The Jolly Sailor in Bridgend

Lovely atmosphere and tasty food

A lovely pub, but I visited with my grandson and Ben my border collie in the pouring rain having walked 15 minutes from Trecco bay. I could take my dog in one bar and I could take my grandson in the other. We went to the Ancient Britton across the road where we were all welcome to have a beer in the same room.

Arrived at 1.20, told we had 5 mins to order...on website says till 1.45. Barmaid more concerned with chatting to locals, had to ask for menu and it felt a chore getting it from her. Ordered and food was ok...Plaice was hard in breadcrumbs, rest average...pie and cod. Had to ask for cutlery....then for condiments...and eventually got up to get sauces. Each time felt like we were imposing on the young barmaids socialising with local people at the bar. Won't be returning and left disappointed by poor service and manners.

Fantastic little cosy pub. Very traditional, like a little smugglers bar with lots of nautical memorabilia. Excellent home.cooked pub food.

Expensive, nearly £8 for a pint and a bitter lemon, barman vaping behind the bar.

Really friendly,cosy pub. Background playlist was the barmaid's own playlist (I asked) and every tune was a winner. Wood burner was on, beer was good, atmosphere relaxed and warm. Staff gave us recommendations for where else to go locally. Will definitely go back.

This is a lovely little pub, homely warm and friendly.. it is the heart of Newton. The food is second to none also, and the deserts are exceptional.

A lovely dog friendly pub. We only had a couple of drinks each so can't comment on food

What a gem of a place, had a beautiful roast dinner New years eve , was made so welcome

Had a Sunday lunch here would highly recommend.

Nice quiet pint and a roaring log fire. Lovely friendly service and always with a smile. Not forgetting the parrot

Great pub, roaring log burner, superb crisp selection

Very warm, welcoming place. The service was excellent. The Sunday lunch was so full of flavour, generous portions and hot. The price of the food was very reasonable. I’ll be going back again.

Just popped in for food on way home, as usual the most friendly staff possible.

We went as a family of 4 with a dog. We had the most beautiful beef Sunday lunch. We were made very welcome.

Stunning Sunday lunch staff and service excellent highly recommend

23/10/23 Still the same 😃 Polite & pleasant staff. Will visit again.

Pleasant staff and lovely environment, but I thought £15 for a Sharwoods mini naan bread, microwave curry, boiled rice, and chips was a bit much.

A super lovely pub, we found it the first time as we were walking by and loved it so much we visited the next day of our weekend break!

3 of the largest lamb chops ever for my main. Food was absolutely delicious. To start I had the Fish goujons. The batter was light, fish soft and flaky and for pudding the waffle was to die for. Thoroughly recommend.

Had not been in the Jolly Sailor 52 years since a young lad with my parents when we used to go to Porthcawl in the caravan and we would play in the park opposite. Brought back some great memories.

Popular place in a lovely setting. Sat outside the front of the pub, could see a beer garden at the back of the pub too. We only stopped for one drink but the Sunday lunch smelt delicious. A place we will definitely return to!

What a great pub, full of interesting ephemeral talking points, great staff, great Brains Beer, and other choices too, and at proper prices🤗

Lovely pub great staff and a tidy 🍻

Not so Jolly Sailor. Entered bar, ignored from the start, no eye contact when eventually served. Not informed of cost. Nobody else waiting !!!! Left after one drink

Excellent food and service ,great staff

Nice wee pub and staff polite. Unfortunately on our first visit when we went for lunch. I asked if we ordered food at the bar or table service. The lady said at the bar. When I come back to bar to order "oh sorry, we just stopped. We stop serving at 13:45" could they not have told me this 10 minutes ago at 13:35 when I asked for a menu and where to order. Obviously not!

Great little place to enjoy the atmosphere and history.

One of the nicest pubs in Porthcawl. Me and my husband live in Porthcawl. The Jolly Sailor isn't our closest pub but we will happily do the walk down. The bar is always clean, no sticky tables. The staff are friendly, Percy the parrot 🦜 is a lovely addition. The seating area outside is lovely and is always popular. Would highly recommend.

We visit the Jolly quite often as we live 10 mins away , always a Lovely friendly welcome , good size dining tables and a very cosy feel , not too big, great menu and very efficient staff . Sunday lunch today was tasty , well presented using quality produce, tender meat , fresh veg and tasty gravy . Mint sauce and horseradish on the table ready . Nice desserts offered with cream or ice cream. Booking is essential and a deposit to book is required

Lovely quaint little pub tucked away. Nice pint and food was lovely

Couldn't tell you what the food is like they stop doing food at 13:45,smack in the middle of lunchtime,and the barmaid spoke in grunts and shrugs, atmosphere was full of people moaning about no food,just like the beer garden.

Lovely decor with old enamelled advertising signs. Food tasty and prepared with care. Good range of real ales. Dogs welcome in the bar but not the dining area. Large car park a short distance away.

We popped in here for refreshments and it was was lovely. Old with lots of character and a beautiful parrot. The staff were really friendly as were the locals. It's in lovely area, well worth a visit. They welcome dogs and sell dog treats 😃.

Went to this pub last night about 7.30, staff not very friendly and was told we couldn't have food as it was fully booked on the 2nd service. I have not read anywhere that states you have to book, my husband and I and our little dog were very disappointed. We are staying on Trecco Bay and just wanted some nice home cooked food.

Great home cooked meals, with fresh vegetables. Sunday dinners exceptional, but need to book well in advance!

Lovely traditional pub, one of our regulars!

Myself and hubby discovered this gem of a pub a few years ago. everything about the place is amazing, from Mike and Michelle who run it, To The best staff who can’t do enough to look after everyone, the very best service, wonderful food , hubby is fussy, they always add little extras to his meal when we’ve asked.there’s always a warm comforting atmosphere, great quiz nights. In the short time we’ve stayed in the village we have met some wonderful new friends, all due to this lovely pub, everyone is so friendly and welcoming. We try to visit at least once a week, long May it last xx

Myself and hubby discovered this gem of a pub a few years ago. everything about the place is amazing, from Mike and Michelle who run it, To The best staff who can’t do enough to look after everyone, the very best service, wonderful food , hubby is fussy, they always add little extras to his meal when we’ve asked.there’s always a warm comforting atmosphere, great quiz nights. In the short time we’ve stayed in the village we have met some wonderful new friends, all due to this lovely pub, everyone is so friendly and welcoming. We try to visit at least once a week, long May it last xx

What would have been a lovely evening if not for one incredibly rude manager. Other staff all lovely - but I'd give it a miss until ownership changes! EDIT: The owner's response to this review should tell you everything you need to know. Verbatim, in case they attempt to delete it: "Thanks for the feedback, but really, stop letting that woman walk all over you all! Damn. You must all be walking on egg shells. Not going to change anything because of a spoilt princess having a tantrum. However many of her family she pesters to post things. 👍👍" For context; 'that woman' is my sister-in-law who was already in a fragile state after a particularly stressful (birth)day. Also, she had been brought the wrong dish, which she tried a small amount of but unfortunately didn't like. On raising this, we were told that it was too late to do anything about it. Further, despite the fact that we did not eat the meal that we hadn't ordered, the manager insisted on charging us for it. As such, we retracted the £16 tip we had otherwise intended to leave for our (lovely) waitress, whereupon the manager announced loudly to the waitress and the rest of the room that we were taking her tip away. This left my mother-in-law extremely upset. In the interest of fairness, we had been moderately (15 mins) late arriving, owing only to unfortunately missing our motorway exit. She appears to believe this justifies her behaviour. I had tried to phone ahead the instant we knew we would be late, but no-one picked up - when I pointed this out, the manager shrugged off all responsibility for this. As such, this is how you can expect to be treated if you are slightly delayed arriving to an 8pm booking. I don't know what the manager must have been through to become such a nasty individual, but I'm afraid she is certainly not fit to be running a restaurant, or any customer-facing role. Happy to confirm that all above opinions are my own. 👍👍 EDIT 2: I have since received this further response: "Rude Landlady or rude customers? There is only so much abuse I will tolerate. Again this is another review which obviously you were asked to write for another family member who is not taking any blame for her own actions which is a shame. Like I have previously stated thank goodness for CCTV" My SiL - on being told she would not have her incorrect meal replaced - dropped one f-bomb unambiguously *not* directed at any member of staff - and immediately removed herself from the situation by going outside to calm down. This was not gracious behaviour and we apologised on her behalf. However - and I really can't believe I have to explain this - *her behaviour does not excuse yours*. You were the professionals in the situation and you failed - miserably - to act like it. If you do indeed possess CCTV it will verify the above claim. And again - nobody asked me to write this review. I feel a responsibility to highlight to others the callousness and incompetence that you have oh-so-helpfully demonstrated in your responses. I will say no more on the matter. Thank you.

Stunning fish. So lucky to have line-caught sea bream/ dorada cooked to perfection in lime butter. You can’t have this quality at this price anywhere else. Truly amazing. The staff are lovely. Highly recommended

What an incredible, traditional, village pub with great food and wonderful staff! After moving to this area recently, I, a gay man with 3 dogs, have received the most incredible welcome by absolutely everyone who works and frequents this place. I can honestly say that I have utilised this space for all it has to offer, from drinks, to off the cuff culinary nourishment, which isn’t always easy as a vegetarian, and I have loved every moment and taste! I have introduced many of my friends to this place when celebrating and not one of them have ever been disappointed, in fact, they have all commented on the cleanliness, the efficiency and the quality of everything they have experienced! Thank you so much for your consistency, your acceptance, and your continued quality in everything you do, you’re all awesome!!!

Amazing pub, fab food and friendly staff. Was actually here on Wednesday night for food and the quiz and had a great evening but was shocked to witness a very rude table that staff had to put up with. They handled it very well but now seem to have bad reviews over certain customers swearing and causing problems which is very unfair on this great pub and their staff.

What a confrontational manageress! I have never written a bad review but have only ever once before experienced such rudeness in a restaurant. The website states that the dinner time menu is served from 6.00 - 9.00. Nowhere does it state that the kitchen closes at 8.30. I was with a party that ordered 7 meals from the main menu just before 8.30. We did not know that there was a specials board until after we had ordered. Six meals were as described on the menu but the seventh was definitely not a whole seabass grilled in lemon butter. It took me two attempts to get the lovely waitress to come over to speak to us and we were all courteous and polite to her. She then stated that the whole seabass was not available. Had she made this clear when we ordered, I would have changed the order to steak. The waitress did apologise for changing the order to peppered seabass but this was definitely not what was described on the menu that we ordered from. The manageress then came over and was extremely confrontational and verbally abusive. She refused to have a rational conversation about the order itself, focussing on the kitchen closing at 8.30. It was extremely embarrassing for us as customers since she was initially the one making all the fuss and people were staring at us. My daughter felt she was under attack so she uttered just one swear word and left. There was no "angry, abusive swearing" directed at the manageress and definitely no "crying on other tables" as claimed by the owner in response to other reviews. I did not enjoy the rest of the evening because I had been made to feel so uncomfortable by the manageress. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 states that food ought to be as described on the menu and you can refuse to pay for food that is not as described on the menu. Since the peppered seabass remained uneaten I should not have been charged for it, but I was. I paid the bill under protest because I was paying by card so could not deduct the cost of the wrong order. I was left with no option other than to remove the tip to cover this charge. If this lady has any ounce of decency I hope she will give the £16.00 she charged me to the waitress and chef who both went above and beyond.

Edit: Wow. Not only was my birthday ruined by the rudeness of the manageress but I'm now being accused of being a bad mum and not understanding autism. My son has a diagnosis and I am undergoing one myself plus I teach in an autistic school! I was not having a tantrum but an autistic meltdown from being abused when it was their error for not giving me what I had ordered. Also, it was nothing to do with the size of the Seabass. I love Seabass hence ordering it for my birthday meal. It was the fact it was extremely salty and had an awful flavour plus was not what I had ordered. Also, my brother-in-law (who wrote his negative review before even telling the rest of us let alone me instructing him to!) rang through my order so if it was not available you should have told him at the time! We were all made to feel uncomfortable and my entire family were upset not just that evening but following all the online abuse since. How dare you say that I'm the embarrassment when it's clearly your lady manager. Original post: We went here for my birthday meal out and to do the quiz but it ended with both my mother and myself in tears due to the downright rudeness of the lady manager. Yes, we were late after 3 cars all driving from various locations in Wales (and not being able to park anywhere close enough for my disabled dad and pregnant sister) but we did try to ring ahead only for no one to answer. Seabass was ordered off the menu and, on arrival, tasted nothing like Seabass. The waitress then said they were out of the usual Seabass so had given me the special in a disgustingly salty paprika sauce. We explained that this was not what we thought we'd ordered and she said she'd send the manager over. Rather than apologise for their error, she started shouting at me for being late. It was the final straw after an incredibly stressful day with our autistic children in all the traffic jams and so I got up and left. The others enjoyed their meal but at the end, my mum thanked the waitress (who was lovely!) for removing the Seabass from the bill, only for the manager to come and put it back on! I work in hospitality myself and we would never dream of doing this! My family had left a sizeable tip for the waitress but mum felt that if she was being charged for a meal that I'd literally had 2 mouthfuls off that she'd have to use the tip to cover it. The manager than accused mum of being mean for removing the poor waitress's tip when technically it was her that had done so. In contrast, we've come to a lovely accommodating place this evening who actually know how to treat their guests. Would definitely avoid if you're likely to be late as you will get told off like a naughty child!!

Visited on a Friday night and ordered the sea bass, meal was extremely well presented and tasted fantastic. By far the best pub meal I have eaten in the area. Service was excellent and the atmosphere was friendly and vibrant. Stayed in the bar until last orders and had a great night overall. Staff were very welcoming and helpful. 👍👍

Omg, such a wonderful little haven in the heart of Porthcawl. The staff are incredible and make me smile every time I go in. They remember all the little things that make you feel like you belong. The menu is great, and I’m vegan, so it’s not always easy!! I live the atmosphere that has been created and the feeling within the pub! Thank you Mike and Michelle for creating such a wonderful environment xx

Couldn't recommend this pub enough, staff were friendly, food was excellent. Even the locals were welcoming.

Amazing pub with a great atmosphere! The staff are all lovely and can’t do enough for you. The food is absolutely amazing and great quality

Great food lovely staff !!! ! The parrot 🦜 was a great feature he was hilarious…definitely will be back ..proper friendly pub

This has to be the BEST PUB IN PORTHCAWL. What a wonderful pub. The bar staff are fantastic and make you feel extremely welcome. Food and Beer very highly recommended. The landlord had been out in his boat that day and served his local catch, you can't get fresher than that can't wait to go back SOON.

What a fantastic pub! Went for drinks and a meal and it’s the only pub in Porthcawl that has freshly caught local fish! Truly outstanding!! Top quality produce, cooked to perfection and a great price. Not only are the specials amazing but the pub has to be one of the best in the area. The staff are always friendly and helpful and go above and beyond to make your night a great one. With a great selection of drinks we had an amazing evening. Thinking we’d stay for a drink and a meal we had a wonderful evening and stayed for hours. A lovely location on the village Green the Jolly Sailor has become a firm favourite and we cannot wait to return! I for one will definitely be ordering the catch of the day! Delicious!!

Stunning fish. So lucky to have line-caught sea bream/ dorada cooked to perfection in lime butter. You can’t have this quality at this price anywhere else. Truly amazing. And the staff are lovely. Diolch

We went here for my birthday meal out and to do the quiz but it ended with both my mother and myself in tears due to the downright rudeness of the lady manager. Yes, we were late after 3 cars all driving from various locations in Wales (and not being able to park anywhere close enough for my disabled dad and pregnant sister) but we did try to ring ahead only for no one to answer. Seabass was ordered off the menu and, on arrival, tasted nothing like Seabass. The waitress then said they were out of the usual Seabass so had given me the special in a disgustingly salty paprika sauce. We explained that this was not what we thought we'd ordered and she said she'd send the manager over. Rather than apologise for their error, she started shouting at me for being late. It was the final straw after an incredibly stressful day with our autistic children in all the traffic jams and so I got up and left. The others enjoyed their meal but at the end, my mum thanked the waitress (who was lovely!) for removing the Seabass from the bill, only for the manager to come and put it back on! I work in hospitality myself and we would never dream of doing this! My family had left a sizeable tip for the waitress but mum felt that if she was being charged for a meal that I'd literally had 2 mouthfuls off that she'd have to use the tip to cover it. The manager than accused mum of being mean for removing the poor waitress's tip when technically it was her that had done so. In contrast, we've come to a lovely accommodating place this evening who actually know how to treat their guests. Would definitely avoid if you're likely to be late as you will get told off like a naughty child!!

Beautiful Sunday lunch , great staff! Staff here are truly excellent . Nothing is too much trouble . Food was stunning , hots , lots of it! Waitress happily topped up gravy. Mash was perfect !

Had a really nice lunch with some interesting real alees.

We come to Trecco bay every year and we always pay a visit to The Jolly sailor, but this is the 1st time we have left disappointed. I ordered the beef brisket , the wife ordered the chicken with peppercorn sauce and to be honest they was like child portions served in a shallow bowl with a handful of chips on both something we’ve never experienced here before as the portion sizes have always been brilliant , my 10 year old son ordered the kids pasta which came in a very very small bowl , but I don’t think it would have filled a 3 year old up served with a small bit of garlic bread , his mate ordered the beef burger that was actually the best value for money as his plate was full of chips . All the meals were nice , but 3 of left hungry and for the price we paid we expected more , we will however return again next year hopefully the portion sizes will be sorted out .

Didn't have food hence low mark bar staff were not very chatty Beer was lovely

Finally went here as we live the other side of town and never venture that way. Went at lunch time. It was quiet but I've also seen the place bouncing. Had the lamb. It was amazing. Cooked perfectly on the grill. Will defo be back when we remember again!

The worst food and service we have ever had. The landlady was extremely rude to us when we were ordering and told us to "hurry up because i have other customers". She made us feel so unwelcome. On top of that the food was awful and gave three of our party food poisoning. Avoid this place at all costs

Food was freshly cooked however small portions and not worth the money we paid! Staff were very nice though.

A very old pub on a beautiful village green opposite an old church.Pretty little courtyard garden and outside seating great if the sun is shining. Inside there is a bar and a restaurant offering a typical pub menu although no sandwich option if you just...

End of a long day, the food was fantastic and lady who we think may have been the manager adapted our stay to ensure we were all fed as we arrived late with children.

Didn’t eat but seen some of the meals that came out and everyone complemented how nice it was. Lovely pub with a lot of beer selections

We were looking for a local pub that did food (close to the Trecco Bay Parkdean site where we were staying) and we came across the Jolly Sailor. What a find! I had drinks one night and then brought the family a few nights later....

Lovely Sunday lunch, friendly, helpful staff and beautiful old pub with homely atmosphere.

Lovely old pub on the green, stayed at nearby Trecco Bay and visited the pub a couple of evenings with the dog on an evening walk. Didn't eat but the food I did see looked amazing. Very friendly and dog friendly inside too.

The restaurant is cozy and we received friendly service. The food was home-style, not perfect, but still tasty. The prices are good average.

Fab experience. Took the horses and had a glass of wine on the green before going back to the yard. Lovely staff and service great. Didnt have food.

We stopped here for an afternoon drink after a day at the beach. The pub is beautiful and decorated with lots of little trinkets. There is plenty of outdoor seating and is perfect for afternoon drinks in the sunshine. The only downside is the depressed...

Good atmosphere, friendly staff. Fun quiz

Have always ate and had a pint of the old skull attack, for non conisures of ales Brains SA. Excellent food and drink, and above all allowed to take our dog inside the bar area, which was full for a Wednesday afternoon with like minded pet lovers. I witnessed No one complaining about food drink or dogs. The owner was serving that afternoon and she was very polite and chatty, this puts us visitors at ease in their pub from the moment you enter to the time you leave. Keep up the good work and atmosphere!!

Totally improved from our last visit. The chef here can cook a nice, succulent gammon steak. The restaurant was moderately busy but the single waitress made short work of it and the service was excellent. Looking forward to our next visit.

Stopped for lunch after taking our dog for a run on Newton Beach. Dogs are allowed in bar, which was cosy with very friendly locals. I had the Dragons Breath curry which was one of the best currys I’ve had in a while. My wife...

Lovely atmosphere and a great caesar salad. Bonus that it was so dog friendly. Would visit again. 😊

We turned up on Easter Monday at lunch time after deciding last minute to spend the day out near the beach so I searched for somewhere to eat online. The decor of the pub is lovely, the staff were lovely and welcoming and the food was fantastic. Great portions, lovely presentation, obviously freshly prepared and good value for money. The kids were well catered for on the menu too which is always a risk when going somewhere for the first time but there was a good vegetarian option so everyone was full and happy. Would definitely visit again.

Teenage daughter had been here before so suggested we took my partner there for birthday meal. Lovely setting especially in sunny conditions great lively atmosphere where people were drinking outside. We went inside restaurant part of pub and it was a little small but we...

Lovely pub staff very friendly and food delicious well worth a visit if your in the area.

Brilliant👍Had evening meal and Sunday lunch great staff❤️great food 👌

Just had an amazing lunch, in a proper pub, with genuine home cooked food. BBQ brisket and new potatoes. Staff were super friendly, helping with the great atmosphere in there

Nice warm welcome here, very old looking pub good beer, what more can you ask for 🙂

Cosy atmosphere excellent food and service. So nice to find somewhere different. Will definitely be back. Duck confit excellent as was braised pork shoulder. Good value for money

Our lovely quaint local pub , you must try the Sunday lunch , it is fantastic, the best in Porthcawl by far , proper homemade with delicious gravy.

Great pub...great atmosphere....great food /beer a 'MUST VISIT'

Had a great walk on the beach with a friend and two dogs, then a drink in here, very busy but a local shared there table with us, lovely fire and good beer. And dog friendly

Great beer, very friendly staff and a great atmosphere!

Fantastic meal in lovely surroundings Lovely staff. Our meal was great best menu in the area by far, reasonably priced and really well presented. Loads of interesting items hanging all round the place

Love this pub, usually visit after walk on nearby beach. Have not eaten there yet. Former Brains pub still selling Brains beers.

Not impressed with their Curry night tonight, the curry tasted watered down and the onion bargy was soggy. For the price £14 each would have expected better.

Visited with my husband and son for lunch had a very warm welcome from the young girl working there the place itself was really interesting with all the signs etc really gave the place character, I had steak and ale pie which was absolutely delicious,...

Recently spent a fortnight in porthcawl. As a vegan you get used to limited options in pubs. We get offered the usual veggie burger or curry but was pleasantly surprised to see them advertise vegan options. Disappointed was the word. They didnt have the website...

Lovely and cosy with excellent staff

Tidy local little pub.Top nosh food loved it would definitely go there again

First visit to this venue,, lovely place,, great food,, the best Sunday lunch ever. Top Marks to the chefs.. lovely friendly bar staff.

On holiday seen this pub on line Food is fantastic hot and tastes good Friendly service and only a short walk fro. The holiday park

On holiday went to jolly sailor to eat Fantastic meal food is hot and good value thank you

Friendly service and lovely atmosphere

Great pub with friendly team excellent food,love being able to sit outside and enjoying a drink.

After a morning at the beach this was exactly what I needed and only a few minutes away! The food was amazing and a decent price. It has such an authentic pub feel and the staff were so welcoming. Will definitely return, gutted I couldn't stay for the pub quiz.

We had a meal at jolly sailor yesterday, We enjoyed our fish and chips & scampi and chips plus drinks, we felt so comfortable and was welcoming, Next time we visit tracco bay would love to return for food and drink keep up the good work x