The Ship Inn in South Hams

Cracking beer and food with friendly service

Here on holiday, saw the mixed reviews but took a chance on having an anniversary gather here so booked in advance. Arrived, thought we would get a drink and sit outside as we were a bit early. Long chaotic queue at bar for 15 mins. Got drinks and eventually someone booked us in on the clipboard. Asked if we could have food outside instead, but no not allowed, but we could have our first drink outside and then pop back in for the table which was pointed out to my mum. Finish drinks, clipboard man forgot who we are and said we had not checked in. Pointed out the cross through our name and sat down. Then confusions over table, it was wrong table, then told to stay at original table. It was in the walkway to toilets and by the busy bar ( had requested a slightly quieter spot cos one person in party is deaf) Food took over an hour to arrive, server was busy elsewhere not that attentive( not his fault, he was great, just obvious understaffing issues). Burgers were ok, one cold inside but by this point we wanted to get out of the madness. Plus points, the location is lovely and there are plenty of seats outside, the staff were nice apart from stressed clipboard man. I hate leaving these kind of reviews, it is rare- but can see this chain pub need to up their game for what once seemed to be an amazing pub.

We dropped in for a drink whilst walking the dogs and felt very welcome, treats were given to the dogs lovely place although we didn't have food it smelt and looked amazing.

Enjoyed a pepperoni pizza, chips and cappuccino after an enjoyable walk around Noss Mayo.

Went here on Easter Sunday pre-booked but, as it happens, didn't need to as it was only half full. Ordered roasts from the menu ( different from online menu ! ) the beef was passable, the pork likewise the pie crust was inedible, couldn't get a knife through it ! but the ‘ Chicken supreme ‘ was a basic roast chicken leg, no cream sauce even though it was given the highest calorific rating ( more than twice the beef and pork dishes ?) the gravy for all dishes was the same, a weak watery slightly brown liquid. The vegetables were :- 2 x half sliced carrots ( 1 orange 1 white ), red cabbage and 4 x roast potatoes that were v hard on the outside and soft inside and no stuffing with the chicken despite being on the menu ! Overall a v. disappointing meal totally underwhelming for a place that used to have such a high standard in all areas. Wont be returning for a long while until they gain a more favourable list of reviews.

Great to hear it's now part of the London based Youngs Brewery they ran one of the pubs I frequented in Hertfordshire. Should be ok I'll post an update when I eat there.

It’s in a lovely position perfect for getting a drink after a walk along the coast path. However, it’s always a cold reception. Next time I am in Noss Mayo I will be visiting the Swan Inn which is a much friendlier pub.

Totally ruined by the new owners.

Not visited since new owners .Very disappointing service Very under staffed .Food very disappointing .Table of 5 all bad .Creme brûlée tasted it was in the turn at £8 a portion was unexpectable .Was offered after complaining.Which was an insult in view of what we had spent .Will not be returning

Having visited this venue so often in the past we were really looking forward to taking a couple/friends with us on a retirement celebration dinner. In a nutshell the service has taken a complete U turn and is now barely acceptable especially considering how few were actually eating. The food was completely plain, lacked in many ways and to be fair, for the price, was a real disappointment! Rush back? Fat chance! 🙁

Food was amazing, staff were very welcoming, definitely going back

Had a wonderful Sunday roast here. Food was well presented and cooked very well. Our serving staff were excellent, attentive and friendly. A credit to the Ship.

Really impressed with with my first visit since new management. Chris found me a great table by the fire as a single diner. Favourite cider Aspalls and an amazing main, fish and chips. Cider battered Haddock, perfect. Chips some of the best I've ever had and portions of mushy pea salsa, home made tartare sauce and a curry relish. I would highly recommend!!

Incredible dining experience at the Ship Inn. Service was impeccable, super welcoming, friendly and accommodating. The atmosphere was very tranquil and relaxing and the food was delicious!! The best of British pubs. Highly recommend for a visit whenever you’re in Noss Mayo!

The fresh seafood was fantastic! Great friendly service. A great evening out.

A return visit, but the first since the change of ownership. We arrived before midday, not having a reservation, but were seated easily on a quite day. There were only two staff and service was a little slow, but nothing to moan about. I'm not sure what the reason was; the first sunny day for quite a while, the first weekday of the half term holiday, but suddenly the place was inundated and the staff, who obviously weren't expecting it, just couldn't cope - there was queue out of the door! Everything unravelled from there. Luckily our order had been taken and our food arrived in good time, but another drink or a cup of coffee would have taken forever, so I paid and left! The food was OK, but not what it used to be. The place remains very much the same, but taken as a whole the experience was not as good as usual. I'll go back again, just to see if this was a one off, but I do think Young's Brewery needs to be more on the ball here. I should add, the staff were both very friendly and helpful, but were just overwhelmed.

We had a really lovely evening meal at The Ship Inn. The Hake was delicious and service from Chris was top notch! Will definitely be back!

Attention to detail with the interior and exterior is exquisite. Love the ship paraphernalia displayed throughout. Great location, we had a beautiful walk along the coastal path after a lovely meal

Through the mist and low clouds the estuary is beautiful. The Ship Inn sits right on the shore line. The food is good, freshly prepared, with a relaxing atmosphere. Difficult not to love the place.

The new staff Chris and Andy are amazing! Brilliant food and service, can't wait to come again. 😁

Lovely place for fun and relaxing 😎

Starters over priced, £11 for crab and prawn cocktail that didn't come with any accompanying bread set the tone. Main course ( Chicken and ham pie) was nice, desert menu fairly basic. Haven't visited for a while and sadly the quality and standard of food is not as good as it once was. Pub food at best, but restaurant prices, £34 for pub steak and chips is eye-watering. Pub was virtually empty and yet we were cramped onto the smallest most ceamped rable ive ever sat on when dining out. Sadly dont think we will be returning in a hurry. Not worth the trip from Plymouth.

Loved this place. Excellent service and great food. Can’t wait to come back in the summer

We were a party of 19 people celebrating an 80th birthday. Great welcome. Good service and the staff did well bringing out the courses together. Jail Ale excellent. Mussels were a favourite. All in all a great experience.

Really good hot chocolate and the chips are good. Felt sorry for the person who seemed to have responsibility for almost everything -bar, waiting on table, clearing tables. A Saturday afternoon needs more staff, especially to clear and clean tables..not satisfactory to have a table cleared and cleaned when eating. Menu looked good with good veggie options.

I really enjoyed the fish and chips. Also, clean and posh conveniences that you wouldn't expect walking in from the outside. Kudos to a very efficient manager.

Booked for my daughter birthday lunch with our dog as well . Lovely atmosphere wonderful host and food was amazing birthday cake couldn’t be eaten we were to full can’t wait to return .

What's not to like. This is an idyllic place in an idyllic location. So much character inside and out, you just have to go there

We came in from a cold wintry walk to a warm welcome on a Monday lunchtime...great food..local mussels cooked in white wine with a dash of cream...and haddock in beer batter...crisp and crunchy with excellent thrice cooked chips. And a pleasant Mein Host who went out of his way to be helpful. We were a bit squeezed in as the place was only open downstairs and there were 2 dogs on the next table..but everyone behaved with courtesy and all was well. The Ship's great reputation lives on.

A beautiful Devon pub on the Yealm estuary. The perfect start or end point for a walk. Warm, comfortable and welcoming with prompt service, great food and a large offering of drinks. A firm family favourite for a weekend visit.

Was a flying visit, so didn't have time to experience everything the amazing pub has to offer. Look forward to out next (longer) visit.

We had the conservatory booked for a meal on New year's eve for 10 and it didn't disapoint. From walking into the pub to walking out everything was fantastic, Ruben who served us throughout was exceptional. Food was lovely. Conservatory was great, able to play out own music through their speakers, there was nothing to complain or say negatively.

After coming here for quite a few years and many new year day lunchtimes I have to say the new owners have big boots to fill. Understaffed, cold average pub food. 10 friends and family for New Year’s Day Had to repeatedly ask for water 1/2 hour to ask us if we wanted a drink and then never asked again Pre booked weeks ago only to be told we had to vacate in 2 and a bit hours. I won’t be coming hear again that’s for sure

A summary of our experience here after a long walk a long the coast: 1. Overpriced mediocre food - Got a Coronation chicken sandwich and it was dry and nearly choked on a chicken bone (see picture). 2. The owner/manager was extremely rude. When I asked if I could have a glass of mulled wine (as per the sign on the bar) I was laughed at and told they had run out 3. Tried to book a table for a party of 12 over the weekend and the same manager just shouted at me and said he is taking "NO BOOKINGS". I asked if that meant he is fully booked and he shouted at me the same thing again in a condescending tone Have now booked at another local pub for my party and as a result of the managers rudeness will NEVER come here again (he clearly doesn't want the business). Also my family are local and they will never be returning. As I work in hospitality myself I would suggest the owner gets some training in customer service as soon as possible. Nice chips though

Amazing food and amazing staff, couldn’t fault anything.

Very slow service and confusion over orders, which was sad because the food was very good. Took nearly 90 minutes to serve two of us a single course lunch, meanwhile the tables around us all had errors in their drinks orders, and one table's food order got lost entirely. Also, the accessible toilet/baby change was roasting hot and the door didn't lock. The fish and chips and scampi were both delicious but by that time we had an overtired baby and couldn't enjoy it.

Is this the beginning of the end? I’ve been coming here for 20 years and have three bookings over Christmas. It changed hands recently and already there’s been a serious change in experience. Today was the first time I’ve ever not enjoyed it here. We waited for 30 minutes to be asked a drink order and a further hour and a quarter for our food to arrive. When it did arrive, it was all wrong. I was embarrassed to have brought my 7 guests here. As we left, there was a lady upstairs in a very aggravated state complaining that she was going to leave because the food was so slow that her baby couldn’t wait any longer. I truly hope that today was a bad day caused by short staff, and not the beginning of the end of what has been perfectly run and incredible local Gastro pub.

Popped in on a walk. Got talking to the manager, who it turns out is new, and he made sure we were made to feel welcome and have the most relaxed time. Thank you, kind sir

Been here a couple time the past month and I love it a little more every time. Great food, great staff, great location, what more could one want?

After two decades of brilliant food and service, we were really saddened to be served such low-end food in our favourite pub. A thin, cardboard burger on limp iceberg lettuce in a brioche straight out of the packet with a skimpy serving of chips for £17.50 served by hassled staff clearly unable to keep up. We came away feeling that Youngs is doing a huge disservice to one of the finest waterside inns in the south west of England, and no doubt to the community in which it lives. Maybe your bottom line is looking good, Youngs, but it won’t last long. Shame on you, big brewery!

After Youngs acquired The Ship, our recent visit left us quite disappointed. The empty atmosphere was disheartening, and the menu choices seemed more fitting for a budget high street restaurant than a high-end destination. Unfortunately, the food quality also fell short of our expectations. Despite enjoying the restaurant before the acquisition, the new owners have left much to be desired, and we won't be returning, sadly.

Great venue , good service - average food

Great traditional pub with amazing atmosphere and great food. A shame that more pubs are like this - cosy atmosphere with excellent food.

Featured and recommended in the Good Pub Guide, Good Beer Guide and the Michelin Eating Out in Pubs Guide. Still a pleasure after the takeover by Youngs. Delightful and charming crew, with or without long hair. Attentive and caring. Deserving tip. Very good food, perfectly cooked and divine chips. Log fires. Doggy friendly. Decent napkins. Outside terrace by the river.🇬🇧🇳🇿

Very disappointed with our experience under new ownership. This has been our go to Pub for lunch. Atmosphere poor for example log burner not lit, staff didn’t seem to know what they were doing-still learning the till/food ordering system. No napkin and cutlery provided before food arrived- this is such basic stuff. Salt and pepper cellar's different sizes?! Why did a young man serving with long hair, not tie it back in a food environment? Food: Sausages were poor could have bought better at Tesco - mash only warm. No dish of vegetables provided as under previous management. Fortunately the trout was very good but again missed a nice dish of vegetables. Youngs if you don’t sort all this out I reckon you will sell this pub on to some private caring and experienced owners within a short time….

Lovely food, great atmosphere.....log burner going and friendly staff. New owners so takes a while to get into the swing of an established country pub. Nothing was too much trouble. They welcomed our dogs and we had a lovely relaxed lunch. Definitely be back in the early spring & through the summer. Good luck to all the team 👍.

Service was poor, Over priced and underwhelming fish and chip. Chips were cold and hard sloppy batter, mushy peas almost dried to a powder. Avoid.

Know it is early days with the new owners but WHAT a disappointment lunch was. Atmosphere had gone through the floor, so used to Lisa’s & Charlie’s friendly welcome. Changing brands of drinks .. disgusting Britvic ginger beer. Crab Rarebit was pretty grosse to be honest. What I think is needed is a couple to run this hugely loved pub used by man locals.. this is not a city pub.

A real disappointment compared to our previous experiences here. Food was very basic for the price burger consisted of literally a burger and some fries nothing else, plate looked very bare/boring nothing special. Fish and chips were ok but again not reflective of the price mushy peas were dried up and the fish batter was pretty much raw and cold. Service was slow and not very attentive.

For whatever reason the service was shockingly slow, it took more than 2hrs to get two courses served. Then it took 30mins to get the bill, such a shame because service aside the food was amazing!

What a disaster. A lovely pub when run by Lisa until early last week. Now a disaster. Firstly, cleanliness: the toilets were dirty and the bar itself was grubby. Secondly, the staff: they were friendly but didn’t have a clue; rushing around not seeming to know what they were doing. I’ve been in several Young’s pubs, mainly in London where the standards have been good. Pull your socks up Youngs. I know you haven’t been operating for a week but this isn’t good enough. I shall try again in a few weeks to see if any improvement.

Arrived, waited to be greeted then taken to our table which was down stairs and in the furthest part of a very quite pub. After some time of no approach from staff,decided to go and fetch our first round of drinks from the bar. 10 min later had to return to bar to request menus. No body came over so went back to bar to get more drinks and request some service. Starter came then a significant time after main meals which were average quality and pricey £28 for steak, £19 for fish and chips. Plates left on our table. Another group came and sat next to us. They were offered drinks immediately, orders for food taken promptly, returned to confirm their orders. Shouted across to us that they would clear our plates that had now been on our table for 10/15 mins once they had returned with more drinks for the other table. Unbelievably rude. Can only presume service was better for larger party, local people, unsure. When spoke to manager he said it was because they were short staff but we pointed out how attentive he had been with other table. He said he had come over to our table in the early stages, we reminded him it was only to request we put wood on the fire 🤣He apologised and said he would discount our meal which he did. We still had to pay £85 for an extremely disappointing evening. It was such a shame because we had come after being recommended by a friend 🥴

New menu was quite expensive-£20 for Shepherds Pie! Service was very slow and presentation of food was poor. My steak was over cooked and the Waldorf salad did not include any walnuts.Uninspired choice of desserts and not sure if they were homemade. Butternut Squash soup was very tasty. All in all a disappointing visit and new owners really need to improve their game to achieve the high quality that was maintained by the previous owners.

Came today for a family lunch, 10 of us. What amazing service, the food was first class, delicious, plenty of it and piping hot ( I stupidly burnt my fingers after being told... careful the plate is very hot.. that'll teach me) Considering there were 10 of us, all with different meal choices, the service was top notch...all delivered roughly the same time. Will definitely eat here again. Thank you

Fantastic lunch experience at The Ship Inn. Staff were really friendly, professional and attentive, food was excellent, good portion sizes and recently priced. Nice decor, furniture and environment, just didn't give it 5* as we had our lunch later and most people had left, but not the restaurant's fault! Nice location in a quaint village. Would highly recommend.

It's just been great for so many years. I wish the owners who have sold up all the best, they've run a great place, and pray the new owners don't change it too much.

Quite average food for the price, but an absolutely beautiful location

Food worth more than we paid , the first time I have ever come across this.The location sublime and the staff absolutely charming and a credit to the owners. Blown away this afternoon and life is better for visiting this establishment.

Wonderful multilevel atmospheric pub with great pub menu but done really well! Was busy on a Monday evening which is always a great sign!!! Expensive but not overpriced given location and general cost of eating out now!! 4 real ales including 2 from Noss Beer Works. Highly recommended.

Stopped for a coffee, excellent

Great pub with great beer and great food. In a fabulous location that makes it all the better. A must visit location.

Fabulous pub, glorious position, delicious food, friendly staff

Ideal stop on a circular walk around the Yealm estuary and SW coast path. The Ship Inn was a welcome stop for a fabulous lunch for 2 weary walkers plus dog. The trio of potted fish starter was amazing and enough quantity to keep us going. Highly recommended. Just popped in again a few months later and stand by my comments above. Lovely welcoming break after another circular coast and riverside walk.

6 of us went for lunch on a Thursday. Every meal was awful. The steak was very tough and poor quality, the lettuce in the salad was brown, 2/3 of our order was wrong and we had to wait ages for the replacement correct meals which were also awful. Our bill was just under £300 and we were all very disappointed with the quality of produce, cooking and service. The smell of the toilets is horrendous, apparently a longstanding issue that no-one seems terrible bothered about fixing

Lovely food and amazing views. Well recommended.

Quintessential Devonshire pub - nautical history adorning the walls creating a cozy atmosphere. The food is exceptional - delicious and great value. The standout feature is the staff - Amy was enchanting and Neil gave all the background to the local ales. Highly recommend.

The Ship arranges a wake for us in the Glasshouse - idyllic location, buffet was really good and staff attentive. Couldn't have been better !

We’ve visited this pub many times over the past 10 years. Never disappointed, the food, service and overall atmosphere are consistently excellent.

Such a beautiful pub on the banks of the river Yealm. We went for dinner and was easy to book over the phone and the food was absolutely delicious and fresh. The staff were extremely helpful and made us feel welcome. Definitely worth a visit.

What a place!!!! food excellent, service excellent and the setting beyond words

Charming place by a sea inlet. Nice food, when it eventually arrived. Had to wait nearly an hour for a simple cheese and pickle baguette with chips. Complained twice and was fobbed off with some lame excuse of being busy, while other customers who came in quite a while after us had their meals in front of them! One of the bar staff did give us all our money back, but it didn't take away the fact our relatives had already been served their pizza and had finished! Poor customer service!

Fabulous food and great hospitality in this beautiful pub. Staff were attentive and knowledgeable, food was delicious and hot. Magical setting and great atmosphere.

This was our first visit and we enjoyed a great lunch - beautiful location. Sat outside, great service, good quality food and friendly helpful staff.

Very nice restaurant very nice food and incredibly busy staff we were facing the kitchen and the door into the kitchen never stops swinging the staff are still happy to talk to you even though they never seem to stop working. 🙂🙂👍👍 fyi worth booking a table in advance as it gets busy.

Big car park and great views. The atmosphere was good and the staff were friendly. We had drinks only.

Superb waterside pub to have a great lunch in after paddle boarding up the river Yealm.

Stopped for a drink and was pleasantly surprised by this unassuming place. Bar staff knowledgeable and professional. Quick service. Great atmosphere Will return.

Beautiful picturesque scenery while you are having lunch or dinner or even just a drink. Food was ok but nothing special. You have to keep an eye on your car in the car park because of the tide coming in.

We came here for dinner with our friends, and I was thoroughly impressed. The food was lovely, the staff were lovelier and the setting was beautiful. You'd be hard pushed to find a better venue in South Devon.

What a beautiful inn. Location is amazing and we were lucky to have a day of gorgeous blue skies for our visit. We had booked a table but arrived early - no problem changing our reservation. We sat outside with our small well behaved dog and enjoyed a delicious lunch. Starters were chicken liver pâté, and tempura prawns - wonderful. Main courses were lamb rump with veg, and beef chilli with nachos - so good! Very friendly and attentive staff. Really lovely day

Rather disappointing, food was not great, had the Lamb rump which was fatty and very dry. Did mention it to the waitress but she didn’t seem that bothered!! Had fruit crumble which was cold! Definitely won’t be going there again.

Lovely atmosphere, good food and excellent staff and service.

Ample outside seating although it did fill quite quickly. Idiclic quaint setting beside the waterfront, watching the small boats and kayaks go to and fro. Wonderful food, presentation and service. There is parking but I'd be careful of the tide times....

Lovely food! Highly recommended the spicy chicken burger! Food came out quickly and was cooked perfectly!

Great location, good food, great staff

Legendary waterside pub in one of Devon's most iconic villages. Narrow lanes sometimes make it difficult to get to, but it's worth the effort. Beware, the car park is TIDAL... so check tide times or park elsewhere.

Absolutely fantastic pub Amazing food, location, and views, but the staff make this place what it is! Mr Poldark in particular! 5 stars all round! X

Visited after a funeral - food etc very good and staff friendly. 👌

Fantastic food, staff and setting, absolutely stunning!

Very pleased with our spicy chicken pizza and chicken burger last night, apart from the knives being quite blunt (should’ve asked for steak knives) everything was excellent.

Lovely food, beautiful location on the harbour side, massive mussels, amazing pate and friendly service. Can’t fault it.

Excellent service and great quality food and beautiful setting. Reasonably priced. Vegan options very good but limited.

Lovely inn on the river. Parking is the problem and very difficult. Luck of the draw if you can find a spot especially at weekends.

Never disappoints! Many times visiting here, menu is varied slightly every day. Must book in advance. Thursday night and every table was booked. We had asked for a table on the bridge- which has wonderful views out across the water, all ages there including ours...

Good food, beer, and service. Great atmosphere.

Rather ordinary pub food, nice staff, stunning location, especially if you manage to sit outside in sunshine near high tide!

We stayed at the Bibby Stockhom which was moored next to the Ship,Lots of foreign vistors on board bumped into Stormzy and Gordon Ramsey so we all went for a lovely meal ,think Stormzy is intrested in buying it

On a summer's evening nothing could be better than sitting by the water outside the Ship Inn with the fairy lights twinkling in the olive trees and the sound of children playing in the water. The food is always excellent and for the quality reasonably...

Great pub. Food, beer, service, all excellent. Fantastic view over the river.

Great place, great food, great service.