location. We will definitely be back. Bonus points for being dog friendly and easy access for the buggy.

Fantastic food, quality beer, great staff. Really looked after us after a long cycle

Fantastic venue just a little way from the main hustle of the old town where you’ll get a warm welcome. The menu is small and really very very good and try the cheese at the end… you’ll not be disappointed. Top this off with simply fantastic service from the whole team and you’ve got a the very best night out. If only my phone hadn’t died as there should be lots of photos…

Lovely atmosphere & friendly service on a sunny Saturday afternoon. Tasty food too

U can tell the chef is good at their job

Excellent pub with brilliant staff. It was hugely busy when I went in, due to the Jack in the green happening, but the women behind the bar did a sterling job and got us all served. I didn't have food, but it looked and smelled fantastic as it passed by our table.

Great vibes and buzz. A foodie place for foodies. Only had a bar snack and smaller plate but both were excellent, wild garlic bhaji with aoli simple but very good. Definitely be getting the train over again from Eastbourne to sample more food from a very interesting menu.

The food was delicious but we were disappointed that no reduction in price was made having asked for the chips to be omitted from the fish finger sandwich lunch. A tired looking salad was accepted by my friend, but I declined this. When we queried the bill we were told that no reductions were made for such requests to change the menu. We were also unceremoniously told at about 1 o'clock that our table would be needed for a 1.30 booking despite having been told on arrival that we could sit anywhere.

We (3 people) went there for a Sunday lunch. Non alcoholic drinks + a bar snack (wild garlic fritter) meanwhile while waited for our mains. Food quality was amazing and portion very generous. In fact too much as none of us managed to finish and so no pudding though the menu looked very enticing. Service was good but bill was inaccurate. Table was in a dark corner behind the bar. £70 with 10% tip

Excellent Ristopub. High quality local cuisine and excellent beers. Very friendly and helpful staff. Excellent prices for the English average. If you are in these parts don't miss the opportunity

Had my mother visiting at the weekend. She wanted to visit Hastings. Took her to the Crown, as it was pet friendly and accommodated my dog. Walked in to a warm, friendly atmosphere, and very attentive staff. Sat in the snug area and was presented with a menu of fantastic food choices. Mum is bit fussy, so opted for ham egg and chips, I chose the beer battered fish finger sarny. To say that the food was amazing, would be an understatement! Was served up piping hot and absolutely delicious, all washed up with 2 jars of the house pilsner. Excellent service. Very tasty food. Friendly attentive staff. And a lovely pub atmosphere. Would definitely recommend if you're ever in Hasting, and fancy some great pub food etc. And my mother enjoyed it. I know I'll be returning soon. Big thank you to the staff at The Crown.

Very friendly staff, attentive and communicative. Thank you :)

Amazing food, we tried the rigatoni pasta with duck and the scallops and both were delicious!

Great experience here as soon as I walked through the door. Best to book as gets very busy at peak times.

Decent pub with a good atmosphere. The food is good and they allow dogs!

Really enjoyed coming here. Came here for dinner. We liked the choices on the menu of a 'bigger plate' or a 'smaller plate' and the 'bar snacks'. Great choices on the menu, reasonable prices, and all ingredients were from local seas, farms, and producers. The pub was quirky with a great atmosphere. The food was delicious! Highly recommend coming here.

Excellent Hastings pub on the edge of the Old Town where local artists regularly present their works. We went to support our friend who was exhibiting and the place was pretty packed. Despite this the lovely staff found a place for us to sit. Dog friendly too! Well worth checking out.

We had lunch at the Crown and it was amazing! The staff is very kind, the atmosphere is lovely and the food is great. We will definitely be back.

Great food - (we had just an appetizer) it was really tastily prepared, very nice service, ... and ambience! Thumbs up 👍

Really cool atmosphere, staff were friendly and attentive and the chips were delicious!

Amazing gastropub in the lovely Hastings Old Town. Great service, atmosphere and music. The food is faultless too, I had the haggis pie and it was absoluty beautiful. Can't recommend this place enough.

restaurant should improve their vegetarian food options

Been past this pub countless times and have always heard good things - but until now, had not been in. Called to book a last-minute table and we were in luck. They were accommodating and managed to fit us in. Interesting and varied menu with a range of sharing dishes ranging from bread and chips to small plates and full meals. We got a few dishes, but the standout for me was the handmade rigatoni pasta with confit duck, egg yolk, and cheese. The Crown postcard gifted at the end of the evening was also a nice touch. Will be back.

What a great find. Great atmosphere, friendly helpful staff and delicious food

Lovely pub , food and staff. Popped in for late lunch on Saturday, wild garlic bhajee was divine, curry lovely, beef brisket pie was tasty but only complaint was contained very little beef, like hardly any!

Probably the best kept beer in Hastings and the sag aloo curry, wow!

Best pub in Hastings bar none. The food is wonderful every time. People are lovely and great selection of drinks. The scallops with Rockefeller sauce and plum pudding with stout ice cream were brilliant yesterday!

8-Oct-23: What an absolute gem of a pub restaurant! Visited for Sunday lunch on an unseasonably boiling hot Sunday in Oct. We were seated at a high top table by the window. Staff were absolutely brilliant: very knowledgeable and couldn't do enough to make our visit just perfect. Non alcoholic cocktails were interesting and delicious. The food was absolutely incredible. Totally not your usual "gatro pub" but some genuinely innovative and outstanding food. Now I know about this place it'll be a main reason for revisiting Hastings (I don't live nearby) rather than just a very happy unexpected find as it was this time.

Booked a little late for Sunday lunch. Definitely the last cover. Table not ready at time booked but made welcome and comfortable whilst waiting. Server was on the end of her last shift before maternity leave but was great. Food spectacular (especially the pheasant pie).

Friendly staff, nicely fitted out, we had an enjoyable pint

The bird pie was excellent, the pastry crisp and the filling tasty. The weird thing is, the pie had been dropped unceremoniously on top of the crushed potatoes -- very odd, but never mind. The potatoes had good flavour. The kale was nicely (that is, briefly) cooked but there was only a scrap of it. The main person serving seemed really tense, and the service was extremely slow considering the place was almost empty, but there was no smoky fire and the music volume was low so we didn't have to shout. Prices are reasonable and portions substantial. On the whole, considering how rare good restaurant food is at that price level, I'd call it a place to return to. I might ask for a triple helping of kale, next time, and offer to pay extra for it. :)

Originally had planned to book a table but as so close to xmas, they were fully booked so called in for a drink. There was a big Xmas party so the team were busy but we still received great service and ended up ordering some snacks -WOW- amazing flavours and was a mini meal. Great local pub.

Really nice I'd recommend best chips ever.

Probably my favourite Old Town pub

Really nice pub just off the High Street.

What a gem this place! Loved all of it, the food, the atmosphere, the waiter;-). Really decent plates of food. When in doubt what to order: ask the waiter, he gives you an honest advice! Could have sold us the most expensive, but went for "how hungry are you? Then take this." We went back the day after, had to try different this on the menu. The taste is great! It looks great. Just sad we are here on holiday and can't be here every week. I try to plan a next vacation in the area to come back. Thank you!!

Having had a drink here few months back, I wanted to return for a meal too. Thankfully we booked, even though the period between xmas and new years tends to be more quiet in hospitality. Not at the Crown! Buzzing as ever, we had a high table which was more comfortable than we expected, no issues. We had a bottle of the excellent Orange (Skin Contact... apologies for being hipster in our order :)) Nero d'Avola, and the smoked bacon chop, cauli soup and mussels. There were other very tempting items on the menu too, I'm puzzled by previous reviews mentioning lack of selection!? All were of excellent quality, tasty, nicely presented and good value. Really nice coffe to finish, great service, lovely vibe. Shame we can't return to the Burns night event, but we will be back soon. Highly recommended.

Loved it and the food was great. Best chips in a long time.

Lovely food, shame about noisy babies.

Very limited menu, 2 fish, 1 meat and 2 veggie options, not a great deal to choose from, I ended up having 2 starters as nothing on the main menu which I particularly liked, the deep fried oyster mushrooms and been fried so much the mushroom had disappeared. I think the cost is high for what's on offer, would not eat there again tbh. Nice atmosphere and friendly staff Wine incredibly expensive, dearer than wine at a London theatre.....

Looked after by Helen and her team. Me and my wife’s favourite spot for a mid week lunch. Always a very good cappuccino and latte.

I don't know Hastings too well but I can't imagine there are any pubs anywhere near as good as the crown. Beautifully decorated, friendly staff, a great range of unique beers and wine but what really seals the deal is the food. I'd go as far to say it's the best pub food I've ever had, too good to be considered just pub food. I had the pheasant leg for £20 which I believe was the priciest meal on the menu but I'd say that was extremely well priced. I'd recommend making your way to crown, even if it is out of your way.

Good pub with German draft beer from Hochschawrzwald, where I used to live. Great nostalgia trip.

Went for a family meal on a Monday night, glad we booked as most tables were full (sign of a good restaurant). The food was amazing, not sure 5 stars is a high enough rating. Everyone's meal was perfectly cooked, fantastic flavours, and decent portion sizes. A place I'd definitely want to go back to again if I was in the area.

Had lunch here today and it was delicious. Very imaginative and full of flavour. Lovely staff in a beautiful old pub by the sea.I had a delicious fish curry dish.

Brilliant pub and kitchen. All dishes delicious: blue cheese & ham croquetas, crispy sardine and panzanella (stand-out), brown shrimp, and mains of bacon chop and an excellent home-made brown sauce, and curried cod cheeks with super curried garnishes. Really tasty, gutsy cooking, with upbeat, good-natured service. Nice little wine list too. White Rioja was delicious. We’d definitely return on another visit to Hastings.