The Royal Oak Country Pub And Restaurant in Chichester

We were recommended here as somewhere for lunch, so gave it a go. When we arrived and went to the bar nobody seemed interested in seeing what we wanted, staff seemed more concerned with joking around with eachother. After stopping someone to tell them we had a table booked we were then shown to our table. Then had to wait 5 minutes to get a menu. Thankfully the food was great, but once our plates were cleared we were completely forgotten about again. Had to go to the bar to pay, and of course had the discretionary service (what service?) charge added to the bill automatically. Great food, but didn't feel looked after

Pub has lovely interior and food was 5/5 - lovely roast. Slightly let down by service, waited a long time to be seen. Seemed to be lots of staff possibly just badly managed this particular shift. Would still recommend to others in the area.

We didn’t prior book but were given a warm welcome. Roast dinner was lovely, tasty and well cooked. Yorkshire pudding excellent. Beef and lamb were tasty meats (we had one each) . Service friendly, attentive and I was asked if I enjoyed my dinner. I guess the one and only negative for me, that dreaded cabbage was served mixed with carrots broccoli and sprouts. I should have asked for no cabbage. Didn’t have room for dessert. A great place to stop en route to Portsmouth as they are open for quite some time.

We had travelled 60miles to meet up with friends as this was the midway point. It was worth every minute of the journey. A warm sunny day helped with great views from the outdoor covered seating. Our party of 5 had a mixture of the Sunday roast beef , which was absolutely brilliant, the beef melted in your mouth, the Yorkshire pudding was light, tasty and large and the vegetables cooked perfectly. The dish of the day (hake), the fish and chips and the butternut squash tagine were all very good. We had enough space for the raspberry clafoutis, a very lemony lemon pie and the pana cotta. The food was, without exception, excellent, well presented and hot. The staff took extra care to ensure that one of our party was not served anything that could trigger their allergy. In addition, the service was quiet, efficient and not intrusive. We all agreed a great place to meet and eat. Thank you. Highly recommended

Come regularly to the Royal Oak on a Wednesday for a drink Today we had lunch as it was our wedding anniversary. We both had the pork belly it was absolutely faultless and cooked to perfection. We both thoroughly enjoyed it and will definitely recommend. Nice to find something different to the pub norm of everything with chips!! Will definitely be back. See you next week for our usual

Returning from work and tried to book myself lunch knowing how busy the pub gets on a Sunday … I got a table and a superb Lamb roast .. The food is always great and the team are amazing .. Thanks Frankie / Justin / Alfie .. for making room for me … IF you haven’t been you should go as the Roasts are amazing !

Enjoyed this cosy rural pub / restaurant. Open all day. Dogs allowed. Plus Seating outside. We had dinner, beautiful cornish muscles in a Thai sauce. Followed by steak and chips and salad. All very convivial.

We stopped in here for dinner while staying in the area. The food was delicious, the service was really friendly, and the pub was pretty. The garden looked lovely, with a great view ... but unfortunately it was a chilly winter night, so there was no way we could sit outside - look forward to coming back in the summer!

We hadn’t been here as a family before but one of us had good memories of a lunch here post Covid, so we decided to give it a go. Service: not particularly welcoming. Food: good in parts. My husband had the mussels special - honestly the best he has ever had. My sea bream dish on the other hand, salty and underwhelming. My son’s steak, chewy. Bread and butter pudding - fab. So, could have been better and actually, if we’d felt valued as customers I may have been kinder!

We’ve lived up the road for 2 1/2 years and this is our first visit - definitely not the last. What a fabulous pub. Great atmosphere and beautiful inside. The manager (?) was outstanding - very friendly and great service. The food was stunning. So delicious and beautifully presented. We had a really lovely evening and booked again while we were there!! Can’t wait. See you soon!

Absolutely delicious food in a charming country pub. We came here for the first time for our Xmas dinner - 7of us. From start=to finish the food was delicious and hot when it should be hot and cold when it should be cold. Friendly waiting staff. Popular with the locals and all the local dogs. I will definitely book here again.

Have been coming here since the 80’s through all it’s different phases, but recently visited for a big family Christmas meal. The food was exceptional. Brilliant menu, cooking and presentation, and the service was spot on too. Not cheap, but absolutely worth it. It was a perfect family meal. Thankyou!

Excellent Pub, not been for many years. Staff and Food were brilliant. Good atmosphere. As you can imagine this time of year it was very busy but the levels of service and food quality were maintained and you cant say that for all establishments at Christmas time. Would definitely be looking to return as soon as we can. Happy Christmas

Absolutely perfect! I’ll always recommend the Royal Oak, the staff are super helpful and kind! It’s a firm favourite for my friends and family’s to go to and so welcoming. There such a range of choices of food to choose from, which is fantastic and the food is always fabulous. The pub is super cosy, with an array of seating! They’re always super accommodating too! Thank you all!

Been coming for several years to meet friends for a meal. Food is OK....drinks are OK but only 2 draught bitters available. Service somewhat slow when clearing table. Annoying fire alarm regularly going off as was the manager's phone. Heating seems to not be working these days. Loads of potential to be excellent.....but it's OK. Time to try a few other pubs in Midhurst now I feel.

There's a good and versatile chef in the kitchen here! We had the duck and the belly pork, both of which were excellent, with good vegetable components. Cosy atmosphere and very dog friendly too. What's not to like?

Hi all , I I have recommended this pub/restaurant, to my friends . It all started off so well , good drinks and lovely starters. To my discuss we have found a maggot in our food. We have then tried to leave the establishment disgusted and hungry . To be greeted by a rude Man, who made us feel on edge , and aggressive. To which point lady came from the bar and admitted the maggot could have come from the watercress of which was a garnish on top of the roast? She then said we could inspect the kitchen which I thought was super condescending . They then offered us half price roasts as we only ate half after finding the maggot!!!! I am in two minds about reporting this to the food hygiene agency unless we receive some formal compensation for this horror story to be told for generations. To say I’m disappointed is an understatement and treatment for the staff it’s disgusting apart from the waitress, who served us was very nice and accommodating to our situation . For my restaurant that I would recommend it to my friend, I will never eat here again due to Rosenthal and poor quality food. I will be putting this report on TripAdvisor and any other social media.

Great pub - nice decor and very friendly welcome - popped in on a visit to Midhurst. Decent selection of beverages and the food was delicious. We plumped for the Chicken Milanese and the Duck both of which we great. Very attentive service - water was replenished without request. Wish I'd had room for desert. Very cosy and would have been nice to stay longer if possible. Will definitely return when in the area

The Royal Oak is just outside Midhurst on the main road towards Chichester and there’s plenty of parking (including an overflow area at bottom left). Visited mid week and although it was quite busy with a couple of large groups, service was actually very good - the young girls clearly knew what they were doing and our main server (Galyna?) was very efficient and attentive. We all agreed that our meals (fish & chips/burger) were good portions and tasty. There is a 10% (optional) service charge automatically added to bills but to be honest we had no quibble with either food or service and so happy to pay. Rest rooms were in a clean condition and overall we’d be happy to return

We used to come here 30 odd years ago and always had a lovely meal. Now more of a gastro pub. We sat out in the garden so had to order our food at the bar. That’s fine - no problem with that at all. We also had to carry our drinks outside ourselves and collect our cutlery and condiments from a trolley in the garden. Again no problem with that either, quite normal for a pub lunch. What I did have an issue with was the ‘discretionary 10% service charge’ that was automatically added to the bill. I was not given a bill to dispute this. The card machine was just thrust at me to tap my card at the bar. I asked for a receipt which appeared to be an inconvenience. Once i’d seen the bill I queried the service charge. After all I’d pretty much served myself I was told it is stated on the menu. Which it is, in small print at the bottom. Now, I have no problem tipping wait staff and if we had been sat in the restaurant part and been ‘waited on’ I’d have tipped the member of staff directly at the end of my meal. Never have I been charged a service charge when ordering at the bar. When the food came I have to say it looked amazing. The Shawma was very tasty but was absolutely swimming in oil. I had to tilt my bowl to drain it away from the food. The chips with my husbands meal were over cooked and very crisp. It’s a shame as this place holds fond memories of family gatherings but I won’t be returning again.

Superb Sunday evening dinner. Cannot fault food, drinks, service, ambience. Highly recommended. Excellent. Thanks!

My first poor experience at this pub that I’m usually so happy to praise. Staffing issues I would say. No floor manager it seamed. All staff appeared young and new Was given wrong food. Had to repeatedly ask for water for the table. The portions of vegetables seamed to be smaller also. Not it’s usual good meal.

Service was appalling so we walked out and went home to eat. We do try to support Midhurst hospitality but disappointment seems to be the norm in this Town.

We went to this country pub for lunch. The food was excellent as was the beer. The lunch was served by friendly efficient staff. All round a very pleasant experience. We would certainly go again.

Stopped in here for a quick beverage whilst waiting for our tractor. Friendly barman, clean loo, ample parking. Very pleasant outdoor setting. Loads of tables, lights in trees, and I imagine a great nighttime venue, especially in warmer months.

location- excellent with lovely garden and dining room ambience- excellent food -ranged from excellent to mediocre. e.g. squid was excellent fish in fish and chips mainly overcrispy batter wines -good service- slow and not great. we had a table booked and after sitting there for a while ended up going to the bar to order. long wait between starter and main course. had to go to bar for sauces. Not enough staff. price- seemed fair perhaps a little high for what it was.

A good bar/restaurant for meeting friends. It is tucked away from the main areas of Midhurst but is easily approached. At busy times the car park may be full, but there is an overflow next to it, watch your tyres, none of it is tarmac, off road driving experience needed!

We are pleased that we stopped here for a drink. On arrival at the bar we asked if dogs were allowed and presumed that we may have to sit outside as the tables were laid for dinner but the Barman said that we could use one of the tables and there was plenty of room for our dog to sit beside us without bothering people. This is a refreshing change as not all establishments are as accommodating. The Provence Rosé was delicious and the atmosphere was great, we will definitely return for food soon.

Fabulous lunch in a typical country pub. Great atmosphere friendly and efficient staff and plenty of choice on the menu. Food freshly cooked and delicious

Booked the Royal Oak blind as we were in the area visiting Petworth for a Mother’s Day day out. Turned out to be a good choice as we had a cosy table in the small marque overlooking the garden - we had our dog with us - and a really tasty Sunday roast. Would definitely come back whenever we’re nearby and recommend the Royal Oak.

Have eaten here 3 times. Every time the food is great. Staff are on the ball. Had the roast this time was yummy. Would recommend to anyone.

We have visited before and enjoyed it. However, this time was not so good. Very busy and noisy, not particularly welcoming or friendly - 20 minutes before being offered drinks, very limited choice for our vegetarian gluten free guest, despite being assured of several options...

Called in here midweek for lunch - party of 5. Firstly, there was a smell of urine as we entered the pub. Secondly, we were not allowed to order drinks at the bar and were commanded to go and sit at a table. Why -...

I might be wrong but this seems like a place to be seen judging by how folks were turned out for a simple Sunday lunch in the garden. The garden is lovely, but we didn’t want a large meal like a Sunday roast so opted...

We regularly go to Royal Oak for fish and chips which is excellent. Fish is haddock and huge, chips are really good. Friendly service and good car park.

We have been eating out on Christmas Day for approximately the last nine years. We’ve always been lucky in our choice of locations as the food has generally been excellent. However, we reckon this is about the best so far. Between us we had the...

After our last experience with a pub lunch we were reluctant to splurge on a meal out, but we are so glad we did, as the Royal Oak couldn’t have been a nicer experience. Lovely atmosphere in the marquee, delicious food and excellent service. It...

Arrived for my birthday Sunday lunch into the marquee with our two dogs after a walk. A beautiful pub and marquee and very friendly for our dogs. The food and service was absolutely amazing. Thoroughly enjoyed and will certainly return. Thank you.

Lovely food and good service. A little barn like with large area of tables,no cosy corners but would definitely go back. Six of us all had delicious food

A delicious Sunday roast lunch with all the trimmings & great Yorkshires. Good variety of veges - just a bit soft. Appreciated extra gravy. Good choice of puds. Sticky pear yummy. Staff friendly & attentive. Will be back.

We went for fish and chips on Monday evening. Huge piece of excellently cooked haddock with a light, thin, crusty batter. Good chips and home made tartar sauce and lovely fresh pea mash. Sweet was a wonderful ginger treacle tart which looked, and was, scrumptious...

As it always looked busy when we drive past we thought we’d give it a try. Had booked online and had a reservation in the marquee, when we arrived we were given the option to sit in the restaurant if we wanted, which was nice...

A splendid Sunday roast (albeit at 6pm!). Pleasant pub ambience, good service, well-stocked bar. We hit the staff changeover and could see that the place had been extremely busy all afternoon. Friendly, rustic, comfortable. A great meal out.

Visited Friday lunchtime and sat outside in the Autumn sunshine. Can imagine this place is very busy on a Summers Day as the view is lovely from their large garden. They obviously spent a lot of money erecting a marquee type structure during covid that...

Thank you for our wonderful meals last night. The five of us were there to celebrate our Daughters Birthday. The food and service were excellent. Bar staff very friendly. It was a great evening

Here for lunch as we had business in Midhurst. Starters, salt & pepper squid, though tender, lacked seasoning? Prawns in chili very over cooked and dry. We both had same main of slow cooked pork belly, which was one slice of belly, quite dry, on...

Lovely friendly staff, plenty of choice from the menu, the food was excellent, portion sizes are very generous, will definitely recommend a visit you wont be disappointed 🤗

First visit to The Royal Oak - what a great pub. A large pub, with lots of different zones inside and outside, huge garden with plenty of outdoor seating, an impressive marquee for dining, and stunning views of the South Downs and. It’s clearly a...

The Good The food is superb, a fabulous chef, well-presented. Good outdoor marquee The Bad The loos smell of Jeyes Fluid and it fills the pub with the odour Awful service. We asked numerous times for our drinks, but they never came. The Ugly Rubbish...

Situated on the outskirts of Midhurst this country pub is delightful. On a sunny day you can sit outdoors. Staff was very friendly and not rushed at all. Cosy enrivornment and definately recommend tryong it out. The summer berries pavlova and the cheesecake a a...

This was the second visit to the Royal Oak but the first time for a roast. On the first visit we had lunch on a week day and sat outside in the marquee and the food was delicious and the comfort was just as good...

My Daughter,her Son ,my Husband and myself have just had the most amazing lunch. We have all said that our meals were the most amazing food that we have eaten for a very long time. The staff and service were spot on and we can’t...

Just been for lunch fabulous friendly and efficient staff and food was amazing they go the extra mile to make it good Great choices on the menu

We found this place by accident and what a lovely find. Beautiful location and such a nice place. Meals were excellent and so was service. Very tasty and great variety. Service with a smile. Would definately recommend it

We came here for a Sunday roast for the first time. Despite being busy, the service was really good and attentive. We had a beef and lamb and both were good, with lovely pieces of meat and nicely cooked veg. We were a bit disappointed...

Just dropped our son off for a weekend away for popped in with no booking for a meal on a Friday evening. Before we even got inside we saw a very smiling member of staff, bar staff attentive and offered us a table wherever we...

We recently with with another couple visited this restaurant for lunch, the first thing we noticed when entering the restaurant was the brilliant atmosphere. We were showed to our table and the waitress handed us menu's which upon reading covered all tastes. We all ordered...

The food was great the waitress also very pleasant (when present)! However, we went for a meal on Mother’s Day a table of 10 (5 adults and 5 children aged from 8 months to 10 years old). When booking we made it clear that we...

Absolutely love this pub, great food and amazing service especially from Jodie who made our evening such a great experience.

Lovely evening meal here with friends A little crowded early on and although tables well spaced was a little congested around the bar where you go in which is a shame as otherwise a five rating! Lovely staff friendly and efficient service excellent Food choice...

What a fantastic NYE I have to say we had a really great evening delightful food great atmosphere the staff were friendly and attentive! Ignore the rude comments from the one below who seems to regularly leave negative feedback! This place is lovely . Def...

We never, ever go out for Sunday lunch (usually because it's so hit-and-miss), but this past weekend we had a couple of friends visiting who suggested we go out to a pub for Sunday lunch. The Royal Oak was the only pub for miles and...

We recently went to the first ever Oaktoberfest at The Royal Oak. From start to finish we had a fantastic time. The staff were all in either Dirndls or Lederhosen, and really got into the spirit of things. The music was great, although the sound...

What a find! A true gem of a place. The staff were very attentive and the food was superb. Traditional dinners and well as something a little different. Portions were more than generous. Well deserving of its place of top listing for Sunday Lunches in...

Not a fan of pubs, but this was exceptional. Good large garden with tables well spaced. Very efficient ordering from a large menu. Staff really helpful. Quality very good. Enjoyed a tasty cheeseboard - good choice and well-presented.

Set in the wonderful West Sussex Countryside just South of Midhurst on the main road to Chichester. We sat outside under under a wonderful canopy. I am not sure, but the food as seem to have got better, having been here before, but after enjoying...

We called in for an early supper with our Border Collie. The tables were well spaced and we got our drinks reasonably quickly. Unfortunately there was quite a wait for our food, but when it did arrive, it was excellent

on the way home from a great day out , stumbled upon The Royal Oak , Great Staff Great Food Great Surroundings

Stopped on the off chance on the way home after a day out. If we're ever in the area and in need of a meal we'll visit again. We sat in the beautiful marquee (term used loosely as it was far from a horrid plastic...

Out for a walk in the area and came across this little gem. Has to be the most relaxing pub garden I’ve ever been in. Didn’t expect much when ordering sandwiches but they were memorable. Big fat delicious chunks of cheese, delicious sweet chutney, thick...

We waited 2 hours for our main course only for it to arrive cold. No communication from staff. They said they would do my meal again and it took another 45 minutes to arrive cold again. By which time my friends had finished their meal....

Had a fantastic lunch here yesterday, great choice with specials which we went for and were absolutely amazing, freshly cooked, hot, delicious. Staff friendly and efficient, lovely atmosphere in the outdoor marquee Food even better than last time and pudding delicious too

This looks like it was an old farm house and barn converted now into a pub, feels like it’s in the middle of nowhere, but well worth the drive out, there is lots of space inside and out and it will suit everyone, even has...

Have visited on three occasions over the last few weeks, and despite the great location in and outside, as well as really good food, the service has been very poor. Took a very long time for orders/food/drink to arrive, the staff were not attentive and...

Absolutely delicious meal, full of amazing flavours beautifully presented, lots of vegetarian options , lovely decor , nice touches like dried flower swags, you can tell the owners care about the ambiance .only thing I would change is I didn't like the TV with football...

Visited the Royal Oak on a sunny late May Bank Holiday. We only stopped off for a drink in the garden but decided to order a side of chips. We ordered via the app, and found this to be very efficient with our drinks and...

Had a lovely stake with friends. Wonderful staff who had a really good sense of Humour. I really enjoyed my evening only down part was it’s a bit pricy but I will be going back. Keep up the good work guys

Had an amazing dinner in the stretch marque with my partner and friends, food was amazing and the service even better, we were served by Immy (James) who was perfect, everyone at my table all work/own pubs and she was amazing always making sure we...

Lovely place, spotlessly clean, delightful staff and excellent food. Going to go back at a weekend they have an outdoor kitchen.

First class service, Covid restrictions in place and excellent fish and chips! No coke zero though, both surprising g and disappointing but overall, very nice experience

Poor Service on a busy Saturday evening to be honest from when we arrived standing at the bar for 10 minutes waiting to be shown our table then about 20 minutes for drinks and then the icing on the cake was when someone forgot one...

Totally Outstanding Food and Service would highly recommend anyone to go and eat there. Firstly I would like to say a huge thank you to all the staff at the Royal Oak for making our lunchtime visit to them yesterday so delightful in every way....

Lunchtime catch up with a friend. Friendly staff. We shared mezze plate and chips - lovely, plenty for two and good price. Lovely pint of cider. Sat in the marquee, which has heaters and blankets for snuggling in if it's cold. I will definitely be...

Totally amazing food with great staff. Can’t wait to go back again. The best chicken burger I’ve ever had. And absolute must for any one looking for a good pub

Other reviewers may disagree with this as there are so many positives but I’ve got to be honest. We have found it distinctly average. The staff are very good indeed but seem to be constantly let down by the kitchen. I have enjoyed their outdoor...

What a super pub! Friendly staff who were so helpful in getting a Hugh chair and checking that we had everything we needed. Excellent food including rare beef on the Sunday roast menu! Well done. 1st pub ever to get it right fir me and...

This was the best of the meals I have had in recent weeks in an "outside" setting pending our being able to get back inside pubs and restaurants. Quite a reasonable menu choice and a few good specials. Quite a large marquee heated by gas...

We had such a nice evening at The Royal Oak. Staff were lovely and went out of their way to check you had everything. Delicious food and a cosy setting inside their beautifully decorated marquee with heaters and blankets. Puddings looked delicious but was too...

This was a great night out. Tuesday evening. It was busy and had atmosphere. The menu was varied and our service was prompt both for drinks and food. The outside seating area (Covid secure) was well thought out and cosy. A smart, large t-pee tent...

Setting was lovely, good effort was made the decor and congratulate them on their food. However we were left waiting around for our table for about 40 mins and felt uncomfortable with no apology. And when we asked for reassurance as the food deadline had...

Had a couple of drive thru takeaways through lockdown and this was our first destination as soon as it ended. Large outside area and tastefully decorated covered outside seating also. Superb food and service as always, the burgers are amazing. Service quick and booking was...

I visited at the same time as the reviewer below and will say that the staff member they are referring to was fully within her rights to ask them to quieten down and stop swearing, as there were a large number of families with young...

Stunning. Just stunning. Beautiful service from the moment we walked in to the moment we left. Very very reasonable prices. We only swung in for a pint, but I cannot express the level of service we received enough! It was outstanding and I for one...

The team at the Royal Oak have created an attractive and welcoming alternative restaurant in their marquee to comply with the current requirement to serve outdoors. Whilst I would certainly recommend the burger in a bun with chips, all the food that I saw being...

Saw this place was open when passing on Monday 12 April lunchtime and fortunately they could fit us in under the cover. Great selection of food. Would recommend. Chef was a happy chap, in his outdoor kitchen.

The delivered Sunday Roast was absolutely delicious, will definitely be ordering again. Prompt delivery and all was piping hot. Very impressed.

Just can't tell you how impressed we were with the delicious roast beef delivery which we ordered yesterday. Believe me it was absolutely unbeatable.

I ordered takeaway pizzas and they arrived on time but they were very bad quality and completely undercooked

We had the french finish at home box yesterday. We have nothing but praise for it all! The idea is great, the food was phenomenal, the service and delivery was great and The Royal Oak were also extremely accommodating in creating one for three people....

Amazing finish at home 'pie night'. Delivered to us. Choose your pie, mash and gravy and with vege! Generous portion and soooo tasty! Well done royal Oak. 👏👏