The Sun Inn in Colchester

Tom the bar man was very good. Friendly and helpful. Said I could the beer before deciding. The food was ok. My steak, which I was told had to be medium rare was served on a moderately warm plate with a useless steak knife although was tasty and good enough. Jenny had grey mullet which was good but the sweet corn in pasta was tough and almost inedible. The service was ok and they were very busy. Nobody asked if everything was ok.

OK. But utterly over-priced. We did not like being told at the outset that we would be kicked out in less than two hours' time. (which in fact was unnessecary because we were through in less time and, anyway, there was plenty of room mid-afternoon.)

Autumn Sunday lunch after a walk to Flatford. Firstly, cashless till so bank cards a must. Guinness with a lemonade was £9 for starters. Pub is large and got really busy with eaters. 5 adults ordered from roast menu. 2 vegetarian and 3 beef. Food arrived quickly. Good quality all around. £18.50 a plate so needed to be as I felt it was a £15 meal,tops. Yorkshire pudding were crispy and a little dry, but these are always a personal preference. I prefer mine soft and soaked in gravy. What we didn't bargain for was the 20% service charge automatically added to your bill so you have no discretion on who/how much to tip. The service was adequate and polite. So, great food if a little pricey for what it is and a slap in the face at the end with a 20% service charge automatically added. The whole cashless phenomenon also grates on me a bit.

Wow! Brought my brother today for Sunday Roast lunch - just the best!! The service, food, ambience all super. Both of us opted for the roast beef, and then made room for chocolate torte dessert. Great they serve 1/2 bottle carafe of wine too. We'll definitely be back. Thank you

We had a fantastic meal at this lovely Inn on the Main Street in Dedham. I had a veal chop and it’s one of the best dishes I’ve tasted in months, absolutely sublime. My wife’s risotto was also delicious. Service was friendly and efficient, decor was beautiful. A faultless dining experience, thank you!

We visited this place while we were glamping at the lost garden retreat local to this village and we were really pleased with the food and service on offer. The portion sizes were really good, the kids sizes were almost adult sizes, there was plenty of choice for beer / lager on tap and the one I chose was rather pleasant. The food was not your typical flavourless pub grub, it was really well presented and had plenty of flavour. The prices were affordable also and not overpriced. Overall I would recommend this place for anyone visiting the local area.

One of the best pubs around. Great food, it a little pricy for a country pub, good rotating beer selection and a great wine list. The building itself is beautiful in both winter and summer with a lovely garden/ patio area and a log fire when it’s colder. 10/10

Amazing Sunday lunch. Not the cheapest but lovely food and good size portions. Service was friendly and quick. Desserts delicious.

Lovely sunny day & was looking forward to a drink in the garden. We asked if they had a bottle of rose prosecco, he had a small amount left in a bottle & said he would look in the cellar for another. He came back & said he couldn't find one. So we opted for 1 glass of rose prosecco & a glass of white, he finished the dregs out of the rose which came to half a glass, then filled the other glass to the same measurement as the rose, (in the meantime another member of staff found a bottle of rose!!). I queried the size and he said that was a glass, I said it was disgusting, barman seemed nonplussed. Took half glasses of prosecco out to my sister, the rose was flat, 2 half glasses of prosecco for £20!! A few mins later someone walked out with a full glass of cold fizzy prosecco!! Probably a local! For being ripped off we won't be back. Shame as it is a lovely setting.

My second stay at the Sun Inn. Lovely pub and the food and service are good. The only problem is that there is no escape from the muzak which is in every public space and after a while it really grates. Sadly because of this, I won't be back

The food is good, however be careful when ordering food to eat at the bar as a 12.5% service charge has just been introduced, which is a little steep to pay over £5.00 on top of the price to have then delivered to you. Shame for a pub serving locals.

This used to be a great place but now my advice is dont bother. Uncommunicative and poorly trained staff. Would love to review food but but didnt want to stay due to staff incompetence .Great shame

Attractive pub, friendly and good staff. However food expensive for standard quality and dislike additional fixed service charge which also added to expensive drinks if they are not paid in cash separately. Yes this is ‘voluntary’ but embarrassing to remove.

Just been for Easter Sunday lunch with my mother. She had the skate for Main course, and I had the pork roast. In addition I had ice cream for dessert. Firstly the food was superb, well presented, generous portions and delicious. The venue itself has great decor and surroundings with a nice atmosphere to dine in. The staff were welcoming, friendly and attentive. Overall I would recommend this for value for money, high quality dining. It also makes a great destination for a drink in the bar.

Disappointed with our burgers over cooked and overpriced. The beer was well kept the Maldon ale always excellent. The sweet was nice and unusual.

Excellent lunch today, thank you. My mother and I had the ragout from your pasta selection: best pasta dish I have had, perfection! My wife had the roast squash- again excellent. She was particularly pleased with your thoughtful attention to her gluten free requirements. All in all a fantastic lunch. Dedham is lucky to have you!

I have stayed many times at the Sun Inn : the selection of beers, ales and wines is fabulous, the menu is varied and cooked with flair and dedication, the lounge is warm and inviting, and the rooms utterly charming. The staff are thoughtful and considerate. I can't recommend it highly enough. 10 out of 5 stars.

Haven’t been to The Sun for quite a few months …glad we visited last week ! Excellent welcome from charming bar man , warm atmosphere , plenty of variety on the menu ..all good ! We both had the nutritious tasty soup , delicious ! Main meals of steak and fish ..also plenty of flavour … Loved the meal ….thank you team .

Great pre Christmas family lunch ! The Sun Inn always delivers. Seafood , traditional pies were great and as ever the pasta (Ziti ,sausage and mushroom) was spot on,could have been in Italy!! Lovely ambience and and attentive staff ensured the 5 * experience! Bravo

Very spacious and clean room with all the essentials you need. Both dinner and breakfast were exceptional. Staff are very friendly and helpful.

I have to write this review because I think that the saffron risotto with prawns I ate yesterday is possibly the best risotto I’ve ever eaten. I can’t even attempt to break down the many flavours - I’d ruin the ‘whole’ - but it was fantastic. Friendly service and blazing log fires were additional pluses.

Dinner was great. Beef, pork , and hake choices were all excellent. The service was also excellent and a big shout out goes to Zak who was lovely and very attentive. Will definitely return.

Second time we have stayed here, delicious food, delightful rooms and excellent friendly staff. Loved the Elizabethan stairway, quirky rooms and secluded garden. We will be back!

Lovely atmosphere. Staff extremely helpful and friendly. Food was excellent. Beautiful restaurant. Inside the tables are not on top of each other spaced out nicely. Warm and cosy feel about it. Will definitely go back.

Having popped in for just a drink during a previous visit to Dedham we knew we had to return to the Sun for lunch, the restaurant area is really lovely and a great place to eat. It was extremely chaotic when we first turned up and first impressions were concerning due a real to lack of purpose about the bar staff who kept us waiting far too long before we could let them know we had a table booked and then when we did there was some confusion regard the booking! Once seated however everything changed and we were superbly looked after by a great team who served us some excellent food including the best presentation of oysters I have ever seen! Good varied menu and a great choice of drinks including decent real ale and a chance to have a choice of several wines in a half bottle carafe (why don't more places do this??!!) . Also liked the fact that there was a local wine on the menu. All in all after the sticky start we had a really wonderful lunch and will most definitely return. One tip - if you have a wide car you would be better to park on the street or in the main village car park a few minutes walk away rather than try to squeeze in the entrance to the Sun's car park.

An exceptional roast beef Sunday lunch and an equally excellent blythburgh pork roast. Very good service and will definitely return. Would recommend to anyone

Lovely place - good food if overpriced - all non alcoholic beers out of stock so said we’d have water and manager says “is that ok?” Well of course not…

Wonderful faultless food, in a lovely pub. However the waitress was cold and it felt unfriendly. She needs to learn to smile at the very least.

Booked to stay her for our wedding. Had food which was good. It was a mighty shame that one of the bar staff was a condensing buffon who completely ruined our night, Please don't ever be stupid enough to ever come here for a drink, a meal or any kind of celebration as you will be let down and seriously disappointed. Such a shame.

Birthday treat for myself, my wife and my daughter, we had a lovely amount of well prepared, well seasoned, well presented food. Thoroughly enjoyed and would definitely return based on todays experience.

After a lovely afternoon walk we stopped for a drink here. The prices are unbelievable and not in a good way. Taking advatage of their spot on the high street. We won't be coming back.

We were expecting a lot and left puzzled. Food was very underwhelming; served unopened muscles and clams, chicken burger was merely sliced chicken in a bun and the accompaniments and we left hungry (mainly because the food was basic and the pasta very poor indeed). Lots and lots of wasps flying around with no sign of any deterrents and found the chap behind the bar unfriendly although the servicing staff were ok. No bowls of water for dogs despite being dog friendly. Such a shame. Won’t go back and will continue our quest for a Dedham restaurant that doesn’t rely on passing trade but wants loyal and satisfied customers.

Greatly enjoyed staying at the Sun Inn. The bedrooms are softly understated and deeply comfortable, mine with a soothing view of the church across the road. Great service and lovely food. Nothing more needed.

We have been to this restaurant and Pub many times as my brother lives just up the road went for Sunday Lunch Staff were very helpful. The table was ready they took out drinks from the bar to the table. 3 of them had the varying roast dinners I had the mullet and crab tortellini, the fish was a little bit overcooked but what really annoyed me and might seem a bit pedantic is there is no house white or red wine which they state at the top of the page in the wine list, also childish comments about wines from other countrys dessert wines, being a sticky wine and most of the wines start at £30 upwards the food and drinks are getting a bit overpriced.

We came here for a drink one Sunday 2 years ago, and loved it. My boyfriend surprised me with a 2 night stay here for my 30th birthday. It was truly incredible. The rooms are lovely, the staff are friendly and the food is absolutely fantastic. Would highly recommend. Wish we were staying longer, but we will be back.

Arrived with friends on a busy weekday lunchtime. We waited patiently for drinks as they were clearly understaffed and we hadn’t booked. It took fifteen minutes to complete a round for the four of us, two delicious gin and tonics and two beers. We finally...

We went early on a Saturday evening and the place was quite full - always a good sign. The first thing we noticed was new tables - nice and solid with easy clean surfaces. The napkins were freshly laundered linen - another sign of quality....

What attracted us to this pub was the menu, which is much more exciting than a classic pub menu. Food was good quality, nice fresh ingredients, well presented, portion sizes perfect. The atmosphere was cozy and friendly, service was spot on. Overall a very pleasant...

The venue was very busy due to an annual music event. Food was OK if a tad on the expensive side. Staff pleasant enough even when rushed off their feet!

Really dissatisfied,both cocktails we ordered they had run out of,Campari and tequila,re ordered,along with our food.Bread arrived,and before we had even time to eat the bread,our starters arrived,cancelled the cocktails,waited a while for our wine,no extra plates for the empty mussel shells or spoon to...

We have eaten at The Sun Inn on various occasions over the years. Nice pub in a beautiful village. This time I was very disappointed. The lunch menu overpriced (chicken pie was £22.50) and 10% was added to the bill for service, when we ordered...

A delicious meal in the courtyard, served by a friendly and very efficient waitress. We had delicious oysters to start , then a lovely warm vegan salad and tasty gurnard and crab sauce. Excellent and interesting wine list.

Our favourite place to meet for dinner, the pasta dishes are unusual and delicious, cosy atmosphere and friendly staff. Love this pub !

Very cosy atmosphere, nice interiors, very comfortable lights. The service was good, the food was really good. We had 3 different dishes and they were all fine. - Steamed Mussels, White Wine, Cream, Garlic, Parsley, Shallot, Fries- really good - Gnocchi alla Sorrentina’ - good...

The fact that this place does not accept cash anymore brings it right down on the scale of ‘like, dislike’. I’m one of those people who believes that people should be given a choice, not presented with only one way forward. The Sun in Dedham...

The food was excellent. We had wobderful charred fresh asparagus with ricotta, walnuts and a beautiful sauce to start. My wife had Gurnard fillets accompanied by a delicious crab sauce as a nai s disg which was superb. The staff were very friendly, knowledgeable and...

Great customer service and good quality food at this character filled restaurant and hotel. Would recommend as a place to stay or just eat and/or drink if you are in the area.

We booked a Friday evening in the restaurant. It was busy and bustling on Good Friday, with a lovely atmosphere. The beautiful dining area was at capacity and everyone looked to be having a great time. The service was prompt throughout and we couldn’t fault...

We went for lunch and each had a burger which was beautifully cooked and tasted great. Prices are, at the top of what I’d pay but they’re not unreasonable. I am giving a low rating because we off some really worrying information we overheard. Staff...

Visited for dinner with friends, been meaning to visit here for years as heard it was good. I would say I was slightly disappointed, the staff don’t really acknowledge you at all and we would probably have drunk more if they had checked wether we...

Very busy/popular Sunday lunch. Eating one of narrow range of roasts opens up an excellent range of starters and puddings. Cheery bustling service. Lots of different shaped tables suiting all sorts of combinations of groups in several different rooms. Excellent wine list including several odd...

Went for breakfast. Didn’t appear to have my booking (although I was phoned at 21.40?! the night before to confirm). Was placed on a table which was not made up (asked to move to a table that was made up but was told no… then...

A very great pub with prompt friendly service and delicious food. Very enjoyable relaxed lunch with good walking close by.

What a gem in the heart of Dedham the food is really top quality we were a party of 6 and we were well looked after by all the staff we all really enjoyed our meal Thank You

I arrived in the bar on time and was kept waiting for almost 10 minutes to be seated, despite me being the only person there. A woman was talking on the phone ignoring me and eventually I was seated. It was obvious there was insufficient...

Dined there yesterday but service was very disappointing. Waited more than an hour for our main course, staff failed to clear the plates after starters and when questioned about delay, glibly stated it would be a few minutes without even checking with the kitchen. I...

The Sun is a lovely old building. Very comfortable. The staff are very efficient and friendly. However, my partner found his vegetarian dish ‘Orzotto, Roast Squash, Girolle Mushroom, Cote Hill Blue Cheese, Pickled Shallot’ lacking in vegetables (one piece of squash) and taste and he...

Took my mum here today for the first time and we enjoyed the most wonderful lunch. Charming staff, lovely cosy surroundings and really great food. The mushroom pate was a delight as was the pasta dish. We will be back!

Only popped into the sun inn for a drink, the barmaid was so very unwelcoming we went back to the Marlborough which is so much more welcoming and friendly!

The Sun Inn has lots of character and a cosy ambience. The decor showcases the historic nature of the building, with rich colours on the walls and bold artwork. We have been here several times and have always really enjoyed the experience. This time we...

Traditional pub with excellent menu! My partner and I had a fantastic lunch at The Sun Inn. We both ordered the muscles and frites which were excellent. Service fantastic, well priced, we look forward to coming again

Group of 6 of us had a nice Sunday dinner here . 2 vegetarians in our group. The food was good but the knives need to be sharper they struggled to cut even potatoes . It’s quite expensive but for a special occasion as ours...

The Sun Inn at Dedham is in the perfect place to explore Constable Country. John Constable, being one of Suffolk and Essex best known artists in his time. You can have a lovely walk along the river stour to Flatford Mill, which is where he...

We enjoyed a delightful lunch, with our dog being made to feel welcome too. Lovely setting and a simple but appealing menu of good food.

I didn't want to offer a poor review as the hospitality sector is having a tough time at the moment. But for the not inconsiderable bill of £95 (for two) we enjoyed average food, average service and an absence of beer due to 'a gas...

Arrived last night after a few problems made us nearly an hour late and they kindly kept the table for us. Very friendly helpful staff. Superb food at reasonable pricing. My friend and I had the Summer Fishcake and decided it was the tastiest fishcake...

We have previously had good experiences at the Sun and seeing that they did a Sunday roast we decided to try it for Sunday lunch today. It was an 'interesting' experience. My wife cannot eat garlic - it has a chemical in it that makes...

I am disappointed, if I’m honest. I was expecting much more for such a highly rated place. Reserved space on the terrace as I felt this would have a nicer ambience in the summer but was placed under a mouldy umbrella near the car park....

We were the only people sat in the bar area, the restaurant and garden were fully booked, so I thought we must be in for a treat, hubby chose well, the trout fish cake was really yummy, but I chose wrong, skirt steak, I normally...

The menu on offer was somewhat strange, I know The Sun has to offer something different to every other establishment which are in abundance locally (being Michelin) but we found it really nothing special and overpriced, our expectations were disappointed. Staff were very attentive.

The food was ok, totally overpriced for what it was. The roast beef wasn’t a good cut and cost way too much. The orange and lemonade was £6! When you pay nearly £20 for a roast it should be spot on but it was underwhelming.

We were camping locally with friends and this had been recommended to us. We had a lovely table in a buzzing pub restaurant which was doing on a roaring trade on a warm Friday night. Fab service, delicious starters and mains. The pasta dishes were...

Lovely old fashioned pub. Very clean. Friendly service. Food was a bit overpriced, but I suppose that's because of the location.

Lovely surroundings, lots of thought gone into the design. You would never guess from the outside of the pub you would go into a vintage oasis. Staff very polite and helpful. The let down was the quality of the food. The menu sounds posh but...

We popped in here on the way home from a long journey and initially we were just going to have a drink but ended up staying to eat. The service and welcome were very friendly, the pub also has an outside terrace and then a...

Just a cut above the rest, beautiful and skilful menus, cooked with finesse…we were buzzing after our meal!

We have used this venue many times before and generally the food is pretty good although the service can be a bit ‘variable’. Our latest visit was a midweek birthday lunch, 4 of us altogether. First of all, only three of our 4 starters arrived....

It’s been sometime since we visited the Sun at Dedham, with the last visit possibly 4 years ago somewhat uninspiring. However, there was something I liked about the venue and I’ve kept an eye on it and last night the lady and me enjoyed a...

Had a Sunday lunch for 10. Delighted with the table situation. The service was prompt and courteous. The food was very good, well presented and hot. Despite being told they were one chef down there was no long delay.

The Sun Inn is the most delightful place to stay in a wonderful village. The rooms are excellent and staff exceptionally friendly; Lotte was so welcoming and attentive and brought a smile to my face each morning! I highly recommend staying here

We had an excellent meal from an original and unusual menu. Good choices and generous servings meant that we were too full to eat dessert, tempting as the choices were.

We'd booked for a Sunday lunchtime, and could only seat outside. No problem, the British weather won't let us down. Sat in the courtyard and our friendly waitress came over and sorted us out for food and drinks. My lamb and beef meatballs came out...

All the food we had was excellent. Wonderful olives, soup, pasta, mussels and cod. Hayley could not have been more helpful about whether dishes were gluten free. We had excellent service from both Olla and Hayley who were both charming. We were also impressed that...

We loved this restaurant, normally when you take your dog you have sit in the bar and eat, but not here, we were given a really nice table just off of the main restaurant. The staff were very attentive and chatty. Especially Caitlin, she was...

Friends Birthday lunch in the restaurant was very much marred by a disinterested waitress, who could barely smile. Had to gain her attention (which was almost impossible) to try and get our pre lunch drinks ordered before we looked at menu, when we were ready...

Dedham is beautiful & the Sun Inn shines brightly. The decor is traditional - nice to see what appears to be an original wooden floor. A very cosy atmosphere. Food and drink is good quality and service is excellent. Cautionary note, if you have a...

Came here tonight for a meal with my girlfriend after seeing really good reviews online about it. After eating here im wondering if i ate at the right place. To start my other half had a cheeseboard and i had mussels and oysters. The oysters...

We had been staying at another hotel in Woodbridge for the Bank Holiday weekend and booked The Sun Inn for a lunch stop on our way home to Kent, to break up the drive. We weren’t ready to end our lovely long weekend just yet...

Popped in for a drink with my family on bank holiday Monday. Quick look at the diners food as we waited for our drinks to be poured put me off ordering anything ! Some poor lady was struggling to cut through a burnt I assume...

What a lovely boozer. Just popped by for refreshments after shopping and was pleasantly surprised. Serves a great pint too which I enjoyed. Great beer garden which I liked. Thumbs up to this pub.

We visited this restaurant on the spur of the moment whilst visiting the area. i had seen previous reviews of it on various sites and was keen to try it out. wow what a lovely restaurant. From the outside it does not look much but...

Thank you to the Guardian for introducing us to this part of the world and this fantastic pub in particular! After a 5h walk in Constable's Country, we had the most enjoyable meal in a long time. The staff were attentive and super helpful -...

We had a lovely lunch with delicious food, great wine and the best part was the staff who all looked after us so well and really seemed to enjoy their job. So rare these days to have such good service. A special thanks to Catalina...

We spent a night in this wonderful Inn. We arrived during the day and had lunch. It was superb, the room delightful, the pillows so comfortable, and a fabulous 6ft bed. It’s unusual to have all rooms with a Super King bed, especially in an...

Fantastic staff, delicious food, and a lovely atmosphere. Came one Sunday and I had the beef roast dinner and my husband the pork. I am not a huge fan of pork, but tasted it and couldn’t believe how good it was. The roast potatoes are...

Really great place. Unbelievable oysters, but the shining star was the clam pasta dish. Superb. Lovely staff, friendly and hospitable welcome. Extra mark for decent wines available by glass or carafe. Very much enjoyed.

We had an amazing meal here last week with my parents. The food was incredible and such good value! Service was excellent too, our server Steve was lovely and really made us feel at home. We were so surprised to find out it was his...

Lovely clean and comfortable room. The bed was very comfortable indeed and the room was spacious and nicely decorated. We didn’t eat there as we were attending a celebration elsewhere in Dedham. Food smelt good though!

We Wanted a traditional country pub, open fires, nice wine, lovely meal and and a nice room. The Sun inn ticked all our boxes. We requested an early checkin which was granted. Boudicca room was ready, robes waiting, lovely comfy bed, lots of pillows, view...

We had this booked for a month, a birthday meal for just the two of us on a Saturday evening, it’s a bit of a drive and we were made aware that the table was for 2 hours. We were really looking forward to trying...