The Crown inn in South Northamptonshire

Excellent value for money meals, quality beer, pleasant surroundings

Great food, great service. Great to have the pub back in Gayton, Kings Lynn.

Takeaway Sunday lunch - excellent as always - thank you.

We went to the crown inn for a Sunday carvery and the food was lovely all locally sourced and the staff were very friendly can’t recommend it enough.

A lovely place for a nice dinner. Had the rump steak and we were not disappointed. It was delicious and cooked to each of our liking. One of us had the gamon steak and they enjoyed that as well. All.our meals were served with fresh veg. The biggest treat for me was the fresh peas, straight from the pod. The meal was reasonably priced and I would recommend it to anyone, only wished we'd found it sooner on our holiday. My one complaint and I think this needs addressing immediately is that because of a wheelchair we had to use the fire exit and unfortunately this was locked by key after we had sat down and we had to wait for a member of staff to unlock it so we could leave. This is not up to health and safety recommendations. That said, it was a lovely place, lovely staff and excellent food.

Popped in at 5.15pm and was advised food was not served until 6pm but decided to wait and have a drink and a chat and our order would be taken at our table at 6pm On second drink when just after 6 when a young waitress informed us that she could take our order but had no idea how long our wait was as they were busy with bookings We could understand this but was a shame that the bar staff could not be bothered to tell us about this situation We decided not to waste our time and as we left 4 other people had received the same information and left They were the same as us very unhappy and disappointed with our service We will definitely not be returning

Excellent food and excellent beer.

Excellent carvery. Freindly & helpful staff. Would highly recommend.

We had sunday carvery and it was very good nice and hot staff was very helpful will be going back

Visited for the first time in many years, staff were very welcoming & efficient, food was good - the only downside were the very sticky tables which are obviously cleaned with a spray. It made the place feel grubby and sadly took the shine of the visit.

We were recommended this place by locals in Gayton. So lucky we got in at 11:50 as we managed to get their deee-li-cious carvery! (We didn’t have a booking) Great selection of food, variety of drinks and brilliant customer service. All staff members were great, I’d like to point out the bar staff who were not only friendly but also recommended the drinks, and in general were happy and cheerful. We chose to sit in the garden which was well equipped for toddlers, our little man had the best time! I’d recommend this place to everyone, especially families with kids. And hopefully we’ll have an opportunity to return soon!

Stopped for quick drink and potentially meal. Sadly table of staff (in uniform) were swearing and conversation was entirely inappropriate Left drinks and went somewhere else

Homemade chilli was great, nice bit of heat Big portions. Dining companion had scampi and (big) very tasty chips. Service was very good, but put was still quiet at midday.

Attended an event recently. Witnessed staff using foul language amongst children and their general attitude was poor which was noticed my 10 year old daughter. Rather than assisting with queries, they provided one word answers and that was the end of their interest. Weirdly protective with their stock of pork and their general hygiene was less than desirable. Will stay up north at home in future if this is what south has to offer.

Stopped overnight in our Motorhome using Britstops. Very friendly and welcoming staff. Traditional kind of pub menu, with very good quality butcher sourced ham, gammon, sausages. Great beer garden. Village location near the A10 but pretty quiet when traffic dies down in the evening.

Best Carvery I’ve had for a long time.

Would come here again and try some of the other menu items.

Nice location, friendly staff, great food and lots of it. A most enjoyable lunch experience, thanks.

Lovely beer garden with children’s play area and ample parking

Lovely carvery,choice of 3 meats and plenty of veggies,will have to try evening menu,🍺👍

Booked in the afternoon for a table in the evening. Very accommodating. Very dog friendly. Arrived and all staff were friendly. OH ordered the hunters chicken and I ha the cheese & hame ploughman’s. Great food, good service and food was prepared very well and plenty of it. Couple of Guinness & a lemonade & lime £43, well worth it.

Can't review as wasn't serving food at times advertised Went to another pub

Went Sunday for carvery. Efficient and good food. Queue for meat then serve yourself. Need to book.

To the Service Team, I wanted to extend my heartfelt gratitude for the impeccable spread and service provided for my mum's wake. Your compassion during such a difficult time was deeply appreciated. The quality of the food and the courteous service made a significant difference, offering comfort to our family and friends. With sincere thanks, Rich Brackpool.

They actually stop cooking at 2:30 pm and won’t serve you after that. Incorrect Information

We used the crown for a wake after my uncle passed away . The catering was for 35 people , we had less people come back than expected on our arrival we were made welcome and taken into the restaurant the food provided was very sparse nobody came through to see if we had enough hot drinks . We asked for specific sandwiches which I had to go and ask for as they hadn’t been prepared . Very disappointing!!!

The Crown is a "must" for anyone staying or living in the area. We had a lovely meal at very good prices, and the staff are very friendly. It is popular (for meals and drinks) with the local inhabitants. We visit Norfolk two or three times a year, and always make sure that we have one meal at this historic pub.

Stopped off for lunch. Welcoming, Pleasant period inside. Felt like a proper village pub.

Lovely place. I was staying locally for a few days so decided to have our last meal at the Crown. Great choice X The menu offered was good hearty meals and served with a special thought for presentation. Delicious food, good service and lovely warm welcome. Thankyou x

Outstanding service food and event, such a nice place to see Micheal Goddards relatives. Really enjoyed the atmosphere and chatting with family.

Food is very good and the staff are lovely.

Food was nice and available. Not always the case on a Tuesday night in January.

One of Norfolk's hidden gems, the Crown has a fabulous offer for every type of customer. We took a couple of rooms here - they're completely boutique in nature, a million miles better than the usual 'room above a pub'. Both evening meal and breakfast the next day were first class, and with a real focus on locally-sourced ingredients. We also asked the Crown to host a wake for a family funeral. Again, the spread was outstanding. No frozen food from the cash and carry; all homemade, and with local ingredients. It delighted the guests on a freezing winter's day after the sadness of the funeral. Full marks on all counts to Charlotte and the team!

Lovely place to eat .and you are made very welcome

Great food, well priced and good real ale

Best Sunday Carvery dinner I had in years. I couldn't choose between the beef pork or gammon so had all three. Highly recommended

Great local pub. Friendly staff and patrons. Lots of parking space. Sunday carvery looked good.

Really welcoming nice place and area around this pub really welcoming aswell nice staff will deffinatly be visiting again 😀

Limited menu and extremely slow service. Prices are acceptable.

Only had a meal so unable to comment on hotel.

Had a lovely carvery, staff were lovely, it was very busy and very organised.

Lovely friendly pub Thanks VW red&white campervan

We didn't actually eat or drink here as we visited on a August Bank Holiday Sunday with no booking and they were very busy so couldn't accommodate us but they deserve a review as the lady who was outside serving was so friendly to us, she saw that we had tried to get a table but couldn't and so recommended a lovely pub down the road to try, despite being so busy she took the time to give us clear directions. The food looked lovely so hopefully when we visit again we'll get chance to taste it.

It's always good when I visit. nice friendly staff.

Lovely food. The sandwiches are massive

Funny little hotel. Nicely decorated rooms, low ceilings and comfortable with a big bathroom and good shower. Breakfast was huge!

We had the carvery at the crown Inn, food was excellent service really good , everyone was very friendly. Would definitely recommend a visit

Return visit for us having been made so welcome the first time. Although a locals pub, none locals such as ourselves were made to feel very welcome. Lovely pub lovely people. Beware the Abbots ale, its strong

Friendly and welcoming, super food and a lovely garden to sit in the sunshine.

Beautiful food at the Crown on our family meet up, thank you!

Lovely local pub,food was amazing,friendly welcome

First stop on our bicycle tour. Plenty of outside space. Very good food and lovely ambience. Not cheap but worth it.

I booked for a group of 26 English and Germans on a Monday evening as part of our table tennis exchange programme. We pre-ordered from the full menu. Everyone agreed that the service and food were excellent. Food was on time, generous portions and piping hot. All the staff I dealt with were so helpful, Charlotte, Hannah, Charlottes mum, Lewis, plus another waitress whose name escapes me. Thank you everyone.

Nice little country pub. Rooms nicely done but a load of really low beams to navigate. Oddly the rooms are named but the keys are numbered, so after a long day it can get confusing. Good service, friendly and good pub grub with an excellent full English.

Pub stop over in motorhome, excellent

What a place. Lovely place. Great food and service.

Lovely atmosphere. Sunday roast to die for especially the crackling!! Had sandwiches, wow, didn't eat for the rest of the day. Staff very friendly. Give it a go.

Lovely country pub, rang ahead & was able to stay in motorhome in carpark overnight. Live music & outside bbq event so was busy, lively atmosphere at front garden, but also gorgeous, quieter beer garden at back with kids play area. Bbq food was basic but tasty. Surprisingly busy country road tho, with intermittent traffic noise through the night.

Lovely food, I had the hunters chicken,, nice staff, a good beer garden and play area for the young ones.

Stayed overnight in our camper van. Charlotte and team were friendly, good range of beers etc and although a Sunday and pub food finished for the day we were lucky enough to be there the day that the wood fired pizza van was visiting. Amazing pizzas!

Went for Sunday lunch, booked with friends. Food was good but hospitality lacking.

The food was excellent the service was quick and polite the chef was very jolly.

Only stopped for a meal + drink. I was expecting classic fish and chips. Instead we got breaded plaice instead of cod. Normally I don't mind plaice for a change but found the fish very very thin and the bread crumbs very thick and hard. Cook from frozen meal? Mmm not sure but it was ok. Expensive for what we were served. Classic village pub now gone upmarket and not as busy as previous when serving classic pub grub. Shame. Service was good, location excellent but no atmosphere. Won't be coming back.

We had a lovely meal. The service was quick and friendly, the food was hot but with plenty fresh cold salad, and it was a relaxed but lively atmosphere.

Good standard pub food, lovely garden space.

We arrived for our 6:30 reservation to find an empty greeting area. Staff wandered by a couple times, but didn’t acknowledge us for over five minutes. Fortunately my friend Mandy and I were there to enjoy dining and visiting. We certainly had plenty of time to visit before they arrived to take our order and even more time to visit before we got our food...and even more time to visit waiting for the check! You get the idea.I ordered the steak and Mandy ordered the ribs. She also asked for a decaf latte. The waitress seemed unsure whether they had it and never returned with info about it. Quite a lot later, they returned to tell Mandy they were out of ribs. At each encounter they seemed quite put out and the dark haired waitress was flat out surly. We were in a great mood, ready to enjoy our meal, but they seemed to make every effort to disappoint. Mandy ordered the Mediterranean Tart instead but was dry and disappointing and my steak was of the finest school cafeteria quality, bland and unseasoned, as were the vegetables. Once we finished our meal, we waited...a lot..,for our check, I finally went to the bar to ask and the woman curtly told me they would bring it to me, we waited several more minutes and I finally went back and said that we really needed to leave, (we had been there an hour and a half at this point). When the waitress did bring the check she basically tossed it on the table. I don’t know what had her in such a bad mood, but I didn’t appreciated her taking it out on us!All in all, a lovely evening turned into a complete frustration. It’s a beautiful place, but not beautiful enough to make up for mediocre food and bad attitudes. We won’t be going back again!

Terrific meal and outstanding service. This is a really nice country pub. Well decorated and roomy inside. The staff were excellent thank you

We had another great meal, the setting is amazing, the food is wonderful and the staff do everything to make your visit great.

Had a lovely meal here, pork and apple pie & mash for me, beef stroganoff for OH. Welcome change to find a more adventurous menu post-lockdown, really tasty. Lovely atmosphere too.

Called on the Sunday evening on the off chance as we both needed a drink. We were undecided as to whether we should eat but had the menu anyway. They do have a good choice of Gin !!Had a few drinks and then went for the sharing platter, which was heavenly. The staff were quick and courteous and nothing was to much trouble. Would recommend

I have been here before and had a lovely meal when they had the carvery in the restaurant. Obviously this had to change, we were greeted at the door and shown to our table. As we sat down a table closest to us said ‘good luck we’ve been waiting over an hour’ not a good start. We had a drinks order taken by the young lady that had shown us to our table, we had our drinks but nobody came to take our order, we were handed menu’s that listed the veg you could have with the meat of your choice. I actually had to go and ask at the bar for someone to take our order and then the barman came and took our order.My husband ordered pork and listed his veg he would like he ordered a large plate and I ordered regular (small)I ordered beef with the veg I would like and waited with anticipation.My husbands meal arrived ( not large by any measure)My meal arrived with all the wrong veg on with things I didn’t want and the things I wanted missing, more importantly it was not BEEF! It was pork which I sent back and asked for my missing veg.My husband ate his meal on his own while I waited for mine to return with the Beef on it.Well I was very disappointed to say the least the beef looked like it was boil in the bag beef that had been microwaved and when I turned it over it was hard where it had been cooked too long. I had a teaspoon of mashed potatoes, 2 soggy roast potatoes, 1 piece of broccoli and a very small amount of cabbage, Yorkshire pudding .( Still on my plate the unwanted parsnips and stuffing )My meal was mediocre at best.I decided to have a dessert as I was still hungry, I had a peach crumble with custard which was very nice.No one came to ask if everything was ok or to see if we wanted any more drinks. The service was non existent I’m afraid ,it’s such a shame because it’s a lovely pub.We went to the bar to pay our bill and then the young lady asked if everything was ok? My husband replied eventually! I then passed on the same comments I’ve posted here, the young lady said she’d pass it into the kitchen, no attempt was made to put things right or adjust the bill, but I’m afraid we won’t be returning.

Phoned a booked for dinner on arrival the staff were friendly and pleasant we were shown to our table We ordered food white bait and soup to start soup was very lumpy next course 2x sausage and mash and steak and chips the sausage were raw and the mash cold the chips were hard in the middle and not cooked the food was all taken away the table next to us had there food taken away as it also was under cooked and cold This is a place I would recommended to avoid unless you fancy a hospital visit after eating

4 of us met for an evening meal. The restaurant has been done up recently and pleased with the results. Good selection met us, I ordered the whitebait (plenty and nice salad to accompany) followed by the pork belly. This was slightly undercooked for me (i could do with a bit more crisp on the fat) but perfectly edible and plentiful. All four of us agreed definitely a place we will come back to . Atmosphere was a little stilted but doing all they can in the situation. Couldn't fault the service. Would be nicer to have a few more beers on, but the two they did have were of good quality. A keeper

Always a treat. As a local, I have been several times now & the food and service is always good. We booked a table about an hour before and arrived early. We were shown to our table and ordered the Chicken & the Pork Belly for mains & the sticky toffee pudding & a chocolate fudge brownie for desert.All arrived hot & in good quantity and beautifully presented. Can’t fault the food or the service in this quaint local inn.

Visited last week, booked early as we had young child in our party arrived on time to be told there would be a 20 min delay on a food order. Ordered our food waited just over the 20 mins when food arrived there was a mix up with another tables food and so one of our party had no food turned out it had been left off the order to the kitchen. Also disappointed to discover that a meal had ingredients not expected from the description and therefore contained an ingredient that the person ordering was severally allergic to. No one had asked about food allergies and so we had to swap meals around so that we all had a meal. The lady serving asked why we had done this and we pointed out the ingredient which would have caused a problem and she said that it did not mention that on the menu. Our starters were fine, however, with the allergy problem and the scampi being over cooked the evening was spoilt. Also when the bill arrived a mistake had been made an another bill had to be produced. Having had recommendations to visit this pub we were left disappointed. Also felt serving staff could have worn masks when serving food

fantastic staff that sort out any problems for you.lovely bar and eating area.lovely food and drinks.we stayed in the regis room,lovely bathroom,huge comfy bed and all the bits and bobs you need.overall a real find

We had a fantastic family meal on the last night of our holiday. We all enjoyed our home cooked meals and the sweets did not disappoint either. The waitress was polite and helpful one of the kitchen staff brought the main course out to us which was a nice touch.

Brilliant Sunday roasts with all the trimmings, and huge helpings, including one of the best cauliflower cheeses ever; wonderful homemade desserts; welcoming and really friendly service; simple and comfortable garden; good value for money. Will definitely go again next time we’re in the area.

Went there for a birthday meal. Very nice gammon which came with chips, and 2 eggs on top. The sausage and mash was also very good. Children’s menu also available. Desserts were good.Friendly atmosphere post COVID. Very clean throughout. Staff very good and attentive.Didn’t get the 5th star as the ice cream came with chocolate sauce when we asked for it to be plain. We didn’t worry about sending it back, just didn’t eat it.

We went back here as it used to be a super pub. The bread in our sandwiches was stale and chips undercooked. I didn’t do what I usually do and send it back ( which of course I should have done) but when asked twice “ was everything ok? “ I explained to them why it wasn’t. The staff were pleasant enough but it might have been better to just say well have one coffee on us. It’s never about the money just good business practice. Obviously we will not go there again. It’s a shame as simply improving the quality of the food and the customer service would increase their custom as I feel sure that we are not the only disappointed customers.

Although I've recommended The Cown Inn the meal we had last night was disappointing... the steak and mushroom pie was devoid of steak, the vegetables overcooked. The gammon I had looked like it'd has been cooked in dirty oil as it was covered in black specks. The pineapple ring and the egg were the same. For dessert, the apple crumble was just three-quarters studge and not very edible at all. To be fair, the service was fast and efficient. Pity those serving up the food fell way short. The staff deducted the cost of the apple crumble, which was a positive gesture.

Room /bed/ bathroom/food/staff all 1st class Had breakfast and dinner both day all food was lovely. Recommend - we will be back. Food that stood out was the full breakfast,lovely sausages, rib eye steak with super chips, fish n chips. Bread & butter pud.

Lovely staff and atmosphere however, we arrived for lunch at 1pm for the hot buffet lunch to find it had 'sold out' apart from sausages or cheesy pasta. Surely 1 o'clock is not late for lunch, more mid service. We decided to eat elsewhere.

v ery small table for two bit cramped meal ok beer over priced asked for desert menu waited for 15 minutes didnt geet one so we paid for the meal and left ps the staff freindly

The Crown Inn was recommended to us by a friend so we thought we'd give it a try and throw in a nightstop for good measure. We arrived late afternoon and found the pub to have a welcome warmly feel with a lovely open fire. Good selection of beers and pleasant staff. We were then shown to our room. The room was very clean and tastefully decorated in keeping with historical connections of the establishment. The room also contained possibly the largest and most comfortable bed I've ever slept in. The Ensuite again was extremely spacious and well equipped. Once ready we returned downstairs to try the restaurant. Again we found the waitress staff very courteous and had good knowledge of the menu. The food ordered arrived in very good time and was of an exceptional standard, both starter and main. After the meal we retired to the bar where we found a very friendly vibe from the locals.We looking forward to returning to the Crown next year and would have no hesitation in recommending this establishment to anyone looking for a peaceful break.

Excellent Sunday Lunch. Helps yourself to meat and veg on the buffet. Plenty of parking. Recently tastefully modernised.

We used to be regulars at the pub mostly for a beer or three. We called in shortly after the new people took over. It seems they had never run a pub before. the landlady was serving people at the bar and taking money but forgetting to pour drinks. The landlord was doing.... well not sure really what ...certainly didn't help out behind the bar but was telling anyone who listened how they were going to improve the place. They could have tried leaving it alone maybe.So some months later we are now moving to Gayton so thought despite some fairly poor feedback from friends we should see if it was worth making it our local.They have spent a lot of money the place but not sure what they have tried to achieve the 2 bars which used to be the focal point of the pub has shrunk to about a 1/4,but there is a good selection of beers . The problem is no staff serving behind the bar the landlord still talking to the few customers in there he clearly isn't willing to make people welcome or may be he doesn't even know show to serve a drink. There were far too many tables most of which were empty consequently no warmth and no atmosphere.This used to be a welcoming village pub well supported, catering for drinkers and providing good grub. It definitely isn't a pub , is it trying to be a restaurant ? who knows. We never were served so we left . I recommend you do what we did and go a couple of miles up the road to the Three Horseshoes, warm, busy friendly staff good beer and good food. Perhaps the landlord and land lady from the Crown should visit and see how to run a pub, and turn it back to what it used to be.

My boyfriend surprised me with a night away and he picked the The Crown Inn. What can I say apart from gorgeous. The rooms were lovely, very nicely decorated. Furniture was lovely. Bathroom was also lovely with a huge shower. Rooms had everything from towels to hairdryer to a nice big amount of tea and coffee plus toiletries. Loved it would defo stay there again. Breakfast the next day was very yummy and nice and hot. Staff friendly too. I would highly recommend.

This place is nice and clean as it has been refurbished.The staff are very friendlyI was expecting a little more for the Sunday meal like cauliflower cheese but it was all the basic Sunday meats and trimmings.Only downside was the potatoes were very hard on the outside and carrots was solid too.The response from the waitress wasn’t very good, “I didn’t make them” ‍♂️ I’m sure our feedback wasn’t passed on.Anyway this is an average place (food wise) but I believe the woman in charge will do a good job and improve as time goes on.At the moment I would not return but will keep an eye on the reviews for this place as I believe it can be better.

Visited yesterday for the Sunday carvery. Very happy with the meal, everything hot, well cooked and plentiful. The staff were pleasant, efficient and friendly. Would certainly go again.

Visited this Morning for breakfast for the first time and we were absolutely delighted with it. Nothing was too much trouble for us. The Server was very friendly and helpful and polite, (We forgot to ask for her name). Anyway we will be back soon.

Have heard good reports on the newly refurbished Crown and so we decided to visit. We went for the lunchtime buffet which is excellent -both for value and content. On offer were four hot dishes: Pork and Apple pie, Lasagne, Sausage casserole, and cheesy pasta bake. We were left to help ourselves and told we could try more than one - we were really spoiled for choice! Vegetables were fresh and not soggy and the gravy steaming hot and delicious. I chose the pie and cut myself a nice big slice which was full with hot meat. It was delicious and I thoroughly recommend this. We followed our meals with some beautiful sweet deserts and coffee.

We stopped off here for a quick refreshment and were impressed by the venue, the friendly staff and pleasant surroundings. Although we weren't here for food, it did look to be a nice place to eat.

Beautiful Sunday Carvery. Lovely welcome, delicious food and friendly staff. Has had a makeover since we last visited and is very nicely decorated. Definitely recommend a visit

On visiting The Crown today, I am shocked and appalled how different the pub is - it’s no longer my lovely village pub I grew up with!! We came for dinner and I was appalled how bad the food was! For a pub previously infamous locally for the warm welcome and great home cooked food I was so disappointed! I ordered the Pork belly from the Chefs Special menu, assuming (wrongly) this would be cooked by the kitchen themselves as it was a special, not heated / nuked like other things on the menu. I was unable to get my knife and fork in either top nor bottom of the pork belly, it was undercooked, not crispy at all and quite frankly looked really unappetising. The party I was with had further issues with the food with the ‘homemade pie’ the steak one being difficult to chew any of the meat. And not a pie at all - the whole puff pastry lid on a bowl of overcooked slop. The vegetables were also clearly grey and microwaved, but I ate them only as I couldn’t eat the meat at all. It is my old local and I remember it fondly and I can honestly say the refurb is not in the keeping with what the local community want or expect and it appears not to draw in many people at all where it used to. Very disappointing.

Our first visit to The Crown since the refurbishment earlier this year and I am afraid we were not impressed with the Menu or the Prices. Living locally we have been fairly regular customers of The Crown and, this time, found a the new menu offering a much restricted choice of Food, less emphasis on locally sourced ingredients and significantly higher prices; £15 for a Gourmet Burger in a Norfolk village Pub???? Food quality was good, but it always has been; it appears that the new management team are transitioning too an up market gastro pub for tourists rather than an establishment at the heart of the village as it historically was. I hope it keeps fine for them outside tourist season; at these prices we won't be going back anytime soon.

Had a late lunch and ordered a burger which should have included a fried egg,tomato,onion.When it arrived none of these items where in the bun. On telling the member of staff who served us was told well spotted and did we want them. Fried egg was brought 10 mins later on a side plate. By this time the burger was cold. Not impressed !

Every now and then you say to friends, 'wouldn't it be great if we could find a traditional pub to stay at, that offered nice rooms, good food and that you could sit outside in the gardens, watching the world go by'. Well, that describes the Crown Inn at Gayton.

My wife and I have been visiting the Crown Inn at Gayton for drinks in the past few weeks and have also had lunch and supper.

Had Sunday lunch today with family, first and last time!! Drinks took ages to arrive, then surprised at the carvery. All meats sat in dishes in gravy, lukewarm and tasted awful. Yorkshire puddings burnt and dried up and vegetables carrots, peas, cabbage and swede all very uninspiring!! There were more flies in the place than I’d ever seen anywhere else!! I only had a small plate with food but was charged as much as all the others which was diabolically priced at £12 each. Very poor value for the quality of food that was on offer. When we did go to pay had a job to find any staff to take our money. Will definitely not be returning!!