The Lion & Lobster in Brighton and Hove

Stopped for a couple of drinks one Saturday afternoon. It's a traditional city pub, tucked away just far enough from the main roads to make it feel like a locals pub. Barman was welcoming and seemed to enjoy his job, other clientele were a varied mix creating a friendly atmosphere. Sort of pub there is not enough of these days.

I came here for a roast with my family on Sunday last week. The lady serving us was so nice and fussed over my toddler and dog! I often find eating out stressful but she made us feel so at ease! Hands down best roast I've ever had. I got the veggie dinner and the veg was cooked to perfection. There was live music on downstairs too. If I could leave a higher rating I would.

Lots of thanks to lovely Emily who saved our philosophy night :-) We booked a table for 15 but ended up with over 20 and Emily managed to arrange space for us last minute We had a lovely time at the lion and lobster! Thank you

Sunday lunch was one of the best I've had in a long time, well done guys!

Nice traditional pub with well kept Harvey's beer. Food looks good but didn't eat here.

Fantastic pub in a great location, serving a large selection of beer and cider on tap and exceptional food. I must admit, I hadn’t come to the Lion & Lobster for food before (despite having drinks here on a few occasions) - I am now regretting all of the missed opportunites for an outstanding meal! The menu at Lion & Lobster is extraordinary - I wanted to try absolutely everything. The food is well-priced considering the location of the pub and the quality of the ingredients. I chose the new season asparagus with crisy duck egg and sriracha butter, with the Korean BBQ pork belly as a side. I was blown away. The pork belly was melt-in-mouth, and the perfectly-cooked duck egg yolk flowed over the asparagus and brought all the fresh and spicy flavours together. It’s been a while since I’ve had pub food this memorable! There was a live folk band playing for a large portion of the evening which was really enjoyable, but slightly too loud (a group of us had come out to celebrate a friend’s promotion and have a catch up - due to the size of our group we couldn’t move tables and it was very hard to continue our conversation, which was a bit of a shame). Loud music aside, the Lion & Lobster has a great atmosphere and wonderful staff. I would not hesitate to come back here for dinner or drinks. Also, side-note, the giant pork scratching is no joke. It was ✨huge✨😂

What a Sunday Lunch. All cooked to perfection with generous portions. The various tastes were exceptional. Well done to the chefs.

Lively pub with live music on Sunday at 5.00pm. real ale available. The pub has multiple levels so look around or go upstairs if you can't find a table downstairs.

Had a lovely Sunday roast at the Lion & Lobster. Food is delicious, atmosphere lovely and enjoyed some live jazz music whilst we were there. Will definitely be back

Excellent service/Delicious, hot food/Fabulous, quirky, outside space with plenty of seatin

Un delicioso almuerzo de domingo - lo mejor que hemos tenido durante años. Patatas asadas crujientes , yorkshire puds enormes - pequeños toques de sabor en el plato vegetal Purees col rizada crujiente y col roja. El queso cauli era absolutamente precioso. ¡Los cerdos en mantas enormes! ¡Entre nosotros teníamos la verdura wellington el pollo y la carne! Wow todo excelente. Volveré cuando regrese a Brighton para visitar a su hijo. (También he participado en un concurso de pub aquí y que fue una gran noche)

The best roast I have ever had. The pub is full of character. The service was great. There are always interesting beers on tap. Probably the best pub in Brighton & Hove.

Absolute gem. Don't know how I lived here 10 years before going in but it's now by far my favourite pub to go to for food or a drink and a chat.

Me and my partner absolutely love this pub. 10/10 food (especially the burgers) and staff. Shout out to Emily who always is sooo welcoming and friendly, you make the lilo!!

Pasé por aquí fuera de la oportunidad de tomar el almuerzo del domingo y se sorprendió al encontrar que sin una reserva había un montón de espacio. El menú era variado pero no extenso y ambos fuimos por la carne asada, que era increíble. Un montón de comida en el plato, un montón de carne un buen surtido de verduras y un enorme pudín de yorkshire para colmo. A diferencia de muchos asados de pub la comida no era nadar en salsa de carne de la que había la cantidad justa. El personal era muy amable y atento e incluso sirvió bebidas en la mesa como nuestra comida llegó justo cuando estábamos a punto de pedir más 😊 Todo era perfecto, incluyendo los precios tanto de la comida como de las bebidas. Gracias 🦁& 🦞 por un excelente almuerzo del domingo.

We went here for dinner and drinks last night. We had an amazing curry that was the daily special, plus a cheeseburger that was one of the best I've had. The bar was busy but the staff were working hard, friendly and attentive. Highly recommend this place.

Fantástica comida y ambiente, personal maravilloso que estaba trabajando duro, siendo amable y atento. Recomiendo encarecidamente este lugar.

Nice pub, much bigger than it looks, friendly atmosphere.....

VALORACIÓN DE UN POV SIN GLUTEN. Reservado con antelación, pero probablemente no era necesario. Un pequeño pub agradable con algunas buenas opciones de comida y bebida. Pudieron proporcionar algunas opciones sin gluten (sin cocina o espacio dedicados, por lo que existe el riesgo de contaminación cruzada) y estas opciones se enumeran de manera útil en el menú. Pedido en la barra y el servidor comprobó qué trozos necesitaban estar libres de gluten. Recomiendo encarecidamente el rascado de cerdo gigante, la palabra gigante es una absoluta eufemismo - era ENORME, tan raro de comer (como el hilo dulce salado) y me encantó. Cerdo y patata en capas con una salsa de miel caliente - de nuevo, sangrientamente encantador. Comida muy sabrosa, bien presentada y salió caliente y bien bastante rápido. Personal amable y en general un ambiente agradable y divertido para el lugar. A un precio razonable para los 2 cursos que tuvimos también,

Really lovely staff, great food, cosy atmosphere, my favourite pub in Brighton for sure.

Great pub loads of space really nice environment

Just perfect welcome dish decor I couldn't get enough of the fish and chips £21.5 per person with a fruit cocktail as an aperitif

Delicious food. Great atmosphere and staff. Can’t wait to come back

This is, in my humble opinion, the best pub in Brighton. We’ve been as a group a number of times and it never fails. Was there today before the football (usual annual visit) and the food was great as were the staff. Thank you

El asado del domingo fue increíble! Estábamos sentados arriba en el restaurante Lamentablemente se habían quedado sin carne a las 5 pm el domingo que asistimos, sin embargo, si hubiera revisado mis correos electrónicos a tiempo el sábado podríamos haber pedido nuestra preferencia SIN EMBARGO, el vientre de cerdo y el crepitar era realmente sabroso! El personal era encantador y atento, recomendaría

Mi hija de 16 años y yo estábamos buscando un lugar para cenar un lunes por la noche y nos encontramos con The Lion & Lobster - y estábamos tan contentos de haberlo hecho! Pedimos dos comidas vegetarianas y ambos eran absolutamente delicioso! Tan bueno que luego tuvimos un postre igualmente delicioso cada uno. Nos encantó la comida, el ambiente y el servicio. También comimos en un conocido restaurante vegetariano aquí en Brighton, pero preferimos mucho la comida en The Lion & Lobster!

Well this is a very good friendly pub. Staff fantastic with friendly service good to die and very reasonable. Will be visiting again.

Couldn't fault the place! So friendly and the food was amazing!! Would highly recommend.

Quirky old school pub with outstanding food and great service.

Fantastic pub. Loads of character. Lovely atmosphere. Very good service. Great curry on a Friday night.

Lovely Sunday roast and great service

Great lunch time meet up with friends fir a birthday. Lentil pie fantastic!!

Lovely atmosphere, the staff are warm and friendly

Cosy pub with dogs, fireplace and the best sticky toffee pudding in the world

I have been here before for food and i expected nothing less! My pork belly cracking dinner was just divine! Flavourful unlike some other places. Cauliflower cheese is to die for too. The staff was fairly nice too. I thought of it a bit expensive to be honest but the chefs effort was worth every penny. Well done guys, i will definitely be back.

Always a lovely pub to visit. Didn’t eat this time, but the food is always bang on when I’ve eaten. Nice staff, nice place, decent beer, clean and cosy. A Brighton institution.

Visité al león para un asado dominical. Pedido 2 x vegetariano Wellington. Socio pidió carne de res, cerdo hijo. Cada uno de nuestros asados fue increíble! Gray grueso, asados perfectos, col rizada crujiente, grandes pudines de Yorkshire. Wonderful.

Lovely atmosphere, the food is average and too expensive for what it is in my opinion.

Delicious food, great service, fun beers and a cozy vibe couldn't have asked for a better way to end the weekend

One of the best pubs in Brighton

Absolutely lovely food the roast dinner was perfect but I really enjoyed the brownie and ice cream it was amazing. I will be going there again next year for my Christmas dinner.

As usual, it was a great Sunday roast. I only put 4 stars for the service because it is quiet long to get the food but the ambiance and the quality of it makes it worth. We stayed in the pub area, loved it. It is one of the remaining proper pub in Brighton

Nice pub to meet for family lunch. Food was bit too salty, especially the burger but overall, lovely place, friendly service and atmosphere

Disappointed having booked a while in advance that only three main courses were available.. burger fish and chips or mushroom Bolognese. Blamed it on Christmas and delivery problems. Knowing the restaurant trade I'd be more likely to suggest that food wasn't ordered and the product available was frozen. I'd had several texts asking for confirmation of booking, wasn't allowed to take a main from the festive menu and to cap it all my food was served cold. This was rectified but simply not good enough. The food served was adequate but nothing more. I'd heard such good things about this place that I was hoping for a more gastronomic evening. A big plus.. Dog friendly.

Delicious portobello mushroom bolognese

Personal grosero arriba y abajo. Impaciente. Hice todo lo posible para hacernos sentir incómodos, pero estábamos felices de tomar nuestro dinero Reconozco que éramos unos cuantos y no comíamos pero podrías haber sido más amable con nosotros. Teníamos dos personas mayores con nosotros que no podía caminar lejos del restaurante en el que habíamos estado y no podíamos simplemente subir palos y encontrar otro lugar. Este fue un gran día para nosotros, despidiéndonos de un familiar que se muda al extranjero. Fuimos a otro lugar (cerca) después, donde el personal era tan amable y acogedor. Realmente desearíamos haber ido allí en su lugar.

Fuimos un viernes a la hora del almuerzo, habíamos reservado previamente, lo que parecía sensato con muchas mesas ocupadas. Personal muy amable, buena selección de cerveza y la comida era maravillosa, calamares para empezar, luego el besugo y pollo schnitzel. No tenía espacio para pudín, pero seguro que habrían sido geniales. Comida de buena relación calidad-precio y porciones generosas en un pub adecuado que vende comida que sería difícil de igualar en muchos de un restaurante "apropiado", también gracias por dejarme mantener mi estrella oscura cerveza pinta de vidrio... sí, pregunté si podría llevarlo a casa!

The atmosphere and service was impeccable but the Sunday roast was cold by the time it reached our table.

A very busy pub with a restaurant on the 2nd floor, which from understanding is run independent from the bar. Staff was aware of the promotion that was presented. Which on this occasion was dusk. No background music that was noticeable. Easy access for everyone. Don't stand by door like I did and freeze during a storm outside as the wind vortex is strong. No fault of venue and has not impacted on score. Food we didn't try as this wasn't the review on this occasion. Food :n/a Service :4/5 Atmosphere: 3/5 Total : 4/5

No es una bienvenida particularmente amable en el bar de abajo, atendió media hora en la mesa para el pedido de comida, sin acuse de recibo. Calidad de la comida bien, aparte de calamares empapados pero no excepcional. Larga espera para que retiren los platos, aunque las mesas vacías se limpian a nuestro lado (¡y matan en exceso en el spray de limpieza!)... Esperando para pagar, el personal más interesado en sentarse a cenar... sintió que éramos un inconveniente en lugar de clientes valiosos. ¿Tal vez 72 libras no valen su energía?

I LOVE this pub. Run by the fantastic Emily, this is a cute little getaway from Brighton’s busy streets where you can enjoy a Guinness in an arm chair. The atmosphere is lush and the menu is very nice. I’ll be coming back for the doughnuts! ❤️

Didn't have any food but it looked good. Slightly expensive but nice pub nonetheless

UPDATE: 16/10/2024 My partner and I visited for a meal and drinks after such an amazing meal about five months ago. Oh dear, what a disappointment. Two parts of our meals were cold and the plates and bowls that everything was served on were also cold so it wasn't surprising. Plus the overall taste was quite bland. We would have raised this with staff if anyone had bothered to check on us but that didn't happen. Even asking for a spoon was an inconvenience. We don't know if there was a different chef but this meal compared to five months ago were worlds apart. Even our drinks were a disappointment. Who serves gin and tonic in a half pint glass?!! And when reporting that one of the ladies cubicles was constantly flushing with the other cubicle having a huge puddle on the floor was met with, "yeah, yeah, we know" so that did not go down well. Plus the hand dryer in the gents wasn't working. After a disappointing evening we are not likely to go back any time soon. Our dirty plates are probably still on the table now as there were no attempts to clear tables and there were plenty of staff on duty and it wasn't that busy. What a shame. 11/05/2024 - Cosy pub with a fire (lit in the winter, obviously!). Friendly staff and great choice of drinks. We have visited a few times, but today was the first time we've eaten here. THE FOOD WAS PHENOMENAL!! So much so that I asked to speak with the chef to compliment them. Laurie was very humble and contributed much to his Mum. I had the plant based gnocchi and my partner had the special, beef maal, which was a platter good enough for a king! Everything was fresh, delicious, well presented, well seasoned and the vegetables were still crunchy, as they should be!! They do have three TVs that show football, etc. Good for those who want to enjoy a drink and watch the footie. Heads up for those who, like us, who are not sports fans. We highly, highly recommend The Lion and Lobster!

One of my favorite pubs in Brighton. The layout is amazing with a lot of seating upstairs and down. The staff are lovely and always very fast to serve you. Food is good and drink selection is nice and varied. The garden is 'multi-levelled' with heaters and a bar. If you want an iconic pub that has everything then this is the place. Happy to call this place my local. Continue the amazing work.

What a deceptively awesome pub/restaurant this place is. Visited 2 nights in a row. The food was amazing each night. Staff very friendly. Has door staff on busier nights. The drinks are not stupid prices and cocktails are available. Has 3 floors of seating, 2 with indoor and also 2 levels of open air. Dog friendly too! Recommend booking for food on peak nights. Highly recommend this place.

Brilliant Sunday lunch! The perfect place to entertain and will be back. Great find.

Atmospheric pub very popular and most expensive of the side street pubs I visited.

Great, great pub. Stayed locally for a night, so popped in for a quick pint to be met warmly by the bar staff and a good selection of well kept ales. Popped back around 11:30pm for a late night drink, and the atmosphere was still great. Also had Sunday lunch, which was superb. Trio of meats seemed expensive, but when it arrived it all made sense!! I'm glad I don't live nearby as I'd be tempted to be in the Lion & Lobster way too often!

A really nice place to have dinner & drinks. The curry was the best meal I had in the uk

Tuvimos un asado de domingo increíble que fue tan bueno, los 5 de nosotros disfrutamos de nuestra tarde aquí. Wss amable, acogedor, el personal de espera era increíble. Estaba muy frío después de las 4 de la tarde y luego tenía el encantador jazz en vivo, perfecto domingo por la tarde / noche gracias a todos👌👌

Great pub, nice open area for us smokers and vapers, lovely beer.

Just a great pub. Last went about 19 years ago. Remembered it was a good pub. It's still a good pub.

Very friendly staff, delicious food, they got good Indian food and best Sunday roast, book in advance for roast dinner

A wonderful traditional pub with incredible food. We had the L &L sharing board, which was just right for 2 people, but the Pea and ham arancini caught my eye, and I'm glad it did - amazing taste and texture. All in all, it's a great place to spend a few hours and eat some magnificent food...and there is a great selection to choose from.

Nice pub. I did not try the food.

Popped in for a pint on a weekday afternoon, so rather quiet. A good range of ales, haven't been here for years.

Classic brighton boozer. Good mix of people in a unique space. Hoping the new owners give it a little spruce and freshen up here and there.

Great food. Good service. Nice atmosphere

Good selection of drinks. Loads of nooks and crannys to sit and relax or catch up with friends. We went for the quiz night which was good fun and a great atmosphere. Will certainly return it has character.

Characterful and traditional pub that is a good local. The only downside is that they have ceased showing live football so we are having to find a new regular for game days. Otherwise it's perfect.

A great cosy and classic pub, serving pub style food that is better than most! It’s a perfect pub atmosphere to spend hours and hours chatting to mates in, with traditional pub decor and a good drinks section. The food is modern pub style dining, with great steaks, and a special mention is needed for the seafood pie, delightful! The service was a little slow, but the candle lit table and helpful waiters with a smile made the whole experience a good one!

One of the better vegan roasts I've had at a pub.

Had a fabulous Sunday lunch whilst away for the weekend. Great choices on the menu which included a fabulous Mushroom wellington for us vegans and very well cooked and tasty meat for the carnivores. Lovely friendly service.

Unfortunately the food has deteriorated greatly since our last visit. New menu, new chef?

I've loved this pub since I was 18, I'm now 37. Last night my wife and I stopped by for some food. The ambience and the drinks were just as perfect as they ever have been. The staff have always been awesome but the lady on the bar this time was next level, in terms of friendliness and banter, but also bar efficiency and attentiveness (I wish I'd asked her name). Then we ordered three dishes and OH MY GOD THEY WERE AMAZING!!! Like, I remember the food always being decent but I did not expect THAT. Basically normal Brighton pub prices but real, serious foodie food. We had the monkfish in a rice paper basket (yes, like actually homemade (I think) rice paper in a sort of crown 👑) which melted in the mouth, the baked goat's cheese which came with jammy goodness in the bottom and burnt bits around the edge and god I'm salivating thinking about it now and we also had the tomato salad with vegan feta which had so many beautiful flavours in it - it was all just SO five star. So yeah, go to the Lion & Lobster

Had 2 burgers that were delish, me and boyfriend and my little dog loved the atmosphere. Goat brûlée is a must! Will come again !

One of the best pubs in Hove. With it's multiple floors and rooftop garden, you can't get better than this on a summer's day or winter's evening. Regarding food. I have not been recently, but used to serve a legendary Sunday roast. I'll have to go back and test to see if it is still true.

I’ve just made a New Year’s resolution ‘go to the Lion & Lobster more regularly’. I remember the hay days when Gary Whelan owned it. When he sold it in 2014 it went downhill. Portobello took it over in 2022 and installed the current manager Emily. Portobello and Emily have transformed this pub back to its former glory. I’ve just enjoyed a fabulous Sunday roast. The portion was perfect, enough room for donuts with custard and rhubarb for desert. Go there!

We loved the vibe of this pub! The drinks were great, and the food was delicious. The sun terrace was so cozy and perfect at sunset.

Had a really nice pub dinner,classic meals cooked fresh all with refreshing modern touches at very resonable prices. But what made made the evening was the exceptional staff who all went above and beyond with thier service to make it a really speacil and welcoming evening. You could tell they all cared and wanted us to have the best time. Classic example of an established pub excelling in thier service. Thanks to the team

This is a very cozy neighborhood bar, with great atmosphere and food! But, unfortunately service was strange… waiter in bar was talking on the phone with AirPods in ears all the time, even when the guests ordered in the bar. I ordered a cocktail, but got non alcoholic drink. When i was paying, the waiter tried to make me pay for alcoholic drink and not what I got (what I also got wrong). When mentioning it the waiter said “oh! You noticed..” -and redused the price, but seemed a bit irritated…

Very cosy pub with a garden like trace on top. Very friendly and good food.

It's great! Really cosy, great atmosphere... I'd prefer less screens for sport but I know in a minority.

Watched the quarter finals here great atmosphere

Love this pub! We keep coming back! The terrace at the top is a favourite spot, especially when the sun is shining!! 🌞

Great local pub with a terrace upstairs

An amazing characterful boozer. Been here 3 times and each time has had about a 10 year gap between, still a class place everytime.

Cosy local neighborhood typical English pub, with lovely staff. We just came for a drink and were treated like their best guests.

Really friendly, with great service and surprisingly good prices for being that close to town.

We had the Sunday roast today, all five of us were very impressed. Excellent food and an amazing historical pub. Would definitely recommend.

Absolutely love this place. So cosy, perfect for groups. Lots of books and crannies, different rooms as well as a terrace.

We went as a group on a back holiday. The roast was one of the best I have had in a pub. The service was equally as good. Definitely worth seeking out.

One of my favourite pubs in Brighton for many years!

Got the beef, pork and chicken roast - one of the most amazing roasts ever, must have 😍

Great venue. The service was amazing. The kitchen did a great job at getting the food out for 16 people at the same time. They were also able to cater for several dietary requirements (gluten free/dairy free). I had the pork belly for the main which was delicious and cooked perfectly. My partner had the scallops for the starter which she said was delicious. Would highly recommend!

Great boozer , quite narrow bar but has lots of nooks and crannies to sit at, goes up several floors and secret roof garden. Good food, friendly staff, 5 mins from the seafront.

Everything was great! We were a big group (20+2 babies) on a birthday celebration and all run smoothly. The booking process was easy and very accommodating; the staff was brilliant, very friendly and super helpful! It was very well organised. The roast was absolutely delicious! Everyone loved it! We will definitely go back. Thank you very much!

Lovely little pub but prices are quite insane. They are london prices and for a small brighton pub it seems insane. Paid 9£ for double gin!

Lovely place with very friendly staff. The building is so large with so many twists and turns that sometimes, because you aren’t visible, you are forgotten about. Some really great food and the atmosphere is buzzing though!

My boyfriend and I had an absolutely wonderful time here. We had pork belly and it was so delicious. Staff were really lovely and we loved all the nooks and crannies. Would defo recommend.