The Ship Inn in Canterbury

First impressions were really good, friendly staff and a very impressive menu. However the positivity didn’t last long. The service was slow from the off and it took an age for our orders to be taken. This was followed by another long wait for the food to be served. I wish I could say the food was worth waiting for but it most certainly wasn’t. We ordered five main meals and two of them were really poor. It became very clear that the menu is far too ambitious with the chef being unable to deliver. I ordered the chicken ballotine and as soon as it was served I could see the shortcomings. I was expecting it to be served with a mushroom fricasse and parmentier potatoes - what I got was a dried up piece of chicken with RAW mushrooms and what looked like just cream opened straight from the fridge and poured over the top. There had clearly been no cooking of the ingredients together to make a fricasse. There was also no sign of the parmentier potatoes and I thought they must be coming in a separate dish? This wasn’t the case. I found around 6 tiny pieces of potato under the chicken. I questioned with the server why the mushrooms were raw and he went back the kitchen to speak with the chef. He came back and advised that indeed the mushrooms should have been cooked. I have no idea how the chef was happy for that dish to have gone out like that. I asked for a separate cooked fricasse to be bought to the table and while I waited I tasted the chicken. Firstly it was dry and tough and would have needed a steak knife to cut it. The whole dish was utterly tasteless and the fact the cream seemed to be just poured over the food rather than cooked into it, everything was barely warm. At this point I decided to give up on the meal and advised the server I no longer wanted any of it. He did apologise and said he wouldn’t charge and asked if there was any other food I wanted. At this point the rest of my party were nearing the end of their meals so I declined the offer. Another member of my family ordered the chicken curry (the hot option) and was also very disappointed with it. Again, the lack of skill from the chef was evident and the ‘hot’ simply meant the chef chucking a load of extra curry powder into it. And it tasted powdery and dry. The only meals that were enjoyed were the ones requiring no extra chef skills, eg burger and scampi and chips. This pub needs to simplify its menu and stick to basic pub grub until it can deliver. I wouldn’t visit again or recommend to others.

Found the ship by chance and so glad we did 5 Star all the way

A lovely evening meal at the Ship Inn, last night. Great food, nice wine and a friendly warm atmosphere. The staff as always are efficient and friendly. Thank you.

We was a party of 18 that never booked but they managed to fit us in at short notice and the staff were amazing. Children's food portions are brilliant and great selection of adult choices. The pub appeared really well run. When we return next time we'll be sure to secure a booking due to popularity!

8 adults for Sunday lunch, including 2 vegetarians. All main courses & desserts perfect. All staff friendly. 2 coffees were served lukewarm, when we politely asked for this to be warmed up we got a sigh from the young man serving. Told us he was tired. More sleep needed & all will be fine 😊

Decided at the last minute to come to The Ship for a Sunday roast. First time visiting this pub and was not disappointed. Young friendly efficient staff. Delicious roast lamb and trimmings, also delicious puddings. We will definitely recommend The Ship to friends and family and we will definitely return.

I was a little reluctant to go to the ship last night as our last 2 experiences in the summer weren’t that great. As we are local I always wanted it to be good and am very happy to say we had a lovely evening there, the food was great and the staff really friendly and with the right amount of attentiveness. So pleased that we will be able to visit more regularly now.

Went to the ship today with 5 of my friends. Atmosphere was absolutely great they welcomed my little dog and got her a bowl of water without us even asking. I had the seafood platter absolutely awesome the best I've had in years I would recommend the food as all of my Friends had a meal from the menu.the portions where lovely.not one of us had cause to complain.the puddings were lovely the staff were a credit to the pub as were the bar staff.i would recommend this pub to anyone thinking of going for a drink and a great meal well done to the ship .been living in the bay now for 37 years can't wait to go back.

Beautiful pub in a great location, the aesthetics of the place are really lovely. The food was good quality pub grub that we couldn't fault. The only slight down side was the lady who served us was a little on the grumpy side. She barely spoke to us as she served as she was having a conversation with another customer who I can only presume was a regular. When my partner asked a question about the menu she huffed and was very abrupt. It's a shame as we felt a bit unwelcome and more of an inconvenience. Hopefully it was an off day as the rest of our visit was quite impressive so won't rule out another one.

Visited with friends for drinks, every staff member was working hard, a credit to the business ! Good selection of beers and a wide range of spirits, will defo go again.

Wonderful pub.. our favourite in the Bay. Lovely atmosphere, great food, friendly staff.... 😀

Pretty terrible overall. Pub was about half full. Staff couldn’t cope and we didn’t even get served. We walked out and spent our money elsewhere. Pity because the bay needs people to spend money but there are better and more friendly pubs around.

Excellent attention, food was amazing. Such a difference to the last time I went there a few years ago , well done

Not too pleased as fewer choices available on a Monday, which is a bad day to eat out.

We popped in on the impulse hoping for a table for 2. Couldn't be easier... Welcoming. Lovely staff. Great food. Warm atmosphere. Not am ounce of disappointment. Would recommend in a heartbeat. Thank you guys, you've got this right!

Excellent customer service amidst a busy Saturday evening. We organised a surprise birthday celebration for a member of our family therefore guests were arriving at separate times as they manoeuvred their way through different challenges on the day. I telephoned The Ship Inn whilst still on a train and spoke to Katy (apologies if I have noted the incorrect name) to explain about the delay. The original plan was to get to a local shop to buy decorations for the table but that was not possible. The member of staff at The Ship Inn advised they could organise a small cake with a candle. To our surprise a few members of staff also found time to sing Happy Birthday which was a lovely surprise. The wide range of food available is wonderful and the customer service was maintained at a high level even though there were many different demands on their time. The prices are competitive and there are many options of drinks to compliment a meal. Thank you to everyone in The Ship Inn. There is no surprise it is it is a popular venue. The view over the 'The Bay' is spectacular. One request would be to adjust the door to the outside area i.e. it stuck open a few times which proved to be quite chilly at the end of November. If an inner door could be fitted that would be a great help. Wishing everyone at The Ship Inn a Merry Christmas. In particular, those who work behind the scenes. They are not seen but make a big difference, and can only imagine work extremely long hours

Nice selection of meals nicely priced aswell

We go into the Ship Inn to drink and it can be frustrating waiting to be served as there is never anyone behind the bar...the staff are fab and friendly.

First time back at the Ship Inn since they have changed hands and what a difference! The menu is extensive and the food was fantastic. The service from our waitress was superb with great communication and very polite and friendly. Will certainly be back very soon!

Brilliant, lunch for 6, 4 adults and two kids. Food was great, service was even better. 👍👏

Situated at the end of the promenade dogs are welcomed great atmosphere and great food menu Hot drink are also readly available Near kings Hall where they have events so quick walk from rise to venue

Just stopped for a drink, tables were fully book, or we would have eaten, It was a Sunday, so very busy

Great little pub, will definitely return and try some food next time

Can’t find a fault! Great food and lovely staff. We will be back . Thank you 🤩

They were kind enough to open the kitchen for us a bit earlier. Everyone there was super nice and the burger 🍔 I had was FANTASTIC. It felt fresh and homemade. Real meat, real bacon, 🥓, real chips 🥔 I really enjoyed it.

Went out for dinner with eldery mother and my 2 daughters.(pretty good disabled access(1 step to restaurant area) but I think there were some tables in the bar area , Service was excellent (were told many times that no cod available and run out of prosecco) Salmon was perfect as was the pie and shared starters and puds. Would suggest booking as when we got there at 6 most tables were reserved. Get a window seat if you can

Absolutely beautiful pub with gorgeous food. Was so cozy and the service was absolutely amazing, had a slight problem with the kitchen which was communicated perfectly and also compensated. Would (and have!) recommend to everyone and would absolutely go back 🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼 best pub in herne bay!

Lovely little pub, perfectly located, drinks selections decent and friendly staff

My friend and I went to The Ship for lunch. It's such a lovely typical English pub, great warm and friendly atmosphere. Very friendly service. The food was delicious 😋 We will definitely be back. Thanks guys

Food very good staff friendly and helpful, Tony the manager is a good guy well worth a visit

Myself and my wife visited The Ship Inn @ Herne Bay on a day trip during our stay in Kent for the week. Staying near Westgate-on-Sea. We both had starters which was wonderful however I had the Sea Food dish on the specials menu which was absolutely wonderful. I made it clear to the attentive staff how much I enjoyed the meal and they passed my delight onto the chef. Many thanks for a wonderful experience where all my expectations were met ten fold.

Great local with first class beer.

Food was beautiful and service was great

The Ship in Herne Bay has the kind of vibe that promises a solid pub experience, but it ends up feeling a bit uneven. I kicked things off with a pint of Whitstable Bay, which is about as refreshing as a seaside breeze, crisp and clean, hitting the spot just right. But then came the Brie and Bacon baguette—a dish that should’ve been a slam dunk but landed somewhere between good and forgettable. The flavors were there, but the baguette was a bit soggy, like it couldn’t quite decide if it wanted to be crispy or just limp. The bacon had potential, but it felt overshadowed by the cheese, and it lacked the boldness to make the combination sing. The atmosphere is casual and friendly, but overall, The Ship leaves you feeling like you’ve enjoyed a pleasant, if not entirely memorable, meal. It’s a decent stop, but you might find yourself searching for something a bit more satisfying next time.

Super pleasant service from Imogen and Elissia (doubt that's spelt correctly, apologies) Thank you for continuing to offer our out-of-town family great food and company while visiting a local relative. The portions are excellent, attentive and caring extra service. We appreciate you.

Always been very impressed. 5* from us.

Seated quickly as walk-in (no reservation) party of 4. Staff attentive and brought ordered drinks quickly. Questions answered, orders taken but food was not up to previous reviews. Veg was very overcooked, little meat in the pies (too much pastry). Starter ordered as a meal was brought well before everyone else's meal and was cold, though returned to kitchen and reheated then brought with the meals which were warm not hot. Was checked on by 4 different servers and it did not seem like there was one assigned to our table. We are only traveling through and understand that the place has new owners and may have growing pains.

Love this place great atmosphere, excellent service, and brilliant food. Would highly recommend. We will be back!!

The ship in is great. Good food and good, local beer. Friendly staff served good grub at decent prices. And a seaview!

I booked a table for four. And I would like to say from start the customer service was excellent they were in contact to make sure I was able to order and what I wanted and even made sure my daughter who has to have gluten free. And I would like to say a big well done to the shef my mussels were the best Iv had in a long time. And the roast dinners were stot on . And I would like to say thank you to all the rest of staff who was working today Sunday 29 September 24 you all gave executive customer service I will be back and I 100% recermend The ship inn

Food was good. Although the crunchy sundae looked like it was put together in a hurry. Broken into 3 large bits. 2 lagers not available. Table service not great again. Very slow to bring drinks. Lack of atmosphere. No background music.

Service awful food unedible spent over £100 we had to leave 3 out of 4 meals raw chicken Rock hard potatoes the pie was so hard unable to cut with a knife.burger burnt and dry worst meals we have ever had.

Popped in for a drink and had a chilled time on the outside deck

Me and my partner came to Herne Bay for a couple nights break. This pub did not disappoint. Service was excellent. Food was delicious. And the atmosphere was great. It was so good we came in for dinner the second night too. Was served by a lovely young lady full of smiles both nights. We didn't catch your name, but 10 star service from you 🥰

Imagen was our waitress and did an amazing job, she was friendly, helpful , with a welcoming smile and couldn't do enough for us.

I've not been to Ship for years. I have to say the menu is extensive, The food tastes really good. I had minted lamb pie with new potatoes, and seasonal Veg. highly recommend.

Excellent place to visit and for everything else. Strongly recommend. The oldest Place in Herne Bay a real piece of History and Culture. Should be on The kent Tourist places to visit ..

Staying local whilst visiting daughter, thought we'd give the ship a try, glad we did, we both had the dirty chips with steak was delicious and very filling, but still had room for dessert, staff very obliging and good natured, pub had a nice feel about it, good value for money

The pub has had a make over out the front and one of the newly painted signs says “good food”. They need to change that. The service is fine and lots of pleasant staff, the food is not. Our starters for our late pub lunch where just appalling, Korean chicken was just an awkward shaped plate of dry, chewy chicken with some sort of spicy tomato paste all over it, didn’t resemble anything Korean, barely resembled food tbf. My wife’s crab cakes were on another level, just disgusting, soggy, grey, tasted really earthy, just awful. My prawn linguine was a bowl of salty, oily water with a pile of linguine a few gritty prawns and half a dozen beaten up tomatoes. I cook so much better at home. Wife’s veg with her pie was surprisingly ok. It’s a shocker, only reason why it wasn’t a one was the wines pretty good and the staff are nice, apart from the chef who needs to be marched across the road and thrown into the sea. We won’t be eating here again.

The best food we've had in ages - soooo tasty! Excellent and attentive staff providing wonderful service. We'll definitely be back!

We booked a table for a meal to celebrate our wedding anniversary on 30th Aug. I ordered a coffee when we first got there which was barely warm, in fact the sugar lump wouldn’t even dissolve so I asked for another one which was replaced fairly quickly with a warmer one. For starters I ordered the Chargrilled Sweetcorn ribs with bbq sauce. The sweetcorn was definitely not chargrilled and they were certainly not ribs, just small corn on the cobs cut in half and drowned in bbq sauce. It wasn’t very nice and I did mention this to the waitress when she asked if I had enjoyed my food. My husband had the crab cakes which he said were okay. For main I ordered the lamb and mint pie with new potatoes and veg which was throughly delicious and my husband had a prawn and tomato linguine dish with spicy garlic which he enjoyed. My husband had three pints of Amstel lager each one flatter than the last so we decided to call it a night. The staff here were very friendly and attentive and the service was good overall. The starters let it down for us, so because of this we didn’t return again during our stay in Herne Bay. Would have given 5/5 if we had of enjoyed our entire meal.

Easy to book online, excellent menu, yummy food and fantastic staff. Only reason I have given it four stars was the lack of an accessible toilet for my mum who couldn’t manage the steps. Highly recommend otherwise ☺️

Just moved to the bay and we're working our way through the pubs! Pub #1 was top class! Food delicious. They do pie and mash! Great views of sea, super dog friendly, and cold beer. 👍

You've done a wonderful job with the Reno, looks fantastic

Bright, welcoming staff, lovely big and clean tables. Food was very good - great value for money as the portions were very generous

Lovely tidy traditional pub nice atmosphere and good staff, outdoor seating area facing the sea, worth a visit.

Very nice meal plus live music .. excellent..

Great service very helpful and very friendly old pub would recommend

Traditional town centre seaside pub producing good pub fare using local ingredients. However the kitchen can be a little grazzled and despite advertising itself as open at all times may suddenly decide to close. Best to book in advance if you want to eat there.

We had a really lovely meal here. The food was great and the portions were big, so it’s definitely great value for money. They also have a big selection of vegetarian and vegan dishes. The inside decor is very nice, and we had a beautiful view from the window overlooking the sea. My dad would especially recommend the crunchie sundae (pictured) We will definitely dine here again!

Just popped in for a drink so cannot comment on their food. The building is quite old so the pub has a nice character. There are plenty of tables and in some areas they were layed for dining. There is an outside area too with several tables. There is a good selection of drinks on sale from mainly well known commercial brands. There is paid parking nearby and they have limited free spaces in their car park around the back of the pub

Love this place. Amazing food and very reasonable. Very friendly attentive staff

First visit ta ship inn amazing service friendly staff atmosphere was warming food was fresh and plentiful well worth the money

Visited here with the Mrs and daughter for a well deserved dinner after walking from Reculver Castle to Herne Bay and back (lovely walk by the way). First time visit. Upon entry, staff seemed a bit tense and sort of fumbling around. Food was ok but expensive. At almost London prices, I was expecting better. The atmosphere was lively due to the customers.

Very welcoming staff, great food and service. Thank you, would highly recommend

First of all... Actually 4.5 out of 5 Half a star deducted because my wife's linguine with chili & garlic was so hot that the guest should either be asked beforehand about the level of spiciness or should be informed of an increased level of spiciness. I then swapped dishes with my wife because I like spiciness and my second beer was on the house, so it was solved well and easily by the really attentive and nice staff! Otherwise it was really great! Eat good! Delicious beer! Very nice service! Cool atmosphere!

. No seafood no stake no muscles no fish & chips we would have gone elsewhere but it was late so couldn't waited 45 mins for a cold starters another table they forgot one of there mains . There was a sign saying no dogs allowed beyond this point . A couple sat had a meal with a dog that wouldn't stop barking . Never again awful place the Turkish restaurant looked lovely wish we had gone there if we didn't wait so long for our starters

Lovely place, great service but food was cold when arrived at the table.

Great food and amazing staff. Very welcoming. Dog friendly. Would definitely return.

I've been here a few times , nice pub and good food

Lower your expectations because most of the items on the Sunday menu weren't even available. What we could order was simply of a poor quality, and Luke warm. Most of the staff are very young and lacked experience. I suspect the management have a recruitment policy based on cheap labour rather than ability, which highlights the old saying "pay peanuts and you get monkeys" I feel sorry for these kids that wander about like grumpy sulky teenagers who lack any social engagement skills. It's clearly obvious that their managers simply don't train them up properly. None of the staff we encountered seemed to have an ounce of common sense or ability to think for themselves... We had to leave the table after our meals were served to fetch cutlery that had been forgotten...after dinner, an ice cream dessert arrived complete with a knife & fork?? Seemingly it was too complicated to work out that a spoon would be required. Two drinks (G&T+ a Red Wine) were ordered on 3 occasions because the 10 steps from our table to the bar was too much for the lad to remember what we wanted. Eventually someone else with a better memory retention came to take the order, only to deliver a glass of Rose'. The experience made us laugh at the calamity...but on a serious note its very damaging for this business because I'm afraid we won't be returning any time soon.

Our first visit to this lovely restaurant. Very dog friendly, food was lovely, great portion sizes. We had the best waitress, unfortunately I didn't catch her name but she was absolutely brilliant and couldn't do enough. We will definitely be visiting again

Good food. And lovely atmosphere. And best off all its a dog friendly pud.

Lovely old pub on Herne Bay seafront

Very nice pub, great pint of Hurlimann 🍻

Personally I didn't enjoy the food at all

We absolutely loved The Ship Inn. Staff were friendly and really accommodating, even turning the music down on the speakers for the autistic members of our party to feel more comfortable. We enjoyed the "Filthy Fries" and "Not so Filthy Fries", the gnocchi and the pork belly, as well as two starters (sweetcorn ribs in BBQ sauce and halloumi fries). Really tasty food and a nice atmosphere. They had a space where dogs weren't allowed which was helpful too. Highly recommended!

Our meal was delicious ...tasted like a good home made roast. Will certainly eat there again if in the area.

Excellent food and excellent service

Lovely pub. Great food. Fabulous staff and atmosphere. Highly recommended and well worth the price and visit. Go...you will not be disappointed. Gerry Colvin.

We popped in on the off chance. This is definitely a hidden gem. Food was great and ‘6 star’ Karen served the table quickly but not rushed. Will definitely return when next in the area

Had a lovely roast lamb diner. Good portion size, food was delicious. The waitress was very attentive and the prices were very fair.

We went on Friday we were welcomed by friendly staff. We ordered the fifthy fries. They were delicious the steak was tender and it was moreish. Then they had a lady singer who had a great voice the atmosphere was buzzing the whole evening was fantastic. Thank you to Nikki for great table. We will be back again.

Such kind and helpful service offered to us, on a very busy day. Lovely vibe to the place. Dog friendly..couldn't be more welcoming.

Didn't even get in through the front door! Promoted as being accessible for wheelchairs it's not!!!!

Local pub, great food and beer. Highly recommend the buillebase! Staff were friendly and grabbed good advice on the food

Great night at the Ship. Food was incredible for the price and the staff were friendly.

Wonderful experience from booking to dining. Friendly and attentive service, great menu choices, delicious freshly cooked food. The new owners are doing a wonderful job and this is a much improved dining experience.

Had the Bay Burger, so tasty! Cooked perfectly, even the chips were so good! Staff were really friendly and attentive. Recommend definitely!

Lovely atmosphere, dogs aloud, very attentive staff and good food. This time they didn't have the wine we wanted and the one we had taken instead was warm. But anyway a lovely place to go! 🙂

After a few culinary mistakes over the last few days, we really enjoyed the food at the Ship Inn on our last evening. We had delicious fried salmon with excellent potato gratin, homemade onion rings, fried mushrooms with baguette, baked cauliflower, “Not So Filthy Fries” - fries with peppers, onions and spinach, baked with barbecue sauce and cheese, and the Vegetable Stew. The service was very friendly and helpful.

The filthy fries are worth driving miles for!

We celebrated my husband birthday yesterday at the Ship , I would like to say how friendly Kelly our waitress was , she was so good with my grandsons . The roast we all had was very yummy , will definitely be back .

Very disappointed at being charged £9.50 for a medium white wine this is my local and I will have to think twice now especially if I have a meal too😕

Another visit to this superb restaurant today !2/3. for lunch. Excellent food (and chef)) and service, which I still think the best restaurant in Herne Bay. Thank you all Tony Green

We had a very disappointing experience here today, mother's day. We were seated right in the middle of large party who were very loud and very intrusive to what should have been an enjoyable family meal. The seating layout was at fault, a large L shaped table for the party and our table was sited in the middle of this table, with the large party standing, chatting and generally being loud. I don't blame them they were enjoying themselves but no one should have been seated right next to a party of 20+ Ruined our rare family gathering. Apologies were made by the staff but poor table layout is to blame. Lesson should be learnt. Unfortunately we won't be back to find out.

Overpriced, average food. In terms of more info, most of the food looked anaemic, in terms of microwaved to be warmed up, and not fresh. Hard for a burger not to be a winner, it wasn’t. Skewers was in fact one skewer and a pita. Nachos unimpressive. For the prices would expect better. Sorry , just my take.

FANTASTIC FROM START TO FINISH! We attended as a group of 4 for Mother’s Day lunch, followed by live music. The service we recieved was brilliant; the staff were so attentive and the food was so tasty and huge portions for Sunday lunch. The live music provided was fantastic! The singer was brilliant and really got every one up out of their seats to enjoy the evening. We had a blast, we cannot fault this place: the food, the service and the entertainment were all second to none, we will be back for sure. Thanks again The Ship!

Lovely pub with views out to sea. We visited 7th March (table 26). Really relaxed atmosphere, the staff are really friendly and attentive without being over bearing. We'd booked a table and we're pleased we did as it filled up fast and we can see why.....The food and drink was superb, we both ordered Sirloin steak with all the trimmings, one of the best steaks we've eaten, with chunky chips, garlic mushroom, tomato and side salad all cooked to perfection. Thankyou to all who looked after us. Steve, Michelle, Oliver (cocker spaniel)

Our table was booked for 6 people at 14:30 on March 3rd to celebrate my wife's Birthday. When we arrived it was busy the only food availabe from the sunday menu was Lamb, no pie & mash, beef or chicken. The Lamb Sunday Roast was the worst we had ever had, just a load of gristle, raw potatoes (2) and dried up veg. Paid a lot of money and all left hungery. Will never go there again, we live in Herne Bay and thought our family would have a good afternoon. Waiting staff were five star, but could not help.