The Royal Oak Inn in Chichester

Lovely welcome at this beautiful pub. Good range of drinks and delicious food. Would have liked to see a slightly wider range of vegetarian options, but what I had was very tasty.

First time to visit the Royal Oak. Parking available. Lovely entrance and vibe once inside. We were given free seating option, which was nice. The staff were polite and attentive. Food, whilst slightly delayed, totally realised why, once served. Absolutely superb. My steak and ale pie totally delicious. Tried a taste of the venison faggots, also delightful. Overall, I couldn't recommend the place more highly.

Went for dinner on Valentines Night. Real effort had been put into presentation of tables and the staff where very attentive whilst leaving us time . The food was tasty and served timely . We throughly enjoyed our evening and would recommend if you do not know about this hidden jem it’s worth a visit . Oh dog friendly as well .

Stayed last night Great service and ambience great food !! Rooms especially my room number 1 lovely appearance however paper thin walls kept awake by the guest in room 2 snoring all night - I’d stay again however not in the garden rooms !! Home now and off to bed to catch up on sleep - The young lady I told this morning at breakfast thought it was very funny !!

Great lunch, a proper pub with dining. Susie and Katie (front of house) were charming. Fabulous food too - scotch egg, venison faggots, mussels particularly good. Do try the mini doughnuts. Will be back soon

Only dropped in for a drink after a run up the Trundle. Really nice place and planning to go back for food.

The Royal Oak in East Lavant is the perfect spot for a post-walk roast! The team were very accommodating to our large party and made us feel welcome. The food was delicious and the cosy atmosphere was delightful. I highly recommend his pub.

Amazing pub. Incredible food, warm and friendly atmosphere and a truly lovely team. I absolutely recommend visiting the Royal Oak, whether it’s just for a drink at the bar by the fire, or a hearty pub meal filled with flavour. I will be returning again soon!

Arrived on Monday the 15th January for a two night stay with breakfast only to find the place closed. Fortunately and by chance a young man arrived to do some work at the Inn .He informed us that the place was closed and that it was always closed on a Monday and Tuesday .Showed him our booking confirmation form and he checked on their computer to confirm that, yes we were booked in for those two nights. He kindly managed to find us alternative accommodation. Without him we would have been left stranded in a place not familiar to us and not knowing where else to go . P.T

Restaurant located around 15 minute drive from Chichester. Small car park directly opposite. Traditional cosy and very welcoming traditional English country pub decor including open fire. Friendly and efficient team serving up excellent quality gastro pub food. Scotch Egg particularly good as were faggots and steaks. Highly recommend a visit for lunch or dinner.

Brilliant service, we were waiting for our granddaughter to arrive and had to change our two night stay when she was late arriving . Nothing was too much trouble .Our room was clean, with a lovely big shower and a mini fridge with fresh milk for tea and coffee . The pub was decorated beautifully for the Christmas season . The food was excellent too , we had a great stay with out flat-coated retriever .

Stayed overnight last Thursday on a trip to Chichester. The inn is wonderful and the staff generally friendly and helpful however first impressions count and we weren’t greeted with a smile when we turned up on Thursday evening to check in. The food was good although a little limited but the Butcombe real ale and rose wine were excellent. The standard double room (number 6) was clean and pleasant and the en-suite shower room of a good standard albeit there were a few screw holes in the wall that should have been made good. The full English breakfast was of a very good standard, this was included in the room rate which I was very satisfied with. Overall a very pleasant stay and wouldn’t hesitate to return again in the future.

Excellent food, superb and attentive service, just a lovely place to stop and to eat. Staff very kindly held on to my wife's handbag as she left it there (we live near Godalming) and hadn't realised !!! See you tomorrow guys to pick it up and grab some more of that excellent food !!! Martin & Janine

Tasteless, substandard and unimaginative Sunday roast with inedible frozen potatoes. Left majority of it and explained but staff seemed very disinterested and charged £19.50 all the same. Won’t be returning.

A group of 7 of us went to The royal oak for a roast last sunday it was also my wife's birthday .Living in chichester we have all been to the pub several times over the years but after our meal today we all agreed we would come back .When i rang up to book it i explained it was for my wife's birthday and could we have a cake or something at the end to surprise her with i said i was happy to pay which the lady who took my booking said " sure we will do something at the end for her no problem ". The staff were nice enough but really not attentive and most were very lacklustre ,we ordered our food and there was quite a wait around 45 mins even though the pub was not that busy when we attended . So the food arrived and the lady got our condiments and then left , no one came back to check if we were happy with our food .Which to be honest we weren't very happy at all as our roast potatoes were rock hard and tasted stale like they were a day old , also my sons fish was very overcooked and the batter was hard and my daughters roast chicken was missing the bread sauce .If someone had come back to check on us while we were eating we could have communicated our disappointment .So we all just carried on eating a very below average meal .Then at the end i had to go inside to ask for the bill and saw there was a 10 % service charge on top which to be honest we received very little service so this seemed excessive and the price with the service charge equated to over £20 per roast .Which is one of the most expensive roast dinners in the local area and considering we all had rock hard stale potatoes again this price seemed very excessive . We did voice our disappointment with the lady that came to take our money which she was very apologetic and said " there have been a lot of complaints about the potatoes i don't know what has happened or gone wrong " .But no offer of reducing our bill or taking off the service charge so we paid in full , £170 for a one course meal plus we brought a round of drinks over the bar when we first arrived so in total around £200 and to top it all off we never received anything for my wife's birthday . Having left and got home and thought about the whole experience it was one of the worst meals we have had out in a long time and we do eat out regularly and in turn this did dampen the whole mood of our group and none of our group would return or recommend "The royal oak " far from it we would encourage people to eat somewhere else as this was a very overpriced sub standard meal . I did email the pub to explain our experience and how we were all feeling but they completely ignored me which again speaks volumes .

The food was excellent -fried squid, followed by cured chalk stream trout. Very attentive staff who made us feel welcome. Jemima, the Manager, sorted out my Loyalty membership The pub has a relaxed atmosphere and lots of local heritage I really like the Butcombe real ale

Booked two rooms, bed and breakfast . Poor reception upon arrival. Did not even realised the young women was part of the establishment. Nice room comfortable beds. Clean with good toiletries , tea and coffee in room. Next morn. Waited an hour before a burnt cooked breakfast was served! Really it was a joke! Charred bacon, rubber egg .. beans looking like they had been dried for a week. Unfit to eat . Sent back x4 plates . Reproduced reluctantly a very poorly cooked breakfast but edible. Would never eat here again if the chef cannot deliver a cooked breakfast. Receptionist leaves a lot to be desired. No apology given.

We stayed here for 2 nights with our small dog, the pub and accomodation were superb the garden area for guests was over fields stunning. Highly recommend the breakfasts. We had just one small minor issue that Suzy dealt with very well. We would not hesitate in recommending this pub and accommodation.

Pea and fresh English asparagus risotto without asparagus, really ? Would a Chef puree an expensive in season item and mix it with the rice instead of laying it beautifully on top or lie because they'd run out of it ? I'd go with the latter, shame just man up and tell the truth ......

After a great starter of steak tartar, my pea and new season asparagus was hugely disappointing. Rice cooked to rice pudding texture, very over seasoned, and not a piece or a taste of asparagus to be found anywhere. The waitress tried to fob us off by saying that the dish contained an asoaragus puree, which it certainly did not. Altogether a disappointing response to a very disappointing dish. Despite eating less than half and complaining no apology was given. F youve run out of asparagus, just say so! Shan't be eating there again.

Enjoyed an excellent dinner and breakfast at this quaint pub with our black Labrador, Digby. Friendly staff - thank you to Susie who looked after us so well - on her own with quite a few customers to deal with Sunday night. Lovely large room with shower and bath, free parking and delicious breakfast served by James.

If you want an extra special lunch experience with impeccable service and super wines, look no further than this pub. It epitomises the quintessence of English hospitality and value for money.

We had a two night stay in the Royal Oak, the accommodation was a fascinating mix of old and new, wooden doors with Suffolk Latches and an ultra modern shower. Overall the room was comfortable and a nice touch was a small teapot to avoid...

We visited on a Friday night after struggling to find somewhere which wasn’t fully booked, and we are so pleased to have stumbled across this gem! Staff were friendly, good selection of drinks, and the food was fantastic! Will definitely be returning when back in...

Our 50th wedding anniversary present from our son Dans, and we all had a marvellous meal, the food was excellent and delicious, the staff were friendly and couldn’t do enough for you, our overnight couldn’t have been better, with a spotlessly clean and warm room,...

We have often been to The Royal Oak for early evening drinks and promised ourselves we would come for dinner some time. When a friend visited, I siezed the chance and we had lunch there on a Saturday in February. The staff were friendly and...

We had heard The Royal Oak was a good pub so we booked lunch on Valentine’s Day. The menu was appealing. It was delicious food. Service was friendly and professional. It is a proper old country pub with decent beer too. We shall recommend it...

Excellent food and service from the minute we walked in. Dog friendly which is always a bonus for us

No smile, welcome or anything on arrival. Showed to our table which hadn’t been made up properly. No side plates, no crackers, salt and pepper and missing cutlery. Cold cheese straws and stiff bread, cold and insufficiently cooked starter, roast potatoes showed no sign of...

Tasty food, attentive service, lovely atmosphere made for a memorable evening. A great option for a team Christmas party.

Lunchtime midweek . Beer was very good and food average.Baked goats chees starter at £12.65 did not represent value as not a great deal of expertise is needed to prepare. Venison haunch £27.50 was again average. Portion was large and perhaps reducing portion size and...

We were booked in for dinner for five of us at 7.40 on Sunday 18th September. When we arrived we were told by the manager that the kitchen was closed - no apology, and no attempt to be find us another restaurant. This was Goodwood...

Our usual Sunday haunts were all booked. We had not heard of this small ancient pub before. We were bowled over by the great food and friendly service. A little pricey but well worth the prices. Two burgers with slim fries and the usual trimmings...

We had another excellent lunch at The Royal Oak Inn, Lavant. The staff, food and atmosphere were excellent, as always. We can never find a fault and look forward to returning again.

Had an awful Sunday lunch. Wrote to the pub but they didn’t reply. So thought I’d post the email here so you can avoid wasting your time and money (my grandmother said the Yorkshire pudding was good…): “ Hello, I’m afraid we were left really...

No complaints about the quality of the food. It was expensive. The restaurant did not seem to have any staff direction. Many tables left with plates left on them after diners had finished. Sat in outside seating area on arrival. The table behind us was...

A return visit to this country pub, with great beams and atmosphere. I had two starters, my partner enjoyed the lamb rump. All cooked and prepared beautifully. Good value for good food. will be returning.

We 3 cyclists like our food and our beer - and at the Royal Oak we've never been disappointed. Yesterday, amid thunderstorm conditions, we met for our bi-monthly get together and enjoyed Fish & Chips, and the Steak & Ale Pie, washed down with some...

A lovely pub in a great country setting with very friendly and helpful staff. The food was really good and the room was furnished well and had everything we needed including fresh milk and a good selection of teas. Would definitely recommend staying here.

Four of us visited for Sunday lunch, we sat outside as it was a lovely day. We ordered a bottle of prosecco without asking for a wine list, once we sat down my friend pointed out the bottle we had was £32.00 that was the...

We travel regularly between West Sussex and Hampshire and since the end of 'lockdown' the disappointment was that The Royal Oak was shut at the beginning of the week, but don't panic, because it's now open again. Probably not so good for the staff (sorry!)...

Visited this pub many times after race meetings at Goodwood.Always look forward to it both food and atmosphere were good.Not on this occasion.Young man and lady in the bar were lovely.Food was another matter.My fish and chips at £17.50 was clearly a frozen offering.The fish...

Roast was good, setting was even better. Good selection of wines. The meat on the roast was a very nice cut. The only thing let it down was one member of staff openly slating another member of staffs ability to his mates whilst sat down...

Tranquil country pub with great service and amazing staff, who were friendly and engaging. The Food was excellent, perfectly cooked, well presented and was delicious. The menu was small but with ample selection to entice your tastebuds. A truly wonderful pub in a great location...

The food is Michelin 'bib gourmand' cooking. A bit adventurous; always interesting; perfectly cooked. Delicious. There are only six bedrooms, which are spacious and very comfortable. I had some great night's sleep. This is an 'Inn'. You check in at the bar, after the barman...

Not sure what’s happened I guess a change in chef, we used to come years ago, then cirrus inns took it over and it lost its soul a little. We’d been going back for the last year or so after covid as we had heard...

Being that they don’t seem to have a bar menu, as in smaller dishes, only starters and mains, we thought we’d have a few starter dishes instead. So I asked, how big the starters were. (I only asked as last time in another pub, a...

We have left another review for the accommodation at The Royal Oak (we stayed at one of the two cottages over the road). That was poor, and in urgent need of some love and attention and repair. The experience of dining in the pub was...

Really nice old style pub with some delicious menu options. Set in a lovely, quaint old English village it is particularly delightful on a sunny day sitting outside on the terrace.

We stopped here for lunch on one of our usual dog walks up to the trundle and back. We were welcomed in and chose to sit outside because of the weather. Extra attention was given to my dog by way of a fresh bowl of...

I have already left this review on Tripadvisor which appeared but has now gone. Visited in March and had been on many occasions before which have always been enjoyable. We were served at first by a friendly and helpful waitress but the service from then...

Very good service from the waitress and a nice building, terrace and room but very disappointing food. A good place for a drink outside or in the bar.

We pre-booked a birthday party lunch for a party of 18 and had our own long table in the conservatory, which gave us a nice degree of privacy and shielded the rest of the restaurant from our boisterous children. The food and service were excellent,...

What a glorious place with a splendid atmosphere, fine welcome and excellent food. Oh and there were fresh flowers on the table. I had never had pigs cheeks before but I knew, if they were serving it, that it would be fine, and indeed it...

My wife & I have always liked The Royal Oak. We went for Dinner in Aug. After a couple of drinks we were shown to our table. The next door table was for about 9 people who were all outside being quite loud. They had...

Visited here for a birthday treat as we were staying locally. Gorgeous pub, lovely staff, amazing food, dog friendly. Thanks for having us.

I have to admit upfront that our little puppy had a little wee at the pubs reception desk, best to get this abdominal fact out of the way first. However it is relevant to understand why that was the case as she is normally so...

Visited the restaurant for the first time. Easy to book online. Food consisting of starters. Main and desert were lovely. Menu had great choice they should tastes. Lovely local wine and the young lady and gentleman that served us were friendly and welcoming. Will definitely...

I have been before so could wait to try the Sunday roast. Unfortunately the food served was barely warm. But it was tasty. I think another member of staff would really benefit the restaurant on a Sunday, the service wasn’t bad, it was great, however...

sat down to a table for two. The next table for eight had no one on it but a load of dog paraphernalia which stunk! Asked to move which was fine. My wife had soup which was ok. I had mushrooms on toast which was...

Village location only around 10 minute drive from Chichester. Car parking opposite restaurant (limited). Lovely warm and welcoming quintessential English country pub decor and dining space including open fire. Excellent range of dishes with a twist. Good/reasonable wine list and some interesting as well as...

Haven't been here for a while We treated ourselves and stayed the night Good service, lovely ambience. Had Buratta and mushrooms starter Venison pie and slow cooked Pork Ragu -- absolutely superb quality amd taste Really lovely meal and evening. Nice treat just before Christmas

Met with 9 friends for Sunday lunch, all food was really tasty, service really good, all round excellent as always

The tables were well spaced in the Royal Oak restaurant which helped conversation flow. The menu was a little limited if eating there for multiple nights with just 2 x dessert specials available. The venison scotch egg starter was the star for both nights we...

My wife and I dined out and had a top level experience. Even discussed the standard of food with the next table that were as equally impressed as we were.

We have just returned from a fabulous stay at this gorgeous country pub. Their ‘Countryside Comforts’ package was well worth every penny. Our room (no. 2) was luxurious with a fantastic bathroom, plenty of hot water & a very comfy bed! The food was 5*...

Another wonderful trip to the Royal Oak to celebrate a special Birthday. Once again the food was delicious and we hope to find an excuse to visit again soon!

First visit for a long time, and delighted to find how good it is now. My partner had excellent venison, I was charmed with the chickpea and kale pasties. Good service, attentive and friendly without being interfering or obtrusive. Cosy comfortable stylish atmosphere. Nicely spaced...

My son was visiting from abroad, the first time in so long. He wanted to take me out to dinner and I chose The Royal Oak. I knew he would love the place and the setting, and he did. He is vegan and there were...

We were staying at nearby West Dean College of Art & Conservation, so booked a meal at the Royal Oak in East Lavant on Thursday evening. It was an excellent choice, with nice friendly service, very good Covid precautions (transparent panels between each table) and...

Booked a table last Saturday evening for 5 and a todler. Arrived late but table and high chair were ready and waiting. We got exactly what we ordered in a timely manner. The quality of the food was excellent and service was attentive with considersation...

Great cooking here, we had a perfectly pink lamb rump with amazing local slow cooked courgette and a sea bass with a really tasty Tarka dhal. Desserts were a beautiful little buttermilk pannacotta which was great to see with a wonderful caramelised white chocolate and...

We have been coming to the Royal Oak for the past four years now and even stayed here to celebrate a significant birthday two years ago. The food and accommodation used to be superb. Our meal this evening was not! Previously the food was definitely...

This is going to be our local pub, as we can walk here from our new house at Madgwick Park. Lovely country pub with excellent beer, wine and food. Went here for lunch and sat outside in sunshine. Ordered a main course of plaice and...

Very nicely decorated inside, posh and trendy with lots of windows and light, and a decent size car park on the other side of the road. Interesting food with a couple of vegetarian options, although a bit on the pricey side. Food was good, 8...

First time in ages visiting our ‘go to’ pub with a friend who had never been before. Same fabulous location and busy, efficient and professional staff. Food - shockingly awful. Both had the prawn starter. Pricey but sounded great. 3 king prawns each - but...

Pub with accommodation in a small village just at the edge of the Goodwood Estate. Be warned, gets very busy when a major Goodwood event is on, but at other times, it’s a lovely country pub Both indoor and outdoor seating available. Good menu with...

A great find - stayed in one of the cosy cottages opposite the pub, peaceful well appointed and all staff incredibly attentive and friendly- loved it! Food was fab both breakfast and dinner, dogs and teenagers in tow - all made to feel very welcome...

Based on (some time ago) past experience, when I booked the Royal Oak for a long-awaited family/friend Sunday lunch I had high expectations. Sadly the food was lukewarm, generally poor quality and of meagre portions. Service was slow and inconsistent, My request for apple sauce...

very lovely interior and service, beware portions are large and delicious, wonderful village location

Fantastic meal last night, great to be out again, the food was well above the usual standard, I had s perfectly cooked lamb chop with well seasoned lentils and a really zingy salsa verde!Partner had a well cooked and delicious missed chowder with perfect trout!Highly recommend, best food around, great looking menu and wine list, matched with fantastic service.

My husband and I (and our dog) recently stayed at The Royal Oak for two nights. Our room was spacious and lovely and comortable, and the pub itself is in an excellent location for Goodwood, the coast and South Downs. Breakfast each morning was plentiful...

An excellent restaurant experience in this pub. We all enjoyed a range of food; well cooked and flavoursome. We were served by a Canadian who was exceptional. She added to our dining experience by being efficient, friendly, helpful and good humoured. The approach to covid was sensible, safe and properly managed. If you are n the area, I recommend a visit and think you could stay overnight too.

The Royal Oak provided a safe and comfortable dining experience during the current circumstances. Staff were friendly and welcoming. The food was excellent quality and very reasonably priced for such a brilliant meal. I cannot recommend it enough for all occasions!

We dined here on Saturday night, it’s such a cute pub. Highly recommend the seabass and the steak, as well as the apple crumble cake. The cocktails were also delicious. Will be back!

This was our first visit and our thanks to Mr Google for finding the Royal Oak. We visited on a quiet Friday lunchtime and were impressed by the unobtrusive Covid measures. My wife chose the bubble & squeak soup to start which came with toasted soda bread, very tasty and filling. She then ordered the whole partridge accompanied by red cabbage and celeriac dauphinoise and a small jug of delicious gravy. The partridge had just the right amount of gamey flavour and although a little fiddly to eat there was none left at the end. My starter was the venison and black pudding sausage roll very moreish with a red currant jelly. Again a wonderful combination and completely devoured. My main was the chicken and ham hock pie served with buttered greens and a wonderful creamy mashed potato and a small jug of delicious gravy. The pie was a proper one with top, bottom and sides (not a bit of pastry on a dish of meat) with a lovely crisp crust and one of the best I have had.I was puzzled by an earlier comment re the atmosphere of the pub which we found to be homely and welcoming despite the spacing for Covid. There was a fore burning on one area and the smell reminded us we were in Autumn.We loved our meal and are thinking of returning again soon, fingers crossed.

James and the team are always welcoming, very knowledgeable and friendly. Food was prompt and beautifully presented. Great value for money and a good buzzy atmosphere. We are locals to the pub and are so pleased it has re opened, good to see you all and we will be back soon.

After the long shut down it was lovely to enjoy a venue new to us as a family. The Covid measures were very good but once seated at the table all could relax. Food was very good a pleasant atmosphere and I am sure we will return

Interesting menu with unusual dishes, even on a cold midweek February evening. Lovely warm open bar/dining room.

This is one of the most picturesque and lovely pubs in West Sussex. Or was. But it lacks atmosphere. No music, far enough but something would help. The one thing they could do which they consistently seem to not be bothered to do would immediately bring the pace to life and make it homely is light the fires. Same last time I was there a year ago. It's a shame. Bit more work maybe. I would have thought it would make a it a nicer place to work too.

I’ve eaten at The Royal Oak a few times in recent months and have been disappointed by the food and service. That personal touch has been sadly lacking. A friend and I were passing one chilly lunchtime last week and decided to pop in. The restaurant was empty. We were greeted warmly by the staff and shown to a lovely table in the lighter back room. As the restaurant filled up, our waitress remained attentive, friendly and professional. We did not have to wait long at all for drinks and then food. Portion sizes were quite small but the ‘comfort food’ for which we were searching was absolutely delicious! I plumped for the ‘pie of the day’ which was chicken, leek and mushrooms with a mashed potato topping and my friend chose fish and chips. Really couldn’t fault the food or service and am encouraged to return!

Not like it used to be. This place used to be fantastic and we would travel 40 odd miles to come here, and I have stayed overnight. However it is sadly lacking any artistic merit from the chefs. I had in effect a duck stew, but the description on the special board was no indication of what I actually had. Shame on your lack lustre kitchen. You have always been expensive but the food always used to be inspiring and unique. Has Nick the owner moved on?

Had wonderful dinner in this old pub. Staff were attentive and food / service was very good. Decor and mood of the pub was also very good.

Perfect venue for Sunday lunch with family. Friendly welcome. Busy but the team managed well. Roaring fire. Good menu choices. Everyone enjoyed their choices though to be picky I’d say my beef was a little overdone and the veg looked a little like it had been reheated. Never mind the flavour was there and the beef tender. Greatly enjoyed.

We came here for a lunch on a Sunday with our dog. The Royal Oak couldn’t look lovelier. The general manager was utterly cccharming

Ok it was revival weekend so pub v busy . To me it seemed not enough staff to cope with demand . After an hour long wait for our table we were eventually served . Surely when you pre book a table in January the people already dining should be told the table is required for 20.30 . Everything we requested was sold out no salmon starter no sea bass . Poor menu choice food very mediocre service poor i

We stayed for one night in one of the gorgeous, comfortable and immaculate rooms overlooking picturesque fields. The bed was so comfortable & the whole room so inviting we wished we could stay for longer. We loved sitting outside drinking in the silence & beauty of the countryside.

We stayed at The Royal Oak whilst attending a wedding in the area. Our room was clean and comfortable with a lovely view over the fields. The pub was set in a nice location and when we arrived we enjoyed a couple of drinks under the sunshades at the front of the pub. My sister and her husband also stayed and we joined them for dinner, which we all enjoyed, food was nicely presented and service was good. We enjoyed the breakfasts, good quality bacon and sausages! I would definitely return.

We stayed two nights at The Royal Oak, East Lavant this August. It was such a lovely place to stay. Our room (no 4) was very comfortable and spotlessly clean. The evening meal was delicious - very fresh and full of flavour. The breakfasts were superb. Very nicely presented, modern twists on some of the breakfasts, and good sized portions. A true delight. We would highly recommend this Restaurant and Inn.

Many years ago this used to be a great restaurant and I have a feeling it is beginning to improve after a few shaky years.