The Old Dining Room at The Bell Hotel in Dover

The menu choices were great but both of us opted for the roast chicken dinner, it was delicious, good portion size, fresh vegetables and real roast potatoes. The Yorkshire puddings were large and tasty. The service was second to none, we were shown to our table straight away and asked what drinks we would like ( we weren't left waiting) Our young man that served us (Christoff) was a credit to the Bell, He was polite, knowledgeable, and extremely good at his job, nothing was too much trouble. We had pavlova and sticky toffee puddings for dessert, and once again perfect. Our complements to the chefs and all staff. We can't wait to come back, thank you.

The hotel itself is very nice, the rooms are clean and spacious, however, the dining room food was a disaster. The dinner service was very poor, food items stated on the meals were not present on the plates and the kitchen forgot two of our table meals so the remaining food was brought out after some had already finished. The quality of the food was very poor and tasted old and the service from the staff was also very poor. We had cutlery missing, no knives for the steak were given and the plates from the starters were not cleared before the mains arrived so we did not have room for our plates to sit in front of us. The main courses took over an hour to arrive at the table. Very disappointing.

Welcomed at the door. Everywhere looked very clean, tidy and inviting. Husband reckoned the ale was excellent! Squid starter was very tasty. Main of pork belly was tasty also.....but my portion was very fatty and l left half after l cut it off. Appreciate it is difficult at times to notice amount but perhaps if cooked slightly longer the fat would have rendered down. Husband said his was good. Service was excellent, young man serving us was extremely nice, an asset to the restaurant. All in all a pleasant evening. And back in time to see some rugby!!...........

we visited for aftetnoon tea and was not disappointed. food and service outstanding. A special mention for Krzyztofw and the chef and staff who prepaired the food

We were a party of 10 so pre booked our starters and mains ,except for a little hiccup with one starter the food was lovely and fresh we had 3 different fish dishes and all were cooked well and all meals arrived together , really good choices on all corses , the Staff were attentive and friendly, as we were paying the bill for everything including drinks at the table we were expecting it to be a much bigger bill , for the quality of food and service we experienced we were very pleased and will return next time we are in Sandwich well done The Bell

excellent desserts and copious fish and ships on the other hand the ristretto coffee costs more than 3 euros which is exaggerated

Crab open sandwich on sour dough. Well it took some serious imagination to convince my tastebuds it WAS crab. Sourdough - so tough the knife struggled. I’ve eaten the best sourdough - probably- but not in Sandwich. Really disappointing - there are excellent eateries in the town, the Bell was never top of the list but it’s slipped a lot since I was last there!

My daughter and I came to Sandwich for my daughter's wedding dress fitting, and the Bell Hotel was recommended to us for lunch. Although we hadn't booked, the hotel were able to accommodate us in the light and airy dining room. A lovely menu, and it was hard to chose - everything looked really good! The food was first class, as was the service. A lovely old hotel, decorated and furnished in a simple and sympathetic way. Would thoroughly recommend.

We have been using the Bell for a year for breakfast with no problems even yesterday we had a bacon sandwich which was fine. But today the menu was change we had the full breakfast costing £ 11.00 it was terrible one had to have her eggs redone,the bacon was cheap streaky saltey bacon and the beans were vile. We won't be returning

From the moment we walked into the pub entrance, the staff were lovely and welcoming. We had a table in the brassiere area under windows, which was nice as it was sunny day. Our waiter looked after us very well with good service. The food and drinks were good and reasonably priced too. I had the pie which was on special and was very nice with good vegetables and mash. Other meals were fish and chips which was large and ham eggs and chips and both enjoyed. Look forward to returning.

Definitely the best most consistent restaurant in Sandwich we’ve lived in Sandwich for 10 years and always experienced great service, tasty food and exceptional value. The outside terrace is a wonderful area with views of the medieval town, toll bridge and river a fantastic experience. You must call at The Bell if visiting Sandwich

Visited the bell hotel for what we hoped would be a nice family Sunday lunch and left bitterly disappointed. There was a group of 12 of us and when ordering food we was told there wasn’t enough meat for everyone to have what they wanted, so some of us shared with partners between pork and beef (the only meats available) which wasn’t a massive problem. The problems started when they bought the food out, some plates had maximum 2 tiny roast potatoes and one plate even just had 1 tiny parsnip! The beef was dry, gravy was non existent and when we asked for more gravy they gave us the smallest amount to share between us all. Some more Vege was bought out on the side and there was 1 piece of cauliflower cheese between everyone and it was all stone cold! Most dinners were actually cold and when i complained to the manager about the lack of food and the fact most of it was cold she was very rude and told me basically it was our fault for being a large table and the fact they couldn’t cope with it. (Don’t take on large tables in the future) Not once was we asked if we would like any sauces for the meals. The food was shocking and the service was even worse. Avoid like the plague.

Walking around the town. Dropped in for a drink and stayed for a meal. Service was fine; food was fine. It was fine.....but no reason to rush back. We were a bit irritated that there were 3 bar staff with plenty of free time to chat together, while the one person providing table service was rushing around. Didn't seem very fair.

We enjoyed a sirloin steak each here cooked just to our liking and the chips were excellent. Service was very good at the table as it was throughout our stay at The Bell. We always find a good atmosphere in the restaurant. We shall return.

This evening had no ambiance. the hotel made no effort at all to create an atmosphere. The food was mediocre and the staff were young and inexperienced. They were polite but required guidance which was not given by Supervisor. The Supervisor was abrupt and sharp and seemed to have no patience. The actors hired did a good job. Overall I could forget about this evening very easily.

Whilst visiting Sandwich we booked a table in the brassiere for lunch. The food was excellent as was the service really lovely atmosphere. Would definitely return when we are next in the area

We stayed here this weekend and opted to eat in on the first night, brilliant service, nice pint, tasty food, wife waxed lyrical about the chicken, my only complaint would be that the ham in my Ham, Egg and Chips looked as though it had...

A lovely meal at the Bell, friendly and attentive staff. Surprisingly good value and a great location. I would certainly visit again.

It was nice to sit outside and enjoy our drinks and meals. Food was pretty average decent stuff you'd expect from a good pub. Very odd that we had to pay for our drinks before ordering the meal and, having ordered, pay before we received...

Good food, great service and a nice spacious outdoor seating area. Had the seabass and the sirloin and both were very happy. Dog friendly as well

Enjoyed all our meals here. Today's lunch was very good ploughmans sandwich and home made soup Coffee good too

Excellent service and food. Called in on New Year’s Day having had many visits to Sandwich as live locally but never been in. Service was excellent and staff very accommodating and nothing was too much trouble for our party of six. Food choice really good...

We stopped off for fish and chips which was well cooked and efficiently served be friendly, attentive staff

I went to a Christmas dinner with friends. Unlike the majority of venues that treat the customers like cattle in a market I am pleased to say this venue was the exact opposite. The food was excellent and the staff friendly and attentive and all...

‘Have had food and or drinks here over the summer and autumn. Staff are plentiful but evasive. You know that way of walking through the restaurant but failing to make eye contact?Food is acceptable but lacking character for the price. Portions good. Facilities very good....

My husband and I were trying to find somewhere new to dine to celebrate a special occasion. You can see from my reviews I've eaten in a few establishments over the years. We'd grabbed a bite at the Bell a few weeks ago, but that...

Disappointing. Staff were very pleasant but meal was rushed. We ordered drinks first and were asked by 3 individuals in 10 minutes if we wanted to order food. It would have been helpful to know upfront there was no crab and the waitress tried to...

Evening meal treat for my Mum who was in need of a lift. The Bell fitted the bill, almost perfectly. The food was exceptional. Every dish was great. My steak especially was to die for. The only thing that let the whole experience down was...

The food was very good we had dinner which was very tasty and the breakfast was excellent and filling.

Nice food and found staff friendly and helpful 👌

Having booked a table, when we arrived there was a distinct lack of a welcome, in the end I had to approach a member of staff to attract attention, which was followed by a long discussion between staff members about where we could sit. Unfortunately...

Party of 8 (permitted on the day we were there) asked for a table for drinks. Rather officious gate keeper said maximum was six so we asked for two four seat tables next to each other. He gave us two tables as far apart as...

Fantastic service, Great menu, plus Specials to choose from. We chose to have Lobster. Great fun trying to extract the meat! We had a lovely bottle of wine , in lovely surroundings and a superb "Ambience" as Micky Flanagan might say.

We have been here few times and today was not good lady staff who showed us to table very polite helpful and cheerful lady who served us drinks the same but almost an hour to get food not good quality seemed below average and when we tried to order more drinks 3 male staff completely ignored us and lady who originally served us came over to serve again menu was not good not any light snacks last time there were ques and food was amazing served quicker this time was waste of money and time we will not be returning I would sooner pay more for much better service better quality food and always leave satisfied

Terrific lunch outside. Staff was friendly, efficient, and followed appropriate COVID practices (yes, it matters). Best burgers we have had in the UK, hands down! Can't speak for the hotel, but the restaurant is tops.

Had lunch here the food was very good. However the service was poor, no table ready for us on arrival even though we had booked. When the bill came we were very cross as we had asked for a pot of tea with soy milk due to allergies and we was charged extra for this when cows milk comes free. Very shocking in today’s society.

Excellent service and venue for a champagne and tea wake the food was well prepared and presented would use again for any social event

First time to visit The Bell to eat a meal. We booked online to visit a week day lunch time, which was an easy process. Despite it being mid week there was quite a few people there.I am a Coeliac so therefore had to choose from the gluten free options on the menu. Limited choice, but I selected ham, egg and chips. Husband had a burger. Food was hot and quite pleasant. Staff very helpful, nice surroundings.Personally I would only revisit as/when the menu is updated.... limited choice on menu.

We popped in for a drink and during this time read the menu and decided to have a meal. Very glad we did for it was superb. A couple of well cooked steaks just to our liking, nice and rare. Prices were good for an hotel and the staff were excellent, very attentive. Will definetely return.

After briefly looking around other restaurants in the town we decided on the Bell for dinner after nearby golf. As 'walk ins' we didn't get one of the better reserved tables but were well looked after. We were served well starting with a modestly priced glass of champagne before two very good starters. My wife had a very tasty and unusual courgette fritter whilst I had a lovely moist crab pate. She followed with chicken supreme in another unusual broth of tingling spring vegetables and I tackled the fish & chips which defeated me it was so large. There's good outside seating too for warm weather. If you're in the area it's a good bet for a good meal.

Wonderful setting, great decor but meals and drinks overpriced and service slow. Outside seating very welcome in hot weather.

There are two areas for eating. The bright and airy conservatory or the darker traditional dining area where the cereals and fruit juices are laid out. These were fairly rudimentary so I skipped them both mornings and took coffee (hot pot quickly provided) and a selection of toast (hot not cold and limp so a positive). I opted for the Full English which took a little while to arrive but I was told it was being freshly cooked which seemed to be the case. Excellent local sausage, tomato, two slices of grilled bacon, mushrooms, potato cake, pot of baked beans and two fried eggs provided a robust start before my morning's golf.

Overlooking the River Stour and the 14th century Barbican the Bell Hotel is ideally placed to welcome visitors to this historic Cinque Ports town.Arriving on a very busy Easter Saturday with lunch in mind the family had a brief look at various other options before eventually choosing the Bell. At a glance we decided to eat outside then alternatively in the immediate bar area, but after being told they first needed to clear the tables and that there would be a 30-35 minutes wait for food my immediate inclination was to look elsewhere. However, after making a quick reconnaissance and further inquiries a lovely window table was found on the upper level which offered a full waiter service. Settling down into our comfortable seats we placed our order for starters of carrot and coriander soup, courgette & sweetcorn fritters and salt and pepper squid. To follow, the main courses were grilled mackerel accompanied by new potato salad and veal escalope.Although one of our party expressed a reservation over the mackerel dressing the overall rating was very favourable in terms of cooking, taste, portion sizes, presentation and service. In my own case my crispy coated escalope of veal with sauteed new potatoes and green beans finished with a buttery caper sauce exceeded my expectations. Only one diner felt able to manage a dessert - a pear tart tatin and Cornish cream ice cream. For drinks we chose Gordons pink gin and lemonade, Fevertree tonic water and two glasses of the excellent Runnymede Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough N.Z).A very enjoyable lunch in a comfortable and unhurried environment away from the hectic downstairs atmosphere and compared to other nearby establishments at a competitive price. As one would expect the facilities matched the cleanliness of our immediate surroundings.

was not impressed kept waiting to long to place an order but the food was good when it arrived will try again

Came in with my daughter and husband (dinner) was greeted and seated by a man, okay but blunt and to the point, (seems in a rush) then was taken over by a lovely delicate lady, made effort and conversation, not in a rush but got her job done efficiently, served our food and made sure we had our sauces and were comfortable, even offered to take our coats and hang them up on a peg next to us, food was lovely and as we ordered, ribeye, fillet and burger, young manager rare to see but was bossy to staff we noticed harshly.. maybe she had a bad day? Didn’t want to comment incase but felt sorry for the staff on shift although only a couple. Will be back soon for a wedding. Thank you.

Lovely place great service and lunch lovely the surroundings. We sat in the lounge with lots of family as we where visiting from Liverpool felt like we had it to ourselves.

We went on a murder mystery with a group of 10 friends it was really good. well organised. food was perfect.and the way the murder mystery was done was good entertainment. We all thoroughly enjoyed the evening .well worth the money with a 3 course tasty meal as well.Lillian was a well deserved winner!

Service was good and food well presented and delicious.Atmosphere and surroundings very pleasant. Good selection of starters and mains.Lively bar .

Poor food and terrible service. Rude staff. Great at ignoring their customers by walking past with noses in the air - perhaps they studied under the most unfriendly of Parisian waiters? Sat smiling at staff and catching their eyes for 15 minutes before getting up and asking someone if they could serve us. Unbelievable just how negative the vibe from the staff is - like your entire presence is an inconvenience. When their nose in air technique failed and they did make eye contact with me, my smiles were met with an ice cold glare. As someone who worked in hospitality for years before law school I could not for the life of me understand it. Feeling so guilty that I brought someone here and like an idiot for forgetting that I brought a friend here years ago and it was awful then too.

This review is for the restaurant only as we did not stay at the hotel . We visited as a family for Christmas dinner and were really disappointed by the standard of food . We paid 80 pounds per head and this included young children as they would not provide an alternative kids menu . The kids therefore mostly wasted their food as the flavours were too strong . We were told they couldn’t accommodate a children’s menu as the spaces could be filled by full paying adults . The food we had was standard pub food , nothing special and not worth the money . I’ve eaten better roasts for a quarter of the price locally . The only positive was the staff who were all lovely , helpful and friendly . They were especially good with the kids .

Friendly staff but the hotel appeared a little understaffed as the same people seem to be in reception then in the bar and one was also portering!

My wife and I had lunch here after visiting the Salutation Gardens.

we did only pop in for a quick drink ,young bar staff friendly and help full ,we sat outside what was nice and clean ,tables etc ,drinks 2 glasses of wine £13 I really still don't understand why wine is this price !

Awful place to eat, bad staff and worse food. The menu is limited and the food choices are poor, the staff don't seem to understand English not have any desire to please. The deserts are the worst I've ever eaten and I have eaten some rubbish. I spent three nights eating here, my advice, find somewhere else to eat.

My friend had the sea bass with white wine and mussel source. This turned out to be mussels with two small fingers of sea bass. He does not eat shell fish! After the predictable dispute over what the menu said, the Bell agreed to remove the mussels. He requested a normal portion of sea bass and was told "that's the size of a sea bass". I had the rustic fish pie - the fish was in water not a white sauce, the parsley mashed potato was lumps with no parsley and a black scorched top surface. Whatever had been done to "freshly prepare it in the kitchen" they'd have done better to microwave a supermarket "value" brand fish pie (assuming the chef could read the instructions). We were asked to taste the wine (which was OK given the expected restaurant price mark up) but the waiter poured it in to the other glass immediately without any pause for me to even touch the glass with the tasting sample.

The dining room is in two parts and the older side does not have much going for it, better to request a table in the newer part beside a window. If you have a view it will take your mind off what can only be described as poorly prepared food. The restaurant, especially at busy times, does not seem to have enough staff to meet needs. The whole hotel needs a make over, all a bit tired and in need of refreshment. It is in a prime location in the town of Sandwich, good for an afternoon coffee or evening drink in the outside bar.

We were driving along the coast from Whitstable to Ramsgate and made a detour to Sandwich, one of the Cinque Ports. What a nice place ... we were also surprised by the cosy restaurant in The Bells Hotel. The dishes were delicious, the welcome warm. We liked the interior decoration. It was a lovely evening.

We had good choice of food with variations to fit our personal needs. Nothing was too difficult and service with a smile and friendly chat.

Had lunch here recently and have also breakfasted here too. Breakfasts are great value . The steak and chips was lovely, garlic butter was superb. Lovely relaxing place to sit and eat. Staff very nice too.

Took my mother for a birthday meal

This was the original Bell hotel dining room, now much improved by the addition of the new larger section and bar. A bit uninteresting in the old bit, go for a table by a window in the new area.

Booked a table for my mother's birthday on Friday 26th January.

The Christmas party was in a big, uninviting room. We sat down and soon the first course arrived. Scotch egg which was very nice (yolk should really be runny though). For the main I had rolled bits of pork. It was a huge portion of the blandest pork I have ever had. Couldn't taste any seasoning/herbs in it. The sugar snap beans were undercooked. I do like them to be quite al dente, but these tasted like they had never been in boiling water. There was a good amount of vegetables with our meal, which was far more than you would see in most restaurants. The brownie I had for pudding was quite nice, but it was covered in cherries, which wasn't on the menu. Would be nice to have those separate so you can choose not to have a deconstructed schwartzwalterkirschtorte. The coffee came soon after and it seemed there was a rush to get the disco going. The DJ was very annoying and tried to be funny by telling everyone they were much older than they were. The music was far too loud and not at the level where you could still have a conversation with the person next to you, as was promised when booking. Staff was very friendly, but a bit strange that you can't order a drink at the little bar when they are serving food. I would go back for a drink, but I think not for food/parties.

went to the Bell Hotel for a meal, as it has always had good reviews by people. We was very dissapointed with regards to the meal not what we expected, substandard service and substantard food.

I visited the bell hotel for some dinner with my partner in the old dining room and I ordered the steak medium rare. Came out well done. My partner ordered the lamb, rare, came out just perfect but when I spoke to the waitress she was very rude to me and didn’t care at all of what I was saying! I asked to speak to the manager and out came a very young lady which didn’t look old enough to be the duty manager! The staff was lovely, getting to know them! The end of the dinner service was good but I would highly recommend that they hire older people to be managers rather than young people with not a lot of experience at all and to make sure that if the staff and managers are going to talk about their personal life with each other, then talk when no one can here then rather than everyone hearing them.

Room ok with clean comfy bed.Bathroom rather bare and cold..could do with double glazing and update.Dinner menu limited and extremely dissapointing opted to miss breakfast because of it,would not return.

My husband treated me to tickets to the Bell Hotel's Murder mystery evening. Started off as a bit of a disaster. We weren't on the seating plan even though we had tickets, then a staff member realised that our surname had been completely changed. The vegetarian option that had been requested for me they knew nothing about even though we had an email confirming it so I was presented with an alternative starter which would have been fine if it was proper soup. Was obviously a packet that they'd made up. No bread with it or even a spoon. Had to use my dessert spoon. Rest of the food was lovely and the theatre group were wonderful. I really enjoyed the evening in the end but The Bell needs to address the things that went wrong as I'm not sure I want to go back again. This was my first vist and it has put me off. Husband will be emailing a complaint.

Excellent lunch, very good service and charming staff. I opted for the cod and chips, which I could not get...

Nice food when it finally gets delivered. Unfriendly (not horrible but just not friendly) staff.

En el bar, esperamos mientras estaban siendo atendidos por una señorita detrás del bar un par de señoras. Ya se había recibido de sus bebidas y estaban estudiando el menú y la presentación de pedidos de comida. Un empleado llegó y comenzó a acosar masculino la mujer empleada, mientras ella se sirve a las señoras.

Sólo tomó mi pareja y nuestro hijo fuera para comer y he quedado muy decepcionado. Como un chef yo creo que es asqueroso que un "chef" podría enviar una comida tan mala. Tuve la pierna de cordero cocinado lento que era plana y parecía más un filete de cordero y también tenía más grasa que carne. Las verduras estaban todo preparado y podríamos decir el plato estaba sentado bajo luces calientes por Dios sabe cuánto como las zanahorias eran como la arena. Mi pareja tiene los cazadores de pollo que estaba bien, aparte de el tocino era tan recocido que toqué y libreros y el pollo estaba tan seco como mis zanahorias. La única buena comida era nuestros hijos y pedí los palitos de pescado, pero que sin embargo dieron maltratada cod no importa pero la salsa tártara se servía en un ramekin rojo. Lo mejor que puedo decir es que la cerveza estaba fría, pero puede fácilmente decir que no volveré por un largo tiempo. Creo que tienes un nuevo chef para ser honesto, realmente le importa alguien que lo sirven y tiene pasión por lo que hacen. Muy decepcionado.

Reservamos una mesa para 6 para comer el domingo. Servicio rápido y amable y muy buena relación calidad-precio 2 o menú de 3 platos el almuerzo de domingo. Bien merece una visita.

Esperamos una hora y media para el plato principal. Cuando llegó fue recocida. No vamos allí!

We had several meals at The Bell Hotel. In general, the food was very good and the portions generous. Our only complaint was that the ham sandwich was a little light on ham.

The Bell was great, lovely atmosphere, great food . A lovely selection of food. The banofee pie is scrumptious. Good value for money.

I always enjoy visiting the Bell. Whether just for a drink outside in the summer, a lunchtime snack or dinner in the dining room.

ok its an easy pun, a sandwich in Sandwich! We were peckish after our seal spotting trip [see separate review] so popped in for a pot of tea and a snack - we had a cheddar sandwich served on a board, lovely fresh bread with a side salad and a delicious olive oil and wholegrain mustard dressing.we sat in the window so we could watch the river as we ate - if you're a 'foody' theres a shelf of cookery books to browse through. Thoroughly recommended.

We attended as we had won a meal for two in a local raffle and prior to arrival we were a little concerned that the service and food we would receive would be slightly less than that offered to regular "paying" customers. How wrong could we be?The young gentleman at reception was exceptionally welcoming and the service we received from start to finish was superb. Our waitress could not have been more friendly, polite and helpful for the duration of our stay and the food was lovely - especially the steak. The portion sizes were also good and the meal was washed down with a quality house white wine. It was a lovely dining experience.The location of the Bell is superb, with lovely views of beautiful Sandwich. Post-meal we re-located outside to the large front patio area and again admired the wonderful location, with a few drinks from the bar. Even the bar-staff were friendly and it appeared that there was a genuine team effort from the staff to ensure that every customer had a memorable experience.I cannot recommend the friendly service enough, which fully compliments the wonderful location. We shall definitely be returning soon.

Just stayed the one night as golfing locally as a birthday treat so "went for it" at dinner, after a couple of fine pints of Shepherd Neame.Duck starter was very niceVery professional waiter.Fillet steak SUPERBWine very niceCheese very nice.Brandy nice afterwards too !

Whilst we came up to visit friends in Kent we stopped at the Bell for food. My Friends got married here two years ago so it was lovely to visit the place again. The Bell was amazing as a wedding venue with great food and it didn't disappoint this time either. Great location and friendly staff. Thank you for a great visit.

We enjoyed the dinner we had and breakfasts are excellent, especially the Eggs Benedict. The menu is the same for dinner each day.

Such a shame, recently wrote a good review, but different night, different deal, sadly.Waiter wasn't as friendlySpecifically asked for tuna rare but not delivered rare, and was dry and fishyRisotto bland and boring, with chunks of cheeseFish and chips were also fishy, chips not crisp enoughLong wait time for the mealSuch a disappointment as I was hoping to be able to count on this place:-(

We stopped off here for a quick bite; after all, what's better than having a sandwich in Sandwich? (We actually ate in the cafe but there was no listing for it.) I had the roast beef sandwich and it was quite good. The bread was very soft and fresh, and the meat was fairly tender. The service was good; no long waiting around wishing someone would come by to pour more water and the food came out surprisingly quick. The cafe was light and airy and was a pleasant place to have an afternoon bite.

Had a family reunion here. Some of the party were staying at the Bell for the evening. Our food was fantastic. The staff were very good too.. We ended up staying at the bar area and they were extremely accommodating to all our needs. Will definitely come back here for lunch or dinner or few drinks again.

29/5/2016wedding the day before and the reception being held at elizavet Greek restaurant next doorwe decided that the bell hotel was a good staggering distance from the receptionso we booked a room thereand stayed the night in a large room with a very large 4 poster bed next morning we awoke and made our way to the old dining roomwe found the staff friendly, well spoken and politefood was very good, good quantity and a large option to choose from

After the previous night at the Hop and Huffkin this was a bit of a letdown. Same staff seemingly from breakfast no smiles, service slow, bread as a starter arriving with mains, food was fine, hopefully a one off, but as night 2 of 2 not good for us.

I was taken to The Bell for Mother's Day breakfast. My husband and I ordered full English we were looking forward to it. The toast arrived 10/15 mins before the breakfast arrived therefore was cold by the time breakfast arrived. Our daughter had scrambled eggs on toast. Had to ask for a knife AS wasn't given one. Service was not great felt like we were an inconvenience.Wouldn't return.

Lunch with family!:) whent here for lunch with my two dogs so had to sit in the bar what was lovely and comfy! Food was lovely but the chips on my burger was cold when they come out what was disappointing considering the rest of the meal was amazing! The sea bass size was so small my mum left hungry! There's was only two small new potatoes the fish and a mussel or two! Disappointed!

Popped in here for a Sunday lunch, lovely light and airy, good value, had mussels and husband had burger, quick and tasty lunch. Thank you

On Saturday 12th March 2016 we visited the Bell Hotel in Sandwich Kent. We ordered our starters which were OK, and our main meal of Duck Beast in cherry sauce which took a hour to arrive, we were very disappointed to find they were cold. We sent them back the waitress said they would be 5 minutesthey eventually arrived 30 minutes later,this time they were hotbut the duck was so tough we could hardly cut it.We won't be returning to this restaurant and certainty would not recommend it. We were offered a drink and 25% off the food bill.Very disappointed Brian (Sandwich)

We had a good meal here. I think I would have preferred a slightly longer menu and the dishes all seemed to have one ingredient too many. However reasonable price and well cooked and good service

Le choix d'hotels corrects dans la région est très limité, si on veut rester dans un tarif abordable. Le Bell fait partie du même groupe appartenant à un brasseur (qui fait de bonne bières de caractère). L'hotel est agréable, la salle à manger et le pub sont très biens, les chambre spacieuses, mais les salles de bains sont étonnantes: on se brule ou on se glace avec les fameux robinets chaud et froid; la douche est toujours une surprise (obtenir une eau chaude sans s'ébouillanter est un art). On reçoit souvent des mètres cubes sans espoir de contrôler le débit. Mais bon... le personnel est toujours extrêmement agréable et serviable.

I have been here twice in the last month and most recently went for a celebration with family and friends and left disappointed.Due to the stature of the hotel and its position, it feels like the Bell doesn't have to do a great deal to get people to come and it appears that they know that and have come somewhat complacent, particularly around the service.There was no table dedicated waitress which meant that you had to grab anyone who wondered past. This ultimately meant that no one took responsibility we were left out on a limb hoping that someone would wonder by, which rarely happened.Drinks didn't arrive, dishes were cleared quickly we weren't offered the dessert menu.For two of the three courses we had to remind the waitresses that they had forgotten dishes we had ordered which meant everyone's food was getting cold while we waiting for the remaining dishes. Some items we ordered never arrived and we had to ask the waitress to remove them from the bill at the end.The food itself was average and didn't cover for the shortcomings in the service. We went for a Sunday roast and some of us had cold meals and the food itself didn't befit the price tag.

Came back from a lovely dog walk along the river with my husband (and obviously our dog) and wondered which of the many eateries in the ancient village of Sandwich would be dog friendly. We saw the Bell Hotel had an outside eating area, so okay for the dog. Popped into the bar area for a menu and we each ordered from the starter menu, a Vegetarian Tapas platter consisting of 5 tasty veggie dishes served with lightly toasted slices of focaccia bread. The food was extremely tasty, filling and very good value. The staff were very friendly and polite. My husband was also very pleased with his choice of real ale and I really enjoyed my glass of house red. Everything was all we could have hoped for, a very enjoyable lunch time.

Booked here for my Dads 80th. Big family do with age range 4-80! We had earlier been on the river boat trip which was really good fun. We then had lunch at the Bell. Great service, great food, nice wines, and we were very well looked after by the staff. Would recommend

We visited this restaurant twice in a week (unusual for us). The food on our first occasion was superb and the staff were so friendly that we booked again for the last night of our holiday. On our arrival there the young lady who had served us on the previous visit came rushing up to welcome us, saying how pleased she was to see us again. the young lady was Gemma T. a lass from Newcastle with a lovely sense of humour.

Many of our friends from Ireland stayed at the Bell Hotel Sandwich while attending our son Cormacs wedding. Our guests ate as a group at the Old Dining Room.....They had nothing but high praise for food and staff. Thank you.

We ate from the A La Carte menu. A good selection of starters, mains and desserts. I had 2 vegetarian choices for starters and mains. Staff were friendly yet professional and we didn't feel hurried at any time.

We love the location and ambiance, however, the food has really gone downhill and is very difficult to get coffee after 9pm, because the 'machine is off'. Shame

Great food. Fantastic welcome. Comfortable surroundings. We have stayed in the hotel, lovely luxurious rooms. We often pop in for a drink and we have lunch and sometimes dinner. We love it!