The Forbidden Fruit in Hastings

We did not have food but was an amazing night great atmosphere and bar staff were lovely

Absolutely beautiful Sunday roast! And lovely staff!

One of the most welcoming places you will ever find. Great staff, awesome acts. Visited with friends from London who loved every minute.

Usual fabulous Sunday roast.... friendly and attentive service and a very reasonable bill....thank you!

Good value and good food. Would recommend

We went to the quiz night for the time it was absolutely brilliant, the quiz master was great, very clear, question's were a really good mix. The service at the bar is excellent very friendly and helpful and the music is great. Will definitely be going again.

Delicious Sunday lunch, with lovely staff in a clean and welcoming space. Will definitely be booking here again

I had a lovely birthday meal, the food was excellent!

Had THE best time at The Forbidden Fruit last night. The bar was full, everyone dancing and joining in with the karaoke, The Drag Event was lots of fun, highly amusing .... thank you Drag with No Name. Loved your Melania Trump section Great Atmosphere and the staff are the friendliest I've come across. Love this place!!

Another fabulous evening at the Forbidden fruit. Great atmosphere, friendly staff & the best entertainment! 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

As always a lovely meal, hot and well cooked. Bar/service staff lovely and reasonably priced. Too full up for dessert but from previous visits we know the sundaes are delicious. Keep up the great work!

Last Saturday,12/1/25 my friends and I had the pleasure of attending a performance by the talented artist Sandra Drag artist at the enchanting Forbidden Fruit venue. From the moment we arrived, we were greeted by the warm and welcoming atmosphere created by the amazing staff. It truly felt like a safe haven, allowing everyone to fully immerse themselves in the experience. For my two friends, this was a first-time venture into the world of live music, and I couldn’t have been more thrilled to share it with them. Despite being in the 55+ age group, they were absolutely captivated by the energy of the night, cheering and dancing alongside me. Their enthusiasm has left them eagerly anticipating our next outing! I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the incredible staff and everyone involved for making it such a memorable evening. If anyone is looking for a fantastic place to enjoy live music, I highly recommend Forbidden Fruit. Many events are free, and even those that have a ticket price are worth every penny for the wonderful atmosphere and sense of community. It’s a place where you can truly feel at home.

Lovely meal. Majority of dietary needs met. Just missing a decent vegan desert

Best gay bar in area friendly staff Alan and Sam know how to run a bar and had Sunday roast before definitely recommend , definitely a visit when in st Leonard’s

Everything was fantastic. The staff couldn't do enough for us. The food was great and so tasty and large portion of everything we will definitely be back. Thank you

Fantastic roast dinner! We will be back here first choice every time!

Just had a stunning roast dinner and all 3 meals were lovely !! Extra cauliflower cheese on the side which was also so good! Tasty and piping hot would recommend !!

Great place to go with friends and family. Staff are so polite great for there Sunday lunch would definitely recommend to go here

excellent food , absolutely delicious and great environment to eat in. The staff are very well mannered and always look happy especially the 2 younger girls always happy to talk, Very welcoming overall great place

The bar is beautifully decorated and has a very friendly atmosphere the bar staff are lovely quiz night is very good fun. The questions are difficult. Interesting and brain teasing. There was only four of us on the table and we came fifth and we won three lots of prizes. Aren't we clever?

We were booked to see David Dale on 9th November, but strangely he didn't appear, not sure why. Good night out anyway.

Week in, week out, whenever I visit the quality of the Sunday roast is always high, the staff are friendly & welcoming and the service is great. 100% worth the money; booking is recommended, so as not to be disappointed when you get there and can't get a table!! PS I don't know anywhere else that serves Yorkshire puddings like theirs...... 👍😍

This was our first visit and we will go again for sure. Staff is very friendly, hepful ans efficient. Food (sunday roast) is excellent. The venue was decorated for Halloween and it was amazing! Can't wait to see how it will be decorated at Christmas! If you go to Hastings, you mustn't miss it.

Excellent air quality. I feel like I’m on a deserted island with ana amazing fresh breeze it feels like you’re an asthmatic outside and every breath is like an asthma puffer inhale. You have to experience this for yourself. Incredible.

If you're looking for amazing free entertainment, a fantastic Sunday roast. Dog friendly, and very hard working staff. This is the place for you. Alan and Sam and all their team work really hard to provide a great night out. They deserve every support.

Always great service. Amazing quality Sunday lunch. Staff are absolutely amazing. Caters for vegans too. Recommend you book in advance but not always necessary

Absolutely amazing, friendly staff customers and great atmosphere DWNN again as usual was fabulous We will be back

Cracking roast beef lunch! Large portions , great table service was very busy 😊 , with additional pirate 🏴‍☠️ day decorations 😀 Many thanks once again we will be back 👍🙌

Great night out as usual, but please can you do something about the karaoke? I have visited many times with friends in the evenings, and always had a fun night out. Everybody from the staff to the customers are really lovely and there's a great atmosphere. Last night we really enjoyed Martha D'Arthur's Cabaret show. I've seen Martha before and she's hilarious. Given all the positives, I hope my criticism of the karaoke that followed will be taken in the spirit it's intended. Why, despite the array of speakers and expensive mixing desk, is the karaoke sound so universally poor? I've been to karaoke there many times and it's always the same. Last night I discovered that the owners and paid performers were given 'professional' mics to sing with, but customers doing their karaoke turn, were given awful/cheap muffled-sounding mics, which were guaranteed to make even the best singers sound awful... if you could hear them at all! No other karaoke venues do this. Other venues do their best to help the karaoke singers sound their very best. I won't be coming back for karaoke till that changes, but that won't stop me enjoying everything else the place has to offer.

This was by far the best Sunday lunch I've ever had out. Also went to drag show the night before I honestly can't fault this place. Well done to you 👏 it was brilliant

What a great place, good value drinks flower in this friendly welcoming location as we watched the evening's entertainment. Great singer picked on me a little but that's what drag is half about. Recommend this place to friends and family

I've been here a few tines now for drag acts as well as karaoke, both of which have been brilliant since stumbling in one night just to use the toilets. Always busy and a fun and safe place to visit.

Great pub, lovely atmosphere. Such hard working staff. Alan and Sam deserve every support x Kareoke some Fridays and entertainment Saturday. And always a nice welcome.

First time here today. Has a great feel good factor and so dog friendly. Will be back 😊

We absolutely love it here! :) they always have something fun going on whether it's a karaoke night twice a month,a quiz every week or an evening with 1 of their wonderful drag acts. It's a friendly bar where people like to chat,staff are always welcoming and love to help. I think they only do Sunday food (roasts) mine was lovely,you do have to pre book if you're a vegan as they buy it in special,that's what I was told :)

staff was wonderful but the amount of straight people who were WAYYY too comfortable here was ridiculous for an lgbt venue. ugly ai art decor on the walls in the toilets instead of something made by literally any queer artist ever was red flag number one. went the day before easter and was excited for the drag show until the drag queen started saying the r-slur. didn’t feel like a queer venue at all except for the stairs, very disappointing

I was here supporting LGBTQ+ venues when they are dwindling.easter 2024. The drag act was too dated basing his whole performance on show tunes and Abba no lipsinking queen in astounding gear here very old fashioned. Downstairs the DJ is open to requests but dont expect her to accept then with even a mediocum of politeness or acceptance expect impassive agressiion and.visual disapprovement. For me it tarnised what could of been fabulous

Went with friends for the drag brunch, it was FABULOUS what a great day the staff worked their socks off and Cosmic was great well done all keep us updated for the next one we will be there

Been here a few times now, love the place, welcoming and accepting of everyone, all that matters is that you enjoy yourself.

Great place for a Sunday roast. Food was perfect and staff very friendly. Our dog was welcomed too.

Tried Sunday lunch after reading the reviews. It was ok. Hot and plentiful, gravy was good. But it was a bit basic.

Excellent food, service and value I'm a regular here for lunch, so I am used to everything being perfect. However, today everything was absolutely fabulous. I'd tried booking online the night before, but it was fully booked. I messaged via the Facebook page just to double check and they kindly squeezed us in for an early sitting. We had yummy roasts (chicken, beef or lamb available) and ordered the extra cauliflower cheese. Simple but generous and yummy desserts... can only remember the apple crumble and sticky toffee pudding with the tastiest Mr Whippy style ice cream!!! There was so much food we even took a little doggy bag away! Today was busy because of Mothers Day, but the service was outstanding. Sam and Paula were very attentive and always had time for a little chat even when it was busy. I would mention all the staff names but they don't have name badges on, so a big thankyou to the whole team. So a big thanks from me, my little sis and her hubby.... Written 10/03/24

I’m a regular here for lunch, so I am used to everything being perfect. However, today everything was absolutely fabulous. I’d tried booking online the night before, but it was fully booked. I messaged via the Facebook page just to double check and they kindly squeezed us in for an early sitting. We had yummy roasts (chicken, beef or lamb available) and ordered the extra cauliflower cheese. Simple but generous and yummy desserts…I can only remember the apple crumble and sticky toffee pudding with the tastiest Mr Whippy style ice cream!!! There was so much food we even took a little doggy bag away! Today was busy because of Mothers Day, but the service was outstanding. Sam and Paula were very attentive and always had time for a little chat even when it was busy. I would mention all the staff names but they don’t have name badges on, so a big thankyou to the whole team. So a big thanks from me, my little sis and her hubby….l

Went to watch Son of a Tutu with friends who has never seen her and then and myself totally enjoyed and out friends are planning to come back in my opinion best bar in Sussex!!!

Sunday lunch was fantastic! The staff were second to none, so helpful. We'll be back next Sunday 😁

What was nice was the staff smiling and enjoying themselves

Bottomless afternoon tea was really good fun. Vicky vivacious really entertaining staff worked hard. Sadly we didn’t get asked if we wanted a drink until 15 mins after it started we did get Prosecco and couldn’t get any additional drinks about 10 mins before end. Annoyingly we were ignored for last 10 mins then when we finally caught staff eye told it couldn’t be put through bar. Bit disappointing as I only had 3 cocktails on a bottomless brunch so do t expect limitless drinks but really good fun other than that

We had Sunday lunch/ roast dinner. it was plentiful. very generous offerings. delicious lamb. roast potatoes fluffy. lovely home made Yorkshires that are massive and tasty. chicken, beef and lamb option with mixed meats and veggie option. plus desserts. staff very attentive. nothing was to much trouble. very welcoming and homely feeling. we also have been to the quiz which ive seen always buzzing . lots of people enjoying themselves. littles prizes along the game and big prize at the end. we will be back for lunch soon!

We had Sunday lunch/ roast dinner. it was plentiful. very generous offerings. delicious lamb. roast potatoes fluffy. lovely home made Yorkshires that are massive and tasty. chicken, beef and lamb option with mixed meats and veggie option. plus desserts. staff very attentive. nothing was to much trouble. very welcoming and homely feeling. we also have been to the quiz which ive seen always buzzing . lots of people enjoying themselves. littles prizes along the game and big prize at the end. we will be back for lunch soon!

Took the in-laws who are hard to please. And they loved it. Gorgeous hot home cooked roast, Yorkshires to die for. The staff are so lovely and professional. Can't recommend this pub enough. Guarantee you won't be disappointed

Fantastic quiz. Night every Wednesday. Lovely friendly staff, great atmosphere, nice vibe and always good fun. A group of us go each week and you know you're always going to enjoy the evening . Plus it's dog friendly

Fantastic friendly and welcoming bar with a great vibe and great entertainment. The decor is amazing too!

Fantastic venue great atmosphere and friendly staff. Loved the entertainment Cosmic was superb! 👌

Great food , good value for money and lovely fresh vegetables. Couldn’t find fault in anything , the biscotti Sunday was to die for . So well looked after by all staff , especially the lady who took our order .

The forbidden fruit is a great venue. Professional and friendly staff who always greet with a smile. It is is a very safe venue with tactful door management Cabaret is fantastic and adds even more to the flavour of the venue The core club is intimate and great for a private party ( I have used it twice) The food on Sunday’s is always beautifully cooked and plentiful The quiz on a Wednesday is amazing. Fun and entertaining Yes we love it

An amazing addition to Hastings and st Leonards, where you can meet new friends. They serve one of the best roasts around on Sundays. Very popular quiz every Wednesday. Great cocktails, friendly staff and an amazing group of customers. Karaoke nights, cabaret nights outstanding free drag shows. Basement nightclub every Saturday. Entrance is always free. there is a good mix of ages whenever I have been here. It’s the go to place in town. Everything these guys do, they do very well.

Went to Charity Drag night and had great fun!

The absolute best night, every single time! Could not ask more from a venue, they truly cover all bases and absolute smash it while doing so!!! From the high quality, live and FREE entertainment, to the wonderful staff - even the toilets are beautiful! Would recommend this place to everyone, and don’t forget to try their Sunday roasts!😍😍 Thank you guys for existing and for giving us all a place to feel safe and welcome. We love you ❤️

The Sunday Roast was perfect!!! Veg was gorgeous. The service is so friendly and warm. Very good value for money and the quality is excellent. Definitely going back next week

Went here on karaoke night (which I'm less to believe is most nights) and was welcomed literally with open arms. This place is fantastic. The drinks are reasonable, the staff are friendly and the regulars are great. Needed cheering up and I got that in spades.

Maximum effort all the time. Constantly upgrading the services and premises. Super friendly and helpful staff, quality drinks, great food and so much free entertainment every week. The quiz is first class.

A fun, friendly, queer local. Brilliant quiz, awesome team, good prices, lots of weekend entertainment, awesome landlord!

Great atmosphere, helpful and happy staff. Its having a partial refurb at the moment, so should improve.

Delicious Sunday Dinner with plenty of choices. Hadn't booked but found me a table and virtually no waiting. Good service, good food, good atmosphere.

Amazing Sunday dinner - many of my friends have been here it’s very warm and Friendly atmosphere the food is amazing

Friendly staff. Investing interior. Various entertainments. Good location on Hastings seafront.

Lovely place to visit have fun meet nice people .great owner and staff .verry friendly welcoming .loverly roast dinners on Sunday .grate drag acts .

Three visits over pride weekend. Staff ,entertainment, locals fabulous. Will definitely return.

Had a great night here leading to hasting pride weekend. Its open late, and the atmosphere is warm fun and welcoming.

a lovely pub for a pint with a seaview, cocktails with friends and extremely friendly staff

We are an LGBTQIA+ hiking group called Trek/Fit and every time we do a coastal hike in Hastings, we always call upon our friends at the Forbidden Fruit. The staff couldn't do more for us, whether that be organising a Sunday Roast for 20+ hungry hikers, to creating cocktails and always doing so with a smile and wonderful personalities. This venue adds so much to our trips to Hastings and we highly recommend you get in touch to see what they can do for you and your LGBTQIA+ groups too. Andrew Social Secretary for Trek/Fit

Great atmosphere friendly staff and great entertainment

Had some nice entertainment on. Bar staff were so lovely and superb, one of the nicest staff members I've ever met at a bar 🏳️‍⚧️

Super!! very friendly with an amazing atmosphere 🤩

Went with wife, daughter and her friend on a Saturday evening, booked table beforehand. Very lively from the off, Kylie tribute cancelled, so we saw a singer instead who was phenomenal! Good service at bar, fabulous atmosphere, and well behaved crowd. Can't wait to go back, thoroughly recommended!

Still got a smile on my face from last night. I often visit the gay venues when visiting somewhere and I can honestly say this was the friendliest, most welcoming, inclusive one I've been to. A big smile on arrival, thr bar staff look like they're having fun. A real mix of ages in the downstairs club. Entertainment top notch. Can't wait to come back to Hastings and visit again.

Called in for Sunday roast, fantastic food,great value,great atmosphere

Best roast dinner in St.Leonard's and Hastings! Great portion, lovely fresh vegetables and amazing Yorkshire pudding! Staff very welcoming and attentive. Highly recommend as great value.

Very good location for food and drinks.

Fabulous fun night, could just do with a window or hollowing out the joining wall opposite toilets that joins the two rooms so all can see the show better rather than squish in the main pathway. Still a good night tho.

For a great night out, whether it by for a weekly quiz, kareoke, Drag acts, entertainment and amazing roasts You cannot get better than The Forbidden Fruit

I am reviewing this fantastic bar as I think it deserves a mention. It is probably the best gay bar I have been to. Very friendly and very inclusive and also very welcoming to everyone regardless of how they identify. Great for straights and gays alike. The regular live music is always of great quality and of a good variety. The Sunday roasts are phenomenal, easily the best in Hastings, generous portions at a reasonable price. All the staff are friendly and good at what they do. Great location with the beach opposite, easy to get cabs and buses to there. Also good on street parking. Go and visit and say hi

Fantastic pub with amazing staff. Incredibly friendly and welcoming. The Friday night karaoke is a great laugh and the Saturday night entertainment is first rate. They do the best Sunday roasts in town as well. Highly recommended.

The Forbidden Fruit is a gorgeous, inclusive and generally wonderful venue to go out. Free cabaret at the weekends, karaoke on alternate Fridays and the weekend opening of the downstairs Core Club, where the music pumps and the drinks flow. All the staff are attentive and adept at their jobs; so friendly and welcoming while maintaining order and making sure you have an awesome time. Thursday nights with Oscar mixing the best cocktails in town is a definite pull to the venue on an otherwise quiet night in town. Super-sour margaritas are a yes from me, though if your tastes are a little more chilled, then Oscar can do that, too! And Sundays. Well, from 1 to 4pm, roasts are served. But it’s not just any roast, it’s a generous helping of top-notch food in a relaxed atmosphere with a beautiful view of the sea. The loos are checked hourly and are spotless, though there was a lighting problem in the cubicle at one point and it felt as though I was peeing under a strobe, but a) that has been corrected now and b) it was kinda fun. In the past, busy night would be hot, sweaty fun, where the staff would give out free ice poles to customers to keep us cool, but now, they’ve got air-con to make sure those toasty nights don’t lead to too much underarm perspiration.

Sunday Roast fabulous, choice of meats plus beautifully cooked vegetables and plenty of them, Yorkshire pudding massive! Highly recommend a great value for money delicious Sunday Roast, staff very welcoming.

Just visited for with friends for Sunday lunch , Superb food,friendly staff ,good value,recommended

Great place... staff were brilliant... well, polite cheerful reception.. immaculate toilets.. very clean surroundings... friendly customers.. felt good...

A relaxed and friendly place to visit!

Great place, great people, great staff, go there and see for yourself :-)

Great venue. The staff are awesome and there's always a happy atmosphere with regular entertainment. Their Sunday roasts are delicious too! Highly recommended ❤️

Best roast I’ve had ever. Cannot fault a thing. I would definitely recommend and would eat this every day if it was possible.

Best bar in the area, best entertainment, best staff and easily the very best Sunday roast in the County!

Love this place! Always a warm welcome and a great selection of reasonably priced drinks on offer. Bar staff are warm, welcoming and friendly. Beautiful and interesting decor and always clean loos. Quiz night on Wednesdays and drag nights on weekends. Always lots of fun. Many local queer and poly social groups meet here regularly, which says all it needs to. Long may it thrive.

Great staff, good beers, fantastic views, all inclusive, what's not to like! My next trip is to see one of the shows.

Must he the most versatile pub in st Leonard's and so friendly. In the day, its lovely for a quiet drink inside or in the sun, or for food, then in the evenings, fantastic entertainment. Good selection of lagers, similarly priced to other local pubs.

Lovely friendly place, really good atmosphere, tasty roast. Well worth a visit 😀

What a great bar. Friendly staff. Very good selection of drinks. Lots of events all year round. Best thing though is the atmosphere. We felt like we belonged there. Thoroughly enjoyed our second visit. Definitely recommended.

Very well run popular fun bar , 👏 Bravo

One of the most lively pubs in st leonards-on-sea any evening of the week.. often good entertainment, karaoke on Friday, good drinks, friendly staff an nice decor.

Oh my, go, go ,go.... Thìs place is amazing and the cocktails are great fun. Lovely team and so friendly. You will leave feeling like you have made friends.