The Sun Inn in Basingstoke and Deane

We used to visit this restaurant regularly and enjoyed the food and atmosphere. Not any more - there has been a significant deterioration in standards and I would no longer recommend this establishment. We booked a psrty of 8 plus 2 children for 1400 hrs = we had all arrived within 10 minutes of that time. There was only one member of staff serving both drinks and food and several tables were waiting to be served. The service was appaling and we eventually received our starters at 1530 hrs. Our main courses were served at about 1545 hrs. The quality of food was lower that I had anticipated. It was plated (ie. vegetables etc not served separately) and my beef was lukewarm. Some other dishes had a peculiar taste. The one member of staff on duty kept disappearing for protracted periods and, with noone else in the establishment, it took 20 minutes to obtain our bill. I will not be going back! When he was there, the waiter was very pleasant.

Amazing again chef Anthony thank you for a fantastic meal and making us feel special. Definitely will be back as no other restaurants can match your standard of food or your hospitality . Very professional and polite

Had some family over from malaysia and took the mhere for a sunday roast it was very empty much to our surprise so we did get first class service, pipping hot delishious food and noting was too much as in extra gravy and sauces, even brought some paper and crayons out for the little one, highly recomend

Met with some friends here for a lunch as the pub was just about halfway between us so we both had 50 mile journeys. Booked online due to the good reviews and we weren’t disappointed. Sunday lunch was amazing. Don’t be put off by the outside of the pub which looks a bit ordinary and inside it’s a bit dated but the food is something else. Best roast beef I’ve ever had out!

A friend and I agreed to meet here for lunch, about an hour drive for each of us. We booked online and were sent confirmation but when we arrived the place was closed. If you're planning on coming here suggest you check by phone.

We live fairly close to the sun inn ,.We often go as it’s a delightful dog friendly pub . After seeing the food come out we decided to go for a meal last week (without the dog ) . The standard of the service and staff was perfect as expected. As for the quality of the meal it was outstanding , A absolute credit to the chef, we certainly will be returning

Used to go to this pub a decade ago and it was fantastic. When we pulled up on a Monday night with our party of 11 the absence of any cars outside was very telling. On entering we ordered drinks looking forward to the excellent cask ales it used to be known for. We found 1 hand pulled cask with the owner telling us it was a little sour and that is ‘how the locals prefer it’. It was off, and as we are from the US, maybe that can work but would put off visitors ever drinking our wonderful cask ales. We all had keg Doombar but that was also poor as though the cleanliness was not good. We should have walked out but due to many places being closed on Mondays we moved to the dining area. Awful, food, the pies were served in premade dishes and heated up. The accompanying vegetable were cold and stewed. It was noticeable we only saw 1 person who was barman then served all the food, probably also was microwaving the pies. Such a shame this once great pub has been so neglected and its reputation will be trashed.

Help! Is there a pub in Basingstoke that can produce good food. Sea Bass was overcooked with overcooked veg. Fishnchips was too much batter and over cooked chips. A total disaster.

We had a lovely Friday night out at The Sun with friends. The menu is varied, and we all had different food choices, including vegetarian options. The food was hot, beautifully served and delicious, with a good choice of sweet options. This is a Gastropub, the food standard is very high. The pub was warm, and the service was fast and efficient. Thank you

Went for a wake following a funeral, we had about 40 people and was in a little room behind the bar. The food was really nice and we were treated well and was looked after. My one feed back for future buffets is to have veggie platters separated or labelled as this would be easier to identify non meat foods.

Just had an excellent lunch, the valentine menu, 3 courses only £21.99 All courses were fabulous and well presented, my husband had a steak and said it was really good, I had a vegetarian dish , really tasty and enjoyed it. The Baileys cheesecake to finish was delicious. This is only my second visit and the food last time was also of an excellent standard. There were only about 4 other couples in there and I do agree with other reviews, it can seem too quiet and no atmosphere. This is a shame as the staff are super friendly, the food is really good and the prices so reasonable. We will definitely go back, this time we ate in the bar rather than the restaurant and I did prefer that.

Been here many times good atmosphere when your here on the right night. Food amazing tastes fresh and to make a point me and my friends all got something different each meal didn’t have single problem with it Staff were amazing and accommodating to any needs.

The first sign something was off was walking into a pub on a Friday night, and it was completely empty. Literally not a single person. This is labelled as a "Gastro Pub". I am not sure what to call it. We ordered a chicken burger and a Caesar salad. I am really not sure what to say about the food. It was so far from being well made, that it requires a whole new rating scale. The chicken strips on the salad were drenched and smelled to high heaven of vegetable oil, to the point where a little squeeze of the meat would result in oil dripping out. The chips accompanying the chicken burger looked like they had been fried 2 or 3 times previously, so hard and brown were they. I am certain this restaurant has either changed hands recently, or we somehow drove into a time-vortex, and somehow visited the same location, but with a very different outcome. I am not sure I even want you to avoid the place, because from my vantage point, it was so bad that it can only improve from here. We left the restaurant, shaking our heads in actual disbelief that venues like these still exist.

Francis could not have been more accommodating at the sun. We had just visited the crematorium and needed a spot of lunch as it was cold. I also stayed on to use the WiFi for a work call. You can tell that Francis was proud of what he offered with food and service. Thank you for your hospitality

My wife and I visited The Sun Inn for Christmas dinner and, as usual we had a wonderful time. We have tried many restaurants in the Basingstoke area, but we always come back to the Sun. Excellent food, service and value for money.

Very friendly helpful staff and the food was delicious.The place was very clean and welcoming throughout .I’ll definitely go there again.

No, just NO. Pub has changed hands and I don't think it will be able to live off its good reputation much longer. The food was not good!! The service was disjointed. Extremely amateurish.

Went for dinner with some business colleagues and probably the worst choice we could have made. The service was amateurish, the food quality was really not what you would expect and the ambiance was awful as the place was empty. Regretfully I think the best days of this place are in the past.

Nicely decorated dining area, polite attentive staff, a wide ranging well priced menu. The food was cooked and presented to a high standard. The only disappointment was being charged £2.50 to have a fried egg with my Gammon Steak, considering the meal came with onion rings I didn’t ask for and didn’t eat, offering customers a choice when ordering would avoid this situation. I would recommend this venue and will certainly visit again.

Booked this venue for a funeral wake & was very impressed. Nice buffet, food was delicious. We were in a lovely area at the back which was perfect for our family. Lovely staff. Thank you.

Found this place from a Google search. So glad we did. Booked a meal for 2 online nice and easy. Excellent choice of menu so much choice! I chose braised beef and my partner chose the lamb, beautifully presented and the taste was worthy of Michelin star rating. If we didn't live 2.5hrs away we would visit on a weekly basis. The cost of the meals, desert and bottle of wine reasonably priced. Staff are attentive and nothing is too much trouble. We are staying 1 mile down the road and have visited this place 3 times now! If you live in or around Dummer please use it, I'd hate to see this place close.

You’d expect a restaurant/pub to have at least one car in the car park at 1pm on a Monday, but until our friends arrived, ours was the only one there. Our friend has meant to book somewhere else that he’d been to a couple of times before, so we weren’t sure what we’d let ourselves in for. Going inside it looked as though they had spent some money. It was clean and looked pleasant enough. We were shown to a table and given the menu, which was quite varied. The food turned out to be excellent. My wife and I both had salmon, that was tasty and well-presented. Puddings we’re also enjoyable. Prices very fair. The only thing it lacked today was a little more ambience. It’s midway between our friends and us, so next time we meet up, we won’t hesitate to return.

Good selection on Menu. Beautiful meal. Everything was so fresh & tasty. Service was very good too. Would definitely return and recommend.

My daughter and I had soup, which arrived almost 45mins later it was surprised to be broccoli and cheese. It arrived and the soup was dark green and shiny and tasted of salt. We had two very very small pieces of bread. I asked for more bread and he said that he would have to charge us, I said fine thinking it might be another pound. When it arrived it was on a platter with olives and oil dip, which we didn’t use except the bread. When it came to paying I inquired about the platter as I only ordered bread, he said we ordered bread and it only came as a platter, that was total rubbish. He charged us £6.50 for the extra bread. Disgusting. I would never go there again if it was the last restaurant in the world

We had our wake here for my Mum. We chose it as the reviews (albeit quite old) seemed good and they offered a cream tea which my Mum always liked. The price was put up by £1 a head from when we first booked until we gave them numbers, but who is counting? The food was tasty but, even though we ordered for more people than attending, there were not enough of the small sandwiches for two each. But what really let it down was that we were put in a room a bit like a corridor with the food on one side and a line of chairs (12?) on the other, a bit like a railway station waiting room. We had booked for 25, mostly elderly, mourners (23 turned up). There was some additional seating in the room next door. This catered for 11 people sat at 3 tables, although a table for 4 was occupied for most of our stay. How can you be expected to put cream and jam on your scone on your lap, while holding your cup of tea? Or, just as difficult, while stood up? Play Safe, book elsewhere.

Myself and my family had an very enjoyable evening. The menu had a great choice. And the food was delicious! Would definitely recommend.

The Sun Inn did our family a lovely funeral tea. Just a short car trip from Basingstoke Crematorium. Everyone enjoyed the sandwich,cakes and pastries. Thank you.

So glad we calĺed in here instead of our usual pit stop Fleet Services. Service was reasonably quick and food was delicious and good value: whitebait for him and a superfood salad for me. Staff were attentive and toilets were clean, plenty of parking - everything we wanted. Other diners were having more substantial meals and were heard being complimentary.

Went here for dinner on a Saturday night. Seemed quiet. Our food was nice, starter of pork croquette and bread/olives. Mains of chicken and beef. All very nice. The beef could have done with more Jus as there was a lot of it and it was a bit dry but it was tasty. Dessert of brownie and cheesecake both good. Staff were attentive and accommodating to dietary requirements. Decor and toilets could do with a revamp and there was a Christmas decoration on the window sill but we had a nice evening and would definitely return.

I highly recommend the Sunday lunch. My husband and I have just had a really positive experience- superb service, the most delicious roast veg soup and a cracking roast lamb. A great selection of veg that was very nicely cooked and presented. The team were attentive throughout our meal. Very good value for money.

We went for Mother’s Day and unlike the other reviewer I got no “Happy Mother’s Day” no bubbles. There was certainly no acknowledgement of Mother’s Day from the décor. Service is appalling, they are short staffed. Food was cold and just not nice! Not worth the money. Sorry but it really ruined our day. Will not be going back.

Very slow service, not enough staff and those that were there seemed poorly trained with little customer awareness. The food was basic and average to poor quality. Some of the dinners were weren’t hot and some of the desserts were still partially frozen.

Huge sign outside claims “gastro-pub” but couldn’t be further from the truth. Nothing tastes or looks fresh, everything seems bought-in. We were one of only for table dining on a busy Saturday lunchtime. This place is not popular. The food presentation is good (see the pretty photos that other diners have posted ) but its all smoke and mirrors because whilst the plates look good, everything tastes bought-in. we ate frozen chanterelle carrots artificial tasting mashed potato, texture and taste very much like “smash“, my fish pie (£14.95) was all sauce and no substance, contained one cube of white fish (The fish was still in little square shapes, as if it had come out of a frozen packet) And one square of salmon, which still had the horrible grey underside attached, the steak came with a mountain of overcooked and burnt deep fried chips, shop, bought bread, pale discoloured olives, Eton mess made with frozen fruit (still frozen), pouring cream (not whipped cream), shop-meringue nests crushed up (eaton mess £7.50) total bill £140 for 4 people (3 starters, 4 mains, 2 desserts, 4 non-alcoholic drinks) The decor, furniture and ambiance is pitiful. Tacky threadbare chairs, plastic marigolds on the tables. The empty mayonnaise container in place of a bathroom bin in the ladies loo says it all, this place has no finess, its nothing more than a glorified Hungry Horse and is playing at being a “gastro-pub”

We went today for Sunday Lunch as it's Mothers Day and I get out of cooking. Once seated we were greeted with a glass of something nice (bubbles plus) and 'Happy Mothers Day', which was a lovely touch. The pub is dog and child friendly...

Food was acceptable for the menu presented. Pees were not fully cooked. Table service was really poor. We had to ask for a baby high chair 4 times. Not clean. The table next to us, which was empty had napkins on the floor for the...

One of the worst food we had and service is too bad, I don’t really recommend anyone. food not made fresh.

Went to The Sun Inn last night. The experience was truly shocking. The food on their website is nothing like the food that was delivered to the table. I think the pictures must have been left over from the previous owner. The waiter did not...

Went for Sunday lunch very disappointed in the service was very poor couldn't pull the beer properly, the food was cold and all they did was to but it in a microwave and bring it back to the table, and then had the check to...

We had a lovely meal at the Sun. Service was great and personalised. My husband always orders his steak well done the steak came out perfectly done. Not burnt or dry. Salmon and lamb also a good choice. Desserts are fab. Very positive experience on...

We had pre booked a table of 11 for a birthday lunch for my mum. Service started slow, the waiter didn’t have a clue what anything was and went back to the chef 3 or 4 times to ask and once ordered the food took...

Food slightly slow to arrive, but staff very busy, well worth waiting for. Best fish & chips I’ve eaten for many years. The grilled chicken breast was also excellent. The Sun Inn has had problems in previous years but is now in my opinion back...

As I found this place via the reviews it seems only right to add to the accolades! Swift and friendly service and delicious food. Only passing through for business in Southampton, but tempted to try and stop off for lunch on my way back tomorrow...

I can not recommend the food at this lovely pub enough. We ordered 3 courses and were not disappointed by anything. Decent portions, well presented and full of flavour! Not to mention excellent value for money. The pork belly melted in my mouth and my...

We had a table for 7 and had a brilliant time. The food was excellent, and although the waiting staff were busy, everything was catered for. We enjoyed a full Christmas dinner with all the trimmings in a warm comfortable environment. Thanks.

We visited with friends and ate from the set Christmas menu which was excellent value - the food was delicious and beautifully presented. The staff were really friendly and very attentive. We have booked to come back on Christmas Eve with family - shows how...

Menu is excellent with a massive choice for all including non meat eaters. Food served was beautifully presented and delicious and staff were friendly and helpful. 100% would recommend and can’t wait to go back

Lovely pub, friendly staff and delicious food. Nice to find such a place with quality food and service

Lovely food We will definitely be back Again and again We live local Amazing hosts and service Don’t drive past DRIVE IN !

We visited The Sun Inn on Saturday 3rd December 22 with friends and I can honestly say the food was amazing..the portions were very generous and there was a great choice on the menu to suit everybody..we were there around 7 pm and although the...

We went here for dinner as staying nearby. Food was excellent, tasty and well cooked. Service was good, attentive but not over the top. Reasonably priced too!

This was truly one of the worst dining experiences I have ever had. I became suspicious walking into the place because the bar was completely empty, on a Saturday night. The dining room did have three or four groups of diners. We food we ordered...

We booked for an impromptu Saturday lunch on 5th November 22. We were warmly welcomed and sat in the restaurant area. We had the locally sourced pumpkin soup for starters and them main meals or pork belly, cottage pie and a burger. The meals were...

Sunday Lunch … just returned from Sunday lunch. I literally did an internet search and it came up With this place as was meeting a friend in the area. It was magnificent. I think it’s the best Sunday lunch roast I have ever had. 3...

Excellent steak and good chips! Friendly welcome. Good value for money. Would definitely go again. We were too full to have one of the good choices of pudding!

Enjoyed a tasty Sunday lunch for 6 at the Sun Inn. Our group had freshly carved lamb, beef, and vegetable tart, which were all accompanied with fresh vegetables, roast potatoes and Yorkshire pudding with the roasts. Service was friendly and prompt, served on hot plates...

Avoid this place! The food was poor quality for the price. The waiter was nice but the Barman was clearly drunk Rubbish in the car park and generally not maintained This used to be an excellent pub, but I’m afraid it has fallen by the...

Everything was awful about this place The walls were splashed with food and drink Dirty cutlery The music was very odd for a pub? Restaurant? Whatever this place is It was like club music! The carpet was so dirty and dusty! I am genuine worried...

The staff was very welcoming and friendly, the food was very good, this is not the first time we have used this restaurant and will use it again in the future

The sun Inn is a lovely place to visit for a family meal. A lovely garden with a good climbing frame. The food and the service is brilliant. We will be going again.

The pub was obviously recently opened after a long closure due to Covid but the food and friendliness of staff was very good. The food was freshly prepared from order so a long wait but it was worth it.

This pub/restaurant is wonderful. The staff are absolutely amazing and the food, omg you've got to try it. I attended my cousin's wake, the staff went above and beyond with the catering and looking after my family and friends. If I lived in Hampshire, this...

My partner and I went here yesterday expecting pub food. But what we got was so much more! The food was absolutely amazing and the presentation was beautiful. Definitely recommend x

Met here with family for lunch. Arrived at the same time a large function was starting so the service was very slow, but friendly. Good range of choices on menu. Unfortunately the food was rather lack lustre, had the fish and chips which came with...

Went for lunch yesterday after a good lunch there pre lockdown and noting recent glowing reviews. When I delved further after our meal I found a number of negative reviews which echoed our experience. A lovely old character building in an easy access location which...

Popped in for a drink, with the possibility of staying for food. Pub was fairly quiet, which was fine. Father in law and I ordered 2 pints of Doombar. It tasted off. The barman disagreed with us, but after while poured us another pint each....

Had a late lunch here yesterday with my family, there was 16 of us in total. We had booked our table but not pre booked our menu choices. The service we received was outstanding from both front of house and from the kitchen. Preparing 16...

Had a lovely lunch, food was well cooked and enjoyed. Good presentation of the dishes as well. Music was a little off for a lunch service but not unpleasant.

My partner and I wanted to get out for Sunday lunch and the Sun Inn looked like a good bet based on the reviews. When we arrived we were met with some dodgy decor and disenfranchised staff who didn't seem like they wanted to be...

Do not believe the pictures on their website!!! Arrived on time, manager clearly run ragged as had no idea where we were due to be sat despite booking and confirming in advance. Elvis dressed as Jeremy Clarkson was blaring out the classics. Far too loud...

Poor ambience and decor. Huge delay for any food coming out (from sitting down, 45 minutes to get starter and 1 hour 25 for main). Quality of starters was quite good. Mains were chicken, pork loin and beef roasts, all very average…….. meat dry, gravy...

The atmosphere in this place just feels off. Slightly strange smell, bad decor, and service was friendly but not professional enough for a gastropub. I think this could all be forgiven if the food was decent, but it isn't. The food was frozen/microwave quality and...

Had Sunday lunch with some friends, a strange experience. Given the reviews and pictures I can only assume that ownership has changed. Decor was shabby and atmosphere odd (90s music like Vengaboys and Celine Dion). Service was poor - slow, the wrong wine to the...

Stopped off at this pub on our way to an overnight stay and so pleased that we did. A very warm welcome from the owner who enquired about our day and was very interested to hear any feedback. Drinks were served promptly. We chose our...

Unfortunately what promised to be a great Sunday lunch, turned out to be the complete opposite. We were seated next to a really noisy birthday party, the area was cold and quite gloomy. The waitress didn’t appear to know what she was doing and service...

Great menu, lovely food, great service - we will definitely bring the whole family back and try and Sunday lunch later in the month

The service was great, but the atmosphere wasn’t. We were the only people there. Also, the food was ok but not great, my drink had what appeared to be mould on a lime, and my family member’s chips were undercooked. Overall, the pub is alright.

Great food and service tonight. Highly recommend . We had the lamb and salmon highly recommend the sticky toffee pudding.

We popped in early evening for dinner as we have always had a good meal on previous visits and this didn't disappoint. Great freshly cooked food which was nice and hot . First class service by the friendly staff. We have booked for a Sunday...

We had a lovely meal at lunchtime today.We were greeted by a very polite manager who took us to our table.The service was efficient and the waitress very friendly. The food was cooked fresh and of a very high standard.The belly pork and the sticky...

Be very careful, the landlord/manager has a bit of a temper. Went here with friends and we were not told that on Sundays it's a set menu. Two of us were not all that hungry so just ordered starters. At the end they tried to...

We came here New Year’s Eve day on the off chance there might be a table free in the restaurant that evening. There wasn’t but we were allowed to order from the menu in advance and later did get a table in the restaurant area...

Very welcoming, cosy pub. We went with our dog and she was also welcomed with a nice doggie treat (which she loved!!). Staff were polite and service was great. The food was amazing, we went for the fish and chips but be aware of ordering...

We had booked a table and it took a while to be seated and then it took a long time for our order to be taken.We were aware they were short staffed but that's not our problem. When the meal arrived it was clearly a...

Went for lunch en route from Winchester to home. Interesting menu with a twist, good food, polite and courteous service. Very generous portions and the food was worth the wait being freshly prepared. Would visit again

I think this changed hands since our last visit. The decor seems to have been changed in the bar and now seems more 'urban cocktail bar' than country pub. The dining room has very small tables to fit 3 adults - at least our table...

Took my wife for a birthday meal. Waited a long time to get served, vegetables where cold and under done ad to ask for another lot. Second lot was hotter but still underdone. In the meantime the rest of our meal was getting cold. No...

We had to find a place to meet halfway between Southampton and London and picked this spot by chance because of its location. It doesn't look much from the outside but it turned out to be a great choice for our Saturday lunch spot. The...

Arrived to a lovely, friendly welcome and were shown to our reserved table. Clearly a popular dining venue, I'm glad we booked the week before. Our ordered drinks arrived promptly and didn't disappoint. The food looked great and the portions were generous. Everything was beautifully...

Had an impromptu lunch Friday, and can not fault the service. Despite being in his own , quite busy , service was attentive, friendly, not rushed. Starters were good, tempura prawns & the pork croquet. Rump steak was ok needed more seasoning but guess that's...

Called in on the off chance for lunch, whilst visiting family in Basingstoke. Lovely welcome, gorgeous menu selection and the food superb. Staff really polite and friendly. Restaurant was fresh and well decorated, with a very relaxed vibe. Toilets very clean, and noticed staff sanitised...

This once award winning pub has really lost it's way since Graham Potts left. The food on this occasion was very good and the hosts were very friendly. But oh dear, the interior is in serious need of a makeover. The chairs are worn and...

I was looking for a place for fine dinning for my partner and I, as this place popped up. The food was amazing and the dessert was lovely! However, the only let down was the decor. We were expecting something a bit more ornate, as...

Went here for a late birthday lunch and it was very enjoyable. The food was great, lots of choices and reasonably priced also the wine was good at £17.50 for a bottle of malbec. We could not manage pudding as we were too full but...

We visited for Sunday lunch and it was delicious. We were greeted immediately upon arrival and shown to our table. The waiting staff were attentive and friendly throughout our stay and we were not rushed or given a time limit, even though there were a...

Called here to meet family. We only wanted a snack, and hadn't noticed the lack of snacks or lighter bites on the Sunday menu. We asked if it would be OK to just have a starter each. The starters were on the menu, so would...

New management, new chef and really good menu. Shepherd's pie amazing. We haven't been here in a while and wanted to find a place with something more than just burger and steak on the menu. I couldn't fault the place and the staff were so...

We have been here twice and have not been disappointed. Food is up there with fine dining but prices are so affordable. We had starters all were good I had beef bourguignon best I have ever had. My partner had pork belly and he said...

We visited for a Saturday lunch and both the food and service were great. I had the beef bourguignon which was incredibly tender. Great value as well!

This was a central location for friends to meet and it was perfect. There was no time restriction on the table, the staff were attentive, friendly and competent. The food was delicious, clean plates all round. Definitely recommend.

We decided to take the back road from Winchester to Basingstoke and hoped we could stop for lunch somewhere along the way. When we pulled up, it looked like a ordinary country pub. Wrong! I ordered the pork belly, which K doesn't like so I...