The Jolly Sailor, Old Bursledon in Eastleigh

Was very impressed with the location. Walked in with friends to where the sign said to wait to be seated . A woman came over I said can I get a table for 3 please, she asked if I had booked I said no we hadn’t she said rudely there’s no tables they were all booked but you can sit over there and pointed at a table . So I said thank you ,she came back once we sat down and gave us 2 menus there was 3 of us and told us to order at the bar. But I found her very unfriendly and rude . We went up to order and another couple came in and this member of staff was so pleasant to them compared to how we were spoken too. I asked the guy behind the bar who she was and was told she was the line shift manager . Would I come back again possibly not as 1 of our group had been before and the same staff member was rude then .

This is in a beautiful picturesque location next to the waterside edge in lovely Burseldon . The pub is very old and dates back centuries , some additions have been added on . Parking may be an issue in the road nearby . The views are spectacular . My friend had a Sri Lankan curry and I had a Fish pie and salad . It was awesome , so tasty and my friend loved his too . I love this pub and was really happy to be here . They don’t accept cash beware , and the steps down / slope may be an issue with elderly people / ring the pub if you are disabled with access needs , they may offer a different route into the pub .

Love this pub but I just have to say the ladies toilets are disgusting. The floor is filthy especially in the corners, stains on the walls and sanitary bin, loose toilet seat and the hand dryer is useless. As I say we really enjoy coming to the Jolly Sailor but please do something about those awful toilets

Great atmosphere, the parking was a bit of a hike from the station. The food was overpriced a burger being over£18 and drinks very pricey.

A really lovely pub/restaurant on the River Hamble. We went for lunch and enjoyed our meal and the very pleasant and helpful service. My friend had a vegan bruscetta type thing fo.lowedby a vegan chocolate mousse and I had an halloumi wrap followed by sticky toffee pudding. Everything was well presented and very tasty. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend a vist here as long as you can find it! ( our sat navs serentable to locate it but if you find Bursledon railway station the car park beyond it has a steep path leading to the pub.

Met up here with my cousins as it was equidistant for us all. It's a lovely location and choice of vegetarian food is good. Staff are friendly and service is good. Had a very pleasant lunch.

Such a lovely pub - rubbish overpriced food : ( Prime location to stop off in a boat for a pint and lunch . The beer was ok ( should have bought bottled ! ) The food was pricey/ the small lunch menu of wraps were also pricey but we thought maybe they would be ‘special’ no they wernt - the Mediterranean tart was nice but came with a pile of pea shoots and raw onion - interesting choice ? The chips were thin chipsticks

Great location and friendly service supported by a good menu at a fair price. There are some novel menu items and some classics but all prepared on the premises I’d say. Well worth a visit if you don’t mind a step climb to get there!

Booked for a late lunch , a bit more expensive than your average pub , but you get what you pay for, the views were great, we sat indoors for our main meal , right by the window with great view looking over the water and had dessert outside All the young waitresses were attentive without being overbearing and the food was excellent . I had the pie and mash which was superb and my friends had the burger and veggie roast, both looked great , even the veggie roast !!!. For dessert I had tge best sticky toffee pudding I have ever had, would recommend.

We went for Sunday lunch on a busy sunny day. The staff were really friendly, spending time finding a nice table for us, and making a fuss of our dogs. Food was good and the service was attentive. Great atmosphere, lovely views over the marina, and the pub itself is well decorated and furnished.

Brilliant pub experience and excellent service. One of the best meals I have had in ages. Want to come back asap.

A place I used to visit regularly due to its interesting location and food.. The food was tasty and good quality but VERY small portions for the high price I paid, I probably won't therefore return as it used to offer a great atmosphere combined with fair amounts of food for the price paid. Even a bread roll and butter would have helped my point of view but nothing offered.

Impromptu pub lunch on a walk on a Sunday. It was busy but we were offered a comfortable table in the bar area. The pub's been a while since we visited and it's been spruced up, looks stylish but feels cosy. We chose roasts, they came in generous portions with plenty of varied, fresh veg. Service was very quick and efficient.

The food was incredible- best we’ve had out in a very long time! I had battered cod and chips and the chips were crunchy and delicious. Our group also ordered the pies which were amazing and very well filled. One of our group has a severe nut allergy and they were fantastic with this. The pub is gorgeous and overlooks the harbour. We went to sit outside in the full enclosed and covered seating area on the pontoon which was lovely with heaters inside. There were blankets and the pub is dog friendly throughout- inside as well as well as the outside areas. We wish we lived closer as would struggle to stay away!

We booked a table mid afternoon after a disappointing visit elsewhere! On arrival friendly welcoming staff and a great table with view…..food was lovely, drinks most enjoyable but such a friendly waiter, James. A credit to your establishment with his customer service skills snd pleasant manner

Easy to book online. Attentive staff and fabulous menu to choose from. We had a lovely table but there were plenty of really good tables to choose from.

Poor cut of meat. Lack of taste. Did bot live up to expectations. Waiter was friendly and polite though

Excellent food, good service, location beautiful. Thank you to the team and especially to Reiss who was knowledgeable and helpful with recommendations. He also served the drinks to the table and checked back to see if all was ok. Thank you for making out 39th Wedding Anniversary lunch a lovely celebration.

Good venue for a team lunch. Always accommodating with the number of places set and service all came together. Food is better than average for a pub venue.

It’s been a long time some I was here and my word how it has changed. For the better I may add. The steak frites were out of this world. Served with a lemon and tarragon butter it was just melt in the mouth. Super value for money. Cosy pub with a lot of history.

Stopped in after a long walk around Holly Hill. Warm friendly welcome. Great food and fantastic location.

I visited for the 1st time with my husband, 2 teenage children and our dog. We had a lovely welcome , the place was had a real buzz for a Friday night . The menu is varied . The fish we chose was very well cooked ( Hake) , steak and pie also very tasty - quality ingredients- the desserts Brownie / Sticky Toffee) also very tasty . It’s not a cheap night out for a family of 4 , the drinks are a bit pricey but we did have a cocktail / beer/wine . The service was spot on too it was very busy but everyone was attentive / smiling and very helpful. We stayed at our table for 2.5 hours with no one rushing us . I come away from a lot of restaurants these days feeling quite underwhelmed and a bit exploited normally because of the quality of the food and staff looking like they don’t want to be at work , but definitely not here , we had a great family night out - Thank you and we are going back tonight ! Definitely book a table if you are considering it !

I used to visit this pub regularly before it changed hands. It was always my favourite. Now it is a chain pub and the food and service reflects that. It has lost a lot of its cost charm with a style revamp. It took a while to have our order taken, then we were misinformed about the drinks size, price of drinks and the food was dull and salty. Wouldn’t recommend anymore.

Went here for lunch while in Southampton, my wife had spotted it recently from the train. Could not find anywhere to park, so had to park a very long way away. Next time we will come by train as it is a short walk from the train station. The steps from the road are challenging but it is worth the effort when you arrive there. We had the excellent fish finger sarnies and a pint of Badgers beer. We were very well looked after by Jade, thank you. Just to note there is a 10% service charge on the bill. We will be back in the summer on the train, looking forward to it

A great pub! excellent location, excellent atmosphere, excellent food, excellent drink and excellent staff.Would highly recommend to anyone

Seems to have lost a lot of what it was, Food was ok but a little pricy for what it was. The location is great, service is so so, as I said in the title ok but not great

Our first visit since Covid but have been visiting for many years previously. We were a bit put off by some recent negative reviews but need not have worried. The staff were lovely, the place clean and tidy and food excellent.We were the only people with masks which surprised us.Well done and thanks to all.Gill S

Booked a table here for lunch. The service was very good, the staff where great but I found the food not quite as good as I had expected. Chose a double burger which was okay but not too keen on the tiny crunchy little chips. They kept “jumping off the plate” when touched with a fork.. the dessert I chose was very nice.The place is really nice and clean, the location is great as is the view. Access is down a fair few steps so not good for people with difficulty getting up and down them. You could however arrive by boat a easy access to the pontoon.Car parking is above the property on the road with limited spaces, however there is parking in the small hamlet a short walk away.Nice outdoor areas too.

This rather famous 'pub' is now a Brewery chain restaurant. So it's all bright and clean with art on the wall chosen by a 'designer'. The location is unbeatable and the staff very smiley, well trained and helpful. But I'm guessing the kitchen are not trained to taste their fare. My mussels had so much fresh thyme the whole dish was bitter. My girlfriends crab crumpet was just that, a bit of crab on a crumpet. We did have a nice time but this is no gastro pub.

Came on a Friday night and enjoyed Great food and superb service. Keira was awesome! Enjoyed calamari and pie..:delicious!

Lovely dinner amazing service. Thanks Keira. Totally recommend this place for a fantastic dinner and drinks experience.

So friendly. Cannot fault the service or the quality of food. Great location. Highly recommend!!!!!!

Our son is at uni in Southampton and a friend recommended this pub to us for lunch. What a fabulous find. Lovely staff - quirky REAL pub. Two great roasts and mussels- sticky toffee puddings and a cheeseboard- All amazing. good value, great location - welcoming open fire. Clean and tidy ! It was busy but staff coped very well - we really can’t wait to come and visit again soon

Menu limited,Many items not available,Small portions,Don’t go there if your hungry as we waited over 1 1/2 hours for our main course to arrive and then not all together,Over priced,Poor service,Lack of management control,Poor staff training,HALL & WOODHOUSE, get a grip on this establishment before it’s too late.

Tables not cleared from lunch it was 16:15!! We asked for non alcoholic Rose wine. “We don’t have any cold“ the staff member said pointing to the shelf. He did put it in an ice bucket but didn’t put the other bottles in the fridge. So be aware if you want Rose wine it will be warm. It’s a real shame,it’s a great pub but the the staff just don’t seem to care. Perhaps better training on how to work in a pub might help.

We've been going to the Jolly for years and love it's charm (especially the views on a summer's evening!). This is for the first time I've gone under the latest management and overall had a pleasant evening. We went for a mid-week evening meal, it wasn't busy at all but there were a few people drinking and dining and especially out on the recently decorated jetty. The service was friendly and quick but maybe slightly inexperienced with addressing customers (maybe just a lack of confidence) but overall absolutely nothing to complain about. Good selection on the menu but there were no specials and so there were more starters than mains on offer. The two starters that we really wanted (Scotch egg and Pigs in Blanket) had ran out but were not told at the time of ordering. The mains were delicious - no complaints all round. The fish and chips has always been a good choice at the Jolly but the fish used to be bigger and was made with a better batter a few years ago BUT the fish was cooked beautifully. We decided to share a couple desserts - the cheesecake was boozy and very light but the pastry of the chocolate tart was almost soggy and topped with canned whipped cream (for £7 it should be freshly whipped cream!). Hall & Woodhouse like to incorporate beer into their menu (not a problem with that!) but it just basically watered down the tart filling and was not at all gooey or chocolately at all. So I would say go to the Jolly for a good pub lunch and beautiful views but there's definitely improvements needed to bring back the local clientele and keep them coming back.

So , my husband booked a table here a few weeks ago as it was our 25th wedding anniversary, and had said it was for our anniversary!On entering the pub , there was a sign saying 'please wait to be seated'. It was 12.45pm ( our table booked for 1.00pm)...was not busy, but no one came to assist us...we had to walk in and actually grab someone's attention.We got shown to a table, which was in a lovely part of the pub over looking the water.A waitress came over ( zero personality) and asked what we wanted to order. We asked her if we could order drinks first as had not had chance to look at the menu.She gave us a little while then came back to take food order. Then she asked if we wanted drinks...to which we informed her that she had already taken our drinks order ! No apology, just went off....Drinks came, and then the starters...they were lovely. Main meals came, both my husband & I ordered the sunday roasts, his with beef, mine with pork with a side of cauliflower cheese.Dinners came out quite a while later....very poor portion size, and well, what a disappointment...the roast potatoes were burnt and rock hard, yorkshire pudding was flat as a pan cake..and i really do not know how you can cook Kale wrong..but they managed to..it was limp and rubbery, absolutely vile. After approx 10 mins i asked where the cauliflower cheese was plus could i have some apple sauce to go with my pork. Waitress mumbled something then went off. Another 10 mins lapsed and still no cauliflower cheese or apple sauce. Eventually, cauliflower cheese arrived...literally was cauliflower that had grated cheese on and bern pinged in the microwave. Still no apple sauce.....then the waitress said they had no apple sauce, then in next breath said they had run out ! What one was it?. If we had gone in at about 3pm i could understand if they had run out of sauce, or the potatoes etc were overdone, not acceptable...but i could understand it. But this was 1pm and not particularly busy...so there really was no excuse. !!!!What made us really annoyed is at no time did a member of management intervene ,asking us about our complaint/concerns...they just let the staff deal with it.....very poor management skills I just wish i had taken photo's of the worst roast dinner i have ever been served in my 52yrs of life...rest assured we will not return nor will.vely lunch to celebrate a silver wedding anniversary was totally ruined by a series of bad customer service....but no wonder, when the management don't care !

Emma was amazing this evening. The food was incredible and the service was equally fantastic. We were a party of 9 ans everyone had a perfect meal and Emma really looked after us all.

My husband and I with our dog had an in promptu visit on a sunny Saturday lunch. Amazing friendly welcoming service a fabulous plant based burger and my husband had hake. Beautiful views. Shame that we had to witness the rude walk ins that came in via kayaks that were turned away. No need to be so intolerant to those staff. I would recommend a booking all the best places get busy. Well done jolly sailor staff a lovely place

Turned up without a booking but were seated promptly on the waterfront with a beautiful view of the Hamble. Staff were attentive and polite. Drinks and meals arrived promptly and were all delicious, especially the sticky toffee pudding which I’d happily eat a few times over. Yes food is a little above average cost wise but we were happy to pay for a leisurely lunch in the sun with such beautiful views. Thanks team!

A lovely evening meal spent at the Jolly Sailor, no booking made and we're able to accommodate us. Great customer service by Danni and the team.

Sure, the food served at The Jolly Sailor is not exceptional and the prices are relatively high. Add to that the relatively long wait and you know this pub is not perfect. However our food was fresh, the service excellent (our waiter was very attentive and super friendly) and the view overlooking one of the numerous marinas on the Hamble ‘out of this world’ (yes, the weather was good and we were able to sit outside).All-in-all

Had a lovely lunch with friends. It is a very nice pub with great setting looking over the river with lots going on on the water.. My fish and chips and my friend's meat pie were both great, My other friend was not as keen on their burger. Service very good and speedy. Even though we were sitting outside on a very hot day, we were in the shade as the outside space does not get much sun. But i would still return again and again, it is a lovely spot.

Visited yesterday evening for a family special birthday celebration meal which unfortunately was far from special due to a combination of overpriced average food and poor staff unable to deal with another table of extremely loud and out of control children parented by foul mouthed father.Food....it's expensive for what it is. Definitely not restaurant quality but restaurant prices.Atmosphere....unfortunately whilst not 100% in their control but when more than one table and several diners are complaining about one particular table senior staff/management should step in and take action. We asked to move after persevering with a ridiculous amount of noise coming from one particular child. Have no problems with children in restaurants but when it's past 8pm there should be some consideration for others. We asked to move tables and staff did not ask why but did move us. Upon standing to move table the father of the out of control children challenged me aggressively to what the problem was? I politely explained it was a bit noisy to which he responded with a vile expletive filled volley of abuse telling us to go in no uncertain terms. Once at new table we told staff what had happened and although apologetic took no action against foul mouthed father or asked him to control his children In summary we had an expensive unpleasant evening which should have been managed better by staff who rather than deal with the obvious problem let other diners down by having to move and be subjected to abuse by one particular table. This was totally in thier control to do so. We should also have been offered a small token ie.round of drinks to acknowledge we had been treated badly.

Had a great lunch with fresh mussels recommended. Emma was our lovely waitress and was fantastic. All the team were very helpful. Will be back. Loved feeding the swans too. Xx

Emma was a fantastic hostess and the mussels were superb. She organised bread so we could feed the swans. I would highly recommend the Jolly Sailor at Bursledon and all the staff are lovely particularly Emma. Thank you so much. Susie

Smooth booking online system. Best to book as it gets busy. Ate dinner with friends and can highly recommend the Tanglefoot pie. Sold out of both my starter choices but the duck salad and smoked salmon dishes were lovely. Look forward to returning when next in the area.

This is a lovely pub in a stunning location. Despite the starters and one of the mains (tagine) being good, the £14 burger was totally over-cooked, very dry and like cardboard to cut through. I complained but should have sent it back at the outset and no compensation was offered.

Went to the Jolly sailor for lunch, first time for a few years. Of course the setting is great, The food is really OK but that is as far as you could go. It is also a little on the pricy side for what it is. But the view and location is wonderful. we had no issues with service which was really great. we were served cheerfully and promptly

Sad to say a very disappointing visit for lunch. Had to wait 20 mins just for drinks to arrive, food was very poor and we had to complain about 3 out of the 5 meals we ordered... Dry, overcooked, poor ingredients and poor portions. They immediately took these off the bill so very well done on service but I'm afraid it will take sometime for us to return.

Came to JS for a quick bite to eat - seated quickly on the waterfront and was looking for a quick meal. Pricing is definitely high - not entirely sure why. Staff were very good, friendly and service was excellent - just don't think the pricing (never been charged for a mixer separate from the drink?) justifies it. £20 for a couple of sandwiches does seem to be over stretching.

I've been coming to the Jolly Sailor since the 'Howard's Way' days. I brought my future wife here in April 2017 & proposed to her.We come back every year to reminess about the past & hope for the future.Once again we have has an Excellent meal & romantic evening.The food has been 5 * every time, the only thing that let it down this time was that we has to ask for our 2nd round of drinks 3 times so a 4* this time.

Caught up with an old friend for lunch and decided on The Jolly. Having read previous reviews about long waits etc I was apprehensive. However, I needn’t had been as we were greeted with a smile. Tarquin sorted out the beers ably assisted by Matt. The Steak and Ale pie was superb. Hot and tasty and despite busy, we were served quickly. Always had a soft spot for the Jolly and will be back. A good experience all round

I really don’t understand the negative reviews about the Jolly Sailor. We visited on a Monday evening and it was quite busy but not full. The welcome we got when we arrived was very warm and friendly and there was no problem about us arriving early for our reservation. The manager who greeted gave us a choice of two areas to sit in both lovely we decided to sit in the restaurant where there was a lovely out to the marina. Our waitress was lovely and attentive service was great food and drink all arrived on time. I had the hake which was cooked to perfection ( whoever cooked it knows how to cook fish absolutely delicious) If I was going to be picky it would be having the option of new potatoes as a side and not chips but in no way is that a criticism. My husband had the cheeseburger which he thoroughly enjoyed. At no point did we have to wait for extra drinks even when it did get busier. I highly recommend the Jolly Sailor you won’t waste your money here please don’t be put off by the negative reviews.

A good ish lunch - some food forgotten and cold. We walked to the Jolly Sailor from Botley through the Manor Farm park and down the river Hamble. Easy to follow route and promising welcome to the pub. Sitting outside there seemed to be plenty of attentive service as we placed our order. Sadly of the 4 of us two burgers arrived and part of the other meals. But the rest was completely forgotten so that the chips were cold by the time we’d attracted attention and asked for our food. A cold sandwich and hot broccoli awash with water. We skipped pudding and set off back.

We had a lovely walk always planning on getting in early for lunch on the way to our nieces 18th Birthday , My wife regrets now wearing her favorite summer dress .After being shown to a very small table for the 4 of us we waited and waited for our drinks 30 minutes later they arrived only to be thrown over my wife. We didn't stop to register a complaint because my wife was so distraught. but the lad who served us did ask if we would like another drink !!!! Fumming !!!!!!! i would probablyy still be waiting for lunch now.

Lovely pub in a great location. Shame about the slow service and long wait for food. Food wasn’t hot when it arrived, stone cold mash potato, luke warm gravy, onion rings were more grease than onion and in a clump so difficult to eat. Had the apple crumble special, about a teaspoon of crumble( which was more like crushed biscuit with added salt). Also good priced quite high, guess that’s more about the location than the food! It was ok.

We stumbled upon the pub after a quick visit to Hedge End, fantastic greeting, sat us in a lovely spot right on the water, the table wasn't ready as they weather had been a bit wet in the morning but quickly got wiped down for us, drinks good, service fantastic, food lovely, we eat out as a family a lot, we always seem to get let down on something, not today, thank you The Jolly Sailor we will come again

The Jolly Sailor, situated on the river Hamble is a superb location , we were sat on the jetty , excellent view of the river. But …. The service and food was very disappointing. We sat at our table at 13.00 - our drink order was placed fairly quickly but took 20 mins to arrive, we placed our lunch order at the same time as our drinks order. Our starters arrived at 13.40 …. And then after a further 45 mins I asked if they had forgotten our mains ! The table next to us ordered after us and received their main course an hour before we did. Turns out they had forgotten to read the chit…. So our main course arrived over an hour after the starter… I had the southern fried chicken burger , which had been over cooked , was very dry and the piece of chicken was very small , about four mouthfuls …my husband had fish and chips, the fish was luke warm and very greasy and he had no more than 10 chips ! … we did mentioned all of this to the waiter and he deducted some of the cost of our drinks off the bill… all in all very disappointing, won’t be back

We turned up without a booking at around 11:30am and a welcoming waitress showed us to our table and was even considerate of our 14-week puppy in selecting a spot with ample shade and providing our pup with his own bowl of cold water. We ordered the Ploughman's lunch, and it was delicious! Staff were efficient and friendly throughout our visit. We’ll definitely be returning soon.

The Jolly Sailor really needs to improve the way it treats its customers! The manner of some of its staff (one in particular) is rude and abrupt. A group of us had just sat down at a round table, on the terrace to the side of the pub, when the manageress (later discovered to be Amy) told us off. "One, you need to sign in and two, you can't sit there because the table hasn't been cleaned." Great welcome but fair enough we thought, so we dutifully queued up to sign in. Apparently, we were in the way though, so got told off again!We were waiting around for ages but there seemed to be no sign of anyone coming to clean our table, so we asked what was happening. Amy informed us that they were very busy and it probably wasn't available anyway, whereupon, in frustration, I asked whether they actually wanted our custom or not! Unfortunately, this did not go down well and she then threatened to have me removed for being rude!She eventually offered us two tables inside, on a baking hot day! Unsurprisingly, we declined her offer and all went round to The Boat House, in Swanwick, where we were actually made to feel welcome and enjoyed a pleasant drink in the sunshine.Maybe, she was just having a bad day I thought but we were there again yesterday and my friend was refused a drink and told by Amy to leave the bar, as they were too busy. We ended up on the jetty and were served by Natalie, what a difference! She explained how they had had to give the kitchen a break but when we said we just wanted a drink, she kindly took our order and delivered our drinks to the table.Maybe some staff training wouldn't go amiss.

It’s a great spot and you pay for it. Food is pretty average. Chips in a pot to save on potatoes ! Lovely setting and great staff but £17 for fish and a handful of chips is top end

My 86 year old father booked this place for a suprise birthday meal. Not only did we not get the table we booked on the pontoon but the wait for food was over an hour. This was a Monday lunchtime so expected better. I ordered a main size duck salad which finally arrived after the other three meals had arrived so they had to wait to start. I've never seen such a measly portion of salad in my life. What a joke. Menu said duck with soft boiled egg. It came with half an egg. Three thin slices of duck and basically rocket and lettuce. Not impressed at all. Unfortunately I think they are relying too heavily on the gorgeous location as we won't be coming all the way from Poole to visit again any time soon.I don't recommend this if you want good food.

Popped in for a quick bit of food and a few drinks, the place was super busy with lots of silly people being inconsiderate to the staff and not covid safe however the whole team dealt with the stress incredibly and were very attentive and helpful to all the guests that came in whilst still being firm on the guidelines and regulations in place! Our food was absolutely lovely and we were served incredibly fast especially considering how busy it was. Massive thankyou to the hostess Amy and the rest of the team for looking after us!

Popped in on a Friday lunch fully expecting to be turned away as we know how popular this place is. We were lucky enough to get a table, possibly the best one in my opinion. We only had drinks which were ordered through their app. They arrived about 2 minutes after ordering and the app was very easy to use, very convenient too. The staff were friendly and helpful and on hand even though most people seemed to be ordering through the app. Looking forward to going back for food in the future.

Great location but lacking substance. Food was presented nicely, although service somewhat slow on a Friday evening when it was less than a third full, but lacking taste and portion sizes very small. Service a bit 'iffy' too and slow kitchen with half hour wait for fish n chips. Alarmingly, no covid protection and it seemed like the staff had hidden the hand sanitizers as I didnt see any, demonstrating lack of care for customers in this day and age, Value for money poor.

For the location and setting of this restaurant, you would hope to have a wonderful dinner and a couple of glasses of wine outside if the sun showed its face. Well this was what we hoped for but not exactly what we got, don't get me wrong the food was lovely and the service was polite, but I made them aware I had a few intolerances before arriving, I don't think this message ever got relayed.I wanted to have the mussels but it came with a creamy sauce which I couldn't have, so asked if it would be possible to have it in a white wine sauce instead, I was informed this would be possible but would be charged for the wine, then the food arrived and I did indeed have the mussel in the white wine sauce which was very nice, but no gluten-free bread to go with it, so I assumed this would be reflected on the bill, absolutely not, I got charged the same and some extra for the pleasure.They made me feel like it was my fault I had intolerances and honestly wanted to leave there and then, customers service so poor, if you have any allergies or intolerances I would recommend staying clear of this place, very disappointing.

I haven't been in the Jolly Sailor in many years and was pleasantly surprised by the new décor. it made me chuckle seeing the old and new meeting, and nice touch with local artwork on display. we enjoyed a fabulous roast dinner which was everything we were hoping for and was made even better by outstanding service by our waitress Eve. she knew all about the food options on the menu and delivered service with smiling eyes behind the mask.

We had a family evening meal booked at The Jolly Sailor in Bursledon, we were greeted by very warm and friendly staff, the manager was very helpful and explained all the food options. Our server was Kiera who was so warm and friendly and along with serving staff made the whole evening an very enjoyable experience. I’ve been coming here for over 45 years and it’s always been an exceptional experience. Well done to all the staff!

We had the best table in the place right by the jetty overlooking the water that we felt like we were having a private dining experience. We all had different meals (all 3 courses) which we all devoured, with not a bad word to say. The meal out was topped off by excellent service (Kiera our waitress) made us laugh constantly and was also very knowledgeable helping us to choose the best wine to have with our meal. Hopefully she’ll get a nice glass of the delicious Malbec for herself at the end of her shift too! Thanks to all the staff involved for a lovely evening.

Just had a fantastic meal here with family. It was easy to get a great table on the jetty with amazing views along the river (although probably quieter than normal due to the England match!) There were a couple of mains off the menu as a supplier had let them down on a delivery but this was pointed out as soon as we were seated and it was only a couple of items. Had fantastic service throughout three courses by Keira and a couple of her colleagues and the lady who I think is either the maître d or manager was really friendly and chatty too. As a table we had all the small plates to share amongst ourselves, two different kinds of burgers, fish and chips and a veggie tagine followed by various desserts and cheese boards for pudding. Everyone enjoyed all their food and the wine, clean plates and big smiles all round. We only visited on a whim but I would make an effort to go back. The staff make it!

Went here for Sunday roast dinner and very disappointed , the roast was lukewarm when served , potatoes oily , we ordered some sausages on the side and they were concealed underneath as if had been reheated in the microwave , we asked the girl server if this was the case and she replied no ,, we told her to take back and deduct from our bill , as we were speaking to her I found a hair in my dinner which I showed her she took the fork away with food /hair on it and didn’t even apologise , when our bill arrived the sausages that we sent back were still on the bill , when questioned she just took bill away and said I will get it taken off , really poor service in my opinion and I won’t eat here again

We had visited three times during covid and each time had a lovely meal in great surroundings , attentive staff and relaxed atmosphere - a proper pub feel. Booked this time and came across reviews mainly detailing the strange new decor and lack of service / food availability - however thought we’d still give it a go. What a shame - to echo another reviewer - who ever has decided to put pink neon signs and pop art on the walls of a traditional historical pub has got it very wrong. Friendly service but forgot one of our 6 mains which as there was only another 2 tables occupied (England were playing that night !) seemed difficult to do. To their credit they took it off of the bill.One person ordered duck , not available. We ordered 4 cheese boards - they didn’t have any cheese ! Bizarre - a Saturday night with an already limited menu to not have cheese seemed ridiculous.Anyway we had a nice evening and the views out of the window made it. Will probably go again as it really is a lovely location , but for a snack and a drink outside.

Came back to the jolly yesterday evening for the first time since they reopened and was impressed with the changes they made to the place, it was a busy Thursday night and the service we received was still amazing! I was also very impressed with the barman who dealt with the busyness exceptionally well and even made time to bring our drinks over with a smile on his face.Lovely little pub which you should definitely visit if you are in the area.

The newly refurbished pub looks lovely, but the food was very disappointing. It was Sunday evening. The first thing we were told is that there were no roasts and no pie. This is 3 of the 8 non burger main courses. One of us ordered hake, but that too was not available, and one ordered duck, but the fondant potato had run out. So only 3 of the 8 main courses were fully available. The sauce with the starter mussels tasted good but the mussels were very small and unappetising - you can buy a lot better at the fish shop just up the road. The scallops which we had doubled up for our main, were tasty but rather over cooked. And then the requested cheese board came without the advertised blue cheese or any explanation or apology that the change had been made. It was ironic that the replacement cheddar was better than the two remaining advertised cheeses.The wines were lovely. The waitress was too keen, offering to clear the table twice before we had finished two of the courses. £120 for two is a lot of money for this quality of food and service.

Waited nearly 2 hours after chasing up our meals more than three times. To add insult to injury, watched other customers arriving 1 hour plus after us receive their food whilst we waited and staff told us they were chasing ours! We told the staff that we would leave in 10 mins if we still didn’t have any food, this didn’t happen, no one took any interest so we gave up and left! Chatting to other diners there, we didn’t seem to be alone in our disappointment! We then booked in online at the fox and hound down the road and were welcomed straight away, ordered, and our food was with us within 15 minutes!!!! We’ll be going there from now on!

We really enjoyed our lunch in this incredible location, right on the water’s edge overlooking the marina and estuary. We were seated on the pontoon, but there were also lots of tables along the riverbank. I could have sat there all afternoon enjoying the views! Our Cobb sandwiches were very tasty and fairly priced, and the servers very friendly.

Setting lovely but definitely won't be back there, very overpriced and such minuscule portion sizes!

Me and my family came here for drinks yesterday for fathers day and from the moment we stepped in the pub I could feel a real homely atmosphere.We only popped in for a couple of drinks but the service we received was lovely... the young man who gave us our drinks with short dark hair was very polite and made sure we had everything we needed.Overall I am very happy with my visit to this pub and will certainly be returning!

Such a beautiful setting, great food and a lovely atmosphere. The staff were lovely and it felt very safe in these difficult Covid times. Booking is essential as it does get very busy.

Arrived for a late lunch with my daughter, son in law, two granddaughters and my husband who is in the later stages of the shocking disease Parkinsons with Dementia.Were greeted by a very affable Tarquin, who did his best when we arrived to seat us overlooking the maria but no tables were available at that time. We were however given a very nice table outside with the promise that if a table on the front became available and we we weren't mid meal we could move. Drinks had just arrived when we were able to decamp to the front and what a treat - a beautiful table for six in a fairly private area but overlooking the water.My husband now finds it very difficult to eat unaided but was able to polish off the best Ploughmans I have seen for a long time. As he was able to use his fingers he was able to feed himself and thoroughly enjoyed the scotch egg, ham, cheese, pickled onions, apple, pepper pickle and sliced apple and of course bread. He was so relaxed that he also managed two half pints of cider without shaking too much. The rest of us were able to enjoy a lovely lunch, unworried about my husband/ dad/grandad - the food was delicious and sitting in the sun enjoying same, together with a large glass of chilled Picpoule was just what was needed!! Tarquin was really friendly and we felt he really wanted us to have a good experience. We were also very impressed with our very polite, efficient and helpful waiter Rich. We will certainly be back.

Walked all the way down the steps, told to wait to be seen, no one to my knowledge knew we were there other than the woman with the long blonde hair who was gossiping and laughing with the delivery man, looking directly at us and not asking wether we had booked or telling anyone else we were there. After 10 minutes we left.The board said the pub was open at 10, this was 11.15 and we called by to see if there were any tables for lunch.It was a Wednesday.

We have been to the JS more times than I can remember but not for a while and the visit despite super staff, was disappointing. I had a mozzarella salad, could hardly find any mozzarella and the croutons were wet and the replacement ones had clearly come out of a box; sorry this was not good enough. My partner had a roast, very rare meat that was chewy and veg, a mixture of over cooked and undercooked. Ladies toilet was blocked with a water leak but no sign to stop guests going in... not nice.Surely you can do better than this, someone is letting good staff down.

Fantastic welcome by warm and friendly staff. Great view of the marina from the table. Our server Jake was attentive and knowledgeable about the food and beers available. The food was great although there was a slightly longer delay between the starters and the mains than we would have expected but Jake kept us informed and entertained. He made a good evening out great.

They’ve properly messed this place up. Like kids decorating a Christmas tree. Decorations that make it the nautical equivalent of a tiki bar. They’ve removed the lovely old river photos and put up spray painted rudders and coloured-in paintings of the Queen. Someone has got it very, very wrong. Awful. The food is not good. Scallops with zero flavour. Steak with zero flavour and, when asked for rare, half was rare and half was well done. It was a straggly old piece of meat, so difficult to cook - but charging £25 for that muck was out of order. The waiter said he’d go and speak to his manage to see what he could do ... but I heard nothing more after that.Spent years going to this place and tolerating it’s foibles. No longer.

Almost didn’t come due to some negative reviews on here but we were so glad we did because it is a fantastic pub! Lovely atmosphere, very friendly staff and delicious seafood (particularly recommend the mussels, the hake and the fish and chips).

After a very disappointing visit to The Boat House across the water, this experience was like chalk and cheese - very attentive staff (although, we were held in the lobby for a while whilst they prepared our table .... COVID times). The lady who served us was awesome. Very polite and ensured we had drinks at all times. The food was lovely too - I recommend the fish and chips! Couldn't recommend The Jolly Sailor enough! Perhaps the lady at the front of house at The Boat House in Swanwick should shadow the staff at The Jolly Sailor for a day or two - she may learn a thing or two!

Lovely evening at the Jolly. Great atmosphere and service. Emma was very attentive and efficient, made us feel very welcome!

Once one of the doyens of the South Coast, this gastro pub has lost its way. Not only are the walls covered in pop art (for purchase) but the menu is so uninspiring it is beyond belief. Talk about dumping down. Even the staple "steak and chips" has disappeared.Service is slow 30 minutes for drinks and over an hour for food. If your happy with burgers and chips and willing to pay premium prices it might suit but not for us.

Visited the pub for dinner and drinks and had an absolutely amazing time, the pub looked incredible and the views were stunning! All the staff were incredibly welcoming and friendly, we were served by Keira and Jamie who went out of there way to make our experience amazing. We had a lovely time and will definetly be visiting again soon!

We had such a lovely meal before Christmas with the family. However tonight was a VERY different story. Our food arrived over an 1.5hr late and NO compensation or apologies. Our plates then sat in front of us after we had well and truly finished. How to wait for another 30 mins for them to clear them. We weren't the only table whose food was shockingly late. Really unacceptable. I won't be going back there and will be telling all my friends not to bother.

The Jolly Sailor has always got away with high prices and poor service, due to its location on the river, hence you don't tend to see may locals in there. However, I'm not sure even this will persuade customers back, if the last week or so is anything to go by. Being given your marching orders before you have hardly got over the threshold, certainly doesn't help either.As has been commented on already, the charm of the old pub has been completely obliterated with tasteless and tacky decor. The menu is limited to put it mildly, the prices are even higher than before and the portion sizes are minuscule. e.g. £16 for fish and chips with less than a teaspoon of tartare sauce, £12 for a tiny portion of vegetable tagine. However, the wait for food is the real issue. We arrived at 6.30 pm and some of our party finally got their food at 8.45pm!! I know we were a large party but we had booked well in advance. Besides, how long does it take to heat up a tiny pie and put a dollop of mash and a few green beans on a plate?The only saving grace was the waiter Rich, who tried valiantly to keep us all happy. To be fair, some of the food was taken off the bill but I'm sure those people would have preferred to eat promptly and pay full price.By contrast, the following evening, a friend and I visited The Vine, just up the road near the phone box in Old Bursledon. What a difference! It may not be on the river but what it lacks in location, it more than makes up for with the welcome, delicious, reasonably- priced food and prompt service. I had lamb shank with beautiful fresh vegetables, the gravy was so tasty, I had to ask for a spoon to scoop it all up! My friend had the Sea Bass which was also beautifully cooked. Our food arrived within 15 mins of ordering and BTW the roast dinners on Sundays are legendary too!I hope Hall and Woodhouse take notice.

This pub should of had a preservation order on it, as a place of historical significance. The brewery have committed vandalism, turning a historic pub into mickey mouse fake nautical land, I am sure some interior design business has been paid handsomely. But the food makes up for it! erm no, cold, tasteless (Just like the decor) and a wait of 50 mins. The staff are very apologetic and can see what a disaster this has become.

Oh dear what have you done to my favourite pub? It's been redecorated from a lovely Riverside Inn to a Disney type bar with pop art( almost for sale!) a pillerbox red fireplace and lava lamps on the tables.Not content with ruining a really nice pub, the very limited menu featured two burgers, fish and chips, a pie and vegetable terrine. We waited 30 minutes for drinks and over an hour for food that arrived on cold plates. One of our party was still so hungry when returning home cooked a bacon sandwich Why when something isn't broken do they try to fix it...

Well. Physical distancing doesn't exist in this pub. I don't hate the new decor. Staff were pleasant and all that but food took an hour to arrive, they hardly had any food left. When it did arrive it wasn't hot and was incredibly bland. I used to love it here but will not be rushing back, despite it being my local. Vegan options were mainly sold out so that was incredibly awkward for any vegans dining here. And yes, I know they have only just reopened but I have visited 3 restaurants in 3 days and this was the only one which hadn't factored in the requirements of reopening during covid

Oh dear, what a shame. Came to visit my daughter from Devon for the first time in months and was looking forward to our usual enjoyable visit here for Sunday lunch.What’s going on in the kitchen? We were seated after a wait of 5 minutes and in the absence of any other unbattered fish I had a roast. After 45 minutes we asked where our food was and it arrived 5 minutes later.The beef was tough, the potatoes were soft, the carrots hard and the broccoli overcooked. Oh dear.Couldn’t be bothered to wait for dessert. Staff were most apologetic but it wasn’t their fault. Won’t be back any time soon. Hopefully they can get this sorted.

The menu has changed and not for the better. The choice of starters is ok but the main course choice is very limited and no healthier options and is overpriced. The portion size is small. One burger was like leather and another burger was raw. There was too many people gathered at the front door and not very organised.

If you are planning on going back to this pub with a sense of nostalgia and memories of a nice little gem tucked away in the village of Hamble - don't go back. It will all be ruined. The pub has been turned in to an American Sailor themed pub, destroyed by a corporate marketing and branding agency. The staff wear sailor outfits, you won't find a picture of a boat and the walls are covered in pop art which you can buy. All the charm of the pub has been destroyed and it is completely out-keeping with its history or the area it is in. If you want a pint of Badger Beer, it has now be renamed to "Old Buoy". All the other badger beers have been renamed in this one pub for no reason except to waste the staff precious time explaining that the beer is now called something else. If you struggle seeing then you are lucky, but you will be aided reading the very slim menu (same as before just with less on it) by the glow of a bright pink neon sign shaped to the phrase "Hello Sailors". I promise you I am not making this up! Hopefully, someone will see sense and put some charm back in to this pub and stop it feeling like a Disney themed pub but given Hall and Woodhouse's track record I don't have much hope.The food was acceptable albeit very slow (if you have having 3-course meal give yourself 2.5 hours). The staff were very friendly an attentive - hence the reason I have rated this 2 stars.

Met with friends for lunchtime meal, having previously dined there before the lockdown the assumption was the food would be enjoyable as it was previous……WRONG !Menu was way over priced, portions to suit a 5yr old and served COLD. I have no problem if food to the table takes a little longer than normal but 1 hour 15mins after taking our order it still hadn’t hit the table, other diners were complaining of delays and poor food quality. When the food finally arrived 90 minutes later 2 of our party had cold meals sent back to nuke in the microwave, another meal was Luke warm but the diner was starving by now and chose to eat it! 2 others in our party had their meals brought up as “starters” so they say watching us eat cold, Luke warm dinners.I felt so sorry for our server who could do nothing but apologise for an professional kitchen, the server agreed the cost of the meal would be reviewed due to such poor quality meals and unacceptable delay in getting the food to the table. Gordon Ramsey would love to help this business for sure and I would enjoy watching him turn the business back into a pub I would again like to visit.Till then……..AVOID !

We eat in there ordered starters and main mealWhen we sat down told we had the table for 90 minsLoads of empty tablesAfter two bottles of wine and food bang on 90 mins evictedShame really could be really good