The Spyglass Inn in Isle of Wight

We come here quite often and it is always a good standard. They also offer pint jug glasses for beet too ! Out of season the food comes quickly and there is a good atmosphere in the place. Our frequency of visit ,though, means its the same menu for the last three years and maybe this could be revised ? (Though they do offer a few specials) Will be back!

We were recommended the Spyglass by friends and it didn't disappoint. You can't book ahead but we easily found a table for the four of us. The beer and service was great and the food was delicious. Our fish and chips were so huge we didnt eat again until the following lunch time. Our kids favourite eating place on the island and we will be paying another visit when we return!

Very Disappointing visit. The food was a small, just about passable veggie lasagne with a tiny side salad and bread costing over £15. The coffee was undrinkable, it is the only coffee I have ever left. The bar area smelt of vomit and its dingy inside. The views outside however are amazing.

The venue is truly spectacular it wasn’t overly busy but had a nice vibe for Me and the staff were pleasant especially the lad in the cap collecting plates and glasses he was especially welcoming and well mannered. Will certainly return. I had crab n chips wife calamari all done fantastic.

Gorgeous views and a great place!

smells bad like a rotten bombs just hit

Really lovely sea views and a great pub in general, with nice interior and a cosy, local atmosphere.

This is my favourite coastal pub in the UK! Great food, great drinks lovely atmosphere, great sea views and a super terraced area to enjoy the outdoors. Set at the end of the sea front in Ventnor. I have been coming here for many years (50 this year!) and have never been disappointed.

If there was a zero.... I'd give it a zero. We are both vegan and we wanted a burger. The only option was a vegetarian burger so I asked what about the burger makes it not vegan and her answer was 'we can't guarantee that it's not cooked in a separate fryer to meat products'. I said 'Surely that makes it not vegetarian as well' her reply was 'That's why we can't guarantee that's it not vegan or vegetarian. I said 'but you can't advertise vegan and vegetarian if its cooked in the same oil and how many people have cone here and eaten vegetarian food but have been given contaminated food' 'We only have a small kitchen and no room for a separate fryer... no one can guarantee it, no restaurant can' I said 'that's not true... there are plenty of restaurants and cafes that prepare vegan and vegetarian food separate from meat products' 'That's not us' she said. I told her that the restaurant is in breach of the current law.. I will never eat there again and I strongly advise any vegan or vegetarian or for that matter, anyone with a food intolerance or allergy to give it a wide birth...

This friendly pub overlooking Ventnor seafront is a family favourite. The bar serves four or five real ales as well as a plethora of lagers and ciders. They also offer gluten free options. The food menu is decent and its seafood offerings are delicious. It is dog and child friendly and with two large outside areas, it is a pleasant spot to enjoy a pint and a meal in the sun whilst listening to the waves crashing on to the beach.

First time ever been here, and a great place if you want some good pub food with the view of the sea - also the inside is a feast for the eyes with everything they have on the walls.

We go every year, a great pub Nice food, reasonably priced and comes out quick. Great service. Table service would give 5 stars!

Do not be put off by the tacky large plastic statues of pirates in the front of this pub. Inside is lovely with an open fireplace and the staff were very welcoming. We visited at the end of March when the weather was pretty horrible. The pub is right on the seafront and I can see the outside tables filling up in the warmer summer months. We only had drinks so I can't comment on the menu

The food was perfect and the kids also love eating at the pub.

Despite living on the island my whole life I had never been to the Spyglass it certainly didn't disappoint! We visited with family who were over on holiday and it was one of the nicest, freshest meals we had ever had. Fantastic service and impeccable food, we will return again and again!! Also with the bonus of a stunning view of the sea

We are locals and love a visit to the Spyglass for a crab sandwich. However todays visit was disappointing the choice of beer not as good as usual due to a brewery change with an increase in prices ( no Shipyards on draught )same as the food , we understand things go up we are in the catering business ourselves but £28 for two crab sandwich’s is abit steep ( should have checked the menu before I ordered as obviously new season prices ready for the tourists ) . Sadly we will not be returning.

I've been here several times before and I am glad to say that the food was excellent as usual. We ordered starters, which came out really quick and piping hot and could easily have been mistaken for mains!! They were followed by the actual mains, and again, these did not disappoint! My wife had the tuna steak, my son had the Whitebait, and I went for the chicken with a Stilton mushroom sauce. Very nicely done. Thank you to all the staff at this lovely pub.

What a location! Such a charming pub right on the seafront, beautiful inside and out. The food was absolutely delicious and service was friendly and welcoming. We will definitely visit again.

Amazing place, views superb, lovely freindly staff,

Lovely pub and location. Fish and chips were 10 out of 10, fish was great and plenty of chips. Quite pricey but fair for the quality of food. My only gripe..... my fork was atrocious, really gave me the ick and slightly ruined my meal but completely my problem, would eat here again but would bring my own fork.( Iykyk.)

Quirky pub with reasonable value for money food. Lovely location.

Generally we avoid anywhere for food that has more than 5% poors & terribles on TA but there were few other options on an out of season Monday night - even the fish & chip shop was shut! I guess we got about what we expected! The cod was unavailable & had to go for the gurnard goujons instead. Apparently these had previously won them an award but no awards from us! Neither goujons, chips nor peas were good. We have better fish & chips in our freezer at home and indeed the ready meal Coq Au Vin from Tesco the following evening was significantly better! Sadly it’s often the case that pubs in these top locations are pretty lousy on food and this was no exception.

Had a lovely evening on St Patrick’s Day. Both had the burgers, delicious. Lovely service, decor, people, artefacts, sitting, music. Great place and great evening. Thank you

I like this place however right now I'm in bed with a bad belly. Ordered the Katsu Curry on Saturday evening which was over £15. To find it was 2 breaded (I assume chicken fillets frozen bird's-eye or like). Not a proper curry. The sauce came in a small jug which was odd. And on the plate was a limp salad. Not sure why that would be on there. It tasted OK but wasn't hot like I'd expect. Sunday early hrs I got terrible stomach cramps and the squits and still have. I won't probably eat there again tbh but possibly enjoy a drink. I'm very disappointed and suffering to say the least. Not going to pay out to be ill again

Only popped in for a drink but staff were helpful and friendly. The location was fabulous being right on the sea. Would go and stay there.

Great location looking out across the sea. Food is good with plenty of appealing choices on the menu. After lunch we took a little walk along the beach to aid digestion. There are many interesting buildings on Ventnor seafront if you can tear your eyes away from the sea view.

Had a lovely evening meal. Good ambience and great location. Helpful and courteous staff.

Went for lunch on a wet Tuesday. Good atmosphere, choice of full meals or snacks . Great decor as befits a seaside idea pub.

Warm welcome, wide range of beers and drinks, quaint quirky pub, definitely worth a visit, very good range of food options, I had the curry, very nice 👍 could have been a little warmer on the pub. 100% recommend

Stopped in for a sunset pint. Lovely pub with great beers and a nice ale selection.

The interior design of the pub is impressive, with everything themed around piracy and warfare, which may not be my preference, but it feels like stepping into a real museum! The prices are reasonable, and the cold crab sandwiches are both fresh and delicious. The Drinks are good too.

Such a wonderful pub, the weather wasn’t great but this visit definitely made up for it. The staff were all friendly and made such a fuss of our puppy providing him with biscuits and affection. Drink choices were superb and the super deluxe cheese burgers were the best we’d had in a long time Next time we’re on the island we’ll definitely be paying this place a visit again

Visiting here is always a good experience. There is a good selection of beers and spirits, and the food is always good and well presented. The Spyglass is in an unrivalled position to look over the bay and is massively popular in the summer. But inside it is cosy and welcoming and well worth a winter visit. Parking is very limited on site. There is a fee paying carpark about 150m uphill from the pub and metered street parking along the bay. The pub itself is wheelchair accessible with wide walkways. It is dog friendly.

Eccentric artefacts and rustic seating make this a fun and enjoyable place to visit but chilly in winter as no heating was seen or visible. The real ale range is extensive and interesting but expensive at over £5 a pint. Food is very expensive here, perhaps it is to assist payment for the live music that is in the pub on several days of the week. The food is good, but it is over-priced in relation to other places for basic items such as sandwiches, or hot daily meals. Be warned as I was quite shocked at the vast difference to other public house food on the Island and mainland. Parking is also quite tricky and it is not a comfortable venue for any wheelchair user. I would return but its a special treat at those food prices.

Absolutely amazing incredibly fresh seafood and other choice 🦞 and lovely friendly service, with stunning views.

Good pub grub, lovely sized portions, great views being able to eat dinner and look out over Ventnor and the sea

Visited just a pub, because nothing was opened in Ventnor at 3pm on Saturday… It was really the only place serving food. And prices are too high for a pub… Food was fine, we’ve ordered fish&chips.

Fantastic Pub on Ventnor seafront, nautically themed throughout, this Pub is full of character. It was quite big but made up of several connecting cosy & comfortable spaces, with a warming fireplace in at least one of them. Well stocked bar, excellent food offering (we both had the fish & chips 😋) and we were looked after by friendly & attentive staff, if you're looking to dine in Ventnor then I'd definitely recommend you try the Spyglass Inn 👍

Booked a room for two stayed on the gun deck room Mouldy ceilings Cobwebs everywhere Old run down rust heaters over run with flys from kitchen waste Pub great some of the staff poor No parking staff steal the places My advice use pub don’t stay in rooms Very very very poor dirty

Nice atmosphere, cheerful, and friendly staff, excellent food.

Just nipped in for a pint, which was pretty good. The seafaring paraphenalia is fascinating.

Fantastic pub with bundles of character and an amazing view

Had a meal here just before Christmas. Perfect if you dont mind waiting a very long time for your food, ind it wasn't that busy. All was ok when we finally got the food. Then when we went outside to see the view and walk up the hill to the car, we could see the RATS, yes rats running around the back of the place. I dont think i will be going back. This put me off forever

Love it.. spent NYE celebrating with fantastic people (staff, fellow customers) and the band/ pianist) and then NYD recovering there nursing hangover.

The Spyglass Inn is a great traditional pub overlooking the sea with well kept real ales, a big menu that gets served pretty fast and more often than not live music. You can’t book, just turn up. Park on the seafront or in the car park up the hill above the pub. We’ve been going for decades, always great. Child and dog friendly (from memory).

Vandaag voor de tweede keer naar Spyglass Inn en weer een geweldig goede ervaring😊👍🏻 heerlijk gegeten 😋 De eerste keer hadden we allebei een pie, cottage en vis en nu hadden chili con carne en curry ook allebei mooi verzorgd en heerlijk. Aardige bediening, helemaal top👍🏻. Een echte aanrader😊

Great English Pub...Great atmosphere good food and Bands regularly perched on the sea

Super cosy, proper old style pub with various rooms, nooks & crannies. Had a great lasagna and saw 2 brilliant bands. Went between Christmas and New Year and great atmosphere with all the local. Would be amazing in Summer as right on the beach.

Lovely atmosphere with great food!

Very busy in the summer and holidays but quieter out of season. Lovely traditional pub in a great location overlooking the sea.

For many years this has been the go to place for a drink by the South Coast. Still now the higgledy piggledy, pirate era pub interior with its nautical paraphernalia is a highlight of an island pub visit. Outside there are many many tables although on the sunniest days it can be a wait. Every table has an amazing sea view. Many real ales and gins to try, but the consistent pub grub is worth paying for. Fish pie recommended. Quick winter lunch visit. Still no beating the Spyglass.

I don’t ever leave reviews, but I had to make an exception for the spyglass inn! I came on the 30th of December, with my partner and 2 children under 5. The staff were lovely and polite, we ordered two kids fish fingers, a pint of prawns and homemade cottage pie 🥧 The food came quickly and was so fresh, it was delicious. It’s hard to justify spending money on eating out when your a family, it cost £60 including drinks (not bad at all). This dinner was worth the money and so much more!! We’ve never eaten such a hearty meal it was beyond beautiful. I highly recommend eating here, the atmosphere was incredible and it made our holiday visiting family that much better. Make sure you check it out. To the staff, thank you for amazing food and service!

Went to the island to celebrate my mum's 80th birthday, she has lots of dietary requirements and the Spyglass has lots of options and we were able to find something for her. The staff were super friendly and the place is very atmospheric with lots of outside seating which gives you the chance to watch the waves and if you're lucky a surfer.

Great location shame about the food and menu

Lovely quirky pub with amazing sea views,love this place ,food is just average pub grub a bit ordinary, portions are small too, nice atmosphere.

Booked a room for the night for a staycation instead of a taxi home after our Xmas do in Ventnor. Its wonderful, I want to stay for a week!!

The Spyglass will always have great food, great views and great service. Everybody loves the pirate pub, it's the pirate pub! No rating given for the rooms, didn't stay there.

The good- an atmospheric old pub in a unique, spectacular, location with fast enthusiastic service. The bad- the food is VERY ordinary. Both our meals were poor and the crab was almost off

What a fab, atmospheric pub. The food portions were huge, the service food and to top it off, there was a great live band that evening too. Lovely evening

Stopped for a drink here. Great little pub oozing with character. Lots of seating, views, friendly seevice.

Great service, lovely room, fab location. We stayed with our 11 month old, excitable border terrier and the apartment was perfect. It had a small enclosed terrace, plenty of room away from the main Inn. The dog treats were much appreciated by Molly. We had our dinner delivered to our room which really made life easy. I would highly recommend this Inn.

It's was a beautiful day Nov, had a beer staff nice even took a photo for us

End up calling in here every year that we go to IOW. It is in a great location. If it is sunny or dry you can sit outside and watch the waves coming in. If it is cold and wet outside, the inside is cosy and warm. Good selection of wine and beer, food is good also. Dog friendly :)

Lovely place for a drink and great food.

Lovely location, lovely old pub. Nice food but very expensive for ‘pub food’ making lunch (just a sandwich)almost prohibitive!!

Stayed in the captains cabin which had a lovely sea view. Love the pub as well.

Fantastic pub. Great views overlooking the sea and a good choice of drinks. Food was good too. Would love to go back in the Summer months to enjoy the views more.

Old, atmospheric inn with great food and right on the sea front. Good service and generous portion size.

It was a birthday celebration so were extremely pleased that we had a really lovely time. The fish and chips were by far the best we have had for a very long time on the island. The staff were attentive and couldn't do enough for us. Will definitely return.

Nice old characterful place, but it is also a bit tired and grubby in places. Service is friendly and my food was ok. Dog friendly 👍

Only popped in for a drink, glad we didn't need food the queue was massive. Great view to have drinks in the evening.. Cappuccino's and hot chocolates are lovely and warm too, not like some other places..

Quirky pub with character. Nice and cosy hidden corners providing privacy. Small bar area with shared space to order food. I’d imagine it gets very crowded and the queue to get served would be out the door due to the layout. Was busy in October so hate to think what it’s like in peak season.

Gorgeous crab sandwich with incredible view and lovely serving staff.

Great food, staff and sea views. Lovely unspoilt traditional pub, 3rd time visiting. Faultless every time.

Excellent place. Highly recommended

Nice place. Nice food. Didn't see any spy's tho. Thought James bond might of been in.

Worth the Hype. This has been the single most recommended place for me to eat on the IOW; having finally been, I understand now. Everything was fantastic. The atmosphere, the location and stunning views, the service, the food; I cant fault a thing. Cant wait for our next meal at The Spyglass Inn.

Plenty of character, good ale, music, fascinating decor, very marine, comfortable,great views. Several smaller spaces where a group can get privacy. One of the best.

Lovely meal for 7 of us. Served promptly and piping hot. Would definitely return.

Characterfull seaside Inn. Good ales. Plenty seating. Nice service.

Lovely pub on sea front. Great beers and food!

I love this place. The location is perfect with great views, there is loads of indoor and outdoor seating. Food was pretty good - perfect for a lunch stop after a big walk

Nice drink and food. Great view over ventnor

Visited for a drink only. Lovely location. Very quaint old English pub. Did not eat there but the food looked really well presented. Lots of tables and seating outside. Would definitely return when next on the Island.

Fabulous seaview. Nice gluten free options. Had a bunless burger and chips. Staff we're almost 'too' nervous about the possibility of cross contamination, but had no problem with meal, and hubby enjoyed his too.

This is a very busy pub. We queued for drinks and sat outside. Great views. We didn’t eat. Dog friendly, quite dark inside the pub but outside there was plenty of seating.

Would recommend the cottage pie. It was absolutely 💯 delicious 😋 Update 2023 Food is still delicious 😋 and generous portions served

Stunning location. Really great food and a lot of variety. Highly recommend a visit.

Lovely location. Long queue to order food but it came quickly

Went in for a meal with my family and dog, the food was brilliant and the service was great considering how busy it was! Really dog friendly, and the location is lovely, right by the sea so you can hear the waves whilst you eat, even inside - and we even got to listen to a pianist play some great songs, a really great evening!

Very busy pub , but the food was great .

Had a lovely couple of days sitting on the terrace enjoying good food and basking in the sunshine. The views of ventnor beach are great. Definitely up for a return visit.

Popped in for lunch and were not disappointed. Great crab sandwiches sitting outside with a fantastic view of Ventnor. Staff were lovely.

Lovely coffee and a welcoming face.

Spyglass inn is a lovely seafront restaurant and b&b hotel in ventnor. They offer a large amount of seating inside and outside and don't offer table service, however you are given a number for which the servers will deliver the food for you. It's wheelchair accessible outside however there are a few steps to get inside, however I would imagine a server outside may be able to order for you due to the disability. There are lots of food options and kid friendly as well. The view is fantastic, overviewing the sea, listening to the waves crash into the sea and rocks, very atmospheric and beautiful. I would highly recommend coming here for a drink or a bite, just be careful of the steep hills and windy roads!

Would give the Spyglass Inn more than 10 stars if I could. This is the most go-to pub/restaurant when my sister comes to the island from the States each year. Food is always amazing, and staff are brilliant.

Food is slightly expensive for what it is, but the location cannot be beaten! Very limited vegan options. Fish and chips and Vegan Curry pictured:

Amazing service, rang the day before to order lobster, staff were brilliant. Cooked to perfection! 😀

A beautiful location for a meal and a pint overlooking the bay!

Would be nice if could have an umbrella on the lower outside tables. Very hot in full sun.