The Hatch Inn in Wealden

Excellent food, sublime service, comically low ceilings. Judy and Matty (Mati?) are probably the best staff we've ever encountered. EVER.

Large family Sunday lunch to celebrate 70th birthday. Magnificent from start to finish. Attentive and professional staff, excellent food (Sunday Roast is faultless), roaring log fire and the cosyist pub interior imaginable. It doesn’t get better than this - if only all pubs were like the Hatch Inn. We were even gifted two mini bottles of Malt Whisky and London Gin because it was ‘Grandparents day’ apparently! Love it. Thank You.

Recently visited for a family birthday meal. We hadn’t been to the hatch for a number of years but it’s definitely back on our radar. Fantastic staff, lovely atmosphere and very good food. Will return soon.

Wonderful, warm atmosphere in a 'proper traditional English pub' - no music or bl**dy SKY Sports, just conversation and laughter from happy dining families and couples. The food was excellent, as was the pleasant and attentive staff. Here on a holiday visit from the other side of the country, I wish there was a place like The Hatch near me (sadly there isn't). Keep up the good work...

Once again the food was excellent and worth it too. Thai salad starter, croquettes, amazing beef stroganoff were some of the lovely food. Rioja and great service added to our visit. Thanks front of house & kitchen staff. Steve

Always steps up to the mark for dinner. The eating experience is superb quality produce freshly cooked & it makes a difference. Good range on the menue & wine list at reasonable prices as well as top end. The beef stroganoff will never be beaten 6 star for sure. Good young staff properly trained by co owner chef which always tells a story when the food arrives. Staff friendly & attentive. Well done the Hatch you have my vote.

Lovely food and attentive service despite it being a busy day. I had fishcakes on a mussel chowder which was really lovely. My friend went for the beef stroganof which he said was tiptop. Good sized portions, nice wine and will definitely be back. I also rate the service, nice people doing a difficult job well.

Unfortunately we could not get in for dinner as they were fully booked. But went to have a drink . Stood at bar which was covered with empty glasses. Harvey’s was flat so we got 2 pints changed to something else, which also was not good. My half of larger was flat, my friends was ok. As I work in a bar I knew it was the glass. I waited over 5 minutes for someone to change it. By this time my partner said let’s go. We all left drinks which cost £16 . I don’t blame the staff , obviously not enough staff on to cope. Such a shame after all the good reviews 😔

Had dinner here with friends after a walk in the Ashdown Forest, and we were all made very welcome, including my dog. The staff were attentive and really friendly, and the food was exceptionally nice. Highly recommended.

First, the Good. Lovely pub, good food, great Sticky Toffee pudding. Next, the Bad. We ordered lunch and had to wait over an hour for it to arrive. The Ugly. Terrible service. Incredibly bad. Wait staff were snarky from the start, irritated and defensive that we asked about our food after waiting ages, blamed it on us ordering starters as the reason for the delay. Food eventually arrived after an hour and twenty minutes. No apology, no effort to try and salvage the experience at all. I’m afraid to say, we will not go back.

Perfect lunch time meal. Great ambiance , super service and well prepared and served meals all round. First visit but will return when in the area.

This is a charming little pub and we enjoyed dinner here. The food was delicious (sticky toffee pud was especially ace). Only down point is we waited over 20 minutes to get served a drink which is a cardinal sin in the pub trade. Still, overall we recommend!

Just back from another wonderful lunch at The Hatch. I've been coming for over forty years and love the atmosphere, service, and great food. Thanks to all for making the ordinary into a timeless experience, a home from home.

Always made to feel very welcome and delicious food. The staff are friendly and very helpful. The pub with its open fire is fabulous.

The Hatch is a lovely traditional country pub with log fire, cosy decor and Harvey’s ale on tap. The food and service are always excellent with a varied menu and good vegetarian choice. The fish and chips and ploughman’s are favourites. The staff are, without exception, lovely and welcoming. We were served by Judy and Anthony who couldn’t do enough for us. This place has a lovely atmosphere. We have been many times and will be back.

Group of 8 of us, had drinks outside for a couple of hours, spent lot of money on overpriced drinks and at around 3.00pm asked to move from our table outside under cover to an outside table by the road. This table was not reserved and purely because greedy landlord reckons he makes more from meals than drinks. dreadful attitude, having been going there for fifty years and this is worst landlord.

Would not recommend. We were sat outside as no space inside and it took around 20 minutes for someone to come and take our drinks order. We decided against ordering food as it was cold outside and the service was so slow, when we mentioned we didn’t want food the manager/lady with brown curly hair came out to us and was very rude, she asked us why we didn’t want food and made u feel so uncomfortable and unwelcome and made us feel that we should leave! It’s a shame the service was so poor as the pub was very quaint.

Sunday lunch out at a local hostelry is always near the top of our weekly "to do" list and last week we booked a table at The Hatch, a public house that we have visited before a number of times and have always liked. Unlike some of our previous attempts, the booking process on this occasion was seamless and we were guided to our table of choice and settled to enjoy our meal. We both had dishes from the "Roasts" selection, which we thoroughly enjoyed. They are certainly big! We had opted for main meal and dessert, rather than having a starter. All three is simply too much! So, we selected our desserts from the menu sheet and awaited their arrival. It was at this point that things turned a little disappointing. When they arrived they were really more of an amuse bouche in size terms rather than a dessert. The Mille Feuille was more of a hard pair of Rich Tea biscuits in size and texture with a cream filling and a few dots of coloured gel. The other dish was much the same. Looking around the room it seemed that other desserts were of a similar level of disappointment. The net result of this is that we have shifted our opinion of The Hatch and we will be more careful with our choices in future, or we might simply give it a miss. Such a shame.

An absolutely fantastic restaurant / pub. Lovely atmosphere. Truly delicious food (way beyond what I was expecting for a "local" pub ). Made all the more enjoyable by really friendly and professional staff. Our evening was so perfect we immediately rebooked for our second night in East Sussex. Our thanks to Lizzie, Will and Eliza for their top service and recommendations. Highly recommend

A 5 star visit I would recommend that you book as gets busy we went for Sunday lunch a great choice of food beer and wines. Great service from the staff who looked after us very well. The food was very good tasty and well presented. Good value and large portions will be coming back

5 of us went for Sunday lunch to celebrate Mothers Day and we were booked in for the last sitting at 5.15. Although I’m sure it was an extremely busy day all the serving staff were very attentive and friendly. We all had roast dinners (chicken, beef, lamb and nut roast) and have to say they were all delicious. With perfectly cooked vegetables and huge Yorkshire puddings. We then had sticky toffee pudding, panna cotta and a cheese board. I had the Panna cotta but had food envy for the sticky toffee which came with the most sumptuous sauce. I can’t recommend it enough for a yummy visit

Really enjoyable dinner at Hatch Inn, fabulous food, wonderful atmosphere & great service, particularly Charlotte who looked after us so well. Will be going back!

A great place for our group of 10 to enjoy an excellent meal and great service. The manager / owner was efficient and friendly and our barmaid was excellent and we look forward to returning the the Hatch on another occasion. It’s rare that staff take a real interest in customers and she made it an amusing and enjoyable afternoon.

Ha Har!! What a jolly night we had. The staff, especially the Manager, were friendly, professional, knowledgeable and fun. My partner and I were shown to a cosy table, second star from the right. The atmosphere was warm and certainly no cross bones were encountered. It is a Darling place to visit and well worth popping in even though it's off the beaten track ...you don't have to be lost boys. Our flagons of Malbec were as smooth as a becalmed sea but we weren't in the doldrums! My Sea Bass was delicious and beautifully served not just on old crocs. My partners Liver & Bacon filled his hold with it's ha ha me hearty proportions. The menu offers a wide range and not just choices pirated from others. Everything was clean and shipshape. The evening was gone in a flash and as we heard the tinkle of bells realised it was time to fly. I think we're hooked and will be back "never say never"!

Been before & know how good this place is. But have to say I think it’s actually got better. Skipped the starters although extensive range of all the favourites you might try. Fish & chips for 2 . As fish & chips are sometimes a benchmark to see how good the kitchen is !!! or trying !! Top end is a fair comment. Beef stroganoff for 2 outstanding. Quite amazing to find this level of fine dinning & which was clearly freshly cooked in a pub. Full 10/10 Great range of beers & wine buy the glass.

Service was friendly, efficient and welcoming. Food was enjoyed by everyone and the pub was very busy indeed. Highly recommended

My friend and I had a very pleasurable dining experience in this delightfull village pub and restaurant. The food was delicious and we were treated to excellent service by waitroses Charlotte and Judy

A lovely, tasty family lunch enjoyed by all. Lizzy was very attentive and nothing was too much trouble - a great credit to your cosy, welcoming pub. Thanks again!

Had superb evening at the Hatch! The food was super delicious and Judy and Charlotte looked after us so well. They were really helpful, fun and made us feel at home. Excellence al round, thank you!

A truly wonderful evening! The food was superb and Charlotte looked after us brilliantly. Would highly recommend.

Relaxed lunch indoor in the winter and outdoor in the pub gardens during the summer. Booking is advised although we were lucky just turning up. Lizzy and Judi were friendly and professional and we were not kept waitng at all. The chef was exceptional ,...

Another splendid meal at The Hatch. Thank you to Michaela & Charlotte for their friendly hospitality. Always an enjoyable visit to this charming pub.

This pub is world class. I have become a regular over the past year and it is an amazing Inn with beautiful food and a great atmosphere. The winelist is excellent too Whether you want to sit in the beautiful garden on a summers evening...

We had Beef bourguignon which was pipping hot with succulent beef followed by Treacle and Pecan Tart which wasn’t too sweet. The whole meal was delicious. The service was excellent and staff friendly.

Wow! Birthday roast with family at The Hatch today and it was fantastic. Lovely food, service and ambience (decorations for Christmas are stylish and the whole look is cosy and welcoming). Our food was really delicious and well presented- with enormous Yorkshire puddings and proper...

Had a really lovely meal and lots of wine Nickie and Judy have been sublime, great service and very entertaining Would definitely recommend

Lacklustre welcome, choice of food narrowed by high prices - had to choose fish and chips which I would not normally have in a pub - other dishes too expensive - two mains plus one bottle of average Merlot cost £70 - too much !...

The Hatch Inn is a real gem of a pub. Both the food and service was outstanding. To top it off, the Christmas decorations are beautiful.

Visit on a Saturday evening with 10 of us and the service was brilliant - friendly and quick. The food was outstanding, great range of options for both adults and children. Will definitely return.

I had lunch with my family and although it was extremely busy the service from Nickie and the team was excellent. The food delicious we all had different dishes but I had the liver and bacon which was perfect can’t wait till my next visit

WOW. Just wow. Just had the best lunch we have had for ages! The most wonderful seafood and liver and bacon. Cooked to perfection, absolutely delicious and the owner and the lovely waitress were so friendly and welcoming. Would highly recommend this to anyone visiting...

A great country pub with amazing food, atmosphere, Guinness and whiskey. Never had a bad meal here. Staff are amazing

We had Sunday lunch a few weeks ago which was really nice, so we thought tonight would be a good call. We’re fairly local and funnily enough, a local friend asked me to let her know what it was like, as it seemed the food...

Booked the previous week, whilst out on a walk, and included this as a water stop. Returned the following Sunday and had a wonderful roast chicken followed by fabulous deserts. They catered for our Gluten Free and Dairy Intolerance brilliantly, and we will definitely return....

Food was good and prompt service but just felt very unwelcoming and that we should be grateful to be there. Just one member of staff smiled and no interaction from anyone else that served us. Lets the pub down.

The word Dire comes to mind. An overpriced clique for the locals ( without tastebuds) Whilst sat enjoying the heady aroma of raw sewage were served weak starters with grand names followed by a burger ( £18.50) that was a few steps from being jerky!...

Haven’t eaten here for years and it didn’t disappoint! We were made to feel extremely welcome by Nickie and Will who were fantastic the whole evening. The food was absolutely amazingly delicious. I had the hake which was honestly one of the best dishes I’ve...

Very disappointing, had just moved into area and were hoping to have a good local restaurant on the doorstep. We had the Sunday roast, well the Yorkshire puddings were as hard and may have been good 2 hours before. The roast potatoes were not cooked...

I've lived in the area almost 20 years and this was my first visit!! Hadn't booked but was offered a choice of tables inside - however it was a warm day so we chose to eat outside. Landlord is super friendly and helpful. My friend...

Excellent place on the edge of the forest to stop for Sunday lunch. Friendly staff , tasty food , all in all a very pleasant afternoon.

A party of six consisting of family & friends had lunch yesterday, four of the party were visiting for the first time. A lovely olde world unique pub, with bench tables and outside bar, charming interior. When we arrived, we were greeted in a friendly...

Fantastic old style pub with a great menu .Went on a sunny Sunday My friend had fabulous nut roast with all the trimmings and said it was excellent and I had a starter with fries so I could save myself for the great desserts they...

Visited this pub, which is in a nice location, on a Sunday lunchtime, the day after King Charles’s coronation, and were able to sit outside. Roast lunch was pretty good, but apart from the landlord itself, who was very cheery, found the other staff -...

Very unwelcoming. I booked a table for my husband’s birthday lunch. When we arrived we were given a table for two right up against the bar! People were ordering over the table. They had a function in the restaurant area. Surely it would have been...

Has this pub come under new management? I've been visiting from time to time over the past 30 years and today it felt very 'different'. The staff seems really 'un-pubby' and the food we had was just plain weird/a bit 'wrong'. A bank holiday Sunday...

We had booked a table for 6pm and turned up a few minutes early. We were directed to our table by a waitress who looked like she didn’t want to be there. We were offered drinks promptly (which were lovely). As soon as we sat...

We arrived early and the staff were happy to accommodate us and informed us our table would be ready very soon. They welcomed us to sit at the bar and start with a drink. We then moved to our table and the service was friendly...

Fantastic pub, great food but rude staff(maybe one rotten egg, setting the style ), So an odd style of communication. And it’s not the first time.

Been coming here for 24 years ! It remains one of our favourite pubs ! I it continues to provide top service, excellent food and good value overall ! As many pubs fall to to chain ownership which generally means they eventually lose their “Mojo”...

Lovely evening at this lovely venue, great setting, superb food and brilliant staff…we will def be back very soon… thank you

Although it was a 40 min drive from where we live, it was well worth the trip. The pub is very characterful, the staff very attentive and friendly and the food and drink were superb!

Had a really nice lunch with our dog at The Hatch Inn at the wknd. Ignored a couple of recent reviews about service and glad we did. We were well looked after and the food was excellent, particularly the Spanish Croquettes starter and the wild...

We decided on Sunday morning to try and get a table for a late lunch, as we’d been talking about coming to this charming pub for ages; luckily we were able to nab one. The staff were friendly and attentive and the drinks materialised straight...

We booked for Saturday 11th February to celebrate our daughters engagement. The atmosphere was great, Very cosy , good welcome and the food was tasty , well presented and hot. The staff were delightful, attentive and very friendly. Really enjoyed our evening will be back....

My eighty six year old father called to make a reservation and was told they were too busy and to book online. He isn't really of an age where that is possible. And shouldn't be told that anyway. He was quite taken back. I called...

Oh how the food was so disappointhing! Poor presentation, lacked flavour Small portions Need a new chef! Bar & waiting staff great, decor & atmosphere good, Shame about the food!

Lunch on 29th December It was crowded and although we had an advanced booking for 5, we were seated at a table barely big enough for 4, we hadn't been singled out many of the tables weren't big enough for their client seating capacity The...

The staff are very welcoming at The Hatch. Lovely atmosphere. There is a warming open fire to sit in front of on a cold day. I would highly recommend.

We have been going to this pub for years. It is beautifully located in a historic building. The food is usually very good. However, the service is increasingly disappointing. There are usually a large number of bar staff all of whom talk to each other...

Had a wonderful lunch in this quaint beautiful old pub Staff were so friendly and efficient Would highly recommend it Can’t wait to return Happy New Year to you all Karen and Paul Crawley 😘

Another dismal November day with fog and drizzle was hardly going to reveal the better qualities of this ancient pub but we were struck by the lack of proper parking facilities (narrow roadside only) and the unhelpful welcome. We had especially asked for the table...

Another fabulous meal at The Hatch. Whether dinner or lunch The Hatch always surpasses expectations. Today our Sunday lunch exceeded these yet again. Sirloin of roast beef as part of the Sunday lunch was superb with matching huge Yorkshire pudding, red cabbage, roasties, cabbage and...

Impromptu visit , firstly they set us a table outside for 6 , there was 9 of us . However they accommodated us ( they certainly let us know about it though) the food was great , however . When we were presented with our...

Oh Dear!!! We went for lunch on Bank Holiday Monday after being recommended by friends ! We had a table in a ghastly old tent (Vintage marquee) which could be forgiven but, the service was dreadful. We waited for 20 mins for someone to take...

Food was okay, However not particularly hospitable. Staff didn't seem enthusiastic at all and didn't seem to want to be there. No smiles and felt like us being there was a chore and an inconvenience

We chose to call in for an early evening dinner and somewhere we’d often passed, but had never tried. I’m so glad we booked and it will certainly be somewhere we visit more frequently from now on. Lovely welcome and atmosphere. The food was piping...

Decided to try The Old Hatch Inn midweek for lunch with my husband for his birthday and whilst the staff were warm and welcoming and it's a lovely old country pub, parking was horrendous, there is none on site and limited parking on the road...

We came here for dinner on the 9th July with my sister and husband. They are local and spend a lot on dinners. 3 of our mains arrived but my wife's didn't. Some problem between the wifi and the kitchen !! It arrived 15 mins...

I have always loved this pub and last night confirmed why. The food was wonderful and the service exceptional.

Our group leader selected this pub for our post walk lunch. I must admit that I had been less than flattering about the ploughman's lunch following my previous visit, so I am very happy to say that the 2022 version is excellent. The home made...

I went to the Hatch last Thursday to celebrate my birthday with family and friends. What a terrific evening if was. The service provided by the team was fantastic. Overall a great evening and I got to see you all again very soon!

We were disappointed with the service at The Hatch Inn. It was a Monday lunchtime and not particularly busy, so there was no reason for the rudeness of staff . When we arrived the bar was empty and although we had booked a table we...

We were in this restaurant for a quick lunch. We had burgers and other quick plates. We enjoyed it. I also had a glass of white wine with mango and pineqpple flavour it was so good. The waitresses were polite but also funny. This is...

We enjoyed our visit. The staff were very welcoming and efficient. The menu is unspectacular but the food is well prepared with substantial portions. The atmosphere was very convivial providing somewhere to drink as well as eat. I can testify that the Harvey's bitter was...

We have been here a few times before, 2016-2019 and we’re generally happy with the experience, good food, beer and service but oh how things have changed. We arrived (2 couples with 2 toddlers and a baby) before 12 for lunch in their garden, admittedly...

After a nice spring walk was disappointed to be told no food due to staff shortage, the normal happy helpful staff were short and unhelpful- I understand it’s a difficult time but help yourselves and create a simplified reduced menu which you can manage to...

Excellent food, great location and attentive service by Nickie. It was a lovely sunny March day and so nice to spend time relaxing at this lovely pub.

We had a birthday celebration dinner for 19 adults. The service and food were both absolutely brilliant! We had a dedicated member of the Hatch team purely for our table, she was so professional and efficient. We will definitely be going back again

Had a fantastic lunch, staff very friendly and attentive. Food very hot and tasty. Good selection for everyone and portion size very good.

Visited The Hatch Inn for lunch, before having a walk around Ashdown Forest. We had lunch in the 'Vintage Marquee' and it was absolutely stunning. The food was delicious, as well as generous in sizing. The service was fantastic, and very friendly. The pub is...

A very friendly country pub with a warm welcome from the staff.Good choice of food, something for all taste. child and dog-friendly, ideal place after that walk across the common or for a more relaxing evening. Nice outdoor space ideal for the summer. Will hopefully...

We booked at short notice, ordered and enjoyed the two vegetarian curries on offer. Service was quick and friendly, Atmosphere as ever was great.

Having driven past this gem of a pub several times we decided that it was time to give it a go for my fiancee’s birthday. We weren’t disappointed. Once parked ( this is the only awkward bit as parking is on the road and it...

I have been going to The Hatch for many years. There’s something about its position on the edge of the Ashdown Forest and it’s unpretentious nature that I feel is very special. But this alone isn’t enough. Pubs are also made by the people that...

I brought my mother here for a Sunday lunch, we don't see eachother very often. The staff made our experience not only delightful but unforgettable. It was a lovely day for both myself and my mum and the vegetarian roast went down an absolute treat...

Popped in for an impromptu lunch with a friend. In short, the food was terrific and we were really well looked after. This was my first visit to the Hatch and I can say it won’t be my last!

We had a lovey visit to the hatch inn, the pub itself is so beautiful and the aesthetic of the country pub which we love, great to visit after a long walk on the ashdown forest! The food is A+ and the staff are also...

My wife & I thoroughly enjoyed the ambiance, wonderful hospitality & excellent food at the Hatch Inn on Monday evening. Having known the Hatch for many years this pub consistently delivers the very best by way of service & cuisine to it’s customers. We look...

Delicious home cooked food and we were served by a delightful waitress. Nothing was too much trouble. Just what you would expect from one of the best pubs in Sussex.

After having a less than great experience at this pub in November due to incompetent staff and then staff having a full blown argument with each other behind the bar and storming off, we tried it out once again on Saturday. When we arrived there...