The Dorset Arms in Mid Sussex

Very friendly staff and great food. Thank you

They have great bands playing upstairs in the event room, and downstairs in the main bar

Popped in for a beer 🍺 after last night's bonfire parade. Live band playing good stuff excellent service and beer lovely 😍

Very pleasant staff and good service plus dog friendly 👍

Good clean place and excellent cuisine

We held a wake here and the food was good, the upstairs room was very good indeed and while we had a few extra back everyone commented on how good having the upstairs bar was. The barman downstairs was absolutely amazing (didn't catch his name), he was polite, had great skills in customer service, and nothing was too much for him. The young lady upstairs coped very well with the constant stream of guests needing drinks. The outside area is very good and made a great place for all to relax as well. I would say that in all, it made a difficult day much easier. Drinks are good. Obviously, prices have gone up everywhere, but they have a great selection of spirits and beer. It's worth a visit and a bite to eat.

We enjoyed a lovely visit to the Dorset Arms, the lunch was great. Cathy provided warmth and great service throughout. She was very attentive to us and all the other guests, with such warmth and professionalism. We will be back soon!

Was a lovely pub but there was long wait times on the roast so we had pie instead. There wasn't much meat in them though but was otherwise pleasant.

We stumbled upon the Dorset Arms during our visit to East Grinstead, and what a delightful find it was! The cozy ambiance, friendly staff, and hearty food made our afternoon truly memorable. The publican, Darren, deserves a special mention. His banter and warm hospitality made us feel like regulars. We chatted over a few pints, played pool, and laughed till our sides hurt. The menu offered classic pub fare, and we couldn’t resist the Fish and Chips – a comforting dish that hit the spot. The Sunday roast was equally satisfying. Whether you’re a local or a traveler passing through, the Dorset Arms is worth a visit. It’s the kind of place where you instantly feel at home. Cheers from Down Under! 🇦🇺

Nice choice of food. Would come back

Staff were very friendly and attentive. Food was average chain pub fayre. The pub interior is a bit run down and shabby unfortunately especially the rear dining room (lots of damage to walls and ceiling) and toilets. Could do with a total refurb.

Had a fantastic time at the Dorset Arms for my friends birthday. Venue was great and the private room was perfect for the number of people. Staff were very accommodating and fun to be around. Great selection of wine and the buffet went down very well! Thanks to Darren and his team, especially Kathy who kept the drinks flowing at our private bar! Well defo be back for a Sunday roast soon!

Had a fantastic time at the Dorset Arms for my friends birthday. Venue was great and the private room was perfect for the number of people. Staff were very accommodating and fun to be around. Great selection of wine and the buffet went down very well! Thanks to Darren and his team, especially Kathy who kept the drinks flowing at our private bar! We’ll definitely be back for a Sunday roast soon!

Used the private function room for my birthday. A night to remember. Darren and his team were so accommodating and attentive to my many requests!!! Also a big shout out to Cathy who kept our private bar running smoothly all evening. Thank you we will be back !

Excellent atmosphere during the European Quarterfinal with plenty of screens including a huge undercover one in the garden. Great drinks selection and a really nice bbq on offer. Live music was also being played before and after the match making for an exciting build up and added to the celebrations after.

Just dropped into the Dorsey Arms for a quick drink after work, and to my surprise the first game of pool is free! What’s not to love a beer and a free game of pool!

We had heard that the Dorset Arms were now doing breakfasts at the weekend, so went to give it a try and it did not disappoint! We tried the full English breakfast and also the veggie version. Both were delicious, and very very filling and great value for money. Will def be returning!

Popped in for dinner the other night with a group of friends that I hadn't seen in a long time. The atmosphere felt so welcoming and that was reflected in the service we received. The beer and food available was absolutely superb and will definitely be coming back in soon to watch the football. Overall, a beautiful pub with great beer and great food.

Excellent service here and very friendly welcoming staff! The manager, Darren, and his bar team go above and beyond to see that you’re comfortable enjoying your time at the Dorset Arms! The atmosphere in this pub is without question the most accommodating in East Grinstead… perfect for a relaxing drink or meal out with family or friends anytime, night or day. Besides their lovely range of beers and spirits behind the bar, the Dorsets food menu offers a great selection of exquisitely cooked meals to choose from. Cooked food there tastes really amazing, their chef pulls out all the stops for guests in the pub! They have a function room for private events, a fun Pool table room, Live music, Comedy nights, regular Open-mic nights, and plenty of access to televised Live Sport. Drop them a visit and you’ll be welcomed superbly well!

Very disappointed after reading such good reviews. Food very average with cold chips. Went with friends from school days, some not seen for fifty years. Thought parking would be free for patrons. Member of staff had severe hygiene problems, very smelly. Never again!

Probably the best this pub has been, I have been drinking here for 6 years in and off, it lost it's way about a year ago, but since the new manager has been on board the Dorset is definitely one of the best pubs in East Grinstead for food, Drink and atmosphere, if you stopped coming here give it another go.

The Dorset Arms hosted my Father's Wake. Darren the landlord, and his team went above and beyond to make the wake run smoothly. The function room options were fit for purpose and we chose the upstairs area due to the weather forecast, the food was high quality and plentiful, they even accommodated for allergies, the bar service was flawless. I will use this venue again, hopefully for an event of different circumstances. Thank you to the team for all they did.

Nice place to hang out and catch up with friends for a drink and a chat!

Great pub in the heart of East Grinstead. I first visited in 1988 and it's still got a lovely vibe and a nice Indian Restaurant across the road

A warm welcome from staff, buzzing atmosphere and good food

My wife and I visited The Dorset Arms for lunch today (11/5/24) as a pit stop for shopping in East Grinstead. A friend of ours recommended the pub and we weren't disappointed. We were met by Catherine at the bar, who was very friendly and attentive, pouring our drinks and setting up our tab. We opted to sit on the terrace outside, as it was a warm sunny day. We ordered little bites rather than from the main menu. The food arrived promptly and was delicious, especially the chicken wings I had. The pub is very clean and tidy, including the toilets, which is always a good sign of a decent pub. The service by both members of staff out front was excellent. We enjoyed chatting to Catherine and were made to feel very welcome. We will definitely be going back again, when we happen to be in the area. Well done, Team Dorset!

Lovely food, good service and pub

Friendly welcome and good pub grub in a lovely part of town

Visited the Dorset Arms recently for a Sunday Roast and was not disappointed. Everything on the plate was absolutely superb. Will definitely be returning with friends in the future! Highly recommended. Great food, great service and lovely staff

Really nice atmosphere, all the team were great but special shout out to Cathy - extremely attentive, friendly and provided great service. Thank you!! Very friendly and the best service I’ve ever experienced at a Green King Pub!!

only had drinks but nice drinks

My favourite pub in the centre of town as soon as you walk in there is a friendly welcome by staff and a great selection of well kept ales and a cheeky cocktail menu to go with some great bar food. The decking area is my favourite place to sit and have a quiet beer in the summer and chat with friends. I have now made this my local and I always enjoy my time in there and also has some fantastic live music on regular.🍺🥂

Love this pub, used to be one of my locals back in the 60,s

My favourite pub in the centre of town very relaxing and a friendly welcome from the staff as soon as you walk in. Well kept ales with great beers and the outside decking area is a summertime treat.

Came in for an early Mother's day lunch, food was, as ever, excellent. The service was brilliant with the staff being very attentive & making sure everything was OK with our food/order. Highly recommend this warm & friendly pub.

Great food and Amazing staff! Manager is a legend! 👍🏼

Recently visited the Dorset Arms for Mother’s Day dinner. Darren and his team welcomed us to a lovely table by the fire. We received a selection of starters and lovely roast dinners cooked lovely and served with a smile. Very well priced and deals on drinks. They also offer a mid week small plates menu very well placed. And definite improvement on the previous year.

Had a lovely day here. Food was excellent

Very welcoming, great atmosphere and amazing staff. Food top notch. Best pub food in East Grinstead. 100% recommend this place if you want the full package!

Their roasts are excellent and really hit the spot, unlike some pub roasts where you pay more, get artfully arranged veg but end up feeling a bit short-changed. Staff are really friendly and welcoming too. It's a pleasure to pop in.

We come to the Dorset Arms for dinner when we are attending an event at the Chequer Mead venue. Park in the large, free car park by the theatre and it's less than a 5 minute walk to this pub. The Dorset Arms has an old world feel and a small but tasty menu. Currently suggesting a selection of starters as an entre, and the food is great. Well recommended.

If you don’t fancy a main meal but would prefer a light snack I would recommend the Dorset Arms in East Grinstead. There is a good variety on offer, I had the Karaage Sticky Chicken, it hit the spot. Apart from the delicious tasting food there is a great atmosphere created by the friendly staff, plenty of space inside and out. I will be returning, next time with friends.

We always visit the Dorset Arms before a show at the Chequer Mead Theatre, the staff are very welcoming and nothing is too much trouble, today I ordered the cheese and bacon burger and fries and I have to say it was one of the best pub burgers I have tasted in a long time and this from a fussy eater is high praise indeed, also the sharing dessert platter is divine. I highly recommend the Dorset Arms. Here's to the next time

Fantastic pub. Dog friendly which is a bonus, with water bowls and even some dog treats. Great food, and lovely atmosphere. Being my nearest ‘local’ (still a 40 min walk) I’ve been here several times, from their Sunday night quiz night which is fantastic to just a random pop in. They service is always friendly and welcoming. They also have a brilliant range of activities, live music on a Saturday, comedy nights and more. Good selection of beers and wines, plenty of seating and just a lovely chilled atmosphere on an afternoon.

Just had a great meal all of us at Dorset Arms tonight and I have to say the landlord here is really very helpful and welcoming. A bonus Dog friendly which was ideal for my little pouch. Even had dog treats and water bowls… looking forward to returning soon with my dog. Thank you once again for a really pleasant evening in your establishment. Shane & friends

Great pub. Friendly service, lovely atmosphere & great food. We went on a Saturday afternoon and had a homemade cottage pie, it was delicious. Highly recommend visiting and trying this lovely local!

The pub is under new management and I can truly recommend this lovely historic pub. The food was excellent the variety of drinks is plentiful. There was a great Friday night atmosphere but mostly the new manager and staff are friendly and very helpful. Thanks Ye Old Dorset Arms and looking forward to returning.

Booked the room upstairs for our sons 2nd birthday, Darren was very accommodating when we had to cancel last minute and re book the following week due to COVID. We'd arranged for a small buffet and the upstairs bar to be open for 40/50 people, unfortunately due to technical issues the bar couldn't be opened but the service downstairs was great and Darren compensated us with additional food and drinks. The room does need a bit of redecoration but after some balloons and so on were hung it was perfect for us. We'd definitely book it again due to the great service and welcoming attitude we received from the staff, they were all absolutely fantastic and couldn't have asked for more.

Had a fantastic night, friendly staff, great food and drinks. Open fire also to add to the atmosphere. Will be returning very soon!

What great service from the team. Kian Riley excelled in customer service in my opinion. I really enjoyed my visit and would recommend it.

We visited on New Years Eve and had a fabulous time, great atmosphere and fantastic live band. Thoroughly recommend!

Had a fantastic evening on New year's eve. Great atmosphere and awesome live music

I visited the Dorset Arms with my daughter because I saw they had live music. We had a fantastic evening! The locals were friendly and there was a great atmosphere. The band were brilliant! They really encouraged everyone to have fun and join in! We danced and sang all evening.

Went to th Dorset Arms with friends for New Year celebrations. The atmosphere was great, the bar staff brilliant, and the band amazing. What a fantastic way to see in 2024! Great crowd and great night had by all.

What a great pub with amazing friendly staff and great atmosphere. We had a great time here on new years eve and they had some great live music. Everyone was having a great time and the band was rockin! Will definitely be back again for...

What a great pub with amazing friendly staff and great atmosphere. We had a great time here on new years eve and they had some great live music. Everyone was having a great time and the band was rockin! Will definitely be back again for more live music.

What a great pub with amazing friendly staff and great atmosphere. We had a great time here on new years eve and they had some great live music. Everyone was having a great time and the band was rockin! Will definitely be back again for more live music. Mikey

Been here twice in the past month for drinks and they had a live band playing. Excellent atmosphere and great selection of drinks had a fantastic night the band were awesome. Would like to go back and try the food the menu looks tasty

For the first time in years, we decided to book and eat Christmas dinner at one of our local pub/restaurants to support local businesses and save on washing up. Now I realise that this is one of the most regretful decisions I have made in...

Great pub with exceptional staff. Live music at the weekends, just brilliant

What a pleasant surprise, my Husband and I visited The Dorset Arms on Saturday evening as they had live music advertised, what a great night with a lovely atmosphere, we had a couple of drinks and a small plate to share, everything was lovely and...

Popped in for a quick bite to eat whilst out on a winter walk with my wife and was greeted with a warm welcome from the staff behind the bar. We sat next to the fire to warm ourselves up and had a look at...

We were very disappointed with our visit unfortunately. The staff were friendly, however service was not great. Waited a long time for food (it was not particularly busy as we were there 4-5:30pm. After it started arriving, we had to then ask for cutlery and then waited again. Some of the food was basically cold when it arrived and most were then cold after waiting for the cutlery. Food was generally average.

I couldn’t highly recommend this pub, fantastic Food and good drink staff, very welcoming and professional you must go and experience

Love the pub and the quiz nights by Rob , but the roast dinner we had last night wasn’t good , turkey was lovely , but none of the veg was cooked enough, the roast potatoes were anaemic and needed much longer in the oven . Sprouts and carrots were hard as was the sausage in bacon . Very disappointing

Not very helpful manager, didn’t care one bit about my enquirie, I have been coming to this pub for years but will not be coming back, which is a shame because most of the staff are lovely

6 of us went for a Sunday roast today , we all enjoyed our meals and desserts . The service was great and there was a nice feel about the pub . Log fire was lit , Christmas decorations are up . We will definitely...

Lovely food, warm welcome great atmosphere. Can't ask more of a great pub

Great food and great service. Staff were very attentive and the pub has a warm relaxing ambience. I would thoroughly recommend

Lovely family pub, open fire , friendly attentive staff who take the time to get to know you. Clean toilets. Pool table, and have previously had a lovely lunch here, food tasty and well presented

The cask ale was not in the best condition.

Brilliant pub with a warm, welcoming atmosphere! I have visited on a few occasions now and can not fault the pub in any way! Staff are friendly and cannot do enough for you, drink selection is great and food is delicious! Will definitely be coming...

Has to be one of best pubs in East Grinstead. Warm atmosphere, great selection of drinks & food. The staff are always polite, friendly & welcoming. Highly recommend

Have not had food there but I have seen it served up and looks really good

A new broom sweeps clean without any doubt. Darren, The new manager is a charming and most convivial host, bringing everything back to the East Grinstead High Street that has been missing of late. With many years of experience in hospitality you will be greeted...

What a lovely experience. I brought the family up for a lazy Sunday as we hadn't been out for quite a while and to the Dorset for even longer, we had heard good things recently about the Doset. Definitely not disappointed. The staff were inviting...

Arrived before opening time by mistake. And had a warm welcome,and sat beside the roring open fire,the staff were attentive and friendly. Excellent lunch at a very reasonable price! Shame we live so far away, but know we're to go when in the area ....

Lunch was delicious great spot for a business lunch 10/10 I had the katsu chicken burger and was really impressed I will be returning

Great service and great food! Got the lunch deal - burger and a pint for £11 by the open fire 🔥 will definitely return

Great pub, burger and pint for lunch £11 served with a smile. Even had the fire on! Definitely coming back

Centrally located pub with parking. Good selection of beers and small plates menu

Great food & the service offered by both Darren & Peter was excellent - will definitely be returning !

A really nice pub with a comfortable atmosphere. The team are all lovely, happy to help and friendly, and the food too! We often came to have a lunch with a family and never regret. There is a car park if you need. Recommend this pub.

We hadn’t been in for a while but went in for Sunday Lunch today. I noticed a few changes and found out the pub was under new ownership as from about 3 months ago. I can only say the early signs are very promising. An extensive choice of beers and guest ales and a decent menu were on offer. Sunday roast today was beef or chicken but we both opted for the Steak and Ale pie. The pie was an individual pie and was very tasty, chips were piping hot all set off with a lovely gravy. The onion rings weren’t bad but a tad greasy. The puddings were very tempting but the diet has to start sometime! There is a lot going on in the pub over the next few weeks and we will definitely find time to make a return visit soon. Oh yes, dog friendly as well!

Welcoming, friendly service. Food good and excellent value for money. Dog friendly. Recommended.

Fantastic night at the Dorset Arms! Live music from the Tar Babies-a truly great band with excellent musicians. 👌

Lunchtime menu good value. Staff are friendly and the atmosphere is good. Love the live bands they have on Saturday evenings.

Nipped in for a pre theatre pint. Lovely view point from the outside terrace area. Nice pub.

A very nice surprise. Food excellent both starters & mains. Wine by the glass perhaps a pound dearer but was all good & worth the extra £ . Good menu choice of traditional pub classics all at reasonable prices. A few more locals could take note this is the way to do it. Simple & good. Staff pleasant,service good. They had added a 12.5% service charge to the bill that they pointed out stating it was optional or as you chose. Fair enough I guess

The food was great! So was the atmosphere and the service. It’s a good pub for hanging out for a bit. They even have a billiard table!

Attended a surprise party held upstairs on Saturday night - all staff were very friendly & helpful both before the party, allowing us in early to decorate the room and at the end of the evening to secure everything .. sorry the balloons set off your alarm 🙊 … great size room with bar .. can’t comment on food - but will be back soon to sample the menu - Many thanks Dorsey Arms EG

Lovely pub, newly taken over and being improved Greatly. Very friendly and helpful landlord, even have us a pair of insoles for our tired feet as we had walked a long way to get there. Live music, good selection of beers ( for a Greene King). The Mac n cheese was lovely, very cheesy, like it should be. Would definitely visit again, nice terrace out the back for a quiet drink too.

I've been to the Dorset Arms several times over the last 10 years, it's under new management and the staff have improved the service. The menu choices are reduced, but this is a good thing. The food choices are delicious and well cooked.

Lovely welcome from the chaps on the bar today (Friday lunchtime). Very helpful and friendly. Sat on the terrace and shared some tasty, nicely cooked and well presented small plates. Good experience all round.

Had brilliant day as always new owners enjoyed bbq and football on big screen outside always made to fill welcome

Nice and inviting pub, bar staff service was top notch and decent food to go with! Bar has a decent variety on tap as well to cater for everyone.

Came in for some lunch and the service and menu is excellent so will be popping in for a couple of pints as they have a 2 for 1 deal 👍 Very happy

My friend and I came here for drinks and a catch up. New manager is super nice, adorable dog and the music is varied and lively. Would recommend for good vibes and chilled atmosphere.

fantastic fish and chips !! going back for a superb sunday lunch ,, i’ve heard it’s the best im town !

Darren- is the new Manager. Very friendly reception and served an excellent pint of Abbot Ale! The Pub had become a bit tired looking and I hope the improvement I notice today will long continue. Good luck!!