The Pond in Brighton and Hove

Nice little pub. Bit cramped and very little seating but they have a decent selection of beers on tap. Good little stop off if there's space

In the past, this place tried and succeeded to be a locals bar. The vibe was great and the staff were fab. Now, it has picked a direction, and makes everyone else feel uncomfortable. I walked in at 2pm, on a Tuesday (March 2024). There were 3 staff behind the bar. A pub which used to welcome you with a smile, now you feel like an inconvenience. If the staff can’t recognise someone who they have served more than 7 times over 2 months… you’re not the bar I want to drink in

Amazing Bao Buns and great atmosphere. Would definitely go back!

Delicious bao buns and corn with a hazy ipa. Perfect for a Thursday lunch 😋

Sooooo delicious!! The in-house pale ale is a great pairing with the food and easy to drink for someone who doesn’t usually like beer.

The food was incredible, good variety of dishes and they were full of flavour. The street corn is a must try!

Been visiting the Pond for years and it's always a fantastic experience. The beer selection is ever changing and always has plenty of options for every type of beer drinker. The food is absolutely exceptional. Their signature bao buns never disappoint and I've never tried a side I didn't thoroughly enjoy. Service is great too with very professional, friendly, and efficient staff. We will continue returning again and again

Good bao buns but flavourless expensive vegetable sides and the chip portions are stingy

Great quality food at a decent price. One bao bun and side is around £14, so a meal. Welcoming staff and nice atmosphere. Dogs are also welcome.

Love this place but the food quality has dropped as has portion size. Great little pub, location and friendly staff, but food isn't as good as it was

Would give a zero if possible. Went in wanting to watch football was told they don’t have it on which is fair enough however we then wanted to get one drink before going somewhere else was then refused service “because they are full” however we saw multiple go in after us and get served!! Will not be returning.

Great food but quite a small, two level, pub so book if you're keen as it's very popular.

A brilliant little pub with great food! Staff were all lovely too! Can get very busy here, so get in quick and enjoy the atmosphere!!!

Always vibey and usually full. Good lively selection of craft beers -- not much in the way of traditional ales or bitters. Great bao buns, although maybe a bit oversalted, on the day we tried them. Can be hard to get a table. Possible to reserve a table via email, but the turnaround on emails is quite slow.

What can I say, except....world class Bao Buns. Simple as that. The best I've tasted anywhere and they happen to be in a slightly out of the way pub in Brighton. The beer is also worth visiting, a great selection. The Bao buns? Worth a long long detour. Happily, and will be back.

Had one of the best street food inspired meals ever , mat knows his stuff, rare to find something so special. The team were amazing, lovely attitude, attention to detail and just enthusiasm, which in this, my industry is rarely seen now... bao buns, omg, soft, delicate and delicious, corn to die for, all cooked fresh, hot and served quickly, £30 for two, bargain...smashed it out the park!!

A great find for craft beer. Was very busy when we arrived and you could see why. Staff very friendly, the food looked outstanding (we didn’t eat)

Popped in for some craft beer and wasn’t disappointed. Great selection, friendly staff and the food looked great (we didn’t eat)

Great little Brighton boozer. Ticks so many boxes. Food is excellent. Great value. Tasty. Staff are super friendly and cannot do enought for you. Super dog friendly which is always nice.

We went for dinner and the place is amazing and the food was delicious.The service was excellent and the staff are very nice

My local pub in brighton where staff are super friendly and nice, beer selection is amazing, great cocktails and the best baos

Arrived in an off mood. Misunderstanding over a reservation left me potentially more upset than was necessary. The manager, after an initial disagreement, offered an apology of genuine humility which floored me. A gem of a human being. And worth her weight to any employer. The pond has always been my favourite. I will be back. Laura

Incredible food - we will be back!

Great bao buns, beer and service, some of the best I've had . I need to fill up the minimum characters needed xxx

Nice and tucked away pub with a ever changing selection of guest beers on tap. Recently they had Lost Piers Fruit Machine on tap which is a favourite of mine. Staff always seem happy and friendly.

I have been a few times and always found a nice buzzing atmosphere here. Good selection of craft beers (no cask on this visit) only popped in for a half and was not disappointed.

Delicious buns, buzzy atmosphere. We loved it.

Second time visiting this place and it still knocks it out of the park. Mouth watering bao buns, fried chicken and loaded fries are washed down with local pale ales alike to give another satisfied customer a reason to go stop by. We also had the minced pork spring rolls with a nutty sauce to boot! Special on the day had karage chicken (on the bone thigh) with a Sichuan hot honey sauce and dill pickles. Plenty of bao buns which were incredible and I've had the loaded fries in the past - also exceptional. Local beers are selected from the specials pale ale board, which is updated daily. There should be a beer for your liking. I look forward to it every time I go down to Brighton.

Wowsers! The best thing I've ever eaten said my boyfriend of the pork belly bao bun! I've got to agree, it was incredibly nice. And not very expensive at all for brighton. What an absolute gem!

I was in the nether for a quick tasty pub lunch and The Pond absolutely smashed it out of the park. Had their special (pork curry & chips with pickled chilli peppers and fried onions, and a pint of beer whose name escapes me. It was just perfect. Staff were friendly and the food was served quickly. On top of that the food was absolutely delicious.

Delicious food and great drinks. Service was great too.

Best bao buns in the world & great beer

ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC. We returned here after being away for a year. Always excellent food, a great drinks selection, and great service. A must if you’re ever in Brighton.

Great spot with great food, drinks and a friendly atmosphere. Would definitely recommend to anyone visiting Brighton and looking for a place for lunch or dinner!

I don’t remember passing by the Pond and I didn’t have the desire to get in. Always has amazing neighborhood vibes and everyone seems having fun. We kept as our last stop and I’m so glad that we didn’t eat before. The Bao was amazing all we had is vegan and there were more to try, hopefully for the next time 😉

Very tasty food. I can recommend the Pond pale ale.

Small but perfectly formed pub with Baby Bao in the kitchen. We had Prawn toast and spring rolls the first time and it was more than enough to send us back there again to try the wonderful Bao Buns...again superb. Give it a go if you have the time, places like this deserve your custom, your support and they care.

Small but perfectly formed pub with Baby Bao in the kitchen. We had Prawn toast and spring rolls the first time and it was more than enough to send us back there again to try the wonderful Bao Buns...again superb. Give it a go if you have the time, places like this deserve your custom, your support and they care.

Could have been a 5 if the sharing plates weren’t small portions. Strange to do odd numbers of chicken for a sharing plate as well…

Lovely cocktails x great location Can’t wait to try the food mmmmmmm

It's a very small pub with delicious bao buns and cocktails with nice presentations. However we didn't like the fries which were very greasy.

Hidden on the corner is the Pond, a small, cosy (some would say too cramped) pub with an eclectic, hip vibe on two floors and a small outside. Personally loved this little place and felt right in the heart of Brighton’s hustle and bustle.

Having been twice now to The Pond, the food and service has been awesome. Once with friends and the second with the wife. The food is cooked perfectly and arrives rather promptly. Sticky Chicken being a firm favourite!

We had the tofu bao buns and loaded fries. Each were very tasty but not perhaps as good as we have had in the past. The tofu wasn’t crispy and is no longer served with cucumber. The fries were significantly less loaded than we’ve had in the past. Still very nice but noteably more frugal. The quality felt slightly less than expected which was a shame. To be fair the bar the pond previously set was high so although it dipped on the visit it was still very good. The pond water was very well received! No alcohol free beer unfortunately. Staff were super friendly.

Good Asian pub food at a reasonable price with a variety of beers to choose from. The staff is service minded and friendly. Worth another visit.

Always an enjoyable experience at The Pond, I've never pre-booked, but I've always found it easy to get a walk-in table, even if it's a short wait. Staff are very friendly and happy to advise on the selection of beers and menu items

Great pub, great beers, great bao!

I’ve visited the pond a couple of times in the past, I won’t be returning. Staff are rude and condescending, whilst lacking in training or knowledge of craft beer. Cocktails are extremely overpriced for the quality, and very very sweet. Food was great, it’s a shame the restaurant (Baby Bao) is housed in the pub. They also added a service charge for the absolute bare minimum of “service”, which is not stated on any of the menus, feels sneaky and pushy

One of my favourite pubs by far in Brighton, the beer choice is excellent and always has great variety. Third time going for Bao Buns and they do not disappoint! Super high quality food as ever, great flavours and such a creative menu. I am a little sad to see they no longer have the Butternut Squash panko bao buns with the pineapple relish as they are by far the best thing I’ve tried on the menu, and no longer do the gochujang Mac and cheese bites. But everything they’ve still got is excellent, can’t wait till next time!

Thanks to these guys I fell in love with bao. Never tried before and now I want more and more.

The food here is very tasty and recommended. Bao Buns and sides are all very good. Good range of beer. Limited range of wine but good none the less. Cocktails reasonably priced. Come for the bao buns but try the sides and pickles. The watermelon pickle is a revelation and the sticky chicken is so much better than it sounds. Prawn toast a bit expensive for what it was but still good. £30 ph including drinks and service was reasonable for what we had. Buzzy atmosphere in nice rooms. Service was good and friendly. I will definitely visit again. Not fine dining hence rating of 4 but very good for pub food with a difference. Highly recommended.

Wonderful little place with great drink selection and unbelievably tasty food, always worth a trip!

Absolutely awesome food. Lively place very friendly

Great pub near the railway station in the South Lanes. Really good service and a wide range of beers. The theming is great and creates a good atmosphere. Didn’t eat here, but the food looked good.

Great selection of drinks, kind and prompt staff, food was absolutely delicious - excellent visit. Beers will be on the expensive side but that's to be expected with local brews, but will absolutely return even just for the bao!

The food was absolutely delicious, I was quite blown away. I will be dreaming about the buffalo cauliflower and it won't be long until I return. The staff were very friendly and polite also. I haven't written a review in ages but had to let you all know how good this place is. Highly recommended.

What an appalling place poor staff poor quality experience this has changed for the worse. Don’t bother coming here staff are rude

Excellent craft beer bar in Brighton, great selection

Great value and delicious plates of food which arrived quickly. Just wanted a snack so shared a couple of boa buns, loaded fries and spring rolls. All very tasty and great value.

Great food, drinks, service and atmosphere. The vegan options were all fantastic, with plenty to offer, and those in our group who had meat dishes said they were delicious too. Nice range of beers on offer too. The staff we spoke with were helpful, knowledgeable and friendly. We felt super welcome, had a great time, and would definitely come again. I've been here a few times in the past couple years, and really do think each time has been better than the last (not that I've ever had a bad experience). Also the desert donut and ice cream was insanely good. Highly recommend!

Oh my god, I cannot believe I haven't been here before. The food was out of this world. We went for the pork belly bao and the beef chin, both were amazingly tasty and full of flavour. We also had the kimchi fries which had KIMCHEESE, unreal. Also had the BBQ hoisin fries. Both had crispy fries throughout. This was enough food for 2 hungry people. We could have eaten more but only because it was so delicious.

We happened upon The Pond on our walk from the train station during a day trip to Brighton. We stopped in for a bite to eat and loved the food and atmosphere so much that we came back again for dinner before we left! Even...

Piped music is at a volume that's impossible to ignore. Added to the sound reflective surfaces and lack of soft furnishings, everyone ends up shouting. Not relaxing. Cask ales only available at the weekend so it's just expensive (delicious!) craft beers. But then, there's the...

Fabulous lively pub. Loved the fun decor. Great atmosphere. The bao buns and loaded fries were great quality and packed full of flavour!

This is my absolute favorite place in Brighton! My wife and I spent 2 days in Brighton after a 14 day cruise from the States. When we got off the train, the bartender at the little pub we went to told us to go here. And I’m glad we did. The food was fantastic, the music was perfect…but more than that, the service was incredible. Everything about The Pond made us Yanks super comfortable..,and we can’t wait to come back!

Lieu génial ! Un bon choix de bières, des burgers bao excellents et une bonne ambiance

No gluten free food, everything has at least cross contamination. Obviously that's The Pond's choice, but staff are not aware of this so it involves a long conversation going through the menu only to find that there is nothing you can eat. Other's in my group that aren't gluten intolerant found the food excellent.

I don’t like this pub. I wrote a negative review with details, but it was taken down. So here is a generic negative review.

Great beer and really good Bao buns!

THE POND/BABY BAO. Great Pub! Super delicious food & drinks. Vegan options available. Mix of British and Asian. Cooperation with other localities. Friendly service. Cozy interior. Value for money: good.

Popped in for lunch and a drink on a Saturday - booking is essential if you want a table, we arrived as walk-ins pretty much as soon as the place opened and within about 15 minutes it was at full capacity!! The Pond is a groovy and inviting pub with its own delicious pale ale (Pond Water) and bao buns to die for. There is a good selection of other beers on tap, but Pond Water is exceptionally good and worth a try - the beers can also be served in quirky 2/3rd pints which feels like the perfect amount to me!! The service was quick and friendly, and the food was at our table minutes after ordering. I really enjoyed the mushroom bulgogi bao bun, and tried some other sharers and sides too - the fried mushrooms and loaded chips were excellent, however the kimchi I ordered was almost unbearably salty and I had to leave most of it. If it wasn’t for the disappointing kimchi, this would easily be a 5-star review!! ✨

Absolutely brilliant Asian Street food with great drinks, including some fab beers. Perfect stop for lunch or a drink

The best Asian Street food I have had. Food is brilliant and different. Great choice of beers and drinks. Lovely place for lunch or a drink. Highly recommended

One of the best pubs in Brighton with the best food in the city. Hands down. This is my favourite place. But it's also everyone else's favourite. It can be very busy and hard to get a table to eat. But it's worth waiting and loitering for a table to come available. The food from the fabulous guys at Baby Bao is incredible. Delicious, different yet still a reasonable price! The craft beer and cider selection is fantastic. I'm especially happy that they have my favourite ciders from Ascension Brewery.

Great food and great beer. Staff really lovely too!

Great little pub spread over 2 floors with an outside heated covered terrace. Awesome selection of craft beer including their own highly rated home brew session IPA Pond Water. Perfect when accompanied with a couple of super tasty Bao Buns. Staff are spending and knowledge.

Amazing pub, what a find! The Bao buns were lovely, great vibe and staff, is our favorite pub in Brighton x

Great beer selection and yummy bao buns

Margarita was absolutely amazing definitely worth it and the staff and atmosphere were incredible, definitely recommend going if you’re in the area. Maybe even if you aren’t in the area. Food was also really nice.

It’s possible I got to excited to go here so my expectations weren’t quite met but everything felt a bit too sweet. I only went for vegetarian options so it could be a product of using more hoisen or other sauces to make up for the umami flavor normally provided by meat. The picture of the bulgogi mushroom bao and the kimchi fries. I also ordered the panko squash bao, which I would actually give a 5/5. Really yummy texture. And the max n cheese bites were also super delicious :)

We stumbled upon The Pond after a long stressful train journey from Norwich including cancelled trains and the discovery when we were nearly at Brighton that the gig we had come to see was cancelled at the last minute. Anyway, we were somewhat stressed when we arrived, but the delicious food, great drinks and friendly staff and clientele of the Pond soon soothed our souls. Top marks for really yummy vegetarian- vegan food as well- the mushroom and faux prawn bao buns were to die for! Highly recommend and would love to return here when Father John Misty finally does play at the Brighton Dome!

Stopped off on a Friday afternoon, good choice of beers and the food was fantastic. Well worth a visit if your in Brighton.

Every single mouthful was an explosion of flavours!! Sooo yum Pickles spot on, defo going home and making some Will be back to try other bits on the menu

Fine beer fine food, just far enough off the main drags.

Great beer selection, cosy seating with friendly staff. Food looks good but I didn't eat. Great place for a beer off the busy main thoroughfare. Came on a Sunday and most tables were reserved so if you fancy it call ahead

Didn't eat here, but it is a trendy place with a good atmosphere and expensive cocktails

This place has everything just right! The staff are engaging, helpful and know their drinks inside out! The food is incredibly fresh, tasty and very well priced! If you are looking for a pub with a great selection of ever-changing local beers and ales, then...

We went today for lunch. One fire cracker beef bao, loaded fries, sweetcorn fritters and Korean chicken later I rolled down the hill very full and very happy. My daughter had the pork belly and mushroom boo and loved them too. Highly recommended. Only minor...

This is a popular restaurant and always seems to be busy, the menu is somewhat limited but if you like Italian food you will find something to suit you and it will be well cooked and nicely served.

Boa Buns come with delicious fillings, a very good light lunch. The beers looked interesting too.

A wonderful Sunday lunch spent with a couple of friends in an independent pub in the North Laine’s of Brighton. I walk past this place regularly during the week and have wanted to try their ‘bao buns’ for ages…so here we are! I had the : Crispy vegan prawns, pickled cucumber, sriracha Mayo, sesame bao bun. (VG) Then a side of : Corn ribblets, sriracha mayo, coconut, lime. (VG) and Gotchujang Mac cheese bites. (V) Flavourful and tasty - washed down with one of their craft beers 🍺 the ‘Dank Marvin’, recommended by the bar staff. My taste buds are still tingling !! We're so lucky to have such an array of pubs and restaurants in Brighton.

Amazing Bao Buns and great selection of beers to match.

Always good food, but it gets busy! So if you really want Bao - book a table!

Incredible food from here. Would visit again if I’m back in Brighton and will certainly be passing on the recommendation!

Unbelievable food, awesome drinks, great atmosphere!

Oh god, the bao from Baby Bao is so good. We visited Brighton a couple of months ago and had lunch here on the first day, and it was so good we had to come back and go again two days later. The bao is...

Amazing food. Super super loud upstairs though. Staff are usually great as well

lovely busy pub in a trendy part of brighton. mulled cider was delicious as were the bao buns we had - pulled pork and beef shin. both delicious! quite small but very filling. will be coming back again !

A good range of ales and friendly staff, but I found the food a little disappointing. The bao buns are very expensive for the amount of filling, and the chicken was very fatty. The fries looked like they came from the bottom of the fryer, and we had to send them back. I'd go back for a drink, but wouldn't eat here again.

Relaxed and welcoming bar with a good beer range, some interesting selections on tap