The Fox Goes Free in Chichester

We visited the Fox Goes Free as we’ve always had fantastic meals here in the past. Staff were attentive and helpful as they have been previously. Starters were nice, so far so good. However the main courses were a different matter. We had a burger, steak and fish and chips, they were a huge let down. The burger was burnt, the bun soggy and the chips were cold and chewy. Fish and chips were bland and tasteless and the chips again cold and chewy. The steak was very fatty and the chips cold. We didn’t complain as I’m not good with confrontation and the food was just about edible although unpleasantly so. The pub was very empty for a Saturday night which surprised me as it always used to be packed. I don’t know what’s happened, if they’ve changed hands or got a new chef but whatever it is please go back to before. If the pub is half empty and they can’t manage to cook tasty, un burnt, hot food it is unlikely it’ll improve. Doubt we’ll return or recommend it to friends and family again. Such a disappointment. Such a shame.

We were travelling from Poole to East Grinstead and needed lunch somewhere, so we booked The Fox. We had no idea what to expect, so it was a surprise to find a pub that does really good food- much, much better than your average pub. I had herb crusted cod with polenta and my wife had Brie and garlic risotto with a glass of French Chardonnay; all delicious. I would highly recommend this pub to one and all.

The Fox Goes Free has always been our failsafe meal out as a family or with friends. It has always been my favourite pub. However, the meal I had with my family this evening was very disappointing. We had to wait an hour for our main course which was mediocre. My son’s burger was burnt and his chips were soggy. I had to ask the waitress 3 times for a glass of wine but she was too busy flirting with her colleague to remember it. Service was terrible, food average. No more chocolates with the bill either! No one apologised for the delay in the food.. nothing. I always recommended this pub to friends and family and colleagues but I no longer can. So sad, so disappointing.

Beautiful location Lovely enjoyable food Attentive staff Will definitely be back again Dogs welcome Accommodation available Very close to I goodwood

It was our first visit to this lovely pub and it certainly will not be our last. The location is fantastic with great views of the West Sussex countryside. Sunday lunch was excellent, the food was very good as was the service and prices are very reasonable.

What a fab pub for a casual, but utterly delicious meal out! My partner and I needed somewhere to eat after a day of travel for a potential business meeting, and The Fox Goes Free were so accommodating last minute. We ended up having a spontaneous 3 course meal because the menu looked amazing, and it did not disappoint! Friendly service and a warm atmosphere - would highly recommend and would definitely go back if we venture this way again. Thank you for a brilliant pause in a busy end of half term weekend. :)

Such a nice pub and the food is really good. It has a real country vibe. The staff couldn’t do enough for you. A good selection of beers and I look forward to going back.

A truly charming pub restaurant, warm and welcoming, with extremely attentive staff. The food was amazing, freshly prepared and delicious. Nothing was too much trouble - a wonderful lunch and one which will be treasured. Thank you. Paul Potgieter

Excellent food and service. A cracking Sunday roast and make sure you do some walking around the glorious area before dinner as there’s a lot of it! The place is packed for a reason so book early to avoid disappointment! We’ll be back!

Delighted to be given a table by the fire as soon as we arrived - and staff are very helpful and friendly . The food was very good as always and the wine perfectly chilled - thank you from Amanda in Chichester x

Just had the most delicious lunch followed by an even more delicious dessert. Everything was fresh and all the bread and pies are made on the premises.We were served by a gentleman called Rob who was funny, attentive and patient ( we had a 3 year old with us!!). Customer service was excellent and as we all said, that can make or break a meal. The who experience was 5 star. Cannot recommend this place enough. Do not hesitate, get booking!

Last minute late lunch luckily accommodated. Friendly welcome by the busy buzzing staff. The pub was full but service was still great. We both chose the roast beef with too many accompanying veg to list, it was wonderful and a good sized portions. A good choice of wines by the glass too. Great place for a winter lunch or dinner, already looking forward to a return visit and also summer dining.

We had a beautiful walk on the South Downs today , some much needed R&R and there is no better way to finish that off than, fabulous food, in a beautiful Pub with the warmest welcome. We Highly recommend you visit The Fox Goes Free you and your fury friends will absolutely love it. They also have a wide range of alcohol free Beers, wines and spirits.

This is such a lovely pub for n a beautiful setting. We had an amazing Sunday roast lunch here. The service was fantastic and Hope, our waitress was really attentive and efficient. All the staff were really welcoming not only to us but our dog, Twiglet who loved the Bonio.

Lovely spot with great food, relaxing ambience and friendly service. Plenty of parking options. Dog friendly. Highly recommended.

I stayed three nights as I was doing a course at West Dean. It is a really super place - lovely food/staff/room/location - an all-rounder......and recommended as such. Just a shame they don't have rooms with baths which I prefer. Thanks for a great stay!

I took a group of 14 to The Fox Goes Free for the Fish and Chip lunch. Excellent food and service. 100% happy diners. All looking forward to the next visit.

We really enjoyed our one night stay. Really cosy and comfy rooms, friendly staff who were helpful and attentive - but not too much! The food was really good - my husband loved the pie so much he would have had it for breakfast! Would...

Excellent food and really friendly service in a lovely cosy pub for dinner in the evening. So good we went back for Sunday lunch which was also excellent.

Went for lunch with friends and wasn’t disappointed. We did have to chase water for the table and we had a long wait for our wine but the restaurant were the ones to acknowledge and deducted a round of drinks. Food was excellent and I’d...

The Fox Goes Free is our lovely local pub and never fails to deliver excellent service and quality food. We visited on Saturday 30th December 2023 for an evening meal, the Christmas decorations were perfectly placed and the tree was amazing, the roaring fire felt...

A disappointing “Birthday Treat”…arrived being met with a warm welcome, and after giving us a Sunday menu on a Monday, we understand mistakes do happen; one of our main dishes Belly Pork was not properly cooked, and we were missing an additional order of chips,where...

Disappointing. Having eaten here several times in the past, we went for Sunday lunch. The food was very mediocre - the veg was uninspiring and either overcooked (greens) or undercooked - (hard carrots and parsnip)s and the roast potatoes were very grey and dry. We...

My friend and I chose this pub on recommendation but were horrified when we both selected “dairy-free” meal options only to be unknowingly served the options that weren’t diary free. Potentially we both could have been very unwell but thankfully one of the waitresses picked...

Having eaten here previously we were disappointed with our Christmas lunch. On the positive side we enjoyed the traditional Christmas decor, the staff were helpful and friendly, and the wine was excellent. However, the scallop starter was unpleasant and the turkey main meal was poor....

Eight of us had our Christmas lunch here and we can’t fault the experience. Food was excellent, ambience lovely and service was faultless. I would definitely recommend it for any occasion

Beware if a member of your group has a food allergy. The waiter had little idea about the content of the restaurant’s food and was uncertain of the meanings of the terms ‘vegan’ and ‘vegetarian’. Further more he insisted that the ice cream dessert was...

We had an evening with friends that we have known since all our children were born 16 years ago! We were taken through to the small cosy room, I think it is called the bakery. Very friendly service, starters we excellent. Main course even better....

First time visit here and wow we were amazed. Very warm welcome and taken to our table promptly. Service was impeccable so friendly and very helpful with wine choice. We both had turkey dinner and was fabulous puddings were amazing too. Such a lovely warm...

I was really looking forward to meeting friends here for a Christmas meal, after having a fabulous meal last year. However, this year it was really disappointing. Firstly, I would like to say that the staff were all really lovely, smiley and polite. However, we...

Visited for lunch with group of 10 golfers for Christmas lunch. The Fox is a great venue and the food and service was excellent. It was very a very busy time but the staff managed it all with skill and patience.

Terrible. There are no other words to describe this place. The food was disgusting and it is astonishing that the management allow it to be served to paying customers. There are no excuses for rubbish to be given to people paying (in this case) way over the top prices. I felt cheated but because I was with others at the time it would have been embarrassing to have said as much. I strongly advise against visiting this establishment. It was at sometime in the past a good place but not anymore.

We had a fantastic meal here celebrating Grandma’s 80th birthday. Lovely environment, great food and a very genial host. Thank you all!

We were staying just a mile down the road in an Airbnb, so this was a great option for us. Good range of choices on the menu. My wife thoroughly enjoyed the curry / cauliflower soup For mains, we both chose the fox fish pie. Really good and contained plenty of fish along with a nice selection of vegetables. I liked the idea that for desert there was the option of a half desert with tea / coffee for the same price as a full desert. Staff were all very good and the meal, including wine, was reasonably priced

Both food service are excellent, staff did there uttermost to assure us that as os a busy time that we waited 20 minutes, But believe me and my family it was well worth the wait,The food was excellent well presented on the plates ,my youngest son Jason said its the best burger he has ever had which made my wife's day as he is such a fussy eater.Well done to your terrific team you have at the Fox

We stubbled across this gem a few years ago but didn’t stop! Today we made the effort to pay a visit and delighted we did. Beautiful setting, plenty of parking and a warm welcome upon arrival. Busy for a lunchtime so pleased we booked and we could see why. Lovely atmosphere, the open fire was appreciated today and the food and service were excellent. Good menu with plenty of variety too. The garden looks great too, so can’t wait to pop back in warmer times!

Situated very remotely in unlit surroundings the pub is warm and welcoming. We chose to eat in the dining room as it was a special occasion but found the tables and chairs so close to each other, it was difficult to get seated without asking a neighbour to move! The range of ales was poor but the menu is varied and the food excellent with good sized portions. The service was also attentive.

After quite a while we revisited the inn and it was as good as ever. Lovely log fires, excellent service, and delicious food. My special was a Cottage pie which was outstanding, but the vegetables were a little hard for me personally, and my partner...

What has happened in a month ? We came back to the fox, a long loved venue to find they had appointed a new head chef. The change was more that welcomed by our party, to the point we came lunch and dinner for our...

We came to the Fox based on its reviews and a few online articles. We were sadly disappointed. The food took a long time and the burger in particular was very very poor. soggy bun and flavourless. Very busy Saturday service and staff and pub...

Lovely pub a short walk from where we were staying. Staff very friendly and welcoming. Had the Roasted Beetroot and Sweet Potato salad - however no sign of any sweet potato - not sure if they had run out or forgotten as no explanation given....

Good outside seating after a long walk. Friendly and efficient staff. Good lunch with generous portion sizes. Worth a visit.

In October I when for dinner at The Fox Goes Free, for the first time, as an arranged group dinner. I ordered the share platter with halloumi and vegetarian salad with raspberry infused dressing. I was disappointed by the meals. The crumbed halloumi was the...

5 stars to staff. Our stay did not go to plan as unfortunately we had an issue with our room which could not quickly be resolved. These things happen and we checked out with a full refund. This was done with grace and a smile...

We stayed at this great pub for a weekend. Food was excellent and I would happily recommend it. We met chef Tim and he was happy to talk about his menus. The room was very comfortable and the staff all helped to create a warm...

Food was reasonable but everything seemed a little hectic. Service was good although waited a long time for the one ice cream sorbet we ordered and a coffee never did arrive! Perhaps we may return at a different time of day and try again, overall...

A specific table was booked by a friend for his wife’s birthday celebration and to see the live music., he’d even requested balloons and assured they would be on the table. When we arrived our table had been given to someone else , no apology...

Yesterday was my wife’s birthday. In August we were in this pub & learned that a band was playing on that day. We booked the table we were sitting at for the occasion & invited friends to join our celebration. I phoned before & the...

Great lunchtime visit, Good food and service, great location. Would recommend the fish and chips and burger, both tasty.

Here with two friends. Great country pub, food quite excellent food but a daft rule - if one eats outside (in a pub with a renowned, amazing garden and views) one cannot run a tab. Which means one has to pay separately for each round...

Great place to meet family and friends and take the dogs, felt genuinely dog friendly and the food was high restaurant quality. Loved it 😊

Monday lunchtime (hurrah it was open & did food on a Monday!). Quick, efficient and friendly. Tasty food too. Just what was needed.

Where to begin with this disastrous experience. We visited for Sunday lunch, booked a table in advance for 12pm and received an email confirming this. We arrived at 12, to see a poster on the door saying they were closed until 12:15 due to staff...

This pub is absolutely gorgeous! Amazing back drop! The staff are amazing Laura was a very polite professional lady and the service was perfect. The food was a dream and both of us cannot praise this place enough. Definitely will be heading back there soon.

Accueil agréable, cuisinier français pour un très bon dîner. Pour ne pas manquer son ''Fish Pie'', ne venez pas trop...

Lovely traditional pub, friendly staff, really nice beer garden to rear, plenty of seating back and front, large adjacent car park, pretty village location and very handy for the Weald & Downland Living Museum (Repair shop)

My first visit Arrived @6pm asked for menu told to wait till 6.15 strange rule young girl not overly friendly. We ordered 4 meals all were excellent great wine list Some confusion with taking payment same young girl told me their was a issue with...

We booked to stay in Charlton at Fox Hall for a birthday weekend. Some of the log book entries recommended The Fox Goes Free and we also had a recommendation from family beforehand so we tried to make a reservation. It is not possible to...

We were looking for a cute country pub with great food & friendly staff and The Fox delivered on all accounts. Should friends & family be heading to Goodwood for any of the many events, this is the first place I will recommend. Thank you...

Had a table for six yesterday lunchtime. The food, service and ambience was top notch. 4 fish pies, tuna fillet & fish ‘n chips all excellent . Our first visit, but we will be back.

Great pub lunch with delicious food, great service and a lovely atmosphere. Can't wait to go back.

We had a delightful lunch at the Fox Goes Free, great food and fantastic service, very friendly staff and exceptional beverages. Our servers we very accommodating to our questions and requests. I would highly recommend a visit, gets busy so plan ahead.

Went for lunch have not been for a year food used to be amazing and staff were lovely not the case now ! Staff are unbelievably lazy and unhelpful when I asked for a jug of water for our table the waitress sighed and huffed...

Arrived to be put by the gents toilets..the smell was bad and people coming and going adjacent to toilet..asked to be moved..'Oh we are very busy today but we will see if there is a table to move you to' 5-10 mins we were moved...

We arrived an hour and a half early for a 12.30 lunch as we had come from the Isle of Wight to meet my sister and her partner. We asked if we could have a coffee outside while we waited Yes certainly what would we...

Excellent pub. My wife is from South Korea and this her favorite pub that we have visited. The area surrounding the pub is gorgeous. The pub itself has a pretty garden that would be wonderful for birthdays or events. I wish I could afford that...

A beautiful pub and garden with fantastic staff and wonderful food. We hadn’t booked but were warmly welcomed for lunch. Both the menu and wine list were extensive and the desserts which were all homemade were out of this world. We opted for toasted Mediterranean...

Visited for lunch with friends and family. My meal was excellent, I had the Cumberland sausage and mash. I am teetotal but the beer drinkers in my party all agreed that the beer was excellent and all had to drink a second to make sure!...

We booked a table for 10 at the Fox Goes Free for Sunday lunch, after a long walk around Goodwood. The staff could not have been more accommodating, despite there being 2 dogs in our group (which I completely forgot to mention) and two extra...

A 400 years pub according to their website. Went there for a roast dinner. Food was average but we certainly enjoyed the amazing view.

Food is excellent. Staff are happy and it’s great to see. Great food and great price. Lovely view from the garden. I highly recommend this place for a drink or an evening meal.

Whilst on holiday popped in here on a drizzly day after searching for a dog friendly pub. Busy but found a table ordered drinks, landlord came over and gave the dogs a treat. Lots of people dining. We were tempted, so we ordered a sharing...

Group of 50 of us book here every year for our trip to Goodwood. All 50 food orders came out at the same time, delicious and no errors. Well done team Fox.

A very busy little pub, especially during Goodwood but very good food. Make sure you book. Lovely atmosphere.

i love this pub and have been visiting it when i come to Goodwood races for over 30 years and it still has the unspoilt charm, lovely garden and dining nooks and crannies, the food is excellent, pricing is fair and staff all very attentive...

Managed to fit us in on a busy evening. Very friendly and efficient staff. Room was a little cramped by not a problem, We had the fish pie and beef and mushroom pie, both very good. The menu is made of fairly staple pub food...

Very disappointing meal. First of all we were squeezed onto a table where my son and husband who are both over 6 ft and couldn’t even get their chairs out enough to get to the table! So we asked to be moved which to be...

What an absolutely beautiful gem of a pub! Me and my husband live 45 minutes away but have travelled twice up for dinner now as a recommendation from a family member. The food is always exceptional quality and really fresh, the service is always excellent...

Upon arrival I felt the staff, apart from our lovely waiter and a young gent who appeared not to be on duty at the time, were hostile and unwelcoming. Announcing we were here for our meal (in about an hour) we were told that we...

Our first time in this beautiful area , our meals at the pub were delicious we had lunch and dinner here, very relaxing and just what we thought an English pub would be. Great selection of food and good service. Thoroughly recommend this pub.

Living in Hampshire, we are always on the lookout for good pub restaurants that are no too fat away. The Fox Goes Free was recommended to us by friends and family, so we decided to take the 35 minute drive on a beautiful sunny day...

Wanted somewhere for a meal after driving all day at Goodwood. Chose The Fox Goes Free as opposed to The Partridge, Singleton or The White House, Chilgrove because we liked the look of the menu. We both chose rib eye steak but sadly both steaks...

My husband and I enjoyed a Christmas lunch here and it was excellent - the service was great, the restaurant was decorated very festively and the food was good for a pub Christmas lunch. Definitely recommend

What a wonderful pub! Stayed here because we were going to a wedding nearby. The staff were so friendly and the garden is lovely with amazing views. If I lived nearby I would make it my local.

What a fantastic place! Location, food, friendly atmosphere. Couldn’t ask for more. The food was delicious. There was a wedding party and the pub garden was full but the service was swift and organised. Will definitely be returning. Dog friendly too! A lovely evening.

We booked this pub after getting some good feedback from some family and friends. Sadly I wish I’d read the reviews first. We travelled over an hours round trip and it unfortunately didn’t live up to the billing. I ordered the beef sirloin roast and...

Was awful booked a table for 6:45 got seated on time got told we couldn’t order for 20 minutes then waited around in the outdoor seating area for 1.5hours with no food as they had forgotten to put our food through.

Location The pub is located in a peaceful downland setting - ideal for walking or strolling around the picturesque village of Charlton. Date Two of us and a dog visited on the late bank holiday in May at 1pm in sunny weather. Management, staff and...

First impressions were what a lovely pub. Then it all went downhill….. I was served a bottle of old mout cider which was completely flat. We asked for the staff to change to another but were told no, nothing they can do, you’ll have to...

Another great visit to Fox goes Free. Gorgeous day and we sat outside in the back garden, overlooking the beautiful countryside, having delicious lunch (cajun salmon caesar salad and fish pie) . Great service. Gong back again tomorrow for their wonderful fish and chips which...

Great location but disappointing service. We are not from the area but were at Goodwood so read up on local pubs and after reading previous reviews we decided to book 'The fox goes free for lunch'. This is a really picturesque countryside setting with beautiful...

We had reserved a table for 2pm and 20 minutes later our order was taken. At 2:40 the starters appeared. The Thai cakes contained too much potato to hold together, the deep fried calamari relatively tasteless. The main course took another30 minutes to arrive. My...

Went here on a Bank Holiday Saturday for lunch. We got a lovely table in the garden. The pub was very busy but service was amazing. We ordered drinks and food and if all arrived very quickly. Fish & chips and the pub fish pie...

Friendly, polite, energetic and knowledgeable staff, despite being very busy. Varied menu, delicious food. Couldn't fault anything.

Very average - irritating waiter with rehearsed chat and specials all sold out by 1800 (we were the first sitting of dinner that day). The food was average/ poor at best. The burger was dry and bun like a crisp. The pie was flavourless and...

Excellent food and very helpful/friendly staff with a really great country pub ambience. Large pub car park nearby made it easy to park too! We used it for lunch before a track experience at Goodwood Motor Circuit as the pub is only 10 mins drive...

Fantastic meal and atmosphere. Good selection of food all well cooked and presented. Couldn’t fault it and would highly recommend

Lovely old and popular pub- hardly changed over the years with very good restaurant. Our room was out front in converted stables or similar but cosy with big bathroom. Would like to try indoor rooms next time probably have more character.

Worth the trip for the chocolate rum and raisin bread and butter pudding. Incredible! Dogs are welcome too. We will definitely be back.

Pub and dining area is great but I’ll never eat here again! The potatoes tasted like they had been cooked the day before and heated up in the microwave, never have I experienced this before. So dry and tough it was hard to cut into...