The Smugglers Rest in Lewes

We have visited the Smugglers for many years in its various forms. We hadn't visited for a while but made a return visit for lunch. The food was very good, the setting warm and comfortable. The service was exceptional, Debby our waitress was very friendly and efficient, we will certainly return in the future.

It's a bit hit and miss according to these trip reviews , went Sunday before Christmas at 18.00 we'd booked a table, only a handful of customers in the restaurant which is hardly surprising as there was only a few items on the menu, no vegetarian option, all sold out apparently, thank goodness we hadn't ordered drinks, very disappointing ! Visitors are apparently expected to wait at the entrance to be seated we waited for about 5 - 7 minute then made our way to our table in total three members of staff (one twice) walked past us plus a bar person who glanced over towards us , not a word, no acknowledgement "somebody will be with you in a moment" would have been nice, not even a glance ! We were then told, had we waited to be seated we would have been inform of the depleted menu, we left, it's all a bit amateurish I'm afraid!

I like this pub and for that reason keep giving it a try but the service is woeful. Popped in for a lunchtime drink - waited 15 minutes at the bar to be served whilst the surly barman was on the telephone. No acknowledgment or eye contact. Two other members of staff were serving the tables (which weren’t overly busy) and again walked past us (and the ever growing queue) time and time again without any acknowledgment. I finally asked another member of staff who was ‘filling up the sauces’ if they wouldn’t mind serving the bar or finding someone to serve the bar and was met with an exasperated shrug. In the time it took for someone to come to the bar there were 5 of us waiting and 2 had left. Such a shame as the pub is lovely inside and has lots to offer but the staff often leave a lot to be desired.

My first time about 6 months ago was positive and enjoyable. However a second visit last week in December was very disappointing. The open fires were not lit and the central heating was completely off. The waiter informed us that the fires were not lit because they would have to wait for the fire to go out at closing time. A very uncomfortable evening. The food was mediocre also.

My first visit a few months ago was enjoyable. However, my visit last week in December, together with 5 friends, was very disappointing. The open fires were not lit and the central heating was off. A very uncomfortable evening for all of us.

Nicki was very professional and helpful seeing as it was rather busy. We weren’t left alone for long and she was very attentive at all times. Highly recommend going there as the staff are all really friendly and accommodating. Food is delicious

Me and my partner came in for a New Years Day lunch and were sat by the fire which was so cosy! Drinks were lovely and we both had starters of Sticky Chilli Chicken and Butternut Squash Arancini (about £6-7 from what I remember) and they were really yummy and well priced and also were presented well with chilli jam, chilli’s and spring onion (SCC) and couscous and pesto (arancini) so very happy with those! We both got the Chicken Schnitzel for mains (£16-17 from memory?) and although the chicken and chips themselves were nice, the garnish was some old watercress and the bacon was a bit anaemic and the sauce was a bit bland. It was okay but not worth what we paid unfortunately for that particular dish. Overall a lovely pub and mostly a lovely experience, just a slight shame about the main dish.

Really good doors, especially as Steve showed us more options that were just what we wanted!

On finding this restaurant we were pleased. Looked amazing in side. We made our order and didn't have to wait long for our food. And it looked lovely. Half way through our meal the waitress came over to check if everything was okay which it was. Then came the terrible find in my meal. I thought it was a slice of tomato at first on further inspection it was a PLASTIC lid and had been cooked in my meal because it was melted into my food. We called the waitress over to show her she took it away came back to apologise and said that my meal not my wife meal would be taken off the final bill. We were very deflated at this point. No apology never came from the chef which I feel should have. But we still had to pay for my wife meal and drinks to our disgust . This was a very bad experience. I'm sure this was a one off. But then it should never have happened.

Popped in for a drink, mid-walk. Looks lovely, nice but standard "Vintage Inns" decor. Service and drinks fine. Very disappointed with ladies loos! Get the bleach & descaler out please!!!! They are really pretty grim. Clearly no landlady!

Thought we was lucky to get an instant table booked on Christmas Eve lunchtime. When arriving the pub was very busy but staff welcoming and didn’t seem flustered at all throughout visit. Steve was our main waiter and he was very friendly and make sure everything was to satisfaction. Service speed was good considering how busy and the food was to our expectations. It’s a “go to” easy option for us…

We have been here a number of times before and it's always a pleasure. This time the food was particularly good, even though there were a lot of people eating lunch.

Boxing day with family is special & the smugglers rest didn't disappoint. Tiny bit slow on getting our initial drink order in but after that seamless. It's become of a bit of a tradition for us to meet up Boxing Dsy & I can safely say. It was really lovely great food, wine & staff were amazing (didn't have enough room for desert, so they boxed it up for us..THANK YOU. Viv9

Booked for Xmas lunch. They were clearly understaffed, but, quite frankly, not my problem as I was still expected to pay exactly the same as if I had had a good service. The drinks arrived after the 1st course, which was a soup meant to be hot but served lukewarm. Long pause after waiting for the second, during which the drinks arrived. Very unremarkable turkey second course arrived and then after a 45min wait for our desert which was cheese, nothing too elaborate, we decided to get up and pay at the bar without having our desert. Then the waiter who had been "serving us" approached us to tell us he was just "getting round" to our table, he was unapologetic about the wait and rude to the point of turning round and leaving me mid sentence as he clearly didn't like what I was saying. They said they took £20 for the cheese, but, considering our drinks were a glass of wine and half a pint of beer I think £130 is a lot to pay for bad food and having our Xmas day ruined.

Ordered roast beef. Roast potatoes were lightly fried new potatoes hard and def not a roast potato. Half a carrot and loads (to fill the plate) of hard broccolli. In short a rip off carrots and potatoes so cheap and for £17 you are just ripping people off disgusting attempt at roast dinner with frozen parsnip thrown in will not be eating there again

We arrived at 12pm without a booking on a Sunday but were able to have a table until 2pm which was very fair. We were served by a very friendly young lady called Edie, who was very pleasant and very accommodating. The food was limited but that was our fault as we forgot that it was a Sunday and Roasts were being served so the normal everyday menu was reduced. My order of soup was cool but exceptionally tasty and my husband ordered fish and chips which was hot and looked fabulous. The other orders were as expected, good pub food at reasonable prices. The ambience was very pleasant and the staff were very friendly.

Excellent food and good service

My friend and me had the chicken pie we had to return it as it wasn't hot the crust was anemia looking the veg well what can I say non existence bit of broccoli burnt carrot half of one few shreds of cabbage only good was the chips. The guy that was serving us kept coming passed when had finished meal and we were talking got the feeling he wanted us to go so he could clean the table there were a few other people in there still this was 9.20pm. Made us feel on edge. Sorry won't be going tgere again

Lovely food, drinks and genuinely fab service by Steve. Felt really looked after and welcomed, would definitely recommend👍

Amazing roast, lovely pub, fantastic staff

Exceptional service and staff very welcoming and friendly. The food was great and also good value for money . The chicken pie I had was awesome and so filling .

Enjoyed the three bar snacks for £12 and served two people very well. Free water and biscuits for dogs is a boon too.

Meat in pie tough and full of gristle. Pork belly overcooked and dry. Beans overcooked too.

A Glowing Review of Smugglers Rest Our visit to Smugglers Rest today was absolutely outstanding! A group of 14 of us came together for lunch, and from the moment we arrived, the experience was flawless. Steve, our waiter, greeted us with a warm smile and a touch of humor that set the tone for a relaxed and enjoyable afternoon. He patiently waited for everyone to arrive and didn’t rush us in the slightest, which was incredibly considerate given the size of our group. The food was exceptional, and every single one of us thoroughly enjoyed our meals. The service was impeccable—Steve made sure we were well taken care of, and we truly didn’t want for anything throughout the afternoon. The pub itself had a wonderful, welcoming atmosphere, with happy and friendly staff who clearly enjoy what they do, adding to the overall experience. We left feeling incredibly well looked after and would all return to Smugglers Rest without hesitation. Thank you, Steve, for your first-class service and for making our meal so smooth and enjoyable. A brilliant afternoon all around! Highly recommended.

Steve was an awesome waiter and attended to all our needs and had a great sense of humour xx

Steve was our waiter today he looked after our group brilliantly and nothing was too much trouble. Food was liked by us all a really enjoyable catchup. Thank you

Visited in late November 2024. An atmospheric traditional pub with ample car parking in a perfect cliff top location. Reception for table seating was slow... but otherwise table (food) service was 'top notch' by the very efficient and friendly Steve. All the party enjoyed the food including different takes on starters and traditional mains. Will go again and would recommend.

I had the pleasure of visiting The Smugglers Rest recently, and I must say, it was a fantastic experience from the moment I walked through the door. I was greeted by a very welcoming gentleman named Steve, who set the tone for my visit with his warm and friendly demeanour. I was there to get some work done on my laptop, and Steve went above and beyond to ensure I felt comfortable. He not only pointed me in the right direction but did so with genuine enthusiasm and open arms. Throughout my visit, Steve was incredibly helpful and attentive, always ensuring I had what I needed. It’s rare to find such exceptional hospitality, and it made my time there all the more enjoyable. I’ll definitely be back to The Smugglers Rest—whether it’s to work, relax, or simply soak up the welcoming atmosphere. Highly recommend!

Steve was very friendly, food was very good. We had a lovely time.

Very nice dog friendly pub. Food was very good.

Met woth some business asscociates following work. Had dinner with starters and mains. No alcohol so only had soft drinks. Service was swift amd polite. Food was of a reasonable standard and much better then approx 5 years ago when I last braved yhe venue. Better experience this time though. Happy to visit for a quick bite or an off the cuff bite to eat. Also, dog friendly so this is a bonus.

Yum. Really outstanding roast here this evening. Super service from Sti and lovely Lewis. I highly recommend. The roaring real fire really added to the atmosphere.

We spent a pleasant evening. Good friendly service and nice food.

Had a great Sunday roast, especially the trio with a little bit of everything. Recommend the Eton Mess for dessert as well. Lovely atmosphere in front of the real fire on a blustery winters day. Service was quick and efficient.

Me and my mum came last weekend for a meal, the service from Edie was absolutely amazing, nothing was a problem for her. The food was beautiful, and the atmosphere was amazing as well. We will definitely be coming back!!

Halloween has come and gone. Please clean all the cobwebs away from inside the building

Lovely service feom Debby. Lovely view from the window. Lovely food.

Decent food and friendly staff,

We had a really delicious meal, Debby was an amazing server, utterly charming.

Ok chain pub in a good location. Worth a 3.5 really.

Extremely disappointed with our experience at the Smuggler’s. Ordered a mocktail on arrival. When the drinks arrived, I was informed the item was unavailable and they made me something else without asking if that was okay. We were not asked whether we had any dietary requirements. I ordered the beef brisket sandwich, the portion was minuscule for the price and I did not feel comfortable paying for what I received. I asked the waiter if this is norm. The demeanour of said waiter changed immediately and he rather combatively stated that it just looks small but it was portioned out appropriately. I requested an alternative and received this 15 minutes later. We ate and when it came time to pay, was told that this item would not be taken off the bill. Something that was not conveyed prior to payment. Thankfully, the manager was incredibly helpful after discussing further and did remove the sandwich.

Meeting up with two of my sons celebrating a birthday catching up with grandsons news, we met at an agreeable venue. What a great restaurant with large car parks. A dog barking put me off slightly until a friendly smile from our waitress made the noise go away. The two youngsters devoured a large pizza each, my sons chose slow cooked pork, I went for fillet steak. Cooked to perfection, bernaise sauce & mustard to complete the heavenly meal. The baby tomatoes on the vine are a perfect accompaniment with a small salad. Connor the chef, cooked an excellent presentation meal, our hard-working waitress coaxed a desert for some of our group. Well done for spectacular cooking and waitress service....

Great location but could be cleaner

We stayed in Telscombe (we will be back on holiday there). We always ended our walks through the nature reserve at the Smugglers Rest for lunch or a drink. We are also glad that we discovered this place after reading the books by Peter James. We think that the Smugglers Rest meets our high standards. What could be improved: the (male service) is a bit too casual and uninterested. The bar could be a bit more spotless (no dirty rags). But the decor is beautiful, the food delicious. We will definitely come back.

Grill wasn't working. Salad was just leaves. Gratin rock solid. Dirt in mushrooms. Argumentative manager. Wholly awful.

We had a lovely time and Nicki our server introduced us to the app which is definitely worth a download. The pie and fish & chips were both great and a reasonably priced. The food was fresh, light and came out pipping hot. Also the triple cooked chips were crispy and fluffy. Will be back again soon.

Great meal, & service from our waitress Summer

The service was fast, friendly by Debby and the food was Amazing . A lovely atmosphere, great pub and views . A lovely first time visiting this pub and will definitely be revisiting soon .

A lovely roast dinner & the choice of dessert was superb. Debby looked after us very well & was extremely professional, efficient & polite.

Steve our waiter was really quick, polite and entertaining. The food is great and portions are big. Really recommend this. We had everything we could barely finish and only 80. Reasonably priced.

The food was great, and comforting with a great drink choice. Our server, Debby was really kind, sweet and very hospitable. An amazing experience

Food was great, excellent service from Steve...made the meal!

So disappointed, I use this place a lot and in the past had very good food on all occasions today however was an extreme exception. I did point out the problems to our server who was excellent by the way and said he would pass on my concerns. I expected a manager to see me as I paid my bill but the server had to go behind the bar to take my payment. Had a manager bothered to see me I would not have posted this as I know how harmful a bad review can be. I was with my granddaughter and her baby and we did not to make a loud protest but maybe we should have. My Calamari Starter was very tender and tasty but cold. The sticky chicken starter was cold and did not taste good so my granddaughter left it having eaten one piece. The Gammon Steak was cold overcooked and very tough she had two mouth fulls and left the rest. My steak pie was tasty and I finished it but it was luke warm and the pie crust was white and just cooked. The vegetables on both plates were just warm and the chips hardly warm and undercooked we left most of them on the plates. I really hate having to leave this sort of feedback but I feel a manager should have heard my problems and seen me as I left. I may look old and stupid but as a retired hotelier and restauranteur I feel qualified to judge food fairly.

Had a lovely lunch here with my fiance. Great food and staff and just normal, nice people !

The formerly Badgers Watch, remodelled as the Smuggler's Rest, rests snugly atop Telscombe Cliffs and looks to all intents and purposes like a little fortress overlooking the surrounding area squidged comfortably in between the south coast road and the cliffs edge. Warm, welcoming wood everywhere and the appearance of a central wraparound bar. Much as the building itself outside, the bar area overlooks everything inside. Some smaller nooks for a quiet comfortable drink, some bigger variously sized areas with varously sized tables and chairs variously surrounded by some interesting features and artwork. Visiting on a Friday lunchtime and being virgin smugglers we were unaware that the lunch menu is only available Monday to Thursday so we opted for an outside table and a look at the menu that was. The outside area, like inside, has several levels - I'm suspecting geographical inclinations (hehe) - with amazing views right over the chalk cliff top and out to sea and awesome landscapes both east and west. There are some shed-like booths at either end that act cunningly as windbreaks and I imagine with a few ropes of twinkly fairy lights and some outside heaters, this stepped terrace would have a great vibrant atmosphere with a group of friends watching the sun set over the twinkling sea as the surf crashes below. The menu covers all the expected offerings in a well presented manner. Burgers, pizzas, pie lids on pots, puddings, blah di blah di blah. We both went for a mash-up I've not seen before with the Hunter's Chicken Schnitzel which came with some fat chips in a pot and an undressed salad garnish. I'd have preferred a few more chips but after eating everything that was a case of greedy me with eyes bigger than my belly, which itself is already quite vast. A pint of Thatchers cider and some tap water rounded off the table for an unexpectedly excellent lunchtime experience. A quick walk through the inside of the pub revealed a large area with a single group of easily 15, perhaps 20 diners, a couple of whom had been parking as I was arriving too. For a venue to knock out everything we had seen on the outside terrace and the punters inside as well takes effort, experience and professionalism not just floppy hair and hairy legs - that takes passion and dedication too. there was definitely space to pack more punters in, I'd say this was a comfortable busy, not an up to the rafters, crazy busy. Saturday night, birthday party or Christmas, for example, these guys know what they're doing and they'd be all over it without a doubt. AND still be smiling, and not in that fake Disney 'eff you' dead eyed smiley way. A great venue with great food and great staff, a great choice. Don't rest on your laurels, because they're not. Start Smuggling today - who knows how long that cliff will last....

Booked a table for two for at 1300hrs on 19 Oct. We arrived early and stated we had booked, the reception girl was unable to find the booking. We showed the confirmation message from our phone she muttered a few words and reluctantly showed us to an unused space. We complained about the location and was given no explanation. We sat for a while whilst other parties arrived after us and served before us. We made further complaints about the seating arrangement after referring the matter to staff members. After complaining to three staff members and still not being served, we walked out in disgust at the awful manners being displayed by staff!!

Just as a pub should be. Lovely atmosphere, welcoming staff, good drinks and food. Now we live in the area we will be making this a regular dining place.

Lewis was incredibly helpful & very efficient. He looked after us really well. The food was amazing btw!

Darcey was just lovely. We had lunch on Sunday the 29th at Smugglers Rest with some family. She was helpful and friendly and couldn’t do enough for us. So refreshing to experience!

I recently dined at The Smugglers Rest in Telacombe Cliffs, and it was fantastic! I had the calamari and fish cakes, and both were absolutely delicious. The calamari was perfectly crispy, and the fish cakes were packed with flavor. Great atmosphere and friendly staff too. Highly recommend!

Best pub garden I've ever been to. Admittedly, the sun was out, and it was quite warm for an October afternoon. Nonetheless, view incredible. Chips were fantastic, too.

Lovely food and great service. We found out it was the waiters first day, but you’d never have known. He did a great job and we had a lovely evening there!

The food was over priced and we couldn't eat it, the fish was all batter which was burnt

Very poor service but good food.

Great food and incredible views!

Waited an age for very poor food. Dining room was filthy. Staff trying their best but overwhelmed.

This pub is located on the sea. The food is delicious. We also had a beautiful sunset.

Excellent food and service. Only negative we were waiting a little while to be seated as bar staff so busy at midday. Otherwise very nice experience

What a find! Just along the A259 from busy Brighton marina this was a fab recommendation by a friend. Plenty of well designed outdoor seating overlooking the sea, inside was charming. We visited with 2 large dogs, one of whom can be a bit grumpy when more friendly dogs want to say hello but when i mentioned that the staff went out of their way to provide us some indoor seating a little away from the other dogs that were in there. They have a dog-free seating area too. I had seabass with prawn and white wine sauce which was absolutely delicious. My two companions had the Sunday Trio and said it was excellent. Good selection of beers and Im sure i overheard someone being offered a choice of prosecco! We'll definitely visit again. Also nice walk along the cliffs afterwards for dogs or children.

A great setting with awesome views, excellent and well priced food and very friendly service from Darcey. Thank you

Went for Sunday lunch. I ordered the slow cooked pork belly, should have been served with a baked apple and stuffing but did not receive either also potatoes where boiled and not roasted. My friends meal also had no stuffing and boiled not roast potatoes rather disappointing

Great food, Summer our waitress was very polite, and attentive, a real credit to the establishment. Only down side was someone chatting on speaker phone so everyone could hear but hey that's not the fault of the staff. Give it a go it really is worth it 👍

Lovely place, good delicious and came very quickly and lovely service from waitress Darcy. Highly recommend

Amazing food and brilliant service!! Debbie went above and beyond to help x Fab as always x

Food was quick and service swift (Thanks Jo and friend). Portions generous. Speed of food does throw up questions about how fresh.. eg mum’s fishcakes were homemade and good, but were they cooked fresh or reheated as they looked a little dry? Same for halloumi chips… Generally good though…

This place has never been the best but lately it's got worse. Waited nearly and hour for food, was lunch time and it wasn't very busy when it did arrive 1 meal turned up 15 minutes before the other 2 did. Asked the waitress for sauces, which never arrived. One meal was Missing it's garnish from the sandwich!! Never again. Such a Shame as the location is gorgeous over looking the sea. Drinks only from now on

My family didn't like their food

Roast was really oily as you bit into the roast potatoes 🥔 the fat just squirted into my mouth also the lamb was cut to thick and tough

Nice pint of neck oil but a bit pricey

We were served by Darcy , she was most helpful , informative and efficient. A lovely young lady

Went to have a lunch in September, the pub was reasonably busy as we took our seat. It took a time for the waitress to approach us, we ordered two drinks and one starter and two mains. After a wait of 25 minutes the prawn cocktail did arrive. To be fair the portion size was very large, and presented nicely. We then waited for our mains, the sea bass and a steak sandwich, again the portion of sea bass was large. Regrettably the steak sandwich was very poor, very fatty and cold, the fries were cold as well. I assume that it has been sitting around for a while. I did ask for the chips to be replaced but started to eat the sandwich. I finished the sandwich and then the fries arrived, how it takes ten minutes to cook fresh fries is a question. I started to have a few fries however they were covered in oil. Overall the portion sizes are large, however large is not always good. I will say that the man hostess who was a blonde lady totally ignored us twice when we asked her to resolve the cold food, not a good sign if she is the manager. Finally used the toilets which were a disgrace stains all over the walls and pictures missing, the are into the kitchen was also filthy and needs a good clean.

Keeping it short and simple this the third time of writing a positive review about this place so I will say I had a meal here tonight and they did it again: They provided a great service and I had wonderful time. I met some nice customers and we all had a nice evening.

Only the one ale on tap during visit. Two food orders, one pie (rated highly) and one pizza (raw in the centre and not great). Sat outside in their decked area, stunning view of Brighton and the cliffs - inside of pub was very nice, more gastro in comparison to the other locals.

Another superb Sunday lunch a the beautiful pub. Today we were served by Darcey. Darcey a delight. Polite, engaging and a superb sense of humour, which involved a random conversation about Caulflower Cheese! Her knowledge of the menu was first class. Thank you for convincing me to have chips instead of salad with my Aubergines. The entire team work extremely hard, yet they all manage to keep smiling and remain calm when they are carrying heavy hot plates around the bar. Thank you for a superb meal. See you soon.

Darcey was quick and efficient to serve us and bring us our amazing roasts!

Never been here for Sunday lunch before . We will be back. Very efficient staff. Was served quickly . Food did not disappoint. Reasonable priced .

2 x couple’s , Saturday night, lovely pub with cosy decor, helpful friendly staff, all starters were good, pate, prawn cocktail, and calamari Main was 2 x fish and chips, fish was lovely but oddly placed on top of the chips making them soft! Not the best chips either , tasted like they had been sitting a while! Gammon and chicken schnitzel were good, but again chips a real let down pudding was a bit strange! Mango and strawberry eaton mess was a big pile of cream, two tiny pieces of meringue, fruit and chocolate bits ! So sickly and hard to eat , honey pot dessert was supposed to have a sauce on it but that was spread all around the bowl! And didn’t live up to the yummy description!! 8/ 10 with room for improvement

Two brilliant roasts, one vegetarian, one Turkey on a hot Sunday lunch time. Everything cooked perfectly and fairly sizeable portions with good quality gravy. Turkey was rested! Absolutely wonderful staff particularly Lewis and a lovely atmosphere inside. We will return. (Cauliflower cheese didnt taste of cheese, hence lower stars).

By chance, we stumbled across the smugglers' rest for lunch, and being a vintage inn, we were confident of a good standard. We were not disappointed. Unfortunately, they had an issue with the gas supply to the grill, but that didn't deter the staff from welcoming you and explaining the few things that were off the menu. We had a great lunch of sharing camenbert, liver pate, breads, and olives with a nice glass of red. It was a bit breezy to sit outside. However, in good weather, I would imagine it gets very busy. Lots of tables and chairs with a seaview. Service was spot on by Lewis. The food was attractively plated..My score is a 4 because the restuarent was very quiet and lacked a buzz but that's down to probably a reduced capacity as the grills were off. One criticism the disabled toilet needs attention no soap and loo seat broken off. This doesn't reflect the food or service but does reflect general standards. I'm sure if I visited again these things would be resolved.

We had a very pleasant meal at the Smugglers Rest. Our server Joe was friendly and polite and made us feel very welcome. I enjoyed my food - the penang curry was delicious, although somehow the plate it was on was hotter than the curry itself and the chicken in it. This made me worry if the chicken was cooked properly. So it might be good to improve the temperature this dish is served at. My partner really enjoyed the steak pie.

My husband and I went for a last minute meal out on Saturday early evening. The food was good and our server Debby was brilliant - attentive and efficient. We had the calamari and chicken bites for starter. The sticky chicken bites and the accompanying sauce were beautiful. The calamari was ok - not the best we’ve had - a bit chewy and overly battered. For mains we had the lasagna and the chicken pie of the day - with a puff pastry top. The pie tasted good but the puff lid was anaemic looking - needed a little more colour. Lasagne was good if a little sloppy. Overall, a nice meal out

We went today for a roast, my wife had beef and I had the Trio which comprised of pork, Turkey and beef. The roast potatoes are deep fried frozen variety, not as described on the menu, the veg was tepid at best and the most minuscule amount between 2, the pork was so dry one end and gelatinous the other and really not very pleasant, we had ordered pigs in blankets as a side and when they came out they were dried up and barely warm and only 2 cocktail size sausages for £3.95, I challenged the quantity and was told yes it was only 2 per portion so I asked them to be removed and for a refund, the waitress came back a few minutes later saying there should be 6 in a portion, when she brought them to the table she informed us further that they were actually a portion of 5 !!!??!!!. This meal was very disappointing and absolutely not worth £17.95 and £19.95 How on earth can a kitchen turn out such miserable food?? The roast parsnips and carrots were hard and soft at the same time… how is this even possible?? I would not recommend this establishment for food, nor would I for a nice place to sit, the decking is rotten, danger tape everywhere, it looks so tired. Inside was much better to be fair but who wants to sit inside on a sunny day? Shame because it has good reviews, really not sure how or why but I guess they aren’t verified .

Good atmosphere, relatively quick service. We had Debby as our server, we found her very helpful. 😊

Very dog friendly and great vegan options. Service from Joe was spot on.

Nice old world looking pub and restaurant. Food was lovely Nice seating area outside

Great scenery of the entire coast line, a sun trap & best view of the sunset if the conditions are right. Nice clean interior, staff are friendly & helpful

Stopped here for refreshing drinks mid hike.

Ordered vegan option (checked at least twice this would be the case). Meal brought out was not vegan. Then they'd run out so had to choose alternative while dining partner ate his meal. Both our meals were bland and tasteless. At least I enjoyed the wine...

Arrived at this pub with a large group, table was already laid. Unfortunately the pub had run out of all roasts/roast potatoes, however we were able to order fish and chips or burgers. Food all arrived at the same time which was great. Everyone happy with fish and chips, but burgers weren't great. Overall an alright pub for a Sunday dinner

I’m a local and like to meet my friends here after a walk with our dogs. I’m not sure what’s going on with the pub but after it being pretty terrible for years, friends and I have returned in the last year or so because it’s became really nice and welcoming. The management were friendly and the young cohort of staff were pretty polite too. I visited on a Saturday at 6:30pm, so the pub was busy and this was hopefully one off…although I won’t be returning. This atmosphere was completely toxic with two people who I are presume managers, who could be overheard talking about the customer’s various complaints. I had a big family next to me complaining about their food. The young bar staff looked absolutely miserable, there was literally zero energy or enough enthusiasm for them to even smile. As usual, I visited with friends and we had a couple of dogs, There was only a small table to sit at so we squished around it. At first the management were politely aggravated about us because they had to walk around a dog and I was asked to move my dog which is absolutely fine but there was hardly any room and nowhere else to sit. The second time I had just taken drink from the bar to the table was my leading my dog back to sit down and again was told can you keep your dog out of the way? I hadn’t even been given the chance to sit down before I was told off. I have an elderly dog who likes to come to the bar with me and back again and would appreciate a few seconds to get from the bar to my table without being told off. In hospitality, a little bit of patience goes along way. I think the management were just frustrated and having a bad evening. Unfortunately, other people are also having a bad time, so maybe don’t work in hospitality if you get so worked up about the public. Maybe it would have been nice to help us to find somewhere more suitable to sit instead of stomping past us and getting annoyed? This probably sounds like a review written by an entitled dog owner but it’s a Saturday evening and I just wanted to spend an hour or so with friends talk things through. I sat in the designated dog area too, so maybe change where you seat us? This industry needs to realise that people are out spending the little money they have to escape the house and try to relax. The atmosphere in this pub was horrible and intense. Just like the old days. The Smugglers just feel’s like any other chain pub once again.