The Stiffkey Red Lion in North Norfolk

Not a lot of choice, too fancy food not cooked brilliantly, over priced. The pub needs to serve more traditional pub fare. Service not great, we were forgotten about on numerous occasions during our sitting.

We stayed at the Red Lion (Room 11) for 2 nights as a family of 3. We had dinner in the restaurant one night with friends - there were 24 of us. Although there were some issues with the bedroom, overall it was a positive experience. The service was great - the staff were very friendly and welcoming. It’s not easy managing a dinner for 24 (with 12 children!) but they handled it really well. They were very attentive and looked after us all very well. We were also incredibly impressed with the food which was delicious. Our bedroom space was large (bedroom and lounge with sofa bed) but there were some maintenance issues which impacted our stay. However, we were impressed with how well the owner received our feedback at checkout and I feel confident that she will be fixing these issues.

We went to the Red Lion pub to have some drinks and maybe a meal .But it seems that if you do not reserve a table earlier you will not get any meal there.A bit awkward policy , no chance for any spontaneous dinner. A bid sad , I used to like this pub before it become restaurant with reserved seats and meals only.

Just had an absolutely awful meal at the Red Lion. The manager was very professional about our complaint, but I really do not think a pub/restaurant should be serving crevettes that are like rubber, a green Thai curry that is a bowl of chilli coconut milk with the odd bean and sweetcorn in it, basically coconut milk soup. Waited 40 minutes for a jug of water, to be told the bar tender had it on his list of other drinks to do. We have tried this place in the past and thought it might have changed but unfortunately not, I advise going elsewhere if you want a meal you can eat.

If you’re a dog lover it’s great but if you’re not or allergic to dogs this is not the place for you. In the tiny conservatory we shared our breakfast with 2 big dulux dogs a very needy cockatoo and two dogs behind us that I couldn’t see. Every time a new dog appeared they all barked and got up and their owner talked to each other about how wonderful they were and how they had ordered sausages for their breakfast for the dog. Since when have dogs been allowed in dining rooms? Not only that but dogs from previous guest must have been sleeping on the beds we were sleeping in. It states in the bathrooms not to use the towels on the dogs. We have stayed here several times over at least five years but it has never been this bad. Needless to say we won’t be staying again

Fantastic lamb , cooked to perfection , Downside , only two roast potatoes , one slice of carrot, small amount of cauliflower ,one green leaf and a huge Yorkshire pud. Needed a lot more veg , and way overpriced at £29.95 per head , plus two drinks each £86.00 , came out hungry.

Wonderful evening meal here. I had the shin of beef pie and it was fantastic. Others in our party had the special of the day which was Place with a Beurre Blanc sauce which also got high praise. The service was excellent and we would definitely recommend. On our list to return when on holiday in Blakeney next year.

Heard a lot of good things but left disappointed. Firstly we entered via a door next to the conservatory where there are no staff to greet you, we headed to the corridor where multiple staff members smiled at us but no one asked if we were ok or asked if we needed help. Specifically we went for a roast where the only option was beef unless 2 of us wanted to share a whole chicken. My sirloin of beef was clearly good quality but sadly was way over cooked, the girl taking our order didn’t specify that the beef wouldn’t be pink and I’ve never experienced beef being served well done as standard. My roast consisted of 1 slice of beef, Yorkshire pudding with pulled beef inside, 2 roasties, a spoonful of red cabbage, 1 cavolo Nero leaf, 1 carrot, 1 floret of tender stem and 1 floret of cauliflower with cheese all for the price of £22.50. Safe to say it was gone within 2 mins. Sticky toffee pudding with miso was good but it had very little miso it could have been left off the dish. This also cost £8. So nothing was bad but at that price I’d rather go somewhere else that I know I wouldn’t leave hungry.

Enjoyed our stay. Our breakfst was good & the evening meal was excellent service was good. Friendly & relaxed atmosphere in the bar.

Very limited menu with small portions high prices, and none of the favourites you would expect from a Norfolk coast pub at this time of year. When the bill arrived, we had been overcharged by £40. Not impressed

What a truly wonderful place to eat. The food was lovely, the staff are all truly amazing, so tentative making our visit a wonderful experience- even got me a take away red wine after a long day with the grandchildren 🙈 will definitely be back x

We stayed locally. Had dinner on the Friday night, drinks Saturday night and Sunday lunch. It was absolutely perfect and all four of us were blown away by the whole experience!

This had always been a regular place to go to on our yearly camping trips but we hadn’t been since covid. We also live in Norfolk and have on occasions taken a drive up to Stiffkey. In the last 20 years we’ve been here about 30 times. Always loved the pub and food. The welcome we got was friendly but looking at the menu which is very limited the pub has clearly changed hands. There were no usual pub classics and just a small selection on the main menu and about 3 specials all of which were pricey. A few of us opted for a whole chicken and chips. This was £50 for 2 people and offered the best value dish. The chicken was wonderful and succulent- no complaints about that. The chips however were lacking- one small ramekin dish between 2 of us! Come on Red Lion! That’s just tight! There was also a ramekin dish of greens between the 2 of us which were uninspiring. Others had meals which were tasty but small given the high prices. This seems to be catering for the London/second home market. We left a bit bemused by it all especially the ramekin fish of chips between 2 people. The pub is very dog friendly. Small choice of food with none of the usual pub classics, small portions and overpriced. No longer a place for us I’m afraid.

What a lovely pub! Greeted like old friends although we'd never been before. Our meal was excellent, service faultless. Will return next year. Let down a little by the carpark.

We called in wanting lunch . We were told as a table of 8 were coming in shortly we would have to wait 45 minutes until we could order which we questioned as there were just 2 of us and it was very quiet The waitress asked the manager and he said so long as we ordered quickly he could get us in before the large party When we looked at the limited menu it was clear they didn’t serve the usual lunchtime fare it was going to be our main meal We decided to go for it and have a snack at tea time I ordered pork with vegetables and my husband a chicken dish and side of chips Mine in particular was such a small portion my husband gave me 2 of his 8 chips ( £4.50) The food was delicious but we had a main course a beer and a glass of wine for £67 and we left hungry A shame as we have a caravan in nearby Wells and this could be a regular haunt

Came to check out the Red Lion after finding out it had changed hands. It used to be fine, reasonably priced for average food. Now it’s levelled up in a way a Tory MP not ever talks about but never actually does anything about. The quality of the ingredients and cooking is WAY above where it was before while being humble and most importantly delicious. Sad to see some who don’t appreciate the changes and feel the need to leave negative reviews about it. When a restaurant changes hands it can absolutely take time to get absolute consistency, and my experience of two visits is only two visits. But from that I can say it’s going in a bloody good direction. Keep doing what you’re doing.

We seen this lovely pub change so much over the years whilst we've been in the area on holiday. There was a time when 'normal' food for 'normal people' was on the menu, but seemingly no longer. I doubt that we'll be going back again, unless someone in the family wins the lottery!

Having been to the Red Lion many times we had a short notice stay for a couple of days. As ever the welcome and service from the staff was second to none. But the food on offer is not what it was, too much effort in trying to create food that is style over substance instead of keeping to the essence of cooking good ingredients well. I wish the business well, but having spoken to recent customers I know they feel the same. Good luck in the future, but unfortunately not with us. I have written this in surprise that the venue is shown in The Good Food Guide.

We stayed 3 nights in an upstairs room with balcony. Nice enough if basic clean room but poor bathroom. No proper shower only hand held hose. Service not great , first day our room was not serviced at all. If you don t like dogs don t book ground floor rooms - dogs everywhere including dining room at breakfast. If you like dogs I guess it’s a good choice. FOOD - good breakfast but dinner in pub very disappointing. They are trying to be what they are not . Limited menu with no pub classics. Food sounded gastro pub but was not up to that standard. Sure our prawns were thawed from frozen as tasteless and watery. Waited an hour for main and they did nt seem busy.

The dining room we ate in was dog friendly we had three well behaved dogs which wasn’t a problem. We had some prawns off the snack menu and bread tapenade and anchovies which were all excellent. For main three of us had the Norfolk pork with roast potato and chard. Really nice and well presented. Two had the sea bream to share which was a special of the day looked awesome and one had a lamb cutlet type thing which had a strange name I can’t remember but I had a taste and it was really good. Pudding choice was small with three things on. Sticky toffee pudding raspberry and white chocolate mouse and cheese and biscuits. The sticky toffee pudding was very dark and treacley and the mouse was very light and creamy with loads of raspberries. The service was good, fairly casual and friendly and the chef came out and had a chat about other good places to eat around Norfolk. Really nice evening.

What a great friendly pub Caroline and Liam have created excellent food and drinks to choose from must say the beef chip butty was a great choice but there again so was the belly pork and sticky toffee miso pudding

Great meal once again at the Red Lion for our wedding anniversary. We had crevettes with garlic & chilli & beetroot with ricotta to start, then we both had the Walsingham beef: both braised shin (I think) and sliced sirloin, with delicious Parmesan polenta and...

We were looking for somewhere to enjoy a Sunday Roast while holidaying in Wells-next—the-sea. We had a very pleasant walk along the Norfolk Coastal Path from Wells to Stiffkey and stopped for a Sunday roast in The Red Lion. The quality of the roast beef...

Amazing Sunday Lunch with a lot of flair, totally delicious food. They easily accommodated 10 adults and 3 toddlers with a smile and the owners and staff were all very friendly and kind we would highly recommend

We went in to see what was on the menu. We were greeted in the most friendly manner and all the information we could wish for. We stayed for lunch. Crevetts / Calves liver & 1/2 pint Prawns / Croque Madame. It was all delicious,...

I love this place. I stayed a couple of years ago and remembered how relaxed it was, so came back with my dog. Our first trip away together, he’s a 2 year old, over excitable dachshund. The rooms are no frills but clean, functional and...

We went to the pub midweek around 5.30 to see if we could get a meal. The pub was almost empty with lots of spare tables. We were flabbergasted when the lady stood at the bar told us they were fully booked up. We thought...

We literally stumbled across this splendid eatery as we were desperate to find somewhere to celebrate a special occasion. We will remember this as a ‘meant to be’ experience. The pub is quaint, rustic furnishings and located on a scenic coast road. The staff serving...

We were looking forward to our visit but found the food to be overpriced and lacking in vegetables and potatoes on the fish dish. The cod was lovely but as stated not enough veg. Three people chose cod and still hungry when finished. I myself...

We had a two night mini break; the first time we had stayed here in summer. We have been several times in winter. There was a short menu, with a couple of specials on a blackboard both nights. Food really good and interesting. Good wine...

Lovely decor inside. Chose to sit in the side room with glass ceiling. Nice outdoor seating area. We had soup of the day which was delicious, fries which were so light and crispy, Burrata on sourdough with a salad and more fries. The place felt...

Had a 2 night mid week break and it was fantastic. The room was spotless and very comfy, all the staff were fantastic and couldn’t have made us and the puppy more welcome. We ate in the restaurant both evenings and both meals were faultless...

Absolutely loved our dinner here at this charming little village pub. The new management have done a great job, completely overhauling the menu and bringing in some exciting new ideas. The menu is small and affordable, everything is carefully chosen depending on what's in season....

I booked a table for my partner and I as it was his birthday. 29th of june 2023. We were staying in our moterhome on the campsite at stiffkey ,and we walked to the pub ,we were slightly late so I phone ahead . although...

Great food and attentive staff. The previous two x one star reviews are nonsense and would appear to be written by people who have never been to the Red Lion. There is no blackboard of specials as stated, there is no steak on the menu...

The moment me and my family stepped in to the establishment we knew something was off. From the service to the food, everything was dreadful. The FOH staff were very rude to my mother after she had asked what vegan options they had. Over priced...

we have previously been here and enjoyed the experience, however when we are here last night we were increasingly disappointed with the experience. After a long day we had expected to able to have a nice meal together, our family was sat on two seperate...

The Red Lion is set in a spectacular location nestled in the very heart of the Stiffkey valley. Scenery, wildlife the meandering river of sparkling waters make this quintessentially British. Second visit to eat after brilliant service on the first visit (chef/proprietors wife was outstanding)...

We popped in for a family lunch as staying nearby. We had reserved a table however was first come first served basis on arrival. Food arrived quickly however was little choice, quite bland and basic. Staff very friendly, food not v child friendly. Would not...

We visited the Red Lion last year and enjoyed the smoked prawns immensely. We booked a table for today as part of our Honeymoon- When I made the booking over the phone I asked if they had the smoked prawns since this was a special...

Found the food to be brilliant, and the service is good. A decent pint of beer and well priced red wine which we definitely need to find out where we can get ourselves! Overall a wonderful Sunday lunch with family.

Excellent service. Excellent food. Friendly staff. Highly recommend. Lovely area to sit down and enjoy the day.

A real find. A gastropub turning out excellent food that depends on good ingredients treated with respect. Skilled and precise cooking and importantly good, friendly and efficient service. We have booked our return visit..

We had a wonderful 2 night (mid week 2 nights for the price of one) stay with dinner for our wedding anniversary. The food was exceptional, the best breakfast ever! All the food was locally sourced and very freshly prepared. Our room was spotlessly clean...

The service was the worst I have ever experienced - from the moment we walked in we could not have felt more unwelcome & uncomfortable. However I will say the main courses were very good - but not sure if our expectations were so low...

We actually visited twice in our week in Norfolk, Sunday lunch and Friday dinner. The Sunday roast was amazing, melt in the mouth beef, selection of vegetables imaginatively presented and a Yorkshire pud filled with pulled beef. Friday dinner again very nice although none of...

Been regularly to this pub over last 5 years and had amazing meals and service. Had the most disappointing meal in ages, service very poor and staff not on the ball as waited 25 minutes for our sweet choice order but the staff didn't appear...

Intimate, friendly pub,serving a small but well considered menu. I particularly enjoyed the skate which was fleshy, sweet and cooked beautifully. Staff friendly and eager to make your visit enjoyable

Awful, done coast hoppa for friends birthday. 6 of us, stopped at blakney before stifkney price at blakney was over £10 more for same drinks and lip stick on glass, not good, we will not go again.

Having tried twice to eat at the pub we hoped this would be a great experience Looking at sample menus on line Unfortunately this was such a let down Non of the lovely meal shown we're on the menu The one dish we wanted from...

A good restaurant always ask if you have allergies which they didn’t. I made it clear I don’t eat anything spicy, everything had spice! I decided on their advice to have crispy chicken coujons, fries and salad. The coujon was in a hot curry spice,...

Such a lovely evening. Food beautifully cooked. I enjoyed the asparagus and hummus starter. Amazing oysters from the specials menu, as well as fantastic fish for our main course. Lovely service and all in all reasonably priced. Can really recommend.

Lovely proper local pub on the North Norfolk coast we enjoyed a Sunday lunch roast beef and a skate dish we will be returning next time we are in the area

We had booked to stay one night and were very agreeably surprised. The rooms were attractive and beautifully clean. Having anticipated standard 'pub food', we were most impressed by the menu and quality and presentation of our choices. This is most definitely NOT your average...

We’d probably been past this place many times, through the years we’d holidayed on the north Norfolk coast. We were staying in Wells, which has many pubs to choose from, but had sampled most of them, so we headed along to Stiffkey. So glad we...

Superb food, best I have had in Norfolk. The suckling pig main was perfectly tender and tasty and other dishes were good too. A real delight.

This pub is an absolute must to visit. We had a fantastic meal here for a special occasion and we were not disappointed. Staff are so friendly and accommodating. They cannot do enough to ensure your experience is a good one. Food was beautiful and...

We stayed in the area for the first time this week. The Red Lion was such a welcoming site, they were busy, every room was buzzing but fitted us in on a Tuesday night. The food was incredibly tasty - no idea how a pasty...

Two night stay in Suite 11. Sited over the main bars so noisy and access is only through the pub, outside again and up steep stairs. Nice space and cosy. But, nasty smell from drains. To be fair, when we complained it was sorted quickly....

Really lovely welcoming pub, from the owners to everyone working there we encountered friendliness and an overwhelming desire to make our stay and dining experience special. The food is exceptional.

We recently had a two-night break with our dog which was fantastic. Dog-friendly accommodation works brilliantly, and all the staff (cleaners, waitresses and bar staff) were all extremely friendly, chatty and helpful. Food was outstanding - my wife is coeliac so struggles to enjoy her...

We stumbled upon this delightful pub after a long walk from Wells-next-the-Sea on the Norfolk coastal path. As it was lunchtime we had a couple of snacks, lambs kidneys on toast, and sticky pork with creamy mash and black pudding crumb. Absolutely delicious. The chef...

Hats off to the chef and the whole team with fantastic food and ambiance. We have been coming to Norfolk for 20 years and now know this place is a little bit special under current ownership. They dare to be a bit different and the...

Booked a table for a meal at short notice. Very dog friendly, and chef adjusted the baba ganoush from a side part of the lamb dish on the menu to a main course for my wife, who is vegan. Both baba ganoush and the lamb...

I stayed here as a solo traveller for three nights, four days. The offer of 3 nights for the price of two was great value. My room was very comfortable, cosy and warm with underfloor heating. Added bonus of a lovely bath to soak in...

We are locals from Norwich ! But love N Norfolk coast 😊. Camp at Stiffkey yearly and always have loved The Red Lion. My first time staying although the fella has before. Lovely room, underfloor heating, comfy bed, nice balcony for a cheeky smoke for...

Very disappointing! Staff very friendly and welcoming on arrival But it went downhill from there! Limited menu with some dishes not available and Food not as described on menu. I asked for the pork chop with red cabbage ( cabbage was on menu with something...

We've just returned from an overnight stay at The Red Lion, although we've stayed a number of times in the past this is our first stay since changes were made in the kitchen and with the staff and we were really impressed. They have managed...

Very pleasant waiting staff. Rustic pub. In my opinion, food very underwhelming; small portions, bland and very over priced. Limited menu. Disappointing and did not meet expectations.

Time was when a visit to this pub was a real treat, with great food & drink. That now seems like a long time ago. Of course, if you like pretty food in portions that could perhaps satisfy a five year old, with most priced...

Lovely village pub with a restaurant and rooms. Our meal began well and the food was good. Service was poor overall. Small examples are vegetables arriving after main course finished and a warm bottle of white wine deposited on the table sitting on ice in...

We have just got back from a two night stay and would like to thank the owners and the utterly charming staff who were welcoming, friendly and professional. The Red Lion is a proper pub that serves proper beer and has a proper pub atmosphere,...

Very nice pub in a spectacular village. Staff were friendly and very helpful. Food and beer are very good. I’d definitely recommend dropping in for a meal.

Lovely place - proper wonky old pub. Nice atmosphere. Nice welcome and good service. Very tasty looking menu and some nice specials. Very much enjoyed the food.

Lovely pub in a great setting. The village is lovely and we will certainly be back to try some of their food as we only stopped for a drink. The staff were friendly and helpful. The wherry might have been at the end of the...

Had soup as a starter ,it was £9 and didn't even come with bread !!! Cheese and biscuits at £12.50 absolutely ridiculous for what you got ..... Such a change from how it used to be on our lasts visits.

Superb. The staff were friendly and very efficient and the pub has a strong local following. The menu may be short as it changes daily, the quality of cooking and ingredients means we ate some of the best food we’d had for a long while.

We were staying in Wells-next-the-sea and looking for Sunday lunch, and though we'd try the Red Lion and booked a table. We were seated quickly and ordered drinks and food . All was delicious and tasty. Not so with the service ! We had to...

Good was good quality and environment was pleasent. Our main gripe was the cost of the meal. We had one course each and 1 beer each and paid nearly 100 Inc a tip (including a kids meal for both kids). My main was fillet beef...

The rooms have been built at the back and are reasonably new and generally well appointed - slightly mystified why our room (Number 1) had a bath with a shower extension but no actual shower. OK for one night but would have been a pain...

Just stayed at the red lion in stffkey. What a wonderful place, had our dog also, so very friendly and welcoming, lovely room with dog , inclosed garden, amazing food and staff couldn’t do enough for us, lovely walks, couldn’t fault it, will be back...

Stopped for lunch at The Red Lion after a beautiful walk along the coastal path from Wells. The pub has lovely outdoor seating pods and beer was really tasty and well kept. The staff were really friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. The pub clearly...

Great menu. Seriously good bar snacks/sandwiches. Ham, egg and chip baps! Winner. £10 a throw is a bit steep, but nicely done. Would certainly come back. Good vibe with the staff.

Recently taken over by the last owner’s daughter and partner. The menu has been revamped and wow it was good before but now it’s exceptional Well done

We ate here twice, and the food was superb on both occasions. The chef is so creative and everything tastes wonderful. All the menu items are sourced locally and fresh each day. It is worth every penny spent. The staff are friendly and a great...

Simply superb food, a much changed menu since our last visit, but brilliantly prepared, cooked and served. The freshest of fish, fantastic flavours

We walked from Morton Quay and stopped for a late lunch. I had a burger and found it delicious. Service quick, although not particularly friendly.. would happily stop again.

We stayed 3 nights in the accommodation block behind the pub. The rooms on the ground floor cater for dogs and has a small enclosed garden area for them. The room was clean and functional. We were told that some of the rooms had updated...

Visited for a long weekend and stayed in the hotel. Wonderful food, breakfast included which was amazing and all locally sourced. Nothing was too much trouble, and a special mention to jack who was so accommodating and friendly! Lovely little mini break! Would come again.

So good. Nothing was too much trouble. Brought toddler food straight away avoiding meltdown, extra fruit for pud etc etc. Food exactly as described. Thank you so much

11 went for Sunday roast we were rushed through each course and the main course was barely edible. He asked if the meal was ok at the end. I said quite or few were not happy and it was barely ok, he didn’t respond or...

Went for a meal with my mother, whitebait starter delicious as were the smoked prawns(bread was dry and stale), although no bowl of water to wash hands in. We had whole lobster and baked crab, was expecting both to be hot but came out cold,...

Everything we ate was so good!!! Smoked prawn starter was delicious and lobster was perfectly cooked. Whoever is in the kitchen seriously knows how to cook seafood. What a lovely pub - they don’t make many of them like this any more. Bar staff lovely...

Stayed here for two nights in August 22 with the family. Nice room, decent food (breakfasts and evening meals) and very friendly staff who are happy to go the extra mile for their guests (which included picking us up after we struggled to get a...

We had a breakfast here and 2 evening meals and although a basic menu the food was flavoursome and filling. Staff friendly and couldn’t do enough for you. Dog friendly which is a must for us. The pub was busy despite being off the beaten...

We were looking forward to this meal to celebrate my husband's birthday after a day at the beach with our dog. There were five of us and the bill came to over £120. However, the food was very average but overpriced. We have spent this...

What a perfect way to celebrate my son's birthday! The food was superb, the portion sizes enormous and the service could not have been better- despite being busy, they were the right kind of attentive. Thank you Stiffkey Red Lion, can't wait to come back!

Unfortunately we had a meal tonight which really wasn’t great. Prawn starter had stale bread and no butter to make it any better and the pitta starter was completely tasteless and basic. Scampi was average but over priced at £16, we were at the wiverton...

Dropped in for some lunch and found a nice pub with a nice welcome from the staff. The local beer was very good and the service impeccable. But £8.50 for a grated cheese and pickle sandwich with bread that was going stale. £16.50 for a...

A most enjoyable meal at the end of a tiring day. Our first visit post-covid & thoroughly enjoyed if.