The Hoste Restaurant in King's Lynn and West Norfolk

We thoroughly enjoyed our meal at The Hoste the other night . The steak and ale pie was delicious. The service was great and the staff were so friendly and helpful . Would definitely recommend.

What a disappointment - we have been to The Hoste before and it was ten times better! We waited one hour before the food arrived, one meal was returned because it was cold, not even warm. The grilled mackerel was cooked to within an inch of its life and the mushroom wellington was ordinary pastry. The fries were fine but £168 for five mains and a bottle of wine was very expensive. The waiter (who is apparently Hungarian) made no effort whatsoever to engage with us and never a hint of a smile.throughout the whole evening. When we were slow at ordering he just huffed and walked away. A very disappointing experience and we will not return.

This is the place to go if you would like to eat expensive mediocre food surrounded by other diners dogs. I was told by a member of staff this is normal for North Norfolk.

Delicious food, great service & a cosy, welcoming environment. Thank you so much, special thanks to our waitress Georgia ☺️

Superb food, fantastic service. Went for anniversary celebration was given complimentary dessert with congratulations written in chocolate which was delicious! Very laid back decorum, with great atmosphere. Will definitely visit again. They just launched a new menu today and all the courses tasted left us wanting more even with full bellies. Good size portions. Could not recommend enough!

Sadly this was chaos from the moment we walked in. Rude customer firstly stopping us from announcing our arrival ( typical Burnham Market customer, entitled and rude.) The lady that served us to begin with was fabulous ( tall/dark) but we never saw her again. Drink orders taken on a drink by drink basis. Waitress ( surly) took my order, went away and came back with my drink. Took another drink order from our party of 4, went away and came back only to try and repeat it until we managed to grab her before she dashed off. BIG wait for her to return to take our order. We ordered starters and mains. Quite quickly our mains came out BEFORE our starters. Huh?? No thanks. Sent them back. Not many apologies offered. Starters came. Mains were mediocre. Mine wasn’t even what I ordered but I had run out of energy to complain. There were two similar pasta stew type dishes and I got the wrong one. My husband ordered the whole fish with heads and tails which he was looking forward to, however it was headless and tailess. Our guests were unimpressed with their lamb. Such a shame as Burnham Market is so so upmarket and customers deserve better than this. Dirty tables, terrible staff and they put a 12.5% service charge on. We didn’t pay it. Come on The Hoste. Do better.

This hotel and restaurant occupies a prime position in the centre of Burnham Market. A holiday destination for the apparently well heeled with boutique shops to match you’d expect that customer service might be of the highest standard to conform with the overall vibe of the place. When we visited in July last year, I gave the Hoste a favourable review, but this time I was less convinced. The food was ok, but the service was very poor. No one likes to be forgotten about, it makes you feel very undervalued. On arrival we were pointed to a lady standing at a kind of lecturn at the edge of the restaurant to ‘check-in’ for our 6pm reservation. It was an early slot because we have a one-year old in our party and she has an early bedtime. The ‘lecturn’ seemed to be for people paying their bills as well as for announcing your presence. As we queued, the manager took over, and the person who was then going back to waiting duties made the most dismissive and impolite gesture for us to ‘get out of the way’ - no ‘excuse me’ nothing verbal at all. I let it go, the restaurant was busy, but not a great first impression. We were shown to a perfect table, plenty of room for the dogs to settle out of the way. Our drinks order was quickly taken, and then after about 15 minutes our food order. Then it was like we weren’t there. The food didn’t appear, no one asked whether we wanted more drinks. By the time we got to 7pm we wondered if the order had got lost. At 7.15 we attracted the manager and asked if we could have more drinks, and asked for an update on our food. At 7.25 our drinks arrived and the waitress who took our order said she didn’t know what had happened but that they ‘were plating up our order’ and it would be next out….we were finally served at 7.35 for a 6pm reservation. Not good, especially with the baby’s bedtime consideration. When we ordered our drinks with the manager we also asked that the table water be replenished, that too was forgotten about and never happened. The food was actually quite good. The fish of the day was plaice and it was very well cooked. The broccoli was a little too undercooked, and I’m not sure the aeoli worked with it, but I would have given this dish four stars overall. There is a bean stew which went down very well with one of our group, and the baby liked it too. It’s a shame it took so long to arrive, it took the edge off the evening.

Really nice meal with friendly staff. Much better than some of the reviews on here would suggest - we all enjoyed it. The cockle risotto was a highlight.

We went there for a multigenerational lunch. Our 5 year old loved their kids dinner ham egg and chips. We loved our Sunday lunches- the pork I would miss a little too fatty - but the beef and chicken were fantastic - the starters were great. The best part was the service, they couldn’t do enough to make us feel welcome and take care of us. We brought a birthday cake and they brought it out with candles lit and sang happy birthday to my husband. Brought plates and serveware- Really wonderful place that has given us a moment and memory we won’t forget. Thank you!

I stayed at The Hoste about 15 years ago and remember a truly fabulous stay. The rooms were great and the food in the dining room was outstanding. So I recommended a visit for lunch with my friends when we stayed in Burnham Market for a week’s break. We all had sandwiches which were served promptly, although the fillings were fine the quality of the bread, (a somewhat fundamental part of a sandwich), was disappointing. Lunch turned out to be very average, I cancelled my booking for dinner later in the week as a result.

We visited for an early dinner with a 1 year old. The sun was out in force, and the restaurant allowed us to push back our reservation to enjoy drinks outside. When we came in to dine, the service was brilliant - the waiter quickly attended to our child so we could get him settled/fed and enjoy our meal. The food quality was good, and my main (the lamb) was 10/10 amazing - one of the best meals I've had in a while. The restaurant was nice (also good changing facilities!!). Would absolutely come again. Couldn't quite believe this was the same place as some previous reviews; we did still eat relatively early, so the restaurant wasn't too busy, perhaps this helped!

We went for dinner on a Thursday night as a family of five. One member of staff was very friendly and working incredibly hard but the others did not share the same enthusiasm. The service was dreadfully slow, we could never catch anyones eye. The food was good but nothing special and the children's macaroni cheese stunk of smelly cheese which was hugely off putting. Unfortunately the slow service gave us an overall bad experience and we won't return any time soon.

We are staying in Burnham Market for a week and this is the nearest pub/restaurant to our holiday address. I went to check it out for us possibly eating there during our stay. There were tables outside loaded with used empty glasses. Inside there was one young man taking a food order from another customer. Overall the place was quiet, I stood at the end of the bar in full view of three other members of staff who were huddled together chatting and ignoring me. At the far end of the bar was an older woman who I later found was the owner/manager watching her three staff and me. I actually had to wait for the only member of the five staff I could see who was actually working. When he'd finished his food order he served me, I ordered a pint of beer and tendered a £20 note, we don't take cash he said, card only! What sort of business doesn't take cash, astonishing! I sat outside the sunshine to drink my beer, I have since read some negative reviews about this place with which from what I've seen of it I'd have to agree, not a welcoming place and needless to say there are a lot of other places nearby in the village or in neighbouring villages and we'll be giving this place a wide berth. The beer wasn't that good either and it was ludicrously expensive.

Visited again! Still one very slow barman, crowd of people waiting for drinks. Surely you can do something to remedy this beautiful setting from decline!

We have literally just finished dinner here. The staff were exceedingly courteous, helpful and the food excellent. We both had the rump of lamb cooked exactly as ordered - one medium and one well done. The desserts were to die for - I had sticky toffee pudding and my husband chocolate and caramel fondant. We would certainly return here if we were once more visiting the Norfolk churches . Had we found The Hoste Arms when looking for accommodation we would have chosen to stay here. The only negative thing I have to say , and this is of course personal, I do not like dogs in restaurants. I noticed one lady directly opposite me but in another room had 2 dogs one of which was sitting with her at the table. She fed tit bits to both dogs ( not with food from her plate I hasten to add) while eating her meal. We once stayed in an hotel where dogs and their owners ate in a separate room - not a bad idea !

I visited The Hoste restaurant as part of a solo trip to North Norfolk. Like others, I’d heard so much about it, so was keen to try it. I have to say, it was a bit of an anticlimax. It took the hostess a good 10 minutes to notice me standard waiting to be seated, and she was then quite cold, not the personable welcome I would have expected from a place given such good reviews. The atmosphere wasn’t to my personal taste, so not a criticism of the establishment, but it was far too rowdy-pub. So maybe not the one for you if you want a calm relaxing dinner. The food was good, definitely the redeeming factor. The waiter who severed me was also extremely attentive and friendly. A lot of other staff seemed very friendly and professional. But all in all, nothing is really calling me to go back.

The food was tasty , had to wait quite a while which was ok but when we enquired about where our food was the waiter wasn’t very helpful.

My title says it all. I expected more from this establishment after being told so much about it. Our lunchtime snack was substandard and the staff didn’t show the slightest bit of interest. Other than that, it’s a nice cosy bar/hotel, which I imagine would be lovely to visit when they’ve sorted food and staffing out. Wouldn’t recommend at the moment.

Disappointing Experience for Dog owners My recent visit which left me with mixed feelings. As a dog-friendly establishment, my family and I were excited to bring our furry companions along for the dining experience. However, our enthusiasm quickly turned to disappointment due to the inconsistency in enforcing their pet policy. Upon arrival, we were warmly greeted and settled in comfortably with our dogs, one of whom is a senior with neurological issues. After an hour and a half, a member of staff approached us and informed us of their policy against dogs on the furniture. While one of our dogs was peacefully resting on the floor, the other, our 19-year-old Jack Russell, was sleeping on a coat on the seat. What baffled me was witnessing another couple, seated nearby with their dachshunds, one of which had its head on the table and the other snoozing on the seat. Surprisingly, no action was taken against them. This inconsistent enforcement of the policy significantly dampened our dining experience and left us feeling unfairly singled out. Despite the friendly atmosphere and decent food, this incident overshadowed our overall impression of the restaurant. It's disappointing when a seemingly dog-friendly establishment fails to uphold its own policies consistently. As a result, we reluctantly decided to cut short our visit. Furthermore, the lack of visibility of the gentleman who approached us regarding the policy added to our frustration. It would have been appreciated if the staff had been more proactive in addressing the situation earlier, rather than letting it escalate to the point of us deciding to leave. In conclusion, whilst at the hoste has potential, they need to ensure fair and consistent implementation of their pet policies to provide a truly enjoyable experience for all patrons, both two-legged and four-legged.

The restaurant in the Hoste hotel at Burnham Market is a nice spacious place. The dining rooms there are quite large and the layout of the tables is really very good, as plenty of room is allowed between each one, so that each party of diners has a generous space in which to enjoy their meals in the company of their own friends. As to the service and the food, both were first class. There was a good selection of dishes on the menu and everything that we ordered was cooked and served to a very high standard. For myself, I especially enjoyed the Roast loin of Venison. We were all delighted with our dinner at the Hoste Restaurant.

Despite the lovely warm welcome from the lady at front of house when we arrived for our dinner reservation, disappointment soon settled in. We ordered a £30 bottle of Portuguese white wine - which was basically Vino Verde and probably no more than £7-£10 at retail. It was absolutely dreadful and although we had selected this- we feel that the buying team should only be offering decent wine on their menu when they make their selections. The starter of chicken liver patty arrived with one tiny slice of toast. My olives were basic and nothing special. A tiny bowl of hard unpitted olives didn’t really make any kind of impact. For the meal I had fish pie which was fairly ok with a side of braised cabbage , but my other half opted for the battered fish and chips. Although he requested that it should be lightly battered -when it arrived it was pretty tasteless- was it frozen fish wondered? The chips were soggy and disgusting- so these weren’t eaten. The bill was £89 and we left feeling pretty unhappy. The only consolation was that our full English breakfast the following day was very nice. What a shame about dinner the night before.

I do feel quite sad having to give an average rating to this review however after having spent thousands in this hotel over the years staying in the rooms, eating in the restaurant, or drinking in the bar we recently visited the bar with our two dogs one of which is a 2kg Chihuahua which was asleep on my lap whilst we were having a lovely drink, we were then told that the dog was not allowed on the chairs/benches, which i accept but it was asleep on my lap not directly on the chair, we do this as he is very nervous having been repeatably attacked by bigger dogs, all the pubs in North Norfolk are dog friendly but have never experienced this issue anywhere else. Very disappointed as myself, family and friends otherwise love this hotel.

Drivers Be Warned!!! We are a local couple and we went for a drink recently. We order a G&T, a pint of Ghost Ship and 2 packets of crisps. Imagine our shock to get a bill for over £23!!! In querying this the barman told my husband we had been served a double G&T! We hadn’t asked for this nor had we been informed it was their Policy to serve doubles. There is no notice at the bar to inform customers and whilst the situation was rectified I would query whether this was deceitful practice and maybe even illegal? Whilst we walk to the hoste I would be highly concerned for drivers who are unaware of this and could unknowingly be over the legal limit. I note another reviewer had the same experience in October 2023 and clearly they’re not bothered to change their practice. Am hoping the new owners may improve things going forward.

Good food (at Burnham Market prices), but thick toxic smoke from the fire filling the restaurant all evening totally ruined a special occasion. Not good for the health of the staff who work there either, but management obviosuly not concerned.

Just had dinner..I ordered Salmon..it was the smallest slither of salmon I have ever been offered on a large base of gnocchi in a cream spinach sauce. Most unnourishing...the tiny amount of salmon was well cooked but I left most of the rest of the dish Would not recommend.

Pre-booked Sunday dinner for 4, a child and two dogs. Ordered 2 pork bellies and 2 chickens. Overall, a good meal and generous portions. Each part of the meal was cooked well. Overall, good experience.

Fabulous! Loved this restaurant. Food was delicious and service excellent. A huge thank you to Georgia our server for taking such good care of us.

We went here with 6 of us including 2 kids. We had great food on all counts. The staff were very friendly and helpful. They changed on kids dish slightly for us. Good selections of drinks. We were slightly nervous booking here having read some of the other reviews in here. We were very pleased with our decision to book. Whilst I dont want to guess why the other reviews were negative I can only comment that we really enjoyed our experience.

Lovely atmosphere, excellent bar, attractive Dining Room, alas then came the food. How a Chef? can serve 3 portions of dry fish pie, undercook fish and chips, is beyond me. will not be back. Totally overpriced and overrated.

Fantastic food, superb friendly staff, overall an outstanding experience We would definitely stay at the Hoste again and would thoroughly recommend dinning in their restaurant

Visited for drinks on our first night in Burnham Market and for dinner on our second which we had booked a couple of weeks in advance . Sorry to say the food was mediocre , poorly presented and over priced . The service was like warm at best .Based on our experience there we could not easily recommend

My husband and I visited yesterday evening and to be honest we weren’t overly impressed. We arrived on time and were ignored by the manager for at least 10 mins. He showed the people in front of us to their table so knew we were waiting. In the end we had to walk inside and ask. Then they didn’t have our booking so I had to show my email to prove it. Not all tables were full btw. Food was nice, steak over cooked but as the service was slow and we’d waited some time for the food I didn’t complain. Had we been the table next to us who had finished their food before their children’s had even arrived I definitely would have! During our main course a waitress called Niamh took over our table she was like a breath of fresh air. Friendly, chatty and attentive. She even made us an espresso martini which isn’t in the menu. Anyway to summarise, food is good but not amazing. Service is slow and there’s no atmosphere. If you have a choice go to no.29 down the road far better!

Great to come back to The Hoste and really pleased to support it during this interim period before fully opening.We booked about three weeks in advance and our table was ready when we arrived. We had read there were no heaters, so please be aware of this. We sat at a table in the rear garden/ courtyard which was set up lovely. The service was perfect throughout and our meals (see pics) were of great quality. As mentioned in the title of this review, it was cold. We were aware of the weather and no heaters so took hot water bottles along with rugs which made it bearable, and we would definitely return even in these circumstances. But personally I feel that The Hoste should follow suit with say ,The Orange Tree down the road and have heaters per table. I understand they can be rented as well as bought and would really help. Nevertheless I would go again, inside or out, and advise others to follow suit. Enjoy

First trip out after lockdown. Fantastic quality location and hotel/restaurant. COVID rules impeccably observed, we were undercover I think in the courtyard. Service was attentive and good quality food with nicely presented fish and chips and burger and chips. Highly recommend

We got lucky and the weather was sunny when we visited The Hoste in their Courtyard - which is a great setting for a leisurely lunch. The food was superb and also the service. An interesting mixture of diners if you like people watching. Parking at the side of the building was a real bonus. We also had drinks around the front on another occasion overlooking Burnham High Street which is also a great spot.

Little shocked by some recent comments, yes we have been coming here for fourteen years and yes we loved it in the past, but we came for lunch today, and could not fault a thing, staff very attentive, no long delay, food great although a slightly limited mains menu and a great atmosphere.a leaf did fall off the tree on to our table at one point which would probably cause some people to rate one star but we look forward to returning

Family (early) dinner. Arrived earlier and could not be accommodated because currently running 3 shift per night work table. Never mind, glad to see they can recover from the prolonged closures. Sat at the front (first come, first serve). Warned of no heaters (why don’t they have blankets?) but, again, never mind. Table dirty but no one bothered to wipe it. Cutlery was literally thrown on the table with paper napkin. Waited long time for food to arrive. Mediocre fish and chips badly served with tartar sauce and mushy peas directly on the platemaking the fish and chips mushy too. Veggie option turned out more expensive than the fillet steak which was ultimately the better choice. Pricey for the quality and the service. Bill turned out not cheap (£133 for 4 people, no wine, 2 pints and water).

Service was slow, covid restrictions over-strict, food was good though. Missing the good old days when this was somewhere buzzy and special.

I could cry, the old hoste and everything that it stood for is gone - great country dining, warm atmosphere, engaging service.It has struggled for years due to changes in ownership and is now part of the City Pub chain - yes, a chain, says quite how far it has fallen. I am not being snobbish (!) over chains as many are excellent but there was always something unique about the hoste.We are blessed that this area is full of very good restaurants, the hoste has simply stopped competing, but we keep giving it a try every couple of months to see if it has improved, alas not.The consistent issue is not the food but the service and general lack of attention to detail or customers - expect a long wait for service, drinks and same course food deliveries in stages. Before the latest lockdown we tried again - same story - 3 rounds of drinks while waiting for food to arrive - burgers were good but expensive for what you got, ‘copper’ chip containers tarnished, my daughter’s fish was excellent (£28!) but was surrounded by glasses that were not cleared at any point during our meal, my other daughter’s meal did not arrive until chased 20 minutes after other mains were served.To City Pub: PLEASE sort out the service. PLEASE invest in the basics. PLEASE bring the hoste back.

We came for a drink here on Saturday 31st October just after midday. A very cold welcome from all the staff. We needed to provide our contact details which is fine (we had checked in also via track and trace). We were shown to a table and advised we would need to leave the table within 45 minutes. Which was fine, but there are ways to saying that to guests. It took approximately 15 minutes for our drink order to be taken and another 15 for it to arrive. They had plenty of staff so not sure why it took so long. When our drinks were delivered to our table to waitress didn’t even look at us. We took some friends for a drink in there on the 2nd November as they had eaten there when the previous owners owned it. Again we had to wait to be shown to a table - we had walked in but told to wait outside! We were shown to a table and advised we would have to leave the table within 45 minutes. The place was empty. But appreciate it may have filled up within 45 minutes.Again it took a while to have our order taken and for the drinks to be delivered. Our friends were really disappointed how much the place had gone down hill since they last visited. During these challenging times don’t make it feel like guests are an inconvenience coming into your bar for a drink. Learn from other places who are really on the ball. On both occasions it was evident who was the bar manager, think their customer service skills need to be brushed up on! Then maybe the staff will follow.

Early supper meal deal so great value but even at full price not too expensive,. Varied menu, perhaps fish pi a bit dry but started and desert were great.

Food good. Service leaves a lot to be desired. Got fed up waiting for them to take pud order so we paid and went. They got the bill wrong and had to go to reception for refund as “computer said no”. Reception then got it wrong when we checked laterNb. 2 of the 3 other tables in same room also had issues so attention to detail sadly lacking

Food was of a decent standard, just a couple of minor gripes that if remedied would make it excellent, our halibut was slightly overcooked as was my pigeon starter. That said the food was very tasty. Restaurant was packed which tells you the food is decent. Wine prices are somewhat eye watering

Excellent food and service in the restaurant and we could take our dog in. The menu is very good and the food excellent, as was the service.

I brought my daughter to The Hoste for dinner on Thursday evening last week. The Maitre D’ ignored us waiting to be welcomed and carried on with his computer work. After several seconds he looked up and clearly it was for us to speak first! I find this attitude rude and unacceptable. We were shown to our table and the service is acceptable at best. The food is good. The fish pie was excellent but not a huge portion and expensive at £18. My daughter had the chicken supreme which was served with bacon lardons which she found inedible as they were so fatty and undercooked. The bill had a service charge added which I wasn’t aware of and for some reason (good manners?) I left cash tip also so ended up being quite generous as I was unaware of the automatic tip. This is a habit I dislike in restaurants as it should be discretionary and there were only two of us. I have visited the hoste for some years and have found over the past year or so that the staff are either pretentious or the other extreme - I overheard one young waitress say that”I’m taking a fag break”. Lovely! The bar area is nice with a lovely fire and I would return for lunch but would not recommend for dinner unless you like to feel unwelcome on arrival!

We stopped in Burnham Market on our way home from a few days in Norfolk and hadn't booked anything so we really appreciated we could get a table for us and my dog at lunch time on a Saturday! I will be honest, when we first sat down the place seemed lacking ambience and "cold" but as more people arrived and they turned on the music, things got better. We ordered the baked cheese to start which was very good- although had to ask for more bread as 4 small pieces for a whole baked cheese is obviously not enough! Sirloin came out perfectly, I enjoyed my fish pie and the two who ordered the chicken were raving about it all afternoon. We then had a very delicious brownie to share for dessert and some Irish coffee. We did find the wine and beer a little expensive (but its the location I think more than anything) and even though they needed the table back, they let us sit on the sofas in the guest area to eat dessert and have our coffees. We didn't feel rushed at all. One of the highlights was our waitress- she was amazing, friendly and couldn't have been more helpful (even getting treats and water for my dog). Good service really counts for a lot and she made our day. Considering we popped in on the off chance yesterday, we were all very glad we did as it was a nice ending to our holiday.

Recommendation as a great restaurant but a little disappointed as looks a little tired and needs a little tic but We had a very good meal from the set menu with a few local beers.Plus to restaurant by offering the meal deal in October. Well done.

This is a nice venue. The service at the Hoste is what you would expect from a high class hotel in the city. In my wife words "best roast dinner ever".....what more can you say. It's not a carvery but to be fair you could not get more on the plate yourself, it beat me!

Having eaten at the Hoste several times before when visiting Norfolk, I was a little apprehensive when booking because of recent reviews. I understand from other reviews there has been a change in management & understand this can sometimes take a little while to settle down. This cannot have been helped with the outbreak of COVID. Service levels have had to change in all establishments to provide a safe environment & service.What I would say is that we had a very enjoyable lunch for 5, with our three dogs. The table was ready on time, drinks order taken once seated & food order soon afterwards. Our service was very good & the food was the same, especially the Mussels & Fish Pie which were excellent. I am glad we booked & the continuation of the 50% off food scheme made it even more enjoyable when the bill came up. We will be back next time we are up in Norfolk.

Had really low expectations given the recent reviews but we were pleasantly surprised. The food was delicious and although the service was a little slow, the place is well organised and feels safe. I would come back again.

After being shunned at bar 29 I came to the Hoste early for my table. They couldn’t have been more helpful sitting me early on a table with loads of room for two dogs. After initial slow service the manager had a word and it was perfect with a waiter even watching my dogs for me so could use the bathroom. Brilliant will be back.

Having eaten here before we took the recent negative reviews with a pinch of salt. My past experience of the Hoste was that of a more upmarket restaurant serving good quality food. My view now is that it happily trades on its past reputation but dishes up run of the mill, overpriced pub fare. Took advantage of their October eat out to help out deal and got £20 of the bill but still came to £85. Therefore, I have to say sorry but you are no longer the The Hoste with the most and I will give you a wide berth next time we are in the area.

We thought we were "treating" ourselves to a special Sunday lunch whilst on holiday. What a disappointment. Indifferent service, poor choice menu, we waited nearly an hour for our main course with no explanation or comment from staff. We understood this was a very special place to eat and could not have been more disappointed. There must be many, much better, places to eat in the surrounding area. Don't bother with the Hoste Arms Restaurant.

Went for lunch with 3 friends.There was just 1 waiter who was run off his feet.The food was extremely poor.We had to wait extra time as they had an accident with the chicken in the kitchen! The chips on the fish and chips dish looked like the dregs and was cold.After asking they were replaced with the over done fish.My soup had lumps in.My fruit rumble was a bag out of the freezer with a topping and a tumble full of custard and the pot of tea had scum on top!, Overall inadequate food even for a chain pub.The poor waiter couldn’t have done anymore which is why we left a tip but I’m afraid we won’t be going back there in a hurry even though they took the price of the drinks off the bill

Was looking forward to lunch here but was disappointed. Took an hour and a half for soup and sandwiches. Menu described thick cut chips which were just ordinary chips. Staff friendly but no follow up re order and length of time. Pint of ghost ship served was cloudy and should not have been served. Circumstances challenging at present but perhaps over reliant on location and past reputation.

We went for a lunch on 10th October. First of all we were told our booking didnt include our dog. This was inaccurate and I showed the member of staff my email confirmation which clearly stated a request doe a dog friendly table. After 5 minutes of tapping his iPad he showed us to an empty table in the dog friendly area! Whilst our drinks came within a reasonable time our order for food was not taken until 40 minutes after arrival and food didnt come until nearly and hour after arrival we ordered a crab sandwich and a chicken sandwich on sourdough. Theywere honestly the most pathetic sandwiches I have ever ordered. They were very small and you need a hacksaw to cut through them. No chips/crisps or coleslaw just a few lettuce leaves with no dressing. These were £9 each which is simply disgraceful.No one asked if our food was ok and I am not surprised!! The table next to us had the same experience and did complain about the wait time. They were told the chef would do some chips for them which never arrived. They left the bread from their sandwiches unsurprisingly. We had superb sandwiches at the Waterside in Hunstanton yesterday. Prawn and beef both excellent with crisp for around £5. Much better service too.i would advise against going to the Hoste. Very very disappointing.

We had had a recommendation to dine at The Hostse & invited 2 of our friends to join us for lunch. We arrived first & our first impressions were not what we had expected, staff Not helpful at all, we were shown to our table, we eventually got to order drinks & food. The restaurant or pub was not at all busy & another couple were complaining about how long they had been waiting, we wish on hindsight we had taken this on board as we had to wait nearly an hour for really basic food which when eventually it arrived was not of a good standard of what we thought was supposed to be an up market establishment, poor quality, service & food

While on holiday at Hunstanton in September 2020, my wife and I decided to visit Burnham Market and have lunch. The village was very busy and we tried two other places before coming across The Hoste. The gentleman on the door was very friendly and helpful, and showed us to a table that was ideal for us. We ordered sandwiches which came in good time and they were enormous! Although my wife couldn't finish hers (I ate what she couldn't!), they were excellent. The Hoste was very busy and had a really good atmosphere and we agreed that we would definitely go back there again.

Our first visit to Norfolk...not a good advert. We had been recommended to have Sunday lunch here and we thought great, this looks really good...and being a share holder in the controlling company I thought I might be helping our our own funds. Well we were bitterly disappointed. On entering the place looked downtrodden and unloved. The food was so bad, it was inedible, chicken that looked as though it had been cooked the day before, so dry and was sent back, ok they didn’t charge for that. One would think that during these lock down times that staff could be utilised to clean and make the place sparkle, and that the kitchen serving less food that it would be spot on. Come on Hoste Hotel get a grip, Sunday lunch, the easiest session of the week. Burnham Market has a visitors all day long, called the Chelsea of Norfolk...this place is letting it down...avoid.

Reserved for a Sunday at 18.00. After giving us the full menu and choosing were informed only the basic menu available with no explanation. So disappointed we then both chose the mussels. Oh now they weren't available! Okay so I ordered the fish pie. This is NOT a fish pie it should be labelled a Salmon pie as that was the only fish in it. But surprise surprise there must have been a special ingredient as spent the night on the toilet!!! Clearly hygiene or food safety is poor as the menu all removed and then I still was ill!! Very very bad. no apologies. Words cannot describe how bad this place is..

We have eaten and stayed here many times over the years. I know things are difficult but we had a dreadful experience here the other night. Disorganised and unacceptable service and very mediocre food.

We went to the restaurant today for lunch . The staff were all very friendly and welcoming . We were taken to our table straight away and our drinks and order was taken promptly . The starters were well presented and very nice .( Crispy squid and a Ceasar salad with egg) We both ordered the squash and chickpea Thai curry and it was good apart from an overload of chickpeas! For dessert we had a chocolate brownie which was served with fresh raspberries and a sorbet . Highly recommend this dessert ! We asked if we could enjoy our Irish coffees in the bar area and this was a lovely place to sit and enjoy the roaring log fire ! As the restaurant have extended their Eat Out to Help Out for all of October it was very good value for money . We would definitely recommend going here and feel that some of the recent bad reviews are unjustified . The staff were very professional and made great efforts to deal with the Covid rules whilst still giving all the customers good service !

Visited The Hoste 3 times during our North Norfolk and on each occasion, we were met with friendly cheery staff and great service. We ate using the eat out to help out offer, and were really happy with our choices. We had breads with flavoured butters whilst we waited for our orders. Highly recommended. All presented beautifully. We returned on the Sunday for a few drinks outside the pub on our horses. Once again, the staff couldn’t do enough for us. We shall return!

Having read quite alot of mixed reviews on trip advisor, and having never visited before, we were unsure what to expect from our Sunday lunch.On arrival the first thing I commented on was the delicious smell of the Sunday lunches that hit you as soon as you entered! So that was a good start! The restaurant had a lovely warm and cosy feel about it, despite the circumstances at the moment with having less tables and less people. Me and my boyfriend both ordered the roast, he ordered the beef and I ordered the chicken. When it arrived I was absolutely amazed! Both of our plates were full of food and I had half a roast chicken! It came with all the trimmings, roast potatoes cooked to perfection, and some of the best cauliflower cheese I have ever eaten! I can honestly say that we both said it was one of the best roasts we have ever had! Having read some very negative reviews, I thought it was very important to write a positive review after having a lovely first experience at the Hoste, and we will definitely be visiting again soon! Thank you all very much!

It’s a shame there was not more organisation with the arrival system as we were stood in the rain outside for a fair while until we were seated. The food could of been better, the soup was so hot it burnt my partners mouth. The Camembert was not cooked enough. Mains were just average and could of been made at home.... not worth the £85 per couple we paid anyway.

Such a shame. My friend was excited to eat here, so we booked. And luckily they were running their own 50% off food offer as otherwise the prices were too high for what was provided.The house white wine was French and really wasn’t that nice considering £22 per bottle. Our starters were fine. But the fish pie we ordered (I think this would have been £22 if it wasn’t for the offer) tasted of absolutely nothing. May as well have been a dish of mashed potato. We decided to cancel our table here for the following day. I’m led to believe it was once very good.

The hotel was disappointing and maybe that influenced our opinion but the food was ok, nothing more.

Best meal I’ve ever had, honestly , cauliflower soup, so creamy, fish and chips ( better than up north ) and a chocolate brownie to die for

Lovely atmosphere, excellent food and great service. Will definitely be returning and staying overnight.

We had the set menu. The scallops were cooked to perfection and our main meals were full of flavour. I had the Norfolk Lamb dish, which was fantastic. Even though the restaurant was busy, our waitress was very attentive.

Fined with another couple yesterday evening. Choice poor, starter mussels fine, lamb very average. Have used in the past and was much better.

Tried to get a drink here at 7.30 on Saturday evening ahead of a dinner elsewhere . One table occupied outside and bar about a third full. But refused to serve us as said were fully booked - which was clearly rubbish. In the time it took him to tell us this he could probably have served us the four beers we wanted. Very abrupt and condescending too. Still, judging by recent comments here not an unusual experience

Stopped off in Burnham Market for a look around and some lunch. As a vegan I do worry about not finding options for me when I don't research ahead. We saw the Hoste and thought it looked nice. Checked with the hostess and she said they had a vegan burger which I was very happy about! It was absolutely delicious and to top it off they were still doing 'eat out to help out' so we got £14 off our bill! Will definitely return next time we are in the area.

We have had many meals in the Hoste and also stayed there several times, but our meal this time was disappointing. It was a shame the garden room wasn’t open. Instead we were put in quite a dark room, which lacked atmosphere. The food was okay but not the standard it used to be and very little choice. Had trouble using the app to pay so in the end paid by card and couldn’t use our points. As others have said - No Twentynine is so much better and has a lively buzz to it.

Really good food and excellent service, we had the Haddock and Mussels with starters of mozzarella and heritage tomatoes, and the scallops. All was full of flavour and served with pride.Despite the current restrictions the staff made the evening a very enjoyable one, we assumed the time slot of 1 &1/2 hrs would mean we’d be rushed but the reality was we dined at leisure and had more than enough time.

Booked table at what was thought to be a special lunch venue. Turned out to be a pub lunch With little sparkle. Two glasses of champagne please....sorry only sell by the bottle. Lobster roll filled with crayfish and although fairly priced needed review of kitchen. Salad unrecognizable and mussel sauce lacked body. Staff tried but lacked experience. Joseph was the exception to the general rule. Will not drive 3 hours again for overrated pub sandwich

We visited The Hoste a number of years ago and had an amazing meal. We returned this year unaware of the change in ownership and were expecting the same quality of food and service. Based on these expectations we were very disappointed. It’s good standard gastro-pub grub but if you’re looking for that something extra that the Hoste used to give, sadly this isn’t it.

We have just tried to visit our local pub for afternoon drinks and have been turned away. Unbelievable that on a bank holiday weekend the management don’t wish to serve drinks to its locals. It will no doubt rely on its locals to support it out of season.The Hoste has steadily declined since Brendan left and I am sure that the plc which now own it will be appalled to see that it’s manager is turning people away. I spoke with the manager to no avail.Tim at number 29 is reaping the benefits of this idiotic attitude of the manager at the Hoste. I hope for the sake of the Hoste that it’s manager is replaced with someone who has the common sense to work in the best interest of the venue and its local and loyal customers.We, like, many others will support number 29 until they get their acts together.Real shame for what was the best restaurant and hostelry in the area.

The food was great. We had the scallops and squid. Both were cooked perfectly. The steak for mains, the monk fish and mussels were all good. The evening was however spoilt by the service, which was was slow and inattentive. That has left us all disappointed such that, despite the good food, I am not sure we will return. A shame really.

Our visit ended with me overhearing two members of staff mimicking what I had said at the table about my meal, then giggling - what happened to the luxury hotel with impeccable service? This was the senior male member of staff that initially greeted us on entry to the garden room restaurant area and a female member of staff who delivered drinks to our table. If only I could say we had a good start; no such luck, they had sold out of elderflower fizzy and only had one ginger beer left, which was a cheap brand bought to the table in a can! The food arrived and both the scallops and the squid were lovely, then my husband had lamb which was beautifully cooked, then my sea trout arrived which tasted and looked exactly like a cheap piece of farmed salmon. I was assured it was sea trout and the senior member of staff (later to be overheard mimicking and laughing about me) offered to bring me the packaging label - emm does fresh fish come in a packet? We have always eaten here when in Norfolk and stayed in the hotel several times and I can’t believe the decline. I noted we drove past no.29 and it was packed, I’ve just checked their reviews and I know where I will be going next time.

Good gastro pub food but menu needs peeking up to make it more interesting, particularly for the guests of the hotel. Good selection of beers. The white and rose wines are of a decent standard but not served cold, which was really frustrating. The friendliness of the staff really made a difference however and hence we had eaten here more than once for convenience and a good vibe!

It is necessary to book well in advance during the combination of COVID and high season but everything ran very smoothly for us. We were seated in the old inn section, which is a lovely and interesting building and bookings had been restricted so that we were well apart from other seated tables, we felt perfectly safe. The food was very good and the chocolate brownie deserves particular mention as it was the best we had ever tasted. Service was attentive and friendly, no long waits for anything. There is unfortunately some kind of flood/leak situation affecting the outdoor seating at the front of the hotel. Whilst this is obviously a work in progress it would be good to clear up the paper and other litter that has been caught up in the water and is sitting beside the outdoor dining tables. Outdoor diners seem also to be asked to order using an app but from the stream of customers coming into the restaurant with problems, i would say that either the app or the wifi are not working well enough for this. So definitely book in advance and sit inside!

Oh dear. Every time we’re in Norfolk we come to the Hoste. We remember its former glory days. The whole place was beautifully appointed and it ran on ‘oiled wheels’. Unfortunately this formerly wonderful hotel has been getting worse each time we’ve visited, but our most recent visit it hit an all time low. We called in on Saturday for afternoon tea. We should have known it was going to be bad as it was virtually empty. We sat in the conservatory, which looked fairly grim. It has lost all of the charm it used to have as a fairly over the top, but opulent space.We ordered a pot of tea and asked for cakes. We were find there aren’t any cakes. They told us they have scones, which we ordered. When they arrived, they were hard in the middle. The member of staff we told didn’t seem to believe us. I invited him to touch the scone and asked him if he would eat it? He said that he would. He did ask if we would like the sones to be replaced (which we declined). We weren’t charged for the tea or scones, which was appropriate.

This used to be a high end luxury feel hotel . It was called The Hoste because it had an owner who used to hoste guests, It had an ambience to make you feel special. It has lost everything that made you feel special and is no longer on my list of feel good hotels. Sadly it has turned in to just a basic over night stay hotel and no longer has that special feel. Everything classy about this place has gone. The food is nothing special either. It is very expensive and no better than the average pub. Sad but true that this hotel has lost its way.

Just back from a two night break in the Hoste it is a lovely hotel beautiful rooms, the staff are all very welcoming and friendly. We ate in the restaurant on the last night and I was pleasantly surprised after reading such negative reviews, we all had scallops for starters which were lovely and cooked to perfection. Two of us had the mains from the bar menu which were standard pub grub and the other two had their mains from the specials menu which were lovely. The staff were very friendly and very particular with cleaning tables etc when people left. It is a difficult time for everyone at the minute but I thought the hotel coped really well always wearing face coverings and a one way system which was clearly marked.

Service incredibly slow. Food very average. Disappointing all round really. Should be much better as it has so much opportunity.

This was to be our first proper meal out with restaurants re-opening. We had stayed and eaten at The Hoste previously and thoroughly enjoyed it. How times change. We set aside plenty of time to have a drink outside before supper as it was a lovely warm evening. When we arrived there were no tables free at the front and the walled garden was empty (presumably closed?) so we used the app to order click and collect. Although a couple of tables then came available, we had already ordered so we're stuck with click and collect. It took 20 minutes from ordering two drinks (2x Aperol Spritz at nearly £10 each) before the app said they were ready for collection. I then waited for a further 5-10 minutes at the click and collect point in the car park before giving up and going into the bar where the barman allowed me to collect the drinks as they had been made. Nearly £10 a drink for a near half an hour wait and when they did come they were in flimsy plastic cups.Given that the Hoste makes its staff wear masks etc....one would think that they would be quite hot on table cleaning. We sat at the table outside for 45mins or so with 3 dirty glasses (proper glasses, not plastic) from previous customers. No glasses cleared, table not cleaned or sanitised. Perhaps if they cleaned up properly they would have been able to offer glasses for our drinks.Whilst I was waiting round the back at the click and collect point, my wife was at the front and others walked past and in conversation one said to the other words to the effect that the Hoste "used to be good but isn't now". I think what's interesting is that even the drinkers have moved elsewhere. Outside the Hoste used to be busy but was quiet. Number Twenty9 down the road however was heaving. It doesn't take long before people move on. We had contemplated cancelling our meal but we wanted to give the Hoste a chance as we had had good meals previously and had a taxi booked etc...We went through to the restaurant - empty - and were shown through instead to the front bar where there remained uncleared tables. Seemed odd, given there is a bright and spacious restaurant to put everyone in the front bar areas. In the end, we decided we didn't want to give the Hoste any of our money on the basis of what we had seen and experienced so far, so we confirmed we would be cancelling and explained why.Three points to add.1. We know these are difficult times for restaurants just opening up but the Hoste have just got it so wrong on so many levels whereas others (such as the White Horse at Brancaster Staithes, where we were able to eat instead) have got it so right.2. It's not the fault of individual staff members who were all polite. It's clearly issues higher up the chain in the management.3. We can't comment on the food as we didn't stay long enough to try it.We are back in Norfolk in September and had booked to come to the Hoste again then. We have already cancelled and booked to go to Socius instead.It is a real shame that a once great place seems content destroy its previous reputation.

We were so pleased to get a reservation for dinner and all thought that the menu looked great on line. It was my husbands birthday celebration so I didn’t want to spoil the evening by complaining at the time, however the meal was extremely disappointing. Three of us order crab linguine, two of us asked for a variant from the menu, with the chilli being taken out - ours was delious, with looks of crab. My daughter’s white dish was as per the menu, contained hardly any crab, and almost looked like a plate of plain pasta. We order teas and coffee, which needed to be sent back as the milk was off -/I was very surprised to see them still on the bill. We will not be hurrying back, sadly.

Stopped here for early dinner on our first night in Burnham market. Staff very friendly and accommodating. Food was ok but nothing amazing.

The Hoste is in trouble. We arrived for a light lunch and drinks just after 3pm and sat in the nice walled garden area but were told lunch had stopped at 3 and that the garden was closed. We were told we could go round to the front and into the pub where they would find us a table and serve sandwiches. We were 6 people but in these COVID times we wanted to be outside so despite an empty garden of 12+ tables we could not sit there. As we left we saw one of the 4 tables at the front become free and sat there but ordering is by app only. This wouldn’t necessarily be a problem but in this part of Norfolk 4G reception is poor so we left. We would have liked to eat there, to support local business, but given our experience, and reading other reviews, I’m glad we gave up.

We stopped here for a quick lunch. Food is ordered through their App which seems to work ok. Service was quick and friendly. Food was very disappointing though. We had two chicken burgers and two beef burgers. None of them were very nice, the kids didn’t finish theirs which speaks volumes. Not cheap either.

We spent one night (last night) at The Hoste. On the pluses, the services was good and there were lots of proactive apologies for slow services etc. which we fully understand as it only a week since opening post Covid. The manger was super lovely on checking out. But the rest is very mediocre. I would say faded glory as the hotel feels very tired and faded. It feels chain like now and simply doesn't have the panache of its former, independent self. It is trading on past glory. It kind of needs a makoever. The restaurant was woefully mediocre. Again knowing it is Covid times, we have eaten at lesser places - and got takeaways - with 3,000% more imaginative food - during and post lockdown. Had we really gone there for the food we would have been really disappointed. I actaulyl would say it was super lazy food. So don't get there for the food. The whole expereince was just vanilla. If that's what The Hoste now wants, that's fine. But don't trade on previous glory for that. It is simply a chain now.

We are in town for a week, we booked a different place every evening but this is the only restaurant that required a deposit. The hotel has changed hands and is now part of a large chain (50 plus) so reading the reviews, there is clearly disappointment that the new establishment is a far cry from what was there before. And that's where we went wrong, we should have read the reviews first!Whilst its great these places are reopening there is no excuse for the poor food and experience. The staff tried hard but this place fails on many levels. The menu is limited but the most interesting selection are the specials (local food), although early in the evening (7pm) they had already run out of some of them. We sat at our table and ordered, but within 10 mins we were told we had to eat and leave within 30 minutes (we booked a week in advance). I showed our waitress the email with the table booking and she look confused. Apparently it was a mistake and she apologised for approaching the wrong table number!We asked whether they could turn off the burning hot radiator next to us (it's July!) but they couldn't. They did increase the air conditioning though. Then the food arrived and our burger totally inedible. They charged £15 but they had bought cheap burgers from a local supermarket (and I mean cheap!). It was so salty and plastic tasting. One bite was enough. The manager apologised. He said they made their own burgers before the C-19 virus hit but since reopening, they had bought burgers in a packet from a chain food retailer, since 'we can't seem to get good meat'. He said he knew it was 'awful' and promptly adjusted the bill. He was clearly embarrassed and offered us something else but we didn't fancy trying another selection.He also offered us a dessert which we declined. What we didn't know was dessert consisted of a brownie and ice cream (according to the table next to us), nothing else. I don't believe this place will survive serving awful food they know to be bad, whilst charging top dollar. Nor should it. There are too many better alternatives locally.

I just read some of the other comments and cannot believe what I read. We arrived and ran into the manager as he was returning to the hotel. He could not be more friendly and charming and explained to us how sad that, because of Covid-19, they had a number of room cancellations etc. We were shown to a very nice table and from then onwards, it was perfection! The waiter who looked after us was friendly and efficient. We started with oysters which were large and juicy and the fish and dessert to follow were delicious and perfectly cooked. We cannot ask for a better location nor more charming staff. Will definitely recommend and already marking out a date to return.

We called in for lunch, excellent food, great local beers and the staff were excellent, friendly and accommodating with our dog

Wish I had read the reviews. Waitress made loads of mistakes and didnt apologise or rectify. Massively overpriced. Salad was terrible as was the risotto . Avoid like the plague

Dropped in for some lunch with friends this weekend. I had heard that the Hoste had gone downhill and had warned my friends of this but they’d never been and wanted to see it. Burnham Market was very busy and it had taken a while to park but there were several tables free in the bar at atThe Hoste. There was a lovely fire burning and it looks the same as it always did. Any similarity to the old Hoste stopped there. There is no shortage of bar staff but they are all very young and seem mostly untrained. I ordered two glasses of white wine which were pleasant but not cold enough and the young man who served me clearly didn’t know the wine list and was confused and had to enlist help to establish which one I wanted. I asked for menus which somebody had to go and find from elsewhere in the building. We ordered fish soup and it took two people to put the order into the till and we then waited half an hour for the soup to arrive. When it did arrive, No one had brought us any cutlery so we waited a further few minutes for spoons to come and then another couple of minutes for salt and pepper. After all this, The soup was inedible. Tepid, sour in taste but the weirdest thing was that the croutons had been put in the soup already (and quite a while previously) and were mushy and a large lump of rouille had also been plonked in and was lurking at the bottom of the bowl. We left immediately, paying only for our warm wine and the girl at the bar didn’t seem in the least surprised that I didn’t want to pay for the food. It is almost unbelievable that somewhere as famous as this, could go downhill so quickly. We squeezed ourselves into a packed Number 29 and had a lovely afternoon, with some delicious cocktails and efficient service.

The menu has now become very limited and the place seems to have really lost its way. We had a steak (overpriced at 34 and significantly over-done) and I had an appalling beetroot salad to start (also over-priced at £8). The bread was stale. I don't know how it gets away with it to be honest.

We stopped here for a spot of lunch in the bar with our little boy. Have to say, overall lovely...my little boys burger was sooo tasty...and both mine and my partners lunch lovely too. Staff friendly...and great to relax in front of the open fire. Would love to have tried out the cinema, sounds like a great idea.

The Hoste is a friendly place to stay, this is our 2nd time of visiting. We were welcomed by very good reception staff who were very accommodating.However, we were this time disappointed with the food. The breakfast buffet was very good but our hot breakfast was again disappointing. We asked for bacon egg etc.. which we were given but it was streaky bacon and cooked to a crisp.!! In an area that breeds pigs I feel it could be better.The evening meal had a limited menu of 3 choices apart from burgers etc..We always think with a small menu the food should be very good. Unfortunately the starter lacked taste and flavour and the main courses were adequate but not anything special for cost.I feel sad about this because we probably wont stay at th Hoste next time.