The Recruiting Sergeant in Broadland

I have never paid so much money for such awful bland tasting food. Their children’s menu I wouldn’t feed my nonexistent dog… so had to get my 4 and 6 year old an adult meal. Pan fried chicken was the worst I’ve ever had and most expensive. Their “wagyu” burger I presume was boiled rather than grilled. Their chicken burger was cooked in such old oil that it was pretty much black. Triple cooked chips were nothing of such, more like triple boiled chunky wedges, again anwful. Everything was awful, even down to their sauces! You cannot charge £20-£30 per dish and serve 💩. Highly of the meal was bread and olives 😂. It’s dark af inside, I get all the adding to “ambiance”. But they have no ceiling lights. All wall lights and a poxy portable table lamp that lights up about 5inches of the table.

Fantastic place food wonderful and staff friendly and helpful ,

Amazing premises to enjoy an extraordinary meal. The atmosphere and warm surroundings were lovely, and the menu was extensive. The French onion soup was spectator (as was all the meal) and for the amount of food, very good value. Go Hungry! A special mention to our server, Lisa. She was absolutely spectacular. Never felt rushed, just left to relax and enjoy our meal at a pleasant pace with Lisa only popping to ask us if they could do any more to help us enjoy our visit. Perfect. Highly recommended. On holidays, and it was a perfect find. I hope my travels brings me back here one day. 5 🌟 amazing.

Held a small wake for family and friends after mums funeral. Food was gorgeous, good quality and very generous portions. Thank You

Great food. Great staff. Love this place

Always fantastic food here. Back again and enjoyed another lovely meal. Staff were cheerful and helpful and the right level of attentive.

Unbelievable food, 1st time visit, can't wait to come back.

One of the best restaurants in Norfolk

Again,when our family visits us,from Yorkshire, in December,we always have our Christmas meal at the Recruiting Sergeant. Every year the starter is always the best we have ever had,the main meal is always the best we have ever had,and we always take our desserts home with us every year,as our eyes are always bigger than our bellies!! The Recruiting Sergeant is exceptional. The staff are friendly,service is excellent, and yet again,the food is outstanding. See you all in December 2025!

Excellent meal, piping hot food, all served with a smile. Will definitely be going again. 2nd visit - just as good as the first. Not cheap but the portion sizes are immense. 3rd visit - Tried out their Sunday roasts. Had the Nut Roast and Roast Beef. The Beef was a huge portion and an excellent portion size for the price. The Nut Roast was really good quality. Worth a visit for a treat on a Sunday.

Restaurant Review. Visited this restaurant for a family meal at lunchtime. It was very busy but service was good. The menu is extensive and in my opinion some dishes are expensive. Fish pie £24 Skate £27 Fillet steak £37. Portion sizes are big but not everyone wants a large plate of food! We prefer a nicely presented plate with quality over quantity. My husband ordered a starter as he did not want a main course - scallops & chorizo - this was £16.50. When the dish came he was shocked to see it was 2 small scallops and a chorizo crumb !! Very disappointing. At the end of the meal we were talking (as a family would do) but got the distinct impression that the staff wanted us to leave - the table for 2 near us was turned 3 times !!. If you like large pub food at quite a high price then this pub is probably the place for you !

Birthday meal was superb, enjoyed spending quality time with my twin sister and other family members. Excellent service from lovely friendly staff.

I just wanted to take the time to thank all the staff working yesterday evening for making my birthday meal so lovely. I have quite a bit of stress at home and I decided to have a rare treat and have dinner all on my own with my book last night! The staff couldn't have got it all more perfect for me as a solo diner. They chose a really good spot in a quiet corner. They wished me a happy birthday as soon as I sat down which means they wrote it down at booking which was a nice touch. The food was phenomenal! As it always is at The Recruiting Seargent. They checked on me enough but not too much which is hard but they got just right, especially considering it was a very busy evening and they had a table of 30 in the next room. And then, when my pudding came out they'd written happy birthday across the chopping board which was such a kind touch. I couldn't fault anything and thank you so much to the serving and kitchen staff for the excellent and relaxing evening. Many thanks and Happy Christmas to you all :)

This place is the very best for money and the food is sublime! Best restaurant in norfolk. Me and my family have been dining here for 20years and still has a outstanding menu and staff

We enjoyed another first class meal here. Generous portion sizes, served fresh and hot with a smile. Staff friendly and attentive. The main bar area was busy and rather noisy but we requested to sit in the other, smaller room. Cosy and lovely decor. Prices are a little higher than other places but the standard and quality of food far exceeds these prices. Perfect for a special treat. Our second visit and we will return.

A beautiful Christmas meal ruined by far, far too much salt. So much so that nothing else could be tasted & even the drinks suffered. Staff were great & pub setting is lovely

Fab atmosphere, great menu, super staff, going back tomorrow to eat. Excellent menu

I have to say i have now stayed here twice and both occasions the food is fantastic the staff very helpful and the rooms well looked after and maintained. The restaurant food is very good indeed and i will be going back.

Family get together, as always food was excellent and service good and made to feel welcome. As we were a party of 17 it could have proved difficult for the staff but they coped admirably. Highly recommend.

Overall 5 star ! Top service and Incredible food cannot complain at all. Would highly recommend to anyone in the area or anyone visiting Norwich for an amazing meal.

Amazing food, an excellent experience. This place never fails to deliver good food.

This place is wonderful the food is to die for service amazin, it was our first visit this evening and as I said the the waitresses the food was fecking amazing!!!!!we will be going back

Lovely meal as usual on Friday evening good service very friendly. However I had a beautiful Pork chop but the crackling was soft I asked the waiter why and he said they don’t have time to crisp it! What a shame when it’s such a great bit of the chop.

Had Sunday lunch. Service was incredibly quick. Food was great, one of the best Sunday Lunches that I have had. Staff were very friendly and efficient.

We stopped for Sunday lunch and were extremely happy with the whole experience. Staff and service are wonderful. Food is plentiful and delicious 😋

Had a meal at this gastro pub / restaurant and was very pleasantly surprised at the quality of food, the atmosphere and the service. Initially we thought the prices were slightly higher than what we would have expected, but when you see the portion sizes and taste the quality. Those couple of extra pounds soon disappear and the meal becomes an absolute bargain. Make sure you book as it becomes busy very quickly. Will definitely be going again.

Went for a meal and received a feast. The food is fantastic, and the portions are large. We got two starters, the veal and a porterhouse. Man alive you could feed 7 with just those. The quantity did not get in the way of the quality. The food was amazing. We will be returning again, and bringing others. Thank you for a wonderful evening. I now need to change into my jogging bottoms and cancel tomorrows roast.

Fantastic food and drink the portions are massive but absolutely amazing thankyou for being so nice to us were definitely will come again 👌😋

Great choice of dishes, even for vegetarians - which makes a refreshing change. Large portions of very tasty food. Excellent, prompt, friendly service. Would love to try the rooms!

Food is very very good and you can not eat it all and I eat a lot, nice to see value for money, we all had a proper English roast dinner 8 of us

Visited today for my daughter's 21st Birthday and we had a great experience. The food was amazing and the amount of food you get is truly epic! The staff were excellent and the food is fantastic value given the amount of food on your plate. Will be visiting again purely for the Sunday roast. Highly recommended!

Absolutely top top tier Sunday roast, at still respectable prices (£17-20).

No complaints great place to eat

Good ambiance and attentive staff but way too much food. Starters were v tasty but main meals were piled high which was disappointing

Nice dog friendly pub/restaurant. Great food, attentive staff & relatively easy to park ( on a weekday). Not that close to we were staying on this occasion but well with the drive.

Best steak and kidney pudding I have had for years! Good friendly service. Will definitely recommend The Recruiting Sergeant to others , and I definitely will return. I was there as a result of Woodfordes Ale Trail.

This is our favourite place to eat. They always fit us in if they can. (Best to book weeks in advance as it is very popular) staff are lovely and very welcoming. The food is insane. My suggestion would be do not eat anything before you go. You will definitely struggle to find room for dessert and will not be leaving feeling hungry. Great prices too. You will not be disappointed with thus. Little gem of a place.

Great service and fantastic food

Super at good price and huge portions service duerb

Magnificent Sunday Roast! The quality, size and taste of our roast chicken and roast beef was excellent. Promptly served without a long wait for its arrival. All the staff we came across were friendly, polite and ready to please. We will spread the word!

Warm welcome when we arrived. Food was excellent quality and worth every penny. Staff knowledgeable about all menu details and very friendly to our dog!

Friendly and efficient service, food is fantastic and a lovely vibe in the charming garden. A MUST VISIT if you enjoy good food.

Our second visit and it didn’t disappoint. The service was excellent and the quality of food was fantastic. The portions are huge though and it would be nice if they were slightly smaller to allow room for desserts.

Great place for a roast! And the seating outside is lovely ☺️

Great food for a hungry family. The children’s portions were superb. I chose a starter as I knew there would be leftovers. I’m glad I did as it was delicious (Dover Sole and prawns in butter accompanied by samphire 😙👌🏻). Triple cooked chips unfortunately didn’t hit the mark but everything else was great. A lovely location with extra seating outside

Went here with family for a meal 😋 and the food was fantastic so compliments to the chef and everyone in kitchen and all staff it was a lovely old worldly pub well worth a vist

The food really is amazing here. Service excellent 👌

Massive menu, massive portions- but excellent food quality too

We visited the restaurant for lunch after a morning out on a boat on the river. Without any doubt the best meal we have had in a very long time. The standard of cooking, presentation, and service was incredibly high. The portion sizes were great value for money and sitting in the courtyard garden on a sunny day was just perfect. There is nothing I could find fault with at this gem.

Excellent service, quality grub, ask for a doggy bag because you won't eat all ,big portions.

On arrival could not park but the service food and service was excellent

What a gem of a place. We were let down by another place for Sunday lunch and we were fitted in by lovely, helpful staff. Sunday lunch in the beautiful garden. Lovely food. Great service. Beautiful surroundings. Thank you so much

Absolutely delicious food, great service, need I say more!

Booked for Sunday Lunch! The best Sunday Lunch we have ever had. Food amazing quality and cooked to perfection, big portions and service first class. Manager took time out to speak to diners and took pride in her job and her staff.

Absolutely amazing food. Recommended (and booked) by a friend for a long overdue meet up and informed it was their favourite pub ever... Safe to say he was spot on. Plenty of cask ale and draught beers on offer and the food was exquisite. It was a little more pricey that a typical pub, but the portions were huge and the quality of the food was top notch - well worth the extra cost! It's a dog friendly place too, we sat outside in the courtyard as we had a few 4 legged friends with us, but they also had a marquee for the less ideal days! Fully worth a visit if you're in the area - and if you're not in the area then go anyway as its worth the diversion! Just make sure you're either staying there or somewhere local as you'll have to roll back as you'll be stuffed with good food and good drinks!

Food was fantastic, Massive portions!! Good service. Lovely outside area with plenty of seating.

Meals we had were all excellent nice large portions great friendly staff

We went here as a family with grandchildren. We ordered Sunday roast, a salmon dish and the seafood salad. The portions were huge especially the seafood salad which included smoked salmon, crab, oyster, king prawns , prawns, cockles, anchovies and whelks. Food was very good, staff friendly and service good.

Lovely pub and garden! Wonderful meal. Allergy friendly. Near the Norfolk broads. Short walk from the river

Gastro pub with several dining areas to accommodate everyone's choice. The food is delicious. Halibut cooked to perfection with a decent sized portion and beautiful prawns to join this lovely course. We also enjoyed crab thermidor again delicious. The staff were really friendly and helpful and it was just a lovely evening meal. I wish it was closer to home. I want to try the complete menu! For the standard and quality you can't fault the establishment.

Drinks are a bit pricey , the restaurant was really busy to be fair but unclear tables snappy staff . Had 3 drinks spirt and mixer coke and pint over 16 quid . We left as it was a but of a shambles and we felt sorry for staff as they were already under pressure and struggling so did not eat .

I loved this restaurant! The food was outstanding and the service was excellent. If we lived locally, I would visit all the time. A beautiful place to eat!

Amazing food every time. Good prices and friendly service. 👌🏼

Beautifully cooked food, excellent service and a lovely atmosphere in the bar. Highly recommend the crab thermidor 🦀

This is, a great find, recommend by our Holiday neighbours. Food is plentiful, lots of choice and specials. Really Good service and we noticed that children were well catered for. Great service and good prices. Will defo go again

As always, fantastic meal! Great atmosphere, friendly staff and great service! Can't fault them. Not the cheapest menu, but we'll worth the money!

Excellent pub food. The staff were very attentive and excellent with our requirements for our daughter with allergies. The food itself was priced well and of very good quality. Lovely sunny garden. We went twice in a three day trip to Norfolk.

Fantastic food. We sat outside, lovely setting Will go again...

We had seen reviews on this restaurant and Wow the reviews were right it’s amazing. The service was excellent especially in this day and age most places are under staffed not here all happy and ready to help the menu is one of the best we have seen in years the choice was great the quality of the food was fantastic and the portion size Big We enjoyed our meals so much that we went back the next day Sunday and had the Roast Dinner some of our party don’t eat out for roast dinners as they are disappointing this was possible the Best Roast in a restaurant. Thanks guys you helped make a great holiday special also the Rising Sun sister restaurant on the river food and service very good

Food is amazing, always our go to place for special occasions. We have sampled much of the menu over the years and have not had a bad meal. The beef ribs are truly something to behold.

Visited for lunch. Parking was OK but can see how it might be tight later in day. Very friendly staff. Huge portions and interesting menu choices. All in all excellent value.

Good roast Sunday lunch. We were reseated in the garden as my companion was very breathless, so 10/10 to the waiting staff for care and attention. Delicious food and good portions in a lovely courtyard.

Have eaten here a few times, food is top notch

Perfect spot for a summer evening.

Great place for a birthday party, Catered for our every need at a fair price.

We had dinner here tonight and it was absolutely great: tasteful and lots of food. Definitely recommend!

Always reliable. Extensive menu, beautifully cooked, friendly, helpful staff. Just make sure you’re hungry when you visit!

Absolutely amazing place ,, I'm overwhelmed how welcome I felt , gorgeous stay here so happy

Went here for dinner for my mums birthday. The food was delicious. Definitely recommend the halibut. Desserts also great - we had the bakewell tart but the sticky toffee pudding was also 👌. Big portions, friendly staff, nice atmosphere but let down by the slow service.

It’s been a while since we’ve done anything other than Sunday lunch at The Recruiting Sergeant. But what an amazing place for a Saturday night family meal. The food was unreal - so good, the service was 5-star and the place was packed - great vibe. 👍🍺🍷

Wonderful food and a lovely staff. After my meal, my waitress asked me what my plan for the day was, and when I responded that I was going home to pack for my wedding, she seemed genuinely happy for me. She came back several minutes later with this kind gesture.

Never a bad experience here. Good food and generous portions. Always something different on the menu. Recommended.

Generous portions of delicious food. Excellent service and value for money

Fantastic food, large choice on the menu. Excellent service, very professional. Highly recommended.

We have only visited The Recruiting Sergeant three times for lunch. Each time we have enjoyed very good food and pleasant, helpful service. The only slight problem we ever encountered was when our table was close to the doors leading out to the patio. It was a sunny but chilly day and each time the door to the patio was left open we got a cold draught. I only mention this because the manager may not be aware. As far as the food and service are concerned we were favourably impressed and will certainly return.

Great tasting food, big portions.

Splendid meal and excellent service

Excellent food; portions are good depending on which dish you order. For some dishes the portions are less impressive. Generously sized glasses for drinks, nice interior, tables are a little bit cramped. On price it is more expensive and is probably too expensive for certain dishes which aren't very technical to cook and prepare - it is glorified pub grub after all. The dishes themselves are skilfully cooked and well presented, however. At the end of the meal you are handed a card reader where you have to deselect the tip option in front of the server, it's just distasteful to put your customers in that situation if they personally don't tip or don't wish to on that occasion. It feels a bit like the inquisition from the tip police, asking for 10% on top of an already pricey bill is a bit greedy. Remember: Most professions don't get tipped. People that clean toilets or collect bins don't get tipped. I stand in solidarity with them. Swooping in on jolly boozed-up patrons at the end of their meals for more money is perhaps a bit underhanded.

There's a reason that this place is our favourite place to dine in Norfolk. Never disappointed with the Food, ambience and service. It's a delight. Proportion and presentation absolutely on point as it is every single time. The Rising Sun down the road is equally as good. Make sure you stop by and try the Sunday lunch too. We were lucky enough to meet one of the owners tonight going round tables to make sure everything is on point. Thanks again for your continued excellence and look forward to dining with you again very soon, until then, thanks again!!!!

Superb service, as always. Food was excellent, loads of it - some of the best food around. Excellent menu. Well done to "The Sargeant" as we locals call it. You always set the bar high.

Food was absolutely amazing Staff was beyond brilliant Can't complain

Very good food , both in terms of quality, choice and quantity! Service has always been very good or excellent. The team here care about what they serve up and if anything is not to your satisfaction, they sort it out immediately. Really refreshing attitude to restaurant hospitality and service

Wonderful experience , we did not book but they accomdated us with a table straight away. The food was amazing service fantastic. We will return soon thank you 😄

Nice food, menu really wide, portion sizes are way too big but the service is great and they cater for all sorts of diners

Wonderful food, great service and we can’t wait to go back again. Both food and drinks were great and service was awesome

Fantastic meal, sitting outside under the pergola enjoying the remainder of the evening after a busy day....excellent service, nice chilled atmosphere

Great food at great prices with great service Thoroughly recommended and will return if in the area again

Lovely clean room. Staff are friendly. Food very good. Will go again.

Excellent service and excellent food

Lovely place to eat though sometimes hard to park. Friendly staff and lovely food though they are very large portions.