The Ship Inn in Shepway

Friendly staff good seclusion of locally brued ale

Excellent staff, lovely food and drink. Really nice decor. Warm and friendly. Highly recommended

Went into Sunday lunch, must say that the roast lamb was excellent, sadly the veg did not match, no colour or crunch on the soggy roast potatoes hidden under the meat, equally soggy yorkshire, gloopy gravy, dry carrots and broccoli brown wher it had been cut. On the upside the staff is incredible, welcoming, friendly and very attentive

Delicious Sunday roast and fish & chips. Lovely comfortable restaurant and friendly, attentive staff. They were quite busy, but the service was still spot on. Will definitely be coming back soon.

Lovely atmosphere and great food!

Stopped for quick bite wageo burger looked better on the menu than on my pallet beer ok quick 70 pound ever spent vat + service charge cheeky will not return shame thus is the marshes not Hampshire pretentious.

We didn’t stay here but reserved a table for dinner. It was our fist time here and it was wonderful. The service was great, the food was great, the atmosphere was welcoming and relaxing AND the women’s bathroom was extremely clean (it’s always a tell tale sign as far as I’m concerned). Will certainly go back

Beautiful pub and garden. Food disappointing and below average. Stated 'homemade' on the menu. It very clearly wasn't. Basic instant gravy and frozen vegetables. Very overpriced. Such a shame.

Fantastic stay at the Ship Inn very professional staff very attentive. Room was lovely nice size comfortable bed.Breakfast was excellent also food in the evening.Large car park .Enjoyed our stay could not fault anything

Once again, this is somewhere I was passing whilst out for a ride on my Harley. On a whim, I decided to stop here for lunch. Although I have been in this pub before, that was back in 1984, and it has changed a good deal since then! First impressions; I was greeted very warmly as I walked into the light and airy bar area, clad in my leathers. I enquired if food was still being served, given that it was nearly half past three in the afternoon, and was assured that food was indeed still available. Anything on the frankly quite wide menu, could be ordered. I decided to treat myself and ordered from the menu's upper range. They have an extensive drinks menu too, with several local ales as well as the usual fayre. I chose one of the local ones and was not disappointed. I was then shown to a table by the window at the front, overlooking the churchyard across the road. A charming lady by the name of Shannon, whom I took to be a/the proprietor, introduced herself, by expressing her admiration of my motorcycle jacket! She said it was "very cool" and I must confess to being taken slightly aback. You see, I am far more used to being asked to hide it discreetly under the table! Whilst I'm glad to say that far less establishments turn bikers away these days, there is still an air of "we don't want our customers upset by the fact that we serve bikers" in some places. Definitely NOT the case at The Ship, I am very pleased to report; all seem welcome here. Then, my food arrived. Freshly cooked to perfection, very well presented, generously portioned and.....totally melt in the mouth delicious! Was it expensive? Perhaps, just a little. Was it worth it? God, yes! Would I go back there again? Absolutely! It's only an hour from where I live! Shannon, James; keep a table for me please! I shall return! 2024 update: Dropped in again today whilst out on my Harley. I am VERY happy to report that although Shannon has since left, nothing else has changed!

Had a lovely meal here with 2 friends before we performed in the pub garden as part of the Day of Syn weekend. Our food was delicious and the service was excellent. We will be back!

We had a very nice meal here last week food was excellent especially the Mussels definitely coming back back

We had a lovely day out at Dymchurch and stopped for dinner on our way home. We sat in the garden because it was sunny. The drinks were cheap, nasty and warm. The food was microwaved and had zero flavor. The service was ... well weird! We were told we could order starters but they would come with the meal and there was no way we could have them first????? I ordered starters only, and was told I could only order mains when starters arrives??? The lamb shank had zero flavour. Child burger were burnt and dried. We asked for cutlery when our meals arrived... none arrived. Service was terrible would not return and would not recommend

Had Sunday lunch with 3 friends on 25/8 and was a very good experience. Firstly it was heavily booked but they found us a table within 15 minutes. All had roast dinners and were all happy with food (quality and quantity) and served up 10 minutes after ordering. Our server, Miranda, was lovely. Very friendly and efficient and made sure we were all happy with our order. All in all a great experience.

Food freshly cooked and staff were knowledgeable. Smelt lovely

Nice pub to stop off at after a little cycle ride, friendly atmosphere, drinks are average price, not much choice for zero alcohol beer, garden is nice with plenty of seating, there is live music outside on the odd occasion so garden can get quite busy, just a short walk from the sea front.

Lovely staff with a simple menu. Food was basic but with generous portions. Nothing to write home about but certainly not terrible. The starters were better than the mains and if we went again we would probably just have a selection of starters and share like tapas. We didn’t have a pudding but from what we saw coming out of the kitchen, they looked good. A little over priced for what it is.

Disappointed tbh, prawns were not kent coast fresh but frozen and was overly cold no spoon offered, whitebait OK portion but tasted too much of the cooking oil. Cod was both crispy and soggy, minimal chips and peas were tasteless and hard, mushroom risotto was bland. Asked for 2 glasses of wine and told only by the bottle at £35 ....service charge added not informed before or when bill presented overall unimpressed won't be recommending to friends, far better places to eat across the Marsh

Come for a roast dinner Veg was hard and bland and wasn’t worth the money. Was a very basic boring roast dinner and over priced to be honest. Wouldn’t come again

We called in for a bite to eat for lunch and a table was available to look out to sea with windows that opened right out. All of the food was lovely and freshly prepared. Only draw back my husband asked for no potatoes so the waiter said extra veg would be put on instead. The meat pie came with 1 half of a carrot and a spoonful of peas. We aren't too sure which was the extra veg.

Delicious food , excellent service, plenty of parking.

Starters prawn cocktail and calamari were lovely but portions really small, mains the pie of the day way superb and the risotto was probably the best I have (lose the slices of bread on the side or replace with lovely garlic sour dough). Was really nice to revisit and will definitely return especially as the mussels looked delicious!

What a great place! I have never been before but a lovely welcome and very pleasant staff, couldn’t be more helpful. A party of 11 is never going to be easy but they proved me wrong, seamless service. A very well deserved 5/5 and thank you 😍

The food was not very good. My husband had the roast dinner and the potatoes we no way roasted he left most of it. I had salmon that was way over cooked and very dry. We have been going to the ship for many years that may have been our last visit 😢

Traveled down from Essex today to see my parents in St Mary bay. I reserved a table a couple of days back. Great location. On arrival we were greeted by welcoming staff and taken to our table. The service was attentive throughout our meal, the food was well presented, fresh and hot. Don’t pass it by, a varied menu with plenty of choice and chefs specials 👍

Fantastic stay, the rooms are delightful cosy warm friendly atmosphere. The ship inn has so much character a quirky historic beautiful venue. The food was first rate , breakfast was delicious a must visit. Will definitely be coming again.

What a great evening my Ruth and I had on Wed 17th July. Decided to pop in for a drink and ended up having a meal. We were made welcome by Charlotte and Gary which was why we stayed and ate. We started with fishcakes with chilli sauce. Bloody lovely. I had the Sirlon steak and Ruth had a veggie lasagne. Best steak I have had in many months. All the above cooked by Chef Jon. It was a very relaxing time and very enjoyable. Thank you all.

We had a family gathering on Saturday 13th July at this lovely venue. The staff were so accommodating and nothing was too much trouble. Fabulous food and plenty of it too. The rooms were fabulous. Breakfast the next day was lovely and plentiful too. I really can't fault it at all. Charlotte who I believe is the manager was fantastic so I'd like to send thanks to her and all the staff. Thank you all.

Great service quality food so much steak in the pie yum yum

Good service , good food and very clean

Brought my family here for a birthday lunch, greeted straight away by friendly team & didn’t have to wait long to order Food was very good & good value for money Would definitely come back again & stay in one of the rooms

Very nice service and friendly staff. Quite accessible.

Had dinner here with 2 guests. Fish and chips was all batter and so hot it burnt my mouth and I could not enjoy my dinner. Not so good.

Stopped in for drinks, very friendly barmaid, nice atmosphere and reasonably priced drinks.

Absolutely fantastic weekend with my son. The staff were friendly and went above and beyond to cater for our every need..breakfast was wonderful too.. will return in the summer for sure. 100% recommended..no fault finding here 🥰

Very nice food and the staff where great 👍

What a delightful experience it was to visit this wonderfull inn, the food was excellent whilst the staff made my family feel so welcome.we'd come to Dymchurch again just for your magnificent inn/restaurant

Lovely gem of a pub in dymchurch

stayed for 2 nights , room was spacious and very comfortable, lovely big bathroom. price for 2 nights was very good , the manager and his staff were excellent could not do enough to look after your needs. breakfast was included which was a choice of continental and cooked with adequate choice. evening meal was very good with great choice, quality and price excellent this place is definitely worth a visit very good.

Normally come here with friends as really like the ship.Came in over the weekend and a lady was complaining about a drink she bought.The reaction of one of the bar staff was not very professional on the point of being rude.I was very surprised at this as the service and meals used to be really good.I think the ship is on a very slippery slope which is a great shame.More staff training is required if it wants to keep it's past reputation.

1st time eating here and I have to say we will be going back, the tables have plenty of space around them (your not seating like sardines) the ship is a large public house with plenty of seating and there's plenty on the menu from 12 to 3 pm service starting again at 5pm during the week and Sundays is I believe 7,30 pm for a food order the food was cooked to perfection and the staff were very friendly and welcoming its very clean and tidy also plenty of parking and a lovely beer garden

Funeral wake, staff were great, lovely place.

I’m not sure if it’s gone on before this but had 70th birthday lunch but the guest had to return his steak 3 times and still not good. Another guest had chicken and that was dry, also the lamb shank was tasteless . We all had deserts and they were not home cooked and not much choice. Will defiantly not return. They did knock the price of the £24.50 steak off to be fair.

My boyfriend booked dinner for us for Valentines Day, everything was perfect. They gave us complementary prosecco on arrival, there were rose petals scattered through the venue. Our waiter was lovely. The food was delicious, especially their Jaffa cake which is like eating a real Jaffa cake! My partner likes going there as they serve Curious Brew and I like it for the Chapel Down gin, local brewery and distillery.

Went to my friends 50th birthday meal amazing food lovely helpful staff

Beautiful inside, very warm and welcoming. Bar staff were very attentive and welcoming.

Full of history We stayed in the four poster bed room Which was done very tastefully The bed was so comfy and a lovely roll top bath Carl who owns this with his wife could not have been more welcoming along with the rest of his staff Nothing was too much trouble for them We had a lovely meal in the evening followed by a lovely breakfast this morning We will defo be returning

First visit for Sunday lunch, we had 3 beef and 1 veggie option. Excellent food, nice and hot and not an overlong wait. Service was also very good. Will be back!

Amazing service, lovely meal and the staff were very professional. Thank you to Megan and all the staff. Hope the people in charge value the team that were on tonight. We will be back

Went for lunch today and was very disappointed in my meal. I had Roast Gammon which was a small meal. The Gammon was served as left over scraps, not a slice in sight. Not acceptable for a just under £17 roast. Having said that, the flavour of the meal was lovely. My husband enjoyed his fish and chips. Overall, the standard was not up to what it was with the previous owners. After having two courses, I came away hungry. The staff however were lovely.

My partner and I booked a reservation for Sunday lunch in Sept 2023. We both decided on ordering. The top side of beef roast dinner. On first impressions when food arrived we were pleased to see that they had cooked their own roast potatoes rather than a lot of resturants who use frozen roast potatoes. We both thought the portion size of vegetables and roast potatoes seemed quite small , however, there were ample amounts of roast beef and a large homemade yorkshire pudding. I will say we couldn't fault the quality and the way the food had been cooked. The restaurant decor is very nice and it does have a really nice ambience. The only negative comment I can really make is that for a roast dinner, the price was quite expensive at £17 pp, considering we felt the vegetables and potato portion were quite small. However, on finishing the entire plate of food due to how much I enjoyed it ( which I might add, I never do ) I have to admit toward the end I was struggling to eat it all. We were asked if we would like any sauces, and I asked if they had any cranberry sauce but was told only Mint Sauce and Mustard. So, just a tip to the Ship Inn as we will be back again. Can you add this to your list, please? On the whole it was a really good experience, nice food, friendly staff .

Once a regular…. Will not be visiting again! It started with not being acknowledged at the bar for 5 minutes. Once served, we ordered our food of four starters for two people, as the main meal menu selection was poor. On arrival of the food, a very shy prawn cocktail and tomatoes on bread which should have been bruschetta! After sending back the so called bruschetta to be toasted, it came back looking no different! To add insult to injury, a 10% service charge was added to our bill without any prior notification or any statement on the menu of such charge, resulting in a £48 bill for two non alcoholic drinks and starters with chips! After simply pointing this out to the bartender for future reference, an overall rude reception! Such a shame, as like to keep business local!

Very disappointed with our Sunday lunch. The portion size was very small in fact my granddaughter’s meal was similar in size. For £16 it definitely wasn’t value for money. I must say though the staff were very helpful and polite. The desserts were also very small. This is all in comparison with the previous owners. I won’t be returning to the restaurant any time soon.

Excellent Sunday lunch - excellent fresh fish (very hot) and fantastic roast beef (tender). Also awesome starters. Awesome service, approachable and very capable and friendly staff. Good luck to the new owners. We will be back 🙏

We dropped in here as we are away with grandchildren for the weekend. They were so accommodating and so nice. We had a totally excellent experience here. We loved all the food items we order. The kids were loving trying different things I literally can’t tell you the last time we went out and service was as good as here. The started were cooked to perfection we had whitebait and calamari. The mains were, 1x ribs, 1x ribeye. Children’s nuggets children’s pizza. All perfect. Then we had ice cream and sticky toffee pudding for desserts. We had a lovely time and would 100% return here and recommend to everyone I know. Thankyou for a great meal on our weekend with our grandkids. They reckon you are the best food in the world. Bless them.

Fabulous food and service. Highly recommended. Nice atmosphere. Attractive interior. Good parking. The staff were extremely attentive.

Went for lunch with a friend today. On arrival friendly greeting from Shannon served drinks and seated at a table. We were in no rush as usually make an afternoon of it and have been to The Ship before without disappointment. We both ordered prawn cocktail which arrived in the smallest glass I’ve ever seen a prawn cocktail in. The lettuce was not shredded and tough and difficult to deal with, prawns small in a reasonable sauce, no brown bread and butter. A small slice of lemon but could have improved presentation with a small slice of tomato and cucumber. On to the Mackerel Nicoise. Very boring salad leaves not presented well. Few green olives . Lots of red onion, very little tomato, 3 small wedges of boiled egg and small mackerel. Limp green beans. For the price disappointing, presentation could be a lot better and perhaps a whole egg , few new potatoes , black olives would make this a better meal and present better. On to cheeseboard, presentation again dire , a little garnish perhaps a few grapes and more than a piece of cheddar and Stilton. We were there a long time , service fine, surroundings fine, not rushed had drinks and coffees all good. The food choices we had definitely need improvement. Shame as we went back as last time was good.

Had the sharing platter which was just enough for one,toasted bread ,no butter or pick Es all for £23!,,

Been before and was great. Has since changed hands and experience was terrible. Steak cost £22, asked for medium well done and came out rare in middle, sent back and came out again rare in middle. Sent back again and came out third time, better but not medium well done. Plus by this stage had to eat alone as everyone else had finished. Waitress said sorry so many times it became annoying. Presented with the bill and full price for steak still on bill. Mentioned to waitress that there wasn’t even a small discount in regards to the steak but she just said yeah sorry! Will not return and to be honest I’ll be surprised with service and food like that if they stay in business.

Absolutely brilliant, service and welcome excellent. We had Fish & Chips and Scampi and Chips, it was presented beautifully , the food was really tasty and fresh just perfect. We will definitely be visiting the Ship again and we would highly recommend the Ship. Thank you for a great meal and the very warm reception we received.

I made a reservation for a table of six at 14:00 on May 28th, 2023. The restaurant's appearance was decent, but it could use a makeover. Unfortunately, it took 25 minutes for us to receive our first drinks. Additionally, we were surprised to find out that only a limited number of starters were available once we were seated. After waiting 45 minutes for our starters to arrive, we decided to order another round of drinks. Unfortunately, the staff missed one of our drinks from the order. When our starters finally arrived, they were average at best. We then waited another 40 minutes for our main course. The restaurant offered us a round of free drinks to make up for the long wait. However, I asked them to remove the last round we had ordered. When the food finally arrived, I ordered a burger that was dry and tasteless. I was the only one in our group who did not have a starter because I didn't like anything else on the menu, and what I wanted wasn't available. Overall, we spent two and a half hours at the restaurant, where I had an unsatisfying burger and chips with some homemade warm coleslaw and two drinks. The staff were polite, but we had to keep reminding them about our orders. We only chose to go to “The Ship Inn” because of the positive reviews we saw online. However, based on our experience, those reviews must be outdated. I am leaving this review to inform others of our poor experience with the food and service. This was an expensive meal for what we had on the day, and as you can imagine, I will not be returning.

Staff nice, but the place is really tired, dirty and very tatty. Food was rubbish and took ages, with garlic bread at £8:50 and was literally white bread with a bit a garlic butter. Burgers where ground up and tasted like meat balls. Chips were cold and it all took and age to not only order but to arrive. Overall shocking. The outside is tatty and not very appealing, the entrance has a light with all the bulbs gone and the door pane has been broken and replaced with a piece of wood. Avoid this place, feel robbed as it was not cheap. Very, very disappointing the website does not show the tired state of this place Only good points were friendly staff. Bed was comfy, but NOT for the money

Delicious lunch today sat outside . Service was great and such a friendly welcome on our arrival. Hoping to stay soon at this beautiful inn and enjoy some more lovely food and hospitality.

Starters came out 45 mins before mains, after asking for it all to come out together 3 times. Informed 30 mins after ordering that the kids food wasn't available. Kids mac and cheese was 7.50. A little pasta with melted cheese on top. One had 2 pubes in it. Noone came to the table for 40 minutes, to ask for drink order. The starter and main we ordered were not available. Medium ribeye steak was 1/2 blubber 1/2 burnt. Goats cheese starter still a cold in the middle. The waitress apologised at least 8 times so maybe not the norm but overall this experience was absolutely awful, especially considering the cost. Starters were massively overpriced for sub standard food.

Just been here after booking a table for 3 people. Waited 10 mins to be shown our table, ordered drinks, then was told they’ve not got 80% of their menu. Made our minds up to pay for our drinks and go elsewhere. Not good enough

The Ship is famous as the smugglers' pub in the Dr Syn novels. It has had a make-over bringing it into 21st fashion (e.g. lots of pale grey) in 2017, making it pleasant and cosy inside, though sadly losing the smuggling memorabilia in the process....

Just had the most amazing quality 3 course Mothers Day meal at this fabulous restaurant. Whatever the occasion you can be guaranteed a fabulous meal, gracious and prompt service, a good ambience and first class hygiene and facilities, including the rest room. They never disappoint....

Good lunch with three friends , reasonably priced and food was pleasant. Staff were friendly serving on arrival but got the impression once we had finished and were sat chatting they would rather we leave !

Fantastic food and excellent service with special deals on drinks. The bar girl/waitress was so lovely. Would definitely return if we’re ever in the area again.

Excellent food with a warm atmosphere friendly staff well stocked bar and definitely worth a visit for food.

Came for the Steak night (Thursdays) good value at £39.50 for two steaks and a bottle of wine. Food was excellent.

We were visiting for the day, seeing family. They had eaten here before, and although they found the service a bit odd last time, the experience was good enough for them to book to take us there. To start with some positives. It is tastefully...

We picked from the nibbles menu and it was amazing. Well presented. Nice they had the heating on. Will definitely go again. Special thanks to the lovely waiter on today and behind the bar, he was very attentive and couldn’t do enough for us. Lovely...

Went there for lunch. Had the slow-cooked beef. The meat sadly was overcooked which meant it was stringy It was like eating string.

We have been visiting the Ship for the past 5 years as a large group, our last visit being the summer. When we arrived the pub was absolutely empty, it has always been a busy place which is worrying.Unfortunately the food has gone downhill massively...

The worst experience I have had. Could understand there is not much choice because they have been busy, but what was served up was terrible. I had a chicken burger, that was suppose to be in a bun, no bun. Let’s say McDonalds chicken Fillets...

Very poor experience walked in and ordered coffee told not today . Lots of empty tables was open. Would not recommend. Clearly only interested in the money gained from meals . Avoid

We visited after a walk from New Romney. We were made to feel very welcome by Connor who was so engaging throughout our dining experience. Good selection of drinks and a fabulous selection on the menu. Connor then told us the specials which we chose...

A family run business that offers great customer serive and fantastic food. We shall return 5 stars.

Visited for the first time as a family of four, the food was excellent and the welcome and professionalism of the staff working was outstanding. We will be back.

First visit for years , on no the lovely snug lounge public bar has gone , it's now a 100% pub grub establishment , arrived , nice touch name and reservation on a slate , menu as expected , pub grub at a premium, which...

Really lovely staff and the food was amazing. Wish it was much closer to where we live as we would definitely be regulars.

Situated just back from the sea front this is well worth a visit, sensible prices and excellent food. It’s well presented inside, clean and modern. Nice to get away from the bustle of the sea wall cafes.

Sad to see this beautiful village pub has gone from being a fantastic place to eat and drink, to now being quite unkept and dirty. The once vibrant beer garden is now covered with rubbish, with dirty glasses not being removed from tables. Clearly the...

Went to the Ship Inn for a family meal whilst on holiday in Dymchurch, was served by the lovely Angie and had the most delicious pork belly. Thank you for accommodating us for our meal and letting our friends join us later on for some...

We have been visiting the ship inn for many years when staying in Dymchurch. This evenings visit has left me disappointed. Our starters were okay - although the asparagus was overcooked. Our mains were lovely as usual. However it was the service this evening that...

We ate here on Friday night, brilliant location, nice decor, wonderful staff and food, you really can't go wrong! We will be back to work our way through the Menu

We visited today for a drink and a potential meal, we ordered a pint of peroni and a cappuccino, which came to £9.30 with the pint costing £6.50. we decided to have the drinks and eat somewhere else after we questioned the price of the...

Visited whilst in the area as everywhere else we looked at was so bad, the grotty potholed car park wasn't a great start but inside the pub was clean and fresh, albeit giving the impression that it has been furnished to a set bland standard...

A big group of 13 of us had lunch here, the food was amazing and desserts are gorgeous and all home made. Very accomadating to the kids with a lovely menu. Service was brilliant, friendly and efficient. The decor was gorgeous very clean, warm and...

Following a successful family lunch a few months ago, I booked a late supper for 43 Rotarians and friends after an annual evening ‘Cultural’ Coach Tour of Romney Marsh. The owners can be justly proud of their staff for serving a quality pre ordered meal...

Came to have some lunch as being a chef it’s nice to have someone else cook for a change I had the bruschettato start the the beef lasagne out standing to say the least very well priced. And the lasagna was filled with beef no...

Fantastic evening with family and friends lovely staff great attention fab food looked after us at all times even though we extremely loud and demanding they served us with a smile definitely be going back when in the area

Enjoyed a great meal with good atmosphere and service to match. Food amazing. Would highly recommend.

What a wonderful meal from start to finish. The service was fantastic & the food delicious!! After having to postpone our meal twice due to Covid, coming here was definitely worth the wait. We arrived and our table wasn’t quite ready but the staff made...

Myself and my partner booked a table for a Valentines Meal on th evening Feb 14th 2022. I have to say from the moment we entered the door we had a very friendly greeting, we were wished a happy Valentines. We both opted for sirloin...

First visit tonight for Valentines and it was superb ! Staff friendly and attentive , food was amazing ! Atmosphere and decor was lovely Tried to give 5 out of 5 but trip advisor would only let me pick 4? We will be back soon...

Staff and food was absolutely splendid! Service was exceptional! So warm and welcoming. Place was warm and friendly and felt totally relaxed as soon as we entered the premises! Menu was adequate. As it was valentines night the place was decorated high quality! We took...

Thank you to all the staff who saved the day after our original booking cancelled last minute! We had a wonderful time-the food and venue was perfect. Thank you to Debbie, who made the occasion so special! I can’t say enough how grateful we all...

Debbie was absolutely fantastic with her wit and charm. Service was second to none. Would recommend this establishment to all. Well done to all the great staff that make us both feel very welcome. P.s. Happy New Year all xx