The Golden Lion in Cornwall, Isles of Scilly

We have visited this pub on many, many occasions over the past 6 or 7 years and have never been disappointed - until this evening. The chicken madras was a tin of tomatoes with a handful of uncooked chilli's added and the sausages were very poor quality and the vegetables undercooked. Maybe the 'chef' had the night off???

If your looking for The Crab and Lobster from Doc Martin, this is it. The Mote, by the slipway, is a different place, but filming uses both as the setting for the fictional pub. It is much smaller inside than it appears on TV, as all old harbour pubs in Cornwall are. Very pleasant, helpful staff, drink prices are ok and the food looked good( although we didn't eat here). Despite being more of a tourist destination now, it retains its original purpose and didn't seem to milk the Doc Martin aspect.

Mediocre. The upstairs tables for dining were really sticky, so much so my jumper stuck to them. The service was friendly but pretty amateur. No kids menu printed out, waitress had no idea what soft drinks they had, what the soup of the day was or what the curry of the day was. The food arrived really quickly which was a concern, how is fresh food cooked in under 10 minutes.... The food itself was nothing special, three sausages, the same as the mid price sausages you get from Tesco, the mash had a slightly crispy coating like it had been sat under heat lights for a while. The kids burger was doused in Mayo, which was a problem but we didn't know it came with mayo as there was no kids menu printed, just the waitress recalling really quickly what the kitchen had told her was on the list. The burger was OK, a lot of mustard mayo, so much so it stained fingers. The taste was good but it was messy to eat. The portion of chips was tiny as well. In all, overpriced food, low quality service and sticky tables. I would consider going back, if the reviews started to improve. But next visit to Port Issac will probably be fish and chips on the harbour instead, save myself some money and get a better experience to go with it.

I used to visit Port Isaac every year when I was a kid…a long time ago! I even stayed in The Golden Lion with my parents so I was really looking forward to a return visit. From the outside the pub is so shabby that it looks shut. We poked our heads inside and were so disappointed we drove back to Falmouth to eat. If they can’t make the effort then neither will I.

Best Sunday dinner I've ever had. Very accommodating for a table of 9 at very short notice on Sunday afternoon. Would highly recommend.

Being a BIG Doc Martin Fan we had to go to the pub that is featured in the program. And what a treat it was. Old and quirky with lots of little rooms. We managed to get a seat on the balcony where we enjoyed our beer and watched the people forraging in the rock pools whilst the tide was out. An absolute joy.

Service vary good but cannot say same about food it lock like it was heaped on top of rost patio making it look large could do better for the price

Enjoyed the genuine old pub feel of The Golden Lion without any hint of twee or over done. Maybe there are areas that might need a bit of TLC however it kind of adds to the relaxed atmosphere.There are various areas to sit including outside. Mesmerising views over the harbour. The young lady who took our food order was polite, helpful and had real personality. Food was the usual pub style and we had no complaints. We ate at many places during our holiday some of which seemed more expensive but somehow we spent more here than anywhere else.

This is the Pub in Port Isaac where Doc Martin cast relaxed after shooting and frequented by The Fishermens Friends shanty singers.

Excellent pub with incredible food and a friendly atmosphere

We Just had Sunday roasts well the dog ate most of mine Chef needs to know when to take Yorkshire pud's out of the oven black, Roast potatoes may have been leftover from lunch as very tough veggies burnt, quality of meat ?young lady who served us was very good & wellcoming, Nice pub shame about the Chef The large Yorkshire pudding took most of the plate up without it would be a child's portion

Amazing pub, the food was out of this world!

Only popped in for a quick pint or 2. A good selection of drinks. A great atmosphere. The only slight criticism is the slow service at the bar.

Great location,food terrible,drinks expensive

Good food, fast and reliable service and a great view

Wonderful friendly pub. Full of history and the attachment to Doc Martin series. Good food and drinks. Great views around port Isaac.

We dropped in for a family meal during a flying visit to port Issac whilst holidaying in Cornwall. The food was good, no issues. The oysters were particularly good, I’d recommend small plates mixing a few dishes. The highlight was the young waitress who was very engaging, she was very attentive and happy to chat away despite being very busy. My 9 year old was very excited to discover someone else who enjoys anime. All staff were friendly and helpful in this restaurant. We were just over £100 for family of five, it was reasonable.

My Wife and I ate here recently. We were very disappointed. From the moment we arrived and asked for a table for two we felt that we were putting the staff out. The place needs a really good clean as everything feels sticky to the touch. We ordered two chowders, one chips and two diet cokes. The chowders were completely uninspiring and were in my opinion just two extremely small bowls of soup, a starter really. Chips were just about ok but again very small. Diet cokes were full of ice. The bill...nearly £33!! The waitress popped her head around the corner relentlessly to see if we'd finished which is a real bugbear of mine. We were afraid to put our cutlery down in case it was whisked away. There was just one other table in use so there was certainly no rush. Cornwall is struggling for business in general at the moment and I can see why. Poor service, poor value for money.

Great quirky pub in the heart of port isaac .. Great seating area outside with fantastic views of the bay .. and of doc martens surgery!!

Went for dinner this evening. Was very busy in the pub and restaurant but service was quick and brilliant. The food was honestly incredible, all four of us had different meals and they were beautiful! Will definitely be going again. Plus, it’s dog friendly!

The pup is a superb example of a centuries o cornish fishermans pub on the harbour. The building itself is in need of some cleaning and TLC but survives due to its location and lack of competition in this picturesque historical fishing village also famous for the filming of Doc Martin. For me food portions are very small and highly overpriced. Ok for a pint but can get very busy in peak holiday months.

Visited port issac and called. Atmosphere was dull we ordered the burger and chowder. The chowder had uncooked vegetables and the haddock wasn't smoked horrible. The burger was flooded with cheese sauce and that was awful given the prices. Sadly no return to this venue.

Booked a table for a 50th birthday surprise. Great atmosphere and very friendly staff. (Kirsty was great and made us feel very welcome) Food was good quality, and we didn't have to wait too long, even though they were clearly busy. (It is always worth booking a table if you want to avoid disappointment.) Thanks for making our evening memorable. We'll be back again.

Visited The Golden Lion today for Sunday lunch, absolutely lovely ! The landlady was very friendly and cheerful, she had saved us a table with a beautiful sea view which was great. The young waitress was also very helpful and attentive. The food was first class and good value for money. Thank you to everyone at The Golden Lion, we have already booked for a return visit.

A great, very traditional looking pub serving a good range of local and bigger brand beers and ciders. We sat in the ‘Bloody Bones’ bar downstairs as it was busy upstairs with the singer, however could still hear the singer and had the much cosier setting! Dog friendly, which is always a plus for us, and the only reason I’ve gone for 4* not 5* was that the menu was fairly limited (although it was Sunday so their weekday menu might have more range). Would definitely call back in, as the staff were brilliant and the atmosphere was very warm and friendly!

Excellent local right in the centre of town

Good food with a great atmosphere and a lovely window view. The staff were lovely and it was a nice pub, would recommend

Great food, excellent service, lovely relaxed atmosphere. Thoroughly enjoyed visiting. As a solo female, I felt welcomed and safe too

Lovely venue but food was disappointing. Roast beef had no Yorkshire pudding , nut roast didn’t taste of nuts and vegetables with roast not as quoted on menu. Had to ask for table to be wiped when waiting for our booked table .

The table was not clean, the meal took half an hour to arrived although we were told there would be a delay, but only after having placed our order. When they did arrive both fish dishes lacked flavour and were extremely disappointing. When the waitress gave us our bill she did ask if we enjoyed our meal, but seemed unable to address our response.

Good food! Really attentive service. Great views. Only criticism.... and it's constructive, lose the cheese sauce on burgers and in the "cheesy" chips. Just use proper cheese instead!

Really poor experience. Totally ignored when we first arrived by all the bar staff, despite having a booking. When asked what beers they had on tap, the waitress said 'Why would I know, I don't drink beer?' Table had no view, could have been anywhere, and even though there were tables with lovely sea views, we weren't allowed to move to them. Understand that someone might have booked, but other people arrived they were allowed to sit there and hadn't booked? We had come to give our friends from Germany an authentic fish and chip experience, but they had run out of chips. Food was so average, despite prices (£17 for fish and chips?). Waitress then accidentally dropped our tray of drinks, which of course totally understnad happens, but we used our napkins to help mop up which were never replaced and they were so slow to replace that our starters then came before the drinks. Service was slow, didn't get ketchup/mayo etc until we had basically finished the meal. Atmosphere was really weird, tables so pushed together we had to keep moving our chairs so waitresses could squeeze past. Overpriced, wouldn't recommend.

Had a great experience here, the staff were so accommodating, even though it was busy and we had many kids with us. A picturesque village and a great pub steeped in character. I couldn’t fault it. Highly recommended!

A rather underwhelming experience here. The menu sounded promising and we were excited to visit this famous pub. However, the Madras curry was blandly underspiced and the seafood linguine was dry and tasteless. Other meals were ok, but overall we felt disappointed for the price paid.

Just passing g through really and popped in for a pint to keep out of rain, there is a nice balcony that overlooks the harbour so has some things going for but not to my taste

We dined here during the summer holidays so they were very busy, nonetheless they went out of their way to sort a small problem.

Nice lunch, but not cheaply priced.

Lovely pub in the heart of Port Isaac. Had pre-booked due to bringing the dogs with us but was left waiting a short while for it to be ready, staff were helpful enough. The food we ordered was very nice, beer battered onion rings were really nice and the burger was good also. Unfortunately, the puddings we wanted were sold out, but apart from that, we all enjoyed the meal 👍🏻 The seagull outside fancied some of our food 🤣

Friendly lady behind the bar. Lovely cider on the sunny balcony

Absolutely lovely old proper pub. If you're a fan of anything Port Isaac then you have to stop here!

Always a lovely experience - great food, great drinks and service - summer or winter, it's a genuinely lovely pub x

The location and views are stunning from this pub. The menu looked great but sadly the food was very mediocre, especially given the price. The children’s puddings were sachets of baby food style jelly. The main issue though that lets this place down is the service. The waitress was rude. She rolled her eyes at me when I asked for a wine list. She just put all drinks on the table in front of one person and walked off. When we asked for anything she almost tutted in annoyance. When our plates were finally cleared, we asked for desert menus, to be told the kitchen was closed, no warning no apology. A real shame, as this pub is a gem in a special location. I suggest having a nice drink and dining elsewhere.

The food was not worth the price, fish was tastless the peas were cold but chips was nice. It looked grubby and not what we expected. We went as my husband loves fisherman's friends but this pub had nothing inside to connect them no photos on wall etc..

We had a table reserved for 21st July at 7pm. Upon arrival there was no one on front of the house so we went to the bar. There were 2 girls who have mastered the ability of completely ignoring customers. One was pouring a coke and continued staring at the glass as it filled. She managed to ask a local if they were ok and yet she refused to make any eye contact or smile or say "I'll be with you in a moment" The other one cleaned the bar, pottered and wasted time and ignored us . Then the manager turned up and was disinterested, he tried to palm us off with the 2 equally disinterested bar staff.. it was a conspiracy of silence. We're not expecting miracles, it was busy, but don't want to be ignored Our waitress was lovely but my roast potatoes were almost black and I couldn't have any extra gravy due to the kitchen being too busy. Other than that it was very good. Excellent views

Lovely traditional seaside pub with great menu options. Staff very friendly and nice atmosphere inside

Good quality local food at reasonable prices for the portion sizes. The staff are all very friendly. We come here every time we come to Port Isaac and always impresses. The only reason this is not a 5 star review is because the men's toilet is in disrepair and isn't safe for young children. The electric heater is all exposed with live wires in easy touching distance for little fingers (see pic). The cubicle door also does not shut properly as the wood has either fallen or expanded.

Superb customer service with a great and welcoming atmosphere. Highly recommended the Cornish mussels!

Outrageous prices for drinks

Food with a view of the harbour. This cozy pub had an amazingly varied menu and great, friendly service. The seafood chowder was exceptional and I'm a harsh critic as I make my own. Very tasty, filling and satisfying.

History, atmosphere and great food! Never had a bad experience here in over six years of visiting. Balcony overlooking the harbour on those summer days with a traditional cornish pint, I would definitely recommend a visit for a pint and fresh food. The best pub in Port Isaac!

Great traditional pub with a friendly fun atmosphere. Amazing views and super friendly and helpful staff and management. We didn't get to try the food but the menu and food looked delicious

amazing food and friendly service. Best food we had all holiday.

Lovely Week of Visits We came on holiday to Port Issac and visited the Golden Lion on many occasions. The small plates and the Sunday lunch were amazing and good value. Staff were also accommodating and lovely. We will return.

Wow what a roast dinner! It was fantastic! The service from Jez was brilliant. Make him walk up and down the stairs as much as you can. He loves it!

Service and staff were really friendly. The Sunday roast was delicious with a lovely view of the port. definitely recommend to anyone visiting port Isaac.

Astonishingly good Sunday Lunch at this wonderful local pub. Lovely staff, great service and views fantastic! Couldn’t believe it when I saw the pelican! Thanks all for a lovely experience.

OMG. I have just eaten the best pub meal in Cornwall. The lamb shank was fall apart deliciousness, the potato lyonnaise- divine and the best greens I’ve eaten in a long time. Enjoyed every single mouthful. And the service was friendly and prompt.

What a fantastic pub, full of history and atmosphere. It's situated next to the harbour and has a small balcony overlooking the water. Several different rooms plus a second floor for dining. Worth booking if you are coming for lunch. We eat in the snug which felt like stepping back in time. Special mention for the staff who were first class.

Beware of this place. Me and my family ordered food and was told we could eat on the terrace. As the food approaches server and my family were swarmed by seagulls. No earning from staff no preventative nets nothing. Ok things happen. We go in with plates pecked and covered in poop. We were told that the manager will not refund or replace food. How is that a way to treat visitors. Disgusting

Bang average, it's okay. Not bad, not good

Lovely old pub with a nice outdoor space

Aside from the fact it’s the same pub featured in Doc Martin, this was quite simply one of the most fun experiences I’ve had in a pub. The food, though pricey, is fantastic, the service is great, and Jez, the manager, is the best ‘Pub landlord’ since Al Murray when it comes to banter. Amazing to think he hasn’t been doing it all his life. I’d go back in a heartbeat - outstanding.

Lovely spot overlooking the bay, great staff and cracking food!

Lovely old pub overlooking the harbour. A few different rooms to relax in. Superb. We'll worth a visit

We came here on the last night of our holiday having already tried the place next door. What a contrast. This was cosy, welcoming, mildly chaotic, nothing was too much trouble. We had a lovely meal, lovely Argentinian Malbec, the Puppy slept on a chair.... just delightful. It is with regret that we didn't have time to go twice. Thank you.

I recently dined at The Golden Lion and tried their Classic Bouillabaisse, which paired well with a local Cornwall lager beer, Korev. The portion size was smaller than expected, and the food quality was just ok. Overall, a decent but unremarkable dining experience.

Couldn’t really ask for a better pub to have a cosy pint in.

We had the most delicious meal at the Golden Lion in Port Isaac. I had heard good things and they lived up to it. Service was spot on-friendly and laid back. The burger was the best my son had ever had. Wish you would share your recipe of the sauce-he thought maybe it had mustard in it. I think any burger he has in the future will be rated by how good this one was. We also had the fish and chips. Omg-the fish was so flakey and batter so good. And the mushy peas were done really well. My husband wish he had that recipe. Thank you for a lovely meal that we will always remember!

We decided to book somewhere for lunch on BH Monday and this place looked good both for reviews and menu and still had late availability. On arrival we were sat upstairs with a nice view of the harbour but then had to wait a while before any menus were brought. We were surprised how quiet it was for a BH. Asked for the local Rock gin to be told they had "run out"... Came to order food to be told they didn't have most of the fish dishes - they could have mentioned this when we arrived!! In the end we ordered 4 "small plates" between us (being assured this would be enough). However the "small plates" where actually "small bowls" and very overpriced for what was on them. The smoked haddock chowder was very good (although the "focaccia" wasn't really focaccia), the other 3 dishes were OK. They had a very good draft cider choice although the prosecco was very overpriced. Overall it was very underwhelming and not great value at all. Would not return.

Lovely location to have dinner. Food here was sadly quite average, especially for the price. You generally would find somewhere in this type of location to be more expensive, but the food was sub par and didn't live up to the price or location. Pasta overcooked and seafood linguine lacking something to bring it a live so to speak. Service was poor, as it felt that you were an inconvenience and customer service seemed lacking. No menus easily available outside or in. We wondered looking for one and then appeared to be scolded for walking in to the pub upstairs seating area. The two staff members we encountered were not very friendly and appeared that they did not want to be there. Gorgoeus views. Just hope that others have a better experience. Perhaps it wasn't everyone's best day.

Really nice afternoon drinks with friends and the dogs

Cosy, charming pub on the harbour in Port Isaac. They have just a few tables on the balcony with gorgeous views of the harbour.

Been to this pub twice now. Beautiful location and great staff especially the man behind the bar. Great Cornish beer. Yesterday,Sunday we booked a table for dinner. Starters slow arriving but good. Curry very average but tast and three Sunday Pork Roasts. Very very slow to arrive, not the warmest, missing veg and flat Yorkshires. It was tasty but disappointing. The nice man behind the bar apologised before we even said anything. We paid but he would not accept a tip which was very fair. All in all would go again and give it another try 😁

Bad service and bad food. Cleanliness also left something to be desired. Not recommendable

Jolly Good Pub Pity about the noisy locals 😑

£9.05 for a vodka orange juice!!! I live very nearby, but have an American accent (been here 19yrs) all I can say is....they COMPLETELY RIP OFF TOURISTS, which I am not, unfortunately these "locals" have done all of Cornwall an injustice with hospitality. I would not recommended coming here, unless you have more money than sense.

Friendly service, piping hot fresh tasty food and lovely view. Under new ownweship since 1 week ago so you can ignore the previous reviews about grumpiness!

Really great old English pub in the heart of the town stunning views of the port we only stopped in for drinks did not try the food but definitely a great spot for a few pints.

Located next to the harbor. It is the site of shooting several scenes for Doc Martin and Fisherman's Friend. There is pub dining at the bar with a larger eating area up one floor. We enjoyed our lunch (ham eggs and chips). Brought very fast. A cozy wood fire downstairs and a fine view from our table upstairs.

What an absolute gem of a pub! Full of character and stories within it. Really lovely friendly staff who you can’t help but have a laugh with, and then there’s the food….. oh my days it was outrageously delicious!!!!! We had a Sunday roast and I wish we could go there every week! Thank you so much for such a lovely time and wonderful food!

A traditional Cornish pub. Great food and atmosphere.

This is a marvellous pub and restaurant.

It was a horrible night, weatherwise with high winds, but yet there was plenty of people in the bar and a friendly atmosphere.

A lovely first visit as a family with hubby and my daughter who is 7. We shared tapas and she had children’s meal. We were advised of a wait for food but barely noticed in such lovely surroundings. Staff friendly and toilets spotless. We will return!!

Perfect Sunday roasts. Food always fantastic quality. The staff were lovely, nothing was too much trouble for them and they were friendly and pleasant.

Despite their menu stating they cater for allergies, they don’t and the chef refused to even speak to us. My son spent the afternoon crying. Avoid like the plague if you have a disability. No ***** given seriously.

I booked a table online for lunch for 4 adults plus a dog, closer to the date I rang to check we had a table with enough room to accommodate our collie dog. Rachel was very helpful and assured us we would have plenty of room which we did. All the food was delicious, and good sized portions. We all had a starter and a main. My crispy squid was cooked perfectly, and my cod and chips was delicious. Our daughter in law had the mussels and said they were very plump and tasty and lots of them. No complaints from us at all. Plus the added bonus of a well kept pint of HSD one of my favourite real ales. A cracking experience all round and a chance to show family Cornish hospitality at it's best, in historic surroundings. We will be back.

Hands down the best roast dinner I have had whilst eating out! Quality and portion was excellent and top service from Rachael and the team! We arrived earlier than planned but were seated. Lovely traditional pub with great atmosphere!

Hands down the best roast dinner I have had out, in my life. Quality & portion was excellent and top service from Rachael & the team. We arrived earlier than planned but managed to get a table straight away. A lovely traditional pub with calming atmosphere.

We have always enjoyed visiting this pub in the past, however on our recent visit we were very disappointed. My partner ordered fish and chips and I ordered mussels. The fish was overcooked and grey and mushy inside and the mussels were the tiniest specimens I have ever seen, floating in a watery salty broth. This is hardly what you would expect when dining at a seaside village !

We had a lovely dinner here this evening. The waitresses were attentive and friendly and made it an enjoyable experience. The food was also served hot and was very tasty. We were aware that there was one chef working this evening and they did a great job. No complaints here at all, a very pleasant dinner. We will be back again. Thank you so much to the staff, you were superb.

Lovely friendly place to visit. Always a warm welcome from friendly staff. Great place for food & drinks. Well worth a visit.

Somewhere I’ve wanted to visit for a long while, we visited 2 March… staff did not want to be there.. not a warm welcome and one was busy rolling her cigarettes at the bar whilst the other half heartedly served customers that came and went. Pub was cold and lacking atmosphere, I’m not expecting full on shanties, but there was absolutely nothing! Such a pity for such a famous pub no doubt getting most of its trade thanks to The Fishermans Friends popularity! If the same staff are there when I visit for the Shanty Festival in April I think I’ll take my custom elsewhere.

It was a quiet night but service excellent and food really good. We had main meal and dessert and nobody left disappointed. We would recommend!

Nice friendly welcome and excellent service. Very comfy table in the snug by an open fire. My wife and I both had the main course chowder and it was superb. Good choice of well kept ales. Highly recommend and wish this was my local!

We were charged £6.30 for a pint of Moretti, and £3.70 for a small Coke! I had to check the price as I thought there had been some mistake. I am a resident of Cornwall and this is by far the most expensive pub I have visited in the area. Obviously fleecing the tourists as I can’t imagine local customer paying those prices, although to be honest, it doesn’t appear that there are many locals left in Port Isaac, with 2 bed cottages now costing around half a million.

Found The Golden Lion after searching for places to eat in Port Isaac. Booked a table online, which I’m glad we did as when we arrived at midday they seemed to be gearing up for a busy day. Immediately on entering we were warmly greeted and shown to our table. The fire was roaring nearby which was warmly welcomed. Service was quick, friendly and efficient. Food came quickly, was hot, freshly cooked and delicious. Dogs were very welcome: Cannot fault this place.

Wonderful, Friendly pub!. Rachel really has The Golden Lion running really well. The staff are friendly and welcoming, the beer is good and the food is very good. Great views and all in Port Isaac.

Great little pub. Very friendly staff

Great food, great happy staff well worth a visit