The Smugglers Rest in Lewes

Birthday party of seven, two courses, plenty of drinks. Food, prepared by Simon, was hot, delicious and timely. Steve was efficient and friendly with the help of their female colleague, whose name we didn’t catch. We will definitely return.

Luckily for us there was a last minute cancellation on a busy Sunday. The food was great, and all six had a satisfying meal, including the smallest member of our party who sat in a spotless high chair provided. We were served by Steve, who kept us smiling with his northern charm. Our compliments to the chef Simon, food was piping hot and plentiful.

Very friendly staff, willing to go beyond as we were a walk-in. Managed to sit us. Roast dinner was amazing and totally recommend

Outside looked a bit scruffy on approach (first impressions)Ok inside.Only 1 draft ale on - other was being cleaned. Ordered food and drinks.Brought 1 plate which was for another table-wrong order. Mains came - most in our group had fish & chips - the fish (if you could find it)was hidden by umpteen layers of batter that just crumbled into bits - it looked like it had been re-fried a couple of times.Chips (few) were hiding underneath the Fish - why?? Forgot the bread order - had to ask/check twice. Not brilliant for the price.

Good food, good value, excellent service which was timely Friendly and professional and a very pleasant ambiance.

Loved Lily for looking after us and thank you Simon for the amazing food

What more can be said than having a full sweep of 5 stars! Everything was spot on... and they're very dog friendly too! Treats, and waterbowls for all! 😊

Absolutely amazing service from Lorna, makes sure everything is okay and had a nice chat with you would recommend to anyone!!!

Went for Sunday lunch. Warm welcome, great table. Amazing food - roast was incredible. Service started off well but ended with us feeling a bit forgotten, however it was a busy Sunday lunch, so kinda understood.

It was a quiet Wednesday evening. We booked a table for 2. On arrival Addison greeted us, showed us to a choice of tables. He gave us the menus came back a few mins later and took our food and beverage order. The drinks arrived very quickly. The food was brought out in a swift time. It was very enjoyable. The whole evening was relaxed and lovely food and ambiance. Thank you to Addison our server and Daren the chef.

Had Sunday lunch. It was a great experience, with superb service from Lily. Nothing was too much trouble and she dealt with everything promptly. The food was so tasty. Thanks, James, for such a lovely meal. My uncle is gluten intolerant, but this was no problem. Both meals were so large, that we didn't even manage to finish them!

Do not order food here we did and it was the WORST meal we have ever had in a pub. Another couple seated near us after receiving there starter were trying to cancel there main course as we left. As to your comments to ring you to address our concerns you had plenty of time for that when we were there but totally ignored us and concentrated on the other people trying to cancel there main course.

Lily was a wonderful host & thank you so very much for looking after us this evening what a gem especially allowing us to bring our dogs along. Thanks Lily

Lily looked after us and was very helpful and friendly 👍

Lily was a fantastic host, very friendly and incredibly quick service. Unfortunately the food was not as good as usual, one of the beef roast dinners and the ribeye steak both had quite a lot of gristle and the steak was undercooked. The rest of the food was nice as usual though.

We were looked after by Lily and Ste, and Amy cooked for us - everything was delicious, and our service from Lily and Ste was fantastic, very prompt and really friendly and welcoming.

What an awesome find today ! Went for a drive along the coast and found the smugglers rest . Excellent service, food was amazing and the staff were lovely . Highly recommend.

Friendly staff member ('Summer') who was very polite and attentive. The food was nice but the starter we shared (camenbert fritter) comprised only 3 small 'scampi' size pieces served oin a side plate; the mains were nice (although the puy lentil pie looked slightly bland); the dessert we shared was lemon tart but this was a tiny portion even for one. Overall we enjoyed the food in pleasant surroundings. The saving grace was we had a '33 1/3% off mains' voucher but the meal still cost around £35 + drinks.

Lovely location at Telscombe Cliffs overlooking the English Channel (if you get window seaview) but that's the best part of this venue. Typical VintageInns brand. Food predicatable & bland. Staff seemed rushed-off-their-feet & some looked really scruffy. There's no 'Wow' factor there.

Amazing service from Steve! So accommodating and made our time so lovely. Food was delicious and very reasonably priced for the set menu

Is perfect for drinking and atmosphere but is not very good for food.

A comfortable pub inside with very attentive bar staff. On sunny mild days, it is nice to carry on in the beer garden which has a tremendous view. Having dined here a few times, the food is standard pub grub fare. Sometimes a discount is offered via the app. I find it a nice place to drink alcohol and people watch. It is a very dog friendly venue. Maybe too dog friendly.

It used to be a nice place.. but they seem to hire bar staff who are rude and argumentative.... Tried to order food but since my outdoor table did not have a number the young man refused to take the order... Well. Never mind I will just enjoyy beverage with the ants on the table.....

Lovely food in very pleasant atmosphere We were served by Lily who was very professional and accommodating

amazing service thank you lily and amy

Pulled in here as she had heard it was an iconic tourist attraction. We were expecting it to be a lot busier but were pleasantly surprised that we’re was ample seating. We sat outside and enjoyed a couple of drinks over looking the ocean. Sunday definitely seems like the day to go if you’re looking for a decent hearty roast. We did t partake but they were being ordered thick and fast by others. Staff are a bit pretentious for what the place is but we didn’t let that upset us too much. Bathrooms are in desperate need of attention, general cleaning and toilet paper top up. Worth pulling into for a break and a quick drink or meal.

Lovely food, our waitress Lily was really attentive, polite and friendly. Really nice atmosphere and dining experience.

Steve was very amazing and helpful and food was great and yummy

Good food, nice selection of beers excellent views

Very nice restaurant and the food was brilliant. Even being quite busy at lunch time, we didn't wait much for our food. The view is amazing!

Stunning pub with gorgeous seaside views! Thanks so much to Chloe and Lorna for taking such good care of us. :)

It's always a good time to stop here, chilling and eating good food on the cliff. Recommended

Good food. Reasonable prices. Relaxed atmosphere! Xxx

THAT was THE best service I’ve ever had ❤️ Lorna and Chloe were excellent!!

Amazing service, amazing food. We ate here 2 nights in a row a table of 7. Fussy kids were well looked after. Great meal

Really lovely surprise, at the end of our walk we found this lovely pub, The Smugglers Rest, nestled above the cliffs with sea views and both a dog friendly area indoors and a non dog friendly area (very helpful if youre allergic, as I am). A good selection of vegan and veggie options on the menu We were in a late lunch/early dinner time of day, so we went for a selection of starters and picky bits, including the vegan falafel, all really good Excellent service from Lily, she was very helpful with our dietary requirements and knowledge on ingredients

Very clean and good atmosphere. LILY was a great hostess , friendly kind and helpful...Sunday lunch was excellent I recommend the Trio.

Nice local pub so much better now they have got rid of the parking nonsense. I was served by Debbie who was lovely and attentive. I had the trio roast which was lovely but I wanted the wellington which isn’t appropriate for me due to my nut allergy. Debbie was prompt on notifying me of the nut contamination and the trio was fine!

Lily was very attentive and friendly and helped with the food intolerance options. The food from Simon was excellent

We were served by Lily who was excellent and went above and beyond to accomodate us, food was great (as usual). Many thanks.

Booked The Smugglers Rest after driving past it this morning on the way to Brighton. We were looked after wonderfully by Lily and food was cooked to perfection by Simon. We'd definitely stop here again. Thank you for a great meal!

Lily has looked after me, Simon has cooked for me, they are all amazing! My fav place ✨

First of all I would like to say that once I arrived the staff was nasty rude and so on I find it unprofessional knowing that customer service is the most important for me plus I find that waiting more than 3 hours for simple fries is shameful I recommend to anyone very bad experience plus their fries were not that good and arrived cold a shame I would have preferred a refund than having their fries cold and the quantity and quality of their product in no way justifies their work because their fries had the taste of freeze I am very disappointed with this restaurant if I could I would have given 0 stars

Lily was amazing with us. The Simon’s food was absolutely delicious

Horrible and expensive food. Do not recommend to anyone!!

Just had a family meal here, food was good, served by Lily who was attentive, charming & efficient. Setting is informal & relaxed -ideal for Sunday lunch. Would recommend.

Really very disappointed we waited 2 hours not to receive our dishes only received our ordered drinks, several people arrived after us received their orders and new people arrived also we received their orders. And what's more, we were lied to by saying that it happens and that a dish was not available when other people who arrived after us received this dish.

So to start we arrived this Sunday 04/27/2025 around 1 p.m. and ordered different dishes like fries, burgers and salads because there was no more FISH and CHIPS so we took what I mentioned before. Even though they are very simple dishes, after 2 hours of waiting, still nothing. Every time we went to ask they said "on the way" but nothing happened, know that we have a Ferry to take at 6 p.m. and that we were still there at 3 p.m. we had to leave and cancel the order and leave with the hunger of England. I want a lot because my 7 month pregnant wife is forced to be hungry because of you. DISHONEST SERVICE! In addition to that, we see people coming after us to receive their dishes before and leaving before and above all there were people who received FISH CHIPS. What did we face? Discrimination?

Excellent Sunday lunch cooked by Simon and served by Lily. Thank you ... absolutely first class.

Good country pub, good ambience. Ellie looked after us. She was wonderful, polite and very attentive. Well done to her.

Been here a few times now and it’s the same great service and same great food each time. I went for Katsu chicken and rice this time round. Was really tasty but I prefer their other meals like lasagna, roast and burgers. Got given a nice table near the window and was served real quick. Food arrived quickly and was nice and hot. Menu is really good and also offers small tapas dishes too. Will be back here again soon I’m sure.

We went there for the first time yesterday with our daughter and young grandsons. Lovely place in an idyllic place, lovely staff, and the food was the best we have had in a long time. Excellent value for money too. Good portion sizes, looked great and all of it tasted fantastic . Good children’s menu too. We will definitely be going back 🤩

absolutely chuffing wonderful service, great care from Georgia, Simon made some grand food.

Georgia was attentive and very polite even though she was very busy on Easter Monday. Food was lovely. Mum particularly liked the fish and chips but commented that hot food should be served on hot plates.

Great service from lily & food cooked by Simon, lovely atmosphere & good food

Lovely Roast dinner on Easter Sunday! Lily was our waitress and was very friendly and helpful! Service was great and the food was lovely! We will return

Lily service was excellent, and Simon cooked the food superbly.

Food ok, but overwhelmed with excessive black pepper, and not very hot.

Another superb Sunday Lunch at the wonderful pub. We come here a lot for Sunday Lunch as the service and food are always amazing. Today was no exception. We were looked after by Steve today, who was a delight. Steve was friendly, engaging and knowledgeable. The food arrived quickly, despite the team being busy as it is Easter Sunday. My Turkey Roast was amazing and my husbands Lamb was equally as delicious. Thank you for another superb meal. See you next week.

Very good food, a nice place for lunch. We come here a few times a year and it's always reliable. Service can be a little slow sometimes as they get very busy but that's a minor quibble.

Nikki was looking after us and was friendly helpful and attentive. We had a table that was set apart so felt like our own private area which was great.

Lily was friendly, engaging and highly efficient - a very good communicator

First time at the Smugglers Rest for many years. The set up is welcoming and clean and the views over the channel and cliffs are superb. A good meal enjoyed by all three of us, enhanced by friendly efficient service from Lily. We’ll be back.

It's a very nice place with delicious food, fizzy drinks, authentic atmosphere and seaview. My fish was juicy and my gin was strong enough. I met my friends here. But it's also good for dates, family dinners or birthday parties. I like this place. I will definitely come back.

Great service. Very knowledgeable and helpful is order for our first visit. Also have us a great table, will definitely be back. What a great place. Pie of the day was huge, so much meat!! Loved it

Fast service, good food, attentive staff and good value for money. All accompanied by a beautiful view

Nice seating inside- went in twice for a drink on holiday with dog. Had water and treats for dog. Well positioned from studd farm campsite - 15 min walk.

I hadn't booked ahead but found a table and ordered a roast dinner and a pint. Food came nice and quickly, a mix of turkey, beef and pork with the trimmings. All very tasty 😋 plus friendly service from the staff 👍

Lily's service and Amy's food were top notch.

It was our first time here. The food, cooked by Amy, was delicious and the service was excellent (and quick - but not pushy). It was the best vege roast we've had in a while. Our server Lily was polite and attentive. We'll be back!

Awesome pub woth stunning sea views

Our server Summer was summer by name and summer by nature. Bright, enthusiastic, cheerful, attentive and engaging, I cannot praise her enough, she was lovely.

We often meet our friends for lunch at the Smugglers. A lovely pub which is part of the Vintage Inns group. The food is pood srandard. The service in the form of Summer was excellent and very attentive to our needs. For anyone who hasn't visited the pub the views are spectacular overlooking the sea.

Nice restaurant in a beautiful location. The beer garden overlooking the English Channel is awesome. Very friendly staff, fast service. Fish'n Chips and Fish cakes were yummy, the sea bass however a little bland (sorry). But since we always share our dishes we all had something delicious. We will definitely be back.

Lovely place! Would highly recommend 👌

Always excellent food at the Smugglers. The lamb shank is wonderful!

Lovely lunch! Addison our server was great.

Love this place such a nice day out on a hot day! And a big thanks to Lewis for being such a good waiter ! #willbereturning

Amazing food, and wonderful food! Lily was very friendly and professional, and looked after us well.

Food was wonderful the chicken pie was very big and a lot of meat in it

Nice pub with good atmosphere. Food was underwhelming- no seasoning and no avocado in an chicken-egg- avocado salad. We ordered some cocktails that were not great either. Very mid experience.

Great English pub we ate Sundays roast very attentive impeccable service good prices. Unique atmosphere thank you Moe!!!

Food was good, quite tasty- had the roast. Bit stingy on the amount of meat and vegetables cold.

Went friday night to see Gabriella Parrish singing. Lovely atmosphere wth g8 entertainment. Drinks & service frm bar staff was excellent. Comfy cosy seating & surroundings. Highly recommend...will return.

Great service from Steve! Lovely atmosphere and great views

Very nice food and great service from Nicki

Really fab food cooked by Darren and atmosphere. Nicki was a great waitress. Quick and efficient service.

What a good find, sat with a window view of the sea. Sophie our server was attentive and provided good all round service.

Great place, food and service. Would definitely visit again

Atmosphere very good toilets, and singer was incredible

Fantastic Service, nice atmosphere. Was greeted by a wonderful man called Danny, he meet all our needs when we asked for a Pacific table :)

Welcomed by the lovely Danny, so friendly. Lovely atmosphere… will return. Looked after by the team.

Spend an impromptu evening relaxing in the in this beautifulpub, the team looked after us amazingly. The ambiance was just right and made us stay for more than we should. The food were lovely and catered for my partners allergy wonderfully. Top marks all round

Lovely service as usual from Danny

Delicious food and great service. Thanks very much!!

Great pub with a beautiful view over the sea and the cliffs. The inside is cozy and warm and the food is fresh and authentic. The service was great and made me feel like at home. I had a wonderful time with my friends and I will definetly come back again very soon! Keep it up!

Visited with my Mum on a beautifully sunny lunchtime after a walk along the South Downs and Telscombe Tye. The perfect venue for a cosy warm up meal indoors if the weather is rubbish, or in this case out in the warmth of the sun, with a lovely selection of drinks and food. Great food, good prices and variety, they’ve got friendly smiley staff, the manager came to chat too - seemed really chill and looking to do that bit extra to help both of us have the best experience. Will definitely be back - looks like they’ve got some great music events coming up. Thanks

First time here and have say service was 10/10food was amazing, gorgeous place,the manager Daniele was lovely and very attentive.look forward to returning .

Terrible food ! Dry salad no dressing , not fresh calamari’s , slow service , dry cold garlic bread - awful

We had exceptional service from Summer who was welcoming, friendly and very efficient. The pub has a nice ambience and felt cozy on a chilly evening. The food is pretty average, just bog standard pub grub, nothing particularly wrong with it just no thrills!