The Royal Oak in Canterbury

We heard about the Royal Oak and decided to give it a try. We received a really warm welcome from the staff. The drinks are a very reasonable price too. The menu offered a large selection of dishes. We opted for the three course small plate home made steak and ale pie. The pate starter was very tasty. Even offered gluten free bread which was delicious. Ice cream finished the meal. A very reasonably priced meal but the important thing was that the food was delicious and we really enjoyed it. Will try the whitebait starter next time. Can’t wait.

Lovely location and food well presented with ample proportions. The salmon was very good and cheesecake was wonderful.

We stayed at Kent cottage holidays and this lovely pub within a 2 minute walk was very handy. We booked a bottomless brunch on Saturday afternoon and it was lovely good food drinks were constantly flowing . Staff were happy and very helpful nothing was a trouble to them. Will be visting again thank you had a lovely time on Saturday at your pub .

A lovely clean open local pub with lovely staff. As someone with gluten and dairy intolerance there was a few options. Food and drinks came quick and tasted absolutely delicious. It was the other half's birthday and we had just spent the day at the zoo and I'd mentioned it was his birthday the lady whom served us wished him happy birthday and secretly went above and beyond and brought his dessert out with a candle playing happy birthday lol. He absolutely loved it and it made him laugh, we would 100percent recommend and would come back. Thank you

I don't usually leave reviews but the Gluten free beer battered fish and chips was one of the best I have ever had. Jo, our server was absolutely lovely and so helpful. The whole pub has a lovely welcoming atmosphere 90% of the menu accommodates Coeliacs, and it is so refreshing to visit a pub and be able to pick from almost the whole menu. All of our meals were absolutely delicious, I couldn't recommend it more!

I don’t normally write reviews but thought I would as when we read the review about unfriendly people it nearly put us off as we had our 3 year old twins with us and were dressed for countryside walking. Actually the opposite was the case and staff and customers were really friendly, one even helping one of my twins to dry her hands. The food was also very good value and my glass of Shiraz was yummy. We were also pleasantly surprised by the inside decor and bouncy castle in the garden.

Met with a friend and had a lovely meal last night at this pub in the village where I live. First time there and would go again. Cooked and presented well and very tasty.

We visited on a Friday early evening and were made really welcome by Jo. The choice of food and special daily offers were great. The food did not disappoint and was tasty, plentiful and served with a smile. Added to this as a real ale drinker the choice of cask ales was great. We had main meals and desserts in the restaurant area and would happily recommend this establishment to all.

Called in here on a Friday lunch time with friends and received a very warm welcome. A good menu to suit all tastes and very reasonably priced. A cosy atmosphere and very good service. Jo, the waitress, was very friendly. Would thoroughly recommend it.

Walked part of the Crab & Winkle walk, but dropped off at Blean for lunch because it was so cold. What a great find! Room in the bar area for four of us and our dog. Very friendly staff, a varied menu and reasonably priced. Next time we do the walk we shall return.

This was the first time we have eaten at the royal oak, blean, the welcome was fantastic, the food superb, hospitality second to none, all the staff were extremely friendly and nothing was too much to ask we have booked up again for Christmas.

What a great place the food is outstanding the Sunday roast are to die for nothing like good home cooked food the staff are lovely nothing is no trouble the go that extra mile for you good service. I've also had several weekday meals there even better the choices they have I recommend the fish and chips the pies yummy well done be coming back

The music in this pub was so absurdly loud as to render conversation completely impossible. Not recommended.

Sunday lunch with large group. We pre-ordered our meal. The greenery on my starter was not only brown round the edges, some was black and slimy. My friend did not enjoy her main meal at all and we all found the vegetables inedible. They were beyond al dente, hardly cooked at all. The service was slow.

What a fantastic pub. The staff and landlord and lady lovely people. the food was excellent great value for money. atmosphere fantastic. Will be going back regular.

Awful attitude from the staff. They really could NOT be bothered to serve us. Had to ask for everything from the menu, to the dessert menu, to the bill etc and each request was greeted with an almost audible sigh. I’ve been in on a Friday before and a fabulous, friendly waitress served us. Sooo different today. The miserable lady ‘ in charge’ today was accompanied by two equally unenthusiastic teenagers, presumably there to work but you wouldn’t know it! That said, the food was good and reasonably priced.

Stop on our way though to have some lunch, walked in and felt like no one could be bothered to help us We had a dog so went into the garden no menu was offered and not any of the staff was helpful just had a drink and left! Won’t return

Walked in and it was like walking into a front room, felt like we was intruding. Crème brûlée that was frozen with charred sugar on top.

Love this family run pub. A warm welcome, great food, wines and beers. Stylish dining room and amazing garden. Went for the Sunday roast with family today and have to say the food was superb. All freshly cooked to perfection. Great value too. Will definitely be going again soon but will have to book as very popular.

A fantastic pub, great atmosphere and always greeted with a smile and a warm welcome. Good choice on the menu and usually a managers special. Thursdays any 2 burgers for £20. Fridays i think is 2 cod and chips for £16. Great food and good value. Its cheaper than Mcdonalds.

Had a lovely meal today with my mother and brother at the royal Oak. I have to say from the time we entered the premises to the time we left.. staff was very friendly and welcoming.. the cost of the food was so cheap so I was shocked when we received the food which was a 5 star meal.. one of the best roasts I’ve ever had and there was Plenty of it .. the pork was so tasty .. I would recommend to have a meal .. 10/10

We went for an early evening meal at The Royal Oak Blean yesterday as a family group, and were very impressed by the food, staff and venue. The restaurant operates up to 8pm each day with a set menu, a small plate menu, and daily specials on offer. Their website shows everything on offer for the day you visit. The range of food and drinks at The Royal Oak is quite comprehensive, and it would be unlikely not to find something you like. As you might imagine, children’s options, and vegetarian options are available on the menus. We found the food quality and portion size to be very good. The pub itself has been refurbished fairly recently, and provides a relaxed atmosphere in nice surroundings. The pub garden is currently undergoing major redesign, and should be open in time for the better weather. We found the staff to be friendly, helpful, and professional. Service was prompt, and we were made to feel very welcome. I would thoroughly recommend The Royal Oak (at Blean) for anyone wishing to have a meal or just drinks at the well stocked bar area which has leather sofas to relax on, as well a separate restaurant area, and games room. We will certainly be returning in the future.

A proper local community pub. The beer is absolutely OUTSTANDING. If you like your real ale, this place is worth a pilgrimage. Landlord clearly knows his stuff. CAMRA member discount available, Amazing local guest ales, decent wine, and lovely pub food at a very reasonable...

Stopped for a quick meal to wait out some traffic. Food was OK, nothing special but not bad and priced fairly. Friendly staff, overall a nice place.

Just visited with my wife. Great choice of drinks , Lovely hospitality from this family run pub and felt so welcome. Sat next to the warm log fire and ate the most delicious burger. Seriously I've never had a better burger. Definitely going back. Good...

Had a fantastic meal here as part of the xmas menu. Huge lamb shank with mash, greens, and all the trimmings. Friends had sea bass and turkey dinner, with everyone agreeing it was one of the best meals out in the area. The pub has...

Booked in here for our staff Christmas meal. 14 of us were served a mixture of starters, mains and puddings. Food absolutely amazing. Great portions, very hot and extremely tasty. Brilliant price too. Will definitely be visiting again and recommending to others.

It was one of the only pubs we could find serving food on a Sunday afternoon The food was ok but not great. The garden was messy. Broken chair and roadside barriers around a bouncy castle masked with broken screening. The bench table we sat...

We popped in for lunch after a walk in Blean Woods. As you can see from the photos, this is a rodside pub transformed by an extension into a convenient middle-of-the-range restaurant. There are also seats in the garden. The menu is extensive with something...

Had a lovely meal. Home cooked food excellent quality and generous portions. The waitress was fantastic, friendly and helpful would happily eat here again.

Always welcoming - always accommodating. Very good food and good choice of beers! Keep seeing the roasts - have to come - potatoes that were given complimentary were lovely x

We stayed for 4 nights in a tree house run by Kent Cottages and this pub/restaurant is literally 50 yards away. Menu runs from 12 to 8pm with lots of lunches of sandwiches with crisps and salad and jacket potatoes but you can have larger...

Ordered a take away whilst holidaying at a nearby property. The meal was cooked freshly and sizeable portions. Reasonably priced and came with cheerful service. A good menu and decent range of beers also.

Stopped here by chance and thoroughly enjoyed the bar menu. They do restaurant food and the restaurant was very busy but we just wanted a quick bite. They have a good range of beers and service is friendly

We visited this pub for lunch as it was a 2 minute walk from our holiday accommodation. We had steak and a mushroom and halloumi burger. We did have a bit of a wait considering there was only 2 other tables in the restaurant but...

First visit here. Good food. Couldn’t fault it. Very clean & knowledgeable polite staff. Would recommend after a walk in the woods.

It was to celebrate a birthday , we have all been there before , but it’s been a while since we have been back . We got fed up with same old menu . Anyway we decided to go . Restaurant area was empty ,...

Lovely lunch very friendly staff, good pub food at very reasonable prices, we were staying at kent cottages just a short walk away very handy.

Visiting Kent for the weekend and chose this establishment for Sunday dinner. Warm welcome when arrived, garden seating well laid out so we felt safe. Meal was piping hot, tasty and value for money.

Came for Sunday lunch on recommendation. We were aware that the owners were new and hoped that they managed to uphold the excellent reputation and execution of the previous owners/chef. Sadly, we were disappointed. Firstly, we ordered a bottle of red and white wine. They...

Great service. Comfy chair in garden (on busy days these might be taken, but weekday night was fairly quiet). Great food and value for money. Propper whopper of a club sandwhich, also nice not having to choose between chips +coleslaw. Chips literally perfect, proper crispy.

First time visit today. A proper pub - cosy, comfortable, clean and welcoming. Very friendly owner and staff. Great food at great prices. The beer garden is very impressive and would suit families (especially the bouncy castle). Would thoroughly recommend The Royal Oak and will...

Came here with friends including our kids today; good range of food, very child friendly (my daughter loved the bouncy castle), pleasant beer garden and great service. Couldn’t ask for more.

My family and myself visited the Royal Oak today. I must say I'm very impressed. The outside sitting area was lovely. The service was fantastic. The food was really lovely couldn't eat it all as a big portions. My 2 grandchildren loved it as they...

Visited here on Sun 18 Apr 2021, following the easing of lockdown (outdoor dining only). Plenty of tables in the beer garden for either couples or larger groups of people and a bouncy castle to keep the children entertained. Sunday lunch was £10.95 each; the...

We hadn’t seen this pub on any review sites when we were planning our holiday in Canterbury. But after driving past we booked a table for that night. Very friendly waitress and good heart menu. Very attentive and got our complicated order spot on. Ended...

This was actually our first meal out since February, the staff are fantastic and the food is a cut above the rest too. Highly recommended

Went there with family Had a fab meal everyone was very happy Good food Nice staff Would recommend it We will be going again.

We found this place on our last stay in the area. Wish we had found it sooner. We booked a table as it was the only way you can get one due to the covid19. It was very covid safe social distancing was in place...

My husband and I visited here shortly after lock down, they had everything sorted for social distancing. The waitress was very helpful and nothing seemed to much. We had a wine and an ale. To eat we had sausage sandwiches. Very nice good sausages always...

Nice pub, pleasant staff, good social distancing measures in place. We ordered two courses- main and desserts. All food was enjoyed and arrived in good time without waiting too long. Nice beer garden but the beer garden had a bouncy castle in it which made...

Really fab restaurant , beer excellent Harvey and Timothy Taylor on at the moment.Had a meal there on Tuesday went on Bus from Whitstable as bus stops outside.Chris the landlord told us the times of bus back so we enjoyed a stress free visit.The steak...

This was our first meal out post lockdown and the whole experience was wonderful. Our waitress Amy was fabulous, super friendly, great service and kept the drinks flowing as we worked our way through the gin menu. Compliments to the chief, the food was great!!

Great Lunch, visited after lockdown for a lunch before visiting clean woods. Social distancing in place and very clean. Lots of tables in the garden. Service was really good, food excellent.

Had a 70th birthday celebration here. We were well looked after by very helpful and pleasant staff. The resonabley priced buffet was ample and excellent and they were happy to provide a plate of plain cheese sandwiches for one fussy eater.

I came in for lunch yesterday with my friend. Food was amazing as always, I had a burger and it was fantastic. Jo and Kate were attentive hosts to which nothing was too much trouble. Definately will be returning and recommending to everyone.

My friend and I experienced one of the best Sunday roasts I have had in a long time The food, presentation and service was first class. Well done guys. Keep up the good work.

Mesa reservada. Anteriormente tenía pierna de cordero, excelente. Ahora se ofrece lomo de cordero, mostaza, puré y guisantes. No tan bueno como el anterior. Le dije a la camarera y le pregunté si el chef se había ido, ya que estaba bajo una nueva administración. Le dije al chef que todavía estaba allí. Esto fue una crítica, no una queja. . Mi amigo pidió agua, que nunca llegó y desde entonces estábamos totalmente en blanco. No se ofrece menú de postres ni café. Lady en la mesa de al lado se acercó y pidió nuestra opinión, y estuvo de acuerdo. Otro hombre que tenía el cordero como nosotros dijo que no era tan bueno como antes. Nos sentamos allí, siendo ignorados por 30 minutos, luego mi amigo pagó y nos fuimos. Nunca me han tratado así antes y nunca volveré allí.

Here for a late lunch just before Xmas. Place had been busy with Xmas lunches but was emptying. Service was polite enough, but very slow. The food was mixed; other half had the ploughman's lunch which was fine, I had the pork loin which was awful. Not sure how you make pork loin rubbery - too long in the microwave? The roast potatoes were like cannonballs - rock hard outside and dry inside.Been here a couple of times before and it was Ok, after this visit not going back.

Had Xmas dinner here last night and the food was fantastic. The staff were very efficient and very friendly. A great experience.

Reservé una mesa aquí para almorzar antes de poder registrarnos en nuestra propiedad de vacaciones en el camino. El pub tiene un ambiente informal y relajado y nos sentimos como en casa. El personal fue muy amable, relajado y servicial.La comida era fantástica y muy generosamente en porciones. A pesar de que la comida termina a las 3 pm para el almuerzo y de que éramos las únicas personas que quedaban en el pub comiendo, no sentimos presión para irnos.Si alguna vez estuviéramos en el área nuevamente, definitivamente regresaríamos. Recuerde reservar para evitar decepciones.

Last minute decision to pop in for lunch on a Wednesday. Fast and efficient service by a very nice staff. Decent prices. The halloumi burger was lovely. Fabulous fries, some if the best we ever tasted. Recommend the duck egg speciality of the house, never disappoints. We recommend this pub, reliable, very tasty food.

One of the best sunday lunch we have had !!! And staff were the same !!Also a lovely garden to sit out when weather is nice .we will definitely becoming back !! Thanks

Good food, drink and service. Wide menu and reasonable prices, No complaints. Nothing further to add

Visited here on Thursday as they catered for our friends wake and I have to say the food was lovely the staff were also lovely nothing was too much for them as myself and my friends were staying overnight we booked an evening meal also again food was lovely and again staff were too. Thank you

We came here with a few friends for a birthday lunch and they were extremely helpful.

We popped in by chance after a day out with our 5 year old niece. The pub is clean and very welcoming. I had the pie of the day which was absolutely lovely, my wife had a veggie pie which looked just as good! My niece ordered a children's hot-dog and chips and to our astonishment she ate nearly all of it, which means she really enjoyed it! We will definitely visit again and recommend to others visiting the area.

Popped in today the homemade duck egg scotch egg was lovely. Jo was her welcoming self (no ice no xmas menu and no dessert lol) Love this place

I was returning to Canterbury from a day out walking and stopped in here for dinner. A classy restaurant and cozy pub with decent prices. It took a while for my order to be taken, but I got a good amount of food when it arrived. 6 slices of garlic bread for 2.50 on the side. Mains start at 9.95.

Lovely food, fast and friendly service. Highly recommended for a visit if you are in the area. The steak was done to perfection.

Had an excellent Sunday Roast, lovely service and local produce. The best apple crumble perhaps ever!!

Lovely village Pub with nice food at decent price. The pub has a good range of beers and a good atmosphere. Would reccomend for anytime, Sunday Lunch is good too.

We used The Royal Oak when we stayed just down the road at Honey Lodge, the staff and locals are friendly and chatty, and the food, beer and wine is very good. Very clean, tastefully decorated and furnished.

Paré para una comida temprana antes de un paseo nocturno viendo caminar en Blean Woods. Buen servicio, amable. Muy buena cerveza (Harvey's) y un buen Malbec a un precio razonable. La terrina de cerdo era muy sabrosa como entrante. La lubina era excelente y el pato estaba perfectamente preparado. Muy buen lugar para una comida de pub.

Lovely setting with good beer garden views. Friendly and warm staff. Beer fresh and food top notch. Sea bass with risotto and pesto the highlight.

Llamamos a este pub para evitar que tuvieran una mesa disponible. Estaban completamente llenos, pero la camarera fue tan servicial que nos apretó. Pedimos sándwiches, y no nos decepcionaron. Muy sabroso. Lo recomendaría para un servicio excelente, amable y comida de buena calidad.

We only went here as we were staying near by. The barmaid/waitress was really friendly but scatty to say the least. She forgot to give us menus, then forgot the wine cooler (we had to remind her), we also heard her forget other diners menus etc. She was rushing around for no apparent reason as it wasn't that busy, she even complained that her little legs were killing her as she was nearing the end of a 12 hour shift. The food was ok but only average, we were expecting something special after seeing their website.

One of our group lives near by and we decided to lunch there for a change of area. Quite nice selection of Food and Beers with good service freindly atmosphere. Cosy Old Pub a good local. Reasonable prices. Car park good size. I think there is a garden area also. Worth a a look.

We visited The Royal Oak when we stayed in The Treehouse down the road. First visit was for an evening drink. Very quiet. Nice staff. Pleasant place. Comfortable seating. The second evening we visited to have our evening meal. We were the only people in the restaurant but it was ok. We didn't feel left and unattended. Food was lovely and once again staff were very nice. We had drinks after our meal and chatted to the bar staff. The resturant and bar were very well looked after,clean and tidy.

Visited here with my father last week , did not eat but it smelt good , drinks reasonably priced and made to feel welcome by the staff. will ce sure to come back and try the food.

Have eaten here a few times in the past and always had good food and friendly service so we took our friends for a night out but left disappointed and slightly embarrassed for recommending to go there.

Wonderful lentil and vegetable cottage pie, and my friend loved the runny scotch egg. Dogs not only welcome, but treats offered!

Walked the Crab and Winkle way from Whitstable on a crisp January day. Had a delicious lunch of a warm duck egg Scotch Egg with chunky chips. Allowed the dog in the bar area comfy and cosy and they gave the dog treats to. Highly Reccomend.

Have been here on several occations for a meal and I am never disapointed. Staff are very friendly and very helpful. Meal was wondeful, as usual, and was served very quickly after ordering. Was made to feel very welcome.

Ambiente: No puedo quejarme, encantador por dentro, asiduos sentados en el bar. En muebles de fecha y en general un lugar agradable.

Primero vinimos aquí el viernes por la noche para tomar una copa y tan pronto como entramos por la puerta nos hicieron sentir bienvenidos. Thete era una buena elección de alcohol y una encantadora camarera amable.

Este es un restaurante que nos encanta usar cuando visitamos a familiares que viven en el lugar y ciertamente deseamos poder usarlo más a menudo.

Fui con la nieta adolescente para la cena. Los tres de nosotros pedimos la hamburguesa gourmet. Después de un período de aproximadamente una hora, el lugar no estaba ocupado, la llamada hamburguesa gourmet llegó con una enorme pila de papas fritas y una pequeña porción de ensalada de col. El bollo de la hamburguesa no se había calentado; había dos rodajas finas de tomate, un trozo de lechuga servido con la que era probablemente la peor hamburguesa que he comido, insípida, dura y sin sabor. La mía vino con un pequeño trozo de Stilton medio derretido (1) extra, que se sentó en la hamburguesa que cubre entre un cuarto a un quinto. La ensalada de col era impresionante y sabía como marcas de economía de la tienda. Hemos comido dos veces antes en este pub, una vez al principio bien, la segunda vez simplemente bien, pero esta vez fue realmente muy pobre. Bill llegó a más de 50 con una bebida cada uno y fue una pérdida total de dinero. No va a volver

Un buen asado de domingo. Una elección entre cerdo, ternera o vegetariana. Carne bien cocida, gran selección de verduras (coliflor, sueco, zanahorias, verduras y chirivías) que estaban bien cocidas. Los postres también eran muy buenos, con una mención especial para las natillas que era excelente. Personal amigable. En general excelente, bien hecho!

The staff here were so kind and friendly to me, my daughter and particularly my 18 month old granddaughter. Food and service were good. There’s lots of toys and a bouncy castle in the garden for the kids to play with. Brilliant for a family lunch

We called here for lunch on a walk through Blean woods, we had not booked and arrived around 12:45. We were told they were very busy as they had a large group in and there would be a wait for food. We were happy to relax and have a drink while we waited, We only wanted sandwiches and the long delay turned out to be 15 - 20 mins, we have waited longer than this in nearly empty pubs. The sandwiches were very good with a choice of bread and were well presented with a side salad. The two women who were running the front of house were very efficient, friendly and attentive they asked us a couple of times if we were ok and if we needed anything. There were a few friendly locals around the bar and the whole atmosphere was welcoming. The food and drink prices were both reasonable and we'd recommend the pub to anyone passing through the area

Firstly let me start by saying that I am a high contributor on TA and rarely write a truly scathing review, and consider myself fair. However the best advice that I can give on this place is ....never EVER go to The Royal Oak in Blean...unless of course you enjoy appalling service and food only suitable for serving up on a motorway lay-by.

Food at this pub is really tasty. I ordered the scampi and chips. Really fresh and delicious. The chips and the creme brûlée were definitely the highlight. Staff are very nice and courteous. Clean toilets as well which is fairly unusual I think nowadays!!

Good choice of food and beers. Family friendly. Food service a little on the slow side, but wait/bar staff attentive. Very happy with the experience.

Stopped for lunch on way to dover for ferry. Nice country pub with a restaurant attached. Unfortunately had run out of fish and chips so had the lamb shank and mustard mash and the wife had hand carved ham egg and chips. Both meals were quite good but no better than wetherspoons at twice the price. Nice selection of beers. the evening menu is more extensive. I would certainly go again but would go for dinner.

Although the restaurant was busy, it was Sunday lunch time, the service was good, they were particularly helpful with making sure the children had what they wanted,and were very patient with them. The food was good and very tasty although the choice of vegetables was a little limited. Desserts were lovely.

One of those times when there really was nothing wrong ,but equally there was nothing to shout about.

We visited here on a Sunday afternoon for dinner. We had booked a table as we was staying nearby and had timed it around our check-in. We was sat having drinks with my parents who had dropped us off and a staff member informed us that we could order our food and they could call us to the table when it was ready so we could finish the drinks and not have to rush off which was really nice. We both had the prawn cocktail to start and roast pork for main, both of which was really tasty and both portions where generous. The bar and waitress staff where all very friendly, making conversation and taking interest in our plans for the evening. On departure who seemed to be the owner asked if we had enjoyed our meal which was nice also to be acknowledged. Would definitely return and recommend.

Although the service, surroundings and the quality of the meat (beef) were all excellent unfortunately our Sunday roast was let down by poorly cooked vegetables and weak, watery gravy. Swede was waterlogged, carrots a bit too al dente for our tastes, roast potatoes quite hard and “under roasted”. In addition the Yorkshire puds were too well done and scorched in parts. Such a shame as we understand that the food available during the week and on Saturdays is excellent and other reviews led us to expect the same on Sunday. Hopefully this was just a blip as it seems that the majority of customers have been more than satisfied with their meals.

Called in on the off chance of getting a table for Sunday lunch they were full but we were given a warm welcome by Jo and she found us a table. Food was delicious and the staff were friendly. We were served by Jo and I must say she is an asset. Will definitely eat there again.