The Old Forge Seafood Restaurant in North Norfolk

Four of us ate superb meals at this very warm and friendly restaurant last night. All the meals were so delicious from the home baked bread to the excellent deserts. I am dairy intolerant but this wasn’t a problem for Colin who came out from the kitchen and talked to me about what I wanted without me feeling I was being a nuisance. Next time we are back in Norfolk on holiday this restaurant will be the first I book. If you enjoy freshly prepared and cooked ingredients I cannot recommend this restaurant highly enough.

Another excellent meal cooked to perfection by the inimitable Colin. We always eat here whenever we are in the area and it never fails to satisfy. Colin’s signature dish of a melody of lobster, salmon and sea bass in a glorious lobster sauce is one of the best fish dishes we’ve ever had. Give him a call and book a table but don’t leave it to late!

Well what can I say about this place, from the time we arrived we were made to feel so welcome. Colin and his team couldn’t do enough for us. The breakfast was enough to set you up for the day and as for dinner wow it was fantastic. Would highly recommend this place to stay. Thank you for your hospitality cannot wait to visit again.

Where to start... a superb restaurant with comfortable accommodation. The seafood is the best I have ever eaten. Superb fresh produce cooked to perfection by the owner/chef. Classic food served as it should be. Cant wait until we are able to go back, worth the 200+ mile drive. If you visit you must try the Fruit de Mer, house special. Absolutely stunning, as were the scallops, moules mariner and bouillabaisse. The homemade ice cream was amazing, unfortunately we didn't manage a dessert on the second evening as the portions were substantial to say the least. Not forgetting Colins amazing homemade bread and garlic mayonnaise. Keep up the good work and hope to see you again very soon.

Have been wanting to go here for years and it did not disappoint. The food was lovely and the service was great. We will definitely be going again.

Ate here tonight. Can’t vouch for the accommodation but the food was spot on and the owner Colin was absolutely charming. He bakes his own bread of which Marie Antoinette would have been justly proud - it was like cake! For starters, I had the sizzling Spanish prawns and my wife the dressed crab. For the mains we both had the melody of lobster, salmon and sea bass in a creamy lobster sauce which apparently is one of Colin’s signature dishes and was truly to die for. A small, cosy restaurant, simply decorated but well worth a visit.

Nothing wrong at all...everything outstanding: choice, service, portion size and atmosphere. Seafood platter included crab and lobster... a full challenge to a foodie. Can not fault the place at all!

What a great evening. Excellent seafood, a lovely and authentic setting and the owner and staff brimming with personality. Can’t recommend it highly enough. We had a great evening eating excellent food and enjoying the buzz of the place. The price was spot on for the quality of the meal and wine. No problem paying a small cover where some establishments would charge you for bread etc. Happy to pay service on top as we got excellent service and enjoyed the whole experience.

Stayed at this property last night. On arrival we (2 elderly ladies) were met by the owner Colin. What an aggressive man. We were bombarded (whilst standing after a three hour journey) by his reception desk and subjected to his diatribe. This property is in need of an instant deep clean in the rooms and all areas. In both of our rooms the bedding was unacceptable and shabby and looked as though someone had slept in it before! The rooms were dirty to the extent that we slept on top of the bed and did not wish to use the shower as we had seen better in a hostel.The smell in the rooms was very musty and the kettle, lamp etc was covered in dust.We had booked dinner and to be fair it was average. Not great but ok.Breakfast was ok but not great.God help you Colin if this is what you deem 5*. It isn’t and you need to acknowledge that instead of living in the past. You can’t run forever...........

Hi, We had a fantastic meal at the old forge, cooked to perfection, thanks Colin and team.We had sizzling king prawns and scallops , garlic parsley snails, the home cooked brown bread was lovely n light. I had the Wok, filled with fresh lobster, white crab, meat, king prawns, scallops, cockles, shrimps and clams. Bloody lovely, lobster had been cooked in its own juices, rest in a white wine garlic parsley sauce, to dye for, mopped up the juices with more bread, the wife had Colin signature dish, lobster, sea bass and salmon, this was really nice to.I wanted some parfitta rolls and the home made ice cream but just to stuffed.Very nice atmosphere, nice rustic restaurant, no fancy frills, this is on the plate that does the talking.Colin and his wife comes round the restaurant talking to his customers, having a brief chat and joke with them.Ive seen the reviews about don't go there or the chef nasty or whatever,, go and find out for yourselves, book as it is a busy restaurant. Thanks for a lovely meal, not had a seafood feast like that since we was up in Oban, Scotland.

We always make our first booking of the week here when we visit Norfolk and once again, it didn’t disappoint. A great evening; fabulous fish and seafood, superb service and once again, don’t you just love seeing a chef who whenever he can, he comes to talk to his guests in the restaurant. Everything served fresh and promptly from the kitchen, piping hot and the homemade bread and aioli is almost worth a visit on it’s own. Wonderful staff, all appropriately masked / visored, tables safely placed - couldn’t ask for more. We love it here and will be back next time.

We love seafood and this was a great find, there is a good selection of shellfish and fish dishes. The hosts were lots of fun, the chef (who runs the restaurant) came and spoke to all of the diners, adding a personal touch. His wife, who was front of house was friendly, both made us feel welcome.The special seafood main was delicious, loaded with lobster, prawns, scallops and mussels and much more, the sea-bass was cooked beautifully and a great sized portion. The crevettes and scallops were mouth watering. We even had room for dessert, soooo glad we did the home-made ice-cream was amazing.We found The Old Forge, to be a great experience, thanks to the fabulous and quirky hosts. And good value too.

Great menu and amazing array of seafood choices. Colin the owner is quite a character and is clearly passionate about seafood and cooking. Not a large restaurant so definitely book in adavance.

Started with tiger prawns in garlic and chilli and dressed crab, went onto lobster and fish medley, drinks, cherry and custard crumble followed by coffee and entertainment from Colin, head chef, master of all he surveys, a gentleman, comic and great host....what’s not to love about dining at the Old Forge.We will be back next time we are this way, thankyou.

Silver Wedding evening with my wife. I have driven past this place a hundred times, always thinking 'i must go there one day'. Today we did! The food was superb, sizzling prawns, crevettes, scallops all cooked to perfection. The wife loved all her choices too. All served with bread and vegetables. Atmosphere is homely, all staff were very friendly and welcoming. Service was faultless and everyone in there was thoroughly enjoying themselves! Can't wait to go again, and we shall, and there will be more of us!

Came here for dinner with my partner and our two youngest (aged 17 and 11) a couple of weeks ago and had a very enjoyable meal. The restaurant itself is rather small and very homely with parking available. The owner/chef, Colin, is a real character and comes out several times during the evening to have a chat with customers – he’s quite entertaining and interesting, if not a little quirky!! The menu itself had a good selection of offerings at reasonable prices and once our order was placed we were provided with olives and a basket of homemade bread with creamy butter and also a delicious ali oli dip. For starters my daughter had the scallops – a generous serving of 5 huge, plump ones, cooked just right so they melted in the mouth, my son had the snails, a serving of 12 which he loved, my partner had eel, which was excellent and I had seven, juicy, shell on King Prawns, with mayonnaise and salad. For mains both of the children went for mussels and chips, which they really enjoyed, my partner had a fillet of fish and I had the lobster (good sized portion) these came with potatoes and vegetables. A great evening and tasty meal!

Colin, the chef, kindly managed to find us a table at our time of need when the rest of Norfolk was fully booked. He went on to serve an excellent meal. The atmosphere in the restaurant was friendly and informal and there was some amusing banter with other diners. We had a most enjoyable evening and we'll definitely make a return visit next time we're in the area.

This was the second time we have visited and based on what we told her about our previous experience our daughter decided she would like this for a family birthday meal.We are all seafood lovers and the variety on the menu is excellent. The menu isn't exactly the same as that on the website as the supply of fish and seafood is ever changing. We all had starters which were very good and then all four of us opted for the truly enormous seafood platter. Each plate was a seafood orgy. I won't attempt to list everything, but I would say that I was the only one who came close to finishing. Fortunately my wife asked if we could put what we had left in a doggy bag and the staff obliged. We left with two large cartons of crab, lobster, smoked salmon etc.The food was wonderful. The service was excellent. I never give 5 stars, but I have made an exception this time. The food was not cheap, but my daughter will only have one 21st so we treated ourselves. Highly recommended.

We had an excellent experience at The Old Forge, the staff extremely helpfull and the owner / chef Colin was an excellent host,answering questions about his restaurant and his `catch`.We always source a seafood restaurant as its our favourite.Our meal was gorgeous, fresh oysters etc.Will definitely be booking again on our return to Norfolk.A little gem.Mark & Karen, Derby

Don'to go here. The food was over priced for the quality and my casserole was soooo salty even for the heartiest savoury palette. Some of teh fish had been overcooked and were very chewy. The waitress staff were friendly and helpful, but the owner was rude. Really wish we had gone elsewhere.

This restaurant was visited as a long awaited family get together;.having researched the menu via the web one would have expected a first class sea food meal as the menu on web site was extensive and prices appeared reasonable.This was not the case, the web site menu stated prices for a 3 course set menu £21.50 and a 2 course set menu £18,50,on arrival we were only offered the Al A CARTE menu at inflated prices with limited item to choose. When the meals arrived they were served on cold plates with cold food,the crab had been frozen and had no taste at all also all the fish dishes were cold on arrival at the table.

Our family of seven visited the Old Forge last week for an evening meal. We all ordered different starters and main courses and all thoroughly enjoyed our meals. The accompanying vegetables were well cooked and plentiful and the bread was delicious. Highlights were the fish soup, scallops, bouillabaisse and swordfish. We had eaten out at several gastro pubs prior to this and all agreed that our meal at the Old Forge was the best ! Thank you Colin and team for looking after us !

Should have run a mile when we saw how long the menu was: no restaurant can have that much fresh seafood on the premises. And certainly not a small roadside inn miles from the Norfolk coast. The owner talks a good talk about the magic he works in the kitchen but we saw little evidence of this on the plate. The home-baked bread was good but everything else was ho hum. The fish soup looked and tasted like it came from the same pot as the bouillabaisse. All the fish and seafood had clearly come from the freezer but was charged at fresh-off-the-boat prices. And to top it all off, they slap on a mystery £2 service charge per head. We came because the place had so many good reviews – which seem totally inexplicable to us now that we've actually eaten there!

Had a meal here after reading recommendations. Very disappointed, my cold prawn started used frozen prawns with little taste. Main was Cod on king prawns with brown shrimp, Cod was obviously from frozen and completely tasteless, the king prawns just the same, from frozen and again tasteless, only the scattering of brown shrimp had any hint of flavour. The Lady on the next table had the same and had to send the fish back as it was cold!!! The meal was served with roast mini potatoes that had obviously been cooked god knows how long ago and just reheated. All very disappointing.The owner/cook needs to call it a day and hire a good young chef, as we got the feeling from his constant presence around the tables that he had had enough, moaning about this and that. The place seems to be fully booked most nights but i don't know why. When i picked my serviet up of the pine table half of it stayed stuck!!!!Never again.

A really friendly place to stay with excellent food available in the restaurant downstairs. All home comforts in a clean cosy double room with small en-suite shower/toilet at reasonable cost: small car park available. Hosts even provided a list of cleaning protocols they use to reduce risk of Covid to reassure me. Highly recommend this small b&b which is very handy for Walsingham now that pilgrim accommodation is unavailable this season

So happy we found this place! The food was absolutely delicious and there is also a very good bottle of Chablis on the wine list. Struggling to recommend just one thing from the menu as everything we had was lovely but our mains of the seafood medley and the sea bass were amazing. Definitely squeeze in a desert, we both had the black cherry crumble and it was heaven in a bowl. Chef Colin and the team were great, will 100% be coming back when we’re next in the area.

The food is nice but after having paid over 80 Pounds for the two of us we had to go through the whole Brexiteer saga of 'taking back control' and all this xenophobic rubbish, I would never go back there again, that was not the kind of evening that I had imagined and it has left me quite upset.

My husband and I went here tonight for a meal , it was amazing , the restaurant was beautiful , with the most beautiful pictures around the room The food was out of this world and the service was excellent The fish was the best I’ve hard. Everything was fresh and the presentation was lovely The Bread. Wow the bread was the best We where made to feel welcome all night We will be back !!!! Thank you for the lovely valentines rose too

Our first time to this cosy little restaurant and hopefully not our last. Friendly efficient service. The freshest of seafood, my husband had a prawn cocktail which was just overflowing with prawns. The scallops were the best I have ever eaten. Just a pity we could not linger over our meal as we were going to the show at Thursford.

A small, well run restaurant - staff, food & atmosphere great- just a couple of miles from the Christmas extravaganza - also do a pre show menu - a good ending to a fabulous day

I had read a considerable amount of reviews before booking this accommodation and wasn't sure what to expect. We found the host and hostess to be very friendly and welcoming. The rooms were small, but not given the very reasonable cost, they were clean, comfortable and suited our needs. It is Clear that the hostess, Sarah puts a lot of effort into making sure everything is done well and the waitresses were excellent. One might describe the Host "Chef" as quirky and forthright, but I enjoyed his banter and I certainly enjoyed his food. The food is not cheap, but our food was very high quality, and therefore reasonably priced. It was a very small drive to the Thursford venue, which made the whole experience outstanding. Hope to book again next year.

WOW, Great Host Colin and, chef and so friendly. Wonderful atmosphere. Small seafood restaurant . Booking advised . Wonderful menu.

Very poor customer service- I rang to enquire about a children’s menu (ie smaller portions) to be informed that they don’t allow children due to the acoustics being affected in the restaurant which is frankly unacceptable and very strange.

A delightful evening for my partner's birthday.The chef/patron, Colin, is a very enthusiastic host and an excellent chefThe baked crab starter was super and I should have ordered the starter portion of moules instead of the main course - struggled manfully on until the bowl was almost empty.

I phoned this restaurant as we were interested in booking a table for a meal on my husband's birthday as he really loves seafood. However on phoning I enquired as to whether they had a children's menu and was shocked that the man that answered the phone said that only older well behaved children were welcome and that all children should eat seafood, his daughter had when she was young and that if he had to, he would begrudgingly cook a sausage and chips if he had to. The man then proceeded in stating that they only allow well behaved children in the restaurant as it was for people that ate seafood. He then started to mention global warming at which point he stopped abruptly as I think someone in the background had told him to be quiet.Now if this man that answered the phone enquired as to the age of the children or asked if they were well behaved I might have been able to have a conversation but instead I struggled to get a word in edgeways - A children's menu to me means smaller portions that are available not necessarily "fast food" which I gather is what he assumed.Needless to say our family did not frequent the establishment and nor shall I ever visit in the future.

Wonderful service and hosts Colin, Sarah and Georgina and all the team members. Fabulous food and super options. Absolutely delicious.

Rang up to book on a Saturday night and was amazed when we were given a table at short notice. Upon arrival we were greeted warmly by Sarah and Colin (owners and proprietors). The menu was extensive with an extra specials board. I would have happily ate anything and everything on the menu - it all sounded delicious. Eventually settled on a crayfish starter, and cod and prawn main. My partner had prawns to start followed by scallops and crevettes main. This came with potatoes and vegetables and fresh home made bread. The food was absolutely amazing, completely fresh flavours and cooked to perfection. I cannot rate this place enough and would definitely aim to return if I'm ever in the area. Amazing!

As a bit of a seafood addict I was delighted to find this place on google. We only live 45 mins away but didn’t know it existed!

When we arrived Colin made us very welcome. He clearly explained about breakfast and we were asked at what time we would like to have it. The dinner in the restaurant on Saturday night was excellent and the service was superb. The homemade bread by Colin and garlic mayonaise was very tasty. We would definitely recommend this B&B; and return again when in Norfolk.

This was our first visit to The Olde Forge Seafood Restaurant so we were unsure of what the food would be like and portion sizes etc, however we need not have worried as everything was first class from the friendly welcome as we arrived, not only from Colin and Sarah, but all the staff to the bitter served in a proper pint mug. Lets not forget the food, and OMG, the food it was incredible, it was a little pricey but when you see what comes on your plate you can see why it costs so much and the flavours are just amazing and the portion sizes are huge.

Stayed for 2 nights, at £50 A night you can't go wrong, was greeted with open arms very pleasant owners and staff,small rooms but wasn't a problem they were clean and coffee and tea replenished on second day,had a evening meal on Saturday witch was lovely, wouldn't bother with the breakfast, bear in mind that this is a 14 century building not the Ritz, would stop again if visiting the area.

Our party of 4 ate here on Wednesday evening. We were staying in the area and whilst searching around on line for somewhere good locally stumbled on good reviews for this little gem. Such a pleasant surprise to find a fish restaurant inland. All of us enjoyed our choices and my lobster stew was delicious. Wish we had similar near us in Sussex. We love Norfolk and will be back to eat here again I hope next visit.

Staying in the area, we both enjoy seafood so checked the menu online and decided to book for our last night. Arrived to a strange phone conversation going on between the owner and who I suspect was a customer but hey these things happen. The décor is somewhat dated but we seated and ordered drinks, the olives on the table where ok but I suspect brined which for me is not good. We chose from the a la carte menu but not given any confirmation of the vegetables on offer. Starters were ok, as were the main courses but the serving and vegetables certainly lack any sort of finesse and would think the greens were microwaved or at least over boiled. We did not have desserts but still hit mid £40's per head and I feel the whole experience does not match the costs.

I popped into here with my business partner Sean and a client for a lunch meeting and i have to say the food was great and so was the service . Thank you all very much.

Time and time again they do it.. provide excellent local, and international dishes, personally cooked by the owner and served to your table. 8 people, 8 Different dishes, all superb and everyone said what a great night. They are extremely busy (it’s small) so it’s not overpacked but they close early and it’s just one sitting. So book early to avoid disappointment.. unless you call and you can try and twist Colin’s arm.. specials, menu, choose what you want. The scallops take some beating.. but it all does.

Visited The Old Forge Restaurant again on this visit to Norfolk. Colin and Sarah are superb hosts and Colin is a master in the kitchen. Had the Fruits de Mer and although it is a lot of money, you certainly get more than your monies worth. If you want to go to the best seafood restaurant in Norfolk, you won’t go wrong coming here. Definitely recommended and worth the trip.

My Family visited this beautiful restaurant on Saturday night and what a delight it was. Initial meet and greet to leaving was a lovely experience. New restaurant owners need to pay this place a visit if they want to learn how to run a bootique restaurant. The chief greeted every guest with a smile and a joke.

My partner and I stayed this weekend. (room 3)

Me and my girlfriend stayed here for a night to get away to the coast for the weekend and we wanted to be close to Wells as it’s one of our favourite beaches, the location for this was wonderful as it was only a 10 minute drive away. The price compared to any other option in the area was cheaper by over half and therefore we wasn’t expecting much but god was we wrong!

We stayed here for a few nights but didn't dine. Upon arrival, we were welcomed nicely and headed to our room. We noticed there was lots of cob webs in our room and on the landing, there was some rubbish left obviously from previous customers too. Unless you're a heavy sleeper its quite hard to get a good nights rest as its right next to a busy road. We were offered breakfast but declined as it was £12,50.. which we found rather pricey just for a breakfast. the hot water ran out after about 3-4 minutes of pouring which then delayed our events as we had to wait a very long time!

food delicious, owner is the chef and talks to all patrons after cooking meal, he could do with ironed trousers and a clean apron on . But food was good.

Eating at this fab restaurant is part of our yearly pilgrimage to Thursford. My family and friends have been eating at The Old Forge for many many years and Sarah and Colin are always so friendly and welcoming. Colin is a great Chef and the food is very fresh and tasty. Great menu choices.

We arrived early for a pre Thursford Christmas show and were greeted warmly and after ordering a bottle of wine from the excellent wine list we were shown to our table in the small but cosy dining area. The smells from the kitchen were inviting. The staff were attentive, knowledgeable and gave wonderful service. The fish was well cooked with great flavours. The home cooked bread and butter pudding with prunes and Armagnac finished the meal perfectly. The appearance of he Chef/Owner was much appreciated. Don't miss this gem of a restaurant if you are in the area.

But we enjoyed it. This place is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea. We had a nice meal here but it wasn’t top dining so don’t expect it. The owner/chef is an engaging individual and chats to the diners, but if you’re easily offended by Brexit type topics then probably best not to engage. I had a great prawn cocktail and cod which was all well cooked and tasty. Worth a visit by all means and you can get a potted history of the local goings on if you like to have a chat.

Where do I start? TripAdvisor needs a category like Which? that rates items "best buy" and "don't buy". The Old Forge is definitely a "don't buy" on so many levels. My recommendation is to read all the low ratings for this restaurant carefully because chances are you will agree more with them than you will with the high ratings.

Took our elderly friends here for a meal whilst visiting them in Norfolk. We had eaten here twice before about ten years ago and enjoyed the food then but this time it was even better! Enjoyed every course and the lovely house red wine. Staff were very patient and efficient and love the fact that the owner/chef takes the time to come out and speak to his customers. Our friends had always wanted to try the restaurant and were not disappointed!

By far the best seafood restaurant anywhere around this area. Run by the owners (husband is the chef). you can chat with the chef, who may sit with you at your table for a short time. Interesting somewhat unusual operation, nice menu selections, all perfectly cooked. You'll probably need to book.

We returned to this restaurant having not visited the area for 7 years, but had frequented it probably 5 or 6 times in the previous 10 years. Colin is still a first class chef and makes everyone welcome. This time there were a number of "locals" who obviously eat there regularly. The sea food is also exceptional.

What an interesting restaurant this is. Called at lunchtime to book but found it shut, however the door was opened by the owner who invited us in and we decided to book for dinner. One sitting only and not many covers. Atmosphere was very welcoming. The seafood was fabulous. Made the mistake of ordering two very rich dishes as starter and main, so unable to finish main meal, which was a shame as it was soòo good. Would definitely come again but as portions are big and dishes very rich would have a lighter starter or just a main. Our host was fabulous and we had a good evening.

We visited The Old Forge Sea Food Restaurant on Friday August 17, 2018 - and I can confidently say that it’s by far the best Sea Food I’ve eaten in UK. The service, the staff, the atmosphere were all fantastic and the chef (Colin) was an absolute star.

Great seafood. Colin is a character (aren't we all) and tells it like it is, which perhaps belies his kind heart. The restaurant is unassuming though pleasant and relaxed, and the seafood the most classic of classic. Quality ingredients well-prepared and beautifully cooked with butter, garlic, herbs and lovely sauces (not all of these necessarily with each dish...), and served with understated elegance.

My friends and I ate here and the food was absolutely amazing. Excellent service and the chef even came out to greet everyone to check they were ok in between course. A really quaint little restaurant and very accommodating. Would definately recommend.

Outstanding food. Delicious smoked eel starter and fabulous dish of scallops and crevettes. Very well cooked sea bass. Don't miss the homemade garlic mayonnaise and bread.(complimentary) - very morish! Good atmosphere. I would advise booking for 6.30 -7pm (normal for Norfolk) rather than later as service finishes quite early. We were slightly put off by previous comments about the owner - never fear! He is harmless.

We had a wonderful seafood lunch here.The food was delicious!!!!! Colin and Sarah were super in organising the menu and the arrangements. Looking forward to retuning again when we visit Norfolk!

The menu is unique and food the was good, the place is a little quirky but quite friendly. I had the crayfish starter which was OK (I added a little butter which accompanied the bread - better) and the monk fish main which was lovely, the accompanying veg was also very good.

Excellent food friendly service overseen by the chef proprietor and his wife. Can't be beaten if you ate into fish.

Unpleasant experience with this restaurant, not for the food but with the landlord. Being Belgian tourists staying that day in Cambridge, I phoned him and said that we would be the next day in his area and that we wanted to book a table. He was quitte friendly and said that he had been in Belgium not so long ago. Everything fine than.

If you love fish and seafood, this is the place for you. We had a fabulous experience from the booking to the welcome, the service, the ambience and of course, the food. It’s lovely to see a chef with such a high profile “front of house” and his team are fantastic. The food was fabulous and we rebooked that night for later in the week. The menu plus the specials give such a wide range of options, it was difficult to choose but the mussels, baked avocado with crab, Dover sole and cod with prawns didn’t disappoint. We are looking forward to our next visit!

Had high expectations based on previous reviews; we were not disappointed. All of the usual things (food, service, atmosphere) were fantastic, but we were not expecting such an entertaining evening. Colin is an absolute legend - We felt totally privileged to have spent an evening with him - smart, funny, highly entertaining, and a delicious meal.

Myself and my wife had a lovely meal at the Old Forge I could not fault the food it was perfectly cooked and well presented, staff and service also excellent and nice to see a chef in the restaurant talking to all the customers and making sure that everyone was happy.

Had dinner at the Old Forge on 14th June for the first time. Small bar with comfortable settees for drinks including ale while selecting meals. Very good wide menu with steak and lamb shank for those in the party not fish eaters. Orders prepared in good time and we were shown to a table. Meal was excellent including potatoes and mixed veg in price of meal. Prices maybe a pound or two above average but well worth the extra. Attentive staff including a welcome from Colin the owner/chef. Well worth a visit.

Sea food to die for, the moules and the lobster were great. Colin was a brilliant host (and chef). Thanks for an unforgettable meal!

I had a brilliant meal which was cooked by the Colin the Chef, as I have an allergy to Garlic, Colin made me a special meal of Prawn cocktail starter followed by Sea Bass. Yummie! Thanks also to the staff for their service.

Wifey and myself had our first date here and over the last 5 or 6 years have returned Many times, never having anything other than quality food. We both feel Colin and Sarah are fantastic hosts. Last night we both had very fresh and plump Ostyers for starters, followed by sea bass for wifey which she said was cooked beautifully and a Hugh bowl of mussels for myself which again where cooked to perfection and certainly not overpowered by the sauce with only a small amount of cream. I find many places cook mussels with far to much cream, not here. Dessert for me was beard n butter pudding, boring, NOT A CHANCE, it was prune and armagnac bread and butter pudding. A top quality dessert. Will we return, of course we will.

Colin, Sarah & staff were friendly and accommodating. Our seafood was of a high standard and perfectly cooked. Would not hesitate to return there.

First visit to eat. Do not go there. Food mediocre and extremely overpriced, dry hard crumbly home made bread. What is the £2 cover charge for each person in addition to menu price? Draughty dates scruffy eating area which the owner/chef told us was not a restaurant but his sitting room and he said he couldn’t care less what was put on trip advisor .... I agree with an earlier comment that someone out in here that the people who raves about it obviously do not get out to eat often. We will not be going again. I am not even going to rate it as it was that bad.

A great choice of food Colin the chef and owner is one of a kind and I mean that in a good way .very friendy and help youself bar and just tell him what you have taken .GREAT relaxed atmosphere.

Our forth visit to the old forge the Colin and his wife run a excellent restaurant with help from their wonderful staff . The menu and food were as always excellent we look forward to retuning in the new year.

Stayed in a room above the restaurant and had dinner on the Saturday evening, a very small place with plenty of character and run by a fellow who had the most fantastic attitude, he even told us to help ourselves at the bar. Colin turned out to be the Chef as well, the food was great, the restaurant, full of nice people and all in all a great experience.

A wonderful menu that left me spoiled for choice. A lovely cosy little restaurant with an intimate atmosphere. The food was cooked to a very high standard. The staff were very friendly,especially the chef/owner. If I lived in Norfolk I would be a regular.

we loved it here was told stopped serving food at 7.45 .E mailed them and said we couldb=nt get there till 8. The owner phoned me and said he would book us a table for 8 and serve us .We arrived just before 8 and Colin and his wife were so friendly .Food was lovely I had the crab for starters and my husband had the prawn cocktail and said it was full of prawns , My husband not a great seafood lover so had steak and said it was lovely .I had the skate wing which again was lovely .Our bill came to £104 we both had 2 courses and 2 bottles of wine .For the quality of the food didnt think that was too bad .We stayed for 2 nights and room was clean and comfortable.cooked breakfast in the morning was great .If you dont have a dry sense of humour or get offended to easily not for you .But we found Colin funny and didnt minf him chatting to us .His wife was lovely and friendly too we will def go back

Small seafood restaurant run by a lovely couple. Excellent food, cooked to order and efficient service. Did not know what to expect but there is a fixed price menu and an a la carte menu. Spoilt for choice.

Glorious food in fabulous setting. A warm welcome every time we visit from Sarah, Colin and the super team with the most wonderful seafood.

we ate here last week as a birthday treat meal. We had passed it several times and really fancied the idea of stopping.

Mi esposa y yo comimos allí dos veces el año pasado y nos gustó tanto que hizo un punto de venir de nuevo cuando en la misma zona de este año. Disfrutamos de la comida. El menú es una ganga. El propietario, Colin, es un afable muchacho amable y nos aseguraremos de que volveremos.

The restaurant decor is very dated . Tries to be continental with the ambience and music but it does not work. I requested a gin and tonic and asked if there were any choices I was told no . Just Gordons!I ordered crayfish which arrived in an inch of water. I had a cod main course which was very ordinary and very expensive £18.00 . We sat near the kitchen and the microwave was going on and off the whole time. Not good in a seafood restaurant!Our total bill for 2 courses including a very overpriced ordinary bottle of wine was £98.00 . This included £4.00 cover charge presumably for 4 tiny pieces of tasteless bread.We will never return!

Owner will not let you alone actually sits at your table and talks endlessly. Expensive but reasonably good food.

Ate at this restaurant twice whilst staying in one of their bed and breakfast rooms. There is an extensive fish menu with some really nice dishes,swordfish in a beautiful sauce and the lobster casserole were excellent. I made the mistake of having a starter the first night so didn't have enough room for one of their delicious desserts but rectified this error on our second night.Serving staff are very friendly and attentive,Colin the owner/chef is a character!There are alternatives to fish should you be so inclined.

spent three nights here , yes the small double is small , but spotlessly clean , tea and coffee and shower products . The host and staff couldn't have been friendlier and the breakfast was well cooked , hot and set us up for our days exploring this beautiful part of the country . Value for money , definitely , being new pet owners we've stayed in some dire places with our dog , the old forge ? A gem found at last ! Many thanks again to Colin and his staff

Spent 2 very comfortable nights here. It is a restaurant with rooms so dont expect the trimmings of a hotel. The welcome by the owner was very genuine and friendly. The room was small but spotlessly clean and comfortable. I did not take dinner as had other plans but breakfast was delicious and served by friendly and effecient staff.

Raving expensive for well below average food . Never removed the roe or muscle off the scallops, any decent chef knows that, incredibly chewy , crayfish tails over cooked, shellfish casserole tasted like it was cooked in the ocean , so salty, we didn't risk desert , 93 pounds for that rubbish, never again!!! Reviews that say it's fabulous, I find amazing, they obviously can't be going out very often, give it a wide berth .

I've driven past this restaurant many times always thinking must try it ,and I'm so glad I did .Nothing to disappoint the ambiance ,staff and owner all amazing , and the food was superb .In Fact that's the only problem what to choose there was so much I wanted .Even catered for my daughter who is a vegetarian with a lovely mushroom stroganoff .Highly recommended

Been meaning to write this review for years , sorry Colin & Sarah..I love this place small, but gorgeous, no bells and whistles, just honest good food , great service, great prices , man sized portions, some say Colin is the rick stein of Norfolk, I disagree, there is no pretentiousness here...Just a great place to stay and eat..

We went before the Thursford collection - it ticked all the right boxes. Clean and tidy restaurant all-but a tad cold.Good menu but doesn't represent the prices on their website - misleading regarding the set menu choices. Great choice of seafood with some meaty mains but we all found the fish over cooked and dated with the presentation and style. The bill was over £200 for 4 adults and 2 children and we didn't all have a full meal or wine. You also pay extra for not so fresh bread - you feel they are after every penny especially with over kill from the chef / owner coming round charging his political views and opinions - could be humorous but not for everyone.We were all disappointed with the quality and delivery and the inflated prices for essentially what it was a 70's style overcooked seafood dated menu restaurant.But then again it does seem to have a big local following and I always appreciate a family local independent restaurant.A few weeks and it could be so much better -

Stayed overnight for the Thursford Christmas spectacular ate in the restaurant first class food I had sea bass and my wife had the rump steak which was cooked to perfection I tried a small piece and it was so tender I cut it with my fish knife. The bedroom (number 1) was very comfortable with what you would expect a b&b to have next morning breakfast was the same quality as the evening meal would definitely recommend. Thanks Colin and staff.

My wife and I stayed in the B&B overnight and had the pleasure of eating in the restaurant prior to visiting the Thursford Christmas spectacular. A very welcoming owner, his wife and his staff really looked after us. The food was delicious and the prices are comparable to a restaurant of this stature. Would definitely visit again if we were in the area.

We booked the restaurant because it was close to The Thursford Spectacular & one of our party is a pescitarian, with the others loving fish and seafood. First of all the website is a tad misleading as mentions a set 2 course for £18.50 and 3 course for £21.50 but items are limited when you get there a fish soup, a cold hordourves & ?, mains were salmon, lamb shank or steak at £3 extra, with lemon meringue and one other. On the website it lists a host of dishes but they are all priced individually but no prices on line starters up to £12 each, mains average £15 - £17, desserts not priced on board, we only found out when we got the bill. You also get charged £2 per person as a cover charge for some doughy, cold slightly hard bread. There were 6 of us and the bill came to £202, I just had one main course and water, my 2 children had the set 2 course meal. So very over priced for what it was. My daughters crab was lovely, my sons fish soup not so good - although all the accompaniments were good. The hordourves were just some prawns, some crayfish and some white anchovies on shredded iceberg lettuce with a cherry tomato. My hubby had king prawns Spanish style - over booked lacked flavour, he added salt. My main was king prawn and scollops served in a paella pot for £17 - ok but again over cooked and the scollops hadn't had the mussel removed. The salmon from the set menu was very over cooked. The lamb in mint sauce was suspiciously re-heated possibly bought in. Colin the owner and chef did make a big play on coming round to see everyone, not always a good idea and very dated - he gave pleasure in saying everything wasn't from Break Bros but when some ingredients are from the freezer and others over cooked! The food was basically old fashioned, 70's style, ok, sort of acceptable for a dinner party but when your paying top dollar you expect top quality. We asked for a some chips for the kids as one had ordered steak, but only got chips - no other potatoes. My son did ask for a medium rare steak and got well done, dry but we did complain and he was very good at apologising, making the excuse that medium to well done was written down by his wife - and my son got a rare one back, nearly moo-iing. The vegetables were good well cooked broccoli, carrots and french beans - enough for all. But I wasn't sure when Colin came round again to inform us we had 16 different dishes all freshly cooked, when he said that the first thing he had done that morning was cook the vegetables and we had them re-heated up. Was it a joke was he being truthful - who knows.My dad had a gooseberry mouse - it seemed like tinned gooseberries with whipped cream served in a ramekin with a 70's place cherry on top - one of our party had green figs - not fresh with cream at £4.50, we only knew that when we got the very large bill.the restaurant all but cold is nicely decorated with wooden tables and chairs, not so clean cork mats and tasteful rustic decor.Maybe a locals place, maybe a good place for fish loves who like it on the well cooked side - not a foodie paradise, food to eat not food to love.

We have been coming here once a year for the past 5 years and the food has always been cooked to perfection. The fish soup is lovely and the salmon was perfection. The pan fried dishes of prawns and scallops are always excellent. In spite of only turning up here before our Thursford Spectacular visit we are always welcomed as old acquaintances and treated hospitably.

Went On Saturday evening and yet again had a wonderful seafood meal. This time we had the bass fillets with tarragon butter and cod with prawns and brown shrimp. We have decided to work our way through the entire menu. As this was our third visit, I am now rather confident that everything served here is going to be a delicious treat for anyone that can appreciate seafood.

Close to Holt, North Norfolk, for 20 years Colin has offered to cook fish just the way you want it- just ask in advance. There is also a fixed and an a la carte menu. Try hot lobster the way you used to have it. It's close to the Thursford Theatre (must pre-book ) and last week the Forge was full at 4 pm. allowing plenty of time for the 7 pm show. They have a friendly way of trying to please. There are not many real fish restaurants left- this is one of them.CANDANorfolkuk-10